The End Times

"The Three-Eyed King has long awaited this moment, the hour of which his destiny is at last unveiled. He leads an army of madness and rage, against which no sane being would willingly stand. Perhaps I am not sane, as I will fight one last time. Not for victory, but for survival, for the hope that a spark can ensure. It is a slender hope, and the laughter of the Dark Gods rings loud in my ears.....These are the End Times..."

- Lileath, Goddess of Prophecy

The Ends Times (2521-??? IC) is the great cataclysmic apocalypse that was prophesied to bring about the end of the Warhammer World. It was heralded upon the arrival of the Twin-Tailed Comet, both an omen of hope and destruction, which signaled the coronation of the new Everchosen; Archaon the Three Eyed King, and his bid to bring destruction upon the Human nations of the Old World. In the wake of their inevitable destruction, the mortal nations of the world are fighting to the very last to ensure the survival of their race.

To the West, upon the lands of Naggaroth, the armies of Khorne are descending upon the gates of this icy kingdom bent on bring nothing but ruin and destruction. The Dark Elves fought viciously for their petty kingdoms, but they will inevitably fail, for their King Malekith has abandoned them for one last assault upon the Isle of Ulthuan. Even in the Ten Kingdoms, the High Elves are besieged by the very powers of Chaos, as a mist of dreadful power sweeps across the land, summoning forth demons and other foul things, running amok and unchecked. With this time of strife, and the lost of their former Phoenix King, another Elf has arisen to watch over his kingdom in this dire time. Within the lands of Lustria, the massive jungle-realm of the Lizardmen Empire, a new and deadly conflict has once more been reignited after so many years, and soon the armies of Clan Pestilen and all the Temple-Cities of the Lizardmen race will fight a war that will end with nothing but utter destruction.

To the East, the prospect of battle brought about by the end of the World has stirred the Greenskin race into a frenzy. The Greenskins have always thrived on war, always fighting each-other as any other foe. However a sudden urge soon captured the simple minds of their savage race as they felt something big brewing in the north. Soon, the infighting that has plagued their long history has vanished, and an overwhelming urge to unite upon one banner has made the Greenskin race united for the coming conflict. Even the Dwarves, staut allies of the Empire and Sigmar's people, have felt this encroaching doom as they saw volcanic fire spew out from the Mountains of Mourn, resulting in the call for massive military mobilization that has never been seen since the first Chaos Incursion. Soon, artifacts of Old are being found, and the Dwarves stood ready in their hopes of bring about a new Golden Age for their people as they seek to summon forth the Ancestor Gods themselves back to this world.

But it is upon the Human realms of the Old World where the fate of this world truly lies. Everywhere you see, the Nations of the Old World are beset by evil forces both Old and New. In the more southern lands of Tilea and Estalia, the mortals of those distant nations are beset by a nightmarish hordes from the depths of the World below. Soon entire cities are lost as the Skaven race have once more invaded in order to bring about the supreme dominance over the surface. In Bretonnia, the land and her people have been ravaged as a Civil War engulf the once proud Knights of the realm, and two ancient secret shall be revealed that would saved this kingdom from utter destruction whilst the other shall bring about the last and greatest betrayal to their own god.

Soon refugees by the tens of thousands have begun to flow like a river towards the Empire, the last greatest defiance against the doom that seeks to destroy them all. To the north, upon the lost lands of Kislev, the Auric's Bastion, the greatest magical wall ever created, loomed higher then the Bastion in Eastern Cathay, so high that it would reached the clouds themselves. This great wall is the only thing holding the darkness at bay, and should it fall, then the final battle for the entire world shall take place, and to the victor's shall inherit the ultimate prize that is the world.

In the End however, this world is doomed, and from the ashes of the Old, a New World shall emerge out of the Darkness, following a cycle of creation and destruction that has been long in the making.

Origins
The World stands in the brink of Annihilation. It has done so since the beginning of time itself, when the great Old Ones of ancient times were destroyed long ago. The Polar Gates of the Old Ones, once a marvel of technology, has collapsed and with it, Chaos flowed like water into the cold harsh lands of the northern and southern waste. Since then, every few hundreds years, the Gods of Chaos will reach out their hands towards this dying world and demand a claim of it as their own. So it is fitting that a Champion of Chaos shall unite the warring tribes of the North and put about the End of Times as we know it.

The threat of Chaos comes in many guises, from the mutating winds of magic that pours across the known world, to the vile beastmen tribes that lurks within the dark forest of the Old World, and the numberless hordes of barbaric warriors who lives within the Chaos Wastes. However, it is the corruption of souls, the pollution of ideals and dreams that is its most subtle and deadliest weapons, for within every person lurks the heart of Chaos. It is perhaps fitting then that the greatest threat to the Empire came not from a Kurgan Warlord, nor a Beastmen Chiefian, but from one of their very own.

This man held the name of Diederick Kastne, a highly devout and zealous Templar of the Twin-Tailed Comet, born scant few years after Magnus the Pious and the first Great War against Chaos. Though Diederick Kastner, the man who would in his despair take up the dreaded mantle of Archaon, was born as an Imperial in the province of Nordland, it was foretold in the Liber Caelistior, the dread Book of Divination penned by Necrodomo the Seer (The Insane), that North and South would meet in the Everchosen's blood. And indeed this was so; for Archaon bears mixed Norscan and Nordlander heritage, his father having been a champion from the Varg tribes who forced himself upon a cowering innocent during a raid that had seen his birth-village of Hargendorf burned to the ground in 2390 IC. With the death of his mother, and the hatred of his step-father for his origins, the rape-spawned child would later go on to adopted by a local Sigmarite Priest and become a Knight-Templar of the Order of the Twin-Tailed Orb, fighting valorously and faithfully in the service of the God-King Sigmar. But once his true heritage and destiny was revealed to him, Diederick Kastner dispaired and looked for salvation, traveling many miles towards the heart of his faith. Upon the massive Temple of Sigmar in Altdorf, the cursed Templar knelt before the Golden Statue of Sigmar and begged for a sign, to ask for his help from the darkness that has come to consume him. But the golden statue stood silent, and with it's unspoken words, the Templar knew that it is hopeless. He renounced the gods of the south but still affirmed his hatred for the dark gods of his father, accepting the cruel destiny engineered for him as a final means to repay the fates for the evil they had done upon him. Thus did Sieur Diederick become Archaon the Everchosen, the Three-Eyed King, greatest of all the champions of Chaos. His deeds legend and his armies vast, innumerable foes of dauntless might lying bleeding in his calamitous stride. But deep inside, he wholesomely resent the Gods of Chaos and the misery they have brought upon him. Thusly the half-Norscan warlord stands ready to fulfill his destiny and to usher in the end of all things, for there cannot be good with evil, and the destruction of Order, shall bring about the End of Chaos as well. And upon the Ashes of the Old World, a New World shall arise out of the Darkness.

The Six Treasures of Chaos (??? to 2520 IC)
"Forged from the other world, six treasures shall he possess....Upon his head the crown shall see all, and open eyes will prove woe to mortal kind"

- Prophecy of Fate, taken by the Book of Divination by Necrodomo the Insane

So it was that Archaon journeyed to the waste for nearly 100 years, searching for the legendary Artifact that would exalt him to his true destiny. The first treasure he sought was a unique "Mark of Chaos", that bears the blessings of all four powers in unison. It combines all of the advantages of the individual Marks of Chaos, blessing the bearer with all their power. The first part of Archaon's dark quest was to go to the Altar of True Darkness in Naggaroth and offer himself to the Gods to gain their favour and recognition. He gathered a small band of Chaos Warriors he called the Swords of Chaos and battled his way to a citadel so tall it appeared to pierce Morrslieb itself. Inside the citadel, it was said to be blacker than even the heart of a Dark Elf soul, for when one of Archaon's followers attempted to light a torch, it was snuffed out instead by the all-consuming darkness. Archaon was unafraid, and marched off alone into the darkness. As he continued to marched, an untold host of creatures has thrown themselves upon the potential Everchosen. In this dire moment, his loyal steed was consumed by these monsters, and realizing the death of a loyal friend since his early years as a squire has boiled Archaon into a killing frenzy. Soon he was able to slay hundreds of the misshapen monsters that have infested the mighty citadel, until finally his sword-arm turned numb and the ground grew slippery with the blood and gore of the fallen. Rising up from the filth, Archaon reconsecrated the altar for the Gods of Chaos, offering up the hearts of the creatures that had crawled in and defiled it. When he emerged he bore the eternally burning Mark of Chaos on his forehead.

The next artifact he sought was the "Armour of Morkar" the armour worn by the very first Everchosen. It makes the wearer invulnerable to all but the most powerful of attacks, making the wearer nigh-unstoppable in the heat of combat. After leaving Naggaroth on a stolen ship made of black metal and pulled by a massive sea-drake, Archaon took leadership of a seafaring war band along the way to his destination. They sailed to a mysterious land populated with savage half-humans. Neither sun nor moon had ever touched their pallid skin and after six days and six nights of battle after battle, the city of these creatures had been reduced to rubble. Archaon delved deep into their necropolis until he found the Tomb of Morkar and the armor he sought. However, as Archaon reached out to take it, the spirit of Morkar animated the armour and attacked him. The vengeful spirit laid down a relentless flurry of blows until Archaon cursed it in the language of the Unberogen tribe. The attack ceased for a moment, and Archaon smashed him aside, banishing the spirit of Morkar and allowing him to claim the armour as his own.

Then there was the "Eye of Sheerian", which is named after the Tzeentchian Sorcerer who discovered it. Although on its own it grants the bearer prophetic powers, when placed in the Crown of Domination its prophetic powers can be used to their true ability and allow the bearer to predict and avoid the attacks of the enemy. After claiming the Armour of Morkar, Archaon set out to retrieve the Eye of Sheerian. At that time it lay in the lair of the Chaos Dragon Flamefang, who valued the Eye above all of it's other treasures. Archaon placed his claim for the Eye by smashing his axe into Flamefang's head. Long did man and monster battle at the base of the Cliff of Beasts. Flamefang breathed fire and even swallowed Archaon whole, but the Armour of Morkar protected him from its acidic stomach. Archaon hacked his way out of the Dragon's gullet with the ferocity of a Flesh Hound, until Flamefang's throat was hacked to shreds and it died of exhaustion and blood loss. Archaon plucked the Eye of Sheerian from its place on the belly of the Dragon and hung it around his neck as his rightful reward.

The next treasure to be won was the dreaded demonic mount of Agrammon. Alternatively known as "Dorghar", "Ghurshy'ish'phak", "Yrontalie", or the "Steed of the Apocalypse", this daemonic beast was stolen from the menagerie of the Daemon Prince Agrammon in the Realm of Chaos. Archaon battled his way past the Daemons guarding Agrammon's palace and sneaked inside, hiding beneath a beast that was part man, part mammoth and part insect. Inside was every beast imaginable, and some that are not. Archaon tracked Dorghar through the menagerie by its sulphurous stench. When he found it he vaulted on to its back. The Steed of the Apocalypse changed shape and burst into flames, but Archaon was able to break it like a wayward stallion and escape from the Realm of Chaos.

Eventually he sought a legendary Chaos Blade, known by many as the "Slayer of Kings" which was the sacred blade of Vangel, the second Everchosen. He bound the Greater Daemon U'zuhl into the blade, and the millennia of imprisonment have sent it insane with rage and fury. It was said to rest at the top of Chimera Plateau, located near the roof of the world, where Archaon and his steed Dorghar has journeyed. The warriors battling around the plateau saw the determination and destiny of Archaon, and he quickly gathered a huge horde of followers to wage war against the Chimera's. They swiftly defeated the Chimera hordes guarding the higher passes where Archaon and his three companions climbed to the top of the plateau. From the top, Archaon looked down on the world, swearing that he would one day rule over all of it. Suddenly, what he had taken for a mountain behind him turned over in its sleep, causing a series of earthquakes in the lands below. Archaon soon realised that the mountain was actually the father of the Dragon Ogre race, Krakanrok the Black. Even he could not defeat such a foe, so instead he and his companions sneaked past the titanic monster, only to find that the Slayer of Kings was clasped into its chest. Prince Ograx the Great, the strongest of Archaon's companions, was able to lift up one of Krakanrok's talons high enough for Archaon to retrieve the Daemonsword. However, the Daemon bound inside began to shriek with deafening volume. As Krakanrok began to stir, Archaon thought fast and plunged the Slayer of Kings into Prince Ograx's chest. With the blade's thirst quenched with royal blood, Archaon was able to sheath it and return from the plateau to the cheers of his followers, carrying his blade with him throughout all his battles.

