Obsidian Watch
Origins
The Obsidian Watch was born from the ashes of tragedy. After the Fall of Anvilgard—a betrayal orchestrated by Morathi, the shadowy goddess of the aelves, and the secretive Blackscale Coil, worshippers of Khaine—a need arose for a new brotherhood. These dark events had seen countless Stormcast Eternals and mortals taken captive, their humanity fading under the cruel experiments and tortures of their captors. The Obsidian Watch was formed with a solemn purpose: to reclaim what was lost and secure the souls of the fallen, mortal and immortal alike.
Stationed in Shyish during the calamity, the Stormcast who would become the Obsidian Watch were spared the fall of Anvilgard but burdened with guilt for their absence. They vowed to take up the mantle of salvation, determined to ensure that no soul—Stormcast or mortal—would be left to suffer at the hands of darkness. The city, once a bastion of Order in Aqshy, was brought low before the Watch could intervene. Many Stormcast Eternals and mortals were taken captive, their souls threatened with the fading of their humanity due to aelven tortures and cruel experiments with toxins. The Obsidian Watch, stationed in Shyish during the calamity, were spared the fall but burdened by guilt for their absence.
A Quest for Redemption
The news of Anvilgard’s fall reached the Obsidian Watch like a dirge echoing through the crypt halls of their sanctum. Their leader, Knight-Questor Kyros Vrax, resolved that the brotherhood would embark on a quest. Ordered by Lord-Veritant Keyser ven Brecht, they were to scour the Ravaged Coast of Aqshy to uncover the hidden lairs and shadowed dungeons where their kin and innocent souls were held, and bring righteous judgment to those who dared defile them.
Their mission is fraught with peril, for the Ravaged Coast is a labyrinthine expanse of jagged cliffs, volcanic crags, and fetid marshes, teeming with the Blackscale Coil’s sinister cabals. These followers of Khaine conduct blood sacrifices to empower their dark rituals, an act of blasphemy to the Anvils of the Heldenhammer. Yet the Obsidian Watch, driven by a fierce desire to protect the imperiled souls, are undeterred. Guided by the quiet resolve that defines their Shyishian heritage, they have pledged to bring salvation and retribution in equal measure.
Methods of the Watch
The Obsidian Watch are known for their resourceful and adaptable approach to warfare. They favor stealth and precision over overwhelming force, often relying on their ability to navigate the shadows and strike at the heart of the enemy’s defenses. Their auxiliaries include Knight-Incantors adept at unraveling aelven wards, Prosecutors skilled in swift strikes and reconnaissance, accompanied by loyal Gryph-Hounds, and Evocators who channel the deathly energies of Shyish to unbind the twisted magics imprisoning their kin and mortal souls alike.
In battle, the Obsidian Watch are a grim spectacle. Their blackened armor and pale helms evoke the visage of silent wraiths, unsettling even to allies. They carry relics forged in Shyish’s twilight forges, weapons imbued with the essence of finality. When the Watch descends upon an enemy enclave, they move with spectral swiftness, cutting down their foes before vanishing into the shadows once more.
The Beginning of the Quest
The quest of the Obsidian Watch across the Ravaged Coast has only just begun. Each mission is a desperate gamble, the brotherhood often outnumbered and operating far from friendly lines. Though they have yet to liberate any of their captured brethren, their resolve remains steadfast. Each step brings them closer to uncovering the secrets of Morathi’s schemes and the machinations of the Blackscale Coil.
Among their greatest foes is the Aelven sorceress Vaelith of the Blackscale Coil, whose dark magics and cruel experiments threaten the captured Stormcast and mortals alike. Their quest is further hindered by other enemies lurking in the shadows, including marauding skaven clans and wandering undead horrors. The Obsidian Watch have vowed to bring her reign of terror to an end and ensure that no soul under Sigmar’s gaze is left unguarded.
Legacy of the Watch
The Obsidian Watch have become a symbol of quiet resolve and hope for the Stormcast Eternals. Though they hail from the realm of death, their mission embodies the unyielding perseverance of life. For the Anvils of the Heldenhammer, the Obsidian Watch’s deeds are a reminder that even in the darkest shadows, the light of Sigmar endures.
As their quest across the Ravaged Coast begins, the Obsidian Watch stand as grim sentinels of salvation, their oath to their fallen kin and imperiled mortals unbroken. In the words of Knight-Questor Kyros Vrax:
“We are the Watchers in the dark, the reclaimers of the lost. We shall not falter, for we are their last hope. No shadow is too deep, no foe too great. The Obsidian Watch endures.”