Soon the second wave came forward, with the Screaming Bell leading the charge. As the skeletons march across the field towards the outer walls, from behind them an array of bone-built catapults launched a barrage against the weakened western walls in between the Rosemeyer Bastion and Sigmudas Bastion. The still silence of the forest was stifling as though the Drakwald held its breath in anticipation and left no air for others to breathe. Though these tribes craved bloodshed, Archaon was patient and bided his time. To the west, thousands of Norscans charged across the plains, with the Glottkins at their head. [3d], Thus as Tyrion's fleet made landfall upon Elrost Bay, they found the seawalls held against him by black-banners. Archaon, the EverchosenBe'lakor the Dark MasterSeerlord ThanquolShadowlord VerminkingFestak Krann, Champion of the Rotting HordeThe Glottkin, Champions of NurgleArbaal the Undefeated, Champion of KhorneDechala the Denied One, Champion of SlaaneshValnir the Reaper, Champion of NurgleEgrimm van Horstmann, Champion of TzeentchAekold Helbrass, Conqueror of KislevKordel ShorgaarSigvald the Magnificent, Champion of SlaaneshValkia, Gorequeen of KhorneVilitch the Curseling, Champion of TzeentchMannfred von CarsteinKu'gath PlaguefatherMorathi, Avatar of HekartiTyrion, Avatar of KhaineVardek Crom the Conqueror Spears of ice-encrusted amber shot forth, splitting whole files of daemons and freezing fungoid bodies solid. from the tunnel walls. From here, he abased himself before his ruler, claiming the Banner of Tiranoc as a message of fealty to Malekith. Posture submissive, hands well away from his weapons. With a howl, thousands of Nehekharan spirits called out the Vampire Queen to show herself and atone for her sins. The great halls of Karak Azul now remains plundered and forgotten, their mighty King having died far from the halls of his ancestors. [4a] Upon meeting, it was Grey Seer Thanquol who has proposed to summon the Verminlords into this world to help them recover their once formidable power. Yet as three more of the drones went after the fleeing gunsman, Captain Bennec Sootson and his artillery guns fired upon them with thrice-blessed silver cannonballs. Waves of greek-fire spewed forth from his armada as teams of zombies pumped massive bladders of chemicals taken from Lustrian Salamanders into crude hoses. Qmotion (Banned) Mar 14, 2018 @ 6:08pm Had the same on SFO. Bleating, bleeding, and feasting en masse, these vile creatures celebrated whilst in the heavens, the Chaos Moon eclipsed its larger brother, creating with it a halo of light with a core of darkness in the night sky. After all, committing their strength to Middenhelm's walls was surely preferable to frittering it away in the wilds. [1g], With Mallobaude's body burned to ash, the remaining Dukes began to squabble over the ascension of the throne. Though the Castellans of the Order fought heroically against the onslaught, nothing could easily best a being such as the Lord of Sylvania and after a bloodbath and the death of the Order's second-in-command, Rudolph Weskar, the Vampire retrieved Morikhane, the Black Armour of Nagash and quickly fled the battlefield. Thanqoul has been chosen by the Lord of Verminlords to become his new Champion in the mortal world, Despite meeting significant success at taking down many nigh-impregnable Dwarf Holds, those Skaven armies sent to the Empire battlefronts were met with utter failure and in the worse case, full-blown disaster. The City of the White Wolf knew no dawn that day, for rolling banks of black cloud swept in from the north. From the southern edge of the caverns, the Vampire Queen has had enough of the old Runelord's stubbornness and personally led her Vampire Handmaidens in a vicious assault. The russet colored arachnarok, known as the Red Gobbet came crashing through a line of Chaos Warriors, flinging projectiles from its makeshift catapult before the Harbinger spoke a spell which saw the ground beneath it turn into a cesspool, slowly drowning the creature with boiling corruption. As Feskit emerged from his cave, he beheld the sight before him with a mixture of rage and despair. In place of the statue, Louen stood victorious and pointed his sword towards Festus. Yet the foe had breached the walls faster than even the most pessimistic officer could have guessed. Like parchment thrown into a hearth, the realms of men blackened and fell to ash. Slowly, the three made their way into the inner sanctum, Malekith making mocking remarks and expressing both doubt and anger like he never felt before. But the golden statue stood silent, and with its unspoken words, the Templar knew that all was hopeless. Reinforcing their ranks were the Ogre Maneaters of Grub Kineater and his Bloodfist Mercenaries. With a large thump, the powers of plague urns corrupted everything in its vicinity, and in time, a dark-green growth began to grow upon the seawall. [1w], On the ninth day, King Tharruk still fought deep in the battlelines, his flail hacking away at zombies whilst his own bones were re-knitted time and again by the magic's of High Priest Khuftah. Yet as the