Ankh-Mordheim Town Cryer issue 9

ALL HAIL KING DURIN!!
Durin the Dwarf let justice be swift this past week. Despite losing a territory to the Kislevites of Gleb's Graspers, he immediately followed up with an annihilation of Goblin warband Snotbagg's Sneaky Gitz. In doing so, the Dwarfs took the title deed for the New Bridge and with it the entire Isle of Gods. Fortunately that means that he has also liberated the Town Cryer printing offices from the clutches of the oppressing Witch Hunter Valon.

Not only has Durin managed to retain his contract for the Patrician's Palace, he has also amassed more territory in Ankh-Mordheim than any other warband, enabling him to rightfully claim his place as the Head of the Town Guard. This means that no-one can dispute his position as the rightful, and justful, King of Ankh-Mordheim.

In his first act as King, Durin has stated that the Isle of Gods are to be used as a rest home for retired Dwarf warriors. Rumour persist that Joseph Bugman has agreed to set up a satellite brewery on the island, and that all greenskins will be outlawed from the city.

LONG LIVE KING DURIN!!


Congratulations Garry! You finish the campaign holding 14 locations, including the Patrician's Palace. This makes you the outright winner!

Ankh-Mordheim Town Cryer issue 8

HEROIC BOOK THE FLAGELLANT SLAYS THE THING! STREETS ARE SAFER THANKS TO VALON'S VENDETTA!

The 'Thing' that has terrorized Ankh-Mordheim for the past month has finally been slain! The valiant Witch Hunters of Valon's Vendetta bravely sought out the beast this past week and tracked its whereabouts down to a location near Rimward Gate. There they encountered the dastardly Kislevites of Gleb's Graspers who had been struggling to battle against the 'Thing'. With a mighty stride towards the inhuman beast, Book the Flagellant swatted the pesky Kislevites out of the way and felled the beast with a mighty blow from his flail. Gurgling its death knell, the 'Thing' shot a temporary look of fear before vanishing to the otherworldly realm from whence it came.

'The Thing In The Woods' is now dead and so will no longer be used in all scenarios. Should players wish to play the special scenario the rules are included within, they may do so. Naturally the 'Thing' could re-materialize but for now its reign of terror is at an end. 

VALON'S VENDETTA CLAIM THE ISLE OF GODS!

The honourable Witch Hunter Valon and his mighty warband of elite warriors have cleansed the scourge from the Isle of Gods and taken possession of it as their own. This includes The Dsyk, The Opera House and Psuedopolis Yard where the printing offices for this very fine publication is situated.

Dan's warband has claimed the Isle of Gods territories. Note that someone can still claim all of the territories from him by possessing the relevant bridges...

OPPOSITION GROUPS PROTEST AGAINST DURIN THE DWARF

As reported earlier in our last issue Durin the dwarf, leader of Durin's Mob, won the Gladitorial Pit Fight to claim the contract to the Patrician's Palace and with it, the powers contained within. But since then several groups have begun to protest outside the Palace and cast forth aspersions as to who they think would be a more suitable Patrician. Rumours persist that Stikkum Gud, the leader of Skaven warband Haarchit's Harriers, is plotting to overthrow the would-be governer of Ankh-Mordheim. Meanwhile Gleb of Gleb's Graspers is looking set to be out of the running as his warband currently has no connection outside of the city. The outside shot, and potentially the best candidate for our long-term survival in Ankh-Mordheim is Valon, the Witch Hunter leader of Valon's Vendetta. With his incredible intelligence, supreme sword-arm and brilliant ballistics, he would be the natural choice to keep our streets safe once and for all.

For this week coming (week 8 of 9), ALL games fought in the campaign will feature 'The Thing In The Woods'. As soon as the Thing is slain, it will immediately disappear from all games currently in progress and the warband that laid the killing blow will be rewarded with all three Isle of The Gods locations!

Ankh-Mordheim Town Cryer issue 7

NEW PATRICIAN LOOKING SET TO BE DURIN THE DWARF!

