Siege of Altdorf (Glottkin)
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| Conflict | End Times/Nurgle invasion of the Empire |
| Date | Geheimnisnacht 2525 IC |
| Location | Altdorf, the Imperial capital city |
| Outcome | Allied victory |
| | |
| Nurgle forces | Allied Imperial/Bretonnian forces |
| | |
| The Glottkin Gutrot Spume The Harbinger Epidemius |
Kurt Helborg Louen Leoncoeur |
| | |
| The Maggoth Riders of Icehorn Peak The Repugnauts of Brass Keep; 1 tribe of Putrid Blightkings The Tattooed Tribes; 18 tribes of Marauders and Chaos Warriors The Tallyman's Host; 17 hordes of Plaguebearers The Bounding Beasts; 13 Beasts of Nurgle The Giggling Horde; 18 swarms of Nurglings The Skyblight; 4 swarms of Plague Drones The Metal Fist; 3 Chaos Chariots The Drakwald Beasts; 46 warherds of Gors and Ungors The Bloodgluttons; 3 herds of Minotaurs The Monstrous Horde; 35 Chaos Spawn, 6 Chaos Giants, 2 tribes of Dragon Ogres, 3 Ghorgons, 2 Cygors, 1 Slaughterbrute |
The Reiksguard Reserve; 8 regiments of Reiksguard Knights The Knights of the Setting Sun; 1 regiment of Inner Circle Knights, 2 regiments of Empire Knights The Knights of Sigmar's Blood; 1 regiment of Inner Circle Knights, 3 regiments of Empire Knights The Knights of the Blazing Sun; 1 regiment of Inner Circle Knights, 3 regiments of Empire Knights The Knights Panther; 1 regiment of Inner Circle Knights, 2 regiments of Empire Knights, 1 regiment of Demigryph Knights The Knights Griffon;2 regiments of Empire Knights, 3 regiments of Demigryph Knights The Company of Honour; 1 regiment of Empire Halberdiers The Grand Altdorf Garrison; 48 regiments of Altdorf State Troops, 19 detachments The Talabheim Refugee Corps; 6 regiments of Talabheim State Troops, 3 detachments The Middenheim Displaced; 3 regiments of Middenheim State Troops, 2 detachments The Imperial Engineers School; 30 Imperial Engineers, 14 artillery batteries, 4 Steam Tanks The Crusaders of Bretonnia; 53 lances of Knights of the Realm, 32 lances of Knights Errant, 13 lances of Questing Knights The Skyhost; 12 lances of Pegasus Knights Mundvard the cruel |
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| heavy | heavy |
The Fall of Altdorf was a major battle in the End Times
Contents
History
During the End Times the Glottkin were pronounced champions of Nurgle. They gathered a huge force together and crossed the Sea of Claws to invade the Empire, with Altdorf as their final destination while secretly Festus the Leechlord established himself in the Altdorf sewers to start working on a dark ritual which would culminate on the day the Nurgle forces where due to arrive - Geheimnisnacht.[1a]
After the disaster at the Battle of Heffengen, Kurt Helborg had been left as Steward of the Empire after the Emperor's apparent demise. Seeing the Nurgle forces converging on the city he started building up the city's defenses using all the mundane, magical and spiritual forces that he had his disposal. He sent requests for aid to Bretonnia, Estalia, Marienburg, Tilea as well as the Dawi and the High Elves but he received no reply.[1c]
Gregor Martak, Supreme Patriarch of the Colleges of Magic, inspired by dreams and furious at the dismissive attitude of Kurt Helborg left Altdorf to search for the Emperor, who he believed to be still alive after Heffengen. He found him in the woods and the two slowly made their way back towards Altdorf. Martak himself had a cream where Taal himself was dying from the plagues of Nurgle and that they would save him. However, he also said that all who fought for Altdorf would die in agony.[1c] Below the city, Festus the Leechlord, continued his work, blessed and encouraged by the Plaguefather.[1d]
However one recipient, Louen Leoncoeur, former King of Bretonnia had in fact called an Errantry War and gathered a large force of crusader knights to march towards Altdorf.For fifteen days they had traveled across the ravaged Empire with their columns of cavalry stretching more than a mile. Riding over the Bloodpine Ridge they were confronted by a the enemy hordes filling the plains that surrounded the great city.[1e]
Additionally, upon seeing the influence of Nurgle spreading across the land on his return from the Auric Bastion, Vlad von Carstein resolved to once again try to create an alliance between himself and the mortal lords of the Empire. He, Mundvard the Cruel of Marienburg and the White Ladies led a force of the dead towards the threatened city through the Drakwald.[1b]
