Sigmar was a german peasent that grew up in a time of great destruction in Central Germany, and would come to liberate the entire region and in the end found The Empire. Sigmar is one of the Man Gods created by the Titan Ares in his image, and he is the inspiration for Emperor Worship which constitutes support from the majority of Central Europeans, and is the state religion of The Empire.
Born in Western Prussia this poor peasent was thrust into the limelight after he led the masterful defence of his village against the rampaging horde of Trollocs that attacked it. After this victory he would mass a large army and go throughout Germany uniting most of the region into the banner of The Empire, with only the Kingdom of Bavaria holding out. Sigmar now the Emperor would be forced to defend the Empire against the first of the Andal Chaos invasions. During this conflict he would lose his brother, and his wife due to treachery and the cowerdess of humanity. With their deaths he was heartbroken and thus begin to cotimplate sadness and interspection on a constant basis causing his "father" Ares to return one last time for him. Ares would beg Sigmar to return to the path of destroying the enemies of Order and to uplift the humans of the forest, but Ares found Sigmar in a dark place and basically gave up on his son causing Sigmar to fall even deeper into darkness. It was during this darkeness that Sigmar begin reading books on the east, and the lands of Chaos and came to realize what his father had always wanted him to do. Realizing this Sigmar would swiftly over a year organize as many things within The Empire as he possibly could and then he abrubtly left the lands of his people to the east where he hoped to find Chaos and destroy it. He was obviously unsussecful as Chaos lives, but whatever damage the Man God did must have been incredible because the period of Black Crusades was halted dramatically for nearly a century.
History
The Rise of Sigmar
Main Article : Sigmar
See Also : Man Gods
The Rise of Sigmar You must save our people Sigmar. You are the only one who can. |
---|
Sigmar was born in the region of Bavaria in the northern part of Germania, to the Unberogen tribe, generally considered to have been one of the most powerful pre-Empire tribes. The night of his birth was marked with the appearance of a twin-tailed comet, which the human tribes took as a sign of great portent from the gods. This twin-tailed comet was in fact the arrival of the Titans Woglinde, and Zesperia of whom were coming to the village of Sigmar in order to assist in the plans of Ares to rise Sigmar to become a Man God. Ares had come to believe following the death of Jesus that the main reason for Jesus dying and ultimately failing was that from the moment that Jesus had come to be he had believed himself a god, and that this belief had led Jesus to walk into the trap laid for him by Nagash. Thus not wanting to make the same mistake twice Ares would decide to instead mold Sigmar into a compassionate, and strong human being before finally turning him into the God that he would become. Unlike Jesus Ares would not directly intervene instead leaving this intervention to Woglinde, and Zesperia of whom would conseal who they really were and silently turn him into the Man God they needed him to be. Attack on BreebozeOnly two days after his "father" Ares would leave the region he set at the Trollocs of the forest and killed them in such number that they rampaged south to escape his wrath and directly into the path of Sigmar's village. Sigmar was fifteen at that moment and was working at his families blacksmith shop when the massive horde of Trolloc would rampage into the village. Legends say the small village of just 200 was attacked by over 800 Trolloc, and the chances of survival were beyond grim. What men could fight grabbed their weapons and the women and children hid in their houses with the faint hope that they would survive but basically knowing that it was over. Sigmar watched as his tribe was cut down and something snapped in him, so he picked up his father's plain blacksmith's hammer and charged out and into the Horde of Trolloc. Sigmar is said to have singlehandled held the center of the village, and in the morning when the villagers returned to the village they found the young boy laying down surrounded by hundreds of Trolloc. After resting for only a few hours Sigmar led the men of the village in a punitive raid against the nearbye Trolloc nest. While travelling on the road to the Trolloc nest Sigmar's group came upon a Dwarf convoy headed by the High King of Karak Ankor, of whome at that moment was being attacked by a horde of Trolloc rampaging due to the massacres of Ares. The two groups fought off the terrifying number of Trolloc and gathered together after the battle. In gratitude, Kurgan presented the young warrior with a magical rune-enchanted warhammer called Ghal Maraz ('Skull-splitter,' in the Dwarf Khazalid tongue). The Crusade BeginsConquering the BlacktuskFollowing his beggining of his crusade Sigmar went to the home of King Bjorn the most powerful cheiftan in the region, and once there he along with his friends made every effort to gain their support. King Bjorn was a wise man and Sigmar often sat at his feet and listened to his stories. He at first did this because he wanted the control that King Bjorn could provide for him and his growing powerbase. One of them was about Blacktusk :