After many years of endless journeying, Archaon has finally gathered all Five of the Artifacts except one. Forged before the dawn of man, the "Crown of Domination" once held the Eye of Sheerian, but had since been lost to history. It strikes terror into the bearer's foes and gives strength to his very allies. Decades after finding the Slayer of Kings, Archaon still had no clue as to the whereabouts of this ancient battle-helm. Eventually Be'lakor revealed its location, planning to steal the crown after Archaon found it. The crown lay in the First Shrine to Chaos, high on an icy peak in the Worlds Edge Mountains. Be'lakor led Archaon up the mountain, the Steed of the Apocalypse carrying him over the most difficult terrain.



After a day and a half of ceaseless climbing, Archaon stood before the massive double gate that was the entrance to the Shrine. Through the gateway was a labyrinth filled with dire beasts and vengeful Daemons. Archaon was tested by each of the Chaos Gods to see if he was truely worthy to be the Everchosen. Nurgle sent deadly diseases that Archaon fought off with sheer willpower. Tzeentch created a labyrinth of crystal, but Archaon blindfolded himself and used instinct alone to navigate it. Slaanesh sent temptation after temptation, but Archaon resisted, never diverting from the path to the inner gates of the Shrine.

After passing through the inner gates, Archaon found himself on a narrow causeway surrounded with hellfire that scorched his skin and burnt away his hair. Suddenly, a mighty Bloodthirster of Khorne erupted from the flames and attacked the potential Everchosen. The Greater Daemon was strong, but Archaon drew strength from the Slayer of Kings and wrested the Bloodthirster's weapons away and strangled it with it's own whip. The hellfire died away, leaving Archaon gravely injured and standing in a simple shrine. A throne stood at the back of the shrine, with a withered corpse sitting on it. On the top of its withered skull sat the Crown of Domination. Archaon took the crown and, with his wounds healing and frame swelling with power, he held it to the heavens. After over a century of searching, he had claimed the title of Everchosen. All that he needed now was a coronation. Upon retrieving the Crown, the daemon prince Be'lakor performed the coronation that made Archaon the Lord of the End Times, and begins mustering the largest army ever seen by mortal kind.

The Beginning of the End (Late 2519 IC to Late 2522 IC)
"Then shall he ride unto the World, then will the World know that the last war has begun"

- Prophecy of Fate

By the cursed year of 2519 IC, to herald the beginning of the end, the Twin-Tailed Comet soured through the night-sky like the birthing of a second sun. No mortal could deny its existance, for the comet's bright aura of light would illuminate the very night sky. Within the realm of Chaos, the Dark Gods gathered in the Court of Covenants, all Four Powers having agreed to put aside their differences for a time in order to bring the world to their rule. Soon, massive warpstorms broke out of the Chaos Waste in great numbers, and eventually swept their mutation down south into the mortal kingdoms of the Old World. With this sudden phenomenon, Warp rifts would suddenly open in random locations around the world, disgorging a host of daemons for mere moments before they once more disappear.

To the north, the Winds of Magic grows like a torrent down towards the south, and the whispers of the Dark Gods fell into every mortal ear. Very few could have resisted such urges, and soon thousands of Mankinds own people have committed atrocities unspeakable, following the whispers north where a great gathering was taking place. Within the walls of the Inevitable City, Archaon sat upon a throne of brass and bone and saw the cheiftians and warlords of uncountable tribes lend their alligance to the new Everchosen. Though these tribes crave bloodshed, Archaon was patient and bid his time. Soon some tribes left south or fought against each other to quench their battle-lust, but Archaon did not intervene, for he knew that those that stayed their hands were the strongest of will and strength, and would follow the Everchosen to the very end. The End Times is upon this world, and Archaons hour of triumph is nigh.

The Wars of Reclamation (Late 2520)
"In the land of mist, the danger is closer still. Pride has ever been the folly of that shrouded land, and so it will be again. When the dragons fly as one, an ancient lie will at last be exposed, a revelation that will shake Ulthuan to the roots of its mountains. The mirror of light and dark will shatter, and Anearion's heirs will fight for the legacy of Khaine admist the ashes of the Phoenix"

- Lileath, Goddess of Prophecy

As war looms over the horizon, it was perhaps fitting that the first nation to feel the wraith of the Dark Gods were actually the first to stand against them in the earlier years of this world's existence. In the massive island continent of Ulthuan, discontent runs rife amongst the noble courts of the Phoenix King. The Daughter of the Everqueen, Aliathra has been captured by the Vampire Count Mannfred von Carstein, taking her to the nightmarish undead Fortress-City of Nagashizzar. To come to her rescue was the legendary warrior, Prince Tyrion and his intellectual brother, Loremaster Teclis. Though the brothers fought with great determination to save their beloved future Everqueen, the Vampire inevitably stole her away and vanished without a trace. Dishearten, the brothers returned to Ulthuan empty-handed, and worse so was Tyrion, who was the true father to Aliathra herself.

But as they returned, they saw their land ruined by war and destruction. The Phoenix King and Everqueen had vanished from Ulthuan's shores in mere hours of a daemonic onslaught. A terrible mist from the highlands of the Annulii Mountains disgorged untold numbers of daemonic host. In retaliation, the Princes of the Ten Kingdoms immediately mustered their own mighty armies and began defending every village, mansion and Elven city with stoic determination. However, the daemonic hordes could not be killed like any mortal army, and they thusly return to the material world time and again. With the Winds of Magic blowing strongly in the north, the entity from which anchors these daemons persist, eventually granting them enough time and strength to overcome even the most hardiest of obstacles. The Kingdom of Chrace has borne the brunt of the fighting, resulting in Lion's March becoming nothing more then a massive graveyard, with unburied bodies stretching as far as the "eye could see", with the capital city of Tor Achare lying in ruins. The resulting clashes between Elven and Daemonic armies led to the deaths of thousands upon thousands of irreplaceable Elven lives, and the only Kingdom to have any semblance of peace in this dire time was the fallen Kingdom of Nargarythe. For the mighty Aesanar, known by many as the Shadow Warriors, these daemons were nothing but one more invader to be cast into the sea, and soon refugees by the hundreds are streaming into the kingdom, feeling safe under the watchful eye of the dreaded Shadow King.

As the war continued, politics has once more threatened to tear the Ten Kingdoms apart. Without the wisdom and guidance of Phoenix King Finubar and their loving Everqueen Alarielle, the Phoenix Court soon fell into disagreements, with Prince Imrik of Caledor calling for the election of a new Phoenix King to guide the war effort. None doubted Imriks true intentions for himself to be the next ruler, but too many has spoken their voices in support for his cause that none could hope to dismiss it outright. The salvation of Ulthuan came once more by the hands of Prince Tyrion. Though his heart was weary with other burdens, Tyrion knew his kingdom needed him now more then ever, and so Tyrion faced Prince Imrik down and took command of Ulthuans armies. Those who would have opposed him were quickly silenced when the entire order of the Phoenix Guard offered their blades and loyalty to Prince Tyrion. In retaliation, the enraged Prince of Caledor ordered his kingdom to split their ties with the other Nine, but this disturbance was trivial as Prince Tyrion still commanded a significantly larger force, with a multitude of lesser Caledorian Princes taking up their blades for Prince Tyrion instead.

With the Kingdom of Caledor isolated and alone, Prince Tyrion moved his armies north through the Kingdom of Eatatine, beating back daemonic host after daemonic host. Driving his men onward to the point of fatigue, Tyrion fought on constantly at the forefront of these battles with unparalleled fury. As the Dragon of Cothique guided his army north, Tyrion and his host of Elves have broken the sieges of several villages and cities along the coast. But as the war continues, Tyrion's mind and heart slowly began to deteriorate, even enraged as the thought of his lost daughter and the disappearance of the Everqueen began to plague his mind.

This burden eventually made Tyrion ever more reckless as the Elven army pushes north, winning battles at Port Elistor, and Cairn Avon. However, in his arrogance Tyrion suffered a fatal wound far to great to ignore during the battle at Cairn Avon and upon his arrival at the Siege of Hoeth, the wounded Tyrion was bested by his long-ago nemesis, N'kari, Keeper of Secrets. Close to death, Tyrion was miraculously saved by the valiant efforts of Korhil Lionmane and the determined onslaught of the Phoenix Guard, forcing N'kari to retreat into the hills. With the battle over and Saphery being refortified against fresh assaults, Teclis has delved deep into the Library of the White Tower in an effort to seek ancient lore from the time of Caledor Dragontamer, in hopes of permanently removing the daemons from this homeland. Whilst recovering Prince Tyrion tries once more to make amends between Ulthuan and Caledor. However Prince Irmik once more declined and ordered Tyrions messengers to turn back from their borders. The refusal had pushed Tyrion in a fiery rage and ultimately denounced the Kingdom of Caledor as a legitimate kingdom no longer. This resulted in the remaining Caledorian generals to finally turn their backs on Tyrion and head back home.

Not taken aback by his actions, Tyrion and the Elven armies once more moved north and drove the daemons from the Kingdom of Yvresse, and finally towards the enchanted forest of the Kingdom of Averlorn. By the time the Elven armies reached its borders, Tyrion was once more fit to lead at the front, and was now determined to finish off N'kari. With the advice of his brother, Teclis, Tyrion knew that the key to victory lay with the Deamon Prince's death, for he is the entity from which anchors the Daemons into this world. By the time scouts have reported the whereabouts of N'Kari's location, Prince Tyrion quickly rose from his stupor and the army was once more on the war march, trekking through the wilderness until they reached Moonspire pinnacle.

The Battle of Moonspire (Late 2522)
The Battle of Moonspire would be later told by the Elves as the greatest conflict during the War's of Reclamation. Under N'Kari's command, nearly tens of thousands of daemons have mustered under his banner, eager to share in on his plunder and mayhem. Arrayed against him was a much smaller force of Elven warriors led by Tyrion himself. Believing victory to be inevitable, the arrogant Daemon Prince ordered his forward lines to crash head-long unto the Elven phalanx without tactics or strategy. However, the Elven army had a plan, and knowing that Moonspire Temple is a shrine to the Goddess Lileath, Teclis intends to use the magical energies of the temple to empower him against the daemons. With light energy spiralling around the tower, Teclis unleashed a brilliant storm of meteors from the blackened sky, streaking across the battlefield and banishing daemons by the hundreds within seconds without harming a single Elven soul.

With the daemon forces pushed back, the Phoenix Guard quickly counter-attacked alongside Tyrion and Teclis. With the Elven forces driving deep into their lines, N'Kari had no choice but to finally face the twins in combat. Teclis unleashed a hellstorm of moonfire upon N'kari's body, blackening flesh and blinding the daemon with terrible rage. Charging towards the mage, Tyrion intercepts him with his mighty steed Malhandir, ducking low upon the saddle to avoid N'kari's attacks and inflict a smoldering deep wound. In reaction, N'kari tried to strike back, but the great pain upon his wounds have slowed him considerable.

