Kislev (WAR Lore)
Beyond the northern border of the Empire lies a land of endless rolling plains and steppes. This is the long-suffering nation of Kislev, which sits between the Empire and the Chaos Wastes to the far north. A near constant flow of Northmen marauders raiding the farms and villages of this unforgiving land have forced the Kislevites to adopt a lifestyle which is geared up to constant war against the forces of Chaos. When a warhost of Chaos emerges from the north, Kislev is inevitably the first nation to suffer, and the people of Kislev have been fighting for their survival since their nation was first founded.
The Kislevites are a hardy people who are never willing to back down from a fight. In battle, they rely on a core force of mobile, hard-hitting cavalry troops - Winged Lancers, Kossars, Horse Archers and the renowned Gryphon Legion - which are well suited to the wide open spaces of their homeland. The symbol of Kislev is the bear, and the Kislevites have their own patron god known as Ursun, the Father of Bears.
The capital of Kislev is the great domed city of Kislev, with Praag and Erengrad being the only other significant cities. The capital is surrounded by a high and strong wall, although its appearance is warped here and there where the tides of Chaos have broken against the stout defenders of the city. From the magnificent gold-domed Bokha Palaces at the heart of the city the country is ruled by Tzarina Katarin, who as well as being a fine stateswoman is also a powerful magic user, having mastered the use of ice magic.
Kislev has had a long standing (if occasionally shaky) alliance with the Empire. The alliance is one of necessity, for without the aid of the Imperial armies Kislev would have fallen to the forces of Chaos long ago, and without Kislev to act as a northern barrier the Empire would have to deal with the full force of Chaos incursions. A great deal of trade is carried out between the two nations, with barges sailing from Kislev able to navigate the Urskoy River down to where it joins the Talabec River which flows into the Reik at Altdorf.
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