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Albion, also known in some tales as Great Albion,[11a] is a small, windswept island off the western coast of Norsca in the Great Ocean. It is said that it rains every day in Albion, that the islands are shrouded in mist and heavy fog while the land is predominantly bogs, marshes and fens. This damp and gloomy environment is inhabited by primitive tribes of woad-wearing Men, led by the magic-users known as Truthsayers, sometimes erroneously called "druids," who are the guardians of the mysterious stone circles called Ogham Stones present throughout the island. Albion is inhabited by many unique creatures such as the Giants of Albion and the strange, cyclopean humanoids called the Fimir.

Albion was the site of a major conflict between many factions of the Known World in the early years of the 26th century IC who were invited to intervene in a conflict between the island's traditional caste of magical caretakers, the Truthsayers, and the Dark Emissaries of the Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided Be'lakor, known as the "Dark Master." The first Daemon Prince hoped to use the power of Albion's Ogham Stones to end his curse and regain his ability to take physical form so that he might pursue his campaign of vengeance against the greater Chaos Gods.

History[]

Origins[]

In a time long before Mankind first discovered the secret of fire, millennia before the first Elf learned the art of the bow, a species known only as the Old Ones forged the mortal world. Legends tell of how they manipulated the ebb and flow of magic to mould the land to their will and of how they sowed the seeds that would form into the vast forests that cover the world. The races of Elves, Dwarfs and Men were like children to them, whom they nurtured and taught. It is said that even the great Dragons were mere playthings to these god-like beings.[3a]

In time, the Old Ones chose the island of Albion as one of the locations to build their homes. Little is known of their settlements for few have ever visited Albion, let alone returned from this mysterious place. They forged an island paradise where the sun shone bright and the crops flourished. Gathering together the wisest and bravest individuals of each mortal race, they taught them the practice of magic and other skills. They demonstrated the secret of forging runes to the Dwarfs and to the Elves they taught the mastery of spellcasting.[3a]

The Old Ones believed that the race they called Men was too primitive to learn, but they were quickly surprised at the speed with which Mankind adapted to its surroundings. They were so impressed that they chose to teach a select few of the cave-dwelling tribesmen some of their secrets. Those they taught went by the name of "Truthsayers," for it was their duty to teach the other tribesmen the true path to enlightenment.[3a]

The Old Ones instructed their students to spread across the Known World and populate its continents, whilst all the time the Old Ones kept a watchful eye over their subjects. They, in turn, were worshipped as gods, and temples were erected in their honour. The race of Men in the end impressed the Old Ones the most of all their mortal creations, for they seemed to be able to adapt to any climate, and small tribes quickly flourished in every corner of the world.[3a]

Albion 0

Albion is an island located off the northwestern coast of the Old World.

Carvings upon the Slann pyramid temples found deep within the jungles of Lustria and the earliest songs of the High Elf bards tell of a Great Catastrophe that befell the noble Old Ones. A magical gateway, their portal to other distant worlds, collapsed, and they were forced to flee the fledgeling world that they had created lest they become stranded. Unable to help those mortal races they had brought into the world, the Old Ones had little choice but to leave them to fend for themselves. Their parting gift was to create a race of giant warriors to protect the people of Albion.[3a]

The collapse of the gateway tore a great hole in the fabric of the heavens allowing the forces of Chaos to pour into the world. As the Chaos mists enveloped the land, hordes of gibbering Daemons and all manner of foul beasts descended from the north in a bloody rampage. Many of the wise, reptilian Slann, the greatest mortal servants of the Old Ones, were the first to fall. A brave race, they tried to fight off the first wave of attackers, but were too few and too weak.[3a]

The Slann fled into hiding within the dense jungles of Lustria. Next, the Chaos hordes turned their attentions to the High Elves, but the Old Ones had taught their children well. The High Elves constructed a magical Great Vortex at the centre of the island continent of Ulthuan to contain and drive back the dark mists. The mages of the Elves created this vortex by building a series of stone circles to absorb and diffuse the magical Chaos energy. In their arrogance, the High Elves thought that they alone were the saviours of the world, but it was not so. [3a]

By concentrating their attack on Ulthuan and leaving the isle of Albion, the Chaos hordes made a fatal flaw in their plan of conquest. The Truthsayers, or "druids" as they were called by the people of Albion, gathered together the Giants and bade them also to construct a series of stone circles. With such immense strength at their disposal, the Truthsayers soon had a great many of these circles whose mystical properties would allow them to channel their spells and bind the forces of Chaos to the north.[3a]

In many ways the Truthsayers' mastery of this form of magic was better than that of the Elves. Not only were they able to contain the Chaos mists, but they were also able to use the stones to weave their own veil of fog around their island, protecting what they called the Ogham Stones from danger. The Elves would certainly have been overrun had the druids of Albion not stemmed the flow. But the mist that shrouded the isle also blocked out the sun. Something in the nature of the magic that powered the stone circles attracted rain and storms, and over a short period of time the fertile land of Albion became a boggy region where few crops grew.[3a]

