Kharadron Overlords

Grand Alliance Order Kharadron Overlords

Top hat, robotic monocle, curled mustache guns, and steam technology; the true essence of steampunk.

Lore Tactics General Tactics

" We are heavy metal pirates, we sail across the sky! With a battleship of cosmic steel we are the terror up on high!"

– Heavy Metal Pirates by Alestorm

"With a crew of drunken pilots, we're the only airship pirates! We're full of hot air and we're starting to rise. We're the terror of the skies, but a danger to ourselves!"

– Airship Pirate by Abney Park

"I chose something different, I chose the impossible. I chose Rapture!"

– Andrew Ryan

The Kharadron Overlords are the Squats Dwarfs (duardin for lawyerspeakers) who survived the Age of Chaos in Chamon, the realm of metal, by going straight into the sky. Powered by Aether-gold (meaning valuable gas and adding yet another meaning to the word gold in the Khazalid lexicon) their technology is straight lifted from Jules Verne's works, mainly Captain Nemo's. Their faction leader character wears a TOP HAT, nuff said.

Origins and History

Age of Myth

The origins of the Kharadron date back far in the Age of Myth in the realm of Chamon. During this time they were regular surface dwelling Duardin who built great mountain-side empires and amazing works of craftmanship and technology under the watchful tutelege of Grungni, the Duardin Smith god. Grungni stewarded the Duardin of Chamon for centuries, imparting his knowlege on the fledgling empires of Duardin, Human and Aelf. He even helped in reforging the landmasses of the centre of Chamon through both arcane and technological methods into perfect geometric shapes, from which great quantities of precious metals could be mined. However eventually Grungi departed his people for Azyr as part of his oath of workmanship he still owed to Sigmar, while also wanting his people to strive on their own behalf without his guidance. And strive they did, for the civilizations of the Chamon thrived fueled through bountiful resources and the usage of the Chamonite realmstone. Resulting in empires built of metal springing up over the realm. It was also during this time that the Duardin first became aware of the substance known as Aether-Gold, and how it could be harnessed to create and power many wonderous machines. The Duardin subsequently started building small skyfaring mining installations to begin harvesting this resource.

However this was not to last. Tzeentch desiring Chamon more than any other Chaos god, concocted a scheme to breach the realm. Luring a massive godbeast known as the Lode-Griffon from the aetheric void, the beast settled right in the centre-heartlands of Chamon. This alone was a cause for concern, but it was found the creature emitted powerful magnetic distortions that altered the landscape around it (subsequently leading to the creation of what is now today the Spiral Crux). Desperate to be rid of the beast the various empires of Chamon's centre lands banded together to enact a great ritual to kill the beast by turning it to solid gold. While the ritual at first seemed like a success, transmogrifying the god-beast and killing it. Unbeknownst to those working the ritual, agents of Tzeentch sabotaged the ritual at its height causing the spell to backfire and creating a massive portal to Tzeentch's domain in the sky above the great statue of the Lode-Griffon spewing forth endless waves of demons upon the land.

With this act the invasion of Chamon had truly begun and the Age of Myth coming to an end.

Age of Chaos

The Kharadron Overlords were born with the fall of the last of the Mountain Kingdoms. The old Khazalid mountain empires being overrun one by one by Tzeentch's endless hordes. Those that survived realized that trying to defend their holdouts was futile as they were hopelessly outnumbered and their allies already besieged in other realms. With little options remaining they fled to the small skyforts and outposts that floated around, hiding in the clouds. Realizing that to maintain these new holdouts they would require greater amounts of Aether-Gold, as they had limited access to the Chamonite realmstone on the ground or even just most resources in general. It was at this time that the first true mass-scale harvesting of magical substance took place. During this time, their society grew but resources in that limited space ran scarce. They were forced to mine the same limited aether-gold veins as other sky-ports and thus fought against each other for them. This marked the beginning of the Time of Reaving, where the Kharadron almost plunged in a civil war. In order to avoid this, the nascent sky-ports (also known as Baraks) decided to convene a meeting on the floating island of Madralta. In this Conference of Madralta, the Kharadron Overlords agreed finally on nine artycles (yeah, no joke, Olde Englische Butcherede) and a boatload of amendments and footnotes to those artycles. These would become the Kharadron Code. Or the Code. ("Really more of a guideline.") And thus their society would be shaped forever into what was to become. The Code acted like a set of laws, a constitution, and a set of guidelines: governance both of the ports and ships, how to trade, when to fight and retreat. All guided on the increase of the personal wealth and profit of the Kharadron. Things like tradition and superstition were seen as detrimental, remnants of an old age that had almost brought them into extinction. The Kharadron wouldn't be ruled by gods nor kings despite them acknowledging the existence of both, but by wise and successful dwarfs who knew what to do.

