Warhammer Armies: Hordes of Chaos 6th Ed. (2002) - Download as PDF File (.pdf) or read online. Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site.

• Warhammer Hordes Of Chaos Army Book Pdf

Share.Warhammer: Chaosbane can stand proudly alongside some of the best games to have used this setting.ByHoly crap, there’ve been a lot of Warhammer games lately! But few have been as good as This action-RPG has it where it counts, with fun classes, good boss fights, and a decent loot system. It trips up on presentation in some places, including some terrible voice acting, but it manages to get the feel of Games Workshop’s dark fantasy setting right.The moment-to-moment combat in Chaosbane is some of the best I’ve gotten my bloodstained hands on in recent times. Whether you’re using a controller or a mouse and keyboard, moving, slashing, casting spells, and leaping through hordes of cultists to fire off a barrage of arrows all feels precise and impactful – though you can’t switch between them without going into a menu, which I found annoying since I like to fight with my thumbsticks and switch to seamlessly managing inventory with my clicker. Encounters have a satisfying flow with a good variety of enemies, though there aren’t a lot of elites with memorable or dangerous abilities you have to watch out for on the difficulties available at the start. They do show up when you unlock the higher levels, though.

Bosses are great on any difficulty setting. Each terrifying Greater Daemon features a variety of interesting mechanics that only had me cursing at my monitor once or twice – which is right about the sweet spot for tough RPG baddies. They force you to stay mobile and take opportunities to do damage when you can, which is a nice change of pace from most of the horde fights.

The Plaguebringer, a very early boss, did get on my nerves a bit more than the others because the waves of minions he spawns are so numerous that the fight drags out way longer than I felt it needed to. But other than that, my only major disappointment was that I only got four of these things to go toe-to-toe with. “Three of the four classes are absolutely excellent, to the point that I had a really hard time picking a favorite.Taking on these hordes is a bloody, chaotic pleasure thanks to a choice of four very distinct and well-designed classes. Three of them are absolutely excellent, to the point that I had a really hard time picking a favorite. Elessa the Wood Elf Archer nimbly leaps from place to place, always staying on the move and benefitting from an energy recovery mechanic that encourages you to find and tag your wandering spirit friend every time he lights up. Bragi the Dwarf Slayer is the archetypical Berserker: he builds up stacks of fury the longer he stays in combat to boost his energy regeneration as he rips through crowds of baddies. This High Elf Mage may be the most fun I’ve ever had with a magic-user in an ARPG, thanks to his ability to take direct control of his spells using the spacebar or the left stick.

This trick is extremely powerful if you master it, but it’s a real mental exercise to maintain positioning of both a spell and yourself during a hectic brawl. Which is, you know, how playing as a damn sorcerer should feel!Then there’s, uh, a guy with a sword. I mean, he’s okay. He’s just not anywhere near as fun as the other three classes, especially in solo play where his defensive and taunt abilities slow you down more than they help out like they do in co-op. Sorry, Vollen.

Each character has multiple progression paths that give them new and exciting combat options in addition to incremental increases in power. Dozens of active and passive skills can be mixed and matched to assemble a build, with higher-tier versions of abilities costing more of a character’s finite pool of skill points. Even in the late game, you won’t be able to equip maxed-out versions of everything, which incentivizes making meaningful choices between a more versatile character with a grab bag of lower-tier skills, or a specialist who focuses on the fully-upgraded versions of a smaller number of them.

There’s also a God Skill Tree that functions more like a typical RPG talent tree, with each being based on the character’s patron god. Most nodes on the tree give a small stat boost, but some can totally change the way you play – I was able to turn Elessa into a summoner who relies on hordes of dryads to hold back the tide of enemies, which was a lot of fun.The all-important itemization is pretty well done, though not anything close to revolutionary. I didn’t come across a lot of gear that totally opened up new playstyles or gave me that feeling of going immediately from zero to hero. But the stat choices I got to make were interesting without being overwhelming, and the clean, readable UI makes it very easy to compare different pieces. There may well be more game-changers beyond my 25 or so hours of play on the harder, unlockable difficulties where Heroic-quality items really start to pop up, however. “The story wouldn't be enough to keep me invested if the combat hadn’t been as fun as it is, but it didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment, either.The story is well, it’s Warhammer.

