Overview of the Old World

[j_dean80]

So I was thinking a thread discussing history and races and regions of the Old World would be helpful to those of us who want to tie HQ to it. I know not all people want that (cough cough Kurgan), but a lot did not grow up with GW so therefore don’t know how it directly ties in and other possible Quest Packs awaiting to be unfolded.

Feel free to post bits and pieces or entire plots that you feel would be useful to HQ.

[Davane]

I know not all people want that (cough cough Kurgan)

My work here is done...

I'm just going to put these links to the Trove here, which is an EXCELLENT resource if you want current or old GW information on Warhammer Fantasy, be it from the games or magazines, as there's simply too much lore covered over the past 40 years for a single thread to do it full justice.

For a very brief overview of the Old World, as part of the Warhammer World, you might want to check out the Wikipedia article here.

More likely this would be best suited as a forum or subforum at Ye Olde Inn in it's own right...

[j_dean80]

I know not all people want that (cough cough Kurgan)

My work here is done...

Just a playful jab, he was getting worked up on the other thread, so figured I’d throw that in. I get what Kurgan means, I grew up with the same HQ.

Basically I’m looking for overviews, not reading through thousands of pages. I know I don’t have that kind of free time. For example: Who are the Britannians? Where are they from? Are they part of the Empire? Who is their enemy?

This reference comes in pretty handy - http://hobbithole.chez.com/encyc.htm

[Pancho]

The Wikipedia page Davane linked to above should give you most of what you need.

Brits who spent a lot of time in Games Workshop stores during the early 90’s (such fantastic times!) are always amused when we read comments from people who don’t understand just how much Heroquest borrowed from Warhammer fantasy.

[Uncle_Elvis]

Only recently did I jump into the Warhammer mythos.

My biggest surprises were that Fimir are not actual greenskins, greenskins are sentient fungi, and Chaos Warriors would probably never work with greenskins.

[Kurgan]

Hey guys, for the record I don't "hate" Games Workshop, or the "Warhammer world." I just disagree with those who feel that because it was "slightly" more emphasized in the European versions, that this means everything in Warhammer fantasy (any version of it) "should be canon" in every version of Hero Quest. I grew up with the NA version, and we didn't have any maps of the "Olde World." But knock yourselves out... it doesn't bother me if people have different opinions. I'm not a big Skyrim fan either, but I'm not against people making extensive mods involving that franchise (which I know is called "the Elder Scrolls" I know what Daggerfall is... or Legend of Zelda or whatever). I have a feeling this sort of thing will need to be "added back in" to the Remake anyhow.

I too am surprised by some things in Warhammer, but that's because it's not a game I play. Doesn't mean I hate it or those who love it! If it enhances your experience to more tightly weave them together in your sessions, more power to ya.

I like the general idea of having a sense of a larger "world" and I think this is just another example of the community providing an enriching resource to inspire your own adventures.

So please, carry on...

[Oftkilted]

Are we talking “Olde world” as in “Olde World as it was in 1989-1992”, or the insanity of the Olde World as it was when it was finally torched, tossed under the bus and then burned to the ground just before being rebuilt/crafted into Age of Sigmar?

Interestingly enough by trying to combine HQ and Warhammer Fantasy “Old World” you are ignoring the split for the NA version with Quest Pack for the Elf and Barbarian... which really diverged from standard Warhammer Fantasy.

None of those concepts were ever repopulated back into WHFB/Old World.

[j_dean80]

Are we talking “Olde world” as in “Olde World as it was in 1989-1992”, or the insanity of the Olde World as it was when it was finally torched, tossed under the bus and then burned to the ground just before being rebuilt/crafted into Age of Sigmar?

Interestingly enough by trying to combine HQ and Warhammer Fantasy “Old World” you are ignoring the split for the NA version with Quest Pack for the Elf and Barbarian... which really diverged from standard Warhammer Fantasy.

None of those concepts were ever repopulated back into WHFB/Old World.

I believe there can exist a setting for each NA exclusive placed into the Old World map. There are extensive threads on placing.

I’m going for the same time period as HQ, therefore it fits together.

Just trying to establish a good reference library here on the Inn for those who don’t know WH but would like to tie HQ in. There are a lot of people on here with extensive knowledge on the subject.

[thequester]

A really good reference on Warhammer Fantasy lore is:
https://warhammerfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Warhammer_Wiki

I use it whenever I wanna know some details about the Olde World of Warhammer. I like the idea of HQ happening in an earlier era than WHFB, where gunpowder might not yet have been invented, and the idea that our Prince Magnus might have been the "young noble" who later became emperor Magnus the Pious.

[cornixt]

It's important to note that the Warhammer World was quite a bit different when HQ was made compared to when Warhammer Fantasy became more popular. A lot of the broad strokes are the same, but not all, and many of the finer details were changed a lot. Ogres and Chaos Dwarfs went through the biggest shifts, Bretonnia went from plain medieval French to Arthurian, Slaan became the huge fat frogs of lizardmen, etc.

3rd edition WHFB is the real basis, Fimir didn't even get a mention after that due to rights issues. 4th edition started to solidify and organise the game, so a lot of the fringe stuff was simply left out to make sure each army had a more individual flavour. Greenskins were never fungus related in fantasy except for that one line in a novel from 6th/7th edition.

Take inspiration from any of Warhammer, but there is no real "canon" in it other than what is also in the published HQ works.