On a recent trip to Orlando I was lucky enough to meet up with Clay and Dan, a couple of local Warmachine/Hordes players. We played out the Scourge Bringer Campaign and I was lucky to come out the winner. I mean, really lucky – at the end of the third and final game my dice came alive during a last ditch charge on the Butcher. Clay wrote a nice summary of the day here. Anyway, here’s the wrap up story.
Temptation
The dust swirled as the Angelius and Seraph dispatched by Everblight descended to Thagrosh’s side. Soon he would heal his wounds by absorbing their fury. Everblight hoped his pawn would have the strength to resist the temptation of the mighty weapon he had just won, for the alternative was too terrifying to contemplate. Thagrosh was usually consumed by an animalistic euphoria after battle, allowing himself to revel in the baser aspect of the his ever present master. However, Everblight sensed that his mind was not as singularly absorbed. Another voice tugged at him. This ancient weapon, even in it’s shattered state had a malignancy that gnawed at all who possessed it. It eroded the clarity that Everblight normally maintained.
He sensed the confusion in his prophet. He knew that Scourge Bringer had the power to destroy his kind, but he had not expected it to interfere with the bond he shared with his chosen. The thought of wielding the weapon against his wayward siblings and diabolical father had been but a fleeting one. He feared the weapon could be used against him and knew now that Scourge Bringer must be hidden from the face of Caen.
This will, his focussed vision, was simultaneously shared with all who possessed a piece of his athanc. They acted as a machine of bone and sinew, spread far apart, but now set to a common purpose; build vassals suitable to obscure and hide the pieces of this weapon. He would use his own blight to mask the toxicity of the Orgoth’s creation. Each vile piece would be buried in a blighted beast of Everblight’s design and entombed in a glacier in the far north.
First Thagrosh needed to be protected. This weapon has a powerful sway on those near it and even a servant as stalwart as Thagrosh required shielding from it. He was alone, the battles to retrieve the weapon having destroyed his force and the winged beasts were now spent. Everblight flooded his prophet’s consciousness with images from his other minions, while at the same time sending them towards him. Scores of beasts on the move accompanied by blighted Nyss and other creatures of his creation; this legion was mighty and he hoped to overwhelm Thagrosh’s mind, distracting him from the lure of weapon.
After playing through the campaign I updated the rules slightly. They can be downloaded here – Scourge Bringer – Campaign Rules v1.1.
Owen