Author Archives: Majken Hirche

Anmeldelse af Henrik Day Poulsen: “Hverdagens psykopater”

AF RYAN SMITH

Henrik Day Poulsen: Hverdagens psykopater 175 sider, 249 kr. Forlaget LIVIA.

Psykiater og Berlingske-blogger Henrik Day Poulsens nyeste bog er en opdateret udgave af selvsamme Poulsens Psykopater fra 2003. Sammen med Dahl og Dalseggs Charmør og tyran (2002) og Sanne Udsens Psykopater i jakkesæt (2006) tilhører bogen den storsælgende psykopatspotting-genre, som angiveligt sætter læseren i stand til at genkende en psykopat.

I bogen kommer vi rundt om de grundlæggende forhold vedrørende psykopater: Psykopater findes ikke kun på gadeplan, men også på direktionsgangen. Psykopater lyver og snyder og skyder altid skylden på andre. Psykopater er ligeglade med andres følelser. Og så er de fleste psykopater i øvrigt mænd.

Bogen er bygget op om syv fiktive enkelthistorier, der handler om hver sin slags psykopat: Insiderhandleren, drabsmanden, narkobaronen og den medicinske forsker (m/k). Efter hver enkelthistories afslutning præsenteres læseren for psykiater Poulsens myndige refleksioner over det forgangne – kan man f.eks. godt være psykopat, selvom man er rig og har stor indflydelse? Og bør kvinder blive i et forhold med en voldelig psykopat, der slår?

At give form til de såkaldte case studies, der skal illustrere de psykiatriske principper, har alle dage været en udfordring for den forfatter, der gav sig i lag med dem. I Hverdagens psykopater har Poulsen tacklet udfordringen ved også at lade de skønlitterære ambitioner trække luft, sådan at de syv case studies næsten føles som syv små noveller. Alle leveret på et usmidigt, men lettilgængeligt dansk.

Der er dog ikke meget hverdag over Hverdagens psykopater. I løbet af de syv små indblik i dagligdagens psykopati får læseren stiftet bekendtskab med både børneporno og pædofili samt barnemord, selvmord og lejemord. Det er et righoldigt katalog af menneskelig perversion og dårligdom, som psykiater Poulsen deler ud af i løbet af den ellers korte tekst.

En blivende pointe i den psykiatriske litteratur er, at højtuddannede psykopater ikke nødvendigvis er voldelige, blot vanvittigt charmerende og manipulerende. Men voldelige, det bliver de nu hos Poulsen. De raffinerede og subtile magtspil, som overklassepsykopater er kendt for, gengives kun parentetisk hos Poulsen, mens volden gang på gang får lov at stå i centrum. Det er en skam, for det forhindrer læseren i at blive klogere på den smokingklædte psykopat.

Poulsen nævner selv, at hans lægekolleger rynkede på næsen over bogens førsteudgave, da psykopati angiveligt er et tabu. Det er muligt, at Poulsen har diagnosticeret årsagen til kollegernes bekymring korrekt, men alternativt kunne det tænkes, at det ikke var bogens emnevalg, men snarere dens sensationalisme, som har afstedkommet kollegernes mishag.

Ikke blot Poulsens bog, men hele psykopatspotting-genren lider under den problematik, at alting ligner et søm for den, der kun har en hammer. Svindlere, snydere, mordere og voldtægtsmænd – mænd, som forfører kvinder med smarte tricks og replikker, og folk, der chikanerer andre med angrebslystne udsagn på internettet – alle kan de udlægges som psykopater på baggrund af nedslag i den nærmeste psykopatspotting-bog.

Således også i Poulsens bog, hvor alskens øvrige forstyrrelser blandes sammen med den egentligt psykopatiske. Dermed efterlades læseren kun med ringe mulighed for at skelne den ene lidelse fra den anden eller sætte de omtalte lidelser i system. Bogen er mere et potpourri over psykiatrisk dårligdom end nogen egentlig metodisk indføring i psykopaternes verden.

I øvrigt

Det antydes i bogen, at psykopater har tendens til ekstrovert adfærd. Men ifølge en større aggregeret undersøgelse fra 2006 findes der intet videre sammenfald mellem ekstroversion og psykopati. I stedet synes de personlighedstræk, der typisk sammenfalder med psykopati, at være lav venlighed (eng. agreeableness), såvel som en lav grad af samvittighedsfuldhed og personlig organisation (eng. conscientiousness).

”Man kan kun bestemme, om folk er psykopater, når de er undersøgt af en psykiater,” siger Poulsen sort på hvidt. Men canadieren Robert D. Hare, der af mange anses for en af verdens førende psykopatforskere, er hverken psykiater eller tilbageholdende med at klistre psykopatmærket på folk, han aldrig har mødt.

I The Psychopath Test fra 2011 vender Jon Ronson på postmoderne vis kikkerten den anden vej og stiller skarpt på de folk, som skriver og læser disse psykopatspotting-bøger. Hvad siger det om dem, at de sådan har behov for at kaste om sig med diagnoser?

Warhammer Magic Items

WEAPON SKILL

  • 20 BLADE OF ENSORCELLED IRON +1 to Hit
  • 30 RELIC SWORD +1 Weapon Skill
  • 75 BLESSED SWORD Weapon Skill = 10 no Orcs or Goblins
  • 75 BLADE OF DARTING STEEL automatically Hits

ATTACKS

  • 20 PARRYING BLADE -1 enemy Attack
  • 25 BLADE OF LEAPING COPPER +1 Attack
  • 25 MACE TAIL +1 Attack at S5 Chaos Reward C
  • 25 MASSIVE HORNS +1 Attack Chaos Reward C
  • 25 MANY ARMS take extra weapon for +1 Attack, or take shield for +1 Save Chaos Reward C
  • 35 SCORPION TAIL +1 Attack at S5 with No Save Chaos Reward C
  • 50 BATTLE FURY OF KHORNE +1 Attack, +2 Attacks when charging, must charge enemy Khorne Reward C
  • 50 BLADE OF LEAPING BRONZE +2 Attacks
  • 50 HEART SEEKER reroll Attacks
  • 50 SWORD OF JUSTICE reroll Attacks, no Save for non magical armor Empire
  • 75 BLADE OF LEAPING GOLD +3 Attacks

HITS

  • 50 DRAGON BLADE Hit = 2 Hits
  • 75 HYDRA SWORD Hit = D6 Hits WOUNDS
  • 25 BANISHER SWORD Wound = D3 vs. Undead
  • 25 RENDING SWORD 2 Wounds
  • 30 FLAIL OF SKULLS Flail, 2 Wounds vs. Living U
  • 35 BONE BLADE Wound = D3
  • 45 CHAOS RUNE BLADE Wound = D3, no Save for non magical armour Chaos C
  • 50 SWORD OF CHANGE if Wounds Victim becomes Chaos Spawn on 5+, +1 per wound Chaos C
  • 50 WEEPING BLADE +1 to Wound, -1 to Save, Wound = D3 Skaven
  • 60 CHAOS DAEMON SWORD Wound = D6, no Save for non magical armour, if 1 Wounded Chaos C
  • 70 VENOM SWORD Wound = D6
  • 75 AXE OF KHORNE kills if Wound caused, exhasted on 6 Khorne Reward C
  • 100 FROST BLADE kills if Wound caused, no Save for non magical armour
  • 100 THE ROD OF CORRUPTION kills if fails a roll D6 vs. T when hit, no Save for non magical Plague Monks S
  • 125 HELLFIRE SWORD kills if Wound caused, victims neighbors hit, Strength 3

