History Characters / TotalWarWarhammerTheTzardomOfKislev

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* AdaptedOut: Kislev is composed of two major ethnic groups in the tabletop - Ungols and Gospodars - who can have a rather vicious rivalry at times. This aspect is removed in the game, which Creative Assembly confirmed to be because the conflict will be taking a backseat for when [[TabletopGame/Warhammer ''The Old World'']] tabletop launches, per Games Workshop's words.

** The second are the Tzar Guard, who instead act as the private army of the Kislevite monarchy and serve the royal family, though companies of them can be lent to powerful Boyars as well. Composed of lesser nobles and veteran Kossars, the Tzar Guard are stalwart warriors, equipped with the finest weapons and armor, and are goaded into battle as powerful elite infantry. Most notably they are Kislev's ''only'' "true" melee infantry unit, armed with either swords and shields, or great weapons.

* ActionGirl: Naryska is another addition to the handful of female characters who exclusively fight in melee. It's also worth noting that unlike other such characters in the game, Naryska looks quite stocky thanks to her armor and physique; it would be easy to mistake her as a man until she speaks.

Gerik Barkov was a seasoned Kislev soldier who accompanied his brother, Yuri, on his expedition to the frozen North, serving as his second in command.

* ElementalEmbodiment: The Kislevite roster includes Elemental Bears, animated masses of ice and trees in the [[ShapedLikeItself shape of colossal bears.]] They are said to embody Ursun's desire to protect and defend his people.

* FragileSpeedster: The Ungol doctrine of mounted warfare. Ungol Horse-Archers and Kossovite Dervishes fight on horseback with insane speed and guile, the former peppering foes from afar, and the later landing stealthy rear-charges with stunning velocity...but little in the way of defense, which means if there ever caught, you might as well be saying goodbye to that unit.

* Ambadassador: Aside from her combat duties, Naryska also serves as one of Katarin's chief envoys at home and in the Empire. In-game, she has a skill that grants her faction a diplomacy bonus with other Kislevite factions, plus a boost in allegiance points for alliances.

* BadassAmbassador: Aside from her combat duties, Naryska also serves as one of Katarin's chief envoys at home and in the Empire. In-game, she has a skill that grants her faction a diplomacy bonus with other Kislevite factions, plus a boost in allegiance points for alliances.

** One loading screen text also mentions the Golden Knight, an honorary role charged with being the Tzar/Tzarina's champion. The current Knight is Naryaska Leysa, daughter of a previous champion who is noted to be an even better fighter than her father.

* AdaptedOut: Kislev is composed of two major ethnic groups in the tabletop - Ungols and Gospodars - who can have a rather vicious rivalry at times. This aspect is removed in the game, which Creative Assembly confirmed to be because the conflict will be taking a backseat when ''The Old World'' launches per Games Workshop.
* AmazonBrigade: The Ice Court is entirely composed of women, as a matter of prophecy -- It is believed that a man who masters the Lore of Ice will one day destroy the source of all ice magic, and so it is forbidden for men to practice magic in Kislev. This trope also extends to the Ice Guard, the elite protectors of the Ice Court.

* BadassNormal: Even moreso then the Empire; Kislev doesn't have their fancy steam technology or foundry cities, but get by ''at the very doorstep of Chaos'' with a mix of courage, tactics, and angry bears.

** War-bear riders are the most experienced knights who trade their usual war-steeds for these monstrous animals, the giant bears that make the tundras of Kislev their home. In a clear case where the mount is more dangerous than the skilled rider, war-bears are a hulking mass of muscle, thick fur and razor-sharp claws. Fittingly for a bear-themed Monstrous Cavalry, [[MightyGlacier they have massive health, armor, leadership, and can deal sickening damage, but are slow by cavalry standards]].

* BornInTheSaddle: The Ungols and the Gospodars both have long traditions of horsemanship, and originate from two different groups of steppe nomads that eventually settled into agricultural life. Although they're not quite as formidable as the Gospodars' Kurgan cousins, they still produce formidable {{horse archer}}s (in the Ungols' case) and heavy knights (in the Gospodars'). Case in point: Kislev mounted warriors are universally faster and harder-hitting then those of the Empire, [[GlassCannon but with less armor and melee defense they go down much faster]].

* DenserAndWackier: Kislev's ''Total War'' incarnation is somewhat more fantastical then its 6th Edition tabletop counterpart: while the core of their army is still masses of infantry and light cavalry with spears, swords, and bows (backed by a musket-wielding elite), they also have entire regiments of bear cavalry, magically-towed and [[{{BFG}} impractically huge]] bombards, giant ice golems, and warrior-woman [[ArcaneArcher magical archer regiments]].

* DragonRider: With the "Shadows of Change" DLC, Ice Witches can take Frost Wyrms as mounts.

