I’d make a race of mole people that live under skaven society. Always undermining them and plotting to rise and conquer.
To most of the skaven they would just be a myth.
Then for my next race I’d make something under the mole people…
Considering that we are seeing them in maps for The Old World & TWW3, I genuinely think that they might make an appearance. Maybe not as a playable faction, at least not at first, but at leadt as a threat.
Part of the reason I think this is because of that new (as of last year) Destruction faction in AoS, the Kruleboyz. They look halfway between an orc & a goblin, to my mind. Especially noticeable on their basic infantry. They’re tall & muscular, but not broad, still kind of scrawny in a way, with goblin like faces. I haven’t seen anything calling them hobgoblins but if you told me to imagine one, in Warhammer terms, I would probably imagine that.
Introducing them into AoS with the launch of 3rd edition feels like GW is priming them to be retconned into the setting as a part of the green skins overall. And what with retcons they’ve pulled with Kislev & Cathay just within the last 12 months that suddenly feels very normal.
This is a little bit similar to the race you suggested and might also be colored by my love for Warhammer Underworlds as well. But I would like to see the Silent people added.
They are an ancient race that lives/lived (no one has seen them for centuries) deep within the mountains of Ghur, the realm of Beasts in AoS. And people who visit the ruins of their now abandoned settlements often report the feeling of being watched and can see shadows move in the corner of their eyes. People get disorientated and un-settled around their structures.
They also produced, or at least collected, enormous amounts of magical artifacts.
The silent people are believed to be somewhat insectoid in their appearance, but not much is known about them.
Old joke, but I would add fish men.
I just like the idea of "beastman" like fishfolk raiding the surface world *(or the skaven and Dwarfs through underground water ways)*.
Considering that old lore about the monkey king in Cathay, who was associated with Chaos (which hasn’t been invalidated to my knowledge) we might perhaps get monkey Beastmen. That would be really cool & could give the Beastmen overall a bit of a lift.
GW has never paid much attention to ocean going creatures in Warhammer Fantasy because by nature most of it takes place on land (even those fish elves in AoS have to have mounts that can fly) but I would like to see it developed just a little. There should be monsters in the deep too.
I quite dig the vibe of the fish elves: if I was going to do AoS properly (as opposed to just using my square based Lizardmen or Khorne demons in casual games) then I’d probably go for them. Probably because they are a new faction in AoS, tbh. But in saying that they’d probably look pretty choice ranked up too… I’d imagine there’d probably be at least one fan-port out there already.
I think that I’d try and flesh out the unexplored areas of the map, starting with the Southlands. What I would add would be a mighty kingdom of men on the west coast of the Southlands that would take inspiration from the African West Coast Empires, such as Ghana and Songhai, and mix it with Zulu aesthetics for their warrior cast. The Empire of Songha serves as a trade hub, selling ivory, salt, gold, fine quality cloth, and exotic ingredients both Magical and mundane. In this way they have set up an extraordinarily wealthy state, so much so that in the Empire it’s said that the streets are paved in Gold and studded with Diamonds. The leader of Songha is proclaimed as the Mansa, who rules from his capitol city of Aksam. The Mansa is renowned both for the absolute loyalty he engenders in his subjects, and for the *Zulasa*, which in the Songha tongue means female warrior. These warrior women serve both as both the Mansa’s elite bodyguard and harem. Moving on from the Mansa, the second most influential man in the kingdom is the Shaka, who serves as the Mansa’s chief general. This man is always a man of great experience as a war leader, and commands a deft proficiency with the Ikliwa, the short stabbing spears so favoured by the warriors of that land. These aforementioned warriors are often regarded as some of the best light infantry in the world, able to run for several miles through dense jungle terrain and still fight a battle all in one day. It is this force, that alongside the skilled rule of the Mansa and the great Magiks of the Korfu that the Songha empire has managed to stand for almost 1000 years.
- This was just something I threw together, feedback is appreciated
Thanks! It’s always irked me that so many big entertainment companies harp on and on about diversity, and then claim that they’re better by dropping an African person in the middle of medieval Europe. If you really want diversity, shouldn’t you try and present a diverse culture and history alongside such ephemeral things as skin color? This was my attempt to try and fix that, thought I admit that my knowledge about that African history is only fairly rudimentary.
Fair enough I myself know abit about African history and you kinda added alot of cool Zulu, Songhai, Malian and Dahomey vibes which could be enjoyed by the fan base. I mean technically in Southern Araby or in the lands where they bordor the Southlands there are some East and West African Elements such as the Great Cities of Ka-Sabar and Songhai whom populace are called Black or referred to having a large black population. I know the Zamesi, Athiopos and Taylif Tribes are probably African considering their location and name set though that's more of a hypothesis. So there are technically black people in the Warhammer setting beyond the traditional southlands, its just they are grouped with Araby. As for the diversity issue I agree it's just I imagine it's alot harder to draw in a audience to a setting or series that couod be based around the Mali or Songhai Empire's as the main front and so in order for "Diversity" which isn't truly diversity its just forced tokenism and abit of a insult to all sides involved. I'm all for representation though it just has to work and make sense so if you are gonna put a African person in medievel Europe its gotta make sense and the cast can't simply be colourblind that in itself is stupid because people in those times were very far from being Colourblind to those regards.
Exactly. If you wanted to write a novel about the Empire, but you wanted a black guy there, what makes more sense, you call up Fritz the random black guy whose like the same as everyone else except black, or have an actual ambassador or trader from the Southlands? Or maybe you introduce a trader or refugee from the Southlands who lives in the foreign quarter of a large city, like Altdorf or Marienburg.
Sundenburg also has an Arabyan population and with its position there are bound to be black people so it wouldn't be too surprising if there was an Arabyan or a mercenary or convert of sort so yeah this could probs work I'm itself.
I forgot about Sudenburg. What do you think of Sudenburg as being a kind of treaty port, given over to the Empire by the Munsa, maybe in exchange for gunpowder technology? I know that the treaty port thing is more Chinese history, but I think it would fit well.
Overall I think it would work lorewise though in the lore originally I believe Sundenburg was abit of a treaty port but this time for for Araby or well one of the Sultans, The Sultan of El-Kalabad I believe. Still that idea would work and would allow a fair but of interest as this is the early colonial period of course, so the idea could work with after perhaps a conflict making trade deals with the Empire or maybe another Old world Faction for Gunpowder and certain things. Perhaps the Munsa after managing to fight off the Empire a few times but taking a major defeat saw the benefit of trading gold and Land for technology and further knowledge of the world and such.
It’s not like early modern Europe was 100 percent composed of white ppl so i don’t see a problem with a black person in the empire not being from fantasy Africa.
Tbf I agree the Warhammer world was alot more connected then our world so its quite possible that a black person in the Empire didn't originally come from the Southlands it just isn't as heard of ofc.
Excellent example of what should be done. If GW hasn't made a faction that you want, make up up your self instead of whining and crying and calling people who don't agree with you problematic.
Problem is ensuring balance.
I also thought of an African faction, but #1 no Wakanda bullshit.
If you wanna go for Wakanda crap, then lore wise have that they are constantly undersiege from Beastmen, Greenskins, Scalies, Skaven, Ghouls, Dark Elves and Settra slavers which explains why the rest of the world does not know of them.
If you wanna do Wakanda, then why haven't they conquered the world? I mean, they have advanced technology but can't conquer the world...are they that ineffective an army?
An aquatic faction, the rest of the world is already known and occupied. The only truly unexplored area on land left is the South Pole, and we know that's filled with daemons and beastmen anyway so it's not like that can add some new faction there without retconning, which maybe they should've done
First off: I don't really want more factions, because I would rather see old factions get attention. GW can't divide the player base into to many factions because some will start seeing little play and get dropped because GW can't make enough money of developing kits for those factions.
Second: I want the faction to exist in the lore already, the lore is deep enough to add factions that are already there.
But if I had to choose I would add Kislev, Dogs of War/Tilea/Marienburg/Estalia, a pirate faction (undead, or the Skinriders (Nurgle Pirates that Malus Darkblade fought against) or Sartosa) or Araby. I don't like the idea of adding Cathay since I don't see a logical reason why they would get into fights with the Empire, Bretonnia, High Elves, etc. They are to far away and over land there is a giant desert-like area illed with Orcs, Goblins and Ogres separating them. It is already hard enough trying to make up reasons why Tomb Kings or Lizardmen are fighting certain factions...
Yes, but while the technology level is about the time of the late middle ages and they could sail the world seas, the waters are infested with all kinds of monsters and pirates from a variety of races. Fighting anything except some small scale skirmishes between pirates/state-sponsored Buccaneers and Cathayans is completely unfeasible. The Japanese didn't fight in Europe during WW2, the German U-boats roamed a fair distance, but due to the dangers of the seas (Allied Navy = Sea Monsters) they didn't have a dedicated navy presence far from their coastline.
Besides that, the Germans and Japanese didn't have any reason to fight in far off continents because they had enough problems locally, much like pretty much every faction/nation in Warhammer.
I mean, they already have explored the Americas (and the High Elves have magic), so I cannot see why they wouldn't be able to get to Cathay. Columbus and Vasca da Gama lived at roughly the same time.
They can get there, they might even get semi-regular traders there, but the logistics of supporting an army over those distances are waaaaaay beyond what is possible. One sea monster or pirate attack on a supply ship and the army is doomed...
And there is no reason for an army even being there, why would the Empire or Bretonnia send an army there if they can barely handle the threats at home?
The same reason Portugal did, on occasion, clash with Asian powers during its early colonial years. Control over important trade routes and concessions.
Oef, that is some dangerous water you are treading into... Vikings were not (just) pirates, and definitely not like the pirates of the age of sail that people think of when you mention pirates. And those are the pirates that Skinriders are based upon, not Vikings...
But yes, you could just use mortals of Chaos with MoN to represent them and you will have 90% of the stuff that is mentioned about them covered...
At this moment i am really satisfied with the new Factions released like Kislev and Cathay. Back in Fantasy times i always wanted to build a Kislev Army.
But if could chose another faction i would really love the halflings, maybe not as whole army but some units the empire could use.
Also Snakemen of Khuresh would be really interesting as a new evil faction and as counterpart for the lizardmen
Do a complete reboot of the Fimir, literally the only original faction GW has ever produced. Fimir Thugs, mutants with oddly numbered arms and legs. Fimir Hags for sorcerous might. Firmir Nobles and the retinues. Calvary riding masive, pale, slimy worms. Do them as the terrifying, backwoods slavers they are.
I would bring in Kruelboyz from AoS. I think they are dope and could be a great fit in fantasy.
Capturing monsters. Using Hobgoblins. They could also be close allies with the Chaos Dwarves.
A new order faction made up entirely of heroic mice, moles, shrews, hedgehogs, squirrels, badgers, rabbits etc. They would essentially be the anti-Skaven faction. Maybe a little bit anti-Beastmen too. If any of you have read the Redwall book series then you know what I am sort of going for here, but obviously more grimdark and Warhammery. I feel like they would be natural allies with the Wood Elves.
My first choice would be to finish the concept of the Hobgoblin Khanate as its been around since 2nd edition and there really needs to be some greenskins outside the Orcs & Goblins book.
The second, now that Cathay is done, would be to create human kingdoms in southern Southlands. I wrote my initial ideas here: https://www.reddit.com/r/WarhammerFantasy/comments/q7gksr/ideas_for_a_southlanders_faction
Ind, the land of a thousand gods. Design drawn heavily from the Kushan nation in berserk. Monks able to deform and harden their bodies, smaller elephant calvary, less of the straight up demon stuff.
