Night_stalker
Slava Ukraini!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
IIRC, pretty sure Torroar has gone on record, we got like very little Skaven in our neck of the woods.
Warhammer Fantasy: A Dynasty of Dynamic Alcoholism
- Thread starter torroar
- Start date
- Mature
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- Tags
- warhammer warhammer fantasy fantasy intrigue happens male protagonist ck2 quest belief stronk count of cannons drunken wisdom foes in the shadows graf of guns if you have a question check the front page first it begins... mountain vietnam ogres paranoia rising unseen enemies everywhere use the search function before asking waifu wars wake the bull
While true for Ostland(any tunnels to the Middle Mountains are green, marking them as the more recent ones and Sigmar destroyed the Skaven Horde in the Middle mountains way back in 17 IC) we've just assisted the Dwarves in preventing the Skaven from setting up shop in Karak Ungor so we probably want some level of precaution against them.
And a relative lack of Skaven in Ostland doesn't mean the rest of the Empire doesn't have an issue of Skaven tunnels. So going public is still a bad idea.
King Arthur
The Once and Future King
See, like, the thing is, that sort of doesn't hold up when you realize it's only a secret in the Empire. As far as I'm aware every other nation is aware of the existence of Skaven.
Am I misunderstanding things? I admit I could be.
Miragliano openly acknowledges the existence of the Skaven yes. Which pretty much resulted in semi-open warfare(with Tilea as a whole having lost full-fledged city states like Tobaro until they could be retaken by a mercenary army with the help of Elves) as well as Miragliano frequently being hit by a plague epidemic*(though part of that may just have been proximity to the Blighted Marshes).
Bretonnians on the other hand, have had Clan Pestilens unleash the Red Pox in their cities on multiple occasions, which the Bretonnians 'Solved' by burning large parts** of their cities to the ground. With two Skaven armies emerging between Brionne and Quenelles, razing several settlements along the river Brienne and laying siege to both cities at the same time before a combined army of Parravonian Knights and Wood Elves from Athel Loren manage to drive them off(though whether they acknowledge the existence of the Skaven is a bit ambiguous).
The Border princes and Estalians are insignificant balkanized hellholes and I'm not sure Kislev can even spare the manpower to patrol in the general vicinity of the Hell Pit so whether they know is unknown.
Beyond that? Araby launched their Jihad on Estalia because of the Skaven and Cathay/Nippon have such bullshit power levels that the Skaven try to avoid starting shit(beyond Clan Eshin emulating their martial arts and ninjutsu).
And while the Skaven do tend to find allies amongst the forces of Chaos, they generally don't share the end goal of destroying the world for the sake of the gods.
I think that covers pretty much every human civ.
Basically, openly acknowledging the Skaven will cause them to escalate hostilities. Which is why we want to wait so the Empire/Dwarves can recover their depleted manpower reserves and eradicate other threats in their territories first. And ideally? We want to maintain pretences even when the Empire is clearing warrens like Under-Nuln because it'll usually mitigate the Skaven response.
*The Red Pox epidemic of 1812 taking out 3/4ths of the city's population.
**notable examples being the entire poor quarters of Bordeleaux in 1786 and 3/4ths of Brionne burning in 1812.
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Doomed Wombat
Let's go Darling!
- Location
- Dancing on wires!
With any luck this job should be made significantly easier thanks to the presence of our new DEATHSPINNER (buy one get one free)
Large fan blades in enclosed spaces like tunnels I can't think of anything better to kill rats
.
[CANON] Bull Warrior Training Program - Massgamer
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
AN: Once again thank you @torroar for help with infomation and corrections.
Firstly participants must take part in large amounts physical conditioning so that their bodies are capable of using the heavy army and weaponry that the Bull Warriors use on a daily basis. This starts with a variety of excises made to increase muscle mass and stamina such as carrying large loads hours a day, taking part in heavy labor, sparing in training armor, and other similar activities. During this period they take part in weapons training to get themselves familiar with the skills needed to handle real weapons in the future, and doing this alongside physical conditioning makes it so they are better able take the strain of fighting over long periods. Once there bodies have properly developed then it is time for the actual armor and weapons training.
Next comes the actual training to proficiently use the heavy armor that members of the order are well known for using on a regular basis. While all knights wear armor in some form or another the Bull Warriors are experts in using particularly heavy and tough plate armor. This use of heavy plate armor was influenced due to the fact the province of Ostland is mostly heavily forested therefore making use of horses is more of a penalty than advantage for local forces, so in exchange for the loss of mobility the Bull Warriors focused on defense. By walking on foot and using heavy armor the Bull Warriors became much more effective in combating the various threats the local forests contained than without it.
