In 2050 IC, during the period of the three emperors the Empire was riven by civil war as rival claimants to the throne fought against each other. At this time Sylvania was in the grip of the Vampire Count Vlad von Carstein, who sought to exploit the situation and make his own bid for power.[1a]
As Vlad set his Undead host marching from Sylvania, the Elector Count of Middenheim was preparing to attack the province. The two armies surprised each other, clashing a few miles inside the borders of Sylvania. Even though the Middenheim army was engaging the Undead on very unfavourable ground, among ruins, cairns and the dark forest, the Middenheimers responded more rapidly, fought hard and won the day. Vlad himself was smashed down in battle by the Knights of the White Wolf and disappeared for a year before re-emerging from Sylvania at the head of another Undead army.[1a]