The Nint Age Undying Dynasties Army Book 0 11 0 EN0

7/24/2019 The Nint Age Undying Dynasties Army Book 0 11 0 EN0

1/64

Version 0.11.0 Beta

UNDYING DYNASTIESTHE 9THAGE


2/64

2

CONTENTS

THE9THAGETEAM

INTRODUCTION 3

UNDYINGDYNASTIES

Monarchs of the Dead 9Death Priests 11

omb Harbingers 13 omb Architects 14 Ark of Ages 16 Skeleton Warriors 17 Skeleton Chariots 19

Skeleton Horsemen 21 Great Vultures 22 Scarab Swarms 22 Sand Scorpions 23 Sphinxes 25 Shabti 27 Sand Stalkers 28

omb Cataphracts 29 Necropolis Guard 30 Colossi 32 Skull Catapult 34 Winged Reapers 35 Dread Sphinx 37 Te Casket of Phatep 39

TEXTS

Te 9th Age writing team

AR TS

Tomas Karlssoncover art, pages 11, 14, 17, 23, 28, 32, 39 and ornamental art.Ollie Cuthbopages 9, 35,41, and 46. Francesco Sturlese pages 3, 8 and 30. Adalidsilvanopages 5, 21, 25 and ornamental art.

Alberto Bontempipages 19 and 29. Davide Castellucciopages 27 and 37.

DESIGN

Te 9th Age review team

NAPTAANMAGIC41

ARMY RULES43TREASURESOFTH ETOMB 46

ARM YLIST49

QUICKREFERENCESHEET 63

EPILOGUE64


3/64

3

6th of Keimzeit, 1648 A.S.

I cannot believe my luck. Of all thepeople the Society could have chosento lead the expedition, they chose me!

That whey-faced worm van der Grimm

looked like he was on the point of apo-

plexy when they made the announce-

ment.

If this is to be my journal, I should ex-

plain: the Society is outfitting an expe-

dition to Naptesh. Naptesh! The leg-

endary Kingdom of the Dead, cradle of

human civilisation and the art of necro-

mancy, which swallowed the Lost Cru-

sade and generations of treasure hunt-

ers in its trackless deserts. The research

opportunities are endless.

This all began one month ago, when the

Society purchased a number of artefacts

from the adventurer Ferdinand Val-

des (whose exploits you have no doubt

heard of). Though our experts were du-

bious of their provenance at first, close

inspection proved beyond doubt that

the contents of Valdes haul were in fact

genuine Naptaan grave goods. The god-

dess knows how Valdes came by these;

he certainly wasnt forthcoming with the

information.

The prime specimen was a gilded sar-

KINGDOMSOF THE DEAD:

MY TRAVELS IN NAPTESH

by Beatrix von Ueblingen, Wizard of the Imperial

Society of Eichtal

Beatrix von Ueblingen,Wizard of the Imperial Society of Eichtal


4/64

4

K I N G D O M S O F T H E D E A D : M Y T R A V E L S I N N A P T E S H

cophagus, containing the mummified

body of an actual Naptaan prince. As one

of the Societys foremost experts on the

Naptaan script, you can imagine my ex-citement when I deciphered the hiero-

glyphs on the sarcophagus that identi-

fied the body inside as none other than

King Kharatep, listed in the Chronicles

of Teput as one of the keepers of the fu-

nerary caskets of Phatep.

There was no sign of the casket among

the loot Valdes sold us, and close ques-

tioning of his men revealed they had

not seen anything matching its descrip-

tion. The implication is clear if Val-

des men did not take it, the casket must

still be there! We wasted no time in ex-

tracting the location of the tomb from

them, and putting together our own ex-

pedition to retrieve it. Quite apart from

their historical importance, the caskets

are supposedly artefacts of immense ar-

cane power how those strutting pea-

cocks at Narrenwald will tear out their

hair when they hear we have one in our

possession!

For those unfamiliar with Naptaan lore,

I include on the following pages an ex-

cerpt from the Naptaan legend known

as the Time of the Great Dying, which

explains the origins of the caskets. For

now I must make my preparations for

departure the expedition sets off to-

morrow.


5/64

5

The following excerpt is from Abd al-Latifs seminal translation of theNaptaan Book of the Dead. It is reproduced here in the Imperial tongue by

permission of the Great Library of Eichtal.

Greatest of all the kings of Naptesh

was Phatep, who sat at the right

hand of the gods. Under his divine rule

the summers were long, the harvests were

bountiful, and the borders of the empire

stretched from the mountains to the west-

ern sea. His queen was Teput the wise,

and together they ruled in harmony over

the peoples of the valley and the desert.

Vizier to Phatep was Setesh the outland-

er, whose heart grew hard with envy of

his king. In secret he brought together

others of the younger houses of Napt-

esh, promising them wealth and pow-

er when he came to rule. First among

Seteshs conspirators was Nepharet, the

queen of Hanaphuk. Nepharet had long

resented the rule of the kings of Teh-

THE GREAT DYING



6/64

6

met, and saw in Seteshs plot a chance

to elevate her own city above all others.

Together with his conspirators, Seteshdevised a trap. When Phatep travelled

by sea to speak to the little men of the

mountains, a splendid banquet was pre-

pared in Nepharets court for his return.

When the white sails of the ship were

seen on the horizon, Setesh instructed

that the king was to be brought to the

palace in the hours of darkness, so that

none would see him come or go.

When the banquet table had been laid

and the king given the seat of honour,

Nepharet bade her servants produce a

wondrous chest, ornamented with gold

and lapis lazuli. With fine words, Nepharet

told all present she would present it as a

gift to the first of her guests who could

fit themselves wholly inside its walls.

One by one, Nepharets guests tried and

failed, protesting that they could not fit

themselves inside. At last, in his cups,

the king was prevailed upon to try. The

moment Phatep knelt down inside the

chest, Seteshs lackeys slammed shut the

lid. Drawing their swords, they ran the

chest through, striking again and again

until their blades ran red with the blood

of the king. Nepharet and the conspira-

tors drank of the blood that ran from the

chest, hoping to gain some measure of

the kings divine power.

It was at this time that Setesh the traitor

chose to emerge from the shadows. He

bade his followers cut Phateps body into

nine pieces. He commanded that each of

the pieces of Phateps body be sealed in

a gilded chest of its own, and carried far

from Nepharets palace to conceal the

evidence of their crime. Setesh would

return to Tehmet and take the throne,

claiming the kings ship had been lost at

sea. He took with him the kings heart,

knowing that that was where Phateps

true divinity resided.

Unknown to Setesh, one of his followers

- Tekhamun, the twice-turned - alreadygrew sick with guilt at what they had

done, the taste of the kings blood turn-

ing foul on his tongue. So it was that on

his journey home, Tekhamun threw the

chest containing Phateps head into the

great river Napaat, which carried it to

the feet of queen Teput.

Teput had received summons fromSetesh to attend him at court, but knew

now the treachery of Phateps grand

vizier. Carrying her husbands head as

proof, she rallied the old families of

Naptesh against the usurper, and the

empire was torn by civil war. At first, it

appeared Setesh could not hope to tri-

umph against Teput and her allies. Their

wealth was greater, their armies moremighty. Setesh, however, had stolen the

heart of the king, and with it the power

of the gods themselves.

Setesh threw open the gates of the un-

derworld, dragging the dead from their

rest to fight for him again, and the ar-

mies of Teput were thrown back. For



7/64

7

years the war raged, poisoning the

lands of the empire. Cities were razed

and villages were burned, leaving only

death and sorrow behind. Disgusted at

what had become of their favoured son,

the gods turned their back on Naptesh.

A terrible drought turned the fertile

fields of Naptesh to dust, and the trai-

tors who had drunk of Phateps blood

were afflicted with a curse of eternal

thirst. Still Seteshs army of the dead

fought on, needing no drink, nor food,

nor shade.

After long years of bloodshed, Teput

brought Setesh himself to battle on the

plain of Takhat. Beneath the blaze of the

sun, the two armies clashed, while the

usurper and the rightful queen sought

each other out. Face to face, they fought

until at last they fell, each having dealt

the other a mortal wound. As they laydying, Setesh mocked Teput. I have no

fear of death, he told her, for I have made

myself master of death. But when your

death comes, your spirit will become a

subject in my realm.

Even as Setesh breathed his last, Teput

realised the terrible truth of his prom-

ise. She cried to the gods of Naptesh to

spare her, and she was answered. The

gates of the underworld were shut for-

ever, sealing Setesh in as god of his own

prison. In turn, the people of Naptesh

were condemned never to know peace

in the halls of the afterlife, wandering

instead in this world as the restless dead.

So it was that the kingdom of Naptesh

became the kingdom of the dead. Those

living who remained in the haunted landssoon fled, their fields already turned to

ash by the curse of the gods. Only those

nobles who could not bear to leave the

proud history of their ancestors behind

remained. Waited on by households of

the dead, they lingered in their palac-

es of marble and alabaster until death

came for them. Then their undead serv-

ants would embalm them according tothe ancient custom, and carry them to

their tombs, to wait down the long ages

against the day that Setesh the betray-

er could be destroyed, and their path to

paradise made clear once more.

They are still waiting.

Variations on this myth have been found in the Annals of the Dust Sea and in the oldest cat-acombs of Avras. Records exist of another account encountered by the crusaders of Equitaineunder the rock formations on the north coast of Naptesh known as the Pillars of Har-Khowar

- regrettably, these carvings were destroyed at the order of the priesthood of Sunna - B. U.



