Tomb Kings (Warhammer Fantasy)

Latest revision as of 07:33, 3 July 2024

Tomb Kings are a nation that feature in Warhammer Fantasy.

History

The Tomb Kings of Khemri.

The Tomb Kings of Khemri were once a human civilisation that ruled over the vast fertile kingdom Nehekhara in World-That-Was. Establishing one of the first kingdoms of man, Nehekhara was ruled by the Priest Kings where the land was one many war-torn kingdoms. The divided land was eventually unified by the First King of Nehekhara, King Settra the Imperishable. Of all the kings of Nehekhara, none could match the splendour, cruelty and arrogance of Settra, the newly crowned king of Khemri. He was a vain and egotistical man, and demanded not only the obedience of his subjects but also their absolute adoration. However, Settra was no fool, and when he listened to his priests he realised that only a leader who could command the respect of the gods would earn the full adulation of the people. To this end, King Settra, alone amongst all the kings of Nehekhara, paid homage to the ancient gods; early in his reign he ordered the restoration of temples and erected magnificent statues built in their honour. On the first anniversary of his coronation, Settra beseeched the gods to restore Khemri to its former glory and grant him the strength to conquer his rivals, sacrificing his own children in a grand ritual to show his commitment and prove his worth. The next day, the Great Vitae River flooded for the first time in several decades. With the return of the waters, disease was washed away from Khemri and the crop harvest was plentiful for the first time in living memory. This was seen as a sign by both the Nehekharan priesthood and the populace of Khemri that Settra was indeed chosen by the gods. So it was that Settra became the first Priest King of Khemri, a ruler who commanded not only the loyalty of his people and his legions, but one who also wielded the power of the gods themselves. Settra was an all-powerful king who had fought alongside his father's legion for many years before ascending to Khemri's throne. He was a ruthless warlord, and his keen tactical and strategic sense was matched only by his courage and martial skill. One by one, Settra brought the other great cities of Nehekhara to heel, leading his legions from the front where he could slake his own battle-lust and thirst for conquest.First the city-state of Numas, known as the Scarab City, fell before his might. Then the port-city of Zandri surrendered, and with every victory more warriors flocked to his banner. Before long, Settra commanded the largest and most devout army Nehekhara had ever known. Vast legions of battle-hardened soldiers marched across the land of Nehekhara, and no mercy was shown to those who would dare oppose his might. In time, all the kings were conquered and Nehekhara stood unified once more.

King Settra was a beloved ruler that led Nehekhara into a golden age, yet time was not on his side. As Settra grew older he began to turn his gaze towards extending his rule into the afterlife. He charged his priests of the 'Mortuary Cult', who tended the mummified remains of the past rulers, to use their magics to develop a spell for everlasting life. After many years the priests were able to develop two spells: the first was one that would simply prolong life, the user would still age indefinitely, and the other would allow for the resurrection of the user. With promises that they would find a spell for true eternal life, the priests cast the magics that would allow them to reanimate the dead onto King Settra as he died. It would be this spell that would cause the eventual damnation of all of Nehekhara.

Huge necropolis of the dead, full of pyramids and temples eventually surrounded and dwarfed all the inhabited cities. Over hundreds of years, the necromancer Nagash waged a series of wars with the Nehekharans. His failure to dominate the region was bittersweet, as a final curse of epic proportions slew the populace and rendered the once-fertile kingdoms desert. Through the polluting side effects of Nagash's curse combining with the ancient Nehekharan magics, and the manner of burial, the Tomb Kings were reborn. Unlike the other mindless creations of Nagash the ancient Kings were reborn with their mind and will intact, due to the embalming rituals performed on them before their deaths. Instead of being reborn in paradise with healthy young bodies as promised by the priests they were born in rotting corpses, the once fertile land they ruled now a barren desert.

Overview

In appearance, the Tomb Kings were originally a race of man that lived in the desert lands of Khemri. In life, they were known as the Priest Kings of Khemri until the death of their civilisation.

Their armies are based around deployments typical of Mesopotamian/Egyptian antiquity. Large blocks of light infantry armed with bows, axes, maces, spears, and shields are supported by chariots and light cavalry. One such cavalry are Necropolis Knights, ancient elite warriors mounted on animated serpentine statues of bone, metal and marble. Tomb Kings are also able to summon swarms of scarabs to aid them in battle.