Following the stabilization of their new society the Kharadron for the most part kept to themselves and rarely made expeditions to the ground. Except in cases of requirement such as resource gathering or trying to excavate their old duardin holds. Because of this and their well-defended positions the Kharadron endured better than many other civilizations during the age of chaos, with only a few holds truly being threatened during this time. This was when the veneration of Gods was generally abandoned and codified as, for the most part, none of the old pantheon protected or guided them, not even their old god Grungni. This was further exacerbated by the fact that their suffering was caused by the Chaos God Tzeentch and his followers. Turned out Grungi believed deeply in his followers making their own decisions and way in the world and was focused on making the Stormcast to kick Chaos back where they came from, so he did little to aid them. Grungni would later come to regret this inaction as it led to the deaths of many of his people that he could have prevented and damaged their relationship. But this is all too late for his former followers as now many Khardron want nothing to do with him, and developed a large chip on their collective shoulders about gods and magic. Instead turning their attention to both monetary and scientific concerns.

Age of Sigmar

Following Sigmar's initial crusades back into the realms and the pushing back of chaos in many territories the Kharadron have been pragmatic enough to support Sigmar's forces after they built cities in the liberated territories of the Mortal Realms while getting new and lucrative partnerships, who says duardin can't have common sense? While nominally independent they have been instrumental in expanding Sigmars growing empires and their vessals being essential in inter-city trade, with many cities having strong ties to neighbouring sky ports. The Kharadron have also seen fit following Sigmars tempest to branch out into other realms besides Chamon, seeking ever new Aether-gold deposits and new trading partners in the newly built free-cities. However, while the Khardron respect Sigmar and his contributions they still refuse to worship him and as a society the sky-lords hold fast to the their code and continue with their oath to never bow before gods again.

The Soul Wars

When Nagash’s Necroquake struck the realms, it majorly devastated the Kharadron Overlords. In scenes of utter destruction and mayhem that could only be described as Pearl Harbor from Hell, the sky ports found themselves assailed by an onslaught of violent magical storms blowing trade routes off course, endless spells seemingly manifesting out of nowhere and ravaging entire fleets, and worst of all, the newly emerged Nighthaunt floating skywards and assaulting the Kharadron in their previously unassailable homes. Two lesser Sky-Ports, Barak-Durmmaz and Barak-Kling were destroyed entirely, while even the major Sky Ports suffered major losses, with Barak-Nar losing a fifth of its navy while seven members of Barak-Zilfin's Admiral's Council were killed when a rogue Pendulum Endless Spell caused the Barak's flagship Sunderer to crash into the Halls of Endeavour.

The most significant effect, however, was that the major shift in the winds (both magical and physical) of the realm caused veins of Aether-gold to be blown across the sky. With the largest Aether-gold streams monopolized by the major skyports now scattered, the Kharadron Code dictated that these veins could be claimed by rival skyports, resulting in a new gold rush the Kharadron came to call the Gorak-drek, or "Great Venture".

Within this newly roused rush to put the pieces back together, the entire political framework of Kharadron society faced one of its biggest upheavals since the first Conference of Madralta. As hundreds of companies across the sky ports began filing for bankruptcy when their revenue streams were uprooted and the Admiral Councils scrambled to rebuild their fleets, the normally static balance of political power within the Geldraad itself began to shift dramatically:

Barak Nar, who had enjoyed a commanding lead in delegates, now found its position slightly upended as the economic strain resulted in the previously unthinkable loss of a delegate seat. However, the quick cunning of their remaining representatives and Admirals ensured that this setback would not be a catastrophic one, and Barak Nar was soon chartering dozens of expeditions and reclaiming swathes of lost revenue.

Barak Zilfin, despite the loss of its flagship Sunderer and numerous senior Admirals, was actually able to weather many of the worst storms thrown their way by the Necroquake, thanks to their top of the line Navigator League. Not only that, but the speed and ingenuity of the Windswept City's shipbuilders meant that they soon had ships ranging far to capitalize on new streams of Aethergold, allowing them to actually accumulate enough shares to earn another seat on the Geldraad.

Barak Zon and Barak Urbaz both suffered the loss of one delegate, bringing their Geldraad numbers to 2 and 1 respectively.

Barak Thryng, the lowest (Under Construction)

Broken Realms

The Kharadron had a relatively small, but very important role to play in the conflicts leading up to what is now called the Era of the Beast.

Their first notable involvement in the conflict was in Chamon, where a veteran Endrinmaster named Humboldsson, at the urging of a mysterious veteran Arkanaut named Gromthi, disobeyed orders and took a prototype skyship called the Redoubtable to investigate a mysterious, massive release of magical power, caused by the Seraphon and their efforts to violently sever one of the Silver Towers of Tzeentch from its connection to the realmgates, stranding the heavily-damaged daemonic fortress in the Realm of Metal. Ironically, the Redoubtable never even got near the site where the Silver Tower had crashed to earth, as the aether-readings from the corruption of the realmgates by the surprise assault from the forces of Be'lakor so alarmed the Kharadron that they returned swiftly to the Admiralty Board.

They arrived to the Second Conference of Madralta, as the skyports met to discuss the strange corruption of Chamon's skies that was wreaking havoc on the navigation routes and the aether-gold harvests. As the representatives of each skyport bickered and argued, Humboldsson and Gromthi arrived and breached protocol by interrupting the conference, where Gromthi warned the collected Kharadron that the skies of Chamon were forming into a tremendous spiralling vortex centered on Vindicarum, something that foretold great destruction even to the aerial empire of the sky-dwarves.