8/64

8

27th of Keimzeit, 1648 A.S.

I t has been a long voyage, but we havefinally made landfall at the city of PortReynaud, on the north Taphrian coast.

I for one will not be sorry to say good-

bye to our ship, the Glory of Sunna - the

Wallowing Tub would have been a better

name. I have never felt so sick in my life.

Port Reynaud was built as a crusader

port, and it shows the great fortifica-

tions surrounding the harbour and the

keep are far more impressive than the

town itself. Thankfully we have no need

to stay here long just long enough to

pick up guides, guards and pack animals

for our expedition into the desert. Gun-

ther has been out hiring and our roster

is almost complete. Few of the locals

seem willing to assist us. Perhaps in the

circumstances it is understandable, but

I do wish they could be made to see past

their superstitious fears. I suppose it is

their loss.

Gunther Helmgart -head of our porters fromthe Imperial Society. Astout and reliable man,

he has been invaluable on

the journey thus far. I fearhowever that the heat is

getting to him.

Johannes Grunstein- a scholar of ancient his-tory from the Universityof Narrenwald. He seemssingularly useless to me,

but Master Aldebrand in-sisted we take him along.He claims some knowl-edge ofNaptaan hiero-

glyphs, and chews so muchqat that his hands trembleincessantly if he goes one

day without it.

Gilles DAuvigne - agrim fellow, and the

newly-appointed leaderof our guards. Guntherfound him close to the

docks, and says he foughtin the last crusade. Fromhis scars it certainly seems

plausible.

Abdullah ibn-Rahil-the head of our guides. Heclaims he is well-known

to the desert tribes in theseparts, and can see us safely

through the sands - al-though it took a great dealof money to convince himwhen he learned of ourdestination. Personally

I would not be surprisedif his fear was feigned. Itwas certainly an effective

negotiating tactic.



9/64

9 M O N A R C H S O F T H E D E A D I N T R O D U C T I O N

NOMARCHSOFTHE DEAD

T he mummy Valdes supplied to the society was the best-preservedspecimen I have ever had the privilege of examining. The hiero-glyphs on the lid of the sarcophagus identified the body as Kharatep,

king of Djedesh. His list of titles was very grand - Favoured Son of

Nephet-Ra, Lord of the Delta, Pillar of the Sky, Right Hand of the

High Queen, Last and Greatest of His Line.


10/64

10 D E A T H P R I E S T S M O N A R C H S O F T H E D E A D

M O N A R C H S O F T H E D E A D

These can be seen as typical for the kings of Naptesh. Though during

the time of their empire all the cities of Naptesh answered to the king

of Tehmet, each city had its own royal line. The kings, or pharaohs,

were glorified as demigods, separate from and superior to the commonpeople who laboured to build their great monuments.

Each pharaoh kept a court, filled with lesser nobles (or nomarchs)

who claimed various degrees of proximity to the royal blood. Those

whose relation was too distant to hope to inherit sought glory on the

battlefield, or else joined the orders of the empires priests. Those of

higher birth attended closely to the wishes of the pharaoh, seeking al-

ways to be confirmed as his heir. The history of the greatest dynasties of

Naptesh could be traced for many centuries, and the throne of Tehmetchanged hands between them on several occasions. Since the fall of the

Naptaan empire, it is the tombs of the pharaohs that have formed the

most enduring symbol of their kingdom. According to legend, the mum-

mified bodies of the kings still sleep fitfully within, waking sometimes in

kingly anger to direct their armies against the lands of the living. Thank-

fully, Valdes specimen showed no such inclinations - but the Society has

placed powerful wards on the chamber in which it is kept. Just in case.

TROOPTYPE

Infantry

SPECIALRULES

Undead, Flammable, Undying Will, Fear, Dust to Dust,Mummys Curse

M WS BS S T W I A LDPROFILE BASESIZE

4 6 3 5 5 4 3 4 10 2020 mm

4 5 3 4 5 3 3 3 9

Rise up, O Haphut!ake your head, collect your bones,

Gather your limbs, shake the earth from your flesh!Te gatekeeper comes out to you, he grasps your hand,

Rise up, O Haphut, you shall not die!

- Inscription found on the Sakur tombs, in Qassar


11/64

11 D E A T H P R I E S T S M O N A R C H S O F T H E D E A D

DEATHPRIESTS

M.H.:Who are you? What is your name?

SUBJECT: Akhamun? Is that you? You know me. Ages have passed and seas have driedsince last we fought, but I know the smell of your magic.


12/64

12 T O M B H A R B I N G E R S D E A T H P R I E S T S

M.H.: I am Witchfinder General Matthias Horst, and you will answer my questions.Who is this Akhamun?

SUBJECT: A mortal? Tis is an unexpected turn.

Akhamun is a worthy foe. All beings are measured by their enemies, and so he makes memighty. Once before we battled. He was only a mortal then, like you, and I was yet to risein my masters favour. But that was many centuries ago.

M.H.: How does he still live?

SUBJECT: He died long ago. In life, he was the slave of kings, dressed up in a prettygown. His order saw to their safe passage to the afterlife. How ironic that he should nowcall them back from the grave.

In the past, his lands were fertile ground for my masters, and we vied for the souls of his

people. Now that kingdom is a barren desert, but Akhamun remains. He is cursed, like allhis people - he cannot rest in death. But his magic is still strong. It would have to be, tomake him an enemy worthy of my power.

M.H.: If you are so mighty, why take this body? Speak!

SUBJECT: After many centuries, I returned to those lands to claim them for my mas-ters. Tere I found Akhamun, rotted body and empty eyes, yet the same power within.

My followers battled his, and broke through his lines. I advanced to victory, only to beengulfed in light and cast into this prison of flesh. A feat your pitiful priests could hardlyhave achieved. Tey have not had millennia to study their craft.

My legion fell as he summoned his army to life again. But this is not the end, merelya setback. My star will rise again, my allies will return through the Veil and we willmarch once more. Your chains will hold me no more than this mortal vessel. And when

I have claimed my rightful place as master of Naptesh, I will come for you, Matthias. Telast thing you see in this life will be my true form and I will await you on the other side.Death is no escape from the Dark Gods.

[Subject began to emit smoke from his mouth and eyes. Subject was destroyed by fire.]

D E A T H P R I E S T S

TROOPTYPE

Infantry

SPECIALRULES

Undead, Dust to Dust

MAGIC

Generate spells from Path of the Sands, Light or Death


4 3 3 3 4 3 2 1 8 2020 mm

4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 7


13/64

13 T O M B A R C H I T E C T S D E A T H P R I E S T S

TOMBHARBINGERS

Among the grave goods Valdes brought us was the golden iconwhose rough shape I have sketched here. It incorporates com-mon elements from the Naptaan religion, such as the winged scaraband the radiant sun. It is also inscribed with heiroglyphs proclaiming

the praises of the king. It seems likely that this formed a part of the

kings banner.

Most interesting to me, however, was a carving we found on the de-

cayed remains of the banner pole. From what legible sections we could

recover, it read:

LOYALSHEKTUK, FIRSTAM ONG THE FAITHFUL SOLDIERSOFTH E

KING, BEARSTHISSTANDARD.LETALLWHO OPPOSEHI SLORDTREMBLEAT ITS SIGHT.

This constitutes one of the few mentions in the written history of the

Naptaan of anyone not of the royal blood, for we can presume from his

name and lack of titles that Shektuk was a simple soldier. Valdes men

claim they found this artefact inside the tomb of Kharatep himself, a

position of great honour for one so lowly born.

One of Valdes crew in particular one Miguel was willing to tell

me a little more. According to Miguel, the banner-pole was found stillclutched in the hands of an intact skeleton, at least a head taller than

the other bodies in the tomb. Valdes was forewarned about how lightly

the dead sleep in Naptesh, and ordered the men to smash it to pow-

der with clubs and hammers. If Miguel is to be believed, it killed three

men before the icon could be prised from its phalanges and even

then, one fleshless hand kept hold of the banner pole long after the

rest of the undead creature had been destroyed.

TROOPTYPE

Infantry

SPECIALRULES

Undead, Dust to Dust, Flammable, Lethal Strike,

Undying Will, Poisoned Attacks, Royal Guard


4 4 3 4 5 2 3 3 8 2020 mm


14/64

14 T O M B A R C H I T E C T S T O M B H A R B I N G E R S

TOMBARCHITECTS

31st of Keimzeit, 1648 A.S.

We are four days out of Port Reynaud, and have come to the land-marks Abdullah tells me are called the Teeth of the Asp. Thename is certainly apt - these two great obelisks jut up out of the desert

hills like the fangs of a great snake.


15/64

15 A R C O F A G E S T O M B A R C H I T E C T S

In the glory days of the Naptaan empire, these monuments would have

marked the boundaries of the Naptaan territory, standing as a state-

ment of the empires great power and a warning against invaders. Now

they are eroded and half-buried in the dunes, but some of the intricatecarvings recording the victories of the king who erected them still re-

main.

I had Gunthers porters shovel away six feet of the sand obscuring the

base of the columns much to the amusement of Abdullah and his

guides, who were content to sit and watch our northerners labouring in

the hot sun. Beneath the dedication to the pharaoh Oseput we found

what I was searching for the makers mark of the Naptaan mason

who built the Teeth.

