TheAge of Sigmaris the name of theGreat Epochthat marks the current historical era of theMortal Realmsand began with the return of theAscendedgodSigmarand the forces of hisStormcast Eternalsto theEight RealmsduringSigmar's Tempest.
Early in theAge of Chaos, theGod-KingSigmar was forced to retreat from the Mortal Realms and seal offAzyrfollowing the loss of theforces of Orderat theBattle of Burning Skiesto the ascendantChaosarmies of theEverchosenArchaon.
But Sigmar did not take this loss easily. The God-King began magically transporting the mightiest ofhumanity's champions from the battlefields of the other Mortal Realms at the moment of their death to the Azyrian city ofSigmaronto beReforgedinto the superhuman warriors known as the Stormcast Eternals.
The Age of Sigmar formally began when the Stormcast Eternals of theHammers of SigmarStormhostwere sent to theBrimstone PeninsulaofAqshyto open theGate of Azyrcalled theWhispering Gatelocated there and begin theRealmgate Warsto retake theEight Realmsfor theforces of Order.
Sigmar was determined to use the Stormcast Eternals as the tip of a spear that would reclaim portions of the Mortal Realms forOrder, whereupon other mortals drawn from Sigmar's empire in Azyr and the liberated lands themselves would found new cities and nations to reclaim reality from the grip of theDark Gods.
In this way, Sigmar hoped to eventually restore the realms to the peace and glory their civilisations had known during theAge of Myth, though as ever the forces of theRuinous Powerswould not surrender their hold on reality without a fight.