[Archive] Background & Aesthetic Advice on T9A

Archive [Archive] Wargame News and Discussion
61

Admiral:

[align=center]�?<�?<

Dwarven Holds of Aseadal Peaks[/align]

As was discussed here, let’s propose T9A to have both a fantasy Human Korea (quite much a given, to be expected) with a few Dwarven Holds in its numerous mountains (not a given). Let’s pick Aseadal as a working name for this land, for the moment being; by taking Asadal (the name for the mythical first Korean city, founded by Dangun, a God-King descended to Earth) and inserting “ea” from the end of Korea for a mash-up. In the concept drawing above, the Dwarves of Aseadal Peaks take aesthetic cues from both Korean bronze age culture (especially the Liaoning type dagger), and the ironworking Gaya confederacy (42-562 A.D.) of the Three Kingdoms era, with its famous plate armour suits. The hexagonal shield shape is borrowed from Baekje, contemporary of the Gaya in the peninsula.

[align=center][/align]

To distinguish the more heavily armoured Dwarrows of T9A’s fantasy Korea from the proposed Sky Foothill Dwarves, all Dwarven Holds within Aseadal ought to be independent of the Human kingdom surrounding them, as is the norm for isolated Dwarven Holds elsewhere in the world. Having Dwarven Holds within the borders of Grand Tsuandan be subject to the Human Emperor is one way to play up the sheer exceptional power of Tsuandan (able to cow even Dwarves bunkered up in their heavily fortified highland Holds, and thus field some Dwarven auxiliaries in her armies), while the Aseadal Dwarves face a normal separated situation visavi the Humans around them.

And now, I hope @YKK will enlighten us on Korean history and share rich knowledge with which to craft a fantasy Korea. The name of this thread can with ease be changed to Aseadal (or some other name) in general to fully include discussion on the Humans of this peninsula (for which Perry Miniatures sport a great historical Joseon range), just say the word!

Please share your ideas, comments and criticism for this background proposal, folks. :slight_smile:

Reference images:

�?<

�?<

�?<

62

Uther the unhinged:

The Koran�?Ts famed for archery therefore the dwarves would need to counter this. One way is heavy plate armour. Another would be wall shields (stretched hexagonal). They would need missile weapons too. To distinguish them from other dwarves maybe no set firearms but hand held miniature rockets launched along a wooden track like a cross bow without the bow. You could have a series of these ranging all the way up to large rocket batteries. Crossbows too could be used but stylistically with Korean heavily recurved bows. Maybe phalanxes of spear wielding heavy infantry protecting rocket batteries and lines of heavy armed half held rocketeers. You could convert crossbowmen with removing the bows adding a rocket and a backplate behind it. These guys would need beard plates and face armour. Possibly the stylised face plate of late shogun era. They would need protection from the air… what about leaders on winged Kirin? Magical horned winged goats of the Mountains.

The independence of these holds could be maintained similar to the Swiss of the 16th century. Too much effort to conquer and happy to be hired as mercenaries by the empire to the west. Whilst acting as a barrier to that empires expansion into the human lands of the peninsula to the east

63

Admiral:

Wonderful ideas as usual, mr. Unhinged! Thanks a lot for sharing. I’ve spread them to other forums. :slight_smile:

[align=center]

Infernal Dwarves of the Barren Mountains[/align]

Ladies and gentlemen, can you sense the smell of the Inferno in the air? What weird, wonderful and horrible realms and peoples could be found in the benighted east? Enter, if you dare trek across the Barren Mountains on your way to reach the infamous city of Zalaman Tekash…

Let’s give spice to the setting with a reverse image of the Nekoshim Dwarven Holds of the Copper Mountains: Where the Nekoshim are descended from the same stock as the benighted Infernal Dwarves in the east, and speak a cousin of the same language, they are uncorrupted, or so they claim.

As such, in the Barren Mountains could be found Dwarves of the same language family as those of Vetia, but corrupted to the core. These highland Infernal Dwarves would be a reference to the ancient Hittites of Anatolia, famous for their monolithic stone architecture, early smithing of iron, larger chariots, and being the Egyptian’s great imperial enemy in the Battle of Kadesh. The Vetian Dwarf language of these Infernal Dwarves of the Barren Mountains would be a reference to the Hittites speaking an Indoeuropean language.



The cursed Dwarrows of the Barren Mountains could have had a golden age of mighty empire long ago, which they remember with longing and festering hunger for power. Yet this Infernal Dwarf people of the highlands and their distinct culture remain for all their losses and and disasters, while the bite of their steel weapons tend to be directed by their suzerain overlords in Zalaman Tekash. They have sworn to reconquer the entire Barren Mountains range, which is now largely infested with barbarian Orc and Goblin tribes. While peripheral to the juggernaut power centre and hub of invention that is Zalaman Tekash, the benighted Dwarrows of the Barren Mountains still partake fully in the shared technology, science and forbidden lores of the Infernal Dwarves; sporting essentially the same arsenal and much the same ways of war. The Infernal Dwarves of the Barren Mountains still build in an archaic style of monolithic stones true to their ancestors of dark glory, and they have likewise preserved bull chariots for more than just ceremonial and luxury usage. For occasionally their hosts will field mighty trundling bull chariots, side by side with smoke-belching Infernal Engines and other modern mechanical contraptions.

It has been remarked, by nasty people, that Dwarves are a pest impossible to exterminate. And so the world of the Ninth Age sport an intoxicating myriad of wildly different Dwarf cultures, whose penchant for preserving ancient traditions is only matched by their innovative craftsman minds and hands. The hard-bitten Infernal Dwarves of the Barren Mountains are living proof of this.

Please share your ideas, comments and criticism for this quick background proposal, folks. And especially in this thread, if you please. :slight_smile:

Reference images:

64

Uther the unhinged:

More Dwarfs!!!

I�?Td only just finished this fluff for the polar ones.

The Khinqwit dwarves of the far

north claim to be the oldest of the free races. They are certainly one of the hardest. They call themselves �?~the people�?T and regard all others as enemies and slave races. Their myths go back to a time long before the sky hammer, hen their saurian slavemasters first took them to the mountains of the north to toil for the metals and gems they coveted. Stories tell of repeated slave breaks. How bands of desperate dwarves would force or tunnel their way to freedom. How the saurians would hunt them down, drag them back and butcher them in front of their comrades.

