Note: The contents of this chapter may, at some point in the future, have to be reduced from that which you see present. If that becomes the case, it will still contain basic information that could be ferreted out from the same sources I used to compile the Project, but not as much gap-filler, unofficial material as is here at present. The reason for the potentiality of removing this information is that a sourcebook that might, just possibly, get published sometime is in development at this time, that may yet (we still don't know quite yet) contain some as yet unofficial information broadly similar to some of that that presented here. Due to publishing constraints, and to keep open the possibility of publishing that information, I reserve the right to remove it from view here in due course.
A timeline history of the goblinoids, mostly compiled from information in the
following books:
WFB4 Skaven Army book
WFB4 Dogs of War Army book
WFB4 Wood Elf Army book
WFB4 Undead Army book
WFB4 Dwarfs Army book
WFB4 Bretonnian Army book
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book
WFB6 Orc and Goblin Army book
WFRP rulebook
Dwarfs: Stone and Steel
Shadows over Bogenhafen
Compiled 10/11/2002
Dates are in Imperial Calendar
----
Date Event
-c4500 The coming of Chaos.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel]
Rarely told goblinoid legends recount of bright objects in the sky
over the Darklands, sometimes falling to earth, depending on the
account. The shamans call this "The Coming", though whether of the
goblinoids or possibly their gods is unclear and the shamans appear
to make no distinction between the two concepts. The shamans believe
this to be the beginning of the goblinoid race.
The ancestors of the goblinoid race develop under the influence of
Chaos and magic. Some tribes develop highly mutated, others merely
develop a high degree of innate biological adaptability that helps the
races survival.
-c3000 The first goblinoids, as they would be recognised today, evolve in the
Darklands. The goblinoids explorer and populate the Darklands.
-c2000 Goblinoids, mostly Hobgoblin tribes, travel east to the lands of Ind
and Cathay. Some settle there. Many Hobgoblin tribes, including the
Mournguls of Hobgobla Khan, settle to the north and east of the
Darklands in the Mountains of Mourn and the Steppes beyond.
-1500 Earthquakes rock the Worlds Edge Mountains, awakening volcanos and
opening up the mountain passes. Goblinoids pour over the lands west
of the Worlds Edge Mountains, loot the remaining Elven cities and
attack many Dwarfen strongholds, as the Skaven attack the Dwarfen
empire from under the earth. The Goblin Wars begin as Karak Ungor
(later to be known as Red Eye Mountain) falls to Night Goblins.
Goblinoids first enter the Badlands.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-1499 Karak Varn is flooded and destroyed by Night Goblins and Skaven.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book]
-1498 Badlands overrun by the goblinoids. Dwarf mines of Ekrund in the
Dragonback mountains fall to the Orcs and Ekrund is named Mount
Bloodfang by the Orcs. Galleys from Barak Varr control the Black Gulf
and repel further goblinoid attacks. The watchtowers of Mad Dog Pass
are all either abandoned or fall to the goblinoids.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-1457 Mad Dog Pass and Mount Gunbad fall to the greenskins. Mount Gunbad is
further fortified by the occupying greenskins. Dwarfs from the
Dragonbacks settle in the Vaults.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-1387 The Silver Road Wars between Dwarfs and goblinoids begin. After 20
years, the mines of Mount Silverspear fall to Orc Warlord Urk
Grimfang, who renames it Mount Grimfang.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-1250 Thunder Mountain erupts, driving Orcs, Goblins and Trolls northwards.
They attack Dwarf prospectors and miners. This period is known to the
Dwarfs as the Troll Wars.
[WFB4 Dwarfs Army book]
-1245 Dwarfs regain control of area between Karak Kadrin and Mad Dog Pass.
Attempts to recapture goblinoid held Mount Gunbad and Silverspear fail
after initial Dwarf successes, Mount Gunbad helped by Orc
reinforcements arriving and Mount Silverspear is defended by a horde
of Trolls and Ogres.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book]
-c1200 Nagash the Black excavates the Cursed Pit. Goblinoids flee west to
escape the necromantic evil that grips the south. Some goblinoid
tribes are lured into the Cursed Pit by Skaven for use in experiments.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, WFB4 Skaven Army book]
-1185 Dwarfen Runesmith Kadrin Redmane leads an expedition which retakes
Karak Varn. Dwarfs mine the rich vein of Gromril discovered by Redmane.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-1147 In the Badlands, still a fractured land with wandering human tribes,
Kadon, shaman of the human Lodringen folk, finds the crown of Nagash
on the body of the once mighty King Alcadizaar of Khemri. He builds
a burial mound to Alcadizzar and founds a city there, calling it
Morgheim (meaning "Place of Death"). The civilisation blossoms and
soon stretches from the Black Gulf to th edge of the Marshes of
Madness. Colonies are established in the area that will later become
known as the Border Princes. The goblinoids are pushed out of the
Badlands into the Worlds Edge Mountains and Darklands.
