AGE of SIGMATO WALK A BLEAK PATH... 8 THE DARK PANTHEON. .. 10 ‘TRIUMPHS OF THE EVERCHOSEN. ...... 12 ANEW UPHEAVAL, ...... 14 REALMSIN RUIN ........ 16 ATTHE CRUX OF HISTORY. 18 ANNALS OF RUIN... ‘TO MUSTER THE HORDE. 24 THE DAMNED LEGIONS .. 26 ‘Archaon the Everchosen ..... 28 Be'lakor, the Dark Master... 30 ‘Champions of the Chaos Tribes. 32 ‘Masters of the Dark Arts..... 34 ‘Wrought in Iron and Hatred. 36 The Ogroids Unleashed .......38 ‘The Lost and Damned ....... 40 Warbands of the Eightpoints THE HORDES OF CHAOS .. PAINTING GUIDE........ 64 ARMIES OF DARKNESS. 68 ALLEGIANCE ABILITIES. . 70 Battle Traits 70 Enhancements 73 Command Traits 73 Artefacts of Power Spell Lores Ensorcelled Banners Damned Legions. .. PATH TO GLORY. Gifis of Chaos Quests Veteran Abilities Territories. Heroic Upgrades Battleplan: Ritual of Corruption Warscroll Batalions. MATCHED PLAY .. Grand Strategies Battle Tactics Core Battalions WARSCROLLS.. ‘Archaon the Everchosen Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince Varanguard Be'lakor, the Dark Master. Fternus, Blade of the First Prince, Slaves to Darkness Gaunt Summoner on Disc of Tzeentch Slaves to Darkness Gaunt Summoner Chaos Lord on, Daemonic Mount .. Chaos Lord on Manticore Chaos Sorcerer Lord on Manticore Chaos Lord on Karkadrak, Chaos Lord. ‘Chaos Sorcerer Lord. Exalted Hero of Chaos. (Ogroid Myrmidon (Ogroid ‘Theridons 96 Chaos Warshrine Chaos Chariot Gorebeast Chariot Theddra Skull-Scryer Godsworn Hunt Darkoath Warqueen. Darkoath Chieftain Chaos Chosen. Slaves to Darkness ‘Chaos Spawn ‘Chaos Warriors. Chaos Knights ‘Chaos Marauder Horsemen ‘Chaos Marauders Matalith Vortex Beast Soul Grinder Slaughterbrute Centaurion Marshal ‘Chaos Legionnaires Horns of Hashut Tarantulos Brood Splintered Fang. Corvus Cabal “The Unmade, Cypher Lords. . Scions ofthe Flame Spire Tyrants Iron Golem: Untamed Beasts Darkoath Savagers Raptoryr. Furies, Mindstealer Sphirans, Fomoroid Crusher .. Zarshia Bitersoal Khagra’s Ravagers. Eightfold Doom-Sigil.. Realmscourge Rupture. Darkfire Daemonsift PITCHED BATTLE PROFILES... Allies: a eg 106 107 107 108 108 109 109 no no ML m1 112 2 113 14 us 116 116 17 117 118 us 19 ug 120 120 121 121 122 122 123 123 124 14 5, 2s 126 126 127 128Sere) ne eee eee Pore a anes eae Patna Dod er Ce rere Creer org Peres eT Cee i ee THE DREAD HOSTS MARCH The truth of Chaos is a stark one~ the Dark Gods are horribly real. Whi cits worshippers march they do so under the eye of their divine patrons, and are rewarded wel for the carnage they wreak in their name. With such power behind them, they become unstoppable The Slaves to Darkness are legion, ‘Their numbers areso great, their warrior hosts so omnipresent, that if the realms belon them. A hundred thousand tribes and peoples pray to the gods of ‘Chaos across the Mortal Realms, disparate in the extreme but largely Jhuman in their makeup. They are ‘warlike through necessity, fighting each day to survive, but more than that, o prove their supremacy. Proud and fierce, they go to battle clad in the regalia oftheir harsh cultures, from simple furs and hardened leather to fully-enclosing suits of plate armour, And at the business of war they excel, The horned helm of the Chaos ‘Warrior is known and feared in every nation, whether that people ‘worship the Pantheon of Order, the Dark Gods, or one of the myriad forms of Gorkamorka paid reverence by the greenskins and their ilk. These are the true masters of the hellscapes that the Mortal Realms have become the final reckoning, they ‘masters at all, but puppets, and. short-lived ones at that. are not TO WALK A DARK PATH All the worshippers of Chaos are at some stage ofa journey known as the Path to Glory. In their nds, it isa ladder to greatness and rulership, each victory or arcane learning a rang on their ascendancy to ultimate power. In truth it isa descent into madness, mutation and death. From the youth making his fist kill for all, the wrong reasons to the elder ‘champions who have embraced eternal damnation in order to secure their place of pre-eminence, they are all in thrall to the Dark Gods in one fashion or another. Yet undeniably there are great rewards to be earned for those who walk this spiralling path. The greatest amongst these aspirants are known as Champions of Chaos. These are the heroes oftheir tribes, those who have proved their supremacy in batle time and time aguin, No normal leaders are these, but men and women invested with terrible, unnatural power, warlords so mighty that Sigmar himself saw the futility in fighting them with conventional armies and instead mustered an entirely new breed of warrior to oppose them, By the command of these Chaos tyrants are cities razed and nations brought low, skulls piled high and flayed bodies raised along the side of the broken, shattered roads in every realm save Azyr. There is no act, no m heinous or vile that these damned souls will not commit in pursuit of glory everlasting, ter how There are countless forces that muster under the great eight- pointed star of Chaos, forming together such an eclectic host that itis impossible to truly predict, their attacks. The most common are the massed barbaric killers and survivalists that form the people ofthe wilderness, the leaders of ‘each trie, cult and creed striving to outdo one another, prove themselves in the eyes ofthe gods and claim rulership of all they survey. Next most common are thearmoured hosts of Archaon, the Three-Eyed King, he who carries the favour ofall four Dark Gods. Yet th Ruinous Powers. Amongst them are those sorcerous few who can eare far more eclectic ss under the benners of the channel the energies of Chaos ‘with the ease a man might raise his voice in song - provided they make the appropriate sacrifices, of course. Sweeping hosts of riders mass in the wake of Archaon’s chosen elit, the Varanguard, with everything from horse tribes to armoured knights pounding the ground flat with their massed advance. In the shadows thrives the Legion of the First Prince, which bends the knee to the Everchosen’s foremost rival - the EA Sinaia iy __ immediate future that allow them to avoid an Seance cece eo ‘of his chosen are so blessed with Tacentch’s gifts Sheree se teresreer eeee reread ens ne pineers ae ‘Those who walk the Path to Glory invariably do so for their own gain, and a dangerous, binding Peg ea ete but on the other, the god ofall those who revel in excess, Every obsession and fixation is fodder for ‘the androgynous deity and his leering daemons. oer aie depravity, and in this, a co Seed ee opie irtetera sa tet ees Se Cas Meret en Pl cer eeeeo 2 eet a ae TRIUMPHS OF THE EVERCHOSEN Archaon, known as the Three-Eyed King, has conquered worlds and brought seven of the eight Mortal ‘Realms to their knees. Yet he remains mortal, for he refused the final gift of the Path to Glory and spurned, the ranks of the Daemon Princes. In that kernel of humanity is great strength and crippling weakness both, ‘The Chaos Gods cannot manifest In the Mortal Realms, and so they rust act through proxies ~ these usually being daemonic in origin. ‘And yet the daemon is buta part ‘of that god, an avatar ofits parent sentience, and can never truly reach the heights of vision needed to surprise and thrill their patrons, In the swift-burning fire of mortal minds can be found the desperate ambition and limitless imagination so pleasing to the Dark Gods. More than