gurps hammer 2.0

Campaign Book

GURPS Warhammer GURPS Warhammer Campaign BookCampaign Book

Core Conversion by XuubCore Conversion by Xuub

With Additional Material by Nathan RobertsonWith Additional Material by Nathan Robertson

The Oldenhaller Contract by Lewis Page“ ”The Oldenhaller Contract by Lewis Page“ ”

Nathan Robertson Me Fecit Anno Domini MMVIIINathan Robertson Me Fecit Anno Domini MMVIII

GURPS is a trademark of Steve Jackson Games, and its rules and art are copyrighted by Steve Jackson Games . All rights are reserved by Steve Jackson Games. This game aid is the original creation of Nathan Robertson and is released for free distribution, and not for resale,

under the permissions granted in the Steve Jackson Games Online Policy.

WARHAMMER is a trademark of Games Workshop. All rights are reserved.

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Table of ContentsTable of Contents

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4CHAPTER 1: A HISTORY OF THE WARHAMMER WORLD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

A Timeline For The Known World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12CHAPTER 2: A TRAVELER'S GUIDE TO THE OLD WORLD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13CHAPTER 3: CHARACTER CREATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

The Four Races . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Social Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Skills In GURPS: Warhammer . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Advantages In GURPS: Warhammer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Disadvantages In GURPS: Warhammer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Chaos Mutations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Job Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

CHAPTER 4: EQUIPMENT .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Currency Forgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

CHAPTER 5: MAGIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67Imperial Colleges of Magic . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Hedge Wizardry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Necromancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Chaos Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71High Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Wood Elven Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Critical Success/Failure Tables .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Runes and Runesmiths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Rune Masters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

CHAPTER 6: RELIGION AND BELIEF . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Human Pantheon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88ChaosGods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Dwarven Ancestor Gods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Elven Pantheon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Halfling Pantheon . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

CHAPTER 7: HERBLORE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122SAMPLE ADVENTURE: THE OLDENHALLER CONTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Pre-Generated Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146APPENDIX I: CONVERTING FROM WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY 1ST EDITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150APPENDIX II: CONVERTING FROM WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY 2ND EDITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153APPENDIX III: BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

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IntroductionIntroduction

ven tried hard not to be so tense, but it was difficult. His teeth were clamped tightly, and his mouth was dry; his knuckles were

white from gripping the hilt of his sword, and sweat ran down his forehead, making his eyes sting. In the flickering light of three torches, and in complete silence, he waited for Abrahim to finish his work.

Sven drew some comfort from the fact that most of his fellow coleagues were at least as nervous as him. Friedrich-Gustav, the young son of the Lord of the Auerswald, looked pale and sickly in the light of the brand he held above Abrahim. The boy-noble had proven himself in combat already, but now - at the goal of their quest - he looked greatly afraid of what they might find. Myllara's eyes shone brightly as she cast rapid glances in all directions, unused to finding herself beneath the ground; the elven Outrider had brought them safely through the wild lands around the Auerswald, but now she found herself in the most alien surroundings. And Elizabet - what was the Scribe thinking now? All through their journey she had chattered endlessly about her work at the University and her plans for the future. Suddenly that future looked remote.

Four young adventurers, snatched from their homes and their safe careers by the lure of glory, easy money and excitement! Sven remembered his own days as a Fisherman as if they were someone else's memories; now he was Sven the sword-wielder, a man prepared to journey even to the Worlds Edge Mountains to find adventure! And what better way to start than this? The strange-sounding Arabian, who had had to keep his cloak wrapped tightly about him throughout the journey through the cold wastes, had brought them to this crypt, hidden beneath the earth, to find an ancient map, one which would lead them lo find a great treasure. And since he had sprinkled Gold Crowns around town in the search for his brave party of adventurers, the prize must be well worth the finding!

And so Sven waited, watching Abrahim work his slender tools inside the great lock on the door. The Arab made no sound, none at all, until the lock finally made a dull clicking noise, and he smiled his toothles smile. “It is open," he hissed.

Perhaps it was just a premonition, or a warning from the Gods, but Sven felt icy fingers touch his spine, and watched Abrahim step back, as Friedrich-Gustav switched the torch to his left hand and made to pull back the door. The nobleman and the elven Ranger had their backs to him, and the Scribe was trying hard to catch a first glimpse of what lay behind the door, but Sven was saved from the same fate by that chill, and the sight of Abrahim pulling the hood of his cloak across his eyes, as if to shield them from...

There was a scream of horror, but Sven was not distracted. He knew now that Abrahim was not all he seemed, and that he meant them harm. A slender dagger, oozing a dull amber liquid, had appeared in his hand, and was poised behind Friedrich-Gustav's back - Sven had only a moment in which to act. The quick wits that had been so misused sitting in his father's boat searching for fish, saved the nobleman's life. He lashed out with his sword, breaking the knife blade, and cutting into the Arab's arm. The folds of his cloak snared the sword for a moment, but Sven pulled it free and struck again. The cloak fell free as his blade tore through the man's flesh, and both dropped to the floor. Sven stepped back. In two swift moves he had killed a man. It didn't felt the same as fighting goblins or watching others killing for sport or justice.. Perhaps he wasn't cut out for this adventuring life...

Behind him, unaware, Friedrich-Gustav and Myllara had slammed the doors shut once more. “Snakes! Hundreds of them!" wailed Elizabet. And then: “Sven - what happened, what's wrong with Abrahim? Is he hurt- oh!"

The Scribe had bent to the body, to see if there was anything to be done, but stopped without touching him. Friedrich-Gustav brought the light closer, and held it over Abrahim, so that they could all see. Beneath the cloak, Abrahim's torso was bare, and blood still seeped from a savage cut through his midriff. But - even though covered in blood - it was still obvious that where there should have been skin, there was the dull gleam of pale green scales...

They stared at the body for a long time, silent once morn When Elizabet next spoke, it was with a voice choking in disbelief and fear.

“He was a snake... like them..."

“Why did he bring us here?" Friedrich-Gustav was as afraid as any of them. “Was he bringing us to... them?" No-one answered, even though they all knew it was true. The man they had known as Abrahim was not wholly a man, but some sort of snake-man, or lizard-man, a creature unnatural and evil. And Sven had killed it, and saved them.

At least we're alive," said Myllara, “even if the story about the map was just a trick to lure us here."

“We don't know there wasn't a map," said Sven, suddenly enboldened. There really might be treasure in there. Remember all that gold he had."

They looked then, one to another. They made their decision with nods and grim smiles, readying their weapons, along with some oil and torches. Only when they were completely prepared did the four adventurers prepare lo open the doors again...

The world of Warhammer is a land torn asunder by strife and conflict. From the high mountains to the deep jungles, armies march to the beat of drums and blowing horns, beneath a canopy of fluttering banners and gleaming standards. The Empire, greatest nation of Men, defends its borders against hordes of beasts and Northmen that worship the Dark Gods of Chaos. Below the peaks of the Worlds Edge Mountains, the stalwart Dwarfs defend their rocky homes from marauding bands of Orcs and Goblins, and the insidious undermining of the Skaven. Far away, on the fair island of Ulthuan, the High Elves dwell in near isolation, fighting a bitter centuries-long war against their twisted kin, the Dark Elves. To the south lie the sandy realms of the undying Tomb Kings who guard the riches of their tombs from plundering raiders.

This rulebook includes all the material you will need to play a game of GURPS Warhammer, except the dice and some of the optional play-aids. Warhammer is largely a game built from the imaginations of its players, and needs few physical components. As you read these rules and play your first games, you will begin to appreciate how it works and what additional help you require.

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Chapter I: A History of the Warhammer WorldChapter I: A History of the Warhammer World

here is an incredible amount of background information, history and lore available for the world of Warhammer. Not

surprisingly, since the games have lasted twenty-five years as of 2008.

• THE OLD ONES • In tne very earliest times, many thousands of years before the present day, the ancient and highly advanced race known only as the Old Ones crossed the stars from their distant worlds and settled upon the Warhammer world. They constructed a stellar gate that allowed them to cross over into an alternate realm and traverse the great depths of space. None can say for sure why these godlike beings chose to do this, and what was their ultimate purpose. It may have been that they wished to create a world that could sustain itself without them, or perhaps they saw something of the disaster that was to befall their civilization and the races of the Warhammer world were an attempt to prevent this. We shall never know; all that is sure is that their great plans never came to fruition.

First the Old Ones used their powers to move the world closer to its sun, warming the climate to one more suitable to them. They then reshaped the continents into forms more to their liking. At this point the Warhammer world was already populated by many beasts and creatures of little or no sentience. Alongside these animals dwelt the Dragons. Intelligent and articulate, the Dragons had dealings with the Old Ones, learning a little of their magical lore. Many of their kind avoided the Old Ones, and hid in the dark places of the world beneath the seas and mountains, the Dragons' once-cold world now too warm, forcing them to slumber for centuries.

• THE FIRST RACES • The Old Ones began to introduce new races to the world. The first, the Slann, were highly adept at using the energies harnessed by the Old Ones, and to them were entrusted many of the tasks required to raise the cities of their people, to adjust the flow of the oceans and carve the mountains from the bare rock. The Old Ones then introduced the Lizardmen to aid the Slann in their works. Reptilian warriors guarded their lands while immense beasts of burden lumbered through the primordial jungles, and workers laboured at erecting their mighty cities, all overseen by an army of Lizardmen scribes, artisans and other functionaries.

Next came the Elves, imbued with a natural affinity for the energy wielded by the Old Ones - the energy that Men call magic. The isle of Ulthuan was raised from the bed of the ocean for the Elves to live upon, and here they studied magic under the tutelage of the Old Ones and the Slann. As the Elves learned how to tap into magical energy, it became clear that they were not as resistant to the effects of magic as the Old Ones had hoped, and so were corruptible.

With this in mind, the Old Ones introduced the race of Dwarfs. They were the balance to the Elves - sturdy, dependable and, above all, resistant to magical energy. They were taught the ways of craftsmanship, and became excellent artisans. Unfortunately, the Dwarfs were also prone to their own kind of corruption, and the very qualities that were supposed to be virtues had the possibility of being exaggerated into stubbornness, avarice and insularity.

• THE YOUNG RACES • At some point, the Orcs arrived. Quite probably their insidious spores were unwittingly introduced to the world by the star vessels of the Old Ones, although possibly they drifted through the voids of space and came to the world by their own means. Either way, in the hidden wilderness, the greenskins spread to become a constant thorn in the side of the other races.

Mankind was the next race to be introduced. Man has neither the physical, mental or magical prowess of the Dwarfs or Elves, so it seems odd that the Old Ones created them. Perhaps Man wasn't complete, for when the disaster came, they were still primitive, living in caves with barely a language or society to speak of.

Finally, the Old Ones created the Halflings and the Ogres just before their fall; two somewhat desperate last-ditch attempts to create a magically resistant race. Halflings were physically and mentally resistant to magic but at the expense of being inbred, stunted and, to be quite frank, pretty vulgar. The large and tough physique of the Ogres was compromised by their dim-witted, dumsy and belligerent demeanour.

• THE RISE OF THE DWARFS • While the Elves dwelt in relative contentment on the island of Ulthuan, learning from the Old Ones, the Dwarfs travelled northwards across the world, along the mountains where they had been raised. The ancestors of the Dwarfs delved deeply into the rocks and mined the minerals and ores beneath the world, for their love was always of the places under the earth rather than the open sky.

Their craftsmanship grew with their empire, until their weapons and devices were unmatched except by the artifices of the Old Ones themselves. The Dwarfs settled in the Worlds Edge Mountains, where grand underground cities were linked by subterranean highways lit with magical lanterns and decorated with silver and gold.

While the Elves perfected their magic, the Dwarfs used the knowledge of the Old Ones to create their rune lore. They bound weapons with great strength, forged unbreakable arrnour and devised all manner of charms that pleased them greatly; their love of wealth grew, but at this time the Dwarfs were content in their delvings and the works of their artifices, blissfully unaware of the strife to come.

• THE COMING OF CHAOS • The races were not to know peace, as they were beset by great catastrophe. For reasons that will never be fathomed, the gate of the Old Ones collapsed. Perhaps the destruction of the gate was caused by the Old Ones themselves, to forestall an invasion from the nightmare realm that lay beyond; maybe it was attacked by the incorporeal creatures that dwelt within the formless dimension beyond the gate. In a detonation of raw power that lit the sky and shook oceans and mountains, the disaster imploded the poles so that they are now raging Gateways into the raw ether. A ball of pure chaos matter called warpstone was thrown into an erratic Orbit around the world and to this day showers down particles and lumps of tainted rock.

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Chapter I: A History of the Warhammer World

Whether the Old Ones fled before or after the disaster, or were destroyed by it, is not recorded. All that is known is that the Old Ones never again walked the face of the Warhammer world, though many of the Slann prophecies say that the Old Ones will return when the time is right.

When the gate collapsed, the world was immersed in magical energy and Chaos was born. As the skies burned and the earth quaked, all the primal fears and dreams of the Warhammer races came to the fore, and dark gods were born in the magical conflagration. Given life by the emotions of mortals, the Chaos gods became aware of the realm of Elves, Men and Dwarfs and they came to covet it.

It was during this catastrophe that the first true creatures of Chaos began to appear. Hippogryphs, Chimeras, Manticores, Griffons and their like stalked the lands, descended from normal creatures warped by the magical energies now poisoning the Warhammer world. The Beastmen came too; depraved Men that had reverted to their bestial subconscious, their bodies warped to reflect their animalistic desires, and beasts that had mutated to walk on their hind legs in the form of Men. In the marshes in the north of what would become the nation of Tilea, intelligent, misshapen rat-things began burrowing and plotting, digging beneath the world in secret, unseen and unknown.

With the birth of the Chaos gods came the first Great Incursion. A host of immaterial daemonic creatures of Chaos, larger than any to have walked the world since, erupted from the shattered gate in the north. The world was awash with vast waves of magical energy and the Daemonic creatures of the Chaos Gods could walk abroad at will. The daemonic armies swept over the lands and eventually came to the Elven isle of Ulthuan. Here the fate of the world would be decided. If the Elves fell, then Chaos would consume the Warhammer world. If they prevailed, then that fate would be staved off, for a time at least.

• THE ELVES' SACRIFICE • The Elves survived, thanks to Aenarion and the Elven Mages. Aenarion was the first Phoenix King of Ulthuan, known in legends as the Defender. It was the great Elven warrior that drew the ancient Sword of Khaine from its resting place on the Blighted Isle, and with its power slew a host of Daemons. Yet, by wielding the cursed Sword of Khaine, forged for the god of war himself, the taint of Chaos burnt in Aenarion's blood and the Curse of Aenarion would dog his descendants to the present day.

An endless tide of nightmare creatures assailed the realm of the Elves, and though Aenarion and his army prevailed in battle after battle, it was clear to the wisest of the Elves that they were doomed to lose the war - even the mighty hosts of Ulthuan could not fight for eternity. So it was that as Aenarion's host, aided by flights of Dragon Riders, defended the Isle of the Dead against a mighty daemonic army, the Elven prince Caledor and his fellow mages put into motion a great ritual.

The Elves risked everything, erecting a circle of mystical stones that created a magical vortex through their realm that threatened to sink the island. This vortex drew in the raging winds of magic that now tore across the world. Without magic to sustain them, the Daemons' grip in the mortal realm became unstable and their hosts were crushed by Aenarion, though the Phoenix King himself was

mortally wounded in the battle. Ever since, Ulthuan has constantly teetered upon the brink of destruction, threatened by the vast energies the lodestones must dissipate. It is true when the Elves say the world is not as magical as it once was, for much magical power is taken into the stones on Ulthuan, and the magical artefacts and sorceries of the distant past can never be recreated.

With the first incursion thwarted, the Elves set out to explore this changed world, and they met with the Dwarfs. Trade between the Dwarfs and Elves flourished, while the primitive ancestors of Man spread across the globe, unwittingly protected by these two great civilizations. Perhaps a great alliance may have, in time, given rise to a world able to stand against Chaos. It was not to be.

• THE TIME OF THE SUNDERING • Born to Morathi, Aenarion's second wife, Prince Malekith of Nagarythe was the greatest of Elves. He was an unparalleled general and his armies crushed the brutish hordes of Chaos across the world. In his dealings with the Dwarfs, he was fair and patient, and became a personal friend of the Dwarf High King Snorri Whitebeard. Between the two of them, they forged an alliance that would see the dark creatures of the world pushed back to mountain caves and the dark depths of the forests.

Yet in his heart, there was a taint in Malekith that simply bided its time. Jealous of the other Elven princes, Malekith was filled with unnatural lust and ambition, and desired the Phoenix Throne for himself. When Prince Bel-Shanaar was chosen to become Phoenix King ahead of Malekith, this desire flared into murderous intent, and eventually Malekith accused Bel-Shanaar of worshipping the gods of Chaos. When the Phoenix King was found dead by poisoning, none at the time doubted Malekith's claim that Bel-Shanaar had taken his own life rather than be punished for his corruption.

With no rival, Malekith took the throne for himself. To prove that he was blessed by the gods, the Elven prince walked through the sacred Flames of Asuryan, just as his father had done. The flames rejected him and he was hideously burnt and scarred - to this day his body is wracked with the pain. Malekith's treachery had been revealed and his supporters and opponents took up arms.

The time of the Sundering came, when Elf fought Elf and the lands of Ulthuan were ravaged by powerful sorcery. Their souls poisoned, the followers of Malekith became twisted and focussed on a single purpose - revenge against their kin.

Nowhere is this more embodied than in the witch King Malekith himself.

In his arrogance, Malekith believed the forces of Chaos could be controlled and mastered, just like everything else, and saw it as the Elves' destiny to rule the world as the rightful successors to the Old Ones. Though eventually driven out across the sea to the bleak land of Naggaroth, Malekith and his Dark Elves had unwittingly destroyed any hope the world may have had of resisting Chaos.

But it was not just this that sealed the world's fate. Though the Dwarfs and Elves had forged an alliance with one another, they were the two dominant powers of the world, and therefore ultimately rivals. Not only this, their character and cultures were wholly different to each other.

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It was spiteful acts of treachery by the Dark Elves against the Dwarfs that tumbled the two greatest empires the world had seen since the Old Ones. Dark Elf raiders ambushed Dwarf trade convoys, and the Dwarfs accused the Elves of breaking their oaths of friendship. The High Elves in their arrogance shaved the beards of the Dwarf ambassadors and threw them out of court. The stubbornness of the Dwarfs and their natural dislike for the Elves dragged them into a confrontation from which they could not back down.

The War of the Beard - or War of Vengeance as the Dwarfs prefer it to be known - lasted for hundreds of years and devastated both races. This age-long war was directly responsible for both Elves and Dwarfs retreating from the wider world to their own realms. Although this allowed Men to prosper in their stead, it also allowed the wild things to take control once again - the walking dead, the Orcs and Goblins, the Trolls and creatures of Chaos.

For centuries the world was an extremely dangerous place, even more perilous than now, and Mankind was beset by unnumbered foes while the Elves and Dwarfs were content to look to their own woes.

• THE RISE OF THE UNDEAD • At this time a new civilisation was arising, a realm that at its peak would stretch far across the Badlands and into what would become the Old World and rival any later empire of Men. The desert tribes of the Southlands began to build large settlements in the desert, perhaps dimly remembering the ancient cities of the Old Ones in the jungles to the south. This realm they would come to call Nehekhara.

While Orcs and Beastnen laid claim to the forests of the north, the Men of the south prospered and grew in number. Over centuries, the kingdoms of Nehekhara rose out of the blistering sands, and their rulers traded and warred with each other in their struggle for dominion. Some five thousand years before the present day, one city rose to preeminence; Khemri, kingdom of the great Priest King Settra.

Settra was an unparalleled general, and was driven by such an extreme vanity that he would brook no threat to his reign. Even as his heralds spread Settra's demands to the other Priest Kings, the lord of Khemri led his army to victory upon victory against his foes. One by one the other cities allied themselves to Khemri or were conquered by Settra.

However, there was one foe that Settra could not defeat: death. He commanded his priests to seek ways to prolong his life, so that his glories would never fade, and they devised long rituals to preserve their lord in life. However, they could not stay the hand of death itself and so when Settra was upon his deathbed they conducted a great ceremony they claimed would preserve his body and allow him to return to an immortal life after a thousand years of sleeping.

For the next five hundred years the fortunes of Khemri and Nehekhara waxed and waned, as alliances came and went, and the cities fought amongst themselves. Following Settra's example, the rulers of Nehekhara became increasingly obsessed with death and avoiding its cold grip. Soon the greater part of their society and endeavour was bent towards raising great pyramids and gravehouses

to keep their bodies while they awaited their return to life. Families and bodyguards died alongside the Priest Kings and were buried with them to serve them after death. Beside each city rose a great necropolis, larger than the buildings of the living, their dead inhabitants outnumbering those still alive.

• NAGASH • Some five centuries after the reign of Settra a new power arose in Nehekhara. The brother of the Priest King of Khemri, Nagash was unequalled in his knowledge of the mortuary rites, but for him preserving the dead for reawakening was not enough. His obsession with mortality far outstripped even the desires for eternal life of Settra and his every fibre was set to unlocking the secrets of immortality.

Though his own studies were extensive, it was the chance capture of a group of Dark Elves shipwrecked upon the Nehekharan coast that was to lead Nagash to unravelling the secrets of Dark Magic, and in turn he used this knowledge to create the foul art known as Necromancy.

Nagash distilled an elixir of life using the blood of his subjects, and with this he sustained his existence. Granted unnatural longevity, Nagash usurped his brother with the aid of disciples lured to his cause by the promise of immortality. The renegade priest then ordered the construction of a mighty black pyramid, to trap the fitfiu1 winds of Magic and swell his power.

As Nagash and his minions ruled over the people of Khemri like bloodthirsty gods, the other Priest Kings grew wary of his power and united against Nagash. Led by the Priest King Lahmizzar, the Priest Kings' armies attacked Khemri, forcing the Great Necromancer to seek shelter in his Black Pyramid. His disciples were caught and executed, though Nagash himself was never found. Believing Nagash to have been thwarted, the leaders of the alliance once more fell to bickering amongst themselves, and the memory of Nagash began to fade.

• BIRTH OF THE VAMPIRES • However, Nagash's evil could not be so easily conquered. Against all agreement, the Queen of the city of Lahmia, Neferata, took some of Nagash's diabolical texts from his tomb chamber and returned to her city with them. She tried to recreate Nagash's elixir of life, and in part it worked. However, she thirsted for the blood of Men, and only by feeding on her subjects could she sustain herself. Her court was also corrupted by the curse of vampirism, and just as Nagash had stirred the other Priest Kings to action, so too did the tales of the blood rites of Lahmia.

While the Vampire rulers of Lahmia endeavoured to remain secret, the unquiet soul of Nagash wandered the desert and the wastes. Formless and half-mad, he came across the Sour Sea, and the great mountain of Cripple Peak upon its shore. Here he found large quantities of warpstone, raw magic given solid form, and with this was able to increase his necromantic powers. Using skeletal slaves raised from the dead of ancient battlefields,, he dug the great labyrinthine fortress of Nagashizzar. Nagash fought long with the Skaven, who had also been drawn to the area by the warpstone, but eventually he made a pact with the Chaos ratmen.

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By now, the Vampires of Lahmia had become aware of the return of Nagash and sent heralds and emissaries to parley with him. It was soon clear that they were in his thrall, unwitting slaves to his necromantic arts, and they had no choice but to ally themselves to the Great Necromancer's cause. With their aid, Nagash waged war against the Priest Kings, as the Vampires sought to rule over the people that had once bowed to them and had now cast them out.

• THE WARS OF THE DEAD • Never again wanting to be slaves of Nagash, the cities of Nehekhara united against the Undead invasion. For over a decade Nagash and the Vampires fought against the armies of Nehekhara. The greatest Priest King since Settra, Alcadizaar the Conqueror defeated the army of the dead and scattered it into the desert. Nagash would not be thwarted and unleashed a plague across the lands, swelling his armies with the thousands that died. Alcadizaar was defeated by this new host and captured, then dragged in chains to Nagashizza.

Nagash then embarked upon his Great Awakening and, after consuming vast quantities of warpstone, he unleashed the mightiest necromantic spell ever to have darkened the world. All across Nehekhara, the living withered and died while the dead stirred in their tombs.

The Skaven of Cripple Peak realised their alliance with Nagash was over and devised a cunning scheme to rid themselves of their enemy. They forged the Fellblade, a weapon of almost pure warpstone, and freed Alcadizaar from his cell. Placing the baneful weapon in the Priest King's grasp, they led him to Nagash. The Priest King hacked off Nagash's hand and ended the Great Awakening before it could be completed. The two clashed, Alcadizaar aided by the sorceries of the Skaven, and eventually Nagash's body was destroyed. Alcadizaar fought his way out of Nagashizzar, his body and mind burning with the Chaos-tainted magic of the Fellblade, and eventually fell into the Blind River and drowned.

Although he had not completed the Great Ritual, Nagash's spell had changed the world forever. The Priest Kings and their armies, entombed beneath the sands, had been returned to some semblance of life. They rose from their crypts and waged war upon each other, as they had in life. That was until the rising of Settra the Imperishable, mightiest and most ancient of their number. As he had done many centuries before, Settra cowed the other cities to his rule, vowing eternal vengeance against Nagash for bringing him back to life too early. Instead of a shining body of immortal gold, Settra found himself as a withered corpse, writhing with dark magic and clothed in tattered mortuary rags.

With Nagash defeated, the first Vampires fled the armies of the Tomb Kings. Some went into the north where the tribes of Men were emerging from their caves and building settlements of huts, others into the east and south. Nagash was to return, for even the energies of the Fellblade could not wholly destroy him. Seeking domination of the living, he waged war upon the fledgling Empire of Sigmar. But that is another story, for calamitous events were to once again alter the course of the world.

• THE WOES OF THE DWARFS • No more than six decades after the defeat of the Elves and their retreat from the Old World, the Dwarf empire was struck by catastrophe. The Worlds Edge Mountains rumbled and shook as massive earthquakes rent the land and volcanoes belched forth great rivers of lava. The Dwarf strongholds were shaken, many halls collapsed, and the underground highway that linked the holds, the Undgrin Ankor, was breached in many places and rendered impassable.

Suddenly isolated from each other, and realing from the devastation of the cataclysmic upheavals, the Dwarf holds were vulnerable. In particular, the Orcs and Goblins that had been flourishing since the end of the War of the Beard filled the mountains in countless hordes, assailing the strongholds of the Dwarfs.

The first hold to fall was Karak Ungor in the far north, invaded by Night Goblins. Thousands upon thousands of greenskins overwhelmed the beleaguered defenders over months of bitter fighting, and eventually the Dwarfs were forced from their tunnels and halls into the wilderness. Karak Ungor became the abode of Goblins, Skaven and other dark creatures and has ever after been known as Red Eye Mountain.

In the years to follow, many mines and holds were overrun, the seemingly impregnable Dwarf cities now laid open to attack by Orcs, Ogres, Trolls and other creatures. The Silver Road Wars erupted around Mount Silverspear as the Dwarfs defended their city against the warriors of the Orc warlord Urk Grimfang. The fall of Mount Silverspear, renamed Mount Grimfang by its conqueror, signalled the end of the Dwarfs' realm in the eastern reaches of the Worlds Edge Mountains, and thousands of refugees fled to the remaining holds.

• THE GOBLIN WARS • The move westward brought only a brief respite as the remaining holds were attacked and besieged in a series of battles that lasted nearly a thousand years. These battles are known to the Dwarfs as th Goblin Wars, though Skaven, Beastmen and othe fell things were also responsible for many Dwarf deaths. Skaven tunnels were found beneath the halls and mines of Karak Eight Peaks, and for the next two hundred years the Dwarfs fought a losing battle against the subterranean invaders. The Dwarfs were crushed when Goblins attacked and the Skaven unleashed deadly poisoned wind gas.

Karak Azgal fell soon after, despite successfully repulsing several Orc and Goblin attacks. The victorious greenskins swept onwards and overran Karak Drazh. Karak Azul and the capital Karaz-a-Karak both felt the wrath of the greenskins, although both were eventually held.

With much of their empire in ruins, and the surviving Dwarf holds a pale shadow of their former glories, the Dwarfs sought alliances with the growing tribes of Men now living in the forests west of the Worlds Edge Mountains. One relationship in particular was to change the fate of Men and Dwarfs for the next two and a half thousand years.

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• THE AGE OF MAN • For hundreds of years, Man had continued to evolve and spread through the world, to distant Cathay and Ind, across the steppes and Chaos Wastes of the far north and to the lands between the Great Ocean and Worlds Edge Mountains, which they would come to call the Old World. At the start of the age of Man, with a few exceptions such as Nehekhara, Mankind was a tribal society. Small, scattered groups lived in log dwellings and caves, hunting in the hills and forests, defending themselves as best they could against the vicious Beastmen and Goblins that dwelt beside them in the wild places of the world.

But that was to change with the coming of Sigmar, greatest warrior and leader of Men; a Man that would found the Empire and leave a legacy that has lasted to the present day. A child of the Unberogen tribe, Sigmar was remarkable from an early age, and by the time he was fifteen he was already an accomplished hunter and warrior. It was perhaps fate that brought him to the rescue of a small column of Dwarfs captured by Orcs as they travailed to the Grey Mountains.

Amongst the Dwarfs was none other than their High King, Kurgan Ironbeard. The grateful ruler of the Dwarfs gifted Sigmar with a mighty rune hammer, known as Ghal Maraz, the skull-splitter. It was to become Sigmar's symbol, wielded in countless battles as the young Man set about crushing the enemies that had preyed upon his people for so long.

Sigmar understood the threat posed by the greenskins and the northern tribes aligned to the power of Chaos, and set about ordering the world in the way he saw best fit to combat these threats. Sigmar's creed was to shape the Empire to this day, for it was a dream of unity under a strong leader.

Through diplomacy and war, Sigmar forged a confederation amongst the tribes of the lands that would become the Empire. The lands west of the Worlds Edge Mountains and north of the Grey Mountains were now under Sigmar's control, and although Beastmen and Forest Goblins still remained in the darkest, most remote places, their threat to the future of Men had been ended.

However, one last battle still remained; in Black Fire Pass, Sigmar and his tribal allies stood alongside Morgan Ironbeard and a host of Dwarfs, facing a near-endless horde of greenskins marauding north from the Badlands. Despite vicious fighting and their horrendous losses, the army of Men and Dwarfs prevailed and the power of the Orcs in the west was broken.

• SIGMAR'S EMPIRE • After the victory at Black Fire Pass, the Empire of Sigmar knew great prosperity and relative peace for many decades. For their part in the battle, King Kurgan set the great Runesmith Alaric the Mad to forge twelve magical swords for Sigmar's chieftains, and in the times to come these Runefangs became the symbols of their power. For fifty more years, Sigmar reigned, and remained strong and healthy even aged eighty. Though his strength was undimmed and his wisdom greater than ever, Sigmar gave up his rule, passing the fledgling Empire to the control of the chieftains that formed his confederation.

To avoid bitter infighting over the rulership of the Empire, the chieftains chose to elect one from amongst their number to take the

position of Emperor. Sigmar passed on Ghal Maraz as a badge of office and travailed into the east, some say to see his friend Kurgan Ironbeard, others to fight on against the greenskins in the Dark Lands beyond the Worlds Edge Mountains.

For many centuries the Empire grew, its settlements expanding into towns and mighty cities. The descendants of the tribal chieftains continued to elect one amongst their number to reign over the Empire and lead their people, and they took to themselves the titles of Elector Counts. With aid from the Dwarfs, the Empire's craftsmanship and construction advanced rapidly, and the alliance between the two peoples flourished. In time, the people of the Empire began to worship Sigmar as a god and a great church spread across the lands to honour him.

However, peace was not to last. Corrupted with vanity and ambition, the Electors fought amongst themselves. The enemies of the Empire grew, in hidden places in the forests and in the dark beneath the world. Plagues devastated the Empire, and armies of rat-like Skaven erupted from. underground warrens to enslave entire towns. The armies of the Counts were laid low by the contagions secretly spread by the Skaven.

With the Empire tearing itself apart, the Skaven were unopposed until the Count of Middenland, Mandred, assembled a great army and fought back. Driven from the ruins of the Empire's farms and villages, the Skaven were forced back into their subterranean world. Rallying behind their new leader, the Counts elected Mandred as the new Emperor and for a few years the decline was stalled. The Skaven were to make a spiteful yet devastating last blow in the war, when assassins sent by the Council of Thirteen slew Mandred and the electoral system was again thrown into a turmoil of infighting, betrayal and murder.

• THE THREE EMPERORS • Over the following centuries the Empire tore itself apart with politics and civil war as the Counts fought amongst themselves for power. Sigmar's legacy was left in shreds as armies of Men marched against their fellows in pursuit of power and wealth for their increasingly selfish nobles. As more claimants to the Imperial throne emerged, the system of elections was totally swept aside. For many centuries there was sporadic civil war, and this period is known as the Time of the Three Emperors due to the rival claims to the throne.

The Empire was constantly beset by foes in these divided times. They were ill-prepared to face such enemies, the Counts unable or unwilling to call upon their comrades for aid. The first great war came with the invasion of Gorbad Ironclaw, a mighty Orc warlord that led his horde through Black Fire Pass and rampaged across the south of The Empire. The lands of Solland were burnt and plundered and the Count slain, his Runefang taken as loot by Gorbad. Wissenland and the city of Nuln were overrun and Gorbad's horde poured into the Reikland and besieged the great walls of Altdorf. There was no quick victory for Gorbad at Altdorf, despite the death of the Reikland Count during the fighting, and eventually the fractious nature of the greenskins took hold as the infighting warbands went their own way.

Another three hundred years of civil war and anarchy were to pass before the next menace arose, so threatening that many of the Counts put aside their differences for the first time in a thousand

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years in order to thwart its rise. From the cursed lands of Sylvania, a place infamous across the Old World for its grim woods and unquiet graveyards, a new contender for the throne declared himself: Count Vlad van Carstein.

Vlad was no mortal foe, for he was the first of the Vampire Counts. It is not known whether he was one of the first Vampires, under a new guise, or one of their infernal descendants. His armies of Undead ravaged the Empire for forty years during the Wars of the Vampire Counts, as Vlad attacked Ostermark and Stirland. Vlad was eventually slain at another great battle around Altdorf. The High Priest of Sigmar, the Grand Theogonist Wilhelm III, threw himself from the battlements of the city, dragging Vlad onto the stakes at the bottom of the wall.

The threat of the Vampires did not die with Vlad, as his unholy progeny multiplied and continued to attack the Empire for decades to come. In the midst of this fighting, another great event was to stir the Counts to selfish action.

A mighty comet smashed into the city of Mordheim, capital of Ostermark. Showering the ruined settlement with shards of warpstone, the comet left Mordheim pulsing with Chaotic energy. Not realising the corruption they risked in claiming such power, all manner of interested parties began to send armies and mercenaries to Mordheim to claim the warpstone for themselves. Eventually the city was cleansed by knights and witch hunters commanded by the Grand Theogonist, and the ruins of the city obliterated. It is still an area of ill reputation, where the taint of Chaos lies heavily on the land.

• THE GREAT WAR • Over the ages, the Old World has known many wars and endured innumerable perils. The fragile kingdoms of Men have met and defeated each threat, though every new danger that emerges seems greater than the last, and every battle is won at an ever-increasing cost. Of all these wars one alone is known as the Great War-- the Great War against Chaos.

In the far north, the Realm of Chaos swelled with power. The dark shadow of Chaos spilled southwards, engulfing the wastelands and absorbing them. Before this irresistible tide the minions of Chaos advanced, and as the shadow moved south so the forces of Chaos grew.

Monsters from the Northern Wastes were joined by bands of Chaos Warriors from the borders of the Troll Country. In the deep forests of the Empire, Beastmen assembled and readied themselves for war. In the winter of 2302 Kislevite forces attempted to hold several bridges across the Lynsk, but were overwhelmed by the Chaos horde.

During the fighting, several champions earned dire reputations, but of all the warlords there was one whose name was to cause dread to the foes of Chaos - Asavar Kul. Though the horde was so large that no single Man could be said to rule the mass of Chaos creatures, Kul's deeds and presence brought the banners of many lesser champions under his command. A chieftain from the savage Kurgan people, Kul was a fearless warrior, canny leader and vicious devotee of the Chaos gods, and wherever he led his army, terror and death were his companions.

The northern Kislevite city of Praag was the first stronghold to feel the wrath of Kul and his allies. Warped beasts, daemonic creatures and frenzied warriors assailed the walls of the city for many days. Though their dead were piled high, the Chaos forces launched assault after assault on Praag until the defenders could fight no more and the city was sacked. So powerful were the Chaos sorceries unleashed during the final attack that Praag was forever tainted by its mark. It is now an ill-regarded place, full of ghostly voices, shifting walls and plagued by the walking dead.

Moving south, the Chaos horde headed towards the capital, Kislev. Meanwhile, the Tzar of Kislev had sent word to the Empire for aid. Most of these messengers went unheeded, as the Electors ignored the danger of the Chaos horde and instead were consumed by their own petty ambitions. In the city of Nuln, however, a young man named Magnus preached a rallying call to the sons of Sigmar and began to amass a sizeable army. With passionate speeches and a rousing call to arms, Magnus appealed to all Men of the Empire to join his army and fight in defence of Sigmar's realm. Soon even the Elector Counts took notice of the force in Nuln, and with none of them wishing to be outmanoeuvred by their competitors they each sent a contingent of their own troops to bolster the army.

In the Worlds Edge Mountains, in the hold of Karaz-a-Karak, the Dwarf High King also recognised the threat posed by the Chaos horde and he marched forth at the head of a host of Dwarfen warriors intent on assisting the city of Kislev. The High King arrived to great cheers of welcome. Though his force was comparatively small, the presence of his stout Dwarf warriors did much to relieve the panic that had begun to grip the city.

As Magnus' army marched northwards, the Chaos horde fell upon Kislev. A bitter siege engulfed the defenders as Kul and the other champions sought to breach the defences. Greater Daemons rampaged along the walls only to be stopped by the sturdy Thanes of the Dwarf High King, while monstrous siege engines rained down rocks, bolts and magical fire at the walls themselves.

It was then that the Elves arrived. For many generations no High Elf host had set foot upon the lands of the Old World. Now, in its time of greatest need, the Old World was to be bolstered by the arrival of the most unexpected allies. Teclis, greatest of the Loremasters of Ulthuan, led an army to Kislev, their white ships arriving on the shores of the Sea of Claws. A glittering army disembarked, ready for battle. A part of the Elven host joined Magnus' force as it advanced from the citadel of Middenheim, while the rest made straight for Kislev.

The Battle at the Gates of Kislev was the largest in the history of the Old World. Men, Daemons, Elves, Beastmen, Dwarfs and Chaos Warriors all fought in a struggle that lasted for days. Asavar Kul and other mighty champions of the Dark Gods cut a bloody swathe through the allied hosts but victory was not to be theirs.

Magnus had sent an army of knights drawn from many different Orders to relieve Praag, but they had arrived too late. Pursuing the remnants of the Chaos army from the north, joined by Kislevite survivors of the war, they came to Kislev and fell upon the rear of Kul's force in a single bonesplintering charge. The defenders of the city sallied forth to add their numbers and, attacked on three fronts, the Chaos army was utterly broken.

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Legend claims that Kul himself was slain by Magnus, though this seems unlikely - Magnus was far more a leader than a warrior and would have been little match for the near-immortal servant of Chaos. However, Kul was slain in the battle though his body was never recovered, and the horde was scattered. For many years after, lone warbands continued to plague Kislev and the Empire, as they do to this day.

• EMPEROR KARL FRANZ • Following the Battle at the Gates of Kislev, the power of Chaos ebbed away. The Daemons melted back into the Realm of Chaos. Darkness withdrew from the land once more. The twisted ruins of Praag were levelled and the city rebuilt, though ever afterwards it has remained a haunted city.

Magnus the Pious, as he was known from then on, had united the Empire and was elected as Emperor. Purges were made against the Beastmen in the forests and Ostland and Ostermark were freed from their grip. The forces of Chaos were eventually pushed back to the Troll Country and beyond and relative peace ensued.

The true impact of the Great War is subtle, for it saw the Elves returning to the Old World and the coming of Teclis, who led the founding of the Colleges of Magic. A new understanding between the Elves of Ulthuan and the Empire grew, and the Empire now stood between the Dwarfs and Elves, learning from both, perhaps

some day ready to take its part in the final war against Chaos.

Since the Great War, the Empire has resurfaced as a great power in the world, united once more behind a single Emperor. Magnus was the first of the socalled Griffon Emperors - after the griffon statues of his home city of Nuln - but in time the seat of power passed to the Counts of Reikland, and the rulership moved to the ancient palace buildings of Altdorf on the River Reik.

Through several generations the Pnnces of Altdorf have reigned over the Empire, and in 2502 Pnnce Karl Franz of Altdorf, Count of Reikland, became Emperor. In over two decades of ruling the Empire, he has proven to be a strong and courageous leader. Although still beset by many foes, Karl Franz strives daily to maintain the legacy left to him by Sigmar and Magnus, and is widely reputed as the greatest statesmen in the history of the Old World. Through various means, he continues to unite the provinces and rulers of the Empire and to forge alliances beyond its borders.

It is well that he has done so for the threat of Chaos Remains ever present, as seen during the tumultuous events of the Storm of Chaos when the warlord Archaon led a devastating attack on the city of Middenheim. Orcs and Goblins grow in numbers once more, while the Skaven dig and scheme beneath the cities of the Empire. The dead still do not rest easily in their graves and the Vampires still hunt in the shadows. The world is dangerous, and only by the strength of its armies does the Empire remain.

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• TIME LINE FOR THE KNOWN WORLD • The timeline lists general dates of major events according to the Imperial Calendar. If a date is given in the source material according to a different calendar (such as the Nehekhara calendar which dates year 0 as the beginning of Settra's second reign, or the Gospodarin calendar which dates year 0 as the founding Kislev) dates are adjusted to the Imperial calendar by matching them against the founding of the Empire by Sigmar (year 0, Imperial Calendar.)

-15,000 First appearance of the Old Slann.

-10,000 End of the Ice Age, as the Old Slann alter the planet's orbit, causing a general rise in temperatures, a rise in sea levels, and withdrawal of the ice sheets to the polar regions.

-9,750 Emergence of the Elves as a civilized race. They migrate northward to colonize the Old World.

-9,500 For some unknown reason, the Old Slann transplant the emergent Elves to an island in the Great Western Ocean which becomes known as Ulthuan. The Dwarfs begin their northwardmigration.

-5,600 to -4,500 Fall of the Old Slann. With the explosion of the inter-dimensional polar gateways, Old Slann civilization is wiped out. Much of their magic and technology is forgotten. The first incursions of Chaos ravage the northern and southern polar regions.

-4421 The Elves create the Vortex, draining vast amounts of chaos from the world while being aided covertly by the Slann.

-3500 The Golden Age of the Elves. Great sea voyages are undertaken to the East and West, and colonies established in the Old and New Worlds.

-3000 The Golden Age of the Dwarfs begins with the establishment of their realm in the World's Edge Mountains.

-2723 Elven Civil War rages for 200 years, culminating in the exile of the Dark Elves to the New World (The Sundering).

-2500 Settra conquers all the lands of Nehekhara, appointing Princes to protect his rule. This begins the first dynasty of Nehekhara.

-2005 Malekith sends Dark Elf warriors to harass Dwarf caravans, stealing gold and killing indiscriminately. Tensions rise between the Dwarfs and the High Elves (who are framed for the incident).

-2000 Birth of Nagash.

-1999 High King Gotrek Starbreaker sends ambassadors to Ulthuan in attempt to secure peace between the Elves and Dwarfs. When they ask for fair recompense for the damage the Elves supposedly caused, they are expelled and their beards are shorn. The War of the Beard formally begins.

-1600 End of the War of the Beard as Elves withdraw to Ulthuan, leaving a few Wood Elf communities in the depths of the forest of Loren. The Dwarfs are decimated.

-1500 Massive volcanic activity destroys the Dwarf realms. Start of the Goblin Wars. Athel-Loren, the Wood Elf capital, is founded.

-500 The rise of Humanity sees the first dealings with the Dwarfs. Numerous petty states are established in the north-eastern Old World.

-1 The Battle of Black Fire Pass. A massive Orc army is destroyed by a combined army of Dwarfs and Humans under Sigmar. The Orcs and Goblins are slowly driven from the areas west of the World's Edge Mountains.

0 Sigmar is crowned the first Emperor by the High Priest of Ulric, marking the foundation of the Empire.

500 Intensive deforestation and cultivation takes place in the Old World as Humanity develops rapidly.

1000 The birth of the Old World nations sees a constant series of wars, and the fragmentation of the Empire. Halflings are established in Stirland.

1500 Religious war between the southern Old World and Araby.

1750 Nomadic invaders carve off Kislev from the Empire and establish the first major Human cities in the north east of the Old World.

2000 The Old Worlders make exploratory sea voyages westward and are prevented from entering Ulthuan by the High Elves.

2150 Sea Elves return to the Old World and set up trading posts.

2302 The Second Incursion of Chaos brings vast armies of Chaos Creatures pouring over the northern reaches of the Old World. Humanity, the High Elves and the Dwarfs unite to repulse the invaders, but at great cost. The Empire is reunited under Magnus the Pious.

2523 The world as it is today. Exploration continues, and the Incursions of Chaos are becoming active once more...

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Chapter 2: A Traveller's Guide to the Old WorldChapter 2: A Traveller's Guide to the Old World

he world comprises several large continents as we have seen, each harboring its distinctive civilizations and creatures. What

follows is a more detailed examination of that part known as the Old World - an area roughly equivalent to Europe towards the end of the Middle Ages. As described here, the Old World is not complete in every detail indeed, providing such detail would be largely impossible and would fill many volumes, each several times larger than the one you are reading. What we have provided is a basic background, which you can use to design your own adventures. Major cities, geographical features and specific places of interest have been included on the maps, but smaller towns, villages and lesser features are for you to create with all the points of detail that you care to give them (see Settlement Patterns in the Old World).

• GEOGRAPHY • The Old World is much larger than Europe, and much is still unspoiled wilderness, devoid of Human settlements. Forests of coniferous and deciduous trees constitute the natural background fauna, giving way to large areas of swamp and marsh in the lowlands, and heath or moorland in the highlands. Over this basic fauna, regional variations are formed by different soil types, the course of rivers and, occasionally, by the work of Humanity and/or other humanoid races. The forests are largely tangled, dark, and gloomy places - the haunts of bandits, chaos serving humanoids and other fearsome creatures.

• MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS OF THE OLD WORLD • The mountains shown on the map of the Old World are not by any means the only upland areas, but are the largest of such features and present almost insurmountable barriers to travelers except via the passes shown. The Worlds Edge Mountains are far taller than any European Range and mark the easternmost edge of the Old World. The Grey Mountains which divide Bretonnia and The Empire, and the Black Mountains which separate The Empire from the Border Princes, are comparable in height to the Alps of our own world. Here too are many old Dwarven settlements, and although more of these remain in Dwarven hands than those in the Worlds Edge Mountains, the term 'Dwarven nation' can no longer be applied to the whole region.

The Worlds Edge Mountains comprise the tallest and longest range in the Old World, effectively delineating its eastern boundary. The range stretches from the equator to the northlands beyond the Old World, forming a natural climatic barrier of great ecological importance. Crossing this barrier is not easy. Passes are open only during the summer months, and even then the journey is physically taxing. During the golden age of the Dwarfs, many underground crossing points were built, but most are now lost or destroyed, while those that remain are commonly inhabited by Goblins and other unfriendly creatures.

Formerly the backbone of the Dwarf nation, the Worlds Edge Mountains are studded with interconnected cities, mines and fortresses, so that once it was possible to travel from equator to pole entirely underground. Now, however, most of the old tunnels have been destroyed, and only patchy stretches exist - these being for the most part forgotten by the surviving Dwarfs and inhabited by creatures of evil. The southern portion of the mountains was further ruined by volcanic activity some 4,000 years ago, and many of those areas (including some of the most famous Dwarven cities)

are now under the influence of a darker power. Only scattered communities of Dwarfs remain in the mountains inhabiting old fortresses or outposts, isolated from the world at large within their secret valleys. The most noteworthy exception is the city of Caraz-a-Carak, the most mighty of the cities of old, and one of the few to survive into modern times.

The other major ranges which lie beyond the control of any of the Old World nations include the Black Mountains, the Grey Mountains, the Apuccinis, and the Irranas. These ranges all meet in the massive upland area known as The Vaults. The Black Mountains were formerly riddled with the caves and crude delvings of Goblins, but have now been taken over and, to some extent, cleared by the Dwarfs. Nonetheless, the area is still a dangerous one and difficult to cross.

The Grey Mountains effectively divide the Old World into two, and provide the natural frontiers between the lands of the Empire to the northeast and the Bretonnians to the south-west. The mountains are inhabited by Dwarfs, living in several scattered communities, the exact locations of which the Dwarfs rarely divulge.

The Apuccinis are generally avoided by Human travelers, since there are numerous bandit strongholds, Goblin caves and the dwellings of other evil creatures. The mountains are thickly wooded along both eastern and western slopes, and there is no Dwarf population as far as is known.

The Irrana Mountain range is largely barren, populated by itinerant bands of brigands and Goblins, and a small number of settled monsters. The population of Bretonnia and Estalia maintain a number of fortresses to guard the passes.

From these rocky barriers issue most of the streams that gather to fill the waterways of the Old World. The only rivers marked on the map are the largest and most important of the Old World. Like the mountains, the rivers form natural boundaries and nearly all are vital communications and trade links. Most of those shown are huge, comparable only to the Rhine of contemporary Europe, while the largest are formidable bodies of water that cannot even be bridged. Not surprisingly, the rivers and their valleys mark the main areas of Human habitation, the valleys being the most fertile regions and the rivers providing the most reliable transport system in the Old World.

• CLIMATE • The Old World climate ranges from cool temperates on the northern coasts, through continental over the vast majority of the inland regions, to warm temperate on the southern and western coasts. This means that, in the north, day-to-day weather is largely unpredictable. Rainfall peaks in mid-summer and mid-winter, when it is often cold enough for snow, but precipitation is fairly common all year round. Humidity is generally high, which makes for damp autumns and springs, with coastal fog being a major problem in late winter. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 25 ° C, while those of winter rarely fall below -15 ° C. Prevailing winds are from the north west.

The inland regions of the Old World have a much more stable and predictable climate. Spring and autumn are the wettest seasons, but the average rainfall is much lower, and the air is generally dry.

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Chapter II: A Traveller's Guide to the Old World

Winter temperatures can fall to as low as -40 ° C in the north, and snow, once it has fallen, rarely melts before the spring. Then the spring thaw usually produces sudden increases in river levels and flooding is a great hazard. In summer, as the temperatures climb to over 30°C, there are occasional spectacular thunderstorms over the mountain ranges. The winds tend to rotate from north east to south west.

The southern and western coastlines have as unpredictable a climate as those of the north, but the average temperature is about 10 ° higher, and rainfall is common only during the winter months. Prevailing winds are from the south west.

• MAJOR COUNTRIES • The Old World was first settled by Humanity over 3,000 years ago, as nomadic tribes migrated northwards and began to establish semi-permanent states. The basis of current political boundaries was not laid, however, until some 1500 years later, by which time the Dwarf/Human alliance had successfully concluded the Goblin Wars and driven the invaders back into the Dark Lands. Given this common history, cultural differences tend to be relatively superficial, and the vast majority of Old Worlders share a common tongue.

Political and religious differences are more marked and reflect the degree to which Chaos is seen as an external threat. Kislev is very much aware of this struggle, being almost constantly at war, and consequently all differences are put aside as the populace unites behind its Tsar. In the Empire, there is still peace enough for a more democratic set-up, where the Emperor is, at least in theory, elected by and from a small number of the most prestigious families, with the support of the religious heads. Bretonnia has a system of absolutist monarchy, with a decadent aristocracy quite content to obey the King, while lining their pockets at the expense of his people.

The Kingdoms of Estalia are an introspective group of small states, to whom the encroachments of Chaos seem a far distant threat. The people here are more involved with warring between themselves. Similarly, the Tilean City States - only a loose confederation - are primarily concerned with trade, but think nothing of attacking each other's fleets. The Border Princes have no centralized government at all - the name applies to a wild, untamed area where all sorts of adventurers and exiles have carved out petty kingdoms for themselves, while the Badlands have no Human settlements at all and are still plagued by hordes of goblinoids from the Worlds Edge Mountains.

• DEMI-HUMANS OF THE OLD WORLD • As has already been stated elsewhere, Elves are a relatively aloof race and their communities tend to be markedly distinct from those of the other races. Wood Elves in particular, apart from those of an adventurous disposition, keep themselves very much to themselves and the location of their communities is usually kept very quiet, if not actually fenced off by illusions and other magics. The largest Wood Elf settlement is that of Athel-Loren, deep within the Loren forest in south-eastern Bretonnia. Additional settlements are scattered around the other forests of the Old World.

By way of contrast, the Sea Elves have several communities actually within major Human ports, the largest of which is in Marienburg. Even so, these communities are usually regarded as "off limits " by the local populace, and the militia and city authorities allow them to organize themselves.

Ever since the collapse of the Dwarven realm in the Worlds Edge Mountains, the numbers of purely Dwarven communities have been on the decline. Those that have chosen to remain in their ancient homes are largely under siege. For the vast majority, that has been no choice but to become almost fully integrated into Human society.

The links between Halflings and Humanity have always been very strong, and nearly every Human settlement has a Halfling quarter. Within the boundaries of The Empire - between the rivers Stir and Aver - is an area called The Moot under Halfling administration, granted to them by Imperial charter.

• THE BADLANDS • The wild area of the Old World known as the Badlands remain unsettled, and represents one of the few successes of the Goblinoid hordes in invading the Old World since their defeat in the Goblin Wars (2,500 years ago).

Geography: The Badlands are bordered by the Black Gulf and the Worlds Edge Mountains to west and east respectively, by Blood River (which also marks the frontier with the Border Princes) to the north, and the Margbeh-Mard desert in the far south. The region is a bleak and depressing one, dominated by rocky moorlands and arid plains, scarred by forgotten wars and punctuated with the slag-heaps left by Goblinoid excavations.

Politics: Since the Dwarven fortresses of Karak Azul and Karak Azgal fell to the Goblins of the Broken Nose, there has been nothing to stop a steady stream of Chaotic humanoids pouring across the Worlds Edge Mountains into this area. The vigilance of the eastern Border Princes has so far prevented them from pressing on to Black Fire Pass, but does mean that the Goblins have once again turned their attentions to the remaining Dwarven strongholds of the Worlds Edge Mountains, which are now facing assaults from both west and east.

The People: The Broken Nose Goblins are easily the most infamous of the numerous goblinoid tribes that roam this area. Their strength and reputation among their own kind has increased considerably following their acquisition of the magical Dwarven trebuchet, Skull Crusher, and the multiple cannon Lead Belcher.

Language: The guttural tones of the Goblin tongue is the only language spoken with any frequency in this evil land.

• THE BORDER PRINCES • Unlike the Empire, Bretonnia, or even the Wasteland, the area known as the Border Princes does not form a nation or state, but is rather a loose confederacy of various petty Princedoms. Most Old Worlders think of and refer to the Border Princes in much the same way as they would the Badlands - an amorphous and largely lawless area, cut off from civilization by the Black-Vaults-Apuccini mountain chain. The fight that certain eastern Princes are waging against the Goblin hordes who pour across the Blood River and out from Mad Dog Pass goes virtually unnoticed.

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Geography: The Vaults, the high mountains where the Black, Grey, and Apuccini Mountain ranges all meet, is the focus of this fragmented land. Each time the incursions of Chaos have overrun the area, the surviving Princes and their armies have gathered in the shadows of the mountain to draw strength and launch their counter-attack. Each time they have succeeded, despite the complete lack of assistance from their neighbors. The Vaults' verdant hanging valleys provide excellent pasture for cattle, and nutritious, if modest, harvests. The rugged terrain is also ideal guerrilla country, and all kinds of brigands and rogue adventurers have bases here.

Which is not to say that the Princes are not brigands and rogue adventurers themselves. Lying south of the Black Mountains and between the Appucinis and the Black Gulf, the region known as the Border Princes is a sparsely populated, rather bleak area with large tracts of untamed wilderness which are frequently roamed by goblinoids from the Badlands.

Politics: People settle in these two areas for a variety of reasons. Many are exiled nobles from the civilized lands to the north and west; others are adventurers, tired of authority; there are religious recluses, and there are madmen. Law and central authority are both lacking, with towns and villages alike fiercely jealous of their independence, and this attracts those who cannot live in more rigid societies.

The People: Some areas were first settled during Humanity's earliest northward migration (some 3,000 years ago), while other parts have been developed only recently. The regions name originated from just over 1,500 years ago, when a number of adventurers (including many who were disenchanted with the fast-disintegrating Empire) struck out with many of their followers to colonize the mountains and drive out the Goblins. The leaders dubbed themselves Princes, although most had been stripped of all titles and many had never been more than simple adventurers.

People from all countries could be found fighting side-by-side in those days, and the more successful soon carved out a number of petty princedoms for themselves, exercising what authority each could by sheer force of arms. The situation remains pretty much the same up to the present.

Language: People in the Border Princes tend to speak an old form of the Riekspiel dialect of Old Worlder, but there will always be a number of individuals familiar with other dialects, as well as the occasional native speaker of foreign tongues such as those of Araby and Cathay.

Cities: There are no settlements of city size either in the Vaults or the Border Princes, and all towns are much further apart than elsewhere in the Old World (substitute an interval of 60 miles in the rules provided in the section on Settlement Patterns in the Old World).

• BRETONNIA • Bretonnia is a vast land, upon which the mark of Chaos is less apparent than (for instance) the forests of the Empire. The foundations of the nation were laid over 1,500 years ago, when Gilles le Breton led an army from the burgeoning city of Gisoreux

on a campaign of conquest which was only concluded some 70 years later by his grandson, Guillaume Barbenoire. With only the occasional dynastic crisis, Bretonnia has been ruled by a system of absolutist monarchy ever since. Lacking any obvious external threat, the Kings of Bretonnia have had little difficulty in maintaining their stranglehold on the nation, although decadence and complacence have combined to ensure that they could never entertain any serious thoughts of expanding its frontiers. Over the years, they have assisted the Burgomeisters of Marienburg in their gradual secession from the Empire, regarding the Wasteland as a potential buffer between them and any expansionist attempts from the East.

Geography: Bretonnia stretches from the coast of the Middle Sea in the north to the Irrana mountains in the south, and from the coast of the Great Western Ocean to the Grey Mountains in the east. The rolling hills and serene valleys of Bretonnia produce abundant crops and fine wines, whilst the forestlands provide solid timber and good hunting.

In the south of the country lies the Loren Forest, location of the major Wood Elf settlement (Athel-loner - see Dem-Human Settlements in the Old World), although this fact is disputed amongst Bostonians, and since the Elven King and Queen go to considerable lengths to deter visitors, it is largely avoided by the prudent.

The River Brienne begins its 600 mile journey to the sea amongst the fast-flowing mountain streams of The Vaults. From here it flows almost directly westward through the wild domain of the Loren Forest, and the largest single Wood Elf realm. The river assumes considerable proportions within the Loren Forest, fed by numerous forest springs and small rivers flowing from the Irrana mountains to the south. By the time it reaches the city of Quenelles (see below), it is over 100 yards wide, and the bridges at that city are divided into spans supported by piles sunk into the bed. Quenelles lies 800 miles from the sea, but is still accessible to normal sea-going vessels, although the river above Quenelles is more shallow, and transport is normally by flat barges. From here to the sea the river is swollen by numerous large tributaries, so that at its mouth it is several hundred yards wide. The city of Brionne (see below) lies on the north bank, whilst the south is marshy and uninhabited.

The River Grismarie is also about 600 miles long and draws waters from the west facing side of the Grey Mountains. At its source, the river flows through the north edge of the Loren Forest, and many Bretonnians regard the river as strangely enchanted. Its course takes it directly through a great lowland bowl, towards the Gisoreux gap, where the river is joined by the Ois and continues westward to the sea. Above the Ois, the Grismarie is navigable by large barges as far as Parravon, but sea-going vessels are restricted to the lower reaches and the wider, deeper Ois tributary. The river is crossable by ferry at Moussillon, but the only bridges on its entire length lie at Parravon and to the east of that city.

The River Morceaux rises in the central highlands of Bretonnia and follows a course through rolling chalk hills to its eventual destination on the west coast. The wine of the Morceaux valley is said to be the best in Bretonnia (if not the whole world). In summer, the rolling chalk hills of the area are covered with vines, the produce of which is processed locally before being sent downstream to the merchants. The Morceaux is navigable by sea vessels only as far as the city of Bordeleaux, 25 miles upriver,

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beyond which it incorporates a system of locks designed to permit access by by barges and small craft. Although a small river compared to the Reik or even Brienne, it is still an important waterway.

The Ois flows directly through the Gisoreux gap from its sources amongst the Grey Mountains and the Pale Sisters. Below the bridges of Gisoreux, the river is navigable to sea-going vessels, being especially deep and slow-flowing, although not especially wide.

The Sannez courses northward from the Pale Sisters, supplemented by the numerous spring-fed streams of the region. Couronne's famous hot-springs and mineral waters join the Sannez and swell its bulk considerably below the city, and no doubt are an important contributor to the valley's remarkable fertility. From Couronne to the sea, the Sannez is fully navigable to ocean going vessels - even though it meanders round in a great arc from north to south and finally flows westward into the Middle Sea - and the gentle hills that surround its banks provide ample cargoes in the form of local wine. At the coast the river flows through the huge port of L'Anguille, with its famous 1500-foot high light-tower.

The Pale Sisters form a northern extension of the Grey Mountains, between which lies the Gisoreux gap, the confluence of all the overland trade routes between The Empire to the east and Bretonnia and the Estalian Kingdoms to the west and south. The mountains are largely barren, inhabited only by brigands and a small number of goblins. Some of the peaks are said to resemble bent old crones, whilst the eternal snow covering gives them shawls, hence the name of Pale Sisters.

Politics: The elected officials of Bretonnian cities are theoretically responsible to a royal governor, selected by the King from amongst the aristocracy. The position offers social prestige, but few governors live up to their duties. The King (Charles de la Tête d'Or III) is the least caring of an uncaring elite, living in his great palace at Oisillon 100 miles north-west of Gisoreux, surrounded by favorites, sycophants and countless servants. Small wonder that the maltreated urban poor of Bretonnia have a reputation as troublesome, politically ambitious agitators and rogues.

The People: Perhaps the flippant attitude of Bretonnia's elite to the terrors that surround them may be explained by the relative calm and prosperity of their lands. It is more likely that this is itself a sign of the Chaos that has distorted the very soul of the Bretonnian people. The ruling classes of this land are ridden with corruption, willfully blind to the decay around them and sordidly decadent in every way. Painted fops parade their finery amongst the mud and dung of the streets, ladies sit like dolls in shining carriages, bedecked in glittering jewels and tall, white wigs, while hiding their ghastly pox-marks and worse disfigurements behind rouge and white powder. The taint of Chaos is less apparent in Bretonnia only because its citizens remain blind to it, unbelieving and unwilling to accept its dreadful implications, hiding their fear behind extravagance and tawdry display.

Language: The Bretonnian dialect of Old Worlder has many similarities with that of south-west Albion, although Bretonnians are notorious for their inability pronounce "th" which usually becomes "z". The initial

" h" is invariably dropped by native speakers, while "r" is always rolled at the back of the throat.

Cities: Bretonnia boasts a number of large cities. These are L'Anguille with its famous lighthouse; the wine-trading center of Bordeleaux; Brionne - the City of Thieves; the spa town of Couronne; the seething melting pot of Gisoreux; Moussillon - The City of the Damned; mysterious Parravon, where death stalks the night-time streets; and Quenelles, where the oppression of the poor by the aristocracy is infamous even by Bretonnian standards.

In stark contrast to the countryside, the cities are poorly administered, money raised for their up-keep is frequently embezzled by corrupt officials, or squandered on frivolities. Whole quarters lie in unattended ruins, fetid offal and rotting corpses block the narrow streets, whilst long-neglected sewers overflow, spilling their foul contents onto the already treacherous pavements. Careless of such filth, the rich, the powerful and the aristocratic hold marvelous parties, glittering balls and all sorts of widely extravagant social functions, dressing in the most expensive silks, drinking the most prized wines in the Old World and exchanging hollow pleasantries whilst all around falls into decay.

L'Anguille is widely known for its great lighthouse, an ancient fortress of considerable dimensions and unrivaled height. It is said to have been built by the Elves many years before their wars with the Dwarfs, remaining protected over the millennia by powerful spells and the solidity of its construction. The tower is easily the tallest structure in the Old World, standing fully 1500 feet tall, formed in the shape of a tapering octagon 150 yards wide at the base rising to an octagonal platform 50 yards across at the top. The whole construction is of a strange black stone, and is riddled with tunnels and chambers. The edifice is used as the administrative center of the city as well as the governor's palace and the barracks for the city's soldiery. Upon the top is a platform bearing a constantly blazing fire raised a further 75 feet from the tower's roof. This can be seen right across the Middle Sea in distant Albion, and must have served the Elves as a great beacon, calling to fleets as they voyaged eastward across the seemingly endless expanse of the Great Western Ocean.

The remainder of the city lies tightly packed within solid walls, neatly divided by the river Sannez. The river banks are formed into solid quays for the large ships that pass through on their way to Couronne. L'Anguille is a trading port of some importance, although overshadowed by Marienburg, whose position on the Reik affords easier access to the heart of the Old World. Like all Bretonnian cities it is poorly maintained, and life for the majority is hard and squalid. Work, however, is easy to find - the wharves and quays shelter dozens of inns where sea-captains and river traders look for a sturdy crew or hired-swords.

Bordeleaux's trade is the life-blood of this city, and it is based almost entirely upon wine from the Morceaux valley (see Rivers- above). Good wines are bought and sold - bad wines are bought and drunk (mostly by the local sailors). Even the poor enjoy a bountiful supply of cheap, rough wine Indeed, “the sober man of Bordeleaux” has passed into folklore as an impossible, or incredible being.

The city is dominated by great houses built by rival merchants, who, in a desperate bid to outdo each other, try to erect as tall and

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impressive a monument to their financial success as possible. The largest houses are almost castles, and the two largest and most imposing buildings in all Bordeleaux stand here: the Governor's Palace on Towerhill and Bordeleaux fortress on Execution Hill, each surrounded by lesser buildings seeking to emulate their grandeur. Between the two hills lies the great Bordeleaux bridge, spanning the width of the river Morceaux and marking the point beyond which large vessels cannot go.

The south bank below the bridge is mainly dockland, where ships load and unload cargoes into the numerous warehouses. Impromptu sales are held here, whilst the riverside boasts countless inns, vice-dens and other sources of attraction. Amidst the finery of rival merchants, gut-swollen aristocrats and dandied fops, there is little room for the poor who constitute the majority of the population and whose hovels sprawl along the outskirts beyond the two hills and well out of sight of the 'high town'. The twin hills of Bordeleaux afford natural drainage and sewerage, so that the mercantile districts are relatively clean. However, what effluence does not flow into the river flows into the shanty towns of the poor, where disease is rife and the air hangs foully around the decaying buildings. Here human deprivation has reached its most disgusting nadir, where children may be bought and sold without question, where murder is rarely noticed and where the strong rule the weak amidst a petty kingdom of filth.

Brionne is sometimes called the City of Thieves - such is the degree of lawlessness - where over half the eleven thousand inhabitants earn their livelihoods directly from the proceeds of crime, and the remainder are supported by its proceeds in some manner. Even the Governor and the local militia are openly involved. The city sprawls upon the north bank of the river Brienne, its quays offering unquestioned refuge to sea-going vessels, whatever their purpose. Pirates and smugglers regard Brionne as a safe-port, where they they will suffer no interference so long as they are mindful not to come into open conflict with the Governor's men. The Governor himself has gown fat operating his personal fleet of smugglers, and by imposing taxes on harboring ships and warehouses. In return for their donation to the city coffers, contributors are left to their own devices, and wharfside warehouses are crammed with loot obtained in every conceivable manner.

Couronne is a great spa city, a market place for agricultural produce from the fertile Sannez valley (see Rivers- above), and a mighty fortress. Here, wheat, wine, and meat from the surrounding areas are traded for luxurious silks and spices bought by traders from Magritta in Estalia (q.v.) to the south. But Couronne is most famous for its numerous springs and natural baths, whose steaming waters are said to have magical powers. On one of these springs stands the greatest temple to Shallya, Goddess of Healing, to which pilgrims hobble, crawl, or are carried from every corner of the Old World. Couronne lies upon the gentle sloping hills of the east bank of the river, the west bank sheltering a sprawling and insanitary suburb, docklands, and countless places of refuge for the lawless and impoverished. The town's watch refuse to enter this area (known as 'the Cesspit'), so that it has become wholly given over to the criminal and downtrodden members of Bretonnian society.

By virtue of its natural springs, the city within the walls is surprisingly clean by Bretonnian standards. Most large houses have their own basement hot-spring and water supply, whose constant flowings disperse the foul air and filth normally associated with

Bretonnian settlements. Subterranean culverts direct the waters down into the Sannez in an ever-tumbling cascade, raising the water temperatures so much that the surrounding waters steam, and in winter the docks remain permanently ice-free. In Couronne even the poor have a certain wholesome appearance.

Gisoreux is the largest city in Bretonnia, with a population of eighteen thousand. The vast majority are poor, disabled, diseased and politically volatile - indeed, the 'Gisoreux Mob' is a much feared entity, which frequently takes to the street in orgies of theft and violence. The city itself is a strategically important river crossing, controlling the 75 mile gap between the northern edge of the Grey Mountains and the Pale Sisters. It was from here that Gilles le Breton set out to conquer the surrounding states and thus lay the foundations of contemporary Bretonnia. A huge statue of this mighty warrior towers above the heaving throngs of the central market square.

Yet, in spite of its illustrious history and special place among the annals of Bretonnia, the filth and decadence of all Bretonnian cities is especially manifest here. Thieves and agitators are the least dangerous of the creatures that roam the countless miles of disused tunnels and drains beneath the city streets. These "bowels" of Gisoreux in many ways reflect the society that thrives above. Here the darkness of forgotten and crumbling passages hides the doings of Chaotic cultists - usually thrillseeking aristocrats who have become corrupted by their constant pursuit of new experiences, power and exotica. There are many amongst the rich whose tastes for the bizarre extend to the worship of the Dark Gods, and the delvings beneath Gisoreux offer them shelter and seclusion. The labyrinthine passages are also home to many dark and noisome creatures who seek refuge in the blackness, living upon the discarded waste of the city above, or sneaking out by moonlight to prey upon the weak and helpless. Although the worship of Chaos Gods is not openly tolerated even in this pit of decadence and decay, opposition is sluggish and languid.

Moussillon has an evil reputation. 'The City of the Damned' some call it, and for those that live within its crumbling walls the title must seem an apt one. Here a once thriving and prosperous city has fallen to the ravages of nature, or perhaps to those unnatural powers that delight in decay and pestilence. Originally the city was not much different from others in Bretonnia, but a series of earthquakes some 50-odd years ago reduced even the houses of the rich to crumbling ruins. Worse still, it was discovered shortly afterwards that the whole area was slowly sinking, and now a miasma of despair hangs over the city, a stinking cloud of pestilence that makes it one of the most unhealthy places to live in the entire world.

The aura of doom is all-pervading, so that even the finery of the lords and ladies is ragged, dirty and irreparable. Yet those that live here care little for the fate that has befallen their city - they have grown used to its squalor and have adapted to it. They roam the quagmire streets like zombies, soulless and unseeing. In he markets they haggle for rotten fruit, at the quaysides they hail ships whose crews look with horror upon the corrupt city, and whose masters hurry along to the coast. Few travel willingly to this city, and those that do prefer to leave as soon as they can. Here, alone in the Old World, the evil of mutation openly walks the streets; inhuman chants to the Chaotic Gods rise unstifled into the sickening air.

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Parravon lies upon the north bank of the upper Grismarie against a background of steeply rising chalk cliffs. The houses follow the valley floor for some four miles, never attaining a width of more than three or four streets. Many of the houses cut into the rock face, or have cellars sunk into the soft stone, whilst the towering cliffs are home to thousands of birds whose white droppings pepper the red-tile roofs of this picturesque city. The river is narrow here, and the upper limit for large ships is the city's northern edge, where small dockland warehouses cut directly into the rugged rock. The citizens like to think of themselves as simple country folk, and are fairly prosperous, thriving upon abundant harvests of fruit and grain from the surrounding countryside.

Here, isolated from the larger cities of the north, the lords and ladies of Parravon indulge their whim for gardening and pleasure pursuits of a superficially healthy nature, far removed from the heights of decadence practiced in Gisoreux and Couronne. Yet even here the worm of Chaos is at work, for at night the city changes - doors are shut and bolted, windows latched and shutters closed. After sunset the streets of Parravon become strangely empty and an uneasy quiet descends, while the citizens remain indoors, unwilling to acknowledge the stranger's knock and grudging in their hospitality. For Parravon is afflicted by some sinister evil, some weird cavalcade of beasts or demons who stalks the night, breaking into houses and carrying off whole families. Only the aristocracy seem unmolested, and many in the city blame them for the problems. Others curse the city's wizards for their meddling, or talk in muted tones of witches and shapechangers. Yet nothing can be proven, and the lords and ladies of Parravon do much to see that the streets are patrolled, that watchmen guard the night, and that bereaved citizens are recompensed as far as possible.

Quenelles lies 50 miles to the west of the Loren Forest on the banks of the river Brienne. The city itself is accessible to seagoing vessels, but beyond it the river is too shallow to allow any but smaller boats and barges to pass. Quenelles is a dark, dirty and squalid place, where houses tumble into each other and where the neglected streets are used as dumping grounds for refuse and filth of all descriptions. The city was once walled, but generations of poor maintenance and widespread disinterest have seen most of the fortifications collapse - frequently destroying adjoining houses. Further building has extended the city beyond its walls, creating a number of dilapidated shanty towns almost as vile as the slums within the city itself.

The aristocrats of Quenelles live in large mansions whose tall, sometimes broken towers look down on the city from the hills to the north. They are as indulgent and decadent as any Bretonnian aristocrats, and have a reputation for cruelty that is notorious even by this country's appalling standards. Unfortunately for the populace at large, the city's Governor and militia leaders are the worst of the lot. Criminality is, of course, common amongst the repressed lower classes, where food is a rarity and money almost unknown. Punishment is severe for those caught, especially if the offense is against the upper classes - mutilation and torture are common for even petty crimes, and branded or disfigured citizens are a common sight in the city streets. The inherent sadism of the city's inhabitants points towards an inner corruption of a most heinous kind, testifying to the gnawing evil of Chaos that is slowly permeating the Bretonnians.

• THE ESTALIAN KINGDOMS • The Estalian Kingdoms lie far to the south, where the threat of Chaos seems very remote. Its foul corruption might be deeply hidden, but the seeds are nevertheless there, and gradually the more weak-willed fall prey to its influence.

Geography: The Estallian climate is warm and dry, and although not exactly bountiful, harvests are more than adequate for local needs, supplying sufficient amounts of palatable wine, olive oil and fruit for lucrative trade into Araby to the south. The Arabian connection is strongest in the kingdoms that lie along the southern coast, where Arab traders frequently come to ply their wares and exchange stories of adventure. To the north are the Kingdoms of the Irrana mountains, barren lands populated by fierce-fighting hillmen whose solid fortresses guard the passes over the mountains.

Politics: Lacking both the external threat of Chaos to unite the people, and any outstanding, charismatic leaders, Estalia has remained fragmented. Countless independent kingdoms have evolved around the largest cities and towns, constantly waging war upon each other, and occasionally upon their neighbors - the Arabians to the south, the Tileans to the east and the Bretonnians to the north.

The People: The people of the Estalian Kingdoms are dark-skinned, black haired and stout. They claim to be the first Humans to have settled in the Old World, but this is not taken seriously elsewhere. However, it would be an unwise traveler who chose to debate the issue within the Kingdoms' boundaries.

Language: Estalians speak the Old World tongue with a sing-song, nasal accent, and in some of the northern hill-side states, outsiders have great difficulty understanding the locals, whose speech is often larded with strange idioms from a former age.

Cities:The two largest Estalian cities are also, not surprisingly, the wealthiest and most powerful Estalian states. There are numerous towns and villages, but none come close to the size of Bilbali or Magritta. (GMs may locate these settlements by following the guidelines given in Settlement Patterns of tbe Old World).

Bilbali lies in the north of the country, controlling an area between the sea and the southern forests. It is the second largest settlement in Estalia, and the main one in the north of the country. The surrounding coast is extremely inhospitable, with towering cliffs that afford no shelter for ships. At Bilbali, however, a steep-sided crag gives access to a shallow bay, where the city stands against a background of cave-studded cliffs.

The most striking feature of the city is a tall tower, built upon an island within the bay. From atop its lofty height, a great bronze bell calls out across the Great Western Ocean. In storms and times of trouble, pilots listen eagerly for the sound of the bell with its promise of a safe harbour and a mug of good Estalian wine. The surrounding area is somewhat poor, so that Bilbali's fortunes are wholly dependent upon the sea and, to protect her fragile maritime trade, the people of the city maintain a close watch on the Seaways. Their fleets are well armed and her sailors renowned fighters, bitter enemies of the many pirates who frequent the coasts of Estalia and southern Bretonnia.

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Magritta is a great port, built by natural deep-water harbors within the sheltered Bay of Quietude. Its reputation as a friendly port with ready markets for all manner of cargoes draws traders from many parts of the globe. Its quays are usually crowded, and, among the assortment of Old Worlder merchantmen, one can occasionally catch a glimpse of a strangely rigged craft from Araby or even further afield. Magritta's reputation is well-deserved, for no pirates are tolerated here, and the Magrittans maintain a strong presence in the Southern Sea. They are fair, honest traders, and, over the years, have grown to be rich ones. The Bay of Quietude forms a natural fortress, and the Magrittans control all the land thereabouts, including the bay's twin headlands where two massive fortresses guard the approaches to the port, and serve as its beacons.

