Magnus the Pious (Warhammer Fantasy)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Age | ||
| Race | Human | |
| Nickname | 'The Pious' | |
| Current status | Deceased |  |
| Profession | Former Emperor and Champion of Light of The Empire | |
In the fictional Warhammer Fantasy setting of the tabletop miniature wargame, Warhammer Fantasy Battle, Magnus the Pious was a noble who reunited the fantasy kingdom of the Empire, saving it from the largest invasion of the Dark Gods of Chaos in its history. Some cite Magnus 'the Pious' of 14th century Brunswick, Germany as a partial basis for the character.
Contents |
[edit] Early history
Magnus's story takes place just after the turn of the twenty-third century, in the aftermath of the War of the Three Emperors, a civil war that has left the Empire divided, run-down and leaderless. Magnus is born to the Bildhofen family of Middenland. Magnus disappoints his parents, for of all the lessons taught to him, by his educators, none excite him more than the tales of Sigmar, the patron god of the Empire. He is sent Nuln, where he enters the Sigmarite Priesthood. He becomes famous for his rousing speeches and blend of zeal and common sense. Magnus also furthers his political ambitions for reunification.
[edit] Prior to the Great War
In the Chaos Wastes to the North of the Warhammer World, it seems as if the Dark Gods of Chaos - the principal enemies in the setting - have united to conquer the world. The Wastes expand beyond their normal borders to engulf the wasteland the people of the Old World call Troll Country. An army of hundreds of thousands gathers in the Wastes. Various characters describe how apocalyptic occur all over the Old World: mages claw out their eyes; animals gave birth to monsters; famine and disease ravage the land; Cultists lead uprisings against local government. At this point, rumours abound of a vast horde of evil marching from the north to sweep over their lands. To the men of the Old World, it seems as if the apocalypse is finally upon them.
In Nuln, the Magi, the most feared Tzeentchian Cult of the age, leads a successful uprising. Daemons are unleashed; Witch Hunters tried to rally the populace in the street. The people of Nuln pray for a for a sign that they do not stand alone. The night after the Magi reveal themselves, their prayers are answered. Just as with the coming of Sigmar, patron god and founder of the Empire centuries earlier in the setting's history, the twin-tailed comet once again soars across the sky. Magnus rallies the citizens of Nuln and purges the city.
Magnus wastes no time in taking his vision to the wider Empire. As Magnus and his flock travel, so do the tales of his deeds. The Elector Counts, the rulers of the Empire's provincial states, start pledging their troops to his cause. Flagellants, militia, state troops and ordinary citizens who hate Chaos further swell Magnus's army. It becomes the largest army ever assembled within the Empire. Magnus is granted an audience with the Ar-Ulric, the High Priest of the ancient Old World deity of Winter, Wolves, and War. Ar-Ulric Kriestov denounces Magnus as a heretic and charlatan. Magnus walks through the Sacred Flame - an holy site of the Church of Ulric, which, in the setting, can tell the pure from the tainted, and the truthful from the liar. Magnus emerges unscathed: to the men of the Empire, he has just performed a miracle.
[edit] The Road to Kislev
The story tells that at this time envoys from the eastern nation of Kislev arrive. They carry a grim message from their ruler, Tzar Alexis Vassilivich. Together with the armies of the Empire states of Ostland and the Ostermark, the Tzar and his troops have engaged the Chaos horde, resulting in a bloodbath. Having destroyed the last of the Kislevite regular troops, the Chaos horde is now free to cross the frozen river Lynsk, Kislev's main river. Her three major cities are now wide open to attack. Magnus heeds their words and shares his plan with them. The Imperial army will march to Kislev and there take the fight to their foe. As winter turns to spring, Magnus receives his final reinforcements from the further-flung Imperial states and splits his army in two: infantry and cavalry. Magnus leads the former, Ar-Ulric Kriestov the latter. The cavalry thunder ahead, intent on being the first to meet the enemy. As Magnus' reaches the state of Talabheim, he is greeted by an old friend, Pieter Lazlo, whom Magnus had despatched to seek aid months before. Beside Lazlo stand three High Elves - a species whom few humans have seen in a thousand years. The Elves are the Arch-Mage Teclis and his comrades Finreir and Yrtle.
Despite the firmness of Magnus's belief, the story here describes his ambivalance and doubt. While he knows that his men can eventually prevail over any enemy, he has doubts whether they can do the same over the nightmare creations of Chaos, so near to their hellish domains. He knows the Horde has something his own force lacks: magic. Magnus knows this will be vital to any possible human victory, whatever his Church's dogma claims about the inherent evil of sorcery. Magnus declares an immediate amnesty and asylum for all human magical users, provided that they pledge themselves to his cause, and to the scrutiny of Teclis. The three Elf mages magically locate scores of other hedge wizards across the Empire, and teach them some simple battle spells. The setting later describes how some of these wizards - such as Volans and Frederick Von Tarnus - become the first Patriarchs (supreme leaders) of what will later become the Colleges of Magic.
[edit] The Great War Against Chaos
As Magnus and his army advances, the story describes how the Kislevite city of Praag falls to Chaos. This loss is not merely territorial: the power of Chaos surges through the city, warping and fusing its entire contents: people are merged with stone and yet live; buildings become monsters, and evil magic saturates the air. When news of this defeat reaches Magnus, he falls to his knees and weeps tears of blood, vowing before his god to avenge the horrors done on that day. The cavalry force arrives the day after Praag's defeat, and bears witness to the hell upon earth that has been wrought. They join with Kislevite survivors and pursue their hated foes. They soon encounter the Chaos rearguard, and fall upon with them without mercy, slaying most and scattering the rest. At this point, both the Horde and its leader, Asavar Kul, are unaware that Magnus's cavalry is closing in upon them.
