Blightedmarsh:
codex I am working on with some new fluff and such. Looking for imput and advice, feel free to rip it apart for bits and peaces.
Fluff
Hashut
As I imagine it hashut is not a true chaos god. In this reinterpretation Hashut is a corrupted ancestor god who saved the Dawi Zharr in the only way he could, by harnessing and embracing chaos rather than fighting hopelessly against it.
Stones
These are great black obsidian monoliths that absorb and harness the winds of magic. It was their proximity to this that allowed the peoples to survive the onslaught of the first incursion and along with the hearty dwarven constitution stave off the worst of the effects of mutation. Called by some the pillars of Dawi Zharr they represent the virtues and institutions that form the foundation of dwarven society.
Hashut
Also known as the king or the high stone.This is the first, created for the dwarves by hashut himself at the dawn of the Dawi Zharr civilization. It lies at the heart of Zharr Naggrund, stretching from Bedrock deep to pinnacle high. At its peak in what became the temple of hashut there is a brazire wherein burns an eternal flame, this is the high alter and the holiest of holiest of all the Dawi Zharr. The monolith grows organically as a response to sacrifice, reverence and workshop. With the passage of time the black obelisk has invaded the surrounding zigarat turning its stones to obsidian.
From this during the height of the old order back in the dawn times where the daughter stones cloven.
The Daughters.
At the edges of the plane of Zharr at the eight cardinal directions lie the silent monoliths of the daughter stones, each with its own zigarat, eternal flame and temple. Joined together with roads of obsidian, circling around the plain with wide arrow straight avenues lined with curios obsidian statues. When seen from a dragons eye view it would resemble nothing so much as a vast eight pointed star writ large upon the tortured landscape.
Oath: It is upon this stone that the great oaths and treaties are sworn. They inscribe themselves into its black surface and fade away. old oaths can be recalled by simply touching the monolith (with the still beating heart of a burnt sacrifice) and thinking of it. When one such oath is forsaken the runes reappear in blood upon the obsidian, whilst the mark of the oathbraker burns itself into the forsworn for all to see.
Lore: All the laws of the Dawi Zharr are inscribed here, its libraries hold all the judgments and histories of the true peoples. This is also the home of the black justices. The ritualistic trials of high doom are enacted in the temple and this is the site of important state executions.
Duty: The obligation to ones clan, liege traditions and people. There is a monastic order based here that runs a school for the sons noblemen. As an annex to this their is also a small military academy that acts to impart battle wisdom to promising officers (invitation only), access to its libraries is one of the perks of the immortals though an appointment is required.
Craft: This is home of the daemonsmithying trade. Beardling smiths serve the first part of their apprenticeship before a master smith selects them for training in their own forges. The zigarat serves as the smiths guild hall and the library of the forge books of past masters and thus represents the foremost center of learning in the demonic smithying arts.
Honor: This is the site of the bardic guild hall where all musicians and instrument makers go to train and are administrated from. Tales of bravery and honor are goatherd, composed, recorded and told every day here to the inspiration of beardlings, shield maids and warriors all across the dark lands. The relics and bones of great heroes are interred here whenever possible. Shards of the obelisk are taken to and deposited at the sites of honorable deeds and great sacrifice. This is also the starting point of triumphal processions along the road of honor to Zharr Naggrund.
Grudge: All grudges are recorded here, it is from here that deeds of infamy are told. This is where grudgebrakers prey for strength, guidance and victory before setting off on their holy crusades of vengeance. This also is where announcements of grudges avenged is made and where they hold the party. The road of grudges is the path that outcasts take on their escort into exile.
Courage:
Hearth: This stone is dedicated to the family. Noble births are recorded here, announcements of death made. It is the primary location for state and noble weddings. This is also the home of the guild halls for physicians, midwifery and breeders. All the Clan stones of all the clans are taken from the great Hearth stone and all the clan stone from fallen clans who where not outcast or disgraced are returned here if possible to be held in trust and returned if a clan can be restored or otherwise re-emerge. As the zigarat is sacrosanct and coincided neutral ground it is here that clans meet and hold the annual great throng.
The Great Game
The Dawi Zharr craft, inscribe and empowered black megaliths of varying forms. Deploying armies of slaves to emplace, move, remove, alter, defend or destroy these stones seemingly without rhyme or purpose. These sentinels are focuses of power, inscribing leigh lines across the land for countless leagues. These stone form vast arrays that devour the power of chaos pouring its energies along the leigh lines to the fastnesses of the dark lands fueling their civilization, empowering their sorceries and feeding and sustaining the dark father. In this even the very winds of magic are enslaved to the iron lash of the Dawi Zharr.
