Archaon, Lord of the End Times
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Archaon is a fictional character in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy Battle wargame. He is the main character of the forces of Chaos in the summer 2004 campaign known as Storm of Chaos. the rules for using Archaon in the game are in Warhammer Armies: Hordes of Chaos.
[edit] Background
According to rumours he was once a zealous Templar of Sigmar, devoted to defeating the menace of Chaos. He read ancient manuscripts (the Celestine Book of Divination) written by the blind prophet Necrodomo the Insane, which contained blasphemies about the religion of Sigmar and the nature of Gods and Chaos. The prophecy is also thought to have described, in detail, how the warhammer world will end at the hands of the Chaos gods. Screaming in rage, Archaon called the gods liars and burnt down the temple. Adopting the name Archaon, he murdered his entire family so nothing of his former life would endure. He travelled north to the Chaos Wastes and there offered himself to the Chaos Gods. Unlike conventional champions, Archaon did not seek daemonic immortality - he asked only to be the prime tool of Chaos in overthrowing order. His lifespan unnaturally extended by his Chaos patrons, Archaon spent the next century gathering the six treasures of Chaos - the Mark of the Chosen One, the Armour of Morkar, the Eye of Sheerian, the daemonic steed Dorghar, the Slayer of Kings, and the Crown of Domination.
Upon retrieving the Crown of Domination (along with the other five treasures), Be'lakor performed the coronation that made Archaon the Lord of the End Times. Leading a vast army, Archaon marched on The Empire from the North while his herald, Vardek Crom, marched from the east over the World's Edge Mountains. Archaon slew Volkmar the Grim, Grand Theogonist of Sigmar, and scattered his followers. The Storm had begun.
During the Storm of Chaos campaign, Archaon's goal was to storm the city of Middenheim and enter the Temple of Ulric. There he would corrupt the Eternal Flame with his own essence, extinguishing it and ushering in the End Times.
After ruining two provinces of the Empire and ravaging a third, Archaon laid siege to Middenheim itself. The Empire's stout defence had left Archaon's horde under-strength and late to arrive, giving the defenders valuable time to prepare their defences. The siege lasted a week. Despite initial successes, Archaon's horde was ground down by the defenders. At the campaign's start Archaon had relied upon his army's initial numerical superiority to overcome their foe, swiftly reaching their destination to strike before reinforcements could arrive. Now, depleted after weeks of invasion in a foreign land, beset by lack of supplies and increasing desertions, the advantage was with his enemies.
Archaon's horde was attacked by the armies of the orcs and goblins under Grimgor Ironhide, the Bretonnian Errantry Army under King Louen, and a Kislevite cavalry force under Alexei Makerev. The Imperial armies of Karl Franz and Valten were yet to arrive. The siege broken, Archaon fell back to the town of Sokh.
Archaon knew he had to attack the two armies opposing him before they could unite. He struck at Valten's army of the pious first. Caughty by surprise, Valten counter-attacked and drove into the heart of Archaon's army. The Swords of Chaos, Archaon's personal retinue, opposed him. Valten struck this wall of black metal like a comet, felling them with the Hammer of Sigmar. Following Valten were Huss and his brethren. Despite inflicting heavy casualties, Archaon's horde was driven out of position. Seeing the smaller size of Archaon's horde, Karl Franz ordered the final attack to proceed. Hellcannons landed their blasts on the men of the Empire, and on Valten. Under the eye of their Emperor, the men walked on, and Valten, now steedless, emerged alive. Be'lakor made his appearance, cutting off Karl Franz from Valten. Teclis appeared and banished the daemonic legion and its leader.
Valten finally spotted Archaon, and faced with a clear run, he charged. Valten struck at Archaon's steed, hurling the Everchosen to the ground. After Valten landed a stray yet mighty blow, Archaon summoned the power of his daemon blade and overcame his foe, carving open his armour and sending him flat on his back. On seeing the comet-shaped birthmark on his foe's chest. Archaon stepped back, as if in shock. Luthor Huss attacked, causing Archaon to lose his footing and sent him down to one knee. Archaon regained his footing quickly, counterattacked and left Huss unconscious.
A green-skinned forehead slammed into Archaon's face. It belonged to the Orc warlord, Grimgor Ironhide.. The Orcs had fought their way to the Everchosen. With Middenheim beyond anyone’s grasp, Grimgor had only one way to prove himself to Gork. Grimgor hefted Gitsnik in both hands, swung it in a wide arc, sheared the bottom from Archaon’s shield, and sent the Everchosen sprawling backwards.
Once more, the Slayer of Kings flicked out, but Grimgor had expected the counter-attack, and parried with the hilt of his axe. The Orc brought his booted foot down hard onto his foe's arm and dashed the blade from his grip. Using the flat of his axe, Grimgor battered Archaon across the head twice, then placed the blade's tip on the Everchosen’s throat. The Black Orc pulled back his head and roared into the leaden sky: “Grimgor izz da best!”
Archaon quit the battlefield. He and the few survivors of his army are thought to have fled to the ruins of Brass Keep.
