"However you look at it, the Skeleton is a perfect symbol of both Death and Undeath; that part which endures after the rotting of the body and the departure of the soul... Fitting then, that these are among our most feared and numerous soldiers. What Human could hope to resist Death?"
- —Constantin von Carstein, Vampire Lord[1a]
A Skeleton Warrior during the Vampire Wars.
Skeleton Warriors are, as their name implies, Undead Skeletons that have been raised from their graves to fight, willingly or not, on the behalf of the necromancer who raised them, forming the overall backbone of most Undead armies under the control of the Vampire Counts.
Role[]
For thousands of years, armies have marched and fought across the Old World since the time of its creation. There is barely a field, hill or valley that has not seen fierce fighting at some point in the past. Going as far back as the reign of Sigmar Heldenhammer and even earlier, these great battles have left many unmarked and unblessed graves scattered all across the Known World.[2a]
Such charnel fields often attract a large influx of Dark Magic, forcing the souls of some warriors to remain trapped within the material realm. Some are the spirits of men betrayed by their commanders, others of cowards who were cut down as they ran, or of those who died a violent and unexpected death. Unable to find peace due to their actions, these spirits are forever bound to the dead corpse that lay within the earth. Beneath the mud lie the grave-stained bones of these bitter, ancient warriors. Long held beneath the earth, they are clad in their corroded armour, their lifeless hands still gripping the swords, axes, spears and shields they held during the time of their death.[2a]
Provided their remains have not been blessed by the rites of Morr, the god of the dead, a spirit is therefore vulnerable to the magical abilities of a necromancer or Vampire, where they use the coiling energies of Dark Magic to instil a semblance of life and a flicker of spirit into these dormant warriors. As the regiments of past massacres claw their way to the surface, their empty eye sockets have been known to glow an eerie light, a small flicker of semblance of their former personality. Silently, these corpses would gather together in a semblance of their old ranks, mutely awaiting the commands of their new lord as the remains of their tattered banners flap in the unnatural breeze of their creation.[2a]
Though a Skeleton no longer possesses flesh to cut, nor organs to pierce, a well-aimed blow can still destroy it and release the spirit that is trapped within. Dark Magic is used to replace flesh that has long since been dissolved from the bones, but an arrow or sword thrust can disrupt the magic that binds the ancient bones of these soldiers together. Decapitation or severing of the spine is usually the most effective means to release the Skeleton warrior's spirit from the mortal plane, and a heavy blow from a bludgeoning weapon such as a warhammer or a club can easily shatter an entire skeleton into pieces. However, even those that are felled can be raised up again as necromantic power knits together shattered bones and instils them with vigour once more.[2a]
All that these long-dead fighters can recall of their mortal life are faint impressions from battles fought in ages past. All that they feel is the compulsion to fight and obey their masters. They have no autonomy or intelligence, though some vestige of their battlefield training remains ingrained in their bones. Driven by the undying will of a Vampire or necromancer, these ragged warriors can still wield their swords and spears, and raise a shield to block an enemy attack. A mortal who dares to fight an army of Skeleton warriors is confronted by rank upon rank of ghastly apparitions. Imbued without the need to eat, sleep, or feel the touch of fear, these Skeletons are a horrible sight to all the living.[2a]
Barrow Skeleton Warriors[]
It was tradition that when one of the ancient kings of the Old World was buried in a barrow, they would be escorted into eternity by loyal vassals. Men from all walks of life were entombed alongside their rulers in this way, from unwilling slaves to the king's royal guard.[4a]
Most common, however, are those warriors who made up the bulk of the old king's warbands -- now animated to ghastly unlife as Skeleton Warriors. The lesser kings would perhaps only have one such unit of warriors, whilst the greatest would have legions beyond number.[4a]
The necromancer Heinrich Kemmler raised Skeleton Warriors from these ancient barrows to fight in his army.[4a]
Notable Regiments[]
- Konigstein Stalkers - This is the unit of heavily armoured Skeleton Warriors that guard the ruins of Konigstein Tower, the current residence of the necromancer Helman Ghorst. Though most Undead are no more than stumbling thralls, these warriors have achieved renown due to their effectiveness in melee.[3]
- Last Remnants of Tribe Unberogen - This unit of Skeleton Warriors was made up of the former nobility of Sigmar's Unberogen tribe.
- Legion with No Name - These four regiments of Skeleton Warriors were summoned by the Lahmian Vampire Lord Neferata from Silver Pinnacle and were made up of a mix of many different former living warriors.
- Green Skulls - The Green Skulls were an eerie regiment of Skeleton Warriors. They had formerly been the mortal honour guard of a failed Swain of Neferata.
- Iron Brigade - This unit of iron-armoured Skeletons of a long forgotten kingdom was resurrected from the Badlands.
- Nightmare Legion - These Skeleton Warriors were once a famous band of mercenaries that operated in Tilea.
- The Arisen - Comprising a majority of the Liche Lord Arkhan the Black's army, these Skeleton Warriors were former Bretonnian plague victims.
Miniatures[]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Bestiary (RPG)
- 1a: pg. 62
- 2: Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (8th Edition)
- 2a: pg. 35
- 3: Total War: Warhammer (PC game)
- 4: White Dwarf 311 (UK)
- 4a: pg. 97
Gallery[]
