Editing Flesh-Eater Courts (section)

==History==

===Age of Myth===
The source of the Flesh-Eater madness comes from one initial progenitor; none other than [[Ushoran]] from the Old World. Since vampires didn't exist in the realms initially, Nagash brought back Mannfred, Neferata and Ushoran after being freed by Sigmar to introduce vampirism to the new setting (how's that for "gratitude"?). Ushoran was said to have been divinely beautiful and surprisingly just and merciful for a vampire, defending the weak and ruling fairly (though many believed this was merely a public display, though we will never know for sure). At some point lost to history, the latter eventually fell out of Bonedaddy's favor (supposedly for an attempted betrayal), and was punished.

For opposing him in the World-That-Was and this one, Nagash inflicted a hideous transformation on Ushoran, transforming him into a hideous monster by way of a horrid curse. Ushoran subsequently fled into the wilderness with his most trusted retainers to hide from civilization who now feared and reviled him when before he was worshipped as a beautiful angel of death. Ushoran soon found that he required greater quantities of blood in this new form and began preying on his former subjects, his retainers themselves over time also became affected by this curse and soon they were all gorging themselves on carrion and hapless victims. These retainers would become the first Ghoul Kings, eventually raising entire armies of ghouls and monsters. Ushoran's horde of deranged monsters became so great that even Nagash couldn't ignore it. The other Mortarchs fought a vicious war against their former peer eventually defeating his cannibal horde (the war was apparently so horrendous Nagash forbid any to speak of it ever again). Ushoran was subsequently locked in a tower known as the shroud cage. Now this doesn't sound too bad on its own, but the interior of the shroud cage was basically a giant mirror that reflected every mistake and promise Ushoran had ever made, as well as his actual mutated physical form (basically the world's worst funhouse mirror). Already barely clinging to sanity this finally drove him ''insane'', cursed to wallow in the worst aspects of himself.

===Age of Chaos===
Things immediately went sideways when Nagash betrayed Sigmar. During Sigmar's bullish charge into Shyish to bitchslap Nagash for betrayal, he knocked over Ushoran's cage, allowing him to escape. Unfortunately, he was completely mad at that point, causing him to now see himself as a benevolent and beautiful Warrior King, when in reality he was a reeeeeally ugly ghoul king vampire. Ushoran's first order of business was freeing his remaining retainers from their imprisonment. By this time they were all fully insane and all became completely subsumed into their lord's delusion, seeing themselves as Ushoran imagined: a regal and noble court.

This madness was contagious, radiating from the Ghoulking vampires to any mortals who spent a prolonged length of time around them and ate from their feasts. Some choose to stay by Ushoran's side, while others branched away and founded new ghoul kingdoms of their own. This was achieved by recruiting willing recruits from already cannibal cults/tribes (including unfortunate captives who may or may not be given a choice in partaking in the grand feasts), or even helpless mortals who endured or had to resort to horrific actions during the age of chaos where the madness of the flesh-eater court's delusion was a [[Grimdark|welcome escape from their guilt and trauma, and was in fact accepted willingly by many of the realm's people.]]

The transformation into a ghoul began from prolonged exposure and willingly embracing the courts delusion while also eating from the feast of an abhorrant king which is laced with some of the kings blood. While not a true blood-kiss it does corrupt them over time and twist their bodies and minds into ghouls completely in the thrall of abhorrant kings madness. Any Vampires sired by a Ghoulking also have this power and madness, as do any vampires they sire, and so on.

Since then, Ushoran (now known as the Carrion King, among many other titles) has gone missing whilst his progeny prosper and spread throughout the realms like a plague of flesh-eating locusts. No one knows what became of Ushoran, with even his most ardent followers not knowing what became of him. Besides the path of destruction he did upon his escape their have been no trace of the first ghoul king in recent times. Some say he was killed during his initial rampage, while others firmly believe he is still alive, wandering the shadows to this day. The Bonedaddy has put a huge price on his head with big rewards to whoever can find the madman.