Dwarfs advanced, Ikit Claw and Throt the Unclean unleashed their secret weapon. They spat at fate, and clawed at the Northlanders even when limbs were lost or weapons were bent, dragging down their foes even as death took them. Upon marshalling his strength, Archaon made straight for the northern fastness of Middenheim. This was what happened if you left the City of the White Wolf in the hands of some puffed-up southern milksop, he thought sourly. As the Gods themselves began to die, Orghotts Daemonspew and his Champions have forged a path through the snow of the Middle Mountains. The Wood Elves leveled their bow, but Araloth, having returned from his journey to save the Goddess Shallya from the imprisonment of Nurgle, ordered his kin to lower their weapons and implored Imirik to stay his hand. Again and again, Lady Eldyra landed searing blows upon the Vampiric Count, but in one final moment, Mannfred ordered a host of fell bats upon the Elven Princess, smothering her inside their membranous wings. Moreso, Nagash went back on his promise to bring Isabella back to him and so, the Necromancer owed Vlad nothing! And so did the Captain campaign under his Lord's name, not out of a sense of duty but to sought reason to escape from his prince's dark presence. Soon, the young, elderly and infirm were snuff out, doomed to be damned in the diseased world that lies behind the ever-thinning veil of reality. drawing in ever more of the Empire soldiery. State troops closed ranks to his fore and suddenly the wizard had a moment to breathe. Though the Empire is dead, there is but one province who claims to still stand, though one which is ruled by a new master. In desperation, Morathi let out a forbidden word and her dark magic collided with Alarielle's own, resulting in a magical backlash which pushed both from their feet. With sudden rage, Tyrion slashed the Warpsword of Khaine, the same weapon taken from Malus Darkblade's corpse, down upon his brother, but Teclis conjured his steed and fled the scene. For the Slann, it was time to return to the stars. Yet miraculous though Ulric's intervention was, it was a reprieve, not a victory. The Everchosen halted in a clatter of hooves, sweeping his withering gaze across the army that opposed him. For a moment the air was filled with a rising whine as the barrels spun up to speed. The Temple of Ulric was a towering edifice of granite and pale winterstone, graven with countless images of wolves and winter. This calm usher forth fresh portents, and to those that had the wit to read such signs they spoke of a new player destined to walk the center stage, a being neither immortal god, nor accursed mortal. In the ensuring melee, Princess Adranna faced her mad brother and his warriors with a vengeance for Korhil's death, feeling no fear as corruption eats away into her soul. At no time in the Empire's glorious history had so many fought so bravely with so little hope of victory, and that their deaths would go unremembered only added to their tragedy. The Everchosen did not give him the chance. A strange purple glow appears around Nagash's ever-tightening hand, and agony swelled through his body. And so, Nagash forbade the death of his general, atleast for a time, and in his stead Mannfred took the helm of the defense of the northern borders. Time, was running out and Malekith soared fast towards the hill's summit. In the west. The Battle of the Delta was won and the skull of King Kalhazzar stood as a trophy next to Luthor Harkon's desk. As they made a turned around the Fleischmarkt district, they were confronted by a scene from a demented general's nightmare. With the aid of Dark Elven sorceresses, the Griffon Knights were entangled in a web of dark magic, and were falling like flies from they sky. Nothing of the proud rulers were left in those withered husk. Yet Archaon bore the mantle of four mighty gods, ascendant beings of infinite power. What sense was there in resisting? [3h], With a battlecry, the Black Guards finally met the enemy battleline, their shouts setting hearts a-tremor. His Hippogryph dead after trying one to tear the flesh of the Greater Daemon, Louen stabbed his sword deep into the creature's throat, while his blood, now a golden fluid burnt the Daemon with great pain. Slamming his boots upon Morathi's chest, the Hag Queen fell from her mount and was pinned to the mud by Shadowblades weight. He laughed as he watched Clan Skryre’s pride battered by the vastly superior dwarfish artillery force. The night prior to this daring raid, Korhil had a run-in with the assassin Shadowblade, who not only killed Princess Adranna in her sleep but had also managed to convince the White Lion to enact this daring raid on behalf of his mistress. Behind them came the greatswords of the Emperors personal guard and the last proud state troops of Altdort herding a great column of ragged refugees in their midst. Todbringer fell back a pace and cursed as the lash cracked out once more, cutting bloody furrows in his cheek. Yet behind him even still, a new ally stood to defend the Imperials. Yet Archaon's victory was not complete. Valten resumed his place at