Topic: Rumors and what's new to be expected for The Old World ...

[GamesPoet]

Thanks!  And I looked here first, being more of a miniature gamer, and far less of a video gamer.  Far, far less.

[Jmash]

I find it interesting that it's referred to as the largest realm of men in the known world, but is ruled by immortal shape-shifting dragons...

Also dragons exist in the Old World, as the typical legendary beasts, so how do these guys relate?

Could make for some cool fluff.

[KTG17]

Okay I do like floating islands in fantasy but it seems like too much in WFB. Its like they are sort of mixing the more grounded fantasy of WFB and the way over the top setting in Sigmar. I guess they have to make things a little different to keep things fresh.

Its quite the expansive world they are building. I was under the impression this was going to be limited to just the area of the Empire and Bretonnia with some Orcs and Elves sprinkled in.

[GamesPoet]

Where's "floating islands" coming from?

[KTG17]

[GamesPoet]

Yeah, like there'll be plenty of folks trying to duplicate that on their table top.  Not me.

[Jmash]

Okay I do like floating islands in fantasy but it seems like too much in WFB. Its like they are sort of mixing the more grounded fantasy of WFB and the way over the top setting in Sigmar. I guess they have to make things a little different to keep things fresh.

I agree, first impressions of Cathay are that it's a little OTT, we've already got immortal shape-shifting dragons and floaty islands... Let's be honest if those things exist in the WFB setting then why is the rest of the world so dull by comparison!? 

[Padre]

Right back at the start (well, not first ed, but when the OldWorld actually appeared in WFRP) there were really odd chaos images - stuff by John Blanche particularly. We just liked the images then got on with the game, in a Warhammer World (mostly) nothing like the images. We just assumed that those sorts of images were in the chaos realm, or Old Worlders' dreams.

I think these pics are a leaf from the old book!

[Victor]

From what I have seen from Total War Warhammer III, Cathay is just as over the top as the new Kislev. The new world they are building might be set in the 'Old World', but it's the design philosophy of AoS that is being applied to old Warhammer here. I guess we won't get Warhammer Fantasy, but instead a Warhammer Fantasy². Too much fantasy ... too much magic ...
I absolutely do don't like that, but I guess you can ignore those things to a certain degree.

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

Where's "floating islands" coming from?

They are a regular feature in manga/anime or manhua. Here is one form Tales of Demons and Gods:

[Jmash]

In all honesty having reflected on my previous comments a little further, I guess we do have some very fantastical elements in the Old World like the Great Vortex or The Auric Bastion to name just a couple,  not to mention Albion which is supposedly a reflection on my home nation and is perpetually covered in fog it seems!

So I guess these new things aren't completely out of character,  maybe it's just because what we're used to is a little more sparse, not always visible and easy to forget or ignore,  whereas bigass floaty mountains are a bit more in your face?

At the end of the day these are 2 'new', unexplored realms in terms of lore so they have free reign to go in whatever direction they choose. Let's just wait and see what lies beyond the horizon for the parts of the world we do already know and love... however fearful I am of that!

[Gankom]

I didn't really see a good place to put this, but I found it interesting. Black Library is putting out a new special feature book. The Witch Hunters Handbook, an in universe guide for Witch Hunters on how to do their job. But this is the bit that caught my eye, and why I'm posting it here.

Written by Darius Hinks, The Witch Hunter’s Handbook sets out the requirements governing those Witch Hunters sworn to do Sigmar’s work in the Old World. The Six Holy Principles make up the original founding tenets of The Ancient Initiatic and Holy Order of the Templars of Sigmar – as recorded in Hieronymus Black’s Rules and Statutes.

As far as I know, this is one of the first full books thats been set in the Old World in the past few years. I've seen a few short stories, and they've rereleased a number of older books, but this looks to be a big special book they're putting a lot of effort into. Could be linked to more Old World news coming soon, just a coincidence, or who knows. But it caught my eye.

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/08/10/the-witch-hunters-handbook-reveals-the-secrets-of-sigmars-agents/

[GamesPoet]

A good catch, thanks for posting!

It does make me wonder when we'll see some sort of bigger announcement.