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Flesh-Eater Courts

2019-06-19T01:04:22Z

2605:E000:7EC5:A000:CCBF:7130:4831:81BB: /* The Grand Courts */

{{Age of Sigmar Faction|Faction=Flesh-Eater Courts|Logo=Flesh-Eater 01.png|Alliance=Death|Motto=The Noble Sir Marrowslurp charging into battle! Huzzah!}}

{{topquote|All earth was but one thought—and that was death

Immediate and inglorious; and the pang

Of famine fed upon all entrails—men

Died, and their bones were tombless as their flesh;

The meager by the meager were devoured.|Lord Byron, ''Darkness''}}

The '''Flesh-Eater Courts''' are what has become of many of the mortals of the realms after the Age of Chaos. [[Ghoul|Flesh-eaters]] are all delusional and believe themselves to be [[Stormcast Eternals|servants of a mighty King on a golden throne]], when in reality they are all dirty naked homeless people who eat people. In a sense they are the cockroaches of [[Age of Sigmar]]. They also see themselves as what can only be described as "Bretonnians", rejoice brothers! We are not forgotten!

==History==
The source of the Flesh-Eater madness comes from one initial progenitor; none other than [[Ushoran]] from the Old World. He was held captive by Nagash, for his trespasses against him back in Nehekhara. That was, until the Age of Chaos where Nagash betrayed Sigmar, causing him to bullishly charge into Shyish to bitchslap him for betrayal. In the process, however, he knocked over Ushoran's cage, allowing him to escape. Unfortunately, he had gone completely mad in the cage, causing him to now see himself as a benevolent and beautiful Warrior King, when in reality he was a reeeeeally ugly ghoul. This madness became contagious due to his great power, and desperate mortals (who basically lost everything) began to buy into this delusion too, becoming the first Flesh-Eaters. Since then, Ushoran (now known as the Carrion King) has gone missing whilst his progeny prosper, with Bonedaddy having put a huge price on his head.

==The Delusions of the Ghoul Kings==
The court is built upon the fact that every ghoul king is fucking insane and believes himself into being an glorious king atop a giant noble dragon riding into battle against invading barbarians. So pretty much King Lear if Lear was also a cannibalistic freak. The unique thing about this madness is that the illusion is shared with every follower of the king and vice-versa, so that what the king sees the court see as well. an example of this is if the king saw a [[Daemonette]] as a monstrous creature, the court would as well, if he saw another Ghoul King, he and his followers would see it as a fellow King, etc.

This aspect gets even weirder when the ghoul king has the ability to use an imaginary telescope and for the king [[What|IT JUST WORKS!]] Yes, much like a [[Orks|certain green skinned race]], whatever the ghoul king believes the universe says "fuck this" and lets it happen. This also works with the weapons they wield; in the kings eyes they're swords made of the finest steel, whilst in reality they're just a random bone or rock or skull they picked up. The same could be said for their armour, medals, and basically anything they have.

==Their Views on Nagash==
The flesh-eater opinion on the big, bad boneman himself is generally quite split and almost always nonsensical. Some Courts see him as a benevolent and shiny God, that brings forth bountiful harvests and opposes the wicked. Some, however, shit their pants whenever he's mentioned, due to either his sheer amount of power or the way he managed to imprison [[Ushoran|The Carrion King]] that spawned them. Others still can't even tell the difference between him and Sigmar. Since they aren't technically dead, Nagash either ignores or dominates them mentally to his will.

His servants, however, may not be so kind. The [[Nighthaunt]] may slaughter a Court just like most other life, though the delusional flesh eaters convince themselves that those poor, heavenly Angels were manipulated by the EEEEEEVIL [[Sigmar]].

==The Grand Courts==
Like most factions, there are many different subfactions of Flesh Eaters. Each is ruled by an Abhorrant Archregent, a [[Ghoul|Ghoul King]] whose delusion has grown so strong that it encompasses other Courts, making them essentially Emperors of massive swathes of Flesh-Eaters. There are four major Grand Courts:

*'''Morgaunt:''' The posterboys of the Flesh-Eaters. They used to be a [[Brettonia|kingdom of chivalry and honour]] in [[Shyish]], with noble Knights and loyal armies that serve their benevolent King. Sounds nice, right? And then the Age of Chaos happened. Both Sigmarite and Chaotic armies swept through their lands, ruining everything and driving them to the brink of annihilation. They turned to cannibalism, [[Grimdark|becoming debased and slavering monsters that soaked their homeland in gore]]. They've spread all throughout the realms now, and see [[Nagash|bone-daddy]] as a bright and noble God, and [[Sigmar]] as an usurper responsible for the Age of Chaos. They have lots and lots of "Serfs" (which are actually [[Ghoul|Crypt Ghouls]]).

*'''Hollowmourne:''' The Hollowmourne came from an empire that spanned across all the realms. Their King, who's name we don't know, was generally a swell guy, who discovered lots of mysterious relics. Some were too dangerous for mortal use, so he scattered them away until the time that they'd be needed. Nobody really knew about this, except for an Order of Royal Families from [[Chamon]] called the Knights of Hollowmourne. They protected the relics until Chaos came, where they decided to go on a Crusade, clad in the finest armours of Chamon. They were so confident that things would go well, that they swore oaths that their duty wouldn't go unfulfilled. [[Fail|It went about as well as expected]]. Rations ran out, they ate the peasants first, and even their mounts. Now, they're mostly [[Ghoul|Crypt Horrors]], while believing that they're still Noble Knights on their steeds out on a crusade for the relics.

