Fires in the Night
Braggoth Blackpelt stood ankle deep in the mud, Fetchit at his side loaded with weapons. In front of them, excited gnoblars peered from above a crude wooden palisade.
"Oy there!" boomed the Maneater "Is that the camp of the Ironforged? Den of Skargat Brainglut, he who outsmarted the Swordfyshes, and his second Hrothgur, the unstoppable rampager?"
"It might! Who are you?" a horned helm appeared next to the gnoblars.
"Braggoth Blackpelt! I bring you a gift of weapons. And my arms and belly to join you on the Mawpath. Give me fights and feasts and I'll serve under you, mighty Tyrant!"
"Well, if this is not a good offer! You have a place at my table, Maneater! Wait there, for we are sallying forth. It is time to set the Swordfyshes on fire!"
It had taken Skargat and his Maneaters nearly the whole day, but at dusk they were finally approaching Swordfyshes' territory.
What they were not expecting, was to see the largest and meaniest Swordfyshes marching to meet them.
Krashhart sprinted ahead of the Swordfyshes, but Braggoth planted his feet and took the almost impenetrable defensive stance he had learnt from the pikemen of the Freeguilds.
Skargat's booming laughter sounded loud in the wood as he smashed onto Mr Flea and once again took him down with only few well placed blows.
Cargo spotted two brutes at the rear of the main Swordfyshes' line and opened fire with his his pistols. But in the growing darkness he missed.
Old Mudgob and Hook advanced along the same path taken by Krashhart, as if willing to join him against Braggoth.
But instead of fighting, the Warchanter disengaged and slipped off into the dark.
Yardarm Gark slashed and hacked at Skargat, but the Tyrant took in the blows and felled the brute. With a grin, he prepared to charge Lugger Dag.
But the brute, just like Krashhart, legged it and plunged into the darkness, beyond the Ironforged reach.
Cargo made out Flotsum in the gloom.
Once again, the Swordfyshe exchanged some running blow and then legged it, going roughly in the same direction as his mates.
"They're routing!" boomed Skargat. "Barag, with me to finish off the shaman! The others, back to the plan!"
As Barag stepped up to block Old Mudgob's path, Braggoth, Watcha and Loota run for the Swordfyshes' territory, catching a last glimpse of Lugger Dag's back running away.
Skargat hacked furiosly at Old Mudgob, trying to take revenge for the stomping the shaman had given him. But Mudgob ground his teeth and once again summoned Gork's Foot and smashed Skargat to the ground. As the eerie green foot retreated in the night sky, Cargo slipped past the shaman and pulled out his flintstone. It was time to burn down the Swordfyshes' supplies.
***
Hrothgur saw the ruddish light of the fires in the distance and knew Skargat's raid had been succesful.
The Crusher grimaced. He and the gluttons had tracked the edges of Blubberfen all day, but could not find any explanation as to why the bog was drying out.
The only thing they were bringing back to Skargat was an enourmous Itxi Grub fished by Skreecha who had been annoying them all the time.
Hrothgur's belly rumbled. The Crusher told himself that wasn't fear, just the signal that too much time had passed since his last snack.
***
The two parties got back to the Ironforged camp almost at the same time, greeted by the acryd smell of smoke.
The Maneaters' laughters and bragging changed into growls of frustration.
Hrothgur grinned with relief.
"So, is this what you let happen while you send me to dredge the bog, mighty Tyrant?"
Skargat's pained expression changed into one of utter rage, his right hand flew out into a backhand that would have smashed a door from its hinges.
But Hrothgur simply flinched, then stared back at the Tyrant.
"Forgive me, Skargat. I forgot my place. I bring you no explanation for the drying of Blubberfen" he said. "Do you wish to punish me?", his meaty fists clenching the handles of his axes.
Skargat was still in pain. Hrothgur still fresh. The Tyrant knew a leadership fight could have gone wrong for him.
