Grungni Cult_________________________

Description: Greater Entity; Dwarfen pantheon; principal Dwarfen ancestor god. Grungni is the god of mining, metalwork, stonework, and underground places. According to Dwarfen lore, Grungni lived during the Time of the Ancestor Gods. It was then that Grungni led the Dwarfs from the perils of the upper world to the safety of the earth. Grungni is also credited with teaching the Dwarfs all the skills for which the race would be famous: smelting of metals, forging of goods, weaponcraft, tunneling, gem cutting, building of vaults, and runesmithing, to name a few. Grungni is portrayed as a male Dwarf, clad entirely in chain mail, with a forked iron-grey beard reaching to the tops of his feet.

Where Worshipped: Grungni is worshipped by Dwarfs throughout the Old World alongside clan ancestors.

Alignments: Law and neutral preferred. Good permitted. Evil and Chaos prohibited.

Friends and Enemies: Allied with other gods of the Imperial Dwarfen pantheon, Dwarfen Ancestor cults, and the Young God cult of Sigmar. Tolerant respect for Grommo, Old Faith, and Halfling cults. Neutral towards the other Young Gods cults. Antipathy towards Elven cults. Enemies of Dark Children, Humanoid Daemonic, and Chaos cults (especially of Chaos Dwarfs).

Cult Symbols and Dress: Initiates, Priests, and Templars identify themselves with the following: the pick (representing the magic tool with which he used to open up the underground world to the Dwarfen people) and a stylized helmeted face with a long forked beard. Priests wear dark grey clothing with a black or silver pick embroided across the chest. Token is a silver pick with Grungni's rune inscribed. Cult token may also be a silver stylized helmeted face set on a disk of jet. Templars of the Order of the Stone Wall may wear their clan's runes, together with Grungni's runes, on plate armor and shield. Runesmiths incorporate Grungni's rune with their personalized trappings.

Cult Careers Available: Initiate, Priest, Runesmith, Templar (Order of the Stone Wall)

Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: Always strive to advance the clan's reputation through solid workmanship. Always ensure that tunnels and chambers are structurally sound. Render repair upon any such structure when it becomes unsafe. Always work a mine to extract all ore and valuable stone to enhance the well-being of the clan and race. Never be wasteful of the earth's mineral bounty. Never surrender to Goblins, their kin, nor any other vile creature which pose a threat to clan and race. Never refuse an opportunity to regain control of a Dwarfhold that had fallen to an enemy. Never pass an opportunity to slay Chaos Dwarfs as their continued existence brings dishonor and shame to the race.

Afterworld: The spirit of a deceased Dwarf who follows Grungni and their clan's ancestors will always join the latter. For those who are of the clan of Grungni (e.g., the ruling clan of Karaz-a-Karak) and his clergy, their spirits are destined to join the Shadowrealm of Grungni. There, the spirits enter a gigantic Dwarfhall where ale follows freely and they can continue their life's work (unlike Humans, this is paradise for a Dwarf). The spirit continues work on weapons and armor (that Grungni may place in the hands of living Dwarfs and or Dwarffriends as a Divine Instrument) or the spirit may work on a new Rune of Power (which may be revealed to a worthy Runesmith). As workmanship is of utmost importance to Dwarfs, there are not many of these treasures in the world.

Temples and Shrines: The largest temple of Grungni is naturally located in the center of the Dwarfen race, Karaz-a-Karak. Here is seated the High Priest of Grungni who rules the cult as the High King rules the Imperial Dwarfs. All other temples are subordinate to the High Temple. Temples are located in every Dwarfhold in the Old World and usually take the form of an adjacent hall to the main hall of the Dwarfhold. The temples are dominated by statues of Grungni, usually on either side of a dais upon which stands a throne flanked by two lecterns. Stone pews are arranged in neat rows in front of the dais. Moreover, the walls of the temples are often decorated with scenes depicting Dwarfen life and folklore (see Empire in Flames, page 72 for an example).

In Human cities where there is a sizable population of Dwarfs, underground shrines are erected in honor of Grungni. These shrines are located next to the Dwarfen Engineer Guildhall (see Warhammer City, page 45 for a description).

