Source: Town Cryer #10, revised in Mordheim Annual 2002 · Setting: Mordheim
Nagarythe was once one of the most prosperous and beautiful of the kingdoms of the High Elven land of Ulthuan. When the Witch King Malekith and his mother Morathi led the kingdom of Nagarythe astray into worship of the Chaos Gods, not all of their people followed. When Malekith led his people in a rebellion against the rightful Phoenix King, those who had not been converted to depravity remained loyal to the throne of Ulthuan and waged a secret war — a war of shadows — against the Witch King and his armies. When the Witch King was defeated and forced to flee with his followers, most of these ‘shadow warriors’ were killed, drowned by the sea as their land was torn asunder by the Witch King’s foul magics.
The people of Nagarythe that survived became a nation of wanderers, moving from place to place and never really welcomed by other High Elves, for these Shadow Elves had gained a reputation for being a fierce and warlike people, full of cruelty. This reputation, while probably only partially true, sets the Shadow Elves apart from other members of their race. This, along with their grim attitude and generally dark presence, makes other High Elves feel ill at ease around them. In Ulthuan they are misfits and outcasts, and many of these proud people seek their fortunes outside Ulthuan entirely. They truly are a race ‘in the shadows’ between the cruel darkness of the Dark Elves, and the beautiful light of the other High Elves.
Some of the Elves of Nagarythe have been driven mad by this condition, but most have accepted their existence, driven on by a desire for revenge against their arch nemesis the Witch King and his perverse mother. The Shadow Elves form themselves into warbands and travel the lands, sometimes fighting Dark Elves when they find them, and fighting just to survive the remainder of the time. Some still work in the service of the Phoenix King, acting as scouts and trackers for his armies. Sometimes small units of these warriors will be sent on a special mission for Ulthuan — recovery of ancient artefacts left behind when the High Elves abandoned the Old World, or sabotage of a rumoured plot of the Dark Elves. Whatever the case, bands of Shadow Warriors may occasionally be seen roving the lands of the Old World or exploring the steamy jungles of Lustria.
Special Rules
Hate Dark Elves: All warriors in a Shadow Warrior Warband (excluding any Hired Swords) have an unyielding hatred for Dark Elves.
Excellent Sight: Elves have eyesight unmatched by mere humans. All the Elves in a Shadow Warrior Warband can spot Hidden enemies from twice as far away as other warriors (i.e. twice their Initiative in inches).
Distaste for Poison: The use of poisons and various drugs is a Dark Elf specialty. As such, it is frowned upon by Shadow Warriors, even more so than by other High Elves. Warriors in a Shadow Warrior Warband may not use poisons of any type.
Unforgiving: In addition to their hatred of their corrupt kin, the folk of Nagarythe have a long history of struggle against the forces of Chaos. In multiplayer games, a Shadow Warrior warband may never forge an alliance with any Warband of a Chaotic nature (Possessed, Skaven, Beastmen, Dark Elves, etc.).
Tolerant: Due to their outsider status with their own people, the Elves of Nagarythe have learned to stifle their distaste for ‘lesser races’, and have even been known to work alongside them from time to time. A Shadow Warrior Warband may hire any Hired Sword that is not of a Chaotic or evil bent (so no Skaven, Possessed, Beastmen, Dark Elves, Undead, etc.). They also shun the company of anyone specialising in the use of poison (so no Assassins).
Choice of Warriors
A Shadow Warrior Warband must include a minimum of 3 models. You have 500 Gold Crowns which you can use to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband is 12.
- Shadow Master: Each Shadow Warrior Warband must have one Shadow Master — no more, no less.
- Shadow Walkers: Your Warband may include up to 3 Shadow Walkers.
- Shadow Weaver: Your Warband may include one Shadow Weaver.
- Shadow Warriors: Any number of models may be Shadow Warriors.
- Shadow Novices: Any number of models may be Shadow Novices.
Heroes
Shadow Master
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 9 |
‘Shadow Master’ is a very honourable title among the warriors of the Shadow Elves — it is given to one who has fought in the shadow war for so long that he rules the darkness that he fights from. Often a member of the former Nagarythe nobility, the captain of a Shadow Warrior Warband is known by the honourable title ‘Shadow Master’. These proud and strong-willed warriors often gather a small band of their followers and seek a life away from the hesitant charity and distasteful stares of Ulthuan.
Weapons/Armour: Shadow Master may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Shadow Warrior Equipment list.
Special Rules
Leader: Any warrior within 6” of the Shadow Master may use his Leadership characteristic when taking any Leadership tests.
Shadow Walker
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
One step down from the title of Shadow Master is Shadow Walker. A walker in the shadows is considered to have made friends with the darkness, and while he does not command it, it gives him aid when asked. Shadow Walkers are seasoned veterans in the war against the Dark Elves. They are skilled trackers and hunters, and the most trusted lieutenants of the Warband’s captain, the Shadow Master.
Weapons/Armour: Shadow Walkers may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Shadow Warrior Equipment list.
