Sartosa 5: Scourge Of The Storm

OOOOOOOH! PRETTY PICTURES!...insert an accompanying pitter-pat of drool causing untold damage to the old keyboard.

WarbossKurgan wrote:

Luckily anything can be a fulcrum in theory - you could be living in one and not know until a Storm of magic hits!

That explains a lot of my life recently, well for the last 20 yrs or so.
Really liking the warband mix this time around. (Could use a good dose of Fishmen, mind, but otherwise...)

It's a little on the "Gorkamorkaheim" end of the spectrum so far, with Pirate Orcs, Norse Black Orcs, Forest Goblins... and Clan Pestilence Skaven. Maybe some of the other guys will introduce more non-green elements soon!

The Ogresuns - Weathering the Storm
The Ogresuns suffer a Surprise Attack at the hands of The Plague Covenant outside Ragil

“So what is it we’re looking for again?” said Fishgutz, for the eighth time. He worked a finger behind his eye patch and casually scratched the inside of his empty eye-socket.

Caboteur sighed and rubbed his temples. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin was pasty - he looked like he hadn’t slept in days. He didn’t mind working with pirates for the most part, even Orc pirates; they had very a relaxed attitude to wizards that many other sections of Old World society did not share.
But he didn’t have much choice these days as he had burned a few bridges (literally in one case) and his list of prospective employers had grown thin. He took a deep breath and very patiently started to explain…

“Luciano Malatesta, you remember him? The Warlock working with the Skaven...” he waited while Fishgutz thought for a minute. “The fella in the Big purple hat?” Fishgutz brightened a little, recognition played across his gnarled face.

Caboteur pressed on. “Yes, right, well anyway; He has this grudge against me. Well, more of a vendetta really. He’s been trying to kill me for a while; it’s to do with his daughter, she has these amazing… ahem…“ Caboteur tailed off as he became conscious of loosing Fishgutz again. Fishgutz continued his relentless campaign of vacuity.

“I don’t think you’d understand anyway, more of a human thing than an Orc thing really.” said the Bretonnian wizard slightly uncomfortably and he went back to studying his astrolabe and sextant.

The Orc looked at the sky for a bit, trying to see if any of the clouds looked like anything funny. He got bored of that very quickly without any other Ogresuns about to argue about it with.

“So what is it we’re looking for again?” said Fishgutz, for the ninth time.

“Treasure” snapped the wizard.

“Ah! Good!” said Fishgutz with a wide grin.

~ ~ ~

"Oh buggerit!" said Fishgutz as he spotted the horde of Skaven that came pouring across the little river. He had wandered off some distance from the Celestial Wizard, leaving him to get on with whatever it was he was doing. Now there was something exciting going on he suddenly remembered he was supposed to be keeping an eye on the skinny weirdo.

Godfather Viktor wrote:

The Plague Covenant - The Storming Plague

The Plague Covenant vs the Ogresuns
Surprise Attack outside Ragil

The Storm was gathering strength, Luciano could sense it while slowly creeping through the jungle, two flea-ridden skaven in front of him.

Soon, his copy of the Book of Ibn Naggazar would have sparked to life. Unfortunately, he wasn’t ready for it. One ritual only, in that cursed book, interested him. A ritual so powerful to require the offer of a virgin from the caster own blood. For seventeen years he had kept his only daughter safe, waiting for a Storm to come. Seventeen years! And then, his own young apprentice, the trice accursed Caboteur had spoiled her.

But now, after a five years hunt, there he was. Alone, but for the dull Fishgutz idly searching the bushes.

Skabius, his newly acquired pet and a couple of the lower rat-men were wading across a stream, and didn’t manage to get to them.

Far downstream, Festerus, Blisterus and the rest of the Covenant henchmen crossed a ford and prepared to cut off Caboteur and Fishgutz’ retreat route.

Luciano harvested the Winds and his spectral Black Hand darted at Caboteur, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The Celestial wizard and the orc backed, seeking shelter into the glimmering shield summoned by Caboteur. Behind them Wyrdtoof the shaman and a huge orc rushed out of the jungle to help them.

