INTRO - From out of the Mists they come...
The Fimir is a race of cyclopean monsters that dwell within swampy moorlands throughout the Old World as well as the fetid quagmires of mythical Albion. Large beak-like snouts protrude from their oblong heads filled with pointy teeth and a single, malevolent eye rests in the center of their grotesque faces. They are creatures of foul demeanor, and sinister practitioners of evil. Many innocents have been sacrificed on their alters or in dark rituals, their souls fed to great and terrible daemons and their blood used to divine the Fimir race's future.
As a whole the Fimir despise all other life, and those that interlope into their swampy realms or settle too close to their borders are viciously attacked by Fimir warbands. Moving through the swamp with the ease man moves on dry land, they emerge from the clinging mist. They are brutal in the destruction of their enemies, razing entire villages in their efforts. But the warbands of the Fimir are not limited to warriors of flesh and blood. Daemons are often summoned to increase the suffering of their victims, while plague spreading creatures of nightmares taint the very land with their touch. Though a very secretive race, do not make the mistake of believing the Fimir weak, or it will be the last thing you ever do...
"We are younger than humankind, but closer to our gods. We are less numerous than humankind, but understand our place in the world more clearly. We may never be greater than humankind, but we will endure at least as long. You know virtually nothing about us, but we know all we need to know about you."
-Unnamed Meargh
LORE OF THE SWAMP
Swirling Mists: The Fimir creates a dense fog around his allies, covering them from the vision of the foe. Has a range of 300 Meters (984 feet), but can be upgraded to 1 Kilometer (3280 feet). This fog is incredibly thick, making the Fimir within almost invisible. The Fimir, meanwhile, are completely unaffected by the Fog.
Summon Daemons: The Fimir draws upon the power of their daemonic bonds, summoning more daemon allies to do their bidding. Fimir are most prone to summoning Moor Hounds, Swamp Daemons, and Nuckelavees (ranked in order of difficulty), but they can summon others.
Quagmire: Fimir contaminate nearby water sources and turn them into quagmires of disgusting fungus. The ground beneath the enemies' feet becomes wet and boggy, and they begin to sink. Units trying to march through these bogs will find themseleves moving painfully slow (while the Fimir will not). Water sources struck by this spell become polluted and hazardous to drink. Has a range of 100 meters (328 feet).
Fog of Death: A mysterious mist of writhing, twisting death burst forth from the ground to attack the Firmir's enemies. This spell forms semi-permeable tentacles that come from the ground. Trying to attack them with physical attacks is pointless, as they pass right through. However, they can be destroyed by magic or magical weapons.
Poison Mist: The Fimir exhales a large cloud of toxic mist. The touch of it causes skin to blister and burn, while those who inhale soon find themselves choking on their own blood. Has a range of 50 meters (164 feet). The poison is magical in nature.
Unseen Lurker: The Fimir take advantage of the fog that surrounds them to approach their enemies in silence, suddenly striking from nowhere. This spell silences any noise the Fimir may make, and increases their speed very briefly. It has a range of 50 meters (164 feet).
Daemonic Possession: The Fimir invokes the daemon that lies within every Fimir. The Fimir under the influence of this spell become fearsome, infused with magic and supernaturally resilient. Can be used on any friendly Fimir in a 25 meter (82 feet) radius.
The Eye of Balor: Red beams of burning light emits from the caster's eye, destroying everything in his field of vision. Works by line-of-sight, and its power can be increased with more magic, to the point where even large monsters can be affected.
RECON
Fimir will use the mists to hide their movements, allowing them to spy on their enemies easier. They can move beneath the water silently and unseen, allowing for further exploration. They will take prisoners, and if need be will torture them for information. They can use magic to either spy on the enemy, or summon daemons to help them in their efforts. If it is not possible to use mists or fog to hide their movements, they will send Shearl or other low ranking Fimir to scout ahead, as they are considered expendable.
PRIMARY UNITS
Mobility: 4
Training: 2
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: Melee
Shearl are the lowest caste in Fimir society. They are smaller in stature than the Warrior castes and generally perish in battle (whether in battle with non-Fimir or when a clan splits up). Even though the Shearl are true-blood Fimir, they are primarily servants and laborers rather than skilled warriors. When the Fimir go to battle they are usually accompanied by a Shearl baggage train and some may be drafted in to fight. Their lives are not highly prized but large units are a useful distraction, allowing the Fimm to draw close to the enemy undetected.
Offense: Sharp sticks, heavy rocks, whatever they can get their hands on. Sometimes no weapon at all, and the Shearl will fight with claws and teeth.
Defense: None, the Shearl goes to battle in a loincloth.
Additional Factors:
-Shearls are naturally cowardly, and will flee from battle the moment things stop going their way. Their fleeing does not panic other units (except maybe other Shearl), as they are the dregs of society.
-Shearls are cold-blooded.
-Swamp -Strider: Shearls are used to living in swamps, thus are not at all impeded when fighting or marching through that type of terrain.
Fimm Warriors
Mobility: 4
Training: 4
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: Melee
These are the majority of warrior Fimir, and usually form the bulk of a Fimir force.They are the lowest level of the warrior caste. Less numerous than the Shearl, the Fimm are powerful warriors with tails ending in large bone clubs. They live to fight and can tear a man apart.
Fimm Warrior castes are at the forefront of Fimir raids and the defense of their strongholds. The Fimm forms the backbone of all Fimir broods and are the hulking, one-eyed monsters that Men recognize as true Fimir.
