[quote][b]2534[/b] - Death of Boris Todbringer of Middenland at the hands of Kazrak

One-Eye. He is eventually succeeded by his bastard son Heinrich Todbringer.

[b]2536[/b] - Aldebrand Ludenhof of Hochland is killed by beastmen. He is succeeded

by his son, Konrad.

[b]2539[/b] - Shortly following the Eichenburg incident, elector count Theoderic

Gausser of Nordland dies unexpectedly. Leaving no heir, a struggle ensues between
several candidates, from which baron Bale Nikse emerges victorious.

[b]2540[/b] - Countess Emanuelle von Liebewitz dies of old age. None of her
subjects mourned her passing, although an elaborate memorial service was held for
her in Nuln. She is succeeded by her cousin, count Otmar von Liebewitz. He
continues his aunt's unpopular style of leadership, leaving most of his duties to
graf Gerhard Olenbay.

[b]2541[/b] - The Empire establishes the permanent settlement Neues Wilhelmskoog on

the Sorcerer's Isles, off the coast of Araby. The town was established for easier
trade with Araby, but is soon heavily militarized due to excessive pirate presence
on the islands.

[b]2542[/b] - Hans Feuerbach, patriarch of the Bright college after Gormann's death
five years earlier, is persuaded not to challenge Balthasar Gelt as supreme
patriarch of the Colleges of magic this year. Reason for his exclusion is his
brother, Helmut Feuerbach. The elector count of Talabecland is still unaccounted
for, and the Imperial Council deems it unwise to install a supreme patriarch who
might have family in the hands of Chaos forces.

Duel to name the Supreme patriarch. Balthasar Gelt duels challenger Admund Hechler
of the Grey college for the title of supreme patriarch. Gelt is defeated, and
Hechler is installed as the new supreme patriarch. Celebrations are markedly less
cheerful than usual.

Many young wizards leave the Imperial colleges, opting instead to learn the ways of
magic at the newly founded Arabian college of elemental evocation. Those who do so
are frequently caught by the witch hunters and burned for heresy.

[b]2544[/b] - A golden age of expansionism dawns for the Empire. Bolstered by their
success at Newfoundland, Imperial settlers sail to the far corners of the world to
erect new colonies. They are often accompanied by Sigmarite priests preaching the
word of Sigmar to the natives. A fierce rivalry develops between the Empire and
Cathay.

Trade routes across the Sea of Claws are plagued by dark elf corsairs and Norscan
longships working in tandem.

Imperial colonists establish a settlement at the base of the Gongxiang mountains.

This settlement, Sonneholtz, trades freely with its neighbours Ind and Khuresh. It
also trades for opium with the local lords, exporting the drug to the Empire.
Cathay denounces the existence of the town but has little power to oppose its
establishment.

[b]2545[/b] - Inpired by Meikle's clockwork technology, Master Engineer Ernst

Kessner introduces his invention, the "far-roaming dispenser of automated death".
Nicknamed "Predator" in the field, the contraption dispenses with the mechanical
steed's dubious design. Instead it features a simple weapons platform on four
wheels. The Predator becomes quite popular in Reikland, Averland and Nuln, but due
to its high cost sees little use elsewhere.
Wizards who are unable to pay for the voyage to Araby increasingly disappear into
Sylvania, seeking out the tutelage of necromancers to compensate for their waning
powers. Necromancy, for some reason, seems to be one of the few schools of magic
not suffering from the increasingly erratic nature of magic in the world.

[b]2546[/b] - Graf Albrecht Haupt-Anderssen of Stirland is killed by a fall down a

flight of stairs. He is succeeded by his son, Aldrick Haupt-Anderssen.

Elector count Valmir von Raukov of Ostland dies, leaving his son Vassily as
successor. Vassily von Raukov immediately converts to Ulric.

Sea lord Ludolf K�hler reorganizes the Imperial Second Fleet to better stave off
dark elf raids against Nordland. Attacks against Newfoundland persist.

The Empire establishes several other settlements in Khuresh. Priests spread the
teachings of Sigmar throughout the land. The Khureshi accept the presence of the
Imperials mostly because of the lucrative trade boosting their economy.

Master Engineer Kessner develops a variant of the Predator, boasting a flame cannon
based on dwarf designs rather than swivel guns. The "Firebug", as it is soon known,
becomes very popular with settlers in Khuresh for its ability to quickly clear
large swathes of forest.