*'''Blisterskin:''' When sunburn goes extreme. They came from an Order of Priests that worshiped the sun, which is actually [[Hysh]] for some reason. These Priesthoods were dotted around [[Aqshy]], with the commoners and royals alike going indoors when the sunlight was hottest. They actively sought out others to convert to their weird sun-worship religion, sending missionaries Jehovah's Witness-style to other nearby nations. But, as Chaos does, it came and took a massive shit over everything and left the sun-worshippers without home, harvest, or anything that wasn't burnt. Their descent into madness was pretty quick, as they soon decided to no longer humble themselves by hiding away from their God, but instead [[Grimdark|chose to let their flesh cook and peel in its glory]]. The most pious grew wings and became [[Vargheist]]s, to get closer to their God. They still send "missionaries" to other nations, but instead of knocking at people's doors and pestering them, they just attack them. Moral of the story here is to always bring your suncream.

*'''Gristlegore:''' The Gristlegore used to be a load of hippies, that were really chill and at peace with the land they were in. Normally, this wouldn't be too big a deal, except this kingdom was in [[Ghur]], the place where literally *everything* is trying to eat each other. The fact they saw hunting and killing as only a necessity, and that they treated the bigass monsters and plants around with respect really says a lot about how peaceful they were. Sadly, when Chaos came it absolutely wrecked them. Anarchy came, everyone collectively shat their pants, and the royals, (who were previously pretty skilled in combat) had to watch their people burn. That is, until they became Ghoul Kings! Now, they prowl Ghur like a pack of Alpha predators, still seeking to be one with their surroundings, by piercing their flesh with realmstone and becoming reeeeeally bestial. They predictably have loads of Zombie Dragons and [[Terrorgheist]]s.

{{Template:Playable Factions in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar}}

Flesh-Eater Courts

2019-06-19T01:01:34Z

2605:E000:7EC5:A000:CCBF:7130:4831:81BB: /* The Grand Courts */

{{Age of Sigmar Faction|Faction=Flesh-Eater Courts|Logo=Flesh-Eater 01.png|Alliance=Death|Motto=The Noble Sir Marrowslurp charging into battle! Huzzah!}}

{{topquote|All earth was but one thought—and that was death

Immediate and inglorious; and the pang

Of famine fed upon all entrails—men

Died, and their bones were tombless as their flesh;

The meager by the meager were devoured.|Lord Byron, ''Darkness''}}

The '''Flesh-Eater Courts''' are what has become of many of the mortals of the realms after the Age of Chaos. [[Ghoul|Flesh-eaters]] are all delusional and believe themselves to be [[Stormcast Eternals|servants of a mighty King on a golden throne]], when in reality they are all dirty naked homeless people who eat people. In a sense they are the cockroaches of [[Age of Sigmar]]. They also see themselves as what can only be described as "Bretonnians", rejoice brothers! We are not forgotten!

==History==
The source of the Flesh-Eater madness comes from one initial progenitor; none other than [[Ushoran]] from the Old World. He was held captive by Nagash, for his trespasses against him back in Nehekhara. That was, until the Age of Chaos where Nagash betrayed Sigmar, causing him to bullishly charge into Shyish to bitchslap him for betrayal. In the process, however, he knocked over Ushoran's cage, allowing him to escape. Unfortunately, he had gone completely mad in the cage, causing him to now see himself as a benevolent and beautiful Warrior King, when in reality he was a reeeeeally ugly ghoul. This madness became contagious due to his great power, and desperate mortals (who basically lost everything) began to buy into this delusion too, becoming the first Flesh-Eaters. Since then, Ushoran (now known as the Carrion King) has gone missing whilst his progeny prosper, with Bonedaddy having put a huge price on his head.

==The Delusions of the Ghoul Kings==
The court is built upon the fact that every ghoul king is fucking insane and believes himself into being an glorious king atop a giant noble dragon riding into battle against invading barbarians. So pretty much King Lear if Lear was also a cannibalistic freak. The unique thing about this madness is that the illusion is shared with every follower of the king and vice-versa, so that what the king sees the court see as well. an example of this is if the king saw a [[Daemonette]] as a monstrous creature, the court would as well, if he saw another Ghoul King, he and his followers would see it as a fellow King, etc.

This aspect gets even weirder when the ghoul king has the ability to use an imaginary telescope and for the king [[What|IT JUST WORKS!]] Yes, much like a [[Orks|certain green skinned race]], whatever the ghoul king believes the universe says "fuck this" and lets it happen. This also works with the weapons they wield; in the kings eyes they're swords made of the finest steel, whilst in reality they're just a random bone or rock or skull they picked up. The same could be said for their armour, medals, and basically anything they have.

==Their Views on Nagash==
The flesh-eater opinion on the big, bad boneman himself is generally quite split and almost always nonsensical. Some Courts see him as a benevolent and shiny God, that brings forth bountiful harvests and opposes the wicked. Some, however, shit their pants whenever he's mentioned, due to either his sheer amount of power or the way he managed to imprison [[Ushoran|The Carrion King]] that spawned them. Others still can't even tell the difference between him and Sigmar. Since they aren't technically dead, Nagash either ignores or dominates them mentally to his will.

His servants, however, may not be so kind. The [[Nighthaunt]] may slaughter a Court just like most other life, though the delusional flesh eaters convince themselves that those poor, heavenly Angels were manipulated by the EEEEEEVIL [[Sigmar]].