STRENGTH

  • 10 POTION OF STRENGTH +3 Strength for one turn, use once
  • 20 SWORD OF MIGHT +1 Strength
  • 40 OGRE BLADE +2 Strength
  • 60 SWORD OF HEROES +3 Strength, Wound = D3 Wounds, vs. Toughness 5+
  • 80 GIANT BLADE +3 Strength
  • 100 THE HAMMER OF SIGMAR automatically Wounds, no Save for non magical armor Empire
  • 100 THE SWORD OF TECLIS automatically Wounds, blast enemy unit once HE
  • 100 DEATHSWORD Strength 10
  • 125 DAEMON SLAYER +3 Strength, automatically Wounds Daemons, Wound = D3 Wounds
  • 125 DRAGON SLAYER +3 S, auto Wounds Dragons, Wound = D3 Wounds, Dragons fear
  • 125 GOTREK’S AXE Wounds 2+, -3 or no Save, W=D3 or D6 vs. Daemons or Dragons Dwarf Slayers D
  • 125 AXE OF GRIMNIR Wounds 2+, -3 or no Save, W=D3 or D6 vs. Ogre or Trolls Dwarf Kings D
  • 135 FELLBLADE Strength 10, D6 wounds, bearer wounded each turn on a 6 Skaven S

SAVES

  • 10 BITING BLADE -1 Save
  • 20 BLADE OF SLICING -2 Save
  • 30 BLADE OF SEA GOLD -3 Save
  • 30 RUNEFANG no Save, Wound = 2 vs. Undead Empire
  • 50 DWARF-GROUGER -3 Save, Wound = 2, Wounds on 2+ vs. Dwarfs Skaven S
  • 50 GROMRIL BLADE no Save for non magical armor no Orcs or Goblins
  • 75 OBSIDIAN BLADE no Save for non magical armor, all armor destroyed

TOUGHNESS

  • 50 SWORD OF RESILIENCE +1 Toughness
  • 100 SWORD OF UNYIELDING +2 Toughness
  • 150 SWORD OF DEFIANCE +3 Toughness

INITIATIVE

  • 5 COPPER SIGIL SWORD +1 Initiative
  • 10 BRONZE SIGIL SWORD +2 Initiative
  • 15 SILVER SIGIL SWORD +3 Initiative
  • 20 GOLD SIGIL SWORD Initiative 10
  • 25 HELM OF MANY EYES bearer strikes first Chaos C
  • 50 GOLDEN SCEPTRE OF NORGRIM bearer and unit he leads are +1 Move, Strength, or Save Dwarfs D
  • 50 SKAVENBREW randomlly affects unit for game, doubles stats, frenzy, or hate Skaven S
  • 65 CHAOS RUNESWORD +1 WS, +1 S, +1 A Undead or Chaos U
  • 125 MORGOR THE MANGLER +1WS, +1T, +1S, strikes first, no Save for non magical armour Orcs OG

PENALTIES

  • 10 LANGUISHER SWORD Victim’s Initiative -1
  • 15 DARK SWORD Victim’s BS/WS -1 Chaos or Dark Elf
  • 25 CURSED BOOK all Living within 6″, suffer -1 to hit Chaos or Undead U
  • 25 WARPSTONE AMULET touching models -2 to hit and -2S vs. bearer, if fail Ld test Skaven S
  • 25 SOUL BLADE Victim’s Toughness -1 Chaos
  • 25 BLOOD DRINKER Victim’s Strength -1 Chaos or Dark Elf
  • 30 NURGLE’S CLOUD OF FLIES touched enemys are -1 to hit Nurgle Reward C
  • 30 GAZE OF SLAANESH -1 Attack for enemys in HtH Slaanesh Reward C
  • 35 NURGLE’S ROT touched enemys wounded on 6, No Save, not towards pushback Nurgle Reward C
  • 35 WARRIOR BANE Victim’s Attacks -1
  • 40 TORMENTOR SWORD Victim subject to Stupidity
  • 50 NURGLE’S FOUL ODOUR enemys in HtH with unit are -1WS Nurgle Reward C
  • 50 ALLURE OF SLAANESH enemy in HtH my not strike him untill they pass Ld test on 3D6 Slaanesh Reward C
  • 50 SLAANESH’S SCEPTRE OF DOMINATION dominates enemy characters within 12″ Chaos-Slaanesh
  • 50 THE COLLAR OF ZORGA touching Monsters may not attack, takes over control of Monster Orcs or Goblins OG
  • 60 THE RUBY CHALICE after unit Wounded, -2 to Hit unit with missles, -1 to Hit bearer in HtH
  • 75 DESTROYER steals magic items/spells Dark Elf
  • 100 SWORD OF DESTRUCTION touched model’s magic items nullified, destroys magic item on wound
  • 125 BLACK AXE OF KRELL two-hand weapon, No Save, Wounds victim on 2- magic phase Undead or Chaos U

PSYCHOLOGY

  • 10 THE SWORD OF BORK if bearer is Leader, Unit ignores first Animosity test failure Orcs, Savage Orcs OG
  • 10 BERSERKER SWORD bearer immune to Psychology, no Unit Leaders
  • 35 SHRIEKING BLADE causes Fear
  • 35 HIDEOUS APPEARANCE causes Fear Chaos Reward C
  • 50 SWORD OF FORTITUDE bearer immune to Fear, Terror, and Panic
  • 50 SKABSKRATH causes Terror Undead
  • 50 CROWN OF COMMAND Leadership = 10, no modifiers
  • 50 GREAT BOOK OF GRUDGES bearer and unit he leads hates enemy Dwarf Kings D
  • 75 DRAGON CROWN OF KARAZ wearer immune to Fear and Terror, no modifiers to break test Dwarf Kings D
  • 100 THE BLADE OF COURONNE Undead wounded within 3″, bearer immune to Fear Bretonnia

MISC

  • 10 WARPSTONE CHARM reroll dice once, adding +1 or -1 Skaven or Chaos
  • 25 HEART OF WOE blast when bear is killed
  • 25 POISON WIND GLOBES throw 8″, 2″ templet, scatters D3″, wounded on 4+, no Save Skaven S
  • 25 HAIL OF DOOM ARROW 3D6 arrows at Strength 4, use once Wood Elves
  • 25 POTION OF CHAOS start of your turn, 1-3 recover Wound, 4 +1S, 5 +2S, 6 Chaos Gift Chaos C
  • 35 FORTUNE OF TZEENTCH reroll dice once per turn exhausted on 1 Chaos Reward C
  • 50 BREATHE FIRE use flame template, one S4 hit on 4+ Chaos Reward C
  • 50 DEAMON STEED charater rides this monster Chaos C
  • 50 HEALING POTION restores all Wounds, use once
  • 50 BUGMAN’S TANKARD restores 1 Wound to unit member, three uses Dwarfs D
  • 50 SKALM restores all Wounds, use once Skaven S
  • 50 TOMB KING’S CROWN if not in HtH Undead within 12″ use bearer’s WS and BS Mummy tomb kings U

