The Old World Anew (Part I)

The Empire, located at the heart of the Old World, has stood for two thousand years, ever since it was founded by Sigmar following his alliance with the Dwarves and defeated the hordes of goblins and orcs at the Battle of Black Fire Pass. Yet for half that time, scholars and Elector Princes have been muttering that it has been in decline, ever since the time of Emperor Boris Hohenback, divided into a series of independent counties, duchies, and principalities, feuding and occasionally skirmishing with each other. Unity between them is rare, the last time being during the Vampire Wars a century ago. Now, in the year 2276 IC, the Empire stands without an Emperor and four claimants. Count Sigismund Ulric of the Grand County of Osterlund and the great city of Middenheim, descendant of the Wolf Emperors of the north, who must contend with his own independently-minded subjects. Empress Elspeth Magritta VI rules the Barony of Westerland from the wealthy port city of Marienburg, but nicknamed the Empress of Coin, she is dismissed for her youth and the influence that the rich Burgomeisters of Marienburg and the volatile cult of the Sea God Manann have over her. Prince Wilhelm I of the Principality of Reikland and his subjects live in the heartlands of the Empire, but are often regarded as being fanatical Sigmar worshippers, ready to fall upon the neighbouring Duchy of Talabec which they claim to be rife with witches! Duke Ludwig XII of the Grand Duchy of Talabec looks to be a fool who prefers hunting and drinking, but his private political manoeuvring is limited since he cannot leave the city of Talabheim and the surrounding forest that filled the Taalbaston, the giant crater in which they stand, lest he lose his right to return. This is despite the fact that Talabheim and the lands within the Taalbaston remain independent. Internal strife is not the only threat that the Empire and its ordinary peasantry, who rather focus on the day-to-day, a good day’s pay for a good day’s pay, cold ale, and solid boots, let alone a warm fire, faces. The County of Sylvania and the marsh Hel Fenn remain sinister regions on the border, despite the Vampire Counts having been defeated a century ago. Orcs and Goblins skulk in the mountains, Beastmen and Undead lurk in the woods despite only being seen as old wives’ tales designed to scare children, and worshippers of the Dark Gods run rampant in the north and practise their vile entreaties in secret elsewhere…

Perched between the Talabec River and the towering walls of the Taalbaston, Talagaad stands on the Wizard’s Way, the road that crosses over the bridge known as the Wizard’s Crossing and up over the walls of the Taalbaston and is the only legal route into the crater. It is a rough, grimy port, its inhabitants working the docks and the ferry crossings and servicing the merchants and other visitors, but seeing relatively little of coin that is raised through sales or taxes. It is a town rife with crime and corruption, petty and otherwise, the town’s notorious ferrymen ready to transport goods and people across the river as much as they are stop mid-river, exhort additional payment, or toss passengers and cargo alike into the river. Smuggling operations closely guarding knowledge of other routes into the Taalbaston that can be followed to avoid paying taxes, whilst Talagaad’s excise officers have garnered a well-deserved reputation for corruption that rivals that of any other port in the Empire.

Taalbaston is the default setting and starting point for Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game, with the game referring to it again and again. Published by Cubicle 7 Entertainment, this is the roleplaying adaptation of Warhammer: The Old World, the miniatures combat rules from Games Workshop. This is set in a period two centuries prior to the better-known roleplaying game set in the Old World, that is, the venerable Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Fourth Edition. Its focus is less on the assaults and attacks by the forces of Chaos and on the Chaos within, and more on internal strife, whether political, between the Elector Counts, or religious, between the Sigmarites and Ulricans and others. The Old World as a setting has always drawn heavily from history, particularly the Early Modern period of Europe, but with Warhammer: The Old World and thus Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game, the inspiration is more heavily that of the Thirty Years War and its political and religious strife.

Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide is the first of two core rulebooks for the roleplaying game. It provides the means to create characters, the core rules, a guide to what Player Characters can do between adventures, details of both magic and religion, and some background on the setting. Essentially, it introduces the Warhammer: The Old World – Roleplaying Game, which combines an earlier setting in the history of the setting with lighter, faster playing rules than those presented in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Fourth Edition.