From the texts recovered by earlier expeditions, we already know that

among the common-born Naptaan the monument-makers were held in

high regard, second only to the priesthood. They were commissioned

to build the immense tombs of the pharaohs, and great statues glori-

fying their rule. The inscription we found on the Teeth says that this

architect one Ammtunek oversaw two thousand slaves in their

construction, and was favoured in the eyes of the pharaoh. Intriguingly,

the inscription also says that Ammtunek is buried under the obelisks,

and whosoever disturbs him by destroying his work will suffer his curse.

These great monuments must have been his lifes work.

I put forward the idea of sinking a mine pit under the right-hand obe-

lisk to try to locate the burial chamber, but our guard captain Gilles

refused outright, saying the obelisk might topple and crush us all to

death. These people have no vision!

TROOPTYPE

Infantry

SPECIALRULES

Undead, Dust to Dust, Flammable, Master of Stone,

Artisans Wrath, Masons Menagerie


4 4 3 4 4 2 3 2 7 2020 mm

T O M B A R C H I T E C T S


16/64

16 S K E L E T O N WA R R I O R S T O M B A R C H I T E C T S

ARKOFAGES

O n the second obelisk of the Teeth, we discovered another inscrip-tion. Though very worn by time and the elements, the hieroglyphswere still legible, but of a variety I was not familiar with. A few pointed

prods of my staff woke Grunstein and set him to work translating the an-cient script (I suppose this proves he is good for something, at least). It

would have taken the him weeks to study the entirety of this inscription,

but we had only until sunset Abdullah and his men insisted we had to

depart before dark. In the few hours we had available, what Grunstein did

manage to decipher made extremely interesting reading.

The inscription told of the great river Napaat, and the high priestess of

the river god who cruised its waters in a gilded barge crewed by eunuch

slaves. A loyal servant of the pharaohs, her power brought wealth and

glory to the dynasty. Barbarous kings from far and wide brought annual

tribute to her temple.

When she died, she was mummified within her ark, which was buried in-

tact in a great tumulus along with its crew to serve her in the afterlife. Ac-

cording to the curse-script chiselled upon the obelisk, she would serve her

masters in death as she had in life, and sail the waters of the underworld

to bring divine retribution on any who defiled the lands of the great river.

We had no time to decipher any more of the legend. With the fading of thelight, Grunstein and I were all but dragged away from the hieroglyphs by

our native porters. Abdullah never ceased scanning the darkening skies,

eyes wide with fear, until we were far from the ancient monuments. He

asked me what the two of us had found from our translation, but I thought

it best not to tell him. These Qassari are evidently even more superstitious

than our own men.

TROOPTYPE

Chariot

SPECIALRULES

Undead Construct, War Platform, Ward Save (5+), LethalStrike (Necropolis Guard only), Poisoned Attacks (Ne-

cropolis Guard Only), Magical Attacks

UPGRADES

Necromantic Aura


- - - 4 5 4 - - -

- 3 3 4 - - 3 1 8

60100 mm (2)

4 2 - 2 - - 2 6 -


17/64

17 S K E L E T O N WA R R I O R S A R C O F A G E S

SKELETONS

2nd of Blhenzeit, 1648 A.S.

T wo days past the Teeth, we have passed through the hills and en-tered what is known as the Great Desert. Before the fall of theNaptaan empire much of this was supposedly fertile farmland. Now

there is nothing but windblown sand - the curse of the gods, or so the

legend says. I have my own theories - the Naptaan civil war was a bitter


18/64

18 S K E L E T O N C H A R I O T S S K E L E T O N WA R R I O R S

one, and the poisoning of water sources was a well-established weapon

of war even in those ancient times.

This evening, we came upon an area that Abdullah and his guides beggedus to avoid. When I pressed him as to why, he claimed it was the site

of a forgotten battlefield, haunted by the spirits of the dead. Sure

enough, a cursory investigation turned up a great number of human

bones and even corroded weapons buried only a few inches beneath

the sand. You can imagine my excitement - we must return this way

with more camels!

Allowing for Abdullahs nerves, I have allowed the camp to be pitched

on a nearby ridge, despite the fact that the old battlefield was much

better sheltered from the wind. A sandstorm is blowing in from the

southwest, and I fear we are all going to have to endure a sleepless

night to indulge the superstitions of our guides.

3rd of Blhenzeit, 1648 A.S.

S omeone is playing practical jokes in the camp. When Gunther andhis men finally managed to clear the sand that half-buried us dur-ing the night, they unearthed several skeletons taken from the battle-field, posed as if crawling towards my tent! Abdullah and his men deny

it was them. I have told them in no uncertain terms that unless the

culprit is produced I will be docking their pay.

TROOP TYPE

Infantry

SPECIALRULES



4 2 2 3 3 1 2 1 6 2020 mm

S K E L E T O N WA R R I O R S


19/64

19 S K E L E T O N C H A R I O T S S K E L E T O N WA R R I O R S

SKELETONCHARIOTS

4th of Blhenzeit, 1648 A.S.

T his journey was bound to be full of moments of discomfort, butthis mornings sight exceeded my expectations in every possibleway. To the amusement of my colleagues and my chagrin, I took a tum-

ble in the sands when confronted by two skeletal horses rising from the

sands with a scythed chariot in tow.

Only once I realised the chariot was (of course) stationary and half

buried was I able to pick myself up off the ground and collect my wits,

with the sound of laughter ringing in my ears. Our guides however

did not share in the mirth and instead tried to move us swiftly on. To

lessen their distress I reluctantly agreed, though I was able to make a

few sketches for later research. The similar iconography of this chariot

and the riders we encountered nearby seems to confirm many of the

theories of my old friend Doctor Friedman. Perhaps I can salvage his

reputation and prove at least some of this theories to be correct.


20/64

20 S K E L E T O N H O R S E M E N S K E L E T O N C H A R I O T S

TROOPTYPE

Chariot

SPECIALRULES

Undead, Dust to Dust.

UPGRADES

Free Reform


- - - 4 4 3 - - -

- 3 2 3 - - 2 2 7

50100 mm

(2)

8 2 - 3 - - 2 1 - (2)

Before the rise of the horseman, chariots were the first use of horses in war. As a means of carrying no-bles into the heart of battle with speed and style, chariots were highly prized in Naptaan armies.

Te prevalence of chariots in the Naptaan empire is disputed, yet my studies have unearthed evidenceof the vast scale of their usage. A tablet inscribed with a record of the battle of Qashek was uncoveredsome fifty years ago and I have spent most of those years attempting to translate the hieroglyphics. Ittells the story of King Kentak the First, who led a force of ten thousand chariots against the Edu peo-

ple. Allowing for poetic licence, this is still the greatest use of war machines in ancient times, or possi-bly even to this day.

As described on the tablet, each chariot was part of a squadron of one hundred headed by a noble, with

gilded hieroglyphics proclaiming the honour of the squadron leaders dynasty. I have often dreamtof that sight; the lines of chariots as they crested the dunes, glittering in the sun like a golden wavepoised to crash down and wash away their foes. What I wouldnt give to possess a specimen for the So-ciety, to display and to prove that Naptaan society predated the spread of modern cavalry, which wasonly developing among the more nomadic peoples of the Edu and the ancestors of the Qassari.

Doctor Eckhardt Friedman - The Golden Dynasty (Eichtal Press, 1623 A.S.)

Te messengers said, the Edu stand ready. We have strong men and strong horses, our arrows areswift and our spears are long. We are more numerous than the grains of sand in the desert.

And Pharoah said unto them, just as the sand of the desert, we shall crush your armies beneath ourwheels.

- Excerpt from inscription on the Qashek Stone

S K E L E T O N C H A R I O T S


21/64

21 G R E A T V U LT U R E S , S C A R A B S W A R M S S K E L E T O N C H A R I O T S

Te Edu tribe were rivals to the Naptaan, before

their empire reached its peak. Once Naptesh at-tained ascendancy, they were pushed to the fringesof the region, but their unparalleled horsemanshipensured their survival.

Records of running battles survive which showthe success those riders had in many battles, bothagainst the armies of Naptesh and the tribes which

populated the less fertile lands to the east.

Te success of the lightning raids made the Edu awealthy group, able the Edu to succeed as nomads

where most of their neighbours lived a settled,agrarian existence.

Of course, a nomadic life in this region does notbreed a love for material wealth as we would thinkof it. Te monuments and golden idols of Napteshwere far below water in the Edu reckoning ofwealth. It was Naptaan control of the great river

Napaat, therefore, that eventually brought the Eduinto the fold as auxiliaries in the pharaohs armies,

after long years of conflict.

Some centuries after the end of the reign of KingPhatep, however the Edu appear to have suddenlyceased their trade with the empire. Most of my col-leagues believe this highly skilled and successful tribewas wiped out in the wars that followed the kingsdeath, or by one of the many plagues which sprungup around the time

I find these explanations unsatisfactory. Perhaps

there is some truth to the legends of the Great Dy-ing. Why else were fields left to ruin and desolationat the height of the countrys might? What other

force could have wiped out the Edu, who for so longhad resisted or evaded the armies of the greatest em-

pire of their time? It seems overwhelmingly likelythat it was the curse of undeath which overtookthese people, and swallowed up their famed horse-men into the armies of the dead.

Dr Eckhardt Friedman The Golden

Dynasty (Eichtal Press, 1623 A.S.)

