Further Adventures in The Scarlands - part 14, Dambusters

Thick coiling fog wound round trees and undergrowth as Mudgob and Battendown went to check the work of the Swordfyshes who had built a crude dam of rock, branches and mud. They were very pleased with the progress: The Ironforged Ogor's encampment in Blubberfen Bog had been almost entirely cut off from its water supply.

The bog had turned from a defendable swampy haven for the Ironforged (and one with only a few winding and almost invisible safe routes of access) into a much more easily navigable target, surrounded by drying and compacted mudflats with a few clumps of stunted and dying trees that could be used to provide cover during an assault.

But the work had not been carried out as secretly as Krashhart had hoped - and they realised the inevitable counter by the ogors was on the way, under the cover of the fog. Battendown raised the alarm and called the crew's fighters to come and defend their siegeworks.

The ogor's whole raiding force appeared at the same moment. They charged from the fogbank: a tidal wave of muscle and iron and rage.

Krashhart and Yardarm Gark were the first reinforcements to arrive.

Yardarm Gark sprinted forward toward the ogors, urged-on by Krashhart's roared commands.

A Glutton leapt at Old Mudgob, who defended himself with weapons both arcane and mundane.

Krashhart continued bellowing, calling more of the pirate crew from their camp.

"On deck! All hands on deck there! Shake a leg you slovenly blaggards!"

Old Mudgob and the Glutton continued to duel as Skargat approached them along the dry riverbed. A gnoblar jammed a small bag of compacted blackpowder in the dam-works and torched the fuse. A large section of rocks, branches and mud gave-way when the charge exploded with a fog-muffled thump.

Another Glutton pounced on Battendown. The wily seadog dodged the lumbering oaf's hacking axes.

The remainder of the nearby Swordfyshes arrived from the south. Leeway Ruk charged along the dry riverbed, below the bank on which the ogor and Battendown fought, and impaled the Glutton in the back - the long reach of his jagged gore-hacka making it easier for him. The ogor collapsed and rolled down the small cliff.

The ogors seemed to be everywhere, all at once. Gnoblars with burning torches appeared and disappeared - running here and there through the fog.

Old Mudgob fell, Skargat stepped over him and advanced toward the next Swordfysh.

Krashhart leapt up onto the riverbank, he stamped out the fuse that was fizzing toward another bagged blasting charge.

One of the gnoblars uncorked a barrel and sparked a flame in the escaping fumes... and even though it was an unexpectedly small blaze, a stash of vital dam-building supplies was destroyed as the strong grog inside ignited.

The Swordfyshes tried to organise themselves but the horror of the burning grog was hard to get over.

Krashhart raged at the ogors for such a shocking wasteful deed.

Even the gnoblar looked guilty, as he realised what a terrible thing he had done.

The wind shifted easterly and picked up. The fog thinned and dispersed.

Yardarm and Leeway clambered up the riverbank and closed on the ogors facing Krashhart.

Battendown looked about, seeing the gaps in the Swordfyshes dispersion - he called out instructions for them to help organise the defences.

Hook had dealt with one of the Gluttons and the fires of Gorkamorka burned strong within him. He was spoiling for another fight.

Lugger Dag found a gnoblar up to mischief and stomped him, before the little blighter even noticed he was there.

Skargat and his big lads took no chances against Krashhart - they knew all too well what the Warchanter and his Gristle Grinder could do.

With the boss down Skargat turned on the Brutes behind him.

He felled Leeway with a single mighty blow of his great axe.

Hook joined Lugger Dag when two Gluttons jumped down to get revenge for the gnoblar Lugger had kicked.

The ogors realised they couldn't break the dam that day and fell back in good order.

The Swordfyshes helped Krashhart and Old Mudgob to their feet and Battendown gave them each a shot of strong rum. As Krashhart drank he said "Shipmates, we hoisted our colours today but them ogors will be back, make no mistake. Now them Ironforged know what is a-going on here they won't let it sit. They will be regrouping for another attempt soon."

Leeway Ruk needed a bit more than a drink to fix his broken arm - even he admitted the attention of a Wardokk would not have gone amiss.

~ ⦽ ~

Deployment: Burst The Dam (Warcry Core Book P.134)

Victory: Burst The Dam

Twist: Favourable Position (I won the roll-off): Cloying Mists

This was a very bloody game - we both took down 3 fighters from the other's warband. Viktor burned one objective in Round 1 and another in Round 2 and I really thought he was going to win at that point. But I managed to keep at least fighter close enough to the objectives he could reach for the remaining 2 Battle Rounds and just clung on to the bitter end to scrape a win!