Offense: Fimm have tusks that can be used to gore, hands that end in claws, and tails that end in heavy clubs. They also carry maces and axes into battle. Such is there strength that weapons a human would need two hands to use, a Fimm can use with one.
Defense: Bronze armor plates will be tied to them, though some of the tougher Fimm warriors will nail the plates to their body to show off. Those that have proven themselves in combat will be given a bellyshield, a large disk of pure bronze that is tied to their bellies. This shield only protects the front, not the back or the sides.
Additional Factors:
-They only have one eye.
-A Fimm Warrior will absolutely fight dirty in battle. In fact, fighting 'honorably' is seen as a mark of stupidity.
-Swamp Strider: See Shearl
Boglars
Mobility: 3
Training: 1-2
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: Melee
Also known as Marsh-Gnoblars or Swamp Goblins, Boglars are a breed of Gnoblars that live in marshes, bogs and swamps. Boglars look like any other Gnoblar though their skin is a greenish-grey and they have beady yellow eyes. They spend much of their time catching frogs, fish and other amphibious or reptilian critters, dissecting them with broken sticks and eating them alive.
Cruel, evil and cowardly they trap small fish and animals for food and torture. The Fimir use Boglars as cannon fodder, intimidating them into battle with threats.
Offense: Sharp sticks, rocks, whatever they've been given (or not, as the Fimir don't really care about the Boglar). Sometimes they are simply driven in the direction of the enemy, and have to make due with their hands and teeth, throwing themselves at the enemy with terrified abandon.
Defense: None, Boglars go in tattered clothes, or in the buff.
Special: Waterbirth: If a Boglar is immersed in water for a time, they will start to reproduce. The spawn (which look like frog-spawn) quickly grow into full grown Boglar. This allows the Boglar to take staggering losses in battle, but maintain there number as a species. Some Fimir will have Boglars chained underwater, just constantly producing new Boglar for combat.
Additional Factors:
-Boglars are extremely sensitive to sunlight and bright light in general, only emerging from their swampy lairs at dusk.
-Beneath Contempt: No Fimir cares what happens to a Boglar. Fimir don't lead Boglar either, simply forcing them in the direction of the enemy.
-Swamp Strider: See Shearl
LINE-BREAKERS
Fianna Fimm
Mobility: 3
Training: 4
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: Melee
The Fianna are a breed of Fimm warriors, almost identical to their brothers, except they are the size of an Ogre. They smash into the enemy and cleave them apart with their axes, while lashing out with tails that can crush a fully armored knight.
Offense: See description, but really any weapon will do. Considering their size, their weapons are all scaled up.
Defense: Thick scaly skin. Those that have proven themselves in combat will be given a bellyshield, a large disk of pure bronze that is tied to their bellies. This shield only protects the front, not the back or the sides.
Special: Mistmor: Fianna Fimm Warriors that are the size of trolls and just as strong. Mindlessly obedient, they are used to protect the nobles of the Fimir, and helping to build settlements by using their strength to move boulders. They are very rare.
Additional Factors:
-As they grow older, some Fianna can grow even larger then an ogre.
-The Fianna lead groups of other Fimir. They will personally target the largest enemies.
-Swamp-Strider: See Shearl
Marsh Reavers
Mobility: 4 (Rider), 6 (Bog Beast)
Training: 4
Max Range: Melee (Rider), 10-15 feet (Bog Beast)
Preferred Range: Melee (Both)
Marsh Reaver is the name the Fimir give to their cavalry. Some Fimm Warriors go to war on the backs of Bog Beasts, daemonic servant creatures from the deep places of Albion that carry their Fimir masters into battle on their backs. The reasons for this are obvious since the beasts give the Fimir some much needed speed to their troops.
The ferocity of the creature, with its great talons and massive shark-like teeth, makes the Bog Beast a formidable cavalry mount. The Marsh Reavers act like shock troops, running down anyone who stands in their way and letting their mounts feasts of the flesh of the fallen.
Offense: The Fimir will have maces & axes. Due to riding on the back of the Bog Beast, he will not be able to make use of his tail in combat.
The Bog Beast has talons that can disembowel a man with a single swipe. It has teeth as long as a man's forearm. The Bog Beast is also incredibly poisonous, so those that survive a bite or scratch will soon be keeling over anyway.
Defense: The Fimir will have chainmail, possibly a bellyshield. The Bog Beast will have thick scaly skin. Some Fimir will nail bronze plates to their Bog Beast to make them more durable (this is dangerous to do, and usually a task given to slaves or Shearl).
Additional Factors:
-Excellent Jumpers: Bog Beasts are able to leap between 10-15 feet.
-Swamp-Strider: See Shearl
Fomorians
Mobility: 2
Training: 1
Max Range: Thrown Boulders
Preferred Range: Melee
Fomorians are hideously ugly and deformed ogre-like creatures that dwell in caves beneath the ground. The Formorians live in a brutal and unenlightened society built on unadulterated principles of survival of the fittest. When they are not on the warpath raiding the settlements of other races, Formorians are usually slaughtering one another. The weak are tyrannized and enslaved by the strong in the various petty chiefdoms of the Fomorians, and those that are not any use as slaves are eaten by the warriors.
Some Fomorians can be convinced to fight with the Fimir, but this relationship usually ends as soon as the Fomorians got what they needed – which is mostly a fresh meal.
