Only a person who consciously dedicates himself to a Chaos Power can become a Chaos Champion. The Power recognises in the individual a useful servant and ally. The individual recognises in his Power a means by which he can gain mortal success, perhaps to overcome some terrible personal enemy or adversity. A Champion's motives can be many and varied: revenge for past injustices, aid for the poor, liberation for the oppressed, protection for his loved ones, personal ambition, conquest, and so on. Any great need or want may drive a person into the arms of the Chaos Powers. A factor which drives many into that embrace is fear of their own mortality, for a Chaos Power has the ability to grant a person immortality as a daemon, although only a few Champions are good enough for this.
The Champion of Chaos strikes a bargain - he surrenders his shadow-self to the Power, so that it merges and becomes part of his Patron. In return, the Chaos Power rewards the Champion as he sees fit - sometimes blessing him with favour, at other times ignoring or playing with him. The Chaos Powers are often fickle and, to win their favour, a Champion must be successful as well as courageous.
The Road To Power[]
Although the gods of Chaos are indeed foul, there are those who willingly choose to serve and follow them. The promise of easy power and the seductive blandishments of Chaos can prove too strong for many minds. And so there are those willing to ally themselves with the Dark Powers of Chaos. The commitment is total: body and soul belong to Chaos. Follower of Chaos give up all vestige of their former Humanity and become Champions of Chaos - the warriors and sorcerers who ravage across the Chaos Wastes in the name of one Dark Power or another.
The many who dedicate themselves to the service of Chaos and its gods are doomed to an all-or-nothing existence as a Champion of Chaos; the rewards of Chaos are ultimate power or endless oblivion. And power is everything: to achieve greatness in the eyes of their Chaos gods Champions carry out any act, no matter how vile. This tainted flirtation with power of Chaos is, in itself, part of the price and the reward of Chaos, and there is a price to be paid. Mutation and madness are only part of that price, but mutation and madness become the rewards of dedicated service for a true Champion of Chaos.
Eventually the 'lucky' few are rewarded by achieving the status of Daemonhood in the service of their Chaos god. They can pass beyond mortal concerns, rising to even higher levels of power as immortal followers of Chaos.
For the rest, however, their flirtation with power can end abruptly as it began. Chaos has its own reckoning, when those Champions of Chaos who are found lacking in the eyes of the gods are condemned. For those who fail, the final reward of Chaos is terrible. They become mindless, oblivious Chaos Spawn. It is their fate to run, gibbering and shrieking, with the countless other individuals that the Chaos gods have used and tossed aside.
The Champion of Chaos chooses an easy road to power, but it only a short road. He cannot escape the day when his fate finds him out. To exist as a Daemon Prince or Chaos Spawn is the final price of Chaos. The madness and mutation that are the hallmarks of Chaos are a small price indeed.
Generating A Champion Of Chaos[]
Champions of Chaos can be created for use as awesome NPC enemies for your player character. Even without a retinue, a Champion will give most player characters a difficult time!
A Champion turns to Chaos at some point in his mundane career, abandoning the normal limits of life in favour of a quick road to power.
When generating a Champion of Chaos for use in a campaign, you can choose any Starting Profile. This could be from any NPC in an adventure or supplement, be a 'retired' or dead player character, or a newly generated PC. You can also award a PC a few hundred (or thousand) EPs and use the careers and advance schemes system to produce an experienced follower of Chaos.
This profile is then used as a starting point for the Champion.
The rewards of Champions are determined in the manner described below. However, as a Champion grows greater in the eyes of his god, his remembrance of his former life diminishes and ultimately vanishes. Each time a Champion receives a reward, he loses D6 Skills. These skills can be lost in any order chosen by the player.
Some skills are also lost as a result of acquiring Chaos Attributes. Attributes which reduce a characteristic to zero cause all associated skills to be lost; this skill loss is mandatory.
Champions may receive magical abilities as a result of the Eye of God reward on the Chaos Rewards Table. In this case the Champion receives Cast Spells, either Petty Magic only or of one Battle Magic level. He also receives three Spells of the appropriate level. These spells do not have to be studied. Furthermore, these spellcasting skills cannot be lost as a result of receiving a reward.
The generation process can, of course, still be used to produce Chaos Spawn and Daemon Princes.
Player Character Champions[]
If you wish, the system can be used to give PC Champions of Chaos an 'experience system'. There is, however, one important change in the experience system of WFRP. This reflects the rather unusual nature of Champions of Chaos.
Where a 'normal' character would spent EPs on advances, skills or spells, Champions earn and receive rewards. The entire system of careers, advance schemes and gaining skills is replaced by the Chaos Rewards tables.
Champions of Chaos can earn rewards in campaigns using charts below, plus rewards for acts the GM thinks are appropriate to the worship of the Champion's patron Chaos Power. A Champion can never earn more than two rewards in a single session of play.
You will find that Champions of Chaos, particularly Champions of Khorne, are often unsuited to group play. The acts that win them approval in the eyes of their patron Chaos Powers and earn them rewards may involve the early and unseemly demise of their companions.