Set about 200 years before Karl Franz and co. Take the stage, and things are quite bad as the forces of Chaos are mounting one of their greatest invasions ever. You get to interact with some cool figures from the lore like Prince Teclis and Emperor Magnus the Pious, which is neat if you know who they are. You’ll journey from the burning streets of Praag to the frozen wastes of Norsca, where each map is full of personality accentuated by effective art, music, and sound design.

There are some interesting twists and memorable side characters, too. Someone is probably going to try to sell you out to a demon lord at some point. It was mostly what I would expect: not enough to keep me invested if the combat hadn’t been as fun as it is, but it didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment, either.In the long run, I’ll probably spend more of my time in the post-story modes, like randomized Expeditions and Boss Rush, so a less than spectacular story can be forgiven.

Expeditions take place on shuffled versions of maps used for the campaign, which can get a little old after a while. I ended up in the same exact sections of hallway in the Nuln sewers often enough that each expedition didn’t feel as much like a new adventure as I’d like.

With Karl Franz rode two of the greatest warriors of the Empire – the Grand Marshal of the Reiksguard Kurt Helborg and the Emperor’s personal Champion Ludwig Schwartzhelm. Helborg advised engaging Archaon’s army as swiftly as possible while it still reeled from the counterattack of the Middenheim defenders. The Grand Marshal feared that Archaon would withdraw further to the north and east and possibly even reach Brass Keep. If such a move was allowed, the Everchosen could fortify the castle and create a place from which to launch further attacks into the Empire. Karl Franz concurred with this view and charged Helborg to lead the army to victory that same day.Archaon had withdrawn from cannon range of the city. Near the village of Sokh, he waited for the attack of his enemies.

He knew that Valten and his righteous army of Flagellants and Priests was not far to the east and resolved to destroy the two main forces opposing him one after the other. If they were allowed to unite, then he would be outnumbered and outflanked.So it was that in the early hours of the afternoon, the Reiksguard led the first charge against the army of Archaon. Supported by cannon fire, they braved the magical bombardment of the Chaos Dwarf Hellcannons outside Sokh and drove deep into the warbands of Styrkaar.

Seeing the threat, Archaon counter-attacked, assaulting not the Reiksguard but the infantry regiments that were following up in support. While the Lord of the End Times slew the soldiers in their hundreds, Haargroth the Blooded One cut off the retreat of the Reiksguard. Helborg, his tactical mind as keen as ever, saw the closing trap, pressed the attack, broke through Styrkaar’s horde, and headed north, away from the fighting.Archaon was content to allow the Empire army to withdraw and knew that his enemies would be disheartened to have experienced such defiance from a supposedly broken foe. Tomorrow, he would turn eastward and attack Valten on the march.

Of the daunting host of Archaon, a few thousand warriors still remained, though their numbers had been reinforced by hundreds more warriors coming south from Frote. At the forefront of the army stood Haargroth and his blood-crazed Khornate warriors.

The berserk Champion stood and bellowed abuse at the approaching foe as Karl Franz ordered his army forward. Though the Empire army outnumbered Archaon’s by several thousand soldiers, Kurt Helborg had warned that no easy victory would be won this day. His forces faced the veterans of the campaign: the most hardened soldiers, the most brutal beasts, and the most terrifying monsters.The Imperial artillery began its bombardment of Sokh a little before noon and rained down cannon and mortar shells onto the village. Karl Franz had already promised to compensate the villagers who stood and watched their homes smashed asunder, though many had to be forcibly restrained from haranguing the gun captains as they did their duty.After nearly an hour, the guns fell silent, which was not part of the Empire’s plan.

Having eluded Boris Todbringer, Khazrak One-Eye had doubled back to Middenheim and fallen upon the artillery from the forest’s edge. Now, there was desperate fighting around the emplacements. The roar of volleys guns and the horrifying bellows of Shaggoths echoed out across the battlefield. Knowing that his Knights would be little use in the confined streets of Sokh, Karl Franz ordered them to turn around to support the artillery, while the infantry moved forward.Ar-Ulric and a contingent of Teutogen Guard led the attack and were the first into Sokh. Calling upon Ulric for guidance, Ar-Ulric laid about to the left and right with the Hammer-Axe of Skoll. Haargroth plowed into the Teutogen Guard and left a trail of dismembered bodies and severed heads.

