Bring in the Replacements: New Special Characters Thread

[Archaeoman]

Dear all,

Greetings and Happy New Year! The end of 2014 was pretty rough. It appears that...well, many special characters have started to die off/disappear into another dimension. Well I agree the status quo was getting a bit old, I strongly disagree with this mass top-down effort to force change. Personally, I was always intrigued by special characters as they really represented the story "fluff" which initially drew me into this game (and DnD, as a matter of fact). Now many seem to be going the way of the dinosaurs. BUT...

These times have opened up incredible opportunities for the rise of the next generation of heroes. And I propose that we, the players, be the ones to create the new Special Characters to enter our story.

To that end, I challenge you to create the rules for a single special character to represent the leader of your Wood Elf army and post them here on this thread. Include some background, point cost, etc. so that others can opt to use her/him in their games. Try to make them reasonable, starting with the template rules/cost of the character most like them. Then, modify them as you see fit. Maybe personalize them by increasing any of their stats and adding 20 points or so per stat increased to a maximum of 2. Add a maximum of ca. 2 unique features for a Hero level character and ca. 3 for a Lord (special rules, magic items of your own design), adding points as you think justifiable. Total the points and write a bit about them and the army they command. Are they a brooding Darkweaver allied with the mad Forest Spirits of Drycha? Are they a high priestess of Loec, commanding an uncommon number of Wardancers? Etc. This is a great and new way to represent your army and its leader!

By centralizing this information here, we can populate Athel Loren and wherever our Warhammer battles take us with the rules, backgrounds, and armies of new Special Characters. This will, in my humble opinion, be very fun!

I'll post mine as soon as I think it over. I look forward to seeing what we can come up with!

[Archaeoman]

Hi again. So, here is my Special Character. After browsing around the Internet for inspiration, I came up with this. Played a game with him and had a blast. First time in along time a Character proved well worth his points! Enjoy!

Gwindalor Ghoststrider, Master of the Fading Trees................165 points
M Ws Bs S T W I A Ld
5 6 6 4 3 2 6 2 9

Equipment: Two hand weapons, throwing axes, light armor, Hunter's Talon, Sojourner's Boots
Magic Items:
Hunter's Talon : This gnarled and twisted longbow is said to be inhabited by a dark, vengeful forest spirit. In battle, this spirit infuses the bearer with the savagery, uncanny speed, and lethal precision of a bird of prey on the hunt.
The Hunter's Talon (Magic Weapon) is a Magical Asrai Longbow with Strength 4. Additionally, if the bearer kills a model with a shooting attack from this bow, he may immediately shoot again at another target in the same unit. Continue until the bearer fails to hit or kill his target or there are no more targets in the unit. Hawk-eyed Archer may NOT be used in conjunction with this bow (though it does apply to Gwindalor's throwing axes, if he chooses to use them instead).

Sojourner's Boots: These well-worn leather boots look completely mundane. In actuality, they have been enchanted with powerful protective magic, capable of guiding their wearer and his companions safely wherever they travel
The Sojourner's Boots (Enchanted Item) give Gwindalor a 6+ Ward Save and MR (1). Additionally, he and any unit he has joined have the Strider special rule.

Special Rules: General, Always Strikes First, Hawk-eyed Archer, Scout, Sniper, Hates Skaven.

Background:
Gwindalor is the leader of an elite group of Wildwood Rangers and Waywatchers known as the "Company of the Fading Trees." An accomplished Master of Waywatchers and extremely well-travelled wanderer, Gwindalor spent most of his life outside of Athel Loren as a lieutenant in the fabled "Skarloc's Archers". He and his men, a new division of the Archers, have the grim task of patrolling and attempting to cleanse forests that have been blighted by the fell magics of the Skaven. If such sickness were to spread along the Worldroots back to Loren, the consequences would be catastrophic. These woods are also dangerous places of refuge and spawning for the vile Shadow Fey, the mad forest spirits guarded by Gwindalor's kin in Cythral. But the Company of the Fading Trees nevertheless has begun to earn a reputation for reliability and unwavering courage int the face of seemingly endless darkness. Despite loosing his left eye to a would-be Skaven assassin, Gwindalor is a legendary shot, even winning the hand of Skarloc's daughter in an archery competition with him. His aim and the bravery of his Company have never been more needed as they make near-suicidal incursions into the fading forests of the Old World.

