A/N: Greetings, this is my first completely warhammer fantasy story. It stars three of my five favorite races in the Warhammer World, you'll be finding out about which ones though as you read through the story. This will be a three part one shot based on my first, that's right, my first warhammer fantasy battle back in April of 2012. This story is similar to Star Wars as its taken out of continuity with the middle being the start. After this one shot though I don't know whether or not I'll continue into the future or go from the beginning… maybe hop around, who knows. Anywho I hope you enjoy this first part and who knows you might have visual aids in the form of my painted armies on my DA profile. Now onto the story!
Also I own the plot and characters to this story, not the World of Warhammer
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Gordi Bran, Thane of Karak Umgi Urbar, second son of King Gringal Ironshod and leader of an expedition of dwarfs to check on a small colony of engineers, now knew he was betrayed. He looked out onto the small dwarf colony from the second story of 'The Skarrenruf' inn. The building, like every other one in the colony Zak Vorn, was made of the same grey stone that coated the Tilian mountain sides south of the vaults, but besides the main forge that the engineers had built this was the only building with a second floor. This made it the best place for his dwarfs to stay at outside of one of the three towers defending the colony, not to mention this was the only place with any good beer in it's cellars.
Over all the colony of Zak Vorn looked to be a model of a small recently built dwarven town, with a small mine cut into the mountainside that kept the forge running with its deposits of iron and new stone buildings. But that was where the similarities ended. On the inside of the town things were very much different, the mine that produced so much iron for the weapons forge was not run by dwarven miners, but instead by slave labor bought by the same weapons the forged produced. This was not the first thing that raised eyebrows and caused some serious grumbling from Gordi's longbeards. The first being that when he and his small expedition entered the colony they could see the runes on the gates of the town were… wrong. 'To scraggily, sharp and shoddy' his friend Dordy Hardshield, leader of the longbeards, had told him. Next was the custom of dress in the town, unlike the dwarfs of Umgi Urbar, who wore green shirts and trousers with red trim, all the dwarven of the town wore deep purple and black robes. Even other dwarven colonies wouldn't change their manner of dress in such a way so quickly from their parent holds, let alone just in the past century.
Then the final piece of evidence, showing that this colony had something wrong with it, appeared when Gordi and his longbeards went to Loki Sootshooter's home, a master engineer and leader of the colony, too feast. While the Prospector Snorri and his miners were inspecting Zak Vorn's mines and the other dwarfs were taking care of their cannon and luggage, Gordi was watching human slaves filling his tankard and put a freshly roasted boar onto the table in front of him.
It was the slaves that caught Gordi's attention and made him realize that there was something truly wrong with this colony. Dwarves hated slave labor, normally a dwarf would work with the sweat of his brow and have pride in his work rather than be forced, or in this case have a human forced, to do it. He turned to Loki, who like many of his fellow Vornians had dressed in black and purple robes but this time with bright red flames at the hem, and asked." I noticed that you have human… workers here. Would you tell me how they came to live here?"
Loki grinned lopsidedly and said." These humans? Bah, they are nothing. We've been collecting them over the years. They come here starving and with no money, so when we give them food they can't pay for it, so we have them work till they can work off the dept." It was Dordy who with a raised bushy eyebrow asked." A lot of humans get lost up here then?" Loki laughed and took several heavy gulps from his tankard before replying." You could say that, we catch a few raiding parties that make it up here. Better to have them work off the dept for their lives then worry about them returning with bigger throngs."
Gordi looked around the hall, a lot of the humans were not warriors, not unless human armies had suddenly just let women join their ranks." Hmm, might I ask where did the women come from?" Gordi questioned." They were camp followers and the soldiers wives and daughters." 'And they had nothing to do with trying to take this colony', Gordi sliently added to himself. He had to find out what in the name of the ancestors what was going on. He then smiled and remembered something he had learned from a human friend." That is very interesting… might I barrow one of the serving girls for my stay here… I developed a certain, appreciation of human females on my travels a few years back." Dordy's beer flew out of his mouth as he did a spit take and Loki looked absolutely shocked at what he had just heard from the Thane. Slowly a smirk appeared on the engineers face." Of course, you can take any that you're interested in." Dordy slammed his foot down onto Gordi's toes and pulled the thane aside." I know you just past a hundred a few years and I was horny as Halfling in spring, but that's going to far… my lord. A human, are you insane?" Gordi then pushed the longbeard away and told him." You may be older than me by three hundred years, but you are not to question your betters. Do you understand Dordy Hardshield?" Gordi glared at his friend… giving a quick wink before turning back Loki." I must apologize for my Longbeard's outburst. I'll be sure to remind him of his place when I return to rest at the inn."
