TEXT:  
   
   
  Lost in Translation: 
  In Search of the Old Faith 
   
  By Alfred Nuñez Jr. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     Obligatory Copyright Statement 
   
  The Lost in Translation (LiT) series is intended to be a completely unofficial 
  addition to Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay owned by Games Workshop (GW).  All 
  relevant trademarks and copyrights are used without permission and in no way 
  meant to challenge ownership to them by GW.  LiT fully recognises said copyright 
  and trademark ownership.  Where possible, LiT conforms to the 'official' nature of 
  the Warhammer World, and does so with the full acknowledgement of the 
  intellectual ownership and legal copyright ownership of that material. 
  
  2 
  Lost in Translation: In Search of the Old Faith 
   
  Alfred Nuñez, Jr. 
   
   
  Introduction 
   
  In the first edition of Warhammer Fantasy 
  Roleplay, the Old Faith was Man’s earliest 
  religion, though its influence had shrunk 
  under pressure from newer, more 
  aggressive cults. By the time of the game’s 
  setting, it was practised mainly by country 
  folk and recent immigrants to the cities. 
  Over the millennia of its decline, the once-
  unified Old Faith had splintered into many 
  different but related sects: their common 
  heritage could be recognised by the 
  universal worship of an “Earth Mother” 
  figure, often known by various names, and 
  their reverence for the spirits of natural 
  phenomena. 
  In the second edition of WFRP, the Old 
  Faith no longer exists in the Empire, having 
  given way to the worship of Taal and Rhya 
  as well as the other gods.  There are hints 
  that the Druids and their followers left the 
  Old World for other lands, particularly 
  Albion. 
  But, what if they haven’t left? What if, 
  instead, the children of the Old Faith lived 
  on in the backcountry and isolated villages 
  of the Empire, quietly practicing their 
  ancient faith and remaining as unobtrusive 
  as possible?  Living in constant fear of 
  another Great Persecution, how do 
  followers of the Old Faith fit in the Empire?
   
   
  History 
   
  The Old Faith is Man’s oldest religion, 
  arriving with the earliest human settlements 
  in the Old World.  Many scholars 
  incorrectly believe that the Old Faith is 
  descended from the beliefs of the Wood 
  Elves.  While there are many similarities, 
  such as the reverence for nature and the 
  raising of standing stones, there are 
  significant differences: the followers of the 
  Old Faith built barrows and mounds as 
  places of burial and constructed stone 
  circles as centres of worship, a practice the 
  Elves disdain.  The Old Faith’s clearly 
  defined hierarchy within their priesthood 
  also distinguishes them from the Wood 
  Elves. 
   
   
  Up from the South 
  About 1500 years before the crowning of 
  Sigmar, Dwarf observers recorded the 
  arrival of a pastoral people in the lands that 
  would one day become the Empire.  These 
  peaceful human tribes revered the natural 
  world of Ishernos the Earth Mother as well 
  as the many spirits of the forest, streams, 
  winds, fire, and even the rocks.  Dwarf 
  records indicate that these timid people – 
  known as the Belthani – vanished into the 
  forests as the Elf-Dwarf war waned and a 
  few years before the Orc and Goblin 
  onslaught from the east. 
   
  In the early stages of the Dwarf-Orc war, 
  the Belthani had the land essentially to 
  themselves.  It was during this time that the 
  Druids, the priests of the Old Faith, built 
  many of the megalithic stone circles, burial 
  barrows and earthen mounds found in many 
  parts of the Empire.  The power of the Old 
  Faith was at its height as it used these 
  structures to tap and channel the power of 
  the ley lines. It was the harvesting of this 
  power that enabled the Druids of old to 
  keep the greenskins away from the lands of 
  the Belthani. 
  
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  Lost in Translation: In Search of the Old Faith 
   
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  Five hundred years later, more aggressive 
  human tribes entered the lands north of the 
  Black Mountains and east of the Worlds 
  Edge.  Ancestors of the tribes that would 
  unite to form the Empire, these newcomers 
  rode chariots and brought with them 
  weapons made of bronze, superior to the 
  obsidian and flint used by the Belthani, but 
  no match for the crude iron weaponry of the 
  greenskins. 
   
  Wars broke out between the Belthani and 
  the invaders, and the newcomers pushed the 
  Belthani out of the best lands and took them 
  for their own.  This and the desecration of 
  their sacred sites weakened the Druids 
  considerably; they no longer wielded the 
  power to hold the greenskins back.  The 
  war between Dwarfs and Orcs spilled into 
  the lands west of the Dwarf Empire of 
  Karaz Ankor.   For sake of their people, the 
  Belthani chieftains reached an agreement 
  with some of the new tribes, allowing the 
  people of the Old Faith peace and tolerance 
  in return for tributary status and protection.  
  This arrangement continued after the 
  Empire's foundation, until no one really 
  knew its origins. 
   
  Sidebar: Ley Lines and Earthpower 
  Players and GMs of WFRP2e are well acquainted with the notion that all magical power in 
  Warhammer comes from Chaos and take the form of Magic Winds that can be manipulated 
  by Wizards skilled in a particular lore.  Why the theory seems to hang together well when it 
  comes to Colour Magic, it seems to lose its consistency with other types of Magic.  This 
  article on the Old Faith assumes that there are other, less understood forms of magic in 
  Warhammer. 
   
  The power of the Earth Mother permeates the world in much the same manner as the Winds 
  of Magic, but radiates in certain linear directions known as ley lines.  Ley lines are no more 
  than a foot or two thick and reach a height of about 4-10 feet.  There travel in a straight line 
  no matter the terrain.  The intersection where two or more lines cross is a nexus of 
  earthpower.  In ancient times, the High Druids were able to find these locations and erect 
  some structure or marker to focus the power of the Mother.  Small nexuses would be 
  indicated by the erection of barrows, freestanding megaliths, or dolmens (two large erect 
  stones with a third stone laying on the respective tops).  Stone circles were built on the 
  larger ones (with four or more lines intersecting). 
   
  Though some of the Old Faith sites fell into disuse, particularly after the violent oppression 
  of the first millennium, the path of the ley lines remain unaffected until the Great War of 
  Chaos in 2303 I.C.  The southward expansion of the Chaos Wastes and the outpouring of 
  magic from the northern and south Warpgates caused great disruption to the ley lines.  Some 
  of these were altered, which had an effect on the known sites, weakening some while 
  strengthening others.  In particular, the weakening of ley lines rendered the dead interred 
  within the barrows restless.  Though wights were not unknown in the Old World previous to 
  the Chaos Incursion, they became more frequent in number. 
   
