FENBEASTSThe land of Albion is steeped in magic. The Ogham stones draw magical energy to the isle, and the soil, rocks, plants and even the fog, air and rain are saturated with this. The Truthsayers and Dark Emissaries can harness this energy in a number of ways, either harnessing it through the Ogham circles or drawing it in its raw state from the air and ground itself. One such way these wizards of Albion use this magical energy is to summon forth the elemental monsters known as Fenbeasts. Albion is riddled with marshes and bogs, and many creatures founder whilst trying to cross them, being dragged down to a murky grave. At such places the mystical forces of Albion gather, drawn by death. When a person dies, it is said that their soul is trapped in the fens, unable to escape. At these places a wizard can perform certain rituals to summon forth that trapped spirit. A fist-sized stone inscribed with magical Ogham symbols is dropped in the mire at the place of the soul. A ritual involving the blood of the summoner binds the soul, the magic and the marsh as one, giving the wailing, insane spirit a form. The Fenbeast then bursts forth from its muddy grave, the Ogham stone pulsating with energy at its centre. These creatures are totally without their own will, instead they are driven forth by the mind of their creator, to do their bidding. Formed from mud and the detritus of the marshes, Fenbeasts are not living creatures in any true sense. They feel no pain and can reshape themselves to reform limbs that have been blown or chopped off. They have an elemental strength, drawing power from the ground beneath them to smash the enemy with fists as powerful as battering rams. They are without emotion, fearless beasts which will not stop as long as their master's will endures. Using Fenbeasts in Games of Warhammer Any army that includes a Truthsayer or Dark Emissary may field one or more Fenbeasts. Up to 3 Fenbeasts may be included as a single Rare choice. No army may include more than 3 Fenbeasts.
Cost: 85 points each. SPECIAL RULES Single Model: Fenbeasts never form units and cannot be joined by characters -- they always operate as units of one model with a Unit Strength of 4. Unbreakable: Fenbeasts have no emotions to speak of and will never flee from combat. They follow the rules for Unbreakable models on page 112 of Warhammer. Fear: Being horrific, unliving creatures, Fenbeasts writhe with supernatural energy. They cause fear as described on page 81 of Warhammer. Fen-walker: Fenbeasts are completely at home in marshes and bogs, able to move with effortless speed. For the purposes of movement, they treat fens, marshes, morasses and similarly swampy terrain as open ground. No Will: The Dark Emissary or Truthsayer controls the Fenbeast, if they should fall casualty then the magic that binds it to the world is released. If the Truthsayer or Dark Emissary in the army is slain, any Fenbeasts in the army immediately collapse and are removed. Special Regenerate: Fenbeasts can tap into the energy of Albion through marshes and fens, rebuilding themselves from its substance. They have the Regeneration special rule (page 113 of Warhammer) when in marshes, fens, morasses, and similar swampy terrain features. Note that this does not include lakes, rivers or other types of 'pure' water feature. They are vulnerable to magical attack, however, and so in addition to fire attacks they may not regenerate magically inflicted wounds (from spells, magic items, etc). Elemental Power Fenbeasts are elemental creatures which thrive on the magic which suffuses the isle of Albion. This can be boosted by magical energy from the Truthsayer or Dark Emissary. As well as their normal spells, Truthsayers and Dark Emissaries also have the Elemental Power spell, which is only of use on Fenbeasts. Pick a single Fenbeast within 18" of the caster. The Fenbeast immediately gains D3 Wounds, up to its starting value of 4. |
