Friday, 16 July 2021

Animosity III - The Prime Dominion, part 12 - The Cleavermaw

~ ⦽ ~ 11

Heading Downwind

Wind thrummed through iron-taught rigging as the Cleavermaw raced over the shimmersea with the black disk of Noctis on the port bow, but small in the far distance. The speed they were able to achieve running downwind, even this far from the darkening orb, was exhilarating to the whole crew but Kaptain Mogrum was weary of travelling in the summer regions and posted extra lookouts from the watch who would normally be taking their turn below decks. He paid-off the discontent this might have caused with the promise of extra rum at the end of the day, and a reminder that the hand who first spotted a prize ship would have first pick of the loot out of her.

Uzzog studied his charts and the log book, checking his calculations a third time. He stuck his pencil behind his ear and looked at the Kaptain, he knew he must pick his moment carefully and not speak if the boss was in a foul mood. After watching for a few minutes and seeing that no one who spoke to him was thrown overboard or blasted with green lightning he mustered his courage and approached.
"Kap'n? A word?" he said.

Mogrum rounded on Uzzog and the shaman flinched, but he wasn't exploded so he took that as a good sign.

"If'n we keeps on this heading for another day we'll sail clean through summer and we'll be close on autumn in no time." said Uzzog, trying to sound like he wasn't nervous. He swallowed hard when the Kaptain nodded but said nothing.

"But that will take us mighty close to Ciradyl Tower... and you know who's a-hiding there. I ain't sure the hull will take the stress of any hard manoeuvres until we’ve had a time to make more repairs." the shaman blurted.

Mogrum appeared to think about this for a few minutes, and Uzzog felt every single grain of sand fall through the hourglass next to the helm.

Finally the Kaptain said quietly "It ain't no consternation to us, Uzzog mate, we are over Idrelec waters and we has a letter of marque. If we sees another vessel we can heave-too and chat all friendly-like with 'em. We ain’t going to be battling no one today or tomorrow."

Uzzog's brow furrowed for a moment, as this concept settled in. He wasn’t sure if the Kaptain was just placating him, or if he really wasn’t worried. The extra lookouts were at odds with his words… he wasn’t about to argue though. He tugged his hat and backed off, returning to the comfort of his thaumaturgic compass and maps.

~ ⦽ ~

Picking up this old project again for Animosity III, since the Cleavermaws are sailing around the Prime Dominion I thought they should have their skyship ready for action before the end of the campaign!

I bought some black plasticard and started "repairing" the hull. I cut it into irregular strips, roughly the same width as the planks on the Gloomtide hull, and scored them with a knife for a woodgrain effect.

I found an old Orc weapon and replaced the figurehead's hammer with a much more thematic cleaver, and added a few more bits-box parts to detail the stern and the deck.

I need to sort out extending the mast a little and add a sail or two.








The Cleavermaw in flight!

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