Necromunda Total War: Rustholm IC

[Vizzi]

"Gah, my head." Jack says as he rises from his position on the ground, his body shifting the pile of bottles that surrounds him, from a night of partying due to their astounding ambush.

One one side he sees Lex cuddling with Nathan, his eyes wide open and looking a mixture of terrified and pleading for help, not going to touch that situation at all, Jack thinks to himself. Towards the back Harry and Henry discussing, in hushed tones, some obscure information on their prized guns.

Mike standing guard near the door, and as he walked towards him something fell on Jack's head, with a weary sigh he looked up. And there amusingly enough was Dennis their new recruit, tied up in the ceiling as Winfred poked him with a stick.

Better to ignore it, and hope it goes away he thinks as he approaches Mike "So anything new?" he says as he looks outside "Nothing much boss, just the latest Gazzete" he leans conspiratorial "And i think it has something about us." with that he gives for Jacks perusal.

And as he started reading the front page he started laughing, very loudly to the horror of Nathan.

[Adlan]

Round 6: Campaign Event

[sean_hyer]

The Ratskin Scout walked back into the Goliath settlement trailing a pair of scummers. Bryan met them near the entrance of the settlement, and led them a short way into the underhive, checking to be sure they weren't followed.
"Curious Rice is back, yes! Back with information! Back with news!"
"Yeah. Let's hear it, then." The big man holds up a hand. "But first, 'oo the hell are these guys."
"You's the guy what's after the caravans, huh? We want in."
Bryan flushed an angry red, and glowered at the newcomers. "'Ow d'you know that. Who told ya?"
"We was followin' the caravan, but it's got too many guards. An' then we collared this guy", jerking a thumb at the Ratskin, "also followin' em."
"An' why should I bring you along?"
"Wouldn't want us to accidentally let slip what yer after, now would you?"
The scummer chuckled at the rage on Bryan's face. "Besides, look. We'll give you a demonstration." He gestured to the pistol on Bryan's belt. "Can you use that?"
"I consider mysel' a fair shot."
"Show me." Bryan raised the pistol, sighted briefly, then put a round straight through a nearby can. "Not, bad. But..."
At a gesture from the speaker, the silent member of the pair spun to face the can, yanking both his pistols from their holsters. The can shuddered back, four more holes punched through it. Bryan whistled. "Okay, e's in. An' you?"
"I may not look like much, but I'm the fastest draw in the hive." Faster than the eye could follow, his hand snaked down to his belt. Bryan stiffened as he felt the muzzle of a pistol press against his head.
"Convinced?" hissed the scummer; then, as quickly as it had appeared, the pistol was gone again.
Bryan let out a shuddering breath. "Okay. Yer in." He turned back to the Ratskin. "Now, let's hear that news..."

[thegunslinger]

'G..G..Guilders' sounded out the juve, his finger following the rough word on the sign. 'Help...w.walted? Warped? Ah! Wanted!' Puritanius turned his bulk to Jebediah with a smile 'Help Wanted! - ah then Jeb, maybe tha's something fer us then?'

Jebediah looked at the juve. He was jealous of the other's ability to read so easily. Jumped up little schtuck had been following Elizah and that other nervy little punk Gabriel around and had picked up a few letters here and there. He was getting sick of the fat juve showing off, but in this case at least he was useful.

'Mebbe. We'll let Eli know. Mayaps decent payment for guard work - a'lthough we need to avenge 'mash and the others before others start getting ideas.'

The two gangers walked back to the chapel, looking for their leader.

***

'25 credits each, Guilder. Our gangers are experienced' growled Elzah, narrowing his eyes behind his mask.
'18, preacher. Your 'experience' didn't stop the Goliaths from getting the jump on you - how do we know you can keep us out of harm's way'
'Muscle bound traitors and a lucky shot doesn't prove a damn thing. We're good for this and you know it.'
The Guilder begrudgingly nodded. Tamela's Tigers were also onboard and his own mid-hive caravan guards were as well, but rumours were already spreading that the Ironmen and others had caught wind of the caravan coming through. They could use the help.
'20 then, any more and I'm losing cash on this.'
'20 it is. That and we get to look over the caravans before we move on. We'll not trust ourselves to any one else's preparations'.

The Guilder signed the payment-chit and a fixed his seal. The document disappeared into Elizah's robes as the gang leader left the office.

***

'Caravan guards? What? We should be out, earning our vengeance!' shouted Death to Xenos. A swift clip over the ear from Obidiah shut the young ganger up.
'Yoar a ganger now and you can speak in our presence, but that don't mean you don't mind your manners, squint' grumbled Obidiah.
Elizah narrowed his eyes at the new ganger as well, but didn't bother to address him.
'We will earn well from this trip, all things considered. It's almost certain we'll be attacked on the route, so go over the 'vans again and make certain they're armoured and sandbagged. I don't want stray shots getting through. You're all savvy on what to do and I'm going to tell their mob as well.

Keep it tight, recite your litanies and we'll push through this.

And Xenos - we'll have our vengeance, that I promise'

[Icedaemon]

Once again, Red's halftrack makes it safely to Rustholm. The day was not completely uneventful, with a pair of scavvies seemingly unrelated to the currently dominant scavvy gang trying to waylay the vehicle. One was wounded and taken out by lasblasts from Allis and Rambrand. The other had decided to try out the merits of melee attacks towards vehicles and ended up discovering the merits of a reinforced prow slamming into a human(-ish) body at roughly sixty KPH, as well as getting a rough estimate of the halftrack's weight as the tracks went over what was left of him.

"Inbred idiots..."

-----

Reaching the settlement, a group of juvey-looking folk seemed to approach the halftrack, but were smart enough to note the prominent autocannon on top of it and the Van Saar lass lounging nearby, pointing a lasgun in their vague direction.

"You're really loaded down with goods this time around."

I trust you know about the guilder caravan running through here in less than a week. They're taking much the same trail to the lifts which I tend to. People are getting ready already. I go through with enough merchandise now, I could turn a nice proft from people who've their savings out. I go through after the caravan has gone, chances are people have spent most of their creds.

"You don't sound too happy about them."

Any competition is bad for business, but I'd rather not turn on my fellow guilder. That has a tendency of getting on the bad side of the bigger bosses.

