I managed to slow down and long enough to get dressed but I didn't eat. I'm now on my way home on the bus tired but happy and in need of amending the shopping list for Saturday again.
Can I get a woop?
Having missed out on pre orders last week I was in Preston at 8.45 this morning, I was already too late by all accounts to get The Lion as they got 2 boxes to put on the shelves and 2 copies of the Ark of Omens book, I manged to get a copy of the book.
So fingers are crossed for next weekend and Warhammer Fest.
To ease the pain I started painting what's left of the squad of 6 Blade Guard Veterans, given them a base of Zandari Dust, will give them a nuln oil wash in the morning and can hopefully get up to detailing stage tomorrow or Monday.
#rainbowsparklepowerfriendsreunited
The crow hopped up onto Morven's shoulder and allowed itself to be taken into the study, where the 4 of them planned a strategy to infiltrate the Warlord's castle. Beatrice and Morven returned to the tavern and arranged supplies and horses for the journey to the air ship hub that had been discussed in the tavern, packing up and getting a day's travel from the town. They changed course and headed towards the castle the next morning, meeting the crow at a clearing. Muth projected an image of herself to let them know that her decoy action was in place for the next morning.
Morven, Beatrice and the crow spent a dark night in the forest with a cloaking glamour cast over them, to appear like just another cold clearing, sharpening weapons and munching on cold rations and drinking fresh spring water. Muth appeared in the pre dawn gloom in a haze of blue lights.
She had some re-enforced leather armour on over her robes, Beatrice was strapping a chest plate on, a range of weapons strapped to her or on the ground in front of her, Morven had already had a got her armour on and was counting her throwing knives strapped across her chest, a hand and a half sword was thrust point first in the ground next to her, short sword was on one hip with 3 daggers on her other hip strapped over the armour, her helmet was next to the long sword on the ground along side 2 throwing axes.
"Morning," Muth said, producing 3 cups of steaming coffee, sipping one herself and passing one to Morven and the other to Beatrice. They gratefully accepted the hot drink and savoured the warmth flowing through them after a cold night.
"When does the distraction start?" Beatrice asked.
Muth sketched a symbol in the air and looked at something only she could see, "Not long, we should move to the tree line nearest the castle. You do have the key?" The crow jumped and flapped it's wings, the key in its beak.
"The little guy picked it up when we were getting ready and we know where it is." Morven said, strapping the 2 axes to the bandolier and putting her helmet on. Beatrice picked up the pole arm she'd taken from the group the other day and a few other weapons and they followed Muth to the tree line. Muth provide a second cup of coffee and a hot sandwich, the apprentice bringing them and disappearing. Beatrice and Morven ate and sipped their drinks. Morven noticed the tremor rings in her cup first, looking around she noticed the wave of motion in the tree line, "What did you get as a distraction?" she asked Muth.
"I think you'll like this." The Wizard smiled, a little to wide, her teeth sharp and pointed, like she'd forgotten her glamour. She pointed to the motion in the trees, "The castle there stands on the remains of a giants castle, I talked to a couple of the local giants and got them to agree to come and kick the shit out of the walls. Only cost me 9 butt's of wine too."
"This won't be suspicious?" Beatrice asked.
"You 2 have no known connection to the local giants, I who usually come over at least twice a year and cause trouble, they get pushed off after a couple of hours, by which time we'll be inside and raising hell." The first giant cleared the tree line as Muth finished talking, closely followed by 2 mores. Alarm bells sounded within the castle, the sound distance and tinny." We'd better move, "Muth sketched out another symbol," don't fall to far behind, I've cast a glamour to hide us from view as we approach the port. Lead the way there fella." She said to the crow.
The crow hopped and flew off, heading for a concealed tunnel under the wall. They reached the door, distance shouts and the sounds of walls being hit could be heard, with the odd tremor from a sizable strike loosing dust. The crow dropped the key into Morven's hand and flew off back down the tunnel. Morven pushed the key into lock and turned it, feeling the resistance of the leavers, guessing the lock hadn't been used in a while. It opened with a click. Morven pushed the door open, "shield" she whispered a faint blue glow emitted form her hand and walked cautiously into the tunnel beyond the door. She reached a turning and signed for Beatrice to stop. She pulled a highly polished metal mirror out of a belt pouch and used it to glance around the corner, seeing that the tunnel opened up into a room a few meters beyond the corner. She signed this to Beatrice, who tapped 5 times on Morven's hand meaning 5 guards were probably stationed in the room. She put the sword down, and pulled the 2 throwing axes, risking a quick look she saw one distracted Guard sat at the table, bare headed and with his back to corridor, she guessed he was looking at something out of view. She whipped around the world corner and threw the first axe, the blade struck the back of the head with a thunk, blood spraying and a wet slap as the guard's limp body flopped to the floor, Morven moved towards the room, Beatrice picked up the long sword and followed closely behind Morven.
