1. "dreams"
Deeper still the dark pool
Some long forgotten well,
stones warped by lashing rain
a black depth, to swallow and throttle,
and make the clan strong
Dank, dark, snap, a rattle of bones
Man-things will want it, the wet hollow
and on muddy bottom they will rest
Eekasqueek bolted upright, rank sweat and warp fueled ectoplasm matting his tattered fur and garb. The words, still so strong in his mind, resonated with the will of the Great Horned Rat. Warp-stone! A huge find, in some massive pool of brackish black water. The sorcerer leaped out of his berth, stepping over the grumbling Clan rats who were forced to find comfort on the cold moldy floor of the basement the war-band had made its nest in.
Clawed feet slapping the rotten floorboards, the old sorcerer ran as fast as he could to the upper rooms, where Adept Snikrit and his bodyguard of black Rats were sleeping. As he ran, Eek passed the old warlock Jafar, whom Snikrit had recently hired.
The ancient man sat hunched over a book, whispering to himself. "the fear, that's the ticket, fear, that's how I'll get 'em... I... I just need more time... hehehe... time... "
On the last few forays, the damned Warlock's powers had failed to turn a single man-thing, and one such cast had even accidentally teleported the old charlatan 20 feet onto a ledge, which he promptly fell off, knocking him out for the rest of the fight. "No wonder the old man is crazy, Snikrit'll slit his throat for sure if he doesn't become of use soon" thought Eek.
Leaving the old fool to his own demons, Eek raced up the stairs and into the main hall, or what was left of it.
The war-band had found the old mansion, near the old executioners square naught but 3 moons prior, and found it an appetizing nest in which to settle. The roof had caved in during the great miracle, leaving the occupants to rot where they were crushed, their opulent dwellings home to more than mere vermin.
Before Eek could enter the main chambers, the hulking body of Smorg, one of Snikrit's massive Black Skaven bodyguard blocked his path. "er now, wut do you want wif da boss fancy-boy?" the bigger Skaven hissed.
"I... I've had a vision, the boss'll wanna hear this for sure... I know where shard lays!" Eek squeaked, backing away slowly from the over-sized flail slowly twirling in Smorg's meaty fist.
"Where Sorcerer.. where does it lay?" A shadow detached itself from the wall not two feet from Eek, a thing of darkness, blades and death.
Stepping into the pallid moonlight of the open hall, Snikrit the Eshin Assassin Adept moved with sinister grace towards the terrified sorcerer. About the size of the black rat, the Adept was swathed in a massive cloak, his spiked and elegant armor incongruous with his silent approach. Snikrit bore 3 sheathed blades, rumored to be coated in a most virulent toxin, though Eek hoped to never see them close enough to prove them right.
Goaded on by the two massive rats surrounding him, Eek stammered out a reply. " Boss, I... I have seen shard! The great horned Rat has blessed this humble servant with a vision. Many warp-stone lies at the bottom of the imperial pool in the center of town, undetected! It will make us- I mean... make you rich!"
The Assassin was silent for a moment, then, with barely a twitch of his cape, disappeared into the dark corridors of the den.
"Yew did good fancy-boy, now Smorg won't make you his sparring dummy, hur, hur, hur" chuckled the black rat, turning to resume his watch by the front hall.
2. "man-things!"
The war-band had mustered quickly, clanrats, nightrunners and black rats racing through dark sewers and through decayed aqueducts to meet in a ruin facing the central square. Snikrit stood before his ragtag band of rats, feral eyes gleaming coldly in the morning sun. When he began to speak, it was with a whispering malevolence, one that brooked no interruption.
"Eshin will claim this pool, my brothers. Itch and Skritch have scouted ahead, and warn us that 3 man-thing Bands close as well. It seems the monkey god has shat out a warning to his spawn this day, and they mean to fling it at us." Those cold eyes closed with Eekasqueek's, and the sorcerer felt the implied accusation there.
The adept continued. " but I, I have a surprise for the man-things! I have bartered a great weapon from the Moulder clan, something to turn this day for us!"
A blood-chilling roar erupted from behind the war-band. The back doors splintered apart, and a few clanrats were thrown to the ground as a massive shape thrust its way through the broken frame.
Well over 9 feel tall, the monster was horrifying. Two armored heads stared with beady eyes, a dim intelligence taking in its new master and brothers with a barely disguised hunger. Its body covered in matted fur and ropey muscle, the creature bore little resemblance to the rats it dwarfed. One of its arms was huge, and ended in a iron hook weapon. The other limb bore multiple smaller arms, all grasping stabbing and slashing weapons. Spikes adorned its heaving back, and two twitching tails flicked behind. Its feet were shorn with cudgel-like hoofs, and the thing reeked of dried blood and bile.
"A Rat Ogre, my brothers, better to smash the infidels with" chuckled the Assassin.
-To be continued, the battle, tomorrow!
