The Mud Elemental: Two Old Monsters Combined for WFRP4
The Viydagg and Mardagg were not the only unusual “elementals” in Citadel’s miniatures range in the ’80s. The C22 “Creatures” range included a Mud Elemental, for which game rules and stats were never published.

Five years later, in the Doomstones adventure Blood in Darkness, a creature named Xhardja appeared. Also made of living mud, Xhardja took the form of lashing tentacles that rose up to attack trespassers in its mud-choked lair.

I wondered whether these two creatures might be one and the same. While Xhardja didn’t rear up in humanoid form to talk to the PCs, it is entirely possible that it could have done so. So I decided to combine the two. Here are stats for WFRP4. As always, everything that follows is to be considered a fan work and no challenge is intended to copyrights held by Games Workshop, Cubicle 7, or anyone else.
Mud Elemental

There is some debate among Wizards and other academics over whether or not these entities are true Elementals, or constructs magically animated from mud, or something else entirely. Those who reject the term “Elemental,” and those who do not concern themselves with such distinctions, simply call them Mudmen.
Mudmen are found in swamps and other muddy areas, both above and below ground. They can draw themselves up into a humanoid shape or sink down and become indistinguishable from the mud around them, attacking with a number of tentacles of animated mud.
Two profiles are provided below, one for the creature’s humanoid form and one for a single tentacle. The creature has a number of tentacles equal to its Wounds score, and each tentacle that is destroyed reduces the creature’s overall Wounds total by 1.
Humanoid Form
M | WS | BS | S | T | I | Ag | Dex | Int | WP | Fel | W |
3 | 45 | – | 45 | 50 | 45 | 20 | 35 | 40 | 55 | 25 | 19 |
Traits: Amphibious, Bash (2) +8, Construct or Daemonic, Dependent (Mud), Dark Vision, Painless, Shapeshift (Mud), Swamp-Strider, Unstable
Optional: Die Hard, Size (Large), Territorial
New Traits Dependent (Various) The creature requires something to sustain it. At the end of every round in which it has not been in contact with the required substance, the creature loses 1 Wound regardless of Toughness and armour. Shapeshift (Mud) The creature can shift between humanoid form and an amorphous form in which it becomes one with the surrounding mud. The transition takes a full Action. While shapeshifted into amorphous form, the creature is vulnerable only to attacks that have an area of effect or to attacks directed against its tentacles. |
Tentacle
M | WS | BS | S | T | I | Ag | Dex | Int | WP | Fel | W |
2 | 33 | – | 45 | 50 | 65 | 10 | 15 | – | – | – | 1 |
Traits: Amphibious, Painless, 1 Tentacle +6, Swamp-Strider, Unstable
Optional: Die Hard, Size (Large), Territorial
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Zoats: From Warhammer to 40K (and back again)
The Ambull: From 40K to WFRP (again)
Viydagg: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Mardagg: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Mabrothrax: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Jabberwock: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
The Devil Eel, a New Monster for WFRP4
Gargoyle: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
The Toad Dragon: An Old Citadel Miniature Described for WFRP4
The Spectral Claw: An Old Citadel Miniature Described for WFRP4
Ngaaranh Spawn of Chaos: A Very Old Citadel Miniature for WFRP4
Leaping Slomm Two-Face, Another Old Citadel Miniature
Zygor Snake-Arms, Another Old Citadel Miniature
Independent Daemons for WFRP 4th Edition
Chaos Snakemen – A Forgotten Warhammer Race
Menfish – Another Lost Warhammer Race
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The Spectral Claw: An Old Citadel Miniature Described for WFRP4
Following on from last week’s post about the Toad Dragon, I’m taking a look at another old and obscure Citadel Miniature. This time, it’s from the C18 Night Horrors range. The Night Horrors were an interesting collection of demons (but not Daemons), devils, undead, and miscellaneous monsters, advertised between 1986 and 1989. You can find a complete set of ads and flyers on the Stuff of Legends web site.

In the years that followed, the demons were replaced by Daemons as Realm of Chaosi codified the Ruinous Powers and their minions for the first time. Most of the Undead received their own army lists, starting in Ravening Hordes for 2nd edition Warhammer and developing through Warhammer Armies and the Undead, Vampire Counts, and Tomb Kings books for subsequent editions. And the monsters. . . well, the monsters languished.

