Faction Name: what is your played group called internationally

Flag: preferably one in lore but you may design it yourself

Held territory: for now simply draw it upon the provided map, and describe it with words. Bonus points if you go into details i.e. if you are the governor of Helmgart describe how as one goes deeper into the pass the territory becomes… disputed with Brettonnia, or if you are a Dwarf Karak then mention how deep and wide in the underway your patrols go, how far your miners can delve safely, how far on the surface rangers insure safety for Dwarfdom, etc.

Ruler: I am going to allow some leeway here. In a lot of cases you will make this up, but in some cases where the ruler of a place exists you may replace them or take “creative liberties” with them. For example King Rorek Granitehand of Karak Ziflin doesn’t have too much on him, so you may freely describe him and his Kingdom if you play him or replace him in entirety (though, preferably with his son or something of the sort). Here I want you to give a quick description of your ruler. How old are they, how competent and experienced are they, what is their international reputation, what do they look like, what are their flaws and excellencies. You may follow a defined CS for your ruler here, just insure that you give us a good idea of this person. I’d also here like a quick rundown of what trouble your ruler has to manage, what are their problems. Perhaps there’s a nascent chaos cult making alliance with beastmen in the forests. Maybe embezzlement from a previous treasurer is leaving you nigh bankrupt albeit with some suspicious well made villas in the countryside. It’s possible there have been a lot of sightings of rodents of unusual size.

Economy: Describe how your nation gets its money, how much of it there is, etc.

Resources: Similar to the above and very heavily inter-related, this is important here because money can’t get you everything. You can have a pile of gold but it won’t be able to raise you regiments if you lack the bread to feed them. So, describe here what your nation produces be it iron from rich mines or food from rolling fields. Then, describe what it lacks and is forced to import. All nations will have some measure of autarky as in being cut off from trade just by itself will not collapse you, but there will be serious repercussions that your detractors may take advantage of.

Active Service: Here describe what forces are immediately under your command that you may send whenever and wherever you like. For Helmgart/the Empire, this will be State troops, your governor’s greatsword bodyguard, perhaps a wizard and/or witch hunter in your service, and members of resident Knightly Orders’ Chapter Houses. For some factions this will be very small, i.e. for a Dwarf Karak this will be more or less solely just your ironbreakers and hammerers, miners, rangers, and your air corps. However such nations will be able to draw upon their reserves far faster. Preferably describe this as regiments, but that is just a cherry on top. Try to also mention who is deployed where.

Reserves: Your reserves are what you cannot call to battle right now but first need a mustering to call upon. For the Empire/Helmgart these are your huntsmen, your free company, your pistoliers, as impromptu forces. There are more elaborate and elite ones too however such as your for example a detachment from the Imperial Engineers with Hochland long rifles. For some nations your reserves will be the bulk of your army, for example the Dwarfs relying on their warriors, quarellers, thunderers and longbeards who are in practice militia that need to drop their everyday jobs to first grab their weapons before they join your forces.

Garrisons: What forces protect your various holdings. Try to again be detailed i.e. mention how sixty guardsmen are in a village near your holdings of Helmgart with twenty bearing crossbows and forty bearing a spear, everyone of them having a breastplate, helmet and sword for sidearm. Your garrisons cannot be used offensively unless you transfer them to active service which bears a lot on your treasury.

Regiments of Renown: These are special formations that are particularly elite despite being modelled on other more mundane ones. I will let you begin with only one but as time goes on and RP events happen I will gift you some or allow you to simply raise new ones. This can be anything from your ruler’s epic special bodyguard, to say some warpstone touched mutants with very unique changes like shooting green lasers from their eyes.

Foreign Policy: Describe what your faction’s plans are for their neighbours be it conquest, trade, or something more elaborate. What are their attitudes like to the rest of their civilization, how often does it meet with your “racial leaders” so to speak and under what terms, who can you expect to come to your aid in war and who can you expect to take advantage of your weakness.

Culture: Every faction taken here will have quite some variance from the rest of their “racial median”. Describe what sets your’s apart. The more detail the better. For example, if someone took Nuln as their nation describe how they are the most technologically advanced part of the Empire and how this reflects on the people’s behaviour and customs.

Notable locations: Describe your “main” holdings within your held territory. For example if you are Helmgart then describe the city itself (think in context of everything outlined above, describe its economy, its defences, its size, its political situation, etc.) and then the surrounding villages and forests.

Faction Name: The City of Nuln.

Flag: Pretend it is here

Held territory:
i.imgur.com/4UiJXeO.jpg
The Governor of Nuln administrates the city itself along with several villages and smaller areas near it. His authority within the region isn’t disputed de facto or de jure though many may grumble about it in the evening. Patrols of Hunstmen regularly move about as does a river guard, though Imperial troops have to retreat further and further back from the West as assaults of beastmen continue.

Ruler: Heinrich von Stirlitz is a rather elderly statesman. He has seen two Emperor come and go within his lifetime and it looks like a third now as well. He is a great supporter of both the Empire and Wissenland and though formally loyal to his Countess he feels very little warmth to her often interpreting her demands as creatively as possible. Though a decent man with the numbers his age is starting to show. The nobility have learned of his creative interpretations of the Countess’s words and have started to apply the same to what he demands of him. The Guilds and Imperial authorities remain firm under his grasp but the merchants slowly undermine him. The commoners are largely ambivalent with a slightly more favourable view of him in the city whilst its surroundings hold a slightly more negative one.

Heinrich is faced with a dilemma in keeping the growth of his great city ongoing as it drains its surroundings. The growth of the city demands more resources but there are less resources if they are drained by the leviathan that Nuln is. Already the emergency grain stores are every so often tapped into such that great feasts or overnight projects may be done. The lavish life of Nuln has attracted the eye of many malefic forces, though thankfully those who would stop them too. Beastmen have been emboldened on the region’s edges and there are a great many inquiries from the Witch Hunters. The fact Heinrich fails to solve this problem in the long term creates useful rumours for his naysayers.

