"I am the harbinger of your demise. I am the nightmare in all mortals. I am the thing you fear the most. I am death..."
- —Valkia the Bloody[3p]
Valkia the Bloody, known also as the "Gorequeen", the "Valkyrie", the "Bringer of Glory", the "Sword-Maiden of the Blood God", and the "Dread-Consort of Khorne", is a Daemon Princess of Khorne. She is charged by her Chaos God to bear the worthy warriors of Norsca, and beyond, who die honourable deaths in battle to fight on in Khorne's hall in the Realm of Chaos for all eternity.[1a]
Once a fell chieftain and warrior-queen of the Norscan tribe known as the Schwarzvolf, Valkia rose in the Blood God's esteem by leading her warriors to vanquish tribes dedicated to the other Chaos Gods, and by slaying any who questioned her right to rule. When the Daemon Prince of Slaanesh known as Locephax came into her hall, intrigued by her feral beauty, and commanded her to leave her throne and join him as a slave girl, the warrior-queen took up her great spear, Slaupnir, and in a berserk rage, slew the Daemon and swore that she would lay its head at the base of Khorne's Skull Throne in the Blood God's Domain. Though she died on the journey, Khorne was impressed with her devotion. From death he elevated her to Daemonhood as his Daemon Princess.[1a]
Charged with descending onto the battlefield to choose those who will fight forever on in the Halls of the Blood God after their deaths, Valkia has served her dark master well for uncounted centuries. She descends upon the field of glory, her armour drenched in blood and rays of light shining from her spear. The warriors of Norsca who praise mighty Khorne -- which is to say, many of them -- redouble their efforts in her presence, some knowing that the Blood-Father despises cowards and will strike down those who flee or show weakness, and others out of knowledge that the prize of becoming his chosen and fighting on in his hall for all time are prizes beyond all measure.[1a]
Quick Answers
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History
Early Life
"They say that when the Axefather is pleased with our efforts, the tides of the sky will flow and ebb with darkest red, leached from the blood of our enemies. On the day that happens, Lille Venn, our people will rise far above all others."
- —Merroc, Chieftain of the Schwarzvolf and father of Valkia[3a]
Icon of Valkia the Bloody and her Warriors of Chaos army, the Legion of the Gorequeen, in Total War: Warhammer III.
Valkia was born as a mortal child to Chieftain Merroc and his late wife, Eris, of a nomadic Norscan tribe called the Schwarzvolf, which means the "Black Wolves."[3c] Known by her father as "Lille Venn," which meant "Little Friend" in the Norscan tongue, Valkia always had dreams of venturing into the far north of the Chaos Wastes and claiming the rewards gifted to the greatest Champions of the Chaos Gods venerated by her people. But her tribe was at war with another, and by the tender age of ten, she had already fought in her first battle as a shieldmaiden and won.[3a]
Many years after this great battle, the fortunes of the Schwarzvolf improved once more. Valkia, even though she was already eighteen, had taken neither a husband nor even a lover. As such, her father sought more male heirs and took Kata, a friend of Valkia, as a wife and she bore him three children, including a son, Edan. Soon after the old chieftain of the Schwarzvolf was stricken by the touch of Nurgle, contracting one of the Fly Lord's plagues, and his once-muscular frame melted away.[3c]
Furthermore, the tribe soon found itself mired in a new misfortune. A recently decimated tribe of Norscan farmers led by a young man named Eraich asked Merroc for shelter, and he reluctantly agreed to protect and aid Eraich's people. This garnered Merroc the ire of his people, who saw his actions as weak and unwise, an ire felt in particular by his own daughter, who saw providing protection to those unable to live by the traditional means of raiding and war as an intolerable sign of her father's growing weakness.[3c]
Valkia took advantage of the worsening situation and began to challenge her father, but it was Radek, her first and perhaps only true lover, who ultimately killed the old chieftain on her behalf. Declaring her lover a traitor to the tribe for his grim deed even as she assumed Merroc's mantle of leadership, Valkia took possession of the tribe from her slain father.[3c]
She soon became a ruthless killing machine, bent on nothing but glory and bloodshed. She slew all those that opposed her, culling the weaker members of her tribe and even going so far as to kill her own step-mother and step-sisters, sparing only her infant half-brother. In time she even managed to gain the respect of the Bloody Hand, a fierce warband of Chaos Marauders who came to seek out the Norscan farmers Valkia's father had sheltered after the Bloody Hand's warriors had destroyed their village.[3d]
Rise of the Gorequeen
"People of the Schwarzvolf, we have been betrayed. Our Chieftain, our beloved Merroc, lies dead because of the treachery of a man he trusted. A man he loved as a brother and who we all trusted as our Warspeaker. Radek the betrayer. See him there. He lies dead by my hand. Retribution was served instantly, but not before he gave me the truth. My father was going to do what was right. He planned to cull the weak from the strong, separate the brave from the cowardly and keep those who could wield their weapons with skill. But Eraich and his men conspired with Radek. They promised him the position of chieftain if he gave his aid to assassinate my father. It is no secret that Radek hungered for my father's position. He agreed to this gutless plot. Such treachery could not go unpunished. As such, the people of the hills will be taken into the Schwarzvolf conditional upon their complete, unswerving loyalty. Any of those who do not wish to accept that condition, then consider the alternative. The alternative is your own deaths. If you wish to join your menfolk as food for the animals of the woods, then my warriors will gladly aid you in meeting that desire."