The clans vie amongst themselves for control of the arrays and the power they produce, the more power to sustain their own sorcerous energies, the more power to feed to hashut and thus gain favor with him and his council. The ultimate ambition of the high council is to bind the polar gates in chains of fire and stone forever securing the primacy of the Dawi Zharr.
Magic
The Dawi Zharr practice two distinct forms of magic, the craft and the art.
The craft which is otherwise known as the old way is an evolution or adaptation (some would say twisted perversion) of traditional dwarven rune magic. Those of the artisan caste who have an affinity for the winds invariably are taught the craft (the art being barred to them). This involves the summoning and binding of daemons and other spirits and energies to crations of metal or stone. Daemonsmiths (also known as guildsmiths) are responsible for the creation and maintenance of weapons of power as well as the fire stones themselves and thus they are wealthy and influential.
The art is the ways of the priesthood of hashut. This is the way of the stones. The sorcerers use sacrifice, fire and power to draw on the harness wind of magic from their clans arrays. To work the magics they use a game board as a focus. The dragon ivory board is octagonal covered in a geometric pattern of holes with a rune inscribed peace of obsidian taken from each of the daughters and in the center a prism of from the hashut stone itself. Thus it is that the plain of Zharr are rendered in miniature. The game peaces are pegs of bone, gromthril, garnet, jet and jade, the pieces are tide into arrays, spells are cast with the systematic placement of pegs with invocations of power. Oft ancient these boards are handed down from one generation to the next. They are used in complex and arcane tactical contest of skill and magic between sorcerers which can be played for fun or to hone the mind however when it is played in in seriousness it can have potential lethal consequences. Prolonged use of the art causes sorcerers to slowly transform to obsidian from foot to toe becoming just one more piece in the great game.
The pilgrimage.
Would be initiates of the priesthood of hashut must make a pilgrimage. They start from the hearth stone where they bid farewell to their clan and travel the length of the circle around the plains of zharr visiting each temple in turn. they must go alone taking only what they can carry and at each stone they must pass the trials of the daughters and make sacrifice. From hearth to Oath they must walk enduring aught in the quest. Once this is done the pilgrim has one last chance to back away, to choose to complete the circle to the hearth stone or face the forbidding Oath road on the final leg of their journey, many do just this and there is no dishonor in it, indeed oft a beardling will walk the circle with no intention or ability to join the priesthood as this part of the pilgrimage is considered a time honored rite of passage and a way of tempering young beardlings into fine Dawi Zharr. However for those who are determined to stay the course in Zharr naggund lies the last ordeal, the trial of the father. Those who have passed this are forbidden from speaking of it save that it is, that it is terrible and that failure is not an option.
The First of the grudge wars
Of all of the conflicts that the Dawi Zharr have fought this is the one that is remembered as the bitterest. Historically significant as it marked the start of the proses that was to become end of the great manifest period and the beginning of the era of isolation.
Westward the Dawi Zharr had expanded since the days of the foundation and the great incursion along the dark lands so called fertile crescent untl they came to the foothills in the shadows of the world edge mountains. There in they found the holds of there sundered kinsfolk. To their horror the sacred places of their ancestors where found to be infested with lesser races.
The Shar’la’Shar of the Dawi Zharr debated at council with his clan Shars and the priesthood of hashut what was to be done. Against the advice of the priests it was decided to send ambassadors to find what remained of the west and seek alliance to cleanse the worlds edge.
A great party of Dawi Zharr and there slaves set off across the darklands to find the high king of the sons of Grinir. Wht happened at this fateful meeting is lost to the Dawi Zharr and the dwaves will speak of it not. six months after the mission set out an injured lone bullcentaur staggered into the city. With him he bore the shaven heads of the emissaries (the Shar’la’Shars own sons) branded with the two terrible runes that would echo throughout history and forever poison Dawi and Dawi Zharr relations. Not Dwarves.
The rage of the shar was apocalyptic. This was the start of sporadic raiding that took place up and down the worlds edge mountains and continues to this day. Vicious tunnel fights where held for control of the underway, battlelines swung back and forth for nearly a decade, dwarven war parties assaulted the fastnesses of the dawi zharr and cast down vital monoliths without regard for the damage they did, at one point going so far as to bombard Zharr nagrund itself.
The after a decade of deadlocks, reversals and evasion the shar was determined to brake the stalemate before both sides became to exhausted to fight. The massed army of Zharr nagrund marched against the dawi capitol. A veritable sea of green slaves loped alongside tribes of marauders and beastmen lured by the prospect of pillage and glory. At its heart marched the grim legion of the eastern dwarves with the shar himself leading his black immortal guard. It was in the pass of Bloodfire that they came against the hated foe.