I am going to allow some leeway here. In a lot of cases you will make this up, but in some cases where the ruler of a place exists you may replace them or take “creative liberties” with them. For example King Rorek Granitehand of Karak Ziflin doesn’t have too much on him, so you may freely describe him and his Kingdom if you play him or replace him in entirety (though, preferably with his son or something of the sort). Here I want you to give a quick description of your ruler. How old are they, how competent and experienced are they, what is their international reputation, what do they look like, what are their flaws and excellencies. You may follow a defined CS for your ruler here, just insure that you give us a good idea of this person. I’d also here like a quick rundown of what trouble your ruler has to manage, what are their problems. Perhaps there’s a nascent chaos cult making alliance with beastmen in the forests. Maybe embezzlement from a previous treasurer is leaving you nigh bankrupt albeit with some suspicious well made villas in the countryside. It’s possible there have been a lot of sightings of rodents of unusual size.

Economy: Nuln’s economy is almost entirely base on its industry. Cannons, clocks, rifles, and attempting to reverse engineer the steam-tank give Nuln quite the source of revenue. It is a rather wealthy city getting transit from much of the Empire, its surrounding villages thus likewise earning much money as stops for traders and other travellers. It’s economy is also very optimized with the city being one of the least corrupt of the Empire. However it has very little in the way of reserves as the city must constantly reinvest its revenue to keep its way of life ongoing.

Resources: There is very little in the way of natural resources in Nuln proper. The villages surrounding Nuln have some good soil for farming, but in truth the ultimate resource of Nuln is its people. Some of the most intelligent denizens of the Empire and indeed the whole of the world reside there. Nuln also has a great amount of political capital being the favourite city of Emmanuelle of Wissenland and it is rarely a good idea to invoke her wrath.

Active Service:
Nuln has quite a considerable amount of people under active service stationed within its official territories largely because of its ability to locally produce its own weapons en-masse.

The mainstay of its force are handgunner state troops. These men are armed with wheellock rifles more reliable than the flintlocks elsewhere in the Empire and bearing the new rifled barrels along with a steel helmet and cuirass. They are armed with a small dagger for a sidearm, though they are expected to shred the enemy with bullets long before they can strike in close combat. The 9th Nuln rifles are deployed to the village of Gronheim where they on an almost daily basis repel attacks from basements together with the local militia.

1st Nuln Rifles - 90 men
2nd Nuln Rifles - 90 men
3rd Nuln Rifles - 90 men
4th Nuln Rifles - 40men
5th Nuln Rifles - 40 men
6th Nuln Rifles - 40 men
7th Nuln Rifles - 40 men
8th Nuln Rifles - 150 men (these men are rather uniquely equipped with bayonets upon the ends of their handguns learning from the Dwarfs and other parts of the Empire).
9th Nuln Rifles - 120 men
10th Nuln Rifles - 60 men (these are armed with repeater rifles instead of the typical handguns)
11th Nuln Rifles - 60 men (these are armed with Hochland long guns rather than the typical handguns)

The Nuln halberds are but two regiments each of 100 men, but in addition to their namesake weapon they are clad in full plate armour with an arming sword for a sidearm.

As a bodyguard the governor maintains a unit of 30 greatswordsmen clad in full plate and bearing rapiers for sidearms.

Under the command of the governor is also a division of cannons. It has 4 platoons of 6 cannons each staffed by a crew of 10 men with a sword and pistol for sidearm in addition to their breastplate, and two barded horses — one to tow the weapon, one to toe a cart with its munitions. Auxiliaries to this division are platoons of Helstorm rocket batteries, helblaster volley guns, and mortars that are identical save for their main armament.

There is also a formidable unit of outriders within Nuln
1st Outriders - 120 men with breastplates and repeater rifles
2nd Outriders - 40 men with grenade launchers
3rd Outriders 40 men with Hochland long rifles


Reserves: Your reserves are what you cannot call to battle right now but first need a mustering to call upon. For the Empire/Helmgart these are your huntsmen, your free company, your pistoliers, as impromptu forces. There are more elaborate and elite ones too however such as your for example a detachment from the Imperial Engineers with Hochland long rifles. For some nations your reserves will be the bulk of your army, for example the Dwarfs relying on their warriors, quarellers, thunderers and longbeards who are in practice militia that need to drop their everyday jobs to first grab their weapons before they join your forces

The City of Nuln itself can raise rather readily about 80 pistoliers from its nobility armed rather uniquely with a brace of repeater pistols rather than the traditional flint and wheellocks. They have a breastplate and helmet with a rapier for a sidearm, whilst their horses head will usually bear a head-plate of barding. The city of Nuln can reliably raise about 200 Free Company warriors armed with whatever they own. Every village around Nuln can raise around ten of such pistoliers along with around forty Free Company and about a dozen huntsmen with whatever the tool of their trade is.

If they manage to convince them the threat is dire enough, then Nuln may also in battle call upon its more specialist professions. A shadow and a light wizard, three Sigmarite Warrior Priests along with an Ulrican, two Witch Hunters, and about a dozen Engineers who may bring all sorts of inventions from pigeons with bombs to mechanical horses into the fray. Sixty of their students may also be called to arms with their Hochland Long rifles.

Garrisons: What forces protect your various holdings. Try to again be detailed i.e. mention how sixty guardsmen are in a village near your holdings of Helmgart with twenty bearing crossbows and forty bearing a spear, everyone of them having a breastplate, helmet and sword for sidearm. Your garrisons cannot be used offensively unless you transfer them to active service which bears a lot on your treasury.