==The Grand Courts==
Like most factions, there are many different subfactions of Flesh Eaters. Each is ruled by an Abhorrant Archregent, a [[Ghoul|Ghoul King]] whose delusion has grown so strong that it encompasses other Courts, making them essentially Emperors of massive swathes of Flesh-Eaters. There are four major Grand Courts:

*'''Morgaunt:''' The posterboys of the Flesh-Eaters. They used to be a [[Brettonia|kingdom of chivalry and honour]] in [[Shyish]], with noble Knights and loyal armies that serve their benevolent King. Sounds nice, right? And then the Age of Chaos happened. Both Sigmarite and Chaotic armies swept through their lands, ruining everything and driving them to the brink of annihilation. They turned to cannibalism, [[Grimdark|becoming debased and slavering monsters that soaked their homeland in gore]]. They've spread all throughout the realms now, and see [[Nagash|bone-daddy]] as a bright and noble God, and [[Sigmar]] as an usurper responsible for the Age of Chaos. They have lots and lots of "Serfs" (which are actually [[Ghoul|Crypt Ghouls]]).

*'''Hollowmourne:''' The Hollowmourne came from an empire that spanned across all the realms. Their King, who's name we don't know, was generally a swell guy, who discovered lots of mysterious relics. Some were too dangerous for mortal use, so he scattered them away until the time that they'd be needed. Nobody really knew about this, except for an Order of Royal Families from [[Chamon]] called the Knights of Hollowmourne. They protected the relics until Chaos came, where they decided to go on a Crusade, clad in the finest armours of Chamon. They were so confident that things would go well, that they swore oaths that their duty wouldn't go unfulfilled. [[Fail|It went about as well as expected]]. Rations ran out, they ate the peasants first, and even their mounts. Now, they're mostly [[Ghoul|Crypt Horrors]], while believing that they're still Noble Knights on their steeds out on a crusade for the relics.

*'''Blisterskin:''' When sunburn goes extreme. They came from an Order of Priests that worshiped the sun, which is actually [[Hysh]] for some reason. These Priesthoods were dotted around [[Aqshy]], with the commoners and royals alike going indoors when the sunlight was hottest. They actively sought out others to convert to their weird sun-worship religion, sending missionaries Jehovah's Witness-style to other nearby nations. But, as Chaos does, it came and took a massive shit over everything and left the sun-worshippers without home, harvest, or anything that wasn't burnt. Their descent into madness was pretty quick, as they soon decided to no longer humble themselves by hiding away from their God, but instead [[Grimdark|chose to let their flesh cook and peel in its glory]]. The most pious grew wings and became [[Vargheist]]s, to get closer to their God. They still send "missionaries" to other nations, but instead of knocking at people's doors and pestering them, they just attack them. Moral of the story here is to always bring your suncream.

*'''Gristlegore:''' The Gristlegore used to be a load of hippies, that were really chill and at peace with the land they were in. Normally, this wouldn't be too big a deal, except this kingdom was in [[Ghur]] the place where literally *everything* is trying to each other. The fact they saw hunting and killing as only a necessity, and that they treated the bigass monsters and plants around with respect really says a lot about how peaceful they were. Sadly, when Chaos came it absolutely wrecked them. Anarchy came, everyone collectively shat their pants, and the royals, (who were previously pretty skilled in combat) had to watch their people burn. That is, until they became Ghoul Kings! Now, they prowl Ghur like a pack of Alpha predators, still seeking to be one with their surroundings, by piercing their flesh with realmstone and becoming reeeeeally bestial. They predictably have loads of Zombie Dragons and [[Terrorgheist]]s.

{{Template:Playable Factions in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar}}

Nighthaunt

2019-06-19T00:46:25Z

2605:E000:7EC5:A000:CCBF:7130:4831:81BB: /* Spooky Melodies for Haunting */

{{Age of Sigmar Faction|Faction=Nighthaunt|Logo=LadyOlynderMortarch.png|Alliance=Death|Motto=Wooo!! I'm a ghosty!}}

{{topquote|Welcome, foolish mortals, to the haunted mansion!|Ghost Host}}

{{topquote|As those who believe in the visibility of ghosts can easily see them, so it is always easy to see repulsive qualities in those we despise and hate.|Fredrick Douglas}}

The '''Nighthaunt''' are a faction in [[Warhammer: Age of Sigmar]]. They are an army of ghosts who hate and envy the living. Like all undead, they're part of Grand Alliance: Death, and thus owe their allegiance to [[Nagash]]. Previously a minor faction, Age of Sigmar second edition promotes them to new heights of relevance with them even being in the starter set.

Most of the Nighthaunt have forms that reflect their past crimes, and said crimes range from actual wrong-doing to something Nagash doesn't like; an example of the latter are the Nighthaunts called Dreadscythe Harridans, the spirits of healers [[Grimdark|who Nagash turned into tormented killing machines for the 'crime' of saving people from dying and thus preventing their souls from coming to Shyish, and he left them aware of their actions but unable to control themselves]]). This was done as either a kind of an ironic punishment or Nagash's idea of a joke, which just goes to show how much of a hypocrite he is, since all of his power came from scheming, theft, sacrilege, murder, genocide, and a Warpstone drug addiction.

==History==
Nighthaunts have always been around in some form, some artificially created by necromancers, others naturally generated by powerful winds of Amethyst Magic. The first all-Nighthaunt army was created by Nagash during the beginning of the Age of Chaos, when he turned the spirits of valiant warriors who swore oaths to fight for noble causes and never for coin into mercenaries who killed in exchange for payments of souls, also establishing his firm love for ironic torture. They only became a true big player during the Necroquake caused by Nagash's Black Pyramid, where vast waves of Shyish energy caused the reanimation of millions of Nighthaunts. Unfortunately for Nagash, the hordes had no leadership and didn't know anything about tactics or strategy, and the force that could've ushered in his ultimate victory mostly just got sidetracked.