Offense: As they are to stupid to use tools, they use only their bare hands. But as they are strong enough to toss boulders about, that's usually enough.
Defense: None. However, it is so dumb it rarely realizes when it's been hurt, and totally ignores pain. It has incredibly thick muscles, so it can take a bit of damage.
Additional Factors:
-Deformed: Formorians are often malformed creatures. Most common deformations include misplaced limbs, misshapen limbs, misplaced facial features, hunchbacked, bulging body parts, drooping flesh, body parts too big or too small, flapping ears, huge snout, large feet on short legs. Large warts and other growths are scattered across their bodies.
-The sight of a Formorian can cause fear due to their horrid appearance, as well as their brutality in battle.
RAPID RELIEF
Mobility: 5
Training: 2
Max Range: Leap
Preferred Range: Teeth
Moor Hounds are one of the most common Daemons summoned by the Fimir. Resembling huge black dogs with fungus and swamp plants growing in their fur, they strike fear into the hearts of travelers foolish enough to cross them. They are commonly used when raiding villages that have dogs - the Moor Hounds enter the village and attempts to subdue the dogs so they do not bark and alert people when the Fimir enter the village. The Moor Hounds may lead the dogs away from the village or even turn them against the villagers when the Fimir attack.
Offense: Teeth (But as they are summoned demon dogs, their attacks count as magical).
Defense: None
Additional Factors:
-Used to target dogs when Fimir go raiding.
-Can turn normal dogs against their masters.
-If the Fimir that summoned them is killed, the Hounds disappear
-Moor Hounds can run much faster then any earthly dog, able to keep pace with horses without effort.
Swamp Daemons
Mobility: 4
Training: 4
Max Range: Lunging
Preferred Range: Melee
It is not unusual to find Daemons among Fimir war and raiding parties. Such entities are not summoned casually, but only when the Fimir genuinely need additional support, either because the enemy is too numerous or powerful or the Fimir too few. Daemons come in many forms. Swamp Daemons have very broad and muscular bodies, long arms and short legs both set with a row of sharp claws, a strange three-eyed head with a large mouth set with razor sharp teeth, olive or dark brown and thick skin that is spiked all over and a long tail. In fact, the Fimir seem to resemble them a lot. Mudlings are smaller, about the same size as a Dwarf. They are vaguely humanoid-shaped, with a skin that constantly seems to be dripping with mud and slime.
Offense: Teeth like dragons. Their mouths are home to a myriad of of bacteria, both normal and magical. Those that manage to survive a bite from a Swamp Daemon will soon find his wound infected with a myriad of illnesses. Their hands also end in razor sharp claws.
Defense: Hard skin, especially around their head. It almost feels like a crab shell, despite not looking like one.
Additional Factors:
-Creature of the Lagoon!: Swamp Daemons can slink beneath the surface of a swamp unseen, sneaking up on their prey. A slight churning is the only warning an opponent gets before this monster bursts up to feed.
-Swamp Daemons are often used to guard the borders of the swamps where the Fimir reside.
-Swamp Strider: See Shearl
SHOCK & AWE
Mobility: 2
Training: 2
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: Melee
Fenbeasts are magical constructs, formed from the mud and detritus of the marshes and animated by the mystic arts. They are incredibly strong, for Fenbeasts draw their power from the ground beneath their shambling feet. Fenbeasts are not living creatures in any true sense and, as such, do not feel pain and have no concept of fear. So hardy is a Fenbeast that is can withstand the strike from a cannonball, reforming its sodden flesh around the wound and even regrowing limbs, should the need arise.
Offense: Massive limbs and incredibly strength, the Fenbeast can swat a man like a fly, shattering limbs with no real effort.
Defense: No armor, but the creature doesn't really need it. It's limbs are thick, but made of swamp materials. Swords and arrows sink into its muddy body, or else pass through it entirely. Any real damage (such as a cannonball), can be undone in a matter of moments.
Special: Rotweed Flies: Vicious flies that live in the swamp, they will continue to live and thrive even as those material shift to form a Fenbeast. When the creature is attacked, the Flies will hone in on the attacker and swarm them. The attacker will find themselves surrounded by a buzzing, biting cloud of insects.
Touch of the Grave: Fenbeasts leech the life out of the area around them. Plants wither and trees rot at their passing. Those fighting them feel an unnatural chill, and while they don't stop regeneration, it does seem to slow in their presence. Wizards that use the Lore of Life will find that, whenever they cast a spell, the Fenbeast grows stronger as it feeds off the parts of that wind of magic.
Additional Factors:
-Fenbeasts are powerful, but there is a reason why they don't see wide use. They require a lot of magic to summon, and must be constantly maintained. If deprived of magic, even for a short while, the Fenbeast will soon begin to loose consistency, crumbling into mud and rot.
-Bloodmarsh: Fenbeasts made from this particular marsh are much wilder, more frenzied opponents.
-Fenbeasts are not very smart, and are typically uncreative opponents.
-Swamp Strider: See Shearl
Nuckelavees
Mobility: 7
Training: 6
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: Melee
Among the cruelest and most monstrous of the Daemons summoned by the Fimir, Nuckelavees ride forth from black waters to wreak bloody vengeance upon those who despoil nature. Horrifying, fleshless amalgams of man and horse, these monstrous avengers embody every wound and wickedness suffered by the wilds, their bodies loosing trails of gore and the pounds of their webbed hooves beating an inescapable threnody for all who earn their ire. Once they emerge from their refuges beneath cool waves or rivers, only destruction satisfies their merciless crusades, either that of their victims or their own.
