Trench Crusade Lore v1.0 Compressed 1

TRENCH CRUSADE LORE SAMPLER
Lore sampler
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Lore sampler
v1.0
Created by
Mike Franchina
Game design
Tuomas Pirinen
Layout
James Sherriff
This is a work of fiction. Trench Crusade is intended for mature audiences.
Trench Crusade and all artwork copyright © 2024 Mike Franchina

Trench Crusade playtest rules copyright © 2024 Tuomas Pirinen
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D
uring the First Crusade, the armies of the Church captured the Holy
City. Under the most holy of temples, the Knights Templar discovered
secret vaults and, within them, an ancient demonic artefact. The
Templars, blinded by greed and with weakness in their hearts, fell to
their knees. They had found a new lord.
Seeing the unholy wisdom of which the artefact spoke, they began trafficking with
devils and committing all manner of unspeakable rites. This was the First Heresy. The
armies of the Church retreated and Jerusalem became a depraved pit where Hell and
our mortal plane now bled into one.
For eight centuries the Church has waged its crusade to take back the Holy City.
The landscape has been utterly devastated, criss-crossed with thousands of miles of
mud, trenches and craters. The crusade is now waged with armies wielding terrifying
weaponry, and both sides conjure up supernatural beings of such immense power they
are nigh unstoppable. Even with such incalculable might, the armies are at a stalemate.
This is the Trench Crusade.
Join us in the trenches, pilgrim:

www.trenchcrusade.com
www.facebook.com/trenchcrusadeofficial
https://discord.gg/TveDjJpk
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A Brief & Incomplete Timeline

of the Trench Crusade
[biased and likely inaccurate]
1099 – First Crusade captures Jerusalem. The Knights 1429 – Living Saint Jeanne d’Arc drives the Black
Templar commit the Act of Ultimate Heresy. The Gate Grail from mainland Europe.
of Hell is opened on Earth and Jerusalem is destroyed in
the cataclysm. 1477 – The City of Argos is taken by God and it is no
more.
1101 – The Year of Three Battles. Heretics, reinforced
by the armies of the Third Circle of Hell, conquer most 1503 – War Prophet Angelos, guided by St. Elegius,
of the Levant. discovers the formula of Orichalcum Steel. Though
extremely costly to produce, the metal proves to be
1102 – The ancient city of Antioch is fortified and effective against all missile weapons and is still used to
becomes the focal point of resistance against the forces this day.
of Hell.
1545 – Antioch destroyed utterly by a mysterious
1106 – Cobar becomes the First Tyrant of the Sixty-six. infernal weapon.
1109 – The Great Sultanate of the Invincible Iron Wall 1573 – Sacred Order of the Dragon halts the heretic
of the Two Horns That Pierce the Sky is formed. In the advance after the destruction of Byzantium. A million
coming decades it unifies the Islamic factions. The Great heretics impaled in the hills of Wallachia.
Iron Wall of Iskandar re-emerges and is fortified against
the Heretics. 1595 – Walls of New Antioch completed.
1117 – The legendary Seventeen Martyrs travel to 1666 – The Year of Six Woes. In a surprise raid, the
the Earthly Domains of Hell to convert the Heretics. newly created Heretic fleet captures Gibraltar. The sea
Captured, tortured and kept in a perpetual state of fortress becomes the Heretic base of operations against
agony, they remain trapped within white-hot Brazen Europe. Forces of Hell gain access to the Atlantic.
Bulls to this day.
1670 – Due to the constant coastal raids by the Heretic
1165 – The Old Man in the Mountain and his Fleet the Crown of England begins the construction of
Hashashins defend the mountain fortress of Alamut. the Fortress of the White Cliffs.
The castle stands to this very day, despite being besieged
for hundreds of years. 1703 – Against all odds, a small force of Hebrew
Knights striking from their secret fortress destroy the
1215-1306 – The Wars of Triclavianism. The Church Templar stronghold at Acre.
is split and fights a fierce internal conflict. Heretic
domains extend as the faithful fight against each other. 1805 – Heretic fleet under the command of High
Millions perish by sword and fire. Captain Ranga defeats the fleet of England in the
Battle of the Bloodied Cliffs. Admiral Nelson is slain in
1346-1353 – Beelzebub unleashes the Black Grail. combat.
Tens of millions are infected, becoming metastatic
vessels in the worst plague in the history of mankind. 1866 – In the utmost secrecy Heretic scientists, aided
The Corpse Wars begin. by the Demon Marbas, construct the first modern
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submarines.
1870 – Launched from Gibraltar, the Heretic

submarine fleets extract a heavy toll on the merchant
navies. Widespread famine ensued.
1872 – Heretic forces storm the city of Rijeka. It is

fortified and Heretic conquest is launched against the
European mainland.
1894 – The Year of Broken Trinity. The Death

Commandos simultaneously assassinate the Supreme
Pontiff, the High Prophetess Aelia and the Holy Roman
Emperor. The faithful are thrown into turmoil. The
Heretic Legions, commanded by Hell’s nobles of the
Seventh Circle and a huge vanguard of tanks launch
a simultaneous lightning offensive in the Levant and
Europe.
1899 – Church Space Program commences.

1907 – The construction of the moving fortress of
Britannia is completed.
1910 – Battle of Cordoba. A Bloody stalemate. Heretic

artillery devastates the ancient city, but the Heretic
forces fail to gain access to the heartlands of Hispania.
1914 – The present day. Both sides are preparing for

major offensive operations. In the huge swathes of No
Man’s Land furious skirmishes and raids increase in
intensity as the faithful and heretics vie for information,
powerful relics and securing strategically important
positions.
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Armaments of
the Trench Crusade
A
fter raging for eight centuries, the Great and polearms, lead-tipped great maces and hell-forged
War has produced a bewildering variety swords are all used to deadly effect when storming enemy
of weaponry, equipment and armour, trenches. Enemies such as Heretic Anointed are often so
and due to the power of both Heaven and heavily armoured that only concentrated effort can bring
Hell taking active role on the battlefields, a one of these survivors of the Lake of Fire down, and even
warband participating in the Trench Crusade often has then, they often have to be finished off in brutal melee
a fascinating and exotic panoply of both ancient and combat with Misericordia daggers, looking for a chink in
modern weapons. their unholy armour.
It was the work of the followers of St. Eligius, the patron Those brave (or suicidal) enough wield anti-tank
saint of metalworkers, that allowed the weaponsmiths hammers: polearms with explosives powerful enough to
and armourers of the Holy See to produce steel alloys tear apart even the strongest of armour. Still, the humble
imbued with divine light, metals more malleable bolt action rifle is the workhorse of the battlefield, and
and harder than any normal steel. Though the cost is most yeoman soldiery as well as Heretic legionnaires
enormous, suits of armour can be wrought that are able carry it. Many other weapons, though rarer, are in
to withstand a hail of bullets. This excellence of the common use: machine guns, sniper rifles, grenades of
infantry field armour remains to this day, keeping abreast both shrapnel and gas variety, as well as experimental
with the advances of firearms and explosives. anti-materiel rifles, while the Heretic forces are equipped
with blades of eternally burning fire, living bullets that
Meanwhile the Heretic Legions have gained access to infect their targets and turn them into undead metastatic
hellish metals from the twisted crucibles of Tartarus, vessels, forever bound in servitude to the Devils, and
exceeding the strength of mundane steel though often at heavy flamethrowers forged in the Iron Pits of Dis,
a terrible cost, for carrying such weapons or donning an belching the flames of the Lake of Fire where damned
infernal suit of armour burns both the body and the soul, souls wither for all eternity.
leaving behind festering wounds that never heal.
With both Infernal and Divine Powers actively at work
Thanks to these advances in metallurgy, titanic artillery on Earth, holy icons, symbols, cursed trinkets and
pieces exceeding 300 feet are constructed in the unholy artefacts are carried by soldiery of all ranks.
foundries of New Antioch, while the forges of Hell Their power is undeniable and has turned the tide of
turn out truly colossal machines of death of their own many a battle. Martyrdom Pills are taken regularly by
– the largest known piece, the dreaded Mouth of Hell Trench Crusaders looking to take the enemies of God
measuring a staggering 666 feet in length and boasting down with them. They inure the faithful against pain
1666 millimetres in calibre! The massive artillery and exhaustion but extract a brutal toll after their effect
barrages pockmark no man’s land, creating a hellscape wanes. Many Trench Pilgrims wear iron capirotes that
on Earth between the Heretic and Faithful forces. It both shield their minds from the horror of the creatures
is over these pieces of land that the warbands of both of Hell, but also incorporate a gas mask in their design –
sides travel, scouring every inch for usable weapons, holy a useful feature on battlefields where the use of chlorine
objects of power, ammo, food, armour and more. and mustard gas, as well as more dire fumes created
by the twisted chemists in the Bolgias of Inferno, is
Due to the protection offered by modern armour, close commonplace.
quarter combat is frequent and brutal: trench clubs
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Elite forces have even more advanced and esoteric