Training in heavy plate continues with more endurance training so that the user is not overly exhausted using armor for longer periods of time, while also learning how to endure blows better from enemy attacks by learning to maneuver in way that deflects blows rather than take them head on. Not to mention needing to learn how to march long distances even within their armor. Next involves mobility training where the wearers must learn to move and fight with the extra weight without tripping over their own feet, and in some cases even use said extra weight to their advantage by angling attacks in such a way that the armor's weight can add more force to each blow. The final major test when training with armor is an obstacle course race through a safe-ish section of forest nearly a mile in length while combining all aspects of past training. This is to help imitate a battlefield charge through hostile terrain and against enemy forces. Those that have finished the race under a set amount of time will pass.
Over the course of weapons training trainees learn to make use of heavy weapons such as greathammers, greatswords, halberds, great axes, etc. that the order is also known for using to be more capable of causing great damage against the usually monstrous foes of Ostland. As stated before Bull Warriors are trained to use the weight of their armor and weapon together to deal devastating blows against even armored foes. Participants will spar against various veteran Bull Warriors to gain experience and spar against each other to test themselves against individuals of similar skill. The final test involves sparing against their teachers until one side surrenders, it should be noted that even if a trainee loses against their teacher in the final test if the teacher believes the student has learned and fought well they are still capable of passing.
Throughout all of this comes the training of the mind and soul as well as the body. Priests of Ulric, of Sigmar, and Morr are present throughout the training, ensuring the purity of the trainees, for though the Bull Warriors are not dedicated to a single god they regardless value piety highly. This is not unexpected given the recent threats that Ostland has been faced with, and will likely be faced with in the future. In the meantime, veterans instruct the knights on codes of conduct for all a manner of situations and general life, through which the Bull Warriors from squire to the Grandmaster himself are expected to follow without fail. Some of the most popular tests of such involve forcing the trainees to recite the laws they must uphold, the rules for which they must uphold personally, and more, all while running in full kit regardless of the weather. Unlike smaller orders, where squires would be paired to single masters, in the Bull Warriors trainees attend entire classes for all things. For there is little room in the Bull Warriors for individual glory hounds, it is not the way of things. They train, eat, sleep, and fight as a unit.
While many fail the training and return to their villages and towns afterwards, the majority of those who suceed in fully joining the order will end up becoming apart of the infantry knights. Others can find their talents lie in becoming mounted knights or bowmen-at-arms, whose training focuses on fighting on horseback and archery respectively rather than frontline combat. The order has also recently had some who - while not entirely knights yet certainly belonging to the order - take lessons from those of the engineering school to make use of a handful of siege weapons for major campaigns.
As time goes on some knights will prove their skill and leadership ability to the order allowing them the chance to be promoted to be knight-captains of the order. These knight-captains earn their place within the order due to their years of experience and ability to lead their fellows into battle to act as a more powerful whole rather than groups of individuals. A step further is when knight-captains spend even more years in service to the order becoming senior members, all being great warriors and leaders in their own right that others look up to.
The process to become a Grandmaster only is possible when knights have proven themselves through great skill, valor, duty, honor, and leadership ability which can then be voted to become the Grandmaster, if there is not one already, by the various senior knight-captains.
While the process to become a Bull Warrior is a hard one, and easily causes many to drop out should they not have to will to go through with it, many believe it is the best way to truly make knights capable of protecting Ostland and her people. They may never be known for the glorious cavalry charges of other orders, armor shining in the sun, but that is just as well for the grim peoples of Ostland. Their dedication, love for their nation, and combat prowess is still admired across the northern Empire.
Bull Warrior Training Program
When a hopeful, either noble or common born, joins the Bull Warriors they must naturally go through training to become an official knight of the premier Knightly Order of Ostland.
Firstly participants must take part in large amounts physical conditioning so that their bodies are capable of using the heavy army and weaponry that the Bull Warriors use on a daily basis. This starts with a variety of excises made to increase muscle mass and stamina such as carrying large loads hours a day, taking part in heavy labor, sparing in training armor, and other similar activities. During this period they take part in weapons training to get themselves familiar with the skills needed to handle real weapons in the future, and doing this alongside physical conditioning makes it so they are better able take the strain of fighting over long periods. Once there bodies have properly developed then it is time for the actual armor and weapons training.