Each village has a guard of about twenty people armed with variant gear, though mostly chainmail, an arming sword and a pistol. Nuln itself has a much more substantial defence with a hundred guard bearing full plate and longswords, whilst seventy more bear half plate and rifles with a rapier sidearm.

There are also a little more than a hundred mounted huntsman devoted to patrolling the roads between the various elements of Nuln’s civilization. Further there are about five large rowboats with swivel guns and a single large barge piloted by guardsmen to keep the waters free.

Regiments of Renown: The powdered guard are a division of flagellants hovering at around a hundred and fifty men. Their name comes from each of them carrying a bandolier of a wet chemical concoction they make sure to alight with their dying breathe to take out their last enemy before expiring having once seen the Engineer Slayers of the Dawi for inspiration. Their main armaments will typically be working tools like calipers, crowbars, and wrenches that they flail with maddening ferocity.

Foreign Policy: Though the governor of Nuln has much sympathy for the rest of the Empire, the hysteric nature of his Countess usually prevents him from doing much to express him. However he maintains very good relations with Altdorf and carefully balances his relationships with all of the different institutions of the Empire from the Cults of Sigmar and Ulric to the Colleges of magic to the Witch Hunters, treasurers, and so on and so forth. An unfortunate event where a firefight broke out between Dawi and Asur at a party the governor has once held has left the man rather prejudiced to the races and this is strongly expressed in his work.

Culture: Nulners are what many predict the future of the Empire to be. A fairly hard working people, they are also somewhat spoiled by their wealth. Further, technology has eased their lives to the point many would call decadent, the Witch Hunters ever alert for the wandering eye of the prince of pleasure. They are very individualist and mercantile with the industrial slums of the city being slices of hell, even if rather small ones.

Notable locations: The city of Nuln doesn’t have walls or a gate per se but it is built in such a way that the buildings around it can be easily commandeered as impromptu fortifications with great cross-fire overseen by guard towers not too far behind them. Closer to the core of the city are then found the buildings of the service industry for trade; taverns, warehouses, inns, bazaars. Further within the city are where the guilds, artisans and lesser faiths do their work from bakers to butchers to carpenters and blacksmiths. Further, it is here that most of the city’s armed forces are garrisoned such that they may readily respond to threats both internal and external. Finally comes the inner parts of the city where the high-borne live, along with the temple of Sigmar, the Engineer’s guild, and the administrative buildings of Imperial and Wissenland authorities.

There are also several villages near Nuln under the administration of the governor. By the woods near the Mountains is Gronheim from where a night infinite horde of beastmen seem to be coming from, where larger and larger resources must be devoted to keep them at bay. Just outside of the city is Breucken, a village that seems to be having ever more difficulty supplying the demands of the city both by virtue of Nuln’s own growing populace, and the emigration of its people to the big city. To the South-East of Nuln are the twinned villages of Urlitz and Fahlberg. Very close to one another Urlitz has a rich iron mine within whilst Fahlberg’s fields allow it to both supply its neighbour and the city. All of these villages are connected to the city with a cobbled road, and each rout is patrolled by about a dozen mounted Huntsmen. There are also two small villages and a Hamlet connected to the region’s cobbled roads through dirt ones. The Hamlet Karlsbad serves simply as a stop between Nuln and the Reikland wherein rest may be had, the place consisting of little more than a tavern and its workers. Little Grissenland is a village along the river once under the administration of the city of Grissenland, but the growth of Nuln demanded more resources for it and after some bureaucracy it was decided that it would be under the dominion of Nuln. Finally in the West there is Snorrisheim, a village with a very large Dwarfen minority largely making its life off of trade with the kin of the diaspora.

Territorial Name: Duchy of Lodi

Flag: N/A (for now)

Held territory: The Duchy of Lodi is largely devoid of any hills or large obstacles. The whole ream can be described as one massive flat-farm-field. Villages dot the flat-land, working the fertile land year-round. Said villages normally number around a few hundred or so. In few select areas, there are patches of woods and hills but do not expect to see it unless you are actively looking for such. The scenery is very nice and often calming as well, combined with the good weather. Going deeper into Lodi, there is the township of Lucca, the only major urban center in the whole of the Duchy. On a strategic level, Lodi is the fastest and the easiest way towards Helmgart. Everywhere else is not as fast or easily passable. This has its benefits and issues. Trade is made highly easy with Helmgart and other nearby centers of population. On the other hand, invasion is made easier. Helmgart is a fortress while Lucca is just a township. Do you see the issue?

Ruler: Ferruccio Lo Duca is the current duke of the Duchy of Lodi. Ferruccio’s father died early on into his childhood, and Ferruccio’s mother (Marcella Mazzi) took care of Ferruccio until he was old enough to be duke. Marcella was a highly experienced steward and taught Ferruccio everything about taxes, economy, money, math, and anything else that was needed for a competent administer of the realm. Marcella’s personality and traits also heavily were rubbed into Ferruccio’s consciousness. Like her mother, Ferruccio is a diligent, compassionate, and principled person. Combined with his care for the people and realm, it's no wonder why Ferruccio is so loved in Lodi. On the other hand, such displays of compassion do not translate into fame or glory. Ferruccio is largely unknown among the local nobility and elsewhere.

Ferruccio has no interest in spies or intrigue, often fearful of such things. If it was not for her sister (Enrichetta Trevisani), his spymaster, then Ferruccio would have been dead by now - assassinated or likewise. Still on the topic of weaknesses, Ferruccio is not a marshal man. He does not know how to train, lead, and form battleplans, as needed by a proper commander since he never had to do such things in the first place. One last note, Ferruccio is a passionate architect. Not only does he love public works, he actually understands the math, building, and finer details on how to build stuff of grandness.

