The rest of the Jade Host makes landfall in the Old World this weekend, led by none other than Miao Ying herself. There’s plenty of exciting stuff in the Arcane Journal that accompanies them – entitled Dawn of the Storm Dragon. After a quick summoning ritual within a forbidden fane in a forgotten ruin at the stroke of midnight, we asked one of the game designers for the inside track on the new book.
JTY: It’s been a busy few months for fans of the Old World, with the arrival of Arcane Journals for the Wood Elf Realms and Beastmen Brayherds in quick succession, followed by the Matched Play Guide, a significant FAQ and errata, and a whole new faction in Grand Cathay. With the imminent arrival of Arcane Journal – Dawn of the Storm Dragon, alongside Miao Ying herself, we took the opportunity to delve more into the ongoing narrative of the World of Legend.
Our focus with Warhammer: the Old World is firmly upon the untold events unfolding at the heart of the World of Legend, before Asavar Kul’s great incursion and the turmoil that followed. Be it Settra’s invasion of the Border Princes, Frydaal’s conquests in Westerland, the growing threat of the Beastmen Brayherds in the dark forests, or the rising fury of Warlord Durgath Spine Cracker in the Grey Mountains, these and more are the tales we want to tell.
Tales of the Old World
Grand Cathay is a land far removed from the Old World. To travel from one to the other by land or sea takes many months, and such journeys are perilous – yet Grand Cathay is integral to our story. With the armies of the Chainmaker running unchecked through the northern reaches of Westerland while the great and the good of the Empire focus upon their own agendas, great peril looms.
The Dragons have foreseen this. Long-lived and wise, these mighty beings have recognised portents they have seen before. They know that the Ruinous Powers have begun to stir, and that their devotees will soon flood from the frozen north in an all consuming tide of chaos and destruction. They know as well that should the lands of the west fall, the realm of the Celestial Dragon shall soon follow.
To this end, Miao Ying leads an army west. Not to conquer or dominate, but to galvanise ancient allies, stirring them to action in the face of a terrible threat. It’s a journey Miao Ying has not made in person since Sigmar himself ruled the Empire, and one she is reluctant to make now. But she is a dutiful warrior in her father’s service, and when required to fight battles in a distant land, she does so without quarrel. Thus does the Jade Host make war in the Old World, while she delivers grave warnings to its rulers.
New rules
From a rules perspective, this Arcane Journal is filled with content for narrative gaming. New terrain rules for roads and rivers, ridges, and chasms, as well as for occupying buildings on the battlefield, give players the option to add more depth to games set in the Old World. There are terrain generators for the Wasteland in the Empire and the Shadowlands in the farthest northern reaches of the Old World, where Chaos dwells, which allow players to randomly determine the terrain over which their armies will fight, adding a sense of immersion. Alongside these, rules for multiplayer games and several new scenarios allow players to refight the battles of Miao Ying’s campaign.
This supplement contains no new profiles (the rules for Miao Ying and her armies can be found in Arcane Journal – Grand Cathay), but it does contain the faction’s first Army of Infamy, the Jade Fleet. This unique army allows players to field the warriors of Grand Cathay alongside their Imperial allies, giving you the opportunity to add Empire State Troops and more to your muster.
Finally, the book contains three pages of new magic items, giving Grand Cathay access to as many as every other army. Personal highlights include the Sword of Reason, a weapon occasionally wielded by Yuan Bo* himself that grants a Killing Blow, and the Fires of Nan-Gau – earthenware jars crafted by the artificers of Nan-Gau that grant their bearer the ability to literally breathe fire!
Miao Ying and her reinforcements will be available to pre-order on Saturday.
* The Jade Dragon, ruler of the Central Province of Grand Cathay, and one of the many siblings of Miao Ying.
