Mordheim (city)

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Schwert, Pergament & Sanduhr.jpg This article is about the city.
For other uses of Mordheim, see Mordheim (disambiguation).

The ruined city of Mordheim is located on the border of Ostermark and Stirland, on the both sides of river Stir.[16a][17b] It was once the greatest city of Ostermark, but was destroyed by a Twin-Tailed Comet at the dawn of the Imperial Year 2000. [14b][16b][17a]

Map of Mordheim[18]

History

The first settlement that bore the name Mordheim in this location was a fortress-monastery founded by knights of the Raven Order around the year 1000 IC as a tribute to their fallen leader Count Gotthard Angelos. The settlement grew slowly, trading in wool and fish but its people maintaining their skill in axe, bow and spear which served them well against frequent incursions by Orcs . [8a]

As a fledgling river town, it was one of a very few settlements of Ostermark that survived the brutal invasion by the infamous Orc Warlord Gorbad Ironclaw of 1705 IC. Although the warriors it sent against the orcs were wiped out at the Battle of Valen Field. The Orcs turned west towards Averheim, which saved the town. [8a]

After 1979 IC the Empire was tearing itself apart in the the Age of Three Emperors, Mordheim grew and prospered with Count Amadeus Steinhardt even locking himself in his palace enjoying lavish parties whilst the Empire was plagued by war and pestilence. The gap between rich and poor grew ever wider with cults growing more numerous and stronger in both. [8a] The Count remained neutral as the three claimants for the throne of the Empire fought, gaining bribes and gifts from each whilst maintaining his own army in their clean uniforms. [9b]

Whe the Count ordered the removal of the statue of Count Gotthard, storied hero and founder of the city, it provoked riots and both the Raven Barracks and the West Gatehouse were attacked. Amadeus was not concerned and even watched it from his balcony within the strong walls of his palace. In response the nobles and merchants raised a powerful force of mercenaries to brutally secure the Rich Quarter and later the rest of the city. [9b]

By the year 1999 IC, it had gathered enough wealth and power through its extensive trade with the Empire and the Dwarfs that it was considered by many the seconds city of the Empire after Altdorf having many monuments, fine high-domed buildings and a grand library. [8a]

The City of the Damned

Approaching the City of the Damned

The city was destroyed at the stroke of midnight that marked the beginning of the Imperial year 2000 by a twin tailed comet that had been believed to herald the second coming of Sigmar. Thousands had flocked to the city to witness the miracle of Sigmar's return, only to see the comet crash into the city and kill most of the people.[2a][14a][16b] Only the Sisters of Sigmar, praying within the Rock were spared the destruction of the great comet. [8a]

Province of Ostermark surrounded the ruined & tainted city with siegeworks, quarantining its taint from outside world. [14a]

Shortly after the devastation it was discovered that the ruins of Mordheim were saturated with Wyrdstone shards from the shattered comet. Soon it was discovered that using Wyrdstone men could perform miracles: healing the sick, resurrecting the dead, and turning base metals to gold. This last use caught the interest of the rival claimants for the Imperial throne and soon the value of Wyrdstone far outstripped its weight in gold.[2a] The various imperial claimants began funding mercenary expeditions into the ruins.[14a]

Mordheim was finally burned to the ground at the orders of the Grand Theogonist and Knightly Orders. It remains in ruins to the present day.[16b]

Inhabitants

Before the comet

Post Comet

Vampire in Mordheim with minions

Since the destuction of the city by the comet, the ruins are explored and fought over by various factions - human and otherwise.

Vision of Mordheim

A number of young monsters have also taken up residence in the ruins of the city or escaped from the once world famours Imperial Zoo including Dragons, Griffon, Hippogriffs, Hydra and Wyverns. [15]

Locations

  • City Hall.[8a]: The seat of power for the great Guilds of the city who placed taxes on all goods that entered the city and even controlled the city gates.[10a]
  • Clock Tower[8a]
  • Count Steinhardt's Palace: It was richly adorned, even the courtyard was paved with gold by the time of the comet fall.[9a] When the comet struck, the count was hosting a party for more than two thousand guests who would be transformed by the rain of warpstone in mutants and monsters. The vast monster that the Count became remains rooted in the shell of his palace, sending minions out to bring victims to feast upon. [9b]
  • Death's Head District: Lying within the shadow of the Palace, even before the comet struck it was a dangerous area. Death's Head road led from Executioner's Square to the Temple of Morr. [12a]
    • Cemetery of St Voller: [12a] It had a dire reputation even before the comet hit, but much of it became plagued by the unquiet dead - although they could not approach the statue of the saint at its heart. [13a]
  • Executioners Square:[8a] Many spirits arose to haunt it after the comet strike and sought vengeance on the living. [13a]
  • The Gaol: [8a] A crumbling building full of society's detritus, when the comet hit it was cracked open and a few prisoners were able to escape, but something lingered within a full 2 years later. [13a]
  • Great Library of Mordheim.[8a] Created by Count Ignatius Steinhardt, it was the largest structure in the city, but there were not enough books and scrolls to fill it, so sometimes rooms were set aside for special or rare books. His interest in the mystical arts and religion meant that many books of Necromancy and Daemonology could be found within its walls. The comet fall saw the building first enveloped in a inferno which was made worse by the dark arts within the books that brought a wave of Daemons to the city. [10a]
  • Imperial Zoo: Once world-famous, those that survived have found lairs in the city. [15]
  • Market Square.[8a]: Following the comet, some Pegasi survived and escaped their cages, mutated and ravenous, led by a huge black stallion with multiple heads who still dwells there. [10a]
  • Merchant's Quarter.[8a] More commonly known as the District of the Flying Horse by the city folk following the purchase in 1818 IC of a herd of Pegasi from a Bretonnian merchant. It was said it never slept and thousands of people could be found here day and night. The quarter was ruled by the powerful guilds who extended their power throughout the city, although always in the name of the ruling Count.[10a]
  • The Pit.[8a]
  • Poor Quarter[8a]
  • Quayside[8a]: A vast and busy area that in the aftermath of the comet was overrun by Skaven and remains the strong point of their infestation of the city. Occasionaly reiver pirates will brave its dangers to trade with the inhabitants - human or otherwise. [10a]
  • Raven Barracks.[8a]
  • Rich Quarter.[8a]
  • The Rock.[8a]
  • Steinhardt Memorial Gardens. [8a] Much coin had been spent on importing a huge variety of plants from across the world and its central park was popular for lovers - especially to see in the New Year. However when the warpstone fell from the sky, the flora fell upon the courting couples and dragging them down into the soil to drain them of blood whilst the great oak that stood at the gates became a rampaging monster, slaughtering its way to the West Gatehouse.[9b]
  • Statue of Count Gotthard[8a]
  • Temple of Morr.[8a][12a]
  • Temple of Sigmar.[8a]
  • Wizards Mansions.[8a]

Trade

At its height the city was a powerful centre of trade, river ships bringing fleeces and timber from the east and rare goods coming from Altdorf. It also benefited from the large amounts of fish in the river Stir and had a large, bustling market for fish. The city also traded extensively with dwarfs of the Worlds Edge Mountains. [8a]

Quotes

Many man-things in Mordheim-nest. Many other things, too. All want-take warpstone. Make them die-die! Sister-things from river hide warpstone under fort-nest! Cult-things take warpstone to daemon-holes! Soldier-things take warpstone away to baron-things! All must die-die!

~ Flych Sharptail, Clan Eshin Assasssin.[1]

Sources

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