Amazons (Lustria)

Grade: 1b
Source: Town Cryer #15 (PDF)
Setting: Lustria

Lore

The Amazons live on an island in the centre of the great river Amazon that penetrates the heart of Lustria. The island is heavily overgrown with vines and brush that make it difficult to view the interior of the island, save for the pyramidal ruins that can be seen over the treetops.

Most of the brave Elf and Old World warbands that have dared to attempt a landfall at the island have been defeated on the beaches. The Amazons would pour forth from the dense jungle and attack all that tried to disembark. The survivors returned to the Old World recounting exaggerated stories of powerful women warriors.

The Norse living in the Lustrian colony of Skeggi tell a tale that the Amazons are a group of widows that left Skeggi many years earlier. The Norse knew them as Valkyries, just like the fabled female warriors of the Norse gods who come to collect the souls of the bravest Norse warriors that die in battle. Why have they flourished among the jungle denizens for so long? Some say that the Amazons have discovered the fabled elixir of youth.

The more common tales suggest the Amazons are master herbalists. That they prepare distilled potions of tropical plants for use in their sacrificial ceremonies. One story from Juan Cornetto suggests the Amazons have discovered a way of brewing this "elixir of youth". For any reason, death among the Amazons is uncommon, occurring only from mortal wounds or natural disaster.

The Amazons are fierce hunters that stalk Skinks and game in the surrounding swamps. They use the hides of Skinks for clothes and it should therefore come as no surprise that the Amazons and the Lizardmen are bitter enemies. In addition they clothe themselves with animal skins of the forest and wear plumes of exotic tropical birds for headdresses.

The Amazons defend their island vigorously and bravely. They despise men, so often encountering them as would be conquerors or tricksters. Any man they find lost, or wounded in the jungle ends up being sacrificed to their savage gods. From time to time though, they will venture forth into the ruins in search of more ancient Slann artefacts that they know still lie in the long-forgotten tunnels and caves. It is these artefacts that they use as weapons to defend their island. Weapons of such exotic nature that none in the entire world have seen before.

Special rules

Isolationists: The Amazons are constantly battling against the predations of the Lizardmen and greedy treasure-seeking Norse. Amazon culture reflects their dislike and distrust of outsiders and in battle they are particularly savage. Amazons get to re-roll any attack rolls that miss in the first round of combat against Lizardmen and Norse.

Sacrifice: The Amazons are quick to sacrifice any captive to their gods. The Amazons follow the rules for Possessed in the Rulebook when it comes to captives. lf an Amazon Warband captures a Lizardman, they may sacrifice him as normal, plus get a free Skins and Charms.

Norse Enmity: When facing a Norse Warband an Amazon Warband will fight to the death. The Amazons can re-roll their first failed Rout against the Norse. Remember you can't re-roll a failed re-roll. In addition, Amazons can never choose to voluntarily rout when facing a Norse warband unless their Warband Leader has been taken Out of Action.

Not one of us: Due to the Amazons' isolationism and suspicions about other races they never side with anyone else. For this reason, the Amazons may not have any Hired Swords or Dramatis Personae unless they are Amazons themselves.

Choice of warriors

A Amazons (Lustria) warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns available to spend. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 15.

• Serpent Priestesses: Each warband must have 1 Serpent Priestess: no more, no less!
• Eagle Warriors: Your warband may include up to 2 Eagle Warriors.
• Piranha Warriors: Your warband may include up to 2 Piranha Warriors.
• Amazon Warriors: Your warband must include at least 1 Amazon Warriors.
• Jaguar Warriors: Your warband may include up to 3 Jaguar Warriors.

Starting experience

• The Serpent Priestess starts with 20 experience.
• Eagle Warriors start with 8 experience.
• Piranha Warriors start with 8 experience.
• Henchmen start with 0 experience.

Amazons (Lustria) Skill Table

	Combat	Shooting	Academic	Strength	Speed	Special
Serpent Priestess	✓		✓		✓	✓
Eagle Warrior	✓			✓	✓	✓
Piranha Warrior	✓	✓			✓	✓

Amazons (Lustria) Special Skills

Amazons (Lustria) Heroes may use the following Skill table instead of any of the standard Skill tables available to them.

skink hunter

Through her exploits the Amazon has proven herself a master when it comes to hunting Lizardmen, particularly Skinks. An Amazon with this skill will always strike first in the first round of combat against Skink models no matter who charged.

elixir of life

After years of service among her tribe an Amazon is granted access to the waters that make the Elixir of Life. The Elixir is said to heal wounds and make the Amazons immortal. Any Amazon with this Elixir can re­roll an Out of Action roll once after the battle accepting the result of the second roll.

mesmerising dance

Some Amazon women develop their fighting motions into a graceful dance that can transfix their foes. Any model fighting in base contact with the Amazon must take a Leadership test at the start of each turn. If they fail they cannot attack that turn but may defend themselves. The dance however is useless against Lizardmen and Undead who are immune to their charms.

savage fury

The Amazon has learned to channel her anger and aggression making her a veritable animal while attacking her foes. Any Amazon model with this skill receives +1 Attack when charging and is immune to charm effects and fear.

concealment

The Amazon is adept at blending in with her surroundings. When hiding in jungle terrain all enemy models must halve the range at which they can spot them.