Saints and Heroes: Heroes of Grungni are usually warriors fighting against overwhelming odds protecting clan and race, or master artisans whose work stand as a monument and a tribute to the Dwarfen race. An example of the former was Ulgar Bloodblade, a warrior of renown during the first coming of Chaos (-4500 I.C.). In his last battle, Ulgar led a company of warriors to protect the rearguard of the Dwarfen army retreating to Karak Kadrin. Ulgar arrayed them into a shield wall, breaking the charge of the advance force of mounted Chaos warriors. In a battle that lasted for six hours, Ulgar and his troops fought with such a fury that over a hundred of Chaos troops fell before the company of Dwarfs were annihilated. Ulgar was the last to fall, but his sacrifice ensured that Karak Kadrin had the time to muster its entire force to withstand the siege. Another hero of Grungni was Mantrin Stoneshaper, architect and master builder of Karaz-a-Karak. Mantrin was an old Dwarf when called upon to build the Great Hall of the High King (-3100 I.C.) and enlarge the underground city. Over the next seventy years, Mantrin led his crew in the construction of structures and monuments that endure without repair to the present and are often viewed as the zenith of Dwarfen construction.

Cult Requirements: Requirements for Laymen Status: Automatic for clan members. Other clan members may join the cult without loss of stature within their own clans. Under no circumstances can anyone other than a Dwarf join the cult.

Requirements for Initiate Status: Granting of Summon (Earth) Elemental Node prayer is commonly acknowledged as a sign of a Calling. Must be sponsored by a priest.

Requirements for Priest Status: For the first rank, selection in a vision by Grungni. Approval must still be formally granted by the High Priest (who has never disapproved a selection by Grungni). Unlike Clan Elders, any Dwarf selected by Grungni need not be an older, married Dwarf. In fact, younger Dwarfs (50 years old at least) are often selected. All other ranks approved by High Priest.

Requirements for Templar Status: Selection and approval by High Priest and Templar Commander in the Dwarfhold from suitable laymen.

Trials: Trials set by Grungni most often involve clearing fallen Dwarfholds of goblins, their kin, and other vile creatures such as Skaven. Sometimes trials may involve extending an existing Dwarfhold to include newly discovered deposits of ore or a new source of underground water. For few of the cultists, trials may consist of constructing a new shrine or adding a chamber to an existing one.

Blessings: A one-time bonus or automatic success with dowsing, engineer, mining, and stoneworking skills. Automatic success with construct, observe, and search tests.

Penances: Cleaning the drinking hall after a Dwarfen festival, cleaning the tools of miners, clearing slag and other waste products from the forges, cutting one half of one's beard.

Holy Days: Major festivals dedicated to Grungni are held every hundred days (33 Pflugzeit, 33 Vorgeheim, 33 Brauzeit, and 33 Vorhexen on the Imperial calendars). Nine lesser festivals are held between the major days at intervals of ten days.

Gifts:

Rank 1: Granting of Summon (Earth) Elemental Node prayer twice per day at no MP cost, automatic success with resist magic skill once per day.

Rank 2: Granting of either Bless Weapon prayer twice per day or Summon Least (Earth) Elemental prayer once per day at no MP cost, automatic success with rune lore or dodge blow skill once per day.

Rank 3: Granting of Meld into Stone or Summon Lesser (Earth) Elemental prayer once per day at no MP cost, automatic success with spot traps skill twice per day.

Rank 4: Granting of Bless Hero or Summon Greater (Earth) Elemental prayer once per day at no MP cost, automatic success with runemastery skill once per day.

Templar: Granting of Inspired Attack prayer once per day, may use strike to stun skill twice per day with a +20 modifier.

Cult Prayer Lists

Initiate

Required: Bless Token, Blessed Sacraments, Exalted Shield, Heal Cultist, Seek Shrine, Shadeward, Summon (Earth) Elemental Node, Vigilance

Honors: Detect Magick, Gift of Tongues, Heal Petitioner, Light the Path

Rank 1

Required: Bless Shrine, Bless Weapon, Identify Divine Instrument, Leap of Faith, Learn God's Will, Radiant Armor, Righteous Blow, Sacred Circle, Sacred Warding, Sanctuary, Scourge Enemy, Summon Divine Counselor, Summon Least (Earth) Elemental, Valor, Voice of God

Honors: Cure Poison, Dispel Sorcery, Frenzy, Mindlink, Open, Remove Minor Curse, Soullink, Spread the Word, Ward Undead

Rank 2

Required: Bless Thy Servant, Faith Provides, Great Warding, Hand of God, Inspired Attack, Know Enemy, Make Thy Servant Whole, The Master's Hand, Sense Hidden Danger, Smite Thy Enemy, Summon Guardian

Honors: Banish Lesser Numina, Detect Chaos, Grant Greater Prayer, Great Soullink, Minor Curse, Nullify Prayer, Protection from Chaos Taint

Rank 3

Required: Consecrate Lesser Instrument, Contact Soul of the Faithful, Heal Injury, Heal the Faithful, Inspired Fervor, Know Alignment, Meld into Stone, Self Defense, Smite the Abomination, Speak with the Departed Faithful, Summon Divine Servant, Summon Lesser (Earth) Elemental, Ward and Seal

Honors: Banish Divine Servant, Banish Ensorcelment, Light of Day/Darkness of Night, Nullify Lesser Instrument, Shelter Against Daemons, Shelter Against Elementals, Shelter Against Undead

Rank 4

Required: Bless Hero, Consecrate Altar, Consecrate Greater Instrument, Divine Vision, Godsfire, Grant Sacrament of Prayer, Preach the Word, Scourge the Abomination, Summon Divine Avatar, Summon Greater (Earth) Elemental

Honors: Banish Daemons, Banish Divine Avatar, Banish Elementals, Banish Profane Enchantment, Banish Undead, Nullify Greater Instrument, Remove Great Curse

Numina Forms

Counselor: Spirit of a departed priest or great warrior.