** There's also the Gryphon Legion, the finest regiment of Winged Hussars in the entire kingdom. Only accepting veterans with decades of experience fighting against the foes of the Motherland, the Gryphon Legion is a knightly order of the upmost prestige, rivaling Grail Knights as some of the finest heavy shock cavalry in the setting. They wear thick plate-mail of bronze, have lances tipped with ice-metal, and wear thick bear cloaks into battle. Curiously, during times of peace, they act as mercenaries to the other forces of Order and hire themselves out to Kislev's allies. However, during times of crisis, they are obligated to return home to answer the call of Kislev's monarch. Statistically, they are similar to Reiksguard vs Empire Knights in that they are heavily upgraded Winged Hussars, but retain their lesser units blistering speed.

* FantasyGunControl: Kislev is a heavily {{Downplayed}} example of this, so much it's borderline an outright {{Subversion}}. Kislev's people have, for the longest time, been ''very'' distrustful of gunpowder, especially when it comes from their allies to the South, due to their superstition (more ignorant peasants think it's powered by BlackMagic). At various points in time, Boyars fielding regiments of gunners and cannons have been outright ''banned'' and made illegal. Under Boris, however, gunpowder has (very) slowly been more and more accepted by Kislev culture; Boris finally equipped his army with a company of heavy cannons, outfitted some of his soldiery with pistols, and a company of Kislevite Gunners, the Streltsi, have begun to gain more and more prestige. That being said, Kislev firearms are a good deal more primitive then Empire ones, are rarer, much more in the case of cannons, and are regarded with distrust.

* GlassCannon: In contrast to the above Gospodar Knights are this. Forming regiments of Winged Lancers, Gospodar mounted warriors trade a little bit of their speed (though Winged Lancers still have a speed of ''92'', which makes them frightfully quick especially when compared to Bretonnia and the Empire's Knights) for some medium armor, which increases their durability, but are around just as damaging on the charge with their heavy lances, being some of the finest shock calvary in the Old World. Nevertheless, they are much more vulnerable to mass arrow-fire then their Imperial counterparts.
* GuysSmashGirlsShoot: Katarin favours female Ice Guard archers who are much cheaper in her army, whereas Boris and Kostaltyn favours close combat, reducing the cost of War Bear Rider shock cavalry and boosting most melee stats of all units in his army respectively.

* HadToBeSharp: What defines Kislev in comparison to their southern cousins. Kislev borders Norsca, Troll Country, the World's Edge Mountains and the Chaos Wastes, so they're always under attack by ''something''. As a result, they're made up of hard-fighting, heavy drinkin', boorish guys in furs, with wild beards and pet bears. It is said everyone in Kislev is taught to fight from an early age, even its women (female Kislevite warriors are far more common then in other human nations, and are in many units as mixed gender formations.) ''Hell'', their special rule ''By Our Blood'', which grants them a free HeroicSecondWind is said to come from the fact the ice and hordes of Chaos Warriors has made every Kislevite Martial Skill, inherent.
* HeavilyArmoredMook: The aptly named Armored Kossars: hardened Kossars who show promise are plucked out of the citizen levies and given real training, a set of armor, well-crafted weapons, and most importantly, payed by the crown regularly. They are full-time soldiers and are the fists of the local Boyar, given much more staying power and damage then their unprofessional brethren. They come in two variants, axe and board, as well as great mauls. ''Both'' versions carry flintlock pistols, which they can use to pepper enemies with before charging into melee.

* MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong: Kislev is a FantasyCounterpartCulture of Russia, and its Hat is that they're the toughest uncorrupted humans in the setting.

* PantheraAwesome: The terrifying Snow Leopard. Giant cats of all kinds make the dark forests and tundras of Kislev their home, but none are more revered (and feared) then the Snow Leopard. Intermingled with icy features, and the appearance of a massive Lynx, they are almost sacred animals, and during invasions Norscans are terrified of being stalked by them under the cover of night. They can be trained as BeastsOfBattle, and are usually accompanied by Ice-Witches. In battle, they excel at hunting other monsters, and are notable for their blistering speed, being able to attack and isolate units lagging behind the main line, such as artillery and archers.

** The Ice-Guard serve this to the all-female Ice-Court (and specifically are sworn to serve it's leader, Katarin Bokha), a sister-hood of all female warriors. They are sent to Bohka Palace as girls, and those who are considered to have potential as warrior-women are given TrainingFromHell that has them learn to live solely as soldiers. Clad in armored furs made from magical ice-steel, they wield glowing weapons wrought from solid ice, and act as powerful Hybrid units, coming in variants with Glaives or dual blades. Their weapons, both their bows and melee weapons, slow enemies with the frostbite special rule.
** The second are the Tzar Guard, who instead act as the private army of the Kislevite monarchy and serve the general royal family, though companies of them can be lent to powerful Boyars. Composed of lesser nobles and veteran Kossars, the Tzar Guard are stalwart warriors, equipped with the finest weapons and armor, and are goaded into battle as powerful elite infantry. Most notably they are Kislev's ''only'' "true" melee infantry unit.

* MagicKnight: Not to the extent of people like Mannfred or Malekith, but she has very decent melee stats for a mage, and can wade into battle with little babysitting from her troops. The 4.2 Update of the ''Shadows of Change'' DLC also gives her two new mount options, the Frost Wyrm and the Ice Court Sled, that makes her even more formidable in melee.

* BearsAreBadNews: His specialty. He was single-handedly responsible for the revival of Ursun's cult in Kislev, having undertaken a ritual quest to wrestle and tame the giant bear Urskin (who now serves as his loyal mount). In terms of mechanics, he can cheaply recruit and lead great numbers of War Bear riders. Most of his unique skill tree is also centered on super-charging his bear-themed units.

The daughter of the previous Golden Knight, Naryska Leysa is the personal bodyguard and champion of the reigning Tzarina of Kislev. Naryska herself is touted as an exceptionally gifted swordswoman, even greater than her father, whose skill and determination make her more than a match to other Kislevite warriors. As befitting her title, Naryska wears a suit of golden armor blessed by both the Cult of Ursun and the Ice Court - a very rare honor that, in a way, also makes her a symbol of unity between these two belligerent factions.

* ActionGirl: Naryska is another addition to the handful of female characters who exclusively fight in melee. It's also worth noting that unlike other such characters in the game, Naryska looks quite stock thanks to her armor and physique; it would be easy to mistake her as a man until she speaks.

* LegacyCharacter: The title of "Golden Knight" is passed down from the previous champion of the leader of Kislev to the next. Naryska inherited the title from her father who died serving Tzar Boris, though it is noted that her grit and combat skills played a huge part in selecting her for the role, more so than her blood ties to her predecessor.

* WalkingSpoiler: The amount of hidden entries should show you there's ''far'' more to Yuri then initial appearances suggest.

* OldSoldier: His hair has gone gray, and he looks a lot older then his brother.

* AncestralWeapon: Her sword, '''Frostfang''', has been passed down among Kislevite queens since the time of the nation's founding.

* BadassCape: Her '''Crystal Cape''', a heavy-furred cape that grants her a powerful ward-save.

* CoolSword: Quite literally. Her sword is Frostfang: Forged by the ancient Khan-queen Miska of the Gospodars, this blade has passed from Tzarina to Tzarina through the ages. Only a Tzarina can wield the blade, and were a man to lift the blade, he would find himself frozen to death within a heartbeat.
* CrystalWeapon: Her sword, '''Fearfrost''', is encrusted with crystals.
* DragonRider: She can take a Frost Wyrm as a mount choice, should the player own the "Shadows of Change" DLC.

* TheGhost: Katarin does not appear in game ''1'' or ''2'' personally, but her name is occasionally mentioned by Dmitry Tzaryov when engaging in diplomacy with Kislev.

* MagicKnight: Not to the extent of people like Mannfred or Malekith, but she has very decent melee stats for a mage, and can wade into battle with little babysitting from her troops.

* AntiHero: She's a protector of Kislev and enemy of Chaos, but she is also a grim hag who has no qualms about razing villages to the ground due to GuiltByAssociation or because its denizens have wronged her. The short story "Things in the Woods" shows the extent of her cruelty when she allows an entire village to be wiped out because its Druzhina refused to make a deal with her.

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* GlowingEyesOfDoom: The eyeslits on Naryska's helmet have an icy, pale blue glow to them, which not only further highlights her armor's enchanted nature but also gives her quite an intimidating visage.

* MasterSwordsman: Naryska's skill with the sword is said to be unmatched in nearly all of Kislev. In-game, she's a Duelist hero who can take out most other lords and heroes in a one-on-one melee, ''especially'' magic users.

The Great Bear, the god of Bears and Strength and the patron god of Kislev.

* ChildhoodFriend: He and Katerin have been friends since they were children (and implied to be [[ChildhoodFriendRomance even more]]).

[[folder: Slavin Kurnz the Betrayer]]

* MechanicallyUnusualClass: The Daughters of the Forest, Ostankya's faction, start the game unable to build any military or infrastructure building the other Kislev factions can, restricting her to only field animals, Akshina Ambushers or Hag Witches from two specific building chains (one of which is wholly unique to her faction). Taking one of Kislev's three major cities (Eregrad, Kislev or Pragg) or allying with a Kislev faction holding one of them lifts that restriction, however.

* DenserAndWackier: Kislev ''Total War'' incarnation is somewhat more fantastical then it's tabletop counterpart: while the core of their army is still masses of infantry and light cavalry with spears, swords, and bows (backed by a musket-wielding elite), they also have entire regiments of bear cavalry , magically-towed and [[{{BFG}} impractically huge]] bombards, giant ice golems, and warrior-woman [[ArcaneArcher magical archer regiments]].

* FantasticRacism: Katarin has serious issues with Ungol state rights. While respecting them as noble warriors, she detests her father’s decision to allow Ungol law to take precedent over Gospodar law in certain regions, and views it as a threat to the stability of the Tzardom. Ironically, her love interest Yuri Barkov is an Ungol prince.
* FrontlineGeneral: She leads Kislev's expedition into Khorne's realm personally, and in the cinematic trailer she gives a DeathGlare to one of her generals who tries to stop her from leading the Kislevite charge.

* GoodIsNotNice: She is one of three characters (alongside the [[DemonOfHumanOrigin Godslayer]] and [[FatBastard Greasus]]) to attempt to ''kill'' the Advisor instead of simply threatening him, imprisoning and slowly suffocating the old man in ice while the court brays for his blood.

* TheStoic: Famous for her ability to cloud her emotions with a wall of icey coldness that unnerves even hardened warriors. In the announcement trailer, she's depicted as a staid figure who takes on ill news and giant demons without flinching or otherwise emoting beyond an angry frown.

* TheDreaded: One Kislev-specific event sees an elderly retired Ice Witch named Madame Valentina get upset with the training standards at the Ice Court and barge right in to set them straight. She is so terrifying that nobody in the Ice Court dares to stop her —including, presumably, the Ice Court's leader ''Tzarina Katarin.''
* DropTheHammer: A variant of Armored Kossars wield large mauls that let them hammer foes into pieces.

* AntiHero: She's a protector of Kislev and enemy of Chaos, but she is also a grim hag who has no qualms about razing villages to the ground due to GuiltByAssociation.

* CanonForeigner: Like Kostaltyn, Ostankya was created for ''Total War: Warhammer III''.

* AntiMagic: As she is consecrated by the Ursunite Cult, Naryska bears the '''Totem of Ursus''': an incredibly powerful artifact that negates all magical weapons within her vicinty, as well as inflicts the "Silenced" debuff on nearby enemy magic users, completely shutting down their ability to cast spells.

[[caption-width-right:350:"The Motherland endures, whatever the cost."]]

[[caption-width-right:300:"Ursun shall be saved"]]

[[caption-width-right:300:"My people must fear me so I can better protect them."]]

* BlingOfWar: Every Golden Knight wears enchanted golden armor once they take on their new title and Naryska is no different. Her armor consists of a golden breastplate, arm guards, and a pair of ornamental pauldrons, plus a gold helmet and aventail that completely hides her face.

* MasterSwordsman: Naryska's skill with the sword is said to be unmatched in nearly all of Kislev. In-game, she's a Duelist hero who can take out most other lords and heroes in a one-on-one melee.

* BlingOfWar: MeaningfulName Every Golden Knight wears enchanted golden armor once they take on their new title and Naryska is no different. Her armor consists of a golden breastplate, arm guards, and a pair of ornamental pauldrons, plus a gold helmet and aventail that completely hides her face.

* TheChampion: Of Katarin. The Golden Knight being a title bestowed to the best warrior of the country, meant to serve as bodyguard and representant.
* LegacyCharacter: The title of Golden Knight is passed from the previous champion of the leader of Kislev to the next, Naryska inherited the title from her father, who died serving Tsar Boris.

* LegacyCharacter: The "Golden Knight" is a title passed from the previous champion of the leader of Kislev to the next, Naryska inherited the title from her father, who served as Tsar Boris's Golden Knight.

* CoolSword: [[JustForPun Quite literally.]] Her sword is Frostfang: Forged by the ancient Khan-queen Miska of the Gospodars, this blade has passed from Tzarina to Tzarina through the ages. Only a Tzarina can wield the blade, and were a man to lift the blade, he would find himself frozen to death within a heartbeat.

* BadassNormal: Even moreso then the Empire; Kislev dosen't have their fancy steam technology or foundry cities, but get by ''at the very doorstep of Chaos'' with a mix of courage, tactics, and angry bears.

* MisplacedRetribution: The Ungols operate on a clan-based form of justice as opposed to a more individual-focused one, meaning that if they can't punish a specific person who commited a crime against them, [[GuiltByAssociation they will instead punish any random member of that person's specific clan]]. For outsiders from other nations or ethnic groups, this can be taken to a greater extreme, as they then tend to punish [[FantasticRacism any random person from that specific nationality or ethnicity as they see non-Ungols as all being part of a different tribe]]. This means they can, if taking people from The Empire of Man as an example, punish a random guy from Nordland over something that a random guy from Soland did. It is this mentality that is the reason why she had her people burn a random Gospodar city to the ground when the Changeling desecrated one of the holy Ungol shrines wile he was disguised as a Kislevite Ice Witch.