In the stygian darkness, Wyrdtoof was distracted by the devices built into the
horned skull atop his staff. He was trying to plot the pirates’ course through
The Snarl but it wasn't easy. But he was wrestling with the calculations to
account for the seemingly random nature of the fortress’ construction, and the
aggressive fungal plants that seemed to be actively making his task
harder.
He turned a brass dial on the outside of the aethergage, tightened a screw on
the occultimeter, re-tied two knots in the red string, loosened a knot in the
blue string, and pushed three sliders to their opposite positions.
When one of the deck-hands, Doubloon Dregg, accidentally bumped into him in
the dark, he was about to launch into a colourful and scathing diatribe at the
unfortunate orruk. He got less than a syllable out then stopped himself - he
realised the jolt of his hand had turned the Bairdmeter off ... and suddenly
all the other readings made sense!
So instead of lashing out at the deck-hand, he loudly thanked him. Dregg was
confused, but he managed a self-conscious, toothy grin.
Wyrdtoof strode off in an unexpected direction, shouting “Now's the turn of
the tide! We make way while the sun shines.”
The Ogresuns looked at each-other for a moment, then Krashhart shrugged and
followed him. The others were right behind him.
"Sun? Which it ain't shining down here mate" muttered someone near the back.
+++
Churned Earth
The Ogresuns encountered Korzek Shadowkin and his warband of Chaos
Legionnaires (allied to the March of Thunder): The Thousand Hands.
They met in a vast cave network that was infused with Death Magic. The
thousands of skeletons buried beneath the cracked cave floors constantly
grabbed at their feet and legs.
Half a dozen Glimmerings could be seen scattered across the chamber - the
Ogresuns wanted them but the Legionnaires were enacting some kind of ritual.
As Hurdygurdy rushed forward and grabbed the closes Glimmering, Wyrdtoof's
sorcery blasted a Hornshield.
But the Hornshield weathered the storm of green energy and charged Wyrdtoof.
A Hornhelm and another Hornshield rushed to help their companion, and they
started hitting the shaman too.
Dubloon Dregg hurried to help as Badhook duelled with a Hornhelm, but
Dregg was too late.
Krashhart slammed into a Hornhelm and crushed him against the side of the
skull-carved stairs, with a sickening crunch.
Fishgutz howled as bony hands raked at his boots and legs.
When Krashhart rebounded, the Legionnaire slid down the wall, leaving a trail
of gore behind.
Enraged, Korzek Shadowkin took his revenge on Hurdygurdy. The Glimmering that
the Warchanter carried skittered down onto the ground as he fell.
Krashhart jumped down after the dropped Glimmering.
When a Fury joined the assault or Wyrdtoof, he was surrounded and finally
overwhelmed.
As Krashhart called out orders to withdraw, Dubloon Dregg also fell. Krashhart
ignored his own instructions; he rampaged into the Hornshield and took them
down.
+++
Opponent: Joel (AKA Redmaw, AKA rapturousrex)
Deployment: Oblique Confrontation
Victory: Final Furore
Twist: Churned Earth
Despite taking down the same number of enemy fighters as Joel did, I didn’t
score a single Wrath Point so I lost the game. Joel scored 3, by rotating his
focus between my fighters and remembering which battlegroup they were it
(Remembering? Is this some kind of sorcery? The worst part is that we even
discussed how important it was to remember, before the game!)
+++
Grand Sacrifice
Wyrdtoof and the pirates found their way downward into a gloomy section of the
underground fortress. The cavern was choked with broken altars and
failing wards, lightning scarred the stones and had held the aggressive flora
at bay.
There, they ran into Dolgul Ebonbaffla and the Shadowsplittaz -
another band of Ironjawz, who were allied to the March of Thunder. The
Shadowsplittaz had spotted that the Ogresuns had Glimmerings in their packs
and were clearly out to rob them.
Immediately the two shamans unleashed a tide of magical power at one-another.
Hurdygurdy started singing one of his horrible shanties - his voice echoed
strangely in the deep dark. Krashhart took down the
nearest Shadowsplittaz Ardboy, and knocked the Glimmering from his hands.
A Trogg lumbered forward and tried to block the Ogresuns path to a Glimmering,
but Badhook stole it from under his nose.
The Shadowsplittaz megaboss, Ebonbaffla, hook-punched Wyrdtoof with his
off-hand, span the shaman round a full 360 and made his ears ring.
Dolgul Ebonbaffla watched Wyrdtoof wobble unsteadily for a moment then pushed
him over dismissively.
Krashhart and the Trogg exchanged shockingly heavy blows, until finally
Krashhart fell - what had seemed like a battle of attrition was not a balanced
contest. The Trogg had been healing every wound that the orruk landed on him!
Fishgutz and Docker worked together to guard Hurdygurdy - they forced the
Ebonbaffla backwards, away from their Warchanter, and with
a flailing-cutlass-onslaught, Docker got in a very cheap
shot, and took down the monstrous boss!
+++
Opponent: Julian (AKA Jam)
Deployment: Oblique Confrontation (again!)
Victory: A Grand Sacrifice
Twist: Warning Cry
+++
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