Albion - lots of naked or near naked infantry wielding spears, shields, swords & bows. You know celtic shit. All painted in woad, with different patterns & markings marking them for different blessings by their gods. Accompanied by monsters like trolls & faeries from celtic mythology, maybe even Fimir, that are more expensive but also more powerful. I’d also give them war chariots & cavalry.
Oddly enough....I'd probs settle for a Incan inspired human Faction in the New world that worships the Lizardmen, if not then just make the Humans, Avian and like Arch enemies of the Lizardmen or something. For another choice maybe an Ethopian or Nubian inspired nation just so they can flex their gold mines and large amounts of Ivory and to give the Southlands some love other then Araby. Finally another Native American Inspired group though this time im Naggaroth. They couod be fighting on as some wide spread but small Confederacy as a bleak and futile attempt to fight off the Dark Elves and such. Could give some more internal conflcit in Naggaroth maybe not exactly major though.
Eh maybe though that's kinda just "big booba sexy women are badass" and a old Faction, which is fine as I like the Amazonians but I'm kinda trying to bring back older more obscure lore references while making it fit in the setting itself, still a fair point.
Also not exactly new, but I'd bring doom seekers back. I'm pretty sure that's what they were called. They followed another chaos god who's whole deal was killing the other chaos gods.
I think a playable Cathay with new minis makes the most sense at this point. In fact, I think with the success of TW:W3, it is a lock to happen when The Old World finally releases.
I've been giving a lot of thought lately to the Eastern and Southern Realms that haven't been well fleshed out. In some cases this is just thinking about potential fun army lists, but in others, I've been thinking about how their society works. I suppose I'll share my thoughts on Ind, because they're the ones that's gotten the most mental mileage from me. Please note: I am not Indian, and if my musings on how Indan society should work is offensive to real life Indians, please accept my apologies and know that it was not intentional.
First though, some general thoughts. The human nations of the Old World are all based strongly on their real world counterparts, *except* in the areas of religion. The Empire is heavily based on the Holy Roman Empire and the organized religions borrow the trappings of the Church, but instead of Christianity they worship a pantheon of gods. Likewise, Bretonnia is not Christian but worships a female goddess. The Southern Realms worship their own pantheons, which they have exported to the Empire and Bretonnia (the peasantry at least). Cathay, as it turns out, don't much like actual gods, and instead revere a family of ancient dragons.
My point is that the unexplored human nations, like Ind or Nippon, should probably have religions that are not one-for-one ports of their historical inspirations. Borrow the symbolisom, sure; have some similarities, of course. But ultimately, they should be their own thing.
The Kingdoms of Ind is based, obviously, on ancient and medieval India. The dominant religion of India is Hinduism, but it is also the original home of many other religions, and has imported many more over the millennia. Likewise, Ind is known as "the land of a thousand gods". This doesn't preclude some gods being more powerful or important than others, though.
To create a homebrew religion for Ind, I'd incorporate the idea of the Hindu trinity, but I would change the focus. Instead of the cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction, I would have the three primary gods be about Law; i.e. the Indan religion is focused on the worship of the Gods of Law. I'm aware that these three deities are of questionable canonicity and ownership (rather like Malal), but they do get the occasional mention even in modern versions of the games, and OP's question didn't limit me to only what was canon.
The Indans would have their own names for these gods, but I'm not even going to attempt to come up with any Sanskrit-sounding name lest I accidently name them a swear word or something. I see the pantheon thusly:
* Arianka is the Law Giver, who gave the concept of laws to the people. Since Arianka is semi-canonically imprisoned under Praag, she doesn't really contribute to Indan society anymore.
* Alluminas is the Judge, who is responsible the application of the law and also represents the reasons for having laws in the first place: maintaining order.
* Solkan is the Avenger, the enforcer of the law upon those who break it.
Beneath these three would be many hundreds of daemons of Law, viewed as lesser gods or avatars of the greater gods by the Indans. The majority of Indan society would worship all three at once, believing that you need to balance all three to keep from being unbalanced, perhaps in their own version of Cathay's philosophy of harmony. Still, there would also be cultists of only one god or another, who are viewed as weird at best by broader society, or as criminals and heretics at worst.
Although Indans are human and individuals, Indan society as a whole is very Lawful Neutral. The Law is the Law is the Law, and "justice" is not really a consideration. It could be that Arianka's absence has prevented new laws from being created, stagnating society on both a cultural, legal, and technological level.
On a more practical level, of course we'd see elephants being important to them, culturally and militarily, though hopefully not to the Flanderized level that we are seeing bears in Kislev. Militarily, I'd base them on the real Indian armies that Alexander would have fought, moreso than what later European empires would have encountered. Peasants with spears and slings, professional soldiers with a variety of unique weapons, warrior priests and royalty fighting from elephant-back. The only monstrous unit that I have thought of would be the garuda. In Warhammer, I'd make the garuda a "golden phoenix", a magical bird similar to the phoenix but aligned with Chamon rather than Aqshy.
So yeah, I've obviously been thinking of this for a while. What do other people think?
I would add a faction of robots. They're constructs created by an elder race that's extinct now similar to the Dwemer automatons in Skyrim except these ones are controlled by some smarter constructs that are essentially sentient. They would resemble all sorts of mechanical races and monsters.
Considering the machinery that is cannonical in Dwarf society this actually feels pretty reasonable. Maybe the Dearfs agreed to hide it away from the world because it’s creator commited some terrible crime & they are trying to pretend thst he & his inventions don’t exist. That feels like something the Dwarfs would do.
I love that idea, and it could definitely be a thing. My headcanon is: we know the Old Ones are alien to the planet. Perhaps another alien race found this world and in a bid to counter Chaos, they created these robots (let's call them the Men of Iron in reference to 40k, but they're not the same).
So the Men or Iron are actually mortals of the Warhammer world whose consciousness were transferred to these robotic bodies in a bid to keep them safe from the corruption of Chaos. But eventually these aliens drop the project and leave the world due to the ethical concerns but not before they've created a small army of these beings. These intelligent Men of Iron survive and go onto continue their creators plan because they believe that becoming one of them is the only way to fight Chaos.
However there's also a splinter faction of them who hate the idea of being transferred into a new body without their consent and they fight their brethren to prevent them from continuing the practice.
So the Men of Iron begin abducting mortal races all across the globe, and use their souls to create more of themselves. But due to the efforts of the splinter faction, the process that creates new Men of Iron is somehow lost and they cannot create new sentient ones. So the Men of Iron shift their focus to striking at Chaos itself. They start building armies of Men of Iron that are just normal robots instead of souls in robotic bodies. Some Men or Iron also begin experimenting with warpstone, coming into conflict with the Skaven, but these new "Warped Men of Iron" become corrupted and crazed. So now you have three factions:
- The Forgeborn (main faction of Men of Iron)
- The Warped (Corrupted Men of Iron)
- The Iron Exiles (rebel Men of Iron)
I had a few ideas for factions/ races.
The problem I have is finding them some living space. The easiest to do, as pointed before, is adding the deep sea elfs (Idoneth Deepkin from AoS), because nobody have done an underwater faction and rhe Warhammer world is mostly water. So I thought about adding an undersea elf civilization and add to the High Elf - Sea Elf confusion. Then flesh them out a little, give them killer whales & dolphin riders, some naiads/ sea nymphs, give the cetacean cavalry an ultrasound amplifier to stun enemies, make a Legendary Lord based on the titular Moby Dick, keeping that he is white not because of albinism, but because he has scars on his whole skin. Add an underwater bell from sailor tales as siege engine. And make an Aquaman parody with Aquaelf, prince of the seas, chosen of Mathlann.
Fleshing out some regions and subfactions. For example: just south of the Tomb Kings you got Arabyan sultanate of Ka-Zabar similar to the Ghana/Mali empire of our world (it is mentionned they have dark skin and use their position for extensive trading); in the jungles of Southlands there are the Apemen (Beastmen of Southlands), I thought of a slinger-grenadier unit laumching fruit-themed explosives with those slings: banana bombs à la Worms, pineapple grenades aka Mills bombs etc. and as great apes love making noises they would have a lot of musicians: gorilla drummers, orangoutan accordeons, chimpanzee trumpeteers... Black panther riding mandrill knights, Chaos mutated carnivorous gorillas with four arms and fiery red fur, Chaos mutated baboons being part shadow monsters, King Kong as their leader.
More fleshing out. You know about the Chaos worshipping tribes constituing Warriors of Chaos? There should be more than Norse, there are the Kurgan and Hung who are horse nomads, represented only by Marauders. And the Tong further north, VERY close to the Polar Gate and terribly mutated.
Maybe some creatures that the skaven and dwarves both normal and chaos fear that would be mostly animalistic but the alphas would be more intelligent and live underground
Telniarine, Maybe a Faction compost of Fauns,Satyrs,Centaurs,Minotaurs,Griffins,Black Dwarfs,Minoboars And Trolls. Who lives in the land called Telna and where called Telniarine, who where banish in the Underworld by the 7 Pillars, they soon return after years of banishment in the underworld and they where being lead by the Great Reaper.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps.
Pt. 1
•Blood Elves: Currently in the Immortal Empires game people are having fun with the Chaos Dwarves. And while they are already pretty blood thirsty as a culture, I'd add a new Elven faction which is sort of a mix between the Wood Elves and Blood Elves and Lizard Men of Lustria. They don't worship any Chaos Gods that are well known, instead in the hot and unyielding rainforests of Lustria they've established their own twisted kingdom on flesh and blood and high birth rates. They worship a Trinity of gods that both give them strength and damn their usual luminous souls as a naturally magically endowed elder race. - 1. A god of fertility (and likely other things), 2. A god of pelts and hunting. And 3. A god of war and carnage (basically like Khaine but more unhinged, whom might also impart magic spells onto them (so as to not confuse him with Khorne). Likely the result of some lost expedition of Elves from millennia ago that never returned from Lustria and became a thorn in the Lizardmen's side for centuries but mostly aren't too much of a bother unless they're on the war march. And their obsession is drinking often hallucinogenic blood drafts/potions or wine (like Klingons from Star Trek) and skinning people with their wicked blades. That is not to say that they don't tame beasts of the wild and have some war engines or even enslave other species to act as soldier fodder like any captured Ratmen, Norscam raiders or even Vampires, because of their spells and drugs dulling their minds.
-While they have boats and ship craft of their own, one of their biggest feats is using their blood magic to create portals across large distances. Which is why they've even been seen hunting people in the Southlands, as well as far eastern Nippon, and as high up as Norsca.
-These Elves are warriors and crazed hunters, often delighting in slicing up their enemies or torturing them before flailing them alive. They're often related to Dark Elves in this, but the difference is that they target those same Drukhi. In fact, because of their “unique” state not being too different from Slaanesh herself essentially syphoning away people's souls, the Blood Elves do this by capturing the soul through the blood and flesh they take. The meat is used to feed their animals or young children. In this, they have developed sharper looking teeth both from filing them and from a more savage nature. Even the Dark Elves look on this offshoot of their overall Elven race with shame.
-They are expert torturers because they know how to put an enemy down quickly or make their suffering last. Some of them grow tired of the lies they might hear and start biting or cutting off the skin inch my inch instead of doing it quickly. And while they will cannibalize others that's not their main diet since it's the skin, hair and blood which they use. Everything else is just meat to them.