Morven caught 2 gasps and a third voice saying the name of the guard, she pushed against the side wall and saw 2 more guards, stepping away from the wall she spun around letting the second axe fly, this one hit the guard in the chest, making it gasp. Morven grabbed the first axe and slammed it into it's face, blood sprayed and bone shattered and the guard collapsed to the ground. Beatrice cleared the entrance and threw Morven's sword at the 3rd Guard with one hand piercing it's armour and staggered the guard backwards a few feet with the momentum, she flipped the table with her free arm scattering plates and cups. The remaining Guard looked stunned by the explosion of violence that had erupted into the room. Morven picked up the second axe and threw it at it, hitting it's face, it slumped to it's knees a confused expression on its face. Using a discarded knife Morven cut some cloth from the clothing of the second Guard she'd killed and cleaned her axes, strapping them to the bandolier again and getting her sword from the 3rd Guard, pulling it out with push, I twist and a pull. 2 doors lead out of the room, one next to the corridor entance they'd come in by and one in the far wall. Morven looked at Beatrice and held up 5 fingers and folded 4 fingers down, the question not really needing to be said. Beatrice looked at one door then the other, walking quietly as possible to the far door, Morven took the door near her, pushing it open she saw an empty privy. Beatrice opened her door and saw the empty corridor, she closed the door and leaned against it, Morven cleaned her sword, noticing a couple of crossbows she primed one and loaded a bolt while asking,
"Okay now what?"
"This corridor leads to an arming chamber and stair case upwards, 4 floors to the battlements and the nearest cannon."
"Right, okay. So a floor each?" Muth asked doing warming exercises. Beatrice looked at Morven who shrugged and nodded.
"Sounds like a plan." Beatrice said with a smile, pulling open the door and checking the passageway beyond again, "Clear." She called pulling it all the way open. Morven handed her the loaded crossbow, then primed the second bow and offered it to Muth.
"I'll use my brain melting cosmic powers over an accelerated pointy stick, thanks though." Muth demurred., Morven checked the sights and stood beside her friend.
"After you." Beatrice said, patting her on the shoulder.
Morven sighed, "shield" she called out again the blue glow intensified and she advanced towards the chamber with the stairs, "no guards?" she asked.
"There shouldn't be anyone stationed in there, but I can't be certain." Muth replied, Beatrice snorted. Morven advanced listening intently, she couldn't hear anything as more of the room came into view, this one was twice the size of last room and was mostly filled with empty racks that should be packed weapons. The trio advanced to the stairs, it spiraled upwards out of sight, distant sounds of fighting could be heard from far above then.
"Okay, Bea takes the first floor, Muth the second and I'll clear the 3rd, we clear the section that takes us parallel to the giants, leave no one alive behind you." The others nodded in agreement and they advanced up the stairs. Beatrice leaving at the first floor, Muth on the second and Morven on the third. Looking around the tower landing she'd come out in the 2 corridors had firing holes on the outside wall, and several doors on the rear wall. The booming sounds of the giants assault could be heard easier now she was above ground. Bow raised Morven advanced towards the first door, she paused when she reached it and listened but couldn't hear anything. Opening the door she looked in, seeing two rows of 3 made beds, the next door was the same as was the 3rd. The 4th door was a mess hall, plates of half eaten but still warm food suggesting the diners were currently on the opposite wall. Looking for any kitchen staff Morven spotted a door in the wall that would lead the next room. She walked behind the table that held containers of food and listened at the door, she could hear splashing as if someone was washing up and voices talking , pushing the door open she saw 2 people washing up and joking about not being on the walls as a punishment.
