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Chapter 1


shinros

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Well...a mate of said if I want to enjoy newer armies I have to upgrade my hobby and invest in hobby materials, like storage etc. Which I did so...I decided to do kharadron. Always said I wanted to do an army of em, which I am now doing. So...yeah hope people like this. 

Chapter 1 

The air was murky as always, it was slightly dense and thick in the sense that it causes you to breath more harshly. Even if you are wearing a helm, the eternal dusk and night of the twilight plains makes journeys difficult as well. But such challenges are meant to be taken head on, defeating challenges while making money is the only way to earn mehret. Ulfar turned the wheel of the ironclad, he looked up to the look out he shouted at the old Aethric-Navigator and his friend Thungi Khazadson. His silver armour glinted despite the darkness, wind currents swept around his form as he clutched his Zephyrscope. “Thungi! How close are we to Daleshire!?” The Aethric-Navigator looked down to him, he removed his helm displaying his aged countenance, his brown beard also holds grey hairs. “No need to shout. I am just several metres above you.” Ulfar shrugged, normally he has to shout because he has no idea whether he is praying or not, his form of praying is listening to the currents seeking out the voice of Grungni. 

Such a practice has been long forgotten by the Kharadron save those of Barak-Thryng, they venerate the ancestor gods to this day. It’s partly why Thungi is serving on his ship, no one wants him due to him being so old fashioned. But he liked that, he prefers to work with those who will honour their word and seek profit without tarnishing their duardin spirit. 

Their skyport Barak-Dum are far more pragmatic compared to others, some call them cutthroats and even Barak-Mhornar turn their noses up at them. He personally hated it but it had to be this way since they live in Ulgu. A land of shadows, half truths and unknown horrors. It does not help either that they have a trade deal with Morathi the Shadow Queen. He had to admit it’s a lucrative deal, but there are costs to shaking hands with an aelf, an aelf that worships a god of war and blood. 

He frowned “Well at least you are not praying, we have to be focused.” Thungi placed his helm back on, he left the look out and walked down the steps. Now that he was with him at the helm the old duardin shook his head. “We are only doing this because Barangor desires to seek out more lucrative tasks. This is a distraction.” “Aye, but what we are doing is important. Daleshire harvests gloomsweed, the medicinal properties of the root works wonders on injuries and having a great amount of it is useful for long voyages. They stopped trading with us recently and Barangor wants to know why.” Ulfar then heard the clanging of magnetised boots, the ironclad’s Aether-Khemit Mordin Logansson strode up to him, he shook his head. “We could seek some aether-gold on the side. I can smell a stream a few miles away.” Ulfar sighed “No Mordin.” he said firmly. 

Mordin cocked his head slightly, the gesture looked strange with his helm. The long tubes used to aid in sniffing out aether-gold always caused him to shiver slightly. He stared the Aether-Khemist in the eye “Honour is everything.” he lived by that tenet, breathed it. “The task comes first, we won’t wander off the beaten road. The Admiral placed his trust in us.” Thungi nodded in agreement “despite my issues with the Admiral, Ulfar is correct. Honour the work before us, honour the agreement. If Daleshire stopped trading with us due to outside sources then there will be grudges to settle.” Ulfar grinned, that was another thing he liked about Thungi. He also enjoyed settling grievances, Ulfar even has his own personal grudge log strapped to his belt. 

Then came another voice “I just want this to be done so we can return to the fleet.” A endrinrigger floated towards them. His aether-endrin strapped to his back gave off a soft hum. Ulfar grimaced, he was lucky that he was wearing his helmet so the Mizzenmaster could not see what expression he was making. As captain his rule is absolute, but Durak Hergarsson questions him all the time even when a course of action is agreed to. The troublesome endrinrigger is only on his ship for one reason alone. He is a black sheep among other captains of Barak-Dum, Durak’s endrinriggers were the only ones of the Endrineers Guild who had the desire to join his crew. But it was clearly obvious to him that Durak is Barangor’s eyes, for he had to admit he has not bought in much profit since becoming captain. 

