ANGKOR, THE FATHER OF MAMMOTHS, ‘HE WHO CARRIES THE WORLD UPON HIS BACK’ CHAOS WAR MAMMOTH BACKGROUND
THE KHAZAG TRIBE
Many years ago, when the world was much younger, the Khazag were a primitive barbarian tribe living in the hard stone lands of the northern tundra. They knew little of the world beyond, of its gods or its wars. They survived the harsh winds and deadly cold by hunting herds of giant Mammoths across the tundra. All the tribesmen were raised to be fearless hunters and trappers, as they must be, to face such huge prey. The beasts they slew provided the tribes folk with all their needs. Furs for warm clothing, meat for food, hide for their tents, ivory and bone for weapons and for trading with other tribes, on the rare occasions the nomads crossed their path. Within their fire-warmed tents the tribe worshipped the great beasts that sustained their life. They honoured the beast’s spirit, but above all they gave praise to Angkor who they believed to be the ancestral father of all Mammoths, and upon whose back the world was carried. For hundreds of years Angkor provided for his people. The herds were strong, the hunting was plentiful and the tribal life of the Khazag remained unchanged. But if the Khazag had forsaken the world beyond, then the world had not forgotten them, and soon the eye of other far greater powers fell upon them. For none that live in the northern wastes can escape the true gods of that land for long. The dark powers had new plans for the simple Khazag tribe.
THE BANISHMENT OF TAROK
The change in the tribe’s destiny began with the birth of the chieftain’s first son, named Tarok. Tarok grew amongst his people and learned their ways, in time he became a fierce and brave hunter, the foremost of the tribes young men. But Tarok’s soul was cruel and vengeful. As a young hunter Tarok and his followers fell foul of the tribal lores. Whilst hunting on the frozen tundra with his band of followers a dispute erupted over who had made the killing blow of their quarry, and therefore who should have the right to eat the beasts heart (a tribal ritual that passed the beast strength to the killer). Tarok claimed his spear had felled the Bull-Mammoth, whilst another hunter and his band also claimed the kill. The argument became heated and Tarok became enraged. He launched his spear at his rival and a melee broke out. Six of the rival band died in the ensuing fight. To kill another tribal member was strictly forbidden. When news of the murders spread through the tribe Tarok and his followers were dragged from their tents to face his father and the wrath of the entire tribe. They would have been stoned to death by the mob but Tarok’s father forbade it. Instead he decreed that for their crimes all would be banished from the tribe, thrown out onto the pitiless tundra to survive or die as Angkor willed. As the tribe packed their tents and moved on they left Tarok and his friends behind, bound and unarmed in the snow. Tarok howled and cursed in rage at his fate. What became of them none in the tribe knew.
EXILE AND RETURN
Tarok and his followers did not die but, by luck or some greater will, escaped and found their way north, where they met and joined the marauding warbands of the Chaos wastes, competing for the favour of their gods. Cursing his father, Tarok vowed vengeance against his people and embraced the arts of warfare and bloodshed. Like many before him and after, he became a Chaos marauder, raiding south, burning and pillaging in the name of his new masters, the gods of Chaos. Tarok was well favoured by his Gods and grew strong, learning much dark-lore and all the time plotting his return to the Khazag. When Tarok was strong enough and had gathered his own loyal warband to him Tarok set out to find his people. The night of Tarok’s return was a night of horror and blood for the Khazag people. The hooves of many horses pounded through the snow, lit torches in hand, as Tarok took his pitiless revenge. His men burned the tribal encampments, killing all who fought back. By the light of the burning tents Tarok had the aging chieftain dragged before him and forced into submission on his knees before the unknown conqueror. Slowly he removed his great horned helmet to reveal himself before completing his revenge. ‘I have returned, father, to claim my birthright and my destiny. Once you spared me death, such was your folly. I shall not make the same mistake. By right of birth and conquest I claim leadership of the Khazag in the name of the true gods. ‘ A single cruel blow of his axe decapitated his father.
THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE KHAZAG
Although brave hunters the Khazag had never been a war-like people. They looked only to their own survival, but with the return of Tarok that would soon change. Although a powerful champion in his own right Tarok was still a mere tool, a pawn in the god's greater schemes.
The Gods of Chaos used their new champion to corrupt the Khazag to their own desires. In the Khazag they saw a new source of worshippers and warriors and a chance to expand their dominion. With Tarok as their chieftain the Khazag would become devout followers of Chaos, their skills as hunters would now be turned to warfare and bloodshed on the battlefields of Chaos. But the Khazag were hardy and proud, and several times rose up in rebellion against their new overlords. Each time they were defeated but there spirit was not broken, much to Tarok’s anger.
THE TAMING OF ANGKOR
Enraged Tarok set out to prove the power of his new gods and his divine right to rule. Aided by his masters he claimed he could tame Angkor, and bring the tribe’s so-called god before them in chains. He begged his gods to grant him the visions and power to find and tame Angkor. In one bloody night he sacrificed one in ten of the Khazag tribe to his masters, staining the ground red and piling his victims heads about the encampment. He swore dreadful oaths of loyalty and service and pledge that if the gods aided him now he would lead the Khazag into an endless war against their foes. Pleased with his devotion the gods granted Tarok a vision. Tarok’s quest would take him deep into the heart of the Chaos wastes. Gathering his loyal warband, Tarok set off into a howling blizzard, and soon vanished… Tarok journeyed far, travelling deep into the heart of the Chaos wastes, where nameless horrors crawled the earth and there, by the will of the gods, found and tamed Angkor. Later it was said that the battle to tame Angkor lasted for three days and nights, and most of Tarok’s warband were slain fighting the beast. But eventually Tarok subdued the ferocious beast . Close to death, Angkors daemonic spirit had been broken. Bound in chains Angkor submitted to a new master. Tarok and his surviving followers climbed upon the great beast back and rode south. He did not return for a year and a day. In the meantime hope sprung amongst the Khazag that they had been freed from the tyrant. But it was not to be. The portents were evil, the Mammoth herds had vanished, hunting was poor, the northern sky turned blood red, and storm clouds gathered. On the crest of that storm, lashed by rain, wind and lightning came Tarok, the very earth trembling before him as he rode Angkor through the tribal encampments. He had defeated their god and the Khazag finally submitted before him. All hailed Tarok as their true chieftain, his gods must be the true, greater powers, as he had always claimed. From that moment the Khazag gave themselves willingly to the worship of Chaos.
THE RISE OF THE KHAZAG
Where once they had only hunted the beasts, the Khazag now took to enslaving the mighty Mammoths and using them as beasts of burden and war. Tarok and his followers taught the tribe the arts of forging weapons and armour from iron and the Khazag began arming themselves for war. Tarok decreed that to please their new gods the Khazag must make war upon the other tribes of the north. The gods would only be pleased by the spilling of blood and the taking of souls in their name. Newly equipped for war and mounted upon the backs of great woolly Mammoths the Khazag began to raid their neighbour’s lands. With Tarok and Angkor at their head they travelled far from their old tribal lands in search of battle. Once simple hunting folk had become dedicated slaves to chaos, pawns of the unholy power and the dark gods laughed long at their triumph…
WAR IN THE NAME OF THE TRUE GODS
For thousands of years the Khazag and their War-Mammoths have raided and battled. As the hordes of Chaos mustered for the great incursions the Chieftains of the Khazag, the heirs of Tarok himself, led their tribe to war. Always mounted upon the back of Angkor, whose enraged daemon spirit has never been sated by war, the chieftain allied with the other tribes, or led them if the Gods demand it , to march south into the civilised lands. Many of the border fortresses of Kislev have felt the ground tremble at Angkor approach, only to see their wooden walls smashed asunder. It was Angkor who broke the gates at the siege of Karak Ungor. When Engra Deathsword sacked Praag, the Khazag, led by Angkor, were amongst his host, battering down the city walls. Now the Khazag are gathering their strength again, to muster with the army of Archaon in preparation for the next great Chaos Incursion.
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