Luciano tried his Hand again, but could not get across Caboteur’s shield. Skabius’ retinue managed to cross the river and two Staves jumped at Fishgutz and pulled him into the dirt. The rest of the Covenant changed their curse and prepared to face Wyrdtoof and the Big ‘Un.

Caboteur summoned two Wind Dervishes and sent them against Skabius and Luciano. The Plague Priest was thrown into the air and slammed to the ground. Luciano stood the fury of the elemental and tried again to clutch Caboteur’s soul in his Dark Hand. To no avail, that magical shield was powerful.

The Big ‘Un advanced menacingly towards Luciano who run behind Skabius’ ratogre. The two skaven accompanying him were sent for Caboteur. “But bring him alive to me!”

Blisterus and his Disciples jumped at Wyrdtoof who fell to the sickening effects of the Monk’s disease daggers.

The Big ‘Un turned to help the endangered Wizard, but was intercepted by Bilius and two staves.

Both the Big 'Un and Caboteur fell, but the shouting of orcs reinforcements coming from the other side of the river called the covenant attention.

Luciano readied the skaven for the charge but suddenly the greenskinns turned tail and disappeared in the jungle. When he turned to the spot where Caboteur had fallen there was no sight of his former apprentice.

“There’ll be another chance, Caboteur. There’ll be another chance” hissed Luciano.

Da Kronicles of Adm'rul Kurgan Grimjaw: Book 11

Rain of Fire!
A couple of crews from the Ironfang Pirate Fleet take on a patrol from Monte Castello and the heavens fall



“I don’t like the look of that sky Boss.” said Grognog, first mate of the Hogwasha.

Great swirling black clouds loomed overhead, tinged with unnatural flickering of purple lightning. The jungle plants around them were being wiped back and forth by strong winds that whirled leaves, twigs and other debris round in tight spirals.

The huge Orc that walked next to him glanced up at the clouds briefly but merely grunted an acknowledgement. He went back to studying the tatty map in his hands: “I know we buried it round here somewhere but none of the landmarks are the same. Blasted storm has changed the face of the island!” he said, half to himself. Grognog peered over the top of the map to try to see the problem.

Their fruitless study was interrupted though. As they pushed through the wind-swept undergrowth, into a large clear valley with a flooding river winding down it, Grognog was surprised to see an small contingent of human troopers already there.

“Um. Boss?” he said.

“Zoggit! I thought this was gonna be easy. Right start hittin’ that drum lad… We’ve got some fumpin’ ta do!” he shouted as he drew his rusty cutlass.

~ ~ ~













The Knights of the Code, enveloped in magical fire, smashed into the River Trolls at full-tilt, killing one and driving the other three back.



The Ironfang Pirates did their best to ignore the hammer-blow to the centre of their lines and struggled on through the dragging mud to get at the small row of Handgunners and their colourful array of banners. The marksmen’s Hochlands felled El Doctoro the Shaman before he had time to utter the first syllable of a spell.





Joss Merlin, the Celestial Wizard from Monte Castello, summoned a swarm of comets, the first landed behind the Hogwashas - its thunderous impact threw out shards of rock and ice that scythed through Orc and Human alike!



The Trolls rallied but the Knights charged them yet again and the last of the big stinky oafs fled the valley with the knights (quite literally) hot on his heals!

Another comet fell in front of the Hogwashas and virtually wiped out the Handgunners.



Rockets from Old Gory, the Helstorm battery, fell about the pirates for a few minutes but soon some kind of mishap silenced the screaming projectiles.





The Rotmoons turned to face the Knights as they returned to the field.



Joss Merlin withdrew from the battle-line of Handgunners to avoid the threat of violence from the angry pirate Orcs.





The Hogwashas tried twice to charge the, now very thin, line of Handgunners but got bogged-down in the wet battlefield.



By the time they closed the gap all that was left of the Handgunners was General Kwarteaz and his Battle Standard Bearer Captain Stan Bach.