The merchants of Magritta trade goods from the north, as well as the natural produce of their lands, including silver from the Abasko mountains to the east, while Couronne in Bretonnia is one of the larger markets for imported silks and spices. Their southern trade is deeply envied by the piratical Tilean states to the east, who fancy themselves as merchant adventurers, and there are frequent skirmishes between the rival cities. To protect their trade , the Magrittans maintain a strong navy, often hiring northern ships and crews to fight alongside their own tireless galleons. Hostile shipping is mercilessly sunk, whilst pirates are hounded and captured whenever possible and their crews brought back for public execution in the great marketplace. Ships from rival states may be boarded, their cargoes 'inspected' and frequently their captains obliged to sail into Magritta to trade their goods - thus swelling the city's trade and reducing that of its rivals.

Like all open ports and trading cities, Magritta has a polyglot population. The natives are hard-working folk, largely ignorant of the dangers and temptations of Chaos, thanks to the city's position in the deep south of the Old World. Nonetheless, there are some who are only too willing to take advantage of the city's lax laws to practice their unspeakable rites and vile demonic faiths, undisturbed by the vigilance that characterizes the cities of the north. Even so, the worship of Chaos Gods is a matter that would shock and disgust the majority of easygoing Magrittans.

• KISLEV • Surprisingly, at least to those who don't know the Kislevites, Kislev boasts some of the oldest settlements in the north of the Old World. The area was first settled over 1,000 years ago by a formerly nomadic people called the Gospodars, who bad been raiding the region from the far side of the Worlds Edge Mountains for many years. Realizing that the disintegrating Empire was far too absorbed with internal squabblings to deal with an invasion, they seized their opportunity with both hands. By the time The Empire began to stir itself, the Gospodars had already established their realm.

Geography: Kislev comprises the city of Kislev and a number of vassal and colonial states situated Between the river Lynsk to the north and the Talabec the south. It is the only Old World state to extend eastwards over the Worlds Edge Mountains, although these lands (known as "Zaborota", or "Farside") are only tenuously held by marcher boyars (barons), and only in the peak of summer are the mountain passes open. Westwards, the Sea of Claws and the Forest of Shadows form more secure frontiers.

The River Urskoy is the easternmost of all navigable rivers in the Old World. It enables cargoes from Kislev to be transported the length of The Empire, as far as the sea at Marienburg, almost 1000 miles away. At Altdorf (see The Empire) the Urskoy joins the mighty river Reik and cargoes may be transferred to oceangoing vessels.

The River Lynsk marks the boundary between Kislev and the Northern Wastes. It is navigable by river boats as far as Praag, although it is a brave captain who would risk his vessel on such a journey, when it is open to assault from the Chaos hordes that prowl the northern banks. During the months of winter, the river is often frozen for miles at a stretch, and the citizens of Praag must look to their storehouses to survive.

Politics: The Norse barbarians and hordes of Chaos that live in the northern wastes must travel through Kislev before they can penetrate the Old World - and the Kislevites are sworn to stop them. For this reason, they maintain a strong army of valiant warriors, and employ many mercenaries and sell-swords. Kislev is a state under siege, right on the front line of the war against Chaos. Unfortunately, like everywhere else, the taint of corruption runs far deeper than anyone can imagine, and the forests of Kislev are rife with all manner of Beastmen and their treacherous, power-hungry, Human allies. The city-states comprising Kislev are kingdoms in their own right, although in effect little more than provinces with monarchs strictly under the thumb of Tsar Radii Bokha of Kislev - Overlord of the north.

The People: The Kislevites and their subject peoples have long since intermingled with the native Old Worlders, and yet they remain enigmatically 'different'. They are a tall people, broad shouldered, with dense blond or red hair. Although reputedly quiet and dour, they are resolute fighters, sworn to root out and destroy the minions of Chaos that threaten their lands from north and east. They are also great music lovers, and the battle songs of Kislev are an impressive sound when sung by the deep-voiced warriors before a battle.

Language: Although the Kislevites have long since adopted the Old World tongue, their past is not completely forgotten and many still use the tribal speech of old, which is reputedly furnished with a wealth of highly descriptive terms of abuse. Their voices are rich and sonorous, and when using the Old World tongue, they have thick accents and tend to say "v" instead of "w".

Cities: The three largest Kislevite cities are Erengrad, the country's major port; Kislev, the capital; and Praag, the beleaguered city of King Zoltan.

Erengrad is second only to Marienburg (see The Wasteland) among the northern ports of the Old World. Through its harbors pass the innumerable wares of the Norscan coast - whale oil, sea-ivory, timber, tar and fish. Ships based in the city journey far to the north to trade with barbaric Norsemen, braving the dangers of the terrible northern seas which seethe with the malformations and malintent of the noisome Gods of Chaos. Upon the quays of Erengrad Norse rub shoulders with traders from as far away as the great trading centers of Marienburg, L'Anguille, and occasionally with sailors from ports as far distant as Bilbali and Magritta. The

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city stands at the head of the chill waters of the river Lynsk, within a huge lagoon that offers shelter from the cold sea and the ravenging winds of Chaos that blow from the north. The principle trading docklands are situated on a sizeable island, joined to the main city by means of fabulous timber bridge built upon vast piles sunk deep into the bed of the lagoon.

The architecture is unique to the region - few buildings are over two storys in height, apart from the many temple towers, with their gilded cupolas and multitudinous bells for which the city is famous. On great civic occasions, these are rung in unison, and their peels echo for miles around. The city presents walls of solid timber to beings cowering in the dark forests, and from its great bronze gates a lone and dangerous path winds its way towards Middenheim and The Empire.

Kislev stands high on the banks of the river Urskoy, within a great loop of the river at a point where it skirts the steep "Gorá Geroyev" (or "Hill of Heroes") upon which the city is built. Its walls are strong and steadfast, if somewhat molten in appearance in places where the tides of Chaos have lashed against it before being beaten back by the stout-hearted defenders. Kislev stands at the very frontiers of anarchy, upon the borders of an area whose exact form can shift and change with the wind. The city has suffered siege and assault by both the servants of Chaos and the mutating winds that accompany them. Many of Kislev's older buildings bear witness to terrible battles in which flesh and stone flowed like water before assuming new, horrific shapes.

The wharves of Kislev are built around an artificial pool within the city walls, and are accessible only through a well-defended river-gate. East of the city, the river is much shallower and is the preserve of flat-bottomed barges and small riverboats, craft whose crews congregate in the way-side inns and houses along the wharfside.

Upon the crest of the Hill of Heroes stands the palace of the Tsar of all Kislevites, Radii Bokha, the Overlord of the north and sovereign to all the Kings of Kislev. This mighty fortress rises in tier upon tier of stone towers and gaily festooned battlements, reaching a pinnacle in a great golden dome which is plainly viewable from many miles around.

Praag is less fortunate than Kislev, and was once completely overswept by mutating storms from the north. Amid howling gales of destruction, the servants of Chaos strode into the city, slaying women and children as the city slowly melted into a screaming travesty of its former grandeur. When the tides of Chaos receded, those fortunate enough to have escaped into the woods returned to find their homes transmuted into the foulest of nightmares. Where neat rows of houses once stood side by side, there now flowed a weird warren of molten glass, melted by some incredible heat, distorted into caverns and caves and all manner of disturbing shapes. Nor was the effect restricted to inanimate matter, for everything passed over by the Chaos hordes became jumbled and intermixed, so that it was no longer possible to distinguish between living creatures and the rough stone of houses. Thus, the survivors of Praag found their city completely corrupted, where walls were split to show rows of teeth in a gibbering mouth, and where floors moved as if composed of a writhing mass of small creatures....

In desperation, King Zoltan ordered that the city be burnt to the ground, cleansing the foulness from it so that the people might build it again. This they did, erecting a new city whose stone walls

stood as solid as those of Kislev itself. But little could they imagine the true power of Chaos, for its creations cannot so easily be banished, and soon the terrors of the old city began to grow back, polluting the new buildings. At first the city began to whisper, then the night air was fined with pitiful cries of agony. Once more, faces appeared in the walls, and grasping hands from the pavements - only by vigilant burnings and rebuilding is any sanity retained. The reputation of Praag is grim, and travelers tell sickening tales of its horrors. In his nearby Palace Praag, King Zoltan drills the Stalgrad Militia, and broods on how the Chaos spawn can be defeated and his people avenged.

• THE TILEAN CITY-STATES • The coastal plains encompassing the Tilean Sea are studded with human settlement, collectively known as the Tilean Cities.

Geography: Tilea stretches from the Appucini Mountains in the east to the Abasko Mountains in the west, curving right round the Tilean sea and bordered by the Irrana Mountains in the north. The Apuccinis shelter the Tileans from the lawless areas known as the Border Princes (or that is how the Tileans see it, at least), but forests in the foothills are dangerous enough, harboring many predatory beasts, not all of natural or earthly origin. There are Goblins too, and brigands are a constant threat, maintaining stony strongholds high in the mountain valleys. Few Tileans would willingly venture into these areas, whilst few of those who do ever return. The inland states are mostly concerned with agriculture, growing crops and raising goat and sheep herds, or grazing scrappy cattle. To the west, the Abasko mountains fall abruptly to the sea, offering little scope for settlement other than small, cliff-hanging fishing villages with the occasional goat-herd sheltering high up in one of the hidden upland valleys.

In the north-west, the land lies under the evil miasma of the foul Blighted Marshes, a lifeless area of shallow pools covered by a great swirling mist, and fed by innumerable stinking streams. The marshes form countless miles of fetid, sluggish pools in which indescribable things slime and slither. It is a lightless land of mist and vapor, so repellent that Humans go nowhere near. The marshes are home to pestilence and countless disease-carrying insects, but also to the arch-servants of Chaos, the Skaven - whose great monument to decay, the city of Skavenblight, stands crumbling amongst the stinking mire. Humans avoid the whole area, and the few that dare breathe the city's name, insist that it is but an evil legend.

Politics:The Tilean lands are divided into numerous states, each under the leadership of a city or major town. Most of the important states lie upon the coast, and are great maritime powers, often battling the Arabians and Estalians for control of the high seas, seizing merchant convoys and helpless lone traders. Although there is great rivalry between the individual states, there is also a measure of mutual respect, a recognition of a common heritage that ensures that most of their warlike energies are directed against common enemies. The inland states are smaller, sometimes subservient in some way to the coastal states.

The People: The Tileans share many physical and cultural traits with the Estalians to the west. They are dark skinned and have black glossy

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hair. In the relative safety of their own borders, they are happy to pour scorn on the Estalian claim of being the first Humans to settle in the Old World, but think twice before debating the point with a native of that land.

Language: The Tileans speak a distinct musical dialect of Old Worlder, which outsiders sometimes mistake for Estalian; nothing is guaranteed to annoy a Tilean more.

Cities: The greatest of the Tilean cities (although there a many smaller ones) are Luccini, built near an ancient, ruined, Elven sea port; Miragliano, built on islands with canals instead of streets; Remas, home of the Old World's greatest fishermen; Sartosa, City of Pirates; and Tobaro, City of Sirens.

Luccini: The great southern plain of Tilea, a prosperous, fertile land famous for fine horses and copious granaries, is the hinterland for Luccini. Within its elegant walls stands the greatest mausoleum to the god Morr in the Old World, and here, every ten years, is held the most important convocation of the deity's priests. The city itself is built partly over the ruins of an ancient, black-stoned metropolis, said to have been a great Elven port in the days before their wars with the Dwarfs. Now, however, it is little more than rubble, although treasure hunters do occasionally uncover long-hidden subterranean passages - excavating incredible ancient riches from amongst the ruins. But the ruins are also dangerous. Some people believe they are haunted, others say that they have become the refuge for all manner of evil, from Goblin scavengers to Human brigands. Sometimes, lights appear in the ruins, or vague inhuman chants are carried by a cool wind. More terrible still, cries of laughter ring through the clear night air, accompanied by screams of terror and the perpetual moaning of the damned. Well-meaning citizens often appeal for the rubble to be cleared, and the area is vast, several times larger than the city itself, so the work has so far proved to be an impossible one.

Miragliano: This city stands upon hundreds of small islands, connected by stone-banked canals. The landward side of the city is marshy and unpleasant, but Miragliano itself is airy and clean. Water is a problem - the surrounding sea is obviously undrinkable, while the streams and small rivers that permeate the marshes to the north lie several miles distant. The residents buy what they need from the local water sellers, who ply the canals in their small barges.

Miragliano is a great trading city whose small, light ships are a scourge to the large trading nations. Ships from Miragliano regularly sail as far afield as the deep south, although running the blockade of Magrittan ships in the Southern Sea can prove difficult. The Miraglianians are a vigorous and ambitious people. Merchants from the city can be found all over the Old World buying furs, sea ivory, and amber in Erengrad, trading the goods of the New World in Marienburg and bartering with hard-faced Arabians in Magritta.

Remas: A giant headland over 100 miles long and up to 40 miles broad juts out into the Tilean Sea, sealing off a large lagoon, into which flow numerous small rivers. This makes the lagoon extremely favorable for marine life, and the people of Remas exploit this to the full, and have gained a reputation as the world's greatest fishermen. The city was built at the tip of the peninsular, walled to all sides. To further strengthen its defenses, there are two series of inner walls, following the contours of the headland and rising to a splendid citadel at its peak.

The Remans are splendid sailors, their ships competing alongside those of Miragliano and Luccini for the southern trade. Their small nimble craft may often be seen scouring the seaways with less honest intention, for the Remans regard the vessels of other cities as fair game - especially those of the Magrittans who prevent them from fully exploiting the commercial potential of the south. Remas and Miragliano maintain a certain long-standing emnity, and the two cities frequently war against each other, often soliciting the aid of the various small Tilean states, and employing sell swords and mercenaries from all over the Old World.

Sartosa: Although it is rumored in the north that all Tileans are pirates, this is only literally true of Sartosans - the city is known more usually as the Pirate City for that reason. Pirate ships of every shape and size anchor at the great harbor, whilst the city bulges with the plunder of the sea - gold from the south, silks from Araby, jewels from the New World and fine wines from Bretonnia. The whole city thrives upon plunder, secure in its natural deferences and the fighting reputation of its citizens.

Unlike Brionne (a city which openly welcomes pirates and turns a blind eye to their dealings), Sartosa is actually run by pirates. It is administered far more harshly and much more efficiently that any other city in the Old World. Within the bounds of the harbor, Pirate Law applies, forbidding theft and offering frequent terminal punishments for murderers, thieves, swindlers and traitors. Disputes between captains are settled by the Master of Sartosa - the king of the Pirates elected annually from and by the pirate captains then in port.

The city lies behind solid walls, protected from seaborne assault by huge engines of war sheltered within the city, and sunk inside heavy bunkers carved into the surrounding cliffs. The sea itself offers the city its most potent defense, for the strait between Sartosa and the mainland is subject to a deadly current, the so-called Pirate's Current, which makes it impossible for any ship to land on the north side of the island. The island can only be approached from the south via the perilous Skull Sands - an ever-shifting sandbank where careless ships easily run aground. Only pirates are taught how to navigate the sands, and to reveal its secret is an act of treachery, punishable in the most heinous manner imaginable. Even pirate ships occasionally run foul of the sands, in which case the Pirate Law maintains that the ship becomes salvage, and free for the taking before the wind and tide break it apart. Vicious fights break out between rivals, not to mention the crew of the wrecked ship who usually resent their hard-won cargo being snatched from them while within sight of home.

Tobaro: The Abasko mountains stretch almost 500 miles from the rocky cliffs of Fools Point to the fetid bay of the Blighted Marshes. Throughout all that 500-mile stretch, the shoreline is jagged and dangerous, harboring unseen rocks that would tear the bottom from a ship barely within sight of land. Yet along this uninviting and murderous coast there is one major city - Tobaro the City of Sirens.

Tobaro is said to be unreachable from the west because of the mountains, and virtually unapproachable by sea because of the surrounding Fools Rocks. Only Tobaran pilots can safely navigate the Rocks; many a bestormed cargoman has fallen to their wrecking bite, only to have its contents recovered by the enterprising pilots of the City of Sirens.

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Legend recalls a time when the entire coast echoed to the call of creatures that flew upon the air and made their foul nests amongst the crags of the towering sea-cliffs. Eons of their scrapings and scratchings contributed to the erosion of natural sea caves, until at one spot the entire cliff became maggot-ridden with their delvings. Then, the Elves broke through the great rocks that lie along the coast, came to the City of Sirens, and drove out the nightmarish winged creatures.

In their turn the Elves enlarged the caves, building seven mighty sea-gates and a huge enclosed harbor beyond - a cavern domed like a great cathedral and large enough to hide a fleet. The cliffside was turned into a wonderful city, unique amongst all the Elvish settlements of that distant time. They burrowed deep into the mountains and discovered the secret valleys beyond. Then the Elves forsook the Old World following the War of the Beard, and the City of Sirens remained abandoned until the Tileans rediscovered the passage through the rocks and the entrances to the hidden harbor beyond. They drove out the few cliff-dwelling creatures that had taken up residence, and repopulated the city, renaming it Tobaro.

The Tobarans trade silver and gemstones from the surrounding mountains, which they exchange for foodstuffs, mostly from other Tilean States. The sea provides a plentiful, if somewhat monotonous diet, while the high valleys offer some (albeit sparse) agriculture. Although great seafarers, the Tobarans are no match for the Magritans or Arabians in a pitched battle, and their maritime trade is fairly restricted, being largely based around the Tilean sea and the southern Estalian Kingdoms.

• THE WASTELAND • The Wasteland is a windswept and barren country, largely inhospitable to settlement and offering little shelter from the biting winds that blow from the Sea of Claws. It owes its independence to the importance of Marienburg - largest port in the Old World whose canny Burgomeisters have gradually wrung a series of privileges and concessions from The Empire over many years.

Geography:The Wasteland lies around the bay where the Reik flows into the sea, stretching as far as the edge of the Reikwald Forest in the south and east, and to the foothills of the Pale Sisters in the west. A few sheltered spots offer refuge for scattered farms and villages, but most of the Wasteland's population live in the city port of Marienburg.

Politics: Away from the forests of the interior, the Wastelanders see few of the perils of Chaos, and are far more lax with regard to its dangers than the superstitious people of The Empire - some would say far too lax. Those who live nearer the forest are a little more cautious, more suspicious of strangers and less trusting, even of each other. In and around Marienburg, however, the people are friendly and open, as befits a cosmopolitan port, where traders come from all over the Old World and beyond. At one point in its history, the Wasteland was actually a part of The Empire, but the country's inhabitants have always been an independent folk, and have used the fact that they control much of The Empire's overseas trade to force successive Emperors to allow them greater autonomy. Supported in these goals by Bretonnia to the west, the Burgomeisters of Marienburg are now in a position to play these two great powers against each other.

The People: Wastelanders share many physical traits with the Reiklanders of the southern Empire. They are tall and robust, hard working and strong-minded.

Language: The people of the Wasteland speak Old Worlder with a similar dialect to that of the citizens of The Empire.

Cities: The only settlement of any size in the Wasteland is the great city-port of Marienburg. If you wish to generate maps showing other Wasteland settlements by following the guidelines given in Settlement Patterns in the Old World, you should note that there are no other towns, only villages and farmsteads.

Marienburg: The largest port in the entire Old World, Marienburg is naturally the main trading center in all the north. Its position at the head of the river Reik means that goods from the southern parts of the Old World and beyond must pass through the city en route to such places as Nuln in the south and Kislev in the east. Similarly, goods for export pass down the rivers Talabec and Reik towards Marienburg's harbors, which give access to the south of the Old World, the New World, the South Lands and countries as far removed as Lustria or Cathay.

The city is built at the point where the mighty River Reik cuts across the ancient bedrock of the north coast before spilling into a vast delta. By the time it reaches Marienburg, the Reik is the widest river in the Old World, well over a mile from bank to bank. At Marienburg, however, a series of rocky islands begins to split the river into its fine tributaries, and the city is built upon these islands, joined by numerous bridges. Only one deep passage is maintained, that being on the south side of the city around the docklands. Ships may easily pass this great channel into the Reik, or northwards into the sea, or they might put into one of Marienburg's many harbors. A single bridge crosses the main ship-way, the 'High Bridge', which is raised on a solid stone tower on the southernmost island of Marienburg, crossing to a high rocky hill on the other side. The bridge is ascended by a great winding road that coils on the outer side of the tower, a feature greatly admired by travelers and known throughout the Old World.

The city itself is distinguished by its fine houses, many of which are effectively fortresses belonging to the mercantile aristocrats and merchant adventurers that rule the city. It also has the largest Sea Elven trading community of about 500 Elves. This is pretty much autonomous, with its own laws and militia, since the city authorities are more than willing to allow the Elves to manage their own affairs, given the wealth which their trade brings to the city.

Marienburg is a wealthy, cosmopolitan city where there is everywhere a sense of affluence and well being. Within its salt stained walls stands the chief temple of Manann, god of the sea, a lofty building, decorated by the city's finest stonemasons and woodcarvers. But in such an open city, it is all too easy for the minions of Chaos to hide, to perpetrate their evil affairs and to spread their sickening creed.

• THE EMPIRE • Of all tbe countries of the Old World, The Empire is the largest. It comprises a vast conglomeration of princedoms, duchies, leagues

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and city states, and it is assumed that beginning Player Characters have their origins somewhere within its boundaries. The towns and villages in the immediate vicinity of Altdorf (see below and Settlement Patterns in the Old World) make ideal starting locations - particularly if you are going to play The Oldenhaller Contract, the scenario at the back of this rulebook. For these reasons, The Empire is examined in a little more detail than the other Old World nations.

Geography:To the north and east, The Empire is bounded by the stormy waters of the Sea of Claws, and the towering peaks of the Worlds Edge Mountains. To the north-west lies the country of Kislev, where heroic armies hold back the hordes of Chaos encamped in the Northern Wastes. To south and west, the Black and Grey Mountains form natural frontiers, while the Wasteland in the north west extends across the only stretch of open country between the Empire and Bretonnia.

Within these natural and political frontiers are numerous snugly semi-autonomous states. The seven largest of these are known as Electoral Provinces because their rulers have each traditionally been granted a say in the election of the Emperor; these are shown on the map overleaf. They are: the Principality of Reikland, the Duchy of Middenland, the Principality of Ostland, the Duchy of Talabecland, the County of Stirland, the County of Averland, the Barony of Sudenland, and the Halfling Mootland.

Then there are three great City States or Freistadt, the authority of which also extends to the villages and towns in their immediate vicinity. These are Middenheim, Talabheim, and Nuln, and their rulers ("Grafs") are also Electors.

Greatest of all the Empire's cities is Altdorf - Imperial capital and location of the towering Cathedral to Sigmar (see the Religions section - below).

The Middle Mountains: These are not the only highland in the Empire, but they are the largest and most significant, for they separate Ostland from the rest of the country. Surrounded by dense forests, the area is shunned by Humans and Dwarfs alike.

Rivers: The waterways of the Empire have a vital role to play, for they are the only reliable communication and trade links between provinces, cities and towns. For although the Road Wardens and Toll Keepers do their best to maintain the network first established by Emperor Wilhelm the Wise, the fact that so many of them must needs pass through the large stretches of forest mean that they are often plagued bandits, highwaymen and even the occasional Goblin.

The Aver may be traced to the mountain streams of the Black Mountains and is most notable for its strong blue color and vigorous, foaming waters. Its upper reaches contain many waterfalls, but by the time it joins the Reik, the river is large and easily navigable by river boat and barge. It also passes through the heart of The Moot - the Halfling territory - where it is a vital irrigation source for their agriculture. From time to time it also bears messengers between the great city of Nuln and the distant Dwarven fortress of Karak-Varn, high in the Black Mountains.

The Reik is the longest river in the Old World - approximately 750 miles from its source in the Black Mountains to the sea at Marienburg. The stretch between Nuln and Marienburg carries more traffic than many of the other rivers put together. South of Nuln, the river is known as the Upper Reik, and here its waters are fast-flowing and clear. Nuln is the last bridging point before Altdorf, for here the Reik is joined by the blue waters of the Aver (see above). Between Nuln and Altdorf, the Reik is up to 200 yards wide and crossable only by boat. Stretches of the Reikwald Forest (see below) are dense and perilous, but the river is wide enough to offer protection from hostiles along the banks. Only water-bourne raiders pose any serious threat, and these are kept in check by regular patrols and the vigilance of the local Boatmen and Lock-Keepers.

At Altdorf, the Reik is swollen by the confluence of the mighty Talabec, which by this point is itself a huge and sluggish body of water heavily laden with black soil from the Middle Mountains. Where the waters meet, the sediment has formed extensive mud flats and small islands upon which the city of Altdorf stands. A few miles north of Altdorf, the channels reunite into a massive, sluggish body of water navigable by ocean-going vessels. The river is

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studded with small islands of ancient hard rock, upon which are built many of the fisher villages, watermen's inns and other commercial stopping places. For long stretches, the banks remain heavily forested and provide potential ambush sites for river pirates, although most vessels are usually more than capable of defending themselves.

The Sol rises in The Vaults as an amalgam of countless mountain streams. The river fills with meltwater at springtime which greatly increases its volume, making this a perilous body of water.

The Stir rises in the Black Mountains and quickly develops into a major river flowing within a deep, wooded valley. For nearly its entire length, it flows through the heart of the Great Forest, fed by many streams and brooks. Over 100 yards wide and bridged at only a few points, the river provides a natural and easily defended barrier.

The River Talabec originates in the rapid streams of the northern reaches of the Worlds Edge Mountains, which spill across the western foothills, forming a deep, slow-moving and incredibly clear river known as the Upper Talabec. Along the stretch above its confluence with the Urskoy, the river banks, are bordered by heavy pine forests with an evil reputation amongst the native peasants. Beyond this point, the river is too wide to bridge and it steadily widens throughout its course to Talabheim. Here, there is a major ferry point, providing the last reliable crossing before the river flows, heavily laden with dark soil from the Middle Mountains, into the Reik at Altdorf.

Forests:Most of the Empire is covered by gloomy, tangled, deciduous forests. Many clearings have been made, to allow cultivation of crops and to provide pasture for cattle and so on. Even so, there are still hundreds of thousands of square miles of virgin woodland. Wise folk refuse to venture beyond the forest eaves except on roadways or rivers.

The mighty, ancient trees of the Laurëlorn are known to be greatly loved by the Wood Elves, although their settlements - which are few in number, - are kept closed to outsiders by illusions and confusing magics.

The Forest of Shadows which encompasses most of the Principality of Ostland is the darkest of all The Empire's woodlands. Within its gloomy depths there still lurk bands of Chaos Beastman and goblinoids - remnants of the last Incursions of Chaos some 200 years ago. The Ostlanders will occasionally mount expeditions to root out and destroy their lairs, but only an army would dare spend the hours of darkness beneath its moss-shrouded branches.

The Reikwald Forest extends into the foothills of the Grey Mountains, and is a favorite haunt of The Empire's outcaste. The forest is ideal bandit country, as the main communications artery of the river Reik, and the road which parallels it, pass beneath its eaves.

History:The foundations of the present day Empire were laid by Sigmar Heldenhammer some 2,500 years ago. Sigmar first managed to unite the Human tribes of the north east and led them, in alliance with the Dwarfs, to a great victory over the hordes of Goblins which had plagued the Old World for the last 1,500 years. This date is now acknowledged as the first year of the Human calendar. Under Sigmar's leadership, the Goblin Wars were brought to a victorious

conclusion and Humanity was able to resume its exploration, settlement, and development of the Old World in an atmosphere of relative peace.

This lasted for 1,100-odd years. During this time, many settlements were built, and a system of government evolved whereby the Empire's constituent provinces acquired a degree of autonomy in return for their support of the Emperor. The rulers of these areas - Princes, Dukes, Counts, and so on - were also made Electors, and were duly consulted whenever the time came to elect a new Emperor. Sigmar was subsequently deified, and all went well until Sigmar's line finally ended with the death of Boris the Incompetent in the year 1115. This resulted in a seemingly interminable period of internal squabblings and even resulted in war between Talabecland and Stirland. Offices were bought and sold, Electors were bribed or murdered, and for 600 years differing areas proclaimed different Emperors at Nuln, Middenheim, and Talabheim. This era is now known as the Age of the Three Emperors. Needless to say, such internal wranglings left the borders poorly manned, and it was during this period that the nomadic raiders from beyond the Worlds Edge Mountains were able to seize the area that later became Kislev. By the year 2000, The Empire no longer existed as a cohesive unit. The next 300 years are often referred to as the Dark Ages, during which the Provinces themselves began to disintegrate. But in the year 2302, a new wave of incursions of Chaos finally brought the people to their senses. Magnus the Pious made a great rallying call from his base in Nuln, urging that "all true sons and daughters of Sigmar must now unite, bearing arms as one great people, lest the Chaos hordes o'erwhelm us all, and the final darkness consume the earth." In alliance with Kislev and Norsca, the armies of the Empire were triumphant, and the threat averted.

Following the war, Magnus was duly elected Emperor and crowned in Nuln, with the blessing of the Grand Theogonist - High Priest of the Cult of Sigmar - whose power was by now second only to the Emperor's. Unfortunately, Magnus died celibate and his brother Gunthar - a follower of the Cult of Ulric - had made the mistake of becoming the enemy of the Grand Theogonist. Consequently, Count Leopold of Stirland became the next Emperor, and Gunthar was obliged to move to Middenheim. Leopold's family held onto office for the next 60 years, by which time the concessions and privileges that Marienburg had won in exchange for access to its ports, finally allowed its Burgomeisters to declare the Wasteland independent, and secede from the Empire. Rumors that Leopold's grandson, Dieter, had connived with the Burgomeisters almost led to charges being brought against him. The Empire accordingly passed to Wilhelm II, Prince of Altdorf, and the disgraced and disenfranchised family of Dieter withdrew to Talabheim. Wilhelm had no desire to move to Nuln, and so moved the capital to Altdorf, where it remains to this day, under the august reign of Wilhelm's direct descendant Karl-Franz I.

Demi-Humans in the Empire: Dwarfs: Of all the demi -human races, Dwarfs are the most common throughout The Empire, and there are a number of purely Dwarven communities in both the Grey and Black Mountains. Do not confuse the Imperial Dwarfs of the Worlds Edge Mountains - specifically the fortresses of Karak Ungor and Karak Kadrin - with the Dwarfs who are citizens of the Empire and who live within its borders. The former live beyond the Empire's frontiers, and their name derives from their desperate clinging to the glories of a

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bygone age, when the Dwarven Empire stretched the full length of the Worlds Edge Mountains. They are bound together by a terrible oath - to seek out and destroy Chaos Dwarfs wherever they may be found.

The Dwarfs who live within The Empire are full imperial Citizens, and live as fully integrated members of Human communities. Indeed, they are highly valued for their engineering skills, and the Guild of Engineers - which is organized by Dwarfs - comes pretty close to holding the monopoly on Dwarven skills.

Elves: Wood Elves are far from common in The Empire, and Sea Elves almost non-existent, apart from those that make an occasional trip down the Reik from Marienburg to Altdorf. Neither kindred has any role in the political arrangements of the country. Those few Wood Elf communities which exist in the Empire are hidden deep within the oldest forests, but their exact locations are closely guarded secrets. Wood Elves do not take kindly to uninvited visitors of other races, and usually fence off their realm with powerful illusions. The few that leave their homes are exceptional individuals of an adventurous disposition, who are generally frowned upon by their kinfolk. When they depart, they are often told never to return and may be treated as outcasts ever after. Even so, they never willingly discuss their background with a non-Elf, and would consider it the ultimate treason to reveal the location of their former home. Elves are generally distrusted by the simple folk of The Empire's rural areas, but are acceptable, if curiosity-arousing sights in the more sophisticated, urban areas.

Halflings: The Empire encloses the largest purely Halfling community in the Old World. It lies on the river Aver, between the Counties of Stirland and Averland, and is known as Mootland, or The Moot ", after the Halfling practice of government by mass meeting. The area was granted to the Halflings some 1500 years ago (during the Age of the Three Emperors) by an Edict of Ludwig the Fat, in recognition of Halfling services to Imperial cuisine, which had previously been notoriously awful. The area is completely autonomous, although it does rely on The Empire for protection.

The head of each of its many villages is known as The Elder. Village Elders meet every so often, according to the needs of the time, in District Moots, held in a village chosen according to an elaborate system which combines such factors as prestige, rota, and the size of the local harvest. The chair-halfling of this meeting is elected by the Elders, and he or she is also invested with an Imperial vote when the time comes to choose a new Emperor. This is the only vote which the Emperor cannot dispose of (see Politics - below). In return for their privilege, the Halflings of Mootland send a detachment to the capital both to serve in the Imperial household and to assist the local militia.

Outside Mootland, Halflings may be found throughout the Empire, living side-by-side with Humans. Many wealthier households employ Halfling cooks, and a number of coaching inns, taverns, and hostelries are run by Halfllngs, or have a number of them on the staff.

Politics: On the death of the Emperor, a successor is elected by the fourteen Imperial Electors: the rulers of each of the City States, the rulers of each of the Electoral Provinces (see Geography - above), the High Priest of the Cult of Ulric, the Head of the Halfling Moot, plus the three highest officials of the Cult of Sigmar.

The Emperor is both head of state and commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army, and rules by the issue of Imperial Edicts. In theory, all titles - and their accompanying estates and privileges, including votes - may be disposed of by the Emperor as he or she sees fit. In practice, these are usually kept within families, and passed on to the eldest child of succeeding generations. Occasionally, the holder will sell a title for profit or some other, even less praiseworthy motive.

Day-to-day running of the Empire is handled by the rulers of the various provinces, and these may be more or less independent, depending on the relationship between ruler and Emperor, and on the privileges granted to a province by earlier Edicts. The City States of Talabheim and Middenheim, for example, are both fiercely independent, for they are ruled by descendants of old Imperial families (see History - above).

The Empire maintains close relations with the Tsar of Kislev, and the Burgomeisters of Marienburg (see The Wasteland). The former stands between The Empire and the hordes of Chaos in the northern wastes, while the latter controls access to vital sea-trade links.

Language: Imperial citizens speak the most widely-used form of Old Worlder, known as Reikspiel, the standard by which other speakers of the language are judged. As the professors of the Empire's universities will happily explain to anyone with a few hours to spare, the Empire was the first country to develop a written language, and the country has a wealth of literature in the libraries of its towns and cities. Unfortunately, the proportion of the population that can actually read and write is quite small.

People: The citizens of the Empire are generally a pleasant bunch - at least towards other Imperial citizens. The peasants have a reputation for being superstitious, but - given The Empire's long and bloody history, and its proximity to Kislev and thus the Chaos Hordes - this is understandable. The aristocratic leaders of the towns and cities maintain a constant vigil against the spreading evil of Chaos (witch-hunting is a highly respected profession), but the vast areas of forest are impossible to patrol. From time to time, expeditions are mounted to root out Bandits and other undesirables, but they are expensive and time-consuming, and the success of such enterprises is often negligible.

Religion: By far the most powerful of the many cults active in the Empire is that of Sigmar Heldenhammer. The cult is entitled to no less than three votes in Imperial elections, held by the cult' head, or Grand Theogonist in Altdorf, and by his two deputies, or Lectors, based in Talabheim and Nuln. There are countless shrines and temples to Sigmar scattered throughout The Empire, and no Emperor has ever been able to hold office without the support of the Grand Theogonist. Of course, there are many clerics of other deities - most notably Ulric - but the Grand Theogonist is regarded as the supreme voice of authority on all religious matters. Given that the High Priest of Ulric (based in Middenheim) is also an Imperial Elector, this state of affairs has resulted in some tension between clerics of the two cults.

Worship of the Chaos Gods is proscribed throughout the Empire, and is an offense punishable by forfeiture of all assets - including life.

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Cities:Cities and towns in the Empire are built of wood, stone, brick and just about anything that comes to hand. Architectural styles vary greatly, although the half-timbered style is the most popular. Local conditions and requirements dictate the material used, though most older and more solid houses may be built from stone, and newer and moere affluent accomodation is provided in the modern medium of brick. Roofs may be thatch, slab or tiles.

Altdorf: Where the rivers Reik and Talabec join, the combined waters flow into extensive mudflats, and divide into three lesser waterways. The resulting islands form the foundations for the city of Altdorf - capital of the Empire, site of the Imperial Palace and home to the magnificent cathedral to Sigmar. It is a city of many bridges, which hop from island to island. At the point where the river channels reunite (on the north side of Altdorf), there stands a large harbour - for the Reik is deep and wide enough here to accommodate ocean-going vessels.

The city's tall, white walls topped with red tile roofs are a majestic sight - and provided formidable defence for the city. In view of recent events in Kislev, Emperor Karl Franz has recently ordered that the defences be strengthened, and nowadays the walls are covered with scenes of bustling activity as Dwarven engineers labour to enhance the already extensive fortifications.

The city is renowned for its universities, wizards, libraries and other aspects of learning. Here, the most promising students in the Old World labour under the wisest tutors, while ancient wizards toil over magical works which were commenced before thier own lives began, and which will go on beyond their deaths. Here too come many clerics, and other pilgrims, seeking blessings in the towering cathedral where the Grand Theogonist holds court. It is a wonderful building, replete with numerous ornately-carved spires, flying buttresses, and gilded cupolas.

The city is also a bustling trading port with rich markets, thronged with traders from all over the Old World. There is a constant coming and going of Imperial messengers, ambassadors from farflung provinces, and even the occasional deputation from distant Araby.

Most travellers arrive in Altdorf by boat, but there is one major roadway which bisects the city. This leads northeast to Middenheim, and southwest to the mountain fortress of Helmgart, which guards the Axebite Pass over the Grey Mountains, and is ever watchful for raids from that range's humanoid population.

Middenheim: Middenheim stands atop an ancient core, a sheer-sided, iron-hard pinnacle of rock that rises out of the surrounding forest, just beyond the slate-cragged desolation of the Middle Mountains. This great and impregnable fortress is accessible by means of four great highways on lofty viaducts, cunningly engineered so that they may be destroyed at very short notice. In addition there are numerous chair-lifts, rope-ladders and (some say) a whole network of secret tunnels that worm under the city and into the forest below. The city is built high to protect it - for it would be first on the list in the event of an invasion of Chaos from the north - and to enable its inhabitants to gaze out far over the treetops. Even from the tallest tower of the slate-grey city, an observer can see little but trees, the eternal forest stretching out in all directions save eastward, where the rising Middle Mountains burst from the forest floor, tall and jagged, and the colour of thunder clouds.

The current Duke of Middenheim is a descendant of Gunthar Tödbringer - brother of Emperor Magnus the Pious - and is determined to maintain the city's independence. Like Gunthar before him, he is a follower of Ulric - which is appropriate, for Middenheim houses the chief temple to that deity. This is a vast, castle-like building, capable of holding a thousand worshipers at a time, as well as providing accommodation for the cult's High Priest and numerous assistants.

The towns and village in Middenheim's zone of dependence (see Settlement Patterns in the Old World) are built much closer than is customary elsewhere (when generating settlements in this area, you should ignore any results that produce a settlement in Zone Two, and reduce the chance of a town occurring in Zone Three to 25%). This is due in no small measure to the dangers of the nearby Drakwald Forest, wherein lurk a number of Beastmen and other Chaos spawn - remnants of the last incursions of Chaos. Inhabitants of nearby village always ensure that their doors and windows are well locked and shuttered at night.

Only basic food is grown in the area - luxuries must be imported because the surrounding lands are not very fertile. Water is no problem, for the city is well served by numerous wells sunk deep into the rock. These have never been known to fail, and the water is clear, cool and said to promote health and longevity.

Nuln: This city lies at the southern tip of the great forest, at the focus of four provinces (Reikland, Sudenland, Averland and Stirland) and two rivers (the Reik and Aver). It is the most convenient place to cross the Reik before it enters the forest. Until just over 100 years ago, Nuln was the capital of the Empire (see History - above). It was also a renowned university city - the first colleges having been established here by the Empress Agnetha, and the reputation of the city's professors still draws students from far and wide. Appropriately, one of the most imposing buildings in the city is the temple to Verena, which faces the main gateway, dominating the Westway with its colonnaded facade.

Being located at such an important trade crossroads, it is not surprising that the city's markets are thriving. Traders bring all manner of goods from north and south, as well as locally grown wines and exceptionally fine metalwork from Sudenland. In any event, Nuln is a major stopping-off point for passenger traffic from the Barony of Sudenland and the County of Averland en route to Altdorf.

The current ruler of Nuln is the Countess Emmanuelle van Liebewitz, who is famous for throwing lavish parties and all night balls in her splendid palace, which many regard as rivaling the Imperial court in Altdorf. Regarded as the most eligible spinster in the Empire, she attracts suitors from every corner of the Old World.

Talabheim: This city lies almost exactly in the center of the Great Forest and some call it the 'Eye of the Forest', where, like the eye of the cyclone all is calm. Formerly the capital of the Duchy of Talabecland, it is now one of the most fiercely independent City States, determinedly clinging to its hard won privileges and its own peculiar local customs. It was in this city that Dieter, the disgraced grandson of the Emperor Leopold, made his home after being exiled from Nuln, and his descendants live here to this day.

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The city stands at a great river junction where weary river- and road-travelers meet, before departing on their way north to Middenheim, east to Kislev, or west to Altdorf.

Talabheim stands within an unusual rocky bowl whose steep outward sides present wall-like fortifications. Within the bowl, however, the land is flat, and here stand the city's majestic buildings, surrounded by fields which produce rich harvest for the inhabitants.

At the point where the river Talabec flows around the edges of the craggy wall stands a small settlement and harbor, from where a winding road leads half-way up the rock face to a tunnel - the only entrance to the city. This tunnel was supposedly magically created many years ago and is known as the Wizards Way. It is fully half a mile long and broad enough for two wagons abreast. A small fortress at each end of the tunnel completes the defenses.

• SETTLEMENT PATTERNS IN THE OLD WORLD • The Old World map provides the gamesmaster with focal points such as large cities and fortresses, important ports, passes and so on. It does not contain every town, village or farm any more than could a comparable-sized map of Europe. It is for you to work in your own ideas and create smaller settlements as you need them. The Old World is a vast continent, with plenty of room for a diverse selection of towns and cities.

• SETTLEMENT PATTERNS • To help you visualize the Old World, this rulebook includes a series of settlement pattern diagrams which typify settlement throughout the continent. You can use these diagrams to actually generate the salient features of an area if you wish - but always use your common sense to overrule a result which is inconvenient or awkward, bearing in mind the location and factors such as Chaos incursions or raiding monsters.

• MAJOR CITIES • Major cities, with a population of 10,000 people or more, are marked on the map of the Old World. No other settlements have populations so large. These centers of population are not spaced equally on the map, some are closer than others, but none are so close so as not to have towns, villages and farms in between.

The diagram below shows two cities of The Empire - Altdorf and Talabheim - together with their associated 'zones of dependence', although the example could work equally well for any two cities in the Old World. These two cities are about 260 miles apart, which is average for Old World settlements of this size.

The heavily shaded area -Zone 1 - extends in a 20-mile radius around each city, and contains villages and farms that are directly dependent on the city for markets, protection and so on. Each of these locations can be reached on foot in a day or less. Zone 2 is more lightly shaded and contends a further 30 miles beyond Zone 1. This area contains isolated farmsteads, tiny hamlets and so on but is mostly uncultivated - barren moorland, marshes, woodland or whatever. Zone 3 - the lightly shaded area between the two cities - is where any small towns that exist will be found If towns are present, each will have its own subzone of villages and farms, which are proportionally smaller than those of the cities (see below).

• TOWNS • Establish the extent of Zone 3 by measuring the distance on the map (in the example, this is 160 miles). You can seed these surrounding areas with settlements at your own discretion, or you can use dice to give you a random occurrence. Work your way from one city to the next, rolling D100 for every 40-mile interval. At each point there is a 50 % chance of a settlement being present. This need not be positioned directly between two cities, but it will tend to lie within 50 (D6-1 x10) miles of the main road.

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Once it is established that a town is present, roll D10-1 x1000 to establish its population. A result of 0 indicates that the population is below 1000 and the community is not a real town at all. Roll D10-1 x100 to determine its population. A further score of 0 indicates a simple farmstead, lone mining claim or other very small community, in which case the population is 2D10 persons.

Towns have their own 'zones of dependency', similar to those of the cities but smaller. The diagram below illustrates the various zones. Zone 1 contains villages and farms and lies 5 miles all around the town. Zone 2 contains farms and lies a further 5 miles all around the town. Zone 3 extends an additional 10 miles beyond Zone 2, and is purely wilderness territory - woodland, marshes, and so on.

• VILLAGES • Zone 1 of a city will contain 4D6 villages scattered about it. Zone 1 of a town has D6 villages. Villages should not be placed solely along the main road, but be evenly distributed within the zone following natural features where appropriate. Villages have a population of 10D10 people. Villages are linked to each other and to the main road by rough tracks. The more isolated villages, especially those in the forested areas of the Empire, will usually have some kind of defensive fortification - even if it is only a ditch and a crude picket fence.

• FARMS • The innermost zones of cities and towns contain many farms, each with a population of 2D10 people. However, it is not really worth constructing maps of their locations. A better approach is to say that farms are D6 miles apart along roads and tracks, and that if players ask how far the next farm is, the gamesmaster should roll D6, and give this as the distance in miles, unless there is a larger settlement within the distance generated. For example, heading towards Altdorf, the adventurers arrive at the village of Walfen, which is four miles from the city gates. The GM rolls a D6 to discover the distance to the next farm and gets a result of 5. Since Altdorf is only four miles away, he informs the players that there are no farms between Walfen and the city.

Zone 2 of a city contains 4D6 evenly scattered farmsteads, and Zone 2 of a town has D6. The farmsteads in these areas are quite likely to be protected by some simple kind of fortification, while those in the Empire will almost certainly be walled off against the wild creatures and marauding servants of Chaos that prowl the more isolated areas of the Forest of Shadows.

In addition to farmsteads, the following structures are common features of the Old World and may be located at suitable intervals and sites.

Coaching Inns: These exist for the purpose of providing fresh horses and supplies (see Travel in the Old World). They also act as sorting offices for mail, and as convenient stops for passengers - few coaches will travel at night. Coaching Inns are usually quite large buildings and may form the focus of a small community, and - where possible - they are sited within villages or towns. Where they have to be built in isolation, they are always well fortified. They are smoky, friendly places, where travelers can swill good ale, gorge themselves on cooked meats and talk with fellow travelers.

Coaching Inns are also used as bases by the Roadwardens, for whom they are both regular meeting places and organizational centers. Merchants and civic officials also recognize the coaching inns as the safest and most trustworthy places to stay.

Lockhouses:Although there are few man-made canals of any length, many Old World rivers have lock systems and lengths of stone banking. This is especially so in towns where the rivers also form part of the drainage, sewerage and flood control system.

Locks in the Old World are designed to control the levels of water within a section of river, allowing the water to be drawn off in times of flood or for irrigation. In times of drought, water can be preserved in the same way. The lock system also allows river traffic to by-pass sections of dangerous water, such as rapids, shifting sands and so on.

Locks have associated buildings, manned by one or more guardians called lock keepers. Their job is to protect travelers and levy a toll for using the lock facilities. Lock keepers are also supposed to escort important traffic, patrol stretches of river in difficult times, and generally look after people.

Way Temples:Occasionally, the nature of the Old World geography means that the road passes through especially inhospitable and dangerous country. In settled areas, villages and coaching inns provide the traveler with a safe place to spend the night, but where there are no settlements, the poor traveler is faced with pressing on through the hours of darkness, with all the attendant risks that such a venture entails.

For this reason, many religions have funded the construction of number of wayside shrines. These are usually tall brick or stone buildings, almost fortress-like in appearance, with no windows at ground level. They are literally temples by the way-side, with a small staff who help travelers and people in need. Way-temples also function as hostels, with an upper-story dormitory and a good supply of food and drink. Conditions are austere in the extreme and nothing like the smoky, friendly atmosphere of a coaching inn. However, in times of adversity, many a traveler will look out for the welcoming light of a way-temple.

• THE TREE SETTLEMENTS OF THE WOOD ELVES • The Wood Elves of the Old World do not live in cities or open villages, but amongst the deep woodlands. For this reason, those Humans who have rarely or never seen one often think of them as spirits rather than as living creatures, able to pop in or out of existence at whim. The truth is rather that most Elves are secretive and deeply private creatures, their settlements remote and difficult

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to find, and they do not actively seek out Human company. Inevitably, they produce some adventurous and outward-going types, but these are exceptions. Wood Elf communities are small and self-sufficient, and almost always lie far from Human habitation. Within their own society, Wood Elves are sociable and gregarious, but their populations are small, and the majority of their settlements can be thought of as villages rather than towns.

Wood Elves typically live in tree houses - buildings high up in the branches of the tallest trees. They are deceptively solid in construction, being based upon a single large platform which supports the rest of the building. The leaves and branches of the trees provide natural walls and roof, but for additional protection, their inhabitants use screens and colorful hangings. Once inside one of these Elven houses it is easy to forget that they are 50-100 feet above the forest floor. Houses are grouped together around a clearing, usually a low hill or artificial mound on which stand the official buildings of the community: the banqueting hall, temple or shrine, and storehouses. The remainder of the clearing is left open to the sky, enabling the Elves to indulge in the various forms of open air festivity of which they seem particularly fond. Away from the main areas of the settlement, the Elves clear smaller areas for their burial mounds. These comprise small barrows which are seeded with wild flowers and often with a single tree, believed to harbor the spirit of the deceased and accorded a great deal of respect.

A typical Wood Elf community would contain up to 100 individuals (l0D10, if randomly determined). Wood Elves hardly ever live for any time amongst Human communities, although individuals occasionally set up for a few months or years if there is a good reason to do so.

Athel-Loren is the largest of all Wood Elf Settlements, a familiar landmark for most Bretonians living in the south of the country. Humans rarely go there, for the Elves keep visitors away, either by force or by clever illusionist magic, which causes explorers to lose their way and by-pass the place. The settlement is far larger than the others in Bretonnia, since it is also the home of the King and Queen of all the Wood Elves. It lies deep within the forest of Loren and has a population of around a thousand Elves. At its center is a large clearing around a sizable green hill, upon which stands the Royal Palace, numerous functionary building, storehouses and temples.

• SEA ELF TRADING COMMUNITIES • The vast majority of Elves live not in the Old World but on the huge island continent in the west known as Ulthuan. From here the Sea Elves set out on voyages of exploration which range as far as Cathay in the East, Lustria in the south and the New World to the west. To the Old World, their ships bring goods from every continent, and many Sea Elves have settled in Human communities as merchants, traders and adventurers. Every Old World port with a population of over ten thousand has its own Elven quarter - an area where the Elven merchants build their houses and administer their own laws and customs. These quarters are generally regarded as 'off-limits' by the Human populace, and even the city militia and local authorities are reluctant to interfere here. Elven trade is a valuable asset to any community, and most people are happy to let the Elves run their own affairs as long as it continues to be profitable. A typical trading community would have a population of

about 1% of the total city population. Although trading posts are sometimes maintained in smaller cities, this is rare, and often occupation is sporadic or temporary - traders coming or going, a family settling for a few years before retiring back home. The largest Sea Elven trading quarter is in Marienburg, where there are about 500 Elves.

• DWARVEN SETTLEMENTS • The Dwarfs have lived in the Old World since Humans were little more than unthinking barbarians. In that time, the Dwarfs have seen the dwindling of their population, the loss of many of their cities and mines, and the fall of their great kingdoms. Today, there are very few purely Dwarf communities. Most Dwarfs live within Human society, where their metalcraft and their ability to work hard and long are highly respected. Human settlements in excess of 5,000 population typically have a Dwarf community of between 5 and 10% of the total. Smaller Human settlements are often more hostile to strange races and the Dwarf community would be no more than 5 %.

There are two kinds of purely Dwarfish settlements. New ones are almost always mining communities or small trading posts with populations of 100 individuals or less. Each building is no more than a dilapidated lean-to or shack, hastily constructed and meant only to last a matter of months. Long-standing communities might convert these into cabins, but only if the mine is successful.

Older settlements are mostly the remains of the once vast mountain kingdoms of the Dwarfs, which were based around great underground cities, carved deep into the Worlds Edge Mountains and extending via a system of tunnels from Norsca to Araby. These cities were vast and spacious, connected to fortresses and watch-posts built within the mountain valleys or on tall peaks. In this way, the Dwarfs could control the mountain passes and guard their cities against attack. The very nature of the system proved its downfall, for the Dwarfs were unaware of the deeper, evil things which gradually began to infiltrate the lower tunnels. At the last, most of the Dwarf cities fell, or were destroyed by their masters so that they would not fall into the hands of the Goblin hordes or cruel Lizardmen. Other, newer Dwarven communities may still be found in the Black and Grey Mountains were they were established by those Dwarfs who abandoned the Worlds Edge Mountains after the volcanic eruption of l500 (Dwarven Reckoning) - 4,000 years ago.

Today, one of the few Dwarven cities to remain occupied is Everpeak, or Caraz-a-Carak, which is Dwarvish for 'The Eternal Way to the Pinnacle'. This is the last great Dwarven city, and even this is only partially occupied. From this base, the last King of the Dwarfs fights a constant battle against the Goblins and other evil mountain-dwelling creatures. Adventurers - especially Dwarfs - are always sure of a welcome here. However, Everpeak lies right on the edge of the Old World with the Border Princes to the west and the Dark Lands to the east.

Permanent occupation of the other Dwarven cities is rarely undertaken, and many of them are now riddled with Goblins. However, many of the more secret and isolated outposts, fortresses and watch towers have never been taken from the Dwarfs, even though these small, isolated communities often have no means of contact with the outside world other than by air or magic. Old tunnels which once led to the main city complex have long since

32


been blocked or deliberately collapsed to keep out the Goblins. These communities rarely exceed 100 individuals, and many are smaller. The battle against the Goblins is a constant one and many must doubt the value of defending the last vestiges of an ancient kingdom. Communities such as this are scattered throughout the Worlds Edge Mountains and extend into the Black Mountains.

• HALFLING SETLEMENTS • Over the years, the Halflings have become almost inseparable from the Human community, making up about 5% of the general population. In the Empire there are still whole settlements of Halflings scattered between Nuln and the River Stir, as shown on the Old World map. All settlements in this area are under Halfling administration, subject directly to royal charter. Halfling communities are not hostile to Humans or other demi-human races and those with populations of 100+ will have a number of resident Humans equal to about 10% of the total.

Halflings live mostly in villages or on small farms, and their settlements and buildings are often similar to the more rural Human ones, although everything is proportionally smaller. A notable exception to this rule is the burrow - a brick or stone-lined dwelling, cut into hillsides and featuring south-facing doors and windows. Some of these burrows are large, rambling, underground mansions, with many passageways and entrances.

• TRAVEL IN THE OLD WORLD • Travel between the cities of the Old World is neither easy nor safe. Areas immediately around large urban centers are ordered, cultivated and generally free from brigands, but even here there is risk involved - the condition of the roads is extremely poor. Beyond the immediate environs of larger cities the countryside is far more dangerous. The settled farms give way to lone homesteads and the cultivated fields succumb to areas of moorland, forest and bog. Winning a living from such unpromising soil is hard enough, without having to worry about attacks from the servants of Chaos, so it's not surprising that the inhabitants of outlying villages are suspicious of strangers. These areas are also relatively lawless, and being so vast it is hard to root out bandits and other creatures that prey on the road-user. Popular opinion usually holds that anyone foolish enough to go traveling deserves all they get.

• ROADS • Cities are linked by main roads built and maintained by the cities and towns, but paid for mostly by the Road Toll. According to Imperial records in Altdorf, this was first instituted by Emperor Wilhelm the Wise, and the system was rapidly adopted by the other Old World nations. Unfortunately, not all the money raised by the toll gets spent on the roads and their maintenance - all roads have pot-holes and there may even be entire sections where a road has sunk or been washed away. It is not unheard of for Road Tolls to be charged in places where there have never been any roads...

Most towns either lie directly on these roads or are linked to them by a side-track. Even the main roads are often narrow, rough and in such a poor state of repair as to be unusable. They are constructed from cobblestones laid over a foundation of sand and rubble, though where the land is boggy, they might rest on wooden causeways and deep piles sunk into the ground.

Toll roads average between 3 and 4 yards in width, though there are some that measure as little as 2 yards wide. With care, it is usually just possible for two wagons to pass, but where the road is especially narrow special passing places are sometimes provided.

Toll Gates:Every stretch of road has at least one toll gate and most have several. Each comprises a toll house and a gate across the road. Whilst it would be relatively easy to dodge payment of a toll, toll-keepers can rely on the assistance of the local authorities, and retribution is usually well-organized and tenacious. Most tolls are organized on the 'crown-a-leg' principle - that is to say 2 crowns for a humanoid traveler and 4 crowns for each draft animal or riding beast. Animals larger than oxen usually attract a much larger toll as they are particularly hard wearing to the roads.

Bridges: Bridges are expensive to build, which means they are usually in a very poor state of repair, and as small and narrow as possible. Since road-users find it especially hard to negotiate bridges, they are often used as toll gates, and an extra charge is levied for use of the bridge - also on the 'crown-a-leg' principle.

Road Wardens:As travel is so dangerous, the civic authorities maintain a constant vigilance. There are regular patrols on the roads, who also visit lonely homesteads, check up on the toll gates and bridges, and generally make sure everything is in order. Road Wardens are a tough breed, renowned as the saviors of coaches and the scourge of highwaymen; they are laconic, uncompromising and held in almost universal awe. Road Wardens act as frontier patrolmen, keeping a lookout for incursions of outlaw bands and other unusual goings-on. They also carry much of the mail to isolated communities, picking up and delivering post via the main staging coaches.

Tracks:The roads only run between major centers of population. Elsewhere, the only defined routes between settlements are just well-worn pathways hardened by the passage of traffic, reasonably safe in good weather. In wet weather, and especially during winter, tracks become entirely impassable to wheeled traffic.

• OVERLAND • Sometimes it will be necessary to travel without the benefit of roads or even established tracks. In the Old World, such areas will generally be either boggy, mountainous, forested or moorland. Wheeled vehicles cannot be used in such conditions, and even horses will have great difficulty negotiating such terrain unless led.

• COACHES, CARTS AND WAGONS • Most Old World citizens forced to endure the hardship of traveling use coaches. There are many independent coaching companies, based in the major cities. The type of coach they employ is a huge, lumbering affair with plenty of space on top for luggage and up to a dozen passengers inside. Coachmen, like Roadwardens, are a hardy breed, well used to the rigors of outdoor life, and the coaching companies make sure they hire the best. Coaches run quite frequently between larger towns and passage can be regarded as a commodity of average availability (see the Consumer Guide). The Empire's most famous coaching company is “Four Seasons Coaches", based in Altdorf with establishments throughout the Empire.

33


Whereas coaches are built expressly for the purpose of carrying passengers, wagons (4-wheeled) and carts (2-wheeled) are used for carrying most day-to-day commodities, farm goods, etc. Wagons have no suspension and are extremely uncomfortable and slow.

• TIMETABLES • Coaches travel between cities with populations of 10,000 at least once per day. In good conditions in the Empire up to D6 coaches may be available for travel between the major cities - calling at the intervening towns on these routes with the same frequency.

There are also coach routes to and from towns with a population of 1,000 or greater, but these trips are not as regular as those between cities. The average frequency of these trips is about once per week. The gamesmaster can generate the number of days a passenger must wait for the next coach by a random die roll - using any die from a D4 to a D12, depending on the size and location of the town.

Coaches cannot travel across country, and passengers wishing to move along tracks into remote areas will have to hire wagons, carts or horses locally. The availability of such transport should be regarded as an average commodity, being scarce at harvest time (see the Consumer Guide).

• WATER TRAVEL • Where practical, rivers and other waterways have been given to the use of water transport - often much safer and more reliable than road haulage. The map illustrates navigable waterways of the Old World, the principal of which is the river Reik and its tributaries. Towns, villages and other settlements occur along navigable rivers in much the same way as they do along roads (see Settlement Patterns the Old World).

The waterways are used mostly by commerce, as they are slower even than road transport. However, it is always possible to hitch, work or buy a passage on a boat. The availability of a passage is equivalent to a plentiful commodity at any inhabited waterside location.

• MODES OF TRANSPORT • Horses and Mules: Full details of these riding animals can be found in the Basic Set (pp. 459-460). Costs and availability of horses and other pack animals are given in the Consumer Guide.

Coaches, Carts and Wagons: Coaches are constructed from a sturdy wooden frame with paneling in a lighter wood or sometimes canvas. Average construction time is 1d+2 months (always assuming that the necessary materials and skills are readily available). Traction comes from a team of (usually) four horses. Coaches are normally manned by one guard and one driver - both coachmen. The normal passenger capacity is 6 inside with provision for 2 more on top. In extremis, as many as 12 people can be crammed into the interior of a coach, and the students of Altdorf University are fond of running competitions to try to break the record of 12 humans, 1 dwarf, and 3 halflings.

Assuming a normal complement of passengers, there is usually room for each passenger to take two good-sized chests (or equivalent) - strapped to the coach's roof.

Coach

TL ST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load4 53† -2/3 12c 4/9 2.4 1.2

SM Occ. DR Range Cost Locations Notes+3 1+8 2 F 1000 GC 4DO4W [1]

[1] Requires a team of 4 horses to attain full Move score.

Horses and carriage count as a single group for the purposes of missile fire and magic. To determine the location of any hits on coaches, roll 1d:

Die Roll (1d6) Hit Location1-2 Horse (Select Randomly)

3-4 Coach Body

5 Wheel

6 Exposed Crew Member or Passenger (Select Randomly)

Exposed crew and passengers are those on top of the coach, hanging from the sides, or leaning out of windows. Characters inside the coach, or not visible through a window, cannot be hit by non-targeted shots. However, if the firer/spellcaster makes an Aim maneuver, specific horses or parts of the coach can be hit in the normal way for individuals within a group.

If a leading horse of a team is killed, the coach immediately comes to a halt, turning over unless the driver makes a successful Teamster check. In the event of a crash, all the occupants suffer 1d wounds, without the benefit of armor. Characters on the outside are thrown 1d yards clear, but suffer no extra damage.

If a horse in the second pair is killed, the coach is slowed to half speed until the body is cut free. This may be accomplished with a successful Acrobatics check, by a character balanced on one or other of the horses. If both the second pair of horses are slain, the coach comes to a halt in the same way as if a leading horse had been killed.

A coach wheel can take 7 hits of damage before collapsing. This damage does not count against the coach as a whole. However, once a wheel has been lost, the coach will come to a halt, with the same possibility of turning over as if a leading horse bad been killed (see above).

Boats: All boats are constructed from heavy planking, with lighter wood and canvas used for decking and shelter etc. The commonest river boat is about 12-15 yards long and is very broad in the beam. Power comes from a single rigged sail, although boats may often be towed by heavy horses over considerable distances. Construction times vary, depending on the size of the boat: a row boat takes 3d+2 days, a river barge takes 1d+1 months (assuming that materials and skills are readily available).

A row boat needs only one oarsman, but usually has oars and space for two. River boats have a crew of 1d+4, one of whom is the helmsman, the others being deckhands, stevedores, oarsmen and so on. A row boat can carry a maximum of 6 people (including rowers), while a river boat could accommodate as many as 40 (including crew), provided that no cargo is carried (see below).

34


Space for baggage and equipment is severely limited in rowing boats, and a choice must be made between passengers and their gear. If 6 people are to be carried, there will be no room for any cargo other than small personal belongings, but for every person under the 6, cargo of volume and weight equal to 1 person may be carried. In river boats, cargo space is provided in a forward hold, while the space behind the mast is used for living space, stowage, shelter or additional cargo. Maximum cargo capacity is 4,800 lbs., but this should be reduced if a full complement of passengers and crew is being carried. A small awning serves to protect cargo from inclement weather.

Large Riverboat

TL ST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load4 100 -2/3 12c 0.5/3 4 2.8

SM Occ. DR Range Cost Loc. Draft Notes+4 3+20 3 F 600 GC M 6 [2,3]

[2] Using oars, with 4 rowers. Under sail, Range is “-”.[3] Wind powered. Weight includes ballast.

A boat and its crew count as a single target for missile fire and magic. To dermine the location of any hit on a boat, roll 3d and consult the foliowing table:

Die Roll (2d6)

Rowing Boat River Boat

1-3 Exposed Crew Member Exposed Crew Member

4-6 Exposed Crew Member Cargo/Otherwise Hull

7-9 Cargo/Otherwise Hull Hull

10-12 Hull Hull

Exposed crew covers all targets not actually sheltering in a deck hut on a riverboat, and should be selected at random by the GM. Characters inside a deck hut cannot be hit by a non-targeted shot. The term 'Hull' includes all parts of the ship's superstructure, where any is present, such as the mast, any deck huts and the steering oars of a river boat.

Specific parts of the boat, induding crew members and cargo, can be shot at in the normal way for individuals within a group. This means that the firer/spellcaster must make an Aim manuever and that the target must be at least partially visible.

Once a boat has suffered damage equal to 80% of its HP (ie, 80 for a river boat), it will sink. Crew and passengers must either swim or drown.

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Chapter III: Character CreationChapter III: Character Creation

• STARTING CHARACTERS • Point Value:New characters should be built on 100 points with a maximum of -50 points in disadvantages and -5 points in quirks. When converting from WFRP, experienced characters may work out to a higher point value (just convert them and let the chips fall where they may), but the -50 point disadvantage limit should be kept in any case.It should also be noted that all characters must take at least one level of the Rank advantage or purchase high Status, otherwise they must take a level of the Wealth Disadvantage.

Attributes:The absolute upper attribute limit for a normal human is 16. Attribute levels of 9-12 are to be considered normal, 13 is good and 14+ is both impressive and immediately obvious.Non-human attribute limits vary, and are increased/decreased by the race's attribute modifiers. Dwarfs, for example, receive a +1 HT bonus giving them a maximum of HT 17 but have a DX penalty of -1, giving them a maximum DX score of only 15.

Advantages and Disadvantages:The standard starting wealth for the campaign is 250 GC, or 1000 GURPS $ (4 GURPS $ = 1 GC).

Exotic and Supernatural Advantages may not as a rule be selected, with the exception of Power Investment or Magery (or Warp Empathy or Warp Resonance as they're known in the GURPS:Warhammer setting). Feel free to ask about other Supernatural advantages that are important to the character concept.Illiteracy is the norm and it is recommended that players who do not take this disadvantage come up with a good reason for why they can read.

Tech Level: By and large, the GURPS: Warhammer setting is Tech Level 4, with a few exceptions. The Dwarven Engineer's Guild is TL 4+2, but only in the fields of Transportation, Weapons and Power (see GURPS 4ed p512 for TL by field). The Skaven of Clan Skryre is TL 4+1 in the same fields, mostly by benefit of stolen Dwarf-Tech.

• THE FOUR RACES • Players will begin by playing a character from one of the four main races which inhabit the fantasy realm of the Old World. Human (or Man), Elf, Dwarf or Halfling. Of these, Humans are the most common and this is the recommended race for novice players. A more detailed description of each race, including cultural history and background, can be found in each of the racial descriptions, below.

∙ DWARFS ∙ Dwarfs are not a numerous people. Although they live a long time, they multiply very slowly. They are clannish, often living in inaccessible castles or underground holds, but adopting many of the cultural traits of the region where they live. Thus, the Dwarfs of Norsca arguably have more in common with the Norse Humans than their cousins in the Worlds Edge mountains.

Dwarfs are proud and very short-tempered. Dwarven history is full of occasions where indignation at some petty slight resulted in racial feuding or war. One such war was fought against the Elves of the Old World, in the legendary past. Eventually the Elves retired from the conflict, returning to their homeland of Ulthuan whilst the weakened Dwarfs had to face invading Goblins. The succeeding conflicts are

known as the Goblin Wars, during which the Dwarven Kingdoms of the Old World where reduced to a few strongholds along the Worlds Edge mountains. The Norse Dwarfs suffered less from the conflict although, more recently, they have come under attack from the incursions of Chaos, and many have fled westwards across the seas to the new lands of Lustria, and the South Land settlements of the New Coast.

Dwarfs are a very materialistic people: they are excellent artisans and sturdy workers. They have little magical aptitude, and Dwarven wizards are rare. They speak Old Worlder or Norse, as well as their own secret Dwarven tongue which they teach to no-one.

Physique: Dwarfs are short creatures, about five feet in height but very broadly built, which makes them ideally suited to underground living, tunneling and mining. Their skin is the same shade as that of humans, and their hair color varies a great deal, although the Norse Dwarfs tend to be red-haired or blond.

Dwarf 10 pointsAttributes: ST+1 [10]; HT +1 [10]; DX -1 [-20].

Secondary Characteristics: Will +2 [10]; Fatigue +3 [9]; SM -1, Move -1 [-5].

Advantages: Artificer 1 [10]; Extended Lifespan 2 [4]; Mortal Foe (Greenskins) [5]; Hard to Kill 1 [2]; Indomitable [15]; Longevity [2]; Night Vision +5 [5]; Resistant to Disease (HT+8) [5].

Perks: Alcohol Tolerance [1]; Weapon Bond [1].

Disadvantages: Appearance: Unattractive [-4], Bad Temper [-10], Code of Honor (Dwarven) [-10]; Greed [-15], Intolerance (Elves and Greenskins) [-5], Odious Personal Habits (Gruff and Unfriendly)[-5], Stubbornness [-5].

Quirks: Dying Race [-1]; Never Forget a Grudge [-1], Never shave or cut beards [-1].

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Dwarven) [0], Language: Khazalid/ Klinkarhun (Native/Literate) [0]; Language: Old Worlder (Reikspiel; Native/Illiterate) [3].

Racial Skills: Survival (Mountain; at Per) [0].

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Chapter III: Character Creation

ELVES ∙ ∙

Elves are the oldest and wisest of the humanoid races. They are a sophisticated people, with a profound love of the arts and lives of hedonistic self-indulgence. No Elf likes to deal with the problems of everyday life, and labor of all kinds is considered dull. Elves do not get on well with other races, being arrogant, whimsical and impractical. Dwarfs in particular find them irritating. Elves speak their own rather precise and complex language.

Physique: Elves look much like Humans. They are about six feet tall, slimly built and well-proportioned. All Elves are lithe and attractive, their faces thin and alert with large eyes and full mouths. Their ears can be quite large and are often pointed. Few Elves can grow beards, and hair colors are black through silver to pure white. Blond or brownish hair is not uncommon, but red is rare. Many Elves dye their hair, and the practice of using make-up has been adopted by both sexes.

Wood Elves: The Wood Elves represent the last vestiges of the colonies founded long ago in the Old and New Worlds. Their numbers are few and declining. They are more broadminded and less self-preoccupied than High Elves, even going as far as to maintain relations with Humans. They are excellent bowmen, though they make reluctant warriors, preferring hunting, singing, dancing and merrymaking. Wood Elves who return to the Elven Kingdoms find themselves dubbed 'boorish' or 'rustic'. There are a few very small communities in the forests along the eastern edges of the Worlds Edge mountains and several larger colonies on the eastern coasts of the New World. Wood Elves speak Elvish with a distinctive accent, and can usually speak local human tongues as well.

Wood Elves 50 pointsAttributes: IQ+1 [20]; DX +1 [20].

Secondary Characteristics: -2 HPs [-4]; +1 Will [5], +1 Move [5].

Advantages: Acute Hearing +3 [6]; Appearance: Attractive [4]; Charisma +1 [5]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Unaging [15]; Night Vision 3 [3]; Warp Resonance 0 [5].

Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Elven) [-10]; Intolerance (Dwarfs and Greenskins) [-5]; Laziness [-10]; Odious Personal Habits (Arrogant) [-5]; Sense of Duty (Nature) [-10]; Skinny [-5]; Social Stigma (Bumpkins and Rubes; High Elves Only -50%) [-5].

Quirks: Dying Race [-1].

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Elven) [0]; Language: Eltharin (Fan-Eltharin; Native/Illiterate) [-3]; Language: Old Worlder (Breton; Native/Illiterate) [3].

Racial Skills: +1 to Bows [2]; Survival (Forest; at Per) [0].

High Elves: More than any other kind of Elf, the High Elves allow little to interfere with their lives of pleasure. They are the core of their race, living in the cities of the Elven Kingdoms and scorning travel. To these people, working for a living is regarded as a sign of personal failure. Few High Elves ever leave the Elven Kingdoms, though a few younger, more adventurous individuals might do so as a form of vacation, or for the 'experience'. These travelers cannot help but irritate the other races they encounter by their patronizing and overbearing attitude. Lynchings of such individuals are not uncommon.

High Elf Lens: +0 pointsAdvantages: High Elves may or may not speak Old Worlder, at the player's option. High Elves speak the Tar-Eltharin dialect of Elvish, and are more commonly literate.

Disadvantages: Remove Social Stigma [-5]. Replace Intolerance (Dwarfs and Greenskins) [-5] with Intolerance (All Non-Elves) [-10].

Sea Elves: The Elves living around the coasts of the Elven Kingdoms have a tradition of seamanship and fighting, and lack the normal Elven disdain of physical labor. Because of this, the High Elves look down on them, thinking them rough and uncouth. They are brave warriors and tireless guardians of the seaways, and it is thanks to them the sea routes between the Old World and Lustria remain open. Sea Elves are quite venturesome, and can often be found as merchants and traders in Old World ports. Most of them speak Old Worlder as well as Elvish, and many have a smattering of the Norse language too. The Elven trading posts of the Old World are run almost exclusively by Sea Elves.

Sea Elf Lens: +5 pointsAdvantages: Sea Elves speak the Tar-Eltharin dialect of Elvish.

Disadvantages: Replace Laziness [-10] and Social Stigma [-5] with Social Stigma (Minority Group) [-10].

Half-Elves: Progeny produced from the union of Elves and Men are extremely rare to the point of being virtually unknown. Elves,with the possible exception of the mercantile Sea kindred, are very suspicious of humans and have very little to do with them, and the feeling is mutual. Then there is the fact that Elves are so rare in the Old World as to be nearly mythical; certainly the Wood Elves are viewed as supernatural entities by the few woodsmen who have ever seen them. These factors make it almost impossible for humans and Elves to ever interact on a more friendly basis.

Half-elves nearly always live among their Elven kin, for there is a strong stigma attached to anyone with strange idiosyncrasies in your typical Reikland village. Half-elves can live for two or three centuries, many times that of a human, and to exist for so long while generation after generation dies, is sure to arouse the suspicion of Witch Hunters. However, it is often the case that Elves will eventually find the Half-elf and invite him to live with them, away from the 'barbaric' world of Men.

Half-elves who choose to live among the Firstborn become true Elves in the eyes of their adopted clan/tribe/kinband,observing all customs, traditions and religious beliefs. If among the Wood Elves, the Half-Elf is even shown the secret paths to their

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kingdoms. As they age, Half-Elves become more and more Elvish, until they resemble Elves so closely that only other Elves can tell the difference.

Half-elves who choose to live among Men are treated as such by the Elves. As they age they begin to look more human, and some males might actually be able to grow facial hair; though this is not usual.

Physique: Half-elves are stouter than normal Elves, but slighter then men, and have thin, angular features; they are just as supple as Elves, with hearing likewise as keen. Hair color is generally brown or black; and eyes are usually gray. Half-elves who live among Elves adopt their styles and fashions; hair is often worn long and plaited, and clothing is exceedingly well-made and subtly adorned. Half-elves who live among humans are inclined to mannish trends, though some of their habits may belie their Elvish lineage.

Half-Elves 25 pointsAttributes: DX +1 [20].

Secondary Characteristics: -1 HPs [-2]; +1 Will [5].

Advantages: Acute Hearing +3 [6]; Appearance: Attractive [4]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Extended Lifespan 2 [4]; Night Vision 3 [3].

Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Elven) [-10]; Intolerance (Dwarfs and Greenskins) [-5]; Laziness [-10]; Odious Personal Habits (Arrogant) [-5]; Sense of Duty (Nature) [-10].

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Elven) [0]; Language: Eltharin (Fan-Eltharin; Native/Illiterate) [-3]; Language: Old Worlder (Breton; Native/Illiterate) [3].

Racial Skills: None

Note: These Disadvantages are suitable for an Elf-raised Half-Elf; Human-raised Half-Elves should follow the guidelines under Humans, below.

HALFLING ∙ ∙

Halflings are a race short in numbers as well as size. Those who have not become an integral part of Human society now inhabit an independent pastoral state, which is wholly contained within the Empire and lives under its protection.The origins of Halflings stretch back at least as far as those of Humans, but now, partly due to their peaceable nature, their numbers are on the decline.

Halflings are an overfed and peaceful folk, more concerned with the welfare of their crops and herds and the timing of the next meal than with military pursuits.

They are excellent hosts, welcoming and trusting, happy to provide food and shelter to travelers. Nevertheless, they are a determined, even stubborn race and will defend their homes, livelihoods and lunch with considerable vigor, even though they are not effective fighters. They may strive manfully to raise a militia in the face of some threat and may show considerable individual courage in defending their homes, but their size and unwarlike nature counts heavily against them.

Halfling communities tend to be small villages, nominally headed by an Elder. Elders meet occasionally to discuss common issues over a large banquet, but overall organization is very loose, with little or no formalized government. Halfling religion and folklore revolves around their lifestyle, and their main deities are concerned with fertility and the weather. Their legendary heroes tend to be Halflings who reaped bumper harvests or organized enormous banquets in time of famine, rather than great fighters or explorers. Adventuring is somewhat frowned upon but some Halflings may travel in Human lands, hiring themselves out as cooks and the like.

Physique: Halflings vary between three feet and four feet in height. They are rotund, squat, often pot-bellied, and nowhere near as powerfully built as Dwarfs. They do not grow beards or facial hair, other than the side-burns sported by elderly and well-to-do male Halflings, but their hands and feet are covered with hair, and are surprisingly large for such small people. The hairiness of their feet is a constant source of pride to all Halflings, and they generally go around barefoot.

Halfling 25 pointsAttributes: ST -1 [-10], HT -1 [-10]; DX +1 [20].

Secondary Characteristics: Will +1 [5], HP -2 [-4], SM -1, Move -1 [-5].

Advantages: Charisma +2 [10]; Combat Reflexes [15], Cultural Familiarity (Empire) [1], Extended Lifespan 1 [2], Halfling Talents 1 (Cooking -or- Farming TL/4, Current Affairs: TL/4, Expert (Genealogy), Sling, Throwing) [5], High Manual Dexterity 1 [5], Night Vision +2 [2], Silence 2 [10], Resistance (Chaos) +1 [2], Social Regard (Good Friends) +2 [10].