  Attack on the Old Faith 
  The rise of the cult of Sigmar and the 
  growth of the Imperial towns heralded the 
  expansion of the political power of the 
  established Imperial cults.  The Old Faith 
  remained on the margins of society as its 
  adherents, those descended from the 
  Belthani, were dispersed throughout the 
  rural Empire.  The leaders of the Old Faith 
  were slow to react to the new reality of 
  Imperial politics and eventually found 
  themselves outmanoeuvred. 
  
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  Lost in Translation: In Search of the Old Faith 
   
  Alfred Nuñez, Jr. 
  More the 1500 years ago, the Empire made 
  war on the Old Faith, also known as the 
  Cult of the Mother. Along with the battles, 
  sieges, hangings, and burnings, there was 
  also spiritual combat. In a realm most men 
  never see, the gods and their divine servants 
  struggled with the aid of their priests and 
  druids. In the end, the Mother surrendered 
  as the mortal servants of the newer gods 
  won their final victories. While she fell into 
  quiescence, her divine servants were either 
  bound to Taal and Rhya, or hid themselves 
  in remote places with just a few 
  worshippers to sustain them. 
   
   
  The Old Faith Today 
  Though never a strong centralised religion, 
  the Old Faith has become even more 
  fragmented over time. Many hide behind 
  the façade of worshipping Taal and Rhya, 
  as well as their divine servants.  One school 
  of theological thought considers divine 
  servants (e.g. the Rubezähl in the Färlic 
  Hills of Talabecland) and local gods 
  (Bogenauer in Bögenhafen) to be examples 
  of Old Faith spirits that survived into 
  modern times. 
   
  In fact, some theologians believed that the 
  nomadic Strigany people – who immigrated 
  to the Empire from the Border Princes 
  around 1583 I.C. – worship another dark 
  variant of the Old Faith.  The Strigany 
  commonly invoke Écate, the Goddess of the 
  White Moon, to protect their clan and take 
  vengeance on those who abuse them. 
   
  The ruins and places of the Old Faith – 
  from stone circles to barrows to sacred 
  groves – are scattered across the Empire, 
  even in areas the worshippers don't exist in 
  anymore.  These places are objects of 
  superstition and dark rumour among the 
  locals.
   
  Druids and their Lore 
   
  The Old Faith represents a way of life that 
  harkens back to the time before the coming 
  of Sigmar.  More than a religion, the 
  worship of the Mother and the natural 
  world are closely intertwined with daily 
  life.  It is actually hard for its followers to 
  separate aspects of their lives between the 
  religious and secular since the words have 
  no real meaning to them. 
   
  This unified role finds its clearest 
  expression in the dual role the Druids play 
  as religious and societal leaders of their 
  respective villages.  Their position gives 
  them greater influence among their people 
  than that accorded to priests elsewhere.  
  Due to the isolation of these settlements, 
  the Druids are very protective of their folk 
  and typically view outsiders with suspicion. 
   
  Careers
  Druidic Initiate (Basic) 
  Druidic Initiates are similar to those of 
  other cults, save they almost always come 
  from deeply rural areas and are often 
  illiterate. Dedicated to the ancient faith of 
  The Mother, they have become 
  probationary priests in training for a 
  lifetime of service. Because of the 
  persecution of the Druids and their people 
  in the ancient past, Druidic Initiates keep 
  their calling a secret from outsiders, only 
  revealing it to trusted friends. Like the 
  Druids they assist, their job is to keep faith 
  in the Mother alive and to protect all 
  believers from oppression, whether 
  descended from the Belthani or not. 
  The training is long and hard; many fail and 
  pass on into other careers. Though not 
  
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  Lost in Translation: In Search of the Old Faith 
   
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  allowed to conduct services yet, Druidic 
  Initiates are trained in the basics of 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 Profile 
  A 
  W 
  SB 
  TB 
  M 
  Mag 
  IP 
  FP
   
  +2 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Herbalism), 
  Animal Care, Common Knowledge (Old 
  Faith), Heal, Speak Language (Reikspiel) 
   
  Talents: Hardy, Orientation, Rover 
   
  Trappings: Religious symbols, homespun 
  robes, hand weapon, sling bag and a bundle 
  of healing herbs 
   
  Career Entries: Charcoal-Burner, 
  Fieldwarden, Fisherman, Hunter, Hedge 
  Wizard, Peasant, Woodsman 
   
  Career Exits: Agitator, Charlatan, Druid, 
  Innkeeper, Physician, Scout 
   
   
  Druid (Advanced)
  Druids arise from those Druidic Initiates 
  who have shown great dedication to the 
  faith of The Mother. They are able to 
  officiate at ceremonies, and have 
  responsibility for the well-being of 
  believers within the local area. They are 
  leaders in the community, taking roles that 
  allow 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 the 
  land and the life it gives, preserving the 
  natural cycles of birth and death and 
  opposing those who would scar and poison 
  the land. Many an orc warband has been 
  lead to its doom by a Druid tricking them 
  down a false trail. 
   
   
  Druid Advance Scheme-
   
  Main Profile 
  WS BS 
  S 
  T 
  Ag 
  Int WP
  Fel
  +10% +10% +5% +10% +15% +15% +15% +10%
   
  Secondary Profile 
  A 
  W 
  SB TB
  M Mag IP 
  FP 
   
  +4 
   
   
   
  +1 
   
   
   
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Theology), 
  Animal Training, Channelling, Common 
  Knowledge (The Empire), Concealment, 
  Magical Sense, Navigation, Perception, 
  Prepare Poison, Secret Signs (Old Faith), 
  Set Trap, Silent Move, Speak Arcane 
  Language (Old Faith) 
   
  Talents: Aethyric Attunement or Dark 
  Magic, Divine Lore (Old Faith), Hardy or 
  Keen Senses, Meditation, Rover, Very 
  Resilient 
   
  Trappings: Sickle and bowl, pouch with 
  herbs and spell components, hand weapon, 
  religious symbols 
   
  Career Entries: Druidic Initiate 
   
  Career Exits: Charlatan, Demagogue, Elder 
  Druid, Outlaw Chief, Scout 
   
  
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  Lost in Translation: In Search of the Old Faith 
   
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  Elder Druid (Advanced)
  Elder Druids have achieved the highest 
  rank in the Old Faith. Not necessarily old, 
  they have been honoured for their wisdom, 
  learning, and dedication. In each province 
  in which the Old Faith survives, a secret 
  council of Elder Druids guides the affairs of 
  their people. Most of the time, they work to 
  maintain a low profile for the cult, always 
  mindful of their massacre under the Drak 
  Wald Emperors. In times of active 
  persecution, however, Elder Druids have 
  been known to take revenge, arranging for 
  the deaths of those who harm the children 
  of The Mother. 
   