A third comet landed just as the pirates charged and immolated the entire melee, save for Adm’rul Kurgan – even he was warmly toasted by the heavenly fires, only his collection of looted (and unexpectedly magical) earrings, trinkets and rings saved him.









The Adm’rul looked around as the last of the Rotmoons was mashed into the bog by the fire-wreathed knights.



The Helstorm crew had repair the malfunction and were readying another volley of rockets.



He was alone: it was time to go. So he went through Joss Merlin, punching out the wizard as he field!

Another cool report! Thanks

Forest Hurricane
The Ogresuns prevent a Breakthrough by the Red Toof Tribe Forest Goblins



Eerie drums echoed through the jungle and the pirates looked at each other nervously. When the diminutive figures of the Red Toof Tribe Forest Goblins burst from the trees they laughed at their foolishness and drew cutlasses, boarding axes and pistols.







Then the little gits rained down poisoned arrows and jabbed them with spears! Nastyface fell first, and was soon followed by the massive Dredger Zug. The Warlock following the Goblins summoned bestial powers and became possessed by the spirit of a bear.



A few of the Forest Goblins fell but there seemed to be loads more following them. Green lightning played across Mattius Caboteur’s Celestial Shield and made Throg jump, but he was unharmed.




















Hogbreff the Shaman and his mates charged the flank of the Goblins as Kommodore Deffgit and a few other pirates started to over-power the little grotz and soon the Forest Goblins were running, disappearing back into the trees.

~ ~ ~

Da Kronicles of Adm'rul Kurgan Grimjaw: Book 11








The Transitory Tempest
The Ironfang Pirate Fleet encounter the combined Night Goblin and Forest Goblin hordes of Grom-not-the-Paunch

Looming above the trees the great Tower of Nakh cast a shadow over the jungle greater than it size. The evening sunlight was distorted around its arcane architecture and strangely coloured smoke drifted from its many chimneys.

A colossal Arachnarok spider burst through the tree line, smashing the tree trunks to match wood without the least bit of effort. A high-pitched cheer broke out among the multitude of Goblins gathered opposite the Ironfang Pirates. Strange winged creatures circled overhead – one was half serpent, half parrot the rest were unnatural eagles; creatures of bronze and fire.







The Pirates took the initiative and rushed forwards, their four looted kannon wounded a Troll and killed a few Goblins but missed the Aracknarok. El Doctoro the Shaman landed a Walloping Great Crunch on Grom-not-the-Paunch's horde of about seventy Night Goblin and took out nearly a third of them!!



Grom-not-the-Paunch and his River Trolls charged the Rotmoons, killed over half of them and routed the rest. His Squig-Parrots and Giant double-charged the Sea Trolls - the salty Trolls were badly beaten but held their ground.

The Cockatrice charged Grapeshot the Giant, claws and beak raking great wounds in the Giant’s tattooed flesh. Grapeshot hefted his club above his head with both hands and the blue-feathered beast deftly dodged away… only to find Grapeshot had one foot on its scaled tail, trapping it on the spot. The Giant’s club came down hard and made the Cockatrice’s day end very badly!





The Goblin army's magic fizzled a bit but they cast Itchy Nuisance on the Sea Trolls.













The Rotmoons rallied and turned to face the River Trolls again but Grapeshot was now behind the Trolls and facing the wrong way, so he couldn’t help. He moved into position to threaten the rear of Grom-not-the-Paunch's Trolls. Adm'rul Kurgan and the Hogwashas counter-charged the Squig-Parrots and Kurgan slaughtered all of them single handily (with the Dawnstar Cutlass).





The Black Orc Fishmen slaughtered most of the Squig Hoppers that had charged them and ran the rest down. This brought them into a fight with the monster spider that was already enraged by the constant long-ranged peppering from the pirates’ looted kannon. The Arachnarok crushed them utterly.











