Vampire Counts (Warhammer Fantasy)

The Vampire Counts are an army that feature in Warhammer Fantasy.

History

Some two and a half thousand years before the birth of Sigmar, the ancient civilization of Nehekhara dwelt along the banks of the great river Vitae. (Nehekhara is mostly based on Ancient Egypt). Of all the kings of Nehekhara, none could match the splendour, cruelty and arrogance of Settra, first Priest King of Khemri. Under his inspired leadership and unparalleled ruthlessness, the many kings of Nehekhara were conquered and forced to pay tribute and acknowledge Khemri as the greatest city of the land. But Settra was unsatisfied, knowing that one day death would rob him of all he had accomplished. In his arrogance he vowed that the grave would not claim him and proclaimed that he would cheat death, setting his wisest and most powerful priests towards working on a means of preventing his passing. Soon all of Nehekhara became preoccupied with death and the afterlife, building many huge temples and monuments to the dead. These huge tombs became so frequent and huge that the rulers blocked them all into the giant cities of the dead called Necropoli. It was into this culture that Nagash was born, brother of the Priest king of Khemri. Nagash was the first son and was given to the mortuary cult as tradition demanded. He soon rose to the position of high priest. He observed the morticians as they prepared the dead for interment. He learned all of their ancient spells but because Nehekarra was so far south the winds of magic were too weak to cast them. But then, when a group of dark elves were blown off-course and captured by the Zandri navy then given to Khemri as a gift to be sealed in with Nagash's father in his tomb, Nagash only pretended to poison them, he then proceeded to learn in secret all they knew. Nagash kept them sealed in his fathers pyramid as a bargain: he would learn their sorcery and they would get out alive. They taught him how to reap souls and use their energy to cast spells on his own, without the aid of the Nehekharan gods, from whom all magic currently known to the Nehekharans came. Nagash took to unspeakable experiments in his quest for immortality and, after sharing his elixer with a group of power-hungry noblemen, was discovered by his brother, Priest-king Thutep. As a result, Thutep was buried alive and Nagash openly took the throne of Khemri. This elicited outrage from the other cities, and, more importantly, the Hierarchic Council in Mahrak. Mahrak, Bhagar, Raestra, Ka-sabar and Lybaras formed an alliance against the Usurper, and bloody war ensued. Zandri and Numas allied themselves with Nagash. Shortly before this brutal war, Nagash constructed a vast pyramid - the Black Pyramid of Nagash - which served as a locus for his blasphemous rituals. When centuries long war finally came to a 4 year siege at the walls of Mahrak, Nagash broke the sacred covenant between gods and men, by sacrificing Neferem, Daughter of the Sun and embodiment of the covenant. His power was broken, however, when Numas and Zandri betrayed him, and Lahmia joined the war against him. His army was destroyed and he was assumed dead.

Unknown to the priest kings however, Nagash rebuilt his power and constructed a vast citadel that became known as Nagashizzar in the mountain known as Cripple Peak, seeking to take advantage of the huge reserves of warpstone there. The Skaven, also desiring the warpstone, tried many times to sack Nagashizzar and take Cripple Peak for their own, but they couldn't take the fortress, but neither could Nagash drive them away. Finally, after many years of fighting ground to a stalemate, Nagash formed an alliance with the Skaven, supplying them with warpstone in exchange for aid with his plans. The rulers of the city of Lahmia, Queen Neferata and her brother Lamashizaar had been part of the confederation against Nagash. After Nagash was defeated outside the walls of Mahrak known as the City of the Gods. Lamashizaar allied with Arkhan the black in secret. They traveled to the black pyramid of Nagash, Lamashizaar entered the Black Pyramid of Nagash with Arkhan the Black in secret with his troops and plundered his library taking the nine books of Nagash lamashizaar enslaved Arkhan after he attempted to kill him. He brought the books and Arkhan back to Lahmia where he sought to create Nagash's elixir and become immortal. Unwilling to kill humans to fuel the elixir because of a fear of being found out. He and his cabal of followers instead used animals. They extended their lives but did not make themselves immortal. Neferata frustrated with the lack of progress and desiring power for herself allied with Arkhan in secret and with his help created a new elixir then used it to turn the cabal to her side and took power. Lamashizaar eventually attempted to kill her using sphinx venom with its magical properties could overwhelm the elixirs power. Arkhan however using sorcery and blood was able to save her, Arkhan then sought and killed Lamashizaar in his bedchamber, after which Arkhan was found and cut down by Abhorash, Lahmia's most formidable warrior. Neferata through a combination of the sphinx venom and elixir turned into the first vampire she then proceeded to turn the rest of the cabal consisting of Lord Ushoran, W'soran, Naaima, Lord Ankhat, Zurhas, Abhorash and several others into vampires using the same method (though Abhorash had to be tricked into drinking the elixir). Each of the twelve masters (Nefereta included) bore particular traits, and they could expand their lineage by creating vampire servants, but through each successive generation, the powers of the vampire weakened. Abhorash became the first Blood Dragon Vampire, W'soran the first Necrach Vampire, Neferatta become the first Lahmian Vampire.

