The Rotmoons and the Starwood Compass - part 3, Journey to the Prime Dominion

Directed by El Doktoro's readings of the strange lights that danced across the Starwood Compass, the Rotmoon steered a course from Ghyran to Ghur. There they found the Ur-River in a place that had become known as the Scarlands.

They didn't stay in the region long but El Doktoro noted the place on their maps and in his logbook as worth revisiting later.

+++

They followed it downstream, into Chamon where they found a poor little river-port town called Gehenna's Rest.

The port looked like it had been flooded some years before - there were signs the river had burst its bank; horrible stinking mud and all kinds of strange detritus was scattered for miles on either side. Flotsam and jetsam from Chamon and Ghur was piled-up against the stilts of the buildings and on the quayside.

The residents had done their best to repair their blue-green stone homes while trying to clean up, but the place was still in a sorry state. El Doktoro became agitated by a strong sense that something was wrong in the region.

The lights on the Compass flickered into life again and the Rotmoons moved on. 

+++

When the Ur-River became a plunging waterfall-realmgate El Doktoro double-checked the Starwood Compass and confirmed that they had reached the destination he was hoping for.

Animosity VI - Shattered Dominion

The Cleavermaw glidded into the ramshackle and precarious skyport in Downside. An orruk in striped breaches and a fancy hat nailed a scroll to a noticeboard...

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A week later Glottul approached Kaptin Mogrum with a twinkle in his eye and sparkle on his skin.

"Kaptin Mogrum, you ol' so-and-so! 'Aven't seen you since the Delta! Good to see you still krumpin! Seein' as we got along like a gnob on fire the last time, what do you say to another business venture, eh? We've got a bit o' spottiness on the Shimmersea that Mogrek'll pay handsomely for a bit of orruk kannons and know-what! For example..."

Glottul snaped his thick metallic fingers, and a few gluttons entered carrying chests of various sizes, set them down and opened them to show their contents.

"Right, no sense muckin' about, so we'll get to the main event: For you and your pirates' aid, you'll get this lovely chest of treasures!" First up, a stash of Sky-Ship Supplies, perfect for the sky-kaptin on the go!

Next up, this stylish Cache of High Quality Armor! Just the 'fing for those pesky gits who brought their bigga choppas and shootas!

Not enough you say? Well then, how about this Aetherquartz jewelry stash! Fetches a high price in any market, and good for magickal mischief to boot!

'But Glottul you great big bronzegut, surely you 'ave something more personal I can give my krew?' Say no more! If you join up now, we'll throw in this Thaumaturgic Compass absolutely free! I understand you have someone in your krew who has quite the eye for a gadget like this! The perfect thing to add to his collection!

(12 resources total)

So, whadda ya say Kaptin? Are we back in business?"

Kapitan Mogrum, a Weirdnob Shaman wearing a long red coat made from looted wizard's robes and a broad-brimmed hat folded up at the front, scratched his platted beard and considered the offer.

"Thankee for your opening bid, mate."

He paused for a moment, weighing his words.

"We had a tough old time of it in the Delta, as you well knows. Those bakers gave as good as they got.

So those sky-ship supplies will go a long way toward making the fleet a little more shipshape.

And we is sure you also know that our main interests lie in sources of thaumaturgical energy what we can put to use aboard ship. We are greatly inclined to come to an accord, as there looks something of that nature by way of your offered payment..."

He looks serious for a moment, as if there is going to be a "But...".

Then he laughed long and hard, wiped his mouth and yelled,

"Aye mate! That'll do I reckon. We has an accord, says I! Just send word to the fleet, as to which heading to make and we will ply our trade for you."

+++

“Flaming wrecks!?!” raged Mogrum, green lightning arcing from his head as he strode back and forth across the battered deck of the Cleavermaw.

Lost Uzzog had relayed the bad news of the pummelling that some of their ships had received.

The rest of the crew kept a safe distance from him, either below deck or in the focsle. Well, as safe a distance as was possible while on the same ship. They knew that they wouldn't have been truly safe from the Kaptain’s temper even if they'd been on another ship entirely.

+++

Three weeks passed and the Hoard, Mayric's Ironclad, docked beside Mogrum's ship the Cleavermaw, the elderly dwarf crossed the, rather shoddily constructed, jetty and greeted the orruk captain with an informal hand gesture.

"Greetings pal! Good to see you've returned from the aethersea in a good state! What wonderful work you and yours performed out there! Been talking to the other diplomats and we're quite content of the services you've offered us so far and we've been wondering if you'd like to extend your contract with us, for the right price off course!"

Mayrics pointed up at the massive balloon which held The Hoard aloft.

