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Crypt Ghouls

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"Not as scary as they look, but you have to be careful of those poisoned claws. I could never work out whether they were really Undead or not either. Not that it's too important, you can kill them easily enough with cold steel, no need for magic weapons and spells."

—Captain Schultz, Mercenary Captain[1a]
Wh main vmp crypt ghoul

Portrait of a Crypt Ghoul as displayed in Total War: Warhammer.

Crypt Ghouls, also known simply as Ghouls and called the "Old Fathers" by the nomadic Strigany,[3a] are the degenerated descendants of Men who were reduced to cannibalistic creatures due to the consumption of raw or decaying flesh.

Ghouls are not truly Undead beings, only Men twisted and mutated by Dark Magic and their own hateful self-perceptions. Yet, although living, they have lost certain aspects of their souls, meaning that they have no conscience (called Ab among necromancers) and no real sense of identity, self-awareness or individual personality (called Ren) remaining to them.[5a]

Quick Answers

What are the Crypt Ghouls in Warhammer? toggle section
In Warhammer, Crypt Ghouls, also referred to as Ghouls or 'Old Fathers', are men who have degenerated into cannibalistic creatures due to consuming raw or decaying flesh. They are not undead, but are mutated by dark magic and self-perception, losing parts of their souls and conscience. Crypt Horrors are a variant of Crypt Ghouls, who have ingested vampire blood, thus acquiring supernatural strength and size.
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What are the Crypt Ghouls also known as? toggle section
Crypt Ghouls, also known as Ghouls, are referred to as 'Old Fathers' by the Strigany. These creatures are degenerated descendants of Men, turned cannibalistic due to consuming raw or decaying flesh. They are not Undead, but Men mutated by Dark Magic and self-loathing. They've lost parts of their souls, lacking conscience and a sense of identity or personality.
Provided by: Fandom
What is the origin of the Crypt Ghouls? toggle section
Crypt Ghouls, also referred to as 'Old Fathers', originate from Men who became cannibalistic due to eating raw or decaying flesh. They are not Undead, but Men mutated by Dark Magic and self-hate. They've lost parts of their souls, including conscience and identity. The first Ghouls were offspring of cannibals from the Southlands' jungles.
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What are the special abilities of Crypt Ghouls? toggle section
Crypt Ghouls, also known as 'Old Fathers', are mutated descendants of Men, transformed into cannibalistic creatures by Dark Magic. They have lost aspects of their souls, leaving them without conscience. They use their hunting instincts and poisonous claws to attack from the shadows. Crypt Horrors, a larger form of Ghouls, gain size and strength from Vampire blood and serve as heavy infantry for Vampire Counts. Crypt Ghouls can be summoned and dominated by a Vampire's cry, often worshipping the Vampire as a deity of death.
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How can Crypt Ghouls be defeated in Warhammer? toggle section
In Warhammer, Crypt Ghouls, often referred to as Ghouls or 'Old Fathers', are men transformed by Dark Magic. They can be overcome without resorting to magic weapons or spells. Cold steel is a straightforward and effective method for defeating them, as noted by the Mercenary Captain, Captain Schultz.
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History[]

Crypt Ghouls

A pack of Crypt Ghouls feasting among the dead of a battlefield.[2a]

The first Ghouls were the descendants of the insane and evil-hearted cannibals living within the jungles of the Southlands, Men who ate the flesh of their dead in gory rituals. These primitive corpse-eaters lived upon the shores of the Sour Sea, drawn to dwell under the looming, freezing shadow of Nagashizzar. The tribes worshipped the Great Necromancer Nagash and frequently partook of the so-called "Dark Feast." They would gorge themselves on the flesh of their own and, generation by generation, they were driven mad by their own loathsome practices. Now, these devolved humanoids roam an area of landscape known simply as the Desolation of Nagash, preying on travellers in their search for fresh meat.[2a]

Even in the enlightened era of Emperor Karl Franz, there are tales of cannibalism within the borders of the Empire. During times of harsh pestilence and famine, the desperate and the depraved take to eating Human flesh to stay alive. The stories tell that isolated farms, and sometimes even whole villages, have devolved into this vile state after consuming both raw and decaying flesh after a particularly long enough time. Some even claim the practice has become customary rather than necessary.[2a]

During the "Ghoul Swarms" of 2512 IC, when the crops failed for the third year running, the knightly orders of Stirland were employed en masse to scour the borders of their barren realm. The full-scale battle between the brightly-clad soldiery of the Elector Count and the ravenous, blotch-skinned hordes of the afflicted villagers has not been easily forgotten. Their fields and shabby hamlets were burned to the ground, but the memory of their foulness lingers on.[2a]

The priests of Morr do what they can to protect their holy gardens against the encroachments of Crypt Ghouls, but many of the Old World's graveyards and cemeteries date back a thousand years or more, and beneath them are labyrinths of subterranean chambers and tunnels. On occasion, the Brotherhood of Morr will employ a professional witch hunter to sweep the catacombs with sword and fire to reduce their numbers.[2a]

Ghouls also exist in the Far Eastern lands of Grand Cathay, where so-called "ghoul-cabals" worship the memory of Nagash.[4a]

Role[]

Crypt Ghouls are ugly, stooping creatures with only a vestigial sense of their former life or personality. Their skin is sallow and filthy, their eyes are bestial and insane, and their snarling lips reveal sharp-pointed teeth in slavering mouths. Dressed only in the rags they pull from their victims, Crypt Ghouls carry weapons they have picked up or have crudely fashioned from the remains of their unwholesome meals.[2a]

Usually, these skulking fiends do not need such implements to kill, for they have long claws and powerful teeth sufficient enough for their needs. These claws are encrusted with grave-filth and decaying meat; those that take even the lightest scratch from their talons can die from unnaturally potent infections that spread through the victim's body. In addition, their constant diet of rot-fouled meat confers a sinewy and unwholesome resilience from most diseases.[2a]

Though not truly Undead beings as they still live, however miserably, Crypt Ghouls unconsciously feel the Dark Magic that surrounds the most powerful Undead lords and are drawn inexorably towards it. Once their presence is betrayed, their newfound master quickly dominates their weak and willing minds.[2a]

Though they will lope into battle at the behest of their master, Crypt Ghouls, and even their ghastly pack leaders, are cowardly creatures that will slink away from combat if their prey seems to be fighting back with any real determination. This innate cowardice can be overcome by a mental command from their Vampiric masters, for those Ghouls who have fled can be coerced back to the front lines with the lure of Dark Magic.[2a]

In battle, Ghouls often attack their enemies in large packs, where they use their speed and numbers to either ambush or encircle their enemies. Lacking any proper armour, weapons, or even discipline, these Ghouls act much in the same way as wild wolves, where they often pick the weakest amongst their foe's numbers and slowly drag the enemy down one by one. These Ghouls are especially effective against enemies that are either scattered or in a rout, for without their military formation, each enemy soldier becomes easy prey for any singular Ghoul to tackle alone.[2a]

Notable Regiments[]

  • Feasters in the Dusk - These elite, potent Crypt Ghouls remember one thing -- war -- and they pursue that goal with single-minded savagery.[6]

Miniatures[]

Sources[]

  • 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Bestiary (RPG)
    • 1a: pg. 63
  • 2: Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (8th Edition)
    • 2a: pg. 33
  • 3: Ancient Blood (Novel) by Robert Earl
  • 4: The Return of Nagash (Novel) by Josh Reynolds
  • 5: Liber Necris (Background Book)
    • 5a: pg. 64
  • 6: Total War: Warhammer III (PC Game)
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