Fimir shamans can, with some difficulty, summon and bind these creatures to their will. Many enemies of the Fimir have thought they had the creatures bested, only for this monster to burst from a river or lake, and carve a grisly slaughter through their ranks.
Offense: A massive claymore, while its horse body attacks with hooves. It is strong enough that it can slice a man in half, or kick his head clean off his shoulders.
Defense: Thick muscles, and powerful regeneration allows it to regrow lost limbs in moments. Only a constant barrage of attacks can overwhelm it. Alternatively, fire can slow or halt the regenerative process.
Special: Mortasheen: A powerful wasting illness, Nuckelavees are carriers for this deadly plague. Wherever they go, they spread it, and those that catch it quickly die. It is so virulent that it can potentially wipe out entire islands' populations.
Additional Factors:
-Despite the monsters’ obsession with defending natural waterways and the life therein, their interest seems to end at the shoreline. Nuckelavees have no interest in or apparent love for terrestrial beasts, especially those tamed and kept by the objects of their anger. Horses, cattle, and other livestock often prove the first casualties of a Nuckelavee’s rampage, with those that aren’t left slaughtered in gory tableaus being infected with mortasheen and inevitably passing it on to their owners.
-A Nuckelavee on a mission is implacable. They will not be swayed by words, steel, or magic.
-A Summoned Nuckelavee must have a water source to arrive from.
-Druids and Priest of Nature deities can supposedly ward these creatures off, but this has a varied success rate.
-Swamp Strider: See Shearl
Mobility: 4
Training: 3
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: Melee
Fimir Daemonomaniacs are the product of a powerful daemon being successfully bound within the body of a Fimir of the warrior caste. They have been demonically changed by the Mearghs to destroy any foes and strike terror into the hearts of those who oppose them. The possessed Fimir grows to over 30 feet tall and may mutate to have one or both of its hands end in a long blade while their giant tails lash about, crushing whole files of troops.
Offense: Giant blades for hands, and a massive spiked tail. If both of their hands aren't blades, they will have a weapon befitting their size (typically an axe or a mace).
Defense: Bronze plates nailed to their body, and the durability of a daemon.
Additional Factors:
-The process of creating a Daemonmaniac is a long one, and sometimes the body of the Fimir cannot take so much magical energy being infused with it. When this happens, the warrior dies an excruciating death, and no monster is created.
-The process that makes them tends to leave the Daemonmaniac a little insane. As such, they don't so much march along side the Fimir as they are guided and pointed in the direction of the enemy.
-Swamp Strider: See Shearl
Eye Oculus of Balor
Mobility: 1
Training: None (It's an alter)
Max Range: Artillery
Preferred Range: Artillery
The Eye Oculus is a massive, mobile alter, made from a combination of rotting wood and craggy, mud- rock, pulled forth by two Fiana Warriors. Atop the great sanctum rests the diamond-chamber of the Great Eye of Balor. When opened, Balor’s Gaze shines forth upon the enemies of the Fimir, burning them to a crisp in an instant.
Offense: Gaze of the Great Eye: When activated, the Diamond channels the power of Balor's gaze, and sends out a powerful beam of pure energy that reduces all struck by it to ash.
Defense: It's two Fiana Warriors act as guards. Otherwise, it's made from wood and mud-rock.
Additional Factors:
-Always Watching: Fimir near the alter of Oculus fight harder and longer, knowing that Balor will see if they panic and flee.
Athach
Mobility: 2
Training: 3
Max Range: Artillery (Thrown Boulders)
Preferred Range: Melee
An Athach is a twisted kind of giant, cruel and thuggish. It lives to bring misery, ruin, and terror to weaker creatures. An individual may be nearly any human color, though its arms are often a darker color or even grayish. Its upper fangs are long, extending from its mouth like those of a ferocious beast, and it constantly drools a weakness-inducing poison.
Offense: Strength befitting a giant. Large fangs that drip poison. In battle they carry a morning star in each hand, and wave them about indiscriminately. For range, they will hurl rocks.
Defense: Thick skin, and armor made of leather or bone.
Additional Factors:
-Athachs love causing fear and misery. They will go out of their way to make their prey suffer before killing them.
-They have been known to destroy a farmer's crops, desecrate graves, or deface monuments, all for sheer entertainment.
-Athachs dislike other giants (or monsters of comparable size), and will flee from them unless they are certain they can win (perhaps the number of Athach outnumber the enemy giant, or the giant has been severely weakened).
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Eye Tyrant
Mobility: 6
Training: 7
Max Range: Line-Of-Sight
Preferred Range: ^^
Eye Tyrants are Daemonic solitary creatures, usually found in desolate regions, ruins, or large cave complexes. They feed on small animals of all sorts, and are not adverse to supplementing their diet with larger prey (such as humans or orcs). Some will enslave tribes of goblins and their ilk, using the threat of their impressive magical powers to dominate a tribe and force its members to do the Eye Tyrant's bidding.
Eye Tyrants can sometimes be found working with the Fimir, either believing themselves to be the one in charge, or being bound to a Dirach or Meargh who might have summoned them.
Offense: Eye Tyrants are able to generate a number of magical powers via their eyes. Each eye can create a beam of magical energy. Each different eye has its own distinct beam, and each of these energy beams has a different effect.
