The Pilgrimage of Sigmar's Exodus - Part 1 (Patreon)

Part 1 of a sequence of blogs to support our campaign's passage along the Sigmar's Exodus pilgrimage. It will be released publicly later.

Welcome to part 1 of a sequence of posts I'll be releasing to support our campaign's passage along the Sigmar's Exodus pilgrimage. I'm not going to write too much yet, as I don't want to spoil the campaign to come, but the safe stuff provides more than enough to start.

First detailed in Tome of Salvation for WFRP2, Sigmar’s Exodus has burned in the recesses of my mind since I first worked on it. Back in 2006, fresh from writing my sections of that book, I moved on to the next job: drawing the maps, including one of Sigmar's Exodus. As I was working on all the tiny trees, it struck me that the pilgrimage was potentially great fodder for a rewrite of the hammer quest in WFRP1's Empire in Flames. And the more I thought about it, the more it felt like it could really work. That's why, almost twenty years later, Sigmar's Exodus appears in the tail-end of our version of The Enemy Within.

So, first up for our lore blogs on that most famous pilgrimage, here’s a quick update of the material from the Tome of Salvation. I've also added a map at the end of this post that I've drafted in the style I used for the WFRP2 maps. I kinda could help myself sliding into a bit of mapping nostalgia...

PILGRIMAGE OF SIGMAR'S EXODUS

Of all the pilgrimages in the Empire, none carry the weight of Sigmar’s Exodus. Tens of thousands of black-robed pilgrims walk it each year, each seeking to follow the final steps of Sigmar Heldenhammer before he vanished from history and entered myth.

ABDICATION TO ASCENSION
The Sigmar's Exodus pilgrimage begins at the High Temple of Sigmar in Altdorf. From there, pilgrims follow the River Talabec upstream visting shrines and temples along the way, crossing the river twice before reaching Talabheim. After this comes a long southward trek along the Old Dwarf Road, a trade route as old as the Empire itself, as pilgrims trudge towards the capital of Averland, Averheim, which for most is the end of the pilgrimage. However, for the truly devout, the pilgrimage can continue farther south into Black Fire Pass. This is the site of Sigmar's most significant military victory and, so some myths claim, the place where mortal Sigmar was crowned by Ulric, the god of war, and ascended to godhood.

In fair weather, the pilgrimage to Averheim takes about two months. However, few manage it in that time. Many pray for weeks at every passed shrine, fast for days in empty fields as they seek salvation, or simply collapse exhausted by the road. Beastmen also lurk in the forests, bandits prowl the roads, and countless charlatans seek to cheat the foolish. To avoid these, some pilgrims join merchant trains, follow passing armies, or, if wealthy enough, hire mercenaries. With so many potential delays, it's not uncommon for some to take a year or more to reach Averheim.

THE SEVENTEEN STEPS
The Cult of Sigmar recognises seventeen sacred stations or 'steps' along the pilgrimage route, including two stops beyond Averheim. Each step marks an important event in Sigmar’s final mortal journey – or so local clerics claim as they eagerly seek more donations. Further adding to the cost, pilgrim badges are sold at each station as symbols of piety and proof of progress. These tokens are only offered to those who bear badges from every previous step. Unsurprisngly, forgery and theft are common, although both are widely believed to attract Sigmar's divine wrath.

The seventeen stations are:

1) The High Temple of Altdorf, Reikland
An ancient temple carved from the crags beneath the Imperial Palace that's said to be almost a thousand years older than the High Cathedral of Sigmar. Its sole chamber is decorated with faded murals depicting Sigmar’s greatest victories.

2) Hammer Temple of Ravenstein, Talabecland
A newly rebuilt temple in the north-east of Talebecland that includes 18 sacred carvings (with one conspicuously missing) that describe how Sigmar's hammer supposedly became blessed by Ulric's flame.

3) Wayfarer Temple of Schmiedorf, Middenland
A large waytemple in the south of Middenland that caters to the weary. There, blacksmith-priests murmur evening prayers before gathered pilgrims.

