If the Road is Easy, the Destination is Worthless: Warhammer Fantasy Nation RP

[Zacharius]

Key
(Representative of Zone of population, not full ownership)
Red: Venna
Light Green: Gral Clan
Purple: Lord Kalathir’s Raiding Fleet
Turquoise(ish) Green (South): Blackfist Warband
Orange: The Hundred Hands
Yellow: (Currently) NPC High Elves from their tower there.
Light Blue: Remnants of the Lizardman Empire
Light Brown: Clan Snikt

Chatroom

The sound of battle resounded through the merciless jungle, the din of birds and other creatures of the continent momentarily lost in the clash of metal on metal. Scant months after the Dark Elven invasion of Lustria, war had returned to the ancient groves.

"Captain, I want your free companies wheeling on the enemy flank, they've concentrated their best troops in the center, if we can collapse their flanks we've won this."

"Sir, I can't promise we'd even manage to do that, they've got swamps to their right flank."

"Our scouts reported solid ground only an hour ago,"

"I've given up trying to understand this damn jungle sir, but it's worse for them as it is, plat armor does you little good against quicksand."

"Very well, have your men support the front line, first, get a message to Captain Vern, I want his muskets on their back ranks within five minutes."

"Yessir!"

Marshall David Amsel watched the lightly armoured officer run through the undergrowth to reach the position the black powder regiment was situated on. Thankly they'd managed to keep the majority of the muskets dry, even if they'd had to abandon two hellblasters in the jungle, the crews had shortly been lost to a jungle cat the size of a destrier, which generally solved the issue of how to put them to work without their expensive warmachines.

The Marshall was in command of the latest, and largest for a good while, Imperial Expedition to the New World, hailing from Nuln, Amsel's secondary goal was to establish a trading colony for the powerful merchant factions of his home city, although primarily, it had become a war against chaos forces seeking to take control of the region, he was unaware of their purpose, but they were Norsecans and that was damn well enough for him. He had been fortunate to locate one of the only clear vantage points in the area, from here he could just about see the opening stages of the grand melee some 200 meters in front of him. A large warband of Chaos Warriors had barreled into the imperial lines, although devastating as that may be, the swordsmen were holding and would shortly be reinforced by the free companies. His biggest worry was the potential presence of a chaos sorcerer, they had lost their attached Fire Wizard to sickness some two weeks into the expedition, leaving them to his rather eccentric and untested apprentice, the lack of magical defense worried him, but those matters were for other minds, he would focus on problems he could solve.

Moments before the free companies could join the combat, an earsplitting roar broke out over the battlefield. With the vast amount of foliage blocking his view of most of the combat, Amsel's immediate fear was that his worries about enemy magical support had come true. This assumption was shattered when he caught the glimpse of a flash of red scale scant meters from his less obscured view of combat, before a colossal reptilian beast smashed into both Chaos and Empire battle lines alike. The continued roaring of the creature and the relatively unobstructed view almost caused his horse to bolt, however he retained control for long enough to regard the battlefield again. The terrifying monstrosity was making short work of both human forces, equally worrying an unfamilar light blue had begin to mix in with the fighting figures. It would seem the mysterious inhabitants of the continent had finally shown themselves.

"Runner, belay my last orders, have the blackpowder regiment form up in defensive positions, I will not have us fall to a bunch of sava..." Amsel never finished his sentence, a large dart bursting through the back of his neck, giving him enough time to look down at the barb now extending from his throat, before collapsing from his horse in fits of coughing blood.

The continent of Lustria, despite being home to the oldest of species of the Warhammer world, has only relatively recently been mapped by the other mortal races. Home to the remnants of the ancient Lizardman Empire, the continent is rich in gold and other untapped minerals, while other previously unknown commodities lie in wait for those brave enough to seek them. To that end, many are the races which now seek to claim their own part of the New World, be they old foes of the inhabitants, such as the Dark Elves or Skaven, or simply trying to get rich quick, one of the most hostile places outside the Northern Chaos Wastes has suddenly become a rather popular destination.