The myths also speak of Hakhawazharr of the Hard Path. Their first leader and founder of their race. They tell of his great escape with a large part of his people. They tell of how he planned it for mid winter when the saurians would be at their most sluggish. Hakhawazharr led his people north hoping to escape the pursuit. He chose the highest passes, the coldest tracks, the hardest paths.

The saurians disabled by the cold sent their hunters, trusted slaves trained in the recapture and execution of escapees. Bartered by the weather, harried by the hunters Hakhawazharr led his people ever northward, seeking for the Shackleless Land. The Shackeless Land where they would be free. The Shackleless Land where their enemies would not, could not follow. The Shackleless Land where only the hardiest, only the hardest could survive.

Hakhawazharr was never to see his promised land. He died saving his people and avenging his wife, squeezing the life from the last of the hunting packs that had followed them. In his passing he urged them ever northwards and taught them the mantra of trust:

Trust not the Lizard, he will enslave you.

Trust not the Elf, he will ensnare you.

Trust not the Green of Skin he will savage you.

Trust not the Manning, he will betray you.

Trust not your weakling brethren, they will seek to profit from you.

Trust only in the people, they will save you.

The people of Hakhawazharr took his words as stone and turned their faces from the sun. Northwards they went till they reached the Shackleless Land of ice and snow where no Lizard could and no Hunter would follow them. Into the white desert they went trusting to the words of Hakhawazharr. Builders that they were they cut blocks from the ice and snow and huddled inside whilst hunters searched for sustenance in that white desert. Yet even with the meagre food they would have perished were it not for the first Shaman, Azthrogeh. It was he who went into the blizzard that night. He went to sacrifice himself. He went so there would be more food for the others. He went to find peace. He found fire! None know the truth of it. Or none will tell, for it is one of the great mysteries of �?~the people�?T. Yet it is said that Azthrogeh found the �?~Eternal Flame�?T, and that this entity that the people revere as a god taught Azthrogeh the secrets of sorcery so he might bring warmth to �?~the people�?Ts side they might live.

Little is known of the religion of the Khinqwit, for it is taboo to write the truths down and punishable by death to reveal them to others. That they worship fire in some form is known. Yet unlike other races they do not use it in warfare. Fire is regarded as a sacred thing and to knowingly extinguish a flame is a great sin. That they have magics to create and maintain fire is also known but they would never �?~bless�?T an enemy by bestowing this gift upon them. That their god requires blood is also known only too well by those unfortunates who have the misfortune to fall into their grasp, The north is a hard place and it breeds a hard people. Weakness is death, pity is weakness, only the strong survive up there.

65

Uther the unhinged:

Brief thoughts on benighted dwarfs. I suppose the easiest way to approach this is to think of the classic infernal dwarves as LoA steampunk and the benighted dwarves as a throwback to a golden age of … Big Hats! The Babylonian feel would fit. Not skullcracker steam engines but big hatred bull centaur driven whirlwinds and tenderisers. Not Dreadquake tech mortars but daemonic ass cannons. Now just need to find a home for 1st 2nd and 3rd ed cds.

66

Uther the unhinged:

More polar dwarf stuff

By reason of their geographical position and self imposed isolation the Khinqwit dwarves of the North developed separately from others of their kin. This and the sheer lack of mineral resources mean their technological level is far behind most races. This has led many to foolishly and indeed fatally underestimate them. Their animal skin clothes serve not only to keep them warm but provide remarkable protection. This is thought to come from the many small symbol carved ivory and bone charms stitched carefully into them. These are thought to provide both increased warmth but also magical protection. Similarly the long ivory knives and short bone spears should by all rights shatter against the armour of more modern cultures. Yet just as water can be hard as iron when frozen so these symbol carved weapons have a strength and sharpness well beyond that which they should. Woe betide the foe who comes across one of their leaders with bartered or stolen metal weapons! These are bedecked with charms and symbols rendering them truly terrifying in combat. Many Khinqwit carry short bows of surprising power. These symbol carved bone and sinew creations fire barbed shafts of bone with deadly accuracy over short distances. Worse still the tips are coated with some unknown poison which chills the blood of the victim. This will often kill smaller victims with just a scratch and several hits will slow even the great giant walruses that frequent the icy shores.

These �?~backward�?T dwarves have been forced to find other ways than technology to survive and as such are possibly the most accomplished of all their kin in the mtstic arts. Each group of warriors or hunters will contain a shamatheh, a lesser shaman. These shamatheh draw on the combined power of the charms in the group to weave a storm of ice and snow round them to hide them from missiles and chill their enemies. With enough warriors gathered together the shamatheh can direct blasts of icy shards at their enemies. The full shamen, the shamanatheh can whip up blinding snows or devastating ice storms, where lumps of ice as big as a helmet can crash to the ground pulverise their enemies.

However the greatest weapon of the Khinqwit is their ferocity. Warriors have been known to fight on with horrific wounds driven by a frenzy of hate.

Most contact with the Khinqwit is by the few hardy traders that travel to the edge of the Shackleless land. There they will barter metal goods for the ivory and skins the Khinqwit hunters bring. Few ever see the scattered settlements of the Khinqwit that dot the ice. Yet stories abound of great settlements far to the north of great ice carved walls and terrible rituals. Few scholars credit these wild tales. How could that desolate waste support a large population? They are only a few scattered tribes, they say. But spend time in the north among the people�?Ts who live close to the ice and you will hear tales. Tales of the darkest winters, when the wind blows from the north and the trees burst with cold. Tales of Khinqwit marching in dreadful silence. Led by Shamanatheh atop huge tusked white bears. Tales of hunting packs of great white wolves. Tales of Khwinqqigo. Terrifying creatures of snow ice and hate. Khwinqwigo, said to be the daemonic souls of Khinqwit driven to cannibalism in life called back to serve the shamanatheh. You will hear the names of settlements that were thriving before the winter snows cut them off and were found in Spring shattered empty shells, lifeless and silent. It is a tribute demanded by their god the eternal flame some say. There is nothing to be done. It is just the way of things. Anyway it is only in the coldest of winters…

67

Uther the unhinged:

Okay. Admiral wondered about Ural dwarfs in T9A. The Ural would have been situated on the wasteland created by the infernal dwarfs.

So here is some fluff ( for all you cd renegade and 1st to 3rd ed lovers.

There have been dwarves in the Khuralsh peaks for as long as anyone can remember. They were never renowned for their riches or their technological advancement. Instead they were renowned for their stubbornness and alcohol tolerance. Interestingly attributes valued equally or even slightly more than the others by dwarfs. Indeed it was said that only a Khuralshki dwarf would be drunk enough to start a starinrg contest with a statue. And only a Kuralshki dwarf would be stubborn enough to win it!

