Morr's Realm, often also called the "Underworld"[6a], is the name given to the Human afterlife among worshippers of the Old World Pantheon, watched over by Morr, the realm's titular god of the dead. Here, the souls of the departed are sheltered from the machinations of Chaos and those who would use necromancy.
Khaine, the god of murder and war, and the jealous brother of Morr, steals away all souls that have been murdered or slain in war, building his own dark realm of death called Khaine's Halls. Additionally, those who commit suicide are barred from Morr's Realm, and are instead abandoned to wander the hells of Khaine, as they have effectively also committed murder, only in this case of themselves.[3a][7a]
Souls arrive in Morr's Realm after passing through The Portal, the gateway between the realms of the living and the dead being Illusions. It is not the only afterlife: other major gods also have realms for the souls of the deceased. But no matter what a person's most favoured god might be, it is Morr that rules over the dead -- even a priest of Sigmar will eventually pass into the realm of Morr.[2a][5a]
To the people of the Old World, Morr's Underworld is a drab, numb place where souls flit about like bats, gradually forgetting their lives and losing their identities until they become mindless, twittering things. Remembrance of the dead feeds these souls and is seen as a duty for their descendants.[5a]
Priests of Morr and wizards of the Amethyst College have been known to contact a soul in the Underworld and remind it of its former life, strengthening the soul's grip on its memories. The mortal can then commune with that spirit, and learn of things that have passed and things that are yet to pass.[6a]
The Empire's citizens also believe that sometimes Morr will close the gates of the Underworld, and forbid a soul from entering. He may do this if it is not that individual's time to pass beyond the veil, for instance, or the person has sworn an oath that they have not yet fulfilled. These souls burn brightly in the Underworld and disturb the other spirits, and so Morr banishes them back to the realm of the living, condemning them to a shade-like existence until their duty is done.[6a]
Within the Cult of Morr, a fanatical sect known as the Blessed of Morr believe that this afterlife is a place of peace, plenty, and pleasure.[1a]
Pilgrims of the Cult of Morr wander in trancelike states searching for the fabled Tree of Hope that is rumoured to exist somewhere beyond Morr's Realm.[4a]
Trivia[]
If the Realm of Morr seems to be more inspired by the Hades of Greco-Roman myths, then Khaine's Halls represent Warhammer's counterpart to Dante's Inferno.
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Tome of Salvation (RPG)
- 1a: pg. 104
- 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Core Rulebook (RPG)
- 2a: pg. 206
- 3: The Black Plague - Dead Winter (Novel) by C.L. Werner
- 3a: Ch. 9
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Career Compendium (RPG)
- 4a: pg. 163
- 5: Warhammer Fantasy Battle: Rulebook (7th Edition)
- 5a: pg. 147
- 6: Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (8th Edition)
- 6a: pg. 41
- 7: White Dwarf 258
- 7a: pg. 12