The army was best known for its magic: Liche Priests and High Liche Priests (along with Tomb Kings and Princes to a lesser degree) employ a variety called "Nehekharan Incantations". In the sixth edition the magic did not follow the normal Warhammer rules for magic; they were not subject to Miscasts or Irresistible Force but were cast automatically. Priests did not roll for their spells as most Warhammer wizards; each knows all four incantations (Tomb Kings and Princes knew a set two). However, in the updated version of Tomb Kings the Liche priests now have a new magic lore known as the Lore of Nehekhara along with the ability to now access the Lore of Light and the Lore of Death.

The original fourteen gods of Nehekhara were as follows:

• Ptra : Known as the great father, first among the gods.
• Neru : Wife of Ptra and goddess of the great moon (Mannslieb)
• Sakhment : minor goddess of the green moon (Morrslieb)
• Asaph : Goddess of beauty, magic and vengeance
• Djaf : Jackal God of death
• Khsar : Faceless God of the desert
• Phakth : Hawk God of the sky and bringer of swift Justice
• Qu'aph : Serpent God of subtlety
• Ualatp : Vulture God of scavengers
• Sokth : God of Assassins and thieves
• Basth : Goddess of grace and love
• Geheb : God of earth and giver of strength
• Tahoth : God of knowledge and keeper of sacred lore
• Usirian : Jackal God of the underworld

The priests of the Mortuary Cult were known as the Liche Priests. The members of the mortuary cult are made up of the first-born sons of the Priest Kings. There have been five distinct generations of Liche Priests. The first learnt to extend their lives far beyond their natural length. They were drawn from the priests who tended to the ancient gods of Nehekhara. The second to forth gradually learnt more and greatly lengthened their life spans, but the fifth generation are the ones still alive. They learnt to bind their souls to their bodies so that they could not die. They had also learnt the secrets of resurrection. The priests of the mortuary cult quickly learnt that the only way they could stay in power would be to keep their knowledge to themselves and to perpetuate an air of mystery around themselves. This attitude slowly turned Nehekharan culture to centre around death and eventually more effort was put in to preparing for death than living itself. Worship of Djaf and Usirian became as wide as that of Ptra and symbols of immortality and everlasting life because commonplace on the shields, banners and chariots of the kings. Heroism was rewarded with the promise of everlasting life and rebirth through mummification rather than with riches and luxuries in life.

The personality and will of the Tomb King directs and orders his army and they are able to instil them with vigour through Horekhah's Incantation of Urgency or Mankara's Incantation of Urgency. Those who destroy a Tomb King or Prince are often struck down by the curse that protects the royal mummies of Nehekhara.

The Tomb King army also fields other large Undead constructs assembled from bone, marble and ancient statues these include gigantic undead scorpions, carrion Vultures of the desert and even the animated skeletons of ancient giants. Other Sand animated statues of the ancient gods of Khemri also march with the undead horde such as the mighty Ushabti, the Snake like Sepulchral Stalkers, Warsphinxs which can serve as monstrous mounts by either a squad of elite tomb guard or a Tomb King himself, The most deadly construct in a Tomb King army however is the Giant Necrosphinx, an animated statue capable of decapitating a dragon with a single strike of its ancient blades. Every Tomb Kings army must be led by a King or Prince (the army's General). His force of will drives the host forward, while the accompanying Liche Priests or High Priest (one called the Hierophant is compulsory in every Tomb Kings army) animates the dead. An army can usually survive the death of its General, but once the Hierophant is slain, it is only a matter of time before all non-character models collapse into the sand.

Within the armies of the Tomb Kings included:

• Skeletons :
• Skeleton Archers :
• Sepulchral Stalker :
• Ushabti :
• Tomb Guard :
• Skeleton Horsemen :
• Necropolis Knight :
• Tomb Herald :
• Necrotect :
• Liche Priest :
• Tomb Prince :
• Tomb King :
• Tomb Scorpion :
• Warsphinx :
• Bone Giant :
• Necrosphinx :
• Hierotitan :
• Khemric Titan :

Each king had a pyramid built for them in the necropolis of their city, adorning it with fine statues they would use in the afterlife. Also buried with them is their kingly chariot and steeds waiting for the day they are called back to the world of life.