ARMOUR

  • 5 ARMOUR OF ENDURANCE heavy 5+ reroll 6+ no modifiers
  • 5 MAGIC WAR PAINT none 5+ 3+ vs. Missles, 5+ vs. HtH Woody type Races
  • 5 ENCHANTED SHIELD shield 5+ +1 to Save
  • 10 SHIELD OF PTOLOS shield 6+ +1 vs. Missles \(5+ vs. Missles)
  • 10 DRAGONHELM none 2+ vs. Fire, no modifiers
  • 10 CHAOS ARMOR heavy 4+ +1 to Save, wizards may use Chaos
  • 15 ARMOUR OF FORTUNE heavy 5+ reroll 5+ no modifiers
  • 20 SCALY SKIN reroll 4+, wizards unaffected Chaos Reward C
  • 25 DAWNSTONE reroll armour Save
  • 25 BANE SHIELD shield 6+ S4 hit on opponent when Save attempted High Elves HE
  • 25 ARMOUR OF METEORIC IRON heavy 2+ no movement penalties
  • 25 CRIMSON ARMOUR OF DARGON heavy 4+ enemy Ld test to Hit Chaos
  • 25 PRAISE OF KHORNE reroll armor Save, exhasted on 1 Khorne Reward C
  • 40 DESTINY OF TEENTCH restores wound, exhasted on 3- Tzeentch Reward C
  • 40 IRON HARD SKIN reroll 4+ no modifiers, wizards unaffected Chaos Reward C
  • 50 REGENERATION regenerates wound 4+ each phase, not after burned Chaos Reward C
  • 50 CHAOS RUNESHIELD shield 6+ negates opponents magic weapons ability Chaos C
  • 50 SHADOW ARMOUR heavy 5+ ignores terrain, opponent -1S except magic High Elves HE
  • 50 WARPSTONE ARMOUR light 4+ no modifiers, S3 hit when Saved, wizards may use Skaven S
  • 50 ARMOUR OF PROTECTION heavy 5+ reroll 4+ no modifiers
  • 75 ARMOUR OF BRILLIANCE heavy+shield 3+ enemy -2 to Hit Bretonnian
  • 75 ARMOR OF SKALDOR heavy 2+ reroll 4+ no modifiers, even on No Save, immune to fire Dwarf Kings D

ANTI-MAGIC

  • 25 AMULET OF FIRE Dispels on 4+, once per Magic Phase
  • 50 SPELLSHIELD shield 6+ deflects spells 4D6″ using scatter dice
  • 75 THE SILVER SEAL Dispels on 4+, enemy is -1 to Hit Empire
  • 75 CLOAK OF SHADOWS bear only charged on a 6, spells only cast at bearer on a 5+ Skaven Assassins S
  • 100 SPELLEATER SHIELD shield 6+ Dispels on 3+, destroys spell on dice off
  • 100 COLLAR OF KHORNE if Saves magic weapon destroyed, Dispels 4+, destroys spell 4+ Khorne Reward C
  • 100 TALLISMAN OF OBSIDIAN automatically Dispels, nullifies spells from bearer and neighbors

NON-MAGIC USER’S MAGIC

  • 25 RING OF VOLANS use a Spell Card once
  • 25 FIERY RING OF THORI creates flame barrier 6″, blocks move and shoot, one use Dwarfs D
  • 40 BANDS OF POWER bearer doubles Strength for 1 turn, three uses Skaven S
  • 50 THE ORB OF THUNDER cast storm causing no flyng between high and ground, three uses
  • 65 THE BRASS ORB thrown in magic phase, under templet killed on D6 vs. I, one use Skaven S
  • 75 SKARSNIK’S PRODDER +1S Prodder, Waagh number of S4 blasts, range 24″, no Save Night Goblins OG
  • 75 LIBER BUBONICUS bearer becomes a level 2 Wizad, may chose spells from list Plague Monks S
  • 75 CHAOS TOMB BLADE each Wound gives +1 Power cards Undead or Chaos U
  • 85 THE TALISMAN OF HOETH bearer becomes a level 2 Color Wizard High Elves HE
  • 125 CROWN OF SORCERY bearer becomes a level 3 Necromancer, overcome if fails a Ld test

MAGIC USERS ONLY

  • 25 DISPEL MAGIC SCROLL automatically Dispels any Spell, use once
  • 25 ROD OF POWER stores up to 3 Power cards, lose cards if D6 less then # of cards
  • 25 STORM-DAEMON halberd, cast on eniemy within 24″, D6 S5 hits, exhausted on 2- Skaven Warlock S
  • 25 WARRIOR FAMILIAR familiar takes wizards place in combat C
  • 30 POWER FAMILIAR may store 1 power card C
  • 35 SEER STONE increases range by D6″ per extra power used Skaven S
  • 35 GOLDEN EYE OF TZEENTCH touched enemies are transfixed if they fail a Leadership test Chaos-Tzeentch
  • 35 CHALICE OF SORCERY take extra magic card, lose wound on a 6
  • 35 SKULL STAFF +1 to Dispell, reveal eniemy magic items within 12″ each magic phase U
  • 35 SKULL OF KATAM Spells cost 1 less, bearer killed if fails Ld test, -1 Ld per use Chaos C
  • 35 THE CHALICE OF CHAOS 1 Chaos Spawn, 2-3 enemy -1 card, 4-5 +1 card, 6 Drain Magic Chaos C
  • 40 THE SKULL WAND OF KALOTH kills on a Ld test if hits in HTH HE
  • 50 CHAOS FAMILIAR once per turn may add or subtract 1 from die roll by wizard Chaos C
  • 50 SPELL FAMILIAR +1 Spell C
  • 50 THE TOMB-BLADE OF ARKHAM kill become Skeletons Undead
  • 50 STAFF OF FLAMING DEATH cast on Unit within 24″ D3 S4 hits, if casualties take panic test U
  • 50 CLOAK OF MISTS AND SHADOWS cast Necromatic spell “The Dark Mist”, once per Magic phase U
  • 50 STAFF OF OSIRIS cast line 18″, S6 hit D3 Wounds, if killed continues path, exhasted on 2- U
  • 50 WARPSTORM SCROLL D6 S6 hits vs. all models flying high, and driven off, one use Skaven S
  • 50 STAFF OF DAMNATION cast on all Undead within 36″, extra actions exhasted on a 2- Undead
  • 50 DESTROY MAGIC SCROLL auomatically Dispels, destroys Spell on dice off, use once
  • 50 SKAVEN WARPSCROLL cast on unit within 24″, all take a S3 Hit, Panic Test, use once Skaven S
  • 50 WAND OF JET Spells cost 1 less power, exhasted on 2-
  • 50 THE CARSTEIN RING restores bearer when killed within 12″, use once Undead-Vampire
  • 75 SWORD OF UNHOLY POWER cast spell without using Power cards, exhasted if D6 less then Power U
  • 100 BOOK OF NAGASH +1 Magic Level, extra Necromanic spell Necromancers U
  • 100 TALON OF DEATH neighbors suffer 1 Wound in HtH phase, Undead are immune Undead
  • 100 STAFF OF NURGLE cast on model within 12″, model is destroyed, exhasted on a 2- Chaos-Nurgle
  • 125 THE WAR CROWN OF SAPHERY adds one to magic Level High Elves HE
  • 150 THE BOOK OF ASHUR +1 Magic Level, Spell Card from any deck

STANDARDS

  • 10 THE EVIL SUN BANNER may re-roll failed Animosity test Night Goblins OG
  • 20 PLAGUE BANNER cast on unit in HtH, D6 wounds no Saves, use once Nurgle or Skaven
  • 25 STANDARD OF SHIELDING +1 to Save, always saves on a 6 even for No Save
  • 25 WAR BANNER +1 to Combat Results
  • 25 BANNER OF COURAGE reroll Break Test
  • 25 GORK’S WAR BANNER +1 to Strength when charging Orcs or Goblins OG
  • 35 SPIDER BANNER doubles attacks for first HtH of game, use once Forest Goblins OG
  • 35 THE BAD MOON BANNER -1 to be Hit, strikes first Night Goblins OG
  • 50 THE BLASTED STANDARD cast on unit within 8″, 2D6 S6 hits, Panic Test, use once Chaos-Tzeentch
  • 50 THE RAPTUROUS STANDARD immune to Psychology, cannot be Broken Chaos-Slaanesh
  • 50 BANNER OF RAGE subject to Frenzy Chaos-Khorne
  • 50 BANNER OF ARCANE PROTECTION Dispels on 4+, Daemons or Undead in HtH suffer 1 wound on 4+
  • 50 DREAD BANNER causes Fear
  • 50 BANNER OF MIGHT +1 to Hit
  • 50 BANNER OF DOOM enemy within 6″ are -1 to Leadership Undead
  • 65 MORK’SWAR BANNER Dispels on 4+, kills touching Wizards, no Spells from unit Orcs or Goblins OG
  • 75 BANNER OF WRATH cast D6 bolts on models within 24″, Strength 4 hit, no Save
  • 75 HELL BANNER enemy within 6″ are -2 to Leadership Undead
  • 75 SACRED STANDARD OF THE HORNED RAT Ld 10, absorbs power cards on 4+, power cards can be reused Skaven S
  • 100 BATTLE BANNER +D6 to Combat Results
  • 100 BANNER OF ARCANE WARDING protects all within 6″, deflects Spells 4D6″ using scatter dice