equipment and arms. For example, the Observers of the
Synod of Strategic Prophecy wear a specially constructed
helmet which allows them to hear the Voice of God, and
thus allows them to perceive immediate past, present and
future simultaneously to a degree. This allows them to
perform martial feats unrivalled, but it comes at a cost: a
living human is not meant to hear the Holy Words, and
as the Voice of God never decays, they must concentrate
with superhuman focus to hear what they need to pick
the right course of action. Sleep is impossible with the
Divine Echo ringing in their ears. Heavy sedation and
use of mind-altering drugs is necessary for them to
withstand the heavy burden of their battlefield role for
any length of time.
The accompanying picture shows the Trench Pilgrims

of the Procession of the Sacred Affliction. They are
known for their zeal for close quarters combat, their
icon armour and shields, which despite appearances can
withstand machine gun bullets, and the millstones they
carry in order to tie them around the necks of sinners
before they suffocate them in the mud and blood of the
No Man’s Land.
“The rifle and the trench club are

prepared against the day of battle:
but vengeance is of the Lord.”
- Battle Psalms 17:7, New Orthodox Syncretic Bible
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The Principality of
New Antioch
From the Official and True annals of the Church history as told by Melchior Gessel, 1910 AD New Antioch
F
or three hundred years the Principality mighty towers, have never been breached. This is partly
of New Antioch has stood defiantly as the due to hundreds of anchorites, metallic battle shrines
focal point of the Church and the Faithful with devoted entombed within them, that are embedded
at the very edge of the shadow cast by into the walls, keeping a vigilant watch day and night.
the Gate of Hell. It is the Home of All Our
Hopes, the bulwark against Heretic forces and the first More than anything else, it is the volunteers who come
line of defence against the devil’s might. Should New to serve under the Banner of Christ that ensure the
Antioch fall, all the Levant will be lost. continuous existence of the Principality. Thus in the
streets of the city one can hear hundreds of languages
War has never left this corner of the world. The ancient and dialects. One might observe hussars of the Polish-
city of Antioch was destroyed by a mysterious demonic Lithuanian commonwealth brushing shoulders with
weapon in the year 1545, but the Faithful never gave up the last remnants of the Varangian Guard or hear the
their positions in the ruins. Despite the lethal demonic sermons of a street preacher from Eire extolling the
essence emanating from the crater that was left behind, soldiery of Ethiopia to lay down their lives for the cause.
the garrison held on, even as mighty Constantinople fell Perhaps they might even witness the Church Engineers
to the legions of Kimaris, Marquis of Hell. procession taking their latest invention to be tested on
the front lines.
Before it was destroyed, the ancient city of Antioch was
always the first line of defence to be put to test. Thus it This all happens under the watchful eyes of the Office
is no wonder that in the year 1559 the Sword Congress of the Propagation of Virtue that tirelessly patrol the
of Vienna agreed to rebuild and fortify the city, and streets. While they are quite happy to turn a blind eye
that a yearly tithe is to be sent to New Antioch by all to the revelries of soldiers, they ferociously persecute
the Faithful nations, though this levy is rarely in the even the slightest deviation from Church doctrine. The
form of coin. Instead, endless supply trains of foodstuffs, execution of heretics is a weekly spectacle that draws
tools, ammunition, weaponry, machinery and skilled immense crowds.
workers and engineers come from across Europa and the
Mediterranean Sea, as well as the African dominions. Factories spew black smoke as newly constructed tanks
roll out of the workshops. Foundries burn white-hot day
Keeping the supply routes open is a constant game of cat and night in order to keep the artillery battalions, the
and mouse, as Heretic infiltrators and raiders harry the pride and joy of New Antioch, at full strength. In the
caravans and ships that allow the Principality to exist to techno-laboratories of the city the Church toils away in
this day. creating the superhuman Communicants empowered by
the cloned flesh and blood of the Redeemer. Thousands
Since those days New Antioch has grown to be the most of workers give their lives in horrific accidents and
important fortress-city in the world, the Sword and overwork each year, and great statues celebrating their
the Shield of Europa and Africa. All the princes of the sacrifices stand around the city.
Church and heads of the various states and domains who
oppose Hell understand that it is better to fight their Despite all these preparations, it is a grim reality that
battles against the Heretics away from their heartlands. New Antioch could never withstand the full onslaught
To this day New Antioch has withstood eight great of the combined Heretic forces. It is only thanks to
sieges and its famed walls, with their seventy-seven the ferocious and bloody internal conflict amongst the
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devils that has allowed the Principality to stand to this

day. The Archdevils and Princes of Hell bicker and plot
against each other, and only rarely does one of them
gain supremacy for long enough to mount a full-scale
invasion. Even though the war has stretched for centuries
with decades of nervous lull between great battles, the
Rulers of Hell are immortal, and to them the war has
barely even started. They are beings that have existed
before there was time and wish to savour the agony of
the mortals who die in their millions. And thus the
Great War rages on, sometimes with long years of silence
followed by sudden, ferocious assaults.
As the nominal supreme commander of all the Faithful

armed forces, the Duke of New Antioch is a title of
unrivalled prestige and honour. But, despite swearing
fealty to the Duke, in reality troops who come to do
battle against Hell, from across all of Christendom,
operate in units of their own, taking commands from
their own leaders. It is worth noting that some soldiers
renounce their citizenship and take up the cross and
come to serve under Duke Constantine alone. Thus the
standing army of the Principality is the greatest single
fighting force the Faithful can muster, and those who
serve on the walls of the Home of Hopes are rightfully
proud of their livery.
In recent years the Duke has despatched small forces

into No Man’s Land to gather intelligence, look for
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Observers
W
hen the need is great, the Synod of Though they master many weapons, the trench polearm
Strategic Prophecy sends their famed stands as the preferred choice for Observers. This tool
Observers to support the war effort. allows them to skilfully vault over barbed wire and drop
This order of warrior monks lives a life into enemy trenches with devastating force. Guided by
of absolute solitude, sharpening their the omniscient words of the Almighty, they possess the
minds and bodies to make themselves living weapons ability to evade nearly any strike. With proper focus,
in the Hand of God. Once a soldier joins the order, they foresee impending attacks within the crystal of
they very rarely leave the Temple of The Word – the the Eye of God that is incorporated into their helmet.
only exception being when they are summoned to the As such, enemies’ efforts to take them down are often
battlefield, a situation where their unique abilities can frustrated, since the Observer simply moves the
decisively shift the balance in favour of the faithful. Even minimum required to avoid any harm, knowing precisely
the slightest disturbance to their prayers or training will where the blow of the Heretic was going to land.
mean that they will not be able to commune with the
Lord of All Creation. Thus the days of the Observers are However, even the slightest slip in their concentration
spent in secluded, cloistered cells, when not practicing means that they might lose the Voice of God that guides
their martial or mental disciplines. them, rendering them just as vulnerable to death as any
other mortal soldier.
Observers wear a specially crafted Oculus Helmet
enabling them to attune to the Voice of God. This
remarkable connection grants them the capacity to
simultaneously perceive the immediate past, present
and future, to a degree. This allows them to perform
martial feats unrivalled, but a living human is not meant
to hear the Holy Words, so it comes at a cost. Since
the Voice of God never decays, they must concentrate
with superhuman focus to extricate the righteous
guidance amidst the narrative spanning from creation’s
inception to the present moment. The resonance of the
Divine Echo, ringing ceaselessly in their ears, renders
sleep impossible. Therefore they must resort to potent
sedatives and mind-altering drugs for them to endure
the heavy burden of their battlefield role for any length
of time.
The Observers diligently practise the recitation of