Seeing that these hordes needed a leader, he appointed Lady Olynder to be the Mortarch in charge of the Nighthaunt. She quickly went around organizing them into actual armies, called Processions, and appointing generals to lead them in the form of the Knights of Shrouds. Olynder's first task as Mortarch was to eradicate the Chaos forces occupying the Underworld of Lyria, and although she was succesful, her near-death at the hands of a [[Bloodthirster]] caused Nagash to realize that she needed a lieutenant to prevent her from making another such mistake, resulting in him arranging her marriage to Kurdoss Valentian. Sadly there are no details about how the wedding went, so we just have to imagine a giant Nagash saying "YOU'RE MARRIED, KISS HER".

Since then they've been rampaging across the realms, [[Shyish]] most of all. The Processions have been incorporated into the Legion of Grief, which was formed to besiege the City of Lethis and free an ally of Nagash from a Stormvault. Word on the streets is that Kurdoss is referring to this as a "honeymoon" whilst Olynder is whining about how far away it is.

==The Processions==
Prior to the soulwars, it was rare to see masses of Nighthaunt gathered together in large armies, partly due to their unreliable nature as ghosts. This changed following the crowning of Lady Olynder as Mortarch of Grief, as she ruthlessly gathered the spirits and formed them into armies known as Processions. The goals of each Procession are mostly centered around specific curses or leaders. Some Processions might be formed of a empires worth of spirits, called forth from the underworld, while others may be spirits long imprisoned by Nagash, freed and twisted by the Necroquake.

The Processions employ the various spirits dredged up from the bowels of Shyish, meaning that they can be pretty varied. However, the same group of archetypes tend to pop up more often than others;

*'''Knight of Shrouds''': In life, these guys were generals that sold out to Nagash and are cursed in the afterlife to lead his hosts. They are cursed to ''always'' have a small sliver of doubt that worms through their hearts, meaning they suffer from a perpetual Macbeth-type guilt.
*'''Guardian of Souls''': The wannabe Necromancers that thought they could outrun death are now (un)living nexuses of Death Magic. They summon more Nighthaunt into battle.
*'''Spirit Torment''': AKA the ones that got off easy. Sadistic Jailers in life now get to be even more sadistic jailers in the afterlife!
*'''Lord Executioner''': Executioners who knowingly killed the innocent in life or enjoyed their work too much are now sent after heroes to execute them in unlife. They are constantly harassesd by the spirits of the people they wrongfully executed.
*'''Dreadblade Harrow''': The lieutenants of the Knights that watched on as they betrayed and did nothing. Their half-measures in life make them especially incorporeal.
*'''Cairn Wraith''': Mass murderers and serial killers that can't rest due to their hatred. Often Lone Wolves among the Processions.
*'''Tomb Banshee''': The betrayed and tormented, who in unlife have become obsessed with revenge.
*'''Spirit Hosts''': Formless, identity-less packs of spirits that are all bound together, often found in mass graves or battlefields.
*'''Chainrasps''': The average criminal scum that died in chains, now forever grasping and begging for light in the afterlife.
*'''Grimghast Reapers''': When someone has too much [[Just as Planned]] they are blinded and forced to kill with no subtletly whatsoever.
*'''Hexwraiths''': The proud and cruel Knights that decided to shit on the peasants too much are stuck forever riding their ethereal horses.
*'''Glaivewrath Stalkers''': The guys that enjoyed hunting too much are now melded with their mounts, and literally cannot feel any joy in the hunt anymore.
*'''Myrmourn Banshees''': People who sought knowledge of magic in life (specifically death magic) and didn't pay proper reverence to Nagash are forced to feed on nothing BUT magic, devouring spells and wizards.
*'''Chainghasts''': The Spirit Torment's best buddies.
*'''Bladegheist Revenants''': Those who died screeching and thrashing are robbed of any vision, and are forced to flail around with unmatched frenzy whilst holding swords. Really cruel, since the classification for these can range from someone Drowning to being buried alive.
*'''Dreadscythe Harridans''': Along with the Bladegheists, they have the most cruel fate. Former healers that stopped souls from going to Nagash are forced into committing wanton slaughter with only scythes for hands. As a further "fuck you" from Nagash, their minds and memories are wholly intact, but they are unable to control their actions.
*'''Black Coach''': The particularly powerful [[Necromancer]]s and Vampires are coached around by a Cairn Wraith in these, so that they can absorb the Death Magic and regenerate.

==Why They're Scary==
The Nighthaunt pose a very real and manifest fear to the people of the realms; the dead, suffering awful and dread fates rising from the grave to drag them down into the same torments they suffer. You can never tell when they're coming, you can't fortify against them, you can't even physically wound them most of the time. What hammers the fear factor home even further is the cruel and frankly unfair ironies of some of their units. Did you heal people in life? Tough titties, you're gonna blindly murder them with scythes for hands. Die drowning and flailing? Then you're gonna flail around for all eternity.

Tl:dr, if they want to get you (and they do), then they will. And you're gonna suffer when they do.

==Notable Nighthaunts==

*'''[[Lady Olynder|Lady Olynder, Mortarch of Grief]]:''' In life, Olynder was a scheming gold digger who married high-ranking men then arranged the deaths of her husbands, afterwards crying crocodile tears about how she's a widow after each one died. Upon her death, Nagash punished her for her crimes by making her feel all the grief in the Mortal Realms, so now she's a genuine sobbing wreck. However, that didn't stop Olynder for long; using her own sorrows as a irresistible bait for other Nighthaunt, she forged one of the first entirely Nighthaunt empires. With the arrival of more Nighthaunts after the Necroquake, Nagash needed someone to manage them, and thus promoted her to be his newest Mortarch.

