The Great Oubliette of Shyish, part 15 - The Ambush

The eerie greenish light, that seemed to come from nowhere more specific than "above" (it certainly wasn't a sun or a moon) cast deep green-black shadows in the openings of the crypts that lined the winding path. The Cleavermaws climbed a rough-hewn stone stairway past bare, stunted trees. They crossed a cracked courtyard surrounded by statues of hooded skull-faced angels bearing scythes. Wisps of fog wound round their ankles as they descended a hill covered in gravestones. A crow's call echoed through the empty streets but they couldn't see a crow.

Mogrum felt like they were getting close now - the had seen a few navigation marks scratched into the stone work, and some of the avenues of mausoleums seemed to match the shape of the ones on the map fragments the Adm'rul had left behind.

But the number of Nighthaunts stalking them had also increased. Time was running out. They needed to find the Adm'rul and get out of the Great Oubliette soon!

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The Adventuring Party:
Kaptain Mogrum (Wurrgog Prophet)
- Bonesplitterz spell: Bone Krusha
- Bonesplitterz Command Trait: The Power of the Beast
- Loot: Scroll of Translocation (single use)
Lost Uzzog (Ship's Wardokk)
- Loot: Gravesand Ossuary (single use)
- Bonespitterz spell: Breath of Gorkamork
Mr Sludga (Savage Big Deck-Boss)
- Bonesplitterz Artefact of Power: Greatdrake Toof Sword
Mr Deadwood (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

14th Exploration Roll - The Ambush 

Dungeon Fight!

8 Chainrasps (north)

8 Chainrasps (south)

4 Myrmourn Banshees (I added these as it was getting a bit too easy for the Cleavermaws!)

+++

The orruk pirates heard the, now all too familiar, cackles and moans of the approaching gheists long before they saw them. Two large groups appeared out of the shadows on either side of them...

Uzzog used his Weirddok powers to boost Mogrum's magic and then cast an Arcane Bolt of Waaagh! energy at the Chainrasps to the north.

Mogrum tried to cast Bone Krusha but the magic fizzled out at his fingertips. The power for the spell was hungrily consumed by the Banshees!

Sludga and Deadwood walked toward the Banshees swinging their weapons and then picked up speed, accelerating to a sprint as the charged the howling spirits.

Deadwood attacked with his belaying pin and two of the Banshees dissolved into smoke. Not to be outdone, Sludga killed the other two with a few swings of his Greatdrake Toof Sword.

The Chainrasps from the north moved on Kaptain Mogrum and Lost Uzzog. They grasped with spectral claws and jabbed with rusted weapons - Mogrum howled as he was wounded by their chill blades.

The rest of the Chainrasps attacked and wounded Deadwood. Deadwood and Sludga replied by killing four Chainrasps each.

Mogrum swung his staff and killed two Chainrasps and, in an uncharacteristically violent display, Uzzog smashed three - the last few dissolved into the twilight.

+++

As the pirates moved further down the winding stone avenue Morgum found a third map fragment, pinned under a stone on top of a sarcophagus: they could almost decipher the location of the Adm'rul!

15th Exploration Roll - The Stables

Short Respite - Mogrum and Deadwood healed one wound each.

The pirate orruks rested briefly in a mausoleum apparently built for a horse. Uzzog did his best to patch-up the Kaptain and his mate but they were not able to tarry long.

16th Exploration Roll - The Prisoner

Long Respite - All wounds healed.

The Cleavermaws found a pirate orruk explorer, who called himself The Baron, in a locked cell and freed him. He was exceedingly pleased to meet his saviours but he seemed to be oblivious to his situation. He thought he was staying in a lovely country inn!

He regaled them with unlikely tales of his adventures through the Mortal Realms. The crew listened with furrowed brows and growing incredulity and (behind his back) whispered their disbelief to one-another.

17th Exploration Roll - The Last Fragment

The Cleavermaws looked around the gloomy landscape of the Oubliette from atop a rocky, skull-caved rise, the Baron pointed out features that matched the Adm'ruls map. The crew chattered enthusiastically with renewed hope that their quest in this underworld was nearly over.

Kaptain Mogrum looked hard at the scraps of parchment in the dim green light and frowned. The pieces didn't quite fit together, not matter how he rearranged them. There was a fragment missing and until they found it they were unlikely to be able to find the boss. He didn't want to bring the crews' mood down, they had been growing steadily more despondent over the last few weeks and finding the third map fragment and the Baron had combined to brighten them up. He knew from long experience that they worked a good deal harder when they had something to look forward to!