A Player Character in Warhammer: The Old World is defined by his Origins, Characteristics, Skills, and Careers. The six Origins, which provide the base value for Characteristics, consist of Dwarf, Halfling, High Elf, Human Bretonnian, Human Imperial, and Wood Elf. Each Origin provides a random Talent, base Skill ratings, Lores, and beginning Fate, plus it suggests some names. There are nine Characteristics which are Weapon Skill, Ballistics Skill, Strength, Toughness, Initiative, Agility, Reason, Fellowship, and Fate. Each Characteristic has two associated skills, for example, the skills for Weapon Skill are Melee and Defence, and Willpower and Recall for Reason. Both Characteristics and Skills range in value between two and six. Each Career adds further Skill bonuses and Lores, plus Trappings, Assets, and Contacts, as well as Career Recipe. The Careers range from Apothecary, Artisan, and Boathand to Wildwood Ranger, Witch, and Wizard. Many will be recognisable from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, such as Bounty Hunter, Charlatan, Labourer, Rat Catcher, and Road Warden, whilst others are less so, such as a Lothern Sea Guard or Waywatcher. In addition, a Player Character has some connections and assets. Most of the Origins have a unique career. Thus, there is the Knight-Exile for the Bretonnian, the Brewguard and Slayer for the Dwarf, Lothern Sea Guard and Shadow Warrior for the High Elf, Priest for the Imperial, and Waywatcher and Wildwood Ranger for the Wood Elf. Sadly, nothing for the Halfling.

To create a character, a player rolls for his Origins, three random Characteristic bonuses, applies the bonuses from his Origins and rolls for another Talent, and then rolls for his Career. Contacts—all of which are tied into the roleplaying game’s NPCs in Talagaad, and assets—based on the Player Character’s Status are rolled as is physique, demeanour, extra quirks or accessories, and character relationships.

Name: Britta

Origins: Dwarf

Physique: Red-nosed, vigorous, bright as steel Demeanour: Angry, vengeful, fierce as brightstone

Career: Engineer

Characteristics (Skills): Weapon Skill 3 (Melee 3, Defence 3), Ballistics Skill 3 (Shooting 3, Throwing 2), Strength 4 (Brawn 2, Toil 4), Toughness 4 (Survival 2, Endurance 3), Initiative 2 (Awareness 3, Dexterity 3), Agility 3 (Athletics 3, Stealth 2), Reason 3 (Willpower 3, Recall 2), Fellowship 2 (Leadership 2, Charm 2), Fate 2

Lore: Blackpowder, Engineering, Literacy, Lore: Dwarf Mountain Holds, Smithing, Extra Modifications

Talents: Intense Scrutiny, Hatred: Orcs

Assets: Armoury

Trappings: Warhammer, handgun, burgher’s apparel, worker’s leathers, engineering kit, blackpowder kit, writing kit

Contacts: Hunter Lord Leonard Van Obelmann, Commander of the Talabheim 11th regiment occupying Talagaad; They ignored your advice and lost a critical battle as a result—a fact you never let them forget. Malko Matasca, A reputed druid, tortured by visions of dark futures; You have fought alongside them, and seen what happens when they get angry.

Mechanically, Warhammer: The Old World uses a dice pool system. To have his character undertake an action, a player rolls the number of dice equal to the associated Characteristic, aiming to roll equal to or lower than the character’s skill on one or more dice. Each roll equal to or lower than the character’s skill counts as a success. The difficulty of the task will add or subtract dice depending upon if it is easier or harder, and various Lores, Talents, trappings, and Status expectations can also modify the number of dice a player has to roll.

Depending on the circumstances, a test can be Grim or Glorious. If it is Grim, then the player rerolls all successes again and determines his character’s success from that outcome, whilst if Glorious, the player rerolls all failures and determines his character’s success from that outcome. Typically, only a single success is required, but in certain situations, a Player Character might require as many as three successes for a Total Success. In this case, if only one success is rolled, the Game Master can impose a Complication, such as forced expenditure or the Player Character becoming flustered in front of someone important. If the player rolls a Total Success, he can suggest an extra bonus, such as the task being done more efficiently or impressively. If a task is going to take time or require the expenditure of resources, then an Exacting Test is rolled, which requires multiple success over time.

For example, Britta is a gunsmith and her Engineering Lore enables her to invent, operate, and build prototypes of experimental mechanisms, whilst her Smithing Lore means that she knows how to work metal to produce weapons, armour, or tools. Her Blackpowder Lore means that she is used to using and firing blackpowder weapons. She wants to create a clockwork device that will automatically reload her pistol up to two times before it needs reloading. Her Game Master tells her that this will be a detailed test. On a marginal or one success, it will work, but there is a chance that it will take an extra round time to reload rather than doing so ready for the next round; with two rolled success, or a Success, the clockwork mechanism will reload without any problem; and three success, or a Total Success, there is a chance that the reload mechanism is so fast, it enables the pistol to be fired twice in a round!