Games with Champions of Chaos become, almost by default, a series of linked skirmishes. Combat is the way that a Champion expresses his 'personality' (such as it is). Interaction between player characters and non-player characters, which normally forms the bulk of play, is largely irrelevant and meaningless to a Champion of Chaos. He exists only to serve his Power on the battlefield; he loses his vestigial humanity as he progresses, and can eventually have no meaningful contact with 'normal' characters.
Champions are therefore totally unsuitable as player characters for games with 'ordinary' player characters. Of the character types presented in WFRP, only Daemonologists and possibly Necromancers have any common ground with Champions of Chaos.
The Mark Of The Gods[]
Once the starting profile of a Champion of Chaos has been determined, he is marked as a servant of the gods. All Chaos Champions receive one Chaos Attribute, generated randomly using the Personal Attributes Table.
It is quite possible that the first attributes that a Champion receives will turn him into a Chaos Spawn. Such results can be re-rolled at this point.
The Champion also receives a Chaos gift from his chosen Power, which marks him as a servant of that Power.
- The Mark Of Khorne: Champions of Khorne receive a suit of Chaos Armour as well as their first Attribute. Spellcasters immediately lose their highest magic level and its spells, power level and magic points.
- The Mark Of Slaanesh: Champions of Slaanesh receive +10 WP in addition to their Chaos Attribute.
- The Mark Of Nurgle: Champions of Nurgle grow in height and girth until their physique is impressively robust, as befitting their status. Their T is increased by +1 to indicate their improved constitution, as well as receiving the Chaos Attribute.
- The Mark Of Tzeentch: Champions of Tzeentch receive a random magic item from their Patron. It is possible that the Champion is unable to use the item generated - the item must be retained none the less, as to refuse the Mark of Tzeentch invites immediate destruction. The Champion also receives D3 random Chaos Attributes as their 'first' Attribute - as the Lord of Change, Tzeentch is inclined to mark his Champions with mutating effects.
- The Mark Of Undivided Chaos: If the new Champion chooses to worship Chaos in its undivided glory, rather than a specific Chaos Power, then they receive a random Reward from the Chaos Rewards Table. They also receive the random Chaos Attribute.
Once a Champion has received their Chaos Attribute(s) and Chaos Gift from their god, further rewards are determined randomly. The initial part of rewards are counted when determining whether a Champion becomes a Daemon or Spwan, and when determining a Champion's retinue (i.e. the Champion is potentially entitled to some followers immediately).
Rewards Of Chaos[]
Once a Champion has been created and given a Chaos Attribute and a Chaos Gift from his patron Power, further rewards are generated randomly using the rules presented in this section.
When creating a random Champion of Chaos you need to roll on this table several times until a suitable character profile has been produced, along with a set of attributes and gifts. This table can also be used as an 'experience' system, allowing characters to improve (or degenerate) during a campaign. The rewards that a Champion can earn on the battlefield are randomly determined using this system. In effect the process of creating an 'instant' Chaos Champion is extended into a series of battles.
Rewards are divided into two broad categories: Chaos Attributes and Chaos Gifts. Attributes are always mutations of one sort or another, while gifts can include creatures of one type or another, armour and weaponry. There are, however, one or two gifts which mutate the Champion in some way (such as receiving the face of a Daemon). Although the effects of these gifts are similar to those of a Chaos Attribute they are still Chaos Gifts. It is important to keep track of how many attributes and gifts a Champion of Chaos has received, as they can have a bearing on his ultimate fate.
A champion can also gain followers of various kinds, either as a direct gift from his patron or from the ranks of those who serve Chaos. See The Chaos Champion's Retinue for further information.
Duplicated Rewards[]
There is no special benefit or penalty from gaining a duplicate reward unless this is mentioned in the reward's description.
However, it may be necessary to use some common sense when applying gifts and attributes to a Champion. For example, it is possible for a Champion to receive the face of a Daemon as a reward of a Chaos god. It is also possible for the Champion to receive an attribute such as Flaming Skull Face. In this case, the two can be combined to give the Champion a hideous, burning Daemon's skull in place of a face. Other cases where gifts and attributes may interfere with each other can occur.
Refusing Rewards[]
A Champion of Chaos need not accept a Chaos Gift given as a reward from the Chaos Rewards Table. Chaos Attributes must always be taken by the Champion. No matter what its effects, an attribute cannot be turned down.
If a gift from this table is refused another one is determined. The Rewards Table for the appropriate Chaos god should be consulted. A reward generated using one of these tables cannot be rejected.
For Champions of Chaos who follow gods other than one of the Powers there are two options: you can either create a new Rewards Table for a new god of your own choosing, or re-roll on the general Chaos Rewards Table. Again, this second reward must be taken.
Gifts cannot be rejected twice in succession. If a Champion refused one Chaos Gift as determined on the Chaos Rewards Table he must accept the next reward generated from that table.