When Vlad arrived in Altdorf he offered an alliance to Helborg who agreed out of desperation. The vampires resurrected the dead of the city, both recent and ancient, to fight in it's defense.[1f] Just as they finished the three armies of Nurgle; The Glottkin, The Maggoth Riders and Epidemius and Gutrot Spume and The Harbinger all converged on Altdorf.[1e]
The defenders of the city emerged from the city to confront the forces of Nurgle, the massed regiments of the state troops, artillery batteries, steam tanks and conclaves of battle wizards.[1e]
Battle - First Phase
Festus' ritual was completed in the slaughterhouse district and a vast billowing cloud of sickness and smoke rose up into the sky, growing to take the form of a massive tree. Only in the area of the sky where the twin-tailed comet blazed bright did it recoil and although Kurt Helborg declared it was not the main threat - he would soon be proved very wrong.[1e]
Nurgle himself poured his cauldron into the material world and a massive storm unleashed milk-white rain began to fall turning any corpses they hit into twisted flesh-trees.Streets began to resemble foul jungles into which daemonflies began to populate and it grew thickest at the heart of the city.[1e]
In response, the great hordes of Nurgle charged towards the city and the Daemon legions began to emerge into the world.[1e] the massed knights of Bretonnia charged across the the flood plains of the Reik and protected by the Lady, not a single drop of the pestilent rain touched them. Otto Glott ordered a shield wall formed to face them but the force of the charge smashed through them, cutting down the norsemen as they pushed through.[1f]
A second force of knights led by Louen himself crashed into the daemons of Epidemius, the plaguebearers spitted on blessed lances bursting like boils. However, both the great wedges of chivalry began to suffer attrition and knights began to fall as well as northern warriors. As he battle continued. Louen diverted his Skyhost to enter the city itself.[1f]
Kurt Helborg was shocked by the vast numbers of cavalry and beastmen emerging from the Drakwald and ordered one army of 1800 to advance to meet them as he signaled his own massed cavalry to move to counter them. As the vanguard of the chaos forces charged into the advanced Empire force, the Grand Masters of the Knightly Orders called upon the various deities and ordered their own charge. The initial forces of Gutrot were shattered by that charge and the cavalry reformed to block the throttlevine tunnel, cutting off that avenue of reinforcements.[1f]
The eastern attack saw Orghotts moving to intercept the wedge of steam tanks, Tripletongue taking a cannon ball that took off half its head. One tank was quickly destroyed but the remaining three war machines ploughed into the host of plaguebearer, only to be countered by Epidemius summoning a pus cyclone to destroy them.[1f]
| |
| Conflict | End Times/Nurgle invasion of the Empire |
| Date | Geheimnisnacht 2525 IC |
| Location | Altdorf, the Imperial capital city |
| Outcome | Allied victory |
| | |
| Nurgle forces | Allied Undead/Bretonnian/Imperial forces |
| | |
| Festus the Leechlord Ku'gath Plaguefather |
Vlad von Carstein Louen Leoncoeur |
| | |
| Putrefex Blistertongue;Daemonic Herald of Nurgle The Angels of Decay; 7 Plague Drones The Suppurating Host; 7 hordes of Plaguebearers The Frolicking Swarm; 3 swarms of Nurglings The Slubberdegullions; 7 Beasts of Nurgle Stemcutter;Soul Grinder of Nurgle |
Emperor Wilhelm I; Wight King The Shambling Dead; 3 hordes of Zombies The Last Remnants of Tribe Unberogen; 3 hordes of Grave Guard The Walking Wounded; 40 scratch companies of State Troops 3 Free Companies The Sons of the Comet; 1 congregation of Flagellants The Skyhost; 11 lances of Pegasus Knights |
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| heavy | heavy |
Battle - Second phase
Festus and his patron Daemon, Ku'gath, escorted by seven Plague Drones who were in awe of the mortal who had done such good work in the service of Nurgle, moved through the transformed city. Despite the best attempts of the defenders of they city including the priests and the Colleges of Magic, much of it had been turned into an extension of the Garden of Nurgle with the notable exception of the Temple of Shallya and its immediate surrounds.[1g]
