I have different lore for my Slaves to Darkness army depending on whether I’m playing Age of Sigmar or The Old World since the backgrounds of each game are very different. But I mainly envision them as an army from “The World That Was,” so today I want to tell that story.
On a night like many others, a star fell. In a tower in Altdorf, the imperial astromancers took notice. Through their telescopes, they observed it to be piece of warpstone thrown off by the moon Morrslieb. A bad omen to be sure, but after plotting it’s course and consulting their charts, they determined it would fall far from the borders of the empire. So it was cataloged and promptly forgotten. On the same night, other watchers of the sky took notice of the omen but they did not forget.
East of the empire and far to the north lie the lands of the Kurgan people. Vaalkati of the Kul tribe saw the warpstone meteor and felt the pull of destiny. All people-of-the-tribes know the stories of warriors who travel into the northern wastes to forge their personal saga. There, the few that survive are reforged in glory to strive with the gods forever. But sometimes they return as exalted champions, at the head of vast hosts of godsworn warriors, to conquer the shining kingdoms of the south and bring ruin to the empires of men.
The godspeaker of Vaalkati’s tribe confirmed what she already knew; this was her call to destiny. She would go north to find that fallen star and bring back glory for her tribe. The journey north was difficult and many of those who followed her did not survive. But she cared not for their fate. She knew that as they drew closer to the realm of the gods at the top of the world, the unworthy would be culled and thus her warband would be strengthened. And besides, the weaklings would provide food for the strong during the true hardships that were to come.
She encountered many challengers as they marched north. Rival warbands, other champions seeking their personal glory, and monsters from the nightmare legends of her people became common opponents on her path. Even the land itself seemed to shift and conspire to bar her way. But while others advised her to find another path, or to turn back, Vaalkati saw these challenges as a sign that the eye of the gods was upon her. They were sending her gifts to test her strength and forge her into a champion worthy of their power.
After many months (some in her warband claimed it was years) of constant struggle northward, she arrived at last where her star had fallen to the earth. The warpstone had fallen in the land of the Tong; a mysterious and fearsome tribe that lives deep in the chaos wastes. Their proximity to the polar gate, and constant exposure to the chaos energies pouring in to the world there had twisted and mutated their bodies almost beyond recognition. They celebrate these mutations as gifts from the gods. Vaalkati Of-the-Kul and her warriors fought their way through the Tong and discovered that the settlement and indeed their society was centered around the crater formed by the impact of the warpstone meteorite. It was here that she was faced with her greatest test.
The Tong were not the first to find the fallen star. When they came upon the warpstone, it had already been claimed by a dragon. And by his twisted form and twin heads, Vaalkati knew he was one of the fearsome spawn of Galrauch, the Great Drake, father of all chaos dragons. As she leapt from the crater’s edge she had time to reflect on the surrealness of the moment. The way she hadn’t remembered making the decision to jump. The way her heavy plate armor felt as light as silk. How she couldn’t remember now where she had gotten the armor. Had she taken taken it from a defeated challenger? Had one of the Dawi-Zharr in her retinue fashioned it for her? Even her voice sounded alien to her ears as she bellowed her oath to the gods. But when she landed on the dragon’s back all these thoughts were washed away with blood and fire.
For a day and a night she fought the dragon. Her warriors watched in awe from the crater’s edge as she finally wove her way inside the beast’s attacks. But though she struck true and with all her strength, her weapon was unable to pierce deep enough into the dragon’s hide. And they watched with astonishment as the dragon bathed her in kaleidoscopic fire, The iridescent flames licked up the side of the crater, mutating and devouring the unfortunate spectators where they stood. But Vaalkati emerged. Her blackened armor was singed and glowing from the heat, but her flesh was unburned and unchanged. The dragon and all who watched knew then that she was truly chosen by the gods. She formed a pact with the dragon and the surviving Tong, who had worshipped him as a god. From that moment on she was no longer Vaalkati Kul. To her fanatic followers she was Vaalkati Blacksteel, flameborn and chosen of the gods. And now, under her dreadful banner, they return to the world of men
All images are copyright of Games Workshop. I didn’t make any of them.
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