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Lost in Translation:In Search of the Old Faith

By Alfred Nuñez, Jr. and Anthony Ragan

Obligatory Copyright Statement

The Lost in Translation (LiT) series is intended to be a completely unofficial additionto Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay owned by Games Workshop (GW). All relevanttrademarks and copyrights are used without permission and in no way meant tochallenge ownership to them by GW. LiT fully recognises said copyright andtrademark ownership. Where possible, LiT conforms to the 'official' nature of theWarhammer World, and does so with the full acknowledgement of the intellectualownership and legal copyright ownership of that material.



Introduction

In the first edition of WarhammerFantasy Roleplay, the Old Faith wasMan’s earliest religion, though itsinfluence had shrunk under pressurefrom newer, more aggressive cults. Bythe time of the game’s setting, mainlycountry folk and recent immigrants tothe cities practised it. Over themillennia of its decline, the once-unifiedOld Faith had splintered into manydifferent but related sects: their commonheritage could be recognised by theuniversal worship of an “Earth Mother”figure, often known by various names,and their reverence for the spirits ofnatural phenomena.

In the second edition of WFRP, the OldFaith no longer exists in the Empire,having given way to the worship of Taaland Rhya as well as the other gods. Thereare hints that the Druids and theirfollowers left the Old World for otherlands, particularly Albion.

But, what if they haven’t left? What if,instead, the children of the Old Faith livedon in the backcountry and isolatedvillages of the Empire, quietly practicingtheir ancient faith and remaining asunobtrusive as possible? Living inconstant fear of another GreatPersecution, how do followers of the OldFaith fit in the Empire?

History

The Old Faith is Man’s oldest religion,

arriving with the earliest humansettlements in the Old World. Manyscholars incorrectly believe that the OldFaith is descended from the beliefs of theWood Elves. While there are manysimilarities, such as the reverence fornature and the raising of standing stones,there are significant differences: thefollowers of the Old Faith built barrowsand mounds as places of burial andconstructed stone circles as centres ofworship, a practice the Elves disdain.The Old Faith’s clearly defined hierarchywithin their priesthood also distinguishesthem from the Wood Elves.

Up from the SouthAbout 1500 years before the crowning ofSigmar, Dwarf observers recorded thearrival of a pastoral people in the landsthat would one day become the Empire.

These peaceful human tribes revered the

natural world of Ishernos the EarthMother as well as the many spirits of theforest, streams, winds, fire, and even therocks. Dwarf records indicate that thesetimid people – known as the Belthani –vanished into the forests as the Elf-Dwarf war waned and a few years beforethe Orc and Goblin onslaught from theeast.

In the early stages of the Dwarf-Orc war,the Belthani had the land essentially to

themselves. It was during this time that theDruids, the priests of the Old Faith, builtmany of the megalithic stone circles, burialbarrows and earthen mounds found inmany parts of the Empire. The power ofthe Old Faith was at its height as it usedthese structures to tap and channel thepower of the ley lines. It was the harvestingof this power that enabled the Druids of oldto keep the greenskins away from the landsof the Belthani.



3Lost in Translation: In Search of the Old Faith Alfred Nuñez, Jr. and Anthony Ragan

Sidebar: Ley Lines and EarthpowerPlayers and GMs of WFRP2e are well acquainted with the notion that all magicalpower in Warhammer comes from Chaos and takes the form of Magic Winds that canbe manipulated by Wizards skilled in a particular lore. While the theory hangs togetherwhen it comes to Colour Magic, it is inconsistent with other types of Magic. Thisarticle on the Old Faith assumes that there are other, less understood forms of magic inWarhammer.

The power of the Earth Mother permeates the world and criss-crosses the planet withlines of force. These “ley lines” differ from those detected by practitioners of ChaosMagic (Elf Mages, Colour Magisters, Skaven Grey Seers, Chaos Sorcerers, etc.) and are

no more than a foot or two thick and reach a height of about 4-10 feet. They travel in astraight line along the ground no matter what the terrain, and even over the surfaces ofoceans lakes, and rivers. The intersection of two or more lines creates a nexus ofEarthpower. While this is also a generic term for Jade Magic, “Earthpower” in thiscontext refers to the ambient magic of the planet rather then the leakage from the ruinedChaos Gates at the poles.

In ancient times, the High Druids were able to find these locations and erect somestructure or marker to focus the power of the Mother. These Old Faith structures serveda different purpose from the Waystones erected by the Old Ones and Elves ( Realms ofSorcery, 2

nd edition, pages 41-42). Smaller nexuses of Earthpower were marked by the

erection of barrows, freestanding megaliths, or dolmens (two large vertical stones with athird stone laying across the span between the two). The Druids would build stonecircles at the larger ones, where four or more lines intersected.

Though some Old Faith sites fell into disuse, particularly after the violent suppression ofthe cult in the first millennium, the path of the ley lines remained unaffected until theGreat War of Chaos in 2303 I.C. The southward expansion of the Chaos Wastes and theoutpouring of magic from the northern and southern Warpgates disrupted the ley lines.Some of these were altered in character, which had an effect on the known sites. Thus,a number were weakened, others strengthened, and a few corrupted. These disruptionscaused the dead within many of the barrows to grow restless, becoming far morefre uent than the were before the Chaos Incursion.

Five hundred years later, more aggressivehuman tribes entered the lands north of theBlack Mountains and east of the Worlds

Edge. Ancestors of the tribes that wouldunite to form the Empire, these newcomersrode chariots and brought with themweapons made of bronze, superior to theobsidian and flint used by the Belthani, butno match for the crude iron weaponry ofthe greenskins.

Wars broke out between the Belthani andthe invaders, and the newcomers pushedthe Belthani out of the best lands and took

them for their own. This and thedesecration of their sacred sites weakenedthe Druids considerably; they no longer

wielded the power to hold the greenskinsback. The war between Dwarfs and Orcsspilled into the lands west of the DwarfEmpire of Karaz Ankor. For sake of theirpeople, the Belthani chieftains reached anagreement with some of the new tribes,allowing the people of the Old Faith peaceand tolerance in return for tributary statusand protection. This arrangementcontinued after the Empire's foundation,until no one really knew its origins.