[Undead Army book]
-1136 Dwarf Runesmith Redmane is ambushed and killed by Orcs while leading a
mule train of Gromril ore. Orcs and Skaven force the Dwarfs out of
Karak Varn.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-1130 Morgheim grows increasingly corrupt and associates increasingly with
to necromancy and, as some ancient sources say, vampirism. Citadels and
-1030 barrows are built across the length of the Badlands.
[Undead Army book]
-1125 Battle of the Glade of Woe. A horde of Orcs and Goblins invading the
Loren Forest is wiped out.
[Wood Elf Army book]
-1020 Warlord Dork Redeye forms a goblinoid force in the mountains and
attacks Morgheim, destroying the civilisation and allowing the
Badlands to be overrun by the goblinoids once more. Kadon himself is
slain by Dork Redeye. The Crown of Nagash is carried northwards out
of the Badlands by Kadons chief disciple as he flees. Many ancient
barrows and burial sites are left, many of the cities and citadels
of the civilisation of Morgheim gradually turn to ruin in time.
[Undead Army book]
-975 Dwarf attempt to recapture Red Eye Mountain (Karak Ungor) fails.
The Dwarfs give up their attempted reconquests and concentrate on
fortification and consolidation for the next few hundred years.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-750 Red Cloud Goblin tribe attack on Karak Vlag fails. They go on to
attack and partially occupy Karak Azul over ten years of hard fighting
before being forced out by the Dwarfs.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-c600 Vorag Bloodytooth, the first and only Ghoul King, leads an army of
Ghouls that overrun and nearly destroy the Red Cloud tribe. The
survivors are enslaved and forced to build the fortress of Vorag to
the east of the Plain of Bones. Vorag then turns his attention on the
Grey Hag Goblins, who are forced to retreat to their mountain
stronghold. Whilst besieging it, Vorag is killed by a lucky Bolt
Thrower shot and the Ghoul army disbands.
[WFB4 Undead Army book]
-513 Karak Eight Peaks falls to greenskins and Skaven. Its captors fight
for control of what remains for years.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-469 Orc Warlord Dork destroys and abandons Karak Azgal. Three years later
he attacks and captures and occupies Karak Drazh (Carag Oran) and
renames it Black Crag. Except for Karak Azul, which remains under
constant seige, the lands between Mad Dog Pass and Fire Mountain are
dominated by the goblinoids.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-380 Orc Warlord Urgok "Beard Burner" (as the Dwarfs call him) leads the
Orc hordes northwards and attacks Karaz-a-Karak. Many smaller Dwarf
settlements are overwhelmed and Dwarf High King Logan Proudbeard is
captured by the Orcs. The greenskins are driven back from
Karaz-a-Karak but continue to rampage until defeated a year later in
the Battle of Black Water.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
-c350 Skaven overrun Crookback Mountain in the Darklands and enslave
several tribes of Night Goblins living there.
[WFB4 Skaven Army book]
-234 Human armies from the southern Old World defeat Orc tribes
along the Badlands coast of the Black Gulf.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel]
-25 Hobgoblin invasion of Cathay is driven back.
[WFB 2]
-15 Dwarf King Kurgan Ironbeard is attacked by Orcs and saved by Sigmar,
prince of the human Uberogens tribe. Kurgan repays Sigmar with the
warhammer Ghal-Maraz.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book]
-8 Sigmar becomes chief of his fathers tribe and unites the other human
tribes in war against the goblinoids.
[Shadows over Bogenhafen]
-1 Battle of Black Fire Pass. Sigmar leads an alliance of humans and
Dwarfs and crushes a massive goblinoid army. Fleeing greenskins head
for the Darklands. A year later Sigmar is crowned Emperor. Human and
Dwarf armies successfully keep the goblinoids at bay for several years.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book]
50 Sigmar abdicates and disappears in the Worlds Edge Mountains.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel]
475 Orc hordes invade Tilea, destroying many settlements.
[WFB4 Dogs of War Army book]
491 Tilean effort to drive the Orcs out of Tilea begin.
[WFB4 Dogs of War Army book]
577 Orc tribes demand tribute from the Bretonni tribes in the lands to the
east of the Empire, but are refused. Conflicts for land soon break out.
