"Azyr-- the mountain's peak, and all that rises above."
- —Great Cities of Azyr by Ogwell Mancini
The Comet of Power, the symbol of Azyr, the Realm of Heavens
The Realm of Azyr, often referred to simply as Azyr and also known as the Realm of Heavens or the Celestial Realm, is one of the eight Mortal Realms of the Cosmos Arcane which coalesced from the aetheric energy of the ancient Wind of Magic of the same name and the scattered remains of Mallus, the World-That-Was.
Azyr is a glittering realm of glowing palaces, fortresses and celestial cities ruled by the God-King Sigmar and peoples of many different mortal races -- mostly men, aelves and duardin -- who took refuge in Azyr under Sigmar's protection during the bloodshed and anarchy of the Age of Chaos.
The city of Azyrheim in the Realm of Heavens lies beneath the orb of Mallus, heart of the World-That-Was.
Azyr, the Realm of Heavens, has as many names as the stars in its celestial canopy. Known as the "Peerless Kingdom" or the "Fortress of the Lost" by men, "Bastion" by the duardin exiles of the fallen Khazalid Empire, and "Hearth-realm" or "Star-throne" by some of the aelves, Azyr is the pinnacle of the Mortal Realms, both literally and figuratively. It is a realm where snowy mountain peaks scrape the firmament, and shimmering auroras dance eternally on the horizon. Its days are brightly lit by the brilliant Realm of Hysh which gleams nearby within the Aetheric Void. Its nights would be grim and flickering due to the burning orb of Mallus and the dark moon Dharroth, if not for the clear light of the High Star Sigendil, which shines on high above the God-King's mighty works.
Greatest of all cities in all the Mortal Realms is golden-spired Azyrheim -- the stellar metropolis at the heart of the Celestial Realm. First and eternal, Azyrheim has grown steadily since its founding in the Age of Myth. Its citizens are a blend of the civilised and the barbaric, not unlike the God-King who rules them. Some of them trace their origins back to the oldest of humanity's great nations during the Age of Myth -- and they are not alone in their claims to grand histories.
After the Battle of Burning Skies and the onset of the Age of Chaos across the realms, Azyrheim took on refugees from across the Mortal Realms from every intelligent species and countless cultures as they poured into Azyr. All gathered beneath the God-King's aegis as he sealed the gates of Azyr against the forces of the Dark Gods. All the battered survivors brought their own fierce drives, not to conquer, but to reclaim that which had been stolen from them by the servants of the Ruinous Powers.
The city of Azyrheim in Azyr is the heart of the celestial Realm of Heavens.
Since the unleashing of Sigmar's Tempest and the return of the Forces of Order to the Eight Realms, Azyrheim has once more welcomed travellers from across the realms, though all are carefully vetted and watched for any trace of Chaos corruption.
The citizens of Azyrheim are like no others in the realms. On any street in the city, you will find tattooed warriors rubbing shoulders with perfumed aristocrats, who talk with scholars deeply learned in a staggering array of obscure lores, even as merchants haggle about them in a hundred dialects over beasts, produce, innumerable services, and more esoteric goods.
Far above Azyrheim spins the massive fortress-ring, the Sigmarabulum, around the husk of the World-That-Was. It holds the Vault Celestial, former home of the divine Pantheon of Order. Within it, the forges of the Six Smiths never fall silent, for it also contains the Anvil of Apotheosis where the Stormcast Eternals are painstakingly forged.
Of all the Mortal Realms, Azyr was least directly affected by the Necroquake of Nagash, the god of death, but its ramifications have been massive upon the folk of Sigmar. Still, none of them are daunted, for a single goal drives them all -- to reclaim the realms for Order.
It's said that Azyr's true strength lies not in its weapons or its skill at arms, but in its people.
Runemark
The runemark of Azyr, the Comet of Power
The runemark of the Realm of Azyr is the "Comet of Power," a link to the celestial Lore of Heavens that influences the lives of the realm's people. It is traditionally shown with the comet travelling skyward, symbolising the transcendent and ever-expanding knowledge of the realm's finest minds.
Characteristics
A reality glittering like a swirl of heavenly jewels, the Realm of Azyr is a place of wonder and endless possibilities, the embodiment of mortals' thoughts and ideas, of dreams, potential, imagination, prophecy, fate, weather and cosmic law and order. It is a place where deities, demigods, and mortals converse and philosophise, where civilisations and cultures prosper.
Azyr has countless celestial bodies floating within its fabric, from blazing suns and shining stars (independent from the Realm of Hysh) to glowing moons and heavenly comets. Sentient storms rumble across the skies, all the while innumerable constellations shine across the Cosmos Arcane.
Notable Locations
The Eternal City of Azyrheim in the Realm of Azyr.
- Azyrheim - Also known as the Eternal City, Azyrheim is a celestial city and an ancient stellar metropolis shining brightly at the heart of the Celestial Realm. It is the last of the great cities of the Mortal Realms and within its walls Men, Aelves and Duardin coexist peacefully. The city stretches from horizon to horizon, with countless districts each housing different cultures, some even from the World-That-Was. Many refugees from the other Mortal Realms who fled their original homes during the strife of the Age of Chaos dwell here alongside each other and the native residents of Azyr. Sigmar rebuilt his armies here, preparing for the counter strike against Chaos.
- Dharroth
- Sigmarion - Sigmar's greatest fortress standing high above the Celestial Realm and Mallus. From its highest spire Sigmar can look down on the whole of Azyr.
- Sigmaron - Sigmar's great palace city. The equipment of the Stormcast Eternals is created here, which is home to the many forges and laboratories of Sigmar and his servants.
- Sigmarabulum - The forge of the Six Smiths, where many of the weapons of the Stormcast Eternals are forged.
- Mallus - Mallus is the remains of the World That Was set in the firmament by Dracothion. It is from here that sigmarite is mined. Its energies are what make the Stormcast Eternals possible, reforged in the Chamber of the Broken World.
- Hallowguild - Freeguild city, from the Gate of Stars campaign.
Sources
- Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Rulebook (1st Edition)
- The Gates of Azyr (Novel) by Chris Wraight
- Warhammer Age of Sigmar Roleplay - Soulbound - Rulebook (RPG), pg. 169
- White Dwarf (October 2019), pp. 36-37