Review:
Guest 1: scanning, W.O.W Identified, Wonderfully Omega Writings identified.
Guest 2: Oh you know that curse helped a shit ton. But on point two it's a matter of perspective, I mean they Blood Elves have to have been either entirely brain dead, under a cultural delusion of betrayal, see Germany blaming the Jews and Bankers and non-National Socialist party businesses for their loss of the Great War as opposed to blaming the batshit insane political manouvers of their Kaiser and the failures of their military command. The Blood Elves to have signed on to the Horde and then remained with the Horde would have had to either have been extremely betrayed by the Alliance, like "we're going to commit mass genocide the moment these elves show their faces" type, be a species of NPCs who have no free will and only do what shallow uncaring programmers with absolutely no writing skills say, OR be under the cultural delusion of betrayal and then further delusion that the people who were eating their parent's intestines just a couple short years ago and formed their state litterally by betraying everyone around them are totally trustworthy allies...like the Italians during a World War.
Back in the day I really ranted and raved on how the Draenei had more reason to trust the Orcs who shared mutual hate of the demons and histoical redemption/liberation story the Draenei could get behind rather than what they had to trust the Night Elves who their best example of pulled a "more like under new management" on them.
But that's the past. But with everything that happened, you got to assume their must be some severe cultural weariness and surrender mixed with heavy propaganda and then the last several years of history with the Horde to explain why the Blood Elves wouldn't just say "fuck this sit I'm out" and declare neutrality or straight switch sides.
Guest 3: But MLP Rainbow friendship beams aren't mind control because only bad guys do that. You know the Alliance would try and then get burned and the Empire would be sitting there going, "we told you so" even the Norscan's don't have many redemption stories and they're full on open to the idea of someone dropping Tzeentch for their Raven God who is tooootally a different god.
Guest 4: As i was saying to Guest 2, it's a perspective and cultural delusion issue. To the Elves he's a unredeemable racist prick, to the Forsaken he was a idiotic pawn. To the people of Lordaeron he was their best shot of salvaging their nation from the Undead and Legion threats and instead the High Elves after denying refugees bailed on him and then the Forsaken went back on their word and murdered him. But to the High Elves they did nothing wrong...much like how the Night Elves at least used think their persecution of others is always justified. And I'm sorry but you don't get multiple seperate states that are all diplomatically hostile, or even straight militarily hostile towards you, formed of your own population without some propaganda or persecution taking place.
Guest 5: The Vamps have plenty there and yeah it's a weird mix of politics and blood aince they share the essence of who they are through it.
Guest 6: Some are...others are batshit insane...and others are tools of terrible writers. But Avenah might have met one and never known.
Guest 7: Boris might not live much longer. And you know the followers of the Light with the attitude the Light sort of ingrains in most the canon characters will mean well but just come off as assholes.
Ironwall: Dont get too used to it, that particular pace is harder for me to keep up and i do eventually want to go back to reformat and fix my major errors.
But the Vampire and Witch Hunters... yeah, Void Elves and Warlocks are already basically wrongfully persecuted or Essentially chaos worshippers of WoW already. I don't think they'd be to happy to learn of the current one's existence.
Random Anon: Alyzz just trying to do her best. And for the last paragraph if you don't know who they are from the context clues, you'll be in for a huge treat.
Hakuryuu: Sorry I was just acting in good humor. You are spot on with Gelt, but they're taking the river, which the river through Mordheim is the River Stir, so yeah it's a round about path... if you look at it the Empire has an absurd amount of rivers because the Riek itself is almost certainly wider than the Amazon if i remember. I mean naval warships are able to dock on tributary rivers going into the Riek all the way in Altdorf over 100 miles in a straight line to Marienburg who is still not even properly in the bay. And those tributary rivers don't even show on the maps and are lucky to show up as properly listed on the wiki.
The Pandaren Might visit, but they will likely first be looking for how to reach Cathay considering the Ivory Road Merchants would have never gotten to see them in time.
WarNob123: We all know they didn't survive, as for whose coming. "Next time on..."
KillerKaung: I have a "keep it simple" policy, I'll make use of deep fiction reseach, actual scientific papers etc, but I want to make sure people can actually read what I'm writing rather than learn klingon first. besides apparently doesn't include Klingon as a recognized language.
Lost in Darkness
Launchalot Bloodfeeder smiled as widely as his nearly rotted off lips would allow as he handed the seal stamped paper to his two living companions. Both of whom looked on in shock as the paper waved in front of them. Disbelieving Gin snatched the paper from the Undead's hands.
"Gin Wallkeep and Zannae Sunguard are hereby released from their previous command within the Horde military...yadda yadda yadda...hereby reassigned to serve as Bloodguard Lieutenants of Legionair Commander Launchalot Bloodfeeder! Yeah this has to be... forming the command staff of the thirty member Sunset Expedition, Signed Captain Kitala Starshadow." The Orc pulled back from the sheet of paper. "By the spirits this paper's real...you still have to be shiting me, how'd you pull this out of your rotting ass?"
Gin focused on the Undead Knight, now his immediate superior. Meanwhile Zannae just looked between the two and started clapping. "Gotta say you've done good for yourself Bloodfeeder, and you even managed to get Gin and I an spot of recognition. Very impressive, but certainly this isn't a unit of just us three?"
"No, thats the best part, we're in charge of a full thirty man task force. The Sunset Expedition, We're going to be making the history books we'll be as famous as Wrey or the Nihlilum team who first brought down Kel'thuzad. The Warchief herself will be the origin of our orders." The Undead cheered to his two companions.