Chaos Rewards Table[]
- Roll D100:
- 01-40 - Chaos Attribute: The Champion receives one randomly determined Chaos Attribute. This is generated using the Personal Attribute Table. All the effects of an attribute apply, even if this results in the Champion degenerating into a Chaos Spawn. Duplicated Chaos Attribute results are applied a second time.
- 41-43 - Frenzy: The Champion and any followers he possesses become subject to Frenzy. Second and subsequent gifts of Frenzy reduce Cl by 10 each (to a minimum Cl of 20).
- 44-48 - Daemon Weapon: The Champion is gifted with a Daemon Weapon. A second Daemon Weapon, with different abilities, can be obtained by a Champion. If this gift is granted a third time the two Daemon Weapons (and their bound Daemons) are forged into one mighty blade.
The Champion may take this reward as a randomly generated magic item instead. Champions of Khorne must take a Daemon Weapon.
- 49-53 - Chaos Armour: The Champion is gifted with Chaos Armour. If the Champion already has a suit of Chaos Armour it is endowed with additional powers. Chaos Armour, of course, does not affect spellcasting in any way, and so can be worn by sorcerers without penalty.
Furthermore, on each occasion (after the first) that a Champion is granted more Chaos Armour there is a chance that he and his armour will become bonded into a single inseparable entity. On a result of 4, 5 or 6 on a D6 this happens and the Champion and his armour fuse. Increase the Champion's T by two. This bonding can only occur once.
- 54-58 - Chaos Steed: The Champion gain a Chaos Steed. On a throw of 6 on a D6 the Champion receives a Riding Beast of his patron Chaos Power rather than a Chaos Steed. Champions who do not follow one of the four Powers of Chaos automatically receive a Chaos Steed. Regardless of its type, the Steed can have up to D6 Chaos Attributes. Once an attribute has been generated it must be applied to the Steed, but the maximum number of attributes need not be generated.
A Champion can only use one Steed at a time. Second and subsequent Steeds may be given to any followers of the Champion, used to pull a chariot, or held for the day that the Champion's first Steed is dead.
- 59-63 - Chaos Spawn: The Champion is given a number of Chaos Spawn to use in whatever manner he chooses: as servants, beasts of burden, bodyguards, mounts, to pull chariots, etc. The number of Chaos Spawn received depends on the number associated with the Champion's Chaos Power: Champions of Khorne receive eight Chaos Spawn, for example, while Slaaneshi Champions receive six. Champions of Chaos who are not dedicated to one of the Powers of Chaos receive D6 Chaos Spawn.
The Spawn are drawn from the numberless hordes of the Chaos packs, and are generated randomly.
The starting profiles for the Spawn are determined in the same way as for a Champion of Chaos. However, once this has been done the Chaos Spawn receive D6+6 Chaos Attributes, rather than the rewards of a Champion. The attributes are generated using the Personal Attributes Table.
The resulting gibbering abominations will, at best, usually have the intelligence and demeanour of ferocious beasts. They will obey every command that the Champion gives them. However, should the Champion die they will immediately attack the nearest creatures within charge distance. If there are no other creatures within charge distance they will fall upon each other.
There are no limits to the number of Chaos Spawn that a Champion may have in his entourage. If this gift is duplicated, create a new group of Chaos Spawn for the Champion.
- 64-69 - Strength: Add three to the Champion's S. This gift make take the characteristic beyond normal racial limits.
- 70-85 - Gift Of The Gods: The Champion has come to the attention of his patron Chaos Power, who rewards him in a special fashion. Roll again on the appropriate Rewards Table. The Chaos Gift generated on that table cannot be refused by the Champion.
You may create such a Rewards table for any other Power you invent, or simply generate a new reward using this table.
- 86-90 - Chaos Hounds: The Champion receives a pack of Chaos Hounds. The number of Hounds in the pack is the number associated with Champion's Chaos Power. Champions of other Chaos Powers receive D6 Chaos Hounds.
On a result of 6 on the roll of a D6 the Champion receives a single Hunting Beast of his Power rather than a pack of Chaos Hounds. For example, Champions of Khorne would receive a Fleshhound. The Hunting Beast can have up to D6 Chaos Attributes if you wish.
Champions of Chaos who serve other Chaos Powers only receive Chaos Hounds, never Hunting Beasts, unless you have created examples for other Powers.
- 91-00 - The Eye Of God: The Power of Chaos that the Champion serves, or perhaps one of the Power's most senior Daemons, takes an interest in the Champion and his doings. The Champion's progress as a servant of Chaos is weighed in the balance, and his future is decided.
If the Champion has received six Chaos Gifts and fewer than six Chaos Attributes he is deemed to have served Chaos well. The Champion is transformed into a Daemon Prince and can be removed from play as a Champion of Chaos. See Becoming A Daemon for more details of this process.
If the Champion has six or more Chaos Attributes he is deemed to have become too corrupted to continue as a Champion of Chaos. The Champion is declared to be a Chaos Spawn, and is immediately given a further D6 attributes. See Becoming A Chaos Spawn for further information.
