Difference between revisions of "Taal"

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[[Image:Taal.jpg|thumb|left|107px|'''Taal''']]
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[[File:Taal2.jpg|thumb|300px|'''Taal''', god of Nature and Wild Places.]]
[[Image:Taal2.jpg|thumb|250px|'''Taal''', god of the wilderness and the storm.]]
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[[File:Taal.jpg|thumb|107px|'''Taal''', god of the wilderness and the storm.]]
'''Taal''' is the god of Nature and Wild Places, the husband and brother of [[Rhya]], and the father of [[Manann]], [[Verena]], and [[Morr]]. He is the eldest son of the [[Earth Mother]] and the older brother of [[Ulric]].
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'''Taal''' is the god of Nature and Wild Places. He is the husband of [[Rhya]], the father of [[Manann]], and the older brother of [[Ulric]].
 
===Symbols===
 
===Symbols===
Taal is normally portrayed as a powerfully built man with long, wild hair, dressed in animal skins and wearing the skull of a great stag as a helmet. He may take the form of a giant stag, great bison, or bear.
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Taal has different symbols according to his aspects. As Lord of the Beasts, his symbol is a stag skull, or a stylized human head with antlers. As the god of weather, it is a stone axe, with which he is said to cause thunder, lightning and avalanches by striking the mountaintops.
 
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===Depiction===
Taal's holy day is the spring equinox, which marks the rebirth and awakening of nature after its winter slumber. Minor festivals and observances occur during the summer and winter solstices, and the autumn equinox. Holy days of Ulric are kept as minor festivals.
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Older than Ulric and more powerful than even [[Sigmar]]{{Fn|2}}, Taal is normally portrayed as a powerfully built man with long, wild hair, dressed in animal skins and wearing the skull of a great stag as a helmet. It's also claimed that he can take the form of a great bison or bear.
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===Holy days===
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Taal's foremost holy day is the spring equinox, which marks the reawakening of nature after its winter slumber. The holy days of his brother Ulric are also kept by Taal's followers as minor festivals.
 
===Beliefs===
 
===Beliefs===
Taal is the god of the wilderness and the storm. His power controls the wind and the rain and drives waterfalls and rapids, avalanches and landslides. He is the Master of the Wild Hunt, as well as the lord of beasts, the forests, and the mountains. All of the wild places of the Old World are under his protection and all that venture into his realm are expected to show proper respect. Disrespect to the land may incur in his displeasure at the least, wrath at the extreme.
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Taal is the god of nature. He is behind all the forces of nature which are beyond human control - the wind, rain, waterfalls, rapids, avalanches and landslides. He is the master of beasts, forests and mountains. His domain is the wild places of the world, and any that venture into them are expected to show him proper respect or risk his wrath.
 
===Cult===
 
===Cult===
Taal is worshipped throughout the wilds of the [[Old World]] and most of his followers are farmers, woodsmen, hunters, and trappers. People who depend on and live off the land and live in accord with the natural world. His worship is strong in the north-east of the Old World, especially in [[The Empire]], and strongest in [[Talabecland]] where the river [[Talabec]] is held sacred to Taal. Many piles of loose stones in the countryside act as shrines where passing woodsmen can pay their respects. While there is no formal church or temple dedicated to Taal, there are monasteries - like the La Maisontaal Abby located in the [[Grey Mountains]].
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Taal is worshipped throughout the wilds of the [[Old World]] and most of his followers are rangers, foresters, farmers, hunters and trappers - people who depend on and live off the land and live in accord with the natural world. His worship is strongest in the north and the east of the Old World, and is centred on [[Talabecland]], where the river [[Talabec]] is held sacred to Taal.
 
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===Temples and shrines===
On general his cult is in friendly terms with the cults of Ulric, Manann, and of the [[Old Faith]]. Loathes the forces of Chaos.  
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The traditional form of temple to Taal is a circular structure built of rough, unmortared stone, with a conical roof. His shrines are often sacred groves marked by the skull of a stag, bison or bear hung in the oldest tree. Mountain shrines are often cairns topped with the skulls of same creatures. There are also monasteries to Taal, like the [[La Maisontaal Abbey]] located in the Grey Mountains.
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===Relations===
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Taal's cult has friendly relations with those of his brother Ulric and his son Manann, and with the druids of the [[Old Faith]]. Taal's greatest hatred is for the followers of Chaos.
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===Sub Cults and other aspects===
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Taal is known by various names from place to place and his worship is not restricted to humans. To the Elves he is '''Torothal''', Goddess of Rain and Rivers. Taal also has many similarities with [[Kurnous]], the Elf god of the hunt. Among hunters and trappers in parts of Middenland and Talabecland, he is '''Karnos''', Lord of Beasts.<ref>The Enemy Within campaign volume 1, 1986, p. 21</ref>. To some fishermen, he is '''Karog''', God of Rivers. 
  
