Varangur

Varangur are the warlike clans who live in the far north of Mantica. In the beta they were known as the Shattered Clans, so if you heard that name, this is them. They were intended to allow Warriors of Chaos and Norse players to field their armies in Kings of War, although they aren't aligned with The Abyss as one might expect. Their first official army list appears in the second edition supplement Uncharted Empires.

Background

The Varangur are a tribe of humans living near the generically named Ice Mountains of northern Mantica. Way back before Calisor Fenulian fucked everything up, most humans living in this area moved south and became part of Primovantor. Meanwhile these assholes decided to stay way up north in the cold instead of moving on up to the east side to a deluxe apartment in the sky. This hard-headed behavior awakened the interest of an ancient god.

When the Celestians first arrived on Mantica they set about defeating the terrible things that wrecked havoc across the land. One of these things was an ancient god named Korgaan. Korgaan was worshiped by an ancient race known as the Var'Kyr. The Celestians wiped this race out and sealed Korgaan away, leaving him to slowly perish as his power diminished from lack of worshipers.

Although Korgaan was fading from existence by the time he began influencing the Varangur, he was able to stem this tide and began to recover his former power. When the Fenulian Mirror was shattered, Korgaan was able to move more rapidly without worry since every other god was busy trying to win the God War. Korgaan began to appear to the Varangur in the shape of three divine beings: the Deceiver, the Reaper, and the Warrior.

Korgaan began to reshape their culture in the image of the Var'Kyr, turning them into Vikings and shit. The rest of the world didn't seem to notice this as they were embroiled in their own conflicts and Korgaan only seemed interested in having the Varangur run small scale raids into the south. All of this changed when the Winter War broke out.

While the Northern Kindred and Brotherhood were busy fighting Winter's minions, the Varangur began launching full scale assaults into their territory and towards the Golden Horn. Realizing that this was a force unaligned with Winter, the High Consul of Primovantor sent a great fleet north to destroy this nuisance once and for all. Unfortunately for them, this fleet was en route when Winter was killed, leading to it being swallowed by the newly formed Infant Sea and, in many ways, ensuring that Primovantor would fall in the chaos that followed.

The Varangur were caught in the seismic upheaval themselves, forcing Korgaan to expend most of his power just to prevent their main settlements from being destroyed. His people now fearful and uncertain for the first time in centuries, Korgaan appeared to the clans and ordered them into Tragar. Pushing past the Abyssal Dwarfs, the Varangur invaded the first circle of the Abyss, shocking both the Shining Ones and the Wicked Ones alike.

In what would become known as "The Reckoning," the Varangur ravaged the outer circle of the Abyss, slaughtering the followers of the Wicked Ones and seizing whatever they could take. It was a defeat worthy of Abaddon and invigorated the Varangur. Content that his power and influence over the Varangur was no longer in danger, Korgaan declared victory over the Abyss and promptly left back to the north.

In the current time of Kings of War the Varangur have gone back to running smaller raids into the lands south of them. Their current major foe is the Northern Alliance, but their forces are often seen even in places like the Forest of Galahir and the Golloch Empire.

Notable Varangur

Cave Troll King

A suitably mysterious troll with no given name, but his own special rules. Ostensibly the leader of the troll tribes who follow Korgaan, it is also suggested that he might not be a king at all, but just a giant troll who picked up a crown somewhere and started wearing it. Hell, the fluff entry on him says he might not even exist at all, but just be some kind of rumor started by rotten Ice Elves.

Herja the Fallen

Herja was the queen of the Var'Kyr, the original worshipers of Korgaan long dead by the time the Varangur began worshiping him. Beckoned by their god, the Sons of Korgaan dug her remains up. During their invasion of the Abyss, the Varangur captured Sor'ik'su, the bride of Ba'su'su and queen of the gargoyles, and brought her back to their lands with them.

It took years to break her will, but once they did the Magus Conclave performed a dark ritual to merge her body and soul with that of Herja. This fusion created a demonic valkyrie possessing the powers and memories of both individuals. Essentially this makes her Mantic's version of Valkia the Bloody.

On the Tabletop

Tactics can be found here: Kings of War/Tactics/Varangur

The big thing Varangur have going for them is that they have higher than average nerve. An extra point or two might not seem amazing at first, but you will find that often is the key to surviving an extra turn.