Stormcast Eternals

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Stormcast Eternals
Celestial Vindicators 01.jpeg
Stormcast Eternals on the warpath.
Grand alliance Order
Associated factions Cities of Sigmar
Main grouping Stormhost
Major characters Astreia Solbright
Aventis Firestrike
Bastian Carthalos
Celestant-Prime
Gavriel Sureheart
Karazai
Krondys
Neave Blacktalon
Vandus Hammerhand
Yndrasta
Races Dracoth
Star-Drake
Mounts Celestial Dracoline
Gryph-Charger
Creatures Aetherwing
Gryph-Hound
Star-Eagle
Star-Falcon
Tauralon
Spell lores Lore of the Storm
Lore of Invigoration
Prayers Prayers of the Stormhosts
Endless spells Celestian Vortex
Dais Arcanum
Everblaze Comet
Warbands Farstriders
Ironsoul's Condemnors
Steelheart's Champions
Stormsire's Cursebreakers
Stormcast portraits.

Stormcast Eternals are Sigmar's immortal warriors clad in Sigmarite armor - his "vengeance made manifest"[4a] - and his final gambit against the forces of Chaos. This immense army of magical beings was created by Grungni, his Six Smiths and Sigmar during five centuries of intense forging, Sigmar then released them upon Mortal Realms. Their sole purpose is to liberate the realms from the ruinous clutches of Chaos and finally destroy the rulers of damnation.[4b][18]

Overview

Stormcast Eternals were once mortal heroes, plucked from countless battlefields to undergo a series of long and agonizing trials[4b] in the Realm of Azyr. Reforged by this process, both in body and mind, they emerged as immortal golden warriors.[1][2] Such is their physical transformation that they tower over mortal men[4a] and lighting runs through their veins. Their armour is reforged from the enchanted remains of the World-That-Was.[4b]

Even upon death the Stormcast Eternals cannot escape their righteous purpose. A slain Stormcast Eternal is born anew and sent back into the fray once more. This Reforging, however, changes a warrior in strange ways. Lord-Arcanums can use their mastery on storm energies to capture the souls of slain Stormcasts before the thunder brings them back to Azyr, then they can restore them to fight again.[18] Even though Lord-Relictors haven't this power, Ionus Cryptborn seems to be able to use it thanks to his reliquiary.[4a][21]

They ride twin-tailed azure lighting to the Mortal Realms and can only return to Azyrheim through the Realmgates or by death.[4b][10a]

The hammer symbolizes Ghal Maraz, while the lighting symbolizes the Sigmarabulum. They have parchments written with mysterious script on their bodies[4a], which represents sigils of victory and conquest.[17]

Origins

After the Battle of Burning Skies, Sigmar closed the Gates of Azyr and brooded on what to do while entire civilations were slaughtered or enslaved in seven Realms. After an unknown amount of time, the eternal reincarnation of the children of Dracothion inspired Sigmar, who decided to use mortal souls and reforge them as a new army of warrior imbued with a portion of his divine power.[18] Grungni aided Sigmar by forging the Sigmarabulum, the Anvil of Apotheosis and the Crucibles of Reforging. When he felt guilty for remaining on Azyr, an act which resulted in abandoning duardins who followed him, Grungni assembled the Six Smiths and passed his duties on them, then he vanished.[19] The Six Smiths used an enchanted metal called sigmarite to forge armours and weapons[16], while Sigmar picked heroes from every corner of the Mortal Realms, choosing from souls of men and women who he saw dying trying to repel Chaos invaders, already dead in an underworld of Shyish or around the remains of Mallus.[18][20] They were transported to Sigmaron and Reforged upon the Anvil of Apotheosis as bigger, stronger and with a new identity. Even though Tyrion, Teclis and Malerion had already left the Pantheon, their last aid was really helpful. They clouded the aether around Azyr, making impossible to see what happened on that Realm, even to powerful sorcerers like Tzeentch, the Architect of Fate.[12b] First of the Stormcast Eternals was the warrior who would be named Celestant-Prime, then came all the others.[17]

During all the remaining years of the Age of Chaos, the Stormcast Eternals trained and freed Azyr from every sort of corruption. When the right time came, Sigmar hurled the Hammers of Sigmar on the Brimstone Peninsula for the first time. Thus The Long Wait ended and the Age of Sigmar begun.[12b][19]

Organization

The Hierarchy of the chambers of the Stormhosts.