Britta has a Strength of four and a Toil of four. Her player will be rolling four dice, equal to Britta’s Strength, the aim being to roll four or less on each die as per her Toil skill of four. Unfortunately, Britta’s player rolls a four, seven, eight, and ten, resulting in one or a marginal success. Britta’s player decides that the Dwarf thinks the spring is not strong enough and a new one needs to be fitted to get the right tension.

Despite the majority of inhabitants of the Empire not quite realising that they are living in an age of relative peace and prosperity, their fears are not totally unwarranted. Some have begun to detect signs and patterns and for the Player Characters, this means that their fates are bound to a Grim Portent of things to come, having come to the attention of a powerful, probably evil person or entity. When this happens, it results in a life or death or struggle that will leave the Player Characters scared if they manage to survive. In game terms, a ‘Grim Portent’ is an adventure or session in itself, and really the only discussion of what a Player Character is going to be doing in Warhammer: The Old World. Even then, its description is obtuse.

To survive a Grim Portent, a Player Character will likely need to rely on Fate, of which he will have several points. Fate can be spent or burned. It can be spent to make a test Glorious, to gain a second action, or to help make a tactical retreat. It can be burned, thus reducing the Player Character’s total Fate permanently, to succeed on a test outright, to suffer a near miss and negate a wound, or to make a last stand, and do something incredibly heroic and memorable, but die in the attempt.

Combat is fought in Zones to handle range and each combatant can act and move once per turn. Athletics Tests are required to cross difficult or hazardous terrain without falling prone. It is possible to set up actions, like aiming or helping to set a trap, which will offer bonuses on a subsequent round, and it is also possible to Run to move an extra Zone, to Charge into combat to gain a bonus die on the melee attack, Move Quietly, and even Move carefully to better move around difficult terrain. The Improvise action covers everything else, including shoving a bandit off a cliff or disarming a drunk or taunting an opponent. Combat rolls themselves are opposed. So, an attacker will use his Melee skill to attack with a sword, whilst the defender will use Defence to parry or Athletics to dodge. Whichever combatant rolls the most successes is the winner, with ties going to the attacker.

Failed attacks will actually stagger the attacker, but successful attacks inflict damage equal to the weapon’s damage value plus the number of successes rolled. The resulting value is compared to the defender’s Resilience, which is equal to his Toughness, armour worn, shield carried, and any other abilities. If the total damage is greater than the defender’s Resilience, the defender suffers a wound. If not, the defender is just staggered. If the target is already Staggered, he must either Give Ground, fall Prone, or suffer a Wound. The Give Ground response enables the defender to put some space between himself and his attacker. If all else fails, Retreat is an action all of its very own.

Wounds and their effects are rolled on the ‘Wounds Table’ individually. For example, a ‘Battered Leg’ gives “Your legs buckle as the impact threatens to pitch you to the floor. Test Endurance to avoid

suffering the Prone condition. You can remove this condition by using your free move, or the

Recover action.” whilst ‘Decapitation’ gives “Your head is struck from your body — if your killer is in Close Range, and has a hand free, they may opt to catch your head and hold it aloft as a trophy. You are dead.” A ten-sided die is rolled for the first Wound suffered, two ten-sided dice for the second Wound, and so on and so on… In this way, damage suffered has the potential to escalate in severity and effect. The table is only used for Player Characters and Champion NPCs. Minions are defeated after suffering one Wound, whilst Brutes and Monstrosities are not, but how they suffer Wounds depends on their profile.

The combat rules also cover mounts and vehicles, whilst the other rules cover investigation, exploration, social encounters—including the class divide, and what the Player Characters do between adventures. This covers various endeavours, including aiding a contact, banking money, changing career, formalising a spell and inscribing it into your grimoire if a wizard, gathering information, investing money, laying low, labouring or crafting, rekindling fate—if the Player Character’s Fate is lower than starting Fate because it has been burned, study lore, test might, and so on. There are a lot of options, or endeavours, here that will definitely keep the Player Characters busy. However, undertaking endeavours is the only way to increase skills rather than from adventuring. Failures on associated tests are tallied and when they exceed the current skill value, the skill will increase.

