Albion (Warhammer)

In the fictional world of the Games Workshop's Warhammer, Albion (also the ancient name for Britain) is a little-known island which was the setting for the "Dark Shadows" campaign. New background, rules, models, and scenarios were introduced as a part of the campaign and the final resolution was determined by the results of games played across the world.

The Island Itself

Albion is based heavily on real world Britain and Ireland, drawing upon celtic mythology and older prehistoric aspects, such as Stonehenge. It has a similar temperate climate, although it is said that it rains every day in Albion (an exaggeration of the common perception of the British and Irish climate). Albion is full of marshes, mires and fens and inhabited by giants, fimir and woad wearing tribes of humans. The tribes are led by Truthsayers who protect stone 'Ogham' circles. Truthsayers are largely based upon romantic notions of real-world Druids ( 'Ogham' was the written language used by Druids in the late Iron Age).

Lizardmen are said to dwell in a lush valley in the north of Albion, which is kept tropically warm by unknown means.

The most well known Albion pieces are the Giants of Albion and Hengus the Druid, a trio from the "Dogs of War" range.

The "Dark Shadows" Campaign Setting

When the Old One's polar gate collapsed, magic was allowed to flow freely all over the world, and with it came the forces of Chaos. Standing stones were constructed both in Albion (known as 'Ogham circles') and Ulthuan in order to bind this magic to the poles and restrict Chaos's dominion away from the realms of mortals.

In ancient times the Chaos Champion Be'lakor (having been elevated to the status of a Daemon prince), tried to gain the ultimate blessing of the Chaos gods and don the Crown of Dominion, the artifact worn by the mortal champion of Chaos Undivided. His hand went through the insubstantial crown when he was judged unworthy of the honor and the Chaos god Tzeentch cursed Be'lakor to live an insubstantial existence as a Chaos Daemon. Each time a new Chaos Champion was granted the Crown of Dominion, Be'lakor was compelled to crown him; this was his eternal punishment for daring to don that which could only be worn by a mortal judged to be worthy of the honor by all four of the Ruinous Powers.

Be'lakor, after much scheming, came up with a plan to free himself. The stone circles of Albion were guarded by the mighty Truthsayers, known by the primitive tribes of Albion as Druids, who were powerful and energetic wizards. These mighty Truthsayers bound the Giants of the isle and strange magical beasts, composed of decomposing fen and the souls of the dead of Albion, to protect the island. In the current age, however, the Truthsayers have lost their potency, and their power cannot bind the creatures for too long.

Be'lakor saw his chance here, and corrupted roughly half of the Truthsayers to his cause. Physically weaker, but magically stronger than their fellow Druids, these Dark Emissaries learned Be'lakor's unique lore of Chaos magic and quickly traveled throughout the Warhammer world, including among the High Elves of Ulthuan, the Dark Elves of Naggaroth, Men of Bretonnia and the Empire and even the Lizardmen of Lustria and the Orcs and Goblins of the World's Edge Mountains. The Dark Emissaries found many of the lords of these various races and persuaded them to travel to Albion in order that they might secure a wide variety of magical artifacts and lost treasures of the Old Ones that could be found on the misty isle. The true aim of the Dark Emissaries was to get the mortals to corrupt the Ogham circles and siphon power away to Be'Lakor so that he may regain his corporeal form. Realising what was happening, the Truthsayers appealed to the mortal realms as well. They also garnered support from the more ancient races such as the Lizardmen and the High Elves, as well as any sensible mortals who could both see the urgent need for keeping the stones intact.

The two sides clashed in many battles on the island: on one side, the greedy forces of the Dark Master, and on the other, the desperate defenders of light. At the end of the Campaign it was the Dark Elves who had the strongest hold on the isle, followed by the forces of the High Elves and The Empire. Be'lakor's plans were thwarted for the most part, and soon he was once again called to crown Archaon, the Everchosen, Lord of the End Times, and Chieftain of the Swords of Chaos. After the coronation, Be'lakor found he had gained an ethereal form, and he was now free. The Isle of Albion still retained enough power to keep the Realm of Chaos and its daemons at bay.

Following the campaign the Lizardmen under the command of the Slann Lord Mazumdi reestablished the islands' protective mists. Since then, the Lizardmen have begun to both alter Albion's climate to better suit their cold-blooded race and to construct a new temple city known as Requoncista.