1. What was the Blackhammers’ greatest victory?
The Blackhammers’ greatest victory was at the Battle of Ka’ihva Plains, early in the Realmgate Wars. They amassed as a single army, with detachments from a Vanguard Auxiliary Chamber and mortal warriors from a local anti-Chaos resistance group aiding them. They faced off various armies of Chaos worshippers, from Beasts of Chaos, Slaves to Darkness, and many others.
Calling it the Battle is a bit of a misnomer, as it in fact was several engagements spread out over a few days. It was deemed that united the Chaos forces facing them were too great an army to take on, so they launched a (literal) lightning strike when their enemy had been scattered thanks to harassment from the resistance, led by the Vanguard Auxiliaries.
They smashed apart the first force they came into contact with, a small body of Tzeentchian Arcanites, depriving their enemy of magics of far-sight that could warn them of the Blackhammers’ presence. Then they marched and defeated further detachments of the enemy in detail, scattering the smaller armies before implacably marching onto the next ones.
However it was only a matter of time until the enemy commander realised what was happening and amassed his forces to meet them. Even with the Blackhammers best efforts, the forces of Chaos were still numerous.
The ultimate outcome of the Battle of Ka’ihva was fought in a titanic battle between the Blackhammers and the remnants of the Chaos army. Where before they had proven their strategic wile and endurance, now they proved their skill at arms and their courage. They held their ground long enough for the timely reinforcements of the Vanguard Stormcast and the mortals to arrive, then charged over the barricades of corpses they had made and plunged into the heart of their enemy. It was a hard-fought but ultimately decisive victory.
Though the Blackhammers would later participate in conflicts that could be argued to be more complete, gruelling, or important, for them no other laurel is as dearer than when, with just a little help, they effectively defeated an army that would have required multiple Chambers to overcome.
2. Is/Was Herakes the sole Lord of the Chamber?
A Lord-Celestant commanded the Chamber alongside Herakes. He was called Phionan the Lance of Scintillation. Another old hero from the Age of Myth, his temper was much cooler than Herakes, and he preferred logistics and strategies to brawling on the front lines. His was the mind behind the victory at Ka’ihva Plains, and he’d lead the Blackhammers from victory to victory against harsh odds, not by the strength of his sword-arm, but by the agility of his mind. He was particularly skilled at making use of auxiliaries, Stormcast or other, and integrating them into his battleplans.
Though he could come off as cold and calculating to others, he never lost sight of the greater objective: to save the Mortal Realms and its peoples from Chaos, not simply destroy Chaos. Phionan was an abler politician and economist than most Stormcast, ensuring that victories won against the Ruinous Powers could be translated into meaningful gains for the mortals he protected.
His shortcoming was his overreliance on the strength of his Chamber. Though they rarely failed him, the Blackhammers would often be thrust into the thickest combat in battles, and paid bloodily as a result. Améline herself is a testament of the cost Phionan’s strategies could have on the Stormcast under his command.
3. Which variant of Paladin was most favored within the Chamber?
As part of Phionan’s general strategies, the Blackhammers maintained an even mixture of Paladins of various types, though as needs dictated they could reequip and retrain certain Retinues into other types. Phionan expected strategic and tactical flexibility from his Stormcast, and they provided.
4. What’s the personality of the Morghast Herakes is in now?
The Morghast that Herakes inhabited was, at the time of their joining, one of Nagash’s messengers. It was dispatched to his wayward servants to give his orders and share wisdom, as well as act as both guardian and executioner, should the need arise. It performed this role dutifully, and was known to speak only in verse.
Like if one of those learning AI was only fed the bible
5. When the Blackhammers are recorded as destroyed at the Eightpoints, is it that their souls have yet to be recovered or were otherwise lost there?
The Blackhammers’ souls are yet to be recovered from the Eightpoints. It’s Améline’s enduring hope that she will one day be able to invade the Eightpoints and free them herself, but it increasingly seems like they have become casualties of war, that cannot be recovered without a herculean effort that Sigmar cannot spare.
6. What involvement did they have within that joint campaign with the Daughters of Khaine?
Their involvement in the campaign was initially tame. They were held in reserve for most of the assault, and such was intact when Archaon deployed the warshrines that severed the Stormcasts’ connection to Azyr. They fought valiantly then, many trying to make a break for the warshrines and destroy them, so that other Stormcast might have a chance to escape. But ultimately they were annihilated.