"Shock shot" she called as she shot one in the back with her sapphire hand, both went rigid as the electricity raced through them, "stunning shot" again aiming at one then the other. She tied their feet together with their boot laces, then tied them back to back on the floor. Looking around the Morven noticed 2 more doors, one she guesses would take her back into the hallway another lead through the door opposite the one she'd come in through. She listened at the door, not hearing anything she pushed it open finding another mess hall with seating for 18, this one didn't have any half eaten food on tables, Morven woundered if this meant that this platoon was already on the wall or was sleeping in the next 3 rooms.
She opened the door and saw movement and pulled back into the mess hall, getting the mirror out and seeing 2 guards on what looked like a regular patrol, as they looked relaxed, dispite the attack happening. The guards drew level with the 2nd barrack room, opened the door and went in. Morven moved, heading towards the door as it swung closed and pulled the cross bow up to her shoulder and focused along the bolt. The door opened, and one of the pair walked out, talking to their partner, it's large dark eyes going wider in shock as it saw the cross bow out of the corner of it's eye, Morven pulled the trigger and the bolt went through one eye. She kicked the body aside and smacked the bow into the second Guard, pulling a dagger she rammed it upwards into it's jaw, it's dark eyes also full of surprise. She pulled the dagger out, pushing the body back into the room and then dragging it's companion back in with it. She cleaned the knife quickly and thrust it back in the scabbard. She looked at their weapons, the usual cruel curved blades favoured by the Unseelie. She unsheathed her long sword from her back and moved along the corridor towards the next tower. She reached the stairs and started downwards, Muth was waiting for her, smoke was wafting from most of the doors.
"No alarms being raised here." Muth smiled at her, her teeth sharp again, this time the smile looked like a threat.
Beatrice came up the stairs, "All clear, top floor and battlements to go." She said as she climbed the stairs upwards to the 4th floor, Morven and the Wizard followed her. Beatrice paused at the top of the spiral and looked to both sides, seeing a number of guardsman stationed at the loopholes. She mimed out how many guards were on each side. They decided to skip over this floor and go straight to the battlements.
They ghosted up to the battlements and checked the situation. It looked like everyone stationed up here had joined the defenders on the other wall. The 3 of them went over to the first cannon, cutting the ropes to restrain the recoil, Muth levitated the cannon and Beatrice turned it 180 degrees and aiming it at Bailey, they did this with the second cannon. Rather than risk being seen they moved to the other battlements, cutting the ropes and moving 2 of those cannons, these they aimed at the wall with the defenders atop it.
"Okay we need to fire these as close to in unison as we can. Muth can you handle 2 at once?"Morven asked, Muth nodded," Fire after we fire." Muth moved back to the other wall. Morven grabbed two of the slow burning matches and passed one to Beatrice," We fire on 3." Before moving to furthest cannon, she held up 1 finger, then 2 then 3, dropping the match to the touch hole. The rapport of both cannons firing was deafening, the smoke blinded everyone inside the curtain walls, the cannons bounded backwards, skidding across the stones and slamming into the battlements, cracking the stone work on the inside. Morven was moving before the pair of cannons had stopped sliding around. The next pair fired, the sound another assault on the senses, adding a second bank of smoke to that already filling the curtain wall. Muth dropped down from where she'd levitated to avoid the recoil. Morven noticed only 1 cannon remained atop this section of wall, the other had smashed it's way through the battlements and sailed into the air and was now falling towards the ground.
"We better go this wall is going to get popular." Beatrice shouted. Muth lifted all 3 up and and flew them across the gap to the Bailey, entering through the hole blown in the wall by the twin cannon blasts.
They dropped down into a large chamber, the Warlord looking at one of the cannon balls that had fallen from near the celling.
"Muth?" He shouted out, "You dare to attack me?" He was wearing loose fitting clothes with no visible armour, carried only a sword that from where Morven saw it looked like a falchion with extra cutting edges on the back. She drew her own blade as they landed.
"I told you, you owe me. Shit head." Muth shouted back, her ears still ringing from the blasts, glaring at him. "Now my new bad ass friends here are going to kill you, I'm going to take what you owe me and with any luck the giants will get through the curtain wall and rip this place apart." Morven circled one way, Beatrice the other.
"The Sapphire Handed Assassin and her war cow assassitant, I'm honoured you would change tactics and come for me yourselves. What can I offer you to use your skills on the little Wizard? I have an amazing armoury, you can have your pick of it, gold? Medicines?"
Beatrice spoke up first," How about any information on Minotaurs?"