that, a mortal who claims no single god as his patron can unite the hosts of the Ruinous Powers in ‘away no other can. For these reasons and a dozen others besides, all four of the Dark Gods have put their faith in Archaon as their ultimate agent ye material world. For six long centuries he has wrought his dark will upon the Mortal Realms, ‘ostensibly to break them, sunder them and allow the energies of (Chaos to overtake them completely ~ and indeed, that isthe utmost part of his agenda - but there is more to his endless strategising and brutal powermongering. Only the Everchosen and his closest advisors know the truth: Archaon seeks to bring low the gods themselves and subjugate them to his indomitable will. ‘The steely determination and capability of Archaon has been evident ever since he turned from the light in his former life asa holy:man in the Workd-that-Was Anancient enmity exists between “Archaon and Sigmar, for countless ‘nillions ofthe God-King’s people have beea sain by the Everchosen both in the Mortal Realms and the World Before Time, There is a deeper hatred at play, however; though no mortal knows of it, Archaon was once a templar of the Sigmarite faith. A seeker of arcane lore, he spent much of his free time reading elder tomes, and through. this came upon the writings of the prophet Necradomo, One volume spoke of the true nature of Sigmar as deity ~ ofall the gods, in truth — and it was that fll secret that set him on a path of utter destruction forever. After enacting a bloody rampage that consumed all that was dear tohhim, Archaon swore to have his vengeance on the false god Sigmar. Since that day he has not spent a day idle; record of his deeds could cover every page in the annals of the Great Library of Tor Limina, First, though, he rose through the ranks of those who. worshipped the Gds of Chaos, one by one securing the artefacts that would prove his right to the tite of Everchosen, ‘The six artefacts that drove Archaon to the apex of command 2 | imthe World that Was he has cated with hin ever clad | indeed, tis fart sy they have become one and the same, and that bgeeedd not pal hes aS wanted to Fist tobe earned was the Eightfold Mark burned into | hs forehead as a sigi of living fre. | That fll brand is obscured not only Wptietrenetraite Acca Barbet forme | was bette by Sigmar Unberogen, | but also the Crown of Domination, | amartefat that bends those ; | around Archaon to his will. The | UI, phere | Yerived from the belly ofa three- | headed drake burnsin the centre | of Archaon’s helm, giving him an canny prescience and the ablity to projecta vision ofhimedfactoes I eae Sakae Eki ighe ed | he wields the Slayer of Kings, a | sentient daemonblade taken from | the trove of that legendary father | of dragon ogors, Krakanrok the Black, This outaized blade has claimed the lives of hundreds of | monarchs and countless thousands | of lessers to boot. But itis the | beast Dorghar, the Sted ofthe | Apocalypse, which Archaon | prizes the most; that giant, shape | Changing monstrosity so ferceit not only aided him in saying three | (ots mostemidabl greater by cacngtee CRE Mer cen ta | him, but taking elements of their | form for itself 0 its power would | increase all the more. | | Withthe aid of this titanie daemon | beast to bear him where he will, the scars of Archaon’sconguests | have cut deep across the history ofthe realms. Itwas Archaon and his Veranguard host who slew the Everchosen whoHammerhands to aman, an entire ‘warrior chamber of the Hammers ‘of Sigmar, atop Mount Kroaus, the Slayer of Kings ending the life ‘of Vandus Hammerhand in an ‘explosion of lightning that played across Archaon’s gauntlets as if it were no more than rainwater. It was he who drove the immensity known as Ignax the Solar Drake ‘mad, driving his blade into the ‘entre of her island:sized skull to make of her an asset in the final battle for the Chamonic Al-gate. By the Everchosen’s ‘command was the diseased godbeast Behemat awoken from his comatose slumbers, for at that point Archaon’sintent was to use that father of gargants alongside Ignax to shatter the gates of Azyr themselves; so close did the plan come to fruition that the God: King ‘was forced to slay Behemat before his rampage became unstoppable. Itwas Archaon who broke one of the chains of paradox that bound ‘captive Slaanesh to the prison of, the aelven gods, thereby putting that vengeful Chaos God in his debt for the inevitable day when the Dark Prince breaks free. ‘When the Allpoints were invaded by the Mortarchs Katakros and Olynder, it was Archaon who turned the tide, his onslaught seeing him engage Katakros ‘on both a tactical and personal level though the former ended in stalemate, the latter saw him add the proud Mortarch to the tally ‘of those claimed by the Slayer of, Kings. Though Vandus, Ignax and Katakros all yetlive, reborn in their own fashion, the true cost of their fall atthe point of Archaon's sword is slowly becoming clear ~ not idly does the Three-Eyed King choose his victims, Even Sigmar himself was defeated by Archaon at the Battle of Burning Skies, the God-King tricked by illusion into Ihurling away his relic weapon. before being forced to retreat in ‘wrath and disgrace. And still itis not enough. Archaon is seen asa manifestation | those gates long-closed, Though ‘of dark powers by many of the the machinations of Merathi tribes in his thrall, a being a8 old as | and Be'lakor, both potent rivals the Chaos powers themselves, and | in darkness, have sethis plans ‘an incarnation of pure conquest by | back others. Thettribes of the Untamed | tribes ~ Archaon is nothing if as has the rise of the orruk Beasts worship him as the Eater of | not determined. Only when ‘Worlds, while the shadowy Corvus | Azyr itself burns and daemons Cabal see him as an avatar of their | frolic in the ashes will Archaon avaricious daemon-god, the Great _| know a measure of satisfaction, Gatherer. To Archaon it matters little what his servants believe ‘of him, so long as they obey. Of Ultimately, though, Archaor cannot be everywhere at once: not for nothing is his seat of late, his eye has turned once more power called the Empty Throne to the breaking of the sacred the Eightpoints he has mined to potentially melt his way through | the price ss il i i i Just as Sigmar had to before him, realmgates that lead to the Realm —|Archaon must find a way to extend ‘of Heavens: by enlisting hundred his reach times a hundred warbands across | his mag rot simply through al arts, but through the forging of an unbreakable host. If ‘enough transmutative realmstone | he succeeds, all the realms will payThough the vast majority of the | for him to gather his forces at Mortal Realms are still under the his muster point in the Ghurish control of the agents of Chaos, Heartlands, the Dreadspine the overlapping, realm-spanning Fortress, and so he had pulled plans that Archaon has madeto | strings enough to send both, push the Mortal Realms into utter | Sigvald the Magnificent and the dissolution have suffered aseries | epicurean Glutas Orscallion ‘of setbacks. First was the breaking | toward the coastal metropolis in of Sigmar's Tempest, with the time for the birth ofthe Newborn Stormeast Eternals shattering the | - and the city’s ultimate demise. iron grip of Chaos in a hundred regions at once. What Atchaon lost in territory he gained in unity, for the reappearance of the hated God- King's warriors made it easier for him to draw the fractious tribes of Chaos together against a common foe just as they had begun to tear into oneanother through lack of ‘worthy foe, So, for a time, the forces of darkness marched to the beat of the same drum, Ce Re ‘The next challenge to his rule was ‘even stranger and more esoteric ~ the coming of the Necroquake, and | Unfortunately, despite having so the slow march of death upon the | much common ground, the two holdings of every Chaos warlord, | prideful Slaaneshi warlords found The surge of necromantic magic their rivalry turning into outright was soon followed by a new army, | warafter they were waylaid by the that of the Nighthaunts. Here was Seraphon of Mekitopsar. What foe that could not be fought by | should have been a grand conquest conventional means,and hada with the newborn Slaaneshi burning vendetta against the forces | daemons Synessa and Dexcessa at ‘of Chaos. Worse still, they were | its heart was instead buried under followed to warby the Ossiarch | a wave of urban war. The daemon Bonereapers,a force so disciplined | twins were banished by the and well-organised they were Stormeast Eternals and the Order the equal to any of Archaon’s of Azyr, whilst the Seraphon and ‘own troops, Butt was the rise of | the nevly-deified Morathi-Khaine Kragnos, the End of Empires, that | used an arcane portal to redirect Put into motion the schism that | the assault of Kragnos against ‘was to divide the forces of Chaos | the stronghold oftheir mutual ‘more than any other. eniemy in the south ~ Archaon. The Dreadspine Fortress had already ‘The Siege of Excelsis had seen suffered several attacks, for of late many lines of fate converge: this the beasts of Ghur would attack ‘Archaon had sensed through even well-defended citadels. With theinconstant visions ofthe Eye the assault of Kragnos and the ‘of Sheerian. Ii would take time’ __Kruleboy2 that rose up to follow 4 ae A NEW UPHEAVAL ‘In the wake of the Realmgate Wars, the faithful of Sigmar consolidated their gains even as the aelf gods made their plays for supremacy. When the animus of Ghur was goaded to rage by Alarielle’s Rite of Life, the forces of Chaos found the shackles of their tyranny tested to breaking point. A dangerous schism resulted. hhim, the Dreadholds were pounded torubble, Meanwhile, in the Eightpoints, ‘Archaon could bear the deadlock against the forces of Nagash no longer. He made straight through the Endgate and the Arx Terminus that guarded it, but rather than besieging the newly-made fortress, he thrust a spear-like assault from the low-hanging clouds of the Varanspire straight past the citadel’s high walls Braving fire from bone-made catapults and the amethyst flame of the Ossiarch Mortisans, Archaon and his Eighth Circle ~ force of Varanguard capable of riding through the skies = plunged down into the heart of the citadel and burst through the other side, There, striking from the heart of the Nagashian fortress- city of Gothizzat, they caused ‘more havoc in the space of a single day than an orruk siege could have achieved in a month. From the ruins of that onslaught, Archaon and his Varanguard ‘made their way from there to the maelstrom-portal of the Greedmouth. They fought their way past the armada of the lvory Host that guarded that realmgete = acostly feat, for an animalistic rage saw the captains ofthat fleet fight long past the point of logical resistance ~ to emerge in Ghiirish Necrosia, From there it was @ short journey to the Dreadspine Fortress, butas Archaon had feared, he arrived a matter of days too late to muster with the forces there - forces they hed intended tomobilise in order to salvage the | botched Staaneshi invasion and sack Thondia for good. For atime, Archaon surveyed the rubble in silence. Then he raged, and slew.TREACHERY AND SCHISM ‘Archaon’s anger at the conquest of his once-mighty forttess in Bjarl was so great he had killed three of his own Varanguard in a blind rage, ranting about the death ofall gods before his iron self-control descended once more. He ordered the castle salvaged, as much as itcould be, though the force stationed there had been trampled. to broken ruin, The perpetrator ~ a centauroid god of destruction, to hear the few survivors tell it - was long gone, Archaon made new plans that day, resolving to abandon Ghus toils own endless, self-defeating hunger. His spies had told him that Gordrakk, the Fist of Gork, had already forsaken the Ghuish Heartlands, making their own vay to the Eightpoints via the Mawgate in the gullet ofthe ‘godbeast Fangathrak. Taking wing ‘spon Dorghar, he ordered his ‘men to return tothe Bightpoints under their own devices, though with ther forcesin disarray and the creatures ofthe wilds coma permanent rampage, the journey would be hard indeed ‘The Varanguard ofthe Eighth Circle ha been shocked to their core bythe evens ofthat day, and one oftheir number had listened well when Archaon had, Inhis rage, spoken of slaying the gods themselves, Perhaps, they ‘whispered to one another, it was time fora new Everchosen to take the crown, It was the captain of the Eighth CCirele, the bladesman Atarus, who was the ist to actively seek another patron. After so much bloodshed for so little gain, he finally saw the Empty Throne as evidence ofa limited approach to tyranny. After all, what good is a dark king who effectively abdicates his seat of power? Already he had heard whispers of another, the first toascend.to the Path to Glory’s tend so long ago. One had been There Atarus died amongst raised to daemonhood to mark his | the lightning, still grasped in victory, abeing older even than | Be'lakors sickle like talons. As Archaon. So Atarus resolved to _| the storm crackled around them seek out Be akor. booth, the Dark Master inhaled the blue-white essence of those “The Dark Master’ legend had same departed Stormeast, only spread like wildfire afer the to then breathe it back as bolts Daemon Prince had tore open the | of black energy into Atarus’ Chamonite skies. Passing through | blackened corpse. Again and the Alembical Gate to travel under | again he conferred that residual the rolling skies of the Spiral Crux, | immortality into Atarus’ body ‘Atarus found Be'lakor in person | until, with a great seream, the and laid his glaive at the daemon’s | Varanguard came alive once more. feet. He renounced Archaon, He had been reborn as Eternus, the offering to bring about his demise | Blade of the Fist Prince, given a in return for eternal favour. stolen immortality and returned to his daemon steed, Drakocephalus, as being of coruscating powe Be'lakor told him of his new incarnation, of how even when he was sain, he would discorporate {nto black lightning only to reform again to claim his revenge. He also | warmed that should Eternus ever defy him, Be'lakor’s protection . | would be withdrawn and the power of the lightning-gheists inside him would burn him to blackened, blasted ash. ‘Though Eternus isthe first of 3] the Varanguard toturn from Archaon’s side, he is by no means Be'lakor was gleeful forhe the last. Such was the captain's saw great potential in his new influence in the Varanspire that supplicant. The Daemon Prince | onis return, he spread his new ripped Atarus from the saddle of | beliefs through the ranks ofthe hissteed and launched high into | Eighth Circle and beyond, either theskiesabove - skies corrupted | convincing his brethren one by one bby Chaos magic that spilt like oily that they followed a false king, or blood across the firmament. The taking his brutal deathglaive to the lightning-gheists of slain Stormcast necks of those stubbornly loyal to Eternals crackled above them; Archaon’s throne. Only a handful unable to reach High Azyr, they | of the Eighth escaped his takeover, lingered in hellish purgatory. Asthe | now hounded across the wastes by ‘two ascended the lightning-spirits | Be'lakor’s agents to prevent them ‘of departed souls struckat them | spreading word of Eternus’ perfidy, both, perhaps in anger, perhaps purely because they were there. | For now, Etermus treason remains They did little ore than scorch | a secret, his disciples careful not to the Dark Master, for the skies were | bring the wrath of the Everchosen, already his and he knew the secret_ | down upon them until they ‘of their power. The same ould not | are sure oftheir strength, For | be said for Atarus for where they | Be‘lakor has the patience ofa true struck him, he convulsed, and was. | immortal, and he flly intends to ‘bumed to the bone. savour the victory tocome,REALMS ‘So many generations have passed since the Age of Chaos that the ‘worship of fell deities has become entrenched in almost every nation in the Mortal Realms. That is not to say that each realm fell from grace in the same way, nor reveres the same gods ~ nor ‘even the same reflections and Interpretations of them, Partially because ofthese disparate forms cof worship, and partially through sheer geography, in every realm there are certain ateas that belong twoone tribe or another. These tribal lands expand and contract, depending on the success of each province’ leadership. Some of the most populous continents, should they be mapped with any degree of accuracy, would show the lands under the thrall of dozens ‘of despots, tyrants and lords of Chaos, all engaged in long and bitter rivalries with one another. Only whena leader of truly uunguestionable might bands them together do they reach their fall potential. They fight all the harder to outdo one another, not merely in the eyes oftheir rivals, but under the gaze of the gods themselves, ‘TRIBES OF THE PARCH “he demise ofthe Great Parch is amongst the most well documented foritwas once a thriving continent, home othe Dept Aapicaa and Petes natlons aswel a the Direbrand smithvlordsand the duardin of Vostargi Mont With most ofits constituent parts having learned tosettle their diferences through Spokes of tal champions, for the most partafthe Age of Myth the Great Patch thrived. Tragialy, the great contest of arms that Ihappened a the Aashy Clavis ses " proved such an epic display of mee ee IN RUIN bloodletting that Khorne was able to opena rift there, allowing his aemons to spill through and seal the fate ofthe Parch as its tribes turned to atavism, slaughter and Chaos worship simply to survive, nee the vcs teeing rs the Great Patch deveied Tegan irs vada! rowed by cannibals und murderer Where not letned schles ed slide ge il el teed ai ecoelty pene mation st eel eostetcalpeseeeea bore Convoliated thee olds ver he iba ia cee seal Gop dachat s peenietleg ace Feae incor sents lth Goretide that vast asemblage of incuseaga gl otal Pama aa Parch om KhutsRavageln the south tothe Charwind Coast in Shs bat aloo cs ole ae eciec tice Laireipeay ies Rea Tereveciiers ahaa tone the lands oft Tare Ghali oemiaus AGERE | Dagoercy ty har polled thelands wen of Sta Spike with | mcetumeann eel tid oped teeta eee rook Tothe north ofthosefar-flung | landsare the swift-rding Slaaneshi | tribes of the Scalped, who flay their victims and leave them to crisp in the midday sun. Even farther north can be found the Valrhaf ‘of Cotha, despoilers of the north ‘whose warrior traditions have seen them raid the Golvarian coast in the name of the Blood God time and time again, They have clashed many times with the towering ke their home, every day a struggle for surv ee PTT Te te Every one of the Mortal Realms has been gouged, mutilated, crumbled and in part destroyed by the forces of ‘Chaos. The land screams in anger and outrage at the corruptions meted out upon it. Amongst the wilds the rnumberless tribes that worship the Dark Gods daemon Lord Zaronax, who claims East Golvaria in the name of the Everchosen and claims to have spoken with Archaon as an equal; though Zaronax seeks to expand his empire south, he has found that the alven privateers and lizard-riders of Har Kuron area formidable barrier. ‘To the south of Har Kuron can be found the fighting grounds of the Doom Lords of Ahramentia Also in thrall to Archaon after the Everchosen brokered them an alliance with Korghos Kul, they have carved out a niche that has seen them venture into the ruins of the Prismatikon whilst also pushing down southwards into the territory of the Ashen Horde. In | this they take thei lives in their | hands, for these soot-covered ashmen are ravagers entirely without fear. They want nothing | more than to burn everything they can catch, tying theit vietims to | tall spiked stakes before sending their incinerated remains dancing as embers and sparks into the night sky. They have been known to trade with the Beastmen who dwell to the west, as have the tribesmen ofthe Kindling Forest, those who worship the ever- burning flame of the inferno that rages amongst the Beastbridge’s firebark woods. ‘To the east of Har Kuron is the land claimed by the Scavenge Kings of Aridian. Once aland ‘of mountain forges and proud industry fostered by the duardin of the Magmar Fjords and Adamantine Chain, the Sootstain Hills are now dotted with the remnants of countless smith shops and weapons factories now long. fallen into disuse. There i stillanabundance of galvanised meta, however, and it is this that forms the basis of the Scaver strength = with a technology than their rival tribes, they have spread their influence far. Only the Tribes of Burning tees of Khorn blood is said to glove with power, stop them from preading further south ~ just as the half-daemonic Crimson Hord stops them in turn from taking the sacred, Khorne-corrupted lands of the Caustic Peak Further east can be found the Candescent Raiders, rv. are said to blaze from within be able to charge through even the fierce infernos of Brightman Coast without pause. They are in the process of retaking th Demesnes from ld settlers that dare to ops there with the aid of precious Aqua Ghyranis. The Snow Peaks to the south of the Adamantine Chain are the province of the Brand clan, who Id of the upper slopes to use the ice and sa n drinking water, On the extreme east of the Parch can be found the Blades ofthe Blo Queen, fierce enemies ofthe ‘Taeentchians that claim the Coast ofa Thousand Eyes - and beyond that, the Nurgle worshippers known as the Supplicants of the Weal, who have claimed the curving isle known as the Talon of Ignax as « breeding ground for their diseases. Far to the south can be found the Order ofthe Sinful Throne, a feudal Slaaneshi culture whose rivalry with the Brass Legion threatens to spill over to nearby Sulphuria and perhaps eve lter GulE, With so ‘many power struggles in tension across the Great Parch, any journey across the wilderness is ith danger. The onl is thatthe lands will be riven by conilict for generations to come. 7AT THE CRUX OF HISTORY ‘The battle for the Great Parch