Cult of Admonition (dregs)

*"A Heretical cult known as the Admonition seeks to seize control of the planet Atoma Prime and lay waste to its inhabitants."*

# Admonition

The cult known as **Admonition** (or interchangeably as the "**Cult of Admonition**") is a fanatical chaos cult of Nurgle within Hive Tertium. They are commonly referred to as the *dregs*. They are one of the two enemy factions fought within Tertium, the other being their allies, the Moebian 6th Traitors (Scabs).

## Present Day

The **Cult** is also responsible for many of the blasphemies now festering within Tertium: Metaphysical pox, daemon slugs, fleshy abominations and mutants. Even forcing innocents to play host to daemons. A firsthand account of the heretic uprising can be seen in the Wyrmwood Vox Transmissions.

Admonition seeks to spread their "One Truth" to all, willing or otherwise. This truth is likely some credence of Nurgle, alongside that they seek to spread their budding variety of contagions that corrupt a victim body, mind, and soul. More than a simple pathogen it is a curse upon the body and soul.

The cult has raised an unnatural growth akin to a fleshy tree. The Seer's Beloved says is "very old, and also very young." Nurgle is a god fond of growth, in a way, often manifesting as a parody of plants and gardens. A tree isn't an uncommon Nurgle design, from the feculent gnarlmaw in the table-top game, to the Gallows Tree in Warhammer Fantasy lore, often being a locus of Nurgle's influence.

The fleshy growths spreading through the lower hives will eventually consume more than the bodies of the diseased. It will spread to the buildings, metals, infrastructure rusting and decaying everything, even the very bedrock of Tertium.

## Relationship with the Moebian 6th

It is unknown whether the Moebian 6th have sworn fealty to the **Cult of Admonition**. A Scab leader of unknown importance, Captain Wolfer is shown kneeling to a **Dreg** leader of some kind during the *Darktide World Intro Cinematic*. The **Dregs** do seem more *religious* and *zealous* of the two heretic factions. The **Cult** is rife with blessings of **Nurgle**.

## The Admonition & "Truth"

The word Admonition means a firm, authoritative, or harsh warning, reprimand, rebuke, or counsel. What could this warning or counsel be? The majority of the heretic enemies spout some line mentioning "truth". This "truth" is likely what they admonish, or rebuke, the population in regard to. The truth is likely about accepting the inevitable embrace of rot, decay and Nurgle's embrace.

## Dark Tongue Runes

The dregs have their own unique language that is some dialect of Dark Tongue, the language of Chaos, that is heard and written throughout the game. These Dark Tongue runes are seen written on the walls throughout the maps, as well as decorating the bodies/armour of the Mutants, Dreg Ragers, Scab Ragers, Pox Hounds, and Dreg Bruisers. As a side note, these are possibly the "unholy sigils" the first wyrmwood agent mentions in Vox Transmission II.

Many of the rune markings across the maps can be translated with the use of the phonetic "alphabet" for the dark tongue. Some translate into various phrases in low-gothic such as "*Death to the Emperor*", "*Kill, Maim, Destroy*", and "*Nurgle Loves You*". Others are words or phrases of the dark tongue. Such as names for nurgle daemons, Beasts of Nurgle "*Gu'nagh'ghyran*" or Great Unclean One "Bahk'ghuranhi'aghkami" phrases like "*Aksho [Nurgle symbol] Dh'Akh*" are written, meaning "*Nurgle shall be called with death.*"

There is a third category though, likely being unknown words of the dark tongue or a language unique to the **Cult of Admonition** derived from the dark tongue. The dregs enemies also speak unknown words that are likely in this dark tongue dialect. Runic script that belongs to this third category are listed below.

Realms of Chaos: Lost and the Damned (1990)

### Dreg Dialogue

Sarah Cawkwell is the Black Library writer who developed the spoken element of the dreg language. However, the translations of the dreg's language hasn't been revealed by Dan Abnett, the principal writer for world building and narrative.

Little of the dreg dialogue matches that of the runic script, other than "Laash" used in junction with other unknown words/phrases. The runic word or phrase "*Motzaash'Chaagh"* compared with the dreg dialogue "*Mu'Taash'Vaarg* Nurgle!" appears to be the closest match of all the comparisons. (The dialogue could also be interpreted as Vu'Taash'Vargh in some pronunciations.)

The tox-flamer dialogue of "*Shaarsh! Burn! Shaarsh!*" could be compared to the runic script of "*Sezhaaar*", or "*Bhaarush"*, but doesn't match as closely as the prior comparison.

Dreg Voice Lines
* (0:10) Yar'revhel
* (0:48) Chetaa'nesh
* (0:50) Mu'Taash'Vaagh Nurgle
* (1:01) Nurgle [guttural]Urlm'yaash'mogh

[Reloading]
* (1:18) Mezh'nepfra [guttural]URAAESH
* (1:25) Aamishpa'Maas
* (1:38) Mezh'Kaa'Vesh
* (1:56) Mul'Taash'Vaagh Nurgle!

[Shooting]
* (2:16) Mu'Taash'Vaagh Nurgle!
* (2:32) Zeshaal'Naa'U'Laash
* (2:37) Nurgle Urlm'Laash'mogh
* (0:08) Mu'Taash'Vargh Nurgle
* (0:12) Meltudo'shons
* (0:15) Vu'raa'shaarh

[Attack]
* (1:25) Nurgle nozhuraash
* (1:37) Mu'Taash'Vargh Nurgle!
 (Disclaimer: The spellings can vary, so have a listen to Hypnotic's videos compiling these voice lines, if interested.)

### Dark Tongue Translations

There are many who have posted similar conclusions on reddit and the Fatshark forums; forum post example.

#### Low-Gothic Words/Phrases

"Death to the false Emperor" is most commonly found written on the banners in heretic territory, as well as the rest of these low-gothic phrases can be found on the various heretic banners. "Nurgle Loves You" is fairly common and has variants where a symbol for 'Nurgle' replaces the name's phonetic spelling.

These are the phrases found written on Mutants, Dreg Ragers, Scab Ragers, Pox Hounds, and Dreg Bruisers.

Common Words/phrases
L O V E,ii S Y O U
T,tz H E,ii  F Aa L Sh E,ii
E,ii M Ph E,ii Rh O Rh
D Aa Rh Kw,qu Gh O D S
D E,ii S T,tz Rh O Y

#### Dark Tongue Words/Phrases

Aksho Nurgle Dh'Akh (*Nurgle shall be called with death*) is a Nurglite line of a daemonic summoning ritual. “*Aksho*” means “*to search for*”, "*Akh*" means "*Battle, bloodshed, to slay in battle*", and "Dhar" is the word for darkness. The ritual is listed in the Codex: Chaos (1996), the 2nd edition Chaos Daemons codex. (To speculate, the combination of Dhar+Akh= a new meaning of "*Battle, bloodshed, to slay in battle*" could be an example of how words are combined to create new meanings.)

Dark Tongue
 Bahk'ghuranhi'aghkami | Bh,b Ak Gh U Rh Aa N I,ee
Aa Gh Kw,qu Aa M I,ee
 Aksho Nurgle Dh'Akh | Ak Sh O [Rune of Nurgle] Dh Ak H

#### Unknown Words/Phrases

These runic scripts are some of the most numerous of the heretic graffiti found throughout the maps. The Dark Tongue core word "Akh" (meaning "Battle, bloodshed, to slay in battle") is the only identifiable core word used in 5 of the 8 unknown/dreg rune markings. It seems to be used in 3 of them to create combinative words. Those runic scripts utilizing this core word, "Akh", likely share some meaning.

* Combination words: Wer'akh, Motz'akh, Akhah
* Possible combination words: Werh'akh Som, Motz'akh Sezhaar, Akh Srhagh, Akhah Srhagh, Yash Tzekha Lash Akh

The Dark Tongue has few core words so combining words with other dialects is common, whether it be other Dark Tongue words or mortal dialects. The potency of the words and their meanings lose strength when combined with mortal dialects.

"Motzaash Chaagh" (accompanied by "Nurgle" in dialogue) is the closest match to Dreg dialogue when compared to runic script. This could be a prayer or praise directed toward Nurgle (based on dialogue use), but that's pure speculation.

### Other Runes

There is a variety of other general Nurgle and Chaos related runes, seemingly used somewhat randomly, in some cases at least. All these are found in the Realms of Chaos: Lost and the Damned (1990).

Servants of Nurgle

Gifts of Nurgle

Chaos Attributes
 Blood Rage (Left)
 Horns

Other Useful Runes

## Gallery

Wolfer kneeling to AdmonitionIntro cutscene - Rejects will Rise (closeup)Intro cutscene - Rejects will RiseWolfer kneeling to Admonition (Uneditted)
## Sources

"A cult known as Admonition" and "Cult of Admonition" is how a few pieces of prerelease content from **Puppetworks**, **Dan Abnett**, and **Fatshark** refer to the Dregs, the Nurgle, cultist faction.

1. The **Puppetworks Animation Studio** official video is found here: "...players take on the heretical cult known as the Admonition deep in the bowels of the Hive City of Tertium."
2. Dan Abnett is quoted in a Fatshark Dev blog here: "..heretical uprising of the **Cult of Admonition (the dregs)** on Atoma Prime."
3. The 2021 prerelease Steam page (via the Wayback Machine), quoted below:

*"In the depths of the hive, the seeds of corruption threaten an overwhelming tide of darkness. A heretical cult known as the Admonition seeks to seize control of the planet Atoma Prime and lay waste to its inhabitants. It is up to you and you allies in the Inquisition to root out the enemy before the city succumbs to Chaos."*

Steam reference also noted in Warhammer Lexicanum website here.