Fueled by the devastation of the Storm of Chaos, many seek to carve out new lives for themselves on the shores of Lustria, carving back the jungle to bring their particular brand of civilization to the New World, or simply trying to find the best fights. Thus, the players will take control of one of the various micro-factions now taking to the Lustrian stage, be they colonists or raiders. But this campaign will not be easy, for no one is safe when the very jungle itself seeks to kill you.

Character Sheet

Nation Name:
Faction of Origin: (Empire/Orcs and Goblins etc)
Homeland Connection: (How linked to your homeland is your micro-nation, are they a royal expedition, seeking to expand a faction's holdings, or separatists, or anything in between)
Basecamp: (a description of your Micro-nation's headquarters, be it a small town, a large warship of the coast or literally a base camp, include any advantages or disadvantages it entails)
Basecamp Location: Either mark on the above map, or generally give me an idea of where you would like to be located.
People of Importance:
Military Forces:
Other Assets:
Goals and Ambitions:

[MelonHead]

Nation Name: Gral Clan

Faction of Origin: Orcs and Goblins

Homeland Connection: Hunting party, led by the master hunter Gral.

Basecamp: Tents in a rocky region on the edge of the forest, at the summit of a mountain. It’s surrounded by a rough wooden palisade wall with the mountain to its back technically making it a fort, although it’s just called ‘Shrine’ by the hunters. A river flows past the camp and is carefully watched, although poison is no danger as it flows outwards.
Three hunting camps are also used by the Gral Clan, each manned by only a few Orcs permanently but the roving hunting bands take residence each month, only leaving the camp for the journey onto the next one or back to the fort.

Basecamp Location: South west near the mountains at the side of a river. The other three camps are spaced evenly apart to the east, each three days from the fort.

People of Importance: Gral Hardran, Hunt Master, a black Orc with an imposing height of well over seven foot, he’s the Master Hunter of the clan and has the battle scars and trophies to prove it. He organised the expedition into Lustria to seek larger and greater prey which he has yet to conquer, and brings his brothers along to join in on the glory of the hunt.

Unconventionally for a normal Orc, but similar to the other three hunt leaders, Gral wields a massive bone spear and keeps his brutal two handed ‘Choppa’ as a secondary weapon to only be used in dealing with any foe which is not listed under the rules of the hunt. This would mean it would mainly see use in fending off other colonists, or dealing with any interference to the hunt. He’s somewhat on par to a warboss in responsibility, although his skill in hunting obviously far outmatches any warboss known and as his warriors are all hunters, they have immense respect for him. Only by first becoming a Hunt leader can you hope to challenge him for his place. He also commands one of the four roving hunting parties, although essentially he controls them all.

Narl Tork, Hunt Leader, another Black Orc who stands at about seven foot in height with an imposing figure and sharpened tusks which he has been known to actually tear flesh from his enemies with. He uses a bone spear much like Gral, but also a chopper in reserve for when the rules of the hunt do not permit its use. He’s incredibly skilled in battle and commands one of the four roving hunting parties.

Rarsh Korlak, Hunt Leader, an Orc on the cusp of becoming dark enough in skin colour and old enough in age to be considered a black Orc. However his age does not bespoke inexperience, six foot nine in height, he is immensely strong and uses his bone spear more like an axe, meaning its designed more like a halberd. He uses twin choppers when required. He commands one of the four roving hunting parties.

Fork Knar, Hunt Leader, a black Orc of seven foot two in height, he uses a black bone spear with a cruel blade which is more often than not dipped in poison. He refuses to use anything but the spear, so when the rules of the hunt prevent him from engaging someone with his spear he uses his bare hands instead, and he is known to be incredibly proficient in it. Some say even greater unarmed than Gral himself, but Fork refuses to comment and often rubs his shoulder when its mentioned. He commands one of the four roving hunting parties.

