Tales of the Cod & Cutlass (Mordheim - Saturday 26th)

[W.B.Kurgan]

Mordheim Day: Tales of the Cod & Cutlass.

Background

Things are not all free-wheeling, swashbuckling fun on Sartosa anymore: The Island and its piratical inhabitants have suffered greatly over the last few years; invasion, war, plague and a ghastly shortage of rum have all combined to make the place a less than welcoming safe-haven for the pirates. Many have fled the island for less troubled waters and the many small islands around the coast of the Southern Sea, Black Gulf and the Gulf of Sufaga have become make-shift ports for the erstwhile Sartosans.

The Beastlord Nethrag's ascension to Daemonhood hinged on a plan to create a vast storm in the Winds of Magic that created a huge pool of Dark Magic centred on, and trapped around, the Bloodfane; a Herdstone of unprecedented scale. When the Final Rite was performed the Dark Magic was drawn into the Bloodfane in a swirling vortex of immense power, which tore a temporary rift in reality and wove the very fabric of the Warp into the soul of the Beastlord, turning him into a Daemon Prince and "using up" the Dark Magic that was blighting the island.

This had the unexpected result of actually purifying the corruption that was blighting the Pirate Kingdom and removing the worst of the after-effect cause by the occupation by Davy Jones' Crew. There are still many fragments of "crystallised" wyrdstone scattered over Sartosa – fragments of the exploded Bloodfane, which shattered at the conclusion of the Final Rite.
The waters surrounding Sartosa were not so lucky though – beyond the coasts they are still steeped in Dark Magic that was beyond the reach of the Bloodfane, and the effect on the local sea-life has been dramatic and unpleasant.

In the east Vercuso has become cut off from the mainland by the sea. The town is deserted and can only be reached by boat but the newly-formed channels are uncharted and too dangerous for large ships. Vercuso's old harbour is however still accessible except that it's now guarded by a large and predatory sea monster which means that large ships can occasionally make passage, but not a full army. The forces of darkness used the town as the base for their work on Dragon Tooth Island for much of the first invasion, so very few of the buildings are still standing since most were stripped for timber to repair their shipping and a great number where damaged by falling fragments of Bloodfane.

~ ~ ~

Another campaign on the unfortunate island is brewing – fleets are being fitted out and armies are being mustered. Even now several small bands have made their way to the Island of Pirates in secret, hoping to get the best shards of the Bloodfane before their rivals have even set foot ashore…

[W.B.Kurgan]

Game 1: Occupy Vercuso

A Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy!

Vercuso: a harbour on the eastern edge of Sartosa, the Pirate Island. It used to be a seedy, disreputable and downright dangerous place but it has gone downhill recently.

During the invasions and subsequent wars much of the town was ruined, many of the houses were stripped for timber to make ships (ironic since most were built from salvaged shipwrecks!) and nearly every part of the town was ransacked, looted and generally ruined.

The most famous tavern in Vercuso is the Cod and Cutlass, on the quay-side in the docks. Even though it is now a ruin the tavern still acts as a focal point for much of the activity in the town. The presence of massive amounts of Wyrdstone (fragments of the shattered Bloodfane) draws dozens of small warbands to search the ruins, hoping to find enough to make their fortunes.

~ ~ ~



A strong stench of dead fish wafted through the harbour district. As the morning mists were burned away by the rising spring sun, Murlok the Shaman shaded his eyes and squinted down the street. The rest of the Halibuteers waited impatiently, gathered around their leader, Kap’n Hadduk. In the distance Murlok could see something moving and he pointed it out to Hadduk – just a glimpse but someone rushed from ruined building to ruined building. A few seconds later and three more figures scampered across the street about a hundred yards ahead.

“Dis is da place Kap’n” muttered the Shaman.
“Well we ain’t the first here but we gotta make sure we have control of the port. We can’t let them bilge-swabbers and chum-buckets think they can just do whatever they like!” said Kap’n Hadduk.
The Halibuteers grinned and nodded silently in agreement.
“Roight, let’s go!” said Hadduk and jumped up, the Fishmen followed him as he ran into the Shambles.

~ ~ ~

Shouts and cries rang out. Swivel-gun, handgun and pistol fire echoed through the town. The ringing clash of steel on steel filled the streets. Seven warbands ringed the Cod & Cutlass; all intent on being the dominant force in this vital area. Control the docks: control the town!

