Vampire Counts families

Von Carsteins
These vampires are somewhat stereotypical vampires, modeled very much in the manner of Dracula. They are seen as having close bonds with animals such as wolves and bats. In game terms, these vampires have no particular modifications and several of their bloodline powers emphasize their ties with animals. They are hereditary rulers of Sylvania.
The von Carsteins have been prevalent throughout the recent history of the vampire counts, and are the only bloodline to openly go to war with the Empire.
The blood line was created by Vlad when he married Isabella on the night that Count Otto, her father and the then count of Sylvania, died. The history of Vlad before that night is unclear. Vlad has come close to destroying the Empire, only being defeated in a duel with the Grand Theogonist, on the walls of Altdorf.
After Vlad was killed there were five remaining claimants for the throne of Sylvania.
Fritz was killed while attempting to besiege Middenheim, Hans was killed in a quarrel instigated by Konrad, Pieter was slain by witch hunter Helmut van Hal (rumor at the time suggested Mannfred led him to Pieter's lair), and Mannfred left Sylvania to travel in search of Necromantic lore.
Konrad, who had no ambitions other than mindless and bloody slaughter, wasted no time in marauding across half the Empire and even attacking the Dwarfs of Zhufbar until he was destroyed at Grim Moor.
Mannfred then returned to Sylvania and bided his time, rebuilding the bloodline after Konrad nearly destroyed it. Mannfred then attacked Altdorf but was forced to retreat; after a long backwards and forwards chase he was defeated at Hel Fenn, where prince Martin claimed to have killed him, but rumors persist that this is not the case.
The Von Carsteins are the descendants of Vashanesh, Neferata's husband. However, most of the history of the bloodline is lost: specifically, everything between Vashanesh becoming a vampire and the resurgence of Vlad. Some claim that Vlad and Vashanesh are one and the same, but none can confirm this.
Blood Dragons
Blood Dragons are fallen Knights, usually from the realm of Bretonnia; they are portrayed as souls in suffering, neither good nor evil. They desire skill in military combat, but do not particularly wish to become rulers or land owners, thus making them undead Knights Errant. Their goal is to not find the Grail as a Bretonnian Knight would, but rather succeed in mastering combat, and obtaining the same ability of permanently suppressing the need to drink human blood to survive as their leader, Abhorash did. The game system emphasizes their combat skill at the expense of spell-casting abilities.
Abhorash was the greatest warrior of Lahmia and held honour above all else, so much so that when Neferata and the nobles of her court turned into vampires, Abhorash who was content to continue to drink Nagahs elixir had to be tricked into drinking the sphinx venom. Initially he refused to feed on the blood of his own people, and desperately fought to control his fury: eventually however, his thirst grew so great that he slaughtered a dozen men and women in one night of gore. It is said that he wept tears of blood for the poor souls he had murdered to save himself, he fled south past Rasetra into the hot jungles of the Southlands, the others attempted to find him but could not.
Abhorash was at the front of Lahmia's defense when the Priest Kings attacked and slew hundreds of their warriors, until the steps of the royal palace and Neferata's temple were covered in blood. Despite his great fighting abilities, the armies of the Priest Kings were too many to defeat: Lahmia was sacked, its people enslaved or killed, and the undead aristocrats hunted down and put to the sword. As the few remaining vampires gathered up as much wealth and riches as they could and fled surrounded by hordes of their minions, Abhorash cursed his arrogant brothers who had brought destruction upon his beloved city, and set off followed by only a few loyal warriors and carrying only his weapons and armour, in exile. He taught his followers that skill in close combat and honour in battle were the only measures of greatness and they would only drink from great fighters, saying that only the impure fed on the weak. Eventually his travels took him to a great mountain wreathed with eternal flames; ignoring the advice of all of his followers Abhorash scaled the side of this fiery mountain.
As he reached its summit, a red dragon of immense size emerged from the crater and descended upon the Vampire Lord. At the prospect of testing his martial abilities, Abhorash drew his sword and prepared to fight the great wyrm. The two fought the entire night and in the end the Vampire was victorious. As the dragon lashed in its death throes, Abhorash seized its throat with his fangs and drank deep. Intoxicated by the blood of the dragon, Abhorash cast the carcass of the broken creature down from the mountain top. His search had ended; he no longer craved the lifeblood of men and had become the ultimate warrior, a man with the strength of a Vampire who had no need for blood. He then dispatched his followers to go forth into the world and charged them to master the arts of combat to such a skill that they could overcome their bloody thirst as he had. When they had succeeded, he would call them back to him, and they would go to war. It is said Abhorash still waits at the mountain, waiting for the day when his followers can rejoin him. Other famous Blood Dragons include: Walach Harkon (who challenged and defeated the entire Order of the Blood Dragon single-handedly), The Red Duke and Varison the Blade.
While the Bloodlines are largely eliminated in the new Army Book, Blood Dragons are still represented in squads of powerful Blood Knights.
Lahmians
This bloodline is (almost) entirely female, and no male models have been released. They are descended from Neferata, the original vampire. They emphasize the seductive nature of vampires and many of their bloodline powers center around influencing the behavior of enemy heroes. In the game they are given greater speed at the expense of their combat potential.
Neferata was queen of the city-state of Lahmia and the first of all the Vampires. After the city was destroyed by the Kings of Nehekara, she fled with her minions to the mountain known as 'The Silver Pinnacle'. After driving out the mountain's Dwarf inhabitants, Neferata established a new court, where she rules as the leader of a Sisterhood of enchantingly beautiful vampires who use secrecy, cunning and intrigue where others would use brute strength, to sway the political powers of the human kingdoms to do their will. The talons of the Lahmians reach all levels of human society and they take an active interest in human affairs. No one can guess how many eccentric noblewomen, widows of princes and dukes, and high-born ladies who shun the light of day and lock themselves up in tall towers and opulent palaces, are in truth the Undead and part of Neferata's brood. Geneviève Dieudonné (who was made a vampire without approval and is not linked to the Lahmian hierarchy) is of special interest to the Lahmians, who guard her in the hopes that her heroic status amongst the humans can be used to the benefit of the Lahmians' goals.
Necrarch
Necrarch vampires appear monstrous and wizened, very much on the mold of the vampire shown in the classic film Nosferatu. In Warhammer terms they are weaker in combat but have much greater magical potential than the other vampire bloodlines. However, their physical strength is still on a similar level to other vampires, their disadvantage being a poorer weapon skill. Overall they are still vastly more dangerous than an equivalent level wizard in close combat, and on par with the more dangerous of melee fighters. They are described as solitary researchers, working on ever more terrible spells as they live out their undying centuries. Because of their studies the Necrarch armies field large numbers of necromantic constructs, spellcasters, and zombie dragons.
Necrarchs claim descent from W'soran, who they revere as the father of Vampires, for W'soran served under Nagash himself. With the fall of Lahmia, the kingdom of Vampires came to an end and the Great Library of Lahmia was burned to the ground. The accumulated knowledge of ancient Nehekhara was destroyed and many disciples of W'soran died in the flames, reluctant to abandon their work. However a handful of Necrarchs fled and survived the pursuit of the armies of the kings of Numas and Zandri, taking with them books and scrolls and other fragments of the dark lore that Nagash created. They scattered all over the world hiding themselves to patiently wait for the death of their enemies and continue their studies. It is implied they are still in the servitude of Nagash, or are attempting to conduct a spell similar to the one he used to decimate Nehekhara and awaken the dead therein. Their progenitor was W'soran, and their previous master Melkhior was known to have served Nagash closely.
StrigoiStrigoi
Strigoi were first introduced in the sixth edition of the game as a new bloodline. In appearance they are even more monstrous than the Necrarchs and are huge and heavily built.they are the descendants of Ushoran who with his followers fled north to what is now the badlands and built a great empire. when it was destroyed by orcs the Strigoi were scattered and eventually degenerated to what they are today. The Strigany are the descendants of the mortal servants of Ushoran. The Strigoi are animalistic, half-mad and barely intelligent. In game terms they have similar combat potential to the Blood Dragons, but in terms of strength and bestial fury rather than skill-at-arms. The tradeoff is an inability to use steeds, weapons or armor. An interesting note is that Strigoi are a type of Romanian vampire based on the striga—but there is little resemblance between the myth and the bloodline in Warhammer Fantasy.
Strigoi armies contain little undead, bolstered by large numbers of Ghouls and their champions. Their progenitor, Ushoran, snubbed the other vampire masters to establish his own empire in Strigos, situated in what is now the Badlands. When the capital Mourkain was sacked by an Orc, the Strigoi vampires sought out their fellow vampires, who shunned them for Ushoran's snobbery and in some cases, openly hunted them down. The misery of what they had lost and the betrayal of their kin destroyed their minds and corrupted their bodies, and thus the Strigoi degenerated into the insane, feral beasts they are now. Unlike other vampires, Strigoi mainly drink the blood of the freshly dead instead of the living, for fear of attracting unwanted attention from both humans and vampires. Some Strigois have (d)evolved into Varghulf, massive bat-like creatures driven only by the instinct to kill and feast.
Sartosa
Introduced in mid 2008. They are found on the Games Workshop website as a collector's model.
When the body of Luthor Harkon was unwittingly taken on board the long-boat of Norse raiders and taken to Lustria, he created an undead realm known as the Vampire coast of zombie pirates from shipwrecks that became feared pirates and attacked the Lizardmen of the city of Huatl