  Some Elder Druids who are still vigorous 
  life resign their seats on the Council to 
  serve The Mother in other ways. While 
  some travel the world and others agitate for 
  their faith’s place in the Empire, a few 
  dedicate themselves to the fight against the 
  Undead, which they see as a crime against 
  the natural order. In their unholy crypts and 
  defiled tombs, vampires quake in fear at the 
  thought of 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%
   
  Secondary Profile 
  A 
  W 
  SB 
  TB 
  M Mag IP 
  FP 
  +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 Dark 
  Magic, Divine Lore (Old Faith), Hardy or 
  Keen Senses, Ley Traveller, Luck or 
  Seasoned Traveller, Public Speaking, 
  Rover, Sixth Sense 
   
  Trappings: Religious relic 
   
  Career Entries: Druid 
   
  Career Exits: Demagogue, Explorer, 
  Navigator, Vampire Hunter 
   
   
   
  New Talent 
   
  Ley Traveller 
  This talent allows the Druidic character to 
  detect a ley line within one half a mile from 
  her position, even if the Druid does not 
  have line of sight.  In addition, the Druid 
  can walk along the ley line at normal speed 
  irrespective of the terrain.  Thus, a Druid 
  can walk across a bog or through a thick 
  forest with the same speed as they would on 
  flat grassland.  In contrast, physical objects 
  – such as trees, large bodies of water or 
  wide rivers – still remain an obstacle. 
   
  Cult of the Mother 
   
  Followers of the Old Faith have revered 
  Ishernos the Earth Mother and her children, 
  the spirits of the forest, streams, mountains, 
  etc., since well before their migration to the 
  lands of the Empire.  This aspect is the only 
  unifying principle for what are actually 
  separate, highly localised sub-cults.  These 
  local cults range from benevolent nature-
  lovers –dismissed as “tree-huggers” by 
  ignorant outsiders- to dark and secretive 
  fanatics practicing blood sacrifice. 
   
  Her worshippers consider the Mother as the 
  goddess who personifies the life-giving 
  
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  force of the Earth.  They believe that she is 
  more powerful than her more remote and 
  uncaring husband, Oermath the Sun God.  
  The more powerful offspring of the two 
  primal gods’ union are the three who 
  became Rhya, Taal, and Ulric, the first of 
  the Young Gods.  In the days when the 
  world was young and humanity few in 
  number, the five gods – along with their 
  own divine children and powerful alien 
  entities – joined together in a war against 
  other darker, unworldly invaders.  This 
  Gods’ War led to a stalemate, and Oermath 
  demanded that his wife use her power to 
  banish the invaders forever, even though it 
  would mean the death of all living 
  creatures, including the Young Gods. The 
  Mother’s refusal to do so led to a 
  confrontation with Oermath, causing a rift 
  between the two that has never healed. 
   
  Most of the Old Faith adherents believe that 
  the Mother’s children turned on her as their 
  power grew, and that she decided to 
  surrender rather than fight her sons and 
  daughters.  This myth corresponds to the 
  decision of the Belthani chieftains, advised 
  by the Druids, to follow the Mother’s 
  example when confronted by the more 
  aggressive tribes.   
   
  Unlike the worshippers of the Young Gods, 
  followers of the Old Faith believe that her 
  divine children are just powerful versions 
  of other natural spirits.  They are the 
  embodiment of one aspect of the Mother 
  and, thus, a part of her. 
   
  In some local cults, there is a belief that 
  Ishernos will rise again one day to take 
  back what is hers from her squabbling 
  children.  Moreover, it is believed that the 
  Mother’s mortal children, the descendants 
  of the Belthani, will be able to return to the 
  lands of their ancestors.  Until that day, the 
  Her faithful continue to live in harmony 
  with their natural surroundings, defending 
  their holy places from the further 
  depredations of her enemies and honouring 
  the spirits that live with them. 
   
  Other local cults believe that Ishernos knew 
  that her Divine Children would seek her 
  death in order to make their bid for 
  supremacy complete.  In their stories, the 
  Mother secretly gave birth to a daughter 
  goddess who would take her place after her 
  “demise” at the hands of her First-Born.   
  These Old Faith sub-cults are distinguished 
  by the names of the goddesses they 
  worship, some of which they call “Mother” 
  to confuse the uninitiated, and differing 
  degrees of hostility towards the established 
  Imperial cults and their followers. 
   
   
  Symbols 
  The swirls and stylised animals etched upon 
  the standing stones of the sacred circles – as 
  well as the stones blocking the entrance to 
  the various barrows – indicate that the Old 
  Faith was a more unified religion in the 
  distant past.  These days, the symbols of the 
  Old Faith vary greatly from one isolated 
  sect to another.  Many use the symbols of 
  the green man – usually a human face with 
  oak or elm leaves for hair, moustache, and 
  beard – to represent the spirit of the 
  woodlands.  Some sub-cults use sheaves of 
  wheat bound into the shape of a woman to 
  represent the Harvest Queen, particularly in 
  the open lands in the south.  Other known 
  symbols include a stylised acorn or pansy to 
  signify the Lady of the Spring, a water jug 
  to stand for the River Maiden, the sickle 
  representing the harvesting of the Mother’s 
  bounty, and the circle representing life and 
  rebirth. 
   
   
  Areas of Worship 
  Though officially denied, the worship of the 
  Old Faith is believed to exist in many of the 
  remote regions of the Empire in some form.  
  Possible centres of worship include the 
  region of Wissenland known as Solland or 
  
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  Sudenland, the northwest corner of 
  Nordland, the central hills of Talabecland, 
  the moors of Ostermark, the interior of 
  Averland, the more remote reaches of the 
  Reikland, and parts of Sylvania. 
   
  Scholars studying the Old Faith have claim 
  that they can be found in other locations in 
  the Old World.  These include pockets of 
  northwestern Bretonnia, the island of 
  Albion, remote areas in the Irrana 
  Mountains, and in the eastern and central 
  portions of the Border Princes. 
   
   
  Temperament 
  The Mother cares for and protects her 
  worshippers, but her reaction to outsiders 
  ranges from friendly and respectful to 
  hostile and vindictive.  Her attitude is 
  generally consistent with those of her local 
  worshippers. 
   
   
  Strictures 
  Druids must adhere to the following 
  strictures: 
  • 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 clans from the Mother’s 
  enemies with any means possible. 
  • Treat outsiders with hospitality 
  • Always remain cautious and vigilant for 
  strangers who may bring evil with them. 
   
  Holy Sites 
  Unlike the other organised religions of the 
  Old World, the Old Faith no longer 
  constructs temples, shrines, or similar types 
  of structures.  The natural world is their 
  temple and the most venerated places are 
  sacred groves. Stone circles and barrows 
  are also revered as they represent the 
  ancient power of the Mother.  The Druids 
  no longer build these, but they are 
  maintained as sacred places.  Barrows 
  within the stone circles or sacred groves are 
  particularly revered since it is believed the 
  combination of the two represent the 
  fullness and power of life and death. 
   