Economy: The Duchy of Lodi is known for its rich lands of food and beverages. The local weather is highly predictable and suited for agriculture. Famous bakers, brewers, chefs, and likewise, all come here for the purpose of creating wonderful food and drinks. Grains, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, cotton, and flax are grown here. There is a common joke that is told about Lodi that everything will taste will shit after you eat the foods made in Lodi. The dwarfs can testify to this as they are common customers, often trading their iron-works and jewels for plenty of Lodi foodstuffs.

Over the lifetime of Lodi, halflings, dwarfs, Brettonnians have chosen to immigrate to Lodi for one reason or another (likely for the food). These immigrants have left their mark in the culinary history of Lodi, creating dishes, drinks, and bowls of meals, of the greatest taste. Lodi is a melting pot of food culture and the creation of the highest caliber. But do not be confused with all that grandness of food. Staples like wheat, barley, and other bulk grains and foods, form the largest yields and the greatest items traded. Tasty food is just a side-effect is all.

Stonemasons also call Lodi home. A nearby marble and stone mine acts as a good source for the masons for the arts and largely for the purpose of construction. These masons are quite well-established compared to other professions in the town of Lucca. Salt is important as Lodi has a large salt flat that it controls, extracting large amounts of salt that it trades and use. Textiles and dyes are big too in Lodi. Cotton and flax are commonly grown and then transported to Lucca for further processing in textile mills. Dyes like indigo, purple, black, and red, are commonly used in the dyeing of textiles. If not used for dyeing in Lodi then the dyes are shipped out as is in powder or liquid form.

Resources: Lodi has no shortage of food since its fields are highly fertile for all kinds of seeds, and the weather is highly fair to the farmers. For what Lodi lacks is largely good sources of ore. There are no sizable amounts of iron, copper, or likewise, found in the depths of Lodi. The Duchy is forced to import lots of metal-based goods, trading in foodstuffs for such metal items from the dwarfs that are nearby. As for everything else, Lodi is largely self-sufficient in its bare basics for the maintenance of buildings and population.

Active Service: Lodi largely relies on Helmgart and other nearby state forts/troops to protect the realm. The only professional and active force that Lodi has, is the Order of Barley. This order is not one formed by highly prestigious peoples or knights. If anything, these are “commoner” knights. Former farmers and soldiers banding together to protect Lodi. One might imagine that this formation would be inexperienced, but that would be far from the truth. The knights and squires of the order are highly trained and experienced soldiers, skillful in the usage of halberds, marching, maneuvers, and tight formation fighting. The Order of Barley does not use horses as these animals are still quite costly, and the soldiers rather have good arms and armor than ridable animals. Brigandine (with plate arm and leg protection, along with the plate hamlet, being standard) is the go-to-armor for all Barley knights as a full plate suit is too costly and needs servants. Squires, in terms of armor equipment, are given full heavy-chainmail, and their primary arm is still the halbert.

Reserves: Lodi does not have much of a proper reserve since all of them are just poorly trained and equipped levies.

Garrisons: Given that Lodi is largely flat, wooden watchtowers are used to oversee vast amounts of land. Hunters turned watchers oversee the operation of these towers. Two bowmen are always at each tower, and there are a night-shift and day-shifts, ensuring 24/7 watch. If anything occurs, said a raid, each tower is fitted with the ability to light a small fire that can signal to other towers that will also do the same.

Regiments of Renown: The 'hardtack' is a Barley formation known for its excellent record of combat and steadfast nature. The nickname, 'hardtack', is not a joke as they have faced down and beaten things that would normally break apart state troopers. In one battle record, a horde of beast-men attempt to shatter them but the line was held, and any beast that came close quickly got cut down by swarms of halberts. This pattern repeated itself in the history of the formation, with enemies trying to crack the block of men, only to be met with unwavering stance and the masterful usage of the halbert. In addition to their standard armor (wore over their metal-armor), the hardtack wears beastmen leather as another layer of armor. This display is gruesome but often has the side-effect of demoralizing enemies. An empty stack of grain is worn over the chest piece as their tabard. If for anything reason that their primary weapon is lost then a horn-dagger, made from the horns of the beasetmen, will be used in their defense.

Foreign Policy: Lodi has a tight trade relationship with everyone nearby, exporting vast amounts of bulk foodstuffs. Dwarf, Brettonnian, and Imperial traders come and go, doing commerce every-day in the town of Lucca. Often then not, high profile people and local leaders come to do big-time-trade-deals, requesting bulk grains in exchange for something. Helmgart is a close ally as Lodi supplies the fort with daily shipments of food and drink. If anything large threatens Lodi then Ferruccio is able to get the state troops of Helmgart to come to its aid.

Culture: The culture of Lodi is one that concerns itself with the well-being of many. There is a certain comradery among the people that cannot be properly explained, but it is there. People are friendly and open as plenty of traders and strangers come by to do business in the main town of Lucca. Being hostile is just dickish and bad for business. The hospitality here is common.

Notable locations: WIP

Faction Name: The Realm of Azzsar



(Old banner hanging with Azzsar's throne room, a tattered remnant from Old Strygos)

Held territory: A deep cave system within the Grey Mountains which serves as the Court of Azzsar. The tunnels and side passages that make up Azzsar’s realm are dark and twisted, with paths that lead both to the Underway and to the deep warrens and brood nests of the verminous Skaven. Some passages lead to great cavernous openings, like the one that serves as Azzsar’s great ‘throne room’ while others meander and wind through the mountains, take deep vertical dives, or simply end abruptly forcing explorers to backtrack miles. Few dare to brave these passages and none who do come back out alive. Safe paths through his realm are known only to those of his court: namely the ghouls, spirits, and wights that are his devoted servants. The Ghoul King constantly wars with the Skaven, Dwarfs, and others over these tunnels, and skirmishes and battles are fought deep within this hellish underworld beneath the mountains completely unknown to the wider world.