Dieter Helsnicht

The powerfull and much feared necromancer Dieter Helsnicht, Doom Lord of Middenheim, was once a great wizard living in Middenheim during the early years of the time of the Three Emperors (1152 to 2302 IC). Unfortunately for the citizens, Dieter learned of Kadon, a necromancer living in Mourkain, and decided to visit him. When he was there, he heard of the return of yet a more legendery figure, Nagash himself would have come to life after his defeat against Sigmar. It was a false rumour, Nagash would not stir untill much later in 1681, "the Night of the Restless Dead". This being unknown to Dieter, he travelled further south to Nagashizzar.

He returned a changed man. What had happened, no-one knows, but upon his return in Middenheim, word spread of his evil practices and vile rituals performed at night. Aware of the dangers of such heretic practices, the High Priest of Ulric gathered a company of Knights and descended on Dieter's dwelling. Dieter was just starting to raise the daed but, disturbed by the knights, fled on the back of a Manticore.

Dieter fled into the Forest of Shadows where he had a secret fortress. Here, he plotted his revenge and slowly built up his strength. Decades passed and Dieter was forgotten when suddenly pestilence and death spread from the forest, Orcs and Beastmen driven before it. Soon, the road between Middenheim and Erengrad grew perilous. Einrich Moltke, Elector Count of Nordland, mobilised his army and easily crushed the orcs and beastmen, but upon entering the Forest of Shadows, he was ambushed by the Undead of Dieter at the Lake of Woe and utterly defeated.

Einrich himself, together with a group of pistoliers, escape to the village of Beeckerhoven on the Midenheim-Erengrad road. Here, the Elector Count assembled the small local garrison and, sending messengers for reinforcements to Middenheim and Kislev, he prepared for a bitter defence. Dieter advanced slowly, raising the dead from the Nordland army he had defeated, and arrived several days later. He dispatched a small army of Undead to slow down the Kislev army and prepared to attack the Elector Count's meagre troops. Dieter was winning the battle when his army was flanked by the reinforcements from Middenheim. Somewhat later the Kislevites arrived too, having only slighty been slowed down, and charged the rear. The Elector Count himself finally struck Dieter with his Runefang, the Undead hordes crumbling at the defeat of their master. But the manticore took Dieter's body and dragged it away. Thus ended the Battle of Beeckerhoven, 1244 IC.

Dieter Helsnicht survived his wound and would threaten Middenheim many more times from his secret fortress hidden in the Forest of Shadows, riding the back of his manticore and carrying a Chaos Runesword.