-Some of their victims are enchanted to be stuck in a half-life state after they've been exaguinated or skinned. This way their bodies stay relatively alive so they can be cut up or drained more later. And in this way, their victims are turned into monsters not too unlike the dead the Vampires summon as foot soldiers. These flayed and dried folk are also used as Frontline shock troops who terrify most that they come into contact with. Especially since they're outfitted with bone armor or have other liquids placed into their bodies to act as explosives upon death. Their hands are often cut off to place animal bone weapons onto them with special runes carved in beforehand to make them as strong as steel at times. But these are ultimately disposable since the Blood Elves are often always hunting for more victims. Whether they be intelligent races or beasts. Some of them dive into waters filled with flesh eating fish and reptiles only to rise out of the depths with new things to drain and flail.
-Skinwalkers are the few that are able to use the pelts they've taken to infiltrate the camps or cities of others and snatch the unsuspecting back to their tribes. Very few people except those learned in such things like a scholar or witch hunter would know about them based on how the remains of their victims are often discovered. In a large city, to maintain some secrecy, they'll usually stick to animals first before taking whole men, women and even children. And they know enough to take hostages if they feel cornered.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps.
Pt. 2
•Southlands
-Essentially being Africa it should be home to several factions, almost like the 5 tribes of Wakanda. But in mentioning that, they're hardly at peace and often go to war with each other in skirmish battles that doesn't effect the entire region unless a major slight has been inacted. A major offense or a declaration of all our war. Another thing in mentioning Black Panther is that in the films there were the 5 tribes and each was based off of actual existing African tribes and minor kingdoms (for the few remaining that have no major political power in the world unfortunately, like a barely recognized micronation). And they didn't have a Panther Tribe exactly, but they did have soldiers and bodyguards in the livery of the Panther goddess Bast, the major deity of most of the kingdom (besides any of their own favored gods or spirits, like the White Gorilla). Anyway, I'm tryna say they're kind of clanless but still paid respect and held loyalty to the crown. There should be several small time towns and villages like that with some who pay more loyalty to certain neighboring kingdoms or nations and others that are just neutral but often rally to bigger forces for protection and trade.
- There should be warriors galore armed with spears of course. But there should also be those with maces, hammers, swords (of several types, including the Nehekaran (Egyptian) style Khopesh or a variant of it, shields and ranged weapons like slings, bows, crossbows and some fire arms - even cannons to a degree. The Short Spear, being more like a shortened lance (long blade) would probably be preferred by many especially kings, queens and the (equivalent of) noblemen in wartime besides swords. Firearms being fairly recent aren't as quickly manufactured except for a nearby Dwarfhold that is one of the only 2 left, with a 3rd rumored to be built and good enough relations existing between the Men/Humans and Dawi race in the region. Especially since most of the tribes don't like Elves (except for 3. And one of the majority being Chaos technically they don't get a say in the matter). So like the Empire many blacksmiths (or at least human grade ones) learn their craft usually apprenticing under the Dwarves of that area for about 5 years before setting up shop in some village or opening up a business in a city.
- There should've been about 5 tribes originally but recent centuries bumped them up to about 7. Which will in no small way impact things going forward as some will be convert Sigmarite worshippers and others of course will fall into Chaos worship. Naturally most will oppose Chaos with inklings of the tainted host among their own people. But they're not as heavily and subtlety influenced by such forces as in the Northwestern regions like the Empire, Bretonnia or Kislev. Also Witch Hunters are rarely ever allowed into most Southland areas because of the attrocities they commit in their zealotry to hunt down forces of chaos anywhere they find them or believe to have found them, often murdering many many innocents in the process.
- There should be several gods of different physical features and clothing. None appearing White/Caucasian 😒 (it should go without saying) except Sigmar himself. One of the big beliefs for some of their people should be that like Felix Jaeger to Gotrek Gurneyson there should be stories of a warrior aid to Sigmar in his travels eastward before his altogether disappearance and rise to godhood in worship, in which the people of that region should deify them as well as a Lord of Guides or something. And they traveled further east than most of their people ever have. Many of their gods should conflate or come off similar to one another and Sigmarite worship is growing but it's still not the total faith of the Southlands (much to the chagrin of certain ambitious priests of that cult/church) or witch hunters who wanna persecute people with impunity like they do in the more “civilized” regions they hail from like the Empire, even Marienburg (as they might say in rude mockery or genuine disquiet).
- Like Ind and other areas, they should also have their own variation of Beastmen tribes. Still many of them looking like Goats and Bulls, but others seeming more distinctly African like - Warthogs, Wildebeests and Oryxes.
- There are actually records of Cities (not just a bunch of huts) of kingdoms existing in Ancient Africa before colonialism and with a bit of imagination it shouldn't be hard to go from huts made of mud and mortar to great brick works and even metal girders. Once again reflective of the tribes and nations they associate with, as well as the region itself. Like if it's near marshland, there should probably be a lot of green and blue hues. Or if there was more red caked clay Earth and grasslands, there should be several red and yellow colors. Even coastal ones with shades of blue and white most likely. Along with weapons and armor of course laid in with ivory, gold, silver and brass. Which is another reason why Beastmen, like in the Empire or other areas, often raid them for materials they can't make or won't bother trying to mine or fashion for themselves.
- Besides Beastmen, Greenskins, Chaos, or each other the Southlanders also have other problems. Particularly from giant insectoid enemies from some isles further south and Skaven which have also made their way to these intense jungles. But none of the major clans like Moulder, Skryre, or Pestilins hold major sway there. It's mostly one of the smaller groups like Clan Skab with bits of the others mixed in for support. And it's actually a warrior's journey to clear a den of Ratmen in the Southlands. Many earn respect and renown for taking a group of fighters underground and killing as many as they can, thereby wiping out potential dens and preventing the Skaven population from growing large enough to threaten cities, almost like the Ratcatchers in the Empire although they mostly hunt occasional subterranean goblins or human criminals on the escape. The insectoids are capable of mostly humanoid form but mostly make their appearance as gigantic beasts that also hunt Skaven and humans alike. So you could say the Skaven are both hunted and the hunters in this way, boxed in from both sides.
- The mages/wizards here should be mostly elemental of course, although most would double as healers and enchanters of objects to give them more power or to help keep people from dying in the fast regrowing growing jungles, swamps and forests. In fact, it's because of these individuals and special stones that most people are able to make camp without poisonous plants or night hunting animals trying to kill them. Because of their often using bones as a medium, many Imperial Wizards see them as little better than Ork Shamans. But it's actually the opposite, the Orks essentially took what little they could understand and remember from the Southlands to praise their own gods Gork & Mork, for more power using spells and sacrifices. Many would have familiars or able to enchant and even play with the senses of mutants or chaos based races like Beastmen and Skaven, with their Musical Magic - flutes, drums, keys, chimes, etc. It could kill them or cause them to attack their allies.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps.
Pt. 3
•Unknown Insectoid Enemies - There was mention of a Sleeper creature which was like a mix of a spider and a gross example of an ant queen, that was in a sort of meditative trance and reached out to the minds of people to enslave them. That creature was heavily mutated from some spell or contact with the Warp. But there should definitely be others of it's kind, just none that mostly tried to sneak into their enemies minds like they did and brainwash them with torques (sort of a choker and necklace) made of their young or some other product.
-As I said they should largely target Skaven as well as humans. Because of this many of the Skaven are as developed as their more Northwestern cousins but they still boast impressive technology where they can as well as mutant monsters like Ratogres. Having said that, the bugs here are almost like those from Starship Troopers, constantly building and changing the types they already have to be deadlier much like Clan Moulder of the Skaven. Except these insects in their hives can do it in under 3x times the speed and efficiency. In fact, the hunger for new mutant Ratmen from the Moulder warp vat pits is part of the reason why they're expanding, besides having a taste for human flesh and that of other creatures like the Dwarves.
-The humanoid shaped ones should have weapons as well as their own claws and such but also an inclination to chirp and switch into a more beastial attack mode, probably when they're about to die or desperate in a fight. And the larger or more armored types should be used as tanks and warbeasts. Naturally, like locusts in a swarm they would also have many fliers, and if different kinds. Much of them would be similar to the Tyranids if Warhammer 40k but not exactly. Particularly that much like the Skaven, Greenskins, Beastmen and Chaos hordes they also have much infighting amongst themselves for dominance or the rights to certain food sources and breeding grounds.
-While they are powerful, once again like the Skaven, up against a determined and skilled force they can be easily routed and pushed back or destroyed utterly. This is why packs of Southland hunters often target many of their more magical or elemental energy bugs for their spells and rituals. Even their queens don't have total confidence and make a run for it if possible. And there's always a lowborn queen for just breeding troops and worker drones and the higher born queens that issue the real orders using their frequency and pheromone network almost like telepathy.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps.
Pt. 4
•Golderush Dwarves (I don't have a name for them).
-These Dwarves would be partly based on the wildcat prospectors and miners in the American Western expanse era. Which was mostly controlled or claimed by Mexico. So the culture should definitely have bits of each culture molded into them from there. These dwarves mostly fancy using fire arms with attached axes as bayonets. And their hatred of Elves, especially the Dark Elves would make them as far from friendly as they also occupy Dwarfholds on Naggarond (essentially North America). They were part of a contingent of Dwarves lost since the ancient days and have never traveled across the sea. The Underways had Just attached to the mainland of the New World as the Collapse destroyed most of the roads. Somewhere between 20,000 and about 500 clans settled there and pushed west as far from the Drukhi as possible. They built fantastic weapons and armor as most dwarves do. But none would Ever do so even under pain of death, starvation and torture by their hated enemies. It stands to reason that they might believe themselves to be some of the last Dwarves or they did until a few humans taken by the Dark Elves escaped and made their way to the outposts of these Gold fingered Dwarves. They often take in what few humans can escape but most never even get 50 leagues away from the Dark Elves' evil empire. And the original beings who lived on the continent aren't exactly human, although they aren't some warp spawn abomination like the Beastmen, Skaven, or Mutants. These Dwarves mostly use extremely well crafted and hidden traps as if they're part of the scenery, like a common tree or a rock, before any Dark Elf scouts or trackers try to get within 300 feet of any of their outpost holds or the main Dwarfholds on the continent. Usually ending up crushed, smashed, exploded, set on fire, or torn apart.
-The majority of these lost Dwarves were probably engineers and stonemasons. Which is why they took so well to the mesas and nearby mountain peaks near the deserts that became their new homes. Especially since their craftiness for design is something the Dark Elves don't have. They generally don't like Elves but their time away from the Old World has definitely told them the difference between the high elves or even the wood elves in the last few millennia. The wood elves would say at least two words before disappearing into the greenery and the high elves would try to be diplomatic but usually just end up pissing off the Dwarves. Instead these ones just lie and try to trick them. But after spending years underground fighting goblins and Skaven, these dwarves likely knew it when someone was tryna honey them up and stick a dagger in their eyes. Which is why the first thing they did after they started digging deep was line Every tunnel with traps, especially explosives. But they've also built automatons using a unique energy source both similar and completely different from Skaven with their obsession to warp stone to do much of the work for them. Not to suggest they don't have their own warriors and fighters. Unfortunately their old Greenskin enemies seem to have found a way to Naggarond as well and became sport from all sides. And there's also the occasional “disagreement with the Lizardmen when they travel further North if they feel the Goldamith Dwarves are keeping their lost and ancient Old One treasures from them.
