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The Barrowgorge Fray

Originating from Shyish, the Barrowgorge Fray are driven  by an unending hunger for the dead. They can be found raiding gravesite, picking clean battlefields or hunting the undead armies of necromamcers. Some of the more powerful beasts have even taken to devouring the souls of their foes.
In battle, the warriors of this fray adorn themselves in bones and the rusted relics looted during ancient crypts and barrows. Their eyes glow with an unnatural light and some beasts even have manes of ethereal fire.
The current ruler is a creature known as the Carrion Lord, an avian headed beast that favours stalking and ambush tactics and has a gift for leading it's followers to their next feast. Unlike most beast herds the Barrowgorge have been known to engage in diplomacy and trade as they are only concerned with feeding on the dead.

The Combined Forces of Death

The Marrowcraw Court

Far across the expanse of the Splintervale, lying deep within the Tatterspine Hills, looms the wreck of the ancient, dilapidated stronghold that men now call Castle Harrowcrag. Few dare stray within the shadow of the Harrowcrag. Though long-since fallen to ruin, this dread fortress is certainly not abandoned...

Once part of a proud nation that had ruled vast swathes of Permenia, now the ragged remnants of a race driven into the wilderness following the Age of Chaos and the wars that consumed the realm during those dark times. Here, in grim mimicry of the royal courts of ages past, the Harrowcrag is the seat of the depraved Marrowcraw court. Ruled over by the survivors of the Drázkhary dynasty, these once noble people are reduced to a degenerate existence as little more than a cannibal tribe. Lost to insanity by the grief of their fall from grace and power, they are tormented by the horrors that they have endured and twisted by the shame of what they have become.

Yet this has made them all the more dangerous. The Marrowcraw court commands the utmost loyalty from its subjects. At their liege’s command, the armies that strike out from the Harrowcrag are compelled by the infectious madness of their sovereign lords, driven to acts of ferocious might by their delusions of marshal prowess and of chivalric honour.

The Harrowcrag’s walls echo with the ravings of exiled princes long lost to their lunacy, dreaming of past glories and consumed by memories of nobility and splendours past. 

“We Strekely can be rightly proud, for in our veins flows the blood of noble peoples who fought for the freedom of these lands of Permenia.

Here, when the Enemy and his Varangoi legions swept through Permenia, was it not the bold knights of the Strekely who rode forth to face him? What savage or sorcerer was ever so great as Ushoran, whose blood runs strong in these veins? As Anarchy laid waste to the realm, by the valour and sacrifice of our forefathers were our people spirited to safety.

Is it a wonder that we are a conquering race? In the wake of the Anarchy, when the usurpers – the Sylváney nomads, the Ydonith tribes, the Sárefen hosts - sought to plunder our lands and claim lordship of Permenia, that as they poured in their thousands across our frontiers, they found us waiting to drive them back?

Who more gladly than we took up the bloody sword to fight for the liberty of our motherland? Who was it but my own grandsires - the Drázkhary dynasty, who were Voivode - crossed the Splintervale to scourge Permenia of the invader by might of arms?

Ahh, young sir – is it any wonder that the Strekely people, and the Drázkhary dynasty as their heart’s blood, can boast glories that other races can only envy and fear? 

Ours is the rightful dominion over these lands; by our hand, our spirit, our blood - shall we inherit this Realm again!”

The Damned of Aster-Lonvren

...

It was a stormy night, but then every night was stormy on these blasted waters. Jaque gripped the railing with such strength it made the wood creak as the brigantine Terria swayed nauseatingly from side to side. He’d already puked his guts up numerous times and was sure that by now, not even a crumb of his dinner had remained inside his body.

The Blood Sea, a churning, violent, loud thing was a particular nuisance this day though not a surprise to anyone who had spent the last month on the water. There had been nothing but storms.

Storms and water bloated corpses. 