Swayed by the elder duardin's words, the Kharadron came to Vindicarum's aid, driving back the forces of Be'lakor and aiding the locals in rebuilding in exchange for access to the great mass of aether-gold now swirling over the city of Vindicarum.

Amidst the remnants of one of the city’s fallen districts, Gromthi viewed the work being done with satisfaction. It was good, stalwart, neighbourly work – or so he first viewed it. Humboldsson saw it as something more mercenary: the Kharadron had not been moved by Vindicarum’s plight, not by simple sentiment. Theirs was a way of profit and survival, as it had always been. Some great sorrow seemed to come over the elderly Arkanaut, but he offered nothing to refute the claims the Endrinmaster made of necessity. Then, between one puff on his pipe and another, he was gone.

As it would later transpire, Gromthi was none less than the lost duardin god, Grungni. He would later openly reveal his return, convincing the Celestant-Prime to show clemency to Morathi for her usurpation of Anvilgard, and revealing a new type of armor for the Stormcast Eternals, Thunderstrike Armor, to breach through the cursed skies created by Be'lakor.

Even beyond the shocking return of their divine patriarch, Kharadron society is struggling. The corruption of Chamon's skies has drastically reshaped and scattered the currents and deposits of aether-gold, crippling the Kharadron's supply of their society's lifeblood. This is made doubly hard by the collapse of so many of Chamon's realmgates, which has disrupted their existing trade network. So the Kharadron are looking to completely rechart both sets of vital routes at the same time, which has made their presence as the premier sky-farers of Order greatly diminish.

One positive that has come of this whole mess? The return of Grungni and his urgings for his children to come together has revitalized all of the disparate duardin factions to some extent. There is greater and friendly communion between Kharadron, Fyreslayers and the other unnamed Duardin now than there has been in a long time.

Aether-gold

One of the big differences between Kharadron and their ground-pounding cousins is aether-gold, and that goes beyond simply being a different kind of sought-after wealth. Aether-gold in its natural state is a lighter-than-air gas, "veins" of which form in clouds. It is colorless and invisible to magical detection, so it can only be reliably found by smell. Once found, it can be used as a potent power source, or distilled into a metal that retains its lighter-than-air properties, allowing for the construction of airships and floating cities. This makes it the most valuable resource in Kharadron civillization, akin to something like petroleum in our world. Most outsiders view it as a magical material, though the Kharadron shun such superstition and analyze it through a scientific lens.

Large veins of aether-gold have a nasty habit of attracting all sorts of sky-monsters. As such, the skyfleets that harvest this substance are just as much military organizations as they are businesses.

Also, aether-gold might be changing the Kharadron on a biological level. You know those armored environment suits all Kharadron wear? Those are needed in part to make the air palatable to their aether-gold addled lungs.

The Code

"The Code is more what you’d call “guidelines” than actual rules."

– Hector Barbossa

"He goes to the Rules of Acquisition. Unabridged and fully annotated, with all 47 commentaries, all 900 major and minor judgments, all 10,000 considered opinions. There's a rule for every conceivable situation. "

– Arridor

Artycle 1: The Rules of Governance

• Point 1: Leaders shall be chosen by proof of skills. No title of nobility shall be granted by the Kharadron Overlords. Titles and ranks are earned by merit.

• Point 2: No endeavour should be undertaken if the outcome results in the loss for the sky-port.

• Point 5: If backed by either the majority or full vote of the Tommraad, a Krenkha grogna (Vote of No Confidence) can be called. The entire crew (or equivalent) must vote. A majority of ‘out’ results in the election of a replacement as appropriate.

• Point 7: The title of Lord-Magnate is given to any whose profit-reaping brings them into the top ten per cent of earners within the last wind cycle. The Lords Magnate are afforded first choice of fleets and will be amongst those considered to replace any fallen, decreased or incapacitated members of the Admiral Council.

-Amendment 12: In the event that the Admirals Council cannot come to a majority consensus regarding matters of commerce (as defined in Artycles 2 and 7 of the Code), then the Lord-Magnate with the largest contribution in aether-gold shares over the last wind cycle shall provide the deciding vote.

Artycle 2: The Rules of Prosperity

• Point 1: An act that does not make profit or lead to eventual profit is not worth doing.

• Point 2: Admirals, Captains and Master Shareholders shall each receive two shares of a galkhron.

• Addendum Point 3: An Arkanaut shall recieve one share of a galkhron. Deductions from this share will be made for maintenance of skyvessels, aether-armour and aethermatic equipment, plus supply of borg and gorog.

• Point 3, Footnote 27, Paragraph C: (rules for dividing homogenous plunder by weight)

• Point 26: If in the pursuit of duty, a captain encounters a threat that might impact the financial or physical well-being of their shareholders, they are expected to respond with all reasonable force. Any external entity that threatens the accumulation of profit should be subjected to immediate destruction.

-Footnote 21: Make fair use of all the gold in the sky.

-Sub-clause 12: During an active state of war immediate sanctions shall be imposed upon the enemies of the Kharadron Overlords, the severity of which is to be decided by the Geldraad. As long as the enemy draws breath, they shall be subject to a total trade embargo, and any officer of the fleet who attenpts to open negotiations with such a party shall be considered guilty of the highest treason and punished accordingly.

