History of Nehekhara
Nehekhara was the first human civilisation to emerge in the Warhammer world, originating as a cluster of kingdoms, all of which eventually came under the nominal rulership of the King of the city of Khemri.
Ancient times
The first and greatest king of Khemri was called Settra. In his reign he conquered the cities and established Nehekhara as an empire. The empire fought off the Greenskins to claim new land and defended against the desert dwellers who stole food and pack animals. He searched all his life for the cure to death, but eventually he was consumed and placed within a great tomb. Then followed various other kings until the time of Nagash.
Rise of Nagash
Prior to the time of Nagash, Nehekhara was at its peak, its people wealthy and its lands beautiful. Nagash would change all of this. He was originally the High Priest of Khemri but was still not content. He plotted to seize the throne from his brother and become King and High Priest. One night, he had the young king killed and placed in the tomb of Khetep. The next morning, he proclaimed himself king and sat upon the throne.
The reign of Nagash was one of pain and suffering for the people. He demanded total loyalty and massive tributes from the princes appointed to rule the lands. He had the Black Pyramid of Nagash built, towering over all others. He also created an "Elixir of Life" using human blood, which would be drunk by Nagash's closest followers, including Arkhan, and Neferata, the Queen of Lahmia. Due to the high tributes, starvation racked the lands, but Nagash didn't care.
Eventually, the princes had had enough and rallied their armies to attack Nagash and Khemri. To defend against these invaders, Nagash summoned long dead warriors to do his bidding. This was the first time that the dead had walked at the command of another, and many fled in terror from the battle. Eventually, after a titanic battle, Nagash was defeated. Many believed him dead and destroyed, but he had actually escaped to the north to plot his revenge, his Black Pyramid abandoned for hundreds of years.
Queen Neferata of Lahmia, who had drunk from the elixir of life and become the first vampire. Fearing the wrath of the gods, King Alcadizaar led the armies of Nehekhara against Lahmia, destroying the kingdom and forcing the queen to flee to the north. Nagash was in hiding in the mountains to the north and gladly accepted the outcasts from Lahmia. He made them captains of his undead legions, and sent them south to conquer Khemri and all of Nehekhara. Nagash however underestimated Alcadizaar. Nagash's armies were destroyed, but Nagash still walked.
Vengeance of Nagash
Nagash sought utter vengeance, and poisoned the waters of the Great River at its source, which in turn corrupted the lands which the river had once made fertile. Pestilence spread rapidly and the dead soon outnumbered the living. Alcadizaar could do nothing, for he could not fight this enemy with weapons. When Nagash attacked again he was met by little resistance. Nagash finished off the civilization of Nehekhara and took prisoner Alcadizaar, the last living Nehekharan.
It was after this that Nagash began the greatest spell of all time. The skies darkened for miles around and a great wave of energy left his body. All life was destroyed in seconds, crops withered and animals died. Now Nagash planned to raise the dead to make an all-conquering army which would overwhelm any opposition.
Nagash was assassinated by Alcadizaar, with the help of the Skaven, who freed the King as well as created the Fellblade, a deadly blade forged specifically to kill the Great Necromancer. Nagash however was still able to complete his ritual before his death, awakening all the dead of Nehekhara from their tombs.
Land of the Dead
The dead raised by the ritual were not bound to Nagash's rule, but only the Tomb Kings and Lich Priests were sentient. Having expected to be reborn as gods in the afterlife, the awakened Tomb Kings were enraged to find their bodies were little more than dessicated husks. The Tomb Kings then proceeded to reestablish control over their now dead subjects with mixed degrees of success. This state of affairs has remained the same into the modern day where they continually fight amongst themselves, other nations and the resurrected Nagash. The lesser Kings and Princes are (more or less) ruled over by Settra, first and greatest of the Priest-Kings.
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This article needs some improvement on its citations. |
Sources
- Warhammer Armies: Tomb Kings (6th Edition), Needs Citation