Military Forces: Orcish Hunters, unconventional Orcish forces which prefer shock and awe ambush tactics, using the jungle and their natural camouflage to their advantage and fighting with immense skill. The counter-balance to this is that as all the Gral Clan’s forces are hunters, there are no siege and no magic using goblins, so standard warfare and general sieges of base camps are not really an option. They are also bound by the rules of the hunt. The hunting parties are split into four groups which alternate between each camp and a rest period in the fort. There are about Forty orcs in each party.

Other Assets: The Hunters have wolves which serve in the hunt for the most part, but double up as vicious fighters in open warfare. They also communicate closely with messages sent by birdlike creatures they’ve learned to lure back and forth to the fort and hunting camps.
The hunters are immensely skilled so food is never an issue, however they also know how to maintain their equipment so shoddy weapons and armour has never factored in for the Gral Clan.

Goals and Ambitions: The Gral clan is made up of the best hunters of the Orc race, which have arrived in Lustria with a predatory killing spree in mind, only the strongest and best have come to test their mettle against the wilderness and the elements. However, their ultimate goal is to kill the largest and most dangerous creature they can find in Lustria.

[SgtKlum]

I noticed someone else expressed some interest in playing a Greenskin force. If they want, we could end up working as allies or, if they'd prefer not, I could always roll a different nation. I had another idea for an Order of Imperial Knights to fall back on.

Nation Name: Blackfist Warband

Faction of Origin: Greenskins (Orcs & Goblins)

Homeland Connection: Usual random warband made out of various minor clans and warbands which have collected around a powerful Warboss.

Basecamp: Typical Greenskin encampment, basically a load of tents surrounded by a massive wall built hastily out of stone, wood, metal and anything else that happened to be available. The size of a small Imperial city, but with maybe a tenth of the planning.

Basecamp Location: Greenskins don't waste time. After landing their commandeered ships at the southernmost tip of the continent, they got to building their main encampment straight away and ravaging the local resources to power their warmachine.

People of Importance:
- Warboss Varrg Blackfist, a large Black Orc who can often be seen riding into battle mounted on the back of his mighty Boar. Varrg took leadership of the Warband after the previous Warboss died in battle and after months of fighting to get the lesser Orc and Goblin Lieutenants in check, he finally commands the Warband without opposition. His goal for Lustria, aside from claiming the land for himself, is to prove himself worthy of the mantle of Warboss by seeing off the fierce competition. In practice, the conquering of Lustria comes secondary to his desire to utterly destroy anyone with bad fortune enough to not be a Greenskin.
- Goblin Shaman Rizalakk, a powerful magic wielder and Varrg's right-hand-man. Rizalakk is an abject coward who prefers to manipulate things from behind the scenes, never confronting anyone outright and shying away from military matters. He helped Varrg to take control of the Warband mostly because he knew the Black Orc would focus on conquest and leave everything else to him.
- Brunt & Dirge, the Giant Brothers who act as the Warband's 'big guns'. Dirge is the older brother and is slightly taller and thinner than Brunt, but also marginally more intelligent. Brunt is smaller but more powerful and follows the orders of his brother almost without question. Brunt wields a large Warhammer, which is made from a thick oak tree with a large boulder tied to the top. Dirge, on the other hand, is more of a ranged specialist and enjoys standing nearer the back hurling rocks to break enemy formations. While the rest of the warband live in the large Tent City, the Giant Brothers live in the hollowed-out wreckage of the Manifest Destiny, the commandeered warship which ran aground when the Warband first made shore. This means that they tend to take longer to mobilize to battle, often arriving just in time to inspire the Greenskins to a final big push.
- Several other named Orc and Goblin underbosses too numerous to list them all.

Military Forces:
Standard Greenskin doctrine of 'Go big or go home' is not lost on Varrg. After commandeering four large warships, he piled each of them to the brim with Greenskins and equipment and sent them towards Lustria. Innumerable Orc Boys and Goblins, enough Wolves and Boars to mount a sizeable cavalry division as well as several other Goblin specialists such as Squig Herders and Shamans. Heavy Infantry wise, there are a few small bands of Black Orcs and even a band of Stone Trolls who came along for the ride because they were promised food and beer. The one thing Varrg's forces lack is siege weapons, possessing only a handful of cannons and a few catapults.

