Warhammer Quest

The Dwarf Guildmasters

Peter Haresnape, 24/4/03 - peter@glynan.idps.co.uk

The roleplay book introduced the Guildmasters, and offered four items and 6 runes for sale. This document suggests a few additions to the price-list that will be welcomed by those brave souls who dare the dungeons.

Equipment    Cost (Buy)      Stock  
Great Axe 500 6
Dwarf Warhammer        650 8
Pick-axe 300 5
Dwarf Mail 500 7
Dwarf Shield 700 8
1D6 Cakes of Cram 15 each 4

Great Axe (dwarf starting weapon)

This two-handed weapon is of superb manufacture. When used, you roll an extra damage dice, discarding the one that scores the least. In addition, should the extra dice score the same as another damage dice, add all the dice together (do not discard one). However, if it is a double 1, you have stumbled, and your turn is over.
A Great Axe may only be used by a Dwarf.

Dwarf Warhammer

The two-handed version of the popular weapon is heavier, but deals a greater blow. In the same way as the Great Axe, you roll an extra dice, discarding the lowest, and adding them up on the roll of a double. However, if you score a natural 6 to hit, ignore the normal rules and simply roll another D6.

Pick-axe

The Pickaxe is a useful tool that can be used equally usefully as a weapon. Designed to break through rocks, it ignores BL points of armour on a to hit roll of 6+. However, it is not designed to be used in battle, and is wielded at -2 to hit (-1 for dwarf)

Dwarf Mail (dwarf starting armour)

Dwarf Mail is different to human Chainmail in that it is lighter and typically better made. It gives a +1 Toughness bonus. If worn in addition to furs, it incurs a -1 to hit penalty.
Dwarf Mail may only be worn by a Dwarf (for one thing, it wouldn't fit…)

Dwarf Shield

This small buckler shield attaches to the forearm of the Dwarf and is useful for fending off blows while using the traditional two-handed weapons of the Dwarfs.
If used with a one-handed weapon, the shield gives a +1Toughness bonus, and once per turn you may catch a blow on the shield. This means that the attacker rolls an extra Damage Dice for the attack, and discards the highest one.
This shield may also be used with two-handed weapons, but if so the weapon strikes at -1 Strength and -1 to hit. The Dwarf Shield gives a +1 Toughness bonus in this case.
Only one Dwarf Shield may be used. Only a Dwarf may use a Dwarf Shield. Bows and other shields cannot be used in conjunction with a Dwarf Shield, as usual.

1D6 Cakes of Cram

The Dwarf equivalent to Waybread is not as tasty (or indeed, edible), but it does keep forever. Each cake restores 1D3+1 wounds, but only ever goes off on a score of double 1, 2 or 3 on 2D6 at the end of an adventure. Cram is far better when properly chewed, and if a warrior does nothing except eat cram, each cake restores 4 wounds.
Once you have rolled for stock, you must buy all of the available cakes, or be thrown out for timewasting.

Runesmith

The Runesmith in the Roleplay book offered six runes. What follows is an expended table with several other runes to go on a dwarf's axe or hammer.

Common runes

These can be found at any Runesmith's. They cost (1D6+2) x100 gold. However, if a warrior trusts his luck, he can pay a reduced price (1D6x100) and the Runesmith will inscribe a random rune. Roll a 'D26'. If you roll a rune that you can't have again (so another Magic Rune when you have one) simply re-roll.

Roll      Name of Rune Effect of Rune
11 Magic Rune (Max 1) Makes the Weapon Magical for the purposes of fighting Ethereal, Daemonic etc Monsters.
12 Rune of Smashing (No limit) Ignores 1 point of Armour.
13 Death Rune (No limit) Once per adventure, an extra 2D6 may be rolled for Damage.
14 Rune of Rage (No limit) Once per adventure ignore rules for Initiative and Pinning and move directly to attack the largest monster, with double move rate.
15 Rune of Strength (Max 1) Simply, this adds +1 to your Strength for the purposes of determining damage.
16 Rune of Toughness (Max 1) Simply, this adds +1 to your Toughness for the purposes of resolving wounds.
21 Rune of Clarity (No limit) Each Rune of Clarity allows an automatically successful to hit roll once per adventure. No Limit.
22 Rune of Breaking (Max 1) If the warrior rolls a natural 6 to hit against a foe with magical armour then the rune destroys their armour.
23 Rune of Restoration  (Max 2)      Restores 1 wound at the end of the turn if you are above 0 wounds
24 Rune of Destruction (No limit) Allows the wielder of the weapon to double his attacks once per adventure.
25 Rune of Sure-Striking (Max 1) This Rune allows you to re-roll the Damage Dice that scored the least, if you wish.
26 Rune of Recovery (Max 2) This Rune gives you a chance to avoid the effects of poison or disease on a roll of 5+. A second rune makes this 4+. You still suffer wounds, if applicable, but not permanent loss of Toughness/Strength/Wounds etc.

