Grade 2A Dramatis Personae
Aksho'akhash the Vile Dreadwing, Lord of the Carrion Throne
Upon completing an intricate summoning ritual involving one dead goat, two pinches of wyrdstone powder, and a grisly book of Chaos Magic most foul, the air takes an odour of sulfur and from an explosion of fresh goat blood a horrifying visage appears, though not the one that was expected.
The obscure tales of this “Daemon Lord” seem to have been greatly exaggerated; Aksho'akhash the “Vile Dreadwing” and “Lord of the Carrion Throne” appears to be nothing but a typical Chaos Fury that is somewhat more cunning than others of its kind and has a kleptomaniacal obsession for hoarding bits of garbage that only an insane Daemon could see the value of.
It is quickly apparent that any “immense treasure hoard of legend” that this Lesser Daemon might possess would not contain anything useful to a mortal, but perhaps one could put this interdimensional scavenger’s skills to good use in exploring the ruins of the City of the Damned.
May be Hired: All warbands devoted to Chaos (such as the Cult of Possessed and Beastmen Raiders) may attempt to hire Aksho'akhash by having a spell-caster in the warband attempt a summoning ritual once after each game.
The spell-caster must possess the Macabre Tome from the ‘Flurry of Furies’ scenario (see the previous page), pay the hiring fee*, and pass a Leadership test. If the ritual is successful, the Macabre Tome is destroyed and the Daemon is summoned.
Rating: Aksho'akhash increases the warband's rating by +35 points.
Hire Fee: 30 gold crowns to hire* + 30 gold crowns upkeep.
* The hiring fee represents the ingredients for performing the summoning ritual and are consumed regardless of the success of the ritual.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
Weapons/Armour: Aksho'akhash has razor-sharp claws with which it tears at its prey and is made from raw magic itself. It has no need for weapons or armour.
SPECIAL RULES
Fear: Lesser Daemons are horrifying supernatural creatures that cause fear in all who gaze upon them.
Daemonic Flesh: Due to their intangible nature, Daemons have a base armour save of 5+. This save is never modified but is completely negated by blessed or magic weapons and spells. The Daemon's attacks also count as magical.
Daemonic Instability: Daemons are bound to the world by dark sorcery that is highly volatile and unstable. If taken out of action, Aksho'akhash is banished and effectively destroyed on a D6 roll of 1-3 (do not roll for injury). If the spell-caster that summoned the Daemon is killed or leaves the warband, the Daemon is banished from whence it came.
Coward King: One does not grow to become ruler of a rubbish heap without a healthy respect for the integrity of one’s corporeal form. Unlike other Daemons of its ilk, Aksho'akhash is not immune to any psychology. Additionally, unlike other warriors that cause fear, Aksho'akhash itself is not immune to fear tests caused by other warriors.
Fly: Instead of moving normally (unless knocked down or stunned), Aksho'akhash may choose to:
- Move anywhere within 12" including into base contact with an enemy (in which case it counts as charging).
- Move vertically without needing to climb.
- Jump from any height without falling.
Aethereal Hoarder: Aksho'akhash has spent millennia picking through debris across the cosmos. While no mortal mind could comprehend exactly why such objects compel his attention, his skills for finding a diamond in the rough are valuable indeed.
After each game, so long as Aksho'akhash was not taken out of action, it may perform one of the following tasks:
- Reroll one exploration dice.
- Search for a rare item as if it was a Hero; add 1 to the roll.
- Find trinkets amongst the ruins worth 2D6 gold crowns.
“Busty” Gwen
By Timothy Jackson
Gwendalyn Brumsfield or “Busty” Gwen as her regulars know her; is the lone proprietor and sole employee of the “Stoat and Pitcher”. Dealing with pickpockets, thieves, and even lower rabble every day, Gwen has become a characteristically hard woman. In addition, having little or no help through the years has resulted in her building muscles that would shame even some marauders of the north. Still, she enjoys her trade, and is jovial and kind to those who treat her and “The Stoat” with respect.
A central hub for warbands, bone pickers, and other such treasure seeking masses; the Stoat and Pitcher has become a well respected (for the areas around Mordheim anyways) establishment, where many warbands have begun, and dissipated.
Hire Fee: See special rules.
May be Hired: By Possessed, Carnival of Chaos and the Beastmen.
Rating: “Busty” Gwen increases your warband rating by +40 points, plus 1 point for each experience point he has.
Equipment: Knives and rolling pin.
Skills: Step Aside, Mighty Blow, Strike to Injure.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
SPECIAL RULES
Rolling Pin: Gwen uses her trusty rolling pin to keep surly customers in line. As such, treat the rolling pin as a cudgel in close combat. In addition, it was hand made by Gwen herself, with a reinforced iron center; add +1 S to any attacks she makes with this monstrosity.