Next comes the actual training to proficiently use the heavy armor that members of the order are well known for using on a regular basis. While all knights wear armor in some form or another the Bull Warriors are experts in using particularly heavy and tough plate armor. This use of heavy plate armor was influenced due to the fact the province of Ostland is mostly heavily forested therefore making use of horses is more of a penalty than advantage for local forces, so in exchange for the loss of mobility the Bull Warriors focused on defense. By walking on foot and using heavy armor the Bull Warriors became much more effective in combating the various threats the local forests contained than without it.
Training in heavy plate continues with more endurance training so that the user is not overly exhausted using armor for longer periods of time, while also learning how to endure blows better from enemy attacks by learning to maneuver in way that deflects blows rather than take them head on. Not to mention needing to learn how to march long distances even within their armor. Next involves mobility training where the wearers must learn to move and fight with the extra weight without tripping over their own feet, and in some cases even use said extra weight to their advantage by angling attacks in such a way that the armor's weight can add more force to each blow. The final major test when training with armor is an obstacle course race through a safe-ish section of forest nearly a mile in length while combining all aspects of past training. This is to help imitate a battlefield charge through hostile terrain and against enemy forces. Those that have finished the race under a set amount of time will pass.
Over the course of weapons training trainees learn to make use of heavy weapons such as greathammers, greatswords, halberds, great axes, etc. that the order is also known for using to be more capable of causing great damage against the usually monstrous foes of Ostland. As stated before Bull Warriors are trained to use the weight of their armor and weapon together to deal devastating blows against even armored foes. Participants will spar against various veteran Bull Warriors to gain experience and spar against each other to test themselves against individuals of similar skill. The final test involves sparing against their teachers until one side surrenders, it should be noted that even if a trainee loses against their teacher in the final test if the teacher believes the student has learned and fought well they are still capable of passing.
Throughout all of this comes the training of the mind and soul as well as the body. Priests of Ulric, of Sigmar, and Morr are present throughout the training, ensuring the purity of the trainees, for though the Bull Warriors are not dedicated to a single god they regardless value piety highly. This is not unexpected given the recent threats that Ostland has been faced with, and will likely be faced with in the future. In the meantime, veterans instruct the knights on codes of conduct for all a manner of situations and general life, through which the Bull Warriors from squire to the Grandmaster himself are expected to follow without fail. Some of the most popular tests of such involve forcing the trainees to recite the laws they must uphold, the rules for which they must uphold personally, and more, all while running in full kit regardless of the weather. Unlike smaller orders, where squires would be paired to single masters, in the Bull Warriors trainees attend entire classes for all things. For there is little room in the Bull Warriors for individual glory hounds, it is not the way of things. They train, eat, sleep, and fight as a unit.
While many fail the training and return to their villages and towns afterwards, the majority of those who suceed in fully joining the order will end up becoming apart of the infantry knights. Others can find their talents lie in becoming mounted knights or bowmen-at-arms, whose training focuses on fighting on horseback and archery respectively rather than frontline combat. The order has also recently had some who - while not entirely knights yet certainly belonging to the order - take lessons from those of the engineering school to make use of a handful of siege weapons for major campaigns.
As time goes on some knights will prove their skill and leadership ability to the order allowing them the chance to be promoted to be knight-captains of the order. These knight-captains earn their place within the order due to their years of experience and ability to lead their fellows into battle to act as a more powerful whole rather than groups of individuals. A step further is when knight-captains spend even more years in service to the order becoming senior members, all being great warriors and leaders in their own right that others look up to.
The process to become a Grandmaster only is possible when knights have proven themselves through great skill, valor, duty, honor, and leadership ability which can then be voted to become the Grandmaster, if there is not one already, by the various senior knight-captains.
While the process to become a Bull Warrior is a hard one, and easily causes many to drop out should they not have to will to go through with it, many believe it is the best way to truly make knights capable of protecting Ostland and her people. They may never be known for the glorious cavalry charges of other orders, armor shining in the sun, but that is just as well for the grim peoples of Ostland. Their dedication, love for their nation, and combat prowess is still admired across the northern Empire.
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One does not pass laws demanding people breathe.
Minor Gods Of Ostland
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
AN: Once again thank you @torroar for help with information and corrections.