Amazons (Lustria) equipment lists

Pricing:

Heroines Equipment List

Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons

Item	Cost
Dagger	1st free/2 gc
Club, Mace or Hammer	3 gc
Sword	10 gc
Spear	10 gc
Double-handed weapon	15 gc
Starblade	15 gc
Starsword	30 gc

Missile Weapons

Item	Cost
Bow	10 gc
Sunstaff (Lustria)	35 gc

Armour

Item	Cost
Buckler	5 gc
Helmet	10 gc

Miscellaneous

Item	Cost
Enchanted Skins	20 gc
Amulet of the Moon	50 gc
Healing Herbs	35 gc

Henchwomen equipment list

Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons

Item	Cost
Dagger	1st free/2 gc
Club, Mace or Hammer	3 gc
Sword	10 gc
Spear	10 gc

Missile Weapons

Item	Cost
Sling	5 gc
Bow	10 gc
Sunstaff (Lustria)	35 gc

Armour

Item	Cost
Buckler	5 gc
Helmet	10 gc

Miscellaneous

Item	Cost
Enchanted Skins	20 gc

Jaguar Warrior Equipment List

Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons

Item	Cost
Dagger	1st free/2 gc
Club, Mace or Hammer	3 gc
Sword	10 gc
Spear	10 gc

Missile Weapons

Item	Cost
Sling	5 gc
Bolas	5 gc
Javelins	5 gc
Bow	10 gc

Armour

Item	Cost
Helmet	10 gc

Miscellaneous

Item	Cost
Sunstaff (Lustria) (sunstaff-lustria)	35 gc
Enchanted Skins	20 gc

Special Equipment

Amazons (Lustria) have access to the following special equipment when purchasing items from the Trading Post, outside their starting list:

Starblade

Cost: 15 gc
Availability: Rare 7

Of the many strange weapons the Amazons possess the Starblade is built like an Amazonian dagger. It is usually painted exotic colours and contains magical properties that enhance the fighting prowess of the Amazons.

Range: Close Combat
Strength: As user

Special Rules

+1 Enemy armour save: Enemy gets +1 to armour save

Potential Parry: A Starblade can parry the first successful hit of any combat on a 4+.

Starsword

Cost: 30 gc
Availability: Rare 10

This is an ancient and legendary sword that can cut through armour as if it were a leaf.

Range: Close Combat
Strength: As user +1

Special Rules

Parry: Can parry enemy blows

Ignores Armour: A Starsword ignores all armour saves except for ward and Dodge saves.

Bolas

Cost: 5 gc
Availability: Common

Bolas are a set of three bronze balls on strings tied together. They are thrown similar to a sling and are rotated around the head for speed. The bolas is a hunting weapon and doesn't harm the animal. It immobilises it and allows the hunter to either subdue it or put it out with his spear. The bolas has a range of 16" and can only be used once per battle. They are automatically recovered after each battle.

Range: 16"
Strength: Special

Special Rules

Dangerous: If the to hit roll is a natural 1, the bolas brain the wielder with a Strength 3 hit.

Entangle: A model hit by bolas isn't hurt, but his legs are entangled and he is unable to move. The model also suffers a –2 Weapon Skill penalty in hand-to-hand combat, but may still shoot normally. The model may try to free himself in the Recovery phase. If the model rolls a 4+ on a D6 he is freed and may move and fight normally.

Sunstaff (Lustria)

Cost: 35 gc
Availability: Rare 10

The Sunstaff is a long staff made from a strange multicoloured metal with one end hollow like a tube. Strange runes are carves along its length and a large gemstone is set into the pommel.

Range: 12" / Close Combat
Strength: As user

Special Rules

Sunbolt: The wielder of the sunstaff can discharge a beam of energy in the shooting phase that is akin to rays of the sun. The Sunbolt has a range of 12" and hits at Strength 4. Aside from ward and dodge saves a Sunbolt ignores armour saves and penalties for long range.

Amulet of the Moon

Cost: 50 gc
Availability: Rare 11

This ancient amulet creates a shimmering aura around the Amazon that makes it harder for enemies to see them.

Special Rules

Any missile fire directed at a model equipped with the amulet suffers a penalty of -1 to hit. The amulet also confers a special save of 5+ against missile fire.

Conch Shell Horn

Cost: 25 gc
Availability: Rare 8 (Piranha Warrior only)

The Conch shell Horn is used by experienced Piranha warriors to warn the warband of approaching enemies.

Special Rules

At the beginning of the game a Piranha warrior may use the horn to re-roll when deciding who deploys first and who goes first. Multiple models that have the horn cannot force a second re-roll.

Enchanted Skins

Cost: 20 gc
Availability: Rare 6

The protective skins and charms that the Amazons wear have been warded with defensive magic.

Special Rules

To represent this, any model wearing Skins and Charms receives a 6+ special save versus any wounds inflicted. In addition, the wearer of Skins and Charms is unaffected by enemy magic on a roll of 5+.