-Amendment 3, Footnote 16: Representatives of the uzkulrik clearly cannot be considered subject to be second stipulation of Sub-clause 12 of Artycle 2, as they do not breathe.

Artycle 3: The Articles of Justice

• Point 1: The profit margin must be evaluated before the deployment of sky-fleet assets.

• Point 2: Upkeep of a skyvessel is essential, even over Kharadron lives.

• Point 5: All hazkal brewed within a sky-port is subject to regular inspection, to be carried out by the Board of Brewmasters. Any guild-company found guilty of thinning their product with bilgewater, using inferior hops or failing to allow appropriate fermentation time shall be fined to the full extent that the Code permits, and its owners de-bearded and branded with the mark of the guzungrim.

-Amendment 21. Footnote 6: Brewing stations located within the high airs cannot be subject to point five of this artycle. In addition, the sale of inferior hazkal within foreign ports shall be permitted, because the umgi are content to drink any old swill.

Artycle 4

• Point 1: Every ship-hand is to obey orders without question.

• Point 5: In times of war, allies must be aided unless to do so would prove pointless. Waste no duardin blood on unguz throlt.

Artycle 5 :

• Point 6: All boarding actions must be authorised by the captain (or the highest ranking officer).

Artycle 6: The Rules of The High Airs

• Point 2: On the high airs a vessel from any sky-port may seize airships deemed to be a piratecraft of taken by piracy and arrest the persons and confiscate all property on board. The Admirals Court of the sky-port which carried out the seizure may decide upon the penalties to be imposed. If the suspect vessel refused to adhere to the rule of law and surrender its cargo for inspection, the use of lethal force is acceptable in order to encourage compliance.

-Amendment 10, Footnote 13: An Arkanaut Captain or Admiral has the right to recover salvage from the wreckage of any vessel destroyed upon the aether-tides of the Garaktormun. This shall not be considered an act of piracy as defined by Artycle 6, and all material recovered shall be considered the property of the recovering crew.

Artycle 7: The Rights of Ownership

• Point 1: In order to make a valid claim upon minerals or salvage one must first ensure that the object of said claim is not currently under claim. Newly discovered aether-gold deposits must be marked with angazuben before they can be considered the property of any sky-port. Once a claim is staked, it is illegal to harvest at the site without the owner's permission.

• Point 4

Subsection B: In the case of shipwrecks, a ship, its cargo, or other property can be claimed. The recoverer of another's ship or cargo after peril or loss upon the high airs is entitled to a reward commensurate with the value of the property so saved.

• Point 5: Any untended barrel of ale or strong liquor may be considered salvage.

-Sub-Amendment 327B: In Order to prevent the integrity of the Code against further frivolous and mendacious alterations that undermine the grand tradition of this constitution, no further sub-amendment regarding Artycle 7 shall be brought before the Geldraad.

Artycle 8: The Tenets of Defense

• Point 12: Guild representatives must be received and accorded all honours due their rank. Their skills are at the fleet's disposal.

-Section 3: Each wind cycle a Musterpress shall be held upon the Brynruf. This shall consist of six days of physical competition and rigorous examinations, the nature of which shall be decided individually by each sky-port's Admirals Council. Upon the culmination of the Musterpress, Admirals and Captains of the fleets shall have seven days in which to offer contracts of service to the contestants.

-Sub-Amendment 3F: In times of crisis - as decreed by the Geldraad - representatives from the Grundstok Corporation shall have first option upon all candidates chosen by Musterpress, and shall be allowed to buy out the contract of any Arkanaut at seven twelfths of its set price.

Artycle 9, Point 7: Use of excessive firepower is permissible as long as the end justifies the means.

-Amendment 3: If a duardin obtains a properly signed and approved grudge-clause, they are given the Rune of Mark and considered exempt from any other statues of the Code. Any plunder seized during an act of vengeance must be taken to the Admiralty’s Court so that galkhron can be performed.

-Amendment 11: The Kharadron Code cannot be altered.

Artycle 14:

-Amendment 73: Declarations of Affection may be issued without prior approval of the Admirality Board when expressed within periods of not less than 1 (one) hour before commencement of business activities.

Artycle 37:4: the appropriate response to mindless aggression is heavy firepower, coupled with a retrograde advance.

Artycle 45, Footnote 21, Amendment 8 All sales are final.

Artycle 104

• Point 3, ‘Right of Greater Claim’: Any interception of souls (or "soul-like substances", following the ruling of M. Thyrx v. Sarthorael) would be governed by the Passages of Plunder, Salvage, Flotsam and/or Jetsam.

-Sub-Amendment 1, ‘Ownership Rights of Deceased Property’: Souls (or "soul-like substances") held in transit between the Realms of Death and Otherwise are not classified as ‘deceased’ until reception of goods.

-Footnote FB: (defines "reception of goods" discussed above)

Artycle 486, Section 3, Amendment 14, Sub-amendment 12a, Footnote 64, vis: Kharadron Code Artycles invented by Warhammer Community writers in order to promote model releases by way of meta-textual reference humour.

Artycle 747 Biannual Tempest's Eye Sky-Race Derby rules.

Under Construction...

Society

War. War never changes.

