The Dark Side of Warhammer Fantasy: Occultism and Rituals

Warhammer fantasy occultism refers to the inclusion of occult themes and elements in the fictional world of Warhammer Fantasy, a tabletop miniatures wargame and role-playing game. Occultism in this context encompasses various aspects of the supernatural, such as magic, necromancy, and demonology, which play significant roles in the game's lore and mechanics. **One of the defining features of Warhammer fantasy occultism is the extensive magical systems present within the game's universe. Magic is depicted as a powerful force that can be harnessed by skilled practitioners known as wizards or sorcerers. These individuals are able to cast spells, summon creatures, and manipulate the fabric of reality in order to gain an advantage in battles or fulfill their sinister goals. Each of the game's factions has its own unique style of magic, which further enhances the game's immersive world-building.

Check out page 78 of The Enemy in Shadows Companion, because the full effects of casting spells with Dhar also includes all living souls within Willpower yards suffering the effects of a Minor Corrupting Influence and a Minor Miscast (single result applies to all) when any Channelling or Language (Magick) test result contains an 8 on one of the dice, increase that to Moderate if its a double 88. I assume if the character is making multiple Channelling rolls, then this is double plus good for everyone because it may result in a lot more Corruption as they suffer from multiple Corrupting Influences. And since the caster themselves is likely to also be included in ”all living souls”, more Corruption for them.

This is actually a point against it being Earth , since it is rather improbable that, for example, a country rather similar to Austria would arise twice in essentially the same way. Perhaps you are then supposed to refer to page 182 under Corrupting Influences and choose whether it counts as a minor, moderate or major exposure moderate mentions brief exposure to Dhar, so perhaps its a moderate corrupting influence.

Each of the game's factions has its own unique style of magic, which further enhances the game's immersive world-building.** In addition to magic, necromancy is another key aspect of occultism in the Warhammer Fantasy setting. Necromancers are individuals who have mastered the dark arts of death and raise the dead to serve their bidding.

(Warhammer Fantasy 4e) Question About Dark Magic and Corruption (1 Viewer)

So I've got a player who lucked into the Witch career. She wants to study the Witchcraft Lore and the Demonology Lore. The other Dark Magic Lores are explicitly listed as causing Corruption exposure, what about those two (which aren't mentioned as far as I can see)? I mean, I think messing around with demon summoning and banishing is a fast lane to becoming a Chaos Sorcerer, but does it say that somewhere in the rules? Should I be slapping this character with a bunch of potential Corruption points?

Shining Dragon

Listener-Swaying Argument

Page 255 - The Lore of Witchcraft

I am surprised I cannot find anything in the core rulebook related to the use of Dhar and gaining corruption, even though Dark Magic mentions using Dhar is a corrupting influence. Perhaps you are then supposed to refer to page 182 under Corrupting Influences and choose whether it counts as a minor, moderate or major exposure (moderate mentions brief exposure to Dhar, so perhaps its a moderate corrupting influence).

Shining Dragon

Listener-Swaying Argument

I did a little more searching. The Enemy in Shadows Companion, page 78, has information about casting spells with Dhar.

Among other effects, rolling a double on any associated Channeling or Language (Magick) test counts as a Minor Corrupting Influence, so off to page 182 to roll to resist, failure means gaining 1 Corruption point. So yes, you will be slapping the character with Corruption points If they use Witchcraft or Dhar.

As for why this isn’t in the core book, I can only say that in the core book its expected that Dark Magic and Chaos Magic is used by NPCs only (the number of spells is small after all) so such rules were likely seen as not required.

Bipolar Bear

The Saddest/Happiest Bear

Bipolar Bear

The Saddest/Happiest Bear

Follow up question from my player:

Reading about Corruption and Malignant Influences on the subway just now, I see that exposure to "dark magic used by Necromancers and Chaos sorcerers" is considered a moderately corrupting influence. Now, the book also explicitly states that casters using their own Dark Lores aren't impacted by this (phew).
So, two questions:
1) Demonology isn't listed alongside Necromancy as one of the dark magics that yields moderate corruption with exposure. Should that be read as an oversight? Or intentional?
2) If the former, does that mean if I learn any of those spells from that book of Dark Magic, I'm exposing my friends to Corruption every time I cast?

