Tomb King Dynasty Creation Tables

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In the grim darkness of vaguely medieval Europe, there is an unending battle between the forces of destruction, Chaos, and order (REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANYONE SAYS). Far, FAR from that lies another kind of battle; death vs death, which ironically never results in death (of the primary contenders, anyone who blunders into the fight is fair game).

In the Egypt-expy land of Nehekhara lies the Tomb Kings, a race of skeletons. Billions and billions of skeletons.

Long ago, before Chaos invaded the world, lived a human king named Settra. Settra believed he was the greatest and set out to prove it by doing the impossible and uniting the entirety of Nehekhara all other kings to kneel to him. Settra was successful, and realized that now death was the last opponent to defeat. He charged the priesthood of Nehekhara to find a way for him to live forever, and they transformed into the Mortuary Cult to fulfill his desire. They failed, and instead preserved his body, treasures, and an entire generation of his slaves and warriors with him for future resurrection. After the death of Settra, work on immortality continued while his united kingdom broke back apart into individual kingdoms. Each generation since Settra was preserved like him, until the day when a priest named Nagash decided that being part of the Mortuary Cult while his brother became a king was unfair. Nagash created Necromancy using Dark Elf magics and created an army of the dead; he was defeated. He returned, now with an army of Vampires and even more undead, and was defeated again (Skaven were involved). This time however he was in the middle of casting a spell which would destroy all life in Nehekhara, resurrecting them as undead slaves; this spell was half-complete, managing to render all of Nehekhara into a gigantic lifeless desert (barring the rare oasis) and all Nehekharans into the living dead.

Suddenly, every single generation of every single kingdom awoke at once. Each Pharaoh who had ever sat on a throne suddenly was fighting their ancestors and descendants for control of it. Every political marriage that cemented an alliance was a betrayal of ancestors, every war from the past broke treaties that came after. Each and every Tomb King was LIVID with anger that the promised immortality, with skin of gold that can experience every pleasure from life, only resulted in desiccated and unfeeling bone. Tomb Kings are truly immortal in their present state, able to resurrect in Nehekhara from the sands regardless of how and why they fall, so the wars went on without any conceivable end. In a panic, the now-undead members of the Mortuary Cult (somehow being above the clusterfuck of politics that had stricken the Tomb Kings) realized that the only Tomb King who could end the (half-literal) metaphorical bonestorm was the only king that had not awoken, Settra himself.

Settra, after banishing the first leader of the Mortuary Cult for failing him, Grand Hierophant Khatep, promptly set out and did what he did in the first place; kicked the ass of every king who refused to bow to him. Now unable to simply kill them, Settra's punishment is to separate the offender from their head and leaving the skull to rant endlessly in the desert by itself, or else fire it from a catapult as ammunition. Settra allowed the clusterfuck war to continue between any kings who saw fit, so long as they all acknowledged that the only TRUE king is Settra. Many dynasties have since managed to figure out who among ancestors and descendants fit in the hierarchy, though some still fight. Many Tomb Kings have returned to rest while the Mortuary Cult tries to deliver on its promise, as Khatep wanders the world trying to find a new magic to grant true perfect immortality. Others seek to expand their lands, finish old feuds, rebuild their crumbling lands, reclaim stolen treasures, or wait out the acquisition of immortal flesh as immortal rulers behaving as they did in life with days of hunting and song. Any Nehekharan (or indeed, undead throughout the Warhammer world) given an elaborate burial with religious rites returns to “life” with thought and willpower, thus making royalty, trusted and beloved servants, and of course the Mortuary Cult fully in control of their mental faculties. Those who received less elaborate burials are in varying degrees of foggy mental states, although most Nehekharan dead given a proper burial of some kind still retain the knowledge to skillfully complete their tasks and will to animate at the command of the ruler they are loyal to (contrasted with Old World undead skeletons and the mass grave-style Nehekharan burial who only have basic abilities and are wholly animated by the will and power of the wizard who raises them).

Every Tomb King has entirely different motives. They have entirely different allegiances. The politics are complex, and any outsider blundering into the situation is sure to piss off several hundred factions at once. Some Tomb Kings might ally with the living, others commit genocide out of jealousy, although most prefer to remain in Nehekhara unless disturbed. Several hundred, possibly thousands or more, of factions with each a generation of eternal unresting soldiers under their command...

Inspired by Fantasy Flight Games' Deathwatch Role-playing Game's Space Marine Chapter Creation Tables.