[b]2548[/b] - Due to the Predator's and Firebug's popularity, the Imperial Gunnery
School starts to rival the knightly orders of the Empire as the supplier of fast-
moving, hard hitting power. Their somewhat more business-oriented approach leads to
a minority of Imperial generals eschewing the use of knights in favour of the
engineer's contraptions.

An army of necromantic constructs crafted by graf Lanfried Schultz pours out of

Sylvania to assail Stirland. It is ultimately destroyed by a combination of the
Stirland army led by count Aldrick Haupt-Anderssen, and the followers of arch
lector Alfblut. While the army is occupied dealing with the constructs, however,
Schultz collects corpses from sacked towns in the north of Stirland as raw
materials.

[b]2549[/b] - Rotschlaeger, the ancient blade of the long-dead Emperor's Champion

Kenaron, is retrieved from Grin's crag in Kellar's keep by Tilean mercenary Pietro
Costar. However, the Tilean takes the blade back to Verezzo, which is beset by the
undead against which Rotschlaeger is especially lethal. The imperial engineer
Berthold Graus, also part of the expedition, finds a derelict gyrocopter and
transports it back to Altdorf.

The establishment of an Imperial colony in Ind fails miserably when tiger-headed

beastmen kill or drive out the settlers.

Improvements in the clockwork mechanism found in mechanical steeds, predators and

firebugs allow for more reliable vehicles to be produced more rapidly. This leads
to an unarmed version of the predator becoming available to the public. Only the
wealthiest nobles and merchants are able to purchase the "automated transportation
device", however.

Reduced employment of knights leads to a drastic loss of income for the church of
Sigmar. Throughout the empire, less devout knights turn highwayman to support
themselves.

[b]2550[/b] - Fourth battle of Black Fire Pass. Aldrick Haupt-Anderssen is killed

by orc warlord Grobthrakk. He is succeeded by his son, Ortwin Haupt-Anderssen.
While Imperial engineers cause an avalanche killing the orc warlord soon after, it
is graf Gerhard Olenbay of Wisseland who successfully keeps the greenskins from
spilling out into the Empire.

Duel to name the Supreme patriarch. Admund Hechler is defeated by challenger Felix
Weisterbad of the Celestial college. Unable to cope with his defeat, Admund moves
to black water, becoming a hermit in the shadow of Zhufbar.

In Sudenburg, Imperial explorers encounter skinks riding horned ones, urging them
to stay out of the jungle.

Arch lector Ivo orders a crusade to Ind, ordering the beastmen of that land
destroyed. They carve out a small portion of the land, but are unable to penetrate
the jungle. A small settlement is founded, and many knights remain in Ind to form
the Order of the Hunting Tiger.

Engineer Berthold Graus finishes working on the prototype of his "luftmobil"- an

Imperial version of the gyrocopter uncovered at Karak Varn. He names the luftmobil
Blazing Comet, an apt name considering the thing crashes within two minutes of
taking off. Graus, however, survives and remains optimistic about the luftmobil's
development.

Arch lector Ivo publically denounces the knights who turn to robbery. He also
denounces the Imperial Gunnery School, stating that it is their greed which drives
the knights to a life of crime. A mass riot follows, in which several high-ranking
engineers are lynched by an angry mob of devout Sigmarites. This does much to
strain relations between the church and the engineers.

[b]2551[/b] - Skaven attack the Empire as part of their worldwide invasion under
the Peace of the Fourteen. In the opening moves, Heinrich Todbringer of Middenland
is assassinated at the hands of the Eshin grand assassin Verminsnatch. He is
succeeded by his son, Wolfram Todbringer.

Niav, hierarch of Taal, is left mentally scarred when the skaven attack. He claims
the skaven are Taal's retribution for mankind's neglect of Him in favour of Sigmar.
To repent, he initiates a crusade against Sigmarites in Talabecland. This severely
hamstrings the province's ability to form an effective defense against the skaven.

Duchess Helma Gadsenhof of Talabecland assumes the position of Talabec's elector to

lead the province against the skaven invasion. She publically denounces hierarch
Niav for his actions, seeing herself forced to form a defense against both the
skaven and Niav's followers.