The Stormcast Eternals are divided into autonomous armies known as Stormhosts, each with it's own heraldry and history, of which only Sigmar knows their true number. Each Stormhost is divided into a Command Echelon, Temples and several types of Chambers. Each Chamber is further divided in different types of Conclaves or Echelons. Finally, Conclaves contain several retinues.[4b][18]

Above the Stormhosts are an Inner Circle of Sigmar's foremost champions. These individuals directly serve the God-King and represent the unshackled wrath of the heavens.[22a][22b]

Conclave

A Conclave is a division of the Stormcast Eternals, training and equipping retinues of a Stormhost for specific roles on the battlefield. Stormcast Eternals who have been reforged must go through their Conclave before they are considered fit to resume their duties.[17a]

There are the following Conclaves:

Creation

Main article: Reforging

Only the mightiest of mankind's warriors get to be aspirants to becoming a stormcast, taken from battlefields in a blinding flash and rolling thunder and transported into Sigmaron. Before they suffer through the Reforging they must first build their strength, spending three days and night in the endless feast in the Heldenhall.[12a] Being mighty doesn't only mean being strong in the body, but being heroes who stood up against their oppressors, regardless of whether they were nobles, soldiers or ordinary men and women.[18]

After being selected, they are taken into the Chamber of the Broken World and are blasted apart by lightnings and are reforged anew in the Forge Eternal. This agonising process can last for a few heartbeats or many centuries and not all survive it. Then they must suffer through the seven times seven Cairns of Tempering where their bodies and souls are mixed with the Gift of Gods. Finally they are wrought on the Anvil of the Apotheosis, where they're focused into a new form by the Six Smiths. If they survive, they receive the last blessings of the World Hammer and awaken imbued with a portion of Sigmar's power.[12a] After the creation of the Sacrosanct Chamber, the part of the process that takes place upon the Anvil of the Apotheosis is surveilled and supported by Lord-Arcanums and Knight-Incantors. Knights-Incantors sing the music of the spheres which calms and orients souls that are being transformed or reforged, while Lord-Arcanums can capture rogue ones and send them back to the Anvil.[18][20]

Training

Stormcast Eternals trained by hunting down the many enclaves of Orruks and creatures that bore the taint of chaos. None of the mythic beasts of Azyr have any trace of corruption. Besides monster hunting in Azyrheim, they also trained in the Gladitorium, a magical dome that allows one to combat freely and arise unharmed from within.[16] During the Long Wait, Stormcast Eternals practiced to master every strategy and technique of war. Phalanxes, spear-tip assaults, great shield walls and many more.[18] Further training is provided by other specific trials, like the Trials of Starwalking required to become a member of the extremis-chambers.[17]

Equipment

Main article: Stormcast Eternals Armoury

Stormcast Eternals are equipped with different types of sigmarite armour and a wide range of magical weapons. All armours and weapons are made of sigmarite, giving them the ability to transform themselves into celestial energy when the wielder is slain and transported back to Azyr to be repaired. The Six Smiths employ different heavenly storms to empower each of the artefacts they create for the Eternals. For instance, the Azheden Thunderhead is good for warhammers, while the Ayorrian Maelstrom is good for skybolts. Some weapons are further blessed and empowered by celestial energy during sacred cycles which make them relics fit for Lords, Knights or Primes. Unlike Reforging, the process used to forge sigmarite weapons is flawless. All weakness is purged during construction and a kinship is formed between weapon and wielder, making it far stronger than it would be in mortals' hands.[17]

Allied Beasts

After its cleansing, the Realm of Azyr was still populated by a great number of creatures. Some of them became steeds or companions for many Stormcasts.