the Words of God, granting them the power to issue The Heraldry of the Synod
commands to anyone they address, friend or foe. The depicts Sword and Crown, sym-
special metal of their helmet allows them to replicate bolising service to God through
the Holy Word as closely as it is possible, compelling war, while the Clouds and the
any creature in creation to obey them momentarily to a Stars represent Synod’s mission to
degree. commune with the Lord directly.
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Paladins
S
ince the beginning of the Great War some denies such slander upon pain of death. Despite ceaseless
800 years ago, the Faithful have faced a efforts, the Holy Mendelist Order have been unable
problem that is seemingly impossible to to produce even a single new Paladin in the last three
overcome: they are unable to take the battle centuries.
to the enemy. For such is the supernatural
power of the open Gate to Hell, that even approaching It has proven just as difficult to replace their holy armour
within sight of it is impossible for all but the most and weaponry. Since the destruction of the Holy City
strong-willed and pious. Within the Inferno await of Jerusalem it has not been possible to harvest more
domains of the Lost and legions of devils. Golgothic tektites required for the machining process
for the Paladin’s armaments. Thus their elaborate suits
But in utmost secrecy the Church produced an answer of armour (despite the fastidious care of the Dicastery
to this quandary: The Paladin Program. Paladins are by of the Service of Church Militant disciples) are much
far the greatest creations of the Mendelist Order. They scarred, burned and corroded, and many pieces of
are near-perfect Communicants for in their veins flows armour have been slated to be reforged in a vain hope
the purest blood that the Meta-Christ program has that even the tiniest shard of the required materials
been able to produce. Paladins are warriors with such could be recovered. Thus each Paladin is forced to
physical stature and inner holiness that, not only can endure searing pain like no earthly suffering where their
they approach Jerusalem’s Vale of Tears, but also enter armour has weakened, relying on their unshakeable faith
the very Gates of Inferno and undertake missions within during their lonely crusades into Perdition.
Hell itself – and return to tell the tale. Each is said to
represent near-perfection of human form, both mind Each of the nine Circles of Hell has its own foul
and body, though much scarred and burned from the atmosphere and deadly environment from noxious
long centuries of war they have been forced to endure for fumes to burning heat or a bitter coldness below absolute
the sake of all in Creation. zero, requiring a specific suit of armour to withstand
the infernal elements. Thus when a Paladin enters the
Paladins reside in secluded cells within a secret wing Gates of Hell, they know they must succeed alone or die
of Castel Sant’Angelo until the hour comes and the trying: no help will be forthcoming, not even from one
Council of Saints sends them forth to do battle. In such within their own order.
time the Paladin emerges from their seclusion, they go to
their arming chamber and kneel at the centre upon the Paladins are used only under the orders of the Council of
mosaic of the Militant Christ the Lion. They are then Saints and even then, extremely sparingly. Each mission
armed and armoured by blinded and gelded serfs (for no they undertake must bring great and tangible benefits for
impure gaze or carnal desire is to fall upon the Paladin by the Church and the overall war effort, and its long-term
the servants of the Church) and briefed on their mission benefit must be determined by the Synod of Strategic
by one of the Cardinal-Generals. They are given the Prophecy. Paladins are tasked with missions such as
Last Rites prehumously should they fall, for there is no exterminating key nobles of Hell, destroying laboratories
mission more dangerous than war within Gehenna. creating some new devastating variant of the Black Grail
or interrogating devils with holy fire and the blood of the Pictured here is Gérin, Paladin of
Originally there were twelve Paladins, but now only nine Lamb until they give up their infernal plans. the 3rd Circle of Hell. He stands
remain. Two have fallen in battle, and it is rumoured some 17 feet tall when arrayed
one has turned traitor – though the Church vehemently for battle.
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Trench Pilgrims
A
s the war rages against the minions of Sisters who manifest wounds to match those of the
Hell, strange visions torment the faithful Third Meta-Christ whom the nuns venerate. They excel
across the globe. Men and women touched in close quarters combat, for each bleeding wound that
by Heaven are granted visions, and they suffer makes them stronger, not weaker, as their
Revelations are made by the messengers of devotion to suffering as their Lord once did gives them
God. Sisters of the Holy Orders are marked by Stigmata strength and endurance not found on mere common
and take up sword and cross as instructed by the angels. mortals. Armed with swords and pistols, they cross No
Those who have transgressed seek to atone for their sins Man’s Land heedless of any danger, praying to sustain
by taking as many followers of the Devil with them to wounds for the Redeemer which in turn will transform
the afterlife. them into the very Vengeance of the Lord.
So they come, the mad and the maimed, the God- In front of the Trench Pilgrims are driven the Ecclesiastic
touched and the guilt-ridden, all gathering around Prisoners: either captured enemies of the True Faith
Prophets and Prophetesses, forming Trench Pilgrim forced to make a final act of contrition or volunteer
Processions, disorganised groups which arm themselves sinners seeking redemption. Each is strapped with
and follow the prophets of the Lord unto the front lines. high explosives which are detonated once they reach
They fight with unrivalled zeal, throwing themselves the enemy lines. They dash across the killing grounds,
against the Heretics and arming themselves with hoping to either miraculously survive the blast and
anything they can get their hands on, from the oldest escape, or take as many followers of Lucifer with them as
muskets to scourges and Molotov Cocktails. they can, depending on their convictions.
Pilgrims are not officially sanctioned by the Holy See, The most puissant of Pilgrim Processions will be
but the Church still blesses the crusades of the faithful. accompanied by a Shrine Anchorite: a metal behemoth
Thus the Pilgrim Processions are a common sight on some twelve feet tall, a living altar of war almost
the battlefields, often charging across No Man’s Land completely immune to any damage. The interior of
in suicidal assaults against the Heretics, directed by the Anchorite is covered in spikes and barbed hooks
the visions of the Prophets and Prophetesses who lead so that the Monk who controls this colossus is in a
them, and urged on by the whips of Castigators who are constant state of torment, rejoicing in the pain so they
charged with instilling the Fear of God in their troops. can suffer as their Lord once did. In combat they wield
Adamantine Catherine Wheels of massive proportions
The bulk of the Pilgrims are men and women with little which they use to crush the sinners and heretics into a
military training, but when they don the Iron Capirote pulp, and then string them upon the wheel as a warning
of a Trench Pilgrim, they can face even a demon from to others.
the deepest Bolgias of Hell unflinchingly. Nor is death
necessarily an end to their mission: sometimes the There is a bewildering number and variety of Trench
Seventh Meta-Christ will deem a fallen Pilgrim worthy Pilgrim Processions: The Penitents of Pious Revenge
and bring them back as Martyr-Penitents, warriors half- swear in the name of St. Olga and uses flamethrowers,
way between Heaven and Earth, able to fight once more burning grenades and incendiary ammunition to assail
and feel no pain from bullet or bayonet thrust. the Heretics. The Pilgrims of the Iron Path follow St.
Rita of Cascia and go to battle with hammers, mauls,
Rarer and more dangerous are the Stigmatic Nuns: Holy maces and cudgels, and hammer nails into their heads
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“The skies shall darken, the ground

shall open up and the screams of
the damned shall echo through
the ages.”
- Novae Revelationes 99:24
in the memory of the saint they venerate. The Theban