Upon Tyrion's departure, a host of Elven halbediers distracts the daemon whilst Teclis unleashed more moonfire upon him. As pain seared once more through the daemons body, Tyrion struck N'kari yet again upon its spine, forcing him to fall unto its knee's in agony. Showing no mercy, Tyrion clove the daemons head from his body and handed the head to Teclis. As the battle still raged on, Teclis and a vanguard of Swordmasters have fought their way towards the summit of the temple and laid the head upon an Altar. With a thunderous voice, Teclis began to woved a spell of banishment. The daemons, perhaps sensing their demise, howled with one terrible voice as Teclis intoned the final word and slammed the base of his staff down upon the daemons severed head.

As the skull was split asunder, a massive deafing thunder crack had filled the skies, and a magnificent flash of light had shot out from the heavens. Those who looked directly at it thought they saw the Goddess Lileath looking down upon them. From Moonspire pinnacle, a great torrent of fire raced across the Kingdoms of Ulthuan, banishing all the daemons that still cling to the lands, preventing the Dark Gods from intervening in the affairs of Elves for a time. The resulting climax has ended the Wars of Reclamation, but in the following years, a newer deadlier conflict was just over the horizon.

The Great Darkness (Late 2522 to Mid 2523 IC)
"Mankind does not recognise its doom - not yet. They only hear the drums in the north, and know that war is coming. Some will fight. Others will abandon reason, seeking salvation in scripture or the scourge. They are deceived. The Dark Gods are stronger than ever before, and the old gods fade. Only in death will any respite be found"

- Lileath, Goddess of Prophecy

With victory achieved upon the Isles of Ulthuan in 2522 IC, what remains of the Elven Kingdoms have begun to slowly rebuild and refortify their holdings as they believe that this incursion was but a precursor to an even more horrific invasion within the coming years. Though the nations of Mankind still grows ignorant of this coming conflict, such accusation was not ill-founded for many of the wiser and older nations within the World, for they too have withness this apocalypse before, and readied themselves for what is to come.

Within the very heart of the Dwarfen kingdoms of Karaz Ankor, all the remaining Dwarf Kings have gathered upon the ancestral halls of Karaz-a-Karak and argue on what course of action they should do to ensure the survival of their civilization. King Kazador of Karak Azul has argued that they should bar the Dwarf Holds from the outside and leave the World to it's fate like their ancestors have done many lifetimes ago. Many within the Court favoured Kazador's plan, but High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer disagreed on such a cowardly action, supported by both King Ungrim Ironfist of Karak Kadrin and King Belegar of Karak Eight Peaks. Divided upon the issue, King Kazador in his pride still kept to his word and began preparations to bar his hold from this outside threat, and soon several of the other Dwarf Kings followed suite. Unable to unite his people, Thorgrim grew weary as reports have shown that their underground enemies have stopped their ceaseless attacking, a dark omen that would be the precursor to an imminent invasion on a grand scale never before seen in their history.

So it was that far to the south, upon the sand-encrusted temples of Nehekhara, the greatest of the Tomb Kings, Settra the Imperisable has awoken himself from his deep slumber, foreseeing the shifting in the Winds of Magic that carried with it tidings of war and change. Seeing through the visions of bloodshed and misery, Settra witnessed the resurrection of an ancient and terrible enemy and knew that the awakening had to begin. With haste, the Montuary Priest journeyed across the Land of the Dead, and awoken the Tomb Kings in their dozens, calling for the awakening of their uncountable legions. Within the Charnel Valley, the necrotects of that land have empowered the very stones of their statues into life, and within days a long column of stone warstatues began their march towards Khemri. There the cheif-necrotect Ramhotep, with all his merciless drive, began his greatest work yet upon the walls of that ancient city. Upon the Great Mortis River, the Warfleets of Khemri have joined the armada's of Zandri, filling the whole Mortis Delta with warships by the thousands. In the Kingdom of Lybaras, High Queen Khalida met with the montuary priest from her throneroom and pleaged her archer legions into the fold. Soon legions after legions marched across the blazing sands, preparing the defense of this already formidable civilization against the return of their most hated of enemies, the Lord of the Dead.

But it is in the lands of the Empire that the first signs of battle have taken place. From the cursed lands of Sylvania, an unholy darkness has descended upon the bleak and desolate lands, arousing the dead from their slumber and killing what little life still clings to its soil. An old enemy awakens, and Count Mannfred von Carstein has finally announced that Sylvannia shall secede from the Empire forever.

Volkmar's Crusade (Late 2522)
"I herby make eternal claim to that which is mine. Sylvania thus secedes from thy petty Empire, as do all who dwell within her borders. Mortal or grave bound, they are mine by feudal law, and let none dispute it. Look to the east and thout shalt find I have drawn a shroud of night across my rightful realm. In this way I demark it from thine own lands, where sunslight and hope are still welcome guest.
 * Pershaps I will attend thy yearly feast of words someday, and feast upon thee in turn. Worthless and breif as you are, it would be a mercy. I predict little nourishment, and little challenge. For how can the great leaders of the Empire protects its borders, when they are barely aware of what is taking place under their noses?"

- Letter from Count Mannfred von Carstein, to the Conclave of States in Altdorf



Like many other times in the Empire's history, those who are far away from this dark omen taking place in Sylvannia have little to fear, and even fewer care. However the ruler of that accursed realm did not hide in the shadows and bid his time like his predecessor, but instead made his presense clear to all when a winged creature dropped the crippled body of Witch Hunter Gunther Stalhberg upon the meeting table of the Conclave of States. Upon his mangled mouth, a letter was shown and read by Grand Theogonist Volkmar the Grim. After realizing its implications, Volkmar immediately ordered the Reikguard Knights to accompany his Arch-Lectors into the Imperial Vaults and recovery the legendary Crown of Nagash from the clutches of Mannfreds agents. They however failed, and in grim determination, Volkmar announced to the Emperor that he would lead a Crusader army towards Sylvania and defeat the darkness that begins to grows there.

Upon the massive steam-barge Luitpold III, Volkmar and his crusader force of State Troops, Flagellants and Imperial Knights have made progress through the River Stir and made landfall upon the sandy shores of Lake Helsee. After beating back a surprise attack, the crusader army split up their forces and made their way towards separate goals. Under Volkmar's leadership, the first crusader army successfully retook the Imperial fortress of Fort Oberstyre after undertaking a exorcism on a grand scale, and immediately followed the second crusader army not far ahead. Upon Deihstein Ridge however, the second Crusader army was caught in a massive ambush by a caravan-train of Strigany nomads, but the timely arrival of Volkmar's own Crusader army had in turn ambushed the Strigany ambushers. After interrogating a Strigany sharpshooter for the whereabouts of Mannfreds base of operations, the Crusader army continued their march towards the town of Swartzhafen.

After crossing the fordable point of the Unterwald River, the men under the stern leadership of Witch Hunter Alberich von Korden have been forced-march all the way towards the outskirts of Swartzhafen in little time. Upon arriving to the small settlement, the Crusader army saw the Undead armies of Necromancer Ghorst and Count Mannfred himself blocking the entrance into the town. The Vampire mockingly tried to parley with the Grand Theogonist, but was cut short when Volkmar ordered the attack. Holding firm, the Crusader army was able to hold on against the Undead onslaught until Mannfred left the battlefield after witnesssing something happening in the Vargavian Mountains. Pressing forward, the battered crusader army continued along the Sternieste Road, making headways towards Castle Sternieste and the suppose power-base of Count Mannfred. Along the way, the Crusader army was met by the Imperial Armies of Altdorf and a band of Light Order Wizards tending their Luminark of Hysh, coming to reinforce them for the upcoming conflict in Castle Sternieste, now coined by as the Imperials as the Battle of the Burrows.

The Battle of the Burrows (Late 2522)
As they reach their destination, the Crusader army fanned out across the multiple burrows and cairns that occupy Castle Sternieste surrounding lands. With the aid of three of the Empire's finest knightly orders at his command, as well as two experimental but deadly artillery piece, and a trio of Light Order Wizard backed up by a core of veteran infantry, Volkmar felt confidant that battle would be won. This arrogance would eventually be his downfall as Volkmar blew the Horn of Sigismund and ordered a frontal charge. The Crusader's artillery boomed their ammunition at the castle walls, showering mansonry unto the milling mass of undead warriors stationed below. As the Crusaders charged down the hill, Count Mannfred unleashed a deadly spell that utterly destroyed the frontal ranks of the Tattersouls flagellants in mere seconds. However, Volkmar countered his spell, and golden rain showered the flagellants, giving them renewed strenght to fight on.

As more of the undead march forward, Volkmar signalled his Helstorm Rocket Battery to unload their payload of rockets. The rockets detonated high above the battlefield, illuminating the ground for miles around. With the battlefield illuminated, the Crusaders attacked headlong unto the first ranks of skeletons, beating back the undead with great zeal. On the right flank, a host of knights and Demigryph Knights have plowed through the enemies flank, forcing Count Mannfred to intervene.

In an attempt to push the crusaders back, Count Mannfred unleashed his secret weapon upon the Imperials. High above the castle, a palanquin of spectres carried a terrifying artifact that began to suck the courage out of the frontal ranks of Crusaders. At an elevated position, the Luminark of Hysh once more unleashed another stream of blazing light that cut through a large swath of Undead warriors advancing on their location. Suddenly a hideous gheist killed one of the wizards, creating a magical backlash that killed the head wizard Jovi Sunscryer in a torrent of fire. Miraculously, a bright flare of light burst out from the wizards blackened robes, and the reincarnated angel of Sunscryer once more fought the spectres and stop the artifact from being used against them.

However, the Crusader army was ultimately ripe for slaughter as hidden undead forces lead by the undead King Verek, sprung out of the burrows and encircled the doomed crusaders. Just when all hope seemed lost, suddenly, miraculously, the earth burst open in a hundred different places. This time it was not the dead that emerged, but the buried symbols of the faithful. Stolen sigil-hammers, steel wolf totems of Ulric, Morrite pennies, even brass suns of Myrmidia burst out of their earthy graves to hang at head height across the field, each glowing with raw magical power. Thanks to the efforts of Supreme Patriarch Balthasar Gelt, a torrent of light flared out and obliterated the remaining undead forces, whilst simultaneously healing the sick and wounded in mere seconds. With renewed vigor, the remaining crusaders cut down the last of the Undead, and cried out in victory. But as the Crusaders walk amongst the carnage of the battlefield, a cold chill began to run through the Imperial ranks as they saw the battered remains of the War Altar of Sigmar in the ground, with Volkmar no where to be seen.

The Great Uprising (Late 2522)
"Thirteen times thirteen passes of the Chaos moon I will give you. Thirteen times thirteen moons I will wait. Go to your legions and your workshops! Bring me victory. Bring me dominance over this mortal realm! You must be as one, work as one, as single-minded as a swarm pouring from a cracked sewer-pipe – all rats scurry-flood in same direction. Only then will you inherit the ruins of this world, only then will you rule. Thirteen times thirteen moons! Fail, and all will suffer the fate of the seer."

- Edict of the Horned Rat

As the world was engulfed in a time of conflict, such an opportunity for great plunder and glory to be won was consider a far too tempting a price to ignore for the vermin hordes of the great Under-Empire. Prior to their inevitable and destruciton invasion of the surface world, the Priesthood of the Horned Rat under the leadership of Seerlord Kritislik have proposed to the Lords of Decay a grand plan. It was theorised by the most earliest of Warlock Engineers that the Chaos Moon Morrslieb is actually made entirely of Warpstone, and the Seerlord proposed to gather a coven of the most powerful Grey Seers in their priesthood to draw the Chaos moon closer to the world, allowing a greater influx of magical energies to the Under-Empires many spell-casters, and giving the Skavens unnatural vitality. As the moon slowly grows in size, eclipsing her sister moon Mannslieb, the extraordinary excess of magical energies has created a time of great magical possibilities that has never been seen since the time of the First Chaos Incursion.

