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Staff of Nurgle

In the Warhammer Fantasy setting, a Staff of Nurgle is a magic item imbued with Nurgle's power.

Compare with the similar Pandemic Staff in Warhammer 40,000.

White Dwarf 121 (1990-01)

White Dwarf 121 (Jan 1990), p18 — The Staff of Nurgle

A Staff of Nurgle is a tall staff which is carved from either the branch of a cankered tree or the bones of a plague victim. The staff is decorated with complex organic carvings depicting the various malformities of nature. Staffs may also bear an appropriate carved emblem or figure, such as the image of a shrivelled leper, or the twisted face of a pox victim. A Staff of Nurgle may be gifted by Nurgle to his Champions if he thinks them worthy of the honour. Such is Nurgle's consideration for his slaves that he always tries to match the appearance of the staff to some especially interesting or impressive mutation or disease which the Champion has.

The Magic of the Staff

During the magic phase the bearer can point the Staff of Nurgle at any one model within 12". He can do this even if engaged in hand-to-hand combat and this does not affect his ability to fight normally. The target is entitled to its normal magic saving throw and is not affected by the staff if this is successful. If he fails the test, the victim suffers the full and unpleasant effects of the staff's magic. He erupts with a multitude of worms, larvae, maggots and other greasy wriggling things. This living mass spews from every orifice of the victim and forms a writhing pile around him. The victim is eventually consumed by these horrible things and killed, and a 1" diameter card circle placed on the table to represent the worm pile. This writhing mass remains for the rest of the battle, and will automatically attack and hit any model which moves over it, causing a single strength 5 hit. Any victim slain suffers the same fate as the staff's original victim, this time without the chance of a magic saving throw.

Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned (1990)

Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned (1990), p27 — The Staff of Nurgle

A Staff of Nurgle is a tall staff which is carved from either the branch of a cankered tree or the bones of a plague victim. The staff is decorated with complex organic carvings depicting the various malformities of nature. Staffs may also bear an appropriate carved emblem or figure, such as the image of a shrivelled leper, or the twisted face of a pox victim. A Staff of Nurgle may be gifted by Nurgle to his Champions if he thinks them worthy of the honour. Such is Nurgle's consideration for his servants that he always tries to match the appearance of the staff to some especially interesting or impressive mutation or disease which the Champion has.

The Magic of the Staff

During the magic phase the bearer can point the Staff of Nurgle at any one model within 12". He can do this even if engaged in hand-to-hand combat and this does not affect his ability to fight normally. The target is entitled to its normal magic saving throw and is not affected by the staff if this is successful. If he fails the test, the victim suffers the full and unpleasant effects of the staff's magic. He erupts with a multitude of worms, larvae, maggots and other greasy wriggling things. This living mass spews from every orifice of the victim and forms a writhing pile around him. The victim is eventually consumed by these horrible things and killed, and a 1" diameter card circle placed on the table to represent the worm pile. This writhing mass remains for the rest of the battle, and will automatically attack and hit any model which moves over it, causing a single strength 5 hit. Any victim slain suffers the same fate as the staff's original victim, this time without the chance of a magic saving throw.