A typical street in the city of a skyport. Still not as grimdark as the one in the 40th millennium

Kharadron society is a humanist DWARFist plutocracy, where money is power, with a full-blown meritocracy as a system of social promotion. You go places by being good making Profit. Grudges are still a thing but they are only pursued if its actually beneficial and not detrimental to their society (which again is to avoid disgraces such as getting into wars with your former prime trade-partners for getting a shave and a misunderstanding, like in the War of the Beard). Grudges are added to the "Log of Grudges" and how they are filled depends on the port. Barak Nar's is almost untouched, as traditions such as this are against progress, but Barak Thryng's is heavily used.

Another characteristic of their society that was revealed over time is the their encouragement of technological development and scientific research, done in academia's at the sky-ports, a decision which has made the Kharadron arguably the most advanced race in the setting. If nothing else, it looks like Andrew Ryan's ideas are alive and well (if less harsh in execution) in the Age of Sigmar. However, unlike Rapture, where the denizens sought out a place to conduct their own individualist pursuits without any moral guidelines, the Kharadron's system of innovation and profit stemmed from their need to band together, adapt and survive during the Age of Chaos. Thus, their meritocratic system of operation combined with their pursuit of innovation and trade establishes a society where it is ensured that the most capable Dwarf is in charge of a job and equipped with the most up to date equipment, to make sure that their trade routes stay open and their sky ports stay airborne.

The Kharadron overlords live in skyports, massive air-fortresses teeming with countless vessels floating around and on an unending flow of cash. Hundreds of trade-routs go and pass by these holds of the sky. Floating metropolises held aloft by the power of aether-gold, the Kharadron sky-ports are the dominant power in the skies of the Mortal Realms. Merchants and adventurers flock from afar to visit these technological hubs, for within their bustling dock districts can be found all manner of exotic goods and illicit secrets. When they first rose from the mountains of Chamon and took to the clouds, the sky-ports of the Kharadron Overlords were floating fortresses, fashioned for survival and armed for war. While they still maintain a formidable array of firepower – as any foe foolish enough to stray within range of their skycannon batteries will attest – they have become much more than mere defensive strongholds. They are amongst the greatest centres of trade in the Mortal Realms, each home to many thousands of duardin and visited by representatives from all of the civilised nations.

The exact size and layout of a sky-port can vary greatly, but the majority are constructed as a series of concentric squares, with the vital administrative and governmental districts placed at the centre. All are bordered by vast and bustling dockyards, which are constant hives of activity. Most sky-ports refuse to allow any non-Kharadron beyond the docklands, and so these quarters are filled to the brim with humans, aelves and other races, whose every desire is catered to by enterprising traders. Bathed in the candescent glow of whaleen-oil lamps, the labyrinthine streets echo to the chattering chorus of a thousand different languages. Endrintrams and steam-gondolas provide access along the canalways that run through the sky-port; these function as sewers and water-pipe routes, but also dispose of waste by spilling it out of hatches to rain down on the lands below.

Above, the skies are choked with airships – not solely military models, but civilian skiffs, bulk haulers and yachts. In the busiest sky-ports, traders can sometimes be forced to wait in lane for several days in order to secure a berth. Barak-Zilfin in particular is known for its heavily congested airlanes. According to the Code, each Sky-port controls all airspace around its domicile within the span of three cannon shots. Beyond that, the expanse of the skies is known as the ‘high airs’, and is regarded as neutral territory. The borders of each sky-port are guarded by floating fortresses armed with intimidating arrays of cannons and swivel-guns, informally known as ‘Zunfar towers’, after the Admiral who pioneered their use.

When returning Frigates and their escort vessels make port, troupes of dirty, battle-scarred Arkanauts unload their latest acquisitions before heading deeper into the city to make the most of their temporary leave. Gambling halls, smoke- shrouded darak-dens and garish bawdyhouses all provide much- needed opportunities for Arkanauts to blow off steam. With fresh aether- gold shares burning a hole in their pocket and often only a few days or weeks to make use of, they waste no time getting drunk on cheap ale and heading to the card tables. This release of pent-up energy sometimes gets a little rough, at which point it is down to the Copperhats – a slightly derogatory name for the longshore marshals – to maintain order. These no-nonsense naval police, usually made up of veteran Grundstok Marines injured in the line of duty or neophyte Arkanaut recruits, go about their task methodically with billy clubs and fists.

On the day of Brynruf – when the sun shines gold over Chamon – the different Arkanaut Academies of every sky-port hold a six-day competition. Only the highest achievers are allowed into the Arkanaut Academies, the training facilities where airfleet veterans conduct military drills and teach aeronautical skills. On Musterpress days, Captains arrive to observe the drills, and they may choose to recruit new crew members by purchasing contracts, often to fill the places that have become available through death or injury. Those selected to join the Arkanaut Companies will endure any number of rites and rituals sacred to their new fleet, ship or both. Those passed over after three Musterpresses must instead settle for lesser positions, often on mining or fishing vessels or as dockworkers or factory hands. However, due to the urgent mobilization following the events of the Necroquake, a new decree was amended into the Kharadron Code, giving the Grundstok Corps, the largest private military company across the sky ports, first pick of any new Musterpress recruits at half their original contract price.