Sir Barugath, founder of the skaven Grey Knights, leads the assault on Ostermark.
They lay waste to smaller towns like Bissendorf, Essen and Heffingen, drawing the
army of Ostermark out before launching an assault on Bechafen. Elector Count
Wolfram Hertwig is hit by debris in the initial artillery bombardment of the city
and rendered comatose. After a three-day siege Barugath emerges victorious and
leaves the Empire, claiming the Ostermark runefang for himself.

Hertwig's granddaughter, lady Katalina Hertwig is named regent of Ostermark while

the count remains unconscious. She retreats to nearby Nagenhof with her father and
a small bodyguard, reorganizing the Ostermark to stave off further skaven attacks.
She is somewhat successful, largely because of Barugath's disappearance.

Countless skaven from all clans lay siege to Altdorf. Volkmar the Grim dies a
hero's death, driving an army of templars and zealots deep into the heart of the
skaven horde. He kills thirteen Pestilens plague fathers who planned on unleashing
the Black Death on Altdorf, but contracts the disease in the attempt. Volkmar
immolates himself rather than carry the skaven's disease back to the city.
Elector count Vassily von Raukov meets a massive horde of skaven who pour forth
from the skaven stronghold Zundap. With great effort, he manages to contain the
skaven to the south of Ostland.

[b]2552[/b] - Warlord Arrqat of clan Skaul lays siege to Nuln. The skaven assault
falters when the notoriously drug-addled skaven are too distracted by Nuln's many
mechanical marvels to mount a succesful attack.

Cyberrat Tinker-Tanker lays siege to Ostermark's remaining towns, driving the

humans from them. He forces countess Katalina Hertwig out of Nagendorf and into
Stirland, claiming the whole of devastated Ostermark for himself. Katalina meets
with elector count Ortwin Haupt-Anderssen, who defeats her pursuers and offers her
amnesty in his palace in Wurtbad.

Skorbut Bitterbile of clan Pestilens leads an armada of skaven vessels against

Nordland's various ports. He is ultimately driven back by sea lord Ludolf K�hler of
the Imperial Second Fleet, but not before sacking Neues Emskrank and Dietershafen,
along with their surrounding regions. He also deploys plague father Thirrisk to
Nordland, who takes an army into the Laurelorn forest.

Reiksmarshall Kurt Helborg breaks the skaven siege of Altdorf in a daring charge,
but succumbs to his wounds after the battle. Witnesses relate that with his final
breath, he supposedly thanked Sigmar for granting him the fire to lead one last
battle.

Hierarch Niav is caught and hanged for treason, along with many of his followers.
Some of his cults survive, however.

[b]2553[/b] - The Peace of the Fourteen ends, sparking a skaven civil war. Across
the Empire, imperial forces begin to drive back the ratmen.

Plague father Thirrisk is killed by general Kristof von Meissner of Nordland. The
general followed the skaven into the Laurelorn forest and befriends the
Laurelornalim. Together, they drive out clan Pestilens.

Vassily von Raukov rides into Ostermark, forcing the cult of the cyberrat to
retreat. He is unable to reclaim the land from the skaven entirely, however, and to
this day Ostermark remains firmly in the hands of the Ascension court.

A boy from the Empire, known only as Roland, witnesses the assassination of a
Zhufbar thane at the hands of the druchii. While hunting the assassin he meets
Admund Hechler.

Trade between Reikland and Parravon increases.

Admund Hechler, having studied the art of Necromancy to augment his declining
powers, prepares to invade the Empire with his army of undead dwarves and lake
monsters. However, before even leaving blackwater he is intercepted by the combined
forces of Stirland and Zhufbar, supreme patriarch Felix Weisterbad at their head.
Hechler suffers a crushing defeat, but escapes to the dark lands on the back of an
unliving griffon.

The College of Engineering is tasked with finding a means to rapidly transport

goods across the Empire, in order to repair the damage caused by the skaven.

The inquisition opens an investigation of the cult of Taal, following the massacre
organized by hierarch Niav. Talabeclanders are offended by the inquisition's
intrusive perfomance.
During the skaven wars, engineer Berthold Graus kept working on the luftmobil and
finally succeeds at making a five minute flight up and down the Reik. The duration
of the flight is still disappointing, and so Graus decides to keep working on his
project.

