Jabberwock: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Well, it’s not original to WFRP, of course. The beast was born in Lewis Carroll’s poem Jabberwocky, and its image was established for all time by Sir John Tenniel’s illustration from 1897.
Nick Bibby’s Jabberwock miniature was advertised in the first Citadel Journal, which was published in Spring 1985. Following my policy of covering every Citadel miniature I could find, I wrote it up for the Bestiary chapter of the WFRP first edition rulebook.
Nick Bibby’s Jabberwock (right), with a Ral Partha Jabberwock mini of similar vintage.
I don’t think the Jabberwock appeared in any official Warhammer publication outside of the WFRP 1st edition rulebook, the Warhammer 3rd edition rulebook, and a handful of miniatures ads – but if you know better, drop me a comment!
Here is my re-imagining of the beast for WFRP 4th edition. Needless to say, what follows is extremely unofficial, completely optional, and does not constitute any challenge to copyrights held by Games Workshop, Cubicle 7, or anyone else.
The Jabberwock
The Incursions of Chaos have produced thousands of strange creatures. Living in the deepest forests, the Jabberwock is little seen – at least, by those who live to tell of it – and it is known mainly through local rumours and the distant sound of its burbling cry.
The Jabberwock stands over 12 feet high, and can move by running on all fours or walking on its hind legs. All four limbs are equipped with sharp claws, and its mouth is armed with long, chisel-like teeth. They are very aggressive, but rather stupid.
The Jabberwock’s wings are too small to allow it to fly. It can only bounce along or jump a few feet into the air. Their flapping makes a thrumming, whiffling sound which can be disconcerting.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | I | Ag | Dex | Int | WP | Fel | W |
| 6 | 79 | 0 | 55 | 65 | 20 | 40 | 15 | 15 | 85 | – | 100 |
Traits: Arboreal, Belligerent, Bite +9, Bounce, Claws (2) +10, Distracting (Noise), Hungry, Night Vision, Size (Enormous), Stride, Stupid, Tail +8
Optional: Corruption (Minor), Fear 1, Horns +6, Mutation, Regenerate, Stomp, Territorial, Venom (Challenging)
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Graeme Davis 
Do you know the adventure “Mad Men of Gotheim” for the 4th edition?
Yes. The Jabberslythe is an original GW creation, similar to the Jabberwock in some ways but different in others.
Create a link between Jabberslythe and Jabberwock to the background could be intersting.
—
Dreadaxe
The thought crossed my mind, but I decided against it. It just felt too on the nose.
A Jabberslythe could conceivably by a diminutive, heavily-mutated Jabberwock, but then again, the creatures of Chaos are infinite in their variety so there is no absolute need for a connection.
OK, this is exactly what I suggested. I would like to ask about something: I am curious if English words “jabberwock(y)” and “jabberslythe” are synonymical.
I translated that adventure into Polish for Polish publisher. I almost finished because of a Karl Hlodwig’s poem entitled “Jabberslythe” which I’m struggling with. It’s very hard to convey it in a foreign language.
Best,
Given that they are both nonsense words, you could say that they are similar.
“Jabber” is an onomatopoeic word for incoherent chatter, such as that of monkeys, but “wock” is meaningless and “slythe” suggests slithering but is also meaningless in itself.
I don’t envy anyone who has to translate an English nonsense poem into another language!
Thank you, this remark is helpful.
“-slythe” is presumably related to “slithy” which Humpty Dumpty tells Alice (and us): « ‘Well, “slithy” means “lithe and slimy”. »
🐜
Thank you, I read it in English yesterday. “Alice” (both parts) was translated into Polish at least 6 times, but each translator invented his or her own words counterparts and explains their meaning according to Polish word-formation & etymology rules, so they provide paradigm examples only how it could be translated.
Because the poem by Karl Hlodwig “Jabberslythe” is a parody/adaptation/fake of the poem “Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll, it remains to imitate and follow and follow the gist of the original.
Anyway, your remark is helpful as well.
About Jabberslyth to WFB7 Beastmen armybook
I’ve got it, nicely done!
Kwikomrog
Poemat Karla Hlodwiga z 1855 r. kalendarza Imperium (fragment)
przed Kwikomrokiem Królu stroń
zgnilasta jego trzewi woń
brzytwiaste kły, złoropny ryj
w najdalsze knieje mknij!
patrz, Sigmar dzierży złoty młot
aż do Reikwaldu sięga wzrok
w kamieniach Morra ryczy grzmot
gdzie pierwszej sławy krok
błogosławionych szuka los…
szponami potwór w ziemię wrósł
oszablił pysk tysiącem kos,
i trupi drzyzgot wzniósł…
uderzał Wojnomłot jak z nut
po trzykroć w cel, lecz wracał Kwik.
duch mężny — jedna z wielkich cnót
w zwątpienia wichrach znikł…
Thank you for the suggestions!
Best,
I think they got an outing in WFRP’s second edition too (possibly Tome of Corruption?)
I always presumed the inspiration was Terry Gilliam’s Jabberwocky (a movie that always felt like it must have helped inspire WFRP itself) but another mini needing stats makes sense!
I don’t know what inspired Nick to make the mini, but the Gilliam movie is a definite possibility. The mini itself owes more to the classic illustration than it does to the movie version, though.
Same monster ofr Andy Law https://i.imgur.com/JYm9820.png
WFRP2 about Jabberwock https://i.imgur.com/WYypHXZ.jpg
There was a later incarnation of the Jabberwock around 1987.
I read that Bob Olley did one that was never officially released, though a few leaked out through some of the GW stores.
The Jabberwock was included in the bestiary in the WFB 3rd edition rulebook. One of the additional features listed there relates to its colouring. If I remember correctly, it says that it is often found to be bright and luminous in colour.
“I don’t think the Jabberwock appeared in any official Warhammer publication outside of the WFRP 1st edition rulebook, the Warhammer 3rd edition rulebook, and a handful of miniatures ads – but if you know better, drop me a comment!”
humm…
WFB1
WFB2
WFB3 ok
WFR2 Tome of Corruption
WFRP2 Old World Armory Poison
Dear Dreadaxe, great stuff! Thanks a lot for uploading.
Best,
Radek
My plaisirs !
Well, that shows how much I know! Thanks for the info!
GW US version for WFB6
https://web.archive.org/web/20060117204257/http://us.games-workshop.com/games/warhammer/bretonnians/gaming/warbands/scenarios/jabberwocky.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20040725114744/http://us.games-workshop.com/games/warhammer/bretonnians/gaming/warbands/assets/Jabberwocky.doc
Always loved this weird creature and the miniature sculpts for it. Those excellently painted examples are by ZeroTwentythree, original post here: https://www.zerotwentythree.com/2015/10/jabberwock-second.html
The Jabberwock do appear in Tome of Corruption for WFRP 2ed.