"No, Hrothgur. You keep looking for an answer. Everybody, get to work salvaging what we can and rebuilding the palisade. Fast, before our camp is really compromised!".
Hrothgur's Rampage
Hrothgur's plan had worked out brilliantly. Using the tunnels of the abandoned scorpid hive, the Ironforged had moved quickly and safely. They had emerged near the scattered shells of some stone-built structure, clearly remnants of Qul'takteq. But these walls had been cleared from vines and undergrowth and shoddy walls and roofing erected against them. Whether that had been the camp of Chaos worshippers or of Dawnbringers, it didn't mattered to the Ironforged. There was enough assorted loot left behind for them to replenish their stocks. And if anybody came claiming it for their own, that would have been even more fun.
Skargat and Hrothgur left Marg and Growt to ransack the main structure and went searching for any other traces of the former occupants.
A loud shanty, sung above an obsessive drumming, echoed under the canopy, calling Growt and Marg out, just in time to see the Swordfyshes approaching.
They had a new mate coming along with them. The bearded orruk stepped ahead of the other greenskins, as if leading them, all the while gesturing wildly.
As the new comer clenched his fist, a great aetheric foot came slamming down on Marg.
The Glutton shrugged off the magical attack and together with Growt jumped into the encampment courtyard to cross blades with Mainstay and Flotsum.
Skargat rushed back to the structures, bellowing insults at Krashhart which, together with Mr Flea, had just joined the shaman.
Hrothgur could not believe his eyes. Krashhart and his crew's shaman next to each other. He had to run quick if he didn't want Skargat to have all the fun with them.
But the Tyrant was having a hard time. Repeatedly stomped on by the shaman's magic and taking a couple of hard hits from Krashhart's Gristle Grinder, he was struggling to land any decisive blow.
Hrothgur stomped throught he courtyard, ignoring Growt and Marg as they pummelled Flotsum to the ground and letting Mainstay slip away to climb onto one of the outer structures.
Suddenly, Basha, which had hidden in the shadow of a wall, cried a warning. More Swordfyshes were coming.
The gnoblar and Growt rushed to stop the incoming party at the edges of the abandoned encampment.
Marg and Mainstay played at cat and mouse, climbing and jumping down a rickety walkway.
Hrothgur left Mainstay behind and bodily slammed onto Krashhart, just as Skargat's axe sent Mr Flea sprawling to the ground. But Gork's foot and the Gristle Grinder came coming down on the Tyrant and for the first time since he had come to the Scarlands, Skargat wa knocked unconsious.
Krashhart and the shaman leapt over the fallen Tyrant and past Hrothgur, trying to make it to the main structure. But Watcha emerged from it and started tripping them. That was enough for Hrothgur. He shoulderbarged the shaman and slammed the flat of his axe on Krashhart's temple. As the Warchanter fell, the Crusher took another step forward and barred the way for the shaman.
Marg jumped down from the walkway and finally managed to catch up with Mainstay, flattening him with his own weight. Marg and Basha fell back to secure the main structure, Battendown pointlessly chasing after the gnoblar.
Behind them, Hook realised there was no way the Swordfyshes could dislodge the ogors now that they were all hunkered down in the main structure. He barked an order and the orruks retreated.
***
Meanwhile, the Maneaters were ranging far away.
Barag was exploring the Prowling Forest at another exit from the scorpid hive. He couldn't find anything of value, but he spotted some unusual tracks, as if somedoby had been dragging boulders away. Where the track went, he could not tell as the trees had already moved around and hidden parts of it.
Cargo had stayed close to the Ironforged camp and realised that Blubberfen was surprising shallow, to the point that chunks of Amberbone, usually found deep beneath the mud, could be seen sparkling in the sunlight. With a chuckle he grabbed one and stashed it away.
***
"Triple ration for Hrothgur! You truly proved yourself worthy of the Gulping God! A truely unstoppable rampager!".
