Crusade of 2514

The Emperor Karl-Franz is dead. Long live the Emperor Karl-Franz.

The villainous Chaos Cult known as the Purple Hand succeeded in poisoning Emperor Karl-Franz. They
attempted to crown his son, Crown Prince Wolfgang Holswig-Abenauer, Emperor. They were thwarted.
The Crown Prince revealed himself to have been replaced by a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh known as
The Keeper of Secrets and slew Grand Theogonist Yorri XV, Graf Borris Todbringer and his son, Sir Karl-
Franz II Todbringer. The Daemon was slain. The Purple Hand then revealed another Greater Daemon of
Tzeetch, which tried to take control of the rightful Emperor. This Daemon was banished.
Who thwarted their goals? Who slew The Keeper of Secrets? Who banished The Exalted Lord of Change?
It was our new Emperor, Karl-Franz II.

As a young man, Karl-Franz Holswig-Schliestein, who would be known as Karl-Franz I, was stoic and
disciplined, never given to flights of passion or fancy. Some wondered if he had a heart at all. Until the
day a young Lady Elise Schwartzwalder-Kirschtorte arrived at his father’s court. They fell madly, deeply
in love. When she was with child, Karl-Franz married her in secret. When his father Luitpold III,
discovered this, he banished the Lady from court. Karl-Franz fought valiantly to find his way to her. He
thrice broke free of the castle and made his way to her side, only to be captured by the Reiksguard.
Luitpold sent his only son to a windowless dungeon in chains, for that was the only thing which would
keep him from his love. Beliving he had no other choice to save his only son from the feminine wiles of a
Lady so far beneath his station, Luitpold ordered the mother and child be killed and told the world the
both had died in childbirth. When Karl-Franz learned of this, the life drained out of him. He could not
even bring himself to object when his father ordered him to marry another. Karl-Franz did, indeed, have
a heart. Now, it was stone.
Fortunately, the Emperor’s midwives were not so cruel as he. The child was spirited away and given to a
young, well to-do couple in Delberz. They named him Karl-Franz II. They presumed he would grow to be
nothing more than a dilettante. He would brew beer, spend money and be forgotten by history. But the
seed is strong. Lady Elise was no mere courtly maiden. She, like Karl-Franz, was descended from the
Gods. For the child of Karl-Franz Holswig-Schliestein and Lady Elise Schwartzwalder-Kirschtorte held the
blood of both Sigmar Heldenhammer and the White Wolf Ulric in his veins.

All of this was revealed to the Elector Counts. Karl-Franz II now took the name his mother gave him at
birth, the name of the only other man she loved, Karl-Franz. He swore to unite the worshippers of Ulric
and worshippers of Ulric. He swore to turn back the tide of Chaos from without, just as he had
vanquished it from within. He swore the promise of the Empire, the Empire men dreamed of, the
Empire that lived in their hearts, would become the Empire they saw around them. His election was
unanimous.

What he did not tell them was the challenges ahead. A Chaos invasion had already begun, sacking the
city of Erengrad. The greenskins were swarming all throughout the Grey Mountains. Bretonnia was
destroying Empire villages all along their border. The port city of Marienburg was under siege by a Black
Ark of Naggaroth. Beastmen raids grew bolder and deadlier. A veritable army of the Emperor’s look-
alikes roamed the city. And the Daemon he supposedly banished still lived within the body of the
Emperor, held at bay only by magic he did not understand.
The world is coming apart at the seams. All the Empire holds its breath, praying it can be held together
by a band of adventurers.

In 2512, as Emperor Karl Franz lay dying, the Empire became victim to a series of raids from
the lands of the North.

While Grand Prince Hals von Tasseninck led his troops south towards Talabecland, his cousin
Count Valmir von Raukov was left with the task of a mass mobilization for an upcoming
Chaos invasion. In response, Admiral of The Imperial Navy, Haimreik von Siert, sent an
armada of warships to the Sea of Claws, braving the many leviathans and sea monsters that
had begun to appear in greater numbers. Admiral Kronenheim led the fleet, seeking to sink
any marauders long before they could make landfall. Nordland redoubled its coastal patrols,
but Ostland took the most aggressive steps. Led by Count Valmir von Raukov and his eldest
son, Oleg von Raukov, the province of Ostland girded itself for war. Von Raukov was
everywhere, mustering new state troops, bolstering the border forts and rallying his troops
to meet the enemy head on. Then, Valmir von Raukov, a war-like man by nature, had
suggested the unthinkable -- to launch reprisal raids into the unholy lands of Norsca just as
Sigmar himself had done in ages past. With a new, massive army of mustered state-troops,
Valmir led the raids in 2513, putting several coastal towns of Norsca to the torch. Valmir's
raids, for all their bluster, did not manage to penetrate very far inland, and were primarily
contained to the Norscan coastline.
Oleg had perhaps exceeded his father in that regard, having destroyed many settlements
along the Norscan coast as well; among them were the coastal Norse towns of Aarvik and
Ulfennik. Valmir and his heir returned late in the year with the carven prows of longships and
the beams of a greathall to mark the destruction of seven major Norscan villages.
Many hailed von Raukov as a true hero of Ostland and toasted his name. Others protested,
saying such audacity would draw the ire of the barbarians, or even, some dared to whisper,
the attention of their foul gods.
Due to his success and popularity among the people, Grand Prince Hals von Tasseninck
appointed Oleg Grand Marshal of the Ostland Military. Many considered this a slight against
Valmir's eldest son and heir, Vassily von Raukov.
Vassily was the eldest son and the man in line to inherit the Von Raukov estates. If Von
Tasseninck did not produce another heir, Vassily would be second in line to rule Ostland
itself. Widely regarded as frail and sickly and, frankly, an embarrassment to his warlike
father, Vassily was shrewd and behind many unscrupulous dealings. In several cases, such
as the disastrous border agreement with Count Theodric Gausser of Nordland, only military
action by Vassily's younger brother saved the situation.
The younger son was more like his father; a bold leader of men and a warrior born. Since
achieving manhood, Oleg had led countless patrols in the Forest of Shadows, earning well
his promotion to Captain. At the brief but bloody battle of the North March, against the
forces of Nordland, Oleg and the Stalwart Bulls turned defeat into victory by decimating
several units and slaying the enemy commander — Baron Nachtmann. In subsequent
campaigns Oleg tracked down and destroyed predatory herds of Beastmen near Wolfenburg
and cast down their fell monolith. It was he who toppled the Skull Tower of Ravenhill, a
beacon to all evil creatures that was found on the edges of the eastern hills. After such
heroics, Oleg was appointed as Grand Marshal of Ostland, a senior military leader under his
father. It was Oleg who led the retaliatory raids into Norsca, including the ruthless attack of
2513.

The Great Crusade

In 2513 IC, provincial rulers gathered to Altdorf on 25th Vorhexen to ratify the agreement
concluding the Civil War of 2513 and verify that its terms are carried out. It is called the
Volkshalle Edict. The Volkshalle Edict confirms Emperor Karl-Franz II as the true and
unopposed Emperor of Man. However, the new Emperor faced massive opposition to his rule
from both religious, military and noble factions before he ever took the throne. He faced
particular opposition from the more ardent factions of the Cult of Sigmar for his worship of
Ulric. To gather the people to his side, and to confront the gathering horde of Northmen, in
one of his first acts he and Grand Theogonist Aglim III jointly declared a Great Crusade of the
North. Arch Lectors Kaslain and Steiner both raised armies from among the most ardent
followers of Sigmar, including firebrand Lector Kurt Mannfeld and Lector Volkmar von
Hindenstern. Imperial Troops, Reikland and Middenheim forces, as well as troops mustered
by Ostermark, Talabheim and Talabcland, were summoned to march north against the
hordes of Chaos. The armies of Ostland were already on the march to defend their homeland
as the great tide of Chaos came sweeping down upon the Empire.

Chaos' Chosen One

As the Empire was battling the enemy within, their enemies without salivated at the
weakened realms of Men. Near the polar gate the landscape writhed as supernatural beings
strained against the ever-thinning veil between them and reality. So great was the surge of
magical power that pure energy leaked through the barrier, the unending war of the Realm
of Chaos had spilled through into the lands of Men. The slaughter amused the gods, yet no
mortal stepped forward to claim mastery over the gathering hordes.
Until one came forward not for power, but for vengeance; Lord Morkin, the Black-Iron
Reaver, leader of the Fell Legion. He would lead the largest Chaos invasion the Empire had
ever seen.
Many are the rumors of his life, the Sagas sung to his glory by the skald chanters of the
Norse. In some tales, he was the son of a bloodthirsty warrior-king, fathered by the king's
union with a Daemon succubus and born under a blood-red sky. In another he was a mighty
chieftain of the tribes, driven by the lure of power and the whims of the gods. According to
this version of the Saga, the iron-clad barbarian king returned from a mighty sea-raid
covered in glory and the favour of the Chaos Gods, yet still he sought more. Thus, he
traveled to the north, driven by dreams of immortality, in search of ancient power and glory
that would elevate him to pre-eminence in the eyes of the Gods. So it was, that when the
man who would later be known as Lord Mortkin ventured into the madness of the True
North, he gained the power he sought. And was changed beyond all recognition.
Word of the Imperial raids spread quickly enough throughout the Northern Wastes. Some
tribes howled in indignation, while others welcomed the challenge, eager to fight men so
anxious for battle. But Lord Mortkin, Lord of the Fell Legion, champion of the Chaos Gods,
and Jarl of many tribes, had not spoken since hearing of the raids. For by chance, the coastal
town of Ulfennik, the place he had once called his home, had been razed to ground at the
hands of the Ostlanders. By Oleg von Raukov himself no less. Brooding, the mighty
champion locked himself within his fortress of blackest iron in the deepest reaches of
Norsca. In his unholy fury, Mortkin made yet another pact with his gods.
Lord Mortkin, pious in the manner of the Norse, alone venerated the Dark Gods in great and
equal measure. But he was ever his own man, looking after his own interests first. The gods
were wary of electing a man who might fail to do their bidding, but nonetheless were united
in granting Mortkin their ultimate blessings. When Mortkin, alone and raging within his
fortress, swore his oath to the gods that he would carve his wergild from the flesh of the
civilized lands, his oath was heard.
Thus, it was that when Lord Mortkin emerged from his self-imposed exile, it was with single-
minded purpose. Lord Mortkin strode forth, with the full might of his Fell Legion marshalled
behind him, to put an end to the tribal warfare that had riven the Norsemen apart and to
lead them southward to bring ruin to the Empire. To aid in this, Mortkin bound Kargharak the
Bloodthirster and his host of Daemons to his banner. In time, Mortkin's horde arrived upon
the icy plains and laid waste to all those who would not bow before him.
The Chaos Army Gathers
Zakhar the Sorcerer, Master of the Coven of the Eternal Eye, was the first to pledge his
allegiance to Mortkin; having seen the gods promise victory to the Black-Iron Reaver in his
visions. An easy claim to believe, for Mortkin had already crushed all the hosts of rival
champions with ease. Already at his command marched rank upon rank of black-armoured
warriors and hordes of slavering Daemons, and even a great Dragon flew at his command.
Lord Hackbile soon joined Zakhar, pledging his plagued warriors to Mortkin's cause. In
addition, many other barbarian chieftains of Norsca and beyond bent their knee to Mortkin.
The tribes of the Blackaxes, Kin-Slayers, Beast-Flayers, Crow Brethren, Wyrmkin and the
Scourge of the North all pledged their loyalty to the king. After eight days of butchery,
Mortkin led his host southwards.

Kislev in Flames
The horde crossed from its homeland of Norsca into the tainted wastes of the Troll Country,
absorbing the various barbarian tribes raiding from their holdings there as well as newly
materialized daemonic hosts into their already massive number.
As separate armies under Lord Mortkin began their advance they continued to absorb
barbaric tribes and newly materialised Daemons into their number. Those who refused to
join were crushed or driven before the oncoming host.
The Norsemen ravaged their way through the lands of Kislev, still covered by winter and
now beset by reavers. The countryside was aflame as warbands laid waste to all they
encountered. Many nomadic horse-tribes were able to keep on the move, avoiding danger
for a while, but the warbands were so numerous and widespread that many of the horsemen
were trapped. The nomadic Ungol tribes were soon hemmed on all sides by axe-wielding
berserkers, and their blood warmed the icy ground. Through the maelstrom of raiders, the
spearhead of the army marched; a horde of barbarian warriors angled straight at Ostland.
Although much of the horde's momentum had dissipated on the endless steppe, the band
had sacked and occupied the city of Erengrad, Kislev’s largest port and their trade lifeline to
the rest of the world.
The army paused at the scorched ruins of the dead city of Tzeskagrad, where Mortkin
commanded Zakhar and his sorcerers to enact the Ritual of Shrivelled Hands - an unholy
spell to locate the Beastmen tribes and summon them to war.

The Beasts of the Woods

Mortkin's messengers rode the hidden paths of the Forest of Shadows, guided along their
way by the gnarled hand talismans claimed from the bodies of the people of Tzeskagrad.
Their charge was to find the greatest chieftain of the Beastmen, Ul-Ruk the Red, and bring
his warherd under the command of the Norscan Chaos Lord. When they presented the
talismans to Ul-Ruk's Bray-Shamans, they foresaw the darkling dreams of conquest and
glory and nodded ascent to their chieftain. With a thundering roar, Ul-Ruk roused his people
to war. Within weeks, thousands of cloven hooves marched northward to pledge their steel
to the Northmen's cause, and Ul-Ruk the Red took to a knee and offered his fealty to the
Black-Iron Reaver. Thus, the old bonds between the Children of Chaos and the Men of Norsca
were reforged.

The Fall of Erengrad

With a soul-wrenching roar of pure malevolence, the massive daemon-engine unleashed its
anger. Screaming hellfire exploded from the maw of the infernal creature, streaking over the
teeming thousands of besiegers that filled the plains around the doomed city-port of
Erengrad. The inferno slammed into the battlement of the inner walls, and a thirty-foot
section of the wall disappeared under the impact, spraying molten rubble in all directions. A
dozen more Hellcannons launched their salvoes at the walls as the numberless horde of
chaos worshippers screamed praise to their gods, and advanced once more for another
attack on the city's defences.
For seven days and seven nights the city had held against the might of Lord Mortkin, yet its
time to fall had come. The dread Champion of the Dark Gods cared not for this pathetic
northern city - it merely stood in his path, and so would be crushed. The daemon-machines
of the Dawi-Zharr fell suddenly silent as the legions drew near to the doomed city.

Immense siege towers were pushed amidst the advancing legions of tribesmen and dark-
armoured warriors, each bearing a hundred berserk warriors. Cloaked shamans and
sorcerers called down the darkness, and lightning struck from the heavens. Hundreds of
creatures unnamed, their bodies twisted and misshapen by the will of the gods, loped
alongside rank upon rank of warriors marching in perfect order to the beat of the death-
drums. Hundreds of human-figures leapt madly towards the walls, dragging behind them
great lengths of chains fused to their spines. An almighty barrage met them, and hundreds
were cut down, pierced by bolt and shot. Nevertheless, many more reached the walls and
began clambering over the rotting corpses at their base, scattering bloated carrion birds.
Hurling themselves at the walls, these twisted parodies of men began to claw their way up
the sheer stone with the great hooks and claws rowing from or grafted to their limbs.
Countless of their slain brethren still cling to the walls in death, covering the walls in a mass
hanging chain - ready for the legions of Lord Mortkin to clamber up. Cannon balls ploughed
through the ranks of advancing warriors, but always there were more to step into these
gaps.

The heavens roiled above the seething battle as siege towers closed on the walls. Several of
them fell, crushing hundreds beneath their bulk as they slammed into the muddy, corpse-
strewn black earth. The heavy assault doors of countless others smashed down upon the
battlements, sending drug-fuelled berserkers streaming onto the wall. Weary defenders
struggled to hold against the untold hordes, and they were hacked down in huge numbers
as increasing multitudes swarmed over the crenulations.

With a mighty explosion of splintering timbers and buckling metal, the north gates were
smashed asunder. The massive, flaming battering ram, hauled by hulking, shaggy-hided
brutes, was hurled aside as the opening appeared, and these monstrous creatures led the
charge through the gates, smashing them open further, and thousands of streaming horn-
helmeted warriors and massive, snarling hounds followed in their wake.

The Chaos worshippers parted for the dread Lord Mortkin, leaving him a clear path to ride
his towering deamonic towards the gates. Arrows and bolts shattered against his black
armour as he cantered unconcerned up the great causeway, gazing balefully at the enemy
city. He passed through the shattered gates and into the city itself to where a fierce and
bloody battle was being fought, paving stones cracking beneath the steaming hooves of his
infernal steed. The defenders, suddenly outnumbered and weary from the week of almost
constant battle, fell back before the awesome presence of the Champion of the Dark Gods,
and fled through the city streets. In the distance, distinctive war-horns began to howl over
the horrific din of the siege. Batteries boomed as the city-port's seaward facing defences
began to fire, but they soon fell silent as hundreds of Norse longships entered the harbour
and unleashed their lethal cargo of warriors into the heart of the city, the savage Werekin at
their fore.

Lord Mortkin gazed around him. His steed pawed at the ground, anxious to join the
slaughter. The mighty Chaos Lord could feel the pleasure of his gods as they looked down
upon him, could feel their approval filling him with power. His legions streamed over the now
uncontested walls and many more continued to pour through the shattered gates to seek
out the last remnants of defence and slake their blood-lust. The city was ablaze, its intensity
strongest at the docks where the Norse had landed and broken the last vestige of the
defenders' courage. Soon the flames would engulf the entire city.
Erengrad had fallen.

Chaos Raids
The winter attacks of 2514 were unlike anything seen in the Empire's recent memory.
Encouraged by the rampant Winds of Chaos, an army of Norse tribes descended down
across the Sea of Claws to put towns along the Nordland coast ablaze, though it was neither
large nor bold enough to threaten the major cities further inland. Adding to the carnage
were the raids of the enigmatic Orc Warboss Azhag the Slaughterer. While his horde was
routed by General Otto Blucher’s companies in Ostland, they continue to raid and harass the
countryside. Another, even larger host of Norscans then plunged southwards on a broad
front through Kislev, causing a swathe of destruction.
The third, and most devastating of these preliminary attacks was led by the Slaaneshi
Warlord, Prince Sigvald the Magnificent. Sigvald's army of frenzied, debased raiders known
as the Coterie of Perfection blazed through the lands of Kislev and Ostland in a month’s long
rampage. Some bands of Marauders even managed to slip past the defenses of the Ostforts
and wrought great havoc within the northeastern Imperial province of Ostland.
Almost no one in the Empire had any idea what they would be facing. The Empire had not
squared off against a Chaos Army in pitched battle since the Battle of Frote nearly 100 years
earlier. They had not faced a Chaos campaign since The Great War Against Chaos. Before
the Imperial troops of the Emperor arrives, the men of Ostland engaged the enemy much as
they would Norscan Marauders, believing the state troops would hold them in place until the
heavy cavalry rode them down. They were soon dissuaded of this foolish notion. Vast,
merciless and darker than midnight was the army of Chaos. The mere sight of it struck fear
into the hearts of the bravest of men. Above the black-clad regiments whipped the banners
of their blood-god, decorated with twisting runes which seemed to writhe as if alive. Cold
steel glittered amongst their ranks, and they were led by their Champions whose weapons
screamed for blood. They marched towards the Empire lines in full armor without tiring,
without slowing. They beat great drums that made the planet shake as they marched.
A storm of arrows did not deter them. The spearmen of the front ranks prepared a shieldwall
and they smashed it aside as if the soldiers inside it were small children. The cavalry that
charged them was crushed like bugs. It was said no swordmaster could best even one of
them in combat. They shrugged off wounds that would have slain any mortal in an eyeblink.
The skulls of the defeated men, they carried in their belts.
All who faced this army of Chaos remember their warcry. "Blood for the Blood god! Skulls for
the Skull Throne!" Even as they died they still chanted, drowning out the screams of the
dying and the blaring of our horns. “Blood for the Blood God!”
That was merely an army of Chaos Warriors. The first imperials to engage troops of
Daemons, turned tail and ran as one the moment they laid eyes on the creatures.
The incursion was finally blunted at the Temple of Skulls by a coalition of Imperial state
troops commanded by the Emperor himself and Dwarf warriors of Karak Drin and Karak
Ungor who had marched north on their Great Crusade. Regardless, these attacks were
nothing more than a mere foreshadowing of the terror to come. Once spring melted the
snows blocking the passageways into Ostland had cleared, the true terror of the gaping maw
of Chaos would feast upon the ripe flesh of the Empire.

