Beneath the corrupted skies of Chaos, Gorthor the Cruel, the most infamous beastlord in history, was reborn.
Under the watchful eye of Tzeentch's Champion, Haral the Eternal Eye, nine Chaos spikes formed a massive circle, channeling a torrent of unholy energy. Multicolored flames engulfed the peaks of the Central Mountains, weaving a colossal net of malevolent power. Black threads descended upon the mountain range as the Chaos Moon, Morrslieb, grew brighter, its twisted glow illuminating a grim omen. The stars themselves shifted in the heavens, aligning into a pattern that heralded ruin.
With the will of the Dark Gods manifest, Gorthor roared—a sound so fierce it made the stars quiver and the mountains shake.
"The gods demand your strength, Gorthor," Haral proclaimed. "This is the blessing of the True Gods. Know that it is the will of the Changer of Ways that has restored you."
Towering over 2.5 meters tall, Gorthor's form was a testament to brutal power. His massive frame dwarfed any other great bray-shaman, and his horned Chaos helm, forged from the bones of a colossal beast, radiated dark energy. His flesh was etched with the eight-pointed star of Chaos, and his presence was cloaked in an aura of unholy might—proof of the Dark Gods' favor.
Gorthor let out a guttural growl, his voice hoarse from centuries of silence. Haral handed him a vial of dark blue liquid with a faint pink hue.
Drinking the elixir carefully, Gorthor's throat loosened, and his guttural noises transformed into coherent words. "The prophecy... has come... The Empire will fall... by my hand. You... are the messenger... of the Supreme Eagle. I will lead... the children of darkness... to serve your will."
"Indeed," Haral replied with a nod. "You must fulfill our master's command: annihilate Ryan Macador, the Knight King, and Boris Todbringer, the White Wolf Elector!"
"The children of darkness... the spawn of Chaos... all of Drakwald's kin... shall obey!" Gorthor knelt, accepting his mission with solemnity.
Thus, Gorthor the Cruel, the most notorious beastlord in history, returned to the mortal plane.
---
As Gorthor roared his resurgence, his summons echoed from the Central Mountains to the Shadow Forest, from Drakwald to Westerland. Across these lands, countless bray-shamans received the Chaos vision and rallied their herds. Tens of thousands of beastmen raised their weapons, saluting the Chaos Moon in frenzied reverence.
Gorthor's unique qualities had long set him apart from other beastlords. He combined primal ferocity with a cunning intelligence that allowed him to unify his kin. Believing himself chosen by the Chaos Gods, Gorthor envisioned a future where the forests of the world would be his domain.
The Dark Gods' favor fueled Gorthor's rise, granting him unimaginable power. To solidify his dominance, he shared the gods' revelations with other beastmen tribes, an act that paradoxically angered the capricious deities. Yet their affection for him stayed their wrath. They decreed that to atone for his audacity, Gorthor must slaughter every human in his path.
Centuries ago, Gorthor had orchestrated the largest beastman invasion in recorded history. At that time, the Empire was engaged in the Grand Crusade to Araby alongside Bretonnia, Tilea, and Estalia. With the Empire's knights and elite forces abroad, Gorthor struck at its heart.
Like a merciless storm, his army razed Ostland and Hawkland. Entire towns and castles were reduced to ash, and rivers ran red with blood. The beastmen feasted on human flesh, their revelries marked by grotesque debauchery and unrestrained violence.
Gorthor's campaign culminated in a brutal siege of Herzig, Hawkland's capital. Elector Count Mikael von Rheinhardt led every able-bodied man in a desperate defense. For 23 days, the city held, but the beastmen eventually breached the gates, plunging the survivors into three days of bloody urban combat. Gorthor personally led the assault on the Elector's palace, defeating Count Mikael in single combat. However, the dying Elector struck a fatal blow with his runeblade, slaying Gorthor.
With their leader dead, the beastman horde collapsed, though the Empire's forces were too depleted to pursue. The devastation left Ostland and Hawkland crippled for centuries. Forests reclaimed the ruins, becoming the dreaded Drakwald, a haven for beastmen and a scar on the Empire's heartland.
---
Now, as Gorthor stood atop his war chariot, proclaiming his return, his followers erupted into deafening howls. Tens of thousands of beastmen assembled under his banner, forming an army of terrifying magnitude.
The army surged forward: Chaos mammoths thundered across the plains, minotaurs roared in bloodlust, and towering dragon ogres loomed over the ranks. Bray-shamans chanted unholy invocations, summoning beasts of nightmarish proportions to join the march. Their target was clear: Ryan and Boris's united human army.
But Gorthor did not attack immediately. To the surprise of his followers, he declared a detour.
He would go to the Black Pit.
Located deep within the Drakwald Forest, the Black Pit was a twisted domain of dense hills and rotting marshes. This desolate region served as the heart of the Forest Goblins' spider kingdom. Massive webs stretched across the trees, and grotesque spider nests dotted the landscape.
"Greenskins... strong... savage," Gorthor explained to his lieutenants. "They kill humans... beasts... with glee. Humans... vile... encroach... on greenskin lands. Together... we win!"
Leading a contingent of minotaurs, bestigors, and chaos trolls, Gorthor ventured into the Black Pit.
As they advanced, the forest grew darker and more alien. Gigantic oaks twisted into unnatural shapes, their bark encased in webbing. The ground became littered with cocooned corpses, remnants of the spiders' gruesome feasts.
Fear gripped Gorthor's followers, but none dared retreat. The Supreme Beastlord's reputation and the Dark Gods' favor ensured obedience.
Suddenly, the forest came alive with movement. Spiders of all sizes emerged from the shadows, their grotesque forms skittering through the underbrush. Forest goblins, clad in bone and feathers, rode atop these arachnids, glaring at the intruders with glowing eyes.
At the heart of this arachnid swarm stood Snagla Grobspit, the Spider King. Perched atop a colossal gray spider, Snagla regarded Gorthor with a mix of curiosity and hostility.
Gorthor raised his black spear, motioning for his followers to stand down. Beating his chest and raising his fists to the sky, he signaled his intention to negotiate.
No one knows what was said during their hour-long discussion. But when it ended, a new alliance had been forged.
Dubbed the "Pact of the Forest," this accord united the greenskin Spider Kingdom and the beastmen of Drakwald. Together, they vowed to annihilate humanity, reclaim their forests, and purge the interlopers from their sacred lands.
Humanity's darkest hour loomed.
---
February 2515 IC – The Siege of Von Zhukov Castle
At the same time, the siege of Von Zhukov Castle raged on. Under Regent Oleg von Zhukov and Marshal Módel, the defenders of Ostland resisted with all their might. Three layers of fortifications surrounded the castle, bolstered by mobile heavy cavalry and hastily constructed earthworks.
For 20 days, the defenders fought valiantly. But Motkin, the Black-Iron Avenger, was relentless. Swearing to make Ostland pay dearly, he launched wave after wave of brutal assaults.
The chaos was unimaginable.
Renowned Imperial writer Friedrich Schiller, conscripted as a scribe, documented the horrors:
- Villages burned, their inhabitants tortured or slaughtered.
- Prisoners mutilated and consumed in grotesque rituals.
- Women and children massacred for sport.
- Fields razed, and rivers clogged with corpses.
By early February, the first two defensive lines had fallen. The remaining 55,000 defenders were forced into the inner castle, while Chaos reinforcements swelled Motkin's forces to 150,000.
At the same time, another 150,000 Chaos warriors gathered in the Wastes, preparing to march south.
The stage was set for humanity's ultimate test.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+100 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]