- An excerpt from The Histories of the Free Cities: An Exploration of the Realms by Thaddius Tibor III
Whilst elsewhere in Aqshy, Ghyran, and Ghur the newly founded cities of Sigmar flourished early on after the conquests of the Realmgate Wars, in Shyish things moved at a slower pace. Some may blame this on the entropic attributes of the realm, but in truth, the dead are reluctant to relinquish that which was once theirs. Envoys to Nagash went rebuked or ignored at an alarming pace, but not all efforts within the Realm of Death were met with derision. The monarchs of the Endless Deserts were more receptive to the words of our God-King, though some conflict at first was inevitable. Nihlus Tidalborne, Lord-Celestant of the self named Tidalborne warrior chamber, was sent into the Endless Deserts to reforge the ancient alliance once held with the Tomb Kings. Though it was neither a smooth nor painless endeavor, he was able to secure the trust of King Pharakh, a prominent monarch amongst the tomb cities. The Tomb Kings are a fractured race however, and the trust and word of one, does not equate to acceptance by all. Enough near the Sour Sea and the desolate port city of Desert’s End did, and with Sigmar’s second wave of expansion his architects and stone-wizards began crafting a new city worthy of their king. Located just outside the obelisk marked boundaries of the desert the city of Sepulchra was raised over the desolate remains of Desert’s End.
Crafted from a dark stone shipped in at great expense across the Sour Sea, Sepulchra stands as a testament to the might and power of Azyr. Soaring towers capped in gold, stand sentinel over a sprawling city of palaces, barracks, markets, and more. The equivalent in size to many of Sigmar’s other cities across the realms, Sepulchra holds a place of great promise for the future. The only Azyrite settlement with access to the Endless Deserts, and also situated as a vital port city, few can contest the great import the city holds in the region and Shyish in general. Those who visit Sepulchra are greeted with the sight of a jutting monument to Sigmar, its dark stone standing in stark contrast to the golden sands that stretch out around it and the pale blue waters that lap at its eastern face. The architecture, a mix of the classic Azyrite style and a more sombre and ancient lineage drawing inspiration from the Deserts’ original inhabitants, evokes awe in all who witness it. To walk the streets is to experience every facet of Sigmar’s people. The outer regions are choked with the chaotic desert markets, the stones themselves stained a dull ochre from the clouds of sand kicked up by passing feet, constantly alive with the sound of commerce and trade. The further inward you travel, the more palatial and refined the buildings become, soaring into the heavens in mimicry of Azyrheim. To the east are the sprawling dockyards, forever loading and unloading the endless stream of merchant and military ships that make berth there. There is even a burgeoning skyport, built into the side of one of the tallest towers, to accommodate the prosperous Kharadron of Barak-Mor.
The wealth that flows through Sepulchra is vast, though there is more that defines the city then mere trade. It is also a vital military strongpoint, both a shield and a spear within striking distance of the Desert’s themselves. Though treaties have been made with several of the tomb cities surrounding it, not all are as sanguine with the situation and clashes with the forces of the Tomb Kings are not uncommon. Even those monarchs who have extended a hand in friendship are known to be fickle and mercurial, as was the case when King Pharakh led an assault on a trading expedition returning from the Desert’s Spine Mountains, an expedition who unwittingly had in their possession an artifact of great import to the desert kings.
Such a massive city, of course, requires an equally massive army. As the population of Sepulchra is made up of duardin, aelf, and man alike, so too are its many armies. The Ironweld Arsenal maintains the varied cannons, rockets, and other siege engines that line the high walls, aimed vigilantly out towards the barren deserts. The Dispossessed lend their axes to the swords of man, while the Eldritch Council holds court within the high spires of the city, and the Scourge Privateers patrol the waters. Most numerous of all though are the many Freeguild Regiments which the city can call upon. The Somber Guard, clad in black, constantly patrol the maze like streets, their discipline and skill renowned throughout the city. They are most commonly seen in times of war outside the massive gates, their banners and heraldry snapping in the desert wind as they march to battle. In contrast, the Desert Jackals specialize in navigating the endless dunes of the sands, slipping in and out of sight as they pick off their foe from afar with their aethermatically enhanced rifles; while the docks are under the purview of the Sour Sentinels, experts in all matters marinal, surpassed only by the aelves of the Privateers. The names and heraldry of the various Freeguild Regiments are too numerous to list in one place, yet all are afforded the honor of having their banners flown on the approach to the Tidal Redout, the fortress home to Sepulchra’s most skilled and deadly defenders.
Though the Hammers of Sigmar were the first Stormhost to venture into the sands of the Endless Deserts, they were by no means the last, and now several Stormhosts keep watch over the city raised from those efforts. From the pious Hallowed Knights, to the sombre Anvils of the Heldenhammer, and the boisterous Astral Templars, all keep a garrison within Sepulchra’s walls, lending their strength to the city’s defenses and exploits into the rolling dunes. The strength of these detachments varies, with some boasting entire Warrior Chambers, while others are but a small contingent of Vanguard warriors, or even a single Errant-Questor seeking penance amongst the barren land. Nihlus Tidalborne himself was recalled to Sigmaron along with the majority of his Warrior Chamber to fight in distant wars, yet an honor guard of his golden clad warriors has always remained, honoring their Lord-Celestant’s commitment to the Endless Deserts and the treaties he forged there with word and hammer. The Stormhosts share duties, some helping to keep order within the city streets while others stay on active patrol outside the thick walls. They are also known to launch lightning strikes against belligerent tomb cities, and frequently clash with the Chaos tribes and orruk hordes who make their homes in the wilds.
There is little that the armies of Sepulchra cannot accomplish when their will is bent to it, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by the other denizens of the sands. Wary Tomb Kings gather their legions for war, with even mighty Pharakh preparing for what many see as an inevitable outcome. The Chaos tribes, long fractious, are beginning to find common cause against an enemy they see as even more troublesome than the monarchs of death who hunt them through the sands, and the legions of Nagash have turned their eyes towards this blight of the living upon their unliving realm, an insult they find even more appalling due to their desert cousins consent to the matter. Through it all Sepulchra stands resolute against the gathering desert storm, whatever it may be. A shining beacon of Sigmar’s might amongst the swirling sands.