While all truly pious and productive members of Ostland are aware of and show proper respect to the gods such as Sigmar, Ulric, Morr, Manann, etc, there are however also a handful of minor gods unique to the province that while do not carry the same importance as other gods are still seen as important parts of people's lives. This, in and of itself is not particularly unique, for most small homes have their own household gods, myths, legends, and so on and so forth. Every village has a lucky day, or its own traditions and beliefs even if all profess a larger loyalty to a deity of one name or another. It is these, however, which are closely scrutinized by the eyes of those who must ensure the purity and protection of the souls of the citizenry, for how many of these local invoked names are darker things in disguise? More than one village has been hung or burnt at the stake when such revelations have come to the fore, and more than one will continue to suffer such a fate in the years to come. However, in Ostland, the founding location of the Witch Hunters which now stalk throughout the whole of the Empire and beyond, all of those which remain today have been stringently and thoroughly checked for any signs of corruption. Is it likely that some of these minor names invoked in the past were innocent of naught but the wrong phrasing or description? Yes. But it is far more important that the greater whole of humanity in the province are kept from those that were of truly deviant and dark nature. Of the minor gods of Ostland specifically, there are of course some which stand out.
While horses have never been as widespread and popular in the heavily forested region that is Ostland compared to other provinces, that is not true of all of it. In the windswept grasslands of the Northern March the forest gives way to relatively flat plains that are prime horse territory, while also serving as a safe trade path through Ostland to the north. Ungols from northern Kislev passing through either as bodyguards, mercenaries, or traders passing through the area on the way home would stop here to rest, at the same time bringing their culture with them as any people do. Perhaps in Kislev, the one who eventually became known as Kakoral, God of Horses, is known by a different name. Perhaps he is known by a thousand different names, as is likely considering the various Ungol tribes. But in Ostland, amongst those who make their living by the way of horses, it is Kakoral they speak of. While not popular or even particularly well known in most of Ostland, those who make their living or at least spend a significant amount of time around horse flesh speak of him. Most horse breeders will have small statues/shrines on their ranches to increase the heath and fertility of their steeds, and will invoke Kakorals name during the birth of a new foal to encourage them to grow strong and healthy, or lament him when a prized stallion or mare dies. Those who ride horses whisper a word or two to him on long rides. Due to the increased trade and positive relations with Kislev in recent years, with them and the Ungol population still being very fond of horses, Kakoral has received a minor boost in popularity due to increase in horse trade within and without Ostland.
Kakoral can be described as either man or horse, though never both at the same time, with a long wild mane, great and strong legs for running for days on end, and having a strong hatred for centigors for insulting the form of horse and man.
Another minor god that was formed in part due to influence by the sons and daughters of Kislev, though for much less peaceful reasons, is Ursash, the God of Bear Hunters. In the heavily forested lands of the northern Empire, bears stood as some of the most ferocious wildlife that could be faced. However, where Ursash worship truly began was during the rather more violent past between Ostland and Kislev, when the bull-headed rulers of the past struggled to hold onto their colonized areas to the north even as other Imperial rulers gave up. In truth, it was the fault of the Talabheim Emperors and their treachery which forced Ostland to surrender her holdings fully. However, in the time leading up to this point the fierce priests of Ursun - the Bear God of Kislev - were some of the most dangerous war leaders of Kislevite rebels, never surrendering or letting up even in the deepest depths of Winter. It was here that Ursash was formed, in violent response to the dangers posed by Ursun's followers. However, in the many, many years after Ostland's retreat from Kislev, Ursash slowly found himself reduced in importance and in name to the point of near non-existence. This can be seen with the growing warm relations between Ostland and Kislev's current rulers, in greater and greater amounts, up to and including the marriage of the Tzarina Kattarin's sister to Count Frederick von Hohenzollern.
There yet remains some of Ursash, however. Among most settlements in Ostland, though mostly in the smaller villages and hamlets, being a hunter of bears is still a worthwhile profession. Bear meat, fur, hide, and more remain valuable commodities. It is quite normal for hunters to regularly invoke Ursash to make their feet quiet, their arrows accurate, their traps well placed, and all things involving the hunting of these powerful creatures. Hunters are likely to keep small shrines of Ursash at home and carve stories of their hunts in their gear to appease the god of bear hunters. Hunters will also sometimes wear charms made of the teeth and claws of bears they have killed in the past to prove their hunting ability.
Ursash is described as a large, strong, and scarred hunter always carrying a large spear, bow, traps, and similar hunting tools on his person usually standing over the bloody corpse of a massive bear. It is important to note that while Ursash hates bears he respects their strength and doesn't believe in torturing the beasts only hunting.