The vampire cabal engineered their own deaths and then used the cult of Asaph as a cover for their operations. Neferata ruled as queen behind the scenes using her mortal descendents to issue her edicts. The vampires defended their homeland but were ultimately pushed back to Lahmia itself. Alcadizaar's armies then broke through the gates of Lahmia and set about the city. The library of Lahmia, the centre of the vampires' lore and knowledge, was defended stoically by some vampires, who were slain and died in the flames. Accepting Lahmia as lost, the vampires fled north. Of the twelve Masters, only seven survived the sacking of Lahmia. Heading north, the remaining vampire masters encountered Nagash, who was secretly pleased with the havoc they had wreaked. Making them his captains, they lead the Undead into Nehekhara. The might of Nagash combined with the power of the vampires was awesome to behold, but they faced one of the greatest leaders of all time, Alcadizaar the Great. Through a brilliant campaign, he smashed the Undead armies, and sent the vampires fleeing from Nehekhara. Nagash, furious at being defeated, cursed the Vampires to be burnt by the rays of the sun. The Vampire Masters separated and fled into hiding. Nagash then unleashed a plague upon Nehekhara: many hundreds of thousands died and were raised to swell the ranks of undead under Nagash's control. Nagash used this new army to invade Nehekhara: easily overwhelming the meager defenses, he captured Alcadizaar and took him back to Nagashizzar in chains. After consuming massive amounts of warpstone, Nagash began the Ritual of the Waking to transform the whole world into an undead realm. Fearing destruction, the Skaven of Cripple Peak betrayed Nagash, freed Alcadizaar, who then (apparently) killed Nagash with the Skaven's Fellblade. In actuality his spirit survived, though it took him nearly a thousand years to regenerate his body. When he was reborn in his Black Pyramid, he tried to seize control of Nehkhara once more, but the other Tomb Kings, outraged by what he had done and united under the leadership of the resurrected Settra, drove him out. Defeated, Nagash returned to Nagashizzar, only to find the Skaven had occupied it. Nevertheless, in a single night, Nagash destroyed the Skaven Clan that ruled his fortress, Clan Rikek, and seized Nagashizzar. The Skaven decided they didn't want another war with the necromancer and left him his prize. Nagash remains in his fortress, biding his time and gathering his strength.

Overview

There are five distinct families of vampires, each descending from one of the "first vampires" or original ones created Neferata, these families are called "Bloodlines", each with different characteristics that affect the way the armies of each operate, although the more powerful members of any vampire bloodline can cast spells, and that all vampires are formidable in combat. Games Workshop has removed the bloodlines from the new edition of the Vampire Counts Armies book; replacing them with selectable skills associated with the original bloodlines (yet mixable as though having aspects of many bloodlines). The known vampire bloodlines are as follows:

• Von Carstein : These vampires are somewhat stereotypical vampires, modeled very much in the manner of Dracula. They are seen as having close bonds with animals such as wolves and bats. In game terms, these vampires have no particular modifications and several of their bloodline powers emphasize their ties with animals. They are hereditary rulers of Sylvania. The von Carsteins have been prevalent throughout the recent history of the vampire counts, and are the only bloodline to openly go to war with the Empire. The blood line was created by Vlad when he married Isabella on the night that Count Otto, her father and the then count of Sylvania, died. The history of Vlad before that night is unclear. Vlad has come close to destroying the Empire, only being defeated in a duel with the Grand Theogonist, on the walls of Altdorf. After Vlad was killed there were five remaining claimants for the throne of Sylvania. Fritz was killed while attempting to besiege Middenheim, Hans was killed in a quarrel instigated by Konrad, Pieter was slain by witch hunter Helmut van Hal (rumor at the time suggested Mannfred led him to Pieter's lair), and Mannfred left Sylvania to travel in search of Necromantic lore. Konrad, who had no ambitions other than mindless and bloody slaughter, wasted no time in marauding across half the Empire and even attacking the Dwarfs of Zhufbar until he was destroyed at Grim Moor. Mannfred then returned to Sylvania and bided his time, rebuilding the bloodline after Konrad nearly destroyed it. Mannfred then attacked Altdorf but was forced to retreat; after a long backwards and forwards chase he was defeated at Hel Fenn, where prince Martin claimed to have killed him, but rumors persist that this is not the case. The Von Carsteins are the descendants of Vashanesh, Neferata's husband. However, most of the history of the bloodline is lost: specifically, everything between Vashanesh becoming a vampire and the resurgence of Vlad. Some claim that Vlad and Vashanesh are one and the same, but none can confirm this.
• Blood Dragons : Blood Dragons are fallen Knights, usually from the realm of Bretonnia; they are portrayed as souls in suffering, neither good nor evil. They desire skill in military combat, but do not particularly wish to become rulers or land owners, thus making them undead Knights Errant. Their goal is to not find the Grail as a Bretonnian Knight would, but rather succeed in mastering combat, and obtaining the same ability of permanently suppressing the need to drink human blood to survive as their leader, Abhorash did. The game system emphasizes their combat skill at the expense of spell-casting abilities. Abhorash was the greatest warrior of Lahmia and held honour above all else, so much so that when Neferata and the nobles of her court turned into vampires, Abhorash who was content to continue to drink Nagahs elixir had to be tricked into drinking the sphinx venom. Initially he refused to feed on the blood of his own people, and desperately fought to control his fury: eventually however, his thirst grew so great that he slaughtered a dozen men and women in one night of gore. It is said that he wept tears of blood for the poor souls he had murdered to save himself, he fled south past Rasetra into the hot jungles of the Southlands, the others attempted to find him but could not. Abhorash was at the front of Lahmia's defense when the Priest Kings attacked and slew hundreds of their warriors, until the steps of the royal palace and Neferata's temple were covered in blood. Despite his great fighting abilities, the armies of the Priest Kings were too many to defeat: Lahmia was sacked, its people enslaved or killed, and the undead aristocrats hunted down and put to the sword. As the few remaining vampires gathered up as much wealth and riches as they could and fled surrounded by hordes of their minions, Abhorash cursed his arrogant brothers who had brought destruction upon his beloved city, and set off followed by only a few loyal warriors and carrying only his weapons and armour, in exile. He taught his followers that skill in close combat and honour in battle were the only measures of greatness and they would only drink from great fighters, saying that only the impure fed on the weak. Eventually his travels took him to a great mountain wreathed with eternal flames; ignoring the advice of all of his followers Abhorash scaled the side of this fiery mountain. As he reached its summit, a red dragon of immense size emerged from the crater and descended upon the Vampire Lord. At the prospect of testing his martial abilities, Abhorash drew his sword and prepared to fight the great wyrm. The two fought the entire night and in the end the Vampire was victorious. As the dragon lashed in its death throes, Abhorash seized its throat with his fangs and drank deep. Intoxicated by the blood of the dragon, Abhorash cast the carcass of the broken creature down from the mountain top. His search had ended; he no longer craved the lifeblood of men and had become the ultimate warrior, a man with the strength of a Vampire who had no need for blood. He then dispatched his followers to go forth into the world and charged them to master the arts of combat to such a skill that they could overcome their bloody thirst as he had. When they had succeeded, he would call them back to him, and they would go to war. It is said Abhorash still waits at the mountain, waiting for the day when his followers can rejoin him. Other famous Blood Dragons include: Walach Harkon (who challenged and defeated the entire Order of the Blood Dragon single-handedly), The Red Duke and Varison the Blade.
• Lahmians : This bloodline is (almost) entirely female, and no male models have been released. They are descended from Neferata, the original vampire. They emphasize the seductive nature of vampires and many of their bloodline powers center around influencing the behavior of enemy heroes. In the game they are given greater speed at the expense of their combat potential. Neferata was queen of the city-state of Lahmia and the first of all the Vampires. After the city was destroyed by the Kings of Nehekara, she fled with her minions to the mountain known as 'The Silver Pinnacle'. After driving out the mountain's Dwarf inhabitants, Neferata established a new court, where she rules as the leader of a Sisterhood of enchantingly beautiful vampires who use secrecy, cunning and intrigue where others would use brute strength, to sway the political powers of the human kingdoms to do their will. The talons of the Lahmians reach all levels of human society and they take an active interest in human affairs. No one can guess how many eccentric noblewomen, widows of princes and dukes, and high-born ladies who shun the light of day and lock themselves up in tall towers and opulent palaces, are in truth the Undead and part of Neferata's brood. Geneviève Dieudonné (who was made a vampire without approval and is not linked to the Lahmian hierarchy) is of special interest to the Lahmians, who guard her in the hopes that her heroic status amongst the humans can be used to the benefit of the Lahmians' goals.
• Necrarch : Necrarch vampires appear monstrous and wizened, very much on the mold of the vampire shown in the classic film Nosferatu. In Warhammer terms they are weaker in combat but have much greater magical potential than the other vampire bloodlines. However, their physical strength is still on a similar level to other vampires, their disadvantage being a poorer weapon skill. Overall they are still vastly more dangerous than an equivalent level wizard in close combat, and on par with the more dangerous of melee fighters. They are described as solitary researchers, working on ever more terrible spells as they live out their undying centuries. Because of their studies the Necrarch armies field large numbers of necromantic constructs, spellcasters, and zombie dragons. Necrarchs claim descent from W'soran, who they revere as the father of Vampires, for W'soran served under Nagash himself. With the fall of Lahmia, the kingdom of Vampires came to an end and the Great Library of Lahmia was burned to the ground. The accumulated knowledge of ancient Nehekhara was destroyed and many disciples of W'soran died in the flames, reluctant to abandon their work. However a handful of Necrarchs fled and survived the pursuit of the armies of the kings of Numas and Zandri, taking with them books and scrolls and other fragments of the dark lore that Nagash created. They scattered all over the world hiding themselves to patiently wait for the death of their enemies and continue their studies. It is implied they are still in the servitude of Nagash, or are attempting to conduct a spell similar to the one he used to decimate Nehekhara and awaken the dead therein. Their progenitor was W'soran, and their previous master Melkhior was known to have served Nagash closely.
• Strigoi : Strigoi were first introduced in the sixth edition of the game as a new bloodline. In appearance they are even more monstrous than the Necrarchs and are huge and heavily built. They are the descendants of Ushoran who with his followers fled north to what is now the badlands and built a great empire; when it was destroyed by orcs the Strigoi were scattered and eventually degenerated to what they are today. The Strigany are the descendants of the mortal servants of Ushoran. The Strigoi are animalistic, half-mad and barely intelligent. In game terms they have similar combat potential to the Blood Dragons, but in terms of strength and bestial fury rather than skill-at-arms. The tradeoff is an inability to use steeds, weapons or armor. An interesting note is that Strigoi are a type of Romanian vampire based on the striga—but there is little resemblance between the myth and the bloodline in Warhammer Fantasy. Strigoi armies contain little undead, bolstered by large numbers of Ghouls and their champions. Their progenitor, Ushoran, snubbed the other vampire masters to establish his own empire in Strigos, situated in what is now the Badlands. When the capital Mourkain was sacked by an Orc, the Strigoi vampires sought out their fellow vampires, who shunned them for Ushoran's snobbery and in some cases, openly hunted them down. The misery of what they had lost and the betrayal of their kin destroyed their minds and corrupted their bodies, and thus the Strigoi degenerated into the insane, feral beasts they are now. Unlike other vampires, Strigoi mainly drink the blood of the freshly dead instead of the living, for fear of attracting unwanted attention from both humans and vampires. Some Strigois have (d)evolved into Varghulf, massive bat-like creatures driven only by the instinct to kill and feast.
• Sartosa : When the body of Luthor Harkon was unwittingly taken on board the long-boat of Norse raiders and taken to Lustria, he created an undead realm known as the Vampire coast of zombie pirates from shipwrecks that became feared pirates and attacked the Lizardmen of the city of Huatl.