The Empire Falters

For the Empire, the first months of this campaign was marked by inactivity and battlefield
frustration. Emperor Karl-Franz II discovered that leadership of the Imperial Army he
inherited was in a dreadful state. He had to contend with poor supply lines, nearly non-
existent communication lines and incompetent leadership at nearly all levels of command.
The initial Chaos incursions of Sigvald the Magnificent and his Coterie of Perfection ran
roughshod over detachments that outnumbered them 2 to 1. The Empire would show up to
intercept a band of Chaos marauders, only to find they had left days ago. Generals, unable
to read the battlefield, would order a retreat from forces they vastly outnumbered.
Even when everything went according to plan, the Warriors of Chaos proved to be skilled
and ferocious combatants. Fortunately, the Emperor had insisted that his men drill day and
night in the new ways of combat based on those who had experiencing fighting Chaos
Warriors. They became trained in how to battle a numerically greater enemy of superior
combatants in heavier armour, some of whom were 20 feet tall, all while their logistics were
failing them. For these were the enemies the Empire must defeat if their world is to be
saved.
Meanwhile, the disaster continued. Orders given by the Emperor were ignored because the
courier was of lower rank than the recipient. Cavalry routinely left artillery trains behind out
of frustration. Soldiers deserted over lack of pay and Imperial leaders experienced a failure
of strategic and tactical imagination and aggression. But, worst of all, absolutely
incompetent Lords were placed in charge of tens of thousands of men due to nothing but
their birthright. Many of these were the Elector Counts themselves.
"The only success we've experienced this spring" the Emperor wrote his wife "is in learning
that one swordsman is of more use than a thousand generals."

It did not take long for Karl-Franz II to understand the flaw in his army. It was not in the men.
They had been drilled and drilled and drilled again in this new form of combat to stand
against the foe. It was not in their officers, who had been selected from among the most
talented young men by the Emperor and Arch Lectors themselves. Hand it not been for the
discipline of the men and the courage of the junior officers, the forces of Sigvald would have
poured through Ostland and raided unabated. These strengths, combined with the sheer
numbers of the Sigmarite troops and the unbreakable dwarves of Karak Drin and Karak
Ungor, meant that the raids were kept, primarily, around the area of the Ostforts. But this
would not save them when Lord Mortkin began his march.
The weakness in the Imperial forces came from the high command. The Emperor was faced
with the decision as to whether to uproot the entrenched nobility from his state troops,
which would create no end to his political disastrous headaches, or risk losing the war.

If They Dare…
After months of frustration, Karl-Franz II decided bold action needed to be taken. He
compiled a list of every general, every noble and every Elector Count in command who had
failed to achieve their objective on the battlefield. He then dismissed them all.
This was an unprecedented move. A peer given a high command within the Empire’s state
troops is almost never removed form command. When they are, they are generally
promoted to a much higher office with a higher stipend or are given a ceremonial position
within the army with a greater title, but fewer responsibilities. This did not happen. The
generals whose failure to grasp the importance of the task at hand, who had let their pride
and ignorance guide their every move, were dismissed like a scullery maid who was caught
nicking the silver. These included Grafs, Dukes, Grand Marshalls of Knightly Orders, high
ranking members of the Emperor’s own Diet and Elector Counts Baron Werner Nikse of
Nordland and Count Bruno Pfeifraucher of Wissenland. Each was told their services would no
longer be required and ordered to return to their province at their own expense. To add
injury to insult, a large portion of their personal and household guard was conscripted into
the Emperor’s service. The Emperor called forth his remaining lords and made this
announcement:

“I must make it clear that nepotism is unacceptable and does not merit promotions or
keeping one’s position. This is the stance I must embrace to win this war.
Today, I will dismiss the lords from their positions and replace them with capable leaders. I
invoke my right as Emperor and descendent of Sigmar and Ulric in this regard and invite any
who disagree to take their complaints up with the forces of Chaos who seek to destroy and
corrupt everything they know and love.
Let my reign be judged by my deeds, successes and failures, and if the Empire survives let
them try to take what is rightfully mine if they dare.”

This move made him many powerful enemies. There was hushed whispers in the salons of
the Empire that this new Karl-Franz was nothing but a despot who had crowned himself in
Absolutism. This talk of insurrection was unlikely to go away and would, one day, require a
reckoning.
From all this, one thing was made clear: The fun-loving adventurer Ottokar Sternberger was
no more. He was Emperor Karl-Franz II and he would brook no argument and suffer no fool.
He came here for war. He intended to win it.

He asked every officer, from aides to mere captains, to write a missive on what strategy for
total war they would use to win the war.
Some were bold. Some were insane. Some were brilliant. But all were useful, for they let him
know how his officer’s minds. He used these missives to create what would come to be
known as the " The General's Catechism". It set out new strategies and tactics to re-learn
how to fight the armies of Chaos. To combat desertion, the standard daily pay was set at 8
pence for infantry and 2 shillings for cavalry. If a Lord could not pay this, he could either
take a loan from the Emperor or his division were field commissioned as Imperial troops. The
administration of the Army was centralized, with improved provision of adequate food,
clothing and other supplies. More Wizards from the College of Magic were requested, not
necessarily as Battle Mages, but to use their skills for communications and logistics. Amber
and Celestial wizards used birds for communication and scouting.
Karl-Franz II intended that proficiency and competence, rather than nobility, should
determine the Army's leadership and promotions. Many officers (often the gentlemen
amateurs) of existing units, merged into regiments of the new Reiklandes Heer, became
surplus to the organization and were discharged or recommissioned as aides. Each General
was sent clerks and junior officers to act as aides de camp. At first, the commanders
resented the implication that they needed assistance and junior officers resented that they
would not be at the forefront of battle. But soon, the Generals began to appreciate not
having to bother with the minutia of logistics and the younger gentlemen reveled in the
power not normally afforded to the average soldier. The Emperor began to trust and rely on
men who had proved themselves in battle, such as Lord Marius Leitdorf of Averland, a
military tactician who led his armies at the front with considerable flair and skill. This drastic
change in military structure would ultimately prove effective, but it created massive
resentment back home. For all the goodwill the war had won him with the Cult of Sigmar, it
had cost him much more with his nobility.

A Church Marches on Its Stomach

For two months during the preliminary Chaos raids of spring, as the state troops faltered
under poor commanders, the Holy Army was under the command of the militant and
experienced Arch Lector Kaslain. In that time, they suffered defeat, not at the hands of the
enemy, but at hunger. The army was enormous. Outcasts and fanatics from all over the
Empire flocked to the Grand Theogonist's banner. These were augmented by conscripted
priests from near every parish. Even those able-bodied men who worked on church lands
were conscripted into the army. Arch Lector Steiner had wisely made many officer
exchanges with state troops eager to augment their forces with Warrior Priests. In exchange,
well-seasoned Sergeants and Captains whipped the fanatics and conscripts into proper
soldiers after only a few months. Steiner formed his infantry into new units of halberdiers,
spearmen or swordsmen with divisions of crossbowmen or handgunners on either side. Each
unit would be supported by one of the many Warrior Priests attending the army and
enhanced by the spells of newly appointed Light Mages requisitioned by Steiner. Witch
Hunter were scattered throughout the ranks to bring down enemy leaders. It was not the
ideal army, but it was certainly becoming close. Now was the time to see if this massive
army of amateurs, united only by their faith, could withstand an onslaught of the very
embodiment of their Hate.
But their courage had yet to be tested. The supply lines never seemed enough to feed an
army of this size on the move. The Emperor became frustrated at what one general called,
“the gaping maw of Sigmar”, diverting badly need resources from his state troops. He
ordered the Holy Army to encamp at a central location and stay put. Arch Lector Steiner
sought high and low for a man, any man, who could understand and administer logistics on
this scale. What they found was no man at all.

In the annals of Imperial military history, there might be no woman outside of the College of
Magic more impactful than Elsebeth of Obelstein. Elsebeth had been born a camp follower
and knew no life outside the army. She knew the ways of war and became an unofficial
matron to the baggage train. During Azhag’s siege of Wolfenburg, she had become friendly
with Sir Maximilian von Raukov, the 5th eldest von Raukov son. In the wee hours of the
morning, he would tell her of many of his organizational woes and she would tell him how to
fix them. These ideas, and the truth of who had them, soon reached the Arch Lector. He
allowed her to make her case that a commoner woman of ill-repute knew how supply the
Holy Army of Sigmar better than any of the most educated minds of the known world. He
granted Elsebeth five minutes. They talked for three days. In the end, Arch Lector Steiner
created the Imperial Tross Regiment, with Elsebeth as its head. Not officially, of course.
Officially, the first Captain of the Tross was Lector Hans-Michael von Möller. Möller was a
well-connected man of great influence and a powerful family. Naming him as Captain of the
Tross earned Arch Lector Steiner many friends among the Church. What none of them knew
was that an axe to the skull rendered von Möller a simpleton who slept 20 hours a day and
was unable to say any words other than “cuttlefish” and “underpants.” Elsebeth was made
his “advisor.”
Within days she devised formulas to calculate the exact amount of supplies necessary for
any given campaign. She split the army into smaller divisions to remain mobile, but close
enough to each other to create a greater force if needs be. She created standardized
contracts for dealing with commercial suppliers and appointed a permanent army specialist
whose job was to carry a few days' worth of supplies while accompanying the army during
campaigns. She granted unlimited access and broad authority to the Witch Hunter assigned
to root out the corruption and inefficiencies of private contractors. When the army
eventually marched out, she issued the use of semi-permeant magazines, yurts with a small
guard, which could provide a more regular flow of supply via convoys. She ordered the
creation the first military train regiments — units entirely dedicated to the supply and the
transport of equipment. These were made up almost entirely of women from the Tross. The
women and children who followed the Crusade were no longer hangers on. They were made
into cogs of the great war machine marching North.

Heading Straight for Ostland

Once the winter snows began to melt and the passage to the Empire was clear, the armies
of Chaos began to march. Keeping his army unified through iron-will, allowing none to stray
and aided by the whispered counsel of daemons, Mortkin pushed ever onwards to Ostland,
decimating everything in his path. The Daemon-counsel of this many advisors told him how
best to cripple the weakened Empire, but Lord Mortkin had other ideas and heeded naught
but his own plan.

The Emperor had sent Elector Count Hals von Tasseninck to the Grey Mountains to settle a
border dispute with Bretonnia. In his stead, his heir and cousin Valmir von Raukov lead
Ostland to intercept Lord Morkin. Kriegmarshal Baron von Blutten and his famed Black Guard
marched with von Raukov's infantry along with his advisor Magister Lord Klaus Solmann of
the Celestial Order and 2 Journeymen under his tutelage.
At the time of the battle, the Imperial, Dwarven and Sigmarite troops were spread all over
Ostland. With no idea where Lord Mortkin might strike first, the strategy was to spread the
troops out over the province in the hopes that one faction might be able to slow down the
Chaos forces in enough time for the rest of the army to arrive. The warriors of Karak Drin
and Karak Ungor were commanded to march to Castle von Rauken. The Imperial forces were
camped miles West of the castle, regrouping from the many skirmishes that had spread
them all over Ostland and drilling their new tactics. The Holy Army of Sigmar commanded by
the Arch Lector did much the same in the Northwest of Ostland while the Middenheim Army,
who had been delayed in the Forest of Shadows, marched with all haste from Bechafen.
Though he thought it to be the wisest move he could make, the Emperor knew the flaw in
his strategy. No one had no idea the size of the force which would soon descend on Ostland.
He feared, and rightly so, that no amount of men might be large enough to stop the
ravening hordes of Chaos marching south.

Valmir von Raukov gathered his levies and the garrisons of the Osforts and joined up with
his long-time ally Piotr Sergayev, a kovnik (captain) of Kislev. His company was intent upon
meeting the Norscan armies on the northern side of the River Lynsk and defeating them
before they could penetrate into the Empire itself.
At first the old alliance stood firm against the threat from the north. Individually powerful,
the Chaos warbands that despoiled the lands lacked leadership, allowing quick-moving
Kislevite cavalry and the tactically minded Von Raukov to destroy the marauders piecemeal.
But the skies darkened, heralding the arrival of a new force. The far-riding Kislevite scouts
made sighting of Lord Mortkin's spearhead. Against the obvious might of such a foe Pitr
Sergeyev suggested falling back behind a screen of mounted archers; a classic Kislevite
manoeuvre. Oleg von Raukov suggested making a stand on the hills before the River Lynsk.
But age had wizened Count Valmir, who devised a more cunning tactic.

Battle on the Lynsk

The Ostland troops retreated south across the river, dismantling the crossings and leaving
only a small bridge broad enough to let only two horsemen cross abreast.
The Empire cavalry rode west while the infantry stayed behind to protect their retreat.
The Brass Riders offered to outflank the enemy by leading a cavalry force over a ford two
miles upstream, where sixty horsemen could cross at the same time. But the presence of
Valmir von Raukov mocked the Chaos Lord and he demanded his troops cross and kill the
enemy immediately.
The Ostlanders waited as the Chaos knights and infantry made their slow progress across
the bridge in the morning. It would have taken several hours for the entire Norscan army to
cross.
Von Raukov waited until as many of the enemy had come over as they believed they could
overcome. When a substantial number of the troops had crossed, the attack was ordered.
The Ostlander spearmen came down from the high ground in rapid advance, fended off a
charge by the Marauder Horsemen and then counterattacked the Chaos infantry. They
gained control of the west side of the bridge and cut off the chance of Norscan
reinforcements to cross. Caught on the low ground in the loop of the river with no chance of
relief or of retreat, the outnumbered Northmen on the west side were killed to a man. A few
tried to escape by swimming across the river, only to drown in their lumbrous Chaos armour.
Lord Mortkin, furious at his commander's failure, ordered the bridge destroyed and marched
his army east towards the ford upstream. As he did, his supply train was attacked by
Kislevite cavalry, who used pontoon bridges downstream to cross the river and attack from
the rear. Many of the fleeing soldiers were killed and one of Hothgar's Doom Engines was
tipped into the river, where it sank, impossible to recover.
The tribesman of the Scourge of the North attempted to ride down the fleeing light cavalry
of Kislev, assisted by the swiftest of the Daemon Host; hooded devil-hounds the colour of
blood and ghastly she-Daemons atop snake-tongued lizards. The Chaos fiends attempted to
envelop the retreating Kislevites at a wooded, marshy area known as The Derevo. There,
they were ambushed by heavy cavalry; Ostland Knights commanded by Oleg von Raukov
using the wood for cover. The lightly armoured Marauders, hounds and daemonettes were
quickly routed by the heavy shock cavalry of the Empire.
While the Ostland and Kislivitte cavalry retreated west, the Chaos Horde continued to march
east and crossed into Ostland. Though the invading Chaos army was still the largest ever to
cross into Imperial lands, the Battle on the Lynsk had weakened their infantry and, more
importantly, slowed down the invasion for enough time for the Empire to take their positions
for the invasion.

Battle of the Ostforts [Total Conquest Deployment]

The timber palisades of the Ostforts proved little defence against the fury of Lord Mortkin's
unnatural foes. With the vast majority of the Ostland troops following von Raukov, the
garrison of the Ostforts were given over to the Elector Count of Ostermark, Chancellor
Maximillian Dachs. Reinforcing the line with his own Ostermark state troops, he was tasked
with delaying an opponent which vastly outnumbered him.
Believing such a strategy to be too cautious and eager to impress the Emperor with his
tactile prowess, Dachs decided on a bold strategy to drive Chaos back behind the Ostforts.
His plan called for the Ostland troops to begin the attack on the north flank early in the
morning. The pistoliers were to advance across the creek when he heard Ostland's guns,
clear the Marauder pickets and then move to Ostfort #1. The divisions of Ostermark regulars
to support Ostland while the cavalry of Wolfram Hertwig to support the pistoliers. Dachs
expected Ostland's flanking movement to force the Northmen to abandon the line behind
the Lynsk tributary.
Dachs' plan went awry immediately. The Ostland men, fatigued from their recent campaigns
and lengthy march, ran at least four hours behind schedule. By 3 p.m., the pistoliers grew
impatient and began his attack without orders. They began to skirmish with the Marauders,
who fell back to an easily defensible spot on the opposite side of the creek.
The Ostland troops arrived late in the afternoon. However, unable to find the cavalry
regiments, their commanders did nothing. Although a major battle was raging within
earshot, orders were given to make camp for the evening. The pistoliers, most of them
green regiments who had never seen battle full of the younger sons of petty nobles,
launched a series of futile attacks over the next few hours. The remaining forces were to
push back the enemy across the creek to support their comrades but had no idea where the
battle was now to take place or to where they should support. Trapped across the water and
surrounded on three sides, Chancellor Maximillian Dachs was killed in a terrible slaughter
along with some 4,000 of the men he was leading. The three Empire brigades were driven
back with substantial casualties. Arriving on the field and realizing what was happening,
Lord Wolfram Hertwig hastily summoned the remaining divisions to launch and all-out
assault along the line and ordered what remained of Drachs' men to retreat across the creek
and back to Ostfort #2.
Due to his heroism and quick action, Wolfram Hertwig was made commander of the Ostfort
defense. With Maximilian dead and with no surviving heirs, Wolfram Hertwig assumed
control of Ostermark and consequently gained electoral powers. Nonetheless, his staff
recalled that he was "deeply, bitterly disappointed" by the battle. Communication
breakdowns, poorly written orders from Drachs and bad judgment by most of the other
subordinates were also to blame.
But even if everything had gone according to plan, the tactic was still unlikely to succeed.
Drachs drastically underestimated the ferocity and power of the Chaos forces. No clever
tactic or cunning flanking maneuver could overcome their sheer number of lightening quick
troops in impossibly heavy armour. Every common Warrior of Chaos was stronger and more
skilled than all but the best trained Empire swordmen. It did not matter how sound or well
executed the tactics of the Empire were. If the strategy was to engage them on their terms,
then the realm of Men was lost.

