"Humans and their obsessions with titles. Such a bother."
- —Elector Count/Elder Hisme Stoutheart.[3b]
Hisme Stoutheart is the current Elder of the Mootland and therefore one of the Electors of the Empire.[1b][2a][3a][3b][4a][5a][6] He is the leader of the Halflings, described as a rotund fellow with unquenchable passions for food and amorous pursuits[2a], more interested in the timing of his next meal than political intrigues.[1b] This makes his vote less predictable than that of, say, the Sigmarite Electors.[5a]
History[]
Hisme Stoutheart has been elected as Elder at the last ten General Moots, held every three years at Eicheschatten, which constitutes a record. Hisme is however thinking of retiring.[3b]
His official residence is a "palace" in the centre of the town (a simple two-story house of wood with a sod roof — and sometimes a goat grazing up there, if the grass has grown too long, whose Throne Room is a simple but comfortable parlour where the Elder entertains all his official guests), but he rarely stays there. A widower, it is too big for his needs. He prefers to stay at his farm outside of town “where a body can get some practical work done, and have m’own outhouse!”
It is unclear what role he played in the infamous Halfling Rebellion in 2502 which was ruthlessly suppressed by Marius Leitdorf. Karl Franz is known to have despatched Ludwig Schwarzhelm to ensure that Leitdorf's notoriously unpredictable behaviour did not imperil the Empire any further.[4a]
Imperial Elections of 2502 IC[]
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Attention, Empire Citizens!
This article may contain older content that is now considered non-canon.
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"I don't care for it. I'm used to longshanks like you forgetting us in the Moot. What is far more offensive is invinting me to a dinner where there are clearly no refreshments!"
- —Hisme Stoutheart while negotiating for his vote.[6]
During the first round of the Imperial Elections in 2502 IC, Hisme voted for Graf Boris Todbringer of Middenland as Emperor, seeing him as an experienced warrior. Nevertheless, he agreed to meet with Karl Franz, the Prince of Altdorf and son of the previous Emperor. He meet Franz and his supporter, Maximillian von Königswald of Ostland, along with Marius Leitdorf of Averland, in the Haunted Calf tavern. After being served loads of beer and oatcakes, Hisme explained he would change his vote if Franz placed a tally tax in the River Stir, forcing the Moot's rivals at the League of Ostermark to send their wool, mutton and beer trade south Stirland and the Moot to the River Aver on their way to Nuln and Altdorf. This would benefit Stirland and the Moot, as well as their neighbor of Averland, but it could cost Franz the Elector of Ostermark's vote. Karl agreed despite the risk and left his manservant at the Haunted Calf to escort Hisme home, as the Elder had stayed to drink more of the beer he would soon be taking a cut of. In the next round, less than a fortnight later, Karl Franz would be chosen as Emperor with all votes except one.[6]
The Storm of Chaos[]
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Attention, Empire Citizens!
This article may contain older content that is now considered non-canon.
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Elder Hisme Stoutheart took part in the Conclave of Light that decided the strategy to defeat Archaon the Everchosen at the start of the Storm of Chaos.[2a]
As part of the war effort, Elder Hisme sent a large contingent of Halflings to act as scouts and skirmishers for the Imperial Army. Several were mentioned in despatches by their commanders for bravery and resourcefulness, though these were often accompanied by complaints from the quartermasters.[3b]
Canon Conflict[]
- In several sources, Hisme Stoutheart is referred to as a male[1a][2a][6], or mentioned by name instead of using either pronoun.[1b][3a][4a][5a] In Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd Ed.: Sigmar's Heirs, however, Hisme is both referred as "Elector Count"[3a] and widower, but also as a female.[3b] Considering the majority of sources point at Hisme being a male, we have rewritten the texts taken from that last book to fit the masculine pronouns of the rest.
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition)
- 2: Darkness Rising: A complete history of the Storm of Chaos, by Phil Kelly and Anthony Reynolds
- 2a: pg. 32
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd Ed.: Sigmar's Heirs
- 4: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition)
- 4a: pg. 22
- 5: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition)
- 5a: pg. 13
- 6: The Prince of Altdorf (Novella), by Andy Hall