In absorbing much of the Chaos energy, the soil of Albion itself became tainted and once fertile fields quickly changed into quagmires where a man could sink without trace. The thick woods and forests became wild places where hawthorn and poisonous plants choked the life from the trees. Many feared to enter these once beautiful glades, and many of those who did were never seen again. Even the creatures of Albion were not able to escape the mutating effects of Chaos and after only a short period of time the tribesfolk told tales of terrible monsters lurking in the darkest reaches, emerging at night to prey upon the unwary.[3a]

It was a price the Truthsayers had little choice but to pay. If the dark forces of Chaos were to be contained, then Albion had to remain hidden. The Truthsayers gave the task of guarding these stone circles to the Giants who had constructed them. Said to have been formed from the earth itself by the Old Ones, these Giants were highly intelligent beings and knew the importance of their vigilance. For a while stability was created. The High Elves flourished as a race, learning much of the world through their contact with other, more primitive races, such as the Dwarfs and Men.[3b]

The Truthsayers of Albion, on the other hand, were isolated. They preferred the safety of their remote isle to the danger of the outside world and became introverted and reclusive. The Giants of Albion also suffered from their imposed isolation. Centuries of in-breeding dulled their minds. When the danger of Chaos vanished, they became bored and restless and resorted to mindless displays of strength in order to pass away the time. The tribes of Men on the island also suffered a similar fate. With the disappearance of the Old Ones and a distinct lack of contact with the outside world they degenerated into a race of warring tribesmen and primitive cave dwellers.[3b]

Giants of Albion in Albion

The Giants of Albion march across their sodden homeland.[15a]

During all this time the Truthsayers continued to teach a chosen few of each successive generation their secret magic, waiting for the day when their masters would return. Each Truthsayer would be taught in minute detail the ritual ceremonies that were needed to maintain the mists that enveloped the island. They would each learn of the nature of the stone circles and the offerings that must be made so that the magical power of these circles never waned. Over time, though, the ancient lore was slowly forgotten and, although the Truthsayers still practised their art, it was but a shadow compared to the powers that used to be at their command. Some practices still survived, though, and on the night of each full moon the Truthsayers would gather and perform ceremonies in order that the mystical energies remained bound to the stones.[3b]

So it came to be that Albion remained a mysterious island. Many tales tell of raiding ships that have vanished into the mists never to be seen again. Occasionally the gossip in a tavern will turn to the tale of a friend of a friend who was shipwrecked on the isle and returned to tell stories of creatures that were half-horse, half-man or of terrible one-eyed beasts that stalked the mists. Some even claimed to return with riches beyond a man's wildest dreams.[3b]

A Tilean explorer and conqueror, Curious Geasar, the so-called "First Citizen" of the city-state of Remas, at one time reached the shores of the misty islands and tried to bring the native barbarians his view of Tilean culture. He was unsuccessful, instead taking Hengus the Druid and the two biggest Giants of Albion with him as hostages. Back in Tilea he was assassinated and the Giants now roam the Old World as mercenaries.[3b]

No truth to these stories has ever been proven, and the rumours of Albion remain little more than fantastic tales told by drunks to any who would listen. But then a new legend spread across the land. Sailors talked of an island which had suddenly appeared to the far north. Huge white cliffs loomed out from the sea but the sailors had also spied beaches where a small boat might possibly make a landing. It would seem that the mists had parted and the land lay open to explore. Every race across the Known World gathered its armies to seek the treasures of Albion and claim the island as their own.[3b]

The Dark Master[]

Map of Albion

A back and white map of Albion as it was at the time of Be'lakor's attempt to end his curse, before the coming of the new settlers.[14a]

The powerful being called, in these times, the "Dark Master," has been known over the centuries by countless other titles and names, including "the Harbinger," "the Bearer" and "the Darkening." It is written in ancient tomes that the entity's original name was Be'lakor, but this is known only amongst a few scholars specialising in forbidden texts, for this entity is thousands upon thousands of years old. A being of eternal despair and doom, the Dark Master was once a mortal being in the early years of the mortal world -- indeed it is widely believed that he was the first earthly creature to achieve eternal life as a Daemon Prince, being raised to the status of daemonhood by his infernal masters for countless deeds that attracted their attention and favour.[9a]

Reborn into his new body as a Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided, the Dark Master was a terrifying and overwhelming creature, and soon came to be worshipped as a deity in his own right. With unimaginable power at his fingertips, Be'lakor strode at the forefront of the armies of Chaos, leading endless legions of Daemons in great wars that ravaged the land. No mortal could stand before him, and he slaughtered thousands at a whim.[9a]

As his powers grew stronger with each passing day, so too did his pride, which was to prove his downfall.[9a]

Swollen with arrogance and pride, Be'lakor eventually incited the anger of the four major Chaos Gods. It is written in the dark volumes that he saw himself as equal to the Gods of Chaos rather than giving them the respect that was their due, and that it was this act which caused his fall from grace. The Dark Master was cast down from his exalted position and cursed by Tzeentch, the Changer of the Ways. From being the favoured son of Chaos Undivided, he became a hate-filled and confused spirit-creature, denied physical form.[9a]

His sanity was stripped from him and he became a random and unpredictable entity that ruled a dark realm of his own madness. For thousands of years the Dark Master has existed in insanity, time dragging agonisingly slowly, each passing minute feeling to him like a month. The confines of his tortured mind is constantly awash with random thoughts and ideas, filled with frustration, anger and hatred.[9a]