Legion of Rome carries the heads of the heretics upon
their standards in the memory of their patron, St.
Maurice. They fight with swords and other blades,
competing with each other for the number of Heretic
heads they amass.
Trench Pilgrims of the Procession of the Sacred

Affliction are known for their zeal for close quarters
combat, their armour decorated with icons and
shields adorned with the depictions of the Saints,
which despite appearances can withstand machine
gun bullets, and the millstones they carry in
order to tie them around the necks of
sinners before they suffocate them
in the mud and blood of
No Man’s Land.
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Shrine Anchorite
S
hrine Anchorites are metal behemoths some it is a common practice for Trench Pilgrims or Stigmatic
twelve to fifteen feet tall, a living altar of Nuns volunteer to be broken on the wheel and serve in
war almost completely immune to any their final battle mounted upon this device of execution,
damage, with a diesel engine belching smoke as a sign of both their willingness to suffer for their sins,
and trumpets echoing with prayers. The and for the spiritual protection their sacrifice is said to
interior of the Anchorite is covered in spikes and barbed grant to the Anchorite. The Church frowns upon this
hooks so that the monk pilot is in a constant state of custom, but Pilgrims flock to their Anchorites on the
torment, rejoicing in their pain so they can suffer as their eve of any battle, hoping to be granted the honour of
Lord once did. The exterior is festooned with icons, holy perishing upon the wheel.
relics and devotional prayer scrolls, each according to the
traditions of the Pilgrim sect that the Anchorite serves.
The first Anchorites were built a long time ago in the

fortress-monastery of Velehrad in Greater Moravia.
Several hundred of these battle machines were built
under the guidance of Saint Methodius, though now the
craft is lost, as the monastery was destroyed by a Death
Commando infiltration force of the demon Marchosias.
Later innovations of the Engineering Foundry of New

Antioch created Machine Armour; a far smaller but
more manoeuvrable personal protective suit based upon
the Anchorite design. But the Pilgrim Processions have
neither access to these marvels of modern engineering,
nor do they have any desire to give up their Anchorites
which act both as fearsome engines of war as well as
mobile shrines that form a focal point to the prayers and
devotions of the Pilgrims.
The pilot monk or nun, once installed, never leaves the

Shrine Anchorite until the day they die. Once they fall in
battle (or rarely of old age), their remains are reverently
removed and body parts are preserved in reliquaries
mounted upon the Anchorite. Thus each of these war
machines is a testament to its long history of war against The pictured Shrine Anchorite is
the forces of Hell. a member of the Cavalcade of the
Tenth Plague, a Trench Pilgrim
In battle each Anchorite carries a great adamantine Procession who traditionally
Catherine Wheel as well as an immense Bonebreaker sacrifices lambs before battle,
Mace to bring the wrath of God upon the sinners, anointing themselves in its blood
heretics and apostates. In a show of piety and atonement, to ward off the wrath of God.
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Heretic Legion
A
shroud of darkness blankets the world. dedicated towards bringing down the very Throne of
Smoke and brimstone spews from the Heaven.
yawning gates of Inferno enveloping the
lands, where people have abandoned God Amongst the forsaken citizens that endure within the
and openly wage war against His Creation. earthly domains of Hell, the greatest status is afforded
It is a grim reality that a full third of humanity has to the soldiers fighting in the Great War. But joining
bent its knee before the idols of Hell. The main satanic the army of damnation is no easy task. Those who
military force on Earth are the Heretic Legions, raised wish to win a place amongst the Heretic Legions must
from amongst these citizens of the damned. make an unholy pilgrimage to the burning bronze gates
of Hell where, even from leagues away, the infernal
Spies are sent into Hell’s domains under special heat sears both flesh and spirit until the pain becomes
absolution by the Cardinal Protector. Most are caught, unbearable. In the Valley of Tears the great road that
never to be seen again, save for some who’s eternally leads to the gate, paved as it is with wailing souls and
screaming heads are returned to New Antioch, branded lamentations, is littered with endless mounds of charred
with bleeding runes that mock the Holy Trinity. bodies. Many are still half-alive, writhing in agony,
trapped in a grotesque twilight between life and death,
Yet some do make it back to the light, whispering of the their wickedness deemed insufficient. These discarded
horrors they have witnessed: of firstborn cast into the souls are doomed to writhe in agony until the Day of
mouths of the burning statues of Baal and human flesh Judgement.
sold by the pound in dreadful markets. They speak of the
great idols of the Golden Calf and rapturous men and Those who make it within sight of Hell’s Maw are
women who prostrate themselves before them, carving considered worthy and are initiated into the Legions,
layers of their own flesh in ecstatic offering. Inverted taking unbreakable vows that chain them into darkness
pyramids and towers plunge into the depths of these for all eternity, their bodies branded with the mark of
cities, built of iron and black stone. Within these pits the Devil Lord that has claimed them. Armouries of Hell
stand sacrificial altars where weeping captives are slowly then equip them for battle and Heretic Priests beckon
sliced to death over agonising days and weeks with forth new supplicants as dictated by the whispers of their
wicked knives made of infernal basalt. Cathedrals to the patron arch-devils. Thus a new Heretic Legionnaire is
Princes of Hell hang from great arches of volcanic stone, born. They hail Archdevils as their masters and are thus
while condemned are crucified on hundreds of upside- damned for all eternity.
down crosses.
Yet there are some who push further on: to the very
Accounts speak of sprawling factories made of mutilated Gate itself and beyond. Their very flesh ignites, never
flesh and metal, their forges yielding endless munitions to recover, but those with the blackest souls can enter
for the ongoing war. Guided by the teachings of Inferno itself. Amongst those the Anointed are especially
Tartarus’ smiths, alchemists toil over colossal weapons revered amongst the Legions. They are the paragons of
and armoured behemoths, wielding the forbidden unhinged brutality – men and women of colossal vigour
secrets of their patrons’ metallurgy to forge instruments and unyielding devotion. Having tread the accursed
of death and suffering beyond the grasp of any human path to the shores of the Lake of Eternal Flame, where
engineer. Once-proud cities of Earth, where churches the damned wither and contort in ceaseless torment,
have been toppled and entire populations are now the Anointed emerge forever scarred by the embrace
26
of abyssal fires. The blackened and burnt flesh of the

Anointed will never heal, but in exchange they are
granted the right to wear Heavy Gehenna armoured
suits and they gain strength to wield weapons that a
normal man could barely lift. It is said that glancing into
their eyes one can see the reflection of the very flames of
Hell, forever etched in their vision.
Yet some who witness go even further in their depraved

devotion. Suicide is a mortal sin and one eagerly
embraced by many. Most cry out for devils to notice
their final sacrifice in vain, as the Infernal nobles are
capricious and delight in betraying their own as much
as their enemies. But those with truly wicked and
depraved souls are resurrected in contempt of the
Redeemer, coming back as Choristers, horrific mockeries
of Creation whose severed heads sing unholy hymns
praising the Devil, their voices causing the ears of their
enemies to bleed.
Though the vast bulk of the Heretic Legions are made

