A Life Full of Adventure

Zoomorphic familiars, elementals and plants Wizards are always looking for way to increase their power or reduce the logistic of running a laboratory. Some solutions involve dark magic or apprentices, but the most common one is to have a familiar. These can be an animal bound to the wizard’s psyche. Or constructs and homunculi replicating a living form. Experts in the domain explain that constructs replicating shape and partial functions of an animal are the best choice. They don’t age, don’t eat, don’t sleep and are robust given that they can be partially repaired. The process is complex but can be eased by observing and even dissecting specimen of the targeted animal. Such zoomorphic familiars are usually owned by members of the College of the Golden Order or of the College of Amethyst Order. When wizards grow in power, they have the option to enhance their familiar. Rumors tell that the mechanical monkey of the master of the golden college is now completely made of gold and even m...

Yaks, chamois and alpine cows - domesticated mountain animals  The Empire is mainly about rivers crossing large forests. Hence most of the entries were related to that. This time we concentrate on the mountain ranges defining eastern and southern borders. These areas are the ancestral home of the dwarfs and lately of the greenskin tribes and clans. How do humans, dwarves and orcs interact with the chamois, mountain goats and mountain cows living at different altitudes? Mountains can sustain a lot of life, more than what you can see and imagine. But this environment enforces survival strategies. We can define two main ones: mountainsides and cold winter. Living on mountain slopes, Yaks and mountain cows need to have a strong balance, low gravity point and strong legs. They also need to survive the winter by storing a lot of excess energy during the summer, grow protective fur, hibernate during the cold seasons, have feet allowing safe movement on the snow or migrate to lower alt...

Xylophage - the beaver case The old world is covered by dark and huge forests. These places are dangerous but they are the main source of heating to survive long winters. They also contribute to the food and furs supply required during the cold season. Any animal disrupting or helping collecting these resources from the forests is to be considered with great caution and care. Beavers and coypus are a very special case as they are both destructor and benefactor to Imperial woodmen. Beavers are very common in the Empire. Abundance of rivers and forests supports a very large population. They are a great source of troubles but also of wealth. Their furs used for winter clothes, their meat even if not tasty is better than nothing. They can deforest or lighten large area, making them easier for forestry or to convert in farming land. On the other hand they are aggressive, sometime deadly and their huge structures change rivers flow or flood fields. The timbers they produce can escape into ...

Were garous - diverge from the cliché Warhammer and the Old World setting uses werewolves and other wolf based shapeshifters a lot. As already mentioned this is related to the overrepresented wolf in the Empire. So let’s focus on more various and rare were animals, beast garous and shapeshifters. The moot have a very old legend about an halfling farmer. He cared so much about his giant rabbits that during an orc raid he gave his life to protect them. Or that’s what neighbours say as his body was never found. The field was filled with the eviscerated bodies of two orc bands. Since that day, when the area is attacked by orcs or bandits, an hooded halfling always warns the invaders to leave or die. All laugh at him before being killed by a giant were rabbit of doom laughing back. The imperial regions bordering Kislev have tales of bear based shapeshifters. They are sometimes good or evil beings. Either as Ursun blessed or cursed. They are omens from the father of bears and a reminder of...

Vulture, black cat and other animal omens The Old World is grim, perilous and highly superstitious. Omens, signs are everywhere for people skilled in divination crafts. They are everywhere for people living in fear. They are everywhere for the fanatics looking for justification to burn someone. Animals are much represented in these omens or sayings. True and wrong, here are some example to set a tone of darkness and ignorance. Vulture, crow and raptors are typical sign of bad omens. Usually death is near or incoming. This is obviously right as these birds can be seen from far away circling above dead bodies. Their presence is always sign that somebody is going to die. If not that death magic or evil eye was watching and someone will die sooner or later. Later being always true, given enough time. Magic practitioners have familiars like black cat or anything else. Anyway the relation between animals acting unnatural and use of magic is a fact for common folk. Given how much hate and f...

Undead animals - more than flesh and bones Most of the time, undead are humanoids or mighty monsters. There are only few animals presented as undead or as only the skeleton of their former self. Let’s have a look why necromancers must invest more time on animals and why players should be worried to find an animated dog skeleton, a ghoulish cat or zombified goose. Necromancers focus more on the animals rather than humanoids. Because that is what a truly evil and smart one would do, at the beginning. Common animals are, well, common to find. Losing one is not an issue as they are so easy to replace. Few people will look for missing duck. Unless they are low level, so worse case that a proper source of still required humanoid victims. Animal have natural instinct that are easier to control and trigger. Their mind is less likely to resist and kickbacks are less damaging.  When increasing in power, the tasks to unload on apprentices to keep them from plotting too much against self...

Tarasque - a legendary river monster of the Old World Here we will see how one legend of our world history can fit the Old World. Let’s use the tale of the tarasque as an example. Dungeon and dragon used the same legend to create the famous and deadly Tarrasque that appeared already in the first edition in 1977. The real legend describes the tarasque as a river dragon with six short legs like bear, the body of an ox, the carapace of a turtle, the tail like a serpent ending with a scorpion’s sting. The head was like a lion with horse ears and a human face. The animal lair was in a swamp not far away from Avignon, south of France. The monster attacked anyone and anything traveling near to the river. The legend say that Saint Marthe tamed it but villagers slayed it after decades of suffering. Now let’s adapt it to the Old World. I think nothing should be changed about the look and behavior. The first part because it means that plenty of illustration can be used. The second part because ...

Serpent folk - how to include them in the old world Dungeons and Dragons, Legend of the Five Rings, Call of Cthulhu and many other role playing game settings have serpent folk in some way. However Warhammer fantasy setting doesn't  Let’s see how game masters can include them in the background. Given that serpent men aren't part of the official settings we could infer several information: They don’t live in the Old World They aren't related to the lizardmen They aren't related to the chaos coming from the north pole. From this we could create following pieces of an alternative background: Some have the torso of a human, other have the body of a snake with human arms and legs. The serpent trait could also be the one from a cobra, viper, boa and any other snakes. Pick the form and lineage you like and the illustration from previous mentioned sources. Serpent folk are a civilization of serpent-like people. Serpent folk lay eggs, and th...

Rabbits, rams, fowls- Mascots of the Moot Halflings have a calendar filled with special days. Being related to the gods, the ancestors or more likely food. Two of these are the pretext of festin and parade. The first one occurs at the beginning of spring, on the 14th Plufgzeit (3rd month), it is simple pie day. Not to be mixed with pie week occurring in the first week of Erntezeit (8th month). Simple pie day symbolized a poor pie when winter reserve are all gone. It’s a moment of sadness, a ritual to eat a small and very light pie before feasting without limits about that tradition. The second day occurs on 28th Vorgeheim (6th month) and is called double pie day or tau day. On that day double decked pie are eaten as a reminder of what happen during the pie week. On both days, halfling family, clan or guild parade in the street of the city they are living in. Festivities involve singing, parade, jousting and animal contest. Of course halfling aren’t doing those as any imperials would...

Quetzal and parrots - valuable speaking birds Commerce with Araby and Lustria colonies bring new species of birds into the Old World. All these specimens are full of color and purchased by rich merchants or nobles. Some of those birds, like parrots and quetzal, have a special and amazing ability: imitating sound and voice. Speaking parrot on the shoulder of a Sartosan pirate is cliché. Let’s see how we can use these in the Old World. The Empire climate isn't hospitable for quetzal and parrots. Therefore they must be protected by staying in building or by magical means. Member of the Grey College are keen to choose speaking birds as familiars. Their mimicking and imitating voice and sound is a great feature, especially for wizards that specialize in sound illusion. Having what we could define as a living remote voice repeater is a must have. Few grey wizards survive magical duels or encounters thanks to their familiar. For instance when afflicted by a mute spell, they let t...

Platypus show - exotic or heretic? Travelling circus is an old tradition in the Old World. Oldest ones are century old institutions, still roaming the routes and rivers of the Empire. Circus origin is almost as ancient as Empire itself. It started in the rich city states of Tilea and moved north. Usually forced by disgrace, debts and other artistic issues. Spectacles offered matche several categories like satirical plays, illusion, animal performance, acrobatics and so on. Animal performance include riding horses while juggling or having trained dogs racing around. But there is a sub category monstrous and freak animals performing or being exposed for curious visitors to observe. From exotic animals to mutated ones. Witch hunters tried to burns mutant animals but they are so easy to replace, that they change tactics. They force circus showing mutated animals to use them educational shows to warn about the mutant threat. Only the most innocuous animals and mutations are allowed. Like...

Octopus - Tentacles are handy Octopus, squids and other tentacled enemies are always giants and mostly water based. They are so big that character will only face and fight their appendices, maybe their beak if they are lucky. The Old World is so huge, so corrupted and dangerous that more tentacular challenges exist. Let’s see how game masters can use cephalopods with style to entertain players. We already see how to achieve that for other animals, most of these tricks are valid. So we will focus on how having eight tentacles is handy. Moving. A quadruped is faster than a biped. Eight legged animal like insects and arachnids are lighting fast. Especially when you face a horse sized specimen. So make octopod very fast. Portray land based octopus locomotion as very slow at start but when all eights pods start to work in sync, it’s already almost too late. Climbing, falling and Jumping. So octopus can move fast in water and on land. But they can also climb using their eight arms equipped...

Newt, frog, slug and snail - amphibians and slimy relatives for trade Mousillon hosts large and numerous swamps and ponds. Natural home of amphibians like newt, frog or other slimy relatives like slug and snail, this area is inhabited by people living a harsh and dankly life. They must adapt to their environment and eat whatever is available to stay alive and healthy. Swampaires and frogwives are a common sight in Moussillion and have a true social status. These positions also exist in the other part of the Old World like in the Wasteland but without the same aura of importance. Swampaires are hunters, gatherers and collectors of amphibians living in his area. It is an official job including a professional training and a nice badge to show around. Swampaires work under the authority of a local noble and only on his land. That’s the theory, as in reality almost everyone does it at various level. Conflicts and hunting swamp are managed through an informal guild. The job can be a dang...

Mastiff - Dog is man's best friend Warhammer world is a grim and perilous. Characters can get killed easily if they aren’t cautious or lucky. Players want the best for their characters: good equipment, good characteristics, good career, good skills and so on. Most players will maximize their armor and weapon damage but very few will look beyond that. Game master must encourage their players to tap into another dimension: henchmen and animals. These resources offer a lot of role playing and gaming materiel. Let’s use the mastiff and typical utility dogs as a sample. If players are looking only for combat, then they should purchase war dogs. They are cheap even if not commonly trade. They could make the difference between life and death. Firstly they are sold trained so not much skills are required to handle them. Upkeep costs is not worse than the one of a horse or armor. Mastiffs fight efficiently and are expendable resources. Same as with dog, they offer all the advantages of th...

Lynx - a feline touch in a wolf world Warhammer world highlights wolves over all. From its relation to Ulric and as a basic animals of Empire forests. Let’s face it, we have too much wolf and that’s not good. Some would even say that’s bad wolf. We already mentioned boars so this time we focus on the Lynx, bobcat, and wild cats. Lynx are a rare sight in Empire forests because they are mostly active during the night and are solitary. They avoid humans as much as possible. However they live in all forests and are known as efficient and stealthy predators. They are very poor runners so they are master in ambush, sprinting from a hidden spot or jumping from a tree directly on their preys. The most common species is the forest lynx that can be found in most provinces of the Empire. But there are several subspecies of lynx in the Empire. The red lynx is found in the southern provinces hills and open scrubs. The marsh lynx is found in the dryer part of the Wastelands. Finally the white lynx...

Königlich krabben - Sea of Claws crustaceans Islands hanging along the costs of Nordland host a very special event. Every five to six years they are invaded by a myriad of crabs of all sizes. Their colors range is orange-yellowish and they all bear several spiky overgrowths circling their head as a crown. Their body is also covered by scratches, teeth marks, their spikes harpooning fishes never seen in fishermen nets. Locals have given them the name of Königlish krabben. They are rather passive and innocuous as they don’t defend themselves or attack anything. This event is referred as the orange wave or crabs great walk. It lasts a couple of weeks and occurs in fall. It is always a time of excess, tensions, question and superstition. As crabs don't fight back, locals collect them as an easy source of food. Whole families travel to an island, install a boiling marmit and a processing bench. Within a day, dozens of foot wide crabs are captured, boiled and their meat removed from th...

Jellyfish - itchy waters The Empire rivers and lakes have very few jellyfish. Fact is there are some but they are difficult to spot and catch due to their tiny to small size. The cost of the Wasteland, Nordland and Ostland and the Sea of Claws host a lot of gelatinous tentacles. Few are edible, all look very alien but some have powerful effect on the human body. One species named Botuxlia Frigidiarus is the new hype in Marienburg and Altdorf high society. Women of the high society are becoming avid consumers of Botux. This new product is an invention of Nordlander physician Dr. Justinus Kramer. He offers his miracle cure to the unpleasant signs of passing of time. In simpler words they are wrinkles making all noble lady looking older than they are. Dr. Kramer miracle is based on the localized application of trailing tentacles of the Botuxlia Frigidiarus on the face of his patient. First the skin react with reddish dots where the jellyfish stings. This cause a freezing sensation but a...

Insects - underestimated and neglected Insects are poorly represented in the Old World books beyond the giant beetles, chaos ants and the like. Game masters are encouraged to fill the blanks and surprise veteran player with new kind of insects. One easy way is to create a new subtype of beastmen or demons with the subset of mutations fitting with an insect lineage. In this entry, we will focus on even more twisted insects. Frankinsect is a tall and bulky humanoid formed by the aggregation of thousands of insects bound together by powerful force being magical, druidic or shamanic. Sometimes also named crawlers elemental they are very rare, always unique and very powerful. The first reported Frankinsect was cast centuries ago by a powerful druid named Frankus The Creeper. He successfully defended a sacred grove attacked by beastmen but at the cost of its own life. Each Frankinsect is one of a kind as its composition depends on the insects available in the surroundings: grasshoppers, c...

Hedgehog and porcupine - little ball of spines Hedgehog and porcupine were the collateral victims of Rotzball in Wissenland. This traditional sport is pulling in more and more spectators and fans. Betting has never been so popular and lucrative therefore cheating is becoming a real nuisance . Severe sanctions have been taken against the poor referees and coaches that have been caught. They were sanctioned by huge fines and even few case of public humiliation. All these scandals result in an increased popularity of this noble sport. Rotzball rules are simple, two teams of eleven players try the ball between two poles on other team side by all means possible. Snotball is a variant played in Middenheim, the most obvious difference is that the ball is replaced by a snotling. But other rules differ and cause a lot of discussion in tavern of that great city. Regional variant also change few rules making professional referee a necessity. One of these rules is that only head, elbows and ...

Genet, civet, ferret, marten and mink - small, vicious and stubborn Those small animals are member of mustelidae and all have something in common: they would dare anything to reach food or shelter. Any character traveling the countryside will meet some specimen at one point. Amber and Jade wizards choose these animals as a familiar more often than any other colleges’ members. The genet and the marten are very inventive and stubborn. They have feline agility with canine ferocity packed in a small size animal. Their diet is simple as they will try anything new. As wizards improve their magical link with the animal, all these qualities become a great advantage. Spellcasters are able to partially control, trigger or enhance those capacities and use them. Few ratcatchers replace their iconic vicious dogs for a civet, ferret or a marten. These professionals are using natural rat predator with all the quality previously explained. Mustelidae anatomy is far superior to dog’s one. Th...