   
  Sub-Cults 
  There are many sub-cults within the Old 
  Faith, a number of which bear little 
  resemblance to what would be consider the 
  original religion. 
   
  One of the more common – though often 
  perceived to be a different cult – is the 
  worship of Écate, the Strigany Goddess of 
  the White Moon.  Through they travel the 
  roads of the Empire in brightly covered 
  wagons, the Strigany are very secretive 
  about their religious beliefs, even to the 
  point of referring to their Druids (always 
  female) as “Grandmother.”  The cult of 
  Écate is very protective of her people and 
  considers outsiders as lesser persons of 
  whom the Strigany can take advantage.  
  They tend to be outwardly friendly and very 
  emotional folk, quick to laughter and anger.  
  Socially, the Strigany are quite different 
  than Imperials and other Old Worlders and 
  are seen by some as immoral.  Some 
  Imperials, especially young men lusting 
  after the exotic Strigany women, become 
  enamoured with the lifestyle of the 
  wandering folk and run away from home to 
  join them.  Some are accepted into the clan, 
  but a number find themselves sacrificed to 
  Écate far from home and alone when the 
  Goddess demands their blood. 
  
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  In contrast, the people of Unterbaum in 
  southwestern Talabecland are an example 
  of Old Faith followers who are as peaceful 
  as they are isolated.  The village of these 
  folks is located just north of the confluence 
  of the River Narn with the River Stir.  A 
  protective ring of ancient megaliths 
  surrounds the area around the village.  
  Though merchants and traders use the River 
  Stir to move their goods from Wurtbad and 
  other settlements along the river to 
  Kemperbad, most by-pass the poor village.  
  The few who visit there believe the simple 
  folk of Unterbaum to be as friendly as they 
  are strange.  The only thing that the 
  Unterbaumers sacrifice to the spirits in their 
  land is a small sampling of their harvest and 
  some of the food they have collected. 
   
   
  Skills and Talents 
  As Druids do not follow the common 
  Priestly careers, their special skills and 
  talents are detailed in the career 
  descriptions above. 
   
   
  Prominent Figures 
  Given the semi-secretive nature of the Old 
  Faith in the Old World, there are no 
  commonly recognised prominent figures in 
  the cult.  Druids are known to those who 
  follow them. 
   
   
  Holy Days 
  Common to all Old Faith sub-cults are the 
  four holy days: Mondstille Winter Solstice, 
  Mitterfruhl Spring Equinox, Sonnstill 
  Summer Solstice, and Mitterhebst Autumn 
  Equinox.  Most local cults celebrate both 
  Hexensnacht and Geheimnisnacht with the 
  young dressing up as spirits of the land and 
  going from one dwelling to another 
  exchanging the Mother’s blessings in 
  exchange for treats.  Others celebrate this 
  event with a procession led by a Druid 
  invoking the guardian spirits’ protection 
  against the evil that is abroad during both 
  “witching night” and “night of mystery.”  
  Each sub-cult has their own set of minor 
  holy days, mostly associated with full and 
  new phases of the moon Mannslieb, which 
  are celebrated in a manner particular to 
  their followers.  Two of the better known of 
  these 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 power of the 
  Mother through use of prayer and ritual to 
  defend their folk from those who would 
  seek to harm them.  This ability requires 
  dedication of time and effort. 
   
  To gain any prayer, the Druid character 
  must spend two weeks in a holy site 
  entreating the Mother for a particular divine 
  prayer. To represent this in game terms, the 
  Druid character must pass a Fel+10% test 
  before purchasing one Divine Lore (Old 
  Faith) talent for that prayer at a cost of 100 
  ep.  If this test fails, then the Druid has been 
  found wanting at the time and must spend 
  another two weeks in communion with the 
  Mother before trying again. 
   
  The higher cost of obtaining divine prayers 
  is offset by the fact that the Druid need only 
  test on the “Mother’s Anger” table below 
  rather than “The Wrath of the Gods” table 
  (WFRP2e, page 144) whenever they roll 
  doubles or triples on their casting roll.  
  Druids are still penalised with an Automatic 
  Failure whenever they roll a 1 on all the 
  dice in their casting roll (WFRP2e, page 
  142).
     
   
  
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  Mother’s Anger Table 
  D100 Roll 
  Effect 
  01-25 
  The Mother renders the ingredient used to invoke the divine prayer inert.  
  The prayer’s effects will still take place only if the Druid’s casting roll would 
  have exceeded the casting number without the use of the ingredient. 
  26-50 
  As a warning, the Mother causes the Druid to have an excruciating headache 
  and 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 do 
  nothing 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 
  until dawn of the following day. 
  00 
  The Druid’s prayer is tainted by the local Winds of Chaos and the effects can 
  be determined by a roll on the Major Chaos Manifestation table (WFRP2e, 
  page 143) 
   
  There are two situations in which the 
  Druid does not need to roll on the above 
  table when her casting roll invoking a 
  divine prayer normally dictates such an 
  action: (1) when the Druid is defending a 
  sacred place or (2) the Druid is invoking 
  prayers from within the confines of a holy 
  site (sacred grove, stone circle). 
    
  There are some Druids who seek a quicker 
  road to power; the see enemies 
  everywhere, even among other Imperials. 
  One particular target is the cult of Taal and 
  Rhya since it is believed that this cult 
  benefited the most from the historic 
  persecution of the Old Faith.  These Druids 
  turn to Dark Magic (Dhar) as a means to 
  an end.  When using this unaltered Chaos 
  magic, the Druid gains the same benefit 
  (learning all the spells with the purchase of 
  the Arcane Lore talent) as well as bearing 
  the same risk as any 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). 
   
   
  Lore of the Old Faith 
  Due to the variety of Old Faith sub-cults 
  spread across the Old World, Druidic lore 
  contains a fairly large number of prayers 
  that a Druid may obtain.  The prayers 
  below reflect those that the Druids are 
  traditionally granted by the Mother’s 
  benevolence.  
  
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  Cure Poison 
  Casting Number: 4 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A sprig of mistletoe (+1) 
  Description:  With this prayer, the Druid 
  lays her hand on the part of the body 
  where the poison entered the victim.  
  The prayer and touch negates the 
  effect of the poison (WFRP 2e 
  corebook, pages 122-123), provided 
  that it is cast within one hour of the 
  poison entering the victim and the 
  victim is still alive.   
   
   
  Delouse 
  Casting Number: 4 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A pinch of pepper (+1) 
  Description: The prayer allows the Druid 
  to remove parasitic infestations of all 
  kinds from any character or non-
  Chaotic, non-giant creature touched by 
  the Druid. 
   
   
  Heal Injury 
  Casting Number: 4 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A spider’s web (+1) 
  Description:  Placing her hand on a 
  lightly wounded character or non-
  Chaotic, non-giant creature, the Druid 
  is able to heal the injured of a number 
  of W equal to 1d10 plus the Druid’s 
  Magic characteristic.  If heavily 
  wounded, the character or creature 
  only regains 1 W plus the Druid’s 
  Magic characteristic.  The Druid can 
  heal herself. 
   