Ruler: Azzsar the Dreamer, Blood of Ushoran and Prince of Mourkain. Azzsar is a vampire of the Strigoi bloodline, and a former lord of the once great land of Strygos. After the fall of Strygos and the flight of its broken people, Azzsar made his way into the lands of the Old World. Constantly hunted both by humans and by vampires of the other bloodlines who wished to see the Gets of Ushoran wiped out, Azzsar was driven deep into the Grey Mountains, where he took to hiding within its many deep caverns. There he found a tribe of degenerate ghouls living within these same caverns and quickly bent them to his will, becoming their lord and master. Following this, Azzsar carved out a territory for himself within this underground world, and set up a court of his own from which he might continue to act the part of a noble of Strygos. This act is just that however, and is a pale imitation of his former glory. No longer can he command legions of disciplined warriors, instead the beastial ghouls of his realm are his to lead. His former princely robes are exchanged for ghoul and Skaven-hide garments, and his throne of gold is now one of bones and stone. Here, deep within his new realm he waits, and has slept for years on end as he dreams of past glories and the promise of better days yet to come. Yet recent stirrings in the mountains and beyond has led him to awaken and become more active within his dark kingdom.

Azzsar as a Strigoi Ghoul King is an immensely strong fighter, even more so than a vampire of the Blood Dragon bloodline. What the Strigoi lack in grace and skill in their fighting style, they make up for with sheer strength and raw power. The body of a Strigoi is heavily muscled, monstrously large, and with long sharp claws which might rip and tear apart any who would dare disturb him.


(Ushoran, first of the Strigoi and sire of Azzsar)

In addition to brute strength he is also a gifted caster. Like many of his kin, he is adept at Necromancy and the Lore of Death, and can wield great power in this regard. Raising new servants into unlife and imbuing himself with unholy power. He is a dangerous foe by any measure and only the strongest or the most foolish would ever dare to challenge him directly in battle.

However he is not without his weakness. Like all vampires Azzsar has an aversion to the sun, but in his own case this is particularly egregious. As is the case with many Strigoi in hiding, Azzsar has spent so many years cloaked in almost total darkness that his body, were it to come into contact with the rays of the sun, would almost assuredly begin to burn his skin instantly. Some vampires, especially those of the Von Carstein and Lahamian blood can resist or even completely overcome their weakness to the sun, but this is not the case with Azzsar and his Strigoi kin. It would be almost impossible for him to ever return to the surface without the shielding blackness of night.

Economy: The Strigoi Lord rules over a primitive undead kingdom of ghouls and ghosts, not merchants and traders. His economy is almost non-existent but despite this there is still some opportunity for trade. Great seams of warpstone run throughout his realm and when he is not actively at war with a Skaven clan over them, he might trade with them for trinkets or human slaves from the surface to sate his bloodthirst. In addition when he fled from Mourkain Azzsar brought with him a trove of treasure that he keeps hidden within his throne room: a small horde of gold and jewels from Strygos. While he would be loath to use what is left of his old wealth in barter, he might still use a small sum of it to bribe humans or otherwise part with it in a time of great need.

Of course for those who desire it, Azzsar can also offer the unbridled promise of necromantic power and even the kiss of unlife should he deem them worthy to be sired. More than one necromancer has tried to seek Azzsar out so they might learn secrets he offers, only to be horribly dismembered by his servants or hopelessly lost within the labyrinthine passages of his realm.

Resources: Azzsar’s realm despite its rather primitive state is rich in natural resources. Veins of precious minerals and even warpstone run readily throughout the passages and caverns which he lords over which cut deep into the bowels of the earth. This makes his holdings attractive and eminently desirable to the greed of Dwarfs and Skaven. In the case of the Dwarfs, this is a matter of reclaiming their lost mines and Underway holdings which their ancestors once held. For the Skaven: this is purely greed and taking what should rightly be controlled by the Children of the Horned rat.

Of course for a Lord of Mourkain there is also limitless potential within these cavernous depths. Passages which tunnel under graveyards or into ancient barrows that provide thralls aplenty to serve in the Strigoi King’s armies along with ancient weapons and tomes he might make use of. Even the ghouls, bestial as they are, are valuable: they provide a valuable source of blood for the vampire as they are still technically living. Obviously whenever possible, Azzsar would much prefer to capture and drink the blood of untainted humans.

The Teeming Undead: Azzsar has at his disposal thousands of ghouls and undead creatures. The bulk of his army are indeed made up of ghouls, the tribe of which he has dominated since his arrival in the grey mountains. Ghouls are not particularly reliable fighters, but they are fierce, quick, and deadly in swarms. Their weapons of bone and rock are also more often than not poisoned by decay and filth, which can lead to a slow and painful death to an enemy even if they survive an encounter with them. They are also actually living creatures, being humans that have devolved into animalistic creatures due to indulging in cannibalism. While this means they do need to eat, drink and sleep: it also means they will breed and grow without need of expending magic to raise them. And moreover, it means that they can sometimes go places where other undead creatures may not. Such as in some cases: holy ground.

The rest of Azzsar’s servants are made up of either undead zombies (mostly Skaven but also dwarfs and humans), a number of wraiths and ghosts ( summoned or created from wizards or necromancers unlucky enough to come into Azzsars clutches) and a small number of Wights. The Wights are Azzsars favored servants as unlike the zombies or ghouls, they have some semblance of intelligence and military tradition about them. They consist of the remains of ancient human soldiers raised from the barrows deep within the mountains. Unlike other undead, they retain a small aspect of their soul and thus retain the martial prowess they once held in life. Accordingly, Azzsar uses them as commanders and captains of his undead hordes.