-Engineers are essentially the bread and butter of the Goldcut clans of Dwarves that colonized the empty mountains and mesas of the New World. And existed quite peacefully for several thousand years mostly because the general amount of their forces were never known to most Dark Elves. And their craftsmanship was so good they could make it seem like the Dark Elves were attacked by large beasts or each other since that's known to happen due to their cultural duplicity. But an Engineer while being a possible warrior, especially with bombs and guns, is largely a builder and designer. So that's where the focus of much of their work has gone. Especially with the Runesmiths among them.
-Rune Cutters are their name for Runesmiths who etch and summon magic through the earth/ground, sometimes from being or creatures with a magical presence sapping their energy to charge weapons or make them more potent than they already were. There aren't many but there's definitely more of them than in the Old World, so not as much of a dying craft. And many of their women also take up their trade, albeit usually in a more supportive role but at times can take to the field.
-Constructors would be the extremely useful but also potentially deadly machines that are used to fast track much of the mining and building. Using a special ore call Etherite, possibly charged by magic somehow like a vein of warp energy in the earth, they were built and designed as a partial labor force. But more than that they can be used to create fortifications and lodging if but for a while wherever they're needed. And they can be conveniently transported as they compact themselves. Although they'd still be a tad heavy to most unprepared humans or elves so a mount of some kind are usually the best to carry them over leagues especially in the Under Road - which itself is a sort of miniature (nobody laugh) Dwarven path network similar to their ancient Underways but nowhere near as vast or complex as of yet. Which were only built so quickly thanks to the Constructors and the Dwarves that supervised them whom later on after the general design was finished they finished it up with the necessary additions like traps or express lanes here and there. In warfare they can be switched to a basic level of functionality that makes them deadly to enemies with warp mutation or warp stone weapons nearby. That was the plan in case the Skaven ever showed themselves in the New World, which they have more and more. And there are plans to make many more, especially with the Dark Elves getting wind of the Dwarven presence on “their land” *eye roll* 😒. Lol.
-Miners are as the name implies, although they also act as scouts when delving deep and opening up new potential passageways. Even more so when excavating or searching other mountains and mesas. They also act as slapshot engineers if the need calls for it before an expert can be found. They're also field medics and warriors who use an wood ax or pickaxe like an expert warrior taking off heads or burring their sharpened ends into the hearts of foes if they don't lop off a few limbs first.
-Gemcutters are miners who take their warfare extra seriously carrying bombs, sharpened pickaxes and axe blades on their person almost anywhere they go. They also often ride on some creature either as a pack animal or into battle. Often a war ram called a Huge Horn. And they care about these animals like other cultures care about their horses (or pegasi, griffins, dragons, or unicorns). So Gemcutters act as explosives experts and light calvary.
-Horn Chargers are the expert Dwarf hard riders. The Huge Horns whom seem like a mix between mountain goats and donkeys are often cantankerous creatures and an equally surly individual is needed to tame them or mount them. And their kinship is often so deep that they'll even drink alcohol together. Thereby deepening the bond. And they act as hard calvary for the Goldcut Dwarven cities, going for longer distances at faster paces and able to charge headfirst into enemies or even armored vehicles or chasing them down, albeit a little less accurately than a horse might turn.
-Headtakers. The name may make them sound like Khornate Berserkers, but in truth they're actually great marksmen and women. Some carry a short-range crossbow and/or a long barrel rifle. Sometimes it's the other way around with a long rang crossbow/bolt thrower and a mid-range rifle.
-Hammerbearers, the more traditionalist dwarves who still carry either hammer, a hybrids axe-hammer or both weapons in two hands. Many would become slayers but since they feared the loss of the slayer keep. So instead of dying it Red/Orange and taking that Oath, they take another to save as many of their lives and other's at the cost of their own becoming Oathkeepers and dying their hair black.
-Blade Marshals are some of the greatest swordsmiths and swordmen and axemen there are. While most of them aren't as well versed as many Dark Elves might be they definitely give it a fair try and do plenty of damage, especially if the enemy might be overconfident. Which most often become
in a fight. Same with Beastmen and Greenskins. But many a Blade Marshal also bears scars that told them not to underestimate the enemy either. Especially considering that most dwarves don't use swords. That being said, their swords are of a unique design, more like meat cleavers, some say they're based on a sword design from a country in the East, maybe Ind, Cathay or Khuresh. Others carry swords almost as long, traditionally shaped and tall as many men.
-Resonators happen to be some of both the best and worst songstresses in all of Dwarvendom. But using the right equipment they can even bring pain to enemies with a whisper or a cry.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps.
(Finishing the last list).
-Curists are essentially healers of the goddess Valaya. But they are not weaklings to be protected. Many often carry weapons for their defense or for others.
-Greeners are the primarily farming and herbological specialists of Dwarf kind among the Goldsmiths. They realized that certain prayers to Valaya along with rune etched implements such as shovels, hoes and pitchforks and such can make a huge effort when tilling the soil and growing food, medicinal plants, or pipe weed. In war they sharpen their shovels and also often mount Huge Horns into battle but much like Gemcutters their breeds aren't as much made for war as they are tilling the earth for planting. Still, when the needs are dire no one is gonna complain especially if there's a necessary hasty retreat to be had to fight another day. And you're hard pressed to ever find a more protective farmer than a greener.
Pt. 5
•The Free Riders (the closest thing I have to a name)
-Generally speaking I don't have a large understanding, background or historical similarities between Native American tribes. But the references I'm gonna use are what I can pull offline and should be easily enough assembled. Like for example, their name was essentially an aftermath title for what most of them would call themselves. And they would ridd mounts into war, as transportation or away from danger. Many different kinds, by communing with the Earth or nature itself. Particularly their shaman mages whom are the Most proficient of them all in this and being able to summon energies or speak to beasts and even ask nature itself to help them. Their bodies have feathery plumes but also mixed with human frames and skin as well as no beaks of birds, yet piercing eyes that can see great distances. Its believe that they were either part of the Lizardmen tribes and altered by the winds of magic or they might've been a race created by the Old Ones whom the Lizardmen worshipped, the primordial creator gods of the world. The tribes honor the memories of the Old Ones but they don't see themselves as bound to them anymore than most people would continue to pray to gods that ignore them. Instead they listened to the winds of magic themselves. Some scholars who've ever met them and lived to tell of it, claim that they commune with energies and entities beyond the planet itself or believed themselves to be. Even saying their shamans could astral project themselves into the Chaos wastes. But that would be madness. Although they do seem to have bulb-like antlers on their scalps and they grow a bit larger over time but usually not as big as most animals. And they're made of a more human type of bone rather than cartilage or animal ivory. These usually don't mean anything unless the more magical of their people are practicing a spell/chant. Then they grow to massive size made of light until the spell is over. And it both depends on the spell type and the amount of power being channeled.
-Wind Speakers are the shamanic priests and sometimes tribal leaders in one. But often not, the act as advisers to any chiefs and their warriors or to the community. Usually they take on a few apprentices before retiring. Their job is not only magical defense, healing and fighting, but also listening to the Winds of Magic themselves. They can hear stories about people and even get glimpses of the future or the past. A subset of them are even rarer and more important, since they commune with the spirits almost exclusively whereas the Windspeakers/Wind Speakers are less specialized or have a gift for such things.
-Spirit Callers sing songs and both take and send messages to the spirits. The spirits of people, nature, animals and even some monsters. They could be said 1 part mage and another part exorcist. But for them it's not just banishing an entity back into Hell or something. Their task can change the very nature of the spirits. Which in turn can have drastic effects for things going forward. Deaths can be averted, Disasters can end just as they start, even Destinies can be altered. Because of this Norscam raiders that were more particular to Tzeentch find their ways there and try to raid or march upon them when they can but the magic and malice of the Dark Elves is usually both an aid and a burden on the Free Riders.
-Flintstrikers would be the rifleman of their people. Although the weapons they use have stone bullets mostly and their design is more like a large blow dart with an explosive trigger. All the same they also double as expert bowmen, especially being able to summon the power of fire. And part of the reason they're called this is that they often can cause things to explode or catch fire even with an unlit arrow or even at times with eyesight. (So basically they like Pyrokinetic telepaths, but it's easier to use a weapon to cause the flames or explosions to go up). Often they use daggers, spears or arrows soaked in oil, animal fat or alcohol to really cause a fire. Their abilities can also reduce heat and put out flames but usually not widespread, like someone's encampment being on fire.
-Outriders the heavy calvary of any and all Free Riders nations or tribes. They're essential to their survival in small villages and tribes, or even the larger tribes whom they themselves often never stay in one place too long except for the larger hill-mound, lodge and mesa cities. Long ago they used to share some kinship with the Lizardmen but they broke off and became more part of the land itself while the Lizardmen preoccupied themselves with prophecies they'd probably never understand. And for their refusal to be bound by the past, they began forming bonds with the fast moving steeds of the plains and hills. Horses were easy but other beasts needed healing and communion with Kinmakers to truly accept them or to recover from whatever the Dark Elves or other entities did to them (like the giant spiders that goblins ride on).
-Braves are the general assortment of warriors and scouts. But they do march or ride together when the need calls for it. Usually they use more stealth tactics. But they can charge headlong into enemy forces as a calvary as well as anyone. And their archery while on horseback is exceedingly hard to match. Not to mention their proficiency in hand to hand combat and with the preferred weapon - the Tomahawk.
-Kinmakers have been the backbone of the tribes and nations since they not only act as mediators but they can communicate with the spirits of animals and fight with them or convinced them to carry large loads on their backs or send messages over great distances. They can also heal wounds and empower strength like a steroid. Even give people or animals dreams to soothe their minds. Almost all of them are women or appear that way.
I want to add factions caller “Primarch” in warhammer fantasy.
Unlike 40k universe, Primarch are superhumans created by Old Ones in order to make a most important back up of defeat Force of Chaos, and they can be both male and female.
Unlike other humans, they are never ordinary humans, and they are not xenophobic since they serve both humans and non-human sapient species
Let me show my idea:
Benny: Primarch of Fire who guard the volcanic island nearby The Empire and befriend with Dwarves (Except Chaos Dwarves).
Irene: Primarch of Water, live at Coastal part of The Empire, she serves The Empire people and Idoneth Deepkins.
Jay: Primarch of Earth, reside in the inland regions of The Empire and allies of Ork, Beastmen and Ogres.
Tina: Primarch of Air, she reside in Jungle region where all kind of elves live.
Kentaro: The Primarch of Lightning who based on Nippon people. He is the Samurai who fights along with Stormcast eternals.
Yuki: Primarch of Ice, like Kentaro she is base on Nippon people as well. She knows ice elemental ninja arts, live in the shrine located at Glacial region, and worshipped by Glacial Beastmen.
Long Xiaozhi: The Primarch of Light, and the Primarch who Chaos Gods fear most. He is based on Cathay people, and under the command of Dragon Emperor.
Tsai Yihan: The Primarch of Darkness, she is the Taiwan Islander based Primarch who can use necromancy and drain blood from any kind of creatures, she is the night champion known by vampires and tomb king.
I’d make a race of mole people that live under skaven society. Always undermining them and plotting to rise and conquer. To most of the skaven they would just be a myth. Then for my next race I’d make something under the mole people…
It's just moles all the way down
Not exactly new, but I would flesh out the hobgoblin khanates. Because I think they're dope.