If the Champion has fewer than six Chaos Gifts and fewer than six Chaos Attributes he continues to serve his god in his current capacity. The Champion receives a Chaos Weapon with a single randomly generated property. Additional Eye Of God rewards may be taken as a second Chaos Weapon which can be passed on to a follower, or as another property for the Champion's own weapon.
He also receives a further gift as a mark of the Power's favour. Champions who began as wizards receive a bonus of +1 to A and W. Other Champions receive one magic level, plus the associated spells, magic points and power level. However, non-wizard Champions of Khorne never receive such heretical magic powers. Khorne grants them a Collar Of Khorne and a single Fleshhound. If the Champion already has a Collar Of Khorne this may be given to one of the Champion's followers.
Rewards Of The Gods[]
The Powers of Chaos give their own Champions special rewards to mark them as followers and servants. These are given in place of Chaos rewards, which almost any Champion of Chaos could receive. The rewards on these tables can be received when a Champion rejects the general Chaos reward he is offered.
The tables given below can be used to randomly determine these special rewards. The tables can also be used as guides when creating new Chaos gods and their special rewards.
These rewards tables cannot be used to determine a reward twice in succession. It is possible that a Champion could refuse one Chaos reward (and take a reward from one of these tables) and, as his next reward, receive a Gift Of The Gods on the Chaos Rewards Table. In this case the reward is determined by re-rolling on the Chaos Rewards Table.
Unlike rewards from the Chaos Rewards Table, rewards that are determined using these rewards tables cannot be refused by a Champion of Chaos. To refuse a personal gift would be a heinous, unforgivable insult to the Champion's dark and forbidding Chaos Power. Such an insult would be repaid with a terrible retribution too awful to contemplate.
Fate Of A Champion Of Chaos[]
Eventually a Champion of Chaos will have changed to such an extent that he can better serve his Chaos god in another capacity. At this point, the Champion passes from mere mortality and begins again as a Chaos Spawn of Daemon Prince.
This dramatic change comes about primarily through receiving the Eye of God reward (91-00) on the Chaos Rewards Table. It is only possible for a Champion to be raised to the status of Daemon Prince through this test. There are, on the other hand, many ways of becoming a drooling and mindless Chaos Spawn.
Becoming A Chaos Spawn[]
The majority of Champions of Chaos have only a brief time as a mighty servant of Chaos. For most the ravages of mind and body that the Chaos Wastes produce are too much. Champions warp and distort in the service of their gods, and eventually mortals' minds snap under the strain. The Chaos Champion, driven by his will and greed for power, is gone and, in his place, is a mindless, gibbering abomination: a Chaos Spawn.
Champions of Chaos can become Chaos Spawn when one of the following conditions is met:
- The Champion receives the Chaos Spawn attribute when using the Personal Attribute Table.
- One (or more) of the Champion's personal characteristics (Ld, Int, Cl, or WP) drops to zero as a result of acquiring a Chaos gift or Chaos attribute.
- The Champion is condemned to join the hordes of the Chaos Spawn when he fulfills the conditions laid down under The Eye Of God on the Chaos Rewards Table.
- The Champion offends his god in battle.
Once a Champion is a Chaos Spawn, he can no longer receive any rewards for his service. He does, however, receive an additional D6 Chaos Attributes. The Champion loses any magic items, equipment, or familiars in his possession, as they cease to have any meaning. Other Chaos gifts are retained.
The generation of the Champion can stop at this point. The Chaos Spawn can be retained for use as a follower and servant of another Champion of Chaos.
Chaos Spawn can have almost any appearance and profile, depending upon the nature of their Chaos attributes. Spawn always retain any Chaos gifts that they received while Champions of Chaos. Finally, Chaos Spawn are always subject to stupidity.
Becoming A Daemon[]
A Champion can only reach the status of Daemon Prince in one manner: as a result of 'succeeding' when assessed using the standards under The Eye Of God in the Chaos Rewards Table.
The new Daemon Prince is subject to all the special rules that apply to Greater Daemons as given under the heading Daemonic Abilities.
The Daemon Price retains all of the Chaos gifts and Chaos attributes that it acquired as a Chaos Champion. In addition, its profile is modified in the following manner:
|
M |
WS |
BS |
S |
T |
W |
I |
A |
Dex |
Ld |
Int |
Cl |
WP |
Fel |
|
- |
- | - | x2 | +2 | x2 | x2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
The Prince also grows taller and more imposing, becoming 1.5 times its original size. It may grow horns (allowing a gore attack (A +1)), wings (allowing flight), and a tail, if it does not already have these features, but this is not obligatory. The Daemon Prince also gains the magical powers of Greater Daemons of its god.
A Daemon Prince created from a Champion of Chaos need look nothing like a Greater Daemon of the god he serves, nor have even similar powers. Daemons do tend to have 'family' characteristics, but the details of their attributes and gifts can vary enormously. The Chaos gods have many daemonic servitors, and by no means all are identical.