Attack on the Old FaithThe rise of the cult of Sigmar and thegrowth of the Imperial towns heralded theexpansion of the political power of theestablished Imperial cults. The Old Faithremained on the margins of society as itsadherents, those descended from theBelthani, were dispersed throughout therural Empire. The leaders of the Old Faithwere slow to react to the new reality ofImperial politics and eventually foundthemselves out-manoeuvred.

More the 1500 years ago, the Empire

made war on the Old Faith, also known asthe Cult of the Mother. Along with thebattles, sieges, hangings, and burnings,there was also spiritual combat. In a realmmost men never see, the gods and theirdivine servants struggled with the aid oftheir priests and druids. In the end, theMother surrendered as the mortal servantsof the newer gods won their final victories.While she fell into quiescence, her divineservants were either bound to Taal andRhya, or hid themselves in remote placeswith just a few worshippers to sustainthem.

The Old Faith TodayThough never a strong centralised religion,the Old Faith has become even morefragmented over time. Many hide behindthe façade of worshipping Taal and Rhya,as well as their divine servants. Oneschool of theological thought considers

divine servants (e.g. the Rubezähl in theFärlic Hills of Talabecland) and local gods(Bogenauer in Bögenhafen) to beexamples of Old Faith spirits that survivedinto modern times.

In fact, some theologians believed that thenomadic Strigany people – whoimmigrated to the Empire from the BorderPrinces around 1583 I.C. – worship a darkvariant of the Old Faith. The Strigany

commonly invoke Écate, the Goddess ofthe White Moon, to protect their clan andtake vengeance on those who abuse them.

The ruins and places of the Old Faith –from stone circles to barrows to sacredgroves – are scattered across the Empire,even in areas the worshippers don't exist inanymore. These places are objects ofsuperstition and dark rumour among thelocals.

.

Sidebar: Old Faith Druids andthe Druids of the Jade College

In the second edition version of Realmsof Sorcery, the Magisters of the JadeCollege are referred to as Druids(Realms of Sorcery, 2

nd edition, pages

98-102).

The story tells us that Teclis foundscattered remnants of the Druidictradition and, once he showed them the“pure” energies of Ghyran (the Jadestrain of Chaos magic), recruited themajority of these “Druids” to become

Jade wizards.

There is a problem with this story: itassumes that priests with a deep religiousfaith and a strong sense of tradition couldbe easily swayed by the honeyed words ofan alien outsider. Some traditions say thatTeclis did not bother to hide his contemptfor those who believed their magicalpower was a blessing from the Goddess.In fact, Teclis doesn’t appear to have had

any success converting priests to abandontheir faith to become Magisters of theColour Colleges.

It is more likely that Teclis did not findOld Faith Druids at all. Why should theyhave heeded his call and learned theblasphemy he taught? If anything, thepeople the Elven Mage found were aloose association of Hedgewizards who




Druids and their Lore

The Old Faith represents a way of lifethat harkens back to the time before thecoming of Sigmar. More than a religion,the worship of the Mother and the naturalworld are closely intertwined with dailylife. It is actually hard for its followersto separate aspects of their lives betweenthe religious and secular since the wordshave no real meaning to them.

This unified role finds its clearestexpression in the dual role the Druids

play as religious and societal leaders oftheir respective villages. Their positiongives them greater influence among theirpeople than that accorded to priestselsewhere. Due to the isolation of thesesettlements, the Druids are veryprotective of their folk and typically viewoutsiders with suspicion.

Careers

Druidic Initiate (Basic)Druidic Initiates are similar to those ofother cults, save they almost alwayscome from deeply rural areas and areoften illiterate. Dedicated to the ancientfaith of The Mother, they have become

probationary priests in training for alifetime of service. Because of thepersecution of the Druids and theirpeople in the ancient past, DruidicInitiates keep their calling a secret fromoutsiders, only revealing it to trusted

friends. Like the Druids they assist, their job is to keep faith in the Mother aliveand to protect all believers fromoppression, whether descended from the

Belthani or not.The training is long and hard; many failand pass on into other careers. Thoughnot allowed to conduct services yet,Druidic Initiates are trained in the basicsof the faith and weapon use.

Druidic Initiate Advance Scheme-

Main Profile

WS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel+5% +5% +5% +10% +10% +10%

Secondary ProfileA W SB TB M Mag IP FP

+2

Skills: Academic Knowledge(Herbalism), Animal Care, CommonKnowledge (Old Faith), Heal, SpeakLanguage (Reikspiel)

Talents: Hardy, Orientation, Rover

Trappings: Religious symbols, homespunrobes, hand weapon, sling bag and abundle of healing herbs

Career Entries: Charcoal-Burner,Fieldwarden, Fisherman, Hunter, HedgeWizard, Peasant, Woodsman

Career Exits: Agitator, Charlatan, Druid,Innkeeper, Physician, Scout




Druid (Advanced)

Druids arise from those Druidic

Initiates who have shown greatdedication to the faith of TheMother. They are able to officiate atceremonies, and have responsibilityfor the well-being of believers withinthe local area. They are leaders inthe community, taking roles thatallow them to speak their people’s

case before authority while keeping

their identities a secret.

It is also the Druid’s role to care for theland and the life it gives, preserving thenatural cycles of birth and death andopposing those who would scar andpoison the land. Many an orc warbandhas been lead to its doom by a Druidtricking them down a false trail.

Druid Advance Scheme- Main ProfileWS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel

+10% +10% +5% +10% +15% +15% +15% +10%


+4 +1

Skills: Academic Knowledge (Theology),Animal Training, Channelling, CommonKnowledge (The Empire), Concealment,Magical Sense, Navigation, Perception,Prepare Poison, Secret Signs (Old Faith), SetTrap, Silent Move, Speak Arcane Language(Old Faith)

Talents: Aethyric Attunement or DarkMagic, Divine Lore (Old Faith), Hardy orKeen Senses, Meditation, Rover, VeryResilient

Trappings: Sickle and bowl, pouch withherbs and spell components, hand weapon,religious symbols

Career Entries: Druidic Initiate

Career Exits: Charlatan, Demagogue, ElderDruid, Outlaw Chief, Scout

Elder Druid (Advanced)Elder Druids have achieved the highestrank in the Old Faith. Not necessarilyold, they have been honoured for their

wisdom, learning, and dedication. Ineach province in which the Old Faithsurvives, a secret council of Elder Druidsguides the affairs of their people. Mostof the time, they work to maintain a lowprofile for the cult, always mindful oftheir massacre under the Drak WaldEmperors. In times of active persecution,however, Elder Druids have been knownto take revenge, arranging for the deaths

of those who harm the children of TheMother.