Massively Built: As any visitor can tell you, Gwen is a massive woman. During the shooting phase, if she is not in close combat, and hasn't run, she may “show her stuff” to any visible male target within 12”. The target model must make a Ld check or lose his entire next turn as he stands dumbfounded by her impressive bulk.
Naturally, females, skaven, orcs, and other non-human races are immune to this. While most undead are immune, Vampires, and Necromancers are not. Elves and Dwarves are affected, though not necessarily gaping in awe as much as disgust. (Optional) Any Slaaneshi cult members who fail their leadership check must take a further -1 Ld penalty for the remainder of the game.
Not Hired Muscle: Gwen knows all too well the corruption the City of the Damned spawns, and steers well clear. This does not however, stop her from turning a pretty profit. Gwendalyn runs a risky business operating outside of Mordheim and must be very careful to not become prey to the ravenous bands of treasure seekers. She also has an incredible number of connections with the scummier folk whom make their homes in and around the city ruins.
A gang must send someone to look for Gwen as per normal rules. However once sent she is always found automatically. (No need to roll under initiative) This will set up the initial bargain. The warband will then need to fight the scenario listed below using Gwen as a Hired Sword. The game may be played with an Arbitrator, or a second gang may opt to fight in the Arbitrator’s place. In a campaign this game still counts against the maximum games playable.
If the warband wins, they may choose any single, usable Personae Dramatis or Hired Sword and will gain their services free of charge for their next game only. If they lose, they must pay Gwen 2D6×5gc to pay for repairs to the Stoat. Either way, the warband may still look for treasure and wyrdstone following all the normal restrictions.
In a one-off game, treat Gwen as a normal Dramatis Personae with a cost of 85gc whom adds +65 to the warband's overall rating.
The Dark Jester in Mordheim
Hire Fee: 75 gold crowns to hire; +30 gold crowns upkeep cost.
May be Hired: Only Carnival of Chaos and Possessed warbands may hire the Dark Jester — anybody else just doesn’t have the right sense of humour!
Rating: The Dark Jester increases a warband’s rating by +55 points.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: The Dark Jester has a skeleton ‘hobby horse’ (counts as a club) and a sack of spikes (counts as a morning star) which he wields in humorous fashion in combat.
Skills: The Dark Jester has the following skills: Leap, Acrobat, Lightning Reflexes, Jump Up, and Dodge.
SPECIAL RULES
Loner: The Dark Jester is used to walking the lone path, content with the schizophrenic comforts of the daemon he harbours. As such he never has to test for being ‘All-alone’.
Confound and Confuse: In combat the Dark Jester uses a series of distraction and confounding ‘tricks’ to gain the upper hand on his hapless adversaries. At the start of each combat turn (his and his opponents) he may select one of the ‘tricks’ below to use in that round.
- Sidestepper: The Dark Jester weaves and bobs in combat as if he were a puppet hung from preternatural, prescient strings. In hand-to-hand combat the Dark Jester has a special dodge save of 4+ that cannot be modified by the strength of the attack.
- Babbling Banter: The Dark Jester babbles inanely and taunts his opponents, distracting them and opening up their defences as they recklessly try to silence him. All enemy models in base-to-base contact with the Dark Jester are at -1 to hit in hand-to-hand combat and their opponents are at +1 to hit those affected.
- Trip: The Dark Jester lures his opponent toward him with a few cutting taunts and then deftly steps aside their fatal swipe to upend them into the dirt. The Dark Jester may forgo rolling to ‘wound’ after a single attack and may instead elect to ‘trip’ his opponent. The Dark Jester rolls a D6. On a roll of 2+ his opponent is tripped and counts as ‘knocked down’.
The Headless Horseman
Hire Fee: 100 gold crowns to hire.
Although most mindless creatures usually have no wish for money, the Headless Horseman seems compelled to continue his life of banditry by whatever mysterious force keeps his lifeless body moving.
May be Hired: Warbands who are not of good alignment may hire the Headless Horseman.
Rating: The Headless Horseman increases a warband’s rating by +80 points.
Profile:
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseman | - | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| Steed | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
Weapons/Armour: Head or no head, this horseman still knows how to kill things! The Headless Horseman is armed with a brace of Dueling Pistols, a Double Handed Axe, a dagger, and wears Light Armour. He also has superior black powder and a lantern. Note that combined, the Light Armour and the Nightmare Steed give the Headless Horseman a save of 5+.
Skills: The Headless Horseman has the following skills: Horse Archer, Pistolier, Eagle Eyes, Trick Shooter, and Strongman.
