Animosity III - The Prime Dominion, part 19

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Castle Iskar

The Cleavermaw turned hard, leaned with the wind, then righted itself as the crew scrambled to adjust the sails. 

Kaptain Mogrum stood next to the helm, hanging on to the rigging with one hand and his hat with the other. Lost Uzzog stood just behind him, calling out course adjustments over the noise of the winds.

The lookout in the crow’s nest, and over half the crew, watched the distant floating castle, silhouetted against a twilight sky, hanging in the air over Iscarion.

In the prow a small group of orruks tried to look busy while not really doing anything productive. They chatted in hushed tones, while slowly coiling a rope, or rearranging a line of barrels.

"Metaliths can't be overloaded by just pulling on 'em. Chains or no chains." said Oiler Tunn, deckhand. 

"Which I weren't saying they could, I said overloaded, but I meant thaumaturgically." said Double Barrel, deckhand.

"That would take a deal of power, and no mistake. Likely more than is possible to gather at short notice, in a place such as where we are." said Mr Sludga, deckboss.

The other two orruk pirates looked up at Sludga in surprise. He didn't usually offer an opinion in their discussions of sorcery, conjuring, abduration or enchantment. They were impressed.

"We've still got the Dead Man's Chest aboard." said Double Barrel "There are about 55 kilothaums left after that business with the Oubliette."

"More like 15!" said Ledger Nud without looking up from his book. "Himself used over 35 to open the door on the way out. Very nearly broke his staff with the feedback overload."

"Oh." said Double Barrel, deflated.

"What about Draketooth's plan? Do ya think we'll be getting all a-tangled up with that?" he said, turning to Mr Sludga again.

"The Kap'n ain't keen on it. After all, he don't want to look like he's running after them Umbral Corsairs like some trained dog. They made it clear a-last time we met that they ain't at all happy we're here. Especially herself." said Sludga, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Then how about subterfuge? Like, sneak into the castle all quiet-like and see what mischief can be achieved." said Tunn.

Sludga just nodded. He wasn’t sure strolling into a vampire's fortress blind was a great idea but he couldn't be bothered to argue with Tunn. Not without a drink first, at any rate. And he had a horrible feeling Tunn was right too.

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Kaptain Mogrum had his own thoughts on the matter but he wasn't going to share them with the crew just yet. Not when so much depended on his luck and the mistakes of others. But then, all his best plans did. He chuckled to himself (the helmsman glanced at him nervously, out of the corner of his eye). 

After all was said and done, he and the crew had more experience dealing with the undead than almost anything else.

~ ⦽ ~

The walls shook, as if the castle was tearing itself apart. Mogrum concentrated all his power into a single spell.

"This place feels weirdly familiar..." muttered Sludga, under his breath.

Animosity III - The Prime Dominion, part 18

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The Library

After "rescuing" a pair of librarians from Umbral Corsairs, and hearing their tales of the wonders within, the Cleavermaws headed into the Basileun Library - to "save" the maps and charts. On the way they encountered a band of Iscarneth monks who tried to take the librarians from their custody.

Mogrum told the crew to keep an eye on Ilimitar and Tassar, while he, the Baron and Mr Sludga went to talk to the aelven monks.

The librarians were told to stay put. Mr Deadwood kept them close by. Tapping his belaying pin on his hand in a reassuring and friendly way.

The monks took up defensive stances - each producing a blade, a wand, or both.

The Cleavermaws hailed the monks amiably, calling out greetings and pleasantries.

"Ahoy mate!" called the Baron. "We ain't about to kutlass you or nothing. You don't have to worry about us going to kill you!"

But the monks reacted aggressively, sending a sorcerous blast in reply to the pirates' offer of parley.

Lost Uzzog and a few of the deck hands moved forward, to form a second line between the monks and the librarians.

The pirates approached the monks as they tried to get to the librarians. Mogrum and his mates were having none of it. Sludga and the Baron slammed into them.

The Kaptain replied to their hexes in kind, sending two bolts of green lightning back at their leader.

The Baron leapt forward and punched a second of the monks, square in the chest with his enchanted gauntlet. The aelf crumpled.

The Baron tried to appeal to the last monk, pleading with him to cease the needless fighting.