Kul's horde continues towards Kislev. By accident or design, Magnus arrives in time to see his enemy encircle the city. Weary, in need of provisions, Magnus's army knows what lies ahead of it. It will be neither a battle for glory, nor for conquest. Mankind will fight for its very existence. As the sun sets on the final night before they will confront their enemies, Magnus leads his troops in final prayer, speaking his most famous words.
"I can see in your eyes that you fear this enemy. I can see in your eyes that you wonder how we can fight such terrible monsters. Men of the Empire, I have the answer: We fight them with our steel, we fight them with our courage, but above all we fight them with our faith in Sigmar!"
Magnus's inspirational presence and charisma prove invaluable in binding the Empire army together, and soothing their fears. Magnus decides to launch a two-pronged assault on Kul's horde, which will force him to split his troops. Magnus will confront Kul's western flank, and the dwarfs, under High King Alriksson, who have marched to Kislev's aid from Karaz-a-Karak, will break through the horde's southern flank. Pinned down, the horde will then become vulnerable to a sally from the Tzar's forces at the rear. The armies depart.
Magnus calls on all his reserves and immediately charges the Chaos horde. With the advantage of surprise, his army falls upon Kul's like a hammer, routing thousands of enemy troops and advancing deep into its ranks. The horde eventually redeploys to contain Magnus, forcing him and his troops into a defensive circle. Hours pass, no word comes from the dwarfs. The people within Kislev, who initially cheered Magnus's arrival, now fall into silence. The hopelessness is further cemented when Dwarf contingents attempt to leave and aid Magnus, and are driven back with heavy losses. Asavar Kul orders his shock troops forward into position, as Magnus's embattled army draws up around a low hill, totally surrounded by Chaos troops.
It is then that the story turns in favour of the allies, as Magnus's cavalry force arrive. With a ferocity born of hatred, they fall upon the horde, which bows before their anger. Seeing the confusion at the Chaos army's rear, Magnus realises he has a final chance to turn the tide. Mustering his troops once more, he spurs then forwards. The horde rapidly falls into anarchy: Cultists and tribesmen flee, beastmen mill around, impossible to draw into order, and hamper all attempts to respond. Chaos Warriors are hewn down where they stand. Magnus prepares to lead another charge when a voice warns him of a 'beast in human form' approaching, and that this being who leads their enemy. Asavar Kul dismounts from his chariot, and strides towards Magnus. Kul is suffused with the power of Chaos; within Magnus flows the divine powers of the deified Sigmar. With his combat skills augmented, Magnus triumphs, beheading Kul. At the same time, the Kislevite and dwarf troops break through and engage the Chaos army on each side. Caught between three armies, the Chaos horde is ground down and destroyed. Magnus saves Kislev and by so doing saves the Old World entire.
Magnus receives the gratitude of the Tzar and the Dwarf High King. Erengrad is relieved, Praag is levelled, and Chaos is driven back to its domains. The Chaos gods' power recedes and withdraws from Praag. As the Chaos followers fragment, the men of the Empire unite. On return to the Empire, Magnus's army burns the tainted remains of the cursed city of Mordheim, and leads a campaign to clear the Empire's forests of beastmen.
[edit] Magnus I
In 2304, Magnus sees his dream of unity realised. He is elected Emperor by overwhelming demand. For the first time in centuries, the Empire is united under a single leader. Magnus requestes that Teclis found an institution to teach magic to humans, so adding another weapon to mankind's arsenal. He moves the capital to Nuln, and rules wisely for more than three decades. Institutions are revived, corruption is rooted out, and ties with other lands are renewed. The Empire emerges anew.
Prior to his death in 2369, Magnus (who has no legitimate offspring) proclaims the Reikland noble, Wilhelm Holswig-Schliestein, as the new Grand Prince of Reikland. The present Emperor, Karl Franz, is a descendant of Wilhelm.
[edit] Legacy
Magnus had saved the Old World, brought the Elves back the Empire, reunified his country, and added magic to mankind's arsenal. The emblem of his dynasty - the Griffon Rampant - became the symbol of his successors, and of later generations of the Sigmarite clergy. In the setting's present, Grand Theogonist Volkmar's reign is heavily influenced by Magnus's deeds, teachings, and sermons, and many believe Magnus's canonisation is imminent.
[edit] References
- Liber Chaotica Complete, Black Library, Nottingham, 2006
- Terror in Talabheim, Black Industries, 2006
- Warhammer Armies: Empire (1st version), Games Workshop
- Sigmar's Heirs, Black Industries, 2006
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Major Games: | Warhammer Fantasy Battle • Warmaster • Mordheim • Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay • Man O' War • Warhammer Ancient Battles |
| Nations and races: | Bretonnia • Chaos • Chaos Dwarfs • Dark Elves • Dogs of War • Dwarfs • The Empire • High Elves • Kislev • Lizardmen • Ogres • Orcs & Goblins • Skaven • Undead (Tomb Kings & Vampire Counts) • Wood Elves |
| Places: | The Old World • Araby • Cathay • Lustria • Ulthuan • Southlands • Naggaroth • Dark Lands • Albion • |
| People: | List of major characters |
| More: | List of creatures in Warhammer Fantasy • Warhammer Fantasy deities • Lores of Magic |