He sighed and followed the group down the steps into a cluster of crumbling stone buildings and mausoleums. The Baron was pointing at something in the distance and telling a story about an encounter there. Mogrum couldn't hear the details but he knew it was unlikely to be true. The crew seemed to have started believing the Baron's tales though...

The Great Oubliette of Shyish, part 14 The Map

In an effort to find a way out of the Great Oubliette, should they find the Adm'rul or not, the Cleavermaws had started to map the magical flux of the seemingly endless dungeon. Uzzog showed the crew how to plot the levels of magic onto a map by counting the number of creaks that the Dead Man's Chest emitted while watching a 3-minute sand-timer and noting the number on their location on one of their scrap-paper sketched maps. He knew it would not be terribly accurate, as the levels rose and fell constantly but he hoped it would be enough to spot a pattern and find one of the hidden gates out of the underworld.

"...six, seven, nine, ten..." said Liberty Snik, his face screwed up in concentration.

Dogwatch Fug interrupted "You missed eight, mate."

"... eleven... what?" said Liberty Snik, annoyed.

"You missed eight," said Dogwatch Fug, "which you went 'six, seven, nine' and didn't say eight."

"I did too say eight! Now you've made me miss one and I've lost count" said Snik, even more annoyed. "We'll have to wait for the sand to run out and start again now!"  in a louder voice.

Mr Sludga noticed them arguing and moved toward them, fuming. The crew immediately stopped shouting and tried to look like they were doing their job.

"We'd have had to anyway as you missed eight, like I just said." muttered Fug.

"Shut up." said Snik. "One, two... "

Sludga gave both of them a punch in the head, just to make sure they remembered their task.

+++

The Adventuring Party:
Kaptain Mogrum (Wurrgog Prophet)

- Bonesplitterz spell: Bone Krusha

- Bonesplitterz Command Trait: The Power of the Beast

- Loot: Scroll of Translocation (single use)

Lost Uzzog (Ship's Wardokk)

- Loot: Gravesand Ossuary (single use)

- Bonespitterz spell: Breath of Gorkamork
Mr Sludga (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

- Bonesplitterz Artefact of Power: Greatdrake Toof Sword
Mr Deadwood (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

11th Exploration Roll - The Map

Dungeon Fight!

4 Glaivewraith Stalkers, 8 Chainrasps and 4 Grimghast Reapers

+++

The orruk pirates found themselves on top of a hill and paused for a few minutes to look around and get their bearings. Lost Uzzog stared at his aetheric compass for a few moments while the needles and dials span.

The others noticed the Nighthaunts approaching a long time before he did!

The Chainrasps and the Glaivewraiths held back for a while but the Grimghasts drifted forward slashing blindly and at random with their scythes.

They suddenly charged up the hill with scythes raised. 

Two attacked Mogrum but the Kaptain fended them off, and the other two attacked and injured Sludga and Uzzog. 

Mogrum dispatched his two and Sludga dealt with the rest. Uzzog only then looked up and realised what was happening, and that he was bleeding!

Deadwood laughed at Uzzog and pointed at the other spirits that were now moving.

Mogrum blasted the Glaivewraiths with arcane lightning and they disintegrated into nothing but scraps of ragged black cloth.

The orruks moved down the hill to engage the remaining Chainrasps.

Sludga and Deadwood charged through them and sent them all to another underworld.

When it had gone quiet again, Kaptain Mogrum spotted a piece of paper nailed to a tree. He went closer to investigate and found a partial hand-draw map, it looked like the Adm'rul's work!

+++

Chamber cleared!

Map Fragment discovered. (When the Cleavermwas have found three Map Fragments, they will be able to locate the Adm'rul and begin trying to escape the Oubliette!)

+++

The Adventuring Party Update:
Kaptain Mogrum (Wurrgog Prophet)

- Bonesplitterz spell: Bone Krusha

- Bonesplitterz Command Trait: The Power of the Beast

- Loot: Scroll of Translocation (single use)

Lost Uzzog (Ship's Wardokk) - two wounds sustained

- Loot: Gravesand Ossuary (single use)

- Bonespitterz spell: Breath of Gorkamork
Mr Sludga (Savage Big Deck-Boss) - one wound sustained

- Bonesplitterz Artefact of Power: Greatdrake Toof Sword
Mr Deadwood (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

The Trap

12th Exploration Roll

Dungeon Fight!