Members

• Settra the Imperishable : the greatest living Tomb King and founder of the Mortuary Cult. In life he ruled all of Nehekhara through his iron will, and in undeath he continues that tradition. Though an arrogant, cruel tyrant, under his 150 years of leadership Nehekhara entered a golden age. Settra desires to restore Nehekhara to its former glory and to expand his realm as he did in life- through conquest. Settra fights atop the golden Chariot of the Gods and wields the Blessed Blade of Ptra, and his skill at arms and aura of command makes him a terrifying foe for any enemy to face.
• Herald Nekaph : Settra's personal champion and sacred bodyguard, whose weapon "the Flail of Skulls" bears the heads of the formidible foes he has defeated in his king's name. When fighting a foe in a challenge Nekaph fights much harder knowing he fights for his king's honor, upon his resurrection Nekaph retains his warrior soul and his devotion to King Settra.
• High Queen Khalida : slain by her own cousin Neferata the first Vampire. When reborn as a Tomb Queen, Khalida vowed not to return to rest until she rids the entire world of the hated vampires. Blessed by the goddess Asaph, Khailida moves with serpent like speed and no poison can harm her.
• Grand Hierophant Khatep : the most powerful Liche Priest of the Mortuary Cult, banished by Settra until he discovers a way to grant true immortality and restore Nehekhara to its former glory. Khatep roams the deserts searching for the answers while appearing seemingly from nowhere every now and again to aid the armies of the Tomb Kings.
• Arkhan the Black : Nagash's most trusted follower and a powerful necromancer in his own right. Arkhan searches for a means to resurrect his master, travelling the world to retrieve his master's lost heirlooms. He has already recovered the Staff of Nagash and the Liber Mortis (one of the dreaded nine black tomes of Nagash). Until the time Arkhan can gather the rest of his master's lost artifacts and begin the spell to return Nagash, he fights for any Tomb King who can afford his price.
• Prince Apophas : a prince who killed his own family to usurp his brother's throne. He was cast down and as punishment, he was entombed alive with countless desert scarabs which devoured his still living flesh. Once this punishment was complete, the tomb was opened and his skull was cast into the desert- so great were his crimes, he was denied a permanent crypt. Usirian, the god of death, claimed his soul but the Prince struck a bargain with the god- Apophas would be granted undeath in order to search the world for a perfect soul to take his place in the realm of the dead. Thus Apophas was reborn, his body now taking the form of man-shaped swarm of desert scarabs, with his skull on top in place of a head, the body wielding the same knife he used to murder his own family. Unknown to Apophas, Usirian tricked him, as no soul is ever exactly equal to another, thus Apophas is doomed to spend eternity sending souls to Usirian.
• Ramhotep the Visionary : the most revered Necrotect of Nehekhara

Notes

• The Tomb Kings were created by Games Workshop and featured in the setting of the Warhammer Fantasy universe.

In other media

Video games

• In Warhammer: Chaosbane, the Tomb Kings appeared in the first DLC "The Tomb Kings" in the setting of the action role-playing video game. The Tomb King Nebmakhet who ruled the city of Bel Aliad located in Nehekhara, the Land of the Dead. After his death, he and his army were buried within his intact tomb that remained undisturbed until the time after the Great War. In that time, the Amethyst Order of the Empire's Colleges of Magic helped form an expedition into Nehekhara when Professor Johannes Dürer claimed to had discovered the tomb of Nebmakhet. Unknown to anyone, Dürer was dying from exposure to warpstone and sought Nagash's Elixir of Life. Unaware of the Tomb Kings past, he disturbed the relics of the tomb thus awakening King Nebmakhet where he requested the undead ruler use of the elixir. Learning of Dürers worship of Nagash came to anger the Tomb King who flayed the man alive and his armies went to attack all the living that defiled his city. Fearing the Tomb Kings invasion of the Empire, Dürer's assistant Margritte helped a band of adventurers defeat Nebmakhet. Though slain, his spirit was said to revive once again in the future though the Empire came to return all the disturbed relics and sealed his tomb once more.

Appearances

• Warhammer Armies: Tomb Kings:

External Links

• Lexicanum Warhammer Fantasy Entry

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