-Death Eye: This eye fires a beam of pure energy that kills those it hits.
-Fire Eye: Fires a beam of fire.
-Ice Eye: Fire a beam of ice that freezes those it hits.
-Teleport Eye: Those hit by the energy of this eye are teleported in a random direction.
Defense: An Eye Tyrant's body is covered in thick scaly plates.
Additional Factors:
-The primary driving force behind a Eye Tyrant's actions is one of greed. Eye Tyrants are highly avaricious, and will often attack a small group of individuals in order to obtain whatever valuables they may have. Of course, the Eye Tyrant is not a stupid creature, and will avoid any group that is obviously beyond its ability to handle.
-Eye Tyrants can fly.
-Eye Tyrants are highly resistant to mind trickery.
SPECIALIST SUPPORT
Mobility: 3
Training: 7
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Battlefield
Known as "Witch-Hags", Meargh are revered female Fimir who rule the Fimir clans. In fact, they are the only female Fimir. Fimir clans never have more than a single Meargh, who are always present if the Fimir are defending their stronghold.
Meargh are the unchallenged leaders of Fimir clans, and even the mighty bellows of Fimm Nobles are softened to mere whispers when directed to the Meargh of even a rival clan. No true-blood Fimir would willingly allow physical harm to ever come to any Meargh, and would gladly sacrifice their lives to protect her. This is the only time one will ever witness the concept of sacrifice from a Fimm.
Offense: A large staff and a ceremonial dagger. They are also powerful magic users, able to use any spell from the Lore of the Swamp. They are very fond of the Poison Mist and Summon Daemons Spells. They are also capable of necromancy, though this is very rare, generally reserved for the summoning and binding of Fir Bolg (see later in this section).
Defense: Powerful magic, and every Fimir would lay down their lives to protect one.
Additional Factors:
-There is only one Meargh per clan. Meargh don't tend to enjoy the company of other Meargh. The only two exceptions would be when they are training their successor, or when multiple Fimir clans are banded together towards a common cause. Even then, they won't spend more time with other Meargh then necessary.
-The older a Meargh get, the more powerful their magic gets. And Meargh can live for millennium.
-Swamp Strider: See Shearl
Dirarch
Mobility: 4
Training: 6
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Battlefield
Known to the human tribes as ‘Demon-Fiends’, the Dirach spellcasting is second only to the Meargh’s among Fimir, they shape the very weather of the marshes to aid their foul cause. Even among the Fimir they are regarded with fear. As strong as they are powerful in magic, they tower above their smaller cousins and regard the human tribesmen with disdain.
It is not unusual for a Fimir raiding party to be accompanied by a Dirach. Not only does this assure the raiders of strong magical support, but the presence of these beings is usually enough to keep the Fimir in line, preventing most scheming or fleeing in the face of adversity.
Offense: A staff and a large ceremonial dagger. They are also capable of using magic from the Lore of the Swamp. They are also capable of necromancy, though this is very rare, generally reserved for the summoning and binding of Fir Bolg (see later in this section).
Defense: Dirach never wear armor, though they may wear a decorative torque around their arms or neck. They limit themselves to robes, loincloths, or kilts. They protect themselves with powerful magic, and as they are much bigger then most Fimir, they are harder to kill even without it.
Special: Daemon Friend: All Dirach have a special bond with an individual Daemon with who they hold long conversations about the origin of the Fimir race, to who they go if they are in need of council or just to amuse themselves with riddles or other word games. If the Dirach goes to war, these Daemon friends are a useful ally. Once per battle, the Dirach can ask his Daemon friend for aid. He can ask for one of the following things:
-He can ask the Daemon to carry him through the skies, giving him the brief power of flight.
-The Daemon can increase their magical ability for a short time. Even the most powerful spells become child's play in that moment, and the odds of a miscast are at their lowest.
-When the need is most dire, the Daemon can lend its strength and durability to the Dirach, but only for a very brief time.
Additional Factors:
-Feared, even by other Fimir.
-They keep the Fimir's more devious nature from sabotaging their battles.
-They tend to keep themselves apart from the politics of the Fimir, preferring to focus on the more important issue of the survival of the Fimir race. The Dirach are most frequently the individuals directing Fimir raids to acquire captives for breeding or sacrifice, without their firm grip on the clan the Fimm would probably doom themselves to extinction.
-Swamp Strider: See Shearl
Fimm Nobles
Mobility: 4
Training: 6
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: Melee
The highest ranking (read: strongest) member of the Noble caste usually leads the Fimir army in the field, whether it is a battle to hold back the enemy from approaching the Fimir stronghold or in a raid seeking victims for the Meargh's foul sorcery. The Nobles have tails with rows of bony spikes and a sharp cleaver-like blade at the end. Their skin is either a dark buff or brown color, or a dark olive green.
The largest and strongest Fimir nobles are the Fimm Warlords. Huge, Powerful and utterly evil they often lead the strongholds armies against their foes. Fimm Warlords are almost unstoppable in combat and seek to utterly crush their opponents. The lesser Fimm leaders each control an aspect of the stronghold and act as captains in its armies.
Offense: Heavy Axes or Maces, though often they go into combat with one in each hand. Their tails end in long blades that are as sharp as a sword.
Defense: A belly-shield. After proving themselves as a mighty warrior, the Fimm Noble wears the Belly shield. It is a large disk made of bronze (other metals tend to rust in the marsh), tied around the Noble's front, and wraps around to protect their sides. They wear bronze helmets, sometimes with horns.