The Pirates
Pugwash’s Pirates: A band of scurvy dogs lead by Captain Kharn.
The Wreckers Guild: Pirates from Marienburg equipped with underwater breathing apparatus.
The Sneakers: Skaven Assassins and Wyrdstone hunters.
The Unpronounceables: Dark Elf Corsairs

The Orcs
Kap’n Hadduk’s Halibuteers: The Fishmen of Sartosa
Ug Ugg Uhg-ug: Savage Cave-Orcs from a time before history.
The Boring Boyz: Orcs from the Great Forests of the Empire

~ ~ ~




The Halibuteers split up; some climbed the walkways over the Shambles while others headed for the Gatehouse. The Boring Boyz left a couple of Sentries in the Wizard’s Tower and headed north for the Pie Shop while the Unpronounceables headed south for the Pie Shop. A fight was definitely going to start there!

The Sneakers occupied the Revenue House, scampering over the wall into the back yard and looked greedily towards the Sailmaker’s Shop. The Eshin Sorcerer was a little incautious and was fried by a jet of green lightining from Oooog, the Savage Orc Shaman who, along with the rest of Ug Ugg Uhg-ug, had camped in the Sailmaker’s Shop and was looking rabidly towards the Revenue House!




Pugwash’s Pirates boarded the Hogwasha and surveyed the town from her raised forecastle. Their swivel-gun could reach almost any point they could see and they planned to make its existence felt! The Wreckers Guild emerged from the water, having walked to the town. They headed south for the Shambles leaving a few harpoon gun armed Wreckers in cover at the harbour-side to watch their backs.

The Squigtapus (known to some as “Slipery Jack”) moved silently through the dark waters. It was hungry and sensed the chance of a tasty lunch.

~ ~ ~




Suddenly it got really bloody, really quickly! With a squeal and a roar the Sneakers and Ug Ugg Ugh-ug fell upon each other in a ferocious frantic melee: Hythe the Sneak, angered by the death of his Sorcerer leapt on Ugg and impaled him with a fighting claw in the dank street between the Revenue House and the Sailmaker’s Shop. In revenge Ugga-Ugg delt Hytje a terrible blow with his club. Garin, the Skaven leader, skewered Uggg as he burst into the Revenue House.

The Unpronounceables reached the Pie Shop and coldly dealt with Squiggy Squig –a the first of the Boring Boyz to get there.





As Murlok the Fishman Shaman climbed the broken wall of the Gatehouse, accompanied by two fishy hench-orcs, the Boring Boyz decided not to contest it (much to the annoyance of one of the Boring Boy’s Goblins who made his feelings clear in a tirade of foul language and abuse aimed at hi mob!). The Fish Troll stood still and dribbled a bit and Chum, the smallest Halibuteer, also took offence at something and stopped to scream high-pitched insults at his fellow Fishmen.







The Wreckers moved quietly and efficiently into the Shambles and took up firing positions overlooking their sometime allies the Fishmen.




~ ~ ~




The fight for the Sailmaker’s Shop and the Revenue House got even nastier! Oooog the Shaman zapped Bleaksneak with a blast of green energy, Uggg clubbed Sneaky Sneak to the ground with a furious rain of blows and Garin knifed Ugga-Ug (a Savage Orc Big’Un) in the back. Ugggg was pounced on by Backstabba Sneak as he finished Sneaky but it didn’t go Backstabba’s way - Ugggg made short work of the unfortunate Skaven.

With a howl the Boring Boyz rushed the Pie Shop in vast numbers and a whirling and confused fight erupted: A Goblin spiked Urial in the kidneys with a spear, then Mathiew the Dark Elf sliced up a Boring Boy Big’Un but another Goblin chopped the back of Mathiew’s knees and brought him down in revenge. Lhunaru’s superior sword-work overcame the Boring Boyz’ Boss.






In the Shambles Joss Merlin of the Wreckers Guild unleashed a hail of magical silver darts at Kod the Halibuteer, who fell from the wooden rofftop walkway with an indignant cry. Prospero took careful aim at Kap’n Hadduk with his duelling pistol and felled the fishy Orc Boss with a single shot. Murlok and his mates reached the top of the Gatehouse and took cover behind its stone walls. The Orc Shaman prepared a magical defence in case anyone else tried to get in, but no one dared try to winkle them out. Makrul the Fish Big’Un scrambled into the Cultists House through a window.





~ ~ ~

Chum the Goblin scurried along the ladder between the Shambles’ roof and the Cultist’s House window and dived to safety as a hail of harpoons and pistol bullets zipped past his fishy tail.



The Boring Boyz made a mess of the Unpronounceables while the Skaven leader Garin was strangled by a frothing Ugggg! A Goblin drove his squig-prodder into Lhunaru, a Boy pushed Dalva down and stamped on his head, and the remaining Boring Big’Un punched Naggairo to the floor and the Boring Boyz made short work of the fallen Elf. The Dark Elves were dealt with…

~ ~ ~



The Wreckers took possession of the Cod and Cutlass and made a big show of looting the bar, while their shipmates got ready to board Da Hogwasha: the pirate crew had left just the swivel gunner and his mate on-ship; the big gun sent a cannonball hurtling across town and narrowly missed Dagon the Troll. The rest of the Pugwashes followed the Wreckers towards the Cod and Cutlass licking their lips thirstily.

The Sneakers fell back to lick their wounds, having been finally driven out of the Revenue House.

~ ~ ~





The Wreckers slipped over the gunwales of the pirate ship to outnumber their allies, Pugwash’s Pirates, on board. But the pirates didn’t care as they took the Cod and Cutlass from the handful of Wreckers and were further distracted by the death of Kharn, their captain, at the hands of Oooog the Savage Orc Shaman.

Dagon the Fish Troll was on the receiving end of a barrage of fire from both the human pirate warbands but managed to survive it all unscathed. The rest of the Halibuteers kept their heads down – and who could blame them with the swivel gun roundshot and Wrecker’s harpoons lobbed in their direction every time they so much as poked a flipper into sight! Ug Ugg Uhg-ug took possession of the Revenue House and the Boring Boyz set to loot the Pie Shop and look through the maps, charts and logbooks stashed in the Warehouse.

~ ~ ~

Pugwash’s Pirates: 1VP (The Cod and Cutlass)
The Wreckers Guild: 8VP (The Hogwasha)
The Sneakers: 0VP
The Unpronounceables: 0VP
Kap’n Hadduk’s Halibuteers: 10VP (Gatehouse 6, Cultist's House 4)
Ug Ugg Uhg-ug: 9VP (Sailmaker's House 2, Renvenue House 7)
The Boring Boyz: 8VP (Warehouse 5, Pieshop 3)

[W.B.Kurgan]

Game 2

Treasure Hunt

No sooner had word got out, that a magical artefact was stashed-away somewhere near the docks, than all the warbands active in the town descended on the harbour and started turning over the houses.

Pugwash’s Pirates had poor luck from the moment they got into port, Their launch pulled alongside the Hogwasha’s cutter and they crossed onto the Orc boat. But when they tried to board the Hogwasha over the broken gangplank from the cutter the lead crewman lost his footing and slipped into the water below! To make matters worse he grabbed the man behind him and pulled him off balance, he clapped onto the man behind him and so on. pretty soon four pirates were thrashing around in the docks!

Slippery Jack, the Squigtapus, sensed their struggling and darted towards them...













~ ~ ~

The warbands searched building after building until an ill-advised shout of celebration from a Dark Elf in the Wizard’s Tower echoed across the bay! The Wreckers Guild and the Sneakers were closest to hand and, like all the other warbands, made a hasty rush towards the Wizard’s Tower.



~ ~ ~

As the Halibuteers ran across the Walled Garden Mino the Goblin started hurling abuse at Fishman Marlin’s back, for some real or imagined slight. The Orc thought it was Sprat being so insolent and cracked the poor Goblin’s skull! Mino realised that he had got away with it by the skin of his teeth and kept his mouth shut from then on.







The Squigtapus furiously lashed out at the floundering pirates and the scurvy-addled buccaneers fended off its tentacled terrorising and the cabin-boy Roger (who was still on the cutter) managed to injure the sea-spawn and it fled to the deep.

Backstabba Sneak took down Fishman Big’Un Makrul with a carefully aimed sling stone.



~ ~ ~





As the two Orc mobs sprinted through the Shambles towards the Wizard’s Tower and the loot they converged into a single yelling, bawling, roaring mass. A great column of aggression that swarmed through the Gatehouse archway and crashed into the Dark Elves. Oooog the Shaman clubbed Uhrial in the chops and the Unpronounceable dropped like a sack of taters. One of the Boring Boyz knocked Delmah down with his shield and stuck him with his sword.





A Wreckers Guild henchman took deliberate aim with his harpoon gun and fired. Kap’n Hadduk was hit in the leg and fell, skidding to a halt face down in the dirt in the garden. The Halibuteer’s bad luck continued as Bleak Sneak’s sling stone knocked out Marlin the Fish-Orc.