Once a Champion of Chaos has become a Daemon Prince he no longer receives rewards for his services, nor does he retain any of his followers. The only exception to this is in the case of Daemonic Familiars: Champions may retain these when they rise to the levels of Daemonhood.
Daemonic Sponsors[]
A newly generated Daemon Prince can become the sponsor of a new Chaos Warrior. Rather than serving a Power of Chaos directly, the Champion is assumed to be in the service of the new Prince. Rewards to this sponsored Champion are given by the Daemon Prince, not the Chaos Power.
This involves creating a new Rewards Table for rewards given by the Daemon Prince. The tables for the other Chaos Powers can be used as a guide, or one of those can be modified to give rewards related to the Prince's own profile and appearance.
The new 'Damon Prince Reward Table' should produce rewards which are a mixture of the patron Power's features and those of the Daemon Prince. About 60% of the results on such a table should relate to the Chaos Power, while the rest reflect features of the Prince.
A sponsored Champion could still be gifted with the Power's face, but might receive other rewards that imitate and reflect the powers and attributes of his patron Prince.
A Daemon Prince can sponsor any number of Champions of Chaos. For each sponsored Champion that reaches Daemonhood, the Prince receives a reward as determined on the Chaos Rewards Table or one W (choice of the GM or the controlling player). Any result which would be harmful to the Daemon Prince (e.g. which would reduce its profile) is ignored.
As an optional rule, you may wish to penalize the Daemon Prince by reducing its W by one for every two of the Champions that it sponsors who end their careers by degenerating into the despicable state of Chaos Spawn.
Once a sponsored Champion reaches Daemonhood, he too can act as a sponsor to other Champions. A new 'Daemon Prince Rewards Table' can be created for this Prince.
This is a mixture of its sponsor's reward table (60% - although this will include rewards from the patron Chaos Power) and its own abilities (40%). It too can gain (and lose) W as a result of sponsorship.
However, the new Daemon Prince still has an obligation to his former patron. Its patron gains and loses a W for every two W the Daemon gains or loses as a result of sponsoring Chaos Champions.
A Daemon Prince can be both patron and sponsor, owing an obligation to an older Daemon Prince and, in turn, receiving rewards (in the form of extra W or rewards) from its former Champions. They too can be sponsoring further Champions and so on, ad infinitum.
Champions Of Chaos And Campaigns[]
Champions of Chaos can 'earn' rewards for acts on the battlefield. A separate record is kept for each Champion involved in a battle.
Any rewards that are earned can be randomly generated between battles using the system of gifts and attributes that has been described.
Determine the nature of any reward a Champion receives using the Chaos Rewards Table. The Champion's profile is altered accordingly, and any new abilities are noted. The changed Champion enters the next battle a new man. This continues until the Champion is killed, or he becomes a Chaos Spawn or a Daemon Prince.
Rewards In Campaigns[]
Rewards are only gained for deeds which are in keeping with a god's interests and aims. They can be lost for opposite acts. Champions earn rewards as listed on the following tables, but can never receive more than two randomly determined rewards after a battle. Any more rewards that the Champion earned by his actions during the battle are simply lost.
At the discretion of the GM, rewards are also given for acts in keeping with the Chaos gods' aims, interests, and worship.
All Champions of Chaos, regardless of allegiance, earn rewards for the following acts:
- Surviving a battle on the winning side: 1 reward
- 'Slaying' a Greater Daemon of another god: 1½ rewards
Champions of Khorne earn and lose rewards for the following acts:
- Killing enemies: ½ reward
- Killing a wizard or sorcerer: 1 reward
- Killing Slaanesh followers: 1 reward
- Killing alies and friends: 1½ rewards
- Using any form of magic: no rewards
- Allying with or aiding followers of Slaanesh: no rewards
The followers of a Champion do not count as 'friends and allies'. The killing offered to Khorne must be of a being of equal or similar stature to the Champion (another Champion, a high-level wizard, etc.).
The penalty applied to magic use in the service of Khorne does not apply to Daemon or magic weaponry.
Champions of Slaanesh earn and lose rewards for the following:
- Killing an enemy by magic (each): ½ reward
- Killing followers of Khorne: 1 reward
- Killing Champions of Khorne: 1½ rewards
- Killing through excessive pleasure: 1½ rewards
- Allying with or aiding followers of Khorne: no rewards
The Slaaneshi reward for kiling by excessive pleasure could be rewarded as a result of an Acquiesence spell, amongst other things.
Champions of Nurgle earn and lose rewards for the following:
- Infecting an enemy with a disease other than Nurgle's Rot: ½ reward
- Infecting an enemy with Nurgle's Rot: 1 reward
- Slaying a follower of Tzeentch: 1 reward
- Slaying a Champion of Tzeentch: 1½ rewards
- Allying with or aiding followers of Tzeentch: no rewards
Champions of Tzeentch earn and lose rewards for the following acts:
- Slaying a follower of Nurgle: 1 reward
- Slaying a Champion of Nurgle: 1½ rewards
- Slaying an enemy using Transformation spell: 1 reward
- Slaying a personal or arch-enemy: 1½ rewards
- Allying with or aiding followers of Nurgle: no rewards
No rewards indicates that any rewards earned for the battle in question are lost immediately. Optionally, you can declare that a Champion who has acted directly in contradiction to his Chaos Power's aims has offended his god to an unpardonable degree. He is immediately turned into a Chaos Spawn.