[WFB4 Bretonnian Army book]
977 Gilles le Breton conquers the lands west of the Grey Mountains and
creates the land of Bretonnia. The goblinoids retreat to the Grey
mountains and northern forests under pressure from the new Bretonnian
armies.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, WFB4 Bretonnian Army book]
978 Tilean efforts bear fruit as the Orcs are eventually driven out of
Tilea.
[WFB4 Dogs of War Army book]
1022 Some of Bretonnia's nobility and their retinue carve out their own
petty realms in the Border Princes. Trade is established between
these Bretonnians and the Dwarfs of Barak Varr.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel]
1032 Skalf Dragonslayer kills the dragon Graug the Terrible and claims
the kingship of Karak Azgal. The Dwarfs make no attempt to
recapture the hold, still infested with greenskins and Skaven, but
instead establish a town in the valley below the old hold entrance.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book]
1142 Guillaume Barbenoire, the third Bretonnian king, defeats a large Orc
army at the Battle of Armandur and drives out the last of the Orcs
from northern Bretonnia.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, WFB4 Bretonnian Army book]
1452 First Battle of Blood River, where Bretonnian and Empire knights
making their way to Araby defeat the local Goblinoid tribes that bar
their way. Some knights stay and carve out lands for themselves in the
Border Princes.
[WFB4 Bretonnian Army book]
c1705 Gorbad Ironclaw defeats the Crusher Zogoth and unites the Iron Claw
and Broken Tooth tribe at the fortress of Iron Rock, taking Black
Crag, which was previously held by the Broken Tooth Orcs.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
1707 Orc Warlord Gorbad Ironclaw invades the Empire from Black Fire Pass
and devastates the land. The Runefang of Solland is taken by the
Orcs. Altdorf is held to seige and Emperor Sigismund is killed in the
fighting. Five years later Altdorf is freed from seige, the Orc army
disperses and Gorbad dies.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
1715 Elements of Gorbads army make their way over the Grey Mountains, and
are summarily slaughtered by Bretonnian knights.
[WFB4 Bretonnian Army book]
The Goblin hold later known as Gnashraks Lair is attacked by a Chaos
horde led by the Khornate champion Kastagrar. Every single Goblin is
wiped out, and Kastagrar is elevated to Daemonhood for his actions.
[WFB 2?]
2201 The Errantry Wars begin when Louen Orc Slayer, the King of Bretonnia,
declares his intention to rid Bretonnia of Orcs. Over the next
century Bretonnian territory is gradually cleared of Orcs who take to
the mountains and forests.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, WFB4 Bretonnian Army book]
2202 Orcs chased out of Bretonnia during the Errantry Wars attempt to
escape by hiding in the Forest of Loren where they are ambushed and
overwhelmed by Wood Elves.
[WFB4 Wood Elf Army book]
2205 Battle of Black Falls ends in rout of greenskin army against the
Dwarfs after High King Alrik and Goblin Warlord Gorkil Eye Gouger are
slain.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book]
2302 The Great War against Chaos. Many tribes are displaced from their
homes in the north. Some join the Chaos hordes, whilst others fight
against it.
[Unknown source, though the Great War against Chaos is confirmed to
occur at 2302]
2374 Margraf Frederik wages war with the Iron Claw tribe at the edge of the
Border Princes. After years of fighting the Iron Claws are soundly
beaten and retreat to the hills.
[Unknown source]
2390 The Battle of Rutgarburg. Forces led by Rutgar defeat the remnants of
the Iron Claw tribe, from which they do not recover.
[Unknown source]
c2400 Goblin Warlord Grom the Paunch consumes Troll meat that massively
expands his girth. He comes to power over the Broken Axe tribe,
living at the eastern end of Mad Dog Pass. Within 10 years he
conquers the other tribes along Mad Dog Pass and subjugates the Night
Goblin tribes in and around Thunder Mountain.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, p.10]
2401 In Tilea, a huge Orc horde holds Monte Castello to siege. Tilean
history records that 500 mercenaries hold out against 10,000 Orcs.