As Bjorn finished the story, Sigmar was already asleep. But he still heard the admonitions of his father, the river Blacktusk Skien were alive and we must always honor the gods or he would come and take revenge. Gaining a KingThe next morning, Sigmar gathered his closest friends, including Wolfgart in order to go fishing. Sigmar told them he wants to go fishing on the River Skien and all were pale with fear. Wolfgart told the Warrior of the river area and no one fishes there is Blacktusk. But Sigmar replied only that it therefore there would be a lot of good fish. After the friends had forgotten their initial fear they followed Sigmar. The prey was abundant, and soon no one really thought of Blacktusk. Everyone laughed and rejoiced as Wolfgart screamed, dropped his spear and ran to the middle of the river. On the shore stood a huge boar, drool dripping from his mouth and with his huge blood-red eyes, he watched the young men. She immediately tried as far as possible from the shore to get away. Sigmar just stopped. The boar jumped into the river and rushed towards Sigmar. Sigmar stood still. He had thrown his spear and stretched a hand toward the boar. Just before him was the boar and Sigmar are touched him on the snout. He spoke softly to the animal and scratched it behind the ear while he was with his other hand clutching something in his coat. With a jerk pulled Sigmar herraus the subject, it was a spearhead. The boar grunted shrill, shook his head and trot away. Sigmar went to his friends, the spearhead is still in his hand and said: ". Has You see, there was a man of the boar driven to madness, not the gods" Disappeared with a last look at the forest in the Blacktusk, the men returned to the village. Uniting the TribesWith the power of King Bjorn behind him he would then go on a campaign to unite the disparate tribes of the future Empire, and one by one they submitted, either by conquest or diplomacy. He first had to deal with the forces of the Orcs that surrounded his tribes, and were causing great hardship in the region. During the Battle of the Asthofenbrücke Sigmar put the corrupt Wildork Warboss Grimgut Bonecrusher to an end. A day after his 15th Birthday Sigmar was called to his father, where he was shown his shield, as it was now up for a fifteen-year tradition adults. The land of unanswered roe was of Greenskins , Beastmen infested, cut-throats and bandits and worse. He received a sign with the sign of a black boar, which he had defeated a year earlier. With half of the warrior Reikdorfs he moved south after they had enjoyed the night before a feast. Wolfgart was part of the squad as a Warrior Prince left the village. Sigmar was Bracers of the moon, sun, and the two comets were drifted, and a wolf skin over his shoulder, and a Two-Handed Sword and a helmet, both of which were decorated with a few jewels. Part of the squad was also Pendrag , the red-headed standard-bearer, who also bore the sign of the black boar, and three hundred more warriors on horseback, partly as Sigmar on horseback . After a journey through several villages whose inhabitants they beobachtetn misträuisch as was customary, they reached the southwest located in the Grey Mountains. There, the water of a river, they held a meeting. During the meeting we saw smoke coming from the gray mountains, as the burning of huts Asthofen was determined. The horsemen of the army stormed to the horses, Sigmar and the command squad with them and as fast as they could jagdten after Asthofen. After a hard day of ride they arrived. Since orcs are not only bigger and stronger than humans, but also smell better, look and listen, they postponed the attack for the morning. In the morning you watched the Savage Orcs and Goblins, which set the city ablaze with flaming arrows and undisciplined in large numbers on the doors smashing. Directly to the gate Grimgut, who struck with his ax on the city was revealed on their banners the symbol of a flying hawk. Sigmar gained fifty volunteers who störmten in two waves with slings and bows before the orcs of a hill, and back again before the thousand eyes of the Greenskins . The goblins rushed forward at first, but pulled back in panic as the warriors of Sigmar were located on flat level. Were soon to Sigmar and his followers in battle with the Orcs, defeated many, but their attack was slowed down massively due to the sheer mass of the Orcs. This forced Sigmar on his gray horse and the remaining riders to retreat towards the river. On the run pursued by orcs, another died before Sigmar's troops reached the bridge. The last of the return was abolished, Wolfgart. Right after the riders crossed the bridge, fifty spearmen came under command of Trinovantes from the bushes and schnürrten the orcs from the road. They sold their lives dearly, but all this was part of the plan Sigmar. Ultimately, they too had to retire again, and fled toward the rider. The Orcs followed them, and entered so the wide plain, where Sigmar's horsemen were superior to them completely. The bronzegeharnischten riders had an easy game, so the orcs were then quickly defeated. Those who fled were stopped by the warriors Asthofens so could not escape the orc. After the battle there was a big celebration in Asthofen. Then returned home and received Sigmar be so coveted shield, which distinguished him as a warrior and leader. The most famous incident was his subjugation of the belligerent Teutogens, the largest and most powerful tribe, who lived near the Middle Mountains in the north central Empire, near the current location of Middenheim. Their chieftain, Artur, was defeated by Sigmar in single combat. Clearing the ForestsFrom that point onward, Sigmar embarked upon a campaign of purgation and liberation throughout all of the tribal lands, primarily against the Trolloc that infested the forests of Germany. Among the other enemies that Sigmar was forced to contend with were the human followers of Chaos such as the Norse (as evidenced by his defeat of Morkar's invasion) who had come to infest the Denmark region along with present day Kizlev. The Orcs ComeAfter the fall of the southern Karaz Ankor Dwarfholds, High King Kazgar Eniksson of Karaz-a-Karak and