Half-rewards may be held until the Champion receives another half-reward, entitling him to a randomly determined attribute or gift from the Chaos Rewards Table.
Becoming A Skeleton Champion[]
When a powerful Champion of Chaos dies, he may be denied the right to peaceful rest. He is required instead to continue his dark servitude to his patron Chaos god. His Power does not let him rest peacefully, as a small fragment of the Champion's essence stays with the corpse and reanimates it as a Skeleton Champion, a ghoulish echo of the Champion's former glory. The Skeleton Champion lasts for a year and a day, then crumbles into the dust.
When a Champion dies, roll D100 and note the score. This represents the whim of his patron Chaos Power. Next, roll D100 again: if this second score is less than or equal to the first, the Champion arises as a Skeleton Champion, retaining all his gifts, attributes, and followers.
The Skeleton Champion retains all the gifts and attributes that it had in life, but can gain no further rewards for its service. It causes fear in all living creatures, regardless of size. Any magical abilities the Champion possessed are lost. Its profile is also modified. A Champion becoming a Skeleton Champion reduces all his characteristics by 1/10 point(s) (on a result of 1, 2, or 3 on a D6 roll) or by 2/20 points (on a result of 4, 5, or 6). As a result of this characteristic loss, Champions of Chaos with W 1 can never become Skeleton Champions. A Skeleton Champion cannot turn into a Chaos Spawn as a result of this characteristic loss.
Skeleton Champions who are left with zero A can only be used to lead troops, or for their fear value.
Skeleton Champions can be created using the system described for randomly generating a Champion of Chaosd and then 'killing' him.
Retinue Of A Chaos Champion[]
Champions of Chaos attract evil and power-hungry followers as readily as putrescense brings flies. All come to feast on corruption; flies, however, eat their fill out of necessity.
A Champion of Chaos is surrounded by a retinue of servants and followers. Some of these are granted directly by his Chaos god - Chaos Spawn, Chaos Hounds, Steeds and Hunting Beasts. Others make their own way into the Chaos Wastes in search of power. Many lack the force of will to become Champions themselves, and turn to Chaos in a mean and petty way. Unable to reach the heights of power, they content themselves with immature evils and smaller, mean-spirited corruptions. As such, they are ideal servants of Chaos - debased, corrupt and mallable to another's will. They are the perfect followers for a Champion of Chaos.
This section presents a system for generating the followers of a Champion of Chaos. These followers - Humans, Beastmen and other, less definable creatures - travel with the Champion, and form a fanatically loyal bodyguard. They serve their god by offering their hearts and minds to one of 'god's Chosen'.
Finally, a Champion's followers are not rewards, and are never considered when the Champion receives the Eye of God reward from the Chaos Rewards Table.
Warbands[]
Warband retinues frequently fight against one another, often simply to indulge their craving for blood or to revel in the sheer pleasure of action and conflict. Even retinues who follow the same Chaos Power may fight each other, perhaps to resolve bitter rivalries between their Champions.
Warbands are also found in most full-scale battles. It is rare for a Chaos army not to contain at least one warband. Indeed, some armies are composed entirely of warbands, the Champions grouping together to defeat a common enemy.
The Chaos Champion's Retinue[]
When creating a Champion and his retinue, you may find it more convenient to generate the Champion fully, and then, having noted the number of rewards he received, determine the size and nature of his retinue. This saves a little time. It is, of course, possible to generate a Champion without creating a retinue. Such loners (who could even have eaten their followers) need not be uncommon in your games. Many Champions of Chaos prefer to tread a solitary path in the service of their Chaos Power.
The retinue of a Champion grows in proportion to his favour with his patron Chaos Power. For every two rewards (Chaos attributes or Chaos gifts) the Champion has received, consult the following chart. If you use this retinue generation system as part of a campaign, the Champion's entourage increases in size in a piecemeal fashion between battles as the Champion receives his earned rewards.
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | No followers |
| 3-5 | Roll once on the Retinue Table |
| 6 | Roll twice on the Retinue Table |
In addition, every time the Champion receives a reward, one of his followers is also granted some form of Chaos reward. At times, therefore, it is possible that a Champion will receive two new groups of followers and a reward for one of his followers or for one unit of followers.
The Retinue Table is used to randomly determine the race and/or type of followers that the Champion receives. These creatures are not given to the Champion by his patron Chaos Power, but have made their own way in the Chaos Wastes in search of power and influence of their own. Drawn by tales of the Champion's prowess, fame and general worthiness, they have chosen to throw their lot in with him, serving Chaos through servitude to the Champion.
