Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game
Welcome to the Old World
In the heart of the great forests, within long-buried lairs, and at the very edges of the world, they wait. Ravening hordes of inhuman creatures biding their time, plotting the downfall of every ordered kingdom, salivating in anticipation of the bountiful slaughter soon to come.
Common folk, bolstered by honest faith and comforting lies, misled by ignorance and superstition, cannot grasp the extent of the foes arrayed against them. They hide behind tall walls, watch polished ranks of soldiers march by, and think themselves safe. They are wrong.
You have seen the truth. You have faced true evil, perhaps witnessed the servants of Chaos itself go about their secret work, and no longer find comfort in the lies. Far worse, that same evil has marked you in turn, not as a threat, perhaps, but a thing to be snuffed out lest it somehow delay the destined desolation that lies ahead. You had a single choice — flee in terror, or resist in any way you can.
In this dark and bloody age, bold deeds and great courage are called for. You have chosen to take up a hopeless fight, to stand when the coward would flee and the wise would kneel. You must oppose the swelling tide of strife and war, of flame and fury, or be smothered by it. Let others wallow in their false peace, let them hate you trying to drag them from it. For if you are skilled and lucky, if you choose worthy allies, take up stalwart arms or master perilous magics, you may even live to see your grim work done.
Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game is your gateway to grim and glorious adventure in the World of Legend. Pick up the Player’s Guide at release, and grab the Gamemaster’s Guide if you intend to run your own unforgettable adventures!
The Setting
The Empire was once a mighty edifice of order, the mightiest human nation in the Old World. Founded by mighty Sigmar millennia ago, those who would be heirs to this legacy proved unworthy to the task. The Empire fragmented into disparate provinces, united in name and by the spirit of the common people, but politically weak and divided.
It is now 2276 IC, and with the Vampire Wars ending a century ago and the threat of Chaos reassuringly distant, the Empire’s nobility believes they are secure enough to indulge their political ambitions. Several claimants have declared themselves the rightful Emperor, each with their supporters and armies. They watch each other warily, vigilant for plots or manoeuvres that might upset this delicate balance of power and throw the Empire into open war. In doing so, they neglect much that they may soon have cause to regret.
The Empire’s great enemies are far from vanquished; they merely recover their strength out of sight. In secrecy, they muster their dark forces and salivate as the leaderless Empire fragments. When exposed, they strike back with merciless fury, silencing any witnesses who might reveal the growing danger.
At the heart of the Empire, in the Grand Duchy of Talagaad, lies the town of Talagaad. It is a river port on the border between the rival powers of Talabec and Osterlund, caught forever in the shadow of mighty Talabheim. It is a benighted haven of smugglers and bandits, a mouldering collection of the hopeless and the lost. It is also your home, for now at least. It is where you earn your bread, where you live and keep whatever modest possessions you have managed to accrue. You know the people here; some are firm allies, others bitter rivals. Your fate, and the fate of Talagaad, are inextricably linked. Without one, the other will fall.
The System
Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game uses a d10 dice pool system. To resolve most tests, you roll as many 10-sided dice (d10s) as your Characteristic rating, and look for results that score equal to or under your Skill rating. In most cases, just 1 success is sufficient to accomplish the task, but additional successes may be used to achieve extra effects, or overcome more direct opposition.
Your adventures will test your abilities to the limit, as you unravel murderous conspiracies, bargain with nobles and thieves alike, explore the darkest depths of the Great Forest, and brave the currents of the River Talabec. The greatest threats are those you meet in battle, who must be overcome with faith, steel, and gunpowder. Combat is fast-flowing and kinetic, rewarding tactical play and skilful manoeuvres. It is also perilously lethal, with careless or ill-prepared fighters meeting a grisly end.
Character Creation
Creating characters for Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game is quick and easy, with plenty of options to make your character unique. You’ll start by choosing one of six available Origins in the Player’s Guide: Bretonnian, Dwarf, Empire (Human), Halfling, High Elf, and Wood Elf.
Next, you choose your Career — what you do to earn your coin, and what assets (like a river barge or workshop) you can access. There are 30 different Careers in the Player’s Guide, from the humble Rat Catcher to the notorious Wizard. Some Careers, like the Wildwood Ranger, are unique to specific Origins, while others, like the Boathand, are available to all.
Your Career also influences what Contacts you know, influential NPCs in Talagaad with whom you have a pre-existing relationship. At each stage of character creation, you make important choices; which Characteristics to increase, which Skills to focus on, or which Lores to specialise in. If you let the dice decide for you, you’ll start with extra XP!
Finally, you are ready to experience your Grim Portent. This dreadful incident is what binds your group together, forcing them into a life-or-death battle against a powerful, resourceful enemy. Your Grim Portent propels you directly into follow-up adventures and sets the tone for the rest of the campaign, but it is only the starting point — the World of Legend is beset by countless foes, from nameless horrors to slavering beasts, and victory will be hard won.