The Bloodwrack Medusae are part of the Dark Elves army, but the rest of the monsters are all but forgotten.
Here’s my take on one of them, with stats for WFRP4. As always, everything that follows is to be considered a fan work and no challenge is intended to copyrights held by Games Workshop, Cubicle 7, or anyone else.
Spectral Claw

The Spectral Claw is a rare and dreadful monster, created when the severed hand of a Giant is animated by foul Necromancy or Chaotic energies. They may follow the orders of a master such as a Necromancer or a Chaos Sorcerer, or rampage mindlessly through whatever deep forest or desolate landscape saw them come into being.
A Spectral Claw moves by dragging itself across the ground with its fingers. The forces that animate it give it a dim awareness of its surroundings, equivalent to Dark Vision with a range of 20 yards. Its fingers are the size of logs, and make effective if unsophisticated weapons.
M | WS | BS | S | T | I | Ag | Dex | Int | WP | Fel | W |
3 | 45 | – | 50 | 55 | 35 | 20 | – | – | – | – | 15 |
Traits: Bash (2) +8, Construct, Dark Vision, Fear 3, Painless, Undead, Unstable
Optional: Corruption (Minor), Diseased, Infected, Infestation
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Zoats: From Warhammer to 40K (and back again)
The Ambull: From 40K to WFRP (again)
Viydagg: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Mardagg: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Mabrothrax: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Jabberwock: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
The Devil Eel, a New Monster for WFRP4
Gargoyle: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
The Toad Dragon: An Old Citadel Miniature Described for WFRP4
The Mud Elemental: Two Old Monsters Combined for WFRP4
Ngaaranh Spawn of Chaos: A Very Old Citadel Miniature for WFRP4
Leaping Slomm Two-Face, Another Old Citadel Miniature
Zygor Snake-Arms, Another Old Citadel Miniature
Independent Daemons for WFRP 4th Edition
Chaos Snakemen – A Forgotten Warhammer Race
Menfish – Another Lost Warhammer Race
Golems in Warhammer
The Toad Dragon: An Old Citadel Miniature Described for WFRP4
According to the Stuff of Legends miniatures site, Citadel’s CM3 Toad Dragon (Dragon Toad in some versions) first appeared in the Third Citadel Compendium, which appeared in November 1985. It was sculpted by Nick Bibby, who created many of the larger Citadel monsters, and it was one of several variant dragon types that Citadel released before Warhammer lore was organized for WFRP 1st edition and Warhammer 3rd edition.

As far as I know, no game statistics have ever been published for this beast, which is a pity because it’s a lovely miniature and an intriguing concept.
Here is a Toad Dragon for WFRP 4th edition. As always, everything that follows is to be considered a fan work and no challenge is intended to copyrights held by Games Workshop, Cubicle 7, or anyone else.
Toad Dragon
The depths of the Empire’s great forests are home to many strange creatures such as Basilisks, Hydras, and Jabberslythes. Toad Dragons are found in remote wetlands such as the Mirror Moors, the Midden Marshes, the remote lakes of the Howling Hills, and the marshes of the Wasteland. These huge predators are greatly feared, for their long, sticky tongues can ensnare a creature as big as a horse, dragging it inexorably to the creature’s gaping maw.
The Toad Dragon’s wings are too small to keep its bulk in the air, but permit it to hop surprisingly long distances.
M | WS | BS | S | T | I | Ag | Dex | Int | WP | Fel | W |
6 | 55 | 65 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 15 | – | 10 | 35 | – | 72 |
Traits: Amphibious, Bestial, Bite +10, Bounce, 2 Claws +6, Cold-Blooded, Hungry, Night Vision, Size (Enormous), Swallow Whole (see below), Swamp-Strider, Tail +6, Tongue Attack +10 (18)
Optional: Immunity to Psychology, Infected, Monstrous, Mutation, Territorial, Venom (Challenging)
New Trait: Swallow Whole
The creature can swallow anything that is two or more steps smaller than itself. The victim can avoid being swallowed by dodging the creature’s Bite attack. A victim who is swallowed gains 2 Entangled conditions owing to the confined space, and suffers 6-TB Wounds per Round from stomach acid, ignoring armour. Only one creature may be swallowed at a time. After the creature is killed, it takes one Round to cut its stomach open and free its victim.
More Like This
Zoats: From Warhammer to 40K (and back again)
The Ambull: From 40K to WFRP (again)
Viydagg: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Mardagg: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Mabrothrax: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Jabberwock: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
The Devil Eel, a New Monster for WFRP4
Gargoyle: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
The Spectral Claw: An Old Citadel Miniature Described for WFRP4
The Mud Elemental: Two Old Monsters Combined for WFRP4
Ngaaranh Spawn of Chaos: A Very Old Citadel Miniature for WFRP4
Leaping Slomm Two-Face, Another Old Citadel Miniature
Zygor Snake-Arms, Another Old Citadel Miniature
Independent Daemons for WFRP 4th Edition
Chaos Snakemen – A Forgotten Warhammer Race
Menfish – Another Lost Warhammer Race
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Gargoyle: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Like many fantasy miniatures producers of the early 1980s, Citadel Miniatures sold a number of bat-winged, demonic-looking figures in their early ranges. Some were called Demons, and others Gargoyles.
The first official mention of Gargoyles as part of Warhammer lore came in 1985, when Citadel Miniatures released The Flying Gargoyles of Barda as part of their Regiments of Renown series for Warhammer 2nd edition. The Gargoyles’ backstory cast them as a kind of independent Demon (they weren’t called Daemons at that point in Warhammer’s history, and not all Demons served the Ruinous Powers of Chaos), and said that this particular group was summoned accidentally by a Marienburg wizard named Barda von Micklestein. You can read the whole story at the excellent Stuff of Legends site.

