Games - Albion

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	Games - Albion

Albion (also the ancient name for Britain) was the setting for Games Workshop's first major, global war campaign; with new background, rules, models, and scenarios, specifically introduced for its Warhammer Fantasy series.

The Island Itself

Albion is based heavily on real world Britain and Ireland, drawing upon celtic mythology and older prehistoric aspects, such as Stonehenge. It has a similar temperate climate, although it is said that it rains every day in Albion (a pun on the precived British pre-occupation with the weather). Albion is full of marshes, mires and fens and inhabited by giants, fimirs and uncultured woad wearing tribes of humans. The Troothsayers are based upon romantic notions of Druids, evidenced by the name given to the stone circles they protect; 'Ogham' is the real-world written language used by Druids in the late Iron Age.

Albion has a valley which is kept tropically warm by unknown means. Here, Lizardmen are said to dwell.

The Campaign Setting

When the Old Ones polar gate collapsed, magic was allowed to flow freely all over the world, and with it came the forces of Chaos. Standing stones were constructed both in Albion (known as 'Ogham circles') and Ulthuan in order to bind this magic the poles and restrict Chaos' dominion away from the realms of mortals.

In ancient times, after the rise of Chaos and the collapse of the Old Ones, the Chaos champion, Be'lakor (having been elevated to the status of a Daemon prince), tried to gain the ultimate blessing of the Chaos gods, and don the Crown of Dominion. His hand went through the insubstantial crown and the Chaos god Tzeentch, cursed Be'lakor to an insubstantial existence. Each time a new champion was granted the Crown of Dominion, Be'lakor was compelled to crown him, an eternal punishment for daring to don that which could only be worn by a mortal.

Be'lakor, after much scheming, came up with a plan to free himself. The stone circles of Albion were guarded in by the mighty Truthsayers, powerful and energetic wizards with their own unique folklore, based around good. These mighty Truthsayers bound giants and strange beasts, composed of decomposing fen, to protect the island. In the current age, however, the Truthsayers have lost their omniscience, and their power cannot bind the creatures for too long.

Be'lakor saw his chance here, and corrupted roughly half of the Truthsayers to his cause. Physically weaker, but magically stronger, these Dark Emissaries learned Be'lakor's unique lore of evil magic, and quickly travelled throughout the world. They found many lords, and persuaded them to travel to Albion in order that they might bring back a vast horde of treasure. The true aim of the Dark Emissaries was to get the mortals to corrupt the Ogham circles of Albion and siphon power away to Be'Lakor so that he may regain his corporeal form. Realising what was happening, the Truthsayers appealed to the mortal realms as well. They also garnered support from the more ancient races such as Lizardmen and the Elves, as well as any sensible mortals who could both see the urgent need for keeping the stones intact.

The two sides clashed in many battles on the island: on one side, the greedy forces of the Dark Master, and on the other, the desperate defenders of light. The magic circles and fickle winds of magic granting favours to the strong and deserting the weak and the mighty Fen Beasts attacked all who would defy their master's will.

At the end of the battle it was the Dark Elves who had the strongest hold on the isle, followed by the forces of the High Elves and The Empire. Be'lakor's plans were thwarted for the most part, and soon he was once again called to crown Archaon, the Everchosen, Lord of the End Times, and Chieftain of the Swords of Chaos. After the coronation, Be'lakor found he had gained an ethereal form, and he was now free. The Isle of Albion still had enough power to keep the realm of Chaos at bay.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Albion (Warhammer) ]

Games - Albion

The Island Itself

The Campaign Setting

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