Deep with the darkest caverns of the mountains, there also lurks the potential for other beasts to be raised into service. The mighty Terrogheist is one such creature that, when killed, could be raised into unlife and pressed to serve the Strigoi King.

Regiments of Renown: “The Horrors in the Deep '' a number of Crypt Horror “honor guard” that Azzsar has raised to his service from the teeming masses of the ghouls of his realm. Crypt Horrors are created in a bastardization of the blood kiss, in which a vampire will open their veins and let a ghoul drink of his vampiric blood for some amount of time. Upon which the ghouls grow larger and larger until they become a monstrous mass of flesh and muscle many times their normal size. These abominations guard Azzsar’s ‘throne room’, and protect his person when he slumbers within his stone sarcophagus. Allowing a creature such a ghoul to drink of their blood is considered completely abhorrent by almost all vampires. Only one of the Strigoi would likely ever consider such an act unless the need was great indeed. For Azzsar however, it is but a small price to pay for having such powerful creatures to guard his tomb.

The Horrors of the Deep are a particularly brutal batch of Crypt Horrors, and carry large clubs of stone and mammoth bone. Azzsar has allowed them to drink so many times of his blood, that they have gained particularly enhanced healing and regeneration abilities, giving them an even more dangerous aspect.

Foreign Policy: A Strigoi has few friends and many enemies. Even amongst other vampires the Strigoi are considered outcasts and undesirables. Other bloodlines, especially those of the Lahmian brood, consider them foul and uncouth: the spawn of Ushoran who stole the elixir of life from Neferatra and did not ‘earn’ it as their sires did. Even the Necrarchs, dark and twisted as they are, tend not to associate themselves with a Strigoi, for fear of bringing down the wrath of other bloodlines onto their secret lairs and towers.

And yet there is still some hope for the Strigoi to navigate that wider world. Azzsar has the loyalty of many wandering Strigany caravans: the exiled peoples of Strygos who yet still hold to the old ways and the old tales. Tales of how the vampires once ruled over them beneficently and gloriously, drinking only the blood criminals while defending them from all manner of threats. Rumors abound amongst those who seek Azzsar that he yet might be contacted through the Strigany....

As for the verminous Skaven: Azzsar is not opposed to working with them when it suits his purpose, but he must be careful not to favor one clan too much: for the rat men are notoriously treacherous. Better to let them fight amongst each other and battle them when and where the opportunity presents itself within the deep warrens of the mountains.

Culture: Azzsar still clings to the noble concepts and ideals of Strygos. Although that empire is long gone. He lords over his ghoulish and undead servants like a true king, and expects utter deference and respect in return. He constantly drills his “soldiers” and trains them for war, although the ghouls can do nothing but obey his every order regardless and have little in the way of thoughts of their own.

Notable locations: The deep tunnels of the Northern Grey Mountains, the Realm of Azzsar, Azzsar’s Throneroom, and the Great Pit (a great chasm within the mountains which is one of the deepest locations in the region).

Faction Name: The Sunchaser Tribe

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Held territory: The Sunchaser tribe has migrated over many years across the Old World. Along the ridges of the Black Mountains south of the Empire, and up into the Grey Mountains. It was here, north of Athel Loren and southeast of Axe Bite Pass, that they settled some years ago. They've carved out a realm high in the mountains known as Gristle Valley where most men would struggle to reach, though contact with Dwarfs, Goblins, Skaven or other races that have no qualms of traveling above or below the mountains have been frequently encountered. They have everything an Ogre tribe could wish - caves to shelter from the weather, pits for wrestling, wild mountain beasts to hunt and tame and a dug out maw pit to honour the Great Maw. The Sunchaser's domain is mostly within these mountainous valleys, though they do have an outpost village along the southern slopes, overlooking the foothills of Paravon. The locals call this merely Ogre Town.

Ruler: Tyrant Gozog Blindbarge Headbanger Wheelcrush Giantbeater Suneater
Gozog earned his first Big Name when he beat his uncle Glutgulf Sunbelly, the ruling Tyrant, in a guts-out fight for supremacy. After savagely beating and killing Glutgulf, Gozog set to devouring his uncle as is their custom, but insisted on doing so using the Tyrants own golden gutplate as a dish "'Cause that's what civilised folk do." It took a full day and night for Gozog to consume his prize, and as dawn broke, the tribe was amazed to see that not only had he scraped and eaten every scrap of flesh from Glutgulf's bones, but had also eaten the golden sunburst gutplate as well. Thus began the reign of Tyrant Gozog Suneater.

Gozog has proven to be a shrewd leader, and knows when to fight and when to trade with his neighbours. He regularly hires out his warriors to caravan leaders traveling between Bretonnia and the Empire, as there are many dangers within the mountain passes, and his troops can often act as a deterrent strong enough to prevent any conflict at all. The Sunchaser's have also found easy meals in the villages of Bretonnia. They're generally content to trade with peasant leaders, who trade livestock and crops to be left alone, but when a local Lord catches on that their serfs aren't producing their quotas and come to set things right, the Ogres are happy to eat the noble, his knights and his horses as well.

Economy: The ogres of the Sunchaser tribe require little in the way of money. They need only the beasts of the mountains and what food they can extort and steal from the maller races. That said, they know the value of the clinking golden sun disks traded by the thinlings, and always make sure to loot any wagons they've ambushed for gold, after they've searched for food. Gozog hoards all gold and silver his underlings find, using it to trade - usually with Imperial merchants for gunpowder for the tribe's explosive weaponry. As there is a great love for the percussive boom of cannonfire, material wealth is spent as quickly as it is gained.