Little resistance was offered to the Great Daemon and his empowered mortal as they moved towards the remaining area of purity as the majority of the defenders were at or beyond the walls. Yet, as they drew closer to their target and the daemonic flora began to wane, they came upon Bretonnian's Great Swords and mages of Bright College confronting and destroying the children of Nurgle. Yet these brave souls were no match for the power of Ku'garth and were quickly dispatched and finally the pair could see the Temple, the sky above it clear and blue.[1g]
They began to rampage into the healing stations and the walking wounded that tried to resist, only the sisters of Shallya immune to the pestilent Death's Heads dropped by the Plague Drones. They had only just started when from above, a horn sounded and the finest warriors of Bretonnia dropped out of the sky whilst Vlad von Carstein and ranks of the dead marched forth to confront the invaders.[1g]
Louen himself made a flying charge at Ku'gath, moving too fast to be intercepted by the Plague Drones and striking home with his blessed lance, followed by brutal slashes from his Hippogryph. In retaliation, the Daemon swiftly used the lance to fling the High Paladin and his mount into the temple whilst above the Pegasus knights fought against the drones.[1h]
A horde of zombies began to claw at the counting Plaguebearers, destroying a few before Blistertongue ordered them to fight back. More formidable attackers, Skeleton's and Wights now attacked from the flank with Vlad leading Graveguard to cut deep into their lines. As Ku'gath loomed over the last thin line of living defenders, Louen emerged from the temple, saving the High Priestess from a mighty blow.[1h]
Although the former king used his sword to open up Ku'Gath's chest even further to expose his heart, he suffered another powerful blow that send him crashing into the statue of Magnus the Pious. He merely growled a prayer to the Lady and came back again, his shield glowing with light. After Festus destroyed the flying knights with a rite of abundance, the Angels of Decay attacked the flagellants who were lashing their weapons into Ku'gath.[1h]
Vlad's wights were holding their own against the great host of Plaguebearers and the former Emperor, Wilhelm I cut down Blistertongue, sending him howling back to the Garden. Louen and his battered mount attacked Ku'gath once more but the noble mount was soon slain. After destroying a great pack of Nurglings, Vlad was confronted by Stemcutter.[1h]
Louen meanwhile had managed to plunge his sword into Ku'gath's throat, his own blessed blood searing the flesh of the Daemon like acid and begining to reach the gaping wound and exposed heart. Screaming and raging, Ku'gath bubbled and dissolved away into nothingness. The Lionhearted now sought to finish the Leechlord, but plunging his glowing sword into his guts was not enough.[1h]
Throwing a vial of daemonic ichor into Louens face, Festus followed up with his bonesaw, decapitating the High Paladin and holding the head up as a trophy. Vlad attacked him as well, but a phrase of power turned him to ash as Festus called upon the growing power of his god to destroy the remaining dead. Before he could destroy the priestesses and their protective circle Vlad was there again, plunging a wooden stake into the Leechlords chest. The massive power of life within Festus almost instantly turned it into a majestic oak tree, bursting the Leechlord and sending his spirit in a tempest back to the Realm of Chaos.[1h]
Beyond the walls, The Reiksguard led by captain Zintler fought to destroy Gutrot Spumes warshrine but although they were formidable warriors, they were overcome by the champion of Nurgle, Zintler having his own sword rammed through his neck to the hilt, killing him.[1h]
The host of Epidemuis were being held back by the state troops and even as he inscribed new incantations to invigorate his daemons, a misfiring helblaster volley gun blasted a hole through him and his slowly faded away. Taurox, the Brass Bull led his minotaurs but even as they smashed their way through the lines, Mundvard reanimated regiments of spearmen who began to overwhelm them but seemingly nothing would stop their leader. Yet as it bellowed out its praise to the Blood God, The Huntsmarshal shot a single arrow into its throat and killed it.[1h]