Wu, a Shaman from the Flying Daggers atop the Mermaid Emporium, had a Wizard Duel with the Shaman on the Tower of Torture - Fulcrum opposite him - and blasted him from his position then took the Tower of Torture for himself. Another of the Flying Daggers was ready to take Wu's position on the Mermaid Emporium. Tang (yet another Flying Dagger) used the newly acquired Dominance of the Fulcrums to try to summon a unit of four Ogre Leadbelchers. Grom-not-the-Paunch's Shamans threw every ounce of defensive sorcery they had against the Cantrip and stopped it.



After showering the crew of the Cleavermaw with poisoned arrows the Forest Goblins charged the Pirates. The Shaman just ousted from the Tower of Torture tried to fight his way back on to it but neither he nor Wu managed to land a blow...







~ ~ ~

So when the Tower of Nakh dematerialised again the Ironfang Pirates won as they had control of two Fulcrums while Grom-not-the-Paunch's mob only had one.

~ ~ ~

Thunder and Frightening
The Ogresuns, the Plague Covenant and the Black Orcs of Norsca battle amongst the thorny groves on the slopes of Mount Ertinia.

“Kommodore, we ain’t alone up ‘ere…” said Poxy Uzbad as he scrabbled down from the crest of a ridge that overlooked the high plateau.

“Whassat?” said Kommodore Deffgit. Uzbad gritted his teeth and repeated the observation, adding “There ain’t just one lot o’ lubbers neither. The Covenant Rats and them chumbucket Norscans is both coming up.”

The Kommodore nodded and pulled his trusty boarding out of his belt and checked his pistols.

“Mr Whalebelly, you’ll be able to earn all that grog after all!” he said to the eye-patched, peg-legged and hook-handed Ogre. Mr Whalebelly had drunk far more than his rightful share last time he’d worked with the pirates and he was only along for this adventure to repay that debt.

The rest of the Orc pirates readied their weapons and passed around a bottle. They had been climbing for hours to get to this plateau on the say-so of Celestial wizard Mattius Caboteur. The signs and portents he observed in the stars over the last few nights indicated that a great convergence of power was going to take place here. Clearly the other warbands arriving at the same time had been told of the same signs: To Caboteur’s way of thinking that confirmed his reading. To the Orc crew is just meant the climb was worthwhile as there was going to be a fight.



The Ogresuns gathered in a tight knot, protecting Mattius Caboteur until he was able to cast his shielding spell.



The Covenant split in to two groups - they were going to attack both the pirates and the Norse at the same time!







The Ratmen that headed east leapt down the slope and slashed at the Orcs Pirates with envenomed blades.



The Ratogre and the rest went west to face the hulking armoured forms of the Black Orcs of Norsca.







Poxy Uzbad went down under a torrent of sword and dagger cuts. Whalebelly barrelled into the Skaven lines and scattered them, forcing them back in disarray.



Then the long expected convergence occurred, but it was not the massive influx of magical power the Caboteur had predicted and expected to be able to harness. It was a supernatural explosion that tore a rift in the fabric of reality along a fault-line than ran through the ground and the air alike. The Orcs of both factions were not expecting anything of the kind and they were thrown into the very edge of the Realm of Chaos itself. Luckily for the Pirates the Norscan Orcs seemed to take the brunt of the power and they were hurled back to reality on Sartosa – but on the far edge of the island!

Somehow Luciano Malatesta and the Skaven were able to avoid the rift completely!

Gorgeous report WbK! I take it that lunch ended without a victor? Or did the rats win?

The rats won but we had to do the "Everyone takes route tests (in diced-for order) until only one player is left" thing. Not the most satisfying ending as I had one OoA (out of 16 models), Phil had none (out of7) and Viktor had 5 (out of about 15 or 16). We even said before the game that anyone already taking route tests gets -1 Ld.

Dice eh?

WarbossKurgan wrote:

The rats won but we had to do the "Everyone takes route tests (in diced-for order) until only one player is left" thing. Not the most satisfying ending as I had one OoA (out of 16 models), Phil had none (out of7) and Viktor had 5 (out of about 15 or 16). We even said before the game that anyone already taking route tests gets -1 Ld.

Dice eh?

DICE!

One more game night and I've kept a complete set for a whole year. A record. (I occasionally misplace dice. Especially dice that have displeased me.)