Additional Factors:
-The nobles of the Fimm caste are usually selected on the basis of might in combat but the most intelligent Fimm are able to work their way up to Warlord by devious cunning and backstabbing.
-Nobles answer to no one, save perhaps the Meargh. They act as the battlefield commanders for the Fimir armies.
-Swamp Strider: See Shearl
Mobility: 2 (8 in natural form)
Training: 9
Max Range: Varies
Preferred Range: Varies
Rare is the battle where the Fir Bolg are called to arms, for rare is the Meargh or Dirarch mad, desperate, and powerful enough to both summon and bind them to service. The Fir Bolg are the dead hosts of Albion, doomed to eternally wander the land. Some have preserved their ancient flesh by feeding on the living, but most are spectral, and must bind themselves to skeletons from the graves and battlefields of Albion, in order to once more walk the ground above.
When the Fir Bolg march to war they are a terrible and awesome sight. They have no fear of destruction – skeletons are only temporary carriages, to which sundry spiritual fragments have temporarily been bound. They are relentless in battle, and know neither fear nor panic. The mortals they face, however, come to know these all to well…
Offense: Whatever weapon the body they inhabit had in life. These may range from massive claymore or axes, to scythes, to bows and arrows. The Fir Bolg can tap into the latent memories of the bodies they inhabit, and use the weapon as well as the body once did in life. In their natural form they are less then a ghost, and have no weapon.
Defense: Whatever armor the body they inhabit wore. In their natural form they are less then ghosts. Physical attacks pass right through them, though they can be hurt by magic (especially holy magic).
Special: Possession: A Fir Bolg's natural form is less then a spirit. However, they can possess any dead body they come across (unless the body is warded against such things), and drive it into battle. If the body is destroyed, the Fir Bolg simply leaves the remains behind and finds a new body to pilot.
Necromancy: Fir Bolg can raise the dead from the battlefield. A single Fir Bolg can only raise a few dead at a time, but this is a skill they are innately good at, and multiple Fir Bolg working together can quickly turn the tide against the living. Fimir are able to control these newly reanimated dead through their control of the Fir Bolg.
Additional Factors:
-Fir Bolg have no fear of death, and throw themselves into combat with reckless abandon.
-Fir Bolg hate all living creatures, Fimir included. If they break free of their magical bindings, they will quickly turn on their former masters. Thus, Fimir will never summon them to battle unless absolutely necessary, and even then they are weary of keeping them about very long. The first thing the Fimir will do after a battle (even before looting begins) is banish the Fir Bolg (and any more bodies they may have raised) back to whatever underworld they were summoned from.
-Holy magic and icons are especially deadly to the Fir Bolg. It can drive them from the bodies they possess, and burn their spiritual forms.
HEROES & LEADERS
Balor, the Eye of Doom
Mobility: 2
Training: 8
Max Range: Line of Sight (for a Giant)
Preferred Range: Line of Sight
It said by some that the Fimir worship a powerful god known as Balor, or the Eye of Doom. Balor is believed to be a gigantic Fimir or humanoid Cyclops with an eye so large that six Fimir are needed to lift his enormous eyelid. When that eye is open, all whom Balor gazes upon die. This is only partly true. Balor is not a god, but he is a powerful Daemon Prince, believed by the Fimir to be in the service of Fimúl the Mud God.
Fimir legends claim Balor was once a Fimm Noble in a time long, long before the birth of even the oldest living Meargh. His prowess in battle was extraordinary and the Fimm tell many confusing stories about his achievements, mostly involving the slaughter of countless warriors of other races and his siring of many Fimir children, but one tells of his milking of Lisaart's poisonous fangs.
Long before he lost his vigor, Balor volunteered for sacrifice and in doing so became a Daemon Prince at the will of Fimúl the Mud God. Some Fimir claim direct descent from Balor, especially the Fimm Nobles; theoretically a member of any caste could legitimately do so, but it would be hard to prove as only Balor himself could say for sure, and he's not very talkative.
Apart from his immense size and physical strength, Balor's greatest power lies in his gleaming white eye. Whilst it does not really require six Fimir to open his eyelid and his eye doesn't automatically kill all it gazes upon, Balor's eye is a terrible thing. Balor can turn this ability on and off at will by blinking - some Fimir believe Balor is most vulnerable at this point - so can speak to him directly.
The alleged need for six Fimir to open Balor's eye probably stems from the requirements of the ritual that can summon him into the world. Only the most powerful Meargh can hope to summon Balor and six Fimir must be sacrificed at the climax. Understandably, Meargh do not summon Balor just for the fun of it, only in cases of dire need (usually if her clan is facing an over-whelming enemy force) and only if there is enough time.
Offense: Axes of Balor: Balor typically goes to war wielding two massive axes. Swinging them in wide arcs, he chops off the heads of his enemies without pausing.
Defense: His body is covered in daemonic steel, allowing him to take a great deal of damage.
Special: The Eye of Balor: Balor can channel a powerful blast of energy from his eye. Men are reduced to ash before his gaze, and even large monsters find chunks getting blown off them.
Additional Factors:
-Balor is an ancient being, and not very spry. On the battlefield he moves slowly and ponderously.
-The ritual to summon Balor takes a while to complete, and requires the sacrifice of six Fimir.
