So, I didn’t see any other recent threads with this in it.
I have noticed a lot of steampunk-oriented fans advocating this as a direction the new Chaos Dwarfs (whenever they may be) should take. I suggest as an alternative emphasizing the use of magic generally, as opposed to just daemonic energies, by adding to the repertoire of CD more traditional magical artifice elements.
To begin, I should say that I’m not opposed to steampunk. I rather enjoy it, actually. But, I see emphasizing this as a poor direction for the Chaos Dwarfs to go, primarily because of the importance of differentiation. Empire and Dwarfs, and even Skaven, all have elements of their armies that are exploring this particular vein of imagery. The most telling bit of art I’ve seen is the clockwork menagerie of the Empire in the main rulebook.
There are fantasy elements that are not particularly heavily tapped in the Warhammer universe that are open to exploration. I point to strictly magical constructs as opposed to mechanical ones. The only army with strictly magical constructs is Tomb Kings, and the images they use are very specific. I think two creatures that could be considered are Golems and Gargoyles.
Specifically, I like the idea of a magma-golem. The archaic lava-men image is one of my favorites of fantasy and sci-fi, and the idea of multi-wound monstrous infantry with flaming attacks is cool. So is the idea of them being able to hurl lava balls. S4, Flaming Attacks, 8", Thrown Weapon. Of course, different options could be explored, or even offered in the list - brass or black iron for an armor save, clay for some level of regeneration, obsidian for magic resistance or immunity, etc.
Gargoyles could be introduced as a heavier-grade flying unit. Likely not quite as stiff as Pegasus Knights, but tougher than your Harpies or Bats. The idea of there being many of them doesn’t seem to fit with the imagery I have in mind, or the necessary concepts for the fluff, so I could even see them being used as a lone monster a la Great Eagle.
In terms of fluff, I imagine them being a matter of security rather than deliberate military development. Slaves, after all, cannot be relied on to guard things of real value. And the dwarfs themselves are often needed for something requiring decision making skills, like supervising or craftsmanship, or taking slaves. So for the guarding of hoards, and of armories, and of secret places of knowledge, they developed these utterly reliable servants.
Since Hashut is a god of darkness, what about the idea of animate shadows? Ethereal, anything that does special damage to Undead affects them as well (looking at you, Lore of Light).
Things like this could give the Chaos Dwarfs something to spend their craftsmanship on other than Daemon-munitions or engines, provide some counterbalance to the slaves, and bring some additional fantasy icons into the fold.
Also, there is the fact that golems are an ancient Semitic legend in real life, and that the peoples of ancient Mesopotamia and the Near East in general did make a habit of having stone guardian creatures by their portals, and so it is in keeping with the underlying theme.
Heck, the purpose of a gargoyle in Europe was to frighten away demons…
Well, there’s another interesting suggestion. If they’re simply imbued with magic, would they be sentient in truth rather than automatons? Presuming the idea isn’t appropriated for use in creating more daemon-artifice, they might only be able to follow simple enough instructions. Perhaps room for Stupidity for the Golems.
I like this for it being a reapplication of Dwarf-like elements, taken in a different direction than has already been explored or hinted at. Of course, if they really want to imply that the world is on the cusp of a major technological revolution at the same time it is on the brink of being overthrown…
So, Chaos Dwarfs should have lots of magical constructs. Or constructs controlled by Chaos Dwarfs but inhabited by demons. It could be a bit like an Undead army, with a general and loads of metal machines clanking across the battlefield. Maybe a “host of the engineers” or something like that.
If they're simply imbued with magic, would they be sentient in truth rather than automatons?
Drychnath
So, Chaos Dwarfs should have lots of magical constructs. Or constructs controlled by Chaos Dwarfs but inhabited by demons. It could be a bit like an Undead army, with a general and loads of metal machines clanking across the battlefield. Maybe a "host of the engineers" or something like that.
Scion
Nah, think more like the Thousand Sons (40k Chaos Space Marines). Animated suits of Chaos Armour.
How do the demons play a part in these animated “constructs”, ie. Why would they need a demon to make an animated suit of amour. Having a demon inside could give you advantages. You could just point them in the right direction and they would go and kill that thing, drink it’s soul and move on to the next unlucky victim. You wouldn’t have to control each individual flick of the wrist and swing of a blade.
The only problem with using daemons in your constructs is that they tend to chew on you friends after they get done chewing on your enemys. So numerous bits of GW fluff dictate.
However, I’m sure CD sorcerers have some measure of control albeit small. Reference the chains on the Hell cannon or the shackles on the OLD daemon ass-cannon… they aren’t just there to stop it from rolling after firing.
I think I would probably do fully functional daemon bound automaton machines rather than magical golems.
Lava golems of any sort would always suffer fluffwise, because unless they can be contructed anywhere in the world from nowhere, lava is very far down in places…
More realistic would be an ash golem, where the CD burn a load of slaves and coals and then summon a mighty beast out of the burning cauldron. You could transport that on a wagon anywhere.
Vaguely related I always thought that an army of stone golems would have been a good way for the old ones to protect themselves.
Why should a lava golem suffer fluff-wise? The Dark Lands are ringed with volcanoes and replete with lava fields, I understood. Part of the unrelenting brutality of the landscape. And if animating it by magic can be credited, so can containing its heat with magic. Besides, so far Chaos Dwarfs are designed with far-flung conquests being a little outside their MO. Doesn’t stop Wood Elf Forest Spirits, or Beastmen Minotaurs from showing up wherever.
The ash golem is a cool idea though. I like that one.
Also, the idea of a lava golem inadvertently melting the treasure it was assigned to protect is mildly hilarious to me. Just an aside.
Secondarily - I also love the haunted armor idea. Anyone ever seen Bed Knobs and Broomsticks?
The same thing that animated him from it. The Lore of Metal seems particularly well suited to the task - applying heat to earthen elements at the drop of a hat is sort of their thing.
Though a particular vulnerability to frost or water might be interesting. Flammable in reverse. A handy reason to keep Kislevite friends for our enemies.
Secondarily - I also love the haunted armor idea. Anyone ever seen Bed Knobs and Broomsticks?
Drychnath
Yes! Ah, childhood.
what would keep the lava golem from turning to stone once he leaves the lava flow
Kera foehunter
Good point, although I think that, as Drychnath observes, when we're talking about magical-creations-of-demonic-sorcery-animating-mighty-elemental-robots-in-a-fantasy-world, realism may not be our best source to appeal to.
It's like Xena vis-a-vis the Simpsons, right? Magma demons really wouldn't work very well, realistically speaking. So how do we explain them?
No, purely magical artifice, with little machinery involved, feels far too Elven to me. Dwarfs need solid steel and reliable gears to feel at ease, whether powered by steam-pressure or a daemon bound in chains made from slave souls.
It’s best to tone down the steampunk to manageable levels, that’s true. But I think that’s best done by making the less plausibly advanced bits of machinery more obviously ritualised, Babylonian, daemonic, or just plain clunky.
I may be having a mind-blank, but what precedent is there for the Elves to have purely magical constructs? If memory serves correctly, the Dwarfs are more readily disposed towards the enchantment of objects (weapons and armor, by way of example), and the Elves prefer ‘purer’ spell casting or enchantments. Even in current Dwarf culture, the senior elements regard all the be-geared and steaming contraptions as ‘new-fangled’ and unproven, for all that they are spectacular.
I would suggest a full-scale magically animated construct to be a natural extrapolation of the Dwarfish preference for using quality tools, without the superstitious distaste for magic generally and limits of the rune system.
No, purely magical artifice, with little machinery involved, feels far too Elven to me. Dwarfs need solid steel and reliable gears to feel at ease, whether powered by steam-pressure or a daemon bound in chains made from slave souls.
It's best to tone down the steampunk to manageable levels, that's true. But I think that's best done by making the less plausibly advanced bits of machinery more obviously ritualised, Babylonian, daemonic, or just plain clunky.
Revlid
Perhaps just go with the Hellcannon imagery? A Demon Bound magical construct held in check and in the desired frame only by runic and magic sealed framework of bronze or steel. The chaos Dwarfs provide what is essentially a thin exoskeleton of metal and allow the demon to pour itself into this mould.
Or make a machine and use the tortured magical energies of the demon to power the construct. To a normal dwarf I would have thought torturing what is essentially magic would appeal a fair bit!! I’m not sure what the Chaos Dwarf philosophy on magic is though so it may not agree.