As such it was no surprise to anyone that the infernal dwarves made no progress whatsoever in their attempts to move northward through the mountains. Implacable resistance met every attempt. In the end the infernal dwarves turned their attention to easier prey.

However all that was before catastrophe that led to the waste. The infernal dwarves disastrous meddling with infernal powers devastated the land around, creating the wasteland. Sadly that was not all. The magical energies infused the great roiling dust clouds that formed. Some of these settled on the wastelands. Fine dust particles coated the Khuralsh peaks. Indeed for years afterwards the winds would sweep across the wastelands. The air would climb the the Khuralsh slopes and deposit the dust in the regular rains that watered those high peaks.

The catastrophe and the devastation it caused cut links from the outside world to the Khuralshki dwarf holds. Indeed it was well over two centuries before traders began to tread the old roads into the Khuralsh mountains from the north. What they found shocked them.

When the dust had first started to fall the Khuralshki locked their holds and huddled safe inside. Trusting to the stone and tuned to protect them. They were right to. The infernal energies saturating the dust poisoned thousands of creatures, devastating the gains of the area. Over the following months much of the Flora was affected too. The weaker annual plants just died. The hardier ones either failed to thrive or became twisted parodies of their former selves. Safe within their walls the Khuralshki ran down their stores and waited.

Eventually the dust clouds passed and life began to return to a semblance of normal. Still many of the weaker plants would not grow., or grew and died rapidly. Animals from the northern peaks and eastern slopes repopulated the area. The Khuralshki emerged unscathed. At first. Dwarfs are a resistant race, but they are long lived. Over the long years that followed the Khuralshki could not avoid the poisons that had sunk into the earth, entered the water and built up in the tissues of the animals of the Khuralsh. Even their precious �?~water of life�?T (the terrifyingly strong liquor the drank from childhood) was affected. A less hardy race would have perished. A less stubborn race, left. The Khuralshki did neither. But they did change. Confidence became arrogance. Grudges became hatreds. Independence became rebellion. The great holds were riven first by factions, then by war. Kingdoms split into territories of rival warlords. What had been a disdain for other races became a disregard. The focus of their culture became war and violence. Age was no longer revered, just strength, and alcohol tolerance of course (they were still Khuralshki after all).

Their technological advance halted as civilised society collapsed. Then the mutations began to be noticed. At first small changes, often hidden by parents. Sometimes the child was killed or abandoned in the wilds. Some changes were merely cosmetic. Others not compatible with life. Others were useful! Khuralshki arose who could master magic. Others with abnormal strength, or speed or healing. But always with the mutation came lust for power.

The collapse of order amongst the Khuralshki should have made them weak. It should have left them ripe for conquest by their infernal brethren. Easily beaten or co opted to their cause. Such ran the arguments in Zalaman Tekash. Such was the logic that drove the invasion. Their organisation, their technology, their power would crush the opposition they told their legions. Unfortunately they failed to tell the Khuralshki.

More to come later.

68

tjub:

Wow, well written Uther! :hat off

69

Uther the unhinged:

Tjub, glad you liked it. Hope you caught the polar dwarves above as well.

Round 2 now. Little update before the big event.

Unlike their southerly cousins the Khuralshki did not seek infernal power. They gloried neither in its evil nor the effects it wrought upon them. The hate that seeped into their souls they directed outwards in all directions, elf, man, greenskins or dwarf, it made no difference. Yet a special hatred was reserved for the architects of their downfall. The infernal dwarfs would find no allies in the Khuralsh mountains. True they abandoned their old gods, much as they themselves had been abandoned. Yet though their new deities gloried in warfare and bloodshed they were Khuralshki to their core. They would bow to no other. They sought not just the destruction of their traditional enemies. They sought the destruction of all powers and dominions, divine or infernal. All must be brought to glorious ruin. An eternal hate (and alcohol) fuelled storm of violence. A beautiful combat where only the strongest of will would dominate. Where the Kuralshki would stride through the chaos, masters of the revels. It was into this culture the infernal dwarfs marched so confidently.

70

Admiral:

Absolutely wonderful ideas, Uther! :cheers :hat off

Impressive to boot! You really have the vision to flesh out a full bizarre army in little time. Great brainstorming of concepts!

And now, ladies and gentlemen, it’s high time for the unhinged one. You can find a thread dedicated to the below concepts here in Chaos Dwarfs General Discussion:

[align=center]

Khuralshki Dwarves[/align]

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to go weird! To the hilt.

As you can see here, the first Chaos Dwarf concepts of the 1980s had a distinctly twisted bend, and this style has been followed up by many different miniature manufacturers who have all given their very own interpretation of this evil Dwarf aesthetic, first pioneered by Citadel Miniatures. Such as:

Darkling Games

Clam’s Ewal Dvergar

Four A Miniatures

Macrocosm

Oldhammer Miniatures by Andrew Taylor

Ral Partha

Wood Axe

Oldschool Miniatures

This style is only loosely based on historical armour suits and weapons, and is not founded on any particular culture. This won’t do for the Ninth Age, and so here is a proposal from me: But much more from Uther the unhinged, who is a true fantasy visionary that can imagine whole bizarre armies filled with strange units at sweeping pace, and moreover have the writing skills to describe them in a thrilling manner. We both would like to see Oldhammer style Infernal Dwarves given a place of their own in the rich Ninth Age setting, and so we have gripped a crowbar to get one in on the map, in the hopes that T9A background developers picks up on it.

[align=center][/align]

The basic concept is one of a tragic post-apocalyptic landscape in the heart of the Wasteland, and of a mountain range that has been all but forgotten it existed by other races than Dwarves. The historical basis is loosely that of Udmurts and the Chuvash people of the Urals, and of Russia in general, though truly Dwarven in possessing full plate armour and other technologies. I will let Uther describe the strangeness:

There have been Dwarves in the Khuralsh peaks for as long as anyone can remember. They were never renowned for their riches or their technological advancement. Instead they were renowned for their stubbornness and alcohol tolerance. Interestingly attributes valued equally or even slightly more than the others by Dwarves. Indeed it was said that only a Khuralshki dwarf would be drunk enough to start a starinrg contest with a statue. And only a Kuralshki Dwarf would be stubborn enough to win it!

As such it was no surprise to anyone that the infernal dwarves made no progress whatsoever in their attempts to move northward through the mountains. Implacable resistance met every attempt. In the end the Infernal Dwarves turned their attention to easier prey.