Jaque’s bleary eyes surveyed the water one last time as he made ready to go below deck, when a movement caught his eye. Or rather – a different movement. The whole sea was rising and falling yet this was the first thing he’d seen travelling in an unyielding arc. There were horses…

He rubbed his eyes, quickly looking around to see if any of his crewmates were around. None were. He looked back at the sea yet something had drastically changed. 

The coach, its wood dark as night, drawn by four beasts of burden with a fierce glow in their eyes was much closer.

Lightning flashed and the coach seemed to fade, only to reappear – appearing more corporeal than ever. 

A bundle of clothes – no, tattered black rags, perched atop the driver’s seat.

Lightning flashed.

A withered, pale hand reaching out to the sailor below. 

Lightning flashed.

Eyes like voids, ever-deep. 

Lightning – then Jaque was no more. Not a sailor, no. Another soul had joined the long procession tailing behind the coach, stretching back for miles. 

The damned of Aster-Lonvren have arrived at the Corexis Isles. 

...

The Damned of Aster-Lonvren were once the very living citizens of said city. It was a glorious thing with spires to challenge the heavens and deep cellars and mines that explored the roots of the surrounding mountains. Being the only major city in their expansive land, Aster-Lonvren was the hub for the nobles, scholars and craftsmen becoming a rich city of innovation and prosperity. That all changed when one Vlad, of the Carstein family, crossed the threshold of the lord’s castle. 

He was tall for a man and pleasing to look upon. Both his demeanor and knowledge impressed the local nobles and soon he had won over their hearts including, most importantly, the heart of the Lady Cassia.

On the night of lord Arthoff’s death, Vlad took Cassia’s hand and became the one regent of the city – steering it to greatness though the cost of it would soon let itself be known.

The study of magic was introduced and soon it imbued every armour, artefact and construction of the city. Then came the Realmgate. A huge, brilliant thing taking up the whole of the previous market square. Years it took them to complete its lofty arches and for years it served them – being both a link and a bridge to other realms, bringing trade and a new understanding of the world. 

This was not to last. 

Nagash, having located Vlad von Carstein, spilled forth from the realm-gate one fateful evening. Vlad had once served him, served him well and the two shared a history unlike any other, from a once forgotten world. Yet, the Undying King felt threatened by this man, this being. It was then that Nagash struck him down and toppled the spires of Aster-Lonvren. 

The citizens awoke the next day to find themselves floating above their lifeless bodies. A whole city of specters – with Vlad nowhere to be found, except for a hand adorned with a beautiful gold ring. 

Ever since then the dead of Aster-Lonvren have been abroad. They search for remnants of their once great leader, scattered throughout the realms by Nagash, bringing them together in black coaches.  They ride out, appearing at dusk and gone come the morn – leaving a bloody trail behind them. For they know, the more blood is spilled, the more the earth runs with that scarlet nectar – the closer they are to bringing their leader back. 

And once that is accomplished…once Vlad von Carstein, the Mortrach of Shadows, undisputed lord of the Soulblight has returned, even Nagash will fall.

The Blood Coast Alliance 

The Carpathian Republic

A new hope

The Carpathian Republic was founded by Idoneth banished from the Briomdar enclave. A council of Isharann tasked with curing the soul curse of the Idoneth stumbled across a fresh line of research. Initially it showed unbridled promise but ran into seemingly insurmountable barriers until the Isharann Tru'heas began incorporating forbidden knowledge stolen from the realms of the dead. Knowing that their activities would be prohibited by Briomdar's ruling council they proceeded in secret and eventually began widespread testing on subjects during the early stages of pregnancy. The results seemed incredible at first with a far higher proportion of births giving rise to Aelves with fully developed souls and such newborns were more extroverted, active and lively than was usual for Iondeth. However it didn't take long for problems to become apparent – those born with withered souls were even more deficient. Many died in infancy and it was clear that even with full care those that survived would live a shorter lifespan than was normal even amongst the Namarti class and that their existence would be bleak and joyless, their emotional range irrevocably stunted.

