War on the Motherland Part 1: The Daughters of the Hag March
(Mother Ostankya POV)
Location the Warhammer Old World-Kislev/Dukhlys Forests, the Altar of the Hags
Unacceptable!!!
These damn, vile servents of Chaos, dare to defile the forests!?
Reports from my akshina scouts, the Dark Legion were openly attacking the forest...anger rushed through my body, as I smacked a crow that was hanging from the rim of my cauldron.
The Dark Legion has done great harm to the wilds and Kislev, ohh Ursun and spirits of the wilds...where are you, when we need you most?
After saying my mental plead to the Bear God, and the spirits, I groan in frustration, and anger, letting my wooden spoon float in my witch cauldron, as I walked away.
Using my staff to support myself, while my eyes shifted around this hallowed ground of the hag-sisterhood, I saw many daughters of the forest, various Hag-witches that have come to answer my call to war.
Along with many loyal beasts and monsters, all ready to battle, as well with several hags summoning and binding the Incarnates of Elemental of Beasts, roaring and thrashing with great fury like magic lore, that both spawns and empowers them.
Many kossars, kossovite dervishes, akshina, war bear riders along with some feral bears, and many more, all emcamped in the area without causing any damage to my forest.
Sighing, as I marvel at these woods, Dukhlys, or as the ignorant call the Hag Woods, soo mystical and untampered by the rest of the world.
Secured near the World's Edge Mountain, and blessed by the ancient spirits of the wilds, supposedly a sanctuary for those blessed and charged with becoming daughters of the forest, as well as protectors.
I need to protect these uncorrupted lands...this was not the time to wait, that upstart Tzarina, and the fanatic Kostaltyn, could rot and bicker until they kill each other!!
I'll protect the Motherland, and the nature of the wild, I'll eliminate this damned, Ixion Daemonhart, and exsponge Chaos from Kislev!!
Smashing my staff onto the ground, unleashing a great amount of magical power, swirl and surge of blue energy, around me, as I let out a battle cry, and told my followers, "Daughters of Hag!! Warriors of the Woods!!! Beasts of the wilds!!! Rise, it time to punish, all that threaten our lands!!!!" my words, inspired my followers.
Walking back to where my cauldron, and I prepare my
(General POV)
Location Kislev/Oakstuun: Burning Village
A large unknown village, set in flame and destroyed with daemons and Chaos Warriors chasing after any survivor, regardless age of gender.
Khornate and laharlish daemons slaughtered and butchered all, the tzeentchian daemons were blasting spells, destroying all standing houses and buildings, while also searching for anything mystical that would be use to their dark master, lastly the nurglish daemons were infecting stragglers making subcome to death or the rot in the Grandfather's name, all the while the mortal warriors of the Dark Gods joining in on the total genocide.
In the village square, Ixion/Tzeentch was standing against some remnants of the village's protector, a dozen Kislevite protectors, men and women, surrounding the Chosen of the Gods.
Standing stoic and menacing, the four-armed tzeentchian Chaos Lord, that is one of the Daemonharts stood there wielding a daemonic, tzeentchian sword on his upper-right hand, and a tzeentchian halbert in both lower hands.
Speaking in a multiple echo sounding, voice like a mix of metallic, daemonic, mature, and high-pitch voices, "Hahaheehehehee. Come, face destiny. Offer your souls, to me!!" this aggravated them.
The station patriarch, pointed his lite torch-scepter, towards Tzeentch/Ixion and the other men and women, rushed at the Chosen of the Gods, with axes and spears.
This only amused the Changer, while the rest of the Warp Gods, watch attentively at their younger brother's skills, and soo far they must admit their impressed.
As Tzeentch/Ixion blocked a couple of axe wielders with his [Balewing Halbert], without any pushback from Ixion, another Kislevite warrior came from the side with a spear.
In thrusting attack aim to the side of the avater's helmed head, only for Tzeentch to make Ixion catch the spear with the upper-left arm, with a strong push Ixion/Tzeentch knock back the axe wielders, and freed halbert Tzeentch made the avatar swung the polearm, slashing in a rising, crossed angle.