7. Did the Blackhammers have a Stormkeep?
The Blackhammers maintained a Stormkeep in Shyish. They constructed it in Ka’ihva Plains at the site of their great victory. It stands empty now except for the mortal attendants that maintain it, either out of duty or misguided hope that the Blackhammers will return.
8. What mortal communities and/or diasporas did the Blackhammers oversee?
Unlike many other Stormkeeps, the city that was built around it was done so primarily with Reclaimed, notably those mortals that had helped them win Ka’ihva. Thanks to Phionan’s canny wiles, Herakes’ larger-than-life personality and the efforts of many other Blackhammers, the bond they made with the mortal resistance in Ka’ihva grew into a strong partnership. Ka’ihvans rarely sally out of their city, unless it is side-by-side with their Blackhammer allies. Then they will march to the ends of the Realms for them.
The loss of the Blackhammers has bit deep for them. Not only have they lost protectors that many of them have grown up with, but many of them have lost friends too. Turmoil has seized the Ka’ihvans, as now they wonder what exactly their future will be. They worry for their safety without Stormcast protectors, but also fret of being given new defenders who will not treat them as kindly as the Blackhammers have. They have heard stories, after all…
Most Kha’ihvans are Reclaimed, the majority of which are descendants of the original resistance to Chaos that had first fought alongside the Blackhammers. They are a mix of various cultures and peoples, with even a few races of Destruction counted among them. They share a hatred of Chaos and a long history of resisting it that binds them firmly together. They have a strong tradition of fielding skirmishers and light cavalry on the battlefield; javelineers, archers mounted and on foot, slingers, reavers and light infantry, these are all legacies of their long guerilla war against tyrants.
The Azyrite population is relatively small in Ka’ihva, and doesn’t hold as much power as they do in other cities, thanks to careful initial management by Phionan to keep the Reclaimed from being disempowered. Though some tensions remain, ultimately both group see themselves as Kha’ihvan first, Azyrite or Reclaimed second, and woe betide any stranger that seeks to gain favour with one group by opposing the other. The lively exchange of culture, language and economy fostered by the Blackhammers has transformed the city into a true melting pot.
The Azyrites mostly form the heavy infantry, heavy cavalry and engineers when the Kha’ihvans go to war.
9. Are there any other notable, surviving Blackhammers?
As far as Améline knows, she’s the last one left alongside Herakes. Maybe there are some who survived and hid in the Eightpoints, or are lost in the wider Realms. She even sometimes dreams that she’ll return to Ka’ihva and find other orphan Blackhammers at the Stormkeep. But she’s experienced enough visions to know that these are just dreams, and has yet to return back to Ka’ihva since she has heard of the Chamber’s destruction.
10. How have other Chambers they’ve worked worth or in the nearby area reacted to the destruction of the Blackhammers?
Many of the Chambers the Blackhammers have fought alongside have reacted with mixtures of horror and grief, to varying degrees and strength. The Blackhammers were an old, respected Chamber, and will be missed.
Two Chambers stand out. First are the Vanguard Auxiliary Chamber they had fought alongside at Kha’ihva, the Star-Beckoners of the Hammers of Sigmar. They continue to maintain some presence in the plains of Kha’ihva, and had worked so closely alongside the Blackhammers that it spawned a joking saying among Kha’ihvans: don’t stand in front of an Anvil if you don’t want to be hit by a Hammer. Enemies of the Chambers around Ka’ihva fail to find the humour in this. The Star-Beckoners were greatly saddened by the Blackhammers’ destruction, and have taken it upon themselves to guard Kha’ihva until a new Chamber is selected to defend the city. But a Vanguard Auxiliary Chamber’s place is roaming in the wilds, not stuck behind walls, and they cannot remain there forever.
(As an aside, some scholars studying the oral history of the Reclaimed at Ka’ihva have theorised that the Star-Beckoners were present in the area long before the Realmgate Wars. The Star-Beckoners cannot be found for a comment.) Perhaps the strangest reaction came from another Exemplar Chamber of the Knights Excelsis, the Wardens of Burden. They have fought numerous times alongside the Blackhammers, and often clashed outside of battle with them due to differing beliefs in how to oversee governance in a City of Sigmar. But evidently Phionan had formed a strange friendship with their Lord-Celestant, Tcimmera Sky-brow. They shared a sharp strategic mind, and when they shared command the Blackhammers and Wardens scored many great victories. In Phionan’s correspondance it was revealed that he had invited Tcimmera to a tour of Ka’ihva to see the benefits of the Blackhammer’s light touch for herself, and that she had been warming up to the idea. This scheme died with Phionan at the Eightpoints.
When news reached Tcimmera and the Wardens, they immediately petitioned Sigmar to let them lead a second attack to free their comrades. Those that come into contact regularly with them note a burning rage boiling up with them, and those aware of the cause pity the captors of the Blackhammers should the Wardens be unleashed.
11. Did they have any notable (perhaps named) enemies that might take advantage of their absence?
The forces of Nagash have ever harassed Kha’ihva due to the presence of the Anvils of Heldenhammer, though whether they will relent or press their assaults now that the Blackhammers are gone is unknown.
The forces of Chaos on the other hand are growing stronger in the Blackhammers’ absence. The invasion of Lord Orpalan the Black Vengeance has still scarred the city, and the remnants of the various armies that have previously crashed against the bulwark of the Blackhammers are licking their wounds and plotting their revenge. Rumours of a singular leader slowly bringing these remnants together, a Daemon Prince known currently only as Heavens-Tearer, are being whispered in Ka’ihva.
12. How complete is the merging of Morghast-Herakes? Do they have both sets of memories, and have their personalities affected each other?
At this point they’re essentially the same being. All the souls and personalities have mixed together, but Herakes’ shines through because everything else is just a piece of a broken whole
13. Is the current Herakes willing to work with other GAs, including Death, to fulfill his goals?
Herakes was last seen traveling with a grot shaman. Whether he worked with death depends on how loyal they are to Nagash. The Blackhammers have often fought alongside the other factions within Order. They’ve cut down daemons alongside Fyreslayers, smote Beasts of Chaos as Sylvaneth descended upon the Beastmen’s rear, and marched to battle alongside Lumineth. Some allies are easier for them to fight alongside than others, but the Blackhammers are willing to tolerate most Order factions so long as their objectives are compatible and Ka’ihva is safe.
Of course, there were no non-Stormcast allies they held dearer than the Ka’ihvans.
14. Will this merging affect future reforgings if he were to be slain? If so, how?
What were the Blackhammers’ interactions with other forces of Order?
As yet it is unknown what would happen if Herakes were reforged. He currently resides in the morghast’s soul gem, carried by Améline. She has decided that he wants to rest for a while.
15. How far back were the Blackhammers in service before their destruction?
The Blackhammers were among the original Stormcast that were first forged by Sigmar. For quite a few of them, including Améline, their service began fighting the wars of purification in Azyr, where initially Stormcasts were simply Stormcasts and had no divisions of Stormhost, Chamber or Conclave.
16. Did they ever have positive interactions with Death armies?
Although the Blackhammers are entrenched in their opposition to Nagash, at times they have found themselves on the same side as the Undead, thanks to the Anvils’ of Heldenhammer connection to Shyish. More than a few errant ghasts and wights have been given refuge at their Stormkeeps, and they kept good relations with a nearby Deathrattle Kingdom.
17. Does Herakes remember enough about the Blackhammers know to know how to revive them? Does he even want to anymore?
Herakes needed help from Améline to remember his time as a stormcast eternal, but they got there eventually. He is interested in reclaiming his lost brethren, but they are held in the eightpoints and he is but one man.
18. Have they had any interactions with the forces of Destruction?
As for interactions with the forces of Destruction, they don’t have particularly many. They will fight them if they threaten Order, but aren’t averse to allying with them as needs dictate. them as needs dictate.
This is kinda superfluous to the question, but I’ll throw this in here: Although the Blackhammers are entrenched in their opposition to Nagash, at times they have found themselves on the same side as the Undead, thanks to the Anvils’ of Heldenhammer connection to Shyish. More than a few errant ghasts and wights have been given refuge at their Stormkeeps, and they kept good relations with a nearby Deathrattle Kingdom.
19. What was Herakes favorite food before and after the merging?
His favorite food is a chicken gyro
20. And finally: Is he a good hugger?
He is absolutely a good hugger
