Valten

Valten was a fictional character prominent in the background material to the tabletop game of Warhammer. He was a prominent figure in the Warhammer Fantasy Battles Storm of Chaos campaign. Valten was seen as the reincarnation of Sigmar Heldenhammer, patron deity and protector of the Empire, the mightiest and most progressive country in the fictional fantasy setting. Public perception was almost true, for Valten, like Magnus the Pious before him, was the chosen avatar of the deified Sigmar's powers.

Origins

The son of a blacksmith, Valten was born in the small village of Lachenbad, and grew up to be a strong and beautiful young man. His only deformity was a large birthmark, shaped like a twin-tailed comet. Valten lived his life in idyll, and had always been known to be special. But he was sorely put to the test when Beastmen attacked his village. While others ran in fear, he took up two hammers from his father's smithy and struck down Beastman after Beastman, eventually slaying their chieftain. Valten was regarded as a local hero, and word of his deed spread, eventually reaching the ears of the rabble-rousing Luthor Huss.

igmar Reborn?

Proclaiming Valten as Sigmar reborn, Luthor and his army of the faithful rallied around Valten and marched to Altdorf, where Luthor pleaded that Emperor Karl Franz step aside to allow Sigmar's Chosen to take his rightful place on the throne. After long consideration, the Emperor refused to step down, but instead gifted Valten with Sigmar's hammer Ghal Maraz. The Emperor proclaimed Valten as the spiritual leader of the Empire and vowed to lead the Imperial armies by his side. Together, Valten and Karl Franz set out to help the besieged city of Middenheim.

After the armies Karl Franz had mustered reached their final staging point at Talabheim, Valten was gifted with a suit of gromril armor from the dwarfs. It has originally been forged for Sigmar over 2,000 years ago, but was never claimed. From Teclis, the High Loremaster of the High Elves, Valten received the mighty Elven steed Althandin, sired by Prince Tyrion's own mighty steed, Malhandir. Cheered on by the rank and file, the army headed for Middenheim.

Karl Franz's army relieved the bloodied yet victorious Middenheim defenders, forcing Archaon and the remnants of his forces to withdraw, before fighting a series of battles to drive them from the mainland. In the final battle, Valten finally brought the Everchosen, Archaon, his fated nemesis, to single combat.

In revenge for the steed he had lost to Chaos artillery, Valten first destroyed his Archaon's daemonic mount, hurling him to the ground. As Valten raised the Hammer of Sigmar for the killing stroke, Archaon unleashed the daemon bound within his weapon and with it impaled Valten. Valten's aim was spoiled, but not ruined: the blow opened Archaon's armour and dashed him to the ground.

As Valten tried to pull the daemon blade free, Archaon regained his feet and struck again, carving open Valten's breastplate and sending him to the floor. Seeing the mark of Sigmar on Valten's chest, Archaon slipped his guard and stood backwards, as in shock. Luthor Huss charged the Everchosen. Huss landed a series of mighty strikes, including a mighty blow to the side of the head that sent the Archaon down to a knee. Archaon swiftly counter-attacked, however, and hurled Huss across the battlefield.

Panting, bleeding, Archaon's head met that of the Orc Warlord, Grimgor Ironhide. Splintering the Chaos lord's shield and sending him sprawling, Grimgor battered Archaon twice around the head before placing his axe on the tip of his throat. Rather than deliver the killing blow, Grimgor spared his opponent, letting him slump to the ground. The Orc proclaimed 'Grimgor iz da best!' and quit the field, cheered by his followers.

Valten lay comatose within the temple of Shallya, after being carried there by Luthor Huss. Despite his own wounds, Huss kept a bedside vigil over Valten. Across the city, arguments for and against Valten's divinity and right to be Emperor re-emerged. Graf Boris Todbringer and Grand Theogonist Esmer asked for three days to resolve the situation. The next day Luthor Huss visited Karl Franz, his eyes filled with tears. Valten had been murdered. Shocked, Karl visited the room where Valten had been recuperating. The bed and the sheets were covered in blood; Valten's body had been taken. A green, glowing knife had been stabbed into his mattress, and the sign of the horned rat (a rune used by the Skaven) had been carved on the wall. Huss asked the Emperor what he should do. Karl Franz took the Hammer of Sigmar from Huss, and then gave the priest a new duty. He would proclaim to the people that Sigmar had left the land of man once more, that He had left his hammer to the Emperor as a sign of his trust, that Huss was still His prophet, and would look for his return when the Empire needed him most once again.

Many players took the signs of Skaven involvement at face value. Some believed, however, that the signs and the dagger were purposely misleading, and that an Imperial Elector was the real murderer. In the background book the Loathsome Ratmen and All Their Vile Kin it is confirmed that the Skaven murdered Valten. Their reasons for doing so, and as to what they did to the body are still unknown.

References

*Thorpe, Gav. 2004. Warhammer: Storm of Chaos. Nottingham: Games Workshop Ltd. ISBN 1-84154-460-4

External links

* [http://stormofchaos.uk.games-workshop.com/default.htm The official Storm of Chaos Website]
* [http://uk.games-workshop.com/chronicles/soc-faq/1/ The official Storm of Chaos FAQ]