Taking SK-57 (Narrative Battle Report from the Ghoul Stars)

On Tuesday, I got to play my first Zone Mortalis game. And it... was... awesome! I cannot recommend ZM enough. With some really great terrain (thanks, Greg!), it makes for an awesome setting with a very grimdark 40k feel to it. This particular battle was the Raven Guard and Death Watch against Necrons and Orks for control of SK-57, a mysterious space station in Warzone Giza. While the White Raven's forces did take heavy casualties, nothing was permanently lost from my Order of Battle. Boosted by this victory, the Raven Guard are traveling via Storm Honda to Sacramento this weekend to hang out with Farseer Joel and Arch Magos Scott. Make sure to check out the Facebook page for pictures and hobby related updates. Also don't forget to check out Dredging the Grimdark, a series I've been writing for House of Paincakes.

For now, enjoy #flufffriday with a narrative battle report and some pictures from this weeks game. Until next time!

Shadow's Claw

A wall of crude promethium welcomed the Raven Guard. Walking though the fire, they would have seemed liked gods to any mortal man. But, to the vile greenskins, Krios and his men were just another fight. Their horde seemed endless, numberless amongst the corridors of the old space station. An overwhelming "WAAAAAGGGHHH" erupted from the Orks as they charged towards them. "Hold!", shouted Krios over the rising tide. Shadow's Claw, his custom chainglaive, came to life as he braced for impact. "Hold!", Krios commanded as the Raven Guard aimed their bolters. When the Orks reached ten meters from their position, he gave the order. "Now!".

A storm of fire cut down the front line of the assault, forcing the horde to jump and crawl over the bodies of their dead. Krios ran out into the enemy. He spotted the largest Ork he could find and swung his chainglave with incredible force. It caught the Nob in the neck, and Krios quickly pulled it toward the floor. The Ork was split in two, both halves falling with a thud. Shadow's Claw seemed to dance in the air, spraying warm blood on the commander's face and armor. Every strike was as quick as lighting. The weapon's adamantium teeth ripping and tearing into the green tide. Soon, a pile of dead Orks surrounded the White Raven. The clamor of battle became quieter and quieter. Then, silence.

Krios observed the corridor with disgust. A sick ichor of blood and green flesh covered everything. He grabbed a piece of tatter cloth from one of the dead Orks and cleaned his face. He has lost brothers today. By Corax, they would be avenged. Krios spotted a dying greenskin crawling towards the end of the hall. He slowly walked over to the beast and placed his ceramite boot on the it's leg. The Ork turned to see what was holding it back, and was met by the thud of Shadow's Claw slamming into it's forehead. The greenskin was terrified, yellow eyes starting up at the weapon. "For the Emperpor", Krios muttered as the chainglaive's teeth came to life.

Krios, The White Raven

It's always such a good feeling to get paint on your warlord. But, I'd argue it feels even better to get in a couple paragraphs of background fluff! 

If you haven't noticed yet, I am a narrative gamer. So, having a story to tell win or lose (more like just lose) is really important. So, here is my background for Shadow Commander Kanir Krios of the Raven Guard. I'll be using him for the Ghoul Stars campaign, so keep on the lookout for more on the White Raven. Hope you enjoy the story, and that you have a great weekend. Just watch out for those scatter laser jetbikes!

Until next time! 

The White Raven

Shadow Commander Kanir Krios was always destined for glory. Baptized in the blood of orks on Kastorel-Novum, legend has it that he killed over a hundred of the green tide using only his bolter and a make-shift chainglaive (it's handle fastened to a length of pipe). The battle was lost, but Brother Krios left that world a hero. He stood taller, fought more bravely, and commanded more respect. For his honor to the chapter, he was promoted to the rank of Veteran Sergeant and gifted Shadow's Claw, a chainglaive of great strength and beauty. By personal request, Krios's relic blade was left bare metal so that he may keep his weapon hidden until it was ready to reap the Primarch's vengeance.

On an exploratory mission to the planet of Orask, Veteran Sergeant Krios and his unit were ambushed by a group of chaos renegades. Swarms of cultists were cut down by the Raven Guard as they made a slow retreat into the caves of the planet's great mountain range. Inside one of the caves, Krios encounter the end of the sickening ritual birth of a greater daemon. The Veteran Sergeant challenged the warp spawn, chasing it through the blighted subterranean tunnels below Orask's surface. Krios's men waited three days for their commander to return. He walked out of the cave on the morning of the fourth day, his black ceramite caked in white dust from head to toe. He held Shadow's Claw in his left hand, and the head of the daemon in his right.

When the White Raven returned to Deliverance he was honored with the title of Shadow Commander, and given the vital mission of joining High Marshall Helbrecht and the Black Templars in their mission to cleanse the Ghoul Stars. A perilous mission, but one of great importance to the Raven Guard and the Imperium. And, one the remembrancers would be sure to capture in the great history of the Sons of Corax.