*'''[[Kurdoss Valentian|Kurdoss Valentian, the Craven King]]:''' Another noble who schemed his way into power, killing many including his own brothers, but was struck down by Nagash just before his coronation as King. (Not for his betrayals and murders, but because he praised and prayed to Sigmar.) He is constantly followed by spectral heralds who mock him for not being able to become a true king (basically Statler and Waldorf) and cursed to be unable to raise his voice above the level of a whisper. He was married to Lady Olynder by Nagash to become the second-in-command of the Nighthaunt, but further cursed to be forced to obey her every order so as to deny him any kind of rulership, even in his new position of power.

*'''[[Reikenor|Reikenor the Grimhailer]]:''' Once a mighty sorcerer from Hysh who attempted to become immortal. [[Warhammer Underworlds|And we all know what Nagash does to people who try to cheat death]]. Now Nagash tasks him with hunting down and killing those who would seek to steal souls from him.

==Spooky Melodies for Haunting==
As any good [[Ork]]/[[Imperial Guard]]/[[Stormcast Eternals|Stormcast]]/[[Grand Alliance: Death|Skelebob]] player knows, fitting music for your army is necessary for lowering enemy morale, so you'll need to have a couple of ghastly tunes ready to give your opponent (and the rest of your [[FLGS]]) a real fright!

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSaqSVi--Ms Grim Bitter Haunts - Make sure to play this when you bring both Lady Olynder, Valentian and Reikenor in a game!]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaFjmhIeezU Now I know it's N-N-N-N-NIGHTHAUNT!]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blUtOezg__g For the Vidya lovers among us.]

==See Also==
*[[Nagash]], their God and the dickbag that put them in this awful position.
*[[Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Death/Nighthaunt|Tactics/Nighthaunt]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File: Nighthaunt Art 1.jpeg|"OoooooOooOOOOOo... I really fucking hate my unlife... OOOOooooOoo
File: Soul Wars.jpeg|Who you gonna call? SIG-MARINES!
</gallery>

{{Nighthaunt-Characters}}
{{Template:Playable Factions in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar}}

Nighthaunt

2019-06-19T00:38:58Z

2605:E000:7EC5:A000:CCBF:7130:4831:81BB: /* History */

{{Age of Sigmar Faction|Faction=Nighthaunt|Logo=LadyOlynderMortarch.png|Alliance=Death|Motto=Wooo!! I'm a ghosty!}}

{{topquote|Welcome, foolish mortals, to the haunted mansion!|Ghost Host}}

{{topquote|As those who believe in the visibility of ghosts can easily see them, so it is always easy to see repulsive qualities in those we despise and hate.|Fredrick Douglas}}

The '''Nighthaunt''' are a faction in [[Warhammer: Age of Sigmar]]. They are an army of ghosts who hate and envy the living. Like all undead, they're part of Grand Alliance: Death, and thus owe their allegiance to [[Nagash]]. Previously a minor faction, Age of Sigmar second edition promotes them to new heights of relevance with them even being in the starter set.

Most of the Nighthaunt have forms that reflect their past crimes, and said crimes range from actual wrong-doing to something Nagash doesn't like; an example of the latter are the Nighthaunts called Dreadscythe Harridans, the spirits of healers [[Grimdark|who Nagash turned into tormented killing machines for the 'crime' of saving people from dying and thus preventing their souls from coming to Shyish, and he left them aware of their actions but unable to control themselves]]). This was done as either a kind of an ironic punishment or Nagash's idea of a joke, which just goes to show how much of a hypocrite he is, since all of his power came from scheming, theft, sacrilege, murder, genocide, and a Warpstone drug addiction.

==History==
Nighthaunts have always been around in some form, some artificially created by necromancers, others naturally generated by powerful winds of Amethyst Magic. The first all-Nighthaunt army was created by Nagash during the beginning of the Age of Chaos, when he turned the spirits of valiant warriors who swore oaths to fight for noble causes and never for coin into mercenaries who killed in exchange for payments of souls, also establishing his firm love for ironic torture. They only became a true big player during the Necroquake caused by Nagash's Black Pyramid, where vast waves of Shyish energy caused the reanimation of millions of Nighthaunts. Unfortunately for Nagash, the hordes had no leadership and didn't know anything about tactics or strategy, and the force that could've ushered in his ultimate victory mostly just got sidetracked.

Seeing that these hordes needed a leader, he appointed Lady Olynder to be the Mortarch in charge of the Nighthaunt. She quickly went around organizing them into actual armies, called Processions, and appointing generals to lead them in the form of the Knights of Shrouds. Olynder's first task as Mortarch was to eradicate the Chaos forces occupying the Underworld of Lyria, and although she was succesful, her near-death at the hands of a [[Bloodthirster]] caused Nagash to realize that she needed a lieutenant to prevent her from making another such mistake, resulting in him arranging her marriage to Kurdoss Valentian. Sadly there are no details about how the wedding went, so we just have to imagine a giant Nagash saying "YOU'RE MARRIED, KISS HER".

Since then they've been rampaging across the realms, [[Shyish]] most of all. The Processions have been incorporated into the Legion of Grief, which was formed to besiege the City of Lethis and free an ally of Nagash from a Stormvault. Word on the streets is that Kurdoss is referring to this as a "honeymoon" whilst Olynder is whining about how far away it is.

