There is a saying in the Old World that a man is best judged by the quality of his enemies.
–Hero’s Call, “Epic Threats”
In late September, we announced the upcoming epic supplement for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Hero’s Call. With 12 new high-powered careers and new spells and blessings for Ranks 4 and 5, Hero’s Call allows characters to rise among the Old World’s great powers. Your characters can earn unprecedented prestige, advancing into positions of tremendous responsibility as generals of armies, wizard lords, and arch lectors, but with such resources at your command, there comes a terrible risk.
You may find yourselves forced to deal with some of the Old World’s greatest threats, or some of the Old World’s deadliest figures may take personal interest in you and the ways in which you undermine their efforts…
Epic antagonists
The epic threats within Hero’s Call are divided into two types: epic antagonists and epic monsters. Epic antagonists are notable individuals feared throughout the realm as commanders of bloodthirsty hordes or devious masterminds who threaten the very fabric of reality with their evil plots. They have strong, often domineering personalities and rich histories that resonate throughout the darker places of the world. Epic antagonists and their plots can easily form the basis for an ongoing campaign, and while your characters may be too weak to confront the villain at the outset, they may face his minions and draw his increasing attention and ire, building toward an epic showdown later in the campaign.
Hero’s Call provides combat statistic, background information, and campaign guidelines for some of the Old World’s deadliest villains, any one of whom could make an excellent antagonist for your characters throughout an entire campaign. Archaon the Everchosen, Khazrak One-Eye, Grimgor Ironhide, Mannfred von Carstein, and other epic antagonists provide GMs with a variety of options for the evil powers behind their fell schemes.
Epic monsters
Epic monsters are less subtle than epic antagonists, though not necessarily any less deadly. These horrific creatures of legend beget death and destruction on a massive scale. When characters no longer find themselves challenged by more mundane creatures, these rare beasts make excellent climactic encounters. Epic monsters can also make excellent bodyguards or favored minions of epic antagonists.
Hero’s Call introduces several epic monsters, complete with background information and tips for introducing them into your campaigns. The book goes even further, however, and offers epic threat sheets that allow GMs to quickly adapt many of the creatures and NPCs from the Core Product and previous expansions. These sheets allow GMs to transform standard monsters into elite and powerful paragons of their kind, giving them tremendous skill, brute strength, or insidious magical prowess. To create new monstrous villains, evil heroes, lords, sorcerers, and diabolical masterminds, the GM can simply socket the creature or NPC card onto the appropriate epic threat sheet and add all corresponding bonuses provided by the epic threat sheet.
Ghorgons, Hell Pit abominations, war hydras, and Galrauch the Great Drake stir for battle… Who can stand against these fearsome foes? Will you answer the Hero’s Call?
Look for this epic supplement to arrive in the first quarter of 2012. Until then, keep checking our site for future previews. Next up: a look at the upcoming spells and blessings for the 4th and 5th ranks!
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