4) Comet Shrine of Sudenberg, Middenland
A small wayshrine always tended by a single Sister of Sigmar. Here, pilgrims sleep beneath the stars as Sigmar is claimed to have done when he passed. Many consider this to be one of the most dangerous stops. It has been the site of many midnight massacres down through the centuries.

5) Pilgrim’s Temple of Ahlenhof, Middenland
Known for the sizeable crowds that gather outside this relatively small temple, the clerics of the Pilgrim's Temple demand debates about the nature of the gods before allowing access.

6) Way Temple of the Black Boar and the White Wolf in Räberthal, Middenland
An open-air way temple to Sigmar, Ulric, and Taal surrounded by overgrown walls, this sizeable compound offers a unique view of the three deities that has resulted in many 'heretic burnings'.

7) Temple of Talagaad, Talabheim
Built on the believed ruins of the first Sigmar temple in the town, the riverside Talagaad temple features ancient stone carvings that tell the story of twin rivers and missing relics.

8) Heldenhammer Temple of Talabheim
A hard-to-find building known for its reliquary and the ever-burning flames of its altar. It's one of only two Sigmarite temples in the city.

9) Holy Spring of Warghafen, Talabecland
A quiet spring beneath an arched shrine not far from Warghafen in the Färlic Hills of Talabecland. There, pilgrims queue to wash their bodies and souls free of sins both real and perceived.

10) Temple of Lieske, Talabecland
A crumbling temple ruin in the south of Talabecland that's said to protect a shred of Sigmar’s cloak. It's watched over by the Old Weaver, the silent cleric-caretaker of the reliquary.

11) Old Temple of Hermsdorf, Talabecland
An ivy-covered stone chapel, barely standing, maintained by a single priest and a loyal layfolk. By tradition, the building may not be repaired or buttressed.

12) Grand Temple of Wurtbad, Stirland
A golden-roofed temple filled with incense, sermons, and thousands of daily visitors. The rear of the immense building has a pilgrimage shrine dedicated to the 'Three Brothers'.

13) Shrine of the Three Dragons, Stirland
A roadshrine shrine watched over by three carved dragon heads that stare forever eastwards. Local monks tends the holy site each Festag.

14) Grey Temple of Wörden, Stirland
A pale stone temple where pilgrims are instructed to take a vow of silence that should last until Averheim is reached.

15) Grand Temple of Averheim, Averland
A vast and crowded cathedral of bright banners, ringing bells, and wealthy priests offering blessings without rest, no matter the season, weather, or local concerns. This temple marks the end of the pilgrimage for most, an event that is normally celebrated with wine and sausage.

16) Way Shrine of Heideck, Averland
A lonely shrine hiding in the windswept foothills, marked out by a rampant horse carved deep into the chalky hillside. This is the only step on the pilgrimage that has no clergy in attendance. Some take a side-journey along the Zhufbar road eastward to complete Skaranorak pilgrimage in the Black Mountains before heading to the last station of SIgmar's Exodus.

17) Eternal Watch Temple of Grenzstadt, Averland
The final, grey-stone temple of the pilgrimage, where bandaged priests stand vigil beside ever-burning braziers. There they record each pilgrim’s name that dares pass into Black Fire Pass.

Fans of WFRP2's Tome of Salvation will recognise this map. I copied the general look of the map I drew about 20 years ago and updated it as required for LAWhammer (I lost the original in a sewage flood a long time ago, so redrafting was the only option). This one is designed to be printed pretty small, but I drew it big as, believe it or not, it made creating it a good deal quicker.

As a side note, I found it surprisingly relaxing finishing off a map in the old WFRP2 style. I've not used the style in a looooooong time. So, I really rather enjoyed it. It also helped me cope with some nasty tooth ache, so that was a win, too.

And that'll do for this post. Part 2 will dive into the pilgrim's badges available at each step and detail what you have to do to secure them.

As always, if you have any questions or spot any errors, please tell me in the dedicated thread in our Discord server.