==The Processions==
Prior to the soulwars, it was rare to see masses of Nighthaunt gathered together in large armies, partly due to their unreliable nature as ghosts. This changed following the crowning of Lady Olynder as Mortarch of Grief, as she ruthlessly gathered the spirits and formed them into armies known as Processions. The goals of each Procession are mostly centered around specific curses or leaders. Some Processions might be formed of a empires worth of spirits, called forth from the underworld, while others may be spirits long imprisoned by Nagash, freed and twisted by the Necroquake.

The Processions employ the various spirits dredged up from the bowels of Shyish, meaning that they can be pretty varied. However, the same group of archetypes tend to pop up more often than others;

*'''Knight of Shrouds''': In life, these guys were generals that sold out to Nagash and are cursed in the afterlife to lead his hosts. They are cursed to ''always'' have a small sliver of doubt that worms through their hearts, meaning they suffer from a perpetual Macbeth-type guilt.
*'''Guardian of Souls''': The wannabe Necromancers that thought they could outrun death are now (un)living nexuses of Death Magic. They summon more Nighthaunt into battle.
*'''Spirit Torment''': AKA the ones that got off easy. Sadistic Jailers in life now get to be even more sadistic jailers in the afterlife!
*'''Lord Executioner''': Executioners who knowingly killed the innocent in life or enjoyed their work too much are now sent after heroes to execute them in unlife. They are constantly harassesd by the spirits of the people they wrongfully executed.
*'''Dreadblade Harrow''': The lieutenants of the Knights that watched on as they betrayed and did nothing. Their half-measures in life make them especially incorporeal.
*'''Cairn Wraith''': Mass murderers and serial killers that can't rest due to their hatred. Often Lone Wolves among the Processions.
*'''Tomb Banshee''': The betrayed and tormented, who in unlife have become obsessed with revenge.
*'''Spirit Hosts''': Formless, identity-less packs of spirits that are all bound together, often found in mass graves or battlefields.
*'''Chainrasps''': The average criminal scum that died in chains, now forever grasping and begging for light in the afterlife.
*'''Grimghast Reapers''': When someone has too much [[Just as Planned]] they are blinded and forced to kill with no subtletly whatsoever.
*'''Hexwraiths''': The proud and cruel Knights that decided to shit on the peasants too much are stuck forever riding their ethereal horses.
*'''Glaivewrath Stalkers''': The guys that enjoyed hunting too much are now melded with their mounts, and literally cannot feel any joy in the hunt anymore.
*'''Myrmourn Banshees''': People who sought knowledge of magic in life (specifically death magic) and didn't pay proper reverence to Nagash are forced to feed on nothing BUT magic, devouring spells and wizards.
*'''Chainghasts''': The Spirit Torment's best buddies.
*'''Bladegheist Revenants''': Those who died screeching and thrashing are robbed of any vision, and are forced to flail around with unmatched frenzy whilst holding swords. Really cruel, since the classification for these can range from someone Drowning to being buried alive.
*'''Dreadscythe Harridans''': Along with the Bladegheists, they have the most cruel fate. Former healers that stopped souls from going to Nagash are forced into committing wanton slaughter with only scythes for hands. As a further "fuck you" from Nagash, their minds and memories are wholly intact, but they are unable to control their actions.
*'''Black Coach''': The particularly powerful [[Necromancer]]s and Vampires are coached around by a Cairn Wraith in these, so that they can absorb the Death Magic and regenerate.

==Why They're Scary==
The Nighthaunt pose a very real and manifest fear to the people of the realms; the dead, suffering awful and dread fates rising from the grave to drag them down into the same torments they suffer. You can never tell when they're coming, you can't fortify against them, you can't even physically wound them most of the time. What hammers the fear factor home even further is the cruel and frankly unfair ironies of some of their units. Did you heal people in life? Tough titties, you're gonna blindly murder them with scythes for hands. Die drowning and flailing? Then you're gonna flail around for all eternity.

Tl:dr, if they want to get you (and they do), then they will. And you're gonna suffer when they do.

==Notable Nighthaunts==

*'''[[Lady Olynder|Lady Olynder, Mortarch of Grief]]:''' In life, Olynder was a scheming gold digger who married high-ranking men then arranged the deaths of her husbands, afterwards crying crocodile tears about how she's a widow after each one died. Upon her death, Nagash punished her for her crimes by making her feel all the grief in the Mortal Realms, so now she's a genuine sobbing wreck. However, that didn't stop Olynder for long; using her own sorrows as a irresistible bait for other Nighthaunt, she forged one of the first entirely Nighthaunt empires. With the arrival of more Nighthaunts after the Necroquake, Nagash needed someone to manage them, and thus promoted her to be his newest Mortarch.

*'''[[Kurdoss Valentian|Kurdoss Valentian, the Craven King]]:''' Another noble who schemed his way into power, killing many including his own brothers, but was struck down by Nagash just before his coronation as King. (Not for his betrayals and murders, but because he praised and prayed to Sigmar.) He is constantly followed by spectral heralds who mock him for not being able to become a true king (basically Statler and Waldorf) and cursed to be unable to raise his voice above the level of a whisper. He was married to Lady Olynder by Nagash to become the second-in-command of the Nighthaunt, but further cursed to be forced to obey her every order so as to deny him any kind of rulership, even in his new position of power.

*'''[[Reikenor|Reikenor the Grimhailer]]:''' Once a mighty sorcerer from Hysh who attempted to become immortal. [[Warhammer Underworlds|And we all know what Nagash does to people who try to cheat death]]. Now Nagash tasks him with hunting down and killing those who would seek to steal souls from him.