Resources: WIP

Active Service: Every ogre is a capable warrior, by dint of being able to smack a man hard enough to clear a wall or wrestle a warhorse to the ground with its bare hands, but the tribes biggest warriors have still gathered into loose bands of familiar - and usually familial - warbands.

Gozog can command somewhere between 100-150 Bulls, and half as many Leadbelchers, though without the supplies to keep their cannons firing on a prolonged campaign. Gorzag's personal bodyguard consists of 30 heavily armoured Ironguts. He himself will occasionally take to battle riding a mighty Stonehorn, accompanied by a dozen powerful Mounrfang riders, bedecked in a colourful parody of Bretonnia's noble knights. Gozog's great grandfather hauled three great Ironblaster cannons across the mountains before the tribe settled in Gristle Valley, and more recently Gorzag wrestled and bested a pair of giants that were wandering through the mountains from the north. Battered and beaten, the pair have been wrapped in chains and enslaved to the Tyrants will.

Assisting in the running of the realm is Gozog's two sons, each a mighty Bruiser in their own might. One rules with a fifth of the Tyrants force in the foothills encampment on the border of Paravon, while the other sits at Gozog's right hand. The tribes' spiritual (and gastronomical) wellbeing is handled by Mama Chum, a powerful slaughterpriestess with three butchers apprenticing beneath her.


Reserves: Gristle Valley is fed in large part by its Hunters, who range far and wide along the highest of the Grey mountains hunting its mightiest beasts. In the time of war, Gozog can rely on at least one or two to show up to fight, and if he's lucky the mighty Dunzuk Icebreaker will answer the summons riding a great Thundertusk beast. Mama Chum and her underlings can also usually summon a horde of dozens of gnashing Gorger's from beneath the Maw Pit. Perhaps less deadly, but far more numerous, the Sunchaser tribe has a population of Gnoblars thousands strong who follow their masters everywhere, including the battlefield.

Garrisons: Gozog is reckoned pretty bright among his species, and understands simple math better than the majority of his ilk. Thus it was that when the foothills Outpost of Ogre Town was founded on the border of Paravon, he decried that a full one fifth of his regular fighters would garrison the town. From there they can extort local Bretonnian towns, intercept caravans coming south from Helmgart and generally be a nuisance while getting fed for their efforts. Ogre Town is ruled over by Big Gozz, Gozog's eldest son.

Gristle Valley and its surrounding smaller encampments is where most of the tribe resides, ruled by Gozag with the support and spiritual advice of Mama Chum. From here the tribe raids north into the Empire, and against other mountain dwelling people such as isolated Dwarf Mines and against the greenskins in the southern Grey Mountains. At Gozog's side is Zogga the Large, Gozog's second son.

Regiments of Renown: Brutus Brawlerguts and his Maneaters have walked the length and breadth of the mannish realms, from Caronne to Tilea, Norsca to Ind - or so they claim. Despite the ever changing and often contradictory details of their tales, the truth of the matter is that they are a brotherhood of prodigiously deadly warriors in close combat, and proficiently deadly with their blunderbus-sized pistols. Brutus himself is known to have a great love for the blackpowder weapons, and carries a great many of them, so he never needs to stop shooting while his pack of Gnoblars reloads for him.

Foreign Policy: WIP

Culture: WIP

Notable locations: WIP

Territorial Name:
Duchy of Gisoreux

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Held territory:
The Duchy of Gisoreux is divided into four geographical areas. The first, the Plains of Gisoreux, is actually mostly pastoral country and very hilly. This area includes the city of Gisoreux itself and lies between the River Grismerie, the Forest of Arden, the Pale Sisters, and the Grey Mountains. Just over half of the population of the duchy lives in this small area. The second area is North Gisoreux. This land, between the River Sannez and the Pale Sisters, is also mostly pastoral but has substantial arable portions along the course of the Sannez. The land here used to be part of the Forest of Arden but was cleared, over the course of a thousand years, by the family of the current ruler, Duke Thommas de Saulx. The process continues in the southwest of the region. North Gisoreux is home to about a quarter of the population.

The third region is the Forest of Arden. The areas south and east of the river are relatively civilized. The roads between the villages are patrolled by the local nobility or at least by their men-at-arms, and travel on the roads is no more dangerous than travel on most other roads of the Old World. The villages do have stockades but, in a good year, suffer no attacks. On the other hand, no one leaves the cleared areas of forest without a really good reason, and those who do rarely come back.

North of the river, where the forest runs up to the Pale Sisters, things are very different. No village founded here has ever survived more than a year. Recently, Bretonnian lords have even given up trying. The human inhabitants are all nomadic, and there are no roads larger than a trail. The trees in this region are particularly old, large, and fine, which prompts nobles to send occasional logging forays. These sometimes succeed in bringing out a tree or two; more often, the loggers simply vanish.

The final region of the duchy is covered by mountains, split between the Pale Sisters in the west and the Grey Mountains in the east. The two ranges are very distinct. The Pale Sisters are of white rock and tend to rounded peaks, steep cliffs, and lots of high valleys. Access to the valleys is limited, however, and often involves climbing a cliff. The Grey Mountains are of dark grey stone and are characterized by very sharp terrain. Their peaks and ridges are narrow, as are the are their many passes. As a result, more people live in the Pale Sisters than in the Grey Mountains.

Ruler:
Thommas de Saulx is the current Duke of Gisoreux and one of the most polarizing figures in Bretonnia. Born to a Noble father but a milkmaid mother, he was sent away to squire for a Knight Errant in the campaigns against the Tomb Kings. It was there, in the empty wastes and twisted lands of the Undead Pharaohs, that he would become a legend.