===Age of Sigmar===
At the dawn of the Age of Sigmar the ghouls and mordants of the Flesh-Eater-Courts weren't noted to have done much. Though they notably clashed with Stormcast Eternals and Azyrite settlers in the ancient ruins of fallen kingdoms when they forces of Order tried to retake these areas. By this point the Flesh-Eater-Courts had fared surprisingly well from the Age of Chaos despite their lack of true coordination, with some Grand Courts becoming macabre empires of many Ghoul King fiefdoms held together by mighty Archregents (notable examples including the Morgaunt and Blisterskin). Given the ghouls unpredictible nature these holdouts were mostly avoided by other major powers. With the ghoul kingdoms in general simply seen as obstacles to be contained or dealt with as need be.

====Soul Wars====
During the height of the Soul Wars the Flesh-Eater-Courts were as always a wild-card faction in Nagash's war on the living. While he viewed them more as animals than soldiers even he could see their value in the war effort. It helped that some Ghoul Kingdoms actually worshipped Nagash as their patron deity and loathed Sigmar (though it bears repeating in their mind they saw Nagash as a benevolent and wise deity and Sigmar the evil deity). As always it is near impossible to truly control the courts in any meaningful strategy, mostly any courts that could be corralled were just told to support another Death faction and attack whomever they were fighting. This is not to say that these were reliable partnerships however, with the Flesh-Eaters sometimes turning on their allies at random times. Or even being attacked and wiped out after battle to remove a potential threat (Nighthaunt processions in particular were know to reap any surviving ghouls after the end of a battle just for the lulz).

As always the case with them it is not as if they always allied with death. In the course of the soul wars many courts fought against Nagashs armies for whatever insult or reason their delusion dictated. One of the most famous examples being the Ghoul King Maldoros. Long had his lair bordered the free city Lethis and in his delusion saw them as impoverished peasants. When Lady Olynder laid siege to the city he took pity on them and led his forces in support of the city of sigmar. His support in the battle was cruzial and managed to turn the tide against the Nighthaunts forces. Though as always his unpredictible forces at times attack both sides of conflict making no distinction of friend from foe. It was only the presence of the Celestant Prime at the battle that his radiant energy gave the Ghoul King and his followers clarity enough to attack thier mutual enemy exclusively. Though Olynder managed to breach the Cities Stormvaulat and free Katakros, his support helped the city fight off the death legion and save the city (being one of the rare examples of a Ghoul King actually being a bit noble legitimately).

====Broken Realms====
During the Broken Realms saga the Flesh-Eater-Courts were once again used as useful puppets by Nagashes minions. When Arkhan was tasked with corrupting a realmgate in Hysh to link to the Shyish Nadir (in an ambitious plot to plunge the whole realm into the black-hole of death at Shyish centre) he tasked his minion Xaramos with getting the aid of a local flesh-eater-court and its ruler Varshorn. He happily agreed to the arrangement and assisted Arkhans legion in attacking the local Lumineth Realmlords forces. With Varshorn even seeming to develop a genuine acquaintanceship with Xaramos. However when the war started turning against Arkhans Ossiarch Bonereaper forces Xaramos was forced to start making exuberent demands of Varshorn to give the Bone Tithe to replenish Arkhans quickly dwindling forces. While obliging at first the increasingly large demands finally led to Varshorn refusing and severing their alliance. This caused the Bonereapers forces to turn on the Ghouls and engage in a protracted war throughout the Ghouls mountain-range home. Unfortunately for them the Ghouls far more familiarity with the landscape meant they could outmanoeuvre and ambush the increasingly isolated Bonereaper forces. The conflict ending with Varshorn personally defeating Xaramos in battle and decapitating him with his sword. The Bonereapers routing to the Ghouls greatly taxed Arkhans forces and was one of the contributing factors to his eventual defeat by the Lumineth.

====Era of the Beast====