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Interesting, I have been reflecting on the differences between our WFRP and our DnD, Elric!, MERP, etc etc.
There were considerbale differences I feel, but maybe a chat offline or here if the others don’t mind.y the way do you mind if others contribute to the trivia?
Be my guest.
Josef Bugman isn’t known for epic feats like many other heroes of legend, except for the fact that he is amazing at making beer. Proprietor of the legendary Bugman’s Brewery, folk across the world drank his ales when they weren’t violently stabbing each other to death. After a goblin raid destroyed his beloved brewery, Josef and his surviving brewers took up arms and became an elite regiment of rangers, lone wolves that roamed the world getting drunk and suddenly appearing to help out Dwarven armies whenever they faced Goblins.
Identifiable by their shields, bearing an overflowing flagon of beer, Josef and his rangers basically spent the rest of their days being super drunk and smashing goblin heads in.
http://www.solegends.com/citrr/5rr1bugmans93/_07A5002x-01.htm
The Polar Gates, also known as the Eye in the North, The Wounds Within Reality, the Gates to Heaven and sometimes simply the Chaos Gates, were massive portals designed by the Old Ones above the north and south poles of the world.
In the furthest north, beyond the boundaries of sanity and the laws of nature, stands the wrecked gateway of the Old Ones, oozing darkness and spewing forth mutating, magical energy: the raw stuff of Chaos. It is a bleeding wound, a tear in the fabric of reality, a gateway to another dimension.
The shattered gate appears as a great ring circled by stone machineries, dwarfing the mountains around it. It is covered in runes of unimaginable potency, that glow in the darkness, their dancing shapes altering reality. From the dark reaches of the gateway pours out the Winds of Magic and mutating clouds of warpstone dust — magical energy transmuted into a solid.
Was there a lot of lore in WHF rulebook?
yes, in its heyday the writing in Warhammer Fantasy, while, of course, mostly pastiche and sometimes awfully over-ripe, was well worth the trouble.
Here we go then:
Witching Night
“Listen, there is nothing to fear. Hexensnacht comes every year. We need only call on the Lord of Death to watch over us. So, come the midnight hour, we cry MORR! MORR! MORR!”
—Father Wilhelm Abgott, Priest of Morr
Sigil of the Cult of MorrAlmost everyone in the Empire looks to the night before the New Year, known as Witching Night (or, in older times, called Hexensnacht), with particular dread.
This night is sacred to Morr, whose priests are the only ones brave enough to leave the safety of their homes in order to conduct their rites in the graveyards. The line between the worlds of the living and the dead is particularly blurred on this night, and the spirits of those who have gone before sometimes come back. The vile Undead are seemingly energised by the wan, pale light of the moons on Witching Night, and shamble through the countryside, terrorising the living.
Because the regions of death and sleep are so close, vivid dreams on this night give clues of a person’s fate for the coming year.
Sigmar Heldenhammer (meaning Hammer of the Goblins in Old Reikspiel), born as Sigmar Unberogen, is the eternal patron god of the Cult of Sigmar and the Empire, as well as its founder and principle war-god. Born over 2500 years ago to the Unberogen tribe, his coming having been heralded by the twin-tailed comet; Sigmar, alone of the chieftains of the 12 tribes, was possessed of a singular drive to put an end to the bloody tribal conflict that had riven his people apart. This was not a thing to be taken lightly, for the Thuringians and Teutogens raided the northern borders of the Unberogens, the Merogens their southern settlements. The Jutones and the Endals warred with each other over land, and the Norsii made prey of all men. All the while, the Greenskins ravaged humanity from the East and the Beastmen raided from the forests. Nevertheless, through words and deeds, Sigmar brought the tribes together while casting aside those who defied him and then, with hammer and fury, drove the enemies of mankind from his homeland. After Sigmar had completed the unification, he was coronated as Emperor by the Ar-Ulric himself, having been a deeply devout Ulrican in mortal life.
For fifty years did Sigmar reign over the Empire: a golden age that was just, fair and prosperous. Yet despite that, many challenges to the Empire’s stability were faced and overcome by Sigmar’s daring and leadership: the invasions of Norsii barbarians, and even the march of the Lord of the Undead, Nagash himself, whom Sigmar defeated in single-combat at the gates of Reikdorf. Upon the last year of his rule, and the anniversary of his coronation by the Ar-Ulric, Sigmar rose up from his throne and left the Empire, heading eastwards towards the Worlds Edge Mountains. He was accompanied by a great wolf on one flank and a massive boar on the other, his visage was a mask of grim determination.
