Warhammer Cultures: Badlanders

"They were fierce: not in the 'roving band of marauders' way, or in a manner comparable to an animal — which I take great umbrage with. No, they were fierce in the way a cliff-face is fierce against a tidal wave. In the way a rainforest is fierce against interlopers. They were fierce in that, regardless of what was thrown their way, they persisted. They even seemed to take a cynical pride in that fact.

I wonder if any of them will survive this end. If anyone will, it will be they." 

This article is also available in Polish!

Warhammer Cultures: Badlanders

The Warhammer World is full of diverse cultures, and their intermingling and antagonism is a core theme of the setting. Over the next while, I’m hoping to expand on the base cultures presented on Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4^th Edition, page 24, to include this diversity for your games. Today, we’re going to look at Humans (Badlander)!

(Note: I was going to release Humans (Southlander) today, as most folks asked for that one, but it proved to be a LOT longer than expected, and I'm still hard at work on it. Humans (Badlander) was a lot quicker, and I assumed releasing something would be better than nothing!)

Humans (Badlander)

The Border Princedoms are an unruly, largely lawless, generally arid stretch of petty nations south of the Empire, and east of Tilea, which spill over into the Badlands. The Princedoms are a true cultural crossroads, and are populated by warring Imperials, Tileans, Estalians, Bretonnians, Arabyans, and Cathayans from the Silk Road. In addition to these clashing cultures are a folk who have long lived in the region, and have been given the exonym 'Badlander', though they themselves go by many other names, such as the Blodrogoths, the Khyprians, folk of Morrschatten, and many others. These Badlanders are hardly unified in a single culture, but share many traits between their various creeds.

Badlanders tend to be practical, hardy, enduring folk, who know the land well, and understand how to survive when the land and its rulers cares nothing for you. Versed in sucking up to the strongest leader, or smelling when the winds of fortune will change, the Badlanders have a knack for survival that goes beyond mere mucking in the dirt for scraps to eat. However, this practicality and willingness to do what's necessary, has given the Badlanders a reputation as lacking loyalty or honour, and having a cowardly streak that runs through every aspect of their culture. Badlanders, however, would prefer to fight another day than die for a pointless cause that will be forgotten in a month's time.

Despite their proximity, it is rare for Badlanders to migrate to the Empire and beyond. Though greulling and near-impossible, the Badlanders see their harsh lifestyles as a blessing as well as a curse — free from the tyranny of the supposedly 'civilised' lands. Some Badlanders do make the journey into the Empire's heartlands to trade furs, herbs, and other goods that are not found further north, and some settle in the more temperate lands. Far more become stuck when the mountain passes close behind them, filling with Greenskins and winter snows, meaning the majority of Badlanders in the Empire are forced into the adventuring life, rather than choosing it willingly. However, that life suits the Badlander sensibilities well, and they have a tendancy to thrive where most soft Imperials die young.

Human (Badlander) Skills & Talents

Skills: Dodge, Endurance, Entertain (Storytelling), Gamble, Heal, Lore (Border Princes), Melee (Basic), Outdoor Surivial, Perception, Ranged (Bow), Stealth (Rural), Trade (Hunter)

Talents: Coolheaded or Lightning Reflexes, Impudent, Linguistics or Nose for Trouble, 2 Random Talents

New Talent: Impudent

Max: 1

The folk of the Border Princes have long been under the rulership of petty nobles, robber-barons, and common thugs who claim grandiose titles such as 'Duke', 'Kaiser', or 'Grand Potentate' with little more than a mile of land and a half-dozen men with clubs to show for it. This conditioning, whilst beating a sense of wariness in the Badlanders, has also engendered a natural rejection of class and status. To many, this marks the Badlanders as impudent, though the Badlanders consider others foolish for bowing before weak leaders. Other Characters gain no benefit to Tests made against you for having a higher Status or Standing. You still suffer the normal penalties for having a lower Status or Standing, however. See Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4^th Edition, page 50 for The Effects of Status.

Humans (Border Princedoms)?

Some of you might be wondering where the Border Princedom culture is, and... well... it doesn't really exist? The Border Princedoms are a crossroads point — that is, they are more of a meeting point between different cultures than they are a settling point for a unique culture. As such, the vast majority of people born in the Border Princes are actually from an external culture — such as Tileans, Arabyans, or Imperials — but are disaporic in the Border Princes. Feel free to use the Diasporic Characters special rule in the Humans (Tilean) article, linked above, with the Humans (Badlander) profile here.

What Next?

I've long loved the Border Princes (ever since I started reading the Shadow of the Sun campaign, linked above) so doing this little write-up was a treat. But, always looking at the horizon! Next up will hopefully be the finished Humans (Southlander)!