- —Valkia the Bloody, lying to her own people about her father's death[3d]
With the alliance forged, the bounty of the spring and summer combined with the careful rationing that was imposed on the growing tribe proved to be exceptionally effective and as such, losses of life over the hardest weeks of the dark winter were minimal. There were still a number of causalities however; the elderly, the infirm and infants who were too weak to survive the earliest days of life. For Valkia, the long months of her first winter as chieftain were a trial unlike anything she had ever anticipated. Juggling the demands of her people with the frequent incursions from small tribes who thought they could somehow take on the might of the Schwarzvolf was tiring.[3e]
She had never realised just what leading her people would mean. Politics. Not all the dealings with small tribes were making short work of the more aggressive ones -- and the Schwarzvolf did that with increasingly brutal style. The number of heads placed on poles around the perimeter of the camp grew almost daily. Valkia encouraged competition between her warriors; offering a prize to those who could take the most skulls in a battle. It kept them keen and eager. Under her leadership, the Schwarzvolf were gaining a reputation as a bloodthirsty, relentless band of warriors. For some, that acted as a deterrent and for others, it served as a challenge. For a handful, it opened up interesting trade possibilities.[3e]
The might of the Schwarzvolf had grown exponentially in a few short years. Yet Valkia's ability to act diplomatically when the occasion called for it had begun to diminish proportionately. To refuse the will of the Schwarzvolf was to invite ruin. She even married the son of the chieftain of the Bloody Hand, Deron, and bore him two daughters, Eris and Bellona, heirs to the throne of the Schwarzvolf. Yet the two lovers could never share power together, and Deron increasingly grew surly and unhappy after the birth of his daughters, preferring that a son succeed as the chieftain of the tribe as was the norm among the Norscans. He made this displeasure known one too many times. In a singularly ruthless act, Valkia finally slew her own husband in cold blood during a ritual ceremony to consecrate their twins to Khorne when she felt his displeasure had disrespected the sacred rites of the Blood God.[3f]
Duel with Locephax
"You could concede defeat to me now, girl. Admit that I am your better and take your place at my side. Your days will be filled with all you desire and your nights will be spent in pleasurable ecstasy. I am offering you so much more than the snows of the north and the ingratitude of these barbarous people. If you come with me now, you will be a true queen."
When a servant of Slaanesh, a disguised and unimaginably perverse Daemon Prince known as Locephax, came into Valkia's hall and, smitten by her feral beauty, commanded that she abandon the life of a monarch to service his depraved needs as a harem-girl, the proud warrior-queen flew into the berserker rage and demanded a duel between her and the Daemon Prince.[2a][3h]
Thinking that he could easily best a mortal woman in battle, Locephax gladly agreed and staged the duel the next day. At dusk, Valkia fought the Daemon Prince without armour. For a day and a night the two combatants fought hard. In the raging maelstrom of sparking blades, Valkia slowly succumbed to a blazing inner rage which prevented her from falling prey to a loss of focus or fatigue against her immortal opponent and saw her through the fight.[3h]
With a mighty thrust, Valkia finally ended the duel when she struck off the Daemon Prince's head with her barbed spear. Victorious, Valkia affixed the severed but still whispering head of the Daemon to her shield, and swore before her tribe that she would carry it to the Chaos Wastes and place it at the very foot of Khorne's throne. Such a boast was not to be taken lightly, but everyone in the tribe knew that their queen would go to any length to earn the favour of her chosen Chaos God.[3h]
Daemonic Ascension
"Khorne. Kharneth, it matters little what you call the Blood God. The truth remains that the followers of Slaanesh will be waiting for you, Gorequeen. You will cross the ice. You will enter the Wastes and there...there, your people will be slaughtered. One after the other, they will fall. Their blood will stain the snows crimson. And then, when only you remain...Then I will claim you..."
"In the realm of man, time moved on. Ten years passed and yet in the place between worlds, that realm wherein dwelt the gods themselves, time had no meaning. For the consort of Khorne, a year could pass in less than an hour. She had no concept of the passage of the years beyond her realm. Neither did she care. For a long while, Valkia had lost herself in the eternal battle, her sense of purpose having been swallowed up in the glory of Khorne's gift. She was no longer a Human warrior queen, but a creature of destruction. Her wings gave her a freedom she had never had in life and her ferocity was unsurpassed. From the moment she stood in the presence of her lord and master, she was totally lost in his service."
