Mordheim
A tale of urban struggle and gothic horror

 

Once upon a time, in a far off land, there lived a city called Mordheim. Once upon a time, there died a city called Mordheim. You see, the Empire hadn't felt Sigmar's presence for almost 2,000 years. Sigmar was the first Emperor, the one who subdued and drove back the forces of evil so that humankind could live and thrive in peace. Sigmar was the Empire's messiah and became more than a legend, he became a patron god. Ironically, it was the people that Sigmar had enlightened that fell to evil. Mordheim ultimately became the world capital of decadence and hubris. It became a common act to empower oneself at the expense of others. It was predicted that Sigmar would return to the world to guide his Empire to world domination and enlightenment. Apparently, Sigmar sent his judgement instead. A Twin-tailed Comet descended to the Earth and collided with Mordheim, destroying the city and the people therein. At least, that's one story. Another story is that the comet contained an imprisoned Chaos Lord that was subdued by the others and sent to our world for storage. Then there is the story abou--oh, who cares. All you need to know is that what's left of the comet resides in a giant pit, the Empire is fragmented and Mordheim has become the City of the Damned. Know now, that this experience is not for the faint of heart, the blindly idealistic, or absurdly naive.

As Mordheim is run-down and the toxic land itself can kill you, why would anyone want to come to this forsaken place? Because it is the only known source of wyrdstone, fragments from the comet that hold immense power as well as immense danger. All of the factions in the Empire want to get as much wyrdstone as possible regardless of its danger in order to secure a competitive advantage for the Crown of Sigmar. He who holds the crown shall rule the Empire. It is currently in the possession of the Grand Theogonist of Sigmar (equivalent of the pope), and he must determine who is the rightful contender to the throne of the Empire. Of course, no one in their right mind would go anywhere near Mordheim, and as such mercenaries, warbands, gangs, zealously loyal agents, and the desperate are used to gather wyrdstone for the factions. Others gather wyrdstone for themselves, seeking wealth, power, or a reputation. The factions for control of the Empire include:

Reikland: Led by Prince Siegfred, the Reiklanders are very brave, dedicated, disciplined, and loyal. They are studious followers of Sigmar, and the Grand Theogonist resides in the capital city of Altdorf alongside Prince Siegfred. As such, Siegfred is a major contender for the Crown of Sigmar. Rieklanders are very practical and are well versed in the Art of War. They disdain flamboyance and wear/carry only what they need to accomplish a given mission.

Middenheim: Led by Count Mannfred Todbringer, Middenheim is a capital city on a mountain surrounded by the dark forest of Middenland. Middenheimers worship Ulric, the god of wolves and winter. Count Mannfred is the one of the main contenders for the Emperor's Crown. Middenheimers are large, strong, and tenacious. If one has the heart, one might even call them barbaric. After all, a Middenheim rite of passage into manhood includes having to kill a wolf with ones bare hands (and hygiene is not one of their strong points).

Marienburg: Marienburg is the financial capital fo the Empire. It is also one of the world's largest and most prosperous cities. If one has a skill, then one can profit in Marienburg. However, it is the mercantile guilds that are in control in Marienburg, not the government or the religious leaders. Controlling the guilds is a secret society known as the Order of Honourable (Ha!) Freetraders. The Freetraders are led by Lady Magritta, who has been denied contention for the Crown of Sigmar by the Grand Theogonist because she is a woman. As such, there is a serious wedge between church and state taking place, and Marienburg is entrenched in the middle. The Freetraders hope to establish a capitalist Empire that will rule the world through the control of wealth and commerce.

Sisters of Sigmar: The Sisters of Sigmar make their home in the Fortress of Sigmar's Rock, the only building that was unaffected by the Twin-tailed Comet. As such, many believe that their devout faith spared them from Sigmar's wrath. Others choose to believe that they were in tune with something more sinister. In spite of the fact that the Sisters are dedicated to helping those in need, due to propaganda they are often denounced as heretics and persecuted or attacked. Such a hard life combined with their discipline has made them tough fighters, and their primary mission includes gathering wyrdstone in order to hide it from the other factions. It would appear that wyrdstone has had a negative effect on everyone who contacts it, and the sisters are determined to cut this root of evil from the world. It is rumored that Lady Magritta secretly finances the Sisters of Sigmar, as she was raised in the Fortress of Sigmar's Rock.

Witch Hunters: The Witch Hunters are the enforcement branch of the Holy Order of Sigmar. They are dedicated to wiping all evil and heresy off of the face of the world. Those who don't bow down to the Grand Th--Sigmar are heretics. As such, they target demons, witches, warlocks, necromancers, sinners, mutants, the handicapped, people who curse, rap music, jay walkers, alcoholics, and people who think for themselves, and Sisters of Sigmar. They are responsible for much of the strife that plagues the Sisters of Sigmar for having the audacity to think that women can represent the divine majesty of Sigmar. They are also seriously focused on bringing down the City of the Damned. However, everyone fears them because everyone has something to hide. The Witch Hunters are good at inspiring a mob mentality in crowds. After all, it is easier to target someone else for punishment than to risk someone exposing your own secrets--I mean, the Witch Hunters are charismatic and dedicated and everyone can see that. No matter what one can see and not see, it becomes apparent that these agents are solid proof that the Grand Theogonist has his own agenda.