As part of his curse, a destiny was placed upon this now insubstantial Chaos spirit. Over thousands of years, there have been many Chaos invasions of the mortal world, led by all manner of fell Daemons and mortal warriors. However, some of these leaders stand out from the others, mighty conquering champions known as the "Everchosen" who are particularly favoured by the Dark Gods.[9a]

These powerful leaders have each united the followers of the Dark Gods of Chaos and led the great incursions of Chaos that have ravaged the world. Each one of these invasions could well have overtaken everything, but each has been pushed back at great cost. The mark of the Chaos Gods' favour on the elevated warlord who leads the incursions is the dread Crown of Domination, a powerful symbol to the creatures of Chaos that the Greater Gods have marked out this mortal leading their armies.[9a]

Before each coming of these powerful incarnations of Chaos, Be'lakor wakes from his tortured insanity. It is his curse to lead these mighty warlords to the eternal resting place of the Crown of Domination, to guide them along the hidden paths where they must face a number of mortal challenges in order to prove themselves in the eyes of the Chaos Gods. Once the crown has been retrieved, it is the Dark Master who is compelled to complete the ceremony, and place the crown on the new Everchosen's brow in a dark coronation, the fallen Daemon Prince filled with jealousy and hatred.[9b]

Once the crown has been placed upon the warlord's brow, Be'lakor begins to fade back into his mad state of ethereal existence, no matter how much he struggles to resist the pull of insanity. Each time he witnesses the rise of the Everchosen he is painfully reminded that they take the place that is rightfully his own. Such is his curse, that he must aid them on their path to greatness, filled with the knowledge that it is they and not he who will lead the glorious Chaos incursions against the mortal world.[9b]

And so for a sixth time the Dark Master rose from his madness and regained his wits in order to fulfill this preordained fate. Be'lakor's memories of what occurred in his past resurfaced, and he once again recalled how he was hurled from his exalted status into darkness. Hatred towards the major Chaos Gods filled his being, and he was determined not to let history repeat itself once more. Be'lakor set about on a desperate action that would enable him to avoid fulfilling his pre-ordained destiny and regain what he had lost. Before the new Everchosen was ready to receive the crown, the Dark Master swept unseen over Albion, recognising that this isle held the key to his chance for escape, feeling the pulse of magical energy emanating from it.[9b]

He alone knew the resting place of the Crown of Domination, although it is part of his curse that he cannot touch the crown until the hand of the Everchosen-to-be retrieved it. However, if the power of the Albion Ogham Stones was focussed into his being, Be'lakor realised he could regain his much-coveted physical form and breach the defences that kept the Crown of Domination out of his reach. If he could claim the crown for himself, it would be he who could claim the mantle of the Everchosen of Chaos, and it would be he who would lead the daemonic legions on their rampage into the mortal lands of the south. Be'lakor set about attracting servants, those he could corrupt and lure to his side, for he needed minions to do his bidding and focus the power of the Ogham Stones into himself.[9b]

The Dark Master turned his attentions to the Truthsayers of Albion, the protectors of the Ogham Stones, and set about weeding out those who he could turn against their brethren. Promised great power and gifted with potent magic, these so-called Dark Emissaries began to abuse their ancient knowledge of the Ogham Stones, turning their power towards feeding and fuelling the power of the Dark Master. A tremendous battle erupted between the Dark Emissaries and the Truthsayers, both groups seeking help from far shores, securing allies from all the comers of the Known World, and the battles escalated. Thus, the War of Albion was begun.[9b]

Albion was soon soaked in blood and devastation, and countless stone circles had been desecrated, their power turned to infernal, abhorrent uses. Be'lakor revelled in the bloodshed and horror. As they gained control of the stone circles, the Dark Emissaries used their corrupted powers to siphon off the wild energy of the land, sucking the vitality from the isle of Albion to feed their Dark Master. As his powers grew, the shadowy Daemon Prince grew increasingly more solid, and he gloried as he slowly began to regain his long-lost physical form.[9b]

Goading his minions ever onwards, and greedy for the feel of a material form, Be'lakor knew that his chance to escape his doomed fate had come. He began to exert his own power as it grew, and many on Albion could feel his dark shadow like an oppressive cloud hanging in the sky. To others, this feeling was more intense, and the Truthsayers could feel the power of the Dark Master as a heavy pressure forcing itself into their minds. At the same time, Be'lakor began to probe the defences surrounding the Crown of Domination, feeling them begin to yield before him.[9c]

Meanwhile, the Truthsayers had been busy securing new allies, and the forces of darkness were ground to a halt. The Dark Master raged, for he knew that time was short. He could feel that far to the north, the time was nearing when the new Everchosen was ready to receive the Crown of Domination. The Dark Master knew that he must have the powerful artefact within his grasp before then, for even his will could not resist the pull of fate that would require him to fulfill his hated destiny when the time of unholy coronation came.[9c]