In the Aftermath Sequence the Swordfyshes gained 6 Glory, Leeway Ruk got a Fractured Arm (-1 Strength), Old Mudgob and Lugger Dag got a point of Renown each.

Mainstay, Barnacle Nog and Mr Flea went exploring; Mainstay returned empty handed, Barnacle Nog found a Vial of Jabberslythe Blood (Consumable. Bonus Action. +1 damage on Crits, to end of Activation.) and Mr Flea found a bottle of Aqua Ghyranis (Consumable, bonus action, remove 3d6 Damage).

Finally, they added Docker Goff to their roster (as an Ardboy with Big Choppa)

Dramatis Personae

The Swordfyshes, a crew of pirate Ironjawz

• Lord Krashhart - Warchanter Explorer
  Agile Warrior, 3 Renown, The Gristle Grinder
• Old Mudgob - Weirdnob Shaman
  1 Renown, Idol of Mork
• Lugger Dag - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (2 swords)
  3 Renown, Aqua Ghyranis, red bandana
• Hook - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and hook hand)
  3 Renown, Blight Serpent Venom
• Flotsam - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and sword)
  1 Renown, blue bandana
• Yardarm Gark - Orruk Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and sword)
  2 Renown, Jabberslythe Blood, blue bandana
• Leeway Ruk - Orruk Brute with a Jagged Gore-hacka
  1 Renown, Itxi Grub, Fractured Arm, red bandana
• Bulkhead Krug - Orruk Brute with a Jagged Gore-hacka
  Itxi Grub, broad-brimmed hat, beard.
• Kaptain Battendown - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  3 Renown, red cloak and squig-parrot
• Mr Flea - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  Gut Wound, drummer
• Dakmeff - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  1 Renown, barrel on his back
• Barnacle Nog - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  3 Renown, bag of bones
• Mainstay - Orruk Ardboy with Ardboy Choppas
  Red shoulder-plate and red bandana
• Docker Goff - Ardboy with Big Choppa
  Carnosaur Fang Elixir, black top hat and red shoulder-plate

Reputation: 5

Glory: 12

Quest Progress: Explore the Gnarlwood - ongoing

Viktor's version of this tale is here.

Further Adventures in The Scarlands - part 13, No Quarter in a Storm

"I've been drinking far too much
Heave away, haul away
Fairwater's got me in its clutch
Hauled away to Thondia

Drinking's not my only vice
Heave away, haul away
Lost my ship on card and dice
Got hauled away to Thondia

My name was Ghalbakk I say
My name was Ghalbakk
But now I'm resting in the ground
In a grave in Thondia"

The crew's out-of-tune shanty drifted up on the wind to where Krashhart stood, on the roof of a ruin. The ruin was part of a small cluster of crumbling stone buildings that jutted up through the treetops in a ragged line like broken teeth. He watched a looming weather front as it closed-in on them rapidly, on a strong easterly wind.

Clouds had been gathering on the horizon all morning; threatening rain and worse. Just after noon the sky above turned black and took on a distinctly angry aspect as the cloud bank rolled closer and closer.

The inside of the cloud was illuminated for a split second and there was a distant rumble of thunder a few moments later.

The first of the Ironforged arrived through the trees just as the storm hit. Lightning flashed and hit a nearby tree with a loud crash and a cloud of sparks. The tree blazed and the shanty singing stopped.

"It ain't our first time out of harbour for a monstrous maelstrom, but I don't recall any like as bad as this!" Krashhart shouted to be heard over the wind.

Old Mudgob just nodded and ducked under cover.

The shaman peered out of the shadows as the wind picked up and lightning struck the ground just a few yards away.

"Which it shall be on that there day, the sky be coloured bright by night, a duel shall bring an age of falling stars and haul a kingdom to the deep." he muttered to himself.

Cargo advanced across the open ground and more lightning strikes flashed and boomed around him.

Krashhart got under cover too, under the remains of the roof above the ruin's upper room.

Flotsum and Yardarm Gark, returning from exploring to the east, spotted Cargo as they headed toward Krashhart and Old Mudgob. They looked at each other for a second, they both grinned then followed the ogor Maneater as quietly as they could manage.

Battendown also had an eye on Cargo but he was staying put, weathering the storm.

