Karl Franz
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Age | 40-50 | |
| Race | Human | |
| Current status | Alive | |
| Profession | Emperor of The Empire | |
Karl Franz, Emperor of the Empire and Elector Count of Reikland is a fictional character in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy setting and may be used as the General of an Army of the The Empire in the Warhammer Fantasy Battle table top wargame.
Karl Franz is the current Emperor in the Warhammer setting. As the Empire is the leading human nation within the Old World, Karl is possibly the most important man in the Warhammer World. He is described in the current background materials as a patron of arts and science, a practicing (if pragmatic) Sigmarite, and an inspirational general.
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[edit] Wargame Appearance
The official miniature figure for Karl Franz was originally modeled by Trish and Aly Morrison's Marauder Miniatures company. Since the acquisition of this company by Games Workshop, the design is produced by Citadel[1]. As a character in the Warhammer game, Karl Franz appears as a heavily armoured man mounted on the griffin Deathclaw, though he can be fielded on a barded warhorse or another powerful steed; The Imperial Dragon. Karl is equipped with a number of magic items that are tied into the history of the Empire: armour and a talisman (the silver seal) used by Magnus the Pious, the war hammer used by Sigmar, and one of the Runefang swords given to the Elector Counts by the Dwarfs in ages past.
[edit] Appearances in Warhammer fiction
Karl Franz has appeared as a minor character in several Warhammer novels from the Black Library, most notably in the Genevieve Dieúdonne stories by Kim Newman. In the Black Library books, Karl Franz is portrayed as the only noble man in a corrupt court, skilled in courtly intrigue but revolted by the egoism of those around him. When he ascended to the throne he dreamed of vast changes, but an assassination attempt made him more withdrawn.
Karl also appeared as a supporting character in the two Warhammer PC games released during the 1990s. In Shadow Of The Horned Rat, the player character obtains an audience with Franz in Nuln, who eventually agrees to loan you a unit of his personal Reiksguard knights. In Dark Omen, he appears very early in the game as more of a plot device who sends your mercenary army to various locations in the Warhammer World. He is portrayed as thoughtful and noble, but also dour and with little patience for fools.
[edit] Previous Depictions
While Karl Franz is now depicted in current Games Workshop material as a great and noble leader, earlier versions of the Warhammer World background were less flattering. The first edition of the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay roleplaying game, in particular, depicted Karl as an ineffective and weak ruler, elected simply because he was unambitious and easily manipulated. The material in The Enemy Within campaign depicts Karl as weak in body and mind, ultimately leading to his assassination. Since Karl is still alive in the current background, this material is no longer canon.
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