As the forces of darkness faltered, they began to turn upon each other, and former allies killed many of the Dark Emissaries. The Truthsayers, united within the Bastion of the Old Ones, began to perform powerful incantations, their magic converging to counter the assault of the Dark Master. In a fit of rage the Dark Master, now almost completely in solid, corporeal form, realised that his plans had been thwarted. He knew that with the advance of his forces halted, he could not filter enough power into himself in time. As his destiny began to pull at him once more, he knew that he could not resist.[9c]

His semi-formed, shadowy figure filled with power, the Dark Master rose to his full majesty and swept from the towering Citadel of Lead as his destiny tugged him unwittingly onwards, leaving his minions to continue their battle against the Truthsayers without him.[9d]

But with his new-found power, a number of realisations came to Be'lakor. He knew that the great incursions of Chaos were becoming more frequent, and the time was nearing when the mortal world would be assailed by one almighty incursion that would last until the end of time. It did not matter how long this incursion would take to conquer the lands, centuries perhaps, for time is nothing to the gods of Chaos. Hatred burned through the Dark Master, for he knew that he would not be leading the forces of Chaos in these final, glorious battles.[9d]

With this hatred came another curious thought. Be'lakor realised that with the power he had gathered into himself during the war on Albion, he was able to resist descending back into madness. He was free of his cursed destiny. Though he had not achieved all that he had dreamed, the Dark Master was far from finished with his treacherous scheming. After the crowning of this new Everchosen of Chaos, this upstart known as Archaon, the Dark Master would retreat to the Realm of Chaos with new dreams filled with power and vengeance.[9d]

The rage-fuelled plans of the Dark Master are focussed on seeking vengeance against the major Chaos Gods. In darkness, the being known as Be'lakor concocts his final revenge, while the world becomes increasingly aware of the bloody times approaching, when the mortal lands shall once again feel the hellish grip of Chaos.[9d]

Shadows Gather[]

A dark shadow was spreading across the mortal world. An evil presence had awoken and sought to enslave each and every mortal race to its malicious will. Dark Emissaries stalked the land, offering their services to any who would join their cause. They whispered rewards of untold power and wealth to those who would fight for the Dark Master. Of this mysterious lord, little was known but these Emissaries allied themselves with the forces of Chaos and darkness. They roused all those with malice-filled hearts to march unto war. How many of these Dark Emissaries spread the seeds of corruption in the Old World none can say, but the people spoke in hushed whispers of their passing and of the terrible magics they possessed. Few dared to challenge these sorcerers, and those who did perished before they had a chance to regret their folly.[3c]

Hordes of Goblins and Orcs were seen rampaging down from the Worlds Edge Mountains. Not since the time of Morglum Necksnapper had Greenskins gathered in such numbers. Together they marched to war, laying claim to the distant isle of Albion and challenging any who said otherwise. The green horde was not the only threat poised to strike the Old World. Sightings of the dreaded Black Arks became more frequent. Rumours even spread that flights of Black Dragons have been spied soaring high above the clouds, and Malekith, the Witch King of the Dark Elves, had been seen abroad once more.[3c]

It was rumoured that Malekith had turned his attention towards Albion in the hope that its hidden treasures would lend him the power to destroy his most hated enemies, the High Elves of Ulthuan. Once again the Undead rose from their peaceful slumber and gathered together in a fearsome, unholy union of death. Some even talked of terrible man-sized rats crawling out from the sewers in vast numbers.[3c]

Each witness spoke of different horrors but all who had spied these dreadful hordes said that they marched northwards -- it would seem that the isle of Albion was their destination. All eyes turned upon this mysterious place, as the mists parted and its secrets were revealed for those who dared venture past the storm-battered beaches.[3c]

All was not lost, though, for even as the Dark Emissaries spread disorder across the face of the mortal world, a beacon of light shone forth, calling for those who were good of heart and true to the cause of righteousness to rally together. A mystical race of warrior-wizards known only as the Truthsayers braved the perilous crossing over the Sea of Chaos to seek out noble civilisations. They foretold of great danger should their homeland of Albion fall; the forces that bind the Chaos mists to the Northern Wastes would weaken and in so doing, daemonic armies would be able to descend upon the world once more. To those who would help protect the isle of Albion they promised to teach secrets lost to mortal civilisation since the disappearance of the Old Ones. Magic weapons and artefacts thought long-vanished from the world would be given to those who the Truthsayers deemed worthy, but time was of the utmost importance.[3c]

The High Elves of Ulthuan had pledged their allegiance to the cause, and already the Truthsayers were sailing aboard the High Elf fleets. Soon they made landfall on the coast of Albion. Also, the Elector Counts of the Empire gathered in council and after a surprisingly close vote also agreed to provide support, though there were those who refused to lend their forces.[3c]

The knights of Bretonnia, led by the mighty Percival of Gisoreux and the daring Tybalt of Quenelles, formed a crusade and speedily headed north where they would embark on the perilous sea crossing.[3c]

Word spread that a vast Dwarf throng, lured by the rumour of hidden treasures, had boarded their ironclad steamships and set sail from the hold of Barak Varr. It would seem that the Truthsayers had managed to spread the word of warning far and wide across the mortal world.[3c]