has become emblematic ofthe struggle between Order and Chaos. Here, the first Stormcast Eternals struck, Bre thessos one negroes och TRIBES OF THE Be ioe nein ne fer otto GREAT PARCH Charrwind Coast in the north of the Parc tested by ofthe God-King and the tribes oft ds. All eyes are upon the fate ofthis region. Just as Sigmar’s fist Stormhost, the Hammers of Sigmar, can never be seen to fal, neither can his string of new cities and strongpoints across Capilaria and beyond ~ for what would that tell ofthe God-King’s chances in the long war against his nemeses? His prime metropolis must thrive, even in an ocean of hardship, ifthere Is tobe faith in his reconquests. The same can be said for those expeditions that set out from Hamme Aqsha at every sounding of the Crusad Already many have been founded, and though most have been sacked and bur their people eaten ~ sometimes alive - some stand tall, their walls as their nexus syphons hum softly with harnessed ‘geomantic energy. Drinkdeep, Carter’s Well, akall have sources of clean running water in addition to their aqualith, whereas ‘Smith's Harbour and the dual settlement of Splitsite resound to the sounds of the metalworker and the smith. The importance of these sites has not gone unnoticed by the Chaos tribes, Every new di ‘or more of the Parchers' sigmarite strongpoints is oretide of Khul or one of the many other Chaos ‘ken the lands with their number. Even Hammethal Aqsh elf has been attacked more than once, for the cogforts that electrify its ever-expanding perimeter are strong, but by no means invulnerable, and every time one is neutralised or destroyed, a frenzied horde of attackers soon braves the no man’s land around the city to charge the bulwark zones. The fate ofthe Great Parch hangs in the balance, and with tt morale of Sigmar’s entire war effort Pre ae aE ON eet een tem fortress of the Everchosen himself: Rising high atthe cente of Se a een eet ern onmos that offers passage to the heart ofeach ofthe realms dread citade' scale defies comprehension, Within tal towers plerce the skies, Archaon’ssers scr the twisting paths of the future, Par eee ee een es THE KINDLING FOREST Se ae a ee emer ere en eee se ee cee an eee eee Ts SM eee eet ae eh a een Ee peeneg eee etree eect tor earnen that ripple withthe wailing faces of conquered foes Bree eet ant eee ene PT Pee ee cerHeanrscoondisaster that has consumed n: and atrocities too numerous to count, 2 AGE OF MYTH » ‘THE SEEDS ARE PLANTED For time immemorial the eight realms, formed from the remnants ‘of the World-that-Was, dwell ina primal state. Only when Sigmar ‘comes to the Mortal Realms does he foster the light of civilisation and the races of mortalkind settle in every land that will support them. The Sigmarite faith is spread, | continent by continent, tothe | farthest corners of the realms as the Pantheon of Order is amassed, finding allies even in the savage ‘god Gorkamorka, | Over the course of centuries, ‘Sigmar spreads his own warlike notion of colonisation and | ‘conquest far and wide. The notion of claiming the land's bounty as property is fostered in the hearts ‘of his people, including the greedy and the cruel ~ an act which leads ‘to newly-minted empires and nations taking more than they | could ever use from the wilderness | around them. Slowly but | inevitabiy asthe spires of progres rise high, dark forces prosper in the shadows. | GAZING FROM BEYOND “The covetous eyes ofthe Ruinous Powers turn tothe eight realms, | forin their boundless possiblities, | they see anew realty ready to Heyeoll Herelaablankcanvasto | befoul with their grim influence, — | anda myriad playthings tousorp | and use in the course of their Great Game. With whispers and risttthey foter and infamethe. | darkest desires of men, duardin | dodaci Iatinetbosins | | | seeds of corruption bear terrible Truitacross every one of the Mortal Reales. een - Perhaps » AGE OF CHAOS » CATACLYSM AND WOE ‘The Age of Myth collapses as ‘mortal foibles open cracks in the foundations of order across all eight ofthe realms, Those cracks grow into fissures, chasms and disasters that spit the fabric of reality itself, and the armies of Chaos are unleashed, amongst them the daemon:a new kind of foe, and an enemy as old as time. A thousand hideous fates overwhelm those nations subconsciously lured by the whispers of Chaos. ‘The talons of Chaos dig hard into, the people of the Mortal Realms. ‘Those who had flourished and ANNALS OF RUIN ‘Though it started subtly, the corruption of the Mortal Realms has gathered pace to become an avalanche of every land. Since the Age of Chaos there have been slaughters, travesties isa mercy that no fall record of paths in order to survive, So rise the fist true Chaos cults, most starting purely through a desire for survival, though soon any intention of returning toa symbiosis with their environment ~ and with neighbour come to that ~ is entirely forgotten, The worshippers of the Dark Gods soon count amongst their number those who not only turned from their own kind asa last resort, but ‘who sold themselves to eldritch forces so they might gain instead of suffer from the onslaught. tribes, CLAIM OF THE EVERCHOSEN ‘To turn the momentum of their daemonic incursion into an unstoppable avalenche of conquest, the Ruinous Powers call tupon Archaon the Everchosen. He is tested by greater daemons ‘of Khorne, Tzeentch and Nurgle, all of whom are devoured by the shape-shifting daemon known as Dorghar. Satisfied, the Dark || Gods name Archaon as Exalted grown strong under the protection | of Sigmar’s pantheon find their patrons divided, drifting away, or tending to their own obsessions as the scale of the apocalypse slowly becomes clear. As easy asit is to see the terrors inflicted upon the realms as a gross injustice, the wise know the truth ~ that its through the weakness of mortal hearts that the Chaos Gods have made their play, and the nightmare is only just beginning. ANYTHING TO SURVIVE ‘Asthe Ageof Chaos dawned and the scourge of the daemon erupts in a thousand locations, the peoples of the realms have litle choice but to tur to the darkest 20 Grand Marshal of the Apocalypse ‘though he spurns the favour of the Horned Rat, newest of the Ruinous Powers. [As the forces of the Dark Gods {grow strong, the Beasts of Chaos find common cause with the Ruinous Powers. Its also around this time that Archaon binds the nine Gaunt Summoners to his will. He sets his sights on the Allpoints, that interstitial realm that hangs in the heart of the cosmos, forit has proven a {great boon to those defending the sanctity of the Mortal Realms. Its ight gigantic Arcway portals are buttressed against the onslaught tocome, becoming fortified | realmgates so large that even an‘entire army can march through them without changing formation, allowing a strategic advantage that ‘Archaon very much covets for his ‘own. Descending from the void ‘upon the steed Dorghar with his ‘Varanguard honour guard and nine Gauint Summoners working alongside him, Archaon opens portals of his own, bringing hosts of daemons and armoured killers to bear upon the Allpoints to attack them simultaneously and hence divide the attention of their garrisons ina sudden series of attacks, He strikes with such vision and certitude that the forces there are slowly cut off from one another. DEATH ON THE PLAINS. OF GHUR ‘The savage peoples of Ghur provide great fodder