[Billthesurly]

Naestra and Arahan called. They say their eagle wants his name back.

I grovel with apology for being such a snarker but Gwindalor is taken. Change the name and you have a winner.

[Baardah]

I think the former glade lord turned treekin: Amadri Ironbark, should have a set of rules but there is an own thread for this guy.

And of course my favorite of all times, Thalandor Doomstar.

Wychel Shadowsong, high priest of Loec

Special rules: shadow dances of loec, forest stalker, talismanic tattoos, blessings of the trickster, wizard lvl 2(shadow), dance of doom.
Points: 265

M:5 WS:8 BS:6 S:4 T:3 W:3 I:9 A:4 Ld:9

Equipment: blades of Loec

Blades of loec: paired weapons. Attacks made with the blades of loec is made a S+1. In addition all succesfull armor saves, ward saves or regeneration saves against wounds caused by the blades of Loec has to be rerolled.
Blessings of loec: one blessed by loec never knows how the trickster protects. At the beginning of each turn roll a D3. Add this to any existing ward save wychel and any unit he has joined has. On a roll of 3 loec isn't paying attention and no additional ward may be taken
Dance of doom: once per battle, Wychel may perform the dance of doom. In addition to his normal attacks he may perform one attack against each enemy model in the front rank of the unit he is fighting. After the dance of doom is performed wychel and any unit of wardancers he has joined has the frenzy special rule.

[Stygian]

Cirenivel the Blind, Herald of Loec 285 points

M WS BS S T W I A LD
5 9 6 4 3 3 9 4 9

You may only include one Cirenivel in your army

Equipment: Two Hand Weapons, Totemic Idol

Special Rules: Forest stalker, Shadow Dances of Loec, Skirmish, Talismanic Tattoos, MR(1), Sightless Visions

Cirenivel was once revered by the wood elves for her sublime grace and surpassing beauty. Tragically, her grace
was destroyed, and her beauty shattered when her eyes were lost in battle to the guardian of the Vaults of Winter.
Upon her return, such was the loyalty of her cadai, that each member of the kinband ritually removed their own
eyes. One by one in darkness they prayed, paying homage to their sightless leader, each one offering up their
bloodied eyes to the trickster god, Loec. The god took pleasure in these offerings and granted Cirenivel and her kin
sightless visions, bestowing perception in battle beyond that of even the greatest of wardancers. Now they dance, in
darkness unending.

Totemic Idol: The Totemic Idol is an ancient relic that dates back to the time of the Wythel Glade Kindred, now
known only as the lost kindred. Upon this idol is carved the last remaining proof of the kindreds existence. Sadly,
Cirenivel will never see the sacred carvings. The idol was recovered by Cirenivel from the Vaults of Winter and
bestows a 4+ Ward Save upon Cirenivel and her unit.

Sightless Visions: In battle Cirenivel leads her kinband in a repetition of movements, choosing to relive the tragic ritual while taking perverse pleasure in the grotesque caricature of lethal form. To represent this when selecting from the Shadow Dances of Loec, Cirenivel and her unit may choose to perform the same Shadow Dance in consecutive rounds of combat. In addition, when performing the Whirling Death Shadow Dance Cirenivel gains the Herioc Killing Blow special rule.

If you include Cirenivel, you must include a unit of wardancers with full command. Cirenivel may never leave this unit, and no other characters may ever join the unit.

[~ Wardancer ~]

Sign me up.......... I'll take her every game.

[Billthesurly]

Really love the story and imagery. I even see them as looking kind of like the blind seer in the Vikings TV show. No bandages around their heads just blank space. Every one of them beautiful and graceful until you get to the upper part of their faces - then, red and angry scars with empty sockets. A bit of work with the dremmel tool and a fine router and you're done.

Hell this is a cool Idea for a regular Wardancer Troupe let alone the Special Character.