Cleaving right through the man's head, as blood pour down his lower face, and the upper-half of the head slipped off to the side, and onto the snow, and in one step forward, Ixion/Tzeentch stabbed another Kislevite warrior into the belly, lifting him up.
He screamed in agony, as the halbert's blades dug in deeper to the man, and blood gushed out his stomach, desperately trying to free himself and maybe survive.
Seeing their comrade in utter pain, the other village protectors, rushed in to attack the tzeentchian Chaos Lord.
But that was all part of the Changer's plan, lure in his victims, commanding the avatar to tighten its grip on the [Hellbane Malice], it glowed in a eery magical energy, specifically a mauve color.
As he used [Shadow Magic] to create a illusion over his form, cloaking the avatar in Shyish fog.
Under the concealment of shadow magic, Tzeentch/Ixion struck at the dumbfounded Kislevites, using his psyker powers of telekinesis to pull off and toss the dying man at the charging humans.
The gutted, screaming man smash against three Kislevites, pushed down onto the snow, as they try to get their bleeding, and fatally wounded comrade's body off of them, Tzeentch/Ixion revealed himself right beside them, with both daemonic weapons poised to strike.
With both greatsword and polearm ready, Tzeentch, he made Ixion swing at the three immobilized targets, a swift and brutal slash, decapitating the three in a gorey fashion, with a huge burst of blood spraying across the snow.
As this happened, inside the avatar of the Warp Gods, Khorne laughed and applaud at his younger brother's, brutal executions, honestly if he could he'd proudly have those skulls to his throne, meanwhile Nurgle had to regrettably compliment his younger brother's, skills and abilities.
Laharl was also impressed by Tzeentch's combat capabilities, so in his words, "Well. Nurgle, Khorne, let continue to enjoy the slaughter, shall we?" both the Blood God and the Decaying God, agreed and watched, as Tzeentch instructed their avatar to spin his halbert, and smashing the end of the pole onto the snow.
Then with his other weapon-wielding arm, he pointed the tzeentchian state [Hellbane] at the remaining opponents, as Tzeentch spoke through Ixion Daemonhart, "Five more souls, collected and offered to Scheming God. It's time for your fates, to meet their end." this declaration made both Nurgle and Khorne, chuckle, while Laharl has a bit of cringe of the edge factor, and they watched, as those humans change at Tzeentch/Ixion again.
Meanwhile in another part of the Motherland...
Location Kislev/Edge of the Dukhlys Forests
At the edge from the Hag Woods/Dukhlys Forest, Mother Ostankya riding her magical sled, leading a huge army of the more "feral" forces of Kislev.
Several hag witches were right behind her, all on their own sleds, following their great Hag Mother into battle, with horse and bear riding Kislevite warriors (Kossovite Dervishes, Horse Archers, and War Bear Riders) with various beasts, from Feral & Ice Bears roaring as they crunch into the snow, with Snow Leopards ahead the noble ursun creatures, large spiders of various sizes and color pattern on their thoraxes.
Lastly the skulled-headed, nameless horrors of Kislev legend, the Things in the Woods, with their razor-sharp fangs and claws, breaking through with ease in the snow, and the nearly hundreds of Incarnates of Elemental of Beasts, which resembles a giant, Chaos beastman, with antlered skull-heads of hounds, surging with magical energies of the Lore of Beasts, under the direct command and "control" of the Hags magic were their being cooperative and eager for ravenous bloodshed. (A little change, for variety even if the WTT game, allows it, the tabletop doesn't mix "civilized" Kislevites with Ostankya's army...even if GW, never made a model for her...soo to grant her some more troops I basically "recolored" the units and called Akshina Varients.)
As bear pelt wearing warriors known as akshina, from the ambushers that use crossbow, to kossars wielded bows, from the more melee focus members of these woodsmen/women from axe, spear, and even sword wielders making the bulk of the forces of Mother Ostankya's army.
The most elite wore armor over their ursun pelts, which are composed from iron and steel taken from destroyed enemies of the wild, even taking some of the tittles, from the weak followers of the Ice Court, and the Great Orthodoxy of Ursunite Faith.