Having lost patience with the struggle, Ghurk simply smashed through the outer wall near the west gate, destroying ranks of the undead as they advanced into the city proper, heading to the Imperial Palace. Mundvard unleashed the Suiddock on the defilers of Marienburg, boosting its power so that was able to drag Ghurk.[1i]
The White Ladies attempted to burn through the skull of Otto Glott, but in desperation he threw his scythe, decapitating the leader of the trio and causing the remaining pair to flee. Although the Glottkin were swamped by a corpse mound, they were blasted free and when Mundvard sought to destroy them with an ancient incantation, Ethrac instead used his own magic to annihilate him. Smashing the Terrorghiest into a statue of Detlef Sierck, Ghurk smashing it into the flagstones until it was no more.[1i]
| |
| Conflict | End Times/Nurgle invasion of the Empire |
| Date | Geheimnisnacht 2525 IC |
| Location | Altdorf, the Imperial capital city |
| Outcome | Allied victory |
| | |
| Nurgle forces | Allied Imperial/Undead forces |
| | |
| The Glottkin | Emperor Karl Franz Supreme Patriarch Gregor Martak Vlad von Carstein |
| | |
| The Chosen Few The Clotted The Knights Entropic |
The Palace Dead |
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| complete | heavy |
Battle - Final Phase
By the time the Glottkin arrived at the Palace, it had been greatly transformed by rampant growth of algae, mold and other plants and the followers of Nurgle embraced that change. Otto joked that the palace would make a very fine outhouse but shortly after, Karl Franz arrived to confront them, swiftly followed by Vlad von Carstein and the Supreme Patriarch. The Emperor commanded them to leave or die but the Glottkin were more than happy to fight.[1j]
Vlad struck the first blow and swiftly overpowers Otto in a short duel but found himself infected by the foul blood of the Champion of Nurgle through his sword and is forced to flee to the amusement of Otto. Deathclaw charged into the norse warriors, but in turn was smashed backwards by a blow from Ghurk's tentacle - a two-headed Griffon then attacked the hulking monster, ripping out his eyes.[1j]
The Griffon is killed by the magic of Ethrac who is boosted by the power of his god and when Martak attempts to dispel his spells, he nearly tears himself apart and fails, fleeing back into the interior of the palace. Karl Franz seeks to kill Ghurk, plunging his Runefang into his chest but it only enraged the beast. otto then took the Emperor's right arm off with his scythe.[1j]
Meanwhile Martak stumbled into the Imperial Menagerie pursued by the Harbinger but the Imperial Dragon immolated the Beastmen. As Otto prepared to finish off Karl Franz, Kurt Helborg moved to defend his Emperor but Otto was too powerful for them both and killed them.[1k]
Yet with his last breath, Karl Franz called upon Sigmar and was reborn in a fiery conflagration of light that wiped away the corruption of Nurgle. Karl Franz smashed first Ghurk with his golden hammer and then blasted Otto with lightning. He turned to confront Ethrac who desperately cast a spell that swept away the three brothers away in a swarm of fat flies.[1k]
In the realm of dreams, Shallya was aided by the Lady to heal Taal and across the Empire, a white fire blazed which scoured away all of the choking taint of Nurgle, healing diseases and plagues everywhere.[1l]
Aftermath
Altdorf is abandoned and the Imperial forces, led by the newly empowered Emperor move to the city of Averheim, the only major city still standing in the Empire.
Gallery
High Paladin Louen Leoncoeur
Mundvard the Cruel
The Harbinger
The Clotted
The Frolicking Swarm
The Knights Entropic
The Repugnauts
The Slubberdegullions
Map of the Fall
Rebirth of Karl Franz
See also
Sources
- 1: Warhammer: Glottkin
- 1a: Chapter I, pg. 9-12
- 1b: Chapter III, pg. 76
- 1c: Chapter IV, pg. 81-83
- 1d: Chapter IV, pg. 84
- 1e: Chapter IV, pg. 85-87
- 1f: Chapter IV, pg. 92-95
- 1g: Chapter IV, pg. 98-99
- 1h: Chapter IV, pg. 106-111
- 1i: Chapter IV, pg. 116-117
- 1j: Chapter IV, pg. 120-121
- 1k: Chapter IV, pg. 124-125
- 1l: Chapter IV, pg. 127