SPECIAL RULES
Causes Fear: The Headless Horseman is a harrowing sight to behold and therefore causes fear.
Immune to Psychology: The Headless Horseman and his steed are never affected by psychology and they never leave combat. However, if the Headless Horseman suffers a wound, he must roll on the Whoa Boy! table as normal.
Immune to Poison: The Headless Horseman and his steed are unaffected by all poisons.
Faithful Steed: The same dark magics that animate the Headless Horseman also keep his loyal steed at his side. As a result, he may never dismount.
Undead: Both the Headless Horseman and his steed count as undead for the purposes of Blessed Water, etc.
Expert Rider: The Headless Horseman is a superb rider and as such he counts as being stationary even if he has moved that turn (i.e., no -1 modifier to hit).
Rapid Reload: The Headless Horseman’s speed at reloading is legendary and he can reload both of his pistols in the blink of an eye! Because of this he can fire with both (the skill Pistolier) of his dueling pistols every Shooting Phase.
Head Hewer: Ever since the loss of his own head, the Headless Horseman has started his own morbid collection with the very same axe which caused his own grizzly demise. When the Headless Horseman charges, all attacks with his double handed axe cause +1 to all injury rolls and he causes a critical hit on a roll of 5-6. Note this only counts for the turn in which the Headless Horseman has charged, and not subsequent turns in which he is still engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
Wanderer: The Headless Horseman only stays with a warband for the duration of one battle. A warband who used the Headless Horseman in their last battle may not seek him out until they have fought at least one battle without him.
The Foole
Hire Fee: 40 gold crowns to hire
May be Hired: The Foole may only be hired by non-good warbands or Mercenaries. Witch Hunters, Sisters of Sigmar, and Bretonnians automatically hate Schleige.
Rating: The Foole increases the warband's rating by +30 points.
Profile:
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | Save | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foole | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | None |
Equipment: Sword, dagger, Poison Ring (See Special Rules).
Skills: Schleige has the following skills: Acrobat, Lightning Reflexes.
SPECIAL RULES
Unhinged: Schleige is totally and irrevocably insane. As such, he is totally immune to all Psychology and All Alone tests.
“Bored now…” The mind of the Foole is like quicksilver, ever wandering and searching for new atrocities and stimulation. As such, he tires of routine and will never work for a single warband consecutively. A warband who used Schleige in their last battle may not seek him out until they have fought at least one battle without him. As unhinged and depraved as he is, most warbands would not seek him out again quickly as it is…
Poison Ring: Schleige wears a ring of his own devising that hides within it a poison he calls Giggle Juice. The poison causes the victim's muscles to cramp and contract severely, often strongly enough to cause the chest muscles to splinter the victim's ribs and crush his lung. Facial muscles twist and distort the victim's expression into a ghastly, grinning rictus. Once per battle, Schleige may, instead of making a normal attack, choose to spray a single opponent in hand-to-hand combat with a high power spray of Giggle Juice. This is an automatic STR 2 hit, and the poison adds a +1 to Injury Rolls. If taken out of action by the poison, during the post battle sequence if the warrior rolls any result except for Dead or Full Recovery, he gains the serious injury Nervous Condition (in addition to the regularly rolled result).
Sadist: Schleige takes supreme pleasure in the slow and inventive suffering of others. If an opposing warband member is Captured, Schleige will step up and demand he be given the warrior for his 'tastes'. The warrior is considered dead, and his weaponry, etc, may be kept by the capturing warband.
Master Craftsman: A wondrous toymaker in his former life, Schleige retains his skills with devices and invention, though now his warped mind turns this talent to the darker arts. After the battle, a single warrior from the hiring warband may approach the Foole and ask him to improve a single weapon. Schleige, however, is not known for being a rational creature; roll on the chart below.
D6 Result
1 — Schleige merely stares at the warrior, giggling and babbling inanities.
2-5 — Schleige takes the offered weapon and shuffles off, bent low over it and muttering. The next morning, the weapon will be found outside the warrior's tent, more often than not garishly painted or adorned with bits of children's toys (or less savory trophies). To determine how the weapon has been modified, roll an additional D6:
- 1-2 — The weapon now has +1 STR.
- 3-4 — The weapon now adds +1 to the wielder's Initiative.
- 5-6 — Next to the weapon sits a vial of Giggle Juice, which may be used to coat the weapon. Giggle Juice adds a +1 STR to the weapon as well as a +1 to the Injury roll. There is enough poison in the vial for two battles.
6 — Schleige takes the offered weapon, laughs wickedly, then attacks! Treat the encounter as a single combat. The defending warrior must fight without the weapon he has just foolishly handed to a madman; Schleige may use either his own sword or the weapon he has just been given. After combat, Schleige will discard the new weapon and scamper off into the ruins, giggling madly.