Even the elusive Lizardmen had been spied marching forth, their divination of the constellations forewarning them of the peril. Though none spied any fleets on which they have could have made the long journey, a number of armies were seen crossing through the lands of the Empire, and others reported that they are already on Albion in numbers. The marshes and fens were ideally suited to them. Only time would tell whether the chill climate would affect their cold-blooded nature. With the possibility of discovering a link to their distant past, perhaps they of all the mortal races had the strongest interest in the isle.[3d]

The Truthsayers warned the leaders of every army to prepare their soldiers for the harsh climate that would face them as they marched upon Albion. The potent raw Chaos energy which had been absorbed by the earth of Albion created highly unstable weather conditions. Albion is constantly bombarded by heavy rain and lashing gales which has led to the ground becoming boggy and infertile to all but the hardiest of plants. The rumble of thunder has become an everyday sound and torrential rain whips the face of all who walk the land. Some parts of the island are so wet that they have become deep quagmires where any who wander off the muddy paths soon sink without trace.[3d]

The dense mists that had parted from the coast arc were still thickly concentrated at the centre of the island, and it was all too easy for individuals to become separated from their comrades and wander blindly into one of the treacherous marshes. These same mists hid a myriad of fearsome beasts, ready to strike at any who passed by before vanishing back to their lairs.[3d]

Although a relatively flat land, the coast of Albion is rugged, and the great white cliffs that surround the island tower high into the sky. The waters of Albion teem with a vast array of hideous sea beasts, some of which are fully capable of pulling even large galleys to a watery tomb. Landing places are few, and those beaches which do reach down to the turbulent storm-lashed waters are difficult to find, let alone land upon. Jagged rocks rise out from the water, but it is the rocks that lie hidden beneath the foaming sea that pose the greatest threat. They will tear through the hull of a boat as easy as a Dwarf axe cleaves through a Goblin's neck.[3d]

Many of the Giants of Albion that were created to guard the Ogham Stones enjoyed nothing more than to stand at the top of these cliffs and launch great boulders down onto any ship that tried to land. The sight of one of these Giants alone often was enough to ward away would-be treasure hunters. The Giants were very protective of the land and attacked all intruders who set foot in their realm, and only the tribes of primitive Human cave dwellers had gained the Giants' trust, and they, too, are a territorial people. What exactly they fought to protect was unknown, but the arrival of other, more advanced peoples on Albion signalled a very real threat to their way of life, which had remained unchanged for millennia.[3d]

The legacy of the Old Ones still remained strong on Albion. Something deep within the ancient nature of the Ogham Stone circles intensified the power of magic and made the isle a powerful vortex for magical energy. There are many of these mysterious circles located across Albion. The Winds of Magic blow with the strength of gales across the island, causing havoc amongst the various wizards who were exploring the land. Spells that were supposed to simply light a campfire become deadly fireballs, whilst the most powerful sorcerous blasts might merely spark and fade from the caster's fingertips.[3d]

Possession of the Ogham Stones was the key to conquering Albion, but it would not prove easy. Each race knew of their importance and would attempt to wrest the stones from those who were currently in possession of them. For those that succeeded, power beyond any other that had existed in the world would be theirs to control, and the fens and moors of Albion would be the lonely resting places for those that failed. The fate of the Known World was in the hands of the generals and commanders of the armies who had come to this isle, and only one race would win.[3d]

Shadows Over Albion Campaign[]

After the Great War Against Chaos in 2302 IC, the cursed Daemon Prince Be'lakor managed to escape his fate of madness and imprisonment and started to materialise in the Citadel of Lead in northeastern Albion. He had corrupted some of the Truthsayers into becoming his Dark Emissaries, to help him regain his corporeal form.[9b][9C]

The Dark Emissaries roamed the mortal world in search of any evil, warmongering, ambitious, or at least greedy, leader who would come to the island of Albion to divert the energies of the Ogham Stones and allow their Dark Master to materialise.[9C]

Those Truthsayers who were not corrupted also travelled the world, to find help against their fallen brothers. Thanks to their efforts, fleets of all nations and races set sail to Albion, either to help or to stop the Dark Master and to earn the artefacts of the Old Ones. Both Dark Emissaries and Truthsayers summoned the mindless Fen Beasts to do their bidding.[9C]

In the course of the struggle for Albion, the Orcs and Goblins made landfall at the Muddy Point on southern Albion.[17b]

The cursed Vampire Thrashlaar the Vile of the Strigoi bloodline started his campaign of terror.[17a]

The Dark Elves beached two of their Black Arks on the northern shores of Albion and established Nagronath, a bleak, new Dark Elven city.[17b]

Men of the Empire successfully conquered some territory on the eastern shore of the island and established the new Imperial colony called, appropriately enough, Neuland. While ships from Bretonnia and Tilea reach the land from further south.[17b]

In 2520 IC the Slann magically changed the weather on the island and the Lizardmen of Lustria started to grow a new jungle around the Forge of the Old Ones in a deep valley in the centre of Albion where they founded a new temple-city, called Konquata.[1a]

In the aftermath of the war to claim Albion, the Dark Emissaries fled from the island and the Truthsayers followed to hunt them down. Both sold their services to other armies in the mortal world as mercenaries, using their ability to raise and control Fen Beasts for the benefit of their employers.[3d]