While these make up the meat of his army, Varrg has a few more elite units. His personal honour guard is a large squad of Black Orc Boar Riders, whose appearance on the battlefield has been known to drive the entire Warband into a sea of frothing green bloodlust. He also has a secret weapon in the form of two Giants. The pair are brothers and enjoy nothing more than a good scrap. Varrg convincing them to join up with the Warband was a large step in his securing of leadership.

Other Assets:
Of the four warships they originally commandeered, the Warband still has possession of two of them. One was scrapped for parts as soon as they landed and the majority of it was used to build the wall surrounding their stronghold and the other crashed on the beach and was wrecked, also ending up being stripped of anything useful and distributed throughout the Warband for things like firewood.

Mostly, the Warband has been securing any provisions it's needed by hacking down the nearby forests and slaughtering their wildlife for wood and food, however it still retains a large portion of the weapons and armour it brought with it (whatever belonged to those Greenskins that died in the crossing).

Goals and Ambitions:
- Conquest of Lustria
- Proving it's might in combat
- Stripping the land of it's natural resources

[MelonHead]

I noticed someone else expressed some interest in playing a Greenskin force. If they want, we could end up working as allies or, if they'd prefer not, I could always roll a different nation. I had another idea for an Order of Imperial Knights to fall back on.

Yep, I expressed interest from the get go in playing Orcs. We wouldn't work too well as allies however, I'm playing my nation much like the Predators, where-as your interference wouldn't be tolerated and more glory would be earned by slaying your warriors and taking their skulls.

[SgtKlum]

Alright. We's gonna krump ya' just like da rest den!

FOR GORK AN' MORK!

[MelonHead]

Alright. We's gonna krump ya' just like da rest den!

FOR GORK AN' MORK!

Your skulls will be mine

[Zacharius]

Chatroom

In case anyone missed it, being rather hidden in the OP. Equally, working on my own faction, a lovely bunch of Vampires ruling an Imperial colony.

[The Absent Mare]

Nation Name: The Hundred Hands

Faction of Origin: Norscan

Homeland Connection: Rogue pirate fleet left behind by the Storm of Chaos.

Basecamp: A sunken temple left to rot on a tiny island off the western coast of Lustria. The temple complex occupies the safest harbour in the region, and so it was there that Harald's fleet chose to drop anchor. The superstitious Norse mostly stay on their ships, as fishing is plentiful within the shallow reefs and rivers, but Jarl Harald and his men have occupied the highest ziggaraut and sleep on gilded floors. Doubtless the temple is filled with horrors waiting in the forgotten places, but the shelter it provides (as well as the aura of dread and mystery) simply cannot be passed by. As to the original purpose of the structure, who can say? The only clues are the lurid and remarkably detailed paintings of strange creatures doing unpleasant things to one another with rocks and sharp sticks.

Basecamp Location: See above.

People of Importance: Jarl Harald the Leaf: When his father and brothers left to join the Swords of Chaos, Harald was left behind to guard women and children. The shame of it was intolerable to the young man, and so he set out to forge his own destiny, in the long forgotten land that his uncle told tales of when Harald was just a boy. He is still a boy in the eyes of many of his followers, having seen less than twenty summers, but there is no denying the force of personality and vision that has propelled this expedition. Somehow he has managed to charm, inspire or coerce the willful pirate captains into cooperation, but he must produce the untold riches he promised very soon, or everything will fall apart.

Snori Spearcatcher: Without doubt the fiercest warrior in the fleet. Spearcatcher boasts that he has killed a hundred men in single combat, the truth is somewhat less grand, and many of those kills involved sneaking up behind some poor bugger, or sticking him with a javelin. Still, as a ship's captain and a canny veteran who has plied every coast in the Old World, Spearcatcher's word carries much weight among the men. He could be considered, in all important respects, Harald's right hand man.