   
  Identify Nature 
  Casting Number: 4 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A sprig of any natural herb 
  and a hair from any natural animal 
  (+1) 
  Description:  This prayer enables the 
  Druid to survey the area before her up 
  to 100 yards and determine if there is 
  any “unnatural” flora or fauna for what 
  they are.  These include predatory 
  plants such as bloodsedge and 
  damaging moulds; plants and animals 
  “created” by magical spells such as 
  “Illusion”; werecreatures; and Chaos 
  creatures.  The prayer does not allow 
  the Druid to detect such as snares and 
  pits, or information about the natural 
  flora and fauna which are unfamiliar to 
  her.  The prayer lasts for one hour. 
   
   
  Animal Mastery 
  Casting Number: 5 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A tooth from any animal (+1) 
  Description:  The Druid is able to 
  establish a telepathic connection with 
  any non-Chaotic, non-giant creature of 
  low Int (6-15%) within 6 yards for 
  1D10+5 minutes.  The Druid may 
  freely communicate with the animal, 
  which is generally well-disposed as a 
  result of the prayer.  She may also 
  command the creature, but it tests 
  against its WP if the Druid commands 
  it to do something dangerous or 
  outside its normal behaviour.   
   
   
  Mist Cloud 
  Casting Number: 7 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A drop of water (+1) 
  Description:  The Druid creates a 10-yard 
  diameter cloud of mist within 50 yards 
  of her.  The cloud totally obscures the 
  vision of those within it, halving their 
  movement and modifying any 
  Perception tests by -20.  The Druid 
  and any friendly group with her can see 
  and move normally within the cloud.  
  The mist cloud lasts for 5 minutes. 
  
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  Hiding 
  Casting Number: 8 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A piece of cloth (+1) 
  Description:  Through use of this prayer, 
  the Druid is able to create a magical 
  zone with a diameter of 6 yards centred 
  on herself that allows all characters and 
  non-Chaotic, non-giant creatures 
  within to merge with the surrounding 
  terrain.  As long as the creatures within 
  the area remain stationary, they are 
  impossible to be seen at distances over 
  12 yards.  Any individual coming 
  within the 12 yards may detect the 
  hidden Druid, characters, and creatures 
  if he makes a Perception-20% test 
  (+10% for Excellent Vision). 
   
   
  Summon Spirit Familiar 
  Casting Number: 10 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: Tuft of fur or feathers from 
  the type of creature in whose form the 
  familiar is summoned (+1) 
  Description: This prayer allows the Druid 
  to summon a spirit in one of the 
  following 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 vague 
  outline.  The spirit has the profile of a 
  normal creature with an Int of 89% 
  and appears as a white or light grey 
  coloured creature with deep amber 
  eyes.  The spirit informs the Druid of 
  anything amiss – “unnatural” flora and 
  fauna as well as traps and ambushes – 
  within 100 yards of where it is 
  summoned.  It remains within 5 yards 
  of the Druid and reports anything it 
  senses telepathically.  Though the spirit 
  can pass through walls or other 
  physical obstructions, it can be harmed 
  by magic. 
  Cause Rain 
  Casting Number: 11 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A drop of water (+1) 
  Description: The Druid is able to create a 
  sudden downpour of rain within 100 
  yards of her in any outdoor situation 
  (except desert) and lasts 1 round.  This 
  burst of rain reduces fire damage by 
  1D10 points, makes long-range missile 
  fire impossible and gives a penalty of –
  10% to the BS of any firing short-
  range.  In addition, fire-based magic is 
  instantly dispelled, and any flaming 
  magical weapons are nullified for the 
  duration of the prayer.  Moreover, 
  gunpowder weapons cannot be fired 
  during the rain and there is a 10% 
  chance of these becoming waterlogged 
  and unable to fire until dried out. 
   
   
  Cure Disease 
  Casting Number: 11 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A sprig of mistletoe (+1) 
  Description: The Druid is able to cure an 
  afflicted person of any one disease by 
  touch so long as the person is still alive.  
   
   
  Giant Animal Mastery 
  Casting Number: 12 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: 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 low 
  intelligence (6-18%) within 6 yards for 
  1D10+5 minutes.  Giant creatures may 
  make a WP test to resist the effects of 
  the prayer.  If they fail, the Druid may 
  freely communicate with the giant 
  animal, which is generally well-
  disposed as a result of the prayer.  She 
  may also command the creature, but it 
  tests against its WP if the Druid 
  commands it to do something dangerous 
  or outside its normal behaviour. 
  
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  Heal Vegetation 
  Casting Number: 12 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A small bag of auroch, deer, 
  or horse dung (+1) 
  Description: The Druid can heal the 
  vegetation in a 10-yard by 10-yard 
  patch of ground within 50 yards from 
  the effects of drought, poisoning, 
  blight, plant disease, parasites, and so 
  on, even if caused by other magical 
  spells. 
   
   
  Leave No Trace 
  Casting Number: 12 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A feather or tuft of fur (+1) 
  Description: The Druid can travel in the 
  wilderness for one hour and leave no 
  discernible trace of their passage, no 
  matter the terrain.  Thus, the Druid can 
  travel through the thickest forest or 
  open grassland without leaving any 
  trail.  A opposing character with the 
  Follow Trail skill with have a –30% 
  modifier imposed on their respective Ag 
  characteristic when attempting to track 
  the Druid.  The opposing character must 
  test every round in order to not lose 
  what little trail they have come across. 
   
   
  Plague of Lice 
  Casting Number: 12 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A drop of blood (+1) 
  Description:  The Druid is able to afflict a 
  plague of lice upon any individual or 
  group within 25 yards and in her line of 
  sight for 1D10 minutes.  The victims 
  begin to itch terribly and need to make a 
  WP test.  Those who succeed suffer a 
  penalty of –20% to all tests while the 
  prayer lasts. Those who fail instantly 
  strip off their armour and scratch 
  frantically, counting as a prone for the 
  duration of the prayer. 
  Stampede 
  Casting Number: 14 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: The jawbone of a snake of the 
  skull of a wolf (+1) 
  Description: The Druid is able to force 
  any single, or group of, non-Chaotic, 
  giant creature(s) within 50 yards to 
  uncontrollably flee away (as if affected 
  by Fear) from her at their maximum 
  movement rate for 1D10+5 rounds.  In 
  the case of mounted creatures, such as 
  horses, the rider is permitted a Fel test 
  (+10% for Animal Care, +10% for 
  Animal Training) each round after the 
  first to bring the animal under control.  
  Creatures failing a WP test will not 
  approach within 50 yards of the Druid 
  until the next sunrise. 
   
