Hallowhold Background

Hallowhold, the City of Sanctity, twice blessed by sigmar, the city of light and shadow, illumination and intrigue. Hallowhold was founded after the Realmgate Wars, quickly developing into a sprawling metropolis. Like Hammerhal, Hallowhold is split in the middle by a massive realmgate. Half of the city can be found in shining brilliance in the Realm of Light, Hallowhold-Hysh, while the other half can be found in the obscuring mists of the Realm of Shadow, Hallowhold-Ulgu. 

Hallowhold was founded by a single stormkeep belonging to the Knights of the Dragon’s Eye Stormcast Eternals Strike Chamber. Other than the realmgate leading to Ulgu close to the storm keep, none could remember why that location was picked for a storm keep. The surrounding area was a vast open plain of reflective glass, with no natural resources or tactical advantage to speak of. However, because of this isolation, the Stormkeep was relatively safe from attack all throughout the Realmgate Wars, only seeing battle once, against the foul minions of Slaanesh, looking for their lost god. Since that time, the city has grown around the Stormkeep, quickly expanding until the city bounds hit the Realmgate, and then expanded into it. Now, half of the city is located in the realm of light, and half in the realm of shadow.

Hallowhold was relatively peaceful for the centuries that passed, the combination of Humans, Aelves, Duardin, and Stormcast Eternals striving for peace, prosperity, and illumination. The overall governing entity of Hallowhold is composed of the ruling nobles of Hallowhold-Hysh and Hallowhold-Ulgu giving advice to the Eternal Noble. The Eternal Noble is a Lord-Arcanum, trusted with keeping the city safe and functioning in both the Light and Shadow sides of the city. The dark skinned nobles of Hallowhold-Hysh provide wisdom that has been long thought on, mulled over, and reflected upon to the Eternal Noble. They are the idealistic citizens, always striving to make their city the best it can be, but often overlooking what is realistic. The pale skinned nobles of Hallowhold-Ulgu are the counterpoints to those of Hallowhold-Hysh. They always have their ear to the ground, gathering information through their back-alley dealers and confessions pulled from their secret police. They provide the Eternal Noble a realistic, albeit pessimistic view of the city.

The Hallowhold Guard consist of citizens pulled from both sides of the city, evenly mixed throughout regiments. While fighting in Hallowhold-Hysh, the soldiers dawn brightly colored armor, crafted from the surrounding reflective glass found around the city. This bright armor always seems to reflect the light of hysh, no matter the angle, straight into their enemies eyes, blinding their foes. When fighting in Hallowhold-Ulgu, the troops are trained in the art of stealth, espionage, and silent maneuvers. As such, they abandon their bright amor, and instead fight in their grey uniforms. This allows regiments to blend in with their surroundings, their enemies not being able to see the troops until their prismatic blades felt slicing into their flesh. 

Not all has been well and good for the city of Hallowhold however. Despite not being in a state of constant warfare like other cities, the citizens of Hallowhold are tested through the strength of their mind. Those who live in Hallowhold-Hysh constantly strive against the pull of Slaanesh. The desire to perform everything to perfection sends whispers of darkness throughout the citizens. The Knights of the Dragon’s Eye’s knights incantors have been trained in mind-reading, able to scour a citizens mind and determine when curiosity has devolved into obsession. If a citizen is found to be on the path towards damnation, they Stormcast take the citizen to the Library of Legends found in Hallowhold-Hysh. There they can be scoured of any obsessive thoughts, and returned to the public as a function, non-chaotic member of society. Those that cannot be saved are never seen again. Those that live in Hallowhold-Ulgu have a different obstacle to face. Almost every single citizen is plagued by dreams of an ancient and malicious entity. Sound sleep is rare in this city, and none can seem to remember why. In addition, the citizens of Hallowhold-Ulgu are plagued by the restless dead. Whether or not it is due to an influence of Nagash, none can say. All that can be determined is that the dead would have overtaken the city, had it not been for the defense of Vitrified Aetherquartz that circles the city walls. This line causes the dead to falter in their strength, and banishes the restless nighthaunt that prowl the hinterlands.

Delos the Reanimator looked with horror on the hordes of deadwalkers crumbling around him. Too late he realized why this city had never been conquered by the servants of Nagash. The aetherquartz boundary sapping the animus out of his troops as they crossed it. However, Delos had one last tactic up his sleeve. Raising his hand, he summoned a force beyond mortal comprehension to his bidding. What started as a small sphere of shyish death magic in his hand, grew and grew. Delos laughed and laughed, he laughed until his laughter turned to screams of horror, and then silence. The Purple Sun Delos had summoned turned the necromancer into a reflective glass crystal. Then, the rictus gaze of the sun turned towards the walls of Hallowhold-Ulgu.

The coming of the necroquake rocked Hallowhold to its core. Before, the population of Hallowhold-Hysh and Hallowhold-Ulgu were roughly the same. However, with the casting of the Dreaded Purple Sun by the Delos the Reaninmator, the population of Hallowhold-Ulgu was decimated. Thousands were turned to gleaming crystal statues by the rogue Purple Sun, including the invading army.

Recovery from the disaster was quick, with much of Hallowhold-Ulgu converted from city to mausoleum. Thankfully for the citizens, the aetherquartz continued to contain the dead, both those outside of the city, and within the city. Any dead raised within the walls are weaker and more easily dispatched, making the Great Hallowed Mausoleum a poor target for the servants of Nagash.

Many years later, another effect of the Shyish Necroquake was discovered. As the death magic permeated the realms, it caused the Pnumberal Engine located in Hallowhold-Hysh to malfunction, revealing the location of a grand-stormvault hidden by Sigmar. This was the reason that the Stormhold had been originally placed in Hysh. Here Sigmar hid many potent artifacts that he could not destroy. Artifacts that could turn the tide of progress in the Realms that Sigmar has made. With the revelation of this storage of arcane artifacts, the defenders of both Hallowhold-Hysh and Hallowhold-Ulgu  have been preparing for war. Great heroes, like Lady Xera of the Bright Tower or Nyak of the Mirrored Vault prepare the soldiers to fight enemies of all sorts. Wizards like Ivar the Bright prepare the arcane defenses of the city. Hallowhold has even called upon long standing alliances with the Swifthawk Agents, Idoneth Deepkin, and Daughters of Khaine to muster to their defense. These soldiers are prepared to sell their lives in defense of their homeland, whether it be against the foul ratmen, depraved scions of Slaanesh, champions of Khorne, or even the battlefury of the Ironjawz. 

What none realize, is that a powerful entity of death was trapped in the stormvault, who now calls to its master for release. In order for any to survive the attentions of Nagash, unlikely bedfellows will have to form, enemies temporarily putting aside their differences, otherwise all will be servants of Nagash in time, either in life, or in death.