As exclusively reported in the Town Cryer last week, The gladiatorial pit fight to determine the future Patrician of Ankh-Mordheim has recently taken place. It was perhaps fitting that the elimination tournament culminated in a final featuring the leader of two of the city's most dominating warbands. In the end, Durin of Durin's Mob got the better of Gleb of Gleb's Graspers. The handover of power is due to take place in two weeks time, and we can again exclusively report that the contract has already be drawn up. Undoubtedly though, the other warbands of Ankh-Mordheim will have something to say about this. Undoubtedly the Patrician's Palace and the contract within will be at the crux of the forthcoming two weeks' activities.

Just to confirm, Garry has won the Patrician's Palace location card. This location is treated exactly the same as every other location and so can change hands by losing games. If Garry wants to be a fighting champion I'm sure he'll be taking on all comers. If not, he stands a chance of missing out on also becoming the head of Ankh-Mordheim's Town Guard.

HEAD OF TOWN GUARD POSITION CONTESTED!

The leaders of warbands Durin's Mob, Gleb's Graspers and Haarchit's Harriers are leading the pack to become the Head of Ankh-Mordheim's town guard. At the time this issue went to print, these three warbands controlled two thirds of the city between them! Of course, there is still time for more warbands to contend as these three jostle for position before the handing over of the Patrician's powers. Who will step up to the plate?

Of the 41 city locations, Durin's Mob hold 11, Haarchit's Harriers have 10 and Gleb's Graspers possess 9. Remember, whomever holds the most location cards at the end of the campaign in two weeks time will become Head of the Town Guard and share victory with the Patrician. Unless, of course, the Patrician is the one who holds more location cards than anyone else. In which case, that individual will be declared the returning King of Ankh-Mordheim!

IS THE CLEAN UP OPERATION REWARD PATRICIAN BLACK'S FINAL ACT?

As reported earlier in this issue, interim Ankh-Mordheim Patrician Kenton Black is gearing up to hand over his powers to the new permanent Patrician. However, he still holds power for the next two weeks and he obviously feels he has some unfinished business in the city. In a bid to keep the people of Ankh-Mordheim safe, he has announced that the first warband to kill the beast that is roaming the city will be rewarded with the entire Isle of the Gods!

For this week coming (week 8 of 9), ALL games fought in the campaign will feature 'The Thing In The Woods'. As soon as the Thing is slain, it will immediately disappear from all games currently in progress and the warband that laid the killing blow will be rewarded with all three Isle of The Gods locations!

Ankh-Mordheim Town Cryer issue 6

KENTON BLACK HAS NEIGLISH ROT! ANNOUNCES HE WILL STEP DOWN!

The condition of Ankh-Mordheim's interim Patrician has significantly worsened over the course of the past two weeks. What was originally believed to be a bout of the Galloping Trots induced by eating a dish from the Klatchian Take-away on Quirm Street. However, last week his eyes sealed closed with a strange secretion and this week his forehead has split open to birth a single large red eye! Rather than endure the embarrassment of being the victim of Valon's Vendetta and his band of Witch Hunters, he has immediately announced that the gladiatorial pit fight to take place this coming week, the winner of which will take over as Patrician!

It's here folks! The Gladiatorial Pit Fight that will crown one of us the Patrician! Full rules will be available very soon but suffice to say you'll need to play in order to stand a chance of winning the Patrician's Palace location card (and therefore halfway to winning the campaign!)

GLEB'S GRASPERS CHARIOT RACE WIN MARRED WITH POISONING ACCUSATION!

What a couple of weeks to be a Kislevite in Ankh-Mordheim! First they have their hideout mutate, literally grow a pair of legs and walk off. Then they shell out to purchase an expensive warhorse for the chariot race, only for their hideout to appear at the racecourse and devour their equine friend. Using his charisma, warband leader Gleb managed to convince the race organisers to let him enter the walking house into the race. He is reported to have exclaimed "come on, I've brought a chariot and a horse. It's IN THERE!" before going on to win the event! But now, with Patrician Black contracting his illness from a dish purchased from the Klatchian Take-away on Quirm Street, northeast of Five Ways, the spotlight is well and truly shining on Gleb and his men. Gleb has so far been unable for comment.

TOWN CRYER DISTRIBUTOR VANISHES!

Astute readers will notice that issue 5 of this fine publication never reached the news stands. That is because after it went to print, the distribution cart went past the edge of Hide Park and has not been seen since! If anyone sees Edward, his cart, his mule and the thousand copies of the Town Cryer he had, could you please send him back? He owes the editor a Gold Crown...