Zacharias the Everliving

Zacharias studied Necromancy from Dieter Helsnicht. Little is know of what he was before, but one day he discovered the location of Melkhior's hidden tower which lay in the Forest of Shadows in the Empire. Melkhior had stolen the Book of Nagash from Wsoran who had been given the book from Nagash himself. Zacharias set off and sneaked into the tower in an attempt to steal the book, but he was caught by Melkhior's Undead minions. Instead of killing the thief, Melkhior turned Zacharias in a Vampire and taught him the dark art for many years.

Zacharias first damned his master for making him a vampire, but he soon complied and was a good and quick student. However, the Book of Nagash was kept far away from his curious eyes and one day, when Melkhior was indulging in the blood of his freshly killed servants, Zacharias descended to the tower's crypt and picked up the unholy tome. Unfortunately, Melkhior caught him and the two fought. Zacharias escaped with his un-live and fled to hide in the Middle Mountains east of Middenheim where he frequently had to move to escape the minions of Melkhior who where searching for him. At last finding a save hiding place, he fell into a slumber for a decade.

When he woke, he discovered that he had gained company in his cave for a Black Dragon had chosen the exact same place to rest, unaware of the vampire's presence. Zacharias drank deeply from the Dragon's blood and survived a month on the beast, gaining untold strength from it. It is said that drinking the blood of a dragon frees the vampire from its need for blood. After the dragon was empty, Zacharias raised the dragon from death and flew back to Melkhior to extract his revenge. Melkhior was driven out, or killed, no-one knows, and Zacharias, attaining the Book of Nagash and all the other wealth Melkhior had gathered, took residence in the Necrach's tower. He there rules the Forest of Shadows, men and Orc fearing him alike.

Melkhior


Melkhior was a Necrach Vampire and a disciple of Wsoran, the first of the Necrachs. It is therefore likely that Melkhior was once an acolyte of Nagash and was turned vampire by Wsoran. After fleeing Nagashizzar when Alcadizaar had assassinated Nagash, Wsoran and his fellow men, including Melkhior, went into hiding to study Necromancy.

One of Wsoran's finest and most diligent students, Melkhior seized one of the moments in which his master's soul travelled the spirit world to betray and kill Wsoran. Some say it was the Book of Nagash, given to Wsoran as a reward, which wispered Melkhior to do so, though his true motives are unknown.

The next that is known of Melkhior is that he lived in a hidden tower in the Forest of Shadows in the Empire where he caught Zacharias redhanded while the Necromancer was sneaking into his tower to steal the Book of Nagash. Melkhior granted the Blood Kiss to the thief, turning Zacharias into a vampire and his pupil for the following years.

Melkhior taught Zacharias everything he knew but never let his student near the Book of Nagash. Melkhior, however, was keen on indulging in "bloodfests" coinciding with fits of insanity. On one such moments, Melkhior returned to his study to find Zacharias reading the Book of Nagash. Melkhior attacked, but Zacharias escaped. He then sent out his dark servants to hunt down Zacharias, who remained out of his grasp.

One day, Zacharias returned to Melkhior's tower on the back of a great Zombie Dragon. A great battle ensued. No-one knows what the result was, some say Melkhior was killed, other say he escaped and hides, plotting his revenge, but the Book of Nagash and the magical wealth that Melkhior had acquired fell into Zacharias' hands

Neferata


Neferata, meaning "she who is beautiful in death" in the ancient tongue of Nehekhara, is said to be of exquisite beauty.

Queen of Lahmia
King Lahmizzar of Lahmia, then a province in Nehekhara enclosed by the Worlds Edge Mountains to the west and the Bitter Sea to the east, led the rebellion of the Priest Kings against Nagash of Khemri and was killed in -1750. Lamashizzar succeded him to the throne of Lahmia and in the last battle of the war at the walls of Mahrak defeated Nagash and his undead hordes. Meanwhile his sister Neferata ruled in his stead as queen in Lahmia. This experiance exposed her to what real power felt like. It would later play a great role in her life.

Nagash, the Great Necromancer, had written down all he had learned of necromancy and notes of all his experimants in nine volumes, also known as the "Nine Books of Nagash", and "Liber Mortis". Arkhan The Black made a deal with Lamashizzar to show the king how to get into the Black pyramid and retrieve the books. In exchange Lamashizzar would not kill Arkhan and togather they would explore the secrets of Necromancy. Niether of them planned on honering the deal and when they got inside the pyramid Arkhan attempted to kill the king but was struck down and taken captive. Lamashizzar took the books and headed towards Lahmia with his army in tow.

Neferata, a notable Spellcaster, set to study these works in the hope of fighting the evil Nagash had unleashed, but was slowly corrupted and not only learned how to animate the dead, thus becoming a necromancer, but, like many in Nehekhara, obsessed by the secret of immortality, she tried to create an elixir to that purpose. Nagash had succeeded in so far as to protect his soul from death but had not been able to halt the aging of his body. Neferata, in her experiments, found a way of keeping her body young but was taken by an urge for fresh human blood. It is said that she stroke a pact with dark forces and, upon drinking her "Elixir of Life" (or "Elixir of Damnation" as some call it), her heart stopped beating and her soul travelled to the land of the death where she was attacked by Spirits. When she woke, one such spirit shared her body and was thirsting for the warm blood of the living. So was born the first vampire.

At first she tried to hide her secret, but as time passed and people aged and died, the Queen remained that same youthful beauty she must have been and suspicion arose. It also became more and more difficult to contain her thirst and she began to feed on courtiers she invited to her chambers. Neferata realised she was vulnerable on her own, and so she led other people take the elixir and join her in her immortality. Eleven were so blessed, among them Ushoran, her brother, Wsoran, her High Priest and Abhorash, a captain of the guard. The Eternal Queen and the Deathless Court reigned over Lahmia and a new cult arose. The Temple of Blood (or the Vampires’ Temple) was built and statues of Nagash were installed. Neferata was the high priestess and it is said that she only drank from the blood of men in the bloom of their youth, from chalices as if containing wine. The people of Lahmia forgot their old religion and instead worshipped the Deathless Court.