300 dwarves stood against the host of nagrund, standing shoulder to shoulder the held the pass. Each a mighty champion they where determined that none should pass even at any price. At their head stood the high king Khaznargad and his three sons.
Battle was joined without fan fair, without curses, oaths or speeches. This had gone too far for that and silent grim resolve ruled the hearts of each. There would be no quarter given and none sought. Wave after wave fell onto the dwarven lines to brake upon the stout defenders. For a full day and a night the defendants held but fatuge and numbers where telling, there numbers dwindling with each assault. The Shar smelling victory committed his centaurs and immortal guard as well as his elite auxiliaries in one final push personally leading the charge from his chariot. In the madness of the shield wall the Shar hunted down and slew each of the princes in vengence for the fate of his own sons. Upon seeing the fall of his beloved eldest Khaznargad flung his axe at the Shar shattering his blood soaked chariot storming into a personal due that was the culmination of a decade of conflict. Daemonic scimitar rang against runic axe as the rulers fought for honor, for vengeance and for what both regarded as the right to be called the right and truthful high king of all dwarves which is perhaps the real root cause of the bitter conflict.
The titanic duel degenerated into a violent brawl with both parties disarmed and locked into a hotly contested stalemate that might of contnued to this day where not for the magics of the Dawi Zharr. Daemons summoned behind the dwarven lines smashed into the stalwart defenders tearing into them. This dire reversal distraced the dwarven king allowing the shar to pierce his glittering armor with a concealed bodkin slaying him and braking the resolve of his foe. Victory it seamed was his.
The shars triumph was short lived however for the foe had not fought out of stubborn pride but to draw in and hold the legion of Nagrund in the pass selling their lives dearly for each precious second buying time foe the master engineers to close the trap. With a thunderous roar the mines they had placed in the wall of the pass detonated scourging it clean of life and grim battle with an avalanche of rock and snow. Thus it was that the final battle of the first war of grudges ended and the last Shar’la’Shar of the Dawi Zharr fell.
RULES
Core Limitations:
Only dwarven units count for minimum troop numbers
You may not have more than 4 slave unit for every dwarf unit
Only a dwarf can be your army general
Basic cross pollination rules (as per hordes of chaos) as they are chaos after all. May cross pollinate with beastmen, hordes of chaos, daemons and orks and goblins.
Slavemaster: Ruthless and cruel taskmasters, slave units in 8" of their masters may use their masters leadership.
Slave: Slaves are inferior beings. They are their to die and that they flee is only to be expected. Dwarven units never panic as a result of fleeing slaves.
Animosity. see orc and goblins
Relentless. See dwarves
WEAPONS
Torsion crossbow
Like miniature ballista these crossbows where the primary range weapons of the Dawi Zharr prior to the invention of the blunderbuss. To keep the bow forges open they were issued to subordinate hobgoblin clans. As crossbows are far easier to use than bows this temporary solution found itself made permanent. Later improvements include leaver action cocking mechanisms, Pseudo-magical force multiplier and most recently the magazine bolt action quarrel loader.
Str save long rules
4 - 30 Move or fire
Ballistea
These are a variant of the bolt thrower. Functioning on a torsion catapult principle they are compact and have a greater than usual power to weight ratio and can fire bolts or stones at a pinch.
Str short long rules
6 24 48 bolt thrower, move or fire, no armor save D3 wounds
Blunderbuss
shoots as unit.
S3, +1S for each additional rank bonus up to S5
Projects across the full width of the unit up to 12", hits all there in.
Inflicts one hit per point of unit strength to each model in field of fire.
UNITS
lords
Sorcerer (Dwarven lord level wizard)
Shar (dwarven lord)
Heros
Chieftain (Hobgoblin hero)
Acolyte (Dwarven Wizard)
Daemonsmith (Dwarven engineer)
Despot (Dwarven hero)
Core
Hobgoblins (expendable slave infantry)
Wolf riders (fast cavalry)
Helots (expendable slave skirmishers)
Dawi Zharr (Blunderbuss infantry)
Warriors (Dwarven infantry)
Special
Ballista (high power bolt thrower)
Immortal (elite Dwarven infantry)
Death rocket (stone thrower variant)
Grudgebrakers (elite dwaver skirmisher scouts)
Rare
Golem (Ogre equivalent)
Bull centaur (medium cavalry)
Shield riders (Fliers)
LORD
Sorcerer
These stony fellows are the masters of the Dawi Zharr. They hold court with there peers called the witan to rule over their respected clan. A witan is lead by the eldest of its number called the overlord and together they decide on issues such as succession, inheritances, policy, marriages as well as plan long term stratagem and conduct investigations and hold trials on internal matters. The overlord is entitled to sit at the high conclave at Zharr nagrund which is called the Hetguard and together with the high priests, the master of the immortals and the bullfather hold the fate of the Dawi Zharr race at their command.