Ankh-Mordheim Town Cryer issue 4

THE THING IN THE WOODS, THE STREETS, THE HOUSES!

Following reports of a vicious abomination on the loose in Hide Park, the thing (or is it things?) has now been spotted in several more partys of Ankh-Mordheim, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake! Who can stop it?!

As per the rules in issue 2 of the Town Cryer, 'The Thing In The Woods' is now active at any battles fought at Hide Park, Apothecary Gardens, Five & Seven Yard and Apothecary gardens. Have fun!

INTERIM PATRICIAN BLACK STRUCK ILL

Kenton Black, Ankh-Mordheim's interim Patrician is reportedly suffering from a bout of the Galloping Trots and is therefore unable to govern the city for approximately two weeks. The will have no bearing on the city as P'tang P'tang Ole Biscuit Barrel of the Silly Party will step up to the plate to govern things, such as the forthcoming chariot race, in his absence.

CHARIOT RACE THIS WEEK!

A further reminder that Ankh-Mordheim's chariot race is to occur this coming week. Many Gold Crowns and title deeds are expected to change hands as the balance of power in Ankh-Mordheim could indeed shift!

Remember, every warband needs to give up a territory. If they are unable to do so then they may have to "persuade" another warband to give up an additional territory on their behalf. Perhaps this could lead to someone getting fleeced? Or perhaps it could lead to very interesting pre-race battles in a last ditch effort to gain a territory to gamble? Who knows? All I know is that the third place finish gets 2 territories, second place nets 3 and first place grabs 4. Could Ankh-Mordheim be turned on its head?

Ankh-Mordheim Town Cryer issue 3

UNSEEN UNIVERSITY OVERRUN BY RATS!

Interim Patrician Kenton Black may have put his faith in Ankh-Mordheim's warbands to protect us but many residents think a line has been crossed now that one of the Skaven warbands has taken over the Unseen University. Every building is now occupied by the mutant ratmen as are the three adjacent bridges. Relieving them of these territories is going to be a tough ask.

QUESTING PARTY RETURN SUCCESSFUL

Eight would-be adventurers entered the dungeon. Only four emerged. And one of those was a prisoner taken by one of the other three! After handing over the salvaged artefacts and claimed gold to Patrician Black, the most successful quester was declared as being the Shaman Buggalugs from Night Goblin warband Snotbagg's Sneaky Gitz.

CHARIOT RACE ANTE'S ANNOUNCED

Interim Patrician Black has declared that gambling on the upcoming chariot race will be compulsory. Every warband must place bets on the winner of the race so there will be plenty of rewards for not only winning the race but also backing the eventual winner. Could we see some interesting developments during the race as alliances emerge and crumble?

By midnight on Thursday 25th August I need to know who wishes to enter the chariot race. The race is free to enter and all you require is a model to represent your "chariot". As previously discussed, any themed mode of transport is eligible, whether it has wheels, legs, tracks, wings, whatever. Every player needs to declare which one of their heroes is riding the chariot. Entering the chariot race is optional. However, betting on the chariot race is compulsory. By midnight on Saturday 27th August, I need to know from every player whom they are backing for the race. One location card must be surrendered by every player in the campaign (no more and no less) and an optional amount of gold (max bet of 50 GCs) may also be bet on any chariot racer(s) except the better (eg Will cannot bet on himself but he could bet on both Rich and Lee to finish in the top three). This will see a total of nine territories up for grabs for the placed finishes and gold to be won by backing the relevant finishes, even if you do not win yourself.

• 3rd place nets two location cards for the chariot racer and a 2-1 return on GCs for everyone who backed him.
• 2nd place nets three locations cards for the chariot racer and a 3-1 return on GCs for everyone who backed him.
• 1st place nets four location cards for the chariot racer and a 4-1 return on GCs for everyone who backed him.

Ankh-Mordheim Town Cryer issue 2

BODIES LITTER HIDE PARK!

No less than twenty seven corpses were discovered strewn amongst Hide Park earlier this week. The bodies were found mutilated and gorged with limbs ripped off and appendages missing. Eye-witnesses report a huge beast living amongst the trees and preying on passers-by. Unless you wish to be slaughtered like cattle, the City Watch suggest you do not enter the area.

Until it is killed, every game fought at Hide Park includes 'The Thing In The Woods' added to the warband opposing the owner of Hide Park for that fight only. Essentially Hide Park now becomes a "bad" territory everyone wishes to get rid of! The rules for The Thing In The Woods can be found on page 78 of The Empire In Flames book. It is vastly important that you note who, if anyone, succumbs to the Thing...

RATMEN TAKE OVER THE CITY!

After putting his faith in utilising Ankh-Mordheim's warbands to protect the city, interim Patrician Kenton Black is now reporting that the mutated rats known as "Skaven" now control more of the city than any other warband. Rumours persist, however, that the Skaven actually comprise two separate warbands, however. Therefore the current dominating warband is still yet to be established. Latter reports from this week comprise a report from a trader at Maudlin Bridge with some of the ratmen scurrying en-masse across Maudlin Bridge and swamping a group of goats, slitting the throats of three of them. The traders report also included a preposterous statement that the goats were fighting back on two legs and wielding axes.

PATRICIAN RE-OPENS RACECOURSE

Interim Patrician Black has announced that he will be re-opening Ankh-Mordheim's Racecourse and that he intends to host a chariot race there. More details are to be announced in the coming weeks.

Week 5 of the campaign will see a multiplayer chariot race game where each warband may enter a "chariot". This is an opportunity for each player to form a unique model they wish to enter. Any themed mode of transport is eligible, whether it has wheels, legs, tracks, wings, whatever. The game effect for each chariot will be the same and it may seat any one member of your warband who will gain experience for entering. Territories and gold will be put up as antes with the winner(s) claiming the spoils.

Ankh-Mordheim Town Cryer issue 1

MUTANT RATMEN RUN AMOK IN ANKH-MORDHEIM!

Ninety percent of Ankh-Morpork may have been wiped out in the collision with Mordheim so perhaps we should be more welcoming to all of our new inhabitants. But this writer is unnerved at the sight of not one but two gatherings of mutant giant rats that can not only walk, not only talk, but can fight as well as craft gunpowder weapons! This past week the leader of one of these "Warbands" was brought into the testing laboratories at the Unseen University but it is understood his loyal followers were able to free him before much information could be extracted.

INTERIM PATRICIAN LOOKS TO WARBANDS FOR SAFETY

You read that right, folks. Interim Patrician Black has declared that the recent influx of Warbands into Ankh-Mordheim is a good thing. He thinks they can help protect us against the rampant invaders from the North as well as the tyrannical oppressors from the South. Consequently he has decided to reward them with MORE territories! Whether this support of gangland warfare will be a good move or not remains to be seen, however...

Week 2 of the campaign will see an extra random territory awarded from the neutral pile to each victor. This is for every game in week 2 only.

ADVENTURERS WANTED! APPLY WITHIN!

In another move to help defend Ankh-Mordheim from outside forces, interim Patrician Black is assembling an expedition in two weeks time below the city into the depths of the dungeon. Whomever recovers the most artefacts contained within will be rewarded handsomely.

Week 3 of the campaign will see a multiplayer game of Warhammer Quest for the leaders only of each Warband that wishes to partake. Locations and rare items are up for grabs for the leader who grabs the most loot!

Ankh-Mordheim Back Story part 5

5.

Rain lashed down amongst Captain Kenton Black and his men. They had hurried ashore with the Norsemen band and the Seer had claimed that they were not far now from their destination. It was only a day and a half since they witnessed the events that would change their lives forever, yet it seemed as though months had passed.

During their trek across the sea the sky blackened as the sun was eclipsed by something the Seer had dubbed a “disc world”. Kenton’s grasp of the Norse tongue was limited but he was able to glean some bizarre tale about a giant reptile marching amongst the stars and carrying four hairless mammoths on its back. These mammoths were balancing another world between them which was a flat round world, much smaller than Kenton’s own Old World, but still large enough to eclipse the Sun for a full week as it passed in front of it. A shining bolt which one of Kenton’s men preposterously claimed was an arrow shot by Sigmar, appeared out of nowhere and the Seer had claimed that one of the hairless mammoths had perished as it slammed into the giant reptile carrier.

