Sectors

Sigmar Sector

Planets

Aver

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the Princedom of Averheim

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Middenheim

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the Barony of Nordland
• Contains the Westenmark

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Middenland

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the Princedom of Carroburg
• Contains the Protectorate of Drakwald

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Moot

• An Electoral Province of the Empire

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Ost

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the Northern March

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Nuln

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the County of Wissenland

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Reik

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the Princedom of Altdorf
• Contains the The Arch-duchy of Upper Teufel

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Stir

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the County of Sylvania
• Contains the Princedom of Wurtbad

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Suden

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the March of Vennland

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Talabec

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the Arch-duchy of Dunkelkoste
• Contains the League of Ostermark

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Talabheim

• An Electoral Province of the Empire
• Contains the Barony of Hochland

Stations

Kutsche und Pferde

• A refueling station owned by Middenheim-Altdorf Starline

Sieben Speichen Station

• A refueling station owned by Middenheim-Altdorf Starline

Bretonnia Sector

Rimward to Sigmar

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Bretonnia is a highly martial Human feudal kingdom that lies between the Grey Mountains (a massive nebula formed from the explosion of a collapsing star millenia ago) and the Great Ocean (The dark space beyond the edge of the Söll galaxy). Bretonnia is second only in size to that of the Empire among the realms of Men, and is both the Empire’s chief rival and closest ally, having a culture and society that revolves around the ideals of nobility, a strict social hierarchy based on aristocratic birthright, and the upholding of a strictly enforced code of chivalry.

Ruled by a monarch officially called the “royarch,” the realm of Bretonnia has been known throughout the kingdoms of Men for having the greatest knights, even surpassing those of the Knightly Orders of the Empire. The knights of Bretonnia are trained to fight from childhood, and even the lowliest Knights Errant are considered superior to ordinary warriors. Their skills are further enhanced through constant training, battles and tournaments. It is not only Bretonnia’s knights who are famed, however, for the kingdom also boasts the finest Human navies in the mortal world. Due to this regime, the combined military might of Bretonnia has surpassed that of even the greatest armies in history.

Wasteland Sector

Rimward and Spinward to Sigmar

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Wasteland is a large area which contains the prosperous city of Marienburg. The Wasteland used to be the Empire province of Westerland that was conquered in 2501 IC by Emperor Sigismund II, until it seceded during the reign of Emperor Dieter IV in 4429 IC through a hefty bribe.

 

 

Kislev Sector

coreward to Sigmar

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Kislev, officially the Tzardom of Kislev, also known as the “Realm of the Ice Queen,” and to the Kislevites themselves as “The Motherland,” is a powerful kingdom driven by the need to prepare for constant warfare that is known far and wide for having some of the greatest ships to ever roam the galaxy. Ruled by a mighty monarch known as a “tzar.”

Estalia Sector

anti-spinward to Sigmar

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This hot, anti-spinward sector is known for their bitter politics and worship of the goddess Myrmidia.

Tilia Sector

Those that reside here embrace the ideals of trade, exploration, progression and civil war with almost equal passion. Tilea is a sector of great wealth and advancement, a region known far and wide for being the cradle from which the ideals of democracy, civil liberty and justice was birthed, founded, and established. It is only from here that the first true republics in the galaxy were formed by the region’s people, such as the Republic of Remas, while others are ruled by a powerful caste of wealthy merchants, known collectively as the Merchant Princes.

Norsca Sector

spinward to Sigmar

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Located spinward to Sigmar, separated by the large nebula known as the sea of Claws. The temperature across the planets in this sector are far below what is commonly considered habitable, but there are humans and other races that call it home.

Borderland Sector

A sector located anti-spinward of the Black Mountain Nebula. This region is home to a multitude of petty kingdoms of Men that were established by highly ambitious adventurers who sought to create a realm of their own. These adventurers were often political or religious refugees fleeing from other Human realms of the Old World such as the Empire, Bretonnia and Kislev.

 

 

The Empire

On the surface, the Empire is all but invincible. It is the greatest of the Old World’s realms, both in extent and in military might. Founded four and a half millennia ago, it has withstood countless assaults by Greenskins, Skaven, Chaos, and its many neighbors. Beneath the banner of the twin-tailed comet, emblem of its founder-god Sigmar Heldenhammer, the State Armies of the Empire take to the “field” behind their mighty Griffon-riding Emperor, confident of victory.

However, there are worrying rumors concerning the Emperor’s health, and he hasn’t been near his Griffon for months. Deep in the remote corners of this vast realm, Beastmen and worse still lurk, even though the forces of Chaos were expelled from the realm two centuries ago. The taint of Chaos touches everywhere, inflicting strange mutations that force good folk to hide from their neighbors or face the flames of the witch hunters.

The Empire is a patchwork of Electoral Provinces, each a mighty planet ruled by an Elector. These Electoral Provinces, in turn, are divided into scores of ‘Prime Estates’, a collective name for the many counties, duchies, marches, baronies, and more ruled by the vassals of an Elector Court. Most Prime Estates are, again, split into many smaller provinces called ‘Fiefs’, and these too may be divided up again into smaller baronies, protectorates, territories, or similar. Reikland is the richest and arguably most powerful of all the ancient Electoral Provinces.

This exceedingly complex, overlapping tangle of territories forms a social pyramid of borders, titles, oaths, and responsibilities. It preoccupies the many thousands of Noble Houses that span the Empire, from the tiny number of Royal Houses ruling the Electoral Provinces at the top, to the uncounted Minor Houses ruling the smallest mile-wide protectorates at the bottom. Knowing one’s place in the tangle, and its privileges, is vital to anyone with any pretensions of nobility.

The Current Council of State

The Council of State has been largely unchanged since Emperor Karl-Franz first rose to power a decade ago. Its members are old, powerful, and used to wielding absolute authority. Like his father before him, Emperor Karl-Franz grants each of his councilors a broad-reaching ‘portfolio’, an official title, and allows them to wield the full authority of the Emperor in their area of control. The current councilors are:

• Grand Theogonist Yorri XV of the Cult of Sigmar. He is granted the title of High Confessor and his portfolio covers all Matters Spiritual.
• Baroness Lotte Hochsvoll is the High Chancellor of the Fisc. Her portfolio covers Matters Material.
• Grey Guardian Immanuel-Ferrand Holswig-Schliestein is High Chancellor of the Realm. His portfolio covers Matters Temporal: this is code for saying he’s the Imperial Spymaster.
• Supreme Patriarch Thyrus Gormann is High Wizard. As might be expected, his portfolio covers Matters Magickal.
• Duchess Ullana Velten is High Chamberlain of the Seal. Her portfolio covers Matters Ambassadorial, effectively foreign affairs.
• Reiksmarshall Kurt Helborg is High Fieldmarshal. His portfolio covers Matters Martial.
• Lector Agatha Böhrn of the Cult of Verena is the Supreme High Law Lord. She deals with Matters Legal.
• Countess Talene Feuerbach is High Chamberlain of the Palace. Her portfolio involves Matters Imperial. This means she runs all Imperial holdings.

The Electoral Provinces

The Electoral Provinces are the planets within the Empire whose rulers are responsible for electing a new Emperor when the incumbent dies or abdicates.

Historically, there is considerable rivalry and tension between Electoral Provinces. Fortunately for the unity of the Empire, these ambitions have been suppressed in recent decades. The memory of centuries of bitter civil war ensures most political machinations are conducted discreetly.

The rulers of the Electoral Provinces are effectively sovereigns on their own planet, meaning they are largely able to exercise their authority as they see fit within the boundaries of their domains without needing to ask the Emperor’s permission. Some are more independent than others, thanks to special privileges granted by previous Emperors. For example, Middenheim and Talabheim send no taxes to the Imperial coffers, and only have to supply troops during times of war when all the other provinces have been exhausted.

The style of government also varies between the Electoral Provinces. Talabecland, for example, is rigidly autocratic, while Sudenland has many democratic institutions. However, these variations usually have little meaning for the average citizen of the Empire. No matter where you go, the rich are still rich and the poor do all the work.

All of the Electoral Provinces are ruled by either Elector Counts or Electors.

 

 

The Elector Counts

The Elector Counts hold the most powerful titles in the Empire. Each rules a vast ‘grand province’, and is responsible for electing a new Emperor when the incumbent dies or abdicates. Their titles are incredibly old, dating back to the Time of Sigmar over two millennia ago. All Elector Counts and their immediate descendants for up to three generations are considered to be of royal blood, and this ranks their Noble House above all others as a Royal House. The ancient title also grants them the right to wield a Runefang, one of the magical swords forged for the greatest tribal chieftains during the Time of Sigmar. Historically, especially during the Dark Ages when the Empire collapsed, it was said a Noble House could not claim to be a Royal House without a Runefang, meaning wars over their ownership were frequent and bitter.

The Electors

Down through the centuries, there have also been other provincial rulers granted a right to vote for the next Emperor. This right has been granted by Emperors in the past for various political or social reasons, but is not linked to a royal title or the right to claim a Runefang. Currently, the Empire only has one Electoral Province ruled by an Elector: the Grand County of Mootland. This means the Elder of the Moot has an Electoral Vote, but no attendant royal or noble privileges.

The Provinces

There are also many lesser, non-Electoral Provinces. The rulers of these Provinces are not considered to have royal blood but are important for historical, political, religious, or societal reasons. As a result, non-Electors often rival, or nearly equal, the less powerful Electors.

Provincial rulers are responsible first to their liege, the relevant Elector above them, and secondly to the Emperor. They appeal directly to their Elector, not the Emperor, for justice if they feel wronged. Equally, if Emperor Karl-Franz wishes to find fault with the behavior of Chancellor Dachs of Ostermark, he first raises the matter with Grand Duke Gustav of Talabecland who had better do something about the Emperor’s concerns. These non-Electoral Provinces, being under an Elector, are effectively covered by the same immunities and exemptions as the ‘parent’ Electoral Province. This need not be a bad thing.

Just to add to the confusion, some of the Provinces are also ruled directly by an Elector Count.

The Current Electoral Provinces

Although all Electoral Provinces occupy an entire planet, their designation within the realm is still based upon the title of its local sovereign. In the year 2512 the Electoral Provinces are:

• The Grand County of Aver
  • Current Elector: Ludmila I of House Alptraum, Grand Countess of Averland, Elector Countess, Princess of Averheim, Countess of Gaital is based in Averheim. Aged 77; her named heir is her eldest daughter, Baroness Marlene, 51.
• The Grand Duchy of Middenheim
  • Current Elector: Boris X of House Todbringer, Grand Duke of Middenheim, Elector Count, also has the title ‘Ban-Ulric’ meaning ‘beloved of Ulric’, and is based in Middenheim. He is 57; his named heir is his sickly oldest son, Baron Stefan, 40.
• The Grand Duchy of Middenland
  • Current Elector: Leopold I of House Bildhofen, Grand Duke of Middenland, Elector Count, and Prince of Carroburg, is based in Carroburg. Aged 46; his named heir is his younger brother, Baron Siegfried. He has five legitimate children of his own, but all are disinherited until they can succeed in ‘impressing him’.
• The Grand County of Moot
  • Current Elector: Elder Hisme Stoutheart of the Grand County of Moot is based in Eicheschatten. Aged 124; he not only represents the Mootland, but also all Halflings in the Empire.
• The Grand County of Nuln
  • Current Elector: Emmanuelle II of House Liebwitz, Grand Countess of Nuln and an Elector Countess, is based in Nuln. She is 27. She has no publicly named heir, fuelling rumors that she has at least one secret child hidden away.
• The Grand Princedom of Ost
  • Current Elector: Hans-Hals I of House Tasseninck, aged 62, is Grand Prince of Ostland, an Elector Count, Prince of Wolfenburg, and Graf of Tasseninck. His named heir is his only son, the wildly charismatic Crown Prince Hergard, 32, a man known for his deep passions.

 

 

• The Grand Princedom of Reik
  • Current Elector: Emperor Karl-Franz I of House Holswig-Schliestein, Elector Count, Grand Prince of the Reikland, Prince of Altdorf, Count of the West March, and Sigmar’s Chosen, is based in Altdorf. He is 35; his heir to Reikland is his sister’s eldest son, Crown Prince Wolfgang of House Holswig-Abenauer, 19. His heir to Altdorf is his son, Crown Prince Luitpold, 16. Luitpold used to be heir to Reikland, but was recently disinherited from the title for reasons unknown, and then banished to the West March.
• The Grand County of Stir
  • Current Elector: Alberich V of House Haupt-Anderssen, Grand Duke of Stirland, Elector Count, and Prince of Wurtbad, is based in Wurtbad. Aged 15; he has no publicly named heir after his younger brother, Rudolph, was disinherited in 2511 IC by Alberich’s Regent, Stirmarshal Haygich.
• The Grand Barony of Suden
  • Current Elector: Etelka III of House Toppenheimer, Grand Baroness of Sudenland, Elector Countess, Baroness of Pfieldorf, and Baroness of Geschberg, is based in Pfeildorf. Aged 51; her named heir is her adopted son, Baron Olaf Sektliebe, a source of much consternation amongst her 12 children.
• The Grand Duchy of Talabheim
  • Current Elector: Elise IX, 31, of House Krieglitz-Untern, Grand Duchess of Talabheim, Elector Countess, and ‘Luddataal’ — ‘Chosen of Taal’ — is based in Talabheim. She has no publicly named heir after a recent family tragedy left her childless.
• The Grand Duchy of Talabec
  • Current Elector: Gustav XI of House Krieglitz, Grand Duke of Talabecland, Elector Count, Count of Krieglitz, and ‘Grátaal’ — ‘Beloved of Taal’ — is based in Castle Schloss, just outside the town of Herzig. Aged 22; he has no publicly named heir due to a ‘dispute of lineage’ concerning his younger brother, Gunter, lodged by their uncle, Count Ottlin of Gehrandt.

Non-Landed Electors

The following are Electors of the Empire, but do not hold a title of nobility or land:

• Grand Theogonist Yorri XV of the Cult of Sigmar, Theogonist of the Empire, Arch Lector of the West, Lector of Reikland, High Priest of Sigmar is based in Altdorf, and is aged 56.
• Arch Lector Aglim of the East for the Cult of Sigmar, Lector of Talabecland, and High Priest of Talabheim, is based in Talabheim, and is aged 70.
• Arch Lector Kaslain of the South for the Cult of Sigmar, Lector of Wissenland, High Priest of Nuln, is based in Nuln, and is aged 62.
• Ar-Ulric Jarrick Valgeir of the Cult of Ulric, 48, is based in Middenheim.

The Current Lesser Provinces

The Provinces in the Empire of 2512 IC are:

• The Princedom of Altdorf, located on Reikland
• The Princedom of Averheim, located on Averland
• The Princedom of Carroburg, located on Middenland
• The Protectorate of Drakwald, located on Middenland
• The Arch-duchy of Dunkelkoste, located on Talabecland
• The Barony of Hochland, located on Talabheim
• The Barony of Nordland, located on Middenheim
• The Northern March, located on Ostland
• The League of Ostermark, located on Talabecland
• The County of Sylvania, located on Stirland
• The Arch-duchy of Upper Teufel, located on Reikland
• The March of Vennland, located on Sudenland
• The Westenmark, located on Middenheim
• The County of Wissenland, located on Nuln
• The Princedom of Wurtbad, located on Stirland

 

 

Aethyric Disruption

The empire is steeped in tradition and a powerful fear of magic. While elves are born with the ability to freely command the Aethyr while demonstrating control over the taint of chaos, humans are not so gifted. Millenia of battle with Chaos and of those magic users that have become twisted and dark due to the influence of Dhar, have led the Empire, and their dwarven allies, to embrace technology. This led to the exploration of the stars and the colonization of numerous other worlds. Despite this, not much else has changed. The Empire still reigns as the greatest human power across several sectors, magic is generally feared and witch hunters hunt those who abuse it (or just use it, depending on the week), the rich are still rich, the poor are even poorer, dwarves and elves still hate and mistrust one another, and Chaos and Skaven still vie for dominance over everything.

The primary reason why technology has not become more dominant is the existence of the Winds of Magic. These pervasive currents of energy emitted from the tear into the Aethyr located at the center of the galaxy have devastating effects on electronics. Any electronic device coming in contact with the Winds effectively shuts down as though it were affected by an electromagnetic pulse. For this reason, technology is not relied upon much planetside, where the Winds of Magic tend to gather.

In space, it is far easier to avoid the Winds, and so interstellar travel and the existence of space stations are possible if the necessary precautions are taken.

The Navigators

Aethyric Wind, More commonly known as the Winds of Magic, flows from an extra dimensional tear near the center of the galaxy, touching everything from core to rim. Like the magic that utilizes their power, the winds themselves disrupt all electronics they touch. This makes interstellar travel, especially faster-than-light travel, incredibly dangerous. To get around this, a new profession has emerged called Navigators. These specialized mages possess incredible skill at sensing Aethyric Winds, even at faster-than-light speeds, making interstellar travel possible.

Witch Hunters

These men and women, specialized bounty hunters whose sole purpose is the capture or eradication of dangerous magical creatures and spell casters, have remained virtually unchanged over the past four millenia. Despite the great advances in technology, due to the magical nature of their prey, Witch Hunters have been unable to rely on electronics due to the disrupting nature of magic.

Channeling

The act of channeling magic attracts Aethyric Wind to the caster, creating an area around them that disrupts electronics. For this reason, channeling is outlawed aboard starships and stations. Because of this, most larger starships keep a witch hunter employed to deal with anyone that is foolish enough to attempt this.

Credits and Coins

The move to digital currency was attempted twice over the years, but after the most recent attempt resulted in banking records being lost due to an errant Aethyric Wind, it was decided it was best to stay with a physical currency. To this day, Sovereigns, gold crowns, silver shillings, and brass pennies are still the standard form of currency accepted across the Empire.

 

 

Player Races

Humans (Reiklander)

Humans are the most numerous and widespread of the civilized species. Spanning multiple sectors of the galaxy, humans can be found in nearly every habitable planet, rock, and station, and they thrive. The largest, most powerful Human realm is the Empire, a patchwork of powerful provinces. Standing proud at the heart of this Empire, Reikland is its richest, most cosmopolitan planet.

Many Reiklanders see it as their divine right to rule, for the patron god of the Empire, Sigmar, was himself a Reiklander before he ascended to godhood many centuries ago. Temples and shrines to the god are found everywhere, and the majority of Reiklanders are devout believers in Sigmar’s message of Empire and unity. Because of this, they are significantly more friendly, open, and optimistic than other folk, since what could possibly go wrong for a land that birthed a god? By comparison, outsiders often see them as arrogant, overbearing meddlers who stick their unwanted noses into any affair.

Beyond their affluent lifestyles and pushy personalities, Reiklanders are largely the same as other Humans. They may be shorter-lived than other species, but Humans possess more vigor, versatility, and ambition. They also have a seemingly inextricable relationship with the insidious horrors of the Ruinous Powers, with more Humans falling to corruption than any other species. Perhaps it’s no surprise the declining elder species grow increasingly concerned the meteoric rise of Humanity could result in cataclysm.

Opinions

• On Dwarfs…‘They’ve been our allies since Sigmar walked this very city; fought with them meself back in ’05. Sure, they’re a bit stubborn, seriously vindictive and pretty blunt, but I won’t hear a word said against them.’
• On Halflings… ‘If I gets meself the sort wot eats and smokes all day, then I’m happy as Ranald in catnip. It’s when I get them without proper manners nicking me crockery or knives and forks: that I just can’t abide! They’re all smiles and shrugs when the watch come to pick ’em up, like they don’t understand what they done wrong.’
• On High Elves… ‘Yes, I do trade with them. And, no, don’t be ridiculous, I’ve never been turned to a pillar of salt just by looking at them. Truly, I find them graceful and urbane. Proper civilised, I’d say. But, ’tween you and me, if Verena were to ask, I might also say I find them just… odd. So very intense. Like every deal we make really matters.’
• On Wood Elves… ‘Elves of the forest you say? Ain’t none of ’em around here, mate. You want to be goin’ rimward to Bretonnia. I hear they gots loads of them, and that they’re completely horrible!’

Human Reiklander Names

Reiklanders usually have a forename and a surname. Forenames include:

Examples: Adhemar, Anders, Artur, Beatrijs, Clementia, Detlev, Erika, Frauke, Frederich, Gerner, Gertraud, Haletha, Heinrich, Helga, Henryk, Irmina, Jehanne, Karl, Kruger, Lorelay, Marieke, Sebastien, Sigfreda, Talther, Talunda, Ulrich, Ulrika, Werther, Willelma, Wilryn.

In Reikland, Human family surnames passed on from one generation to the next are most common in cities and towns, while in villages Humans are more likely to take on an individual surname when they reach adulthood. It’s common to take a surname from where you were born, such as ‘Wilhelm of Auerswald’. The nobility often have two surnames, one is the name of their House and the other is preceded by ‘von’ to indicate where their family holds land, such as Graf Zenechar Trott von Tahme, though individual family traditions vary widely.

The most common surnames are derived from your occupation, or the occupation of a parent or grandparent.

Examples: Bauer (Farmer), Fleischer (Butcher), Schmidt (Smith), and Schuster (Cobbler). If a character has a particularly noticeable physical trait, this might be used as a surname. This can often be passed down from parents to children too, which can become confusing for literal-minded Dwarfs who may not understand a short person claiming to be Lang (Tall). Some other examples include: Augenlos (one eye), Dunn (very thin), Laut (loud voice), Stark (Strong).

Physical Details

• Age: Average natural lifespan is around 60 for a Human
• Eye Colour: Green, Blue, Grey, Brown, Hazel, Black
• Hair Colour: Blond, Brown, Black, Auburn, Red, Grey
• Average Height: 5’9”

 

 

Character Creation

• Restricted Backgrounds: None
• Restricted Careers: None
• Characteristics: +1 INT or CHA
• Movement: -
• Racial Skills: Animals Persuade, Broker, Carouse, Language (Bretonnian), Language (Wastelander), Leadership, Science (History: Reikland), Melee, Gun Combat

Human Traits

Doomed
At the age of 10, a Priest of Morr called a Doomsayer took you aside to foretell your death in an incense-laden, coming-of-age ritual called the Dooming. In conjunction with your GM, come up with a suitable Dooming. Should your character die in a fashion that matches your Dooming, your next character gains a bonus of half the total XP your dead character accrued during play.

 

 

Dwarfs

Dwarfs — or ‘Dawi’ as they call themselves — are legendarily gruff and stubborn. While the majority reside in vast mountainside fortresses known as Holds, most larger towns and the capital of Reikland also have Dwarf populations. Given their clannish nature, they tend to band together, forming enclaves or districts wherever they settle. Many of the Dwarfs living on Reikland are the descendants of those driven from Fallen Holds many centuries ago.

Dwarf culture respects skill in crafting — chiefly stonework, smithing and engineering — and Dwarf Holds are resplendent with impressive feats of artifice. They also covet gold and jewels, mining deep beneath the mountains in the pursuit of precious metals and gemstones. However, more than these material possessions, Dwarfs venerate their elders and ancestors, and have entire religions focussing upon important progenitors. Dwarfs cannot cast spells, although their runesmiths carve artifacts with intricate runes to harness magical power.

However, their prowess as engineers is so impressive that some of their more ingenious devices are mistaken for magic by simpler folk.

Dwarfs are squat with thick, muscular limbs and stout, broad torsos. Their features are heavy and their hair is thick. Length of hair is a mark of pride and status amongst Dwarfs, with elaborate braids and adornments demonstrating rank: to shave a Dwarf causes terrible shame. Indeed, honor is a fundamental aspect of their character. Given their long memories and proud natures, they bear grudges against those who have slighted or dishonored them, gripping tight to their grievances for many years, even taking on the grudges borne by their ancestors, knowing their forebears will be watching over them, nursing their bitterness long after death.

Whilst it might be hard for others to win a Dwarf’s friendship, once given it is absolute. While not as ageless as the near-immortal Elves, Dwarfs can live for many centuries. Indeed, some say that as long as a Dwarf has a purpose, they will not die unless struck down in battle, such is the strength of their conviction.

Opinions

• On Reiklander Humans… ‘Like my father and my father afore me, I’ve been living on Reik all me life. As folk go, they know not to mess with my business, and show the respect I deserve, as is right. Yes, they’re unreliable, and as changeable as the wind, but they’re also resourceful and shrewd, so I’d recommend them as risky business partners, as they see solutions I’d not even consider.’
• On Halflings… ‘They’re just not my kind of folk. Always smiling. Always fidgeting. Always talking. Always moving in big groups that just won’t shut up! When they come in my store, I like to shoo them off with a broom. Really, what have they got to be so happy about? I just don’t trust them.’
• On High Elves… ‘Don’t talk to me about those bloody bastards! Alrug Skycaster, my ultimate granduncle, was bloody betrayed in the bloody War of bloody Vengeance by those… those… ARGH! It’s our clan’s oldest grudge! Stood for thousands of bloody years! When I find the descendants of bloody Galanthiel Whisperthorn, by Grungni! I’m going to teach them all — every single last one of them — a lesson in manners with my axe!’
• On Wood Elves… ‘My great grandfather thought logging forests on t’other side of the Grey Mountains would be lucrative. Ignored all the warnings, he was sure he was onto a winner. What could a bunch of skinny Elves do to him and his lads, after all? A lot, as it turned out. Only my grandfather survived, left alive to spread the message: “Keep away.” So, me and my lads are preparing a party to take revenge.’

Dwarf Names

Dwarf names are comprised of a forename, a surname, and a clan name.

Dwarf forenames names tend to be short and sturdy like the people they represent, and are most commonly given to celebrate important ancestors, although individual clan traditions vary. Another common practice is to use a birthname to describe a key trait of a newborn in Khazalid, the Dwarf native language.

Examples: Alrik, Bronda, Dimzad, Fenna, Gottri, Gudrun, Snorri.

Khazalid examples: Baragaz (Cannon Mouth), Durak (Hard), Galazil (Golden Haired), Gnoldok (Wise Eyes), Nazril (Shimmering), Okri (Crafter)

Dwarf surnames are based on who raised the Dwarf, with the following suffixes the most common in use:

• sdottir: Daughter of…
• snev: Nephew of…
• sniz: Niece of…
• sson: Son of…

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Examples: Ariksson, Grunnasdottir, Skagnev, Sovrissniz

 

 

It’s common as Dwarfs age and accrue deeds to their names to adopt a nickname based on physical appearance, prowess, or deed. These are usually bestowed by clan consensus, and it’s considered dishonorable to give a name that doesn’t represent the true character of a Dwarf. If such a nickname is adopted, it usually replaces the surname completely. So, Gerka Kardadottir would become Gerka Blackhand if she took the nickname ‘Blackhand’. Sometimes a nickname is marked in Khazalid, but Dwarfs usually translate such to Reikspiel in order to better explain themselves.

Examples: Axebringer, Finehand, Forkbeard, Ironbraid, Redhammer, Stonefist

Finally, all Dwarfs bear a Clan Name (assuming they have not abandoned Dwarf tradition, which some Dwarfs living in the Empire have, especially rogue engineers). The Clan Name is always derived from the ancestor who founded the Clan, and is often sourced in a Nickname, often expressed in Khazalid. In practice, Dwarfs rarely use their Clan Name outside Dwarf society.

Common Clans: Ardrungan, Bryntok, Dokkintroll, Dokkintroll, Gazani, Gromheld, Harrazlings, Kvitang, Thrungtak, Unboki, Wyrgrinti, Zankonk

Physical Details

• Age: Average natural lifespan over 200 years for a dwarf
• Eye Colour: Coal, Lead, Steel, Blue, Brown, Hazel, Green, Copper, Gold
• Hair Colour: White, Grey, Blonde, Golden, Copper, Bronze, Brown, Reddish Brown, Black
• Average Height: 4’8”

Character Creation

• Restricted Backgrounds: None
• Restricted Careers: Wizard
• Characteristics: END +2, DEX -2, Luck Points are set to 0
• Movement: -1
• Racial Skills: Carouse, Athletics(strength), Art (performer), Broker, Persuade, Language (Khazalid), Science (History: Dwarfs), Science(geology), Melee

Dwarf Traits

Magic Resistance
You are resistant to magic. The Effect of any spell affecting you is reduced by 1 + your END DM.

Night Vision
You can see very well in natural darkness. Assuming you have at least a faint source of light (such as starlight, moonlight, or bioluminescence) you can see clearly for 20 yards.

Read/Write
You are one of the rare literate individuals in the Old World. You are assumed to be able to read and write (if appropriate) all of the Languages you can speak.

Sturdy
Max: Strength Bonus Tests: Strength Tests when lifting You have a brawny physique, or are very used to carrying things. You are never considered to be encumbered solely based on what you are carrying, and receive a boon on any Strength-related tests to lift something.