Emperor Karl Franz I, Elector Count and Grand Prince of Reikland, Prince of Altdorf, and Count of the West March is the current Emperor of The Empire and Elector Count of Reikland. He is widely regarded as the greatest statesman and diplomat of the Old World.
He was crowned in 2502 IC.
Karl Franz is the son of the late Emperor Luitpold; therefore, he was a logical candidate to become Emperor after his father’s death. However in the Empire the Imperial throne is not inherited, but chosen by a vote of the Imperial Electors.
Although the exact circumstances and precise details are unknown, it is likely that Karl Franz was considered far too young and inexperienced for the throne; he himself did not believe that he would be elected and Boris Todbringer, the count of Middenland, was the favored other candidate. The first vote was 8 against and only 4 in Karl Franz’s favour, the remaining 3 Electors presumably abstaining. Maximillian von Königswald, who was an old friend and count of Ostland, managed to persuade all but one of the other electors to cast their vote for Karl Franz. The Church of Sigmar also supported him with 3 votes. In the end Karl Franz won the election.
Sorry, I have been forgetting.
Sewer Jacks
A patrol of the Sewer Watch.
Large sewer-systems and other tunnels are an obvious weakness in the defence of large cities. It’s the unenviable mission of the Sewer Watch to constantly verify, control and patrol them.Emperor Mandred Skavenslayer organized the Sewer Watch in The Empire to protect the cities against future Skaven invasions.
Since that time its standing and reputation has declined and today only the desperate and poor enlist in the Sewer Watch. Many of its members are former brigands and criminals. Local authorities usually don’t ask too many questions; tacitly choosing to ignore the past histories of new recruits.
It’s a hard and dangerous task; the dark and stinking sewers are natural hideouts of mutants and sometimes used by Chaos cultists. A greater threat are the Skaven, who often use the sewers as a means to infiltrate the cities above.
The Sewer Watch is also on the lookout for smugglers, who occasionally use the tunnels and larger sewers to smuggle their goods into the cities.
The men of the Sewer Watch are common victims of the conspiracy of silence. Their dubious background is one of the reasons why their reports about “Ratmen in the sewers” are usually discarded as exaggeration.
The Sewer Watch is a respected institution in Tilea; the Skaven menace is more evident and local authorities pay well for the services of experienced mercenaries willing to work in such a dangerous and odorous place.
Side Note:
Sewer Jacks refer to the effluent as The Stew.
Ale
Brewed from wheat, barley, yeast and other mysterious ingredients, ale is one of the staple drinks of the Empire, and indeed, most of the Old World. What differentiates ale from beer is the brewing process. Ale is fermented with special yeast to give it its unique taste. In a grim and perilous life, where each sip of water could kill you, a warm alcoholic haze and a deep nutty flavour are deeply desirable qualities in a drink. Ale comes in three varieties: bitter, brown, or pale.
One famous brew is the potent Zhufbar Ale, named after a Dwarf hold in the Worlds Edge Mountains. Known for its rich flavour and dark colour, the ale packs quite a punch. Each drink of Zhufbar Ale counts as two drinks. Many brewers in Marienburg adopted the brewing techniques of Bretonnian brewmaesters, resulting in a variety of fine ales with hearty, robust, and fruity flavour. Among them, Marienburg Pale is the most famous. One of the worst Ales in the Old World that is widely consumed is Talabheim Special, also called Troll Squirt, Bitter Brew, and “I be done Swill.” With its ruddy complexion and a harsh metallic taste, it’s said the brewers use water from the Talabec where it flows through the city; hence its chunky texture.
Snotlings
Most Snotlings only grow as high as a Man’s knee and have been known to infest both Orc and Goblin settlements, always scavenging in the heaps and dung of the camps rubbish, and stealing anything which is not nailed down. Snotlings have a nasty tendency to often nab unwanted cast-offs, bits of crap, trinkets or shiny metal and hide these treasures in a secret nook or hiding spot. Orcs tend to look upon their much smaller cousins with a certain degree of affection, often treating them as wayward and mischievous pets. Some Orcs in a tribe might try to capture one or two of these little creatures, feeding them small scraps of food, and training them to do tricks and menial task. The brightest of the Snotlings would do simple stuff like playing “Fetch” or do extremely simple labour such as carrying equipment or scratching off hard-to-reach scabs for their Orc owners.
Flagellants are the names given to those that have lost all hope for a dying world, and now wander the lands in marauding hordes, preaching the end is nigh and fighting the darkness with a fervour that borders unto insanity.