Sigmund Spindle, the Harvester of Flesh
No one knows what happened the day that Sigmund Sprandle left with that man, but what is for certain is that what returned the following evening was no longer a humble farm worker. Sigmund carries a long scythe that he once used for harvesting, and a large sack once used to hold grain. He is known to sell his services to groups of men willing to help him harvest more flesh for who knows what purpose.
Hire Fee: 70 gold crowns to hire, +35 gold crowns upkeep cost. Sigmund Sprandle may also be hired in the payment of one body part. If you wish to do this then a chosen Hero suffers one Severe Arm Wound and may only use one single handed weapon from now on.
May Be Hired: Sigmund may be hired by any evil or chaotically aligned warband.
Rating: Sigmund increases a warband’s rating by +65 points.
Profile:
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sigmund | 6 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: Sigmund carries a scythe and that is all!
Skills: Sigmund Spindle has the following skills: Sprint, Scale Sheer Surfaces, Dodge, Lightning Reflexes, Step Aside, Unstoppable Charge.
SPECIAL RULES
Maddened: Although Sigmund is no longer living his terribly scarred mind survives in some areas. Sigmund is therefore subject to Frenzy.
Causes Fear: Sigmund is a terrifying foe in combat and therefore causes fear.
Immune To Poison: Sigmund is unaffected by all poisons.
No Pain: Sigmund ignores all knocked down and stunned results on the Injury chart. He must lose his last wound and be taken out of action before he is removed from battle.
William Schäkestange, Master Bard
Inside and outside of Mordheim, William’s fame as a bard is well known. Having lost his horse shortly upon his arrival to the shadowy city, William replaced his mount with the next cheapest beast of burden: actors. Traveling far on his pantomime horse, William seeks out the underdogs, the dark horses, and further discouraged men of virtue. To him, they are fodder for his greatest play yet, a constant web of excitement and woe. The relationship is not completely one-sided, though, as William is a stirring ally.
Unlike other bards, William does not sing, but his recitations and speeches can turn spines from jelly to steel. And he can do more than support morale. Despite his flowery words and graying temples, the writer is a surprisingly spry fighter. He can duck and weave as fast as any Skaven, and his rapier has seen more than staged fights. But his best asset to any warband is his Pages of Couragio, a tally of daring acts and good luck. Warriors have turned from kittens to lion in hopes of making William’s famous account.
Hire Fee: 70 gold crowns to hire; +30 gold crowns upkeep cost.
May Be Hired: Any Mercenaries, Sisters of Sigmar and Witch Hunters may hire William. Furthermore, any good-aligned warband may hire William on a roll of 4+.
Rating: William increases a warband’s rating by +60 points. You may also field him with his Pantomime Horse for an extra +6 rating. (There is no additional gold cost.)
Profile:
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 8 |
| Pant. Horse | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Weapons/Armour: Rapier, dagger and light armour. He also carries a Lucky Rabbit’s foot (superstitious actors…).
Skills: William has the following skills: Jump Up, Dodge, and Lightning Reflexes. He also has the mounted skill Ride Pantomime Horse and the skill Swashbuckler from the Pirate Warband list (and yes, he may use the skill even on horseback!).
SPECIAL RULES
Songster: A Bard's rousing war songs steel the hearts of all those around him. Any friendly model within 6" of William may re-roll any failed Leadership test with a +1 to Leadership. This includes rout tests.
Pantomime Horse: A pair of brave, loyal actors in a very tattered costume. The Pantomime Horse is treated as a Warhorse with all the normal rules that apply. The exception is that the Pantomime Horse will never bolt. If you desire, William can play any game unmounted.
Pages of Couragio: During any match in which you are NOT the highest ranking warband, you may use William’s ‘Pages of Couragio’ ability:
Keep track of any Hero or Henchmen group member in your warband who performs one of the following acts. That warrior is rewarded a Couragio Point (with Henchmen, the group gets the point):
- Intercepts a charge.
- Takes an enemy warrior Out of Action who was NOT Knocked Down or Stunned.
- Successfully passes a Fear test to charge an opponent.
- Successfully makes a Diving Charge.
- Survives a Combat Phase, during which he is outnumbered at least two to one.
At the end of the game, randomly choose a Hero or Henchmen group that earned at least one Couragio point. If the chosen person was a Hero, that Hero gains an extra D3 experience this game. If instead you choose a Henchmen group, the entire group earns 1 extra experience for the game.
Couragio Points do not carry over from one game to the next. Non-experience-gaining warriors cannot gain Couragio points.