Further Adventures in The Scarlands - part 10, Against a Lee Shore

"Oh deck there!" called the lookout on the roof. "The ogors are here with a signal flag of truce!"

"Where away?" answered Krashhart in a voice loud enough to be heard in a storm. "And damn your eyes!" he muttered under his breath. He was annoyed his breakfast was being interrupted.

"Out of the trees to the east." came the reply through the open trapdoor.

Krashhart sighed and pulled his massive frame up the ladder with agility that still surprised the other orruks, even after all their time sailing together.

Cargo the Maneater was stood just beyond the range of a pistol shot. A gnoblar beside him waved a grubby white, pennant tied to a stick.

"Parley!" Cargo's voice boomed from below Brackenthorn Tower.

"You're lucky you seen your fair share of seas and skies, ogor!" Krashhart's raised his voice to match. "You know I'd not accept of a parley from any of your lubber mates!" A chorus of guttural laughter accompanied the dig, from the lookout and the other orruk pirates who had made their way up to see what was amiss. "But since you're a pirate too, so I'll listen. What it is that you want?"

"It's one of your deckhands, Captain! Sinka be his name. He drowned Skargat's favourite pet gnoblar, by the name Poka". said Cargo, with something like companionship in his manner.

"Well, yes I did! And right funny it was!" said Sinka as he pushed his way to the front. More laughter from the crew, though some seemed to be aimed at Sinka for taking pride at killing a mere gnoblar, all behind his back though so he didn't notice.

"Skargat wants him! Or we'll storm this tower of yours, Captain!" resumed Cargo.

"Ah! So, a score to settle we has?" said Krashhart with a toothy grin.

"Aye!" nodded Cargo.

"Well, Maneater, your mate Hrothgur showed his true colours last time we met: what with hitting poor Hook in his wounded guts, that weren't above board. So we wants him, or we'll storm your encampment! And don't forget we has this!" Krashhart held up the Gristle Grinder. The crew behind him rumbled their agreement.

"A stalemate, captain. What about sorting it the old way?" said Cargo with half a smile and a glint in his eye.

"A duel between the two of them?" said Krashhart, immediately warming to the idea and looking at Sinka to gauge his feeling on it. Sinka's mates slapped him on the back and shook his shoulders.

"Aye! But it wouldn't be fun if the rest of us couldn't join in, don't you think?" Cargo added.

"Arrr! We'll meet you at the north-west edge of Blubberfen, then! If it's there you and the other maggot-eaters hide now?"

"That's good with the Ironforged! We'll see you at sunset tonight!"

As the ogor turned and left the mood of the Swordfyshes was oddly flat. They tried to tell Sinka that he was going to smash Hrothgur, but none of them really believed it.

~ ⦽ ~

The Ironforged wanted revenge for Poka's death. Hook had a beef with Hrothgur for hitting him in his gutwound. It was inevitable the two warbands would meet again at some point. So rather than wait the warbands arranged a time and place to settle to quarrel.

The light of Hysh was already low in the sky when the first fighters of both crew spotted one-another. The orruks called out insults at the ogors as they tried to get the best positions for the coming scrap.

The ogors concentrated their number at the edge of a bog, sloshing through the stinking muddy waters. Small slimy creatures with many teeth attached themselves to their legs, but they didn't seem to notice.

Dakmeff crept off on his own, hoping to be able to pounce on on of the Ironforged unexpectedly.

Sinka looked through the stone arch at the advancing ogors. Flotsum and Battendown watched him, calling out encouragement.

Skargat arrived at the swampy battlefield, with Watcha in tow. He spotted Sinka and headed straight for him.

Krashhart, Hook and Flea started singing and drumming. Their crude shanty was intended to get the pirates into the right frame of mind.

The warbands clashed as twilight deepend, it got harder and harder to make out anyone further away than a few yards.

Flotsum and Battendown leapt into the path of Skargat, stopping him from getting to Sinka.

Mr Flea threw himself at Marg; one of the Gluttons, to make time for Krashhart and Hook to get into the fight.

Krashhart went straight for Hrothgur...

... the Gristle Grinder sparked a fizzed with power in his hands as they traded blows.

Barnacle Nog swatted a gnoblar and Mainstay jumped down from the rocks, into Growl the Glutton, trying to force himself between the ogor and Sinka.

Flotsum and Battendown both landed blows on the Tyrant, but he was so massive and tough he seemed to just shrug them off. But their job was to hold him up long enough for Krashhart to take down Hrothgur before one of the Ironforged took down Sinka.

Growl ignored Mainstay entirely, just pushed past him, and with a shocking display of brutality (that Mainstay couldn't help but admire) he smashed Sinka's head in!

Darkness fell and both warbands broke off the fight and withdrew: The terms of the parley had been met and they abided by the results.

~ ⦽ ~

As the Swordfyshes walked toward the edge of the forest, back to the tower, there was a strange sound echoing between the trees. It was something between singing, chanting and maybe... the calls of a seagull? The pirates all looked at one-another is slight disbelief - they recognised the noise: It was Old Mudgob, the ship's Weirdnob Shaman, returned from whatever strange pilgrimage, or vision-quest, or whatever, that he'd disappeared on many months before.

Dakmeff returned form exploring the woods empty handed, worried that he would be admonished. Hardly anyone even noticed he was back as they were so wrapped-up in greeting Old Mudgob, and trying to work out where he had been.

~ ⦽ ~

Deployment: Stand-off

Victory: Bloodmarked

Twist: Dusk

This felt like a very short game - in Round 1 we both just maneuvered for position. In Round 2 the action started and then Viktor won the game in the first activation of Round 3.

In the after-game sequence I rolled pretty badly: Sinka died of his injuries; Dakmeff explored the Gnarlwood but returned empty handed. It wasn't all bad though: Kaptain Battendown's recovered from his eye injury; and Hook, Dakmeff and Barnacle Nog each gained a point of Renown.

I spent some Glory to replace Sinka and to recruit my newly painted Weirdnob Shaman.

Dramatis Personae

The Swordfyshes

• Lord Krashhart - Warchanter Explorer
  Agile Warrior, 2 Renown, The Gristle Grinder (+3 Damage on Hits and Crits)
• Old Mudgob - Weirdnob Shaman
• Kaptain Battendown - Ardboy with a cloak and a squig-parrot
  2 Renown
• Lugger Dag - Brute, pair of Choppas (2 swords), red bandana.
• Sinka -Brute with blue bandana Dead!
• Hook - Brute with a hook hand
  2 Renown
• Flotsum - Brute, pair of Choppas (axe and sword), blue bandana
  Carnosaur Elixir (Consumable, 1 activation, Crits on 5+)
• Mr Flea - Ardboy Drummer
• Dakmeff - Ardboy with a barrel on his back
  1 Renown
• Barnacle Nog - Ardboy with a bag of bones
  3 Renown
• Mainstay - Ardboy with red shoulder-plate and bandana

Reputation: 4

Glory: 7

Quest Progress: Secure a Powerful Ally - completed!

New Quest: Treasures of Gorkamorka - Idol of Mork

Viktor's side of this tale is here.