HORSEMEN

TROOPTYPE

Cavalry

SPECIALRULES

Undead, Dust to Dust, Vanguard, Scout, Free Reform


4 3 2 3 3 1 2 1 6 2550 mm

8 2 - 3 3 1 2 1 3


22/64

22 S A N D S C O R P I O N S S K E L E T O N H O R S E M E N

GREAT VULTURES5th of Blhenzeit, 1648 A.S.

We are in the deep desert now. The nights are freezing, the daysare baking hot. This damned sand gets everywhere, even into mybooks. Gunther has turned as red as a beetroot, but soldiers gallantly on.

A growing flock of vultures have been circling us as we progress. Tiring of

their attention, one of Gilles' men managed to bring one down with his

bow. Thinking it might make a decent supper, when he went to retrieve it

he found its flesh was putrid and decayed, as if it had been dead for many

months. It seems that in the kingdom of the dead, even beasts and birds

can find no rest in death.

TROOPTYPE

War beast

SPECIALRULES

Undead, Dust to Dust, Fly (10), Skirmishers


2 3 - 4 4 2 3 3 44040 mm

SCARAB SWARMSWe have lost one of the porters. He must have disturbed a nest ofsome kind while he was searching for water. We were only alerted by

his screams. When we found him, he was completely covered with a swarmof glossy black beetles, which were consuming his flesh at a startling rate.

Gilles men drove the swarm off with burning torches, but by the time the

last of the insects had fled little was left of the poor man apart from bones

and scraps of bloody skin. I managed to convince one of Gunthers men to

retrieve one of the dead beetles for me, though they were understandably

loath to touch even the dead ones after what had happened to their friend.

From the sinister markings on its carapace, I believe these may be the scar-

abs of Har-Khowar spoken about in von Bodenheims Pyramid Texts sup-

posedly sacred to the god of the Naptaan underworld. It is easy to see now

how these insects might have picked up such an association with death.

TROOPTYPE

Swarm

SPECIALRULES

Undead, Dust to Dust, Armour Piercing (1), Poisoned

Attacks, Scout, Underground Ambush


5 3 - 2 2 5 1 5 1 0 4040 mm


23/64

23 S A N D S C O R P I O N S G R E A T V U LT U R E S , S C A R A B S W A R M S

SANDSCORPIONS


T oday we entered a bank of deep dunes that Abdullah claims isone of the last obstacles between us and the necropolis of Kha-ratep. The sand here is very fine, making our boots sink up to the ankle

with every step.

Shortly after midday, we learned we were not alone in the dunes.

A huge claw burst up from beneath the sand, cutting one of our camels

in two and dragging the larger half under. I was scarcely able to believe

my eyes all of us must have stood there for a good two or three sec-

onds before the hue and cry began.

Probing with their spears, Gilles men managed to unearth the beast

a scorpion bigger than a bear. It burst from the dune in a terrible rage,


24/64

24 S H I N X E S S A N D S C O R P I O N S

slaying three of our guards with its claws and striking another with its

sting. The spears of the guards could draw no blood from it only a

trickle of desiccated dust. Like the carrion birds, I do not believe it

was truly alive. Even my strongest spells appeared to have little effect.

When it became apparent that our numbers were too great for it to

overcome, it burrowed back out of sight. The last we saw of it was

a fast-moving wave of sand, rolling away from us and out into the des-

ert.

Whatever venom is in these creatures stings must be extremely

powerful the entire arm of the man who was stung is now severe-

ly necrotised, and the rot is spreading to his torso. It is a testament

to the strong constitution of Gilles guards that the man is still alive,

but he surely will not last the night. I must secure some samples

of venom from the wound to show to the alchemists back home.

TROOPTYPE

Monstrous Beast

SPECIALRULES

Undead Construct, Lethal Strike, Poisoned Attacks,

Magic Resistance (2), Underground Ambush, Fear


7 4 - 5 5 4 3 4 8 5050 mm

S A N D S C O R P I O N S

Te Lost Crusade

In 1101 A.S., King Guillaume the Vengeful called together a second Crusade from the knights of Eq-uitaine. In retaliation for attacks on travellers out of Avras, they were to strike at the necropolis ofHanaphuk, and cleanse the desert of the undead.

wo thousand knights rode south from the holy city. One man returned, delirious and dying of thirst.Te kings messengers searched for months, but could find no sign of their lost army - the dunes of

Naptesh had swallowed them whole.


25/64

25 S H I N X E S S A N D S C O R P I O N S

SPHINXES


We have arrived! Our scouts sighted the necropolis early this morning,and we pushed the men hard to reach it before dusk. The pyramidof Kharatep is a magnificent sight. A man-made mountain, it towers over the

desert. Looters have stripped it of much of its marble facing, but much still

remains around the apex, shining a brilliant white in the sun. The necropolis

stretches for some distance around it, half-submerged beneath the shifting


26/64

26 S H A B T I S H I N X E S

TROOP TYPE

Ridden Monster

SPECIALRULES

Undead Construct, Lethal Strike (crew only), Poisoned

Attack (mount only)UPGRADES

Breath Weapon (Strength 4, Flaming Attacks), Innate

Defence (4+)


6 4 - 5 8 5 1 4 8 50100 mm

- 4 3 4 - - 3 2 8 (4)

TROOPTYPE

Monstrous Beast

SPECIALRULES

Poisoned Attacks, Large Target, Terror

UPGRADES

Lethal Strike or Necromantic Aura

M WS BS S T W I A LDPROFILE BASE

SIZE

6 4 - 5 6 5 1 4 8 50100 mm

sands. We have identified several lesser tombs, and what appear to be an

avenue of statues leading up to the pyramid of the pharaoh. It was at the

entrance to this avenue that we found the Sphinx.

It is buried almost up to its shoulders in sand, but what remains above the

dunes is three times the height of our camels. Its head has been sculpted

bearing what I believe to be a pharaoh's crown - possibly this was once a

likeness of King Kharatep himself, although the frequent sandstorms have

weathered the face beyond recognition, giving it an almost skeletal appear-

ance.

Grunstein has identified some inscriptions that he claims are spells of awak-

ening, designed to turn the statue into a walking engine of war. I told him

his hypothesis was absurd, but for the sake of the record, I include on the

following pages a few of the sources he presented to me as the "evidence"

for his claims.


27/64

27 S A N D S T A L K E R S S H I N X E S

SHABTI

You want to hear about the Kingdom of the Dead,

you say. You ever heard about statues that walk,twelve feet tall and swinging blades bigger thana man? I thought not.

I used to fight for the empire, but the vermin-kin caught me. Made a slave out of me, sweatingdown in the dark, til they rounded a dozen of usup for their expedition into the desert. All us hu-mans had heard the stories about that place, but

you dont say no to a rat with a whip.

Some people call the rats cowards. Teyre prob-ably right. But rats are damn good at saving theirskins a rat will be running before a man haseven soiled his breeches. We were about three daysinto the journey when suddenly the rats went alltwitchy. Tere was a big sandstorm blowing in,and they could feel it in their whiskers. Te over-seer screams something in their filthy language andnext thing were all running for cover in a crack inthe cliff-face. Us slaves in the back barely make itin before the storm hit.

It wasnt just a cave, though it was a tomb.With the rats green lamps we can see the walls arecovered in marks glyphs and there are thesestatues, huge things, surrounding us. Te floor aroundthems covered with pots and boxes, I figure valuablestuff but the rats go dead quiet, all twitchy again.

Next thing I know, the overseer flies across the room,stuck with an arrow the size of a spear.

Te statues are moving. Tere are four closing off the

exit, each with the head of some animal; a bull and

a crocodile and an eagle and a fox. Its hard to see

their movements in the flicker of those damn lamps,but theyve got giant bows, biggern me. Te rats get outtheir pistols and start firing back, but its no good. Be-hind us, the other statues are coming alive too, one rightnext to me. Tis thing is fifteen feet tall if its an inch,all stone and bone, with a blade even bigger than thosedamn bows. Ive never been so scared in my life.

After that it was a blur. Te rats stolen horses areshrieking and the monster is slamming its jaws openand shut, making an awful clacking sound as it kills.

Seeing the rats running, I grab the pack horse besideme, motion my friend Lora to do the same and we

flee the cave, out into the storm. Never looked back,not once.

Wulli Schmidt,

once of the Seventh Auldheim Spears

TROOP TYPE

Monstrous Infantry

SPECIALRULES

Undead Construct, Fear


6 4 2 5 4 3 3 3 8 4040 mm


28/64

28 T O M B C A T A P H R A C T S S H A B T I

I remember as a boy I once went out into the desert. Some friends and I had wanted to do it for weeksbut my father had always forbidden it. I stole one of his camels and we took a tent between us. Wetook it in turns, two of us would ride the camel and the other would walk.

We only stayed out there one night; we awoke to find our camel frozen into stone. I was sick Ithink what kind of a thing can do that? All around our tent were ridges and valleys of sand, ris-ing over and under one another for tens of feet in every direction. o the south of us, five valleys metand carried on together as far as the eye could see. Must have been their tracks, whatever they were.

Needless to say we packed up the tent and fled. Ive never been comfortable in the desert since.

Funny thing is, when I got back, I thought my father would be angry about the camel, but other thanme, he seemed more worried that he would lose the tent.