Regardless of how far-fetched the Seers claims may have seemed at the time, the fact remained that there was now another world balanced atop the Old World. Trying to imagine this new combined world in its entirety, Kenton thought of a ball with a plate precariously balanced atop it. And the point the two made contact was at their destination, the city of Mordheim.

“Black, here” barked the Norse leader. Kenton looked at what the Norseman was pointing at and saw a huge ornate gate containing a pair of giant black oak wood doors. He motioned for two of his own men to investigate the door whilst his other six scoured the wall the gate was set into.

“One of ten”, the Seer murmured. “Two are ruined. Others will come. Will be hard keeping them out”. Kenton nodded in acknowledgement as his men opened the gate and the Norsemen raiders darted inside.

Whatever lay inside was a strange new world but one that Kenton Black would enjoy exploring. One he would enjoy pillaging. One he may even enjoy finally calling home.

Ankh-Mordheim Shield rules ammendment

Should a ranged attack originate from the front 180 degrees of a base of a model equipped with a shields, the models armour save is increased by plus two (5+ base if no other armour) instead of the usual plus one (6+ base if no other armour). No cost increase will be incurred for shields.

The reason for this is to encourage the use of shields and assist in making hand weapons and shields the norm as opposed to two hand weapons. As the standard rules stand, almost everyone opts for dual hand weapons with no penalty which assumes that everyone in the Warhammer Old World is ambidextrous. Having read much feedback about off-hand penalties, dual wield penalties, and other such solutions I have deduced that the simplest one is to simply offer a viable alternative. Hence the above rule.

Ankh-Mordheim campaign rules

Ankh-Mordheim campaign rules

1.   Your warband must adhere to all the rules for starting a warband as found in the Mordheim rulebook (500 GCs) but you may only choose from the following warbands:

a.     Amazon Warband                     Averland Mercenaries               Beastman Raiders

b.     Bretonnian Knights                   Carnival of Chaos                      Cult of the Possessed

c.     Dark Elf Warband                    Dwarf Treasure Hunters                       Halfling Warband        

d.     Kislevite Warband                    Lizardmen Warband                  Marienburg Mercenaries

e.     Middenheim Mercenaries           Night Goblin Warband               Norse Warband            

f.      Orc & Goblin Warband               Ostland Mercenaries                  Pirate Warband           

g.     Sisters of Sigmar                                    Skaven Warband                       Tomb Guardians

h.     Undead Warband                      Witch Hunter Warband

2.  Before your first game, take the three location cards that are allocated to you by the campaign narrator. The names of these location cards are public, but the effects are to remain secret until used.

3.  During every pre-battle sequence, add the following:

1A          - The attacker may name any one of the defenders’ location cards to be the terrain the game is to be played at. The defender chooses a location card at random and places it face down on the table. Whoever loses the ensuing game loses the territory that their opponent chose.

E.g. Paul is attacking John. Paul chooses John’s Hen & Chicken field to be the location of the game and therefore a field is present on the battlefield. Paul then shuffles and fans out his location cards and John, picks one blindly and places it face down on the table. If Paul wins the ensuing game, he claims the Hen & Chicken field. If John wins he claims the random territory.

4.  After your first game, if your entire warband is fully painted, you gain an additional 25GCs after selling Wyrdstone.

5.  At the end of the last game to be played on Thursday 29^th August, whichever player owns the Patrician’s Palace card will be named Patrician of Ankh-Mordheim. Whichever player has the most location cards in total will be named Ankh-Mordheim’s head of city watch. Only if a single player is named both Patrician and head of city watch may he then lay claim to be the returning King of Ankh-Mordheim.

Ankh-Mordheim Back story part 4

4.

Lora could feel her heart beating so hard it felt as through it was about to burst through her chest. Looking up from her prone position in the corridor she could see the hail of arrows that had just flown over her, now embedded in the wall at the end. A black ink oozed from the tip of one of the arrows, onto its shaft and then dripped onto the floor below. The Amazonian woman had seen these before; poisoned arrow traps.