"Haven't you claimed time and again to be subservient to none but Him on Terra?"

Aye, but I'm still a small fish compared to the guilders who run entire crawler convoys from hive to hive. You think you Underhivers are tough? The guards of those caravans are often kitted out with gear that makes Morgan's setup look basic and experience fighting everything from nomads to chaos-spawned monsters.

"That's just talk. Chaos hasn't a foothold on Necromunda. The Caws are crazy luddite bastards, but at least they home in on anyone who looks anything like a cultist or mutant with all the ferocity of a mama Raft Spider on 'slaught."

Ha. You sound like you're going soft on Cawdor.

To this, Rambrand shrugs noncommittally.

"I can tell they've a use. Some of the other houses, I'm not so sure about."

---

Red's deals within Rustholm done and him once again a fair bit richer, he hands Rambrand fifty credits for the services, money which the Van Saar went on to largely spend on a week's supply of the best foodstuffs one can get in the Underhive, for once. Deciding to hedge his bets should he be wrong in his 'The Emperor cares not for the underhive' theory, he even made a small donation at the chapel.

---

During dinner back at the hideout, he approached the rest of his gang.

"I had a little chat with a most interesting individual. Seems there are plans out there already to hit some of the caravans. This, men and women of House Van Saar, gives us yet anther opportunity to make a laughingstock of one of our would-be rivals."

"You've pulled real meat that does not taste like rat or human out of somewhere. If you also pulled out a good tip, we might be in for even more treats."

As Rambrand prepares to go into detail on his latest plan, Halbert whispers to Lorraine.

"Do you think Anna really knows what human tastes like?"

"Doesn't everybody?"

[Adlan]

The Caravan

A Big Guilder Caravan is a sight to see, the traction teams hauling carts that grind old hab domes back to dust, disciplined squads of guilders armed retainers and the small one that will pass through Rustholm is still impressive, two traction engines each hauling three flatbed trucks filled with crates and cargo bales. A half dozen permanent guards, armed with flashy autoguns and a motley collection of spears and other pole arms are supplemented by the hired gangs, who can ride atop the load at times, though they are expected to have guides and scouts and patrol the vulnerable fringes, making sure the caravan isn't surprised.

Their Route takes them through a few possible vulnerable locations, but despite the risk, the Three Giants Bridge over Sump Chasm and the Beggar Spit cliff are the only roads that can take the caravans weight.

[thegunslinger]

Deacon walked the length of the caravans. The flat bed trucks and other assorted trailers were full of assorted goods and knicknacks that the Guilders were preparing to sell. He afixed purity seals and stapled hymnals to the side of the truck, looking to obtain a small measure of blessing from the Emperor on this trip.

The Guilder guards seemed to be good men, who knew their trade and had the hooded eyes and scars to prove that they weren't novices at this. Some were wearing goggles and were clearly the drivers of the caravan, others were busy helping to tie down and secure the load.

Walking further around the side, Deacon saw the young gangers from Motown, Tamla's Tigers, gathered around. Raising a hand in a gesture of peace, he approached the women cautiously. They were both erstwhile allies for the caravan's journey, but he knew that House Escher had no real love for House Cawdor and it was foolish to not afford them a measure of respect.

'Well met, Tigers. I trust that your preparations are going as planned? Blessings of the Emperor be upon you, sisters. Walk in His Sight.'

Making the sign of the Aquila, Deacon moved past the Tigers to speak with the leader of the caravan guards. A short, muscled man, the caravan guard had a flamer-tan on one side of his body and a short cigar hanging out of the side of his mouth. The guard spat as the Cawdor approached him. Deacon made an educated guess that the flamer tan was from one of his fellows. Still, needs must. The caravan was only going to get through if they worked together.

'Well met..uh..caravan guardsman. I am Deacon, of the Holy Flame. My leader sent me to speak with you about the up coming convoy. Shall we find somewhere to talk, Mr...?

'Stone. Me name's stone.' Grunted the guard, reluctantly taking the outstretched hand. Deacon smiled hugely at the guard, giving him the same grin he used when annoying habwives and spreading the word of the Emperor on End Days. It almost never got them into their houses to spread the word, but it was a nice smile. He rarely had to wedge his foot in the door to stop someone slamming it on him, thanks to that smile. Stone, however, was no easily cowed habwife and Deacon knew that he was going to have to work on the man.

'Come, Mr. Stone, tell me - you seem to be a man of the world. How do you usually run things. I can tell that you're a man that has seen a lot of what the Underhive has to offer. We are not inexperienced ourselves, but I'm sure you'd be able to explain to me the usual dangers that the caravans face?

Stone gave Deacon a level stare. It was unusual that a gang asked him his opinion, but he wasn't about to start throwing himself at the Cawdor just yet. The flamer tan still itched like a bastard on humid days.

'Usually straight forward. Guilders set the route, we follow. Keep the vans together, don't stray. Bridges and curves are ambush zones, try and get through them best we can. Stick together and we get on fine'.

Deacon nodded, writing some of the information down on a small cracked dataslate...'stick together...ambush zone'. I see. Well, we agree. Through faith is unity and unity is strength, as the good books say. We'll stay with you come what may - and you us and the vans will get through.'

Stone nodded his scarred head. 'Aye. We'll stick with you and the vans will get through.'

With that Deacon kept walking the van and checking the vehicles. He had a mass to give and other arrangements to confirm before they set off and not much time to get them done.

[sean_hyer]

A shout from the top of a nearby rubbish heap caught the caravan's attention as they prepared for departure. Professional guards and hired gangers alike readied weapons, but no ambush appeared - the figure appeared to be alone.

"I bear a message," bellowed Bryan, "to the members of the Holy Flame gathered here today!"

The guards mostly relaxed, lowering their autoguns, while the gangers perked up, interested.

"Today, I'm gonna give y'all a choice. It's always fun lettin' people choose their own doom. I'll also throw in some info'."

The unmistakable silhouette of the Goliath's leader chuckled cruelly, and thrust an arm out in the direction of the Cawdor's settlement.

"Mah gang is waitin' for yew over by yer chapel. Ready ta start smashin' stuff. So, yew can default on yer contract, and run on back to yer church, an' meet our challenge in battle. Or yew can keep yer word, an' stand by an' watch as your chapel and settlement burn; as your people suffer."