- —Valkia the Bloody, Daemon Princess of Khorne within the Realm of Chaos[3n]
Valkia after her ascension to Daemonhood following her death in the Chaos Wastes.
As Valkia travelled north on her quest, accompanied by many of the warriors in her tribe, the Daemons of Slaanesh dwelling within the Chaos Wastes fell upon her and her warriors, eager to avenge the insult she had given to their divine master. Though Valkia was a fierce warrior of Norsca, not even she could stand long against such a horde of abominations.[1a]
Though she and her followers fought valiantly, over time, the dangers of the Northern Wastes slowly whittled down their numbers, or led them to flee, and eventually Valkia, accompanied only by the faithful Kormak, the most loyal of her warriors, was torn to pieces by yet another Daemonic assault even as she grew close to her goal -- a portal into the Blood God's Domain in the Realm of Chaos.[3n][4a][8a]
Khorne raged at Valkia's passing, for he had great plans for the mortal woman. Before she perished he had looked upon her with something approaching fondness, and in spite of her failure, Valkia's valour and courage during her quest had greatly pleased him, and so the Blood God saw fit to intervene. Wracked with a rage to carve nations in two, it is said in the sagas of the Norscans that his roars shook the very foundations of the earth, and that his bellows made the mountains themselves tremble and woke Valkia from death.[1a][2a][3n][4a][8a][14a][14b]
Khorne then took Valkia's soul in his burning grasp and twisted her into a more pleasing form. He bent back great horns from her skull, gave her the long, bestial legs of a Bloodletter and pulled great, bloody, bat-like wings from the flesh and muscle of her shapely back. Thus was Valkia forged anew in the fires of Khorne's wrath as a Daemon Prince.[1a][3n][4a][8a][14a][14b]
Reborn as his Daemon Princess, Khorne set upon Valkia a new task: She would now descend every dawn onto the battlefields of the mortal world, and fight alongside those worthy warriors of Norsca and beyond who served Khorne. From the ranks of their dead she would bear warriors who died in glorious battle to the Halls of Khorne in the Realm of Chaos where they would fight in the Blood God's legions for all eternity. Thus was the "Shieldmaiden of Khorne" born.[1a][14b]
Revenge of the Gorequeen
Valkia's ascension had been prophesied in the oral traditions of some tribes of Norsca -- having spoken of great, winged Daemons with mighty spears bearing warriors to the Realm of Chaos. On her return to the mortal world some ten years after her death, she brought with her a force of Bloodletters. Her first act was to raise her loyal follower Kormak from the dead and transform him into a mighty Champion of Khorne. Not long after, Valkia was met by some Norscan tribesmen, who fell to their knees in adoration of her before she had even spoken a word. This was a process that would repeat multiple times as Valkia's rapidly growing warband moved southwards towards the lands of the Schwarzvolf.[1a]
For Valkia was determined to cut all ties to her former Humanity and gain revenge against the many warriors of the tribe who had abandoned her on her quest northwards. Once her warband arrived in the lands of the Schwarzvolf she mercilessly killed all of her former people, butchering them to the last man, woman and child and feasting upon their flesh. At the climax of the assault, Valkia came to blows with her only living daughter, Eris, who had outlived her twin sister Bellona to replace her mother as the chieftain of the Schwarzvolf. Eris greatly resembled her mother when she had still been a mere mortal. But the fate of the battle was never far from doubt, and with a single swift thrust of her clawed hand, Valkia's ripped Eris' heart out, the young woman gurgling blood as she gave her last dying breath to protect her people.[3q]
Yet the last to die by Valkia's hands was her own half-brother, Edan, the last of her family line, who had become the tribe's "godspeaker" or shaman. Edan had long plotted to seize control of the tribe from his nieces and had manipulated Eris into slowly transforming the tribe into one whose lifestyle was more sedentary and who worshipped other Chaos Gods besides Khorne, especially Slaanesh, who had become Edan's own preferred divine patron. Long before, Edan had once looked up to his elder sister, but when he came before Valkia this one last time, he knew that his death had come and he was at peace. Holding out one outstretched hand to the sister he had once known, Valkia did not even hesitate and ruthlessly ripped Edan's head from his body.[3q]
Her vengeance at last complete, Valkia allowed her berserker army to kill all the men, women and children that remained. In this way, Valkia finally severed all the remaining ties to her mortal life and fully embraced her new role as the embodied instrument of the Blood God's dark will. The legend of Valkia's ill-fated tribe is now known throughout the north, a vestige of her lost Humanity eradicated in bloody vengeance.[3q][9a]
Blood Ravens of Karak Ghulg
"You swore to me that you would not fall behind and I do not yet consider your oath fulfilled. Khorne calls to your blood and must be answered in kind. Rise now and revel in the roar of battle once again."
