Warhammer world

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A map showing the seas, shores and lands of the Warhammer world.[10]

The Warhammer world is a planet upon which several races and civilizations struggle for survival.

Orbit

The world takes 400 days to orbit the sun. [3]

Geography

The Warhammer world is geographically divided by large oceans and huge mountain ranges. The following is a description along an Old World-perspective. You can follow all details in the map above.

North

  • The northern Chaos Wastes surrounds the North Pole and its borken Warp Gate. A largely frozen land, it is covered with ice in the far north which gradually gives way to tundra and large plains. It is the homeland of countless barbarian human tribes who eye their softer southern neighbours with greed, malice and hatred.

Situated between the Old World and the Northern Chaos Wastes are the following regions:

  • The Troll Country, located between Kislev and the Chaos Wastes.
  • Norsca, a peninsula situated in the north of the Old World. Its inhabitants, the Norse are culturally closer to their northern neighbours, and while some of the tribes trade with the civilised southern neighbours, they will also carry out countless seaborne raids and, more rarely, even full-fledged invasions against the nations of the Old World.
  • Albion, an island lying to the west of Norsca.

Centre

  • Kislev, a proud realm located on the northern edge of the Old World, allied with the Empire.

The Old World, home of several civilised human nations.

  • The Empire, the most powerful nation of the Old World. A bastion of civilisation it has several outside threats but also hidden internal foes such as Chaos Cults and the Skaven.
  • The Grey Mountains separates the Empire on the east from Bretonnia on the west. They belong to no nation in particular, and are a haven for bandits, Dwarfs, and some tribes of Orcs and Goblins.
  • The Wasteland is located north of the Grey Mountains, between the Empire and Bretonnia, creating a natural buffer-state, the sole city Marienburg is the greatest mercantile power of the Old World.
  • Bretonnia, a land of chivalry and honour, it is the second most powerful nation of the Old World.
  • In the south of Bretonnia and technically a part of this kingdom, the Forest of Loren is de facto an independent nation and the homeland of the Wood Elves.
  • Tilea, land of several competing city-states, trade and mercenaries.
  • Estalia, west of Tilea and south of Bretonnia, it is also divided in several city-states.
  • The Vaults, an inhospitable highland located between The Empire, Bretonnia, Tilea and the Border Princes belonging to none of them.

South

At the southern border of the Old World are:

  • The Black Mountains form the southern border of the Empire.
  • South of the Black Mountains are the Border Princes, disputed between human colonists and the Greenskin hordes.
  • Further south are the Badlands, where the Orcs and Goblins rule supreme and battled amongst themselves.
  • Araby, located south, south-west of the Old World, this land is largely a huge desert. Several oases harbour city-states and nomadic tribes.
  • Nehekhara, or the Land of the Dead; east of Araby, south of the Badlands.
  • South of Araby and of the Land of the Dead lies the Southlands, it is largely covered in impenetrable jungles, which hides the city of Zlatlan.

West

West of the Old World is the Great Ocean

New World

Located beyond the Great Ocean are the

East

The Worlds Edge Mountains forms a clear eastern border of the Old World and is the ancient homeland of the Dwarfs. East of these mountains are:

Far East

East of the Mountains of Mourn are:

Far South

At the extreme south, surrounding the South Pole, are the Southern Wastes. Harbouring countless tribes of Beastmen, it was thankfully separated from all other continents by the sea.

History

Main article: Timeline

The world was inhabited by the Dragons and their cousins the Dragon Ogres who were corrupted by the Powers beyond the Skies and with whom they warred against. The air then was lighter and the world colder but this all changed with the sudden arrival of the Old Ones whose silver starboats emerged from rifts in the sky. Terrified by them, some Dragons had fled to the deepest oceans or caves but others remained on the surface to see what the newcomers would do. [5]

Soon the sun itself grew larger and the skies warmed whilst the Old Ones built temple-cities in the growing jungle - many Dragons called for them to resist the invaders but older members of their race such as Indraugnir retreated to the deep caves. Then, the Slann raised the bulk of Ulthuan from the waves, where they once only been a few volcanic peaks above the sea. Once the lands had been settled, the first Elves came to the new land and Dragons such as Maedrethnir and his parents watched the new people and noted the presence of Magic throughout the land. [5]

Obeying their masters the Slann built two stellar gateways: one to the North Pole and the other to the South Pole. These gates eventually malfunctioned and the forces of Chaos erupted through them.[4]

Later developements

in -1500 IC Slann Mage Priest Lord Quex enacted a "realignment of the continents" which caused much devastation among the younger races.[6]

End Times

Eventually, Chaos managed to bring an end to the Warhammer World in the End Times, hurling the world's metallic core through the cosmos. Sigmar clung to it until he was caught by Dracothion and it was set in the Firmament, naming it Mallus. The God-King befriended this creature and was taught of the ways of the Mortal Realms.[1][2]

After its destruction it would be remembered by the denizens of the Mortal Realms as the World-that-was.

Star System

The world is part of a star system composed of 10 planets [1] which orbits a single star. Only a handful of their names and respective positions are known.

Lokratia and Obscuria are the names of two other planets but their former positions are unclear. The names of the remaining 3 planets and their respective positions are unknown.

Gallery

World Maps

  • The first published map of the Warhammer World, 1984[7]

  • Warhammer World map, 1994[8]

  • Warhammer World map, 2004[9]

Thematic maps

Notes & sources

  1. ↑ The Burning Shore (novel) p.223 & 224

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