==Spooky Melodies for Haunting==
As any good [[Ork]]/[[Imperial Guard]]/[[Stormcast Eternals|Stormcast]]/[[Grand Alliance: Death|Skelebob]] player knows, fitting music for your army is necessary for lowering enemy morale, so you'll need to have a couple of ghastly tunes ready to give your opponent (and the rest of your [[FLGS]]) a real frighten.

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSaqSVi--Ms Grim Bitter Haunts - Make sure to play this when you bring both Lady Olynder, Valentian and Reikenor in a game!]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaFjmhIeezU Now I know it's N-N-N-N-NIGHTHAUNT!]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blUtOezg__g For the Vidya lovers among us.]

==See Also==
*[[Nagash]], their God and the dickbag that put them in this awful position.
*[[Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Death/Nighthaunt|Tactics/Nighthaunt]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File: Nighthaunt Art 1.jpeg|"OoooooOooOOOOOo... I really fucking hate my unlife... OOOOooooOoo
File: Soul Wars.jpeg|Who you gonna call? SIG-MARINES!
</gallery>

{{Nighthaunt-Characters}}
{{Template:Playable Factions in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar}}

Nighthaunt

2019-06-19T00:38:27Z

2605:E000:7EC5:A000:CCBF:7130:4831:81BB: /* History */

{{Age of Sigmar Faction|Faction=Nighthaunt|Logo=LadyOlynderMortarch.png|Alliance=Death|Motto=Wooo!! I'm a ghosty!}}

{{topquote|Welcome, foolish mortals, to the haunted mansion!|Ghost Host}}

{{topquote|As those who believe in the visibility of ghosts can easily see them, so it is always easy to see repulsive qualities in those we despise and hate.|Fredrick Douglas}}

The '''Nighthaunt''' are a faction in [[Warhammer: Age of Sigmar]]. They are an army of ghosts who hate and envy the living. Like all undead, they're part of Grand Alliance: Death, and thus owe their allegiance to [[Nagash]]. Previously a minor faction, Age of Sigmar second edition promotes them to new heights of relevance with them even being in the starter set.

Most of the Nighthaunt have forms that reflect their past crimes, and said crimes range from actual wrong-doing to something Nagash doesn't like; an example of the latter are the Nighthaunts called Dreadscythe Harridans, the spirits of healers [[Grimdark|who Nagash turned into tormented killing machines for the 'crime' of saving people from dying and thus preventing their souls from coming to Shyish, and he left them aware of their actions but unable to control themselves]]). This was done as either a kind of an ironic punishment or Nagash's idea of a joke, which just goes to show how much of a hypocrite he is, since all of his power came from scheming, theft, sacrilege, murder, genocide, and a Warpstone drug addiction.

==History==
Nighthaunts have always been around in some form, some artificially created by necromancers, others naturally generated by powerful winds of Amethyst Magic. The first all-Nighthaunt army was created by Nagash during the beginning of the Age of Chaos, when he turned the spirits of valiant warriors who swore oaths to fight for noble causes and never for coin into mercenaries who killed in exchange for payments of souls, also establishing his firm love for ironic torture. They only became a true big player during the Necroquake caused by Nagash's Black Pyramid, where vast waves of Shyish energy caused the reanimation of millions of Nighthaunts. Unfortunately for Nagash, the hordes had no leadership and didn't know anything about tactics or strategy, and the force that could've ushered in his ultimate victory mostly just got sidetracked.

Seeing that these hordes needed a leader, he appointed Lady Olynder to be the Mortarch in charge of the Nighthaunt. She quickly went around organizing them into actual armies, called Processions, and appointing generals to lead them in the form of the Knights of Shrouds. Olynder's first task as Mortarch was to eradicate the Chaos forces occupying the Underworld of Lyria, and although she was succesful, her near-death at the hands of a [[Bloodthirster]] caused Nagash to realize that she needed a lieutenant to prevent her from making another such mistake, resulting in him arranging her marriage to Kurdoss Valentian. Sadly there are no details about how the wedding went, so we just have to imagine a giant Nagash saying "YOU'RE MARRIED, KISS HER".

Since then they've been rampaging across the realms, [[Shyish]] most of all. The Processions have been incorporated into the Legion of Grief, which was formed to besiege the City of Lethis and free an ally of Nagash from a Stormvault. Word on the streets is that Kurdoss is referring to this as a "honeymoon" whilst Olynder is whinging about how far away it is.

==The Processions==
Prior to the soulwars, it was rare to see masses of Nighthaunt gathered together in large armies, partly due to their unreliable nature as ghosts. This changed following the crowning of Lady Olynder as Mortarch of Grief, as she ruthlessly gathered the spirits and formed them into armies known as Processions. The goals of each Procession are mostly centered around specific curses or leaders. Some Processions might be formed of a empires worth of spirits, called forth from the underworld, while others may be spirits long imprisoned by Nagash, freed and twisted by the Necroquake.