Picking herself up and dusting down her shorts, Lora’s trained ears caught another familiar sound and she leapt into the air. Sprawling both her arms and her legs she swiftly found the walls of the corridor and clung onto the craggy surface. Looking down she saw what she fully expected; the floor had opened up to reveal a pit laced with sharpened stakes.

It took Lora the best part of three minute to clamber down from the wall onto a safe part of the floor. In addition to being cautious, Lora had taken the time to secure a nearby vine to the corridor roof above the pit in order to assist her exit of her surroundings. She had lost track of the time she had spent in this temple. It took her at least an hour to dodge the traps on the ground floor and as she each ascended each of the twelve storeys, the new floor was smaller yet filled with even more traps. So far Lora had been shot at by at least a dozen poisoned arrow traps, avoided seven pit traps, dodged nineteen spears that shot out of various parts of the corridors, and encountered fifteen corpses of other adventurers that had been foolhardy enough to ascend the interior of this particular temple in Lustria.

Opening the door at the end of the corridor, Lora discovered a short corridor only a few yards in length and ending in a set of spiral stone steps. She had ascended eleven similar sets in this temple thus far but her research told her this was the final flight. Oddly enough there was no sign of activity in what she suspected was the final corridor. No footprints, no corpses, no missing parts of rock, not even a broken tripwire. In fact there were no tripwires. Lora ran her hand through her long, sweaty red hair. Then she realised. No one else had ever made it this far up. She had outlasted all of the other adventurers. This made the last chap on the floor below her who had been charred to the bone by a runic fire trap her nearest competitor. After mulling the situation for a few moments, the Amazon woman reached into the small pack attached to her belt and retrieved her water skin. Swallowing the final few drops of water from within, Lora crouched down and threw it down the corridor, skimming it across the floor. It shot harmlessly along the length of the corridor and crashed into the bottom step at the end.

After waiting a few more minutes, Lora decided that enough was enough and she was only going to discover any more potential traps by venturing down the final corridor herself. She proceeded with caution. Every step she took was as light as possible and began with her eyes and ears scanning her immediate surroundings. It took twelve strides for Lora to make it to the steps at the end of the corridor, but they took longer than any of the strides in her entire life. She bent down and picked up her water skin. It was then that she heard it. A click followed by an unknown sound. Almost like thunder but with some kind of a rolling noise. Then another click. More rolling thunder. A third click…

Lora was halfway toward the door when the ceiling disappeared and a gigantic boulder that filled the corridor landed precisely where she had just been stood. It then became obvious to Lora what the rolling thunder sound was as the boulder began rolling down the corridor after her! Even though the floor did not seem slanted, the boulder quickly began to gather pace and crashed through the doorway Lora had just ran through. But Lora was now at full sprint and thanking herself for tying the vine to the roof above the pit that was now in front of her. With cat-like reflexes she drew a throwing star from her belt and used it to pin the vine to the corridor wall whilst simultaneously rolling into the pit. Both her arms and her legs shot out to her sides as she pinned herself to the inside of the pit with a sharpened stake just inches from one of her eyes. Barely a second later the boulder crashed over the pit and continued its rumble of terror further down the passageway.

Grabbing the vine pinned to the wall, Lora clambered out of the pit and retrieved her throwing star. It was only then she noticed the gash in her arm as one of the staves in the pit must have caught her. She took off her belt and tied it around her arm to stop the bleeding before heading up the final set of stairs. The steps were identical to each of the others she had ascended in the temple and ended with another identical door. Taking a deep breath and scanning the frame for traps, Lora opened the door.

The room beyond was far from flattering. For an adventurer like Lora, this was quite the anti-climax. No vast treasure trove. No glittering jewellery. No collection of arms. Instead, here was a simple box room with a single hole in the far wall where daylight shone through. Two strides were all it took for Lora to reach the hole. She bent down to peer through and gaze upon the lands of Lustria beyond. From this vantage point she could see the entire continent stretching as far as her eye could see. Everything seemed to move in slow-motion as the few people she could see looked like ants at this distance. Lora’s eye then caught something unusual. She blinked and rubbed her eye to check she had seen it correctly. She shuffled to one side to allow her other eye to look through the hole. Yes, she was certain. A giant four-legged grey-coloured creature was striding across Lustria, its trunk swaying in front of itself as it made its way across the continent.

