Races
From HammerWiki
For a list of races playable in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, see Armies.
In the Warhammer world there are a number of different peoples and nations. The most important of these feature as individual armies in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.
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[edit] Humans
The race of humanoids generally found in the Old World. Men were one of the last races to become civilized. However, they are now one of the most powerful with Nations spread throughout the world. They are the chief practitioners of Sigmarism, as well as the main opponent of Chaos' incursions into the Old World.
The Nations of Man include:
- Albion - An island surrounded by mist and fog. Home to the mysterious Ogham Stones and tribal, woad-wearing humans.
- Araby - A nation west of The Land of the Dead
- Bretonnia - The nation directly west of The Empire. Bretonnia is its chief rival.
- Cathay - A large nation on the far eastern edge of the Old World continent.
- The Empire - The mightiest nation of the Old World but also deeply corrupt. The Empire benefits from a great diversity of units and magic, and is the home to The Cult of Sigmar.
- Estalia — A peninsula southwest of Bretonnia, far from the threat of Chaos, this land is home to a number of rival kingdoms. Estalia was once occupied by forces from Araby but these were driven out by a combined effort by other Old World human realms.
- Khuresh - Khuresh or the Hinterlands of Khuresh are in the far east of the Warhammer World.
- Kingdoms of Ind - An eastern nation south west of Cathay and west of the Ogre Kingdoms.
- Kislev — A northern nation and an ally of the Empire under constant threat due to their close proximity to the maddening Realm of Chaos.
- Nippon - The most eastern of nations, Nippon is an island off of the eastern coast of Cathay.
- Tilea — South of the Irrana Mountains and the Vaults, the fractious city-states of Tilea embrace trade, exploration and civil war with equal passion. Mercenary companies form the bulk of armies in these lands, often fighting on behalf of the wealthy rulers of the many republics and principalities or further north in the service of the Empire.
- The Wasteland — This low-lying land at the mouth of the River Reik is home to Marienburg, one of the largest cities in the Old World. This region used to belong to the Empire — when it was referred to as Westerland, but is now fiercely independent.
- The Northmen are a loose collection of tribes, in three ethnic groups which inhabit the Chaos Wastes, while technically human, many are so far mutated and hopelessly lost to the Ruinous Powers that they cannot be compared to the more civilised men of the south.
[edit] Elves
The Elves were the second civilised race to walk the world. Created by the Old Ones, the Elves showed an adeptness at magic and boast extremely long lives, upwards of 2000 years (though some Elves are much older), allowing them many centuries to train a skill and hence most Elves are extremely proficient at their given role. Torn asunder many thousands of years ago by a great civil war called the Sundering, there are three major nations of Elves.
- Dark Elves — The relentless and bitter Druchii of Naggaroth still follow Malekith, who was exiled but still claims to be the rightful heir to the throne of the Elven Kingdoms of Ulthuan. The dark elves are sworn enemies of the High Elves and try incessantly to invade Ulthuan. Dark elves enjoy nothing more than inflicting pain and suffering on others and frequently launch raids throughout the Old World in order to capture more slaves to feed their hunger for cruelty.
- High Elves — The Asur, as they call themselves carry on the ancient traditions of the Elven people on the island continent of Ulthuan, as well as the burdens of many millennia of arrogance and warfare. The High Elves are ruled by the Phoenix Kings, the first of which was Aenarion, and the current Pheonix King is Finubar Seafarer.
- Wood Elves — The ruthless Asrai abandoned their High Elf kin in the Sundering to both protect and restrain the strange sentient forest of Athel Loren in the Old World. They appear to be neither good nor bad, as likely to kill lost travellers as to aid them. They are mortal enemies to the Beastmen, and wage a silent war against them in the shadowy glades of the world's forests.
[edit] Dwarfs
The Dwarfs live in city fortresses dug into the mountains of the Old World. Their chaotic brethren occupy one huge towering city in the Dark Lands to the east of the Old World. Please note that "Dwarves" and "Dwarfs" are interchangeable.
- Dwarfs or Dawi are an ancient, grim, and determined race integral in the founding of the Empire, the Dwarfs spend their days avenging grudges and counting gold. Dwarfs are the greatest craftsmen in the Warhammer World and in addition to enjoying fine weapons and armor they have the best heavy infantry and artillery around. Dwarf armies are well suited to defensive warfare, however due to their lack of mobility they do not do well when forced to go on the offensive. Dwarfs are legendary for their ability to never forget nor forgive a wrong against them, their finely crafted weapons and armor, ability to consume large quantities of ale, extreme stubbornness, mistrust of elves, and hatred of greenskins. Dwarfs are the closest ally to Humanity, although the Elves of Ulthuan have united with the Humans as well in the last few hundred years.
- Chaos Dwarves — Tireless overseers of soulless industry, the Chaos Dwarfs worship their own Dark God; Hashut, the Father of Darkness. The Chaos Dwarves were separated from the rest of the Dwarfs in the coming of Chaos and chose to bow down before Hashut in the face of certain destruction. They now reside in Zhar Naggarund in the Dark Lands and command armies of slaves to build their arcane weapons of war.
