Hallowheart
Hallowheart is a mining city and a stronghold guarding a rich gem mine situated within a colossal pit know as the Shimmering Abyss in the south of Golvaria of the Great Parch. It was founded by the Hallowed Knights once they had cleansed it of it's Tzeentchian occupants, growing from the fortified towns that were built after the Realmgate Wars.[1][4a][4b]
The city itself stands atop a monolithic basalt column. Winding stairways descend to the mining camps below, and to duardin communes built deep into the bedrock. The city's gem mines offer a wealth of magically infused minerals, including much-prized primordial realmstone. These vaguely humanoid accumulations of powerful, volatile matter burn with a furious sentience, and it takes skilled miners - aided by the latest eldritch technology - to gather them. Hallowheart seethes with latent magical energy. Yet this powerful aura may not come without a price. Both the Devoted of Sigmar and the city's Stormcast guardians maintain a vigilant watch for the merest sign of corruption, any remnant of the Chaos taint that once suffused the Shimmering Abyss. [3]
Contents
History
The Shimmering Abyss was once inhabited by the Wyrdflame Drake, a serpentine dragon of living flame that was corrupted by the influence of Tzeentch which was slain by a combined force of Hallowed Knights and Fyreslayer mercenaries from the Vostarg Lodge shortly after the Realmgate Wars clearing a path for the construction of a truly majestic stronghold. The city of Hallowheart was built atop the great column of firehardened rock, descending level by level into the depths of the Abyss with winding stairways connecting the central column to bustling mining camps in each level built into the walls of the surrounding cavern. However the corruption of its previous inhabitants run extremely deep and the Stormcast Eternals are often seen undertaking missions into the depths of mines and excavation teams have disappeared without a trace. [6b]
Sigmar desiring to recover the Prismatikon of the ancient Agloraxi Empire to deny its power to his enemies launched the Blazing Crusade that marched into the resource rich Flamescar Plateau to drive the forces of Chaos and the savage armies of Gorkamorka from the land. Hallowheart was one of three great cities that joined the crusade and sent armies of hardy Freeguild warriors and Battlemages of the Collegiate Arcane. While the war is still ongoing the wizards of Whitefire Court in Hallowheart recovered many priceless magical treasures of the Agloraxi, which they continue to study and test.[6b]
During the Arcanum Optimar a conflagration of sentient magic swept through the lower levels of Hallowheart, incinerating thousands while daemons of Tzeentch attacked the city. The city’s armies and the Hallowed Knights held the daemons at bay while the Battlemages of the Collegiate Arcane desperately attempted to dispel the magical disaster and in the end eighty-two had sacrificed their lives. These martyrs were honoured by the Hallowed Knights with a grand stained-glass mural in the Celestrine Cathedral.[6a]
Government
Every Free City of Sigmar is governed by a Conclave, and while Hallowheart is no exception, the true power within the city belongs to the wizards of the Whitefire Court. The Conclave itself is made up of noble lords, leaders of the city's miners, representatives of the Hallowed Knights, and members of the Collegiate.[6b][7a][9a]
Society
The powerful radiance of Aqshyian magic have given its population strange powers which can manifest in many different ways, from strange birthmarks to an excess of inexplicable good fortune. In all cases, this attunement to the flow of magic grants natives of the city surprising resilience to sorcerous attacks while enhancing the wizards from the city. While the feared taint of Tzeentch means grim Lord-Veritants are a common sight in the city streets, the city’s inhabitants see their silver guardians as nothing less than angels made flesh.[6b]
Economy
The city is rich in valuable crystals and minerals and by trading them the city quickly became wealthy and powerful. These include primordial emberstone and drifting accumulations of this powerful but volatile matter burn with a furious sentience. Thus it takes brave and skilled miners with the aid of latest magical technologies of the Ironweld to gather them.[6b]
Agriculture
Many varieties of fruit-bearing citrus trees grow around the city, such as the Churl, whose fruit is cold when removed from it's peel in spite of the heat.[7a]
Military
They combine the many noble soldiers of Order infused with mystical energy, which grants natives of the city a resilience to sorcerous attacks causing spells hurled at formations of Hallowheart warriors to sputter and disappear before impact, as if breaking against an invisible wall while the wizards raised in Hallowheart find themselves able to summon and control the winds of magic with almost preternatural ease. The city also boasts a number of devastating Luminarks and Celestial Hurricanums. During battle clusters of heavily armoured infantry gather around powerful wizards and arcane engines to create a wall of metal that thunders forward to exploit the gaps blasted in enemy lines. Fyreslayers have been given a portion of its vast gold reserves and often fight alongside its armies.[2]
Locations
- Shining Citadel: A Stormkeep and the main staging ground and command centre for the Hallowed Knights launching crusades across Aqshy. There vast reliefs depicting the Twelve Ordeals of Lord Gardus and the Canticles of Faith. [5]
- Celestine Cathedral: A beacon and place of pilgrimage for the pure, those who walk through its inner gates are said to be purged and purified, but it costs a little of their vital essence. The cathedral has space for many thousands and is a place of refuge during emergencies.[5][6b]
- Whitefire Court: The Court is a renowned branch of the Collegiate Arcane, that resides in a hall of the same name constructed almost entirely from emberstone and it morphs and twists daily according to the whims of its occupants.[6b][8a]
Gallery
Burning Gem Sigil of Hallowheart
Sky view of Hallowheart
See Also
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Season of War: Firestorm Rulebook, pg. 8
- 2: Hallowheart product listing
- 3: Season of War: Firestorm Rulebook (2017)
- 4: Age of Sigmar: Core Book (2nd Edition)
- 5: White Dwarf April 2019: The Tome Celestial, pg. 42
- 6: Battletome: Cities of Sigmar (2019)
- 7: Soulbound Core Rulebook
- 7a: Chapter Nine: The Great Parch
- 8: Soulbound: Champions of Order
- 8a: Chapter Six: Equipment
- 9: Soulbound Cities of Flame
- 9a: Hallowheart, pg. 16-21