[WFB4 Dogs of War Army book]
c2410 Grom leads his horde over Black Fire Pass and northwards along the
Dwarf held highlands. He destroys several small Dwarfholds and loots
the tombs of Dwarf ancestors.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, p.10]
2420 Grom defeats a Dwarf army in the Battle of Iron Gate. He then
commences a four year rampage through the north and east of the Empire
before building a fleet and departing to sea, sinking several ships of
the Imperial navy fleet. The port of Marienburg, by luck or
providence, is saved as Groms fleet is blown westwards in a violent
and unexpected storm towards the Elven lands of Ulthuan.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
Bretonnian King Charles announces his intention to carry the Errantry
Wars east into the Border Princes and beyond. Bretonnians win a huge
victory against Orcs at the Blood River, and more settlers move east
into the Border Princes.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, WFB4 Bretonnian Army book]
2425 Grom's fleet lands at Ulthuan, where they ravage the kingdom of Yvresse
before being defeated by an army led by the Elven hero Eltharion at
Tor Yvresse. Grom's fate is uncertain.
Years later news comes back to the Old World of his defeat at the
hands of the High Elves.
[WFB4 High Elf Army book]
2473 Belegar, a Dwarf descendent of a former king, declares himself king of
Karak Eight Peaks and resettles part of the now ruined hold, though
initially setting out only to recover Dwarfen treasures from the
ruins. He remains under seige from the Goblin Warlord Skarsnik of the
Crooked Moon Goblin tribe from above, and from the Skaven from below.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
2488 The Battle of Death Pass. A Bretonnian army is defeated by Morglum
Necksnapper. The Bretonnian king declares the Errantry Wars at an end.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, WFB4 Bretonnian Army book]
2498 The Battle of the Jaws. Dwarfs led by Duregar head south from
Karaz-a-Karak to reinforce the Dwarfs at Karak Eight Peaks. Hearing
that the western approaches to Karak Eight Peaks are held by the Red
Fang Orcs of Gorfang Rotgut, Duregar decides to cross the Worlds Edge
Mountains and approach Karak Eight Peaks from the east. He defeats an
an Orc army entering the western end of Mad Dog Pass.
Ambushed later at the East Gate of Karak Eight Peaks by Goblin Warlord
Skarsnik, the Dwarfs are reinforced by Belegar from the west and the
combined force fights its way back into the ruined Dwarfhold, though
taking heavy losses.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
Skarsnik launches attacks against Barak Varr, Karak Azul and
throughout the Badlands over the next three years.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, p.13]
2500 Orc Warlord Grishnak unites the goblinoids of the eastern Worlds Edge
Mountains and leads a huge army along the Silver Road towards
Karaz-a-Karak.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
2502 An immense Dwarf army masses at Zhufbar, marching through the Worlds
Edge Mountains and pushing the Goblinoids back. This leads up to the
decisive Battle of Mad Dog Pass, where both sides suffer heavy
casualties.
[Unknown source]
Wurrzag Ud Ura Zahubu, a low status Savage Orc of the Bone Nose tribe,
is expelled from the tribe by the shaman Wizzbang out of jealousy when
he starts to develop shamanistic powers.
[WFB6 Orc and Goblin Army book establishes this happened, p.68,
date is a guess]
2503 An Orc army under Gorfang Rotgut beseiges Barak Varr and later joins
up with goblinoids led by Morglum Necksnapper to attack Karak Azul,
loot the Dwarfhold and capture many of the Dwarf King Kazadors family.
They leave his son, Kazrik, shaved and nailed to the throne as a final
insult. The greenskins esacpe with their captives to Black Crag. The
Broken Nose Goblins tribe gets away from Karak Azul with Skull Crusher,
the magical Dwarfen stone thrower.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book. Information on Skull Crusher based on
information from Citadel boxes and inferment from WFRP rulebook]
2504 The Broken Nose Goblins discover Lead Belcher, a Dwarfen multiple
cannon, in Karak Azgal. Together with the magical Dwarfen trebuchet
Skull Crusher, it helps the tribe rise in prominence in the Badlands.
[Based on information from Citadel boxes and inferment from
WFRP rulebook]
c2510 Azhag the Slaughterer, chieftain of a small Orc tribe from the Troll
Country, is attacked by marauding Chaos warbands on the edge of the
northern wastes. The tribe is forced into the ruins of Todtheim,
where after he finds the Crown of Nagash in the treasure hoard of a
Chaos Troll. Azhags horde moves east into the Worlds Edge Mountains
and over the next two years makes its way south towards Red Eye
Mountain.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, p.8]
2507 Blue Face Orcs gain control over the trade route that passes between
the Badlands coast and the Dragonback mountains. They charge tolls to
all groups that travel along the route, often multiple times along the
route with threat of violence. They also hold some of the lands of
the Border Princes on the edge of the Black Gulf.