Some Elder Druids who are still vigorouslife resign their seats on the Council to serveThe Mother in other ways. While sometravel the world and others agitate for theirfaith’s place in the Empire, a few dedicatethemselves to the fight against the Undead,which they see as a crime against the naturalorder. In their unholy crypts and defiledtombs, vampires quake in fear at the thoughtof an Elder Druid hunting them.




Elder Druid Advance Scheme- Main Profile

WS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel+20%

+20% +15% +20% +25% +20% +30% +20%


+1 +7 +3

Skills: Academic Knowledge (Astronomy,any one other), Academic Knowledge(Theology), Channelling, Charm,

Common Knowledge (any two),Intimidate, Magical Sense, Navigation,

Outdoor Survival, Perception, Read/

Write, Speak Language (Any one)

Talents: Aethyric Attunement or DarkMagic, Detect Ley Line, Divine Lore (OldFaith), Hardy or Keen Senses, Luck orSeasoned Traveller, Public Speaking,Rover, Sixth Sense

Trappings: Religious relic

Career Entries: Druid

Career Exits: Demagogue, Explorer,Navigator, Vampire Hunter

New Talent

Detect Ley LineThis talent allows the Druidic character todetect a ley line of Earthpower within onehalf a mile from her position, even if the

Druid does not have line of sight. Inaddition, the Druid can walk along the leyline at normal speed irrespective of theterrain. Thus, a Druid can walk across abog or through a thick forest with the samespeed as they would on flat grassland. Incontrast, physical objects – such as trees,large bodies of water or wide rivers – stillremain an obstacle in as much as the Druidmust go around or find a means totransverse it.

Cult of the Mother

Followers of the Old Faith have reveredIshernos the Earth Mother and herchildren, the spirits of the forest, streams,mountains, etc., since well before theirmigration to the lands of the Empire. Thisaspect is the only unifying principle forwhat are actually separate, highly

localised sub-cults. These local cultsrange from benevolent nature-lovers –dismissed as “tree-huggers” by ignorantoutsiders- to dark and secretive fanatics

practicing blood sacrifice.Her worshippers consider the Mother asthe goddess who personifies the life-giving force of the Earth. They believethat she is more powerful than her moreremote and uncaring husband, Oermaththe Sun God. The more powerfuloffspring of the two primal gods’ unionare the three who became Rhya, Taal, andUlric, the first of the Young Gods. In thedays when the world was young and

humanity few in number, the five gods –along with their own divine children andpowerful alien entities – joined together ina war against alien gods, invaders fromthe Void. This Gods’ War led to astalemate, and Oermath demanded that hiswife use her power to banish the invadersforever, even though it would mean thedeath of all living creatures, including theYoung Gods. The Mother’s refusal to do so




led to a confrontation with Oermath, causinga rift between the two that has never healed.

Most of the Old Faith adherents believe thatthe Mother’s children turned on her as theirpower grew, and that she decided tosurrender rather than fight her sons anddaughters. This myth corresponds to thedecision of the Belthani chieftains, advisedby the Druids, to follow the Mother’sexample when confronted by the moreaggressive tribes.

Unlike the worshippers of the Young Gods,followers of the Old Faith believe that herdivine children are just powerful versions ofother natural spirits. They are theembodiment of one aspect of the Motherand, thus, a part of her.

In some local cults, there isa belief that Ishernoswill rise again one dayto take back what is hersfrom her squabblingchildren. Moreover, it is

believed that theMother’s mortalchildren, the descendants ofthe Belthani, will be able toreturn to the lands of their ancestors. Untilthat day, the Her faithful continue to live inharmony with their natural surroundings,defending their holy places from the furtherdepredations of her enemies and honouringthe spirits that live with them.

Other local cults believe that Ishernosknew that her Divine Children would seekher death in order to make their bid forsupremacy complete. In their stories, theMother secretly gave birth to a daughtergoddess who would take her place afterher “demise” at the hands of her First-Born. These Old Faith sub-cults aredistinguished by the names of thegoddesses they worship, some of whichthey call “Mother” to confuse theuninitiated, and differing degrees of

hostility towards the established Imperialcults and their followers.

SymbolsThe swirls and stylised animals etchedupon the standing stones of the sacredcircles – as well as the stones blocking theentrance to the various barrows – indicatethat the Old Faith was a more unifiedreligion in the distant past. These days,the symbols of the Old Faith vary greatlyfrom one isolated sect to another. Manyuse the symbols of the green man –usually a human face with oak or elm

leaves for hair, moustache, and beard – torepresent the spirit of the woodlands.Some sub-cults use sheaves of wheatbound into the shape of a woman torepresent the Harvest Queen, particularly

in the open lands in thesouth. Other known

symbols include astylised acorn or pansy

to signify the Lady of theSpring, a water jug tostand for the RiverMaiden, the sickle

representing theharvesting of the Mother’s

bounty, and the circlerepresenting life and rebirth.

Areas of WorshipThough officially denied, the worship ofthe Old Faith is believed to exist in manyof the remote regions of the Empire in

some form. Possible centres of worshipinclude the region of Wissenland knownas Solland or Sudenland, the northwestcorner of Nordland, the central hills ofTalabecland, the moors of Ostermark,the interior of Averland, the more remotereaches of the Reikland, and parts ofSylvania.

Scholars studying the Old Faith haveclaimed that they can be found in other




locations in the Old World. Theseinclude pockets of northwesternBretonnia, the island of Albion, remote

areas in the Irrana Mountains, and in theeastern and central portions of theBorder Princes.

TemperamentThe Mother cares for and protects herworshippers, but her reaction to outsidersranges from friendly and respectful tohostile and vindictive. Her attitude isgenerally consistent with those of her local

worshippers.

