Cathay (Warhammer)
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Cathay in a fictional nation in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy universe.
Cathay is the Warhammer equivalent of China, based upon Chinese History with an added mixture of High Fantasy and Chinese folklore. Cathay was actually the name given to northern China in the 14th century by Marco Polo. To date, no Warhammer army has been released for Cathay, and almost no official fiction has been written. The Skaven Clan Eshin spent many years in Cathay and Nippon ('Nippon' being the Warhammer world's equivalent of Japan) learning the ways of Ninjitsu. The troop types Night Runners and Gutter Runners are apprentices that graduate to become Skaven Assassins.
Official information on Cathay is hard to find, but in the 6th edition Warhammer Rulebook there is a text describing the fabled kingdom of Cathay and the surrounding lands. Cathay (also known as The Kingdom of the Dragon and the Empire of the Celestial Dragon) is described as an enormous empire, ruled over by a divine Emperor. According to what lore is available, merchants from the old world occasionally travel to Cathay upon the Silk Road: a perilous journey due to the hordes of Hobgobla-Khan who roam the steppes along the Ivory Road west of Cathay. Ogres, who also pose a threat to merchants and travellers, hail from the Mountains of Mourn to the north-west of Cathay with some even going to Cathay to find employment as mercenaries. Some minor information on Cathay can be found in the Warhammer: Ogre Kingdoms book, where an item called a Cathayan Longsword is given rules, and a number of magic items such as Jade Amulets are also listed.
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[edit] Other Facts About Cathay:
- Merchants who trade in Cathay often return with silks, gold, porcelain vases, and magical artefacts and items.
- There are great temples where mystics study the heavens and monks study martial arts. Although Cathay also has many gods, few are mentioned by name or description.
- The most famous such mystics are the Vimtose monks, who follow the Orange Simca.
- Strange creatures abound, from serpentine dragons and tribes of monkey warriors living in the Mountains of Heaven to gigantic, living stone dogs that guard the holy temples of the empire.
- Cathay is at constant war with the armies of the Grand Khanate of the Hobgoblins (this is heavily influenced by the real world conflict between the Mongols and China in the 13-14th century).
- The only date associated with Cathay is in the year c 1699 when 'Emperor Wu' of Cathay received the Tileans Ricco and Robbio, mirroring the journey of Marco Polo.
- Published maps of the Warhammer World show some details of Cathay, including the city of Weijin, seat of the Dragon Throne and presumably the empire's capital, the cities of Nan-Gau and Fu-Chow, and the Great Bastion, a wall built to protect Cathay from the barbarian Hung.
[edit] Games Workshop Tales About Cathay:
A story entitled The Voyage of Yin-Tuan to Lustria, presented in White Dwarf 280, relates the history of a Cathayan expedition to the Southlands and being decimated by two hurricanes sent by the Slann, conjured on the strength of an ancient prophecy (an event similar to the real world Kamikaze). Yin-Tuan, the narrator, speaks of Cathay being ruled by an 'Emperor Wu'. The captain also bears a tattoo of 'the Imperial Dragon' which the Lizardmen mistake to be an image of their god Sotek, saving him from ritual sacrifice. The text implies the existence of multiple Cathayan ruling dynasties, historically, explaining that at this period Cathay was ruled by the Wu dynasty.
The Estragon's Island campaign (which was published in White Dwarf 297) featured several mystical objects of Cathayan origin along with a character who was presumubly Cathayan.
The Ogre Maneaters also have the option to carry a Cathayan Longsword.
[edit] References
Stillman, N. 1997. Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen. Nottingham: Games Workshop Ltd. ISBN 1-872372-56-2 Stillman, N., Pirinen, T., Wigley, J. 1998. Warhammer Armies: Dogs of War. Nottingham: Games Workshop Ltd. ISBN 1-872372-02-3
[edit] External links
- The Grand Army of Cathay - a converted Cathayan army by a Games Workshop employee.
- Cathay - WFRP sourcebook - a fan-created sourcebook about Cathay and the inspiration for the above army.
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| Nations and races: | Bretonnia, Chaos, Chaos Dwarfs, Dark Elves, Dogs of War, Dwarfs, The Empire, High Elves, Kislev, Lizardmen, Ogres, Orcs & Goblins, Skaven, Undead (Tomb Kings & Vampire Counts), Wood Elves |
| Places: | The Old World, Araby, Cathay, Lustria, Ulthuan, Southlands, Naggaroth, Dark Lands, Albion, Athel Loren |
| People: | List of major characters |
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