for the armies ‘of Chaos. Grand invasions are launched to slaughter the orruk tribes ofthe realm, with casualties rapidly spiralling on both sides. As the ogors and gargants of the Ghurish Hinterlands ada their strength to the ever-escalating. ‘might ofthe thuggish Ironjawz, the Blood God Khorne roars his approval at the endless contlicts. ‘THE RED CENTURY (Over the first hundred years ‘or $0 of the Age of Chaos, the sass slaughters and butchery ‘of nations sees Khorne's power grow even further until he becomes ascendant amongst the Dark Pantheon, particularly in the Great Parch, The Agloraxi magocracy are forced to retreat to their floating citadels as Steel Spike is besieged by Khornate and ‘Teeentchian forces. ‘THE WAR OF BONES “The forces of Chaos invade Shyish, spearheaded by Archaon and the Varanguard, Khorne focuses upon Hallost, seeking to consume the souls ofits mighty heroes, while Nurgle primarily targets the morbid spirits ofthe Shyish Innerlands - bringing him into a el Ly ee conflict with not only the military ‘genius of Katakros but also the treacherous queen who will become Lady Olynder. FALL OF THE ENDGATE Tzeentch and Archaon conspire todivide Azyr and Shyish. At the battle of the Gothizzar Allgate, [Nagash’s armies fail to arrive, leaving many Azyrites to be slaughtered. Sigmar's rage is great, while Archaon’s armies conquer the lst of the All-gates and spill {nto the Allpoints proper. TO KILL THE UNDYING Weakened by his conflict with Sigmar, Nagash is forced to retreat to Nagashizzar. The armies of Archaon and Nurgle soon attack the city; Nagash is defeated and all but destroyed by the Everchosen, his spirit fleeing toa hidden sepulchre in Stygxx while the Mortarchs recover his remains. | Nagashizzar is lost to Chaos, and such of Shyish with it CHAMON ASSAILED. “The forces of Tueentch sweep across the Realm of Metal, searching for Chamonite to ‘empower their arcane rituals. The surreal landscapes of the Hanging Valleys of Anvrok are overtaken by Cabalists ofall stripes. As the strongholds of the Khazalid Empire fall, many duardin seek sanctuary in the nascent sky- ports, Thus are the Kharadron Overlords born a his bt ne ‘THE BATTLE OF BURNING SKIES ‘The climax ofthe Age of Chaos comes on the Fireplains of Agshy. ‘when the hour is darkest, There are dozens of versions ofthis tale told across the realms, but most agree that there, Sigmar leads the Twelve Tribes of Bellicos to stand against the daemonic hosts of Archaon, Elements of the Pantheon of Order join him, and though undying Nagash brings a token force, he does not commit his strength ‘once more, Sigmar leads seven ‘charges against the hordes; on the ‘eighth he slew the Tetrarchy of Ruin a coalition of four favoured. greater daemons, before hurling Ghal Maraz at Archaon, hoping fora swift and decisive kill. The Everchosen’s form is revealed to be an illusion, however, and Ghal Marazis instead sucked through 4 portal to land in the Hanging, Valleys of Chamon. Devoid of his hammer ~ and thusa portion of his power ~ Sigmar feels hhehas no choice but to concede the field, Though he fights on fora time, he ultimately lead the remnants of his alliance through the Gates of Azyr. With Sigmar fled to the Realm of Heavens, Archaon isall but ‘unstoppable, Soon afterwards the interstitial realm of the Allpoints is claimed by Archaon in itsentirety, who builds the seat of his power ~ the Varanspire ~ at its heart by using the labour of the broken. Fomoroid race. He renames it the Fightpoints in honour of the cight-pointed star of Chaos. With this vital link between the realms broken, the Pantheon of Order fragments entirely | THE GATES ARE CLOSED ‘The portals known as the Gates of Azyt ae sealed fast after Sigmar’s retreat, Trapped in the war-torn realms, abandoned by their gods, entire nations are forced to sweat themselves to Chaos to survive.SIGMAR'S VISION Sigmar puts plans in motion to createa new army with which tohurl back the tides of Chaos. ‘Across the realms great heroes are snatched away on the verge of death, taken to Azyr to be Reforged fn the Anvil of Apotheosis, ‘Though this sees Sigmar’s forces swell, it spells the doom for many holdout nations suddenly deprived of their champions, YVARANTHAX’S MAW The vast mining complex known as Varanthax’s Maw is further industrialised at Archaon’s behest when a great supply of molten, vvaranite s discovered beneath the infernal forge THE BLOOD TIME ‘The forces of Chaos have all but secured their victory over the eight realms. Infuriated by the lack of ‘worthy enemies remaining abroad in the wastelands, the armies of Khorne turn upon their Chaotic allies. Though this provides plenty of satisfying was, italso deprives the forces of Chaos of total victory Fora time, Chaos begins to consume itself OBLITERATION OF THE AGLORAXI ‘The mage elite of Ahramentia harness the power of the Prismatikon cannon to oblite Khornate warhorde. In setaliation, Khorne destroys the citadels of the Agloraxi, Without the influence of the Agloraxi and their mage ies, the Daemon Prince Selpher Zaronax takes power in Golvaria ‘THE STOLEN HAMMER ‘The Tueentchian sorecter Ephryx discovers the resting place of Ghal Maraz. He conquers the nearby city of Elia and, using work teams of blind ogors raises the Eldritch Fortress around the hharamer, seeking to harness its divine power for a ritual to corsupt allof Chamot's realmgates at once. ae ia 2 AGE OF SIGMAR & UNDER BLACK CLOUDS The celestial storm that is Sigmar’s ‘wrath made manifest rolls out across the cosmos, hurling elite brotherhoods of Stormeast Eternals into the fray. The storm brings a new era of war to the ‘Chaos worshippers starved of worthy foes to fight; the devo of Khorne in particularare jubilant at the sudden eruption of war that consumes the lands around a thousand critical sites at once A FATEFUL DISCOVERY ‘The Celestial Vindicators | Stormhost claim the Silverway Realmgate in Anvrok before marching on Ephryx’s Eldritch Fortress. Though many are slain, Lord:Celestant Thostos. | Bladestorm brings word to Sigmar of Ghal Maraz’ location. AT THE STARLESS GATES A resurrected Nagish returns through the Starless Gates to annihilate a Chaos horde, beginning his campaign to retake Shyish entirely. He accelerates his plans to create the Great Black Pyramid, a scheme many centuries in the making THE REALMGATE WARS. ‘The Heldenhammer Crusade, led by Vandus Hammerhand and Thostos Bladestorm, is launched to reclaim Ghal Maraz. In the wake of the relic hammers recovery, the Celestant-Prime is awakened | 22 — a ss from the Chamber Extremis and entrusted with Ghal Mara. The Hammethands are ater dispatched to Mount Kronus in (Chamon to prevent the daemon- seer Kiathanus escaping its prison. ‘They are intercepted first by the | daemonic armies of the Watcher King - a Gaunt Summoner who seeks Kiathanus’ power to escape servitude to Archaon ~ and then the Everchosen himself, alongside avast host of the Swords of Chaos. Vandus is cut in twain, by the Slayer of Kings and the Hammerhands chamber are wiped out toaman, [Archaon’s hosts seize the Solar Drake Ignax - for Archaon intends to use the godbeasts to shatter the gates of Azyr. The Hammers of Sigmar fight alongside Fyreslayers ofthe Austarg lodge, but cannot prevent the Everchosen's armies frosing the godbeast from her prison. Critically, Archaon does not realise thatthe Fyreslayers have sacrificed themselves to