StricturesDruids must adhere to the followingstrictures:• Protect the Mother’s sacred places

from desecration.• Honour the spirits of the land for they

are the Mother’s divine children.• Give unto these spirits that which they

require as service for their deeds.• Take only from the bounty of the

Mother what one’s clan needs to live.• Never harm an animal except in self-

defence or for food.• Do not waste whatever the Mother

provides.• Protect one’s clan from the Mother’s

enemies with any means possible.• Treat outsiders with hospitality• Always remain cautious and vigilant

for strangers who may bring evil withthem.

Holy SitesUnlike the other organised religions of theOld World, the Old Faith no longerconstructs temples, shrines, or similartypes of structures. The natural world istheir temple and the most venerated placesare sacred groves. Stone circles and

barrows are also revered as they representthe ancient power of the Mother. TheDruids no longer build these, but they are

maintained as sacred places. Barrowswithin the stone circles or sacred grovesare particularly revered since it is believedthe combination of the two represent thefullness and power of life and death.

Sub-CultsThere are many sub-cults within the OldFaith, a number of which bear littleresemblance to what would be considered

the original religion.One of the more common – though oftenperceived to be a different cult – is theworship of Écate, the Strigany Goddess ofthe White Moon. Through they travel theroads of the Empire in brightly coveredwagons, the Strigany are very secretiveabout their religious beliefs, even to thepoint of referring to their Druids (alwaysfemale) as “Grandmother.” The cult ofÉcate is very protective of her people and

considers outsiders as lesser persons ofwhom the Strigany can take advantage.They tend to be outwardly friendly andvery emotional folk, quick to laughter andanger. Socially, the Strigany are quitedifferent from Imperials and other OldWorlders; many regard them as immoral.Some Imperials, especially young menlusting after the exotic Strigany women,become taken with the lifestyle of thewandering folk and run away from home

to join them. Some are accepted into theclan, but a number find themselvessacrificed to Écate far from home andalone when the Goddess demands theirblood.

In contrast, the people of Unterbaum insouthwestern Talabecland are an exampleof Old Faith followers who are as peacefulas they are isolated. Their village sits justnorth of the confluence of the River Narn




with the River Stir. A protective ring ofancient megaliths surrounds the areaaround the village. Though merchants

and traders use the River Stir to movetheir goods from Wurtbad and othersettlements along the river to Kemperbad,most by-pass the poor village. The fewwho visit there believe the simple folk ofUnterbaum to be as friendly as they arestrange. The only things that theUnterbaumers sacrifice to the spirits intheir land is a small sampling of theirharvest and some of the food they havecollected.

Skills and TalentsAs Druids do not follow the commonPriestly careers, their special skills andtalents are detailed in the careerdescriptions above.

Prominent FiguresGiven the semi-secretive nature of the OldFaith in the Old World, there are nocommonly recognised prominent figuresin the cult. Druids are known to those whofollow them.

Holy DaysCommon to all Old Faith sub-cults are thefour holy days: Mondstille (WinterSolstice), Mitterfruhl (Spring Equinox),Sonnstill (Summer Solstice), andMitterhebst (Autumn Equinox). Most

local cults celebrate both Hexensnacht andGeheimnisnacht with the young dressingup as spirits of the land and going fromone dwelling to another exchanging theMother’s blessings in exchange for treats.Others celebrate this event with aprocession led by a Druid invoking theguardian spirits’ protection against theevil that is abroad during both “witchingnight” and “night of mystery.” Each sub-cult has their own set of minor holy days,

mostly associated with full and newphases of the moon Mannslieb, which arecelebrated in a manner particular to their

followers. Two of the better known ofthese lesser days are 18 Sigmarzeit(Beltain) and 18 Kaldezeit (Samhain).

Magical Lore

Like the religious leaders of other cults,the Druids are able to draw on the powerof the Mother through use of prayer andritual to defend their folk from those whowould seek to harm them. This abilityrequires dedication of time and effort.

To gain any prayer, the Druid charactermust spend two weeks in a holy siteentreating the Mother for a particular divineprayer. To represent this in game terms, theDruid character must pass a Fel+10% testbefore purchasing one Divine Lore (OldFaith) talent for that prayer at a cost of 100ep. If this test fails, then the Druid has beenfound wanting at the time and must spendanother two weeks in communion with theMother before trying again.

The higher cost of obtaining divine prayersis offset by the fact that the Druid need onlytest on the “Mother’s Anger” table belowrather than “The Wrath of the Gods” table(WFRP2e, page 144) whenever they rolldoubles or triples on their casting roll.Druids are still penalised with anAutomatic Failure whenever they roll a 1on all the dice in their casting roll(WFRP2e, page 142).




Mother’s Anger TableD100 Roll Effect

01-25 The Mother renders the ingredient used to invoke the divine prayer inert. Theprayer’s effects will still take place only if the Druid’s casting roll would haveexceeded the casting number without the use of the ingredient.

26-50 As a warning, the Mother causes the Druid to have an excruciating headacheand nose bleed for one round, which causes the Druid to lose one W irrespective of TB.

51-75 The Druid is stunned for one round after invoking the prayer. She may donothing for that time and counts as a prone target.

76-85 The Druid becomes suddenly and extremely agitated for 1D10+4 rounds,thereby losing –10 to both her Int and WP for the entire episode.

86-95 The Druid is wracked with pain after invoking the prayer and loses 1D10 W

irrespective of TB.96-99 The Druid is visited by a disturbing vision that stuns her for 1D10 rounds. In

addition, the Druid receives a number of W equal to her TB and is rendered as a prone target. Once recovered, the Druid may not invoke another prayer untildawn of the following day.

00 The Druid’s prayer is tainted by the local Winds of Chaos and the effects can bedetermined by a roll on the Major Chaos Manifestation table (WFRP2e, page143 or Realms of Sorcery, 2

nd edition, page 180)

There are two situations in which the

Druid does not need to roll on the abovetable when her casting roll invoking adivine prayer normally dictates such anaction: (1) when the Druid is defending asacred place or (2) the Druid is invokingprayers from within the confines of aholy site (sacred grove, stone circle).

