The "logic" of the AoS setting?

[BunkhouseBuster]

Funny enough, back in 2013, my brother and I had come up with an idea for a wargame setting that is almost identical to how Age of Sigmar works: different realms/dimensions/worlds that are connected via gateways/portals, allowing for literally any narrative idea to be had, and we were trying to come up with fluff possibilities for the armies we had in our various wargame collections.  However, we didn't have our "realms" tied into any particular theme, which in hindsight makes a lot of sense.  But we did come up with various ideas how you could have Bronze Age, Magical, and high-tech armies fighting against each other.  I guess this is why I don't have any problems understanding what's going on in Age of Sigmar with all the Realms and factions - I already imagined it

I would like to see new realms make appearances, expand on more than just the Winds of Magic from Warhammer Fantasy.

At one point I had started to design my own wargame, and had come up with 6 or 7 factions to include in it, of which AoS already has covered 4 of them.  But that still leaves room for my other two factions to fit into my personal home fluff.

I wonder if there is a market for fan-made armies and models for Age of Sigmar.  You think GW will ever do like D&D 3 and 3.5 with the open license for fan-made materials?

[Menkeroth]

3 hours ago, BunkhouseBuster said:

I wonder if there is a market for fan-made armies and models for Age of Sigmar.  You think GW will ever do like D&D 3 and 3.5 with the open license for fan-made materials?

 

I doubt it, GW is intent yet on making everything unique so they can license it. But that would be good too.

[Menkeroth]

Aye, small but effective start, a good ground for new battletomes, like it was with the Beastclaw Raiders or Flesh eater courts - exactly this situation, so with coherence all is right.

[Killax]

Yep the set up is there. Which will eventually only expand. A lot of it is also a sketch to build upon.

Even some factions we see now such Bloodbound have clear influences of WFB sketches.

Though in general logic is really designed by the writer. AoS is high fantasy and thats a lot of magic. In some cases it might be cool to tone some of it down but extremes are cool. Like DBZ vs A-team. One is super extreme though not less cool or less logical.

[Killax]

Willingly or not, it's becomming slightly more and more obvious that Sigmar in many ways is like the Emperor, creating the 'super soldier' and to an extend Nagash isn't too much unlike the Omnissiah replacing everything so it will too eventually become a machine. 

To me it's interesting food for thought and I do believe that perhaps somewhere in 2030 we might see a merge of systems under a name of Warhammer, where both universes are a parralel of each other and whilst not the same game could be played with the same models if someone wanted to.

Then is then, now is now, thanks for sharing your info @xking

 

[JReynolds]

11 minutes ago, Killax said:

Willingly or not, it's becomming slightly more and more obvious that Sigmar in many ways is like the Emperor, creating the 'super soldier' and to an extend Nagash isn't too much unlike the Omnissiah replacing everything so it will too eventually become a machine. 

To me it's interesting food for thought and I do believe that perhaps somewhere in 2030 we might see a merge of systems under a name of Warhammer, where both universes are a parralel of each other and whilst not the same game could be played with the same models if someone wanted to.

Then is then, now is now, thanks for sharing your info @xking

 

Do bear in mind that I'm pulling most of these answers out of the air, for the amusement of the people asking. They're just my opinion of the setting, for good or ill, and shouldn't be held up as definitive proof of anything. 

I'm just trying to forge a bit of narrative, like everybody else. 

[shinros]

1 minute ago, JReynolds said:

Do bear in mind that I'm pulling most of these answers out of the air, for the amusement of the people asking. They're just my opinion of the setting, for good or ill, and shouldn't be held up as definitive proof of anything. 

I'm just trying to forge a bit of narrative, like everybody else. 

Still we do enjoy your insight into the setting.

[Killax]

2 minutes ago, JReynolds said:

Do bear in mind that I'm pulling most of these answers out of the air, for the amusement of the people asking. They're just my opinion of the setting, for good or ill, and shouldn't be held up as definitive proof of anything. 