" Your kind come from the slave markets in the mid east. Fetch a pretty price too." He swung the sword at Beatrice, who parried it with ease,"And you human, what do you want?"
"Lots of things, most of them are out of the power of a petty Warlord, who's monologue ing us." Morven replied, she thrust with her sword, the Warlord parried it with no effort, Morven punched at his arm, "Concussion punch." She called, connecting with his arm, shattering the bone, the sword clanging to the floor. He spun away, kicking the sword and picking it up with his off hand. Beatrice followed him Morven a step behind, throwing axes flying first, then the knives as distraction. Beatrice thrust her sword at his leg, severing the tendon and staggering the Warlord. Beatrice moved back, Morven stepped forward sword point aimed at his throat.
"The most helpful thing you can do is die." She told him. "Then I can cross the divide and hopefully get home."
Beatrice drove her sword into his back, a gasp escaping his lips. "And now we'll take your money." Beatrice said, her ears no longer ringing.
#rainbowsparklepowerfriendsreunited
To hold, the other entrances in Scotland, Wales and France had been other forts in the net work for High Brazil. Several more had been lost when the Sea levels rose and flooded what is now the Irish Sea and Dogger Land at the end of the Ice Age.
Pushing deeper still Angel reached the point the stone in her hand had been attuned to Cyhyraeth. She saw a man in orange robes, dark skinned and dark haired, with blue, intelligent eyes, smiling at her. Things went hazy around Angel and she felt woozy for a second, and then she stood up, her point of view moved in the memory, or was this happening now?
"My child!" The robed man cried out in joy and coming to hug her, not the stone but Angel. She could feel his arms around her, his face pressed into her arm just below her right shoulder. "You are so tall!" his voice was muffled, "To know I have a descendent who can use the stones as my forefathers could brings me great joy." Angel could feel this world shift as someone entered the room, a woman that looked so much like her own mother that it surprised her, breaking the connection and dropping her mind back into her body, now standing on the ramp, the stone pressed up to her right arm, where the man's face had been pressed.
"Are you well?" The Whisp asked, "Your heart rate is elevated."
"I think so, I just saw a man when I was meditating on the stone, I think we were, I mean are related. He'd attuned the stone for Cyhyraeth to defend High Brazil and it's people from something they knew as the Formorians, who came from the sea." She closed her eyes and focused on the memories," I think we might be able to find other useful items at the other outposts." Angel focused on a map she'd seen, it covered more of the North Atlantic than the one in Tintagel had. She remembered a number of green dots, one had been just off the Isle Of Man a second had been off the coast of Denmark in Jutland, with a third located on the banks of the Forth River, the others that hadn't been mentioned by the Knights had been on the west coast of Ireland, off the coast of Inisbofin, Inishmore, Portmagee and Clonlakilty Angel was later able to pin point when looking at Google maps, but there was no sign of High Brazil. "Would you be able to function underwater?" Angel asked the Whisp,"I'm not sure, that is an environment I have not encountered before."
"When we go back up, you can dip your feet in the water. Metaphorically" Angel finished, remembering the whisp changing into the Warden and picturing what amounts to an 8 foot tall ghost dipping it's toes in the sea...
The Whisp resumed its scanning of the cave, it approached the control tower for the Forge and paused, going around the tower, it pushed against the gel pad and a deep noise of something being activated could be felt and heard in the cave, a small bust of the Warden formed in the air, Angel caught it before it could fall to the floor. "It's fully functional, their are some issues resulting from lack of maintenance but nothing serious."
"So what can we make with this?" Angel asked gesturing to the tower, and by extension the Forge itself.
"This is a medium size unit, the one in the other cave was a domestic type, the clutter in the assembly area needs to be removed, but that one will be capable of assembling anything in the repository of the tower to a cubic volume of," Angel didn't understand the dimensions the Whisp just said, the measurements going out of use before the Bronze Age," this version can assemble anything from the repository up to."
Angel interrupted the Whisp before it could give another series of sizes she had no idea of. " Why don't you just show me? Sketch out a block the size the domestic one will do by hovering the corners and I can visualise what you mean."
" The craft is taking up to much space for me to do that in here." The Whisp said, slightly annoyed.