of mortal humans, Hell often sends their own abhorrent
progeny to reinforce their mortal foot soldiers:
nightmarish War Beasts made of captured and possessed
creatures and dreaded Artillery Witches who act as
mobile artillery supporting lighting assaults. Thus, in
this accursed theatre of war, mortals and abominations
march hand in withering hand, bound by the suffering
ties of damnation. The wails of tortured beasts meld
with the shrieks of damned souls, while the skies rain
down fiery retribution upon all who dare to oppose the
Heretics’ ceaseless crusade for a demented parity with
their Creator.
27
Heretic Death Commandos
F
rom a very early age a select group of Heretic The tongues of the Death Commandos are ceremonially
youth are sent beyond the Gates of Hell to ripped out at the end of their training. They will
be raised as Death Commandos. Few are never speak of what they have learned and their
chosen, fewer return, but those who complete unnerving silence adds to their sinister reputation. They
their training stand amongst the most elite of communicate with each other with a complex system of
the Heretic Legions. inscrutable hand signals.
Barracked in the Seventh Circle of Inferno, they are

taught the deadly arts of assassination by the damned
souls of the greatest killers and murderers whose souls
now reside in Hell. Here they undergo brutal training,
mastering the use of all manner of weapons and poisons
and they are schooled in martial skills by the personal
guard of the Arch-Devil Beleth. They learn to slither as
serpents through the battlefield, leaving murder in their
wake.
Their specially forged Tartarus Claws are quenched in

the waters of the River Styx, a source of poison more
potent than any mortal venom. Many carry silenced
pistols to take down targets unseen and unheard.
Aside from their weapons, the Death Commandos
are equipped with stealth generators that operate by
diffracting light, utilising the heart of an innocent and
infernal technologies that hide them from the eyes of
God.
Once their training is complete, the Death Commandos

emerge from the abyss as silent spectres of carnage. Of
the Heretic troops fighting in the Trenches of the Great “We are no longer supplicating
War, the Death Commandos are the most feared by the
faithful. weaklings trembling before an
Most infamous in the ranks are three master Death unmerciful God. We say: Blessed
Commandos, Cain, Barabbas and Haman, who
simultaneously assassinated the Supreme Pontiff, the are the mighty-minded, for they
High Prophetess Aelia and the Holy Roman Emperor
in the year 1894. This threw Church forces into turmoil shall ride the whirlwinds.”
and allowed the Heretic Legions to launch a lightning
offensive across the Levant and Europe. - Ramman, the Anointed of the XXI Heretic Legion
‘Widowmakers’
28
29
Heretic Chorister
F
rom a young age, all Heretics are taught of those unfortunate enough to hear the dire song
that god-tyrant YHWH demands obedience, of a Chorister. Their hymns are often the first thing
but there are always brave souls who chafe at a fresh recruit experiences on the battlefield, as their
the yoke of divine oppression. In their bitter unholy voice rolls across the trenches, proclaiming a
rage, these dauntless ones commit a form of never-ending prophecy of the final victory of Hell over
ritual suicide to spit in the despot’s eye, knowing they Heaven.
have not the strength to injure him, apart from this little
rebellion. The great Military hospice of New Antioch has a
separate wing for those who have never recovered from
Suicide is a Mortal Sin and sacrificing yourself to the hearing Chorister’s dirge, their minds forever lost in a
glory of Hell is a yet greater affront to God. Some vision of eternal damnation, tied to their iron-frame
Heretics born with a gift of sonorous voice but little beds, screaming of the world to come when all is covered
prospects of rising through the ranks. Those possessing a under the darkness lit only by eternal flames.
determination to excel nevertheless may pursue the dark
path of becoming a Chorister.
Such supplicants go to one of the black altars of Heretic

abodes at the bottom of the deep inverted pyramid
temples dedicated to the greatest of Arch-devils. There
they are dressed in the robes of dark devotion, lie on
the altar and mutilate themselves to death by carving
unholy runes into their flesh. The more wounds they
can suffer before perishing, the more pleasing it is said
their offering is. The most devout slice their own throats,
trying to cut as deep as they can before their miserable
life leaves them.
Most such wretches go to their doom in the Lake of Fire,

but some are reborn as Choristers after nine days. Their
corpses lurch back to their feet, and finish their grisly
beheading, and lift their severed heads that begin to sing
hymns they have learned in the Inferno. From their self-
inflicted wounds spurts cold blood that forms diabolic
symbols and changes to match the words of their unholy
chorale. They head towards the front lines driven by a
call no living can hear and join the Heretic warband of
their choosing.
As their severed heads sing their agonising hymns, the

minds of their enemies are filled with visions from the
Pits of Hell, weakening both the resolve and strength
30
31
The Cult of the Black Grail
E
pidemics of typhus, malaria, typhoid, are infected by the Black Grail lurch to their feet, driven
smallpox, yellow-fever, pneumonia, trench by a demonic will. Not living, not dead, they become
fever, Markisian disease and countless vessels to spread the corruption of their master ever
others ravage the trenches and battlefields further, forming warbands that strive to find and infect
of the Great War, but they all pale in life of any kind. They also gather things that mortals
comparison to the most dreaded of them all: the Black value and bring this loot as well as grisly trophies to the
Grail. feet of the idols of Beelzebub they erect. Thus the Cult
of the Black Grail mocks the devotions of the Faithful
Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies, stands apart from the other and their prayers.
lords of Hell, who act mainly through their mortal
followers. Instead, when he periodically gains supremacy At the head of such warbands stand the knights of the
in the bitter power struggles of the archfiends, he sends Order of the Fly: those most depraved men and women
forth his deadliest curse. who willingly embrace the Black Grail and whose
devotion Beelzebub finds sufficient. They are granted
Infused with demonic essence from the bowels of weapons, armour and equipment corrupted by the hand
the seventh layer of Hell, where the putrid fortress of of the Archfiend in exchange for sacrifices brought to
Beelzebub stands, spews forth a torrent of demonic the altars of Beelzebub, which these warbands build
hell-flies, scorpions, locusts and other infernal insects. wherever they go, objects of grisly horror constructed
The Hellgate opens and a veritable tidal wave of foulness from the remains of their victims shaped into the form
emerges, flowing across the land at startling speed, of monstrous flies.
consuming everything and leaving indescribable horror
in its wake. After nine days the insect swarm exhausts
itself, devouring its own in its insatiable hunger.
The Black Grail is indiscriminate in its hatred of all living

things: its infections can spread to virtually any living
biological matter, which bursts forth with tumours, boils
and weeping pustules. Puddles and ponds of melted flesh
are left in its wake, endless mouths left screaming in their
agony, for the Black Grail destroys the body but leaves
the mind intact to suffer. The Scientist-Priests of the
Church and the Alchemists of the Sultanate fervently
look for a way to inoculate their people against this
foulest of diseases, but thus far they are without success.
The only answer is to burn the infected settlements with
specially constructed flamethrower tanks that use holy
anointing oil as the fuel for their weapons.
But if this is not done, or the countermeasures are too

late, what happens next is even worse: bodies of men,
horses, dogs, insects and other animals of every kind that
32
33
Heralds of
Beelzebub
T
he polluting effect of the Black Grail is the
gift of Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies. Spread
by the insects bred by his own hand in the
Seventh layer of Hell, it is a tidal wave of
his foulness in the form of demonic vermin,
septicaemia, tainted insects, plague and impurities that
pollute both body and soul.
Entire villages and towns are turned into half-living

slush that bubbles on the ground, an agony of melted
flesh quivering and crying at the multitudinous diseases
granted by the Lord of the Flies. Those caught by the
Black Grail are still aware of the horrible fate that has
befallen them. Specialised units of New Antioch and the
Free State of Prussia are dedicated to responding to these
outbreaks with heavy flamethrower tanks using holy
anointing oil as their fuel.
But some victims of the Black Grail suffer a far worse

fate. They are bestowed with the black honour by
being melded with hell-flies, growing into a grotesque
winged insect made of bloated flesh. After this torturous
metamorphosis they take to air as Heralds of Beelzebub,
the winged squires and scouts of the Order of the Fly.
Their vestigial human bodies are still conscious as they
are slowly eaten from within to be used as fuel by the
Herald, all the while their warped bodies fight for the
glory of Hell against their will.
The Heralds are the vanguard in any assault of the Black