Engilborg the Maid: One of very few women aboard the fleet, even stranger in that she is a captain of her own vessel. It is unlikely that the fleet would have reached Lustria intact without her unparalleled knowledge of the winds and tides. It has been claimed on more than one occasion that Engilborg is a wyrd, so accurate are her predictions. She does not deny such talk, as even she does not fully understand the supernatural ease with which she navigates the seas.

Godric: A young warrior who has yet to earn his name, Gordic struggles constantly against a black rage that threatens to overthrow his mind. What happens when his will finally fails remains to be seen...

Military Forces: Twelve longships, each with a crew of twenty Norscan raiders. The raiders are hardy and capable men, who can crew a ship from dusk till dawn and still be ready to fight on the other end, but the true asset is the ships themselves. Their broad, shallow hulls allow easy passage through reefs, sandbars and rivers, with enough room for fighting men, the tools of their trade and all the plunder they can carry. With both oars and sail they are swift enough to outrun just about anything, and the great skill of their captains and crew make storms and great oceans no barrier. It is a commonly held misconception that the High Elves of Ulthuan are the preeminent sailors of the Old World. The true masters are the Norse.

Other Assets: Harald is very fond of his uncle, unfortunately the old man is not so fond of his nephew, having degenerated into a hideous chaos spawn. Grimgaf is kept locked in a high tower of the fallen temple, there Harald brings him food, and tales of his exploits. Grimgaf is of course so far beyond sanity that the gesture is completely meaningless, he is a monster in all respects and if released would cause terrible destruction.

Goals and Ambitions: Adventure, plunder, and songs of valour to bring back home.

[SlowPlow]

Nation Name: Lord Kalathir’s Raiding Fleet

Faction of Origin: Dark Elves

Homeland Connection: A privately funded expedition led by a Dark Elf nobleman, namely Lord Kalathir .

Basecamp: Originally a human port-town, it was taken in the last Dark Elf invasion. It’s easily defendable, with a clear path of retreat to the ocean and water on all sides of the small isle. From there they also have simple and fast access to the mainland of Lustria, so that they can come and go as they wish.

Basecamp Location: Their basecamp is located on one of the north-western isles resting just outside the mainland of Lustria.

People of Importance:

Lord Kalathir, the leader of the expedition; the one who pays all the soldiers. He’s a lowly noble who has ambitiously spent most of what he owned on this expedition, even loaning a fair bit, in an attempt to rise in stature. He seeks wealth and power. He does not inspire loyalty, but he’s a clever tactician.

Ilya Lekharith, the Master Slaver, oversees all their captured flesh and directly commands all the slavers. She has the main responsibility for the slaves, so if anything should happen to them, she would be to blame. She also has to keep them from dying - they're worth nothing if they're dead. Ilya is any human's worst nightmare. She's ruthless, and loves her job. She usually picks a few of each batch to play with. She doesn't leave a mark as not to spoil the flesh, but she makes certain they feel backbreaking agony, in which she revels. When employed, she takes care not to ruin the merchandise, but when it's all for leisure she likes nothing better than to ruin something beautiful, thread by thread.

Also: Ehlirk Maratkar, head of cavalry. Hyryth Harhkenhi, head of scouts. Besaril Raheni, head of corsairs.

Military Forces: The main body of the military force consists of mercenary corsairs who work both as crew of the ships and the main fighting force. There’s also a company of light cavalry, a crucial tool for their hit-and-run tactics as they can take undefended towns by themselves quickly, or be an efficient rearguard in a retreat. There are also, of course, a bunch of slavers, who focus on their jobs, but can take up arms if needed.

Other Assets: Slaves and ships. Because of their multitude of slaves, their fighters don’t have to accomplish all the menial tasks around camp themselves, leaving the troops fresh for battle. They have almost a dozen long-hulled ships moored along the coast of the island, more than is necessary for their force, but they are ambitious

Goals and Ambitions: Flesh. They don’t seek land or fame, but flesh for capture to bring back home and sell. They intend to stay until the holds of their ships are satisfyingly full, but if the other colonies prove easy prey, then they’ll set up a more permanent camp. They will hit-and-run weak locations, trying to avoid open confrontation with opposing forces with the aim to capture as many live subjects as possible.