"Show me on the lawn up there okay?" Angel offered as a solution. "When you're finished, of course." She added. While the Whisp ran scans over the rest of the room Angel touched the gel pad on the black stone tower and lost herself in the Precursor IKEA catalogue for a while. She was pulled out of it by the Whisp talking incessantly about what it needed to fo and how the forge worked. They left the cave, Angel making sure the door was firmly closed, and climbed back up to the hotel, the Whisp submerged itself in the cold North Atlantic with no ill effects. Once up on the cliffs, and back with the group the Whisp quickly sketched out the maximum sizes of the articles that could be built by both forges, the domestic one could build anything up to the size of a large corner sofa up to shoulder height, with the medium sized one could assemble quite complex items up to the size of a large Mercedes Sprinter van. Angel asked Micheal if the cave system had any flooded portions, and was told there were a couple, and she asked if they could get hold of some diving equipment, telling them about the map and brief overview of Cyhyraeth memories.
Araceli took the lead on the journey back to Mexico, landing the 3 of them on the road outside her house so she wouldn't be lugging 2 suitcases all the way from the beach, Kat had her paper bag with a fat willy's surf shack stamp on the side. They exchanged WhatsApp details and then Angel and Kat returned to Angels garden.
"What time are we on?" Kat asked, Angel took her phone out, several message pings tumbled over each other as her Huawei connected to the home WiFi.
"It's 2.10pm," she scrolled through the notifications, "Claire is asking about the drone, the guys from Cornwall are all added, as well as Araceli and Lola, Ricky has had a phone call from Eldar Seth's daughter asking to meet us, after a message from her mother and seeing us on the news again."
"Do you want me to handle that..."
Angel held a finger up, "And Ricky is asking if he can have an interview with Claire or myself." Kat raised her eyebrows, "Do you want to do that, or let Claire take it this time?"
"I'll get him over to my work and do it there." Angel replied.
"Not a bad idea."
Angel's phone pinged again, "Claire is saying it's probably not the best idea for her to do an interview given she's FBI, and she's getting a bit of flack officially over being active with us again."
"Shit, " Kat muttered, " I hadn't thought of that, I'll need to talk with everyone I work with, let them know."
"Is there a chance you could do it in a zoom call?" Angel asked.
"That group chat video call thing?" Kat answered with a question, not having used the app yet.
"That's the one, really handy for team meetings and stuff."
"I don't think I should, security and what not, and it might put some boomer noses out of joint that I'm doing it all at once rather than ringing specifically to let them know that before I told anyone else." Kat paused, "I'm going to have to spend a morning scheduling calls, to spend a day making calls." Angel looked on in quiet support. "Urgh!" Kat moaned, she stomped her a foot a little as well, in exasperation.
Angel patted her on the head, "There, there," she offered, she put on a Mary Poppins type of accent before carrying on, "soonest begun, sooner done. " she dropped back to her natural accent," Go home, have a glass of wine and start scheduling phone calls." They chatted about a few more things before Kat drove home, leaving the t-shirts and hats on the dining table for the girls to find and made a start on dinner, while the pasta was cooking she started with the first round of phone calls.
Far Away, the next morning.
Morven paused before she knocked on the door to the building and looked around the homes near the wizard's house, there weren't any overt signs of damage or recent repairs, which suggested this one either knew what they were doing when it came to potions or was a total book wizard, Beatrice looked nervous, wringing her hands and shuffling her hooves as Morven knocked on the door, the apprentice answered.
"You're a little early the Great Wizard Muth is still preparing for the appointment." Morven felt the usual tingle as one of the creatures on this side brushed the surface layer of her thoughts to borrow a name, "I'm Homer," it told them. Beatrice snorted, trying to work out if it was the Ancient Greek writer or a Simpsons reference that Morven had been thinking at that moment, "but you can come in and wait as she'll not be long."
Beatrice ducked through the door first with Morven following.
Homer brought them both a drink and dissappeard again, fading out in a haze of blue sparkles.
A door opened and a bored voice called out, "Come in."
They walked into the next room, a young looking wizard sat across the room behind a desk and watched with studied (dis) interest as Beatrice negotiated the door. "I don't see Minotaurs very often, free ones are even rarer to come across, " She looked at Morven, "and I've never met a human before, but the crows have spoke very highly of you when I asked them who you were." She pushed some parchment across the desk towards Beatrice, " That's what I know about Minotaurs, it's not much, I'm afraid and most of it the crows told me. I do know more about the Warlord."