Martak's side. As the ships made landfall, the Elven devastated the Dark Elven garrison as the Merwyrms made a blood feast of them. Axes hacked and chopped, horned heads butted in to shatter teeth and break skulls, hooves stamped down and smashed knees and feet. That time finally came by the Twilight's Tide of 2521 IC, when he rode out with an army of disgraced knights. The dark elves felt none of their cousins' regrets. It would've all ended there, if not for one last betrayal. The gong-relays sounded across the delta, the beacons along the distant eastern shores blazed in the gloom. Imperiously. All the Skaven clans have lent away a considerable force in this enormous campaign, with the armies of Clan Pestilens bolstered by warbeast from Clan Moulder, siege-engines and Warlock Engineers of Clan Skyre, stealthy and deadly assassins of Clan Eshin, as well as legions upon legions of elite Stormvermin and Clanrat infantry blocks from all the remaining Warlord Clans. Lightning flared across the sky and Archaon's army fell suddenly silent. In that moment, it felt to the defenders of Middenheim that all hope was lost. But it wasn't these warriors which blocked their advanced but another far, far worse. With its death, the moon-spider above dissipated. It was then that the Rotting Riders entered the fray and broke the Grokkamobs into a rout. [9g] With this signal, the Skaven sent nearly seventy-thousand ratmen against the first Dwarfen line. None doubted Imrik's true intentions for himself to be the next ruler, but too many Elven nobles spoke out in support of his cause to have it dismissed outright. [3b], Though nearly one-third of Malekith's army was lost on the journey, the Witch King continued on with silent determination, going as far as to isolate himself from his generals. Using every fibre of his being, Mazdamundi shot blast of magic against the continent-sized chunks, the fragments of which were still as large as mountains but were further hammered by his might. [8g] High above the castle battlements, a palanquin of spectres carried a terrifying artifact that began to suck the courage out of the frontal ranks of Crusaders, eventually falling upon the Wizards as well, killing their greatly respected leader, Jovi Sunscryer. Caledor Dragontamer saw death approach and shouted a warning to Teclis, but his words could not pierce the Vortex. Nothing, except for the jungle itself. the Everchosen accepted the offer of allegiance. The Vortex had been unmade by the Elves and in turn, hurricane of magical winds howled across the world. All could hear the cry of the daemon lord as the wall finally closed in on itself. Festus then used a spell which corrupted the last of the Skyhost until their bodies began to bloat and burst into a rain of blood and gore. Men screamed in terror around him, flames of change consuming their bodies and souls. Against the glow of the shrouded sun, he picked out figures. The storm rumbled and roared overhead. drowning Middenheim in shadow. They found only the wreckage of the gatehouse controls, the gutter runners having fled into the tunnels to escape capture. Handguns coughed and helbasters roared and yet the enemy always had enough bodies to send to their dooms. With his death, the Daemons lost their vigour and were as slow as any sickly creature. the Supreme Patriarch stripped reserves of state troops from their staging points in arched underground chambers. Skaven died in droves. Finally, after a walk of over an hour through the vast encampment, Thanquol came before Archaon. Then came all the great Legions of Khemri; the fully awakened mighty of all Nehekhara brought bare upon the enemy. thickening until he was encased from head to foot. There, a whisper was heard, saying that his prayers had finally been answered. Seeing these winged nightmares, the Red Jackals of Rasetra stood forward and went blade to blade with these creatures. As he slew. Soon they left the Chamber quickly and went about preparing for the second-phase of their master plan. After over a century of searching, Archaon had claimed the title of Everchosen. Whilst Morathi laid unconscious, Alarielle fell from her tower. Realizing that the Grey Seers had once again bested him with their mighty spells, Lord Morskittar was furious to the point of insanity. Below, emerging from the forest to the city's north, came the front-runners of Archaon's horde. Are not all the lackeys of Tzeentch schemers at heart?" [4a], With their sacrifice, the moon grew until finally it didn't move any more as the Grey Seers invocations mysteriously became less and less powerful. In that final moment, the only Man who could have halted the ending of the world had been slain by a coward's weapon. After some time passed, the Dwarfs unleashed their hidden weaponry, and a horn signaled the opening of a massive gate that unleashed a whole company of Ogre Mercenaries and Mournfang cavalry upon the terrified Skaven. Ikit soon ordered in Jezzail Sniper Teams and made them take aim against the Dwarfen batteries. When Morathi saw both her lover and son fall, in that moment, the Hag Queen had lost all sense of sanity. Yet