A minor god of Ostland that is more widely known is Skalor, God of Bartering, and who is in fact somewhat more widespread than say the more well known Ranald. This is largely due to the fact that Skalor is more 'trusted' amongst the largely no-nonsense Ostlanders rather than a God who is quite openly acknowledged as the God of Thieves - even if his titles are also expanded to the God of Luck, Fortune, and Mischief. Ostlanders in general highly value equal trade of goods and services, so even in recent years with the province having much more coin circulating through it than most of it's history bartering is still seen as a perfectly good business practice. This is more so true in smaller settlements where less coin is around so people simply trade their services or items for the things they want rather than gold. However even in the largest and wealthiest settlements like Salkalten still partake in a good deal of bartering in general due to heavy flow of trade going through it and various visiting merchants exchanging their stock for goods they can trade for back at home.
Most market places in Ostland have a small statue or sign of Skalor somewhere about it, believing it helps makes those that do business more honest in dealings, while also increasing the chance that all parties can walk away from deal satisfied. Many merchants, farmers, and service providers invoke his name before taking part in negations to increase the odds of a successful barter and their investments become profitable. Bartering is a natural and even encouraged way of life in Ostland since it not only gets you the things you need, but form connections with others that you can trust on in the future which was highly important in the days that the province was much more deadly.
Skalor is usually depicted humble stout merchant with a constant scowl usually with a wagon or pack on his person. Skalor favors long bartering discussions, fair dealings for all sides, and continued business with same people in the future.
Another of Ostland's minor gods is Guvaur, God of Bulls. Some say that his image is the very same red bull present on Ostland's flag, a remnant of the far off olden days when Ostland was simply known as the land where the Udoses roamed. Even then, in those ancient times, as now, the bull has been a highly regarded creature symbolizing stubbornness in the struggles of life, strength in conflict, endurance in face of hardship, and many things that Ostlanders take pride in. To have a coat of arms/flag of Ostland anywhere is to also have an image of a bull, yet they also extend into less militant lives. One of the most common rude hand gestures that Ostland possesses is that of 'showing Guvuar's Horns' to someone, which involves folding the two middle fingers outward while pointing the index and pinky finger out with the back of the hand facing the subject. It is a sign of disrespect and insult, and more than one tavern brawl has been started when someone made the gesture at another for some perceived slight. Many sculptures of Guvuar's head, or sometimes entire being, can be found on display within the Citadel of Jegow - the home of the Bull Warriors. Some keeps and castles in the Old World possess such ferocious creatures as lions or manticores, but in Ostland it is Guvuar standing tall and angry, facing any and all who would darken the doorways he guards. In point of fact, Guvuar is commonly regarded as the Patron God of the Bull Warriors, even though the Order itself proclaims no allegiance to any single god. But such an God will easily find his way into more military means, evidenced by the various warcries of Ostland, such as "We Are The Bulls Of The Empire," and many more. While a minor God, he is certainly well represented compared to many peers.
Guvaur himself is nearly always seen as a large red bull with a golden ring in his nose usually on a field of black and white. Guvaur is simple in his beliefs basically being summed up as be strong, endure against all, stay to your convictions, and always charge ahead.
The last of the more well known minor gods in Ostland is Narlog the Inevitable, God of Negative Eventualities, and all that might entail. For much of Ostland's history, merely leaving ones home could result in immediate death, a natural result of the former Forest of Shadows being all around one's carved out village. In the mist-soaked darkness of the forest, Narlog found his name first being invoked as a man rather furiously screamed his way to his death, blaming everything around him. But as time went on, and men continued to chop away at the forest if only to slightly extend the area around them free of the darkness and evil which lurked within, Narlog become associated with all manner of bad things such as a rotten tree falling on your house, one of your children likely to pass before you, the coming of taxes, scorn of wronged women, and what happens when you leave an Averlander alone with a sheep, among other things. Even with the death of Zacharias the Everliving and the forest becoming somewhat safer than it has been since the beginning of Ostland's history Narlog is still widely spoken of in Ostland's more rural reaches while dying out almost entirely in the larger bastions of civilization such as Salkalten or Wulfenburg. Truly, it does fit the naturally grim nature of it's people and usually when misfortune strikes one of them it is refereed to as "Narlog's Gifts" or "Narlog visited you again." Despite all this Narlog is not hated by Ostlanders but rather just seen as a natural part of the world. With the the worship of Morr having become explosively popular in recent years Narlog is usually mentioned offhand, but in a much lighter tone than before, about the inevitability of death and entering the Garden of Morr.