Adil El-Amin, Qasari trader

SANDSTALKERS

TROOPTYPE

Monstrous Beast

SPECIALRULES

Undead Construct, Fear, Petrifying Gaze, Free Reform

UPGRADES

Underground Ambush


7 3 6 4 4 3 3 2 8 50100 mm


29/64

29 N E C R O P O L I S G U A R D S A N D S T A L K E R S

Dear Joanna, I close my eyes and picture you ev-ery day. I want to hold you close to me again, nowmore than ever. Te Caravan was attacked threedays ago, but thank Sunna, I am safe.

One of the women in our caravan spotted a dustcloud to the north. Looking through my spyglass,

I could pick out five dark shapes in the murk,which I showed to Hassan, the caravan master.

I have never seen the blood drain from a mans

face so fast. Te image of what descended on usfrom out of the dust is burned into my memory.Five stone beasts, ridden by grinning skeletons.Tey took different shapes serpent, crocodile,camel monstrous, scarab beetle and bird but

Joanna, they were living statues, foul facsimiles oflife, built from coloured stone and embossed with

gold. Tey fell upon us with terrifying speed.

Hassan called for the caravan to split into threegroups. Te creatures attacked the northern group

with brutal efficiency. o their credit, the men therebrought down one of the monsters the huge bird before they were overpowered. One moment itwas wreaking carnage, the next, it tumbled into

pieces like some childs discarded plaything. o ourastonishment, the remaining four creatures justturned and left, though I am sure they could haveovertaken the rest of us if they chose.

I long to talk with you more about this, for Imsure your mind could find some wondrous insightthat I have missed. I shall probably head north totrade somewhere safer, though I have more thanhalf a mind to travel home with this letter.

Yours with love, Oscar.

Letter found aboard the wreck

of the Empress Matilda, in 1598 A.S.

TOMBCATAPHRACTS

TROOPTYPE

Monstrous Cavalry

SPECIALRULES

Undead Construct, Lethal Strike (Rider Only), Fear, Poisoned

Attacks (Amuut Only)

UPGRADES

Underground Ambush


4 4 3 4 4 1 3 2 8 50100 mm

7 3 - 5 4 4 3 3 8


30/64

30 N E C R O P O L I S G U A R D T O M B C A T A P H R A C T S

The Luxopolis Codex, Page 17 Commentary and Translation by Guglielmo Baldarini

Te Luxopolis Codex is one of our most valuable insights into the history of the ancient kingdomof Naptesh.

Many lesser scholars have frittered away their lives debating its contents; they have grown hoarywith age picking over its every detail, seeking to imagine the some new implication how manynights did they eschew wine and song for such pursuits? Here, I shall finally resolve one of its greatestmysteries. I present here the definitive translation of the famous Verses of Amet-Ptuk.

According to the learned Professor Schiffer, these texts are merely a ghoul tale for children. Othershave supposed they represent a historical record of the punishment for tomb robbers. My translationshows both views to be incorrect. I write it below square brackets indicate supplements or correc-tions to the damaged papyrus.

NECROPOLISGUARD


31/64

31 C O L O S S IN E C R O P O L I S G U A R D

N E C R O P O L I S G U A R D

TROOPTYPE

Infantry

SPECIALRULES

Undead, Dust to Dust, Lethal Strike, Bodyguard, Magical

Attacks, Poisoned Attacks


4 3 3 4 4 1 3 1 8 2020 mm

1THE LASTLIVINGPRINCESPREPARETHEIRFOREVER

PALACESINTHE IMMORTALCITY .

2INTHEIROW NHOMESTHEIRAN CE STO RSSERVANTS

WAIT UPON THEM .

3INTH EIMMORTALCITYTHEIRANCE STO RS[ARMI ES]

SLEEP, WR AP PEDINBANDAGES,

4WALLEDUP AWAITI NGTH E[ARRI VALOF THEIRMASTERS], BLADE-

AR ME D, SHIELD-BOUND.

5STORESOF WE APON SBU T[NOFOOD. . . THEYCA N]

CU TBUT NO TEAT .

6SI RHEZEKOF[ALATENAPTAANSPLINTER]

[ENTERED] THAT GREATCITY.

7HETOOKTHREEGUARDSAND

[ . . . PORTERS.] WE NEEDEDGOLDFOR TRADE .

8ON ETOMB WASOPENED. DUST ISSUED[FORTH].

HEZEKENTERED.

9HEZEKSFAMILYNO WCOUNTS ITSELFFATHERLESS .

APORTER RETURNED.

10TH ETOMBHA DGUARDS, UNBREATHING , DUST-FLECKED, DEADLY.

As anyone of the meanest intelligence can see, the most valuable information contained in theseverses is not the robbers fate, but rather the guards cursed with undeath as the legends of theold kingdom say, and sealed inside their masters tombs! A journey to the ruins of Luxopolis is allthat is required for proof that I am correct. I dispatched my assistant Beppe on a south-bound shipto investigate such a possibility, but he has not yet returned. No doubt the lazy boy has abscondedwith the money I gave him...


32/64

32 C O L O S S IN E C R O P O L I S G U A R D

COLOSSI

I met a traveller through a southern landWho said: "wo vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Serve well the words on which the stone feet stand.'My name is Phatep, king of kings:

Tis mighty city shows the the wonders of my hand.'Nothing beside remains. Round the decayOf that colossal wreck, boundless and bareTe lone and level sands stretch far away.

Parzeval Schalle


33/64

33 C H A R N E L CATAPULT C O L O S S I


E

ntering the necropolis, we passed an avenue of colossal statues

that might have stepped out of Schalles poem. There are fewworks of sculpture that could have rivalled their size or grandeur when

they were intact. Even in ruins, they towered over our party to the

height of the largest guild houses on the Geldstrasse.

Grunstein, as always, is convinced that these colossi were animated by

the magic of the Naptaan priests. He claims they were used as labour

to construct the pyramids of the pharaohs, quite ignoring the histori-

cal evidence that the Naptaan used flesh and blood giants for this very

purpose.

In fact, we have found several immense burial pits on the outskirts of

the necropolis that can only have been dug for such creatures. I tried to

convince the men to excavate them, but even Gunther was reluctant

to do so, finding excuses about his men being tired and thirsty.

The Society is really going to have to start hiring a better class of ser-

vant.

TROOPTYPE

MonsterSPECIALRULES

Undead Construct, Grinding Attacks (D3+1)


6 4 2 6 6 5 2 5 8 5050 mm

C O L O S S I


34/64

34 W I N G E D R E A P E R S C O L O S S I

CHARNELCATAPULT

O n the remains of the necropolis walls, we have found remnantsof siege weapons likely used at the height of the Naptaan civilwar. Without exception they have been dilapidated and rotted, cer-tainly not capable of useful function. I doubt they would teach our own

fine engineers anything, but they give the lie to those who paint this

ancient civilisation as primitive. During my readings on Naptesh I

have come across claims that these weapons have been used more re-

cently. The tales make chilling reading, but can be largely dismissed

as hyperbole or invention. Interesting though they are, I do not think

these engines will be of much value to the Society, and likely would

not survive transportation home.

TROOPTYPE

War Machine

SPECIALRULES


WE APON

Charnel Catapult


- - - - 7 3 - - -

4 2 2 3 3 - 2 1 6

75 mm

round

(3)

I beg yer forgivness Sire. Te lads and me, we marched on the hill like we was ordered. Tere was afew of the skellingtons there, but nuthin we couldnt handle. Until the bits of bodies started fallin.

One first, then two, it were just rainin bones and gristle. We went from 50 brave lads to just a handful of usin minutes. We tried ta stand, we truly did Sire, but we was dyin by the score. But that werent the worst.

Tey spoke. I eard them in my head, whispering and laughin. I aint heard nuthin like it. old usthey was coming fer us, they wanted to kill us all. Like they was alive and mad, and they wantedto be chucked at us. And we knew those voices. Friends who died last week. Me wife, dead these five

years. Me old mam. Our own friends, our family, whisperin how they were coming for us, how wefailed them all, laughin at us. I know I shouldnt have run. Shoulda have stayed, shoulda reported toarmy. But once we was running, we couldnt stop to save oursels. And now I cant get the voices outme head. I hafta ask Sire, beg you, please take me home with you. Dont bury me here. Te laughinwont stop, and I dont want ta be one of them. Lady and Land have mercy on me.

Final words of Robert de Sadoul, leader of the 2nd Levy of Lord Auvrays Crusade

before being hanged for desertion. Recorded by the scribe Lukas Bernstein.


35/64

35 W I N G E D R E A P E R S C H A R N E L CATAPULT

WINGEDREAPERS

Iwrite this late at night, having been woken by a frankly alarmingturn of events.When we made camp this evening, one of Gilles men found a curious

onyx bauble in the sand. It was marked with Naptaan heiroglyphs, so

they brought it to me for study. I deciphered some parts most in-

triguingly the infamous name Setesh, and a strange mention of winged

guardians. Finding Grunstein in a rare moment of lucidity (the way


36/64

36 D R E A D S P H I N X W I N G E D R E A P E R S

the qat juice blackens his lips is repulsive!), I got him to confirm my

findings before tiredness got the better of me, and I fell asleep with

the thing in my hand.

In my sleep, angelic figures visited my dreams. They reached out to

me, gently but as their fingers brushed my face they became talons

of sharp bone. The flesh shrivelled from their faces, showing snarling,

inhuman skulls, and I sat bolt upright, tearing myself from sleep.