Ankh-Mordheim Back story part 3

3.

The doors to the top of the mage’s tower crashed open as the Swordmaster of Hoeth fell through them.

“Aledraan. For a High Elf, you display as much natural grace as a drunken mule” responded the Dragon Prince.

“Prince Kildarin, I apologise for disturbing your meditation, but I have news of the most urgent order.” The Swordmaster had spent several hundred years wielding double-handed weapons whilst wearing a full suit of chainmail. So for him to have beads of sweat dripping from his brow, his haste with bounding up the towers step must have been a frenetic one. The Dragon Prince glanced over towards the elven mage in the centre of the room and saw that the magister still had not interrupted his meditation.

“What is it, Swordmaster?” asked the Dragon Prince.

“Prince Kildarin, it is Zoriath. He has awoken!” Aledraan exclaimed.

“Zoriath? My attuned dragon?” asked Kildarin. The Dragon Prince had not been able to converse with the Emperor dragon since their youth. The mages within the High Elf council had bound the souls of the Prince and the Dragon just a day after Kildarin had been born. The Dragon had been sick and it took the magic and the heart of the High Elves to preserve Zoriath.

“My Lord, it has been four hundred years to the day since his eyes closed. And now they are open once more and glow with the brightness of all the forges in Ulthuan!”

“Haste is the answer, young Prince” stated the Elven Mage, his eyes still closed and his body relaxed. “Zoriath has a journey to take you on and you must leave immediately”.

The beating of the dragons leathery wings soon drowned out the conversation in the tower as Kildarin and Alderaan strode over to the window of the mage’s tower. A huge taloned claw the size of the Elves themselves smashed through the window, bringing the Dragon Prince and Swordmaster together and clutching them firmly yet gently around their waists. With the agility of a cat and the strength of a thousand bears, Zoriath hoisted Kildarin and Alderaan onto his back as he soared upwards towards the clouds. From their vantage point thousands of yards above the ground, the High Elves could only see the tallest of towers in Ulthuan and what looked like a giant grey creature marching along the horizon...

Ankh-Mordheim Back-Story Part II

2.

“You appear to have returned empty-handed” scowled the Chaos Sorcerer. The Troll that stood in the doorway to his library shrugged in response. The Sorcerer had dealt with the creatures for years since his venturing into Troll Country. Casting numerous spells on the humanoids, he not only had control over a unit of sixteen Trolls but also increased their intelligence. The magic was sufficient for them to understand his orders, but not enough to question them. The creature here was the Sorcerer’s chosen unit leader and supposedly the most intelligent. But it was times like these that made him question that appraisal and infuriated the Chaos worshipper. He tried a different approach.

“I asked you to bring the amulet back from the Goblin leader”

“Yes boss” said the Troll, his thick-set brow furrowing into an almost confused state.

“And?” quizzed the Sorcerer.

“An’ we got too da Goblin cave an’ stomped ‘em”

“All of them?” The Sorcerer could see this turning into a long conversation.

“We left da leader so weez could ask ‘im where da amulet woz” the Troll beamed. He knew his boss would like what he had just said.

“And what did the Goblin reply?” snapped the Sorcerer.

“Da Goblin sed da amulet was in ‘is chest” replied the Troll, a large smile forming on his even larger face.

“So did you open the chest?” The sorcerer was beginning to lose his patience now.

“Yes boss.” The Troll saw the sorcerer nod appreciatively, so he continued. “But when we’ze cut open ‘is chest all we’ze found inside ‘im was ‘is ‘eart an’ lots ov blood”.

The sorcerer let out a loud sigh. He was half amused by the fact this creature understood biology, yet could not comprehend the basic domestic knowledge that treasure is often kept in treasure chests.

“Did you not look inside the Goblin lair for a treasure chest?” demanded the Chaos sorcerer.

“Yes boss!” declared the Troll, the smile on his face turning into a fully-fledged grin.

“And was the amulet inside the treasure chest?”

“Yes boss.”

“So why did you not pick it up?!” demanded the sorcerer, his voice stepping up an octave.

“Cos it ran away, boss.”

There were several moments of silence. Silence where the Troll thought his boss was mulling over how to reward his minion. But silence the Chaos Sorcerer was actually using to attempt to decipher what the Troll had said.