There are some Druids who seek aquicker road to power; the see enemieseverywhere, even among other Imperials.One particular target is the cult of Taaland Rhya since it is believed that thiscult benefited the most from the historicpersecution of the Old Faith. TheseDruids turn to Dark Magic (Dhar) as ameans to an end. When using thisunaltered Chaos magic, the Druid gainsthe same benefit (learning all the spellswith the purchase of the Arcane Loretalent) as well as bearing the same risk asany other practitioner of this art:whenever he or she rolls doubles or

triples on the casting roll, they must test

on the appropriate “Tzeentch’s Curse”table (WFRP2e, page 143 or Realms ofSorcery, 2

nd edition, pages 179-181).

Should the Druid have the misfortune ofmutating as a consequence of using DarkMagic, the Earth Mother rejects theoffender as an abomination. Rolling onthe Catastrophic Chaos Manifestationalso results in a cumulative 5% chancethat the Druid will be cast out of the cult.

Lore of the Old FaithDue to the variety of Old Faith sub-cultsspread across the Old World, Druidiclore contains a fairly large number ofprayers that a Druid may obtain. Theprayers below reflect those that theDruids are traditionally granted by theMother’s benevolence.




Cure PoisonCasting Number: 4Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A sprig of mistletoe (+1)Description: With this prayer, the Druid

lays her hand on the part of the bodywhere the poison entered the victim.The prayer and touch negates theeffect of the poison (WFRP 2ecorebook, pages 122-123), providedthat it is cast within one hour of thepoison entering the victim and thevictim is still alive.

DelouseCasting Number: 4Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A pinch of pepper (+1)Description: The prayer allows the Druid

to remove parasitic infestations of allkinds from any character or non-Chaotic, non-giant creature touchedby the Druid.

Heal InjuryCasting Number: 4Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A spider’s web (+1)Description: Placing her hand on a

lightly wounded character or non-Chaotic, non-giant creature, the Druidis able to heal the injured of a numberof W equal to 1d10 plus the Druid’sMagic characteristic. If heavilywounded, the character or creature

only regains 1 W plus the Druid’sMagic characteristic. The Druid canheal herself.

Identify NatureCasting Number: 4Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A sprig of any natural herb

and a hair from any natural animal(+1)

Description: This prayer enables theDruid to survey the area before her upto 100 yards and determine if there is

any “unnatural” flora or fauna for whatthey are. These include predatoryplants such as bloodsedge anddamaging moulds; plants and animals“created” by magical spells such as“Illusion”; werecreatures; and Chaoscreatures. The prayer does not allowthe Druid to detect such as snares andpits, or information about the naturalflora and fauna which are unfamiliar toher. The prayer lasts for one hour.

Animal MasteryCasting Number: 5Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A tooth from any animal (+1)Description: The Druid is able to

establish a telepathic connection withany non-Chaotic, non-giant creature oflow Int (6-15%) within 6 yards for1D10+5 minutes. The Druid mayfreely communicate with the animal,

which is generally well-disposed as aresult of the prayer. She may alsocommand the creature, but it testsagainst its WP if the Druid commandsit to do something dangerous oroutside its normal behaviour.

Mist CloudCasting Number: 7Casting Time: Full Action

Ingredient: A drop of water (+1)Description: The Druid creates a 10-yarddiameter cloud of mist within 50 yardsof her. The cloud totally obscures thevision of those within it, halving theirmovement and modifying anyPerception tests by -20. The Druidand any friendly group with her cansee and move normally within thecloud. The mist cloud lasts for 5minutes.




HidingCasting Number: 8Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A piece of cloth (+1)Description: Through use of this prayer,

the Druid is able to create a magicalzone with a diameter of 6 yardscentred on herself that allows allcharacters and non-Chaotic, non-giantcreatures within to merge with thesurrounding terrain. As long as thecreatures within the area remainstationary, they are impossible to beseen at distances over 12 yards. Any

individual coming within the 12 yardsmay detect the hidden Druid,characters, and creatures if he makes aPerception-20% test (+10% for Excellent Vision , +10% for Sixth

Sense).

Summon Spirit FamiliarCasting Number: 10Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: Tuft of fur or feathers from

the type of creature in whose form thefamiliar is summoned (+1)

Description: This prayer allows the Druidto summon a spirit in one of thefollowing animal forms for 1 hour:auroch, bear, bison, eagle, horse,mountain cat, raven, stag, or wolf.The spirit is only visible to the Druid,though anyone with the Magical Sense skill will be able to detect it as a vagueoutline. The spirit has the profile of a

normal creature with an Int of 89%and appears as a white or light greycoloured creature with deep ambereyes. The spirit informs the Druid ofanything amiss – “unnatural” flora andfauna as well as traps and ambushes –within 100 yards of where it issummoned. It remains within 5 yardsof the Druid and reports anything itsenses telepathically. Though thespirit can pass through walls or other

physical obstructions, it can beharmed by magic.

Cause RainCasting Number: 11Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A drop of water (+1)Description: The Druid is able to create a

sudden downpour of rain within 100yards of her in any outdoor situation(except desert) and lasts 1 round. Thisburst of rain reduces fire damage by1D10 points, makes long-rangemissile fire impossible and gives a

penalty of –10% to the BS of anyfiring short-range. In addition, fire-based magic is instantly dispelled, andany flaming magical weapons arenullified for the duration of the prayer.Moreover, gunpowder weaponscannot be fired during the rain andthere is a 10% chance of thesebecoming waterlogged and unable tofire until dried out.

Cure Disease

Casting Number: 11Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A sprig of mistletoe (+1)Description: The Druid is able to cure an

afflicted person of any one disease bytouch so long as the person is stillalive.

Giant Animal MasteryCasting Number: 12Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A tooth or some other body

part of a giant animal (+2)Description: The Druid is able to establish

a telepathic connection with any non-Chaotic, giant creature of lowintelligence (6-18%) within 6 yards for1D10+5 minutes. Giant creatures maymake a WP test to resist the effects ofthe prayer. If they fail, the Druid mayfreely communicate with the giantanimal, which is generally well-




disposed as a result of the prayer. Shemay also command the creature, but ittests against its WP if the Druid

commands it to do somethingdangerous or outside its normalbehaviour.

Heal VegetationCasting Number: 12Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A small bag of auroch, deer,

or horse dung (+1)Description: The Druid can heal the

vegetation in a 10-yard by 10-yardpatch of ground within 50 yards fromthe effects of drought, poisoning, blight,plant disease, parasites, and so on, evenif caused by other magical spells.