Deeming the time is right, the mysterious Overlords of the Council of Thirteen have begun the first phase of their Master Plan upon the human kingdoms of Tilea and Estalia, never knowing that from the Realm of Ruin, the Verminlords of the Shadow Council of Thirteen are toying with the threads of their fate, with the ratlords being not more then mere string puppets in the eyes of these demi-gods.

The people of Tilea and Estalia has ever been a rich people of a fraction nation, two kingdoms so similar to the ratmens own society that it beggars the question of their origins. Yet no matter how many times they see these vile vermin, no matter how many attacks and raids were sent upon their cities, they still try their best to deny such existence, and this strong sense of disbelief have brought about the seeds of their doom. In a single evening, the assassins of Clan Eshin and their most elite of agents, The Black 13 were responsible for Tilea's Night of One Thousand Terrors -- a shock wave of assassination and ruthless sabotage that has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of important generals, governors, nobles and leading officials. Leaderless, the lands of Tilea and her various fractious republics were ripe for an impending invasion.

Beneath every sleeping city, beneath every town and mighty fortress, the Skaven hordes surged out of their tunnels and brought about a sudden wave of violence and destruction that overwhelmed the rule of Mankinds kingdoms. Under-tunneled and overrun, every major city was now a blasted ruins over which a ragged clan banner openly flew. The Skavens lost many many lives, some could not count the ocean of half-eaten ratmen bodies that have littered the filthy streets of each city, but such were their numbers and cruelty that none shed a tear for their lost kin, for they have many more and the fruits of their victory have brought about a new cycle of violence that would threaten their race once more in open civil war.

Soon the clans have lost their momentum, and began to fight amongst themselves for the bits of spoils that still remains unplundered. Spreading like wild-fire, all thoughts of surface invasion were lost amidst internal scheming and backstabbing. In desperation, the Council of Thirteen gathered quickly upon the Chamber of Thirteen within the capital city of Skavenblight, focusing all their efforts on diverting another horrific Skaven Civil War. But the flames of dissent have run deep within Skaven society, and like always, fingers were pointed upon each other rather then to stand togather. The most accused scapegoat for this tragedy falls upon Lord Kritislik, believing that it was the Grey Seers who plotted these terrible misfortunes upon the Clans of the Under-Empire. Indeed, many of these misfortunes were perpetrated by the Seerlord and his fellow Grey Seers of Clan Scruten, but as befit their nature, the Seerlord actively denies such claims, threatening the other Lords of Decay with divine intervention should they tackle this issue any further.

It was then that there was silence from all the Lords, none dare spoke and some bared their throats in submission. In his arrogance and pride, Kritislik believed himself in control, never noticing the dark smoke rising from behind his back until it was far too late. Their vile god, the Horned Rat suddenly appeared upon the Council Chamber and all the Lords prostrated themselves in utter devotion and fear. It was then that the Horned Rat showed his disappointment to his children, and to the greatest disappointment befell upon the Seerlord himself. Long has the Seerlord been given god-like gifts of power, wealth and age, but Kritislik was greedy beyond even Skaven ambition and has thus wasted his favors for far to long. To make an example to his other children, he grabbed the Seerlord by the tail and slowly stroke a claw-finger upon his horns, giving one last bit of sympathy for his most Exalted of Prophet before he was sent to oblivion. Screeching for mercy, the Seerlord was hopeless as the mouth of his god opened up and was thrown down an endless gaping maw of terrible possibilities that saw him destroyed utterly.

With his demise, the Horned Rat gave out his last edict upon the Council, promising those that would fail him shall suffer the same terrifying fate. With a crackle of green lightning and the tolling of deafening bells, the Horned Rat vanished, with the bones of Kritislik smoking upon the floor. Within fifteen skaven heart-beats, Lord Morskittar of Clan Skyre voted on removing Clan Scruten from their power, a decision that was accepted unanimously by the other Lords. Soon they left the Chamber quickly and went about preparing for the second-phase of their master plan.

Within an alternate dimension, the Verminlords of the Shadow Council have seen this great event unfold and were awe-struck at what just happened right then. Shadow Lord Soothgnawer, champion and Verminlord of Clan Scruten was dismayed by his gods disapproval of his own clan, as do several other Shadowlords within the Council Chamber. Shadow Lord Skreech Verminking, greatest of the Verminlords was the one who spoke out and told his brethren that it is time to intervene upon the affairs of mortals as shown by their own gods actions. Most weren't so keen on risking both their lives and status upon such venture, but two were still willing; Shadow Lord Soothgnawer of Clan Scruten and Shadowlord Vermalanx of Clan Pestilence. Before their departure however, Verminking told the Council that the Grey Seers holds the true key to victory, and upon the swirling pool within the middle of the Council table, he showed his champion; Grey Seer Thanqoul. Outburst quickly fell upon Verminking's decision, and a veto eventually was issued. It never passed, as Verminking pointed out a third supporter amongst them, with the warpstone eyes of the Horned Rat's throne glowing ever so slightly at Verminkings statement. Veto's were redistributed and the motion was passed by a narrow margin in favour of Verminking. With the decision made, the Shadow Lords of Decay all left the Chamber and went about their seperate ways.

The Northern Bastion (Early 2523)
As the Imperial year of 2522 IC comes to a close, the former province of Sylvania was ultimately contained from the threat of an Undead invasion thanks to the masterful genius of the Wall of Faith. Such things are, the Emperor's Council still considered Sylvania's independence as a precursor to a new campaign of terror against the Imperial rule. Thusly, the Emperor felt that Sylvania had gone from an occasional dagger at the Empire's side, to an open threat that he no longer had the luxury of overlooking any longer. With the Wall of Faith containing the Undead from invading the Empire, Karl Franz took the time to order all military assets of the Empire into the Sylvanian Campaign, and plans to entirely cleanse the land from the taint of death once and for all.

However, just as the Emperor was due to depart in two days for the Sylvanian Campaign, riders from Kislev urgently came to Altdorf and gave the Emperor the dire news. Kislev is in flames. The armies of the Dark Gods have gathered in their hundreds of thousands with northern Kislev awashed in blood and fire. Syrgei Tannarov, Boyar of Chebokov, warned the Emperor that the lands of northern and western Bolgasgrad has fallen and are awashed by a sea of barbarians. Given the severity of the news, Karl Franz had expected the Ice Queen to invoke the terms of his old alliance and call upon the Empire to march north to Kislev's salvation.

The Boyar made no such demands, but told the Emperor that Kislev is lost, and that the Tsarina is holding the hordes off along the River Lynsk not out of hope for her people's salvation but so the Empire might have time to avoid such a similar faith.

Gravely disturbed by the Boyar's statement, the Emperor quickly sent out hundreds of heralds towards the many armies of the Empire, and redirect them north to strengthen the northern defenses. For the next few weeks, the entire military might of the Empire have been redirected north in the tens of thousands, but as they force-marched their way through untamed wilderness, the armies were harried by a multitude of Beastmen tribes and Greenskin warbands. By the time the Imperial armies have reached their destination, only 7/10th of their forces have arrived intact. Even upon their arrival, the Imperial armies have been beset by a splinter force of Chaos armies heading south, with the armies of Ostermark and Talabecland barely holding them at bay.

One particular horde under Sorceror Vilitch, have broken through the Imperial defenses and besieged the Imperial Fortress of Castle von Rauken. Only a series of brilliant harrying tactics masterminded by Elector Count Aldebrand Ludenhof saw the fortress preserved from imminent destruction. With the armies of Reikland arriving just in time, Count Ludenhof has been reinforced with nearly half of the Emperors personal army, allowing Ludenhof the strenght he needs to relive Castle von Rauken from it's siege and upon the Battle of Lubrecht, personally place his long-rifle bullet in the back of one of Vilitch's skulls, forcing him to retreat.

Then, as the Twin-Tailed Comet reached its perigee, outriders from the front-line fightings in the north have brought news that another grander horde of Chaos warriors from the Eastern Steppes are converging upon the Empire, a horde that far eclipsed those thus far encountered. Count Ludenhof's army, the largest Empire formation yet deployed in the north, barely outnumber even the smallest of the newcomer's forces. In Altdorf, Karl Franz redoubled his diplomatic efforts for aid against this new threat, but everywhere his messengers go, there are tales of battle and bloodshed, with the entire Old World beset by a host of dark forces both Old and New. Not even the staut Dwarves had the time and men to lend their aid towards the Empire, for they too have been beset by a nightmarish hordes from the tunnel depths. Soon, many began to dispair, as nothing could stop the hordes from breaking through the northern defences.

Salvation came once more by none other then Balthasar Gelt himself. After meeting with an unknown visitor, the Supreme Patriarch had been given forbidden knowledge that would halt the Chaos armies in their tracks. With the limitless magical possibilities now available to the Supreme Patriarch, Balthasar used an ancient magical scroll that summoned a massive barrier which burst through the lands of northern Kislev, erecting a massive wall of stone so high that no winged creature could ever hope to bypass it. Thus was the creation of the Auric's Bastion, the greatest magical wall ever created, and so long as the faith of the Empire's people believe it so, the Bastion shall endure forever.

Climax of the Bretonnian Civil War (Mid 2523)
Around the time just before Volkmar's Crusade against the darkness in Sylvania or the Wars fought agaisnt the barbarian hordes of northern Kislev, the Kingdom of Bretonnia was engulfed in interal conflict as a challenger from the fallen Dukedom of Mousillon rose to challenge the Knights of Bretonnia. Mallobaude, bastard son of the King, has long been gathering his own army in hopes of overtaking Bretonnia and claim the throne for his own. That time finally came by the Twilight's Tide of 2521 IC, when he rode out with an army of disgraced knights. Despite King Louen Leoncouer's calls for Bretonnia's armies to unite against this force, Duke Armand of Aquitaine rode out to face Mallobaude arrogantly, along with the Fay Enchantress, Morgiana Le Fey. At the devastating Battle of Châlons, Armand's forces were slowly overcome by the formidable host of Mallobaude and were on the verge of a massacre. However, the dryad Drycha and a host of forest spirits emerged from the Forest of Châlons and fought alongside Duke Armand. Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, the forest spirits left without a trace. The Battle was lost, and even worse, the Fey Enchantress was nowhere to be found. After the battle, the Dukedoms of Carcassonne, Lyonesse, and Artois defected to Mallobaude's side.

Though Mallobaude's armies were vast, King Louen had the blessings of the Lady at his side, and in due time the King had managed to subdue the treacherous dukes and bring their rebellious dukedoms back into the fold. A year into the campaign, King Louen felt confident that he could end this war very soon. However, by the time he met in bastard son at the Battle of Quenelles, on the Winter's Eve of 2522 IC, the King saw before him a massive horde of Undead warriors under the banner of Malloude and his new ally Arkhan the Black. Vastly outnumbered, the Bretonnian knights began to slowly lose ground until the sudden arrival of the Wood Elves of Athel Loren turned the tide of the battle. Though the battle had been won, at the final height of the fighting, the Bretonnian King fought his son in single combat and lost. With the fall of their king, the Bretonnian armies retrive the body of their King and sounded the retreat, with the Wood Elves carrying their Queen to safety of Athel Loren.

By the last years of the war in 2523 IC, with the majority of Bretonnia's military all but defeated, Malloude began to offer a challenge to any knight who would face him in single combat. At Gisoreux, Adelaix, Montfort and many more, he bested all who came against him, believing himself unbeatable by any mortal man, as promised by the dark whispers of Arkhan the Black. Within the city of Couronne, what remains of Bretonnia's armies stood united against him. Though he outnumbered them greatly, in his arrogance he sent one last challenge towards the remaining dukes. To his horror, the challenger that came to meet him was the immortal Green Knight. Realizing his mistake, the bastard son tried to flee, but was killed when the Green Knight spurred forth and decapitated his head. With their master slain, the Undead forces quickly disintergrate and the remainder of his living armies were quickly overcome, with Arkhan nowhere to be seen.