- —Valkia the Bloody[3n]
Valkia the Bloody in all her feral beauty as a Daemon Princess of Khorne.
The annals of history recall many of Valkia the Bloody's appearances in the world, her arrival always met with fear but also reverence from the faithful of the Blood God who worship her as a goddess. Though she was already highly-honoured and infamous among the violent tribal societies of the Norscans, it was in the year 1396 IC that the civilised peoples of the Old World first encountered and came to fear Valkia the Bloody.[5a][9a][14b]
In that year, in the icy wastes of Norsca, a warband of Norscans waged war against the northern Dwarf hold of Karak Ghulg, led by their king, a Chaos Champion known as Bothvar. Valkia descended from the Realm of Chaos to bless Bothvar's efforts, a good omen for any Norscan. Valkia had also come with a commandment from Khorne that Bothvar's warriors must perform a rite known as the "Blood Raven" upon the defeated Dwarfs.[5a][14b]
Valkia joined Bothvar in leading the warband and overran the Dwarfen positions surrounding Karak Ghulg before they overran the citadel itself. Valkia then led the Norscans in the practice of the Blood Raven, a torturous execution involving unfolding the bloody ribs of the defeated Dwarfs, making naked their hearts and spreading out their lungs upon their shoulders, making it seem as if the tortured Dwarfs bore bloody, fleshy wings upon their backs.[5a][14b]
The audacious attack succeeded, the battle was won, and this torture forever after became an important practice amongst the vicious tribes of Norsca. In this way, Valkia had again impacted her people's culture greatly. Amongst some tribes of Norsca, this act was also called the "Blood Eagle."[5a][14b]
Burning of Nordland
"I am the Blood Queen. I am the Bringer of Glory! I am the avatar of my beloved on the field of battle and I am here for the prize of your skulls. I am vengeance and I am death! Fear my presence. I strike terror into the darkest recesses of your treacherous hearts and drive you from me like vermin. Fear me!"
- —Valkia the Bloody[3q]
Valkia the Bloody, after her Daemonic ascension and assuming a form more pleasing to the Blood God.[9a]
That was not the last time the peoples of the Old World would encounter the Gorequeen. In 2398 IC, Valkia came once more to the Norscan tribes and bade them to follow her to war. Thus, the Northmen took to their longships and sailed south with Valkia at their head to Nordland. Under Valkia's leadership, the Norscans fell upon the towns and villages of that northern Imperial Electoral Province and slaughtered all who dwelled therein. No force could withstand the berserk warriors as they made all they surveyed into a bloody sacrifice for their war-god.
The nobility in Salzenmund sent no aid to the beleaguered towns, whether out of fear or a genuine inability is a matter of some debate. Regardless, in the end, it was left to the common folk of Nordland to defend themselves. Led by a simple fisherman known as Harold Dreizacker, the fishermen of Nordland beat their boathooks into halberds and patrolled the coastlines and manned the abandoned coastal forts of Nordland, ever watchful for any signs of Norscan raiders.
A small fleet of boats was organised by Harold to be ready to respond to the sights of the Gorequeen's red sails upon the horizon. As a cold Geheimnistag wind blew, the people of Nordland emitted a collective sigh of relief, for the close of the summer heralded the end of the Chaos Marauders' raiding season. However, that relief proved to be short-lived, for only three days later, the Norscans fell upon Dietershafen, causing great slaughter and havoc there.
Harold and his fleet sailed to intercept the longships of the Marauders, but the bloody queen of the Norse threw her great spear with such force that it smashed Harold's vessel to matchwood, and sent the fisherman tumbling into the waters. All was thought lost, and it seemed as if the town of Dietershafen would be destroyed. However, at the fateful moment, the town was saved by the appearance of a Dwarfen vessel, steel-clad and belching smoke, no doubt drawn by the chance to avenge Valkia's desolation of the northern Dwarf Hold of Karak Ghulg.
The great steel-clad ship was more than a match for the wooden longships of the Norscans, and it tore through their comparatively fragile fleet. As a result, the raiders were forced to retreat back to Norsca; but none could say what became of Valkia herself. Though, as Khorne's shieldmaiden, it was clear her existence continued.
In the aftermath of the battle, it was found that Harold Dreizacker had survived. He was found frozen on a nearby shore, barely clinging to life. He was nursed back to health and hailed as the "Hero of Nordland" for standing tall and unwavering against a terrible foe -- for without Dreizacker, Nordland's people would surely have fallen to the bloody axes of the Norscans. Yet the damage was done, and the ruin brought to the townships and the plundering of much of the province's food and fuel supplies meant that only the hardiest of Nordlanders lived past the winter of 2398 IC.