The big man laughed, clearly finding this hilarious, and then darted for cover as a fusillade of shots from the caravan spanged off the rubble around him.

"We attack in one hour. Make yer choice."

With a final, mocking laugh, the figure faded back into the shadows of the underhive.

[thegunslinger]

Elizah laughed at the gang leader, posturing and capering.

'Attack the chapel, Goliaths. Massacre the people. Burn the chapel to the ground and throw the Emperors image into the dirt. Burn the pews and throw the holy writs into the wind.'

'Vox et nihil, you fat freak - you're a voice and nothing more. We'll see you on the route of the caravans or we'll see you in hell. You'll dictate nothing to us.'

With that Elizah smiled at the caravan guards and nodded at the gang members.

'The caravan proceeds as agreed, gentlemen. Carry on.'

[sean_hyer]

The hidden voice takes on a tone of grudging respect.

"You've got guts, preacher man, I'll give yew that, callin' my bluff here. I's no holy man, but I wouldn'a burn a church."

"Be seein' you on the route, then. Horus take the hindmost!"

With that last line, the voice fades away, as the Goliath retreats to gather his men.

[Adlan]

Three Giants Bridge


The road, black ash and reclaimed tar, maintained by guilders with their arcane white paint markings down the centre, is much better near the bridge over Sump Chasm than elsewhere in the hive, it must be, only the rocky hardened refuse here allows a path through the otherwise swampy land near the edge of the Sump. The road crosses the chasm several times, but at Three Giants bridge, named after the peaks of pebble and refuse conglomerate that tower in the chasm it is surrounded by enough cover to make an ambush practical.

[thegunslinger]

The caravan drivers gunned their engines, the heavy diesel engines coughing and wheezing exhaust fumes into the air. The caravan drivers pulled down their goggles and prepared to move out.

The guards of the vans hopped into their usual and well-worn positions, already starting to scan the horizons for potential threats.

Elizah noticed with satisfaction the Holy Flame were mounted up already in the first few caravans. The Cawdor gangers made them selves comfortable for what was going to be a long ride.

[Grailkeeper]

Tamla listened quietly whilst the strange looking man in the mask explained his plan. Never mind how odd the god botherers looked their plans made tactical sense.

************************************************** **

Tamla stood over the juves. You wanna make it in the Tigers? Stick with what your told. Go to the place I told you to go, keep any eye out for the guilders, if anyone comes- make as big a noise and let us know where they're coming from. If you can take as many down as possible.


************************************************** **

The tigers mounted up with the guilders. Things were likely to get hairy, but the plan made sense. Time to make a quick buck, preferable at somebody else's expense.

[sean_hyer]

Bryan arrived back at his gang where they waited outside the Holy Flame settlement.
"Saddle up, boys, we're goin' on a Cawdor hunt!"
The Goliaths formed up behind him as he jogged off down the road.
"But boss, why ain't we trashin' their settlement like we was goin' to?"
"It sets a dangerous pre-ce-dent," said Bryan, in the tone of someone who had had this explained to them. "Besides, that'd leave the Ironmen and Shadows in the lurch."
"But..."
"Less talkin', more runnin'. We've got us a caravan ta catch!"

[thegunslinger]

Elizah pulled out his chronometer from his robe and looked at it. They sure had been riding on this caravan for a long time. His arse was starting to get sore from sitting about waiting for something to happen...

[Adlan]

The Raid at Three Giant Bridge

The Guilders were in no hurry, their traction engines hauled a vast amount of weight, and even their blessed and oiled engines could not go much faster than walking pace. The Journey passed without much event...

...Untill they reached Three Giant Bridge.

The caravans swayed as they crossed the ancient, off repaired bridge. Their large size meant that they didn't bounce around too much, but they still swayed back and forth. The Holy Flame and their paid-allies, Tamla's Tigers, kept their eyes on the horizon. The caravan guards sat near them, also watching for nearby threats.

In the rear caravan, Elizah sat by his two heavies. Both of them were keen for some action and both could smell in the air that something was up and something was going to happen. Elizah had briefed the pair of them that something was going to happen along the route and that it was very likely that they were going to see some action.

All of the Holy Flame fervently wished that it would be the Basha's that made the attack - if not, then a whole lot of creds were about to go to waste. The intel that they had paid for was good so far, but no one was gullible enough to believe that it would be foolproof.

Elizah grinned at his heavies. Both of knew what the flare gun at his side was for and grinned back at him. Someone was about to get a hell of a surprise.

But he was in for a small one himself, when the first noise of battle was gunfire in the distance, from the other side of the bridge. Apparently the Tunnel Foxes had commenced their ambush of the Unfolding Shadow.

Previously
"So lad, i hear you gave some interesting information after a round of heavy drinking." Jack says as he smiles warmly to the terrified and tied up guilder guard.

"No! I didn't mean anything! Just talking out of my ass." he whimpers slightly in fear as Jacks warm smile disappears and his face turns to polite disinterest "Now Johnny-boy we cant have you lying to my face, that's just impolite." with a slight nod, a heavy pipe comes crashing into his knee, not breaking it yet but enough that his scream of pain was more than real enough "Please! I dint mean anything by what i said! I have family!"his pleading failing on deaf ears as Jack simply turned to a table and grabbed a book, flipping a few pages to reach the correct one and saying "Now, if you had a family i doubt you would spend so much money here, from what i see you acquired quite a debt last night." his face looks up a very amused smile on it as he continues "And the house always wins. And the house knows exactly what she needs to pay your debt."

Several hours of intense screaming and much pain another body joins the ditches near the settlement, another victim of the cruel realities of their place.

But near the den of inequity, the central home of the Unfolding Shadow a different discussion occurs. "So Lex, did you get everything we needed?" he says as he leans back watching the bustling movement of the settlement. "Nothing much boss, just the path they will take, a general clue of whom the guilders will be contacting for protection and when exactly they will head out. He didn't know much." her voice slightly rough and hands still wet and sticky with blood. "He knew enough, lets send some feelers to some of the new gangs, and see exactly who bites." he said as his eyes followed a gang of dwarves practising their acrobatic skills for credits. "Can we trust them?" he turns back towards her, his faced as if carved in stone and his mind screaming as another one the moments where his most worthwhile skill, his intelligence disappears "No, we cant.".





