The 9th Age: Fantasy Battles - Warriors of the Dark Gods (commonly refereed to as T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, T9A:FB WDG or the Warriors of the Dark Gods full armybook) is a book by The 9th Age Project that is frequently used as source material for this wiki. It is dedicated to the Warriors of the Dark Gods faction and contains rules as well as both background and artwork.
The book has been released in multiple consecutive versions, bit with no significant changes done to the background material.The first of version was released on the 24th of December 2017. The latest version, v0.204.2, was released on the 28th of June 2018 and is available for download HERE.
The book is presented as a collection of material put together by Archbishop Voytyek Bistricha between the years 942 A.S. and 962 A.S., through some of the individual sources are far older. The largest portion of material is a series of nine letter written to Bistricha by his friend March Lord Ilarion Yanovich, who can be considered the main narrator of the book. The letters describe how Yanovich, a Volskayan nobel, was stationed at Totváros, a small town 30 miles beyond the western border of Volskaya. There Yanovich comes into contact with people and being connected to the warriors of the dark gods. The journey of his wife, Šiva, is also explored through the letters, as she forsakes the life of a Volskayan lady and starts down the Path of the Favoured.
Sources within the book[]
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The T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods contains the follow sources, in the order they appear in the book. Ilarion Yanovich's letters are not dated nor numbered as the are presented within the book, though in the list below they are given a number corresponding to the in which order they are presented within the book.
Ilarion Yanovich (942-962 A.S.) Letters to Archbishop Voytyek Bistricha, 1st letter (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p8-15)[]
Yanovich describes his position and the town of Totváros, including the the connection the locals have with the Dark Gods. After his orders to burn down a shrine of the Dark Gods was met by distress of the locals, the town became surrounded by bands of warriors. In turn, each of these bands visited the town, seemingly trying to tempt its people and Yanovich to join them in dedication to their Dark God. In total the town is visited by seven warbands, one for each god.
Parchment found clutched by a dead scribe in the ruins of the Abbey of Listowell (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p16-17)[]
The parchments describes the path of a warrior, from the time the writer makes the initial pact with a daemon, how the writer earns an armour and onwards towards the ultimate goal of becoming an Exalted Herald. It is very personally written and describes many of the thoughts a warrior might have when on the path.
Extract from the Litany of the Exalted (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p18)[]
The text is originally taken from the Diary of Duryodhana and is stored in a cabinet behind the fresco in the legendary Ur-Temple of Sugulag near Pavitrastha. The fresco is seen on p 19 of the same book. The text is written by a Sagarikan warriors and describes in detail what the Path of Ascension encompasses. Describing each step from Warrior to Exalted Herald, including the alternative steps of the Path of the Exiled.
Atharsaga, part 1 (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p20-21)[]
The Timeless Titans; inscription found in one of the oldest temples of Avras (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p20-21)[]
The text is presented as an inscription found beneath the Great Sepulchre in Avras. It describes how a goddess named Sol tells the story of the Timeless Titans. This story encompasses the creation of the world and of the deities Father Chaos and Mother Cosmos.
Transcript of proceedings in the Court of Tsuandan, approximately 405 A.S. (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p22)[]
The transcript detains how one Director Bao explains what the Wasteland is why nothing normal lives there. This is met by Emperor Haizu who ask if this means he cannot lead his army across it, to which Bao ask for forgiveness and claims it is impossible.
Ilarion Yanovich (942-962 A.S.) Letters to Archbishop Voytyek Bistricha, 2nd letter (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p24-27)[]
A year has passed since the first letter. This time Yanovich details how Totváros was visted by a large force of warriors dedicated to Savar, lead by Lord Ghul. The visitors tells a tale of how they had attacked an outpost to the Infernal Dwarves near the Inferno. During the attack Lord Ghul is said to have slain a Kadim Titan. After a dinner, Ghul leaves Totváros, though shortly after Yanovich discovers that his wife Šiva left with him. Also missing was his infant child Lukas. Some days later Yanovich rides out in pursuit, but nearing the edge of the Wastland his horse died and he was forced to return.
Extract from an untitled tome, known to scholars as the Dark Chronicle of the West (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p28-31)[]
The manuscript was found in an abandoned camp in Silexia by Arcalean explorers and sold to the Imperial Society of Eichtal. The original text is written in Daghid (possibly the language of the Daeb). The text is written by a person claiming to be a Sorcerer. This sorcerer describes his interaction with a warband of Cibaresh, and in particular a Chosen named Anaba. Before the assault of Yos Barbha. Anaba and the sorcerer discuss Anaba's displeasure with the warband's plan to make a deal with the Daeb instead of assaulting to the city. She feels it is an act of cowardice. Later, as the negotiations are made outside the city walls, Anaba urges the army on to attack. Anaba herself is killed but the city is destroyed.
Diary of Zuhra el-Habeeb (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p32)[]
The diary entry describes how el-Habeeb, in an effort to acquire steel for her sultan Taaj Abdullah, encounters the trader Fareed. She then retells his story of how he was forced to come back empty handed from his last trip to Tsuandan. The town he usually had imported his steel from was plundered by Chosen Knights.
Erika Leitzke; On Worshippers of Darkness (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p34-35)[]
Leitzke compares two different text from the two sides of the Battle of Tarkaphut, which was fought between the warriors of Kupash and the naptaan people (before the fall). Both sources describe how the warriors used chariots (both warrior and chosen) to win the work, but give a slightly different perspectives. Leitzke ends the text by writing about her amazement at how long the Warriors of the Dark Gods have existed.
Ilarion Yanovich (942-962 A.S.); Letters to Archbishop Voytyek Bistricha, 3rd letter (T9A:FB Warriors of the Dark Gods, v0204.2, p36-37)[]
Another year has passed in Totváros, a year since Yanovich's wife, Šiva, left him to join the Warriors of the Dark Gods. Now Yanovich writes to tell of how he and his men shadowed a force of warriors headed towards Volskaya, carrying banners to five of the seven Dark Gods. The warriors reached and attacked Fort Duvice on the Volskayan border, while Yanovich and his men watched. Admist the warriors, Yanovich spotted Šiva. The attack was ended when the Volskayan side got aid from a contingent of Hussars, who broke the warriors who fled back to where they came, Šiva included.