The Ruler

Gender of primary ruler. (1d100)
1-80	Male
81-95	Female
96-100	Cannot remember

General disposition (not longterm motivation). (1d100)
1-20	Dwarf-like: The ruler is usually angry or fuming about past sleights and future betrayals. They keep a record of those who have wronged the dynasty, and are eager to clear it. War against this foe is eternal, and trust is difficult to earn.
21-40	Elf-like: The ruler is boisterous and arrogant, prone to self-aggrandizement and sneering at all others. Although an alliance is certainly possible, it is not iron-bound as all other beings are something on par with a barbarian or some kind of civilized greenskin in this ruler’s eyes(ockets). Callous cruelty is not a guaranteed character trait, but it is more likely.
41-50	Halfling-like: Ruler is of a mild disposition, not quite humble but neither a fuming braggart. Prone to “enjoying” their afterlife, reenacting their living habits (as far as they remember) and glorying in their wonderful possessions. Of low ambition for a Tomb King, the passive nature of this ruler’s policies mean conquest comes at the expense of a defeated aggressor than a weak defender.
51-60	Human-like: Ruler is often melancholy, mourning for themselves, their kingdom, and Nehekhara. Prone to reenacting their mortal life, as much as they remember, but ritualistically rather than for imagined pleasures. Their pre-death life is still vivid in their mind, and empathy/mercy towards mortals is more likely from this ruler than most Tomb Kings.
61-75	Ogre-like: This ruler has a lust for life, almost as if still living. Their response to a lack of physical satisfaction is to seek ever more pointless self-gratification. Exciting hunting expeditions, great greed for all gold both Nehekharan and foreign, and rampant nonsensical hedonism. This ruler would rather take a Dwarfen contract to hunt a Skaven Warlord in lost Hold while a skeletal attendant massages exotic oils costing far more than the bounty into their scapula and drops expensive delights into their mouth straight through their chest and onto the floor than return to the crypt and sleep. More love for the love king, more gold for the gold throne!
75-90	Slann-like: This ruler has accepted their undead fate with dignity. They maintain a somber and logical demeanor, responding to insult and betrayal not with shrieks of damnation and barked orders at all who still posses a mind, but with silent gestured orders to their generals and advisors to respond with appropriate measure. This ruler has the patience only an immortal ruler could possess, and is uninterested in that which does not concern them.
91-95	Orc-like: This ruler is a brute, a barbarian in regal adornments. They have all but abandoned their mortal concerns, embracing the undead identity and now seek to plunder and avenge themselves against all, for both living and dead have likely wronged them for daring to live while the ruler cannot, daring to “own” lands they do not, or simply existing without permission.
96-98	Skaven-like: This ruler is a coward who lies about all things and twists the even truth for maximum gain or effect. Were it not for their kingly raiment and their court now being made up of a large number of simple and mindless skeletons, it would be difficult to say who is the ruler and who is a plotting and sniveling courtier. Had this ruler been judged upon death, their heart certainly would have been consumed by a great beast.
99	Spawn-like: This ruler has fully lost their mind, not through improper burial but through the mental strain awakening as a spooky skeleton trapped in darkness caused them, the stress and paranoia the complex politics of the great clusterfuck has wrought, or simply the myriad of other ways one can have their dusty mind scrambled in the Warhammer world.
100	Gnoblar-like: This ruler has had their spirit broken. Their strong will to survive is all that keeps them animate, they lack any of their former glory or pride and rule as the puppet of a stronger dynasty.

‘’’NOTE:’’’ Tomb Kings lore has no (confirmed, possibly in High Queen Khalida and Queen Neferata) gay characters. The following table is based on real life Egyptian history, which according to the accounts of two kings, one of mythology, as well as the interpretation of language (Egyptians were never direct in sex matters and relied heavily on metaphor and implication), and finally early Jewish descriptions of the sexual liberality of ancient Egyptians, indicates a relaxed and public view of homosexual affairs. Regardless of orientation, all rulers only had an opposite gender spouse with which to produce their heirs, and Egyptian culture focused on harmony in household politics regardless of sexual activities and consorts. Skip this table if irrelevant to what you want in a character or your game. Percentage based on modern census data of self-identification in the UK and US.