Albion was also the site of a fierce battle between Gotrek Gurnisson, Felix Jaeger and the Loremaster of Hoeth Teclis on one side, and the oldest Giant in the world on the other.[10]

A Tale of Three Kingdoms[]

Old Albion 1

An outdated map that depicts Albion just as narrated by Orfeo the Minstrel.[11a]

There is a tale about the island of Albion that was narrated by Orfeo the Minstrel during his stay in Araby. This story describes Albion in a peculiar way, in many regards as a very different place from the description of the island presented above. In this telling, Albion is not a single island but an archiepelago of many smaller islands.[11a]

If this story holds any truths, they are handed down by the inhabitants of the island of Morien -- and in parts of some of the other isles of this version of Albion. These tales claim that all the islands of Albion were once united in one realm under the rule of the great and good king Agam Rund, who taught his knights a code of honour called the Code of Agam Rund, or the Law of Agam, which all were proud to embrace and to obey. In Morien, that code is carefully preserved, binding the island's kings just as tightly as it does the commoners.[11a]

Notable Events[]

  • ca. 900 IC - As is written on the Acta Nautica Ex Odrallus, a book sacred to the Cult of Manann, Odrall's, a senior priest of Manann of Marienburg, discover the island of Albion during the 10th century of the Imperial Calendar. After a number of misadventures, which may be more allegorical than factual, Odrall and his crew made landfall on the southern coast of that mist-shrouded isle and celebrated the festival of the spring equinox on the shore.[23c]
  • 1087 IC - A treaty was concluded with the eastern kingdoms of Albion, and Marienburg was firmly established as the major port of the northern Old World.[20b]
  • 2492 IC - On the island of Morien, Herla, the King of Plenydd, and his bard Trystan Harper come up against the malevolent influence of a group of strange Sea Elves. Trystan later travels to Great Albion, then on to Bretonnia.[18a]
  • 2520 IC - The Lizardmen begin the terraformation of the island of Albion.[1a]

Notable Locations[]

  • Bastion of the Old Ones - An ancient but almost impregnable bastion protected by towering, cyclopean walls.[7a]
    • Citadel of Lead - The Citadel of Lead is a strange and baroque structure of twisted spires and warped gates that lies within the Bastion of the Old Ones. It is rumored to be a prison for some powerful Daemon, locked away at the dawn of time by the gods themselves.[13a] Once the residence of the Dark Master, Be'lakor himself, that Daemon Prince has now left Albion, driven forth from his fastness in the Citadel of Lead deep inside the Bastion of the Old Ones. Whether this is true remains to be seen, as does the growing fear that his plans have merely been set back rather than totally thwarted.[7a][17b]
  • Black Bog - A desolate bog where two rival guardians led two great armies towards a stone circle of Ogham Stones, forever after to be called the Black Bog. One of these guardians was a Dark Emissary, the other a Truthsayer, and both had sought to draw the power of the stone circle to their own ends -- whether to the mortal world's ruin or its uncertain salvation.[16a]
  • Bleack Moor - Adventurers returning from Albion say that the fetid marshes of Bleak Moor have become the domain of a feared night-horror known as Thrashlaar the Vile. Filled with an unfathomable hatred for all who stood in his way, this Strigoi Vampire and his companion the necromancer Lady Rolinda, rampaged across the landscape of Albion leaving havoc and destruction in their wake.[17a]
  • Beast Peaks - The Beast Peaks are a range of mountains located in Albion. Their narrow passes and trails are one of the two ways by which it is possible to reach the Bastion of the Old Ones.[7a][17b]
  • Isle of Whights - An island where lie ancient tombs and barrows.[7a][17b]
  • Forge of the Old Ones[17b]
  • Lonely Ogben - A solitary mountain in the north of Albion.[17b]
  • Lost Road - One of the two ways to reach the Bastion of the Old Ones.[7a][17b]
  • Mercia - Located in the north-eastern shores of Albion, this area was in the past raided by the Norscans. The suppression of those Norsemen who had been foolish enough to settle on the north-eastern shores of Albion was swift and absolute. The crown prince himself led the expedition, gaining a certain notoriety as he gently meandered his way northwards from the capital. Prince Wilhelm established himself as a great favourite with the popular balladists, as he lisped and simpered through the grey and comfortless north. "The prince and the myopic pig" is one of many bawdy songs still sung today in the Wallopthorpe region of Mercia. The Duke of Rutland has been fighting over the Mercian salt mines for long time.[18a]
  • Muddy Point - The Muddy Point is the name given to the southernmost point of Albion. This region is surrounded by mud flats.[17b]

Notable Tribes[]

  • Bol-A-Hat - A native Human tribe of Albion.[17b]
  • Ochness - A native Human tribe of Albion.[17b]

Notable East Albion Locations[]

Loch Lorm Monster

An Albioner attacked by the Loch Lorm Monster.[19d]