Daemon Week 5th September to 11th September.

The high levels of emotion caused by fights, the use of powerful magic, the shear hatred that erupts during a warbands clash has always attracted the attention of daemons. But during a Storm of Magic they can find their way to the material realm much more easily: when there is low "Gellermetric Pressure" the barrier between the physical world and the Realm of Chaos becomes thinner.

At the end of each game turn roll a D6 and add the following modifiers. If the total is 6 or more a lesser daemon claws its way to the battlefield (choose either a Plague Bearer, Daemonette, Bloodletter or Horror from the Bestiary in Border Town Burning).

+ Turn number (yes, a daemon will automatically appear at the end of game turn 5)
+1 if there are ongoing fights when rolling
+1 if a spell has been successfully cast during the game turn

Fighty daemons (Plague Bearers, Demonettes, Bloodletters) will appear in the middle of the table and will move towards/charge the nearest model of either side.
Shooty daemons (Horrors) will appear 8" from a neutral table edge and will shoot following the normal rules for picking target. They will move towards a possible target if out of range, or away from them if they could be charged in the following turn.

A hero or henchman who banishes a daemon will earn 5 experience points.

Red Tooth Tribe Vs the Ogresuns - Wyrdstone Hunt

The Red Tooth tribe were unusually cheery. The previous day the forest goblins had sat on a ridge and watched happily as they saw a band of heavily armed Orcs, in allsorts of fancy armour and body paint, get thoroughly beaten by a couple of angry looking things lurking in the bushes.

It was normally habit for them to be suffering a good thrashing and to witness some big greenies get the treatment for a change was a happy event. It was their own fault really for coming into their forest and start picking on the wildlife.

So when they turned a corner and saw another band of rather fishy smelly Orcs making headway toward some spilled booty, the goblins were in a confident mood. The big greenies couldnt be that tough if a couple of big bunnies had seen off the last lot after all.


The goblins took up positions, puffing themselves up to look more menacing. Which was helped somewhat by Incy Wincy, the Gigantic Spider that Big Chief Squigsniffa was riding.




Unfortunately one of their number got a bit overly-excited and charged off, spoiling the surprise somewhat



Luckily though he found some of the loot and claimed it for his tribe



As there was no use anymore holding back for a surprise attack, Big Chief gave the signal and in a quite ungoblin manner, led the attack from the front claiming some more cash on the way



Da big Greenies decided they weren't in the mood for sharing., sending a flanking force and an Ogre




The Gobbo's and their visiting Warlock weren't afraid though and waved their fists in defiance






Angered by the goblins direspect some of Orcs lept forward wanting to educate the gobbos in some Morky or possibly Gorky etiquete






TheOrcs let loose a volley of crossbow bolts one striking home and knocking down the brave Niknak Paddywak


and felling Squig Dribbling


The Gobbos were having non of this and sought to dish out some lessons of their own



the main force of the Orc party joined the fray but the Goblins were unimpressed and unleashed the true ferocity





The Orcs bottled it, humiliated and bruised they decided the Goblins were entitled to at least half of coin and legged it back to their longboat

Victory was ours!

In celebration it was decided that they would call upon a small farmstead, eat the current tenants and keep the farm for themselves for use as a Squiggot breeding facility

Excellent strategy with the Thingys in the Woods. Hate those guys.

Love the new forest goblin models. They look great on the tabletop.

The Ogresuns - Weathering the Storm

The Other Side of the Coin
The Ogresuns get an unexpected drubbing from the Red Toof Tribe

The stifling heat and humidity of the deep jungle had put the Orcs in a very bad mood. They were more used to fresh sea breezes and regular soakings with sea water. The addition of biting buzzing insects the size of your fist were really not helping. As a result the pirates had been bickering all day. Deffgit was taking no notice but Salty Ogbad and Dredger Zug were constantly having to crack heads to break up arguments.

They split the crew into smaller groups to separate the worst offenders but Blackspot and Lubber Snag came to blows when Snag trod on Blackspot's heal. Snag was not going to take any further part in the expedition that day...