   
  Area of Purity 
  Casting Number: 15 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A bronze dagger (+1) 
  Description:  The Druid creates a 10-yard 
  diameter area centred on herself.  The 
  area lasts for one hour and moves with 
  the Druid.  Druids, followers of the Old 
  Faith, and normal animals may enter 
  and leave the area freely.  Other 
  creatures and beings must successfully 
  pass a WP test with the following 
  modifiers to enter: 
   
  Elves, Giant Animals  
      0% 
   
  Halflings, other Humans 
  -10% 
   
  Dwarfs  
   
   
  -20% 
   
  Anything else  
   
  -40% 
   
   
  Decompose 
  Casting Number: 16 
  Casting Time: Full Action  
  Ingredient: A dried leaf (+1) 
  Description:  A ray of dark green light 
  instantly projects from the Druid’s 
  fingertips up to a range of 50 yards.  
  Anything organic (such as wood, 
  
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  Alfred Nuñez, Jr. 
  leather, plant fibre) in the path of the 
  beam of light will immediately rot 
  away into dust.  This prayer will affect 
  nothing living or magically animated 
  with the exception of Zombies.  When 
  struck, these Undead become 
  Skeletons. 
   
   
  Tanglethorn 
  Casting Number: 16 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient:  A briar or bramble (+1) 
  Description: This prayer enables the Druid 
  to cause a 20 square foot area of plants 
  or bushes within 25 yards to become 
  partially animated.  The plants lash out 
  and wrap themselves around anything 
  trying to move through them for 1 
  minute (6 rounds).  Any creature is the 
  area of effect takes 1D10+4 W at SB1 
  every round from lashing branches and 
  must make a S test each round in order 
  to move or attack.  Failure means that 
  the creature is considered prone. 
   
   
  Travel along the Ley Line 
  Casting Number: 16 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A feather of a swift or falcon 
  (+1) 
  Description: This prayer allows the 
  Druidic character to instantly (in one 
  round) travel along a ley line through 
  solid objects for up to a half a mile.  
  From an outside observer’s point of 
  view, the Druid essentially disappears 
  from where they stood at the beginning 
  of the round and re-appears up to a 
  half-mile away at the end of the round. 
   
   
  Steam Cloud 
  Casting Number: 17 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A drop of water and a burning 
  torch within 10 yards (+1) 
  Description: With this prayer, the Druid 
  brings forth a cloud of superheated 
  steam 10 yards in diameter within 50 
  yards of the Druid.  The cloud lasts for 
  1 minute (6 rounds).  Creatures suffer 
  2W for each round they remain within 
  the Steam Cloud irrespective of TB and 
  any protections, magical or otherwise.  
  Creatures inside the cloud must make 
  an Ag test each round.  If successful, 
  they can move towards the nearest 
  edge to escape the cloud and its effects.  
  A failed Ag test means that the creature 
  is disoriented and moves in a random 
  direction.   
   
   
  Shapechange 
  Casting Number: 18 
  Casting Time: Two Full Actions 
  Ingredient: The skin of the animal to 
  change into (+2) 
  Description: The Druid is able to take the 
  form of any non-Chaotic, non-giant 
  animal, gaining the profile of the 
  animal in question (except for Int, 
  which remains the Druid’s) together 
  with any abilities it has.  While in 
  animal form, the Druid is not able to 
  use prayers or perform any other 
  functions of which the animal is not 
  capable.  If rendered unconscious by 
  W loss or any other means, the Druid 
  returns to her human form.  The prayer 
  lasts 5 minutes or until the Druid ends 
  the effects of the prayer. 
   
   
  Summon Swarm 
  Casting Number: 18 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: 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 50 
  
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  yards of the Druid and will follow 
  simple instructions.  The Swarm lasts 
  for 1 hour and has the following 
  profile: 
   
  Main Profile 
  WS BS 
  S 
  T 
  Ag Int WP Fel
  33% 
  0 
  10% 14% 10% 5% 89%
  0 
   
  Secondary Profile 
  A 
  W 
  SB 
  TB 
  M Mag IP 
  FP 
  10 
  20 
  1 
  1 
  4 
  - 
  - 
  - 
   
  Skills: Perception 
   
  Talents: Flier (Bats), Keen Senses, Natural 
  Weapons 
   
   
  Tap Earthpower 
  Casting Number: 18 
  Casting Time: One minute 
  Ingredient: A stone bowl with three drops 
  of Druid’s blood (+2) 
  Description: This prayer can only be 
  performed in a stone circle or sacred 
  grove and enables the Druid to draw 
  upon the power of the sacred site to 
  facilitate other prayers.  For the next 
  hour, the casting number for any prayer 
  is reduced by 3 and the Druid is not 
  subject to the Automatic Failure penalty.   
   
   
  Animate Tree 
  Casting Number: 20 
  Casting Time: Two Full Actions 
  Ingredient: A seed or berry from the type 
  of tree to be animated (+1) 
  Description: The Druid can animate one 
  tree for five minutes, effectively 
  becoming a Treeman under her control.  
  The animated tree has the profile and 
  abilities of a Treeman (Old World 
  Bestiary, pages 110-111).  The Druid 
  must touch the tree when invoking the 
  prayer and then remain within 10 feet 
  of it. 
  Create Vegetation 
  Casting Number: 20 
  Casting Time: Two Full Actions 
  Ingredient: 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 of 
  tangled vegetation to grow over an area 
  12 yards in diameter.  If there are any 
  seeds in the ground, these will sprout 
  and grow to full maturity in 1D10 
  rounds, momentarily tangling anyone 
  standing in the area and possibly lift up 
  on a bed of verdure.  The plants will be 
  whatever is natural for the area.  Once 
  the plants reach maturity, they will 
  behave naturally given the climate 
  conditions and season of year.  Trees 
  will not reach full growth, but will get 
  to the sapling stage. 
   
  If the ground is barren, then the plants 
  will grow from whatever seeds the 
  Druid uses when invoking this prayer.  
  The plants will grow, but will wither 
  away after 1D10 hours. 
   
   
  Entanglement 
  Casting Number: 20 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A pinch of dung and sprig of 
  Bloodsedge (+2) 
  Description: The Druid can cause 
  vegetation to erupt from any point 
  within 100 yards, irrespective of terrain 
  type, instantly covering an area with a 
  25-yard diameter and turning the 
  terrain into difficult ground, affecting 
  movement accordingly. For the five 
  minutes the prayer lasts, creatures 
  caught within the area of effect are 
  entangled in the first round and need to 
  successfully pass a S-10% test on any 
  subsequent round to move at 
  Hampered rate (WFRP2e, pages 137-
  138).  Entangled creatures cannot 
  move, cast spells, or use magical items 
  to create spells and spell-like effects.  
  In addition, entangled creatures suffer 
  –20% to BS and –10% to WS. 
  
