Cockatrices

Common View

“It were like a big bird right, no, lizard, no, no, more like a snake. Yeah, a snake… with great big bat wings… and chicken legs… and a beak… aw, I dun’t know. It were wrong lookin’, alright!”

- Hoss Dreetz, Ex-Soldier of Wolfenburg.

“Listen manling! Ye’ll be wantin’ te keep yer gaze off o’ the thing. Whatever ye do, don’t look the thing in the eye. I don’t care wot any darn professor or big-wig whatnot’ll tell ye, them things’ll turn ye t’ stone jus’ by lookin’ at ye. Seen it ‘appen meself.”

- Turnik Ironside, Mercenary from Barak Varr.

“Taste like chicken.”

- Snortcoff Hakknspit, traveling Ogre chef.

The Scholar’s Eye

The Cockatrice is a rare beast, which is just as well given its well-earned reputation. Short and strong, the Cockatrice’s body is covered in a hodge-podge mixture of feathers and scales, tapering off into a long reptilian tail. It has long, bird-like legs, with each toe ending with a hooked, razor-sharp talon. Large, leathery wings propel the Cockatrice through the skies, and the same rough red skin forms ugly dangling wattles all over its head and under its wickedly sharp beak.

“Beast of Chaos, beast of Chaos. Everything’s a beast of chaos, according to Professor Drost. Me, I don’t really care what a Cockatrice really is, or where it came from. You see one, you run.”

- Brunhilde Hansbritter, laundry lady at the University of Nuln.

Even more disturbing than the Cockatrice’s unnatural form and physical weaponry is its seemingly innate ability to petrify its hapless victims with its awful gaze. Why it should want to turn its prey into stone is a matter of much debate, though a handful of scholars believe that the Cockatrice prefers the taste of rock to that of flesh.

“If it prefers the taste of rock, why doesn’t it just eat rocks?”

- Professor Samael Drost, of the University of Nuln.

Our Own Words

“Buk-buk Bukaaaark!”

Game Statistics

Skills: Concealment, Perception +10%.
Talents: Flier, Frightening, Keen Senses, Natural Weapons, Night Vision, Scales (2), Strike to Stun.

Special Rules:
Petrifying Gaze: A Cockatrice’s gaze can turn creatures into stone. It can target one creature it can see, within 10 yards, per round. Creatures can avert their gaze by succeeding a Will Power test, but if they do so, they take a -20% penalty to Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill tests until the Cockatrice’s next action. If the Cockatrice attacks a creature that has averted its gaze, the Cockatrice gains a +20% bonus to its Weapon Skill test. A target that is affected by the Cockatrice’s gaze must succeed on a Challenging (-10%) Will Power test or instantly and permanently be turned to stone.

Armour: None.

Armour Points: Head 2, Wings 2, Body 2, Legs 2.

Weapons: Beak and talons.

Slaughter Margin: Average.

Centaurs

Common View

“Ye ain’t seen nothin’ like it, an’ fer sure enuff, I ain’t never seen the like meself, ‘fore nor since. ‘Arf ‘orse an’ ‘arf man they was, like as somethin’ straight out’f a nightmare. An’ strong! Ye wouldn’t believe ‘ow strong the things are! Saw one tear a feller clean in two wit’ ‘is bare mits, an’ stick a hoof through another without blinkin’! Nah mate, you see them things comin’, ye’d best be grabbin’ yer kit an’ getting’ gone right smart.”

- Hoss Dreetz, Ex-Soldier of Wolfenburg.

“If you ever have to face off against a Centaur, remember that the creature is more likely than not pickled within an inch of its life. I’ve seen them down gallons of ale before a battle, each one guzzling more than enough to knock out a drafthorse. Now, they’re big and clumsy at the best of times, let alone when they’ve had a few. You might not be able to put one down too easily, but keep your wits and jump around a little, and you should be able to avoid just about everything it can throw at you. Of course, if it does hit you… well… it’ll only kill you once…”

- Captain Willard Stoltz of Bohsenfels.

“They good for the fighting, ja. Some Jarls say they too dangerous to bring along, but Bjorgi say they too good for the fighting too be leaving at home. What happen when all brave men go fighting? Who keeps eye on Centaurs? They be good for the fighting, but Bjorgi says they might be good for the drinking Bjorgi’s ale and taking Bjorgi’s woman too! Bjorgi says too dangerous not to bring along!”