Loki's chestnut beard parted, exposing his… not-quite dwarf like teeth." Ah of course my lord." Gordi nodded and said." Right time to feast and clear the bad air in the room." He raised up his tankard and shouted." Anyone else up for a drinkin' contest!" There were cheers from the native dwarfs of Zak Vorn while the longbeards grumbled about the outlandish attitude their lord was expressing towards his elder.
After a night of feasting Gordi retired with his longbeard routine and a very young human girl who shook violently from nervousness, after all the she was going to be taken by a dwarf, who was even taller than she, this evening. It was a surprise to her and a mild one when Dordy that they found themselves in the same room as Gordi, with the thane apologizing to his friend and then starting to question the girl. It took an hour of convincing and promises that the Gordi or any of his dwarfs would hurt her till she started to tell her tale.
Her name was Koraline and she was originally from the Empire. Last year she was traveling with her family on their merchant ship when they were attacked by Arabyan slavers, her mother had died in the attack but she and her father survived though they were enslaved. While she and her father were being shipped up the Black Gulf, her father told her how he noticed that the weapons the Arabyans carried were not of human origin. The axes and guns on their ship were clearly dwarven made, including the remains of an organ gun that blew up when it fried at Koraline's ship. Then they were put to shore and forced to march through the border princes, till they reached this place. Here the slavers traded with the dwarves, giving them slaves for a new organ gun and handguns. The last time she saw her father was six months ago when they were separated, the older women and all the men going into the mines while she remained to do house work for Loki.
When Koraline was asked if she knew how the slavers and dwarves knew each other she said that it was because the dwarves had originally caught the slavers looking for escaped prisoners. Then made a deal, weapons for souls." I smell the stench of Chaos lad." Dordy said to Gordi." Loki seems to have gotten in his hea-". Suddenly the door burst open with Snorri lowering a leg, he walked into the room his helmet under one arm and his face covered in a mask of fury." My lord." He said as he came to a stop in front of Gordi." I request that we blow up the mines here, release all the slaves being kept here against their will and flatten the colony to the ground. This place is tainted."
'Lad will make a good longbeard if he can complain like that.' Dordy thought with an approving stare." Tell me what you saw Snorri." Gordi asked, taking a seat by the window, it was a long march and an even longer night, he needed to rest." Very well. The first thing I saw when I walked into the mine was that there was piles of rotting food, when I asked what it was for one of the engineers said it was for the workers. When I said no dwarf should be forced to eat that he laughed me off and said that I should go in further and see the workers. When I was walking into the mine I saw something else, the mine was shoddy, I mean it was the worst thing I ever saw made by dwarves. The roof was being held up by only rotten wooden beams. Not stone or metal, but by wood!" He practically shouted, his nostrils flared as he took in deep breaths, his chest heaving like a bellows. It took him a few moments till he was calm enough to continue." Then we reached the mines proper and there were… hundreds of them. Hundreds of humans chained together and held on leashes like dogs. Poor bastards, they were all hollowed eyed…." There was a sound like a rock slide coming from Snorri's mouth as he grit his teeth together." I saw Dwarfs whipping the humans, forcing them to work, kissing their boots… sir I also saw the humans forced to worship the Zak Vorn's like gods. Please for the love of Grungi destroy this place." Koraline's head dropped down and she covered her eyes as she began to cry. Her father was now forced to do all those things if he was still alive.
Dordy rested a hand on Snorri's shoulder." Lad I don't think we can…. Not unless you have something that can stop a cannon ball." He then pointed out the window to one of its towers. Instead of its cannon being turned outwards against attack, the gun was turned inwards aimed directly at the inn." Rutz!" Snorri exclaimed as he looked down the cannon barrel. Gordi sighed as he realized that Loki did not intend to let him or his dwarves out of Zak Vorn. He, his people and his hold had been betrayed… he gripped his rune encrusted hammer and drew it." Today, I swear by this hammer that Loki Sootshooter will die by this weapon. It may not be today, but he will be slain. I promise the ancestors this." The runes in the weapon glowed a light blow in response to the oath.