The Isharann hoped to improve on their treatment in further iterations but their activities were discovered by Briomdar's authorities. Amidst widespread outcry and condemnation the council ordered all research materials destroyed and all that had participated in or had knowledge of the experiments banished from Briomdar forthwith never to return.

Empire of the Sun

Heading through the Láthway the political exiles fled to the realm of light and founded a fresh settlement. Shunning the deep and dark places favoured by other Idoneth they chose to construct their city in shallow water, bathed in radiance from the skies above and surrounded by brilliant coral reefs teeming with every imaginable form of life. Rejecting the isolationism of their kin the ruling council of Carpathia vowed to forge a new destiny for their people, one that embraced trade and contact with the outside world and the pursuit of knowledge above all things.

Reconstructing much of their research the city thrived as more generations of Aelves were born into this new society. The citizens of Carpathia embraced art and culture, sent out diplomatic missions to nearby realms and built up a mighty city of grandiose architecture with their temples to knowledge the most imposing and magnificent of all. Merchant vessels plied their trade far and wide and Carpathia even developed a sizeable “foreign quarter” where visiting merchants, diplomats and trades people were housed, something utterly unheard of amidst other Idoneth enclaves. Carpathia soon developed a Byzantine and complex political system with an elected senate and appointed house of patricians made up of the most learned Isharann and decorated Akhelian warriors.

Despite their outward looking nature and progressive ideals Carpathian society hides a darker side. The gulf between Namarti and the nobility is even wider than in most Iodenth enclaves. To be a Namarti in Carpathia is to be a slave without rights, bound to a noble syndicate in perpetual servitude and seen as little more than an asset. Many Namarti are trained from birth as warriors, some becoming gladiators in Carpathia's brutal blood sports but most destined to serve unto death as part of the famed Hollow Legion. Regiments of the Hollow Legion are frequently sold to outside powers as capable and expendable slave warriors. Even Carpathia's noble knights frequently serve as mercenaries in the wars of others, but unlike the Hollow Legion they can only be rented and never bought.

Relationships with Others

Carpathia's relations with outside powers are complex and often strained. Carpathian nobility are renowned for their ruthless and often brutal attitudes and frequently resort to war as an extension of “politics by other means”. Despite this conflict is seen as a business matter rather than personal and once objectives have been achieved or the lesson received Carpathia will seek to quickly re-establish peaceful and profitable relations, sometimes even selling the services of its warriors to their former foes scant days after the cessation of hostilities. These sudden and drastic shifts often leave outsiders perplexed, not least because of the cut-throat and impenetrable nature of Carpathia's politics which include frequent murders or even the occasional but usually short lived military coup.

Contract law is seen as sacred within Carpathia. Carpathians drive a hard bargain but once a deal is struck they will always honour their word to the letter. Most of their conflicts with outsiders arise from perceived breach of contract, often with other nations objecting to terms or small print they only later discover to be unfair. Those wishing to make deals with Carpathia are advised to do so with all caution as any attempts to renegotiate after the fact are usually with the military might of Carpathia's Legions.

The Carpathian Republic is happy to deal with most outside powers. Most such dealings are with other factions in the Alliance of Order but they will also happily deal with Destruction powers if they have something worth trading. Relations are usually strained with the Powers of Death due to Carpathia's extensive research and experimentation with soul magic rather than any disinclination on Carpathia's part. Only the forces of Chaos present a red line and the Idoneth of Carpathia share their race's intense loathing for the minions of Slaanesh.

Relations with other Idoneth enclaves are usually strained or openly hostile. The other enclaves view Carpathia as at best deviant and disturbing and at worst an abomination that should be excised from existence. Only Ionrach makes an effort to engage with Carpathia and maintains a permanent diplomatic mission within the city. Many treaties and alliances exist between the two enclaves but the relationship is kept cool by Ionrach's revulsion at Carpathia's deeply stratified society, openly celebrated blood sports and mercurial dealings. Likewise Carpathia resents Ionrach's frequently patronising and lecturing tone and perceived interference in internal issues.