Far off in the underhive, early on the day of the raid Bryan's Bashers jogged through the gloom, listening to their leader. Despite the pace he was setting, he seemed to be having no trouble talking.

"We took those crazy fanatics down hard last time. Stick ta the plan, an' we's gonna do it again! But remember, those flamers will make a right mess if they get close, so take 'em out."

"An' one more thing. When you'se shootin' up the Flame, don' shoot Elizah. He's mine this time."

Bryan patted the new chainsword hanging on his hip, and grinned.

"*Pant* but boss, he's *pant* dangerousest up close. *Pant* shouldn't we kill 'im *pant* before 'e reaches us?"

"Ah heard it said once that the measure of a man is in his enemies. Elizah has named me his foe, an' such a man I am proud to call enemy. He deserves better 'n a gut full a lead."

"If you say so, Boss. *Pant* your funeral."

Bare muscles gleaming with sweat, the Goliaths arrived behind the caravan. Slowing to match its pace a fair way behind it, they readied their weapons while Bryan cupped a pair of massive hands to his mouth and bellowed a challenge.

"ELIZAH! We're here ta fight. Now, you might try ta play chicken agin, so here's some encouragement. If we don' see you an' your men comin' at us in a few seconds, we're gonna start shootin' grenades inta those caravans."

The Ironmen had joined the Bashers in their attack on the rear of the Caravan, sticking to the cover, rather than daring the road as the Bashers did.

Corbin saw the dust rising as the caravan approached, and was struck by the genius of Deacon Cawdor. He may have hated the bloody Cawdor right to his core, and this might have been the greatest example why. They were devious, conniving, but they were genius when it came to planning.

The tough part had been convincing his guilder contacts. Marley, Erstwyld, and Hamish were hardly upstanding men of the law, but the rules stood. To be seen attacking a guilder, his property, or the men of his direct employ was to be declared an outlaw, and no guilder would want to be seen having dealing with outlaws. It was unseemly.

It had taken several bottles of liquor and mix of cajoling and some understated threats to do it, but they finally understood how the operation would work in their favor. In the end, it was Hamish who was the first to bless the plan fully, and the others caved to his fierce arguments.

Then there had been the tricky matter of planning it all, running between the proper agents, avoiding detection, and convincing the right people to pitch in. Dakar did his part, skulking around like some kind of shotgun-toting shadow. Lark and Harken managed to persuade several people without any gunplay, though there were reports that one of the merchants may have earned a broken finger for his insolence. Still, this was in the people's best interests, and a few eggs might have to be broken.

Now there was the final phase, covering the Goliaths on their approach. The caravans were almost upon them. Corbin watched as his lieutenants moved through the ranks, doing last-second gear checks and offering words of encouragement. Suddenly a red flare went up from the caravans.

"That's it!" roared Corbin, who was too focused on the ambush to figure if the Basher's envoy had been gunned down in his boots or not. "SURPRISE YOU BIG SMELLY APES!"

Bryan was at that moment, still shouting at extreme range,turning to face his gang, raising his fists over his head.

"Goliaths! What do we do best?"

With a crashing roar, the gang replied.

"BASH 'EM!"

Then Battle was Joined.

[thegunslinger]

Previously, in a dark corner of the Underhive.

'So you understand the plan?' asked the hooded figure, for the 6th time.
Spike sighed heavily to himself and bit his lip to stop himself from replying. Or shooting the damn Cawdor. Sure, they were 'unaffiliated', but they weren't stupid. At least, he wasn't stupid.

'Yar, we geddit' said Jet. 'S'not 'ard. We get them Goliaths to take us in. G' wid 'em to the caravan. Find the heavy. Shoot the heavy.'

Deacon smiled. It had taken a while, but finally the scummers had grasped the concept that while they were being paid BY House Cawdor, they weren't to stand NEAR House Cawdor.

Deacon's brilliant smile flickered very slightly as he regarded the badskin crouched in the shadows. The dirt worshipper was fiddling with a parchment and trying to affix it to his long filthy cloak. A purity seal, written and sanctified by Elizah himself.

'and you, my ratty chum? You understand what we want, yes?'

Curious Rice didn't look up from his work.

'Yes.' was his reply. Typical bloody ratty, thought Deacon. Laconic and taciturn to a fault.

'Can you tell me what's going to happen, then?'

'It is as the Hive wills. As Him on Earth wills. We attack the Goliaths. We stop the ambush. We let the caravans through. We guide the Tigers'.

Deacon nodded. So far, so good.

[thegunslinger]

The two scummers could see the caravan rumbling along in the distance. They'd kept up with the Basha's, making sure to keep the heavies in site. The large leader told them to head off to the rear of the caravan and attack with the Ironmen.

They nodded at him when he gave them their instructions, then ignored them. Staying out of site, they crept out of site, but they were still close enough to act when the red flare arced out of the rear caravan.

Seeing it burst into the sky, the two scummers turned and took aim at the heavies trying to lay an ambush, firing shot after shot at their backs.

***

Curious Rice picked through the rubble. He sighed inwardly at the three juves who accompanied him, as they blundered through every broken bottle, crunched every piece of paper and kicked every rock possible. How these Underhivers survived out here was a mystery to him. Proof that the Great Spirits looked after fools and young braves, no doubt.

He pointed towards the other gang with his club. 'Goliaths. There.'

Without another word, he charged into the gangers, smacking the first one he came to with his club.

[thegunslinger]

As the caravan rumbled along, there was a muffled shout in the distance from a large ganger. Over the roar of the caravan and the man's distance, Stone thought he heard something about grenades. Looking at Elizah he said 'did you hear that? Who are they? Are they going to start shooting at the caravans?'

Elizah turned, a concerned expression on his face 'Those benighted scum are Bryan's Bashas, of House Goliath. I heard that as well - they're going to start shooting up the caravan!'

Stone nodded grimly and tugged on a hanging alarm-rope. Klaxons blaring, he took up his post at the pintel-mount and shot at the Goliath leader standing in the road.

The other caravan guards followed suit, opening up at the Goliaths.