Beyond the dock districts sprawl endless rows of warehouses, aether- factories and other industrial zones. These sectors are home to the lesser-chartered guilds, and are populated by many thousands of labourers – those duardin who were passed over by the Musterpresses and thus denied a career in the sky-fleets. Despite the Kharadron’s undoubted technological mastery, their existence can be a difficult one. Packed together like tinned globfish in almshouses and workhalls, they toil daily for a relative pittance; although Kharadron society is proudly meritocratic, factory bosses have a vested interest in ensuring their downtrodden workers do not rise beyond their station.

While aether-gold can be processed without releasing polluting smoke, much of the Kharadron Overlords’ heavy industry utilises other, less refined chemicals and metals. Smog and acidic rain showers are common, despite the use of endrin- bellows and dispersal fans to clear the worst of the contamination. Some sky-ports suffer from this chemical blight more than others; Barak-Nar’s relentless industrial drive and Barak-Zon’s ever- expanding weapons industries have led to particularly heavy pollution, bringing with it diseases such as sky-miner’s consumption, ironscale and the dreaded glowlung. The Aether-Khemists Guild of Barak- Nar has dedicated an entire arm of its alchemical labs to uncovering cures for these epidemics using sub- dermal infusions of aether-gold, but thus far only the richest residents are able to afford such treatment. By contrast, Barak-Thryng’s refusal to utilise wasteful, non-traditional methods of generating power means that its skies are relatively clear.

The wealthiest individuals in the sky- port reside close to its thriving heart, in gated towers and floating manses held aloft by a steady flow of aether- gold. From here, the Lord-Magnates and master industrialists of the city quite literally look down upon those less fortunate. Lord-Magnate Kreg Folsson of Barak-Urbaz has constructed an obscenely luxurious endrinvilla right above the refinery in which he once worked as a beardling, so that every day he can see just how far he has come.

At the centre of a sky-port lies its nexus of government, typically located amidst a wondrous plaza district portraying the city’s proudest military and economic achievements. These grand old structures include the Hall of Endeavour in Barak- Zilfin, the Sunrise Citadel of Barak- Nar, Barak-Mhornar’s mysterious Shadowmark Repository and the Kazakluft of Barak-Thryng. Here the Admirals Council gathers, and the dual businesses of profit and war are debated. No more than a handful of outsiders have ever been granted access to these closely-guarded quarters, but they speak of vast and imposing chambers echoing to the bellicose sounds of Kharadron politics, and populated by minor armies of runescribes and dignitaries.

Kharadron Overlords are a fairly loose confederacy but ultimately they all, up to a degree, pay heed to their 'ruling body: the Geldraad. The Geldraad doubles as a board of directors parliaments, with a grand total of nineteen seats adjudicated by port on a wealth basis. It is where the code's amendments and footnotes are added.

Notable Skyports

• Barak Nar: The City of the First Dawn. The mightiest of the skyports, having 6 delegates on the Geldraad (originally 7, but they got hit hard by the Necroquake and lost one). Barak Nar is called many things, among them the city of progress. It's citizens are many scholars and scientists and they are very obsessed with innovation and knowledge. They aren't fond of wizards, mainly because they view science as the answer to everything and they view progress through technology better (surely not magic envy, since Dwarfs lack the ability to use magic, which can transcend the material world where technology is bound by it). Its commanders are famous for being considerate tacticians when needed and brash opportunists when it's the best occasion for it, the prime example of this duality being Brok Grungsson, the most successful man duardin of the city and its Lord Magnate.
• Barak Zilfin: The Windswept City. The second most powerful of the sky-ports at 5 delegates (they gained the seat of the Barak Narr delegate lost to the necroquake). It's fleets are the farthest reaching and they are amongst the finest navigators.
• Barak Zon: The City of the Sun. Oldest of the skyports. It's famous for being the most militaristic of the skyports and its military might have helped greatly in the earning of 3 delegates in Geldraad (though they lost one).
• Barak Urbaz: The Market City. The shrewdest merchants, infamous for ruleslawyering, bargaining with them is more dangerous than fighting killer beasts. Found in the Chamon region of Ayadah, they are mostly fighting against the Loonking Skragrott and the millions of grots that infest the lands below. At their peak they had 2 delegates, but lost 1, although they are far more politically powerful than this implies and the majority of amendments to the Code come from their proposals. Home to a population of Gholemkind, which judging from the name, are probably some sort of Age of Sigmar take on Warforged.
• Barak Mhornar: The City of Shadow. The people of Barak Mhornar are very schewy in their interpretation of the Code, and are known to be scoundrels with very shady tactics and strategies. They started with 1 delegate on the Geldraad, but greatly increased their wealth and are the first of the Six to have left Chamon for a different realm and gained two more seats to bring the number to 3.
• Barak Thryng: The City of the Ancestors. Originally from Karak Thain, these duardin were pushed out of their hold by the Hosts Duplicitous, and were only able to escape to the falling fortress thanks to the timely (and unintentional) efforts of a slumbering Troggherd that was roused to anger thanks to the jabbering daemons of Tzeentch. Since joining the Kharadron, they have become staunch conservatives who are extremely anal about keeping with old duardin traditions and remembering their grudges, maybe even the closest thing you'll see to a religious Kharadron Barak. Basically old school dwarfs IN THE SKY! The weakest of The Six in terms of capital (the lowest port above them having more than triple their earnings), with just 1 Geldraad delegate and most likely because the other Baraks don't want to get a mark on their Log of Grudges, considering they just try to veto new amendments and footnotes.
• Barak Zhoff: A Skyport that has gone missing. Possibly crashed, possibly turned to Chaos. Nobody knows.
• Barak Khazzar: An ill-fated Skyport that made the mistake of going on an expedition to a long-lost Karak, only for the Gloomspite Gitz that squatted in it to hijack their airships and use them to conquer their city. Now known as "Da Moon City" by its new inhabitants.