Disadvantages: Chummy [-5], Code of Honor (Hospitality) [-5], Gluttony [-5], Increased Consumption 1 [-10], No Arcane Magical Ability [-5].

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Halfling) [0]; Language: Old Worlder (Reikspiel; Native/Illiterate) [-3].

Racial Skills: None

∙ HUMAN ∙ Humanity is the most diverse and populous of all the humanoid races. Humans are versatile, adventurous creatures with a considerable capacity to absorb magical and martial training, and they make good wizards and soldiers as well as traders, merchants, farmers and artisans. They are the dominant species in the Old World.

Physique: Humans vary somewhat in height from individual to individual and also depending upon their general racial type. Few

Humans exceed six feet six inches or are shorter than five feet. The Old World is a tough place; the Humans who inhabit it's kingdoms and wildernesses have grown up amongst all sorts of perils and hardships, and are much stronger and more resilient than a typical modern human of our world.

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There are several distinct Human races, but those who live beyond the borders of the Old World are mentioned but briefly here.

Human characters should choose one of the following 0-point packages:

Old Worlders, or Men of the West, come from the Old World. This is the area dealt with in detail by these rules, and it assumed that player characters will be Old Worlders.

Albion: Acute Hearing 1 [+2], Fearless 1 [+2], Naturalist at IQ-1 [+2], Low Technology Level 1 [-5], Quirk (Ignorance About Lands Outside Albion) [-1].

Bretonnia: Heraldry at IQ-2 [+1], Quirk (Class System) [-1].

Empire: The Empire has no mandatory skills or quirks. An Imperial Human is the baseline character.

Estalia: Navigation at IQ-1 [+1], Quirk (Hate magic) [-1].

Kislev: Survival at IQ-1 [+1], Quirk (Enmity with Chaos) [-1].

Tilea: Fast-Talk at IQ-1 [+1], Quirk (Mercenary) [-1].

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Choose one) [0]; Language: Old Worlder (Choose one dialect; Native/Illiterate) [0].

Northmen are hardy, but savage, folk that live in the northern parts of the world, particularly the Chaos Wastes and Norsca. They are human, but often only barely, their society is a barbaric and nomadic one, and their culture primevally primitive. Being what they are, the Northmen are often drawn to the Gods of Chaos - particularly Khorne; but all of the chaos gods count a number of supporters among these folk.

Kurgan:The Kurgan are a black-haired, olive skinned people who inhabit the Chaos Wastes north of the Dark Lands and the Eastern Steppes, and also to the north of Norsca. Kurgan are the most numerous race of northmen, and are highly nomadic being equally capable fighters and travellers on horseback and on foot. Despite this they are less often seen in the Old World (both in peacetime and when invading) than the Norse as they are much further North.

Tribes that make up the Kurgan include the Gharbars, Tahmaks, Kul, Dolgans, Tokmars, Yusak, Khazags, Avags and Aghols.

Kurgan 0 pointsTraits: +1 ST [+10], +1 HT [+10], -1 IQ [-20].

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Tribal) [0]; Language: Tribal (Native/ Illiterate) [0].

Hung:The Hung are an oriental race, shorter and squatter than the people of Cathay but otherwise resembling them. The Hung inhabit the Chaos Wastes to the north of Cathay and Naggaroth in the New World. The Hung are horsemen par excellence, and they breed tough, small horses on their cold mountain slopes which would survive where larger southern warhorses would starve. They ride these into battle when they attack the more civilised (if such can be said in the case of the Dark Elves) lands to the south.

Tribes that make up the Hung include the Wei-Tu, Dreaded Wo, Man-Chu, Kuj, Chi-An, Mung, Tu-Ka and Tong.

Hung 0 pointsTraits: +1 ST [+10], +1 HT [+10], -1 IQ [-20], Animal Handling at IQ [+2], Riding at DX [+2], Unattractive [-4].

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Tribal); Language (Tribal; Native/Illiterate) [0].

Norse:The Norse are a fierce race who inhabit Norsca to the north of the Old World. The Norse are a tall powerfully built race who clad themselves in furs and sail the oceans of the world in dark longships, raiding and pillaging in the name of the Chaos Gods and for their own wealth. They are the most likely Chaos Warriors to be found attacking the Empire due to their close proximity to it. Because of their explorations, including a Norse colony in the New World called Skeggi, the Norse are the most "civilised" by far of the northmen and are the most likely to be seen trading with southerners in peacetime. It should be noted that the further north in Norsca one travels, the more Barbaric the Norse become, and they should never be considered trustworthy or merciful by any standards.

Tribes who make up the Norse include: Gfaelings, Vargs, Bjoenlings, Scaelings, Sarls, Baersoglings, Aeslings, Kvelligs and Hastlings.

Norse 0 pointsTraits: +1 ST [+10], +1 HT [+10], -1 IQ [-20], Any one Melee Weapon at DX-1 [+1], Quirk (Compulsive Drinkers) [-1].

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Norsca) [0]; Language (Nordic; Native/Illiterate) [0].

Arabians correspond closely to the Ottoman Turks of the sixteenth century. Although Araby comprises several ethnic groupings, and a number of states, these all owe allegiance to a single religious and secular center of power controlled by a Sultan. Arabian society is feudal and perhaps not so technically advanced as that of the Old Worlders.

Arabians 0 pointsTraits: Merchant at IQ-1 [+1], Quirk (Highly Religious) [-1].

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Araby) [0]; Language: Arabyan (Native/Literate) [0].

Orientals comprise the largest single population of humanity in the world. Their homelands are known as Cathay, and consist of a large number of independent states, many of which are not unlike the Far East of our own world in ancient times. There are many different languages spoken in Cathay, but the tongue of the administrative classes, Cathan, is understood by merchants and headmen almost everywhere. Technology and society varies tremendously from the stone-age, head-hunting barbarians of the south to the ordered civilizations of the north, including Nippon and Imperial Cathay.

Cathay 0 pointsTraits: Philosophy at IQ-2 [+1], Quirk (Mystical) [-1];

Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (Cathay) [0]; Language: Cathan (Native/Literate) [0].

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Nippon 0 pointsTraits: Philosophy (Bushido) at IQ-2 [+1], Quirk (Class System) [-1].

Social Backgroud: Cultural Familiarity (Nippon) [0]; Language: Nipponese (Native/Literate) [0].

Other human types include the black-skinned Southrons of the South Lands and the red-skinned natives of the New World. Both of these groups are very primitive and have little contact with any of the major races. They live in very small tribal units, often with unique languages and cultures which very tremendously within even a small geographic area.

• SOCIAL BACKGROUND • Wealth page B25Wealth and Status are closely linked in the Warhammer World; however they must be purchased seperately. Wealth affects Status by offering a bonus or penalty as noted under Status Adjustment (GURPS p26). Starting Wealth for GURPS Warhammer is 250 GC. Divide the cost of any GURPS equipment by 4 to get the cost in gold pieces.

Status page B28Status represents the general social standing of all characters in the Warhammer World. Every character and NPC in the world falls into one of these categories. If a PC doesn’t spend any points on Status, then they are assumed to have Status 0 “Freeman”. It is nearly impossible to change Status during play.

Status follows the typical feudal model in most areas of the Warhammer setting, with only the titles themselves changing by locale (A Duke in Albion is a Duc in Brettonia, a Duque in Estalia and a Boyar in Kislev). The Empire has several special titles, as outlined on the sample chart below:

Level Title Reikspeil Monthly Cost of Living

876

Emperor/essGrand Duke/Duchess

Elector/Electress

Kaiser(in)Großherzog(in)

Kurfürst(in)

50,000+20,000+10,000

65

Archduke/ArchduchessDuke/Duchess

Erzherzog(in)Herzog(in)

10,0005,000

544

Prince(ss)Margrave/Margravine

Landgrave/Landgravine

Fürst(in)Markgraf/MarkgräfinLandgraf/Landgräfin

5,0002,5002,500

333

Count(ess) of the EmpireCount(ess) PalatineAltgrave/Altgravine

Reichsgraf/ReichsgräfinPfalzgraf/Pfalzgräfin

Altgraf/Altgräfin

1,5001,5001,500

221

Burgrave/BurgravineBaron(ess)

Knight

Burggraf/BurggräfinFreiherr/Freifrau

Ritter

800800400

11

CaptainCraftsman/Merchant

KapitänBurgher

400400

0-1-2

Villein, TownsmanSerf, Rogue

Beggar

StadtbewohnerSklaveBettler

20010050

Administrative Rank page B29As stated in the Basic Set, Administrative Rank signifies a position within a governmental bureaucracy. In the Old World, the local authority of smaller villages and hamlets will have Administrative Rank, as shown on the trable below:

Level Title Notes3 Burgomeister Requires Status 4

3 City mayor Requires Status 3

3 Large town mayor/ Provincial town mayor

Requires Status 2

2 Village Reeve/Civic Councilor

Requires Status 1

1 Civic official Requires Status 0

Guild/Trade Rank page B29Few people can rise above their birth status. Only truly extraordinary people can change this status. Most often this is done by gaining Rank.

Guilds are truly the only way a person can earn Rank.

Dominating every trade and profession in the Warhammer world, Guilds control everything from sailors, beggars, and craftsmen to well-to-do merchants, and even wizards... All low-Status characters must take at least one rank of Administrative, Guild, Military or Religious Rank or take a level of Wealth Disadvantage.

There are many types of rank in the Warhammer World. I have listed some Guilds below, however this list is by no means complete. Players are encouraged to develop new Guilds to suit character concepts. The titles listed for each type of Guild Rank are suggestions. The Warhammer world is as diverse as our own. These titles have been pilfered from the Warhammer source books as well as my own ideas and are intended to inspire rather than restrict.

Prerequisite Advantage: Some guilds require a specific advantage before member can join. This is listed under each guild.

Prerequisite Skill(s): All guilds require proficiency in one or more skills appropriate to the guild. A minimum skill level is required for each level of Rank. The minimum is 12+(Rank Level). If more than one skill is listed then both skills must be sufficiently high before the Rank is granted. For Example: To take Rank 1 within the Entertainers Guild a character must have the Performance skill of 13 or higher. Likewise, Rank 4 in the Wizards Guild requires the character to have the Thaumatology skill of 16 or higher.

Level Title Notes5 Merchant Prince Requires Status 4

4 Guild Master Requires Status 3

3 Guild official Requires Status 2

2 Master Artisan Requires Status 1

1 Guildsman Requires Status 0

0 Apprentice/Non-Guild Tradesman

Status -1

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Imperial College of Sorcery Rank (By Type) 5 points/levelIn 2452, Wilhelm III made the practice of the arcane academic disciplines legal in the Reich, declaring null and void the ancient laws against witchcraft. In this proclamation Wilhelm III declared that certain arcane practices, including necromancy and dark magic, were to remain illegal, and to be considered treason.

Wilhelm III also established the eight colleges of sorcery, and granted them the right to make laws restricting the practice of magic in the Empire, giving them the power to establish penalties and stand in judgment over offenders.

Wilhelm perceptively realized that the colleges now had a vested interest in preventing disturbances which might turn the people, the merchant class, and the nobility against them. The colleges have established extensive regulations concerning the practice of magic in the Empire, and have been fairly successful in policing their own ranks. Their success is probably at least partially attributable to the imposing resources they command in the pursuit and apprehension of traitors, and the gruesome ingenuity and enthusiasm they invest in the public spectacles of their sentences and executions.

Wilhelm’s proclamation only specifically legitimized the practice of sorceries of the four academies, therefore the status of Hedge Wizardry is left somewhat ambiguous. Since Hedgewizards are primarily poor, rural folk, the matter is of little consequence to the noble and merchant classes of the Empire. The Colleges of Sorcery have construed their authority to include the pursuit and judgment of wizards that clearly imperil the public welfare, pyromaniacs, highwaymen, and bandits employing sorcery, in particular, but they are less diligent in policing the petty frauds and nuisances occasionally perpetrated by backwoods Hedgewizards. The rural folk have adopted their own rough, informal style of justice to deal with these wayward spellcasters. . .

Each College is autonomous. Spell casting characters should be careful to choose an appropriate college to their character concept because each has different libraries with access to different spells. The practice of Dark Magic and Necromancy is illegal, and so practitioners must keep their ability secret lest they be severely prosecuted, tortured, and then killed. Also note that, anyone known (or sometimes merely suspected) of being a spell-caster who does not have the backing and support of a guild, will be prosecuted, tortured, then killed.

The eight Colleges are: Amber, Amethyst, Bright, Celestial, Jade, Light, Gold and Grey.

Prerequisite Advantage: Warp Resonance, Language (Magic)Prerequisite Skill: Thaumatology & Alchemy

Artisans Guild Rank (By type) 5 points/levelEach Artisans Guild has it’s own Rank: Such as Brewer, Tailor, Chandler, Tanner, Vintner, Blacksmith, Cobbler, Rat Catcher, Labourer, Engineer, etc . Humans, Elves and Dwarfs have their own respective versions of these Craftsguilds. The Dwarfs especially guard their knowledge jealously.

Prerequisite Advantage: None Prerequisite Skill: Professional Skill appropriate to the Guild. (For example: the Imperial Tailors Guild would require the Profession: Tailor skill as a prerequisite).

Bards Guild Rank 5 points/levelBards are masters of sound and music, although they generally travel the countryside and tell stories or ballads for a meal. Most of their magic is of course connected to sound and is subtler than the normal aggressive magic used by the other spellcasters. Not all Bards are spell casters, but those who are always have either the “Song” “Dance” or “Music” limited Magery. Elves are considered to be the most gifted Bards, but tend not to travel and so lack the fame and glory of human bards, because they sing and play purely for the sake of singing and playing and not so much as to manipulate things or people.

Prerequisite Advantage: None, but Warp Resonance is common.Prerequisite Skill: Performance & Musical Instrument

Dwarf Engineers Guild Rank 5 points/level The Dwarf Engineers Guild strives to find technological solutions to most problems. The ancient Elves once dominated the skies atop their mighty War Dragons, but it was not long before the Dwarfs had taken to the air in rotor-bladed flying machines known as Gyrocopters. The steam locomotion that powers these magnificent machines is one of the Dwarfs greatest discoveries, and means that they are not dependent on beasts of burden, which have difficulty traversing the inhospitable mountains. Only a Dwarf can join this guild.

Prerequisite Advantage: Gadgeteer, High TLPrerequisite Skill: Engineer: Vehicles and one other Engineer specialty such as Engineer: Armor or Engineer: Weapons.

Entertainers Guild Rank 5 points/levelA select few become famous and attract patronage of the nobility. Entertainers include: Acrobats, Actors, Fire Eaters, Fortune Tellers, Jugglers, Poets, Singers, Troubadours, Wrestlers, and more.

Prerequisite Advantage: None Prerequisite Skill: Performance

Thieves'/Assassins' Guild Rank 5 points/levelThese are two separate Guilds but are listed together for simplicity. Every major city within the Warhammer world hosts it’s own Thieves' Guild and Assassins' Guild. Players must choose which city’s Guild they join. Each guild is autonomous, but most respect each other and a Guild member from one city can often find refuge and aid in another city. This is not to say that Guild members never betray each other. Indeed they do …for the right price.

Prerequisite Advantage: None Prerequisite Skill: Streetwise & Stealth

Prostitute/ Bawd Guild Rank 5 points/levelProstitutes and Bawds are common across the Warhammer World. In a grim world they console and fill a need that many of the authorities and nobility would rather to ignore. A high ranking courtesan can earn quite a name for herself despite her low status birth.

Prerequisite Advantage: NonePrerequisite Skill: Sex appeal

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Runesmith Cult Rank 5 points / levelThe Runesmith is a member of an elite clan of Dwarfs able to craft wondrous items by imbuing them with magical Runes. (See Unusual Background: Runesmith). Ranks in this cult function differently than most others. New characters should not be allowed to begin beyond Rank 1 or 2.

Runesmiths may add their Ranks in the Runesmith Cult to their Symbol Drawing and Rune skills in much the same way a Cleric benefits from Warp Empathy. Runesmiths never actually cast spells and the enchantment process involves much physical labor, hammering and working the materials of the item to be crafted, then finally etching and empowering the Runes.

Each rune is considered a separate skill. For further details and a list of available runes, see Chapter III: Magic. A Runesmith may never know a Rune at a level higher than his Symbol Drawing: Runes skill.

Prerequisite Advantage: Unusual Background: RunesmithPrerequisite Skill: Armory (Body Armor), Armory (Heavy Weapons), Smith: Iron, Symbol Drawing: Runes

Title Level CostRunelord 6 30 points

Master Runesmith 5 25 points

Runesmith 4 20 points

Journeyman Runesmith 3 15 points

Apprentice Runesmith 2 10 points

Apprentice 1 5 points

Wardancer Rank 5 points/levelWardancers are deadly warrior-troubadours. Little is known about the workings within this strange cult of Wood Elves. They seem to be an elite cult of bards. Flamboyant yet deadly skirmishers Wardancers combine incredible skill at arms with breathtaking acrobatic feats. Only Wood Elves my be Wardancers.

Prerequisite Advantage: None, but Ambidexterity, Combat Reflexes and Musical Ability are common.Prerequisite Skill: Acrobatics, Dancing, Flying Leap & one Weapon Skill

Waywatchers Rank 5 points/levelNothing is more certain to invoke the fury of the Wood Elves than intruders and violators of nature. Safeguarding the forest is the primary responsibility of the Waywatchers - the elite rangers who specialize in tracking, setting traps and launching surprise attacks. Whole Imperial regiments have been known to walk march into the forest only to be depleted to a man - without ever catching a glimpse of these lethal scouts. Only Wood Elves may be Waywatchers.

Prerequisite Advantage: NonePrerequisite Skill: Bow, Tracking & Traps

Witch Hunters Rank 5 points/levelWitch Hunters are a loosely organized guild of people who, for reasons of their own, have devoted their lives to hunting down and destroying Chaos and its minions. In some states Witch Hunters are

tolerated and encouraged, in others they are forced to operate in secret. Witch Hunters will kill their quarry out of hand when necessary, but prefer to whip up mass hysteria. They love to conduct showy trials and lynchings, encouraging people to denounce their neighbors, their rulers, and even their own families.

Prerequisite Advantage: NonePrerequisite Skill: 2 skills from the following: Hidden Lore: Demonology, Hidden Lore: Witchcraft, or Hidden Lore: Undead.

Military Rank (By Type) B29Each Imperial City-State and Province is a semi-autonomous region, governed by an Elector or Burgomeister. The E are descended from the original tribal warlords appointed by Sigmar to govern the regions of his realm. Each Imperial province or City-State maintains a state regiment with its own rank and distinctive livery. Choices are: Middenheim, Hochland, Norland, Talabheim, Stirland, Reikland, Talabecland, Nuln, Ostland, Averland, Altdorf, Wissenland, Ostermark, and Middenland.

Prerequisite Advantage: Legal Enforcement Powers Prerequisite Skill: Law & Any single Weapon Skill

Level Title Notes8 The Emperor Not suitable for PCs

7 Reiksmarshall Not suitable for PCs

6 Elector Not suitable for PCs

5 General Requires Status 4+

4 Commander Requires Status 3

3 Captain Requires Status 2

2 Petty Captain Requires Status 1

1 Sergeant Requires Status 0

0 Soldier Requires Status 0

The second type of military rank is for noble characters who belong to one of the chivalric or templar orders. Examples of such orders are given below:

The Order of the Blazing Sun: A relatively small order, the Knights of the Blazing Sun are also known as the Templars of Myrmidia because of their devotion to the Estalian warrior deity Myrmidia.

The Order of the Black Bear: Easily the most boisterous of all the Knightly Orders within the Empire, the Knights of the Black Bear maintain a fortress on the borders of Averland as well as a Chapterhouse in Averheim itself. Close as they are to the haunted land of Sylvania and the Orc-infested Worlds Edge Mountains, the Bears of Averland do not lack for opportunities to prove their martial valor. Even so, the Knights have often found themselves without a foe and have thus fashioned a series of martial tournaments to provide an outlet for their energies (they had previously engaged in the practice of Halfling coursing - outlawed in 2402). These tourneys test all facets of what the Black Bear perceive to be Knightly skills and include such feats as swordplay, horsemanship, and of course, quaffing.

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The Knights Griffon: The Knights Griffon are arguably the most drilled and militaristic Order in the modem Empire. Their daily rituals mostly consist of strict martial training. A veteran Knight Griffon is the epitome of discipline and soldiery on the field of battle. He able and willing to hold his ground, attack, or retreat in good order should the situation require it. The Knights Griffon won founded in the year 2305 by Emperor Magnus the Pious as part of his rebuilding of the Empire after the Great War against Chaos. Magnus requested one hundred of the most loyal and devout Knights Panther to join him at his court in Nuln, where he formed an Order of devout Templars directly responsible for the protection of the Temple to Sigmar in the Empire's the capital. The Knights were deeply honored by this selection and accepted the offer, and the Order of Knights Griffon was incepted. When the crown passed to the Princes of Altdorf in 2429, the Knights Griffon moved their Chapterhouse to the Cathedral of Sigmar in Altdorf to maintain their vow to protect the heart of Sigmar's realm. As a result, there is some animosity between the Knights Griffon and the Reiksguard, each of whom views the other as imposing on their traditional role.

The Knights Panther: The Knights Panther were established after the wars against Araby when returning crusaders brought back magnificent leopards, tigers, and panthers, as well as furs that adorned their clothing. The Knights still trim their clothes and crests with whatever exotic spotted or striped fur they can obtain. Their shields carry the emblem of their Order, the fabled spotted panther of Araby.

Unlike many Knightly Orders, the Knights Panther owe their first loyalty to the Empire itself and are sworn to the protection of its people and lands. The Knights Panther are based predominantly in the cities of Middenheim and Talabheim. These cities are traditionally major centers of Ulric worship, and as a result, the Knights Panther have a fierce rivalry with the Knights of the White Wolf, each Order trying to outdo the other in battle.

The Hunters of Sigmar: A relatively new Order, The Hunters of Sigmar have dedicated themselves to hunting down and destroying pockets of Chaos resistance in the Drakwold forest region. The Order was formed by Jerik Wildorn in the aftermath of the Storm of Chaos, mainly in response to the increased presence of Beastmen and other dark and dangerous things lurking in the deep forests of the Empire's northern reaches. Jerik is an expert woodsman and tracker, and these skills are emulated, honed, and perfected by the Order's Knights each and every day. They frequently provide escort services to coaches and merchant caravans traveling through the region. In addition to such duties, the Hunters of Sigmar go out of their way to track and eradicate evil where it lives within the woods. Their strategy revolves around the idea of striking at Chaos before it has time to gather and form a raiding army. By striking in a preemptive manner, lives are saved and small settlements spared the ravages of Chaos.

The Grand Order of the Reiksguard: Founded during the reign of Wilhelm, the first Emperor in the line of the princes of Altdorf, the Reiksguard is recruited from the oldest sons of the Empire's nobility. Unlike other Knightly Orders, the Reiksguard is divided into warriors who fight on foot and on horseback. Regardless of how they fight, the Knights' weapons are of the highest quality, and their armor is polished to a mirror-like finish and topped with crests that carry the colors of reigning Emperor Karl Franz.

The Reiksguard Knights are the Emperor's best troops and, as such, form the core of his household guard. In this way, many masters of the Order have served as Imperial bodyguards, both on the field of battle as well as at other, more stately, functions. It is traditional also for the Grand Master of the Reiksguard to serve as the Reiksmarshal, second only in authority to the Emperor himself in matters of war.

The Templars of the Everlasting Light: The warrior code of this Order is founded squarely on the principles of justice and fairness. Naturally, as nobles, the Templars' opinion of justice contrasts markedly with that of the common folk, but it cannot be argued that the Templars often willingly fight for those who have no others to defend them. Templars of the Everlasting Light defended the plague-struck village of Hafbad when no other would, and members of their Order gave their lives to defeat the mighty Shaggoth Brakorth in the Worlds Edge Mountains. Despite such deeds, the Order has passed into history for another, less glorious reason: the Templars of the Everlasting Light are cursed.

The secret of how they became thus afflicted is locked within the Order's records, but speculation has it that they offended some deity while on crusade in Araby. Whatever the cause, they find themselves thrown from their horses at inopportune moments; swords break as a deathblow is delivered; and seemingly stable earth turns to marsh or quicksand once the hooves of their steeds touch it.

The Order of the Broken Sword: The Order of the Broken Sword formed after a band of local freelance knights led by Dott Barthos gathered together to go after a marauding band of Chaos Beastmen. In recent months, these Beastmen terrorized and pillaged several local farms. Their last raid left three entire families slaughtered, a missing farmer's daughter, and three mutilated cows. Something had to be done.

The Knights tracked the Beastmen through the twisted forest to their camp and then readied themselves for battle. During the attack, Dott Barthos squared off against the leader of the foul beasts, Sizlak Grimhoof. In the ensuing battle with the vile Beastman, Dott Barthos was grievously wounded. With the last of his remaining strength, Barthos launched a ferocious attack. His sword swung in a wide arc, smashing against the head of Sizlak Grimhoof. The blow sheared the Beastman''s skull clean in half, though breaking Barthos' sword in the process. With the Grimhoof defeated, Dott Barthos was filled with righteous fury. Pressing the advantage, Dott and his men pursued the fleeing Beastmen through the woods, eventually dispatched them all. In the aftermath of the skirmish, with his broken sword clutched to his chest, Dott Barthos finally succumbed to his terrible wounds.

On that day, the surviving Knights formed the Order of the Broken Sword, dedicated to stomping out evil and protecting the citizens of the Empire. Dott Barthos's Broken Sword and Grimhoof's cloven skull remain in the main hall of their Chapterhouse to this very day.

The Order of the Sacred Scythe: The Order of the Sacred Scythe have made it their duty to patrol the shadowy roads and paths of Eastem Stirland. Long and mystenous is their history, with most of the Chapterhouse records kept under lock and key. Rumors abound that the Order has tainted bloodlines of ill-repute - but no one knows for sure. What is known about the Scythes is that they are well versed hunters of the Vampire. They tirelessly root out possible Vampiric threats, cults, and any who would serve such a dark master.

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The Knights of Sigmar's Blood: The Knights of Sigmars Blood have a long and proud history. Led by their Grand Master Hans Leitdorf, brother of the Elector Count of Averland, their ranks are filled with the men of noble houses from across the Empire. Their selection process is considered extreme even among the other Orders, as each Knight in training must spend a year in study within the church, where he is judged by the priests as to his worthiness.

The Knights of Morr: Encased within black armor and deathly silent when on the battlefield, the Knights of Morr are the dark guardians of the Empire. When parents wish to get their children to sleep a night, they tell them that the Knights of Morr will come for them unless they rest. The Knights of Monr are widely feared for their devotion to the god of the dead, and dark tales abound regarding their initiation rites. Even so, their martial prowess is more than welcome to those they fight alongside, for their silent efficiency is among the best in the Empire.

The Order of the Gold Lion: A secular Order, the Knights of the Gold Lion are unusual in that they were founded in Araby during the Crusades. A group of disenchanted Knights had fled to a backwater Arabian village after their army had suffered a crushing defeat. There, these Knights began to despair of ever returning home. One Knight, Erich von Strommer, took it upon himself to restore their resolve. To prove the truth of their cause, he set out into the savanna to take the head of a man-eating lion. He claimed that should he succeed in this impossible task, it would be a sure sign of Sigmar's favor. Days passed, but return he did, near delirious, bearing the head of a massive lion. The Knights were filled with courage, renamed themselves in honor of the feat, forged out into the desert, and eventually met up with allies. Since then, the Order of the Gold Lion has served the Empire as one of its most loyal knightly orders.

The Knights Encarmine: Founded by the rich dilettante Frederici Tolscano in 2310, the The Knights Encarmine are a flamboyant, foppish band of warriors. This may have something to do with the fact that the Order is comprised entirely of the rich and privileged. Still, wealth alone isn't a guarantee of entry, as there are very strict and rigid guidelines concerning who may actually join the knightly order. Being a collection of rich and generally powerful individuals, the Knights Encarmine hold much political clout. As such, they have the option to choose which campaigns they will take part in -- often the ones which require little actual dirty work to attain the most glory.

Each member of the order maintains a brilliant suit of red armor topped by tricolor plumage of green, white, and red. As the paint coating the armor chips away easily, the suit must be constantly repainted in order to maintain appearances. Members of the Knights Encarmine eschew the lowly shield as it is a "commoners defense" to hide behind a metallic barrier in battle. Instead, the Knights Encarmine practice a secretive two sword combat technique. One sword acts as a deflection tool, while the other strikes the deathblow.

Knights of the White Wolf: The Knights of the White Wolf are an elite order of templar knights who follow the god of wolves, winter, and war, Ulric and are based in the city of Middenheim.

They are organized into various companies categorized by different colors (Red, Gold, White, Silver). There is also another company, known as the Grey Company, who were exiled based on a conspirancy against them by an unknown group for reasons beyond

the members of the company. The former Grey Company now wanders the Empire trying to regain their lost honour - they call themselves Ulric's Chosen.

The White Wolves do not fight with lances like the other orders but with cavalry hammers.

Prerequisite Advantage: NonePrerequisite Skill: Riding (Equine), Theology (Templar Orders only), and one weapon skill.

Level Title Notes4 Grand Master Not suitable for PCs

3 Inner Circle Preceptor Not suitable for PCs

2 Inner Circle Knight Requires Status 3+

1 Preceptor Requires Status 2+

0 Knight Requires Status 1

Religious Rank (By Type) B29Many gods reign over the Warhammer world. Each Deity has it’s own hierarchy of clergy . When selecting Religious Rank, a player must also choose to which church they adhere.Religious Rank is for clerics of the Old World. Clerics are authorized by the churches to conduct services and to minister to the spiritual needs of the faithful. In order to carry out their duties, Clerics are granted access to the deity by the medium of prayer, as well as access to the four Paths of Magic granted by the deity. These Paths come from devotion to the deity rather than from knowledge and force of will.

Prerequisite Advantage: Warp EmpathyPrerequisite Skill: Theology & Religious Ritual

Level Title Notes4 Patriarch, High Theogonist, etc. Not suitable for PCs

3 High Priest Requires Status 3+

2 Anointed Priest Requires Status 2

1 Priest Requires Status 1

0 Initiate Status 0

Language and Literacy page B24The Warhammer World is filled with a variety of languages. It is cumbersome to list them all, so I have chosen some of the most common languages as a starting point upon which players can build. The languages are listed with dialects in parentheses. Characters speaking one dialect can communicate with those of another dialect but suffer a -1 to skills involving language and on reaction rolls (when you speak). This penalty increases to -2 for artistic skills. This can be especially troublesome in situations involving haggling, seduction, and spying. Characters can purchase fluency with a different dialect as a 1 point Perk.

Illiteracy is the norm across the Warhammer World. Most people can speak one or even two languages without needing to read either of them. Illiteracy is so common, in fact, that characters so not receive the -3 point disadvantage for being illiterate in their native tongue.

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Language Alphabet Spoken In...Battle Tongue Latinic Secret Language

Cathan Cathan Cathay

Classical(Guilder, Hellenic (Ancient), Latinic (Ancient Tilean))

Ancient Hellenic uses the Hellenic alphabet, Guilder and Latinic use the Latinic alphabet.

Secret Language

Dark Tongue(Beastman, Khorne, Nurgle, Slaanesh, Tzeentch, other...)

Dark Signs, Latinic, other...

Chaos

Druidic Druidic Runes Druids

Eltharin(Arcane Elf, Dark Elvish, Fan-Eltharin (Wood Elves), Tar-Eltharin (High and Sea Elves))

Eltharin Runes Elves

Goblin Tongue(Ghazhakh (Goblins), Harghazhakh (Hobgoblins),Orrakh (Orcs), Snotgob (Snotlings)

Orcish Symbols; crude versions of foreign alphabets

Green skins

Grumbarth None Ogres

Khazalid(Arcane Dwarf, Chaos Dwarvish, Gnomish, High Khazalid (normal), Norse Khazalid)

Dwarven Runes Dwarves

Magic Magical Runes Wizards

Malla-room-ba-larin Unknown Treemen

Midean Linear Script Ancient Laguage

Nazcian Unknown Nazcas, Lustria

Nipponese Cathan Nippon

Nippurian Cuneiform Ancient Language

Old Slannish (Ancient)

Slannish Runes Ancient language

Old Worlder(Albion, Breton, Estalian, Guilder(various), Hellenic, Slavic, Tilean, Reikspiel)

Latinic, but Hellenic uses the Hellenic alphabet, Slavic the Kyrillic alphabet.

Everyone

Orgvar Unknown Trolls

Queekish Skaven Runes Skaven

Ranger's Tongue Latinic w/ special signs Secret Language

Ssissylk(Ssissylk (Lizardmen); Sskyzzlk (Troglodytes))

Unknown Lizardmen and Troglodytes

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∙ A NOTE ON SKILLS IN GURPS: WARHAMMER ∙ The following skills from the GURPS: Basic Set are available to characters within the Warhammer World. A skill, Rune Lore, is detailed at the end.

AcrobaticsActingAlchemy/TLAnimal HandlingArchitecture/TLArea KnowledgeArmoury/TLArtistAstronomy/TLAxe/MaceBlind FightingBlowpipeBoating/TLBody ControlBody LanguageBody SenseBowBoxingBrawlingBreath ControlBroadswordCamouflageCaptivateCarousingCarpentryCartographyClimbingCloakConnoisseurCookingCounterfeiting/TLCrossbowCryptography/TLCurrent Affairs/TLDancingDetect LiesDiplomacyDisguise/TLEngineer/TLEnthrallmentErotic ArtEscape

Esoteric MedicineExorcismFalconryFast-DrawFast-TalkFilchFire EatingFirst Aid/TLFishingFlailFlying LeapForgery/TLFortune-TellingGamblingGamesGarroteGestureHeraldryHerb Lore/TLHidden Lore: DemonologyHidden Lore: WitchcraftHidden Lore: UndeadHikingHistoryHobby SkillHobby Skill: JugglingHobby Skill: MimeHoldoutHypnotismImmovable StanceInterrogationIntimidationJeweler/TLJumpingKnifeKnot-TyingLanceLassoLawLeadershipLeatherworkingLight Walk

LinguisticsLip ReadingLiteratureLockpicking/TLMain-GaucheMathematics/TLMechanic/TLMeditationMelee WeaponMerchantMetallurgy/TLMimicryMountMusical CompositionMusical InstrumentNaturalistNavigation/TLNetObservationPanhandlingParry Missile WeaponsPerformancePersuadePhilosophyPhysician/TLPickpocketPoetryPoisons/TLPolearmPoliticsPower BlowProfessional SkillPublic SpeakingRapierReligious RitualResearch/TLRidingRitual MagicRunningSaberSavoir-FaireScrounging

SearchSewing/TLSex AppealShadowingShieldShortswordSingingSleight of HandSlingSmallswordSmith/TLSoldier/TLSpearSportsStaffStealthStrategyStreetwiseSuggestSurvivalSway EmotionsSwimmingSymbol Drawing: Runes TacticsTeachingTeamsterThaumatologyTheologyThrowingThrown WeaponTrackingTraps/TLTwo-Handed Axe/MaceTwo-Handed FlailTwo-Handed SwordUrban SurvivalVentriloquismVeterinary/TLWeather SenseWhipWrestlingWriting

Rune Lore IQ/HardEveryone in the Old World knows that runes exist, and most people would accept that they work. However, most folk cannot tell the difference between a real rune and any other pictograph, sign, or fake rune that lacks magic. A character with the Rune Lore skill knows how to do this. A successful roll against the Rune Lore skill allows characters to read runes, identify magical runes, or activate magically imbued runes. Unless the character activating the runes is also the person who magically imbued them, they suffer a -2 per Rune being activated. (See Activating the Runes below.) Anyone can learn Rune Lore with proper instruction, however only those with the Unusual Background: Rune Master can imbue runes with magical energy.

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∙ ADVANTAGES IN GURPS: WARHAMMER ∙ The following Advantages from GURPS: Basic Set are available for GURPS: Warhammer. A few new advantages are added at the end.

Absolute DirectionAbsolute TimingAccessoryAcute HearingAcute Taste and SmellAcute TouchAcute VisionAdministrative RankAlcohol ToleranceAlliesAlternate IdentityAmbidexterityAnimal EmpathyAnimal FriendAppearanceArtificerAutotranceBusiness AcumenCharismaChronolocationClaim to HospitalityClerical InvestmentCombat ReflexesCommon SenseContact GroupContactsCourtesy RankCultural AdaptabilityCultural FamiliarityDanger SenseDaredevilDeep SleeperDestinyDetectDouble-JointedEidetic MemoryEmpathyEnhanced DefensesExtended LifespanExtra Attack

Fashion SenseFavorFearlessnessFitFlexibilityGadgeteerGifted ArtistGigantismGizmosGreen ThumbGunslingerHard to KillHard to SubdueHealerHealingHigh Manual DexterityHigh Pain ThresholdHonest FaceIndependent IncomeIndomitableIntuitionIntuitive MathematicianLanguage TalentLegal Enforcement PowersLegal ImmunityLess SleepLightning CalculatorLongevityLuckMagic ResistanceMana DamperMana EnhancerMathematical AbilityMediumMerchant RankMilitary RankMusical AbilityNight VisionNo HangoverOutdoorsman

PatronsPenetrating VoicePerfect BalancePeripheral VisionPhotographic MemoryPitiablePlant EmpathyPolice RankRankRapid HealingRapier WitReduced ConsumptionReligious RankReputationResistantSecurity ClearanceSensitiveSerendipityShtickSignature GearSingle-MindedSmooth OperatorSocial ChameleonSocial RegardStatusTalentTemperature ToleranceTenureTrained By A MasterTrue FaithUnfazeableUnusual BackgroundVersatileVery FitVery Rapid HealingVoiceWealthWeapon MasterXeno-AdaptabilityZeroed

∙ NEW ADVANTAGES ∙ Dialect 1 point PerkThere are many languages in the Warhammer World and each has a variety of dialects. Any character who can speak the Native level of a language is able to buy this perk to learn a different dialect. Non native speakers (those with Accented of Broken levels of a language) are not able to learn new dialects. Each dialect must be purchased separately and can be bought during or after character creation. (see B24 for more on languages)

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Unusual Background: Rune Master 10 pointsThis represents a human wizard or alchemist trained in the use of Klauser's Runes (a bastardized set of runes stolen from the dwarfs. See Magic). The 10 points it costs to become a Rune Master represent the intense and specialized learning which is highly guarded and prized by those who possess it. As Dwarfs will do their utmost to capture and prosecute known Rune Masters, characters with this advantage should also concider taking the disadvantage Enemies (Dwarfs).

Unusual Background: Runesmith 30 pointsRunesmiths are a clan containing a few ancient families who have passed down the knowledge and skills of Runesmithing over the generations. Each Master Runesmith teaches the fundamentals of fire and forge to young members of his family, selecting the most talented to become Apprentices. Runesmiths rarely write down the secrets of their craft and even when they do, the knowledge is buried beneath riddles and puzzles. Runesmiths often devote years of their lives searching for ancient secrets, exploring the world to uncover ancient weapons and artifacts of great age, hoping to uncover lost Runes of ancient and fabled Runesmiths. Such quests take Runesmiths into dangerous places, such as ruined holds, dragon lairs, the depths of Elf forests, and worse. In their later years, Runesmiths withdraw from the world, sequestering themselves away to learn the deeper secrets of the Master Runes and perhaps create a few of their own.

Warp Empathy 5 points / +10 points per levelA deity—god or demon lord—has empathized with you, and empowered you to cast clerical spells. This advantage comes in levels. You must purchase Warp Empathy 0 before buying higher levels. Those with Warp Empathy do not have Magical Awareness (see Warp Resonance).

Add your levels of Warp Empathy to your IQ when you learn spells granted by the deity. Each deity makes a select few of magic colleges available to each cleric. For instance, Shallya, Goddess of Healing, allows access to the colleges of Healing, Knowledge, Protection, Light, and Water. Through this empathy with the deity and the warp, clerics are able speak a prayer and perform a small ritual which allows their deity to cast a spell through them. Clerics don’t technically cast the spell, the deity does. The rules governing magic however work as detailed in the GURPS: Magic book.

The more levels of Warp Empathy a character possesses, the stronger the connection to the deity and the more colleges of magic the character can learn spells from. As a character develops her Warp Empathy she may choose which colleges she will learn based on those offered by the deity. For instance a cleric of Shallya with Warp Empathy 2 may select any two colleges of magic from those Shallya offers (Healing, Knowledge, Light, Protection, or Water.)

Warp Empathy 0: You can learn to cast the Divination Spell.

Warp Empathy 1: As Warp Empathy 0 + you can learn spells from a single college granted by the deity.

Warp Empathy 2: As Warp Empathy 0 + you can learn spells from two colleges granted by the deity.

Warp Empathy 3: As Warp Empathy 0 + you can learn spells from three colleges granted by the deity.

Warp Empathy 4: As Warp Empathy 0 + you can learn spells from four colleges granted by the deity.

Warp Empathy 5: As Warp Empathy 0 + you can learn spells from all colleges granted by the deity.

Warp Resonance 5 points/+10 points per levelThis advantage comes in levels. You must purchase Warp Resonance 0 before buying higher levels. Warp Resonance replaces the Magery Advantage and can be bought up to level 5 (a 6th level exists, but may only be taken by Skaven and some High Elves).

Magical ability is inborn in the Warhammer world; if Warp Resonance is not taken at character creation, it may never be taken.

Warp Resonance 0: You are attuned to the Warp. In addition to being able learn spells, you are able to sense magic in the world around you. This Magical Awareness allows you to sense the presence of magic-using creatures and anyone casting or maintaining spells around you. Modifiers for distance apply, however solid objects such as walls and doors do not. This ability also applies to magic items however they must be seen or touched. The GM should make a Perception roll for you, adding your levels of Warp Resonance. The GM should roll the first time you see a magic item, and if unsuccessful, roll again the first time you touch the item. Success on a Magical Awareness roll means you intuitively know that the item or creature is magical. A roll of 3 or 4 also informs you what college of magic is being used and how strong it is. Those without Warp Resonance do not get this roll.

Warp Resonance 1 to 5: This works the same as Magery 1+. (pg. B66)

Strike to Injure 5 pointsYou're an expert at targeting your enemies' most vulnerable areas. Increase the value of criticals rolled by 1 row.

Sure Shot 5 pointsYou know how to find the weak spots in your enemies' armor. You can ignore 1 point of DR. If your enemy wears no armor, this advantage has no effect.

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∙ DISADVANTAGES IN GURPS: WARHAMMER ∙ The following disadvantages from GURPS: Basic Set are available for GURPS: Warhammer. A few new disadvantages are listed at the end.

Absent-MindednessAddictionAlcohol IntoleranceAlcoholismAmnesiaAppearanceAttentiveBad BackBad GripBad SightBad SmellBad TemperBerserkBlindnessBloodlustBowleggedBroad-MindedBullyCallousCannot FloatCannot SpeakCarefulCharitableChauvinisticChronic DepressionChronic PainChummyCluelessCode of HonorColorblindnessCombat ParalysisCompulsive BehaviorConfusedCongenialCowardiceCuriousDeafnessDebtDelusionsDependentsDestinyDisciplines of FaithDislikesDistinctive FeaturesDistractible

Disturbing VoiceDivine CurseDreamerDullDutyDwarfismDyslexiaEasy to KillEasy to ReadEnemiesEpilepsyExtra SleepFanaticismFatFearfulnessFlashbacksGluttonyGreedGregariousGuilt ComplexGullibilityHabits or ExpressionsHam-FistedHard of HearingHemophiliaHideboundHonestyHorrible HangoversHumbleHunchbackImaginativeImpulsivenessIncompetenceIncreased ConsumptionIncuriousIndecisiveInnumerateInsomniacIntoleranceJealousyKilljoyKleptomaniaKlutzLameLaziness

LecherousnessLight SleeperLikesLonerLow EmpathyLow Pain ThresholdLow Self-ImageLunacyMagic SusceptibilityManic-DepressiveMegalomaniaMinor HandicapsMiserlinessMissing DigitMistaken IdentityMotion SicknessMundane BackgroundMuteNervous StomachNeurological DisorderNeuteredNight BlindnessNightmaresNo Depth PerceptionNo Sense of HumorNo Sense of Smell/TasteNoisyNon-IconographicNosyNumbObliviousObsessionOdious Personal HabitsOn the EdgeOne ArmOne EyeOne HandOverconfidenceOverweightPacifismParanoiaPersonality ChangePhantom VoicesPhobiasPost-Combat Shakes

ProudPyromaniaReputationResponsiveRestricted DietRestricted VisionSadismSecretSecret IdentitySelfishSelflessSense of DutyShort Attention SpanShynessSkinnySlave MentalitySleepwalkerSlow HealingSlow RiserSocial DiseaseSocial StigmaSplit PersonalitySqueamishStaidStatusStubbornnessStutteringSusceptibleTerminally IllTotal KlutzTrademarkTricksterTruthfulnessUncongenialUnfitUnluckinessUnnatural FeaturesVery FatVery UnfitVowWealthWeirdness MagnetWorkaholicWoundedXenophilia

∙ NEW DISADVANTAGES ∙ Secret (Chaos Cultist) -10 pointsChaos Cultists are obsessed with the power that can be drawn from other worlds or planes where all kinds of powerful and horrific beings reside. They are met with such fear, loathing and mistrust. Cultists spend the majority of their time hiding from Witch-Hunters, Templars, and almost everyone else. Cultists frequently receive “gifts” from their dark masters in the form of chaos mutations, making it difficult for them to move around freely. They also are often driven mad by the voice to which they communicate. These disadvantages may be purchased separately. Often

they will be hounded from town to town and eventually killed by the local populace. Like Necromancers, Chaos Cultists are never able to reveal the source of their power or the nature of their work else they would be killed.

Chaos Sorcerers are not bound by the strictures of the various magical orders; they may do as they choose (as long as their will does not interfere with that of their patron chaos lord). In addition they receive a +1 to spells involving the summoning, controlling or creation of Daemons and Elementals.

Warp Resonance is a prerequisite for taking this disadvantage.

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Secret (Hedgewizard) -15 pointsUntil recently the use of magic was outlawed in the Empire. In 2452 Wilhelm III legalized the practice of arcane magic within the eight Colleges of Sorcery. Wilhelm’s proclamation did not allow for others to use or learn magic outside this strictly regimented academic setting.

Hedgewizards are poor rural people who for whatever reasons have developed the ability to learn spell even though they have not been taught in an Academy. In small towns and villages they are often the ‘wise-women’ or ‘hermits’ who were born with Warp Resonance and have taught themselves a few spells.

Hedgewizards must still purchase the Warp Resonance advantage. Sometimes the villagers and rural folk accept these outcasts and seek their advice in matters varying from illness and child birthing to money and love potions. Often times Hedgewizards are the first to be blamed when things runs afoul. Witch-Hunters seek to kill and make examples of Hedgewizards. In addition, the Imperial guards will interrogate, imprison, sometimes torture, and often hang, behead, or drown Hedgewizards.

Secret (Mutation) -15 pointsYou have a minor mutation. This doesn’t affect your life much except if anyone from commoners to the authorities discovers your condition. At this point you will be killed or be perhaps forced into exile. The mutation will usually be easy enough to hide but you must be careful when bathing or being searched.

See Chaos Mutaions (below) for a few sample mutations.

Mutation (Obvious) -25 pointsYou have a obvious mutation and it can’t be hidden. It is impossible for you to lead a normal life. You are forced to skulk from farm to farm stealing food and running from Witch-hunters. It takes all your will to prevent you from devolving into a slobbering monster which feeds on anything, even human flesh. Every month of play you should roll against your will. If you fail you must reduce your IQ by 1. This Disadvantage is not recommended at character creation, but could possibly be applied after serious exposure to Warpstone or perhaps the Chaos Wastes.

See Chaos Mutaions (below) for a few sample mutations.

Secret (Necromancer) -10 pointsNecromancers are evil Wizards concerned with the magical power that can be drawn from the world of the dead.

Necromancers learn spells allowing them to communicate with the spirits of the dead and eventually are able to summon undead creatures to do their bidding. Because of the nature of their work, Necromancers are shunned by most people, hated and feared as much as Chaos cultists. Like cultists, Necromancers are never able to reveal the source of their power or the nature of their work else they would be killed.

Necromancers hide out in ruined villages and towns where the local cemeteries provide them with the raw materials essential to their disgusting art. Necromancers tend to be unhygienic, suffer from physical disabilities and eventually develop a cadaverous appearance. These disadvantages may be purchased separately.

Due to the fact that Necromancers draw energy both from the Warhammer World and from the world of the dead, they receive a +1 to all spells involving the summoning, controlling and creation of spirits and undead.

Warp Resonance is a prerequisite for taking this disadvantage.

Vow (Slayer) -10 pointsThe Dwarven Troll Slayer is an illustration of the strange personal psychology that dooms many young Dwarfs to short and violent lives. Young Dwarfs who have been disgraced, crossed in love, or otherwise humiliated will abandon conventional Dwarven society and go seek death by hunting down the most ferocious beasts. Most die quickly. Those who survive become members of the strange cult of Troll Slayers. They seek death by deliberately seeking uneven battles, going alone into Goblin Strongholds is one example. Trolls are considered the ideal opponent, because the Dwarf's death is almost certain. Troll Slayers can be recognized easily by their hair, which is spiked and dyed orange, and by the many tattoos which cover their bodies. They spend a great deal of time boasting of their exploits , showing off their many scars, indulging in bouts of overeating, fasting, and excessive consumption of stimulants.

This Disadvantage comes in several levels which must be taken progressively until each is accomplished or the Dwarf perishes. Starting characters are assumed to be Goblinslayers. Built into this disadvantage is an unspoken system of Cult Rank. As a Dwarf progresses from one creature to the next, so does his Rank increase within the Slayer cult. These Ranks are free and players are not required to spend points as they advance.

This disadvantage is restricted to Dwarfs.

Title RankGoblinslayer Rank 1

Skavenslayer Rank 2

Trollslayer Rank 3

Giantslayer Rank 4

Dragonlayer Rank 5

Daemonslayer Rank 6

∙ CHAOS MUTATIONS ∙ The most common way for a character to gain a Chaos mutation is through the dark “gifts” a Chaos cultist receives from his daemonic master, but other possible sources are attacks by Horrors (see the Bestiary) or by close proximity to warpstone.

No matter the source, anyone with an obvious mutation is treated the same: as if he were a Chaos worshiper (death by burning is generally soon to follow). Starting players should not be allowed to start with any mutations. It's left to the discretion of the individual GM when a situation merits awarding the character a new mutation.

The following chart has been separated into Secret and Obvious mutations (see New Disadvantages on page 50). For more mutations and the rules governing them, see the WFRP 2nd edition book “The Tome or Corruption”.

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Chaos MutationsRoll (2d) Mutation Severity

1 Agile Secret

2 Animalistic Legs Secret

3 Emaciated Appearance Obvious

4 Grossly Fat Secret

5 Horns Obvious

6 Scales Obvious

7 Short Legs Obvious

8 Snout Obvious

9 Tail Secret

10 Tentacle-like Arm Obvious

11 Thick Fur Obvious

12 Three Eyes Secret

Agile:Your body becomes sleek, and your movements have a graceful, almost liquid, quality.

Game Effect: DX+1 [20]; Secret (Mutation) [-15]. Final cost is 5 points.

Animalistic Legs:Your legs undergo a startling transformation, assuming the look and feel of a deer's hind legs.

Variations: Though deer legs are common, the legs of any animal will do. About 10% of all Mutants who gain this mutation gain some other set of legs. Regardless of the form the legs take, the effect is the same.

Game Effect: Basic Move +2 [10]; Secret (Mutation) [-15]. Final Cost is -5 points.

Emaciated Appearance: The next time you visit the jakes, all of the fat in your body goes out with the rest of the leavings in one stinking stream of pale-yellow and chunky fluid. When you finish, you find you're thin, bordering on cadaverous.

Game Effects: ST -1 [-10]; Skinny [-5]; Mutation (Obvious) [-25]. Final Cost: -40 points.

Grossly Fat:A thick layer of fat forms under your skin. It may be uniform or it may cause unsightly and strange bulges.

Game Effect: +5 Hit Points [10]; ST-1 [-10]; Very Fat [-5]; Secret (Mutation) [-15]. Final cost is -20 points.

Horns:Horns grow out from your forehead. This mutation may be taken up to 3 times, the horns growing longer each time.

Variations: The horns may be smooth, twisted, or notched. Oftentimes, they also feature symbols of Chaos, foul words in Dark Speech, or insults targeting people the mutant meets.

Game Effect: Piercing Striker (Horns; Cannot Parry -40%) [3]; Mutation (Obvious) [-25]. Final cost is -22 points. Not that this represents the first stage of the mutation only. Stages 2-3 could also add the modifier Long or jack them up to Large Piercing.

Scales:A mesh of fine scales sprouts all over your body.

Variations: Though most Mutants grow green or black scales, they an be of any color.

Game Effect: DR 1 (Tough skin -40%) [3]; Mutation (Obvious) [-25]. Final cost is -22 points.

Short Legs:Each time you gain this mutation, your legs shorten. This mutation may be gained multiple times.

Game Effect: Basic Move -1 [-5]; Mutation (Obvious) [-25]. Final cost is -30 points. If your Basic Move score is reduced to 0, you lose your legs altogether and must take the Lame (Legless) disadvantage.

Snout: Your nose twists and transforms into a piggish snout. Wet and snuffling, it has a keen sense of smell.

Game Effect: Acute Taste and Smell +3 [6]; Discriminatory Smell [15]; Distinctive Features [-1]; Mutation (Obvious) [-25]. Final cost is -5 points.

Tail: A slender tail grows from the base of your spine helping you maintain your balance.

Variations: The tail gained may be hairless, fur-covered, scaly, or even made of bone.

Game Effect: Perfect Balance [15]; Secret (Mutation) [-15]. Final cost is 0 points. Note that the tail must be kept concealed under robes or similar loose-fitting clothing, or it won't remain a secret for long.

Tentacle-like Arm: One of your arms withers away, replaced by a horrible tentacle covered in fine suckers. The tentacle can grasp weapons normally, but it is not capable of fine manipulation. This mutation may be gained twice.

Game Effect: No Fine Manipulators (One arm only; -50%) [-15]; Mutation (Obvious) [-25]. Final cost is -40 points.

Thick Fur: A dense fur grows all over your body.

Variations: Most fur is brown or black, but there are instances of white, green, blue, red, and even patterned furs.

About 25% of all instances of this mutation result in isolated patches of fur. Each location has a 50% chance of benefiting from Thick Fur. If this results in no areas covered, roll for a new mutation.

Game Effect: Fur [1]; DR 1 [5]; Temperature Tolerance 4 [4]; Mutation (Obvious) [-25]. Final cost is -15 points.

Three Eyes: You grow a third eye in the center of your forehead. Chaos Armour changes to accommodate this mutation, but other

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Helms and coifs, though not skullcaps, will need modification. Each time you gain this mutation after the first, you sprout another eye.

Game Effect: +1 Perception [5]; Secret (Mutation) [-15]. Final cost is -10 points. Each time this mutation is gained, gain an additional +1 Perception. If the eyes are covered, the bonus is lost.

∙ PROFESSION TEMPLATES ∙ Both 1st and 2nd edition Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay have a wealth of professions to choose from, but I've chosen not to convert them here. On the plus side, however, they are relatively quick and easy to convert yourself using the conversion rules that I've provided in the back of the book.

Other valuable sources of templates include the 3rd edition GURPS books Warriors and Rogues. Wizards might also prove useful, after the templates are modified to be 'Warhammer-compliant' using the rules laid down in the Magic section of this document.

Another (free!) source of templates in the fan-written 4th edition book Historical Folks, available for free on the web at http://www.mygurps.com/ghf.html . Most of the templates from Historical Folks will fit into a GURPS:Warhammer campaign as written (which is a definite bonus if you ask me).

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http://www.mygurps.com/ghf.html


Job TableJob (Required Skills) Monthly

IncomeJob Roll Critical Failure

Poor JobsApprentice (no attribute below 7) R&B+5 IQ 1d/LJ

Barmaid (Carousing, Diplomacy or Sex Appeal 10+) 50+2d PR+1 LJ/1d, LJ

Beggar * (no requirements, but +2 to Job roll for Pitiable or obvious Physical Disadvantage)

20 Panhandling or

Scrounging

2d

Labourer (ST 10+) 5xST ST 2d, LJ/ 2d, LJ, -1i

Low Servant (no attribute below 7) R&B+5 IQ LJ/LJ & whipped for 2d

Low Prostitute * 45+1d IQ -1i/2d (disease)

Petty Thief * (Counterfeiting, Fast Talk, Filch, Holdout, Lockpicking, Observation, Pickpocket, Sleight of Hand, Smuggling, or Streetwise) 1dx20 PR 3d/ 3d & arrest

Struggling JobsArtisan’s Assistant (Craft skill 12+) 150 PR LJ/ -1i, LJ

Bandit * (weapon skill 11+) 3dx10 IQ 1d, -2i/arrest

Farm Labourer * (Farming) 120 PR -1i/ -2i, LJ

Gambler * (Streetwise & Gambling) 110 PR -1i/ -1i, 2d

Hired Thug (ST 12+, Brawling 14+ or Intimidation 14+) 120 PR 2d/ 2d, arrest for assault

Messenger ** (DX and HT 10+, & Move 5+) 100+2d DX 1d, LJ/ 2d, LJ

Peddler * (Merchant) 10xPR PR -1i/ -2i, 2d

Performer * (entertainment skill) 3dx10 PR 1d (thrown fruit)/2d (stones)

Prostitute * (Sex Appeal or Professional Skill – prostitute) 70+(1dx10) PR -1i/ 2d (disease)

Servant (Animal Handling- horses or dogs, Cooking, Gardening, Falconry or Housekeeping)

R&B+15 PR LJ/-1i, LJ

Teamster ** (Teamster) 120 PR 1d, LJ/ 3d, LJ

Average JobsAnimal Trainer (Animal Handling 12+ or Veterinary) 240 PR 2d/ 3d, LJ

Artisan ** (Craft skill 12+) 250 PR LJ/ -1i, LJ

Bard *, ** (Musical Instrument, Public Speaking or Singing.) 1dx25 PR -1i/ -1i, 1d

Bureaucrat/Civic Official (Literacy, Accounting 12+ or Administration 12+) 250 + 30% chance 2dx10 in

bribes

PR LJ/ LJ and arrest for corruption

Fisherman * (Fishing 12+) 200 +1dx10 PR -1i/ -1i, 2d

Forester (Survival-woodland 12+, plus missile weapon skill) R&B+50 IQ 2d/ 3d, LJ

Guard (weapon skill 12+) R&B+40 PR 2d/ 3d, LJ

Mercenary (2 weapon skills 12+) 200 +1dx10 PR 3d/ 4d, C

Merchant *, ** (Merchant 12+) 260 PR -1i/ -2i

Priest – Rank 0 (Religious Ritual 12+ and Theology 12+) R&B+20 PR 1d/ 1d, LJ

Professional Gambler * (Fast Talk and Gambling and Streetwise) 20xIQ PR -2i/ -3i, 3d

* Freelance Job ** Requires Guild membership

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Job Table, ContinuedJob (Required Skills) Monthly

IncomeJob Roll Critical Failure

Average Jobs, ContinuedSergeant (Soldier, Tactics 12+, 2 weapon skills 12+) R&B+80 PR 2d/ 4d, C

Soldier (Soldier, plus 2 weapon skills 12+) R&B+60 PR 2d/ 4d, C

Watchman (Intimidation or Streetwise, plus weapon skill 12+) 220+2dx10 inbribes

PR 2d/ 3d, LJ

Yeoman Farmer * (Farming 12+) 200+1dx10 PR -1i/ -1i, 2d

Wealthy JobsCaptain (Strategy 10+, 2 weapon skills 12+) R&B+200 PR 2d/ 3d, LJ

Guild Official ** (Literacy, Accounting 12+, Administration 13+). Note that most guild officials have “real jobs” in addition to their guild council post.

400 +3dx10 inbribes

IQ -1i/ -1i , LJ and arrest for corruption

Knight, Household (3 weapon skills 12+ & Riding 12+) R&B+200 IQ 2d, -1i/ LJ

Knight, Landed * (Administration, Farming or Finance) 2000 PR -1i/ -2i

Petty Captain (Tactics 10+, 2 weapon skills 12+) R&B+120 PR 2d/ 3d, LJ

Mayor (Politics 14+). Note that most mayors have “real jobs” in addition to their council post.

250 +2dx10 inbribes

IQ -1i/ -1i , LJ and arrest for corruption


Wealthy Merchant *, ** (Merchant & Finance) 1000 PR -1i/ -2i

Very Wealthy JobsGuild Master ** (Politics 12+, Literacy, Accounting 12+, Administration 13+). 3500+3dx100 in

bribesIQ -1i/ -1i , LJ and arrest

for corruption

Knight Bannerette * (Administration, Farming or Finance) 3500 PR -1i/ -2i

Merchant Prince *, ** (Administration & Finance & Merchant & Politics) 5000 +1dx1000 PR -1i/ -6i


Filthy Rich JobsPriest – Rank 4 (Religious Ritual 20+ and Theology 20+) R&B+1000 PR LJ/ LJ & charges of

heresy

* Freelance Job ** Requires Guild membership

54

Chapter IV: EquipmentChapter IV: Equipment

• CURRENCY • oney in the Old world is based upon three kinds of coin - the Gold Crown, the Silver Shilling and the base metal Penny -

usually made of bronze, copper or brass. Each coin weighs approximately an ounce, and its value is determined by its weight. Every city - and many smaller towns - issue their own coinage, which is readily and universally accepted throughout the Old World (although coinage from smaller towns might only be readily accepted in its local area). Unusual town coinage will always be greeted with suspicion, which makes it unprofitable to forge. Although the coinage is varied in its origins, weight is a fairly reliable determination of a coin's value.

1 Gold Crown = 20 Silver Shillings = 240 Brass Pennies 1 Silver Shilling = 12 Brass Pennies

This is usually written as:

1 GC = 20/- = 240d.

A sum of money involving different coinage types is written as:

1 GC 12/6 - One crown, twelve shillings and sixpence 6/- - Six shillings only 12 GC 5/- - Twelve crowns and five shillings3d -Three pence only

As stated earlier, 1 GC equals 4 GURPS $.

• STARTING MONEY • Average starting money is 250 gc (1000 GURPS $), all of it available for gear. Heroes may be Dead Broke (0d), Poor (50 gc), Struggling (125 gc), Comfortable (500 gc), Wealthy (1250 gc), or Very Wealthy (5000 gc) at the usual point costs. Filthy Rich is off-limits – that is the realm of kings.

• SIGNATURE GEAR • Purchasing Signature Gear is very much in the Warhammer tradition, and can be used to simulate the “trappings” starting character come equiped with. Spending 1 point will enable the character to start with an additional 125 GC worth of gear (see the Basic Set, page 85).

• EXTRA MONEY • Trading Points for Money (p. B26) is common among delvers. Since Signature Gear is worth 125 GC/point, it’s fair to give the same oomph to those blowing points on things that do risk being broken or worn out. Each point sacrificed yields 125 GC in extra starting money.

Dead Broke PCs cannot do this! To encourage adventurers to go on adventures, this option isn’t available after the campaign begins.

• WEALTH IN PLAY • To give Wealth impact once play begins, assume that it represents business contacts. For all loot except coin and gems, it determines the percentage of an item’s new price that the adventurer can get when selling: 0% if Dead Broke, 10% if Poor, 20% if Struggling, 40% if Average, 60% if Comfortable, 80% if Wealthy, or 100% if Very Wealthy.

• AVAILABLE EQUIPMENT • All goods have a price and an encurnberance (where applicable) listed for them, and are rated by their general availability: Very Rare, Rare, Scarce, Manage, Common or Plentiful.

To use the guide, first look up the good or service the player character wishes to buy, and make a note of its general availability. Then read across the table below and find the column matching the the population size of the community. This will give a percentage chance for the good or service to be available locally. If the test is a failure, the commodity or service is not available, and will not be so, until at least a week of game time has passed, when a further check may be made.

PopulationBelow 100 Below 1,000 Below 10,000 10,000+

Very Rare 1% 5% 10% 25%

Rare 3% 7% 15% 30%

Scarce 5% 10% 25% 40%

Average 10% 20% 35% 55%

Common 20% 35% 50% 80%

Plentiful 35% 60% 70% 100%

Once you have determined that a specific item or service is available in a given place, there is no need to check again to obtain further supplies. You may, however, want to draw the line at a reasonable point. For example, there is going to come a point where a player who has already bought six breastplates is going have cleaned out a small village of that particular item...

• SUBSTINANCE • Cost Encum Avail

Food per Day (bought prepared)

3/- to 7/-* 5 Plentiful

Iron Rations (1 week) 3 GCs 25 Common

Ale (Pint) 9d 1 Plentiful

House Wine (bottle) 4/- 2 Common

Good Wine (bottle) 25/- 2 Average

Spirit (bottle) 10/- 2 Average

Inn Common Room/night 2/- - - - Plentiful

3/- w/bed - - -

Seperate Room (sleeps 4) 30/- - - - Common

Stabling/horse/night 1/6 - - - Plentiful

Fodder/horse/day 7/6 25 Plentiful

*3/- is the minimum required to remain healthy, but any character who has the money must spend 7/- per day on food, or as much as is available up to 7/-. Even 7/- per day is hardly riotous living, and player charaters may be required to spend conciderably more in order to maintain their social standing.

55

Chapter IV: Equipment

• CLOTHING •Item Covers DR Weight Cost Avail NotesBelt 1 0.1 10/- Plentiful

Breaches Groin, Legs - - - 0.4 2 GC Plentiful

Clerical Robes Arms, Torso, Groin, Legs

- - - 2 13 GC Average

Cloak Torso, Legs (rear) - - - 1 5 GC Plentiful A fur cloak gives DR1 at 20 GC+

Dress Arms, Torso, Groin, Legs

- - - 0.6 7 GC Plentiful

Handkerchief (Silk) - - - - - - - - - 4 GC Common

Hat (Wide-brimmed, etc.)

Head 1 0.5 5 GC Plentiful

Hat (Simple cap) Head - - - 0.1 10/- Plentiful

Hood/Mask Head, Face - - - 0.2 25/- Common

Jacket Doublet Arms, Torso 1 4 6 GC Plentiful

Leather Boots Feet 1 3 9 GC Common

Leather Shoes Feet 1 2 6 GC Plentiful

Overcoat Arms, Torso, Groin 1 8 10 GC Plentiful

Riding Boots (+Spurs) Feet 1 3.2 12 GC Average

Scarf/Neckerchief Neck - - - - - - 6/- Plentiful

Shirt Arms, Torso - - - 0.2 2 GC Plentiful

Smock Arms, Torso - - - 0.3 50/- Plentiful

Tunic Arms, Torso - - - 0.4 5 GC Plentiful

The prices given above are for clothes of average quality only. When purchasing clothes of better or worse quality the following modifiers should be applied to the cost, and the encumbnnce should also be adjusted if necessary (an elaborate ball gown is not going to be easy to carry!).

Best Quality x10 Good Quality x3 Poor Quality Divide by 2

Clothes do not count towards personal encumbrance when worn, but if carried in a backpack or sack they have the listed encumbrance.

• BODY ARMOR •Item Covers DR Weight Cost Avail Notes

Padded Aketon Torso, Groin 1 6 7 GC 10/- Common Concealable as or under clothing.

Leather Jacket Arms, Torso 1 4 17 GC Common Concealable as or under clothing.

Leather Jerkin Torso, Groin 1 3 12 GC Common Concealable as or under clothing.

Leather Armor Torso, Groin 2 10 25 GC Common

Mail Shirt Torso 4/2 16 80 GC Average Use lower DR vs crushing attacks.

Mail Hauberk Torso, Groin 4/2 25 115 GC Average Use lower DR vs crushing attacks.

Sleeved Mail Shirt Arms, Torso 4/2 25 95 GC Average Use lower DR vs crushing attacks.

Sleeved Mail Hauberk Arms, Torso, Groin 4/2 34 130 GC Average Use lower DR vs crushing attacks.

Breast Plate Torso 5F 18 70 GC Scarce

Back Plate Torso 5B 18 50 GC Scarce

56


• LIMB ARMOR •Item Covers DR Weight Cost Avail Notes

Padded Sleeves Arms 1 2 5 GC Common Concealable as or under clothing.

Heavy Leather Sleeves Arms 2 2 12 GC 10/- Average

Heavy Leather Chausses Legs 2 4 15 GC Average

Leather Chausses Legs 1 2 10 GC Common Concealable as or under clothing.

Leather Pants Legs, Groin 1 3 10 GC Common Concealable as or under clothing.

Sttudded Leather Skirt Legs, Groin 3/2 4 15 GC Average Use lower DR vs crushing attacks.

Mail Sleeve Arms 4/2 9 20 GC/pair Rare Use lower DR vs crushing attacks.

Mail Chausses Legs 4/2 15 55 GC/pair Scarce Use lower DR vs crushing attacks.

Vambrace Arms 6 15 60 GC/pair Scarce

Cuisse and Greaves Legs 6 20 70 GC/pair Scarce

• HEADGEAR •Item Covers DR Weight Cost Avail Notes

Leather Skullcap Skull 1 Neg. 8 GC Common

Leather Coif Skull, Neck 2 0.5 6 GC Common

Mail Coif Skull, Neck 4/2 4 25 GC Average Use lower DR vs crushing attacks.

Barrel Helm Skull, Face 6 10 27 GC Average Helmet gives wearer the No Peripheral Vision disadvantage

(B151) while worn.

Face Mask Face 4 2 2 GC Scarce

Greathelm Skull, Face, Neck 7 10 20+1d10 GC Scarce Helmet gives wearer the No Peripheral Vision disadvantage

(B151) while worn.

Pot-Helm Skull 4 5 2 GC Common

• GLOVES •Item Covers DR Weight Cost Avail Notes

Cloth Gloves Hands 1 Neg. 3 GC 15/- Common Concealable as or under clothing.

Leather Gloves Hands 2 Neg. 7 GC 10/- Common

Mail Mittens Hands 4/2 1.25 15 GC Average Use lower DR vs crushing attacks.

Gauntlets Hands 4 2 30 GC Scarce

• FOOTWEAR •Item Covers DR Weight Cost Avail Notes

Heavy Leather Boots Feet 2 5 5 GC Average

Sollerets Feet 4 7 37 GC 10/- Scarce

Ithilmar Mail: Light and durable, ithilmar mail represents the height of Elven capability in armorsmithing. Ithilmar mail is never for sale. Any chain mail item may be made from ithilmar, reducing weight by 70% and increasing DR by +1 (5/3).

Gromril Plate: Only the Dwarfs have learned the art of forging gromril ore into plate armor. Nearly impenetrable and of unsurpassed beauty, this armor is priceless and never for sale. Any plate component can be made of gromril, increasing its DR by +1.

57


• SHIELDS •Shield DB Cost Weight DR/HP Avail Notes

Light Shield 1 6 GC 5/- 2 5/20 Plentiful

Small Shield 1 10 GC 8 6/30 Plentiful

Medium Shield 2 15 GC 15 7/40 Common

Large Shield 3 22 GC 10/- 25 9/60 Common

MELEE WEAPONS • •

AXE/MACE (DX-5, Flail-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-3)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesHand Axe sw cut 1 0 6 GC 2 8 Common Can be thrown.

Horseman's Axe sw+2 cut 1 0U 7 GC 4 11 Scarce

Mace sw+3 cr 1 0U 7 GC 5 12 Common Can be thrown.

Military Pick sw+1 imp 1 0U 9 GC 3 10 Rare May get stuck.

Morning Star sw+3 imp 1 0U 14 GC 5 12 Rare May get stuck.

Warhammer sw+3 cr 1,2 0U 8 GC 5 13 Scarce

- - - sw+1 imp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - May get stuck.

Wooden Club sw+1 cr 1 0 2/- 3 10 Can be thrown.

- - - thr+1 cr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

BOXING, BRAWLING, KARATE, or DX

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesBlackjack thr cr C No 5 GC 1 7 Common

Boots thr+1 cr C,1 No - - - - - - - - - - - -

Punch thr-1 cr C 0 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Knuckle Duster thr cr C 0 1 GC 0.25 - - - Common

BROADSWORD (DX-5, Rapier-4, Saber-4, Shortsword-2, or 2H Sword-4)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesBastard Sword sw+1 cut 1,2 0U 20 GC 5 11 Common

- - - thr+1 cut 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Broadsword sw+1 cut 1 0 14 GC 3 10 Common

- - - thr+2 imp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Falchion sw+2 cut 1 0 14 GC 5 10 Common

- - - thr cr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Longsword sw+1 cut 1,2 0 16 GC 3/- 5 11 Common

- - - thr+1 cut 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

58


BROADSWORD (DX-5, Rapier-4, Saber-4, Shortsword-2, or 2H Sword-4)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesBastard Sword sw+1 cut 1,2 0U 20 GC 5 11 Common

- - - thr+1 cut 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Broadsword sw+1 cut 1 0 14 GC 3 10 Common

- - - thr+2 imp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Falchion sw+2 cut 1 0 14 GC 5 10 Common

- - - thr cr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Longsword sw+1 cut 1,2 0 16 GC 3/- 5 11 Common

- - - thr+1 cut 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FENCING WEAPONS (Each weapon uses a separate skill (listed below). See B208 for fencing rules)

MAIN GAUCHE (DX-5, Broadsword 4, Knife-4, Rapier-3, Sabre-3 or Smallsword-3)–Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail Notes

Main-Gauche thr imp C 0F 4 GC 1.25 - - - Scarce

- - - sw-3 cut C,1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sword-Breaker thr imp C 0F 5 GC 1.25 - - - Rare See below

- - - sw-3 cut C,1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

RAPIER (DX-5, Broadsword-4, Main-Gauche-3, Saber-3, or Smallsword-3)

Rapier thr+1 imp 1,2 0F 20 GC 2.75 9 Scarce

SABRE (DX-5, Broadsword 4, Main gauche-3, Rapier-3, Shortsword-4, Smallsword-3)–Sidesword sw+1 cut 1 0F 15 GC 2.75 10 Scarce

- - - thr+1 imp 1,2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

SMALLSWORD (DX-5, Main gauche-3, Rapier-3, Sabre-3 or Shortsword-4)

Smallsword thr+1 imp 1 0F 15 GC 1.5 10 Scarce

Sword-breaker: When a character weilding a sword-breaker uses it to parry an opponent's weapon, the opponent must roll under 14 (for an average quality weapon) or the weapon will break. This attack only works on other fencing weapons.

FLAIL (DX-6, Axe/Mace-4, or Two-Handed Flail-3)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesFlail sw+1 cr 1 0U 10 GC 6 12 Scarce Flail (see B274)

GARROTE (DX-4)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesGarrote Spec. C No 1 GC Neg. - - - Rare Garrote (see B405).

59


KNIFE (DX-4, Force Sword-3, Main-Gauche-3, or Shortsword-3)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesDagger thr-1 imp C -1 3 GC 0.25 6 Common Can be thrown.

Large Knife sw-2 cut C,1 -1 4 GC 1 Common Can be thrown.

- - - thr imp C - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Small Knife sw-3 cut C,1 -1 2 GC 0.5 Common Can be thrown.

- - - thr-1 imp C - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

LANCE (DX-5 or Spear-3)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesLance thr+3 imp 4 No 50/- 6 12 Rare see Cavalry Weapons (B397)

Tourney Lance thr+3 cr 4 No 50/- 6 12 Rare see Cavalry Weapons (B397)

POLEARM (DX-5, Spear-4, Staff-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-4)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesGlaive sw+3 cut 2,3 0U 7 GC 8 11 Common

- - - thr+3 imp 1-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - May get stuck.

Halberd sw+5 cut 2,3 0U 9 GC 12 13 Common

- - - sw+4 imp 2,3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - thr+3 imp 1-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - May get stuck.

Lucerne Hammer sw+4 cr 2,3 0U 8 GC 10 12 Common

- - - sw+4 imp 2,3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - thr+3 imp 1-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Pollaxe sw+3 cut 1,2 0 8GC 8 12 Common

- - - sw+3 cr 1,2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - thr+2 imp 1-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

SPEAR (DX-5, Polearm-4 or Staff-2)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesBoar Spear thr+2 imp 1 0 7 GC 10/- 3 9 Common 1H. Can't be thrown.

- - - thr+3 imp 1,2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Javelin thr+1 imp 1 0 1 GC 5/- 2 - - - Common

Demilance (Cavalry Spear)

thr+2 imp 1 0U 20 GC 5 10 Scarce 1H. Can be thrown.

- - - thr+3 imp 1,2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Pike thr+3 imp 4-6 No 20 GC 3 lbs/yrd 12 Average 2H

- - - sw cr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Spear thr+2 imp 1 0 5 GC 4 9 Common 1H. Can be thrown.

- - - thr+3 imp 1,2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2H.

60


STAFF (DX-5, Polearm-4 or Spear-2)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesQuarterstaff sw+2 cr 1,2 +2 3/- 4 6 Plentiful

- - - thr+2 cr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Walking Staff sw+1 cr 1,2 +2 1/- 2 - - - Plentiful

- - - thr+1 cr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

TWO-HANDED AXE/MACE (DX-5, Axe/Mace-3, Polearm-4, or Two-Handed Flail-4)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesGreat Axe sw+3 cut 1,2 0U 12 GC 8 12 Average

Maul sw+4 cr 1,2 0U 10 GC 12 13 Average

Two-handed Mace sw+4 cr 1,2 0U 15 GC 10 13 Rare

2H Warhammer sw+4 cr 1,2 0U 15 GC 10 13 Rare

- - - sw+2 imp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - May get stuck.

Scythe sw+2 cut 1 0U 5 GC 5 11 Average

- - - sw imp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - May get stuck.

TWO-HANDED FLAIL (DX-6, Flail 3, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-4)–Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail Notes

Two-Handed Flail sw+4 cr 1,2 0U 20 GC 8 13 Rare Flail (see B274)

TWO-HANDED SWORD (DX-5, Broadsword-4)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesEstoc thr+2 imp 1 0 35 GC 5 10 Average Armor divisor (2);

Cannot swing and parry in same turn.