 

 

Halflings

Halflings are ubiquitous across Reikland, found working in service industries in all towns, with an entire district of Reikland’s capital of Altdorf, known as Haffenstadt, packed tight with hundreds of extended Halfling families supporting restaurants, taverns, pipeweed stores, and an enormous number of street-food hawkers. Halflings are also a common sight in many of Reikland’s villages, where it is not uncommon to find them employed to staff an inn or run a farm. They are communal creatures, preferring to live in close-knit family groups, sharing houses, rooms,and even beds with dozens of friends and relatives; everyone contributes and everyone shares. This interdependent lifestyle leaves many Halflings struggling with the concept of private ownership and space.

Halflings are notoriously interested in recording their lineage, and many Halfling clans can trace their ancestry back many centuries to the very founding of the Mootland (their selfgoverned Grand Province in the Empire). The Elder of the Moot — currently Hisme Stoutheart — is the custodian of the Haffenlyver , an ancient embroidered scroll detailing the chief bloodlines of their primary clans, said to be the greatest treasure of the Halflings.

Another peculiar detail is the Halflings’ strange affinity for Ogres. Despite their ravenous appetites, and penchant for eating whatever is at hand, Ogres tend to respect Halflings. Indeed, gangs of Ogre laborers are often overseen by Halfling gaffers, and most Ogre mercenary bands have a Halfling cook on staff.

Halflings are short, apple-cheeked and beardless, resembling big-eyed, round-faced (and round bodied) Human children, and their sunny dispositions and curly locks only reinforce this impression. They are known for their enormous appetites in all things and their lack of concern for personal space (they’re huggers), social boundaries (‘Well me’ great aunt’s just shacked up with me best mate, and you should hear what they’ve been up to!’), and property rights (‘It’s not like he’s using it!’); this last has landed more than one Halfling in jail for thievery.

Halfling Names

Halfling names are comprised of a given name and a clan name at a minimum, with middle names included to ensure family trees are not confused.

Halflings forenames proudly bear grand names drawn from their long family trees, but they rarely use these outside official business. Normally, they are known by a cozy-sounding shortened form of their ancestral name. Some Halfling’s diminutives are completely unrelated to their formal names and are instead more descriptive, like Rosie or Scrumper.

Halflings place great stock in their achievements and some elders will only answer to nicknames related to their job, such as Gaffer, Guv, or Nan. Halflings also have long had a habit of emulating their neighbors to the point that many grand, formerly-Human names have now become ‘traditional’ Halfling names.

Examples (with diminutives): Antoniella (Anni), Esmerelda (Esme), Ferdinand (Fred), Heironymus (Hiro), Maximilian (Max), Theodosius (Theo), Thomasina (Tina)

Halfling clan names are almost exclusively related to food and drink, geographical or natural features, or personal characteristics of the ancestor who first took the name. Halflings who have the same surname are always related and can usually tell you exactly how.

Human’s tendency to have the same surname despite being unrelated causes confusion among some Halflings, who will happily pinch pies from a Schmidt on one street because a Schmidt on another street short-changed them.

Common Reikland Clans: Ashfield, Brandysnap, Hayfoot, Rumster, Shortbottom, Thorncobble

Opinions

• On Reiklander Humans… ‘Stiff-necked and pious, warlike and jealous… I could go on, but good manners halts me, and, besides, I like them, and they like me pies. As long as you keep away from their temples and the hard-liners, they’re an open and pretty welcoming bunch. Good folk, and good for business.’
• On Dwarfs… ‘My aunt Bessi was the greediest, as were six of her sons. But Bessi has nothing on them Dwarfs. Eyes grow as big as Mannslieb at even a scratch of gold. But, if you tell them that, they’ll growl at you like you’ve taken the last honeycake, and start scribbling notes in one of their damned books about insulting their family honor or whatnot.’
• On High Elves… ‘I’ve seen them on the rivers and in ports in their white ships. How do they keep them so clean? And their hair… oh, their hair… it’s like sunshine, it is. Snuck on a ship once to see what they do. Same as the rest of us, it seems, just more… earnestly.’
• On Wood Elves… ‘Elves living in the woods? Don’t be bloody ridiculous. Elves live in white towers and pretty boats over in Altdorf-town, you idiot.’

 

 

Physical Details

• Age: Average natural lifespan 120 years for a halfling
• Eye Colour: Grey. Blue, Green, Hazel, Brown, Copper
• Hair Colour: Grey, Flaxen, Russet, Honey, Chestnut, Ginger, Mustard, Almond, Chocolate, Liquorice
• Average Height: 3’6”

Character Creation

• Restricted Backgrounds: None
• Restricted Careers: Wizard
• Characteristics: STR -2, Luck Points are set to 0
• Movement: -1
• Racial Skills: Persuade, Carouse, Athletics(dexterity), Broker, Language (Mootish), Science(History: Reikland), Recon, Deception, Stealth, Profession (Cook)

Halfling Traits

Acute Sense (taste)
A halfling’s sense of taste is highly developed, allowing them to spot what others miss. You may take Recon Tests to detect normally imperceptible details related to taste, as dictated by the GM. For example: tasting that two beers from the same brewer have been drawn from two different barrels.

Night Vision
You can see very well in natural darkness. Assuming you have at least a faint source of light (such as starlight, moonlight, or bioluminescence) you can see clearly for 20 yards.

Resistance (chaos)
Your strong constitution allows you to more readily resist the corruption of chaos. You may automatically pass the first Test to resist chaos every session. If Effect is important, use 1 + your END DM as the Effect for the Test.

Small
You are much shorter than most folk in the Old World.

• You gains a bonus of +1 to hit anything larger than you
• You suffer a penalty of –2 Effect for each step larger your opponent is when trying to parry a melee attack.
• If a creature is perceived to be aggressive, it causes Fear in you if Large or greater, and Terror if Enormous or greater. The rating of the Fear or Terror equals the Size step difference. So, if the creature is Large, and its opponent is Small, it will cause Terror 2.
• During Opposed Strength Tests (and similar), creatures Large and greater automatically win.

 

 

High Elves

High Elves are a relatively common sight on the rivers of Reik and Nuln. Both planets boast sizable districts populated by High Elf merchants who ship goods down their waterways. These merchants are by far the most numerous of the High Elves found on Reik, alongside diplomatic entourages and support staff. Aloof, alien, and long-lived, they are a passionate, emotional folk widely perceived on Reikland to be the most beautiful of the species, and also the most arrogant.

Tall and slender with delicately pointed ears, most Elves have long, fine hair and melodious voices. Although they might look frail, their physiology is not only surprisingly strong, but also extraordinarily agile and dextrous. There are very few noticeable gender differences between Elves, which often causes confusion among Humans who interact with them.

The High Elves, who call themselves ‘Asur’, are native to Ulthuan, a magical island located on Reikland. A proud species, they boast of being amongst the oldest of the galaxy’s civilisations. High Elves show considerable disdain for Dwarfs, with whom they have a long history of conflict. Since their abandonment of the Old World in the aftermath of the War of the Beard, the Asur have been torn apart by civil war, the ‘kinstrife’, although this isn’t something they discuss openly with outsiders. As a result of this millennia-long struggle, Elves from the war-torn north of Ulthuan tend to be hard-bitten, practical, and ruthless.

High Elven society is tightly-bound by ritual and discipline, intended to keep soaring emotions in check and provide focus for their complicated intellects. Seeming contrary to this, some Asur revel in wild adventure. The term ‘Sea Elf ’ is often used by other species to describe the dauntless High Elves who venture beyond Ulthuan’s safe shores as mariners, spacers, traders, and diplomats, and who stand in stark contrast to any grim Asur accompanying them who follow warrior lifestyles.

Opinions

• On Reiklander Humans… ‘They are corrupt, jealous, and rapacious in their short-lived hungers. But, when mindful of their petty needs and their fear of what we represent, they are easily shaped.’
• On Dwarfs… ‘I suggest avoiding them. They are lost in the past, which blinds them to what’s coming. Nod politely, accept the abuse, and move on. There is no point arguing, they will never change their minds.’
• On Halflings… ‘I find these cheerful creatures genuinely interesting. I lived amongst an extended family group for a while, and found them so open, welcoming, and nurturing it was authentically touching. But, eventually, I had to move on, the smell was simply overpowering, and they have no understanding of personal space, which soon loses its charm.’
• On Wood Elves… ‘If the Asrai would bother to look beyond their dirty noses, they would see what we are all up against. Isolationist idiots that deserve everything that’s coming to them. I doubt the Eonir are any better.’

High Elf Names

Elves normally only admit to having names comprising of a forename and an epithet when wandering the Reikland.

Elf forenames use a naming system quite incomprehensible to outsiders. Eltharin (the common language of High Elves and Wood Elves, which has many dialects) is a language that relies on more than simple syllables to convey meaning. The easiest way to create an Elf name is to use the Elf Name Generator.

When traveling foreign lands, Elves typically present themselves with a forename and an epithet rather than attempt to explain the deeper concepts of Kindreds, Kinbands, or Houses. These epithets are always translated into Reikspiel as they are much easier for other species to pronounce and understand.

Among High Elves, epithets usually describe character traits and physical appearance, but can be more obscure.

High Elf examples: Emberfell, Fireborn, Foamheart, Goldenhair, Silverspray, Spellsign

 

 

Elf Name Generator

If you are finding it difficult to come up with an appropriate name for your Elf character, then roll the tables below. Some Elves only have two elements to their name, some have three or more. Keep rolling until you have something you like, or simply choose the elements you think sound best.

1d10	First Component	Second Component	High Elf Ending
1	Aes	a	andril
2	Ath	ath	anel
3	Dor	dia	ellion
4	Far	en	fin
5	Gal	for	il
6	Im	lor	irian
7	Lin	mar	mor
8	Mal	ol	nil
9	Mor	sor	ric
10	Ullia	than	wing

Physical Details

• Age: Elves don’t appear to age at all and have been known to live for a thousand years or more.
• Eye Colour: Jet, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Sapphire, Turquoise, Emerald, Amber, Copper, Citrine, Gold
• Hair Colour: Silver, White, Pale Blond, BLond, Yelloe Blond, Copper Blond, Red Blond, Auburn, Red, Black
• Average Height: 6’5”

Character Creation

• Restricted Backgrounds: None
• Restricted Careers: Wanderer
• Characteristics: DEX +2, INT +2, +1 END or INT, Luck Points are set to 0
• Movement: +1
• Racial Skills: Art (performer), Investigate, Language (Eltharin), Leadership, Melee, Navigation, Recon, Art (instrument), Gun Combat, Seafarer, Athletics (endurance)

High Elf Traits

Acute Sense (sight)
The sight of an elf is highly developed, allowing them to spot what others miss. You may take Recon Tests to detect normally imperceptible details with sight, as dictated by the GM. For example: seeing an eagle beyond everyone else’s eyeshot.

Night Vision
You can see very well in natural darkness. Assuming you have at least a faint source of light (such as starlight, moonlight, or bioluminescence) you can see clearly for 20 yards.

Second Sight
You can perceive the shifting Winds of Magic that course from the Chaos Gates at the center of the galaxy.

Read/Write
You are one of the rare literate individuals in the Old World. You are assumed to be able to read and write (if appropriate) all of the Languages you can speak.

 

 

Wood Elves

Wood Elves are a rare sight on Reik, and for good reason. During the closing stages of the War of the Beard, most Elves retreated from the Old World, but a few remained and withdrew to the depths of the magical forests they now called home. Over three thousand years of isolation, hardship, and warfare then ensued, leaving ‘Wood Elves’ culturally very different to their High Elf cousins.

Wood Elf life is entwined with nature, with a society intermixed with spirits of the forest. They are separatists who work hard to hide themselves away, with arboreal outposts cunningly concealed with powerful illusions and misleading magics. On the rare occasions they travel beyond their borders, it is usually for war, as often with their neighbors as with darker forces, leaving other peoples of the Old World deeply unsure of the fae, capricious Elves.

There are two kiths of Wood Elves most commonly seen on Reikland. The ‘Asrai’ from Athel Loren across the mountains, and ‘Eonir’ of the Laurelorn Forest far to the north.

The ruthless Asrai of Athel Loren are xenophobic and secretive, and rarely venture beyond their borders. However, a decade ago, Naith the Prophetess foresaw the possible death of Athel Loren. In response, the King and Queen of the Wood, recognising the fate of their forests may lay in the hands of outsiders, sent tattooed kinbands out from Athel Loren to take action, hunting the enemies of the forest at the source.

These ferocious bands are sometimes led by a spellsinger who calls upon the old, magical paths of the Worldroot to transport them between Athel Loren and the depths of other forests long lost to the Elves, but not yet consumed by civilisation or Chaos. Occasionally, these wild hunters perceive some common cause with other Old Worlders and an individual may step from the shadows to join with those fighting a greater evil.

By comparison, the Queen of the Laurelorn takes a very different path to the foretellings given to her and has recently sent a sizable delegation to make camp in the deep forest of the Amber Hills just south of Altdorf. These Elves observe Human politics concerning the Laurelorn and beyond, and occasionally intervene on matters deemed important. The camp is viewed as a ‘temporary’ solution by the Elves, but the meaning of that word is very different to the long-lived species. Because of this camp, these Wood Elves are a growing presence on Reikland as they venture from the trees and wander according to their inscrutable purposes, often as hunters or entertainers.

Opinions

• On Reiklander Humans… ‘I see hateful creatures with darkness in their hearts and a complete disrespect for order. But they are widespread, warlike, and, most importantly, easy to manipulate. Given winter draws near, it is time to use them.’
• On Dwarfs… ‘More stubborn than the Oak of Ages, they understand one argument only: force. So, use it swiftly and decisively, and be aware they will return for petty vengeance at a later date.’
• On Halflings… ‘I met one when traveling on Middenland during the ninth year of Queen Marrisith. It talked a lot. And I do mean a lot. When we parted ways by a town it told me was named “Delberz”, I found it had somehow managed to steal several pouches of herbs from my belt. I was impressed. So, I suggest not trusting the things, but the companionship and local lore they share may be worth the cost!’
• On High Elves… ‘Conceited beyond any sensible measure, don’t approach the Asur. They are jaded, arrogant, and likely lost to Atharti. And if they try to look down on you in that superior manner they so prefer, just remind them their Queen in Avelorn lives a life no different to ours.’

Wood Elf Names

Elves normally only admit to having names comprising of a forename and an epithet when wandering the Reikland.

Elf forenames use a naming system quite incomprehensible to outsiders. Eltharin (the common language of High Elves and Wood Elves, which has many dialects) is a language that relies on more than simple syllables to convey meaning. The easiest way to create an Elf name is to use the Elf Name Generator.

When traveling foreign lands, Elves typically present themselves with a forename and an epithet rather than attempt to explain the deeper concepts of Kindreds, Kinbands, or Houses. These epithets are always translated into Reikspiel as they are much easier for other species to pronounce and understand.

Wood Elf epithets typically reference the natural world so beloved by the forest kin.

Wood Elf examples: Fleetriver, Shadowstalker, Treeshaper, Weavewatcher, Willowlimb, Windrunner

 

 

Elf Name Generator

If you are finding it difficult to come up with an appropriate name for you Elf character, then roll the tables below. Some Elves only have two elements to their name some have three or more. Keep rolling until you have something you like, or simply choose the elements you think sound best.

1d10	First Component	Second Component	Wood Elf Ending
1	Aes	a	arha
2	Ath	ath	anhu
3	Dor	dia	dda
4	Far	en	han
5	Gal	for	loc
6	Im	lor	noc
7	Lin	mar	oth
8	Mal	ol	ryn
9	Mor	sor	stra
10	Ullia	than	wyth

Physical Details

• Age: Elves don’t appear to age at all and have been known to live for a thousand years or more.
• Eye Colour: Ivory, Charcoal, Ivy Green, Mossy Green, Chestnut, Dark Brown, Tan, Sandy Brown, Violet
• Hair Colour: Birch Silver, Ash Blond, Rose Gold, Honey Blond, Brown, Mahogany Brown, Sienna, Ebony, Blue-Black
• Average Height: 6’5”

Character Creation

• Restricted Backgrounds: All but Low-Tech
• Restricted Careers: Administrator, Agent, Citizen, Medic, Wanderer
• Characteristics: DEX +2, INT +2, END +1, Luck Points are set to 0
• Movement: +1
• Racial Skills: Athletics (dexterity), Athletics (endurance), Art (performer), Persuade, Language (Eltharin), Melee, Survival, Recon, Gun Combat, Stealth

Wood Elf Traits

Acute Sense (sight)
The sight of an elf is highly developed, allowing them to spot what others miss. You may take Recon Tests to detect normally imperceptible details with sight, as dictated by the GM. For example: seeing an eagle beyond everyone else’s eyeshot.

Night Vision
You can see very well in natural darkness. Assuming you have at least a faint source of light (such as starlight, moonlight, or bioluminescence) you can see clearly for 20 yards.


Second Sight
You can perceive the shifting Winds of Magic that course from the Chaos Gates at the center of the galaxy.

Rover You are at home roaming the wild places. When using Stealth in a rural environment, bystanders do not get passive Perception Tests to detect you; they can only spot you if they are specifically on look-out, or watching for hidden spies.

 

 

Non-Player Races

Daemons, The Gibbering Hosts

Daemons are blasphemous horrors from the Realms of Chaos, the unholy will of the Chaos Gods made manifest. On Reik, Daemons likely only appear if summoned by Cultists of the Ruinous Powers. Though their presence is unlikely to last for long as the material realm abhors their existence, the havoc they wreak is so profound that none who encounter Daemons ever forget the mind-fracturing experience.

While most Daemons owe allegiance to one of the four Chaos Gods, some are simple beasts of the Aethyr, possessing no particular will of their own, spilling forth into the galaxy in a frenzy of mindless destructiveness whenever they can.

The Greenskin Hordes

Orcs and Goblins are the scourge of civilization. They raid ceaselessly from their crude fortifications, most commonly warring amongst themselves, culling the weak and revering the strong. Inevitably, a Greenskin warlord will eventually arise from these internecine skirmishes and bind the neighboring tribes under one banner. Then the drums of war sound, and the green tide swells once more, ready to wash over every village and town in its path, leaving nothing but blood and ruin in its wake.

Orcs

Orcs are nasty, brutal, belligerent, and almost immune to pain. They have muscular, hulking bodies, wide, powerful shoulders, and won’t let a little thing like a lost arm get in the way of a good scrap. They are built for fighting and like nothing more than doing so. When they have no enemies to fight, they take on rival groups of Greenskins. If there is no rival group, they will fight among themselves. Though not as numerous as Goblins, they are bigger and tougher, and they let them know it at every opportunity. Orcs can grow to prodigious size, with larger Orcs stronger, tougher, and more aggressive, and therefore accorded more prestige: for might equals right in their warlike society. Some Orcs ride huge boars into battle, a sight that rarely fails to terrify.

Goblins

Scrawny, spiteful, nimble, and intelligent, a Goblin’s instinct for self preservation should never be underestimated. Though cowardly, Goblins readily band together if this secures an overwhelming advantage in numbers. Goblins frequently join with Orc armies — not always by choice — opportunistically helping themselves to the spoils of war while others do most of the actual fighting.

Snotlings

Pea-brained creatures akin to enthusiastic, uncontrolled puppies, Snotlings are scavengers and natural mimics, picking up bones and shiny things wherever they go, or copying the actions of anything they see. If pushed into conflict by Goblins or Orcs, they fight in stinking swarms, trying to overwhelm their foes through sheer weight of numbers. To do this they find all sorts of disgusting and noxious substances, like poisonous fungus and bodily waste, to hurl at their enemies.

Ogres

Big, loud, brutish, and extremely violent, Ogres are driven by the need to fill their prodigious, muscled bellies. They lack the wit or intelligence to do this cleverly, defaulting to might is right in most situations. Hailing from lands far to the east, Ogres are a common sight on Reik for they love to wander, always on the hunt for new meats over the horizon. As they pass through on decades-long food excursions, they work hard to integrate, wearing local clothing and following the local customs they understand, as that’s more likely to attract the next meal.

In the Empire, they frequently serve in the State Army, and are an everyday sight in larger towns, contracted as muscle for hire. The Halfling Gaffers Guild (building contractors) has effectively cornered the market in cheap Ogre labor in many towns and cities of the Empire, a source of great annoyance to their rivals.

The Restless Dead

Neither living, nor truly dead, the Undead are the animate corpses of once living beings, granted an unholy parody of life through the fell arcane discipline of Necromancy. The shambling hordes of the restless dead come in many forms, from the reanimated corpses of Zombies and Skeletons, to the shrieking, spectral Ghosts and Banshees, to the brooding, manifest evil of the Vampire Lords.

 

 

Skaven, the Loathsome Ratmen

Skaven are a malevolent species of ratmen living beneath everyone’s feet, watching, waiting, and impatient. They eke out a foul existence in the sewers and tunnels beneath the Empire’s cities and are so rarely seen that those who do usually dismiss them as mere Beastmen or Mutants.

Few ever suspect the sinister truth: an Underempire exists right beneath their feet, its tunnels stretching under nearly every city of the galaxy.

Skaven society is built on the backs of slaves. Supporting this, many shady Humans supply slaves and warpstone in exchange for unsavory favors and secret knowledge: for the Skaven spy network is vast and pervasive.

Aware of the delicate position they inhabit, feasting on the subterranean entrails of other societies, the Skaven protect their secrets by any means necessary. Those foolish enough to talk openly of a complex civilisation of sentient ratmen beneath the Empire’s cobbled-streets may find themselves dead in a gutter, an unfortunate victim of an unlikely accident.

Slaves to Darkness

Chaos. The very word is enough to send superstitious smallfolk scurrying for the temple of Sigmar, making the sign of the hammer as they flee. But, for all good citizens of the Empire fear Chaos invasion or Beastmen attack, the true danger lies within the Empire’s borders; cultists lurk in basements, corrupt nobles treat with Daemons, and ignorant villagers make offerings of their mutated offspring rather than killing them swiftly, unwittingly swelling the ranks of armies of the damned.

Beastmen, The Children of Chaos

Beastmen are grotesque hybrids of animal and Human. They consider themselves the true children of Chaos, blessed by the Dark Gods before all other species. Their savage herds stalk the forests, gathering numbers and worshiping at profane altars of stone daubed with excrement.

Cultists

For those untainted by the blight of Chaos, it appears horrifyingly alien, but to those it affects, every step towards damnation, every idea bringing them closer to Chaos, seems not only logical, but inevitable. Some especially devout followers of proscribed cults are granted ‘gifts’ by their gods; foul mutations that will ensure their deaths should the witch hunters unearth their secret.

Mutants

One of the most tragic fates to befall a Human is to succumb to the mutating influence of Chaos. It can happen without rhyme or reason, and even babies can be born mutated. When such happens, many parents find they cannot summon the will to murder their children, so instead abandon their offspring to the woods, either to die or be taken in by other Mutants or Beastmen. No matter how innocent they may be, all mutants are a source of terror for the common folk, so most fall to the Dark Gods, abandoned and embittered, or end it all before it’s too late.

 

 

Character Creation

Characters will be created using the Package-Based Creation rules found in the Traveller Companion.

Step 1: Roll Your Characteristics

To determine your Traveler’s characteristics, roll 2D6 one after another, and assign the scores in any order you wish to the seven characteristics. For each characteristic, determine its Dice Modifier on the Characteristic Modifier table below.

Characteristic Score	Dice Modifier
0	-3
1-2	-2
3-5	-1
6-8	+0
9-11	+1
12-14	+2
15+	+3

The maximum score for a characteristic is 15.

Physical Characteristics

• Strength (STR): A Traveler’s physical strength, fitness and forcefulness.
• Dexterity (DEX): Physical coordination and agility, reflexes.
• Endurance (END): A Traveler’s stamina, resilience and ability to sustain damage.

Mental Characteristics

• Intellect (INT): A Traveler’s intelligence, quickness of mind, and force of will.
• Education (EDU): A measure of a Traveler’s learning and experience.
• Charisma (CHA): A Traveler’s innate ability to charm and influence people.

Other Characteristics

• Luck (LCK): Luck represents a Traveler’s general good and bad fortunes, and governs situations that are essentially beyond a Traveler’s control (Only rolled for humans).

Step 2: Select your Race

Select your race. Choose either Human, Dwarf, Halfling, High Elf, or Wood Elf, taking special note of the their respective character creation rules and restrictions to background and career.

Step 3: Select a Background Package

Background packages provide a set of skills and other benefits associated with the Traveller’s homeworld and upbringing, reflecting the skills a young person would acquire growing up in such an environment. In some cases the package includes adjustments to characteristics. These cannot reduce a characteristic below 1 or increase it above 15. A background package replaces the Traveler’s normal background skills and their first term, representing a person who has reached adulthood and completed an apprenticeship, training, education and/or their first few years in employment.

 

 

 

 

Step 4: Select a Career Package

A career package replaces the Traveler’s normal path through career generation and provides a set of fixed benefits. A career package replaces all Benefit rolls, life events and all other sources of extra skills, with one exception – a group of Travelers may still select skills from an appropriate skills package before play begins.

A career package is equivalent to a full career in the chosen area, and only one can be taken. Roll 3D6 for how many years the Traveler has aged during his career (x4 for dwarves and x2 for elves); this need not correspond to a normal term length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 5: Finishing Touches

The background and career packages can be used to create a quick template for a Traveler. However, there will usually be a skill that is desirable but lies outside the realm of what otherwise looks like an attractive package. To tailor the Traveler to the desired style of play, one option is permitted from both of the categories below.

Note: All Characters are assumed to be fluent in Reikspiel, the language of the Empire, and do not need to take it as a Skill

Career

1. Increase any skill offered at level 1 or above in the Traveller’s career package to level 4
2. Increase any 3 skills listed in the Traveller’s career package at any level by one each, to a maximum of 2
3. Leave the service at Rank 4 without gaining extra skills

Traveler Skills

Choose any of the skill pairs listed below, both at level 1

1. Vacc Suit and Steward
2. Gunner (any) and Mechanic
3. Pilot and Electronics (any)
4. Gun Combat (any) and Recon
5. Melee (any) and Streetwise
6. Broker and Admin
7. Carouse and Deception
8. Engineer (any) and Electronics (any)
9. Science (any) and Investigate
10. Drive (any) and Profession (any)
11. Survival and Navigation
12. Medic and Admin

Purchasing Equipment

Use the coin provided from your background and career to purchase any additional gear or equipment. Coin not spent will be stored on your person.

Getting Better

At the end of an adventure or group of encounters, an award of 1 Experience Point would be reasonable, with a bonus point for good roleplaying or a particularly dynamic Traveller. The referee may choose to allocate no points to a Traveller who did little or failed to become properly involved in the game. These points must be allocated immediately to a skill or characteristic the Traveller is trying to develop. They cannot be held in a ‘pool’ for allocation all at once.

Gaining Skills

To gain a skill at level 0 costs 1 Experience point. Gaining level 1 from level 0 costs 1 more, and after that the cost is doubled, as shown on the Gaining Skills table. Each skill level must be bought in turn, including skill 0.

Skill Level	Cost to Gain	Skill Level	Cost to Gain
0	1	4	8
1	1	5	16
2	2	6	32
3	4	7+	x2 each level

Increasing Characteristics

Physical and mental characteristics may also be increased. Luck cannot be improved. The cost in Experience points is equal to the new level, as shown on the table below:

Characteristic Value	Cost to Gain (STR, DEX, END)	Cost to Gain (INT, EDU, CHA)
1	1	2
2	2	4
3	3	6
4	4	8
5	5	10
6	6	12
7	7	14
8	8	16
9	9	18
10	10	20
11	11	22
12	12	24
13	13	26
14	14	28
15	15	30

 

 

 

 

Corruption

Every Festag, Sigmarite priests preach from high pulpits about the dangers of the Ruinous Powers, about how good folk must avoid the temptations of daemons whispering from every shadow. They declare all souls are in perpetual peril, mere footsteps from falling to corruption and mutation. And they might be right.

Corruption points are used to show the slow, gradual slip of your soul to the Dark Gods of Chaos. Whenever you are exposed to a potential source of corruption, you may accrue Corruption points. The more you have, the closer you are drawing to Chaos, and the darker your soul becomes until, eventually, you change…

Gaining Corruption Points

During play, there are two primary routes to gaining corruption: dark deals and corrupting influences.

Dark Deals

Sometimes, you just have to succeed. Most commonly this means passing an important Test. Should such a Test fail, you can use a Luck point to reroll the Test, hopefully passing the second time. But what if it fails again? Or you have no Luck points remaining? Then it’s time for a dark deal.

You can purposefully choose to take a Corruption point to reroll a Test, even if it has been rerolled already. This is always a choice for you, not the GM.

Corrupting Influences

Corruption points are usually gained by exposure to a place, person, or object tainted by Chaos, or to a situation especially beloved to one of the Dark Gods.

If you encounter a corrupting influence, attempt a Challenging (10+) Endurance or Intelligence Test (The GM will determine which). The stronger the corrupting influence, the more Effect you will need to avoid it. The following provides some examples of corrupting influences with the number of Effect needed to completely avoid Corruption points.

Minor Exposure
These corrupting influences, although relatively trivial, still endanger a weak soul. If a Test is failed to resist such a minor exposure, gain 1 Corruption point.

• Witness a Lesser Daemon.
• Contact with a Mutant, refined Warpstone, or Chaos Tainted artifact.
• Giving in to despair, rage, excess, or the need to change your lot.
• Being near Warpstone.
• Prolonged exposure to Chaos worshippers, Chaos Cult Temples, Skaven, Mutant Lairs, and similar.

---

Moderate Exposure
Moderate corrupting influences are a danger to every soul and should be avoided under all circumstances. If a Test is failed, gain 2 Corruption points. On a Marginal Success (0–1), gain 1 Corruption point. On a Success (2+), you gain no Corruption points.

• Witness multiple Daemons.
• Contact with a Daemon, Warpstone, or profane artifact.
• Embracing despair, rage, excess, or the desire to become someone new.
• Prolonged exposure to refined Warpstone.
• Brief exposure to an environment steeped with Dhar, dark magic used by Necromancers and Chaos Sorcerers.

---

Major Exposure
If you find yourself confronted with a major corrupting influence, flee. Stay for too long, and you may never be the same again. For each failed Test to resist a major exposure, gain 3 Corruption points. If you pass with a Marginal Success (0–1), gain 2 Corruption points. On a Success (2–3), you gain 1 Corruption point. Only if you score an Impressive Success (4+), do you gain no Corruption points.

• Witness a Greater Daemon.
• Prolonged contact with a Daemon, Warpstone, or profane artifact.
• Making a deal with a Daemon.
• Consuming refined Warpstone.
• Prolonged exposure to an environment steeped with dhar.

Corrupting

No-one is left unscathed by exposure to the Ruinous Powers. Eventually, even the strongest fall, their mind and bodies twisting into new unrecognizable forms.

Should you ever gain more Corruption points than 2 + your INT DM + END DM, immediately attempt a Challenging (10+) Endurance Test. If passed, you have managed to hold off your corruption for now but will have to Test again next time you gain Corruption Points. If you fail, then either your body or mind is about to mutate.

Dissolution of Body and Mind

As corruption ravages your soul, the warping breath of Chaos whispers within, either fanning your flesh into a fresh, new form, or fracturing your psyche with exquisite knowledge it can never unlearn.

First, lose Corruption points equal to 1 + INT DM as you mutate. Next, roll percentile dice and refer to the following table:

 

 

	Elf	Halfling	Human	Dwarf
Body	–	01–10	01–50	01–05
Mind	01–100	11–100	51–100	06–100

Now roll on either the Physical Corruption Table or the Mental Corruption Table to see what happens.

 

 

Corruption Limits

A soul can only withstand so much corruption before it collapses upon itself, leaving a mutated, gibbering mess. Should you survive long enough to gain more mutations than 1 + END DM (min 1), or more mental corruptions than 1 + INT DM (min 1), you have fallen to Chaos, your soul completely lost to the uncaring Chaos Gods. At this point, it’s time to create a new character. Your current one is now damned, becoming an NPC controlled by the GM, meaning you may well see the wretched creature again…

Losing Corruption Points

Once the claws of the Dark Gods have sunk into your soul, removing their vile stain is difficult, but not impossible. Beyond the less-than-desirable option of losing Corruption points by gaining mutations, there are two other methods of losing Corruption points: dark whispers and absolution.

Dark Whispers

Even considering the inscrutable plans of the Dark Gods is enough to break a pious man’s sanity, so trying to fathom their intent, and why they reach out to twist one mortal soul or another, is not just foolish, it’s extraordinarily dangerous. But reach out they do.

The GM may ask to spend one of your Corruption points to use the darkness building in your soul to twist your actions. The choice to do this or not is always in your hands, but if you agree, you lose 1 Corruption Point. Examples of what may be asked include:

• Letting an enemy escape.
• ‘Accidentally’ shooting an ally.
• Falling asleep on watch.

---

Of course, if you deny the GM and choose to do none of those potentially terrible things, you keep your Corruption point, but the Ruinous Powers still hold a portion of your soul.

Absolution

As Corruption points build, and you feel the oppressive fist of the Dark Gods curling around your beleaguered soul, your dread may lead you to seek absolution. But simply asking forgiveness from a local preacher won’t be enough. The stain of the Dark Gods’ touch isn’t so easily scrubbed clean. The exact limits of what is required to remove Corruption is left in the hands of the GM, but it is rarely, if ever, simple. Some examples of what might be asked…

• Cleanse a profane temple to the Dark Gods. Though the very act may expose you to more corruption…
• Complete a holy pilgrimage and receive a blessing from a high priest at the end of the long, dangerous journey.
• Destroy an unholy artifact, or otherwise render it safe, foiling the schemes of the Dark Gods.
• Join a holy order and dedicate your life to one of the Gods opposed to Chaos.

 

 

Combat

Mishaps

Even the most skilled of Travelers can have a bad day. If a combat-related skill check comes up a double-1 and is also a failure, a Mishap has occurred. If the skill check was so easy that the double-1 still succeeds, there is no Mishap but the attack still fails. If a Mishap does occur, roll 2D + the Traveller’s weapon skill on the Combat Mishaps table:

2D	Result
2	Shoot or hit themself for normal weapon damage.
3-4	The weapon is dropped somewhere inaccessible. It cannot be retrieved during this fight, and if the Travelers are forced to flee it will not be recoverable.
5-6	The weapon is dropped but in sight. It can be recovered in a future round using a significant action.
7	A minor weapon malfunction or loss of proper grip has occurred. Any attack made this round is wasted but the weapon can be brought back into action by making an Easy (6+) skill check next round. This takes significant action and, if failed, the attempt must be repeated every round.
8-9	A serious weapon malfunction has occurred, putting the weapon out of action until it can be fixed in a workshop.
10-11	The weapon is destroyed in an ammunition explosion or other serious incident that causes critical structural damage to it.
12+	The skill attempt fails but no Mishap has occurred beyond that

Critical Wounds

In general, the severity of an injury is indicated by the amount of damage it deals. However, blows and shots to particular locations may have specific effects. There are three levels of wound severity: Minor, Major and Severe. The amount of damage required to inflict these wounds is based upon the Traveller’s starting END.

• A Minor Wound is inflicted if damage is less than half the Traveller’s END score. Minor wounds have no additional effects.
• A Major Wound is inflicted if the Traveler receives between half his END score and his full END score in a single instance. A major wound will affect the Traveller’s ability to carry out actions relevant to the damaged body part until it is healed.
• A Severe Wound is inflicted if the Traveler receives more than his END score. A Severe wound will cause the Traveler to lose consciousness, and will have serious consequences even after he recovers.

---

The consequences of a wound persist even after the Traveller has recovered any END points after a fight. Healing from a Major wound requires a successful routine (6+) Medic check and D3 days of recuperation. Severe wounds requires an Average (8+) Medic check and 1D days of recuperation, after which the Traveler suffers the effects of a Major wound for another D3 days.

 

 

Equipment

The following sections provide a listing of the most common items available to purchase.

Note: Items marked as Susceptible to Aethyric Disturbance (SAD) only have a 25% chance of working planetside due to the presence of Aethyric Winds, and not at all if near someone channeling.

Armour

Armour	Armour Points	RAD	KG	Cost	SAD	Required Skill
Jack	+1	-	1	1GC	N	None
Mesh	+2	-	2	4GC	N	None
Flak Jacket	+5	-	6	7GC	N	None
Cloth	+8	-	5	12GC	N	None
Lightweight Poly Carapace	+12	-	2	9S	N	None
Combat Armour	+17	145	16	55S	Y	Vacc Suit 0
Vacc Suit	+10	90	8	12S	Y	Vacc Suit 0
Hostile Environment Vacc Suit	+12	140	13	14S	Y	Vacc Suit 0

Cloth

A heavy duty body suit tailored from ballistic cloth. The fabric absorbs impact energy and spreads it over the body, which can result in bruising. However, cloth armor is highly useful and versatile. It can be indistinguishable from ordinary clothing under normal circumstances.

Combat Armour

This full-body suit is made from carbon-tube weave and used by the military and not generally available on the open market, although those with military or criminal contacts can obtain it easily. It is issued to troop units and mercenary battalions. Combat armor can function as a vacc suit and provides life support for six hours. All weapons used while wearing combat armor count as having the Scope trait.

Hostile Environment Vacc Suit

Hostile environment suits are designed for conditions where a normal vacc suit would be insufficient, such as deep underwater, worlds with toxic atmosphere, extremes of radiation or temperature. HEV suits provide life support for six hours.

Jack

A natural or synthetic leather jacket or bodysuit covering the torso and upper arms and legs. Jack is better than ordinary clothing or bare skin when defending against blades, but is useless against guns.

Lightweight Poly Carapace

A bodysuit of fibrous material with attached plates of polymer plastics designed to shield major arteries and organs, the carapace comes complete with an armored facemask and half-helmet. It is good protection against all forms of weapons.

Mesh

A jacket or body suit lined with a flexible metal or plastic mesh that gives it added protection against bullets.

Flak Jacket

A less expensive version of ballistic cloth, the bulky flak jacket is an unmistakably military garment.

Vacc Suit

This ‘tailored’ vacc suit or space suit is the spacer’s best friend, providing life support and protection when in space. A vacc suit provides life support for six hours. It feels like ordinary clothing with a flexible hood and face mask.

Communications

Device	Mass	Range	SAD	Cost
Bug (Audio/Visual/Data)	-	-	Y	7GC
Commdot	-	-	Y	5/-
Radio Transceivers (Computer/0)	1 kg	10,000 km	Y	25GC
Mobile Comm (Multiple forms of data, Computer/1)	-	-	Y	12GC

---

As with most electronics, communication devices can be used with relative consistency in space, but prove challenging planetside, due to the amount of Aethyric disturbance. As such, planet wide communication networks are not possible, but localized transceivers can still be used with some success.

Bug

Surveillance devices such as hidden microphones and tiny cameras.

Commdot

A commdot is a tiny microphone/speaker and transmitter, ranging in size between a few centimeters and a few millimeters across. A commdot is capable of interfacing with another communications device and relaying messages back and forth. Commdots have a range of only a few yards and are usually used as hands-free communicators, but can also be used as improvised bugs or throat microphones.

Transceiver

A transceiver is a standalone communications device that can send and receive directly under its own power.

 

 

Medical and Care Supplies

Most of these supplies require a Traveler with the Medic skill to use properly. These items are, in the main, useful only in emergencies, such as when a Traveler is injured on a distant planet far away from a hospital facility.

Medikit

Medikits contain diagnostic devices and scanners, surgical tools and a panoply of drugs and antibiotics, allowing a medic to practise his art in the field. All medikits mass 1 kg. Grants DM+2 (+1 if affected by Aethyric Disturbance) on Medic checks performed for first aid. Costs 3S.

Drugs

There are several drugs (or ‘meds’) in standard use.

Anti-rad: Anti-rad drugs must be administered before or immediately (within ten minutes) after radiation exposure. They absorb up to 100 rads per dose. A Traveler may only use anti-rad drugs once per day – taking any more causes permanent END damage of 1D per dose. Costs 25GC per dose.

Combat Drugs: Combat drugs increase reaction times and improve a body’s responses to trauma. A Traveler using combat drugs gains DM+4 to all initiative rolls. He also gains a free reaction every round with no penalty applied, and reduces all damage sustained by –2 points. The drug kicks in around 20 seconds (three rounds) after ingestion or injection, and lasts for around ten minutes. When the drug wears off, the user is Fatigued. Combat drugs cost 25GC per dose.

Fast Drug: Also called Hibernation, this drug puts the user into a state akin to suspended animation, slowing his metabolic rate down to a ratio of 60 to 1 – a subjective day for the user is actually two months. Fast Drug is normally used to prolong life support reserves or as a cheap substitute for a cryoberth. Fast drug costs 5GC per dose.

Metabolic Accelerator: These boost the user’s reaction time to superhuman levels. To the user, everyone else appears to be moving much slower. A Traveler using a metabolic accelerator in combat gains DM+8 to all initiative rolls. He also gains two free reactions every round with no penalties applied for either. The drug kicks in 45 seconds after ingestion or injection, and lasts for around ten minutes. When the drug wears off, the user’s system crashes. He suffers 2D points of damage and is fatigued. Metabolic accelerator costs 12GC per dose.

Panaceas: These are wide-spectrum medicinal drugs specifically designed not to interact harmfully. They can therefore be used on any wound or illness and are guaranteed not to make things worse. A Traveler using panaceas may make a Medic check as if he had Medic 0 when treating an infection or disease. Panaceas cost 5GC per dose.

Stims: These remove fatigue, though at a cost. A Traveler who uses stims removes Fatigue but also sustains one point of damage. If stims are used repeatedly without natural sleep in between, the user suffers a cumulative additional point of damage every time (so, on the second use, two points of damage are sustained, on the third, three points, and so on). Costs 25/- per dose.

Sensors

Most sensors are designed to be plugged into a computer system, but can display the data directly to the user on built-in screens or by feeding it to the user’s suit display.

Device	KG	SAD	Cost
Mechanical Binoculars	1	N	2GC
Electronic Binoculars	1	Y	2S
EM Probe	1	Y	25GC
Geiger Counter	2	Y	6GC
Light Intensifier Goggles	-	Y	31GC

Binoculars

Allows the user to see further. Electronic Binoculars, also known as PRIS (Portable Radiation Imaging System), allows the user to observe a large section of the EM-spectrum, from infrared to gamma rays.

EM Probe

This handy device detects the electro-magnetic emissions of technological devices, and can be used as a diagnostic tool when examining equipment or when searching for hidden bugs or devices.

Geiger Counter

Detects radiation.

Light Intensifier Goggles

Permits the users to see normally in anything less than total darkness by electronically intensifying any available light. Can also see exothermic (heat-emitting) sources in the dark.

 

 

Survival Gear and Supplies

On worlds and places hostile to human life, Travelers must use environmental suits to protect themselves. If colonies are established on such worlds, then the Empire usually begins a terraforming process to transform the planet and make it more Reik-like. Terraforming takes decades, even millennia, and is a ferociously expensive and intensive process.

Survival Gear	Kg	SAD	Cost
Artificial Gill	4	N	2S
Environment Suit	1	N	12GC
Habitat Module	500	Y	12S
Breather Mask	-	N	1S
Rescue Bubble	2	Y	15GC
Tent, Basic	6	N	5GC
Tent, Advanced	5	Y	1S

Artificial Gill

Extracts oxygen from water allowing the wearer to breathe underwater. Only works on worlds with breathable atmospheres.

Breather Mask

Strip out harmful elements from the air inhaled by the character, such as dangerous gasses or dust particles, and concentrates inhaled oxygen, allowing a Traveler to breathe on worlds with a thin atmosphere. Units can be small enough to fit into the nose.

Environment Suit

Designed to protect the wearer from extreme cold or heat, the environment suit has a hood, gloves and boots, but leaves the face exposed in normal operations. A mask or rebreather can be attached, but truly hostile situations call for the heavy-duty hostile environment vacc suit.

Habitat Module

A modular pressurized quarters for six people, capable of withstanding anything less than hurricane-force winds. Includes survival rations & battery power. Provides life-support for six occupants for one week (1000 person/hours). Requires 12 man-hours to assemble, and can be attached to other modules to form a base.

Rescue Bubble

A large (2 meter diameter) plastic bubble. Piezoelectric layers in the bubble wall translate the user’s movements into electricity to recharge the bubble’s batteries and power its distress beacon, and a small oxygen tank both inflates the bubble and provides two person/hours of life support. A self-repairing plastic seal serves as an emergency airlock. Rescue bubbles are found on both space and sea vessels as emergency lifeboats.

Tent, Basic

A basic tent provides shelter for two people against the weather.

Tent, Advanced

This version of the tent can be pressurized. There is no airlock – the tent is depressurised when opened.

• Option: Climate Controlled: Structures can be given the climate-control option, allowing their internal temperature and other conditions to be controlled for comfort. Costs Cr500.
• Option: Self-Assembling: The self-assembling upgrade can be given to tents, habitat modules and other basic structures. The structure is capable of expanding and assembling itself with only minimal aid, reducing the time needed to set up the shelter to a single man-hour. Costs Cr5000.

 

 

Melee Weapons

Despite the advent of more powerful weapons and armors, the fact that they are susceptible to Aethyric Disruption has caused basic melee weapons to still be commonly wielded.

Melee weapons are a symbol of status among the nobility of many worlds, but they also serve a useful purpose in boarding actions. When attempting to capture an enemy vessel, a sword is much less likely to cause significant damage to vulnerable systems or cause a hull breach than a gun, but is better at opening a self-sealing vacc suit to the airless cold of space.

These weapons require the Melee skill, using the blade speciality if they have a sharp edge, bludgeon if they do not, and unarmed if you are left with nothing but your fists. A Traveler without a weapon still has his fists, though they can be a poor substitute against a better prepared enemy.

Weapon	Range	Damage	Kg	Cost	SAD	Traits
Battle Axe	Melee	3D	4	6GC	N	AP 2, Bulky
Blade	Melee	2D	2	2GC	N	-
Broadsword	Melee	4D	8	12GC	N	Bulky
Chaindrive Sword	Melee	4D	7	15GC	Y	AP 2
Club	Melee	2D	3	-	N	-
Cutlass	Melee	3D	4	5GC	N	-
Dagger	Melee	1D+2	1	5/-	N	-
Great Axe	Melee	4D+2	10	19GC	N	Smasher, Very Bulky
Improvised	Melee	2D-2	Varies	-	N	-
Knuckledusters	Melee	1D+2	-	5/-	N
Lace	Melee	5D	4	2GC	N	AP 4
Mace	Melee	2D+2	5	10/-	N	Bulky, Smasher
Rapier	Melee	2D	2	5GC	N	-
Spear	Melee	2D	2	5/-	N	-
Quarterstaff	Melee	2D	3	-	N	-
Stunstick	Melee	2D	1	7GC	Y	Stun
Unarmed	Melee	1D	-	-	N	-
Warhammer	Melee	4D	8	15/-	N	Smasher, Very Bulky
War Pick	Melee	2D+2	4	7GC	N	AP 4

Shield	Range	Damage	Kg	Cost	SAD	Traits
Buckler	Melee	1D	2	5/-	N	-
Shield	Melee	1D	6	4GC	N	-
Large Shield	Melee	-	8	5GC	N	-

Battle Axe

A battle axe with one or two blades and wielded in one or both hands.

Blade

A small bladed weapon, somewhere between a dagger and a cutlass, with a large basket hilt.

Broadsword

A heavy two-handed sword.

Buckler

A small wood and metal shield held in the hand and used to parry incoming blows, a buckler requires skill to use effectively. It acts as a shield but does not grant an effective Melee 0 if the Traveller has no skill in Melee to begin with.

Chaindrive Sword

A small but high torque engine built into the hilt of this weapon drives a paired row of sawing teeth, creating the blade of the weapon. A truly vicious weapon, it is used by those who like to intimidate.

Club

The first weapon emerging civilisations usually discover. Clubs can range from a length of heavy wood to extending riot batons of advanced polymers, but they remain a popular and practical weapon regardless.

Cutlass

The standard shipboard blade weapon, often kept near airlocks to repel boarders.

Dagger

A small knife weapon, approximately 20-30 centimeters in length.

Great Axe

A very large axe with a long haft, wielded in both hands, the great axe is a fearsome infantry weapon though limited in close quarters fighting. Nonetheless, it is capable of smashing through even modern armor.

Improvised

Sometimes a Traveler just has to use whatever comes to hand. This covers any non-weapon object a Traveler grabs during a fight.

Lance

The lance is a long polearm designed to be used from horseback. If it is not being wielded from the back of a fast-moving animal or vehicle, it is treated as a spear.

Large Shield

A large shield is normally hung on a strap from the shoulder to help bear its weight, and cannot be used as a weapon. So long as the Traveller has STR 9+, the large shield increases their effective Melee skill by +2 when parrying and a Traveler with no Melee skill counts as having Melee 1 when using a large shield to parry. However, if the Traveler does not have the required STR, it simply counts as a shield.

 

 

Mace

A mace is a one-handed weapon sometimes carried as a sidearm by low-technology troops. It consists of a heavy crushing head on a short haft.

Quarterstaff

A length of wood or metal.

Rapier

A dueling foil. Rapiers grant DM+1 for parrying.

Shield

A Traveler using a shield increases their effective Melee skill by +1 when parrying. A Traveler with no Melee skill counts as having Melee 0 when using a shield to parry.

Spear

A polearm with a pointed tip, usually of metal, a spear can be made from something as basic as a sharpened stick with a fire-hardened end. More advanced versions are based on the same in principle but may have a more durable head, cross pieces to prevent an impaled animal advancing up the shaft, and so forth.

Stunstick

A short and innocuous looking weapon, this ceramic stick can deliver a painful and debilitating shock to anyone who touches the wrong end.

Warhammer

This weapon may be called a heavy mace but it effectively remains a heavy lump of metal atop a long shaft that can utterly destroy almost anything it is swung against.

Grenade Weapons

These weapons are thrown or launched at an enemy and are typically designed to affect several targets across a wide area at once.

Thrown grenades use the Athletics (dexterity) skill, while those that are launched use the Heavy Weapons (man portable) skill.

Weapon	Range	Damage	Kg	Cost	SAD	Traits
Frag	20	5D	0.5	15/-	N	Blast 9
Smoke	20	-	0.5	7/-	N	Blast 9
Stun	20	3D	0.5	15/-	Y	Blast 9, Stun

Frag

Fragmentation grenades explode in a blast of shrapnel designed to kill or cripple anyone close by.

Smoke

Smoke grenades create a thick cloud that disrupts vision. This imposes DM-2 to all attacks on targets within the cloud. IR vision completely bypasses this cloud of smoke. Smoke clouds dissipate after 1D x 3 rounds, though heavy winds and rain can drastically reduce this time.

Stun

Stun grenades release a powerful pulse of energy, usually in the form of light and/or sound that incapacitates targets rather than killing them.

 

 

Accelerator Rifle

Also known as gyrojet weapons, accelerator rifles are designed for zero-gravity combat. They fire tiny missiles that leave the rifle with minimal velocity and thus minimal recoil, then accelerate to high speed.

Advanced Combat Rifle

The ultimate evolution of the conventional firearm, advanced combat rifles are the weapon of choice for many military units. Standard equipment includes an electronic battlefield sight, incorporating both light amplification and passive IR, visual magnification, and a laser rangefinder which may also be used as a target painting device. The weapon is also gyroscopically stabilized during firing. A sling is provided, and the muzzle of the rifle includes an integral flash suppressor and adaptor for launching a 40mm RAM shoot-through grenade.

Assault Rifle

Assault rifles fire lighter projectiles than rifles, but are capable of a higher rate of fire and are more suitable to short-range encounters.

Autopistol

Variants of this semi-automatic pistol is the standard sidearm for law enforcement officers and criminals across the Empire.

Autorifle

Automatic rifles have a higher muzzle velocity and are capable of automatic fire. Sometimes called battle rifles.

Body Pistol

Body pistols are manufactured from plastics and cultured bone, making them very difficult to detect using conventional weapons scanners. Body pistols impose DM-4 to any Electronics (sensors) checks made to detect them.

Gauss Rifle

Gauss rifles fire high-velocity projectiles using electromagnetic rails.

Revolver

A conventional six-shooter handgun.

Rifle

A long-range hunting rifle or light infantry weapon.

Shotgun

Shotguns are smoothbore weapons that typically fire ammunition containing multiple small pellets. They are most effective at short range. A shotgun using pellet ammunition ignores Dodge dice modifiers, but Armour gives double protection against pellet attacks.

Snub Pistol

These lightweight, low-recoil weapons were designed for use aboard spacecraft and in zero gravity.

Submachine Gun

A short weapon capable of automatic fire, it puts the power of an assault rifle into a small package. However, it lacks a rifle’s accuracy at range.

 

 

Weapon Options

Auxiliary Grenade Launcher

An underslung grenade launcher can be added to any rifle weapon at the cost of 25GC. This grenade launcher has a magazine of one grenade that takes three minor actions to reload.

Gyro Stabiliser

Stabilizers can be added to any Bulky weapon, reducing its recoil and removing the Bulky trait. May be affected by SAD. Costs 12GC.

Laser Sight

Integrated optics and laser sights give DM+1 to any attack made at less than 50 meters. X-ray lasers and improved display technology removes the tell-tale ‘red dot’ of a visible light laser. May be affected by SAD. Costs 5GC.

Scope

A high-quality telescopic scope for attachment to a rifle, allowing accurate shots to be made at extreme ranges, and adding image enhancement and light intensification, allowing the scope to be used in low-light environments without penalty. Any rifle equipped with this gains the Scope trait. May be affected by SAD. Costs 25/-.

Secure Weapon

A secure weapon requires authentication in some fashion (scanning the user’s DNA or iris patterns, entering a password, transmission of an unlocking code from a comm) before it can be fired. May be affected by SAD. Costs 6GC.

Suppressor

A suppressor can be added to any non-automatic slug thrower, masking the sound produced by firing. Costs 6GC.

Archaic Weapons

All the weapons described in this section require the Gun Combat (archaic) skill to use effectively.

Weapon	Range	Damage	Kg	Cost	Magazine	Magazine Cost	SAD	Traits
Crossbow	100	3D-3	3	5GC	1	3/-	N	AP 2
Javelin	25	2D	1	8/-	-	-	N	One Shot
Long Bow	100	3D-3	1.5	4GC	1	3/-	N	AP 2, Bulky
Short Bow	75	2D-3	1	2GC	1	3/-	N	-
Sling	100	2D	-	5/-	1	-	N	-

Crossbow

A heavy weapon, cocked with a stirrup or windlass device, the crossbow is powerful and simple to use. It is slow-firing, however, taking 3 minor actions to re-load.

Javelin

A short spear designed for throwing, a javelin can be pressed into service as a footman’s spear, but is not ideal outside of its intended role.

LongBow

A long symmetrical or asymmetric bow.

Short Bow

A light bow with a weaker pull, the short bow is primarily a hunting weapon but sees use in combat from time to time. Short bows are sometimes used from the back of animals.

Sling

A projectile weapon which propels small stones or metal bullets using rotational energy. Slings are powerful but require a certain amount of skill to use effectively.

 

 

Weapon Traits

AP X: This weapon has the ability to punch through armor through the use of specially shaped ammunition or high technology. It will ignore an amount of Armour equal to the AP score listed. Spacecraft Scale targets (see page 157) ignore the AP trait unless the weapon making the attack is also Spacecraft Scale.

Auto X: These weapons fire multiple rounds with every pull of the trigger, filling the air with a hail of fire. A weapon with the Auto trait can make attacks in three fire modes: single, burst, and full auto.

Single: Attacks are made using the normal combat rules.

Burst: Add the Auto score to damage. This uses a number of rounds equal to the Auto score.

Full Auto: Make a number of attacks equal to the Auto score. These attacks can be made against separate targets so long as they are all within six meters of one another. Full auto uses a number of rounds equal to three times the Auto score. A weapon cannot use the Auto trait in the same action as the Scope trait or aiming action.

Blast X: This weapon has an explosive component or is otherwise able to affect targets spread across a wide area. Upon a successful attack, damage is rolled against every target within the weapon’s Blast score in metres. Dodge Reactions may not be made against a Blast weapon, but targets may dive for cover. Cover may be taken advantage of if it lies between a target and the center of the weapon’s Blast.

Bulky: A Bulky weapon has a powerful recoil or is simply extremely heavy – this makes it difficult to use effectively in combat by someone of a weak physical stature. A Traveler using a Bulky weapon must have STR 9 or higher to use it without penalty. Otherwise, all attack rolls will have a negative DM equal to the difference between their STR DM and +1.

Radiation: When a Radiation weapon is fired, anyone close to the firer, target and the line of fire in-between the two will receive 2D x 20 rads, multiplied by 5 for Spacecraft scale weapons. This effect extends from the firer, target and line of fire a distance in meters equal to the number of dice the weapon rolls for damage. If the fusion weapon is Destructive, this distance becomes ten times the number of dice rolled for damage.





Scope: The weapon has been fitted with vision-enhancing sights, allowing it to put shots on target from far greater ranges. A weapon with the Scope trait ignores the rule that limits all attacks made at a range greater than 100 meters are automatically Extreme Range, so long as the Traveller aims before shooting.

Silent: Most projectile weapons require a noisy discharge of chemical, heat or kinetic energy in order to attack, but this weapon channels or removes the excess sound energy also created. Any attempts to detect the sound of this weapon firing suffer DM-6.

Smasher: This weapon is particularly heavy and carries a great deal of momentum when it is swung. A Traveler attacked by a Smasher weapon may not attempt to parry it.

Stun: These weapons are designed to deal non-lethal damage, incapacitating a living target rather than killing it. Damage is only deducted from END, taking into account any armor. If the target’s END is reduced to 0, the target will be incapacitated and unable to perform any actions for a number of rounds by which the damage exceeded his END. Damage received from Stun weapons is completely healed by one hour of rest.

Very Bulky: Some weapons are designed only for the strongest combatants. A Traveler using a Very Bulky weapon must have STR 12 or higher to use it without penalty. Otherwise, all attack rolls will have a negative DM equal to the difference between their STR DM and +2.

Zero-G: This weapon has little or no recoil, allowing it to be used in low or zero gravity situations without requiring an Athletics (dexterity) check.

 

 

Religion and Belief

Signs of religion are everywhere across the galaxy, from the magnificent temples in the great cities to the humble wayside shrines and household altars. People do their best to stay on the right side of their gods.

High-ranking clerics are wealthy and powerful, wielding as much influence and prestige as the greatest nobles. At the other end of the scale, village priests tend to the spiritual needs of rural communities, preaching the tenets of their faith and interceding with their patron deities on behalf of their flocks. Several faiths also support templar orders: these private armies of priest-soldiers answer to the head of their faith rather than to any noble or elector count, which can cause significant political friction.

The Gods

The people of the Sigmar Sector and beyond, recognise many deities. Some are worshiped across whole sectors; some are restricted to one planet or region; and some are patrons of just a single town or occupation.

Gods of the Empire

In the Empire, the pantheon of gods is split into three broad categories: the Old Gods, the Classical Gods, and the Provincial Gods. Standing apart from these is Sigmar, the first Emperor, and patron deity of the Empire as a whole.

The Old Gods
The Old Gods refer to the pantheon of deities worshiped when the Empire was little more than an unbroken forest populated by wandering tribes of barbarians on the planet Reik. Many Old Gods stood as patrons to one of the tribes, and to this day some are still associated with the old geographical hunting grounds of those ancient peoples. Although few say so out loud, many citizens of the Empire regard the Old Gods as the true deities of the Empire, and the Classical Gods as relative newcomers.

As time passed, five gods rose to prominence amongst the Old Gods, worshiped by dominant cults spread from one end of the Empire to the other: Ulric, Taal, Rhya, Manaan, and Morr, representing the primal spheres of war, nature, fertility, seas, and death.










The Classical Gods
The Classical Gods spread from the sectors of Estalia and Borderland through trade and diplomatic contact. Today, their worship is popular in the cosmopolitan towns and cities, and some nobles and townsfolk secretly regard them as more sophisticated than the Old Gods — though few would risk voicing such opinions aloud!

The most widespread cults of Classical Gods in the Empire are dedicated to Verena, Myrmidia, Shallya, and Ranald, patrons of wisdom, strategy, mercy, and trickery. Hiding behind these, there is also Khaine, the God of Murder, though his cult is outlawed in most places.

The Provincial Gods
The Empire hosts a wide variety of deities — patrons of provinces, towns, forests, lakes, rivers, crafts, and much more besides. Formed into complicated pantheons by local legends and myths, the Provincial Gods often have small cults dedicated to them, but few have much influence. However, there are exceptions: standing high above other Provincial Gods, worship of Handrich, the God of Trade, has spread significantly with commerce and now boasts a significant cult-presence amongst the Empire’s rising merchant class.

Sigmar

Sigmar founded the Empire over four-thousand years ago, and his legend recounts how he conquered unthinkable foes and overcame impossible odds. Reigning for fifty years, he eventually abdicated and turned east to return his magical warhammer, Ghal-Maraz, to its forgers: his old allies, the Dwarfs. He was never seen again. Not long after, oracles and prophets claimed Sigmar had ascended to godhood, invested by Ulric before the entire pantheon of old gods and new.

Today, many centuries later, the cult of Sigmar, patron of the Empire, has spread to such an extent that its leader, the Grand Theogonist, is arguably more powerful than the emperor himself.

Other Pantheons

The different worlds and species of the galaxy all have deities of their own. Some, according to theologians, are aspects of other deities worshiped under different names. Others are particularly revered by a particular species: examples include Grungni, the Dwarven God of Mining and Dwarf Pride; Isha, a Goddess of Fertility and Nature who is seen as the mother of all Elves; and Esmerelda, the Halfling Goddess of Hearth, Home, and Family.

 

 

Dwarven Ancestor Gods
The Dwarfs venerate their ancient ancestors, valuing tradition above all else. Though the Time of the Ancestor Gods was many thousands of years ago, the Dwarfs still hold records of that time in their oldest Holds. Many names echo from that era, creating a broad, inter-related pantheon, but three Ancestor Gods are of especial importance and are known by all Dwarfs: Grimnir, Grungni, and Valaya, each a progenitor of the species as a whole.

In addition to the oldest Ancestor Gods, Dwarfs also revere the founders of local clans as guardian deities.

Elven Gods
The Elves worshiped their own gods long before Humans and most other species existed in their current forms. Their pantheon is extensive, with different groups of deities being held as important by Wood Elves and High Elves.

Loosely, there are two groups of gods, the Cadai and the Cytharai. The Cadai rule the heavens, and have strong connections to their Elven worshippers, directly helping where they can. The selfish Cytharai rule the underworld, and care little for the Elves. Standing apart from both these courts are a loose group of unaligned gods, the most prominent being Morai-Heg the Crone, Goddess of Fate and Death.

The High Elves especially revere the Cadai, and have sophisticated priesthoods dedicated to their teachings. They appease the Cytharai when necessary, but it is unlawful to worship any but Mathlann, whose aid is sought by mariners. According to their myths, Asuryan, the God of Creation, is king of all the gods, able to pronounce judgment upon them all.

The Wood Elves take a much more balanced approach and have temples and shrines to all the gods impacting their lives, be they Cadai or Cytharai. Because of their close association with the woods and forests, they revere Isha the Mother and Kurnous the Hunter above all others, and rumors persist that both gods take a direct hand in Wood Elf affairs.

According to some theologians — mostly Elven — the deities of this pantheon are the true gods, and those worshiped by other species are simply different aspects of the Elven originals.








Halfling Gods
Some say that Halflings are superstitious rather than religious, and the bulk of their deities support this impression. Most Halfling gods and goddesses have to do with hearth and home, cooking, herb lore, earthy matters, and general day-to-day concerns. Halfling gods are practical rather than philosophical: as the saying goes: ‘Deep thoughts butter no parsnips’. Halflings also show respect to certain Human deities — Sigmar, Taal, and Rhya in particular — but this is more from a desire to avoid conflict than from any sincere devotion.

The Chaos Gods

The Daemonic gods of the Realms of Chaos are the greatest threat to the galaxy, each determined to bring absolute ruin to the mortal realm. Their worship by lost and damned souls is pervasive and clandestine, with uncounted dark cultists infiltrating all levels of society. Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh: Gods of Rage, Despair, Ambition, and Excess. Few dare whisper their twisting names, for they harbor malevolent power, and leave mutation and horror in their wake.

Much about the Chaos Gods remains a mystery. Merely seeking such knowledge is punishable by death without permission from the Cult of Sigmar. And seeking such permission attracts intense scrutiny of your person and motives, and is seldom granted.

The Ruinous Powers are seen by the common folk as the punishing manifestation of sin, and the reason that all must behave within socially acceptable boundaries as espoused by the cults. Indulging in violence, lust, slovenliness or unseemly curiosity has direct repercussions for the individual (as they are corrupted and come to a sticky end) and for their community, as their deviant behavior attracts the destructive attention of these evil forces.

The average person will know of the most powerful of these forces through euphemistic names, such as the Blood God, the Plague Lord, the Lord of Change, and the Prince of Pain. Even the most learned scholars of this forbidden lore can only guess at what motivates these obscene powers, or if they even have an agenda beyond their primal impulses.

It seems there are competing factions dedicated to different aspects of ruin, and they are as much enemies to each other as to the rest of the galaxy. On the rare occasions when they cooperate, much like they did during the Great War Against Chaos over two-hundred years ago, the worlds tremble. Some claim cults dedicated to the Chaos Gods have infiltrated the Empire. Most dismiss this as nonsense, for no right-thinking individual would be so foolish as to worship one of the Ruinous Powers.

 

 

The Cults

The galaxy has many cults dedicated to appeasing or appealing to deities and promoting the ideals they embody. Leaders of these cults are frequently influential in local politics. They not only stand as representatives of their gods, but also command hundreds or perhaps thousands of clerics and templars: temporal power that cannot be ignored. To manage their numerous members, most of the larger cults are split into orders, many of which operate from significant holy sites or temples.

Orders

Most cults are split into orders, with each order focussing on different aspects of their god’s concerns. Orders come in many different forms, including monastic orders of monks or nuns, templar orders of knights, priestly orders that attend to holy needs in the community, and mendicant orders of friars that wander the Old World, usually subsisting from alms.

Each order is organized differently according to individual cult law and tradition, but in all cases they swear allegiance to the head of their cult, not the local nobility.

Holy Sites

The cults maintain holy sites across the galaxy. Most are protected by buildings such as temples, abbeys, chapter houses, or monasteries. Some older sites, or those not so well known, may only be marked by a shrine or unattended chapel. Cult buildings are usually decorated beautifully inside and out with scenes from the religion’s mythology. They vary widely in size and layout and often follow regional styles of architecture. Some hold extreme wealth, especially in the towns and cities where a more affluent population provides greater tithes. Larger cult buildings support dozens of people, including lay craftspeople, guards, and servants, while smaller sites are run by a handful of staff aided by volunteers from the community.

In villages, a single priest is the norm, supported by the faithful. Shrines and chapels are more modest affairs, the size of a oneroom house or smaller. They do not normally have a full-time priest, although they may come under the charge of a nearby temple or — especially in rural areas — a wandering priest who travels from one village and shrine to another. In a priest’s absence, local villagers pray unsupervised, leave small offerings, and keep the shrine in good repair.

Primary Cults of the Empire

Although many hundreds of gods are worshiped across the Empire, ten are of particular importance, each worshiped by cults spanning the grand provinces and granted a special position by Magnus the Pious over two-hundred years ago.
The Grand Conclave
When Emperor Magnus the Pious rebuilt the Empire after the Great War Against Chaos, he realized previous schisms and civil wars besetting his realm were often sourced in religious unrest. To help prevent this happening again, Magnus created the Grand Conclave, a meeting of the primary cults in the Empire held every five years to air grievances and discuss resolutions, with the emperor sitting as chair.

Though enormously controversial at the time, the Grand Conclave is now fully accepted, and is held alongside great celebrations and festivities, with the representatives of the following gods required to attend: Manaan, Morr, Myrmidia, Ranald, Rhya, Shallya, Sigmar, Taal, Ulric, and Verena. Although other influential cults exist — such as the Cult of Handrich, which is currently lobbying for a seat on the Conclave — the ten currently sitting are widely perceived as the most important in the Empire.

Primary Gods of the Empire

God	Spheres	Worshippers	Offerings
Manann	The seas, oceans, Wasteland Sector	Sailors, fishermen, merchants	Fish, gems, gold
Morr	Death and dreams, Planet Ost	Undertakers, the bereaved, undead hunters, mystics	Silver coins, incense, candles
Myrmidia	Strategic warfare, Estalia Sector	Estalians, strategists, Tileans	Spears, shields, vows of duty, trophies
Ranald	Trickery, thieves, luck, the poor	Rogues, gamblers, and the poor	Cards, coins, dice, food
Rhya	Fertility, life, summer	Farmers, herbalists, midwives	First reapings, wheat, fruit
Shallya	Mercy and healing	The poor, physicians, the sick, abused women	Food, medicine, coins
Sigmar	The Empire, Reikland	Folk of the Empire	Hammers, coins, food
Taal	The wilds, spring, Planet Talabe	Herders, foresters, and other rural folk	Land left wild, first kill from a hunt, animals
Ulric	War, winter, wolves, Planet Middenland	Warriors, Middenlanders	Weapons, trophies, ale, wolf skins
Verena	Learning, justice, wisdom	Scribes, lawyers, scholars	Books, knowledge, just acts

 

 

The Cult of Manann, God of the Sea

Seat of Power: Marienburg, Wasteland Sector
Head of the Cult: Matriarch of the Sea
Primary Orders: Order of the Albatross, Order of the Mariner
Major Festivals: Spring Equinox, Autumn Equinox
Popular Holy Books: The 1000 Shanties, Tales of the Albatross, Liber Manaan
Common Holy Symbols: Five-tined Crown, Waves, Anchors

Volatile Manann, the son of Taal and Rhya, is the capricious King of the Sea, Master of the Maelstroms, and Summoner of Storms. Known for his black moods and erratic temper, folk claim his cult is needed more than any other, for if ever there is a god that must be appeased, it’s Manaan. He’s depicted as an enormous, black bearded man with seaweed in his hair and a great, five-pointed crown of black iron upon his troubled brow. He’s said to dwell at the bottom of the ocean, the rise and fall of his massive chest forming the waves and tides as the greatest monsters of the deep gather in his court.

Worshippers

Manann is worshiped along coasts throughout the galaxy, wherever people make their living from the sea or live close enough for storms and floods to threaten their homes. Even those who know little of Manann will throw a coin or other small treasure into the water before beginning a sea voyage in the hope of a smooth crossing.

The cult has a significant number of orders, mostly monastic, tasked to guard isolated, sacred islands. The Order of the Albatross is largest, comprised of priests who maintain temples across the galaxy and bless merchant or naval vessels with their presence. Often accompanying them, the Order of the Marineris the military arm of Manann, the cult’s templar-marines, sworn protectors of Marienburg.

Manann’s clerics usually wear robes of dark greenish-blue or blue-gray, trimmed with a white wave-pattern.

Holy Sites

Manann’s temples are found in all coastal towns and cities, and in most river ports where seagoing vessels berth. The high temple is in the great port-city of Marienburg: a huge, lavishly decorated complex open to the tides. The Matriarch of the Sea, head of the Order of the Albatross, is based there, a woman who ostensibly leads the entire cult of Manann, although in practice the sea-god’s clerics are as mercurial as their god, and as likely to be stubborn as to serve.

The cult also maintains many monasteries and abbeys on small isolated islands, most dedicated to one of Manann’s many saints.

Penances

Penances from Manann often involve hazardous, maritime pilgrimages, tests of sailing skills, or expeditions against the sea-god’s enemies, especially followers of the heretical cult of Stromfels, God of Pirates, Wreckers, and Sharks.

Strictures

• No whistling or swearing when at sea or on holy ground.
• Never harm an albatross.
• First catch to Manann.
• A silver and fish to every Manannite temple and shrine approached.
• Hunt down the servants of Stromfels wherever they may hide.

The Cult of Morr, God of Death

Seat of Power: Luccini, Tilea Sector
Head of the Cult: Custode del Portale
Primary Orders: Order of the Shroud, Order of the Black Guard, Order of the Augurs
Major Festivals: Hexensnacht, Geheimisnacht
Popular Holy Books: The Book of Doorways, Libro Dei Morti, Thernodies of the Raven
Common Holy Symbols: Portals, Ravens, Black Roses

Urbane Morr, God of Death and King of the Underworld, is husband to Verena, brother to murderous Khaine, and father of Myrmidia and Shallya. He sends divine ravens to guide dead souls to the Portal, the pillared gateway between the mortal realms and the realm of the gods. He then leads each soul from there to its final resting place: either Morr’s Underworld, or the afterlife of another god. He is commonly portrayed as a tall, dark haired man of aristocratic bearing, with a brooding, intense air.

Worshippers

Outside Ost, where Morr has special importance, few wish to attract the God of Death’s attention, so normally only the bereaved pray to him. However, those desperate or brave enough may pray for dreams of what the future may bring, though it is said he rarely divulges anything not associated with dying.

 

 

The Order of the Shroud dominates the cult, directly controlling all other orders and the Mourners’ Guild, those responsible for overseeing burials and burial grounds. Supporting them, the Black Guard are the cult’s largest templar order, tasked to guard temples and hunt down the Undead. The Order of Augurs may be small, but it guides the leadership with its foretellings, and organizes the Order of Doomsayers: these wandering priests of Morr tour the land performing Doomings for all Human children on their tenth year. Bringing them all together, every decade a grand convocation of the priesthood of Morr is held at Luccini in Tilea, where the future for the cult is discussed around city-wide festivities.

All Morr’s clerics wear plain, black, hooded robes without adornment or trimming.

Holy Sites

Temples of Morr are within Gardens of Morr: great graveyards wrapped with black roses that bloom all year, and are rarely used for anything other than funeral services. Most are plain structures of dark stone, distinguished by a broad doorway with a heavy lintel-stone — representing Morr’s Portal. The doors are always open, like the doors to the Kingdom of Death. Inside, the temples are bare. Any necessary furniture and other equipment is kept in storage until it is needed for a funeral service. Shrines to Morr also take the form of a gateway, usually consisting of two plain pillars and a lintel. In some cases, one pillar is white marble and the other black basalt.

Penances

Morr’s penances typically involve hunting Necromancers and destroying Undead, or finding and restoring burial places and holy sites fallen to disuse and disrepair. He also occasionally requires servants of Khaine be stopped from fulfilling their dark deeds.

Strictures

• Respect and protect the dead.
• Hunt down Necromancers and the Undead wherever they may gather.
• Pay heed to your dreams.
• Never refuse to conduct a funeral service.
• At no time be a party to raising the dead, unless allowed by Morr.

The Cult of Myrmidia, Goddess of Strategy

Seat of Power: Magritta, Estalia Sector
Head of the Cult: La Aguila Ultima
Primary Orders: Order of the Eagle, Order of the Righteous Spear, Order of the Blazing Sun
Major Festivals: None in the Empire
Popular Holy Books: Bellona Myrmidia, Bellum Strategia, The Book of War
Common Holy Symbols: Spear behind a shield, eagles, suns

In the Empire, bronzed Myrmidia, daughter of Verena and Morr, sister of Shallya, is the Goddess of Strategy and Scientific Warfare. However, in the warm anti-spinward regions, Myrmidia is much more than this: she acts as the patron deity of both the Estali and the Tilia Sectors, and is fanatically worshiped in both regions. Because of this, her cult is the largest in the galaxy, for all it has a limited presence in the Empire.

She is commonly portrayed as a tall, muscular, young woman armed and equipped in archaic stylings of Estalia and Tilia. She is known for her calm, honorable approach to all matters, and her clerics do what they can to emulate this.

Worshippers

Myrmidia grants generals the insight to win battles with minimal losses, and soldiers the skill-at-arms to defeat enemies quickly and without significant losses. Because of this, her cult is steadily growing among the armies and garrisons of the Empire, especially on Reik, Aver, and Nuln.

In the Empire, the cult has three orders of significance. The Order of the Eagle tends to the temples and their surrounding communities, and is led from Nuln by the ‘Eagle of the North’, the most powerful Myrmidian outside of Estalia. The templar Order of the Righteous Spear has a chapterhouse attached to each of these temples, each commanded by the local high priest. A second templar order, the Order of the Blazing Sun, is the oldest Myrmidian order in the Empire, and works independently of the Order of the Eagle.

Myrmidia’s clerics in the Empire normally wear blue cowls over white robes with red edging, with her symbol either sewn onto the left breast or worn as a cloak-clasp.

 

 

Holy Sites

Most of Myrmidia’s holy sites are found in Estalia and Tilea, and are associated with the goddess’s campaigns across those sectors when she manifested as a mortal over two-thousand years ago. In the Empire, the goddess has much less of a presence, with temples only in major towns and cities, and only a single monastic order cloistered in the Monastery of the Black Maiden in Wissenland. Temples to Myrmidia tend to follow the architectural styles of Tilea and Estalia, with domed roofs covering square or rectangular halls. Their exteriors are often carved with low reliefs showing battle scenes or tableaux of weapons and shields. Shrines may take the form of miniature temples, statues of the goddess, or free-standing sculptures of stacked weapons, shields, and armor. Myrmidia’s holy sites are also known for their scandalous depictions of the goddess and her saints, who are often presented wearing little more than scarves about their waists, which many Sigmarites find completely unacceptable.

Penances

Penances from Myrmidia are usually military in nature. A cultist may be ordered to defeat an enemy champion in single combat, or to train a group of peasants and lead them in the defense of their village. Protecting pilgrimage routes to sites of importance to Myrmidia are also not uncommon.

Strictures

• Act with honor and dignity in all matters.
• Respect prisoners of war, and never kill an enemy who surrenders.
• Show no mercy to the unrepentant enemies of Humanity.
• Obey all honorable orders.
• Preserve the weak from the horrors of war.

The Cult of Ranald, God of Trickery

Seat of Power: None officially
Head of the Cult: None officially, though rumors persist of a cult leader marked with ten crosses
Primary Orders: The Crosses, the Brotherhood, the Crooked Fingers
Major Festivals: The Day of Folly
Popular Holy Books: The Riddles Ten, Midnight and the Black Cat, The Great Joke
Common Holy Symbols: Crossed fingers, Cats, Magpies

According to myth, Ranald was once mortal, a gentle bandit who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. This so charmed Shallya that the goddess fell in love. One fateful day, she found Ranald dying, fatally touched by the plagues of the Fly Lord. Unable to accept this, she let Ranald drink from her holy chalice, granting the rogue eternal life. But it was all a trick — Ranald had faked it all — and, laughing, the new god gleefully danced into the heavens. While generally portrayed as a dapper Human wearing a perpetual smile, there is little consistency to the height, weight, skin color, or even gender of Ranald, though the god is more commonly portrayed as male in the Empire. More a cheerful trickster than outright criminal, Ranald is said to have a love of deflating pride with clever tricks and ruses.

Worshippers

Ranald most commonly stands as a patron to thieves and rogues, but the cult also attracts gamblers, liars, merchants, tricksters, and the poor and downtrodden.

The cult of Ranald is, by general perception, a disorganized rabble of charlatans, thieves, and ne’er-do-wells. However, it is more coordinated than it appears, and split into three primary orders. The Crosses are the most accepted — a priesthood overseeing the cult’s gambling-dens, typically using the proceeds to administer to the poor. The Brotherhood is less open, and is somewhat akin to a secret society of merchants — they use business to bring the pompous and greedy to their knees. Lastly, and most widespread, is the publicly disavowed Crooked Fingers, the thieves, rogues, and liars of Ranald, a group that is roundly distrusted.

Cultists of Ranald have no conventional garb to identify them, but always work cross symbols into their clothing somewhere, perhaps as a repeating pattern.

 

 

Holy Sites

Ranald has no formal temple organization, although the cult maintains seemingly unconnected gambling dens in most towns and cities. Small shrines are found in the headquarters of many criminal gangs and merchant houses, and the poorer quarters of many cities have street-corner shrines dedicated to the God of Luck. The latter are often maintained by local ‘shrine clubs’ which operate as both social and religious bodies, and are usually led by one of the Crooked Fingers. Shrines are almost never elaborate, often just a simple, smiling statue with crossed fingers behind the back , or a crudely depicted cat or magpie, often fashioned as if smiling.

Penances

Ranald’s penances usually involve stealing into locked and guarded locations to recover precious items or leave a token of their presence. Humiliating oppressors of the poor is also common — perhaps by framing a brutal Watch captain for a ludicrous crime, for example, or locking him in his own cells. Ranald often sends favored and disfavoured cultists alike on a ‘Pilgrimage of Fingers’, a set of tasks proving capability and loyalty.

Strictures

• One coin in ten belongs to Ranald.
• Never betray another to the authorities; there is no greater sin than informing.
• Violence is prohibited except in self-defense.
• It is better to live free and die than live under oppression.
• There is no honor among thieves, but there is amongst Ranaldans.

The Cult of Rhya, Goddess of Fertility

Seat of Power: None officially
Head of the Cult: None
Primary Orders: None
Major Festivals: Summer Solstice, with equinoxes also celebrated
Popular Holy Books: None, though many oral traditions exist
Common Holy Symbols: Sheaf of wheat, fruit, spirals

Bountiful Rhya is the Goddess of Fertility and Summer, widely known as the Earth Mother and She Who Sustains Life. Though typically depicted as the wife of Taal, myths connect her to many gods, and she has children from many of those relationships. Most commonly portrayed as a tall, beautiful women wreathed in leaves and bedecked in fruit, Rhya’s statues are normally nude, pregnant, and surrounded by her children.

Many theologians tie Rhya to the Old Faith, a prehistoric cult comprised of ancient farmers and hunters who wrested a living from the land before the Empire was born and man had conquered the stars, and one still found in secluded communities to this day.

Worshippers

Rural folk across the galaxy venerate Rhya, relying on her to provide the crops upon which their lives depend. Womenfolk comprise the main body of the cult, and most midwives pay at least lip-service to Rhya’s Wisdom, a set of oral traditions surrounding childbirth. Although she is not openly worshiped in the towns and cities — townsfolk often turning to Shallya in her stead — her name is frequently tied with Taal’s, so she is still well known amongst such people.

Because the cult has no great temples and protects no holy books or relics of significance, many scholars believe her worship to be declining, and possibly already dead. Her many cultists do nothing to contradict such talk.

Rhya’s cultists have no fixed vestment or preferred garb, though greens are very common, as is using plants, flowers, or herbs to accessorize any clothing. They often dress in a fashion considered far too revealing by Sigmarite doctrine, which can cause friction as the Rhyans believe giving in to such prudishness is tantamount to encouraging the Prince of Excess into your lives, as it builds forbidden desires. Devotees of Sigmar invariably disagree, believing abstinence and restricting temptation is a better response to such dangers than indulgence.

 

 

Holy Sites

Rhya has no large temples, though many ancient sites constructed from oghams (standing stones) are centers of worship for her cult, and some still echo each equinox with the cries of fevered celebrants.

Shrines to Rhya are usually simple statues of the goddess, often piled high with offerings of food and drink. Older shrines are often made of small standing stones marked with worn, spiraled patterns.

Penances

Rhyan penances may involve replanting devastated areas, helping broken households, and maintaining sacred groves. It is also common to find Rhyans tasked to protect helpless families, which can often put them at odds with local bailiffs and law enforcement.

Strictures

• Defend families, children, and crops from all harm.
• Never feel shame for the flesh Rhya gave you.
• Life is sacred, do no harm lest another life is in danger.
• Never judge whom another loves.
• Interrupt the work of the Prince of Excess wherever it may thirst.

The Cult of Shallya, Goddess of Mercy

Seat of Power: Couronne, Bretonnia Sector
Head of the Cult: Grand Matriarch
Primary Orders: Order of the Bleeding Heart, Order of the Chalice
Major Festivals: None
Popular Holy Books: The Book of Suffering, Livre des Larmes, The Testament of Pergunda
Common Holy Symbols: White doves, keys, heart with a drop of blood

Shallya is the Goddess of Healing, Mercy, and Compassion. She is the daughter of Verena and Morr, and the sister of Myrmidia.

Shallya is normally portrayed as a young, beautiful maiden whose eyes are perpetually welling with tears as she weeps for the world’s pain. It is said Shallya’s compassion knows no bounds, and in some myths — such as the stories of Ranald tricking her into granting him immortality, or Manaan trapping her at the bottom of the sea — she seems trusting to the point of foolishness. However, her cultists maintain her mercy is available to all, without judgment. True foolishness consists of presuming to judge who is worthy of Shallya’s grace and who is not.

Worshippers

Most of the galaxy think of Shallya’s cult as composed of healers and physicians, but her worshippers also include many who work to help alleviate suffering of other kinds: charitable souls who help the poor; workers in orphanages, asylums, and refuges; and even brave folk who go in search of lost and missing people on behalf of their loved ones. The cult is ruled by the far-reaching Order of the Bleeding Heart, which maintains all the temples, hospices, mercyhouses, and other holy sites. The significantly smaller Order of the Chalice tasks its mendicants to cleanse the Fly Lord’s influence, tackling the worst diseases and plagues wherever they may fester.

Shallya’s cultists all wear white robes, often hooded, with a bleeding heart symbol embroidered on the left breast.

Holy Sites

The high temple of all Shallya’s cult is in Couronne, Bretonnia Sector, built over a famous healing spring. Locals claim the magical waters were once poured there from the same chalice Shallya used to grant Ranald immortality, which they claim is the holy grail of the Lady, the patron Goddess of Bretonnia. Whatever the truth, it is a popular destination for pilgrims, many of whom travel there to be healed from intractable disease. Elsewhere, every town or city of any size has a temple to Shallya, and most smaller settlements have at least a shrine dedicated to her. Temples of Shallya normally consist of a courtyard with a temple on one side and an infirmary on the other. Larger temples have smaller subsidiary chapels, commonly endowed by local families, and are often connected to hospitals. Shrines are usually simple, often with the dove or heart of Shallya carved into stone, or with small fountains gushing eternal tears from simple statues.

Penances

Penances set by Shallya always involve helping the sick, poor, or downtrodden. A cultist might be sent to a village struck by a plague to tend the sick until the disease has passed. Shallya often tasks her servants to help the wounded at war, or patrol popular pilgrimage routes for those unable to complete their journeys due to ill health.

Strictures

• Always render assistance without judgment, based only on a person’s need.
• Never kill except in self-defense or when facing followers of the Fly Lord.
• Hunt down servants of the Fly Lord wherever they may fester.
• Shallya’s work is never done, so turn not to self indulgence.
• Never take up arms; a walking stick and courage will suffice.

 

 

The Cult of Sigmar, God of the Empire

Seat of Power: Altdorf, Reikland
Head of the Cult: The Grand Theogonist
Primary Orders: Order of the Anvil, Order of the Cleansing Flame, Order of the Silver Hammer, Order of the Torch
Major Festivals: Sigmarday (28th Sigmarzeit)
Popular Holy Books: The Book of Sigmar, Deus Sigmar, The Geistbuch
Common Holy Symbols: Ghal-maraz (Sigmar’s Warhammer), twin-tailed comets, griffons

Sigmar is the Empire’s patron, and his cult dominates the realm. Because Sigmar was once the emperor, his worship is inextricably interwoven with politics, and three of the cult’s highest-ranking members are directly involved with electing new emperors.

According to legend, 4,500 years ago Sigmar’s birth was heralded by a twin-tailed comet, and he was born the first son of the chief of the Unberogen tribe. When older, he received the magical warhammer Ghal-maraz (‘Skull-splitter’) as a gift from the Dwarf king Kurgan Ironbeard for saving his life from Greenskins. Sigmar later allied with the Dwarfs and their combined forces defeated the Greenskins. He was then crowned as the first emperor of the Human tribes he’d united. After fifty years of extraordinary rule, Sigmar mysteriously vanished, only to later ascend to divinity, crowned as a god by Ulric, Sigmar’s patron in life.

Worshippers

Most folk of the Empire pay at least lip-service to their patron deity. In the most devout provinces, like Reik, Sigmar worship is an unquestioned part of daily life. Folk attend weekly ‘throngs’ where the lessons of Sigmar are preached. Many also attend temple to train as local militia, confess sins and purify the soul, or receive advice on how to be more like the God-King of old. Sigmar’s cult is comprised of an uncounted number of different orders. The largest is the Order of the Torch: Sigmar’s priests who lead their local communities. Other orders of importance include: the Order of the Cleansing Flame, comprised of inquisitors and witch hunters; the Order of the Silver Hammer, which includes warrior priests and yet more witch hunters; and the Order of the Anvil, a monastic order concerned with preserving Sigmar’s deeds and laws. The cult also has many templar orders. The most famous are the proud Knights of Sigmar’s Blood, the fanatical Knights of the Fiery Heart, and the militaristic Knights Griffon. Given the cult is so large, there are many different uniforms, vestments, and robes worn, all of which have different colors, cuts, and accessories according to local tradition and requirement.

Holy Sites

Every city, town, and village in the Empire has at least one temple to Sigmar. The Grand Cathedral in Altdorf is staffed by hundreds of priests and lay workers, and guarded by at least two orders of templars; at the other end of the scale, a village chapel may be visited just once every week by a traveling priest, who serves the needs of several small settlements. Shrines can be found in most homes, and wayshrines dot every major highway, mostly marked with hammers or comets.

Penances

Sigmarite cultists may be ordered to destroy a cell of Chaosworshippers, or expose a corrupt official who is secretly in league with the Ruinous Powers or a foreign power. It is also common to be tasked with building, or rebuilding, local communities to better promote unity and strength in the Empire.

Strictures

• Obey your orders.
• Aid Dwarf-folk, never do them harm.
• Promote the unity of the Empire.
• Bear true allegiance to the imperial throne.
• Root out Greenskins, Chaos worshippers, and foul witches without mercy.

The Cult of Taal, God of the Wild

Seat of Power: Talabheim, Talabec
Head of the Cult: The Hierarch
Primary Orders: Order of the Antler, The Longshanks
Major Festivals: Spring Equinox, with other equinoxes also celebrated
Popular Holy Books: The Book of Green, Rites of the Ancient Grove, Tome of Summer’s Path
Common Holy Symbols: Antlers, oaks, stone axes

Taal is the God of Wild Places and Animals, and the King of Nature. He is the husband to Rhya, and father to Manaan, and is perceived by Taalites to be the king of the gods, though other cults dispute this. All nature is under his purview, from the snaking rivers to the tallest mountains, from the smallest insect to the greatest beast. He is normally portrayed as a powerfully built, virile man with long, wild hair and great spreading antlers, and is known for his volatile moods and his need to hunt.

 

 

Worshippers

Rural folk across the galaxy venerate Taal, and any who make their living in wild places take care not to offend him. Taal is the patron deity of Talabec in the Empire, where his cult holds significant sway, influencing all levels of society.

Taal’s cult has a variety of smaller orders dedicated to holy sites and groves throughout the galaxy, but two orders drive the cult forwards. The Order of the Antler are the priests of the cult, who are tasked to teach Taal’s ways and protect the wild places from intrusion.

These Taalites are particularly widespread in Talabec, and their forest temples are hubs of activity for rural folk. The Longshanks are a mix of warrior-priest and templar who typically wander as individuals, cleansing Taal’s wild places of corruption and ensuring rural communities do nothing to upset Father Taal.

Holy Sites

Normally, temples to Taal are small, rustic affairs, built of wood and rough stone in a manner unchanged for countless centuries. They are usually sited close to natural features of wonder such as waterfalls, swirling pools, and mountains, and often have small sweat lodges attached. The high temple of Taal in Talabheim is something of an anomaly when compared to this. It appears more a well-maintained, albeit wild, noble garden than a temple, and huge services are held there under the spreading rowan trees weekly.

Officially, the Hierarch leads the cult from there, though he spends most of his time in the wild groves of the nearby Taalgrunhaar Forest. Shrines to Taal are barely structures at all. Some old trees are regarded as sacred, and offerings pile up at their bases. Caves, forest groves, and other natural places are also used as shrines, and usually only a local or a devout follower of Taal can find them.

Penances

Taal’s penances usually involve clearing diseased or mutated monsters from wild areas, replanting sacred trees, and maintaining groves important to the cult. A cultist might also be ordered to climb a high mountain and leave a stone on a cairn at the top, or clear an obstruction at the top of a waterfall. Whatever the specific task that must be undertaken, Taal’s penances almost always challenge the cultist to survive in the wild.

Strictures

• Offer a prayer of thanks for every animal taken.
• Spend a week alone communing with the wilderness every year.
• Eschew metal armor; clad yourself in the hides of Taal.
• Rely on your own skill, not the advances of gunpowder or cold technology.
• Never harm an animal except in self-defense or for food or sacrifice.

The Cult of Ulric, God of War

Seat of Power: Middenheim, Middenland
Head of the Cult: Ar-Ulric
Primary Orders: Order of the Howling Wolf, Order of the Knights of the White Wolf
Major Festivals: Campaign Start, Hochwinter, Campaign End
Popular Holy Books: Liber Lupus, Teutognengeschichte, The Ulric Creed
Common Holy Symbols: White Wolves, stylised ‘U’s, claws

Ulric is the ferocious God of Wolves, Winter, and Warfare. He is the brother of Taal and, according to Ulrican lore, the king of the gods, although other cults dispute this. He is normally portrayed as a massive, heavily bearded barbarian wearing a white wolf pelt cloak, and bearing a mighty war-axe named Blitzbeil. He’s a distant, harsh, and unforgiving god who expects his cultists to rely on individual strength and prowess. He despises weakness, cowardice, and trickery, and favors the direct approach in all matters.

Worshippers

Middenheim, with its enormous high temple to Ulric, is the heart of his cult, and the god is regarded as the planet’s patron. Elsewhere, he is worshiped mainly by warriors and soldiers. Devout Ulricans can usually be spotted by their long hair and beards, for most choose not to cut it, imitating their wild deity.

Ulric’s cult is split into just two orders: the priestly Howling Wolves, and the templar White Wolves. The Howling Wolves are not very popular outside Middenland and Middenheim, viewed by most folk to be too coarse for this enlightened era. By comparison, the Knights of the White Wolf are enormously popular, easily the largest knightly order in the Empire, and the oldest templar order in the Old World. Ulric’s priests wear black robes with a howling white wolf emblem on the chest. A wolf pelt across the shoulders is also common, as is fur trimmings.

 

 

Holy Sites

Ulric’s high temple is in Middenheim, and the cult’s leader, Ar-Ulric (which means the son of Ulric), has enormous temporal and spiritual sway. At the back of the high temple lies the Flame of Ulric, a huge, ever-burning, argent fire granted by the winter god to guide his people. This miracle is the focus of several pilgrimage routes, and all Ulricans of Middenland are expected to bathe in its cold light at least once in their lives. Smaller temples are found in every city and town of any size throughout the galaxy, but are grander and more numerous on Middenheim and Middenland.

Chapels and shrines can be found in barracks and forts throughout the galaxy. Temples resemble fortified keeps and are normally square. The interior of the main hall is lit by small windows high in the walls, and by an ever-stocked fire in a circular hearth tended by the priesthood. Behind the fire, usually against a rear wall, stands a statue of Ulric enthroned, often flanked by a pair of enormous wolves. Shrines are similar but smaller, with a lamp in place of a fire and small statues just a foot or two tall.

Penances

Penances set by Ulric are almost always tests of strength, courage, and martial skill. Slaying a powerful monster, or clearing out a nest of Beastmen or outlaws, are typical tasks.

Strictures

• Obey your betters.
• Defend your honor in all matters, and never refuse a challenge.
• Stand honest and true; outside an ambush, trickery and deception are forbidden.
• Only wear pelts from wolves killed by weapons crafted of your own hands.
• Slugs, helmets, crossbows, and technology are not Ulric’s way.

The Cult of Verena, Goddess of Wisdom

Seat of Power: None
Head of the Cult: None
Primary Orders: The Order of Scalebearers, the Order of Lorekeepers, the Order of Mysteries, the Order of Everlasting Light
Major Festivals: Year Blessing
Popular Holy Books: Canticum Verena, Eulogium Verena, The Book of Swords
Common Holy Symbols: Scales of justice, owls, downward pointing swords

Wise Verena, the Goddess of Learning and Justice, is the wife of dark Morr and the mother of Myrmidia and Shallya. She is generally depicted as a tall, classically beautiful woman, and usually carries a sword and a set of scales. As the patron of justice she is concerned with fairness rather than the letter of the law: she opposes tyranny and oppression as much as crime.

Worshippers

Verena is worshiped throughout the galaxy. Her devout followers include scholars, lawyers, and magistrates, as well as some wizards of the Colleges of Magic, particularly of the Grey and Light orders. The cult of Verena has no rigid hierarchy: it is said that Verena alone heads the cult, and no mortal intermediary is needed because truth is self-evident and requires no interpretation. Temple priests from the Order of Lorekeepers are tasked to preserve knowledge and communicate it to the community. They keep up a voluminous correspondence with each other, exchanging information and news.

Priests from the equally influential Order of Scalebearers are much sought after to act as judges, arbitrators, and go-betweens,because of their famed impartiality and mastery of the law. The Order of Mysteries is much smaller and less well-known, and contains warrior-priests who seek lost and forgotten lore, wherever it may lie. The last major order is the Knights of the Everlasting Light, templars famed for their sword skills, sense of fairness, and legendary bad luck.

Verena’s cultists usually wear plain white robes, symbolic of pure truth and impartiality.

 

 

Holy Sites

Temples to Verena can be found in most cities and larger towns, generally situated in the administrative or university quarters. Most libraries and court-houses include a shrine to the goddess, and smaller shrines can be found in the homes of many scholars and lawyers. Temples usually have colonnaded facades, with symbols of the goddess and allegorical figures of learning presented in low relief. Inside is a large statue of Verena, normally seated with a book in her lap, a pair of scales in her left hand, and her right hand resting on the hilt of a sword. Smaller rooms lead off from the main temple, including a library and chambers for the attendant priests. Each temple has at least one meeting room where negotiations can take place under the eyes of the goddess.

Penances

Penances set by Verena normally involve the recovery or preservation of knowledge, the righting of an injustice, or the resolution of a dispute. Cultists may also be sent to recover a long forgotten book of lore, or to mediate in a difficult quarrel. This could be anything from a farmers’ boundary dispute to unpicking the complicated politics of two realms on the brink of war.

Strictures

• Never refuse to arbitrate a dispute when asked.
• Always tell the truth without fear or favor.
• Protect knowledge at all costs.
• Combat must be a last resort when all alternative routes are fruitless.
• Never become a tool of injustice or heresy.

 

 

Prayers

A small number of the faithful stand apart from their peers, seemingly able to appeal for their deity’s direct intervention in the form of miracles. Those who perform such feats are known by many names in different parts of the Old World — including: Living Saints, Gods’ Servants, The Hallowed, Divine Wills, Anointed Ones — but, in the Empire, they are most commonly referred to as ‘Blessed’, which is often used as a title. So, if Sister Anna were to be Blessed by Sigmar — i.e. granted Sigmar’s grace, able to have her prayers answered — she would become ‘Blessed Anna’, or, in full, ‘Blessed Anna, Sister of Sigmar’.

The Blessed

There are two Talents that specifically mark out those Blessed by the gods: Bless and Invoke . Characters with the Bless Talent may enact Blessings, which are minor manifestations of divine will, while the Invoke Talent allows the Blessed to call on their gods for more powerful Miracles.

Blessings and Miracles

Blessing and Miracles are prayers spoken by one of the Blessed, and then empowered by a god. To enact a Blessing or Miracle, make a Challenging (10+) Pray Test. If you score a Success, your Blessing or Miracle manifests according to its rules, and a high Effect will give you bonus effects. If you score a Failure, your words are spoken, but your god, for whatever reason, refuses to listen. If you Fumble the Pray Test (natural 2), you have offended your god and must roll on the Wrath of the Gods table.

Limitations

You must be able to speak to intone the required prayer, rite, chant, or song to enact a Blessing or Miracle. Each of your Blessings or Miracles can only be in effect once, meaning you have to wait for an existing one to come to an end before using the same prayer again.

Multiple invocations of the same prayer by different individuals do not offer cumulative bonuses. Thus, intoning two Blessings of Finesse will only provide a bonus of +1 to Dexterity.

Sin Points

The Blessed are watched closely by the gods, and risk gaining the disfavor of their deities if they should act contrary to their gods’ will. In game, this is represented with Sin points. If you violate any of the Cult Strictures listed under your god, the GM will award one or more Sin Points. Every time you receive a Sin point, it is added to your running total. There is no maximum to the number of Sin points you can earn. The more points you have, the more upset your god is likely to be should you call upon divine aid.

Sin and Wrath

Appealing to your deity when you have been acting contrary to the god’s wishes is risky. Whenever you make a Pray Test, if roll is equal to or less than your current Sin point total, then you will suffer the Wrath of the Gods, even if the Pray Test is successful.

Wrath of the Gods

The Wrath of Gods table is referenced whenever you Fumble a Pray Test, or when the units die of a Pray Test is equal or lower than your current Sin points. The GM may also use it, or pluck results from it, whenever you foolishly insult any of the gods. When rolling on the Wrath of the Gods table, add +1 to the roll for each Sin Point you have accrued. After rolling and applying the result, reduce your Sin points by 1, to a minimum of 0.

Penance

Some Wrath of the Gods results require penance. The GM can decide upon a suitable penance depending on your misdeed, or they may prefer you to choose your own penance, with further punishment awaiting if you are insufficiently penitent. Examples of typical penances are listed in each cult description. Penances may come in the form of a vision, divine inspiration or, very rarely, by direct communication from your deity. If you are not worthy of such contact, a penance may be conveyed through another member of your cult. Alternatively, a Divine Servant of the cult could manifest — this could be a dead teacher, a figure of legend, or an appropriate animal — and inform you what is required. The GM should consider the sins involved, and how the god in question would likely react to these.

 

 

 

 

Success Levels

For every +2 Effect you score in a Pray Test when attempting a Blessing, you may choose one of the following benefits:

• Range: +6 yards
• Targets: +1
• Duration: +6 Rounds

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If the Blessing in question has a Duration of ‘Instant’, you may not extend the Duration. You may choose the same option more than once. For instance, if you rolled +4 Effect on a Blessing of Healing, you could heal three targets you were touching, two targets up to 6 yards away, or one target up to 12 yards away

Blessing of Battle

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target gains +1 to Melee (any) tests.

Blessing of Breath

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target does not need to breathe and ignores rules for suffocation.

Blessing of Charisma

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target gains +1 Charisma DM.

Blessing of Conscience

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target must pass an Average (8+) Intelligence Test to break any of the Strictures of your deity. If they fail, they are overcome with Shame and do not take the action.

Blessing of Finesse

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target gains +1 Dexterity DM.

Blessing of Fortune

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target’s next failed test may be rerolled. The reroll must stand.

Blessing of Hardiness

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target gains +1 Endurance DM.

Blessing of Healing

Range: Touch
**Target:**1
Duration: Instant
Your target heals +1 damage.

 

 

Blessing of The Hunt

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target gains +1 Gun Combat (any) Skill.

Blessing of Might

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target gains +1 Strength DM.

Blessing of Protection

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Enemies must make an Average (8+) Intelligence Test to attack your target as shame wells within for considering violence. If they fail, they must choose a different target, or a different Action.

Blessing of Recuperation

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Your target may reduce the duration of 1 disease with which they are afflicted by 1 day. This prayer may only be attempted once per instance of a disease per person.

Blessing of Righteousness

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target’s weapon counts as Magical.

Blessing of Savagery

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
When your target next inflicts a Critical Wound, roll twice and choose the best result.

Blessing of Tenacity

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Your target may remove 1 condition.

Blessing of Wisdom

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target gains +1 Intelligence DM.

Blessing of Wit

Range: 6 yards
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
Your target gains +1 Initiative.

 

 

Miracles

Miracles are major manifestations of a god’s will, awe-inspiring events everyone will notice; a character with the Invoke Talent can empower one of the Miracles for their cult from the following lists.

Effect
For every 2 Effect you achieve in a Miracle Pray test, you may add additional range, duration or targets equal to the initial value listed in the Miracle. So, a Miracle with a range of 50 yards could be increased by an extra +50 yards for every +2 Effect scored. Miracles with a Range and Target of ‘You’ may only target the Blessed Priest making the Pray Test, and can never have the range or targets increased. Similarly, if the Miracle has no duration, there is no benefit in choosing to extend its duration. Certain Miracles may have additional, optional, benefits for additional SL written into their descriptions.

Miracles of Manann

Becalm

Range: 1 + CHA DM Miles
Target: 1 sailing vessel within Line of Sight
Duration: 1 Hour
You steal the wind from the sails of a ship or boat. It is completely becalmed. Even in stormy weather an area of eerie calm and smooth waters surrounds the vessel while gales, lashing rains and towering crests surge and crash around it. This area of calm extends for 1 + INT DM yards from the vessel, and if the ship is propelled by some other method, such as oars, the area of calm travels with it.

Drowned Man’s Face

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You implore Manann to drown your foes. Your targets’ lungs continuously fill with saltwater while the Miracle is active, and their hair floats around their head as if submerged. Your targets gain a Fatigued Condition, and are subject to the rules for Drowning and Suffocation while the Miracle is in effect. When the Miracle ends, your targets must attempt a Challenging (12+) Endurance Test. If a Failure is scored, also inflict a Prone Condition.

Fair Winds

Range: 1 + INT DM Miles
Target: 1 sailing vessel within Line of Sight
Duration: 1 Hour
The target vessels’ sails fill with favorable winds, speeding them safely towards their destination. While this Miracle is active, the sailing vessel moves at top speed, no matter the prevailing wind, tide, or current, and all Tests made to steer the vessel gain a bonus of +1.

Manann’s Bounty

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You implore Manann to provide you with sustenance. Reaching into a body of water you catch enough fish to feed 1 person; if you reach into the sea, you provide enough fish for 2 people. For every +2 Effect, you may feed another person.

Sea Legs

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Your targets are immediately drenched in saltwater, and reel as if on the rolling deck of a tempest-tossed vessel. Their hair is whipped by spectral winds, and a torrent of spray lashes their skin. They gain one each of the Blinded, Deafened, and Fatigued Conditions, and must attempt an Average (8+) Dexterity Test to use their Move. If they fail, they also gain a Prone Condition.

Waterwalk

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM minutes
You call on Manann to allow you to cross a stretch of open water as if it were solid ground. This only works on larger bodies of water that are at least 10 yards wide. Anything smaller is too far removed from Manann’s domain for it to be noticed.

 

 

Miracles of Morr

Death Mask

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Morr works through you, piercing the Portal to make his presence known to your foes. Your visage takes on a cadaverous mien, and you gain Fear 1.

Destroy Undead

Range: You
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: Instant
You call the power of Morr to smite all Undead. A black fire ripples forth from your body in a perfect circle for 1 + CHA DM yards. All potential targets with the Undead Creature Trait suffer 1d10 damage, ignoring AP. Any Undead destroyed by this Miracle can never be raised with Necromancy again under normal conditions. For every +2 Effect, you may increase the area of effect by +1 + CHA DM yards.

Dooming

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Gazing deeply into your target’s eyes while muttering a threnody to Morr, you are granted a vision of the target’s Doom, a glimpse of what the future holds. This is almost always related to the target’s death. This Miracle may only be performed on a character once, after which the Doomed Talent may be purchased with XP as if it were in the target’s Career.

Last Rites

Range: 1 yard
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You chant a solemn requiem over a corpse. This miracle ensures that the soul is sent through the portal to Morr’s realm, and guarantees the cadaver may not be targeted by any Necromantic spells. If the Miracle targets a foe with the Undead and Construct Creature Traits, it will be destroyed.

Portal’s Threshold

Range: Touch
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: Special
You draw a line up to 8 yards long on the ground while incanting a dirge to Morr. Upon enacting the Miracle, an indistinct, shadowy portal seems to manifest to the hoarse croaking of ravens. Creatures with the Undead Creature Trait must pass a Challenging (10+) Intelligence Test to cross the line. Creatures with both Undead and Construct simply cannot cross the line. The Miracle remains in effect until dawn.

Stay Morr’s Hand

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Hours (Special)
You touch the eyes of someone close to death and request Morr guide the soul within, but not take it. The target must have 0 STR and DEX, and be willing. For the duration of the Miracle, the target gains the Unconscious Condition and will not deteriorate until the Miracle ends, staving off disease, ignoring critical wounds and poisons, and similar. This miracle comes to an end should appropriate healing be provided, or should you perform the last rights. If you do this, which takes about a minute, the target’s soul will pass through Morr’s portal upon death, and the resulting corpse may never be targeted by Necromancy.

Miracles of Myrmidia

Blazing Sun

Range: You
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: Instant
You call on Myrmidia to scour the battlefield of dishonorable foes, and a blinding flash of golden light bursts forth. All non-Myrmidians looking in your direction receive 1 Blinded Condition. For every +2 Effect, they receive +1 Blinded Condition.

Eagle’s Eye

Range: CHA yards
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You call on Myrmidia to send a Divine Servant to grant you knowledge of your enemies. A spectral Eagle manifests, soaring into the sky above. The eagle looks like and has the capabilities of a normal eagle, but cannot physically affect the world, or be harmed in any way. While the Miracle is in effect, you can see through the eagle’s eyes and control its flight, surveying the battlefield and spying upon your enemies. Your vision is acute, but you do not have access to any of your own sense-enhancing Talents such as Night Vision. While looking through the eagle’s eyes, you cannot see through your own eyes, leaving you potentially vulnerable.

Fury’s Call

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1 + CHA DM allies
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Your passionate prayers instill your allies with a furious disdain for their foes. All allies affected receive Frenzy.

 

 

Inspiring

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1 + INT DM allies
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Your rousing prayers inspire discipline and coordination within the ranks. Affected targets gain a boon when making attack rolls while standing beside an ally.

Shield of Myrmidia

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1 + INT DM allies
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Your stalwart prayers incite Myrmidia to shield your allies in glittering, gossamer strands of light, warding enemy blows. All those affected gain +1 AP. For each +2 Effect, you can add +1 AP.

Spear of Myrmidia

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
If wielding a spear, it gains the Armour Piercing trait equal to the number of damage die of the weapon, and counts as Magical.

Miracles of Ranald

An Invitation

Range: 1 yard
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You spin one of Ranald’s riddles concerning portals, and whether they exist if closed. A door, window, or hatch you target has one method of securing it undone — a lock unlocks, a latch unlatches, a rope unties. For every +2 Effect you may target another method of securing the door, window, or hatch.

Cat’s Eyes

Range: CHA yards
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Does anything exist that cannot be seen? You riddle with Ranald, who sends a Divine Servant in the form of a cat as an answer. The cat looks like and has the capabilities of a normal cat, but cannot be harmed in any way. While the Miracle is in effect, you perceive everything the cat perceives — sight, sound, touch — and control its movement. Your senses are as sharp as a cat’s, but you do not have access to any of your own sense-enhancing Talents such as Night Vision. While the Miracle is in effect, you cannot perceive anything through your own senses, leaving you vulnerable.

Ranald’s Grace

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + DEX DM Rounds
You call on Ranald to let your target negotiate the riddles of reality. Your target gains +1 Dexterity, +1 Stealth, and whenever you fall, you attempt an Athletics Test. If successful, reduce the distance fallen by 1 yard, +1 extra yard per Effect scored, for the purposes of calculating Damage, for the duration of the Miracle.

Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief

Range: 1 yard
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Minutes
You smile at Ranald as you cheekily ask others what, exactly, is wealth? For each target affected, choose one option:

• the target’s purse appears empty
• the target’s purse appears full
• the target’s attire appears cheap and unremarkable
• the target’s attire appears rich and finely crafted
• a single valuable item is impossible to perceive

---

This cannot affect electronic devices that display credits. For every +2 Effect you may select an additional effect for one of your targets.

Stay Lucky

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: Special
Crossing your fingers, you pose Ranald’s enigma and ask what, exactly, is luck? Gain +1 Luck point. For every +2 Effect you may gain an extra +1 Luck point, which may take you beyond your normal maximum. You may not invoke this Miracle again until you reach 0 Luck points.

You Ain’t Seen Me, Right?

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA Rounds
You spin a complex conundrum concerning the reality of that which is unperceived. Targets affected by this Miracle may pass unnoticed and remarked, providing they do nothing to draw attention to themselves, such as touching, attacking, calling out to someone, casting a spell, or making a loud noise. You may only invoke this Miracle if no-one is looking directly at you.

 

 

Miracles of Rhya

Rhya’s Children

Range: You
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Laying hands on the earth, you chant a prayer to Rhya appealing for her aid in understanding her Realm. This Miracle may only be invoked outdoors, outside settlements. You sense the presence and passing of all sentient creatures within Charisma yards. Each +2 Effect extends the area of effect by +CHA yards.

Rhya’s Harvest

Range: Touch
Target: You
Duration: 1 Round
You chant to Rhya, and life springs forth. Edible fruit, vegetables, and fungi grow at the point where you touch. For each round in which the Miracle is in effect, you cause enough food to feed 1 person to grow. The type of food depends on your location: in a cavern you may grow mushrooms, while outdoors you may cause many different fruits and vegetables to spring forth.

Rhya’s Shelter

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: Special
You sing one of Rhya’s hymns concerning shelter and safety. You may only invoke this Miracle outdoors and outside settlements. You discover a perfect natural shelter. Some combination of earth, and trees has formed a perfect location to camp for the night. The spot is protected from all naturally occurring wind and rain, and lasts as long as you remain camped there. The shelter is large enough for 1 person. For every +2 Effect it fits another individual. When you break camp, the shelter cannot be rediscovered, as though it only existed through your goddess’s will.

Rhya’s Succor

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1 + CHA DM allies
Duration: Instant
You chant Rhya’s song of revitalisation. All affected targets have 1 Condition removed. If this removes all suffered Conditions, the targets feel as refreshed as if they had just awoken from a good night’s sleep, and gain a bonus of +1 to any tests on their next Turn.

Rhya’s Touch

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Special
You lay hands upon an injured or diseased target as you sing your prayers. Choose one of the following effects:

• Heal 1 + CHA DM damage
• Cure 1 naturally occurring disease

---

For every + 2 Effect, you may choose another effect, and may choose the same effect repeatedly. This Miracle is slow, with the effects taking at least 10 minutes to manifest. If interrupted, the Miracle will need to be attempted again.

Rhya’s Union

Range: Touch
Target: Special
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Hours
You bless and consecrate the union between two souls. While the Miracle is in effect, if biologically possible, the couple will conceive a child.

Miracles of Shallya

Anchorite’s Endurance

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Your earnest prayers appeal to Shallya to grant the target the strength to endure. The target feels no pain, and suffers no penalties caused by Conditions.

Balm to a Wounded Mind

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Minutes
You call on Shallya to calm the troubled mind of your targets. The targets enter deep and restful slumbers that last until the next sunrise, assuming they are not disturbed. Unwilling targets may make a Challenging (10+) END Test to resist sleeping.

Bitter Catharsis

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
In answer to your heartfelt prayers, Shallya draws a poison or disease into you and purges it, completely removing it from your target’s system. For every +2 Effect you may purge another disease or poison. For each poison removed or disease cured in this manner, you suffer damage equal to 2d6 – CHA DM, not reduced by Armour Points.

 

 

Martyr

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You intone prayers concerning Shallya’s need to take on the world’s pain. Any Damage taken by your targets are instead suffered by you.

Shallya’s Tears

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Special
You passionately appeal to Shallya to spare a poor, wounded soul as tears flow freely down your cheeks. You pray for 10 – CHA DM Rounds, at which point you heal the target of 1 Critical Wound. For every +2 Effect you may heal another Critical Wound. If your prayer is interrupted, the target receives no benefit. This Miracle cannot reattach amputated body parts.

Unblemished Innocence

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Laying hands on the afflicted, you beg Shallya to rid them of recently acquired corruption. The target loses 1 Corruption point, and can lose another per +2 Effect scored. However, the Chaos Gods do not like to be so directly opposed. Should an attempt to invoke the Miracle Fumble, you and the target both gain d6 Corruption points on top of any other effects. This Miracle must be enacted within an hour of the target gaining a Corruption point.

Miracles of Sigmar

Beacon of Righteous Virtue

Range: You
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
As you bellow prayers in Sigmar’s name, you become infused with holy fire of righteousness. All allies with Line of Sight to you instantaneously remove all Broken Conditions, and are not affected by Fear while the Miracle is in effect and they remain in your Line of Sight. Any Greenskins with Line of Sight to you are subject to Fear 1.

Heed Not the Witch

Range: You
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You call on Sigmar to protect those close to you from the fell influence of Chaos. Any spells that target anyone or anywhere within 1 + CHA DM yards suffer a penalty of –2 to Language (Magick) Tests, in addition to any other penalties. For every +2 Effect, you may increase the area of effect by 1 + CHA DM in yards.

Sigmar’s Fiery Hammer

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You chant benedictions of Sigmar’s might. If wielding a warhammer, it counts as Magical, deals a number of d6 in damage equal to 1 + CHA DM, and any target struck receives the Ablaze and Prone Conditions.

Soulfire

Range: You
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: Instant
You call the power of Sigmar to smite the enemies of the Empire. A holy fire explodes from your body blasting outwards for 1 + CHA DM yards. All targets within range take 2d6 damage ignoring Toughness APs. Targets with the Undead and Daemon Creature Traits also gain the Ablaze Condition. For every +2 Effect, you may increase the area of effect by 1 + CHA DM yards, or cause an extra +2 Damage to any Greenskins, Undead, or servants of the Ruinous Powers affected.

Twin-tailed Comet

Range: CHA yards
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: Instant
You invoke litanies to Sigmar, calling on him to smite his foes. A twin-tailed comet, blazing a trail of fire in its wake, plummets from the heavens to strike a point within Line of Sight and range. Everything within 1 + CHA DM yards of the point of impact suffers 2d6 + Effect Damage, ignoring Armour Points, and gains the Ablaze condition. The target location must be outdoors, and may only target those Sigmar would deem an enemy.

Vanquish the Unrighteous

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1 + CHA DM allies
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Your prayers instill your chosen allies with a furious disdain for the enemies of Sigmar. All allies affected receive Frenzy toward Greenskins, Undead, and any associated with Chaos.

 

 

Miracles of Taal

Animal Instincts

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Hours
You intone chants describing Taal’s extraordinary senses, and calling upon him for aid. While the Miracle is in effect, you gain +1 Acute Sense (choose one) Talent and, if you rest, you will automatically awaken should any threats come within 1 + INT or DEX DM yards.

King of the Wild

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You chant a low prayer, and Taal answers with a wild animal appropriate for the surrounding area, which will act according to your wishes for the duration of the Miracle.

Leaping Stag

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You chant to Father Taal, and he grants you his favor, imbuing you with speed and agility. You gain +1 Movement and automatically pass all Athletics Tests to jump with at least +0 Effect; should you score lower, increase the Effect to 0.

Lord of the Hunt

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Hours
You call on Taal to guide you in the hunt for your quarry, which must be an animal you have seen, or an individual you know (as limited by the GM). While the Miracle is in effect, you cannot lose your quarry’s trail save by supernatural means. Should your quarry enter a settlement, the trail ends there. You also receive +1 bonus to all Tests regarding your quarry while under the influence of the Miracle.

Tooth and Claw

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You call on Taal to grant you the ferocious might of his kingdom. Gain a Bite (damage equal to a number of d6 equal to 3 + STR DM) and claw (damage equal to a number of d6 equal to 4 + STR DM) attack. These attacks are Magical.

Tanglefoot

Range: CHA yards
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: Instant
You call on Taal, chanting prayers to protect his wild places. Roots, vines, and creepers wrap themselves around your foes. All targets within 1 + CHA DM yards of the target point gain an Entangled Condition. For every +2 Effect you may increase the area of effect by 1 + CHA DM in yards, or inflict an extra Entangled Condition. Tanglefoot has a Strength equal to your Intelligence for the purposes of breaking free.

Miracles of Ulric

Hoarfrost’s Chill

Range: You
Target: Area of Effect
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You scream angry prayers, and cold Ulric answers. Your eyes gain a steely blue glint and the air around you grows unnaturally cold. You cause Fear (1) in all enemies, and all within 1 + CHA DM yards lose –1 to their attack rolls, as they are chilled to the bone.

Howl of the Wolf

Range: CHA yards
Target: Special
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You howl for Ulric’s aid, and he sends a minor Divine Servant in the form of a White Wolf. The wolf fights your enemies for the duration of the Miracle, before vanishing to Ulric’s Hunting Grounds with a spectral, blood-chilling howl. The White Wolves have the statistics of a Wolf with the Frenzy, Magical, and Size (Large) Creature Traits.

Ulric’s Fury

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You chant furious prayers, and Ulric’s ferocity spreads. Targets gain Frenzy.

Pelt of the Winter Wolf

Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Hours
Your bellowed prayers bring Ulric’s attention, allowing your targets to survive the bite of his realm. While targets still feel the pain and discomfort caused by cold and wintry weather, they suffer no mechanical penalties. This cannot stave off the cold of vacuum.

 

 

The Snow King’s Judgment

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You call on Ulric to make manifest his disdain for the weak, the cowardly and the deceitful. The target suffers 2d6 damage ignoring Armour Points. If the GM rules that the target is neither weak, cowardly, or deceitful, you suffer the effects instead.

Winter’s Bite

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You roar prayers concerning Blitzbeil, Ulric’s ever-thirsty axe. If wielding an axe, it counts as Magical, causes an additional + Effect Damage, and any living targets struck must make a Challenging (10+) Endurance Test or gain a Stunned Condition. Further, struck targets lose any Bleeding Conditions as their blood freezes; similarly, attacks from your axe cannot cause any Bleeding Conditions.

Miracles of Verena

As Verena Is My Witness

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
By calling Verena as your witness, the truth of your words shines out for all to see. For the duration of the Miracle, providing you speak only the truth, all listeners will believe you speak truly. This does not necessarily mean they will agree with your conclusions, of course.

Blind Justice

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You articulate prayers concerning Verena’s acute perceptions, able to pierce through to the truth of all things. You may make a Simple Challenging (10+) Recon Test to see through spells and Miracles involving illusion or misdirection. You may also make a Average (8+) Recon Test to tell whether a character speaking to you is lying. Note: this will only tell you if the character believes they speak the truth, it will not alert you if they are mistaken.

Shackles of Truth

Range: CHA yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
Your appeal to Verena, requesting her judgment concerning a suspected criminal. If your target committed a crime and claims they did not, while affected by this miracle they gain an Entangled Condition that cannot be removed for the duration. If you have falsely accused the target, Verena is displeased with your lack of wisdom: you gain +1 Sin point and must immediately roll on The Wrath of the Gods table.

Sword of Justice

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You pray to Verena to guide your blade to strike down the unjust. If wielding a sword, it ignores APs, and counts as Magical. Further, if struck opponents are criminals (as determined by the GM), they must make an Average (8+) Endurance Test or suffer an Unconscious Condition that lasts for at least 1 + CHA DM Rounds. If any crime is perpetrated on the unconscious opponents, you suffer +1 Sin point per crime.

Truth Will Out

Range: 1 + CHA DM yards
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You intone prayers of Verena’s ability to find any truth. You may ask the targets a single question. It will be immediately answered truthfully and fully. If desired, targets may attempt to resist, by contesting your Effect with a Average (8+) Intelligence Test. If successful, they may stubbornly refuse to answer. If they achieve +2 Effect they may withhold minor information. +4 Effect allows them to withhold significant information while +6 Effect allows them to lie outright. You will know if they resist successfully, though you will lack specific knowledge about their deceit, or proof of their dishonesty.

Wisdom of the Owl

Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + CHA DM Rounds
You call on Verena to instill you with her wisdom and knowledge. You gain a bonus of +2 INT DM on all Intelligence Tests while this Miracle is in effect. Further, your pupils dilate widely, and your gaze becomes piercing and unsettling: gain a +1 to any attempts to intimidate, and Acute Sense (Sight).

 

 

Magic

The Aethyr

The Aethyr Scholars of magic derive their learning from the Elves, who explained the source of all magical power is the Aethyr. This infinite dimension, said to be the spawning ground of daemons and spirits, exists beyond the physical world. The Elves taught that close to the center of the galaxy, a great ragged wound was torn through the fabric of the world to the Aethyr, and it bleeds raw magic. These roiling energies — known as the Winds of Magic — blow throughout the galaxy, gathering and eddying in great heavenly whorls. It is these powerful winds that wizards and witches use to fuel their spells.

The winds of magic

As magical power bursts into the mortal realm and sweeps outward from the galactic core, it splinters and separates, like light splitting through a prism. The Colleges of Magic state this creates eight discrete Winds referred to by color, each with its own character and strengths. The Elves support this, teaching the same eight winds to their apprentices before moving on to more powerful magics.

Only a small minority of Humans can perceive the Winds, and even fewer can bend them to their will. Most Elves are sensitive to them, and many possess the ability to see the Winds clearly — commonly known as Second Sight, or just the Sight — with many also able to learn how to cast magic. Dwarfs disdain magic, perhaps because they are partially immune to it, and no Dwarf wizards are known. Halflings are largely indifferent towards magic: except when it delivers impressive or entertaining spectacles.

The Elves directed (as a condition of their tuition) that Human spellcasters should each only use a single Wind of Magic. They argued that while it is possible to cast spells by drawing from multiple winds, doing so is a risky proposition for the feeble, corruptible Human mind. This wisdom has been adopted by the Colleges, and each specializes in a single color.

Some witches outside the College system consider these restrictions ludicrous, an attempt by the Elves to keep the most powerful magics to themselves. Drawing on multiple winds is a quick route to power, but also to damnation. Many an unlicensed witch has proved unable to resist this temptation, a practice usually called Dark Magic, only to be brought low by Witch Hunters.

Others believe magical energies are not so easily categorized. Many different types of ‘wizard’ and ‘witch’ can be found throughout worlds, with some practicing magic that seems to lie outside color magic, such as the cold-hearted Ice Witches of Kislev, or the shamans and sorcerers found amongst some of the other species besetting the Empire, such as the Greenskins.

The language of magick

The Winds of Magic may blow through all things incessantly, but they are relatively harmless until harnessed by the Language of Magick. For reasons not fully understood, when certain sounds are uttered by those attuned to magic, the Winds answer. The Colleges of Magic teach a complex language called the lingua praestantia which form the basis of their spells, originally taught to Humanity by the Elves. Although extraordinarily difficult to correctly annunciate, it is a significant simplification of the Elven tongue Anoqeyån, the language used by the Elves to shape their own, more powerful magics. Wizards of the Colleges and the Elves are not alone in their knowledge of the Language of Magick. Its complex forms are also spoken by many magical creatures found across the galaxy, including Spirits and Daemons. Many witches seem to instinctively understand the language, almost as if it somehow wormed inside them, begging to be spoken as a spell.

The Eight Lores

Each of the eight Winds of Magic has an associated Lore, a body of spells and knowledge its adepts use. Each of the eight Colleges of Magic is dedicated to the study of a single Lore, and their buildings are constructed to focus their Wind to facilitate relatively safe tuition.

The Lore of Light

The Lore of Light relates to Hysh, the white wind. Hysh is considered the most difficult Wind to perceive and manipulate, appearing diffuse even to those skilled with the Sight. This makes it tricky to manipulate but less unpredictable than other Winds. Hysh is associated with patience, intelligence, and purity. The Hierophants of the Light Order are acclaimed for their discipline, knowledge, and devoted opposition to Chaos. Spells from the Lore of Light are some of the most powerful, including piercing rays of blinding light, and those that banish Daemons and Undead creatures from the mortal plane. There are also more gentle applications of Hysh used to heal comrades or clarify thought.

 

 

The Lore of Metal

The Lore of Metal relates to Chamon, the gold wind. Chamon appears dense and heavy to Second Sight, sinking into the earth and coalescing within dense metals such as lead and gold. The Alchemists of the Gold Order have a reputation for being unusually prosaic in their attitudes for wizards, and many are as interested in learning the facts of physics and chemistry as they are in the working of magic. Spells from the Lore of Metal often involve the transmutation or alteration of metal. On the battlefield, alchemists have been known to cause fine steel armor and weaponry to corrode or melt, to weigh their foes down with suddenly dense armor, or to enchant their allies’ weaponry with uncanny power.

The Lore of Life

The Lore of Life relates to Ghyran, the jade wind. Free flowing Ghyran is associated with growth, fertility and nourishment. To those with The Sight, Ghyran appears much like a light rain, falling to the ground and pooling in eddying swirls. It sinks into the soil and is drawn up into the roots of plants from where it goes on to nourish all living things. The Druids of the Jade Order often prefer life away from the cities, attuned to the seasons and the natural world. Spells from the Lore of Life commonly involve healing and rejuvenation, from healing wounds to causing a barren field to burst with life. They can have offensive applications, too. The enemies of a Druid may find themselves suddenly tangled up in wickedly sharp brambles and vines.

The Lore of Heavens

The Lore of Heavens relates to Azyr, the blue wind. It cascades through the skies over the Old World, crackling through the heavens, like a great charged cloud. Astromancers of the Celestial Order, known for their calm and contemplative manners, use the wind to scry the future, the lens of Azyr influencing what they can see in the stars. Spells from the Lore of Heavens involve the manipulation of fate, throwing up protective barriers, or cursing a foe with an unnatural run of bad luck. On the battlefield, Astromancers also control elemental forces, blasting their enemies with bolts of lightning, or even drawing down shooting stars from the heavens.

The Lore of Shadows

The Lore of Shadows relates to Ulgu, the gray wind. To the Sight it appears a thick fog, gathering in pools wherever intrigue and deceit are practiced, rising into great storms and tempests when conflict breaks out. Wizards of the Grey Order, known as Grey Guardians, are secretive in their ways and given to uncertain loyalties. Despite this, the Grey Order is renowned for its wisdom and skill in negotiations, and is often called upon for diplomatic missions. Spells from the Lore of Shadows can be used to mask or obfuscate, confusing and disorienting their foes. In battle, the shadowy, insubstantial tendrils of Ulgu they wield can pierce to the heart of their foes, eviscerating the most well-protected troops, yet leaving armor eerily intact.

The Lore of Death

he Lore of Death relates to Shyish, the purple wind. It is attracted to places of death, such as battlefields, Gardens of Morr, and sites of execution. The wind is said to blow strongest during times of transition, so wizards of the Amethyst Order tend to work their greatest rites during the twilight before dawn, or during sunset. While Shyish is related to time and mortality, it is distinct from Necromancy, the illegal practice of raising and binding the dead, which uses the dark magic of Dhar in lieu of Shyish. Indeed, the Amethyst Order, much like the Cult of Morr, works tirelessly to combat the threat of Necromancy. Nevertheless, spells from the Lore of Death resemble Necromancy to the untrained eye. They can drain their targets of life force, spread fear among their enemies, and contact the spirits of the departed.

The Lore of Fire

The Lore of Fire relates to Aqshy, the red wind. Aqshy is a hot and searing wind associated with brashness, courage, and zeal and is drawn to empirical heat. The Pyromancers of the Bright Order are bold and hot tempered and make for impressively destructive Battle Wizards. Many of the spells from the Lore of Fire are offensive in nature, enabling the caster to conjure up great balls of fire, or cause the blades of their allies to burst into flame. Even their non-offensive spells, such as crude healing magics, are still destructive in nature. Bright wizards are also adept at inspiring their allies, rallying their courage and inspiring bravery and loyalty in the troops with which they serve.

The Lore of Beasts

The Lore of Beasts relates to Ghur, the amber wind, a cold, primal force associated with the savage wilds and the beasts living there. To those with the Sight Ghur seems to blow weakly in areas where the wilderness has been tamed and settlements constructed. This may explain why the Shamans of the Amber Order often take up a hermetic existence and shun their fellow men. The spells of the Lore of Beasts allow a Shaman to communicate with animals, request their aid, and even summon them to battle. Shapeshifting magic may also be used by the wizard to adopt animal forms.

 

 

Elven Magic

Elves are long lived beings whose minds are more attuned to the workings of magic than those of humanity. High Elven mages usually train in several, sometimes all, of the eight winds as part of their apprenticeships, before the most promising move on to study High Magic: Qhaysh. This is the blending of multiple winds of magic together into a blinding, coruscating energy. This magic is impressive and difficult, and Elves claim it is beyond the capacity of humankind.

The Wood Elves, too, make use of the eight Winds of Magic, though their Spellsingers usually focus upon the Jade and Amber Winds. The most powerful usually go on to study either High Magic like High Elves, or dread Dark Magic – a foul mixing of the eight winds that can create tremendously destructive effects.

Dark Magic

While difficult to master Qhaysh is the safe blending of multiple Winds of Magic, Dhar, known commonly as Dark Magic, is much more dangerous method of casting spells using multiple winds. It is usually only practiced by evil sorcerers, Necromancers, and powerful witches, offering them a seductive source of raw power, yet one laced with terrible side-effects. Few can channel Dhar for long, without succumbing to the corrupting influence of the malevolent wind, their bodies and minds being warped into unnatural states.

Dhar resembles a stagnant mire to those with the Sight, pooling in places saturated with evil, or corruption: the herdstones of Beastmen, the dark idols of chaos cultists, and places where great workings of several of the Winds of Magic took place. Dhar is so dense and potent that it can independently coalesce or crystalize into physical matter, eventually forming the widely feared substance called warpstone.

Warpstone

Warpstone is a lump of pure magic in the material plane. Its unnatural provenance is immediately obvious to all who see it, as it hurts the eyes and mutates anything drawing close for too long. Although its form varies, it often holds hard facets like flint, and radiates a queasy green glow.

Close examination of the substance is not to be undertaken lightly. Warpstone is the stuff of Chaos made manifest and its presence is deeply corrupting. Those who have direct contact with warpstone risk illness, madness and mutation, and anyone who ingests so much as a pinch of the stuff dooms themselves to catastrophic warping of body and mind. Nonetheless, the world is full of reckless, ambitious fools who know that the volatile and dangerous substance is a tremendous source of energy for spells and rituals.

The followers of Chaos and the Skaven do not hesitate to use it. To them, warpstone is a literal gift from the gods to be valued above gold and jewels, and to be used against their enemies.

Second Sight

Second Sight allows you to perceive the Winds of Magic, and how magic influences the world around you. Second Sight affects all your senses, and how it manifests is dependent on individual experience and training: So, where Aqshy may have a hot, cinnamon odor to one pyromancer, it could feel like searing ear itches to another.

If you have Second Sight, you may use any appropriate Skills with your aethyric senses, most commonly your Recon skill. For example, a wizard following the trail of a fleeing witch could make a Recon test, following the faint traces of Dhar in the witch’s path, rather than their literal footsteps. Or a Witch looking to see what kind of magic had gathered locally could use Recon to examine the Winds more closely. Like the mundane senses, Second Sight does not simply switch off, which is a source of great discomfort to those who would rather have no truck with the Winds of Magic but cannot help what they perceive. This means the GM may request Tests, or take Tests on your behalf, to see if you spot subtle magical details in your surrounding environment, even if you’re not looking for them.

spells

There are four types of spell: Petty, Arcane, Lore, and Chaos spells. Petty spells are simple tricks that use negligible amounts of magic. Arcane Spells are generic spells open to those studying any Lore of Magic or Chaos Magic. Lore spells are those you can only learn if you know that Lore; i.e. to learn spells from the Lore of Fire, you need the Arcane Magic (Fire) Talent. Chaos spells are those practiced by those who’ve lost their souls to Chaos.

Memorizing Spells

Holding the complex linguistic structures of Language (Magick) in mind is a challenging task, so simply transcribing a spell into your grimoire does not allow you to learn a spell. To memorize a spell — and therefore be able to cast it without access to your grimoire — you typically need to spend the amount of XP noted in your spellcasting Talent. Once a spell has been memorized, a spellcaster knows it permanently, barring special circumstances.

 

 

Casting Test

To cast a spell, make a Language (Magick) Test. If you succeed, Compare your Effect to the Casting Number (CN) of the spell (listed in the individual spell description). If your Effect is equal to or higher than the CN of the spell, it is cast as explained in the spell’s description. If failed, the spell attempt fails, and nothing else happens.

Overcasting
For every +2 Effect you achieve in a Casting Test, you may add additional Range, Area of Effect, Duration, or Targets equal to the initial value listed in the spell. Spells with a Range and Target of ‘You’ may only ever target the spellcaster making the Casting Test. Spells with a Range of ‘Touch’ may not be extended. If the Spell has no Duration, you cannot extend it.

You may choose the same option more than once. For instance, if you achieved + 4 Effect above your Casting Number on a spell with a Target of 1, you may now Target 3 individuals. Certain Spells may have additional, optional benefits for additional Effect noted in their description.

Critical Casting
If the casting roll is a Critical (rolled a natural 12), the Winds of Magic have flared dangerously high, granting you extra power, but at a cost. Unless you have the Instinctive Diction Talent, you roll on the Minor Miscast Table as the power moves beyond your control, but you may also choose one of the following effects:

• Critical Cast: If the spell causes Damage, it also inflicts a Critical Wound.
• Total Power: The spell is cast, no matter its CN and your rolled Effect, but can be Dispelled.
• Unstoppable Force: If you scored enough Effect to cast your spell, it cannot be Dispelled

---

Fumbled Casting
If you lose control of the magical energy you are channeling, things invariably go awry. If you Fumble your Casting Test (rolled a natural 2), you suffer a Miscast. Roll 1d100 and consult the Minor Miscast Table.

Duration
If a spell is successfully cast, it remains in effect for its Duration unless it is dispelled. You may not simply end your spells already in play, but you may attempt to Dispel them.






Grimoires
Some spellcasters own a spellbook, or grimoire, in which they transcribe their spells. Apprentices copy spells from their master, while experienced wizards will actively seek out new spells from other wizards, often trading spells for favors. A spellcaster may cast a spell directly from a grimoire if the spell belongs to a Lore they possess. Doing so doubles the Casting Number.

Minor Miscast

D100	Result
01-05	Witchsign: the next living creature born within 1 mile is mutated.
06-10	Soured Milk: All milk within 1d100 yards goes sour instantly.
11-15	Blight: Willpower Bonus fields within Willpower Bonus miles suffer a blight, and all crops rot overnight. 16-20
21-25	Witchlight: You glow with an eerie light related to your Lore, emitting as much light as a large bonfire, which lasts for 1d10 Rounds.
26-30	Fell Whispers: Pass a Routine (+20) Willpower Test or gain 1 Corruption point.
31-35	Rupture: Your nose, eyes, and ears bleed profusely. Gain 1d10 Bleeding Conditions.
36-40	Soulquake: Gain the Prone Condition.
41-45	Unfasten: On your person, every buckle unfastens, and every lace unties, which may cause belts to fall, pouches to open, bags to fall, and armor to slip.
46-50	Wayward Garb: your clothes seem to writhe with a mind of their own. Receive 1 Entangled Condition with a Strength of 1d10×5 to resist.
51-55	Curse of Temperance: All alcohol within 1d100 yards goes bad, tasting bitter and foul. 56-60
61-65	Driven to Distraction: If engaged in combat, gain the Surprised Condition. Otherwise, you are completely startled, your heart racing, and unable to concentrate for a few moments.
66-70	Unholy Visions: Fleeting visions of profane and unholy acts harass you. Receive a Blinded Condition; pass a Challenging (+0) Cool Test or gain another.
71-75	Cloying Tongue: All Language Tests (including Casting Tests) suffer a –10 penalty for 1d10 Rounds.
76-80	The Horror!: Pass a Hard (–20) Cool Test or gain 1 Broken Condition.
81-85	Curse of Corruption: Gain 1 Corruption point.
86-90	Double Trouble: The effect of the spell you cast occurs elsewhere within 1d10 miles. At the GM’s discretion, where possible it should have consequences.
91-95	Multiplying Misfortune: Roll twice on this table, rerolling any results between 91-00.
96-00	Cascading Chaos: Roll again on the Major Miscast Table.

 

 

Major Miscast Table

D100	Result
01-05	Ghostly Voices: Everyone within Willpower yards hears darkly seductive whispering of voices emanating from the Realm of Chaos. All sentient creatures must pass an Average (+20) Cool Test or gain 1 Corruption point.
06-10	Hexeyes: Your eyes turn an unnatural color associated with your Lore for 1d10 hours. While your eyes are discolored, you have 1 Blinded Condition that cannot be resolved by any means.
11-15	Aethyric Shock: you suffer 1d10 wounds, ignoring your Toughness Bonus and Armour Points. Pass an Average (+20) Endurance Test, or also gain a Stunned Condition.
16-20	Death Walker: Your footsteps leave death in their wake. For the next 1d10 hours, any plant life near you withers and dies.
21-25	Intestinal Rebellion: Your bowels move uncontrollably, and you soil yourself. Gain 1 Fatigued Condition, which cannot be removed until you can change your clothes and clean yourself up.
26-30	Soulfire: Gain an Ablaze Condition, as you are wreathed in unholy flames with a color associated with your Lore.
31-35	Speak in Tongues: You gabble unintelligibly for 1d10 rounds. During this time, you cannot communicate verbally, or make any Casting Tests, although you may otherwise act normally.
36-40	Swarmed: You are engaged by a swarm of aethyric Rats, Giant Spiders, Snakes, or similar (GM’s choice). After 1d10 rounds, if not yet destroyed, the swarm retreats.
41-45	Ragdoll: You are flung 1d10 yards through the air in a random direction, taking 1d10 wounds on landing, ignoring Armour Points, and receiving the Prone Condition.
46-50	Limb frozen: One limb (randomly determined) is frozen in place for 1d10 hours. The limb is useless, as if it had been Amputated.
51-55	Darkling Sight: You lose the benefit of the Second Sight Talent for 1d10 hours. Channeling Tests also suffer a penalty of –20 for the duration.
56-60	Chaotic Foresight: Gain a bonus pool of 1d10 Fortune points (this may take you beyond your natural limit). Every time you spend one of these points, gain 1 Corruption point. Any of these points remaining at the end of the session are lost.
61-65	Levitation: You are borne aloft on the Winds of Magic, floating 1d10 yards above the ground for 1d10 minutes. Other characters may forcibly move you, and you may move using spells, wings or similar, but will continually return to your levitating position if otherwise left alone. Refer to the Falling rules (see page 166) for what happens when Levitation ends. 66-70
71-75	Chaos Quake: All creatures within 1d100 yards must pass an Average (+20) Athletics Test or gain the Prone Condition.

D100	Result
76-80	Traitor’s Heart: The Dark Gods entice you to commit horrendous perfidy. Should you attack or otherwise betray an ally to the full extent of your capabilities, regain all Fortune points. If you cause another character to lose a Fate Point, gain +1 Fate Point.
81-85	Foul Enfeeblement: Gain 1 Corruption point, the Prone Condition, and a Fatigued Condition
86-90	Hellish Stench: You now smell really bad! You gain the Distracting Creature Trait (see page 339), and probably the enmity of anyone with a sense of smell. This lasts for 1d10 hours.
91-95	Power Drain: You are unable to use the Talent used to cast the spell (usually Arcane Magic, though it could be Chaos Magic, or a similar Talent), for 1d10 minutes.
96-00	Aethyric Feedback: Everyone within a number of yards equal to your Willpower Bonus — friend and foe alike — suffers 1d10 wounds, ignoring Toughness Bonus and Armour Points, and receives the Prone Condition. If there are no targets in range, the magic has nowhere to vent, so your head explodes, killing you instantly.

Magic Missiles
Some spells are marked as magic missiles; these are damage causing spells that all follow the same rules. The Effect of the Language (Magick) Test is added to the spell’s listed Damage and your Willpower Bonus to determine the total inflicted Damage. This Damage is reduced by the target’s Armour Points as normal.

Touch Spells in Combat
Certain spells require you to touch the target. If in combat, or if the target is unwilling to be touched, you must make an Opposed Melee (Unarmed) Test after completing the Casting Test.

Ingredients
Spellcasters may channel their magic through an appropriate ingredient before unleashing their spells. Doing this offers protection against Miscasts as the attuned ingredient absorbs the worst of any magical backlash.

If you use an ingredient when casting, any suffered Major Miscast becomes a Minor Miscast, and any Minor Miscast has no effect. If used in this way, the ingredient is consumed or destroyed by the process, even if no Miscast was rolled.

Ingredients cost the CN in Credits for Arcane and Lore spells. Whenever you purchase a new ingredient, mark on your character sheet which spell it supports; ingredients only work for specific spells, not for all spells in your Lore. For those looking to add character to their ingredients, sample ingredients for each of the primary Lores of Magic are provided by the individual spell lists.

 

 

Limitations
As spells are spoken, you must be able to speak — not gagged, strangled, or underwater — to cast. If your voice is inhibited, the Difficulty of your Language (Magick) Test to cast a spell should be increased by the GM. Further, the Language of Magick needs to be spoken (or sung, for those using the Lore of Light) clearly, and often loudly, to ensure spells work; magic is anything but subtle. As a loose guide, the higher the CN of a spell, the louder the spell is chanted.

Each of your spells can only be in effect once, meaning you have to wait for a cast spell to come to an end, or be dispelled, before using the same spell again. Further, spells providing bonuses or penalties do not stack. Instead, the best bonus and worst penalty is applied from every spell cast upon you. So, if you had a spell providing a bonus of +2 Intelligence, and another providing +1 Intelligence, you gain a bonus of +2 Intelligence, not +3. Lastly, unless otherwise specified, you always need to be able to see — i.e. have Line of Sight — to your target.

Channeling Test

Some magical spells require far more magic than can normally be found ambiently flowing through the world. To power such spells, it is possible to draw the Winds of Magic and concentrate them into a more powerful form by using the Channeling Skill. Channeling the Winds of Magic can be a dangerous procedure, but it is the only sure way to cast some powerful spells. To channel magic for a spell, make an Extended Channelling Test.

When your total Effect reaches the CN of your selected spell, you have channeled enough magic to cast it. On the next Round, you can cast your spell using the normal Casting rules, but count the chosen spell’s Casting Number as 0. If the casting Test fails, you also lose all your channeled magical energy, and suffer a Minor Miscast as it all writhes free from your Aethyric grasp.

Critical Channeling
If you roll a Critical (natural 12) when Channeling, you have channeled a mighty flow of magic and can cast your spell next Round regardless of the Effect you’ve scored in the Extended Test so far; however, so much magic so quickly concentrated in one place results in some magical backlash: roll 1d100 on the Minor Miscast Table unless you have the Aethyric Attunement Talent.

Fumble
Channeling the Winds of Magic in a large flow is dangerous. You count any double (except 6’s) as a Fumble, so, 11, 22, 33, and so on. If you fumble a Channelling Test, you suffer a Miscast. Roll 1d100 and consult the Major Miscast Table.

Interruptions
Concentration is vital when channelling. If you are distracted by anything — loud noises, suffering damage, flashing lights, or similar — you must pass a Hard (10+) END Test, or suffer a Minor Miscast and lose all Effect you have accrued in the Extended Channelling Test so far.

Repelling the Winds

Wearing colors appropriate to the Wind of Magic you are manipulating helps attract the magic to you. This is the reason most wizards choose to dress in the traditional garb of their order. All Casting and Channelling Tests suffer a –1 Effect penalty if you are dressed inappropriately for the Wind of Magic you are trying to attract, as determined by the GM.

Specifically, metal and leather armor repel most of the Winds: metal is laden with the golden wind Chamon , while leather retains traces of the amber Ghur . As such, spellcasters wearing armor suffer –1 Effect penalty to all Casting and Channelling Tests for every Armour Point. Casters with the Arcane Magic (Metal) Talent may wear metal armor without penalty; those with Arcane Magic (Beasts) Talent may ignore penalties from leather armor.

Dispelling

If a spell targets you, or a point you can see within INT yards, you may oppose the Casting Test with Language (Magick) as you chant a counterspell. Make an Opposed Language (Magick) Test. If you win the Opposed Test, you dispel the incoming spell; if you lose, the spell uses the Effect of the Opposed Test to determine whether the casting was successful as normal. You may only attempt to dispel a single spell every Round.

Dispelling Persistent Spells
If a spell has a lasting effect, you may attempt to dispel that spell for your Action. This is done by making an Extended Language (Magick) Test. When your Effect reaches the CN of the ongoing spell, you successfully dispel it.

Multiple spellcasters attempting to dispel the same spell each roll separately. If they cast using the same Lore, they may decide to make an Assisted Test instead.

 

 

Spells

Petty Spells

For the few Humans blessed — or cursed, depending upon your point of view — with the spark of magic, it generally manifests around puberty, and almost always before 25 summers have passed. The first indications of impending witchery are often little tricks, knacks, cantrips, or similar, showing the wizard-to-be should probably be trained for everyone else’s safety. For Elves, this is just a part of growing up, and those with interest in magic are schooled to develop their burgeoning talents. For Humans, assuming they avoid being lynched, it likely means years of training as an apprentice to a wizard from one of the Eight Colleges of Magic, after which they should never use the little tricks they learned when young again. But most do. As Petty spells are not formally codified, they have many different names. Players are encouraged to devise their own, more characterful names, reflecting their personality.

Animal Friend

CN: 0
Range: 1 yard
Target: 1
Duration: 1 hour
You make friends with a creature that is smaller than you. The animal trusts you completely and regards you as a friend.

Dazzle

CN: 0
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + Willpower DM Rounds
The target becomes Blinded (-4 DM to rolls involving sight), and remains Blinded each round for the duration of the spell.

Careful Step

CN: 0
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: INT minutes
The magic flowing through your feet ensures any organic matter you tread upon remains undamaged: twigs do not break, grass springs back to its original position, and even delicate flowers are unharmed. Those seeking to use the Track skill to pursue you through rural terrain suffer a DM–3 penalty to their Tests.

Conserve

CN: 0
Range: 1 yard
Target: 1
Duration: INT Bonus days
You preserve up to a day’s worth of rations. During this time they will not rot, develop mold, or go stale, although they can still be harmed by external factors, such as getting wet or being burned or poisoned.

Dart

CN: 0
Range: INT yards
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You cause a small dart of magical energy to fly from your fingers. This is a magic missile with a Damage of +0.

Drain

CN: 0
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You touch your targets, draining their life. This counts as a magic missile with Damage +0 that ignores Armour Points. You then Heal 1 point of damage.

Eavesdrop

CN: 0
Range: INT yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT or DEX DM minutes
You can hear what your targets say as if you were standing right next to them.

Gust

CN: 0
Range: INT yards
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
You create a brief gust of wind, strong enough to blow out a candle, cause an open door to slam, or blow a few pages to the floor.

Light

CN: 0
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: INT minutes
You create a small light, roughly equivalent to a torch, which glows from your hand, staff or some other part of your person. While the spell is active, you may choose to increase the illumination to that of a lantern, or decrease it to that of a candle, if you pass an Average (8+) Channelling Test.

 

 

Magic Flame

CN: 0
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You kindle a small flame that flickers to life in the palm of your hand. It will not burn you, but will emit heat and set flammable objects alight, like a natural flame.

Marsh Lights

CN: 0
Range: Int yards
Target: Special
Duration: Int minutes
You create a number of flickering magical lights equal to 1 + your Intelligence Dice Modifier. They resemble torches or hooded lanterns. Providing they remain within line of sight, for your Action you may control the lights by passing an Average (8+) Channelling Test; a success allows you to send the lights moving in any direction. They will move at walking pace in a straight line, passing through any objects (or witnesses) in their path, unless you test again to change their direction.

Murmured Whisper

CN: 0
Range: INT yards
Target: Special
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You cast your voice at a point within Intelligence yards, regardless of line of sight. Your voice sounds from this point, and all within earshot will hear it.

Open Lock

CN: 0
Range: Touch
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
One non-magical lock you touch opens. As magic has limited effect on technological devices, this spell will only open mechanical locks.

Produce Small Animal

CN: 0
Range: Touch
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
You reach into a bag, pocket, or hat, or under a rock, bush or burrow, producing a small animal of a type you would expect to find in the vicinity, such as a rabbit, dove, or rat. If there are no appropriate local animals, the spell does nothing. The temperament of the animal is not guaranteed.

Protection from Rain

CN: 0
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + END DM hours
You can keep yourself dry whatever the weather, unaffected by precipitation. This affects rain, hail, sleet and snow, and any similar water falling from the heavens, but not standing water.

Purify Water

CN: 0
Range: 1 yard
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
You purify all water within a receptacle, such as a water flask, stein, or jug. All non-magical impurities, such as poison or contaminants are removed, leaving crisp, clear, potable water. If the vessel contained another liquid that is predominantly water – such as ale, or wine – this is also purified, turning into delicious, pure, non-alcoholic water.

Rot

CN: 0
Range: 1 yard
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
You cause a roughly fist-sized volume of organic material to immediately rot. Food stuffs perish, clothes crumble, leathers shrivel (losing 1 Armour Point), and similar, as dictated by the GM.

Sleep

CN: 0
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You touch your opponent, sending them into a deep sleep. If the target has the Prone Condition, they gain the Unconscious Condition as they fall asleep. They remain unconscious for the duration, although loud noises or being moved or jostled will awaken them instantly. If your targets are standing or sitting when affected, they start themselves awake as they hit the ground, gaining the Prone Condition, but remaining conscious. If your targets are not resisting, and are suitably tired, they will, at the spell’s end, pass into a deep and restful sleep.

Spring

CN: 0
Range: Touch
Target: Special
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You touch the ground and water bubbles forth at the rate of 1 pint per Round, to a total of 1 + your INT DM in pints.

 

 

Shock

CN: 0
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Your target receives Stun damage. This is a magic missile with a Damage of +0. Damage is only deducted from END, ignoring any armor. If the target’s END is reduced to 0, the target will be incapacitated and unable to perform any actions for a number of rounds by which the damage exceeded his END. Damage received from Stun weapons is completely healed by one hour of rest.

Sly Hands

CN: 0
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You teleport a small object — no bigger than your fist — from about your person into your hand.

Sounds

CN: 0
Range: INT yards
Target: Special
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You create small noises nearby. You can create quiet, indistinct noises that sound as if they come from a specific location within range, regardless of line of sight. The noises can evoke something specific, such as footsteps, whispers or the howl of an animal, but nothing so distinct that it might convey a message. While the spell is active, you may control the sounds by passing an Average (8+) Channelling Test. A success allows you to move the sounds to another point within range, or to increase or decrease their volume.

Twitch

CN: 0
Range: 1 + INT DM yards
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
You cause a small object to move, slightly. Something may fall from a shelf, or a book may slam its pages shut. If the object is held, the holder must pass an Average (8+) Dexterity Test or drop the object.

Warning

CN: 0
Range: 1 yard
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
You channel magic into an object, noticing immediately if it has been poisoned or trapped.

Arcane Spells

The Arcane spells represent common formulations of the lingua praestantia . How these spells manifest in practice will depend on your Arcane Magic Talent. For instance, a spellcaster with the Arcane Magic (Fire) Talent casting Drop may cause the object to overheat, while one with Arcane Magic (Shadows) may make it slightly insubstantial, causing the object to literally slip between the target’s fingers.

Treat Arcane spells as extra options for every Lore of Magic, including Witch, Dark, and Chaos Lores. They are counted as Lore spells in all ways, meaning they get all the benefits of Lore spells, and can only be learned from and taught to those sharing the same Arcane Magic Talent.

Note: Any spell marked with a ‘+’ at the end of the Duration gains the following extra text: When the spell should end, you may make a Willpower Test to extend the Duration for +1 round.

Aethyric Armour

CN: 2
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds+
You gain +1 Armour Point as you wrap yourself in a protective swathe of magic. Each +2 Effect over the CN increases the Armour gained by +1.

Aethyric Arms

CN: 2
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds+
You create a melee weapon with a number of d6 damage die equal to 1 + your INT DM. This may take any form, and so use any Melee Skill you may possess. The weapon counts as Magical.

Arrow Shield

CN: 3
Range: You
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds+
Any missiles containing organic matter, such as arrows with wooden shafts, are automatically destroyed if they pass within the Area of Effect, causing no damage to their target. Missiles comprising only inorganic matter, such as throwing knives, slugs, or energy weapons, are unaffected.

 

 

Blast

CN: 4
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: Instant
You channel magic into an explosive blast. This is a magic missile with Damage +3 that targets everyone in the Area of Effect.

Bolt

CN: 4
Range: INT yards
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You channel magic into a damaging bolt. Bolt is a magic missile with a Damage of +4.

Breath

CN: 6
Range: 1 yard
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
You immediately make a Breath attack. Breath is a magic missile with a Damage equal to 1 + END DM. The GM decides which type of Breath attack best suits your Arcane Magic Talent.

Bridge

CN: 4
Range: INT DM yards
Target: AoE (see description)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds+
You create a bridge of magical energy, with a maximum length and breadth of 1 + INT DM yards. For every +2 Effect you may increase length or breadth by 1 + INT DM in yards.

Chain Attack

CN: 6
Range: INT yards
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
You channel a twisting spur of rupturing magic into your target. This is a magic missile with a Damage of +4. If Chain Attack incapacitates its target, it leaps to another target within the spell’s initial range, and within 1 + INT DM yards of the previous target, inflicting the same Damage again. It may leap a maximum number of times equal to 1 + your INT DM Bonus. For every +2 Effect achieved, it may chain to an additional target.

Corrosive Blood

CN: 4
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You infuse yourself with magic, lending your blood a fearsome potency. You gain the Corrosive Blood Creature Trait.

Dark Vision

CN: 1
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You boost your Second Sight to assist your mundane senses. While the spell is active, gain the Dark Vision Creature Trait.

Distracting

CN: 4
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM rounds
You wreathe yourself in magic, which swirls around you, distracting your foes. While the spell is active, gain the Distracting Creature Trait.

Dome

CN: 7
Range: You
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You create a dome of magical energy overhead, blocking incoming attacks. Anyone within the Area of Effect gains the Ward (6+) Creature Trait against magical or ranged attacks originating outside the dome. Those within may attack out of the dome as normal, and the dome does not impede movement.

Drop

CN: 1
Range: INT yards
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You channel magic into an object being held by an opponent. This could be a weapon, a rope, or someone’s hand. Unless a Challenging (12+) Dexterity Test is passed, the item is dropped. For every +2 Effect you may impose an additional –1 on the Dexterity Test.

 

 

Entangle

CN: 3
Range: INT yards
Target: 1
Duration: Special
Using magic, you entrap your target, wrapping them in whatever suits your Lore: vines, shadows, their own clothing… Your target gains one Entangled Condition with a Strength equal to your Intelligence. For every +2 Effect, you may give the target +1 additional Entangled Condition. The spell lasts until all Entangled Conditions are removed.

Fearsome

CN: 3
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
Shrouding yourself in magic, you become fearsome and intimidating. Gain Fear 1. For every +3 Effect, you may increase your Fear value by one.

Flight

CN: 8
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds+
You can fly, whether by sprouting wings, ascending on a pillar of magical light, or some other method. Gain the Flight (Agility) Creature Trait.

Magic Shield

CN: 4
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You encase yourself in bands of protective magic. While the spell is active, add 1 + INT DM Effect to any dispel attempts you make.

Move Object

CN: 4
Range: INT yards
Target 1
Duration: 1 Round
Using magic, you grab hold of an non-sentient object no larger than you, moving it with the sheer force of your will, which is considered to have a Strength equal to your Intelligence. You may move the object up to 1 + INT DM yards. If anyone attempts to impede the object’s movement, make a Contested Intelligence/Strength Test. For every +2 Effect you may increase the distance the object is moved by 1 + INT DM yards.

Mundane Aura

CN: 4
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: INT minutes
You drain all the Winds of Magic from within your body and your possessions, removing any magical aura. For the duration of the spell you appear mundane to the Magical Sense Talent and similar. You effectively have no magical ability and your magical nature cannot be detected by any means. While this spell is in effect, you cannot cast any other spells. Mundane Aura is immediately dispelled if you make a Channelling Test.

Push

CN: 6
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: Instant
All living creatures within 1 + INT DM yards are pushed back 1 + INT DM in yards and gain the Prone Condition. If this brings them into contact with a wall or other large obstacle, they take Damage equal to the distance traveled in yards. For every +2 Effect, you may push creatures back another 1 + INT DM in yards.

Teleport

CN: 5
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: Instant
Using magic, you can teleport up to 1 + INT DM in yards. This movement allows you to traverse gaps, avoid perils and pitfalls, and ignore obstacles. For every +2 Effect you may increase the distance traveled by 1 + INT DM in yards.

Terrifying

CN: 7
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You gain the Terror (1) Trait.

Ward

CN: 5
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You wrap yourself in protective magic, gaining the Ward (9+) Trait.

 

 

Colour Magic

The following provides eight lists of eight spells, with one list for each color of magic.

The Lore of Beasts

The Amber wind, Ghur, carries with it a chill, primal ferocity, that is unnerving to beasts and sentient creatures alike. Whenever you successfully cast a spell from the Lore of Beasts, you may also gain the Fear (1) Creature Trait for the next 1d10 Rounds.

Ingredients: Shamans use animal fur, skin, bone, and pelt, wrapped in sinews and daubed with blood runes to focus the Amber wind. Often claws are scrimshawed, organs dried, and feathers dipped in rare humors, and it’s not uncommon to find excrement, urine, and other excretions also used.

Amber Talons

CN: 6
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
Your nails grow into wickedly sharp talons of crystal amber. Unarmed attacks made using Melee (Unarmed) count as magical, have a Damage equal to d6 + d6 per INT DM, and inflict +1 Bleeding Condition whenever they cause damage.

Beast Form

CN: 5
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: INT minutes
You infuse your very bones and flesh with Ghur , warping your body into that of a creature. When cast, select a new Beast form. Gain all the standard Traits of the creature, except the Bestial Trait. Further, replace your STR, DEX, and END with those of the creature. For every +2 Effect, you may include 1 of the included Optional Creature Traits. While in Beast Form, you look like a normal version of the creature, with amber and brown coloring. You may not speak, which means you cannot cast spells, or attempt to dispel. If you have suffered any damage before the spell ends, you suffer the same amount of damage when you revert to your true form.

Beast Master

CN: 10
Range: 1 + INT DM yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM days
Your breath steams and your eyes take on a shining amber sheen as Ghur suffuses you. Your gaze and words convince 1 creature possessing the Bestial trait that you are its pack master, and it will fight to the death to protect you. While subject to your mastery it will follow your instructions, instinctively understanding simple instructions. If the creature is released from the spell — through the duration running out, or the spell being dispelled — it will retain enough residual respect and fear not to attack you, unless compelled to. Your allies may not be so fortunate.

Beast Tongue

CN: 3
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: INT minutes
You can commune with all creatures possessing the Bestial Trait. Ghur clogs your throat, and your language comes out as snarls, hisses, and roars as befits the beasts to whom you talk. While the creatures are not compelled to answer you, or do as you bid, most will be curious enough to hear you out. You gain +2 on all Animal(any) Tests While this spell is active, you may only speak with beasts — you may not speak any civilized tongues, and can only communicate with your party using gestures. Note, this also means you cannot cast any spells, or dispel, while Beast Tongue is active.

Flock of Doom

CN: 8
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM rounds
You call down a murder of crows or similar local bird to assail your foes. The flock attacks everyone in the Area of Effect who does not possess the Arcane Magic (Beasts) Talent ferociously, inflicting a +7 Damage at the end of the Round. The flock remains in play for the duration of the spell. For your Action you may make an Average (8+) Animal(handling) Test to move the flock to another target within range. While within the Area of Effect, all creatures gain +1 Blinded Condition.

Hunter’s Hide

CN: 6
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You cloak yourself in a shimmering mantle of Ghur . While the spell lasts, gain a bonus of +2 Endurance and the Dark Vision, and Fear (1), and Acute Sense (Smell) Traits.

 

 

The Amber Spear

CN: 8
Range: INT yards
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
You hurl a great spear of pure Ghur in a straight line. This is a magic missile with a Damage of +12. It strikes the first creature in its path, ignoring all armor made of leather and furs. If the target suffers any damage, also inflict +1 Bleeding Condition, after which the spear continues on its path, striking each target in the same manner, but at –1 Damage each time. If the spear fails to inflict any Wounds, its progress is stopped and the spell comes to an end. The Amber Spear only inflicts the minimum 1 damage on the first target it strikes.

Wyssan’s Wildform

CN: 8
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You call on the wild power of Ghur to infuse you, surrendering to its savage delights. Gain the following Creature Traits: Arboreal, Armour (2), Big, Bite (1), Fear (1), Fury, Magical, Weapon (2). While the spell is in place you are incapable of using any Language or Lore skills.

The Lore of Death

The purple wind of Shyish carries with it dry, dusty winds and the insistent rustling of sand passing through Time’s hourglass. Targets afflicted by spells from the Lore of Death are drained of life, enervated, and listless. You may assign +1 Fatigued Condition to any living target affected by a spell from this lore. A target may only ever have a single Fatigued Condition gained in this manner at any one time.

Ingredients: The bones of sentient creatures feature heavily in Amethyst magic, as do the trappings of death, including wood or nails from coffins, embalming fluids, hourglasses, silver coins, and grave dirt, all carefully presented or engraved. Purple gemstones, materials, and flowers (particularly roses) are also common.

Caress of Laniph

CN: 7
Range: Touch
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
As you reach out your hand, it appears withered, even skeletal, drawing Shyish from your target’s corpus. This counts as a magic missile with a Damage of +6 that ignores Armour Points. For every 2 damage inflicted, you may recover 1.

Dying Words

CN: 6
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
Touching the body of a recently departed soul (one that passed away within the last day), you call its soul back briefly. For the spell’s duration, you can communicate with the dead soul, though it cannot take any action other than talking. It is not compelled to answer you, but the dead do not lie.

 

 

Purple Pall of Shyish

CN: 9
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You pull about you a pall fashioned from fine strands of purple magic. Gain +INT DM Armour Points, and the Fear (1) Trait. For every +2 Effect you may increase your Fear rating by 1.

Sanctify

CN: 10
Range: Touch
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: INT minutes
Inscribing a magical circle, you ward it with Shyish , forming an impenetrable barrier to the Undead. Creatures with the Undead Creature Trait cannot enter or leave the circle.

Scythe of Shyish

CN: 6
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You conjure a magical scythe, which can be wielded in combat, using the Melee (blade) Skill. It acts like a normal scythe with a number of D6 Damage equal to 3 plus INT DM.

Soul Vortex

CN: 8
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: Instant
You hurl a shimmering ball of Shyish which erupts into purple flames, swirling with ghostly faces, mouths agape in silent terror. Targets within the Area of Effect receive +1 Broken Condition. Against targets with the Undead Creature Trait, Soul Vortex is a magic missile with a Damage of +10 that ignores Armour Points.

Steal Life

CN: 7
Range: INT yards

Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Thin strands of purple mist connect you briefly to your target, who wastes away before your very eyes. This counts as a magic missile with a Damage of +6 that ignores Armour Points and inflicts +1 Fatigued Condition. Further, you remove all Fatigued Conditions you currently suffer, and may heal yourself up to half the damage the target suffers, rounding up.

Swift Passing

CN: 6
Range: Touch
Target: Special
Duration: Instant
Your touch brings the release of death to a single mortally wounded target. If you successfully touch a target, death swiftly follows. Further, the target cannot be raised as Undead.

The Lore of Fire

The Lore of Fire, and the Bright wind of Aqshy, is anything but subtle. Its spells are bellowed with fervor and manifest themselves in bombastic fashion, with bright flame and searing heat. You may inflict +1 Ablaze Condition on anyone targeted by spells from the Lore of Fire, unless they also possess the Arcane Magic (Fire) Talent.

Every Ablaze condition within 1 + INT DM yards adds +1 to attempts to Channel or Cast with Aqshy.

Ingredients: Pyromancers use a wide selection of flammable materials as ingredients, which are often immolated as the spell is cast, including coal, oils, fats, and ruddy woods. Trappings immune to fire are also common, such as iron keys, carved sections of fire-grate, and small oven stones.

Aqshy’s Aegis

CN: 5
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM rounds
You wrap yourself in a fiery cloak of Aqshy , which channels flame into the Aegis. You are completely immune to damage from non-magical fire, including the breath attacks of monsters, and ignore any Ablaze Conditions you receive. You receive the Ward (9+) Trait against magical fire attacks including spells from the Lore of Fire.

Cauterise

CN: 4
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Channelling Aqshy through your hands you lay them on an ally’s wounds. Immediately heal 2D damage and removes all Bleeding Conditions. Further, the wounds will not become infected. Targets without the Arcane Magic (Fire) Talent, must pass a Challenging (10+) END Test or scream in agony.. If Failed by –6 or more Effect, the target gains the Unconscious Condition and is permanently scarred, waking up 2D hours later

 

 

Crown of Flame

CN: 8
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You channel Aqshy into a majestic crown of inspiring fire about your brow. Gain the Fear (1) Trait and +1 War Leader Talent while the spell is active.

For every +2 Effect, you may increase your Fear value by +1, or take War Leader Talent again. Furthermore, gain a bonus of +1 on all attempts to Channel and Cast with Aqshy while the spell is in effect.

Flaming Hearts

CN: 8
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
Your voice takes on a rich resonance, echoing with Aqshy’s fiery passion. Affected allies lose all Broken and Fatigued Conditions, and gain the Fearless Trait.

Firewall

CN: 6
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (Special)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You channel a fiery streak of Aqshy , creating a wall of flame. The Firewall is 1 + INT DM yards wide, and 1 yard deep. For every +2 Effect you may extend the length of the Firewall by +1 + INT DM yards. Anyone crossing the firewall gains 1 Ablaze condition and suffers a hit with a Damage equal to your INT DM, handled like a magical missile.

Great Fires of U’Zhul

CN: 10
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You hurl a great, explosive blast of Aqshy into an enemy, which erupts into a furious blaze, burning with the heat of a forge. This is a magical missile with Damage +10 that ignores Armour Points and inflicts +2 Ablaze Conditions and the Prone Condition on a target. Everyone within the Area of Effect of that target suffers a Damage +5 hit ignoring Armour Points, and must pass a Athletics(dexterity) Test or also gain +1 Ablaze Condition. The spell stops behaving like a magic missile as the fire continues to burn in the Area of Effect for the duration. Anyone within the Area of Effect at the start of a round suffers 2D+6 Damage, ignoring AP, and gains +1 Ablaze Condition.

Flaming Sword of Rhuin

CN: 8
Range: INT yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You wreathe a sword in magical flames. The weapon has Damage +6 and hits with such force that it may not be parried, and anyone struck by the blade gains +1 Ablaze Condition. If wielders do not possess the Arcane Magic (Fire) Talent, they gain +1 Ablaze Condition.

Purge

CN: 10
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You funnel intense flame to burn away the taint and corruption in an area. Anything flammable is set alight, and any creatures in the area takes +Effect Ablaze conditions. If the location contains a Corrupting Influence, such as Dhar, warpstone, or a Chaostainted object, it too will smolder and blacken, beginning to burn. This spell may be maintained in subsequent rounds by passing a Challenging (10+) Channelling Test. The precise time needed to eliminate the Corrupting Influence will be determined by your GM. As a rough guideline, a small quantity (smaller than an acorn) of warpstone, or a minor Chaos-tainted object may require 10–INT DM Rounds (minimum of 1 Round).

A larger quantity of warpstone — fist-sized — or a more potent Chaos-tainted object may require double this. A powerful Chaos Artefact may take hours, or even longer…

 

 

The Lore of Heavens

Arcane spells cast from the Lore of Heavens are accompanied by the crackling of lightning and the smell of ozone. Spells causing Damage ignore Armour Points from metal armor, and will arc to all other targets within 2 yards, except those with the Arcane Magic (Heavens) Talent, inflicting hits with a Damage equal to 1 + INT DM, handled like a magical missile .

Ingredients: Astronomical instruments, charts, lenses, and symbols dominate Celestial magic, as do ingredients associated with augury, such as animal innards, mirrors, glass balls, and bird tongues. Some wind-based spells use wings and feathers, where those involving electricity prefer slivers of carved metal.

Cerulean Shield

CN: 7
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You encase yourself in a crackling cage of sparking electricity and Azyr. For the spell’s duration, gain +Effect Armour Points against melee attacks. If attacked by metal weapons — such as daggers, swords, and spears with metal tips — your attacker takes +1 + INT DM Bonus Damage.

Comet of Casandora

CN: 10
Range: Initiative yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)

Duration: Special
You channel all the Azyr you can muster and reach out to the skies, calling down a comet to wreak havoc amongst your foes. Select a target point within range. At the end of the next round, make an Average (8+) Recon Test. For every +Effect you achieve, you may move your point of impact by 1 + INT DM Bonus yards. For every –Effect, the GM will move the point of impact by 1 + INT DM Bonus yards in a random direction. Comet of Casandora then acts as a magical missile with Damage +12 that hits all targets in the Area of Effect, who also gain +1 Ablaze and the Prone Condition.

Fate’s Fickle Fingers

CN: 6
Range: You
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
All allies within the Area of Effect, excluding those with the Arcane Magic (Heavens) Talent, create a single pool for their Luck Points. All may draw on the pool, first come, first served. When the spell ends, you reallocate any remaining Luck Points as fairly as possible.

Starcrossed

CN: 7
Range: INT yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
While this spell is active, you can spend Luck Points to force an opponent to reroll Tests.

T’Essla’s Arc

CN: 7
Range: INT yards
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
A crackling bolt of lightning shoots from your fingertips, striking your target. This is a magic missile with Damage +10 that inflicts +1 Blinded condition.

The First Portent of Amul

CN: 3
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
Gain +1 Luck Point. For every +2 Effect, gain +1 more. Any of these points unused at the end of the Duration are lost.

The Second Portent of Amul

CN: 6
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
Gain +Effect Luck Points. For every +2 Effect, gain +1 additional Luck point. Any unused points at the end of the Duration are lost.

The Third Portent of Amul

CN: 12
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
Gain 2 +Effect Luck Points. For every +1 Effect, gain +1 additional Luck point. Any unused points at the end of the Duration.

 

 

The Lore of Metal

The wind of Chamon is very dense, and quickly attaches itself to metallic substances. Spells from this lore are accompanied with golden light and heat, and are especially effective against foes foolish enough to encase themselves in metal. Spells inflicting Damage ignore Armour Points from metal armor, and inflict bonus Damage equal to the number of Armour Points of metal armor being worn. So, if your spell hit someone protected by 2 Armour Points of metal armor, it would cause an additional +2 Damage and ignore the Armour Points.

Ingredients: Heavy metals of all types, esoterically inlaid or carved, comprise the majority of Gold ingredients, though many spells also use trappings associated with a forge, including sections of a bellows marked with mathematical formula, inscribed chunks of an anvil, or fragments of a furnace.

Crucible of Chamon

CN: 7 Range: 1 + INT DM yards Target: 1 Duration: Instant You channel Chamon into a single non-magical, metallic object, such as a weapon or piece of armor. The item melts, dripping to the floor as molten metal, cooling almost immediately. If held, the item is dropped. If worn, the wearer takes a hit like a magic missile with Damage equal to 1 + INT DM that. While the object is destroyed, the metal retains its base value, and may be used by a smith as raw material.

Enchant Weapon

CN: 6 Range: Touch Target: special Duration: 1 + INT DM rounds You encase a single non-magical weapon with heavy bands of Chamon, enhancing its potency. For the duration of the spell it counts as magical, gains a bonus to Damage equal to 1 + INT DM, and becomes Unbreakable. For every +3 Effect you may also add 1 weapon trait, while the spell is in effect.

Feather of Lead

CN: 5 Range: INT yards Target: Area of Effect (1 + INT DM yards) Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds Calling on the golden wind, you alter the density of your target’s belongings, raising or lowering their weight. For the duration of the spell, choose one effect for everyone within the area of effect:

• Count as Encumbered. Those affected suffer a Bane on all physical actions.
• Do not count as Encumbered.

Fool’s Gold

CN: 4 Range: Touch Target: 1 Duration: INT minutes You weave Chamon into a non-magical object made of metal, fundamentally altering its alchemical nature. For the duration of the spell, all metal in the object becomes gold. This is not an illusion: it has actually transformed into gold. When the spell ends, the item reverts to its original metal. This spell can ruin good weapons, make armor too heavy to wear, and turn lead coins into something much more appealing. Spot effects arising from this spell are left in the hands of the GM.

Forge of Chamon

CN: 9 Range: 1 + INT DM yards Target: Special Duration: INT minutes You alter the quality of a single item made of metal. You may add 1 weapon trait. For every +2 Effect you may add another trait. Traits available are dependent upon weapon type. Confirm with GM to determine which are applicable.

Glittering Robe

CN: 5 Range: You Target: You Duration: 1 + END DM Rounds Wild flurries of Chamon whirl around you, deflecting blows and intercepting missiles and magical attacks. Gain the Ward (9) Trait against all attacks and spells targeting you. Each hit successfully saved increases the Ward’s effectiveness by 1, to a maximum of Ward (12).

Mutable Metal

CN: 5 Range: Touch Target: 1 Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds You touch a non-magical object made of metal, which instantly becomes warm to the touch as you squeeze Chamon into it. You may bend and mangle the object with an Average (8+) Strength Test. If you wish to make a more complex alteration, you may attempt an Average (8+) Profession (Smith, or similar) Test instead.

Transmutation of Chamon

CN: 12 Range: INT yards Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards) Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds You wrench Chamon from the metals worn by your foes, and the earth itself, briefly transforming the flesh of your enemies into metal. This is a magic missile affecting all in the Area of Effect, with a Damage equal to 1 + INT DM; the spell inflicts +1 Blinded, Deafened, and Stunned Condition, all of which last for the duration of the spell.

All affected targets gain +1 Armour Point from the gold wrapped about their bodies, but also suffer from Suffocation. If targets die while the spell is in effect, they are permanently encased in a shell of base metals, a macabre reminder of the risks of sorcery.

 

 

The Lore of Life

Spells cast with Ghyran, the Jade Wind, are suffused with life, tending to manifest with a vibrant green light, and are often accompanied by natural phenomena given supernatural qualities. Vines, undergrowth, trees, and rivers all bend to the Druids’ wills.

Receive a +1 bonus to Casting and Channeling rolls when in a rural or wilderness environment. Living creatures — e.g. those without the Daemonic or Undead Creature Traits — targeted by Arcane Spells from the Lore of Life have all Fatigued and Bleeding Conditions removed after any other effects have been applied as life magic floods through them. Creatures with the Undead Creature Trait, on the other hand, suffer additional Damage equal to 1 + INT DM, ignoring Armour Points, if affected by any spell cast with the Lore of Life.

Ingredients: Druids use a wide variety of naturally occurring ingredients, ranging from rare seeds and nuts, humors gathered from sentient creatures in the flush of life, uncommon tree saps, fertile loam, spring waters, and a variety of living ingredients, including plants and smaller animals.

Barkskin

CN: 3
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You cause the target’s skin to become hard and rough like the bark of a tree. While affected by the spell, add +2 to the target’s Armour Points, but suffer a penalty of –1 DM to Dexterity.

Earthblood

CN: 6
Range: You
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
To cast this spell, you must be in direct contact with the earth. Standing barefoot counts. For the duration of the spell, any creatures in direct contact with the earth within AoE heal damage equal to 1 + INT DM at the start of every Round.

Earthpool

CN: 8
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: Instant
On casting the spell, you immediately disappear into the ground in a wild torrent of Ghyran. You appear at the start of the next Round at any point within your Intelligence in yards, erupting from the earth violently. For every +2 Effect you may increase the distance traveled by your Intelligence in yards. Any enemies engaged by you on your appearance gain the Surprised Condition. This spell will not allow you to move through stone but will allow you to move through water.

Fat of the Land

CN: 4
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM days
You flood the target’s body with nourishing Ghyran. The target need not eat or drink, but will still excrete as normal, though any leavings will be verdant green.

Forest of Thorns

CN: 6
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
This spell may only target a patch of earth (though the patch can be very small). You cause a dense knot of wickedly spiked brambles and tangled vines to burst upwards, covering the Area of Effect.

While the spell is active, anyone attempting to traverse the area on foot without the Arcane Magic (Life) Talent must make a Hard (10+) Dexterity Test. Failure means they gain 1 Bleeding Condition, and 1 Entangled Condition, with your Intelligence used for its Strength. After the spell concludes, the growth remains, but loses its preternatural properties.

Lie of the Land

CN: 5
Range: 1 + INT DM miles
Target: You
Duration: Special
Touching the earth, your senses flow through the Ghyran tracing the nearby area. After communing for 1 minute, you receive a detailed mental map of all-natural features — land, forests, rivers, but not settlements — within range. Settlements may be alluded to — areas of clear terrain, or dug trenches, for example. Each time you increase the range with Effect increases the time taken communing with the land by +1 minute.

 

 

Lifebloom

CN: 8
Range: 1 + INT DM yards
Target: Special
Duration: Special
You cause Ghyran to flood an area that is blighted or desolate. You may target either a dry riverbed, well, field, or a domestic animal. If you successfully cast the spell, the target bursts to life:

• A dry river begins to flow once again
• A dry or polluted well becomes clean and fresh
• A planted field, vineyard or orchard bursts into life, with all crops immediately reaching full ripeness
• A sick or unproductive animal becomes healthy. The affected beast is now healthily productive (cows produce milk, hens lay eggs, coats and hides of sheep and cows are healthy and lustrous) and any diseases are cured.

Regenerate

CN: 6
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
Your target gains the Regenerate Creature Trait.

The Lore of Light

Arcane Spells sung from the Lore of Light tend to emit dazzling rays of blinding white light, or shroud the caster in shimmering waves of radiant purity. You may inflict one Blinded Condition on those targeted by Lore of Light spells, unless they possess the Arcane Magic (Light) Talent.

If a target has the Daemonic or Undead Creature Traits, spells also inflict an additional hit with Damage equal to 1 + INT DM that ignores Armour Points.

Ingredients: Hierophants of the Lore of Light use many artifacts associated with holiness and holy places, supplemented by crystals, glass, pyramidions, and small statues, all carved with sacred symbols, twisting snakes, and moral tales. White candles, silver carvings, and bleached paper are also common.

Banishment

CN: 12
Range: You
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: Instant
You send a cleansing halo of Hysh out from hands, affecting all creatures within the Area of Effect whose Endurance is lower than your Intelligence. Targets with the Undead and Daemonic Creature Traits gain the Unstable Trait. If they already have the Unstable Trait, they are reduced to 0 END, STR, and DEX.

Blinding Light

CN: 5
Range: INT yards
Target: You
Duration: Instant
You emit a bright, blinding flash of light from your hand or staff. Everyone looking at you, unless they possess the Arcane Magic (Light) Talent, receives +Effect Blinded Conditions.

Clarity of Thought

CN: 6
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: INT minutes
You calm your target’s mind, allowing them to think clearly. All negative modifiers on their thinking processes — from Conditions or any other source — are ignored while the spell is in effect.

Daemonbane

CN: 10
Range: 1 + INT DM yards
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You summon a blast of Hysh that passes through the border between the Realm of Chaos and the material world. The Casting Test is Opposed by the target making an END Test. If you win, you obliterate a target with the Daemonic Creature Trait with a blinding white light, sending it back whence it came. If the spell successfully banishes a Daemon, everyone looking at your target, unless they possess the Arcane Magic (Light) Talent, receives +Effect Blinded Conditions.

Healing Light

CN: 9
Range: 1 + INT DM yards
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Your target glows with a bright, cleansing light (equivalent light to a campfire), healing 2 + INT DM + END DM damage. If the Target passes a Very Hard (12+) Endurance Test, 1 Corruption point gained in the last hour is also lost.

 

 

Net of Amyntok

CN: 8
Range: 1 + INT DM yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + Target’s INT DM Rounds
You cast a delicate net woven from strands of Hysh over your target, whose mind is overcome with conundrums and puzzles, leaving them paralyzed with indecision. Targets gain +1 Stunned Condition, which they cannot lose while the spell is in effect. When recovering from the Condition, targets test their Intelligence instead of Endurance. Targets with the Bestial Creature Trait are immune to this spell.

Phâ’s Protection

CN: 10
Range: You
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You summon a protective aura of pure, holy light. Profane creatures — those with the Undead or Daemonic Creature Trait, those with mutations, and those with more Corruption than 2 + their INT DM + END DM combined — cannot enter the Area of Effect. Any already within the Area gain the Broken Condition until they leave. Creatures within the Area cannot gain any Corruption points while the spell is active.

Speed of Thought

CN: 8
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
A lattice of Hysh overlays your mind, allowing you to think rapidly. Gain a bonus of +2 to Intelligence and Initiative.

The Lore of Shadows

Spells cast from the Lore of Shadows are surreptitious and sly, and so the lingua praestantia may be muttered stealthily. Any protective spells you may cast wreath you in shadows and billow smoke, making your body insubstantial, possibly even allowing blades to pass through you seemingly without harm. Further, all spells cast from the Lore of Shadows inflicting Damage ignore all non-magical Armour Points.
Ingredients: Anything used to hide, shroud, or conceal is repurposed as Grey ingredients, including cosmetics, scents, scarfs, spectacles, mirrors, and wigs. Items drawn from professions steeped in intrigue and wisdom are also common, with diplomatic artifacts, symbols of rank, and the ultimate expression of power — a blade — prevalent.

Choking Shadows

CN: 6
Range: 1 + INT DM yards
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You wrap shadowy tendrils of Ulgu around your foes’ necks. Assuming they need to breathe, they gain +1 Fatigued Condition, cannot talk, and are subject to rules for Suffocation.

Doppelganger

CN: 10
Range: You
Target: You
Duration: 1 + INT DM minutes
You weave a mask and cloak of Ulgu around your form, assuming the likeness of another humanoid creature with whom you are familiar (as determined by the GM). Your appearance will automatically fool anyone without the Second Sight Talent, though some may note if any of your mannerisms are incorrect.

Those with that Talent must pass a Difficult (10+) Perception Test to notice you are disguising your form. This does not let them see through the spell. They must dispel it to do so.

 

 

Illusion

CN: 8
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: INT minutes
You spin a web of intricate strands of Ulgu, obfuscating the Area of Effect with an illusory image of your choosing. You will automatically fool anyone without the Second Sight Talent. Those with that Talent must pass a Difficult (10+) Perception Test to notice the illusion. This does not let them see through the spell. They must dispel it to do so.

The illusion is, by default, static. For your Action, you may make a Hard (12+) Channelling Test to make the illusion move for that Round.

Mindslip

CN: 6
Range: 1 yard
Target: 1
Duration: INT minutes
You conjure delicate threads of Ulgu in your Target’s mind, causing all prior memory of you to disappear for the spell’s duration. Once the spell is over, the Target must pass an Average (8+) Intelligence Test, or the memory loss becomes permanent until dispelled.

Mystifying Miasma

CN: 6
Range: INT yards
Target: AoE (1 + INT DM yards)
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You conjure forth a swirling mass of mist shot through with a roiling shadow that flits and confounds the senses. Anyone within the mist who does not possess the Arcane Magic (Shadows) Talent is affected by the Miasma, gaining +1 Blinded, Deafened, and Fatigued Condition, which remain for the spell’s duration.

Anyone affected attempting to move must pass a Challenging (10+) Recon Test, or gain the Prone Condition. If the spell is dispelled once in play, anyone affected by the spell must make an easy (6+) Intelligence Test, or gain the Stunned Condition.

Shadowsteed

CN: 6
Range: 1 + INT DM yards
Target: 1
Duration: Until the next sunrise
You summon forth a shadowy steed. The creature’s unnatural flesh is black as midnight, and at times it appears to be both solid and insubstantial. Use the rules for a riding horse. When the Shadowsteed is out of sunlight, it also gains the following Creature Traits: Dark Vision, Ethereal, Magical, Stealthy, Fear (1) and Ward (+9).

Even when insubstantial, Shadowsteeds may be ridden. Riders with the Arcane Magic (Shadow) Talent do so with a bonus of +2 to Animal(handling). Those without suffer a penalty of –2. Shadowsteeds are tireless, so need no rest (though their unsettled riders might!). As the first rays of dawn break over the horizon the steeds melt into insubstantial mist. If still being ridden when the spell ends, or when dispelled, the rider will suffer Falling Damage.

Shadowstep

CN: 8
Range: INT yards
Target: You
Duration: Instant

You create a shadowy portal of Ulgu through the aethyr. You disappear from your current location and immediately appear up to your Intelligence yards away. Any enemies Engaged by you on your disappearance or reappearance gain the Surprised Condition.

Shroud of Invisibility

CN: 8
Range: Touch
Target: 1
Duration: 1 + INT DM Rounds
You wrap the target in a shroud of Ulgu. The Target becomes invisible and cannot be perceived by mundane senses. The spell will automatically fool anyone without the Second Sight Talent. Those with the Talent must pass a Challenging (10+) Recon Test to notice that someone is nearby, though they will not be able to pin down the precise location. They must dispel the Shroud of Invisibility to do so . You are still perceptible to the other senses, and the spell will come to an end if you bring attention to yourself by making large noises or attacking someone.

 

 

Traits & Conditions

Traits

Acute Sense (Sense)

One of your primary five senses is highly developed, allowing you to spot what others miss. You may take Reonc Tests to detect normally imperceptible details with the associated sense, as dictated by the GM. This could include: seeing an eagle beyond everyone else’s eyeshot, smelling an almost odorless poison, hearing the breath of an unmoving mouse within a wall, feeling a worn away letter in a carving, or tasting that two beers from the same brewer have been drawn from two different barrels

Arboreal

You are at home in the forests. In the woodlands, you add your DEX DM to the Effect of all Climb and Stealth Tests.

Armour (Rating)

You are protected by natural armor or thick hide. It has Rating Armour Points. This can be added to existing worn armor.

Big

The creature is a large example of its species. It receives +1 Strength and Toughness, and –1 Dexterity.

Bite (Rating)

On your turn, you may make a bite attack. The Damage of the attack equals Rating and includes your Strength DM.

Corrosive Blood

Your blood is corrosive. Every time you are Wounded, blood splashes free, and all targets Engaged with it you take 1d10 damage modified by Armour Points, to a minimum of 1.

Dark Vision

You can see in the dark as daylight.

Distracting

You distract or confuse foes, possibly exuding a soporific musk or nauseating reek, or maybe your appearance is bizarrely horrifying. All living targets within a number of yards equal to your Toughness Bonus suffer a penalty of –2 to all Tests. A target can only suffer this penalty once, no matter how many Distracting foes there are.

Ethereal

Your form is insubstantial, allowing it to pass through solid objects. It can only be harmed by Magical attacks.

Fear (Rating)

The Fear trait represents an extreme aversion to something. Creatures that cause Fear have a Fear Rating; this value reflects the Effect you are required to pass on an Extended END Test to overcome your Fear. You may continue to Test at the end of every round until your Effect equals or surpasses the creature’s Fear rating. Until you do this, you are subject to Fear.

When subject to Fear , you suffer –1 DM on all Tests to affect the source of your fear. You may not move closer to whatever is causing Fear without passing a Challenging (12+) END Test. If it comes closer to you, you must pass a Challenging (12+) END Test, or gain a Broken Condition.

Fearless (Enemy)

Max Rating: 1 + INT DM
Tests Affected: END to oppose your Enemy’s Intimidate, Fear, and Terror.
You are either brave enough or crazy enough that fear of certain enemies has become a distant memory. With a single Average (8+) END Test, you may ignore any Intimidate, Fear, or Terror effects from the specified enemy when encountered. Typical enemies include Beastmen, Greenskins, Outlaws, Vampires, Watchmen, and Witches.

Flight (Rating)

As your move, you can fly up to Rating yards. When flying, you ignore all intervening terrain, obstacles, or characters. At the end of the move, you decide whether you have landed or are still flying. You can use this move to Charge. If you start your turn flying, you must choose to Fly for your Move. If you cannot do this, the GM decides how far you fall.

When targeting it, measure horizontal distance as normal, then increase range by 1 step. So, a Long Range shot would become Extreme Range, and if it was at Extreme Range it could not be shot at all.

When flying, you suffer a penalty of –2 to all ranged combat attempts as you swoop and wheel in the sky.

 

 

Frenzy

You can work yourself into an all-consuming rage. While subject to Frenzy you will not flee or retreat for any reason; indeed you must always move at full rate towards the closest enemy you can see in order to attack. Generally, the only Action you may take is a Weapon Skill Test or any other Test to reach an enemy more quickly. Further, you may take a Free Melee attack each Round as you are throwing everything you have into your attacks. Lastly, you gain a bonus DM of +1 to Strength Bonus, such is your ferocity. You remain in Frenzy until all enemies in your line of sight are pacified, or you receive the Stunned or Unconscious condition. After your Frenzy is over you immediately receive a Fatigued condition.

Magical

You are wreathed in magic. All your attacks count as Magical, meaning you can harm creatures only susceptible to magical attacks.

Natural Weapon (Rating)

You can use your teeth, claws, or similar in combat. The natural weapon causes a number of d6 damage equal to its Rating plus your STR DM.

Regenerate

You are capable of healing at an extraordinary rate, even regrowing severed parts. At the start of each round, if you have more than 1 damage remaining, you will automatically regenerate 2D damage. Any damage caused by Fire may not be regenerated and should be recorded separately.

Stealthy

You are especially stealthy, and add a number equal to your DEX DM Bonus to the Effect of all Stealth Tests.

Terror (Rating)

Some creatures are so profoundly unsettling as to provoke a dire, bone-chilling terror in their foes. When you first encounter a creature causing Terror, make an average (8+) END Test. If you pass, you suffer no further effects of Terror; if you fail, you receive a number of Broken conditions equal to the creature’s Terror Rating, plus the number of SL below 0.

After resolving Terror, the creature causes Fear, with a Fear Rating equal to its Terror Rating.

Unstable

The creature’s corpus is maintained by foul magics that are inherently unstable in the material realm. The creature is driven back, and the magics holding it together weaken. It suffers 1 + INT DM (of the source of the instability) damage per turn of. If the creature ever reaches 0 STR or DEX, the magics holding it in place collapse, and it ‘dies’.

War Leader

Max Rating: Fellowship Bonus
Skills Affected: Leadership Tests during War
Your stern gaze and inspiring words motivate those around you. All subordinates able to see you may add your level in War Leader to their Effect in one Test per Round. This bonus does not stack.

Ward (Rating)

Perhaps because they are magical, wear a special talisman, or are just plain lucky, some blows just seem to miss. Roll 1d10 after any blow is received, if the creature rolls Rating or higher, the blow is ignored, even if it is a critical.

Conditions

Ablaze

You are on fire! This Condition is normally only applied if you are flammable — for example: wearing clothes that can be set alight — but some magical and divine effects can set you alight even if you are not normally combustible!

At the end of every Round, you suffer 2D damage, modified by Armour Points, with a minimum of 1 damage suffered. Each extra Ablaze Condition you have adds +1 to the Damage suffered; so, three Ablaze Conditions result in 2D+2 Damage suffered.

One Ablaze Condition can be removed with a successful Athletics(dexterity) Test, with each Effect removing an extra Ablaze Condition. The Difficulty for this Test is modified by circumstances: it’s much easier to put out a fire rolling around on sand than it is in the middle of an oil-soaked kitchen.

Blinded

Perhaps because of a flash of light, or because of liquid sprayed in your face, you are unable to see properly. You suffer a –1 penalty to all Tests involving sight, and any opponent attacking you in close combat gains a bonus of +1 to hit you. One Blinded Condition is removed at the end of every other Round.

 

 

Bleeding

You are bleeding badly. Take 1 damage at the end of every Round, ignoring all modifiers. Further, suffer a penalty of –1 to any Tests to resist Festering Wounds, Minor Infection, or Blood Rot (see page 186). If you reach 0 Wounds, you no longer lose Wounds and instead fall immediately unconscious (gain the Unconscious Condition). At the end of Round, you have a 10% chance of dying per Bleeding Condition you have; so, if you had 3 Bleeding Conditions, you would die from blood loss on a roll of 0–30. If a double is scored on this roll, your wound clots a little: lose 1 Bleeding Condition. You cannot regain consciousness until all Bleeding Conditions are removed (see Injury on page 172).

A Bleeding Condition can be removed with: a successful Heal Test, with each SL removing an extra Bleeding Condition; or with any spell or prayer that heals Wounds, with one Condition removed per Wound healed. Once all Bleeding Conditions are removed, gain one Fatigued Condition.

Broken

You are terrified, defeated, panicked, or otherwise convinced you are going to die. On your turn, your Move and Action must be used to run away as fast as possible until you are in a good hiding place beyond the sight of any enemy; then you can use your Action on a Skill that allows you to hide more effectively. You also receive a penalty of –1 to all Tests not involving running and hiding.

If you are unengaged, at the end of each Round, you may attempt an END Test to remove a Broken Condition, with each Effect removing an extra Broken Condition, and the Difficulty determined by the circumstances you currently find yourself: it is much easier to rally when hiding behind a barrel down an alleyway far from danger (Average 8+) than it is when three steps from a slavering Daemon screaming for your blood (Very Hard 12+).

If you spend a full Round in hiding out of line-of-sight of any enemy, you remove 1 Broken Condition. Once all Broken Conditions are removed, gain 1 Fatigued Condition.

Deafened

Whether caused by a loud noise or a blow to the head, you are unable to hear properly. You suffer a –1 penalty to all Tests involving hearing, and any opponent attacking you in close combat from the flank or rear gains an extra bonus of +1 to hit you (this bonus does not increase with multiple Deafened Conditions). One Deafened condition is removed at the end of every other Round.

Entangled

You are wrapped in something restricting your movement; it could be ropes, spider’s webbing, or vines. On your turn, you may not Move, and all your actions involving movement of any kind suffer a penalty of –1. For your Action, you can remove an Entangled Condition if you win an Opposed Strength Test against the source of the entanglement, with each Effect removing an extra Entangled Condition.

Fatigued

You are exhausted or stressed, and certainly in need of rest. You suffer a –1 penalty to all Tests. Removing a Fatigued Condition normally requires rest, a spell, or a divine effect, though in some instances, such as when a Fatigued Condition is caused by carrying too much, simply changing your circumstances (carrying fewer trappings, for example) can remove a Condition.

Stunned

You have been struck about the head or otherwise disoriented or confused; your ears are likely ringing, and little makes sense.

You are incapable of taking an Action on your turn but are capable of half your normal movement. You can defend yourself in opposed Tests — but not with Language (Magick). You also suffer a –1 penalty to all Tests. If you have any Stunned Conditions, any opponent trying to strike you in Melee Combat gains +1 Advantage before rolling the attack.

At the end of each Round, you may attempt a Challenging (10+) Endurance Test. If successful, remove a Stunned Condition, with each Effect removing an extra Stunned Condition.

Once all Stunned Conditions are removed, gain 1 Fatigued Condition if you don’t already have one.

Suffocating

Being deprived of air, (you can hold your breath for 1 + END DM x 10 seconds) you will start to suffocate immediately. You begin suffering 1D damage each round.

Surprised

You have been caught unawares and you aren’t at all ready for what’s about to hit you. You can take no Action or Move on your turn and cannot defend yourself as well, granting any opponent trying to strike you in Melee Combat a bonus of +2 to hit.

The Surprised Condition does not stack, so you do not collect multiple Surprised Conditions, even should you be technically surprised multiple times in a Round.

At the end of each Round, you lose the Surprised Condition.