Warhammer: Origins of the Old World Gods – PRIME
Boy, some of these guys and gals look pretty familiar…
Everybody strap yourselves into the BoLS Time Machine because we’re going back in time to 1986 and the 2nd Edition of Warhammer Fantasy RPG. Back then, Warhammer Fantasy Battles was still only a single book, the world was much smaller, and several of the most common races hadn’t even been introduced yet. Alongside the early factions like Amazons, Kislev, and Cathay, the pantheon of human gods was a little different, and even included a few that would later be co-opted by the elves (and a certain snake-bodied sorceress).
We won’t be talking about them today, though, as we’re just focusing on the primary pantheon of human gods introduced in Warhammer Fantasy RPG. Of course, as with everything in the Old World, the inspiration for these gods came from the pantheons of history or other fantasy properties, and though some of the gods have a more direct correlation than others, each one has at least a loose connection to an ancient god or god-like figure.
Manann
The god of the sea and primary god of the northern coast of the Old World Empire, Manann is primarily worshipped by sailors and seafarers and is said to control the tides by taking hold of the moon. In the region of Tilea, he is also known as Mathann, which is close enough to the elvish deity Mathlann (who lives on in AoS through the Idoneth Eidolons) that they are likely the same entity. Of course, the most obvious comparison for Manann is Poseidon, the Greek god of the oceans, and both gods are depicted wielding a trident as their primary weapon. Because Manann is also associated with hurricanes and storms, he could also be tied to Zeus, though that is likely more closely related to Sigmar. In addition, Manann seems to draw a lot of inspiration from Ulmo, the Valar associated with the oceans and rivers of Middle Earth in Lord of the Rings.
Morr
The gloomy god of death and dreams, Morr is one of the most widely revered gods in the Empire, as death is the one thing no one ever escapes (unless you’re undead but that doesn’t count). His priests are in charge of the funeral rites of the human cities, and his black armored knights are one of the most feared Orders in the Empire. Even his dour priests are powerful warriors, as they are tasked with guarding the graveyards (called the Gardens of Morr) against grave robbers or putting down errant undead. Besides the obvious comparison with the Greek god Hades thanks to his position as an elder god and the lord of the Underworld, his association with ravens also ties him to the Norse god Odin. He also relates to the terrible Valar of death, Mandos, and the two are very close in description, both being tall, noble, and severe.
Myrmidia
Myrmidia is one of the classical pantheon gods not mentioned as much in more modern Warhammer, though she is at least well-represented as the patron goddess of the Knights of the Blazing Sun, one of the most prolific Knightly Orders. She is the goddess of war and honor, an avatar of battle that leads her followers to victory in combat, much like the Greek Ares and Athena. Of course, with her design, she is also similar to the Aesir goddess Freyja, who is associated with the Valkyries and is entitled to half the souls of great warrior souls for her region of Folkvangar, a counterpart to Valhalla. The Valar do not have a warrior representative, per se, but her dread aspect and depiction as a beautiful warrior queen relates to Galadriel, who is at least worthy of demi-god status in Middle Earth.
Ranald
Ranald is the god of Tricksters and Thieves, and though he is primarily revered by criminal elements, he is sometimes contacted for luck by gamblers or used as a symbol of those resisting oppression and tyranny. Obviously, the primary correlation with Ranald is the god Loki, Norse god of trickery and deceit, and also a morally dubious figure. There could be some argument for his origins with Hermes, though Ranald is a bit less charitable and more about his own hide.
Shallya
Goddess of mercy and healing, Shallya is the primary goddess of medicine and doctors in the Old World, and most of her order is made up of young women who travel from town to town administering healing. Wherever they go, they are welcomed, as no one would turn away a follower of mercy, and Shallya is one of the most universally accepted goddesses. She seems to draw inspiration from Epione, a slightly less well-known Greek goddess representing medicinal care and healing. She is also likely related to Este the Gentle, Valar of healing and rest from Lord of the Rings.
Taal
The horned god of the wilds, Taal is one of the eldest human gods, and also the one least concerned with mortal affairs, caring more for the wild places and the creatures that live there. He is called Karnos in the northern regions where he is primarily worshipped, relating him to the elvish hunt god Kurnous. This renaming also give him ties to the Celtic god of the wilds Cernunnos, also known as the Green Man or the Horned One, who presided over the wild places and man’s place in them. Orome Aldaron the Huntsman, the Valar of the Forests, is also a source of inspiration, and it is likely that Tolkein drew his inspiration from Cernunnos as well, so the cycle of inspiration simply trickled down.
Ulric
God of wolves, war, and winter, Ulric is the primary war god of the Empire and chief patron of the Unberogen tribe, which gave birth to the hero-turned-god Sigmar, and the Teutogens, their close neighbors and allies. He is a cold, barbaric lord, and his followers are wild warriors who throw themselves into battle with little care for strategy, and his priests and knightly orders are rightly feared for their prowess on the battlefield. His most obvious connection is the Norse God Odin, another wintery war god, though in place of a spear Ulric wields a massive axe. It should also be noted that Ulric’s relation to wolves could be a correlation with Fenrir, the massive wolf demi-god destined to consume Odin at Ragnarok.
Verena
The noble goddess of justice and wife of Morr, Verena is the blind arbiter of order, though she also represents science and learning. She is not always shown with a blindfold, however, and is also represented by an owl or a set of golden scales. Because of her role as the goddess of justice, and her affinity with owls, she is closely tied to Athena, goddess of battle strategy, in much the same way as her daughter Myrmidia. However, she also relates to the lesser-known goddess Adrasteia (also called Nemesis), a paragon of revenge that sought out justice through violent acts, or Themis, the goddess of law from Greek lore, and her daughter Dike, goddess of justice.