Shining Dragon

Listener-Swaying Argument

The core Rulebook specifically calls out Dark Magic as using Dhar (The Black Wind). So what I mentioned above applies to Demonology as well as Necromancy, and also the following:

Check out page 78 of The Enemy in Shadows Companion, because the full effects of casting spells with Dhar also includes all living souls within Willpower yards suffering the effects of a Minor Corrupting Influence and a Minor Miscast (single result applies to all) when any Channelling or Language (Magick) test result contains an 8 on one of the dice, increase that to Moderate if its a double 88. I assume if the character is making multiple Channelling rolls, then this is double plus good for everyone because it may result in a lot more Corruption as they suffer from multiple Corrupting Influences. And since the caster themselves is likely to also be included in ”all living souls”, more Corruption for them.

And if a Demon is summoned, then those bystanders (and caster I assume) are witnessing a Demon which is also a Corrupting Influence.

As I said before, the core book assumes Dark Magic and Chaos Magic are only used by NPCs so the mentions of using Demonology and Necromancy assume characters only encounter Dark Magic. The rules in the Enemy in Shadows Companion are for the users of Dark Magic, and the Companion is the first book that includes a Career of a chaos sorcerer, Cult Magus of Tzeentch, so more detailed rules are required to show how a user of Dark/Chaos magic falls into corruption (and pulls their companions down with them).

Finding himself in the midst of a conflict that later became known as the Great War Against Chaos, Magnus the Pious chose to use the destructive abilities of Human spellcasters. Lifting the unspoken ban upon Wizardy, he accept the aid of the High Elf Archmage Teclis in founding the Colleges of Magic in Altdorf. Using the effective, if unpredictable powers of the first official Wizards, he was able to turn the tide, winning the war, and changing the Empire forever.

This ability to control undead creatures, such as zombies and skeletons, adds a terrifying and macabre component to the game, as players engage in battles against hordes of the living dead. Necromancy is typically associated with evil and chaos-aligned factions, and its practitioners are often portrayed as villains or agents of destruction. Demonology is yet another facet of Warhammer fantasy occultism that is deeply ingrained in the game's lore. Demons are powerful and malevolent entities from other dimensions who can be summoned and bound to the will of the summoner. These beings possess immense strength and a variety of supernatural abilities, making them formidable adversaries on the battlefield. Summoning and controlling demons typically comes with great risk, as these entities are unpredictable and prone to causing havoc if not properly controlled. The inclusion of occultism in Warhammer Fantasy adds a dark and mystical element to the game, bringing a sense of depth and immersiveness to the world. It allows players to explore themes of good versus evil, as well as the moral implications and consequences of delving into forbidden knowledge and tampering with forces beyond mortal understanding. With its rich and diverse occult themes, Warhammer Fantasy provides players with a captivating and thrilling gaming experience..

Reviews for "Warhammer Fantasy Alchemy and Occultism: The Difference"

1. Emma - 1/5 - I was really disappointed with "Warhammer fantasy occultism". The story felt disjointed and confusing, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters. The use of occultism throughout the book was off-putting for me, as I found it to be excessive and unnecessary. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling and engaging read.

2. John - 2/5 - "Warhammer fantasy occultism" didn't live up to my expectations. While the concept had potential, the execution fell flat for me. The occult elements felt forced and added little to the overall story. The pacing was also quite slow, and it took a long time for anything significant to happen. I had higher hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver.

3. Sarah - 2/5 - I couldn't get into "Warhammer fantasy occultism" at all. The world-building was confusing, and it was hard to keep track of the different factions and their motivations. The occultism aspects felt out of place and unnecessary, detracting from what could have been a more captivating story. I found myself constantly questioning the relevance of these elements and it became a distraction from the plot. Overall, I was disappointed and would not recommend this book.

4. Alex - 2/5 - "Warhammer fantasy occultism" wasn't my cup of tea. The occultism themes were too prevalent for my liking, and I felt that they overshadowed other potentially interesting aspects of the story. The characters also didn't grab my attention, and I found it hard to care about their struggles. While the writing itself was fine, I just didn't connect with the overall premise and would not read a sequel if there were one.

The Occult Grimoires of Warhammer Fantasy