Stormcast Eternals
 | |
| 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 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]
Contents
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.[4a] 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.[18d] A power that is also wielded by some Lord-Relictors, such as Ionus Cryptborn.[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]
Origins
After the Battle of Burning Skies, Sigmar closed the Gates of Azyr and brooded on what to do while entire civilisations 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 warriors imbued with a portion of his divine power.[18a] 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.[19a] 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.[18a] 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]
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][19b]
Strikings
Each founding of Stormhosts is known as a Striking. As such the first wave of Stormhosts Reforged by Sigmar and the Six Smiths are collectively known as the First Striking.[18c] Subsequent Strikings, of which there have been many, are typically known by their number as well, such as the Second and Third Strikings.[17b][24b]
Organization
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.[4b][18b]
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]
Chamber
Each Chamber is further divided in different types of Conclaves or Echelons. Finally, Conclaves contain several retinues.[4b][18b]
Chamber Designations
Many of the Stormhosts denote individual chambers via the colors of their helmet plumes and crests. When this is done each individual Strike Chamber will adopt their own colour of plume.[17b] It is not uncommon for Tempest Chambers to bear the same plume color as a Strike Chamber they are associated with, for example the Everdrakes Extremis Chamber wear white plumes to denote their ties to the Annihilators Warrior Chamber. Whilst the Scorchsons wear black plumes to echo the Harbinger Chamber known as the Fulgurines.[17c]
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:
- Angelos Conclave
- Corpuscant Conclave
- Justicar Conclave
- Ordinatos Conclave
- Paladin Conclave
- Redeemer Conclave
Culture
Names
The majority of mortal souls Reforged upon the Anvil of Apotheosis are bestowed with a new forename, courtesy of none other than Sigmar Heldenhammer. However, their surnames, known as war-names, are earned through trials, deeds, or skills, or chosen to reflect the manner of their original death.[23a][24a] For example the mortal hero known as Tarsem was given the name Tarsus by Sigmar[23a], and later earned the war-name Bullheart during the Battle of the Cerulean Shore.[24a]
There are rare cases where Sigmar will bestow an Eternal with both their forename and their war-name, such was the case with Hamilcar Bear-Eater.[30a]
Some among the Stormhosts retain the names they bore in their mortal lives. Sometimes only keeping their forename, such as Yndrasta[28a] while others keep the full name they bore in mortal life, such as Keiser Ven Brecht and Thaddeon Ven Denst. This appears to be a relatively common, but not universal, practice among the Anvils of the Heldenhammer.[25a][26a]
There are cases of Eternals who are referred to by titles rather than traditional names, the most famous of whom is the Celestant-Prime.[14c] Those who join the Valedictor Temples, where it is common but not required, to abandon one's name in favor of titles, examples include Gilded Rain, Third Thunder, and Gale's Eye.[27c] A number of Lord-Commanders, the Shining Lord and Golden Patriarch, are also known only by title.[27a][27b]
Iconography
The Stormcast Eternals wear an assortment of symbols upon their armour. The marks on their left shoulder pads denote what Conclave they are part of, whereas the tabards and buckles an Eternal wears designate what retinue of that Conclave they are part of. These allow units of a Chamber to differentiate from one another.[17b]
The device displayed upon a Stormcast Eternals shield is a stylised icon honouring Sigmar or the Stormhosts themselves. The Hammer icon represents the Eternals themselves and Ghal Maraz, and is worn by all First Striking Stormhosts. Other popular icons include the Eclipse, the the Comet, and the Warrior which are used by latter Strikings.[17b]
Military Awards and Decorations
The Beastmarks which appear on the armour of many Stormcast Eternals are marks of high honour. These marks typically denote the bearer has a quality attributed to an Azyrite beast. Such as the ferocity of a Celestial Lion or swiftness of a star-eagle.[17b][31a]
The Honour Parchments that Stormcast Eternals wear upon their armour are emblazoned with sigils of victory and conquesat.[17b] Honour Parchments are often awarded to commemorate one's service, this tradition is particularly common among the Hallowed Knights. The Parchment of Purity is a special honour parchment given to heroes among the Hallowed Knights.[18e]
The Brand of the Victor is a holy sigil granted only to a Questor who has completed a mission in spectacular fashion.[32a]
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.[18a] 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.
- Aetherwings
- Celestial Dracolines
- Dracoths
- Gryph-Chargers
- Gryph-Hounds
- Star-Drakes
- Star-Eagles
- Star-Falcons
- Tauralons
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.[19c]
Sources
- 1: What's News Today: 2015/07/05
- 2: What's News Today: 2015/07/06
- 3: What's News Today: 2015/07/07
- 4: White Dwarf Issue 75 4 July 2015
- 5: What's News Today: 2015/07/13
- 6: Black Library description of Assault on the Mandrake Bastion product
- 7: Assault on the Mandrake Bastion by Josh Reynolds
- 8: Warhammer: Age of Sigmar Primer, the Pageantry of War
- 9: What's News Today: 2015/07/15
- 10: White Dwarf Issue 76 11 July 2015
- 11: What's News Today: 2015/07/20
- 12: Warhammer: Age of Sigmar Mighty Battles in an Age of Unending War
- 13: Paladin product description
- 14: Warscrolls
- 14a: Knight-Azyros warscroll
- 14b: Knight-Venator warscroll
- 14c: Celestant-Prime warscroll
- 14d: Knight-Heraldor warscroll
- 14e: Knight-Vexillor warscroll
- 14f: Judicators warscroll
- 14g: Prosecutors with Stormcall Javelins
- 14h: Prosecutors with Celestial Hammers
- 14i: Retributors warscrolls
- 14j: Protectors warscrolls
- 14k: Decimators warscrolls
- 15: White Dwarf 120 (2016) 14 May 2016
- 16: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2015), pg. 17-20
- 17: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2017)
- 18: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2018)
- 19: Age of Sigmar: Core Book (2nd Edition)
- 20:
- 21: The Gates of Azyr, by Chris Wraight
- 22: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2021)
- 23: Soulbound Core Rulebook
- 23a: Chapter Two: Character Creation
- 24: Hammerhal & Other Stories (anthology)
- 25: Broken Realms: Morathi
- 25a: Desolate March, Pg. 22-23
- 26: The Realmgate Wars: Godbeasts
- 26a: The Long Night, pg. 157-159
- 27: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2021)
- 28: Yndrasta: The Celestial Spear
- 28a: Interlude One
- 29: War at Amberstone Watch (booklet)
- 29a: A Monstrous Stirring, pg. 2-4
- 30: Hamilcar: Champion of the Gods
- 30a: Chapter Fourteen
- 31: Kragnos: Avatar of Destruction
- 31a: Chapter Six
- 32: Warcry: Nightmare Quest
- 32a: Questor Soulsworn Quest, Pg. 44-47
