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Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:13 am
by Drainial
Actualy as far as I am aware the empire has no war against us, infact apart from small time raiding we have never had any major dispute with the empire, why wouldn't they just let us cross if we just sent a messenger ahead and asked them nicly. Sure the HE ambassador will object but who ever is in charge will probobly deside that its easier to let us through than to fight us and lose men.

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:48 am
by Morvai
The empire knows we are up to no good. It’s written in their history and their dwarven and elven councillors will agree that we are not what you want in your land. They will fight us if we make ourselves public. Certainly if we are in range of there cannons while they are not in the range of our reapers.

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:58 am
by Drainial
The empire as a whole barly know of our existance, the Dwai are certainly not our greatest foes as we generaly leave them alone (them living so far in land) and besides objection from them would probobly be seen as the old dwaves hate elves bit. Sure the Asur would tell them about us but at the end of the day with the highst ranks out of town I dont think whom ever is in charge will realy want to start a war.

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:04 am
by Morvai
We must get past Altdorf, I’m sure they know us there.
The peasants might not know us, but the scholars do. If we walk up to the court of Altdorf we are going to be blown to bits. They aren’t stupid, they may not know our history, but they do know what we do to the lands we enter. We are know as elven pirates in most human courts. Now would you let a pirate sail up your rivers into your lands and out of reach of your cannons?

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:34 am
by Draknir
Good points Morvai. This bit is hard indeed.

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 7:32 pm
by Morvai
I’m still going for cloaking the ships with shadow magic (I know it’s boring but I haven’t heard any other good ideas yet). As long as we only send in Reaver ships we should do fine.
I could even sell of devices that cloak a ship to the admirals less gifted with magical powers amongst us. :lol:

ps. If your interested in such a deal shoot me a pm. I will work it in my fluff.

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:57 am
by Draknir
About dragging the boats through the forest, may I remind that Draknir has Cold Ones and a Giant to help in that. But sill not enough... I am working on the next installment but the story won't advance much if we don't invent something. Nice if we get stuck in there for the duration of the Campaign.

But if the Blackblades are using some cloaking devices, I am seriously considering buying them.

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:00 pm
by Morvai
We will have cloaking devices. I’m going to use the creation of those things to cover up for the massive amount of Dhar needed for Morvai’s ritual. Expect to see fluff about it soon.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:32 am
by Draknir
Now at last I present you the next part:

”Actually no, Admiral. In some other situation I would order the ships to be dragged through the forest, unseeable of the humans of Altdorf. But as the forest is thick and the terrain almost cruelly harsh, the plan would never work”, lord Ranieth replied. ”How is lord Blackblade managing?” Draknir asked. ”I heard in our meeting about using magic to hide their ships. If I can say frankly it sounds very… unreliable idea. But there seems to be no alternative choices”, Lord Ranieth said. ”In that case, I think we should somehow contact lord Morvai. I suggest that you do the talking, for I have asked for their aid once and I’m not sure if they will grant it again. Where were they when you last saw them?” Draknir asked. ”He was preparing a camp in the Cursed Marshes.”

Night fell on Naggaroth, as Counsellor Tharkyn wrote hastily, in his unlit office, and he accidentally knocked down his ink bottle. He cursed but kept on writing.

”Dread Master Drainial Athalir, High Lord in the Name of Great Schemer:

I contact you again in these times of foul luck. My place in the Court is quaking, and I preferred to go hiding for a while. My connection to the Cult of Tzeentch is not going to reveal, but they accuse me of the delaying of Admiral Draknir’s message and my life is endangered by the will of the Witch King himself. Be aware of Admiral, but he is not heading to Tor Thana and will not disrupt your actions there. This might be the last letter I ever send to thy gloriousness, but I shall never lose my faith in the Changer of Ways.

Always thine humble follower, Counsellor Mordainn Tharkyn.”

Tharkyn enclosed the letter and pressed his seal on it, as he always did. He tied it to the claw of a raven sitting quietly on his desk, and opened the dusty window. The raven screeched once and flew to the dark night. Tharkyn pulled his travelling cloak on his shoulders and took his staff.

”Going somewhere, Counsellor?” a deep, raucous voice said from the door of the office. The silhouette of a gigantic Elf stood out from the weakly lit doorway. Fear filled Tharkyn’s mind. ”I have some questions for you. About this” Lord Admiral Draketh said and showed the small key in his hand. Tharkyn glared at the key. ”I have heard of them Mirrors. Mostly used by the followers of Tzeentch. But I muchly wonder why is a man with such power as yours holding one of these things in his closet? I thought that your long career in politics would have created a certain level of paranoia, but that seems not to be the case. You have particularly carved the words ”mirror vault” to this key. May I ask you why in the nine hells did you do such foolish thing?” Draketh asked and walked towards the closet without facing any resistance from Counsellor. Tharkyn had gone wordless.

Draketh opened the closet and took the Mirror out. Tharkyn stared at him, paralysed by his fear. Lord admiral carried the bowl and placed it carefully on Tharkyn’s desk. He pulled his longsword from its worn black scabbard and pointed the blade’s tip at Tharkyn’s thin throat. ”Show me my son”, Draketh demanded. Tharkyn croaked some arcane words and inner light started to glow from the mysterious liquid inside the bowl. Draketh stooped over the mirror and saw a blurred shape of Draknir’s Ark, stranded to a shoal. The picture moved rapidly and showed the dread Cursed Marshes of the Empire, and Draketh could see a camp being set in there. The banners that flew in the poles next to each tent and shield designs of the warriors told Draketh that his old rival was after the crown too: Morvai Blackblade. Draketh had met Morvai in the meetings of the Three Drachaus of Clar Karond, until Morvai had lost his place after beaching his ark to create a city of his own. Had he had some dealings with Draketh’s son? The Mirror’s picture moved again, following the crooked Reik river, until showing a convoy of Reaver ships. Two a bit larger ships lead the convoy, the other with a black banner, other flied red. Draketh knew both banners well; being hundreds of years in the lead of the Black Navy he had learned the flag designs of each captain and admiral that sailed under his command in war. The other belonged to Lord Ranieth Bloodheart, and the other… Draknir! Ranieth had escaped from Naggaroth after some inside of his house had… Now his son was accompanied by that houseless highborn. What happened in the Old World?

Draketh lifted his gaze from the mirror and his thoughts, only to face an empty room.

Tharkyn had disappeared.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 11:20 am
by Drainial
Ah does this meen that Draketh will be meating his son? Well that could certainly be interesting. A shame about Tharykan though.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:08 pm
by Draknir
Yes, Draketh will search Draknir and meet him. Rest assured that no "happy reunion" will be coming (this is a Druchii story afterall) Draknir will approach the fact that he has own family with a cold attitude, for he has lived his whole life at seas alone and is sure that he can continue with that way.

Drainial, you rest assured that Tharkyn did not disappear permanently...

Draketh stepped out from Tharkyn’s office. The city’s streets were empty and dark. Only movement that could be seen in the darkness was the enormous shape of Astroth, Draketh’s dragon. It’s yellow eyes glistened with malice as it’s master mounted it and flew to the darkness. Draketh peered to the night and saw the lights in the port of Naggarond, where his own Ark awaited. The Inevitable Doom was huge, being one of the three great arks of Clar Karond, and it’s massive silhouette stood magnificently out from the lesser ships in the port.

The great black dragon arrived rapidly at the highest tower of the Inevitable Doom, and it landed on a balcony that’s stony surface showed half yard deep scratch marks from Astroth’s claws. Draketh unmounted the dragon and stepped to the room in the top of the tower. Even when being on the top of a tower, the round room was as big as a hall, and it’s marble floor’s black paving subtly formed a spiral to the centre where the stone rings sat. The Doom’s steering device was enormous in comparison with the equivalent part of Draknir’s Ark. The room was furnished as Draketh’s quarters, and it was full of tapestries and charts. Two shelves containing a collection of fine swords were placed on the opposite sides of the round room. A lone Druchii examined the stone rings. His hair was so black that it almost had a blue hue in it, and his skin was as pale as the Lileath that lit the night sky of Naggaroth. His eyes were of light grey, and he always seemed to focus his gaze somewhere inside the watcher’s head instead of eyes, which made his presence very disturbing for anyone. Except Draketh. "Good evening, Sarath" Draketh said. "Good Evening, Lord Admiral", Sarath, Draketh's adviser, replied drily. "We are now heading back to Clar, is it?" Sarath asked. "No", Draketh answered. "But mylord... Where are we going then?" Sarath asked after realising that it was useless to argue with an Elf like Draketh. Lord Admiral Draketh was called the "Old Jointbreaker" by his subordinates, and Draketh had proven his nickname many times. "To the Old World. my son waits." "Your son? But Lord Admiral, I didn't know that you have a-" Sarath was disrupted by Draketh's one-eyed glare that overcame even Sarath's gaze. draketh had heard enough of that. "I'll go and inform the crew, mylord", Sarath said, bowed and left the room. Draketh went back to the balcony, where Astroth sat quietly. Draketh reached to his saddle bag and took out Counsellor Tharkyn's mirror. Strangely, the liquid hadn't poured over from the bowl, though it still acted like water when swayed. Draketh still remembered the words that Tharkyn had croaked; If only he had such powers to use them. Maybe his ship sorceress Selthera could help.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:16 pm
by Drainial
Wouldn't activating it require you to draw upon the winds of magic, not just mutter a few words?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:19 pm
by Draknir
Errm... I guess you're right about that....

Editing time!

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:37 am
by Morvai
Really like the stories, just one minor fault. Morvai lost his place as Drauchau when he decided (in all his arrogance) that he needed his own city. He beached his Ark In the Black Forest in line with Arnheim. And although his city was soon filled with warriors (cutthroats mostly), not having an Ark made him lose much money and influence and in the end his place as Drauchau of Clar Karond.
Now he is the self proclaimed Drauchau of Vikarh, the mercenary city.

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:08 pm
by Ranieth
Indeed, very nice stories. I would want to add though that Ranieth is not really exiled in any way, it's just that he has lost his influence in Naggaroth :) He does go there, though prefers not to show his face too much before he manages to regain his lost powers.

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 5:21 pm
by Draknir
Ranieth: Isn't it a certain version of self-banishment?

Morvai: I'll alter the story.

Here we have altogether three lords who have lost their influence and power- Draknir for not delivering a message to Malekith, Ranieth for having his second-in-command turning to Slaanesh, and Morvai for arrogantly creating a city from his badge of office as the Drachau of Clar Karond.

Hmm. It doesn't sound as cool as the Rebel Lords of Tor Thana, but we do our best!

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:11 pm
by Morvai
Unfortunately Morvai ain’t that cool anymore since he regained most of his power a few years ago. Not to the level he had as Drauchau of Clar Karond, but still pretty big.
Main reason why I don’t write out of his perspective. Powerful characters are boring. :lol:

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:12 pm
by Ranieth
You do have a point there Draknir. And even though the Rebels of Tor Thana is quite cool, we can just do our best with having three highborns who lost their influence on an epic quest to regain influence and power ;)

I should begin writing some fluff methinks, if I can find the inspiration..

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:41 pm
by Draknir
But Morvai has a city thats population consists of thugs and mugglers. It is a city, but the kind of the city that some other highborns would have a not-good attitude to him.

Draknir isn't actually a highborn, he has just earned enough valuables to own an Ark by raiding and raiding even more. Draknir's Ark is shabby and neglected, but it as one of the greatest ships in the Warhammer World has enough influence to make him powerful. Still he can't be accepted to the high society as every other think- and Draknir himself- that he hasn't got a family- a thing that is needed to be in high position in Naggaroth. That is why i like Draknir. He is powerful, but not too powerful. I know what you mean Morvai.

But if only Draknir and the nobility knew that he is the illegitimate son of the Lord Admiral of the Black Navy, things would be very different...

Ranieth, you should start writing some fluff. Unfortunately I've got no ideas to give you inspiration, sniff

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:51 am
by Draknir
Even my own opinion is that it is useless to bring new characters to the story in this far, but I invented this wonderful, eccentric character and had to write it in here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draketh peered to the sea. The Inevitable Doom was so large that it would take several days to get in the Old World, and one smaller Ark, belonging to some power-thirsty young noble, had already sailed past the massive Doom. Draketh turned to see the enormous waves caused by the moving citadel, and he saw again another small Ark coming after them. Draketh wrinkled his forehead, as the Ark looked very strange; it was, kind of, crooked and uneven construct. It's towers sticked out in random directions, but it moved very fast, as it's stony bow was reinforced with iron to form a huge sharp blade. Draketh sighed as he recognised the ship. It was arrogantly named the Avatar of Perdition and it was commanded by one eccentric captain Th'Mor Zaces, a person as crooked as his ship. Draketh ordered to slow down the Doom. A little chit-chat would be more than welcome. Captain Zaces would be refreshing variety from the straitlaced captains of Draketh.

The Avatar of Perdition sailed next to the Doom, and the from Draketh's Ark a huge gangplank -more of a small bridge- was set between the Arks. From the Avatar of Perdition a small retinue of corsairs came, and in the lead of the retinue marched one figure that was brimming over with self-confidence and contempt. Captain Th'Mor Zaces was not especially tall, but his appearance was intimidating due to his gaunt face and transfixing eyes that were deep in their shadowy sockets. His forehead and right cheekbone were tattooed with black runes. His long hair was tied to the back of his head and threaded with countless little bones, beads and flesh hooks. His armour was polished, but dented and covered in scratches and it had small remains of gold trimming. His sea dragon cloak was tattered, and many flesh hooks hung dangling from it's edges. He limped his right leg, and a closer look revealed that it was actually an artificial limb; It was carved from the bleached bone of some great beast to resemble a bare foot, and elven artisans had captured the resemblance so well that it looked almost alive. Due to his limp he leant to a seemingly ancient lakelui-not very respectable usage for such rare weapon, and it was already covered in scratches. From his belt hung a sword in worn leather scabbard, flesh hooks, bones, and a shrunken human head along with some other odd bits taken from his enemies as trophies.

"Ahh, Lord Admiral Draketh. What a great pleasure indeed to meet you", Zaces said. He spoke with a hoarse voice, and he had the strange and extremely irritating habit of emphasizing the first syllable of each word. Draketh couldn't help smiling. "Zaces, are you too after the Crown?" he asked. "Not really, I was actually trying to find a place for my new summer cottage, dear Lord Admiral" Zaces answered, but his penetrating gaze would have murdered someone who had taken his words seriously. "Come my friend, I have some wine in my quarters", Draketh said. Zaces smirked, but he limped after Draketh followed by the sound of iron-reinforced boot and the clatter of bone prosthesis.

Meanwhile, in the place called the Cursed Marshes, a lonely Dark Rider emerged from the shadows to the lights of the camp of Lord Blackblade, carrying a message from Admiral Draknir and Ranieth...