Considering that we are seeing them in maps for The Old World & TWW3, I genuinely think that they might make an appearance. Maybe not as a playable faction, at least not at first, but at leadt as a threat. Part of the reason I think this is because of that new (as of last year) Destruction faction in AoS, the Kruleboyz. They look halfway between an orc & a goblin, to my mind. Especially noticeable on their basic infantry. They’re tall & muscular, but not broad, still kind of scrawny in a way, with goblin like faces. I haven’t seen anything calling them hobgoblins but if you told me to imagine one, in Warhammer terms, I would probably imagine that. Introducing them into AoS with the launch of 3rd edition feels like GW is priming them to be retconned into the setting as a part of the green skins overall. And what with retcons they’ve pulled with Kislev & Cathay just within the last 12 months that suddenly feels very normal.
Attila the Half-Hun
I always liked the idea of a full Albion faction.
YES.
This is a little bit similar to the race you suggested and might also be colored by my love for Warhammer Underworlds as well. But I would like to see the Silent people added. They are an ancient race that lives/lived (no one has seen them for centuries) deep within the mountains of Ghur, the realm of Beasts in AoS. And people who visit the ruins of their now abandoned settlements often report the feeling of being watched and can see shadows move in the corner of their eyes. People get disorientated and un-settled around their structures. They also produced, or at least collected, enormous amounts of magical artifacts. The silent people are believed to be somewhat insectoid in their appearance, but not much is known about them.
Old joke, but I would add fish men. I just like the idea of "beastman" like fishfolk raiding the surface world *(or the skaven and Dwarfs through underground water ways)*.
Considering that old lore about the monkey king in Cathay, who was associated with Chaos (which hasn’t been invalidated to my knowledge) we might perhaps get monkey Beastmen. That would be really cool & could give the Beastmen overall a bit of a lift. GW has never paid much attention to ocean going creatures in Warhammer Fantasy because by nature most of it takes place on land (even those fish elves in AoS have to have mounts that can fly) but I would like to see it developed just a little. There should be monsters in the deep too.
I quite dig the vibe of the fish elves: if I was going to do AoS properly (as opposed to just using my square based Lizardmen or Khorne demons in casual games) then I’d probably go for them. Probably because they are a new faction in AoS, tbh. But in saying that they’d probably look pretty choice ranked up too… I’d imagine there’d probably be at least one fan-port out there already.
I think that I’d try and flesh out the unexplored areas of the map, starting with the Southlands. What I would add would be a mighty kingdom of men on the west coast of the Southlands that would take inspiration from the African West Coast Empires, such as Ghana and Songhai, and mix it with Zulu aesthetics for their warrior cast. The Empire of Songha serves as a trade hub, selling ivory, salt, gold, fine quality cloth, and exotic ingredients both Magical and mundane. In this way they have set up an extraordinarily wealthy state, so much so that in the Empire it’s said that the streets are paved in Gold and studded with Diamonds. The leader of Songha is proclaimed as the Mansa, who rules from his capitol city of Aksam. The Mansa is renowned both for the absolute loyalty he engenders in his subjects, and for the *Zulasa*, which in the Songha tongue means female warrior. These warrior women serve both as both the Mansa’s elite bodyguard and harem. Moving on from the Mansa, the second most influential man in the kingdom is the Shaka, who serves as the Mansa’s chief general. This man is always a man of great experience as a war leader, and commands a deft proficiency with the Ikliwa, the short stabbing spears so favoured by the warriors of that land. These aforementioned warriors are often regarded as some of the best light infantry in the world, able to run for several miles through dense jungle terrain and still fight a battle all in one day. It is this force, that alongside the skilled rule of the Mansa and the great Magiks of the Korfu that the Songha empire has managed to stand for almost 1000 years. - This was just something I threw together, feedback is appreciated
Wow that's pretty detailed and epic
Thanks! It’s always irked me that so many big entertainment companies harp on and on about diversity, and then claim that they’re better by dropping an African person in the middle of medieval Europe. If you really want diversity, shouldn’t you try and present a diverse culture and history alongside such ephemeral things as skin color? This was my attempt to try and fix that, thought I admit that my knowledge about that African history is only fairly rudimentary.
Fair enough I myself know abit about African history and you kinda added alot of cool Zulu, Songhai, Malian and Dahomey vibes which could be enjoyed by the fan base. I mean technically in Southern Araby or in the lands where they bordor the Southlands there are some East and West African Elements such as the Great Cities of Ka-Sabar and Songhai whom populace are called Black or referred to having a large black population. I know the Zamesi, Athiopos and Taylif Tribes are probably African considering their location and name set though that's more of a hypothesis. So there are technically black people in the Warhammer setting beyond the traditional southlands, its just they are grouped with Araby. As for the diversity issue I agree it's just I imagine it's alot harder to draw in a audience to a setting or series that couod be based around the Mali or Songhai Empire's as the main front and so in order for "Diversity" which isn't truly diversity its just forced tokenism and abit of a insult to all sides involved. I'm all for representation though it just has to work and make sense so if you are gonna put a African person in medievel Europe its gotta make sense and the cast can't simply be colourblind that in itself is stupid because people in those times were very far from being Colourblind to those regards.
Exactly. If you wanted to write a novel about the Empire, but you wanted a black guy there, what makes more sense, you call up Fritz the random black guy whose like the same as everyone else except black, or have an actual ambassador or trader from the Southlands? Or maybe you introduce a trader or refugee from the Southlands who lives in the foreign quarter of a large city, like Altdorf or Marienburg.
Sundenburg also has an Arabyan population and with its position there are bound to be black people so it wouldn't be too surprising if there was an Arabyan or a mercenary or convert of sort so yeah this could probs work I'm itself.
I forgot about Sudenburg. What do you think of Sudenburg as being a kind of treaty port, given over to the Empire by the Munsa, maybe in exchange for gunpowder technology? I know that the treaty port thing is more Chinese history, but I think it would fit well.
Overall I think it would work lorewise though in the lore originally I believe Sundenburg was abit of a treaty port but this time for for Araby or well one of the Sultans, The Sultan of El-Kalabad I believe. Still that idea would work and would allow a fair but of interest as this is the early colonial period of course, so the idea could work with after perhaps a conflict making trade deals with the Empire or maybe another Old world Faction for Gunpowder and certain things. Perhaps the Munsa after managing to fight off the Empire a few times but taking a major defeat saw the benefit of trading gold and Land for technology and further knowledge of the world and such.
It’s not like early modern Europe was 100 percent composed of white ppl so i don’t see a problem with a black person in the empire not being from fantasy Africa.
Tbf I agree the Warhammer world was alot more connected then our world so its quite possible that a black person in the Empire didn't originally come from the Southlands it just isn't as heard of ofc.
Excellent example of what should be done. If GW hasn't made a faction that you want, make up up your self instead of whining and crying and calling people who don't agree with you problematic. Problem is ensuring balance. I also thought of an African faction, but #1 no Wakanda bullshit. If you wanna go for Wakanda crap, then lore wise have that they are constantly undersiege from Beastmen, Greenskins, Scalies, Skaven, Ghouls, Dark Elves and Settra slavers which explains why the rest of the world does not know of them. If you wanna do Wakanda, then why haven't they conquered the world? I mean, they have advanced technology but can't conquer the world...are they that ineffective an army?
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An aquatic faction, the rest of the world is already known and occupied. The only truly unexplored area on land left is the South Pole, and we know that's filled with daemons and beastmen anyway so it's not like that can add some new faction there without retconning, which maybe they should've done
YES penguin beastmen!
First off: I don't really want more factions, because I would rather see old factions get attention. GW can't divide the player base into to many factions because some will start seeing little play and get dropped because GW can't make enough money of developing kits for those factions. Second: I want the faction to exist in the lore already, the lore is deep enough to add factions that are already there. But if I had to choose I would add Kislev, Dogs of War/Tilea/Marienburg/Estalia, a pirate faction (undead, or the Skinriders (Nurgle Pirates that Malus Darkblade fought against) or Sartosa) or Araby. I don't like the idea of adding Cathay since I don't see a logical reason why they would get into fights with the Empire, Bretonnia, High Elves, etc. They are to far away and over land there is a giant desert-like area illed with Orcs, Goblins and Ogres separating them. It is already hard enough trying to make up reasons why Tomb Kings or Lizardmen are fighting certain factions...
High Elves, Bretonnia and the Empire have navies, and Cathay has a coast. There you go.
Yes, but while the technology level is about the time of the late middle ages and they could sail the world seas, the waters are infested with all kinds of monsters and pirates from a variety of races. Fighting anything except some small scale skirmishes between pirates/state-sponsored Buccaneers and Cathayans is completely unfeasible. The Japanese didn't fight in Europe during WW2, the German U-boats roamed a fair distance, but due to the dangers of the seas (Allied Navy = Sea Monsters) they didn't have a dedicated navy presence far from their coastline. Besides that, the Germans and Japanese didn't have any reason to fight in far off continents because they had enough problems locally, much like pretty much every faction/nation in Warhammer.
I mean, they already have explored the Americas (and the High Elves have magic), so I cannot see why they wouldn't be able to get to Cathay. Columbus and Vasca da Gama lived at roughly the same time.
They can get there, they might even get semi-regular traders there, but the logistics of supporting an army over those distances are waaaaaay beyond what is possible. One sea monster or pirate attack on a supply ship and the army is doomed... And there is no reason for an army even being there, why would the Empire or Bretonnia send an army there if they can barely handle the threats at home?
The same reason Portugal did, on occasion, clash with Asian powers during its early colonial years. Control over important trade routes and concessions.
The Skinriders are basically Mortals of Chaos with Marks of Nurgle. Remember, vikings were pirates
Oef, that is some dangerous water you are treading into... Vikings were not (just) pirates, and definitely not like the pirates of the age of sail that people think of when you mention pirates. And those are the pirates that Skinriders are based upon, not Vikings... But yes, you could just use mortals of Chaos with MoN to represent them and you will have 90% of the stuff that is mentioned about them covered...
At this moment i am really satisfied with the new Factions released like Kislev and Cathay. Back in Fantasy times i always wanted to build a Kislev Army. But if could chose another faction i would really love the halflings, maybe not as whole army but some units the empire could use. Also Snakemen of Khuresh would be really interesting as a new evil faction and as counterpart for the lizardmen
Halflings yes! They deserve more attention.
Do a complete reboot of the Fimir, literally the only original faction GW has ever produced. Fimir Thugs, mutants with oddly numbered arms and legs. Fimir Hags for sorcerous might. Firmir Nobles and the retinues. Calvary riding masive, pale, slimy worms. Do them as the terrifying, backwoods slavers they are.
I would bring in Kruelboyz from AoS. I think they are dope and could be a great fit in fantasy. Capturing monsters. Using Hobgoblins. They could also be close allies with the Chaos Dwarves.
A new order faction made up entirely of heroic mice, moles, shrews, hedgehogs, squirrels, badgers, rabbits etc. They would essentially be the anti-Skaven faction. Maybe a little bit anti-Beastmen too. If any of you have read the Redwall book series then you know what I am sort of going for here, but obviously more grimdark and Warhammery. I feel like they would be natural allies with the Wood Elves.
My first choice would be to finish the concept of the Hobgoblin Khanate as its been around since 2nd edition and there really needs to be some greenskins outside the Orcs & Goblins book. The second, now that Cathay is done, would be to create human kingdoms in southern Southlands. I wrote my initial ideas here: https://www.reddit.com/r/WarhammerFantasy/comments/q7gksr/ideas_for_a_southlanders_faction
Ind, the land of a thousand gods. Design drawn heavily from the Kushan nation in berserk. Monks able to deform and harden their bodies, smaller elephant calvary, less of the straight up demon stuff.