- - - sw+1 cr 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Flammard sw+3 cut 1,2 0 96 GC 8 12 Average

- - - thr+3 imp 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Greatsword sw+3 cut 1,2 0 43 GC 7 12 Average

- - - thr+3 imp 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

WHIP (No default)

Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost Weight ST Avail NotesWhip sw-2(0.5)cr 1-7 -2U 15/- 2 Var. Average See B406.

RANGED WEAPONS • •

BLOWPIPE (DX-6)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesBlowpipe ld-3 pi- 1 x4 1/0.05 1 1(2) 10 GC 2 -6 Very Rare See B276

61


BOLAS (No default)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesBolas thr-1 cr 0 x3 2 1 T(1) 7/- 7 -2 Scarce see B411

BOW (DX-5)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesRegular Bow thr+1 imp 2 x15/x20 2/0.1 1 1(2) 11 GC 10 -7 Common

Short Bow thr imp 1 x10/x15 2/0.1 1 1(2) 7 GC 7 -6 Common

Long Bow thr+2 imp 3 x15/x20 3/0.1 1 1(2) 14 GC 11 -8 Average

Elf Bow thr+2 imp 3 x20/x25 3/0.1 1 1(2) 30 GC 10 -7 Very Rare

Arrow, Barbed imp - - - - - - 2 oz - - - - - - 30/- - - - - - - Common For 5 arrows.

Arrow, Broad imp - - - - - - 2 oz - - - - - - 30/- - - - - - - Common For 5 arrows.

Arrow, Blunt cr - - - - - - 2 oz - - - - - - 30/- - - - - - - Common For 5 arrows.

Arrow, Bodkin pi (2) - - - - - - 2 oz - - - - - - 30/- - - - - - - Common For 5 arrows.

Arrow, Forked cut (0.5) - - - - - - 3 oz - - - - - - 30/- - - - - - - Common For 5 arrows.

CROSSBOW (DX-4)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesCrossbow thr+4 imp 4 x20/x25 6/0.06 1 1(4) 16 GC 7 -6 Average

Pistol Crossbow thr+2 imp 1 x15/x20 4/0.06 1 1(4) 10 GC 7 -4 Rare 2H to ready, 1H to use

Repeating Crossbow

thr+4 imp 4 x20/x25 6/0.06 1 (10) 100 GC 7 -6 Very Rare

Bolt, Barbed imp - - - - - - 2 oz - - - - - - 2 GC - - - - - - Average For 5 bolts.

Bolt, Broad imp - - - - - - 2 oz - - - - - - 2 GC - - - - - - Average For 5 bolts.

Bolt, Blunt cr - - - - - - 2 oz - - - - - - 2 GC - - - - - - Average For 5 bolts.

Bolt, Bodkin pi (2) - - - - - - 2 oz - - - - - - 2 GC - - - - - - Average For 5 bolts.

Bolt, Forked cut (0.5) - - - - - - 3 oz - - - - - - 2 GC - - - - - - Average For 5 bolts.

Prodd thr+4 pi 2 x20/x25 6/0.06 1 1(4) 16 GC 7 -6 Rare

Lead Bullet cr - - - - - - 1 oz - - - - - - 1 GC - - - - - - Average 5 bullets; Prodd only

LASSO (No default)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesLariot Spec. 0 Spec. 3 1 T(spc.) 1 GC 7 -2 Plentiful see B411

NET (Cloak-5)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesLarge Net Spec. 1 Spec. 20 1 T(1) 6 GC 5/- 11 -6 Plentiful see B276, B411

Small Net Spec. 1 Spec. 5 1 T(1) 1 GC 5/- 8 -4 Common see B276, B411

LASSO (No default)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesLariot Spec. 0 Spec. 3 1 T(spc.) 1 GC 7 -2 Plentiful see B411

62


SLING (DX-6)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesSling sw pi 0 x6/x10 0.5/0.05 1 1(2) 2/- 6 -4 Common See B276

Staff Sling sw+1 pi 1 x10/x15 2/0.05 1 1(2) 6/- 7 -6 Rare See B276

THROWN AXE (DX-4)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesHand Axe sw cut 1 x1.5/x2.5 2 1 T(1) 6 GC 7 -2 Common

Throwing Axe sw+1 cut 2 x1/x1.5 4 1 T(1) 15 GC 11 -3 Average

THROWN KNIFE (DX-4)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesLarge Knife thr imp 0 x0.8/x1.5 1 1 T(1) 4 GC 6 -2 Common

Small Knife thr-1 imp 0 x0.5/x1 0.5 1 T(1) 2 GC 5 -1 Common

Dagger thr-1 imp 0 x0.5/x1 0.5 1 T(1) 3 GC 5 -1 Common

Throwing Dagger thr-1 imp 0 x0.8/x1.5 0.25 1 T(1) 4 GC 5 -1 Average

THROWN SPEAR (DX-4)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesJavelin thr+1 imp 3 x1.5/x2.5 2 1 T(1) 1 GC 5/- 7 -4 Common

Demilance thr+3 imp 2 X0.8/x1 5 1 T(1) 20 GC 10 -8 Scarce -2 attack

Spear thr+3 imp 2 x1/x1.5 4 1 T(1) 5 GC 9 -6 Common

THROWING (DX-3)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesRock thr-1 cr 0 x2/x3.5 1 1 T(1) - - - - - - 0 Common

Flask Spec. 0 x2/x3.5 1.5 1 T(1) 5/- - - - -1 Common See B411.

FIREARMS • •

GUNS (PISTOL) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesFlintlock Pistol, .51 2d-l pi+ 1 75/450 3/0.01 1 1(20) 200 GC 10 -3 Very Rare Malf. 14

Duck's Foot, .40 1d+2 pi+ 1 40/300 2/0.01 1 1(20) 500 GC 13 -3 Very Rare Malf. 12

Repeater Flintlock, .51

2d-l pi+ 1 75/450 3/0.01 2 4 400 GC 10 -3 Very Rare Malf. 10; Experimental

Firearm Shot - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6/- - - - - - - Rare 10 shots

Gunpowder - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3/- - - - - - - Very Rare Per shot

Note: The range of Skaven firearms is greatly increased, beause they mix powdered warpstone with their gunpowder (which is not generally recommended, by the way).

63


GUNS (MUSKET) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesHochland Long

Rifle, .854d pi+ 5 150/1000 12/0.05 1 1(20) 450 GC 10 -6 Very Rare Malf. 14

Jezzail, .65 3d-2 pi+ 2 100/700 9/0.05 1 1(60) 100 GC 10 -6 Vary Rare Malf. 14

Repeater Handgonne, .90

2d pi++ 0 100/600 15/0.1 2 4 600 GC 10 -6 Very Rare Malf. 10; Experimental



GUNS (SHOTGUN) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2)

Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk Avail NotesBlunderbuss, 8g 1d pi- 1 15/100 12/0.13 1x9 1(15) 70 GC 11 -5 Very Rare Malf. 14



• MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS •

• CARRYING EQUIPMENT•Cost Encum Avail

Backpack (Holds 40 lbs.) 30/- 3 Plentiful

Flask, Leather (pint) 15/- 1 Average

Flask, Metal (pint) 50/- 2 Scare

Leather Tube Case 1 GC 0.5 Scarce

Pouch 5/- 0.25 Plentiful

Purse (100 coins) 2/- 0.25 Plentiful

Sack (Holds 30 lbs.) 16/- 0.5 Plentiful

Saddlebag (Holds 40 lbs.) 2 GC 3 Average

Slingbag (Holds 35 lbs.) 6/- 1 Plentiful

Water Skin (Gallon) 8/- 0.25 Plentiful

• ILLUMINATION•Cost Encum Avail

Candle, Tallow (12, 3-hr. burn)

6/- 6 Plentiful

Candle, Wax (12, 4-hr. burn) 36/- 6 Average

Fuel Oil (Pint) 8/- 2 Plentiful

Lamp (Pot) 5/- 3 Plentiful

Lantern 12 GC 3 Average

Lantern, Storm 20 GC 5 Scarce

Torch 1/- 1 Plentiful

• HOUSEHOLD AND PERSONAL EQUIPMENT•Cost Encum Avail

Blanket 2 GC 5 Plentiful

Clothes Pegs (Dozen) 2/- 1 Common

Cooking Pot 1 GC 3 Plentiful

Cutlery Set for 1 (Wood) 5/- 0.5 Plentiful

Cutlery Set for 1 (Metal) 3 GC 1 Common

Cutlery Set for 1 (Silver) 15 GC 2 Scarce

Dice (Bone - pair) 6/- - - - Plentiful

Jug (Earthenware) 3/6 5 Plentiful

Kettle (Holds a pint) 30/- 5 Plentiful

Kindling/Firewood (Bundle) 2/- 6 Plentiful

Matress (Flock) 8 GC 50 Average

Matress (Feather) 12 GC 35 Scarce

Pack of Cards 1 GC 0.25 Plentiful

Tankard (Pewter) 1 GC 2 Plentiful

Tinderbox 30/- 2 Plentiful

• READING AND WRITING•Cost Encum Avail

Book (Illuminated) 350 GC 5 Rare

Book (Printed) 40 GC 4 Scarce

Writing Equipment 10 GC 1 Average

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• MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS •Cost Encum Avail

Coach Horn 10 GC 3 Average

Drum 30/- 5 Average

Flute 20 GC 2 Rare

Harp (Small) 20 GC 5 Average

Harpsichord 250 GC 12 Average

Lute 80 GC 3 Scarce

Mandolin 23 GC 4 Scarce

Mouth Harp 8/- 0.25 Average

Recorder 3 GC 0.5 Average

Tambourine 1 GC 0.5 Average

Viol 25 GC 3 Average

• TOOLS •Cost Encum Avail

Artisan's Trade Tools (Set) 50 GC 5 Rare

Base Metal Ingot 26/- 2 Average

Coin Die (Pair of blanks) 10 GC 2 Rare

Chain (Yard) 30/- 5 Average

Crowbar 5 GC 3 Average

Fish Hook and Line 3/- - - - Common

Grappling Hook 4 GC 5 Average

Iron Spike 10/- 1 Common

Engraving Tools 50 GC 2.5 Rare

Lock Pick Tools 10 GC - - - Average

Magnifying Glass 75 GC 1 Very Rare

Manacles (Pair) 5 GC 2 Average

Man Trap 8 GC 10 Average

Medical Instruments 50 GC 5 Rare

Metal-Working Tools (excluding forge and

bellows)

50 GC 10 Rare

Navigator's Tools 50 GC 2 Rare

Navigational Charts (Printed) 25 GC 1 Rare

Pole (Yard) 1/6 1 Plentiful

Rope (Yard) 5/- 1.5 Average

Saw 7 GC 3 Common

Snare (Wire) 1 GC 1 Common

Spade (Iron Edged) 25/- 6 Common

Wooden Wedge 8 d 0.5 Plentiful

• TRANSPORT •

• VEHICLES •Cost Encum Avail

Cart (1dx10)+40 GC - - - Common

Coach 1000 GC - - - Rare

River Boat 600 GC - - - Rare

Rowing Boat (1dx10)+60 GC 90 Average

Wagon (1dx13)+60 GC - - - Common

• RIDING ANIMALS •Cost Encum Avail

Destrier 960 - 4750 GC - - - Plentiful

Light Warhorse 575 – 1150 GC - - - Scarce

Riding Horse 60 – 480 GC - - - Common

• LIVESTOCK •Cost Encum Avail

Cart Horse 50 – 75 GC - - - Plentiful

Chicken 1/- - - - Plentiful

Cow 40 – 60 GC - - - Plentiful

Dog 1d GC - - - Plentiful

Goat 40/- to 50/- - - - Plentiful

Hawk 40 – 70 GC - - - Rare

Ox 60 – 80 GC - - - Plentiful

Pack Horse 30 – 60 GC - - - Plentiful

Pig 80/- to 90/- - - - Plentiful

Sheep 54/- to 62/- - - - Plentiful

• TRAVEL COSTS •Per 10 Miles of Journey Cost Encum Avail

Cart/Wagon 15/- - - - Plentiful

Cart, 2 Horse (per day) 3 GC - - - Plentiful

Coach (per day) 7 GC - - - Average

River Boat 5/- - - - Plentiful

Wagon, 3 Horse (per day) 4 GC - - - Common

• MEDICAL ATTENTION •Cost Encum Avail

Per Visit 3 GC - - - Common

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• TRAVEL COSTS •Per 10 Miles of Journey Cost Encum Avail

Cart/Wagon 15/- - - - Plentiful

Cart, 2 Horse (per day) 3 GC - - - Plentiful

Coach (per day) 7 GC - - - Average

River Boat 5/- - - - Plentiful

Wagon, 3 Horse (per day) 4 GC - - - Common

∙ CURRENCY FORGERY ∙ In order to produce counterfeit coins, characters need coin dies from which to mint them. Real coin dies are very hard to get hold of, but the currency of the Old World is so varied that characters can get away with making their own. If it looks like a credible and respected coinage, so much the better. All of the mapped cities issue their own coins, all of which are universally acceptable. Smaller settlements do issue coins, but they are not always accepted and are often viewed with suspicion outside of their town of origin.

In order to make a die set a character must have the Artist skill, with a appropriate specialization. Making a die set takes approximately a week.

Minting coins from a die is relatively easy, but producing a credible metal from at least 25% gold and base metal requires the use of Forgery and Chemistry or Metallurgy skills. A small workshop and furnace are also needed, but nothing so elaborate as a smithy.

Two pounds and eight ounces of base metal added to 10 ounces of gold (10 gold crowns) will produce 50 coins with a face value of 50 crowns. It takes a whole day for two persons to mint 50 coins. A character working alone cannot successfully strike the coins, so any coins produced by one individual will be immediately recognizable as forgeries.

Passing dud coins requires a successful Fast Talk check. Chances of success decrease by -1 for every day after the first transaction. Transactions over 10 coins decrease the Fast Talk chance by -1 for each additional coin. So an attempt to pass 13 GCs has a -3 modifier for the Fast Talk check. A failed Fast Talk indicates that the counterfeit is spotted, and the character will be challenged. The penalty for passing dud coins is indefinite incarceration.

∙ HIRING CHARACTERS ∙ Sooner or later, most player characters find the need to hire an NPC specialist. It may be because they require a skill not possessed by a party member, or because a forthcoming expedition requires extra swordarms, or simply because they have more money than they know what to do with and have decided to hire a valet, jester, or general dogsbody. Hirelings fall into two general categories – skilled and unskilled.

Unskilled Hirelings: Unskilled hirelings are often sought to perform menial tasks such as carrying bags, digging ditches, etc. Unskilled hirelings are spread throughout several broad categories (i.e., Artisans, Entertainers, Laborers, or Servants). However, the players' prime concern when hiring nonskilled NPCs is their basic

profile and their personality. Such NPCs need not be generated in any detail, and their wages, on average, will be as follows:

Cost per Day Cost per Week AvailArtisan 10/- 60/- Common

Entertainer 5/- 30/- Common

Laborer 7/- 42/- Common

Servant 6d 3/- Common

Note: Entertainers would normally expect to earn additional money from tips. Servants would have board and lodging provided.

Some laboring jobs will also include bed and board, but this is usually deducted from the wages paid. In agrarian communities, it is usual to pay part of a character's wages in kind - as farm products (eggs, cheese, milk, cider etc).

Skilled Hirelings: Skilled hirelings are usually sought to provide a skill that characters lack, or to provide extra muscle on an adventure. Skilled hirelings are both harder to find and more expensive to hire than unskilled ones. When hiring these NPCs, it is their skills and career-related knowledge that interest the player characters. The average rate of pay, and the availability of such characters varies according to the skill levels they have.

• BASIC WAGE LEVELS FOR SKILLED HIRELINGS •

Skill Level Cost per Day Share* AvailAttribute-2 20 GC - - - Common

Attribute-1 30 GC ½ Average

Attribute 45 GC ¾ Average

Attribute+1 70 GC 1 Scarce

Attribute+2 100 GC 1 Rare

Attribute+3 150 GC 1 Very Rare

Greater than +3 +50 GC/level 1 Very Rare

*Payable only to hirelings who fight side-by-side with the PCs on an adventure.

NPCs will usually hire themselves out at the rate given for their skill level, even if the hirers do not require that level of skill. Cash is payable either on a weekly basis or at the completion of the adventure. However, most NPCs expect an advance equivalent to a week's wages when they first hire on, especially if they need to buy special equipment. NPCs always make arrangements for cash to pass into the hands of relatives, tomb builders or other beneficiaries. Such arrangements are made via the law, or through another organization, and are enforced by the full power of such organizations.

The Share is a payment in addition to the NPC's wage, to be made when the surviving adventurers divide up the treasure at the completion of the adventure. The number given represents the proportion of a single equal share. All booty, treasure, magical items and other loot is subject to division, unless the players arrange otherwise when hiring the NPC. If the NPCs' share is to include specific items, then they will expect a cash value instead, payable at the completion of the adventure. Shares are not payable in the event of the NPC's death.

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Chapter V: MagicChapter V: Magic

agic does not exist naturally in the Warhammer World, but originates from Chaos. Raw mana is believed to be tiny

particles of Chaos, undetectable even by Elvish eyes, that blows - intangible and inconstant, but potentially devastating - from the Source of Magic in the North. In its purest and most malignant form it is not unlike natural darkness.

However, far from being simply the absence of light, dark magic is an entity in its own right, accumulating in the regions of the world where horror, sickness, violence and death are present, and growing stronger with time.

If allowed to run its natural course, it would engulf the entire world and sour it of all life in a tidal wave of horror.

Fortunately, the Vortex diffracts this malign power into the many “colors” or “colleges” of magic, which can be put to more benevolent uses.

Almost all intelligent beings have the potential to wield magic, but in practice only a rare few have the innate aptitude or “Warp Resonance” and determination to pursue a sorcerer’s vocation. Each race has its own unique way of wielding magic, from Dwarf Runesmiths who forge it into their artifacts, to vile Necromancers, who use the Dark Magic to raise the dead and bind them to their will.

∙ GURPS MAGIC IN THE WARHAMMER WORLD ∙ The Warhammer World is a Normal Mana world (GURPS: Magic p.6). Variations in mana level exist and this is up to the GM to explore. The Vortex which the High Elves constructed to diffract magical energy into colors and colleges gives game masters a wonderful opportunity to explore not only different Mana Levels, but also to pepper the world with Aspected Mana (GURPS: Fantasy p.40).

A few possibilities include:

• Perhaps Shallya’s famous Infirmary in Couronne, built over the miraculous healing springs, was erected at on the springs, and attracts so many pilgrims and ill folk, due to it’s Life Aspected Mana.

• Maybe the Forest of Loren is Plant Aspected and the reason the Wood Elves took refuge under its protective canopy.

• Karaz-a-Karak could be thought of as Earth Aspected

• The Zombie Swamp, certainly Death Aspected, as well as the Land of the Dead.

• It might be also interesting if the Chaos Wastes were entirely unpredictable, with Aspects and Mana levels continually in flux.

Characters with the Warp Resonance or Warp Empathy advantage can learn spells, and those without it can not.

Dwarfs and Halflings have rarely been known to have any kind of Warp Resonance (GM permission, Unusual Background, and a really good reason are all required). Likewise only the race of Dwarfs has been known to master Runesmithing. (GM permission, Unusual Background, and a really good reason are all required).

∙ WARPSTONE ∙ Warpstone is the raw stuff of Chaos and is the basis of all magic, Sorcerous and Divine. It is a powerful source of magic, and is greatly sought after by all followers of Chaos. A single piece of raw Warpstone is usually an irregularly-shaped lump about the size of a man’s fist. It emits an intense black light, which seems to swallow light from its immediate vicinity, creating a small patch of darkness around it. In this raw form, Warpstone is very dangerous to all creatures, and prolonged exposure can cause severe mutation or death.

The Skaven, and many of the other races of Chaos, were created by exposure to raw Warpstone, as natural creatures were twisted by its magical emanations and developed mutations which have been handed down through the generations.

In game terms, Warpstone is a naturally occurring Powerstone (GURPS: Magic p.20) These feared stones can contain vast power, however merely holding the stone can cause mutation and insanity over time. Those who actually use Warpstone for energy are doomed to a life of chaos and eventually death.

∙ THE LANGUAGE OF MAGIC ∙ Just as writing is the physical representation of the spoken word, runes are physical and aethyrial images of the language of magic or Lingua Praestantia. Magic is an unimaginably complex and demanding language. Accurate transcription of the Great Language into runes requires that the tiniest distinctions of pronunciation be precisely recorded in the rune. Further, a rune must be inscribed not only in the physical domain, but also in the aethyrial domain; that is, they must be magically inscribed into the aethyrial field associated with the rune.

Properly inscribed runes are essential to all arcane undertakings, and all wizards must read and understand them. More ambitious students of magic may be qualified for research and development of revised or new applications of the arcane practices.

Even the simplest word in the language of magic or Lingua Praestantia is unimaginably complex. In the simplest petty sorcery, shadings of rhythm, accent, pitch, duration, volume, timbre, etc. all control a host of critical elements, any of which might spoil the effect if phrased imprecisely. Only the rare individual with the combined gifts of the voice and ear of a temple choir soloist and the intelligence, memory, and wit of the finest scholar can learn to master the subtle chords of sorcery.

The language of magic is required for Sorcerers to cast spells and all penalties for speaking Broken or Accented versions of this language apply to all spell skill levels. (GURPS p24) This does not concern Priests and Clerics who pray to a Deity that casts the spell through them.

∙ LEARNING MAGIC ∙ Anyone with Warp Resonance can learn spells. The rate at which spells can be learned depends mainly on the student's Warp Resonance Level, and whether or not the she has a teacher. Each Academy selfishly guards all knowledge of magic. Trading spells is illegal and anyone caught selling or teaching spells to those not of their college will be tried and severely punished.

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Chapter V: Magic

The Eight Colleges of Wizardry provide free library accessand teaching to their members for any of the Colleges of Magic they teach. Other Colleges must be self taught unless the spell caster finds a willing teacher.

Wood Elves always learn magic as if they had a teacher even when learning on their own. They, gain no additional benefit from a teacher.

Hedgewizards will find it difficult to locate a teacher willing to train them. They are almost always self taught.

∙ CASTING A SPELL ∙ Before casting a spell, Sorcerers must meet the following three criteria:

• Sorcerers must have the Warp Resonance advantage (level 0-5).

• The language of magic is required for Sorcerers to cast spells and all penalties for speaking Broken or Accented versions of this language apply to all spell skill levels (page B24).

• Sorcerers must know the spell that they are attempting to cast.

∙ THE IMPERIAL COLLEGES OF MAGIC ∙ There are eight Imperial Colleges of Magic in Altdorf, one for each of the colors of magic. As explained previously (pg. 41), these Colleges are relatively new institutions within the Empire, having been set up two hundred years ago by the High Elf Teclis. In spite of this, they have managed to acquire patrons and political influence far in excess of their rivals.

A Supreme Patriarch of the Imperial Colleges of Magic is elected every seven years by the High Wizards of the individual colleges from one of their number. There is also the small matter of a ritual duel, but this public display is merely a nicety designed to impress the populace; it's outcome is a foregone conclusion, based on the wishes of High Wizards and the Imperial authorities.

∙ THE EIGHT WINDS OF MAGIC ∙ Each of the eight winds of magic (Ghur, Shyish, Aqshy, Asyr, Ghyran, Hysh, Chamon and Ulgu) have their own dedicated college of magic. As each college is focused on only one of the winds, spell choice is limited.

∙ THE LORE OF BEASTS (AMBER WIZARDS) ∙ The Lore of Beasts is the most feral of sorceries. It is the magic of animals and primal savagery. It is based on manipulation of Ghur, the Brown Wind of Magic. Magisters of this lore are known as Amber Wizards and they cleave to the wild places that are the source of their strength. As they gain in power, Amber Wizards grow ever more aloof and restless with human society - their thickly sprouting hair, ragged nails and pointed teeth mirroring the wild nature of their souls.

Recommended Advantages: Animal Empathy, Animal Friend, Claws, Languages, Outdoorsman, Patron (Amber Order), Rank (Amber Order), Teeth (Sharp).

Recommended Disadvantages: Bestial, Duty (Amber Order), Sense of Duty (Nature).

Recommended Skills: Animal Handling, Camouflage, Falconry, Fishing, Navigation, Mimicry, Naturalist, Packing, Riding, Survival, Teamster, Thaumatology, Tracking, and Veterinary.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Animal, Making and Breaking, Meta-Spells, Mind Control, Movement, Protection & Warning, Sound.

∙ THE LORE OF DEATH (AMETHYST WIZARDS) ∙ The Lore of Death is the magic of mortality, endings, and the passage of time. It is based on manipulation of Shyish, the Purple Wind of Magic. Magisters of this lore are known as Amethyst Wizards and they are rightly farced. While often conflated with Necromancers, Amethyst Wizards are quite distinct. They embrace the natural ending of all things, whereas Necromancers seek to conquer death with the darkest of magics. As they grow in power, Amethyst Wizards grow more silent, though not grim. The breath of the grave follows them, and even the fattest turns to lean; however they retain a wicked wit and respect for life.

Recommended Advantages: Languages, Patron (Amethyst Order), Rank (Amethyst Order), Spirit Empathy.

Recommended Disadvantages: Bad Reputation, Disturbing Voice, Duty (Amethyst Order), Supernatural Features (Stench of Death; -2 reaction).

Recommended Skills: Exorcism, Intimidation, Professional (Embalming), Thaumatology.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Body Control, Making and Breaking, Mind Control, Movement, Necromancy, Protection & Warning, Sound.

∙ THE LORE OF FIRE (BRIGHT WIZARDS) ∙ The Lore of Fire, or Pyromancy as it is sometimes known, is the most aggressive school of magic. It is based on manipulation of Aqshy, the Red Wind of Magic. Magisters of this lore are known as Bright Wizards and are frequently found on the battlefield, since they command an array of impressively destructive spells. As they grow in power, Bright Wizards grow ever more quick tempered and hyperactive. Their hair and eyebrows turn to flaming red and flicker in an unseen breeze. They are quick to take offense, and quick to feel the cold. Bright Wizards often take on facial tattoos as they progress in ability.

Recommended Advantages: Combat Reflexes, Imperial Militia Rank, Languages, Patron (Bright Order), Rank (Bright Order).

Recommended Disadvantages: Bad Temper, Distinctive Features (Facial tattoos), Duty (Bright Order), Hyperactive (quirk), Vulnerability (Cold damage x2).

Recommended Skills: Leadership, Fire Eating, Savoir-Faire (Military), Soldier, Thaumatology, Weapon skills.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Body Control, Fire, Making and Breaking, Meta-Spells, Movement, Protection & Warning, Sound.

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Chapter V: Magic

∙ THE LORE OF THE HEAVENS (CELESTIAL WIZARDS) ∙ The Lore of the Heavens is the magic of the sky and stars, of portents, fate, and the movement of heavenly bodies. More commonly known as Astromancy, it is based on manipulation of Azyr, the Blue Wind of Magic. Magisters of this lore are known as Celestial Wizards and they are famed oracles, diviners, and masters of the skies and stars.

As they grow in power, Celestial Wizards grow ever more unearthly and dreamlike. Heir eyes turn to a glowing blue, and their hair tends towards white. Full of slow, graceful movements, Celestial Wizards seldom hurry anywhere.

Recommended Advantages: Languages, Mathematical Ability, Oracle, Patron (Celestial Order), Rank (Celestial Order).

Recommended Disadvantages: Absent Mindedness, Distinctive Features (Glowing blue eyes), Distaractable, Duty (Celestial Order), Lunacy, Short Attention Span.

Recommended Skills: Astronomy, Fortune-Telling, Thaumatology.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Air, Knowledge, Meta-Spells, Movement, Protection & Warning, Sound, Weather.

∙ THE LORE OF LIFE (JADE WIZARDS) ∙ The Lore of Life is the magic of nature, the growing earth, and the seasons. It is based on manipulation of Ghyran, the Green Wind of Magic. Magisters of this lore are known as Jade Wizards and they are most at home in the countryside. They visit cities when they must, but prefer to be surrounded by the majesty and power of the wild.

Powerful Jade Wizards go barefoot, that they might be in constant contact with the earth. As they progress in their Order they take on aspects of the seasons, growing fired in Winter, somber in Autumn, excited in Spring and vibrant in Summer. Their hair and fingernails grow very fast, and they seldom suffer from illness.

Many Life spells require natural earth to function. This means the areas specified must consist of dirt or even mud and can't be covered with wood, stone, flooring, cobbling, etc. Essentially, such spells can't be cast inside buildings unless they have dirt floors.

Recommended Advantages: Languages, Fit or Very Fit, Green Thumb, Outdoorsman, Patron (Jade Order), Rank (Jade Order), Plant Empathy.

Recommended Disadvantages: Duty (Jade Order), Manic-Depressive (Cycled with the seasons), Prefers to be barefoot (Quirk).

Recommended Skills: Biology, Camouflage, Farming, Gardening, Herb Lore, Naturalist, Navigation, Survival, Thaumatology and Tracking.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Earth, Meta-Spells, Movement, Plant, Protection & Warning, Sound, Water.

∙ THE LORE OF LIGHT (LIGHT WIZARDS) ∙ The Lore of Light is the magic of physical and mental illumination. Based on manipulation of Hysh, the White Wind of Magic, this lore is about truth, wisdom, radiant power, and life-giving energy. Magisters of this lore are known as Hierophants or Light Wizards and they are wise philosophers, potent healers, and fearless Daemon banishers.

As these Wizards grow in power, they tend towards dry intellectualism and wit, rather than humor. The color leeches out of their skin and hair, growing lighter ant semi-transparent in some cases, whilst the eyes tend towards milly whiteness or a golden luminescence. Most spend their spare time reading or in solemn contemplation.

Recommended Advantages: Autotrance, Healer, Higher Purpose (Destroying demons), Languages, Night Vision, Patron (Light Order), Rank (Light Order).

Recommended Disadvantages: Duty (Light Order), Distinctive Features (Extremely pale), Enemies (Demonic), No Sense of Humor, Odious Personal Habits (Dry wit).

Recommended Skills: Diagnosis, Esoteric Medicine, Exorcism, First-Aid, Herb Lore, Meditation, Philosophy, Thaumatology and Veterinary.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Healing, Light and Darkness, Making and Breaking, Meta-Spells, Movement, Protection & Warning, Sound; May cast Banish (Necromancy).

∙ THE LORE OF METAL (GOLD WIZARDS) ∙ The Lore of Metal is the magic of transmutation, logic, applied knowledge, empirical investigation and experimentation. More commonly known as alchemy, it is based on manipulation of Chamon, the Yellow Wind of Magic. Magisters of this lore are known as Gold Wizards or Alchemists and they are amongst the most learned folk of the Empire. Alchemists make frequent use of ritual magic and their most legendary transmutations are spells of this type. As they grow in power, Gold Wizards become more conservative in their attitudes, preferring to deal with tangible, pragmatic, measurable things, rather than fancy new ideas. Mirroring this consolidation, their bodies grow ever slower and stiffer, the joints seizing and the skin growing thick ant calloused with a goldish hue. Many elder Wizards resort to contraptions to get their frozen bodies about.

Recommended Advantages: Languages, Patron (Gold Order), Rank (Gold Order), Reputation.

Recommended Disadvantages: Duty (Gold Order), Distinctive Features (Calloused gold skin), Ham Fisted, Hidebound, Lame.

Recommended Skills: Alchemy, Anthropology, Archeology, Biology, Geology, Meteorology, Metallurgy, Thaumatology.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Communication & Empathy, Enchantment, Knowledge, Making and Breaking, Meta-Spells, Protection & Warning, Sound.

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Chapter V: Magic

∙ THE LORE OF SHADOW (GREY WIZARDS) ∙ The Lore of Shadow is the magic of concealment, illusion, confusion, and occasionally unseen death. It is based on manipulation of Ulgu, the Grey Wind of Magic. Magisters of this lore are known as Grey Wizards and they are an enigmatic lot. They are so cloaked in deception that their true feelings and agendas are rarely known. Grey Wizards are sometimes known as illusionists or trickster Wizards. As Grey Wizards grow in power, they take on an enigmatic presence and a wolfish look to them. With long wiry grey hair and a lean, light-footed stance they begin to seem almost roguish, but for their storm grey eyes. Even with these distinctive features, folk find it hard to describe a powerful Shadow Wizard, as their faces seem grow vague and indistinct. Some claim they subtly change to fit their surroundings, but this seems too far-fetched, even for High Magisters.

Recommended Advantages: Languages, Forgettable Face, Patron (Grey Order), Rank (Grey Order).

Recommended Disadvantages: Duty (Grey Order).

Recommended Skills: Stealth, Thaumatology.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Body Control, Communication & Empathy, Illusion & Creation, Knowledge, Mind Control, Sound, Water.

∙ HEDGE-WIZARDRY ∙ Across the Old World, particularly in rural areas, there are practitioners of the magical arts who have never had any formal training. These people are known collectively as 'hedge-wizards', a catch-all term for magic-users who do not follow one of the orthodox schools of magical theory. Locally such rustics are referred to as wise ones, healers, or witches.

There are three kinds of hedge-wizard. The first are those who follow a set of teachings that have been passed down from generation to generation, slowly gathering new understanding and new spells. These teachings are usually a hotchpotch of local lore, superstition, rites and incantations that hang together to make a rough collection of low level spells, although occasionally their enchantments will be based on the remains of ancient theories and systems of magic dating back millenniums, that still retain some ancient power. This kind of learning can be fascinating to scholars, if can locate someone who has it.

The second kind are ones who have received some education in one of the recognized forms of magic, but who have not completed their training and never received a license. Some apprentices who have abandoned their masters end up this way. They understand the basic rules of magic but have no way of learning more, apart from performing their own haphazard research.

The last kind of hedge-wizard is the rarest, the most interesting and definitely the most dangerous. These are people who are born with strong innate magical abilities, who have done their best to learn, through trial and error, how the magical world works. Frequently they are repeating experiments that were done many hundreds of years ago, and are now considered to be apprentice's work by those in the great magical colleges of the Empire's cities. Sometimes, rarely, they happen across previously undiscovered branches of

magical theory, and tap into new and powerful areas of spell-use. More often they find themselves caught up in the web of Chaos and lured into the service of the dark gods.

Being a hedge-wizard is a precarious career. Apart from the meager living to be earned, they are always vulnerable to accusations of consorting with the forces of Chaos, are often the target of witch-hunters. Eccentrics are often feared, especially in the more backward rural areas, and people who live alone and potter about collecting herbs by night and muttering to themselves are likely to be treated with suspicion.

A hedge-wizard, by definition, has no association with any of the approved colleges of magic, and therefore is likely to find it almost impossible to obtain a license. This makes hedge-wizards easy pickings for witch-hunters, no matter how upstanding a member of the community they may be - and some hedge-wizards do manage to rise to be village leaders or local representatives on provincial councils, although they would he advised to keep their powers well hidden if they do.

The majority of hedge-wizards live alone, growing more eccentric as the years go by. But a hedge-wizard can get lonely, even with a cat or toad for company. Some decide to take on apprentices. There are two sorts of hedge-wizard's apprentices: these who go to learn hedge wizardry because they have a natural talent for the subject but no one with formal training is around to teach them, and those misfits whom no one else will take on as an apprentice, and who go to the hedge-wizard as a last resort.

A village is unlikely to put up with more than one hedge-wizard. Someone taken on as an apprentice may find it difficult to practice locally, since the master hedge-wizard will view the apprentice as unwanted competition. In this case, an apprentice must either wait until the master dies (a process sometimes helper along by the more ruthless young students) or leave in search of a village without its own spellcaster. But most villagers are suspicious of strangers, particularly those claiming knowledge of magic, and a hedge-wizard may travel for years, becoming better at magic, picking up spells here and there, before finding somewhere to settle down.

Recommended Disadvantages: Bad Reputation; Secret (Chaos Cultist or Hedge-Wizard); Enemy (Witch-Hunters); Social Stigma (Heretic).

Recommended Skills: Animal Handling; Herb Lore; Stealth; Sleight of Hand; Thaumatology.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Hedgewizards may start play with up to 20 points in spells from ANY college except Technology; however they may not start with more than 5 points spent in any single college. They will also have a hard time learning new spells.

∙ NECROMANCY ∙ Necromancy is a blend of Dark Magic (Dhar) as practiced by the Dark Elves and the Mortuary Cult of ancient Nehekhara. It is the Magic of the dead and the Undead, originated by Nagash. Practitioners, also called Necromancers, can enjoy unnaturally long lives or even cheat death as well as animate and command the dead. In time, however, their body whithers away and they become Liches (or if they fail, Wraiths).

Necromancy is the magic of the dead and the undead. Apart from necromancers, necromancy is aslo practised by Vampires and liches.

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It is similar to Amethyst magic in that it concerns with death and afterlife. Necromancers however use magic to cheat death and achieve eternal life, rather than respecting death as a universal given. It is also different in that Necromancers draw from Dhar rather than Shyish, and are therefore exposed to Dhar's evil corruption.

Unlike dark elf Sorceresses and Chaos Spellcasters who are most times protected by their fickle gods, necromancers shield themselves by channeling the energies into dead creatures or Spirits. The necromancer is thus one step removed from the destructive energies but in no way totally protected from them. Only Vampires are strong enough to not be affected, human necromancers are slowly corrupted. The most strong necromancers can overcome this. They defy death and return as Liches. Those who succumb to the dark powers become Wraiths.

Necromantic spells tend to be more subtle and insidious than the Dark Magic used by Chaos. The greatest lure is the possibility of lenghtening ones life and even go beyond death. The most outstanding Spell is probably Zombie, which animates the dead, creating whole legions of Zombies and Skeletons, and put them under the command of the Necromancer.

The origin of Necromancy goes back to -1968 IC when Nagash, obsessed with immortality like many in Nehekhara, was learned Dark Magic by a group of Dark Elves who had stranded in Zandri. Nagash mingled his own knowledge of the Mortuary Cult with the magic of the elves and thus created necromancy. He later also succeeded in using Warpstone to enlarge his powers.

Nagash wrote down his experiments in nine volumes, the "Nine Books of Nagash" or "Liber Mortis" which are still, to this day, the prime source of knowledge about necromancy. Copies of the work are spread over the world, sought by Witch Hunters and necromancers alike.

Recommended Advantages: Languages; Spirit Empathy.

Recommended Disadvantages: Appearance; Distinctive Appearance (Cadaverous); Bad Reputation; Frightens Animals; Secret (Chaos Necromancer); Enemy (Witch-Hunters); Secret or Obvious Mutation; Social Stigma (Heretic); Supernatural Features (Stench of Death; -2 reaction); or any mental disadvantage.

Recommended Skills: Biology; Expert (Undead); Meditation; Poisons; Thaumatology.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Animal, Body Control, Communication & Empathy, Gate, Earth, Necromancy, Protection & Warning.

∙ CHAOS MAGIC ∙ Dark magic, or Dhar, is the form of magic that draws power directly from the primal energies that flow into the world from the Realm of Chaos. Because spells cast using dark magic use multiple strands of the raw, unrefined winds of magic, they tend to have very powerful effects. In addition, because dark magic involves "crushing" and "mashing" the winds of magic into unstable combinations, forcefully bending them to the casters will these spells can be extremely destructive and tend to be associated with wildly unpredictable side-effects (mutations, insanity, etc). Spellcasters working with Dhar must possess supreme strength of mind and an almost megalomaniacal confidence in their ability to control the forces they seek to command.

Dark magic is inherently Chaotic, and its purest form is reserved for the followers of three of the four Powers of Chaos: Tzeentch, Slaanesh and Nurgle. Not all users of Chaos magic are wizards who have been turned by their desire for power, some are cultists who have been granted spells by their Chaos God, or schooled in its use by Daemons or by other cult members. The spells of the three gods are very different, and there is intense rivalry between them. Moreover, because there is so little communication between cults of the same god, each one may have developed particular spells and magical techniques unique to them.

Chaos magicians are, like all users of Dark magic, intensely secretive about their art, for to be found out is certain death. Some have discovered that the best disguise is as a reputable member of one of the other schools of magic: that way they can even acquire a license. All the colleges are wary of this potential deception, but some are better at detecting dubious members than others.

Recommended Advantages: Languages; Patron (Chaos cult).

Recommended Disadvantages: Appearance; Bad Reputation (Chaos cultist); Distinctive Appearance (Cadaverous); Dread (Sunlight, crying of infants, etc); Duty (Chaos cult); Frightens Animals; Secret (Chaos cultist); Secret or Obvious Mutation; Social Stigma (Heretic).Recommended Skills: Thaumatology, Theology (Chaos).

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Chaos magic draws on all the winds of magic, and therefore Chaos magic corresponds directly with normal GURPS magic.

∙ HIGH MAGIC ∙ High magic (Qhaysh) is the most pure and virtuous form of magic, and also the most powerful. It is created by weaving together the eight colors of magic as they swirl through the world, and can be seen as the antithesis of Dark magic, being completely untainted by Chaos. The only disadvantage of High magic is that it can only successfully be successfully practiced by Elves (and, if any survive, the Old Ones who taught them), since only they have the necessary mental faculties to be able to weave the eight colors of magic into one bright thread. This ability seems to have emerged during the Golden Time of the Elves, as they studied with the Old Ones, but whether it came about by accident or design none can know.

It is only very rarely that a High Elf mage visits the Old World. Most spend their days in the Kingdoms of Ulthuan, where they fight in the armies of the Phoenix King against the Dark Elves. On the few occasions that they do visit the Old World, they either come in disguise or they come to make history, as Teclis did when he taught humans the colors of magic.

High Elf mages often spend many decades learning their magical arts, and are thus far beyond even the most talented human wizards. Before High Elf mages can even begin to study High magic, they must have mastered each of the colors of magic.

It is not recommended that High Elf mages should be made available as player characters in a GURPS Warhammer campaign. They should be kept as an occasional wonder. Maybe such a person will use spectacular magic to save the PCs in their hour of need, then vanish before they can thank him, leaving them wondering why he chose to save them. Or maybe they will hear rumors of a High Elf in some remote part of the world who is prepared to

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teach humans and Elves High Magic. They could trek miles to find this wondrous teacher, only to discover, too late, that she is actually a Dark Elf.

Requirements: Must be a High Elf. Though Wood Elves are more than capable of learning High Magic, the only place it can be learned in at the White Tower of Hoeth in the Kingdom of Saphery on the isle of Ulthuan (an Unusual Background would be required).

Allowed GURPS Colleges: High magic draws on all the winds of magic, and therefore High magic corresponds directly with normal GURPS magic.

∙ WOOD ELVEN MAGIC ∙ Wood Elf mages feel their vocation at a very early age. Even among a people with a deep respect and reverence for the natural world, a child who is likely to become a mage feels these passions more powerfully than most. Such children will spend much of their time alone in the forest communing with the natural world, and sleeping in the branches of trees. They learn to be so still that animals ignore them and approach them without fear. Even the Dryads, who normally never let themselves be seen by mortals, are not afraid of such a child.

The parents of such children will naturally worry when they disappear for long periods into the forests. There are many dangers lurking in the shadows, and not all of them are merely wild beasts. More than a few such children are caught and killed by Orcs, Goblins or Beastmen, or by fierce and hungry griffons. But those with the most woodcraft survive, eventually finding a way into the deepest heart of the forest, where the Treemen dwell. There, if an Elf child is willing and has the necessary reverence for the natural world, he or she will be taken in by a Treeman and taught a little of the Tree Songs.

The language of the trees, that strange whispering of leaves in the wind and the creaking of branches, is beyond even the most clever and woodwise of the Elves. Only the Treemen, who are almost trees themselves, can understand that slow and rambling speech. The Tree Songs are a tool that the Treemen have used since time

immemorial to speak to the trees, to make them grow in ways best fitted to the would. The peaceful Treemen sometimes disapprove of the uses to which the Wood Elves put the Tree Songs (from shaping tree houses to strangling their enemies in a tangle of vines), but they have the sense to realize that there are few Treemen left in the world. When the last of them dies, only the Wood Elves will remain to guard the forests they love from the cruel destruction of the Orcs and the spreading settlements of the humans.

Wood Elf apprentices will generally stay with their Treeman teacher for several years. They may return to their people for visits during that period, but most of their time will be spent far from home, learning to listen to the sounds of nature and attuning themselves to the flows of magic that permeate all growing things. At the end of this apprenticeship they will return to their people, having

mastered the essential techniques of singing the Tree Song with much still to learn. Several more years will then be spent studying under a Wood Elf mage.

Recommended Advantages: Green Thumb, Outdoorsman, Plant Empathy.

Recommended Skills: Camouflage, Herb Lore, Naturalist, Navigation, Survival, Thaumatology and Tracking.

Allowed GURPS Colleges: Air, Animal, Earth, Food, Plant Protection & Warning, Water.

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Priest Critical Failure Table

Roll Effect

3 Spell fails entirely. Caster takes 1 point of injury and 2d FP (in addition to spell’s cost, if any).

4 Spell is cast on one of the caster’s companions (if harmful) or on a random nearby foe (if beneficial).

5-6 Spell is cast on caster (if harmful) or on a random nearby foe (if beneficial).

7 Spell affects someone or something other than its intended target – friend, foe, or random object. Roll randomly or (preferably) make an appropriate choice.

8 Spell fails entirely. Caster takes 1 point of injury.

9 Spell fails entirely. Caster is stunned (Will roll to recover).

10-11 Spell produces nothing but the intense sense of a judgmental presence in everyone within 20 yards. Caster must make a Will-3 roll, while everyone else must roll unmodified Will; those who fail are mentally stunned.

12 Spell produces a weak, momentary shadow of the intended effect (doing no more than 1 point of damage, reversing othereffects after that moment, etc.). Caster and all targets have the sense of a presence that judges and chooses not to act.

13 Spell produces a twisted or confused variation of the intended effect. Caster becomes unhappily aware that he attractedattention from the wrong supernatural being.

14 Spell seems to work, but the results are subtly twisted, or may simply disappear prematurely, causing the caster inconvenienceor worse. The GM should try to convince the players that the spell did work – but in fact, it attracted the attention of ahostile or mischievous supernatural being, which is now seeking to cause trouble.

15-16 The higher powers have decided to do things their own way. A completely different effect is produced, probably on adifferent target; use spells of similar power to the one attempted to determine possible effects. This may inconvenience thecaster, or help him, indirectly and strangely.

17 Spell fails entirely. Caster temporarily forgets the spell. To regain it, he must perform an act of contrition and redemption (a Theology roll may help him decide what’s appropriate). This should take at least a week; require some inconvenience,expense, or modest danger; and end in a visit to an appropriate temple, church, or shrine.

18 Spell fails entirely. An emissary of the caster’s god or patron spirit appears and places him under a compulsion to performsome great deed for the faith. Treat this as Obsession (9) until it’s carried out.

Wizard Critical Failure Table

Roll Effect

3 Spell seems to work, but this is only a useless illusion.

4 Spell fails entirely. Somewhere else, a “backblast” does something awful to something the caster values, proportionate to thespell’s power and intent.

5 Caster loses a point of Will, permanently.

6 Caster loses a level of Appearance, permanently, in a manner appropriate to the spell. Create Fire might cause unsightly burnscars, while Madness may subtly unhinge the caster’s eye sockets, giving a wild, staring effect.

7 Spell is cast on loved ones, friends, allies, innocent bystanders, or the caster (in that order) if harmful, or on foes if beneficial.

8 Spell fails entirely. Caster takes 2 points of injury, and the wound immediately becomes infected (see Infection, p. B444).

9 Caster must make a Fright Check at -5 as horrific visions of the afterlife of the damned fill his eyes.

10 Spell does nothing except drench the vicinity in an odor of brimstone centered on the caster.

11 Spell produces the reverse of the intended effect.

12 Spell produces the reverse of the intended effect, on some random, inconvenient target nearby.

13 Spell fails entirely. Caster takes 1 point of injury as his arms erupt in boils.

14 Spell fails entirely. The room fills with buzzing insects pouring from caster’s mouth.

15 Spell creates vermin – rat, giant cockroach, immense tapeworm, etc. – inside the caster (stomach, throat, etc.). Depending on the nature and location of the vermin, this may cause severe injuries, probably at least 2d. At minimum, it will be very bad for the caster’s medium-term health.

16 Spell fails entirely. One of the caster’s hands withers.

17 Roll HT. On a failure, gain a Secret Mutation. On a critical failure, gain an Obvious Mutation!

18 Spell fails entirely. A demon, different from any demon with whom the caster has dealings, appears and attempts to wreakhavoc – attacking the caster if he gets in the way. The caster may use black/demonic magic to fight it; there’s little honor or fellowfeeling among such creatures.

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∙ RUNES AND RUNESMITHS ∙ The art of Runesmithing is the ancient and guarded skill of binding magical power into Runes. Dwarfs are unsurpassed in this mystical art; their legendary Rune Smiths are known to have crafted some of the most potent items of power to grace the Warhammer World. However they safeguard their secrets jealously, even among their own kind. Often ancient Rune Lords will only pass the secret knowledge of his craft to his kin or close clansmen, not even other Dwarfs are entrusted with such prized wisdom. (See Dwarf Rune Smith Rank.)

Each rune is a separate IQ based skill with the Unusual Background (Runesmith) advantage as a prerequisite. Symbol skills all default to the Symbol Drawing skill. Warp Resonance and Warp Empathy do not add to IQ for the purposes of Rune Magic. Rune magic is loosely based on Symbol Magic (GURPS: Magic p. 205).

∙ RUNESMITHS ∙ On the whole Dwarfs see magic, and particularly spellcasting, as an uninteresting subject fit only for the likes of the weaker races such as Elves and humans. Runes are something else: they are a part of Dwarf history and heritage, tied closely to the ancient arts of smithing and forgework. To a Dwarf, anyone who refers to runes as ;magic' or 'sorcery' has insulted one of the Dwarf race's most ancient traditions.

Despite that, runes do draw their power from a form of magic, albeit an unusually stable and dependable one. Being essentially non-magical, Dwarfs have learned to use it in a way that no other race has discovered for themselves. Runes have served the Dwarfs well through history, allowing them to create weapons and artifacts to offset the magical abilities of their many foes. There is a permanence to runes that rivals the best of divine magic and the most powerful creations of sorcery.

Runes are mostly used to crate Dwarf weapons and armor of extraordinary potency. However, in some instances they may be engraved on standards, amulets, rings, and even articles of clothing. Some runes are used for securing places such as tombs and treasure hoards. Others serve to expand and protect mines, settlements, and other places where Dwarfs work and reside.

Runemiths are the only Dwarfs who are able to make runes in any way, whether creating objects of mighty power by inscribing runes onto them as they are crafted, or inscribing runes on more temporary items for a more short lived effect. All runesmiths are held in high esteem and honor in Dwarf society for their vast wisdom, skill and ability. There are as many legends describing the exceptional deeds of powerful runesmiths as those of Dwarf-kings and Dwarf heroes of the past.

∙ CARVING RUNES ∙ The work of a runesmith is long and arduous. Before a runesmith can inscribe a rune, the object that will carry it must first be crafted. Most runesmiths will not carve runes on an object that was not created especially to take the rune. Crafting an item involves long hours in the forge, sweating over an anvil. In many cases the runesmith's apprentice is the one who performs much of the hard physical labor, leaving the actual inscribing of the runes to the runesmith. Inscribing a rune is not as simple as carving a letter with

an engraving tool. Runesmiths must, through meditation and the singing of ancient Rune Chants, get themselves into the right frame of mind. In this way, energy is channeled and concentrated into the rune. This is a mentally exhausting process for runesmiths, on top of the physically tiring work of shaping the item, and can leave them drained for days afterwards.

The most important tool a runesmith has is his anvil. Unlike a normal smith's anvil, this one must be inscribed with rare and wondrous runes. It serves as a focus for the magical energy of the earth, which is channeled through it into the rune being inscribed. The larger the anvil and the runes carved into it, the better it is thought to be. Even when painting a rune onto fabric, carving it in wood or inscribing it on a stone door, a runesmith must be in physical contact with his anvil, or the mystic qualities of the rune will not manifest themselves. For a young Dwarf, making their anvil is the moment that marks the passage from apprentice to runemaster. From that moment on they will use no other anvil for the rest of their career. No runesmith would ever use another's anvil, for any reason.

There are two ways in which runesmiths can inscribe runes: temporary runes and permanent runes. A temporary rune is less exhausting to inscribe but will only last a short time or a few uses before losing its magical power. Runes inscribed to be permanent require weeks of work on the part of the runesmith. On top of the commitment involved, such runes can only be inscribed using an Anvil of Doom. Some of the most powerful runes, known as Master Runes, also require the addition of extremely rare ingredients, such as dragon blood or the water from a particular mountain lake. Gathering such ingredients can involve a quest lasting years.

∙ ANVILS OF DOOM ∙ These great magical anvils were forged from gromril by the runesmiths of old, beneath Karag Dron at Thunder Mountain. The greatest of the ancient runesmiths, Kurgaz, used the fire of the volcano itself to inscribe each anvil with the Runes of Sorcery. It is said in the ancient Book of Grudges that Kurgaz and his fellows were slain by a great dragon that destroyed the mountain's forges; with their death the knowledge of inscribing the Rune of Sorcery was lost forever. No one knows how many Anvils of Doom were forged before the knowledge of the Rune of Sorcery was lost. Today the ones that remain are among the most highly prized of all the possessions of the Dwarfs.

The mightiest Anvils of Doom are huge, higher than the tallest Dwarf. They are generally owned by the hold in which they are kept, or by one of the Guilds, often the Guild of Runesmiths itself. They are kept in the great forges of the Dwarfs in their mountain strongholds. Not all Dwarf holds contain an Anvil of Doom, and those that do are regarded with respect by those that do not. A handful of Anvils of Doom are owned by individual runesmiths, and are passed down from master to apprentice (this requires a Signature Gear advantage, at the very least). Most of these runesmiths spend their days in the halls of Karaz-a-Karak or in the weapon shops of Karak Azul. A few of the Anvils of Doom belong to expatriate Dwarfs living in communities outside the Dwarfholds. In times of war, an Anvil of Doom may be mounted on a carriage and wheeled into battle, to give morale and strength to the army.

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Many Anvils of Doom have been lost; some in battle, some when greenskins, Beastmen or Skaven have invaded and captured Dwarfholds. These holds may still contain Anvils of Doom within them. The Goblins clearly lack the knowledge to use them, but such an anvil would be worth a fortune should it be recovered.

Any runesmith who wishes to inscribe an item with permanent runes must gain access to an Anvil of Doom. The smith must also prove to the Rune Lord in authority that the item he is crafting will bring glory and honor to the Dwarf people, and will not bring them into disrepute, nor diminish them in the eyes of the world.

∙ PERMANENT RUNES ∙ A permanent rune must be inscribed on an item when it is being made by the runesmith. The rune will say on the item forever, making the item an enchanted 'rune item'. Some trigger automatically when the item is used; others must be traced, or respond to a key phrase, a warcry or even the will of their wielder (i.e. the user must make a successful Rune Lore skill check). Once a permanent rune on an item has been used, it is likely to become inactive and may not be used again until dawn of the following day.

Permanent runes take a great deal of time and effort to inscribe, as well as considerable magical power. They can only be inscribed if the item is made on an Anvil of Doom (see above). Without an Anvil of Doom, any rune will only be a temporary rune, no matter what effort is expended. In addition, if the rune to be inscribed is a Master Rune (see below), rare and wondrous ingredients must be included in the forging of the item.

Most items with permanent runes on them are made in the Dwarfholds, since that is where most of the Anvils of Doom are to be found. It is up to the GM whether a Anvil of Doom is anywhere nearby when a PC runesmith wants to inscribe a permanent rune. Performing such a task may involve a quest for a lost Anvil of Doom, or to find a Master Runesmith who owns or controls access to one, and who is willing to let the character use it.

A permanent rune cannot normally be added to an existing item. The runesmith must make the item at the time the rune is inscribed. This, naturally, involves a lot of time and effort on the part of the runesmith.

Inscribing Permanent RunesCreating a permanent rune item takes 1d week per rune, during which time the runesmith must put in at least four hours work per day. (Don't forget that an Old World week has eight days.) Putting in more work on an item may make it better crafted, or more fancifully worked, but has no effect on the speed at which the rune inscription takes place. For each day that the item is being made, the runesmith must expend the amount of FPs specified in the rune description (see below).

At the end of the period, the runesmith must make a Symbol Skill roll for each rune be has inscribed to see whether it has been written properly. On a success, the rune is correctly inscribed, and will remain on the item forever. In fact, it's power may fade after about a thousand years, but this unlikely to affect the game very much. On a failure, the rune has been inscribed incorrectly, and has no magical effect. The shape of the rune is on the item, and the item may look like a rune item to anyone without the Rune Lore skill, but it has no magical power. On a Critical Failure, there is a

magical backlash. The item explodes with a force proportional to the FPs put into its creation. For every 10 FPs expended during its manufacture (the sum total for all the days spent working on the item), the runesmith and anyone else within 12 yards takes 1d of damage. Anyone within 12-24 yards away takes half that amount; anyone outside this area is safe.

As well as the Symbol Skill roll, the runesmith must make a successful skill check to construct the item itself, using the necessary skill for the item to be made:

• Weapons, armor, other metal items: Armoury or Smith• Wooden items: Carpentry, Artist (Whittling), etc.• Gems and jewelry: Jeweler• Stone items: Masonry, Artist (Sculpture), etc. • Large siege engines, etc.: Engineer

On a success, the item is perfectly made. On a failure, the item was spoiled during the manufacturing process, the materials are wasted, and the FPs for inscribing the rune(s) are lost. On a Critical Failure, the item appears perfect, but has a hidden flaw. The first time the item is used, it will explode, doing damage as for the explosive failures described above.

∙ TEMPORARY RUNES ∙ A temporary rune may be inscribed on any suitable item. Unlike permanent runes, the item need nor have been made by the the runesmith, but can be any solid item that the runesmith can touch with both hands. Inscribing a temporary rune is relatively quick and easy, but the enchantment is only temporary: once such a rune has been used it loses all it's magical power, at which point the item reverts to being a normal item. The pattern of the rune remains visable on it, however.

If a temporary rune has not been used by the next time the full moon of Mannslieb rises, it will lose its power. A temporary rune cannot be placed on any item that already has one or more permanent runes inscribed on it.

While it is possible to inscribe a Master Rune as a temporary rune, very few runesmiths will bother to do so, due to the effort involved in finding the necessary ingredients. Spending several years on a quest to make something that will last no more than a month is not considered a wise use of time.

Inscribing Temporary RunesA temporary rune can be inscribed on any item. It is usually inscribed with a special engraving tool on metal or a gem, but may occasionally be carved into wood or painted on cloth. The magic needed for the inscribing of the rune must be channeled through the runes inscribed on the runesmith's personal anvil. So even a rune painted on cloth must be in contact with an anvil if it is to have any power. Inscribing a temporary rune takes 15+5d minutes Most of this time is spent getting into the right frame of mind for inscribing the rune correctly - the actual drawing of the rune takes no more than a few seconds.

The runesmith must expend the FPs listed for the rune in it's description and make a successful Symbol Skill roll. On a success the rune is inscribed correctly; the item will remain magical until the rune is used. At this point, the rune will fade entirely, and item

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will cease to be magical (unless, of course, it has other runes not yet used, which will stay active). Should the Symbol Skill roll fail, the FPs and any required ingredients are still consumed by the attempt. On a Critical Failure, the rune will explode as described above.

The mental strain of inscribing even a temporary rune taxes a runesmith's abilities. For each rune inscribed within 24 hours of the first, the runesmith's chances of success are diminished. This is reflected by a cumulative -1 modifier to all Symbol Skill rolls for each inscription attempt. Thus a runesmith inscribing a second rune would test with a -1 modifier, a third at -2, and so forth.

∙ THE RULES OF RUNIC MAGIC ∙ Runic magic items are all subject to the following seven rules (except in a few special cases which are discussed in the relevant rune's description):

1. RULE OF THREENo item can have more than three runes inscribed upon it at the time of forging. It is virtually impossible to craft items that can bear the strain of carrying so much power.

2. RULE OF FORMWeapon runes can only be inscribed on weapons, armor runes on armor, engineering runes on war machines, etc. There are a small number of exceptions to this rule; if a rune can be engraved onto different materials, this is noted in it's description.

3. RULE OF PRIDENo more than one item in a 100-yard radius may carry the same combination of magic runes. All runic items violating this rule will become inert for the duration of their relative proximity.

4. RULE OF JEALOUSYNo more than one Master Rune can be inscribed on an item. In addition, no more than one item in a l00-yard radius may carry the same Master Rune (in any combination). All runic items violating this rule will become inert for the duration of their relative proximity.

5. RULE OF COMBINATIONApart from Master Runes, other runes can be combined to produce varied or cumulative effects. For example, a weapon with three Runes of Fury gives the wielder three additional attacks.

6. RULE OF DISLIKEIt is impossible to inscribe runes, even temporary runes, onto magic items crafted by sorcerous means. Violation of this rule will result in an explosion that destroys the magical weapon and causes 4d hits of damage on anyone within a 10-foot radius.

7. RULE OF DISHARMONYNon-Dwarfs are not fully attuned to runic magic. Thus, no matter how many runic items a non-Dwarf carries, only the least powerful (in terms of level) three runes will be functional and the rest inert. GMs should determine which runes are active once the non-Dwarf character possesses items that total more than three runes.

Any attempt to violate the seven rules of runic magic will inevitably fail, as no runesmith is capable of weaving so much magical power into a single item. In addition, a massive magical explosion will

inevitably result. (The explosion causes 8d damage to everything within a 12-yard radius of the item, and 4d damage to everything between 12 and 24 yards from it).

Required Advantages: Must be a Dwarf. Unusual Background (Runesmith); Runesmith Cult Rank.Required Skills: Rune Lore; Symbol Drawing.Recommended Skills: Armoury; Artist; Carpentry; Engineer; History (Runesmithing); Jeweler; Masonry; Smith.

∙ THUNGNI'S RUNES ∙

These are the runes found by Thungni beneath the earth at the beginning of the world. They are treated with great veneration by Dwarfs in general, and by runesmiths in particular. Inscribing such a rune is considered an act of worship to the Dwarf ancestor gods, and will never be undertaken for frivolous reasons. The runes are grouped into levels to signify relative power; each level of rune has a level of difficulty in learning it, as well as a Runemith Cult Rank requirement.

As a final note, no PC may have levels in any Symbol skill that exceed his level in the Symbol Drawing skill.

Level 1 Runes: All of the following Symbol Skills are IQ/A, unless noted differently. There is no Rank requirement; any runesmith may learn these skills.

Rune of Accuracy (Fatigue Cost: 2)This rune may be inscribed on any missile weapon, or on the missile to be fired or thrown. If inscribed on a weapon, it will add +1 to the user's effective skill while using the weapon. If inscribed on a missile, it will add +2 to the user's effective skill when using that specific missile. The rune confers no extra resilience on a missile, so if an inscribed missile is destroyed when it hits its target (which will happen 50% of the time), the rune's power will be lost. This rune is often inscribed on large stone-throwers to lessen the deviation of their shot from the intended target.

Rune of Battle (Fatigue Cost: 3)This protective rune may be inscribed on any amulet, item of clothing, weapon, etc. Any critical hit received by the owner of the item will be reduced by 1 line on the Critical Hit chart. If this reduces the value completely off the chart, then there is no critical. These runes are cumulative, giving a modifier of up to -3 lines on the Critical Hit chart. Even if a character is wearing two amulets, each with 3 Runes of Battle on them, the critical hit will be reduced by no more than 3 lines. Once the rune has been effective once, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day. A temporary rune will save against one critical hit, and then disappear. If a character is carrying more than one temporary rune, even in a backpack, they will all be activated and destroyed by the first critical hit - a temporary Rune of Battle cannot be 'saved up' for the next critical hit.

Rune of Burning (Fatigue Cost: 3)This rune may be inscribed on any normal missile except ammunition for firearms. Suitable items include arrows, crossbow bolts, spears, and the like. A missile with this rune inscribed on it will burst into flame upon hitting it's target, doing 1d of fire damage (to flammable targets only) on top of the normal damage. The rune is often inscribed on a metal or stone arrowhead, which will survive the immolation while the rest of the arrow is burned

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up. Temporary runes of this sort are often inscribed on flasks of oil, making them potent, self-igniting firebombs. Once the rune has been used, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day.

Should the rune be inscribed on a war machine, however, then once activated its power will endure for 1d3 hour before fading. In that case, any ammunition shot by the machine will burst into flames once it hits it's target.

Rune of Cutting (Fatigue Cost: 3)This rune may be inscribed on any bladed hand weapon, causing the blade to penetrate armor more easily. The weapon will automatically seek out weak spots in the opponent's armor, or in an item (such as a door) that is being attacked. An enemy's armor DR is treated as if reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0) when hit with a weapon inscribed with this rune. This rune stays in effect at all times, unless it is a temporary rune.

Rune of Enemy Detection (Fatigue Cost: 3)This rune may be inscribed on a door, gate, or any other closed entryway. It can also be inscribed on an amulet. In conjunction with the runic representation of a specific enemy, these runes give off a reddish glow as a warning whenever that enemy is within a 30 yard radius. A temporary rune will fade after detecting one enemy.

The description tied to the rune must allow the magic to distinguish the intended target from other people; if it simply describes “The man with the red beard”, then any man with a red beard will cause the rune to activate. In the same way, the rune cannot work out things that are not obvious. Runes that are set to detect “Slaaneshi cultists" will only work if the target is openly wearing clothes or markings that distinguish them as such.

Rune of Fire (Fatigue Cost: 2)This rune may be inscribed on any hand weapon, but not on missile weapons. A weapon with this rune will burst into flame when taken from its sheath, and if it hits will do an additional 1d of fire damage to flammable targets. The temporary version of this rune is sometimes inscribed on torches, for those who want a light source in a hurry. Once the rune has been effective (until the torch is burnt up or the weapon returned to its sheath) it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day. The rune's fire will not affect the wielder in normal use, but if a Critical Fumble is rolled, there is a chance of a character setting fire to himself or his surroundings.

Rune of Forging (Fatigue Cost: 2)This is a specialist rune, especially helpful to runesmiths. Usually inscribed on a hammer or other metalworking tool, it adds +1 to all skill checks involving the Armoury or Smith skills when that tool is used. This bonus is non-cumulative: having several tools inscribed with this rune or one which is inscribed several times will not make the bonus any greater. Many runesmiths insist that their apprentices learn this rune and make a Hammer of Forging as their first piece of work as a runesmith.

This rune is also found inscribed on cannons. When used in this way, it allows the war machine to reroll in the event of a misfire. However, should the canon fail another reliability check, then the cannon has misfired and the appropriate roll must be made to determine the extent of the damage. This rune does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune.

Rune of Luck (Fatigue Cost: 2)This rune may be inscribed on almost any object or clothing. Its bearer may add or subtract one point from any die roll. Once the rune has been used, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day. If a character carries more than one Rune of Luck, they cancel out each other's effects and are useless.

Rune of Parrying (Fatigue Cost: 2)This rune may be inscribed on any hand-weapon. The weapon inscribed with this rune will twist and turn in the wielder's hand to automatically defend them. The rune cancels out any one enemy attack in hand-to-hand combat - the weapon parries the attack automatically, without the character using up an action.

The character bearing the rune may decide which attack is parried: they can decide after they know whether the attack roll was successful but before the damage roll is made. Once the rune has been effective, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day.

Rune of Penetrating (Fatigue Cost: 3)This rune adds +1 to the effective damage of any missile. It may be inscribed on any missile from a missile weapon, including shot from guns, but not on a bow, crossbow or gun. It can also be inscribed on spears and even on daggers, but will only be effective if the weapon is thrown. Once the rune has been used, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day.

As with some other runes, the Rune of Penetrating can be inscribed on a war machine. When used in this way, it increases the damage potential of the machine by +1 for 1d3 hours.

Rune of Restoration (Fatigue Cost: 3)This rune can be used in two different ways. As a temporary rune, it can be painted on the skin of an injured Dwarf restoring 1d hit points. As a permanent rune, it can be inscribed on an amulet which, when placed on the forehead of an injured Dwarf, will restore 1d6 hit points; the rune will then fade until the following day. The Rune of Restoration will work on humanoids other than Dwarfs - even Elves and Orcs - but only restores 1d3 hit points. It will not work on animals at all.

Rune of Shielding (Fatigue Cost: 3)This rune may be inscribed on a shield, armor, or amulet. It provides the character +1 DR all over against missile attacks and +1 Dodge when avoiding magic missile attacks such as fireball and lightning bolt. Although it is not a temporary rune as such, the use of the Rue of Shielding is limited to two hours per day. The timing of it's activation is not controlled by the character; the rune activates when the character is first attacked.

Rune of Speed (Fatigue Cost: 3)Any hand weapon may be inscribed with this rune. It grants the wielder a +1 modifier to their Speed characteristic, and does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune.

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Rune of Stone (Fatigue Cost: 2)This rune may be inscribed on any piece of armor: it adds +1 DR to the areas covered by that piece. The material of the armor is toughened by the magic of the rune without becoming any heavier. No more than one Rune of Stone may be inscribed on any given piece of armor, but there is no limit to the number of pieces that can be worn with the rune on them. If inscribed as a temporary rune, it loses its power after a blow is struck that affects that piece of armor; otherwise it remains effective no matter how many times the armor is hit. To active this rune a blow must be struck in anger or must come from an inanimate object (such as a failing rock) that would cause actual damage - a friendly slap will not count. This is one of the first runes learned by runesmiths, so it is relatively common.

Rune of Striking (Fatigue Cost: 3)This rune may be inscribed on any hand-weapon. The bearer may add + 1 to effective skill when using the weapon, which will twist and tum in the wielder's hand, seeking the best opportunity to strike a blow on an opponent. This rune does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune, in which case it will disappear after one blow has been struck that would otherwise have missed.

Rune of Warding (Fatigue Cost: 3)The rune is usually inscribed on an amulet worn around the neck, or on a piece of armor, and dispels any spell targeted at the bearer on a roll of 4 + on 1d. If the spell is cast at a group containing the bearer, the spell still has it's normal effect on others in the group. The bearer need not be aware of the spell being cast to be protected, although the rune on the amulet will glow brightly as the spell is cast. The rune will also cancel useful spells (such a healing spells). To benefit from such a spell, the amulet must be removed. It does not protect against missile spells such Fire Ball. Once the rune has been used, it ceases to b active until dawn of the following day.

Rune of Warning (Fatigue Cost: 2)This rune may be inscribed on almost any item. A person carrying it will never be surprised in combat. They may be ambushed, but will react immediately, and their enemies will not gain a 'free round'. The wearer of the rune will get an odd feeling akin to sixth sense that an attack is imminent. This rune does not fade after use unless it is a temporary rune, in which case it will vanish after it has alerted its bearer of one impending attack.

Level 2 Runes: All of the following Symbol Skills are IQ/H, unless noted differently. Runesmith Cult Rank level 3 is also a requirement to learn these runes.

Rune of Alarm (Fatigue Cost: 5)This item can be inscribed on any one spot or object. Should any living creature pass within a yard of the rune, it will sound an alarm very loudly. The runesmith who inscribes the rune may decide the type and loudness of the noise to be emitted, including a short spoken message up to 10 seconds long. The runesmith may also specify what person or category of people the rune guards against. For instance, many doors to Dwarf fortresses have runes on them that allow any Dwarf to pass, but sound a loud gong if anyone else

enters. Also, many Dwarf tombs have a Rune of Alarm on the entrance that will boom out in a loud, frightening voice, “Who dares disturb the eternal rest of...”, followed by the name of those interred within. If inscribed alongside one, the Rune of Alarm can set off a Rune of Fear when it is activated, causing any who hear the alarm to be subject to a Fright Check.

Rune of Blasting (Fatigue Cost: 4)This rune is used by Dwarfs in their mining operations, and is only used in the form of a temporary rune. Inscribed on a rock or natural surface (worked stone, wood, etc.) it will cause a 4d6 damage explosion 1d minutes after it is drawn. The rune cannot be drawn on living things. The relatively long delay before the explosion is to allow the runesmith to carry his anvil out of danger.

Rune of Breaking (Fatigue Cost: 5)This rune may be inscribed on any hand-weapon. If a successful parry is made against a person carrying a weapon inscribed with this rune, both sides roll 1d. If the bearer of the Rune of Breaking gets a higher roll, the enemy's weapon is broken, even if it was a magical weapon. If another Rune of Breaking weapon is used in the parry, both sides roll 1d and if one roll is lower than the other then the loser's weapon breaks. This rune has no effect against 'natural' weapons such as claws or teeth. Once used, the rune ceases to be active until dawn of the following day.

Rune of Cleaving (Fatigue Cost: 4)This rune may be inscribed on any hand-weapon. It's wielder gains +1 to ST when using that weapon. The rune does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune in which case its effects last for 1d minutes once activated.

Rune of Communication (Fatigue Cost: 2)This rune may be inscribed on any two objects. Each object must be created separately, one directly after the other. One object is the seeker, the other the target. Anyone holding the seeker will immediately know the direction and general distance of the target, as long as it is within 1 mile. The rune could, for instance, be inscribed on a sword and its sheath, so that a warrior would know the location of a lost weapon. Alternatively, it could be inscribed on two small coins, and one given to someone who the owner of the other coin wanted to follow. If inscribed temporarily, the runes last until dawn of the following day.

Rune of Disclosure (Fatigue Cost: 6)This rune can be inscribed on any container. If something is then placed inside, the rune will glow brightly if the object is a forgery or false in some way. Metal that has been debased will cause the rune to glow, as will counterfeit coins and forged papers. If large enough, the container will be able to detect such things as bags with hidden compartments. It can also detect items made using a container inscribed with the Rune of Plenty. If temporary, the rune will fade after one testing, regardless of the outcome. In ambiguous or unclear cases, for example when player characters aren't sure what an object is supposed to be, or suspect it was made as an easily detectable fake (i.e. a deliberate red herring), the GM's word is final and needs no explanation.

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Rune of Fortitude (Fatigue Cost: 4)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, clothing, armor, etc. It gives the wearer +5 hit points. If the item is removed, the wearer loses the bonus instantly, unless they are already at 0 hits, in which care removing the item has no effect. This rune does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune. If so, the rune fades when the bonus hit points are lost due to damage, or at sunset, whichever comes first.

Rune of Fortune (Fatigue Cost: 3)This rune may be inscribed on any hand or missile weapon. Any misfire of a gunpowder weapon or critical failure of any other weapon becomes a normal failure if this rune is inscribed on the weapon. Once the rune has been effective, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day. If inscribed on a war machine, the rune remains active for 1d hours and allows the war machine to reroll any disastrous misfire.

Rune of the Furnace (Fatigue Cost: 6)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, clothing or armor Its bearer is immune to fire, heat and flame. He can walk through a blazing house or stick his hand in a furnace without suffering harm. He is not affected by fire attacks, although be will take half the normal damage caused by a magical fire (rounding down). The effect lasts 1 hour, whether it is a permanent or temporary rune. This rune can be activated once per day; if temporary it simply disappears. The rune is triggered by any fire that would damage the bearer, and will last an hour from that time.

Rune of Fury (Fatigue Cost: 6)This rune may be inscribed on any hand-weapon. Its bearer receives the Extra Attack advantage while using the weapon. This rune does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune. Only one may be inscribed on any weapon.

Rune of Illusion (Fatigue Cost: 5)This rune may be inscribed on any hand-weapon. It gives the wielder an appearance of great ferocity and fearsome aspect, causing any enemy of SM+1 or less to become subject to fear (in effect, the Terror advantage at level 1). The exact appearance is up to the inscriber of the rune, but may include great size, monstrous features, blazing eyes, ferocious beard, orange hair, or whatever the runesmith wishes. The effect disappears if the weapon is sheathed or dropped. If the rune is temporary, the its effects last for 1d minutes, but end prematurely if the bearer lets go of the weapon, even in a sheath.

Rune of Locking (Fatigue Cost: 4)When inscribed on a door or any other closeable item such as a chest or jewelry box, this rune locks the item in question so securely that it cannot be opened except wit the Rune of Opening. No other magical unlocking method, including the magic spells Lockmaster or Locksmith, will work. However, there is nothing to stop the door in question being broken down. This rune is often used by the Dwarfs to guard the tombs of their ancestors. If inscribed as a temporary rune, the lock will last until the next full moon of Mannslieb.

Rune of Opening (Fatigue Cost: 4)When inscribed upon a locked door or item, this rune will unlock the lock. It will work on any physical lock an on items locked with the Rune of Locking, but not on any other magically locked items, such as those locked with the magic spell Magelock. This rune is generally used in a temporary form by Dwarfs for opening a Rune of Locking in order to lay to rest another Dwarf in his ancestors' tomb; using it for breaking and entering is highly dishonorable, and possibly even blasphemous to Grungni. This rune can only be used as a temporary rune.

Rune of Resistance (Fatigue Cost: 5)This rune may be inscribed on any amulet or clothing. It adds +1 DR to the character on all locations, effectively adding a layer of invisible and weightless armor to all body parts. Any attacks that ignore armor will go through this as normal. The armor comes into existence at the instant that a blow hits, disappearing immediately afterwards, and is normally undetectable. This rune does not fade who used, unless it is a temporary rune.

Rune of Sanctuary (Fatigue Cost: 6)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, article of clothing, ring, or any similar item. It grants some small amount of protection against hostile magic directed at the wearer, represented by the character gaining a +1 modifier on any check vs. spells that allow one. If inscribed on a banner, the effects of this rune spread to any associate who stands within 10 feet of the banner bearer. This rune does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune.

Rune of Slowness (Fatigue Cost: 6)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, armor, clothing and so on. Anyone attacking its bearer will find their Speed halved, often allowing the bearer to attack first. It deal not affect the person's Speed when fighting anyone else in a multi-target melee; only attacks against the bearer of the rune are slowed. This rune does not fade when used; if temporary it lasts for 2d minutes.

Rune of Spellbreaking (Fatigue Cost: 5)This rune may be inscribed on any amulet, and will automatically cancel one spell cast at the bearer. This includes spells such as fireballs, which will fizzle harmlessly in the caster's hand. Since the rune makes the spell fail 'at source' (i.e. in the spellcaster's hand), a spell cast at a group containing the bearer of the rune will fail to work on the rest of the group. The bearer need not be aware of the spell being cast to be protected. As with the Rune of Warding, the rune will also cancel useful spells. Once the rune has been effective, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day. The rune will not prevent 'indirect' spells from taking effect; summoning a Daemon to attack the bearer would work, since the spell is not cast on the Daemon's victim.

