Ill Tides: Compass Points

 KoW / 1500 points / Compass Points / TK Win

It had all started well enough thought Arlantrix, a Void-skiff patrol has spotted a large dwarven army heading inland towards the hill range. Seizing the chance to ambush her opponents for once she had gathered the available crews of the ships she had to hand and set off after them. Considering the shortness of their legs the dwarves had moved quickly and by the time her force had caught up with them they where already grubbing around in the dirt.

Arlantrix had no idea what it was they sort but the presence of their Leader, Sycorax, indicated that at least he thought it was important enough to lead the force himself. 

Arlantrix had noted the large number of guns her enemy had brought with them and ordered Zor'damos  and her corsair crew to hold back as long as possible to try and draw the dwarfs forwards.

She had placed herself on the of the army along with Khresh, a Soulbane who had proven himself in previous battles and been awarded a mighty Nightmare to ride into battle. Along with a couple of Void-Skiff squadrons she hoped to close on the enemy and ride them down.

It had started off well enough with a dwarven unit being routed in the first assault, she'd also caught the enemy unaware with a new spell. Since the last encounter when she'd been personally assaulted by a hulking monstrosity Arlantrix had been searching for a way to turn the enemies strength against them, and she'd found it. A spell called the Alchemist's curse, the more heavily armoured the opponent the stronger the force of the spell against them. With this she's attacked the enemies animated Golem's, threatening to turn them back into piles of rocks.

Things had however taken a turn for the worse when first one and then the other Void-skiff squadron was turned into splinters by the enemy Golems and worse followed. Somehow the dwarves had found a way past her defences and hexed her. Even thinking about casting a spell gave her a blinding headache and uttering one was much worse. As soon as she'd completed the Alchemist's curse Arlantrix was wracked with unimaginable pain and a being of lesser willpower would have collapsed. She however clung to consciousness.

In the centre the dwarves had been tempted forwards to get into range to unleash their fire-storm and at the last moment possible Zor'damos had lead her corsairs forwards into the enemy. As gunpowder exploded and fireballs splashed across her troops Zor'damos launched herself into the enemy ranks headless of the danger. The dwarves had also unleashed a new weapon on her troops, a device witch spewed forth great streams of flame.

Despite the torrent of fire the corsairs launched themselves into the enemy ranks and started to cut down the cowardly dwarves who had sought to hide behind their guns. At this point Khresh had appeared behind the dwarven lines and despite being subjected to attack by the flame-throwing weapon had launched himself back into combat.

At this point Arlantrix had staggered out of the woods, covered in her own blood that she had vomited up due to the pain of casting spells she was barely able to stay standing but through her iron-like willpower she remained upright. She had just enough energy to cast one final spell on Sycorax which saw the dwarf collapse as the last of his troops around him where massacred. 

The only thing left to complete the victory was to cut the dwarfs heart out with her knife but as she staggered over to his body she was foiled. Out of the skies swept a troop of Gargoyles which had hovered on the side of the battle without committing themselves. Now they sought to gain some measure of forgiveness by stealing away the unconscious dwarf leader from the massacre.

And now the battle was done, Arlantrix slumped wearily on the ground, unable to care about her troops seeing her brought low. The willpower it had taken to fight through the hex had all but drained her strength and it would take some time for her to regain her strength.

Next time: Armada / 250 points / Prize Salvage