Finding that his advanced line required more force than was at his command, Hertwig
abandoned the first of the Ostforts and fell back behind the Lynsk tributary to his secondary
position, the Lynsk Line. He described his position:
"Ostfort and redoubts Nos. 4 and 5, united by long curtains and flanked by pits, form the left
of the line, until at the commencement of the military road it reaches the Lynsk tributary,
here a sluggish and boggy stream, twenty or thirty yards wide, and running a dense wood
fringes by swamps. Along this river are five dams–one at Wynne's Mill, one at Heintzelman's
Mill and three constructed by myself. The effect of these dams is to back up the water along
the course of the river, so that for nearly three fourths of its distance its passage is
impractical."
Ostfort No. 1 was burned with prejudice as the Chaos Vanguard, commanded by Wulric the
Black, marched forward. Downpours bogged down the march. As Chaos forces emerged
from patches of woods on Hertwig's right flank and towards Heintzelman's Mill, artillery and
handgun fire erupted to repel Wulric the Black's advance. The Chaos cavalry was brought to
a halt by the Ostfort's newly built defensive works. Hertwig's tactics—the constant marching
of his forces and sporadic artillery barrages—created the illusion of a much larger military
presence and persuaded Mortkin to call for a siege of the Ostforts, rather than an all-out
assault. The only attempt to break Hertwig's line, at Ostfort No. 4, was repelled after the 3rd
Ostfort Garrison briefly held trenches on the West side of the tributary.

Hertwig prepared a well-defended advanced outpost at Ostfort No. 4 just 8 miles from Wulric
the Black's camp to goad him into a premature attack. Wulric complied and suffered a
humiliating defeat. While it caused few casualties, it forced Black to siege the last of the
Ostforts and cost the Chaos Army more precious time. Without Lord Mortkin to personally
oversee his troops, Norscan infighting during the night exposed the position of Wulric's men
whose initial advance and subsequent thrusts were thwarted despite an Imperial
disadvantage of manpower.
But behind all this was the most serious mistake of all – a mistake in Wulric's plan. The
Imperials had no outpost of strength at the Ostforts, and the scheme to surround and
capture it was an attack on a man of straw.
Even with the successful delaying tactics of the Ostfort garrisons, they were eventually
defeated, and the majority of their defenders forced to retreat. Infuriated by their
deceptions and at the slow advance of the invasion, the Host ensured the remaining
garrison's defenders suffered the most horrific of tortures and mutilations. Their screams
rang into the night as flames marked the site of each border fort.
Despite delays, the Chaos Warriors had not yet known the taste of true defeat. Nearly half of
all the forces sent by Ostermark were killed during Drachs failed assault. This, effectively,
nullified any contribution they could make to the defense of the Ostland. Chaos had proven
unstoppable and the largest invasion of the Empire continued to march forward, bringing
suffering and death in their wake with no end in sight.

The Hunt for Von Raukov

Amidst the ruin came a rumour - the fell handed lord that led the northern host was seeking
Oleg von Raukov. Everywhere the invaders sought word of any of the von Raukov family.
Rumours began to surge throughout the remnants of the province that the Black Iron Reaver
was searching specifically for the Ostland high lord, putting blood-chilling fear into Oleg von
Raukov's heart. But the Emperor saw this unbridled rage of the enemy as an opportunity.
Just as they had no idea of the size of the Chaos Army until they saw it, Mortkin had no idea
the size of the army ready for him.
Lord Mortkin ordered his army to spread out to search and destroy. This gave the Empire,
whose forces were already divided across Ostland, a chance to break apart the forces of
Chaos piecemeal. If the Lords of Chaos wished to divide their armies, Karl-Franz II would
most certainly let them. At every settlement the Norscans set out to destroy, they would be
met not by a motley garrison of frightened militiamen, but by an entire army of battle
hardened, Imperial troops.

Siege of Erengrad
In the early winter of 1513, Norscan troops under Lord Mortkin sacked and occupied the
Kislev city of Erengrad. They were joined by a large fleet of raiding ships both to take the
plunder of Erengrad back to Norsca and to raid merchant vessels in the Gulf of Kislev. They
had been given special instruction from their allies within the Empire to target ships of the
Three Hand Trading Company, of which the Emperor was a founder.
Encouraged by the rampant Winds of Chaos, an army of Norse tribes descended down
across the Sea of Claws to put towns along the Nordland coast ablaze, though it was neither
large nor bold enough to threaten the major cities further inland.
Both the Reikland Fleet and the Nordland Fleet were in no position to lend assistance to the
beleaguered towns of the Nordland coast. They had joined in an alliance of naval power with
Bretonnia and The Wasteland to combine their fleets to stop pirate raids in the northern
seas. This alliance was commanded not by Kings or Emperors sworn to protect their people,
but by the greed of merchants sworn to protect their pocketbooks. Not one, but two Empire
fleets could not be bothered to protect their own people from the death and slavery the
Northmen brought. They were too busy protecting a trade rout so that some fat, rich
merchant prince might become fatter and richer.
The people of the Empire were not without protection on the sea. While the law had failed
them, the outlaws had not. The longships of the Norscan raiders soon found themselves
victims of raids by the only seaman who dared defy Chaos: The Dread Pirate Brunhilde
Wilke.
Technically, she was The Dread Pirate Captain Witch-Hunter Sir Brinhilde Wilke. But we
haven’t enough ink to list all her titles. Wilke used her considerable fortune and close,
personal friendship with the Emperor to secure a fast, sea worthy frigate, loaded her up with
as many cannons as she could carry, found a crew with just enough scruples and not enough
teeth and became a pirate on the H.M.S. ???
As piracy in the Sea of Claws was a deadly business thanks to the Great Northern Fleet,
Wilke choose to prey on those who preyed on others. As soon the Norscan raiders began to
hit the Empire, Wilke’s ship the Defier began to hit them back. The more raiders she struck,
the more prizes she claimed. The more prizes she claimed, the more pirate ships joined her.
Some ships were bought. Some were captured. Some pirate ships & crews asked to join her.
Some even followed her because they were in love. Before the winter was over, she had a
small fleet of her own.
Wilke had saved countless villages and prevented the destruction of countless more by
destroying the Norse tribes before they could set Nordland ablaze. She’d made a small
fortune in doing so. But the emphasis was on ‘small’. Wilke had bigger ambitions. She now
felt she had enough men to take the fight to one of the coastal towns controlled by Chaos.
And she would start with the biggest one of all.
During the spring of 2514, as Lord Mortkin marched south, Ser Brunhilde sailed towards
Kislev to capture the port of Erengrad and cripple the Norscan fleet at anchor there.
Well informed about the Norscan manoeuvres, Wilke surprised them at anchor. Unprepared
and confronted by a superior fleet, all the Chaos ships cut their anchor cables and spread
their sails.
The two main ships (Black Death and Widow’s Lament) faced the enemy to cover the retreat
of the rest of the fleet to the port of Maja Uvemny. Under Imperial fire, Black Death — with
1,000 Tons, one of the largest ships in the Old World—sailed towards the Defier who, at 600
Tons, was the largest and most powerful ship in the Empire navy. The Protector and the
Kunigunde rushed to rescue the Defier and surrounded the Festering Boil, while the superior
fire of the Kunigunde badly damaged the Widow’s Lament which was forced to retreat. The
Festering Boil remained alone among the Empire fleet, with the exception of the small
Pestilence which harassed the Empire ships. The Festering Boil's cannons dismasted both
The Protector and the Kunigunde which became ungovernable and drifted in the sea.
Geirlaug of Birka, also known as "The Storm", the Norscan captain of the Festering Boil
ordered the assault of the Defier. Grappling hooks were thrown and the two ships were tied
together. The Chaos Warriors of the Festering Boil, regaled in their Chaos Armour and
unafraid of drowning, rushed on the Defier’s deck which was constantly being reinforced by
Empire ships transferring their crews on the Defier. The little Pestilence manoeuvered
skillfully to bombard these new assailants with catapults and ballista launching jars of foul,
magical disease. The deck of the Defier was covered by blood when Wilke realized she was
about to lose the battle. With her magical sword Barrakul in one hand and a barrel of
gunpowder in the other, she bordered the Festering Boil and fought her way below decks.
She dropped the barrel near their stores of foul, magical cargo, lit a match and swung back
to her ship. suddenly, the Festering Boil exploded. The flames spread to the Pestilence and
both ships sank. The crews of the Plague Fleet were almost entirely annihilated. Only 20
wounded Norscan sailors out of 1,250 were saved from the Festering Boil and 60 out of 460
from the Pestilence.
As the people of Erengrad saw the destruction of their occupier’s vessels, they rose up and
began a counter-offensive to the few remaining troops in the city. The Marauders left behind
were already some of the least capable of the Northmen tribes and quickly retreated out of
the city and back towards Troll Country. The city of Erengrad was free.
Over the next two days, with the Norscan fleet in tatters, the pirate fleet of Captain Wilke
captured or destroyed thirty-two Chaos vessels and recovered the valuable Norscan anchors
before returning to sailing north to raid the Gulf of the Maelstrom.

The Battle of Zundap

Reports came that The Daemons of Kargharak were moving on the town of Zundap. The
body of men known as The Holy Army of Sigmar under the command of Arch Lectors Steiner
and Kaslain had been camped near Zundap for nearly a month. Their intransigence would
soon become an asset. The time to test their mettle had arrived.
After the Battle of the Osforts, it was reported that the Daemon Host would be heading
straight towards them. The Sigmar troops occupied the heights of Zundap and
Steiner entrenched his soldiers with walls and stakes. In front of the hillside, a trench was
dug in which the handgunners took their positions. Handgunners were entrenched as far as
their range would allow. Behind them, crossbowmen filled in the remaining trenches, which
continued to the edge of their range. Outriders were placed in front of the rest of the army,
while the Knights Griffon were kept in reserve. The Imperial artillery was placed on top of the
hill among the orchards, having a good view of the entire battlefield. In addition to regular
artillery, the Arch Lector had insisted on bringing a new device to the battlefield which
looked like a series of large telescopes manned, not by an artillery crew, but by a Light
Wizard. The device was difficult to transport, long in assembling and impossible for any
other man to use. But, by the end of the battle, the utility of the Luminark of Hysh would be
known to all.
The Arch Lector's troops faced a Daemonhost of unheard-of terrors. There were Greater
Deamons, Heralds of Nurgle, Tzeentch and Khorne, a Skull Cannon of Khorne, an Exalted
Flamer, the legion Bloodletters known as The Flesh Takers, countless Plaugebearers, Pink
Horrors, Screamers and Flamers of Tzeentch, Bloodcrushers, Burning Chariots, all led by
Bloodthirster Kargharak. Any other army would have fled in terror at the sight of them. But
the flagellants stared down their death with joyful abandon while the rest of the army was
inspired by their faith. Or their madness.
The battle began with two charges by the Bloodcrushers of Khorne against the centre of the
Holy Army, but these were both dispersed by Imperial artillery and handgunfire. The next
assault tried to force the right flank, but many of the Daemon Host fell into the Imperial
trench and the attack was then broken by a storm of fire from the Sigmarite handgunners
and a hail of crossbow bolts against the unarmoured daemons.
While the Great Cannons and Witch Hunters slew many a Daemon and the handgun fire
demolished entire swathes of the daemonette army, the volleys failed to blunt the thrust of
the onrushing Host. Kragharak, enraged beyond measure, carved a swathe through the
daemonettes on his own side in his haste to get to grips with the foe. While even hardened
veterans might flee at the sight of such monstrous rage, the stalwart flagellants charged
headfirst to their deaths. There stalked bright red Bloodletters, pale prancing Daemonettes
and many more nightmarish creatures hungry for the destruction of all that men hold dear.
The rush of these monsters was blunted by the tide of flagellants and enveloped by the
flanks of Free Company militia as hatred for the foul horrors fueled their blades.
The men of the Empire, emboldened by the madness of the flagellants, would not be driven
back. Brave Warrior Priests turned captains held the line as soldier after soldier stepped up
to replace the slain. Against Kargharak himself, no strike had yet proved telling. Spears
snapped against his impenetrable hide and his axe swept away ranks at a time. The rapid
push back threatened to become a rout at any time.

At that moment, the Weissbruck Halberdiers stepped forwards into legend. Having
marshaled a force out of unemployed miners, the tattered and burlap-clad soldiers entered
the battle-line in time to repel a Bloodletter charge. Seeing his minions dispatched,
Kargharak turned his attentions to the men of Weissbruck. Undaunted, the unit raised their
halberds as one, presenting a forest of blades. The enraged Bloodthirster struck like a
thunderbolt, his impact sending bodies high into the air and slaying the unit's Captain. Yet
the proud sons of Reikland stood firm, striking the unholy beast again and again. Rushing to
the front to take command of the unit was Lector Kurt Mannfeld. Soon the Greater Daemon's
hide was oozing ichor from dozens of rents. With all the strength he could muster, Mannfeld
drove his hammer hilt-deep into the hell-spawn's chest. Incandescent with rage, Kargharak
picked up the Lector and squeezed. Beneath such incomparable strength and limitless fury,
Mannfeld was pulped, unrecognisable in death as ever having been a man. Yet this atrocious
deed only inspired the remaining Weissbruck Halberdiers. They hacked the Greater Daemon
down. He slew many more of Sigmar’s soldiers in his writhing death throes, but Kargharak
did not rise again.
Attempting to rally his troops forward, The Great Unclean One, charged into the Imperial
line, only to be struck by the light of the Luminark of Hysh. Already devastated by
hangunner and cannon fire, the attack boiled away the daemon's flesh as he sizzled into
nothingness on the battlefield. With a Keeper of Secrets taking charge, the Daemon infantry
attacked with the cavalry instead of waiting for the arrival of the rear guard. At the imminent
assault upon the Imperial center the Sigmarite handgunners were withdrawn and the
reserve state troops sent forward. The Daemonic formations, soon joined by the
Bloodletters, were unable to break into the defensive positions. Shot into the flank by the
handgunners and crossbowmen and harassed by the Sigmarite cavalry, the Daemonic Host
was driven back, taking heavy casualties. The Keeper of Secrets then fell to the Luminark as
well. The Daemon forces appeared leaderless.
Arch Lector Steiner then called for a counterattack against the now disorganized enemy by
both the infantry and the Knights Griffon waiting in reserve. Outriders surrounded and
routed the remaining Daemons. The Bloodletters managed to retreat in a relatively
organized fashion, but their center regiment was hit by a banishment spell from the Light
Wizard rending them from this plain of existence in excruciating agony.
Upon witnessing the defeat of the Host, the remaining Daemons called for retreat, pursued
by the victorious Sigmarites. Those who were not killed or banished, called forth what dark
magics they could to return to the Chaos Realm.
The army had taken staggering losses, but they stood victorious over the blighted field.

Siege of Bohsenfels
Bohsenfels came under siege by the slime-encrusted warriors of Lord Hackbile's Plague
Army. The city's defenses were not ideal, and the garrison did not expect to last long.
Almost immediately after the siege began, the citizenry of the city began to fall ill. The
Buergermeister considered surrendering in hopes of sparing at least some of his people.
The next day, the Army of Middenheim appeared out of nowhere, as if by magic. This might
be expected as they were led by Emperor Karl-Franz II himself.
Karl-Franz II approached the village and made a final inspection of his army. He was not sure
if Bohsenfels was still holding, so he ordered to give a prearranged signal by cannon shots
and then got a response from a fortress. Thus, the Nurgle siege camp was warned about the
approach of the enemy. Lord Hackbile carried out an inspection of the army and ordered to
increase vigilance and prepare arms, and to keep half of the army on alert throughout the
night.
Karl-Franz II positioned his men opposite the besieging army and found he was greatly
outnumbered. Hackbile was concerned about the small size of the Imperial army and
suspected a ruse by the Grey Wizard; possibly that this was only the vanguard of the main
forces. The Middenheim artillery, located on a small rise, bombarded the places planned for
the attack.
By afternoon the Empire had finished their preparations and moved forward. At that moment
Karl-Franz II pulled out a scroll he had written himself and drew forth an enormous amount
of power from the Wind of Ulgu. The sky darkened, the wind changed and a storm of shadow
blew directly into the eyes of the Plague Army. The Empire attacked with two highly dense
shock groups of Teutogen Knights, quickly approached the Plague Army positions and gave
battle, after which the Norscans "fell like grass". At first, the Chaos Warriors vigorously
resisted. They fought with fury and killed many fine fellows, but within 15 minutes the
Middenlanders filled the ditches with fascines, broke into the fortifications with cold steel
arms and a terrible massacre began.
Acting according to the plan, the Ulricans moved to the south and north along the
fortification line, rolling up the Chaos defense. They attacked plague regiments
inexperienced in modern warfare and crumbled them one by one. There was panic and
disorder. Chaos soldiers began killing anyone they did not recognize. The Norscans needed
few excuses to begin fighting among themselves and began to settle old blood debts among
each other in the midst of battle. One-Eyed Glugmir the Beslimed hurried to surrender
before being cut down by a regiment of Marauders who either mistook him for the enemy or
wished to punish him for his cowardice. Masses of panicking Norscan troops rushed to the
only bridge over the Bohsenfels River, located at the northern edge of the defensive line. At
one crucial point, the bridge collapsed under retreating Chaos troops.
On the right (northern) flank of the Plague Army, only a regiment of Chaos Ogres retained
the battle order. They rebuilt in a square, arranged improvised barricades of wagons and
stubbornly held on; part of the fleeing soldiers joined them. The rest of the Plague Army
commanders managed to join this group. Encouraging his troops, Lord Hackbile personally
led the attacks from this center of resistance, but they were repulsed. Hackbile, already
injured by missile fire, was finally brought down and killed by the great wolf Frostfang.
As the square was surrounded, Karl-Franz II opened a vortex to the infamous Pit of Shades.
Terrified warriors fell screaming through the portal, plummeting to a dimension filled with
shadow and the incessant wailing of 'those who dwell beyond.' Those who remained had
their square broken by the Middenland heavy cavalry.
The remnants of the Plague Army retreated south, only to be ambushed by the timely arrival
of Baron Beckburg's Sable Guard out of Ferlangen. The survivors of the Plague Army, did
they still exist, were nowhere to be found.