Grail, and the ear-numbing drone of their wings strikes
terror in any defender, breaking their focus and sapping
their willpower. Heralds wield discarded weapons,
contaminated with horrible worms that churn through
them, which in turn infect their victims. Each diseased
bullet has sentience of its own, finding even the smallest
chink in any armour, burrowing into the nervous system
and liquefying the internal organs from within.
34
35
Plague Knight
W
hen the tide of Black Grail comes, their lord come to their ears, and then the mightiest of
many mortals cry out to Beelzebub Plague Knights strike forth, following orders carried out
in their despair, hoping that the Lord by the deafening buzz of trillions of beating wings of
of the Flies would spare them in hell-flies.
exchange for worship and servitude.
But their prayers fall on deaf ears, for the Prince of
Gehenna hates all Creation and only wishes to warp it
into a form pleasing to him and hateful to God.
But there are few mortals, exceedingly rare, who truly

share the vision of Beelzebub and wish the world to end
in a putrid, parasite-infested mass, eternally writhing in
the throes of the endless plagues bestowed upon them
by the Black Grail. Many of them are secret and highly
skilled killers, men and women whose pleasure is to
murder repeatedly, plying their craft in secret, wishing
one day to do it openly. From amongst such twisted
individuals the most depraved are inducted into the
ranks of the unholy Order of the Fly, known as Plague
Knights.
When the Black Grail comes, they come out calmly

and welcome the wave of corruption – not consumed
by it but rather warped into a cadaver-like creature
half-way between life and death. They retain sentience,
intelligence and a dim memory of their past lives,
making them extremely useful at leading the Black Grail
into the isolated farmsteads and remote settlements that
might otherwise escape the clutches of Beelzebub.
The more living creatures a Plague Knight can find and

warp beyond recognition, the higher they will climb
in the ranks of the Order of the Fly, and the greater the
favour they will find in the eyes of Beelzebub.
Amongst their rank there are twelve Plague Knights

of great renown, made in mockery of Paladins of the
Church, great champions of the Fly. They dwell within
Ekron, the city of Beelzebub, a place of such wilting
horror that none dare to approach it, not even the
mightiest of Heretic lords. But sometimes the orders of
36
37
38
39
The Iron Sultanate
W
hen the Infidels opened the thrice- House of Wisdom unleashes its terrifying takwin
cursed Gate to Jahannam, releasing creations upon the foe, and if the need is desperate the
the Gog and Magog upon those who Sultan himself comes forth and his Janissaries march
believe, it seemed that all was lost and with him to do battle, carrying the green flag of the
Shaitan would emerge victorious over Prophet before them.
Dunya. But the Creator of the Universe came to the aid
of the Faithful, and as had been written, the great Iron Thus the protection of the Iron Wall has had an extensive
Wall of Dhu al-Qarnayn manifested itself in the lands influence on the Sultanate Way of war. The conscripted
ruled by the Sultan of Rûm. A call was sent to those who Azebs are experts at feigned flight and skirmish, while
believe righteously, and over the coming decades the the loping Lions of Jabir harass the enemy flanks. All
migration of all the Faithful, second in importance only the while the superb artillery of the Sultan bombards
to the Hijrah of the Prophet himself, took place across the enemy as they make their tortuous journey across
Europa, Asia and Africa. Millions perished on the road the battlefield littered with traps set by the skilled
and at the sea, for the Heretics and their Shaytan lords Sappers. When they reach the ranks of the faithful, the
swarmed them as locusts swarm fields of ripe sesame, Janissaries, Sultan’s elite household troops, close in and
devouring them and building vile monuments and finish the enemy with their devastating counter charge
statues from their limbs and heads, so they could not be led by their Iron-willed officers. Dreaded Assassins from
buried as is decreed in the Holy texts. But once all those Alamut prowl in the winds of time, striking the enemy
who survived the journey had come, the mighty Gates of elites and leaders, while the Alchemists of the House of
al-Qarnayn were closed, and the Great Sultanate of the Wisdom unleash devastating weapons made deadly by
Invincible Iron Wall of the Two Horns that pierce the their elemental mastery, capable of overcoming defences
Sky was formed. of virtually any foe.
The assaults of the slaves of Jahannam against the Beyond the Iron Wall forces of the Sultan operate in
Sultanate have never ceased since that day, and each day small, mobile companies, each with a particular mission
new martyrs are mourned as they defend the Wall and to accomplish. They hunt down apostates that have gone
confront the Heretics who have overcome its defences. to serve Shaytans, look for the relics from the time of
But within the walls, the lost knowledge flourishes and the Prophets, or seek to recover lost treasures and books
from mosques of white marble and gold the muezzin call of knowledge from the ruins of the fallen Caliphates.
the faithful to pray for the success of the Sultan’s army Though an understanding between the Church and the
as it struggles to protect the lands within the wall, and Sultanate on being co-belligerents against Jahannam
defend the caravan trails that provide the Sultanate with exists, the commanders of these expeditions will tolerate
vital trade goods. no interference and do not hesitate to crush those who
would hinder their mission. Resentment against the
The iron wall is the greatest defensive work in the world, infidels who unleashed Gog and Magog runs deep in
a mighty bulwark festooned with the famed artillery the Sultanate, and matters of honour are swiftly resolved
of the Sultan. Azeb sharpshooters stand at ready, ever with duels to the death. Woe to those who dare to hinder
watchful for surprise attacks, and the elite Janissary the mission of Those Who Believe.
regiments have barracks at set intervals near the wall
so they can react to any attack at speed. During a more
serious incursion a full muster of Azebs is called, the
40
“In the name of Allah,

the Compassionating, the
Compassionate! Praise be to
Allah, The Beneficent King, The
Creator of the Universe, Lord of
the Three Worlds, Who set up
The Firmament without Pillars
in its Stead and Who stretched
out the Earth even as a Bed; and
Grace, and Prayer - Blessing be
upon Our Lord Mohammed, Lord
of Apostolic Men, and upon His
Family and Companion-Train;
Prayer and Blessings Enduring
and Grace Which unto The Day of
Doom shall Remain!”
41
Janissary of the Sultanate
T
he janissaries are the Sultanate’s elite
warriors, raised from childhood in the “Glory to the Great Sultan, the
arts of war. Captured during raids upon the
desolate northern and eastern marches Padishah of Rûm, Commander
beyond the Iron Wall, they are subjected
to rigorous martial training and indoctrination from of the Faithful, and Successor
an early age. Through spiritual and alchemical means,
bound by chains unseen, their minds are carefully to the Prophet of the Lord of
conditioned until they attain a complete and unwavering
loyalty to the Sultan, and to him alone. the Universe, Custodian of the
Their physical attributes are augmented by potent elixirs Invincible Iron Wall of the Two
created by the mystic Jabirean arts. Their ornate armour
is forged from the metallic formula that the alchemagi Horns that pierce the Sky which
of the Sultan gleaned from the very Iron Wall that
protects the Sultanate from their enemies. These soldiers protects us from the ravages of
are also protected by powerful talismans crafted by the
blind thaumaturgists from the School of the Meteoric Gog and Magog!”
Omen. Armed with jezail rifles, hand mortars, yataghan
blades and a devotion carved upon their very souls, the
janissaries are formidable opponents indeed.
On the battlefield, Janissaries excel at storming enemy