Leave No TraceCasting Number: 12Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A feather or tuft of fur (+1)Description: The Druid can travel in the

wilderness for one hour and leave nodiscernible trace of their passage, nomatter the terrain. Thus, the Druid cantravel through the thickest forest oropen grassland without leaving anytrail. A opposing character with theFollow Trail skill with have a –30%modifier imposed on their respectiveAg characteristic when attempting totrack the Druid. The opposingcharacter must test every round in

order to not lose what little trail theyhave come across.

Plague of LiceCasting Number: 12Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A drop of blood (+1)Description: The Druid is able to afflict a

plague of lice upon any individual orgroup within 25 yards and in her line of

sight for 1D10 minutes. The victimsbegin to itch terribly and need to makea WP test. Those who succeed suffer a

penalty of –20% to all tests while theprayer lasts. Those who fail instantlystrip off their armour and scratchfrantically, counting as a prone for theduration of the prayer.

StampedeCasting Number: 14Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: The jawbone of a snake of the

skull of a wolf (+1)Description: The Druid is able to force any single– or group of – low Int (15% or less), non-Chaotic, non-giant creature(s) within 50 yards touncontrollably flee away (as if affected by Fear )from her at their maximum movement rate for1D10+5 rounds. In the case of mountedcreatures, such as horses, the rider is permitted aFel test (+10% for Animal Care, +10% for Animal Training) each round after the first tobring the animal under control. Creatures failingaWP test will not approach within 50 yards of

the Druid until the next sunrise.

Area of PurityCasting Number: 15Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A bronze dagger (+1)Description: The Druid creates a 10-yard

diameter area centred on herself. Thearea lasts for one hour and moves withthe Druid. Druids, followers of the

Old Faith, and normal animals mayenter and leave the area freely. Othercreatures and beings must successfullypass a WP test with the followingmodifiers to enter:

Elves, Giant Animals 0%Halflings, other Humans -10%Dwarfs -20%Anything else -40%




DecomposeCasting Number: 16Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A dried leaf (+1)Description: A ray of dark green lightinstantly projects from the Druid’sfingertips up to a range of 50 yards. Anynon-living, but organic object (such aswood, leather, plant fibre) in the path ofthe beam of light will immediately rotaway into dust. This prayer will notaffect anything living or magicallyanimated with the exception of Zombies.When struck, these Undead become

Skeletons.

TanglethornCasting Number: 16Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A briar or bramble (+1)Description: This prayer enables the

Druid to cause a 20 square foot area ofplants or bushes within 25 yards tobecome partially animated. The plantslash out and wrap themselves around

anything trying to move through themfor 1 minute (6 rounds). Any creatureis the area of effect takes 1D10+4 W at SB1 every round from lashingbranches and must make a S test eachround in order to move or attack.Failure means that the creature isconsidered prone.

Travel along Ley Line

Casting Number: 16Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A feather of a swift or falcon(+1)Description: This prayer allows the

Druidic character to instantly (in oneround) travel along a ley line throughsolid objects for up to a half a mile.From an outside observer’s point ofview, the Druid essentially disappearsfrom where they stood at the

beginning of the round and re-appearsup to a half-mile away at the end ofthe round.

Steam CloudCasting Number: 17 Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A drop of water and a

burning torch within 10 yards (+1)Description: With this prayer, the Druid

brings forth a cloud of superheatedsteam 10 yards in diameter within 50yards of the Druid. The cloud lasts

for 1 minute (6 rounds). Creaturessuffer 2W for each round they remainwithin the Steam Cloud irrespectiveof TB and any protections, magical orotherwise. Creatures inside the cloudmust make an Ag test each round. Ifsuccessful, they can move towards thenearest edge to escape the cloud andits effects. A failed Ag test meansthat the creature is disoriented andmoves in a random direction.

ShapechangeCasting Number: 18Casting Time: Two Full ActionsIngredient: The skin of the animal to

change into (+2)Description: The Druid is able to take the

form of any non-Chaotic, non-giantanimal, gaining the profile of theanimal in question (except for Int,which remains the Druid’s) together

with any abilities it has. While inanimal form, the Druid is not able touse prayers or perform any otherfunctions of which the animal is notcapable. If rendered unconscious byW loss or any other means, the Druidreturns to her human form. Theprayer lasts 5 minutes or until theDruid ends the effects of the prayer.




Summon SwarmCasting Number: 18 Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A preserved part of the type

of creature summoned (+1)Description: The Druid can summon and

command a swarm of small creatures:beetles, ants, ticks, scorpions, spiders,frogs and toads, snakes, lizards, rats,or bats. The swarm appears within 50yards of the Druid and will followsimple instructions. The Swarm lastsfor 1 hour and has the followingprofile:

Main ProfileWS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel33% 0 10% 14% 10% 5% 89% 0

Secondary ProfileA W SB TB M Mag IP FP10 20 1 1 4 - - -

Skills: Perception

Talents: Flier (Bats), Keen Senses,

Natural Weapons

Tap EarthpowerCasting Number: 18Casting Time: One minuteIngredient: A stone bowl with three

drops of Druid’s blood (+2)Description: This prayer can only be

performed in a stone circle or sacredgrove and enables the Druid to draw

upon the power of the sacred site tofacilitate other prayers. For the nexthour, the casting number for anyprayer is reduced by 3 and the Druid isnot subject to the Automatic Failurepenalty.

Animate TreeCasting Number: 20Casting Time: Two Full Actions

Ingredient: A seed or berry from the typeof tree to be animated (+1)

Description: The Druid can animate one

tree for five minutes, effectivelybecoming a Treeman under hercontrol. The animated tree has theprofile and abilities of a Treeman (OldWorld Bestiary, pages 110-111). TheDruid must touch the tree wheninvoking the prayer and then remainwithin 10 feet of it.

Create Vegetation

Casting Number: 20Casting Time: Two Full ActionsIngredient: A small bag of herbivore

dung and a handful of seeds (+1)Description: Centred on a spot within 50

yards, the Druid causes a mass oftangled vegetation to grow over anarea 12 yards in diameter. If there areany seeds in the ground, these willsprout and grow to full maturity in1D10 rounds, momentarily tanglinganyone standing in the area andpossibly lift up on a bed of verdure.