Army Roster

Typical 9 to 5 day on a Kharadron expedition.

Heroes

• Arkanaut Admiral: The commander of a Kharadron fleet. They are directly chosen by the ruling council of a Skyport as the best choice for whatever mission the Skyfleet is tasked with.
• Endrinmaster: Elite engineers. Get access to a whole bunch of gadgets, like strength-enhancing harnesses, the "God's Eye" eye-laser, and dirigible suits to hang out with the Endrinriggers. Average fleet tends to have two, one garrisoned on the fleet's flagship and the other in a dirigible suit to freely travel between the other ships.
• Aether-Khemist: In charge of locating and refining the Aether-Gold. Wield a tool called an Atmospheric Anatomizer, a multi-purpose tool capable of not just sucking up veins of Aether-Gold, but creating vacuums to suffocate enemies, firing noxious chemicals, and augmenting aether-powered weaponry.
• Aetheric Navigator: The navigators of the fleets, who can control wind to increase the speed of ships and decrease the speed of enemy fliers, and also unbind spells through the power of science.
• CodeWright: Quite literally the Rules Lawyers of Kharadron society. With the sprawling and convoluted mess of a legal doctrine that is the Kharadron Code, it often becomes necessary to have an expert to accompany a fleet on its expeditions. Carrying their own personal library of tomes, provisos, amendments and contracts, these pedantic windbags advise an admiral on what actions are legally allowed on a voyage...or in more dubious scenarios, what precedents and loopholes allow for a more "creative" interpretation of the Code.

Units

• Arkanaut Company: Your standard ship's crew, armed with pistol and cutlass.
• Skywardens: Arkanaut Assault Marines, but with balloons instead of jetpacks.
• Endrinriggers: Lesser engineers that use balloons to fly around a ship in order to repair it in the middle of flight. Of course, their rivet guns and chainsaws are equally good at killing as well as repairing.
• Grundstok Thunderers: Elite mercenaries from the Grundstok Company. The Kharadron's marines in contrast to the Arkanaut sailors. Wield all sorts of exotic guns, and also have robot attack birds because why not.

Airships

• Arkanaut Frigate: The most common ship in the sky-fleets. Most commonly a warship, but its versatile design also allows it to act in cargo transport or small-scale aether-gold mining operations.
• Arkanaut Ironclad: The largest ship commonly seen in battle. Typically the Admiral's flagship.
• Grundstok Gunhauler: Small, two-man escort boats piloted by mercenaries from the Grundcorp. Hired to protect the sky-fleets, and they take this job seriously enough to even act as dwarfen shields. Essentially Dawi Land Speeders.

Notable Characters

• Brokk Grungsson: Lord Magnate of Barak Nar. Simply put Brokk is THE MAN DUARDIN. Born to a failed arkanaut candidate who worked on the docks, Brokk grew up hearing the stories of the sky-fleet's heroes and swore that he'd be one of them (both for him and his father). Since those days he's been driving himself to new heights and adventures with the motto (part of the code actually), "To the victor the spoils." He's not the most powerful Duardin of Barak Nar, as the Lord Magnate is actually beneath the council of ruling admirals but he's quite young by his race's standards and he's closing the gap.
• Admiral Nerlriksson: Badass commander from Barak Zon who delivered massive amounts of asswhooping and instated their tradition of being military badasses.
• Grand Admiral Horgrumm Brand: Legendary Barak Nar commander who played a massive part in the survival of the Kharadron during their early days in the Age of Chaos. Led the combined fleet made up of the major sky ports against the flying hordes of Tzeentch in the Battle of the First Coalition. The outnumbered fleet decided to finally make a stand in the Straits of Helsilver in the Realm of Metal, and divided their flotilla into smaller detachments to outmaneuver and whittle down the numerically superior foe piecemeal. Brand goes the way of Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, masterminding a crucial victory that ensures the future survival of the Kharadron, but at the cost of his own life. His tactics and legacy, however, live on and helped form the basis of Kharadron naval strategy that is still practiced today.
• Brokrin Ullissonn: A down on his luck Captain of the Ironclad Iron Dragon. Surprisingly pragmatic by Kharadron and Dwarven standards, Brokrin's adventures show the often precarious situation that many ship captains in Kharadron society find themselves in when they start falling behind the profit margin they're expected to maintain. Unable to pay back his investors, he risks losing command of his ship and crew, some of whom may end up on skid row with little chance of being recruited onto another ship. Thus, he has to balance risk and reward all while seeking out evermore perilous jobs in the hopes of making enough profit to ensure their future.
• Jakkob Bugmansson XI: Brewmaster-General and self proclaimed descendant of Josef Bugman (who has become something of a mythical figure in the Mortal Realms). Many of his rivals doubt this claim, but it hasn't stopped him from being widely regarded as the best Brewmaster of the Kharadron Overlords.
• Dagnai Holdenstock: Also called the “Trade-Commodore”, this enterprising Kharadron is known through many skyports for his liberal interpretations of the Code and tendency to chart voyages to hostile filled death traps. While dangerous, his ventures have proved quite lucrative so most other ports (especially Barak-Mhornar) are willing to put some investment into his business. His most recent venture into the cursed city of Ulfenkarn however, no duardin wants a part of.
• Gromthi: A mysterious white beard duardin that helped repel Be'lakor.
• Drekki Flynt: A renegade Kharadron pirate who likes to think of himself as a Robin Hood-esque character.

