Marius Leitdorf
From Lexicanum
Marius Leitdorf was the (thus far) last Elector Count of Averland. He died at the hands of the Orc Warlord Vorgaz Ironjaw in 2520 IC.
Commonly known as the Mad Lord of Averland, Leitdorf was renowned for his erratic behaviour; falling into vicious rages one moment, only to suddenly turn catatonic and lock himself inside his room for days, refusing to talk to anyone; squandering his province's money on nonsensical military campaigns, hunting imaginary foes and generally upsetting his neighbours. The most well known of these inexplicable incidents was the "suppression" of the "Halfling Rebellion" in 2502. This act left Karl Franz, the reigning Emperor, with little choice but to rein the Mad Lord in. To this end he sent his champion, Ludwig Schwarzhelm, to Averland to convince the Count of the consequences if did not start behaving. Schwarzhelm was apparently successful in his mission.
Despite being insane and subject to unreasoning rages, the Count was a multifaceted man, being an accomplished poet and painter, as well as a skilled engineer and inventor, and his skills in swordplay were said to be matched only by Kurt Helborg, the Reiksmarshal of the Reiksguard. Which of these were the most skilled was never to be put to the test, however.
Sometime after Schwarzhelm's visit, the Emperor received word from Leitdorf of an impending Greenskin invasion coming down the Black Fire Pass; Karl Franz immediately rode to the aid of Averland's army. It was during this battle that Leitdorf would meet his end. After a long and heavy battle, the Count and his Greatswords found themselves surrounded by the Greenskin army, with the Elector Count facing down the Orc Warlord himself. Despite being a very skilled swordsman, Leitdorf couldn't save himself from death at the hands (and Choppa) of Warlord Vorgaz Ironjaw. His death was not in vain, however, as it bought the Reiksguard, led by Emperor Karl Franz himself, enough time to reach the battlefield and charge the great horde in the rear, routing them from the battle and saving the Empire. Karl Franz, witnessing Leitdorf's death at the hands of Ironjaw, smashed the warlord's head with Ghal Maraz in retribution for the Elector Count's death.
Since this day, Leitdorf has been, despite his many transgressions, remembered as a defender and hero of the Empire.