Heroes

1 Serpent Priestess

70 gold crowns to hire

The Serpent Priestesses are part of the religious sisterhood that rules Amazon society. They are powerful sorceresses and their word is law. The younger, more junior members of the Serpent totem often gather war parties and search for Slann artefacts and also conduct the ritual sacrifices of captured enemies.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	4	4	3	3	1	4	1	8

Weapons/Armour: Serpent Priestess may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Heroines Equipment List.

Special Rules

Leader: Any models in the warband within 6" of the Priestess may use her Leadership instead of their own.

Wizard: The Priestess is a Wizard and may use Amazon Rituals. She starts with one ritual chosen at random from the list.

0 – 2 Eagle Warriors

35 gold crowns to hire

The Eagle Warriors are veterans that have participated in dozens of war parties over the years. They have adopted the totem of the great eagle that reflects their great might in combat. Their exotic headdresses are made from these holy birds of the Lizardmen.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	4	3	3	3	1	3	1	7

Weapons/Armour: Eagle Warrior may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Heroines Equipment List.

0 – 2 Piranha Warriors

30 gold crowns to hire

The Piranha Warriors prefer ranged weapons and are often found ahead of an Amazon Warband. They are the only Amazons to use a great seashell horn to warn the warband of approaching enemies.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	3	4	3	3	1	4	1	7

Weapons/Armour: Piranha Warrior may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Heroines Equipment List.

Henchmen

(Bought in groups of 1-5)

1+ Amazon Warrior

25 gold crowns to hire

Every Amazon Woman is trained in the ways of warfare and is hardened by a life in the unforgiving nature of their jungle environment. They are skilled in fighting with a variety of different weapons including the legendary claws of the Old Ones.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	3	3	3	3	1	3	1	7

Weapons/Armour: Amazon Warrior may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Henchwomen equipment list.

0 – 3 Jaguar Warriors

30 gold crowns to hire

The Jaguars are known for their exceptional speed and agility. They are the protectors of the Amazon tribes living far away and keeping any invaders at bay. They are especially adept at hunting Skinks and Sauruses, their most common foe. Jaguars' favoured method of attack is to steal away in the foliage becoming part of the jungle itself and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	3	3	3	3	1	3	1	7

Weapons/Armour: Jaguar Warrior may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Jaguar Warrior Equipment List.

Special Rules

One with the Jungle: A Jaguar has lived her life in the deepest parts and can move through jungle terrain without penalty.

Amazon Rituals

Little is known about Amazon magic beyond their island home. It is said that the immortal Amazons learn their magic from the very gods themselves.

Amazon Rituals are used by Amazons (Lustria) Serpent Priestess, Amazons (Mordheim) Priestess

D6	Result
1	Singing Wind
2	Serpent’s Strength
3	Wendala’s Maelstrom
4	Shield of Thorns
5	The Living Jungle
6	Siren’s Dreams

Singing Wind

Difficulty: 8

The priestess calls upon the power of Shaekal the Wind Goddess to enter the battlefield.

The goddess appears in the form of singing motes and dancing lights that will entrance and ‘hold’ any model within 10" until the start of the Amazon player’s next turn. The model cannot move, shoot, or cast spells, but may defend itself in hand-to-hand combat. Models affected by this ritual automatically go last in combat.

Serpent’s Strength

Difficulty: 9

The priestess begins the ritual by dancing wildly and screaming in an ancient tongue.

All friendly models close to the Priestess will be charged with a frantic energy until the end of their next turn. During this time any model within 8" of the Priestess (including herself) will add +1 to their Strength. The ritual cannot be cast if the Priestess is in close combat during her Shooting phase. The effects will continue after the ritual is cast if the Priestess enters combat.

Wendala’s Maelstrom

Difficulty: 7

The priestess summons harsh tropical winds to protect the Amazons from enemy ranged attacks.

The storm extends out from the Priestess 18". All attempts to shoot missile weapons by the enemy will be at -1 to hit. The ritual lasts up until the start of the Amazon player’s next turn.

Shield of Thorns

Difficulty: 7

Moving her arms about in a weaving motion, the priestess calls upon the plants to protect her.

The ritual produces a cocoon of thorns all about the Priestess, making her immune to ranged or magical attacks. Any models wishing to charge the Priestess can do so but the thorns negate any strikes by the Priestess and her enemies in the first round of combat. The Priestess cannot cast this ritual while in hand-to-hand combat.

The Living Jungle

Difficulty: 6

Drawing upon her will, the Priestess reaches out to the denizens of the jungle, seeking their aid.

Pick one model within 12". The model is suddenly swarmed by a savage mix of snakes, spiders and insects, most of them poisonous. The afflicted model takes 1D6 Strength 2 hits with no armour saves allowed apart from Ward saves. You cannot use a dodge save against a swarm.

Siren’s Dreams

Difficulty: 7

The priestess starts to sing with a wondrous voice and all the Amazons join in with her.

The song is so beautiful and mesmerising that it momentarily distracts the Amazon’s enemies within 12" such that all Ld tests for the opposing warband are made at -1 until the end of the opposing player’s next turn. Lizardmen and Undead are immune to the effects of this ritual.