Get ready for the Halpi’s Rift Kings of War Campaign
14th Jun 2021
Rob Burman
We’re just two months away from the massive Kings of War summer campaign and, as we approach the date (August 27th to 30th) we’ll be running regular blogs detailing our own progress here at Mantic and giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening.
For today’s blog, we wanted to highlight the story behind the global campaign and why everyone is getting ready for a bloody big battle! Of course, as we approach the launch, we’ll be going into more detail about why each faction is getting involved. Today, though, let’s just get an overview!
Long story short: it’s all Dravak Dalken’s fault. Cast your mind back to the Edge of the Abyss summer campaign and you may remember a certain Abyssal Dwarf called Dravak. This power-hungry ironcaster was determined to stamp his mark on Pannithor and, unfortunately for everyone else, he has found the perfect opportunity hidden underneath the Halpi Mountains.
During the Edge of the Abyss campaign, one of the big plot twists was the fact that the Free Dwarfs were pushed out of the Halpi Mountains and forced to turn to the Imperial Dwarfs of King Golloch for assistance. With the Free Dwarfs gone, the Abyssal Dwarfs have been left to explore the depths of the holds. After hearing rumours of an arcane power buried deep beneath the mountains, Dravak began digging… well, he forced others do the digging for him.
THE NEXUS UNLEASHED
Eventually Dravak discovered the Nexus – a series of powerful, magical ley lines that ran underneath the Halpi range and crisscrossed throughout Pannithor. Thought to be the same primordial energy used by the Elven Ways, Dravak was convinced he had found the secret that would give him the means to become as powerful as a god!
Unfortunately for Dravak, when he finally broke through the seal that was protecting the Nexus, it unleashed a blast of power that could be felt across Pannithor. Magic users as far as Ophidia could sense that something incredible (but potentially terrible) had awoken. Some want to stop it and close the Nexus as quickly as possible, while others want to claim the power for themselves. As a result, the horns blared and standards were raised - the armies of Pannithor are prepared for war.
However, when the Nexus was unchained, it had an effect that not even Dravak could have predicted. So powerful was the energy running through the Nexus that it split the fabric of reality. At the heart of the Halpi Mountains, reality has been split into different planes: material, abyssal, empyrean, ethereal and astral. Each of these magical planes is coursing with different spells, artefacts and wandering beasts that can be controlled by the many factions of Pannithor. Fighting inside the planes is unlike the battles many generals are used to!
WAR IN THE HOLDS
The other side effect of Dravak’s endless tunnelling is that he has uncovered a war that the rest of Pannithor knew nothing about. Although the Abyssal Dwarfs have taken over the majority of the Halpi Mountains… they haven’t quite discovered every tunnel and mine. And that is exactly where the Ratkin and goblins are battling it out for dominance of the mountains… although they may not realise there are loads of Abyssal Dwarfs marching around in the holds above!
The result of the war between goblins and Ratkins is likely to mean that the land around the Halpi becomes flooded with furry or greenskin refugees… and you’ll have to help decide who the victor is!
HALF-PRICE HALPI’S RIFT
If you’d like to read more about the background of the Nexus – or start playing some of the new rules based around the different planes – then make sure you buy the Halpi’s Rift supplement. Until the launch of the global campaign, the supplement is half price! Perfect if you want to catch up on the ever-changing storyline of Pannithor.