Beatrice took the pages and looked at them, then Handed them to Morven,"I still struggle to read, it takes time with my mish-mashed brain for none combat details to sink in. Tell me about the castle." Morven didn't really listen to what was said, as she focused on reading the parchment for her friend. The crows had told Muth that Minotaurs seemed to come from 1 city that was a major source for the slave trade and magical activity, there were reports of Minotaurs coming off boats in chains, but more seemed to be a coming from the place than been shipped in, which suggested captive breeding. The slave markets tended to be flooded with buyers from the various Warlords when there was a large supply of Minotaurs available. The last point noted that female minotaurs made up only a small amount of the observed population.
Morven looked up and saw the glowing representation of the castle that Muth has conjured on the desk.
"This is because it owes me big, and the crows say I should help you."
"The crows?" Beatrice asked.
"Yes, they like you two. You provide good eating in the majority of places you've been too.." Muth replied, smiling. "They would also like a word, there's one out the back who's waiting for the human." Muth nodded at Morven and pointed to a door in the corner of the room," Follow the corridor it's the door facing you at the end." Muth informed her, Morven stood to leave, folding the paper and putting it in a pouch on a knife scabbard." 2 things, for payment I'd like you to show me how you made your hand, and I'll help you take down the Warlord."
Morven paused," It's mostly jewellery techniques with a gold, silver and iron alloy."
"Iron? I do have some, but it's not the easiest material for my kind to work with."
"Are you hoping for something like this?" Morven held up her sapphire hand, "Or just something decorative?" She asked.
"I'd like something as useful as your hand." She replied.
"I'll need to go back to the tavern and find the particular set of notes. Can I borrow something to write with?" Morven asked, Muth pushed over a quill and paper, Morven picked up the quill, dipped it in ink and sketched out the links with the dimensions, "You'll need to make more than 30 of these molds," holding up her blue hand and moving the fingers, she pulled another sheet and sketched out the wrist joint, the radius, ulna on a second, the elbow on a 3rd and humorous on a 4th, "Do you need the shoulder strapping? You being a wizard I'm sure you know a decent leather worker who can sort that out for you?"
"I do." Muth replied, smiling ruefully as she looked at the pages, and cast a cantrip to visualise the joints and bones, while Beatrice studied the castle for attack vectors and weak points.
"Am I okay to go and talk to the crows, while you 2 look at... stuff?" When no one replied, Morven opened the door and followed the corridor to an outside door. Opening it she stepped threw into a walled garden, herds and strange plants grew in spended profusion up the walls and across several raised beds. A large crow stood on one of the frames eyeing up a plant that Morven thought might be parsley or coriander.
"I hear you wanted a word with me?" She asked the crow.
It jumped and looked around at her, tilting it's head to look at her first with one eye then the other. " We do, we have even heard that you are planning on leaving."
"It's a goal now, and it's not exactly a secret as I've been hunting for a way home since I healed."
The crow bobbed up and down and looked at her with its left eye, "What changed that makes you think you can cross back over?" it asked.
"This new series of Rifts seems to offer a good chance of getting back across. Certainly better than what has felt like nearly 20 years of side quests." She answered, "Why is this of interest to you, specifically and generally?"
"Quick and selfish answer is we get good eating when you're around, longer and more complicated answer goes along the lines of there isn't anyone that does what you 2 are doing for the reason you are doing it, no one is doing good for the sake of making things better for their fellow beings, it's Warlord against Warlord here. You are going to be missed by the innocent bystanders, some of them even have human blood."
"Are you trying to appeal to a higher notion? Some kind of shared heritage with the survivors of various mass abductions, the targeted kidnappings and the random wanderer that find there way over, even now?" She asked the bird.
It walked along the woodwork and looked at the soil,"Frankly, yes.." it said before poking at the soil.
Morven crossed her arms, "Given an option I'd settle for a way to keep fighting the good and being able to see my mum and dad, my sister and my friends, but this is an either or situation, I leave for good and everything carries on as it has always done here, with the Seelie and Unseelie fighting skirmish after skirmish with no winner in sight or we stay and do so little that in this, " she snorted as she remembered a line from a book she'd read years before," whole general mish mash, very little is actually changed for anyone that's not a Warlord for more than a month before the next dick head muscles in."
"You are doing the most concentrated good in generations here, and we hope you'll stay and carry that on."
