12

In the Warhammer fantasy universe, a ghoul usually starts life as a human, and turns into a ghoul through cannibalising other humans or eating their remains.

enter image description here

Does anyone know of anything published by the Black Library (short story or perhaps even a passage in a novel), that covers a ghoul's transition from human to ghoul? I've searched their site many times and have not been able to find it, I've even emailed them but in the reply was told:

There could be such a story, we apologize but no one here can be certain.

So I'm wondering has anyone here come across it?

Improve this question
7
  • Can you remember anything else?
    – Adamant
    Apr 29, 2016 at 16:12
  • 1
    There's nothing to remember, I've never read it. 😁 I want to know if it exists.
    – Daft
    Apr 29, 2016 at 16:13
  • 1
    Oh, this is going to be hard.
    – Adamant
    Apr 29, 2016 at 16:13
  • 1
    So no one even told you anything about this? You're just hoping that in the mess of novels published by the Black Library, something like this exists?
    – Adamant
    Apr 30, 2016 at 0:40
  • 1
    I even wrote a script to make it easier.
    – Adamant
    Apr 30, 2016 at 4:20

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
10
+200

There probably isn't one

There are several hundred published Warhammer Fantasy books from the Black Library. Of the 153 that I was able to search, 64 contain the word (or strictly speaking, string) "ghoul".

"No actual ghouls" means that the string ghoul appears, but ghouls themselves aren't mentioned. This basically means words such as ghoulish.

The Hour of Shadows: No actual ghouls

The Claws of Chaos: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Age of Legend: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Ancient Blood: Ghouls seen, but no transformation. This one has humans closely associated with ghouls, though, and one such character makes medicine that secretly contains human organs, strongly suggesting that she is turning her people into the ghouls with which they associate.

Archaon: Everchosen : No actual ghouls

Archaon: Lord of Chaos: No actual ghouls

Blighted Empire: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Blood for the Blood God: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Bloodborn: Lots of ghouls seen, but no transformation

Bloodforged: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen.

Bloodsworn: Ghouls seen, but no transformation.

Charnel Congress: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Curse of the Necrarch: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Dead Winter: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Deathblade: A Tale of Malus Darkblade: No actual ghouls

Dominion: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Empire: No actual ghouls

Ghoul King: Conqueror of Worms: Ghouls presumably seen, but according to the questioner, there are no ghoul transformations.

Ghoul King: Empire of Maggots: Same

Gilead's Blood: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

God King: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Gotrek & Felix: Kinslayer: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Gotrek and Felix: City of the Damned: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Gotrek and Felix: Road of Skulls: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Gotrek and Felix: The Anthology: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Grey Seer: No actual ghouls

Grimblades: No actual ghouls

Hammers of Ulric: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Harbinger: No actual ghouls

Headtaker: No actual ghouls

Inheritance: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Knight of the Blazing Sun: No actual ghouls

Marienburg's Stand: No actual ghouls

Master of Death: Ghouls mentioned, in particular the process of creating them. No transformation

Master of Dragons: No actual ghouls

Master of Mourkain: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Nagash the Sorcerer: No actual ghouls

Nagash the Unbroken: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Neferata: Ghouls seen, but no transformation.

Picking the Bones: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Plague Priest: No actual ghouls

Retribution: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Sigmar's Blood: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Skarsnik: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Sword of Vengeance: Ghouls seen, but no transformation.

Temple of the Serpent: No actual ghouls

Thanquol's Doom: No actual ghouls

The Blades of Chaos: No actual ghouls

The Curse of Khaine : Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

The End Times: The Bone Cage: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

The End Times: The Fall of Altdorf: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

The End Times: The Lord of the End Times: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

The End Times:The Return of Nagash: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

The End Times: The Rise of the Horned Rat: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

The Fangs of the Asp: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

The Great Maw: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

The Last Man: No actual ghouls

The Red Duke: Ghouls seen, but no tranformation

The Serpent Queen: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

Vampireslayer: Ghouls seen, but no transformation. However, a ghoul is mentioned to possibly be someone known to the townspeople, indicating the transformation can be rapid.

Vermintide: Ghouls mentioned, but not seen

Warrior Priest: No actual ghouls

Wolf of Sigmar (Time of Legends): No actual ghouls

Zombieslayer: Ghouls seen, but no transformation

The preceding list comes from these series, as well as several standalones:

  • Chaos
  • Dwarves
  • Elves
  • Empire

  • Gilead

  • Gotrek and Felix

  • Time of Legends
  • Vampires

  • Warhammer Heroes

  • Skaven

  • Storm of Magic
  • The End Times

I also checked all the listed Warhammer short stories that I could:

None of those whose description I could find has ghouls as a main subject, and as such are fairly unlikely to depict the process of a ghoul transformation, or discuss the details thereof.

Finally, of course, I searched online extensively for Warhammer novels containing ghoul transformations, and found none.

Improve this answer
1
  • While this answer makes me sad, the effort put in is very impressive! Very well done!
    – Daft
    May 1, 2016 at 15:49

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.