Religion and belief is covered in the Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide with a particular emphasis on how the different gods—Ulric, Taal, Rhya, Sigmar, Manann, Morr, Ranald, Verena, Myrmidia, and Shallya—are worshipped and regarded in Talagaad. The gods of the Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings are also discussed, though to a lesser degree. A Priest Player Character does not immediately gain the ability to call upon his god for miracles. The Faith Talent grants him the favour of his god. For example, Ulric’s Favour grants immunity to the cold, recognition as an equal by any wolf, and after suffering a Wound in battle, makes the Favoured one’s next attack Glorious. The second time the Faith Talent is chosen, the Priest gains the blessings or prayers of the god and the third time, the miracles of his god. Each time the Faith Talent is acquired, the Priest is expected to undergo a trial of faith. Whilst several prayers are given for each god, the player is expected to talk with the Game Master to determine what is possible. In general, miracles are more narrative in nature than mechanical. In return, the Priest is expected to adhere to the strictures of his faith. Should he not do so, then there is the possibility of his losing the right to call for miracles, pray, and so on.

Name: Simonius

Origins: Human (Imperial)

Physique: Charmless Demeanour: Brash

Career: Wizard

Characteristics (Skills): Weapon Skill 3 (Melee 2, Defence 4), Ballistics Skill 3 (Shooting 2, Throwing 2), Strength 3 (Brawn 2, Toil 2), Toughness 3 (Survival 2, Endurance 2), Initiative 3 (Awareness 3, Dexterity 4), Agility 3 (Athletics 2, Stealth 2), Reason 3 (Willpower 3, Recall 4), Fellowship 2 (Leadership 2, Charm 2), Fate 3

Lore: Lore: The Empire, Lore: Altdorf,

Talents: Thirst for Knowledge, Touched by the Winds, Arcane Study

Assets: Library

Trappings: Staff, dagger, burgher’s apparel, arcane paraphernalia, writing kit

Contacts: Ambrosia Waxwing, Halfling librarian, studying the threat of the northern marauders; They pay you to bring them information, be it local gossip or scrolls from the Great Library of Altdorf. Valda Kracht, Devoted of Sigmar, spreading the proscribed faith in secret; Be they a fanatic of Sigmar, Ahalt the Drinker, or stranger gods still — you believe you can save them

The status of magic varies across the Empire. It is outlawed in the Reikland and its users are accused as witches and burnt at the stake, whereas in Talabecland, Wizards enjoy greater freedom to practise magic. However, Wizards everywhere are looked upon with superstition and distrust. Most are self-taught, but the recently founded Hexenguilde, attempts to protect and teach Wizards. A Wizard or a Witch has the career Talent of Wizard. Each level in the Wizard Talent grants the Wizard three spells from their Magic Lore. Every spell as a Casting Value, as well as a Target for the spell, and its Range and Duration. A Casting Test is needed to cast a spell, the caster’s player aiming to roll a number of successes equal to the Casting Value with his Willpower skill. No matter the total number of successes rolled, the final number of successes rolled determines a spell’s Potency. It is possible to keep rolling a Casting Value in order to get a better Potency value. The Potency value determines the actual effect of the spell, which will vary spell from spell. Rules are provided for improvised magic, but a selection of spells, organised Lore by Lore is also included. The Lores include Battle Magic, Elementalism, Illusion, and Necromancy.

Not rolling enough successes does not mean that the spell is miscast and a wizard’s player can continue making a Casting Test from one round to the next until the wizard has sufficient successes equal to the Casting Value. However, when the Casting Test is interrupted, the wizard adds a die to his Miscast Pool. As does rolling a nine, since this exceeds the Eight Winds of Magic. If the Miscast Pool exceeds the wizard’s level in the Wizard Talent, the Wizard’s player rolls all of the dice in his Miscast Pool and consults the Miscast Table. The results do not always mean that the spell fails, but rather that the Wizard has drawn too heavily on the Winds of Magic and the backlash causes noticeable side effects.