Due to heavy losses, several less numerous knightly orders are no longer capable of
providing knights to battle. Many of their number are instead hired by generals as
drill instructors instead. Their knowledge of tactics involved in mounted combat
allows them to greatly increase the effectiveness of the pistolier corps.

[b]2554[/b] - Emperor Karl Franz grants the office of Reikland's Elector Count to
his nephew, Richter von Holswig-Schliestein, beginning preparations for his
succession. Karl Franz remains Emperor during this period, however.

Duke Cassyon signs the treaty of Grun�re with elector count Richter Holswig-
Schliestein of Reikland. Reikland will offer finiancial aid to Parravon, in return
for the right to erect settlements in the dukedom.

At the request of the Emperor, supreme patriarch Felix Weisterbad employs his
powers of divination to anticipate changes in the economy. As a result, the Empire
enters a new golden age of trade.

Arch-Lector Ivo calls upon his flock to bring the word of Sigmar to the settlers in
Parravon. Several cults of Sigmar rise up in the new settlements.

Sonneholtz is raided by goblins of the Ghost Fang tribe. Survivors recruit the
people of Gongxiang, Ind and Khuresh to increase the number of available soldiers.

Marriage of graf Ortwin Haupt-Anderssen of Stirland and countess Katalina Hertwig.

The countess remains regent for the still comatose count Hertwig's, retaining for
all intents and purposes the title of Elector despite the loss of both her province
and runefang.

After several failed attempts, Master Engineer Sepp Varl designs a system
consisting of chains looping around steam-driven sprockets. The system allows for
rapid transportation by placing containers on top of the chains. This conveying
mechanism meets with the College's approval, which orders the construction of a
larger version of the "Sepp Conveyor".

Engineer Graus finally succeeds at constructing a luftmobil boasting an engine

capable of making flights lasting one hour. Pleased with his work, he presents to
the College masters, who congratulate him and ask him to arm the luftmobil. One
week later, Graus almost crashes in his luftmobil after a shot from a mounted gun
sends the luftmobil spiraling out of control.

Through knightly tutelage, the pistolier corps forms a new branch named the dragoon
corps. These more reserved pistoliers combine their original light cavalry aspects
with the close combat abilities of the knights.

Mannfred von Carstein and the skaven of Ostermark clash with one another, both
sides repeatedly conquering ground from the other but neither gaining any decisive
victories.

The Sepp Conveyor ultimately proves unfeasible for use over longer distances, and
is effectively cancelled. It does find some use in the streets of Nuln, however,
allowing some of the richer inhabitants to move through some neighbourhoods without
walking.
An alliance between the border princes of Mortensholm, Aldium and Vidovdan cross
the Icy Wind pass into Wissenland, bent on raiding the southern villages. Graf
Gerhard Olenbay repels the attack and pursues the princes back to their realms. He
has the princes removed and their domains added to Wissenland.

[b]2555[/b] - Following a falling out between Imperial settlers and Parravonese

natives, duke Cassyon breaks the treaty of Grun�re by quelling the riots with his
men-at-arms. Elector count Richter von Holswig-Schliestein has no choice but to
send in armed forces in response to this violation of the treaty.

Master Engineer Sepp Varl constructs a rail-guided contraption driven by steam,

based loosely on the design of the steam tank. The use of rails greatly reduces the
difficulty in steering the device as well as sharply increasing its speed. The
College of Engineers approves this concept of the "Sepp Carrier" and orders a rail
built from Marienburg to Altdorf.

Devout followers of Sigmar give their lives to kill duke Cassyon of Parravon.
Elector count Richter von Holswig-Schliestein offers the surviving nobles of
Parravon clemency, but demands their fiefs as reparation for their actions against
the Empire. The nobles accept these terms, and Richter renames Parravon as New
Reikland, with its capital city named New Alt. King Folcard later visits New
Reikland to formalize the transition.

Woodsmen of New Reikland anger the wood elves of Athel Loren by chopping down trees
in the province. The wood elves strike back with excessive force, dealing harsh
blows to the population of New Reikland.

Imperial settlers found a new port on the southernmost tip of the southlands, named
Goldhaven. The port serves mostly as a pitstop for merchants travelling east, but
occasionally adventurers use the town as a starting point for expeditions into the
jungles.

