Soulblight Gravelords

Grand Alliance Death Soulblight Gravelords

I HAVE COME TO SUCK YOUR BANK ACCOUNT!!!!

Lore Tactics General Tactics

"We enjoy the night, the darkness, where we can do things that aren't acceptable in the light. Night is when we slake our thirst."

– William Hill

The Soulblight Gravelords are the new, trademark friendly AoS interpretation of the Vampire Counts and replacement for Legions of Nagash. With Nagash getting his skull caved in again, his servants are now free to run wild and go about their own machinations. Chief among them are of course the vampire lords, eager to sink their fangs into new prey.

History

Age of Myth

After the arrival of Nagash in the Mortal Realms and his tenuous alliance with Sigmar, Nagash's first aim was the conquering of the Realm of Shysish for his own. At this time many other Gods of Death existed that actively challenged Nagash for domininance with some even actively looking to bring death to all other gods and the living (an idea Nagash himself would take interest in later on). Nagashs supreme skill in summoning the Legions of the Dead proved invaluable as underworld after underworld fell to his dominance. Eventually almost all the other Death Gods that could challenge him were either killed, imprisoned or fled into hiding leaving Nagash the supreme ruler of the realm.

During these conquests Nagash begrudgingly conceded that he could not marshal all his forces at once, nor be on every battlefront simultaneously. He needed generals, spies, and confindants that still had what Nagash loathed in other beings; free will. Thus he started actively courting Necromancers and generals among the living to lead his armies. At this time as well he decided to revive the long-destroyed race of vampires having remembered their use in the world-that-was. Retreiving the lost soul fragments of Neferata, Mannfred and Ushoran he brought them back into existence to serve him once again as Mortarches.

Eventually Ushoran displeased Nagash and was imprisoned for his troubles (to see how that story ended up check out the Flesh-Eater Courts) but Neferata and Mannfred would go on to sire the first Vampires of the Mortal Realms who would serve Nagash's (and their) wills. With Neferata founding her personal kingdom of Nulahmia and Mannfredd in Carstinia (though he would go on to despise the place). These initial Vampires served directly under the the newly established legions of Blood and Legions of Night but as the Soulblight Vampire empires spread throughout the realms and new vampires were sired subcultures and new dynasties began to form. All vampires being very independent by nature eventually led to branch-off bloodlines forming and going off on their own to establish their own bloodlines and empires. These took many different forms, from kingdoms of the living and dead, to allyships with Wight Kings and Deathrattle kingdoms, or simply as roaming marauders that preyed on the living and dead alike. Nagash and the Mortarchs for the most part paid them little mind unless they conflicted with their own agendas, with these branch-offs eventually becoming the first soulblight dynasties.

Unfortunately for Nagash, internal rivalries between dynasties and indiviual Soulblight Vampires began to form, the biggest being the renewed conflicts between Neferata and Mannfred for dominance and Nagash's favour. The two Mortarchs often utilizing the new Dynasties as proxies in their squabbles. Though both had to be more wary, as new generations of Soulblight began to take sights on the two founding vampires and potential ways to claim their positions as Nagash's elite. All vampires in one way or another also looked secretly for ways to free themselves permanently from Nagashs dominion (Mannfred especieally). As on some level all the Soulblight realized that their very existence as free-minded individuals was something Nagash ultimately wished to purge from reality, and dreaded the day he decided he no longer needed them.

Age of Chaos

During the invasion of Chaos the Soulblight Gravelords did what they could to push back the chaos hordes. At the very beginging atleast they had common cause with the rest of Sigmars Pantheon. The Legion of Blood and Legion of Night were the main spearhead against the chaos hordes. With Neferatas spy network usually staying ahead of enemy movements and Mannfreds clever tactics reaping a heavy toll of the chaos armies. However this momentum began to stall as the various Dynasties and Soulblight empires began to lose cohesion as they could not coordinate properly. As most Vampire lords would only really listen to Nagash or the Mortarchs, and they couldn't be everywhere at once. Leading to various forces to either fend only for themselves or abadon elsewhere allies.

To make matters worse Nagash decided to abadon Sigmars forces in trying to control the Allgate to Shyish. A betrayal that cost Sigmar dearly and led him to launch a crusade into Shyish to punish Nagash. Which led to a great deal of calamities to occur; with Sigmars siege leading to the freeing of Ushoran, Katakros (Nagash greatest general) to be struck down and led to the raizing of countless undead armies and Dynasties. Eventaully Sigmar recalled his forces to partake in the Battle of the Burning Skies that ultimately led to Sigmar abondoning the war to close of Azyr. Unfortuantely this meant that Nagash was alone in facing the full force of Chaos. a vast army spearheaded by Archaon himself eventually besieged Nagashizar itself leading to the defeat of Nagash and the nuking of the Realm of Deaths capital.