Even though WFRP 1st edition was only released the following year, Gargoyles had already gone from Warhammer lore. To the best of my knowledge, the only Gargoyles in the whole of WFRP’s history were to be found in a corridor in Castle Drachenfels. Rather than Demons (or Daemons) these were the traditional animated stone statues found in most fantasy games.
The matter of independent Daemons is a complex one, and I posted some thoughts and game stats here. Here, though, is a WFRP4 re-imagining of the animated statue type.
Gargoyle
Gargoyles are magically animated stone figures. Most, but not all, have Daemonic features such as bat-like wings and bestial features. They may be found guarding ancient ruins, seeming to be part of their decoration. They may also be created by means of certain forbidden rituals. Some may be commanded by their creators, while other follow simple instructions that were given to them long ago – usually to destroy all who trespass on their territory.
M | WS | BS | S | T | I | Ag | Dex | Int | WP | Fel | W |
4 | 35 | 0 | 45 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | – | 14 |
Traits: Armour 3, Dark Vision, Hardy, Immunity to Psychology, Magical, Territorial (one building or small area), Weapon +8
Optional: 2 Claws +8, Die Hard, Flight 60, Horns +6, Size (Small to Enormous), Magic Resistance 1-2, Ranged +8, Tail +6, Unstable, Weapon +8
More Like This
Zoats: From Warhammer to 40K (and back again)
The Ambull: From 40K to WFRP (again)
Viydagg: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Mardagg: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Mabrothrax: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
Jabberwock: A Forgotten WFRP Monster
The Devil Eel, a New Monster for WFRP4
The Toad Dragon: An Old Citadel Miniature Described for WFRP4
The Spectral Claw: An Old Citadel Miniature Described for WFRP4
The Mud Elemental: Two Old Monsters Combined for WFRP4
Ngaaranh Spawn of Chaos: A Very Old Citadel Miniature for WFRP4
Leaping Slomm Two-Face, Another Old Citadel Miniature
Zygor Snake-Arms, Another Old Citadel Miniature
Independent Daemons for WFRP 4th Edition
Chaos Snakemen – A Forgotten Warhammer Race
Menfish – Another Lost Warhammer Race
Golems in Warhammer
Monday Gun Day, Part 2: Combi-Weapons
There’s an old saying about bringing a knife to a gunfight, but the painfully slow reload rates of black-powder firearms made it advisable to have a backup weapon. Some attempts were made to combine the two: bayonets became the most popular solution, but there were quite a few attempts to build pistols into melee weapons of various kinds.
These included swords:
Daggers:
Axes:
And warhammers.
In a roleplaying game, a combi-weapon is a one-shot firearm. Most would be pistols, though some, attached to two-handed weapons, might count as larger firearms. They reduce the time needed to switch weapons, perhaps to no time at all. However, they have some significant drawbacks:
In the first place, they are not generally available. Almost all will have to be made to order, which takes both time and money. The cost will be at least twice the sum of the cost of the two base weapons, and the same is true of the time needed.
An artisan charged with making a combi-weapon must be skilled as a gunsmith as well as a bladesmith. All skill rolls involved in making a combi-weapon carry a significant penalty.
The finished article represents the worst of both worlds. It is heavy and awkward to aim, and ill-balanced for close combat. In game terms, the very best combi-weapons, made by master artificers (even Dwarves!) can never be better than average quality. Most are inferior, and if your game system has a way to rate quality, a combi-weapon is at least two quality steps below the normal level of quality produced by the artisan who made it. There are attack penalties, an increased chance of misfires, and the weapon is weaker overall, meaning that it is more easily damaged in combat if your rules set covers damage to weapons.
That said, though, it can give a wielder the advantage of surprise. An unexpected gunshot at the start of a fight can unnerve the enemy, who will be left wondering what other tricks the character might have up his or her sleeve. Enemies will be warier, even if they don’t mean to be, adopting a more defensive, cautious stance. How this is handled in a game’s rules is a matter for the GM to decide. Especially skittish foes may have to make Fear checks to get over the surprise of a combi-weapon firing, running away if they fail.
So there you have it – and you can see why they didn’t really catch on. Still, I can imagine some players’ eyes lighting up at the thought of a sword that is also a gun, and you can have a lot of fun if the party decides to track down an artisan capable of making such a weapon and persuade them to try.
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Multi-Barrel Weapons: What’s better than a gun? Lots of guns.
Hidden Weapons: Pay attention, 007!