A more “conceptual question” knowing the overall way the chaos dwarf society works. i.e , and how they revolve around daemons, sorcery and machinery.
Do you think that something “similar” to Dwarf Slayers could exist?
By slayer I mean the concept of slayers as in WFB. Or are those two concepts opposed? Now I think about it I am not even sure that the concept of Oath is still existing in the CD’s society as what we have for Dwarves.
I would be hapy to hear your take on that and why you think so !
Certainly not. Backgroundwise, the Infernal Guard fill the niche that Slayers would have occupied. Infernal Guards are shamed outcasts locked in iron to serve their masters, denied the release of death that free Dwarfs could have attained as Slayers. Chaos Dwarfs are slaves to their overlords, and their masters want lasting resources (thus heavily armoured), not naked freemen throwing away themselves at enemy lines.
Free Dwarfs may take the Slayer Oath when oaths are broken and their stout minds break down. Unfree Chaos Dwarfs may only serve their masters as vassals and slaves, and shoulder their inner pain for the sake of unflinching hierarchy and dark empire.
No free will. No personal release from searing shame. No individual rights trumping the decrees of their superiors.
Only duty and sacrifice.
All for Hashut! :hashut
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Infernal Guards by Ravenswood.[/align]
But there sure are lots of potential for Chaos Dwarf berzerkers of all different kinds, even if they aren’t Slayers by a long shot!
In T9A, enter the Disciples of Lughar. Daemonically possessed fanatic berzerkers on fire. Here reverse-engineered into WHFB K’daai Cultist by Helblindi:
A more "conceptual question" knowing the overall way the chaos dwarf society works. i.e , and how they revolve around daemons, sorcery and machinery.
Do you think that something "similar" to Dwarf Slayers could exist?
By slayer I mean the concept of slayers as in WFB. Or are those two concepts opposed? Now I think about it I am not even sure that the concept of Oath is still existing in the CD's society as what we have for Dwarves.
I would be hapy to hear your take on that and why you think so !
Parish
Hey Parish,
well technically I think a similar idea works very well for Chaos Dwarfs. Chaos Dwarfs put high emphasis on social standing (see this whole big hat thing) and have a strong sense for honour and oaths, albeit a very twisted one. So an oathbreaker would have a hard time in Chaos Dwarf society, they are not backstabbing hobgoblins afterall! But I would say they chose quite a different path from taking a slayer oath. They have the Legion of Azgorh, so basically a penal colony. If a Chaos Dwarfs loses face, he literally hides it behing a mask until his deeds wash his shame away.
Certainly not. Backgroundwise, the Infernal Guard fill the niche that Slayers would have occupied. Infernal Guards are shamed outcasts locked in iron to serve their masters, denied the release of death that free Dwarfs could have attained as Slayers. Chaos Dwarfs are slaves to their overlords, and their masters want lasting resources (thus heavily armoured), not naked freemen throwing away themselves at enemy lines.
Free Dwarfs may take the Slayer Oath when oaths are broken and their stout minds break down. Unfree Chaos Dwarfs may only serve their masters as vassals and slaves, and shoulder their inner pain for the sake of unflinching hierarchy and dark empire.
No free will. No personal release from searing shame. No individual rights trumping the decrees of their superiors.
Only duty and sacrifice.
All for Hashut! :hashut
Admiral
Good point, Chaos Dwarfs are simply not "free" enough to become Slayers. So the underlying concept, that certain deeds are so grave, that the perpetrator cannot remain a part of society, is also present in Chaos Dwarfs, but the consequences are quite different.
I agree with Admiral that the concept would be alien to cds as such. But it does depend on what you think an analog of slayers might be. If you regard them as fanatic beserkers driven by their devotion to seek death in the name of their cause then their is a role. Disgraced cds in LoA but fanatical devotees of Hashed driven by their devotion. A society as strict and rule bound as cds is bound to have misfits. Possibly they could be disposed of possibly their impulsivity/ferocity lack of control could be refocused in service of Hashut. With such a small population it would make sense not to waste any dwarf power. You could see them as reverved holy fools/beserkers. The touched of Hashut if you like. Never expected to live long. Just released upon the enemy or into the wilds so they may serve some purpose. Of course some might live…and mighty scary they would be.
slayers no they know nothing of honnor . however something like slayers that go out to capture demons or monsters for slaves or mages yep . Or bezzerkers of some reliuse type mixture between vikings and nazerities
Ultimately, the liberating thing about an absence of background for Chaos Dwarfs (and the Legion of Azgorh too) is that you can decided for yourself. It’s one of the great things that caused Hand of Hashut and Chaos Dwarfs Online to both flourish (the latter, clearly, still going).
Whilst the Legion of Azgorh definitely turns failures into indentured servant-warriors, there’s nothing to say that others wouldn’t take to battle as berserkers either. Maybe the reasoning would be different to the normal duardin or dwarfs, it may be less about a broken oath or big shame that needs appeasing through valorous deeds and glorious death, and may be a lot more to do with having been taken over by the daemons bound to their weapons or possessed by the souls in their armour and driven to madness (a madness that makes them keen to slay to get rid of the voices and the cold aches of the semi-departed and to run into battle armourless to be free of their cloying affect on the Chaos Dwarf’s body and soul) or maybe some hobgoblins got a stash of warpstone powder into the Dawi Zharr’s food or it’s a warrior acolyte trying to prove himself worthy of Hashut’s mighty watch before donning armour and weapons upon approval. There’s a thousand reasons and oaths could be one, but it’s entirely up to you. I have a few more vague ideas floating in my head - but the concept doesn’t work for me trying to complete a whole army for the battlefield at present, so I’m unlikely to ever get there.
In the Road of Skulls book, Gotrek fights an infernal guard and it is quite clear they are reflections of the same thing. Both are fighting to reclaim their honor, except Gotrek is free to do as he pleases and he pushes himself to die in combat. The CD obeys a master and must win the combat to be redeemed.
Although slightly different I personally love the disciples of Lugar concept in the 9th Age. With a full army book soon I hope to see the concept of flaming fanatical infernal dwarves taken even further.
In Kings of War the Abyssal Dwarfs have Berzerks as well, though they are more dwarfs turned “dark” through eternal greed and slaughter rather than sharing the pride culture of Slayers.
I just love how Chaos Dwarf derivatives evolve with new concepts in all the various settings out there. Chaos Dwarfs have certainly made their mark on the fantasy genre, and there is ever new stuff popping up for them across the board.
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always interesting to see what others could come up with in term of ideas and lore discussions 