His axe crushed armour and chewed through flesh and bone. Three dozen skulls were given to Khorne before Ar-Ulric Valgeir stepped forward, drove the hammer head of his blessed weapon into Haargroth’s helm, and then raked the blade across the Khorne Champion’s chest. With the name of his god upon his lips, Ar-Ulric drove the Hammer-Axe of Skoll into Haargroth’s head, and the Blooded One was no more.The fighting was particularly fierce in the streets of Sokh, where the numbers and organisation of the Empire army counted for little against the raw skill and ferocity of the northmen they faced. By mid afternoon, bloodied and demoralised, regiments were pulling back from the fighting, unable to gain any kind of ground in the village. More men joined the retreat as the sky darkened overhead and filled with unnatural thunderheads. Lightning flashed between the black clouds.

No doubt some foul sorcery was at work.In the pitch black, noises could be heard from the east, and in the flashes of lightning, there were brief illuminations of metal and polished bone. A red glow filled the air.

As it spread, it revealed the assembled ranks of the army of Sylvania. Tattered banners fluttered in the unnatural breeze, while ranks of immobile warriors stood in the twilight. At their head, astride a skeletal steed with burning eyes, sat Mannfred von Carstein.

Around him were a gaggle of lesser Vampires and necromantic underlings.Dismounting, the Undead ruler of Sylvania took several paces to the front of the army and raised his arms in the air. As he conjured his spell, the air above him began to swirl, and the susurrant chanting of his minions grew in volume. With a final incantation, Mannfred brought his hands together, accompanied by a deafening clap of thunder. Lightning rained down upon the battlefield, and where it struck, a glowing nimbus of energy remained for a moment.

Slowly, the thousands of slain from four days of fighting began to pull themselves to their feet. Undead Warriors of Chaos once more hefted brutal axes and maces, and dead Imperial Halberdiers gripped the hafts of their weapons.Further swelled by the invocation, the army of the dead swept into Sokh and slaughtered everything in their path.

Faced with such unnatural terrors, the army of Archaon finally broke, and those who survived fled north. With Middenheim safe and Valten beyond his grasp, Archaon knew that he had failed.

It is not known at which point he departed during the fighting, but it is believed that he headed into the Middle Mountains, perhaps to the ruins of Brass Keep.With the army of Chaos crushed, Mannfred turned his host toward Middenheim. As the frightened army of Karl Franz drew up at the foot of the eastern causeway, a single figure rode out from the Undead lines. Different approaches to management. It was Mannfred himself, who slowly came forward on his steed and stopped a few dozen paces from where Karl Franz sat on Deathclaw, flanked by Kurt Helborg and Ludwig Schwartzhelm. The Vampire’s voice rose above the tumult of the storm. “As my sire once called upon your ancestor, I shall call upon you. Surrender the city to me, and you shall be spared. Resist, and you shall all die.”A solitary figure walked out from the Empire regiments and confronted Mannfred.

His bald head glistened in the light of the raging storm, his long moustache whipped across his cheeks in the howling wind. Arms crossed, a frown on his face, Volkmar the Grim stared into the eyes of the Vampire Lord.' Nearly five hundred years ago, a man like me killed a monster like you. It can be done again.”Mannfred considered his options and looked at the stern-faced Theogonist.

The Vampire remembered well the sight of Grand Theogonist Wilhelm throwing himself off the walls of Altdorf with Vlad von Carstein and impaling both of them on the stakes below. Mannfred thought also of his lands and the encroaching army of Vardek Crom. With a snarl, Mannfred turned his nightmarish steed around and rode east, his deathly army following in his wake.As night fell, the fields and forests around Middenheim were quiet, almost silent. For the first time in nearly three months, the sound of war could not be heard. The Battle of Middenheim had been won. Archaon’s Horde had spread misery and death across Ostland, Hochland, and Middenland.