As time passed, Neferata and her first line vampires changed physically to fit their way of life. She grew pale, fangs and sharp teeth. The sun hurt her and during the day time she either stayed in her crypt in the necropolis or commanded the dust to shroud them. She grew strong, no disease or blade could harm her. When they discovered the Blood Kiss, a way of creating lesser vampires through their blood, it was not long or a host of lesser vampires was born. It was in -1200 IC that war broke out. King Alcadizaar, successor of Setep who had thrown the Lahmian dynasty out of Khemri, had united the Priest Kings and crossed the Worlds Edge Mountains, invading Lahmia. The reason behind this invasion are unclear, some say Alcadizaar just sought an excuse to conquer Lahmia and found one in the heretic and dangerous Nagasite cult -they might try to resurrect Nagash- others say that vampires had preyed upon the population of neighbouring kingdoms and they reacted to protect their inhabitants, some speak of the fact that the return of Nagash at Nagashizzar was rumoured and nobles of Lahmia sought to ally with him to execute Nagash’s revenge on the rest of Nehekhara and Alcadizaar reacted against this by pre-emptively attacking Lahmia.

Abhorash, by now supreme commander of the Lahmian armies, led the defences and Wsoran rose a undead army to help him. Records are again unclear about who defeated the Lahmian army, the Khemrians of Alcadizaar or some other force (possibly the people of Lahmia who rebelled against their ghastly leaders), but defeated they were. Neferata and her sisterhood however had fled long before Alcadizaar arrived in the necropolis, her crypt was found empty.

The vampires who escaped, seven of the first line and some of their minions, went (except for Abhorash and Neferata) to the god of their cult: Nagash, who resided in Nagashizzar where he was building an army of undead to invade Nehekhara. (One source speaks of Nagash being resurrected by the necromantic spells of the vampires, though most say Nagash never really died). Nagash's will to revenge himself led to him unleashing his army with the vampires and Arkhan the Black, Nagash’s commander, possibly together with the Great Necromancer himself, set out to invade Nehekhara in -1163 IC. Sailing a fleet through the Straits of Nagash, they landed on the shores of Lahmia where they rose those dead whom had not been destroyed by the Khemrians.

But Alcadizaar feared not and beat back the unholy armies and Nagash finally retreated to Nagashizzar. Here the first line vampires disputed, blaming each other for the defeat. The argument ended in a fight which lasted the whole night. At dawn no-one was victorious and each vampire went his own way. Other sources say that Nagash was furious about the defeat and the vampires whom he held responsible and had commanded the attack, fled before his rage. Neferata and her sisterhood went north.

Night Queen
What Neferata did afterwards is unknown, until one day many centuries later she turned up at some Dwarf mines named the Silver Pinnacle. The dwarfs were attacked and slaughtered by Zombies and Skeletons. Here, building the "Palace of the Night Queen", Neferata set up residence.

There is not a comprehensive history of what she did there, but there are many tales. Most who travel to the Silver Pinnacle never return, probably drained from their blood, some are unlucky enough to be given the Blood Kiss, but only few leave to tell their story.

It is said the palace is not a place of horror but of splendour in the fashion of ancient Lahmia. Treasures are here. Neferata bathes in (and drinks) the blood of young men while undead play music. The sun, however, never lights the halls and corridors. Neferata herself is never seen, but remains behind seven veils and communicates through handmaidens of exquisite beauty. From here she sends out her servants to the land of men, including the Empire, Tilea, Araby, Kislev and especially Bretonnia since she has a fancy for its knights whose chivalry code she likes to abuse. One tale tells of a merchant who was given a cat which after a time metamorphosed into a beautiful lady. As foolish men fall for these beauties, the Lahmian Sisterhood occupy more and more positions as companions of dukes, barons, consorts and advisors to rich merchants and military leaders and thus Neferata builds out a network to convey her plotting and intrigues. One such intrigue led to the invasion of Mourkain after Ushoran had sent a messenger Thrall to her sister to ask her to come over and work together. The messenger was imprisoned and its bloodied fangs sent back to Ushoran. Neferata dreams of enslaving all the vampires and returning to Lahmia to reclaim her throne and rebuild the Temple of Blood.

Abhorash

Abhorash, first of the Blood Dragons, was tricked into vampirism by Neferata, Queen of Lahmia. Torn between his loyalty to his Queen and his loathing of drinking the blood of his fellow townsmen, he stalked nomad tribes and bandits but stayed at Neferata’s side. When Lahmia fell to Alcadizaar, Abhorash fled north and honed his martial skills. Eventually he slew a dragon and drank its blood. Thus rid of the curse which had haunted him for so long, he sent out his immortal sons to hone their martial skills

Abhorash was the personal champion of King Lahmizzar of Lahmia, a kingdom in Nehekhara. When Lahmizzar died in the rebellion against Priest King Nagash, his son Lahmizzash seated the throne of Khemri and all of Nehekhara. Lahmizzar's daughter, Neferata, some say it was Lahmizzash's wife, set on the throne of Lahmia. Queen of Lahmia, Neferata experimented with the Necromancy of Nagash and made an elixir that turned her into the first vampire.

Unlike the other members of the deathless court Abhorash was content with Nagash elixer and had no wish to become a vampire. Neferata could not abide by his choice. She saw only the fact that all of the members of her cabal had to share the same amount of risk. So she secretly gave the Champion the elixer mixed with the sphinx venom and transformed him into a master vampire. When he awoke and found what they did to him he flew into a dark rage. For many days he tried to withstand his unnatural thirst for human blood, but eventually he succumbed. That night he drained twelve humans of their blood.

From that day, though without much choice, he resigned to the fact he needed blood. But different from the rest of the Deathless Court, he only preyed those who deserved death or went out the city to haunt the desert tribes. He also practised his martial skill and quickly rose to the supreme commander of the Lahmian armies. As "Lord of Blood", the title given him, he chased down criminals and brought order to the kingdom.