A few months later, tragically, Harold Dreizacker was killed on route to Salzenmund, the capital of Nordland province. Some say he was slain by the spies of the vengeful Norscans, others by the hand of the Nordlander nobility he had shamed with his bravery against the Norcans and their Daemonic queen. Ultimately, it did not matter, for the Norscans had triumphed regardless, having slain mightily in the name of their Blood God and having spilled rivers of blood for his glory -- for Khorne cares not from whence the blood flows, only that it flows for all eternity, without cease.
Archaon's Bringer of Glory
"It takes strength of purpose to do this. But keep your loyalty true and my lord's hand will guide you correctly."
- —Valkia the Bloody[5a]
Valkia the Bloody as depicted in Total War: Warhammer III. Here she bears her Daemonshiled with the head of the Slaaneshi Daemon Prince Locephax placed upon it.[9a]
According to Norscan sagas, Valkia has only been matched in battle once: When the famed Chaos Champion Lord Mortkin journeyed into the Chaos Wastes to earn the favour of the Chaos Gods. To receive the favour of Khorne, Mortkin bested a massive two-headed Giant in a direct contest of strength. Impressed, Khorne sent Valkia to further test the great Champion. The Black-Iron Reaver fought the Gorequeen to a stand-still, matching her every spear-stroke with a sweep from his mighty axe, thus earning the grudging respect of Khorne's shieldmaiden. With that, the Lord of Battles blessed Mortkin with his boon of unmatched strength.[6a]
Indeed, Valkia is sent as many times to test the worthy as she is to fight alongside them and lead them on to Khorne's Brazen Halls. When she emerges onto the battlefield, the warriors of Chaos fight on with even greater vigour in her presence, eager for the chance to become Khorne's chosen. However, should they falter, Khorne's wrath shall descend upon them through Valkia, and they shall be cursed never to know the glory of Khorne after their deaths. Indeed, Valkia herself shall mete out their punishment, laying about with lethal strikes from her spear, Slaupnir.[1b]
When Archaon, anointed of Chaos, was still upon his quest to become the thirteenth Everchosen, it is said that Valkia came to his aid in a battle against the Dark Elves. When Archaon tore out the heart of a Dark Elf assailant and held it before a warshrine dedicated to Khorne, he had pleased the war-wont god, who saw fit to send forth deliverance to the Favoured One. Lightning bolts red as blood rent the sky, heralding the arrival of Valkia, the Bringer of Glory.[1a]
Howling bloody songs of war, she charged towards the Black Dragon at the head of the opposing army. Moving with the fury of the wind, Valkia lopped off the head of the Dark Elf sorceress astride the beast with one fell blow. Bereft of its rider, the Dragon flew into an uncontrolled rage but its petty anger was little compared to the berserker's rage that burned within Valkia's veins. Her spear tore great gashes in the Dragon's hide, and with her final stroke, she tore apart the creature's throat and sent it crashing to the ground.[1a]
Howling again a cry of victory, she plunged into the enemies below, slaying all within her reach. With the Daemon Princess weakening the enemy line, Archaon led his warriors in a devastating charge that scattered the Dark Elves. When victory was achieved, Valkia vanished from the battlefield as quickly as she had come, for Khorne had called his Gorequeen to another blood-soaked field.[1a]
End Times
Assault on Naggaroth
As elsewhere, the Northmen spilled south when the End Times finally began; across the Ironfrost Glacier into Naggaroth came the black banners and iron-shod feet of the Bloodied Horde, and Valkia was its dread mistress. She had heard Khorne's voice bellowing through the thunderous skies, and now drove her followers south to claim skulls in his name. The Gorequeen cared not for the thirteenth Everchosen Archaon's careful strategy -- she knew only that Khorne called for blood, and thus she set forth to slake his monstrous thirst.[10a]
The horde marched with harsh cheer and the boom of drums, yet, incredibly, the Naggarothi were caught unaware. Too long had they relied upon the sorceresses of Ghrond to alert them to such perils, but the Tower of Prophecy lay silent behind a shield of sorcery. Warning eventually reached Naggarond, but by the time Ebnir Soulflayer, most trusted of the Witch King Malekith's generals, rode to the fortress of Volroth, it was already fallen. All that remained of its eighty-thousand-strong garrison were towering cairns of bloody skulls, and the bulk of the Bloodied Horde had already passed beyond the line of watchtowers.[10a][11a]