Tens of thousands were homeless and starving. Their fields had been burned, and their homes were left in ruins. Confronted by the full horror of Chaos, many were the folk who had been driven insane through terror and misery. The forests were crawling with soldiers and peasants who had abandoned their gods and bartered their souls to the all-conquering power of the Dark Gods.Though Middenheim had been defended to the last and Archaon’s horde was shattered, the remnants of warbands and Beast Herds still lurked throughout the northern Empire. Zundap was overrun with verminous Skaven, who had turned the old steam mill into an unholy hive of rat creatures.

Brass Keep was just an empty shell. Its dark corners were home to strange beasts and twisted spawn, and the warriors of the Dark Gods gathered in its ruined towers and cellars.Middenheim itself had been scarred by the Hellcannons of the Everchosen, and its causeways were choked with the dead.

Warhammer Hordes Of Chaos Army Book Pdf

Deep in the Ulricsberg, the Doom Hemisphere of the Skaven emitted light an energy as it gathered power for detonation. The tunnels and corridors were teeming with Skaven as they fled the coming blast. Skirmishes erupted between them and the adventurers and sewer jacks who had ventured into the depths after hearing tales of a doomsday device within the catacombs.With a blast of greenish light, the Doom Hemisphere exploded, flooding the tunnels with waves of mutating energy, though the intricate device did not fully explode. Men and Skaven were twisted inside out. Their bodies melted, and their skin was blistered by the baleful energies.

The rocks themselves melted and ran, opening up new chambers and sealing old tunnels. Though its power had been unleashed, the Doom Hemisphere had not detonated fully and now sits dormant, awaiting activation once again, somewhere deep in the twisted maze of new tunnels.Even as the threat of devastation at the hands of Archaon’s followers passed, a new danger rose up within the Empire – schism. With Valten lying comatose in the temple of Shallya and Huss maintaining a vigil by his side, the Grand Theogonist Johannes Esmer came to Middenheim. With Volkmar returned, but possibly cursed by the taint of Chaos that had been the source of his rebirth, there were calls for Esmer to stand down. However, the current Grand Theogonist’s supporters called for Volkmar to bless Esmer’s appointment.The few survivors of Valten’s army - crazed Flagellants and battle-hungry Warrior Priests – began to stir up trouble around Middenheim and called for Esmer to leave. In the midst of this confusion, there was a growing voice among the priests of Ulric for there to be reforms in the Electors, the ancient arguments resurfacing in the wake of the conflict.And at the heart of it all, there was growing strife over Valten. There were calls for him to be named Emperor once he recovered.

Others maintained that Huss’s claim was false and pointed to Valten’s grievous wound at the hand of Archaon as proof that the blacksmith’s son was not divine. With the Empire still in disarray and his armies much reduced, Karl Franz knew that law and order needed to be restored as quickly as possible. Looting, lynch mobs, and dark cults were beginning to spread across Middenland. If lawlessness were allowed to continue, the Empire could be lost to anarchy.So it was that the Emperor consulted with his counselors, among them Volkmar and Esmer, regarding what to do with Valten.

Still bound by his duty to the Empire to maintain the rule he had inherited, Karl Franz was loath to give up his office to Valten. However, keeping his office was tantamount to declaring Huss a liar.

Who would not see Sigmar reborn as the new Emperor?Esmer and Boris Todbringer asked for three days to find a solution. Emperor Franz told them that anything they could do to halt the impending internecine conflict would be welcome.On the second day, Karl Franz had a visitor. It was Luthor Huss in tears. He cradled the Hammer of Sigmar in his hands. When the Emperor asked what had happened, Huss told him, his voice torn with anguish. Valten had been murdered. When Huss had visited this morning, he had found the Exalted of Sigmar on his bed, transfixed by a glowing green blade.Shocked and unsure, Karl Franz made his way to the Temple of Shallya to see for himself what had occurred.

Teutogen Guard barred the entrances but allowed him to pass into the chamber where Valten had slept. There was no sign of him. There was blood on the bed and floor. On the walls, in crimson, was scratched a rough triangle with a slash through it.

Huss asked what he should do. The Emperor, taking Ghal Maraz from Huss’s grasp, surveyed the scene once more and then turned to Luther.“You shall go forth among the people and say that Sigmar has left us, as he did so many centuries ago. Give them hope in these dark times.