With Malloude's body burned to ash, the remaining Dukes began to squabble over the ascension of the throne. Civil war was imminent, but the sudden appearance of Bretonnia's first king Gilles le Breton, as the Green Knight suddenly stopped the internal conflict. Given new life by the Lady, King Gilles stood beside his people as the first signs of the impending apocalypse began.

Days after Gilles' recoronation as Royarch, plague broke out in the southern dukedoms of Quenelles and Carcassone. Then came the Warpstone meteors, blazing across the night sky and landing in mutliple locations across the realm. Within days, mutation began to run rife amongst the populace, and swollen by their numbers, Beastmen warherds by the hundreds began to ravage the lands without resistance. Shrines, villages and towns were quickly lost, including the Dukedom of Bordeleaux's capital city after it was sucked into a Warp rift. With a quarter of their population slain, another quarter left the kingdom and sought refuge within the Empire. Seeing the horrors that has begun to plague his homeland, King Gilles summoned his heralds and declared the last and most grandiest Errantry War in their history. Within days, hundreds or thousands of Knights have flocked towards his banner, and began to mobilize to face the agents of Chaos in combat.

The Waxing of the Chaos Moon (Mid 2523)
"I have seen the World's demise. Morrslieb, the accursed orb, waxes large. Impossibly large. The moon will fall, the oceans will boil, the mountains will break. To the stars some will go, but the stars themselves will abandon this world. The scratching beyond the walls can only mean one thing -- the vermin are here. It is they that gnaw at the grayed ends of the world. Ceaselessly they plot, tirelessly they agitate. Yet never once do they imagine that they too are puppets, moving upon strings they never envisioned. The worst is still ahead..."

- Lileath, Goddess of Prophecy

When the Council of Thirteen ousted the Grey Seers from their ranks, Lord Morskittar of Clan Skyre wished to shed further shame upon the grey-furs by proposing to the Lords of Decays that he shall finish what the Grey Seers could not, vowing to ensure that the sky shall shatter from a hail of Warpstone meteorite. As the launch for the main attack is scheduled to begin after three moon-cycles, there was left very little time to waste as the project for the Moonshatter rocket is due to launch.

Meanwhile, the Grey Seers, once emissaries and self-proclaimed prophets of the Horned Rat were now pariahs in the eyes of their kin. Some of the weaker-willed Grey Seers have pledged themselves to the other Warlord clans, taking the position as advisors and strategist rather then supreme leaders. Most, however were far to proud to accept such a fate, and in desperation they met togather in hopes of finding a solution. Upon the meeting chamber, it was Grey Seer Thanqoul who has proposed to summon the Verminlords into this world to help them recover their once formidable power. Outburst quickly fell upon poor Thanqoul as the other Grey Seers blamed Thanqoul for all the wrong-doings that has been done upon them, as something always seems to have gone wrong when Thanqoul is around to see it. Stripping him of his status as a Grey Seer, Thanqoul was mercilessly thrown into the streets whilst his brethren stole his idea for their own benefits, leaving Thanqoul to rot.

Their judgement clouded by misfortunes, the desperate Grey Seers have gathered in their summoning chamber with nearly fifty-strong of their members present. Fueled by the raging Winds of Magic, the Verminlords slowly stepped from the tear between worlds and present the Grey Seers the advice they so desperately needed. With their questions answered, the Verminlords dissipated in a cloud of smoke and was lost from sight. Focused on their immediate situation, the Grey Seers began to follow through with the Verminlords advice and try to usurp the power of the Slanns and continue the ritual to bring the Chaos Moon ever closer to this world.

Suffering from disaster after disaster, the Warlock-Engineers of Clan Skyre have felt such devastation from their costly project that no other race could have sustained the level of destruction and cost brought about by these crazed scientist. But as the Chaos Moon grows larger in the sky, Skavens from everywhere in the world could easily feel the great powers that are being bestowed to those of Chaotic origins. Realizing that the Grey Seers had once again bested him with their mighty spells, Lord Morskittar was furious to the point of insanity. Enraged by the failings of the leader of the project, Chief Warlock Ikit Claw was sentenced to the front lines in the upcoming battles against the Dwarves as a death sentenced.

With their rivals defeated as promised, the Grey Seers continued their arcane struggle against the Mage-Priest of the Lizardmen Empire in a battle of both will, mind and soul. But dragging an entire moon towards the world was a monumental task that not even the greatest of wizards could so easily accomplish, and thusly some of their own have dropped dead by the rupturing of their own brains, whilst the moon continues to grow either by inches or miles every day. The vast moon soon pulsated with an eerie green glow and as night fell, the entire jungle continent of Lustria was lit by its presence, and to those that look skyward, they marked the moon growing the largest it has ever been in the history of the entire World. Alarmed, the Slann Mage-Priest stretched out all of their prodigious mental powers in an attempt to halt the moon's approach. Minds that could move mountains strove to push back the looming disaster, as the very stars fade from the night sky. The Geometric Grid was emptied of power, and as the pressure of this magical duel took place, piece of the chaos moon have broken off and later rained down onto the world, whilst waves of chaotic energies washed itself over Lustria.

Slowly each Mage-Priest was strained beyond mortal standard and became comatose until only Lord Mazdamundi remained. Using macgics beyond the ken of mortals, the eldest of the remaining Slann countered the fell power of Morrslieb and the Chaos it radiated. However, the showering meteorites have breached his defences and struck the jungles of Lustria with a mighty crack, as miles upon miles of jungle was engulfed in firestorms all coming from the huge green mushroom cloud that appeared upon the impact zone. Before slipping to his comatose state, Lord Mazdamundi has managed to limit the concussive blast cause by the impact, dampening the destructive force.

With their sacrifice, the moon grew until finally it once more didn't move anymore as their invocations mysteriously became less and less powerful, with their minds having slowly forgotten the runes or words of power that were given to them by the dreaded Shadow Lords of Decay. It was then that an explosion ruptured the Bell-Tower of the Temple of the Horned Rat, killing the best and brightest of the Order, naive at knowning that it was Grey Seer Thanqoul who have formulated this daring sabotage after giving away the entire warpstone-hoards of his own brethrens for the aid of Clan Eshin.

The Lustrian Assault (Mid 2523)
"I have seen the world's demise. Morrslieb, the accursed orb, waxes against crimson skies. Magic rises and reality subsides, leaving only madness in its wake. Vermin cease their gnawing and swarm to the surface, answering their horned master's call. First to fall are the temples of the Old Ones, abandoned by defenders who know that the end draws near."

- Lileath, Goddess of Prophecy

After much preparations and the continued approach of the Chaos Moon, the armies of Clan Pestilen and a multitude of other Warlord Clans was at last ready to reignite their war upon the distand jungle-realm of Lustria. The trans-continental undertunnels has been reopened, each route widened to accommodate the great hordes of warriors, warbeast, and war equipment that have passed through it daily. For nearly a year, a steady river of supplies and infantry blocks have marched non-stop through the one-thousand mile journey to join the masses already gathered in key points throughout the surface of the jungle continent.

The Lustria assault was part of the overarching campaign planned by the Council of Thirteen to eliminate the Slann-Priest currently holding off the Chaos Moon's approach, and as such, it had the full backing of their considerable power. All the Skaven clans have lended away a considerable force in this enormous campaign, with the armies of Clan Pestilen bolstered by warbeast from Clan Moulder, siege-engines and Warlock Engineers of Clan Skyre, stealthy and deadly assassins of Clan Eshin, as well as legions upon legions of elite Stormvermin and Clanrat infantry blocks from all the remaining Warlord Clans.

Under the leadership of Lord Skrolk, the first stage of their attack plan was to gather in secret beneath the key locations presented by the Council, such as the Temple-Cities of Itza, Tlaxtlan, and Xlanhuapec. Concealed by dire enchantments, the Plague priest of Clan Pestilen concocted a wide array of deadly diseases from the Cauldron of a Thousand Poxes to be used against the Lizardmen cohorts stationed above. The fumes became so deadly that the battle-hardened warriors of Clan Spittl and the entire Skrittlepeak Skaven Clans have died agonizing deaths. Those that remained immuned to the fumes slowly became bloodthirsty for violence, and as the dark moon shone larger then it has ever been in the night sky, the awaited signal to strike begin.

Blood beneath the Mountain (Mid 2523)
"Go to Karak Eight Peaks. Smash the beard-things. But not in Queek’s way. Queek has brains – use them! We will bring down their decaying empire and the children of the Horned Rat shall inherit the ruins. I will see that it is Clan Mors that emerges pre-eminent from this extermination. Finish them quickly. Go to help the others complete the tasks they will not be able to finish on their own. Clan Mors must look strong. Clan Mors must be victorious! Bring me the greatest victory of all, Queek. March on Big Mountain-place. It may take years, but if you are successful there… Well, we shall see if you shall age as other lesser skaven must."

- Lord Gnawdwell, Warlord of Clan Mors

Following their magnificent success at conquering and subduing the human lands of Tilea and Estalia, as well as the ongoing conflict within Lustria, the next phase of their master plan was planned to finally topple the Dwarfen Kingdoms of Karaz Ankor. By the year of 2523 IC, the often fractious clans of the Under-Empire have begun unprecedented feats of communication and cooperation that had never be seen on a grand scale since the beginning in their vile history.

Almost simultaneously, the Skavens of Clan Rictus and Clan Skyre came into an agreement and together cooperated their attacks against the holdfast of Karak Azul. The armies of Clan Kreepus has bought the aid of Clan Moulder and their dreaded warbeast as they began their lightning assault upon the underground tunnel-network of Karak Kadrin. Zhufbar is under siege by a confederation of lesser clans lead by the more powerful Clan Ferrik. Even the seas are not safe from the Skaven aggressors as the conjoined armada's of Clan Krepid and Clan Skurvy assaulted the the formidable coast of Barak Varr. Unable to break the siege, the Dwarfs were slowly isolated and unable to aid one another, a situation that the Lords of Decay have long anticipated. In his pride however, one of the Lords of Decay, Lord Gnawdwell of Clan Mors has decreed that no other clan shall take the glory of capturing what is rightful theirs, and ordered his greatest general, Warlord Queek Headtaker to finally end the stalemate at Karak Eight Peaks and bring the city into the fold for the glory of Clan Mors, an event that would herald the end of an eternity.

Following his arrival at the City of Pillars, Queek led a pre-emptive campaign against the Greenskin hordes of Warlord Skarsnik within his powerbase around Karag Zilfin, pushing them out of the Hall of a Thousand Pillars and into the other side of it's entrance, around the area known as Grobi Town. With the upper deeps secured from threats, Queek began the boring responsibility of inspecting the four clawpacks sent to reinforce his horde. Tempted to finish off Skarsnik once and for all, the Warlord slowly resigned himself and followed the orders his Lord has presented to him. It was only after interrogating one of his subordinate that he found out a dark gathering taking places within the Trenches. From the bowels deep beneath the earth, his subordinates presented to him the fifth clawpack, a horde of Skavens around a hundred thousand strong, all coming from around thirty-eight different Warlord clans with several thousand Clan Moulder war-beast for support, all lead by Grey Seer Kranskritt, emissary of the disgraced Clan Scruten who came to aid Clan Mors in their efforts to take Karak Eight Peaks.

Tempted once more to maim and kill those that irritated him with their presence, only the fact that Lord Gnawdwell sanctioned this operation and that his right-claw Warlord Skrikk held his sword-arm --reminding him about the deal he made with Gnawdwell -- did Queek reconsider. Leaving the formalities to his two subordinates Warlord Skrikk and Thraxx Redclaw, Queek began the journey back to his lair where he began preperations to assault the Dwarfs around the Citadel. After some time, Queek set his plan into motion by detonating large quantities of explosives around four of the major peaks, destroying Karag Nar utterly whilst gravely damaging the rest. With this signal, the Skavens sent nearly seventy-thousand ratmen against the first Dwarfen line. Hard-pressed, the stubborn Dwarves still managed to push the Skavens back by defending small narrow sections around the Halls of Reckoning and the Grand Avenue.