place a Rune of Binding upon Ignax’s hide, deraling his plan atthe lst Meanwhile, in Ghyran’s Everspring Swathe, a coalition of Stormhosts battle the forces of Nurgle and the Clans Skryre i the Seabrous, Sprawl, both on land and upon the mystical Great Green Tore ‘The Chaos forces plan to awaken Behemat via the parasite engines, before binding him into service by corrupting the Tore and affixing it ound his neck. The Stormcast are forced to slay Beherat as he rises, the Gelestant-Prime splitting his skull with Ghal Maraz before killing him with Sigmar's Great Bolts. Inthe wake of Behemat’s death, the towering outs known as Mega-Gargants become an increasingly common sight. Led by the vengeful King Brodd, they strike out at civilisation; many of them blame the forces of Sigmar for their father’s death instead of the Chaos agents that put itin motion.WAR AT THE ALL-GATES ‘A.combined force of Syivaneth and Stormeast Eternals assaults the Nurgle tribes that hold the Genesis ate in Ghyran, The battle ends ‘with the waterfall realmgate being purified and sealed, preventing the forces ofthe Eightpoints passing through. Meanwhile the Celestial Vindicators and thet Fyresayer allies launch an attack on Chamon's Mercurial Gate through hidden subterranean passages. However, they are outmanoeuvred intuen by Archaon and his allie, Much diminished by his Reforging, the Lord-Celestant | ‘Thostos Bladestorm is devoured by | Dhorgar and the Stormeastand Ryreslayers are forced to retreat. | In Ghur, a convergence of ronjaw warclans lay siege to the Chaos. controlled Mawgate within the ‘gullet of the godbeast Fangathrak. | “The battle turns to utter carnage when the Tempest Lords descend to stake their own claim. The arrival of Gordrakk and the Great ‘Waaagh! however, decides the matter, Fangathrak breaks its bonds and wreaks havoc across hur, denying the realmgate to both Order and Chaos. The ‘godbeastis later recaptured by Gordrakk, and the Mawgate secured far from the forces of ‘Chaos that sought to control it. ‘THE SOUL WARS ‘Nagash’s great ritual comes to ‘ahead; however, the presence ‘of Clans Eshin agents within the Black Pyramid throws his calculations awry. The ritual disrupts the fabric of magic itself The Shyish Nadir is formed as the Great Black Pyramid sinks into the heart of the realmerust, drawing ‘the underworld into its hungering | rave. Gheists rise in the tens of thousands, and the armies of dead attack the living with increased vigour. The laws of the arcane go haywie, with more powerful and lingering incantations able to be summoned by ambitious Cabalists. ‘THE CURSED SKIES Be'lakor’s grand plans unfurl to shatter several realmgates in Chamon, destroy an entire Stormhost and pollute the skies themselves with Chaos magic, striking a dire blow atthe heavenly hosts of Sigmar who would claim the firmament as their own, ERA OF THE BEAST “The forces of Destruction rise to new heights of power in the wake of Alarielle's Rite of Life, and its ripples ae felt as far afield as the ‘Varanspire, This is especially true in the Realm of Beasts, where the bestil soul of Ghur secks to ‘buck the bindings ofits place in the cosmos and infect the other realms with its feral animus. The thumping heat of war deums, once ‘reaction to the pounding of the earthquake god Kragnos within his rocky prison, echoes out across all Ghar, a heartbeat of war thatis ‘more vital than ever. ‘THE OGROID DILEMMA Though the Ogroid race have long considered themselves more civilised than the monsters of Chou, their inner beast cannot escape the thumping beat of destruction tht they hearin their dreams. Their gladiatorial contests and disciplinary beatings became ever more savage. Amongst the Varanguard, it does not go unnoticed. Not long after the vise of Kragnos and his rampage across Thondia, Archaon sends the ‘Ogroids out from the Varanspire in their thousands. The vast majority are driven into Ghur, plunging out from the Maweate with such suddenness and force that they eu their way through thehordes of orruks and spider. 23 ‘worshipping grots that lay claim to it through the imprisonment ‘of the great worm Fangathrak, ‘They seek out the hosts of Chaos, adding their might to that of the Chaos warbands that otherwise ‘would have fared ill n the war for survival against the numberless hosts of Destruction, More and more often they give themselves lover to the raging beast inside, particularly when wounded, and the scent of gore is thick in the air. Inthis, they finally know fear, for the beast within cannot be conquered with finely-wrought weapons or well-made shield, LEGACY OF THE SLAYER Across the realms, those who have ‘been brought low by Archaon's ‘daemonic blade yet have found new life through the magic oftheir ‘own patrons slowly discover there isa lasting cost to their escape. After losing himself during a speech at the Grand Templum, Vandus Hammerhand, assailed by increasingly dark visions and rumours he sometimes speaks with a voice not his own, is eventually confined to his cell in the Sigmarabulum when not on active duty ~ for where Thostos Bladestorm paid for opposing Archaon with his body, Vandus has paid with his mind, The Mortarch Katakros, his soul rehoused in a new body after his climactic duel against Archaon in the Eightpoints, is aghast to find his thoughts invaded by visions of ‘Chaos; each time he has his mortal form destroyed and his Mortisans build him a new body of bone, but it makes litte difference. And in ‘Chamon, deep in the bowels of «a quicksilver volcano, the Solar Drake Ignax opent one baleful eye, «glimmer of dark magic within,iit. TO MUSTER THE HORDE It takes a vast amount of conviction, exemplary strength and no little amount of supernatural aid to muster ‘a Chaos host. In essence every stratum of the horde is governed by a simple, recurring theme - each group is led by the most favoured amongst them, who in turn follows another. Yet rulership is far from permanent. ‘There is a saying in the Chaos: wastelands of the realms ~ ‘the law of the blade is al’. Atits heart there is akernel oftruth, foras with many of the brutish greenskinned tribes that seek to claim territory in the wilderness, the culture of ‘Chaos is one where armed might prevails, and those who cannot defend their rule soon end up as headless corpses in the dust. Any leader of a group dedicated to Chaos will soon find his followers become devoted to him as a conduit to the power of the gods. Its common for such individuals to have a saga of deeds that would take a full hour of song to relate, but as most of the written traditions ofthe realms were destroyed in the Age of | Chaos, very unlikely these would, survive in the form of a book or | illuminated manuscript. Instead the deeds of sufficiently impressive Chaos champions are engraved on Leadership challenges are cotnmon, visceral and decisive, the people of each clan or culture happy to shif allegiances toa stronger incumbent as soon as they hhave proved themself the better candidate. Yet there are exceptions to the loose cultural artefact of the duel, One blessed with the power of the gods might inspire loyalty through sheer force of personality, for instance, the followers of the former leader drifing away in twos and threes to join their new leader without any formal challenge whatsoever ~ afterall, ifthe gods have so obviously chosen one over another, what need is there for a