[Zacharius]

Nation Name: The City-State of Venna
Faction of Origin: De Jure Empire, De Facto Vampire Counts
Homeland Connection: With a loose connection to the city of Nuln, partly being made up of the remnants of the ill-fated expedition led by David Amsel, Venna largely recives support from the Merchant Houses of Nuln, although little in the way of military support from the Wissenland Army.
Basecamp: Venna, while technically a city-state, would be considered a large town back in the Empire. Although elements of it have grown to become truly civilized, although made from local materials, much of the population still live in survivalist conditions, particularly the remnants of the Camp Followers of the Amsel Expedition. The most critical part of the city is its working docks, market place and Governor's Estate, the former two enabling it to become the trading centre of Lustria, accepting almost any trade on the terms that is is peaceful, while the Estate forms the centre of power within Venna.
Basecamp Location: To be marked
People of Importance:

Patriarch Frederick Hertzog: Governor of Venna and leader of the Hertzog family, the first of the principle families of Venna, is a particularly intelligent and charismatic man, originally tasked with setting up a foothold for consequential expeditions to resupply at, Frederick instead developed it along the grounds of a civilian effort, using his contacts in Nuln to provide the resources and military support for such a project. Having begun the foundations of these efforts, he began to bring in wealthy traders from the Empire, as well as members of his own family, immediately forming the ruling elite of the growing population of Venna. He is known for his prosperous, if at times harsh rule, although he isn't seen as corrupt, as much of the middle and lower class inhabitants view the rest of the Vennan nobility. He is particularly popular at the moment, having declared that all individuals should have at least one day off during Vennan Foundation Week.

In reality, Frederick is the father of the Vampire family now ruling over Venna. Hailing from Wissenland, although being of Von Carstein Lineage, Frederick chose to abandon the old world rather than face the wrath of the Lahmian family now in ascendance in the area, particularly as recent events have spoiled them particularly against the Von Carsteins. Using mortal contacts to set up is position in Lustria, he consequently summoned his family from their various hideaways to join his venture. Along among his brood, Frederick possess the rare Von Carstein anomalous trait to bare sunlight, while in discomfort, he is able to function beneath the gaze of the Sun, an important boon in dispelling rumors about himself.

Appearance: Here

Mistress Adelaide Kaufmann: One of the first nobles to arrive at Frederick's offer, Adelaide is a seemingly incredibly wealthy individual, having been a large contributer to all of the various projects involved in the establishment of Venna, the docks themselves being name the Kaufmann docks in her honor (Although, giving the nature of docks, this is also a secret joke at her expense). She is seen at any important function among the nobility, and practically lives in the Hertzog estate, nearly to the point of scandle, were she not also helping to support the community.

While not sharing a sire, other than being a part of the Von Carstein lineage, Adelaide is one of Frederick's more dedicated followers, his favored consort and generally considered the matriarch of the family, she is actually considerably older than Frederick, although less powerful, having been content to simply pursue her existence, rather than grand schemes. Originally a particularly attractive handmaiden of Isabella von Carstein, Adelaide was one of the first of the Von Carstein lineage, something she assures her companions grants her great wisdom.

Appearance: True 'battle' form

Lady Isolde Hertzog: Oldest of the two Hertzog children, Isolde is the clear second of the present vampires, taking he role rather more seriously than her younger 'sister;, Isolde is both a powerful caster and competent administrator, taking on an increasing number of duties in the running of their colonial society, particularly in securing new trade contracts. More akin to their Patriach, Isolde sees the general use of mortals and would rather continue their current set up, then relish openly in their undeath. As is often the case, with her active role in Vennan society, she has developed somewhat of a cult following, while the people remain entirely loyal to her 'father' their affections reside with her.

Appearance: Here

One more vampire and a family blood slave to go. Then perhaps some local townsfolk

Military Forces: WIP
Other Assets: WIP
Goals and Ambitions: WIP