A small puppet pops up beside Wyldhunt. Poke. Hmm?
Poke, poke, poke! Hey! That drew blood!
Psst - come 'ere!
What?
You didn't load up the last version of your Revision. You directed their eyes to the Third Ring, and there was nothing there! My Master isn't happy with you...
Uh, uh, yes, I should correct that sooner than immediately!
Then why did you wait until I poked you???
I'm doing it now! Wait! Better yet, I'll just post the Warband and associated stuff directly in the thread!
You do that, and maybe, just maybe, we won't visit you tonight...
The puppet disappears. Gulp.
Well, Teleri, here it is... maybe I'll survive tonight...
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Blood Theatre Troupeby Wyldhunt, with inspiration and influence from:
City of the Damned article (fifth installment of the series in Town Cryer 26)
Carnival of Chaos warband (from Empire in Flames supplement)
Rules Crusade, Mordheim supplement, Dark Carnival warband (by Sean Patten)
Excerpt from the City of the Damned (Town Cryer 26): “Those who were not incinerated by the deadly flames suffered a fate far worse. The stilt walkers and street artists found their costumes mutating around them and they became one. Claws, horns, tentacles and a whole host of other foul things sprouted from the costumes, which melted into the flesh of these possessed individuals. Driven insane, they went on a murderous rampage, ripping apart those few survivors who had moments earlier been thrilled by their acrobatic performances.”
The Blood Theatre Troupes are ragtag gatherings of the street artist creatures who have survived so far, attracting other cultists who revere their status as “favored” by Chaos.
The Blood Theatre Troupe are a Chaos-aligned warband.
A Blood Theatre Troupe warband may have up to 15 members.
Warband abilities: - If using Corrupted Characters (from
http://cianty.ashtonsanders.com/btb/pdf/Corrupted.pdf - thanks, Werekin!), then Blood Theatre Troupe heroes can gain ongoing mutations as per Gifted Servants.
- Rewards of the Shadowlord. Blood Theatre Troupe heroes may roll for a Reward of the Shadowlord when they receive a Skill advance instead of gaining a Skill or Purchased Mutation.
- A Blood Theatre Troupe warband is treated the same as Cult of the Possessed on any Exploration Chart results, and for any Hired Swords/Dramatis Personae.
- If using At the Mouth of Madness (from Town Cryer 8, available at
http://tabletopgeeks.com/wp-content/downloads/supplements/TownCryer08.pdf - thanks, Tewfik and Svenn!), then all Blood Theatre Troupe members gain Insanity Points at half rate (except the Fire Breather and Stilt Walkers, who never gain Insanity Points).
Heroes Puppet Master. The few Puppet Masters who have survived thus far have become crafty manipulators of creatures as well as objects, and so are the natural leaders of these troupes. While some marionettes have become fused with a Puppet Master, and constantly whisper maledictions and warnings to him, other puppets cavort around their Master and fulfill his every dark wish.
This warband must begin with exactly 1 Puppet Master. He is the warband's leader.
Skill lists: Academic, Combat, Speed
Equipment list: Blood Theatre Troupe
Cost: 65, XP: 20
Starting profile: M4, WS4, BS3, S3, T3, W1, I5, A1, Ld8
Starting abilities:
- Leadership (6”)
- Mutations. This model may buy Mutations from the Possessed warband's list when first recruited to join the warband.
- Puppets of Chaos. A Puppet Master always has some small imp-like puppets cavorting around him. In combat, these puppets will interfere with enemies – all enemies in base contact with a Puppet Master suffer -1 to their hit rolls and -1 Strength from all of their attacks.
Fire Breather. The mutated Fire Breathers are a silent lot, since every time they open their mouths, whether to speak, sneeze, or eat, flames come shooting out. Their bodies have become hairless and blackened from multiple burns, and they don't care to keep clothing about any longer, yet they are immune to damage from the flames in which they now carry on their twisted lives.
This warband may have up to 1 Fire Breather.
