76: Mountains of Mourn | Warhammer Old World Lore

In this episode, we explore the brutal and diverse tribal structure of the Ogre Kingdoms, where survival, strength, and insatiable hunger define every aspect of life. From the harsh realities of tribal existence—where the weak are sacrificed and dominance is earned through violence and feasting—we examine how Ogre tribes form, compete, merge, and occasionally unite under a powerful Overtyrant to unleash devastating invasions. The episode dives into their savage social customs, from lethal pit fights and gut-out duels to grotesque feasts honoring the Great Maw, before contrasting this with the rise of Imperial Ogres who have integrated into human society as soldiers, laborers, and mercenaries. We then spotlight iconic tribes, including the iron-obsessed Ironskins with their Chaos Dwarf alliances, the blood-marked Bloody Fists and their war against Chaos, the grotesquely mutated and deeply religious Lazarghs, and the immensely wealthy and dominant Goldtooth tribe under Greasus. Chat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 5a - 6 - 6a - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13Theme Music: Tavern by Alex Rufire

In this week’s Warhammer Old World lore dive, we explore the later history and legendary figures of the Ogre Kingdoms, from solitary Ogre Hunters who roam the wilderness with Sabretusk companions hunting monsters, to the rise of famous Ogre mercenaries who fought in wars across the Old World and beyond. We follow key events such as Ogres fighting in the Great War Against Chaos, serving in human armies, being hired by Dark Elves, and even influencing engineers like Leonardo da Miragliano. The episode also covers the creation of Leadbelchers—Ogres who carry massive cannons into battle—and the rise of Maneaters, veteran mercenaries who travel the world adopting foreign weapons, clothing, and fighting styles. Finally, the story culminates with the rise of Greasus Goldtooth as Overtyrant, the growing wealth and population of the Ogre Kingdoms, and the beginning of a new Ogre migration and expansion, showing how Ogres evolved from isolated mountain tribes into a global mercenary force found across the entire Warhammer world.Chat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18Theme Music: Tavern by Alex Rufire

In this week’s Warhammer Old World lore dive, we continue exploring the violent and bizarre history of the Ogre Kingdoms, beginning with the fiery cult of the Fire Mouth volcano and the terrifying trials that create the rare Firebelly priests—Ogres who survive drinking molten lava and emerge as wandering prophets of flame. From there, the story follows centuries of brutal clashes across the Dark Lands, including wars with Chaos Dwarfs, Skaven infestations, and legendary battles that shaped Ogre culture. We also uncover surprising connections between Ogres and Halflings, two races believed to share ancient origins and an unusual natural affinity that often sees Halflings serving as cooks for Ogre mercenary bands. The episode traces how Ogres spread across the Old World as feared but valuable mercenaries—from fighting alongside Sigmar to helping defeat Greenskin hordes—while their chaotic influence appears everywhere from fallen Dwarf holds to gladiatorial arenas and even distant expeditions to Lustria, proving that wherever there is gold, battle, or food, the Ogres are never far behind.Chat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12Theme Music: Tavern by Alex Rufire

In this week’s Warhammer Old World lore dive, we uncover the apocalyptic origins of the Ogre Kingdoms, beginning with their creation by the Old Ones and their early nomadic life on the fertile Eastern Steppes near Grand Cathay. Rising tensions, cannibal raids, and the wrath of the Celestial Dragon Emperor culminate in a cataclysmic warpstone comet strike that annihilates most of Ogre-kind and births the Great Maw—an insatiable, godlike entity that transforms their homeland into a wasteland and their culture into one defined by eternal hunger. From the fanatical prophet Groth Onefinger, who founds the grisly Butchers’ Cult at the Maw’s edge, to the westward migration that leads to the genocidal War in the Sky against the Skytitan giants, the episode traces centuries of brutal expansion, monster wars, and apocalyptic battles against Dragon Ogres and Daemons alike. We also explore the rise of the Gnoblars—enslaved yet perversely protected under Ogre rule—and the eventual unification of the tribes under the first Overtyrant, Thug the Fist, whose Great Feast cements the savage traditions that define the Ogre Kingdoms to this day.Chat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12Theme Music: Tavern by Alex Rufire

In this week’s Warhammer Old World lore dive, we explore the savage Mountains of Mourn, homeland of the Ogres, where survival means constant conflict against colossal beasts, rival tribes, and the deadly environment itself. We follow hunting parties battling mammoths, Rhinoxen, and legendary cave-dwelling monsters while Gnoblar swarms scrape by under Ogre rule. The mountains themselves are ever-changing, warped by Chaos with roaming glaciers, frost volcanoes, and peaks believed to be living entities that devour the unwary. The journey then traces the perilous Ivory Road before revealing the fate of the ancient Skytitan giants, whose sky-castle civilization was destroyed when migrating Ogres overwhelmed and ultimately consumed them, leaving only ruins and bones beneath the frozen peaks.Chat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16Theme Music: Tavern by Alex Rufire