"Drop the sparkly stick mate, or I'll smash your face in."

The monk wasn't convinced, so the Baron did exactly what he'd promised.

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Later that week the pirates broke into the Basileun Library in Iscarion to return the librarians, safe and sound as the skies darkened with the silhouette of a massive flying castle floating overhead.

Riggob, the Cleavermaw's cartographer-librarian, got distracted by the number of gloriously rendered maps and painstakingly precise charts there. He wanted to sit and make copies, but the other pirates just stuffed a load of papers up their shirts...

Ledger Nud and Riggob discussed the wealth of books at hand while the rest of the crew grabbed whatever they could get their hands on and stuffed them into pockets and bags, inside their clothes and under their hats.

The Baron had a long chat with Tassar, the assistant librarian, who was confused but grateful for being returned home.

The Cleavermaws left him in the library surrounded by shelves that had, until very recently, been much fuller.

Animosity III - The Prime Dominion, part 17

The Sentinels of the Prism - Inhabitants of the Prime Dominion

Faelyn (a mystic and seer) and his small group of aelven monks. I imagine them as a group of low-level mages with "almost Lumineth" philosophies.

(Made from Lumineth Auralan Wardens bodies with spare High Elf and Wanderers Eternal Guard heads. Drukhari Wych, Flagellant and Wanderers Glade Guard arms)

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And a Scourge Runner (without a chariot - that was used for another project!) with Glade Guard and Drukhari Wych arms.

All the Aelves made for the Prime Dominion campaign, so far:

Animosity III - The Prime Dominion, part 16

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Betrayed! (Again)

The Cleavermaws left Iscarion as quickly as they could and Illyana Draketooth directed them to Ciradyl Tower to meet up with Captain Bodrin Bok and the crew of the Selachii.

The Selachiis were battered and furious at their defeat by the Ruyalar and other mercenaries. Many of their friends had been captured or killed in the battle of Iscarion Docks. Mogrum hoped their bloodthirsty mood would serve him well in the scheme the Baron had talked him into joining, and make them eager to help. But Draketooth had absolutely no intention of aiding them.

As soon as she was among her loyal friends again she turned her back on the Cleavermaws and ordered the Selachiis to kill them.

Illyana strode away to find more of her fleet and the Selachiis stepped between her and the orruk pirates.

The Cleavermaws were shocked. But not that shocked.

The Quartermaster charged. His massive boarding axe caught the Baron a glancing blow.

Two aelven librarians from Selanar City had been kidnapped by the Selachii and tried to use the fight with the Cleavermaws as cover to escape.

Some of the Cleavermaws decided to "rescue" them!

Lost Uzzog placed himself strategically behind the front line and started healing Cleavermaws wounds. It was a slow process to knit wounds back together for so many of the crew at once but it would keep more of them in the fight.

The librarians found themselves in the middle of the fighting!

Bodrin Bok brought more of his crew into the battle.

Deadwood thought he had chosen a safe route around the battlefield but he was wrong.

Mogrum floored the Selachii facing him.

Deadwood gave the terrified buccaneer a couple of thumps.

Slugga took a few hits but his kutlass found its mark.

The Baron and the Quartermaster exchanged blows in a flurry of attacks, counter attacks, parries and blocks.

One of the Selachii grabbed an escaping aelf.

The Baron finally smashed his gauntlet into the Quartermaster's face.

The fight was bloody on both sides!

Mogrum blasted two of the Selachii with beastial Waaagh! magic...

Including Captain Bok himself.

Sludga went to catch the Selachii who grabbed the Assistant Librarian.

Lost Uzzog repositioned himself so he could help the most pirate orruks. Bosun Higgs nabbed the Librarian and bundled him away.

Uzzog's magic kept the orruks going; their wounds healed even as they fought.

The Baron smashed another Selachii down.

The tide was turning in the Cleavermaw’s favour.

Sludga unleashed a furious assault on the musician and freed the Assistant Librarian.

+++

Kaptain Mogrum hurried the crew back to the Cleavermaw, taking the Librarians along with them. He didn't know why the Selachiis had kidnapped the aelves but he wasn't going to leave perfectly good "loot" just running about the place. 

He did know that they probably hadn't seen the last of Illyana Draketooth though.