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  Hedge of Thorns 
  Casting Number: 20 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A stem from wild rose or 
  berry bush (+1) 
  Description: The Druid is able to create a 
  hedge of thorns with 50 yards.  The 
  hedge instantly springs up from the 
  ground filling an area in 2 x 25 yard 
  strip or in a circle of a radius of 6 
  yards.  The hedge can be made to grow 
  in front of, around, or even on top of 
  groups of creatures as the Druid 
  wishes.  Each creature within the area 
  of thorns receives 3D10 W at SB6, 
  reduced by TB and leg armour only.  
  In addition, movement is reduced to 
  the Hampered rate. 
   
  Once created, the wall of thorns cannot 
  be dispelled.  It is flammable and a 
  section of hedge has TB7 and W25. 
   
   
  Rainbow Bridge 
  Casting Number: 20 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A wooden miniature 
  sculptured bridge, painted with the 
  colours of a rainbow (+2) 
  Description: This prayer can only be cast 
  if a rainbow appears within the Druid’s 
  sight (roughly 10% chance after it 
  rains).  The Druid brings the rainbow 
  to her feet in one round and can lead a 
  group (eight character and/or natural 
  animals) onto the rainbow.  Once all 
  are on, the rainbow travels 1 mile per 
  round to a maximum of 20 miles.  The 
  Druid may have herself and the group 
  set down at any point of time within 
  that distance.  Creatures hostile to the 
  Druid must make a WP test to step 
  onto the rainbow and then for every 
  round they are on the rainbow.  If any 
  subsequent WP test fails, the hostile 
  creature falls off the rainbow from a 
  height of 400 feet and to their death. 
  Create Bog 
  Casting Number: 24 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A ball of mud (+1) 
  Description: The Druid creates an area of 
  soft and marshy ground on any bare 
  patch of bare ground in an outside 
  setting within 50 yards.  Lasting three 
  minutes, the bog covers an area up to 
  50 square yards; counting as difficult 
  ground.  When the prayer ends, the 
  ground dries out and hardens back to 
  normal ground.  Any creature mired 
  in the big when it dries out finds itself 
  trapped unless it makes a successful S 
  test.  Trapped creatures count as 
  prone and need to be dug out to move 
  again. 
   
   
  Drawing down the Moon 
  Casting Number: 24 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: Two moonstones (+2) 
  Description: If moonlight is present, the 
  Druid brings down a form of moon 
  madness upon a single or group of 
  creatures within 100 yards.  The target 
  creature(s) are bathed by the glowing 
  moonlight which weakens their 
  resolve (WP-10%) and very quickly 
  drives them insane.  The effects of the 
  prayer lasts one minute (6 rounds) and 
  affected creatures suffer from –10% to 
  both S and T (-1 to SB and TB) and, 
  as they are experiencing 
  hallucinations, -20% to WS and BS.  
  Affected Wizards and Priests must 
  first pass a WP-10% test in order to 
  cast a spell or prayer.  At the end of 
  the prayer, the affected characters 
  must make a WP-10% test or gain 2 
  Insanity Points.  Daemons and 
  Undead are affected differently, 
  suffering from one automatic SB4 hit 
  per round. 
   
   
  
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  Sunbeam 
  Casting Number: 24 
  Casting Time: Full Action 
  Ingredient: A 1-inch diameter disc of 
  burnished copper (+2) 
  Description: The effects of this prayer 
  only take effect when sunlight is 
  present (anytime daylight hours except 
  when dark storm clouds cover the 
  whole sky).  The Druid instantly calls 
  down a roaring column of fire from the 
  sky within 100 yards which affects all 
  creatures within an 8-yard diameter 
  circle.  Most creatures suffer 2D10 W 
  at SB8, while flammable targets suffer 
  4D10 W at SB8.  This prayer has great 
  power against Daemons and Undead, 
  both of which suffer 4D10 W at SB10. 
   
  Create Sacred Grove (Ritual) 
  Type: Divine 
  Arcane Language: Old Faith 
  Magic: 3 
  XP: 300 
  Ingredients: A golden sickle, a bowl of 
  sacrificial blood (may be Druid’s), and 
  a sprig of mistletoe. 
  Conditions: Centre of a suitable clearing 
  in the depth of a forest that is first be 
  marked out by Area of Purity prayer 
  and the ritual begins during the full 
  moon (of Mannslieb) 
  Consequences: None 
  Casting Number: 18 
  Casting Time: One hour each night 
  starting at midnight until the day of the 
  new moon (of Mannslieb) 
  Description: Druid is able to dedicate a 
  grove of trees to the Mother as sacred 
  ground.  This ritual can also be used to 
  re-dedicate a grove that had been 
  desecrated, as well as a stone circle or 
  barrow (in the latter case, the ritual 
  must be performed on the outside).
   
  Adventure Hooks 
   
  When Evil Collides 
  During the first millennium of the Empire, 
  many variations of the Old Faith sprang up 
  in the isolated regions in the Empire.  One 
  centred around the god Gurheid, whose cult 
  had grown dominant among the Fennone 
  tribe of the eastern Empire. Some scholars 
  blamed the poor soil and farming 
  conditions in the lands that became 
  Sylvania and southern Ostermark for this 
  darker version of the Old Faith.  Human 
  sacrifice was common, for the religion 
  believed that the goddess demanded blood 
  to restore the fertility of the earth.  Many 
  scholars of history and religion believe that, 
  given the sad and horrific past of Sylvania, 
  the worship of Gurheid thrived for some 
  time in opposition to the ruling houses of 
  the von Teufelheims and von Draks. 
  Gerhard von der Lasa of the Streissen 
  Lyceum has argued that the cult of Gurheid 
  was finally exterminated during the early 
  reign of the von Carsteins, between 1800- 
  1850 I.C. 
   
  While the PCs are relaxing in a tavern in 
  Nuln, Kemperbad or some other city near 
  Stirland, an elderly man approaches them 
  with a job offer.  He tells the PCs that his 
  master, Baron Hermann von Schleicher (an 
  antiquarian of no small fame), is looking to 
  hire a talented group of individuals to 
  undertake a dangerous job involving a high 
  degree of discretion and “creativity.”  The 
  job also entails travel to the town of 
  Teufelheim in the eastern marches of 
  Stirland (Sylvania) to uncover an ancient 
  artefact that once belonged to the High 
  
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  Lost in Translation: In Search of the Old Faith 
   
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  Priest of the extinct and mysterious cult of 
  Gurheid.  The relic is described as a foot-
  tall woman-shaped statuette made of pure 
  silver believed to have been lost somewhere 
  among the nearby ruined castle.  Once in 
  their possession, the PCs are to deliver the 
  priceless objet d'art to the Baron’s manor 
  house on the outskirts of Wurtbad for a 
  substantial fee (the initial offer is 200 GCs 
  for the group, though the Baron is willing to 
  go as high as 100 GCs per person). 
   