To my dismay, the precious artefact was gone. Bursting out of my tent,

I saw the thief had not got far. It was one of Gunthers porters, the thin

boy with the weasel eyes he was still clutching his pilfered prize as

he ran. Woken by my shout of alarm, Gilles went to intercept him with

a dagger in his hand.

I still do not trust my senses as to what happened next, but I will re-

cord what I saw all the same. It seemed that something huge dropped

suddenly from the sky, its wings hiding the moon for a brief instant. It

landed heavily, blocking the boys path, towering over him.

It appeared only in silhouette, but in the moonlight that filtered through

its ragged wings I thought I caught the gleam of bone. With a sweep of

its blade it severed the heads of both Gilles and the boy, then stoopeddown to recover the stolen treasure. With a single beat of its wings, it

disappeared into the night sky, leaving nothing in its wake but dancing

motes of sand.

The camp is now in a state of ferment. Abdullah and his guides have

struck their tents, saying they will leave at dawn they say I am

cursed. Half of Gilles guards are leaving with them. The remainder

I have persuaded to press on whatever the thing was that struck in

the night, we have come too far to turn back now.

TROOPTYPE

Monstrous Infantry

SPECIALRULES

Undead Construct, Fly (6), Terror, Necromantic Aura


6 5 3 5 5 4 4 3 1 0 5075 mm

W I N G E D R E A P E R S


37/64

37 D R E A D S P H I N X W I N G E D R E A P E R S

DREADSPHINX


G runstein was right. I was too quick to doubt him, too quick todismiss his ideas about the Naptaan and their cursed statues.He has paid for the evidence with his life.

With some hesitation after our experiences last night, we made our en-

trance to the pyramid of King Kharatep this morning, using the secret

passage we were told of by Valdes and his men. Inside, we located the


38/64

38 T H E C A S K E T O F P H A T E P D R E A D S P H I N X

entrance to the kings chambers in a great pillared hall. The painted

murals on the walls were faded and crumbling, but what drew our at-

tention was the great sphinx that dominated the far end of the hall.

It was quite unlike any such statue I have seen, more human than beast,

with great wings like an eagle. Approaching, we saw it was crouched

above what could only be the doorway we were seeking. The gates

were marked with hieroglyphs, which formed the riddle:

FEWSEEKME , THOUGHSOMEEMBRACEME ,

OTHERSFLEEME , BUT ALLFINDME .

WHATAMI?

Grunstein immediately set to puzzling it out, claiming the answer wasDeath. Reluctantly, I turned to the doors and spoke the same word

in the Naptaan tongue: Pakhat. With a deep rumble, the doors swung

open and as they did, the sphinx turned its head to look upon us.

Dust drizzled from the ceiling as its stone wings unfurled, moving as if

truly alive.

Someone screamed for us to run, and we did, straight through the open

gates. Grunstein alone was left behind, shouting for joy at how his

theories had been vindicated. The last I saw of him was the ecstaticexpression on his face before the lazy flick of a stone claw removed his

head from his shoulders. Moments later the passageway behind us col-

lapsed, brought down by the shifting weight of the beast.

It is still waiting there, behind the rubble. There must be another way

out we must press on.

TROOPTYPE

Monstrous Infantry

SPECIALRULES

Undead Construct, Fly (7), Devastating Charge, Large

Target, Multiple Wounds (2, Monstrous Cavalry, Mon-

strous Beasts and Monsters), Terror, Lethal Strike, Poi-

soned Attacks, Armour Piercing (1)

UPGRADES

Innate Defence (4+)


6 5 0 5 8 5 1 5 8 50100 mm

D R E A D S P H I N X


39/64

39 T H E C A S K E T O F P H A T E P D R E A D S P H I N X

THECASKETOFPHATEP

Iwrite this in haste. If I escape this place, it will ensure I forgetnothing of what I have seen if not, I hope it will serve as a warn-ing to those who come after.

With our escape blocked by the collapse of the tunnel, we headed

down into the darkness. In the narrow passageway. It seemed an age


40/64

40 N A P T A A N M A G I C T H E C A S K E T O F P H A T E P

before we reached the bottom. There we found two arches., each

sealed with a stone slab. One had been broken, no doubt by Valdes

men. This then was the burial chamber of King Kharatep. Inside, the

light of our torches reflected from a dazzling hoard of treasure.

A golden casket of exquisite craftsmanship stood on a stone dais above

the other grave goods. If the histories of Kharateps reign are true, this

was one of the nine funerary caskets of the god-king Phatep himself,

recaptured by King Kharatep at the battle of the Burning Sands. It

shone magnificently in the light of our torches, as bright and untar-

nished as the day it was made.

Before I could shout a warning, Gunther and the porters rushed for-

wards to open it, overcome by greed. The moment they had levered

open the lid, a searing light burst from inside, and howling spirits

swarmed from the casket, babbling curses on those who defiled the

mortal remains of their god. Where they struck, men fell dead with-

out a mark on their bodies, faces contorted in terror.

To my shame I fled, leaving the others to die. I ran until I could no

longer hear the screams of the hunting ghosts. Now I hide in an al-

cove of the pyramids internal passageways, writing these words. I

will never forget what I saw not only when the casket was opened,but during my flight. The second archway we passed the one still

sealed with a stone slab that would have taken a giants strength to

move is now open.

TROOPTYPE

War Machine

SPECIALRULES

Lethal Strike, Magical Attacks, Ward Save (5+), Wailing

Spirits, Undead, Dust to Dust, Poisoned Attacks


- - - - 7 3 - - -

4 3 3 4 4 - 3 1 8

75 mm

round

T H E C A S K E T O F P H A T E P


41/64

41T H E C A S K E T O F P H A T E P

Wed fought for most of the day to reach their mage,a desiccated woman, shrouded in tattered silkand surrounded by her honour guard. As we rode,hammers raised, towards that final confrontation

I felt my throat parch. Magic, of some unknownkind.

I was nearly thrown from my horse. Looking

down, its forelocks were sinking into to sand whichhad until moments ago been firm. I pulled the reinsand my horse struggled free, moving slower now.Te group of soldiers loomed larger, perhaps twenty

sun-bleached skeletons decked out in ill-fitting ar-mour. In moments we were upon them.

I crushed two beneath my hammer, feeling theirbones shatter beneath each blow. Te long forgottenscent of cardamom filled my senses and my limbs

became weak, drained by more Naptaan sorcery.Looking around, I saw my comrades stagger underthe weight of the same witchcraft. I thank the godswe had destroyed so many, or in that moment wemight have been overwhelmed.

Behind me, I heard Klaus cry out: Father, theyare rising from the dead! I realised in horror thathe was right. As the silk-wrapped corpse before uscroaked her dry words, the shattered bodies of her

guards rose again and staggered back into the fray.

Te mage! I shouted. We kill her and this ends.Strike at the mage! At last, Berthold battledthrough the scrum, smashing her from her pedes-tal with a single blow of his hammer althoughnot before he had been pierced a dozen times by theblades of her bodyguards. As the skeletons fell todust around us, that noble knight breathed his last.

He did not die in vain. Magic so strong cannotbe left to survive. Magic stronger than the sands,

stronger than the bodies of men. Magic strongerthan death.

Grand Master Jonas Kortig, commander of the

Knights of the Silver Hammer

N A P T A A N M A G I C

NAPTAANMAGIC



42/64

42 A R M Y S P E C I A L R U L E S

THEPATHOFTHE SANDS

A

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

NORESTINDEATH

7+

(11+)

-

6+(10+)

8+

(17+)

9+(14+)

9+(12+)

7+

(9+)

10+(15+)

[17+]

Universal

Instant,24 (12

Aura),Universal

Lasts oneturn, 24

(12 Aura)

Lasts oneturn, 12

(12 Aura)

Lasts oneturn, 24

(12 Aura)

Lasts oneturn,

24 (48)

Lasts oneturn,24

Lasts one turn,18 (Remains

in play,9 Aura)

[Remains in

Play, 15 Aura]

Instant

Instant

Augment

Augment

Augment

Augment

Hex

Hex

Tis spell always targets the sametarget(s) that the spell triggering theattribute is targeting. For friendlyUndead units:Raise the number of

wounds as stated in the units profileunder Risen.If the target is a CombinedUnit declare whether the unit or thecharacter will have its wounds raised.For enemy units:arget suffers D3+1Strength 1 hits with Armour Piercing (6).

For friendly Undead units:argetmay perform a X Magical Move,

where X is equal to the unitsMovement allowance. For enemyunits:arget suffers 2D3+2 Strength 1hits with Armour Piercing (6).

arget gains the Lethal Strike specialrule. Attacks that already had LethalStrike may reroll failed to wound rollsin close combat.

arget gains Ward Save (5+)

arget has +1 Attack. All AspenBows, Great Aspen Bows, andMassive Aspen Bows in the targetunit receive Multiple Shots (2).

arget has -D3 M (to a minimumof 1) and treats all terrain (includingopen ground) as dangerous terrain,failing dangerous terrain checks onrolls of 1 and 2.

arget has +1 WS, S and I.

arget has -1 (and -1 S)

THEDESERTWIND

CURSEDBLADES

PROTECTIONOFPHATEP

RIGHTEOUSSMITING

SHIFTINGSANDS

DEADLYDESICCATION

ANCIENT GLORY

Denied their rightful afterlife by the traitorSetesh, the dead of Naptesh drag the livingdown into the dunes or swell the ranks of theirdeathless kings.