The armies of the Vampire Count armies were primarily hordes of low-quality infantry, made up of undead creatures such as skeletons, zombies, ghosts and ghouls, alongside elite units of Black Knights, Grave Guard, and various other creatures typically depicted as being in league with vampires, such as wolves or bats. These hordes are led by powerful Vampires, Necromancers, Wights (a form of undead warrior), or other undead. When comparing the armies it is easiest to use the appearance of the army and a general rule of thumb: if the army is 95% bone (skeletons, bone giants, bone scorpions, etc.) with an 'Egyptian' theme, it is Khemri. If there are anywhere from 20-40% fleshed units (vampires, ghouls, zombies, zombie dragons, etc.), it is Vampire Counts. The only 'war machine' for the Vampire Counts is the "Black Coach", driven by a wraith bearing a scythe and drawn by two skeletal steeds. Vampire Counts have access to strong heroes and much of the troops from the old Undead, making it more of a successor to the formerly united army. They also are able to raise undead in the game. Tomb Kings have the larger number of troops, tougher/bigger troops and never miscast spells. In short, Vampire Counts rely more on combat and attrition tactics than Tomb Kings, whereas the latter rely more on the spells of the liche priests and strong blocks of elite undead (Tomb Kings can field entire armies of heavy skeletal horseman and light chariots without a single foot-soldier in sight).