Speciality Runes

These runes are rarer than others, and require a stock roll to see if the Runesmith knows how to inscribe it. If it is available, it costs (1D3+4) x 100. Warriors will be thrown out for timewasting…

Stock Roll Name of Rune Effect of Rune
11 Spelleater Rune (Max 4) Magic Resistance 6+. Each additional rune adds +1, up to Magic Resistance 3+, but each rune is at +1 Stock (so the second application is at Stock 12, etc).
10 Rune of Smiting (Max 1) On a natural to hit roll of 6, this weapon does an extra Damage Dice.
9 Bane Rune (Max 1) Select one race below. This weapon does double damage against all members of this race. See Notes, below. Some selections have a higher Stock Roll.

 

Greenskins Magic Users Giants (10)
Scaven Undead Daemons (11)
Dragons (11) Trolls Vampires (11)
Dark Elves Chaos Dwarfs Beastmen
9 Rune of Striking (Max 1) With this weapon, the wielder has +1 Weapon Skill.
9 Rune of Fury (Max 1) With this weapon, the wielder has +1 Attack.
10 Berserk Rune (Max 1) If the Warrior has the berserk or frenzy skill he may add +1 to his roll, though a natural 1 is still a 1.
12 Guided Hand Rune (Max 1) The Warrior may reroll one attack per turn made with this weapon.
8 Rune of Wrath (Max 1) This rune grants extra attacks when the Rune of Rage is used (Common Runes). A Novice or Champion gets +1 Attack. A Hero gets +2. A Lord gets +3. This only works in the turn a Rune of Rage is used.
7 Accuracy Rune (No limit) Once per adventure this weapon only misses its targets on a roll of 1 to hit.
12 Rune of Revitalisation (Max 1) This rune restores the warrior to Starting Wounds a number of times per adventure, even if on 0 Wounds.
Novice Once (1) Hero Twice (2)
Champion Once (1) Lord Thrice (3)
10 Rune of Parrying (Max 2) This weapon gives the wielder Parry 6+. A second rune will increase this to 5+

Notes

The Bane Rune has certain exceptions.
Magic Users- does not affect magic-using dragons, for example, or Daemons or vampires, only specifically sorcerer-types like Necromancers, Shaman or Grey Seers. It affects monsters that would avoid hand-to-hand combat.
Undead- this affects those who have been reanimated or summoned through necromancy, not those who are technically alive. Because of this it doesn't affect ghouls, necromancers or vampires.
Daemons- this affects all monsters with the Daemonic or Greater Daemon ability. The presence of the weapon also adds +1 to Fear/Terror rolls against Daemonic/Greater Daemonic beings.
Dragons- refers only to archetypal dragons, not hydras, wyvern, dragon ogres or zombie dragons.
Chaos Dwarfs- In this case, the Great Taurus and Lammasu are included.
Beastmen- this rune also affects centaurs and Minotaurs
General- the Bane Rune will usually only work against members of the race, not their hirelings. The Greenskin Rune, not the Chaos Dwarf rune, affects hobgoblins, no matter who they are working for. Generally, one monster type will only be affected by one type of rune, so Necromancers only count as Magic Users, not Undead as well. If there is no clear route, use the category the monster is listed under in the roleplay book.

Master Runes

A warrior may only ever have one Master Rune, no matter how many weapons they have. It counts as 2 runes for the purposes of maximum rune allocation, and is significantly more expensive than other runes. Each Master Rune is the crowning glory of a weapon, and so the Runesmith will only consider offering to carve one on the weapon of a mighty and renowned hero.
To see if you are eligible to receive a Master Rune, roll 1D6.

Initiate Impossible      
Champion       6+
Hero 5+
Lord 4+

On a successful roll, the Runesmith is prepared to offer you a Master Rune.
This rune will cost 1D6 x 500 gold. Roll to see which Master Rune the Runesmith offers you.

Roll Name of Master Rune Effect of Master Rune
1 Rune of Death This rune may be used once per adventure. You make a single attack as normal, and if it inflicts at least 1 Wound, the target is instantly slain.
2 Alaraic the Mad's Master Rune Ignores Toughness and all but Magical Armour when rolling to determine damage.
3 Skalf Blackhammer's Master Rune Attacks made with this weapon negate all 'Ignore' and 'Dodge' style skills (where a roll of a certain number negates the hit, e.g. Dodge or Tattoos). In addition, Magical Armour worn by adjacent monsters has no additional effect beyond the basic Toughness Bonus.
4 Snorri Spanglehelm's Master Rune Every Attack is at +1 to hit. Once per adventure, every attack in a turn automatically hits.
5 Master Rune of Groth One-Eye The Wielder is immune to all Psychology, such as Fear, Terror and Greater Daemon Terror, as well as Monster effects like Aura of Slaanesh, Hypnotise, Vampiric Transfix, Paralyse, Petrify and the like.
6 Master Rune of… (Roll 1D3) 1) Dragon Slaying. Affects Dragons
2) Daemon Slaying. Affects Daemons
3) Banishment. Affects Undead and Vampires.

See the rules for Bane Runes. This Rune causes double damage against its specific foe, and against this monster it negates skills like Dodge, Ignore Blow etc. If the weapon also has a Bane Rune against this type of foe, the weapon does quadruple damage!