"There's no guarantee that this will work, we might not make it in time, we might not be able to get across, we might have to fight through a sizable army on this side to get to the Rift. There are a lot of things that can go wrong between us having this conversation and me hugging my mum and dad again."
"Well if your mind is set, let us at least help you a little," the crow called out and another crow flew over the garden wall and landed on the raised bed near Morven, this one has a key in it's beak, she held out her hand and the crow dropped the key into her hand," that's the key for the western sallie port, one of my murder will show you the way when you attack. I'm guessing you aren't going straight from here?" the first crow asked.
Morven looked up from the key, "No I'd like to be wearing the armour that works, not a nice light jacket when attacking a Warlord, but we'd better not wait to long, I'm sure they'll have heard we are in town by now."
She thought briefly about what was the best plan of attack, now they had a access to a relatively unguarded way in. "Thank you, " She said to the crow, waving the key at it, "maybe you ought to come in with me, so we can coordinate stratagy?" Morven suggested as she walked towards the door.
I finally got around to starting the Blade Guard Veterans squad, I thought I had 6 of these but I found I only had 5, so I ordered parts for one from ebay.
I spent a bit of time on this one, removing the arm and cleaning up under the shoulder so I could get that sword arm to fit.
Just waiting for number 6 to land before I can move forward with the squad, also ordered 5 bases for the squad to be mounted on, number 6 will be green stuffed and sculpted to match the cobble stone bases I've ordered.
10 Terminators and 10 Intercessors and Azreal, I'm okay with that. I'm struggling to get my hands on The Lion, my usual store are only going to get 5 copies and better customers than I am have requested those. I'm going to try the website on Saturday and if, as I expect will happen, I miss it, I'm going to have to resort to travelling around the North West of England looking for a box, probably Wigan first, then Bolton, then Preston, mostly because the Wigan to Bolton bus stops at the same stop that's meters from the Wigan GW store, that I'd be using to get home.
So plans for next month...
Well while I had the Terminators box out to base line my collection I have 75 Terminators in various types of armour, 15 Blade Guard Veterans with 6 more to build here which will take me to 94, then if I'm lucky and get what I'm after on Saturday I'll have 3 more Blade Guard Veterans, taking me to 99,and with the revamped 10th ed Terminators that I want 5 to make the Knights with and 5 more to replace 5 scratch builds I'm using will take me to over a 100 strong First Company. I'm tacking that on to my yearly target.
There's also the heavy Intercessors, the missile marines and the Brutalis dread to build, Warhammer Fest to attend and it's ever shifting shopping list, which I can start firming up this Saturday if I can get The Lion on pre-order.
Okay firm to do list (subject to change)
6 Blade Guard Veterans
5 Heavy Intercessors
10 Missile Marines
Brutalis Dreadnought, it's a coin toss if this will be the start of the Blood Angels Dreadnought army or going into the The Lion's Blades.
Review Time.
The first thing in the monthly challenge was a Facebook group challenge to paint a yellow miniature. I used a Phobos Lieutenant and got zero votes...
Next up was this little guy, I used several washes of the crimson wash in an effort to get the look of the Watchers on The Lion's base.
Next up was a practice for Azrael and The Lion, I used various metallic paints as a base, then used black templar contrast, trying to get a look like the Lion's armour. This one failed.
Next up was another practice attempt for The Lion, this time I used a Dark Angels green base coat with 3 getting a a black templar contrast and 3 nuln oil washes. They were all given a Dark Angels green high light. This wasn't quite right either.
There isn't a plan for this squad, it'll be used to fill any gaps in squads that have been damaged in storage, when I can get the 5th Company box out for a proper check.
I touched up the Cataphractii bases, forgetting to get a photo of them, used one of the spare heads to fix the missing head on the Indomitus pattern here, the Tartarus with the sword is now a strike master, this will be worked on at a later point, I frankly need to absord the entry in the codex as when I got it, I just ignored this option.
This was the point I realised I am so close to having a full first Company. With the new Terminators I want to get 10, 5 to turn into Deathwing Knights and 5 to replace a scratch built squad. Unsure if I'll pick up the Horus Heresy pattern Indomitus Terminators unless it's new sculpts.
And last but by no means least we have Primaris Azrael.
The robes had a Coelia Greenshade wash treatment as did the banner.