Massively strong with long blonde hair, a beard to match, and savage blue eyes, he is a handsome man who would turn any head. A vicious scar cuts across his face from left eyebrow to right cheek, a reminder of a close brush with a Necrosphinx.

He earned his golden spurs in battle and was knighted by the Lady of the Lake herself the day he returned to the shores of Bretonnia. Never has forgotten the savage treatment he suffered as a squire at the hands of those above him and he swore to the Lady he would protect the weak as much as the strong. In an effort to relocate this troublesome Knight, the leadership of Bretonnia sent him to the Pale Sisters in the hopes he might be slain by some wandering monsters.

The young Knight Errant was quick to disappoint his detractors and won renown as a master-of-arms and leader of the common man. His secret marriage to the daughter of duchys ruler, Earl Baldhelm of Harran, thrust him into forefront when the Earl and his only son were killed in a beastmen raid. Thommas avenged their deaths so ruthlessly that no one raised a public objection when he inherited the duchy, courtesy of his wifes birthright. The Lady herself dubbed him a Grail Knight on the day of his coronation and gave him a mighty Pegasus to ride.

The People and State of Gisoreux:

Just as the land of Gisoreux is divided, so are the people. The Plains of Gisoreux are the heart of the duchy, and these are the people most outsiders think of when they think of Gisoreux. Gisorens are friendly people; they greet even complete strangers politely, and many people offer casual acquaintances a meal. There are, however, strict limits to this generosity. After a single meal and one night’s accommodation, visitors are expected to earn any further friendliness by reciprocating. Clever and mobile rogues manage to sponge off the Gisorens' largesse for years, but far more are recognized and find themselves shunned.

These customs even extend to the more civilized parts of the Forest of Arden, but there, new arrivals are expected to begin their visit with a bath, in which they are supervised constantly by armed villagers. The bath is, of course, a courtesy, and the guards are for the guests' protection, and the fact that it is impossible to hide most mutations whilst naked is pure coincidence. Attractive female visitors may find many, many men are eager to protect them. Women pretending to be men find that people in this region are generally good at overlooking such things.

The nomads of the forest make a living as hunters and trappers and trade regularly with the villages bordering on their areas. Most of them make a trip to the city of Gisoreux at least once every few years, since they have occasional contact with the isolated villages of Artois and do not want to become like them. They also keep an eye on the Beastmen and other monsters and send runners to warn villages at risk of attack. As a result, they are accepted without prejudice by virtually all other Gisorens.

In the valleys of the Pale Sisters, the people cluster together in small communities. Given the labyrinthine quality of this region accompanied by terrible winters, few people have the means or the interest to leave their small stone homes. Few have little knowledge of others who dwell in and beyond these mountains. As a result of their isolation, each community has its own strange customs and habits, though the threat of Orcs and Chaos force all villages to concentrate on defence.

There are Human inhabitants of the Grey Mountains, but in Gisoreux this range is too rugged and plagued by monsters to support any real communities. Most of those who live here are nomadic loners, though there are some family groups. They live by hunting and by guiding travellers through the mountains. A few nobles have lands in the Plains of Gisoreux and strongholds in the mountains, with the responsibility of defending them against monsters. In many places they can do little more than keep their fortress secure and supplied, but the nobles along the Gisoreux Gap pride themselves on keeping it as safe for traffic as any road anywhere.

Gisoreux, in common with all the duchies bordering on the cursed lands of Mousillon, would like to see it invaded and cleansed. However, relations with Bastonne are also strained. Nobles in the Plains of Gisoreux have repeatedly feuded with Bastonnian lords in an effort to extend their holdings across the river.

Active Service:
The Duchy of Gisoreux boasts a handsome number of full-time troops to maintain the trade routes that make their neighbours wealthy. Knights are a regular sight on Gisorean roads and the Duke himself has a substantial number of Questing Knights, and a few Grail Knights, in his service as there is no shortage of enemies to slay. Recently a small group of Pegasus Knights have journeyed to the region and sworn fealty to the young Duke.

Peasant levies are numerous and trained in a regular rotation to ensure that a rising threat can be dealt with swiftly and effectively. Thommas understand the value of speed and has moved to outfit many of his levy units with mounts, to be cared for by the rider, in order to ensure he can move swiftly from one location to another.

Gisoreux has little in the way of siege weapons as there has been no call for it recently.

Garrisons:
Like the rest of Bertonnia, Gisoreux is heavily castellated, with fortifications commanded by lesser lords and Knights at nearly every strategic point. Locations are chosen with the enemies of old and the rising threat of Skaven in mind. Most are large enough to shelter a regions populace and livestock long enough to reinforcements to arrive.

The City of Gisoreux, for which the region is named, is one of the finest fortresses in all of Bretonnia. Built to seal the Gap of Gisoreux during the wars with the Empire, it has since grown into a formidable fortress city. Recent defensive upgrades commissioned by the Duke, using Dwarven engineers, had included ravelins and other outer works that will serve to negate the devastating impact of most modern artillery. This is one of the few areas extensive artillery can be located as trebuchets have been mounted on the largest towers and can command a dominating space around the city.

Regiments of Renown:
The Sons of Gisoreux are a unit of Questing Knights, led by the Dukes younger brother, who can be found throughout the region. These men are sworn to the Service of the Lady and will not rest until they have slaughtered an enemy worth singing sons about. They are well mounted, fearless, and devastating in their charge.

Foreign Policy:
Gisoreux has excellent trade relationships with most of its neighbours. Dwarf, Brettonnian, and Imperial traders come and go regularly, as do some Elves. Duke Thommas is largely uninterested in the petty feuds so many of his fellow Knights are famous for, though has been known to tilt his lance regularly when challenged.

Notable locations:
WIP