Rune of Stalwart (Fatigue Cost: 5)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, article of clothing, belt, helm, ring or shield. It grants the wearer a +1 modifier to any morale test made against their Will score. The rune also grants a +1 modifier when making Fright Checks. This rune is commonly inscribed on war machines to strengthen the crew's resolution on the battlefield. The modifiers above cover the entire crew assigned to that runic war machine. This rune does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune.

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Rune of Transformation (Fatigue Cost: 4)This rune can be cast on any hand-weapon, and allows it to transform into a different weapon (specified at the time of inscription), so long as it is smaller than the original weapon, and does equal or less damage. For instance, a normal sword could transformed into a dagger, but not into a two-handed sword or a halberd. The person inscribing the rune decides what other weapon the inscribed weapon can turn into. Up to three Runes of Transformation can be inscribed on a weapon, allowing the weapon to change into three other types. To activate the rune, the user must trace the rune with a finger (and roll his Rune Lore skill); the weapon will then immediately change into the other weapon. The rune must be traced again to change it back. Tracing takes one second. If the rune is temporary, it will cease to function after the weapon has resumed its normal size, after one transformation.

Rune of Valiant (Fatigue Cost: 5)Similar in effect to the Rune of Stalwart above, this rune provides it's wearer with a +2 modifier to Morale and Fright checks for a short duration. Although it is not a temporary rune as such, the duration of its effects is limited to two hours per day. The timing of its activation is not controlled by the character' will, but occurs when the character is first attacked.

Level 3 Runes: All of the following Symbol Skills are IQ/VH, unless noted differently. Runesmith Cult Rank level 5 is also a requirement to learn these runes.

Rune of Courage (Fatigue Cost: 8)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, armor, clothing etc. The wearer gains a +2 to his Will attribute. This rune does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune, in which case it fades after affecting one Will based check.

Curse Rune (Fatigue Cost: 7)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, clothing, weapon or other item. Anyone apart from the bearer touched by the rune item has one of his characteristics (chosen at the time of inscription) reduced by -1 until sunrise. This rune is often used on weapons to curse the combat abilities of an enemy, but could just as easily be used on a coin to make bribing a guard easier by lowering his Will. Once the rune has been effective, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day.

Rune of Disguise (Fatigue Cost: 7)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, clothing or armor. It is activated by tracing its outline quickly with a finger (and making a Rune Lore check). Once active, the wearer of the rune cannot be seen as long as he keeps still. He may move his hands and head or shuffle his feet, but must not move from the spot where he is standing or sitting. Casting spells, picking locks, readying a weapon or actually fighting will negate the effect. Once the bearer of the rune moves, touches or is touched by another person, he becomes visible. The rune does not make the wearer silent - a sneeze at the wrong time can be disastrous. Once the rune has been effective, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day.This rune can be also used by a runesmith to hide other runes on an item. For instance, if a weapon is made with the Rune of Cutting

on it, the runesmith may add the Rune of Disguise at the same time, and neither the Rune of Disguise nor the Rune of Cutting will be visible. They can detected by anyone with Warp Resonance, and read by someone with Rune Lore, but are otherwise invisible. If the Rune of Disguise is used in this way, it does not have the effect of making the bearer invisible as well.

The Rune of Disguise has one other function. It may be used on war machines to distort the space around the machine, rendering it partially invisible. In such situations, at the gamesmaster's discretion, the war machine can neither be seen nor fired upon until it moves or shoots. It cannot be inscribed on buildings or natural features.

Rune of Fate (Fatigue Cost: 10)This rune must be inscribed on a finely cut jewel worth at least 100GC, by someone with the Jeweler skill, and must be made for a specific person. Moreover, that person must be wearing it for the rune to have effect. This rune allows the wearer to trap a portion of their soul inside the gem, so that even if they are 'killed' this small fragile remainder of them may be enough to keep them from joining their ancestors.

The wearer of this rune is treated as if they have the Luck advantage. The rune may only used once - once it is used, the gem splinters into tiny, useless shards. Having more than one item with a Rune of Fate will not give any extra uses, and if a person has two jewels, both will shatter when the Luck ability is used. Dwarfs believe that a person's fate is in the hands of the gods, and will only make an item inscribed with a Rune of Fate for someone they consider particularly worthy. This rune must be inscribed as a permanent rune, even though the item is destroyed when the rune is used.

Rune of Fear (Fatigue Cost: 7)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, clothing or armor. It is activated by tracing the rune quickly with a finger (and rolling the Rune Lore skill). Once activated, the wearer takes on a frightening appearance for the next 3d minutes - anyone seeing the person must make an immediate Fright check. The person wearing the rune does not change their appearance in any way, they just become much more menacing. Once the rune has taken effect, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day.

The rune can also be inscribed on a door or building, causing fear in anyone who approaches it. When used in this way, the rune will become active when someone looks at it.

Grudge Rune (Fatigue Cost: 8)This rune may be inscribed on any hand weapon. It grants the wielder a +2 modifier to their effective weapon skill against a particular foe named by the character as an individual to whom they hold a strong grudge for some past wrong. Only one such person, tribe or race can be targeted by the rune any time. This rune does not fade when used, until the score with that enemy has been settled, at which time it loses its runic power, becoming just a decoration. If carved as a temporary rune, it will last for 1d minutes of combat against the foe named during its inscription.

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Rune of Healing (Fatigue Cost: 7)This rune may be inscribed on any armor, clothing, amulet, and so on. Every time a blow causes actual damage to its bearer, 1d hit points will be automatically healed at the beginning of the following round. This happens each time the bearer is struck; if they take damage three times in a round, they will heal three times at the start of the next round. If inscribed as a temporary rune, the effect lasts for 1d minutes.

Rune of Immolation (Fatigue Cost: 8)An item inscribed with this rune will explode if touched by anyone not specifically named by the runesmith at the time of inscription. Anyone within 6 yards will suffer an automatic 1d of burn damage. It is often used to prevent important secret papers or items from falling into enemy hands.

The runesmith must specify exactly what the rune is protecting against. For instance, the runesmith could specify 'anyone except myself', 'anyone except a Dwarf', 'all Goblins' or 'anyone with red hair'. The item can only tell something about the person touching it if the person who inscribed the rune could have perceived it. It is not possible to make a rune which protects against 'anyone who doesn't like me', or 'all cultists of Slaanesh'.

It is possible to tie the explosion to a certain time or date; 'this manuscript will self-destruct in 30 minutes' or 'this jewel will self-destruct on 5th Vorgheim'. The item with the rune on, and the rune itself, are completely destroyed in the explosion (magical items may be permitted a test to survive, at the GM's discretion). Anyone with Rune Lore can tell what the rune is protecting against.

On war machines, this rune has a less discriminating purpose. It is used to prevent static machines like cannons, stone throwers and bolt throwers from falling into enemy hands. Any artillerist, gunner, or soldier on the weapon's team knows the word which will activate the rune. The resulting explosion destroys the machine and causes 4d hits of burn damage on anyone within 6 yards of the machine.

The Rune of Immolation is always inscribed as a permanent rune, even though its effects are one-use-only.

Rune of Iron (Fatigue Cost: 6)This rune may be inscribed on an amulet, clothing, armor etc. It gives the wearer +1 to HT, to a maximum of 20. A bearer of this rune will also feel fitter and healthier when carrying it (he gains the Fit advantage, or Very Fit if already Fit). This rune does not fade when used, unless it is a temporary rune, in which case it will be activated by the first test that involves HT, and will last for a further 1d minutes.

Rune of Kadrin (Fatigue Cost: 6)Usually found on banners, this rune may also be inscribed on amulets, articles of clothing, belts, arm braces (leather or metal) and rings. It allows the bearer who miss their 'to-hit' rolls by 2 or less to re-roll once. When inscribed on a banner, the effects of this rune spread to any associate who stands within 10 feet of the banner's bearer. The rune does not fade when used, unless it is temporary.

Rune of Might (Fatigue Cost: 8)This rune may be inscribed on any hand weapon, but not on missile weapons. It adds +4 to the user's ST when attacking creatures with HT greater than that of the bearer. It has no effect when attacking those with equal or lower HT. If on clothing, armor or an amulet, the rune is active all the time. If on a weapon, it is only active for attacks with that weapon. If the rune is inscribed twice, add +8 to the bearer's original ST; if inscribed thrice +12 is added to the bearer's ST. No matter how many items inscribed with this rune are worn, only three will have an effect, and the runes can never take the wearer's ST above 20. This rune does not fade when used; temporary runes last for 1d minutes.

Rune of Passage (Fatigue Cost: 10)This rune may be inscribed on any amulet, clothing, armor, or on a weapon. Its bearer may pass through all solid substance at ½ his Move score for 10 seconds. The substance will close up behind as he passes. This means that a character bearing this rune could walk through a wall or door, as long as it is not too thick (a character with a modified Move of 5 could pass through an 8-foot stone wall). If the object being traversed is thicker than the distance the rune-wearer can cross in 10 seconds, they will become embedded in it - this is fatal if character is not rescued within a number of rounds equal to their HT score. The rune does not work on living objects: a character cannot pass through people, animals, plants or trees.

If the rune is inscribed on a missile, it could, for instance, be used to shoot someone through a closed window, or on the other side of a wall. However, the effect of passing through the solid object halves the missile's damage (rounding down) and incurs a -1 to hit.

The bearer of the rune may also choose to use the rune to enable quick movement through difficult terrain. The character may move one level faster than normal in the terrain (though not faster than his normal running rate) for one round. Once the rune has been effective, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day.

Rune of Plenty (Fatigue Cost: 10)This rune can be inscribed on any container containing any one item or substance (arrows, porridge, fresh water or a ball of sulfur, for example). Once the rune is inscribed, the container will produce 1d of that item per day (although there is a 25% chance that the rune will fail). The original item is consumed as the rune is inscribed, in the same way as a magical ingredient.

With substances such as water or sand, the container will produce the volume of that substance used during the making of the item, 1d times each day. In the case of discrete items (such as arrows or coins) it will only produce 1d items. Inscribing the rune while there are two gold coins in the container will not produce 2d coins per day. Items will appear one at a time; as one item is removed, another takes its place. The power of the rune can only be used once per day.

A container inscribed with this rune will not reproduce anything magical, or any living item. If the rune is inscribed as a temporary rune, the container will produce 1d items before the rune fades. Anything produced with this rune is magical in nature, and will appear as 'magical' to anyone who can detect it. The container will not reproduce any item that has itself been created by this rune.

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Rune of Seeking (Fatigue Cost: 8)This rune may be inscribed on any missile weapon, including guns. It is activated by tracing with a finger (and rolling Rune Lore), and the next shot fired from the weapon will automatically hit any target within range, with no roll needed. The weapon must be pointed in the right direction, and will twist and turn in the user's hand until its aim is perfect. Once the rune has been used, it ceases to be active until dawn of the following day.

If this rune is inscribed on a war machine, it enables weapons such as a bolt thrower (but not weapons such as stone throwers which hurl their ammunition in an arc) to be used against high-flying creatures by magically directing the bolts to their target. Such targets are assumed to be at the weapon's maximum range. In these cases, the rune remains active for 1d hours.

Rune of Smithing (Fatigue Cost: 10)Any attack made with a weapon inscribed with this rune does an additional 1d damage on top of normal damage. This rune does not fade when used; as a temporary rune, it will last for 1d minutes.

Rune of Spell-Eating (Fatigue Cost: 8)An amulet inscribed with this rune will automatically absorb and store one spell cast at the bearer of the rune on a successful Will check. If the check is passed, the glow of the rune will change from amber to blue, showing that a spell is stored in the amulet. The bearer need not be aware of the spell being cast for it to be absorbed. If a spell is already stored and another spell is cast at the bearer, the second spell will have its normal effect. Any stored spell can be cast once by the bearer of the rune, with no FP cost and no need to use a magic ingredient. Once the spell in a rune has been cast, the rune fades until dawn of the following day. If the stored spell has not been used by dawn it drains away harmlessly and the rune will be empty again.

If the Will check is failed, the spell will affect the bearer normally. A normal failure on the test will cause no damage; however, on a Critical Failure the amulet absorbs too much magical energy and shatters, causing 1d damage to the wearer. The amulet must be worn for the spell to be successfully absorbed; it cannot be hung on a nail while a wizard casts spells at it in an attempt to store one for use later. The spell can only be recast by the person who was it's original target.

Master Runes: These runes are as rare as they are powerful. They are hoarded by Runelords and only passed down to favored apprentices. All of the following Symbol Skills are IQ/VH, unless noted differently. There is no Runesmith Cult Rank requirement, but Master Runes should not be allowed to starting players.

Master Rune of Adamant (Fatigue Cost: 20)Ingredients: A fist-sized piece of adamant from the mines of Karak Kadrin, and the blood of a basilisk.This rune adds +3 DR to the areas covered by any piece of armor on which it is inscribed. This rune can be combined with the Rune Stone to add +4 DR to the area.

Alaric the Mad's Master Rune (Fatigue Cost: 20)Ingredients: An ingot of Gromril from the lost hold of Karak Varn and the claw of a dragon.

A hand-weapon inscribed with this rune will carve through armor as if it was butter. All DR (including those created through the effects of magic spells or items) are ignored when using a weapon inscribed with this rune.

Alaric was the famed runesmith who forged the famous and rightly feared Runefangs of the Electors of the Empire. Once he completed that task, nobody is sure what became of him.

Master Rune of Balance (Fatigue Cost: 25)Ingredients: Embers of a spell book captured from an enemy wizard, and the scalp of an Orc shaman.

This rune can only be inscribed on amulets, belts, helms, rings or other ornamental pieces and used by runesmiths. The effects of this rune forces any wizard casting a Warp Resonance 0-2 spell within 20 yards of the runesmith to expend twice the FPs to succeed. In addition, this rune allows the runesmith a +1 modifier to any 'save' vs. magic.

Master Rune of Banishment (Fatigue Cost: 25)Ingredients: A flagon of water from Black Water, gathered at noon on Sonnstill.This rune is very powerful against the Undead. If a weapon inscribed with this rune inflicts any wound on an Undead creature, the creature is slain outright. This applies to corporeal and ethereal Undead.

Master Rune of Daemon Slaying (Fatigue Cost: 30)Ingredients: 3 drops of Daemon blood and 7 hairs from the head of a High Elf, willingly given.This rune is very powerful against Daemons. if a weapon inscribed with this rune inflicts any wound on a Daemon, the Daemon is slain outright.

Master Rune of Defense (Fatigue Cost: 20)Ingredients: An elf arrow from Athel-Loren, and the hide of a troll.This rune is usually inscribed on war machines, as well as defensive works such as curtain walls, gateways, and towers. It adversely affects the flight of missile weapons such as arrows, crossbow bolts or shot from gunpowder weapons, and draws them away from any defender within 15 feet of the rune. The attacker receives an additional -1 modifier 'to hit' when firing at a defender protected by this rune, so a target behind soft cover would be at-2 to hit and -3 if behind hard cover.

Master Rune of Dismay (Fatigue Cost: 30)Ingredients: The skin of a Goblin (for a drum) or a horn of a Chaos Beastman (for a horn).This rune may only be inscribed on a warhorn or large war-drum. When the instrument is sounded, its unearthly voice sounds out, and causes all foes to tremble with fear. Any Evil or Chaotic character within a quarter of a mile must make a Fright check or be overcome with terror. Once the horn has been sounded or the drum beaten, the rune fades until sunrise of the following day.

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Master Rune of Dragon Slaying (Fatigue Cost: 30)Ingredients: Iron ore from the lost hold of Karak Azgal, and the blood of a Dragon.This rune is very powerful against dragons. If a weapon inscribed with this rune inflicts a single wound on a dragon, then the beast will be slain outright.

Master Rune of Flight (Fatigue Cost: 20)Ingredients: Three feathers from a Griffon, and iron from Karak Eight Peaks.This rune may only be inscribed on a hammer. The wielder may throw the hammer at any enemy up to 24 yards away. The target is automatically hit as if struck in hand-to-hand combat by the wielder, after which the hammer flies back to the wielder's hand.

Master Rune of Gromril (Fatigue Cost: 30)Ingredients: Iron ore from Karak Azul, and an ounce of Dragon Turtle shell.A character wearing armor, a shield, clothing or an amulet inscribed with this rune is treated as having an HT of 20. The Master Rune of Gromril is so powerful that it cannot be combined with any other physical protection rune or spell (i.e. runes or magic that increases armor, hit points or HT).

Master Rune of Groth One-Eye (Fatigue Cost: 15)Ingredients: An ounce of quicksilver from Karaz-a-Karak and the blood of a lion.This rune is often carved on a battle standard, but can be inscribed on any reasonably large surface that will be visible during combat, such as a shield or breastplate. All friendly characters in the same group as the beater are immune to all psychological effects, and so do not suffer from fear and so on.Groth One-Eye first struck this rune in the time of Kurgan Ironbeard when the Orcs and Goblins were driven from the west.

Master Rune of Kingship (Fatigue Cost: 30)Ingredients: The blood of an eagle, and an ounce of gold from Karaz-a-Karak.The ultimate symbol of Dwarf rulership, this rune is only inscribed on a crown to be worn by a rightful Dwarf king of ancient lineage. Any group or army led by a ruler wearing a crown inscribed with this rune is completely immune to fear, and never checks morale. For the rune to work, the crown must be worn. It will not function if the wearer is not a true Dwarf king.

Master Rune of Misfortune (Fatigue Cost: 20)Ingredients: A fragment of rock from Black Fire Pass, and three feathers from a homing pigeon.Master runesmith Duronk the Crafty developed this rune to protect- after a fashion - the runic weapons, armor or other items he crafted for specific individuals or clans. The Rune of Misfortune becomes active whenever a runic item becomes the possession of anyone other that the person or clan specified by the runesmith who made it. The misfortune manifests itself 1d3 times per day, and is usually reflected by an automatic failure on a characteristic or

skill test: the exact nature is left to the GM, but it is always the failure of something that should have succeeded. The rune is widely recognized among Dwarf smiths, who should also be able to tell who the rightful owner of the item is. It cannot be removed.

Skalf Blackhammer's Master Rune (Fatigue Cost: 20)Ingredients: An ounce of silver from Karaz-a-Karak, and the blood of a Troll.A legendary runesmith who worked in Karaz-a-Karak in the earliest days, Skalf forged many great hammers. Many of his creations have been held by Dwarf Lords as heirlooms of their kingship, and some say even Sigmar's hammer was his work. Any weapon bearing this rune will automatically do double damage on a successful strike.

Master Rune of Skewering (Fatigue Cost: 30)Ingredients: A horn of a Minotaur, and the dried eye of a Fimir.This rune may be inscribed on a bolt thrower or crossbow and allows a +2 modifier to the shooter's effective skill, as well a +3 modifier to the weapon's damage. This rune can only be invoked four times a day.

Snorri Spangelheim's Master Rune (Fatigue Cost: 20)Ingredients: An ounce of silver from Karak Kadrin and the sting from a giant scorpion.Runesmith to the High King in Karaz-a-Karak during the time of Kallon, Snorri wrought the exquisite war panoply of the High Kings for several generations. He fought in many battles and was renowned for his magnificent armor as well as this unique weapon rune. Any blow struck by a weapon inscribed with this rune will always hit: no skill roll is necessary.

Master Rune of Spellbinding (Fatigue Cost: 30)Ingredients: The hair of a Fimir meargh and the blood of a Harpy.This rune can only be inscribed on amulets, belts, helms, rings or other objects used by a runesmith. Any Warp Resonance 0-2 spell with an area of effect within 10 yards of the runesmith carrying the rune will automatically dissipate with no ill effects. Magic missile attacks of the same levels entering the 10 yard circle around the runesmith will evaporate with no effect.

Master Rune of Spite (Fatigue Cost: 25)Ingredients: A piece of pumice stone from Mad Dog Pass, and the blood from a Doppelganger.This rune was devised by the runesmith Vikram, a bad tempered Dwarf noted for his ability to hold a grudge The rune, inscribed on armor, clothing or an amulet, turns an attacker's blow against himself. Every time the bearer suffers damage in hand-to-hand combat, roll 1d. On a result of 6, the damage is taken by the enemy who inflicted it instead.

Master Rune of Steel (Fatigue Cost: 15)Ingredients: A fist-sized piece of steel from the forges of Karak Azul and the blood of a Manticore.

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This rune can be inscribed on any piece of armor, and adds 2 DR to the areas covered by that piece. This rune can be combined with the Rune of Stone to add 3 DR to an area. There is no limit to the amount of armor which can be worn bearing this rune.

Master Rune of Stromni Redbeard (Fatigue Cost: 15)Ingredients: An ounce of gold from Karaz Azul, and seven heads from a Hydra.Stromni Redbeard made this rune in the days of Bael, Lord of Karak Azul. It was first inscribed onto the battle standard of Durgin, son of Grindol, son of Grimnir. This rune is still carved on battle standards, but can be inscribed on any reasonably large visible surface such as a shield, breastplate or crest. It adds +1 to the damage roll of the bearer and anyone else in the same group of allies. If any member of a group stops fighting against the bearer's enemies (for example, if they decide to attack the bearer instead) they no longer benefit from the rune's power.

Master Rune of Swiftness (Fatigue Cost: 30)

Ingredients: An ounce of silver from the ruins of a High Elf city, and the blood of an eagle killed in flight.This rune was first struck by Thurgrom the Hermit Smith. Thurgrom was the last runesmith to work in the Elf cities of the Old World, all now reduced to ruins. A weapon inscribed with this rune always strikes first, no matters the Speed scores of the two combatants. In a situation when both sides are entitled to strike first for magical reasons, the character with the highest Speed will go first. In a combat involving several opponents, the character bearing the rune strikes before his fastest opponent.

Master Rune of Taunting (Fatigue Cost: 30)Ingredients: A fistful of pyrite (Fool's Gold) and the brains of four Goblins.This rune may be inscribed on amulets, belts, helms and rings. It enhances the ability of the wearer to goad enemies into taking one of two courses of action. If enemy fails their Will check by less than 3, then they will recklessly charge the wearer and attack with a -1 modifier to their effective skill for the duration of the fight. If the failure is 3 or more, then the enemy flees as if struck by fear. If the rune is inscribed on a banner, then the bearer and associates (within 10 yards of the banner) benefit from it's effects.

Master Rune of Valaya (Fatigue Cost: 30)Ingredients: An ounce of gromril, kept on an alter of Valaya for a year and a day, and sea water from the Black Gulf, collected at Barak-Varr.This is a particularly ancient rune, one which is said to have been invented at the dawn of time by Valaya the Ancestor God. This rune can be inscribed on any armor, clothing or amulet. Any spell cast at a group of characters containing the bearer of this rune will automatically fail to work, though the spellcaster's FPs and spell ingredients will be used as usual.

∙ RUNE MASTERS ∙ The Dwarfs are not the only ones in the Warhammer world who practice the art of Runesmithing. There is a groups of wizards who practice a limited form of runic lore known as Klauser's Runes, named after Dortmund Klauser, the man who plundered the ancient and guarded knowledge from the Dwarfs themselves. Rune Masters are disliked ad are forever looking over their shoulders for fear of Imperial prosecution or Dwarf vengeance.

Each rune is a separate IQ based skill with the Unusual Background (Rune Master) advantage as a prerequisite. Symbol skills all default to the Symbol Drawing skill. Warp Resonance and Warp Empathy do not add to IQ for the purposes of Rune Magic. Rune magic is loosely based on Symbol Magic (GURPS: Magic p. 205).

∙ THE NATURE OF RUNE MASTERY ∙ Rune mastery, despite its grand name, is a poor relation to the power of Dwarf runes. Klauser's Runes lack the power and permanence of the Dwarf originals, and no rune master since Klauser has been able to add new runes to the system.

Human rune masters use their knowledge primarily to scribe their version of runes on weapons and simple objects, although their skill and knowledge is far less than that of the Dwarf runesmiths. Very few rune masters are as good craftsmen as the Dwarfs, and their work tends to be rather shoddy, albeit undeniably powerful. Rune masters sometimes collaborate with artisans in order to make weapons and items of better quality. Though in general the quality of their items hardly matters - their customers tend to be mercenaries and other such ne'er-do-wells. Many rune masters try to pass off their work as Dwarf-made, hoping that the ignorance of their patrons will work to their advantage. The rich, powerful and righteous can obtain a weapon, either new or ancient, genuinely crafted by a Dwarf runesmith, or will pay a human wizard to enchant an item of their own choosing.

Those who study this stolen form of runic magic lack the deep feeling for the power of the earth and the reverence for the Dwarf gods that is inherent in true Dwarf runesmiths. In addition, Klauser's Runes are imperfect copies of Thungni's Runes, warped by the human wizard's flawed understanding of the Dwarfen art. This partial grasp of the true nature of runes means that human rune masters find Klauser's Runes difficult to inscribe reliably. A rune may look perfect but may only last for one use before fading, or may not even work at all. While many rune masters have tried to find a way to guarantee the success of creating their runes, none have succeeded. That element of Dwarf lore remains a secret.

Nonetheless, human rune masters have managed to gain some advantages over their Dwarfen counterparts. Their knowledge of the nature of sorcerous magic and their ability to channel it allows them to create runic items without the use of the special anvils that Dwarfs require. Furthermore, rune masters are able to inscribe runes on items made by others, and Klauser's Runes can be added to an item long after it was made.

∙ THE LIFE OF A RUNE MASTER ∙ It is difficult to say how many human rune masters there are in the Old World, since their desire to keep their activities hidden from

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other magicians, witch-hunters and Dwarfs means they tend to be extremely secretive. Rune mastery is not a form of magic sanctioned by the Empire or the Imperial Colleges, and its practice is officially condemned. Licenses are not available for rune mastery, and anyone proved to be practicing the art will be condemned as a shipper of Chaos and burnt at the stake.

As a result, many rune masters live double lives, keeping their skills a secret. Since almost all rune masters have skill as wizards, alchemists or smiths, that is usually how they present the themselves to the world, although a few choose to become jewelers or other artisans. They will use their skills for their own benefit, or to further their understanding of other areas of magic, or possibly to assist small groups of people who can be trusted not to betray the rune master to the authorities. A few sell their items, but most of them pretend that each one is a Dwarf-crafted artifact that they bought or found.

This means that finding a rune master can be very hard. Most rune masters know no other practitioners of their art except their master and apprentices, and they have no way of recognizing other rune masters should they meet. Rune mastery as a magical art is stagnant: even if there are wizards conducting new research into ways to perfect the use of runes, they have no way of giving that information to others beyond their own students.

Although the official attitude to rune mastery is that it is a heresy as great as Dark magic, unofficially there are scholarly wizards in most of the colleges who are intrigued by it. Some just want to know more about Dwarf runes, others are fascinated to know how humans are able to use another race's magic, and a few are attracted to the new form of power it offers. It is rumored that every college of magic in the Empire contains at least one wizard who has spent some time training as a rune master, though of course none of them would ever admit it. Though possession of a copy of The Book of Runic Mastery is considered evidence enough to have most wizards burned, it is known that several of the Altdorf colleges possess a copy in their libraries, albeit kept strictly under lock and key.

∙ RUNE MASTERY ∙ Runes are magical symbols that can be inscribed on weapons or other items to imbue them with specific magical properties. The runes used by rune masters, known as Klauser's Runes, are less powerful and reliable than those used by the Dwarfs, but can still be very effective.

The rules for inscribing Klauser's Runes are different in several significant ways from the Dwarfen skill of runesmithing. Humans can only learn the procedure required for inscribing this small set of runes by memorizing each one by rote, which takes a long time and doesn't lead to a proper understanding of the principals that underlie the true nature of runes. Dwarfs maintain that the human mind simply lacks the ability to properly appreciate the principles involved. Human rune masters insist that such things hardly matter, claiming that their unique perspective has allowed them to make some important advances in the understanding of the nature of runes, such as the (erratic) ability to engrave 'permanent' runes without the use of an Anvil of Doom.

Inscribing one of Klauser's Runes takes 1d+2 days, during which time the rune master must put in at least 4 hours of work per day.

Putting more work into an item may make the item better crafted or more elaborate, but has no effect on the speed with which the inscription takes place. For each day when the item is being made, the rune master must expend the Fatigue Point cost listed for the rune as part of the process. It is possible for a rune master to cooperate with an artisan, in order to make the quality of workmanship higher; if so, both characters must spend the requisite time working.

At the end of the period, the rune master must make a Symbol Skill check for each rune inscribed to see whether it has been written correctly. If the check is passed, the rune is inscribed properly and will become magically active. If it is failed, the rune has been inscribed incorrectly and will not become magically active. The shape of the rune is on the item, and the item may look like a runic item to anyone without the Rune Lore skill, but it has no magical power and does not count as enchanted. On a Critical Failure, there is a magical backlash, as described for Dwarf runes (see p. 75). Unless stated otherwise, the effect of inscribing two or more copies of the same rune onto an item is not cumulative.

As well as the Symbol Skill checks, the rune master (or the artisan with whom he is working if the work is being shared) must make a check using the necessary skill for the item being made:

• Weapons, armor, other metal items: Armoury or Smith• Wooden items: Carpentry, Artist (Whittling), etc.• Gems and jewelry: Jeweler

If this roll is failed then the item has been cracked, weakened or damaged in the process of inscribing the rune. It may be possible to repair it, but what happens as a result is at the gamesmaster's discretion.

Also, the gamemaster must secretly make an IQ check (based on the rune master's profile) for each rune inscribed. On a successful roll, the rune is permanent and will stay on the item forever. On a failure, the rune looks perfect but is only temporary, and will disappear after it's magical power has been used once. The rune master has no way of knowing whether a rune is temporary or permanent until it is first used. This can make rune items a rather unreliable purchase for the discerning adventurer, and is something that most rune masters prefer not to mention.

Klauser's Runes are only permanent after a fashion. The runes are effective when they are active, when the rune glows dimly with a golden light. Inactive runes are still visible, but cannot be used for their desired effect; it typically takes them the rest of the day to become active again. An item inscribed with one of Klauser's Runes can be used by anyone, whether or not they have any magical abilities.

Rune masters cannot deliberately create temporary runes, as Dwarf runesmiths can.

∙ LEARNING RUNES ∙ Before a rune master can inscribe a rune, he has to learn it first. Rune masters begin their career knowing no runes, and must learn each new rune separately. There are three conditions which need to be met before characters may learn a rune: they must have access to information about the rune; they must have enough CPs; and they must males a successful IQ check.

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Access to the rune in question is usually in the form of a book or scroll, although it can also be learned from another rune master. Most often the book used is The Book of Runic Mastery by Dortmund Klauser, although other scrolls and books containing information about a selection of Klauser's Runes can be found. These books are extremely rare, due in part to the Dwarfs' habit of burning any copies they can lay their hands on, but it can be the discovery of this text or one like it that begins a rune master's career. Gamesmasters who wish to limit access to certain runes may only allow the rune master, or the potential rune master, to discover a partial copy of the book, or a later, lesser work by one of Klauser's students that only includes some of the runes. The process of leaning a rune requires a student to study for 80 hours. Students cannot study for more than 10 hours per day.

Finally, the character must make a successful IQ check. If the roll is successful, the character now knows the rune and expends the required number of CPs. A failed roll means that the character has failed to understand the rune, but the Character Points are not expended and can still be used to attempt to learn another rune, or may be saved for later.

Characters may make further attempts to learn a rune which they failed to understand if they gain access a new (differently authored) volume of runes, or meet another rune raster who knows the rune and is willing to teach them. They may also try again following an increase in their IQ score. For example, if a character learns the Lesser Death Rune from a certain tome and fails to understand the principles, then no matter how often the character re-reads the explanation, the rune cannot be learned. However, if a new volume is found that explains the rune in a new way, or a teacher is found who can explain the principles differently, the character may attempt to learn the rune again.

Note that a rune master may never learn how to carve the runes used by the Dwarfs, even if they have access to a copy of the Dwarf rune itself. The Dwarf runesmiths never write down the information of how to inscribe these symbols, and no Dwarf runesmith would ever stoop so low as to teach the secrets of his race to a human.

∙ NUMBER OF RUNES ON AN ITEM ∙ There is theoretically no limit to how many runes a rune master may inscribe on an item. However, for each rune added after the first, the chance of a magical backlash (see above) is increased by +2. For example, with one rune being engraved on an item, backlash occurs on a roll of 18+ (a standard Critical Failure); with two runes, a roll of 16+; with three runes, 14+; and so on. This means that creating a really powerful rune item becomes extremely risky.

It is rumored that some rune masters once had the knowledge to reduce the risks of cumulative inscription to more acceptable levels. If this is true, then the knowledge has since been lost - perhaps as the result of Dwarfs catching up with the rune masters concerned - although it is possible that it still exists in some library somewhere.

∙ DWARF VENGEANCE ∙ Most rune masters live in constant fear for their lives, and with good reason. The Dwarfs are a vengeful race, protective of all elements of their culture, and deeply resent the violation of their

sacred art. If the Dwarfs had their way, they would gladly rid the world of what they consider to be an abomination.

The existence of rune mastery causes tension between the Empire and the Dwarfs at many levels. Officially the Empire has declared a death-sentence on all rune masters. Unofficially the Colleges of Magic would be very interested to know more about runes and rune mastery, to see if there was some reliably way of building magical powers into the weapons and armor used by the Empire's army, but dare not be seen to be experimenting with any techniques that were recognizably based on Dwarf runes. Many Dwarfs suspect that such experiments are taking place but they have no proof of it. Should any such proof appear, it could cause a rift between the two empires the could even spiral into war.

On a more everyday level, anyone with knowledge of Rune Lore or any Dwarfen runesmith will be able to tell the difference between a true Dwarf Rune and one of Klauser's Runes. While they may not be able to identify the rune, they will be able to tell who made it based on the craftsmanship. Anyone found by Dwarfs to be carrying an item created or modified by a rune master will be suspected of being a rune master themselves, and will be subjected to hostile questioning, and possibly more brutal treatment, to discover where the item came from. The item itself will be confiscated and destroyed, no matter how valuable.

This has caused a number of diplomatic incidents in the past. Three hundred years ago a Dwarf mercenary killed the eldest son of the Count of Wissenland after seeing him wearing a talisman engraved with one of Klauser's Runes, and there are still feelings of bad blood between the two races in the area as a result: there are several taverns in Wissenburg where Dwarfs never go, even in force, and street-brawls are not uncommon.

Should a Dwarf ever discover a rune master, they will attempt to capture him and take him to Karaz-a-Karak where he will stand trial for the crime of stealing the property of the Dwarf Empire. The penalty is not known, but only one rune master has ever returned from one of these trials: sixty years ago Sebastian the Alchemist was carried, tied to a stake, to the town of Waldenhof by forty heavily armed Dwarfs. They set up the stake in the marketplace, piled wood at its base and demanded to see the local judge. As one Dwarf held a blazing torch, an elder with a beard that reached the ground declared they had undeniable evidence that Sebastian was a rune master. The judge, terrified by the show of force, stammered that if that was the case then the sentence would be death. A few second later Sebastian was ablaze, and the Dwarfs left. The question most wizards ask is not what he had done to deserve this fate, but how he had escaped execution in Karaz-a-Karak, forcing the Dwarfs to resort to human justice.

The Dwarfs have never admitted it, but it is rumored among the magical colleges that there are Dwarf agents in the Empire who track down and eliminate all traces of rune mastery. It is also rumored that these agents can be over-zealous in their work, and have made life unpleasant for law-abiding wizards who arouse their suspicions. Then is an ex-wizard in Salzenmund, Axel Hertz, who swears a Dwarf tripped him in the street while another drove a cart over his arm, amputating it, because they suspected he was a rune master but could not prove it, so they rendered him harmless and armless just to be safe.

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Dwarf and Imperial authorities will almost never work together to uncover rune masters: their methods and goals are too different. On more than one occasion the forces of vengeance have spent so much time obstructing each other's efforts that the rune master has been able to get away in the confusion.

Required Advantages: Unusual Background (Rune Master).Recommended Disadvantages: Secret (Rune Master), Social Stigma (Heretic), or Enemy (Dwarfs).

Required Skills: Symbol Drawing.Recommended Skills: Armoury; Artist; Carpentry; Engineer; Jeweler; Masonry; Rune Lore; Smith.

∙ KLAUSER'S RUNES ∙ These are the runes that were stolen from the Dwarfs by Dortmund Klauser. All of the following Symbol Skills are IQ/VH, unless noted differently.

Spell Rune (Fatigue Cost: 5+2 x points required by the spell to be incorporated)

A Spell Rune allows the holder of the runic item to cast a spell encoded into the rune once per day, with no Fatigue cost, and no chance of miscasting. To inscribe it, the rune master must have learned the spell to be included. Only one spell can be placed in each rune, though multiple Spell Runes may be inscribed on a single item. Once the spell is cast, the rune dims for the rest of the day.

Protection Rune (Fatigue Cost: 6)The Protection Rune gives a +1 modifier to all 'magic saves' taken by the bearer. The effects of two or more runes is not cumulative. This rune will protect against all magic, including beneficial magic such as healing spells.

Armor Rune (Fatigue Cost: 5)When inscribed on a piece of armor, the Armor Rune adds +1 to its DR.

Cutting and Smashing Rune (Fatigue Cost: 6)This rune may only be inscribed on weapons. It adds 1 point of Striking Strength to any blow dealt by the weapon. If this rune causes a wound that would not otherwise have been scored, it will dim and cease to function for the remainder of the day.

Rune of Swiftness (Fatigue Cost: 3)A Rune of Swiftness adds +1 to it's bearer's Speed.

Rune of Renewal (Fatigue Cost: 6)This rune carries enough magical energy within it to repower any dimmed rune inscribed onto the same object. This will drain the Rune of Renewal, which will dim for the remainder of the day. The energy within this rune can not be used for any other purpose. If multiple runes have dimmed at the same time, randomize which is reactivated.

Flight Rune (Fatigue Cost: 7)This rune can be inscribed on an axe, hammer or other throwing

weapon, and will ensure that it will always hit its target (determine hit location randomly). After one use, the rune dims for the remainder of the day.

Rune of Return (Fatigue Cost: 3)This rune can be inscribed on an axe, hammer or other throwing weapon, ensuring it will return to it's owner's hand. After one use, the rune dims for the rest of the day.

Great Death Rune (Fatigue Cost: N/A)Legend has it this rare rune may only be inscribed by a god. Any creature hit by a weapon carrying a Great Death Rune is automatically slain. This rune does not dim when used. Although it is listed in Klauster's book, inscribing this rune is extremely difficult and dangerous; several have attempted it and been found dead, their bodies unmarked hours later. No sane rune master will try it.

Lesser Death Rune (Fatigue Cost: 20)This rune is not quite as rare as the Great Death Rune, although its effects are similar. Lesser Death Runes may only be inscribed onto weapons, and will slay any creature of a specific type if the weapon does any damage to it in combat. Each rune works for only one group of creatures (such as Elves, Goblinoids, or Chaos creatures) and does not dim through use. The inscriber must have killed one of the creatures in question sometime during his life.

Minor Death Rune (Fatigue Cost: 10)A Minor Death Rune is relatively common. It slays any creature of one specific species (such as Goblins, Orcs or Beastman); in all other ways, it is identical to the Lesser Death Rune. The inscriber must have seen the creature in question at some time in his life in order for the rune to work.

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Chapter VI: Religion and BeliefChapter VI: Religion and Belief

∙ HUMAN PANTHEON ∙ Human (mostly belonging to the Old World) Gods. Please note that not all groups of Humans worship all Gods.

● CULT OF MANAAN ●Description: Lesser God; Young Gods pantheon; Son of Taal and Rhya; Foster Father of Handrich, Jeanne du Lac, and Sigmar Heldenhammer. Manann is the god of the seas, oceans, and the great rivers (such as the Reik) that empty into them. Manann controls the tides and currents, and is as unpredictable and changeable as the sea itself. He is usually portrayed as a huge powerfully-built man, wearing a spiked crown of black iron and dressed in barbarian clothes in the same way as his father Taal. Manann can also take the form of a whirlpool or waterspout, or of a huge sea monster (usually that of a Triton).

Where Worshipped: Manann is worshipped in coastal areas throughout the Old World, as well as in the large river ports in which sea-going ships can put in. He is worshipped chiefly by those who depend on the sea-- sailors, fishermen, and the like-- and it is customary for those about to make a sea voyage to

make a small sacrifice to him in the hope of a good crossing. Manann is also worshipped by the Pirates of Sartosa and other places, who see him as a ferocious and warlike deity, quick to attack those who trespass in his domain. Along the northern coasts of the Old World, a lesser aspect of Manann is worshipped as Stromfels, god of reefs and currents, by some wreckers and pirates. Along the large rivers (such as the lower Reik from Nuln), he is worshipped as Toranam, god of mighty rivers. There are some Sea Elves who worship him as Mathlann, god of storms, but they do not interact with his Human cultists.

Friends and Enemies: Friendly with the cult of Taal, Rhya, and Ulric. Cordial respect towards the cults of the other Young Gods and the Earth Mother as none of them come into conflict with Manann's cult. Neutral towards the cults of the Elder Races. Enemies of Dark Children and Chaos.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, and Mariners identify themselves with following symbols: abstract wave design (which Manann shares with several lesser deities of water), five pointed crown, stylized albatross, leaping dolphins. Priests wear robes of dark greenish-blue (mostly in the southern Old World) or bluish-grey (northern Old World), sometimes trimmed with a wave pattern in blue or white. Token is a silver medallion of a stylized wave with a light blue crystal embedded in the center (3rd rank and higher have an aquamarine gemstone instead of the crystal). Cult token may also be of one of the other symbols. Mariners (Order of the Trident) wear a bluish-grey to a medium blue tunic under their mail shirt or leather jerkin and a deep blue-green sash. Further, Mariners identify themselves with the symbol of a trident (the symbol of the war aspect of Manann).

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Do not kill albatrosses nor dolphins as they are messengers of Manann and usually help those in need at sea. Always help unfortunates at sea, such as those shipwrecked or marooned. Never start a voyage on

the thirteenth of each month or during Geheimnistag as to do so will bring misfortune to the ship or its crew.

Afterworld: After death, the spirit goes to a large sailing vessel on a calm, sunny sea with a gentle cool breeze propelling the ship forward. Gentle sea creatures, such as dolphins and merfolk, swim alongside. Islands abound with lush greenery where a spirit may land for a moment before setting sail again. Here, a spirit can also swim freely in the sea without fear of drowning, joining the other denizens of the deep. Simply put, a tropical paradise for the spirit.

Temples and Shrines: Nearly all of Manann's temples are situated in coastal towns, although a few are found in inland ports where seagoing vessels can put in-- such as Mousillon and Altdorf. Manann's temples tend to be semi-autonomous, although all are tributary to the one in Marienburg, the seat of the cult. The largest temple is located there and is a huge and well-appointed building, housing the immense wealth offered up by generations of merchants and seamen. Temples to Manann vary widely in form and size. Normally they are spacious halls, capable of holding large congregations for services and celebrations, contain a large statue of Manann. Other details vary considerably, generally following the styles of architecture and decoration prevailing in the place in which they were built. Shrines to Manann equally diverse, and can vary from elaborate small buildings to simple statues on street corners or between warehouses.

Saints and Heroes: Saints and heroes of Manann are often great seamen whose skills at overcoming obstacles at sea with minimum loss of crew are legendary. One such is the legendary Captain Erik Jorgenssen who led a supply convoy from Marienburg in the dead of winter across the stormy Sea of Claws to the besieged Norscan city of Üslø during the Chaos War of 2302 I.C. Out of 20 ships, Captain Jorgenssen lost only one to the icy depths. Another hero of Manann was the corsair Roger L'Audace, who defeated a large Estalian armada off the Bretonnian coast near L'Anguille in 2252 I.C. L'Audace's ships numbered one-fourth of the Estalian ships, but his knowledge of the winds, shoals, and eddies of the Middle Sea proved the undoing of his opponents. L'Audace outmaneuvered the Estalians and caused a number of their ships into positions where the tidal surge smashed them into the rocks. Few of L'Audace's ships were lost, but the Estalians were routed.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for children of cultists and any whose livelihood depend upon the seas and mighty rivers.Requirements for Initiate Status: Must be sponsored by a priest.Requirements for Priest Status: Approval by a priest of second rank.Requirements for Mariner Status: Selection and approval by a local council of priests (of at least second rank).

Trials: Trials set by Manann normally involve making long and/or hazardous journeys, such as crossing the Sea of Claws in winter. Trials may also be more martial in nature, including such activities as discovering coastal lairs of Chaos raiders and cultists and leading an expedition against them. All such trials are set at sea or along the coast.

Blessings: A one-time-use bonus or automatic success with Navigation, Seamanship, Shiphandling, and Swimming skills.

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Chapter VI: Religion and Belief

Penances: Serving aboard ship as a seaman, performing menial tasks, laboring for a fisherman, piloting ships around shoals and into port.

Holy Days: The major holy days of Manann's cult are the spring (Mitterfrühl) and fall (Mittherbst) equinoxes , marking the beginning and end, respectively, of the season for long voyages. Other festivals are at the turn of the spring and neap tides. In addition, a ship's captain may declare a day of observance for the crew before an exceptionally long voyage (to Cathay or Lustria, for example).

Allowed Spell Colleges: Communication, Healing, Knowledge, Meta-Spells, Water

Special Careers:

Order of the Trident: Mariners are the maritime equivalent to the Templars of other cults. They are expert seamen, as well as fighters, and can be found in most large seaports of the Old World. Similar to Templars, Mariners root out Chaos and Evil (such as those pirate bands intend solely on killing) on the high seas. They are among the first to engage the extremely dangerous Chaos, Dark Elf, and Skaven fleets that roam the open seas, especially near the coasts of the Old World.

Prerequisite Career: Those who join the Order of the Trident usually come from a maritime (or similar) career. All must be members of the cult of Manann and are selected by a council of second rank or above priests. They must serve at least one year on various ships performing numerous tasks. At that time will the individual join a company of Mariners.

Favored Cult Skills: Astronomy, Boating, Cartography, Climb, Engineer (Ships), First Aid, Fishing, Navigation (Sea), Net, Seamanship, Shiphandling, Swimming.

Favored Cult Advantages: Speak Additional Language, Strike to Injure.

Sub-Cults and Honorary Orders: The wrecker cult of Stromfels has fallen more and more in disrepute with the mainstream Manann cult. One reason for this schism has to do with the main prey of the Stromfels cult, namely the merchants and seamen who either are laymen of the Manann cult, or at least have made offerings to Manann for a safe voyage. This schism is such that the cultists of Manann and Stromfels violently clash with one another whenever they come into contact.

The wrecker cult of Stromfels does not have any sort of hierarchical structure to it, as far as priests are concerned. In fact, it is rare that a priest of Manann enters the wrecker cult of Stromfels. Many of the cultists come from the ranks of Manann cultists who have been dispossessed by more powerful members of the Manann cult (e.g., a small shipping merchant who was run out of business and ruined by the large shipping magnates of Marienburg).

● CULT OF M RRó ●Description: Lesser God; Young Gods pantheon; Son of Taal and Rhya; Half-Brother of Kháine; Husband of Verena; Father of Myrmidia and Shallya. Mórr is the god of death, protector of the deceased, and the ruler of the underworld. He is normally depicted as a tall person of aristocratic bearing, with a detached, slightly brooding aspect. All dead souls are protected by him, and he makes sure that they are guided safely to a small area of his Shadowrealm where the deceased is judged by Mórr. If the deceased was a faithful cultist to another Young God cult, then the spirit is escorted to the respective Shadowrealm of their cult. If the spirit did not faithfully follow his cult, then the spirit enters the larger portion of Mórr's Shadowrealm. He is also the god of dreams, since the Land of Dreams is close to the Shadowrealms, and is capable of weaving great and terrible dreams and illusions.

Where Worshipped: Mórr is worshipped throughout the Old World, and is most popular in the south. He is not an everyday god, but is worshipped mainly by the bereaved, who offer up prayers and sacrifices in the hope that their departed will reach his kingdom, or those of the other Young Gods (depending upon the cult membership of the deceased) safely and prosper there. In Norsca, Mórr is known as Helenar, the overlord of Töttenheim, the realm where the spirits of deceased Norse who did not meet a warrior's death come to rest.

Few worship him in his aspect as the god of dreams, although those Illusionists who choose not to follow Ranald the Deceiver may take Mórr as their patron. He is also worshipped as Forsagh, god of prophecy, by some seers and fortune tellers. To the Elves, he is known as Sarriel, god of dreams. Yet to the Dwarfs, he is Gazul, Lord of the Underearth.

Friends and Enemies: Cordial respect towards the cults of the other Young Gods and the Earth Mother. Neutral towards the cults of the Elder Races. Enemies with the cults of the Dark Children, Humanoid Daemonic, and Chaos. Unbridled hostility towards Necromancers, who despoil the Shadowrealms with their enchantments, and especially the murderous cult of Kháine.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, and Witch Hunters identify themselves with the following symbols: the Raven and the Portal. Priests wear plain black hooded robes without symbols or adornment. Cult tokens are silver and usually represent raven wings over an open portal. Witch Hunters also wear black clothing and black armor. Their symbol is that of a raven in a posture of attack (wings out and head low).

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: All followers of Mórr must be abide by the following strictures:

• Always oppose Necromancers and followers of Kháine whenever and wherever they encounter them.

• Never refuse to conduct a funeral service if requested to do so (Initiates and Priests only).

• Never enter or disturb a place of burial which has been properly dedicated to the protection of Mórr.

• Never bring Undead into existence unless specifically authorized to do so by Mórr.

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Afterworld: The Shadowrealm of Mórr is the most extensive of all the Young Gods. A small part of the Mórr's realm is set aside for the spirits of the newly deceased to be judged in accordance with their cult's strictures. When living, if these spirits abided by the cult's strictures, then the Guides of Mórr will escort them to the Shadowrealm of their deity. If the spirits are found wanting, or they have no cult affiliation, they are escorted to the lower portion of Mórr's realm where they "relive" their lives in a Shadow version of the Old World. These spirits do not realize that they are in the Shadowrealm of Mórr, rather they believe that they are still living. These spirits remain here until they have proven that they can meet their respective cult strictures ( and hence, move on to their appropriate destinations). Until then, these spirits serve Mórr in whatever capacity he requires (usually as minor characters in the dreams he sends to mere mortals).

The spirits of Mórr cultists who lived their lives in accordance to the strictures reach the highest level of Mórr's realm. They are the Guides of Mórr, spirits whose task it is to escort the spirits of the newly deceased to Mórr's realm for judgment. Most of Guides await summoning by Priests of Mórr to collect these spirits, but there are a few that roam the world searching for the spirits of the newly deceased to collect before Kháine can steal or Necromancers bind these spirits. The Guides of Mórr also escort the spirits to other Shadowrealms as required and perform major roles in the dreams of Mórr.

Temples and Shrines: There is very little contact between the temples, but the High Priest of Luccini is recognize as the titular head of the cult. Every ten years a general convocation of the priesthood of Mórr is held at Luccini in Tilea, at which theological problems and matters of doctrine are debated and decided upon. These convocations are chaired by the highest ranked priests from the largest temples in the Old World: Luccini, Remas, Marienburg, Gisoreux, Nuln, and Magritta.

Temples to Mórr are always situated in or near places of burial, and are normally only used for funeral services. Temples are normally solidly-built, brooding structures, distinguished by a broad doorway with a heavy lintel-stone-- one of the symbols of the god. Despite the fact that they are not frequently used by the mass of the population, the doors to the temples of Mórr are always open, like the doors to his kingdom. The temples are bare inside; any furnishings and accouterments are provided by those using the temples. The largest of the Temples (and greatest of mausoleums) of Mórr is located in the Tilean city-state of Luccini.

Shrines to Mórr almost always take the form of a gateway, consisting of two plain pillars and a lintel; in some cases, one pillar is of marble and the other of basalt. Followers of Mórr do not usually maintain shrines to him in their homes, since his symbols are generally thought to invite bad luck when displayed outside the context of burial.

Saints and Heroes: Saints and heroes of Mórr are usually priests who have protected the dead and their resting place. These people are hardly adventurous. The sole exceptions are the Witch Hunters who root out Necromancers and find nests of Undead.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for children of cultist and any who petition to join.

Requirements for Initiate Status: Must be sponsored by a Priest.

Requirements for Priest Status: Approval by a Priest of a least second rank.

Requirements for Witch Hunter Status: Selection by Mórr (revealed through dreams or visions) or by a Priest of third rank.

Trials: Trials set by Mórr generally involve punishing those who trespass in the Shadowrealms. An individual may be sent to foil the workings of a Necromancer or destroy a nest of Undead. These trials will be fitted to the individual such that a Priest-Rank 1 will not be required to remove a Liche King on his own nor will a Priest-Rank 3 be asked to lay to rest a couple of skeletons.

Blessings: A one-time bonus or automatic success on fear, poison, disease and other tests made to counter the special attack forms of any Undead. Or perhaps, a one-time bonus or automatic success with Occultism (Undead)or related skills. In very rare circumstances, Mórr may send a dream to an individual, giving advice or information, or may allow a dead friend or relative of an individual to appear to them in a dream.

Penances: Fasting, tending cemeteries, digging graves, preparing and cleaning bodies for burial.

Holy Days: There are no specific holy days to Mórr. He is only worshipped at funerals and on similar occasions.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Healing, Light and Darkness, Meta-Spells, Necromancy, Protection.

Special Careers:

Order of the Brooding Ravens: The Order of the Brooding Ravens are the cult's clandestine group of Witch Hunters devoted to the task of hunting down and destroying Necromancers and nests of Undead throughout the Old World.

Favored Cult Skills: Astronomy, Fortune-Telling, Herb Lore, Naturalist, Occultism (Undead), Navigation, Pharmacy, Physician, Savoir-Faire, Surgery, Teamster.

Favored Cult Advantages: Resistance (Immunity to common diseases and poisons), Languages, Magic Resistance (Illusion only; -40%), Night Vision, True Faith (Pact, -30%; Turning, +65%).

Sub-Cults and Honorary Orders: None.

● CULT OF MYRMIDIA ●Description: Lesser God; Young Gods pantheon; daughter of Verena and Mórr; sister of Shallya; foster-mother of Jeanne du Lac. Myrmidia is the patron goddess of soldiers and strategists. In contrast to Ulric, who stands for strength of combat and the frenzy of battle, Myrmidia represents the art and science of war. She is commonly portrayed as a tall, well-proportioned, young woman equipped in the style of soldiers from the southern parts of the Old World. Myrmidia can also take the form of an eagle.

Where Worshipped: Myrmidia is most popular in Tilea and Estalia. She is also popular in southern Bretonnia, even though her status of state cult in Bretonnia gave way to the cult of Jeanne du Lac hundreds of years before. Myrmidia has a limited following in the Border Princes, Marienburg, and the Empire (the latter of which already has two war deities in Ulric and Sigmar).

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Friends and Enemies: Friendly with the cults of Verena, Mórr, Shallya, and Jeanne du Lac. Cordial respect for the cults of the other Young Gods, Earth Mother, and Elder Races. Limited tolerance for the cult of Sigmar since that cult is viewed as a more modern and reasonable version of the cult of Ulric, though no less arrogant. Antipathy with the cult of Ulric as the cult is seen as barbaric and uncaring for the well-being of followers where honor and victory on the field of battle is concerned. This antipathy seldom breaks out into open hostility. Rather, the followers of both these cults would prefer to out-do the other in the field of battle. Open hostility to the cult of Ranald. Enemies of Dark Children, Humanoid Daemonic, and Chaos cults.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, and Templars identify themselves with the following symbols: spear behind a shield, perched eagle with wings spread, and blazing sun. Priests wear white robes with red edging and blue cowls. Symbols of Myrmidia are usually seen over the left breast, but may be worn as a cloak clasp instead. Token is a silver spear behind a brass shield. Cult token may also be a sword with a sun emblem on the hilt. Templars of the Order of the Blazing Sun may wear the traditional heraldry of the knightly class on plate armor, shield, and barding. A blazing sun head crest may be found on the helms of the Order's members.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: • Enter battle only when strategies and tactics have been

developed for all conceivable eventualities to ensure victory with minimal casualties.

• Always spare an enemy who has surrendered. To kill such an enemy is considered a craven and cowardly act, unbefitting a true warrior.

• Always follow orders given by a superior without question, unless such an order involves killing a surrendered foe.

Afterworld: After death, the spirit of the deceased enters a large hall. From there, they are separated according to their rank in life. Those who were commanders find themselves gathered around miniature terrain settings where they plan strategies and tactics, deploy troops, and conduct military operations. Spirits of cultists who were rank and file troops resume those roles in these miniature battlefields. To many, surviving these battles mean possible promotion to field commanders. Casualties are never "fatal," just removed from play until they are deployed again in another battle. After the battle, the commanders discuss the events while others reset the terrain for the following series of battles.

Temples and Shrines: In the days of the Remean Empire (circa -200 I.C. to 1000 I.C.), the main temple and seat of the cult was located in the Tilean city-state of Remas. Other grand temples were built throughout the lands of that Empire. With the decline of Remean power, the seat of the cult moved to the Estalian city of Magritta where the Temple of Myrmidia was enlarged to become the largest dedicated to the goddess. During the Crusadings against the Arabian invaders, this temple was at the forefront of the battle to liberate the Estalian kingdoms.

All temples of Myrmidia are subordinate to the temple in Magritta where the Archecclesiastium (the governing council of the cult) is located. In addition, each temple is the diocesan seat of the cult of Myrmidia. Temples of Myrmidia are located in the citadels of

most cities of any size throughout the Estalian kingdoms and the Tilean city-states. Some cities in southern Bretonnia and the Empire (Nuln and Talabheim) also have temples to Myrmidia. Smaller temples and shrines can be found in areas where mercenaries from the southern Old World are employed.

Given the land where her worship is most popular, the architectural style of the Temples of Myrmidia usually follow that of the Estalia and Tilea. They are square or rectangular halls covered with elaborately domed and spiral roofs. Shallow reliefs of outsized weapons and shields seemingly hang on the exterior walls of the temple. Shrines often take the form of miniature temples with either statues of the goddess or free-standing sculptures of stacked weapons, shields, and armor.

Saints and Heroes: Saints and heroes of Myrmidia are often great generals and strategists whose martial prowess and innovative military techniques carry the day on the battlefield. One such was the great Remean general, Crassius Gaius Caesare, who in 4 I.C. lead a counterattack against a hostile and rampaging tribe of Bretonni bent on sacking the Remean trading colony at Brionne. The Remean outpost was besieged by a great host of Bretonni warriors when Caesare arrived on the scene. He executed an elaborate plan of laying siege to the besieging Bretonni. The native people were not prepared for that predicament and after a few days surrendered to the Remeans. Another great general was the High Priest Rodrigo Sancho Diaz Redondo de Zaragoz who led the defense of Magritta against the initial assaults of the invading Arabian army in 1448 I.C. By denying the Arabians the city, the power of the initial thrust was blunted, thereby allowing reinforcements from other lands, notably Bretonnians, to arrive in the city by sea. The defense of Magritta is usually viewed by historians as the turning point for Arabian fortunes in Estalia.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for children of cultists. Any warrior may become an applicant, but are subject to clerical review and approval in order to be accepted to the cult.

Requirements for Initiate Status: Must be sponsored by a priest.

Requirements for Priest Status: For first rank, approval by the diocese to which the Initiate is assigned. All other ranks are approved by the Archecclesiastium.

Requirements for Templar Status: Selection and approval by the local diocese from suitable laymen.

Trials: Trials set by Myrmidia are always of a martial nature. They may include defeating an enemy champion in single combat, holding down a vital flank with minimum troops, training and leading a group of peasants in their village's defense, or leading a small group through a siege to bring word of the plight of the besieged to relieving troops.

Blessings: A one-time bonus or automatic success with Disarm skill check or Dodge check. Automatic success with Fear checks. A one-time bonus to Weapon Skills.

Penances: Fasting, personal weapon training, humbling menial services (e.g., cleaning the stables), assignment to the baggage trains, assisting outfit's cooks and servants.

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Holy Days: Commonly, followers of Myrmidia make sacrifices at the beginning and end of military campaigns, as well as before and after a battle. Otherwise, there are no specific holy days sacred to the Myrmidia.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Communication, Healing, Meta-Spells, Movement, Protection.

Special Careers:

Order of the Blazing Sun: Founded during the Battle of Magritta, the Templars of the Order of the Blazing Sun embody the virtues of military planning, preparedness, and execution of orders. The image of a knight fighting alongside his fellow knights and crushing their opponents under the hooves of their steeds is seen as a model of military ideal and professional.

Favored Cult Skills: 2H Axe/Mace or Broadsword, Disarm (manuever), First Aid, Flail, Heraldry, Lance, Musket, Navigation, Pistol, Riding, Soldier, Strategy, Tactics, Teamster.

Favored Cult Advantages: Languages (Battle Tongue in particular), Striking ST, Strike to Injure.


● CULT OF RANALD ●Description: Lesser God; Young Gods pantheon; foster-son (more or less) of Shallya. Ranald is the Trickster god, a patron of rogues and gamblers. He is generally portrayed as a Human male, a charming rogue who is an incomparable thief and con man. Ranald can also take the form of a crow, magpie, or black cat. He is a roguish trickster rather than being evil or malicious, and is ruled largely by his irrepressible sense of humor. It is said that his interest in larceny stems from his joy in the humiliation of pompous and self-important merchants, rather than form avarice. Ranald abhors violence of all kinds, and would never condone violent crime, murder, or torture. The perfect crime in his eyes is the crime which leaves no trace, and which is only discovered weeks or months later. This view of Ranald is exemplified by the manner in which he reached godhood: tricking Shallya, the goddess of healing and mercy, into giving him the gift of immortality.

Ranald has four aspects: Ranald the Night Prowler, the patron of thieves and other rogues; Ranald the Deceiver, patron of tricksters, charlatans, and, by implication, Illusionists; Ranald the Gamester, the patron of gambling and luck; and Ranald the Protector, who protects his worshippers from official interference, oppression, and tyranny.

Where Worshipped: Ranald is worshipped throughout the larger towns and cities of the Old World. His worshippers are generally rogues, gamblers, and the lower classes.

Friends and Enemies: Friendly with the cult of Shallya, Rhya, the Pilgrim, and Liadriel. Wary of the other cults of the Young Gods as they represent the authorities who frequently proscribe the worship of Ranald. Indifference to the cults of the Earth Mother and the other cults of the Elder Races. Enemies of Dark Children, Humanoid Daemonic, and Chaos cults.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, and Demagogues do not distinguish themselves from the general public. For obvious reasons, symbols and other trappings distinguishing the cult are either hidden or do not exist. Those representing the cult make the sign of the crossed index and second finger to identify each other. That hand sign is also used as a sort of silent prayer and is suppose to bring good luck. Some followers of Ranald may have a repeating "X" design worked into their clothes. This design will always be hidden in some other design and difficult to spot (test at -2 to spot the design, followers of Ranald test without the negative modifier).

Many people (including Ranald worshippers) wear a medal pendant with an ornate "X" design as it is considered a good luck charm in the Old World. This pendant does not normally arouse suspicion except in areas where the worship of Ranald is suppressed and has assumed the proportions of a witch-hunt. In any event, these charms are seldom worn openly since it is believed that its effect is lessened if openly displayed.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: • Informing to the authorities is considered the vilest of

sins in the eyes of Ranald and, therefore, forbidden.

• The use of violence, such as mugging and murder, is prohibited by Ranald except in self-defense.

• Metal armor is prohibited as such are usually worn by those whom violence is the way of life.

• Tithing is required of cult members to ensure that Ranald's needs are met. Cult members, Demagogues, and Initiates must pay a tithe of 10% of all income from thieving and gambling to Ranald's shrines, with a minimum of 10 Crowns per month. Priests pay a higher tithe commiserate to their rank. For each rank, a Priest pays an additional 5% and the minimum is increased by 5 Crowns per month. Moreover, all thefts and gambling sessions must result in a minimum of a 5 Crowns profit per rank. Failure to meet this requirement will require the Priest to undergo a trial.

Afterworld: After death, the spirit goes to a large city where festivities never end. Entertainers of all kinds roam the streets plying their trade to the delight of everyone. Here, everything a rogue desires awaits their pleasure. Even though the spirit may not succeed at every endeavor, the cost of failure is not prohibiting. Spirits must still pick locks to enter homes, but if caught by the "Watch," they are simply escorted to another street to be caught up in the festive mood. This is paradise for those seeking never-ending pleasure.

Temples and Shrines: As expected, Ranald has no formal temple organization. In fact, he has no temples at all, only shrines. Small shrines dedicated to Ranald the Night Prowler are located in a number of Thieves' Guilds. For Ranald the Protector, small public shrines are located in the lower-class areas of many cities, cared for either by the populace or by small loosely-organized "shrine clubs." These shrine clubs operate as both social and religious bodies and are generally located in a back street or some other out-of-the-way location. In large cities, there are no more than one of this shrine clubs in a given city ward or district. Those Illusionists who follow Ranald frequently maintain a small shrine in some private part of their homes. Small shrines to Ranald the Gamester are often found in gambling dens and gaming houses.

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Saints and Heroes: Saints and heroes of Ranald are often rogues who rise above their humble (read: poor) origins and strike out against the authorities by non-violent, but spectacular, means. One such was Hans Schaduwboren who became renown for highly publicized thefts in Marienburg during 2349 I.C. His most famous (infamous to those upholding the law) was the disappearance of a prized heirloom from the powerful van der Kuypers family. Even though Hans Schaduwboren was caught and hung (though many said it was someone else on the business end of the rope that day), no trace of the items he stole were ever found. Another hero of Ranald was Selena Heimlich, a talented entertainer and mistress of the lute, who performed for a number of the noble houses in the Empire during the 2420s I.C. Selena Heimlich used her skills to lull her patrons, thereby enabling her to make off with various items from these families. When discovered, Selena Heimlich succeeded in vanishing before she was caught.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for children of cultists. Applicants must be rogues without a trace of violent tendencies.Requirements for Initiate Status: Must be sponsored by a priest.Requirements for Priest Status: Approval by a priest of second rank.Requirements for Demagogue Status: Selection and approval by a priest of second rank.

Trials: The type of trial set for a follower of Ranald will vary according to the aspect of Ranald worshipped by that individual.

Trials set by Ranald the Night Prowler normally involve theft. An individual may be required to steal something famous and well guarded. Even to steal it and then put it back without being noticed. Another type of trial may involve breaking into the local station of the watch and leave some token there.

Trials set by Ranald the Protector involve causing problems for the authorities. Examples include setting up an incorruptible watch captain or kidnapping a city official and spiriting him into a cell in the local jail.

Trials set by Ranald the Deceiver will involve trickery, generally directed at a merchant or an official. It may not be necessary to gain any profit in the venture, the deception itself is the important thing. The deception should not be penetrated until the individual involved decides to reveal it. Should someone in authority be made to look foolish as a result of the deception, so much the better.

Trials set by Ranald the Gamester will always involve gambling or taking chances with the odds stacked against the individual. An example is taking on a rigged game in a gambling house and coming out ahead (especially if the game can be exposed without risk).

Blessings: A one-time-use bonus or automatic success with Fast-Talk or Sleight of Hand. Or a one-time-use bonus or automatic success with Gambling, Stealth, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, and Search tests.

Penances: Cleaning and maintaining shrines dedicated to Ranald, performing menial tasks at thieves' guild locations, performing petty burglaries for other priests or cult members, relegated to minor roles (such as lookout) for less talented thieves and priests.

Holy Days: Ranald has no formal holy days. For his followers, any given day is as good as any other to engage in activities which please Ranald.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Body Control, Healing, Knowledge, Light and Darkness, Meta-Spells.

Special Careers: Rabble Rousers: Rabble Rousers travel from city to city, large town to large town, speaking out against the authorities who oppress the downtrodden masses. Their oratory usually enflame their audience into rioting mobs, especially if the authorities attempt to silence the demagogues. These riots also serve the purpose of providing cover for other followers of Ranald who lead the subsequent looting. In the mass confusion of the riots, the Rabble Rouser frequently get away to turn up another day in another city. Rabble Rousers tend to follow the aspect of Ranald the Protector.

Favored Cult Skills: Climb, Connoisseur, Disguise, Expert (Numismatics or Thieves' Signs), Fast Talk, Gambling, Lockpicking, Merchant, Persuade, Pickpocket, Sex Appeal, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Traps.

Favored Cult Advantages: Acute Hearing, Enhanced Move, Languages (especially Secret Language-Thieves), Luck, Night Vision, Precognition.

Sub-Cults and Honorary Orders: Some priests and cultists of Ranald also worship his consort Darah, goddess of illusion and revenge. Cult lore has it that Darah was a mortal with whom Ranald had a dalliance. When he revealed his divinity to her (and broke all kinds of promises he had made to her), Darah seethed with rage (especially when he left her) and Darah swore that she would take her revenge on Ranald. Hearing this and taking pity on the jilted woman, Rhya granted Darah the same gift of immortality that Ranald received from Shallya. This, the fertility goddess decided, would keep that roguish scoundrel in check. To a limited degree Rhya's plan worked. The time it takes Ranald to placate Darah is less time the Trickster has to work his mischief.Many of the cultists who worship Darah in conjunction with Ranald tend to be those who have lost something important to some rival. This could range from a lost love to a failed business. Anything that would prompt serious consideration of revenge. Although committing violence to the party causing the injury is tempting, Ranald's stricture against the use of violence (except in self-defense) is still enforced.

● CULT OF RHYA ●Description: Lesser Goddess, Young Gods pantheon, wife of Taal, mother of Manann, Morr, and Verena. Those who worship her view Rhya as the deity of fertility, childbirth and the family. Others, outside the cult, view Rhya as either a lesser aspect of the Earth Mother or a deity who is much diminished so that her worship is incorporated with and overshadowed by Taal. Depicted as a loving mother (and, at times, a pregnant one), Rhya represents the fertility and bounty of the earth and mothers everywhere.To scholars of theological studies, Rhya represents a deity in decline. As such, her exact role in the scheme of divine matters is the subject of much debate. Is she a deity in her own right? Or, a lesser aspect of the Earth Mother dealing with the bearing of children and sowing a crop in the fertile earth? Maybe, she is only the wife of Taal and therefore should be incorporated into his worship. Naturally, the cult is inclined to frown upon those diminishing their deity.

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Where Worshipped: Rhya is chiefly worshipped in the small farming villages that are located on the outskirts of cities and large towns throughout the Old World (to those involved with animal husbandry, Rhya is known as Dyrath, the Fertility Goddess). Also popular with pregnant women and young mothers.

Friends and Enemies: Associated with many spirit, elemental, and ancestral cults. Closely associated with the Earth Mother cult. Reciprocal respect towards the Elder Races cults. Cordially allied with the other Young Gods cult. Tolerant but critical of Ranald cult. Enemies of Dark Children and Chaos.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Clergy of Rhya identify themselves with the following symbols: an acorn, a sheath of wheat, a babe in a mother's arms, or a hearth. Initiates and Priests wear simple, green woolen robes with one or more of these symbols sewn into the hems, carved into their staffs, or on the straps of their satchels containing healing herbs. Cultivators favor green tunics and brown trousers and carry the symbols on their seed pouches, amulets, and inscribed on their bows. Midwives wear a green chasuble embroidered with cult symbols.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Reverence for the bounty of the earth, the miracle of life, and the honor of motherhood. Respect and honor for family and kin. Defend family and the bounty of the earth from any who would destroy, defile, and corrupt them. Aid any kin less fortunate, especially the elderly.

Afterworld: After death, the children of Rhya are transported to warm cottages surrounded by orchards of fruit-laden trees and bountiful vineyards in a peaceful vale. Here, they are relieved of pain, misery, and the wants of life as they are one with Rhya's realm.

Temples and Shrines: The cult is widespread with individual temples (few as they are) and shrines autonomous in all matters. Only during the summer solstice (Sonnstill) do a number of priest gather in a place chosen by Rhya. There is no seat for the cult as most of the priests are itinerants, traveling from village to village, shrine to shrine. Most farming villages are unable to support a temple dedicated to Rhya. Instead, a small, simple shrine is usually built and maintained between the village and the fields. In homes, especially isolated homesteads, the hearth would be set aside to honor Rhya. Cairns are also built in the fields so that Rhya may bless their labor.

Saints and Heroes: Some saints and heroes of Rhya are farming folk who fell in defense of family and kin, or worked feverishly to ease any pain and anguish, such as Juliane Hebamme who worked three straight days delivering eight babies in the village of Schwangerschaft during the legendary winter of 2470 I.C.(even the mighty Reik froze that year in Nuln). Others include those who brought forth the bounty of the earth for their fellows. One such was the renowned Johann Kirschesaat who planted and protected fruit trees (chiefly, cherry trees) for use by travelers along a fifteen-mile stretch of the Nuln-Moot road.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for offspring of cultists. There are no explicit requirements for acceptance into the cult; the cult is theoretically open to all petitioners, including the Elder Races (especially Halflings).


Requirements for Priest Status: Approval by a priest of second rank.

Requirements for Cultivator Status: Approval by a priest of second rank.

Requirements for Midwife Status: Selection and approval by a council of priests.

Trials: Trials typically involve delivering produce to blight ravaged areas and successfully working those fields to recover its fertility or protecting isolated homesteads in bandit (or other foul being) infested areas.

Blessings: A one-time-use bonus or automatic success with favored cult skills such as Physician, First Aid, or Herb Lore.

Penances: Journeying to large towns and cities seeking to return lost souls (bawds, prostitutes, beggars) to the fields where they will be redeemed, reclaiming lost farmlands from the encroaching wilderness, protecting and assisting midwives in their sacred duty for extended periods.

Holy Days: Rhya's main festive days are the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes as they are associated with the planting and harvesting of crops. Minor days include 2 Jahrdrung (Day of Pruning), 9 Sommerzeit (Harvest of Spring Fruits), and family birthdays.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Body Control, Earth, Healing, Knowledge, Meta-Spells.

Special Careers:

Cultivators: Cultivators (also known as Seeders, Harvesters, or Greenpants) are wanderers who are experts in the conservation and replenishment of the earth's fertility, as well as the treatment of diseased plants. They travel from village to village sharing their lore with the local farmers and assist them if needed. Some Cultivators have taken to planting and tending (as well as protecting) orchards on a small cleared parcel of land along roads in the wilderness. The famous Johann Kirschesaat is an example of this type of Cultivator.

Prerequisite Career: To become a Cultivator, one must have been an initiate of Rhya for at least one year and selected by a Priest of second rank.

Midwives: Midwives of Rhya are widely known for their expertise in the delivery of babies. This exclusive group of women (mostly human and Halfling) travel from village to village facilitating childbirth and easing the associated pain. Naturally, their reputation is such that they are welcomed wherever they travel and are often sought out by the rural aristocracy to deliver their heirs.

Prerequisite Career: To become a Midwife, one must have been an initiate of Rhya for at least two years and selected by a council of priests.

Favored Cult Skills: Animal Handling, First Aid, Fortune Telling, Herb Lore, Pharmacy, Physician, Stealth, Surgery (Only for setting broken/dislocated limbs and treating heavy wounds), Survival, Teamster.

Favored Cult Advantages: Resistance (Immunity to disease and poison (only for herbal based)).

Sub-Cults and Honorary Orders: Nil.

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● CULT OF SHALLYA ●Description: Lesser God; Young Gods pantheon; daughter of Morr and Verena. Shallya, the Goddess of Healing, Mercy, and Compassion. Depicted in her Healer aspect as a young maiden with a healing touch and eyes brimming with tears as she takes on the pains and sufferings of her the Weak and Friendless. Also known in her lesser aspect of the Blessed Martyr, a mortally wounded girl who has interposed herself between the warrior's spear and the defenseless mother and family.

Shallya is the deity most concerned for the suffering of mortals. Through her healing skills, her intercession for the poor and powerless, and her opposition to warfare she tries to protect her flock from earthly perils. Through her example as loving and compassionate friend and companion, she hopes to guide man toward a more positive conception of life than the millennia of poverty, tyranny, persecution, and warfare of the Old

World's history.

Where Worshipped: prominently worshipped throughout the Old World; particularly popular with urban poor.

Friends and Enemies: Cordially allied with Young Gods cults, though fundamental doctrinal conflicts place Ulric and Myrmidia at odds with Shallya -- Ulric and Myrmidia are diplomatically polite since they rely on Shallya's healing for battle-wounded, but Shallya curses their brutal, destructive arts. Shallya priests have been known to deny healing to agents of "unjust wars," with fierce disputes with Ulric and Myrmidia over concepts of unjust war. Tolerant but critical of Ranald cult. Respectful of the Old Faith and Elder Race cults. Enemies of Dark Children and Chaos.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Shallya clergy identify themselves with the white dove, spread-winged in flight, sheltered in cupped hands, or marked with a splash of red blood on the breast, also by a stylized white heart with a drop of red blood, or by a maiden's face brimming with tears -- the "tears of Shallya." Laymen may identify themselves with these symbols displayed upon garments, ornaments, or walking staffs. Initiates and Priests wear modest white wool or linen hooded robes or tunic and trousers with the dove or heart motif on the left breast. They also may bear a staff featuring the dove or heart motif, and usually carry the distinctive Shallya shoulder satchel with healing herbs and medical supplies.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Initiates, Priests, Templars, and Demagogues of Shallya must swear to the following strictures:

• You shall not kill.• You shall aid the weak, the infirm, the friendless, the poor

with whatever resources you have to hand. You shall not deny your aid to one genuinely in need and earnestly invoking my name and protection.

• You shall show mercy and compassion to your friends and enemies alike, though you shall not, through mercy and compassion, by action or inaction, allow others to come to harm.

• You shall teach by thought, word, and deed that man need neither rob, nor abuse, nor slay his fellow man to find peace, love, and satisfaction on this earth.

Laymen of Shallya must honor her strictures as best they can. Unfortunately this earth is not the Peaceable Kingdom of Shallya's afterworld, and for self-protection or in service of one's lord or sovereign a layman may be required to take up arms against fellow men. If Shallya's strictures are broken, the layman may expect a serious penance, but she shows mercy and compassion upon those who fail but tried their best.