Stone bellowed into his speaking-tube 'Ambush! Ambush!' and with that, the ponderous caravans kicked into higher gear. The caravans began to turn into the direction of the attack with a crunching of gears.

Elizah and the heavies ducked below the parapet, getting closer and closer to the Bashas.

[sean_hyer]

Facing his gang as he was, Bryan saw his hired guns walk out from the shadows, saw them firing into his heavies unprotected backs. That was not part of the plan. You could almost see the wheels in his head turning, as his face contorted with rage.

A few of his gangers were already turning at the sound of the gunshots, as Curious Rice charged from the shadows with a few young men at his back.

"TRAITORS! VILE SCUMSUCKERS!"
Bryan is frothing at the mouth and practically incoherent with rage.
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS! BASHERS! KILL THEM!"

In a rush of confusion, the surprised gang turns on its new attackers.

[Papa Doc]

Previously:

A scared looking young juve approaches the Ironmen's compound, waving a white flag.

'Ironmen! My lord wishes a moment of your time to discuss under parlay an opportunity for us both in the incoming caravan.

My lord would like to discuss terms with you in negotiating the caravan's route through the underhive - we anticipate that the pernicious and hated Goliaths will attack our convoy.

We would like to offer a bounty to you and yours if you will seek to..disrupt...their activities.

A further bounty will be issued for information on their plans and activities.

Honoured Ironmen - if this is to your liking, please let this humble messenger know.'

"Stand the hell down, Grimm." The heavy stepped out from his shadow and lowered his weapon. Corbin stepped out and offered an open hand to the juve. "We have friends who don't want this caravan making it through, but Ironmen work for the people, not the merchants. Expect the Jester and one of my juves to drop off the information and attack plans later. We'll settle up afterwards. I hate Goliaths as much as I hate Cawdor, but at least you can speak civil to a Cawdor and not gag on the smell. Send your boss my regards."

Then the real legwork began. Threats, cajoling, chicanery, and making sure the Jester gathered and disseminated the correct information without getting himself or anyone else killed. Then the normal ammo runs, planning sessions, bribes, and working with the damned guilders to make them see how swatting down a couple of upstart gangs would make their caravans more secure. Corbin had a feeling it might be a long fight.

Out overlooking the bridge, he knew it would. Too many gangers, not enough terrain for a decent retreat.

"This would have been really long and really messy," Lark commented "except for that bit of nastiness at the end."

Before Corbin could respond, the flare went up. "That's it!" He drew a bead on the nearest Goliath, not caring who or what it was, and let off a burst. "SURPRISE YA BIG SMELLY APES!" Grenades, stubbers, lasguns, and clouds of manstopper shot filled the air as the carefully planned pattern of attack turned into a killbox with the Goliaths square in the middle. Corbin had to resist laughing like a madman as he prepared to draw his sword and get in for some up close and personal bloodshed.

[Adlan]

Slaughter at 3 Giants Bridge

The Underhive echo'ed with the sounds of betrayal, as the Basher's realised their Erstwhile allies were in the pocket of their foe. House Goliath was not one to back down in the face of superior odds, and for the moment, the Basher's plan had worked in that they were far from the flamers and pitchforks of the holy flame.

As the first shots were fired, The Scummers fell dead, Spike having managed to down Selma, but taking too much risk before he made his escape, Autogun rounds from multiple Bashers drove in his ribcage.

Jet aimed a shot at Nikolai, but failed to hit the heavy with a ball of plasma, which instead ignited a patch of detritus (or possibly fungus) lighting the area with flickering green and pink flames. He too fell, as Bryan smashes his Chainsword through the back of his head.

Cindy, Labelle and Patti followed Curious Rice's charge at the Goliaths. But they did not have the relish of Matyrdom or the seal of Redemption that working for House Cawdor could give someone, and Curious Rice's blood was infused with the blessings of the Emperor.

He fought furiously, and tried to clubb down one of the Bashers, but Aliene had nerves of steel and it was only with the help of the juves that she was finished off. No sooner had the three girls lowered their smoking auto pistols than Curious Rice was riddled with bullets. Nikolai was finally able to bring his heavy stubber into play. In the face of such firepower, Patti and Cindy broke and ran. Left alone, Labelle followed soon after, not stopping until she reached the safety of the tunnel once more.

The Basher's may have been out of range of the Holy Flame, but their former allies the Ironmen were situated in cover, at short range. When they began shooting, the devastation was almost overkill. With little cover, Alaine and Leon went down to Brimm's heavy bolter, and Grimm's stubber pinned Bryan, Kurt and Lorelei, downing Kim as he began a berserk charge at their lines.

Corbin, Kara and Lark advanced, sticking to cover. Harken lobbed one of his flash grenades as far into the opposite side of the Goliaths as he could, while the Ironmen closed their eyes and covered their ears. The smoke had yet to clear when Dakar began pumping shell after shell from his shotgun at the nearest gangers, trying to level the Goliaths. Hovarth missed, but Dakar downed Kurt.

With some true grit, Leon gets back to his feat despite the blood loss from a heavy bolter round, and Charges in with Bryan and Lorelei. Karra stood up from behind her rock, almost close enough to spit and hit one of the Bashers. She opened fire with both pistols at point-blank range and prayed that the Goliaths couldn't smell any worse dead than alive. Leon was put down again.

It wasn't her fire though, but Tamela's Tigers, who's heavies had finally gotten into gear, opening up on the Bashers. Of course, they weren't too careful with their fire, inflicting a flesh wound on Bryan and Karra. Their hose of lead creating a storm of shrapnel.

Combat was joined, Lark standing over Kara's prone form, trying to hold off Lorelei. Bryan and Corbin duelled, but neither side could gain the upper hand.

With so many of the Goliaths attacked, Elizah saw his chance. He sprinted into hand to hand combat, approaching Bryan, power claw ready to attack. A retinue of his younger gangers and juves followed him chanting, while the older, wiser heads in his flock remained guarding the wagons.

Kara joined in the battle with Lorelei, forcing the others back when Alfonse and Stephan exchanged snapshots with the Ironmen's sharpshooters, isolated and alone in cover. Slowly, their firing was slowing.

Bryan continued to duel with Corbin, winning the conflict, but missing the extra impact his old sword used to give him, can't fully utilise the victory, missing a chance as corbin recovers on his back foot and keeps the fighting going, circling each other in the dirt.

