Maximilian Schriebe
Suave, intelligent and well-educated, Max Schreiber is a natural rival for Felix, who resents the magician's romantic interest in the Kislevan noblewoman Ulrika Magdova. Romantic rivalries notwithstanding, Max has become one of Gotrek and Felix's most enduring companions, and his magical ability — which is growing more powerful all the time — has often saved them from death, for he has the power to protect and heal as well as inflict harm. Like Felix, Max is something of an exile, as his obsessive research into Chaos got him expelled from the Colleges of Magic, and has earned him enemies in the Empire.[1a]
History[]
Maximilian Schreiber also known by friends as "Max" is an expert magician of the Golden Order. His exploits include travelling multiple times on the airship, the Spirit of Grungni, helping Gotrek Gurnisson and Felix Jaeger battle a Dragon, an Orc warband, a Chaos horde led by Arek Daemonclaw, a vampire in Sylvania, Dark Elves, and even an undead horde in Castle Reikland. Max's life was like most childhoods in the Empire with one exception; his entire family were killed by Beastmen. So from that day forward Max vowed to learn the dark secrets of Chaos and use this knowledge to combat it. Eventually he began to learn at the College of Magic in Altdorf. After many years he learned a good deal of magic, but was kicked out for "heresy" after having to much of an interest in forbidden knowledge. So he decided to use his magic for a living; warding various things for those who could pay.
Through this he found himself under the employment of the Count of Middenheim. For some unknown period of time, he worked for the Count warding houses and vaults and such. Eventually he was hired by an expedition of Dwarfs, who asked him to ward their airship The Spirit of Grugni so they could be protected from their journey into the Chaos Waste. He rode the airship until they stopped at the March Boyar's house where he and Ulrika Magdova stayed while the rest including Gotrek, Felix, Snorri Nosebiter, and Malakai Makaisson. While there he began to fall in love with Ulrika though she didn't return his feelings. The night before the airship returned a force of Skaven led by Grey Seer Thanquol, who intended to kill Gotrek and Felix, and capture the airship for the Skaven to copy. But this failed, and so Max journeyed through the Worlds Edge Mountains. Here the airship encountered an ancient Dragon of immense power, but were saved by the intervention a dwarf who flew his Gyrocoptor straight into the beast's side injuring it and forcing it to retreat. After this they were forced to make repairs to the badly damaged airship so they flew to the Slayer Keep.
Once there Max learned through getting two mercenaries drunk, that a powerful Orc Warboss called The Manflayer was doing what Orcs did best: destroying the nearby towns. So Max then decided to accompany Gotrek, Felix, Ulrika and her guards, Snorri Nosebiter, Malakai Makaisson, and four other slayers. Travelling their way to the Dragon's lair to slay it, they encountered a traveller who turned out ot be a scout for the local bandit army. They also fought through many Orcs to eventually get to the Cave. After a mighty battle with the Dragon, they found the Manflayer's army and the bandit army waiting outside. Both sides intended to grab the treasure after the slayers killed the Dragon. Realising this, Gotrek stood at the cave entrance and taunted the Orcs to come and get the treasure. Almost immediately afterwards both sides began to fight each other. The Manflayer busted through the ranks of his own men and the bandits alike. He reached Gotrek and the two fought an epic battle, leaving the Slayer as the victor. Max along with the rest of the survivors of the battle against the Manflayer, travelled to Praag to warn the Duke of the forces of Chaos led by Arek Daemonclaw, eventually during the battle Max destroyed a possessed siege towered through magic and helped with his incredible Magic, but retreated into the inner city after the Chaos warriors were within the outer city. He witnessed the Chaos warband route from the Kislev flanking riders and the airship dropping large bombs and alchemy fire.
Max and the rest were then hired by a relative of Ulrika to protect his house against a "sorceror" (a vampire but nobody in the group knows this). So he investigates the item this sorcerer is trying to get, and is knocked out by the defence wards, but discovered Nagash made it. Later when he wakes up Ulrika has been captured by the Vampire and he travels to Sylvania eventually helping the rest to kill the vampire, but in the end Snorri kills it. Gotrek and Felix are separated from the rest of the group by two powerful sorcerers, and soon afterwards Max begins to teach at the College of Magic in Altdorf . Eventually Max meets the pair again after about twenty years, when they proceed to help him to stop the disaster that will soon happen. With many other adventures they would soon stop Dark Elves and Undead.
End Times[]
Artist's depiction of Max Schreiber.
At the start of the End Times Max was captured by the Troll King, Throgg, together with many other wizards from various races, and brought to Praag. They were tasked to create a troll that was just like Throgg, intelligent. Gotrek and Felix together with Ulrika and a small warband broke into Praag and freed Max who actually managed to create another intelligent Troll, if infant-like in mind. However, to achieve that he killed every other troll in the entire city. Now having escaped Praag with Gotrek and Felix, they made their way to Middenheim. In the dwarf fortress of Kazad Drengazi in the Middle Mountains they met Malakai Makkaison who rebuilt the Spirit of Grungni into the Unstoppable.[8]
The fortress was then attacked by a mighty Chaos Champion who had pledged himself to Be'lakor, but was ultimately killed by Gotrek and Felix. When the companions were on their way to Middenheim, a portal opened from which daemons were released, but it wasn't all Demons. Amongst them was the mighty Be'lakor himself. After a series of events, Max and Be'lakor got into a magical duel in which Max was able to defeat the Demon Prince, a feat that might outclass those of even Teclis. During the fight, Max was flung from the airship and not seen again.
Miniatures[]
Canon Conflict[]
In the original William's novels, Max is described as a member of the Gold Order, but Nathan Long turned him into a wizard of the Order of Light in Elfslayer without giving an explanation.
Max was able to wield three Lores of Magic: Light, Shadow and Jade. This is an extremely rare, if not impossible feat for most Empire wizards.
Sources[]
- 1: White Dwarf #319 (UK Edition)
- 1a: pg. 46
- 2: Gotrek and Felix: Daemonslayer (Novel) by William King
- 3: Gotrek and Felix: Dragonslayer (Novel) by William King
- 4: Gotrek and Felix: Beastslayer (Novel) by William King
- 5: Gotrek and Felix: Vampireslayer (Novel) by William King
- 6: Gotrek and Felix: Giantslayer (Novel) by William King
- 7: Gotrek and Felix: Elfslayer (Novel) by Nathan Long
- 8: Gotrek and Felix: Kinslayer (Novel) by David Guymer