Infuriated with these setback, Queek gathered his Warlords and ordered them to send in the clanrats and stormvermin batallions to the front. It was only after he sent off his officers that Queek got an unsuspected visit by one of the manipulators of this conflict. Verminlord Lurklox of the Shadow Council of Thirteen, came to the Warlord and told Queek that he has come to aid him in his final victory over the Dwarfs. Back at the front, the Skaven clawpacks eventually pushed the Dwarves out of their first line of defence, entering the Halls of Reckoning and breaching the first gatehouse. It was there that Queek found out about Thraxx Redclaw's treachery, and after disemboweling his former second-in-command, Queek ordered the attack upon the Halls of Clan Skalfdon.

Unbeknownst to Queek, Verminlord Soothgnawer was also manipulating this conflict into his own interest, and with the aid of Kranskritt, he was able to convince Warlord Skarsnik to gather his forces and attack the Halls of Clan Skalfdom in exchange for a part of Karak Eight Peaks. Accepting but not believing in the deal, Skarsnik made some unsuspecting alterations to the given plan and ordered his loyal companion, Shaman Duffskul, to bribe one of the mercenaries under the Dwarf's employ. When battle commenced at the Halls of Clan Skalfdom, the Skavens alongside two Hellpit Abominations rushed headlong into the Dwarfen shield-wall, with Queek battling Belegar in a deadly duel to the death. After some time passed, the Dwarves unleashed their hidden weaponry, and a horn signaled the opening of a massive gate that unleashed a whole company of Ogre Mercenaries and Mournfang calvary upon the terrified Skavens.

With his army demoralized, Queek retreated with his scattered forces back in into the entrance only to stop when Queek believed the third clawpack reinforcements were coming. Just then, the ground burst open by Skaven drilling machines, but out from the hole came not the third clawpack but a horde of ravenous Squigs. Then out came whole tribes of Greenskins, with Skarsnik crawling out from one of the hole. With this signal, the Ogres betrayed the Dwarves and soon the three armies began to clash long and hard against one another. Salvation for the Skavens came when Kranskritt and the fifth clawpack emerged from a tunnel in the centre of the cavern, with a Verminlord in the fore. Using his magic, Kranskritt closed up all the Goblin tunnels, trapping the Greenskins inside whilst the Dwarves and Ogres retreated. With this, Queek and his remaining clanrats began the butchery of the Greenskins, with the upper levels soon falling into the hands of Clan Mors.

The Accursed Alliance (Mid 2523 to Late 2524 IC)
"You may but you would be a fool to expect a repley. Suffice to say that I am no fonder of her than she is of me, but strange times make for stranger alliances"

- Neferata, Vampire Queen of the Silver Pinnacle

By the year of 2523 IC, following the horrific victory at the Battle of Quenelles, the remaining Wood Elves quickly bore their Queen back into her realm for safety. Just as Queen Ariel reached the bounds of her kingdom however, a strange sickness suddenly struck her and in desperation the Eternal Guard quickly brought her to the Oak of Ages in hopes of healing herself like many times before. But after a week, the Oak of Ages slowly began to rot as a strange decay began to grow amongst it's roots. This madness began to spread like wildfire all across their realm, with the corruption attracting the attention of Beastmen tribes by the hundreds. Unable to cure her beloved, King Orion grew into a rage and found only comfort in battle, depriving the Wood Elf Council from the guidance and wisdom of both their King and Queen.

Mere months following Ariels sickness, a lone stranger came through the Worldroots and showed herself upon the King's Glade. Alarielle, Everqueen of Ulthuan presented herself upon the Council and pleaded for their aid to rescue her daughter, as she feared her child's fate was part of larger calamity that would upset the natural balance between life and death, a battle that the High Elves could not win alone. So saying, the proud Everqueen abased herself towards the Council and begged for their aid, an act that shocked the Council. Though the Council was divided about this, Durthu Eldest of Ancient knew about this coming calamity and with his advice the Council lend their aid towards their High Elven cousins, renewing their once ancient ties.

Following the Elven Expeditions departure from Athel Loren, to the East Arkhan the Black and what's left of his undead forces have reached the desolate borders of Sylvania, raising the Wall of Faith and continuing his march to confront Count Mannfred. A day later, the two adversarys met alone at Valsborg Bridge, with Arkhan demanding the recovery of a crown, a severed hand, and seven unholy books written in blood. Mannfred knew the intentions of such artifacts and immediately fought Arkhan in a magical duel. During the battle, a shaft of light burst through the clouds as the darkness that enshrouded Sylvania began to dissipate. Knowing that victory today would mean imminent destruction tomorrow, the Vampire struck an uneasy truce with the Lich. In exchange for Mannfred's assistance, the Lich promised the Vampire that he would be given power unimaginable if he served the Lord of the Dead loyally. With this accursed alliance, the Vampire and Lich returns to Castle Steinste and discuss  plans to lift the Wall of Faith and march out to recover the remaining artifacts of Nagash.

The Coming of the Bloodied Horde (Mid 2523)
Like everywhere else in the wider World, no nation that lay touching the chaos tainted lands of the North could hope to not feel the impending invasions of the Northmen Hordes, and the domains of the Dark Elves of Naggaroth proved far to tempting a prize to simply ignore. To the north of Ironfrost Glacier, the banners of the invaders were black against the storm-laden sky; the tramp of their iron-shod feet a rumble of thunder in distant lands. The armies of Khorne are marching under one bloody banner; with Valkia the Bloody following at the fore as she drove the Bloodied Horde upon Naggaroths northern defenses.

Even when the maddening cries of the berserkers or the mighty war-drums of their warriors have filled in the dark sky with deafening noise, the Dark Elves of the northern watchtowers seemed to have been caught wholly unprepared for this upcoming invasion. This lack of vigilances stems from the fact that the sorceresses within the Tower of Prophecy lay silent behind a shield of dark sorcery. The duty eventually fell upon the raven-cloaked border patrols that patrol the northern borders to bring these dire sightings towards the many Watchtowers that guard the approach south. Many of these scouts were overtaken by mysterious demons, yet to those that survived and arrived upon the Tower of Volroth, they were able to send the warning to all the remaining cites before they too died of their wounds.

With the entire kingdom alerted of their presence, Ebnir Soulflayer, most trusted of the Witch Kings generals, rode out towards the Tower of Volroth with what force he could readily muster, only to find the fortress that housed 80,000 elite Druchii warriors was lying in ruins. The Bloodied Horde has already breached the first of Naggaroths defenses.

With the path southward cleared, the titanic horde eventually split apart to seek their own individual glories, whilst the Gorequeen stood true to the path laid by her God and besieged the very capital of Naggarond itself. The splinter hordes that left the main body traveled eastward towards the shrine-city of Har Ganeth where they met the bloodthirsty warriors of Hellebron, High-Priestess of Khaine. Those hordes that journeyed southward were confronted by Malus Darkblade and the cold-hearted legions of Hag Graef, painting the Dark Road red with the blood of the invaders. However, the Dark Elves were a selfish race, and this selfishness to look after themselves rather then to fight togather for a common cause has resulted in the crippling of Naggaroths once formidable might. Everywhere the tale was the same, Naggaroth's armies were shattered and overwhelmed by the foolish pride and arrogance of their masters and lords.

The city of Clar Karond could have been saved by utter destruction had Lord Darkblade's army lended his aid towards their beleaguered brethrens instead of looking to his own interest. Many times have Hellebron ranted and railed for aid to stop the berserking invaders from breaching her very gates, but none have dared to awnser the call. Eventually her city was overrun, and in bloodthirsty madness, the Blood Queen accepted her fate and gave praise to Khaine as she and her remaining acolytes filled the streets with blood offerings. To the north, what remains of Ebnir Soulflayers badly needed armies have been wiped out after a failed attempt by the General to stem the tide of Khornate warriors, not out of a sense of duty to his country and people but for a chance of forgiveness to save his hide from the Witch King's wrath. With their deaths, another large chunk of the Dark Elves already dwindling military reserves have been once again wiped out.

Miraculously however, in other parts of Naggaroth, some of the Dark Elven Lords knew better then most to squabble amongst themselves over petty grudges whilst their entire kingdom is crumbling to ruins. Upon the port-city of Karond Kar, the war-fleets of both Lokhir Fellheart and Drane Brackblood finally put aside their differences and joined forces to blockade the ports from the impending armada's of longships heading towards their city. Though mighty the Dark Elven vessels were, there were simply far to many of them to destroy and eventually they breached the blockade and made landfalls all across the harbours. Even then the city could have held firm if it weren't for a mysterious earthquake shattering the outer walls of the city, and the sudden appearance of an entire Skaven army coming up from the city's underground catacombs. Caught between two armies, the city inhabitants were forced to flee to open sea. It was then that three cities have fallen, leaving only three cities left standing.

Within capital city of Naggarond, the absence of the Witch King to take command of the armies has resulted in General Kouran Darkhand, Master of the Black Guards, to take command of the city defenses, where he fought Valkia twice in combat, only for them to end in a stalemate. Lacking the tactical genius to break the siege, the lords and ladies of the Black Council were torn with civil strife. After three months of constant siege, Malekith once more returned with the dried blood of Pheonix King Finubar in his hands. With that, he took in the perils of his kingdom and rode with his dragon Seraphon to cast the Bloodied Horde from Naggarond's gates. With much of Naggaroth lying in ruins, Malekith was forced to delay his intended invasion of Ulthuan and recalled his invasion fleet back into harbour to be disembarked and armed for an upcoming counter-attack.

Following his victory, Malekith met with the remaining Dark Elven leaders and laid out the plans for the forthcoming campaign in the north. He personally appointed Lord Darkblade to take command of an expedition towards the Tower of Prophecy to find out what had happened. However, Lord Darkblade feared greatly the powers of Lady Morathi and begged the Witch King's to change his mind. He did, and Lord Darkblade was reassigned south to protect and escort the broken refugees back into the safety of Hag Graef. So the task then was set upon Malekith once again, and rode north to face his mother in person.

Though nearly one-third of Malekiths army did not make it on the journey, he Witch King continued on with silent determination, going as far as to isolate himself from his generals. Some forty leagues short of Ghrond, Malekith's army was blocked by a massive army of Deamons led by a mighty Bloodthirster of Khorne.

Recovering the Artifacts (Mid 2523)
"You have read the signs as clearly as I. The growing powers of Chaos makes no distinction between the living and the dead. Nagash must rise, or our realms of silence will fall. And yours will be the first."

- Arkham the Black, offering Mannfred his unholy pact

With their pact settled and their alliance forged, the two reluctant Undead returned to Castle Sternieste, where Mannfred lead the Lich to the relics he long sought after. From the depths of the Castle, Mannfred presented to the Lich the remaining books of Nagash, the Crown of Sorcery, and nine captives all bearing holy blood. Arkhan placed his own two books upon the rest, and judging by the amount that is present, he is confident that he could recovery the last three Artifacts with ease. By the time Arkhans preparations were complete, Mannfred gathered an Undead army on the western borders of Sylvania. There Arkhan sacrificed the holy-blooded Lupio Blaze, a Knight of the Blazing Sun who accompanied Volkmar in his crusade against Sylvania. With his holy blood, Arkhan carved a path through the Wall of Faith that surrounds Sylvania, allowing the Undead to pass without harm. With the way open, the Hunt begins.

Once beyond the borders of Sylvania, Mannfred and Arkhan found it logical to split their forces up in order to recover the remaining Artifacts faster without attracting too much attention, as well as to ensure that the other won't betray them at a moments notice. Arkhan agreed to travel back west, to the lands of Bretonnia to recover Alakanash, the Great Staff of Nagash within the holy vaults of La Maisontaal Abbey. Mannfred on the other hand would head further south, pass Mad Dog Pass and reach the lair of the Skavens of Clan Mordkin. There Mannfred hopes to find the legendary Fellblade, a mighty weapon once used to kill Nagash in his original life, whose dire enchantments has ensured that should he be reborn once more, he shall grow weaker with each passing rebirth.