ORIGINAL MAGIC ITEMS

  • 25 DISPEL MAGIC SCROLL automatically Dispels any spell, use once
  • 25 THE SWORD OF SWIFT SLAYING bearer strikes first
  • 50 DESTROY MAGIC SCROLL auomatically Dispels, destroys Spell on dice off, use once
  • 50 STAFF OF LIGHTNING cast on first model within 24″, 3 Strength 6 hits, exhasted on 2- Orcs or Goblins
  • 50 THE GOLDEN HELM OF ATRAZAR absorbs Wound on 3+
  • 50 THE BLACK AMULET reflects Wound on 4+
  • 50 THE CLAW OF NAGASH cast on model within 6″, 2D6 – Toughness Wounds, use once
  • 50 THE AXE OF GROM Wound = 2 Wounds, no Save Orcs or Goblins
  • 50 THE DARK MACE OF DEATH blast touching models, used once
  • 75 THE HORN OF URGOK cast on all within 24″, enemy in HtH take Panic, friendlies rally, three uses
  • 100 DOOMFIRE RING cast on model within 18″, 2D6 Strength 3 hits, three uses
  • 100 THE SWORD OF TECLIS automatically Wounds, no Save, blast e

En kritik af postmodernismen

Af Ryan Smith

I en af filmhistoriens mest berømte åbningsscener, Raiders Of The Lost Ark fra 1981, ser vi Indiana Jones stjæle et gyldent afgudsbillede fra et gammelt tempel ved at snuppe det fra dets plads på et alter og erstatte det med en dødvægt – en pose sand.

Således, kunne man indvende, er det også gået med hoffilosofien på Vesteuropas universiteter. Det gyldne afgudsbillede var her Marx og marxismen i alle dens afskygninger (Frankfurterskolen/kritisk teori, analytisk marxisme, marxistisk humanisme, individualistisk eksistentialisme, m.fl.). Med et analyseapparat, der tilsyneladende kunne anvendes på hvad som helst, og som samtidig ikke kunne falsificeres, var den marxistiske metode, hvad den franske filosof Raymond Aron (med en eksplicit reference til Marx) har kaldt l’opium des intellectuels – de intellektuelles opium.

Universitetsmarxismen kom dog i krise i årene op til Sovjetunionens kollaps. Marxismen havde spillet fallit, såvel moralsk som intellektuelt. Noget måtte erstatte afgudsbilledet på universitetsfilosofiens alter.

Dødvægten – posen med sand – er i denne sammenhæng postmodernismen/poststrukturalismen – ”den sproglige vending” i filosofien, som søgte at reducere alt til sociale diskurser og konstruktioner. Når mænd foretrækker kvinder i alderen 18-28 år som sexpartnere, så er det ikke biologi, men kultur, der er årsagen. Hvis vi talte anderledes om menneskets seksualitet, så ville præferencerne også ændre sig.

Ifølge poststrukturalismen er vi alle fanget i et spind af arbitrære sproglige og kulturelle konstruktioner, som dikterer virkelighedens grænser for os, og som vi ikke kan bryde ud af. Kun den poststrukturalistisk skolede akademiker er i stand til at analysere – og derved undslippe – de sproglige netværk, der binder os. Ved at tale i usædvanlige sprogkoder viser han os vejen ud af den illusion, vi har fanget os selv i. Han bliver samfundets vigtigste specialist.

De religiøse og eskatologiske elementer i den marxistiske teori er velkendte. ”Intet skæg, ingen profet,” skulle Marx have sagt om sit valg af ansigtsbehåring. Men poststrukturalismen er nihilistisk som kun en apostat, der ikke har fundet en ny religion, kan være det. Denne nihilisme gjorde sig gældende såvel deskriptivt som normativt. Hvor marxismen havde været global og optimistisk i sin epistemologi, så ser poststrukturalismen særdeles negativt på muligheden for sikker erkendelse. Einstein og Darwins teorier giver ikke et mere retvisende billede af virkeligheden end det, renæssancens alkymister kunne levere. Det individuelle subjekt sås der også tvivl om. Du kan ikke være sikker på, hvilket køn du har. Måske findes du slet ikke.

Også på det normative plan gør poststrukturalismens nihilisme sig gældende. Alt fra æstetikken i Nazitysklands mange faner og uniformer til Khomeinis mytiske indsigt i den neoplatoniske gnosis kunne berettige en tilsidesættelse af individets frihedsrettigheder (som jo alligevel blot var en vilkårlig norm). Alt er tilsyneladende bedre end det kapitalistiske forbrugersamfund med dets snusfornuftige kompromiser og forkærlighed for business as usual.

Poststrukturalismen fejrer menneskets begær. Men den begræder, at vi stort set alle ønsker det samme: Bil og hus i forstæderne, to flotte børn og familiehygge om fjernsynet hver weekend. Ifølge poststrukturalismen er det den forkerte slags begær. Folk er ikke radikale nok, ikke søgende nok. Konformiteten i deres drømme viser, at de stadig er fanget i samfundets sprogkoder. Deres ønsker er ikke legitime. De må optrevles og udstilles. Devalueres, så de kan komme på bedre tanker.

Det gyldne gudebillede på universitetsfilosofiens alter viste sig at være en afgud. En falsk helligdom, hvis mirakler lod vente på sig, og som udeblev, når det virkelig gjaldt. Marxismens historicistiske forudsigelser viste sig ikke at holde stik, og ideen om, at mennesket fødes som en nogenlunde blank tavle, der uden videre kan opdrages til kønsblindhed og kollektiv ejendomsret, viste sig også at være forkert.

I dag er Marxismens tilhængere marginaliseret verden over. Så er spørgsmålet bare, hvor længe universitetsverdenen kan blive ved med at tilbede en pose sand.

Tre eksempler på buddhistisk frihed

Af Ryan Smith

Blandt liberale forfattere anføres det af og til, at taoismen kan karakteriseres som en liberal tro, idet visse varianter af taoismen foreskriver, at magthaverne ikke bør blande sig i civilsamfundet, men blot ”virke myndige,” så ingen får tanker om oprør og anarki.[1] I moderne tid kunne den amerikanske præsident Calvin Coolidge (præsident fra 1923-29), der var kendt for sin tilbageholdende (nogle ville sige passive) tilgang til magten, tjene som et eksempel på den taoistiske idealhersker.

Mens taoismen opfattes som liberal, så opfattes buddhismen af og til som socialistisk. Dette skyldes til dels, at realpolitiske ledere, hvis nominelle religion er buddhisme (eks. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, Dalai Lama og Aung San Suu Kyi), har markeret sig som kritikere af kapitalisme og liberalt demokrati.[2] En anden årsag er, at spørgsmålet om Tibets befrielse af irrationelle årsager synes at være en sag, som kun venstrefløjen bekymrer sig om (det er i øvrigt en populær misforståelse i Vesten, at den tibetanske buddhisme på en eller anden måde skulle være central eller repræsentativ for buddhismen som helhed – det er ikke tilfældet).