In -1200 IC, Alcadizaar united the kings of Nehekhara under his flag and invaded Lahmia to drive out evil. The people of Lahmia rose against their ghastly leaders. For months, Abhorash battled them, but slowly he was pushed back. The city of Lahmia fell and the last defenders were driven into the Temple of Blood. Despite Abhorash efforts –none could stand against him and a great pile of bodies heaped at his feet- and Wsoran’s undead army, the temple was devastated after a week’s battle and put to the torch. Only the strongest vampires escaped, though other sources tell that they –particularly Neferata and her sisters- had already fled before the army of Alcadizaar arrived.

Abhorash, stricken with grief at the fall of his homeland, turned his back to humanity and set off, vowing revenge upon all of humankind. Four companions joined him. They only took their sword and armour with them. Unlike the other vampires who went to Nagashizzar to unite with Nagash, Abhorash’s group travelled north, killing all who crossed its path. Their year long discipline and constraint crumbled to dust and they fed like wild animals at last set free. The badlands would recall its passing. Greenskin tribes were slaughtered, among them relatives of Dork Redeye who would later pursuit Abhorash and thus walk into Mourkain. Dwarf outposts and settlements were found butchered.

After years he came upon a great pinnacle and atop, Abhorash met a red dragon. To test his skills with the sword, Abhorash attacked. The fight would last an entire night at the end of which the dragon died and at the moment of his death struggle was drunken from by the vampire. At last, Abhorash had found a way to free himself from the curse. He had become a man with the powers of a vampire but without the need for blood. Sending out his vampiric minions he told them to train in battle and that if they proved worthy he would call them to join him once more. They called themselves the Blood Dragons and hope that one day they may emulate their master. It is said that somewhere Abhorash awaits their return.

Wsoran


Wsoran or W'soran, first of the Necrarch Bloodline, was once a High Priest in Lahmia when he received the elixir of Life from Neferata which turned him in a Vampire. As in his life, in undead he continued to study Necromancy and became not only a potent vampire but a mighty Spellcaster as well. To this purpose, he lock himself up with his books and scrolls to eventually be killed by one of his students, Melkhior.



The first accounts of Wsoran, Prince of Rasetra, is made some years after the fall of Nagash in -1750 IC. In that distant time, he was a High Priest (see Nehekharan Gods) in Lahmia, then a province of Nehekhara. He was served the elixir of life by Neferata, Queen of Lahmia and first of the vampires, and turned upon drinking in a first line or master vampire. Eleven were so blessed, forming the Deathles Court who ruled over Lahmia as gods, preying upon its inhabitants and possibly even the population of neighbouring kingdoms.

Wsoran, like the other master vampires, gradually changed to fit his sinister lifestyle: he grew fangs, sharp teeth, gained an extremely pale complexion and became intolerant towards the sunlight. He also created many lesser vampires through the Blood Kiss. Of Wsoran's life in that age is not much known, but it is hinted at that the Great Library had more than normal significance to him and his minions and that they studied the black arts or necromancy within.

It was -1200 IC when King Alcadizaar invaded Lahmia with his army, a united force of all the other kingdoms in Nehekhara. The reason for this assault was probably the purging of the cult around the undeath, the vampires and Nagash that had taken root in Lahmia, the centre of which was the Temple of Blood, though others mention the possible return of Nagash and Lahmia siding with him to invade Nahakhara. A third reason might be the fact that vampires had fed on people in neighbouring kingdoms.

Abhorash led the defences and it took Alcadizaar a month from the border of the province to the city at the coast. Wsoran aided by summoning legions of undead, animating the slain soldiers of Alcadizaar's own army and turning them against their still living companions. Legends say that Nagash assisted Wsoran. Eventually however, alcadizaar was victorious and the vampires who survived fled north. The Temple of Blood and the Great Library with all its arcane knowledge went up in flame. Some of the Necrachs, Wsoran's vampiric children, refused to abandon the library and were burned. Wsoran himself took as many books and scrolls as he could carry and made a run for it.

Wsoran, together with the other master vampires who had survived including Neferata and Ushoran, went to Nagashizzar to join their god Nagash who had assembled a large undead army, ready to strike Nehekhara. The vampires, together with Arkhan the Black and possibly the Great Necromancer himself, led the hordes into Nehekhara in -1163 IC but Alcadizzaar beat them back and they were forced to retreat to Nagashizzar. The vampires blamed each other and argued over the future course. Wsoran wanted to hide for a while to further his studies. The others thought differently and they fought for one night. Coming the dawn, the fled for the sun, the argument unsettled. Though another source says it was Nagash who was so angry at the failure of his commanders that the vampires fled before his rage. While the other went each their own way, Wsoran stayed by Nagash's side, hoping to be taught more of his dark arts.

When Nagash launched a second attack, Wsoran stood at his side in his mighty scythed chariot. Riding at the front, he casted his destructive magic upon Alcadizaar's weakened forces, for a plague brought be the Skaven in a deal with Nagash had swept through Nehekhara. The Undead were victorious. Pleased with his assistance, Nagash rewarded Wsoran with one of the Nine Books of Nagash. Wsoran eagerly set to study.

A year later, in -1151 IC, Nagash was assassinated and Wsoran escaped north with the book in his possession. He turned a few of Nagash's most intelligent priests into lesser vampires, thus originating the Necrach bloodline. He would not be satisfied untill he could turn the whole world into an empire of undeath, ruled by himself and so, instead of trying to conquer the world of the living, he set to study in order to conquer the Spirit world.

Little is known where he hid, but he did for centuries, unconcerned with the affairs of the world outside. He often travelled the spirit world with would bring him in a trance-like state. In one of such moments his most diligent student, Melkhior, betrayed his master and killed Wsoran.

Heinrich Kemmler


einrich Kemmler is a great and feared Necromancer. During his unnaturally prolonged lifespan he has assembled a library, the greatest trove of necromantic lore outside Nagashizzar and had been advisor and counselor to kings and princes across the Old World. In the hills beyond Quenelles in Bretonnia his army had smashed the zombie legions of the Council of Nine, an alliance of nine powerful necromancers. In the dark woods beyond the town of Bogenhafen in the western Empire, he had overcome the three Vampire Wizards of Blutwald and all their armies of walking dead. In the crypts beneath castle Vermisace he had overcome the ancient Liche wizard and all his acolytes and was since known as The Lichemaster. But his ambitious rivals eventually succeeded in defeating the Lichemaster, driving him to the edge of death. His body was broken and his mind blasted.