With their destination marked, the two went off to their seperate goals. Arkhan did not head directly to his prize after parting with Mannfred, for he knew that he need more than the mindless dead at his command if he were to beat the Knights of Bretonnia. Thus Arkhan led his forces towards the foothills of the Vault, just south of the Imperial province of Wissenland. There he met with the infamous Lichmaster Heinrich Kemmler and his ancient thrall Krell. Having fought alongside Malloube during the Bretonnian Civil War, Krell and Kemmlers support would be instrumental for the battles ahead.

The three travelled deeper in the Vaults where within the web-strewn tombs that line the mountainside, the two Necromancers raised the dead of battles long passed. With his regime of Drakenhof Templars bolstered by fresh troops, Arkan marched north directly through the ravaged lands of the Dukedom of Carcassonee and Brionne. With little to oppose his advance, the supposively small army slowly grew ever larger as the dead of the lands stirr to life. Despite the kingdoms state, what remains of Bretonnia's armies could not let such an enemy run wild in their lands, and so a force of Bretonnian Knights and Levies gathered under the banner of Duke Tancred II of Quenelles, attacked the Undead army as they entired the Dukedom of Brionne. However, the Dukes mad rage at the lost of his Dukedom and the hatred he had for the Undead proved his downfall as he drove far too deep into the Undead ranks where he finally fell in battle by his arch-enemy Kemmler.

With the lost of Duke Tancred II, the rulership of Quenelles fell towards his distant cousin, Jerrod Palatine of Asareux. Demanding revenge, Jerrod asked the prophetess Lady Elynesse for her aid in finding what the Undead are after. Finding out their intentions, Duke Jerrod rode with the remaining knights and met with Duke Theodoric of Brionne at La Maisontaal Abbey. In desperation to absolve a pass sin during his treachery at the Bretonnian Civil War, Duke Theodric in his zeal ordered to sally forth and attack the Undead upon the open fields.

As these events were unfolding, on the other side of the Old World, Count Mannfred and his small army of Undead warriors were secretly bypassing through Imperial territory as they made their way towards the Border Prince. Using a spell of concealment, the vampire was able to cross the province of Averland without attracting the attention of the Imperial war-machine, only spilling blood if an opposition somehow spotted their movement. Such interventions has resulted in the destruction of several Imperial villages along the eastern foothills of Averland and Stirland, but such was the panic of the impending war being fought in the north that such mysterious disappearance was ignored by the local authorities.

Upon his arrival to the Border Princes, descending through the area known as Hvargir Forest, the plains and fenland that lie before him was dotted with the ruination of massive fortresses and proud human cities laid low. Upon its rubble, a large warband of Skavens haul the spoils of war back to their lair alongside a wagon-train of human slaves. The Skaven Warlord spotted Mannfred, and in his over-confidence he led his kins to a slaughter. With their deaths, Mannfred released the human prisoners to be used as a distraction whilst he rode with all speed to his destination. As he slowly reached his objective, the number of Skaven warbands that came to attack him steadily increased until finally upon the Skull River, a large Skaven army awaited Mannfred upon the other side of the rivers banks. Though massive in size, Mannfred was still able to defeat such a swarm when his forces was bolstered by the dead of three fortress-towns.

By the time Mannfred reached the entrance to Mad Dog Pass, thousands of rotting corpses and tormented spirits followed in his wake. With such a force, the tribes of the Ironclaw Orcs tried to bar their way, but was swiftly pushed aside. The call of the claw was stronger that it ever has been before, with the Fellblade's unholy presense being so close that the Lord of Sylvania could sense the dark magics of its creation. Tracing the source of its presense, the Fellblade lured Mannfred into the ancient tunnels buried deep beneath Map Dog Pass, and it is upon those undergrounds that a slaughter of an entire clan took place.

The Twelfth Battle of La Masontaal (Mid 2523)
Upon the night of the Twelfth Battle of La Masontaal, the armies of Arkhan and Krell marched against the armies of Duke Theodric and what remains of Bretonnia's valiant defenders at the meadows just a few miles from La Maisontaal. At Arkhan's command, the Undead forces began to form themselves into a single titanic horde that would be used as a rotting battering ram against the hastily assembled Bretonnian battle-lines. So tightly-packed was the Undead horde in front of the Bretonnians that it would seem impossible for Duke Theodric and his array of Trebuchets and Archers to miss their intended target, even against the dark and gloom of the battlefield.

By the time the first assault wave crossed no more than half the battlefield, that the Bretonnian bombardment suddenly erupted. A hail of firestorms soon burst upon the undead ranks as the sky was ablazed with a rain of fire-arrows and flaming rock. Even under the shower of enemy fire, the Undead continued their advance.

Arkhan and Kemmler used their combined magical might to resurrect the fallen dead as quickly as they were killed, and soon the attrition the bombardment inflicted upon the Undead horde was reduced to a mere annoyance. With the Undead forces advancing towards the line, the Bretonnian skirmishers fell back behind the first array of shield-wall at the front. Krell and his retinue of Wights were the first to come into contact with the enemy. Battered but unbroken, the peasant shield-wall held their line until a horn signaled the Bretonnian counter-attack.

To the right and left, a force of Bretonnian Knights led by Montglaive of Treseaux and Duke Theodoric began a pincer-movement against the enemy flanks. This attack troubled Kemmler little, for the true threat of this attack were the trio of damsels behind the embattled shield-wall, woving counter-spells to halt the two Necromancers resurrection spells. Enrage that a trio of woman would dare to challenge his magical might, Kemmler wove a counter-spell that conjured a lightning bolt from the dark sky, striking the damsels into charred bones.

With dawn rising, Duke Theodric still drove deep into the Undead ranks without noticing the damsels demise. From there the Duke charged towards Arkhan the Black whilst he was preoccupied with controlling his army, and with a mighty swing of his axe-blade, the Duke crunched through Arkhan's battle armor and smashed the necromancer to the ground. Before striking the killing blow, Theodric was attacked by the vampire Anark von Carstein, and was killed by decapitation. With his death the Bretonnians courage was shattered, and with victory nearly achieved, Arkhan surveyed the battlefield to find the Necromancer Heinrich Kemmler missing.

Upon the Vaults of the Abbey, Kemmler retrived the Great Staff of Nagash from its resting place and turned towards Arkhan as he entered the room, revealing his secret pact with the Gods of Chaos and his intention to keep the staff for himself. With a deafing crack, La Maisontaal exploded as a magical duel soon erupted within it's foundations. Outside the abbey, Duke Jarrod and a host of the elite Bretonnian Knights charged over the horizon and slammed against the Undead's rear-guard. But when the Abbey exploded, what remains of their resolve was shattered as rubble the size of houses fell upon them. Realizing that the battle was lost, Duke Jarrod signaled the retreat for the remaining Bretonnian forces still alive. As the blare of horns echoed throughout the battlefield, Arkhan drew himself up from the ruins of the Abbey and swept thick ash from his robes. With the death of Kemmler, Arkhan retrieved the Staff and began the long trip back into Sylvania.

Slaughter at Skullreach Cavern (late 2523)
Around the time just after the Twelfth Battle of La Masontaal was won, the recovery of the second artifact within the bowels of Mad Dog Pass was well underway. Though the Slaughter at Skullreach Caverns would not be one of Mannfreds most glamorous of victories, it nevertheless was a massacre to behold as it has laid low a Skaven clan tens of thousands strong, perhaps even more. Such were their numbers that Mannfred committed wave after wave of zombies into the labyrinthine tunnels in hopes of mapping out his destination as well as to thin the ranks of the incoming swarms of clanrats. Saving his most elite core units in the back, the savage war of attribution has allowed the Undead to descend deeper into the lair of Clan Mordkin.

Skaven resistance to the encroaching Undead was sporadic at first, with those disgraced chieftains living in the periphery of Clan Mordkin territory, lacked greatly in both tactical skill and strong unification to properly halt their advance. Eventually the upper levels were lost as a the shrieks of dying Skavens echoed down the caverns and into the fortress-lair of Clan Mordkin. Knowing his realm was beset, Warlord Feskit rose from his throne and mustered the entire Clan for war. Gathering his most loyal and battle-hardened cheiftians into the fold, Warlord Feskit has amassed a massive force behidn the bone-gates of his fortress, promising those who are successful with great plunder and glory for him and the clan.

As the Undead forced their way deeper into the Mordkin territory, the bone-gates of the Fortress swung open and a horde of clanrats and stormvermin battalions rushed out and funneled their way into the tunnel networks. Warlord Snikrat, second-in-command to Warlord Feskit himself, leads his clansman deep into the tunnels and rushed headlong towards the tides of undead that stretch for miles and miles back.

Soon the gears and pipes that lined the walls of the tunnels were oiled by the blood and gore of the combatants as savage tunnel fighting erupted all around them. Though the Skavens were proven far more numerous than the Undead, the cramp conditions of the tunnels could only commit six Skavens at a time. Driven onward by the will of Mannfred, the zombies at the front ranks marched blindly into the Skaven spears and fought tooth and nail through the wall of flesh. Cornered like the rats they are, the terrified Skavens fought back savagely with claws and incisors, as they had no where else to run.

Yet no matter how desperately they fought, the Skavens could not halt the relentless tides of zombies pouring through the tunnels, and so little by little the Skavens were driven back. In desperation, Warlord Snikrat ordered in his elite Warp-fire Throwers into the front and showered the Undead with deadly warpfire. The tunnels were caught in flames, but the Undead did not feel pain like the living, and so they came on, blazing like torches and incinerating those Skavens around them. Realizing the tunnels were lost, Warlord Snikrat abandoned the lower levels with those Skavens following suite.

The fighting now drew nigh to the last defence -- a bottomless chasm that split the outer tunnels from the great cavern that was the heart of Clan Mordkins fortress-lair. Lighting the only rickety bridge on fire, the Undead were halted in their tracks. With this moment of relief, Warlord Snikrat ordered his elite Warp-lock Jezzail sniper teams into the front and showered the Undead with a murderous barrage of warpstone bullets.Undisturbed by this turn of events, Mannfred walked calmly through the barrage and used his magic to create a bridge out of the bones of the zombies. Within moments, under the hail of bullets, the bridge was completed, an a thunderous charge of the Drakenholf Templars have routed and massacred the Skavens to the last. Only Snikrat survived, where upon his return he was met with dire punishment.

Warlord Feskit was outraged, he expected his underlings to last longer than this, but with the lost of several thousand clanrats, Feskit knew that this battle shall soon be fought at his very doorstep. Over the hours, Feskit has unleashed wave after wave of clanrat and stormvermin infantry battalions, supported by a wide array of Clan Moulder warbeast and Clan Skyre weapons-teams against the Undead, enough to capture an entire surface city. But the Vampire and his Knights outmatched them many many times over, and those that lay dead rose up and swelled the Undead ranks. Finally, as the Undead were nigh upon the fortress very walls,  the Warlord in desperation brought out his last and most greatest weapon. Deep inside the fortress, upon a pile of plunder that rose high upon the ceiling, Feskit retrieved the legendary Fellblade from its resting place and walked out to face his adversary. As Feskit emerged from his cave, he beheld the sight before him with a mixture of rage and despair. The Fortress of Clan Mordkin has been breached, and the Undead pour through the gaps like an unrelenting tide, whilst the skeletal remains of a Dragon the clan has slain long ago, has arisen to life and wreck havoc upon whats left. Warned by an instinct of a life-time of distrust, the Warlord spun back and tried to slice the Vampire in half. Mannfred easily evaded him and in one motion he snapped the Warlords arm backwards and struck a blade in his gut. As the Warlord laid dying, the Vampire retrieved the legendary weapon and began his long march back to Sylvania as the remains of an entire clan goes up in flames.