Do not betray their faith. Tell them that he has left his hammer to me, as a sign of his trust, and tell them that you are still his prophet and shall look for his return again when we most need him.”. C5600 to -c4500Chaos Erupts from the Polar Warp-GatesIn the mists of the ancient past, interdimensional portals created by the enigmatic Old Ones collapse, allowing Chaos energy to rage out of control from the polar warp gates. The Slann, servants of the Old Ones, bend every effort toward containing the damage wrought by the destruction of the gates, but the Slann are few in number. From that time on, Chaos exists in the world and slowly grows in power with every passing year. (Warhammer Armies: Hordes of Chaos, Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen)Many thousands of years pass.Be'lakor Becomes the First Daemon PrinceThe first mortal made immortal, Be'lakor rules supreme as a Daemon Prince for centuries. However, his pride becomes his undoing, angers Tzeentch, and incurs the wrath of the Changer of Ways.

Be'lakor is cursed to become the true spirit of Chaos and takes the mantle of the Harbinger, he who crowns conquerors. (Warhammer Armies: Hordes of Chaos)The First Favoured Warlord of Chaos, Morkar the Uniter, Is Crowned by Be'lakorThe first Champion of Chaos crowned by Be'lakor is known as Morkar the Uniter. Morkar begins a massive war from the Chaos Wastes and is defeated only with great effort by the elder races. Be'lakor's enforced servitude fans the flames of jealousy and frustration in his heart, causing his downward spiral into madness. (Warhammer Armies: Hordes of Chaos)A long time passes (approximately 1,500 years).c1999 –to c2,000 Be'lakor Rules Mordheim as the ShadowlordBe'lakor briefly manages to escape his curse by assuming the form of the Shadowlord in the blighted city of Mordheim. There, he possesses the body of the next favoured warlord, Khaardun the Gloried, but finds himself trapped, sustained by the warpstone permeating Mordheim's ruins and unable to escape.

Eventually, consumed by rage and hate, his corporeal form is destroyed. Be'lakor returns to his tormented existence and slowly loses his grip on sanity. (UK WD 268)300 years pass2301-2302 The Great War Against ChaosAsavar Kul is another chosen Champion of Chaos crowned by Be'lakor.

Kul nearly destroys the Empire with his invasion but is slain by Magnus the Pious in an act that united the fractious peoples of the Empire for centuries afterward. Be'lakor's mind is snapped by the defeat, and his powers are bent on securing the Crown of Domination for himself. (UK WD 270)2??? An unknown Templar of Sigmar reads the Prophecies of Necrodomo the Insane.Going insane with betrayal, he swears allegiance to the Dark Gods and vows the destruction of the Empire.Over 200 years pass.2502 Karl Franz Becomes Emperor (Warhammer Armies: Empire)c2504 Valten Is BornGrimgor Battles the Skaven of Karak UngorAlways seeking more battles and more strong enemies to fight, Black Orc Warboss Grimgor Ironhide fights his way past Karak Kadrin, into Kislev, and through the Worlds Edge Mountains.

Under the ancient Dwarf hold of Karak Ungor, Grimgor slaughters thousands of Skaven while wandering through the tunnels. The Black Orc grows weary of lesser foes and begins to consider taking his axe elsewhere. (UK WD 251 )Luthor Huss Becomes a Warrior Priest of SigmarIn the early years of Karl Franz's reign, a young boy appears at a Sigmarite monastery and pleads to be allowed into the ranks of the warrior monks. His burning desire to fight Chaos is clear to all, and the young man's name is Luthor Huss. Huss becomes a strong and formidable Warrior Priest of Sigmar, preaching the word of his deity in combat against Beastmen and other foul minions of the Dark Gods. In addition, Luthor Huss focuses his efforts on cleansing the Sigmarite church from corrupt and slothful priests. Ready to do battle with faith and hammer, this holy man wanders the Empire and seems to appear wherever Sigmar's people are threatened by evil.

(UK WD 252 )2518 Elector Count Boris Todbringer and Khazrak One-Eye Begin Their FeudMany Beastmen herds roam the dark depths of Drakwald forest. One such herd is led by Khazrak, a cunning Beastlord often reckoned among the most dangerous chieftains of his kind.

