Witch Hunters Handbook

[Daek]

For those of you who want to more "backstory" about the witch hunters will want to pick this book up. I bought it several months ago and its one of my favorite background books( next to "The Book of Sigmar of Course) and has all of the dark humor you'd expect from games workshop. It outlines their role in the empire, their methods of exposing a heretic...and then cleansing them, and their choice of weapons and styles of fighting.

Though short its still a great read

http://www.blacklibrary.com/product.asp?prod=60100281023&type=Book

[Vikingkingq]

For those of you who want to more "backstory" about the witch hunters will want to pick this book up. I bought it several months ago and its one of my favorite background books( next to "The Book of Sigmar of Course) and has all of the dark humor you'd expect from games workshop. It outlines their role in the empire, their methods of exposing a heretic...and then cleansing them, and their choice of weapons and styles of fighting.

Though short its still a great read

http://www.blacklibrary.com/product.asp?prod=60100281023&type=Book

Go over to my lore thread and start posting info, then. Or I start with the pokers!

[Vman]

Just bought a copy on ebay for like 14 bucks, it'll be here later this week so i can learn how to burn some witches. Freaking witches.

[MagusAnima]

Yes yes, thank you very much for the link, i just ordered one.

Should be very helpful for RPing a Witchhunter and it looks good too. ^_^

[Boris Olfhamar]

I enjoyed reading the trials that witches/cultists are asked to perform. Trial of Cake is by far the most awesome. I like how the "Trial by Fire" requires them to walk across burning coals and if they are burnt or show signs of pain they're guilty...

Witch Hunter: "Walk across those hot coals"
Cultist: "Ok.."
Cultist: "Gah! It's hot!"
WH: "HERETIC! You were burned therefore you are guilty!"
Cultist: "Of course I was burned it's a bloody burning coal!"
WH: "GUILTY!"

*Proceeds to execute him*

With Witch Hunters, everything is justified :D

Oh, about the Trial of Cake though, they are given three pieces of cake to eat and if they choke on the cake that is a sign of Sigmar's wrath punishing them, and if they finish all three pieces successfully they are innocent. How awesome is that.

[Illya]

Note that that particular trial is usually reserved for wealthy patrons and benefactors of their order. ;) Goes to show, no one is above corruption.

[Vikingkingq]

Indeed. However, it should be pointed out that Witch Hunters look upon the trials as not-strictly-necessary pieces of theater for the purposes of avoiding conflict with local authorities and impressing the commoners.

As the Witch Hunters see it, they *know* who is an who isn't guilty, they alone have the necessary education and training and experience, and they have the right by charter from both the Grand Theogonist and the Emperor (and theoretically from Sigmar himself, handed down from Wolfgart Krieger) to "accuse [and] dispense judgment" by personal fiat - which includes summary executions. However, for reasons of political necessity, the trials were devised to give the Witch Hunter's actions the appearance of due process and to avoid embittering the nobility and their law officers.

The show trials are designed purposely to give the Witch Hunter the ability to declare anyone guilty - you walk across the coals and get burnt, then Sigmar didn't protect you and you are guilty; if you walk across the coals and don't get burnt, you are clearly a witch who used magic to protect yourself from injury and are guilty.

[liammcl]

Yup, Bought the book the other day and it's brilliant for background information. I recomend it if you want to have a headstart infront of other Witch Hunters.

[atsujiffxi]

Thank you for suggesting the reference book and the site. I found a few copies on ebay and look forward to reading it.

Arigato!! m(_ _)m

[Anborn]

Requested it at the local B&N and I've read it twice already. I highly recommend it to anyone thats interested in the lore and history behind the order, and anyone who's planning to roll a Witch Hunter. Full of dark humor, interesting facts, history, diagrams, policies, and methods. I even used a line from the book for my sig :D

[Thorval]

is it too late to get that book now?

[atsujiffxi]

Try E-Bay they have a few copies.

Arigato! m(_ _)m

[liammcl]

Description of the book:

A full-blooded and characterful background book about the dreaded witch hunters who inhabit Warhammer's dark and gothic fantasy universe, the Old World. The book reveals many secrets of the Templars of Sigmar and their bloodthirsty techniques, describing in eye-watering detail how they root out evil and crush heresy. Accompanying the text is wonderful design and fantastically gruesome illustrations. Certainly the grimmest book about the Old World so far!

I find this a great book for the Lore and Weapons a Witch Hunter uses.

The first chapter is: Concerning the Holy order of the Templars of Sigmar - Which is basically talking about the Trials a Witch Hunter must go through to become one, the weapons used, the techniques used with these weapons and also some information on the Great Temple which is located in Altdorf.

The second chapter is: Concerning Witches - This talks of the forms witches take, and the trials for all the different types of witches eg Fortune Tellers etc. It also talks of how witch hunters obtain Confessions which would be useful in the game, as Witch Hunters obtain confessions and then kill the enemy.

The third chapter is: Concerning the Undead - This talks of Banshees, Spirits etc. This talks of the techniques used to kill them.

The fourth chapter is: Concerning Chaos Cults - This talks of all the different types of the Dark Cults eg Aesthetic Cults, Blood Cults, Corruption Cults. etc. Again it talks of methods of executing them, and how to find out if they even are Cults.

The fifth chapter is: Concerning Mutans - This talks of how to identify one, and the differences from its Animal eg. a Bull, and the mutant. It talks of how to track them, and eventually execution.

The Sixth Chapter is: Concerning Daemonic Possession - This talks of the daemons, eg Nurgle, the Clues and suggested routes of investigation, which is basically identifying them, Marks of Daemons, Shadows, Exorcism and the Ranks and Orders of Daemons.

Boy, that was alot to write! Basically it talks of Identifying and executing. This is a great book just to read, and all Witch Hunter wannabes should have it! The only let down is that the text is in this size, lol.

[Stein]

Do wich hunter's perform exorcisms? I thought if they found somone possesed they would just slay the.

[Vikingkingq]

Do wich hunter's perform exorcisms? I thought if they found somone possesed they would just slay the.

Yep. Standard procedure when dealing with daemonic possession. Demons are too hard to kil on their own, so it's much more sensible to banish the demon and then kill the host. Not that the other route isn't possible, it's just quasi-suicidal at best, even with the Doxologies.

From the book, there's actually a couple official prayers of exorcism.

[Kriegtanzer]

I just found out about this resource. Unfortunately it is OOP and copies are selling for over $100, when you can find one. I contacted Black Library and asked about their plans on possibly reprinting it. The are not planning to at this time.

If you are interested in seeing it republished let them know.
http://www.blacklibrary.com/getting-started/contact-us/
If they get enough inquiries they may decide to do another print run.