The Empire is a dangerous and cruel place. Wars, plagues and the predation of terrible monsters can destroy whole towns and force their inhabitants to become beggars, vagabonds and brigands. Most who endure such hardships are hardened by their losses, but some are driven over the edge by their suffering.
It is a common sight to see groups of fanatical madmen whipping and beating themselves as they travel from village to village, begging for scraps of food as they preach their nightmarish vision of ruin.
When word reaches the Flagellants that a battle is brewing, they gather together in anticipation for the end, believing it to be the final hopeful battle between good and evil. Thus, as armies clash, the Flagellants throw themselves into the fray in desperate gesture of self sacrifice and repentance.
The River 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. Between Nuln and Altdorf, the Reik is up to 200 yards wide and crossable only by boat. Stretches of the Reikwald Forest are dense and perilous but the river is wide enough to offer protection from hostiles along the banks. Only water-borne 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 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
I am going to offer this today, a WFB fanzine that on a cursory glance looks pretty sweet.
The Reik Eel is unique to the River Reik and its many tributaries. It commonly grows up to 12–15 feet in length, and has spines down the length of its green-grey back.
The Reik Eel is not an aggressive creature, but its extreme size, often longer than 10 feet, elicits fear from the ignorant. The only recorded instances of Reik Eels initiating an attack was when they perceived threats to their young. However, as Reik Eel elver are a delicacy, this isn’t as uncommon as it could be.
“— Jellied Elvers —
Skin and bone the elvers. Sprinkle meat with lemon zest. Cut into 4 inch strips. Roll up each piece and tie with strong cotton. Cover in a pan with salted water and add lemon juice and bay leaves. Simmer for two hours. Cool quickly, allowing juices to set. Serve with mashed potato and liquor (sauce made of flour, chopped parsley and water). Flavour with vinegar and spices.”The Border Prince Confederacy, known also as the Borderlands,The Frontiers or simply as the Border Princes, is a vast region within the Old World located between the Black Mountains and Black Fire Pass to the north and the shores of the Black Gulf to the south. This region of vast wilderness is home to a multitude of petty Human kingdoms that were established by highly ambitious adventurers who sought to create a realm of their own. Many times, however, these adventurers usually consist of political or religious refugees from lands such as the Empire, Bretonnia and Kislev.
As such, these lands are infamous as the homes of a wide variety of bandits, mercenaries, cut-throats, pirates and other lawless fugitives. Following the Battle of Black Fire Pass, human colonist and adventurers during the time of Sigismund the Conqueror led a campaign of conquest towards the Empire’s southern borders and fought off the Greenskin tribes that used to inhabit the lands, clearing the way for many nobles and colonists from all across the lands of the Old World to colonise and claim patches of this territory as their own.
Law in the Empire is a complicated, arcane art. It is said that mastery of the law is secondary only to the study of magic in its difficulty. In Sigmar’s time, the law was a simple mixture of tribal custom and “might is right.” As the Empire developed, the first property laws came into being—to protect the feudal lords, not the ordinary people. It is not until recent times, and the rise of the middle class, that the law has moved away from this tradition, and become a matter of statutory rights.
Generally speaking, wherever one commits a crime, there will be two or more competing and conflicting systems of law. The ordered statutes of free towns and cities compete with the rough justice of the roadwardens. The vagaries of religious law vie with guild law for primacy. The word of a noble often brings down a death sentence, whilst the unwritten rules of the thieves’ guilds are an unseen influence upon criminals and victims alike. The result is a morass of conflicting jurisdictions that can leave a case hanging for weeks, if not months or even years. Given the complexity of the law and its procedures, the old Reiklander saying rings true: “I keep my enemies close, and my lawyer closer.”
Alphonse Hercules de Gascoigne
Famous Gnome Investigator
Alphonse is of indeterminate age, with slicked black hair and a large waxed moustache. His green eyes glitter with amusement and an enviably vigorous intellect. Standing a miniscule 3’ 7”, and very thinly built it is impossible to take this funny little soul seriously, which is precisely the mistake so many criminals have made!
Gyrocopter
These warmachines use a revolutionary rotor-blade steam engine that allows it to take off into the air and land vertically or even hover on the spot, becoming the first technological marvel to achieve the ability of flight. The first Gyrocopter was invented and then improved upon by Dwarf Engineers, and due to its rarity only a trusted member of the Engineers Guild is allowed to maintain and operate one.
The inventors of this machine were first inspired by observing wild Dragons swooping down from mountain crags. They combined the idea of wings with that of engines used to drive drilling machines and flywheels from grinding machines, which would eventually be the basis for the steam engine that powers the rotors.