He fled and wandered the Grey Mountains and Border Princes for many years as a half sane beggar. He eventually fled into the Vaults where he sought a weapon of great power rumoured to be hidden in the multiple tombs dotted in the mountains, some dating from the time before the Dwarfs and the Elves had walked those lands. Some quirk of fate eventually led him to the tomb of the long dead Krell.

Krell in life was a great lord of Chaos, slain many many millenia ago. When Nagash came north to find the Crown of Sorcery and went to war with the man-god Sigmar he raised this great warlord and made him one of the Nine Lords of Nagash, his favoured generals, acolytes and lieutenants. When Nagash was defeated by Sigmar and his armies thrown back Krell took his legion and continued to plague the land for many years before finally being defeated and entombed. It is rumoured that Kemmler was guided by the hands of Nagash to raise Krell and join forces with him. Here Kemmler struck a pact with the Chaos Gods who restored him to his former power and in return he swore to sow destruction in their name.

The tales of these two monsters are many. In 2491 IC they attacked Brettonian abbey at la Maisontaal which contained a powerful artifact stolen from the Skaven. Simultaniously the ratmen arrived to recover their property and it was only thanks to the skill and heroism of Duke Tancred of Quenelles that the Abbey wasn't destroyed utterly. Kemmler escaped and fled back in the Grey Mountains while the Skaven returned to Skavenblight with their prize. Tancred returned with much honour and spent the rest of his life chasing the Lichemaster. The Duke was eventually killed at the Battle of Montfort Bridge, smashing Kemmler's forces.

The Wood Elves remember Kemmler for the 'Winter of Woes', a season when Kemmler raised a huge army from the many cairns in the forest, ancient human burial mounds long forgotten that were site of great mystical energy closely linked with the health of the Elves woodland home. By attacking in winter the Elves were at their weakest and it was only thanks to the great and venerable treeman Druthu who roused the native wood spirits that the necromancer was defeated, and not before he caused great swathes of devestaion to the forest.

Krell


Krell was a Chaos Champion of Khorne long before the the birth of the Empire, during the period the Dwarfs call the "Time of Woes". The dwarf hero Grimbul Ironhelm finally killed him during the assault on Karak Kadrin. His body was buried by his followers in the Chaos Wastes where it was found, centuries later, by Nagash who stumbled on it in his search for the Crown of Sorcery. The Great Necromancer raised Krell from the dead and placed him in command of a legion of Undead during the Battle of the River Reik against Sigmar. Krell's forces were pitched against the Dwarf allies and when Nagash died and his army crumbled, he was the only to escape. After butchering many settlements, he was finally defeated by Sigmar at the Battle of Glacier Lake in 16 IC and imprisoned in a magical tomb in the Grey Mountains where he was found, more than two millenia later, by the Lichemaster Heinrich Kemmler, and ressurected. Kemmler and Krell, together with Skaven allies, sacked parts of Bretonnia before they were defeated at the Battle of la Maisontaal Abbey in 2491 IC. Krell fled back into the Grey Mountains together with Kemmler. They later attacked Athel Loren, raising the dead from the many ancient cairns there, but were routed in the Battle of the Cairns. Krell was chased off into the forest only to reamerge centuries later alongside Kemmler in Riekland, where they attempted to turn the province into a new land of the dead. The heroes Gotrek and Felix defeated their evil plan before it could come to fruition, but were unable to slay Krell or Kemmler, who both escaped by magical means. Their current whereabouts are unknown.

Vlad von Carstein


Vlad von Carstein was the first and greatest of the Von Carstein Vampire Counts of Sylvania, a province of The Empire in the Old World. Extremely physically powerful, and a skillful general, he corrupted the nobility of Sylvania with vampirism, then led his Human and Undead armies of Skeletons Ghouls and Zombies in a black crusade against the Empire. Vlad's rampage was only ended by the sacrifice of the Grand Theogonist Wilhem at the seige of Altdorf. It has been speculated that he is the progenitor of his bloodline, but assumed the name von Carstein in order to attract less attention in his rise to power. Vlad's story is chronicled in the novel Inheritance by Steven Savile.


Vlad von Carstein was a towering figure with a mane of black hair and piercing eyes. He had a feral charm and was extremely intelligent, but had an evil temper that could turn into a berserk fury. He carried with him the "Sword of Unholy Power", an enchanted, vampiric blade that granted its owner great magical power, and wore the infamous "Carstein Ring" on his finger which granted him immortality.

He loved his wife, Isabella von Carstein, and she was his most valued confidante. She was the only who could temper Vlad's fits of rage, Isabella later goes insane after his true death after the removal of the Carstein Ring.

Origin

n the year 1797 IC Otto von Drak, last of the mad von Drak Counts of Sylvania, lay on his death bed. With no male heir and none of the aristocracy of Sylvania worthy to marry his only daughter, Isabella von Drak, his brother, Leopold, would inherit. Otto swore he would sooner let a daemon marry his daughter rather than letting that happen. No sooner had these words left his mouth, a great black coach stopped in front of the keep and out stepped Vlad von Carstein. Vlad, his accent foreign, maybe from Kislev, recited his noble antecedents and claimed Isabella's hand. Otto obliged and Victor Guttman, a priest of Sigmar, immediatly performed marriage. Soon after, Otto died and Leopold was thrown from the highest tower of Castle Drakenhof after Vlad ripped out his heart. Victor Guttman disappeared.

Most of the other noble families objected to the thought of having an outsider rule them, but these dissidents were quickly silenced. The new count seemed less oppressive than the von Drak's of old, who were suspected of the crime of using Dark Magic and Daemon worship, and soon the people shut their eyes to the count's eccentricities and to the cloaked foreigners visiting and the strangers from the east that replaced the household of Drakenhof. His popularity was assured when he cut down Bernhoff the Butcher, who had demanded tribute, and his mercenary company.