Shadow Weaver
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
All High Elves have some aptitude for magic, and those with the greatest aptitude are taught how to bend the Winds of Magic to their will. Shadow Weavers are the mages of Nagarythe. Due to the nature of their unending war against the Dark Elves, the mages of Nagarythe tend to specialise in magics that use shadows to conceal their presence and confound their enemies. In fact, the title Shadow Weaver comes from the nature of their magic — like a talented tailor, the Shadow Weaver takes the threads of shadow and fashions them into shapes and forms of his choosing.
Weapons/Armour: Shadow Weavers may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Shadow Warrior Equipment list, but they may not cast spells if wearing armour.
Special Rules
Wizard: The Shadow Weaver is a wizard and may use Shadow Magic.
Henchmen
(Bought in groups of 1–5)
Shadow Warriors
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
Most of the warriors in the Shadow Warrior Warband are veterans of at least one battle, and all have lost loved ones to the depravity of the Dark Elves.
Weapons/Armour: Shadow Warriors may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Shadow Warrior Equipment list.
Shadow Novices
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
These are untested Shadow Elves, newly inducted into the warband. Often these warriors are younger cousins who are setting out from Ulthuan for the first time. Due to their hard existence, it is often a quick progression from Novice to full Warrior.
Weapons/Armour: Shadow Novices may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Shadow Warrior Equipment list.
Equipment List
* Heroes only. These special prices represent the lower rarity of these items in Ulthuan; when attempting to purchase these items in Mordheim (or Lustria), Shadow Warriors pay the same prices as other Warbands and must roll to find them as normal. No roll is necessary when first starting a Shadow Warrior Warband.
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free / 2 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Spear | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
| Ithilmar weapon* | 2 × price |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Bow | 10 gc |
| Long bow | 15 gc |
| Elf Bow | 35 gc |
Armour
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Light armour | 20 gc |
| Shield | 5 gc |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
| Ithilmar armour* | 60 gc |
Miscellaneous Equipment
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard of Nagarythe* | 75 gc |
| War Horn of Nagarythe* | 25 gc |
| Elven Cloak | 75 gc |
| Elven Wine* | 50 gc |
| Elven Runestones* | 50 gc |
Skill Table
| Combat | Shooting | Academic | Strength | Speed | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Master | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Shadow Walker | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Shadow Weaver | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Shadow Warrior Special Skills
Infiltration
An Elf with this skill is always placed on the battlefield after the opposing warband and can be placed anywhere on the table as long as it is out of sight of the opposing warband and more than 12” away from any enemy model. If both players have models which infiltrate, roll a D6 for each, and the lowest roll sets up first.
See in Shadows
The warrior’s senses have become especially keen from years spent walking the shadows. As long as he has movement to reach them, the warrior may always roll to charge opponents he cannot see (instead of the normal 4”).
Hide in Shadows
Over time Shadow Warriors have learned how to freeze in place and remain undetected, even from the heightened senses of their Dark Elf cousins. An enemy warrior attempting to detect this warrior when he is Hidden must halve his Initiative before measuring the distance.
Sniper
Long years of guerrilla warfare against the Dark Elves have taught Shadow Warriors how to strike from the shadows without being seen. If Hidden, a warrior with this skill may shoot or cast spells and still remain Hidden. If his target is not immediately taken out of action by the Sniper, they get to test against their Initiative in an attempt to spot him. A successful test means the Sniper has been spotted and is no longer hidden.
Powerful Build
The warrior is strongly built for an Elf and is capable of feats of strength not often seen among the people of Ulthuan. A warrior with this skill may choose skills from the Strength skills table. This skill may not be taken by Shadow Weavers. There may never be more than two Elves with this skill in the warband at any one time.
Master of Runes
The Shadow Weaver has learned to harness the power of the High Elven runes of power (see Elven Runestones, below) to a degree few mages attain. When using Elven Runestones, the mage is +1 to his dispel roll. In addition, the mage can inscribe the weapons and armour of one of his fellow warriors with Elven runes — one member of the Warband may reroll a single failed armour save or Parry roll once per battle. After a single battle, the runes lose their glamour and must be redone. This skill may only be taken by Shadow Weavers.
Special Equipment
Elven Runestones
Cost: 50 + 2D6 gc · Availability: Rare 11 (Shadow Weavers only)
High Elven mages are well known as the masters of defensive magic. To aid them, they have developed several mystic runes of power inscribed on semiprecious stones, which can help strengthen an Elven Mage’s magical defences.
A mage with Elven Runestones may use them to attempt to dispel a spell that has been successfully cast against himself or another member of his warband. To dispel such a spell, the mage must roll against the spell’s Difficulty (Sorcery does not help here). If he succeeds, the spell fails to work. If the roll fails, the spell works normally.
Elven Wine
Cost: 50 + 3D6 gc · Availability: Rare 10
High Elven wines are well known to be the best in the world, and some are even rumoured to have magical qualities. A fine Elven Wine can cast out doubt and fear and leave a general feeling of well-being in a warrior.
A Shadow Warrior Warband that drinks Elven Wine before a battle will be immune to fear for the whole of the battle.
Standard of Nagarythe
Cost: 75 + 3D6 gc · Availability: Rare 9
While many Shadow Warrior Warbands are simply wandering, some represent groups sent from Ulthuan on a special mission for the Phoenix King. Such bands retain their unit insignia and other trappings — chief among these is the unit standard.
