"I say you can find out the servants of Death by their marks. No man is born so unnatural that his body does not revolt at the foul pollution of Undead blood. And by these marks you can tell them: by the fangs of the predator, for their thirst for blood is like that of a foul beast; by their porcelain white skin, cold to the touch and unnatural to the eye; the glow of their eyes, behind which lives the terrible Hunger. These are the marks of the blackest evil. These are the marks of the Vampire..."
- —Johann van Hal, the Witch Hunter General
"I will burn every inhabitant of the Empire if I have to!"
- —Bernhardt van Hal, Witch Hunter General[5a]
Johann van Hal and his companion, Wilhelm Hasburg, Warrior Priest of Sigmar
The van Hal, sometimes spelled van Hel, family is an ancient lineage of witch hunters that have since dedicated their lives to the service of the Church of Sigmar, seeking to atone for the misdeeds of their ancient ancestor, the infamous necromancer known as Frederick van Hal. This lineage all began with Frederick, known more infamously as Vanhal the Necromancer, who subjugated himself to the teachings of Vlad von Carstein and became a legendary necromancer during the time of the Skaven Wars in the 12th century IC.
Due to this shame and the legendary reputation of Frederick van Hal, the descendants of his line have since dedicated their lives to serving as witch hunters and to the eradication of all Vampires and necromancers alike.
One of the descendants of Frederick, Helmut van Hal, personally slew Pieter von Carstein in his coffin with the unexpected aid of Mannfred von Carstein.
Another descendant, Gunther van Hal, was famous for his attack on Blood Keep at the head of a mighty Imperial army. Van Hal and his soldiers destroyed many Blood Dragon Vampires when they finally stormed the castle, and they hunted the survivors through the wilds for years afterwards.
The latest descendant of the van Hal family is the legendary Johann van Hal, the current Witch-Finder General of the Empire of Man.
Notable Family Members[]
- Frederick van Hal - Progenitor pof the van Hal line and a dread necromancer active during the time of the Skaven Wars in the 12th century IC.
- Gunther van Hal - Gunther van Hal was the witch hunter who led an army to the destruction of Blood Keep the former fortress of the Knights of the Blood Dragon.[6a]
- Helmut van Hal - Slew the Vampire Pieter von Carstien.
- Johann van Hal - Present day Witch-Finder General of the Empire and mercenary.
- Bernhardt van Hal -Bernhardt van Hal was the Imperial Witch-Finder General during the tragedy that claimed the city of Mordheim in 1999 IC.[5a]
- Hertwig van Hal - A physician turned Vampire Hunter.
Canon conflict[]
In Liber Necris Frederick Van Hal was the original ruler of the province of Sylvania, meanwhile The Black Plague Trilogy he was a former Priest of Morr that had renounced his faith and died without offspring.
Trivia[]
The van Hal family name is a reference to Professor Abraham Van Helsing, a fictional character of the 19th century novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. Van Helsing is an accomplished doctor and polymath, and is often portrayed in various adaptions of the story as a Vampire Hunter and arch-enemy of Dracula.
Sources[]
- 1: The Loathsome Ratmen and all their vile kin
- 2: Liber Necris (Background Book)
- 3: Gotrek and Felix: Vampireslayer (Novel) by William King
- 4: Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (5th Edition) -- p.12
- 5: White Dwarf 255
- 5a: pg. 31
- 6: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Night's Dark Masters (RPG)
- 6a: pg. 45