The Northmen invasion splintered as it headed further south, its chieftains abandoning Valkia's path to claim skulls of their own. The ferocity of the Bloodied Horde swept away much of the Druchii's northern defences and brought the chill land's great cities under siege. The Gorequeen stayed true to her course, sweeping aside the Naggarothi hosts arrayed against her, and laid siege to grim Naggarond itself. It was Kouran Darkhand, faithful master of the Black Guard, who led Naggarond's defence. Twice he faced Valkia in single combat as her army of Chaos Warriors stormed the walls, and twice the duel ended in stalemate as the tides of battle swept them apart. Alas, whilst an adroit and loyal soldier, Kouran lacked the spark of brilliance to break the siege.[10a]
When Malekith returned at last from a sojourn to parts unknown he was initially of good humour, though this dispersed like blood in the chill ocean when his council apprised him of the realm's woes. Unable to commence his next long-planned assault against hated Ulthuan whilst Naggaroth was beset, Malekith called the Black Dragon Seraphon to his side and cast the Bloodied Horde from Naggarond's walls, personally breaking the assault and felling Valkia.[10a][11a]
Yet her Chaos Champions still fought on in Khorne's name, and there were rumours that the Gorequeen had somehow been preserved from Malekith's wrath, and even now readied another assault. Kouran believed that Malekith would have ordered Valkia hunted down and had her remains strung from Naggarond's highest tower in other times, but the Witch King's concerns appeared to lie more with survival than revenge.[10a][11a]
Doom of Averheim
When the vanguard of Archaon's army reached the Imperial city of Averheim, it soon became clear, even from the city's walls, that they were of a different mettle to the previous Chaos forces that had assaulted the city. Their banner poles were hung with naked skulls, their armour was the colour of spilt blood, and their war songs little more than discordant shrieking. Where they marched, the skies shone a wrathful and brooding red, and the waters of the River Aver ran thick with gore.[12a]
These were the tribes of the Skaramor, a bleak rumour up until then since their infamous Skullreapers deemed the Men of the south to be weaklings, but with the weaklings at last purged from the Empire by other hands, the Skaramor came south in the tens of thousands to slay the survivors. They would drown Averheim in its defenders' gore, and pile the skulls high in testament to their wrathful divine patron at Archaon's direction, if only because Khorne had decreed it.[12a]
Of the powerful Khornate Champions leading the Skaramor was Valkia, along with Skarr Bloodwrath and Scyla Anfingrimm. Amongst all the warriors of the Skaramor, only the Gorequeen dared oppose Skarr. She too was held high in Khorne's regard, and the Blood God's blessings had redoubled following her slaughter of the Naggarothi. The survivors of that campaign against Naggaroth marched to Averheim beneath Valkia's skull-laden banner. They were fewer in number than Skarr's followers, but had a warhoned savagery that more than made up for their relative lack of warriors.[12a]
Clashes broke out amongst the besiegers of Averheim that night as the Skaramor bloodily seized control. Chieftains who would not pledge loyalty to the newcomers were decapitated, and thrown into the river. Many of those who did swear allegiance to Valkia or Skarr were slain also, their blood dedicated to the Lord of Skulls, their heads added to the grim totems set just beyond the range of cannon-fire. Thousands amongst the horde perished as axes grew restless, but thousands more arrived under the red and angry sun. They made no move to assault the walls, content to war amongst themselves as they awaited the arrival of he who had set them to the march.[12a]
At last, days after their arrival, Archaon came to Averheim, riding at the head of his Swords of Chaos warband of Chaos Knights, with the great winged shadow of the Bloodthirster Ka'Bandha looming close behind. The chanting Skaramor fell silent for a moment, but then their song began again, wilder and more wrathful than before. Thousands of Skullreapers hurled themselves at Averheim, the bulk of which were the Goremongers, veterans of Valkia's wars against the Dark Elves. Eventually the situation became unsalvageable for Averheim's soldiers; with every passing moment the last defenders grew fewer, and the Skaramor grew more numerous.[12a][12b][12c]
The Sword-Maiden and the Sword of Justice
It was when Ludwig Schwarzhelm, Emperor Karl Franz's champion and bodyguard, was riding back to the emperor's side that Valkia attacked. Archaon had prior claim on the life of the weakling emperor, but there were other trophies to be had that day. Valkia sought to claim the Imperial Standard -- and the skull of he who bore it -- as tokens to lay at Khorne's feet. Schwarzhelm was still turning to face the Gorequeen when the spear Slaupnir lunged towards his ribs. Valkia's surprise assault and Ludwig's weariness worked against him, but he brought up his Sword of Justice to parry the thrust, and it merely broke off a thick splinter from the Imperial Standard's banner pole. [12c]