Relationships

  • The tribes of the Great Parch have varied opinions on the Stormcast; some see them as saviour and try their best to fight alongside them, while others see them as abominations for they do not die and turn to ash like everything else.[19a]

Sources


Stormcast Eternals
Units Command Echelon Drakesworn TemplarKnight-ArcanumKnight-AzyrosKnight-DraconisKnight-HeraldorKnight-IncantorKnight-JudicatorKnight-RelictorKnight-VenatorKnight-VexillorLord-AquilorLord-ArcanumLord-CastellantLord-CelestantLord-ExorcistLord-ImperatantLord-OrdinatorLord-RelictorLord-VeritantPraetor
Angelos Conclave ProsecutorStormstrike ChariotVanguard-HunterVanguard-Pallador
Corpuscant Conclave Evocator
Justicar Conclave JudicatorCastigatorVanguard-RaptorVigilor
Ordinatos Conclave Celestar BallistaSacristan Engineer
Paladin Conclave AnnihilatorDecimatorProtectorRetributorDracothian Guard (ConcussorDesolatorFulminatorTempestor) • Stormdrake Guard
Redeemer Conclave LiberatorSequitorVanquisherVindictor
Questors Errant-QuestorKnight-QuestorQuestor Soulsworn
Azyrite Beasts AetherwingCelestial DracolineDracothGryph-ChargerGryph-HoundStar-DrakeStar-EagleStar FalconTauralon
Characters Inner Circle Celestant-PrimeKarazaiKrondysYndrasta
Lord-Commanders Bastian CarthalosGolden PatriarchShining Lord
Lords of the Hosts Arkas WarbeastAstreia SolbrightAventis FirestrikeBalthas ArumCerrus SentanusGardus Steel SoulGavriel SureheartImperius (Loxia) • Ionus CryptbornJactos GoldenmaneLynus GhalmorianOrius AdamantineRamus of the Shadowed SoulSylas BeastbaneTarsus Bull-HeartThostos BladestormTyberain VostVandus Hammerhand (Calanax) • Victrian CyroccoVorrus StarstrikeZephacleasZenius the DirgeZeraphina Heldensdotter
Knights of the Hosts Neave Blacktalon (Blacktalons) • Hamilcar Bear-EaterTornus the Redeemed
Underworld Warbands Farstriders (Almeric Eagle-EyeElias SwiftbladeSanson Farstrider) • Ironsoul's Condemnors (Brodus BlightbaneGwynne IronsoulTavian of Sarnassus) • Steelheart's Champions (Angharad BrightshieldObrynSeverin Steelheart) • Storm of Celestus (AphusDrakan CelestusMellisan Star-SightedSleek) • Stormsire's Cursebreakers (Ammis DawnguardAveron StormsireRastus) • Xandire's Truthseekers (Calthia XandireDhoraz Giant-FellLuxa StormriderTaros)
Stormhosts First Striking Angels AethericAnvils of the HeldenhammerAstral TemplarsAzyrite ArbitersBlades of DawnCelestial VindicatorsHallowed KnightsHammers of SigmarHelden SonsLions of SigmarSigmarite BrotherhoodSons of the GladiusStormblood Guard
Second Striking Blooded DawnCelestial KnightsCelestial Warbringers Crimson SeraphsFists of SigmariteGhyran GuardKnights ExcelsiorKnights of AzyrKnights of the AuroraLightning HawksMaelstrom of LightRadiant Suns of SigmarSilent HostSons of MallusSons of the StormTempest Lords
Unknown Striking Azure GuardBarony of ThunderBlack DracothiansBlackhammersCelestial LionsCerulean CometsEmerald WardensGleaming SpearsGuardians of the FirmamentHammers of RetributionHeralds of CasandoraIron ThanesIron TridentsJusticars of AzyrKnights AuroraKnights IndomitableKnights MercilessKnights TempestorKraken BladesSunboltsSundered BrotherhoodTempered BladesTrue Sons of Sigmar
Background Anvil of ApotheosisChamber SerfLord-CommandersReforgingRedeemedSigmariteStormhosts (ChambersConclavesRetinues) • Transfigured
ArtworkMiniatures - Endless Spells
Grand Alliances and factions
OrderChaosDestructionDeath
Cities of Sigmar (Collegiate ArcaneDarkling CovensDevoted of SigmarDispossessedFreeguildIronweld ArsenalOrder SerpentisPhoenix TempleScourge PrivateersShadowbladesWanderers) • Daughters of KhaineEldritch CouncilFyreslayersIdoneth DeepkinKharadron OverlordsLion RangersLumineth Realm-lordsMonsters of OrderOrder DraconisSeraphonStormcast EternalsSwifthawk AgentsSylvaneth