The Empire

"Civilisation shall triumph over the wilderness. Man shall triumph over beast." For two and a half millennia, the Empire has formed a bulwark against the encroaching forces of Destruction. Lying at the heart of the Old World, it is the greatest and most powerful of all the nations forged by men. Yet across its lands, evil always lurks in its shadiest corners and darkest depths. Mutant monsters prowl its dark forests, malevolent ratmen plot beneath its cities, and the living dead rise from its graveyards. Monstrous enemies gaze belligerently across its borders, with the threat of invasion from any number of murderous abominations an ever-present danger. Yet it endures, for mankind has a steely determination not merely to live, but to thrive. Ever since the legendary warrior Sigmar first united the primitive man-tribes against their common enemies, the longevity of the Empire has been assured by great men hailing from across its provinces. Out of the forests of Middenland emerged Markus Wulfhart, who rose to prominence to become the finest scout in all the Empire. Once a lowly huntsman, his life was irrevocably shattered when a one-eyed Bonegrinder Giant razed his hometown of Drakenburg to the ground, slaughtering its inhabitants. Burning with the desire for revenge, the young hunter tracked the monster to its lair and skilfully blinded it with a single shot from his bow, before severing its rope-like hamstrings with his blade. Closing in on the crippled giant, he hacked at its neck repeatedly with manic determination and decapitated it. Markus had slain the beast that had murdered his kin, but in suffering the tragedy of losing his entire village he had been set on a new, death-strewn path. He swore that as long as he still lived, no other settlement would suffer the fate of Drakenburg, and he set out to hunt the various monsters that preyed on the Empire. Only when every last one of them was slain would he rest. In recognition of his deeds, Markus was offered a knighthood and a nobleman’s estate by Karl Franz himself. Wulfhart declined, wishing only to be allowed to continue with his self-imposed quest. Impressed with his grim fortitude, the Emperor bestowed unto Markus the title of Huntsmarshal – the Emperor’s Captain of Scouts. Answering only to the Emperor himself, Markus leads an elite, hand-picked regiment of scouts and hunters from across the land – a disparate group in which city-born men rub shoulders with those raised in rural backwaters. One thing is certain, however – Wulfhart’s hunters are the most accomplished group of monster-slayers in the Empire.

Boris Todbringer is Elector Count of Middenland, the Wolf of Middenheim, and the stern guardian of the Empire's northern frontier where the Drakwald presses close and the world grows colder and crueller by the day. A devout champion of Ulric—god of winter, battle, and wolves—he lives by a hard creed: courage in the cold, resolve against Chaos, and scorn for weakness.

Volkmar the Grim is both leader and spiritual head of the Cult of Sigmar. He is a pious and foreboding man dedicated to the destruction of evil, whether it takes the form of Chaos or the rotting darkness of Unlife. He is no cleric hiding away from what he decries, nor a priest more content with the wealth and status such a position brings - an accusation that has been justifiably levied at Grand Theogonists in the past. Sigmar was a warrior in life and a god to fighters upon his ascension, so His clergy follow their Lord’s example - none more so than Volkmar the Grim. He has fought in countless battles, both on and off the War Altar of Sigmar - a mobile shrine of divine power. When Volkmar fights, the men of the Empire are encouraged by the sight that Sigmar’s holy representative smiting His foes in their midst. As well as a warrior and pious Cult leader, Volkmar is a strong ally of Karl Franz. In fact it was their alliance that gave Franz the three votes he needed to beat Boris Todbringer’s candidacy, thus suggesting that amidst the fire and wrath there is a shrewdness to Volkmar - something that many in the courts of Altdorf and Middenheim do not give him credit for. However, this has agitated relations between the Cult of Sigmar and Middenland, especially with the Ar-Ulric, the religious leader of Ulric’s cult. Hence, there is a need for a strong Emperor on the throne, someone with a powerful congregation of Sigmar’s chosen at his side.

Balthasar Gelt came to Altdorf from the city of Marienburg, having bought passage on a merchant ship with gold that he had transmuted from lead ingots. He left the seaport for the Colleges of Magic before the effects wore off, and now rumours abound that the swindled sea captain has placed a rich bounty on Balthasar’s head – though few would dare attempt to collect it. The transmutation of common artefacts into precious metal has always fascinated Balthasar. Driven by his obsession, he spent many years combining his knowledge of alchemy, learnt in far-off lands, with the magical Lore of Metal. Balthasar’s fierce intelligence lent him a greater understanding of this branch of magic than any of his fellow students or tutors, and he rose quickly through the ranks of the Gold Order. Within a mere decade, Balthasar had become the Patriarch of the Golden College, the youngest wizard to ever hold the title. Balthasar’s research into new formulations of black powder even made him popular with the Imperial Engineers School, an organisation that often dismisses magic as superstitious nonsense. However, during these studies, a freak explosion almost ended Balthasar’s quest for knowledge forever. Somehow he survived, and from that day on he has only ever been seen swathed in shimmering, metallic robes and wearing a golden face mask. Some say that beneath his mask his skin has turned to pure gold, while others whisper that he is horribly disfigured, though the truth of the matter is known only to Balthasar. One thing is certain: the accident only furthered his will to succeed, and this determination increased his powers to new heights. With a single gesture, Balthasar Gelt can transform his enemies into lifeless golden statues or turn their bones into molten iron. With such power at his command, Balthasar has secured victory for the Empire on numerous occasions.

The Emperor is Karl Franz, Prince of Altdorf and Elector Count of Reikland. Karl Franz is said to be the greatest statesman the Old World has ever seen. He is also a military genius and a valiant general. The Emperor frequently takes personal command of his soldiers, like Sigmar, the Warrior-God of old, smiting enemies of the Empire with every blow. There is little doubt that Karl Franz is one of the greatest generals of his age. He stands at the forefront of the battles against those that would see his beloved realm torn asunder, and it is a responsibility that weighs heavily upon his shoulders.