However all that was before catastrophe that led to the waste. The Infernal Dwarves disastrous meddling with infernal powers devastated the land around, creating the wasteland. Sadly that was not all. The magical energies infused the great roiling dust clouds that formed. Some of these settled on the wastelands. Fine dust particles coated the Khuralsh peaks. Indeed for years afterwards the winds would sweep across the wastelands. The air would climb the the Khuralsh slopes and deposit the dust in the regular rains that watered those high peaks.

The catastrophe and the devastation it caused cut links from the outside world to the Khuralshki dwarf holds. Indeed it was well over two centuries before traders began to tread the old roads into the Khuralsh mountains from the north. What they found shocked them.

When the dust had first started to fall the Khuralshki locked their holds and huddled safe inside. Trusting to the stone and tuned to protect them. They were right to. The infernal energies saturating the dust poisoned thousands of creatures, devastating the gains of the area. Over the following months much of the flora was affected too. The weaker annual plants just died. The hardier ones either failed to thrive or became twisted parodies of their former selves. Safe within their walls the Khuralshki ran down their stores and waited.

Eventually the dust clouds passed and life began to return to a semblance of normal. Still many of the weaker plants would not grow, or grew and died rapidly. Animals from the northern peaks and eastern slopes repopulated the area. The Khuralshki emerged unscathed. At first. Dwarves are a resistant race, but they are long lived. Over the long years that followed the Khuralshki could not avoid the poisons that had sunk into the earth, entered the water and built up in the tissues of the animals of the Khuralsh. Even their precious �?~water of life�?T (the terrifyingly strong liquor the drank from childhood) was affected. A less hardy race would have perished. A less stubborn race, left. The Khuralshki did neither. But they did change. Confidence became arrogance. Grudges became hatreds. Independence became rebellion. The great holds were riven first by factions, then by war. Kingdoms split into territories of rival warlords. What had been a disdain for other races became a disregard. The focus of their culture became war and violence. Age was no longer revered, just strength, and alcohol tolerance of course (they were still Khuralshki after all).

Their technological advance halted as civilised society collapsed. Then the mutations began to be noticed. At first small changes, often hidden by parents. Sometimes the child was killed or abandoned in the wilds. Some changes were merely cosmetic. Others not compatible with life. Others were useful! Khuralshki arose who could master magic. Others with abnormal strength, or speed or healing. But always with the mutation came lust for power.

The collapse of order amongst the Khuralshki should have made them weak. It should have left them ripe for conquest by their infernal brethren. Easily beaten or co opted to their cause. Such ran the arguments in Zalaman Tekash. Such was the logic that drove the invasion. Their organisation, their technology, their power would crush the opposition they told their legions. Unfortunately they failed to tell the Khuralshki.

Unlike their southerly cousins the Khuralshki did not seek infernal power. They gloried neither in its evil nor the effects it wrought upon them. The hate that seeped into their souls they directed outwards in all directions, elf, man, greenskins or dwarf, it made no difference. Yet a special hatred was reserved for the architects of their downfall. The Infernal Dwarves would find no allies in the Khuralsh mountains. True, they abandoned their old gods, much as they themselves had been abandoned. Yet though their new deities gloried in warfare and bloodshed they were Khuralshki to their core. They would bow to no other. They sought not just the destruction of their traditional enemies. They sought the destruction of all powers and dominions, divine or infernal. All must be brought to glorious ruin. An eternal hate (and alcohol) fuelled storm of violence. A beautiful combat where only the strongest of will would dominate. Where the Kuralshki would stride through the chaos, masters of the revels. It was into this culture the infernal dwarfs marched so confidently.

The catastrophe that created the wasteland virtually cut off the Khuralsh mountains. As the world reeled from the disaster the Khuralshki Dwarves were forgotten. Indeed the younger races even began to leave the mountains off their maps. Soon only the Dwarves remembered their kin (there were grudges to settle after all). Even their cousins did not think the Khuralshki could survive. Surrounded by the wasteland. Assailed by daemons. Cut off by the followers of the Dark Gods. Surely they could not survive. Surely even the Khuralshki would have to leave their homeland or perish. When no Khuralshki came out the worst was assumed. But as Wartrob Iron Tooth (the legendary Orc big boss) once remarked after a failed Waaaargh against the Khuralshki: �?oDem stunties is too stoopid to no wen dey is ded.�?�

The Khuralshki did not flee. They did not die. But they did change.

The fate of the Khuralshki was unknown until fairly recently. Traders seeking a northerly route to the east (avoiding the Infernal Dwarves) came across the northernmost Khuralsh peaks. These seemed to be spared from the devastation of the wasteland to the South. Explorers began entering them to see if the could provide a route south and east into Augea. Few came out. Those that did spike of the change wrought in the Khuralski and shivered at the thought of a return. This was no safe route to Augea and Tsuandan.

Thus it was that their infernal cousins learned of the Khuralskis’ survival. Surely theses Dwarves could be cajoled or forced to join the empire. A bastion of Infernal Dwarves in the Khuralsh could make the Wasteland passable. The lure of access to the sea of storms and the possibilities that it raised were tempting.

The plan was long in formenting. Access through various Ogre Khans’ territory needed to be negotiated. Favours offered, bribes paid. Similarly deals were struck with various warlords sworn to the Dark Gods. This did not prevent all skirmishing or indeed Daemon assaults. Yet it was enough to allow the army access across the narrow stretch of Wasteland and the relative sanctuary of the lower Khuralsh slopes.

Their first objective reached, the Infernal force paused. Earthwork fortresses were constructed. Their Daemonic machines repaired and stores established. All the while the higher peaks overlooked them in inscrutable silence.

To be continued.

Uther the unhinged
[align=center]

Great Eagle Assaults Khuralshki Dwarf[/align]
Couple more thoughts on Khuralski sorcerers:

They Khuralshki refused the daemon binding route taken by the ID. Instead they chose a different route. The Sorcerors developed tunic collars, placed round a slaves neck they provided control. The simplest constrict on a command word and are made by the acolytes to control and train the great bears, trolls and skin wolves. The more complex made by the Soulbinder sorcerors are linked to golden runic bracelets. These allow construction but also a degree of direct control telepathically. These are used for the ogres and captured sorcerors of the dark gods. This enables Khuralshki Soulbinder sorcerors to wield great power and avoid the sorcerors curse. Of course only lesser sorcerors can be so controlled and only one per Khuralski lord. Death of the lord frees the bound souls but they are too damaged by the trauma and are driven mad lashing out at friend or foe or just sitting stuporose.

