Chapter 1
Background on the Empire of Man
2500 years ago, the centre of the Old World was little more than a collection of human tribes who found themselves perpetually at odds. This was until one man, Sigmar Heldenhammer, led the tribes in an alliance with the Dwarfen realms against a coming Greenskin invasion. This culminated with the triumph at the Battle of Black Fire Pass and the formation of the Empire of Man, with Sigmar himself as Emperor. He knew that he could not control the Empire alone, however, and delegated his reign by granting each human lord the title of Count. The Dwarfs, grateful for the human assistance in stopping the great Waaagh!, created a series of legendary swords, the Runefangs, and gifted one to each Count. As well, they gifted Sigmar with the legendary hammer, Ghal Maraz. Upon Sigmar’s passing, it was discovered that he did not have an heir. Thus, the Counts got together and devised an electoral system for selecting the Emperor’s successor. Each of the thirteen Counts was given one vote, now designating them Elector Counts. In the centuries to come, Sigmar’s legacy continued to persevere and, eventually, he became venerated as a god.
The Election of Karl Franz I
In the election following the death of Emperor Luitpold I, there were two prominent candidates for the throne. The first was Boris Todbringer, Elector Count of Middenland. Boris was a wise and experienced leader, and was known for his many victories over the Beastmen in Drakwald Forest. The second candidate was Luitpold’s son, Prince Karl Franz I of Altdorf. Franz was competent, but many in the Empire saw him as weak and inexperienced.
Franz’ home city and capital: Altdorf
Frankenwurter’s Rebellion
Suffice to say, the new Emperor’s early rule was filled with strife. Soon, his first source of open conflict came from his own home Province, Reikland. Dissatisfied with what he saw as a weak and obsolete coalition of states, Hans Frankenwurter, a rival politician in Reikland and a supporter of Todbringer, led a faction of Imperial secessionists who declared themselves a breakaway state, independent from Reikland and the Empire at large. This came mere days after the election.
Franz immediately set about crushing these rebels, as he was eager to not repeat the mistakes of his predecessor, Dieter IV, who had been the Emperor to allow Marienburg’s secession— an act which had begun the downward trajectory that led to the Empire’s decay into the quagmire of ineffectiveness and disloyal Elector Counts that it had become.
Luckily for the fledgling Emperor, this was easy work; the rebels were disorganised and underequipped. He was able to quickly capture the cities of Grunburg and Ubersreik, as well as the fort of Helmgart— the battle for which claimed the life of Frankenwurter himself.
The Empire demonstrating its superior firepower during the battles of Grunburg and Ubersreik
Von Korden’s Gambit
The rebels having been dealt with left one of Reikland’s major cities, Eilhart, in a precarious situation. While the secessionists had been defeated and their rebellion stopped, control had never been properly restored in Eilhart, and the people there continued to rebel. While Franz immediately began marching onwards to the city, the treacherous Director Emil von Korden of The Wasteland swooped in and occupied it, promising the people the riches and independence that could be found in his Directorate. While not an outright act of war, this placed Franz into a dilemma: on the one hand, he knew he didn’t have the military might to beat The Wasteland in a war, but on the other hand, he didn’t want to appear weak by allowing them to hold de jure Reikland territory.
Federalising Stirland
Franz chose to bide his time, and focus on matters of diplomacy. He had a grand vision for his Empire and a vital part of it was the federalisation of its provinces. He believed that if the Empire was going to withstand, it would have to become one unified state. To this end, he engaged in diplomacy with the most loyal of Electors. It was in many respects, dirty work. Convincing rulers to give up their sovereignty to a seat of power that was archaic and fraught was no simple task, but Franz was as determined as he was shrewd. Riding the laurels of his success against the Rebels, he convinced the Elector Count of Stirland, Alberich Haupt-Anderssen, to allow his land to be annexed by Reikland. As Glorious Sigmar knew in times of old, Karl Franz knew that to manage his realm effectively he’d need to delegate his rule over each new province. And so, he devised a new system of governance. He allowed Anderssen to remain as the Count of Stirland, but instead of the distinct but loosely aligned nations of old, Anderssen was now a governor, wholly subservient to the will of the Emperor.
The One-Eyed Brayherd
To the north, in territory belonging to Middenland, Khazrak The One-Eye, a Beastlord in command of a mighty Brayherd, had been raiding and vandalising Drakwald Forest for many years. While much Boris Todbringer’s support had come from his ability to hold Khazrak back, he had never expunged the Brayherd. Hoping to win favour from those who were in support of Todbringer, Franz appointed a newly risen general, Luthor Valdorf, to the task of claiming Khazrak’s pelt in battle. Valdorf performed this task with flying colours, slaughtering the Brayherd to the last beast in only a single battle. This further solidified the might of the Empire within the eyes of its Counts.
Imperial pistoliers narrowly avoiding the wrath of Khazrak’s harpies
War With The Wasteland
Franz and Luthor began a joint campaign westward. Luthor moved quickly into the city of Marienburg, where the majority of von Korden’s force was garrisoned, and laid siege. Meanwhile, Franz marched on Eilhart, swiftly uniting the province of Reikland and quelling those who would remain independent of the Empire. After this, Franz marched on towards Marienburg to join Valdorf, and the two launched a joint assault. Ultimately, the garrison fell and the city, with its glittering tradeports, fell to Reiklander control. The treacherous Count von Korden was killed in the fight. With The Wasteland in need of a new leader, Franz appointed its conqueror, Luthor Valdorf— thus projecting a clear message to the other Counts: fall in, or be replaced.