Cult of the Possessed: There are always people out there who have to take the easy way to power. People who make pacts with demons, worship Chaos Lords, and utilize sorcery as a shortcut to accomplish their goals. Then there are just those who can't escape persecution for whatever reason and find a home in darkness. As such, the Possessed do well in Mordheim. In fact, they are running things in Mordheim right now. It is easy to make a home in the City of the Damned when one revels in being damned. The toxic air and hostile environment have no effect on the Possesed. If anything, it aids their already corrupt bodies. Additionally, a new contender for the empire controls many of the Possessed, the mysterious Shadowlord. Rumor has it that he is actually a Chaos Lord, but this is probably bullsh*t. One thing is for certain though: the Possessed's hunger for power knows no bounds, and neither does their depravity and bloodlust.

The Mystical Brotherhood of Shomari

Sylvania: Sylvania is a land with a dark secret, everyone knows that. However, of the agents and spys of the factions that go to Sylvania, few ever return. Those that return almost never return with their sanity. What no one knows is that Sylvania's ruler, Count Vlad von Carstein and his wife Isabella are the rulers of a vampire aristocracy. von Carstein waits in the shadows for the right time to invade the Empire with his army of the undead, so that he can enslave the living world. As such, he often sends his Vampire Lords to do his bidding and also to collect wyrdstone, for he wants a competitive edge as well. The night belongs to the undead and Mordheim's hostile environment tends to block out the sun. As such, it is technically always night in Mordheim. Therefore, Sylvanians have been involving themselves in human affairs with alarming frequency.

Skaven: The human race has been ignorant to think that it is the supreme race of the world. As they have slowly and surely learned the hard way, there are other races in contention for control of the Empire, not just other factions. These races have been around for a long, long time, but not all of them care to make their presence known. But no one can deny the occasional scurrying black shadow out of the corner of one's eye. No one can pretend that once in a blue moon, they haven't heard an inhuman scream coming out of the sewer or catacombs. There is always an unexplained disappearance or an assault that makes no sense. One such race, the Skaven, or rat people, has always existed on the fringes of human society, closer than one would think. They appeared to be satisfied feeding off of human waste and trash, making labyrinthine homes in ruins and underground facilities. They are not just proficient martial artists, but they appear to be the original creators of biological warfare. They have from time to time "accidently" spread plagues and epidemics, sometimes wiping out entire settlements. Since the fall of Mordheim, however, it would appear that the secret war against humankind is not so secret anymore. There's just too much at stake concerning the wyrdstone.

Averland: Averland is a rich province as a result exorbitant sums of money that are taxed from the masses. In Averland, social standing is just as important as martial prowess. One must be able to keep up appearances or one has no future in Averland. As such, seasoned veterans prefer flamboyant uniforms to make them stand out compared to the mere, insignificant common folk, but also to reflect their seniority. This tradition has seeped down through the ranks to a point where even the militia and mercenary bands strive to have as flamboyant clothing as they can afford. Averland is truly a land of decadence.

Ostland: Although not militaristic by nature, Ostlanders are never opposed to a good honest drunken brawl. They work hard, drink hard, and fight hard. But make no mistake, Ostlanders in general are not inherently evil people. During the Great War against Chaos, Ostlanders rallied in great numbers to wield bow and spear in defense of their Kislevite neighbors. This has helped to establish a symbiotic symetry between the two lands. More than any other part of the Empire, Ostland has tasted the lash of chaos and their hatred of the evil ones knows no bounds.

Kislev: Despite the constant threat of invading armies, the people of Kislev sing and dance and play as much as or perhaps more than the anyone else. After all, why should they worry as long as they have backup from Ostland. Some say that their relative happiness derives from their love of strong drink. Whether this is true or not, Kislevites certainly do enjoy their spirits, but don't sleep on their ability to fight. In fact many of their people attribute almost magical and alchemical qualities to that most famous of Kislevite drinks: vodka. If utilized properly, wyrdstone just might aid them in myriad ways, allowing them to become major contenders for the rulership of the Empire.

Amazon: Amazons are the ultimate feminists. They are known around the world for enslaving their enemies but killing the males outright. After all, men are good for nothing. Their own males are brought up in concentration camps up until puberty and then ritually sacrificed. However, whatever males are 'accessed' have their testicles removed and harnessed for further procreation. It should come as no surprized that they would be interested in wyrdstone, after all the world of men are fighting for it. The Amazons are not about to fall behind the times and lose their adaptability. They are determined to not allow any male dominated society to gather enough power to provide a viable threat to their way of life.

High Elves: An ancient and noble race, the High Elves have refined their martial skills and magical prowess over the millenia. As the primitive tribes of Man fought amongst themselves, the High Elves navigated the oceans and mapped the heavens. They have watched empires rise and fall, and ferociously repel all who seek to conquer their homeland. They very rarely get involved with the world of Men, but with the intrinsic strategic value of the wyrdstone in Mordheim just might change their minds. Stay tuned...

Dark Elves: Dark Elves, or Druchii as they call themselves, dwell in the realm of Naggaroth, the Land of Chill, far in the northern part of the New World. From their six menacing fortified cities, they march forth to enslave the free peoples of the world. The bulk of the Dark Elf army is made up of Spearmen & Warriors drawn from amongst the citizens of the Dark Elf cities. Sacrifices of blood are made in the name of Malekith the Witch King, and they most definitely have a vested interest in securing wyrdstone.

Shadow Warriors: Shadow Warriors are twice-damned. They are descendents of the Dark Elves, but chose not the path of evil. As such, they are reviled as sellouts by the Druchii. Additionally, they are distrusted and treated with open hostility by High Elves because of their heritage, even if said heritage has been denied. It is possible that this wyrdstone could provide them with an edge that could earn them respect in the eyes of High Elves, as well as destroy their hated counterparts the Druchii.