Skargat sounded in high spirit despite the battering he had taken. Around him, the Ironforged were once again feasting, this time on the dried meats they had found after the fight with the Swordfyshes.
"And now, I have a task for you! Find out what is going on with Blubberfen. If this bog dries out, we'd loose our camp. Fail me, and you'll be on the platter!
Hrothgur belched in acceptance, but making sure droplets of his drool reached the Tyrant's face. He could see when he was being bullied, but for now it was not yet time to mount a leadership challenge.
First Interlude: Braggoth Blackpelt
Braggoth Blackpelt surveyed the most recent haul of weaponry and equipment brought by his Gnoblar attendant, Fetchit. The orruk choppa would have made for a nice dagger, in the meaty fists of the Maneater. The scareshield was an excellent replacement, should his bellyplate or a shoulderpad got damaged. And the club, well, it was perfect as it was to hammer some sense in anyone stupid enough to face the Maneater.
Having joined the Skyguard of Barak-Drak had proven a profitable enterprise. The fight and the payment in gear and food had been good, and when the Skyport finally took flight again Braggoth had stayed back to plunder the remains of Ghalbakk's Company's encampent. He was now undeniably rich, having added plenty of gear and trinkets to his collection.
Yet, he longed for some more action and, most importantly, for the company of other ogors. There was something unique about sharing a feast with your own kind, and that had been missing while serving with the Skyguard. But if the rumours he had heard were true, there was a band of ogors making quite a name for themselves in the Prowling Forest. It was time to find out if that was true.
Braggoth Blackpelt is the final addition to the Ironforged Ogors, giving me even more warband building options in Warcry and making the Maneaters a valid unit in Age of Sigmar. It has been my most extensive sculping project so far, as I started from the legs of the Ironblaster gunner. For unknown reasons, somebody had filed off the upper body, and the legs had winded up in my bitsbox. I thus had to resculpt it, starting with a rough base made of modelling clay, on which I had impressed the shape of the joints of ogor heads and arms. At the same time, I sculpted the boot sole, which was also missing, with Greenstuff.
I then sculpted a brest plate with Greenstuff and coated the rest of the body in liquid Greenstuff. I also converted a Gnoblar from the Leadbelcher kit. I clipped away the half barrel it was carrying, and replaced it with a pile of weapons from the same kit, sculpting a bag with Greenstuff.
At that stage, I've also added a sword in his scabbard (from the old Empire Knights kit) and a pistol (from the old Dwarf Quarrelers/Thunderers kit) to the sides of the belly plate and Freeguild shields as thigh guards. The intention was to make a Maneater that has fought for one of the Cities of Sigmar. I reinforced this by glueing a panter icon (again from the Empire Knights kit) to an Irongut head and a flag and laurel (from the same kit) to Braggoth's spear. This is a combination of Ogor Glutton and Orruk Ardboy arms, with the blade from the old Orc Warboss kit. The left arm is from the Ironguts, but with a hand from the Gluttons after having clipped off the club.
I then put everything together and added a shield, made with the one from the old metal Archon's model, after filing off the Chaos star and replacing it with a Freeguild icon. Another laurel and a dagger from the Freeguild Guard were also glued to the shield. The flat shoulderplate is from the Ork Nobs kit, while the sculpted one is again from the Orc Warboss. As final touches, I've added a wolf pelt and a roundel, again from the Empire Kinghts kit.
Since I was at it, I've also put together Warcry deployment markers, using a choppa from the classic Orc Boys kit, the shield from the Orruk Warboss, the club from the Ogor Gluttons and skulls.
Paint-wise, I've stuck to the red, yellow and dull metals used across both the Ironforged and the Free Companies of the Gilded Handed, especially Aurellian's Aurpards. In this way, Braggoth can serve double duty as a Maneater with the Ironforged and as a count-as Brutogg Corpse-eater in a Cities of Sigmar army.
The deployment markers got a grey base rim and ochre sand, so that they fit with both the Ironforged and my other Destruction warbands on grey bases.