That was one fact he wanted to change quickly. “We should not do anything hasty when we arrive. I say we get a gauge of the situation and report back to the admiral.” Ulfar snorted “It seems you would like to lead Durak.” The Mizzenmaster’s red eye lenses fell upon him. “It’s just a suggestion captain.” “I heard your suggestion, now get back to what you were doing before.” Durak shook his head “fine, I will go back to doing check ups.” He flew back over the edge, Ulfar could hear his rivet gun firing, he nodded in satisfaction. 

Thugni sighed “he is the problem with our sky-port.” “Nothing will change Thungi.” Ulfar said in slight annoyance. They had this discussion several times, he personally did not place much stock in gods they were never there when they are needed. He always believed at the end of the day you had to rely on oneself over other people fixing things for you. The old Aetheric-Navigator clutched his staff. “I know, but don’t you think Grungni is sad looking at us? What have we thrown away for the sake of shares? Barak-Dum doesn’t even follow the code properly either.” Ulfar narrowed his eyes, he had to agree with him there. The Admiral council use the code only when it suits them, but all know they are focused on lining their pockets. 

Saying such a thing out loud would ensure you would never walk on another air-ship again. You would be reduced to a dock worker which is more or a less a death sentence for any of the Kharadron within Barak-Dum. The life of the dock worker is hard, you struggle to get by. He knows this, he had to watch his father waste away because he failed the musterpress three times. 

His sky-port worked his father to death. Which is an an eternal Dammaz for him. It’s why he could never respect the admirals, the councils or the guilds. It’s clear also he gets stuck with all the poor jobs since he has a feeling that his Admiral desires wans him to fail. Modrin shook his head “stop thinking about it.” “I know Mordin.” Ulfar said dryly. Thugni chuckled “Calm your nerves captain, Grungni will give us a chance one day, I know it.” Ulfar wished he could believe, but a mix of pragmatism and being realistic he knew that his prospects would not change while being a part of Barak-Dum. 

An Arkanaut at the aftcastle shouted and pointed to the distance “Captain we are here!” Thungi rushed up to the look out. With the aid of his Zephyrscope and spy-glass he nodded. “Aye! We are are few miles from Daleshire!” Ulfar clutched the wheel of the ironclad. 

“Now let us see what the problem is…” 

Ulfar stood before the town Mayor, the houses were damaged like they have been under attack and all the people were hiding away in their homes. Only the Mayor has decided to meet them in the plaza, Mordin sniffed around. “Magic is in the air captain.” Thungni nodded in agreement “Aye, I can feel the currents have been pulled and bended.” Ulfar shook his head, “So tell me Mayor Balvor, what has exactly happened to your town?” Durak flew down, to him. “I think we should get to the point captain…” “Be quiet. I am talking to the Mayor.” The mixenmasster looked away slightly “very well.” 

Balvor looked frail, his fair skin was ashen. “It was….shadows. Shadows came and took our people away.” “Shadows?” Ulfar was confused. He knew of the shadow-daemons that lurk in the dark places of Ulgu, but they never attack towns unless someone directs them. “We have no one to farm the gloomsweed. The shadows keep coming and snatching our people away. M-Maybe...we angered Malerion somehow?” He snorted as he said that. “Doubt it, gods tend to move when it only interests them. This smells like someone interfering with our trade deal. Know this Balvor, I will get your people back.” The Mayor looked at him in surprise. “W-Why?” “Honour is everything that’s why. The one is attacking you is harming both of us, we need the gloomsweed and you need your people. Your livelihood is being attacked, our livelihood is being attacked.” The manling started to cry, he wiped his face. “I never expected you to help us...I thought…” “That we would abandon you?” Ulfar spat on the ground. “Others would, but not me. I protect our trade partners.” Ulfar removed his grudge log from his belt, he opened the small cylinder container holding his quill. He flicked through to a fresh page, he then wrote. 