Guardian: Dwarfen cults do not provide for summoning of divine guardians. Spirit guardians may take the form of ghostly deceased priests or warriors.

Servant: Spirit of a deceased High Priest or Runesmith.

Avatar: Spirit of Grungni

Special Careers

Templar: Order of the Stone Wall

Founded during the first coming of Chaos (-4500 I.C.), the Templars of the Order of the Stone Wall embody the virtues of precise execution of orders, standing fast in the face of onslaught, and never faltering in battle. The image of a solid wall of warriors breaking a charging enemy is seen as a model of Dwarfen determination in battle.

For career advance scheme, career exits, and trappings see the Templar advance career, WFRP, page 106. In place of the Ride-Horse skill, Templars of the Order of the Stone Wall substitute Specialist Weapon-Flail and Specialist Weapon-Two-Handed Weapon.

Favored Cult Skills

Layman: Consume Alcohol, Dowsing*, Mining*, Orientation, Resist Magic*

Initiate: Brewing, Evaluate, History (Dwarf), Metallurgy*, Smithing*

Rank 1: Acute Hearing, Engineer*, Law (Dwarf), Mining* (double skill to increase proficiency), Numismatics, Stoneworking*

Rank 2: Cartography, Dodge Blow, Gem Cutting*, Rune Lore*, Spot Traps, Storytelling, Strike Mighty Blow

Rank 3: Excellent Visions, Secret Language-Battle, Specialist Weapon- Double-Handed

Rank 4: Night Vision, Runemastery*

Sub-Cults and Honorary Orders: None

Cult Prayers

Summon (Earth) Elemental Node

Prayer Rank: Petty

Magic Points: 3+1 per additional turn

Range: sacred ground with 10 yards

Duration: 1 turn + 1 turn per additional MP

Area of Effect: one elemental node

Resistance: none

The cleric is granted the power to summon and command a single elemental node. The invoking cleric may choose the form in which it is to appear, although the form is restricted to approximately one cubic foot in volume and is crudely formed. The elemental node is bound to the cleric's service for the duration, and may be commanded to perform tasks at the cleric's request. Elemental nodes can only performed very limited tasks (considerably less than least elementals). The response of the elemental node to each command is determined by the Service tests against the node's Faithful and Vengeful scores. See Divine Terms and Rules, "Service Traits and Service Tests," page ??, and Divine Summonings, "Elementals," page ?? for detailed discussions of elemental summonings and Service tests. See Realms of Sorcery, Elemental Beings, "Elemental Nodes," page ?? for details concerning the abilities of elemental nodes.

Meld into Stone

Prayer Rank: Third

Magic Points: 6

Range: Touch

Duration: 1d6+3 rounds

Area of Effect: cleric or fellow cultist

Resistance: none

Once invoked, this prayer grants the cleric or cultist the ability to meld into stone objects (including most tunnel walls). This prayer also permits the individual passage through stone objects at that person's cautious rate of movement. Should the individual still be in the stone object at the time the prayer effect expires, then they are ejected from the stone at the point they entered. If underground, the effected individual may enter another passage, room, or chamber before the prayer ends to avoid being returned to the point of entry.

Summon Greater (Earth) Elemental

Prayer Rank: Fourth

Magic Points: 16 + 1 per additional turn

Range: sacred ground with 10 yards

Duration: 1 turn + 1 turn per additional MP

Area of Effect: one greater elemental

Resistance: none

The cleric is granted the power to summon a single greater elemental. Greater elementals choose the form in which it will appear, although the form is restricted to approximately six cubic yards in volume. Unlike other elementals, the greater elemental is not bound to the cleric's service for the duration, rather they are available for that time to hear the cleric's request and consider it. While greater elementals may agree to certain tasks, they will not perform any task that places them at risk (i.e. they will not enter combat on the cleric's behalf). The response of the greater elemental to each request is determined by the manner in which the cleric appeals for their aid. See Realms of Sorcery, Elemental Beings, "Greater Elementals," page ?? for details concerning the abilities, attitude, and temperament of greater elementals.