HISTORY
AZHAG THE SLAUGHTERER

Imperial Year 2488 to 2506

Azhag's career of carnage began as the chieftain of a small Orc tribe from Troll Country in northern Kislev.

The Battle of Todheim (2410)
When Azhag's tribe was attacked by maurading Chaos warbands Azhag and his Orcs were forced underground, into the labyrints of the daemon-haunted city of Todtheim on the edge of the Northern Wastes. The Orcs spent weeks in the darkness fighting many monsters and uncovering countless ancient horrors, Azhag was confronted by a huge Chaos Troll. Azhag fought the Troll, and eventually chased it back to its lair where he slew it after a bloody struggle. Searching through the Troll's hoard of treasure he chanced upon the Crown of Sorcery. Unsuspecting of its true power, Azhag placed the metal band upon his head, and instantly its magic began to work. Strange and terrifying thoughts flooded his mind, and darkness overwhelmed him.

Azhag and his tribe fought its way out of Todtheim easily, indeed, Azhag seemed almost to know the way out. Azhag was changed. Sometimes the tribe's Big'uns recognised theire old leader as he stomped up and down the battle lines bawling at his lads. At other times, and especially at night, he seemed distubingly diffrent. His eyes appeared dark and fixed, as if possessed of some terrifying secret.

At first he wore the crown he had found only occasionally, but later it was always on his scarred green skull and he became increasingly silent and brooding. Unknown to the orcs, the crown was working its power upon Azhag, for it was an ancient and evil device that once belonged to the Liche Lord Nagash himself, and his power and his spirit still clung to it. Azhag was not entirely Azhag any more, the immeasurably strong personality of Nagash was gradually eating him away. But Azhag and Nagash had one thing in common, a lust for conquest and power that the Orc warlord was now in a position to fulfil.

The Raise of Waaagh! Azhag (2511)
Azhag's tribe struck eastwards, into the World Edege Mountains and against the Orc and Goblin tribes that lived there. at first he challenges were met by rival warbosses and there were several bloody battles, but after rumours of Azhag's victories became well known the tribes gave up any ideas of fighting and flocked to join the growing Waaagh. Moving southwards along the World Edge Mountains chain he conquered tribe after tribe, and eventually all the Night Goblins of the Red Eye Mountain joined the Waaagh. This greatly increased the size of Azhag's army, for there are more Night Goblin tribes living in and around Red Eye Mountain than anywhere else in the Old World. The Pillage of Ostermark (2513)
After holing up for the winter of 2512 the horde descended into the eastern provinces of the Empire. At first the Orcs looted and pillaged through Ostermark, feasting upon the few beasts that the people had carefully nurtured through the winter and driving the impoverished population westwards through the snow. The towns of Kohlizt and the Temple of Sigmar at Nachtdoft were both razed to the ground. The Count of Ostermark led a small army of local troops and Knights Panther to try and stem athe Orcs' advance, but his troops were hopelessly outnumbered and soon driven from the field in rout.

The Count rallied his forces in Bechafen where the constant stream of refugees meant lean rations and poor quarters for all. The snow persisted until the secound month of the new year, and many died of cold and hunger before spring. The cold did little to hinder the Orcs, for Orcs and Goblins are hardy creatures, and, if needs must will eat any flesh no matter how foul or what manner of creature it comes from. The Orcs were also provided with food and reinforcements by Forest Goblins who flocked to join them from the Great Forest.

The Pillage of Ostland (2513)
Bypassing Bechafen the horde headed west, towards the Middle Mountains and Ostland, crossing the river Talabec by the old bridge at Rinn. The Imperial troops posted to defend the gates from Kislev fled when they saw the green horde streatched out across the horizon and advancing at full speed towards them. In Ostland the horde began to loot and destroy with customary Orc efficiency, crusing the spring crops underfoot and gorging themselves on the hard won stores of the local people. Tough frontier folk that they ere, the Ostlanders fought as hard as they could, and the Count of Ostland gathered an army to fight the green tide.

The Battle of Grim Moor (2513)
At the Battle of Grim Moor, Valmir von Raukov Count of Ostland, won a temporary respite, putting to rout many of Azhag's Goblins before being forced to withdraw. Azhag flew over the battlefield on his wyvern, swooping upon regiment after regiment and harrying the retreating army as it made its wat to the refuge of Wolfenburg.

After the battle Orcs tribes came from the Forest of Shadows, swelling Azhag's horde still further, but the Count of Ostland built his defences well and Wolfenburg held out. Frustrated at this set-back Azhag headed south, where the horde wreaked havoc, destroying the town of Forstich before turning east through the Great Forest and into Ostermark once more.

The Battle of Osterwald (2515)
By now the Emperor's army was approaching from the south, led by one of his most able generals, Marshal Otto Blucher. The two armies met near the village of Osterwald, where, after a long and close fought battle Azhag was struck from the back of his wyvern while fighting against the Knights Panther, leaving the Orc army leaderless and demoralised in the face of a fierce Empire attack. It was the end of Azhag and of the Waaagh - with a single blow the oRc horde had been defeated, and after the battle it would disperse into the forests and hills. As for the Crown of Sorcery, it was recovered and taken back to Altdorf by the Grand Theogonist of Sigmar who placed it in the deepest vault of the Temple to be guarded for eternity by powerful spells and iron locks.

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