What do you think?

Uther the unhinged
Please share your thoughts, ideas and criticism for this corrupted Dwarf proposal! We’d love to hear it.

I have neither time nor intention of turning this into a Homebrew army book, though others are of course more than welcome to do so! :slight_smile:

And now, get thinkin’, and get thinkin’ in weird ways…

Cheers

Reference Images:





[align=center][/align]

71

Admiral:

Twin posting in this thread, which is dedicated to the discussion of Infernal Dwarves of the Barren Mountains and their vicious sidekicks. :wink:

[align=center]

Kundrocerian Hobgoblin Wolf Rider[/align]

My colleague tjub asked for Hobgoblins to go along with the Infernal Dwarves of the Barren Mountains, so here goes a remnant of fantasy Cimmerians, with cues taken from the Andronovo and Koban archaeological cultures, settled in the fantasy equivalent of the steppe inlands of Anatolia (which attracted Turkic nomads following the battle for Manzikert):

The steppes of Vetia and Augea are nowadays largely dominated by Makhar Humans and Ogre tribes, with Hobgoblins being a persistent but minor part of this volatile, shifting landscape. It was not always such. The very first true lords of the steppes were Hobgoblins, for it was they who first mastered mounted combat and spread terror far and wide with their wolf chariots and riders. The Fourth Age, that ruinous age of iron and barbarity, saw Orcs and Goblins rise like a savage tide in Vetia, and their Hobgoblin cousins were likewise ascendant on the vast steppes in the inlands of Vetia and Augea. Later on, the Hobgoblins were overshadowed by Ogres and Humans, but the Fourth Age were their absolute peak of dominance on the steppes. Yet Hobgoblin ascendancy predates this age, for the very first hordes of mounted steppe nomads appeared during the late Third Age, when their chariots and later wolf riders struck terror into western Augea and pillaged far afield. The warlike exploits of these most ancient of Hobgoblin tribes were the subject of alarm and fear during their heyday, and echoes of this chaos and scare still lives on in scattered legends and surviving writings, in the shape of odd tribal names and short descriptions of war and fabulously unlikely conquest of cities by cunning Hobgoblins armed with bronze weapons.

[align=center][/align]

While the original tribal confederacies that ravaged the late Third Age are long gone, leftovers from this initial age of greatness still lingers in the steppe-like inland of Minor Augea, for here the Kundrocerian Hobgoblins roam the small steppe, serving as vassals to the Infernal Dwarves of the Barren Mountains and clashing with local enemies such as Vermin Swarms, Orcs and Goblins, as well as Avrasian and Chiomarean Humans.

The many varied landscapes of Minor Augea are home to several archaic remnants from earlier ages, who have managed to preserve much of their ancient way of life and war. The Kundrocerians are the most archaic, and their tribes are still alive and kicking as ruthless slavers, raiders and ambushers; an echo of great invasions during bygone ages of ruin, still sporting wolf chariots and ravenous riders with devious cunning in their quivers and cruelty in their eyes.

Please share your thoughts, criticism and ideas on this Hobgoblin sidekick proposal for the fantasy Hittite Infernal Dwarves of the Barren Mountains. :slight_smile:

Cheers

Reference images:















72

Admiral:

[align=center]

The Infernal Dwarf Captain and the Stone Ship, by Karhemaq Telltongue[/align]

There was once an Infernal Dwarf captain serving aboard an ironclad warship. He was a cruel soul hungering for the chance to domineer and crush others underhoof. He was also known for his tenacity, and many believed that he would let nothing stop him once he had put his mind to the task.

One day, the lookout of this Infernal Dwarf’s ironclad caught sight of one of our stone ships, flying the banners of Kegiz Gavem in broad daylight. The captain of the steel ship was gripped by a desire to board or sink this enemy vessel, and so he roared out orders on deck and set to the task of sea warfare with vomiting smokestacks. Paddle wheels steamed him closer, swinging in for a broadside, and he ordered his crew to open up with artillery fire.

Yet the Infernal Dwarf had the worst of this duel, and our barrage worsted him. And so he roared out orders to board us. Paddle wheels steamed him closer, and grappling hooks gripped our stout railing. And he ordered his crew to assault us.

Yet the Infernal Dwarf had the worst of this combat, and our warriors worsted him. And so he roared out orders to disengage and ram us instead. Paddle wheels backed water for him, and then steamed him onward at full speed. And he ordered his crew to brace for impact.

Yet the Infernal Dwarf had the worst of this ramming action, and our rock hull worsted him so badly that his metal hull creaked and ripped open as rivets popped. And the whole ironclad sank with all hands, except for the Infernal Dwarf captain.

And so he swam toward us, and our merciful warriors produced a rope-ladder for him to climb and thus save his life if he swore to surrender to the victors of naval battle.

Yet the enraged Infernal Dwarf captain refused this offer, and instead started to crash his horned head against our carved stone hull like a mad bull, throwing himself against floating rock again and again until his horns broke and his skull cracked and his brains burst. And so we left the Infernal Dwarf’s corpse dishonourably for the sharks to devour. For stubbornness is a virtue, but stupidity is a sin.

- The Infernal Dwarf Captain and the Stone Ship, by Karhemaq Telltongue, mutilated war veteran and author of fables in Kegiz Gavem

73

Admiral:

[align=center]

Dwarf of Nevaz Derom[/align]

Ladies and gentlemen, let’s sprinkle some gold into the world of the Ninth Age. Glittering gold.

Eastmost of the three great Dwarven Holds of the White Mountains in Vetia, we find Nevaz Derom. Given its location, which corresponds to the Carpathians of Europe, I propose that the Dwarves of Nevaz Derom and all her daughter holds in the area be based on ancient Dacians. This historical people were famous for their gold mines, their mountain fortresses, their curved falx swords, their wolf-topped draco standards and their wars against Rome which have been immortalized in Trajanus’ triumphal column.

