Isabella von Carstein

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"Please, come in and join me for dinner. I can see from the way you dress, you are
a man of exquisite... taste."

—Isabella von Carstein, the former Countess of Sylvania.[1a]

The Countess of Sylvania.[1a]

Isabella von Carstein, or Isabella von Drak, wife to Vlad von Carstein, was one
of the first Vampires of the von Carstein bloodline and the apparent heir to the
County of Sylvania. Isabella von Drak was the only daughter of Otto von Drak, the
ruler of Sylvania. Isabella was much like many of her noble counterparts. She was
vain, immoral and selfish, and cared little for anything that did not affect her
personal comfort and standing. Though very intelligent, she had a classical, rather
than practical, education.[1a]
She was considered somewhat strange for her love of some of the more male
pursuits, such as hunting and falconry, over needlework and music. In fact, outside
of Sylvania, the only thing that made Isabella vaguely desirable as a wife was her
stunning, cold beauty. This, however, was not enough to tempt suitors worthy of
 inheriting the throne of Sylvania, and Mad Otto certainly did not wish to give her
hand to any of his rivals within the province.[1a]

Contents
 1 History
o 1.1 End Times
 2 Wargear
 3 Trivia
 4 Gallery
 5 Theatre
 6 Sources
History
When Vlad von Carstein arrived on the night of Otto's death, Isabella was pleased
that creepy old Uncle Leopold would not inherit, though she was far from happy at
having to marry this sinister stranger. As the months passed, however, what had
started out as a marriage of convenience developed into something far more.
When it became clear that Isabella could not be merely seduced by his charms and
rebelled against his will for the first time, Vlad fell instantly in love with her. [1a]
Vlad long resisted Isabella's requests to join him in undeath, he simply loved her
too much for her to endure all that, but when she lay dying from a fatal, wasting
illness, Vlad realised that he could not carry on without her, and reluctantly
inducted her into the ranks of the Undead. As a Vampire, Countess Isabella was
forever at Vlad's side, feeding his ambition and teaching him the ways of the
Sylvanian court and about the wider Empire. Isabella was Vlad's most valued
confidante, and the only person, living or dead, whose advice he trusted. [1a]
When Vlad set forth on his mission to become Emperor, Isabella accompanied him
on the road to war. She carried an heirloom of the von Draks with her - a chalice
made for her great grandmother, Countess Bathori. Corrupted by Dark Magic, this
golden goblet was forever filled with fresh blood, from which Isabella drank even in
the midst of the fiercest fighting. Those who dared confront her in battle would
stare wide-eyed as her wounds healed within seconds, time seeming to flow
backwards for the lithe Vampire Countess as blood crawled back into opened veins
and alabaster flesh neatly sealed in its wake. Their hesitation would invariably cost
them dearly, for when they returned to their senses, they would invariably find their
throats slit or a sword driven right through their chests. [1a]
It is claimed that when Vlad died, Isabella was fighting atop one of the gate towers
of Altdorf. Protected by a ring of Grave Guard, she battled against the self-declared
Emperor Ludwig and his Greatswords. When the Wights suddenly collapsed
around her, Isabella realised that her beloved had been finally destroyed and
his necromantic power undone. So stricken was Isabella that she turned from the
men battling against her and flung herself from the tower. Isabella's body was
impaled on the stakes below, before crumbling into dust. [1a]
End Times

Attention, Empire Citizens!

This article contains information regarding the End Times, the actual c

During the End Times Isabella was restored to unlife by the Dark God Nurgle, who
warped and twisted her into an ideal tool for destroying the undead. Possessed by
a daemon, she led a huge army of Nurgle daemons to invade Sylvannia
alongside the Nameless.[2]
First they defeated an army led by Mannfred von Carstein and Luthor Harkon, two
of Nagash's Mortarchs when the Nameless was able to wrestle control of their
zombie hordes. The Mortarchs, joined by Vlad, retreated to an abandoned inn
called the Dead and Buried where they and a small number of other vampires
fought a last stand against the Nurgle army. Eventually they were overwhelmed;
Mannfred fled the battle, Harkon was killed by Isabella herself and all of the other
vampires were slain too. The exception was Vlad who taunted Luthor Huss,
trapped inside the body the Nameless now controlled. He questioned the priest's
strength and faith until eventually Huss broke free in a burst of fiery faith that
immolated the Nameless. Together they fought the hordes and Vlad escaped the
battle.[2]
Building on these victories Isabella led her forces into Sylvania where she marched
on the Black Pyramid, the centre of Nagash's power. The battle however proved
only to be a distraction after a Skaven team (who have now joined the forces of
Chaos) led by Ikit Claw destroyd the Pyramid, a major repository of Nagash's
death magic. This loss forced Nagash to finally join forces with the
other Incarnates in Athel Loren. After the battle Isabella travelled to Middenheim to
join Archaon's forces there.[2]
During the Incarnate's invasion of Middenheim Isabella once again confronted her
husband. They fought but he was unwilling to destroy his one true love. He
removed his ring, forced it on her finger and threw them both from the battlements
onto the sharpened stakes below, mirroring his earlier death at the hands of the
Grand Theogonist in Altdorf. Her death destroyed the daemon, freeing her of its
influence while the power of the ring returned her to unlife. After the battle she was
found by Neferata who took her to Castle Stierniste in Sylvania where
alongside Khalida she waited out the ending of the world.[2]
Wargear
 Blood Chalice of Bathori - Countless are the innocent souls whose life essence
has flowed into this bewitched goblet. Those that drink from it are rejuvenated with
new power.[1a]
Trivia
 Upon awakening as a Vampire, Isabella's first meal was the very Priestess
of Shallya who had tended to her sickness. This woman would become known
as Elize von Carstein.