Narlog is always described as a eternally grim looking man with the aura of a person who has had all the world's misfortunes dumped over them, but have accepted them rather than be crushed by their weight. Narlog only teaches the inevitable nature of all misfortune in the world and simply accepting it.
While the wider world or even Empire is mostly unaware of the place these minor gods have in the people of Ostland the locals don't seem to overly mind and simply live their lives as they always have.
Minor Gods of Ostland
While all truly pious and productive members of Ostland are aware of and show proper respect to the gods such as Sigmar, Ulric, Morr, Manann, etc, there are however also a handful of minor gods unique to the province that while do not carry the same importance as other gods are still seen as important parts of people's lives. This, in and of itself is not particularly unique, for most small homes have their own household gods, myths, legends, and so on and so forth. Every village has a lucky day, or its own traditions and beliefs even if all profess a larger loyalty to a deity of one name or another. It is these, however, which are closely scrutinized by the eyes of those who must ensure the purity and protection of the souls of the citizenry, for how many of these local invoked names are darker things in disguise? More than one village has been hung or burnt at the stake when such revelations have come to the fore, and more than one will continue to suffer such a fate in the years to come. However, in Ostland, the founding location of the Witch Hunters which now stalk throughout the whole of the Empire and beyond, all of those which remain today have been stringently and thoroughly checked for any signs of corruption. Is it likely that some of these minor names invoked in the past were innocent of naught but the wrong phrasing or description? Yes. But it is far more important that the greater whole of humanity in the province are kept from those that were of truly deviant and dark nature. Of the minor gods of Ostland specifically, there are of course some which stand out.
While horses have never been as widespread and popular in the heavily forested region that is Ostland compared to other provinces, that is not true of all of it. In the windswept grasslands of the Northern March the forest gives way to relatively flat plains that are prime horse territory, while also serving as a safe trade path through Ostland to the north. Ungols from northern Kislev passing through either as bodyguards, mercenaries, or traders passing through the area on the way home would stop here to rest, at the same time bringing their culture with them as any people do. Perhaps in Kislev, the one who eventually became known as Kakoral, God of Horses, is known by a different name. Perhaps he is known by a thousand different names, as is likely considering the various Ungol tribes. But in Ostland, amongst those who make their living by the way of horses, it is Kakoral they speak of. While not popular or even particularly well known in most of Ostland, those who make their living or at least spend a significant amount of time around horse flesh speak of him. Most horse breeders will have small statues/shrines on their ranches to increase the heath and fertility of their steeds, and will invoke Kakorals name during the birth of a new foal to encourage them to grow strong and healthy, or lament him when a prized stallion or mare dies. Those who ride horses whisper a word or two to him on long rides. Due to the increased trade and positive relations with Kislev in recent years, with them and the Ungol population still being very fond of horses, Kakoral has received a minor boost in popularity due to increase in horse trade within and without Ostland.
Kakoral can be described as either man or horse, though never both at the same time, with a long wild mane, great and strong legs for running for days on end, and having a strong hatred for centigors for insulting the form of horse and man.
Another minor god that was formed in part due to influence by the sons and daughters of Kislev, though for much less peaceful reasons, is Ursash, the God of Bear Hunters. In the heavily forested lands of the northern Empire, bears stood as some of the most ferocious wildlife that could be faced. However, where Ursash worship truly began was during the rather more violent past between Ostland and Kislev, when the bull-headed rulers of the past struggled to hold onto their colonized areas to the north even as other Imperial rulers gave up. In truth, it was the fault of the Talabheim Emperors and their treachery which forced Ostland to surrender her holdings fully. However, in the time leading up to this point the fierce priests of Ursun - the Bear God of Kislev - were some of the most dangerous war leaders of Kislevite rebels, never surrendering or letting up even in the deepest depths of Winter. It was here that Ursash was formed, in violent response to the dangers posed by Ursun's followers. However, in the many, many years after Ostland's retreat from Kislev, Ursash slowly found himself reduced in importance and in name to the point of near non-existence. This can be seen with the growing warm relations between Ostland and Kislev's current rulers, in greater and greater amounts, up to and including the marriage of the Tzarina Kattarin's sister to Count Frederick von Hohenzollern.