From Akshina Tzars to Guards these elite veterans of both war and hunting, act as the most skilled and more better equipped units of this army.
The only beasts not apart of Ostankya's or her Hags' command were the giant cave bats, ever since the awakening of the new Chaos God, Laharl Valboga, these bats have been acting eractic, even leaving their cavern nests and headed to the far north.
But that didn't matter to the Hag Mother, at the moment, true she lost a large number of her overall army, but Ostankya, she'll not be deterred.
Swinging her staff, a staff strung with charms and topped with animal skulls into the air, with her [ Cauldron of Power] mounted on her hexed sled, with simmering powerful arcane brews, the Hag Mother's curses and incantations taken shape in the brew she held within her cauldron, all ready to summon forth the spirit-magic against her enemy, specifically the damned Ixion Daemonhart.
Her rage was pretty pronounced, as her small fangs scrapped on her upper lip, she growled and reached out her hands, sticking her Witch Staff, (Mother Ostankya's artifacts are only her Crown of Claws & Cauldron of Power, GW never named her staff, despite its importance and great design.) into the cauldron, and steer the potion and pouring her magical power into the hex.
Summoning a several pairs of massive, spectral spider-legs, creepily skittering around Ostankya's form, almost like those spider-legs were her own, this was Mother Ostankya's rage made manifest.
As she swore to the spirits that she'll make him pay, that she'll kill Ixion Daemonhart, and save Kislev and the wilds before either supposed "leaders" of the Motherland, finally decide to march!!
Location Unknown Forest Area, near Oakstuun
Within the darkest forest terrain, near all the carnage, happening throughout Kislev, a famous and unfortunate soul, and dark-hero of the Motherland, a woman of short white hair, and deadly pale skin, was wandering in the cover of dark, heading to her target's location.
Her name Ulrika Magdova has secretly returned to the Motherland, surprisingly by the call of the Bear God, not too long ago.
Ulrika was a proud and beautiful Kislevite woman, a talented archer and horsewoman, the daughter of Ivan Mikelovitch Straghov, one of the Kislevite march boyars who guards the borders of that frigid realm against the depredations of Chaos, she was destined for greaterness and to be one of the prominent figures of Kislev.
Until a Vampire from the Lahmian Bloodline, turned her into a vampire, her "sire" was Adolphus Krieger, becoming a mindless but very skilled thrall to Krieger, all to protect his relic and symbol of necrotic power, the Eye of Khemri, after a long time, basically a slave in all but name, Krieger's hold on Ulrika wained and she'd eventually broke free...
But forevermore cursed, with basic unlife, as a immortal vampire, but her soul was never darkened, using her curse as a weapon, she traveled the Old World, teaming up with the legendary duo Felix and Gotrek, stopping many vile schemes of evil, ranging from undead lords, skaven villains, and powerful servents of Chaos, thus being a unsung heroine of the Empire, Kislev, and even Brettonnia, several times.
But even with these heroic deeds in the name of good, Ulrika, she knew that she was condemned to the ultimate dark fate.
Only through her heroic deeds, she hopes to find self-redemption for her soul, Ulrika, before she returned to her homeland, she was facing some vampires and undead.
When, she cut down the last vile undead, and sheathed her sword, she received a call...a call she hasn't heard in many, many years...
It was Ursun, he called to her, in a weak sounding voice, requesting her aid to save Kislev and fight against the invading force of Chaos, the Dark Legion of Ixion Daemonhart has come to Kislev, and she is needed.
Hence Ulrika, she was now in Kislev to fight against the forces of Chaos, regardless of her situation...and personal issue, she is still a proud daughter of the Motherland, and she'll always answer the call to her aid, as Ulrika was preparing herself to face the forces of the Dark Legion, her red, menacing eyes cutting through the dark forest, she prayed for Ursun's guide and strength, for this will be the most dangerous quest that Ulrika, has ever undertaken.
Location Kislev/Oakstuun: Destroyed Village
After sometime later, Tzeentch/Ixion was sitting a makeshift throne, composed of countless bodies of all those butchered by his and his brothers followers in the Dark Legion.
Tzeentch was enjoying the aftermath of the Chaos, brought by his and the other Warp Gods' servents, both mortal and daemonic.
