Valten
From Lexicanum
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Valten was the Chosen of Sigmar. He was instrumental in the defeat of the hordes of Archaon.
Valten was born in a Reikland village called Lachenbad where he had an uneventful childhood, growing up as the son of a blacksmith and learning his fathers craft as all children did. He was blessed with a strange mark on his chest, shaped like the twin-tailed comet of Sigmar, although he was also blessed with strength and intelligence, although nothing that would set him apart from another man.
The comet is a powerful omen and his birth caused a great stir. Many believed that Valten would bring pain and suffering to the village and sought to have him cast out and left in the forests or drowing in a river. His parents declared he would be brought up and his father was big and strong enough so that people respected him.
As he grew, he was seen to have an understanding of anything that fell before him: it was seen in his eyes. He was bigger and stronger than other boys of his age. He soon became a well liked child and those who sought his death began to like him and forgot their prejudices.
On his 18th birthday however, hordes of Beastmen poured from the forests. They were led by a Beastlord known as Rargarth and his horde was ten times bigger than anything that had come in living memory. They plundered and burnt the village, those who could defend themselves tried, but ultimatly failed. They gave no quarter and killed any they found. Valten on the other hand, refused to die. He smashed his way to his fathers forge, using his bare fists to kill Beastmen in his way. He picked up two heavy hammers and set about the horde like a possessed man. All who came near him were killed, and, the villagers seeing this followed the boy towards the hordes.
Valten then found Rargarth. A great battle ensued, where Valten was sliced open across the chest by Rargarth's scimitar. Rargarth howled in joy and prepared for the killing blow. Valten raised his hammer in defiance just in time and the titanic clash forced Valten to one knee. Valten slowly began to rise, his every limb shaking with the effort until he was on his feet. He kicked out and sent the Beastlord stumbling backwards and hurled his hammer at the beasts head, shattering its skull.
With their leader dead, the Beastmen retreated in panic and the villagers chanted Valten's name. Though the village had been half razed, it had been saved from total destruction by a boy. Word of his victory spread quickly and a number of interested parties came to visit him, to learn of the boy who had become a hero.
One such visitor was Luthor Huss, self proclaimed Prophet of Sigmar. He took Valten to see Karl Franz at the capitol, Altdorf. Karl Franz had a problem now. It was likely that the people would want Valten to run the Empire, but this was not the time for political change, Archaon was advancing on the Empire. He solved this problem by effectivly making the Empire dual-ruled. He handed over Ghal Maraz, or the Hammer of Sigmar, to Valten and kept the Runefang. He then proclaimed that whoever you followed, you would be united in the defence of the Empire. He didn't care who they fought for, as long as they fought against Archaon. A good move it turned out.