I'm just trying to forge a bit of narrative, like everybody else. 

Thats only great, it is a living proof that a lot of narrative is to come, meaning that judgement is difficult to form because a lot of narrative isn't completely finished or fleshed out. 

Cheers,

[JReynolds]

Just now, Killax said:

Thats only great, it is a living proof that a lot of narrative is to come, meaning that judgement is difficult to form because a lot of narrative isn't completely finished or fleshed out. 

Cheers,

Exactly! 

[Nin Win]

"As he feeds power into you, it eats away (or overwrites) at more and more of your sense of self, until all that's left is a bit of Nagash wearing your body as a costume, and thinking it's you."

Sign me up!  All is one in Nagash!

 

[Menkeroth]

3 hours ago, JReynolds said:

Exactly! 

Speaking of that. Can you tell us about your future story "Der Speer der Schatten"? Magical weapon is what high fantasy pretty often about, and "shadow" component can maybe lead to Ulgu?

[JReynolds]

23 minutes ago, Menkeroth said:

Speaking of that. Can you tell us about your future story "Der Speer der Schatten"? Magical weapon is what high fantasy pretty often about, and "shadow" component can maybe lead to Ulgu?

The shadow component does refer to Ulgu, but that's as far as it goes, I'm afraid. The book takes place in Ghur, mostly, though there are scenes in Shyish and Aqshy. The Eight Lamentations - of which the spear is one - are mystic weapons forged by the eight weaponsmiths of Khorne. One weapon for each realm. A spear for Ulgu, a sword for Aqshy, a mace for Chamon, etc. Each of the weapons possesses some of the characteristics of the realm whose substance it was wrought from, and, in the right hands, is capable of turning the tide of battle or possibly wounding a god. 

The series itself is about the hunt for these mystic weapons, which have begun to reappear in the realms after going missing for several centuries. The weapons are scattered across the realms, either hidden or lost, and the various factions are in a race to claim them, hoping to use them to swing the war to one side or the other. The factions in the first book include the eight weaponsmiths of Khorne, who are in competition with each other, via their chosen champions, as well as everyone else; Grungni and his agents - a Gunmaster of Azyr, a Fyreslayer Doomseeker, a mercenary from Chamon, a warrior-priest from Ghur and a demigryph knight from Ghyran - who are the protagonists of the book; Neferata and her agent, Adhema; a Tzeentchian servant of Archaon; the Spider-God; and, last but not least, the skaven. The book also features numerous cameos and references to most every other AOS book I've written, and a street-level look at Excelsis. 

[Menkeroth]

Wow! that sounds awesome, really. I, for one, am especially glad to see Grungni (would be a shame no to meet him in future campaign books after this, "Pantheon" and KO book) intact, and more of various free people, as well as master from the Ironweld Arsenal. It seems indeed the book will be filled with interesting faces - Neferata, for one! And spider god? Do you think he is real? As far as I recall GW has not yet written enough on that subject, although the spider grots are in several books and featured in the "Godbeasts" heavily, it's a shame they still have no their battletome. But they worshiped just their gigantic spiders along with Gorkamorka. Are there any kinds of spider gods really? that' would be the most interesting part!

[JReynolds]

7 minutes ago, Menkeroth said:

Wow! that sounds awesome, really. I, for one, am especially glad to see Grungni (would be a shame no to meet him in future campaign books after this, "Pantheon" and KO book) intact, and more of various free people, as well as master from the Ironweld Arsenal. It seems indeed the book will be filled with interesting faces - Neferata, for one! And spider god? Do you think he is real? As far as I recall GW has not yet written enough on that subject, although the spider grots are in several books and featured in the "Godbeasts" heavily, it's a shame they still have no their battletome. But they worshiped just their gigantic spiders along with Gorkamorka. Are there any kinds of spider gods really? that' would be the most interesting part!

I like to think the Spider-god is likely some minor version of Gork (or Mork). It's an aspect (separate, but still part of them) of them, focused on the grots. 