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T | W | I | A | Ld
Sorcerer 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9
Bull centaur 8 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8
Lammasu 6 | 4 | - | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7
Wargear
Hand weapon
Level 3 mage
May upgrade to level 4 for 50 points
May select the lore of
Death
Shadow
Metal
Fire
Options
Chaos armor 4 points
ay ride bull centaur 30 points
May ride Lammasu 120 points
May take up to 100 points of magic items
Rules:
Relentless
Slavemaster
Stubborn
Lammasu:
Fly
Terror
Large target
Magic resistance (1)
Allows Re role of miss cast dice
Shar
Titular head of a clan by the succession of primogeniture. They posses some small influence over the day to day running of the clan but his duties are mostly military and ceremonial in nature. Most of the real power is held by the witan.
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T | W | I | A | Ld
Shar 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4| 4 | 10
Aurochs 7 | 3 | - | 4 | - | - | 2 | 1 | -
Crew 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 2 | 1 | -
Chariot 7 | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | - | -
Taurus 7 | 5 | - | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4
Wargear
Heavy armor
Hand weapon
Options
Chaos armor 6 points
great weapon 6 points
2nd HW 4 points
Shield 2 points
Torsion crossbow 4 points
Taurus 100
Aurochs Chariot 60 points
Causes D6 S5 impact hits
Chariot has 2 Aurochs and 2 crew
armed with HW
they may take
spears 2 points
2nd HW 2 points
Torsion crossbows 8 points
Great weapon 4 points
May carry up to 100 points of magic items
Rules
Stubborn
Relentless
Slavemaster
Taurus:
Terror
ridden monster
Fly
Large target
HERO
Hobgoblin Chieftain 35 points
The word goblin and the word hero should never appear in the same sentence and hobgoblins are no exception. These guys are the self appointed masters of the hobgoblin tribes by dint of there strength, cunning and treachery.
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T | W | I | A| Ld
Chieftain 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 7
Warg 9 | 3 | - | 4 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 2
Chariot 9 | - | - | - | 4 | 3 | - | - | -
Crew 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |3 | 1 | 6
Wargear
Light armor
shield
hand weapon
Options
Warg 10 points
Great weapon 6 points
2nd HW 4 points
Torsion crossbow 4 points
May take up to 50 points of magical items
Warg Chariot 30 points
Causes D6 S 5 impact hits
Chariot has 2 wolves and 2 crew
armed with HW
they may take
spears 2 points
2nd HW 2 points
Torsion crossbows 8 points
Great weapon 4 points
Rules
Slave
Animosity
Daemonsmith
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T | W | I | A | Ld
Daemonsmith 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2| 2 | 8
Wargear
Heavy armor
Hand weapon
Generates dispel dice equal to a level 1 magic user
Options
Chaos armor 4 points
Torsion crossbow 4 points
2nd hand weapon 4 points
great weapon 6 points
shield 2 points
May take up to 50 points of magic items and dispel scrolls
Rules:
Relentless
Slavemaster
Stubborn
War machines in his battery may use his Bs
Despot
Either members of the ruling family of a particular clan or leaders of prominent houses within a clan. These are the senior leftenants of the Shar and oft command smaller engagements and outposts.
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T | W | I | A | Ld
Despot 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9
Despot Centaur 8 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9
Aurochs 7 | 3 | - | 4 | - | - | 2 | 1 | -
Crew 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 8
Chariot 7 | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | - | -
Wargear
Heavy armor
Hand weapon
Options
1 may be battle standard bearer for 25 points and carry a magical standard.
Chaos armor 6 points
great weapon 6 points
2nd HW 4 points
Centaur body 12 points
Shield 2 points
Torsion crossbow 4 points
Aurochs Chariot 60 points
Causes D6 S5 impact hits
Chariot has 2 Aurochs and 2 crew
armed with HW
they may take
spears 2 points
2nd HW 2 points
Torsion crossbows 8 points
Great weapon 4 points
May take up to 50 points in magical items
Rules
Stubborn
Relentless
Slavemaster
Acolyte 65 points
Acolytes are the apprentice magelings of the sorcerers. Oft closely related by blood to their masters this engenders a feeling of trust and fealty that is so vital in instruction and practice of the workings.