  Things get interesting for the PCs when 
  they approach Sylvania from the River Stir.  
  At Siegfriedhof, the PCs come across a 
  patrol of Raven Knights and must assure 
  the Mórrian Templars that their plans do 
  not conflict with the Order’s mission in the 
  region.  Shortly after that stop, a man 
  dressed in black (a secret worshippers of 
  Gurheid) trails the PCs from a safe 
  distance.  The mystery man scatters 
  whenever the PCs turn to confront him.  He 
  also carefully avoids any traps or ambushes 
  they might set.  Near Waldenhof, the PCs 
  find that another group, wearing the livery 
  of the Count of Drakenhof, have taken 
  interest in their activities.  The man in black 
  is no longer in evidence.  The PCs will have 
  to determine if there is any connection 
  between the mystery man and this group.  
  After all, the countryside the PCs are 
  travelling in is spooky enough without 
  having to deal with men who may be bent 
  on their destruction. 
   
  As they near their destination, the PCs find 
  signs of inhabitation near the ruined castle, 
  yet they have come across nobody.  The 
  mystery deepens as PCs with Magical 
  Sense see some vague shape from the 
  corner of their eyes that is no longer present 
  when directly looked at.  The shape could 
  be a restless spirit or something summoned 
  for some foul purpose.  And what of the 
  people who have left signs of their 
  presence?  Could the adherents to the cult 
  of Gurheid somehow survived the von 
  Carstein persecution?  Or, did they form 
  some unholy alliance?  Why do the ruins 
  ahead seem unnaturally quiet?  Could 
  someone else know that the PCs have 
  arrived? Or, are they expecting someone 
  else?  Perhaps someone else is interested in 
  the statuette?  And what are the men 
  wearing the livery of Drakenhof doing 
  here?  Could they be in league with 
  whoever is guarding the statuette?  Perhaps 
  the PCs have led them to the prize, which 
  may have been sought by their Master for 
  years?  Or, is there something more 
  nefarious afoot here? 
   
   
  Mystery at Dorchen 
  There is a steep-sided hill about 200 feet in 
  height with a flat top about a mile and a 
  half outside the Reikland village of 
  Dorchen, which is located northeast of 
  Altdorf.  The top of Heiligenhöhlen Hill is 
  roughly 10 yards wide and 6 yards deep.  
  Though surrounded by forest, not one tree 
  grows on this hill.  Ancient folklore tells of 
  a story where some malevolent spirit tried 
  to steal Taal’s bear-furred cloak as the god 
  slept nearby.  A battle ensued and the 
  unnamed spirit stabbed Taal in the thigh 
  with a knife made of enchanted antler.  The 
  God of the Wilds threw down the spirit.  
  Before the spirit could regain its wits, Taal 
  picked up a small hill and slammed it on the 
  spirit’s head, thereby entombing it.  To 
  mark this prison, a large bronze cover was 
  placed on the hilltop.  Sometime later, a 
  temple dedicated to Taal was built on the 
  Heiligenhöhlen Hill’s summit. 
   
  The fact is Heiligenhöhlen Hill is an 
  artificial mound constructed long ago by 
  the Belthani people for reasons long 
  forgotten save by a shrinking number of 
  Druids living in the hilly region of western 
  Talabecland. 
   
  The night before the PCs pass through 
  Dorchen, a howling northern wind blew 
  
  19 
  Lost in Translation: In Search of the Old Faith 
   
  Alfred Nuñez, Jr. 
  through the area, breaking off tree branches 
  and causing some structural damage to 
  some of the buildings.  A shepherd passed 
  by the Heiligenhöhlen Hill and noticed that 
  the Temple to Taal no longer stood there 
  (the angle of the slope prohibited the young 
  lad from seeing the ruins of the temple). 
   
  Fearful and superstitious, no one from 
  Dorchen wanted to check on the temple, 
  much less the priest.  The Headman of the 
  village approaches the PCs, who, as 
  outsiders, are expendable, to hire them to 
  investigate.  The village cannot pay much 
  in coin, but many of the folk are willing to 
  barter provisions and some goods (average 
  quality, at best) for the service. 
   
  If the PCs agree, they arrive at the base of 
  Heiligenhöhlen Hill after a 30-minute trek.  
  Reaching the summit, they can see that the 
  Temple has been crushed as if by a giant’s 
  club.  There is no sign of Brother Ottar or 
  his remains, but there is a large bronze 
  wheel or plug next to an open, narrow shaft 
  that descends into the darkness. 
   
  PCs investigating the opening of the shaft 
  with find two sets of five roughly parallel 
  furrows cut into the soil as if made by 
  human hands.  The furrows are deepest by 
  the aperture, and some hold traces of skin 
  and blood.  The bronze construct is large 
  enough to stopper the shaft and is quite 
  heavy at around 700 lbs.  The top of the 
  bronze cover has been worn by age, but 
  shows none of the expected corrosion.  
  There is some sort of worn engraving on 
  the bronze, but the PCs would have to do a 
  rubbing to get an idea of the mysterious 
  glyph’s shape.  The glyph itself radiates 
  magic of a variety unknown to those who 
  are skilled in sorcery.  
   
  What makes things more complicated is 
  that there is an elderly man in the hooded 
  brown clothing watching them from the 
  edge of the woods below.  The PCs will 
  easily spot him if they scan the edge of the 
  surrounding forest.  Should the PCs call 
  out, the man retreats into the forest. 
   
  The PCs are now stuck with a mystery of 
  sorts.  What happened to Brother Ottar?  
  Was he really a cleric of Taal?  Or, did he 
  follow some other religion?  Who or what 
  moved the capstone?  What was the 
  significance of the glyph on the capstone?  
  Was there something really imprisoned 
  within the hill?  Or, buried?  How was 
  whatever down there aroused?  More to the 
  point, is it still within the hill or lurking 
  about the countryside?  And, who is the 
  elderly man?  Did he bear witness to what 
  happened?  Or, is he the freed spirit of the 
  ancient story?
   
   
  Conclusion 
   
  The exclusion of the Old Faith from 
  WFRP2e should not deter GMs from using 
  its potential to add mystery, horror, and a 
  rich depth to the world in which their 
  players characters live.  There are many 
  possibilities, from simple interactions when 
  encountering a friendly folk with strange 
  customs to creating non-Chaotic 
  adversaries for the PCs with unknown 
  powers and beliefs.  The varied nature of 
  many Old Faith sects provides the GM with 
  tools to offer his players something 
  unexpected, challenges other than yet 
  another band of orcs.
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Warhammer/Fantasy Roleplay/4e (C7)/Cato Contribution/Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay/2nd Edition/Homebrew & Fan Material/Madalfred/Druids and the Old Faith.pdf