[Menkeroth]

To some extent it is, for spider grots Gorkamorka is like a giant spider predator, after all they believe some spider in the past did try to bit Gorkamorka and get some of his powers, that's why their spiders are that large. Maybe that's why they so worship these cute eight legged friends (sometimes, as mentioned in the "Godbeasts", too much instead of real Gorkamorka). I still wait for GW to release their tome and depict their beliefs more (in the Grand Alliance: Order there is only a bit of info on them, and in the "Everchosen" tome they are just little green spider lovers butchered by Archaon and his army).   

[Rogue Mind]

I'm new to AoS and wanted to get the feel of the world.  This thread had been great for the ideals people have mentioned to create your own environment in.  This post have gave me some ideas for the AoS28 setting.

 

With AoS RPG I hope they expand on the lores and history of the realms.

 

@xking-what book did those picture you posted come from?   Thanks. 

 

 

 

 

[Still-young]

For people who have read all the fiction, which books are recommended to get a feel of the world (or just generally good)? I know City of Secrets is meant to be really good, are there others?

[Killax]

1 hour ago, Still-young said:

For people who have read all the fiction, which books are recommended to get a feel of the world (or just generally good)? I know City of Secrets is meant to be really good, are there others?

I currently dont feel there is one book that gives you the whole universe, as to me there is not one Age of Sigmar world, as there was with Warhammer Fantasy. It's this difference that not all newer players with a WFB background understand or are prepaired for. I know I wasn't.

So instead of focussing on a world, feel free to drop which realm you want to know about. If you want to know about all the universes you'll need to cover it all  

[Still-young]

22 minutes ago, Killax said:

I currently dont feel there is one book that gives you the whole universe, as to me there is not one Age of Sigmar world, as there was with Warhammer Fantasy. It's this difference that not all newer players with a WFB background understand or are prepaired for. I know I wasn't.

So instead of focussing on a world, feel free to drop which realm you want to know about. If you want to know about all the universes you'll need to cover it all  

I didn't really mean the whole universe in one go. I've seen City of Secrets mentioned as a good example of World building in the AoS universe, are there other novels that do a similar thing?

[Killax]

9 minutes ago, Still-young said:

I didn't really mean the whole universe in one go. I've seen City of Secrets mentioned as a good example of World building in the AoS universe, are there other novels that do a similar thing?

War Storm covers the Realms of Life and Metal. Goes into Chaos and Stormcast eternal forces aswell.
Ghal Maraz goes deeper into the Realms of Life and covers the gardens of Sylvaneth and a bit of Nurgle.
Wardens of the Everqueen goes deeper into the gardens of Nurgle and their taint.
Fury of Gork covers the Ghurlands and Howling Labyrinth.
...

Basically check out Black Library  

[Menkeroth]

2 hours ago, Still-young said:

For people who have read all the fiction, which books are recommended to get a feel of the world (or just generally good)? I know City of Secrets is meant to be really good, are there others?

Yes, "City of Secrets" is very good, I'd say it's a very well written novel. Apart from that and what Killax suggested I'd say in order to feel the univserse you should read "Getting started with the Age of Sigmar" and "Mighty battles in an age of unending war".  In fiction I can also suggest "Lord of Undeath".

[EMMachine]

I read the entire Thread in Parts during the last months and have to say that it helped me a lot.

I haven't read any of the novels yet, but I have all gamerelevant books + Warhammer Quest and read all campaign books of the Realmgate wars, Spire of Dawn, Shadespire, the old Stormcast Eternals Battletome + Extremis, Bonesplitterz, Grand Alliance Destruction and actually I'm reading Ironjaws. I enjoyed most of it, even I thought at the beginning of ironjaws what they have been smoking during writing the stuff such as the 'eating competition between Gorkamorka and Sigmar' and 'waagh energy ripping reality apart'.

When I started my way working through the lore I wanted to know how the Battletomes lore fits into the lore of the Realmgate wars, if it would be possible to make a map and something like a timeline.