The Dark Elves, overcome by the Orcish onslaught, dropped the artefact and it was scooped up by Garen Sneak - the leader of the Skaven Sneakers. He took one look at the advancing green horde and fled for his life, clutching his loot.

~ ~ ~

The final straw for the Dark Elves was Squiggy-Squig mauling Lhunaru, this sent them running for their lives. As the Halibuteers reached the far side of the Walled Garden Dagon the Troll took repeated hits from the Wreckers and the Skaven. His regenerative powers coped for a short while but finally a harpoon thudded into his back and he fell heavily.

~ ~ ~





Sneer Sneak took a heroic  diving leap from a third floor window, hit the ground rolling and carried on running as if nothing happened! Marlin stood agog at this feat of gymnastics so Backstabba took advantage and stabbed the gawking Orc in the belly.







Murlok the Shaman and a couple of Fish Boyz veered off for the Cod and Cutlass and the Shaman blasted Awkward Davis, a crewman of Pugwash’s Pirates.

~ ~ ~





Prospero coldly aimed one of his finely crafted pistols at Mino the Goblin - who spotted the gun and squealed and turned to flee, only to be shot in the back. While Pintelli dealt with the prone Fish Troll. In the street between the Cod and Cutlass Barnabus fenced with one of the Backstabba Sneakers, after a few brief passes the Wrecker kicked the Backstabba in the knee and ran him through as he toppled over.





In the bar of the Cod and Cutlass Makrul the Fishy Big’Un smashed one of the pirate’s pressed men in the teeth with a steel scaled gauntlet.





Slicer Sneak knocked one of the Wreckers down and was about to finish him off when the Orcs caught up with them, the Boss of the Boring Boyz kicked him out of the Warehouse doorway.

The fight for the Artefact hung on a knife-edge as Uggg smacked Sneer Sneak with his stone-headed club, while the Ugggs took on and bested a pair of pirate crewmen near the fountain.





The Artefact rolled along the street unattended as the Orcs swarmed through the Gatehouse archway. Prospero looked around furtively then picked up the precious thing and stuffed it into his pouch. The Wreckers fell back in good order as the Skaven squeaked and squealed in fear - the Orc horde was upon them!









As the Wreckers disappeared with the loot Makrul made a lone rush along the jetty towards the Hogwasha but Pugwash and two of the dripping-wet mates stood in his way. With a loud explosion and a cloud of smoke the Fishman crashed onto the decking.



~ ~ ~

The Wreckers Guild won the game and got a random Magical Artefact.

[PeteMurray]

Awesome report! Great looking board, wonderful conversions on the figures  (love those diving outfits and your fishy orks) and a great transplanting of the Mordheim setting.

Well done!     

[RJ]

That is swesome!

The terrain is very cool and the conversions are so original.

Great work

[El Grego]

Fishy orcs - who knew      


That was a beautiful AAR - thanks for sharing!

[JollyBob]

Very entertaining report, I love the scenery ideas and your conversions are fantastic! 

Re your "Hallibuteers", I actually played an RPG with a GM who pronounced "halberd" as "hallibut", every time he said it. For six months. And that was my character's favourite weapon as well.

Now he's dead. 

[Chairface]

Fantastic..... makes me feel like getting the boys together for mordheim some time....

[Argonor]

Very entertaining report, I love the scenery ideas and your conversions are fantastic! 

Re your "Hallibuteers", I actually played an RPG with a GM who pronounced "halberd" as "hallibut", every time he said it. For six months. And that was my character's favourite weapon as well.

Now he's dead. 

Your character with the hallibut or the GM???

[JollyBob]

Very entertaining report, I love the scenery ideas and your conversions are fantastic! 

Re your "Hallibuteers", I actually played an RPG with a GM who pronounced "halberd" as "hallibut", every time he said it. For six months. And that was my character's favourite weapon as well.

Now he's dead. 

Your character with the hallibut or the GM???

Sorry, I was being sarcastic. I meant the GM, as in it was so annoying I killed him. Just being silly, sorry.

The character actually ended up becoming best mates with a god, having not one but ten of the most powerful artifacts in the world, ruling his own country and generally being so hard we had to guess the stats as the rulebook didn't cover his uber-awesomeness.

And all that within the first three sessions of the campaign.

Worst. GM. Ever.

[Argonor]

Well, some GMs prefer to run high-powered campaigns. I never understood why, but that's perhaps just me. When running D&D games MANY years ago, I do not think I ever experienced a character rising beyond Level 9....