Sigmar's Empire

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Azyrheim, Capital of the Empire in Azyr.
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Sigmar's Empire, also known as the Dominion of Sigmar, is political entity headed by Sigmar, the God-King of Azyr. While it is centered on the Celestial Realm, particularly the Great Cities it maintains holdings in each of the eight Mortal Realms, the most prominent of these holdings being the Free Cities of Sigmar and the Stormkeeps of the Stormcast Eternals,[1c][2b][3a][3b]

History

Age of Myth

The Age of Myth officially begins when Dracothion finds Sigmar clinging to Mallus, the flaming core of a dead world, and revives him, beginning a friendship that will stand the test of ages. Once awakened Sigmar travels the wondrous new realities in search of fellow gods, gathering together those mortal tribes he encounters and teaching them to build civilizations. So begins the God-King's empire and Great Alliance.[1c][6a] The Twelve Tribes of Azyr were among the first cultures brought into Sigmar's empire.[4b]

Eventually, Chaos invades the Realms. As the wars with the forces of Chaos spread across the Mortal Realms in the final days of the Age of Myth, the greatest cultural centres of Sigmar's empire begin to fall. Centres of art and repositories of knowledge are brought to ruin, entire continents set aflame, and the Parliament of the Gods breaks apart.[1c]

Age of Chaos

After closing the Gates of Azyr, sealing the Heavens from the other Realms of the Cosmos Arcane, Sigmar broods in his palace of Sigmaron as he makes preparations for his return, swearing to rebuild his empire and see his once proud free cities rise from the ashes.[1b]

Age of Sigmar

The Living City, first of the Seeds of Hope

After innumerable hard-fought victories in the Realmgate Wars, beachhead are founded in the Everspring Swathe and the Great Parch. These become the Seeds of Hope and Cities of Flame, the first of the Cities of Sigmar to rise in the wake of this new age.[1c]

Culture

Languages

The Azyrite languages are the most spoken language group within the empire, descended from Sigmar's own native tongue passed down to those mortal tribes he first met while exploring the Realm of Azyr. Celestial, a common lingua franca, and High Azyrite, used as a sacred language of the Cults Unberogen, are two such languages.[6a][8b][9a] Many other languages spoken across the empire in addition to the Azyrite ones, dialects of the Aelfish and Khazalid language groups are particularly common.[7a][8a][8d]

Religion

Religions revolving around Sigmar are, unsurprisingly, the most common within the empire. These myriad cults lack uniformity, though they are collectively known as the Cults Unberogen, with each having their own, often esoteric and unique, interpretation of Sigmar.[10a][11a][12]

Worship of, as well as cults and temples dedicated to, Alarielle, Dracothion, Khaine, Gorkamorka, Grungni, Malerion, and Nagash are widespread throughout the empire.[2b][4b][8a][8c][13a][13b] There are also a number cults dedicated to smaller gods such as the religious orders dedicated to the Ur-Phoenix[14a], the mysterious Black Walkers who worship dead gods[3d], and cults dedicated to Morrda are widespread in Lethis.[15a]

Law and Order

Laws of Sigmar

The Laws of Sigmar[30], also known as Sigmar's Law[7a] or Sigmar's Laws[31a] are a set of laws that cover a variety of legal matters. These are universal throughout the empire and its polities, carrying the authority of the institutions of the Realm of Azyr and the God-King himself.[1d][7a][30][31a]

These laws cover everything from the salaries paid to the officers and companies of the Freeguilds[31a] to the property rights of landowners and the warrants they can acquire to deal with squatters.[20a] They state that it is better for a guilty man to go free than an innocent one be condemned.[30]

It is these laws that enforce a strict ban on slavery across the empire, while also offering certain loopholes and allowances exploited by the Black Ark Fleetmasters of the Scourge Privateers.[1d][7a] Though these same laws allow for a Stormcast Eternal to intervene on behalf of those taken as thralls by the Privateers.[7a]

It is the duty of the Stormcast Eternals to protect all who honour the spirit of Sigmar's Laws.[32a]

Types of Polities in the Empire

Cities of Sigmar

Hammerhal, Greatest of the Cities of Sigmar

The Free Cities of Sigmar are gleaming metropolises built around Stormkeeps. Each is meant to be a vision of civilization and hope made manifest, beacons of Order against the armies of darkness that plague the Mortal Realms]]. Within their walls Humans, Aelfs, Duardin, and many other races co-exist in relative harmony.[1a] Much like the Great Cities of Azyr, the Free Cities are governed by political structures known as the Grand Conclaves.[1b]

Great Cities of Azyr

The Great Cities are ancient metropolises of the Realm of Heavens that date back to the Age of Myth. Over a hundred of these wondrous polises dot that Realm but the greatest among them in the Eternal City of Azyrheim.[3a][3b] The Palace of Sigmaron serves as the God-King's personal seat of power.[1b] Each is governed by a Grand Conclave, a model of government based on the Lords of the Heavenhall.[1b][21a]

Stormcast Holdings

Officer Temples

Found throughout the Realm of Azyr are the Officer Temples of the Stormcast Eternals. These impressive facilities serve as the training grounds for the officers, the Lords and Knights, of the Stormhosts such as the star-domes of the Drakesworn Temples and candlelit chambers of the Relictor Temples.[[[27a][27b][28a][29a]

Stormkeeps

Stormkeeps are imposing citadels that protect captured Realmgates and the new free cities that have sprung up around them. These lofty fortresses are built with the combined efforts of the Stormcast Eternals and their allies among the Free Peoples. Each is garrisoned by forces of Sigmar's Stormhosts.[1a][5a]

Warscryer Citadels

The Warscryer Citadels, built upon meteorites flung to the Mortal Realms by Sigmar Heldenhammer himself. Due to their foundations, these imposing edifices are rife with magic that allow those dwelling within to divine the future. Such citadels are a collection of dwellings, libraries, and arcanoscopes used by the servants of Sigmar working within them.[26]

Sigmarite Strongpoints

A Sigmarite Strongpoint under construction.
The ultimate goal of most Dawnbringer Crusades is to establish one of more Sigmarite Strongpoints, settlements and outposts built in the frontiers of the Cities of Sigmar. Each seeks to grow into a new bastion of light and hope in the lands ruined by Chaos, though not all achieve that lofty goal and many fall before they begin in earnest. Though those Strongpoints that survive the trials ahead of them may eventually be designated as Free Cities in their own right.[6b]

Black Arks

The Black Arks are the pride and joy of the fleets of the Scourge Privateers. These naval vessels are so large as to be comparable to minor fortress-cities and are considered Wonders of the Mortal Realms. Though they ply the oceans of the Cosmos Arcane at their leisure, they are most commonly sighted in the harbours of Cities of Sigmar.[24a]

Swifthawk Eyries

The holdings of the Swifthawk Agents, the messengers of Sigmar's militaries, are known as Eyries. These are most often found within the Cities of Sigmar but are often recognized as independent from their host cities.[21b][25a]

White Towers

The White Towers of the Eldritch Council are dotted across Sigmar's Empire all across the Mortal Realms. Some soar through the skies while others are nestled within the hearts of the Cities of Sigmar. Each serving as a place of study and contemplation for the Council.[4a][22a][23a]

Feudal States

Other Cities

Cities that belong to the dominion of Sigmar but whose designation is unknown:

Other Polities

Sources

Sigmar's Empire
Polities of Sigmar's Empire Cities of Sigmar - Great Cities of Azyr - Sigmarite Strongpoints - Stormkeeps
Background Azyrite Calendar - Blazing Crusade - Dawnbringer Crusades - Season of War

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