Karak Kadrin banner as seen in Total War: Warhammer
It was Baragor, the first of the Slayer Kings, who dedicated the Shrine of Grimnir in Karak Kadrin as a haven to all slayers and thus brought about a steep rise in the Slayer Cult. Oft times, it is here in the northern reaches of the Worlds Edge Mountains that a Dwarf undertakes the solemn slayer vow. Only a great act of shame or a broken oath can drive a Dwarf to seek redemption at the Shrine of Grimnir, and solace in an honourable death. Upon undertaking the slayer vow, a Dwarf will dye his hair bright red or orange and shave it into a great crest made stiff by animal fat or lime. They forsake armour and wield the weapon of the slayer, an axe, whilst their bodies are daubed in tattoos dedicated to the Ancestor God Grimnir, in the hope of garnering his favour in battle and ensuring a mighty doom.[1a]
Slayers do not speak of the terrible shame that led them to seek out this course, for that too would only bring further dishonour. They are reclusive loners, even amongst their own folk, and not given to song and feasting as are many other dwarfs. In battle they will be the first to sing their death-songs - a dour lamentation that acknowledges their demise is inevitable.[1a]
The Slayer Throng
Studies show that in times gone by, it has been known for an entire army of slayers to muster in facing some great doom. Though it is difficult for an outsider to tell, there is a hierarchy even amongst the Slayer Cult. The Brotherhood of Grimnir represents the most dedicated of all the slayers, and are often the experienced (and therefore unsuccessful) of their kinsmen. The status of other slayers is dictated by deed; the larger or more deadly the beast they have slain, the greater the respect afforded by their contemporaries, though this is a fairly loose system.[1a]
Wards and Crests
There are many varying crest designs adopted by those of the Slayer Cult. Some believe that certain designs denote the foes a slayer has bested. A single crest for instance could indicate the slayer of dragons, whilst a three-spiked crest may mean that the slayer hunts down daemons and other servants of the Ruinous Powers. There are also many wards of Grimnir. It is believed that certain slayer tattoos possess the power to deflect missiles, it being the will of Grimnir that the Dwarf be allowed to seek death at close quarters against the mightiest foe possible.[1a]