Vampire Hunters of Sylvania
Grade: 2a
Source: By Tom Bell (PDF)
Setting: Sylvania
Death comes for each man. Nowheres is this more evident than the lands of Sylvania. The tyrannical reign of the Von Carsteins has held sway for generations, keeping man and beast cowering indoors once darkness falls. It is a dismal life that is lead in Sylvania, however it is often not over when death comes calling. Too often are loved ones laid to rest, only to have nothing but open graves remaining come morning. The dead do not sleep easily in the cursed soil, and oft are the times when ones weary bones are called into dark service. The dead stalk the living as horrors wander the streets at night. Even the short and bleak days do not provide solace as the more desperate of Sylvanian stock raid for what they can take with strength of arms. Several have tried to escape, and very few have succeeded. Fewer still are those that return with hopes of liberating their countrymen from the iron-grasp of the von Carsteins and their court of nightmares. These determined men of iron bring with them those trained in the arts of dealing with the undead. Even priests of the god Morr come to Sylvania, hoping to cleanse the tainted hand that rules her. Here is what sends ghouls scampering back into their filthy holes. They are the ones who leave nothing but smoldering piles of ash in their wake. Here is what causes vampires to pause. These are the Slayers, the Vampire Hunters of Sylvania.
Special Rules
Hired Swords: Vampire Hunters accept nearly all aid that is available. As such, they may recruit Hired Swords as if they were Human Mercenaries.
Choice of warriors
A Slayer Warband must include a minimum of 3 models. You have 500 gold crowns which you can use to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 12.
Heroes
Vampire Hunter: Each Slayer Warband must have one Vampire Hunter.
Priest of Morr: Your Warband may include a single Priest of Morr.
Slayers: Your Warband may include up to three Slayers.
Henchmen
Villagers: Any number of models may be Villagers.
Pilgrims: Your Warband may include up to four Pilgrims.
Wolfhounds: Your Warband may include up to four Wolfhounds.
Starting Experience
Vampire Hunters start with 20 experience
Priest of Morr starts with 12 experience
Slayers start with 8 experience
Henchmen start with 0 experience
Vampire Hunters Skill Table
Special Skills
Vampire Hunters and Slayers may use the following skill list instead of the standard skill lists. The Priest of Morr may choose Blessing of Morr and Thirst for Vengeance as well as his normal skills.
Iron Will: Such is the work of Slayers that there is little room for hesitation. When the opportunity arises, one must be able to strike! As such, the warrior is hardened and immune to Fear.
Righteous Aura: Carrying many talismans from various gods, the warrior heads into battle assured of victory. Possessed or Undead opponents lose their first attack against the warrior in the first round of hand-to-hand combat (down to a minimum of 1).
Thirst for Vengeance: The warrior Hates all undead. In his quest for revenge, he gains +1 attack in a turn where he has charged.
Blessing of Morr: The warrior has the Death god's blessing in his work. Add +1 to all injury rolls against the undead.
Touch of Darkness: Long has the Slayer been dealing in death. Perhaps too long. Due to his heightened intuition, he ignores darkness penalties.
Vampire Hunters Equipment Lists
Hero Equipment List
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
| Hammer | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Scythe | 10 gc |
| Silver-tip Stake | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Crossbow | 25 gc |
| Pistol | 15 gc (30 for brace) |
| Crossbow Pistol | 15 gc * |
Armour
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Light armour | 20 gc |
| Shield | 5 gc |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
Miscellaneous Equipment (Heroes Only)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Holy Water | 10 gc |
| Blessed Bolts | 25 gc |
| Holy Relic | 15 gc |
| Throat Guard | 10 gc |
Pilgrim Equipment List
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Mace | 3 gc |
| Silver-tip Stake | 10 gc |
Villager Equipment List
Special Equipment
Scythe
Cost: 10 gc
Availability: Common
Range: Close Combat
Strength: As User +1
Special Rules: Two-Handed
Two-Handed: As a scythe requires two hands to use, a model using one may not use a shield, buckler, or additional weapon in close combat.
Silver-tip Stake
Cost: 15 gc
Availability: Common
Range: Close Combat
Strength: As User
Special Rules: Heart-seeker
Heart-seeker: Such is the destructive power of silver over a Vampire's form that the silver-tip stake adds +1 to the injury roll when it causes a wound.
Throat Guard
Cost: 10 gc
Availability: Rare 7
Special Rules: Life Saver
Life Saver: As the vampires of Sylvania rely upon hapless human victims to sate their thirst for blood, it is only prudent to protect vulnerable areas. As such, the Throat Guard allows a Slayer the peace of mind knowing that their blood shall remain in their veins. All injury rolls caused by a Vampire have a special 6+ save while this equipment is worn. This save is not modified by strength, but can be bypassed by criticals that ignore armour. It does not add any armor-save modifiers, and can be worn on its own, or combined with light or heavy armor.
Heroes
1 Vampire Hunter
60 gold crowns to hire
Driven by a need to cleanse the night, a Vampire Hunter gathers a group of solemn and battle-ready men to combat the most evil and powerful of those that dwell in the darkness. Blood-thirsters beware...
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
Weapons/Armor: A Vampire Hunter may be armed with weapons and armour from the Vampire Hunters Equipment List.
SPECIAL RULES
Leader: Any models in the warband within 6” of the Vampire Hunter may use his Leadership instead of their own.
Stake the Vampire!: A Vampire Hunter Hates Vampires. They must always move towards a Vampire on the field (if he can see them) unless he can shoot (in which case he may choose).