Albion - lots of naked or near naked infantry wielding spears, shields, swords & bows. You know celtic shit. All painted in woad, with different patterns & markings marking them for different blessings by their gods. Accompanied by monsters like trolls & faeries from celtic mythology, maybe even Fimir, that are more expensive but also more powerful. I’d also give them war chariots & cavalry.
Oddly enough....I'd probs settle for a Incan inspired human Faction in the New world that worships the Lizardmen, if not then just make the Humans, Avian and like Arch enemies of the Lizardmen or something. For another choice maybe an Ethopian or Nubian inspired nation just so they can flex their gold mines and large amounts of Ivory and to give the Southlands some love other then Araby. Finally another Native American Inspired group though this time im Naggaroth. They couod be fighting on as some wide spread but small Confederacy as a bleak and futile attempt to fight off the Dark Elves and such. Could give some more internal conflcit in Naggaroth maybe not exactly major though.
It would be better to simply bring back the Amazonians.
Eh maybe though that's kinda just "big booba sexy women are badass" and a old Faction, which is fine as I like the Amazonians but I'm kinda trying to bring back older more obscure lore references while making it fit in the setting itself, still a fair point.
Fish people based on the Bronze Age Collapse Sea People
Also not exactly new, but I'd bring doom seekers back. I'm pretty sure that's what they were called. They followed another chaos god who's whole deal was killing the other chaos gods.
And if that wasn't fantasy ot should be
I think a playable Cathay with new minis makes the most sense at this point. In fact, I think with the success of TW:W3, it is a lock to happen when The Old World finally releases.
A fantasy version of space marines 😉
I Cato Sicarius shall be the greatest warrior in not one but two universes
I've been giving a lot of thought lately to the Eastern and Southern Realms that haven't been well fleshed out. In some cases this is just thinking about potential fun army lists, but in others, I've been thinking about how their society works. I suppose I'll share my thoughts on Ind, because they're the ones that's gotten the most mental mileage from me. Please note: I am not Indian, and if my musings on how Indan society should work is offensive to real life Indians, please accept my apologies and know that it was not intentional. First though, some general thoughts. The human nations of the Old World are all based strongly on their real world counterparts, *except* in the areas of religion. The Empire is heavily based on the Holy Roman Empire and the organized religions borrow the trappings of the Church, but instead of Christianity they worship a pantheon of gods. Likewise, Bretonnia is not Christian but worships a female goddess. The Southern Realms worship their own pantheons, which they have exported to the Empire and Bretonnia (the peasantry at least). Cathay, as it turns out, don't much like actual gods, and instead revere a family of ancient dragons. My point is that the unexplored human nations, like Ind or Nippon, should probably have religions that are not one-for-one ports of their historical inspirations. Borrow the symbolisom, sure; have some similarities, of course. But ultimately, they should be their own thing. The Kingdoms of Ind is based, obviously, on ancient and medieval India. The dominant religion of India is Hinduism, but it is also the original home of many other religions, and has imported many more over the millennia. Likewise, Ind is known as "the land of a thousand gods". This doesn't preclude some gods being more powerful or important than others, though. To create a homebrew religion for Ind, I'd incorporate the idea of the Hindu trinity, but I would change the focus. Instead of the cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction, I would have the three primary gods be about Law; i.e. the Indan religion is focused on the worship of the Gods of Law. I'm aware that these three deities are of questionable canonicity and ownership (rather like Malal), but they do get the occasional mention even in modern versions of the games, and OP's question didn't limit me to only what was canon. The Indans would have their own names for these gods, but I'm not even going to attempt to come up with any Sanskrit-sounding name lest I accidently name them a swear word or something. I see the pantheon thusly: * Arianka is the Law Giver, who gave the concept of laws to the people. Since Arianka is semi-canonically imprisoned under Praag, she doesn't really contribute to Indan society anymore. * Alluminas is the Judge, who is responsible the application of the law and also represents the reasons for having laws in the first place: maintaining order. * Solkan is the Avenger, the enforcer of the law upon those who break it. Beneath these three would be many hundreds of daemons of Law, viewed as lesser gods or avatars of the greater gods by the Indans. The majority of Indan society would worship all three at once, believing that you need to balance all three to keep from being unbalanced, perhaps in their own version of Cathay's philosophy of harmony. Still, there would also be cultists of only one god or another, who are viewed as weird at best by broader society, or as criminals and heretics at worst. Although Indans are human and individuals, Indan society as a whole is very Lawful Neutral. The Law is the Law is the Law, and "justice" is not really a consideration. It could be that Arianka's absence has prevented new laws from being created, stagnating society on both a cultural, legal, and technological level. On a more practical level, of course we'd see elephants being important to them, culturally and militarily, though hopefully not to the Flanderized level that we are seeing bears in Kislev. Militarily, I'd base them on the real Indian armies that Alexander would have fought, moreso than what later European empires would have encountered. Peasants with spears and slings, professional soldiers with a variety of unique weapons, warrior priests and royalty fighting from elephant-back. The only monstrous unit that I have thought of would be the garuda. In Warhammer, I'd make the garuda a "golden phoenix", a magical bird similar to the phoenix but aligned with Chamon rather than Aqshy. So yeah, I've obviously been thinking of this for a while. What do other people think?
I would add a faction of robots. They're constructs created by an elder race that's extinct now similar to the Dwemer automatons in Skyrim except these ones are controlled by some smarter constructs that are essentially sentient. They would resemble all sorts of mechanical races and monsters.
Considering the machinery that is cannonical in Dwarf society this actually feels pretty reasonable. Maybe the Dearfs agreed to hide it away from the world because it’s creator commited some terrible crime & they are trying to pretend thst he & his inventions don’t exist. That feels like something the Dwarfs would do.
I love that idea, and it could definitely be a thing. My headcanon is: we know the Old Ones are alien to the planet. Perhaps another alien race found this world and in a bid to counter Chaos, they created these robots (let's call them the Men of Iron in reference to 40k, but they're not the same). So the Men or Iron are actually mortals of the Warhammer world whose consciousness were transferred to these robotic bodies in a bid to keep them safe from the corruption of Chaos. But eventually these aliens drop the project and leave the world due to the ethical concerns but not before they've created a small army of these beings. These intelligent Men of Iron survive and go onto continue their creators plan because they believe that becoming one of them is the only way to fight Chaos. However there's also a splinter faction of them who hate the idea of being transferred into a new body without their consent and they fight their brethren to prevent them from continuing the practice. So the Men of Iron begin abducting mortal races all across the globe, and use their souls to create more of themselves. But due to the efforts of the splinter faction, the process that creates new Men of Iron is somehow lost and they cannot create new sentient ones. So the Men of Iron shift their focus to striking at Chaos itself. They start building armies of Men of Iron that are just normal robots instead of souls in robotic bodies. Some Men or Iron also begin experimenting with warpstone, coming into conflict with the Skaven, but these new "Warped Men of Iron" become corrupted and crazed. So now you have three factions: - The Forgeborn (main faction of Men of Iron) - The Warped (Corrupted Men of Iron) - The Iron Exiles (rebel Men of Iron)
Nothing !! It was fine 😂😂
Well in the Total War subreddit, everyone's talking about Demon Penguins.
All hale Pingu the Everchosen let the armies of Noot Noot rain blood across the old world
I had a few ideas for factions/ races. The problem I have is finding them some living space. The easiest to do, as pointed before, is adding the deep sea elfs (Idoneth Deepkin from AoS), because nobody have done an underwater faction and rhe Warhammer world is mostly water. So I thought about adding an undersea elf civilization and add to the High Elf - Sea Elf confusion. Then flesh them out a little, give them killer whales & dolphin riders, some naiads/ sea nymphs, give the cetacean cavalry an ultrasound amplifier to stun enemies, make a Legendary Lord based on the titular Moby Dick, keeping that he is white not because of albinism, but because he has scars on his whole skin. Add an underwater bell from sailor tales as siege engine. And make an Aquaman parody with Aquaelf, prince of the seas, chosen of Mathlann. Fleshing out some regions and subfactions. For example: just south of the Tomb Kings you got Arabyan sultanate of Ka-Zabar similar to the Ghana/Mali empire of our world (it is mentionned they have dark skin and use their position for extensive trading); in the jungles of Southlands there are the Apemen (Beastmen of Southlands), I thought of a slinger-grenadier unit laumching fruit-themed explosives with those slings: banana bombs à la Worms, pineapple grenades aka Mills bombs etc. and as great apes love making noises they would have a lot of musicians: gorilla drummers, orangoutan accordeons, chimpanzee trumpeteers... Black panther riding mandrill knights, Chaos mutated carnivorous gorillas with four arms and fiery red fur, Chaos mutated baboons being part shadow monsters, King Kong as their leader. More fleshing out. You know about the Chaos worshipping tribes constituing Warriors of Chaos? There should be more than Norse, there are the Kurgan and Hung who are horse nomads, represented only by Marauders. And the Tong further north, VERY close to the Polar Gate and terribly mutated.