Construction of the first Sepp Carrier route is completed. The route consists of
three rail tracks, with Calden and Senden serving as way stations. Trade between
the two cities sharply increases, while the economics of both Calden and Senden
receive a sharp boost.

Engineer Berthold Graus finally concludes projectile weapons are unfit as armament
of the luftmobil. To meet the College's demands, Berthold instead experiments with
dropping chemical substances from the luftmobil. The tests are successful but the
added weight of the weapons greatly reduces the luftmobil's performance.

[b]2557[/b] - Emperor Karl Franz dies peacefully in his sleep. His cousin, elector
count Richter von Holswig-Schliestein, is elected as the new Emperor.

Emperor Richter grants general Kristof von Meissner of Nordland the rights to New
Reikland. The general, an old friend of the fey, reaches an agreement with the wood
elves of Athel Loren. For this peaceful resolution, von Meissner is named count of
New Reikland. He immediately sets to work strengthening diplomatic ties with duke
Charles of Quenelles. These ties with South Bretonnia unfortunately makes the count
less popular in North Bretonnia.

Two more Sepp Carriers are contructed, connecting Marienburg and Altdorf to
Middenheim via Calden and Fintel. Containers carried over this line are often
targeted by greenskins and beastmen, and therefore more heavily armed.

[b]2558[/b] - Duel to name the Supreme patriarch. Felix Weisterbad is defeated by

challenger Lorna Rheinbacher of the Jade college. Lorna is the first woman to win
the duel, and is named Supreme Matriarch of the colleges of magic.
The Sigmarite church speaks out against the presence of a woman on the Imperial
Council, but eventually the Grand Theogonist grudingly accepts the new situation,
in no small part due to the Emperor's efforts.

Farmers yield a more abundant harvest than usual, doing much to improve the
Empire's economy.

Adventurers across the Empire sail to Araby to test their luck.

Two more Sepp Carriers connect Altdorf and Nuln, using Rotfurt as waystation. Later
the same year, a third Sepp Carrier is built between Rotfurt and the Grey Lady
pass.

Berthold Graus completes construction of the luftmobil Mk II, which sacrifices the
Mk I's bombs for a mounted firespitter based on the Firebug's weaponry.

[b]2559[/b] - Sea lord K�hler is invited to Cothique in Ulthuan, where he meets

with sea lord Aislinn of the high elves. They sign the treaty of Achare, detailing
how the Imperial and Asur fleet will cooperate against Naggaroth's fleet.

At the request of count Anselm Leitdorf, the Sepp Carrier leading from Nuln to
Averheim is completed. The increase in trade convinces the count to fund a Sepp
Carrier leading from Averheim to Grenzstadt. Completion of this line results in a
fast, overland connection between Marienburg and the Border Princes.

Karak Norn dwarfs discover the Empire's "theft" of the Karak Varn gyrocopter which
was used to contruct the luftmobil. They add the crime done by master engineer
Graus in their book of grudges.

[b]2560[/b] - Under the treaty of Achare, the Imperial/Asur fleet destroy a Druchii
fleet bound for Nagarythe.

The Empire prepares an expedition to the east. A proposal of cooperation made to

Barak Varr is met with little enthousiasm, but the dwarfs send a limited amount of
aid nonetheless.

Hauptmann Vogel of the princedom Munzig in the border princes disagrees with the
prices Averland demands for its goods. He invades Averland with his entire army and
occupies Grenzstadt. Three weeks later all of his twenty soldiers are captured and
hanged by the Averland army. Elector count Anselm Leitdorf then travels across the
Black Fire pass and adds Munzig to his domain. Sigmarite priests soon settle in the
town, spreading the word of Sigmar across the border princes.

[b]2561[/b] - Throughout the year, elves and men drive back the fleet of Naggaroth
under the treaty of Achare. This culminated in the battle of Klar Karond, in which
the dark elf city is ruined and Hageath Stormbane, the temporary commander of
Nagarythe's fleet, is killed. K�hler is then killed when taking a small portion of
his fleet and a quarter of the high elf fleet to sack Clar Karond. While able to
cause immeasurable damage to the shipyards of the dark elf city, he is ultimately
bested by Lokhir Fellheart's superior numbers.

Roddrick Mosler is promoted to sea lord of the Imperial Second fleet after K�hler's
demise, continuing to work with sea lord Aislinn to patrol the seas under the
treaty of Achare.[/quote]