I denne artikel vil jeg give tre små billeder på, hvordan buddhismen også kan udlægges som liberal. Det må dog siges, at buddhistisk filosofi ikke er ét samlet filosofisk system, og at der er langt større afstand mellem de forskellige buddhistiske retninger, end der er mellem de konkurrerende taoistiske skoler. Jeg må også indrømme, at jeg har valgt disse tre eksempler, fordi de støtter tesen om en frihedsorienteret buddhisme.

1 Ejendomsretten er ukrænkelig

Inden for den politiske rettighedstænkning snakker man om en opdeling mellem positive og negative rettigheder. Negative rettigheder er de klassiske frihedsrettigheder: Du har ret til at ytre dig, ret til at skifte religion, ret til at forsamles i ikke-voldelige grupper og så videre. Negative rettigheder er firkantet sagt retten til at være dig selv, uden at andre blander sig.

Positive rettigheder er derimod rettigheder til noget, som andre har. Det kan f.eks. være retten til (gratis) skolegang, som er indbefattet af FN’s Menneskerettighedskonvention. Positive rettigheder omfatter adgang til ydelser og værdier, der tilkommer individet udefra. Det er rettigheder, som individet kan gøre krav på, at andre skal opfylde for det. Skal et individ f.eks. i (gratis) skole, så skal nogle andre betale for denne skole, lærerens løn, m.v. I moderne stater finansieres disse ydelser via tvangsopkrævne skatter, dvs. med penge, som er blevet taget snarere end givet.

I De fem regler, som udgør den grundlæggende buddhistiske etik, og som ifølge de antikke pali-kilder er udtalt af Buddhaen selv, hedder det som regel nummer to, at man ”ikke må tage det, som ikke er givet.” Positive rettigheder er således uforenelige med grundlæggende buddhistisk etik. Skal man følge den buddhistiske etik til punkt og prikke, kan man f.eks. ikke modtage kontanthjælp eller anden overførselsindkomst, da man således tager det, som ikke er givet.[3]

Nogle ville måske indvende, at staten jo giver kontanthjælpen, og at man som kontanthjælpsmodtager således ikke forbryder sig mod princippet om at ikke at tage det, der ikke er blevet givet. En god prøve på, hvad Buddhaen ville mene om den argumentation, kan opnås ved at sammenligne Buddhas regel nr. 2 (ikke at tage det, som ikke er givet) med regel nr. 1 (ikke at tage liv): Her kunne man også argumentere for, at man ikke forbrød sig mod denne regel, hvis man ikke selv slagtede de dyr, man ville spise. Buddhaens tilskyndelse var dog klar: Kødspiseren kan ikke undskylde sig med, at han ikke selv har slagtet dyret.[4] Modtageren af tvangsopkrævede midler kan dermed ikke undskylde sig med, at vedkommende ikke selv har taget pengene op af sin nabos lomme.

Buddhister er ikke imod omfordeling; tværtimod levede de første buddhister selv af almisser. Men det er svært at finde den buddhistiske legitimation for tvungen omfordeling via staten. Ikke uden grund har den japanske zen-mester Kyodo Nakagawa således kaldt demokratisk bestemt omfordeling for ”den store undskyldning for egoisme.”[5] Omfordeling og almisser er fine – men de skal udføres på frivilligt grundlag og for egne penge.

2 Frihedsbegrebet er negativt

I den vanlige politiske debat er det et tilbagevendende tema, at mens liberale ser frihedsbegrebet som negativt, så anser socialister frihedsbegrebet som værende synonymt med selvrealisering og materiel komfort (hvad der typisk diskuteres under overskrifter om relativ fattigdom og ulighed).

For både den tidlige buddhisme såvel som den senere mahayana-skole gælder det, at buddhismens frihedsbegreb er negativt.[6] At opnå en given levestandard anses ikke som fremmende for individets frihed. Ej heller anses selvrealisering eller udviklingen af humankapital i ens person som størrelser, der har noget at gøre med individual frihed. Tværtimod anses individets frihed som værende direkte betinget af de hindringer, som måtte lægges i vejen for det, såvel indre som ydre.

Med ydre hindringer forstås de begrænsninger, som andre lægger ned over individet, eksempelvis ved at opkræve 50% af dets indkomst i skat. Sådanne tiltag begrænser individets muligheder for at disponere over sin egen eksistens og modvirker derfor den individuelle frihed. Her er buddhismen og liberalismen på linje.

Med indre hindringer forstås imidlertid de begrænsninger, som individet selv lægger i vejen for sin perception (forstået som en art kantiansk transcendental illusion), samt begrænsninger som andre måtte lægge i vejen for individet, eksempelvis via holdningspåvirkninger og fordomme, der inkulkeres i individet udefra. Disse holdningspåvirkninger er i princippet lige slemme uanset deres indhold. Eksempelvis er en holdningspåvirkning, som forkynder, at velfærdsstaten er moralsk, i princippet lige så slem som en holdningpåvirkning, som forkynder, at velfærdsstaten er amoralsk. Her er buddhismen og liberalismen kun halvvejs på linje. Men det buddhistiske frihedsbegreb er dog i sin grundvold stadig tættere på det liberale end på det socialistiske.

3 Epistemologien har hayekianske elementer

I den engelsktalende verden findes der en vittighed om buddhisten, der går op til pølsemanden og beder ham “make me one with everything.” Joken henviser til den ontologi, som næsten alle buddhistiske retninger har til fælles: Verdens sande tilstand er, at alt er forbundet i ét uløseligt hele. Individet ser fejlagtigt sin lomme af virkeligheden som ”sand” i ultimativ forstand (igen pace Kant). Derved forleder han sig selv, og hans tro og verdensopfattelse vil være falsk.

Et klassisk billede på denne ontologi er ”mysteriet om Indras net”, som blev udviklet af Mahayana-buddhisterne ca. 250 e.Kr. og som blev taget op igen af den kinesiske Hua Yen-skole i perioden 600-800 e.Kr. Indras net er ifølge disse skoler et billede på universets egentlige konstitution. Det beskriver verden som et net af juveler, hvis genskin gensidigt reflekteres. Genskinnet fra én juvel reflekteres således i alle juveler, og genskinnet fra alle andre juveler reflekteres således i den ene juvel. Alt i universet påvirker således alt andet, og perceptionen af helheden er sand, mens det at opfatte det enkelte objekt uden at forstå dets sammenhæng med helheden er fejlagtigt.

I F.A. Hayeks tilfælde kender vi teorien om priser som en informationsteknologi, der opsamler signaler om en helhed, der ligger uden for menneskets naturlige fatteevne:

“Jeg har altid tvivlet på, at socialisterne havde et ben at stå på, intellektuelt set. De har forbedret deres argumentation en smule, men når du begynder at forstå, at priser … repræsenterer flere oplysninger, end vi direkte har til rådighed, falder hele ideen om, at man kan skabe den samme orden via arbejdsdeling, der beror på simpel planlægning, til jorden. Tilsvarende med ideen om, at du kan sørge for en udligning af indkomst, der svarer til en eller anden opfattelse af fortjeneste eller behov.”[7]

For Hayek såvel som for buddhisterne er det synonymt med uvidenhed at tro, at menneskets naturlige kognition er adækvat til at dømme de enkeltfænomener, det ser foran sig. Det følger, at korrekte normative udmeldinger om priser, lønspredning, fællesskab, og ulighed i samfundet ligger uden for menneskets naturlige fatteevne. Således har Hayek sagt:

“Økonomifagets underfundige opgave er at vise mennesker, hvor lidt de egentlig ved om det, de forestiller sig, de kan tilrettelægge.”[8]

Men ordene kunne lige så vel være kommet ud af munden på buddhistiske filosoffer som Nagarjuna (ca. 150-250 e.Kr.), hvis vers om tingenes sande natur (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā) ikke indeholder noget positivt budskab, men blot advarer læseren mod at binde sig til nogen bestemt kognition af fænomener og objekter, da kun den ufattelige helhed, der ligger bag enkeltfænomener, er sand.