Skill lists: Combat, Speed
Equipment list: Blood Theatre Troupe
Cost: 40, XP: 8
Starting profile: M4, WS3, BS4, S3, T3, W1, I3, A1, Ld7
Starting abilities:
- Breathe Fire. Instead of its regular Shooting attacks, this model may make a single Shooting attack to breathe fire. The fire has a range of 3”, may be shot even while in HtH combat, does not suffer hit penalties for moving nor range, but otherwise follows all the normal rules of shooting attacks. If the attack hits, it causes a S4 wound (fire damage, no Armor Saves allowed). If using Let the Damned Burn (from Town Cryer 8, available at
http://tabletopgeeks.com/wp-content/downloads/supplements/TownCryer08.pdf - thanks, Tewfik and Svenn!), this attack sets the target on fire on a D6 roll of 4+ - it may set a building on fire on a D6 roll of 6.
- Cause Fear
- Immune to Fire. This model is immune to all effects of fire, including damage from fire-based attacks (even those magical in nature).
- Mutations. This model may buy Mutations from the Possessed warband's list when first recruited to join the warband.
Illusionist. While the Illusionists were even sub-standard by Hedge Wizard criteria before, their infusion with Chaos has greatly magnified their power.
This warband may have up to 1 Illusionist.
Skill lists: Academic, Speed
Equipment list: Blood Theatre Troupe
Cost: 35, XP: 8
Starting profile: M4, WS3, BS3, S3, T3, W1, I3, A1, Ld7
Starting abilities:
- Mutations. This model may buy Mutations from the Possessed warband's list when first recruited to join the warband. The model must have at least one Purchased Mutation when recruited to join the warband.
- Wizard (Illusions)
Jester. Jesters caught by the arrival of the comet are a leering, disgusting bunch, now bearing in full form the many varied mutations at which their previous costumes merely hinted. They are cavorting, lewd characters, twisted into evil parodies of decent folk. However insane they are, they still know the best of the jester's trade in crude jokes, con-man routines, acrobatics, juggling, and the full purview of jesters everywhere.
This warband may have up to 2 Jesters.
Skill lists: Academic, Combat, Shooting, Speed, Strength
Equipment list: Blood Theatre Troupe
Cost: 25, XP: 0
Starting profile: M4, WS3, BS4, S3, T3, W1, I4, A1, Ld6
Starting abilities:
- Acrobat. As Acrobat on the Speed skill list.
- Mutations. This model may buy Mutations from the Possessed warband's list when first recruited to join the warband. The model must have at least one Purchased Mutation when recruited to join the warband.
Henchmen Brethren. These are new cultists which have joined the troupe since the fall of the comet, and hope to advance in their own power through association with the evil of the Blood Theatre.
This warband may have any number of Brethren.
Equipment list: Blood Theatre Troupe
Cost: 20, XP: 0
Starting profile: M4, WS3, BS3, S3, T3, W1, I3, A1, Ld7
Brute. Some strongmen were among the street performers caught in Mordheim's demise, and while their strength and toughness have become exaggerated, their wits have suffered.
This warband may have up to 2 Brutes.
If a Brute ever becomes a hero, the only Skill lists he can learn from are Combat and Strength.
Equipment list: Brute
Cost: 25, XP: 0
Starting profile: M4, WS4, BS0, S4, T4, W2, I3, A1, Ld7
Starting abilities:
- Slow-witted. This model gains Experience Points at half rate.
- Strongman. As Strongman on the Strength skill list.
Knife Thrower. Among the followers of Chaos are a few who take on carnival-like roles, practicing with fervent devotion. Those who follow a Blood Theatre Troupe are likely Knife Throwers.
This warband may have up to 2 Knife Throwers.
Equipment list: Blood Theatre Troupe
Cost: 30, XP: 0
Starting profile: M4, WS3, BS4, S3, T3, W1, I3, A1, Ld7
Starting abilities:
- Knife-fighter. As Knife-fighter on the Shooting skill list.