Then I read the first two pages of this Thread and starts thinking to see the possibitities the lore has given me allready. I thought to create my own continents to craft my own lore so I won't get into can conflict with the original lore but will also catch some points of the lore where my guys could be part of.

 

Started with a skaven clan named "machi" (look at my nickname and you will get where that name comes from) which is a combination of skryre, moulder and verminius, live in a parasite engine in shape of a molerat and are lead by an skryre arch warlock who comes everytimes back from the dead (little like Kane of Command & Conquer) but didn't figure out yet how he does it and parts of the skavenpopulation of the clan worship him as a chosen of the horned rat.

And I made a Stormcast Eternals Army that I painted first as Celestial Vindicators with the Bladestorm Chamber but got a motivation breakdown after reading the Celestial Vindicators Part of All-Gates. Last week I repainted the Plumes to make my own Chamber (here are some pics), allready wrote some characterdescriptions / partly story for 5 of my Primes. A female liberator Prime (my actual Avatar) who was a novice and ranger of a monastery that preys to Allarielle but was destroyed by Skaven (my skaven), a Vanguard Raptor Primes who was a Gunmaster in a guildcity in Chamon and most of the city got destroyed by Chaos + Skaven and he was feeling betrayed by the duardin who shot down the mountainpart of the city and abandoned the rest of it. And 3 Liberator Primes from two rivaling tribes in Ghur (two brothers who were the sons of the chieftain and the rival chieftain), where the rival chieftain killed there father and the older son snaps out to it, but they had to work together after the battleling tribes were attacked by Ironjaws and now as Liberators the older brother still snaps when he gets to close to the chieftain and seems to have some sort of spirit of the clans heraldic animal inside him (a creature I called "white stormtiger") when this happens but the chieftain has also some sort of animalistic part inside him, but feels even partly guilt for what he has done but doesn't know how he could get that part behind him. 

Also I think that my chamber could be part of the battle for Ghal Maraz when arriving with Ionus Cryptborn or when fighting the skaven that tried to corrupt Behemat because in those part of stories GW didn't told us who exactly was part of these battles.

And I have some aelf story in the background of an aelfish cult worshiping dracothion and seeing Malerion as a chosen one (because he merged with his dragon).

Think, some of that could sound a little strange at first, but I think some of that stuff could work with the AoS Lore. I feel the freedom to do stuff in the lore that would be impossible in the old world because there would be no place for doing such things do to the physical logic of the realm itself or no location for it.

 

[Aegisgrimm]

Personally I'm trying to come up with some head-fluff to base my skirmish forces on, though it's hard as I am new enough to the game that I only have some Stormcast so far, and have not read any of the printed material, only what we talk about online.

I'm thinking of going with a kingdom set in the Realm of Life, as with the time that has passed since the initial push against Chaos, it's the realm that to me would be the most likely to have settled spots that resemble a Old World-esque fantasy world that can be grounded in standard fantasy tropes to be more relatable-but with a more fantastical angle that would be out of place in the Old World.

Like how about this for a reclaimed human kingdom in the Realm of Life, where now Stormcast chambers function more like Orders of Paladins, rather than the frontline troops of war?  A place where everything doesn't necessarily always have to be "Yarrrgggg, CHAOS+BLOOD+CANNIBALISM"!

 

 Chamon or Aqshy probably have their own earth-like spots where normal folk can settle and fight over forests and lakes, just with wonderful mind-destroying stuff like this, which would probably be their version of Ghyran's floating landmasses:

 

[bottle]

We should make an AoS inspirational art thread! My mind is racing just looking at those images above.

[Aegisgrimm]

Definitely.  i wish GW did more artwork in a similar vein, it's at least something I can wrap my mind around.  These art pieces are at least places I can imagine a tabletop battlefield representing, as well as places people actually exist when they are not fighting.

 

There's gotta be more to 8 entire realms than ash wastes surrounding castles made of skulls.  Hell, I think GW could have gotten by with just one giant fantastical world/realm like the art above.