- Bjorgi of the Bjornlings.

The Scholar’s Eye

Upon the grasslands that bridge the gap between the forests of the Old World and the Troll Country, there roam the nomadic tribes of brigands known as the Centaurs. Immensely strong and bewilderingly swift, but incredibly clumsy and barely intelligent, these creatures depend on raiding outlying settlements and traveling traders in order to survive. They are incapable, both mentally and physically, of producing weapons and armour, and any they carry are surely the spoils of previous raiding expeditions.

“With the torso of a man, and the four legs of a horse, these creatures are surely just another kind of Beastman. Their behaviour certainly supports the argument. They fight like Beastmen, they talk like Beastmen… they even smell like Beastmen! What further evidence do you need?”

- Professor Samael Drost, of the University of Nuln.

There is no evidence to either support or condemn claims that Centaurs are a species of Beastman. In fact, despite immediate appearances, Centaurs differ greatly from Beastmen. Centaurs have little or no social structure, with no real “leaders” among them, and only cooperate with each other for mutual benefit. And whilst their guttural snarls and vulgar grunting may be mistaken for the Beast Tongue, they actually speak Norse, Kislevian, Reikspiel or Dark Tongue, albeit with great difficulty, depending on their tribe and where their nomadic lifestyle takes them.

“They aren’t half as bad as what some would have you believe. No worse than Ogres, at any rate. They fight well, and obey orders just fine… so long as you keep the grog coming. Still, a chest of silver and a few dozen gallons of cheap ale for what they can do? That’s a dead-set bargain!”

- Kruegar “The Pincher”, Mercenary Captain.

Over countless generations, from their first encounters with humans, Centaurs have developed an insatiable thirst for ale and wine, so much so that one would willingly risk life and limb to obtain even a small supply. Whilst under the effects of alcohol, Centaurs become incredibly aggressive, flying into fits of violent rage at the slightest provocation.

Our Own Words

“We drink, and we fight, and we steal your women. This is our life, and it is good.”

- Glut the Bloody, infamous Centaur raider along the northern border of Kislev.

Game Statistics
Skills: Common Knowledge (Kislev, Norsca or Troll Country), Consume Alcohol +20%, Intimidate, Navigation, Outdoor Survival, Perception, Speak Language (Dark Tongue, Kislevian, Norse or Reikspiel).

Talents: Menacing, Natural Weapons, Orientation, Specialist Weapon Group (Throwing or Two-handed), Strike Mighty Blow.

Special Rules:
Armoured Torso: Centaurs wear armour on their torsos but not their lower halves. If using the advanced armour system, 50% of all hits to the Body ignore any armour worn on that location. Centaurs cannot wear armour on their legs.

Armour: Medium Armour (Chain Shirt, Leather Jack, Leather Skullcap).

Armour Points: Head 1, Arms 1, Body 3, Legs 0.
Weapons: Dagger, Great Weapon or Throwing Axes, Hand Weapon, Shield.

Slaughter Margin: Challenging.

Centaur Characters

Though usually found exclusively in the lands between the Troll Country and the Old World, a small number of Centaurs make a life for themselves far from their homelands. They may have been separated from their herd during a raid, or been shunned by their kind for some reason, be it cowardice or physical deformity, or may have simply taken up the life of a mercenary.

With your GM’s permission, you may create a Centaur character.
Racial Features

A Centaur gains all of the following features.

Skills: Common Knowledge (Kislev, Norsca or Troll Country), Consume Alcohol, Speak Language (Dark Tongue, Kislevian, Norse or Reikspiel).

Talents: Natural Weapons, Strike Mighty Blow, and 1 random talent (roll once on Human Random Talents table to generate).

Special Rules:
Armoured Torso: Centaurs wear armour on their torsos but not their lower halves. If using the advanced armour system, 50% of all hits to the Body ignore any armour worn on that location. Centaurs cannot wear armour on their legs.
* The Apprentice Shaman career can be found on page 80 of Old World Bestiary.
Obviously, a Centaur roaming the streets of the towns and cities of the Empire is going to stick out like a sore thumb, much more so than the comparatively normal looking Elves. A Centaur character can expect to face scorn, prejudice and suspicion at every turn, not to mention blatant on-the-spot fines and tariffs (especially “Leg Tax”).