| Destiny Calling part IV | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 8th September 2006 - 10:47 AM (296 Views) | |
| SneakyRodent | 8th September 2006 - 10:47 AM Post #1 |
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Claws of the Horned One founder member
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I know, I know....I said originally that this would be a 3 part story.....but it's taking a little longer than I envisaged so it's now a 4 parter! The last episode will be posted just after the deadline for this turn's Civil War deadline (ie Monday). Hope you enjoy, Part I is can be read here. Part II is here! Part III lurks here. The tunnels in the depths of the Ulricsberg were absolutely full to bursting. Tempers were stretched to their limits, as was space to move. Several small fights had already broken out between rats, and the Clan Virulus Stormvermin were finding it increasingly harder to keep order. Chieftain Gnawpelt shouldered his way roughly through the throng to the front of the hundreds upon hundreds of rats and equipment. They had entered the Ulricsberg at dawn, and moved as instructed by the messenger from Grey Seer Skritchit toward the lowest levels, deep under the earth and the mountain. They discovered that the tunnels had been widened considerably, no doubt to try and accommodate the expected throng. But the sheer mass of rats had swamped even the newly prepared passageways. Now the forward elements had reached a large junction, with several other tunnels leading upward but only one, undoubtedly the way forward, leading down. And this was blocked. Cuffing a few Clanrats on the way, Gnawpelt finally reached the front of the procession. He knew roughly where they were; just past the Ulricsberg mines, but following a route that seemed to run parallel to the shafts and also sloping steadily down. ‘Come as far as you can’ the cryptic message had said. Gnawpelt had found that absolutely typical of a Grey Seer – why did everything have to be so damned cryptic? But now that they had actually reached that point, Gnawpelt had to acknowledge that it would have been difficult to adequately describe what lay before him. In fact, had the messenger tried then half the rats behind him would have probably turned tail and run. For the tunnel leading downward was blocked not with wood or stone. Instead a twisting black cloud filled the mouth, swirling like oily water stirred with a stick. Gnawpelt’s fur stood on end in an automatic reflex as he recognized the unmistakeable sight of Shadow creatures; the Horned One knew how many, but enough to create a living, impenetrable barrier. To his right, at the mouth of one of the other tunnels, Gnawpelt saw another congregation of Skaven wearing Clan Virulus colours. He recognized immediately the rat seemingly in charge of the group, just as the other looked at him. With a snarled order to his bodyguards to keep the rats behind him in place, Gnawpelt strode forward into the junction. The other Skaven stepped forward too, both rats meeting in front of the blocked passage. ‘Chieftain Gnawpelt’ nodded the diminutive rat in deference. Whirrs and clicks accompanied the movement of this Skaven’s artificial arm as it clasped its natural paw in a universal sign of cringing. ‘Tiktak,’ acknowledged the Gnawpelt, briefly noting the bandage around the Warlock Engineer’s remaining paw. ‘What-what are you doing here?’ Tiktak grinned nervously at the huge winged rat before him, eyes flicking to the Shadows as they swirled nearby. ‘The-the same as you it seems. Behind me-me are the Clan Virulus rats and possessions from the Ulricsberg undercity. I-I was ordered to oversee the packing of all-all our laboratories, sleeping quarters, barracks…..even our honoured Seer’s Ulricsberg throne and desk-desk. Everything. We-we were to come here and wait-wait for further orders.’ Tiktak’s eyes drifted to the chaotic scenes behind the Chieftain. ‘Are they-they survivors?’ Gnawpelt’s eyes narrowed. That put paid to any theory that Clan Virulus was to take the undercity itself by force. So what did that leave as a possibility? The Chieftain did not have a clue. But now pangs of panic were beginning, and Gnawpelt licked his fangs whilst trying to quell them. ‘Survivors? Of what-what?’ he demanded. Tiktak looked genuinely surprised. ‘You-you have not heard? Black Chasm has-has fallen to the forces of Brass Keep. I-I feared that you-you were dead at first, but seeing you here I-I assumed you had led those not killed to-to safety…….’ The Engineer’s voice tailed off. Gnawpelt fumed. He did not like being the last to know such vital strategic information as this. Eventually he would realise that it was due to his skill in keeping the Clan successfully away from all other Skaven contact in its march East that had meant he could not possibly of heard of Black Chasm’s fall – but for now, he was angry. ‘You-you are wrong in your guess Warlock. These are not-not survivors. This is-is the entire Clan. I brought them-them here under express orders from Grey Seer Skritchit himself.’ Both rats lapsed into silence as they digested each others information. ‘What-what do we do now?’ asked Tiktak eventually, his voice plaintive. A new voice, smooth yet cold answered. ‘Now you both-both come with me. It-it is time for me to share my vision with you, as-as sent to me by the Horned Rat himself-self’. Both rats’ heads jerked around. In total silence the Shadows guarding the downward tunnel had drawn back, like a ghostly curtain. There in the tunnel mouth stood Grey Seer Skritchit. It had been weeks since either Tiktak or Gnawpelt had seen the Virulus leader, and both were shocked by his appearance. Gone were the skeletal features of the rat last seen at the Claws of the Horned One council meeting months ago. Instead Skritchit positively glowed with health and vitality. His movements seemed to exude a barely contained power; something indefinable yet enough to set Tiktak’s fur on edge. Gnawpelt’s whiskers twitched uncomfortably. Skritchit was clad in his usual Seer’s attire – pale tunic and cloak to mirror his white fur, several rings on his fingers and an amulet around his neck. The small three-cornered Skaven symbol was still fixed to the end of his tail. A long bladed knife was attached to his belt along with a number of pouches, and in his hand he carried his Seer’s staff. Atop this the jet black rubric stone still sat, clasped in the claws of a stylised rat’s paw. Suddenly Gnawpelt realised what it was that was so different. The Seer looked younger – as if the years had sloughed off him like a snake shedding its skin. ‘Follow.’ Skritchit turned and began walking down the tunnel, not even glancing back to see if Gnawpelt and Tiktak complied. Chieftain and Warlock looked at each other for a second. They were totally dissimilar rats, but in this they had no choice but to act as one. With a growing sense of trepidation, they stepped after the Grey Seer. |
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Grey Seer Skritchit Lord of the Ulricsberg Clan Virulus Holder of 'Best Post' Award 2007 here Took part in the glorious Lords of Decay Revolution of April 1st 2012 The complete works of SneakyRodent can be found here [/size]
(Scrivener on the Scum And Villainy2 characters of me, DamnedPrince and himself) | |
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| Thraskittar | 8th September 2006 - 11:31 AM Post #2 |
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Shatterskar
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Awsome! Don't you mean you meant it to be a 4 parter it's now going to be a 5 parter?
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W/L/D - Army 13/10/5 - Skaven 0/0/0 - Tzeentch DL ![]()
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| SneakyRodent | 12th September 2006 - 09:56 AM Post #3 |
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Claws of the Horned One founder member
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Erm......yes. Well spotted Thraskittar, and thanks for the support! |
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Grey Seer Skritchit Lord of the Ulricsberg Clan Virulus Holder of 'Best Post' Award 2007 here Took part in the glorious Lords of Decay Revolution of April 1st 2012 The complete works of SneakyRodent can be found here [/size]
(Scrivener on the Scum And Villainy2 characters of me, DamnedPrince and himself) | |
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