The Range
Player’s Guide
The Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game Player’s Guide contains everything a player needs to make a character, advance them through play, and understand their place in the World of Legend. You’ll need at least one copy for your gaming group, as it contains all the basic rules of play. Having your own copy is especially useful when deciding what Skills to advance, what Talents or Lores to learn, what trappings to buy, or what Endeavours to pursue in downtime.
Gamemaster’s Guide
The Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game Gamemaster’s Guide is an essential resource for the person running the game. It includes GM advice for running a campaign, choosing a Grim Portent, and interacting with Talagaad’s Contacts and other key NPCs in the vicinity of Talagaad. It also includes GM-facing rules like Corruption, downtime Events, and a substantial bestiary of Allies and Adversaries — with plot hooks and named examples, as well as their profiles.
Accessories
Expand your Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game collection, with maps to immerse your players in the vicinity of Talagaad, dice to denote your devotion to Father Taal, card decks to put reference material at your fingertips, and character sheet pads in case your character makes bad choices and you suddenly need to generate a new character mid-session!
The Future
Future releases for Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game will include a Gamemaster’s Screen and booklet, a Starter Set that introduces new players to Talagaad, and other adventures to pursue near Talagaad’s boundaries. From there, we will expand the line to cover new territories beyond the borders of Talabec, and to increase the range of options available to players and Gamemasters.
FAQ
What is Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game?
Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game is your gateway to grim and glorious adventure in the World of Legend. You discover dark forces lurking in the periphery of your home, and rise to the challenge of exposing and destroying them. It uses an easy to learn d10 dice pool system, with rules for fast and brutal combat, as well as mystery investigation, social encounters, and mastery of the Winds of Magic. The adventure begins in the port town of Talagaad, but from there it can expand to cover all corners of the Old World and beyond.
What sort of characters can you play?
You are an ordinary denizen of the Old World, thrust into adventure by choice or by circumstance. You might possess the radiant powers of a High Elf Wizard or an Imperial Priest of Sigmar… or you might struggle by as a Halfling Brigand or Bretonnian peasant Labourer.
Many Careers are familiar unit types from the Old World tabletop wargame, like the Empire Engineer, the Wood Elf Waywatcher, or the Dwarf Slayer. But if you prefer to find non-violent solutions to your problems, you might adopt a more civilian Career, such as the Scholar, the Merchant, or the Courtier.
Does this game support playing with miniatures?
Yes! Playing with miniatures is a great way to depict where characters and NPCs are positioned in combat, and the terrain they’re fighting over. Many Careers and NPC types have been transferred directly from The Old World tabletop wargame, so you’ll have plenty of excellent choices when representing your character on the battlefield.
However, using miniatures is not a requirement to enjoy the game. If you’re fighting a more involved combat encounter, you can get by just fine with a quick sketch of the battlefield on paper, using tokens to mark which Zone you’re in. The rest of the game plays out in your shared imagination.ffWhat system does this game use?
Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game uses a d10 dice pool system — characters roll dice equal to their Characteristic rating, and count dice that roll equal to or less than their Skill rating. The system is easy to learn, with extra character options for veteran players who really want to specialise their abilities. Combat is fast, tactical, and brutal, with plenty of opportunities to outwit your foe, or perish if you overestimate your capabilities.
Where is this game set?
The World of Legend is a time of constant war, fought 200 years before the era of Karl-Franz. The adventure begins in the fortified port of Talagaad, a benighted river town in the heart of the Empire. Your own campaigns may venture far beyond Talagaad to any part of the Old World or beyond. Future releases will support roleplaying outside of Talagaad’s surrounds.
What about Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is Cubicle 7’s landmark d100-based grim and perilous roleplaying game, set in the era of Karl-Franz. It is the latest iteration of a classic game that has enthralled generations of roleplayers for decades. There are many more releases to come for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Our development of Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game will continue in parallel, as separate gamelines, with different rules, supporting different eras of play.
What books are planned for this game?
The first supplements will expand on the core offering — a Gamemaster’s Screen and booklet, a Starter Set for welcoming new roleplayers, and adventures situated in the vicinity of Talagaad. Future releases will focus on expanding the scope of the game, offering new adventures, new options to players and GMs, and new parts of the Old World to explore.
What do I need to know as a Gamemaster?
Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game is packed full of tools to make running the game easier — a Grim Portent to bind your group together, Assets and Contacts that anchor players in your choice of setting, Dark Threads of connected NPCs to ensure one adventure flows naturally into another. The Gamemaster’s Guide is filled with practical advice for using these tools, with extra resources to help immerse your players in Talagaad specifically. Of course, once the book is in your hands, the game is your own. You’ll find the game’s simple system easy to adapt to suit your tastes, wherever in the World of Legend you choose to explore.
What do I need to know as a player?
Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game is easy to learn and exciting to play, with enough character options to support years of campaigning. Combat is brutal and challenging, rewarding cunning strategies that make the most of your group’s abilities. You might choose to play a Necromancer Witch, a nature Priest of Taal, a Bretonnian Knight-Exile, or a fast-talking Charlatan. With your own copy of the Player’s Guide, you can browse the many options of Skills to advance, Talents and Lores to learn, trappings to buy, and Endeavours to pursue in downtime at your leisure
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