Aesthetically, basing Nevaz Derom on ancient Dacia brings with it advantages outside the scope of the Dacian basis in and of itself: For the prevalent scale armour, high helmets and curved swords all nods to the Infernal Dwarves farther east, which ought to suit the easternmost of the three great Dwarven Holds in Vetia. It also give a good excuse for wolf pelts and fangs, and lupine iconography in the Dwarves’ handicraft designs. Moreover, with ancient Dacia being stylistically influenced by the Roman and Greek Mediterranean world, we find here - if anywhere - a decent Dwarf culture candidate to feature designs reminiscent of the ancient (or mediaeval) Roman Empire, particularly given Nevaz Derom’s close proximity to Avras. As with the proposed Dwarven Holds of the Maidens (T9A Celts) and the Crimson Peaks (T9A Celtiberians), Nevaz Derom is fully a part of the Vetian Dwarves’ world of shared high technology, and moreover Nevaz Derom would be a bustling industrial centre of science and invention in its own right unlike the two mentioned peripheral regions. So its arsenal would be the standard Dwarven Hold one.

And of course, Nevaz Derom would be famous for its gold mines and its goldsmiths, and its people and warriors would sport plenty of golden art about their persons.



Dînadan on Deviantart this proposal to share, which makes a lot of sense given Nevaz Derom’s proximity to Avras:

One idea - how about instead of wolves they use something like moles or other such subterranean creatures in their iconography?

Not up on 9th Age lore, but does there exist the same animosity between dwarves and ratmen as between WH Dwarfs and Skaven? Maybe they could even be ratman pelts?

Dinadan-Ermorfea
While Mercenary Armies on T9A had this to share. Seeker nest like Karak Kadrin ahoy?
I wrote this about Nevaz Derom

"4. The Gates of Nevaz Derom

The old great iron eastern gates of the white mountains are still able to protect the Nevaz Derom pass and access to the heart of the territories of the strongholds.

At the time of their construction, the gates were able to open mechanically and were heavily armed. Despite the extraordinary structural defense, the gates fell against the astuteness of the Rat Legions. The gates serve as a wall and fortress, no longer moving, and as a stronghold of the Path of Revenge, the famous crested dwarf brotherhood."

. it fits with a Dacian style, defeated by romans / rats legions.
for me is a good starting point. we should try to find a name and a good bg for characters. Decebalo but dwarvish version.

the Path of Revenge is a project to make an army out of Fireslayers/Seekers

Mercenary Armies
While Thunderförge on Bugman’s Brewery had this idea:
I wonder if the concave blade could be applied to an axe in the Dacian style? Like back to back crescent moons with a handle?
I�?Tve always considered that axes are such a deep part of dwarf psyche that they transgress cultural stylings.

Thunderförge
Please share your ideas, comments and criticism for this quick Dwarven culture proposal. :slight_smile:

Reference images:











74

Admiral:

[align=center]

Dwarven Hold of Nevaz Barim[/align]

The central of the three great Dwarven Holds of Vetia’s White Mountains, namely Nevaz Barim and her surrounding lesser daughter Holds, could be based on south Germanic tribes. Both Celtic and Germanic styles have always went along well with Dwarven designs, and the sheer warlike nature of the ancient Germanic tribes will always make for a ferocious combination with wrathful fantasy Dwarves. Nevaz Barim’s arsenal would entirely be that of the bread and butter Dwarven Hold army list, yet the craft designs would be distinct from its neighbours. Suebian knots would certainly feature! Ancient south Germanic tribes did not sport as strongly distinctive styles of their own, as the Nordic peoples of Vendel and Viking age Scandinavia did. South Germanic tribes sported visual influence from Celtic, Dacian, Roman and, to a lesser degree, later also Hunnic styles. Still, some distinctive styles can be picked up along the way, ready for fantasy duty in Dwarf armour: Some Marcomannic shields shapes, Migration Era Germanic shield bosses, ornate Anglo-Saxon helmets (based on spangenhelms) and some Merovingian jewelry.

Nevaz Barim could have a close ancestral connection to Northern Dwarves, made distant by the passage of many Ages, to the point where their Northern kin view them as but yet another southerner people of Dwarrows, with no special bonds between them. The Dwarves of Nevaz Barim (and her daughter Holds) could have a particularly warlike reputation, sporting an unusually large number of Grudge conflicts with other Dwarves, and indeed with each other, aside from a bloodthirsty record of wars again other races. They are fractious yet strong. Foreigners who have come to know the denizens of Nevaz Barim closely, all tend to conclude that these Dwarves are not primarily interested in gains and victory at the end of the day, but instead they wage war for the sake of war itself.

Nevaz Barim could be particularly famous for its iron mines, steel works and mighty fine weaponry; while its eastern neighbour Nevaz Derom is best known for its gold.



Please share your ideas, comments and criticism for this quick Dwarven culture proposal. :slight_smile:

Reference images (concept drawing partially inspired by Sergio Artigas’ Lotr artwork of Ironfists):



















75

Admiral:

These artworks have been kindly created for T9A by Igor Levchenko, being a concept series of Gavemites. Igor Levchenko has a deft hand at painting suggestive concept artworks full of vigour and an antique painterly impression.

Check out his Deviantart gallery and leave him a comment if you like!

[align=center]Kegiz Gavem Concept Artwork by Igor Levchenko[/align]

Artwork by Igor Levchenko, being a concept for geological patterns of body paint of Gavemites, whose affinity to stone is renowned.

[align=center][/align]

[align=center]Kegiz Gavem Concept Art by Igor Levchenko: C Series (Robes)[/align]

[align=center]

C Mood Painting: Proclamation Against Infernal Dwarves



Concept C1



Concept C2



Concept C3



Concept C4[/align]

[align=center]Kegiz Gavem Concept Art by Igor Levchenko: D Series (Sickle swords)[/align]

[align=center]

D Mood Painting



Concept D1



Concept D2[/align]

Yes, that’s a vertebra-shaped pommel, supposedly made from colorful stone.

Igor Levchenko
[align=center]

Concept D3: Stepdance[/align]
I envisioned him as a sailor, a naval

Igor Levchenko
[align=center]

Concept D4



Concept D5



Concept D6[/align]

76

Admiral:

[align=center]

Tribal fight in the northwest Barren Mountains[/align]

The Caucasus Mountains are famous for harbouring many different peoples since ancient times, with tribes barely being in contact with the others in the next valley. While the open steppes of Central Asia provided the perfect stomping grounds for nomadic conquerors to forge new peoples through an ethnogenesis of the winners take it all (for as long as they keeps winning), mountainous Caucasus instead provided shelter for the weak, and preserved them for long ages in highlands which were hard to access and easy to defend.

In the Ninth Age world map, we may note that the Barren Mountains project straight west across the peninsula which we for the moment will call Minor Augea, terminating but a short distance from Avras (it is warmly recommended to check out the environs of Avras map by HKYUGOK). Taking a cue from the Caucasus’ conserving effect and taking it two steps further, it may be proposed that the Barren Mountains host a plethora of different tribes and realms (the strongest of which would be the Hittite-equivalent Infernal Dwarf kingdom of the Barren Mountains), many of which have preserved not only their lives, identity and language, but also many forms of dress and warfare which have elsewhere long since become outdated.

