Gore Matted Fur

234GoMaFu

Liss and Krak stalked across the field of dead. Lord Tyson Tearn’swallow darted hear and there directing a handful of infantry that had managed to survive the inferno and raw power that the Skaven had managed to muster as they assaulted one of the nearby towns that Krak had under his control.

Tyson scurried forth and bowed low between the two rulers, both of which were holding back their bloodlust at the carnage around them. “We found Lady Alloren, she will live. And Duke Will Wicksplitter is trying to reign in his terrorgheist as its given into its bloodshed. We lost ninety infantry, Lady Allorens dragon, Lord Carth Bonenibbler and some of our mounted knights” he said as he shrank away from Liss. Liss looked across the battlefield hungrily.

“What did they lose?” she asked as she saw more ghouls pouring over the hills towards the great feast.

“Close to Eighty putrid Rat-men, twelve of their brutish rat ogor, some of which appeared to spring out of the ground at the call of their masters, which we will remember. We banished their deamon lord who fled through a gateway and Duke Wicksplitter almost managed to kill that wizard-rat on massive ogoroid – but he fled the battlefield too with the one remaining beast master on their end. A master Moulder I think they were called.” Lord Tyson said at last.

Good. It was a good fight and the bodies left behind would fuel the replenishment of her army. Even now she witnessed the other courtiers that joined them on the battlefield pushing their way from under the piles of dead.

Krak called to his remaining serfs, his beloved ferocious zealots did not survive the initial combat with the brutish, hulking rat-men abominations – but the presence of Liss and her chosen had pushed the fight in his favour and routed the cowardly rat-men from his lands. Not that he would admit it. As he picked his way through the pile of bodies and gore mattered fur he knew that this war for sovereignty was not over.

“Sire,” a skittish voice said from near by. “The knights and scouts you sent out have come back saying that there is a gathering of worshippers of Khaine on their way to your lands. If we prepare now and strike a decisive blow against their leader, Morathi, I am sure that we will emerge victorious” said the ghoul.

Nodding he looked towards the direction he sent his men and women. War was upon him again and like it or not he would have to rely on Queen Liss again.

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Beneath the Reagents Keep

234BeReKe

Liss stalked the dilapidated halls of Krak’s keep as she sought out the self proclaimed reagent and ruler of these lands. As she moved passed the door-less frames, the gore streaked walls and the many coloured lichen that grew in these dank rooms her feral grin grew.

Outside of the keep she could hear the screams and cries of ghouls, hundreds of them as they bayed for a feast day and above it all the terrifying screech of the massive bat like creatures, Terrorgheist’s. In particular she could hear Goreshadow, the mount of her champion Will Wicksplitter, one of the largest beasts she had ever encountered.

The ghouls and minor courtiers that stalked the halls outside the vast entrance room huddled and cowered against the wall. She supposed that to them she would appear as something quite feral and unnatural. How ironic as they were cut from the same cloth. Well maybe not as regal as her but the same none the less.

Ever since she was sired she was different from the other ghouls. Twisted by dark magic of a vampire lord and coerced to complete dark and violent acts of cannibalism she morphed into the being she is today. Rather than becoming twisted by some grand delusion of a king she was aware of what she was, what she did and she revelled in the power that came with her depravity. In fact she relished the ghoulish acts she committed and enjoyed feasting on the flesh of the realms mortals more than the ghouls she commanded.

“Queen Liss…” a quivering voice from the doorway in front of her spoke. “Arch Reagent Krak, the Crowncracker, bastion of hope and champion of light sends for you.” The Crypt Ghast said in a quiver.

“Does he now?” Liss replied, not expecting an answer. “Show me to Krak. I have grave tidings”. As the ghast bowed and hurried through the doors, the only ones that appeared to be functional she breathed in the heady smell of fresh meat.

Pushing past the piles of bones she stepped up to the table and gave a polite curtsey to the most arrogant ghoul she had seen in some time. Krak slurped the marrow from the bones of of some duardin that they had fought recently, feathers of a phoenix framed his throne and a shard of ghurish magic buzzed in a crown – fragments of an Incarnate she was sure of it.

“Queen Liss, your presence here is either a great of foul portent. Which tidings do you bring to me this eve?” Krak said as he slurped red liquid, blood, from a skull.

“My scouts have tracked strange happenings, disappearance of serfs and the odd knight to mines near your keep. I suspect that something particularly fowl is taking them and that they have eyes on your keep and have come to grant you my aid.” Liss said with all the decorum of nobility. After a moment of silence Krak roared with laughter, followed immediately by his courtiers.

Arrogant king Liss thought as she bared her fangs and warped teeth, the room silenced immediately. Her ferocity, strength and bloodlust was well known. “I do not offer my assistance lightly as I also bring proof.” Liss screeched into the room. A moment later the flapping of wings answered her call and a great shape blocked the failing light from a nearby large window.

With the flapping of torn wings a Crypt Flayer, a large bloated ghoul with great spiked bat-like wings flew through the window and landed next to Liss. As it landed it dropped a large bag in front of its queen and bowed low to her. Liss reached for the bag and slowly began to untie it – her long dagger like claws still able to demonstrate a great deal of dexterity despite their capacity for violence. The courtiers leant forwards as did Krak as they watched with their foetid breath held in anticipation.

Liss reached in and pulled out the contents, a body. Its brown fur was mattered with sticky blood and what remained resembled a rat – a particularly large rat. It wasn’t until Liss threw the body to the table that the full extent of it was revealed, the rats head was part of a larger corpse – one with humanoid features including a torso and large muscular arm with a triangular symbol lashed to its wrist.\

“I caught this trying to drag away one of my serfs into a hole. Fear-riddled creatures it soiled itself and died before I could question it fully. Following the holes though my scouts found that it lead to the mines near your Keep. So with this as proof I once again offer you my services, and that of my champion, to eradicate these vermin from your lands.” she said as she watched Krak stalk towards the corpse. After a moment the Arch reagent picked up the body and bit into the fleshy part of the bicep.

A wicked grin crossed its face as he strode towards a nearby window to address his kingdom. As he stood there he held the body up high and a bestial roar burst forth from his swelling chest. “Tonight we feast!” he called as he threw the body down the the heaving masses.

Turning around Krak stalked towards Liss. “When do we leave?” he asked.

“Immediately” replied Liss as her smile turned into a feral snarl. The bloodshed she craved was about to happen.