Te legions of the dead ride the sandstorms

that choke their enemies.

It is said that the edge of a cursed Naptaanblade can sever the ties between body and soul.

Te murdered god-king of Naptesh still has thepower to halt the spears and arrows of the enemy.

Te warriors of the pharaohs are filled withthe fury of their masters.

Te desert serves the will of the old godsof Naptesh, swallowing entire crusading armiesdown to their dusty graves.

Te shrivelled bodies of tomb robbers are testa-ment to the deadly power of the priesthoods curses.

For the briefest moment, the armiesof the pharaohs are returned to the glorythey possessed in life.

NAME EFFECTCASTINGVALU E

TYPE DURATION



43/64

43N A P T A A N M A G I C

ARMYSPECIALRULES

RULERSOFTHEDEAD

An Undying Dynasty army requires the Player to field a special model called an Hierophant. Te Hiero-phant of the army must be a Wizard using the Path of Sands and must be designated as the Hierophant onthe army list. Te chosen character gains Regeneration (6+) and grants this effect to any unit it joins. Unitssuffer one less wound than normally inflicted by Unstable and Dust to Dust if within the range of the Bat-tle Standard Bearers Hold your Ground.

DUSTTODUSTAt the end of any phase in which the Hierophant is removed as a casualty, every unit in the army with oneor more models with Dust to Dust must pass a Leadership test or suffer an amount of wounds with nosaves of any kind allowed, equal to the amount by which the test was failed. Tese wounds are distributedfollowing the rules for Unstable except they can never be distributed to models that do not have Dust to

Dust. Tis is reduced by one wound if the unit received Hold Your Ground.At the beginning of your next Players urn following the death of the Hierophant, a new Hierophant maybe selected. In order to do so, the Player must nominate another eligible character who is a Wizard usingthe Path of the Sands. Tis character is your new Hierophant. If the army does not have any eligible char-acter, every unit with the Dust to Dust rule must once again pass a Leadership test or suffer wounds as de-scribed above. Tis effect will repeat itself at the start of each of the owning Players turn until the gameends.

UNDEADCONSTRUCTSModels with this special rule reduce the number of wounds caused by the Dust to Dust and Unstable Spe-cial Rules by 1. Furthermore, models with this Special Rule are subject to Undead and Dust to Dust.

UNDYING WILLA character with this rule may confer its unmodified Weapon Skill to all Undead models that are part of itsunit. Te Player may chose to do so at the start of any Close Combat phase. If the Character is mounted ona Large arget, it may instead choose to confer this bonus to a friendly Undead unit within 6 or, if engagedin combat, to one friendly Undead unit engaged with the same enemy unit as the Character. In either case,the effect lasts until the end of the phase.

NECROMANTICAURAUnits within 6 of a model with Necromantic Aura suffer one less wound than normally inflicted by Unstable

and Dust to Dust. A model with a Necromantic Aura rule cannot benefit itself from the effects of this rule.

MUMMYS CURSEWhen a model with this rule is removed from play, the model which caused the final wound automaticallysuffers a Strength 6 hit with Armour Piercing (6). If more than one model was part of the action whichbrought the downfall of the character, the hit is randomly distributed like shooting

A R M Y S P E C I A L R U L E S


44/64

44 M O N A R C H S O F U N D E A T H A R M Y S P E C I A L R U L E S

UNDERGROUNDAMBUSHA unit with this rule follows the same rules for Ambush with a one exception: instead of entering thebattlefield from atable edge, the designated unit must enter the board from a location called the Under-

ground Point. o designate an Underground Point, the Undying Dynasties Player may select any pointon the battlefield outside 3 of an enemy unit and outside 1/2 of impassable terrain. Te point is thenscattered 2D6 in a random direction. Te Underground Ambush unit may be placed with with thefront of its first rank, or back of its rear rank, touching the Underground Point. If the point ends be-neath an enemy unit, place the Ambushing unit in base contact with this enemys front facing instead(maximizing contact as normal). Te arriving unit counts as having successfully charged with no chargereaction allowed. If it is not possible to place the Ambushing unit for whatever reason, the ambush isfailed and the Player may roll again next turn.

RISEN

Each units profile contains a Risen sub-section that determines the number of wounds healed or raised

with No Rest in Death.

ASPENBOWShooting Weapon. Range 24, Strength 3, Volley Fire; Tis weapon ignores all modifiers o Hit.

GREATASPENBOWShooting Weapon. Range 36, Strength 5, Volley Fire; Tis weapon ignores all shooting modifiers

o Hit. Counts as Hand Weapon, -1 Strength in Close Combat

GIANTASPEN BOWShooting Weapon. Range 48, Strength 7, Multiple Wounds (D3), Armour Piercing (6); Tis weap-on ignores all modifiers o Hit.

ARMOURY


45/64

45 T R E A S U R E S O F T H E T O M B A R M Y S P E C I A L R U L E S

Tese options represent various kinds of Undead forces that can be encountered in the world.

MONARCHSOFUNDEATH

COMMANDEROFTHETERRACOTTA

ARMY

Skeletons, Skeleton Cavalry, and Necropolis Guardmustbe upgraded with +1 oughness, -1 Initiative andUndead Construct special rule for +3 pts/model

All other non Undead Construct units (includingcharacters) mustbe upgraded with +1 oughness, -1Initiative and Undead Construct special rule for +15pts/model.

All models reduce their Risen characteristic to 1.

e Underground Ambush and Free Reform specialrule can not be used by any unit in the army.

Great Vultures, Scarab Swarm and Winged Reapersmay not be taken in the army.

LORDOFTHEBARROWLEGION

Skeletons musttake Heavy Armour for +2 pts/model;may take Halberds +2 pts/model

Skeletons musttake Heavy Armour for +2 pts/model;may exchange Spears for Halberds +2 pts/model

Scarab Swarm musttake with the Ethereal specialrule for +15 pts/model

Necropolis Guard mustbe upgraded with Heavy Ar-mour for +2 pts/model;

Skeleton Cavalry may take Lance for +3 pts/model;may take Heavy Armour for +3 pts/model

Models with Large Target and Monstrous Cavalrymay not be taken in the army. Underground Ambushand Scout Special Rules may not be used by any unitin the army. Units with Heavy Armour cannot use FreeReform Special Rule

Ethereal models reduce their Risen characteristic to 1

During the fall of Naptesh, many of the Naptaan

people fled the crumbling empire. Among thoserecorded was Haskhunet, high architect of Hanaphukand builder of the queens own tomb. According tothe Gods Sea Annals, Haskhunet fled east, past theBarren Mountains and out of recorded history.

Some years later, the histories of the eastern empireof suandan make note of a sage f rom the west whoaided the Emperor in the construction of a terra-cotta army, to guard his tomb for all eternity. If thestories of the Naptaan proficiency with war golems

are true, this could well have been Haskhunet, ply-ing his skills in a foreign land. Unfortunately, fewrecords of the Xun Dynasty remain, most havingbeen destroyed with the coming of the Dragon Em-

peror. No-one now knows the resting-place of thelast Xun Emperor or, if the legends are true, ofhis slumbering army.

- Excerpt from Chapter VI of Death Knows No Bor-

ders, Alberich Hauptmann, Eichtal Press 1597 A.S.

Te Naptaan empire once spread from shore to shore

of the Middle Sea. Many of the northern tribes whotraded with Naptesh absorbed parts of Naptaan cul-ture; those who warred against them were subjugatedand assimilated in turn. From Destria the Empire,barrow mounds can be found imitating the Naptaantradition of ritual burial.

Like the pyramids of Naptesh, these barrows alsohave a dark reputation for harbouring the undead.Some may have worshipped a bastardised versionof the Naptaan pantheon, and so been afflicted by

eputs curse; others ignorantly imitated the dark artsof Setesh, inscribing the stones of their tombs withnecromantic incantations to keep their rulers fromtrue death. Such wights can be found haunting thebarrowlands of Volskaya and Equitaine, as well asour own dear Empire - the greatest numbers being

found near the border of cursed Zagvozd.

- Excerpt from Chapter IX of Death Knows No Bor-

ders, Alberich Hauptmann, Eichtal Press 1597 A.S.


46/64

TREASURESOFTHETOMB

46


47/64

47 T R E A S U R E S O F T H E T O M B T R E A S U R E S O F T H E T O M B

T R E A S U R E S O F T H E T O M B

VA NQUISHER

ETERNALSteeped in scorpions venom and inscribedwith the direst curses, this weapon carriesthe doom of a god. Down the aeons,the blade waits for the hand that will cutdown Setesh, never to rise again.

SCOURGEOFKINGSTe punishment for rebellious vassals was tobe flogged one strike for each day of theirrebellion. Khantakh the Just was famous forordering his smiths to make him a scourgethat could flay a man in under a ten lashes.

TYPEHalberd. Models on foot only. Te Weapon has twomodes of attack, Focused Strike and Sweeping Strike. Choose

at the beginning of each combat round which mode is used.

FOCUSEDSTRIKEAttacks in this mode have MultipleWounds (D3) and Lethal Strike Special Rules.

SWEEPINGSTRIKEAll of the models attacks are exchangedfor: each enemy model in base to base contact with the wieldersuffers an automatic hit. Models which could make a supportingattack against the wielder suffer a hit on 4+. Tese hits have theLethal Strike Special Rule.