All the followers of a Champion wear his badge and colours, and carry his symbol openly.
Retinue Table[]
| D100 | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-30 |
2D6 Beastmen Beastmen are armed with light armour, a shield and either a hand weapon or a double-handed weapon. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 31-35 |
2D4 Chaos Dwarfs These Chaos Dwarfs have the standard profile. All special rules apply. Dwarfs are armed with light armour, a shield and a hand weapon, and may have a spear or a crossbow if desired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 36-38 |
1 Chaos Sorcerer This Chaos Sorcerer can be randomly generated as normal. His starting profile is always that of a wizard of some type. This sorcerer has received his first Attribute, his starting Gift, and one other Reward. Unsurprisingly, this Sorcerer follows the same god as his master. Champions of Khorne may not have Chaos Sorcerers in their retinues. They receive Chaos Warriors (see below) instead. Chaos Sorcerers are armed with hand weapons only. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 39-41 |
1 Chaos Warrior This Chaos Warrior can be generated in the normal fashion. Chaos Warriors are armed with heavy armour, a shield and a hand weapon, plus a double-handed weapon, if desired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 42-46 |
D6 Dark Elves These Dark Elves have the standard profile. All special rules apply. Dark Elves are armed with light armour, a hand weapon and either a shield or a crossbow. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 47-51 |
D6 Chaos Goblins These Chaos Goblins have the standard profile. All special rules apply. They are armed with light armour, shield and hand weapon, plus a bow, if desired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 52-53 |
D4 Harpies These Harpies have the standard profile. All special rules apply. They may be given D6-4 personal Chaos Attributes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 54-73 |
2D6 Humans These are normal Humans, at least when they enter the Champion's service, with the standard Human profile. They are armed with either light or heavy armour, a shield and a hand weapon, and may have either a spear or bow, if desired. These Humans may be Chaos Cultists if you wish, but they will start with D6-4 personal Chaos Attributes. Also, they may have the Bestial Face attribute. The majority of Humans thus warped by Chaos will have goat faces, and their horns will have twisted together in the rune shape of their Chaos god. Followers of Khorne may have canine faces instead. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 74-78 |
D6 Hobgoblins These Hobgoblins have the standard profile. All special rules apply. They are armed with light armour, a shield and a hand weapon, plus a bow if desired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 79-80 |
D4 Minotaurs These Minotaurs have the standard profile. All special rules apply. They are armed with a hand weapon and may have a double-handed weapon or spear, if desired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 81-82 |
D4 Ogres These Ogres have the standard profile. All special rules apply. You may determine a further D3 Chaos Attributes for the Ogres. They are armed with a hand weapon and may have a shield or double-handed weapon, if desired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 83-87 |
D6 Orcs These Orcs have the standard profile. They are armed with light armour, a shield and a hand weapon, plus a spear or bow, if desired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 88-92 |
2D4 Skaven These Skaven have the standard profile. All special rules apply, including the Skaven requirement of D6-4 Chaos Attributes. The Skaven warriors are armed with light armour, a shield and a hand weapon, plus spears, if desired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 93 |
1 Troll The Troll has the standard profile. All special rules apply. If you wish, determine up to D3 Chaos Attributes for it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 94 |
1 Wizard Roll a D6 and consult the following table for the Wizard's level:
Champions of Khorne may not have wizards in their retinues. They receive a randomly generated Human character in his place. Wizards are armed with hand weapons only. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 95-99 |
2D6 Wolves A pack of 2D6 Giant Wolves joins the Champion's retinue. All special rules apply to these Wolves. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 00 |
Other Use the standard creature profile, although this may be modified by up to D3 Chaos Attributes. Roll a D4 followed by a D10 to determine the type of creature that joins the Champion's retinue:
♦D6 of these creatures join the retinue. |
Different races in a Champion's retinue are not subject to hatred, animosity or fear caused by their usual attitudes to other members. The Champion's force of will and their unswerving devotion to their Chaos Power see to that. They are, however, still subject to normal psychological effects caused by creatures outside the group.
Rewards And The Champion's Retinue[]
Those who follow a Champion of Chaos are tainted by his deeds and the impure ideals he serves. Trafficking with Chaos soon marks those who are the Champion's followers as surely as it marks the Champion himself.
The rewards that a Champion's retinue receives are, however, of a different order. Servants change and warp as their master rises in power. They degenerated and mutate into beast-like creatures - half-aware, and seemingly uncaring, of the changes Chaos has wrought, vaguely bestial, and totally dedicated to their god and Champion. Ultimately, their future lies with the Chaos Spawn. There the truly loyal followers of Chaos spend eternity shrieking the mindless praise of their uncaring gods.
Every time a Champion receives a reward (whether this is a Chaos gift or a Chaos attribute), his followers also receive a reward. This reward can be given to a single follower or to a whole unit. If a unit receives a reward, all the members of the unit are gifted equally. The recipient(s) must be chosen before the reward itself is determined on the Followers' Reward Table.