The resurrected dead are bound to the service of Vampires by foul Necromantic magic. The bulk of their armies consists of skeletons and zombies, with small units of Ghouls - living cannibals, driven insane by the flesh of humans. Bats are naturally drawn towards the power of Vampires. Elite units of Grave Guard, heavily armoured skeleton champions, march to war alongside the immortal vampires, and the dread Black Coaches thunder into battle, able to move even if the skeleton horses pulling it have been shot down. Necromancers are living wizards who have turned to darkness, and provide magical support. Vampires are almost indomitable in combat. Vampires also possess magical abilities which they use to destroy foes, and cover the sunny skies with clouds while marching to war. Cairn Wraiths are wizards who failed to become immortal, only their soul is left, wrapped in a cloak of darkness - these Rare choice units can be led by a howling banshee.

Corpse Carts are an un-living mess of zombies on wheels, and can serve as a mount for a Necromancer. Varghulfs are Vampires who allowed their bestial instincts to overwhelm them, and have mutated and devolved into huge bat-like monsters possessed of enormous fighting power and boundless ferocity. Blood Knights are another Vampire unit, an elite brotherhood of vampire knights hailing from the fortress of Blood Keep in the Grey Mountains. In 2011 Tomb Banshees and Cairn Wraiths received a visual remake, having this time only one type of each model instead of having three different variants with different poses.