The region is fractious and warlike, with endless feuds, cattle raids and petty conflicts brewing between tribes and states. Here is a proposal for some tribes and statelets which could be found in and around the northwestern Barren Mountains, and on the northern peninsula, which could be a local Human strongpoint in a region not at all dominated by Humans. By no means an exhaustive list, this is more to get the ball rolling and hopefully flesh out more later on:

[align=center][/align]

The three particular tribal groups from the northwestern Barren Mountains, depicted in the drawing up top, are the Human Chiomareans (T9A Galatians), Orc & Goblin Karkuwiyans (T9A Karians) and Vermin Swarm Ezorians (T9A Isaurians), who all have survived through the ravages of warlike ages in their respective mountainous landscapes, ever poor highlanders and martial raiders. At the very least they could be recycled for Fourth-Fifth Age duty, but the primary intent here is to spice up the Renaissance setting with more ancient and dark age stuff on the periphery (something which Warhammer Fantasy has too little of, brilliant as it otherwise is).

The Chiomarean Human tribes in this proposal are fantasy equivalents of the Galatians who migrated into Minor Asia after taking part of a lengthy bout of conquest and raiding through what is now the Balkans. These famously warlike Celts were employed as mercenaries in the Hellenistic successor states, and particularly so in Ptolemaic Egypt, which has been brilliantly illustrated by the late master Angus McBride. Being an ancient remnant sheltered in poor highlands, such Chiomareans could be an excuse for those wanting to whip out an ancient Celtic Human fantasy army in the Ninth Age (see de Witte’s ongoing Albion marathon for Briton WHFB inspiration).

The Karkuwiyan Orc & Goblin tribes are in turn based on the Karians of southwestern Minor Asia. Greeks described Karians as inventors of vertical crested helmets (jocularly branding them as cocks) and the shield handles which the ancient Hellenes themselves used, as well as skilled metalworkers and weaponsmiths. The fractious Karians (possibly descendants of Luwians) once inhabited the rich coastlands at the Aegean Sea, but were pushed up into the mountains by Ionian settlers. Derided as typical barbarians by the Greeks, we can take the Karians and make an Orc & Goblin fantasy version of them. Indeed pushed out into the highlands, and with a richer past golden age to look back to, the Karkuwiyan remain fierce warriors and rather skilled craftsmen for making their instruments of war, especially so by Orc & Goblin standards. This is a chance to get some ancient Second Age (Bronze Age) flowering of Orc & Goblin high culture under Akrübad the great Orc into the setting’s history, still hanging around up in the highlands as a tribal remnant.

The Ezorian Vermin Swarm tribes are in turn based on the Isaurian highlanders of southern Anatolia, who proved a raiding bandit nuisance to Roman Anatolia even through late antiquity. The Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th century risked becoming too dependant on Gothic manpower for its armies in the long wake of the disaster at Adrianople, yet emperor Leo I solved this issue by turning to the realm’s native Isaurians instead (afterward, Illyria, and then Armenia provided the bulk of military manpower for Constantinople’s Roman armies). Poor, warlike and used to harsh living like almost all highlanders, the Isaurian tribesmen were perfect recruits for the Eastern Roman army. Given the Byzantine link, it’s a given that the Ezorians should be tribal and impoverished Vermin Swarm living on marginal land, happy to raid and ever a supply of martial manpower for Vermin Tyrants. Much of their dwellings and territory could be subterranean, but there are nevertheless always bounty and land to be had on the surface of the world as well.

There are a lot of colourful warlike peoples throughout history which are begging for a fantasy treatment in the most detailed historically based fantasy setting ever conceived to this day. The Ninth Age have the chance to grab them and make for a truly caleidoscopic patchwork setting, that will keep people coming back looking for more: More small-scale down-to-earth fiction (in comparison to more high-flying magitech settings), but also more over-the-top fantasy concepts rooted in history, folklore and mythology. My firm advice is that you grab the torch carried by Tolkien and Warhammer with a strong hand, and run much further with it than has ever been seen before.

Please share your ideas, comments and criticism for this quick background proposal, folks. :slight_smile:

Reference images:



See also: New Faction Proposals

77

Admiral:

[align=center]

Dwarf of Nevaz Vanez[/align]

The westmost of the three great Dwarven Holds in the White Mountains is Nevaz Vanez. This Dwarven powerhouse, along with its surrounding lesser daughter Holds, could be based on the ancient Celtic tribe of Helvetians, and by extension Switzerland. This proposal is borne out of Nevaz Vanez’ location in Vetia (T9A Europe), and is likwise the logical conclusion of this proposal arc for the White Mountains, with the eastmost Dwarven Hold, Nevaz Derom, being fantasy Dacian, and the middle Hold of Nevaz Barim being south Germanic . That leaves the western slot of the White Mountains on the world map as Celtic, or Swiss. Preferably both.

Nevaz Vanez could have a close ancestral connection to the (smaller) Dwarven Holds of the Maidens (T9A Celts) and the Crimson Peaks (T9A Celtiberians). Furthermore, Nevaz Vanez would be particularly famous for its copper mines, bronze casting and proficiency with spears in war. In peacetime, it is also known among Human merchants for its finance and banks, and indeed Nevaz Vanez is in more frequent contact with outsiders than any other Hold in Vetia (though it is still highly insular with letting foreigners into the Hold proper ). Nevaz Vanez is situated on a mountainous, and partly subterranean, crossroad between Equitaine, Sonnstahl and western Arcalea, from which it derives some wealth as an overland trading hub despite the arduous ascent. The warriors of Nevaz Vanez are often busy patrolling these trade routes, manning fortified waystations and scouring the mountainsides (often on skis) in order to keep the routes secure for caravans.

The Dwarves of Nevaz Vanez sport state of the art engineering and precision craftsmanship second to none, being the original inventors of both mail armour and clockwork mechanisms. All three great Dwarven Holds of the White Mountains are hotbeds of industry and advanced engineering, and the engineers of Nevaz Vanez have a reputation for being the very best and most creative inventors, albeit they are also known and scorned for being the most eccentric and prone to come up with newfangled designs of dubious merit in the eyes of their fellow Dwarves.