As the crew passed under a great rocky arch formation they spotted something moving through the undergrowth - something HUGE… something Gribbley.



The Gigantic Spider was accompanied by a swarm of those damnable little gitz from the Red Toof Tribe. They scampered through the dense plant life and nabbed half of the hidden loot.





Scupper Lug and Poxy Uzbad lost control and went steaming off into the Forest Goblin lines - neither gave a thought for tactics or their own safety - they just wanted to get to grips with the little snots.





Blackspot continued his argument with Dubloon Dreg but the grey-bearded book-lugger ended the younger pirate's antics with a swift punch in the head.



Capsize Naz pounced on some of the remaining hidden loot and started rifling through it. “Look at me!” cried Naz “I’m the zoggin’ King of Sartosa!” he capered around with charms and trinkets swinging from his arms and head; He was a little overexcited that he’d grabbed the sack of loot before the other Ogresuns had got anywhere near it.

Whalebelly the Ogre had nabbed the other sack of treasure and he headed back to camp at speed, shouting something back to the crew, over his shoulder, about keeping it safe for them while they dealt with the Goblins.







Poxy floored the Red Toof's Warlock but was swarmed by the Goblins.



Scupper Lug had less luck and he was dragged down by a swarm of the biting, scratching, stabbing and squealing little grotz.





“That’s it. I’ve had enough!” said Deffgit “Let’s call it a day – we’ve got half the loot, we ain’t got time to muck about wiv these nasty blighters.

~ ~ ~

The Ogresuns - Weathering the Storm

Blizzard of Blood
The Ogresuns get into a fight with the Black Orcs of Norsca - and an unwelcome guest joins in

The crew of the Ogresun were returning from a raid with sacks full of plunder when they encountered Olaf and the Norscans, similarly laden with loot.

After a lot of shouting and a few threats Deffgit arranged the Orcs in two firing lines – one along the ridge of a small hill and the other below and in front of them on the slope. The Black Orcs of Norsca pounded towards them; the rattling and clanging their armour almost drowning out their battle cries.





Fetch and Fishgutz started yelling and bawling at each other, each convinced that they were on the highest point on the ridge and incensed that the other could possibly think different. The remaining pirates fired at the onrushing Black Orcs but every shot either missed its mark completely or skimmed off their shields, helmets, heavy breastplates and shoulder pauldrons.







As the Norscans passed the Mermaid Emporium, strange whooshing sounds started and bright pinpoints of light danced in the air. The lights coalesced into a swirling vortex and a blood-hued Daemonic creature pounced from the Realm of Chaos into the material world!



The Bloodletter charged at the nearest mortal – one of the Black Orcs and floored him despite his protective covering. Odin saw the creature gloating and charged it, unable to resist the temptation of a saga featuring an other-worldly adversary. He was knocked on his backside for his trouble.

A couple of the Norscans reached the pirates’ front line, hoping to crash straight through by sheer momentum of mass, but the pirates were cunning fighters who dodged and parried the Black Orc’s choppas with their heavy cutlasses. The counter charge was brutal; Nuttaz and Black Orcs were scattered left and right by the pirates’ weight of numbers. They also had the actual weight of Mr Whalebelly who crashed into the flank of the Black Orc column: scattering the Norscans like skittles. The buccaneers were used to fighting in close spaces and crowded round the Norscans, leaving them no room to swing their heavy weapons.





The Bloodletter charged again and knocked aside Capsize Naz and, despite the fact that yet another fight had erupted on the ridge, a few more shots sailed over the combatants’ heads and landed around the fallen Black Orcs.

The Norscans had taken a battering – most of them were knocked down and some were unconscious. The pirates made a point of kicking them when they were down, even as their Daemonic attacker leapt on the nearest standing opponent, ignoring the fallen as unworthy.



Just as the Black Orcs decided to fall back the winds of magic changed and the Daemon was pulled, screaming with frustration, back into the Realm of Chaos. Deffgit and the Ogresuns were left in the empty clearing with just the mermaid for company… and several large bags of treasure!