"Just so happens one of our explorers found another one of those big iron balloons us Kharadron are so fond off. We'd offer it as payment, and I'll throw in a open spot at the makeshift skyport I've built and a good service job aswell, teaching your lads how it works and how to keep it in working order. That's not all!"

An armourclad Kharadron carried forth a wooden box, in which a crystal made of red gore like matter is laid.

"A true authentic piece of Varanite right there! Cream of the crop magical energy, heard you're looking for that kind of thing! This one has some kind of memory from history embedded in it, sure you can put it to good use!"

Initial offer:

• 5 Resources, Endrin For Kharadron Ironclad
• 5 Resources, Varanite Crystal With A Moment Frozen In Time.

+++

"Aye mate, we're still afloat, but in an over-cooked, or toasted state for many and more o' the ladz!"

He looked tired and the singed edges of his seacoat attested to his words.

"I can't be dealing with that there varanite though. But I don't be throwing the goose out with the bathtub, I fair appreciate the offer and no mistake. It's generous beyond expectations, tis true."

He struggled with some internal battle for a moment or two.

"Is there are chance of a slight modified bill of laiding? A like for like exchange is all I'll suggest. Fair's fair: I'm not about trying to push up the price."

+++

Glottul smiled and gave a thoughtful scratch of his chins.

"Of course! Never let it be said we didn't want to strike a fair bargain. How's about this? We strike the varanite, and give you this Crystal Heart of Woe? (5 resources) An even exchange by my reckoning. What say you?"

Revised Offer:

• 5 Resources, Endrin For Kharadron Ironclad
• 5 Resources, Crystal Heart of Woe

+++

"I'm sorry for taking so long in replying, I was unavoidably detained by a bunch of damned skellingtons!"

He laughed a hollow laugh, clearly still very tired and slightly inebriated.

"The revised offer is greatly appreciated and I am happy to say the Fleet is at your service."

He rubbed his hands together, suddenly energised.

"We must strike while the pudding is hot: Just let us know where-away to sail as usual and we will go at 'em, hammer and thumbs!"

"Cheers, excited to sail the aetherseas with you again" called Mayric.

+++

Animosity VI - Shattered Dominion

A Public Notice, from the Ironfang Fleet

“Which it hereby may be known that the Ironfang Fleet, under the command of one Kapitan Aymerik Mogrum (weirdnob shaman), is willing to offer their not inconsiderable tropospheri-nautical power and prowess to prospective employers who are in possession of and willing to offer in payment, such articles of similar particulars, or in the nature of, the following list:

• Significant quantities of nautical paraphernalia, such as: canvas or tarpaulin or sailcloth; good dry rope or cord or cable; timber planks of a naturally magical nature (exact arcane properties unimportant); or sundries such as tar, caulk, foodstuffs, alcoholic intoxicants, carpentry tools, &c., each in exceedingly large quantity. 

• Any and all forms of repositories, bindings, receptacles or containments of magical power or energies (be they thaumaturgic, manifestatory, eldritch, sorcerous, arcane, et al).

Also considered, if none of the above are available in suitable volume, but less desired so only to be offered as supplementary or bonus payments:

• Any high quality navigational devices, tools, and/or equipment, whether of aether-technical or arcane makeup.

• The logbooks, charts, maps, journals, despatches and reports of skilled skyvessel masters.

All serious offers, especially those that include assurance that “flaming wrecks” are not to be a regular feature of employment, will be gladly examined and assessed.

Signed: Kapitan Aymerik Mogrum"

+++

Animosity VI - Shattered Dominion

The Rotmoons and the Starwood Compass - part 2, the Sanctum Isles

The story so far...

The Rotmoons had made their way from Shyish to Ghyran.

They travelled via the Persephonyx Skygate after they had, purely by chance, stumbled upon and taken-up a prize: the Havelock, a small merchant sky-ship out of Bataar. The merchant had no guns and it tried to make a run for it downwind. The Rotmoon had given chase and being in prime condition, as she was after the refit she'd just had, was able to easily catch-up and board them.

The Havelock's logbook had detailed records about recently transported passengers: Adventurers who had failed in their search for an artefact called the Starwood Compass, some kind of thaumaturgic navigation device of exceptional quality and accuracy.

Their interest piqued, Kapitan daLeeva and El Doktoro cross-referenced the course of the Havelock with the charts she had on board and their own. They narrowed-down the likely location of the Starwood Compass. After battling Kruleboyz and Ossiarch Bonereapers, the Rotmoons escaped the Jade Vaults with it in their possession.

+++

El Doktoro looked closely at the arcane device they had discovered. The surface was engraved with interlocking and rotating geometric lines and circles, marked at regular intervals by hundreds of tiny glyphs. It was strangely easy to understand and read the symbols, even though the shaman had never seen anything like them before. Shimmering ethereal lights danced across its surface and El Doktoro was mesmerised by them.