One of the Champion's retinue can receive repeated rewards. In this way, a Champion can soon have a 'second-in-command' or a 'bodyguard' of especially powerful followers. One such follower can be used as the basis for a new Champion of Chaos should anything untoward (death, or turning into a Chaos Spawn) happen to the leader of the warband.
Some of the Champion's own rewards can be passed on to his followers. Even if the Champion hands on such a reward, it still counts when the Champion gains followers for every two rewards, and the Champion's followers are still entitled to a 'normal' reward of their own. In such a case, it is possible that the followers will receive two rewards at the same time: one a 'hand-me-down' from the Champion, the other generated normally.
Followers' Reward Table[]
| D100 | Result |
|---|---|
| 01-80 |
Chaos Attribute Randomly determine a single Chaos Attribute, using the Personal Attributes Table. If this reward is given to a unit of followers rather than to a single creature, apply the Chaos Attribute equally to all of the models in the unit. |
| 81-85 |
Characteristic Increase Add one to the followers' S and T, up to a maximum value of 10. |
| 86-90 |
Chaos Spawn The follower or members of the unit become Chaos Spawn, receiving an additional D6+6 personal Chaos Attributes. The followers may be kept in the Champion's service or thrown out of the Champion's retinue. If the Champion chooses to keep the Chaos Spawn, either he or another member of the retinue must act as a handler for the Spawn. |
| 91-95 |
Multiple Rewards Roll on this table D4 times, and apply the results to the chosen follower or followers. You may apply the results to different followers each time, provided that you choose the recipient(s) in advance of making each roll. For example, you could give several followers one reward each, or give all D4 rewards to a single follower, thus creating a powerful subordinate character. |
| 96-00 |
Special Reward Roll once on the Chaos Reward Table, as though the chosen follower is a Champion. A Chaos Attribute reward should be treated as a Chaos Armour reward. This reward may only be given to a single creature, although the recipient may be chosen from a unit of followers if desired. |
Servants Of Chaos And Magic[]
Many followers and servants of Chaos have magical abilities. Some of those who turn to Chaos in their search for power have already developed magical skills. Others are granted a variety of powers and abilities as rewards for their service to their unnatural masters, the Powers of Chaos.
Mortal followers of Chaos can begin their lives as Champions of Chaos (or as a member of a Champion's retinue) with magical powers. These are the spells and abilities that they learned before the lure of Chaos became too great and, as such, they are generated in the same manner as spells for non-chaotic wizards. There is no limit to the powers a wizard can have before he turns to Chaos, although an already powerful wizard would risk much in treading the dark road to further power in Chaos.
Acquiring Magical Powers[]
As has been noted, magical and magic-related powers can be gained as one of the rewards or curses of service to the gods of Chaos. There are several ways in which this can happen.
A Champion of Chaos who is not a wizard can gain a level of mastery with the associated spells and magic points when he receives the Eye of God reward. Spells, magic points and the associated power level are generated randomly, as for any other wizard. This reward can never be gained by Champions of Khorne.
Any mutant (a Daemon, Champion, Chaos Spawn or 'ordinary' follower of Chaos) can receive the personal Chaos attribute of Magician, which grants them similar powers to the Eye of God reward. Even followers of Khorne can be cursed with this attribute and given powers which Khorne abhors for the actions carried out in his name.
The lowest level of magic is received, over and above the recipient's original level of mastery (if any). For example, a Champion with no magical powers receives a magic level of 1 when he gains either the Eye of God reward or the Magician attribute. A wizard who can already cast spells receives the next level of magic above that he can already use.
A Chaos follower who can already use all levels of magic is granted additional spells and magic points (with a corrosponding increase in power level) starting with level 1 spells, which are determined as usual.
Resistance to magic and its effects can also be gained by the followers of Chaos. Champions of Khorne, for example, can gain a Collar Of Khorne similar to that worn by the Fleshhounds of Khorne. The personal Chaos attributes Magic Immune and Magic Resistant and the dominant attribute Magically Resistant grant a degree of protection against the effects of spells. Finally, some of the new properties of magically enhanced swords also confer magical powers on the blade's bearer.
Acquiring Spells[]
The spells received by servants of Chaos are determined randomly, usually when the follower receives either the Eye of God reward or the Magician Chaos attribute. A recipient of either is entitled to three spells of a newly gained magic level.
Each of the Chaos gods (except Khorne) has four associated spells, one for each level. These spells are always the first spells gained by the god's follower at each level of magical mastery. The other spells of the relevant level that the follower knows are determined randomly. A Slaaneshi Champion, for example, who can cast level 1 magic would always know Acquiesence and two other random spells.
No distinction is made between different types of spell when generating them randomly for Chaos spellcasters. Roll a D10 and consult the following table to determine the type of each spell:
| D10 | Spell Type |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | Battle Magic |
| 3-4 | Daemonologist |
| 5-6 | Elemental |
| 7-8 | Illusionist |
| 9-0 | Necromantic |
Once the level and type of spell has been determined, randomly generate a specific spell of that level.