TYPEHand Weapon. Attacks made with this weapon haveArmour Piercing (1). Every successful hit with this weaponbecomes two hits instead of one.

TYPENone (6+ armour save). Te wearer may use his UndyingWill special rule on a single friendly unit within 6. If a characteris engaged in close combat, it may only choose to confer itsunmodified WS to one friendly Undead unit engaged with the

same enemy unit as the Character. In addition, the player maychoose to use the Undying Will special rule in the shootingphase by bestowing his unmodified BS instead of his WS.

Te Undying Will special rule may be used only in a single phaseof each turn. A wearer mounted on a mount with the Large

arget rule adds 6 to the items range.

One model (or part of a model) in base contact with thewearers model, chosen by the controlling player, has its Attackscharacteristic reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1). Models whichdo not use the Attacks characteristic to attack cannot be affectedby this item.

MAGICWEAPON S

MAGICAR MO UR

TALISMANS

55 pts

50 pts

65 pts

35 pts

15 pts

CROWNOFTHEPHARAOHSIn life, the crown of Naptesh was a symbolof divine rule. In death it is an objectof eternal dominion.

ARMOUROFETERNITIESTrough forgotten magic, this armouris bound to the great river Napaat. Just as

the river brings life to the barren desert,so the life of the wearer is eternally renewed.

BROOCHOFTHESUNFirst worn by Mentaawet, High Priest ofNephet-Ra, this little trinket has doomed morefoes then some of the finest weapons of the world.Polished to a mirror finish, its glittering reflectionsdazzle those who raise arms against the bearer.

TYPE Plate Armour. Models on foot only. Te wearer has +1Wound.


48/64

48 A R M Y L I S T T R E A S U R E S O F T H E T O M B

T R E A S U R E S O F T H E T O M B

DEATH MASK

OFTEPUTo look upon the face of the last queen is toshare in her doom.

BOOKOFTHEDEADAccording to legend, the first priest of theNaptaan people won this book and itsknowledge from Har-Khowar himself ina game of senet. Te god of the underworld islong gone, usurped by the traitor Setesh, buthis book still holds the secrets of life and death.

UNYIELDINGSTANDARDTe jewelled standard of the royal city ofehmet invigorates the warriors who fightbeneath it to shrug off even the heaviestblows.

SANDSTORMCLOAKIt is said that long before the rise of theNaptaan empire, desert mystics learnedthe secrets of the sands and wove them intocamel-hair cloaks. Few now remain, guardedclosely in the treasure vaults of the priesthood.

CHARIOTOFNEPHET-RATe golden scarab of the sun god carries hisblessing. When mounted on a chariot, thisgaudy ornament causes the wheels to burnwith the fires of the sun, setting light to theunfortunates who are trampled in its path.

Enemy units in base contact with the wearer cannot receive theInspiring Presence or the Hold your Ground rule. Choose before

your opponent performs a Leadership test at the end of a roundof close combat.

When generation spells the bearer must exchange thePath Attribute of his chosen Path with No Rest In DeathPath Attribute from Path of the Sands. If already using NoRest In Death, the D3 for healing effect may be re-rolled.

Bound Spell, Power Level 4. Contains the spell Protection ofPhatep (Path of the Sands), which can only be cast on the unitcarrying the standard.

Models on foot only. Choose at the beginning of owners turn:the Wearer either has Fly (7) Special Rule in the RemainingMoves sub-phase, or all enemy shooting beyond 12 suffers apenalty of -1 o Hit when targeting the Character or the unit heis in. Either effect lasts until the beginning of owners next turn.

Models on chariots only. Te Impact Hits made by the wearerschariot and the chariots mounts attacks have Magical Attacksand Flaming Attacks special rules, and are resolved at +1Strength.

ENCHANTEDITEMS

ARC ANEITEMS

MAGICBANNERS

30 pts

35 pts

40 pts

60/40pts

25 pts


49/64

49 A R M Y L I S T T R E A S U R E S O F T H E T O M B

ARMY LIST

RISEN

1 2020 mminfantry

175 single model

LORDS

UNDEADSPECIALRULES


SPECIALRULES

Level 3 Wizard Master.

Generate spells from thePath of the Sands, Light orDeath

M WS BS S T W I A LD RISEN

4 6 3 5 5 4 3 4 10 12020 mm

infantry

175 single model

ARMO UR

Light Armour

UNDEADSPECIALRULES


SPECIALRULES

Flammable, Undying Will,

Fear, Mummys Curse

OPTIONS PTS

May take Magical Items up to 100May take any of the following:

Heavy Armour 12

Shield 3

May take a Great Aspen Bow 15

May take a weapon (one choice only): Additional Hand Weapon 5

Flail 5

Halberd 10 Lance 15 Great Weapon 15

May take a mount (one choice only):

Skeletal Horse 20

Chariot 45

Royal Sphinx 180May select Monarchs of Undeath (General only):

Commander of the Terracotta Army free

Lord of the Barrow Legion free

OPTIONS PTS

May become a Level 4 wizard 35

May take Magical Items up to 100

May take a mount (one choice only)

Skeletal Horse 20 Ark of Ages 150

May be upgraded to Soul Conduit 50

M WS BS S T W I A LD

4 3 3 3 4 3 2 1 8

SOULCONDUIT

If a friendly model with this rule is present on the battlefield at the beginning of theMagic Phase, the owning player rolls 7+D3 instead of 2D6 to determine the effectsof the Magic Flux roll. Te number of Dispel Dice designated to the opposing playeris always 6 plus any generated through channeling and other means.


50/64

50 A R M Y L I S T A R M Y L I S T


4 5 3 4 5 3 3 3 9 12020 mm

infantry

115 single model

HEROES

ARMO UR

Light Armour

UNDEADSPECIALRULES


SPECIALRULES


Fear, Mummys Curse

OPTIONS PTS


May take any of the following: Heavy Armour 12

Shield 3

May take an Aspen Bow 3

May take a weapon (one choice only): Additional Hand Weapon 3 Flail 3

Halberd 4

Lance (mounted only) 6

Great Weapon 6May take a mount (one choice only):

Skeletal Horse 20

Chariot 45


4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 7 12020 mm

infantry

65 single model

UNDEADSPECIALRULES


MAGIC

Level 1 Wizard Apprentice.

Generate spells from the

Path of the Sands, Light or

Death

OPTIONS PTS

May become a Level 2 wizard 25May take Magical Items up to 50

May take a mount (one choice only)

Skeletal Horse 15

Ark of Ages 150


51/64



4 4 3 4 5 2 3 3 8 12020 mm

infantry

70 single model

ARMO UR

Light Armour

UNDEADSPECIALRULES


SPECIALRULES


Lethal Strike, Poisoned

Attacks

OPTIONS PTS

May be the Battle Standard Bearer 25


May take any of the following:

Shield 3 Heavy Armour 12

May take an Aspen Bow 3

May take a weapon (one choice only)

Additional Hand Weapon 3 Flail 3 Halberd 4

Lance 6

Great Weapon 6

May take a mount (one choice only) Skeletal Horse 20

Chariot 45

Amuut 50

ROYALGUARD

Should a Pharaoh or Nomarch in the same unit as a omb Harbinger be attacked in Close Combat, before rollingto wound, one hit may be transferred onto the omb Harbinger instead. A omb Harbinger may intervene againstonly a single attack per round of Close Combat and cannot intervene against hits suffered during a Challenge.


52/64



4 4 3 4 4 2 3 2 7 12020 mm

infantry

70 single model

ARMO UR

Light Armour

UNDEADSPECIALRULES


SPECIALRULES

Flammable

OPTIONS PTS


May take a Weapon (one choice only)

Additional Hand Weapon 3

Lance 6May take a mount (one choice only)

Skeletal Horse 15

Chariot 45

Amuut 50May be upgraded to Master Mason 30

MASTERMASON

Te range on the Master of Stone special rule is increased by 6.

MASTEROFSTONE

At the beginning of the owning players urn a single friendly Undead Constructs unit within 12 of a model

with this Special Rule may be given the Regeneration (5+) Special Rule. Te Regeneration save lasts until thebeginning of the next owning players turn, or until the omb Architect is removed from play, whichever comesfirst.

ART IS ANSWR AT H

At the beginning of the owning players Close Combat phase a single friendly nonUndead Construct unitwithin 6 of a model with this Special Rule may be given the Hatred Special Rule. Te Hatred lasts untilthe endof owning players turn, or until the omb Architect is removed from play, whichever comes first. Ifthe unitisalready in second or other subsequent round of combat the unit counts this turns close combat round as the first.If the omb Architects unit is engaged the rule may only be used on his unit. Te Hatred Special Rule doesnotwork on mounts. Te Artisans Wrath cannot be used in the same turn as the Master of Stone.

MASONSMENAGERIE

If a omb Architect is your army General one unit of Shabties may be taken as a Core rather than a Specialchoice.


53/64



4 2 2 3 3 1 2 1 6 D3+32020 mm

infantry

50 models, may add upto models pts/model

CORE

ARMO UR

Shields, Light Armour

UNDEADSPECIALRULES


OPTIONS PTS

May take (one choice only): Spears free

exchan

The Nint Age Undying Dynasties Army Book 0 11 0 EN0

Documents

Transcript of The Nint Age Undying Dynasties Army Book 0 11 0 EN0