But it didn't last long, Elizah charged in, Parrying the swings of the opposing gang leaders, Elizah landed several solid blows on to Bryan. As Bryan slumped into unconsciousness, he heard a voice whisper 'if you wanted a fair fight.... you should've fought a nun' before a ringing blow knocked him witless.

With the collapse of their leader, Lorelei falling to the floor with Lark's sword neatly showing the advantage of point over edge, the rest of the Basher's dissolved into the underhive, fleeing the battle.

[Adlan]

To Waylay a Shadow

The Hirelings promised by the Bashers had apparently found some excuse to stick with the main attack, and the members of Unfolding shadow were feeling increasingly uneasy at their position... out on a limb as it were.

Dennis, Mike and Winfred. Were the advance party, followed by the main groupof Harry, Jack, Henry, Lex and Nathan. The heavy plasma gun was going to essential to stopping the Caravan.

But as they approached the road, the Caravan coming into sight the other side of the bridge, they were ambushed.

A Lone Juve stood in their path, at the bottom of three giants. And suddenly, from behind every bolder poked a Van Saar Face. The Tunnel Foxes attacked.

Halbert, past caring for anything more than proving once and for all that he has what it takes to be a true underhive ganger, grits his teeth, leans out from behind his bolder and tries to land at least one or two good hits on the Delaque gang, trusting in his toughness and determination to suppress the pain of whatever hits he might take. His practice with the las pistol has paid off despite Winfreds attempt at a dodge, downing the more experiance underhiver.

Dennis and Mike return fire, once again, a lack of depth perception sending Mike's shot wild. The little juve is already a Crack shot though, and Halbert's hand wound loses him so much blood that he goes down. Another convincing argument for those who prefer the noisy auto weapons.

Honore De Vries was the closest to the downed juve, but too far to render direct aid. Instead, she aided him with plasma fire, pinning the advance party of the Unfolding Shadow.

A Red Flare lite the Sky across the Bridge from their battle. It was noticed, but the reaction was minor.

Liria, Allis and Tavin opened up with their lasgun's, downing Lex with concentrated fire that first pinned him, then burned. Anna's Heavy bolter added it's voice to the mayhem, but the heavy cover the central Delaques had taken at the edge of the road saved them from the shells.

Henry's plasma gun, peeping out from behind his own roadside cairn, belched the heart of a star into the underhive, bubbling it's way through a boulder and downing Anna. Seeing this, the other gangers shifted target, but only Nathan was accurate, downing Tavin who at least is in a position to treat his own wound.

Allis runs to Tavin's aid, but the key action occurs at the edge of the ravine. Stumbling out of the dusty exit pipe, Rambrand, Lorraine and Matt arrive on the flank of Unfolding shadow.

The juve, still in some ways the same girl who joined the Tunnel Foxes only a little more than a month ago albeit with a newfound confidence among other things, swings her arm, dislodging the bat hanging from it to join the two others flying nearby.

"Fly, my pretties! Rip their stupid pasty faces off!"

Indeed, the bats seem to understand these orders, gleefully making their way to the nearest Shadow still standing, their fluttering forms difficult targets that dodge the fire from Unfolding shadow, and screeching ultrasonicly when they dived on Jack and Henry.

Their attack was beaten off, but the distraction allows for Rambrand and Matt to take advantage of their position, downing Dennis and Mike, who are exposed from this vantage point.

With the Sounds of battle from across the bridge, and no aid from their allies looking imminent, the Unfolding Shadow decide to cut their losses and run.

[thegunslinger]

The caravan rumbled in to its final stop. Elizah and the rest of his gang were sitting along the line of caravans, looking dusty but otherwise pleased with how the guard duty had gone. The Goliaths were down for the count, Elizah personally delivering the blow to Bryan that put him down. The hired guns had turned traitor and had done a masterful job at distracting the Bashers long enough for the Ironmen to put the rest of them down and out. The Tunnel Foxes had stopped the Delaque from even troubling the caravan.

Elizah nodded to the Guilder who owned the caravans and smiled at the nod he received. The credit note in his robes would be paid in full.

***

Aquila approached the Ironmen's camp, flying a flag of truce. Making sure he was seen by the sentries, he pushed a small chest towards the gate. 'Our payment for your services, Ironmen. As agreed.' Making a small bow, he retreated back into the gloom.

***

Char edged closer to the Tunnel Foxes' lair. Hailing the gate, he made sure that the guards saw that he was carrying a small chest. Placing it on the ground, he then turned and walked back into the darkness.

***

Helebore chased the last piece of gruel around his plate. Mopping up the very smallest bit with a morsel of starchsynth, he frowned. 'Can't believe we're giving away cash to Orlocks and Van Saars while we sit and starve. It's not right.'

Some of the other juves and gangers looked up from their food. It was hard to tell if they agreed or not. It was clear that at least some of them also thought the same thing and were ready to join in when a voice boomed out from the end of the hall.

'You've eaten two meals today, youngling. Not only have you dined on the Emperor's bounty and filled your belly - but we of the Holy Flame have also dined on vengeance this day! Rejoice and be glad in that!'

Suitably chastened, Helebore nodded his agreement. The rest of the gang smiled and agreed. Truly, they had eaten their fill.

[sean_hyer]

Elizah arrived at the precinct house, where the newly arrived enforcer squad had summoned him. As he approached the door, a faceless figure in full armor stepped in front of him, barring his way.

"Your weapons stay here."

Elizah smiled and nodded politely at the figure.

"Yes, my son. This may take a while."

Unbolting his power fist, Elizah disconnected the hydraulic loop coupling and power drive, wincing as the memetic mind link was disconnected from the back of his skull. With a grunt, he pulled his arm free of the weapon and placed it in the receptacle in front of him. He then lay his chainsword and stub pistol neatly next to them and submitted to a waving of a magno-wand over him to confirm that he was unarmed, before entering the building and making his way to the sergeant's office.

The sergeant was sitting at his desk, quill scratching, as Elizah walked in. He quickly scanned the room, noticing the shrine in the corner. With an approving nod at the apparent piety, he made the sign of the aquila in its direction. As he approached the desk, without looking up, the sergeant spoke.