Taal has many similarities with [[Kurnous]], the Elf god of the hunt.
 
===Afterlife===
 
The spirit of faithful dead cultist is taken to a wild forest paradise. In an eternal weather of mid-spring, the spirit finds rest after life’s toil and hardship. Here, one can commune with nature and is at peace with themselves and all around them. If the spirit misses the challenge of life it may engage in exciting activities that are done in life such as hunting, even though the quarry is never killed. The hunt, in this case, represents the thrill of the stalk and pursuit of prey, not the final felling. The spirit also has the freedom to take the form of any animal it desires and shapeshift continuously to what they may wish. It may even choose to be the animal hunted by other spirits in the forest.
 
  
==Notes & sources==
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{{ReligionOldWorld}}
*http://www.shadow-warriors.co.uk/Players%20Info.htm
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==Sources==
*http://www.unrulies.net/
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*Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, 1986, pp. 201-202
*http://warhammeronline.wikia.com/wiki/Taal
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*{{Endn|2}}: [[Warhammer: The End Times Collection]]
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taal_and_Rhya
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<references/>
  
[[Category:Pantheon of the gods]]
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[[Category: Old World pantheon]]
[[Category:Old World]]
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[[Category: Deities of the World-That-Was]]
  
 
[[de:Taal]]
 
[[de:Taal]]
 
[[fr:Taal]]
 
[[fr:Taal]]

Revision as of 00:05, 16 March 2018

Taal, god of Nature and Wild Places.
Taal, god of the wilderness and the storm.

Taal is the god of Nature and Wild Places. He is the husband of Rhya, the father of Manann, and the older brother of Ulric.

Symbols

Taal has different symbols according to his aspects. As Lord of the Beasts, his symbol is a stag skull, or a stylized human head with antlers. As the god of weather, it is a stone axe, with which he is said to cause thunder, lightning and avalanches by striking the mountaintops.

Depiction

Older than Ulric and more powerful than even Sigmar[2], Taal is normally portrayed as a powerfully built man with long, wild hair, dressed in animal skins and wearing the skull of a great stag as a helmet. It's also claimed that he can take the form of a great bison or bear.

Holy days

Taal's foremost holy day is the spring equinox, which marks the reawakening of nature after its winter slumber. The holy days of his brother Ulric are also kept by Taal's followers as minor festivals.

Beliefs

Taal is the god of nature. He is behind all the forces of nature which are beyond human control - the wind, rain, waterfalls, rapids, avalanches and landslides. He is the master of beasts, forests and mountains. His domain is the wild places of the world, and any that venture into them are expected to show him proper respect or risk his wrath.

Cult

Taal is worshipped throughout the wilds of the Old World and most of his followers are rangers, foresters, farmers, hunters and trappers - people who depend on and live off the land and live in accord with the natural world. His worship is strongest in the north and the east of the Old World, and is centred on Talabecland, where the river Talabec is held sacred to Taal.

Temples and shrines

The traditional form of temple to Taal is a circular structure built of rough, unmortared stone, with a conical roof. His shrines are often sacred groves marked by the skull of a stag, bison or bear hung in the oldest tree. Mountain shrines are often cairns topped with the skulls of same creatures. There are also monasteries to Taal, like the La Maisontaal Abbey located in the Grey Mountains.

Relations

Taal's cult has friendly relations with those of his brother Ulric and his son Manann, and with the druids of the Old Faith. Taal's greatest hatred is for the followers of Chaos.

Sub Cults and other aspects

Taal is known by various names from place to place and his worship is not restricted to humans. To the Elves he is Torothal, Goddess of Rain and Rivers. Taal also has many similarities with Kurnous, the Elf god of the hunt. Among hunters and trappers in parts of Middenland and Talabecland, he is Karnos, Lord of Beasts.[1]. To some fishermen, he is Karog, God of Rivers.


The gods & goddesses of the Old World
Old Faith - Rhya - Taal - Ulric - Manann - Morr - Verena - Myrmidia - Shallya - Ranald - Handrich - Stromfels - Khaine - Sigmar - Lady of the Lake - Lucan & Luccina - Ursun - Dazh - Tor - Esmeralda

Sources

  1. The Enemy Within campaign volume 1, 1986, p. 21