The Processions employ the various spirits dredged up from the bowels of Shyish, meaning that they can be pretty varied. However, the same group of archetypes tend to pop up more often than others;

*'''Knight of Shrouds''': In life, these guys were generals that sold out to Nagash and are cursed in the afterlife to lead his hosts. They are cursed to ''always'' have a small sliver of doubt that worms through their hearts, meaning they suffer from a perpetual Macbeth-type guilt.
*'''Guardian of Souls''': The wannabe Necromancers that thought they could outrun death are now (un)living nexuses of Death Magic. They summon more Nighthaunt into battle.
*'''Spirit Torment''': AKA the ones that got off easy. Sadistic Jailers in life now get to be even more sadistic jailers in the afterlife!
*'''Lord Executioner''': Executioners who knowingly killed the innocent in life or enjoyed their work too much are now sent after heroes to execute them in unlife. They are constantly harassesd by the spirits of the people they wrongfully executed.
*'''Dreadblade Harrow''': The lieutenants of the Knights that watched on as they betrayed and did nothing. Their half-measures in life make them especially incorporeal.
*'''Cairn Wraith''': Mass murderers and serial killers that can't rest due to their hatred. Often Lone Wolves among the Processions.
*'''Tomb Banshee''': The betrayed and tormented, who in unlife have become obsessed with revenge.
*'''Spirit Hosts''': Formless, identity-less packs of spirits that are all bound together, often found in mass graves or battlefields.
*'''Chainrasps''': The average criminal scum that died in chains, now forever grasping and begging for light in the afterlife.
*'''Grimghast Reapers''': When someone has too much [[Just as Planned]] they are blinded and forced to kill with no subtletly whatsoever.
*'''Hexwraiths''': The proud and cruel Knights that decided to shit on the peasants too much are stuck forever riding their ethereal horses.
*'''Glaivewrath Stalkers''': The guys that enjoyed hunting too much are now melded with their mounts, and literally cannot feel any joy in the hunt anymore.
*'''Myrmourn Banshees''': People who sought knowledge of magic in life (specifically death magic) and didn't pay proper reverence to Nagash are forced to feed on nothing BUT magic, devouring spells and wizards.
*'''Chainghasts''': The Spirit Torment's best buddies.
*'''Bladegheist Revenants''': Those who died screeching and thrashing are robbed of any vision, and are forced to flail around with unmatched frenzy whilst holding swords. Really cruel, since the classification for these can range from someone Drowning to being buried alive.
*'''Dreadscythe Harridans''': Along with the Bladegheists, they have the most cruel fate. Former healers that stopped souls from going to Nagash are forced into committing wanton slaughter with only scythes for hands. As a further "fuck you" from Nagash, their minds and memories are wholly intact, but they are unable to control their actions.
*'''Black Coach''': The particularly powerful [[Necromancer]]s and Vampires are coached around by a Cairn Wraith in these, so that they can absorb the Death Magic and regenerate.

==Why They're Scary==
The Nighthaunt pose a very real and manifest fear to the people of the realms; the dead, suffering awful and dread fates rising from the grave to drag them down into the same torments they suffer. You can never tell when they're coming, you can't fortify against them, you can't even physically wound them most of the time. What hammers the fear factor home even further is the cruel and frankly unfair ironies of some of their units. Did you heal people in life? Tough titties, you're gonna blindly murder them with scythes for hands. Die drowning and flailing? Then you're gonna flail around for all eternity.

Tl:dr, if they want to get you (and they do), then they will. And you're gonna suffer when they do.

==Notable Nighthaunts==

*'''[[Lady Olynder|Lady Olynder, Mortarch of Grief]]:''' In life, Olynder was a scheming gold digger who married high-ranking men then arranged the deaths of her husbands, afterwards crying crocodile tears about how she's a widow after each one died. Upon her death, Nagash punished her for her crimes by making her feel all the grief in the Mortal Realms, so now she's a genuine sobbing wreck. However, that didn't stop Olynder for long; using her own sorrows as a irresistible bait for other Nighthaunt, she forged one of the first entirely Nighthaunt empires. With the arrival of more Nighthaunts after the Necroquake, Nagash needed someone to manage them, and thus promoted her to be his newest Mortarch.

*'''[[Kurdoss Valentian|Kurdoss Valentian, the Craven King]]:''' Another noble who schemed his way into power, killing many including his own brothers, but was struck down by Nagash just before his coronation as King. (Not for his betrayals and murders, but because he praised and prayed to Sigmar.) He is constantly followed by spectral heralds who mock him for not being able to become a true king (basically Statler and Waldorf) and cursed to be unable to raise his voice above the level of a whisper. He was married to Lady Olynder by Nagash to become the second-in-command of the Nighthaunt, but further cursed to be forced to obey her every order so as to deny him any kind of rulership, even in his new position of power.

*'''[[Reikenor|Reikenor the Grimhailer]]:''' Once a mighty sorcerer from Hysh who attempted to become immortal. [[Warhammer Underworlds|And we all know what Nagash does to people who try to cheat death]]. Now Nagash tasks him with hunting down and killing those who would seek to steal souls from him.

==Spooky Melodies for Haunting==
As any good [[Ork]]/[[Imperial Guard]]/[[Stormcast Eternals|Stormcast]]/[[Grand Alliance: Death|Skelebob]] player knows, fitting music for your army is necessary for lowering enemy morale, so you'll need to have a couple of ghastly tunes ready to give your opponent (and the rest of your [[FLGS]]) a real frighten.

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSaqSVi--Ms Grim Bitter Haunts - Make sure to play this when you bring both Lady Olynder, Valentian and Reikenor in a game!]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaFjmhIeezU Now I know it's N-N-N-N-NIGHTHAUNT!]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blUtOezg__g For the Vidya lovers among us.]

==See Also==
*[[Nagash]], their God and the dickbag that put them in this awful position.
*[[Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Death/Nighthaunt|Tactics/Nighthaunt]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File: Nighthaunt Art 1.jpeg|"OoooooOooOOOOOo... I really fucking hate my unlife... OOOOooooOoo
File: Soul Wars.jpeg|Who you gonna call? SIG-MARINES!
</gallery>

{{Nighthaunt-Characters}}
{{Template:Playable Factions in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar}}