Stilt Walker. Some of the most pitiable mutations among the previous street performers are the Stilt Walkers, whose stilts have invariably become fused with their bodies. Most have also grown long beaks and tremendously-long arms or tentacles, often ending in claws or hooks. Yet Sigmar-fearing men should spare no pity for these monsters, as they have a crafty intelligence and lust for killing to match any of the Chaos-possessed.
This warband may have up to 2 Stilt Walkers.
If a Stilt Walker becomes a hero, he may not choose Shooting as one of his Skill lists.
Equipment list: none. A Stilt Walker may never have weapons or armor (but may use miscellaneous equipment if he becomes a hero).
Cost: 35, XP: 0
Starting profile: M6, WS4, BS0, S3, T3, W2, I3, A2, Ld7
Starting abilities:
- Cause Fear- Large- Natural Attacks. This model's attacks do not suffer any penalties due to being unarmed.
- On Stilts. Due to the nature of a Stilt Walker, that he can move his “feet” long distances, and that his body is well above the reach of normal weapons, a Stilt Walker's attacks always Strike First.
Equipment Lists Blood Theatre TroupeArmor: none
HtH weapons: Axe, Dagger, Double-handed weapon, Mace, Spear, Sword, Whip
Missile Weapons: Throwing Knives (8gc during both initial Recruitment and Trading)
BruteArmor: none
HtH weapons: Double-handed weapon, Flail, Morning Star
Missile Weapons: none
Spell List - Illusions 1.
Vision of Torment. Difficulty: 10, Target: closest enemy model within 6”. The target is stunned, While there is no save against this stun from helmets and the like, if the target has an ability which prevents stun, e.g., No Pain, the model becomes knocked down due to that ability as normal.
2.
Invisibility. Difficulty: 7, Target: self. The caster gains a special 2+ save versus all attacks until his next Recovery phase.
3.
Flash. Difficulty: 8, Target: one enemy model within 8”. The target must pass an Initiative test (suffering a +1 to the roll itself) or not be able to do anything other than Recover and Move until the end of the his next turn.
4.
Lure of Chaos. Difficulty: 9, Target: closest enemy model within 12”. The caster and target both roll D6 and add their Leadership scores. If the caster's result is higher:
- The target is controlled by the caster's player, and acts in the caster's subsequent turns.
- The target may not commit suicide, but may attack his former friends, and will not attack the caster's friends.
- During each of the target's original player's Recovery phases, test Ld for the target (without benefit of any Leadership ability) – if successful, the spell is immediately broken.
5.
Blink. Difficulty: 7, Target: self. The caster may immediately move anywhere within 12”.
- If this takes him into base contact with any enemy, it counts as charging.
- If this takes him into base contact with a fleeing enemy, the caster gets one free attack on the target (which automatically hits), then the target moves as per fleeing again (if he is still standing).
6.
Dread. Difficulty: 7, Target: an enemy model within 12”. The target must successfully test Ld for Fear or start fleeing.
Notes on Modeling a Blood Theater Troupe Bases. All models should be on normal human-sized bases, except for Stilt Walkers, who should be on ogre-sized bases, and Brutes, who should be on orc-sized bases.
Puppet Master. While individual appearances will vary greatly, there should always be a couple of marionettes somewhere on his body, perhaps riding on his shoulder or handing from his belt.
Illusionist. As a normal, though disturbing, human wizard. Don't forget to model the mutation(s)!
Fire Breather. As noted in the description, the skin should be blackened and burned, with no hair (or a few frazzled patches), and minimal clothing.
Jester. As a normal, though disturbing, human jester. Don't forget to model the mutation(s)!
Brethren. As followers of Chaos everywhere...
Brutes. Carnival of Chaos Brutes are good models for this.
Knife Throwers. A cross between carnival knife-fighters and Brethren – blind-folds or bags over heads for extra fluff.
Stilt Walker. Start with a normal human, but add 1” stilts to the legs, and extend the arms by 1”, ending them with claws, hooks, or tentacles. Beaks can be added to the faces, and random horns can be added over the body.
Subject: Help with a warband. 
Thu 14 Jan 2010 - 12:07