“It what?” he eventually managed.

“It ran away, boss” repeated the Troll. He must have done well; his boss wanted to hear it again!

Patience was never the Chaos Sorcerer’s most plentiful character trait. But he struggled to understand how anyone could possibly accept what this creature was telling him.

“The treasure chest ran away?” he implied, sarcastically.

“Yes boss.” The Troll’s grin grew larger still. The Chaos sorcerer’s face, meanwhile, developed an expression somewhere between anger and anxiety.

“Explain to me exactly how the treasure chest was able to run away?”

“Cos it ‘ad legs, boss” answered the Troll. He must have done really well. The last time he was able to answer this many questions in a row, his boss gave him double food rations.

“Right” said the impatient Sorcerer. “So the treasure chest had legs and ran away with the amulet inside it?”

“Yes boss.” The Troll’s stomach rumbled with the thought of more food.

“Why didn’t you follow it?”

“Me an’ da rest ov da boyz did, boss. We’ze went afta da trezza chest but it woz really fast an’ den da uvver boyz woz ‘urt wen annuver Troll walked over dem.”

The Chaos Sorcerer was alarmed by this last statement. He’d had many conversations with his Troll leader and long ago gave up trying to teach him the names of various creatures. He understood that the creature often referred to unknown beasts as Trolls as well. And a beast that could simply walk over a Troll must have been very large indeed. This plot had suddenly thickened somewhat.

The Chaos Sorcerer shook his head, snatched his goblet and made his way over to a bookcase to look for his creature studies documents. This was going to be a very long evening…

Ankh-Mordheim Back story part 1

1.

It had been four months since Captain Kenton Black and his men had arrived in Norsca. And it had also been the longest and most gruelling four months any of them had ever experienced. Fortunately though, it had also been one of the most enjoyable times in Kenton’s life.

Ever since going AWOL from the Estallian Navy, Kenton Black had been leading a life of Piracy. Together with his crew of the Indomitable, they forged a fearsome reputation off the coast of the Empire, with Kenton cementing his place as a Pirate Captain. Their three year reign of coastal terror snowballed with each successful haul of loot as they strengthened their ship with more and more armaments. “But a fish can only grow as big as the pond it is inside” claimed Captain Black and so he had his men set sail for the hallowed Northlands. Alas, it would prove to be his undoing, as not two weeks into their journey the Indomitable was beset upon by a Chaos warship, becoming completely obliterated in the process.

Captain Kenton black and his men who somehow made it to the lands of Norsca numbered only twelve. Of those, two died from Frostbite in the first week, and another lost his will to live and hurled himself onto a spear in the second month. Some managed to land labourer jobs in the seaport they found themselves in, whilst others became farm hands. But they all yearned for the day they could once again take to the high seas.

And now this Norseman sat opposite Captain Kenton had a proposal. Unexpectedly, the people in the Norse seaport had become the closest thing to friends the pirates had discovered amongst their years of pillaging. Perhaps it was the love of conflict or the alcohol-fuelled celebrations they had in common. Whatever it was, Kenton Black liked what this particular man had offered him. In fact he may even go as far as to say he trusted him.

The local Seer had rambled on about the alignment of the stars and how a city was never going to be the same again; something about fortuitous times and two worlds colliding, creating wealth beyond imagination. That’s where the seer was wrong, because Captain Kenton Black could imagine a lot of wealth. The proposition was a simple one; Black and his men would sail with the Norse Seamen and assist them getting into this city, this “Mordheim”. In return the Norsemen would assist in obtaining a new ship for Captain Black and his men. It really wasn’t a choice that needed to be made, it was more of a miracle from the Gods. But a man of Kenton Black’s disposition was never quick to reveal his feelings.

Captain Black downed his flagon of mead and shook the hand of the Norseman opposite as the tavern was filled with rapture.

Ankh-Mordheim Rules to be used

1. Everything from the official GW Mordeheim resources page; here
2. The warbands listed on the poll on the left of this blog. PDFs from each of these can be found on the Mordheimer website; here (Please note, nothing else on the Mordheimer website is to be used unless it is also on the GW site)
3. A selection of house rules to be confirmed. This will certainly include a change to the way shields operate