There yet remains some of Ursash, however. Among most settlements in Ostland, though mostly in the smaller villages and hamlets, being a hunter of bears is still a worthwhile profession. Bear meat, fur, hide, and more remain valuable commodities. It is quite normal for hunters to regularly invoke Ursash to make their feet quiet, their arrows accurate, their traps well placed, and all things involving the hunting of these powerful creatures. Hunters are likely to keep small shrines of Ursash at home and carve stories of their hunts in their gear to appease the god of bear hunters. Hunters will also sometimes wear charms made of the teeth and claws of bears they have killed in the past to prove their hunting ability.
Ursash is described as a large, strong, and scarred hunter always carrying a large spear, bow, traps, and similar hunting tools on his person usually standing over the bloody corpse of a massive bear. It is important to note that while Ursash hates bears he respects their strength and doesn't believe in torturing the beasts only hunting.
A minor god of Ostland that is more widely known is Skalor, God of Bartering, and who is in fact somewhat more widespread than say the more well known Ranald. This is largely due to the fact that Skalor is more 'trusted' amongst the largely no-nonsense Ostlanders rather than a God who is quite openly acknowledged as the God of Thieves - even if his titles are also expanded to the God of Luck, Fortune, and Mischief. Ostlanders in general highly value equal trade of goods and services, so even in recent years with the province having much more coin circulating through it than most of it's history bartering is still seen as a perfectly good business practice. This is more so true in smaller settlements where less coin is around so people simply trade their services or items for the things they want rather than gold. However even in the largest and wealthiest settlements like Salkalten still partake in a good deal of bartering in general due to heavy flow of trade going through it and various visiting merchants exchanging their stock for goods they can trade for back at home.
Most market places in Ostland have a small statue or sign of Skalor somewhere about it, believing it helps makes those that do business more honest in dealings, while also increasing the chance that all parties can walk away from deal satisfied. Many merchants, farmers, and service providers invoke his name before taking part in negations to increase the odds of a successful barter and their investments become profitable. Bartering is a natural and even encouraged way of life in Ostland since it not only gets you the things you need, but form connections with others that you can trust on in the future which was highly important in the days that the province was much more deadly.
Skalor is usually depicted humble stout merchant with a constant scowl usually with a wagon or pack on his person. Skalor favors long bartering discussions, fair dealings for all sides, and continued business with same people in the future.
Another of Ostland's minor gods is Guvaur, God of Bulls. Some say that his image is the very same red bull present on Ostland's flag, a remnant of the far off olden days when Ostland was simply known as the land where the Udoses roamed. Even then, in those ancient times, as now, the bull has been a highly regarded creature symbolizing stubbornness in the struggles of life, strength in conflict, endurance in face of hardship, and many things that Ostlanders take pride in. To have a coat of arms/flag of Ostland anywhere is to also have an image of a bull, yet they also extend into less militant lives. One of the most common rude hand gestures that Ostland possesses is that of 'showing Guvuar's Horns' to someone, which involves folding the two middle fingers outward while pointing the index and pinky finger out with the back of the hand facing the subject. It is a sign of disrespect and insult, and more than one tavern brawl has been started when someone made the gesture at another for some perceived slight. Many sculptures of Guvuar's head, or sometimes entire being, can be found on display within the Citadel of Jegow - the home of the Bull Warriors. Some keeps and castles in the Old World possess such ferocious creatures as lions or manticores, but in Ostland it is Guvuar standing tall and angry, facing any and all who would darken the doorways he guards. In point of fact, Guvuar is commonly regarded as the Patron God of the Bull Warriors, even though the Order itself proclaims no allegiance to any single god. But such an God will easily find his way into more military means, evidenced by the various warcries of Ostland, such as "We Are The Bulls Of The Empire," and many more. While a minor God, he is certainly well represented compared to many peers.
Guvaur himself is nearly always seen as a large red bull with a golden ring in his nose usually on a field of black and white. Guvaur is simple in his beliefs basically being summed up as be strong, endure against all, stay to your convictions, and always charge ahead.