Initiates, Clerics, Templars, and Demagogues are judged by more exacting standards -- a condition they must understand when accepting a call to higher service. Any offense against Shallya's law will certainly result in at least a stern penance, and may result in expulsion from the cult.

Shallya interprets her strictures fairly literally. For example, Shallya forbids the killing of animals for food, BUT she does not forbid the eating of meat, so long as the cultist has not killed it. Different doctrinal scholars interpret her strictures and her judgments (as recorded by her priests from reports of cultists on Judgment Day) in various ways. For example, some clerics limit the injunction against killing to man alone; some prohibit the killing of any creature; some prohibit the killing of human and humanoid creatures, so long as they are not tainted with Chaos or Chaos servants. Shallya apparently respects the judgment of the individual cultist to some extent in this matter, so long as the cultist demonstrates himself to be a sincere and earnest follower in his thoughts, words, and actions.

Afterworld: After death the spirit is freed of the trials of earthly life and transported to the Peaceable Kingdom where sorrow and strife come no more, where the lamb and the lion lay down together in tender friendship, and where Shallya and her Children spend the rest of time in pleasant labor and tranquil rest.

Temples and Shrines: Practically every city, town, or village in the Old World has one or more Shallya temples or shrines. Initiates are trained in doctrine and the healing arts in cult schools in the larger cities and towns, then assigned to serve at a given temple or shrine. Shallya's is the most numerous clergy in the Old World, and the bureaucratic hierarchy is large and complex, but because Shallya is a poor cult, her clergy tend to be more idealistic, sincere, and naive than the all-too-worldly clergy of powerful cults like Sigmar, Verena, and Manann. St. Genevieve's Infirmary in Couronne is the administrative center of Shallya's cult; its temple is built over the miraculous healing springs there. Couronne's High Council of Shallya is the supreme authority of the cult, advised from time to time by the Congress of Healers, a deliberative body composed of Shallya clerical representatives from all over the Old World, which convenes at irregular intervals at the pleasure of the High Council.

Temples are built around a central courtyard, with a temple hall on one side and residences, administrative offices, and infirmaries arranged around the other three sides. Shrines are modest wood or stone shelters, designed to protect worshippers and travelers from the elements, with a sacristy and small altar for worship; similarly modest structures nearby serve as quarters for the shrine's attendants and as infirmaries at need.Saints and Heroes: Saints and heroes of Shallya are often noble martyrs -- those who courageously served Shallya's ideals at the risk of their lives, like St. Keyne, who faithfully tended victims of the plague in Gisoreux until he collapsed and died, or St. Romola, who ventured on the Plain of Kunst before Czar Vasilimov to plead for

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the lives of her people, only to be trampled beneath the hooves of Czar Vasilimovâ€™s Ungol Guards. Shallya's heroes tend to be tragic heroes -- often they are doomed to fail the impossible tasks they set themselves and to die in the attempt, but such heroes are particularly sympathetic to the typically poor and powerless folk who worship Shallya.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Layman Status: Automatic for offspring of cultists. There are no explicit requirements for acceptance into the cult; the cult is theoretically open to all petitioners, including Elder Races, humanoids, mutants, and servants of Chaos.Requirements for Initiate Status: Must be sponsored by a priest. Persons who have willingly taken the life of a sentient being are seldom Called to be Initiates; however, Shallya makes exceptions in the case of petitioners who express a sincere desire to repent for past sins and to honor Shallya's strictures and doctrines. (GM: No bloodthirsty characters would ever be accepted as Initiates of Shallya unless they could convince the GM of an incredibly sincere desire to turn over a new leaf, and the first time such an Initiate ignored Shallya's strictures the initiate would probably be excommunicated from the cult.).Requirements for Priest Status: Approval by a priest of second rank.Requirements for Templar Status: Selection and approval by a priest of third rank.Requirement for Demagogue Status: Election from layman ranks by Shallya herself. Volunteers seeking to become Blameless Martyrs must go In Harm's Way (i.e., enter a battlefield unarmed and undefended); if Shallya chooses to elect the volunteer to be a Blameless Martyr, the volunteer is granted the benefits of the demagogue career on the spot. Those who are not granted the status are probably not pure of heart, and will probably die like cattle.

Trials: Trials typically involve protection of the poor and needy from disease or hardship, like being sent to tend victims of the Black Plague or to minister to diseased fugitive Chaos mutants.

Blessings: A one-time-use of a bonus or automatic success with a favored cult skill like Physician, First-Aid, Surgery, etc., or with a cult prayer like Neutralize Poison, Cure Disease, or Relieve Madness.

Penances: Required special offerings of service or donations, assignment to unpopular duties (leper's ward, orderly service in infirmaries, etc.). The most common penance for Shallya is temporary loss of layman status, with return of status and benefit conditional on good behavior.

Holy Days: Judgment Days are ordained on the final day of each month. The two major holidays are St. Genevieve's Day, 11 Nachexen, with its tradition of gifts from the rich to the poor and from parents to children, and Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Festag of Kaldezeit, when families gather to share and give thanks for the harvest, and the poor and elderly are honored at feasts sponsored by the cult.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Healing, Knowledge, Light and Darkness, Meta-Spells, Protection.

Special Careers: Eloiaen Sisters: This secret Shallya sub-cult, founded by Eloia, a Shallya healer who renounced her vows of pacifism and took on the responsibility of protecting Shallya cult temples, shrines, and cultists from those who take advantage of Shallya's tender virtues is a secret all-female cult of compassionate amazons committed to the defense of the cult with the most economical and restrained exercise of force and violence possible. Eloiaen Sisters are not bound by the stricture against taking human life where the security of the cult is seriously endangered, where those protected by the cult are endangered, or where the life of a cultist is threatened. They are obligated to take life only as a last resort, and must expect severe penances thereafter to purify their souls. These penances usually amount to extended leave performing services in peaceful shrines, helping the sick and injured, and relieving the guilt of killing.All members have been at least initiates, have served faithfully and obediently within the cultâ€™s strictures, but many have suffered abuse, or have expressed frustration at pacifist principles. The sisters are selected by cult priests for purity of motive, delicacy of judgment, obedience to the cult, and will to defend offensively while forsaking righteous anger or vengeance.Shallya and the cult permits this "peaceful warrior" sub-cult because it acknowledges the need for self-protection, but cannot rely on others to exercise the delicate judgment in the application of force and violence demanded by Shallya's principles.Prerequisite Careers: To become an Eloiaen Sister one must have been an initiate or priest of Shallya for at least two years. Must take the skills Staff and Sling.Blameless Martyrs: These Demagogues walk unprotected straight in between battling armies, pleading with the combatants to spare one another from the brutality, agony, and death of warfare. The hope is that honorable warriors will be shamed and chastened by the Martyrs' courageous example, and will be moved to show mercy on their opponents. (In fact, the generals usually curse the confusion they cause in lines of battle, and do whatever they can to avoid them.)Blameless Martyrs may not defend themselves in any way when in combat (not even with non-violent defensive magic or the use of the dodge blow skill, for example). In return Shallya grants her Martyrs blessings of protection equivelant to levels of Hard to Kill and Hard to Subdue, so they can keep moving for a long time - though eventually they will keel over from pain, shock, and blood loss. Further, Shallya offers no protection from death by disease, old age, or other natural causes, and the terrific beating Martyrs take in combat understandably does little to extend their life expectancy. Blameless Martyrs are usually horribly disfigured and crippled by their wounds; veteran Martyrs are often frightful to behold.

Favored Cult Skills: Alchemy, First Aid, Herb Lore, Panhandling, Physician, SurgeryTemplar: Disarm (manuever), Disguise, Sealth, Shadowing.

Favored Cult Advantages: Resistace (Immunity to disease). Templar: Strike to Stun.Demagogue: Hard to Kill, Hard to Subdue.


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● CULT OF SIGMAR ●Description: Lesser God; Young Gods pantheon; foster-son of Manann and Verena. Sigmar is the deified, legendary founder of The Empire. As befits the epic stature of this great warrior-statesman, Sigmar is worshipped both for his martial prowess and for his role as the Father of the Empire - a symbol of national destiny and unity of purpose among the various conflicting power groups of the Empire. Statues and paintings depict him as a muscular, bearded giant of a man with long blond hair bearing a massive twohanded Dwarven warhammer and seated on a simple throne with piles of Goblins heads at his feet.

Sigmar represents both the heroic exemplar and the common man. Admired for personal courage and strength in arms as well as military generalship; Sigmar is also a unifying leader and founder of a nation out of disparate, hostile tribes. Though divine in stature, he still remains recognizably simple and human enough as a mortal man. Cult doctrine

emphasizes Sigmar's mortal origins as the source of his understanding and compassion for man, and his desire to protect man both as a divine patron and as the symbolic inspiration for man’s protector on earth -- the Imperial state.

The Sigmarian Heresy: A minor heresy of the Ulric cult holds that Sigmar is not divine, but merely a legendary hero with great - perhaps Daemonic - spiritual powers, and that worship of Sigmar is at best grave error, at worst a form of Daemon worship. This heresy is outlawed within the Ulric cult, but a significant minority, some reputedly of high cult status, conspire to promote this heresy.

Where Worshipped: Sigmar is the state cult of the Empire by Imperial decree; only in the City State of Middenheim, the seat of the chief temple of Ulric, are his temples outnumbered by those of other cults.

Worship elsewhere is confined to Imperial emigrants and exiles; some expatriate Imperial citizens and Rootless Dwarves (dwarves living among humans) may worship Sigmar as an associate cult.

Friends and Enemies: Officially allied with cults of the Young Gods pantheon, but independent verging on arrogant in posture toward other Young God cults. Most cordial relations with Verena and Manann.

Diplomatic but implicitly hostile to the Ulric cult, particularly toward the minority Sigmarian heretic faction. Friendly with Grommo the Wanderer cult. Enemies of Dark Children and Chaos.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, and Templars identify themselves with the following symbols: the great dwarven Warhammer "Heldenhammer"; the "eight-sided circle" or octagon composed of two superimposed squares with joined points, signifying the eight tribes united under Sigmar; the twin-tailed comet that appeared at his birth and is prophesied to appear once again heralding his return.

Initiates and Priests wear plain, unornamented wool or linen hooded robes with one or more simple, modest sacred tokens or ceremonial staves bearing the hammer, octagon, or twin-tailed

comet; Sigmar's priests avoid ostentatious ornament or pretense of social status. Templars of the Fiery Heart may wear the traditional heraldry of the knightly classes on plate armor, shield, and barding, but Sigmar's symbols must be dominant. Riders of the Cleansing Fire favor plain commoner's dress, with cult tokens concealed for secrecy.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: All humans have their mortal frailties, but they also each possess the quality of heroism, and each must express his heroism according to his gifts in the support and protection of the Empire and its loyal citizens.

Conflicts and disputes among men are inevitable, but they must all be submitted to judgment before the state and cult. Further, when the welfare of the state and cult are challenged, personal disputes and conflicts must be set aside for the common good.

The fostering and preservation of personal honor, duty, and heroism is the province of the cult, but uponthe State and the Emperor rest the immediate protection and preservation of the people.

Each man is responsible for bettering his welfare and the welfare of his family and kin; in this way shall all the Empire grow prosperous and flourish.

The humanoid races and the servants of Chaos are the savage and implacable enemies of humanity. It is man’s destiny to strive with these monsters for dominion of the Known World; no man is safe until they have been wiped from the face of the earth. "The only good goblin is a dead goblin."

The Elder Races are fated to pass from this earth. Let them abide with us peacefully in their twilight, and let us honor them and their ancestors, revere their craft and honor, and aid them in their extremity. (This public doctrine is explicitly understood to include dwarfs, and implicitly understood to exclude elves, who are tainted with the crimes of the Dark Elven, and are just too haughty and snobbish for decent folk.Halflings are regarded as human in the same general sense that human children are considered human.)

Initiates, Priests, Templars, and Witch Hunters of Sigmar must swear to honor the following strictures:

• Obey the commands of priests of higher rank.• Show special favor to an honorable dwarf's request for

aid.• Work to promote the unity and integrity of the empire -

even at the cost of individual liberty.• Show true and loyal allegiance to His imperial majesty the

Emperor.• Search out and exterminate humanoids and servants of

Chaos.

Afterworld: Departed souls are incorporated into the divine body of Sigmar. Weak-spirited and faithless followers become the lower functions of Sigmar; dutiful followers serve Sigmar’s spiritual well fostering the future of the Empire and its welfare; heroes and exemplars become the guiding spirit servants who inspire warriors and leaders in preserving Sigmar’s Empire on Earth.

Temples and Shrines: The central worship chamber is usually octagonal with a dome or cupola, and decorated with artwork depicting Sigmar’s birth under the twin-tailed comet, heroic deeds,

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founding of the Empire, beneficent reign, and foretold return under the twin-tailed comet. The main altar is oriented toward Karaz-a-Karak, the Dwarven citadel Sigmar sought in his final mortal journey. There are no seats in the central chamber -- standing room only. Administrative and residential wings either radiate from the central chamber or form an outer wall around a central court featuring the central chamber. Furnishings and ornaments are always modest, avoiding the ostentatious display of wealth associated with many other Young Gods cults.

Saints and Heroes: Clerics of the Silver Hammer order are itinerant warrior-priests on the front lines of the war against humanoids and servants of Chaos. The primitive heroic barbarian ideal of single combat has been largely superseded in modern Sigmarian Imperial culture by the image of the skilled, deliberate general, a shrewd tactician and leader of men, though the cleric must be reasonably proficient with hammer and shield in single combat.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Layman Status: Automatic for offspring of cultists, provided there is no mark of Chaos or humanoid blood. Others of pure human or Elder Race blood may be accepted subject to clerical review.Requirements for Initiate Status: Must be sponsored by a priest.Requirements for Priest Status: Approval by the Grand Theogonist.Requirements for Templar Status: Selection and approval by the Grand Theogonist from among suitable laymen.Requirement for Witch Hunter Status: Selection and approval by the Grand Theogonist from among suitable laymen.

Trials: Trials typically involve the protection of the Empire and its citizens from internal and external threats, such as locating and destroying marauding goblins or beastman hordes, giving assistance to Dwarves in the construction and maintenance of roadside shrines, investigating the actions of secret Chaos cults, and so on.

Blessings: A one-time-use bonus or automatic success with melee or thrown hammer attacks or Disarm, Law, and Ocultist (Daemons) skills.

Penances: Fasting, personal weapon training, humbling menial services, campaigning against humanoids and Chaos servants.

Holy Days: Sigmarzeit 18, the first day of summer and date both of Sigmar's crowning and abdication when, as is described in the Geistbuch (the cult's most sacred literary work) he forsook the world of mortals to augment the realm of the gods. It is preceded by fasting, followed by great feasting and merrymaking. In Altdorf a great procession is led around the city walls preceded by the Grand Theogonist himself.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Body, Communication, Healing, Meta-Spells, Protection.

Special Careers: Nil.

Favored Cult Skills: Priests of Sigmar receive skills at reduced cost according to which order they belong to (see "Sub-Cults and Orders" below). When reduced cost applies only to members of a specific order, it is indicated as follows: Order of the Hammer = (H*), Order of the Torch = (T*), Order of the Anvil = (A*).

2H Axe/Mace or Broadsword, Astronomy (A*), Disarm (mauever; H*), Flail (H*), Heraldry (T*), History (A*), Lance, Law (T*), Occultism (Daemon lore; A*), Physician (T*), Public Speaking, Savoir-Faire (T*), Surgery (A*).

Favored Cult Advantages: Language (Khazalid), Literacy, Striking ST (H*).

Sub-Cults and Honorary Orders: Priests of Sigmar belong to one of three orders, which determines their responsibilities within the cult. PC priests should normally belong to the Order of the Silver Hammer, whose members travel throughout the Empire, promoting the cult, rooting out heresy and malefactors, and bringing honor and glory to the cult.

The Order of the Torch, from whose ranks are drawn the administrators of the cult's temples and the priests who actually officiate at religious ceremonies. The majority of Sigmar clerics belong to this order, and other orders are subject to its authority. Its members are assigned to provincial temples, with Initiates or educated laymen acting as village priests, while town temples usually have a Religious Rank of 1 or higher.

The Order of the Anvil is a monastic order whose members live out their lives in isolation from the rest of society, dedicating themselves to meditation and prayer. It is their function to study and interpret the word of Sigmar, which forms the basis of Imperial law. Members may be found in law schools; advanced ranks provide legal advisors for the Grand Theogonist and the Emperor. (Note: the Order of the Anvil is concerned only with the letter of the law, leaving the cult of Verena to trouble over such vague notions as "justice" and "compassion".)

● CULT OF TAAL ●Description: Lesser God; Young Gods pantheon; husband and brother of Rhya; brother of Ulric; father of Manann, Verena, Mórr, and the Dark Child Khaine (whose mother is Écate); first son of the Earth Mother. Taal is the god of the wilderness and the storm. His power controls the wind and the rain and drives waterfalls and rapids, avalanches and landslides. Also, Taal is the Master of the Wild Hunt, as well as the lord of beasts, the forests, and the mountains. All of the wild places of the Old World are under his control and all who venture into his realm are expected to show him proper respect. To do otherwise, may incur his displeasure at the least, wrath at the extreme. Taal is normally depicted as a powerfully-built man with long, wild hair, dressed in animal skins and wearing the skull of a great stag as a helmet. Taal may even take the form of a giant stag, great bison, or bear.

There is a great controversy between Wood Elves and Humans as to the nature of Taal. To the Elves, Taal is only a composite of the Wood Elf spirits such as Torothal, mistress of rains and rivers, and Karnos, lord of beasts. The Human perspective holds that the Wood Elven spirits, as well as Karog, god of rivers, are merely aspects of Taal. Even more controversial is the view of the Druids who refer to Taal as the Antlered God, consort of the Earth Mother. To them, the Antlered God is limited to the fertility rites associated with the Beltane (spring equinox).

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Where Worshipped: Taal is worshipped throughout the wilds of the Old World, especially in the north and east (notably Bretonnia, the Empire, Norsca, and Kislev). Most of Taal's followers are the hunters, trappers, and others who depend on the natural world. In some quarters, the worship of Taal is intermingled with that Rhya, goddess of fertility. There are even some Elementalists who worship Taal, usually those whose beliefs are centered upon living harmony with nature, rather than manipulating it through sorcerous magics.

Friends and Enemies: Friendly with the cults of Rhya, Ulric, and Manann. Friendly, but wary, to the cult of Earth Mother. Neutral towards the other cults of the Young Gods. Tolerance to the cults of the Elder Races, except those of the Wood Elves which border on antipathy. Enemies of the Dark Children, Humanoid Daemonic, and Chaos cults.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates and Priests identify themselves with the following symbols: stag skull or stylized human head with antlers (representing Taal's aspect as lord of the beasts), or stone axe (for his aspect as weather god) with which Taal is said to use to cause thunder, lightning, and avalanches. Priests wear robes of grey, dark brown, and drab green decorated with one or more of his symbols. Token is a wooden medallion with either golden antlers or silver stone axe device. Cult token may also be of other natural symbols: trees, mountain peaks, etc. Scouts (Society of the Bear) identify themselves with the symbol of a bear, bear's paw, or necklace of bear teeth. They tend to wear hooded cloaks and clothing befitting those living with nature, usually colored with browns and greens.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Never harm any animal except in self-defense, for food, for need, or sacrifice. Obey the laws of nature and only take as food the weak and sick, never the fit or strong. Protect the natural world from destruction at the hands of those who would despoil the wilderness. Give back to nature an equal measure of what one receives from it. Always respect the animals of the wild, regardless of whether they are prey or predator.

All Initiates and Priests must ritually hunt and capture an animal for sacrifice to Taal. The sacrifice must be performed once per month during the dark of the moon. In addition, all Priests must spend seven days and seven nights each year living alone in the wilderness such as a forest or mountain. They must begin their vigil on the winter solstice, communing with nature throughout and subsiding on whatever they catch. Further, all Initiates and Priests are prohibited from wearing metal armor, but they may use shields and any type of weapon except firearms and explosives.

Afterworld: After death, the spirit of the deceased enters a wooded paradise. In an eternal climate of mid-spring, the spirit finds rest after a life of toil and hardship. Here, the spirit communes with nature and is at peace. At times, spirits may engage in activities such as hunting, even though the quarry is never killed. The hunt, in this case, represents the thrill of the stalk and pursuit of prey, not the final felling. In addition, the spirit can assume any animal form and shapechange continuously as they desire. Some will do so to match wits with another who is in the role of the hunter.

Temples and Shrines: The vast majority of the temples to Taal

are in, or on the edges of, the wilderness. As there is no recognized center of worship, each temple is usually self-reliant and generally does not have much contact with any other.

Temples to Taal are generally circular and built of rough, unmortared stone with conical roofs. The oldest temples, which are found in the northern Empire (the largest of which is located outside of Wolfenburg in Ostland), have timber-framed roofs covered with thatch or turf. Containing only a circular, central hearth, temples of Taal are empty. There are no statues, altars, seats, nor any other furnishings. The hearth is built up from the floor in two or three rows of stone walling and usually faced with bison or bear skulls.

Shrines of Taal take several forms from miniature temples to sacred grooves like those utilized by the cult of the Earth Mother. Grooves of Taal are marked by a skull of a stag, bison. or bear hung on the oldest (and largest) tree. Mountain shrines take the form of a cairn topped by the skull of a stag, bison, or bear. As a sign of respect, it is customary for all passers-by to add a stone to the cairn.

Saints and Heroes: Saints and heroes of Taal are usually great huntsman, trappers, and priests whose knowledge of the wilderness and skills at dealing with its dangers are legendary. One of these was Wolfgang Jäger, a priest who undertook the task of ridding the forest village of Altwald of the scourge preying upon its people. For eight weeks Jäger stalked his prey. The elusive creature continued to kill, but in a way that taunted Jäger. Then on Geheimnistag 1652 IC, Jäger caught up to his quarry. Over the next eight days Jäger battled a giant Minotaur, a creature whose height reached twenty feet, the largest on record. At times, the hunter became the prey and the quarry became predator. Finally, Jäger gained the upper hand and slew the Chaos creature. He returned to the devastated village with the head and skin of the vile creature.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for children of cultists. Applicants must be Human and free of the Chaos taint. Subject to clerical review.Requirements for Initiate Status: Must be sponsored by a priest.Requirements for Priest Status: Approval by a priest of second rank.Requirements for Scout Status: Selection and approval by a priest of second rank.

Trials: Trials set by Taal normally deal with the natural environment and elements, and challenge cultists to survive in harmony with them. Cultists may be required to spend a number of days and nights in a forest or mountainous area. Some may be commanded to hunt a powerful animal, such as a bear or bison, using only that which is provided by nature. Other trials may demand clearing an area of despoiling Goblins or other monsters using skills in stealth, woodcraft, setting traps, etc.

Blessings: A one-time bonus or automatic success with Animal Handling, Stealth, Survival and Traps skills.

Penances: Maintaining and cleaning all temples and shrines within a ten mile radius, performing servant duties for families living in the wilderness, planting trees and removing man-made objects to reclaim abandoned farmlands for nature.

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Holy Days: The principal holy day dedicated to Taal is the spring equinox, which marks the awakening of nature after its winter slumber. Minor festivals and observances occur during the summer and winter solstices, and the autumn equinox.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Air, Animal, Communication, Healing, Meta-Spells.

Special Careers: Society of the Bear: A secret society dedicated to Taal and his role of protector of the wild places, the Society of the Bear are scouts whose skills in the wilderness exceed most men. Individual Bear members are hired to escort small and large parties (up to small armies) through the wilderness. Their only requirement is that those who are being led do nothing to despoil the realm of Taal. Any group who fail to heed this requirement may find themselves led to, and abandoned in, the deepest and most isolated part of the wilderness. There these offenders will face the displeasure of Taal.

Favored Cult Skills: Animal Handling, Astronomy, Expert (Woodsman's or Scout's signs), First Aid, Fishing, Herb Lore, Navigation (land), Riding, Stealth, Survival, Swimming, Tracking, Traps.

Favored Cult Advantages: Acute Hearing, Animal Empathy, Detect (Chaos), Language (Secret - Ranger), Night Vision.


● CULT OF ULRIC ●Description: Lesser God; Young Gods pantheon; Brother of Taal and son of the Earth Mother. Ulric is the god of individual valor and ferocity. Lord of Winter, which in the cold northern lands challenges each man to survive on his own. Lord of Wolves, symbol of the relentless hunter who separates the weak from the strong (and the Ravening Wolf of Winter's Hunger). Particularly admired by those who place individual valor above all else and seek berserk frenzy in battle. Worshipped by soldiers about to enter battle, pit-fighters and judicial champions before a bout, peasants to hold off winter's fury, and hunters when after dangerous game.

Ulric is portrayed as a massive warrior, armored in the style of the barbarians who inhabited the Empire several centuries ago, and wearing a silver grey wolf-skin cloak. He can also take the form of a huge silver-grey wolf. Ulric is a distant, harsh and unforgiving god, who expects his followers to stand on their own two feet, putting their faith in martial prowess. He despises weakness, cowardice, and trickery, and expects his followers to always take the direct approach to solving a problem.

Where Worshipped: Throughout the Old World as ancient god of war and winter. Most common in the Empire, Kislev, and Norsca (there known as Olric). Dominant cult of Kislev and Norsca. Formally dominant in northern Bretonnia until the Myrmidia cult from the south replaced it. Former state cult of the Empire, rivals cult of Sigmar for popularity.

Friends and Enemies: Closely allied with the cult of Taal and Rhya, friendly with the cult of Manann. Considers cult of Ranald to be a bunch of craven cowards. Cordial respect towards the cults for other Young Gods and Earth Mother (especially those with wolf familiars). Limited respect towards Myrmidia and Jeanne du Lac as both dilute a warrior's worth by overburdening them with strictures that prevent a warrior from devoting themselves to battle and honor. Coolly correct and competitive towards cult of Sigmar.

A secret faction still promotes the Sigmarian Heresy, the belief that Sigmar is not a god, but a great hero whose reign was blessed by Ulric. Clerics of Sigmar are at best dupes or, at worst, active allies of the Daemons who give them their powers. This doctrine was outlawed as heresy by the Concordat of Nuln, 2304 I.C., ratified by the High Priests of Ulric and Sigmar. This fanatic faction of Ulricans, some of whom are high-ranking members of the cult, seek to restore the heresy as dogma and resume the persecution of Sigmarites.

Barely concealed contempt for the weak Elder Race cults as their time has long passed. Sworn enemies to Dark Children, Humanoid Daemonic, and Chaos cults.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, and Templars identify themselves with the following symbols: the White Wolf (a pack of which freely roams the confines of the Cathedral in Middenheim); a great two-handed axe, castle walls, a mountain blanketed in snow. Priests wear black, unornamented wool or linen hooded robes with a head of a white wolf sewn on the left breast and a wolf fur cloak (3rd rank and higher have one of silver-grey). Token is a bronze pectoral with a wolf's head enameled in white. Cult token may also be a two-handed axe or a great spear with a wolf rune graven on the blade.

Ornamentation is unnecessary-- let your actions speak for themselves. Templars of the White Wolf may wear the traditional heraldry of the knightly classes on plate armor, shield, and barding. Wolf's head crest on helm with wolf-skin cloak. Shield has personal heraldry recounting family and personal honors. Other Templars forego the shield and the lance in favor of a double-handed warhammer. The Order of the Ravening Pack wear simple peasant clothing with the symbol of a white wolf on their right breast. The Fangs of Winter dress as mercenaries, favoring the color black. Their shields bear the device of the White Wolf.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: A brave man dies but once, a coward dies a thousand deaths. When all else fails, take direct action. A true warrior needs no trickery. Always obey a superior, never refuse an order. Never refuse a direct challenge. "Modern" weapons (gunpowder, artillery, crossbows, fire-bombs) are weapons of cowards and are to be shunned. Bonfires are sacred, never allow the fire of a shrine or temple to go out. Oppose Chaos wherever it is found. Never flee a fight unless facing overwhelming odds and the greater good of the cult would be served by such a flight. War is good, for Man achieves his full potential in conflict. Man must rely on himself, for the Elder races are dying, decadent, and weak.

Afterworld: After death, the spirit goes to a forest eternally shrouded in winter. There, the souls will hunt with the Wolf Pack, battle each other in berserk frenzy, get killed and be resurrected each day. Yes, it's Valhalla.

Temples and Shrines: Seat of the cult is Middenheim, known as the City of the White Wolf. Subordinate seats of the cult are located in the cities of Kislev and Olricstaad (Norsca). Provincial prelates are established in the Imperial City-States (e.g. Altdorf), capitals of the Northern Provinces (e.g. Carroburg), and the larger cities of Kislev (such as Erengrad and Praag) and towns of Norsca. Always built of stone (though older temples in the North and Norsca may be of wood), temples of Ulric are in square shape with a central dome. An eternal fire burns within, kept alive by priests

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or laymen. The external walls are decorated with battlements, and the doorway surmounted by a wolf's head engraved onto the keystone. Within is a statue of Ulric, flanked by snarling wolves. Usually of stone, they are also of painted wood. The walls have weapons hanging from them, and trophies of enemies defeated by local cultists. Administrative and residential areas are in barracks attached to the main structure. The great temples are often built like castles. The interior decorations are sparse, and usually represent scenes of winter combat.

Saints and Heroes: Saints and heroes of Ulric are often great warriors who strive against all odds and usually fall in a great battle while killing most, if not all, of their enemies. Some heroes are Ulrican priests who lead others in suicide missions against forces of Chaos. In 2421 I.C., one priest, Gotthard Kepler, led the entire male population - and some of the women and children - of the Middenlander village of Kopfkrank in a brave crusade to eradicate the Chaos Warband of Giacomo Bloodhand. They were surrounded and slaughtered, including Kepler (vicious rumor by the unfaithful had it that Kepler died from a lucky blow landed by a Snotling).

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for children of cultists. Applicants must be free of the taint of Chaos, and pure human. Subject to clerical review. Requirements for Initiate Status: Having the Beserk disadvantage is commonly acknowledged as a sign of a Calling. Must be sponsored by a priest.

Requirements for Priest Status: For first rank, approval by local council chaired by provincial prelate. All other ranks approved by Ar-Ulric, High Priest.

Requirements for Templar Status: Selection and approval by Ar-Ulric from among suitable laymen.

Requirements for Demagogue Status: Selection and approval by a priest of the third rank.

Requirements for Fanatic Status: Selection by Ulric (revealed through dreams or visions).

Trials: Trials set by Ulric are almost always of a martial nature. An individual might be required to kill a monster that is terrorizing an area, or to clear out a nest of bandits, goblins, or Beastmen. In the latter case, Ulric may permit associates to accompany the individual. Many of these trials are set in winter.

Blessings: A one-time-use bonus or automatic success with melee attacks using an axe, Berserk attack (on which the modifier is negative), dodging a blow, and Strike to Stun.

Penances: Fasting, personal weapon training, humbling menial services, campaigning against humanoids and Chaos servants.

Holy Days: Ulric has three main holy days: the autumn equinox (Mittherbst), the winter solstice (Mondstille), and the spring equinox (Mitterfrühl), marking the beginning, middle, and end of winter respectively. The spring equinox was formerly the major festival, marking the start of the campaigning season, but is now on par with the other two. It is also customary for a ruler or general to declare a holy day in Ulric's honor at the start of a campaign or military exercise, and at the foundation of a new fort or castle. Holy days are generally spent holding military parades and displays, with huge bonfires and feasting into the night.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Animal (Wolves only), Healing, Meta-Spells, Protection, Water (spells of ice or cold only).

Special CareersTemplars of the White Wolf: Templars of the White Wolf embody the virtues of personal combat, but one still locked in the past. The image of a bare-backed berserker barbarian defying the forces of Chaos and Evil is seen through nostalgic eyes as a model of heroic martial prowess.Order of the Ravening Pack: Members of the Order of the Ravening Pack travel the countryside vehemently speaking out against the influence of Chaos that they see permeate modern society. The Ravening Pack can be found throughout the Empire, Kislev, and southern Norsca. At times, they will even accompany a band of the Fangs of Winter. A sizable number of the Ravening Pack still continue to feed the flames of the Sigmarite Heresy, even though such doctrine was outlawed by the Cult hierarchy over 200 years ago.Fangs of Winter: Fangs of Winter are fanatical followers of Ulric whose goal is the eradication of Chaos. These black clad fanatics dress as mercenaries and patrol the forests of the Empire, Kislev, and southern Norsca. The Fangs of Winter actively hunt Chaos Beastmen and warbands, engaging them in combat until one side or the other are annihilated. Obviously, the life span of the Fangs of Winter are rather short.While viewed as protectors by most in the areas they patrol, the Fangs of Winter have a reputation of being (not surprisingly) rigid in their view of the world. They are strictly Ulrican in belief and have a number in their ranks who support the Sigmarite Heresy. Thus, attacks on Sigmarite shrines are not uncommon as one would think in the northern forests of the Empire.Prerequisites: Those who join the ranks of the Fangs of Winter usually come from a martial career, mostly one regimented to some degree. All must be members of the cult of Ulric and have been selected by Ulric through dreams or visions. Such dreams and visions are highly personalized, although images of the Great White Wolf battling some dark sinister force are the most common theme.

Favored Cult Skills: 2H Axe/Mace or Broadsword, First-Aid, Riding, Disarm (manuever).

Favored Cult Advantages: Detect (Chaos), Outdoorsman, Strike to Injure, Striking ST.


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● CULT OF VERENA ●Description: Lesser God; Young Gods pantheon; daughter of Taal and Rhya. Verena is the patroness of scholarship, reason, and justice. The search for Truth is the highest aspiration of man; Truth is sought through painstaking collection of facts and opinions, careful analysis of these facts and opinions, and weighing the facts, opinions, and analysis in light of ethics and moral law. Justice is for Verenans more than a concern for the letter of the law -- true justice is the law considered in the context of compassion and an understanding of human nature.

In most nations of the Old World the Verena cult is worshipped by an educated, upper-class, primarily urban minority -- scholars, artists, nobles, enlightened merchants, lesser and greater state officials, and sorcerers in particular. In these nations the cult provides some public services, such as libraries and arbitration services, but the cult's influence is primarily

indirect, through the effect its doctrine have on its members, who are themselves very influential.

However, in Estalia, the Verena cult is the state cult. In cooperation with the monarchy, the Verena cult has instituted the Inquisition, an aggressive and pervasive experiment in harnessing the resources of state and religion to identify and eradicate evil thoughts and deeds from the populace.

Where Worshipped: Prominently worshipped by the academic, mercantile, aristocratic, and bureaucratic elite throughout the Old World. The state cult of Estalia, where other Young Gods cults are subordinated to the worship of Verena.

Friends and Enemies: Cordially allied with Young Gods cults. Tolerant but critical of Ranald cult. Respectful of the Old Faith. Associated with The Pilgrim cult; good-naturedly tolerant of the Pilgrim's idiosyncratic, poetic notions of truth. Enemies of Dark Children and Chaos. In Estalia, all other cults are considered inferior and viewed with suspicion.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, Torturers, and Demagogues (and in Estalia, laymen) identify themselves with the following symbols: the owl, represented entire or as a stylized head; the scale of justice weighed in the balance; the sword point downwards, the agent of truth in its judicial and martial aspect; and the Verrah Rubicon, the "bible" of Verenan cult and the most respected ethical, religious, and scholarly text, an emblem of Verena's widespread influence on Old World culture. Initiates and Priests wear white wool or linen hooded robes, generally of superior tailoring and style; small, dignified sacred token; though jewelry and ostentatious ornament are prohibited, the fine but understated style, cut, and quality of garment identifies Verenan clerics with the upper classes. Torturers wear the black cloak and mask of the executioner and carry the great two-handed Sword of Justice [[Stolen from Gene Wolfe's Shadow of the Torture]]. Mathamites wear gray cowled robes with a rope belt weighted with miniature scales of justices at the ends.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Laymen of Verena are expected to be truthful with their clerics, and to be true and honest among themselves, but are permitted some latitude in

practical dealing with the world, so long as the ultimate purposes of truth and the welfare of the cult are served (except in Estalia, where laymen are held to the same strict standards as the clergy as listed below). The highest standards of accurate and responsible scholarship must always be maintained.

Initiates, Priests, Torturers, and Demagogues of Verena must swear to the following strictures:

• Speak only the truth; never speak a deliberate falsehood. Do not omit to speak the truth, except that you warn your listener that you have deliberately not spoken all that you might. You need not speak all that you know or believe, but you must not mislead your listener into thinking you have said all that might be said on a topic. (In Estalia, you are obligated to speak all you know or believe at the request of the court or clergy.)

• Do not withhold information, unless it is to protect the innocent, or to serve the higher purposes of justice.

• If you speak opinion, state clearly that it is opinion, and not fact.

• Do not claim credit for the thoughts or judgments of others; give credit where credit is due.

• If requested to arbitrate or judge a dispute, honor the request unless personal prejudice or self-interest prohibit you from making a fair judgment.

• Do not resort to violence until other alternatives have been exhausted. You may counsel otherwise, but may not interfere with other parties who have mutually consented to violence. Do not allow unwilling victims to come to harm by violence without challenge. (In Estalia you may not resort to violence until other alternatives have been exhausted, OR unless a greater harm to Truth and the Greater Good may be expected from your avoiding the use of violence.)

Afterworld: After death the spirit is freed of the distractions of the flesh and transported to the Realm of Light, where the soul is exalted in the spirit of Verena, and where it may continue its search for Truth until eternity. In the bosom of Verena, all departed spirits join in a great convocation of the Good and Truthful, where the eternal verities are pondered and debated. Some spirits may be assigned as guardian numina to watch over the labors of scholars on Earth.

Temples and Shrines: Chapels of Verena temples and shrines are in the Tilean Classical style with large columns supporting a pediment decorated with friezes featuring the Verena in the center, holding the scales of justice, while around her are arrayed figures from mythic narratives. In warmer, Southern Sea climes the chapel is open to the air, a dome supported with columns; in the chilly north the chapel is enclosed. Other buildings are in the local architectural style, and usually include a library, administrative offices, public and private meeting chambers, and staff quarters. Libraries restrict access to cult members (research fees paid to Verenan scholars provide valuable revenues for the cult), and have strict rules to protect the collections. In the meeting chambers Verenan clerics provide arbitration services and legal advice (another important source of cult income).

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Saints and Heroes: Most saints of Verena are cloistered academics -- fine and serious thinkers, but hardly adventurous. The exceptions are field workers, explorers, and scholar-adventurers who travel throughout the Old World and beyond in search of arcane secrets, lost races, and the wisdom of the ancients.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Layman Status: Automatic for offspring of cultists. There are no explicit requirements for acceptance into the cult, but in practice many are discouraged by the requirement that all laymen become proficient in reading, writing, and ciphering. In Estalia all citizens are laymen except those expelled from the cult for heresy.


Requirements for Priest Status: Approval by a priest of second rank.

Requirements for Torturer Status: Selection and approval by a priest of third rank.

Requirement for Demagogue Status: Challenge and testing by five Witnesses, then successful completion of a six-month probationary period under the scrutiny of a Witness.

Trials: Trials typically involve research, collection, and preservation of knowledge, such as seeking out missing manuscripts, legendary references, or elderly eyewitnesses to historic events, or achieving an arbitrated resolution of a serious public conflict, such as a diplomatic mission to warring barons.

Blessings: A one-time-use bonus or automatic success with an Intelligence-based skill or test.

Penances: Enforced isolation and meditation (for impulsive, poorly-considered acts), humbling menial services (for the sin of pride), a vow of silence (for speaking falsehood or misrepresentation).

Holy Days: Verena's main festival is on the first day of each year, when her followers pray that the coming year may be blessed with her enlightenment and reason, and free of bigotry and injustice. Minor holy days are observed at the beginning of each month and the beginning of each week. Judgment Days are ordained on the final day of each month.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Communication, Gate, Healing, Meta-Spells, Protection.

Special Careers: Torturers: Torturers of Verena are called "Torturers." Torturers are experts in extracting the truth from unwilling sources; they are also skilled executioners, surgeons, and judges of human nature. The cult provides many sovereigns, nobles, and even other cult hierarchies with skilled torturers. Among the people their reputations are dark and terrifying, but in truth the torturers are often the most sane, principled, and compassionate men. Their skills are so prized that even princes hesitate to offend them; some even rise to high status as advisors to heads of state and cult hierarchies, and so have great influence on national and cult policies.

Prerequisite Careers: To become a Torturer one must have been a layman of Verena for two years and have completed the Scholar career and any one other Warrior career.

Verena's Torturers may also receive the 2H Axe/Mace or Broadsword, Heraldry, Poisons and Surgery skills, and a Sword of Justice, a divine instrument consecrated to Verena (as Signiture Gear). Torturers are forbidden to wear armor or carry a shield.

Mathamites: Demagogues of Verena are called Witnesses or "Mathamites" (after Josef Matham, the founder of their sect). This minority sect of Verena is obsessively preoccupied with literal truth and with militant, vigilant protection of the meek and humble. Witnesses acknowledge only an "inner light" of justice and truth, and display a reckless disregard for circumstances in their insistence on telling the truth without consideration of consequences. They are also impulsive and righteous in identifying injustice and oppression and putting it to fire and sword. As a result, they are almost equally feared and distrusted by oppressors and those they would protect from oppression. This sect is barely tolerated by most Old World nations, except in Estalia, where the Witnesses are the powerful agents of the Inquisition, and where Mathamites dominate the Verenan cult hierarchy.

Favored Cult Skills: History and Law.

Favored Cult Advantages: Languages, Literacy.


∙ OTHER GODS OF HUMANITY ∙ The Lady of the Lake: The patron Goddess of Bretonnia.

The Old Faith: The ancient religion of the druids. Mostly evolved into the cults of Taal & Rhya, Manann and Ulric.

Ursun: The father of bears and patron God of Kislev.

Dazh: Within Kislev, the God of the Sun and fire.

Tor: Within Kislev, the warrior God of storms, thunder and lightning.

Gilgadresh: A God worshipped in the distant land of Ind.

∙ CHAOS GODS ∙ Most followers of Chaos devote themselves to only one God, but worship of Chaos Undivided is also common (the worship of Chaos as a single force rather than separate Gods).

● CULT OF KHORNE ●Description: Khorne, the Blood God, is the Chaos god of blood and battle. Within the Realm of Chaos his domain covers the most basic and brutal emotions and actions, such as hate, anger, rage, war and killing. He is also known as the Lord of Skulls.

War brings people to the cults of Khorne. Every battle in some way reflects this Dark God's will. The spray of blood, the screams of the dying and the stink of death are experiences that do not easily fade. Veterans of even a single conflict emerge changed, having witnessed firsthand the imminence of death and the glory of unadulterated violence. And for those who've seen countless battlefields, they know firsthand the awfulness of war. These experiences underscore the importance of living and avoiding battle unless it's absolutely necessary. Veterans grudgingly take arms, and then only at the behest of their lord or in the defense of their lands.

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But a few see the blood and carnage differently. Haunted by the memories of battle, exulting in the power inherent in the sword and the look in a dying man's eyes as they hack his body apart, they find they cannot reconcile normal life with life in war. They hunger for killing, seeing conflict as an opportunity for glory, a chance to prove their mettle and power. The prospect of killing is a constant companion, one never forgotten and almost impossible to placate. And those few not driven to suicide must find an outlet for the growing need to kill, and at the end of their search, they find the Blood God waiting.

Where Worshiped: Khorne has an immense following among mortals, his radiance of raw power and strong emotion beckons all who lust for battle to his side. Worship of Khorne is especially embraced by the more primitive and primal tribes of Norsca and the Chaos Wastes.

Friends and Enemies: There exists an ancient rivalry amongst the Lords of Chaos. Khorne's arch enemy is Slaanesh; Khorne is a spartan god who acts outwardly, killing others. He hates the hedonistic Slaanesh, an inwardly acting god who seeks to pleasure himself with every act and experience. Also, Khorne favors a straightforward approach to combat, and considers any form of sorcery as cowardly. Thus he is also generally distrusting of Tzeentch.

Cult Symbol and Dress: Khorne's symbol is typically rendered as an X-shaped rune with a bar on the bottom—a stylized skull. Skulls dominate the armor and adornments of Khorne's followers, and most consider it important to take heads in battle to render down and wear on their clothing. Bones drenched in blood or red paint (or both) are commonly piled on his altars and worn as a sign of his favor. Khorne's colors are blood red, black, and brass.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Khorne requires his servants to spill blood and kill whenever possible. Most of his followers are warriors, though anyone who is willing to kill without thought of consequence can find blessings from the Blood God.

• The greatest prayers are the sounds of splashing blood and crushing bones.

• It is never wrong to kill a servant of Khorne, but if done, celebrate the glory that is inherent to the Blood God.

• It is fitting o take trophies of the fallen, and those who adorn themselves with the skulls of their foes and drink the blood of their enemies shall find favor with the Skull King.

• The decadent followers of Slaanesh must be annihilated at any turn.

• Mercy is for the weak. Spare no enemy lest you be found wanting by the Blood God.

Afterworld: The Fields and Meadows of Khorne. The Fields and Meadows are neat and orderly, but still horrific. The fields of Khorne are lined with row after endless row of bloody corpses lashed to stakes like a grotesquery of bean plants. Blackened flowers, engorged on blood, grow from the corpses; they are “watered” through a series of aqueducts and ditches filled with gore. Untold thousands of Daemons are charged with the upkeep of these fields, vomiting blood on the fruits and voiding their bowels to fertilize the terrible flora. New corpses are planted every moment, with a tenderness and concern that seems so out of place in such a macabre location. The whole scene is one of blood - even the sky unceasingly bums an angry red. The stench of a slaughterhouse intermingles with the curiously-sweet scent of the blackened flowers and fruit.

Temples and Shrines: Unlike the other gods, Khorne's followers do not go to great lengths to build temples in his honor. Instead, they worship their god on the battlefield, praising him with battle cries such as "Blood for the Blood God!" or "Skulls for the Skull Throne!" His followers also offer him praise and attempt to win his favor by savagely attacking each other when there are no other battles to be fought -- and some times even when there are. It is said that Khorne is the easiest Chaos god to worship, because while worship of most of the other gods requires rituals, altars, and sacrifices, Khorne's demands are simply that his followers spill fresh blood and collect skulls in his name.

Saints and Heroes: The greatest heroes are granted the honor of becoming Champions of Khorne; the greatest of these may someday become Demon Princes.

Cult Requirements: None. However, Khorne does not permit a cultist to renounce his worship at a later date. Any attempt to do so guarantees a horrific death which sends the soul to his dark realm for eternal torture.

Trials: Trials set by Khorne typically involve the death in combat of a powerful enemy.

Blessings: Those favored by Khorne often receive his chaotic blessings; sometimes of great strength or beast-like visage, sometimes of frightening mutations, horns or claws. Regardless, these are displayed proudly and serve both as visible reminders of the Blood God's existence and as targets for those who have not yet won his favor.

Penances: The only way to truly fail Khorne is to fail in combat; in which case the unfortunate will be torn apart by his fellow cultists.

Holy Days: Khorne has no holy days, though his followers sometimes praise the anniversaries of particularly bloody battles.

Allowed Colleges: Magic is a crutch for the weak; therefore Cultists of Khorne are granted no spells.

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● CULT OF NURGLE ●Description: Nurgle, the Lord of Pestilence, is the god of disease and decay. Within the Realm of Chaos his domain covers the forces of destruction, despair, entropy, and all things putrid and unclean, in particular the emotion of despair in mortals empowers him. He is known also as Grandfather Nurgle and the Lord of Decay.

Despite the nature of his influence, Nurgle takes an interest in victims of the diseases he unleashes (which he considers to be gifts), jovially caring for them in a manner similar to a loving grandfather; for this reason he is frequently referred to as Grandfather Nurgle or Papa Nurgle. This also causes some that would have otherwise never been infected to seek out disease and even poison themselves to earn his favor.

As the god of disease and decay, Nurgle's followers are often equally interested in the spread of disease. His followers become infected with horrific diseases which cause them to appear bloated and rotting, or wizened, sickly and pale. His champions often become so mutated and putrid that they are impervious to pain and almost impossible to injure.

While equally powerful as Khorne or Tzeentch when his plagues are at their peak, perhaps even more so, Nurgle's strength tends to wax and wane much more than that of the other Ruinous Powers, leaving him with little or no army one day and unstoppable hordes of rotting followers the next.

Where Worshiped: As opposed to the other Lords of Chaos, many of Nurgle's followers do so by no choice of their own. The taint of Nurgle spreads readily among beast and humanoid alike, and the awful ailment known as Nurgle's Rot may strike even the strongest and cause him to be outcast as a leper.

Friends and Enemies: In the eternal struggle for power amongst the Chaos Lords, Nurgle's primary adversary is Tzeentch. Nurgle represents forces of destruction, his worshipers following him out of despair at being infected with his plagues; Tzeentch is a god representing evolution and building grand schemes, whose worshipers following him out of hope of gaining power and other rewards. This antagonistic relationship has an effect upon the nature of the armies that are dedicated to either god.

Cult Symbol and Dress: Most of Nurgle's followers opt not to wear a symbol, instead favoring the Rot Lord's colors of sickly greens, ochers, and yellows. When they do use a symbol, it is almost always the silhouette of a fly. Cultists often don hooded robes to conceal their mutations and the ravages of their diseases.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Followers of Nurgle have few real strictures, other than to spread disease and despair throughout the world. His teachings are as follows:

• Seek out new corruptions as they are blessings and signs of Father Nurgle's blessings.

• Instruct the world in the bounty of Nurgle's love. Be not stingy will his gifts and share them wherever you can.

• Search for beauty in all things, and when found, celebrate it.

• And when beauty is found, perfect it by sharing the blessings of Nurgle.

• Pity those who Follow the Lord of Change, for they know not the true meaning of exquisiteness. Never fail to bestow onto them the greatest of gifts, sharing with them the essence of your afflictions.

Afterworld: Nurgle's home in the Realm of Chaos...

Temples and Shrines: Small shrines can be found in the forgotten parts of the sewers of the great cities. Also you can find shrines hidden deep in the forests or swamps in the old world.

Saints and Heroes: The greatest heroes are granted the honor of becoming Champions of Nurgle; the greatest of these may someday become Demon Princes.

Cult Requirements: None. However, Nurgle does not permit a cultist to renounce his worship at a later date. Any attempt to do so guarantees a horrific death from the host of diseases in the cultist's body.

Trials: Trials set by Nurgle typically involve the spread of disease in a large urban area.

Blessings: Nurgle is a perverse master, exulting in spreading despair and sickness in the world. His rewards reflect this sinister motive and only the most depraved mortals seek them out. Rewards typically consist of a new disease (Nurgle Rot being a favorite), claws or a single horn and a single eye (bringing one closer in appearance to a Nurglish Plaguebearer demon).

Penances: Failing Father Nurgle is not wise; the usual result is a slow, painful death as your internal storehouse of disease turns on you.

Holy Days: Like all chaos-cults, the Hexenstag and the Geheimnisnacht have a certain importance to the cult of Nurgle.

Allowed Colleges: Though spells may vary from Chaos God to Chaos God (and sometimes even from cult to cult), all Chaos spellcasters use the Chaos Sorcerer rules (page 71).

Required Cult Advantages: Resistance (Immunity to Disease).

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● CULT OF SLAANESH ●Description: Slaanesh, the Dark Prince, is the god of passion and excess. Within the Realm of Chaos His domain is that of all mortal sin, especially those of the flesh. Lust, pride and self-indulgence are the hallmarks of all that follow him. He is known also as the Prince of Excess and even the Prince of Chaos. He is the youngest of the Chaos Gods. While referred to as a "he", Slaanesh is neither gender, combining characteristics of both and perfecting them.

Where Worshiped: Slaanesh cults are prolific - found everywhere from the smallest backwaters to the largest cities. As a God, Slaanesh offers countless pleasures and none too few pains. It offers the fulfillment of every dream, whether it's the consummation of a carnal act or the creation of a beautiful sonnet. The patron of fantasists, dreamers, and the envious, Slaanesh is frighteningly popular and owns the souls of far too many of the Empire's elite.

Friends and Enemies: Slaanesh is opposed by the Chaos God Khorne. Slaanesh seeks to act inward by enjoying every experience and every act, even killing others, whereas Khorne only seeks to act outwardly by killing others. Khorne is also said to detest Slaanesh's decadence, while Slaanesh sees Khorne as crude and unsophisticated. This relationship has an effect upon the nature of the armies dedicated to either god.

While the youngest and least powerful of the Major Chaos Gods, Slaanesh is still a crucial player in the incomprehensible game that they play. Although he cannot hold his own against any one other Chaos God, his support in an alliance is often enough to swing the balance, allowing Slaanesh considerably more influence than his power would otherwise allow.

Cult Symbol and Dress: The symbol of Slaanesh combines the sigil of masculinity and femininity in an unholy fusion that celebrates the Despoiler's hermaphroditic nature. Though prominently featured in their rituals and ceremonies, Slaanesh's Cultists rarely display such damning symbols in public. Rather, they emphasize their decadent character with elaborate jewelery wrought in exotic alien designs and pastel clothing, preferably in pinks, greens, and rich purples.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Slaanesh has few strictures on his followers, other than an unswerving dedication to the pursuit of pleasure and hedonism. The longer a follower worships Slaanesh, the more jaded he becomes, demanding even more disgusting and shocking perversions to stimulate his weary senses. The following are some of Slaanesh's edicts:

• The pursuit of experience is an end in itself. Look beyond that which is safe and customary to know the true pleasures and pains inherent in Slaanesh.

• Glorify Slaanesh by awakening desire in all. Make no distinction between class or station. All are potential children of Slaanesh.

• All pleasure brings honor to Slaanesh. Mind or body, if it advances sensation, do it.

Afterworld: The Marcher Fortress is the domain of Slaanesh, and sits as a testament to his vile, hedonistic whims. The fortress is an unlovely thing, towering high into the sky and wounding the clouds and smoke with its piercing spires. Its walls are crafted from

blackened stone, veined with puking, oozing colors, and mortared with the crushed bones and blood of spent revelers and those that fell in battle against Slaanesh's minions. The Fortress stands in defiant triumph and arrogant pride, mocking Khorne's bloody-handed worshipers. It has repulsed untold assaults upon its darkened walls.

Slaanesh's chosen sycophants cavort and revel in unspeakable acts within the confines of the Fortress. For anyone unlucky enough to find themselves within its walls, the dynamics of the Fortress are a mockery of the genteel and courtly rules found in mortal noble houses. Bread is broken and cups are raised in dripping praise so the Lord of Pleasure, and the charade of courtly behavior reigns in feasts of blood. The Fortress is filled with the constant din of screams - both in pain and pleasure - the cries of lovers and the dying, and the echoing cackling of demons and debased mortals. The interior is exquisitely appointed in the finest of art, silken cushions, and decorated tables filled with all manner of treats and drink.

Temples and Shrines: Seductive in the way that only an immortal being can be, Slaanesh is the Chaos God of pleasure, passion, luxury, art and indulgence. He is the manifestation of all hidden vices, cruel passions, and secret temptations that men hide fearfully in their hearts. This abject lack of restraint, and pursuit of pleasures, lures many mortals to his side, often gathering in places of carnal pleasure to pay homage and praise to their depraved Lord.

Saints and Heroes: The greatest heroes are granted the honor of becoming Champions of Slaanesh; the greatest of these may someday become Demon Princes.

Cult Requirements: None. However, Slaanesh does not permit a cultist to renounce his worship at a later date.

Trials: Trials set by Slaanesh typically involve experiencing new forms of pain or pleasure; the more perverse, the better.

Blessings: Slaanesh rewards those who give in to their whims and passions, who embrace the primal desires of pleasure and pain. Of course, to keep his slaves in check, he makes certain that it takes more acts of greater depravity to bring them to the same heights and lows.

Penances: As with most Chaos Gods, failure means death.

Holy Days: Like all chaos-cults, the Hexenstag and the Geheimnisnacht have a certain importance to the cult of Slaanesh.


Required Cult Advantages: Fearlessness or Unfazeable.

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● CULT OF TZEENTCH ●Description: Tzeentch, the Lord of Change, is the god of sorcery and manipulation. Within the Realm of Chaos his domain covers the chaotic winds of magic, evolution and change, scheming and manipulation of all kinds, mundane as well as arcane. He is known under many other names, among them the Changer of Ways, the Grand Schemer and the Lord of Sorcery, and in the Chaos Wastes he is known as the Great Eagle. In the Age of Reckoning, the Northmen tribes that make up the army of Chaos worship him as the Raven God.

Where Worshiped: While not as numerous or as obvious as the followers of Khorne, Tzeentch nevertheless has a strong and firm hold on the hands and minds of mortals. In fact, many more mortals serve him than are aware of it, his scheming and many names often obscuring the true force behind events.

Mortal worshipers of Tzeentch tend to be sorcerers, wizards, scholars and other educated elites who desire greater knowledge and power. Some of these worshipers become very powerful sorcerers, but Tzeentch has a tendency to mutate his followers, and the highest levels of power are said to be difficult for his followers to reach, as they frequently find themselves mutated into mindless beasts. Those who do attain great power in service of Tzeentch, however, are extremely powerful foes who are often mighty sorcerers as well as great warriors.

Additionally, while Khorne frowns upon sorcery and subtlety in all its forms, Tzeentch has no such qualms about using and manipulating brutish might when it strikes his fancy. As such, while Khorne has no sorcerer followers, Tzeentch assembles armies from all walks of life; anyone who inflicts or incurs great change, in himself or his surroundings, is likely to fall under the gaze of the Lord of Change.

Friends and Enemies: There exists a permanent state of rivalry among the Chaos Lords. Where Tzeentch represents change, evolution and longterm planning, his enemy Nurgle is a god of decay and destruction, opposing all that Tzeentch seeks to build. This relationship has an effect on the nature of the armies that follow Tzeentch. The Chaos God Khorne also has a deep distrust of Tzeentch, and will not allow his followers to become sorcerers. When the armies of Chaos march together for war, it is usually Tzeentch who instigates these brief alliances, for whatever unfathomable goal he happens to have planned.

Cult Symbol and Dress: For obvious reasons, Tzeentch's minions never display their symbol in public; instead, they don robes and bright clothing of blue, pink, puce, and purple, often in subtle combinations, worked into everyday clothing. Given the expense of purple dyes, this allows them to identify each other on sight. In formal ceremonies, they wear garish, patterned robes, celebrating the madness of their master.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Mutable and unpredictable in the extreme, Tzeentch's tenants are difficult to fathom. Despite this, there are some things that Tzeentch continually demands from his followers:

• Change is the only constant in the world. To resist it is to incur the wrath of Tzeentch.

• Magic is the greatest force of change, and a person should study its techniques whenever possible.

• To bring Chaos to a land and its people is to invoke Change. Topple the foundations of law and order whenever and wherever possible.

• Reject old ways and embrace the new at all times.

Afterworld: Tzeentch's home on the Plane of Chaos...

Temples and Shrines: Out-of-the-way places and certain sanctified monoliths in the deep wilderness.

Saints and Heroes: The greatest heroes are granted the honor of becoming Champions of Tzeentch; the greatest of these may someday become Demon Princes.

Cult Requirements: None. However, Tzeentch does not permit a cultist to renounce his worship at a later date.

Trials: Trials set by Tzeentch typically involve acting as agents of change.

Blessings: Tzeentch rewards his followers with gifts of spells or potent items of power; Tzeentchian mutation generally involves some sort of bird-aspect.

Penances: As with most Chaos Gods, failure means death.

Holy Days: Like all chaos-cults, the Hexenstag and the geheimnisnacht have a certain importance to the cult of Tzeentch.


∙ OTHER CHAOS GODS ∙ Minor deities worshiped by the Northmen are countless in number, but most are not named in the background individually.

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∙ DWARVEN ANCESTOR GODS ∙ ● CULT OF GRUNGNI ●

Description: Greater Entity; Dwarfen pantheon; principal Dwarfen ancestor god. Grungni is the god of mining, metalwork, stonework, and underground places. According to Dwarfen lore, Grungni lived during the Time of the Ancestor Gods. It was then that Grungni led the Dwarfs from the perils of the upper world to the safety of the earth. Grungni is also credited with teaching the Dwarfs all the skills for which the race would be famous: smelting of metals, forging of goods, weaponcraft, tunneling, gem cutting, building of vaults, and runesmithing, to name a few. Grungni is portrayed as a male Dwarf, clad entirely in chain mail, with a forked iron-grey beard reaching to the tops of his feet.

Where Worshiped: Grungni is worshiped by Dwarfs throughout the Old World alongside clan ancestors.

Friends and Enemies: Allied with other gods of the Imperial Dwarfen pantheon, Dwarfen Ancestor cults, and the Young God cult of Sigmar. Tolerant respect for Grommo, Old Faith, and Halfling cults. Neutral towards the other Young Gods cults. Antipathy towards Elven cults. Enemies of Dark Children, Humanoid Daemonic, and Chaos cults (especially of Chaos Dwarfs).

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, and Templars identify themselves with the following: the pick (representing the magic tool with which he used to open up the underground world to the Dwarfen people) and a stylized helmeted face with a long forked beard. Priests wear dark grey clothing with a black or silver pick embroided across the chest. Token is a silver pick with Grungni's rune inscribed. Cult token may also be a silver stylized helmeted face set on a disk of jet. Templars of the Order of the Stone Wall may wear their clan's runes, together with Grungni's runes, on plate armor and shield. Runesmiths incorporate Grungni's rune with their personalized trappings.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Always strive to advance the clan's reputation through solid workmanship. Always ensure that tunnels and chambers are structurally sound. Render repair upon any such structure when it becomes unsafe. Always work a mine to extract all ore and valuable stone to enhance the well-being of the clan and race. Never be wasteful of the earth's mineral bounty. Never surrender to Goblins, their kin, nor any other vile creature which pose a threat to clan and race. Never refuse an opportunity to regain control of a Dwarfhold that had fallen to an enemy. Never pass an opportunity to slay Chaos Dwarfs as their continued existence brings dishonor and shame to the race.

Afterworld: The spirit of a deceased Dwarf who follows Grungni and their clan's ancestors will always join the latter. For those who are of the clan of Grungni (e.g., the ruling clan of Karaz-a-Karak) and his clergy, their spirits are destined to join the Shadowrealm of Grungni. There, the spirits enter a gigantic Dwarfhall where ale follows freely and they can continue their life's work (unlike Humans, this is paradise for a Dwarf). The spirit continues work on weapons and armor (that Grungni may place in the hands of living Dwarfs and or Dwarffriends as a Divine Instrument) or the spirit may work on a new Rune of Power (which may be revealed to a worthy Runesmith). As workmanship is of utmost importance to Dwarfs, there are not many of these treasures in the world.

Temples and Shrines: The largest temple of Grungni is naturally located in the center of the Dwarfen race, Karaz-a-Karak. Here is seated the High Priest of Grungni who rules the cult as the High King rules the Imperial Dwarfs. All other temples are subordinate to the High Temple. Temples are located in every Dwarfhold in the Old World and usually take the form of an adjacent hall to the main hall of the Dwarfhold. The temples are dominated by statues of Grungni, usually on either side of a dais upon which stands a throne flanked by two lecterns. Stone pews are arranged in neat rows in front of the dais. Moreover, the walls of the temples are often decorated with scenes depicting Dwarfen life and folklore (see Empire in Flames, page 72 for an example).

In Human cities where there is a sizable population of Dwarfs, underground shrines are erected in honor of Grungni. These shrines are located next to the Dwarfen Engineer Guildhall (see Warhammer City, page 45 for a description).

Saints and Heroes: Heroes of Grungni are usually warriors fighting against overwhelming odds protecting clan and race, or master artisans whose work stand as a monument and a tribute to the Dwarfen race. An example of the former was Ulgar Bloodblade, a warrior of renown during the first coming of Chaos (-4500 I.C.). In his last battle, Ulgar led a company of warriors to protect the rearguard of the Dwarfen army retreating to Karak Kadrin. Ulgar arrayed them into a shield wall, breaking the charge of the advance force of mounted Chaos warriors. In a battle that lasted for six hours, Ulgar and his troops fought with such a fury that over a hundred of Chaos troops fell before the company of Dwarfs were annihilated. Ulgar was the last to fall, but his sacrifice ensured that Karak Kadrin had the time to muster its entire force to withstand the siege. Another hero of Grungni was Mantrin Stoneshaper, architect and master builder of Karaz-a-Karak. Mantrin was an old Dwarf when called upon to build the Great Hall of the High King (-3100 I.C.) and enlarge the underground city. Over the next seventy years, Mantrin led his crew in the construction of structures and monuments that endure without repair to the present and are often viewed as the zenith of Dwarfen construction.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for clan members. Other clan members may join the cult without loss of stature within their own clans. Under no circumstances can anyone other than a Dwarf join the cult.


Requirements for Priest Status: For the first rank, selection in a vision by Grungni. Approval must still be formally granted by the High Priest (who has never disapproved a selection by Grungni). Unlike Clan Elders, any Dwarf selected by Grungni need not be an older, married Dwarf. In fact, younger Dwarfs (50 years old at least) are often selected. All other ranks approved by High Priest.

Requirements for Templar Status: Selection and approval by High Priest and Templar Commander in the Dwarfhold from suitable laymen.

Trials: Trials set by Grungni most often involve clearing fallen Dwarfholds of goblins, their kin, and other vile creatures such as Skaven. Sometimes trials may involve extending an existing Dwarfhold to include newly discovered deposits of ore or a new source of underground water. For few of the cultists, trials may consist of constructing a new shrine or adding a chamber to an existing one.

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Blessings: A one-time bonus or automatic success with Engineer, Prospecting, and Masonry skills. Automatic success with Search tests.

Penances: Cleaning the drinking hall after a Dwarfen festival, cleaning the tools of miners, clearing slag and other waste products from the forges, cutting one half of one's beard.

Holy Days: Major festivals dedicated to Grungni are held every hundred days (33 Pflugzeit, 33 Vorgeheim, 33 Brauzeit, and 33 Vorhexen on the Imperial calendars). Nine lesser festivals are held between the major days at intervals of ten days.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Earth, Enchantment, Healing, Making and Breaking, Meta-Spells.

Special Careers: Order of the Stone Wall: Founded during the first coming of Chaos (-4500 I.C.), the Templars of the Order of the Stone Wall embody the virtues of precise execution of orders, standing fast in the face of onslaught, and never faltering in battle. The image of a solid wall of warriors breaking a charging enemy is seen as a model of Dwarfen determination in battle.Required Skills: Templars of the Stone Wall must learn the Axe/Mace and Flail skills. They almost never take the Riding skill.

Favored Cult Skills: Axe/Mace, Armoury, Carousing, Cartography, Connoisseur, Engineer, Expert (Numismatics), History (Dwarf), Jewler, Law (Dwarf), Masonry, Metallurgy, Navigation, Professional (Brewer), Prospecting, Public Speaking, Rune Lore, Smith, Traps.

Favored Cult Advantages: Acute Hearing, Languages (Secret: Battle), Magic Resistance, Striking ST, Unusual Background (Runesmith).


● CULT OF VALAYA ●Description: Wife and sister of both Grungni and Grimnir, Valaya is the goddess of the hearth, healing, and brewing; the founder of many Dwarfholds (including Karaz-a-Karak and Karak Eight Peaks); and the protector of the Dwarf race. She is also credited with establishing the Dwarf culture and inventing their runic script. When Grungni prophesied the coming of Chaos, Valaya devised a special rune to protect the Dwarfs and their underground shelters from the hostile magic inherent in the warp matter.

Valaya is depicted as the archetypal Dwarf woman with long, braided hair reaching down to her feet. She is normally shown wearing chain mail over a purple gown, and carrying a rune-axe named Kradskonti (“Peacegiver”).

Where Worshiped: Valaya is worshiped by Dwarfs throughout the Old World, both in her capacity as protector of home and clan – indeed as protector of the Dwarven Realm - but also in her aspect as the Goddess of Truth and Memory - in this aspect she is especially venerated by the Lore Masters, and the Dwarven Kings, Warlords and Leaders, who will often have a Priestess as their advisor.

Friends and Enemies: The cult of Valaya is on friendly terms with the rest of the Dwarven pantheon. It is on neutral with most of the Human pantheon, except for the cult of Verena, with whom there exists very good relations. As a Cult of the Protector of the Dwarven Realm, it is violently hostile towards any and all enemies of the Dwarfs.

Cult Symbols and Dress: The symbol of Valaya is of course the Rune of Valaya, known as the Valnazdel, a somewhat primitive Rune from The Lost Age, but it never the less holds a multitude of values and terms. Which of course is consistent with the fact that the Goddess embraces a vast area of importance for the Dwarfs.

The Priestesses of Valaya wears a gold necklace with her Rune carved into the tooth of some mythical beast.

A book is also associated with Valaya, as she and her followers are keepers of the Book of Remembering, a fabled book wherein it is said that all the events in the World is written from the distant past to the present. The writings are held by the Dwarfs as something akin to the ultimate truth, and the Priestesses of Valaya hold immense power as they are considered to be speaking the Truth of the Ages – yet another aspect of the Dwarven worship of the Past as the foundation of the future, something which can also be found in the Ancestor Worship.

Each temple of Valaya holds its own version of this book, containing all the events ever recorded by the Priestesses of that particular temple.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: The cult of Valaya is open to all adult Dwarfs of both genders, however, the Priestesses of cult are mainly female. These seem generally more devout and rigorous in their studies, whereas the male followers take care of the other aspects of the cults everyday life.

All Initiates, and Priestesses of Valaya must abide the following strictures:

• Always provide aid to a wounded or ailing Dwarf.• Always assist a Dwarf-friend in need.• Always attend to the needs of the young.• Always protect fellow Dwarfs from harm, especially at the

hands of a Dwarf enemy.• Never allow Dwarf ale to fall in the hands of enemies, unless

to do so saves Dwarf lives.• Never knowingly sell or otherwise distribute spoiled ale.

Afterworld: After death the spirit is incorporated into the clan spirit, existing partly as an individual ghost-like awareness and partly as a collective expression of the clan spirit. Individual ancestral spirits may be summoned out of the collective spirit to serve as advisors and guardians for the clan. The collective spirit expresses itself in the spiritual manifestations of the clan’s most distinguished and honored ancestors, or in the physical manifestation of the Living Ancestor, a dwarf who renounces his individual personality and becomes a willing host through which the ancestral spirits may express themselves.

Temples and Shrines: The temples to Valaya is to be found in every Dwarven stronghold and every major city where there is a Dwarven presence. Carvings of ancient times decorate the walls of the temples, and an air of all things past and present permeates the

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temples. A massive fireplace is always to be found, and in this burns the Fire Eternal, where all Dwarfs can find rest and home. A statue of the Goddess is usually placed in the same room as the fireplace, acting as the natural center of the room. The Room of the Ages is also a vital part of any temple; here the library is, but more importantly, this is where the Book of Remembering is kept! Mighty volumes containing records and wisdom of the age.

Saints and Heroes: Each clan has its favored ancestral heroes who exemplify the qualities of the clan. Most respected is the Founder, who is established in myth and legend as a being of almost supernatural wisdom, skill, and strength of character. It is worth noting that one clan’s honored Founder is often regarded by another clan as a great villain or fool. For example, Thorgils the Handsome, Founder of the Thorgils clan famed for its skill in diplomacy and legal dispute, is referred to as Thorgils the Peacock by many other clans who claim to have been cheated and betrayed by Thorgils' close-dealing in the ancient conflicts that established the Thorgils clan as dynastic rulers of the city of Karak-Kadrin. It is traditional to extol the virtues of one’s own clan ancestors while politely deprecating the qualities of another clan's heroes; such clan-boosting is usually tolerated with good humor if delivered in the proper spirit, but arrogant boasting or sly and rude mockery of another clan’s ancestral heroes may result in the bitter and protracted inter-clan feuds of Dwarven culture.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for offspring of cultists. Impossible to be adopted into a clan or to join an ancestral cult unless born to the clan. A respected outsider may occasionally be accorded honorary status of clanmember, but no layman's benefits or obligations are received.

Requirements for Initiate Status: Typically is or has been married, and has raised an offspring to "coming of age." Exceptional younger, unmarried exemplars of the clan's qualities are occasionally elected to initiate status by the cult ancestors. Granting of the Seek Shrine prayer is acknowledged as a sign of a Calling. (GM: Unless a player intends to play his character as an exaggerated paragon of his cult’s virtues, he ought not be permitted an Initiate career unless his dwarf has been married and raised children – that is, unless he is a very, very sober and upstanding dwarf.)

Requirements for Priest Status: Called by the ancestral spirits to become an Elder.

Trials: Trials of Valaya will invariably be connected with one of her aspects, and could include restoring an old library, seeking out knowledge in fallen strongholds, protecting a settlement or stronghold from destruction, or simply acting as a mediator in a troubled home, and restoring peace to it.

Blessings: Skills favored by Valaya are Cartography, Cryptography, Occultism (Daemon Lore), Heraldry, History, Law, Public Speaking, Rune Lore, and Theology. Favored Tests are IQ and Will, as well as bonuses to these.

Penances: The offending cultist is given some task to perform or trial to endure to atone for his sin and prove himself worthy of the clan. Trials may include:

• Dream-Guilt: the offending cultist is troubled with terrible dreams, and unable to rest or sleep.

• Shaming: the offending cultist's beard and head may be shaved, he loses cult benefits, and he must endure regular

public criticism for a period of time or until he performs a service or passes a test to prove his worthiness).

• Ostracization: the offending cultist may not speak or be spoken to until he has atoned for his sin).

• Exile: the offending cultist is exiled from the clan until he has atoned for his sin.

Holy Days: Valaya is worshiped in the small every day, as many Dwarfs say a short prayer to her before dinner, thanking her for another day and asking her to bless their meals and homes.

A celebration of her is held at the end of every month, where the Dwarfs gather in her temples and ask her to bless them and protect the Dwarven race from its enemies. After these solemn rituals end, the gathered Dwarfs will celebrate yet another month with good food, good drink and the companionship of their fellow Dwarfs.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Communication, Healing, Knowledge, Meta-Spells, Protection. May also cast Banish (Necromancy).

Special Careers: Nil

Favored Cult Skills: Cartography, Cryptography, Occultism (Daemon Lore), Heraldry, History, Law, Public Speaking, Rune Lore, and Theology.

Favored Cult Advantages: Language (Arcane Dwarf), Empathy, True Faith (Turning, +65%).


● CULT OF GRIMNIR ●Description: According to the legends, Grimnir the Fearless protected the Dwarven people on their ancient migration to the Worlds Edge Mountains. He fought Ice Giants, huge Trolls, Dragons and bands of marauding Goblinoids without ever flinching or stepping back once. It was due to this legendary Dwarf and the courage he inspired in those who traveled with him that so many Dwarfs made it to the safety of the Worlds Edge Mountains and did not give up on the way or were killed by the monsters and other obstacles threatening the safe fare of the Dwarfs. Grimnir represents the undaunted courage and fearlessness of the Dwarven race. Some Troll Slayers and Giant Slayers venerate the courage and cool mastery of Grimnir over the rage and uncontrolled frenzy of Bragni, and paint Grimnir's Rune on their bare flesh with their blood to fill them with courage before a mighty deed. Dwarven guards in the dark beneath the World wear headbands with his Rune inscribed upon it and some have it cleverly put amongst the other ornament of their panoply. It is said that the chanting of his name will give a Dwarf who doubts himself the resolution and courage needed for the job before him.

Grimnir is portrayed as a young muscular and yet agile male Dwarf who wears a suit of armor forged from Gromril and Dragon scales and very the hides of the beasts he has slain as protection against the cold. He usually is shown as a cheerfully smiling or yelling individual with a large and Well-kept beard. With one hand he waves forward with his mighty Rune covered warhammer that displays the Rune of Grimnir on the center of the head. The other hand holds a helmet formed in the shape of a Dragon's head and inserted with the teeth of such where the jaw is on the helmet. The entire figure radiates confidence, valor and good spirit. Grimnir is usually standing on a pile of bodies and severed heads from the monsters he has slain to protect his race.

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Where Worshiped: Grimnir is worshiped throughout the World, where there is courageous Dwarven warriors. But he is especially venerated in the Dwarven strongholds, which are under constant siege from enemy forces.

Friends and Enemies: The cult of Grimnir is on friendly terms with the rest of the Dwarven pantheon. Some connection is known to exist between the cult of Grimnir and that of Bragni, for even though some competition exists between the two cults, their Clerics and followers have aided each other time and time again over the course of Dwarven history. Otherwise the cult has very little to do with the Gods of other races. It is of course violently hostile towards the enemies of the Dwarven race.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Grimnir's symbol is that of Courage (Grimna) and the Dwarven word for courage has been derived from Grimnir's own name. Another symbol is that of a skull crossed by a hammer. A symbol also connected to Grimnir, but usually only used by older Dwarfs, is that of a shining star. The reason for this has been lost over the millennia and it is theorized that it is the star of courage shining as an example for all to follow, or perhaps it is a beacon of light for those who dare anything to overcome the obstacles in their way.

Grimnir's Clerics wear a white or light blue robe with the symbol of Grimnir embroidered in silver thread or white thread with a black outline. Some also wear the symbol of the skull and the hammer, or that of the shining star, in a steel chain around their neck. The oldest and highest positioned Clerics usually wear symbols and chains of pure Gromril to state their social position.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: All Initiates, Clerics and followers of Grimnir must abide the following strictures:

• Never surrender to Goblins and their kin. • Never surrender to anyone less worthy than yourself. • Never back away from any chance to participate in heroic

deeds and similar situations where you can prove your courage. Unless your actions directly endangers other Dwarfs or persons under your protection.

• Always strive to better your personal achievements. • Never break your word


Temples and Shrines: Every Dwarfhold where there are warriors present will have a Temple of Grimnir. Of course the largest and most impressive of the temples will be found in the strongholds of the Worlds Edge Mountains. In small Dwarven communities, such as there exists in almost every large Human city, the temple is usually situated near the oldest and the best of the Dwarven warriors. If a Cleric of Grimnir is present, he is of course given the honor of upholding the Temple of Grimnir. It is not unknown for

the Temple to be situated in the home of a City Dwarf, where it can be assembled and made ready for use within a short period of time. The temple is built in a rectangular shape, depicting that of a warhammer.