Hissing at her thwarted strike, Valkia took wing and swooped down, stabbing towards Schwarzhelm's open helmet, but the Emperor's Champion was ready this time. He deflected the Gorequeen's thrust wide of his helm, and with a deftness that few others in the Empire could match, turned his parry into an effortless riposte. The point of his blade tore through Valkia's steel-clad forearm, tracing a bloody line halfway to her elbow. The Gorequeen shrieked and soared away, hooves lashing out wildly. One struck the side of Schwarzhelm's head while the other tore the Sword of Justice from his hand and flung it into the ongoing battle, leaving Schwarzhelm defenceless.[12c]
Valkia swooped again, her spear swinging round in a two-handed grip, throwing Schwarzhelm from the saddle, the Imperial Standard still clasped tight in his gauntleted hands. Just as he heaved himself upright with the banner's jagged tip he was sent sprawling again in the melee, and before he could right himself a second time, Valkia was on him once more. She came with a blood-curdling scream, wings furling and unfurling as she flew above and around the battling Reiksguard knights and Archaon's Swords of Chaos. Slaupnir was cradled like a lance against her unwounded arm, her eyes gleaming in anticipation of the kill.[12c]
Valkia knew that her prey would not escape her a third time, as did Schwarzhelm. With a last burst of strength, Schwarzhelm grasped tight upon the Imperial Standard with both hands, bringing the splintered end of the banner pole up like a spear. Slaupnir's tip tore through Schwarzhelm's breastplate, piercing his valiant heart and killing him instantly. Valkia's momentum drove her onto the impromptu spear, the heartwood shaft punching through her armour and shattering her spine.[12c]
For a long moment, the two corpses were frozen in a grisly tableau, the dead locked in battle amongst the living. Then a Skullcrusher's Juggernaut thundered over the pair, trampling their ruined flesh into the muddy ground. In the same moment, the tides of battle at last brought the Emperor of Man before the Lord of the End Times, and their battle would end in Karl Franz's death -- and the rebirth of Sigmar himself in the body of the slain emperor.[12c]
Appearance
Before her transformation into a Daemon Princeess, Valkia was possessed of a cold beauty and an athletic physique. After her death, Valkia returned to the mortal world a vision of destructive power, reforged by the Blood God into a form even more pleasing to him. Though she retains her cold beauty, great horns curl back from her head, her armour runs red with thick strings of blood, her long legs are hooved like those of a Bloodletter, and bat-like wings now sprout from her shapely back.[2a]
Personality
Khorne is not noted for his affections. His only passions are those of rage, hate and bloodlust. Yet, even so, Valkia is his cruel consort, returned from the dead to further the work of her diabolic paramour. She stays by the side of her lord, master and consort, often commanding his armies in the Realm of Chaos, but she leaves every dawn to descend from the skies and reap ever more skulls for his throne. In her mind, every skull she claims is but the most infinitesimal part of a dowry offered to the Blood God, and the Gorequeen has no lesser desire than being Khorne's regal consort.[2a][12b][13][14a][14b]
But while Valkia seeks Khorne's fluxsome favour, she despises many others who also do, such as the Bloodthirster Ka'Bandha or even some of the battle-hardened mortal warriors under her command. To her, they are all brutes unworthy of Khorne's generosity, their devotions born of self-interest rather than dedication, whilst hers spring from a true desire to please her wrathful liege. As the mortal world teeters on the precipice of its destruction, Khorne's bloodlust crescendos once more, his violent whims, as ever, to be served unquestioningly by the inimitable Gorequeen.[9a][12b]
Abilities
"Don't look up you fool! The Gorequeen patrols the sky, looking for prey. Keep your eyes on the ground and pray to all you consider holy that she doesn't find us interesting."
Valkia, wielding the spear Slaupnir and her Daemonshield, leads the Warriors of Chaos army called the Legion of the Gorequeen into battle, as depicted in Total War: Warhammer III.[9a]
Born a warrior who lived as a queen and died a legend, Valkia is the very definition of a worthy adversary. The winged warrior-queen is one of the most skilled combatants in both the mortal and immortal realms, rivaling even the likes of the Bloodthirster Skarbrand in melee combat. Khorne's warriors follow her without question, for Valkia's strength has been proven time and again at the point of her spear, and so too do the most vicious of Khorne's Daemons flock to her side whenever the horn of battle sounds.[9a][13]
Valkia is known to those who fight in Khorne's name as the "Bringer of Glory". Her presence is a sign to nearby followers of Khorne that the Blood God's gaze must surely be upon them, for it is said it always lingers around her, and indeed her violent deeds are watched over by her battle-hungry patron. This inspires Khorne's followers to fight all the harder in Valkia's presence, but only the worthiest achieve glory there.[2a][9a][13][14b]