Vlad long resisted Isabella's request to join him in the undead, but when Isabella fell ill from wasting sickness, Vlad dismissed the failing doctors and granted his wife the Blood Kiss. What had started as a marriage of convinience had grown in something more and Vlad could not stand the thought of losing her.

Vlad eagerly rebuilt his country that was left neglected during the von Drak reign, but strange things happened, especially to those who opposed the count in one way or another. Baron Heinz Rothermeyer was eaten by wolves, Baron Pieter Kaplin was found dead in his room, died of stark terror, bandit lord Boris Eatbiter was found hanging upside down and drained from blood, young girls disappeared and undead were seen attacking those that disobeyed the count's orders. Soon Vlad had Sylvania in a strong grip and the province prospered.

For two hundred years Vlad ruled over Sylvania, using different names so that none would grow suspicious of him. More and more of the nobility fell to the same disease as Isabella had and returned inflicted by vampirism. Temples of Sigmar were closed and many Witch Hunters investigating the matter vanished never to be seen

Rise and Fall



On Geheimnisnacht in the year 2010, Vlad stood atop the battlements of Drakenhof Castle, and recited from the Nine Books of Nagash, raising a vast horde of Undead after he and his "Family" killed and fed off over two hundred nobles gathered in his hall, ironicly for a feast. He had thrown down the gauntlet to the three Emperors claiming rule over the Empire, precipitating the Wars of the Vampire Counts. He led not only the undead, but the regular army of Sylvania as well. The first city to be attacked was Talabheim, where the Ottilia (one of the three claimants for the throne) dismissed von Carstein demand for surrended. At the Battle of Essen Ford, Vlad crushed the Ottilia's armies and executed every captive to reanimate them as undead. However, during the battle, Vlad had been cut to pieces with his own sword by Hans Schliffen, commander of the Talabheim army. Vlad returned that very night and executed Herman Posner who had claimed leadership in Vlad's absence. Many battles followed and in many of them Vlad was struck down ever to return. He was defeated and killed by Jerek Kruger, leader of the Knights of the White Wolf, at the Battle of Schwarthafen, but killed Kruger within the year at the foot of the Middenheim Spire. Vlad was struck by five lances at the field of Bluthof and the Count of Ostland stabbed him with his Runefang, but he was seen three days later. A cannon ball shot his head off at Bogenhafen Bridge but Vlad returned within the hour. Thus roaming the Empire, Vlad sacked Stirland and ravaged the Ostermark. After these victories Vlad turned his gaze toward the heart of the Empire, Reikland, and for forty years, his armies rampaged across the land.

In 2051, Vlad laid siege to Altdorf, his armies swollen during the long years of fighting the Imperial armies. Ludwig, the claimant of the Imperial throne, wanted to surrender and serve Vlad while living, but Grand Theogonist Wilhelm III convinced him not to and claimed to have received a message from Sigmar about the source of Vlad's immortality. The siege lasted for many months, and the Imperial hope began to wane. The night of the final battle, Wilhelm had despatched Felix Mann, the greatest thief of the age, to steal Vlad's ring, which was the source of his immortality. After slipping by curiously inactive guards (the vampires had become arrogant), Felix Mann stole the ring, and ran off with it instead of returning to Altdorf. Wilhelm and Vlad met in combat atop the very walls of Altdorf.

Vlad swiftly gained the upper hand, fatally wounding Wilhelm. The priest saw Sigmar's people beginning to waiver in the face of evil, and the Vampire before him howling with triumph. With a prayer to Sigmar on his lips, Wilhelm summoned his last reserve and charged Von Carstein. Even as Wilhelm took Vlad's blade through his chest, he gripped Von Carstein and bore him over the battlements. Both men were impaled on the stakes surrounding the streets below, Vlad landing first, Wilhelm landing on top, driving the vampire down further. With a terrible scream, the Count expired for the last time. Whether this was by lack of the ring or whether Wilhelm's holy blood kept him from reincarnating is a subject of discussion.

With Vlad gone and many of his undead servants dead during the siege, the Sylvanian forces retreated to their homes. Ludwig would have liked to pursuit and purge the evil county, but his army had taken a terrible blow during the battle and the other two claimants of the throne soon took all his attention.

The last casualty of the Siege of Altdorf was Isabella, who, rather than carrying on through eternity without her husband, impaled herself on a stake and shrivelled to dust, right in front of the eyes of the soon-to-be-Emperor Ludwig and his bodyguards.

Wilhelm was interred and to this day people pray to him when dealing with the undead. The copy of the "Nine Books of Nagash" and the "Liber Mortis" which had been in von Carstein's possession were placed under lock and key within the Temple of Sigmar.

Isabella von Drak


Isabella von Drak or Isabella von Carstein, wife to Vlad von Carstein, was a Vampire of the von Carstein bloodline and the heir to Otto von Drak, the mad count of Sylvania.

Isabella von Drak was the only daughter of Otto von Drak, count of Sylvania. In 1797 IC, Otto lay in his death bed and vowed that he would rather see his daughter marry a Daemon of Chaos than let his inheritence fall into the hands of his brother, Leopold. Soon after, a black coach stopped in front of Castle Drakenhof and out stepped a stranger. The stranger, Vlad von Carstein, claims Isabella's hand and her father, who might have regretted his cursing, could not but oblige. Priest Victor Guttman, who had been called to shrive Otto, immediately married them. Soon after Otto died and Leopold was thrown from the highest tower to his death, the priest disappeared.

What had started as a marriage of convenience developed into something far more and Isabella soon demanded that Vlad would give her the Blood Kiss. Vlad long resisted her request untill Isabella fell to a fatal wasting illness. When one of the physicians stated her dead -her heart had stopped beating- Vlad denied it and dismissed the man. Three days, Vlad and Isabella locked themselves up inside their room and on the third day, Isabella emerged, alive. Ever afterwards, she was pale and wan and only seen outdoors by night. Vlad could not stand the prospect of a life without her and had eventually given her the gift of undeath.