Two units of 8 Chainrasps

+++

As the Cleavermaws moved on to the next area Lost Uzzog used his Weirddokk powers to heal himself. He was about to do the same for Sludga when another two bands of Nighthaunt appeared.

Chainrasps formed out of the shadows of mausoleums and prison cells, to the north and south of the orruk pirates.

Mogrum and Uzzog summoned their arcane energies and blasted the band to the south, shredding them with the power of Gork and Mork.

Mr Sludga and Mr Deadwood charged.

Sludga got to the enemy first, his Greatdrake Toof Sword carved a viscous path of destruction through the entire northern band of ghosts!

The Dreadwarden to the south realised he was alone and evanesced...

+++

Chamber cleared!

Second Map Fragment discovered.

+++

The Adventuring Party Update:
Kaptain Mogrum (Wurrgog Prophet)

- Bonesplitterz spell: Bone Krusha

- Bonesplitterz Command Trait: The Power of the Beast

- Loot: Scroll of Translocation (single use)

Lost Uzzog (Ship's Wardokk)

- Loot: Gravesand Ossuary (single use)

- Bonespitterz spell: Breath of Gorkamork
Mr Sludga (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

- Bonesplitterz Artefact of Power: Greatdrake Toof Sword
Mr Deadwood (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

13th Exploration Roll - The Encampment

Long Respite - time enough for Sludga's wound to be healed by Uzzog.

The Cleavermaws found the remains of a campsite. Someone other than Nighthaunt had been there quite recently! A triangle of canvas was tied up as a makeshift roof over a corner of a ruined building. They couldn't be sure but they felt like the way it was knotted was nautical and that gave them hope that they were on the Adm'rul's trail.

14th Exploration Roll - The Library

Dungeon Fight!

8 Chainrasps

4 Myrmourn Banshees

But that's a story for another night!

(I felt that the fights are getting a bit easy for the Cleavermaws, so I decided to add the Myrmourn Banshees to whatever they met next.)

The Great Oubliette of Shyish, part 13 - The Smugglers

After a day of climbing down a steep winding stairway, carved into the stone of a cliff face, the Cleavermaws came to a shadowy necropolis of ancient stone temples and gigantic mausoleums. The crew had grumbled among themselves all the way down the stair but they brightened up significantly at the prospect of walking across level ground for a while, even if it wasn't a particularly welcoming environment.

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The Adventuring Party:
Kaptain Mogrum (Wurrgog Prophet)

- Bonesplitterz spell: Bone Krusha

- Bonesplitterz Command Trait: The Power of the Beast

Lost Uzzog (Ship's Wardokk)

- Loot: Gravesand Ossuary (single use)
Mr Sludga (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

- Bonesplitterz Artefact of Power: Greatdrake Toof Sword
Mr Deadwood (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

6th Exploration Roll - The Smugglers

Dungeon Fight!

4 Glaivewraith Stalkers (Surprised) & 8 Chainrasps (West)

+++

As the orruk pirates passed through the shattered necropolis, four Glaivewraith Stalkers faded into view, close-by on the right flank of the Cleavermaws.

Almost at the same moment, a Chainrasp Horde floated up from the earth in front of them. The spirits complained loudly and bitterly to one another about the "revenue men" of a free city, who tricked them into offering an illegal cargo and had them tried and hanged for smuggling.

Both groups of Nighthaunts stopped when they saw the orruks and just... waited.

The orruks were a little phased by the ghostly pause. But they took advantage of the leeway it offered - Uzzog used his Weirddokk power to boost Mogrum's magic, and the Glaivewraiths were disintegrated in a flash of green lightning.

The Cleavermaws could then focus on the Chainrasp Smugglers.

Two of the Horde were shredded by orruk magics.

The Deck-Bosses advanced, weapons ready.

While Mogrum followed them at a distance, making sure he kept an eye on the spirits.

Deadwood and Sludga roared as they thundered toward the Chainrasps.

The big orruks attacked together and sliced through the incorporeal forms, they dispersed most of the ghostly ex-smugglers in short order.

The few remaining Chainrasps did their best to retaliate - cruelly clawing and stabbing at the Deck-Bosses.

Uzzog used his Grimdokk power and healed Deadwood's wounds, even as they fought.

Mogrum intervened again and the last of the Smugglers exploded into a shower of rotted cloth. The Cleavermaws continued their search through the necropolis, looking for any sign of the Adm'rul.