He led the crew to a ruin-littered forest clearing in the Sanctum Isles. He wanted to make navigational readings using the Starwood Compass and get a bearing for the next leg of their journey.

But the shaman's careful study was interrupted by a band of duardin Flameseekers.

As he made the first of four readings, a Shieldbreaker came out of nowhere and hit Tambor hard. Tambor hit them back almost as hard. Geedo, Dragante and Deestro rushed to help.

Kapitan daLeeva, waiting where El Doktoro had asked him to, became impatient and moved toward the shaman. The Flameseekers seemed to be heading that way too.

Bortagno and Tambor stood guard between El Doktoro and the Flameseekers as the shaman made his calculations.

Bold Rikk and Percy Percy discussed their plans for supper and didn't notice that a duardin crept through the shadows behind them.

As daLeeva rushed closer to El Doktoro, and the Site of Significance where his reading was to be taken, the shaman blasted another Shieldbreaker.

"They messin' if they think they can chase-away us easy." the Kapitan muttered to himself.

The Flameseekers' Runefather attacked Deestro, the orruk stumbled back under the ferocity of the blows. Geedo pushed forward behind the duardin, hoping to force a fight and keep them from attacking the shaman.

More Flameseekers rushed into the forest clearing, but the pirates held their ground.

El Doktoro shifted the Starwood Compass to a different position and started to take his second reading.

Bortagno was about to ask a question of the Kapitan, when a duardin roared a challenge and charged from the trees.

It was a Drothblood Thane, and they rained axe-swings onto daLeeva, landing several heavy strikes. His armour took some, but by no means all, of the damage. The duardin was in a Berserk Rampage!

But the Kapitan was quick to reply. He swept his armoured forearm up to deflect the axe head and struck low with his oceanic blade, the Shipwrecka: he took the Drothblood's leg off at the knee! But even as he did so, he felt the Shipwrecker's Doom weighing heavier upon him.

Just behind the Kapitan, a Scalebreaker took Tambor down.

But El Doctoro avenged the drummer with a sputtering arc of green lightning!

Sparks of the dissipating Waaagh! energy fizzed and popped around the shaman's hands as he moved toward the site where the third reading had to be taken. Dragante and Bortagno moved with him on his flanks.

On the way, Dragante took down a Shieldbreaker.

Another Shieldbreaker rushed forward and hit daLeeva, who was by now heavily injured - the blow finally took the Kapitan down!

Bortagno charged that Shieldbreaker, hit them once then returned to the third Site of Significance and the shaman.

The Drothmaster recited the Creed of Flame to the Kyndledroth, who bounded onto the Sight of Significance and mauled Bold Rikk.

Bortagno leapt over a fallen column and impaled the Kyndledroth.

A Scalebreaker moved with Blazing Impetus onto the Site of Significance.

Percy Percy clambered over ruins and felled the Shieldbreaker who had pulled down daLeeva.

El Doktoro charged and took out the last Scalebreaker with an onslaught of physical and sorcerous attacks. This gave him the breathing room he needed to take his final navigational reading.

The Drothmaster who had taken Percy Percy down was surrounded by Bortagno and Deestro.

Bortagno turned also hit a Scalebreaker, who withdrew by simultaneously jumping backwards throwing an axe at him!

The last couple of wounded Flameseekers disengaged and withdrew, flinging axes at the pirates as they went.

When the Kapitan came-to El Doktoro informed him that they were on a course to the Ur-River and they would reach it with a week of fair sailing. They only needed to pass through three Realmgates and two realms en route.

+++

Deployment: Lightning Raid

Victory: Secure the Ritual Site

Twist: Hidden Threats

The Rotmoons faced Flameseekers this time. We used the battleplan cards from Pyre and Flood and they made a fantastic game! Pete chose to be the attacker, I grouped the four objectives into two pairs, where my fighters were going to be deployed.

At the end of Round 1, I realised I had been reacting to what his fighters did, rather than being proactive myself. So I switched focus to taking down all of his 12-wound non-heroes so he wouldn't be able to easily contest the objectives. This became even more important from Round 2 when he took down Kapitan daLeeva (with a combination of two activations of amazing attack dice and an insanely good triple that did 25 damage altogether!)

But that wasn't enough for them to get the upper hand. The Rotmoons ground them down and crowded them out. They retained control of all the objectives every round it would have taken some amazing luck in the last round for the Flameseekers to win.

(We did play one thing wrong though - and it was my fault: I hadn't realised there was an FAQ that specifically referenced it! When an Ability gives bonus actions to another fighter, those bonus actions happen immediately and not, as I had thought, when that fighter is activated. Pete was very cool about it though and we definitely won't forget it again.)

Kapitan daLeeva's Doom Tally = 2