Let it be known that I Ulfar Grumsson will hereby avenge the attack upon Daleshire, these “shadows” attacked the Kharadron, attacked Barak-Dum. Punishment shall be meted out. 

Mordin gave a small chuckle “you are taking this seriously if you are writing a dammaz.” “I am. Our fellow duardin underestimate the need for gloomsweed but I am damn sure they will remember it when their crew is bleeding out after an attack.” Ulfar closed his personal log, he returned the quill to the cylinder and attached the log to his belt. “I swear to you Balvor, I will end the people attacking you, if I can we will rescue those still alive. ” The mayor nodded slowly. 

Ulfar accepted that, he placed his helmet back on. “Let’s go, we will follow their magic. The attack looks recent.” Durak looked like he wanted to say something, but one look the endrinrigger held back his complaint. The parameters of this job has changed, they will end the shadows for trade can’t be restored otherwise. 

At the moment they are sailing to the south, Thungi can sense a great amount of shadow magic sweeping through the currents. They sailed under fields of gloomsweed and according to arkanuats looking down from the rails the roots were covered in blood. Thungi then called out “camp in the distance!” Ulfar removed his spy-glass from his pocket, while keeping a grip on the wheel. He would have a first mate to take over so he could use the spy-glass properly but considering his position he does not even have that. 

But he could see the camp, it was full of female aleves wearing gold and red gear, their hair was white while also baring red streaks. But what shocked him even more is that he spotted mutants among them. Aelves who slithered around like a snake, they did not have normal legs. If he was not wearing his helmet he would spit on the ground with disgust. He removed the spy-glass from his eye. “So these are the shadows….” Durak came flying down. “We should report to Admiral Barangor, those are aelves of Hagg Nar.” “No we are pressing on. I am taking us to firing range.” “Do you know what it means to attack them!?” “Of course I damn well know what it means! Our sky-port is trading with an aelf who allies herself with mutants!” The mixenmaster removed his helm “in times of war, allies must be aided unless to so would prove pointless. Waste no duardin blood on unguz throlt.” Ulfar fumed with rage, he shouted at the endrinrigger. “Artycle 4, point 5 of the code! You think I am wasting our blood!?” The mixenmasster, looked young. His blonde beard was not all that long either, he flinched at his outburst. “Be silent child! Our sky-port wastes our blood allying with a back-stabbing aelf that works with mutants!” Ulfar brought up spy-glass again, they should be approaching firing range. The humans they were coming to save are dead, their hearts torn out, their bodies hanging hooks from macabre statues belonging to their pitiful god. “Honour is everything…” he hissed. “It seems you have forgotten that Durak. They attacked our trade partners, they are our enemy. My rule is absolute on this ship...unless...” he removed the spy-glass from his eye he swept his gaze over the rest of the arkanauts. “All of you feel otherwise?” They said nothing, those not wearing their helmets looked grim. He could tell they agreed with him. 

Thungi then shouted “we are in firing range!” Durak shook his head “there will be consequences!” “Then let them come, I will take the fall. Open fire!” The the aether weapons sounded, the rattling of carbines the whoosh of torpedoes. Durak did not stop looking at him even as the sounds of shrill aelf screams greeted both their ears. Ulfar looked Durak in the eyes. 

“The Dammaz has been settled.” 

-------------------------------------------------------- 
Dammaz - Means Grudge. 

Mehret - a combination of success, profit and experience. 

Unguz throlt - a lost cause; lit “undrinkable batch.” When a error occurs brewing of alcohol and good ingredients are lost, it is regarded as a tragedy among duardin. 

Musterpress - Captains arrive to observe the drills, and they may choose to recruit new crew members by purchasing contracts, often to fill the places that have become available through death or injury. Those selected join the Arkanaut companies will endure any number of rites and rituals sacred to their new fleet, ship or both. Those passed over after three musterpresses must instead settle for lesser positions, often on mining or fishing vessels, or as dockworkers. 

 

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