[edit] Halflings
Halflings are a race of short-humanoids who dwell primarily in The Moot. Halflings are renowned for their hospitality and agriculture produce, but are often discriminated against; in part due to a common bias that they are all thieves.
[edit] Lizardmen
Lizardmen — Originally created by the Old Ones to aid in their great genetic works, the Slann now lead the Lizardmen through prophesies containing ancient instructions from their gods, who may or may not some day return. Lizardmen are also based on the Aztec and Mayan cultures and reside in the deep jungles of Lustria and to a lesser extent the Southlands. The Lizardmen are cold blooded reptiles and possess a cold intelligence quite unlike the other, warm-blooded races. The Lizardmen fiercely defend their jungles and temple-cities from intruders and treasure-hunters. Lizardmen include Saurus, Skinks and Kroxigors.
[edit] Greenskins
The tribes of Orcs, Goblins and related races are spread across the Old World and into the east, and are collectively known as Greenskins. They sometimes come together in a giant war part called a Waaagh!. Greenskins have a primitve culture based around their gods Gork and Mork and have primtive but effective technology.
Another relative of the Common Goblin is the Gnoblar, which is found living with the Ogre Hordes in the Mountains of Mourn. East of the Mountains of Mourn, in the Eastern Steppes upon the borders of Cathay, live the Hobgoblins; a race of Greenskins somewhere between the size of a Goblin and an Orc, but more cunning than both. Hobgoblins can also be found as slaves of the Chaos Dwarfs. Smallest in size of all the Greenskin races is the Snotling, they are considered the lowliest of greenskins and are most often bullied around and even eaten by their larger cousins. Trolls and Squigs are sometimes also associated with Greenskins but are not technically Greenskins themselves.
[edit] Chaos
The phrase "Slaves to Darkness" is used to cover all those who have fallen under the control of or pledged themselves to the Forces of Chaos gods. While the energies of Chaos touch all things magical, there are those who fully give themselves to the deities of this realm, and seek to conquer not just the works of the Old Ones, but the very fabric of reality itself.
These races include:
- Beastmen - Whether born bestial to human parents or raised among creatures of Chaos, these deranged mutants attack from the forests and foothills. Beastmen hate all that is civilized and untouched by the glories of chaos. The include Gors Ungors and Centigors, among others.
- Hordes of Chaos — Primarily humans who are favoured by the Four Great Gods of chaos, these marauders worship the Chaos Gods fanatically and are either Northmen native to the Chaos Wastes and Norsca or more civilised humans who have chosen to devote themselves to chaos, usually forming Chaos Cults.
[edit] Skaven
Skaven or "Children of the Horned Rat" are a Chaotic mockery of Man's nations, ruled by the secretive Council of Thirteen and worshipping their dark god, the Horned Rat. Inventive and insane, the ratmen live in a vast network of tunnels beneath all the Warhammer world called the Under-Empire. Many human denizens of the Old World do not believe the Skaven exist, much to their detriment. The crazed mechanics of Clan Skyre, the most powerful of Skaven clans, create powerful yet unreliable weapons to aid their rampages and it is said that one day the Grey Seers will unite them and take over the old world. Until that day, the Skaven spread their vile diseases and gnaw away at society from underneath, working their machiavellian schemes.
[edit] The Undead
All Undead in the Warhammer world are a result of the black sorceries devised by the first necromancer, Nagash, in the long distant past. The Undead are effectively split into two distinct groups: the skeletal armies of the Tomb Kings; and the legions of the Vampire Counts.
- Vampires — Disciples of Nagash who stole his secrets of eternal life, the Vampires and their minions have spread across the Old World, furthering their own aims. There are five vampire families, each with different ambitions, habits and powers: Von Carsteins, Necrarchs, Blood Dragons, Lahmians and Strigoi. Their armies consist mainly of classic undead, such as zombies, skeletons, vampires, bats, and ghosts, with a focus on the occult and the dark arts of Necromancy.
- Tomb Kings — In the hot desert lands of the south of the Old World was mankind's first civilisation, Nehekhara. The Kings of Nehekhara ruled for hundreds of years until Nagash became King in the capital, Khemri. After a successful rebellion by the Kings of the other cities, Nagash cast a great spell killing everything in the land. Though Nagash was defeated by the last King Alcadizaar, the land was destroyed and the ancient Kings rose again, reborn as the Tomb Kings.
[edit] The Ogres
Ogres are massive eastern barbarians who live in the Ogre Kingdoms in the Mountains of Mourn and will do any work for gold and eat anything or any one. The Ogres domesticate Sabretusks and Rhinoxen and worship their god, the Great Maw. As Ogres are guided solely by their stomachs, they spread devastation and destruction wherever they go. Ogres are often considered to be a "neutral" power in the world, fighting for both Destruction and Order to feed their lust for food and gold. Various types of Ogre-related creatures also exist such as Yhetees and Gorgers.
