Wednesday 6 February 2013

Warhammer Wednesday: Shadows over Sylvania - 2 days to go!


Bloodlines

Blood Dragon

Once noble, mortal paladins, these warrior vampires owe their inhuman immortal nature to Abhorash, first of the Blood Dragons.

Abhorash was the greatest among the captains of Prince Lahmizzar of Lahmia, in ancient Nehekhara, and unlike the rest of the Deathless Court, he preyed only on those deserving of death. When Lahmia fell to the forces of Alcadizaar the Conqueror, Abhorash turned his back on humanity and set off north, vowing to be revenged upon all humankind.

Accompanied by only a few faithful followers, Abhorash went into exile carrying only his weapons and armour. He set about teaching his vampiric vassals that skill in close combat and honour in battle were the only true measures of greatness and that they should only drink from great fighters, claiming that only the impure fed on the weak.

Many years later, atop a great mountain wreathed in eternal flame, Abhorash battled a mighty red dragon. The two monsters fought from nightfall to moments before sunrise, and in the end it was the vampire who was victorious.

Drinking deeply of the dragon’s blood Abhorash rid himself of the need to drink fresh blood. He was now the ultimate warrior, a creature with the strength of a vampire but not cursed with the insatiable thirst shared by his blood-sucking kin. He commanded his brothers to go out into the world and hone their skills in combat until they were strong enough to defeat a dragon. His favourite, Walach Harkon, defeated an entire order of knights of the Ordo Draconis, turning those who fought well into vampires and slaughtering the rest. And so was born the Order of the Blood Dragons.

All Blood Dragon vampire knights seek to emulate their blood-father Abhorash by seeking out the most worthy opponents, to prove both their martial prowess and that they still seek honour in battle, rather than revelling in outright bestial slaughter.


No comments: