Ghal Maraz

“	Mighty is Sigmar, who saves a Dwarf king from dishonour, How can I reward him? A hammer of war, a hammer of Iron, which fell from the sky with two tongues of fire, From the Forge of the Gods, Worked by Runesmiths, Ghal Maraz its name, the Splitter of Skulls.	„
	~ Saga of Sigmar Heldenhammer.

Summary

The mighty weapon was gifted to the young Unberogen prince in -15 IC, when a young Sigmar and his warband of Unberogen warriors rescued Dwarf High King Kurgan Ironbeard from his captivity by Orc Warlord Vagraz Headstomper and his small army of Greenskin warriors. In addition to its practical use, the Warhammer was also a symbol for the treaty of friendship between the Dwarfs and the Unberogen tribe that led to the spread of sophisticated iron-smithing, literacy, and engineering among the Tribes of Men.

Created by the Ancestor God Smednir, Ghal Maraz is one of the greatest weapons ever made, rivalling even the great Ancestor Weapons of old. Such was its power and the secrets of its make that not even Alaric the Mad, legendary Runesmith, could create a weapon rivalling its power. Such are the mysteries of the hammer that it has even been suggested that it possesses some form of sentience, favouring some users over others. What is known is that the weapon has never failed its wielder in battle. The weapon is stated to have either four or five extremely powerful Dwarven runes carved into it. This helps show the power of Ghal Maraz, as no runelord thinks it is even possible to make a runic weapon with more than 3 runes.

In addition to the blessings of the Dwarfen Ancestor Gods, the Skull-Splitter is also anointed by the mighty war-god Ulric, Sigmar's own patron, ever since the day when Artur the Teutogen threw the future Emperor into the God's menhir-ringed Flame. Miraculously, Sigmar emerged from the fire unharmed, his weapon ablaze with the Wolf God's cold fury, and defeated Artur, thereby bringing the Teutogens into the Empire and establishing himself as Ulric's Champion. With the blessings of Smednir and Ulric combined, Ghal Maraz is the bane of all that is unholy - for it has defeated Daemon Princes of Khorne, the dreadful Everchosen of Chaos, and has even destroyed the Lord of the Undead, Nagash himself. Indeed, few are the creatures of evil who can bear to look upon its radiant nimbus and survive the experience. 

Powers and Stats

Tier: 8-A likely higher | High 6-C likely higher | 5-C likely higher | 1-A

Key: | Pre Ulric's blessings | Post Ulric's blessings | United with avatar | Age of Sigmar

Name: Ghal Maraz, Skull-Splitter

Origin: Warhammer Fantasy

Classification: Runic Weapon

Wielders: Sigmar, Karl Franz, Valten

Powers and Abilities:

• Powers
• Age of Sigmar
• Resistances

• Aethyr Manipulation (Dwarven runes absorb and stabilise immense amounts of Aethyr into the form of a script which allows the power to be called upon at a later date safely. Ghal Maraz's true essence is a hammer of light made out of Aethyr that is non-existent and Abstract in form)
• Immortality (Likely type 8 and 9; Has a symbiotic connection with the God King, likely unable to be destroyed without killing him. Ghal Maraz's true form exists in the Realm of Chaos and even when not in the possession of its owner, this form can be called upon although it is weaker than its physical form on the mortal plane due to not having enough Aethyr to access)
• Invulnerability (Is seemingly indestructible, if via its connection to Sigmar or sheer durability is unknown but even the Chaos Gods where unable to destroy it when they consumed and destroyed the Universe. Even while Tzeentch had it in his possession)
• Instinctive Reaction (Its runes will often activate unbeknownst to its wielder. Even when Sigmar had no idea how they worked they would activate to vaporise his opponents when he struck them)
• Aura & Light Manipulation & Purification & Pain Manipulation (Ghal Maraz emits an aura and purifying light that causes immense pain to evil beings/spiritual entities/Daemons)
• Immortality Negation (Types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 Able to negate the immortalities of beings such as Bloodthirsters of Khorne, Keepers of Secrets, Nagash and his vampires)
• Non-Physical Interaction (Able to interact with abstract/non-existent energies and beings)
• Regeneration Negation (At least Low-Godly, possibly Mid-Godly; Able to negate the regeneration of Daemons in the Realm of Chaos, possibly able to negate the regeneration of Aethyric beings in the Realm of Chaos)
• Absorption (Able to absorb enormous amounts of energy. Absorbs Sigmar's divine essence after Valten is killed by the Slayer of Kings)
• Power Bestowal (Bestows its wielder with a connection to the God King, providing them with the ability to channel this connection to replenish their stamina and buff their allies resistances to Fear and Madness induced by Bloodthirsters of Khorne and other Daemons)
• Deconstruction & Existence Erasure (Similar to his War Altar, the radiant nimbus of Ghal Maraz when fully activated deconstructs undead creatures and erases Daemons in its presence)
• Power Nullification (Shatters and destroys lesser magical weapons, negating their enchantments)
• Holy Manipulation & Fire Manipulation (Can wreath itself in the holy fire of Ulric),
• BFR (Can banish entities to their realms of origin such as Daemons to the Realm of Chaos)
• Reactive Power Level (Similar to other powerful Runic Weapons, gets stronger with access to more Aethyr and based on the emotions of its wielder. In the Realm of Chaos it is notably more powerful)
• Durability Negation (Particularly effective against evil beings with purification but many of its other abilities do this as well)

• Soul Manipulation & Purification & BFR (Its blows destroy any corrupted parts of ones soul and if there is even the slightest piece of uncorrupted soul left over, banishes it to Azyr where it is judged by The God King)

• Resistant to all the abilities of the four Chaos Gods and Aethyr Manipulation in general.

Attack Potency: Multi-City Block level (Can hurt monsters like Grinderfists who are capable of this feat. Sigmar utilised its runes to vaporise an Orc Warboss) possibly higher (Sigmar only utilises its abilities with pure instinct and its true power is implied higher) Ignores durability with Hax/Purification | Large Island level (Able to contend with Nagash and destroyed one of the Bloodthirsters of Khorne), likely higher (Sigmar only utilises its abilities with pure instinct, and once unleashed was able to one shot Nagash) Ignores durability with Hax/Purification | Moon level (United with The God King's divine essence and wielded by his true Champion of Light is able to contend with the mighty Slayer of Kings) possibly far higher (Survived the complete destruction of the universe. Not even the four Chaos Gods cant fully destroy it) Ignores durability with Hax/Purification | Outerverse level possibly higher (Able to damage the core of a Void Entity. Void entities are so large and ancient they consider the Four Chaos Gods as children) Ignores durability with Hax/Purification

Durability: Multi-City Block level possibly Outerverse level (Survived the destruction of the Warhammer world by the Chaos Gods) | Large Island level (Able to trade blows with Nagash and Bloodthirsters of Khorne) possibly Outerverse level | Moon level (Able to trade blows with the Slayer of Kings) possibly Outerverse level (Survived the destruction of the Warhammer world by the Chaos Gods) | At least Outerverse level (unable to be destroyed by the Chaos Gods once they got a hold of it after Tzeentch tricked Sigmar at the Battle of the Burning Sky. Capable of damaging Void Entities)

Range: Extended Melee Range, likely Kilometers with its aura | Extended Melee Range, likely Kilometers with its aura | Extended Melee Range, likely Kilometers with its aura, far higher with light-based attacks

Intelligence Above Average, Ghal Maraz is sentient and chooses its wielder. Activates its runes instinctively at the appropriate time even without its wielders knowledge.

Weaknesses Difficult to utilise at its full potential, took Sigmar his entire life to learn to utilise it correctly.

Discussions

Discussion threads involving Ghal Maraz