For example, Simonius, the ‘Worst Wizard in the Old World’, is in a fierce fight with some goblins. His long-suffering companions are putting up a strong resistance and driving the goblins back, with many lying about in pieces from the Slayer’s axe or decapitated from the Halfling’s surprisingly deadly punches, but now a big brute is charging him. He attempts to cast Lightning Blast at the goblin, which inflicts four damage (or five if armoured) plus the casting Potency. It has a Casting Value of two—so unlikely to be too difficult, thinks Simonius’ player, who will be rolling four dice for Simonius’ Reason characteristic and attempting to roll equal to or under his Willpower skill of three. As the goblin charges at Simonius, his player rolls one, seven, nine, and ten. So, one success, but also three failures, one of which is a nine. A die is added to Simonius’ Miscast Pool. The spell has not yet attained its Casting Value, and on the next round, the charging goblin attacks, forcing Simonius to dodge. He is successful, but since this interrupts the casting, it adds a second die to his Miscast Pool. This means it exceeds his Wizard Level and forces a roll on the Miscast Table. Simonius’ player rolls the two dice in his Miscast Pool and gets the result of thirteen: “A hideous stench erupts from you. All those within Short Range of when you rolled this Miscast must immediately Give Ground or suffer a –1d penalty to their next Test. All your Fellowship Tests are Grim until you can next bathe.” This resets the Miscast Pool to zero and even though the goblin is used to horrible stenches, it gives ground. Simonius still has one success and continues his attempt to cast the Lightning Blast. His player makes a second roll with the results of three, six, seven, and nine. This means that Simonius has gained successes equal to the Casting Value and can cast the spell, but the Potency is only one, equal to the number of successes on this round. His Miscast Pool rises by one also. With the goblin on the ground, Simonius’ player decides to roll one more time to increase the Potency. Unfortunately, he rolls one, two, nine, and nine. This not only means that the spell succeeds with a better Potency of two, but it also means that Simonius’ Miscast Pool increases by two to a total of three because of the two nines rolled. This is, of course, a rare result, but then Simonius is the ‘Worst Wizard in the Old World’. Simonius’ player has to roll again on the Miscast Table and the result is twenty-one, or “An unnatural wind whips up around you. Anyone within Medium Range, including you, must make a Hard (–1d) Endurance Test or be knocked Prone.” This includes most of the other Player Characters and the goblins they are fighting, including the goblin that wanted to chop Simonius to bits. Simonius finally decides to unleash the spell and the goblin is blasted for four damage plus the Potency of two. Meanwhile, the other adventurers, now lying on the ground, are once again looking at Simonius askance…

Overall, Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide presents a set of options that are Warhammer through and through, all set in the Empire, and backs it up with a fast playing, easy to use set of rules. The combat mechanics are straightforward and whilst they do not cover every eventuality, they do allow for some flexibility, especially under the Improvise action, which offers more options than just hitting things. In comparison, the magic rules are more complex, but not overly so, but they are still fast-playing whilst also being more than just a simple matter of casting a spell and triggering its effects. There is some nuance as the player attempts to balance the potential effect of the spell versus the possibility of a miscast and side effects. In comparison, the magic rules are better explained than the combat rules, primarily because as a player’s book, there are no monsters in the Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide and so there is not an effective example of combat to help the player or Game Master better grasp its play.

Of course, Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game is not Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Fourth Edition. It even states this on the cover with its subtitle, ‘Grim and Glorious Adventures in the World of Legend’ as opposed to ‘A Grim World of Perilous Adventure’. It does not have the options or the detail of the latter, but at the same time, it does not have the complexity of the latter either. To be fair, whatever its edition, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay has always been a relatively complex game, but to have a faster playing and easier ruleset will be an attractive feature to many players and Game Masters.

One of the big problems with Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide is that it does not really tell you what it is. The introduction to the setting is slight and it does not expand upon that until the very end of the book when there is more detail on the setting and on the four claimants to the Imperial throne. So, it leaves the reader wondering when, and to some extent, where, it is set. It is obviously a Warhammer roleplaying book, obviously not a Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Fourth Edition book, but it lacks context. If you are coming to the Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide new to the hobby there is a little note to explain what a roleplaying game is and that the best place for the reader to find out more is to look at the Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Starter Set. However, if you coming to the Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Fourth Edition—which is a distinct possibility—then the reader is likely to be at loss due to the lack of context and a direct explanation of what he is holding in his hands. When is this set? How does this differ from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Fourth Edition? What does it offer that is different from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Fourth Edition? What is it that the Player Characters will be doing that sets it apart from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Fourth Edition? These are really simple direct questions whose answers could have been used to really sell the Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game.

Physically, Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide is well presented and has some excellent artwork throughout. It does need an edit in places and in others the explanations need more careful read throughs than they necessarily should.

Ultimately, at this point, the main problem with the Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide is that it does not have its counterpart, Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Gamemaster’s Guide. Or even the Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Starter Set. There is nothing for the Game Master to run or the players and their characters to react to or fight. That will, of course, change, but even then the Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide does not really explain what it is that the Player Characters are going to be doing, what its differences are between it and its older forbear, and so on. There is a lack of context which means that it is not as grounded as it should be and means that it is not as easy for the Game Master to pitch the roleplaying game to her players as it should be.

The Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide is everything that a player needs to get started in a version of the Old World and the Empire that is both older and newer. It promises ‘Grim and Glorious Adventures in the World of Legend’ and with its faster playing, easier mechanics it offers a more heroic, more knockabout style of play.