as the foul Warlord stood trimphant, Festak Krann suddenly collapsed to his knees as the searing wound made by the Runefang Trollcleaver would not heal. Gathering his power, he blasted the northlanders that faced him with a flurry of sorcerous Ice-crows. Even then, Archaon the Everchosen, the Three-Eyed King, the Lord of the End Times was on the march. Days passed and Todbringer's party rode on with no sign of the foe. The King soon realised that his hidden battery of Catapults were being assaulted and that there would be no support coming from the coast. Just then, a herald bearing news from the war-front had interrupted the two's conversation and told them that a massive breach has been made upon the Alderfen Garrison in the central portion of the Auric Bastion. Though the Assassin could hear little from the coversation, what had been said by the gathering was Teclis convincing the Witch King that the Rhana Dandra, the End Times is nigh and that Malekith's path will be the one that shall save their race from utter destruction. To the right, the Dragon Ogres of the Tusk Axes crashed through the forest and attacked the blue spider. Last to fade was Everprincess Ystranna, who sent a arrow wheezing away at the heart of Lokhir Fellheart before he delivered the killing blow upon Imirik. Screaming soldiers were smashed off their feet by the impact, while ensorcelled blades punched through breastplates and hacked off heads. Driven mad by bloodlust, the hulking monsters were pushing deep into the Empire line, threatening to break right through and into the reserves behind. The icy lands of Naggaroth burn with the pyres of burning cities. Black armoured warriors pounded toward the foe, wild, yelling tribesmen running alongside them. Although the last of Grand Warlord Skrazslik's clawpack had been scattered by Valten's hammer, many more ratmen had found their way north to loin the horde. Those Aestyrion who still lived saw their doom approach and fled, whilst others, freed from their madness, cosigned themselves to death after witnessing the horrors they've committed. From above the meeting hall, a Dark Elven Assassin known simply as Shadowblade, secret agent of Drusala watched from a windowsill up above. At the same moment, the skaven plunged like a knife into his back. So it was that the greatest Hold of the Dwarfs, with numbers coming in the hundred thousand, all armoured-clad warriors of indomitable spirit, readied themselves for the coming storm. Those which journeyed southward were confronted by Malus Darkblade and the cold-hearted legions of Hag Graef, painting the Dark Road red with the blood of the invaders. The Skaven fell back In disarray before their fury and with a final surge Valten, Martak and their followers broke through to the City of the White Wolf. [3a] Once again, Tyrion's recklessness and barely hidden rage had cost him dearly. [4a], With their rivals defeated as promised, the Grey Seers continued their arcane struggle against the Mage-Priests of the Lizardmen Empire in a battle of both will, mind and soul. Ice-crows shrieked and cawed amongst the growing vortex, whirling around one another in a mad storm of frost-talons and jagged white wings. This was the greatest formation of Skaven within Lustria, the very air clouded by infection and the jungle itself withering in their wake. #2. This time, there is no escape, and the Imperial Legions would make one last daring stand upon the city of Heffengen. First in piecemeal warbands, then in a flood, Archaon's horde began to gather along the square's southern edge. or are there endgame mechanics at play to limit the end game fatigue that some of these games seems to always suffer from. A great pit dominated the chamber's floor, where once had stood rows of pews. These heroes had led an inspired defence, one that soon saw the Skaven commanders pull their forces back in fear. Kairos Fateweaver watched with satisfaction as the Swords of Chaos hit the centre of the Empire battle line with a resounding crash. With the entire Knightly Order outside the city, Arkhan withdrew from the battlefield and allowed Mannfred and an elite core of Undead warriors to strike through the breach and head directly into Heldenhame Castle. At Arkhan's command, the Undead forces of The Arisen and The Hungry formed form themselves into a single titanic horde that would be used as a rotting battering ram against the hastily assembled Bretonnian battle-lines. Under-tunneled and overrun, every major city was now a blasted ruin over which a ragged clan banner openly flew. Seeing the horrors that has begun to plague his homeland, King Gilles summoned his heralds and declared the last and most grandest Errantry War in their history. It came almost too late. the armies led by Gutrot Spume. Cut off, the garrisons of the remaining gatehouses fought on in desperation. grunting beasts. Chaos warriors in heavy plate hacked down terrified men, lopping off limbs and heads as they chanted praise to the Dark Gods. Again and again, pockets of resistance and Imperial snipers tried to shoot at their Daemonhost, but they were immune to such attempts. With