Saints and Heroes: Each clan has its favored ancestral heroes who exemplify the qualities of the clan. Most respected is the Founder, who is established in myth and legend as a being of almost supernatural wisdom, skill, and strength of character. It is worth noting that one clan’s honored Founder is often regarded by another clan as a great villain or fool. For example, Thorgils the Handsome, Founder of the Thorgils clan famed for its skill in diplomacy and legal dispute, is referred to as Thorgils the Peacock by many other clans who claim to have been cheated and betrayed by Thorgils' close-dealing in the ancient conflicts that established the Thorgils clan as dynastic rulers of the city of Karak-Kadrin. It is traditional to extol the virtues of one’s own clan ancestors while politely deprecating the qualities of another clan's heroes; such clan-boosting is usually tolerated with good humor if delivered in the proper spirit, but arrogant boasting or sly and rude mockery of another clan’s ancestral heroes may result in the bitter and protracted inter-clan feuds of Dwarven culture...

Cult Requirements: The cult of Grimnir is open to any Dwarf who is ready to laugh in the face of danger and spit into the face of Death. Even the Slayers who are normally considered outcasts are accepted into this cult. Generally speaking, the followers of Grimnir are all warriors of some sort and the bulk of his worshipers are associated with the trade of war in some way or another.

Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for offspring of cultists. Impossible to be adopted into a clan or to join an ancestral cult unless born to the clan. A respected outsider may occasionally be accorded honorary status of clanmember, but no layman's benefits or obligations are received.



Trials: Trials usually include feats of great courage, hunting down a beastman that is attacking the locals or hunting down a raiding party. Also undertaking tasks which one would not normally, climbing a high mountain if one was afraid of heights and so on.

Blessings: A bonus to Will and Fear checks may be granted to faithful clergy.



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• Shaming: the offending cultist's beard and head may be shaved, he loses cult benefits, and he must endure regular public criticism for a period of time or until he performs a service or passes a test to prove his worthiness).



Holy Days: A small festival is held in Grimnir's honor on the 24th day of the 3rd month, which is believed to have been the day Grimnir and his fellow Dwarfs first saw the majestic pinnacles of the Worlds Edge Mountains. On this day, all Initiates and Clerics will travel to Karaz-A-Karak to gather in the main temple of Grimnir. Here they will listen to tales and legends for the entire day, from sunset to sundown. When the sun disappears ale, wine and women are brought forth and they drink, dance, eat and enjoy the general merrymaking till the next morning.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Earth, Healing, Meta-Spells, Mind Control, Protection.


Favored Cult Skills: Shield, Weapon skills.

Favored Cult Advantages: Combat Reflexes, Fearlessness.


● CULT OF GRONRHUN ●Description: According to the legends, Gronrhun was the first Dwarven Smith and thereby the Ancestor of all craftsmen. He is said to have invented some of the Runic signs and especially those engraved upon weapons and armor to strengthen them. Gronrhun represents a very beloved part of Dwarven society, namely that of craftsmanship - the ability to make even a petty tool of death like a dagger appear as a work of art. Gronrhun is the Ancestor and patron of the Smiths, the Rune Smiths, the Gem and Stone Carvers and anything else traditionally connected with craftsmanship. Even ordinary Dwarven Smiths will chant his name while making a particularly beautiful piece of work. It is said to give the work before the Smith, the strength to endure the onslaught of time.

Gronrhun is portrayed as a broad muscular male Dwarf, clad in heavy leather boots and trousers and wearing only the apron of the Smith on his upper body. His huge fists are covered by heavy metal gauntlets and he holds a small hammer used for fine work in one hand and the heavy hammer of the Blacksmith in the other. Gronrhun's skin is usually sodden from the hours spend in front of the furnace, as is his wild-growing white beard. He usually stands in front of an anvil.

Where Worshiped: Gronrhun is worshiped throughout the World, were ever there is a Dwarven craftsman the worship of Gronrhun is also present.

Friends and Enemies: The cult of Gronrhun is on friendly terms with the rest of the Dwarven pantheon. Some connection is known to exist between the cult of Gronrhun and that of Mórr, but otherwise the cult has very little to do with the gods of other races. It is of course violently hostile towards the enemies of the Dwarven race.

Cult Symbols and Dress: The two Dwarven words have actually been derived from Gronrhun's own name. But a small and a large hammer crossed is also used. Sometimes a black Raven is associated with Gronrhun and on old paintings of him, it can be seen to sit near

the anvil following his work closely. Some have theorized that the Raven is a messenger from Mórr, overseeing the tools of death created by Gronrhun. Whatever the reason black Ravens can sometimes be found near both Clerics of Gronrhun but also near any Dwarven Smith or Craftsman. Some have even been accepted as personal pets by several such Dwarfs.

Gronrhun's Clerics wear a black robe with short sleeves, so one can see the heavy metal gauntlets they wear on their hands. Gronrhun's symbol is engraved on the left breast of their robe in pure silver and some also wears the symbol of the hammers in a heavy chain around their neck.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: All Initiates, Clerics and followers of Gronrhun must abide the following strictures:

• Never craft anything using less than your full range of abilities (unless the customer is someone for which you hold a grudge).

• Never engage in a piece of work if Your soul is not in it. • Never suffer the company of persons who work solely for

profit, letting their craft suffer. • Never surrender to Goblins and their kin.


Temples and Shrines: Every Dwarfhold in the Old World wherein a craftsman is present, there will be a Temple of Gronrhun. Of course the Dwarven strongholds have the largest and most magnificently made Temples, but smaller ones also exist. In small communities, the Temple is usually situated near the oldest and best craftsman. It is build in the form of a forge, with the altar shaped in the form of an Anvil.

Saints and Heroes: Each clan has its favored ancestral heroes who exemplify the qualities of the clan. Most respected is the Founder, who is established in myth and legend as a being of almost supernatural wisdom, skill, and strength of character. It is worth noting that one clan’s honored Founder is often regarded by another clan as a great villain or fool. For example, Thorgils the Handsome, Founder of the Thorgils clan famed for its skill in diplomacy and legal dispute, is referred to as Thorgils the Peacock by many other clans who claim to have been cheated and betrayed by Thorgils' close-dealing in the ancient conflicts that established the Thorgils clan as dynastic rulers of the city of Karak-Kadrin. It is traditional to extol the virtues of one’s own clan ancestors while politely deprecating the qualities of another clan's heroes; such clan-boosting is usually tolerated with good humor if delivered in the proper spirit, but arrogant boasting or sly and rude mockery of another clan’s ancestral heroes may result in the bitter and protracted inter-clan feuds of Dwarven culture..

Cult Requirements: The cult of Gronrhun is open to any Dwarf with a trade normally associated with craftsmanship. This means Blacksmiths, Runesmiths, Armorers, Engravers, Jewelers, Stonemasons and so on. Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for offspring of cultists.

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Impossible to be adopted into a clan or to join an ancestral cult unless born to the clan. A respected outsider may occasionally be accorded honorary status of clanmember, but no layman's benefits or obligations are received.



Trials: A trial set by Gronrhun will often involve the crafting of some particularly difficult item, restoring and/or repairing an ancient artifact or the construction of a new temple or simply reworking an old one.

Blessings: Skills favored by Gronrhun are Expert (Dwarven Runes), Jewler, Metallurgy, Rune Lore, Smith, and Masonry. Favored Tests are Construction and Search.






Holy Days: A small festival is held on the 11th day of the 11th month, which is believed to have been the day Gronrhun was born. On this day all the craftsmen will gather in the Temple of Gronrhun where they sit from sunset to sundown meditating on the art of their trade in honor of their Ancestor. When the sun disappears, ale and food will be brought forth and they will eat, drink and dance to the next morning.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Earth, Enchantment, Fire, Making and Breaking, Meta-Spells.


Favored Cult Skills: Expert (Dwarven Runes), Jewler, Metallurgy, Rune Lore, Smith, and Masonry.

Favored Cult Advantages: Striking ST.


● CULT OF MORNGRIM ●Description: Morngrim represents the ideals of dwarven conflict, and unlike the human god Ulric, he is no berserker. Morngrim is the stone and steel that stands strong against all enemies and fells them with decisive blows. He represents resilience and stubborn determination, along with the dwarven tactics and technology of war. He appears as a dwarf of average height but brutally broad, with flesh of stone and eyes of steel, clad in plate armor and wielding an axe and huge shield.

Where Worshiped: Morngrim is worshiped by dwarfs throughout the Old World, but primarily those in the ancient dwarfholds.

Friends and Enemies: The cult is on friendly terms with the dwarven pantheon. It has little to do with others but is closest to Myrmidia. The cult is very hostile to the natural enemies of dwarfs and chaos dwarfs.

Cult Symbols and Dress: The symbol of Morngrim is a clenched fist of stone. This design is worn as a carved pendant, by his clerics. They wear flint gray robes with crimson hoods. His symbol is engraved on and armor they wear.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: All initiates and clerics of Morngrim must adhere by the following strictures:

• Never surrender to the goblins or their kin

• Never give up in the face of adversity

• Never suffer a chaos dwarf to live

• Never compromise your honor


Temples and Shrines: Every Dwarfhold in the Old World has a temple dedicated to Morngrim. Most dwarven settlements have shrines.


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Cult Requirements: Initiates and clerics of Morngrim must have followed at least one military career (including sapper, artillerist etc) and will continue to serve during their clerical career.

Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for offspring of cultists. Impossible to be adopted into a clan or to join an ancestral cult unless born to the clan. A respected outsider may occasionally be accorded honorary status of clanmember, but no layman's benefits or obligations are received.



Trials: Trials set by Morngrim are always of a military nature, and often involve the annihilation of chaos dwarfs, and the retaking of a fallen Dwarfhold.

Blessings: Favored tests include Fear and Will checks. A blessing might take the form of an HT or Will increase.






Holy Days: The holy days of Morngrim commemorate major battles.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Earth, Healing, Meta-Spells, Movement, Protection.


Favored Cult Skills: Axe/Mace, Disarm (maneuver), Flail, Thrown Weapon, Pistol, Musket and Polearm.

Favored Cult Advantages: Striking ST, Strike to Injure and Strike to Stun.


● CULT OF THRORIN ●Description: Throrin was a renowned warlord around the time Karaz-a-Karak was established as Imperial Dwarf capital (3,000 years before the time of Sigmar). For some long forgotten reason, Throrin was dishonored and disgraced. Unwittingly, he established the ritual which future dishonored Dwarfs would follow and became the first Troll Slayer. After surviving as a Troll Slayer, Throrin set his sights on larger prey and thus became a Giant Slayer. Again, honorable death was elusive. As a penance, Throrin established the scarring ritual which would launch all future Dragon and Daemon Slayers. He inflicted wounds upon himself and set his sights on still deadlier prey.Thus, he ventured forward as the first Dragon Slayer. After he destroyed the marauding Dragon, Glammendring, Throrin gathered a host of Troll and Giant Slayers. Many Dwarfs had been disgraced during the wars which established Dwarfholds and mines in the Worlds Edge Mountains.Throrin led them to the Chaos Wastes where he hoped to find death. According to legend, Throrin led his dwindling host through the Chaos Wastes for many years, slaughtering whatever Chaos warbands they chanced upon. Finally, Throrin, now Daemon Slayer, and his remaining warband located the Demonic Prince Kragen’ome’nanthal, scion of Khorne. Legend has it that a titanic battle ensued. It went on for three days. In the end, collapsing and bleeding from many wounds, Throrin landed a killing blow on Kragen’ome’nanthal, thereby incurring the wrath of Khorne. As he raised his double-bladed axe in defiance of the newly arrived and oncoming Khornate horde, Throrin was set upon his feet by none other than Grungni. The dwarven God bade the remaining Troll and Giant Slayers to depart the Chaos Wastes in honor of Throrin the Slayer with their own honor restored. Both Grungni and Throrin then waded into the horde, slaying all in their path. The restored Dwarfs returned to their lands, reciting the tales and singing the praises of Grungni and Throrin the Slayer. Throrin is known to be a large, muscular Dwarf with the tattoos, spiked orange hair, ritualized scarring, and wearing exotic jewelry typical of a Dragon or Daemon Slayer. He is normally clad in chain mail and armed with a double-bladed axe forged from Adamantine and named (in the Human tongue of Old Worlder) “Waraxe of Doom”.

Where Worshiped: Throrin is worshiped by all Dwarf Slayers throughout the Old World. Otherwise, Throrin is honored by all other Dwarfs, specially those in the Dwarfholds.

Friends and Enemies: The cult of Throrin is on friendly terms with all Dwarf ancestors, and especially with the cult of Grungni. It has little to do with other races, but is respectful to that of Sigmar (due to the honor Dwarfs in general have for the human deliverer of their race). The cult is hostile to all enemies of the Dwarf race.

Cult Symbols and Dress: Throrin’s main symbol is that of a double-bladed axe. This also happens to be one of the favorite weapons of dwarven Slayers.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: The only stricture of the cult is that all Dwarf Slayers must engage in any combat where the chances of honorable death are favorable, especially if against unfavorable odds. Any cowardice in the face of such combat further dishonors and disgraces the Slayer.

Afterworld: After death the spirit is incorporated into the clan spirit, existing partly as an individual ghost-like awareness and partly as a collective expression of the clan spirit. Individual ancestral spirits may be summoned out of the collective spirit toserve as advisors and guardians for the clan. The collective spirit

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expresses itself in the spiritual manifestations of the clan’s most distinguished and honored ancestors, or in the physical manifestation of the Living Ancestor, a dwarf who renounces his individual personality and becomes a willing host through which the ancestral spirits may express themselves.

Temples and Shrines: There are no temples dedicated to Throrin as there are no clerics to his cult. Instead, his followers privately honor him wherever they wander.


Cult Requirements: The cult is only open to Dwarfs who have found their disgrace such that honorable death is denied them.

Trials: Throrin does not ask of anything less of his followers other than redemption of their own honor. As this usually equates to their death, any other trial would not have a further effect.

Blessings: A temporary increase to a Weapon Skill, Initiative, or Will are the most frequent blessings. Other blessings include automatic success on favorable skills such as Occultism (Daemon Lore), Tracking and Shadowing.

Penances: Throrin does not ask of anything less of his followers other than redemption of their own honor. As this usually equates to their death, any other trial would not have a further effect.

Holy Days: There are no festivals to Throrin.

Allowed Spell Colleges: Throrin does not honor any of his followers with magical abilities. Only their combat skills matter.


Favored Cult Skills: Followers of Throrin are able to access those skills listed under their career descriptions.

Favored Cult Advantages: Followers of Throrin are able to access those advantages listed under their career descriptions.


∙ ELVEN PANTHEON ∙ Please note that not all groups of Elves worship all Gods. For more information see Elf Philosophy.

● CULT OF ADAMNAN-NA-BRIONHA ●Description: According to the Elf Songs, Adamnan-Na-Brionha was born in the mists before the dawn of time, of a union between the forces of Sound and Motion. The Wardancers hold that he is The First Being, whose dance structures the universe. He is also known as The First and The Lord of the Dance.

Adamnan-Na-Brionha reflects two seemingly contradictory aspects of life -- the joy of dance and the fury of righteous slaying. He appears as a mighty elf, whose left-hand side is slender and graceful, and whose right hand side shows the massive muscles of the mighty warrior. His face is also split between an expression of transcendent bliss and one of eye-popping fury.

The Wardancers believe that it is their fusion of war and dance that provides the earthly interpretation of their divine patron's cosmic manifestation.

Symbol: A flute held in a clenched fist symbolizes Adamnan. Devotees of the Lord of the Dance usually adopt one of the flamboyant Wardancer hairstyles, and in addition must wear the deity’s symbol either as a pendant or a pair of earrings. Their left ear holds a tiny flute, often worked in silver, while the right is home to a clenched fist, usually worked in gold. Wardancers wear typical Wood Elf garb in inclement weather, but prefer to travel and fight with bare upper torso and legs.

Area of Worship: Revered by Wood Elves in the Old World, worshipped primarily by the fanatic minority called Wardancers.

Temples: The organized trappings of most religions are alien to these free-living elves, and formal temples are not used. Adamnan is to be worshipped in the heart, not tied to any one place. Like other Wood Elf cults, however, cultists respect the groves, stone circles, megaliths, barrows, and other ground sacred to the Old Faith.

Friends and Enemies: Followers of Adamnan are on good terms with those who worship the rest of the Wood Elf pantheon, and have a generally positive (if condescending) attitude towards the Old Faith and the cults of Taal and Rhya. They also get on reasonbly well with followers of Ranald.

Other Human cults are generally ignored, and the Dwarven pantheon is regarded with a certain amount of amusements.

Traditional racial enemies - especially goblinoids - are regarded with contempt and hatred, as a kind of vermin to be destroyed at every opportunity.

Holy Days: Specific dates hold little meaning for cultists; there are no specific holy days. Events and actions are important, hence dancing, rightful slaying, training, and testing and initiation of new Wardancers are all held to be sacred events when performed with the proper spirit and attitudes. For those versed in the higher mysteries of Adamnan, each action, no matter how trivial, forms part of the Dance of Life, and every new experience is to be savored as of equal significance, regardless of the apparent drama or tedium of the experience.

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Cult Requirements: This cult only allows Wood Elves with at least one level of Wardancer Rank. Skill: Theology.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines:• Always enter combat with joy and righteous anger and

fight with athletic elegance.

• Never kill in a mean-spirited, cowardly, or inelegant fashion.

Colleges of Magic: Air, Animal, Healing, Movement, Sound.

Trials: Typically involve dealing with creatures that has shown disrespect for the honor of the Elf race - for example, goblinoids encroaching into a Wood Elf forest, or Human woodcutters daring to invade the deeper forests to cut down the lornalim trees. The style and spirit in which a trial is undertaken is at least as important as the outcome.

● CULT OF ASURYAN ●Description: Asuryan is the everburning phoenix, the god of rebirth, renewal and new beginnings, as well as patron of the Elven race. It might seem strange to outsiders that a race so long lived as the elves would revere a deity of rebirth, but that comes of a shallow understanding of the minds and ways of the elves, who see their long lives as a continual series of rebirths and recognize a constant need for renewal to prevent stagnation. The difficulty of these two principles for the elves and their importance to remaining sane for hundreds of years ensure his role in the Elven pantheon. He represents perseverance and continuing to grow (be reborn) through adversity (seen as a death of the old self). As the phoenix is consumed in its own flames, so it grows whole and new again. Asuryan is regarded as the king of the Elven pantheon, with Lileath as the queen. He is the vigilant, paternal defender of their ‘children’ the elves, so he is also something of a war god, albeit not as important in that role as Khaela Mensha Khaine. Lileath is both partner and sometime rival of sorts to Asuryan, in a typically Elven complicated relationship.

Symbol: Asuryan has many symbols, as could be expected from his Elven followers. His primary symbols are the everburning pyramid, the phoenix and the Eye of Asuryan, a stylized eye with radiating lines. Others include the sacred white flame in his main shrine, which has never gone out. The mystic Eye of Asuryan represents eternity and renewal. His priests wear white, the color of purity and death in conjunction with red in symbolism of life and fire. Their vestments are trimmed in scarlet and white feathers.

Area of Worship & Temples: Asuryan is worshipped throughout Ulthuan’s kingdoms, especially the mercantile center of Lothern and in Caledor. His greatest shrine is upon the Inner Sea, south of the Isle of the Dead. Nearly all of his shrines are white pyramids in its likeness. This island temple is protected by the silent ranks of the Phoenix Guard. Runes, glyphs and reliefs invariably adorn the interiors. The Phoenix King of Ulthuan is crowned at the great island pyramid during a weeklong ceremony after the previous king has been dead for one year.

Friends & Enemies: The cult of Asuryan is friendly with most of the Elven pantheon, though links with Khaine and Lileath are often strained. It must be noted that the difficulty with Lileath arises mainly out of the political ambitions of their followers rather than

vast animosity between the deities in question. Of course his greatest foe is the Chaos god Slaanesh, who is so intimately tied to the moral weaknesses of the Elven race and who so nearly brought them to destruction.

Holy Days: The Equinoxes and the Solstices are the primary holy days to Asuryan. The first days of the seasons, particularly of the Season of Rain (being the first day of the Elven year), are also sacred.

Cult Requirements: The cult of Asuryan is open to all adult Elves. There are a few Men among his followers of late though never as Clerics. This last has largely come to pass through the instrumentality of Gunderit.

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: None, but his followers must oppose Chaos and its myriad servants.

Spell Use: Air, Animal, Healing, Fire, Meta-Spells.

Favored Cult Skills: Astronomy, Fortune-Telling, Occultism (Daemon Lore), First Aid or Rune Lore.

Favored Cult Advantages: Precognition.

Trials: Trials set by the Phoenix almost invariably involve the preservation of the beleaguered Elven race in the face of chaos or their fallen brethren. Of course, the trial will be commensurate with the priest’s ability.

Blessings: To a Mage-Priest of Asuryan that has performed undeniably well a blessing might take the form of a temporary increase to the preist's Charisma advantage or Will score. Favoured tests include Leadership, IQ, Fear or Will checks.

Penances: Punishments may include the temporary decrease in any of the three 'mental' characteristics.

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● CULT OF ISHA ●Description: Isha is the goddess of the harvest and is worshipped by most farmers throughout Ulthuan, but is also seen as the goddess of fertility or Earth Mother. The farmers often give offerings to her temples in the hope of a good harvest. She is a merciful god who lends succour to those in need of it.

Isha is commonly depicted as a gloriously beautiful young elf woman with immeasurably long, golden ponytails flowing about her. She is the daughter of Asuryan and Lileath.

Symbol: Isha's symbols are the leaf of the lornalim or a great oak, a pinecone, or a white tree covered in silver leaves. Her Initiates and Priests wear simple woollen robes with one or more of these symbols sewn into the hems, carved into their staffs, or on the straps of their satchels containing healing herbs.

Area of Worship and Temples: There are no temples to Isha as such but some elves have small shrines dedicated to her in their houses. Her worship is most popular among Wood Elves not least because she is the wife of Kurnous the Hunter and is immersed in their theological histories.

Holy Days: Isha's main festive days are the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice as they are associated with the awakening of plants from their winter slumber and the fullness of life in the forest.

Cult Requirements: Any Wood Elf may venerate Isha, especially when they are engaged in activities such as harvesting fruit and berries, clearing the forest floor of debris, and planting seedlings.

Distiguishing Priciples and Doctrines: Initiates and Priests of Isha must abide by the following strictures:

• Reverence for the bounty of the earth, the miracle of life.

• Respect and honour for family and kin.

• Defend the woodland realm from any who would destroy, defile, and corrupt it.

• Aid any kin less fortunate, especially the elderly.

• Take from the woodland realm what is needed, but do not despoil.

Spell Use: Earth, Healing, Meta-Spells, Plant, Water.

Favored Cult Skills: Animal Handling, Fortune-Telling, First-Aid, Physician, Herb Lore, Naturalist, and Pharmacy (herbal base only).

Favored Cult Advantages: Resistance (Immunity to Disease), Oracle.

Trials: Trials set by Isha typically involve caring for the parts of the forest ravaged by those who have despoiled its beauty and working to restore areas blighted by pestilence, whether natural (plague of locusts) or otherwise (malevolent sorcery).

Blessings: Skills favoured by Isha include all curative skills (such as First-Aid, Physician, or Herb Lore) and some medicinal (Pharmacy with herbal bases). Favoured test are mainly IQ and Will checks made in situations where knowledge of and empathy for the woodlands and its enchanted inhabitants are needed.

Religious Orders: Isha's Tree Templars are knights devoted to Isha and regard the whole forest as her temple. Consequently, they regard all intrusion as a defilement and regularly make forays into the outer reaches of the forest to discourage any intruders. They are elite cavalry troops and are under the command of Tuisich-Novasmair al Isha.

● CULT OF KAELA MENSHA KHAINE ●Description: Kháine is the dread Lord of Murder - the patron of assassins and murderers - and God of the Undead. It is said that he is jealous of his elder brother Mórr's rulership over the world of the dead. Kháine steals the souls of those unprotected by a cult and those murdered or sacrificed in his name. With these souls he builds his own dark realm, a realm from where Necromancers call forth some of the Undead spirits.

Kháine is depicted as a grotesque, squatting demonic being with a huge, leering fanged mouth, a great horned head, and four arms, each holding a bloody dagger. He also wears a necklace of innumerable skulls. Kháine is an insane god worshipped either by murderous men or would-be Necromancers eager to wield the powers Kháine offers in return for service. Kháine is generous to those who add to his dark realm with offerings of blood and murdered souls.

Symbol: Kháine’s symbols are a scorpion poised to strike and a human bone carved in the likeness of Kháine. In secret rituals and ceremonies, Initiates and Clerics wear black robes or other outer garments trimmed with red and yellow, and elaborate masks depicting the horned, fang-jawed face of Kháine. Additionally, they bear staves carved from human bone which feature the fanged skull motif.

Area of Worship: A secret cult proscribed and actively persecuted in the Old World and Araby. The cult of Kháine originally found followers in ancient Nehekhara which worshipped a large pantheon of decadent gods. Kháine is still worshipped openly in isolated areas in the Badlands and the Dark Lands. Worship in the Old World is rare and followers remain few.

Temples: There are no obvious temples nor shrines to Kháine in the Old World or Araby. Instead, his worship is pursued in secret temples and shrines hidden in basements, caves, remote areas, etc. There is no common architecture to these places of worship, except for blood stained altar before a statue of Kháine. Participants in ceremonies and rituals take mind- altering drugs which facilitate communion with the Lord of Murder and Undeath. Primarily, these rituals consist of consecrating souls in ritual sacrifices to Kháine. In other cases, these rituals may be conducted as a petition to Kháine to grant participants Unlife so they can better serve his will.

Friends and Enemies: Friends to no one, not even to the Chaos cults as the cult of Kháine tends to be treacherous, unpredictable, and highly unreliable. Eternal enemy of cults of Old World, Mórr and Ormazd in particular.

Holy Days: Kháine has no holy days. Kháine will always accept a soul dedicated to him. If the sacrifice pleases Kháine, he may bestow a blessing. At times, Initiates and Clerics may be directed by Kháine to undertake more aggressive programs of murder and assassination or more ritual sacrifices. Failure to perform to Kháine’s pleasure will usually result in an insanity point or two. After all, his followers may be able to perform better if a little more unhinged.

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Cult Requirements: None. However, Kháine does not permit cultist to renounce his worship at a later date. Any attempt to do so guarantees a horrific death which sends the soul to his dark realm for eternal torture. Skill: Theology.

Distiguishing Priciples and Doctrines: • Serve Kháine by feeding his power through sacrifice and

populate his dark realm.• Never permit an opponent to live as their deaths--

preferably as a ritualized sacrifice-- better serve Kháine.• By advancing his cause and performing required tasks, one

will can power and eternal (un)life.• Failure to perform a task requires a death, even one's own,

to atone for that failure.• Those souls populating Kháine’s dark realm may be called

forth to perform specific tasks in the Land of the Living. These tasks must involve additional deaths so that Kháine’s cause is advanced.

Spell Use: Body Control, Knowledge, Light and Darkness, Movement, Necromancy.

Favored Cult Skills: 2H Axe/Mace or Broadsword, Flail, Interrogation, Intimidation, Poisons.

Favored Cult Advantages: Striking ST, Strike to Injure.

Trials: Trials set by Kháine typically involve the capture and ritualistic murder of a cult enemy.

Blessings: A blessing may take the form of a temporary increase in Weapon Skill or ST.

Penances: A punishment may take the form of a temporary, or even permanent, decrease in Weapon Skill, ST, HT or Will.

● CULT OF KURNOUS ●Description: Said by some Human theologians to be an aspect of Taal, the Old Worlder god of nature and wild places, Kurnous is one of the major deities of the Wood Elf pantheon, being the master of the forest animals among which Wood Elves live. He is the patron of Beastfriends, and is worshipped by some Elven Scouts and Hunters.

Kurnous is normally portrayed as a composite being, over ten feet tall, with an Elven body but the head and tail of a stag. It is said that he can also take the form of any forest creature at will.

Symbol: Like Taal, Kurnous is represented by a stag's head with branching antlers. Mage-Priests of Kurnous dress in the same way as other Elves.

Temples: The whole of the forest is Kurnous' temple: wherever his beasts wander, he is present. However, there are places which are more special to his worship than others: certain natural clearings, rocks, trees and so on. A Wood Elf automatically recognises these places: members of other races cannot. Elves will almost always try to keep other races away from holy ground.

Friends and Enemies: Followers of Kurnous are generally well-disposed to other Wood Elves, and to those of other races who follow Taal, Rhya and the Old Faith. They do, however, maintain that Taal is a combination of a number of Wood Elven deities

including Kurnous, rather than Kurnous being an aspect of Taal. By and large, followers of Kurnous are indifferent to followers of other Old World deities, and they regard the cults of Chaos and the deities of the Goblinoids with unremitting hatred.

Holy Days: Kurnous has two main holy days; the middle of spring, when food becomes plentiful and young are born, and the middle of autumn, when all species must prepare themselves for the coming winter. The dates of these festivals are not fixed in the Imperial Calendar, but are calculated from various natural signs by a method set down in Elven tradition, so they vary from year to year.

Cult Requirements: Any Wood Elf may follow Kurnous.

Strictures: All followers of Kurnous must keep the following strictures:

• Never harm an animal except in self-defence or for food (since Elven hunts are always followed by great feasts, hunting is acceptable).

• Never allow an animal to be harmed, except in similar circumstances.

• Do everything in your power to force Goblinoids, Beastmen and Chaos mutants out of the forest.

Spell Use: Animal, Earth, Healing, Meta-Spells, Plant.

Favored Cult Skills: Animal Handlimg, Naturalist, Riding, Tracking.

Favored Cult Advantages: Animal Empathy, Outdoorsman, Plant Empathy.

Trials: Trials set by Kurnous always involve the defence of the forest and its animals. This can involve driving away those who threaten animals, ranging from a lone Human trapper to a Goblinoid or Chaos warband. In rare cases, a trial might be to relieve the suffering of animals - by freeing animals captured for pit-fights, for instance. The latter kind of trial has led to a certain amount of conflict with Humans in the past, but entertainments such as bear-baiting are less common than they once were, and Humans increasingly regard them as barbaric and unnecessary.

Blessings: Favoured test are IQ or Will checks made in circumstances when animals are closely involved. On rare occasions, a one-shot use of Animal Handling skill may be granted.

Penances: Punishments, as usual, will generally be the reverse effects of blessings, but Kurnous may also inflict a character with the curse of Animal Aversion.

● CULT OF LIADRIEL ●Description: Outside the Earth Mother, Liadriel is the major deity of the Wood Elves and the patron of music, poetry, dancing, and wine. Liadriel is androgynous, combining traits both male and female, and appears as an Elf of surpassing beauty with a slight smile. Liadriel always carries a lute and a wineskin.

Symbol: Priests, and Winecrafters identify themselves with the following symbols: lute and wineskin, cup, and vine leaves with grapes. Priests wear green hooded robes which are richly embroidered in gold thread. The embroidery represent a variety of symbols including vine leaves, musical instruments, fruit, and so on. Token is a gold lute with a purple amethyst gem embedded in the

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center. Cult tokens may also be wineskins, cups, vine leaves, and other musical instruments. Winecrafters wear forest colors in their clothing, which is embroidered with silver thread depicting grapes and vines.

Area of Worship: Liadriel is worshiped throughout the Old World by Wood Elven musicians, troubadours, and the like. Many of the Wood Elves living outside their forest homes (i.e., in the world of Humans) tend to worship Liadriel, as do some of the Human Minstrels. Liadriel is sometimes identified by Humans with a number of minor Human deities. Some of these include Deanosus, god of wine and the vineyards, and Panasia, goddess of the arts.

Temples: There are no shrines nor temple organization for the cult of Liadriel. Such things are foreign to the Elven mind. Instead, areas of natural bliss, such as peaceful meadows, waterfalls, or the shade of a mighty oak, serve as a place for peaceful contemplation.

Friends and Enemies: Allied with other divine Wood Elf entity and hero cults. Respect and reverence for the Old Faith. Friendly to Halfling cults. Indifference towards Young Gods and other Human cults. Patronizing contempt for Dwarven cults. Enemies of Dark Children, Humanoid Daemonic, and Chaos cults.

Holy Days: Conventional holy days in the Human sense have no meaning to the cult of Liadriel. The deity is worshiped whenever Wood Elves sing or drink, which is quite frequently. Great feasts and wild celebrations are held on the night of every new moon in honor of Liadriel (the largest of these take place on Hexenstag and Geheimnistag). It is debatable whether these constitute anything more than a feast in which Liadriel is honored as oppose to a holy day.

Cult Prerequisites: Automatic for the children of cultists and any adult Wood Elf who wishes to join. Human applicants are subject to review and approval by a priest. Skill: Theology.

Vows: • Always savor the joys of life and the bounties of the

vineyard.

• Keep the spirit alive through music, dance, and wine.

• Look at life through its beauty and the poetry of the heart. The darker side of life can be brightened by song and verse.

• Use whatever gifts you possess to share life's wonderments to other less fortunate individuals.

Colleges of Magic: Healing, Movement, Plant, Sound, Water.

Trials: Liadriel does not normally set trials for his/her cultists. There are occasions, however, where Liadriel considered that the petitioning cleric did not perform in a manner that is consistent with his/her principles. In such cases, the cleric may need to undergo a period of time where Liadriel will scrutinize their performance.

● CULT OF LILEATH ●Description: Lileath is also sometimes known as the Maiden. She is the Goddess of Dreams and Fortune and is a popular deity amongst the High Elves of Ulthuan. Lileath is supposed to be the giver of dreams to all Elves; those that have pleased her receive pleasurable dreams whereas those that have upset her receive nightmares. She is chiefly worshipped by Elven seers and soothsayers.

Lileath the Maiden is portrayed as a gloriously beautiful Elven maiden with pure white, flowing garments of shiny gossamer and in her right hand she carries the Staff of Lileath. The goddess is also sometimes depicted as having beautiful white wings like an angel.

Symbol: The most popular symbol depicted is that of a winged Elven angel. Sometimes the angel holds two knives above her head. Mage-Priests of Lileath wear robes of white and grey in varying shades.

Temples: Temples to Lileath are always magnificent in design and construction. Although many of them follow the typical High Elven design some take the form of pyramids and cannot be distinguished from temples of Asuryan. When one walks into a temple of Lileath he is struck by the smell of burning incense. This is meant to symbolise the dreams of Lileath and some even claim that those of pure heart can see into the future by looking into the smoking curls of incense.

Spell Use: Healing, Illusion, Knowledge, Meta-Spells, Mind Control.

Favored Cult Skills: These include Astronomy, Fortune-Telling and Herb Lore.

Favored Cult Advantages: Luck, Oracle.

Trials: Lileath does not set trials as such.

Blessings: Lileath may grant a character the ability to re-roll any one failed result. She may also boost a character's Magery or Power Investiture by +1, or even beyond for a short period of time. Favoured tests include IQ and Willpower.

● CULT OF MATHLANN ●Description: Mathlann, like Kurnous God of the Hunt, is known in the Old World. Old Worlders who follow Manann say that Mathlann is but an aspect of their god. But he is worshipped in sufficient numbers, mainly by Sea Elves, to have equal status to any Old World deity. He is the God of the Storms.

Mathlann is commonly portrayed as an angry god. He wears a giant seashell for a crown, one of great beauty and intricacy, and wears a fine suit of scale armour, which is decorated with fin-like protrusions. In his right hand he carries a trident.

Symbol: The favoured symbol of Mathlann is a stylised trident or a shell design in varying levels of detail and intricacy. The Cult's Mage-Priests wear robes of varying shades of blue and green sometimes trimmed with golden wave patterns.

Temples: Mathlann is the favoured deity of Sea Elves and all of its temples lie on the coasts. The Elf quarter of Marienburg has a temple to Mathlann as does all of the major coastal cities of Ulthuan. The greatest temple of the God of the Storms lies in the capital of Ulthuan itself, the city of Lothern in the kingdom of Eataine.

Cult Requirements: Although Mathlann is a Sea Elf god he is revered by both High Elf and Wood Elf societies. Any of the three Elven kindreds may follow Mathlann.

Spell Use: Air, Healing, Meta-Spells, Water, Weather.

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Favored Cult Skills: Astronomy, Engineer (Ship Building), Fishing, Navigation and Shiphandling. The Swimming skill is required of all priests.

Trials: Mathlann usually sets very hazardous trails to anyone that has upset him, this usually involves crossing the Sea of Claws in winter or the sometimes treacherous Inner Sea of Ulthuan.

Blessings: There are no particularly favoured skill or attribute tests, although Risk tests taken while at sea may receive a bonus.

● CULT OF MORAI-HEG ●Description: Morai-Heg is also known as the Crone and is the keeper of all Elven souls. It is said that she keeps the fates of mortals in a skin rune pouch and at her behest she may grant an Elven soul to enter the world of the living again. It is believed that Morai-Heg knows every mortal secret.

Morai-Heg is portrayed as a whithered creature clad in tatty robes. Her worship is probably the least popular among the Elves of Ulthuan. Outside Elvenkind the Crone is almost unknown although there are certain followers of Morr, the Old World God of Death, that have heard of her and respect her.

Symbol: Morei-Heg is symbolised by a gnarled staff and pouch. Mage-Priests of the Crone typically wear dark brown to black robes and carrying bent and gnarled staffs. Higher level Mage-Priests also have small pouches, as the symbol of fates of mortals, dangling from the top of the staff.

Temples: There are no true temples of Morei-heg although the palaces and castles of High Elf nobles will often contain a shrine dedicated to the Crone. The shrines themselves are nothing special and usually contain large bowls of smouldering coal.

Friends and Enemies: Followers of Morei-Heg are on friendly terms with most other Elven gods but tend to dislike followers of Lileath who feel that they unnecessarily invade their role as seers and diviners for the Elven race. But this dislike never turns to open hostility. However, followers of Morei-Heg hate the followers of Khaine and will seek to destroy them wherever they are to be found.

Spell Use: Knowledge, Light and Darkness, Meta-Spells, Necromancy, Protection.

Favored Cult Skills: Fortune-Telling, Occultism (Undead), and Rune Lore.

Favored Cult Advantages: Language (Necromantic Magic), Magical Awareness, Night Vision and Oracle.

Trials: Trails set by Morei-Heg usually involve destroying the followers of Khaine and Undead creatures. How powerful the opponent should depend on the mastery level of the Mage-Priest; an Initiate won't last long against a group of Dark Elves.

Blessings: Favoured tests include IQ, Fear and Magic.

Penances: Punishments may take the form of temporary, or even permanent, blindness or the loss of a useful skill.

● CULT OF TOROTHAL●Description: Torothal is the goddess of rain and rivers and is principally a Wood Elf deity and little known outside their woodland realms except by some Human woodsmen and trappers. Torothal is said to bring rain and control the currents courses of rivers. It is said that when the rivers rage and flow strong Torothal is angry.

Torothal is often portrayed as a very young and beautiful Elven woman. Sometimes she is given fish scale patterns on her skin. It is said that Torothal can assume the form of any fish or river-dwelling creature and can also become a rain cloud at will.

Symbol: Torothal's symbols are stylised designs of rain clouds and wave emblems to symbolise her as patron of rivers. Mage-Priests of Torothal do not wear any special attire and are clad in the normal clothes of Wood Elf society.

Area of Worship: Torothal is almost entirely a Wood Elf deity and is worshipped in all the main woodland realms. However, there are some Human fishermen and boatmen that worship the river goddess believing that she will provide them with plentiful fish and calm riverboat journeys.

Temples: There are no temples to Torothal. However, there are certain holy places dear to her devout followers and these tend to be very special rivers and lakes or areas in the woodland realms that are especially wet due to incessant rainfall and showers.

Holy Days: Days that are special to Mage-Priests of Torothal are endless periods of rain or the rainy months.

Cult Requirements: Any Wood Elf may follow Torothal.

Spell Use: Air, Animal, Meta-Spells, Water, Weather.

Skills: Boating, Expert (Dowsing), Fishing, Herb Lore, Navigation, Survival, Swimming and Traps.

Trials: Those favoured by Torothal inevitably involve conquering the elements and the natural world. A favoured trial is to swim a raging river or to catch a big fish.

Blessings: Favoured tests are Risk (typically involving swimming or boating) and Perception.

Penances: A punishment may involve a character being struck with fear of water or being unable to swim.

● CULT OF VAUL ●Description: Vaul is the Elven god of smithing and metallurgy. It is said that before the creation of the world Vaul rescured Isha and Kurnous from the dungeons of Khaine by promising the War God one hundred swords. When the time came to complete the bargain Vaul had finished ninety nine blades, but made up the shortfall with an ordinary mortal blade. By this means he deceived Khaine for long enough to free the captive god and goddess. This was the beginning of the long struggle between Khaine and Vaul which is called the War in Heaven. Vaul forged the final blade, the sword that he had failed to finish for Khaine, and he made it the mightiest sword of all. He called it Anaris (Tar-Eltharin: dawnlight), and with this weapon he did battle with Khaine. The fight was long and Vaul did Khaine much hurt until the War God overpowered him and left him crippled. Khaine then chained Vaul to his own anvil with chains of iron and War in Heaven was won by the war god.

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Vaul is commonly depicted chained to his anvil as was his fate at the hands of Khaine after the War in Heaven. At other times he may be portrayed as a noble High Elf smithy carrying a hammer.

Symbol: Vaul's symbols are those of the hammer and anvil. Mage-Priests of Vaul do not wear any special attire though they will proudly bear the sigils and symbols of their god.

Area of Worship: Vaul is not especially known outside Ulthuan though most Elves will know of the Cult's existence. The smithy god's worship is usually confined to High Elf armourers and weaponsmiths although some High Elves view Vaul more than a mere smithy, lending his worship to stonemasons and other artisans.

Temples: The main temple to Vaul, if it can be called that, is Vaul's Anvil in the High Elf kingdom of Caledor in Ulthuan. It is where the mightiest weapons are forged and where the most indomitable armours are fashioned. All High Elf forges contain a shrine dedicated to the smithy god.

Spell Use: Earth, Healing, Light and Darkness, Making and Breaking, Meta-Spells.

Cult Requirements: In order to be accepted into the cult of Vaul as an Initiate a character must be an Elf and must have at least one of the following skills: Engineer, Jewler, Metallurgy, Prospecting, Smith or Masonry.

Favored Cult Skills: Engineer, Jewler, Metallurgy, Prospecting, Smith or Masonry.

Trials: A trail set by Vaul may involve constructing something such as a building, weapon or suit of armour. As always the measure of task should be determined by the level of the Mage-Priest who has offended the god.

Blessings: Favoured tests are Construction, Perception and Search.

Penances: A likely punishment may involve the temporary loss of a construction skill.

● OTHER ELVEN GODS ● Hoeth: The elven god of wisdom and learning. High Elves visit the White Tower of Hoeth to learn High Magic (Magery 4). The tower itself is protected by a monastic order known as the Swordmasters of Hoeth.

Loec: God of trickery, the dance, vengeance and shadows.

Athari: Goddess of Displesure and indulgence.

Helkari: Goddess of Dark magic.

Ereth Khial: Goddess of the Underworld second to Asuryan.

Ellinill: Many faced God of Destrution.

Nethu: Guard of the Underworld and son of Ereth Khial.

Anath Raema: Goddess of the Savage Hunt.

∙ HALFLING PANTHEON ∙ ● CULT OF ESMERALDA ●

Description: Esmeralda is the halfling patron of hearth and home. In Halfling lore, it is Esmeralda who gave the gift of cookery to Halflings. Normally, Esmeralda is depicted as a plump and matronly Halfling with a perpetual smile and wearing a flour-covered apron.

Symbol: Esmeralda’s symbol is a triangle over a horizontal line, representing the home and also the flame rising from the hearth. Clerics wear ceremonial aprons with this symbol.

Area of Worship: Esmeralda is worshiped by Halflings throughout the Old World. She is particularly venerated by those Halflings who are employed by Humans as cooks.

Temples: Typical for Halfling cults, the cult of Esmeralda has no shrine, temples, nor organizational structure as such.

Instead, Esmeralda is venerated in any kitchen where a Halfling works. Commonly, a small statuette of her is kept in a prominent place in the kitchen, such as a mantle-shelf. This placement enables Esmeralda to "see" the running of the kitchen and ensuring that dishes do not spoil.

Friends and Enemies: Friendly with all other Halfling cults and the cult of the Earth Mother. Good relations with the cults of the Young Gods and Elder Races. Revulsion towards the Dark Children, Humanoid Demonic, and Chaos cults.

Holy Days: The main festival to Esmeralda is Pie Week (1 - 8 Erntezeit on the Imperial calendar) in which the fruit harvest is celebrated. The week is spent making (and eating) pies, puddings, cakes, and jams. So absorbed are Halflings in the festivities that it is nearly impossible to get them to do anything else during this festival.

Prerequisites: The cult is open to all Halflings. Skill: Cooking, Theology.

Vows:• Always provide food to the hungry.• Only use cooking utensils to prepare meals and desserts,

never for any other use.• Ale must be enjoyed to its fullest, watered down is not

acceptable.• A minimum of three square meals must be eaten each day.• Always relax after a meal, strenuous activity is not

conducive to proper digestion.

Colleges of Magic: Animal, Food, Healing, Plant, and Water.

Trials: Trials set by Esmeralda generally involve great feats of cooking or obtaining rare and exotic ingredients.

∙ OTHER GODS ∙ Hashut: God of the Chaos Dwarfs.

The Horned Rat: God of the Skaven.

The Great Maw: God of the Ogres.

Gork and Mork: The Greenskin Gods of Brutal Cunning and Cunning Brutality respectively.

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Chapter VII: HerbloreChapter VII: Herblore

∙ HERBS OF THE OLD WORLD ∙ Name: The names listed are the most common name for the herb, however names may vary from region to region in the Old World.Availability: The Availability indicates the rarity of the herb, and how difficult it is to find or purchase. This number is subtracted from a characters Naturalist skill when trying to locate the herb. Also listed is the Time of year during which the herb is in bloom or usually found. When a player wishes to cultivate an herb, she must succeed in a roll against her Naturalist skill with a penalty to the roll equal to the Availability rating. If the character tries to find an herb in a season other than that listed, the Availability: rating is tripled. If the character tries to find an herb in a similar Locale: to that listed, then the Availability rating is increased by 1. If the Locale: is completely different than that listed, then finding the herb is impossible. The base Time: required finding a particular herb during the correct season and in the correct Locale: is 1d minutes multiplied by the Availability rating, using the same modifiers as for cultivating the herb.Locale: The Locale: is the environment where the herb typically grows. Price: The Price listed is only used when a character attempts to purchase herbs. The listed Price is indicative of when the herb is in season. Out of season herbs cost at least three times the listed Price. Selling herbs usually go for half the listed Price: when in season. Selling herbs out of season should fetch the listed Price.

Application: There are four methods of applying herbs:

Brew: The herb must be stood in boiling water for 1d minutes and then drunk.Ingest: The herb is to be eaten. This is a standard action.Inhale: The herb must be immersed in boiling water and the fumes inhaled. The Time: required to do this varies. A fire or other heat source must be available to boil water. Then the herb must be inhaled for at least one minute.Smear: The herb is made into an ointment or poultice, which is applied to the injured part. This is a standard action.Time: Herbs typically need to be dried, mixed as a tonic, blended into a poultice, etc. No special equipment (other than maybe a pestle and mortar) is required. The time listed represents the how long is required to prepare the herb. Whenever the preparation time is more than one day, this means that the Herb must be left to dry, ferment, or brew, etc. During this time the herbalist is free to leave and do as she wishes. At the end of this time a successful Herb Lore skill allows means the work was successful.Dosage: The Dosage: is the minimum Time: that must elapse before a second dose may be administered. Failure to observe this requirement means that subsequent doses have no Effect, and a period of twice this length must elapse before another dose will have any Effect.Effect: The listed Effect: of each herb will vary.Description: This is the physical description of the herb.Expiration: Once prepared, the herb will remain Effect:ive for a certain period of Time:. The expiration is a # of days or weeks that the herb will retain its potency. This should be determined when the herb is prepared and noted for future reference. Remember that in there are eight days in an Imperial week.

● Alfunas ●Availability: -2 (Summer & Autumn)Locale: Coniferous Forest. Reik Wald and Drak WaldPrice: 1GC 5/-Application: SmearTime: 2 weeksDosage: 24 hours

Effect: Characters recover from wounds more quickly when under the Effect:s of this herbal paste. When smeared on the wounded area before a character rests, they receive a +5 to the their HT roll normally allowed for Natural Recover (B p. 24) A success on the roll also allows the character to recovers 2 HP instead of the typical 1.

Description: A common weed.

Expiration: 2d+20 days

● Black Hove ●Availability: -7 (Summer)Locale: Grasslands. Mostly found near MarienburgPrice: 125GCApplication: BrewTime: 2 monthsDosage: 3 weeks

Effect: Black Hove is plant created from magic. Aberrations, Magical Beasts and Dragons, as well as Divine and Arcane spellcasters sense a 'dark-magical 'presence when they come within 100 feet of Black Hove Animals shun it for unexplained reasons.

Black Hove was created by a High priest of the Pleasure Cult before it was outlawed in Ulthuan. The priest fled to the Old World, but was hunted down and duly slain. Before his death he managed to plant a few dark seeds in a small area of marshland near Marienburg. It has since thrived and expanded. Rumor speaks of new strands of this plant appearing as far away as the Zombie Swamps, but no proof has been presented.

There is a dark side to Black Hove however; it is addictive and causes severe side effects to the imbiber. For 1d hours after drinking a Black Hove brew, a person suffers the equivalent of a Disorient spell (GURPS: Magic p. 135). When this wears off, the caster begins to experience a 1d hour 'high' granting a +5 to all spells! After the 'high' comes the depression. The character suffers 2d points of FP and must make a successful HT roll to avoid craving more, failure results in permanent loss of 1 point of Willpower, thus leading to the path of addiction.

Description: Brought to the Old World by elves from Ulthuan, in elven called Saelisath, meaning "dark one". It is an entirely black flower, with dark green leaves and stalk. It smells of rot, yet tastes of mint.


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Chapter VII: Herblore

● Capt'ns Heart ●Availability: -2 (Autumn)Locale: Grasslands. Near Magritta, Remas & Toboro. Plentiful in SaratosaPrice: 5GCApplication: BrewTime: 1 weekDosage: 3 DaysEffect: It was once believed that the heart shaped flowers of Capt'ns Heart were beneficial for the heart. Even today some doctors and Wise-Women still prescribe Capt'ns Heart for heart problems as well as sleeping disorders. Centuries ago, Captn's Heart was discovered by Druids who noticed it's calming effect on agitated animals. Even today it is used on wounded animals to keep them calm and still while they are being healed. On humans, Elves, and Halflings, it has much the same effect. Drinking an infusion of dried Capt'ns Heart petals induces drowsiness. Anyone consuming an entire mug of this tea suffers -3 to all ST, DX, IQ, and HT. A successful HT roll lowers the penalty to -1. Attributes recover at the rate of 1 per hour for each attribute.

Description: A small red flowering plant. The flowers resemble a human heart.


● Dwarf Mallow ●Availability: -1 (Spring & Summer)Locale: Marsh or Swamp. Blighted Marshes, Zombie Swamps, The Wasteland.Price: 3GC 10/-Application: SmearTime: 1 minuteDosage: Daily

Effect: Dwarf Mallow flowers, when crushed and mixed with honey and salt into a poultice, will relieve the pain of insect bites and bee stings. In addition the crushed flower may be mixed with oil and smothered onto the body in which case, no insects will approach for 1d +1 hours.

Description: This small plant has a single primary stem from which other, shorter stems ending either with leaves or with small pink flowers.

Expiration: 1d +1days

● Earth Root ●Availability: -3 (Summer)Locale: Grasslands. Stirland, Mootland, Averland.Price: 25GCApplication: IngestTime: 3 weeksDosage: Daily

Effect: This herb is an Effect:ive treatment for Black Plague (see WFRP, p82) Each day that the patient ingests a dose of Earth Root, She receives a +2 modifier to HT rolls when recovering from or resisting the contagion of disease or plague (B p. 442).

Description: An unassuming weed bearing bring pink flowers.


● Foxtoryll ●Availability: -2 (Spring)Locale: Mountains. Grey Mountains, Black MountainsPrice: 25GCApplication: SmearTime: 3 weeksDosage: 3 days

Effect: Applying Faxtoryll to a wounded character stops all bleeding immediately and restores 1 hit point. This takes one second and does not require a roll. If the patient requires surgery or additional healing, it will keep her in a stable condition for up to 48 hours.

Description: A long stemmed plant that bears small green berries.


● Fingers of Sarriel ●Availability: -3 (Spring & Summer)Locale: River Banks. Skull River, Howling River, Blood River.Price: 125GCApplication: IngestTime: 30 secondsDosage: 2 days

Effect: These bright red fungi grow only along rivers and are usually found in shady places such as under bridges, or dense foliage. Anyone ingesting Fingers of Sarriel will fall into a deep sleep (resist with a HT roll-1). During this 2d hour slumber, a character experiences a number of hallucinations and/or dreams of a quite horrific nature. They are often violent and full of blood shed. Shortly before awakening, a person actually dreams of their own death, in which case they must succeed another HT roll or die.

Description: Fingers of Sarriel are long narrow mushrooms that grow to a height of two or three inches. Usually found in clusters of three to five stalks, Fingers of Sarriel are bright red in color and usually covered with a thin layer of clear, sticky slime.

Expiration: 1d days

● Gesundheit ●Availability: -2 (Winter & Spring)Locale: Forest. Reik Wald, Great Forest, Drak Wald.Price: 37GC 10/-Application: SmearTime: 2 weeksDosage: Daily

Effect: Geusundheit is an excellent herb to use on diseases. When applied to the infected area, a character is entitled an extra HT roll each day to recover. It also grants a +3 bonus to the roll.

Description: Expiration: 2d+20 days

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●Hawkweed ●Availability: -4 (Spring, Summer, & Autumn)Locale: Any ForestPrice: 25 GCApplication: SmearTime: 2 weeksDosage: 2 days

Effect: This herb is used to make eye drops which enhance eyesight for 1d minutes. A character can see twice as far.

Description: Hawkweed has oval leaves, covered with small hairs on the underside, and green on the top. These leaves surround the plant at the base of the stem, and small yellow flowers tinged with red at the tips.


● Ice Fern ●Availability: -5 (Winter)Locale: Snow covered Mountains. Grey Mountains, Black MountainsPrice: 300 GCApplication: SmearTime: 1 hourDosage: 2 Days

Effect: When the frigid, white leaves of Ice Fern are properly mixed with a bit of snow, brought to a boil, then allowed to cool, the result is a creamy poultice. Rubbing this cream on the skin will have a warming effect, granting the recipient the equivalent of Temperature Tolerance 5 towards cold (B p. 93). This effect lasts for 2d+12 hours.

Description: If Ice Fern were not completely white in coloration, it would resemble many other Old World ferns. Found usually in shaded areas high in the Grey or Black Mountains, Ice Fern is quite rare and delicate. In bright light the fern appears almost crystalline. Although it is difficult to transport an entire plant by digging out the snow-covered roots, many have been successful. Some say that the Wood Elves have used the plant to keep food cold. Ice Fern absorbs heat, rather than sulight. The temperature in a 1 yard radius around the plant is always 20 degrees lower than it would be otherwise. At a 2 yards from the plant the temperature is 10 degrees lower, and at 3 yards it is 5 degrees lower. Multipule plants in the same area multiply the cooling effect.


● Jinab ●Availability: -1 (Summer & Autumn)Locale: Forest & JunglePrice: 1 GC 5/-Application: IngestTime: 1 hourDosage: Daily for up to 1 week

Effect: The chocolate-brown bark of this fast-growing tree, may be eaten daily to allow a person to remain awake for up to one week, without need for sleep. When the character ceases to ingest Jinab daily, she will collapse from her postponed exhaustion. She will then sleep for 1/2 the number of days she previously remained awake. When the slumber wears off, the character will awaken in heavy and lethargic daze, with 1 FP, and recovers normally.

Description: A small dark tree.

Expiration: 1d4+1 days

● Karnoswort ●Availability: -1 (Autumn, Winter & Spring)Locale: Coniferous Forest. Reikwald, Drak Wald, & Forest of Shadows.Price: 25 GCApplication: IngestTime: 2 weeksDosage: 1 week

Effect: Ingesting Karnoswort causes a character to loose all sense of feeling. It numbs her nerves and grants her the benefits of High Pain Threshold (B p. 59) The effect lasts for 1d+1 hours.


● Lecampane ●Availability: -1 (Winter & Spring)Locale: Forest. Great Forest, Laurenlorn, Chalon, Loren, Reik Wald, Drak Wald.Price: 2 GC 10/-Application: IngestTime: 10 secondsDosage: Daily

Effect: When eaten, Lecampane causes the recipient to vomit. This is useful in removing ingested poisons from the system. The root must be eaten within 1 minute of ingesting poison to avoid the initial damage or within 10 minutes to avoid the delayed or cyclic poisons. Lecampane leaves the recipient weak after they vomit causing to loose 1d+2 FP. For this reason it may be used as a mildly debilitating poison.

Description: Lecampane has a thick root, with leaves that are white on the bottom and green on top, as well as showy yellow flowers.

Expiration: 1d+1days

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● Myrmidiwort ●Availability: -3 (Spring & Summer)Locale: Grassland & Forest. Stirland, Mootland, Great Forest & Forest of Shadows.Price: 12 GC 10/-Application: SmearTime: 3 daysDosage: Daily

Effect: When the spear-shaped thorns of Myrmidiwart are ground up and mixed with a bit of sap from a pine tree, a sticky black poultice is the result. This poultice, when smeared on the skin, grants a 1d-3 DR. This effect lasts for 1 hour but the dark stain left on the skin slowly fades over the period of a week.

Description: Mymidiwart is a small thorny bush which grows well in full sunlight. The thorns of the bush resemble small white spears which is perhaps the reason it was named for the goddess of War.


● Nightshade ●Availability: -3 (Autumn)Locale: Coniferous Forest. Reik wald, DrakwaldPrice: 15/-Application: IngestTime: 4 weeksDosage: Daily

Effect: 1 hour after consuming a dose of Nightshade, a character must make a successful HT roll or fall into a deep sleep lasting 1d +3 hours. The sleep is peaceful, beautiful, and luxurious. Nightshade is highly addictive. See Addictions.


● Orhya Weed ●Availability: -1 (Spring & Summer)Locale: Mixed Forest. The Forest of Shadows, Reik Wald, & The Great Forest.Price: 2 GC 10/-Application: IngestTime: 1 hourDosage: 1 month

Effect: Women throughout he Empire revere this unassuming dark-green weed for its contraceptive properties. Several leaves of Orhya Weed are boiled for an hour or two and then drunk as a tea. Men are usually not informed of the teas properties. For this reason mothers often teach their daughters calling it Orhya's Secret. A properly prepared Orhya Weed brew will prevent conception with 95% accuracy for a duration of 3-4 weeks.

Description: Expiration: 1d days

● Purple Butterhat ●Availability: -1 (Autumn & Winter)Locale: Coniferous Forest. Drak WaldPrice: 10/-Application: IngestTime: 1 dayDosage: DailyEffect: Purple Butterhat has no Effect: on any of the four races (Human, Elf, Dwarf or Halfling), but it has a great Effect: on horses (inc. mules, ponies etc). The animal in question simply becomes "inactive" for 10 minutes. When the ten minute inactivity ends, the poison in the mushroom causes the animal to become hyper-active; not a pleasant experience for any rider. (-5 to riding checks)

Description: Expiration: 1d days

● Quagwort ●Availability: -1 (Spring & Summer)Locale: Marsh, Bog, or SwampPrice: 18 GC 15/-Application: IngestTime: 3 weeksDosage: 2 days

Effect: Ingesting a properly formulated poultice of Quagwort will cause a character to suddenly fall asleep in 2d6 minutes, unaware that they have been poisoned. A successful HT roll will double the number of minutes before the sleep takes hold of the victim and they also become aware that they have been poisoned. The character will sleep for 1d+1 hours. Upon awakening the character forgets everything that transpired 1d+30 minutes prior to ingesting Quagwort.

Description: A smelly weed that resembles the male genitalia.


● Randald s Delight’ ●Availability: -2 (Winter & Spring)Locale: Grasslands. The Moot, StirlandPrice: 5/-Application: InhaleTime: 2 weeksDosage: 1 day

Effect: When the dried flowers of this plant are rolled, then smoked, a potent stimulant and aphrodisiac is the result. A character smoking Randald’s Delight will become much more overt, and receives a temporary +1 bonus to reaction rolls. The effects of this charming herb last for 1d hours. Randald’s Delight is addictive.

Description: Smells great!


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● Salwort ●Availability: -1 (Autumn & Winter)Locale: Mixed Forest. Reikwald, Great Forest, Drak Wald.Price: 18 GC 15/-Application: InhaleTime: 2 weeksDosage: 12 hoursEffect: Holding a dried sprig of this herb beneath the nostrils of a stunned, sleeping, or unconscious character will bring her around more quickly. The person inhaling Salwort gains a +3 to HT rolls involving stun or unconsciousness and the benefits of the Recovery advantage (B p. 80) for 1 hour. While heavily wounded characters might awaken, those with negative FP or HP must still take the Do Nothing maneuver, else risk lapsing back into unconsciousness. Description:Expiration: 2d+20 days

● Sigmafoil ●Availability: -2 (Summer & Autumn)Locale: Marsh, Bog, or Swamp.Price: 1 GC 5/-Application: Smear or InhaleTime: 1 weekDosage: DailyEffect: Anyone using Sigmafoil while tending to a wounded patient receives a +3 to First Aid rolls. If the First Aid roll is successful, the patient also recovers 1d HP instead of the usual 1d-2.Description:Expiration: 1d8+10 days

● Speckled Rustwort ●Availability: -4 (Spring)Locale: HillsPrice: 2 GC 10/-Application: IngestTime: 4 weeksDosage: DailyEffect: Speckled Rustwort is a common treatment for Red Pox (WFRP, p83). Provided the patient receives one dose per day as long as the disease lasts, the period of illness will be reduced by 50%.Description: A small bush with bright speckled rust-colored flowers; hence the name.Expiration: 4d+40 days

● Spiderleaf ●Availability: -1 (Autumn)Locale: Coniferous Forest. Reikwald, Drak Wald.Price: 12 GC 10/-Application: Smear (external) Brew (internal)Time: 3 weeksDosage: 1 week

Effect: When Spiderleaf is applied to the wounds of an unconscious and dying character (someone with -HP) she immediately gains the

benefits of the Recovery and Regeneration (slow) advantages for the duration of 24 hours. (B p. 80) Once the character awakens the effects dissipate.

Description: A spidery vine, which is often found clinging to coniferous trees.


● Tarrabeth ●Availability: -2 (Spring & Summer)Locale: Mixed Forest. Reikwald, Great Forest, Drak Wald.Price: 12 GC 10/-Application: IngestTime: 3 weeksDosage: 1 weekEffect: A wounded character treated with Tarrabeth will fall asleep for 1d hours and awaken having recovered 1 HP for every hour spent sleeping.Description: A small bush with heart shaped flowers.Expiration: 3d+30 days

● Undagazul ●Availability: -3 (Summer & Autumn)Locale: Mountains, Underground, The Gardens of Morr.Price: 75 GCApplication: Inhale (for repelling undead) Brew (for creating Graveroot)Time: 1 weekDosage: InfiniteEffect: Burning dried Undagazul emits a foul odor that is slightly repellent to most Undead. Undead must succeed in a Will roll before approaching within a 3 yard radius of the burning Undagazul. The flesh of this mushroom is also the main ingredient in the manufacture of the poison Graveroot.Description: A small white mushroom about 1'6" high with a large round head covered by black eye-like spots.Expiration: 1d+10 days

● Valerian ●Availability: -1 (Spring & Summer)Locale: Mixed Forest. Reikwald, Great Forest, & Drak Wald)Price: 7 GC 10/-Application: BrewTime: 1 weekDosage: Daily

Effect: The roots of the Valerian plant are often used in creating a brew that is soothing and relaxing. Drinking a Valerian root tea will double the rate at which a character recovers FP. This Effect: lasts for 1d hours.

Description: A tall ugly plant, that tastes like crap.

Expiration: 1 year

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● Vorage ●Availability: -1 (Spring & Summer)Locale: Mixed Forest. Drak Wald, Reik Wald, The Great Forest, & Forest of Shadows. Price: 15/-Application: IngestTime: 1 round for leaves, 1 hour for tea, 4 hours for candies (must also have a sweetener)Dosage: Daily

Effect: Vorage is a rather common herb throughout the Old Wold, and there are several ways in which it may be prepared. The simplest method is to eat a few leaves directly off the plant. The leaves can also easily be used in making a Vorage tea and the flowers can be candied and used as a sweetmeat after a meal. All manner of preparation yields the same result. Immediately upon consuming, and for up to 1d minutes afterwards, a character ingesting Vorage is granted a temporary +1 to her Will.

Description: Vorage sometimes alternates the color of its flowers and it is not uncommon to find a plant bearing blue pink and white blooms simultaneously. There is an old Imperial saying that 'a garden without vorage is a garden without courage'. A goblet containing Vorage leaves is often offered to the Imperial Calvary when they set forth on their journeys. Vorage flowers are also commonly candied and served after a meal as a sweetmeat.


● Widow's Breath ●Availability: -2 (Autumn & Winter)Locale: GrasslandsPrice: 7 GC 10/-Application: IngestTime: 1 weekDosage: 3 days

Effect: Drinking an infusion of Widow Breath brew will cause a character to fall into a deep slumber (roll HT-3 if attempting to resist). During this 1d-3 hour slumber it will be nearly impossible to awaken the character. Throwing cold water or making loud noises at the slumbering character will give her a slight chance of coming round; she must succeed roll vs. HT-5. A character roused from this sleep will not benefit from the effects of Widow's Breath. A character allowed to sleep for the duration of the slumber, will awaken refreshed as if she had slept for full night.


● Xynol Root ●Availability: -2 (Winter)Locale: Mountains. Grey and Black MountainsPrice: 25 GCApplication: IngestTime: 3 weeksDosage: 7 days

Effect: Xynol Root is also known as Mage Sleep. Although it might be assumed that Xynol Root would induce a slumber, the actual effect is quite the contrary. Anyone that consumes a full dose of Xynol Root receives the temporary benefits of the advantage Less Sleep 4 (B p. 65). This lasts for 1d days.

Description: A black root.


● Yaran ●Availability: -3 (Summer &Autumn)Locale: GrasslandsPrice: 1 GC 5/-Application: InhaleTime: 1 secondDosage: 2 days

Effect: The pollen of this flower must be inhaled. It takes only a round to prepare the Yaran pollen for use and will double a character's sense of smell and taste for one hour. Yaran must still be growing or have been cut in the last hour, else it loose its potency.

Description: A yellow, dandelion like flower.

Expiration: 1 hour

● Zill ●Availability: -2 (Summer and Autumn)Locale: Mixed Forest. Reikwald, Great Forest, Drak Wald.Price: 2 GC 10/-Application: SmearTime: 2 daysDosage: Daily

Effect: Using Zill on a wounded character grants a +3 bonus to First Aid rolls.

Description: A small golden fern.


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Sample Adventure: The Oldenhaller ContractSample Adventure: The Oldenhaller Contract

The Oldenhaller

ContractWritten by Lewis Page

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The Oldenhaller Contract

This scenario has been designed as an introduction to GURPS: Warhammer, and can be played by a group of people who have never taken part in a role-playing game before. One member of the group should be chosen as the Games Master (or GM) while the rest of the Group are the Player Characters (or PCs) The GM must have read the adventure through at least once, and should be reasonably familiar with the rules before play can start. There is no need to read and learn everything in the core book, we have included notes and examples to help you as you go along, and you will soon get to know your way around the book. The adventure is designed for four characters but more or less may be used if desired.

Although The Oldenhaller Contract has been designed with beginners in mind some experienced role-players will also find it interesting and possibly useful as an introduction to the rules - and hopefully fun to play as well!

∙ THE CHARACTERS ∙ Four pre-generated characters are included at the end of the scenario. We recommend that you use these characters, since you will be able to begin playing almost straight away without spending time creating characters from scratch. Or, you can use characters you have generated yourself, if you prefer. The adventure is designed for four characters, but more or less may be used if desired.

∙ FORMAT ∙ The first part of the scenario deals with the player characters' arrival in the city of Nuln and the eventful 24 hours which follow. It is split up into Episodes. The second part details the thieves' den known as the Asylum: it is divided into four main areas, each one presented as a series of Rooms.

The descriptions of Episodes and Rooms normally begin with a boxed passage which can be read aloud to the players; this passage represents the immediate view characters would have of the location on their first visit. Next there is a section of information which is for the GM only, including tips on how to run the various encounters and examples of the rules to help the novice GM in running the adventure.

At the end of each Episode is an Exits section containing instructions on how the characters' actions will lead them on to the next part of the story. In the second part of the adventure the GM should refer to the maps - the rooms are numbered - and the GMshould use the appropriate section of the text whenever the characters move from one room to another. If the characters move from room 3 to room 5, the GM turns to the text for room 5.

The adventure - the first part especially - has been written with inexperienced players in mind. Experienced GMs are encouraged to change or ignore details as they see fit to give their players greater freedom of action.

∙ PREPERATION ∙ To prepare for the adventure, we recommend you make copies of each of the characters record sheets - one for the GM and one for each player. If the GM has copies of the character sheets - or at least a list of each character's characteristics and skills - it will speed up play considerably. It may prove useful to draw up a full scale (1 inch = 2 yards) plan of the Huydermans' portion of the Asylum, and to have materials ready for making up improvised scenes of battle. You

will also need the following:

• Dice – At least 3d6 per player and for the GM.• Models or counters to represent the character and

noncharacter characters. • A ruler marked in inches. • Several sheets of plain white or graph paper. • A selection of pencils, ball-point and felt-tipped pens.

∙ EPISODE 1: SO... THIS IS NULN ∙ Having made the decision to become adventurers the player characters are faced with the immediate problem of finding some adventure worth pursuing. There isn't much anyone can do except head for the nearest city, and start looking for the right connections. And the streets of the cities are paved with gold, right?

This scenario assumes that the pre-generated characters are being used, i which case they are brand new adventurers from the Upper-Reik area, and all any of them knows about adventuring is that everyone they have ever heard of who has ever left the pastoral life behind them to seek their fortune did so by setting off tothe city of Nuln. Therefore, the adventure begins on the river boat, approaching the city. If the players have generated their own characters it would be advisable if they were from the same part of the Empire, although certain characters with obviously urban backgrounds could actually start the game in the city.

After what seems like months, your boat reaches Nuln. You are all frozen and soaked through. It is probably true to say that you all bitterly regret buying a cheap deck-class passage on an aging riverboat; it doesn't seem a particularly heroic way to start your lives as adventurers. During the course of the journey you have got to know each other and become friends of a sort, united by the common desire to escape the grinding tedium of everyday life.

The pilot brings the boat alongside a jetty. Crewmen throw ropes to waiting stevedores, the ropes are lashed round massive wooden uprights and the boat is pulled onto the Jetty with a slight bump. The gangplank is lowered, and timber cranes swing across the decks to unload the cargo. The customs formalities drag on and on, and it is nearly midnight by the time you are allowed ashore.

You try the inns along the Shantytown waterfront, but they are all full. Tired and groggy, you begin to despair of ever finding a bed for the night. Things seem to be looking up when you meet a man in the Blind Pig tavern who introduces himself as Grolsch Van Eyke. He speaks with a distinctive Wastelander accent, and seems to take pity on you when he hears that you are newly arrived in Nuln. He warns you that it is extremely unwise to be wandering about thecity at this hour and says:

"Giz'za couple of shillings and I'll get you a nice warn roomsomewhere dry and clean".

If you prefer, you can play through the river journey, giving the players more of a chance to get used to their new characters. A good argument with the customs officials would allow your players to get into their roles. The meeting with Van Eyke is the first detailed episode of this adventure.

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Grolsch Van Eyke is an assumed name. The man the characters have met is a smalltime Thief, a Pickpocket who is in league with a gang of Footpads, and he is trying to lead the players into an ambush.

Playing the Pickpocket's role, the Games Master should try to persuade the players to accept the offer. If the characters are obviously suspicious of Grolsch and decide not to take him up on his offer, he eventually loses interest and returns to the Inn.

Exits: If the players accept Grolsch's offer he leads them to Episode 2.

If they don't want his help, the GM should allow the characters to wander the streets of Nuln for a while, before they find the Reaver's Return, which leads them to Episode 3.

∙ EPISODE 2: AMBUSH! ∙ Grolsch leads you down dark, winding alleys and through streets littered with rotting vegetables and stinking debris. At last, he reaches a door.

"Here we are" he says. Then, quick as a flash, he pulls the door open, leaps inside and throws the bolt behind him. Suddenly, you become aware that you are not alone.

"Right" growls a voice from the shadows behind you, "just drop your weapons and your purses and walk away, and there won't be no trouble!"

You turn round and see four bulky figures converging on you from the darkness…

If the player characters get nervous about where Grolsch is leading them, he will try to be charming and explain that he is using shortcuts that he knows will save time. If the players want their characters to turn back, the GM should explain just how unlikely it is that they will find their way back to the harbor indarkness.

There are four Footpads waiting in the ambush Grolsch has lead the characters into – their positions are marked on Map 1. This kind of robbery abounds in Nuln, and there are plenty of potential victims, so if the players cause any serious problems, the Footpads will break off their attack and disappear back into the shadows. The timing is left to the GM, but we suggest each individual Footpad should flee as soon as they suffer a total of 5 hits of damage.

FOOTPAD ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 5DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 5IQ: 10 Per: 10HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 1 (Leather Jack)

Club (11): 1d+1 sw cr/1d-1 thr crUnarmed (12): 1d sw cr/1d-2 thr cr

Traits: None of importance.

Skills: Axe/Mace -11; Brawling -12; Stealth -12.

Inventory: Club, Hood, Leather Jack.

If the characters give in, one of the Footpads will move in and take their weapons and purses; otherwise the Footpads are ready for trouble. The Footpads have moved into the positions shown on the map.

Exits: If the characters beat the Footpads off, they will be unable to pursue them for more than a few yards before their greater knowledge of the back-alleys helps them shake the characters off. The GM should now allow the characters to find their way to Episode 3. Alternatively, if they have littered the ground with a body or four, they might become involved with the Town Watch or the Thieves' Guild, particularly if they hang around too long. These optional episodes are not detailed, but you could invent them if you wish.

If the characters give in or are overcome by the Footpads, theylose their weapons and money and are left in the alley. The players will probably be at a loss for what to do next, but you can take them to Episode 11 if they have no alternative plans.

∙ EPISODE 3: THE REAVER'S RETURN ∙ After roaming the streets for an hour or more, and finding any number of inns with no accommodation, you walk down a dark, dingy lane and see a tattered sign swinging in the wind - It reads "The Reaver's Return". There is no sound from inside the inn but aweak light shows through a grimy ground floor window The place looks even grubbier than the others you have tried - if that's possible - but you are desperate.

At this point, one of the characters will, no doubt, try to open the door. It is stuck fast, and won't budge. However, a voice will call from inside:

"Shove it!" There is a pause of about a second and then the voice calls again.

"The door, dum dum, just give it a good hard shove!"

The only way to open the door is for a character to push with all his/her might. A character who tries to open the door must make an ST check by rolling 3d. If the result is more than the character's ST, the door will not open. If the result is equal to or less than the character's ST, the door will suddenly give way. For example, Mellory has a Strength Characteristic of 11, so his player needs to roll 11 or less in order to open the door.

If the party step into the inn through the wreckage, the white-haired, wrinkled, old publican looks up from the bar and frowns.

"You'll have to pay for that, you know." He says.

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RUDOLF GRASSER - Innkeeper ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 5DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 5IQ: 10 Per: 10HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 0

Dagger (10): 1d-3 thr impUnarmed (11): 1d sw cr/1d-2 thr cr

Traits: Reikspeil (Native/Accented).

Skills: Brawling -11; Knife -10; Merchant -13; Sleight of Hand -12.

Inventory: Dagger (Tucked in belt).

This is a good opportunity for haggling. Grasser wants 6 Gold Crowns for the door. If the characters ask about rooms for the night he will ask for l GC per person. One of the characters can try to talk him down. The player and Rudolf each roll against their Merchant skill. If one succeeds and the other fails, then the winner is obvious. If both succeed, the winner is the one with the higher margin of success. If both fail, the winner is the one with the smaller margin of failure. A tie means that no one won. If the player succeeds, the price is reduced by 10%. Since Grasser is being ridiculous about the door, the GM might allow the player a positive modifier to his Merchant check, or could reduce the price by a greater margin.

Exits: Once the issue of the door is settled, Grasser can lead the characters to their room. Proceed to Episode 4.

∙ EPISODE 4: UPSTAIRS AT THE REAVER'S RETURN ∙ After the money is handed over, Rudolf shows you to your room. The "Return" is a three-story wooden building, and he takes you to a dingy attic room. The stairs creak under your weight and the banister feels distinctly shaky .At last you get to the room.

"You get a nice view of the canal," grins Grasser, showing the rotted stumps of his teeth. You can't see anything through the filthy windows, but can certainly smell the canal.

It will be pointless complaining about the room. Grasser will touch an index finger to his forehead, mutter "Have a nice day," and leave.

The events of the next few hours will be greatly affected by what the characters do next. They might decide to leave the "Return" altogether, in which case you will need to either think about another Inn for them, or how they will spend a cold night in an alley.If they stay in the room, wait to see if the characters take any precautions; if they ask for a fuller description of the room, include the fact that the door and window are both fitted with bolts, but these haven't been fastened. If the players don't mention they arefastening the bolts or taking other precautions you must assume that they have done nothing.

Exits: If the characters bolt the windows, they slumber away until Episode 9.

If the characters take turns on guard they are disturbed in the night by Episode 5.

If the players do neither of these, turn to Episode 6.

∙ EPISODE 5: THE FACE AT THE WINDOW ∙ Though they cannot know this yet, when the characters arrived at the "Return" they were observed by Bertoldo Vasari a somewhat unsuccessful Thief and a member of the Valantina Gang, a criminal organization which will feature in the second part of the adventure. In the dead of night he shins up a drainpipe onto the roof and tries the window of the characters' room. The window is so grimy that he has to scrub a patch clean to be able to look inside. Seeing someone awake, he gives up and makes his way back over the roof tops.