Battle of Kludburgh Park

Black Reaver Chosen and Chaos Warriors of Tzeetch, led by Exalted Hero of Tzeetch, Turgen
the Unwanted led a legion of Forsaken towards the city of Kludburgh. Due to the actions at
the Ostforts and at the Lynsk river, The Empire had time to prepare the ground for the
oncoming assault. There the Dwarves of Karak Drin supported by portions of the Reikland
Army, and commanded by Champion Zaka Drin, relocated to a manor park about four miles
north of Kludburgh. The Reikland cavalry was sent East under the command of
Reiksmarshal, Kurt Helborg, so Ser Zaka looked for an advantageous position for his artillery
and infantry.
The park was situated between a large expanse of marshy ground to the west and the main
road into Kludburgh to the east; along this road ran a deep wet ditch, which was crossed by
a narrow stone bridge some distance south of the park. The north side of the park was
bordered by a sunken road; Ser Zaka ordered the road deepened and constructed an
earthen rampart on the southern bank. The Imperial artillery, placed on several platforms
jutting forward from the earthworks, was able to sweep the fields north of the park as well
as parts of the sunken road itself.
The entire length of the north side of the park was less than 600 yards, which permitted the
Champion to place her troops quite densely. Immediately behind the rampart were four
ranks of Reikland handgunners and Dwarven Thunderers. The handgunners were backed by
detachments of Übersreik Halberdiers flanking the ramparts and Dwarf Warriors and
Longbeards forming a shieldwall against a Chaos charge. The Knights Panther were set
along the right flank in reserve.
A separate force of Slayers was positioned to the south, guarding the artillery.
At dawn, the Chaos attacked. The Chosen of Tzeetch charged up the center, brushing aside
the Reikland pickets and clearing the ground before the Imperial positions. As they charged,
the Celestial Wizard called forth the Wind of Heavens and the sky opened up along the right
flank. The Chaos commander, Turgen the Unwanted, ordered his men to pull right and
attack up the center. Two columns of Chaos Warriors assaulted the entrenched front of the
Imperial camp directly. The Forsaken, engorged on the thrill of battle, refused to head the
Exalted Hero and charged forward into the Empire’s right flank. The Meanwhile, Skulex the
Great Fire Dragon flew south along the road, the fire of the handgunners bouncing off its
scales, intending to flank the camp and strike at the artillery in the rear.
The order was given to wait to advance until the dragon had destroyed the artillery, but the
Norscans, inspired by the blind pugnacity and self-confidence of those possessed of a Mark
of Tzeetch, refused to obey.
The advancing Northmen quickly came into range of the Imperial artillery. Unable to take
cover on the level fields, they began to take substantial casualties; many Chaos Warriors
were killed by the time the columns reached the Imperial lines. Before the Forsaken could
reach the Imperial line, they came to realize the wisdom of their commander. A great comet
fell from the sky, crashing into the ranks and killing a third of their number. Nevertheless,
they continued to charge into the sole regiment of Dwarf Warriors holding down the flank.
As soon they collided with the dwarven shield wall, the Knights Panther galloped forward
and into the rear of the Forsaken, lancing the foul creatures of Chaos with reckless and
joyful abandon.
The Chaos charge came to a sudden halt as the columns reached the sunken road in front of
the park; the depth of the road and the height of the rampart behind it effectively blocked
their advance. Moving down into the road, The Forsaken suffered massive casualties from
the fire of the handgunners. Nevertheless, the Chaos Army made a series of desperate
attempts to breach the Imperial line. The Brotherhood of Spawn managed to reach the top
of the rampart, only to be met by a wall of Dwarf Warriors bolstered by the Harmonic
Convergence of the Celestial Wizard and flanked by detachments of halberdiers.
The Chaos Warriors on the right flank were met with equal frustration. After traversing nigh
but impossible terrain under a hail of handgun and artillery fire, they were met, not by the
state troops they were expecting, but by an impenetrable shieldwall of Dwarf Warrior
bolstered by Empire magic.
The Chosen who had charged into the center line had the worst of it. They came not upon
Dwarf Warriors, but Longbeards of Karak Drin eager to settle a grudge against the Ruinous
Powers who had taken their home. They were then flanked by The Altdorf Company of
Honour, also known as the Sons of the Reik, a highly-trained and highly-equipped regiment
of helberdiers led by Captain Otto Helstein, a valiant warrior eager to make his mark upon
this world.
The lone Chaos Lord, battered and riddled with bullets, tasked with leading the unruly force
was finally brought low by Captain Otto Helstein in single combat; and the Chaos forces,
unable to form up atop the earthworks, were pushed back down into the sunken road. After
attempting to move forward for about half an hour, the remnants of the Norscan columns
made one final push over the top. While they made an excellent showing, each of the
creatures were violently cut down by steel and shot.
Skulex the Great landed among the artillery halfway through the battle. So mighty was the
carnage wreaked by the many-scaled wyrm on that day that all who survived were
awestruck. Dozens of men, war machines and horses fell before the thunderbolt like assault
of the ancient monster. Some men were eaten whole, others crushed beneath its bulk.
Whole cannon crews were burnt to ashes by the great gouts of flame before the Rolling
Skies and Curses of the Celestial Wizard blew her out of the sky. As she landed, the Slayers
charged into her flank and battle began. Volleys from the great cannons and hellblaster
volley guns did little but make Skulex angrier. Skulex clawed and chewed her way through
rank after rank of would be dragon slayers, until the Champion Zaka Drin, who had
experience with slaying such creatures, executed the terrible wyrm with a swing of her rune
etched hammer that ripped through the dragon’s seemingly impenetrable scales like tissue
paper.
After the fall of the winged horror, the battle was over.

Battle of the Right Road

The Chaos Army's cavalry of Chaos Knights, Scourge of the North Marauders and Chaos
warhounds rode just to the East of Kludburgh, torching any fields and obliterating the homes
in the open plains between Bohsenfels and Kislev. Most of the Ostlanders of the plains fled
to the walls of Castle von Rauken or Volganof, but the few that remained were not just killed
by the Northmen, but tortured and mutilated until they begged for death.
The forces of Reiksmarshal Kurt Helborg sought to intercept them where the Right Road met
the Forest of Shadows before the cavalry could meet up with the main forces of Lord
Mortkin. The delays at the Ostforts allowed the cavalry a brief time to survey and prepare
the field before the arrival of the Chaos Marauders.
Both armies fielded cavalry almost exclusively. The Chaos forces consisted of Chaos
Warhounds, hordes of light, Norscan cavalry led by the Exalted Hero Volrung Axeblade,
Chaos Knights led by Wulric the Black on his Gorebeast Chariot and a mighty battle-altar of
Khorne; a large metal palanquin to provoke the dark marvelous powers of the Blood God.
The Empire's heavy cavalry consisted of many Knightly Orders, led by the indefatigable
Reiksgaurd and commanded by Kurt Helborg. His train consisted of some artillery while his
vanguard was the light cavalry of Pistoliers and Outriders.
The forces of Chaos were the first to cross the road, flanked by two deep ditches flooding
from the previous day's downpour, under a hail of pistol fire. Shortly after, spurred on by the
sight of the Reikmarshall, Wulric the Black gave the order to attack. The Chaos forces
attempted to outflank the Ostlanders by attacking the far sides of their lines. One of the
pincers of the attack was The Scourge of the North, led by mighty Champion Volrung
Axeblade, while the other was the Chaos Knights led by Wulric the Black. The initial attack
failed, and the Marauders withdrew toward their starting positions. Wulric was still confident
that the odds in his favor would give him the victory. However, preoccupied with his own
wing of the Chaos forces, he lost track of the other sectors and failed to coordinate a
defense against the counterattack by the Reiksguard, which until then had been kept in
reserve.
The Empire attacked the overstretched center of the Chaos lines in an attempt to split them.
At the crucial moment, Kurt Helborg's cavalry seemed to waver, then went into retreat. The
Northmen pursued with all their cavalry reserves. The Imperial cavalry, after retreating for
several minutes under chase from the Norscans, suddenly turned to the sides. The Chaos
cavalry now found themselves confronted by artillery concealed in the forest. From both
sides, Imperial forces appeared and proceeded to surround the Norscans. The mortars and
Hellstorm Rocket batteries ripped through the Chaos Warhounds and Marauder light cavalry,
who had no armour or barding to speak of. Meanwhile, the Great Cannon and Hellblaster
Volleygun tore apart the vaunted Chaos Armour with small effort. Under a hail of rocket fire,
Wulric sounded retreat, which soon became somewhat panicky. The war shrine caught fire
from one of the rockets and soon became a mobile bonfire cascading through the Norscan
ranks. The Reikland knights enveloped the Chaos forces into the ditches of the road in an
absolute slaughter. Volrung Axeblade fell to Lugwig Schwarzhelm’s Sword of Justice while
Wulfric the Black was flattened by a stray, bouncing cannonball. Without their lord, Wulfric’s
frenzying gorebeasts could no longer be controlled and caused complete pandemonium
among the Northmen as the panicked beasts attempted to buck and charge away from the
battlefield, carrying the remnants of their chariot behind them. The rest of the Chaos army
fared little better. The enveloped troops had nowhere to retreat and no way to organize a
successful counter-attack. Panicked horses and men lashed out and their fellow Norscans in
a desperate attempt to do anything other than wait to die.
Regimental clerk Sigismund von Herberstein reported nearly all the Chaos forces killed, with
the rest either taken prisoner or retreating north.

Ambush at Gloom Road

The neighboring city-state of Talabheim sent many troops across the River Talabec. These
troops were known as the Blackhats of Talabheim, swordsmen led by Captain Stugnar. All
were veterans of the Skaven occupation and well versed in ambushing tactics. The
Blackhats led the Talabheim regulars looking to reinforce the Ostland armies. While
marching north of the Talabec, Captain Stugnar received warning from a wood elf claiming
to bring word from the Emperor: an ambush of Beastmen were marching to intercept them
through the Forest of Shadows.
Stugnar marched his men in preparation for a counter-ambush, costing precious time on the
march. The men were marched into blocks: The outermost column was composed of the
Blackhat swordsmen. Behind them were a column of halberdiers of the Talabheim III, VI and
IX 'Craterblades' followed by a column of spearmen of The Talabheim XIV, 'The Talabheim
Curs'. These would be defending detachments of hand gunners from The Talabheim XIII,
'The Bronzeballs' and free companies of crossbows. This would allow each man to be on the
attack while maintaining a defense separate from a traditional battle line. The tightly packed
square would prove indefatigable against enemy chariots and a battle-ready marching order
would leave them prepared for an ambush. But this also meant that any break in discipline,
even for a moment, would leave the entire army broken and easy prey for the beasts of the
forest.
Ul-Ruk the Red led his Red Herd of Bestigors alongside Gruk the Man-Hater and the warherd
of the Forest of Shadows. Ungors, Gor Herds, Ungor Raiders and Tuskgor Chariots marched
with a screeching, blood drenched Gorebull, bull-headed Minotaurs and terrifying Centigors
to make a horrific warherd whose name would be chanted through the ages.

The Beastmen felled timbers to stop the marching Imperial troops. When Stugnar saw the
unnatural impediment, he ordered his men to make ready. Seeing the enemy along the
road, Ul-Ruk ordered his men to charge. While the shieldwall of the Empire held firm against
the charge of chariots, Minotaurs and Centigors, their opening attack succeeded in killing
Captain Stugnar. Sir Silke Arendt, a Knight of the Verdant Field, took command of the
Talabheim forces, dawning Stugnar’s Helm of the Skavenslayer made from the skull of the
Grey Seer Asorak Steeleye.
Undaunted by the death of Stugnar, Sir Silke took quick command as she ensured the
Blackhats stood firm in their attack. She knew they were fighting in the forested hunting
ground which favored their tactics, with numerous trees and shrubbery separated by wide
open spaces.
The warherd, meanwhile, used psychological warfare against the Talabheim forces. After the
Bestigors killed Talabheim soldiers, they would nail their scalps to surrounding trees. During
the battle, the Red Pride made a terrifying braying to create fear and panic to spread in the
Imperial infantry. Although roughly a hundred of the Talabheim regulars fled back through
the forest in terror, Sir Silke rallied the rest of the Imperial troops into formation. Those who
ran were quickly run down by the Tuskgor chariots in a cacophony of blood and slaughter.

As the Beastmen advanced they came under heavy fire. The crossbowmen out ranged the
shortbows of the Ungor Raiders. They fired not the typical bodkin quarrels, but barbed
quarrels which ripped through the flesh of their unarmoured enemy. Perhaps more telling
was that the tightly packed squares of the Empire meant many of the Beastmen infantry
could not get close enough to engage the enemy. Ranks upon ranks of Beastmen simply
stood waiting, while every Empire man was consistently engaged and felling the enemy.
Ul-Ruk's strategy relied on his heavily armoured Bestigors breaking the front line of
swordsmen and causing fear among the rest. However, the hate of the Balckhats towards
the Beastmen and the indefatigable resolve of Sir Silke ensured their front line did not falter
as the halberds sliced through the Bestigors from the second rank and spears pierced
through steel and flesh from the third. The handgun fire cut through the heavy armour of
the Bestigors. When their ranks fell, the handgunners abandoned the weapon in favor of a
blunderbuss. Eschewed during traditional combat, the unarmoured Beastmen were ripped
apart by its scattered shot.

Gruk the Man-Hater's advance guard began taking casualties and withdrew. In the narrow
confines of the road, they collided with the main body of the Ul-Ruk the Red's troops, which
had advanced rapidly when the shots were heard. Despite comfortably outnumbering their
attackers, the Beastmen were immediately on the defensive. Most of the Beastmen were not
accustomed to fighting disciplined opponents and were terrified by the deadly blunderbuss
fire. The Emperor's elf, blending into the shadows as if she were made from them,
assassinated the bray shaman and slew the Gorebull from within the enemy's own ranks,
giving the Empire the advantage in sorcery and sowing confusion and mistrust among the
Beastmen. Confusion reigned, and several Beastmen herds came under friendly fire from
their own Ungor Raiders. The entire Beastmen assault dissolved in disorder as Sir Silke
enveloped them and continued to snipe at the Beastmen flanks from the woods on the sides
of the road. At this time, the Talabheim regulars began advancing along the road and began
to push the Chaos beasts back. Ul-Ruk the Red rushed forward to try to rally his Beastmen,
who had lost all sense of cohesion.

Following Ul-Ruk's lead, Gruk the Man-Hater tried to reform units into regular order within
the confines of the road. This effort was mostly in vain, causing chariots to become
entangled in one another and simply provided targets for their enemy. Ul-Ruk had been shot
multiple times, yet retained his composure, providing the only sign of order to the frenzied
Beastmen warriors. Many of the Gor Herd, lacking the fury of the Red Pride herd to stand
their ground, fled and sheltered behind trees, where they were mistaken for enemy fighters
by Ungor Raiders, and fired upon.
Despite the unfavorable conditions, the Beastmen began to stand firm and return charges
against the enemy. Ul-Ruk believed that the Men would eventually give way in the face of
the fury displayed by the Red Pride. Despite being decimated by Imperial fire, the often-
makeshift platoons continued to hold their crude ranks.
After three hours of intense combat, Ul-Ruk the Red was slain by a quarrel through his lung
and effective resistance collapsed.  As a result of Ul-Ruk's wounding, and without an order
being given, the Beastmen began to withdraw. They did so largely with order, until they
reached the Gloom River, when they were set upon by Volgar's Shadowmen. The
Shadowmen attacked with barbed arrows and skinning knives, after which panic spread
among the Gorherd as they began to break ranks and run, believing they were about to be
massacred. Their beliefs were correct.
Gruk the Man-Hater was able to impose and maintain some order, and formed a rear guard,
which allowed the remnants of the force to disengage until he was slain by Grimal Volgar
himself. By sunset, the surviving Beastmen were fleeing back through the forest, carrying
their wounded. Behind them on the road, bodies were piled high. Volgar's Shadowmen
pursued the fleeing Red Herd, slaying all but the swiftest Centigors.
After their routing, all promise of aid to Lord Mortkin's invasion was forsaken. The Talabheim
forces joined up with the Shadowmen and continued their march towards Ostland. However,
the delay from the battle and from the marching formations which won them the day meant
they would not arrive in time to defend against Lord Mortkin himself.

The March to Castle Rauken

As the rest of their army sought out Oleg Raukov, The Fell Legion converged upon Castle
Rauken, the ancestral seat of the von Raukov family. The whispered counsel of the Daemons
bound to Mortkin told him how best to cripple the Empire, how to bring about the Final End
for Sigmar's realm that the gods wished him to. But Mortkin, so mighty that even Daemons
begged his clemency, followed naught but his own counsel in war. He had hunted Oleg von
Raukov, the butcher of Ulfennik, throughout the province, burning the countryside in his
single-minded search and slaying all he could find. His rage was carried in every survivor's
cry of despair as they recounted his desolation and atrocities he and his Norsemen
committed.
As he marched, the Kislevite horsemen harried the Legion's advance, attacking his supply
lines and artillery trains. This caused few casualties, but forced Mortkin's host to march in
tight formation, set heavy pickets when camped and depleted his scouts to chase after the
horsemen's sorties. The end result was a slower march than the rest of his forces. After the
destruction of the Ostforts, Mortkin heard Oleg was galloping towards Kludburgh and so set
his army south west. Then he heard he'd marched towards Bohsenfels, then to Erengrad and
then to Wolfenberg. For two days, the army marched in circles, chasing rumors until Mortkin
grew tired of his enemy's cowardly machinations. He would heed his own council and march
upon the von Raukov home; hoping that slaughtering their women and children might bring
the cowards out to fight.

In truth, Oleg and Valmir von Raukov's army marched south after the Battle on the Banks of
the Lynsk. They met up with the Reikland Army and were directed to Castle Rauken. The
Empire’s dwarf allies had already settled into the venerable citadel, fortifying it as best they
could to protect the Imperial right flank. Were it to fall, The Fell Legion could sweep through
all of Ostland and force the Imperial Army back to Volganof.
Oleg and Valmir von Raukov arrived at their castle 3 days before the battle. They were
greeted warmly by their family and friends, but they knew this could bode poorly for the
castle and the surrounding town. Now Lord Mortkin had the entire von Raukov family in one
place and would seek to slaughter them all in one, fell swoop. 
The castle was fully enclosed by a massive, thick wall replete with towers and battlements.
The Dwarves Karak Drin and Karak Ungor, led by Prince Ulther Stonehammer, had enforced
it further, as best they could, once hearing about the steam-driven steel siege towers of
the Dawi-Zharr. The dwarves of Karak Drin provided a massive amount of artillery in addition
to the large pieces brought to the city from Volganof at the Emperor's insistence.

The Noose Tightens

As they prepared the castle for siege, every refugee that came through the gates brought a
new tale of horror - that the barbarians were burning everything as they advanced, that
prisoners were eaten alive. 
In this atmosphere of growing despair, a solid wall of unnatural black clouds appeared over
Rauken. It grew so gloomy that the nearby Forest of Shadows could barely be discerned
from the watchtowers.
To the harsh blaring of a thousand horns, Lord Mortkin appeared out of the blackest
shadows. He was flanked on his right by a towering Giant, a monstrosity that roared its
bloodlusting challenge for all to hear. On the Chaos Lord's left hovered a floating island, a
great hunk of ground ripped from the earth itself to serve as a mount for Zakhar, matchless
Chaos Sorcerer and master of the Coven of the Eternal Eye. Despite the terrifying wonder
inspired by such fell lieutenants, it was upon Lord Mortkin himself that all eyes were
inexorably drawn.
Mounted atop a Daemon-beast made of hatred and living brass, a gift from the Blood God
for his epic massacres in the Chaos Wastes, the massive armoured form of the Chaos Lord
was wreathed in an aura of power so dreadful to gaze upon that it stung an onlooker's soul.
So much eldritch energy was being channeled into the warrior king that iridescent flames
flickered around him. Here, truly, was the chosen champion of those who-should-not-be-
named. A lord of kings crowned in flame. From the void behind the iron helmet came an
ultimatum that echoed across the distance, booming loud for all to hear:

"Surrender Oleg von Rauvok to me, or I will crush your city. All of Rauken will die. I swear to
the gods your suffering will be great. You have a single day to decide your fate."

After speaking he stared for a while upon the high walls of Castle Rauken before turning
back to the enveloping gloom.