Those destined to bear the Mark of Khorne are singled out by Valkia through an insidious process of selection. For indeed, Valkia is more intelligent than most of Khorne's mortal servants. There are lessons to be learned in blood, and Valkia memorises every one of them. Of the savage strategies her forces practice, the Blood Raven is still one of them, for nothing drains the enemy's fight like ritualistic executions of severed ribs and exposed lungs strewn across bloody backs.[9a][14b]
Even so, Valkia, like all Daemon Princes, is but a vessel of Khorne's fury, brimming with hatred and the gifts of his gratitude, the repair of her mortal frame but a prelude to his gift of godly vitality. The Gorequeen spills blood without need of sleep, respite or sustenance, the motivating thrill of battle remaining long after the last body falls, carrying her forth on war-torn wings.[9a]
The day Valkia flies against Mankind will be a day untold thousands breathe their final breath, such is the power Khorne has infused in her. The Gorequeen's will is absolute, her wrath terrible to behold, her vengeance bloody and swift. And by the indomitable will of the god of war and wrath, his chosen queen will not be allowed to die.[9a][14a]
Wargear
- Slaupnir - The Gorequeen's spear was forged for her in her former life by a great blacksmith of Norsca, named for a terrible Daemon of Norscan myths. The barbed spear of Valkia has slain kings and paupers alike and spilt the ichor of Daemons, ripping out their hearts or striking their heads from their body with single, mighty blows. The weapon bears the blessings of Khorne and can tear through the mightiest armour and toughest hide with ease, and can cause the very earth to erupt across its trajectory when thrown.[1b][13][14b]
- Scarlet Armour - The mail of Valkia is eternally drenched with blood. It has been blessed with the power to sap the strength from the enemies of Khorne, and all those who face the Gorequeen in melee combat.[1b][9a]
- Daemonshield - Valkia still bears the horned head of the Daemon Prince Locephax of Slaanesh upon her kite shield. The Daemon's black eyes gaze hypnotically at those who come too close and beguile those who seek to strike the Gorequeen, causing them to become distracted in battle and their resolve to weaken. The shield can also grant Valkia brief periods of invulnerability.[1b][2a][9a][13][14b]
Miniatures
Videos
Canon Conflicts
Though Valkia is said to have become a Daemon Prince of Khorne in the novel Valkia the Bloody by Sarah Cawkwell in Chapter 14: Emergence as well as other short stories and role-playing supplements, other information available in sources for the Warhammer Fantasy Battles tabletop game lists her only as a mortal Champion of Khorne.
Throughout Valkia the Bloody, Valkia is consistently referred to as a "Daemon Princess" after her resurrection. This is further reinforced by the short story Bloodraven, also by Sarah Cawkwell, which refers to her as a Daemon Princess. The short story The Siege of Naggarond, written for the End Times by Sarah Cawkwell, also referred to her as a Daemon Princess.
Additionally, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3rd Edition Khorne supplement Liber Carnagia explicitly mentions that the Blood God raised her from death and transformed her into a Daemon Prince on page 8, albeit he made her only "part Daemon Prince."
However, Valkia's official ruleset in the Warriors of Chaos 8th Edition armybook on page 50 as well as in the Warriors of Chaos 7th Edition armybook on page 73 describe her only as a mortal Champion of Khorne, explicitly lacking the Daemonic trait.
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Armies: Warriors of Chaos (8th Edition)
- 2: Warhammer Armies: Warriors of Chaos (7th Edition)
- 2a: pg. 73
- 3: Valkia the Bloody (Novel) by Sarah Cawkwell
- 3a: Ch. 1: "The Schwarzvolk"
- 3b: Ch. 2: "Ambition"
- 3c: Ch. 3: "The Black Stag"
- 3d: Ch. 4: "Cheiftains Daughter"
- 3e: Ch. 5: "The Blood God"
- 3f: Ch. 6: "The Gorequeen"
- 3g: Ch. 7: "Locephax"
- 3h: Ch. 8: "To the Victor The Spoils"
- 3i: Ch. 9: "Promises"
- 3j: Ch. 10: "The Breath Before the Plunge"
- 3k: Ch. 11: "Edge of Oblivion"
- 3l: Ch. 12: "Rebirth"
- 3m: Ch. 13: "The Long Game"
- 3n: Ch. 14: "Emergence"
- 3o: Ch. 15: "Death or Glory"
- 3p: Ch. 16: "Nightmares and Dreamscapes"
- 3q: Ch. 17: "From Whence the Blood Flows"
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3rd Edition: Liber Carnagia (RPG)
- 4a: pg. 23
- 5: Bloodraven (Short Story) by Sarah Cawkwell
- 5a: Ch. 1
- 6: Warhammer Fantasy Battles Rulebook (8th Edition)
- 6a: pg. 50
- 7: Archaon: Everchosen (Novel) by Rob Sanders
- 7a: Ch. 13
- 8: Siege of Naggarond (Short Story) by Sarah Cawkwell
- 8a: Ch. 1
- 9: Total War: Warhammer III (PC Game)
- 9a: Champions of Chaos DLC
- 10: The End Times vol. I: Nagash
- 10a: pp. 16-17
- 11: The End Times vol. I: Khaine
- 11a: pp. 14
- 12: The End Times vol. I: Archaon
- 13:Total War: WARHAMMER III – Introducing Valkia the Bloody (Archived)
- 14: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Third Edition: Liber Carnagia - The Book of Blood (RPG)