Lishaart, the Great Serpent
Mobility: 6
Training: 9
Max Range: Artillery
Preferred Range: Biting
Lisaart is another Daemon Prince who the Fimir revere as a god, although not one in same league as Maris and Fimúl. Depicted as a giant scaled serpent with a long, dragon-like head, Lisaart is worshiped by those Fimir who value cunning and speed over brute force when it comes to battle. Lisaart is a silent and deadly killer, capable of swift, precise and lethal attacks. Cunning and secrecy are also elements of Lisaart's nature, and Fimir who have particular respect for this Daemon Prince often seek to learn Lisaart's skills of camouflage and hiding, especially Dirach who have become assassins and thieves in the service of their Meargh.
Fimm Nobles who seek to decorate their helmets and avoid the wrath of the Dirach often have Lisaart as a decorative crest instead of horns; these Nobles and their Warriors can be more deadly than those who admire the unsubtle and brutish qualities of Balor. Lisaart is said to be an opponent of Chaos in general and Nurgle in particular. Lisaart constantly worms through the marsh after Nurgle, purifying the ground the disease god has contaminated. For this reason, Lisaart is also the Fimir god of healing and is often prayed to by Dirach and Meargh when creating herbal curatives or binding wounds.
The most famous Fimir tale concerning Lisaart features Balor during his mortal days. Balor caught and bound a hundred giant water beetles, and used them to tempt the great Lisaart out of hiding (the insect apparently being Lisaart's favorite food). When the serpent appeared, he quickly ensnared the Daemon. With the Daemon Prince subdued, Balor milked Lisaart's poison fangs. Impressed by Balor's cunning, Lisaart chose not to take revenge when finally released. The venom is said to have been gathered in a brass vessel and sealed with bees' wax. Fimir believe Lisaart's poison to be the most painful and fatal in the entire world. However, Lisaart's role as healer and purifier means the venom is also believed to possess incredible curative powers, although the stories are unclear as to how it can both hurt and heal. Nevertheless, this powerful duality makes the brass vessel and its contents a legendary Fimir artifact, though no Fimir knows where it presently resides, if it ever truly existed in the first place.
The Fimir offer prayers and offerings (usually giant insects killed and thrown into marshy ground or estuaries) to Lisaart in order to secure good luck in matters of healing, secrecy and battle.
There is no ritual to summon Lisaart; if there ever was then it was lost long ago. However, the Fimir stories suggest that Lisaart can enter the real world at will in order to counteract activities of Nurgle and its minions when they directly threaten the Fimir. The origin of Lisaart's ties to the Fimir is unknown even to the Meargh, but it is presumed the bond was originally formed through Fimúl.
Offense: A mouth full of fangs that are sharper then a dragon's. It's bite is so poisonous that even daemons and undead can be effected. It also has a massive body (the actual size of which varies, as Lisaart can change shape at will), and can crush enemies beneath its body. It can coil around large enemies or structures and constrict them (or hold them still for a painful bite).
Acid Spit: Lisaart can also spit a toxic acid from his poison glands at artillery distances. It burns through armor, and can kill undead and daemons as easily as mortals. It takes several hours for Lisaart to build up enough poison to spit again, so this attack is used sparingly (though he will retain some residual poison in his fangs).
Defense: Scales harder then a dragon, daemonic endurance and regeneration and resistance to magic.
Special: God of Healing. Lisaart's presence will purify a land of any plagues or toxins the in the environment. Lisaart can also make his venom into a potent healing agent, able to heal someone from the brink of death to better then natural health.
Additional Factors:
-Lisaart cares greatly for the Fimir race, and will appear to protect them. There is no ritual to summon it, Lisaart appears when it wills.
-Enemy of Nurgle: Lisaart is an enemy of the Plaguefather, and is more likely to appear to counteract his warriors.
Kroll the Conniving
Mobility: 2 (10 for teleporting tentacles)
Training: 10
Max Range: Anywhere
Preferred Range: Whatever is needed.
As marsh and estuary dwellers, the Fimir have more experience of the terrible beasts known as bog octopuses than most other races. Many clans have competed for territory with one of them at some time or other and bog octopuses have become respected and occasionally dreaded adversaries, especially the largest of their kind. In cases of especially powerful bog octopuses, the Fimir have settled for acceptance of a tentacle-waving neighbor who is kept from moving too far by sacrifices of food (live animals or people). This lengthy experience of contact, occasional semi-worship, together with the respect and fear the octopuses inspire, have resulted in the formation of a gigantic, Daemonic creature in their image. Some Fimir believe Kroll has always existed and that natural bog octopuses are her earthly children.
Kroll is a Daemon Prince worshiped at all levels of Fimir society. The Shearl admire her nest building abilities. The Fimm are impressed by her raw strength, deadly flailing arms and armor-piercing beak - the tradition of carrying two weapons by the Fimm Nobles stems from Kroll. The Meargh and Dirach are equally impressed by the quiet intelligence and cunning of Kroll.
Kroll is as comfortable in salt water as she is in fresh water and so is respected by coastal and inland Fimir alike. Kroll is rarely summoned, but always appealed to when the Fimm go to battle one of her earthly kin. Sacrifices are also made to her when the Fimir are under pressure on multiple fronts. If the Fimir summon Kroll under such circumstances, rather than appearing in the material world as a single gigantic bog octopus, Kroll can thrust up to eight single, massive tentacles into the world to assault, hold back or threaten those different fronts no matter where they are. The victims of these attacks are unlikely to realize just what it is they are really facing!