After several centuries of constant calibrations and revision, the first proper prototype was met with great success. The earlier models were made mostly of canvas and light-weight metal, but as time went on, the newer variants became far more heavily armoured, and sported an improved hull and weaponry.
Ah, that brings back memories! It certainly set the scene for the forthcoming Enemy Within series.
The Stir River Patrol is a subdivision of Stirland’s state army charged with patrolling the River Stir. The Stir is both a well-travelled trade route and the entire northern border of Stirland. Thus the Stir River Patrol has the dual purposes of protecting river traffic from whatever might lurk in the waters and guarding the province’s border from marauding bands of orcs, beastmen, and Talabeclanders.
River patrol units are trained at special forts along the bank of the river. A unit may specialize in, for instance, boarding enemy ships or ranged attacks. In fact the archers of the Stir River Patrol are well-known for their accuracy.
Unlike the rest of Stirland’s military, who wear green and yellow uniforms, the River Patrol wear green and white. Common symbols among the River Patrol are the five-pointed crown of Manann and the Green Lurkerfish.
Day of Folly
One of the few holidays recognised in Ranald’s name, commoners and nobles alike cherish the Day of Folly, though it is seriously frowned upon by the stern or ascetic.
On this day (10th of Sommerzeit), social conventions are turned on their heads, and those in charge act as servants whilst servants are treated as lords of the manor. Revels occur in the streets, as people wear colourful outfits and outlandish masks to conceal their identities (often quite poorly). Drinking, song, and harmless pranks are the norm. While this is an opportunity for authority figures to feel a bit of the sting that they often put others through, few accept much in the way of abuse from their inferiors, who must be careful in what they say or do.As Cultists of Sigmar often say: “t’s not the Day of Folly that matters, it’s the day after that does.”
Karl Franz, also known as Karl-Franz or Karl Franz I, titled the Protector of the Empire, Defier of the Dark, Emperor of the South, Emperor Himself, and Son of Emperors, is the current Emperor of the Empire, the Elector Count of Reikland, the Prince of Altdorf and the greatest statesman and general the Empire and perhaps the entire Old World has seen in many centuries.
Patriarch and Head of House Holswig-Schliestein, Karl Franz, who was elected to the Imperial throne in 2502 IC, followed in his father’s footsteps, and was hailed as a patron of the arts and sciences, as a military innovator and as a valiant general.
Thanks to his tireless efforts on the behalf of his people, the Empire flourished during his reign as never before: the Imperial School of Engineers in Altdorf grew, the Colleges of Magic thrived and his armies marched from victory to victory.
The Emperor frequently took personal command of his troops, wielding Ghal Maraz, the fabled magical warhammer given to Sigmar himself by the Dwarf king Kurgan Ironbeard over two thousand years ago, or his Runefang sword, and riding atop Deathclaw, his Griffon mount of many years, alongside his second-in-command and personal friend Reiksmarshal Kurt Helborg.
Yeah I remember when they starting bringing out named heroes with OTT weapons and items.
Sigh…
Cool figure and paintjob though.
😀
The Grand County of Stirland is a major and founding Imperial Province that lies within the eastern territories of the Empire. Stirland is a rugged highland province famous for its rural backwater society and the province’s close affiliation with death. Such attitude stems from the province close association with the province of Sylvania, a land perpetrated with misty forests and ancient castles resting on the craggy peaks like circling vultures.
Ever since the end of the Vampire Wars, the province of Stirland has been given the rights to all the lands of eastern Sylvania. This essentially doubled the size of the province, but did little to improve the province’s fortunes. Indeed, the province of Stirland is a relatively poor country in comparison to its surrounding southern neighbours such as Averland or Wissenland. The citizenry of Stirland are a conservative and superstitious lot, known for their backwards outlook and religious intolerance. The Banner of Stirland shows a skeleton sounding a hunting horn, signifying a call to battle. The skeleton itself is a common symbol of the lands, an expression of both the Stirlander battle cry “Victory or Death” and a grim reminder of the lands of Sylvania that they share borders with.
Typically paid to patrol the sewers, the Blackclad Sewerjacks found themselves in the frontlines against the skaven. Armed with clubs, rusty blades, and torches, the Blackclad Sewerjacks were a motley, but stout-hearted crew. Several members of the unit killed rats during their sojourn into the sewers, and they mounted these creatures on a crude totem which they carried into battle like a standard.
Genevieve Dieudonné
Genevieve Dieudonné, the Lahmian Vampire accepted into Altdorf society.
Genevieve Sandrine du Pointe du Lac Dieudonné is a Lahmian Vampire whose unlife has lasted for over six centuries. Notably, she saved the Emperor Karl Franz from an assassination attempt, and is generally accepted by Imperial society for that deed. She lives in Altdorf with her husband, the playwright Detlef Sierck.
She has a deep interest in exotic magics, having even studied under a master magician of Cathay.
In six hundred years there is little Genevieve hasn’t done and few places she hasn’t been. She has even turned up at the excavations of different tombs and crypts, such as those of Muammar the Mad, and Gaetano Carnera in the Vaults.
I always thought of him as being Shakespeare or maybe even Chaucer, though more like Shakespeare?
Felix was always going on about how he portrayed the great heroes like Sigmar in the plays and how glamourous he made them seem, yet being a hero in real life was crappy and dangerous.
Felix begrudged the depictions and felt a bit betrayed by them.Detlef had his little theatre with the trap door demon and put on plays, I think he did the big play in the Drachenfels book?
Runefang
The Runefangs were created by the renowned Dwarf Runesmith Alaric the Mad, and were intended for the 12 tribal leaders who had united under Sigmar’s rule. However, such was the skill and time required to make them, that it was not until 100 years after the Battle of Black Fire Pass that Alaric was able to deliver them all to the new Emperor. Runefangs are blades of unsurpassed power able to carve through gromril and Dragon scale.
Only one of the Runefangs, most likely the one that currently belongs to the Elector Count of Middenland, was used in battle before this. It was given to Sigmar’s childhood friend, Pendrag, the newly appointed ruler of Middenheim, who used it when a Chaos army besieged the city. When Pendrag fell during the ensuing battle, the sword went to Myrsa, his successor.
Although there are 12 Runefangs, there are only ten Elector Counts. The province of Drakwald was stripped of its statehood in the early 14th century, while Solland was destroyed by the Waaagh! of Gorbad Ironclaw in the early 17th century IC. The orc warchief took the sword (along with the Elector Count’s head) as a trophy, and it was lost for many years before being recovered in the Worlds Edge Mountains and returned to the Imperial Capital of Altdorf.
In the dark periods known as the Age of Wars, the Age of Three Emperors and the Dark Ages, Runefangs became highly sought after. Wars were fought between noble families for the possession of a Runefang, as the ownership gave a noble house the right to claim itself a Royal house.
Today the Runefangs are divided between the 10 elector counts, (with the Emperor himself choosing to wield it or Ghal Maraz into battle), while one, formerly belonging to the province of Solland, is wielded by the Reikmarshal Kurt Helborg. The last one, the Runefang of Drakwald, is kept locked away in the Imperial Armoury, and is sometimes, temporarily, wielded by worthy generals during times of strife.
List of Runefangs
Runefang of Averland, known as Mother’s Ruin and the Sword of Ruin.
Runefang of Hochland, known as Goblin Bane.
Runefang of Middenland, known as Legbiter.
Runefang of Nordland, known as Crow Feeder.
Runefang of Ostland, known as Brain Wounder.
Runefang of Ostermark, known as Troll Cleaver.
Runefang of Reikland, known as Dragon Tooth.
Runefang of Stirland, known as Orc Hewer.
Runefang of Talabecland, known as Stone Breaker.
Runefang of Wissenland, known as Blood Bringer and Dammaz Vengryn.
Runefang of Solland, known as Grudge Settler, Grollhalter (meaning “the Grudgebearer”), Lightshard, Helbringer, Warpsbane and Klingerach (meaning “the Sword of Vengeance”).
Runefang of Drakwald, known as Beast Slayer.Two-Gifts Day
Sigil of the Cult of Ranald
On the 8th day of Chill Month, this unusual holiday from the Province of Ostermark is dedicated to Ranald, and centres around small gifts between family members.
The first is a silly gift that is presented in a grandiose, over-the-top manner, while the second is something precious. Once the gift has been handed over, it is then considered “fair game” for others to steal and present to someone else. While the holiday is done with a festive tone, there are times when fights can break out over the theft of particular gifts. Priests of Ranald claim that the holiday is meant to show that material objects are relatively meaningless, and that ownership is a fleeting thing…
*
The twelve months of the year are:Nachexen (After-Witching),
Jahrdrung (Year-Turn),
Pflugzeit (Ploughtide),
Sigmarzeit (Sigmartide),
Sommerzeit (Summertide),
Vorgeheim (Fore-Mystery),
Nachgeheim (After-Mystery),
Erntezeit (Harvest-tide),
Brauzeit (Brew month),
Kaldezeit (Chill month),
Ulriczeit (Ulric-tide),
Vorhexen (Fore-Witching)
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