Sexual orientation (1d100)
1-96	Straight.
97-98	Gay.
99	Bisexual
100	Asexual

Legacy (1d100)
1-20	Stability: Ruler lived during a time of harmony, and mostly maintained order without significant change in prosperity.
21-30	Unrest: The kingdom worsened in this ruler’s time. Possibly due to Nagash, possibly economic shortfall, possibly military defeats, possibly poor management unrelated to the ruler themselves. Regardless, it was due to the ruler being unable to reverse some external misfortune.
31-40	Golden Age: This ruler increased the prosperity of their kingdom. They benefitted from external good fortune, with increased political power, wealth, or domestic stability. The ruler took advantage of this or in some minor way helped enable it, but did not cause it.
41-60	Mismanagement: This ruler was a failure, squandering past glory and causing misfortune to their kingdom. Whether foolishness, passiveness, or insanity, the fault lies squarely with this ruler.
61-70	Expansion: This ruler waged war on their neighbors, colonized new lands, or else used intrigue and cleverness to expand their borders into new territory.
71-80	Defeat: This ruler suffered defeats, losing territory in wars or rebellions.
81-85	Powerless: In life this ruler was a figurehead, not a ruler. Their spouse, vizier, extended family, or possibly even another ruler to whom this ruler was sworn as a vassal was the real decision-maker. The ruler may have been unaware of this and foolishly manipulated, or accepting of it as the wisdom of those who never steered them wrong before.
86-95	Reformation: This ruler reorganized their kingdom internally, either culturally or structurally. They may have changed a city patron god to another, changed how the religion operated, overseen a reorganization of the economy, or seen military tradition reviewed and altered.
96-100	Interesting Life: Roll twice from this table, the first roll representing the early life of the ruler. Roll again each time this result is rolled as your ruler becomes impressively more interesting.

Hobbies and leisure (1d100)
1-10	Art collector/patron: Anyone can have their own craftsmen paint portraits of them in expensive dyes on the walls of their throneroom or carve statues of them for their future tomb, but this ruler demanded the finest craftsmen in all of Nehekhara and beyond to carve fine statues of stories from myths, adorn the entire court in elaborate jewelry, and fill galleries available to even low nobility to view full of amazing treasures. Even the treasures of races like Dwarfs and Elves were on display. Of course the best things are made exclusively from pigments brought from far-odd Cathay, and legend says even Lustria.
11-20	Antique collector/historian: Whether believing that the past repeats itself or being aware that they too would one day be ancient history, this ruler collected scripts and relics from the ancient past and catalogued them. Generations thereafter learned from this ruler’s collection. Of course, those antiquities had to have come from somewhere, and that somewhere may now be demanding the treasures back...
21-30	Hedonist: If Slaanesh hadn’t already been born in Fantasy then this ruler may have created the Prince in his own image in a manner befitting a myth. The excesses of this ruler are legendary, and they exalted in a celebration of themselves to which many were invited (or coerced, or for which they were purchased...).
31-40	Gamer: This ruler enjoyed intellectual, strategic, and/or chance leisure. Senet, Mancala, Aseb, Mehen, Hounds & Jackals, riddles, a good game of jacks or dice, knucklebones, or the miniature game Khopesh 40.
41-50	Wild Child: This ruler enjoyed physical activity. They danced often, went on safari hunting beast, Orc, and Skink, they wrestled, boxed, practiced their swordsmanship, raced horses, boats, and chariots, practiced archery, swam, and otherwise enjoyed a heroic lifestyle befitting their stature.
51-60	Party Host: This ruler preferred finer parties, sophisticated affairs in gardens decorated with statuary and mosaics. Gossip and music, hired speakers and storytellers, and physical entertainers were the diversion available.
61-70	Scholar: This ruler was not content to hire men of learning to advise, but instead had ambition to become one as well as a royal. Whether philosophy or science, this ruler was taught and made contributions to fields of study normally left for lesser men.
71-80	Piety: This ruler sacrificed their leisure for devotion. Possibly to a specific god or all gods. Whether leading rites, cloistered in prayer, fighting heretics, or promoting their own heresy, this ruler was known as a champion to their faith.
81-85	Cruelty: Insanity took its worst effects for this ruler. Their idea of play was mass execution, sport the pain of others, their hobby looking for excuses to carry out their wickedness.
86-90	Make Nehekhara Great Again: This ruler was known for relentless self-promotion beyond that of any other Nehekharan. They never admitted mistake or defeat, robbed the tombs of their s ancestors, and took credit for everything including the achievements of ancestors and other kings.
91-100	King Of Many Talents: Roll twice, plus one more each time this result is rolled.

Color Scheme

(Roll twice on the first table. Once for primary color, second for secondary. For each color, roll once on the following tables.)

With which colors does the dynasty use to represent itself? (1d100)
1-10	White.
11-20	Black.
21-30	Red.
31-40	Orange.
41-50	Blue.
51-60	Purple.
61-70	Green.
71-80	Yellow.
81-90	Brown.
91-100	Grey.

Color lightness? (1d100)
1-33	Light.
34-66	Dark.
67-99	Primary.
100	Roll again.

Warmth? (1d100)
1-50	Cool shade.
51-100	Warm shade.