Emil von Korden standing alone against the might of Reikland
It was these conquests that set the stage for the next Elector Count to offer their Province for confederation: Helmut Feuerbach of Talabecland. With Talabecland now federalised and Helmut assigned as its governor and general, the centre of the Empire was united under Karl’s rule.
Beset on All Sides
While still at war with The Wasteland in the west, Karl Franz recognised another important directive for The Empire: alliances with non-Imperial humans. To that end, he had pursued a defensive pact with Tzarina Katarin Bokha of The Tsardom of Kislev. It was through this alliance that Franz was dragged into a second war, now on his far eastern border against the Vampire Count Vlad von Carstein of Sylvania. The early days of this war went poorly, with Alberich Haupt-Anderssen killed and his army wiped out in the opening volleys. The Mootland, home to the peace-loving Halflings, was occupied by Vampires. The current Halfling Elder, Hisme Stoutheart, pleaded for The Empire’s assistance.
Shortly thereafter, yet another threat arose from across the River Reik, now the Empire’s northern border after the federalisation of Talabecland. There rested the lands of Doctor Festus. A former Imperial physician who became so obsessed with curing disease that he allowed himself to be corrupted by a Chaos God, the Plague Lord Nurgle. Festus, now donning the title of Leechlord, had returned to the Empire. Laying waste to the Province of Hochland and murdering its Count, Aldebrand Ludenhof, all the while gleefully spreading the same plague he once sought to cure. Festus laid siege to Talabheim and quickly killed Helmut Feuerbach in battle.
Vlad von Carstein (left) and Festus the Leechlord (right)
Author’s Note:
I got a little discouraged by how badly things were going and forgot to take pretty screenshots in most of my fights. In my defence I had no intention of making an AAR. I will make sure to take plenty going forward.
Marching west, Festus assaulted and captured Middenheim, the capital city of Middenland. Boris Todbringer barely escaped with his life. Despite having been Franz’ opponent, he fled to Altdorf as a refugee, and begged Karl to allow him to help in the war against the Leechlord. Franz agreed, and a new army was put into commission under Todbringer’s command.
On the eastern front, the Vampires and their undead hordes marched across Stirland, laying waste to city after city until they were in control of the entire Province, and perched on the borders of Reikland proper.
Naturally, war on three fronts wasn’t good enough and a fourth front opened up in the south, with the Bretonnian Vampires of Mousillon marching through Gisoreux Gap and beginning to raid Reikland itself.
From the Brink
Franz knew things were dire, but he was never one to give up. He called all of his armies, under the commands of Valdorf, Gelt, Todbringer, and himself to the defence of Reikland. The four armies replenished their ranks and steeled themselves for the fight to come.
Soon, Todbringer began to march north, bringing the fight to Festus as he had desired. Against him, Festus suffered defeat after defeat, culminating in his death during the Second Battle of Middenheim. The Provinces of Hochland and Middenland were reclaimed for the Empire. Todbringer, remaining loyal to Franz, was awarded the seat of Governor of Middenland.
Likewise, Gelt travelled east, pushing the vampires back to the border of Sylvania. Soon, he marched into Sylvania itself, cutting into their heartland.
Valdorf, fresh off of his lengthy campaign against the remaining cities of The Wasteland, joined Franz and the two armies marched across Gisoreux Gap. If King Leoncoeur couldn’t be trusted to keep the vampires of Mousillon at bay, Franz would do it himself.
Soon, the Vampires of Mousillon had been wiped out, and to preempt trouble with the Barrow Legion, Franz marched into the Grey Mountains and wiped the stench of undeath from their cities as well. Much of the conquered Bretonnian land was returned to King Leoncoeur of Couronne in exchange for an alliance.
Von Raukov of Ostland accepted a mutually beneficial peace treaty, and reopened diplomacy with the Empire.
The State of Play
While its capital was firmly under Imperial control, much of Middenland had been colonised by the Wood Elves of Laurelorn in the aftermath of Festus’ razing.
In the south, half of Solland was lost to the savage Greenskin tribe, The Red Handz. Never having been annexed by Reikland, Elector Count Marius Leitdorf the Mad of Averland found himself killed at the hands of the Treeman, Durthu of Argwylon, with much of Averland also conquered by The Red Handz. Similarly, Ostermark and its Count, Wolfram Hertwig, were decimated by the Treewoman, Drycha.
Wissenland, Ostland, and Nordland all retain their status as semi-autonomousElector Counts of the Empire.
Today, Gelt finds himself trapped in his main Sylvanian stronghold, Castle Templehof. While he has enough forces to hold the Castle’s gates, he does not have enough to march onwards towards Castle Drakenhof. He waits for reinforcements from Boris Todbringer.
In Altdorf, Karl Franz and Luthor Valdorf ponder their best course of action regarding the vast swathes of Imperial land currently under wood elf control.
Current map of the Empire of Man
~Icarus
Karl Franz: Prince and Emperor
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Originally Posted by Alwyn
