Emerging from the ruins of the old world, the Age of Sigmar dawned, offering sanctuary to diverse races now thriving once more in the Mortal Realms. Witnessing the looming threat of Chaos, which had obliterated the previous world, Sigmar, the God-King of humanity, embarked on fortifying the realms in readiness for the inevitable resurgence of chaos. Throughout his endeavors, Sigmar roused numerous divine entities, representing the gods of various races in the Mortal Realms. United in strength, Sigmar pledged to avert failure this time.
The fantastical realm of Warhammer: Age Of Sigmar teems with myriad factions entangled in a relentless struggle to safeguard their territories and populace. Over time, many of Sigmar's original alliances faltered, leading each race to predominantly fend for itself. From the tumultuous forces of Chaos to the steadfast legions of Order, the Mortal Realms harbor diverse and distinctive factions. Each race pursues its own ambitions, yet all align under one of four Grand Alliances: Order, Death, Destruction, or Chaos.
10 Sylvaneth
Grand Alliance: Order
Born from the essence of Alarielle, the deity of life and nature, the Sylvaneth comprise humanoid tree spirits inhabiting the Realm of Life within the Mortal Realms. With a profound connection to nature, the Sylvaneth embrace the growth of other plants on their forms, blending seamlessly with flora and fauna. Clad in thick bark that serves as natural armor, they boast inherent resilience against harm and exhibit a diverse range in size and appearance.
The term Sylvaneth encompasses various species, all crafted by their patron deity, Alarielle. Serving as embodiments of life and natural order, they stand in stark contrast to the armies of Death and Chaos, which represent antithetical forces. Preferring seclusion within their forest domains, they exhibit limited engagement beyond their woodland abodes, rendering them less active across the Mortal Realms. Despite fiercely defending their territories from intruders, the Sylvaneth differ from expansive warmongering nations characteristic of other factions.
9 Soulblight Gravelords
Grand Alliance: Death
Guided by noble vampiric dynasties, the Soulblight Gravelords lead undead legions in scouring the Mortal Realms, thirsting for blood under the veil of darkness. These deathly warriors emerge during the darkest hours, driven by malice and insatiable hunger. Concealed beneath the facade of nobility lies their true bestial essence.
Pledged to Nagash, the Supreme Lord of the Undead, the Soulblight factions comprise some of Nagash's most fervent and resolute commanders. Their relentless ambition propels them to expand their dominion throughout the Mortal Realms, ceaselessly amassing power and bolstering their immortal armies with fresh undead. Though formidable, the Soulblight Vampires stand fewer in number compared to other undead hordes. Inter-dynastic rivalries often breed discord, fueling schemes and betrayals in a bid to secure dominance over adversaries.
8 Lumineth Realm-Lords
Grand Alliance: Order
Rescued from the clutches of the chaos deity Slaanesh by their patrons Tyrion and Teclis, the ancient Aelven race of Lumineth thrives as the most populous and stable among Aelf kindreds. Spanning the Ten Paradises of Hysh, they dedicate themselves to broadening their understanding of the world.
Delving into metaphysical studies, the Lumineth aspire to master themselves both spiritually and physically. Once a supremely dominant race, the Lumineth teetered on the brink of annihilation, saved solely by their deities. The surviving Lumineth exhibit profound attunement to their environment, centering their society on principles of humility and sacrifice to shield against the perils of chaos. Among the most advanced races in the Mortal Realms, the Lumineth strive to reclaim their diminished stature, a journey fraught with internal strife stemming from their pursuit of knowledge.
7 Seraphon
Grand Alliance: Order
Under the guidance of Slann leaders, the enigmatic Seraphon, bipedal lizardfolk, wield celestial magic with profound mastery. Survivors of the old world's demise, they reestablished their civilization in the Mortal Realms, forming unique tribal Constellations united in purpose.
Pursuing the grand plan, they strive to eradicate Chaos definitively. Revering ancient entities, The Old Ones, the Seraphon trace their directives to these primordial beings who first unveiled the grand plan to the ancient Slann. Revered by primitive cultures as celestial deities, the Seraphon execute sudden strikes in battle, as the Slann conjure forces into the Mortal Realms at will. Driven by a unified objective, they wield formidable magic, posing a potent threat despite their less overtly bellicose nature.
6 Skaven
Grand Alliance: Chaos
The Skaven emerge as a menacing force within the Mortal Realms, content with internal conflicts within their Under-Empire until their numbers burgeon, triggering devastating offensives.
