Von Carstein
The Von Carsteins are a family that feature in Warhammer Fantasy.
Contents |
History
The Von Carsteins
Otto von Drak, the last of the mad von Drak Counts, lay on his death bed within the capital of Drakenhof, cursing the gods that he was without a male heir to continue his legacy. Otto was a cruel, gluttonous, and selfish man who delighted on the plight of others and whose authority over the land was met with little respect and less love by both commoners and nobility alike. While on his deathbed, the lands of Sylvania were seething with civil strife. As his family awaited his final breath, Otto swore to all the gods that he would rather marry his only daughter Isabella to a daemon rather than to let his hated brother Leopold inherit the throne. The dying Count refused all those that requested her hand in marriage, for in his heart, he despised them all. And so it was that Isabella von Drak knelt at her fathers' death bed, still without a husband and child to carry on the family estate. As if a dark power had answered the Mad Counts plea, outside the castle, thunder rumbled and lightning split the darkness. Victor Guttman, the aged priest of Sigmar who had been called to shrive the old Count, fainted instantly. Then, from out of the storm came the sound of wheels and pounding hooves. A dark coach pulled by four mighty black steeds stopped outside the keep. In the ensuing silence, someone knocked on the door. A trembling servant introduced an unknown noble to the Count. The stranger introduced himself to the dying Count and his daughter with respect, completely ignoring Leopold and only answering Leopold's questions regarding his origins by stating his name as Vlad von Carstein, the eldest of the von Carstein family, one he didn't expect Leopold to know. Leopold protested, but the stranger silenced him, stating he had come only to offer his services to the current Count von Drak, being in the vicinity whilst travelling to a wedding.
Completely oblivious to his true intentions, Otto's face lit up and he proposed the stranger to become the husband of his daughter, thus effectively removing Leopold's claim to the title of Count. Vlad then turned to Isabella, claiming that at some point of the ceremony it was usual for the bride to accept. Isabella, wanting the power she sensed in Vlad, accepted but asks him in a whisper for a token of his love. Vlad then faced Leopold and tore his heart out of his chest with his bare hands before tossing him out of a window. He then presented Isabella the heart of her now-dead uncle upon which she coldly stated that she has no use for it, seeing as it no longer beats. The priest Guttman was revived from his swoon and brought to the chambers of Otto, where the marriage ceremony was performed before the dying count's bed. Almost as soon as the last of the ritual words were spoken, Otto von Drak passed away, leaving his daughter and his entire estate in the charge of Vlad von Carstein. Thus the wedding ceremony had ended, and the two lovers were together ever since.
The Von Carstein family, led by Vlad von Carstein, initiated a series of military campaigns known as the Wars of the Vampire Counts to seize control of the Empire of Man. Vlad von Carstein first established his rule in the province of Sylvania by marrying Isabella von Drak, the daughter of the dying Count Otto von Drak, thereby legally claiming the title of Count. Once his authority was secured, he revealed his undead nature and raised a massive army of skeletons, zombies, and various necromantic constructs to march on the imperial provinces. During the Siege of Altdorf, the Von Carsteins utilized the Carstein Ring, a magical artifact that granted Vlad near-instantaneous resurrection from fatal wounds, allowing him to lead from the front lines repeatedly. Following Vlad’s ultimate destruction by the Grand Theogonist Wilhelm III, the remaining Von Carsteins, including Konrad and Mannfred, engaged in internal power struggles for leadership of the dynasty and the Sylvanian territories. They continued to launch subsequent invasions against the Empire, utilizing dark magic to bolster their ranks and attempting to secure the imperial throne through both martial conquest and political manipulation.
Overview
In appearance, the Von Carsteins were an aristocratic dynasty of vampires who functioned as the sovereign lords of the Imperial province of Sylvania. They were physically distinguished by the traits of the Blood Kiss, which granted them pale, cold skin, elongated canines, and eyes that often glowed with a predatory red or piercing blue light. As the Aristocracy of the Night, they maintained the outward decorum of Imperial nobility, typically dressing in opulent, high-status garments such as fur-lined cloaks, heavy plate armour engraved with family sigils, and ornate jewelry, most notably the Carstein Ring worn by Vlad von Carstein. Their presence was often accompanied by an aura of supernatural dread that could cow mortal subjects and command creatures of the night, such as dire wolves and bats. While they retained a human-like silhouette, their bodies possessed immense physical strength, preternatural speed, and the ability to endure wounds that would be fatal to the living. The House was defined by its rigid feudal structure, where the patriarch or matriarch held absolute authority over their vampiric progeny and mortal 'cattle', and its members were often seen as charismatic but terrifying figures who blended the refined tastes of a count with the monstrous hunger of an undead predator.
Members
- Mannfred Von Carstein :
- Konrad Von Carstein :
- Isabella von Carstein :
- Jerek von Carstein :
- Fritz von Carstein :
- Pieter von Carstein :
Notes
- The Von Carsteins was created by Games Workshop where they featured in the setting of the Warhammer Fantasy universe.
In other media
Video games
- In Total War: Warhammer, the Von Carstein appeared as a playable sub-faction for the Vampire Counts in the turn-based strategy video game.
Appearances
- Warhammer Fantasy:
External Links
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