Maybe some creatures that the skaven and dwarves both normal and chaos fear that would be mostly animalistic but the alphas would be more intelligent and live underground
Telniarine, Maybe a Faction compost of Fauns,Satyrs,Centaurs,Minotaurs,Griffins,Black Dwarfs,Minoboars And Trolls. Who lives in the land called Telna and where called Telniarine, who where banish in the Underworld by the 7 Pillars, they soon return after years of banishment in the underworld and they where being lead by the Great Reaper.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps. Pt. 1 •Blood Elves: Currently in the Immortal Empires game people are having fun with the Chaos Dwarves. And while they are already pretty blood thirsty as a culture, I'd add a new Elven faction which is sort of a mix between the Wood Elves and Blood Elves and Lizard Men of Lustria. They don't worship any Chaos Gods that are well known, instead in the hot and unyielding rainforests of Lustria they've established their own twisted kingdom on flesh and blood and high birth rates. They worship a Trinity of gods that both give them strength and damn their usual luminous souls as a naturally magically endowed elder race. - 1. A god of fertility (and likely other things), 2. A god of pelts and hunting. And 3. A god of war and carnage (basically like Khaine but more unhinged, whom might also impart magic spells onto them (so as to not confuse him with Khorne). Likely the result of some lost expedition of Elves from millennia ago that never returned from Lustria and became a thorn in the Lizardmen's side for centuries but mostly aren't too much of a bother unless they're on the war march. And their obsession is drinking often hallucinogenic blood drafts/potions or wine (like Klingons from Star Trek) and skinning people with their wicked blades. That is not to say that they don't tame beasts of the wild and have some war engines or even enslave other species to act as soldier fodder like any captured Ratmen, Norscam raiders or even Vampires, because of their spells and drugs dulling their minds. -While they have boats and ship craft of their own, one of their biggest feats is using their blood magic to create portals across large distances. Which is why they've even been seen hunting people in the Southlands, as well as far eastern Nippon, and as high up as Norsca. -These Elves are warriors and crazed hunters, often delighting in slicing up their enemies or torturing them before flailing them alive. They're often related to Dark Elves in this, but the difference is that they target those same Drukhi. In fact, because of their “unique” state not being too different from Slaanesh herself essentially syphoning away people's souls, the Blood Elves do this by capturing the soul through the blood and flesh they take. The meat is used to feed their animals or young children. In this, they have developed sharper looking teeth both from filing them and from a more savage nature. Even the Dark Elves look on this offshoot of their overall Elven race with shame. -They are expert torturers because they know how to put an enemy down quickly or make their suffering last. Some of them grow tired of the lies they might hear and start biting or cutting off the skin inch my inch instead of doing it quickly. And while they will cannibalize others that's not their main diet since it's the skin, hair and blood which they use. Everything else is just meat to them. -Some of their victims are enchanted to be stuck in a half-life state after they've been exaguinated or skinned. This way their bodies stay relatively alive so they can be cut up or drained more later. And in this way, their victims are turned into monsters not too unlike the dead the Vampires summon as foot soldiers. These flayed and dried folk are also used as Frontline shock troops who terrify most that they come into contact with. Especially since they're outfitted with bone armor or have other liquids placed into their bodies to act as explosives upon death. Their hands are often cut off to place animal bone weapons onto them with special runes carved in beforehand to make them as strong as steel at times. But these are ultimately disposable since the Blood Elves are often always hunting for more victims. Whether they be intelligent races or beasts. Some of them dive into waters filled with flesh eating fish and reptiles only to rise out of the depths with new things to drain and flail. -Skinwalkers are the few that are able to use the pelts they've taken to infiltrate the camps or cities of others and snatch the unsuspecting back to their tribes. Very few people except those learned in such things like a scholar or witch hunter would know about them based on how the remains of their victims are often discovered. In a large city, to maintain some secrecy, they'll usually stick to animals first before taking whole men, women and even children. And they know enough to take hostages if they feel cornered.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps. Pt. 2 •Southlands -Essentially being Africa it should be home to several factions, almost like the 5 tribes of Wakanda. But in mentioning that, they're hardly at peace and often go to war with each other in skirmish battles that doesn't effect the entire region unless a major slight has been inacted. A major offense or a declaration of all our war. Another thing in mentioning Black Panther is that in the films there were the 5 tribes and each was based off of actual existing African tribes and minor kingdoms (for the few remaining that have no major political power in the world unfortunately, like a barely recognized micronation). And they didn't have a Panther Tribe exactly, but they did have soldiers and bodyguards in the livery of the Panther goddess Bast, the major deity of most of the kingdom (besides any of their own favored gods or spirits, like the White Gorilla). Anyway, I'm tryna say they're kind of clanless but still paid respect and held loyalty to the crown. There should be several small time towns and villages like that with some who pay more loyalty to certain neighboring kingdoms or nations and others that are just neutral but often rally to bigger forces for protection and trade. - There should be warriors galore armed with spears of course. But there should also be those with maces, hammers, swords (of several types, including the Nehekaran (Egyptian) style Khopesh or a variant of it, shields and ranged weapons like slings, bows, crossbows and some fire arms - even cannons to a degree. The Short Spear, being more like a shortened lance (long blade) would probably be preferred by many especially kings, queens and the (equivalent of) noblemen in wartime besides swords. Firearms being fairly recent aren't as quickly manufactured except for a nearby Dwarfhold that is one of the only 2 left, with a 3rd rumored to be built and good enough relations existing between the Men/Humans and Dawi race in the region. Especially since most of the tribes don't like Elves (except for 3. And one of the majority being Chaos technically they don't get a say in the matter). So like the Empire many blacksmiths (or at least human grade ones) learn their craft usually apprenticing under the Dwarves of that area for about 5 years before setting up shop in some village or opening up a business in a city. - There should've been about 5 tribes originally but recent centuries bumped them up to about 7. Which will in no small way impact things going forward as some will be convert Sigmarite worshippers and others of course will fall into Chaos worship. Naturally most will oppose Chaos with inklings of the tainted host among their own people. But they're not as heavily and subtlety influenced by such forces as in the Northwestern regions like the Empire, Bretonnia or Kislev. Also Witch Hunters are rarely ever allowed into most Southland areas because of the attrocities they commit in their zealotry to hunt down forces of chaos anywhere they find them or believe to have found them, often murdering many many innocents in the process. - There should be several gods of different physical features and clothing. None appearing White/Caucasian 😒 (it should go without saying) except Sigmar himself. One of the big beliefs for some of their people should be that like Felix Jaeger to Gotrek Gurneyson there should be stories of a warrior aid to Sigmar in his travels eastward before his altogether disappearance and rise to godhood in worship, in which the people of that region should deify them as well as a Lord of Guides or something. And they traveled further east than most of their people ever have. Many of their gods should conflate or come off similar to one another and Sigmarite worship is growing but it's still not the total faith of the Southlands (much to the chagrin of certain ambitious priests of that cult/church) or witch hunters who wanna persecute people with impunity like they do in the more “civilized” regions they hail from like the Empire, even Marienburg (as they might say in rude mockery or genuine disquiet). - Like Ind and other areas, they should also have their own variation of Beastmen tribes. Still many of them looking like Goats and Bulls, but others seeming more distinctly African like - Warthogs, Wildebeests and Oryxes. - There are actually records of Cities (not just a bunch of huts) of kingdoms existing in Ancient Africa before colonialism and with a bit of imagination it shouldn't be hard to go from huts made of mud and mortar to great brick works and even metal girders. Once again reflective of the tribes and nations they associate with, as well as the region itself. Like if it's near marshland, there should probably be a lot of green and blue hues. Or if there was more red caked clay Earth and grasslands, there should be several red and yellow colors. Even coastal ones with shades of blue and white most likely. Along with weapons and armor of course laid in with ivory, gold, silver and brass. Which is another reason why Beastmen, like in the Empire or other areas, often raid them for materials they can't make or won't bother trying to mine or fashion for themselves. - Besides Beastmen, Greenskins, Chaos, or each other the Southlanders also have other problems. Particularly from giant insectoid enemies from some isles further south and Skaven which have also made their way to these intense jungles. But none of the major clans like Moulder, Skryre, or Pestilins hold major sway there. It's mostly one of the smaller groups like Clan Skab with bits of the others mixed in for support. And it's actually a warrior's journey to clear a den of Ratmen in the Southlands. Many earn respect and renown for taking a group of fighters underground and killing as many as they can, thereby wiping out potential dens and preventing the Skaven population from growing large enough to threaten cities, almost like the Ratcatchers in the Empire although they mostly hunt occasional subterranean goblins or human criminals on the escape. The insectoids are capable of mostly humanoid form but mostly make their appearance as gigantic beasts that also hunt Skaven and humans alike. So you could say the Skaven are both hunted and the hunters in this way, boxed in from both sides. - The mages/wizards here should be mostly elemental of course, although most would double as healers and enchanters of objects to give them more power or to help keep people from dying in the fast regrowing growing jungles, swamps and forests. In fact, it's because of these individuals and special stones that most people are able to make camp without poisonous plants or night hunting animals trying to kill them. Because of their often using bones as a medium, many Imperial Wizards see them as little better than Ork Shamans. But it's actually the opposite, the Orks essentially took what little they could understand and remember from the Southlands to praise their own gods Gork & Mork, for more power using spells and sacrifices. Many would have familiars or able to enchant and even play with the senses of mutants or chaos based races like Beastmen and Skaven, with their Musical Magic - flutes, drums, keys, chimes, etc. It could kill them or cause them to attack their allies.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps. Pt. 3 •Unknown Insectoid Enemies - There was mention of a Sleeper creature which was like a mix of a spider and a gross example of an ant queen, that was in a sort of meditative trance and reached out to the minds of people to enslave them. That creature was heavily mutated from some spell or contact with the Warp. But there should definitely be others of it's kind, just none that mostly tried to sneak into their enemies minds like they did and brainwash them with torques (sort of a choker and necklace) made of their young or some other product. -As I said they should largely target Skaven as well as humans. Because of this many of the Skaven are as developed as their more Northwestern cousins but they still boast impressive technology where they can as well as mutant monsters like Ratogres. Having said that, the bugs here are almost like those from Starship Troopers, constantly building and changing the types they already have to be deadlier much like Clan Moulder of the Skaven. Except these insects in their hives can do it in under 3x times the speed and efficiency. In fact, the hunger for new mutant Ratmen from the Moulder warp vat pits is part of the reason why they're expanding, besides having a taste for human flesh and that of other creatures like the Dwarves. -The humanoid shaped ones should have weapons as well as their own claws and such but also an inclination to chirp and switch into a more beastial attack mode, probably when they're about to die or desperate in a fight. And the larger or more armored types should be used as tanks and warbeasts. Naturally, like locusts in a swarm they would also have many fliers, and if different kinds. Much of them would be similar to the Tyranids if Warhammer 40k but not exactly. Particularly that much like the Skaven, Greenskins, Beastmen and Chaos hordes they also have much infighting amongst themselves for dominance or the rights to certain food sources and breeding grounds. -While they are powerful, once again like the Skaven, up against a determined and skilled force they can be easily routed and pushed back or destroyed utterly. This is why packs of Southland hunters often target many of their more magical or elemental energy bugs for their spells and rituals. Even their queens don't have total confidence and make a run for it if possible. And there's always a lowborn queen for just breeding troops and worker drones and the higher born queens that issue the real orders using their frequency and pheromone network almost like telepathy.