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In the northern lands corrupted by the flows of Chaos, misshapen monsters dwell in the
dark and twisted woodlands -- magical fusions of man and beast in body, mind and spirit.
They are possessed of near-human intellect, yet driven by bestial instincts. Their bodies
represent a fusion of the parts of many different beasts, though most common are bestial
men with legs, fur and horned heads of goats and rams, combined with sharpened teeth
that mark them as carnivores. Many of them combine parts of other animals, often giving a
hint as to their allegiance to the various Chaos Gods. Bull/cow humanoids are likely
made in the image of Slaanesh, those with bird-like features are quite probably blessed by
Tzeench, and those that look more like red-furred dogs or wolves are most certainly chosen
by Khorne. (Nurgle is not nearly so particular about species, and any Beastmen fashioned to
his whims are easily identified simply by open, weeping wounds, and terrible infections and
mutations.) Regardless of their allegiance, Beastmen take great pride in the size and number
of their horns -- Horned Beastmen are known as Gors, whereas those without horns are
seen as inferior, and referred to as Brays.
Beastmen live short, brutish lives, for not only are they carnivores, but cannibals, and they frequently fight amongst themselves for dominance, devouring defeated rivals. When a herd leader dies, the clan gathers together and mourns his passing, then ritually devours pieces of his flesh -- the choicest bits being given to his most favored lackeys and mightiest warriors, and the heart (believed to hold a measure of the departed leader's wisdom and spirit) is devoured in one single bite by his successor, to the brays and applause of the gathered herd.
Shamans A Beastman Shaman is treated like a Wizard. Namely, Beastman Shamans cannot wear armor or use shields, though they may use any melee weapon. Beastman Shamans have characteristics slightly modified from the normal Beastman profile, in that they have -1 to Strength. A Chaotic Beastman Shaman may freely gain spells from Tzeentch, Slaanesh or Nurgle, though one patron god must be chosen for its initial spell selection. If the Beastman Shaman is to be a member of a party of adventurers aligned with the forces of Order rather than Chaos, then the Amber College must be chosen instead. The Chaos Gods do not casually grant their gifts, and no sane Hero would work alongside a sorcerer invoking their powers.
Beastman Heroes In any case, a Beastman is not going to be welcomed with open arms to the local settlement. Most probably he'll have a muzzle on, and be led around by a leash by Heroes of more acceptable appearance. If there is not at least one "normal" member of the group (a Human, Elf, Dwarf or Halfling), the Beastman cannot visit a settlement. Given the well-deserved poor reputation of Beastmen in general, all costs for a Beastman are doubled while in a settlement. Conceivably, helpful Heroes could purchase items for the Beastman. In the case of services, however, there is just no getting around the basic costs, since training and healing and such would require the Beastman's presence.
Live Off the Land
Weapons and Armor Beastmen, by their nature, are misshapen and warped by Chaos, and no two Beastmen have quite the same body shape, despite superficial similarities. Therefore, any armor purchased for a Beastman costs double the normal amount, due to the requirement that such armor be custom-fit. Such armor cannot be sold in settlements. Armor scavenged from other Beastmen or human-sized creatures (including, of course, humans) has 1 less point of Toughness, as the Beastman has to effectively remove large parts of the armor in order to make it fit. (The normal penalties to BS and Speed still apply, though, due to the awkwardness of this arrangement.) Thus, scavenged Leather armor is of no use at all to a Beastman. Shields work normally. |