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Morgan Bernhardt is the main character and hero of the strategy video games Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat and Warhammer: Dark Omen. He is the founder and commander of the mercenary company called the Grudgebringers, named after Morgan's magic sword Grudgebringer.
Biography[]
Morgan was born and raised in the imperial city of Nuln, famed for its Gunnery School, Master Engineers and all things gunpowder. The city was a paradise for many, but for Morgan it was a banal and unchanging city, mired in conduct and blinded by its own decadence. Being the eldest son in his family, he was sent away to the officers academy, as was the custom for the City.
He spent four long years learning the intricacies of battle, swordsmanship and of course, artillery. The long studying of formations and artillery bored him senseless and he gained a reputation as an exceptional, yet troublesome student, as he failed to show up for most classes, feeling that his skills were outpacing the curriculum.
For Bernheardt, it was the Cavalry where his true passions lay, he was said to be able to outride even the Reiksguard knights whenever they passed the great city and was well known for goading his fellow nobles into races and other such events where horses and wagers were involved.
His disregard for the rules, reckless behaviour and lust for adventure eventually got him expelled from the academy, much to Bernhardt’s relief, though this would haunt him for years to come, as he was denied entry from every knightly order in the Empire he attempted to join, even the Pistoliers would have nothing to do with his insubordination (much to the delight of his former peers and teachers).
This is how Morgan Bernhardt got the Grudgebringer. A young Morgan Bernhardt had failed several times to become part of the Empire's knightly orders and went to drown his sorrows in a inn. After some drunken back and forth with the patrons of the bar, Morgan gave a inspiring speech about forming an army better than knightly order.
This impressed the patrons that they offered to be the first soldiers of the Grudgebringers company. A eccenric old Bright wizard (a wizard skilled in the Lore of Fire) then comes and declares his admiration, since he's too old to join and fight he gives Bernhard his magical sword, the Grudgebringer and tells him to make good use of it.
Morgan's mercenaries have enjoyed a properous first year of operation, commanding an unsullied respect on their home turf in the Imperial probvince of the Reikland. The Grudgebringers have since marched to the troubled Border Princes where they hope to join a major campaign to prove themselves worthy of greater fortunes. The Grudgebringers are composed primarily of both cavalry, led by Morgan, and heavy infantry led by Lieutenant Schepke.
Shadow of the Horned Rat[]
Following the assassination of a wizard in his tower, a skaven grey seer named Thanquol discovers that a crystal in their possession is actually a piece of a runic crystal that can power an ancient elven artifact known as the Menhir, allowing it to channel magic wherever one directs it. Seeking to use it conquer the Old World, Thanquol launches a search for the other pieces, while creating a specially enchanted axe that allows him to manipulate an orc warboss named Urgat Rip-Eye into launching raids against the humans of the empire and the dwarves in order to weaken them and divert their attention. At the same time, Thanquol orders a hunt for an elf named Ceridan, who could impede Thanquol's plans by warning others of the encroaching danger.
Whilst working within the Border Princes, Morgan Bernhardt is approached by Sven Carlsson, one of the aforementioned border princes, who contracts him into capturing a traitor border prince working with the skaven. However, the skaven kill the prince, and then attack Carlsson's hometown while the mercenaries conduct a patrol for him, capturing his adviser Ilmarin. Bernhardt manages to rescue him along with a dwarven regiment seeking to warn their king of increased skaven activity, only to learn that Ilmarin is in reality Ceridan, a ranger from the Black Mountains, who has become increasingly concerned with the Skaven activity and requests the need to go to Loren Forest. Upon learning that Carlsson was captured by orcs, Ceridan requests Bernhardt's aid to rescue him. Following his success, Bernhardt does what he can to combat the raids by the orcs in the Border Princes, while learning that the dwarven fortress of Zhufbar has come under attack from skaven and orc forces. Eventually, he and Ceridan find themselves forced to travel to Zhufbar, whereupon the mercenaries become involved in helping with the dwarves' defence of the fortress. When the sceptor belonging to King Ungrunn, ruler of Zhufbar, is stolen by the skaven, Ceridan reveals himself as a descendant of the ancient elves who created the Menhir, during the war between the elves and dwarves, explaining that the skaven are seeking to find its location at the ruins of Ulthuan and use it. Concerned with the Menhir's power, despite knowing the skaven must not find it, Ungrunn contracts Bernhardt to escort an envoy of his to the city of Nuln in order to meet with Emperor Karl Franz and request his aid in combating the skaven's plot; in addition, he also provides a regiment of dwarves to help him, with the secret intention that they destroy the Menhir upon it being located.
Upon arriving in Nuln, Bernhardt and Ceridan meet with Franz and relay what they know about the skaven's plot. After initially deciding to deliberate the matter with his council, Franz decides to provide aid upon learning that the pair intend to continue on towards Loren without waiting for his response. After escorting Ungrunn's envoy to a dwarven fort in the Grey Mountains, the mercenaries finally make it to Loren and provide assistance to the elves within the wood against skaven attacks. However, Thanquol finally finds the remaining piece of the crystal and with it, locates Ulthuan. Realising that the Menhir has been located, Ceridan advises Bernhardt to journey to the elven ruins, guiding the army with the runic crystal's sister stone embedded in his family's sword. While en route back to Nuln, Bernhardt's mercenaries defeat a large orc army, killing Urgat during the battle. Upon reaching Ulthan, the army encounter more skaven, and launch an assault on Thanquol's forces before they can use the Menhir. If the player lets the elves secure the Menhir while defeating the skaven, Ceridan forces the dwarves to leave the artifact alone and let it be protected by the elves, before Bernhardt returns with him to Nuln where he and the Grudgebringers are celebrated as heroes for foiling the skaven's plans.
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