a massive crunch, an opening was made and one of the abominations squirmed its body through the gap like a giant, disgusting rat. The crown lay in the First Shrine to Chaos, high on an icy peak in the Worlds Edge Mountains. Accusations and recrimination flew and the Council of Thirteen was paralysed by panicked indecision. [3f], When Teclis finally arrived, Tyrion stood upon a long-abandoned ceremonial circle containing a statue of all the Elven Gods. Yet for all their pride and glamour, they will inevitably fail, for their King Malekith has abandoned them to enact one final gamble to reclaim his birthright. She paid Malekith little heed afterwards and knelt before Tyrion, a single tear flowing down her face after seeing Tyrion's serene face, no longer gripped by madness. Knowing what his opponent was thinking, Krell personally led the largest contingent straight towards the Chariot Legions of the center army. Those that held true to the rightful King gathered together next to their fallen king, praying for salvation. All across, beast and men fought to the bitter end. The remaining knights of Bretonnia gladly lent their lances to the Empire's defence, for their own realm was long past salvation. Karl Franz grabbed Ghurk's pseudopod and yanked hard, pulling the giant in close. And with the Prophets fiery oratory, the already steely determination of the Lizardmen had just turned to bloodthirsty fanaticism and each and every one of them is willing to die for this cause. Despite all the hardships they had suffered, Boris Todbringer allowed Valten and Martak only a brief rest before demanding their presence at a council of war, held in an echoing chamber within the Temple of Ulric. It was then that an explosion ruptured the Bell-Tower of the Temple of the Horned Rat, killing the best and brightest of the Priesthood, naive at knowing that it was Grey Seer Thanquol who have formulated this daring sabotage after giving away the entire warpstone-hoards of his own former colleagues for the aid of Clan Eshin assassins. Yet even as the ratmen broke and scattered up the temple steps, they had already served their true purpose. None could hope to stop his assault and those who died could only raise their weapons before they fell to the bloodied floor. A duel ensued between the two combatants, but as Throgrim launched a blow, the daemons warpmetal glaive pierced through the runic powers of the High King's throne and pierced the side of Thorgrim, punching its way through the near-impregnable Armour of Skaldour. White light washed over the Shrine of Khaine, flowing over the ancient stones in a gentle caress. Amid all this horror, Martak had eyes only for Archaon. The third force would sail towards the Gulf of Kislev and smash their way through Erengrad and head towards the city of Talabehim. [3j], It had been many, many long months since King Belegar led the remnants of his once mighty army out of the collapsed caverns of the Hall of Clan Skalfdon, having to carve their way through debris and entire enemy armies before they were able to reach the gates of their mighty citadel. Well, it ended here. As the Imperial forces broke, they were run down by the mutant warriors of the Accursed. With his death, the Kurgans finally broke and ran. Queek waited until Thorgrim was so close he could see the red veins threading his tired eyes before launching his rightly famed attack. Yet as victory seemed assured, the cruelest of fate had happened. Within days, the Church of Sigmar denounced the works of Gelt, and the Auric Bastion was abandoned by the Sigmarite Priests. through the fire and the fury. Slowly, the world and all that lives within it are lying all, the trees grow sickly and die, the waters turn a murky color of rust and blood and the earth itself seethes with corruption and death. hammers swinging to smash apart tribes of rampaging northlanders. The other three rammed further still but Epidemus shot a wave of the pus-white clouds from above and hammered it inside one of the tanks. There he brought the Knights before Nagash, and just as the message was delivered they were all put to the death before a reply had even been made. This was followed by a terrible gale of wind that swept the battlefield. Their zigzag trench lines and burrowed encampments festered with the filth and detritus of long occupation. From another entrance, Druthor, the Strigoi Ghoul King of Grimbarrow and his army of Bloodbeast burst through and hit the Iron Guards with such ferocity that the Dwarfs were being pushed back. Delving underground and through long-forgotten tunnels, the Undead Horde burst through the northern and southern archways of a massive cavern and surronded the mighty expedition army of Runelord Thorek Ironbrow which lay before the gates where Valaya herself currently slumbers. [8g], However, Mannfred was not yet bereft of ideas or short of cunning. Out from the forest, an army of maniacs and beasts carved their way through the Drakwald Forest. Cones of fire immolated hundreds of slaves, while cannon balls streaked overhead, the guns’ aim re-calibrated, to shatter dozens of the lightning cannons.