The GM should make a secret Perception check for the character on guard to spot Bertoldo. Roll 3d6. Bertoldo exits unseen if the dice score is more than the watching character's Perception score. If the dice score is equal to or less than the watcher's Perception then Bertoldo is spotted and the GM can describe the event to the character's player as follows:

Looking up, you see a face peering through the window. Whoever it is sees you and ducks out of sight.

Exits: If Bertoldo escapes unseen (because the Perception check was failed - remember. The characters should have no idea that anything has happened if this is the case), or the characters choose not to pursue him, turn to Episode 9. If the characters do not act quickly (if the players spend more than 40 seconds discussing what to do), Bertoldo will vanish across the rooftops before they are able to follow him.

If the characters make a quick derision to pursue Bertoldo a roof top chase ensues. Go to Episode 8.

∙ EPISODE 6: SLEEPING DOGS ∙ Though they could not see him when the characters arrived at the "Return" they were being watched by Bertoldo Vasari, a thiefand a member of the Valantina Gang – a criminal organization which will feature in the second part of this adventure. In the dead of night, he breaks into their room and tries to steal the characters' purses.

In this Episode, the characters are all asleep and so you are concerned with the actions of Bertoldo rather than those of thecharacters. The noise he makes climbing in through the window is soft, so there is only a 10% chance of waking a sleepingcharacter. If this happens, Bertoldo will attempt to climb out of the window and escape. He attempts to steal the purse of each character in turn - roll dice or use some other method to determine whom he robs first. Each attempt to steal a purse counts as picking a pocket. Roll 3D6 for each attempt, testing against Bertoldo's Pickpocket skill of 14. If the dice score is 14 or less, Bertoldo gets the character's purse and moves on to his next victim. If the dice score is 15+, Bertoldo fails the attempt, but will try again in thenext round. On a Critical Failure, Bertoldo has bungled the attempt so badly that he fails to get the purse and wakes his victim.

Exits: If Bertoldo succeeds in stealing all the characters' purses, he escapes unnoticed, and the adventurers slumber away until Episode 10.

If Bertoldo wakes someone up, go to Episode 7.

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∙ EPISODE 7: RUDE AWAKENING ∙ The GM should read the following to any player whose character is woken by Bertoldo's interference:

In the dead of night you are disturbed by a hand in your clothing. You wake with a start to see a hooded figure rushing towards the window.

The characters must act quickly to catch Bertoldo. If they do not act quickly, he will vanish into the night before they can pursue him. The GM could run a combat in the characters' room, if one of them reacted quickly enough. More likely, Bertoldo will get through the window and flee.

Exits: If the characters pursue Bertoldo out of the Window turn to Episode 8.

If they either catch him, decide not to chase him, or if he gets away, turn to Episode 9.

∙ EPISODE 8: ROOFTOP CHASE ∙ Outside it is cold and rain swept. Ahead, you can just make out a hooded figure disappearing over the rooftops.

BERTOLDO VASARI ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 5.50DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 8IQ: 10 Per: 10HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 9 DR: 0

Dagger (13): 1d-3 thr impUnarmed (12): 1d sw cr/1d-2 thr cr

Traits: Enhanced Move ½; Language (Thieves Tongue; Accented/ Illiterate).

Skills: Brawling -12; Climbing -15; Dagger -13; Lockpicking -14; Pickpocket -14; Sleight of Hand -13.

Inventory: Lockpicks, Dagger (Hidden in boot), 7 Silk Handkerchiefs, A Scrap of Paper with a Fig Leaf Motif (See below).

Bertoldo attempts to escape by leaping from roof to roof, heading towards a door to an alleyway, which he left open to cover his retreat. Bertoldo's route from the roof of the "Return" tothe roof of the Merchant's House is shown on Map 2.

The first leap is 2 yards, with a run-up of 3 ½ yards. Bertoldo's leap will be twice his Move -3 feet (or 13 feet). As the first gap is only 6 feet, he can't fail. A character with a Move score of 4 or less can't make this jump (unless he has the Jumping skill). It is a 15 foot drop from the roof to the ground, anyone who falls takes 2d crushing damage.

The second leap is 3 yards, with a run-up of only 2 ½ yards. As the gap is only 9 feet, Bertoldo can't fail. A character with a Move score of 5 or less can't make this jump (unless he has the Jumping skill). Since this leap is over the canal, characters who fail this leap will not be hurt, although they will be wet, filthy and out of the chase. The canal is only just over 3 feet deep, so there is no chance that a character who falls into the canal will drown.

The third leap is 4 yards with a run-up of 6 yards. As the gap is only 12 feet, Bertoldo can't fail. A character with a Move score of 7 or less can't make this jump (unless he has the Jumping skill). As luck would have it, a haywain is parked in the road beneath this leap, so characters who don't make the leap will not be hurt in the fall, and will be able to take up the chase on the ground.

If Bertoldo reaches the corner of the Merchant's house, he jumps down from the roof to the porch and from the porch to the street. If the PCs aren't careful, a fall from this height will inflict 2d crushing damage.

If the characters manage to catch Bertoldo, he will surrender as soon as a wounding blow is landed on him. A patrol of the City Watch will arrive shortly, having been summoned during the chase, and will give the party a reward of 4 GC between them for capturing the thief.

A thorough search of Bertoldo's clothing will reveal a scrap of paper headed by a fig leaf motif. The paper has a list of dates each followed by a word. The entries for today and the next three days bear the word "Malindi" (it is the Valantina gang's current password and may be useful in the second part of the adventure).

If Bertoldo reaches the alleyway, he closes and bolts the door behind him, and will have vanished into the night by the time the characters manage to get the door open.

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Exits: Regardless of the results of the chase, the characters will eventually return to their room and stay there until morning Turn to Episode 9.

∙ EPISODE 9: RISE AND SHINE ∙ Whether they have spent a peaceful night or they had a visitor, the characters will wake up in the "Return" the following morning ready to commence their adventures in Nuln. They can't last long in the city without some means of making money. Grasser is the only person they know, and they may choose to ask him about what work there is in Nuln. You could actually have Grasser ask the characters how they intend to earn their keep, if they show no sign of wanting anything to do with him. If they do ask him, he will recommend they try the Reiks Platz. This will be the response of anyone else of whom they ask this question.

Exits: Go to Episode 12.

∙ EPISODE 10: ROBBED! ∙ You wake up late and find your purses stolen. There is a trail of muddy footprints leading to the window, which you forgot to bolt last night. You now haven't got the money to pay for today's board.

Exits: The characters are in an even worse state now than when they arrived. Go to Episode 9. If they complain to Grasser or the Town Watch, they will be made to feel very stupid for having left the window unlocked…

∙ EPISODE 11: A NIGHT IN THE CELLS ∙ The Footpads leave you with absolutely no possessions at all, other than the clothes you stand in, and disappear without a trace.

Trying to get credit from a Nulner Innkeeper is, as the proverb says, like taking a Halfling's last sandwich. If the characters go to the City Watch and explain what happened, they will find the Watch amused and even a little sympathetic. The Watch will happily allow the characters to spend the night in a dank, filthy cell, and next morning they present each character with a bowl of gruel and tell them that their best hope for finding employment is at the Reiks Platz.


∙ EPISODE 12: THE REIKS PLAZ ∙ Each afternoon, people looking for work gather in the Reiks Platz, a large cobbled square in Nuln's center. This seems like your best hope. so you head for the square to try your luck When you arrive it is crowded with merchants seeking bodyguards, farmers and builders looking for laborers and ships' captains after crew. All the work on offer seems rather dull and underpaid - exactly the sort of work you tried to leave behind by becoming adventurers.

In the middle of the square is a huge and ancient elm tree, known as the Deutz Elm. Its trunk is as wide as a small hut, and is used as a notice-board by the city's large itinerant population of adventurers and wanderers. You read some of the messages which cover the trunk. Most are from travelers attempting to find old friends and arrange meetings, but some are from people offering dangerous or unusual work:

"Axel Erischon - missed you in Middenheim, maybe you're here somewhere. I'm at the Laughing Bear most evenings - Trokki from Kislev"

"Has anyone seen Brigid Ballifonse? 5 gold crowns for information. Fiedal Borenborg at 5, Maritzstrasse."

"Specialists required for repossession job. One night's work, legal, some danger; good money. Military background helpful. No time wasters. Councilor Oldenhaller, Oldenhaller Mansion, Oldenhallerstrasse."

Trying to find Brigid Baliifonse is a complete waste of time; she has left town and made sure her trail was hidden. Trokki and Axel are two old stagers with a fund of stories and very little else to offeradventurers looking for work. If the characters follow up Councilor Oldenhaller's announcement, the characters will have no problems finding his mansion, as anyone can direct them there.


∙ EPISODE 13: THE OLDENHALLER CONTRACT ∙ You find the mansion easily, and the doorkeeper clearly expects to see people in heavy boots tramping into his master's hallway. A messenger is sent to the Councilor and after a half-hour wait you are led through winding, opulently decorated corridors to a huge study. The floors are covered with oriental rugs and the walls are hung with family portraits, hunting trophies and framed contracts and bonds.

Albrecht Oldenhaller sits behind a vast mahogany desk, toying with a jeweled paper knife. He looks you up and down, and then speaks.

"As you may be aware," he says. "The house of Oldenhaller is engaged in trading and other activities at a number of levels and we would be most unhappy if our dealings with certain of our agents and contacts were to be made public. Accordingly, I must insist that this business must be conducted in the utmost secrecy." He pauses significantly while this sinks in.

"A certain gem has appeared in the city," he continues. "I won't bore you with the details, except to say that it was acquired on behalf of the House of Oldenhaller by a group of people vulgarly known as the Schatzenheimer gang, who have so far failedto make delivery. You are to recover the stone from them and deliver it here by dawn tomorrow. Like many great stones, there are several legends and superstitions attached to the gem. It is said to have come from a ring worn by Nurgle, the Chaos God, and to carry a highly infectious rotting disease which afflicts all those who handle it. I set no store by these superstitions, but in case there is some substance behind them, you will take this" - he pushes an elaborately carved wooden box across the desk - "and use it to carry the stone. It has been enchanted to suppress the magic of anything inside for precisely six hours. That should give you adequate time to deliver the stone here. You will set out at nightfall, and I will have you guided to one of the entrances to the area known as the Asylum which is where I believe the stone to be. Are there any questions?"

The GM should make as much or as little of the interview with Councilor Oldenhaller as suits the pace at which the game is being run. The Councilor might wish to ask them several questions - who are they, what is their background - and will need convincing that the characters can cope with the job.

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The players will probably have several questions, the most urgent of which will be how much Oldenhaller is willing to pay for the job. Oldenhaller will offer the characters 100 Gold Crowns each, on delivery, ad they may attempt to bargain to raise the price, using the procedure covered on page 131. Oldenhaller is a hardened and experienced merchant, and has a Merchant skill score of 17. If successful, Oldenhaller will offer 120 Gold Crowns, or will go grudgingly up to 130 Gold Crowns in the event of a player Critical Success (or a Critical Failure on his part).

Albrecht begins to explain the terms of his offer.

"As I've already explained, secrecy is essential. You cannot involve anyone else in this mission, nor recruit any hired help. You will be taken to the edge of the Asylum, and after that you are on your own. The entrance leads into the portion of the complex controlled by the Schatzenheimer gang. They are mainly Nulners: they forge currency and trade in contraband and stolen goods. We think that Kurt Holster, the gang's leader, has the stone. From the Schatzenheimer area, the Asylum runs towards the river. The central area is run by the Valantinas, who are mainly Tilean immigrants. They are the most powerful gang in Nuln, involved in every imaginable form of illicit activity. On the easternmost edge of the Asylum is the base of the Huydermans gang, with access to the river. The Huydermans are Wastelanders, and are mainly smugglers and cut-throats.”

"You shouldn't have too much trouble moving about in the complex although you may need to know the gang's passwords. The Schatzenheimer password for today is 'Sweet Hanna'. I don't know either of the other gangs' passwords. That is all I can tell you."

Although the characters may extend the interview briefly with a few more questions, Oldenhaller has nothing more to add. At this point, a servant will appear, and the characters should be lead out of the study, down more winding corridors and into a small private study. The servant will offer to have any goods fetched from the "Reaver'sReturn" and will present the characters with a hearty meal. The characters will not be left unescorted at any time. A half hour later the guide arrives, along with any equipment the characters requested from the "Return". Night is beginning to fall as the characters set out for the Asylum.

∙ THE ASYLUM ∙ The following description of the Asylum is based on the plan in Map 3. The GM should refer to the map at all times, since the numbered paragraphs in this section of the adventure refer to the numbered areas on the map.

The Asylum is situated in the north of the city, on the west bank of the river Reik. It consists of part of the city's sewer system and a series of old and long-forgotten basements and cellars which have been sealed off and knocked together to make an underground complex. This is used as a base by three gangs of thieves. The guide provided by Albrecht Oldenhaller takes the characters to a back-alley behind a warehouse, points to a door and then hurries off into the night.

This plot is for the Games Master's eyes only. The players should only find out what is going on through their explorations and their

meetings with NPCs. The GM should use the plot to help decide what the different NPCs in the Asylum will do when faced withthe players' characters.

As Oldenhaller told the characters, the gem was in the possession of Kurt Holger, chief of the Schatzenheimer Gang. However, recent events have complicated matters considerably. Following a series of inter-gang disputes, the Valantinas staged a carefully planned and devastating raid on the Schatzenheimers. The Schatzenheimers were wiped out and the gem - along with everything else of value - was taken by Emilio Valantina, the mob’s "Godfather".

Dirck Huydermans, fearing his smuggling operation would be next on Valantina's hit list sent an Assassin by the name of Jan Hoogen to kill Emilio. Jan entered Emilio's apartment via a secret entrance from the sewers, brutally murdered him and hacked off his head as proof of the deed. He then searched Emilio's corpse and found the gem. After hastily searching Emilio's apartment, Jan went back into the mines taking the stone and Emilio's head with him.

Jan never made it to the Huydermans' base. On the way back he was attacked by a Swarm of Rats. He was finally cornered in an old mine wagon, used by the Huydermans for transporting contraband, where his body and the gem, now lie.

To further complicate matters, just before the players' arrival, the Huydermans caverns were invaded by a cult of followers of Nurgle. They are still there awaiting reinforcements and being held at bay by the remnants of the Huydermans gang. The cultists know the gem is somewhere in the Asylum and they will stop at nothing to findit.

The Huydermans sent one of their number to fetch help from the Valantinas, who by now have realized the truth about the gem. They killed the messenger and are now preparing to evacuate their headquarters rather than risk infection.

From this point, the adventure is presented differently. Instead of a number of written exits for the player characters to take exits are provided by the corridors and rooms shown on the map. When the Player Characters enter a room the GM should refer to the relevant roam description below and describe it to the PCs.

∙ THE SCHATZENHEIMER BASE ∙

∙ 1. ENTRANCE ∙ The doorway pointed out by the guide opens onto a steep flight of stairs which leads down to a narrow passage. After about ten feet, the passage ends in a door. A notice pinned to the door reads, "Observe the Laws of Asylum Knock and Wait.”

The door is trapped; if a player announces that his or her character is opening the door ask them which way the character is turning the handle. If it is turned anti-clockwise, the trap is not sprung, but if the handle is turned clockwise, it opens a trapdoor in front of the door, revealing a pit 12 feet (4 yards) deep (2d crushing damage).

If the characters prefer to break the door down, the Forced Entry skill comes into play. The door is DR 2 and has 29 hit points for the purposes of breaking it down. There is no-one around to hear the din this will make, but don't tell the players this.

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If they choose to Knock and Wait, the characters will be standing here for quite a while. The GM might wish to make them nervous by describing some scratching noises, or a muffled thumping noise (caused by mice or the wind). Otherwise nothing will happen.

∙ 2. GUARD ROOM ∙ The room is deserted and unlit. In the center is an overtured table, and along the north wall are two large wooden lockers. They have been forced open and their contents scattered around the room. On the south wall, to the left of the door, is a lever made of iron and half a yard long. The lever sticks out of the top of a vertical slot in the wall.

When moved into the down position it neutralizes the trap in the entrance (see Room 1 above). There is a door in the east wall, leading down a short passage to 2.

If the left-hand locker is pulled away from the wall, it will reveal a low opening - a secret entrance known only to the Schatzenheimers, which leads through a winding tunnel and up some stairs to a back-alley.

The room has been ransacked by the Valantinas, who found everything worth taking.

∙ 3. HALL ∙ There are torch brackets at 5 ft intervals along all four walls. Most of the torches have burned out, and those that are still burning cast a flickering light across a scene of utter devastation. The floors are strewn with upturned broken furniture and everything is stained with dried blood. Sprawled brokenly in the room are half a dozen corpses, each one bearing multiple stab wounds or bristling with crossbow bolts.

Two wear cheap pendants bearing a fig leaf motif. They were members of the Valantina gang and if the characters took a scrap of paper from Bertoldo Vasari earlier in the adventure (see Episode 8), they will recognize the motif. The other four were Schatzenheimers. Dropped on top of each of the Schatzenheimer bodies is a small card reading "Congratulations, you have just met the Valantina Anti-Personnel Crew." All six bodies have been stripped of everything of value, right down to weaponry and small change.

There are three exits from the room. One is the passage leading to room 1, one Leads south to room 5, and one leads east to room 4. The doors to rooms 4 and 5 have both been destroyed.

∙ 4. KURT HOLGER'S ROOM ∙ This room is unlit. The floor is carpeted and the furnishings are all very high quality. Along the western wall is a massive bookcase; most of the books lie scattered on the floor. The wall hangings and pictures have been torn down and the desk's drawers have been pulled right out and emptied.

There is a single corpse in the room that of a middle-aged man dressed in expensive looking clothes. His skin is pale brown, his face bears three weeping sores and one of his arms is missing.

The body is Kurt Holger's. He had the gem long enough to contract

the disease, although he was killed by the Valantinas rather than the infection. For every round a character spends searching or otherwise touching the body, the GM should secretly roll HT checks. On a failure, the searcher has contracted Nurgle's Rot – see below. Both room and corpse have been stripped of everything of value.

There are no exits from the room other than the passage leading to 3.

∙ 5. DORMITORY ∙ This room is unlit, and is another scene of death and destruction. The south wall is lined with the remains of several wooden bunks and tattered and bloodstained bedding. There are four corpses piled in a heap in the corner.

The bodies are dead Schatzenheimers, and on top of the pile is a Valantina "calling card" similar to that in room 3. Again everything of any value has been removed.

A passage in the north wall leads to room 3, and another leads eastwards to room 6. The door leading to room 6 is closed but not locked.

∙ 6. STOREROOM ∙ There are torch brackets along the north and south walls but the torches have burned themselves out and the room is in total darkness. The room contains a dozen grain sacks, four large chests, three empty barrels, a side of pork and three corpses. The sacks are slashed and most of their contents have been shaken out over the floor, the chests have been forced open and emptied, and one of the barrels is smashed to pieces.

The "corpse" in the center of the room is very badly injured but not quite dead. He is Ulrich Vogel, a member of the Schatzenheimer gang. Ulrich has a loaded crossbow hidden beside him. He assumes the player characters are Valantina gangsters and levels the crossbow at them, trying to get a shot off.

The room is cluttered with debris; the players need to make Perception checks to notice what Ulrich is doing. Test each adventurer looking in his direction (roll 3d for each character; only if the dice score is equal to or less than the character's Perception will that character see Ulrich moving). The character can shout a warning and decide what to do next. Once a warning is given characters who haven't taken their round automatically spot Ulrich - they don't need to pass a Perception check. Note that characters whose Speed is lower than Ulrich's can't do anything about it, even if one of the other characters warns them.

If Ulrich isn't stopped he shoots at the easiest target (probably the closest). The GM rolls 3d – Ulrich's Crossbow Skill is 14, and he has a -3 modifier because of his heavy wounds and the bad light, so he hits the target only on a dice score of 11 or less. If he hits one of the characters, reverse the numbers on the dice to determine where the bolt hits, roll for damage - his crossbow does 1d+3 impaling damage - and then subtract the target's Damage Resistance to find the total damage caused. It will take Ulrich a full round to reload his crossbow - ample time for the characters to stop him.

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Provided the players don't over-react and kill Ulrich, he could be a useful source of information. If the characters attempt to questionhim, make an Interrogation check for Ulrich. Roll 3d against Ulrich's Will score of 11. If the player wins this quick contest, Ulrich talks. Ulrich knows the layout of the Schatzenheimer and Valantina bases and was aware that Kurt Holger had a strange and possibly magical gem in his possession before the Valantinas attacked.

ULRICH VOGEL ST: 12 HP: 12 Speed: 5.25DX: 11 Will: 11 Move: 5IQ: 11 Per: 11HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 1 (Leather Jack)

Crossbow (14): 1d+3 impDagger (11): 1d-2 thr impUnarmed (12): 1d+2 sw cr/1d-1 thr cr

Traits: None of note.

Skills: Brawling -12; Crossbow -14; Dagger -11; Stealth -12.

Maneuvers: Disarm (Brawling) -13.

Inventory: Crossbow, Quiver Containing 6 Quarrels, Dagger, Leather Jack.

Apart from the doorway leading to room 5, there is one other exit: a doorway in the east wall leading to room 7. The door was destroyed in the Valantina attack.

∙ 7. EASTERN GUARD ROOM ∙ The room is in a similar state to the proceeding ones. It is scattered with debris, splashed with blood and strewn with corpses.

If any character stops to count there are seven corpses, all Schatzenheimers. All have been thoroughly searched, and a Valantina "calling card" has been left on top of one pile of bodies.

There is a doorway in the east wall, leading to room 8 and the Valantina Base. The door has a bolt on the western side. It is closed but not bolted.

∙ THE VALANTINAS' BASE ∙∙ 8. GUARD ROOM ∙ A passage leads from room - to room 8, marking the border between Schatzenheimer and Valantina territory. The passage ends in a door, upon which is painted a fig leaf design which the characters should recognize. The door is closed but not locked.

The room is lit by torches mounted in wall brackets Near the north-eastern corner is a small table around which three men sit playing dice and drinking wine. As soon as anyone enters the room they reach for their loaded crossbows and demand the password. Their accents betray their Tilean origins.

These Valantina guards have been posted in case any surviving Schatzenheimers try to mount an attack. In order to be allowed further, the characters must give the password ("Malindi" - as the characters will know if they saw Bertoldo's piece of paper in Episode 8), or they must Fast Talk their way through.

In the latter case, the players must invent a plausible story to explain their presence in the Asylum and to persuade the Valantinas to let them through. The GM then rolls 3d, modifying the score if the character's story is particularly good or particularly unconvincing. If the result is equal to or less than the Fast Talk skill of the character doing the talking, the Valantina will let them through; if not, they will order the characters to leave.

3 VALANTINA GUARDS ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 5.25DX: 11 Will: 11 Move: 5IQ: 11 Per: 11HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 0

Broadsword (10): 1d+1 sw cut/1d thr impCrossbow (13): 1d+2 impDagger (12): 1d-3 thr impUnarmed (12): 1d sw cr/1d-2 thr cr


Skills: Brawling -12; Broadsword -10, Crossbow -13; Dagger -12; Stealth -12.

Maneuvers: Disarm (Broadsword) -11.

Inventory: Broadsword, Dagger, Crossbow, Quiver Containing 6 Quarrels.

There are two exits from the room: a door in the west wall leading to room 7 in the Schatzenheimer’s territory, and a door in the east wall leading to room 9. Both are closed but not locked.

∙ 9. STOCKROOM ∙ Lanterns suspended from the ceiling illuminate a scene of feverish activity Half a dozen Means sue frantically packing chests and loading small carts with crates and barrels As the characters eruct the room, an overseer will shout at them in Tilean. Then, realizing that they don't understand, he will repeat himself in a heavily accented version of Reikspiel, ordering them to help with the packing.

The overseer has mistaken the characters for hired laborers, and if they don't follow his orders he will become suspicious. The characters may try to bluff their way past him, using the procedure covered above, or they may simply obey him and wait for a chance to slip away. He won't leave the stockroom for another thirty minutes.

The overseer's mistake may prove to be a valuable opportunity for the characters to gather information, although the GM may decide such a mistake isn't possible if they started a noisy fight in Room 8, or if they are heavily armed. Otherwise, the Valantinas will be at ease and quite willing to trust the players and chat away asthey work. Each character may attempt a Reaction check, rolling 3d and checking the Reaction Table (Basic Set pg. 560). This roll may be modified by PC appearance, behavior, etc. Characters that pass learn all the latest gossip about the raid on the Schatzenheimers the cultist invasion and the legend of the stone.

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OVERSEER ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 5.75DX: 11 Will: 11 Move: 5IQ: 11 Per: 11HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 0

Broadsword (12): 1d+1 sw cut/1d thr impDagger (12): 1d-3 thr impUnarmed (13): 1d sw cr/1d-2 thr cr


Skills: Brawling -13; Broadsword -12, Dagger -12; Stealth -11.

Maneuvers: Disarm (Broadsword) -13.

Inventory: Broadsword, Dagger, Crossbow, Quiver Containing 6 Quarrels.

There are four exits from the room: a passage in the west wall leading to room 8, a door in the north wall, closed but not locked leading via a short passage to room 10; and two passages in the east wall, leading to rooms 13 and 14.

∙ 10. ANTE-ROOM ∙ The room is lit by a lantern suspended from the ceiling and another standing on the desk. The walls are adorned with hunting trophies, stolen street signs and framed wanted posters depicting various members of the Valantina gang.

Behind the desk sits a heavily built and expensively-dressed Tilean, with Immaculately oiled hair and a scar-red face, toying with a loaded pistol crossbow. As the characters enter, he looks up, tells them that the boss is not to be disturbed and asks what they want.

This is Sebastiano Sansovino, the bodyguard to Emilio Valantina. Emilio told him that he was going to pray for a while and didn't want to be disturbed. This is completely out of character, and as Emilio hasn't emerged yet Sebastiano is puzzled but not undulyworried.

As the characters have made it this far into Valantina territory, Sebastiano is likely to believe that they are on official business. Fast Talk attempts are, therefore, made with a +1 modifier. If the bluff fails, they may try to bribe him.

Disturbing Emilio is a minor task and one of little consequence, the minimum bribe acceptable is 1 Gold Crown, but in this case it is doubled to reflect Sebastiano's status. If a bribe of 2 Gold Crowns or more is offered, a check is made vs. Sebastiano's Will attribute. His Will is 11, so the character offering the bribe must roll 12 or higher. If the check is successful, Sebastiano accepts the bribe; if not, he refuses, but the characters are allowed to try again – the sum offered must be increased by at least 10%. The characters can carry on upping the bribe until Sebastiano accepts.

The characters may attack Sebastiano instead of using bluff or bribery, but this runs the risk of attracting attention from room 9.

If the players manage to bluff or bribe Sebastiano he knocks on the apartment door. Emilio doesn't answer, of course, because he is dead. Once Sebastiano realizes there is something amiss, he tries to force the door, which is DR 2 and has 29 hit points.

SEBASTIANO SANSOVINO ST: 14 HP: 14 Speed: 5.75DX: 12 Will: 11 Move: 5IQ: 10 Per: 10HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 9 DR: 0Knuckle-Duster (15): 1d+1 thr crPistol Crossbow (13): 1d+2 impUnarmed (15): 2d+2 sw cr/1d+1 thr crTraits: Striking ST +2.Skills: Brawling -15; Crossbow -13.Maneuvers: Disarm (Brawling) -16.Inventory: Knuckle-Dusters, Crossbow Pistol.

The passage to Room 9 and the door to Room 11 are the only exits from the room.

∙ 11. EMILIO VALANTINA'S STUDY ∙ The room is lit by a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. On the walls is a selection of pictures, all hanging slightly askew. The floor is spread with oriental rugs. A bookcase stands against the western wall; some of the books have been removed and are scattered on the foot: In the center of the room is a desk which has been thoroughly ransacked.

A trail of blood leads to the bookcase from the door to Room 12.Any character that is deliberately searching the room will spot the blood; characters that are not actively searching will spot the blood if they make a successful Perception check. The GM should roll a 3d for each character; a score equal to or less than their Perception attribute allows the character to spot the blood.

Once the characters have spotted the blood and followed it to the apparently solid wall, it is likely that they will then search for the hidden door. Each character should attempt to roll their Search skill (if the have it) or Perception-5 if they do not. Success indicates the character has discovered both the secret door and the hidden catch which opens it. The area takes a whole turn to search, and if the secret door is not found on the first attempt, a character may try again, taking another full turn to search the area.

Jan Hoogen hurriedly searched the room after killing Emilio, and left through the secret door carrying Emilio's head and leaving a trail of blood behind him. The secret door leads into a portion of the sewer system; it was intended as a bolt-hole for Emilio, andnone of the Valantina gang knew of its existence. One of the Huydermans gang found it by accident several months ago.

The only other exit from this room is a locked door in the east wall, leading to room 12. The door may be broken down (DR 2, 29 hit points) or a character may try to pick the lock using the Lockpicking skill if they have both it and a set of Lock Picks.

∙ 12. EMILIO VALANTINA'S BEDCHAMBER ∙ This room is lit by a four-branched candlestick standing on the dresser. The room has been thoroughly ransacked, and the bedding lies in a heap against the southern wall. The sheets are soaked with blood. At the foot of the bed is the decapitated body of Emilio Valantina, dressed in a velvet cloak with gold braiding round its collar and hems.

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The Oldenhaller Contract There is nothing of value in the room. The only exit is the door to room 11.

∙ 13. EASTERN GUARD ROOM ∙ In the light of three wall-mounted torches three Valantinas are feverishly constructing a barricade across the eastern door. The room is stripped of furniture - it has obviously all been used in the barricade.

In the north-west corner of the room is a corpse covered by bloodstained sacking. The gangsters are taking great care not to step in the blood or go anywhere near the body. The corpse is that of the Huydermans messenger who was sent to ask for help against the cultist invasion; he was shot to prevent the risk of infection and the barricade is being built to keep the cultists and their diseases in the Huydermans' area.The Valantinas' response to the characters will depend on the direction from which they approach. If they approach from the east (the Huydermans' area), they are warned not to come any closer, and shot at if they don't obey. If the characters enter from the west,they are more or less ignored. The gangsters allow them to cross the barricade, but point out that they won't be let back in.

∙ 14. DORMITORY ∙ The door to this room is closed but not locked. There is a bolt on the inside. The room is lit by torches on the northern and southern walls. The walls are lined with bunks; in the center of the room area couple of tables on which stand four partially eaten meals, a half-full bottle of wine and an untouched bread loaf. The room is deserted.

∙ THE SEWERS ∙∙ 15. RAT'S LAIR ∙ The plan shows the main sewers which have a narrow Ledge either side of the effluent channel, wide enough for characters to go in single file. A character with the Tracking skill (such as Mellory) can trace Jan's footprints and the drops of blood from Emilio's head, provided there is light to see by. Other characters must pass a Perception check to follow the trail. The plan only shows the route from the Valantina section of the Asylum to the Huydermans' section - the sewer system is far more extensive, but the other tunnels are typically not relevant to this adventure.This part of the sewer system has been colonized by a pack of Rats. They will rush out from this area to attack and anything that passes through the shaded area of the passage. They are treated as a swarm, with the following profile:

SWARM OF RATS ST: 1 HP: 25* Speed: 7.50DX: 13 Will: 10 Move: 7IQ: 4 Per: 12HT: 17 FP: 17 SM: +5Dodge: 10 Parry: N/A DR: 0Bite (13): 1d+2 per character per turn.

Traits: Discriminatory Smell, Night Vision 5, Quadruped, Sharp Teeth, Disease Carrier, Wild Animal.

Skills: Brawling -13.

* It takes 25 hits of damage to disperse the rat swarm.

There is an apparently endless stream of Rat Swarms and the characters cannot hope to kill them all or drive them off without severe losses. The characters should eventually be driven tothe mine cart (area 16) and use it to escape.

∙ 16. MINE CART ∙ The Swarm of Rats from area 15 will drive the characters into this area. There is a small chamber where several sewers meet, with a manhole in the ceiling. The manhole is 20 feet above floor level, and is secured by a large padlock. A narrow railway track runs upwards into the chamber from a steeply-sloping tunnel and a mine cart stands at the end of the track. The rail system is used by the Huydermans gang to move contraband from their secret wharf to an abandoned warehouse which stands above the manhole.

Jan Hoogen lies dead in the cart, and beside him is Emilio Valantina's severed head. Both are covered in dozens of small bite-marks. Jan climbed into the cart to take refuge from the Rats, but was overpowered by the Swarm before he could take the brake off and roll to safety. If the characters climb into the cart, the rats willswarm up the outside after d3 minutes, and begin to flood into the cart.

The mine cart will hold four characters and another four could hold onto the outside, making an ST check with a +1 modifier to hang on. When the brake is released the cart will roll down the track, gathering speed rapidly. If any character uses the brake to try to slow the cart, there will be a snap of rotten wood and the brake lever will come away in the character's hand. If any character is unlucky enough to fall off, this should not take place before the cart has left the Rats behind. Treat dropping as a 2 yard fall (1d crushing damage).

If Jan's body is searched, the gem will be found, along with 1d Gold Crowns, 3d silver shillings and a short sword. The gem is a valuable Black Opal, worth 80 Gold Crowns, but any character who handles it for longer than 3 rounds will begin to develop Nurgle's Rot. (See below). The box supplied by Oldenhaller is the only safe way to transport the gem.

The mine cart will rake the characters into the Huydermans' base, gathering speed all the time. When the tunnel opens out into the first of the Huydermans' rooms (17), the characters will have a chance to jump out at this point; they will have only a fewseconds in which to decide. Those opting to jump out take a Acrobatics skill check. The player rolls a 3d against his Acrobatics skill. If this is successful, the character lands upright and uninjured. On a failed check the character lands badly and takes 1d3 damage. Those who stay aboard will find that at the end of the track, the cart hits a buffer. The wagon's halt triggers a mechanism which tips the hopper, automatically disgorging its contents onto the ground below. Any characters still inside the wagon must make an Acrobatics skill check using the same procedure as for characters jumping out of the cart above, with a -1 modifier.

∙ THE HUYDERMAN'S BASE ∙∙ 17. LOADING BAY ∙ The room itself is carved from solid rock. It is lit by four lanterns suspended from the ceiling. In the center of the room are a couple of tables and some chairs.

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The occupants rushed off when the cultists arrived, and the room is now deserted.

As well as the tunnel carrying the can track to 16, there is a narrow passage leading to Room 19.

∙ 18. HUYDERMAN'S GUARD ROOM ∙ This is natural cave illuminated by torches fixed in wall brackets. The north and east entrances are blocked by hastily-built barricades of furniture, crates, barrels and sacks. Behind each barricade is an archer with a short bow. In the center of the room, several gangsters are having a heated argument.

This is the remainder of the Huydermans gang: six gangsters and Dirck Huydermans, their leader. They have been trapped in this cave since the cultists arrived nearly an hour ago. Dirck has already guessed what happened to the messenger and the sort of reception to expect from the Valantinas. He's also deduced that the cultists are awaiting reinforcements and will be on the offensive very shortly. He is very worried. Profiles as follows:

DIRCK HUYDERMAN ST: 12 HP: 12 Speed: 6DX: 12 Will: 14 Move: 6IQ: 14 Per: 14HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: 0Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 1 (Leather Jerkin)Crossbow (13): 1d+3 impShortsword (14): 2d sw cut/1d thr impUnarmed (14): 2d sw cr/1d thr crTraits: Striking ST +2.Skills: Brawling -14; Crossbow -13; Shortsword -14; Swimming -14.Maneuvers: Disarm (Shortsword) -15.Inventory: Short Sword, Leather Jerkin, Crossbow and 12 bolts.

HUYDERMAN'S GANGSTERS ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 5DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 5IQ: 10 Per: 10HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 0Dagger (13): 1d-3 impShortsword (11): 1d sw cut/1d-2 thr impUnarmed (15): 1d sw cr/1d-2 thr crTraits: None of note.Skills: Boating -12; Brawling -11; Knife -13; Shortsword -11; Stealth -12; Swimming -12.Maneuvers: Disarm (Shortsword) -12.Inventory: Dagger, Shortsword.

As the players arrive in this area, the Valantinas destroy the tunnel between rooms 13 and 18, sealing off the Huydermans' base. The precise timing of this event is left to the GM. The characters hear a boom followed by a long rumbling sound. Jodri (who has Engineer - Mining skill) or Dirck Huydermans will immediately realize what has happened. This leaves the players with only one possible escape route - the river.

The Huydermans are unlikely to attack the characters as they are badly in need of friends. They are prepared to cooperate by providing information and will take part in any escape plan, provided the characters are going to be the ones in front.

∙ 19. MAIN CHAMBER ∙ This is a large natural cave which slopes gently downwards from west to east Lit by torches on wall brackets. The walls of the cave are lined with crates of wine, casks of brandy and packing cases filled with spices. A narrow railway runs diagonally across the room. At the western end of the track stands a small wagon. The rails disappear into an unlit tunnel on the eastern side of the cave and shadowy figures can just be seen lurking amongst the shadows of the tunnel. From beyond can be heard the sound of strange and hideous chanting. Two passages on the western side are blocked by a barricade of furniture, chests and sacks.

Since the Valantinas destroyed the passage between 13 and 18, the only way out is the river; the Rats will attack anyone trying to get to the sewer system through 16 so the characters (and the Huydermans if the characters can persuade them to help), must try to force their way out through the cultists and escape by boat. There are two basicoptions: a direct assault on the cultists hoping to cut a way out, or using the mine cart in 19 to clear a path through them, reach the jetty in area 20, and escape before the cultists can follow.

This cart can hold eight people, and another four could hold onto the outside under the same conditions that applied for the cart in room 16. As the track is only on a very shallow incline, the cart needs to be pushed before it will pick up speed. The best planis for seven or eight people to climb into the cart, while the remaining three or four push it climbing on the back once it has begun to pick up speed.

If the cart runs into anyone, it causes 2d crushing damage. Characters inside the cart may exchange one blow with any creature which is standing beside the track as the cart thunders past. Attacking from the moving cart should give the players an advantage of speed and height, and therefore the GM may rule that their melee attacks could receive a +1 modifier. Additionally the sides of the cart offer protection against ranged combat, and any ranged attack upon someone standing in the cart should bemade at -2. Anyone lying down in the cart should not be able to be attacked at all, but conversely cannot attack anyone outside the cart. Characters who are hanging onto the back of the cart cannot Attack, Dodge or Parry (as they need both hands just to hang on!) but attacks on them overall receive a -1 modifier due to the speed of the cart.

When the cart reaches the end of the jetty, it runs into a buffer, with the same risk of injury as the cart in 17. It does not tip over, and its passengers must climb out and jump into the boat. This takes a Full Action.

Once the characters (and any Huydermans who are with them) reach the boat, they can put out into the river before the cultists can do anything to stop them. The boat will hold a maximum of six people, with four rowing; the rest can hold onto the side and rearof the boat and be towed out.

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∙ 20 . THE COVE ∙ A natural cave weakly illuminated by moonlight filtering in from a concealed entrance. There are two rowing boats pulled up onto the gravelly beach, and a third moored to the jetty near the end of the cart track. In the room are six figures in filthy hooded robes, and one is an albino and is surrounded by a dense cloud of bloated flies.

Four of the cultists are standing in a circle, and seem to be conducting some kind of ritual. The other two are standing by the entrance from 19 and are armed with swords.

The cultists are in the process of summoning a Beast of Nurgle. The GM should control the timing of the event; the beast should have appeared if the characters spent a long time in discussions with the Huydermans, or if they have been generally slow in getting through the adventure. Otherwise the creature will appear d3 rounds after they enter the chamber. The cultists will attempt to complete the summoning rather than defend themselves but should one or more of them be struck, the summoning will be broken and all the cultists will fight for their lives.

JONAS WHITESPORE – Champion of Nurgle ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 5DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 5IQ: 12 Per: 10HT: 8 FP: 8 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 0Dagger (12): 1d-3 impStaff (12): 1d+2 sw cr/1d thr crUnarmed (11): 1d sw cr/1d-2 thr crTraits: Language (Magic – Accented/Accented); Warp Empathy 3 (Nurgle). Skills: Brawling -11; Herblore -13; Knife -12; Religious Ritual (Nurgle) -14; Rune Lore -11; Staff -12; Theology (Nurgle) -14.Spells: Armor -15; Windstorm -13; Summon Demon (Beast of Nurgle) -15.

Mutations: Albino (Distinctive Features (Albino); Weakness (Sunlight, 1d per 30 minutes; Variable)); Cloud of Flies (Affliction 1: -1 to all opponent's actions; Malediction; Reduced Range: C); Hideous Stench (Odious Personal Habits -3).Inventory: Nurgle Stave, Dagger.

Jonas' stave is carved at one end in the shape of a pointing hand and at the other in the shape of a foot. He wears a long, ragged hooded cloak.

CULTISTS ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 5DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 5IQ: 10 Per: 10HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: 0Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 0Dagger (13): 1d-3 impShortsword (11): 1d sw cut/1d-2 thr impUnarmed (15): 1d sw cr/1d-2 thr crTraits: None of note.

Skills: Brawling -11; Knife -13; Shortsword -11; Theology (Nurgle) -10.Maneuvers: Disarm (Shortsword) -12.Inventory: Dagger, Shortsword.

The two cultists guarding the doorway into 19 are both armed with short swords. All the cultists will fight to the death if engaged in hand-to-hand combat and cannot be forced to leave combat.

If the cultists summon a Beast of Nurgle before the characters have escaped from the complex. It will appear in the middle of the circle of cultists and will be directed by Jonas to attack the most powerful-looking character or group of characters.

∙ BEASTS OF NURGLE ∙ These monstrous creatures are approximately 5 feet tall, conical and without legs. Their lower bodies are covered with suckers and ooze a sickly, foul smelling goo. They propel themselves along a three-feet wide trail of self-generated slime. A bundle of immensely powerful, ghastly white suckers is used to attack their victims.

Beasts of Nurgle attack with their suckers; armor is not taken into account when determining damage. As well as normal damage, each sucker injects a paralyzing poison. On each successful hit, the victim must make an HT check or be paralyzed. The beast, having paralyzed a victim, will do nothing during the following round while it wraps the catch securely with its lasso-like tail. When a quiet hour or two is available, the Beast will secrete digestive acids and gradually dissolve the helpless captive. Only the first opponent is ensnared, the rest will be paralyzed but not carried off.

Anyone who chooses to cross the Beast's trail of nation slime without making a leap across it, must make a DX check or slip and fall, receiving 1 hit of damage from the powerful acids. Additionally, said character must make an HT check or become infected with the Rot. The GM should keep track of where the Beast has moved, and where the tail is left.

BEAST OF NURGLE ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 6.50DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 6IQ: 3 Per: 12HT: 14 FP: 14 SM: 0Dodge: 9 Parry: N/A DR: 3Suckers (15): 1d imp (10)+ PoisonTraits: Claws (Suckers; Follow-Up: Paralytic Poison); Damage Resistance 3; Disease Carrier; Fragile (Instability*); Immune to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Mind-Affecting Magic; Night Vision 5; Vermiform; Wild Animal.Skills: Brawling -15.

*Daemons are not so solidly linked to the Old World as are mortals, and may sometimes be forced back from whence they came if a battle goes against them. On any round in which a Beast is injured in melee combat but fails to inflict any damage in return, it must succeed at a Will check or be banished back to the Realm ofChaos from which it came.

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∙ NURGLE'S ROT ∙ Nurgle's Rot, or The Rot, is a strange disease. It seeks to turn it's victim into one of Nurgle's plague-bearing Demons. Unfortunately, the mortal form cannot take this tortuous metamorphosis, and must eventually perish under the strain. Only Champions and Beastmen of Nurgle are immune to its effects, serving only is carriers.

Victims gradually mutate until their characteristics are identical to those of a Plague Bearer, at the rate of 1 point per month. Select the affected characteristic randomly each game month. The profile for a Plaguebearer is as follows:

PLAGUEBEARER ST: 13 HP: 17 Speed: 6.75DX: 13 Will: 12 Move: 6IQ: 10 Per: 11HT: 14 FP: 17 SM: +1Dodge: 9 Parry: N/A DR: 0/2Claws (14): 1d+1 thr/2d+1 sw cut (plus Disease)Horns (14): 1d+2 imp (plus Disease)Teeth (14): 1d cut (plus Disease)Traits: Ambidextrous; Claws (Sharp Claws; Follow-up: Diseaseof GM's choice)); Cloud of Flies (Affliction 1: -1 to all opponent's actions; Malediction; Reduced Range: C); DR 2 (Vs. non-magical weapons); Immune to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Mind-Affecting Magic; Language (Daemonic; Native/Literate); Language: (Dark Tongue; Native/Literate); Night Vision 5; Stream of Corruption* (Affliction 1 (Disease of GM's choice); ReducedRange/10; 1/day); Striker (Horn: Impaling; Cannot Parry;Follow-up (Disease of GM's choice)); Striking ST+2 [10]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth; Follow-up (Disease of GM's choice)); Terror (-3 Fright Checks). Appearance (Monstrous); Bloodlust (12); Bully (12); Callous; Fragile (Instability**); Sadism (12); Selfish (12); Social Stigma (Monster).Skills: Brawling -14.

* Basically, the Plaguebearer vomits disease onto it's victim.**Daemons are not so solidly linked to the Old World as are mortals, and may sometimes be forced back from whence they came if a battle goes against them. On any round in which a Beast is injured in melee combat but fails to inflict any damage in return, it must succeed at a Will check or be banished back to the Realm ofChaos from which it came.

As well as the characteristic changes, certain other physical changes take places as follows:

After 1 month Skin turns pale yellow/brownAfter 2 months Green blotches appearAfter 3 months Skin begins to rot, attracting fliesAfter 4 months A single horn begins to grow from the

foreheadAfter 5 months Horn fully grown, eyes begin to move

together, nose atrophiesAfter 6 months Eyes merge into single great eye, feet

turn to three-clawed hoovesAfter 7 months Face dissolves in a horror of melting

flesh After 8 months The victim dies.

There is no known cure for this disease. It can only be contracted from a Beast of Nurgle.

∙ ENDING THE ADVENTURE ∙ Once the characters manage to get out of the complex, they will be safe - for the present. Albrecht Oldenhaller will pay the agreed amount for the mission - provided the characters have the good sense to take the gem to him - and will tactfully invite the characters to get lost. He wants to keep the whole business and his part in it, absolutely secret.

Once the characters have delivered the stone to Oldenhaller, the adventure has finished. The GM should now award Experience Points. This adventure is worth up to 5 Experience Points to each character; the GM should award a number of points based on how well the characters performed during different parts of the adventure, and how well the players role-played their characters. Guidelines for awarding Experience Points can be found in the “Awarding Bonus Character Points” section of the Basic Set, page 498.

The GM can use The Oldenhaller Contract as the basis for a whole series of adventures if desired.

The characters now have a powerful contact in Nuln in the form of Councilor Oldenhaller, although he probably won't be too keen to continue his association with them, especially if there is any danger of that association becoming public knowledge. He may contact them again if he has another dirty job that needs doing, or he maydecide to ensure the secrecy of the operation, and hire an assassin to kill them.

As well as Oldenhaller, the characters also know several members of the powerful Valantina gang; the gang's attitude to the characters will depend largely on how the characters have behaved in the Valantina area of the Asylum.

They also know all the surviving members of the Huydermans gang - if they helped them break out of the Asylum, the Huydermans will probably regard them as friends, and may be prepared to do them various not strictly legal favors. On the other hand, the characters are now the only non-gang members in Nuln who know how to get into the Asylum, and the Valantinas and/or the Huydermans may regard them as a threat to security.

And, of course, the cultists still want the gem. The characters may well find themselves hounded by dagger-wielding fanatics for a while, until the cultists realize that the stone is now in Oldenhaller's possession. This raises a new realm of possibilities. Will the cultists try to kill Oldenhaller? Why does he want the stone? Is he really a cultist? Is he a member of a rival cult? An imaginative GM will be able to develop the story which begun in The Oldenhaller Contract into a real epic.

Alternatively, the characters may well decide that Nuln is getting a little hot for them, and leave town. The GM might suggest that a trip down the river Reik will be relaxing, which could lead into almost any scenario.

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NAME: Jodri RACE: Dwarf

ST: 13 [30] HP: 15 [4] Basic Speed: 5DX: 9 [-20] Will: 14 [10] Basic Move: 4 [-5]IQ: 12 [40] Per: 12 Ground Move: 4HT: 11 [10] FP: 14 [9] SM: -1

Basic Lift: 34 Damage: 1d+1/2d+1

∙ SOCIAL BACKGROUND ∙

TL: 4 [0]Cultural Familiarities: Dwarven (Native) [0].Languages: Khazalid (Native/None) [0]; Klinkarhun (None/Native) [0]; Old Worlder (Riekspiel) (Native/None) [3].

∙ ADVANTAGES ∙

Acute Hearing (2) [4] Luck [15]Artificer (1) [10] Mortal Foe (Greenskins) [5]Extended Lifespan (x4) [4] Night Vision (5) [5]Hard to Kill (1) [2] Rank (Slayer Cult) (3) [15]Indomitable [15] Resistant (Disease) (HT+8) [5]Longevity [2] Striking ST (2) [10]

∙ PERKS ∙

Alcohol Tolerance [1]Weapon Bond (Two-Handed Axe/Mace) [1]

∙ DISADVANTAGES ∙

Appearance (Unattractive) [-4]Bad Temper (12-) [-10]Code of Honor (Dwarven) [-10]Greed (12-) [-15]Intolerance (Elves and Greenskins) [-5]Odious Personal Habit (Gruff and Unfriendly) (-1) [-5]Secret (The Source of My Dishonor) (Serious Embarrassment) [-5]Status -2 (Total Status -1 with Rank bonus) [-10]Stubbornness [-5]Vow (Die in Honorable Combat) [-15]

∙ QUIRKS ∙

Distinctive Feature (Trollslayer) [-1]Dying Race [-1]Never Forget a Grudge [-1]Never Shave or Cut Beard [-1]

∙ SKILLS ∙

Brawling DX/E (DX+1) -10 [2]Disarming (Two-Handed Axe/Mace) Tech/H (def+0) -11 [0]Engineer/TL4 (Mining) IQ/H (IQ-1) -11 [1]

• includes: +1 from 'Artificer'Knife DX/E (DX+0) -9 [1]Smith/TL4 (Iron) IQ/A (IQ+0) -12 [1]

• includes: +1 from 'Artificer'Survival (Mountain) Per/A (Per+0) -12 [0]Two-Handed Axe/Mace DX/A (DX+2) -11 [8]

∙ HAND WEAPONS ∙

1 Dagger LC:4 $20 Wgt:.25

Dam:1d imp Reach:C Parry:-1 ST:5 Skill:Sword!, Knife, DX-4, Force Sword-3, Main-Gauche-3, Shortsword-3 Notes:[1]

1 Great Axe LC:4 $100 Wgt:8

Dam:2d+4 cut Reach:1,2* Parry:0U ST:12‡ Skill:Two-Handed Axe/Mace, DX-5, Axe/Mace-3, Polearm-4, Two-Handed Flail-4

∙ RANGED WEAPONS ∙

1 Dagger LC:4 Dam:1d imp Acc:0 Range:7.5 / 15

RoF:1 Shots:T(1) ST:5 Bulk:-1 Rcl: $20 Wgt:.25

∙ ARMOR AND POSSESSIONS ∙

5 Gold Crowns $5 Wgt:.5 Location: Belt Pouch

Backpack, Small (Contains eating utensils and a tinderbox.) $60 Wgt:3 Location: Worn

∙ BACKGROUND ∙

Jodri once hailed from the small dwarfhold of Karak Azamar in the northern Grey mountains, just south of Marienburg. What exactly was the nature of his dishonor and his reason for becoming a Trollslayer he won't say (and in fact, will become greatly offeded if asked). His one remaining wish from life is to regain his honor through death in honorable combat.

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NAME: Bianca RACE: Wood Elf

ST: 9 [-10] HP: 7 [-4] Basic Speed: 5.25DX: 11 [20] Will: 13 [5] Basic Move: 6 [5]IQ: 12 [40] Per: 12 Ground Move: 6HT: 11 [10] FP: 10 SM: 0

Basic Lift: 16 Damage: 1d-2/1d-1


TL: 4 [0]Cultural Familiarities: Elven (Native) [0].Languages: Breton (Native/None) [3]; Fan-Eltharin (Native/ Literate) [2]; Latinic (Accented/None) [2]; Magic (Native/Native) [6].

∙ ADVANTAGES ∙

Acute Hearing (3) [6] Night Vision (3) [3]Acute Vision (2) [4] Unaging [15]Appearance (Attractive) [4] Warp Resonance 0 [5]Charisma (1) [5] Warp Resonance 1 [10]Combat Reflexes [15]

∙ PERKS ∙

None.


Code of Honor (Elven) [-10]Intolerance (Dwarfs and Greenskins) [-5]Laziness [-10]Odious Personal Habit (Arrogant) (-1) [-5]Sense of Duty (Nature) [-10]Skinny [-5]Social Stigma -2 (Bumpkins and Rubes; High Elves Only -50%) [-5]

∙ QUIRKS ∙

Broad-Minded [-1]Dying Race [-1]Imaginative [-1]Obsession (Collecting lost magic) [-1]

∙ SKILLS ∙

Bow DX/A (DX+0) -11 [2]Dancing DX/A (DX-1) -10 [1]Knife DX/E (DX+0) -11 [1]Survival (Woodlands) Per/A (Per+0) -12 [0]Thaumatology IQ/VH (IQ+0) -12 [8]

∙ SPELLS ∙

Daze IQ/H (IQ-1) -11 [2]Foolishness IQ/H (IQ-2) -10 [1]Light IQ/H (IQ-1) -11 [2]Sleep IQ/H (IQ+0) -12 [4]


1 Dagger LC:4 $20 Wgt:.25

Dam:1d imp Reach:C Parry:-1 ST:5 Skill:Sword!, Knife, DX-4, Force Sword-3, Main-Gauche-3, Shortsword-3 Notes:[1]


1 Dagger LC:4 Dam:1d imp Acc:0 Range:7.5 / 15

RoF:1 Shots:T(1) ST:5 Bulk:-1 Rcl: $20 Wgt:.25


Purse (containing 5 Gold Crowns) $10 Wgt:.0 Location: Worn

1 Pouch (Cotaining spell components) $10 Wgt:0 Location: Worn

Slingbag (Contains clothing, blanket and writing materials.) $60 Wgt:3 Location: Worn

∙ BACKGROUND ∙

Hailing from a small villiage in the forest of Athel Loren, Bianca grew up on the stories of the ancient power of the Elves (as told to her by her Treeman master). Now that she's reached her majority, Bianca is eager to be off to see the world outside her forest home.

147


NAME: Mellory RACE: Human

ST: 14 [40] HP: 14 Basic Speed: 5.50DX: 10 Will: 10 Basic Move: 5IQ: 10 Per: 12 [10] Ground Move: 5HT: 12 [20] FP: 14 [6] SM: 0

Basic Lift: 39 Damage: 1d/2d


TL: 4 [0]Cultural Familiarities: Empire (Native) [0].Languages: Old Worlder (Riekspiel) (Native/None) [0]; Ranger's Tongue (Accented/None) [2]; Woodsman Signs (None/Native) [3].

∙ ADVANTAGES ∙

Ambidexterity [5]Courtesy Rank 1 (Imperial Sergeant) [1]Night Vision 3 [3]Resistant (Poison; Immunity) [10]

∙ PERKS ∙

None.


Addiction (Alcohol) (Cheap) (Incapacitating; Legal) [-10]Code of Honor (Soldier's) [-10]Light Sleeper [-5]Loner (12 or less) [-5]Reputation -1 (Dishonorable Discharge; 10 or less; Large class) [-2]

∙ QUIRKS ∙

Duty (Legal Ethics) [-1]Horrible Hangovers [-1]Likes cheap floozies [-1]

∙ SKILLS ∙

Axe/Mace DX/A (DX+2) -12 [8]Bow DX/A (DX+2) -12 [8]Camouflage IQ/E (IQ+0) -10 [1]Climbing DX/A (DX+0) -10 [2]Law (Empire) IQ/H (IQ-1) -9 [2]Professional Skill (Law Enforcement) IQ/A (IQ+1) -11 [4]Stealth DX/A (DX+1) -11 [4]Survival (Woodlands) Per/A (Per-1) -11 [1]Teamster (Equines) IQ/A (IQ-1) -9 [1]Tracking Per/A (Per+1) -13 [4]


1 Hand Axe LC:4 $20 Wgt:3

Dam:2d-1 cut Reach:C Parry:No ST:6 Skill:Axe/Mace, DX-5, Flail-4, Two-Handed Axe/Mace-3


1 Short Bow LC:4 Dam:1d imp Acc:1 Range:140 / 210

RoF:1 Shots:1(2) ST:7† Bulk:-6 Rcl: $50 Wgt:2 Notes:[3]


Backpack, Small (Contains clothing, cutlery and a tinderbox) $60 Wgt:3 Location: Worn

12 Arrow $24 Wgt:1.2 Location: Quiver

1 Wineskin $10 Wgt:.25 Location: Worn


∙ BACKGROUND ∙

Though he was born in the Reikland city of Grunburg, Mellory saw the length and breadth of the Empire during his service in the Emperor's Roadwardens. Unfortunately, the hard-living life of a soldier caught up with him, and he was drummed out of the 'Wardens when he was caught drunk on duty one time too often. 35 and recently unemployed, Mellory sees the foot-loose life of an adventurer as one of his few remaining options.

148


NAME: Soho RACE: Halfling

ST: 10 HP: 8 [-4] Basic Speed: 5.25DX: 12 [40] Will: 12 [5] Basic Move: 4IQ: 11 [20] Per: 11 Ground Move: 4HT: 9 [-10] FP: 9 SM: -1

Basic Lift: 20 Damage: 1d-2/1d


TL: 4 [0]Cultural Familiarities: Empire [1]; Halfling (Native) [0].Languages: Old Worlder (Reikspeil) (Native/None) [0]; Theives Signs (None/Semi-Literate) [1]; Thieves Tongue (Accented/None) [2].

∙ ADVANTAGES ∙

Charisma (2) [10]Combat Reflexes [15]Extended Lifespan (x2) [2]Halfling Talent (1) (Current Affairs*, Expert Skill*, Farming*, Sling*, Throwing**) [5]High Manual Dexterity (1) [5]Night Vision (2) [2]Rank (Theives Guild) (1) [5]Resistant (Chaos) (Occasional) (+3) [3]Silence (2) [10]Social Regard (Good Neighbor) (2) [10]

∙ PERKS ∙

None.


Chummy [-5]Code of Honor (Halfling) [-5]Gluttony (12 or less) [-5]Increased Consumption (-1) [-10]Kleptomania (12 or less) [-15]No Arcane Magical Ability [-5]

∙ QUIRKS ∙

Distractible [-1]Habit (Cracks knuckles when on a job) [-1]Imaginative [-1]

∙ SKILLS ∙

Climbing DX/A (DX+1) -13 [4]Connoisseur (Wine) IQ/A (IQ+0) -11 [2]Cooking IQ/A (IQ-1) -10 [1]Lockpicking/TL4 IQ/A (IQ+1) -12 [4]Shortsword DX/A (DX-1) -11 [1]Sling DX/H (DX+0) -12 [4]Stealth DX/A (DX+2) -14 [8]Traps/TL4 IQ/A (IQ+1) -12 [7]


1 Shortsword LC:4 $400 Wgt:2

swing Dam:1d cut Reach:1 Parry:0 ST:8 Skill:Sword!, Shortsword, DX-5, Broadsword-2, Force Sword-4, Jitte/Sai-3, Knife-4, Saber-4, Smallsword-4, Tonfa-3

thrust Dam:1d-2 imp Reach:1 Parry:0 ST:8 Skill:Sword!, Shortsword, DX-5, Broadsword-2, Force Sword-4, Jitte/Sai-3, Knife-4, Saber-4, Smallsword-4, Tonfa-3


None.


Backpack, Small (Contains clothing, cutlery and a tinderbox) $60 Wgt:3 Location: Worn

1 Rope, 3/8'' (per 10 yards) $5 Wgt:1.5 Location: Back


∙ BACKGROUND ∙

A young halfling from the Moot, Soho left at an early age (well, was kicked out if you want to get technical) to pursue a life of grand larceny. A dues-paying member of the Nuln Theives Guild, he's on the fast track to becoming a master theif.

149

Appendix I: Converting From Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1Appendix I: Converting From Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1stst Edition Edition

The following is the GURPS-Hammer conversion document written by Roger Kay for GURPS 3rd edition, and converted to 4th

edition by myself.

∙ CHARACTER CONVERSIONS ∙ Use the following procedure as a basis for converting WFRP characters into GURPS characters:

1. Use the general character description to determine any advantages and disadvantages.

1. Determine ST from the S characteristic (use S&T Conversion Chart).

1. Determine HT from the T characteristic (use S&T Conversion Chart).

1. Determine DX from the Dex characteristic (use Percentage Conversion Chart).

1. Determine IQ from the Int characteristic (use Percentage Conversion Chart).

1. Move Factor = (DX+HT)/4.1. Determine characters preferred hand-to-hand weapon and

add skill up to level based on WS (use Percentage Conversion Chart). For each attack (A) that the character has add +3 to the weapon’s skill level. Add skills for any other weapons that the characters uses.

1. Determine characters preferred ranged weapon and add skill up to level based on BS (use percentage conversion chart). If the character has the Marksmanship skill then add +3 to the weapon’s skill level.

1. For each skill the character has, select an appropriate GURPS skill. Basic characters should have these skills to level 12. Advanced characters should have these skills to level 14. The skill conversion chart is used as a basis for skill conversion.

WFRP Percentage Characteristic

GURPS Skill or Attribute Level

100 17

90 16

80 15

70 14

60 13

50 12

40 11

30 10

20 9

10 8

Table 1 - Percentage Conversion Chart

WFRP S or T Characteristic GURPS ST or HT Characteristic

10 30

9 25

8 21

7 18

6 15

5 13

4 11

3 10

2 9

1 8

Table 2 - S&T Conversion Chart

Warhammer Skill GURPS Equivalent(s)Acrobatics Acrobatics

Acting Acting

Acute Hearing Acute Heaing Advantage

Ambidextrous Ambidextrous Advantage

Animal Care Animal Handling

Animal Training Animal Handling, Falconry, Teamster

Arcane Language Language Advantage

Art Artist

Astronomy Astronomy

Begging Fast-Talk, Profession (Begger)

Blather Fast-Talk

Brewing Professional (Brewer)

Boat Building Engineer/TL4 (Ships)

Carpentry Carpentry

Cartography Cartography

Charm Charisma Advantage (+1)

Charm Animal Animal Empathy

Chemistry Chemistry

Clown Acting, Acrobatics, Performance

Comedian Performance, Acting

Concealment (Urban/Rural) Stealth

Consume Alcohol Carousing

Contortionist Flexibility Advantage

Cook Cooking

Cryptography Cryptography/TL4

150

Appendix I: Converting From WFRP 1

Warhammer Skill GURPS Equivalent(s)Cure Disease Physician, Diagnose

Dance Dancing

Demon Lore Occultism (Demon Lore)

Disarm Disarm Technique

Disguise Disguise

Divining Fortune Telling (Augury)

Dodge Blow Not Required - increase DX instead

Dowsing Fortune Telling (Dowsing)

Drive Cart Teamster (Equine)

Embezzling Ignored

Engineer Engineer/TL4, Mathematics

Escapology Escape

Etiquette Savoir-Faire

Evaluate Connoisseur

Excellent Vision Acute Vision Advantage

Fire Eating Fire Eating

Fish Fishing

Flee! Running

Fleet Footed Running

Follow Trail Tracking

Frenzied Attack Berserk Disadvantage

Gamble Gambling

Game Hunting Survival, Tracking

Gem Cutting Jeweler

Haggling Merchant

Heal Wounds First Aid/TL4, Physician

Heraldry Heraldry

Herb Lore Herb Lore/TL4

History History

Hypnotise Hypnotism

Identify Magical Artifact Occultism (Artifacts)

Identify Plant Naturalist

Identify Undead Occultism (Undead)

Immunity to Disease Resistance (Disease) Advantage

Immunity to Poison Resistance (Poison) Advantage

Jest Performance, Acting

Juggle Hobby (Juggling)

Law Law

Lightning Reflexes Combat Reflexes Advantage

Warhammer Skill GURPS Equivalent(s)Linguistics Linguistics

Lip Reading Lip Reading

Luck Luck Advantage

Magical Awareness Warp Resonance 0 Advantage

Magical Sense Warp Resonance 0 Advantage

Manufacture Drugs Pharmacy/TL4

Manufacture Potions Alchemy

Manufacture Scrolls Warp Resonance, Writing

Marksmanship Ignored - increase Bow/Gun skill

Meditation Meditation

Metallurgy Metallurgy

Mime Performance, Acting (Mime)

Mimic Mimicry

Mining Geology, Engineer/TL4 (Mining)

Musicianship Musical Instrument

Night Vision Night Vision Advantage

Numismatics Hobby (Coins)

Orientation Navigation/TL4

Palmistry Fortune Telling (Palmistry)

Palm Object Sleight of Hand

Pick Lock Lockpicking/TL4

Pick Pocket Pickpocket

Prepare Poisons Poisons

Public Speaking Public Speaking

Read/Write Language Advantage

Ride (By type) Riding (by type)

River Lore Area Knowledge

Row Boating/TL4

Rune Lore Rune Lore

Rune Mastery Unusual Background (Rune Master)

Sailing Seamanship

Scale Sheer Surface Climbing

Scroll Lore Occultism (Scrolls)

Secret Language Language Advantage

Secret Signs Language Advantage

Seduction Sex Appeal

Set Trap Traps

Shadowing Shadowing

Silent Move (Rural/Urban) Stealth

151

Appendix I: Converting From WFRP 1

Warhammer Skill GURPS Equivalent(s)Sing Singing

Sixth Sense Danger Sense Advantage

Smithing Smith

Speak Additional Language Language Advantage

Specialist Weapon - type Relevant weapon skill

Spot Trap Traps

Stoneworking Masonry

Storytelling Enthrallment (choose one)

Street Fighter Brawling

Strike Mighty Blow Striking ST Advantage

Strike to Injure Strike to Injure

Strike to Stun Ignored - increase weapon skill instead

Strongman Ignored - increase ST and HT

Super-numerate Lightning Calculator

Surgery Surgery

Swim Swimming

Tailor Professional (Tailor)

Theology Theology

Torture Interrogation

Trick Riding Acrobatics (Equestrian)

Ventriloquism Ventriloquism

Very Resilient Damage Resistance 1 (Tough Skin)

Very Strong Lifting ST

Wit Carousing

Wrestling Wrestling

Table 3 - Skill Conversion Chart

∙ GENERAL CONVERSIONS ∙ This section will mostly be of use to GMs only. Players may find it useful if their GM tells them to roll a Cool test and wonder why their character needs to impress a Greater Daemon.

∙ CHARACTERISTIC TESTS ∙ Characteristic Tests are those performed against a Warhammer characteristic. GMs should use these tests if no appropriate Standard Test available (see below). These aren’t hard and fast and you may want to choose more appropriate tests in certain situations. For example, in the Warhammer rules characters roll against Toughness (per dose) to resist the effects of poison. However, in GURPS this becomes an HT roll with a modifier.

Weapon Skill: Roll vs. the skill level of the weapon usedBallistic Skill: Roll vs. the skill level of the ranged

weapon used

Strength: Roll against STToughness: Roll against HTInitiative: Sense RollDexterity: Roll against DXLeadership: Reaction RollIntelligence: Roll against IQCool: Fright Check (no modifiers)Will Power: Will RollFellowship: Reaction Roll

∙ STANDARD TESTS ∙ Standard Tests map to GURPS tests in a more consistent way. So you should use these tests where possible.

Animosity: Reaction Roll with -2 penalty.Bargain: Reaction RollBluff: Reaction RollBribe: Perform Will Roll for the targetBusk: Reaction RollConstruct: The relevant skill or defaultDisease: Roll against HTEmployment: Reaction RollEstimate: Roll against IQFear: Fright Check with -1 penaltyFrenzy: See Berserk disadvantageGamble: Contest of SkillsGossip: ReactionHatred: Will RollHide: Stealth TestInterrogate: Victim performs Will TestListen: Sense RollLoyalty: Reaction RollMagic: Will RollObserve: Sense RollPick Lock: Lock-picking Skill or defaultPick Pocket: Pick-pocket Skill or defaultPoison: Roll against HT (-1 Modifier should be average)Reaction: Sense RollRisk: Roll against 10 with any modifiersSearch: Roll against Search skill or PerceptionSneak: Stealth Test or defaultStupidity: Roll against IQTerror: Fright Check with -2 penalty

152

Appendix II: Converting From Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2Appendix II: Converting From Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2ndnd Edition Edition

∙ CONVERTING ATTRIBUTES ∙ GURPS characteristics are converted from Warhammer 2nd Edition according to the table below:

Warhammer 2e to GURPS 4e Attribute ConversionWarhammer

AttributeAttribute

ScoreGURPS Attribute

Attribute Score

WS 10090

Special, see below

1716

BS 8070

Special, see below

1514

S 6050

ST 1312

T 4030

HT 1110

Ag 2010

DX 98

Int IQ

WP Will

Fel Special, see below

∙ CONVERTING THE WEAPON SKILL ATTRIBUTE ∙ To convert the Warhammer WS attribute, determine the character's preferred hand-to-hand weapon and set the skill level to a level based on WS (use the Percentage Conversion Chart above, where the GURPS attribute level equals the skill level instead).

For each extra attack (A) that the character has, add +1 to the weapon’s skill level.

∙ CONVERTING THE WEAPON SKILL ATTRIBUTE ∙

As the Weapon Skill attribute above, but it applies to ranged weapon skills instead of melee.

∙ CONVERTING THE FELLOWSHIP ATTRIBUTE ∙ The Warhammer Fellowship attribute is a special case. For every full 15 points of Fellowship above 30, add 5 points in Advantages chosen from the list below:

Appearance [Variable]; Charisma [5/level]; Fashion Sense [5];Smooth Operator [15/level]; Voice [10].

On the other hand, for every 5 points of Fellowship below 30, add -5 points in Disadvantages chosen from the list below:

Appearance [Variable]; Clueless [-10]; Disturbing Voice [-10];No Sense of Humor [-10]; Odious Personal Habit [Variable].

∙ CONVERTING INSANITY POINTS ∙

Disregard a character's IP totals and convert any earned mental disorders as normal.

∙ OTHER ATTRIBUTES ∙

All other attributes are ignored, except as noted.

Warhammer 2e to GURPS 4e Skill ConversionWarhammer Skill GURPS Skill

Academic Knowledge

Artist, Astronomy, Engineer, Expert (Geneology), Heraldry, History, Law, Occultism (Daemonology or Necromancy), Philosophy, Symbol Drawing, Science Skills (Athropology, Archeology, Chemistry, etc.), Strategy, Tactics, Thaumatology or Theology.

Animal Care Animal Handling

Animal Training Animal Handling, Falconry or Teamster.

Blather Fast-Talk

Channelling Not used. Transfer skill levels over to spells.

Charm Persuade or Sex Appeal

Charm Animal Animal Empathy Advantage

Command Leadership

Common Knowledge

Area Knowledge

Concealment Stealth

Consume Alcohol Carousing

Disguise Disguise

Dodge Blow Not used. If converted skill level provides a Dodge score of 14+, buy Enhanced Defenses (Dodge) instead.

Drive Teamster

Evaluate Connoisseur

Follow Trail Tracking

Gamble Gambling

Gossip Current Affairs

Haggle Merchant

Heal First-Aid

Hypnotism Hypnotism

Intimidate Intimidation

Lip Reading Lip Reading

Magical Sense Detect (Magical Eminations; Sense Based (Sight) -20%; Roll Per -5%)[7]

Navigation Navigation

Outdoor Survival Survival

Perception Search

Performer Acrobatics, Acting, Dancing, Fire Eating, Fortune-Telling, Musical Instrument or Singing.

Pick Locks Lockpicking

Prepare Poison Poisons

Read/Write Not used. Use GURPS language rules.

153

Appendix II: Converting From WFRP 2

Warhammer 2e to GURPS 4e Skill Conversion, Cont.Warhammer Skill GURPS Skill

Ride Riding

Row Boating

Sail Crewman and/or Shiphandling

Scale Sheer Surface Climbing

Search Search

Secret Language Not used. Use GURPS language rules.

Secret Signs Cryptography

Set Trap Traps

Silent Move Stealth

Shadowing Shadowing

Sleight of Hand Sleight of Hand

Speak Arcane Language

Not used. Use GURPS language rules.

Speak Language Not used. Use GURPS language rules.

Swim Swimming

Torture Interrogation

Trade Professional Skill

Ventriloquism Ventriloquism

Warhammer 2e to GURPS 4e Advantage ConversionsWarhammer Talent GURPS Advantage

Acute Hearing Acute Hearing

Aethyric Attunement Affected skills aren't used, so neither is this Talent.

Alley Cat New Talent: Alley Cat (Concealment, Shadowing, Stealth; Reaction bonus: Thieves) [5/level]

Ambidextrous Ambidexterity

Arcane Lore Warp Resonance

Armoured Casting Armor Familiarity Perk

Artistic Gifted Artist Talent

Contortionist Double-Jointed

Coolheaded Unfazeable

Dark Lore Warp Resonance (Chaos or Necromancy)

Dark Magic Not used.

Dealmaker Business Acumen Talent.

Disarm Disarming technique (at DX)

Divine Lore Warp Empathy (By God)

Dwarfcraft Artificer Talent.

Etiquette New Talent: Etiquette (Current Affairs, Persuade, Savoire-Faire, Sex Appeal; Reaction bonus: Nobles) [5/level].

Excellent Vision Acute Vision

Fast Hands New Perk: Fast Hands (+2 to cast touch-based spells) [1]

Fearless Fearlessness

Flee! Enhanced Move (½ level; Accesibility (Combat only) -10% [9].

Fleet Footed Enhanced Move (½ level) [10]

Flier Flight

Frenzy Beserk disadvantage

Frightening Terror

Grudge-Born Fury Mortal Foe (Greenskins)

Hardy Fit

Hedge Magic Warp Resonance (Hedge Magic)

Hoverer Flight (Gliding)

Keen Senses Acute Senses (choose)

Lesser Magic Warp Resonance

Lightning Parry Combat Reflexes

Linguistics Language Talent

Luck Luck

Marksman Increase a ranged weapon skill by +1

154

Appendix II: Converting From WFRP 2


Master Gunner Fast-Draw (Ammunition) Skill @ DX

Master Orator Charisma, Public Speaking Skill @ IQ

Meditation Meditation Skill @ Will

Menacing New Perk: Menacing (+1 to Intimidation or Interrogation due to manacinng presence) [1].

Mighty Missile New Perk: Mighty Missile (+1 damage with missile-type spells) [1].

Mighty Shot New Perk: Mighty Shot (+1 damage with ranged weapons) [1].

Mimic Mimicry

Natural Weapons Claws, Striker or Teeth

Night Sight Night Vision

Orientation Absolute Direction

Petty Magic Warp Resonance

Public Speaking Charisma, Public Speaking Skill @ IQ

Quick Draw Fast-Draw Skill @ DX

Rapid Reload Fast-Draw (Ammunition) Skill @ DX

Resistance to Chaos Resistance (Chaos magic and effects)

Resistance to Magic Magic Resistance

Resistance to Poison Resistance (Poison)

Rover New Talent: Rover (Concealment, Stealth; Reaction bonus: Woodsmen) [5/level]

Savvy Increase IQ by +1

Schemer Charisma, increase Will by +1.

Seasoned Traveller Cultural Familiarity, additional Languages or Dialects.

Sharpshooter New Perk: Double Aim bonuses [1].

Sixth Sense Precognition

Specialist Weapon Group Skills: 2H Broadsword, 2H Axe/Mace, Throwing, Thrown Weapon, Rapier, Flail, Guns (Pistol or Musket), Crossbow, Bow or Sling at DX.

Stout Hearted Fearlessness

Street Fighting Dirty Fighting Perk

Streetwise Streetwise Skill @ IQ

Strike Mighty Blow Striking ST +1

Strike to Injure New Advantage

Strike to Stun Ignored; Increase Weapon Skill

Strong-Minded Unfazeable

Sturdy Increase ST by +1

Suave Smooth Operator Talent.


Sure Shot New Advantage

Surgery Skill: Surgery @ IQ

Super Numerate Lightning Calculator

Swashbuckler Skill: Jumping @ DX

Terrifying Terror

Trapfinder Perception +1, Traps @ DX

Trick Riding Acrobatics (Equestrian) at DX

Tunnel Rat New Talent: Tunnel Rat (Concealment, Stealth; Reaction bonus: Dwarves and Miners [5/level]

Undead Choose an undead template from GURPS Fantasy and apply it to the character.

Unsettling Terror

Very Resilient Very Fit

Very Strong Increase ST by +1.

Warrior Born Increase 1 melee weapon skill by +1

Wrestilng Wrestling Skill @ DX

155

Appendix III: BibliographyAppendix III: Bibliography

∙∙ BOOKS BOOKS ∙ ∙Steve Jackson, David L. Pulver and Sean M. Punch. GURPS Basic Set: Characters, 4th edition (Steve Jackson Games 2004).Steve Jakson, David L. Pulver and Sean M. Punch. GURPS Basic Set: Campaigns, 4th edition (Steve Jackson Games 2004).

Edited by Andrew Hackard and Jeff Rose. GURPS Magic, 4th edition (Steve Jackson Games 2004).Alessio Cavatore. Warhammer, 7th edition (Games Workshop 2006).

Games Workshop. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, 1st edition (Games Workshop 1986).

Chris Pramas. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, 2nd edition (Black Industries 2005).Ken Walton and Jo Walton. Realms of Sorcery (Hogshead 2001).

Mike Cubbin. GURPS: Saduria Marketplace (www.Saduria.co.uk 2007)

∙∙ WEBSITES WEBSITES ∙ ∙Mike Cubbin. GURPS: Saduria ( http:// www.Saduria.co.uk )

And various ideas shamelessly stolen from the Steve Jackson Games web forums ( http://forums.sjgames.com/ ). Thanks!

156

http://www.Saduria.co.uk/



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