Ultimatum
Stunned by the obvious might of the Chaos Lord, soon all of Rauken began to talk. From
high-born nobles to soldiers, craftsmen to innkeepers, there was no doubt as to what the
armoured barbarian king desired - Oleg von Raukov, the pride and true son of Ostland. So
outraged and overwhelming was the cry of refusal - that Oleg should not be allowed to leave
the gates of Castle Rauken - that the few cowardly dissenters who would give up their
commander without a fight dared not speak their minds. This stubborn spirit, for which
Ostlanders have long been famed, and the pleading of his father and mother, helped to
convince Oleg von Raukov not to give himself up - for surely the ruthless invaders would
only slaughter him and attack the castle afterwards, putting his mother, his father and his
whole family to the sword. The Ostland phrase "A wolf at the door is still a wolf" came to
mind. All knew the ravenous wolves of the north would not leave without bloodshed.
Perhaps it was this fear which led the eldest son, Vassily von Raukov, to flee via secret
tunnels in the middle of the night. News of his desertion spread from the lowliest peasant to
Lord Mortkin himself. The Fell Legion took great joy that fear & terror were being spread not
just among the soldiers, but to the von Raukov's themselves.
But Valmir von Raukov also knew that the armies of the Empire were on their way. If they
could hold out just one day more, perhaps two, against the Legion, the forces of Zaka Drin,
the Arch-Lector, Talabheim, the Reiksguard, Middenland and the Emperor himself would fall
upon the Host of Northmen, ending the war for good.

The following day, when once again, to the blast of many horns, Lord Mortkin emerged from
the forest he was answered not in human voice, but with tongues of fire. Every cannon atop
the walls of Castle Rauken fired a single shot - the muzzle flashes blazing bright in the
permanent dusk that had settled over the city.
At such extreme range there was little chance of a cannonball scoring a direct hit, yet the
shots seemed to vanish in the shadowy murk.
Still, Castle Rauken's answer had been made. Battle was now joined.

Zakhar Unleashed
Lord Mortkin raised his battle-axe and flames erupted along the blade. At this gesture the
woods heaved as the nightmarish, murky shadow disgorged its horde. There advanced, in a
solid mass, all the nightmarish troops of Chaos - bloodthirsty Norsemen and legions of
hulking warriors encased in hell-forged armour. Loathsome and gangly limbed Trolls lurched
from under the eaves. Bursting above the canopy strode the two-headed giant Grogg,
smashing aside trees as a man might brush aside tall grass. The ground shook as the
warhost formed up in companies beneath foul banners upon which were scrawled
venerations to the dark powers.

As the throng halted at some unseen signal, all eyes turned to Zakhar. The chanting of his
unholy acolytes increased in pace and volume as, slowly, the floating island began to rise
higher. The levitating land mass began to spin, rotating on an unseen axis. Seven peals of
thunder rolled across the churning black clouds. Standing tall in the middle of the coven,
Zakhar reached skywards, beginning to glow with a bluish nimbus. High-pitched maniacal
laughter could be heard as untold energy coursed from the heavens into Zakhar's
outstretched hands. When the charge could no longer be contained, the multihued ball of
living lightening was hurled by the Covenmaster. It struck the walls of Castle Rauken and
blasted them asunder, vapourising stone and defender alike. Seven times Zakhar's magics
smote the battlements and seven times they wrought gaping holes.

Forward, for Ostland

As the survivors picked themselves off the ground and shook off the dust of crushed stone, a
low moan could be heard from the defenders. They had placed much hope in the tall and
seemingly impregnable walls of Castle Rauken and now they had been irreparably breached
before the battle had even begun. Yet even as the howls of the northern invaders began to
rise, Valmir von Raukov stepped into one of the still-smoking gaps in the once proud walls.
Loud, he spoke:

"Hold fast, men of Ostland. Where walls fall, there must stand men. But I will not be pulled
from my ancestral home like a beast from a trap! Who will join me in taking the fight to our
foe? Who will sally out with me?"

Such bravery could not be denied and everything along the still-standing walls stout-hearted
Captains and emboldened champions picked up the warcry. Every Ostlander knew it was
better to die fighting. And so, amidst the looming dark, a new plan was hastily formulated.
The walls and breaches must be manned, but to the south, against Lord Mortkin himself,
there launched as strong a counter-attack as could be mustered. The Imperial forces
advanced out from the breaches.

The Castle Beseiged   

So began the Battle of Castle Rauken. Neither force expected mercy, nor would any be
given. Heroic clashes and fell-handed deeds awaited both sides and many tales and sagas
celebrate (or condemn) the acts done this day.

The men of the Empire streamed into the breaches, forming up beneath their many banners.
Overhead, the guns of Castle Rauken boomed, blazing bright in the gloom. Sir Oleg von
Raukov himself led the charge at the head of his bodyguard, the Stalwart Bulls.
The ground soon ran red.

At Lord Mortkin's signal, the Chaos invaders surged forward. Leading the charge were
dozens of tribes of Northmen, all eager to win glory. They hoped to attract, through deed of
battle, the eyes of their Dark Gods.
Black Iron Reavers waded into the Eastern, Northeastern and Northwestern breaches. The
Trolls and Grogg the Giant were unleashed on the Southeastern breach. A dozen Marauder
tribes, including the Beast-Flayers, the Wyrmkin, the Brethren of the Crow, the Blackaxes
and the Kin-Slayers poured into the Western breach. These feuding barbarians were held
together only by the will of their leader, Exalted Hero Tomhair the Mammoth.
But it was the North wall, where Oleg von Raukov led his counter-attack out of the gates,
that Lord Mortkin put forth his real strength. It was there that he released the howling fury of
his bodyguard; a group of Chosen especially blessed by the Dark Gods, known as the
Crimson Reapers. They drove deep into the enemy and there was much slaughter.
But, as of yet, Lord Mortkin held in check what remained of his matchless Brass Riders.

Along the castle walls, the defenders were not waiting idle. Handgunners and Thunderers
discharged their weapons, handed their gun to a loader, accepted a new firearm and, almost
without needing to aim, fired again into the oncoming mass. Crews struggled to fire and
reload war machines; others manhandled artillery pieces into the gaps in the wall, ready to
repel the attackers with multiple volleys or blasts of grapeshot.
The men at the breaches girded themselves for the enemy charge. Warrior Priests said their
prayers and Battle mages cast their spells. It was then that a middling Bright Wizard named
Sergov Pfeiffer became an unlikely hero. Short tempered and ill-liked, Sergov had failed to
impress any of his masters in his apprenticeship in the study of magic. Most wizards would
call him "mediocre" if they could remember him at all.
In this most desperate hour, when the castle faced certain destruction, something
unexpected happened. Inspired by the chants of a nearby Warrior Priest, Sergov began a
spell. Eyes blazing with sudden power, an enormous conflagration erupted from his
outstretched hands. A fireball, 10 yards in diameter, landed amongst the massed ranks
heading for the breached city walls, erupting into a furious blaze, burning with the heat of
100 forges. Many who survived claimed that in its fiery descent, the fireball assumed the
shape of a twin-tailed comet.

The Stalwart Bulls, led by Oleg von Raukov, flanked by detachments of the Scarlet Curs,
swordsmen who made up the personal guard of Vassily von Raukov, sallied into the northern
gap. At the easternmost breech, Valmir von Raukov commanded his Knights of the Crimson
Horns, the deadliest and most skilled knights in Ostland chosen by the Elector Count himself.
The northeastern breach was defended by Kreigmarshal Baron von Blutten and his Black
Guard greatswords while Captain Volkmann and Sergeant Oberwald led two detachments of
The Bechafen Halberdiers on their flanks. At the northwestern breach, the Ironbreakers of
Karak Drin showed the realms of Men the worth of the Dawi, their flanks protected by
halberdiers of Ostland regulars led by Captain Schwarzhelb. The Flagellants from the Forest
of Shadows plugged gaps in the southeastern wall while shouting their battle cry of "I Told
You So!". At the westernmost breach Captain Beckburg took command of Mannstein's
Manticores - swordsmen drawn from the retinue of the Chancellor of Ostermark - with
detachments of Free Company Militia pulled from the Rauken City Guard. All were fortified
by the prayers of their Warrior Priests and spells of Battle Wizards from 3 different orders.
The von Raukens prayed it might be enough to hold back the tide.

The Defiance of Ostland 

From the battlements, towers, turrets and rooftops, the men of the Empire and Dwarfs of the
Mountains fired volley after volley of bullets, bolts, rockets and cannonballs at the foe,
dispatching them in a deafening hail of lead. The barrels of the guns got so overheated that
civilians had to form a bucket chain to bring enough water to cool down the whirling devices.
The mighty Grogg’s rightmost head was taken off by a cannonball. The great Giant tumbled
to the ground, crushing his allies beneath him. As Grogg fell and lay dying on the field, the
men could hear his leftmost head curse the other as “always the unlucky one.”
Terrifying trolls spit their vile venom on the bare flesh of the flagellants, only to be battered
by a charge of flails set alight by the prayers of their Warrior Priest and a volatile shot of hot
oil and molten tar from the Dwarf Flame Cannon.
Zakhar brought his floating platform into range of the Imperial troops and chanted his foul
sorceries. While his first spell obliterated the castle walls, his second demonstrated just how
fickle Chaos magic can be. His mighty summoning succeeded only in singeing the armour of
Oleg von Raukof but granting him, and his Stalwart Bulls, an unearthly constitution for the
remainder of the battle. Afterwards, the Coven was hit with a calamitous backlash from the
overcast dark magic.
Klaus Solmann knew such luck would not last long, so attempted to thwart the Chaos
magics. He chose to forego casting to direct his great telescope at the Covermaster. As he
did, all spellcasters could not help but turn their eyes to the sky. While the rest of the armies
saw nothing, to Zakhar it revealed a mesmerising glimpse of the Winds of Magic made
visible. The heady miasma confused and entranced the Coven of the Eternal Eye such that
they forgot where they were. They forgot the battle. They forgot their spells. They forgot all
but the swirling haze of magic set before them. Zakhar barely noticed as artillery and shot
blew apart all his acolytes. At last, he summoned the willpower to turn away from the gaze
of the telescope and regain his villainous wits just in time to see the cannon ball hurtling into
his face.
Unlike Zakhar's skull, Hothgar the Chaos Dwarf's remaining Doom Tower shrugged off
cannonballs and lurched towards the battered walls of Castle Rauken.
Shots from monstrous Chaos Hellcanons arched over the walls, setting thatched homes
within the castle alight. It was then, after all the Chaos forces were charging into the
breachs, that the Dragon Company of Prince Ulther Stonehammer strode forth from the
castle and charged headlong into the Hellcannons. As he lay dying in Karaz-a-Karak, King
Ulfar Stonehammer of Karak Ungor laid a demand on Prince Ulther: to slay any Chaos Dwarf
who should cross his path. Ulfar viewed these Tainted Dwarfs from the northern Worlds
Edge Mountains as a stain upon the honour of the Dwarf race. Proudly brandishing the
dragon-headed post from his father's deathbed as his standard e now crashed into the Dawi-
Zhar artillery with unbridled Hatred. The first rank of the dwarven line buckled the unbraced
Chaos Dwarves while the back lines oblitered the enemy with shot after shot of their Dwarf
forged pistols. Unwilling to risk any of his advancing troops, Lord Mortkin left his artillery
crews to their own devices. Without reinforcement from the rest of the Chaos army to
oppose him, Prince Ulther was able to slay every last the Dawi-Zharr. Without the Chaos
Dwarves to command the Hellcannons, the daemons trapped inside lashed out in fury,
destroying themselves from within, silencing the Chaos artillery forever.
The Chaos invaders reached the walls and then, like a receding tide, were pushed back. Yet
time and again, the surging Chaos attacks threatened anew to push fully into the breached
walls of Castle Rauken.
As they pushed back the Black Iron Reavers from the eastern breach, again the voice of
Valmir von Raukov rang out:

"To me, to me, men of the Empire. Press forward and fear no foe. Victory can be ours. Fight
on!"

Once again, the hearts of the Ostlanders and their allies rallied and once again the Imperial
forces pressed forward. The last of the monstrous siege towers was overrun by the rest of
the Dragon Company, whose pistols and axes poured forth the unrelenting hatred the
dwarves of Karak Ungor held for the Dawi-Zhar. The tower toppled with a resounding crash
and a great cheer from Prince Ulther and his warriors. The lightly armoured barbarians fell in
droves, but those warriors encased in hell-forged armour proved tougher opposition. When
these were first encountered, momentum failed. The Crimson Reapers, driven back and
much reduced, put up a ferocious fight around their Banner of Rage, before it, too, was cast
down; hacked apart by the Greatswords of the Stalwart Bulls. At this, a hearty cheer rose
from the men fighting outside of the city and was picked up by soldiers on the walls. For
perhaps the first time, the men of Rauken began to hope that they might live to see the true
light of the sun.

All-Out Warfare
Lord Mortkin's strategy was simple: Have better troops and have more of them. The layout
of the battle worked against him. All his missile troops were killed at the Battle of Right
Road. The Imperial gunnery inflicted considerable damage to Mortkin's troops on the charge,
before they had a chance to strike their first blow and did not let up until the battle was
ended.
The breaches of the walls gave Mortkin access to the Castle, but it meant that each battle
line was only as wide as the breach. This favoured the Empire, who had fewer men, but
more than enough to hold the line and the discipline to fall back to flank the invaders. Ranks
upon ranks of Chaos Warriors had little to do but sit and wait for their comrades to fall; all
the while being battered with armour piercing handgun and artillery fire. 
Mortkin also ceded the magic fight, having placed too much faith in the abilities of Zakhar.
The Master of the Coven of the Eternal Eye was the only Chaos sorcerer on the field, while
the Empire fielded 3 Battle Mages. Each cast augmentation spells onto the defenders of the
castle, turning normal state troops into more than a match for any Chaos Warrior. Combine
this power with the spells cast by the Warrior Priest and every meager Empire soldier
became a vessel for the destructive power of the Winds of Magic and the gods
themselves. Not to mention the hexes cast upon the Chaos troops and the raw power of
destructive spells aimed at Mortkin's horde.
With his advantages shrinking by the minute, and every bit of luck leaning in the Empire's
favour, Lord Mortkin knew his victory lay on the edge of a knife.

The Fell Legion

Lord Mortkin, his armoured form full to bursting with dark energies, knew it was time to
enter the fray. At last, the Brass Riders advanced beneath banners of black and red. None
could stand before them. The Riders were all but impervious to harm beneath their hulking
armour, wielding enormous axes and cleaving men in twain with every blow. The walls
shook when the lumbering Juggernauts began their thunderous charge.
Many of the surviving soldiers flung down their weapons and fled, but those nearest the
Stalwart Bulls gave ground only grudgingly. This rearguard action allowed the remaining
regiments to escape to the battered walls of Castle Rauken.

Backs to the Wall

At last, the Stalwart Bulls remained outside the southern wall and were soon pressed back
into the gap. Twice the Brass Riders charged and twice they were repelled with much loss of
life. The ground was slippery with blood. Oleg's blade, gifted to him by the Ice Queen of
Kislev, shone bright and cold in the dim light. Panting heavily, the battle worn Greatswords
waited for the next attack.

Then the hordes parted, and all saw why the defenders were granted a reprieve. Lord
Mortkin, at the head of the Riders, had arrived. Death was in his gaze as he strode forth into
the gap. Slicing through swords, platemail and bodies, Lord Mortkin made his way straight
for Oleg von Raukov who, although weary with a long day of battle, did not flinch, but leapt
forward to meet the attack.

Lord Mortkin did not get the duel he expected. Oleg did not fight as most knights of the
Empire might, with hard, smashing strokes behind a strong shield arm. Oleg danced around
Mortkin like an Estalian Diestro. Again and again Mortkin thought he had a killing stroke,
only to miss Oleg by a fraction of an inch; which had the same result of missing him by a
mile. Each time the Chaos Lord missed, von Rauken struck him with a blow that could have
felled any creature of Chaos living. But it was not for mortal man to destroy the commander
of the Fell Legion. Finally, after a flurry of desperate blows, with a single swipe that would
have felled a Giant, Lord Mortkin smote Oleg with a stroke from his crushing axe, von
Raukov's body crumbled. Although mortally wounded, the valiant man struggled to rise, to
strike once more. Mercilessly, the Chaos Lord strode upon him, waiting to savour the kill. For
a single, surreal moment, the battlefront was stilled. Then, in the distance, came a blaring of
horns.
The Ruse Revealed
Bursting from the Forest of Shadows along the Grimway, with many a horn call and cries of
'For the Emperor', the Reiksguard arrived onto the field of battle. Shining resplendent in
their silver armour, they rode towards the Black Reavers rear in a vicious hammer and anvil
charge. As the knights formed up, at their head could be seen Kurt Helborg, the Grand
Master of the Order and Reikmarshal of the Empire. At his side galloped Ludwig
Schwarzhelm, the bearer of the Emperor's personal standard. The awe-inspiring banner
glowing brightly in the darkness. Foremost amongst their ranks rode none other than Oleg
von Raukov. And a righteous vengeance blazed in his eyes as his banner was unfurled.

Lord Mortkin stood over the body of the fallen man before him, utterly confused. He had
slain Oleg von Raukov. He lay dying in front of him. Yet he rode, unhelmeted, banner
unfurled across the battlefield. He had seen the fiend's face a hundred times in his dreams.
Then he heard it; the sound of laughter coming from the man at his feet. Lord Mortkin
reached down and removed his helmet to reveal Vassily von Raukov clad in his brother's
armour.

Power Incarnate
Lord Mortkin stood over the body of the fallen Von Raukov, gazing down upon the broken
man. Vassily was supposed to be a fool and a coward; sickly and frail. He was supposed to
run at the first sign of danger. He had heard the Daemons whisper it. He had seen it in his
visions. Yet Vassily fought bravely against a foe he could not hope to best. In the distance,
the horns of the Reiksguard trumpeted clearly. It was not as the Daemon-whispers had
promised. He had been forewarned they would arrive at such a time. He had planned to
unleash the warheard of Ul-Ruk the Red to deal with them. All he had to do was give the
signal for the Beastmen to advance out of the woods against the cavalry and final victory
would be assured. The signal was given, but the warherd was nowhere to be found.
This, Lord Mortkin knew, was only the beginning of the real battle. Already, far to the north,
an even bigger host of Daemons was tearing through the ever-thinning veil between the
worlds. An even greater gathering of the tribes was congregating, ready to march south and
join him. He was the mighty vessel chosen to enact the plans of the gods. He felt power flow
in his veins, the Winds of Magic supplying so much dark energy he could feel it throbbing in
a corona around him.

Yet even with Vassily broken, his Brass Riders could not break the greatswords. Soon, his
right flank would be hit by a wave of Dwarven Ironbreakers His left was staring down Valmir
von Raukof's Knights. The Reiksguard would charge into his rear at any moment, all while
the Northmen were taking heavy handgun and artillery fire. Even if he slew them all, he was
too far away to ever reach Oleg von Raukov. And there were yet more enemy armies
marching this way.
Now his mind was clear. The gods had never intended to grant him vengeance. They did not
care that his town was burnt or that villains like the von Raukovs could roam free in this
world. Only one of them was worth a spit. Only one von Raukov was not a butcher of women
and children. Only one would stand and fight him. Only one had honor. And Mortkin had just
used the power of the gods to kill him. Mortkin lived in a grim and perilous world. He had
always taken solace that he was the bringer of that grim darkness. But the darkness did not
care for his vengeance. It did not care for his loss. This world was grim for everyone. Even
Chaos.

Lord Mortkin had met every challenge. He had heard a hundred thousand voices chant his
name. He sacrificed untold riches and souls to the dark gods. He had been a great hero. He
deserved a hero's reward. But this, he knew, was not a world for heroes. Lord Mortkin
dropped his axe. With both hands he removed the helmet from atop his head, tossing it onto
the piled mounds of the fallen. Loudly, he spoke these words for all to hear:
"The wergild..."

