Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned (1990), p19 — Nurglings

Daemonic Servants of Nurgle (Khan'gurani'i)

Nurglings, Pus Spores, Mites of Nurgle

The rotted bowels of the Great Unclean One swell with pus and contagion, and within each swelling there grows a tiny and malevolent daemon called a Nurgling. As the Nurgling matures it feeds upon the filth of the Great Unclean One and eventually pops out, the very personification (or daemonification) of a boil or pustule. In this sense Nurglings really are the children of the Great Unclean Ones. Perhaps this is why the Greater Daemons take such parental pride in the little creatures, allowing them to suckle upon their sores, and petting them affectionately. However, this does not prevent the proud parent squashing its progeny underfoot, or gobbling one or two up in a moment of impulsive peckishness.

Nurglings may also grow from the pus shed by a Great Unclean One as it moves. Such pus hides in little sticky pockets in the ground. When a mortal steps upon it, the foulness enters his body, making its way into his gut. There the Nurgling encysts and develops until it is ready to emerge. As the Nurgling approaches maturity its obscene cries may be heard from within the victim's abdomen, insulting anyone and everyone nearby. When ready, the Nurgling climbs through the alimentary canal and leaves its host by one or other end. The Nurgling is then free to flock with others of its kind or to take up residence in some household cess pit, rubbish pile or other equally unpleasant place. They have a naturally malicious but sociable nature and like to hang around human settlements if they cannot find other Nurglings. They enjoy stealing small but precious objects, turning milk sour, and perpetrating misdeeds of that sort. Nurglings always remember their parent human with affection, and periodically creep back to bestow their gratitude in the form of a crop of boils or some interesting disease.

Nurglings are miniature images of Nurgle himself, with friendly mischevious faces, tiny bloated green bodies, and limbs which are often distorted or disproportionate. They are gregarious, agile and constantly active. Normally they swarm over the body of a Great Unclean One, picking at his skin, squealing with pleasure if their master favours them with a tit-bit or a caress, otherwise squabbling among themselves over the most comfortable recess of the Great Unclean One's carcase. When faced with an enemy they advance in a furious little swarm, clawing and gnawing at their foe's legs, biting his ankles and licking at any interesting sores or abrasions they discover. Their tiny teeth are sharp as razors, leaving festering little bites upon their victims but rarely killing them outright.

Special Psychological Traits: Nurglings are subject to frenzy against all Daemons and Champions of Tzeentch, the hated adversary of their lord and master Nurgle. Otherwise they have standard psychology for Daemonic Servants.

Special Rules: Nurglings are mounted on a 40 x 40mm base in groups of up to nine models. Each base is treated as a single model with several wounds and attacks, in exactly the same way as a base of Snotlings. Nurglings actually attack by biting their opponents - but because there are so many on a base they can fight to the front, side or rear.

Any living creature engaged in hand-to-hand combat against Nurglings risks catching the dreaded disease Nurgle's Rot (see Nurgle's Rot).

Profile - Warhammer Fantasy Battle and WH40K

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	PV
4	3	3	3	3	3	4	3	7	6	7	7	30

Profile - Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	30	30	3	3	15	40	3	70	30	25	30	30	45