the Dwarfholds of the western mountains – including Karak Hirn – reconciled their differences and established an alliance against the seemingly countless numbers of greenskins. Karaz Ankor has been hard pressed in the fighting and needed help in stabilising the situation in the Worlds Edge Mountains. Many warriors joined Sigmar’s banner and King Dorant “Orcbane” Kraegsson gathered an expeditionary force of Dwarfs and Humans from the Black Mountain Dwarf kingdoms. In the Battle of Dracherückgrat Kamm, King Dorant’s forces cleared Sigmar’s right flank of Orcs, allowing the main allied Dwarf and Human armies led by Sigmar to smash the main greenskin in the Battle of Black Fire Pass. The crushing of the greenskins ushered a millennium of peace and prosperity for Karak Hirn and the Empire founded by Sigmar. Battle of BlackfireBattle of PrussiaRising as EmperorWith his victory complete following the Battle of Fire Pass, Sigmar is said to have been carried back to Nuln by his army. When he arrived the nobles amongst his rallied tribes crowned him Emperor of theThe Empire , and gave him a crown fashioned by the Dwarves . Elector Counts Sigmar set up the leaders of the twelve main tribes that followed him as the Elector Counts of the Empire, a position that remains to this day. Although no longer led by the leaders of each of the important tribes, and instead led by the Leaders of the provinces. During these early years he would attempt to deal with the one delaying factor to the control of all of Germany in the form of the Kingdom of Bavaria which was led by the powerful House Franz. |
Chaos Attacks
The first main threat to the Empire during Sigmar's reign was in the 9th year of the Imperial Calendar, when a massive Norsii invasion ravaged the Imperial lands north of Middenhiem. This attack forced the army that Sigmar had raised to take control of Bavaria to be forced to meet the forces of the Andals in the regions of West Prussia, and Middenland. A climactic battle occured outside Middenheim at the height of the fighting, with Dwarf and Human troops battling the invading Norse. A Daemon Prince led the Norse armies, protected by magical wards that stopped it from being harmed, but said wards were undone by the first Runefang Blodambana, or Bloodbane, wielded by Count Myrsa of Middenhiem , allowing Sigmar to kill the Daemon Prince outright. After the defeat of the Norsii, however, Sigmar's army were set upon by Skaven ratmen emerging from the tunnels under the Faushlag Rock, but through sheer perseverance, the Skaven were defeated. It was during this time that Sigmar's brother, Pendrag, and his love, Ravenna were killed by the swordsman Gerron, who escaped to the Norsii lands. Afterwards, Sigmar led a year-long crusade against the Norsii tribes, wiping out village after village, yet also searching for Gerron, in revenge for his betrayal.
Going East
In the fiftieth year of his reign, Sigmar put by his crown and set off into the east. Sources conflict on the details of what precisely motivated Sigmar to do this; some accounts claim he set off to return Ghal Maraz to the Dwarfs. In actuality he was travelling east in order to deal with a threat he believed was greater then the one faced by Chaos, but what this threat was, or whether he survived to see it through are unknown, but as with all the Man Gods he was immortal when it came to old age so it is very possible that he still lives somewhere in the East.
Legacy
Following his disappearance, Sigmar passed over the World's Edge mountain range and no human ever saw him again. Since he was never known to have died, this may have played a large role in the early successes of the cult established in his honour. It's now the foremost religion in the Empire and is inextricably intertwined with the political, cultural, and national identity of the Empire and its people.
Interestingly, Sigmar never claimed to be a deity and his own religious beliefs while alive are subject to conjecture, although tradition dictates that he was crowned Emperor by the High Priest of the cult of Ulric, the northern god of winter, wolves, and war. However, the priests and worshippers of Sigmar often receive measurable and often positive answers to their entreaties and petitions, suggesting that something with some measure of power is answering them. Many take this as a sign that Sigmar indeed is a god, and watches over the Empire.
The cults of Sigmar and Ulric do not get along well. The Ar-Ulric and the two Arch-Lectors of the Sigmarite faith, as well as the Grand Theogonist (the current one being Volkmar the Grim), all maintain a vote in the election of the Emperors. While the cult and its leaders are often corrupt and hip-deep in the Byzantine politics of the Empire, it is a faith that preaches courage, justice, honour, and the protection of the weak and innocent from evil. It is also nationalistic and sees the preservation of Sigmar's original holdings as a sacred duty. The church's iconography primarily centres around images directly connected to Sigmar himself: the comet and the hammer are the foremost of these.
Change in Ares
Following the death of Sigmar Ares and Zeus would have a massive fight which only ended when Ares accepted banishment and became no longer capable of creating new Man Gods.
Cult of Sigmar
Main Article : Emperor Worship
Following the abdication of Sigmar, a cult grew around him and began worshipping him as the founder of The Empire, today the cult is the official state religion of The Empire and is almost universally recognised.
Family Members
Relationships
Zesperia
See Also : Zesperia
Originally Sigmar and Zesperia would meet when she was under the alias of Tarra Gundelhed a girl who lived in the same village as his, and during this time they were quite close with Zesperia being Sigmars greatest friend.