Then, a cannonball took off his jaw. The Brass Riders awoke from their amazement too late
to safeguard their lord. The tide of battle swept over the Chaos champion. Once again,
battle was joined.
As Lord Mortkin fell, the veil of gloom was rent and slanting rays of sun shone down upon
the battlefield. The last remnants of the Fell Legion were instantly shorn of the driving will
that held them together. Rumor raced across the killing fields. The remaining invaders broke
the field, some skulking into the forest to be slain by Volgar's Shadowmen, or turning upon
each other, settling old scores through combat.

The remnants of the Brass Riders, dealers of untold death, sought to grind the pride of the
Empire beneath steel-hooves. Metal-bound Juggernauts steamed and pawed out divots the
size of shallow graves. Pinned on one side by shieldwall and pistol fire of the Dragon
Company and on the other by veteran swordsmen and their detachments of halberdiers
hacking at the Brass Butchers with blades surging with magic and fury. The Stalwart Bulls
who had fought tirelessly, fiercely and with much honour, were finally relieved, their line
replaced by a charge from the Knights of the Crimson Horns led by Valmir von Raukov with
his magical sword Brain Wounder. All of this under a rain of artillery and missile fire. It was
then Kurt Helborg ordered the Reiksguard to lower their lances and gallop to meet them. In
the end, it was the Kurt Helborg’s magical sword Dragon Tooth and the Brain Wounder of
Valmir von Raukov that made the difference. Slicing through armour and metal beast alike,
the two ensured not a single Brass Rider escaped.

With the fall of the Brass Riders, all of the invaders who remained on the field saw their
hopes of conquest vanish. The cavalry of the Empire cleaned up the rest of the fleeing
invaders. Those who fled back to Norsca would be picked off by the vengeful horse tribes of
Kislev. 
There was little time to celebrate their victory. The Chosen Vessel of the Dark Gods had
been slain while still a mortal conduit for the Chaos Gods. Emperor Karl-Franz II knew this
meant that Chaos would never be this weak again in his lifetime. Perhaps in a hundred
lifetimes. He would take the fight to the North. Believing Rauken too small to tend to the
vast needs of his massive army, the Emperor called for all soldiers to regroup to Volganof to
plan for the next stage of the Crusade. Ivana von Raukov was left with the task rebuilding of
Castle Rauken. Her son, now her eldest son, and husband would need to march to a war
which had just killed her child. The first child she ever bore. The first child she ever held. The
first child she ever loved. Before today, she might have been the only one on earth who
loved Vassily von Raukov. Now, everyone in Ostland would sing his praises and toast the
Saviour of Ostland. But this brought small comfort to a mother burying her son.

It is not known why Vassily, a notoriously frail and sickly man, would coif his brother's Dawn
Armour, take up his Ice Blade and sacrifice himself for Oleg to bring the Reiksguard. Or why
he would let it be thought he had escaped, rather than Oleg. Perhaps because his father
commanded it, and he had no choice. Perhaps because he found his honor at the moment of
facing certain death. Or perhaps it was just too funny; to trick the dark gods and ruin their
carefully laid out plans. In the end, the combined might all of the ruinous powers was
brought low by the machinations of a cowardly little fool. A bit player, forgotten by all, had
saved Ostland and changed history. Perhaps that is why he died laughing.

Norscan Wars of Religion

Middenheim sent an Ulrican delegation to Skorlm to help rebuild a temple of Ulric close to
Mount Vanir where the "Fire of Ulric" is located. They also sent a diplomatic delegation to
the newly named capital of Swerborg to discuss Jarl Gustav "Holy Warrior" Swer, King of the
Bjornlings, joining the Crusade. A year before, at the initiative of Emperor Karl-Franz I,
diplomatic relations started between the Empire, Kislev and the Bjornlings. There, the
chivalric Order the Holy Union was founded. The idea was a loose agreement that all three
northern realms of Men would continue to battle Chaos where they found it. Swer, having
learned long ago no to put faith in the “chivalry” of southern men, thought little more of it.
But the Emperor’s words were not empty.
The delegation brought a contingent of artillery and handgunners led by Ar-Ulric himself.
King Swer was offered gold and supplies in exchange for marching on the Skaelings to his
east. The High King gathered his forces and The Conquest of the Skaelings began.

The Razing of Olricstaad

King Swer’s idea for war against the Skaelings was to raid the towns of Kaugang, Kleitborg
and Bragnir. He would rush in, take what he could, then rush out before the Skaelings could
form up a proper army to march against him. This was the typical way of war for the
Norscans. It was not, however, what the Empire needed. In order to ease the pressure off
the Western Front of the Crusade, it was vital the Skaelings send as few troops as possible.
This would require them to send a vast army against the Bjornlings. To accomplish this, the
Empire turned to an Albion known as Bran Big Nose.
in negotiating King Swer’s involvement in the Crusade, Bran first offered him money to
attack the Skaelings. This was agreed to, shook on and drank to. It was only later that Bran
showed the King the weapons they had brought. Artillery most Norscans could only dream
of. Regiment upon regiment of handgunners whose shot could render even Chaos armour all
but useless. If a Norscan had these in his army, he would be unstoppable. Bran offered it
willingly, along with a promise to teach any hedgefolk among his people how to properly
wield the Winds of Magic. In exchange, Swer had to promise not to raid small coastal
villages. He had to raze Olricstaad to the ground.

Olricstaad was the capital of High King Svein of the Skaelings. It was one of the busiest
trading posts in all of Norsca. This was made possible by the work done in the Royal Trading
Hall managed by an agent of the Marienburg trading family, House Rothemuur. Interestingly
enough, Bran had developed a minor feud with House Rothemuur and their allies. While
Rothemuur made a fair amount of money from trading with the Skaelings, their primary
source of income was with the High Elves of Ulthuan.
The Siege of Olricstaad lasted no more than a few days. High King Svein chose to ride out
and meet the besiegers rather than take one more day of enemies in his harbor. The battle
began with two charges by the Skaeling Chaos Knights against the centre of the Bjornling
army, but these were both dispersed by Empire heavy artillery and handgun fire. The next
assault tried to force the right flank, but many of the Skaeling cavalrymen fell into the
Bjornling trench and the attack was then broken by a storm of fire from the handgunners.
One of those wounded by the handgun volley was High King Svein himself. King Swer and
his guard charged forward to press the advantage and the two Kings engaged in a duel. The
bullet lodged in Svein meant he never stood a chance, but his pride would not let him
decline the challange. High King Svein died beneath King Swer's axe in short order. With the
Marauder Chieften Caniu taking charge, the Skaeling infantry attacked with the cavalry
instead of waiting for the arrival of the Chaos Knight rear guard. At the imminent assault
upon the Bjornling center the Empire handgunners were withdrawn and the Bjornling
Marauders sent forward. The Skaeling formations, soon joined by the Chaos Warriors, were
unable to break into the defensive positions. Shot into the flank by the handgunners and
harassed by the Knights of the White Wolf, the Skaelings were driven back, taking heavy
casualties including Caniu .

High King Sven then called for a counterattack against the now disorganized enemy by both
the Marauder infantry and the Empire Knights waiting in reserve. Mounted handgunner
surrounded and routed the remaining Skaelings and the primary defenses of Olricstaad were
no more. The walls crumbled before the Empire great cannons and the city was sacked. With
their capital sacked, their King dead and a seemingly unstoppable enemy army deep within
their territory, the Skaelings could not afford to send any troops to combat the Empire in the
east.
The remainder of the war consisted of King Swer trouncing whatever armies the Skaelings
could gather and securing control over the regions he could continue to rule after the
campaign was ended. By the end of the war every tribe from Swerborg to Olricstaad and up
the River Halkild swore allegiance to High Kind Swer.

When Olricstaad was sacked, someone was somehow able to rescue many of the papers and
documents kept by the Royal Trading Hall detailing House Rothemuur's dealings with the
forces of Chaos. Even more coincidentally, all of these documents, along with the sign above
the Hall with the House Rothemuur seal, was able to make it to the court of Ulthuan.
Naturally, they ceased all dealings with House Rothemuur and forbid them from travering
into Lustria. Shortly after, the House declared bankruptcy.
This ended up being quite a boon for Bran Big Nose. Conincidentally, of course.

The Crusade Prepares

After half a dozen hard fought battles, Emperor Karl-Franz II was not eager to ask his men to
march through Kislev, past Troll Country and into the Chaos Wastes to fight more battles in
worse conditions. But he knew they had to be fought. Not only would Chaos never be this
weak again in his lifetime, if he abandoned the Crusade now, the Arch Lector's army would
march without him and be slaughtered. For the rest of his reign, he would be accused of
abandoning those helpless martyrs because of his Ulrican sympathies. For all the talk of
glory and conquest, this war was still a political maneuver.
An important figure of the Emperor’s strategy for victory was Atamanka Maria Pronin. An
Ungol from a nomad tribe in Troll country, Pronin told the Empire what they could expect on
their march north. She prepared them for a cold march in Summer through a land where the
mud was more likely to kill you than the Trolls. Many regiments were loath to take her
advice as the cold weather uniforms she devised made the men look like they were wrapped
in a giant duvet. But, by the Emperor’s orders, what became known as the Duvet Crusade
marched north.
The one point that all agreed on was that the army would need to be back in the Empire
before winter. I they were caught in Troll Country during Winter, all knew, none would
return.

The March North

The Empire began the march north in late Sigmarzeit. The plan was to stay in friendly
territory as long as possible to avoid the monsters of the Troll Country, even if it cost them
precious time. They marched up the road to Krakjunov, at which point they took riverboats
to Praug. The Empire was restricted to following waterways as what supplies they were
forced to carry could be more easily transported by boat. Artillery in particular was reliant of
this method of travel, since their not modest number of cannons required hundreds of
horses to pull overland and traveled at half the speed of the rest of the army. It also
ameliorated any onerous feelings men might have had about the Dwarf contingent slowing
them down.
They marched to Praug, unveiling the banner of the Order of the Holy Union and were
given a hero's welcome in the streets. Few knew the ravages of Chaos like the people of
Kislev and they took great joy that their allies were, finally, on the offensive.
They army followed the North River Lynsk past Kacirk until it was forced to cross
overland at Zenilev in the depths of a forest in the Czegniks. They then followed the Eastern
River Bolensk past the Fortresses of Ostrosk, Kaminski and Straghov. The army was greeted
by apprehensive Ungols unsure what to make of this roaming city of foreigners. But the
Empire soon found the nomads of the north to be eager allies once the Empire lent a few
Pistoliers or Outriders to help rid them of competing tribes of Chaos worshipping nomads on
the steppe. This was also their first taste of raids by Chaos Marauders. The Empire army was
enormous and required and continuous supply line. Any break in that line cost time and
breaks were constant. By mid-Summer, the Imperial Army had anticipated being well
underway into Norsca. They had only reached Fort Straghov. This is where the war truly
began.

Chaos Gathers
Chaos was not idle as the army of Men marched towards their boarders. The remaining
warriors who did not pledge their loyalty towards Mortkin were gathered together by a minor
warlord of the Varg; a former priest of Sigmar who fled North. A warlord named Archaon.
Few knew the Warlord Archaon had gathered together 5 of the 6 treasures of Chaos and that
he sought to become the Everchosen. It is unsure why he took up the defense of the
Norscan lands against the Crusade. Some say he thought the invasion to be a petty thing
barely worth his time. Others say he sought to prove the prowess of his dark gods and show
the weakness of Sigmar who had betrayed him. Perhaps he wished to prove his leadership
before he could unite all the North. It is also likely that Archaon could feel the weakness of
the Chaos winds after having their Champion slain and sought to guard it from those who
might steal its power for themselves. Regardless of his reasons, Archaon called forth a new
army of Aeslings, Sarls, Vargs, Kul and Baernsonlings. Called to his side were his
Lieutenants, as well as Vardek Crom the Conqueror and Baernsonling King Beorg Bearstuck.
As he gathered Chaos Warriors from the ever-thinning veil between the worlds, he sent
Chaos Marauders led by his Lieutenants to harass the Empire and slow their march
northward.

One Step Forward…

For the Empire, an invasion was a theoretical exercise at best. They had not undertaken a
march into enemy territory at any length for 300 years. As such, they did not comprehend
the massive difficulty and resistance they would face. Almost immediately after the army
began to march, the Empire camp was pestered by incessant skirmishing from Chaos
Marauders. Constant night raids meant the Empire troops were poorly rested as their
thinning columns snaked their way north. At every river crossing, every bog, every
bottleneck, the Empire was routed by ambushing horsemen. Eventually, Grimal Volgar,
leader of the hunters known as the Shadow Men, was placed in command of counter-
ambush tactics and the Empire began to repel the Norscan raids, but this necessitated
changes in marching order and formation which cost ever depleting time.
But where the Empire was unaccustomed to invading, the Norscans were unaccustomed to
being invaded. Raids from neighboring tribes were a yearly occurrence, but the pure size
and scope of the Great Crusade was unknowable to most of the nomads of the steppe. Many
did not know that many men existed in the world, much less could be in one place. The army
ate the country bare. Entire forests were felled for firewood and repairs for barges. Gold
Wizards turned what little arid soil remained in the North to rock and ash. But the worst was
the Army of Sigmar, who took to burning any and all Norscans they came across. Women
and children who had never heard the name Sigmar were burned alive as madmen
screamed his name in glory. The men who entered into this invasion with the best of
intentions now no longer knew who true barbarians were. But the die had been cast. It was
too late to turn back. The Emperor had begun his barbaric butchery and now he had to finish
it. But as Summer grew near its end, he wondered if he could finish it in time.

Other conflicts
The Empire kept a garrison at the stronghold in Jottenheim in anticipation of an attack from
the Baernsonlings of the East led by King Beorg Bearstuck of the Ursfjordings. When the
armies of the Warlord Archaon began to marshal against the southern heathens, Beorg was
amongst the first to pledge his life to Archaon's banner. He cared little for the so-called
'civilised' world and had long despised the weakness of the Empire that they dared to deny
the Dark Powers. What was moreso, he and his warriors had long since tired of easy
conquests amongst the weaker northern tribes and desired a battle worthier of their caliber
as warriors. However, as they marched West, they were ambushed near the River Tobol by
hordes of Skaven from Clan Moulder. It is unknown why the Ratmen decided to engage the
Norscans. Some say it was the depraved sorceries of the Emperor’s Bright Wizards that set a
hatred in the hearts of Throt the Unclean. Other claim that the thought of so many fresh,
healthy bodies on which to perform their experiments was too much for any rat of Clan
Moulder to pass up. The two armies clashed in Tobol forest. The Skaven were overjoyed and
horrified to see their foes twisted and writhing until they took on the mien of terrible bears
twisted by the powers of Darkness, snarling and rending like the savages they were. But
amongst them, towering above them all was the great shape of Beorg himself, casting aside
his foes with great swipes of his monstrous claws, tearing heads from necks and ripping
arms from their sockets. Hundreds of Rat Ogres and Werebeasts clashed beneath the forest
as the Ratmen attempted to subdue and capture as many of the changelings as they could
to play with the horrific creatures in their gruesome laboratories.
After the battle, Beorg realized the armies the world over could offer a greater opportunity
for blood-letting than any of the battles of the North. His warriors sold their swords through
the Empire, living as mercenaries when they could and by robbery and pillage when they
could not. Eventually, Beorg and his warriors had made their way to the Border Princes and
thrived on great battles and much plundering.

While Beorg went south, the Ratmen spread north, seeking more werekin for their
experiments, hoping to recreate their powers in the laboratories underneath the Hell Pit.

Lord Mortkin’s defeat brought Bretonnia openly into the conflict. The brazen attacks on
Bretonnian shipping had created a call for an open attack on Norsca, but King Louen
Leoncoeur feared reprisal invasions and fierce resistance. But, with the Empire taking a far
more forceful invasion and much of Norsca’s fighting men defending in the East, King Louen
declared his support for the Great Crusade. Bretonnia launched attacks on Bragnir, Kaugang,
Hinriksen, Varland, Trassel, Kleitborg, Thorkavik and Turui. The Skaelings were unable to
raise men to sustain significant resistance and the Bretonnians burned and looted the
countryside.

The Dwarves of the northern Karaks struck out against their enemies while the land was in
the maelstrom of war.

Lord Mortkin’s defeat also brought many great powers to the North in search of Chaos
artifacts which might reveal themselves or be unguarded in the wake of the death of Chosen
Champion of the Ruinous Powers. The Asur and Druchii alike launched their ships towards
Norsca’s coast in search of powerful relics their seers dreamt had been unearthed. Even
some of the Asrai, mostly from the Norscan raided lands of Laurelorn, dared leave their
sacred forests to seek relics long taken from their ancestors.
Both Vampire Counts and Priest Kings of Nehekhara, the former for power and the latter for
revenge, used their powerful magics to transport themselves to the Chaos Wastes and
summoned their armies of the dead from among the many unburied barbarians of the snow.
The greatest enemies of Chaos, The Cold Ones known as Lizardmen, set sail for the lands of
Chaos at the behest of the Priests who foresaw the blow they could strike for the Great Plan
in the lands there.

There were even those within the Empire who made the journey North; ostensibly to fight
Chaos as a new front in the Great Crusade, but in truth many Chaos worshipping nobles who
plotted against Emperor Karl-Franz II and sought powerful artifacts of their dark gods to gain
power for themselves within the Empire.
The greenskins poured out of the World’s Edge Mountains into the Chaos Wastes; some to
seek battle, some to seek power, but most to prove themselves the biggest and the
strongest.

These southern raiders found not only Warrior of Chaos, but the Dawi-Zharr who served
them and the horrific Beastmen of the north.

These factions do not fight Chaos alone. Many find they must battle each other on the frozen
tundra.

Battle of the Monoliths

It was the last days of Vorgeheim and the Crusade had little to show for it. Their army was
far to the north but had not yet engaged the enemy in any more than skirmishes, most of
which they lost. The toll of lives, supplies and time began mounting rapidly. With autumn
fast approaching, and winter soon behind it, the Emperor made a bold play. He force
marched his army up the river in a lightning fast advance towards the Aesling city of
Skraevold. He knew if he could raze it, he could return home and claim victory, having
destroyed an appreciable landmark of the dark gods.
Warlord Archaon had no intention of meeting the Empire in a siege. His Marauders had
allowed him enough time to gather a sufficiently large army from the Aeslings, Sarls, Vargs
and Baernsonlings to crush the force of the Emperor in the field. Archaon gathered his army
and marched south along the Groene-Dypvann river.

Outriders reported the movement of the massive army and the Empire immediately began a
desperate search for favorable ground in which to engage them. After months of battle, the
Emperor knew that most of the Chaos regulars were better fighters and there were more of
them. The choice of battlefield might be the only thing that could bring the Men and
Dwarves victory.
On the 15th of Vorgeheim, the Empire arrived at the mouth of the mountain tributary into the
Groene-Dypvann. This enormous fork in the river was marked by 4 great monoliths: Colossal
standing stones surmounting a cairn of boulders, decorated with skulls and with the bones
and rotting carcasses of those sacrificed before it to the Ruinous Powers. The Emperor sent
two thirds of his forces across the River to blockade it from the West. He ordered the Knights
Panther and the forces of Middenheim to camp north of the river’s fork while the Kislevites
were ordered to protect his flank from the south. That night, while he was making
preparations, the Emperor received news that Warlord Archaon was close at hand with a
field army. He ordered Kriegmarshal Baron von Blutten to delay the advancing Chaos troops,
while he was bringing the best part of his army to cross again the river and rejoin the rest to
face Warlord Archaon: he had no option left but to present battle or risk a potentially
disastrous retreat.