Aligned with Chaos and devoted to the Horned Rat, the Skaven anticipate an afterlife in Ruin upon demise. Despite their ferocious and savage demeanor, the Skaven demonstrate ingenious inventiveness, crafting sophisticated war machines capable of immense destruction. Boasting both numbers and weaponry, the Skaven stand among the Mortal Realms' most formidable powers, launching cyclic assaults upon reaching critical mass before retreating to their subterranean realms to resume internal strife.
5 Orruks
Grand Alliance: Destruction
Preeminent among greenskin races, the Orruks epitomize belligerence within the Grand Alliance of Destruction, venerating the god of destruction, Gorkamorka. Robust and aggressive, they prioritize strength above all, often engaging in internal conflicts resolved only by the mightiest individuals capable of unifying disparate clans for warfare, known as a Big Waaagh.
Once incited, the ravenous tide of greenskins poses a formidable menace to all denizens of the Mortal Realms. Their combative prowess escalates with each battle, necessitating formidable coalitions to quell their advance. While inherently perilous, the Orruks grapple with disarray, dispersing into smaller clans upon a Warboss's defeat, rendering them more vulnerable until a new unifying force emerges.
4 Maggotkin Of Nurgle
Grand Alliance: Chaos
Champions of Nurgle, the Chaos god of decay, the Maggotkin of Nurgle emerge as formidable adversaries within the Mortal Realms, disseminating their patron's plagues and pestilences among mortal realms, embodying his devoted combatants. Many Maggotkin manifest as bloated and mutated parodies of humanity. Nurgle dispatches his daemonic minions to reinforce the Maggotkin in battle, fostering the spread of decay.
Among Nurgle's ranks swarm legions of Plaguebearers, mindless foot soldiers tasked with cataloging the myriad diseases birthed by their deity. Towering over them are The Great Unclean Ones, colossal bloated greater daemons leading Nurgle's forces. A grotesque array of decayed monstrosities descends upon the Mortal Realms, disseminating the grandfather's blessings relentlessly and mercilessly. The Maggotkin launch assaults akin to the diseases they propagate – unyielding and unforgiving. A unified front of Stormcast Eternals and Sylvaneth successfully repelled the Maggotkin from Ghyran, delivering a decisive blow to the forces of Chaos.
3 Ossiarch Bonereapers
Grand Alliance: Death
Serving as the vanguard of the Supreme Lord of the Undead's ambition to forge an expansive empire of undeath christened Necrotopia, the Bonereapers emerge as custom-made undead warriors designed for warfare. Forged from magically fortified bones, each Bonereaper houses hundreds of ensnared souls within gems embedded in their forms. Only by shattering this gem can an Ossiarch Bonereaper be permanently vanquished.
Occupying the heart of the Ossiarch Empire in the Realm of Shyish, the Ossiarch transcend mindless undead servitude, leveraging their artisanal skills and inhabiting a structured society unified in realizing Necrotopia. Stern overlords, the Bonereapers demand bone tributes from mortal subjects, punishing failure with swift and brutal retribution for those dwelling within their dominion. Standing as Nagash's elite legions, the Bonereapers epitomize his grand designs across the Mortal Realms, presenting formidable numbers and expansion.
2 Blades of Khorne
Grand Alliance: Chaos
Thriving in an everlasting conflict, the Chaos god of bloodshed, Khorne, revels in the followers of the Blood God – The Blades of Khorne, incarnations of unbridled fury. Their paramount objective revolves around sating their deity's thirst for bloodshed, raiding and warring across the Mortal Realms, leaving carnage in their wake. Khorne dispatches a host of daemons to bolster his Blades in battle.
Enlisting Bloodletters, Khorne's foot soldiers born from his ardent adherents; Flesh Hounds, daemon beasts rending flesh from bone; and the dreaded Bloodthirsters, Khorne's supreme daemons and formidable champions, the Blades Of Khorne epitomize chaos's relentless advance, emerging as a paramount threat to Sigmar and other Grand Alliances.
1 Stormcast Eternals
Grand Alliance: Order
Clad in resplendent golden armor, the Stormcast Eternals stand as the frontline warriors of the God-King Sigmar in the struggle against Chaos. Forged from the souls of valorous paragons and infused with celestial energies, these superhuman beings, predominantly composed of human spirits, undergo reincarnation upon demise to resume their fight.
However, this cycle exacts a toll, progressively eroding their humanity with each reforge. Engaged in an unending war against Chaos, the Stormcast Eternals, though not a singular entity, operate as autonomous Stormhosts, each encapsulating a unique history. As Sigmar's elite champions, they confront Chaos head-on, embodying an indomitable force – in victory or defeat, they persist. Unlike Chaos factions rife with internal discord, the Stormcast Eternals readily collaborate with fellow Order forces in unified resistance.