"Ah, you must be Elizah. Have a seat."

Pushing the form to one side, he pulled a different paper over to him and studied it.

"I see here that you defended a guilder caravan, anticipated and prevented a raid on said caravan, and destroyed the gang which attempted it."

As he read, he nodded slowly, eyes scrolling down the page.

"For that, you should be commended. But now that we are here, I trust you will remember that the Enforcers, not the Ecclesiarchy, are the law in this hive. In future, you will report any such situations to us, and we will take appropriate action."

The sergeant's gaze finally left the papers in front of him, hard black eyes locking on icy blue.

"There is a word for taking the law into your own hands. It is vigilantism, it is a crime, and it will not be tolerated in my jurisdiction."

With a sharp nod, he drew the form back over to himself and resumed writing.

"Dismissed."

Elizah stood to leave. Before he exited the office, he turned to the sergeant.

"With respect, sergeant, we have not seen the might of Imperial law in the underhive in some time. It is the duty of all Imperial citizens to assist the authorities where they can. The Holy Flame are a force for order. When needed, we will assist with the Watch and, once duly sanctioned, punish the heretic. Ave Imperator!"

With that, he swept out of the room.

[Papa Doc]

“T’aint nuthin’ like I’d thought it would be” Piper mused, “bein’ one of ol’ Slagburn’s. On the outside, its all honor and glory, fightin’ for the name of House Orlock and the good of the people.”

“We ain’t a band of Hooded Robbyns’ or the like. This ain’t some fairytale your mum told you about while you nursed and cried. This is real life, poppet, and in real life you have to get your hands dirty. You being the lowest juve on the roster of juvitude and bein’ the only one dumb enough to get knocked stupid in your first scrap with the Van Saar, you get to do the real fun dirty work. Now shaddup and hoist that box before I make you put on a dress and serve lemonade to the ladies.”

Piper heaved the box of scrap up, feeling a hair lightheaded as he did. “Well that’s a good question. How come you’re in here hollerin’ at me while I move boxes and sort scrap metal, while Lark and Karra are out doing patching old buildings?”

“Well for one thing, you look a whole hell of a lot uglier stripped to your underclothes than either of our ladies. Skinny runt like you would hinder our goodwill mission as soon as you stripped in the heat.” Corbin stepped out from behind a stack of boxes, looking as though he’d found a part he was looking for. “I’ll handle it from here, Brimm. Tend to your brother, he seems a bit melancholy.”

Piper nearly tripped over his own feet crate in surprise when Corbin grabbed the box with one hand and gently lowered it to the ground. “Pull up a crate, story time with daddy.” The juve paled visibly, but obediently grabbed a smaller crate and sat down opposite his leader. Corbin pawed at the bits of twisted metal until he pulled out an almost perfect orb, marred barely by a wave pattern on the surface, but still symmetrical sphere. He rolled the ball around in his hand for a minute before tossing it to the juve.

“That’s an Orlock tear. They’re extremely rare, formed under very special conditions when a pocket of heat forms in the slag insulated by another layer of cooled metal. Most slag miners never find one, and many never see one at all. I’ve always had a knack for finding them.” He let Piper finger the orb in silence before continuing. “The story goes that the first one was found the same day the Van Saar stole the Orlock contract, that they were tears shed for the treachery by the iron itself.

“Ironmen are just like those tears. We’ve seen the treachery, the conditions down here. We’ve grown up with the despair, the lies, the anguish, and the iron has seen it too. Now it weeps, and we are those tears. It takes a very rare set of circumstances to forge a group like us. Most underhivers will never meet a true hero, but like the tears I have a knack for finding those with the skills and the drive to be Ironmen. You’re one of us, and now I need you to do something dangerous. Are you ready?”

Piper nodded and started to hand back the tear, but Corbin closed the juve’s fist over the orb. “For good luck. Dakkar will tell you what needs to be done

[Icedaemon]

Their flank attack having broken the Unfolding Shadow's nerve, Rambrand and the pair of Van Saar alongside him let loose a cheer. The main group is less enthusiastic, with Tavin and Allis rushing to Anna, fearing for her life after seeing her go down to a plasma cannon veritably obliterating the lump of solid stone she had taken cover behind. To their relief, the cover had taken the burnt of the damage, with the heavy suffering from superficial burns and temporarily blinded by the flash, but otherwise fine.

Leaving Allis and her medikit to treat the wounded heavy, Tavin head for Hal's prone form. After seeing Anna only inconvenienced by a plasma cannon and remembering that his fellow young man was hit by nothing more than an autopistol, Tavin expects to have little trouble getting him back up. Getting closer, however, Tavin can note the huge pool of blood. Grabbing the man's intact arm, he can find no pulse. After carefully turning the body over, Tavin notes the series of holes along the other man's upper arm, two of which have torn into and through the axillary artery. Few snipers are capable of making this shot on purpose, never mind some juve with an autopistol. Someone got lucky, Hal did not. Tavin tries to resuscitate the other man, but only in vain. Perhaps if they had not waited a few moments to make sure the coast was clear before going to take care of their wounded or if he had head for Hal immediately, he could have done something, but saving someone who has lost the majority of one's blood in such a short period of time is beyond his abilities.

The Tunnel Foxes are somewhat dour on their way back to base. True, none of them had actually loved Halbert, but he had still been one of them. Rambrand had more or less asked him to provide the enemy with a tantalizing target and hope for the best. Yes, juves dieing is a fact of life, but to die due to a direct order can still ruffle some feathers, especially as this was their first life lost. Had Liria died to the Ironmen, the grief would have been greater - she was already a true asset even back then and her sister loves her dearly. However, her wound came to her due to the shifting tide of battle, with her closer if anything to the back of the firing line. Lorraine in particular is silent, idly petting one of her bats. Had it not been for their perceived use on the flank attack, it could well have been her drawing the enemy's fire.