" That's all well and good Gordi, but old runes won't do much against a cannon ball." Dordy told his friend." No it won't… but it's a start." Gordi closed his windows shutters and leaned back. He took out a silver pipe from underneath his beard and used a flintlock lighter to light his tobacco." We have some planning to do…." He took a puff of smoke and began to think." We can't get out of this inn without raising the alarm…." He looked at Dordy and Snorri." Dordy, Snorri I need a count of how many dwarfs we have with us, also what are their specializations. I need you to get the numbers from Kadrin, Belegar and talk to Grimmer about that cannon he brought along, see if it's in good condition. Then bring all three of them up to this room." Dordy and Snorri nodded, now wasn't the time for emotions it was a time for preparing for war… against their own kind." I'll talk to Koraline a little more, there are some questions I still need answered. Now go, there isn't much time."
The two dwarfs left the room leaving Gordi alone with Koraline who was still crying. He watched her for a moment before walking over to his personal ale stash, which was conviently brought up to his room. Gordi took out a tankard and poured about a quarter cup into the container, from a small cask. He then walked over to Karoline and put a hand on her shoulder." Here drink this lass, it'll calm your nerves." The girl took the heavy tankard into her hands and lifted up to her mouth. She drowned the tankard in one gulp, then immediately slumped over asleep." Sorry lass, you need this though you'll have a hell of a hangover when you wake up." Gordi carried Koraline over to his bed and tucked her in. He then went back over to his gear and pulled out his map, pistol and a small mirror. Of the three items he pulled out the mirror was the only one not made by the hands of dwarfs. This item had been found 15 years ago before when he was still an adventurer and hadn't taken up his responsibilities as Thane. He had won it when he and a band of mercenary's raided a forgotten elven city to the southern border princes.
Gordi lifted up his pistol to study it. The stock was that of wutroth with a brass butt, the barrel of pistol being of fine steel free of engraving, finally the flintlock mechanism was the most decorated of all. A brass dragon serving as the hammer, with a steel dwarven warrior holding up a shield as the frizzen. He sighed and loaded the pistol, knowing that the next time he'll use it would be against his own kind instead of a goblin or a skaven. Gordi shook his head when he finished loading,' what could of made this colony fall? Why do they look like… our dark cousins." He reflected setting the gun down onto the table.
The young thane then picked up his map to inspect the possible routes of escaped for his expedition force. He had to think beyond that of a dwarf general fighting against a greenskin, skaven or elf. That wouldn't serve him now, not against his own, albeit corrupted, kin. Gordi's expedition was outnumbered as well, at least two maybe three to one. If it was any other army… well besides dwarfs or ogres, he could take those odds out on the open battle field. But his army was confined and had guns trained on them, they would be slaughtered if they try to escape, there was no way they would be able to make it past the walls.
Gordi went back to the map, putting aside the thought of 'if' he would be able to get his small army out to 'when'. He looked at the map, remembering what the ground looked like beyond the map and Zak Vorn. Gordi thought about how fast they could march and that of the Vorians. When they got past the guards they would have at most a three hour head start, maybe more if the Vorians use their steam tractor to take some artillery pieces. Though that would give his dwarfs a head start at first they would be facing the Vorians much quicker…. He looked at the map and used his fingers to size up the scale. Two days march dragging along the cannon before his men had to rest, that was the maximum time he had for his march, it also gave him an estimate on how far his dwarfs can move. He looked at the terrain and saw there were only two choices. The first being a mountain pass to the east that he and his expedition had traveled through on their way to Zak Vorn. The problem with that was when the Vorians arrived he and his army would be sitting geese for concentrated cannon fire.
Gordi then looked looked at the map again, his second choice was a dilapidated Tilian village to the west. The village was placed in and around foothills, and there was a stone tower he was sure they could put the cannon in. The problem being that the land was also open as well so they could flank him…. Or he could flank them? Tilea is a land of mercenaries after all, in fact he was one for some time before becoming a thane. He had watched and understood the importance of cavalry in a few battles.
But the big difference between those battles and this coming fight was that he was not in contact with any mercenaries… though that didn't mean he couldn't have someone else get into contact and contracts with the hired swords. He looked over at his elven mirror and after a moments thought shook his hairy head, there would be time enough for a conversation with Robbio after he had made plans with his lieutenants.
As he turned these plans and more over in his head, his five lieutenants walked into the room. Gordi nodded to them." Dwarfs, we need to plan our escape."
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Part 1 of 3 end.