The Fall of Heldenhame Keep (late 2523)
With the two artifacts finally acquired, both Mannfred and Arkhan made the long journey through treacherous territory back into the dust-filled halls of Castle Sternieste. However, the journey back into their power-base in Sylvania has only proven that their suspicions were correct. The World is changing, and the Forces of Chaos were on the rise once more to bring about this change to all corners of the World. This has been made clear to Arkhan when he made his journey back into Sylvania by marching through the Great Forest of the Empire in secrecy. It was in those dangerous lands that the Necromancer was beset by a multitude of Beastmen warherds tens of thousand strong, all coming from all corners of the forest, as if to stop Arkhan from achieving his goal. Even Mannfred could not deny such ill omens after witnessing the ruination brought upon the Border Princes by the Children of the Horned Rat. Reviewing these unlikely deamonic intervention and those that has happened to other agents of Nagash, Arkhan has come to suspect that even the Gods of Chas fear the return of the Lord of the Dead.

With their suspicion correct, and the realization that the darkness that has engulfed Sylvania is slowly dissipating following the death of Lupio Blaze, both Mannfred and Arkhan knew that time is of the essence. Quickly, Mannfred called upon his remaining Undead forces from all across his realm into a mighty army that would be needed to break through the mighty walls of one of the Empire's most grandest of Fortresses; Heldenhame Keep.

Though neither Mannfred nor Arkhan could care to admitted it, Heldenhame Keep would be the first of a series of difficult obstacle that lay before them. Heldenhame Keep is a fortress-city to behold, a massive metropolis that is surrounded by both an inner and outer wall, with a heavily populated city just outside the inner battlements. The key to breaching such a fortress lay within the hastily repaired western walls that was previously destroyed by '''Waaagh! Bludtoof''' just a year ago, which was now garrisoned by several batteries of Nuln-forged artillery cannons. Such a target proved obvious to exploit but Mannfred and Arkhan had something different in mind.

Upon the western slopes of the Imperial Fortress, Arkhan walked calmly towards the thicket concentration of bodies that had been buried during the Greenskin siege a year ago. The enchantment that rouse the thousand strong bodies was heard by the watchmen at their post in the western battlements, and bells and horns awaken the sleeping city into a frenzy. Commandant Otto Kross was roused from his drunken sleep and took personal command of the fortress defense. As the skeletons march across the field towards the outer walls, from behind them an array of bone-built catapults launched a barrage against the weakened western walls in between the Rosemeyer Bastion and Sigmudas Bastion. In response, cannon batteries upon the two Imperial bastions open fired and destroyed one of the catapults. However, a dark magic slowly reconstructed the siege equipment and the barrage continued again.

Unable to destroy the enemy catapults, the Imperial defenders simply stood behind their walls and endure the siege whilst Father Janos Odkier walked across the battlements and inspired the men. As the Skeletons reached within range, Imperial handgunners opened fire with scores of  skeletons falling into shattered bones. But they as well reanimate themselves and soon formed their bones into a living ladder where scores of skeletons could climb up on. Soon the Helblasters upon Rosemeyer Bastion malfunctioned and without her sister-artillery's covering fire, Sigmudas Bastion was quickly overcome by the Skeletal assault. Father Odkier rallied the men to a last desperate defence, but he too fell as skeletal hands drove him down the walls. As the Imperial forces were losing ground, the western walls finally gave in and collapse, killing the frustrated Otto Kross and providing a breach for the Undead to march through.

What survivors that came from the walls formed up alongside Captain Volker and his own highly-trained regiment of soldiers. Though fear corrupted their minds, their hearts knew that they are the only things standing between them and their loved ones within the city, and so with a harsh battle-cry they climbed the slopes of the breach and held the line. Upon the eastern walls, trumpets blared as the entire brotherhood of the Knight's of Sigmar's Blood nearly twelve-hundred strong, rode out alongside Grand Master Hans Leitdorf and crushed phalanx after phalanx of Skeletal warriors.

It was then that Arkhan and Mannfred had set their plan into motion. With the entire Knightly Order outside the city, Arkhan withdrew from the battlefield and allowed Mannfred and an elite core of Undead warriors to strike through the breach and head directly into Heldenhame Castle. Though the Castellans of the Order fought heroically against the onslaught, nothing could easily best a being such as the Lord of Sylvania and after a bloodbath and the death of the Order's second-in-command, Rudolph Weskar, the Vampire retrieved Morikhane, the Black Armor of Nagash and quickly fled the battlefield. With his departure, the Castle was choked with the dead bodies of the Order and the shame that it brought upon the Grand Master has ensured that he will seek vengeance one last time before the very end.

The Rise of Nagash (Late 2524 to Early 2525)
"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."

- Translated from the Book of the Dead by Mannfred von Carstein

As the Imperial Year of 2524 IC wore on, there came a sudden and momentary lull all across the world. The war ravaged lands were silent, not a single Beastmen raid nor Chaos assault has occured for one blessed night, and the kingdoms of the World have found a small and breif peace before the inevitable battle that is to follow. The Gods of Chaos paused in their fury and took stock of the changing situation. This calm usher forth fresh portents, and to those that had the wit to read such signs they spoke of a new player destined to walk the center stage, a being neither immortal god, nor-cursed mortal. For one glorious day, it was as if the natural world held its breath for what is to come, and upon the next morning Chaos rose anew, the signs shifted and madness ruled once more.

Within the lands of the Old World, many eyes have bore witness pieces of Arkhan and Mannfred's schemes, but none had yet precieved the full extent of their works. In Couronne, King Gilles le Breton learned of La Maisontaal Abbey's fall and pondered on its meaning. The Council of Thirteen point fingers and sought scapegoats for the destruction of Clan Mordkin and the lost of the dreaded Fellblade. Both factions knew something dire is coming, but none could spare the effort to do something about it. It was within the lands of the Empire that there was one determined to act, vengeance drove him and hate filled him.

A month just before Geheimnisnacht Eve, Grand Master Hans Leitdorf, brother to the late Elector Count Marius Leitdorf, has asked the Emperor for his support against the darkness that is rising in the East. But the Empire was ravaged, war was upon the northern horizon and the Hordes of Chaos clamor at its gates. Beastmen warherds run wild and unchecked across the lands of Talabecland and Reikland, whilst villages and towns were obliterated as fire was struck from the heavens. Doomsayers and flagellants were abroad in incredible numbers, clustering around temples and proclaiming that the end was nigh.

For three days Grand Master Leitdorf saw these ill omens and awaited the Emperors answer, and it was upon the fourth day that the Emperor has given it. The Emperor left with the Riekmarshal for the northern war-front, and instead advised his chief-aide Markus Lofdtir, to introduce the Grand Master to three guest awaiting in the reception rooms. These guest were the High Elven expedition that was sent to rescue the Everchild from her peril, seeking the aid of the Empire in this dire struggle. Before night fell, the full host of the Elves rode east alongside the entire Order of the Knights of Sigmar's Blood with a grim determination driving them forward.

From the south-east, another force has also rode forth to stop this dark ritual from happening. The Wood Elves of Athel Loren has kept their promise to the Everqueen to save the Everchild from the clutches of of the Vampire. Araloth, Lord of Talsyn guided his host in great secrecy through the forest of the Empire and slaughtered any beastmen that stood in their way. To the East, a mighty army of Dwarfs lead by Slayer King Ungrim Ironfist began to stomp down the slopes towards Sylvania, so powerful and mighty that the Goblin tribes around the foothills fled in terror in their wake. It was the time to act, and Ungrim Ironfist was determined to give his enemies a firm reminder that they were still a force to be reckoned with.

It was a dark day indeed when the Forces of Order and the Forces of Destruction had such similar goals in stopping the Lord of the Dead's return. To the north, a massive horde of Beastmen led by the winged-beast named Malagor has marched ceaselessly towards the place known as the Shrine of the Nine Demons, where all of this shall finally unfold.

The Invasion of the Five Armies (Late 2524 IC)
The arrival of the Five armies descending towards Sylvania did not go unnoticed by the Undead. Mannfred had spies everywhere, and the Vampire knew that should these forces merge together, there would be nothing stopping them. In order to stop this from happening, Mannfred gathered his generals and laid that plans to attack each armies separately, isolating them from support and butchering them to the last.

The first blow fell against the Beastmen Hordes of Malagor after they have breached the bone-fortresses within the borders of Sylvania. Under the leadership of Count Nyktolos of Vargravia, a winged-host comprised entirely of terrorgheist, rotting bats and other cave-born denizens assaulted the Beastmen herds and ambushed them time and again throughout Hunger Woods. Unable to catch their assailants, the Beastmen hordes were drawn steadily and inexorably eastward, despite Malagor's ruthless attempt at control.

To the northeast, the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin have breached through the bonewalls surronding the borders and fought their way towards their rendezvous within the town of Templehof. Mannfred attempted to dispatched three captains to stop the Dwarfs but none have succeeded. As the Dwarf's pace slowed to a crawl due to the unnatural landscape, Count Nyktolos and his host of terrorghest have unveiled their hidden plans to lure the Beastmen hordes directly towards the path of the Dwarfs, resulting in the devastating Battle of Red Cairn.

The battle lasted for nearly two days and one night, but the Dwarfs have managed to emerge victorious, with the lands surrounding them choked with the uncountable bodies of dead beastmen, the largest victory the Dwarfs have ever won against the Children of Chaos. However, nearly 8/10th of the Slayer Kings forces were killed in the ensuring battle, and taking his duty as king of his people, he begrudgingly led the survivors home, whilst a small force of Dwarf rangers continued their march towards Templehof.

Far to the south, Araloth's host have made good progress through the treacherous woodlands of the Forsaken Forest. To stop their advance, Mannfred dispatched the banshee Kalledria, Queen of Sorrows and her small army of spectres and ghost to halt Araloth in his tracks. Soon a number of their fellows dissapeared into the gloom and haunted dreams grip their minds as they made camp. Knowing that a foul intelligence was at work here, Araloth led his host in an assault against the Banshee Queen's lair within the depths of Ghoul Woods. With the aid of Araloth's spellweavers, the Wood Elves pushed back the Ghost clans assailing them and finally banish Kalledria and her ghosts from the physical realm. With her demise, Araloth led his host northward where he met with the Goddess Lileath.

The Goddess told Araloth that the Everchild's fate is not their to influence no longer, and that a greater battle awaited them and his kin on a distant shore. It was then that Araloth gave the Goddess the locket that has guided him throughout his journey and stepped through a portal of shimmering starlight. With their Lord gone, the host followed his orders and left the cursed lands of Sylvania, disappearing from mortal sight.

As the battered Dwarven rangers reached the town of Temphof to bore them the news of Ungrim's retreat, the town was found empty, with the host of both Men and Elves having already departed to confront Mannfred without them. With Geheimnisnacht Eve just a week away, the combined armies made all haste towards their destination, but began to slow to a crawl as the Elves seek to find a safer path. Grand Master Leitdorf was enraged at this slow advance, and after being politely but firmly rebuffed by the Elven leaders did Leitdorf head farther off from the main host. It was then that Mannfred struck.

Around the Gardens of Morr just south of the village of Klodebein, the Knightly host was ambushed by a host of Vargheist from the many hidden tomes of the cemetery. Caught unprepared and surrounded, the Knightly host was slowly torn to shreds by Count Mannfred's Undead army numbering ten-times Leitdorfs own forces. In one last desperate act of defiance, Grand Master Leitdorf charged towards Count Mannfred with his remaining Knights and were struck down by the sudden appearance of an Undead phalanx in front of their charge. Leitdorf fell from his horse and tried once last time to kill the Vampire but to no avail.

As the Elves reached Klodebein, they bore witness traces of a bloody battle. All across the lands, the bodies of Knights were thrown everywhere, with the lifeless body of Grand Master Leitdorf hanging from a tree some distance away. The Elves were on their own now, and upon the Glen of Sorrows the final battle too place.