While the Changer had the avatar resting, he and his brothers were conversing and...begrudgingly...complimented, Tzeentch's abilities.
Already Oakstuun is basically under the control of the Dark Legion, and along with the daemonic corruption of the Motherland, Tzeentch and the Warp Gods, were also starting to sense small glimpses, like echoes of something...or someone of divine origins.
The Dark One immediately knew who they were starting to catch sign of, Ursun the Bear God, despite his very weakened, and clearly still injured state from what he assume, cause of his knowledge of the starting storyline of TTW3 ( Total War: Warhammer 3) Ursun was still badly wounded by Yuri's Chaos infused bullet to the heart.
With his, Tzeentch, Khorne, and Nurgle's corruption spreading onto Ursun's beloved land was unmasking whatever trick, Ursun or his worshippers were using to hide him...taking the moment to chuckle, getting his younger brothers attention, as Laharl said, "Just thinking about the tiny Bear God, here. And I thought of maybe cooking the divine beast, on a BBQ." this actually got the other Warp Gods thinking.
It was the Dark Harbinger that got them hooked on eating, and they do enjoy the thought of cooking the sole called Bear God, that's when Laharl mentally laughed a bit, as he took a line from TTW3, and tweaked a bit, as he said it, "I can taste it now. BBQ God Ribs." they'll admit that what their brother suggested, indeed sounded delicious.
Thus making all four of them laugh, with such joy and hysteria that it actually came out of their avatar, Ixion Daemonhart, was laughing soo hard and with clear joy.
This caught the attention of all the remnants of the Dark Legion, that were still in the destroyed ruins of the village.
At that moment, a Decarabia came floating straight at it's dark master, the cyclopean, starfish, tzeentchian daemon, started to report that it and its swarm, have detected a large source of magical energy.
Said magical energy was coming from the mountain range, some distance away from their current location, this report made Tzeentch and the other Warp Gods, stop laughing and get serious.
Seems that their target, has finally bit the bait that they being laying around.
Tzeentch and Khorne were impressed that their brother, Laharl, plan to cause massive amount of destruction and defilement of the land, has lure the other most noticeable magic caster in Kislev.
While Nurgle was a bit peeved with such measures of degradation of nature, he too was impressed it didn't take as long, as he originally imagined for this Mother Ostankya, to start gunning for them.
Tzeentch speaking through Ixion, order not only his decarabia but also all that were present, he commanded them to gathered everyone of the Dark Legion, the daemons, beastmen, the darkoath, the blades of Khorne, the maggotkin, the darkwings, the disciples of Tzeentch, everyone!!!
Which includes Kholek, Harald Hammerstorm, Yuri Godslayer, Throgg, Skarlet, Tai Tai Shien, and Yuma Trollvile, for another battle was close to begin, this news made all khornate daemons and warriors extremely excited, as they left to prepare for the upcoming battle!!
Meanwhile in the whole world, as another great battle was about to commence in the Motherland, all the while said Kislev is completely cut-off with the Northlands being the main source of all Kislev's current predicament, and their neighbors in the South, also under Chaos enscougance from the Everchosen himself.
As the Emperor, Karl Franz was already in allout war Archeon and his armies, all the while other forces were starting to move as well, from the Badlands huge Waaghz were starting to form behind Grimgor, Gorbad, Azhag, and Grom were heading west for some major krumpinz.
Even other factions were mobilizing such as the beastmens, the ogres, and two of the elven races of the High Elves and Dark Elves, seeking to either eliminate this new Chaos threat or instead take advantage of it.
The only factions that were for now not "active" are the lizardmen of Lustria, the Dwarves that were instead preparing to invade the long lost holds while all this anarchy happens, the Vampire Counts that were amassing a legion of undead and monogod factions of Chaos, which instead were either preparing to head south or gathering for a major invasion to the Southlands again. (Just wanted to give a little bit of a update, on what also going on, all around the Old World, while the Kislev invasion was happening.)
[Author Note: Here it is. The first chapter of the Ostankya saga. Hope you all enjoy, and keep supporting, have a nice day/nite, and cyall in the next chapter. 👍]