+++

+++

Chamber cleared!

Scroll of Translocation: Arcane glyphs dance around this scroll, hinting at the magic it holds.

Give this item to a Hero to carry. In your hero phase, you can choose for the Hero carrying this item to use it. If you do so, pick 1 model within 3" of this Hero (including itself, if you wish) and remove that model from the battlefield. Then, set that model up anywhere on the battlefield. Then, the Hero that used this item is no longer carrying it.

Mogrum found a scroll among the ruins. He spent some time deciphering the ancient text within it and soon realised it's value. He tucked it into his pouch for use later.

+++

7th Exploration Roll - The Nest

Short Respite - Sludga's wound healed.

The Cleavermaws found a small building they could barricade. Badrot took a patrol outside to keep watch while Uzzog used the time to knit Sludga's wound back together with his Grimdokk power. The pirates didn't hang round longer than they needed to though.

+++

8th Exploration Roll - The Riddle

Treasure - Uzzog gained the Bonespitterz spell Breath of Gorkamorka

As the pirate orruks walked along a winding corridor, flanked on either side by towering stone buildings lined with statues of long-dead heroes, they saw many alcoves and window frames were piled with bleached skulls and bones. 

The way ahead split into two paths - one under a darkened archway, the other through a towering rusted iron gate that had come off its hinges. A strange robed figure in a full-face helmet emerged from the shadowed archway and approached the Cleavermaws through the gloom. The orruks tried to ignore them but they began yabbering in a strange accent.

"You must answer my questions three, if you are to pass by me!" Their voice echoed inside the metal mask.

Sludga hefted his sword and clicked his neck but Uzzog noticed his aetheric compass twitched slightly as the newcomer came near, and waved the orruk Deck-Boss back. "What are ye questions then?" he said, suspiciously.

“My first is this - Town without people, forest without tree, river without water. What do I be?” said the stranger.

"Ha. Easy: a map." said Uzzog, rather pleased with himself.

"Yes, yes. Very good. My second - A tail and a head I have it is true, but no legs do I have so why covert me, you?" said the stranger.

The orruks looked at each other for a few moments, brows furrowed. Mr Sludga scratched his beard and closed one eye as he thought. "Um.. a coin?" he said, uncertainly.

"Hmmm. Correct." said the stranger. "My last question is - Pull me up when you don't need me but drop me when you do?"

"Ah! An anchor!" shouted Uzzog triumphantly. "You asked the wrongs coves if you thought you'd fool us!"

"Did I?" said the stranger. They turned around stepped back through the archway, into the darkness within. Uzzog was about to go after them, but a dim light came on within and Kaptain Mogrum slapped a hand on his shoulder: There was an opening suddenly revealed in the floor, a deep chasm that had not been visible in the dark. Sludga kicked a stone down and there was no sound of it landing.

"What the zog was that all about?" raged Uzzog. "Don't we get a prize or nothing?"

"Well, you ain't fallin' are ya? Maybe that was it?" said Mogrum. Uzzog didn't seem convinced.

+++

9th Exploration Roll - The Lookout

Short Respite

They came to a cliff with a small tower build near the edge. A few of the crew climbed the stone steps and used their spyglasses to survey the surrounding area. A valley full of gravestones and dead trees lay to the north. Lightning seemed to flash just beyond a hill. They tried to sketch a map of what they saw, but the perpetual twilight made the details rough at best.

+++

10th Exploration Roll - The Symbol

Long Respite

The Cleavermaws found a stone dais, carved with arcane signs. Mogrum stood upon it and studied them for a time. They were all familiar but for one, which seemed to be mis-carved, either by accident or intentionally. He couldn't tell which.

+++

The Adventuring Party update:
Kaptain Mogrum (Wurrgog Prophet)

- Bonesplitterz spell: Bone Krusha

- Bonesplitterz Command Trait: The Power of the Beast

- Loot: Scroll of Translocation (single use)

Lost Uzzog (Ship's Wardokk)

- Loot: Gravesand Ossuary (single use)

- Bonespitterz spell: Breath of Gorkamork
Mr Sludga (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

- Bonesplitterz Artefact of Power: Greatdrake Toof Sword
Mr Deadwood (Savage Big Deck-Boss)

11th Exploration Roll - The Map

Dungeon Fight!

4 Glaivewraith Stalkers, 8 Chainrasps and 4 Grimghast Reapers

But that is a tale for another night....