What type of material is seen used for arms and armor in the army (not counting decorative pieces)? (1d100)
1-20	Gold (gilded).
21-60	Bronze.
61-75	Iron
76-90	Bronze (rusted).
91-95	Obsidian
96-100	Jade

Family

How important is their spouse to policy? (1d100)
1-10	Died too young for marriage/never married.
11-20	Spouse was not buried with proper ritual honors, is now mostly or partially mindless.
21-50	Spouse was ineffective or given no input on ruling policy, or else has lost prestige among the various courtiers from other dynasties in the same kingdom.
51-60	Spouse was superior domestic ruler, is driving force behind interior kingdom policy.
61-70	Spouse was superior military leader, had input on military strategy, possibly lead troops.
71-80	Spouse was superior diplomat, handled foreign relations and treaties.
81-85	Spouse is an enemy. Possibly murdered for unfaithfulness or madness of ruler, possibly usurped rulership after death of ruler, possibly murdered the ruler. An enemy leading rebels.
86-90	Cannot remember spouse. Many claim to be them, or are possible candidates, but ruler can no longer distinguish actual spouse from consorts, courtiers, or possibly guards.
91-100	Spouse and ruler shared all decisions, and by all accounts genuinely loved each other.

(Skip this if unmarried on preceding table) How many children did the ruler have who could be counted as Tomb Princes (made it to at least age 9, bearing in mind that firstborn son always joins Mortuary Cult)? (1d100)
1-10	0 (Either no sons, none were properly entombed and are mindless, or only one which joined MC)
11-30	1
31-60	2
61-75	3
76-85	4
86-90	5
91-95	6
96-100	Roll a D20 for number of loyal male children.

(Skip this if unmarried on spouse table) How many female children did the ruler have that could be counted as Tomb Princesses (made it to at least age 9)? (1d100)
1-10	0 (Either no daughters or none were properly entombed and are now mindless)
11-30	1
31-60	2
61-75	3
76-85	4
86-90	5
91-95	6
96-100	Roll a D20 for number of loyal female children.

What percentage of preceding male children are disloyal or members of other dynasties (their own, betrayal, or marriage), rounded up? (1d100)
1-50	Absolute Obedience, possibly due to surrender if initially rebellious.
51-65	10% Rebellious
66-75	25% Rebellious
76-80	50% Rebellious
81-90	75% Rebellious
91-95	90% Rebellious (to a minimum of 1 loyal, if only one male exists then it counts as Absolute Obedience)
95-100	TRAITORS! All male heirs are enemies.

What percentage of preceding female children are disloyal or members of other dynasties (their own, betrayal, or marriage), rounded up? (1d100)
1-50	Absolute Obedience, possibly due to surrender if initially rebellious.
51-65	10% Rebellious
66-75	25% Rebellious
76-80	50% Rebellious
81-90	75% Rebellious
91-95	90% Rebellious (to a minimum of 1 loyal, if only one male exists then it counts as Absolute Obedience)
95-100	TRAITORS! All female heirs are enemies.

The Kingdom

In what era did the dynasty rule? (1d100)
1-10	Around -2350 IC, part of Settra’s generation or immediately after.
11-20	Around -2230 IC, Time Of Kings
21-30	Around -2110 IC, Time Of Kings
31-40	Around -1990 IC, Rise Of Nagash
41-50	Around -1870 IC, Terror Of Nagash
51-60	Around -1750 IC, Terror Of Nagash
61-70	Around -1630 IC, Defeat Of Nagash
71-80	Around -1510 IC, Creation Of Vampirism
81-90	Around -1390 IC, Return To Glory Under Alcadizaar
91-95	Around -1270 IC, Wars Against The Vampires
96-100	Around -1151 IC, The Great Ritual, And Death Of All Nehekharans. The Last Generation

What is the primary religion of the dynasty? (1d100)
1-5	Asaph (Asp, beauty/magic/vengeance)
6-10	Basth (Felines, grace and love)
11-15	Djaf (Jackal, war and death)
16-20	Geheb (Burly bearded human or a dog, the earth and strength)
21-25	Khsar (The desert wind, deserts themselves)
26-30	Neru (The moon, protection)
31-35	Phakth (Hawk, justice and the sky)
36-40	Ptra (Human with stars for eyes, the sun and immortality as well as all beings since he was the creator and first being to walk the world)
41-45	Qu’aph (Cobra, snakes and subtlety)
46-50	Sakhmet (Morrslieb, scheming and jealousy)
51-55	Sokth (Scorpions, poison/those who rob from the living/those who guard the treasure of the dead)
56-60	Tahoth (Ibis, knowledge/wisdom/scholars)
61-65	Ualatp (Vulture, scavengers)
66-70	Usirian (Images of him are forbidden, the underworld and burial)
71-80	Create your own god (Nehekharan religion lore is stated to be incomplete and presented from the in-universe discoveries of the Empire scholars)
81-98	Faithless (Heretical faith, atheistic in life, or lost faith in the gods after resurrection as a skeleton despite the promise of immortal golden body)
99	Nagash (Secretly loyal to Nagash and his plans for godhood or prepared to side with him when the time comes)
100	Chaos. (Also determine whether it is one of the Big Four, a Minor God, or Chaos Undivided)