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T | W | I | A | Ld
Acolyte 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8
Bull centaur 8 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8
Wargear
Hand weapon
Level 1 mage
May upgrade to level 2 for 35 points
May select the lore of
Death
Shadow
Metal
Fire
Options
Chaos armor 4 points
Torsion crossbow 4 points
May ride bull centaur 30 points
May take up to 50 points of magic items
Rules:
Relentless
Slavemaster
Stubborn
Core
Hobgoblins: 2 points/model
A variety of step goblin. If forced out of their normal hunched posture by circomstance or the whip then attaining a maximum of around 5’2" they can stand eye to eye with most men and easily tower over their western kin. Their strong and flexible joints give them a bounding gait and enable them to perform impossible contortions of limb and flesh. They lack the long hooked noises of there smaller relatives due in part to there long association with step wargs and their habit of biting the snouts of prey animals to bring them down, natural selection in a highly mutogenic environment doing the rest. This combined with their pointed ears means that in a poor light they could be mistaken for elves (by someone who has never seen an elf). Their intelligence is for greenskins highly honed by countless centuries of backstabbing, deceit, scheming and treachery. Long associated with the Dawi Zharr there are many client tribes in the darklands, others live as slaves or in tribes wholly subservient to one clan or another.
Units M | Ws | Bs | S | T | W | I | A | Ld
hobgoblin 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6
Boss 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6
Unit size 10+
Wargear:
hand weapon
Options:
Light armor 1 point
spear 1 point
2nd hand weapon 1 point
shield 1 point
May upgrade 1 to Unit champion 5 points
May upgrade 1 to Musician 5 points
May upgrade 1 to Standard barer 5 points
rules.
Animosity
Slave
Wolf riders 10 points/model
These units of fast cavalry are a bread apart. The only loyalty these gobbo will ever know or give is to there mounts. Taking there ques from the traditions of the step Kharnate they are the vanguard of the dawi zharr.
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T | W | I | A | Ld
Alpha 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7
hobgoblin 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6
Warg 9 | 3 | - | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2
Unit size 5+
Wargear:
Light amour
hand weapon
Options:
Torsion crossbow 2 points
spear 1 point
2nd HW 1 point
shield 1 point
May take up to 2 addional wolves for every rider for 4 points each
May upgrade 1 to Alpha 10 points
May upgrade 1 to Musician 5 points
May upgrade 1 to Standard barer 5 points
rules.
Animosity
Slave
Fast cavalry
Warriors 9 points/model
Dedicated warriors and clansmen, stout and grim faced. Traditionally the backbone of Dawi zharr armies they shore up the slave levies forming a reserve that not only allows them to plug the gaps and counter attack but also to drive the greenskins on and cut down deserters. Not only is this tactic effective but it also preserves precious dwarven blood.
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T | W | I | A | Ld
warrior 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8
Master 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8
Unit size 10+
War gear
heavy armor
hand weapon
Options
additional hand weapon 1point
great weapon 2 points
shield 1 point
May upgrade 1 to Unit champion 10 points
May upgrade 1 to Musician 10 points
May upgrade 1 to Standard barer 10 points
One unit may take a standard up to 25 points
Rules:
slavemaster
relentless
Dawi Zharr 8 points
As the solid goblin lines where unattractive to assault against and ungainly to maneuver the Dawi zharr took to employing barrage black powder weapons from the lines. This leaves the opponent in a quandary, do they attack a solid defense or do they continue to subject themselves to a hail of lead. Dawi zharr blunderbusses also found that there weapons employed with different tactics where effective in underground tunnel fighting as well, thus the blunderbuss was here to stay.
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T| W | I | A | Ld
Dawi 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8
Master 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8
Unit size 5+
War gear
Heavy armor
Hand weapon
Options
Shield 1 point
Blunderbuss 4 points
Cross bow 2 points
May upgrade 1 to Unit champion 10 points
May upgrade 1 to Musician 10 points
May upgrade 1 to Standard barer 10 points
Rules:
Relentless
Slave master
Helots 4 points
The human tribesmen of the dark lands, long enslaved under the lash of the Dawi Zharr and their green taskmasters. They live in loose agricultural villages on the fringed of the realm out of sight and out of mind of the dawi. Their lot is only little worse that the Bretonian peasantry less due to the cruelty of their green taskmasters and mores so due to the harshness of the land. In battle they provide additional ranged support and run harassment.
Unit M | Ws | Bs | S | T| W | I | A | Ld
Helot 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5
Lashmaster 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6
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TRUNCATED…