fight? When those blessed with sorcerous power seek to unseat ‘one another at the head ofa cabal, a pyrotechnic display of magical power soon follows, usually at a time of auspicious omens and in front of as many people as possible. monoliths, great standing stones or cliff walls, chiselled there in the runes of the Dark Tongue so that even after the champion’s demise his story can bea testament to the | Dark Gods he ance worshipped. ‘The ealms being as diverse as | they are some ofthese memorials | arecarved notin stone, but in | plas oftving flesh oe pulsing realltbor oriteed abe fora of eters writ in dame or | lobulac quicksilver that forms the | legend of the champion only when | vewerlooks upon them. Others | tradition, orn the form of thee armour, thet legend continuing | provided theres another successor | to wear the infamous mask. ‘Some, the Dark Master among them, avoid open conifict to better make their moves in darkness, slowly undermining thei foe's power base until a single tap can send the entire edifice tumbling down. But for every careful ‘machination in the Chaos horde there are ten kills made in violent anger ~ in the hearts of those ‘sworn to the Dark Gods, the blood runs hot. are remembered purely in an oral 24 The greater horde is comprised of the warbands of several of these charismatic war leaders, for they too will march under the banner of one they see as closer to the gods than they. The champion of a small Varanspirian cult will join forces with an aspiring champion from another watband provided. they think they can benefit from it, who in turn will march under the banner of a champion exalted further in the favour of the ‘Ruinous Posters, whose gathering ofccults and tribes joins the larger forces ofa lord of Chaos, and so on, Itis through this method that the warbands, tribes and cults, often numbering a dozen or even fewer individuals, form ragtag, and disparate armies that surge forward to blacken the lands at the behest of a powerful warlord with vision and force of personality enough to weld them into a weapon of nation-ending power. Those warbands that pledge | toa single deity are known as | Godtouched, and they bear the | arcane mark oftheir patron. Those | that are in thrall to the Blood God are known as Bloodmarked | warbands, when they are given a | name tall, whereas those who claim Nurgle as theic patron are | called the Plaguetouched. The | Pleasurebound venerate Slaanesh, | their yearnings for extreme sensation driving them to ever | darker acts, whereas the devotees | of Tzcentch call themselves the Fatesworn, Those who worship | Chaos in allits undivided glory | can be loosely classified as sodsworn ifthey make pacts | in the manner ofthe Darkoath, | Reinbringers if they ride to war on | fel steeds, and Godswrath i they | are especially devout.GODSWORN OVERLORD Sen een cd CCS CHAMPIONS OF RUIN Tg ee eR eo ‘Horde, veteran Chosen and Knights of the Hellbound Brotherhood, Saar eR eo ae ST | era Pens Penunon y a 3 Serent Reon i MC) + / et Pore teens ey recent 1 erent ee) pen er Peete! } Se waged amongst 3 | claimed rulership warriors worship the Reaver Wastes Sioa merry Sn) eee Pees ed enn ‘Axe,and loathe pore Peeters tt ee eae eet Horde entirely from hhedonists of Lord eros pores Dina) irene \ een en ee eee cay Dea rr a cee . the scourge of Lethrael, When Kravoth ascended fight of Ruin. These ae the warriors losst tothe Godsworn . {nthe Great Game of the gods, nferail took control ofhis_ Overlord, adits often from their ranks thata new arms through strength of arms and cunningly wrought ste cts with fellow champions. Now he maintains an ron of deve ; Pe eet et ett ae peseanber eer eertene tat ret mane Seite estat eaten ieee ne any nd {nthe hunt and the killing charge Da a Infernil's Reavers are loosely assembled into warbandsTHE DAMNED LEGIONS “The forms of the Chaos host are myriad, no two the same. Those that march from the Varanspire are different to those who prow! the wilds, who differ again from those corrupted by areas where reality and Chaos blend, together. That said, the most part can be grouped into six loose categories known as the Damned Legions. HOST OF THE EVERCHOSEN ‘The black-armoured hordes that muster from spike-walled Dreadholds or push through the Al-gates to assail the wider realms are known asthe Hosts of the Everchosen, These worship Chaos inall its forms, end leadership is fiercely contested, though in times of war they have a cruel, unifying discipline. In serried ranks they march, hundreds of (Chaos Warriors clad in hellforged plate, gathered under banners emblazoned with the dark sigils of their gods and marching to thumping drums made from iron and stretched human skin, ‘Amongst them are the elites of the Chaos horde; Chosen Warriors ‘wielding massive soulsplitter axes, trundling chariots pulled by outlandish beasts and Chaos Knights riding stop armoured destriers that can shatter bone and tear flesh even before their riders Tevel the Killing blow. They take great pleasure in destroying the ‘works of those who cling to the hope ofa better world. For here is the iron fist of Archaon himself ‘mademanifest;to stand in its path isto die RAVAGERS ‘The people of the Mortal Realms worship Chaos - of its foremost champions ~ in their ov ways, with no defining church, text or imagery to unite them. Asa result 4 great many interpretations exist, ofien varying from tribe to tribe or even from one side of ‘geographical divide to another. When the call to war goes out, and the elders ofthese tribes, agree to fight a common enemy, they put aside their differences and gather under the same unifying figureheads, Disparate in appearance but united in their intent, such an assemblage may number dozens of different tribes, some of the Darkoath tradition, | some bands of cultists from the Eightpoints; some marching as the main body ofthe host, others hunting the foe as they would a beast or even circling for leagues across the wilderness to attack them from behind. Though their leadets claim to be united, a fierce rivalry exists between them; when tone falls in battle or has overplayed their hand another is swift to claim control. The prize, afterall, is nothing less than the approval of the Chaos Gods themselves. 26 CABALISTS Those who seek to master the sorcerous arts sometimes band together to better harness and attract the power ofthe Datk Gods Where one spellcaster can create fell miracles with the power given tohim, several such champions learning from one another and bolstering each other's power can rearrange reality itself to better suit their needs. Those ofthe tribes and ‘warbands that witness such wonders are usually so impressed they gladly follow, eyes alight at each new spectacle of destruction, Some even. give their lives to empower these rites, thinking their martyrdom will see them take shortcut toa blessed immortality onthe other side of the veil between lifeand death ~ a myth the Cabalists themselves are quick to reinforce. In truth they dolittle more than give their soul energy to an incantation that sees elditch power cascade across the battlefield When the individual sacrificed is dear to the spelicaster in question, the sorcery becomes all the more potent - such a betrayal is amusing to the Chaos Gods, and the seekers oftheir favour will stop at nothing | to garner the supernatural gifts they | believe tobe their birthright.