New Book, New Army. Going back to Square One.

      So with the official release of Cities of Sigmar and my newfound appreciation for lore I previously found utterly disgusting, I have decided to scrap the Ulfberg in favor of a more robust and fun (and steampunk!) city state: The  Thalassocracy of Glorentia. Basically Fantasy/Steampunk Venice. Filled with Italianate humans, Ottoman dark elves, Hellenistic high elves, and Jewish Dwarves (in that Kharadron are insular in nature and, well, good at commerce. It fits the historical counterpart. Besides  Dwarves are sort of a “chosen people” and have a Hebraic styled language in most fantasies. Just look at Tolkien for instance.). Essentially I’ll be running a Tempest’s Eye Army with some Anvilguard flavoring.

       The island city of  “Glorentia” is situated in the realm of Aqshy, near the  Tyrennnian Sea (named for the famed city from the Age of Myth which sunk into the ocean during the Age of Chaos). Known as a trade hub for goods both rare and unique from the realms of Ghur, Ghyran, and even Azyrheim, Glorentia prides itself on its industrious trade, expanding empire of merchant shipping and exploratory fleets, as well as its mighty navy that plies the seas regulating trade and hunting pirates.

       The Glorentine Navy is amongst the most professional and well drilled navies of the Free Peoples, with elegantly crafted steam driven galleys that ply the tropical seas of their homeland. Fighting mainly with Orruk pirates and Chaos sea raiders, the Glorentine Navy has been known (at the behest of the co ruling Grand Dukes) to undertake amphibious assaults against Orruk and Chaos strongholds along the various protectorate coastal provinces of the “Glorentine Thalassocracy” most notable amongst the enemies of the city state is the pirate band of Dionysus the Sadist, Naval Tyrant of Port Eros and its Hedonites of Slaanesh. The trouble is, Glorentine patrols can’t find this elusive “phantom island” and the Sadist Tyrant raids Glorentine merchant convoys with ever enlarging boldness! Aiding in the struggle is the newly forged Aether Navy made up of Kharadron merchant lords and their human protégés looking to take to the skies in the new and exciting (to any Glorentine youth) adventure of flight! With many Glorentines becoming merchant captains of their own skyships exploring horizons beyond the coastlands of their city state. Glorentia itself is built on a small archipelago now almost entirely superseded by the docks, palaces, and other buildings that have crowded themselves onto the islands over the centuries. Beneath the heavily fortified Sacred Lagoon, the main harbour, lies the ruins of Tyrena, the original city founded by Sigmar in the Age of Myth. Amongst these ruins dwell a conclave of the Idoneth Deepkin, who the Glorentines have few dealings with but make sure to keep appeased so that their new city isn’t overwhelmed in a tide of sea life and destroyed like their ancestral kin.

Example of a future terrain/scenery piece I may make for a Glorentine "Steam Galley". The closest example I could get on Google for a steampunk Venetian Galley/Athenian Trireme.

Kharadron trading fleets work closely with Glorentia to explore new possible trade routes, exploitable areas with natural resources, and of course, hunting down pirates and foul Chaos raider ports. They provide much needed technical expertise to the fledgling Glorentine Aether Navy, the Senate paid a steep price to obtain the secrets of aether flight. Namely giving the Kharadron merchant enclave an exclusive trading monopoly over any new trade routes discovered in realms beyond Ghyran.

Portrait of the ceremonial barge of the co ruling Grand Dukes of Glorentia. Portrait was painted for the wedding of the two current dukes, Fresco and Antio. Their union of the two oldest noble houses of pure Tyrennian/Azyrheim lineage was an occasion of great celebration for the Glorentian citizens.

Possible future banner/naval jack of Glorentia. I used the semi historical Tartarian flag as it comes the closest to looking like a fantasy Venetian flag.

Stained glass portrait of the ducal pair Fresco and Antio, dressed in the ancient tribal garb of the Tyrennian Republic at their senatorial affirmation as the new Grand Dukes of Glorentia.