0 – 1 Priest of Morr
35 gold crowns to hire
Only a Priest of Morr can truly put to rest the reign of undeath. While sword and club may curtail them, a devotee of Morr can truly free the tortured souls of the dead.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
Weapons/Armor: As priests of Morr seldom engage in martial activities, they may only be armed with a Dagger and a Scythe as weapons. Priests of Morr may never wear Armour.
SPECIAL RULES
Loner: Few people care to spend any length of time in the company of a priest of Morr – even when it is their duty to do so. As such, a priest of Morr is used to being alone and probably prefers it that way. Priests of Morr do not suffer from the All Alone rules.
Funerary Rites: Priests of Morr are not wizards, however they do have numerous Funerary Rites which they may perform. As such, priests of Morr may randomly choose a Funerary Rite listed on the following page.
0 – 3 Slayers
25 gold crowns to hire
While not yet fully accredited Vampire Hunters, these Slayers prowl the night in search of a great kill that will propel them into the esteemed order. They often band together with famous (or infamous) Vampire Hunters in the hopes of finding honor and glory.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
Weapons/Armor: A Slayer may be armed with weapons and armour from the Vampire Hunters Equipment List.
SPECIAL RULES
Stake the Vampire!: A Slayer Hates Vampires. They must always move towards a Vampire on the field (if he can see them) unless he can shoot (in which case he may choose).
Henchmen
Villagers
20 gold crowns to hire
Roused by grand speeches given to them by the Hunters and Slayers, these common men and women pick up what weapons they can to help reclaim their lives from the night. More often than not, they do not return, but that does not stop others from following in their footsteps.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons/Armor: A Villager may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Villager Equipment list.
0 – 5 Pilgrims
40 gold crowns to hire
Through incredible pain and suffering a new cult was borne. The members of the Dark Shroud call to those who have lost all to the overlords of the night. These pilgrims of pain, also known as fanatics or zealous madmen, flock to the Slayers in hopes of bringing about an end to the reign of the Undead.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
Weapons/Armor: A Pilgrim may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Pilgrim Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Fanatical: A Pilgrim of Pain believes that the end of the world is nigh should the undead threat not be stopped. As such, nothing holds any terror for them in the mortal world. Pilgrims automatically pass any leadership-based tests they are required to take. A Pilgrim may never become a Warband leader.
Blunt: Due to bludgeoning weapons having a much more profound effect upon the undead, Pilgrims ignore all bladed and ranged weapons in favor of maces, hammers and staffs. The only exception to this is the silver-tip stake, for it's incredible destructive powers against Vampires.
0 – 4 Wolfhounds
15 gold crowns to hire
These noble beasts serve as loyal protectors and savage hunters. Trained from birth, they can smell the undead from miles away and will fight to the death to protect their masters.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Weapons/Armor: Jaws and brutality. A Wolfhound never use nor need weapons or armour.
SPECIAL RULES
Animal: Wolfhounds are animals and thus do not gain experience.
Funerary Rites
Although we offer blessings upon a departing soul, that Morr may allow it passage through the realm of death, the soul is not our concern. Our concern is the body. Our rituals insure that the body remains just as it is; that it is properly sealed and sanctified, lest something enter into the cadaver’s shell and corrupt it, or worse...
D6 Funerary Rites
1 – Morr's Protection
Difficulty: 6
‘Morr, watch over your faithful servants!’ The Priest of Morr calls out to his god when confronted by an abomination and asks that he be shielded from the corrupted magic of the tainted.
Any Magical attacks made by a Necromancer, a Magister or Daemons, which would be considered a direct attack on the priest, will be negated if this rite is successful. This effect remains until the priest’s next shooting phase.
2 – Death Holds No Fear
Difficulty: Auto
Priests of Morr must be steadfast in their resolution and as such must, above all else, have no fear of death.
The Priest of Morr is now Fearless for the remainder of the game.
3 – Sanctity of the Fallen
Difficulty: 5
‘Those who fall shall be sanctified and their soul freed, in the name of Morr, god of death.’
The Priest of Morr may attempt to perform the Rite of Sanctity on a model (friend or foe) who has been taken Out of Action. The Priest must be within 6” of the model in question. If successful, the model may not be raised up by a Necromancer.
4 – Hand of Morr
Difficulty: 9
‘By the hand of Morr, the Undead shall become as dust and ashes.’
The Priest of Morr must be in base-to-base contact with the Undead model. Before Hand-to-Hand combat occurs, the Priest may attempt to use the Hand of Morr rite. If successful, the foe immediately goes Out of Action (this affects Zombies, Dire Wolves and Vampires). Ghouls, Possessed, Daemons and creatures of Chaos affected will immediately flee their full Move away from the Priest of Morr.
5 – Do You Know Who I Am?
Difficulty: 9
‘Gaze upon me, abomination, for I am a Priest of Morr.’
This rite has a range of 6” and must be directed at the closest Undead model first, or if no Undead are within range, at the next closest human servant of the Undead (Dregs, Ghouls, Necromancers), or finally at any model. If successful, that model is immediately Stunned. If the model cannot be Stunned, then it is Knocked Down instead.
6 – I Am Death!
Difficulty: 7
‘I am a Priest of Morr, god of death!’
There are times when a Priest of Morr will be called to engage in combat, and who would be more feared than a representative of the god of Death?
This spell gives the Priest of Morr a 6+ armor save and increases their WS by either +1 or makes it 4, whichever is the greater. A Leadership test is required to maintain this spell in subsequent rounds.