"The path to Ruinous glory is strewn with the butchered remains of those who fell by the wayside."
- —An Aspiring Champion of Chaos[2]
An Aspiring Champion of Chaos as depicted in Total War: Warhammer.
An Aspiring Champion is a dedicated Chaos Warrior who hopes through their deeds to gain the attention and favour of the Chaos Gods, and eventually rise to be acclaimed as a true Chaos Champion in their eyes.
To become an Aspiring Champion is often the best that any Chaos Warrior can truly hope to achieve, since most rarely progress further than this in the eyes of the Ruinous Powers.
Role[]
The frozen north spawns some of the hardiest warriors in all the world. Each is a paragon of deadly ability and lethal intent. Some ascend to become Chaos Lords who can command entire realms or armies of their savage kin, some pursue the esoteric paths of the arcane, but the majority dedicate themselves to little more than the brutal butchery of all who stand in their way.[2]
These ruthless killers are known as Exalted Heroes or "Chaos Champions." The history of many Exalted Heroes, recorded in scattered chronicles by the free peoples of the Old World, is a catalogue of woes and evil deeds. Their infamy shines bright as they capture the notice of the Dark Gods of Chaos with ever-greater feats of slaughter.[2]
An Aspiring Champion leading his Daemonic allies into battle.
Aspiring Champions frequently seek out others of their kind to engage in ritual combat. When two Aspiring Champions clash, they duel to the death in the manner of gladiators, using the full force of every weapon at their disposal. When a victor emerges, bloodied but triumphant, he will cut a grisly trophy from his foe, claiming both his vanquished enemy's weapons and followers as his own.[2]
If the triumphant Champion has truly excelled, he may even succeed in attracting the attention of the Ruinous Powers and, in doing so, receive a more permanent reward for his deeds in the form of a mutation or Daemonic gift. With each victory, the Aspiring Champion grows ever closer to becoming a Chaos Lord, with whole armies to command and Daemonhood within their reach.[2]
Chaos Champions eliminate anyone they see as a rival, butchering their underlings to ensure their continued place at the head of their armies. As a result, many Aspiring Champions leave the service of a Chaos Champion to create their own warband. Unfortunately, Aspiring Champions can only recall the most pertinent details of their past, and many assume new identities to replace those lost to them.[1a][1b]
Notable Regiments[]
- The Severed Claw - These Aspiring Champions of Tzeentch wield devastating magical halberds, cutting down any in their path.
Game History[]
In the 6th Edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battles, Aspiring Champions could be fielded as individual Hero units, often serving as an army's standard-bearer. They were later removed as a Hero unit, serving instead as Champions within regiments of Chaos Warriors.[3]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Tome of Corruption (RPG)
- 2: Total War: Warhammer (PC Game)
- 3: Total War: Warhammer III (PC Game)