The plants will be whatever is naturalfor the area. Once the plants reachmaturity, they will behave naturallygiven the climate conditions andseason of year. Trees will not reachfull growth, but will get to the saplingstage.

If the ground is barren, then the plantswill grow from whatever seeds theDruid uses when invoking this prayer.The plants will grow, but will witheraway after 1D10 hours.

EntanglementCasting Number: 20Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A pinch of dung and sprig of

Bloodsedge (+2)Description: The Druid can cause

vegetation to erupt from any pointwithin 100 yards, irrespective ofterrain type, instantly covering an areawith a 25-yard diameter and turning




the terrain into difficult ground,affecting movement accordingly. Forthe five minutes the prayer lasts,

creatures caught within the area ofeffect are entangled in the first roundand need to successfully pass a S-10%test on any subsequent round to moveat Hampered rate (WFRP2e, pages137-138). Entangled creatures cannotmove, cast spells, or use magical itemsto create spells and spell-like effects.In addition, entangled creatures suffer–20% to BS and –10% to WS.

Hedge of ThornsCasting Number: 20Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A stem from wild rose or

berry bush (+1)Description: The Druid is able to create a

hedge of thorns within 50 yards. Thehedge instantly springs up from theground filling an area in 2 x 25 yardstrip or in a 2-yard thick circle with a6-yard radius. The hedge can be made

to grow in front of, around, or even ontop of groups of creatures as the Druidwishes. Each creature within the areaof thorns receives 3D10 W at SB6,reduced by TB and leg armour only.In addition, movement is reduced tothe Hampered rate.

Once created, the wall of thornscannot be dispelled. It is flammableand a section of hedge has TB7 andW25.

Rainbow BridgeCasting Number: 20Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A wooden miniature

sculptured bridge, painted with thecolours of a rainbow (+2)

Description: This prayer can only be castif a rainbow appears within theDruid’s sight (roughly 10% chanceafter it rains). The Druid brings the

rainbow to her feet in one round andcan lead a group (eight characterand/or natural animals) onto the

rainbow. Once all are on, the rainbowtravels 1 mile per round to a maximumof 20 miles. The Druid may haveherself and the group set down at anypoint of time within that distance.Creatures hostile to the Druid mustmake a WP test to step onto therainbow and then for every round theyare on the rainbow. If any subsequentWP test fails, the hostile creature fallsoff the rainbow from a height of 400

feet to their death.

Create BogCasting Number: 24Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A ball of mud (+1)Description: The Druid creates an area of

soft and marshy ground on any barepatch of bare ground in an outsidesetting within 50 yards. Lasting threeminutes, the bog covers an area up to

50 square yards; counting as difficultground. When the prayer ends, theground dries out and hardens back tonormal ground. Any creature mired inthe big when it dries out finds itselftrapped unless it makes a successful S test. Trapped creatures count as prone and need to be dug out to move again.




Drawing down the MoonCasting Number: 24Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: Two moonstones (+2)Description: If moonlight is present, the

Druid brings down a form of moonmadness upon a single or group ofcreatures within 100 yards. The targetcreature(s) are bathed by the glowingmoonlight which weakens theirresolve (WP-10%) and very quicklydrives them insane. The effects of theprayer lasts one minute (6 rounds)

and affected creatures suffer from –10% to both S and T (-1 to SB andTB) and, as they are experiencinghallucinations, -20% to WS and BS.Affected Wizards and Priests mustfirst pass a WP-10% test in order tocast a spell or prayer. At the end ofthe prayer, the affected charactersmust make a WP-10% test or gain 2Insanity Points. Daemons andUndead are affected differently,suffering from one automatic SB4 hit

per round.

SunbeamCasting Number: 24Casting Time: Full ActionIngredient: A 1-inch diameter disc ofburnished copper (+2)Description: The effects of this prayer

only take effect when sunlight ispresent (anytime daylight hours except

when dark storm clouds cover thewhole sky). The Druid instantly callsdown a roaring column of fire fromthe sky within 100 yards which affectsall creatures within an 8-yard diametercircle. Most creatures suffer 2D10 W at SB8, while flammable targets suffer4D10 W at SB8. This prayer has greatpower against Daemons and Undead,both of which suffer 4D10 W at SB10.

Create Sacred Grove (Ritual)Type: DivineArcane Language: Old FaithMagic: 3XP: 300Ingredients: A golden sickle, a bowl of

sacrificial blood (may be Druid’s), anda sprig of mistletoe.

Conditions: Centre of a suitable clearingin the depth of a forest that is firstmarked out by Area of Purity prayerand the ritual begins during the fullmoon (of Mannslieb)

Consequences: None Casting Number: 18Casting Time: One hour each night

starting at midnight until the day ofthe new moon (of Mannslieb)

Description: Druid is able to dedicate agrove of trees to the Mother as sacredground. This ritual can also be used tore-dedicate a grove that had beendesecrated, as well as a stone circle orbarrow (in the latter case, the ritualmust be performed on the outside).

The Druid only needs 2 W points ofblood in the bowl each night. Shouldthe Druid use her own blood, shegains a +3 modifier on her casting rollfor that night.




Adventure Hooks

When Evil CollidesDuring the first millennium of the Empire,many variations of the Old Faith sprangup in the isolated regions in the Empire.One centred around the god Gurheid,whose cult had grown dominant amongthe Fennone tribe of the eastern Empire.Some scholars blamed the poor soil andfarming conditions in the lands thatbecame Sylvania and southern Ostermarkfor this darker version of the Old Faith.

Human sacrifice was common, for thereligion believed that the goddessdemanded blood to restore the fertility ofthe earth. Many scholars of history andreligion believe that, given the sad andhorrific past of Sylvania, the worship ofGurheid thrived for some time inopposition to the ruling houses of the vonTeufelheims and von Draks. Gerhard vonder Lasa of the Streissen Lyceum hasargued that the cult of Gurheid was finallyexterminated during the early reign of the

von Carsteins, between 1800- 1850 I.C.