[WFB6 Orc and Goblin Army book establishes this happened, map p.4,
date is a guess]
2508 Wurrzag Ud Ura Zahubu, now a Savage Orc Great Shaman, returns to the
Bone Nose tribe where he smites the shaman Wizzbang who expelled him
from the tribe and transforms him into a Squig. Wurrzag then leaves,
saying he's off to find the famously mythical Once and Future Git who
will unite the Orcs. Some of the tribe follow him. Among those that
remain with Warboss Gablag Nosebreaker, a Savage Orc named Wooshum
develops shaman powers and takes over shamanhood of the tribe.
[WFB6 Orc and Goblin Army book establishes this happened, pp.69,73,
dates are a guess]
2509 The Bone Nose Orcs, led by Gablag Nosebreaker, ambush an Imperial
sponsored research expedition in the Badlands, south of the Marshes
of Madness.
[WFB6 Orc and Goblin Army book establishes this happened, map p.4,
date is are a guess]
2510 Dwarf Lord Ungrim Ironfist of Karak Kadrin defeats the rampaging Orcs
lead by Orc Warlord Grishnak in the Battle of Broken Leg Gully.
[Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, WFB4 Dwarfs Army book,
WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
2511 The Mere Goblins of Crag Mere attack Imperial forces at Black Fire
Pass. They are forced to retreat back along Black Fire Pass to Crag
Mere as Imperial reinforcements threaten to wipe the tribe out.
Imperial scouts attempt to follow the retreating Goblins but lose
them in the mountains.
[WFB6 Orc and Goblin Army book tells us they are famous, this is my
present take on why]
2512 WFRP present day.
The Tzar of Kislev and Chancellor Dachs of Ostermark worry over the
growing horde of Orc Warlord Azhag the Slaughterer massing in the
Worlds Edge Mountains and moving southwards towards Red Eye Mountain.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book, with information from
Shadows Over Bogenhafen]
Broken Nose Goblins, in possession of Skull Crusher and Lead Belcher
from the Dwarfs, build up power in the Badlands, based around Karak
Azul. The Crooked Moon Goblins, lead by Skarsnik, continue to hold
Karak Eight Peaks, Karak Azul and Barak Varr to siege. Skarsniks
power continues to grow and clashes with the Broken Nose Goblins
and Red Fang Orcs grow more frequent.
[WFRP Rulebook, WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book,
WFB6 Orc and Goblin Army book]
Blue Face Orcs continue to control the trade route that passes between
the the Badlands coast and the Dragonback mountains, as well as parts
of the Border Princes coast.
[WFB6 Orc and Goblin Army book establishes this happened, map p.4,
date is a guess]
----
N.B. 2512 is the present day of the Enemy Within campaign in WFRP.
Thus the following additive text to the last entry predicts time three
years in advance.
2512 Azhag the Slaughterer, his horde in the Worlds Edge Mountains to the
east of Kislev, takes into his horde the enthusiastic Red Eye tribes
of Red Eye Mountain before holing up for the winter of 2512. In the
thaws of spring he leads a huge army of Orcs and Night Goblins into
the Empire where he wreaks carnage in first Ostermark and then
elsewhere in the east of the Empire. Three years later he is finally
met and defeated at the battle of Osterwald.
[WFB4 Orc and Goblin Army book]
---
Other:
???? Notlob arrives in Black Fire Pass.
[Citadel Regiments of Renown]
???? Notlob invents the Bolt Thrower.
[Citadel Regiments of Renown]
???? Harboths Black Mountain Boyz join in an uneasy partnership with Notlob
in Black Fire Pass, together ruling the pass like iron. The two
become Orcs of renown the length and breadth of the Badlands, and
feared by the Dwarfs and the Empire.
[Citadel Regiments of Renown]
???? Notlob leaves Black Fire Pass to hunt Dwarfs. Due to an unfortunate
misunderstanding between the tribes, Harboth takes this as an insult
and the two tribes go their separate ways as Harboth leaves Black Fire
Pass to terrorise the lands beyond.
[Citadel Regiments of Renown]