The last of the more well known minor gods in Ostland is Narlog the Inevitable, God of Negative Eventualities, and all that might entail. For much of Ostland's history, merely leaving ones home could result in immediate death, a natural result of the former Forest of Shadows being all around one's carved out village. In the mist-soaked darkness of the forest, Narlog found his name first being invoked as a man rather furiously screamed his way to his death, blaming everything around him. But as time went on, and men continued to chop away at the forest if only to slightly extend the area around them free of the darkness and evil which lurked within, Narlog become associated with all manner of bad things such as a rotten tree falling on your house, one of your children likely to pass before you, the coming of taxes, scorn of wronged women, and what happens when you leave an Averlander alone with a sheep, among other things. Even with the death of Zacharias the Everliving and the forest becoming somewhat safer than it has been since the beginning of Ostland's history Narlog is still widely spoken of in Ostland's more rural reaches while dying out almost entirely in the larger bastions of civilization such as Salkalten or Wulfenburg. Truly, it does fit the naturally grim nature of it's people and usually when misfortune strikes one of them it is refereed to as "Narlog's Gifts" or "Narlog visited you again." Despite all this Narlog is not hated by Ostlanders but rather just seen as a natural part of the world. With the the worship of Morr having become explosively popular in recent years Narlog is usually mentioned offhand, but in a much lighter tone than before, about the inevitability of death and entering the Garden of Morr.
Narlog is always described as a eternally grim looking man with the aura of a person who has had all the world's misfortunes dumped over them, but have accepted them rather than be crushed by their weight. Narlog only teaches the inevitable nature of all misfortune in the world and simply accepting it.
While the wider world or even Empire is mostly unaware of the place these minor gods have in the people of Ostland the locals don't seem to overly mind and simply live their lives as they always have.
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Genesys
(Discrete Mokona)
- Location
- California
You probably mean Natasha, the Tzarina's sister?
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
Don't worry easy mistake that is now fixed.
It's a shame I didn't come up with it.the averlander part made me laugh.
Ranald has many faces. Some say he is a thief, others that he is a trickster and the God of Gamblers, Gamers and Luck. Yet none of his faces is oppressed more than that of the Protector, Liberator and Revolutionary.
There are also some who say that Handrich, the Marienburger god of merchants, is merely one of Ranald's faces. Though there is a distinction, there are many exceptions on both sides and it's easy to conflate the two.
I wonder if Skalor is yet another of Ranald's many faces. Or if he perhaps was a Venerated Soul of Ranald once...
On a side-note. I wonder if the Bull statue in Sylvania(turn 20 rumour mill, results threadmark) placed at the feet of the statues of Sigmar and Ulric counts as a shrine to Guvaur...
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- Location
- United States of America, Michigan
Narlog sounds like a facet of Nurgle what with inevitably something bad will happen sounds like the Plaguefathers MO.
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
Quite possibly though not well known outside of Ostland so will likely just be seen as a symbol of province itself.
Kinda like using but people not being aware what a cross represents so assume it means something else.
One can argue lots of Order Gods have similar things to the Chaos Gods.
Besides like said Witch Hunters have gone over minor gods in province ever since they were first created and they have deemed Narlog safe.
Also just Narlog is more like saying bad stuff happens in the world you can't control sometimes so no need breaking yourself over it not Nurgles whole stick which is like ignoring everything bad happening. At least that is how I see it.
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
No one important enough to know yet apparently.
Our fleet has to be in a big important battle so at this point the most the admiral in charge is doing is patrolling and babysitting. Until something happens there is no reason to know about the guy.
Oh, well you just write out the idea you want and it's up to the GM about whether it's canon or not.
If you are specifically wanting to make a canon omake I recommend opening a PM to GM so he can read over your work and then tell you have to improve upon it. That is what I do at least.
Doomed Wombat
Let's go Darling!
- Location
- Dancing on wires!
Not to my knowledge.
Doomed Wombat
Let's go Darling!
- Location
- Dancing on wires!
Bonuses for cannon shots and such as well during the Nordland campaign.
EDIT: Also provided a considerable help when recruiting soldiers I believe, way back when, and heavily negated recruitment costs. Here: https://forums.sufficientvelocity.c...ynamic-alcoholism.13745/page-102#post-2671927
Right, this omake helped do this:
EDIT: Also provided a considerable help when recruiting soldiers I believe, way back when, and heavily negated recruitment costs. Here: https://forums.sufficientvelocity.c...ynamic-alcoholism.13745/page-102#post-2671927
Right, this omake helped do this:
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Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
Well omakes should be mostly about doing it for fun, that is why I'm doing it at least, and show the GM appreciation for all his hard work.
If we get bonuses out of it that is just icing on the cake not the reason to do them in the first place.
If we get bonuses out of it that is just icing on the cake not the reason to do them in the first place.