Kroll is also called upon if the Fimir want to affect something or someone beyond their normal reach (a city, for example). Summoning Kroll involves a ritual requiring the sacrifice of one to nine living, intelligent creatures depending whether the Fimir want one or more tentacles, or the whole of Kroll with her terrible beak. Kroll's tentacles can be subtle as well as violent, able to coil around a sleeping victim's mouth before he wakes and screams, or pilfer objects from his pockets, or even put objects into his pockets. If she desired, she could also push her eggs inside an unfortunate victim. Kroll can speak, but only when partially submerged in water - her voice is a terrible, bubbling rumble. However, she can also speak psychically, her watery whispers insinuating themselves into her target's dreams, making all sorts of tempting offers, suggestions or instructions.
Offense: Kroll can materialize her tentacles anywhere, at any size (small enough to fit in your pocket and take something, large enough to wrap around your tank and crush it). Kroll can also materialize her eggs inside a person. After a time (probably a couple of days), a Bog Octopus will grow and burst from their body. Kroll has eight tentacles, so an army can end up dealing with attacks on multiple fronts. Or, a massive tentacle may appear on the battlefield, while seven smaller ones do dirty work elsewhere.
Her beak / mouth can swallow giants!
If Kroll is summoned in her full form, she can crush things with her massive body.
Defense: Sheer size is the most potent one. She also has a slight resistance to magic based attacks.
Additional Factors:
-Kroll can only speak when partially submerged in water.
-Kroll is, despite appearances, very intelligent. It will whisper to a person in their dreams, tempting them, offering suggestions, etc.
-To summon Kroll requires 9 sacrifices. One for each tentacle, and one more for the body. Less then that will summon only tentacles (3 sacrifices = 3 tentacles).
ARMY X-FACTORS:
Morale: 50: When battling, Fimir will go in confident, and if they win battles, that confidence may rise. Losses may hurt the morale, but never to the point of hopelessness. Basically, they're right in the middle.
Logistics: 70: Fimir don't need a whole lot, and what they do need they can supply with magic or take from others. They can even alter the land itself to fit their needs.
Espionage: 55: Scouts and spies, and the ability to use magic to view the enemy from afar. Summoned daemons can do much the same, and Kroll can look into the dreams of people. They can sabotage the environment with their magic, spreading plague and rot.
Discipline: Varies: Fimm Nobles and other die-hard Fimir warriors would have around 65. Shearls, Boglar and others low on the Fimir totem pole have around 25. Dirach are Meargh would have mid 70s.
Army Intimidation: 75: Fimir look freakish to most people, they can summon daemons, they have giants and undead. They can alter the battlefield with fog. They spread plague, their god Kroll can whisper into people's dreams. They are a strange, otherworldly opponent, and most people not prepared to face them would feel rightfully afraid.
Reinforcement Rate: Low: The Fimir don't have the kind of population that can be endlessly thrown at their enemies like the Skaven or certain Chaos Warbands can. While some species reproduce quickly, most don't, and the Fimir would have trouble supplying the necessary numbers for a protracted campaign. Thus, the Fimir will have to make do with what they've got more often then not. While there won't be zero reinforcements, they will be slow to come, and not overwhelming in numbers.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
-The Meargh are sterile. Fimir reproduction comes from kidnapping females of other races (almost always humans), and having them bare Fimir young. The Fimir born are always pure Fimir, never half-breeds. The birth mother can usually only give birth a handful of times before finally dying.
-Fimir are more or less amphibious.
-Fimir hate direct sunlight. They will use magic to create a powerful mist to obscure the light so that they can move about more easily if necessary. Exposure doesn't kill or even really harm them, they just find it incredibly irritating, putting them in a bad mood.
-Fimir are associated with Chaos (they certainly are on friendly terms with daemons), but don't ever seem to actively participate with other Chaos Warbands, nor worship the traditional Chaos Gods (in fact, Lisaart is an enemy of Nurgle). They tend to do their own thing as far as the will of Chaos goes. They don't fight against the other Chaos forces (usually, Lisaart's animosity to Nurgle notwithstanding), unless Chaos starts something with them first. They can be coerced into working with larger Chaos forces, if they think it will further their own goals.
-Fimir tend to ruin the environment they occupy. They naturally bring heavy fogs and swirling mists with them. This has the effect of causing mold, mildew, and general rot to spread. Metals (save bronze) tend to rust in areas they occupy. Water sources become contaminated with sickness (unless Lisaart was recently summoned), and certain demons spread a powerful virulent plague.
-Fimir have no overall leader. They are divided into clans that are lead by Nobles, Dirarchs, and Meargh. Clans can come together towards a greater goal, but typically split up soon afterwards.
-Fimir are quick to kidnapp people. These people are usually used as sacrifices for various dark rituals, used by Dirarchs or Meargh to see the future in their entrails, or enter a lifetime of slavery (though given the disposition of most Fimir, and the cruelty they show, those lives are very brief). Females are used to breed new Fimir.
VICTORY GAINS
Fimir will enslave any being that they can get their hands on. They are willing to hire mercenaries, but aren't above trying to manipulate others to do their bidding and then betraying them later. Those captured will either be sacrificed to the Fimir gods, or can look forward to a painful existence of servitude. Females will be used in breeding. Lands taken over by the Fimir will be turned into swampy quagmires, shrouded in mists, full of polluted water and rot.