  • Castle McEwman - The castle of clan McEwman.[19c]
  • Winwood - Winwood is the home of the clan McArno. Winwood harbour is a deep water cove ringed by hills and the fringes of the Forest of Fagmar. Winwood village lies close to the sea shore and is flanked by hills to the south and orchards to the north. Directly to the east is a field enclosed by a hedge. The field serves as the pitch for the McArno games.[19c]
  • Forest of Fagmar - A forest in East Albion.[19c]
  • Lorm Valley - The Lorm Valley is narrow and steep sided, the Keyler distillery stands on the eastern shore. It consists of three buildings surrounded by a stout fence. To the north west of the distillery is an Inn run by the Keylers which serves their own brew. The hills to the east are impassable, so the only route to and from the Keyler. Still is the road running along the Loch's edge. The only route from the McCoughlagan homelands to McDeath's kingdom is through this valley. Where in the lake, Loch Lorm, a fearsome creature known simply as the Monster of Loch Lorm, have made his lair.[19d]
    • Lorm Beck - Flowing down from the hills into the Loch is Lorm Beck. The road crosses it at a ford to the west of the distillery.[19d]
  • Runsinane - A location in East Albion.[19c]
    • Runsinane Castle - A castle in East Albion.[19d]

Notable East Albion Clans[]

  • Clan Greevant - A clan resident in East Albion.[19c]
  • Clan Malter - A clan resident in East Albion. The Malters have long since learned how to live with the Monster of Loch Lorm. They throw animal carcasses into the Loch whenever they expect it to be hungry and keep as quiet as they possibly can. To this end they never raise their voices or drop things and even go as far as to muffle their boots by wrapping them round with bandages.[19d]
  • Clan McArno - A clan resident in East Albion.[19c]
  • Clan McEwman - A clan resident in East Albion.[19c]
  • Clan McCoughlagan - A clan resident in East Albion.[19d]
  • Clan Keyler - A clan resident in East Albion.[19d]

Government[]

The Human kingdoms of Albion are ruled by noble families who swore their fidelity to different kings or thanes.[18a][19a][20b]

Non-human Inhabitants[]

The Giants, Orcs and Goblins who inhabit Albion seem to be unusually resistant to the effects of magic.[10a] The ever mist-shrouded cyclopean humanoids known as the Fimir are also a constant threat in the region.[25a]

The Gnomes of Albion have quite different attitudes and beliefs from those from other lands, although these are likely to be superficial rather than radical differences. These concentrations of Gnomish burrows are less extended from those found in the foothills on the western edges of the Worlds Edge Mountains.[21a]

Dwarfs instead are tireless miners as usual, preferring to dig underground in search of precious materials rather than build settlements on the surface.[19a]

In a land with so many different peoples and cultures, polyglot translators fluent in many languages can command higher rates for their services in Albion.[27a]

Foreign Relations[]

A cluster of docks and walkways form an unlikely centre of commerce on the shoreline of the barbarous isles of Albion. The sheltered bays about the Isle of Wights are as safe a passage as one can find on Albion's perilously misty shores.[26a]

Marienburg[]

There is a regular and lucrative trade between Marienburg and the ports of Albion, as merchants native to the island put in every few days in the independent city-state of the Wasteland.[20a]

Bjornlings[]

It was the famous Bjornling explorer, Losteriksson, who penetrated the fogs of Albion several times while still a young reaver and made the first crude maps of its coastline.[23b]

The Norscans, especially the explorers of the Bjornling tribe, have occasionally ventured their famous dragonships from Skjold across the Gloomwrack Strait towards the fog-shrouded isle of Albion, which remains mysterious even to them, often to raid its coasts and take thralls, but many more longships are lost than return from the fog.[22a][23a]

Military[]

Screenshot (1331)

A savage warrior of Albion[3]

The mist-wreathed isle of Albion has seen as much bloodshed and warfare as the rest of the Known World. Albion is seen as a damp, bog-ridden backwater and reports of recent incursions have concentrated on the clashes between the supposedly more advanced invaders. However, a closer examination of past campaigns in Albion show that its native armies are every bit as lethal as those of any of the more so-called "civilised" realms.[14a]

Heroes[]

  • Nobles - The core of any Albion army comprises Nobles in chariots and warbands of warriors on foot, screened by youth slingers led by the local chieftain.[14a]
  • Truthsayers - In addition to the warrior chieftains who lead the armies, there are "heroes" who help to marshal the army and the enigmatic druids who not only serve as an Albion army's wizards but also its lawmakers, judges and Truthsayers.[14a]

Infantry[]

  • Peasants - The armies of Albion always includes a few peasants. Their military role is one of absorbing enemy missiles. Peasants take the field armed only with kitchen utensils and farming equipment. One of their most famous leaders is Will Nosedew.[18a]
  • Ogres - Not quite so strong as a Giant, but then again not quite so dim, are the bands of Ogres which flock to join the armies of Albion -- for a share of the loot and the chance to turn a former enemy into a quick snack.[14a]
  • Maiden-Guard - A spear-wielding sisterhood of Albion warrior-women. They protect Albion's oracles, those female druids who possess the gift of prophecy.[10]

Cavalry[]

  • Cavalry - Poorer nobles and richer warriors are mounted on hardy native ponies and form the cavalry used to both scout and to support the noble chariot warriors.[14a]
  • Wolfhounds - Albion is famed for the great wolfhounds the natives breed. They are exported widely, but most especially to Bretonnia and the Empire where their size, strength and ferocity are much prized by noble huntsmen. In times of war these wolfhounds are gathered into huge slavering packs and are used to supplement the cavalry, screening attacks and harassing vulnerable enemy flanks. [14a]