A Standard of Nagarythe serves as a second rallying point for the unit. Any members of the Shadow Warrior warband within 12” of their standard may re-roll any failed Leadership tests. Should the standard be captured by the enemy (model holding the standard is taken Out of Action), all members of the warband will be subject to Hatred for the remainder of the game, and may not voluntarily Rout. These effects do not affect any Hired Swords. A model carrying a standard requires one hand free to do so, so no weapons, shields, etc. may be carried in this hand, and no double-handed weapons may be used while the standard is carried. A standard may be used in close combat as a makeshift spear (use the rules for a spear but with −1 on the to-hit rolls). A standard may only ever be purchased when the warband is created and may never be added later.
War Horn of Nagarythe
Cost: 25 + 1D6 gc · Availability: Rare 6
Similar to the Standard of Nagarythe, units of Shadow Warriors sent into Mordheim often bring with them a war horn to rally around.
The rules for the War Horn of Nagarythe are the same as for a normal War Horn (except for Rarity and price).
Familiar
Cost: 20 + 1D6 gc (cost paid even on unsuccessful roll) · Availability: Rare 8
Wizards are often solitary, usually shunned by those who can barely conceive of the power these individuals wield. As such, they often share their lives with animal companions. Sometimes a magical link will develop between one of these animals and the wizard, to the extent that the wizard begins to see through the animal’s eyes and hear its thoughts. Shadow Weavers tend to favour darkly-coloured animals that can blend into the shadows — ravens or darkly-coloured cats are most common.
Only spell-casters can attempt to ‘find’ a familiar. If a familiar is found, it should be modelled on the spellcaster as with any other piece of equipment. A wizard with a familiar is allowed to re-roll one failed roll to cast a spell each turn. The result of this re-roll must be accepted, even if it fails.
Shadow Magic
Shadow Weavers use a strange blend of magic that differs in many ways to the traditional High Magic of their cousins of the Tower of Hoeth.
Author’s note: Several of the following spells mention that the target must be within a certain distance of ‘a wall’. This is not literally restricted to walls, but may include any piece of terrain that could be expected to cast a man-sized shadow.
The Shadow Weaver begins with one spell chosen at random from this list. She may learn additional spells instead of skills on future advances.
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pool of Shadow |
| 2 | The Living Shadows |
| 3 | Wings of Night |
| 4 | Cloak of Darkness |
| 5 | Shadowbind |
| 6 | Shield of Shadow |
1. Pool of Shadow
Casting difficulty: 7
The area immediately surrounding the mage is suddenly filled with twisting shadows that make it nearly impossible to see anything inside. This spell allows the mage and all within 6” to Hide, exactly as if there were a wall or other obstruction between them and their enemies. They may Hide even after marching. This Hiding is disrupted if any enemy enters the area of effect. In addition, all affected count as being in cover against enemy shooting. This spell lasts until the start of the Shadow Weaver’s next turn.
2. The Living Shadows
Casting difficulty: 7
Shadows around the target suddenly writhe as if alive and move to strike the victim. The Shadow Weaver may cast this spell at any enemy model within 12” of him and within 2” of a wall. The target suffers a single Strength 4 hit with no armour saves.
3. Wings of Night
Casting difficulty: 6
Wings of darkness unfurl from the Shadow Weaver’s back and engulf him. He disappears, only to reappear in nearby shadow. This spell may only be cast if the Shadow Weaver is within 2” of a wall. He is instantly moved up to 12” to a place that is also within 2” of a wall. If moved into contact with an enemy model, the Shadow Weaver counts as charging in the first round.
4. Cloak of Darkness
Casting difficulty: 7
The Shadow Weaver appears to be swallowed by shadows that even the sharpest senses cannot pierce. The Shadow Weaver is effectively concealed from enemy sight. As long as he does not attack (cast spells, shoot, or engage in close combat) any enemy models, he may not be attacked. He may intercept as normal if the player controlling him wishes, but he does not have to do so (and if he does not, enemy warriors may charge past him). The spell lasts until the Shadow Weaver attacks an enemy model. Note that a model engaged in close combat with an enemy warrior may never choose to not attack.
5. Shadowbind
Casting difficulty: 9
Tendrils of darkness rise from the shadows to engulf an enemy warrior, rendering him helpless to the whims of the Shadow Weaver. The Shadow Weaver may cast this spell at any enemy model within 24” of him and 2” of a wall. The target may not move unless it first passes a Strength test at the start of his turn (before the Recovery Phase). This spell lasts until the Shadow Weaver suffers a Wound or attempts to cast another spell. If attacked while affected by this spell, treat the target exactly as if he were Stunned.
6. Shield of Shadow
Casting difficulty: 7
Shadows congeal and become a solid barrier in front of the Shadow Weaver or one of his comrades, protecting the target from enemy attacks. The Shadow Weaver may cast this spell on himself or a member of his warband within 12”. The target receives an armour save of 5+ that is not modified by the attacker’s Strength. The spell lasts until the start of the Shadow Weaver’s next turn.