While the PCs are relaxing in a tavern inNuln, Kemperbad or some other city nearStirland, an elderly man approaches themwith a job offer. He tells the PCs that hismaster, Baron Hermann von Schleicher(an antiquarian of no small fame), islooking to hire a talented group ofindividuals to undertake a dangerous jobinvolving a high degree of discretion and

“creativity.” The job also entails travel tothe town of Teufelheim in the easternmarches of Stirland (Sylvania) to uncoveran ancient artefact that once belonged tothe High Priest of the extinct andmysterious cult of Gurheid. The relic isdescribed as a foot-tall woman-shapedstatuette made of pure silver believed tohave been lost somewhere among thenearby ruined castle. Once in theirpossession, the PCs are to deliver the

priceless objet d'art to the Baron’s manorhouse on the outskirts of Wurtbad for asubstantial fee (the initial offer is 200 GCsfor the group, though the Baron is willingto go as high as 100 GCs per person).

Things get interesting for the PCs whenthey approach Sylvania from the RiverStir. At Siegfriedhof, the PCs comeacross a patrol of Raven Knights and mustassure the Mórrian Templars that theirplans do not conflict with the Order’smission in the region. Shortly after thatstop, a man dressed in black (a secretworshipper of Gurheid) trails the PCsfrom a safe distance. The mystery manscatters whenever the PCs turn to confronthim. He also carefully avoids any traps orambushes they might set. NearWaldenhof, the PCs find that anothergroup, wearing the livery of the Count ofDrakenhof, have taken interest in theiractivities. The man in black is no longer

in evidence. The PCs will have todetermine if there is any connectionbetween the mystery man and this group.After all, the countryside the PCs aretravelling in is spooky enough withouthaving to deal with men who may be benton their destruction.

As they near their destination, the PCsfind signs of inhabitation near the ruinedcastle, yet they have come across nobody.The mystery deepens as PCs with Magical Sense see some vague shape from thecorner of their eyes that is no longerpresent when directly looked at. Theshape could be a restless spirit orsomething summoned for some foulpurpose. And what of the people whohave left signs of their presence? Couldthe adherents to the cult of Gurheidsomehow survived the von Carsteinpersecution? Or, did they form some




unholy alliance? Why do the ruins aheadseem unnaturally quiet? Could someoneelse know that the PCs have arrived? Or,

are they expecting someone else? Perhapssomeone else is interested in the statuette?And what are the men wearing the liveryof Drakenhof doing here? Could they bein league with whoever is guarding thestatuette? Perhaps the PCs have led themto the prize, which may have been soughtby their Master for years? Or, is theresomething more nefarious afoot here?

Mystery at DorchenThere is a steep-sided hill about 200 feetin height with a flat top about a mile and ahalf outside the Reikland village ofDorchen, which is located northeast ofAltdorf. Heiligenhöhlen as this hill iscalled is roughly 10 yards wide and 6yards deep. Though surrounded by forest,not one tree grows on this hill. Ancientfolklore tells of a story where somemalevolent spirit tried to steal Taal’s bear-furred cloak as the god slept nearby. Abattle ensued and the unnamed spiritstabbed Taal in the thigh with a knifemade of enchanted antler. The God of theWilds threw down the spirit. Before thespirit could regain its wits, Taal picked upa small hill and slammed it on the spirit’shead, thereby entombing it. To mark thisprison, a large bronze cover was placed onthe hilltop. Sometime later, a templededicated to Taal was built on theHeiligenhöhlen’s summit.

The fact is Heiligenhöhlen is an artificialmound constructed long ago by theBelthani people for reasons long forgottensave by a shrinking number of Druidsliving in the hilly region of westernTalabecland.

The night before the PCs pass throughDorchen, a howling northern wind blewthrough the area, breaking off tree

branches and causing some structuraldamage to some of the buildings. Ashepherd passed by the Heiligenhöhlen

and noticed that the Temple to Taal nolonger stood there (the angle of the slopeprohibited the young lad from seeing theruins of the temple).

Fearful and superstitious, no one fromDorchen wanted to check on the temple,much less the priest. The Headman of thevillage approaches the PCs, who, asoutsiders, are expendable, to hire them toinvestigate. The village cannot pay much

in coin, but many of the folk are willing tobarter provisions and some goods(average quality, at best) for the service.

If the PCs agree, they arrive at the base ofHeiligenhöhlen after a 30-minute trek.Reaching the summit, they can see thatthe Temple has been crushed as if by agiant’s club. There is no sign of BrotherOttar or his remains, but there is a largebronze wheel or plug next to an open,narrow shaft that descends into the

darkness.

PCs investigating the opening of the shaftwill find two sets of five roughly parallelfurrows cut into the soil as if made byhuman hands. The furrows are deepest bythe aperture, and some hold traces of skinand blood. The bronze construct is largeenough to stopper the shaft and is quiteheavy at around 700 lbs. The top of thebronze cover has been worn by age, but

shows none of the expected corrosion.There is some sort of worn engraving onthe bronze, but the PCs would have to doa rubbing to get an idea of the mysteriousglyph’s shape. The glyph itself radiatesmagic of a variety unknown to those whoare skilled in sorcery.

What makes things more complicated isthat there is an elderly man, dressed in ahooded brown tunic with trousers of the




same colour, watching them from the edgeof the woods below. The PCs will easilyspot him if they scan the edge of the

surrounding forest. Should the PCs callout, the man retreats into the forest.

The PCs are now stuck with a mystery ofsorts. What happened to Brother Ottar?Was he really a cleric of Taal? Or, did hefollow some other religion? Who or what

moved the capstone? What was thesignificance of the glyph on the capstone?Was there something really imprisoned

within the hill? Or, buried? How waswhatever down there aroused? More tothe point, is it still within the hill orlurking about the countryside? And, whois the elderly man? Did he bear witness towhat happened? Or, is he the freed spiritof the ancient story?

Conclusion

The exclusion of the Old Faith fromWFRP2e should not deter GMs fromusing its potential to add mystery, horror,and a rich depth to the world in whichtheir players characters live. There aremany possibilities, from simpleinteractions when encountering a friendly

folk with strange customs to creating non-Chaotic adversaries for the PCs withunknown powers and beliefs. The variednature of many Old Faith sects providesthe GM with tools to offer his playerssomething unexpected, challenges otherthan yet another band of orcs.

Unofficial - Druids and Old Faith V2.81

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