strongpoints and trenches, crushing elite formations and
acting as the bodyguard for high-ranking individuals.
Though the Sultan uses them sparingly beyond the Iron
Wall (since they also form his personal bodyguard),
some janissaries are sent to the front line to bolster the
cause of the Sublime Gate. In the middle of the mud,
blood and dust of the trenches, their richly decorated
panoply of war creates a beautiful and frightening
spectacle as they charge the enemy lines, with total
conviction that Paradise awaits those who fall in
righteous battle.
42
43
Lion of Jabir
I
n the fabled Sultanate of the Iron Wall, deep In battle the Lions of Jabir are deadly threats and are
beneath the golden gardens of Damascus, used as a vanguard of the host of the Sultanate. The
through the Cavern of the Sleeper and past Sultan himself has a hunting pack of seventy-seven
the Seven Gates of Potentiality, are the enormous Lions of Jabir that guard him day and night,
vast laboratories and metaphysical factories of and accompany him on the battlefield. The speed and
the Alchemists. ferocity of the Lions is nearly unmatched, and some even
have strange powers granted by their alchemical birth.
Using the mysterious Jabirean process called takwin, the Many have armour melded with the flesh and fashioned
alchemists are able to create artificial life, and produce all from alchemical metals, etched with cryptic seals and
manner of strange, wondrous beasts and automatons to sigils, and richly embellished by the Alchemists to hide
delight the masses of the souk, and grace the gardens of the defects in their creations.
the Sultan.
Deeper still, in the darkest and most secret reaches of

the alchemy complex, past the Seven Hidden Gates of
Actuality, are the sanctums where the art and science of
takwin is honed to its most keen and deadly purpose.
Here they make the dreaded Lions of Jabir.
Named after the deadly hunters of the plains, the

Lions of Jabir can take many forms, not all of them
leonine. Each one is a unique masterwork, and they
are grown according to the skills and artistry of the
Jabirean scientist that created them. The esoteric arts
the alchemagi employ are learned through study of
forbidden Books of Solomon, and many alchemists
are killed when their experiments fail or run amok.
However, the Lions are in desperate demand by the army
of Sultanate, so the program continues, regardless of cost
and casualties.
Creating the Lions of Jabir is extremely difficult, and

there are endless variables to consider. Because of this
the Lions are often malformed in some way. Though
still magnificent hunters in war, their malformations
often cause their existence to be one of constant physical
pain and suffering. The truly tragic cases are the Lions
created with human-like intelligence, who are wracked
with existential dread as they realise the horror of their
unnatural origins.
44
45
Jabirean Alchemist
T
he Alchemists are the battlefield mystics The third and final test is opening their Third Eye, the
and artificers of the Great Sultanate of key to cosmic illumination which allows them to see the
the Iron Wall, schooled in the hidden building blocks of Creation and thus be able to ensure
knowledge of the legendary Smaragdine that the elements they use are in perfect balance. Those
Tablet within the House of Wisdom. that fail their final test are horribly changed. Their Third
Admission is open to any with will and intellect deemed Eye swells to nightmare proportions and melds with
sufficient, be they man or woman. their original pair, driving the aspirant mad during the
process of their deformation. They spend the rest of their
To become an Alchemist is no easy task: they undergo pitiful lives screaming of the unseen horrors all around
many trials on their path to mastery. First are the now revealed to them. Out of mercy, alchemists that fail
countless lessons of the newly initiated – studying in this way are often put down, but there are rumours
the Jabirean Corpus, translating the Keys of Solomon of cabals of these living failures kept alive for reasons
and learning all the Fundamental Disciplines of their unknown.
primaeval science. Only after seven years of study, under
the watchful and exacting eyes of the High Alchemagi, is An Alchemist that has passed all three trials is
an aspirant allowed to attempt the Three Trials required formidable indeed: a master of esoteric powers, able to
for full membership in the Order. control fire and ice, metal and liquid; capable of creating
intricate mechanical devices and artificial life as well
The first trial is to create a suit of Alchemist’s armour as weapons of calamitous potency. In exchange for the
which protects against harm. This is an essential tool of freedom to practise their arts, the Alchemists supply
their craft, festooned with the Seals of Solomon which the Sultanate with the peerless Jabirean battle lions,
enables them to bend the elements of Creation to their and serve on the front lines where their devastating
will and shields them even from the devices of Hell. alchemical compounds melt the flesh from the bones
of enemies of the Believers, dissolving through even the
Next, they must create a takwin servant, a Homunculus toughest armour.
creature of artificial life and intellect. If the candidate
manages to follow the complex formula, as well as the
intricate timing and temperature requirements, the
creature will emerge after forty days of toil. It will act as
the Alchemist’s living tool of creation, for their hands
have fine motor skills well beyond even the nimblest
craftsman. Vaguely shaped like a small human, it can
change the consistency of its body to an almost liquid-
like slime to squeeze into alchemical chambers to do
their master’s bidding in extreme temperatures and in
the fog of poisonous chemical fumes. Many aspirants fail
here and their creation emerges from its golden celestial
sphere a deformed monstrosity, filled with hatred
towards its creator. It burrows itself into the Alchemist’s
body to consume it from within, wearing its would-be
master as a skin.
46
47
Sultanate Assassin
T
hey go by many names: Ghost Wolves, depths of Alamut. These weapons are imbued with the
the Secret Knives, Subtle Vipers, the Supreme Poison: The Milk of Manat, also known as
Sultan’s Wrath. Whatever they are called, The Cup of Death. A simple touch of these blades upon
assassins of the sultanate instil terror in the unprotected flesh is certain death, as the body of the
hearts of even the most dauntless. victim turns black and rots from within over the course
of several excruciating seconds.
Assassins are a legendary order of mystic warriors,
notorious the world over for their esoteric arts and In Cthonic chambers deep below the surface,
ruthlessness. Atop a forbidding mountain broods the generations of young assassins are raised, where they
onyx fortress, Alamut the Unconquerable. Behind are fed an awful, bitter diet rich with strange toxins.
its shadowed walls great secrets are hoarded by the Generation by generation, their tolerance grows, until
ancient magi. Some say that the founder of the Order the blood of these willing vessels is drawn and then
of Assassins, Rashid ad-Din Sinan, best known as the smelted into a poisonous iron. The iron is forged into
Old man of the Mountain, still holds his court here. A wicked, curving blades and deadly spells of slaying are
preposterous rumour, naturally, since that would make layered into each fold of the toxic metal. Finally the
him close to eight centuries old. red-hot blades are quenched in the venom of the pale,
unnatural offspring of a basilisk and manticore. Thus the
Though the Isma’ili Sect of Assassins is seen as heretical blood of the first generation of Assassins still lives to this
by many within the lands of the Iron Wall, a pact forged day, growing more potent with each generation.
between Sultan and the Mountain ensures that the
warbands of the believers often include one of these
supreme killers in their service.
Assassins are able to bend space and time using sacred

rituals and powerful hallucinogens discovered by magi
of the order. With this esoteric power they prowl
behind enemy lines, hunting their targets with merciless
efficiency. They can seemingly appear in two places at
once, strike an enemy with startling speed and then
travel back in time to a moment a few heartbeats before,
safe from any retaliation.
They do this in service of their Sultan, whose enemies

they are charged to destroy in a form of ritual holy
murder. To carry out this task, the assassins are painfully
altered by many powerful unguents, chemicals and
potions. They stand much taller than a normal man and
are many times as fast and strong.
Though adept with all manner of weapons, assassins

favour the poisoned blades forged in the unknown
48
49
Azebs
T
he lands of the Sultanate are vast, and Many Azebs meet a terrible end in the cruel wars in the
many armies can be raised from the Trenches, and other return broken in mind and body,
multitude of the provinces, where one but there are always new, hot-blooded recruits willing
household in twenty is required to arm to risk it all for the Sultan, a chance to kill the hated
and equip a soldier to serve the ruler of followers of Shaitan, and return to home as heroes with
those who believe. Most such soldiers are known as fabulous stories and glittering gold.
Azebs (meaning ‘unmarried’, as those with families
cannot become Azebs), who serve as the light infantry
on both land and the sea, as well as guarding the Great
Iron Wall against the Heretic assaults. When an elite
force is sent beyond the Wall to strike at the enemy or
look for holy artifacts, the recruiters of the Sultan call
for volunteers to join the leaders of such expeditions.
Though the missions into No Man’s Land are dangerous,
there are always plenty of Azeb who step forward:
there is fame to be won, and chance a-plenty to acquire
valuable loot.
Weaponry of the Azebs varies a great deal, as they do not

