"Brionne is the cultural centre of Bretonnia, famed for its many poets, songwriters and musicians. Thankfully, the knights of Brionne and their gallant duke, Gastille the Red-Hand of Brionne, provide plenty of inspiration for these artists to draw from."
Duke Gastille of Brionne leading his Bretonnian army into war atop his noble Royal Pegasus.
Gastille of Brionne, famed as the "Red Hand of Brionne," was the Duke of Brionne in Bretonnia who ruled during the reign of King Louen Orc-Slayer in ca. 2276 IC.
A renowned and mighty Grail Knight, Duke Gastille was known for his heroic actions during a great battle of the Bretonnians against the Tomb Kings of Nehekhara, who were ultimately being commanded to invade the northern lands by Settra the Imperishable.[1]
History[]
The Red Hand Rides[]
"For honour, for duty, for the Lady!"
- —Warcry of Duke Gastille, the Red Hand of Brionne[1]
When the Bretonnian king's messenger arrived in the court of Duke Gastille, warning him of a vast Undead host threatening the Border Princes, he needed little encouragement from his Prophetess of the Lady and chief advisor, Lady Élisse Duchaard, to marshal his forces.[1]
Declaring an Errantry War to quickly raise a force of brash young knights, eager to prove themselves in battle, the Red Hand of Brionne and the Lady Élisse rode swiftly south-east, through the Old Dwarf Pass towards their goal. Upon arriving in the Border Princes, news reached the duke that Prince Ptolethor's Undead forces had laid siege to the Citadelle Bouelia. Worse was word that a much larger fleet, commanded by the Tomb King Settra himself, had been sighted in the Black Gulf, with the coastal town of Matorea lying directly in its path.[1]
But not all of the tidings were filled with woe, for Sir Cecil Gastonne, the famed Wyrm Slayer, had mustered his own forces and marched on Matorea in order to meet Settra's hordes head-on. Without hesitation, the duke hastened towards the Citadelle with the hope of lifting the siege before it was too late.[1]
The heraldry of Duke Gastille of Brionne, "The Red Hand of Brionne"
As the duke's army neared the Citadelle Bouelia, the sky above darkened portentously. Cresting a hill, the wide plain from which the formidable stone castle reared came into view -- and a morbid sight awaited them. Even following the lengthy battles at Kasos and Thessos, Ptolethor's Undead legion was vast; rank upon rank of sun-bleached skeletons marched towards the walls of the Citadelle in macabre unison, slowly and tirelessly eroding the fortress' defences like crashing waves against the shore.[1]
Whilst the duke surveyed the enemy host, his eyes settled upon the form of a great, skeletal beast striding through the ranks of the Undead; a rider shrouded by a dusty canopy commanding its movements. The air around the beast swirled with the tell-tale signs of malign magic as banners fluttered in a non-existent breeze and nearby regiments of skeletons jerked into action with unnatural urgency. Lady Élisse Duchaard appeared at the duke's side and quickly confirmed his suspicions; hidden beneath the ancient sunshades on the back of the Necrolith Bone Dragon lurked the Liche Priest Neferkare the Hierophant, the being responsible for raising Prince Ptolethor's army.
With his target in sight, the duke barked orders to his archers to rain fire upon the foe and for his knights to shatter their battlelines with lance and sword. Whilst his forces engaged the enemy, he would descend from the skies atop his Royal Pegasus and strike down the wizard perched atop the Bone Dragon and put an end to the magic animating the Undead army.[1]
Battle of the Citadelle[]
Duke Gastille soaring into battle atop his Pegasus steed.
The Undead reacted slowly to the arrival of the duke's forces. Entire ranks of skeletal warriors fell beneath volleys of flaming arrows loosed by the Bretonnian peasantry before the skeletal soldiers of lost Nehekhara had even turned to face the threat. Gradually, as the Liche Priest Neferkare acknowledged the arrival of the Bretonnians, the Undead reformed their armies to address the foe. Led by Lady Élisse Duchaard, the charging knights of Brionne reached the Undead's ranks swiftly, their lances levelled. The thunderous charge of knights exploded into the clamour of battle as the tremendous weight of galloping warhorses struck the Nehekharan phalanxes, lances splintered against bronze-faced shields and devout battle cries rose from the brave knights of Brionne.[1]
Riding her Unicorn to battle beside the knights of Brionne, Lady Élisse flexed her arcane might, expertly unravelling the Dark Magic by which the Liche Priests controlled the Undead forces. As Neferkare felt the Winds of Magic shift unexpectedly towards Lady Élisse and his ability to resurrect the hordes of skeletal warriors crushed between the charging knights diminish, he turned his great skeletal mount towards the Prophetess of the Lady. However, before the behemoth could reach its prey, the Red Hand of Brionne descended from the heavens, his lance poised to strike at the Liche Priest. At the last moment, the broad head of the Necrolith Bone Dragon snapped around, unleashing a torrent of foetid breath that engulfed both the duke and his noble Pegasus steed. Yet the duke's charge would not be thwarted and, as the iron shod hooves of his Royal Pegasus shattered the skull of the skeletal beast, the Red Hand of Brionne's lance skewered the heart of his enemy.[1]
Even as the tortured screams of the slain Liche Priest echoed in his ears, the duke and his Pegasus crashed to the earth -- humbled and near-fatally wounded by the Undead beast's desiccating breath. Moments after the duke had fallen, as he struggled to gasp for air and grasp his sword, a roaring mummified warrior, bedecked in golden armour and ancient finery rose above him. Enraged at the death of his Hierophant, Prince Ptolethor held his centuries-old blade high in preparation to strike down the injured duke. Before his blade could fall, a powerful gale arose, knocking the Tomb Prince sprawling to the dirt, as Lady Élisse, having seen her duke plummet from the sky, had battled her way to his side and then unleashed a torrent of elemental energy at Ptolethor.[1]
This brief distraction bought the duke time to offer a prayer to the Lady of the Lake and drag himself to his feet. As he implored the Lady for her aid, the power of the Holy Grail flooded through him, healing the worst of his wounds and engulfing him in a pale silvery light. Mere moments after the Red Hand of Brionne had found his footing and drawn his weapon, Prince Ptolethor had also regained his footing and hurled himself at the duke.[1]
The duel between the two generals lasted for what seemed like an eternity. Though Duke Gastille was the superior warrior, the prince's Undead fortitude allowed him to sustain as much damage as the duke was able to inflict. However, without the regenerative magic of his Hierophant, Prince Ptolethor began to falter before the Red Hand's onslaught and was at last struck down by the Grail Knight as the battle reached its end.[1]
Miniatures[]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer: The Old World - Arcane Journal: Kingdom of Bretonnia (Specialist Game)
- 2: Warhammer: The Old World website