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WarhammerWorld

The Warhammer World, now known as the World-That-Was, was the planet which the events of Warhammer took place on. It was destroyed during the End Times, being replaced with the Mortal Realms when the setting was reimagined in Age of Sigmar. The world is based on Earth, with many nations and land masses replacing their real-world counterparts.

Geography[]

The Warhammer world was geographically divided by large oceans and huge mountain ranges. It was separated into three major land masses - The New World (Lustria and Naggaroth), the Old World and the lands east of the Worlds Edge Mountains, and the isle of Ulthuan.

New World[]

The New World, based on the real world continents that make up the Americas, is the westernmost known land mass in the Warhammer world. The area is separated into the bleak land of Naggaroth, home of the Dark Elves, and the lush jungles of Lustria, inhabited by the Lizardmen. It is possible that there is a way to travel between Naggaroth and the Old World by land. However, this would require risking travel through the northern Chaos Wastes, a journey considered suicide for any save the most powerful followers of the Chaos Gods. Much like real-world South America, Lustria was undergoing a period of colonisation prior to the End Times, with many human settlements establishing themselves on the eastern coast.

Ulthuan[]

Situated in the middle of the Great Ocean, Ulthuan was the home of the High Elves and former home of the greater Elven race, until Malekith's betrayal forced his followers to flee to Naggaroth and the War of the Beard trapped what would become the Wood Elves in the Old World. Representing the mythical sunken city of Atlantis, Ulthuan is comprised of ten Elven kingdoms, each loyal to the twin thrones of the Phoenix King and the Everqueen. In the centre of Ulthuan lies the Inner Sea and the Great Vortex. This vortex serves to protect the Warhammer world from the changing power of Chaos by collecting the winds of magic and returning them to the dimension of Chaos.

Old World[]

The Old World refers to the Warhammer World's equivalent of Europe. This is where the majority of humans in the world make their homes, within the Empire (inspired by the Holy Roman Empire), Bretonnia (France and Arthurian England), Kislev (Poland and Russia) or the city-states that made up Tilea and Estalia (Italy and Spain, respectively). These weren't the only powers in the region, with more primitive humans living on the island of Albion, vampires controlling the former Imperial province of Sylvania, the Dwarven karaks and the forest of Athel Loren, the home of the Wood Elves, making up the other major and minor powers in the region.

North of Kislev, in the Warhammer world's equivalent of Scandinavia, lies Troll Country, Norsca and the Chaos Wastes. These regions are firmly under the control of the Dark Gods, with their power growing the further north one goes. Most of the time, these regions are kept relatively secure from the Old World by the constant in-fighting between the tribes of Norsca and the trolls. However, every so often, a powerful champion of Chaos, known as an Everchosen, will lead an assault south in what is supposed to be the final battle of the End Times. The greatest of these Everchosen was a warrior named Archaon, who would lead the forces of Chaos during the End Times, becoming a minor god of Chaos in the Mortal Realms in Age of Sigmar as a reward for his victory.

Badlands and Southlands[]

South of the Old World lies the Badlands. Separated from the Empire by the Black Mountains, the Badlands were almost entirely controlled by the greenskins - the collective orc and goblin races. The only real exception to this rule were the Border Princes - human colonists that, during the Arabyan Crusades, ended up founding cities in the region to hold off the greenskins that were in control of the area. These humans were assisted by the Dwarven seaport of Barak Varr.

Further south, past the Badlands, lies the Warhammer-equivalents of Africa and the Middle East, known collectively as the Southlands. The northern part of this area is split between Nehekhara; the Land of the Dead; in the east and Araby in the west. Further south is a lush jungle, which hides the lost Lizardman city of Zlatlan.

Eastern Lands[]

The Worlds Edge Mountains mark the border between the East and the Old World. Once the ancient homeland of the dwarfs, the only dwarfs still remaining in the region are the Chaos Dwarfs, who have given their lives over to the minor Chaos god Hashut. Further east of the Dark Lands, the part of the Worlds Edge Mountains that the Chaos Dwarves call home, lie the Mountains of Mourn, which are inhabited by several Ogre Kingdoms. South of the Mountains of Mourn lie the Dragon Isles, inhabited by a group of lizardmen who, due to being cut off from the Slann, had devolved to a more barbaric and tribal society. Whilst it is unknown if the Slann had tried to make contact with the Dragon Isles, it can be said that all who tried to land on the islands were killed by the lizardmen.

Further east lie the great empires of Ind, Cathay and Nippon, representing India, China and Japan respectively, as well as the Hinterlands of Khuresh and the Ancient Giant Lands. South of Nippon are the Lost Isles of Ethlis.

Far South[]

In the farthest south lies the Southern Chaos Wastes. Filled with beastmen, the region is mercifully separate from the other regions by ocean.

Under-Empire[]

Stretching throughout the entire Warhammer world, the Under-Empire is the name given to the tunnels that make up the Skaven's empire. These tunnels reach from Lustria in the west to distant Cathay in the east, reaching to every village in every nation on every continent. Only Ulthuan is spared, the magic of the elves keeping the Skaven at bay. This hadn't stopped the Skaven's Council of Thirteen from trying to find a way.

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