On their way home, the group stopped at an abandoned hab dome and buried Halbert's body inside the ruins of someone's home. A large piece of the roof was pushed off and back onto the collapsed walls to conceal the corpse and the laspistol that had been left with it. There was no superstition going on about him needing it in the next life. However, Rambrand and the others felt that it should somehow be signified that this was the grave of a Van Saar warrior, not some random underhive scummer. The body, positioned artificially in a resting pose, clutching the pistol on his chest, is obviously more recent and unrelated to the building's collapse. Some graffiti, depicting the Van Saar skull-and-claws on the roof itself and a stylized 'Hal' on a nearby wall, would mark the grave. With the already existing graffiti on the walls and even the roof itself, strangers would most probably not have any idea this was a grave site. However, if they ever needed to come back here, the Tunnel Foxes could find the site again.

The very next day, life returned to what passed for normal in the underhive. Liria got to work trying to build a floodlight for sale after one of Rita's clients had complained about the meagre lighting on his buggy while Honore was doing maintenance on the weaponry. Tavin and Rambrand were practicing their shooting in the range and Allis was patrolling the core of their turf with Anna.

Soon thereafter, the payment from the Cawdor gang was received. Elizah had been honest. After their lucrative victory against the Ironmen, Rambrand had so many credits on hand that he even made a donation of ten credits to the chapel. Not a huge amount of money, but still more than what most individuals could give at one time. Approached by the Holy Flame's fearsome leader, the veteran Van Saar had prepared for a potential fight and was pleasantly surprised by the friendly manner and offer. He had at that time assumed this might mean some form of alliance between the Tunnel Foxes and the de facto most powerful force in Rustholm, at least short of the merchant guild.

However, as he and Allis head to the main settlement with Red for the umpteenth time, and he discovered the true extent of Elizah's plotting, he felt a pit growing in his stomach. The goliath newcomers had managed to ambush and outflank the Cawdor gang, once. They had shown that not even this gang was invincible. In reply, the apparent zealot had orchestrated such an engagement where the one enemy who had managed to lay him low was so utterly outmatched that what few goliaths might have survived had no doubt fled to the farthest corners of the underhive. If he ever ended up on the Holy Flame's bad side, the trouble they've had and would probably still have with the Orlock menace would in all probability seem a joke in comparison.

Walking into a bar to gather his thoughts, he was interrupted by an another Van Saar walking up to him.

"Hello, cousin."

"Do I know you?"

"Verner Von Mittensee, at your service."

Rambrand glares at the man. The green eyes and prominent scar on his neck don't look like the Verner he knows. Likewise, this man is lean and fit, unlike cousin Verner whose successful factory has led to him being as adipose as a guilder.

"Right. 'Verner'."

"Verner, of the Alevan Von Mittensees. A distant branch compared to yours, I am told."

"You are close kin to Richmond Von Mittensee of the Dancing Spark then?"

"Richmond? The Dancing Spark has been run by aunt Agatha for the last ten years."

Rambrand smiles. This man is at least knowledgeable about the Alevan branch of the family. He can check up on if he's actually kin or not at his leisure.

[Adlan]

End of Round 6

Round 7
Members of the Holy Flame Vs Unfolding Shadow
Ambush


The Holy Flame are ambushed as they descend the sloping road between the rubble strewn scree patches that lead up to the Hab Domes claimed by house Delaque. The grey topped building on the rim wards has a commanding view from it's second story, but due to the slope, is level with the tops of other buildings on the corewards side, which are only one storey high.

Slagburns Ironmen vs Read Eagles Patrol, Precinct #14
Scavengers


Six Prisoners have broken out of an Arbites Wagon after it crashed, they have managed to make it to the outskirts of rustholm and have gone to ground. Unfortunately for them, they have ventured into the territory of the Ironmen, who will no doubt be glad to sell them to the guilders for their bounty. Of course, the Arbites chasing the prisoners might also feel it's unfortunate the prisoners have ventured into gang territory, for the gangers who get between them and their quarry.

[thegunslinger]

'It's around here somewhere, I'm sure of it.' muttered Deacon, trudging through the scree slope. 'I dunno, you stop to take a piss and and a pray and the whole boiling lot of them bugger off on you. It's enough to make a man think he's been abandoned.'

Obidiah grunted in agreement. The heavy had been stopping to sneak a bit of prometheum and rot got, rather than perform an ablution, but was happy enough to have Deacon think he was in the same boat.

'Elizah said we were going to have a little chat with the Delaque mob that's around here somewhere. They still have to answer for the drug pushing from a while ago - I haven't forgotten that.'

Obidiah nodded 'Ayup. Me an' Sabbat haven't had a chance to set the world on fire for sometime. Mayhap she'll think I'm neglecting her and a neglected woman's an angry woman, so she is.'

Just as he tailed off, shots rang out ahead. The seasoned gangers were savvy enough to realise that they weren't being shot at themselves, but could tell by the zip-crack of las fire that someone was shooting nearby. The return fire was a throaty cough of shotguns firing hotshot shells.

Cocking an ear, Obidiah motioned for Deacon to shut up. In a hoarse whisper, he said 'that's the Delaque. Down there are us lot. What do you reckon, time to take these ladies from behind?'

Deacon hunkered down. Peering through the darkness he could see the Delaque were surprisingly close.

'From behind, with great fury. Sounds good to me!'

[sean_hyer]

A big man entered Sergeant Isamu's office, an unlit cigar clamped between his teeth.

"Ah, Corporal Kin. I've just received this urgent dispatch from HQ. Apparently, they lost contact with an Arbites wagon once it crashed, and the prisoners it was carrying scragged the driver and escaped. Foul play is not currently suspected, but always a possibility."

"The prisoners have remained roughly together, and IR footage from drone 3a21 shows them having hunkered down in a few buildings for the night. Get in there, get them back, and get out."

"Speed is essential: the scan shows them as being in gang territory, and several gangers as being on their way. Most likely, this is just a potential for embarrassment. Immediately after arriving, we cannot be shown up by some of the locals having to do our job. However, the gang could also be in the pay of the criminals, in which case they will attempt to stop you from carrying out your duty, not just try to grab anyone they can for the bounty."

"Until the gang fires on, or otherwise engages you, you are not to engage them. If they do fire upon you, use suppression grenades and pull back, with as many prisoners as you can."

"To repeat; our priority this mission is the recovery of the prisoners; not picking fights."

"Sir!"

Corporal Kin saluted and walked out of the sergeant's office. Raising his voice, he began bellowing orders.

"Patrol Team B, rendezvous at the wagon! I want you prepped and ready five minutes ago! Move, move, move!"