Out of the tempest Skargat suddenly appeared - he crashed into the ruins and attacked Old Mudgob. Krashhart swung down on a rope to help the shaman out

A very near-miss of grounding lightning fried Flotsum a little and made him swear loudly.

Battendown moved between trees behind Cargo, who didn't seem to have noticed him.

Flotsum and Yardarm had his full attention, Flotsum's pained yell had alerted him to their presence.

Leeway Ruk and Bulkhead Krug appeared out of the trees to the south, somewhat ahead of Battendown.

Barag the Maneater surprised Yardarm and Flotsum while they were watching Cargo. They had blundered into a trap!

Skargat viciously knocked down Old Mudgob but Krashhart brought the full force of the Gristle Grinder on the Tyrant and he was once more laid low!

Lugger Dag spotted a running gnoblar, but he was too slow to catch it, and it got away.

Braggoth Blackpelt clambered up the outside of the ruin and ducked into the safety of the upper room.

Barag and Yardarm hacked at one-another, and although both parried the majority of the other's cuts and thrusts, Yardarm gained a slight edge by being a dirtier fighter.

Watcha the gnoblar found himself in an unexpectedly ignored position and was able to watch the rest of the battle unfolding at a safe distance.

Flotsum charged at Cargo.

Blackpelt took cover from the punishing storm.

Watcha thought about taunting Lugger Dag but realised piping-down kept him alive.

Cargo legged it! He stomped off into the woods.

Yardarm Gark saw and opening, as he parried Barag's attack with his kutass - he wickedly chopped at Barag's leg with his boarding-axe and toppled the scarred Maneater.

But the storm grew in intensity once more and both warbands realised there would only be losers from this fight if they hung around. So they all withdrew, accepting that a stalemate had been reached.

Meanwhile the Swordfyshes of the Anchor-Watch had also been busy: Mainstay was overjoyed as he found one of the Treasures of Gorkamorka - the Idol of Mork that Old Mudgob had been searching for. And Barnacle Nog found enough Blight Serpent Venom to coat a choppa while he was exploring the woods around camp.

~ ⦽ ~

Deployment: Death Spiral

Victory: No Quarter

Twist: Azyrite Lightning Storm

This was another fun game of movement and positioning, and I once more got caught up with the fighting and lost sight of the Victory conditions. I suspect Viktor might have too. We both ended the game with fighters spread out in every quarter of the board and no way of shifting each other's fighters out! I earned a hefty 6 Glory though, which is not bad for a draw! (Played a campaign game +3, Draw +1, Opponent's Leader taken down +1, Opponent's Reputation higher +1).

In the aftermath sequence Old Mudgob only received a flesh wound, so he made a full recovery.

My quest was completed - I already had a Progress of 8 out of 15, I rolled a 6 for Mainstay's exploration and got +2 for being the attacker in this game. I gave the Idol of Mork to Old Mudgob and moved his previous artefact, an Itxi Grub, to Leeway Ruk. 

Barnacle Nog went off to explore the woods, found Blight Serpent Venom. Mr Flea's Gut Wound was still bad, so he is staying at camp for a while longer. And I added Bulkhead Krug, an Orruk Brute with a Jagged Gore-hacka, to my roster.

Dramatis Personae

The Swordfyshes, a crew of pirate Ironjawz

• Lord Krashhart - Warchanter Explorer
  Agile Warrior, 3 Renown, The Gristle Grinder
• Old Mudgob - Weirdnob Shaman
  1 Renown, Idol of Mork
• Kaptain Battendown - Ardboy with a cloak and a squig-parrot
  2 Renown
• Lugger Dag - Brute, pair of Choppas (2 swords), red bandana
  2 Renown, Itxi Grub
• Yardarm Gark - Brute with Pair of Brute Choppas (axe and sword), blue bandana.
  2 Renown, Carnosaur Elixir
• Hook - Brute with a hook hand
  3 Renown, Blight Serpent Venom
• Flotsum - Brute, pair of Choppas (axe and sword), blue bandana
  1 Renown
• Leeway Ruk - Orruk Brute with a Jagged Gore-hacka, red bandana
  1 Renown, Itxi Grub
• Bulkhead Krug - Orruk Brute with a Jagged Gore-hacka, broad-brimmed hat
• Mr Flea - Ardboy Drummer
  Gut Wound
• 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: 5

Glory: 14

Quest Progress: Treasures of Gorkamorka - Idol of Mork: Completed!
New Quest: Explore the Gnarlwood

Viktor's side of this adventure is here.