We journey east into the Mountains of Mourn, where jagged, storm-wracked peaks rise above the Dark Lands and the howling winds can freeze even an Ogre solid, and where hunger, violence, and survival shape every moment of existence. This episode explores the Ogre Kingdoms themselves: a brutal homeland ruled by endlessly warring Tyrants, where gluttony is power, strength is law, and the ever-hungry Great Maw is both god and justification. We break down how Ogres live, fight, and think—why raiding, mercenary work, and extortion are simply efficient ways to eat, how their immense bodies and gut-centered anatomy make them nearly unstoppable, and why size and bulk define status more than bloodline or intellect. From their ancient destruction of the Skytitan empire to the long memory of a lost eastern realm and a looming future of renewed expansion, the episode paints the Ogres not as mindless brutes, but as a terrifyingly practical culture whose population is rising once more—raising the chilling question of what happens when a people who believe “might makes right” grow hungry again.Chat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:Maps: Map1  -  Map 2Art: Ogres 1 - Ogres 2 - Greasus GoldtoothMiniatures: Ogre army - Ogre Tyrant - Ogre Bulls - Greasus Goldtooth3rd Edition: Army List - Ogre Ad 1 - Ogre Ad 2Theme Music: Tavern by Alex Rufire

In our final episode on the Chaos Dwarf we look at their army design across Warhammer Fantasy editions, focusing on the transition from the 3rd to 4th edition lists, the focus of the episode, and closing out with the 8th and Old World lists. We look at the hodgepodge nature of their introduction to warhammer which included solid blocks of “Chaos Warrior Dwarfs” supported by a plethora of warmachines. We dive into the 4th edition list and some of the rules which combined heavily armoured Chaos Dwarf infantry, numerous Hobgoblin units, and goblinoid slave contingents. All augmented with Bull Centaurs, monsters, and crude but powerful artillery such as the Earthshaker Cannon. We close out the episode with a look at how Forge World radically reshaped the faction into a smaller, more elite force dominated by Sorcerer-Prophets, Infernal Guard, and  daemon-bound war machines.Chat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:3rd EditionChaos Dwarf Army list - Hobgoblin army list - Ass Cannon4th EditionHeroic Infantry - General on Great Taurus - Sorcerer on LammasuChaos Dwarf Infantry - Bull CentaursHobgoblin Warriors - Archers - Wolfriders - Sneaky GitsEnslaved OrcsWarmachinesThe Old WorldLegends Chaos Dwarf Army ListTheme Music: Tavern by Alex Rufire

In this episode we have a look at the most important figures in Chaos Dwarf society, focusing on how their power is exercised through sorcery, industry, cruelty, and political intrigue. We start with Astragoth Ironhand, the ancient High Priest of Hashut and de facto ruler of Zharr-Naggrund, whose mastery of dark sorcery, religious authority, and mechanical augmentation has allowed him to dominate Chaos Dwarf politics for centuries despite the creeping Curse of Stone. We then turn to Drazhoath the Ashen, a rival Sorcerer-Prophet exiled to the Black Fortress who transforms banishment into strength by building the Legion of Azgorh and later exploiting the Tamurkhan invasion for profit and prestige. We close out with Gorduz Backstabber, a Hobgoblin warleader whose unparalleled treachery and survival instincts make him a uniquely valuable intermediary for Chaos Dwarf armies. All three point to the Chaos Dwarf worldview: power is maintained by fear, industry, ruthless ambition, and absolute devotion to Hashut.Chat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:Astrogoth Ironhand: 4th Edition miniature - TWW3 ArtDrazhoath the Ashen: 8th Edition miniatureGorduz Backstabber: 4th Edition miniature - TWW3 Concept Art

We start this episode by exploring the Eastern Steppes, an immense, war-torn expanse of cold grasslands bordering the Chaos Wastes, Cathay, and a great southern desert. We detail its history of nomadic cultures, including the Chaos-worshipping Kurgan, the Hung, and especially the vast Hobgoblin Empire ruled by the Hobgobla-Khan. We look at the  Steppes’ violent past, the rise of the Hobgoblins as the most feared and treacherous Greenskin civilisation, their perpetual warfare with Cathay and neighbouring tribes, and the infamous Great Horde capable of blotting out the horizon. We briefly look at Hobgoblin physiology and culture—defined as it is by treachery, poison, and ruthless self-preservation, and recount their relations with the Chaos Dwarfs and Grand Cathay. We conclude with a look at Oglah Khan’s Wolfboyz, a notorious mercenary band who encapsulates the Hobgoblins’ blend of cunning warfare and opportunistic loyalty.Chat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:Map of the Great SteppesHobgoblin Art 4th Edition - Warhammer OnlineHobgoblin Minis 4th Edition Hero - Regiment  - Blood Bowl3rd Edition Hobgoblin Army ListHobgoblin Hero on Temple War DogOglah Khan’s WolfboyzTheme Music: Tavern by Alex Rufire

This episode we focus on the Black Fortress, an immense volcanic citadel on the Chaos Dwarfs’ south-eastern frontier, a militarised outpost garrisoned by the brutal Legion of Azgorh. We look at the disgraced-but-fanatic Infernal Guard and their elite Ironsworn. We detail the fortress’s role as both a seat of harsh power and a place of exile, its internal culture of punishment and redemption. We examine the wider military forces that support the tower, including Bull Centaur guardians and a vast arsenal of daemon-fused war machines such as the Iron Daemon, Skullcracker, Magma Cannon, Deathshrieker, Dreadquake Mortar, and Hellcannon. We round out the episode with an overview of the Chaos Dwarf fleet. Theri massive steam-driven iron warships, or boats?, that extend the empire’s power across the seasChat with us on DiscordPatreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quartermaster⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen Ad-Free⁠SHOW IMAGES:Infernal Guard WarriorsInfernal Guard CommandInfernal Warrior art (Cral’s fav)Infernal Iron swornBull Centaur RendersIron DaemonSkullcrackerMagma CannonDeathshrieker Rocket launcherDreadquake MortarChaos Dwarf Man O War fleet