Elector Count Boris Todbringer of Middenheim leads many attempts to slay Khazrak and, once, manages to cut out the Beastlord's eye with his Runefang sword, the birthright of every Elector Count in the Empire. Khazrak's wound never fully heals, encouraging the Beastlord to greater degrees of both ferocity and wariness. Khazrak comes up with a plan of ambushes that lures the Elector Count into a vulnerable position where Khazrak puts out Boris Todbringer's eye in revenge. Both leaders continue the vendetta. (Warhammer Armies: Beasts of Chaos)Grimgor Battles the Kurgan of the Dark LandsGrimgor battles the Skaven through their subterranean tunnels until he defeats the Rat Ogres of Clan Moulder single-handedly. Tiring of slaughtering Skaven, the Black Orc Warboss sets his sights on a stronger foe: the Chaos Warriors of the Kurgan tribes. Grimgor's position at the heart of the eastern steppes actually protects the Empire from Kurgan attacks.

(UK WD 267)2520-2521 Be'lakor, in His New Guise as the Dark Master, Seeks to Escape His Curse Once AgainBe'lakor regains his sanity for a brief time, as a new chosen warlord of Chaos, Archaon, approaches. Before the rising warlord is ready to fulfill his destiny, Be'lakor makes one more attempt to escape his curse.

Be'lakor senses the awesome power of Albion's Ogham Stones and realizes that, with these sources of magic, he could finally claim the Crown of Domination for himself and break Tzeentch's curse. Be'lakor corrupts some of the Truthsayers, protectors of the Ogham Stones, and sends them out as Dark Emissaries to gather the Ogham Stones' power for himself.

Truthsayers and Dark Emissaries both seek allies and escalate the conflict. Ultimately, Be'lakor's bid for power is thwarted, but he absorbs just enough magic from his attempt to stave off his madness. His mind now focuses on revenge.

(UK WD 268)Rise of Archaon - Lord of the End TimesA former Templar of Sigmar, the man who would become Lord of the End Times ends the quest he began over a century ago. Archaon wrests the six Treasures of Chaos from their guardians and proves himself worthy to become the Everchosen, Champion of Chaos. Archaon faces further tests to retrieve the final Treasure, the Crown of Domination, and bests each challenge the Chaos Gods issued. Finally, Be'lakor is forced to crown Archaon as Lord of the End Times. Archaon thirsts for revenge against the Empire, and so, his first command rang out to his followers. Archaon ordered them to gather their strength before heading south and taking war to Archaon's homelands. (UK WD 271 )Archaon Gathers the FourHaargroth, a goat herd in one of the Norscan tribes, finds an ancient axe belonging to a Beastmen raider.

Taking the axe, Haargroth kills its previous owner and begins a career of bloodshed and violence. Touched by Khorne, Haargroth grows in power to become a great Champion of Chaos and eventually challenges Archaon to single combat. Defeated, Haargroth joins Archaon and leads one of his armies. (UK WD 271)Feytor, a young farm boy, watches his fellow villagers die of the plague. Mysteriously, he is spared the plague's effects, as is his family, once he pleads for aid from any source.

Symptoms of the disease mark Feytor and his relatives, but they remain alive where others do not. Eventually, Feytor's family is driven out of the village and then slain by witch hunters. Feytor takes his revenge on the witch hunters and then wanders into Norsca, where he becomes a great Champion of Chaos. Touched by Nurgle, Feytor sees the sign of the twin-tailed comet and follows visions toward the mountains, where he joins Archaon's forces to lead one of his armies. (UK WD 272)Styrkaar, the son of a Norscan chieftain, is visited by an unearthly voice from birth. Guided by this voice, Styrkaar learns how to influence other people and kills his own father for leadership of the tribe.

Styrkaar leads the tribe to victory after victory in the name of Slaanesh, attracting the attention of Archaon. The two warlords meet and form an alliance on the spot, as Styrkaar pledges to lead one of Archaon's armies. (UK WD 273)Melekh, son of a Norscan tribe's blacksmith, fathers a mutant child of his own. The child's name is Cyspeth, and he is hideously malformed, bearing the shape of a bird's head in place of his own.