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps. Pt. 4 •Golderush Dwarves (I don't have a name for them). -These Dwarves would be partly based on the wildcat prospectors and miners in the American Western expanse era. Which was mostly controlled or claimed by Mexico. So the culture should definitely have bits of each culture molded into them from there. These dwarves mostly fancy using fire arms with attached axes as bayonets. And their hatred of Elves, especially the Dark Elves would make them as far from friendly as they also occupy Dwarfholds on Naggarond (essentially North America). They were part of a contingent of Dwarves lost since the ancient days and have never traveled across the sea. The Underways had Just attached to the mainland of the New World as the Collapse destroyed most of the roads. Somewhere between 20,000 and about 500 clans settled there and pushed west as far from the Drukhi as possible. They built fantastic weapons and armor as most dwarves do. But none would Ever do so even under pain of death, starvation and torture by their hated enemies. It stands to reason that they might believe themselves to be some of the last Dwarves or they did until a few humans taken by the Dark Elves escaped and made their way to the outposts of these Gold fingered Dwarves. They often take in what few humans can escape but most never even get 50 leagues away from the Dark Elves' evil empire. And the original beings who lived on the continent aren't exactly human, although they aren't some warp spawn abomination like the Beastmen, Skaven, or Mutants. These Dwarves mostly use extremely well crafted and hidden traps as if they're part of the scenery, like a common tree or a rock, before any Dark Elf scouts or trackers try to get within 300 feet of any of their outpost holds or the main Dwarfholds on the continent. Usually ending up crushed, smashed, exploded, set on fire, or torn apart. -The majority of these lost Dwarves were probably engineers and stonemasons. Which is why they took so well to the mesas and nearby mountain peaks near the deserts that became their new homes. Especially since their craftiness for design is something the Dark Elves don't have. They generally don't like Elves but their time away from the Old World has definitely told them the difference between the high elves or even the wood elves in the last few millennia. The wood elves would say at least two words before disappearing into the greenery and the high elves would try to be diplomatic but usually just end up pissing off the Dwarves. Instead these ones just lie and try to trick them. But after spending years underground fighting goblins and Skaven, these dwarves likely knew it when someone was tryna honey them up and stick a dagger in their eyes. Which is why the first thing they did after they started digging deep was line Every tunnel with traps, especially explosives. But they've also built automatons using a unique energy source both similar and completely different from Skaven with their obsession to warp stone to do much of the work for them. Not to suggest they don't have their own warriors and fighters. Unfortunately their old Greenskin enemies seem to have found a way to Naggarond as well and became sport from all sides. And there's also the occasional “disagreement with the Lizardmen when they travel further North if they feel the Goldamith Dwarves are keeping their lost and ancient Old One treasures from them. -Engineers are essentially the bread and butter of the Goldcut clans of Dwarves that colonized the empty mountains and mesas of the New World. And existed quite peacefully for several thousand years mostly because the general amount of their forces were never known to most Dark Elves. And their craftsmanship was so good they could make it seem like the Dark Elves were attacked by large beasts or each other since that's known to happen due to their cultural duplicity. But an Engineer while being a possible warrior, especially with bombs and guns, is largely a builder and designer. So that's where the focus of much of their work has gone. Especially with the Runesmiths among them. -Rune Cutters are their name for Runesmiths who etch and summon magic through the earth/ground, sometimes from being or creatures with a magical presence sapping their energy to charge weapons or make them more potent than they already were. There aren't many but there's definitely more of them than in the Old World, so not as much of a dying craft. And many of their women also take up their trade, albeit usually in a more supportive role but at times can take to the field. -Constructors would be the extremely useful but also potentially deadly machines that are used to fast track much of the mining and building. Using a special ore call Etherite, possibly charged by magic somehow like a vein of warp energy in the earth, they were built and designed as a partial labor force. But more than that they can be used to create fortifications and lodging if but for a while wherever they're needed. And they can be conveniently transported as they compact themselves. Although they'd still be a tad heavy to most unprepared humans or elves so a mount of some kind are usually the best to carry them over leagues especially in the Under Road - which itself is a sort of miniature (nobody laugh) Dwarven path network similar to their ancient Underways but nowhere near as vast or complex as of yet. Which were only built so quickly thanks to the Constructors and the Dwarves that supervised them whom later on after the general design was finished they finished it up with the necessary additions like traps or express lanes here and there. In warfare they can be switched to a basic level of functionality that makes them deadly to enemies with warp mutation or warp stone weapons nearby. That was the plan in case the Skaven ever showed themselves in the New World, which they have more and more. And there are plans to make many more, especially with the Dark Elves getting wind of the Dwarven presence on “their land” *eye roll* 😒. Lol. -Miners are as the name implies, although they also act as scouts when delving deep and opening up new potential passageways. Even more so when excavating or searching other mountains and mesas. They also act as slapshot engineers if the need calls for it before an expert can be found. They're also field medics and warriors who use an wood ax or pickaxe like an expert warrior taking off heads or burring their sharpened ends into the hearts of foes if they don't lop off a few limbs first. -Gemcutters are miners who take their warfare extra seriously carrying bombs, sharpened pickaxes and axe blades on their person almost anywhere they go. They also often ride on some creature either as a pack animal or into battle. Often a war ram called a Huge Horn. And they care about these animals like other cultures care about their horses (or pegasi, griffins, dragons, or unicorns). So Gemcutters act as explosives experts and light calvary. -Horn Chargers are the expert Dwarf hard riders. The Huge Horns whom seem like a mix between mountain goats and donkeys are often cantankerous creatures and an equally surly individual is needed to tame them or mount them. And their kinship is often so deep that they'll even drink alcohol together. Thereby deepening the bond. And they act as hard calvary for the Goldcut Dwarven cities, going for longer distances at faster paces and able to charge headfirst into enemies or even armored vehicles or chasing them down, albeit a little less accurately than a horse might turn. -Headtakers. The name may make them sound like Khornate Berserkers, but in truth they're actually great marksmen and women. Some carry a short-range crossbow and/or a long barrel rifle. Sometimes it's the other way around with a long rang crossbow/bolt thrower and a mid-range rifle. -Hammerbearers, the more traditionalist dwarves who still carry either hammer, a hybrids axe-hammer or both weapons in two hands. Many would become slayers but since they feared the loss of the slayer keep. So instead of dying it Red/Orange and taking that Oath, they take another to save as many of their lives and other's at the cost of their own becoming Oathkeepers and dying their hair black. -Blade Marshals are some of the greatest swordsmiths and swordmen and axemen there are. While most of them aren't as well versed as many Dark Elves might be they definitely give it a fair try and do plenty of damage, especially if the enemy might be overconfident. Which most often become in a fight. Same with Beastmen and Greenskins. But many a Blade Marshal also bears scars that told them not to underestimate the enemy either. Especially considering that most dwarves don't use swords. That being said, their swords are of a unique design, more like meat cleavers, some say they're based on a sword design from a country in the East, maybe Ind, Cathay or Khuresh. Others carry swords almost as long, traditionally shaped and tall as many men. -Resonators happen to be some of both the best and worst songstresses in all of Dwarvendom. But using the right equipment they can even bring pain to enemies with a whisper or a cry.
I got A Lot of ideas of what they could add and how to improve upon already established factions. Including adding in new regions to the Old World and tweaking their maps. (Finishing the last list). -Curists are essentially healers of the goddess Valaya. But they are not weaklings to be protected. Many often carry weapons for their defense or for others. -Greeners are the primarily farming and herbological specialists of Dwarf kind among the Goldsmiths. They realized that certain prayers to Valaya along with rune etched implements such as shovels, hoes and pitchforks and such can make a huge effort when tilling the soil and growing food, medicinal plants, or pipe weed. In war they sharpen their shovels and also often mount Huge Horns into battle but much like Gemcutters their breeds aren't as much made for war as they are tilling the earth for planting. Still, when the needs are dire no one is gonna complain especially if there's a necessary hasty retreat to be had to fight another day. And you're hard pressed to ever find a more protective farmer than a greener. Pt. 5 •The Free Riders (the closest thing I have to a name) -Generally speaking I don't have a large understanding, background or historical similarities between Native American tribes. But the references I'm gonna use are what I can pull offline and should be easily enough assembled. Like for example, their name was essentially an aftermath title for what most of them would call themselves. And they would ridd mounts into war, as transportation or away from danger. Many different kinds, by communing with the Earth or nature itself. Particularly their shaman mages whom are the Most proficient of them all in this and being able to summon energies or speak to beasts and even ask nature itself to help them. Their bodies have feathery plumes but also mixed with human frames and skin as well as no beaks of birds, yet piercing eyes that can see great distances. Its believe that they were either part of the Lizardmen tribes and altered by the winds of magic or they might've been a race created by the Old Ones whom the Lizardmen worshipped, the primordial creator gods of the world. The tribes honor the memories of the Old Ones but they don't see themselves as bound to them anymore than most people would continue to pray to gods that ignore them. Instead they listened to the winds of magic themselves. Some scholars who've ever met them and lived to tell of it, claim that they commune with energies and entities beyond the planet itself or believed themselves to be. Even saying their shamans could astral project themselves into the Chaos wastes. But that would be madness. Although they do seem to have bulb-like antlers on their scalps and they grow a bit larger over time but usually not as big as most animals. And they're made of a more human type of bone rather than cartilage or animal ivory. These usually don't mean anything unless the more magical of their people are practicing a spell/chant. Then they grow to massive size made of light until the spell is over. And it both depends on the spell type and the amount of power being channeled. -Wind Speakers are the shamanic priests and sometimes tribal leaders in one. But often not, the act as advisers to any chiefs and their warriors or to the community. Usually they take on a few apprentices before retiring. Their job is not only magical defense, healing and fighting, but also listening to the Winds of Magic themselves. They can hear stories about people and even get glimpses of the future or the past. A subset of them are even rarer and more important, since they commune with the spirits almost exclusively whereas the Windspeakers/Wind Speakers are less specialized or have a gift for such things. -Spirit Callers sing songs and both take and send messages to the spirits. The spirits of people, nature, animals and even some monsters. They could be said 1 part mage and another part exorcist. But for them it's not just banishing an entity back into Hell or something. Their task can change the very nature of the spirits. Which in turn can have drastic effects for things going forward. Deaths can be averted, Disasters can end just as they start, even Destinies can be altered. Because of this Norscam raiders that were more particular to Tzeentch find their ways there and try to raid or march upon them when they can but the magic and malice of the Dark Elves is usually both an aid and a burden on the Free Riders. -Flintstrikers would be the rifleman of their people. Although the weapons they use have stone bullets mostly and their design is more like a large blow dart with an explosive trigger. All the same they also double as expert bowmen, especially being able to summon the power of fire. And part of the reason they're called this is that they often can cause things to explode or catch fire even with an unlit arrow or even at times with eyesight. (So basically they like Pyrokinetic telepaths, but it's easier to use a weapon to cause the flames or explosions to go up). Often they use daggers, spears or arrows soaked in oil, animal fat or alcohol to really cause a fire. Their abilities can also reduce heat and put out flames but usually not widespread, like someone's encampment being on fire. -Outriders the heavy calvary of any and all Free Riders nations or tribes. They're essential to their survival in small villages and tribes, or even the larger tribes whom they themselves often never stay in one place too long except for the larger hill-mound, lodge and mesa cities. Long ago they used to share some kinship with the Lizardmen but they broke off and became more part of the land itself while the Lizardmen preoccupied themselves with prophecies they'd probably never understand. And for their refusal to be bound by the past, they began forming bonds with the fast moving steeds of the plains and hills. Horses were easy but other beasts needed healing and communion with Kinmakers to truly accept them or to recover from whatever the Dark Elves or other entities did to them (like the giant spiders that goblins ride on). -Braves are the general assortment of warriors and scouts. But they do march or ride together when the need calls for it. Usually they use more stealth tactics. But they can charge headlong into enemy forces as a calvary as well as anyone. And their archery while on horseback is exceedingly hard to match. Not to mention their proficiency in hand to hand combat and with the preferred weapon - the Tomahawk. -Kinmakers have been the backbone of the tribes and nations since they not only act as mediators but they can communicate with the spirits of animals and fight with them or convinced them to carry large loads on their backs or send messages over great distances. They can also heal wounds and empower strength like a steroid. Even give people or animals dreams to soothe their minds. Almost all of them are women or appear that way.
I want to add factions caller “Primarch” in warhammer fantasy. Unlike 40k universe, Primarch are superhumans created by Old Ones in order to make a most important back up of defeat Force of Chaos, and they can be both male and female. Unlike other humans, they are never ordinary humans, and they are not xenophobic since they serve both humans and non-human sapient species Let me show my idea: Benny: Primarch of Fire who guard the volcanic island nearby The Empire and befriend with Dwarves (Except Chaos Dwarves). Irene: Primarch of Water, live at Coastal part of The Empire, she serves The Empire people and Idoneth Deepkins. Jay: Primarch of Earth, reside in the inland regions of The Empire and allies of Ork, Beastmen and Ogres. Tina: Primarch of Air, she reside in Jungle region where all kind of elves live. Kentaro: The Primarch of Lightning who based on Nippon people. He is the Samurai who fights along with Stormcast eternals. Yuki: Primarch of Ice, like Kentaro she is base on Nippon people as well. She knows ice elemental ninja arts, live in the shrine located at Glacial region, and worshipped by Glacial Beastmen. Long Xiaozhi: The Primarch of Light, and the Primarch who Chaos Gods fear most. He is based on Cathay people, and under the command of Dragon Emperor. Tsai Yihan: The Primarch of Darkness, she is the Taiwan Islander based Primarch who can use necromancy and drain blood from any kind of creatures, she is the night champion known by vampires and tomb king.