have access to the superb arms, armour and alchemical
marvels the elite household troops of the Sultan such as
janissaries and Cataphracts do. Most carry Jezzails with
a distinctive curved stock. These are handmade weapons,
and consequently they vary widely in their construction.
Jezzails are very personal weapons, well-crafted and their
distinct curved stocks are intricately decorated.
These long arms can be loaded with all manner of

ammunition: fired roughened bullets, long iron nails or
even alchemically treated slivers of the Great Iron Wall.
This makes jezzails highly adaptable, and less dependent
on easily depleted ammo.
Other weapons and equipment include curved daggers

and scimitars, pistols and sappers’ equipment. Armour
is rare: Azebs are often used by their superiors as light
skirmishers tie harass and tie down the enemies while
the heavier troops close in for the kill. Their superiors see
little reason to waste expensive armour on troops that
fall in great numbers and are easily replaceable – Paradise
awaits those who die for their faith, after all.
50
51
Yüzbaşı Captain
M
ilitary expeditions over the Great Iron powers of Shaitan.
Wall into No Man’s Land carry many
risks, and their commanders are field Success brings Yüzbaşı the favour of the Sultan and along
officers known as Yüzbaşı. They are with it honour, splendid weaponry of Damascus steel,
expected to lead from the front and gold dinars aplenty and access to the wondrous devices
their selection is solely on merit, with no consideration and creatures created by the Jabirean alchemists in the
given to family pedigree or wealth. Many are promoted House of Wisdom. Hunting is a noble pursuit within
from the ranks of the Janissary corps. the ranks of the officer corps, and artificial birds of prey
and automaton hounds double as potent weapons of war
Their bodies are enhanced by the Jabirean alchemical and are brought along to the front to aid their masters
arts and their minds conditioned by the mystics, at war.
allowing them to face any foe unflinchingly. The
downside of the mystic mental hardening is their utter
disregard for pain and their cold ruthlessness on the
battlefield. Casualties, both their own and those of the
enemy, as well as those non-combatants who believe, are
purely utilitarian to Yüzbaşı. For is it not just to send
heretics to Jahannam, while the warriors who fall in
battle will wake in Paradise, as has been promised?
Under the orders of a powerful pasha or emir, or even

the Sultan himself, the Yüzbaşı assumes the command of
an elite squad of warriors to fulfil their task, such as to
reclaim holy artefacts lost during the catastrophic period
when Heretics took the Levant by storm. Other times,
they are told to find and eliminate powerful foes, such as
Heretic nobles who were once subjects of the Sultan but
have turned their backs to Allah.
Yüzbaşı are equipped with superb armour of meteoric

iron, the finest carbines gilded with silver and loaded
with alchemical shot, and carry kilij swords of the
past heroes of Sultanate, where great deeds of old are
inscribed with golden calligraphy. If they serve the
Sublime Gate well, their name and glory will be etched “I am the son of many chiefs. My
on the blade as well to inspire future generations.
sword is sharp and terrible. It is
The strongest carry the dreaded hand cannons which
double as deadly halberds. If they are hunters of the mightiest of things when the
distinction, they wear pelts of their greatest kills, such
as chimeras, as cloaks, which offer protection from the cauldron of war boils fiercely.”
52
53
Brazen Bull
“It is with artillery that the Sultan

makes his arguments known.”
D
ue to the protection afforded by the Iron
Wall, the Sultanate has always maintained
excellence in artillery. However, the siege
guns and heavy mortars that defend Those
Who Believe on the ramparts of the Wall
are far too cumbersome for small expeditionary forces.
Thus in the year of the Hijrah 821, Sultan Bayezid III
commissioned a new creature of war to act as living field
artillery.
To fulfil this decree the Jabirean scientists of the Royal

Artillery House have laboured for centuries to perfect
the divine art of takwin. In their secret laboratories
they performed countless experiments, learning many
precious and costly lessons in the process. They have
devised many things, but none more clever or ingenious
than the Brazen Bull, called Boğa by the soldiery of the
Sultanate.
The Brazen Bull is a monstrous being of immense power

and vitality, capable of tearing even the bastard child of a
devil clean in half. The Sultan’s armourers equip the Bulls
with heavy artillery that even the superhuman Janissaries
cannot lift, let alone use in battle: flame cannons, volley
guns and holy blades blessed by the Word of the Great
Protector.
Encasing its mighty frame is exquisitely decorated

bronze armour of thrice hardened scales, covered in
talismans of protection and the Grace of the Creator.
On the battlefields beyond the Iron Wall, the Brazen
Bull is an awesome and terrifying sight. It is a single-
minded, fearless walking bulwark, a tower and shield
which the war parties of the Sultanate rally behind. Such
is the power of their weapons that the very earth shakes
with their pounding, disrupting the enemy advance even
when they fail to slay their target.
54
55
56
Join us in the trenches,

pilgrim:
www.trenchcrusade.com
57

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TRENCH CRUSADE LORE SAMPLER

This is a work of fiction. Trench Crusade is intended for mature audiences.

Trench Crusade and all artwork copyright © 2024 Mike Franchina

This is the Trench Crusade.

Join us in the trenches, pilgrim:

A Brief & Incomplete Timeline

1870 – Launched from Gibraltar, the Heretic

1872 – Heretic forces storm the city of Rijeka. It is

1894 – The Year of Broken Trinity. The Death

1899 – Church Space Program commences.

1910 – Battle of Cordoba. A Bloody stalemate. Heretic

1914 – The present day. Both sides are preparing for

Elite forces have even more advanced and esoteric

The accompanying picture shows the Trench Pilgrims

“The rifle and the trench club are

devils that has allowed the Principality to stand to this

As the nominal supreme commander of all the Faithful

In recent years the Duke has despatched small forces

The Observers diligently practise the recitation of

“The skies shall darken, the ground

in the memory of the saint they venerate. The Theban

Trench Pilgrims of the Procession of the Sacred

The first Anchorites were built a long time ago in the

Later innovations of the Engineering Foundry of New

The pilot monk or nun, once installed, never leaves the

of abyssal fires. The blackened and burnt flesh of the

Yet some who witness go even further in their depraved

Though the vast bulk of the Heretic Legions are made

Heretic Death Commandos

Barracked in the Seventh Circle of Inferno, they are

Their specially forged Tartarus Claws are quenched in

Once their training is complete, the Death Commandos

Such supplicants go to one of the black altars of Heretic

Most such wretches go to their doom in the Lake of Fire,

As their severed heads sing their agonising hymns, the

The Cult of the Black Grail

The Black Grail is indiscriminate in its hatred of all living

But if this is not done, or the countermeasures are too

Entire villages and towns are turned into half-living

But some victims of the Black Grail suffer a far worse

The Heralds are the vanguard in any assault of the Black

But there are few mortals, exceedingly rare, who truly

When the Black Grail comes, they come out calmly

The more living creatures a Plague Knight can find and

Amongst their rank there are twelve Plague Knights

The Iron Sultanate

“In the name of Allah,

Janissary of the Sultanate

On the battlefield, Janissaries excel at storming enemy

Deeper still, in the darkest and most secret reaches of

Named after the deadly hunters of the plains, the

Creating the Lions of Jabir is extremely difficult, and

Assassins are able to bend space and time using sacred

They do this in service of their Sultan, whose enemies

Though adept with all manner of weapons, assassins

Weaponry of the Azebs varies a great deal, as they do not

These long arms can be loaded with all manner of

Other weapons and equipment include curved daggers

Under the orders of a powerful pasha or emir, or even

Yüzbaşı are equipped with superb armour of meteoric