Buddhisten siger ikke, som taoisten, at herskeren skal lade civilsamfundet være i fred. Men i lighed med Adam Smith påpeger buddhisten, hvordan ingen hersker har de nødvendige forudsætninger for at overskue den helhed, som civilsamfundet udgør. Den oplagte konsekvens er politisk kvietisme og passivitet – akkurat som hos taoisterne.

Konklusion

Med disse tre små billeder har jeg forsøgt at pege på kerneelementer af buddhismen, som går imod den vanlige opfattelse af buddhismen som en ”venstreorienteret” religion. Som jeg skrev i indledningen, kunne man også have valgt andre eksempler, ja endda argumenteret for den modsatte tese, da summen af buddhistisk filosofi er enorm.

Hvad angår religioner, har folk ofte tendens til at glemme, at de i praksis formes af mennesker, og at de undertiden kan bruges til at legitimere hvad som helst. Således var de japanske zen-buddhister blandt støtterne af den kejserlige militarisme og nationalisme under anden verdenskrig, mens de vietnamesiske zen-buddhister prædikede pacifisme og fred under Vietnamkrigen. Filosofisk set hviler religioner på invididuelle grundteser, som nemmere kan privilegere nogle retninger frem for andre. Men i praksis kan religioner bruges til at legitimere næsten hvad som helst.

I buddhismens tilfælde mener jeg, at frihedsbegrebet, ikkeaggressionsprincippet, og formaningen om, at menneskets umiddelbare kognition er utilstrækkelig til at tilrettelægge samfundet peger i retning af en anden og mere frihedsorienteret buddhisme end den socialistiske stereotype, som i medierne udlægges som synonym med buddhismen.

NOTER

[1] F.eks. David Boaz: The Libertarian Reader s. 207 (The Free Press 1997), samt Murray N. Rothbard: “The Ancient Chinese Libertarian Tradition” og ”Libertarianism in Ancient China”.

[2] Suu Kyi: The Voice of Hope s. 148 (Penguin Books 1997), cf. Buddhadasa: Me and Mine s. 184-185 (State University of New York Press 1989)

[3] Senere buddhistiske retninger søgte at omgås denne radikale etik ved at omformulere Buddhaens ord til, at man ikke måtte stjæle det, som ikke er givet. Men ifølge de ældste kilder lyder forordningen altså, at man ikke må tage det, som ikke er givet.

[4] Bodhipaksa: Vegetarianism s. 73-79 (Windhorse Publications 1999)

[5] Lawrence Shainberg: Ambivalent Zen s. 180 (Knopf Doubleday Publishing 1997)

[6] Murti: The Central Philosophy of Buddhism s. 222 (Munshiram Monoharlal 2013)

[7] Hayek, interviewet af Thomas W. Hazlett, maj 1977. Trykt i Reason magazine, juli 1992.

[8] Hayek: The Fatal Conceit s. 76 (University of Chicago Press 1988)

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The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) appraisal is a psychometric personality test intended to measure mental inclination in how individuals see the world and make decisions. These inclination were extrapolated by Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers from the typological speculations proposed via Carl Gustav Jung, and initially distributed in his 1921 book Psychological Types. Jung estimated that there are four central mental capacities by which we encounter the world: sensation, instinct, feeling, and thinking. One of these four capacities is predominant more often than not.

The first designers of the identity stock were Katharine Cook Briggs and her girl, Isabel Briggs Myers; these two, having concentrated on widely the work of Jung, transformed their enthusiasm of human conduct into a dedication of turning the hypothesis of mental sorts to down to earth use. They started making the pointer throughout World War II in the 1940s, through their own particular unique research, accepting that an information of identity inclination would help ladies who were entering the modern workforce shockingly to distinguish the kind of war-time occupations that would be “most agreeable and effective”. The starting survey developed into the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which was initially distributed in 1962. The MBTI is built for ordinary populaces and stresses the estimation of regularly happening differences. Robert Kaplan and Dennis Saccuzzo accept “the underlying presumption of the MBTI is that we all have particular inclination in the way we interpret our encounters, and these inclination underlie our diversions, needs, values, and inspiration” (p. 499).

Mordheim Official Rules for Witch Hunter Warbands

The Order of the Templars of Sigmar, universally known as the Witch Hunters, is an organization dedicated to the eradication of heretics, be they warlocks, witches, sorcerers, fortune-tellers, necromancers, worshippers of dark gods, deviants, mutants, blasphemers, sinners, mutterers of profanities, servants of Daemons, pornographers, or composers of corrupting music. Even when Death by Fire is the proscribed punishment for heretics, most of those guilty cheat and foul the Witch Hunters’ noble intentions by dying during questioning before making a full confession and retraction of their wicked ways.

Witch Hunters are charismatic rabble-rousers who can soon turn a crown to their own ends. They are universally dreaded, for everyone has something or someone to hide. Even the Sisters of Sigmar are sworn enemies, as only those loathsome Daemon-worshipping she-heretics whose very existence are a vile affront to the majesty of Sigmar could have survive the Hammer of Sigmar’s Wrath by making further packs with the dark gods. Now, they have turn their cleansing crusade into Mordheim. All elements of Chaos must be destroyed, and the Wyrdstone must be returned to the proper care of Temple of Sigmar… under the watchful eye of the Grand Theologist himself!

Choice of Warriors:

A Witch Hunter warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns which you can use to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 12.

  • Witch Hunter Captain: Each Witch Hunter warband must have one Witch Hunter Captain.
  • Warrior-Priest: Your warband may include a single Warrior-Priest.
  • Witch Hunters: Your warband may include up to three Witch Hunters.
  • Zealots: Any number of models may be Zealots.
  • Flagellants: Your warband may include up to five Flagellants.
  • Warhounds: Your warband may include up to five Warhounds.

Starting Experience:

  • A Witch Hunter Captain starts with 20 experience.
  • Witch Hunters start with 8 experience.
  • A Warrior-Priest starts with 12 experience.
  • Henchmen start with 0 experience.

Witch Hunters’ Skill Tables

  • Witch Hunter Captain Combat, Shooting, Academic, Strength or Speed.
  • Witch Hunter Combat, Shooting, Academic or Speed.
  • Warrior-Priest Combat, Academic or Strength.

Witch Hunters’ Equipment List

Witch Hunter List <————–> Zealot List

Dagger 1st free/ 2 gc Dagger 1st free/ 2 gc
Hammer/Mace 3 gc Hammer/Mace 3 gc
Axe 5 gc Axe 5 gc
Sword 10 gc Sword 10 gc
Double Handed Weapon 15 gc Double Handed Weapon 15 gc
Spear 10 gc
Crossbow 25 gc Bow 10 gc
Pistol 15 gc Short Bow 5 gc
Pistol, Brace 30 gc
Crossbow Pistol 35 gc
Light Armor 20 gc Light Armor 20 gc
Heavy Armor 50 gc Shield 5 gc
Shield 5 gc Helmet 10 gc
Buckler 5 gc
Helmet 10 gc

Flagellants List

Flail 15 gc
Morning Star 15 gc
Double Handed Weapon 15 gc
None
None

Heroes

1 Witch Hunter Captain; 60 gold crowns to hire
Driven by fanaticism, Witch Hunter Captains are obsessed with cleansing Mordheim and bringing the justice of Sigmar to all. Carrying the edict of the Grand Theogonist himself, they have the divine right to judge and execute warlocks, witches, Chaos worshippers… in fact all who dare to oppose them.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 4 4 3 3 1 4 1 8

Weapons/Armor:  Witch Hunter Captain may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Witch Hunter Equipment list.

Special Rules:

  • Leader: Any warrior within 6″ of the Witch Hunter Captain may use his Leadership value when taking Leadership tests.
  • Burn the Witch!: A Witch Hunter Captain hates all models who can cast spells.

0-3 Witch Hunters; 25 gold crowns to hire
Witch Hunters are members of the grim Order of Witch Hunters, dedicated to eradicating Chaos and all its minions. Usually they prowl the Old World individually trying and executing the enemies of Sigmar, but the situation in Mordheim requires them to band together.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armor: Witch Hunters may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Witch Hunter Equipment list.

Special Rules:

  • Burn the Witch!: Witch Hunters hate all models who can cast spells.

0-1 Warrior-Priest; 40 gold crowns to hire
Many powerful fighting men have come from the ranks of the faithful. The Priests of Sigmar are no exception, and the military wing of the cult is feared and respected throughout the Empire. The Grand Theogonist himself has granted the Warrior-Priests an edict to cleanse Mordheim of Chaos filth. With fire burning in their eyes, the Warrior-Priests stride into battle, chanting aloud the Deus Sigmar, the praise of the patron god of the Empire.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 8

Weapons/Armor: A Warrior-Priest may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Witch Hunter Equipment list.

Special Rules:

  • Prayers: A Warrior-Priest is a servant of Sigmar and may use the Prayers of Sigmar as detailed in the Magic section.

Henchmen

(In groups of 1-5)

0-5 Flagellants; 40 gold crowns to hire
Flagellants are fanatics and madmen obsessed with the end of the world. They are often men who have lost their families to war or the ravages of nature, and have also lost their minds. With insane persistence, they travel the length and breadth of the Empire, preaching their view of the end of the world. With their rousing speeches, Witch Hunters can muster these dangerous lunatics to fight in the streets of Mordheim, where no sane man dares tread. Flagellants are extremely dangerous opponents in close combat, for they have the strength of madmen, and their bodies have become inured to pain because of self-mutilation.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 3 3 4 4 1 3 1 10

Weapons/Armor: Flagellants may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Flagellant Equipment list. Flagellants never use missile weapons, even if they gain an Advance roll which would otherwise allow them to do so.

Special Rules:

  • Fanatical: Flagellants are convinced that the end of the world is nigh, and nothing in this world holds any terror for them. Flagellants automatically pass all Leadership-based tests they are required to take. A Flagellant may never become a warband leader.

0+ Zealots; 20 gold crowns to hire
When a man loses his family, home and all he cared for, religion is often the last refuge left to him. Such men become wandering pilgrims, bitter and dangerous fanatics who are prepared to avenge their loss at any cost. These men are called Zealots. Zealots have forsaken their former lives and exist only to destroy evil and the minions of Chaos. Whilst they might have been peasants and craftsmen before, and thus may not be as dangerous in a fight as seasoned mercenaries, their determination and fanaticism should not be underestimated. Witch Hunters find ready allies in their ranks, and many a band of Zealots is led by Witch Hunters.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armor: Zealots may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Zealot Equipment list.

0-5 Warhounds; 15 gold crowns to buy
Witch Hunters often keep packs of ferocious hunting dogs. With their huge jaws and powerful bite, they are perfect for hunting down (and tearing apart) any heretics, mutants, deviants and witches.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
6 4 0 4 3 1 4 1 5

Weapons/Armor: Jaws and brutality! Warhounds never use or need weapons and armor.

Special Rules:

  • Animals: Warhounds are animals and thus do not gain experience.

Mordheim Official Rules for Cult of Possessed Warbands

As the Magister of a Cult of Possessed, you command a group of worshippers of the Dark God Tzeentch, the Master of Change. Your warriors are no ordinary men, but crazed fanatics who willingly let Daemons take over their bodies and minds. Human sacrifices, dark rituals, Daemon worship – nothing is too gruesome or low for you and your men.

The Possessed worship an Unspeakable Beast which lurks in the darkness of The Pit, the crater which the meteor left to scar the earth in Mordheim. They believe that this mythical creature is an emissary of Tzeentch, the Master of Change. The Possessed carry a symbol of the Dark Moon on their shields and robes. Come now, child, and hear of the power and glory of the Dark God. Your nobles and priests have fooled you, for it is Tzeentch, the Changer of Ways, who is the true master of this poor, thin world. Now you have heard this. Now you too must change… or die.

Choice of Warriors:

A Possessed warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 15.

  • Magister: Each Possessed warband must have one Magister: no more, no less!
  • Possessed: Your warband may include up to two Possessed.
  • Mutants: Your warband may include up to two Mutants.
  • Darksouls: Your warband may include up to five Darksouls.
  • Brethren: Any number of models may be Brethren.
  • Beastmen: Your warband may include up to three Beastmen Gors.

Starting Experience:

  • A Magister starts with 20 experience.
  • Possessed start with 8 experience.
  • Mutants starts with 0 experience.
  • Henchmen start with 0 experience.

Possessed Skill Tables

  • Magister may choose from the Combat, Academic or Speed.
  • Possessed may choose from the Combat, Strength or Speed.
  • Mutant may choose from the Combat or Speed.

Possessed Equipment List

Possessed List <——————–> Darksouls List

Dagger 1st free/ 2 gc Dagger 1st free/ 2 gc
Hammer/Mace 3 gc Hammer/Mace 3 gc
Axe 5 gc Axe 5 gc
Sword 10 gc Sword 10 gc
Double Handed Weapon 15 gc Double Handed Weapon 15 gc
Spear 10 gc Flail 15 gc
Bow 10 gc None
Short Bow 5 gc
Light Armor 20 gc Light Armor 20 gc
Heavy Armor 50 gc Heavy Armor 50 gc
Shield 5 gc Shield 5 gc
Helmet 10 gc Helmet 10 gc

Heroes

1 Magister; 70 gold crowns to hire
Magisters lead the covens of the Possessed. They have been granted magical powers by their patron gods. They are fanatical followers of the Dark gods, utterly dedicated to bringing Chaos to the world.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 4 4 3 3 1 3 1 8

Weapons/Armor: The Magister may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Possessed Equipment list.

Special Rules:

  • Leader: Any models in the warband within 6″ of the Magister may use his Leadership instead of their own.
  • Wizard: The Magister is a wizard and uses Chaos Rituals. See the Magic section for details.

0-2 The Possessed; 90 gold crowns to hire (+ the cost of mutations)
The Possessed have committed the greatest of heresies: they have given their bodies to Daemons. As a result, they are nightmarish creatures, a melding of flesh, metal and black magic. Inside them lives a supernatural thing of evil, a Daemon from the dark reaches of the Realm of Chaos. The powerful spirit of a Daemon can meld several creatures together, be they men or animals, into a multi-faceted horror. These monstrous Possessed are perhaps the most dangerous of the creatures of Mordheim, and certainly the most loathsome and dreadful.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
5 4 0 4 4 2 4 2 7

Weapons/Armor: None. The Possessed never use weapons or armor.

Special Rules:

  • Fear: The Possessed are terrifying, twisted creatures and therefore cause fear. See the Psychology section for details.
  • Mutations: Possessed may start the game with one or more mutations each. See the Mutations list over the page for costs.

0-2 Mutants; 25 gold crowns to hire (+ the cost of mutations)
Mutants are revered as the favored ones of the Dark gods, their physical disfigurements marking out the vileness of their soul. They come in many shapes and sizes, each more bizarre than the next.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armor: Mutants may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Possessed Equipment list.

Special Rules:

  • Mutations: Mutants must start the game with one or more mutations each. See the Mutations list over the page for the cost.

Henchmen

(In groups of 1-5)

0-5 Darksouls; 35 gold crowns to hire
Darksouls are men who have been driven insane by the daemonic possession which became all too common after the destruction of Mordheim. The Daemons have left the bodies of these men, but their minds have been scarred by the horror of the experience. Their insane strength makes Darksouls dangerous fighters. The Cultists regard them as holy men, and let them work out their unreasoning rage in battle. In their tortured minds the Darksouls believe themselves to be Daemons. They wear leering daemonic masks and garb themselves in armor and clothing resembling the scaled skin of Daemons.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 2 2 4 3 1 3 1 6

Weapons/Armor: Darksouls may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Darksouls Equipment list.

Special Rules:

  • Crazed: Darksouls have been driven insane by daemonic possession and know no fear. They automatically pass any Leadership tests they are required to take.

0+ Brethren; 25 gold crowns to hire
Brethren are the crazed human followers of the cults of the dark gods, eager to descend into damnation. Their vile deeds and unspeakable acts have driven them to the brink of insanity.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armor: The Brethren may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Possessed Equipment list.

0-3 Beastmen; 45 gold crowns to hire
Beastmen are mutated monstrosities that infest the forests of the Empire: massive horned creatures with an inhuman resistance to pain. The destruction of Mordheim brought many Beastmen into the ruined city to prey upon the survivors. They readily ally with the Magisters of the Possessed warbands.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
4 4 3 3 4 2 3 1 7

Weapons/Armor: Beastmen may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Darksouls Equipment list.

Mutations

Those who dwell in Mordheim soon develop horrible mutations, and the Cult of the Possessed seem to be especially susceptible. In addition, Mordheim attracts mutants from all over the Empire, who are always quick to join the Chaos covens. Most mutations are simply inconvenient or hideous, but some make their bearers extremely dangerous in combat.

Mutations may be bought for a Mutant or a Possessed warrior only when they are recruited; you may not buy new mutations for a model after recruitment. Any Mutant or Possessed may have one or more mutations. The first mutation is bought at the price indicated, but second and subsequent mutations bought for the same model cost double.

  • Daemon Soul; Cost: 20 gc
    A Daemon lives within the mutant’s soul. This gives him a 4+ save against the effects of spells or prayers.
  • Great Claw; Cost: 50 gc
    One of the mutant’s arms ends in a great, crab-like claw. He may carry no weapons in this arm, but gains an extra attack in hand-to-hand combat with a +1 Strength bonus.
  • Cloven Hoofs; Cost: 40 gc
    The warrior gains +1 Movement.
  • Tentacle; Cost: 35 gc
    One of the mutant’s arms ends in a tentacle. He may grapple his opponent in close combat to reduce his attacks by -1, down to a minimum of 1. The mutant may decide which attack his opponent loses.
  • Blackblood; Cost: 30 gc
    If the model loses a wound in close combat, anyone in base contact with the model suffers a Strength 3 hit (no critical hits) from the spurting corrosive blood.
  • Spines; Cost: 35 gc
    Any model in base contact with the mutant suffers an automatic Strength 1 hit at the beginning of each close combat phase. Spines will never cause critical hits.
  • Scorpion Tail; Cost: 40 gc
    The mutant has a long barbed tail with a venom tip, allowing him to make an extra Strength 5 attack in each hand-to-hand combat phase. If the model hit by the tail is immune to poison, the Strength of the hit is reduced to 2.
  • Extra Arm; Cost: 40 gold crowns
    The mutant may use any single-handed weapon in the extra arm, giving him +1 attack when fighting in hand-to-hand combat. Alternatively, he may carry a shield or a buckler in the extra arm. If a Possessed chooses to do this, he gains an extra attack but still cannot carry a weapon.
  • Hideous; Cost: 40 gold crowns
    The mutant causes fear. See the Psychology section for details.

Some Observations on GW’s IP and Copyright

Introduction
Games Workshop is in the same position today as the music industry was at the time of Napster. In principle they have a strong legal monopoly on their IP and copyrights which their lawyers enforce way more strongly than is the norm in the gaming world. Consider how many of the common tropes of sci-fi and fantasy games, and off-handed references between one game and another, that would never have happened if every producer enforced their IP as strongly as GW.

Furthermore, after the arrival of rivals like Mantic and Avatars of War, many of GW’s ideas have effectively been diluted to the point where their presence in the market allows third-party publishers and producers to release ideas and miniatures that are similar in background and aesthetic to GW’s. (Orange-haired berserker dwarves are no longer the sole monopoly of GW. Nor are evil elves with lizard capes and crossbows.)

Around the time of Napster, individual people were deterred and fined astronomical amounts for distributing music that they did not have the rights to. But through force of numbers, unlicensed distribution won out over IP, and today we can listen to every song on YouTube. I believe that we are today in the same position regarding the status of GW’s copyright and IP. The ideas have effectively been diluted and seeped into the public domain, but for the IP to be free, the movement needs people who are willing to risk their necks, and understandably, not many people are willing to do so.

Most notably, people could push the boundaries of GW’s alleged IP and copyright by publishing products and works which are allowed within the confines of copyright law but which GW wants you to believe are illegal (more on this below).

Getting sued for copyright infringement is scary, and most small-time producers cannot afford the cost. There will be victims in the fight to release fantasy and sci-fi works that are in some sense inspired by GW. But the reality of copyright and IP laws (and even patent laws, as Elon Musk will attest) is that they are not enforceable if the opposition is determined enough. GW wants to keep you scared. But the reality is that GW only needs to lose once to lose for good. Just like the music industry only needed to lose once to lose for good.

Here are some observations on copyright and IP law that I have gathered.

“Fair Use” and Criticism in the U.S.
Under U.S. law, it is almost impossible to restrict the criticism of a publication. This means that if you are a U.S. citizen, publishing in the U.S., you can actually post entire statlines and points costs of units online, as long as your purpose for doing so is criticism. For example, you could write a post on your personal blog called “Review of Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves 8th edition,” which pretty meticulously ran through all of the units as long as your post was clearly intended as a criticism of that publication.

Games Workshop wants you to believe that they can prevent you from posting such information, even if you phrase it as criticism. To maintain this illusion, they send threatening Cease and Desist letters to writers who publish such information, but U.S. law is fairly clear about the right to fair use for the purposes of original commentary and criticism.

Game Rules Are Not Copyrightable
In the U.S. at least, game rules are not copyrightable unless they are the subject of a patent. This means that in principle there is nothing copyrightable about a statline and a points cost (although unit names can be trademarked and *are* trademarked by Games Workshop, which places certain restrictions on the use of their names).

This means that in principle there is nothing to stop you from publishing the rules for entire armybooks as long as you (1) omit all background text, (2) rename the units that are the subject of GW’s trademarks, and (3) rephrase the specific way in which the rules are phrased.

Games Workshop tries to maintain their grip on the rules by interspersing the rules with background and fluff. Remove the background and fluff, and you remove the copyright.

Products That Are “For Use With” Have Been Ruled Legal
Producers have previously released products that have no use on their own, but are solely “for use with” another party’s products. For example, a company that did not own the rights to the board game Trivial Pursuit has released a module that had no use on its own, but was made “for use with” Trivial Pursuit. The case was taken to court, and the producer’s right to release a product that was meant “for use with” another producer’s product was upheld. Similarly, a recent court ruling in the EU upheld a third-party producer’s right to produce coffee capsules for Nestle’s Nespresso machines, even though these machines are the subject of a patent from Nestle and therefore entitled to increased protection.

In principle, this means that people should be able to release their own “for use with” modules for Warhammer. For example, a “Warhammer Armies: Fishmen” should be your prerogative to release to market as long as you omit all background text that infringes on GW’s specific trademarked units (i.e. don’t mention Skaven in the fluff). Like the capsules that were released “for use with” the Nespresso machine, you should in principle be able to release your own Fishmen models “for use with” Warhammer proper.

Disclaimer
These observations should be seen as my personal reflections on Games Workshop’s IP and copyright. This post should not be construed as providing legal advice of any kind. Though reasonable arguments and extrapolations can be posited from previous court rulings, there is no “hard formula” for determining the limits of copyright and IP in advance, before they have actually been tried in court.