Monsters[]

  • Giant Eagles - In times of war, some chieftains of Albion can also call on the Giant Eagles whose eyries dot the highest peaks of the land.[14a]
  • Giants - Few of Albion's chieftains will pass up the chance to recruit some of their island's largest inhabitants -- the famed Giants of Albion. Just like those Giants that accompany Orc and Goblin armies, these massive warriors make up for in brawn what they lack in brains.[14a]
  • Fenbeasts - A Fenbeast is an elemental monster comprised of mud and plant matter native to Albion that can be summoned forth from that island's swamps and marshes by noble Truthsayers and evil Dark Emissaries alike to do their bidding.

Notable Regiments of Renown[]

  • Men-at-Arms - Led by Sergeant Slackhaunch. These soldiers wear chain-mail armour, shield and spears.[18a]
  • Mounted Men-at-Arms - These fellows wear chain mail armour and carry spears. Their Leader is Sergeant Flogwell, equipped as his men.[18a]
  • Longbowmen - The mainstay of the army are the longbowmen. Their leader is the rotund archer Falstart.[18a]
  • Crossbows - The crossbows are led by Ned Grommet, a skilled soldier equipped as his men.[18a]
  • Light Infantry - These men come mostly from the western marches and are armed with shields and spears. Their leader is Jones, known back home as Jones the Light Infantry (for some reason). He is equipped as his men.[18a]
  • Peasants of Rutland - The armies of Albion always includes a few peasants. Their military role is one of absorbing enemy missiles. Peasants take the field armed only with kitchen utensils and farming equipment. Their most famous leaders is Will Nosedew.[18a]
  • The Knights - The Knights take great delight in their martial prowess, and when not fighting they organize various blood sports - in particular peasant baiting, serf coursing, and cricket. In battle, they ride fierce warhorses, wear plate armour, and carry long lances. They are led by Prince Wilhelm's younger brother the Duke Clarence.[18a]
  • The Hospitallers - These ten knights are relatively quiet and grave, they avoid taking part in any of the other Knights' sports and talk amongst themselves about God and the nature of things. In battle, they are just about unstoppable. Their Leader is Sir Percy.[18a]
  • The Faithful Retainers - The faithful retainers are all stalwart fellows armed with halberds and wearing chain mail. Their leader is the loyal John Alias, who is so devoted to his Prince Wilhelm that he says of him, "He'll be the very first against the wall when the revolution comes". John Alias is armed exactly the same as his men, except for his false moustache.[18a]

Notable Albioners[]

  • Bran MacKerog - Bran MacKerog is the Albion chieftain and hill-king of the mountain realm of Cam Mal-log. He and his people fought alongside Gotrek and Felix when they visited the Isle of Albion.[10]
  • Duke of Rutland - A duke whose long battles fought over the Mercian salt mines have earned him the reputation of a seasoned campaigner. He wears a suit of plate armour and rides a warhorse.[18a]
  • Dural Durak - Dural Durak is the leader of the Council of the Truthsayers, who resides within the Bastion of the Old Ones.
  • Herla - Herla is a legendary figure, he was King of Caer Plennydd in the isle of Morien.[11b]
  • Prince Wilhelm - A prince established as a great favourite for the throne of Albion.[18a]

Game History[]

Games Workshop never had a clear idea of how to represent the island of Albion or its people. The general image that has formed over the years after numerous publications is that of an island populated mainly by humans with a strong Celtic inspiration but deeply influenced by the Old Ones' legacy.

Although not in conflict with modern lore, it should be noted that the first two editions of Warhammer Fantasy Battle depicted the people of East Albion with strong references to the historical Scottish culture.

Trivia[]

McDeath's Kingdom

Kingdom of McDeath's map

Albion is an ancient Celtic name for the island of Great Britain first transliterated by the Greeks. Albion's society and civilisation are based on Celtic era Britain and Ireland, specifically the Pictish tribes of northern Scotland.

The Truthsayers are sometimes described as druids and appear to be modelled on the romantic portrayals of those ancient Celtic priests.

The saying "It always rains in Albion" is an exaggeration of a present-day British saying.

"Ogham" is the name of the real-world Celtic druids' written language, used during the Iron Age.

"Curious Geasar, First Citizen of Remas" is likely a tribute to Julius Caesar, the one-time dictator of the Roman Republic. Geasar's exploits in Albion runs parallel to Julius Caesar's own invasions of Britain in 55 and 54 BC. Both individuals were also assassinated.

The name Albion was used for a techno-barbarian state on Terra during the Unification Wars in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. This nation would be the recruiting grounds of the XIVth Legion of the Legiones Astartes, who would later be known as the Dusk Raiders due to the Albion military's preferred method of initiating combats at twilight. Later, the Dusk Raiders would be renamed the Death Guard.

Sources[]

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    • 2a: pg. 105
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    • 3c: pg. 10
    • 3d: pp. 11-12
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    • 5l: pg. 107
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    • 5p: pg. 112
    • 5q: pg. 113
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