Soulbound

In Age of Sigmar Roleplay, Kharadron become Soulbound for pretty much the usual reasons that they do anything: pragmatism and profit. Often the least religious of the Soulbound (unless they came from Barak-Thryng), they still regard the rite of Binding as a lifelong unbreakable contract that promises great rewards with commiserate risks... which is just the way that Kharadron like it. Considering that becoming a Soulbound grants a greatly extended lifespan, many opportunities for profit and glory, and the exceedingly useful esoteric bonus of becoming immune to the terrible paranoia that aether-gold can cause when exposed to the skin... well, you can see their point, right? That said, Kharadron hold neither prejudice against nor inherent respect for their Soulbound; they might ask if the Rite of Binding was worth it, but in general, a Kharadron Soulbound has to earn respect through their deeds, just like any normal Kharadron. Indeed, it may be deemed that Soulbound Kharadron should be held to even higher standards than normal for their opportunity and risk is greater than others.

The Champions of Order introduces the following Great Ports for your character to hail from:

• Barak-Nar: Because of course, they are the largest port. They were the first to welcome Soul-Binding, as they saw potential profits in allying with the other forces of order and some just join to escape the crushing bureaucracy of Kharadron society. Heroes from Barak-Nar are more skilled at conversing with large crowds and subordinates (Doubling the number of die rolled for Guile or Intimidate checks) as well as adding the Stirring Voice talent to all archetypes.
• Barak-Zilfin: As the most daring adventurers, they easily welcome the lures given to being Soulbound. This allows them to journey to territories that reach the edges of Sigmar's territory. Heroes from Barak-Zilfin can always add an aether-endrin (essentially a jetpack) to their rigs and gives makes it faster. They also add an additional d6 to any Awareness and Survival checks when exploring a new area.
• Barak-Zon: Being highly militant, most members of this port only join the Soul-bind if their goals would align with their ambitions. Often, these ambitions involve prestige, revenge, or just being able to wage war without worrying about any code holding them back. Some even join because it frees them from the complicated webs that profit-making requires. Heroes from Barak-Zon improve their melee and accuracy scores when fighting an elite enemy.
• Barak-Urbaz: While being natural-born marketers, they are also known for being conniving extortionists. It's not unheard of to hear of duardin from this port haggling and rewriting parts of the Code to better benefit them or to shaft some profit from an unsuspecting client. Often, they either join the Soulbound to improve their reputation or to gather knowledge without having to deal with the conniving and backstabbing of their old lives. Heroes from Barak-Urbaz are able to run businesses to get higher profits, while being able to run other enterprises (such as shopping or endrineering) at lower costs.
• Barak-Mhornar: This port is often seen as a seedy den of villainy, run by criminals and brigands. Indeed, the fact that they have left the realm of metal for parts unknown does not help them, nor does their predilection for underhanded tactics like illusions and psychological warfare. Many join the Soulbound mostly so they can further the port's agenda or to gather unique relics for safe keeping. Heroes from Barak-Mhornar gain additional die on their first attack in the first round equal to their training in the Guile skill (and double it if it's a surprise attack). They also add the Criminal talent to all archetypes.
• Barak-Thryng: The most staunch traditionalists reside in this port. They will boldly refuse any innovations or amendments to the Code on principle and gripe about how the good-old days were better (read: they're boomers). The chief reason members of this point join the Soul-binding is to right some grudge. Heroes from this port all own a chronicle of grudges (or rather, maybe a Book?) that they write down the names of all those who have wronged them in some way. They gain a boost in melee and accuracy when fighting these grudge-foes, but suffer a penalty for any social checks against these foes.

In the corebook, Kharadron have access to three Archetypes; Aether-Khemist (implied to be the most common of the Kharadron Soulbound, because, seriously, that immunity to aether-gold madness comes in super-fucking-handy in their line of work), Endrinmaster and Skyrigger. The Champions of Order supplement includes the Aetheric Navigator as a new archetype while the Trouble Brewing module introduced the Brewmaster.

Recommended Music When Playing Kharadron

• Ride of the Valkyries
• High Above the Land
• Flying Battery Zone
• Sky Battalion
• Storm Owl
• Attack of the Airships
• Airship Pirates
• Sky Pirates - Fighting Evil is Cool!
• Red Wings of Baron
• Aether Shanties, especially if you're going for a grimier theme for your flying dwarfs

Honestly, just about any airship style theme would fit the Kharadron perfectly.

See Also

• Tactics/Kharadron Overlords