Members

• Neferata : The first of the Lahmian bloodline and also the first vampire. She and her handmaidens ruled Lahmia for centuries until Alcadizzar the Great invaded and destroyed it, forcing her to leave. after attempts to conquer Cathay, Bel Aliad, Sartosa, and Mourkain, she finally settled in the Silver Pinnacle, a dwarven hold settled in the World's End Mountains. To this day she commands her handmaidens scattered through the aristocracy of the Old World.
• Vlad Von Carstein : The first and greatest of the Von Carstein Vampire Counts. Vlad nearly brought the nation of the Empire to its knees. He was near unkillable thanks to his magic ring known as the Carstein Ring which always resurrected him when he was slain. He waited for hundreds of years for the perfect time to strike the Empire, and when he marched on Altdorf, his victory looked assured. His army was massive. Vlad's crucial mistake was taking the Grand Theongist on in single combat. The night before, Empire operatives had managed to steal Vlad's talismanic ring, the ring it is said, that while he possessed he could not be killed. The battle ended when the Grand Theongist threw himself into Vlad, dragging him from the battlements of Altdorf in a deathly embrace. The two were impaled on the moat of stakes which had been placed around the city.
• Isabella Von Carstein : The devoted wife and lover of Vlad von Carstein, she was as noble as Vlad, but also more cruel. She regarded the living with a level of contempt which her sire did not. After Vlad's death she impaled herself on a stake rather than spend eternity without her husband.
• Konrad Carstein : The most deranged of the Von Carstein Vampires, Konrad was a beast in combat but he was also considered "one bat short of a belfry". The second most powerful of Vlad's gets, Konrad greedily assumed the throne after Vlad died, as Mannfred, Vlad's firstborn, mysteriously vanished following the incident. Konrad was a terrible ruler, he had respect for no one, and nothing. He was given to a terrible temper as well. While he ruled at Drakenhof, there was a terrible waste of blood. The devoted servants of Sylvania, whom Vlad had treated well—indeed, they felt graced to be chosen as Vlad's meal—became little more than 'cattle' to the new count. He eventually became so paranoid that the other vampires would destroy him that they eventually were left with no choice but to prove him right. He was killed at the battle of Grimm Moor, by a White Wolf of Middenheim whom Vlad had inducted into his inner circle.
• Manfred Von Carstein : Mannfred was actually first in line to take the place of Vlad, however he mysteriously disappeared after the Count's untimely death. For many years Konrad was allowed to rule Sylvania, but as it turns out, Manfred had not been idle. He had gone on a quest to retrieve some very powerful artefacts from the lands of the Tomb Kings. When he returned, nearly more than 100 years after Vlad's death, Manfred was equipped with one of Nagash's nine books, a powerfully enchanted staff, and a cloak which rendered him nearly impossible to hit in combat and a ring that could bring him back from any death. It is this ring that allowed his sire Vlad to continue his war for so long. Additionally, he had become a very accomplished wizard, and this allowed him to do what Konrad could not—to march on the Empire without any fear of defeat. However, when Mannfred finally stood at the gates of Altdorf, as his sire had done so many years ago, yet another crushing defeat waited for him. All that was visible on the walls of the great city was the figure of Grand Theongist Kurt III. The tiny man had open in his hands Nagash's Liber Mortis, and he began reciting the spell of unbinding from its pages. Rage took Mannfred, but as his army began to crumble to dust, he was in no position to continue the assault. He was driven back, and finally cut down at Hel Fenn by the White Wolf, the once grand master of the order of the white wolf then turned undead. He took the ring and with the help of a dwarf hid himself for all time in the badlands to keep the ring from returning to evil hands. The Last of the Vampire Counts. Manfred is the most cunning Vampire of the Von Carsteins. He is also an exceptional spellcaster being able to access all the spells from the Lore of the Vampires and the Lore of Death.
• Heinrich Kemmler : the Lichemaster, Kemmler was a master Necromancer, leading huge legions of the undead, with his own court of ambitious apprentices. As they grew they became rivals and one day attacked their master. Kemmler fled them, nearly breaking his body and mind in the process. For years he wandered the World's Edge Mountains on the run, until he stumbled upon the tomb of Krell, a powerful champion of Chaos in life, and later returned to Undeath by Nagash himself to become a 'Dark Lord of Nagash'. Krell was defeated after Sigmar's banishing of his master and entombed in a secret location. There Kemmler struck a pact with the Chaos gods to restore his power in return for spreading death and destruction in their name. They also granted him Krell as a gift—a powerful Wight Lord accomplice and bodyguard. Now the name of the Lichemaster once again strikes fear into the hearts of mortals, though with the shadowy hand of Nagash guiding them from behind the scenes.
• Krell : Lord of undeath known as the Holdbreaker by the Dwarfs. Krell was a gift from the Chaos gods to Heinrich Kemmler, Krell was once a Chaos warrior, and now he serves the Lichemaster in a terrible mockery of life. More fearsome now than he was in life, Krell serves as Kemmler's bodyguard. When fighting in a challenge to defend Kemmler, Krell gains the Heroic Killing Blow special ability meaning he can slay anything even a dragon with his deadly black axe.

Appearances

• Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts: