Witenford was established on a bend in the river Witen during the age of myth by the Parsifal tribe. As the river slowed around the bend it formed a wide shallow stretch, idea for crossing the normally fast flowing river. The villagers grew their own food and traded with travellers crossing the river for other essentials, metal pots and pans, earthenware goods and, most importantly, weapons. Their warriors quickly became experts riding wild horses to track down and kill the marauding Orrucks in the area and the Orrucks soon learned to keep clear, with only occasional skirmishes between the Parsifal warriors and Orruck warbands.
The spirits of the elders of the Parsifal tribe would return to the village after death to be near their families and to assist and guide the elders that replaced them. Helping to keep the village safe by warning of approaching Orrucks or storms and adverse weather. The dead and the living lived in harmony side by side and the living always followed the old ways when burying their dead so as not to offend the spirits of the elders.
With the coming of the Age of Chaos, the Parsifal Tribe were swept away by the hordes of the Goretide. Even their proud fierce warriors were no match for Khurgus Khul and his horde of Blood Reavers and Blood Warriors. The loss of their best warriors in a blue white flash of lightening at the height of the battle, caused their small army to lose its morale and ride for the hills. The remaining tribesmen and women were forced to join the red feast at the end of the battle, or become the feast themselves.
After many centuries the coming of the age of Sigmar saw first, the Igneous Delta and then the rest of Khul’s Ravage swept clean of Chaos warriors. Some of the remaining tribesmen still remembered stories of the lovely village by the river and slowly the Tribesmen returned to their village. As the Gregorian Stormhost took charge of the area, they approached the village and realised that it would be an important stronghold, but they had insufficient warriors to establish a base here. They left the tribesmen weapons to replace their old rusty blades and promised to return and build a fortified town. The spirits of the elders returned to the village but their demeanour had changed. They were no longer as helpful as before and kept murmuring about how the Undying King had not received his due and that this should be corrected, it was not right. The elders of the village were unsure of what this meant, they followed all the old ways when burying the dead, washing and binding the corpse in fresh purple linen. Leaving a few coins in the pockets of the bodies clothes to pay for the journey to Shyish and a gift of food for Nagash at journeys end.
The Necroquake. As the magik of Shyish swept through the mortal realms, it hit Witenford hard. In one fateful night the dead of many centuries rose looking for vengeance. Skeletons and Zombies stalked through the village slaughtering every living soul before they were fully awake and could arm themselves. Not a man woman or child was spared. When the slaughter was complete, the undead began the long march back to Shyish to answer Nagash’s call.
Since then none have returned to re-establish the village of Witenford and its building have fallen into disrepair, slowly returning to the earth they came from. It is still a spot to stop and rest on a long journey, but not many travellers rest easily in the ruins of Witenford as their dreams are haunted by the tormented souls of the inhabitants of Witenford, looking for their loved ones.