Kriegmarshal von Blutten - commanding Ostermark and Talabecland regiments, together

with four troops of cavalry and two guns - was ordered to seize the northern tributary bridge
but, as he arrived, he found the enemy already in its possession; Von Blutten deployed his
force behind a ditch, hoping to fight a delaying action, but the Norscan were already in great
strength across the bridge and charged right home, piercing his centre routing the infantry
at once while his cavalry fled in panic: the Ostermark soldiers were killed almost to a man,
with the men of Talabecland faring only slightly better, retreating back across the river. For
all purposes, Von Blutten's command had ceased to exist.

After that cheap victory, Warlord Archaon held a conference with his Lieutenants. Most
urged him to entrench the army across the road, forcing the Emperor to attack along a
narrow front where the Empire Knights, heavy and unwieldy, would not be effective against
the lighter Marauder cavalry. However, those warriors with the Mark of Chaos, who had been
rallied by Archaon on the promise of free plunder, were eager for a fight and out-argued the
rest. The army therefore advanced in battle order along the riverway. Summer thaws had
caused the river to flood and overflow its banks, so that in the end they were forced climb
slowly up the slippery dunes.
The Emperor just had time to assemble his whole army to face the assembled forces of
Chaos.

Before the battle, Emperor Karl-Franz II famously spurred his troops:

"Companions! If you today run at risk with me, I will also run at risk with you; I will be
victorious or die. Ulric is with us. Taal is with us. Sigmar is with us. Look at their and our
enemies. Look at your Emperor. Hold your ranks, I beg of you; and if the heat of battle
makes you leave them, think also of rallying back: therein lies the key to victory. You will
find it among those three trees that you can see over there on your right side. If you lose
your ensigns, cornets or flags, do never lose sight of my panache; you will always find it on
the road to honour and victory."

At the banks of the river’s fork, the Empire first line of infantry was placed in a strong
defensive position on top of a stretch of dunes, with guns covering both flanks with enfilade
fire. Karl-Franz II had posted his best regiments there, under the command of the
experienced Baron Beckburg, who ruled out sending any advance party, waiting for the
Chaos army to arrive.

The action began with a few deadly cannon volleys from the royal artillery. The Northmen
sent a screen of hundreds of Chaos Marauders to cover their advance; but soon the two
unruly regiments in the vanguard started the attack with a rash charge up the hill. They
were repulsed in disorder, while the Marauder Horsemen, counter-charged by the Imperial
Pistoliers, were routed. It was then time for the second line of the Chaos infantry to advance.
The Aesling Chaos Warriors made quick progress against the Spearmen on the Imperial
right, and the Emperor sent his entire second line of Halberdiers to protect that sector,
stabilizing the front.

The Emperor then sent his entire Reiksguard against the Chaos flank, except for the small
body of his personal guard in the second line that he kept in reserve behind the infantry. The
Imperial Pistoliers easily routed the lighter Marauder Horsemen, that had just rallied, fleeing
the battlefield never to return. However, the Empire were checked by the Chaos third line of
infantry, supported by Hellcannons, and retreated with heavy losses.
These Chaos Warriors were known as The Swords of Chaos. The survivors of Archaon's old
warband, the Swords of Chaos were legend in the north. Unusually for their kind, the Swords
made no attempt to earn the favour of the gods. They fought for Archaon's glory. In return,
they shared in the Chaos Lord's reward - the further Archaon rose, the mightier the Swords
became.

Meanwhile, on the Imperial left, Baron Beckburg's Sable Guard regiments faced the veteran
The Axes of Khorne; the elite Chosen of the Chaos infantry led by Vardek Crom the
Conqueror. The Fireloques of Ferlangen, veteran handgunners well drilled in the Empire's
new tactics, kept a rolling fire on the Norscans who advanced up the slope at a steady pace,
covered by a screen of Chaos Warhounds led by Chaos Lord Herumar known as The Hounds
of Herumar. The fight was even for a time, until the Axes of Khorne crested the hill and
charged into the infantry. Vardek Crom finally dislodged the Sable Guard from the top of the
hill. Baron Beckburg, seeing the risk, asked for reinforcements, but they did not arrive in
time and the Ferlangens were finally routed. However, the Chaos regiments, exhausted after
a day of fighting, marching on difficult terrain and eager to stop and plunder their victims,
pressed their advantage very slowly. Even more dangerously, they were disordered, with
units disorganized and mixed. The Emperor, seeing his best troops routed and his defeat
imminent, risked it all in one throw of the dice. He raised his sword and called out “For the
Empire” and charged forward on his giant wolf with his reserve Reiksguard, his personal
bodyguard, against the foe. Their well-timed charge was unexpectedly very successful. The
Norscans were thrown into confusion and started a slow retreat. Beckburg, who had been
able to rally some of his company behind a battery, joined the fight, and he was reinforced
by The Oxhides swordsmen regiment in the third line that had finally arrived. The Axes of
Khorne, heavily assailed, retreated in disorder.

On the Imperial right, Warlord Archaon had committed his third line of The Swords of Chaos,
providing a screen for scores of Chaos Chariots known as The Crimson Wheels into the
assault. The Emperor saw his chance and asked his tired Reiksguard for one last effort.
Under the command of his Reikmarshal Kurt Helborg, another charge was delivered, and The
Crimson Wheels were toppled and driven from the field. The Swords of Chaos, already
engaged at the front, was this time unable to repulse the attack on their flank and started to
give ground. After a while, the front crumbled and, one after another, all units were running
in confusion, leaving behind their weapons. The survivors scattered in all directions.

North of the River

Archaon deployed nearly all his Chaos Knights north of the river, hoping to envelop the
Imperial flanks and rout their baggage train. The Empire responded by moving the army of
Middenheim north of the river to meet them. The cavalry of the two sides then clashed with
a dreadful force. Haargroth the Blooded followed up the charge of his Chariots and Chaos
Knights with the Forsaken troops of the Sarls across the open field.

Haargroth charged with such a fury that even after charging into a terrible fusillade of
handgun fire and a struggle of a full quarter of an hour which left the field covered with
dead, the opposing left flank fled, and the right was pierced and gave way.

Leading a contingent of Knights Panther, Grand Master Werner von Kriegstad soon
overcame the Marauder light horse while their Imperial Pistolier counterparts retreated
under the attack of a Forsaken squadron backed up by two squadrons of Chaos Warriors. It
was then the turn of Von Kriegstad to charge the heavy cavalry, forcing it into a retreat.
Seneschal Heinrich Kessler, in command of the rear-guard with Middenheim and Middenland
troops on both flanks, joined up with the Grand Master who, without stopping after his
victory, had crossed the river in pursuit of the enemy.

However, the decisive event took place elsewhere on the battlefield: Sir Rein Volkhard, the
Grand Master of the Knights of the White Wolf, ordered Pistoliers into his ranks of knights as
they charged into close combat against the Chaos Knights. The combined might of the war
hammers, gunfire and prayers of Ulrican priests, cut a bloody swath through the Chaos
Knights and drove them from the field.

Haargroth the Blooded was driven back, Feytor the Tainted was forced to surrender and
Melekh the Changer was killed. Haargroth had lost the battle. Sir Rein pursued the losers,
many of whom surrendered, their horses being in no condition to get them away from
danger. The countryside was full of Chaos creatures and Norscans in flight, with the Empire's
victorious army pursuing and scattering the remnants of the larger groups that dispersed
and re-gathered.

South of the River

On the other side of the river, the Chaos army was divided into Chaos Ogre regiments on the
right (north-west) flank, and the main Chaos army on the center and left (south-east) flank.
The Chaos battle line consisted of infantry (Chaos Warriors, Forsaken and Chaos Trolls),
mostly behind the village fences, with a second line of Chaos Knights and Chariots to the
rear and on the left wing (where there were fewer fences).
Kislev units consisted of cavalry, primarily Winged Lancers, with several hundred Kossar
infantry on the left wing.

The battlefield, a flat agricultural field, was crossed by a high village picket fence, reinforced
by improvised fieldworks, which allowed the Kislev Kossars to charge only through a narrow
gap.

The first part of the battle consisted of Kislev Kossars repeatedly charging the fortified Chaos
positions, attempting to break them. The Kislev forces continued to make ferocious attacks,
with each unit charging eight to ten times. The Kossars' attack on the infantry, hidden
behind the fences, and supported by Chaos Sorcerers, were not successful.

Hoping to take advantage of Kislev exhaustion, Styrkaar of the Sortsvinaer ordered his
Chaos Knights to counterattack the Kossars. However, their attempt to employ caracole
tactic ended disastrously when the Kislev cavalry instead closed into melee behind a screen
of missiles from mounted archers. As this Chaos cavalry counterattack was mauled by the
Kislevites, the left flank of the Chaos army was broken, and, in the ensuing confusion, the
Northmen ranks broke and they were pushed back towards their camp gates.
The Kossars pressed their advantage and overran the camp. Styrkaar stood his ground,
rallying his men to form a new battle line. Wave after wave of arrows bounced harmlessly off
his armour and shield as the Champion of Slannesh deftly dispatched a dozen horsemen
who tried to strike him down. Finally, a young kossar managed to lasso the Chaos Champion
and pull him off his feet. The Northmen, already wavering, retreated in disorder as they saw
their Lord killed not by force of arms, but by being dragged ignominiously to his death
behind a horde of Kislev horse.

After the rout, the Empire stopped their pursuit to rest and tend to their dead. They made
camp for only a day before pursuing the Chaos army north. They did take time to cleanse
the shrine of its dark magic, topple the Monoliths and turn the site into a shrine to Sigmar.

The Aesling City of Skraevold

Warlord Archaon retreated from the battlefield back to Skraevold. Openly, he blamed his
defeat on the weakness of his men and questioned their dedication to the dark gods. But in
his confidence, he knew the loss was due to underestimating the Empire. He re-grouped his
men behind the walls of Skraevold and swore that, this time, he would be at the forefront of
the battle and would slay the Emperor with his own hand.

The Norscans reached Skraevold on Vorgeheim 20, and the various commands moved into
place at all four points of the compass to isolate the city. Haargroth the Blooded
commanded the forces to the east in a built-up area known as the Four Shrines. Sigvald the
Magnificent, finally answering the call to defend his homeland against invaders, marched his
Coterie of Perfection into the hamlet of Goslor, west of the city. Jarl of Skraevold, Kolsveinn
of the Aeslings and Champion of Kharnath, commanded the native Skraevold forces in the
southern gate of the city which would come to be known as the Griffon Foothold. The main
body under Archaon and Vardek Crom the Conqueror encamped directly north of the city in
the five-square-mile hunting ground known as Askreved Park.

The lavish park had existed longer than the city itself. It consisted of a mix of woods and
open space, surrounded by a 15-foot-high wall built long before the races of men dared
tread these lands. There was more than enough room for skirmishing between opposing
forces, should the two sides find themselves doing battle inside the park, and the open
spaces were large enough to allow the cavalry to deploy and charge. Entry into the park was
through half a dozen fortified gates spaced at regular intervals. The terrain itself was less
than desirable; the ground was saturated with water in the summer months. A major stream,
the Aesir, flowed south through the park and emptied into the Groene-Dypvann River east of
Skraevold. In addition to the stream, numerous canals and irrigation ditches crisscrossed the
low-lying grounds. The centerpiece of the park was Skraevold Castle. Although it had been
serving as little more than a hunting lodge, it was in fact an ancient motte & bailey fortress
complete with a moat and drawbridge.

Early Skirmishes
The following day, the Imperials advanced to Skraevold and began constructing earthworks
to protect their guns.
Grimal Volgar led a night raid on one of the four shrines on the opposite side of the Aesir
from the Imperial encampment. The attack was beaten back, but another was attempted
two nights later. This time Volgar focused his attack on the gate at the southern entrance to
the park. His large force destroyed a Hellcannon and inflicted hundreds of casualties on the
Chaos Warriors before it was driven off in a counterattack led by Vardek Crom. The Norscans
subsequently withdrew the battery to Skraevold Castle, which was serving as Archaon’s
headquarters at the time.

These were not the only raids. Archaon had a retinue of 12 Chaos Sorcerers and 6 Chaos
Sorcerer Lords within the city. The first night after the Empire arrived, two fell sick and died.
The next day, two more were found with their throats slit. By the time actual battle was
engaged, only The Aesling Witch Urda, servant of Tchar survived. She foretold disaster
should they engage the Empire under the shadow of Skraevold. But, she claimed, if they
retreated into the mountains, the Imperials would be slain to a man. None headed her
advice and, by the end of the battle, even she had been assassinated by the Emperor’s
personal spy, a Wood Elf known as The Shadowhelm. Her dark dealings gave the Empire a
considerable advantage in Winds of Magic during the battle, even if her less-than-chivalrous
deeds were never formally acknowledged.

With supplies running low and Autumn soon approaching, the Emperor convened a council
of war to discuss how to break the walls of the city. Fearing they were outnumbered; the
Imperial commanders did not plot a major attack aimed at dislodging the enemy. Instead,
they planned a raid similar to the ones Volgar had conducted, only on a much larger scale.
The plan the council came up with consisted of a raiding party composed primarily of
handgunners, archers and crossbowmen that would gain access to the park at night from
the north, through a breach made by engineers. The main army would follow the
handgunners and pin down any Chaos forces that tried to disrupt the raid in the hopes the
Norscans would withdraw from the park. From there, the Empire cannon could pound the
castle to dust.
The question of who to command this force was, perhaps, the hardest to solve. Many
suggested Grimal Volgar and his Shadowmen. But this would be a larger contingent than
Volgar had ever led and his men would be needed to make smaller raids into the night as
distractions. The Emperor himself offered to lead the men under the veil of his Shadow
Magic, but it was agreed his presence was needed at the forefront. Finally, a volunteer
arose. The 19-year-old Elector Count of Stirland, Graf Albreich Haupt-Anderssen. He
volunterred to lead the raid along with his Stirland archers. Needless to say, there were
doubts about his ability. Many called into question his age. They asked if such a child could
be relied upon to defend the Empire. To this he famously said:

"Don't lecture me about defence! We of the Grand County of Stirland are the ultimate
defence. Who do you think keeps Sylvania in check? Who keeps the dead pinned against the
World's Edge? Stirlanders, that's who!"

This was hard to argue against. At the end of the day, the Emperor gave the young Graf his
trust. The fate of the Empire rested in the teenager’s hands.

Too Early in the Morning for War

The Imperial engineers decided to breach the wall about midway along the north wall. The
army began its march at about 10 pm on Vorgeheim 23. The infantrymen wore white shirts
over their armor to identify friend from foe in the dark. The engineers began their work in
earnest about midnight, but their progress was slow. When the Emperor arrived at the
breach, he found that the engineers were having difficulty breaking through the thick wall
surrounding the park. He had hoped to break through the wall quickly, but they were not
able to make the breach wide enough for troops to begin marching through until around 4
am. The delay in breaching the wall would have a major influence on the course of the
action—instead of the raiders attacking Skraevold in the dark of night, they would not arrive
at their objective until dawn.

At 4 am, Marauder Horsemen scouts reported the Imperials were trying to smash through
the wall and break into the park. Jarl Kolsveinn mustered 3 regiments of Chaos Warriors
called the Doomhost near The Griffon Foothold. They stood ready to march at a moment’s
notice if an enemy attack were to take place.

An hour later, a force of Imperial handgunners, archers and crossbowmen under the
command of Graf Albreich, began passing through the breach and advancing under the
cover of the woods toward Skraevold Castle. The strike force was supported by a battery of
light artillery that was driven through one of the gates. Behind the handgunners and the
battery rode Pistoliers and Ungol Horse Archers; light cavalry that deployed in the open
space between two wooded lots in the northern section of the park. As the Imperials formed
in the northeast corner of the park, Jarl Kolsveinn marched his Doomhost toward the sound
of the enemy advance. Supporting Kolsveinn’s advance were The Worldreavers, mixed units
of Marauders and Marauder Horsemen light cavalry. The time was about 6 am.

The Battlefield
The flood plain of the Groene-Dypvann River was often covered by dense fog in the early
morning during the winter months. Even though the sun had risen, it was nearly impossible
for the troops on both sides to see more than a few yards in front of them. Under such
conditions, it was difficult for the commanders on both sides to coordinate the movement of
their forces that morning.

First Skirmishes
The first clash occurred when Kolsveinn’s Chaos Warriors and light cavalry ran headlong into
the Pistoliers. During their march north through the thick fog, the Norscans had failed to spot
the column of Imperial handgunners marching south toward the fort on their left flank.
However, they did stumble upon the Imperial battery of field guns moving along a wagon
track through the park. The crews fled, and the Norscans spiked more than a dozen guns
and drove back the more lightly armed light cavalry of the Empire.

About that time, a salvo of guns boomed in the distance; this was the signal to The
Champion of Middenheim, to attack the Chaos forces in her front. Her Knights Panther
poured into the city toward the southern entrance to the park, a place the natives of
Skraevold referred to as The Pit.
In the time of Jarl Kolsveinn's grandfather, the village skald was touched by the Skull Lord
and changed into a thing of the gods, transforming into a living sacrament of their power
and might. Seen as a temple of flesh to Kharnath, the villagers of Skraevold make sacrifices
to the beast, that through it their souls might be given to their patron god.
As the knights charged forward they beheld a dark pit behind a gate of iron-banded timbers
containing this enormous Chaos monstrosity. Mounds of skulls grinned from every side of
the pit. The walls were marked with runes and a long palisade, the sharpened ends of the
timbers facing inward and down. So deep was the pit that a log requiring a dozen reavers to
push needed to be cast into it release the horror, forming a makeshift bridge from the one
place the palisade stands open. And release it they did as the bloodbeast burst forth onto
the Empire cavalry.
The Chaos sentries were quickly overrun as the creature could not distinguish friend from
foe, or simply did not care. Archaon was confident in the monster he had left to guard the
entrance, but after a bloody struggle, the unnamed horror came to learn the meaning of the
term “Slayer” and fell to Zaka’s Hexenhammer. By occupying the southern entrance to the
park, Ser Zaka Drin had driven a wedge between the Chaos forces to the east and west of
Skraevold at the Four Shrines and Goslor, respectively. The Chaos army was now essentially
divided into three parts: one inside the park, another at Goslor, and a third at the Four
Shrines. This meant that Archaon and Jarl Kolsveinn could not count on the troops outside of
the park that might have come to their support if the three groups had managed to remain
in contact with each other.

Graf Albreich Haupt-Anderssen’s handgunners and swordsmen emerged from the woods
around 6:30am and stormed Skraevold Castle. The small garrison guarding the castle was
caught completely by surprise and unable to raise the drawbridge before the strike force
poured over it. Other elements of Karl-Franz II’s command swarmed over the Chaos baggage
train parked next to the castle and proceeded to cut down a large group of camp followers,
servants and merchants in cold blood. Although he could not prevent the slaughter of
innocents, Graf Albreich arrived in time to restore order and reorganize the handgunners for
the next phase of the battle.

To the south, the formidable Chaos battery at The Griffon Foothold foiled the initial attempt
by Graf Albreich’s forces at Skraevold to link up with The Champion of Middenheim’s
knights.
Meanwhile, Reiksmarshal Kurt Helborg continued to funnel fresh troops through the breach
and the nearby gates. Around 7am, two large columns of Imperial Greatswords marched into
the park to support Graf Albreich’s foothold at Skraevold. The first column, led by Oleg von
Raukov, entered the park and deployed opposite Jarl Kolsveinn’s Skraevold’s Doomhost. The
two forces quickly closed with each other, and a deadly contest began between the two
sides to see who would control the northeast corner of the park. With the prayers of the
Warrior Priests and spells of the Battle Wizards, the Imperials quickly gained the upper hand,
and the Norscans began to fall back.

