Runefang

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In the Warhammer Fantasy setting, the magical Runefang swords are the weapons and badges of office of the Elector Counts of the Empire, the ten rulers of the Empire's constituent provinces: Averland, Hochland, Middenland, Nordland, Ostland, Ostermark, Reikland, Stirland, Talabecland,and Wissenland.

The swords were originally commissioned by Sigmar himself as badges of office for the chieftains of the twelve tribes that followed him in his campaign of liberation against the orcs and goblins, forged by the legendary Dwarfen runesmith Alaric the Mad. The swords were not finished before the twelve original Elector Counts had died (owing to Dwarven perfectionism), and were presented to their successors.

While there are twelve Runefangs, there are now (Imperial Calendar 2522) only ten Elector Counts. The provinces of Drakwald (located in the Drakwald Forest) was destroyed at a currently unknown point in Imperial history, and Solland, the southernmost province, was sacked and destroyed in the early 1700s by the Waaagh! (orc and goblin army) of Gorbad Ironclaw, the greatest orc leader to ever walk the Old World. These territories are now incorporated into other provinces. The Elector Count of Solland was killed, and Gorbad took his Runefang as a trophy but it was later recovered in the World's Edge Moutains and returned to Altdorf, the Imperial capital, where it remains in the Imperial Armoury along with the Drakwald Runefang to be issued as necessary to a general or hero of the Empire's army. The Solland Runefang is currently carried by Kurt Helborg, Grand Marshal of the Reiksguard.

Each of the Runefangs has a name, listed below with their associated province: