Spellbreakers at Realm's Edge - part 9

The Fires of the Piremoor

Mogrum woke with a start and cracked his head on the ship's beams above his hammock as he sat up. He groaned loudly through gritted teeth and clutched his head. Neon-green flame raged from his eyes and scorched the timbers black.

Flashes of his dream came back to him: Raging fires and flickering shadows. Green lightning sparks and glorious fights. The clash of steel and the cracking of bones. An intricately carved bone that contained immense power; Combined power from Shyish, Ulgu and Aqshy! The mask of that damned Mistweaver.

He climbed out of his hammock and took a long drink of grog. The visions subsided but he was left with a strange feeling of certainty. He knew he had to have that scrimshawed bone and the power it would give him.

~ 🕱 ~

On deck he barked orders and Sludga and Deadwood gathered the crew aft. 

He stood on the quarter deck of the Cleavermaw as the skyship rolled gently in the breeze. Holding on to the rigging above him, he looked down into the waist of the ship.

"Lads. I've seen a future where we start a fight." Mogrum said in a voice loud enough to be heard through a storm. "A fight so big that it spills over the very edge of Shyish and into Aqshy. I fight that we will win, and keep winning as it draws in hundred of fighters from other Realms too."

Most of the orruk pirates grinned up at him and nodded but Liberty Snik piped-up "Was it prognostication or divination?"

Mogrum blinked.

"What?"

Dogwatch Fug said "It can't of been divianation unless there was a chicken." and a few of the orruks near him started nodding or shaking their heads.

Weatherly Deg shouted "Don't be daft. It was prophesy, obviously." At this the crowd broke down into general chatter amongst themselves, debating the various forms of the seer's art.

Mr Sludga and Mr Deadwood started moving through the small crowd, trying to get them all to shut up by the targeted application of kicks and punches. But by then it was too late, the crew was already lost to the argument (again) and soon there were weapons drawn and threats bawled.

Then a thunderclap of emerald lightning split the air and tore through the mainsail. The crowd of orruks froze and looked up at the Kaptain. Arcs of energy crackled across his arms and hands. A green aurora glared out fro the blade and skulls atop his staff.

The crowd of orruk pirates remembered themselves and fell silent again.

~ 🕱 ~

At the very edge of the ruins of the Temple of Khazla the Cleavermaws gathered among the glowing emberstones and broken temple obelisks. The pirates strode out of the Realmgate and crossed the ashen plains (only occasionally pausing to swat-out the fires that caught their clothes) toward the temple.

The orruk pirates managed to get between the Shadowflames and the Realmgate and attempted to block their escape. They were going to take the scrimshawed bone from the Shadowflames and they were going to follow Mogrum on his vision of adventure and conquest!

The Kaptain and his followers closed in on them from the left.

While Snaplock Harald and Mr Sludga took the right-hand path.

Laelanyel the Mistweaver Saih and her bodyguards advanced confidently.

Mogrum attempted to cast a Foot of Gork several times, but the spell failed to materialise or Laelanyel unbound it every time ( and several of the crew muttered about the obvious power of the scrimshawed bone).

The orruks charged!

Snaplock Harald fired his ship's cannon but with little effect on the Slayers.

Liberty Snik fell.

The Kaptain's magic was unpredictable at best!

Much to his frustration!

The Slayers managed to bring down Mr Sludga and Oiler Tunn.

And Mr Deadwood.

Kaptain Mogrum joined the fray at last. Desperation pushing him to fall back into his old ways.

Harald charged.

Auric Runefather Aef-Grimnir brought down the Kaptain with his Latchkey Grandaxe!

Harald smacked a Slayer - using his cannon as a huge club. Bosun Higgs took out another Slayer.

Laelanyel disappeared into her Mirrorpool. The Mistweaver Saih left the Caengans to strip the orruks of their loot. The power of the scrimshawed bone was going to be hers to command.

~ 🕱 ~

This was Fragile Cargo from the Skirmish book. Viktor broke through my lines and scored a win.

Viktor's tale of this adventure is here.