Narrative: The Kingdom of Heldenmarch - Lore and Rules for Play

Today's post is the first in a new series that covers the lore of one of my armies that I use to play in Age of Sigmar. I have done something similar in the past, but much of that lore has been developed in the years since, so now I can do the concept justice.  

Although the models are from Age of Sigmar, the lore has taken on a life of its own, with some liberties taken here and there. You could always consider the Silverlight Region to be a pocket realm in the grander Age of Sigmar scheme, which would help explain why some names carried over (cough Heldenmarch cough). I want the feeling of the Old World mixed with Age of Sigmar, so this is the result. 

Geography

Situated in the Northeast quadrant of the Silverlight Region, Heldenmarch is the most powerful human nation currently in existence, though its predecessor once covered a larger area. The land is fertile, covered in rolling plains and dense forests. Ravenhall is the capital, although the great walled city of Varheim has grown to the point of challenging that status. 

The River Schnell marks the northern border, across from which is the country of Menhir and the imposing Ironwoods, home to the largest forest in the region.

The western border of Heldenmarch is the Silverlight Sea, where fisherman ply their trade along an idyllic coast. Trade ships are a common sight as they set out to countries across the sea. 

The southern border is dominated by the Scrape, an intimidating mountain range full of savage beasts and other beings only spoken of in hushed whispers. A small section of the southern border is shared with Arequine, although the actual boundaries are in constant dispute. 

Across the River Stromlos to the east is the country of Old Ravenmarch. The two nations' stories are deeply intertwined, for Ravenmarch once spanned the entire region...

History

Several centuries prior, Ravenmarch extended from the eastern steppes all the way to the Silverlight Sea. In these mythic times, the veil between the realms of the living and the dead was much more transparent, allowing for communication with departed loved ones and the intercession of the dead. In time, the rites and traditions would grow into the religion of the Amethyst Cult. 

As the Cult's abilities grew, the technique to gather souls from the realm of the dead to power spells and machinery was discovered. The ruling class of Ravenmarch demanded that souls be drained in ever larger numbers to fuel their expansion. Soon, the peninsula of modern-day Arequine was conquered, and parts of the Scrape were tamed. 

With such hubris came the inevitable downfall. There are no clear recollections of how the cataclysm occurred, but the country was torn asunder during the Hexennacht, where the great cache of souls erupted from their prison, and entombed ancestors were ripped from their slumber and brought back to the living world. 

Enraged at their betrayal, the dead lashed out all throughout Ravenmarch. As conflict tore through the countryside, the valiant actions of key individuals of both the living and the dead allowed for an uneasy peace, with the dead residing east of the River Stromlos, and the living to the west in what is now called Heldenmarch. In more recent times, however, an conflict along the border has resurged as old grievances and new slights begin to surface. 

As a result of such trauma, the people of Heldenmarch are deeply mistrusting of religion, and are therefore largely atheistic, although pockets of other religions remain. Witch Hunters patrol the far reaches of the kingdom, searching for any remnants of the Amethyst Cult and its offspring. With the lack of any patron deity or ancestors to protect them, Heldenmarch turned to other forms of magic, along with science and technology. 

Military Structure

In the current age, firearms and mechanized steam tanks are common sightings within Heldenmarch, a far cry from the sword and spear technology of neighboring countries such as Arequine or Menhir. Such wonders are expensive and unreliable, however, and conventional arms still make up the bulk of the Heldenmarch army, particularly halberds. 

Universities and arcane libraries now inhabit the great cathedrals and monasteries of the old Amethyst Cult, many focusing on military doctrine or elemental magics. This had led to a more standardized military, with generals chosen from the top graduates from colleges in Ravenhall and Ebersreik. 

This standardization has trickled down to the common folk, as evidenced by the yellow and black uniform of the typical Heldenmarch infantryman. Units also contain standard bearers and drummers, the better to aid with cohesion and discipline in battle. 

Current Events

As the nation has now more or less recovered from its tragic past, expansion has been on the forefront of many a politicians' mind. The border between Heldenmarch and Arequine is fluid, with some villages constantly changing hands between the two. 

Arequine is also an intensely religious society focused on the intercessions of their hallowed dead, and to many in Heldenmarch this belief system is dangerously similar to the despised Amethyst Cult of old. 

The border with Menhir is less volatile, if only for the fact that the giants have proven to be overwhelmingly difficult to displace. Instead of direct conflict, some have instead immigrated to Menhir, and the Heldenmarch culture has started to spread in the largest Menhirite cities. 

Most dangerous of all is the border created by the River Stromlos. Although a marginal peace was secured many centuries ago, conflict has flared up between the living and the dead. Either the kings and queens of times past are trying to expand back into their ancestral holdings or upstart Heldenmarch nobles are trying to reclaim Old Ravenmarch. Regardless, it now seems that major conflict between the two countries will break out at any moment. 

Rules for Playing in Heldenmarch

Below are some rules for playing games of Age of Sigmar in the Silverlight setting. These are narrative focused, so don't expect them to be necessarily be balanced. As always, you should always talk with your opponent before trying any new rules. Feel free to mix and match as you please!

To determine where you are fighting within Heldenmarch, roll a d6 and reference the table below for effects on gameplay. Instead of randomly rolling, you may choose a result from the table to match the style of game you desire.

1. Open fields: No effect. Set up the battlefield with minimal scatter terrain. 

2. Midwald, the great forest: Set up tree terrain throughout the battlefield. It is considered difficult terrain and incurs a minus 2'' movement penalty. Flying units ignore this penalty. 

3. Bogs of Darmstadht: Set up 6'' radius markers throughout the battlefield to represent bogs. Only infantry units may move through the bogs. Moving through the markers incurs a minus 1" movement penalty. Units that end their movement on one of the markers must roll a d6 for every model still within the marker. On a result of 6, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound. Flying units ignore these penalties. 

4. Walls of Varheim: Set up terrain to create a wall bisecting the battlefield. Declare one player the defender, and one the attacker. The walls block LOS. The defender gets +1 to their saves and +1 to missile attacks while within or atop the walls. The attacker may set up double the points value of the defender. 

5. Streets of Ravenhall: Set up terrain with roads and buildings. Units can garrison inside of buildings. While units are on roads, they gain +1'' to their movement. Flying units ignore this bonus. 

6. River Stromlos: Set up river terrain bisecting the battlefield. The river can only be crossed at 3 points, spaced evenly along the river. These crossings can be up to 6'' wide. Flying units ignore this penalty.