In the years to come as Vlad and Isabella ruled Sylvania and in the ensuing Wars of the Vampire Counts, Isabella was Vlad's confidante and the only person whose advice he valued and trusted. She was also the one who could temper her husbands fits of rage.

When Vlad eventually died at the siege of Altdorf in 2051 IC, Isabella was taken by grief and threw herself on a wooden stake after which she crumbled to dust in front of Ludwig, the Count of Altdorf.

Konrad von Carstein



Konrad von Carstein was a mad noble from Sylvania and made Vampire by Vlad von Carstein himself. After Vlad's dead Konrad led his own Undead army into the Empire but was stopped at the Battle of Four Armies and eventually defeated in 2121 IC at the Battle of Grim Moor.


Konrad, a nobleman in Sylvania, was completely mad. He had the reputation of being a blood-mad butcher, cruel, merciless and insanely ruthless. He had cats killed for sports, burned villages because they smelled and had his mother prossecuted for giving birth to Konrad. Nonetheless, Vlad granted him the Blood Kiss, turning him into a vampire and extending his cruel rule into centuries.

Konrad fought during the Wars of the Vampire Counts under Vlad.

The vampires that had survived the siege of Altdorf fled back to Sylvania after their leader, Vlad von Carstein, was killed by Grand Theogonist Wilhelm the third. Five vampires claimed to be the heir of Vlad: Fritz, Hans, Pieter, Konrad and Mannfred von Carstein. Konrad killed one of them, Hans, in a quarrel over who was the thoughest. Having enslaved a few necromancers to do his will (he wasn't a great sorcerer of his own), he gathered an army of undead and ravaged the length and breadth of the Empire, which had not yet recovered from Vlad's incursion and was still divided as three claimants fought over who would become the new emperor. Konrad was a cruel commander and offered no surrender, slaughtering everyone who crossed his path.

In 2100 IC at the Battle of Four Armies the three claimants combined forces to fight the vampire. Konrad was driven back from the gates of Middenheim. The strife not completely forgotten, two of the claimants, Lutwik of Altdorf and the Ottilia of Talabecland ordered the assassination of each other during the fray, the third, Helmut of Marienburg was killed by Konrad.

In the spring of 2121 IC, the three claimants (their heirs) united forces once again and, combined with an army of Dwarfs, defeated Konrad at Grim Moor. The Dwarf Grufbad held Konrad down while Helmar, son of Helmut, impaled Konrad with his Runefang.

Mannfred von Carstein


Mannfred Von Carstein is a Von Carstein Vampire and the first get sired by Vlad von Carstein himself. He held the greatest claim to his sire's throne but chose to remain in the shadows, letting the other contenders destroy each other before assuming full control of Sylvania. He led a huge army in a rampage across The Empire in the Old World, but was defeated when he laid siege to Altdorf, being driven back until he was killed at the Battle of Hel Fenn.


fter stealing the Von Carstein Ring, ( a ring that kept the vampire wearer alive no matter how much damage the individual took) which allowed Vlad to be killed, and aiding the escape of Jon Skellan, a witch hunter who had been bitten and turned by petir one of vlads minions, Mannfred and his unlikely companion travelled from Altdorf back towards Slyvania feeding from maidens to spread terror and discord. After destroying the ruling family of Nuln in a single night's bloodfest Mannfred deemed his work finished. He sent Skellan to the east to return to Sylvania, where he would serve as Mannfred's agent in stoking the raging paranoia that was Mannfred's brother Konrad's constant companion. During this time Mannfred journeyed south to Khemri in the Land of the Dead, where he procured a stolen Book of Nagash, the ancient sorceror and ruler of the Nekharan empire. When asked why he did not simply betray Konrad and seize power himself Mannfred was nonchalant, but reminded Skellan that should he attempt to do so, the next Von Carstein he would face would be Mannfred himself.

With the death of his "brother" Konrad, Mannfred seized power and returned to Drakenhof aboard a "Black Ship" (sailing up the River Reik) that swiftly became infamous in the Empire. Mannfred set about rebuilding Drakenhof and Sylvania one corrupt piece at a time. When Skellan discovered a coven of Lahmian Vampires in Nuln, an intrigued Mannfred soon arrived to meet with "The Eternal" and propose a truce between their bloodlines. Soon Mannfred marched his troops beneath the Empire in the ancient tunnels beneath the world, battling through Skaven forces to strike from below. His assaults upon the Empire were initially successful, and Mannfred butchered entire armies before finally marching to Altdorf itself. But as he made ready to lay siege to the capital of the Empire, the Grand Theogonist appeared on the battlements and read the spell of unbinding from a copy of the Liber Mortis written by the great necromancer Van Hal, forcing Mannfred into a hasty retreat as his unholy army crumbled to dust around him. After several long months of Mannfred playing a cat-and-mouse game with the Empire and her allies, they drove him back to Sylvania...and Hel Fenn. Here an alliance of troops from the Empire and the Dwarfs defeated Mannfred. With the aid of the renegade vampire Jerek, Prince Martin of Stirland cornered Mannfred and slew him with his Runefang. After centuries of terror, the last Vampire of Count of Sylvania was no more.

Or so it seemed. Centuries later Mannfred was resurrected by a petty necromancer named Schtillmann, who did not survive to see the fruits of his terrible labour Schtillman was killed (while trying to make a virgin sacrifice over Mannfred's body) by the infamous Slayer, Gotrek Gurnisson, who cut him in two. The blood from his bifurcated body spilled on Mannfred's corpse, leading to his resurrection (turns out, Schtillmann was a virigin too, so his blood triggered the spell). By the time of the Storm of Chaos Mannfred was once again Lord of Sylvania. He led a huge undead army to Altdorf to finish what he started during the Vampire wars. The Grand Theogenist confronted the undead army on the walls of Altdorf and told Mannfred that he had been defeated before and could be defeated again. Mannfred left with his army realizing thata as long as the Sigmarite church possesed a copy of the Liber Mortis he could not win. For now Mannfred dwells in Sylvania waiting and watching.