- "'Its gory banquet was to be swiftly cut short though as a strange sound drew its attention. Standing before it was the Doomlord, his eyes lit with an azure glow as he whispered words he'd read upon an age-tattered scroll he found whilst traveling amongst the Border Princes where the sorcerer Kadon had once roamed. Enthralled by his words the Beast of Norldand quickly succumbed to Helsnicht's will and with total obedience followed the necromancer as he walked into the darkness of the Forest of Shadows, another addition to the army the Doomlord was gathering for the battles soon to come."
- —From Gustav Juablhiemer's Histories of the Northern lands, Vol XIV.[1a]
A Merwyrm hunting down Lizardmen.
Merwyrms are one of the most ancient creatures to be found within the Old World, and like Sea Dragons, Merwyrm are a distant kin to the mighty winged Dragons that once ruled the skies of this world.
Overview
Loremasters believe that the Merwyrms' scaled forms once swarmed the primordial oceans of the Old World, but now they are rarely heard of save in the tales of embittered sailors who claim to have lost a ship and crewmates to these beast.[1a]
All Merwyrms possess long, almost serpentine and sinuous bodies, covered in scales and corded with muscle, with four stubby limbs each tipped with sharp claws. Unlike Dragons, the more primitive Merwyrms do not possess wings, instead the lashing of their bodies serves to propel them through the deeps at greater speed and is able to make frightening gait across dry ground when their hunger takes them there to pursue prey.[1a]
Merwyrms are also hardy and adaptable creatures, with the ability to heal wounds at a tremendous rate at the expense of an ever growing appetite for food. Merwyrms are most commonly found in the dangerous coastal waters of the Sea of Claws, and are bright silver-green and highly venomous. When food is scarce they have been known to assault coastal villages within the Province of Nordland, devouring the inhabitants with ravenous fury. Other rarer sub-breeds are known to exist, such as the albino Pagowyrm which dwells in the frigid seas of Naggaroth, and the legendary black Sciowyrms found only in the deepest ocean trenches. Masters of the primordial darkness that surrounds them in the deeps, they are said to be one of the few creatures that dares to hunt the mighty Kraken.[1a]
The Asur are known to call up Merwyrms as servants, similar to Sea Dragons enslaved by their dark kin. One of the most famous is Amanar of Lothern, and Sea Lord Aislinn used a Merwyrm during his campaign in the Sea of Claws. The Asur treasure that the Merwyrms are able to survive on land, unlike other aquatic monsters.[2a]
Notable Merwyrms
- AmanarĀ -- Guardian of Lothern.
Gallery
Sources
- 1: Warhammer: Monstrous Arcanum (supplement)
- 1a: pg. 74 - 75
- 2: Warhammer: Storm of Chaos (supplement)
- 2a: pg. 94