Meanwhile, Arch Lector Gunther Steiner led a second infantry column of similar size,
including both Halberdiers and Flagellants, into the park through the breach. They were
screened on their right flank by a mounted force consisting of a core of Empire Knights and
supporting Kislev light cavalry. Steiner’s force formed in reserve to support either Von
Raukov or Graf Albreich, depending on the course of battle.

Chaos Knights Triumphant

Archaon’s camp in the northeast section of the park was located in a wooded area where the
Norscans had cleared enough trees and undergrowth to make room for earthworks and a
battery. Joining Archaon in the camp was a number of Chaos Lords, in addition to Vardek
Crom the Conqueror and his warriors. The Warlord Archaon’s command included the
Skullcrushers known as The Swords of Slaughter, The Endbringers, Chaos Knights and heavy
cavalries, Forsaken and The Bloodshields, mixed units of Chaos Warriors and Chosen.
Opposite the main Chaos position, the Imperials formed a line of battle running from the
northeast to the southwest. As they moved into position, a portion of their force was caught
in a cross-fire by Dawi-Zharr Hellcannons. Imperial casualties from the cannon fire were
relatively light due to the thick fog and the availability of ample cover.

Thinking the Imperials to his front were only part of a raiding party, Archaon prepared to
charge them despite the limitations of the terrain. The mounted Chaos cavalry trotted out
from their camp and formed a diagonal line opposite the Imperials. Facing them were a
mixed force of Kislev Winged Lancers light cavalry and Empire Knights led by the Emperor
himself. The Chaos lances formed into four ranks. In the first rank were the The Swords of
Slaughter and The Endbringers, clad in full plate armor and wielding heavy lances. Behind
them were supporting cavalry of The Worldreavers, Chaos Chariots and Hellstriders of
Slannesh sporting lighter lances and equipped with axe, mace, or war hammer to use after
their lance broke or was discarded following the initial charge. Among the light cavalry were
also axe and javelin throwers. Although the Imperial cavalry was not as well armoured as the
Northmen and was substantially outnumbered by their opponents, it formed up to receive
the charge. The Emperor said to those around him: “Where men draw breath, there is hope.
Follow me and do as I do.”

Archaon ordered his lances forward, and the Imperial knights charged in response. Within
seconds, the two sides crashed into each other in a fury of steel and flesh. The Swords of
Slaughter rent deep gaps in the inferior Empire Knights and drove them back 500 yards.
Savaged and battered, the Empire cavalry turned tail and fled. Emperor Karl-Franz II sought
to restrain the rout, but his Reiksguard captain judged the battle to be lost and dragged the
Emperor from the field. Those Empire Knights who could escape with their lives did so by
riding south or east. It appeared all was over. The Empire had lost. The Endbringers were
forced to stop at the tree line of the forest that bordered Skraevold Castle on the north.
There, exhausted but elated, they rested, holding the false belief that the threat to their
camp had been removed. Archaon remarked: “Lord Vardek, now I am really am the Lord of
the End Times!”

But Archaon had spoken too soon. The Chaos cavalry had outrun their infantry support and
were blocking the field of fire that their Hellcannons had enjoyed before the charge.
Although the Emperor had left the field of battle with his retreating cavalry, Arch Lector
Steiner was nearby to take charge of the situation after the Chaos charge ended at 7:45am.
He quickly assessed the situation and, with the forces available to him, set about isolating
the Chaos Knights with the aim of destroying them.

Death Marches on Foot

Arch Lector Steiner was the only one on the field who truly feared for the battle might be
lost. He knew that, were the Emperor to be slain, no one on the battlefield, Empire or Chaos,
would survive. Steiner ordered Graf Albreich’s handgunners, crossbowmen and archers to
attack the right flank of the Chaos cavalry. The handgunners took up well-concealed
positions in the irrigation ditches surrounding Skraevold Castle and poured heavy fire into
the ranks of the horsemen, who found it difficult to retreat across the marshy ground. At the
same time, Steiner sent word to both Prince Ulther Stonehammer and Oleg von Raukov for
reinforcements. Both commanders marched briskly to his support. Oleg von Raukov moved
through the open woods north of Askreved with 4,000 of his Stalwart Bull Greatswords from
the reserve column to assail the Chaos Endbringers’ left flank. The Greatswords had driven
Jarl Kolsveinn of the Aeslings well back in the northeast sector. Kolsveinn and his remaining
troops died screaming as they were buried alive by an enormous comet form the sky,
courtesy of the Empire’s Celestial Wizard. Thus, Von Raukov had ample troops to spare.
When the messenger arrived from Arch Lector Steiner, Prince Ulther immediately ordered
his captain, Borri Forkbeard, to disengage. Prince Ulther’s Dragon Company arrived on the
Chaos right flank to support Karl-Franz II’s handgunners and add their pistols to their volleys
about the same time that substantial Chaos infantry reinforcements came up.

By 8 am, the situation facing the Chaos cavalry was grim. Unable to reform or retreat in the
boggy ground, they were outflanked on both sides. Their only hope for relief lay in the
infantry commanded by Haargroth the Blooded. Learning that the Warlord Archaon and his
Lords were in grave danger, Haargroth marched his Forsaken and The Bloodshields toward
the action. But the ensuing counterattack could not save The Swords of Slaughter or The
Endbringers, who were being shot to pieces by the Imperial handgunners and Dragon
Company pistols when the Chaos infantry arrived. Missile fire felled horses and toppled
Chaos Knights and Skullcrushers from the saddle. Once on the ground, they were finished off
by Imperial infantry with knives or firearms at close range.

Almost all the prominent Chaos Lords who fought alongside Archaon were killed. Lord
Alfkaell, Bloodfather and Seer of the Aeslings, was unhorsed by enemy soldiers and
dispatched with a knife through an opening in his armor at the neck. Kordel Shorgaar,
Standard Bearer of the Swords of Chaos, was pierced to death by dozens of halberds while
still astride his war horse. Quickly and efficiently, the Imperial handgunners and halberdiers
surrounded the remaining knights and finished them off. The horror of the moment gripped
Archaon, who cried out in disbelief: “Dark Gods, what is this?”

When The Bloodshields arrived astride the right flank of the cavalry about 8:15am, they
immediately became engaged in a shield wall with the Flagellants. The unarmoured
Sigmarites were little match for the Chaos troops but held the line and refused to break as
the Chosen and Forsaken were flanked by the Stalwart Bulls. The Chosen fought bravely, but
fell to the charge of the Greatswords, who were reinforced by fresh troops and supported by
detachments of halberds, a Warrior Priest and Battle Wizard’s spells. They also had
experience in fighting Chaos Chosen at Castle Rauken, while The Bloodshields had never
encountered the tactics of the civilized lands before. Haargroth the Blooded went down in
the confused fighting among the formations, trampled nearly to death by his own retreating
troops and trampled to actual death by a dozen flails of battle mad Flagellants. Nearly all the
Chaos troops were slain where they stood. The few survivors that managed to flee were
hotly pursued by the Sigmarites, who overran the Hellcannon as they took complete control
of the battlefield.

Just to the north, the slaughter of the Norscan cavalry continued in earnest. But Archaon
would not be defeated. He would have refused to retreat even if he could have done so and
found himself in extreme danger. He fought fiercely atop his daemon steed as the beast was
assailed by quarrel and shot. The Warlord found himself surrounded by a large number of
halberdiers and handgunners who were determined to kill him. Twice the foot soldiers
rushed him from behind, but he managed to drive them off each time, suffering only
superficial wounds to his face and sword arm thanks to his Armour of Morkar. Archaon
hacked and slashed at the growing horde of Empire infantry, slaying dozens of footmen with
The Slayer of Kings. His massive warhorse, Dorghar, Steed of the Apocalypse, appeared
riddled with wounds, but still crushed all who approached in beneath its daemonic hooves.
Vardek Crom the Conqueror began strategically cutting a path through the southern flank,
hoping to create an opening for his cavalry to regroup through in hopes of saving this battle.
But Archaon would not budge from his position. He lived for battle and thought, perhaps,
that he could slay every enemy on the field with his own two hands.
Seeing that his victory might slip away, the Emperor regrouped his cavalry and ordered a
charge on the Warlord. One by one, Knights Panther and Reiksguard fell to The Slayer of
Kings until the Emperor himself charged forward to face Archaon. The Reikmarshall Kurt
Helborg led the sortie through the remaining Chaos Knights while the Emperor's Champion
Ludwig Schwarzhelm engaged with Vardek Crom to protect the Emperor's flank. While the
Armour of Morkar could not stand against the Emperor's magical sword Dragon Tooth, some
dark magic seemed to allow Archaon to predict the attacks of his enemy and counter or
avoid them. The Emperor, shrouded in the protective magic of the Wind of Ulgu, fought with
skill and ferocity, but it was soon clear he was in grave danger.
Dorghar, Steed of the Apocalypse, brought up its firesy hoove to strike at Karl-Franz II, but
the fiersome jaws of Frostfang would not allow it to get close. The giant wolf had grown
larger and fiercer than any of the Imperial Zoo would have thought possible. It used that
size, power and magic to protect its master and rend at the flesh of the daemon steed.
The Emperor was no great warrior, but he cast spells of shadow and might which cut and
wounded at the Warlord greater than any knight could hope to achieve. But in a duel, even
with his Reikmarshal protecting him, it seemed unlikely he could stand before Archaon.
Seeing the Emperor in danger, Valmir von Raukov lowered his lance and charged into the
Warlord, leading his Knights of the Crimson Horns, into Archaon’s left flank. He added the
strength of his sword Brain Wounder to theirs and poured his pain, sorrow, loss and grief
from losing his eldest son into each blow with unmatched, focused fury.
But even against these three mighty warriors, Archaon seemed to have the advantage.
Though all three fought as if unwounded, each had taken a blow from the Slayer of Kings
and it appeared as if they would soon take more. Until, suddenly, a flash of light streamed
across the battlefield and the battle would begin its ending.
Under orders from Arch Lector Steiner, the artillery had moved closer to the front lines and
began pouring shot and round into the Chaos troops. The thousands of remaining Chaos
Warriors soon became hundreds as they were ripped apart by point blank shots of
Hellbalster Volleyguns, Mortars and grapeshot from Great Cannons. This artillery also
included the Luminark of Hysh. The bright machine set its target and sent forth a
devastating ray of soulfire known as Solheim's Bolt of Illumination into the fray. The Bolt
soared across the battlefield in deafening silence before it struck Dorghar, Steed of the
Apocalypse. The beast fell prone and Archaon was thrown to the ground. His enemies fell
upon him with fervour, hacking at him from atop their steeds as the Warlord tried in vain to
fend off their blows. One hack from Dragon Tooth struck his right arm and the Slayer of
Kings fell to the ground.

At that moment, Vardek Crom, who had returned to the thick of the fighting once the
Imperial reinforcements arrived, rode into the fray, swinging his sword from left to right to
protect the Warlord and hold back the bloodthirsty Imperials. He gave no thought to his own
safety as Ludwig Schwarzhelm struck and wounded the retreating Chaos Lord. His horse
rearing and plunging, Vardek Crom managed to clear a path to Archaon and was soon joined
by a band of The Swords of Chaos whom he called on to help him lead Archaon away. A brief
but bitter fight ensued between the Emperor and his retinue for control of the great Chaos
Warlord, ending when the Empire cut down nearly all the Chaos Warriors blocking their path.
While this was happening, Archaon called for Vardek Crom to hand him his sword while
Crom urged the injured Warlord to take refuge in a nearby hedge until order could be
restored. When the fighting died down, Archaon crawled out from beneath the hedge and
scrambled back to his feet. Archaon, again, called for his sword. Looking at the Warlord’s
bloody face, Vardek Crom asked, “Sire, are you severely wounded?” “No,” Archaon replied.
“Hardly at all. Give me my sword.”

The Gifts of Chaos are powerful things. Crom looked at the sacred blade of Vangel, the
second Everchosen, in his hand and the soul of the greater daemon U'Zhul the Skulltaker,
imprisoned within the blade, whispered to him. Crom followed Archaon because the dark
lord proved himself a more capable warrior when the two had dueled out on the frozen
steppe of Crom’s homeland. But it was only when Archaon first drew his Slayer of Kings that
Vardek surrendered, awed by its power and majesty. Now that power was his. He had
sacrificed his life to serve Archaon, whom he believed to be the Chosen of the Gods. But it
now seemed the gods had abandoned him. Khorne and his sword had, instead, chosen
Crom. Vardek knew now that he was stronger than Archaon had ever been. Archaon’s only
strength came from the magical weapons of Chaos. If he could wield them, anyone could. If
he could seek to be the Everchosen, so could the Conqueror. It was then that Vardek Crom
the Conqueror, Herald of Archaon, the most loyal and devoted of his Lord's companions,
possessed of an ambition that burned like fire, plunged the Slayer of Kings into Archaon's
back.

By this time, the Chaos army was in full rout. The Dragon Company had overrun the Chaos
camp in the northwest quadrant, and Von Raukov's Stalwart Bulls had driven the Chaos
Warriors out of the park via The Griffon Foothold. Vardek Crom the Conqueror rallied the
remaining Chaos troops towards the Four Shrines sector, as they continued their retreat
toward a single pontoon crossing over the Groene-Dypvann, closely pursued by The
Champion of Middenheim’s and Von Raukov’s troops. The pontoon bridge could not
accommodate the thousands of retreating troops, and only about half of the Norscans made
it across to the other bank. Those not so lucky were either cut down by their pursuers or
drowned trying to cross the river.

On the opposite side of the city, in the Goslor district, Sigvald the Magnificent retreated
north, having made no effort to reinforce or rescue Archaon. Vardek Crom the Conqueror,
wielding of The Slayer of Kings, positioned himself as the true Chosen of the Gods. He
traveled west, besting the foreign invaders of his lands, rallying many Norscan tribes to his
side and subduing the rest beneath his iron heel. Archaon was nowhere to be found. He
escaped the battlefield and traveled north to tend to his wounds and plot his revenge. He
still had 2 of the 6 Gifts of Chaos and vowed he would still become the Everchosen, even if it
took him another 100 years.
When the fog lifted around 9am, the Imperials saw that they were in firm control of the
entire battlefield and also of Skraevold itself. They had won a decisive victory, one that
would allow them to march unabated through the rest of the Norscan lands.

March to the Sea

The Emperor eschewed a march back to Ostland, as he feared his army would become
trapped in Kislev for the winter and he did not have the supplies or money to keep them.
Rather, he sent a message back to the Witch-Hunter Knight, Captain Brunhilde Wilke to
bring her fleet, any available Empire or civilian ships to sail to the Gulf of Maelstrom and
retrieve his army there. This was a dangerous proposition. The Sea of Claws is perilous
sailing in the best of weather. In the Autumn storms, it can be downright brutal. But Karl-
Franz II had every confidence in Wilke and, more likely, in the abilities of his Celestial
Wizards, to bring his men home. So began the second trek of the Great Crusade.

Blood for the Sigmar God. Skulls for Emperor’s Throne.

The Battles of the Monoliths and of Skraevold proved to be a great defeat for the Ruinous
Powers. But what followed the Empire victory was more terrible than anything the
worshipers of those dark gods could imagine.
It started when the Kossars and Ungols began making their way back to Kislev. At the strong
encouragement of the Empire, they stopped at every Norscan village between Skraevold
and Zoishenk and razed it to the ground. In truth, they needed little encouragement. Such a
force of arms would likely never be free to march this far north again and the ability to
revenge themselves on their ancient enemy which had killed so many of their ancestors and
loved ones was a temptation they would not ignore. As they swept through the country,
surplus Empire equipment was sold to the Ungol tribes in the hopes they, too, might use
their new-found largess to reap havoc on the Chaos worshipping nomads of the Troll
Country. They did so with gleeful abandon.

There was no glee or joy in the work of the Empire. Just brutal, ruthless efficiency that
spared no one. Every village and town along their path were not just razed, it was
obliterated. The earth was salted, the forests burned, the water poisoned, the game
massacred and no stone was left standing upon another. No one was spared from the wrath
of the Empire. Women and children were slaughtered with brutal efficiency. At first, this was
the revenge of wrathful men. All had witnessed the deprivations Chaos had wrought on them
in the spring and they sought revenge for their comrades who had died fighting those early,
one-sided battles. But many were from Ostland and had suffered Chaos raid throughout
their lifetimes. For every wife or child or distant kin a soldier had lost, they paid back these
Norscans tenfold.
After a few of these paroxysms of revenge, the fire faded from their hearts and their
revenge was quenched. For the Sigmarites and their Arch Lectors, this march of destruction
was not about revenge. It was about securing their Empire. They intended to make this part
of Norsca unlivable for a generation. The most habitable part of the Chaos Wastes was just
south of the Trollheim and Gianthome Mountains. The Church intended to depopulate the
whole of it and make it nigh uninhabitable. Women give birth to warriors and children grow
up to become them. Karl-Franz II had sworn a vow to protect the men of the Empire who
those warriors would slay. If the Norscans sought to raid his lands, they would not do it from
here.
Thus, the ruination of the North became a monotonous duty, perfected like clockwork.
The Empire had already done this to the Baernsonling lands of the East and had left nothing
but desolation where Skraevold once stood. But those lands were mostly barren anyway.
As the Empire approached closer to the bay, the villages turned to towns and towns grew
larger and larger. At first, each of them put up a small fight with what garrison they had left.
But most warriors of any skill or renown had left for the armies of Archaon or Mortkin. The
charges of these Marauder garrisons were skewered upon halberds, cut down by crossbows
and run down by knights. Before dawn of the next day, there was nothing left of their village
or their tribe.
One by one, the Norscan village fell to the efficacious Imperial war machine. Einarrstoft and
Thorshafn. Gotland and Ulfenwyr. Faeringhold and Tillbearga. Holmsteinn and Tyvfjord. As
Autumn began, they no longer existed. Within a generation, no one will ever remember they
had.
The Empire divided its army in two parts. The main encampment went north towards
Stromstaad while a heavy force of infantry and artillery went south to lay siege to Selthis
Lysk. By the time the Northern Fleet arrived to transport the army south, Nårberg,
Skygghaug, Fjord's Edge and Stromstaad had all been eradicated while the Empire's
cannons had pounded Selthis Lysk to dust.

The fleet hugged the cost on its way back to Gauschdorf, stopping to raze the coastal
villages of Graennae, Jaarpen and Angvold.

Aftermath
Upon their return, the soldiers of the Great Crusade were greeted as heroes, but, in truth,
their victory felt much like a loss. Victories in battle came with casualties that would have
been unacceptable in any other war. Inexperience with long campaigns meant thousands
died of disease. Far too many wounded soldiers sent back along the supply line routs
perished on the journey. Autumn storms sank ship in the Sea of Claws, drowning hundreds
of men alive.
Only three fourths of the men who set out on the Crusade returned uninjured. Of the
unfortunate third, half of them did not live to see spring.
Upon Emperor Karl-Franz II’s return to Altdorf, he received unprecedented support from the
Cult of Sigmar. However, he soon received considerable backlash from the nobility he
snubbed in the reorganizing of the Imperial state troops.
The Empire’s battles had only just begun.