I have just read something from the Lost and the Damned, which raises a few interesting points for discussion.
To summarise; Felix and Gotrek discover a dying dwarf who has been tortured and catch up with the Chaos Dwarfs who did it.
The way it was written is particularly interesting…
Firstly it points out that the Dwarfs took huge pride in their race not falling under the influence of the Great Mutator when chaos swept over the world, they thought themselves immune.
I won’t copy it all out, but:
"Soon we heard reports that armies of black-clad dwarfs were heading out of the wastes. When we sent our armies to aid our allies we discovered it was true. The full power of the Great Mutator had been laid upon our armies and they had changed. Our warriors found themselves fighting their own kinsmen, changed and daemonic. You cannot imagine what a horror that is for a dwarf, manling."
The next bit is particularly interesting…
Felix cuts down his opponent.
“There was a surprising look of gratitude on the creature’s face. The first thing that Felix had noticed when he confronted them was the look of sheer misery on their faces”.
Mentions an albino chaos dwarf. They kill all the CD
Gotrek says he has freed them. Felix watches as the tusks retreat back on a body, and the skin goes a normal colour. Gotrek says:
"Their spirits fight against the grip of the Mutator. In death they are sometimes set free … Go to your ancestors, brother. Your spirit is free"
I certainly find this interesting on many levels. I didn’t realise that there was such a connection to daemons that far back (1990)? Lost and the Damned and Slaves to Darkness are the basis for modern chaos. Many parts of the new DoC book are ripped straight from this.
I also find it very interesting looking at Gotrek’s reaction. He doesn’t hate the Chaos Dwarfs, he hates the fact that they remind him that dwarfs can be corrupted by chaos, they’re not immune and never were (says as much earlier in the story). So their greatest strength against chaos is not a strength at all.
Suggesting that all CD are really dwarfs inside, fighting an inner battle against chaos is certainly … interesting. Raises questions about why the chaos gods would let them live. Also whether Dwarfs can be turned, or whether CD can only be born now.
The last bit was also interesting because in the context of Lost and Damned, talking about spirits being free means that they are not free to start with. For a spirit not to be free means that it’s under the control of a god (or gods).
Surely you could have the race of Chaos Dwarves reprsenting a society of dwarves that developed into a distinct society under demonic/Chaotic/Hashutian influence, and then also have individuals or groups of dwarves that randomly turn to Chaos. The latter is especially likely if dwarves’ supposed magic/Chaos resistance is discounted, as it seems to be in this story.
I think it was just CD warriors. They were drunk at the time, so it wasn’t a fair fight!
It makes me realise that the hellcannon fluff is not new at all, it was the big hat era that was unusual. They were clearly always intended to have a daemonic link.
I think you could have replaced the dwarfs by any race in that story (ignoring the personal touch of Gotrek). there was nothing special about dwarfs in 3rd ed, and there is nothing to say that this has changed back yet
It’s worth noting that Bill King has brought up the Chaos Dwarfs a couple of other times in the Gotrek & Felix series (exact references are on the please-get-the-wiki-back-up); Gotrek has actually been to the Dark Lands and seen their ziggurats.
I think it was just CD warriors. They were drunk at the time, so it wasn't a fair fight!
It makes me realise that the hellcannon fluff is not new at all, it was the big hat era that was unusual. They were clearly always intended to have a daemonic link.
Grimstonefire
That was the bit of fluff that first caught my interest in CDs. It's also why I'm not into the big hats. :mask
...unless, by Lost and the Damned you mean some GW novel?
Lol. I can just imagine it. Gotrek slays one Chaos Dwarf after another in an orgy of bloodshed… Before each of them dies they erupt in projectile pea soup! :sick
The idea of CD regretting (in a certain way) what they have become gives them a tragic background that I like much more that the corruption of the average chaos cultist. They did what they have to do in order to survive, stubborn and greedy as they are, but that doesnt have to mean that they enjoy their lives.
That could also be the base for their relationship with their uncorrupted kin. They both hate what the other represent, but their shattered bounds forbid them to relish in that hate, like they can do with OaG.
Well what if hashut put a binging spell on his children to keep them evil !!! Just like the magic armor the cd make!!! this would explain why the cd are diffrent from the western dwarfs
Suggesting that all CD are really dwarfs inside, fighting an inner battle against chaos is certainly ... interesting. Raises questions about why the chaos gods would let them live. Also whether Dwarfs can be turned, or whether CD can only be born now.
Grimstonefire
I know if I were Chaos God I would find their anguish highly amusing. This also adds another dimension to the slavery aspect of the fluff. Are they driven to it by their own captivity, or perhaps just bitter?
I must admit I really love the concept of the CD being tragic heroes, all my background material is based on this very idea. There isn’t another race in warhammer that would fit exactly into this theme on the same scale. I really hope GW run with it.
Well due to the point that there no record of many female cd
Grimly must be right!! they come out of fold in the ground!!!!!!!
Or are they created by the gods and there sorcerers ?????
I must admit I really love the concept of the CD being tragic heroes, all my background material is based on this very idea. There isn't another race in warhammer that would fit exactly into this theme on the same scale. I really hope GW run with it.
Grimstonefire
Well, there is a lot of WoC heroes that could fit into that description, Aekold Helbrass among others. But with the new fluff it seems that GW wants them to be nothing but rampaging marauders.