[align=center][/align]

Please share your ideas, comments and criticism for this quick Dwarven culture proposal. :slight_smile:

Reference images:







See also: New Faction Proposals

78

Uther the unhinged:

Ok, given other areas probably most fun in going down the Swiss route

Therefore spear phalanxes tick

Crossbows tick

Super accurate clockwork powered over complicated clockwork crossbows much better than dark elf but more likely to just explode in shower of cogs tick

Small dwarfs with massive oversized two handed axes hidden like gob fanatics in spear phalanxes ready to jump out and create minor havoc tick

Giant clockwork �?~ornithopter�?T birds ( May look a bit like cuckoos?) to carry begoggled rider heroes tick

Clockwork animals (cows) that charge into the enemy causing huge damage then explode for some more (mobile mines) tick

Dwarfs atop stepladders to blow obscenely huge alpine horns for massive morale effects tick

Massive clockwork over complicated bizarre terrain piece multifaceted Miri pendulum clock that can affect the very running of time (eg double move, double attack/ half move half attack ) or alternatively just explode under the weight of its own impossibility. Tick

Just some ramblings

79

Admiral:

@Uther the unhinged: Nice ideas as ever! Shared them on T9A. :slight_smile:

Preamble: The ancient Roman army is well renowned for its professionalism and organization, which included milites medici, that is field surgeons and medical staff. These medical services ensured that Legionnaires sported an average longer lifespan than most people in the classical empire, with most Legionnaires surviving their long service to settle down in veteran colonies.

Although horribly battered by plagues, invasions, depopulation, loss of provinces and constant war on multiple fronts, the mediaeval Roman (Byzantine) civilization still carried this torch of professionalism, its flame diminished but unquenched. The Romans alone trained their armies professionally in an age when all of its foes depended on a core of warrior nobles and levies (or a steady stream of religious fanatics come to attack infidels; see Cilicia), and as such the Byzantines were capable of a far wider repertoire of practiced military maneuvers than any of its enemies were. The ancient Roman practice of constructing marching camps was likewise kept up, albeit not to the old high standards and not as frequently; as was the imperial riding courier system with its stables and remounts; as well as the new institution of warning beacons atop mountain tops capable of warning Constantinople of enemy raiders at the border in record time.

One such streak of ancient Roman professionalism which survived the decline and ravages of the Dark Ages was its field surgery and military medicine. Indeed the Byzantines further developed this classical heritage by pioneering hospitals, and we know that their armies included deputatoi, that is paramedics whose duty it was to take wounded soldiers back to the field surgeons rapidly. I once stumbled across an intriguing mention that at least some deputatoi sported horses with a ladder hanging down one flank, for the injured to grab hold of as he was rushed back to camp from the battlefield.

Which takes us to this proposal for the Ratmen of fallen Avras, of no interest for army lists but for background stories:

[align=center]

Vermin Swarm Medical Deputy[/align]

The Vermin Tyrants would seem to be callous about spending their teeming manpower given its high rate of renewal, yet in fact a common medical institution exist among the Vermin Swarm of Vetia which tend to dampen the very worst die-off from attrition and battle. Highly trained specialists such as Rakachit Machinists and professional soldiers such as Vermin Guards are given the highest priority by the Medical Deputies who retrieve wounded warriors from the field, with lesser Vermin often left to die or to be eaten by their hungry kin when casualties are overwhelming. Part of the camp followers but much more prestigious than porters, Medical Deputies can be seen tugging along abominable rats almost the size of cattle. These beasts sport a harness with a short ladder to which wounded can cling (or be bound)), as the Deputy runs alongside his pack animal at high speed. In this fashion Medical Deputies transport wounded from the battlefield to the camp surgeons, thus saving many Vermin lives by their swift actions.

Yet sinister rumours claim that many wounded rat warriors who are written off as dying en route back to camp, or while being administered medical treatment, are in fact smuggled out to shady meatsnatchers. Some claim that corrupt Medical Deputies sell off their wounded on the side, while others claim that both doctors and runners are in on the clandestine action. Whatever the exact nature of this trade in injured bodies, the main suspects as to buyers are those flesh-wreaking freaks who will balk at nothing to acquire living matter for their next insane experiment. It is much safer for the Medical Deputies to sell off wounded Slaves, Rats at Arms and similar low-priority personnel, than to snitch more high-ranking Vermin. Yet even so, greed and daring sometimes combine to see a respectable Rat finding himself shackled on the madman’s table, or in his breeding pens…

80

Admiral:

[align=center]�?<�?<

Vermin Swarm Mutiny[/align]

Vermin Tyrant Etzakoulos Skritchattik the Perfect was torn apart by his own troops following a lost battle east of fallen Avras. The majority of his forces managed to retreat most shamefully intact, outrunning their Human pursuers during a lengthy chase. When Etzakoulos finally had rallied his exhausted and ragged soldiers, he proceeded to high-handedly harangue them and blame the entire defeat upon their cowardice and moral flaws. The fuming Etzakoulos went on at length, and after a while he started to relish the sound of his own voice chittering with righteous fury. And so he speaked, and speaked, and speaked, heaping abuse upon his entire army and singling out every single unit under his command to criticize them in particular in scornful detail.

Inititially, the wet and stinking Vermin were overcome with shame and self-loathing, but this soon changed into indignant wrath at the presumptuous and insulting speech of their commander. Glares and angry hisses shot out from the armed crowd, growing more numerous and threatening by the minute. Yet no one dared to lift a finger in defiance while Etzakoulos�?< Skritchattik the Perfect stood surrounded by his lethal Vermin Guard, who knew their continued high pay and outrageous privileges depended upon the survival of the warlord. Yet Etzakoulos�?< managed to trample even his fierce bodyguard under his waggling tongue, spitting toward them and calling them the "gilded scum of the earth, those pampered litter-kin gelded of both manhood and tail."

After exchanging murderous sideway glances, the Vermin Guard suddenly�?< stepped backward and left a wide, open semicircle around the babbling Vermin Tyrant Etzakoulos. Taking this cue, the rank and file Rats-at-Arms immediately seized the opportunity to rush forward in a screeching wave and tear their hated leader to tiny bits, which they then fed to a swarm of Giant Rats, who were then maimed of all four legs and piled in a heap. This nightmare mound of screeching rodents containing the devoured remains of Etzakoulos�?< were then scorched to cinders and blackened bones by Naphtha Throwers, and their ashes were heaped in a dung pit.

Thus perished�?< Vermin Tyrant Etzakoulos Skritchattik the Perfect�?< by the hands of his own host.