After this event the Mortarchs spearheaded by Arkhan the Black managed to steal back Nagash's remains before he could be destroyed permanently and went into hiding so Nagash could recover. Following this any remaining cohesion between the various Soulblight Dynasties collapsed with every Gravelord essentially out for themselves simply trying to survive the chaos hordes. Ultimately Neferata would go into hiding in her capital in Nualamia and Mannfred would begin a centuries long guerilla war against the chaos invaders as the conquered the realm of Shyish virtually unchallenged. Most other Soulblight forces (such as the Vyrkos) spent the next few centuries hiding and striking at the chaos forces as best they could with most of the underworlds falling to chaos control.

Age of Sigmar

--under construction--

Legions and Dynasties

Replacing the bloodlines of old, vampires in AoS now belong to dynasties, which is mostly just a political organization or a court of vampires from numerous backgrounds/bloodlines that all swear fealty to a patriarch/matriarch that define’s the dynasty’s culture. Most vampires can trace their lineage to the Legions of Night and Blood, who are unquestionably the oldest and most powerful of vampiric factions. So large in fact, that multiple dynasties of vampires exist within the two legions.

• Legion of Night: The old Von Carstein bloodline, led by (who else) Mannfred von Carstein. Arrogant glory-hogs who prefer to bog down enemies with waves of undead minions so the vampire commanders can swoop in for the killing blow. Fitting their master’s sneakier tactics, the Legion makes frequent use of Varghiests for ambushing enemies or running down the wounded and afraid.
• Legion of Blood: The old Lahmian bloodline, led by (who else) Neferata. Cunning and alluring, they prefer the theatre of political intrigue and schemes, but are still very dangerous in combat thanks to their unnatural speed and grace. They also have a particular fondness for their Deathrattle minions, who in turn fight harder when under the gaze of their vampiric masters.

There are some noteworthy dynasties that have come into prominence over the years and have gone on to expand their influence across the realms.

• Kastelai: Essentially the descendants to the Blood Dragons. A knightly order of vampires loyal to Prince Vhordrai, they follow their banished prince out from their “Crimson Keep” to slaughter and butcher all in their path. They prioritize martial prowess above all else, even going as far as being willing to bargain the lives of an innocent village should they use some kind of weapon or fighting style that is new to them…though given these are long-lived vampires you can imagine such an outcome is quite rare.
• Avengorii: Monstrous beast hunters from Ghur who are looked down upon by the other dynasties for their feral appearance and nature. They’re most famous for their draconic centaur lower halves, which was given to them after they exposed themselves to the full brunt of the Necroquake. The dynasty was once led by a brutal patriarch called Ghorvar, but he was usurped (gutted like a fish) by Lauka Vai, to which the rest of the dynasty had no qualms against. Roughly analogous to the Strigoi given their feral nature - the actual Strigoi broke off and started their own Death faction - and with a little bit of Blood Dragons thrown in, the Avengorii are still their own thing.
• Vyrkos: A shamanistic like culture with ties to a lupine Godbeast as well as Nagash. This connection leads to the Vyrkos vampires developing animal like features and control over them too, wolves being the most common of creature they tend to favor. Gameplay wise they have a pack mentality and reward playing like a bunch of wolves on the prowl.
• Tengorez: A Dynasty that doesn’t have any rules (yet). They’re seemingly based off of the Necrarchs, in that they’re described as withered masters of sorcery. They live in the crystal caves of Hysh, coming out to swipe magical war engines to turn into their own necromantic constructs.

Notorious Vampires

• Neferata, Mortarch of Blood: The original vampire and mistress of manipulation.
• Mannfred von Carstein, Mortarch of Night: The bald asshole who destroyed the Old World.
• Prince Vhordrai: A Vampire Lord that tried/failed to overthrow Nagash, and got cursed to be bound to a magic castle that Nagash teleports near people he wants slaughtered, earning himself the (mocking) title of “Fist of Nagash”. Vhordrai and the Kastelai dynasty within his “Crimson Keep” only have a short time to feast upon mortal blood before the castle is once again flung into the Void, so they fight with a desperate level of savagery. The Prince also rides into battle aboard a Zombie Dragon called Shordemaire.
• Lauka Vai, the Mother of Nightmares: Matriarch of the Avengorii dynasty and a terrifying mixture of bloodthirsty savagery and honorable knighthood. She originally was a noble monster hunter that garnered the respect of friend and foe alike, until a fateful encounter with the Disciples of Tzeentch horribly mutated her into the vampire-dragon-centaur beast that now defines her and her dynasty.
• Belladamma Volga, First of the Vyrkos: Matriarch of the Vyrkos dynasty. An ancient vampire with an unmatched affinity for Direwolves. Has the ability to transform men into wolves, with her personal mount even rumored to be her former lover. She is so ancient, the denizens of Shyish have created multiple myths and folktales about her origins and actions.
• Radukar the Wolf: The uncontested ruler of Ulfenkarn. A large and brutal vampire lord with a fondness for pelts to match his werewolf-like mutations. As a mortal, he once plundered the coasts aboard his vessel the Impaler’s Gift and his Ogor crew, until he came upon the tomb of the vampiric emperor Morkan. Radukar slew and skinned the two headed wolf Vilnas that guarded the tomb and claimed an enchanted blade that lay inside, all to prove himself worthy of the Blood Kiss. Radukar’s raids became more violent and gruesome after his turn, culminating in his arrival at the city of Mournhold which he “saved” from daemonic invasion...only to take it as his own and rename it to Ulfenkarn. He was defeated by a ragtag group of adventurers, but not killed. His body is now twisted and mutated into a more feral form that is simply referred to as “the Beast”. Radukar the Beast is now roaming the wilds of Shyish in a relentless quest for revenge.
• Kritza, the Rat Prince: Once a treacherous nobleman of Ulfenkarn, Kritza was brutally beaten by Radukar and left for dead. What no one realized was that Kritza was mistakingly given the Blood Kiss by his assailant and is now part of the Vrykos dynasty. Uniquely though, instead of controlling wolves, Kritza has influence over various kinds of rats (living and undead), and he can divide his body into a swarm of vermin to escape enemies. It is unknown how well this works on Skaven.
• Lady Annika, the Thirsting Blade: Another vampiric noble from Ulfenkarn, Annika’s lust for blood is considered excessive even among other vampires. Her personal sword Proboscian is enchanted to instantly drain its victims of all bodily fluid (another vampire of the world-that-was...*cough* Vlad von Carstein.*cough cough*... can confirm this can really backfire). Rather than a connection to wolves, Annika has a more traditional tie to bats and can appropriately vanish in a swarm of the flying vermin.
• Ushoran: Now insane with delusions of grandeur and it is contagious.

Soulbound

The Age of Sigmar Roleplay supplement Champions of Death obviously gives this army a way to be playable, split between the skeletal wights and the frightening vampires...oh, and normal human necromancers as well. Naturally, as masters of subtlety and deception who also happen to be bloodthirsty monsters, the Soulblight offer much to a binding - enough that there are some vampires who turn out to be sleeper agents for either Mannfred or Neferata depending on the circumstance if they're not desperate to reclaim their territories. The wights offer their tireless dedication instead, considering their status as undead only barely autonomous in a way.

Among all the forces of Death, the Soulblights offer the best options for being Soulbound to Order, as vampires are such narcissistic cretins bent on self-preservation that they might just seek out the gods of Order if it means that they can fuck over Nagash if it's in their interests. Even when they are bound, they are not easily trusted - not least because of the stories of what happens to those who so betray the bone-daddy. Those that are trustworthy do offer much, however, as they can offer as much to the living as they do the undead.

Your hero can hail from the following Dynasties:

• Legion of Night: Available to all races. The personal army of Mannfred von Carstein, the greatest asshole in all the realms. Due to his strained relationship with his boss, he allows an exceptional amount of autonomy among his thralls so long as they're loyal to him. Though many join the Soulbound in order to assert themselves as the master or to prove themselves, just as many also join to stick it to the bald fuck or to flee his dickishness. Heroes from the Legion of Night can make a Guile check against a target's Intuition, allowing them to manipulate someone on a win. In addition, all archetypes have access to the Backstab talent.
• Legion of Blood: Available to all races. The army of Queen Neferata is just as much interested in power as any other. These undead just know how much appearances play into this and how to manipulate their allies and foes. Most Soulbound see their status as a free pass to closely observe their potential prey. Heroes from the Legion of Blood gain the Master of Disguise talent and can spend downtime making false identities while also accomplishing other goals.
• Vrykos Dynasty: The dynasty of Lord Radukar, chief antagonist of that one board game that GW released late. These vampires tend to be better in touch with their animalistic instincts compared to other vampires, though it is easy for them to simply degenerate into slavering beasts. Those vampires that are able to become Soulbound intend to utilize it in order to find some measure of control against their animalistic natures and their humanity. Heroes from the Vrykos Dynasty improve their melee score when ganging up on an enemy and gain advantage when tracking down wounded opponents.
• Kastelai Dynasty: This dynasty hides within the Crimson Keep, a traveling castle that always seems to appear only at night only to vanish by dawn. The vampires of this keep are masters of combat, constantly training to become greater. Those vampires who become Soulbound usually are usually relieved to be free of the whims of the keep, but may also find themselves equally suffocated by the beings they are bound to. Heroes from the Kastelai Dynasty can immediately move or charge after killing an enemy. In addition, the Warrior Elite talent becomes available to all archetypes.
• Avengorii Dynasty: The vampires of this realm do not run from their curse, instead embracing their bloodthirst and the monstrous effects it has upon their bodies. Despite their frightening appearances though, they are perhaps the most lucid of vampires and possess a sort of chivalric honor. Indeed, this honour makes them the most amenable to joining Order-based Bindings, though usually at the behest of Lauka Vai for some further agenda. Heroes from the Avengorii Dynasty deal more damage with their unarmed attacks, including inflicting worse wounds. In addition, they gain advantage on tests made to intimidate enemies.

Soulblight Vampires have access to either the Blood Knight or Vampire Lord archetypes, while the Wights have access to either the Grave Guard or Black Knight archetypes. Humans also have access to the Necromancer archetype.