Melekh is charged by the tribe's shaman to learn the true name of a Greater Daemon of Tzeentch. After many trials, Melekh is successful and returns to his tribe only to face the shaman in battle. Cyspeth betrays the shaman and kills him, fulfilling an ancient prophecy as father and son unite. Archaon watches the battle and rides down to offer leadership of one of his armies to the duo. (UK WD 274)Grand Theogonist Volkmar Dies in Battle Against ArchaonSeeking to end Archaon's threat before the Everchosen can amass an unstoppable army, Grand Theogonist Volkmar gathers a force and utters a challenge to Archaon. The Everchosen accepts, but Volkmar miscalculates his opponent's power.

Archaon triumphs, slaying the Grand Theogonist and leaving his broken body behind on the bloody battlefield. (UK WD 271)A New Grand Theogonist Is Chosen; Luthor Huss Meets ValtenWith Volkmar dead, a new Grand Theogonist is chosen to take his place. Johann Esmer, however, is nothing like his predecessor and angers some members of the Sigmarite church with his secular interests. Luthor Huss is particularly enraged by Esmer's policies and is eventually denounced by the Grand Theogonist for speaking out against him. Huss wanders for some time before encountering rumours of a blacksmith who fought off a Beastmen attack.

This blacksmith turns out to be Valten, a young man with the sign of the comet as a birthmark on his chest. Luthor Huss believes he has found Sigmar reborn in Valten and finds his faith renewed and stronger than ever. (UK WD 281)2522 The Conclave of LightKarl Franz hosts a grand Conclave of Light at his capital of Altdorf and invites heads of state from across the Old World to a conference where he explains the situation of Archaon's invasion and asks for aid. The Dwarfs and High Elves pledge to assist the Empire in its time of need, as do many others, such as the Tzarina of Kislev. At this Conclave of Light, plans for the defence of the Empire are laid out, and ancient alliances are renewed. (UK WD 280 )Crom the Conqueror Arrives in the East as the Herald of ArchaonVardek Crom, the self-titled Herald of Archaon, leads a massive army of marauders out of the Dark Lands toward the Empire, only to find his path halted by Grimgor Ironhide and his Black Orc army.

The two forces clash in an epic conflict, ending in defeat for the Orcs. Grimgor and Crom duel in single combat, stopping only once Grimgor's army has fled. Grimgor abandons the battlefield to Crom, vowing revenge and leaving the way open for the Chaos Marauders to pass through the mountains and fall upon the Empire.

Now, only the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin can blunt Crom's advance. (UK WD 282)Valten and Karl Franz MeetThreatened by the appearance Valten, who Huss and many others believe to be the living reincarnation of Sigmar, Karl Franz has a difficult decision to make. To spurn the young man would be to invite disaster from those who believed. To accept him would be to splinter the Empire when strong leadership was needed most. The Emperor comes up with a compromise that satisfies all parties and gives the hammer of Ghal Maraz to the young blacksmith without surrendering control of the Empire. United, the two leaders now turn their attention toward the threat of Archaon.

(UK WD 288 )Archaon's Forces Make a Deal with Throt the UncleanA marauder tribe that displeased Archaon is given to Throt the Unclean as test subjects for the Skaven's unclean experiments in creating new and foul forms of life. In return, Archaon's forces are bolstered by some of Throt's creations. From this unholy pact, the Flayerkin join the Chaos hordes. (UK WD 290)Morathi Reaffirms Her Ancient Pact with SlaaneshSeeking power and a way to dominate the Druchii nation of Naggaroth, Morathi travels far to the north accompanied by many of her favoured Sorceresses. In the Chaos Wastes, Morathi reaffirms her ancient pact with Slaanesh, and with the power of her Daemonic patron, takes over a tribe of marauders known as the Hung.

Morathi takes her forces (including her allies from the Chaos hordes) south toward Lustria, seeking ancient artifacts of power from the temples of the Old Ones. (UK WD 293 )Be'lakor Resurrects the Dead Grand Theogonist VolkmarMarching at the head of a legion of Daemons, Be'lakor pauses on the battlefield where Archaon killed Volkmar. Sensing a means to assert his superiority over Archaon, Be'lakor draws forth his most ancient magics and drags the Theogonist's soul back into his body. Returned from death, Volkmar is chained to Be'lakor's battle standard, where the priests screams will unnerve the enemies of Chaos (Warhammer Armies: Storm of Chaos).