Bastian Carthalos
Bastian Carthalos, also known as Thunderborn, Castellan of the Heavens and Bastian the Late, is the Lord-Commander of the Stormcast Eternal's Hammers of Sigmar Stormhost.[1][2e]
History
Age of Chaos
Bastian Carthalos is among the oldest that has stood alongside Sigmar and as a mortal he led one of the Twelve Tribes of Bellicos during the Battle of Burning Skies and led a daring assault against the Everchosen himself. Despite being savaged by Dorghar he survived and despite his wounds covered the retreat of tribes to Azyr. He was the last soul to cross the Gates of Azyr before their sealing which resulted in him being nicknamed 'Bastian the Late' by Sigmar.[2e]
Sigmar called upon the power of the ninth Great Bolt, Skjordamar to reforge him. But not even this could not entirely restore his shattered form, hidden beneath his plate is a vortex of raw lightning crackling within a void upon his chest. The empowered Bastian led the first Hammers of Sigmar in the Cleansing of Azyr, destroying all of Sigmar's enemies within a century which resulted in him being named the Lord-Commander of Hammers of Sigmar.[2e]
During the war against Dragon Ogors he was often seen fighting side by side with Krondys. In battle they earned a mutual respect for each other.[2d]
Age of Sigmar
During the Age of Sigmar he stayed in Azyr to coordinate the war effort but with the coming of the Era of the Beast Bastian was sent by Sigmar to oversee and even spearhead many crusades.[2e]
It was Bastian Carthalos who unlocked the true power of thunderstrike armour. During the attack of blood-daemons from Carmine Vaults within Aqshy's Sorrow Peaks, he drew on the divine energy of his plate and single-handedly turned off the tide of enemies.[2с]
When those with witchsight in Hammerhal Aqsha begin to see inhuman faces of smoke rising from cracks on the streets to burn those above to ash followed by a series of earthquakes panic spreads across the city resulting a rioting. Bastian Carthalos leads three full chambers of Hammers of Sigmar but instead of joining the Freeguilds in controlling the riots he leads them into the Cloister of Ashes. For two days the city is battered by intense tremors and storms until on the third day Bastian emerges, his armour blackened from head to toe and accompanied by just under fifty Stormcast Eternals. He forbids any further forays into the Stormvault and places a Sacrosanct Chamber to guard its gates at all times.[2a]
After receiving an Order of Azyr report about the corruption of Stormrift Conclave, Bastian attends the meeting of the council. There he finds that mercenary captain Tahlia Vedra has already executed four conspirators. He decides to promote Vedra by granting her the rank of Hammerhal's First Marshal.[3a]
Not ten days after the departure of Twin-Tailed Crusade, Hammerhal is assailed by a vast host of Goretide led by Scyla Anfingrimm himself. Many defences and cogforts are ruined. Coming up to the Burning Palisade Bastian Carthalos calls down the wrath of Skjordamar, leaving a field of blackened skeletons where a few moments ago raged many Khornate warriors. Unfortunately, upon receiving the news of Skaven infestation within Ashen Cloister, Bastian is forced to leave the walls and defy the ratmen.[4a]
Wargear
Bastian Carthalos is armed with the giant warhammer known as Uskavar, the Sunderer. He is clad in one of the first Thunderstrike Armour made, created personally by Grungni and charged with the same holy energies as the Anvil of Apotheosis.[2f]
Quotes
| We are the hammer that shatters the chains, the key that unlocks the glorious dawn. We cannot fail, now or ever.
Lord-Commander Bastian Carthalos.[2e] |
Miniature
Bastian Carthalos miniature.
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Preview Online – Dominion Celebration
- 2: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2021)
- 3: Battletome: Cities of Sigmar (2023)
- 3a: Tahlia Vedra, Lioness of the Parch, pg.49
- 4: Dawnbringers: Reign of the Brute
- 4a: War Across the Realms, pg.43