"Ok well who are these other twenty seven guys that are going to be joining us? Don't tell me we have to recruit these guys for your lazy ass." Gin asked skeptically.
"I already did most the work, comprised a list of who I wanted from the available garrison and arriving forces. How about you both take a look and give your...feedback. I'm certain this list will be the best possible team." Launchalot both boasted and provided as he pulled out another paper from his satchel, one clearly writen in his less aestheticly pleasing penmanship.
"Let's see, four priests evenly Orc and Elf and two shaman healer Trolls. Six Undead assassins and three Undead Hunters? Three Tauren totem Warriors? A pair of Undead Warlocks?! Three Blood Elf Mages. Two Tauren Paladins?? A Orc Death Knight! And a bloody Demon Hunter? Launchalot how the fuck did you make this list, are you sure they'll even follow us?" Gin asked while reading the list aloud.
At his side Zannae put a comforting hand on the Orc's shoulder. "Lets go get a drink to celebrate, and deal with the recruitment and coordination of everything after alright. I'll pay for your drink."
Gin just scoffed. "Like you have enough money to drown my sorrows. I just learned I lost any chance to be the first Horde to hook up with a woman here."
"I'm certain there's plenty of other things we can do here Gin." Zannae chuckled leading the Orc away while handing the sheet back to Launchalot. "I'm excited to see how all this turns out. I don't know but I've gotten very fond of working with you both so let's see how far we can go."
Launchalot just smirked. "We're going to go to the top that's where. Top of the world and beyond!"
With that the Undead's two new Lieutenants walked away side by side while their newly minted commander rushed off to prepare for the recruitment process, he wouldn't allow himself to slow down now, now was the time to strike while the iron was hot!
Now was time for caution. Unlike the advice of his worthless Castellans, and even the damnable Eternal who still now loomed behind him like a executioner waiting for permission to swing, Ghozul was still someone of sound mind and not stupid enough to be edged on by some brainless Goblin Chief. If he could Ghozul would just kill the whole lot of them for a some peace but he knew far better than waste tools provided to him by the clan's own Prophet.
Besides tools were supposed to be used until broken, not discarded just because you dislike the look of them. Still the pace of the army's advance was too quick for his liking. The foes were almost certain to be Orks aligned with Ogres if the surviving scouts had been accurate. This meant that likely the moment the brainless foes spotted his army they'd be coming at him with every ounce of their idiotic enthusiasm and with that the further from the fortress his army was when they sallied forth the more of the drolling idiots he could add to the cages, the greater the number of slaves he'd return home with.
But even with a promise of a great catch of slaves and the destruction of a potential threat to the soon-to-be resurgent Empire of Zharr Naggrund, keeping his army both orderly and disciplined enough throughout all of it's ranks to ensure no fool pushed the pace too quick was a tiring task.
Still the Overlord knew, he couldn't delay any longer, despite the blind stupidity of these Orks still not scouting and finding his army yet tomorrow there would be no doubt their scouts would find his army, and by mid-day at the current pace his army would be close enough that he could even start considering siege options for the fortress. For now the supply caravan and its guard would hang back further from his army, hopefully hiding his current stock of slaves and species suprises and prized weapons and warriors until after he needed them.
With his eternal scowl he looked over the ranks of greenskins as well as their overseers who formed his main battle line, as well as his flanking forces tired, insulted, and humiliated to be skulking to the far flanks of the army but nonetheless the vital element of his plan.
"Forward!" The Overlord grunted, the order soon echoing from dozens of mouths and even followed by whip cracks. The Army now moved out in formation again overseers and task masters keeping the whole arrangement at a steady pace, one that was still too eager for Ghozul's liking. "Hopefully these idiots aren't too stupid to recognize a camp fire when they see one." He grunted to the Eternal and Immortals bodyguard who now loomed at his back, ready to kill him at the first signs of disloyalty.
"Aka'Magosh. Captain Kitala Starshadow, We have the morning report from the scouts, also reports from Peons working on the outer wall." The voice was lively, one of the Orcs who had recently joined the Crimson Post.
"Thankyou Blood Guard. Report." The Dark Ranger Captain responded.
"We've detected smoke suggesting a large encampment several miles away. We're also seeing signs of a large mass heading our way, likely another convoy or a army." The Orc replied.
"And the Scouts report?" The Undead demanded.
"As per orders we've kept our distance, but all evidence suggests it to be a army marching here in battle line formation. At their current pace they'll be here before mid-day." The Orc responded.
This caused the Dark Ranger to slam her fist on the table. "We only have a few hours then and no real clue what's coming?" The Undead turned to her subordinate. "Sound the alert. Prepare the warriors. We'll need to scout this foe before they attack us, if they are a foe. Get the Wolf Raiders ready, also get the fleetest of the Troll Headhunters ready they'll serve as the rearguard."
"Dabu." The Orc turned to leave but was once again stopped.
"Wait, get the Sunset Expedition, they might only be gathered just now, but this should work as a decent first outing for them. Make them serve as the reserve for the Headhunters. It might be a little extra redundant but I want upmost caution."
"Zug Zug."
"Alright line up!" Launchalot ordered and Gin, Zannae and every last member of the newly formed Sunset Expedition gathered forming two haphazard lines. The last members of the Expedition had been officially inducted into the group only a hour ago, yet now Sir Bloodfeeder already had their first mission. In his long stopped heart joy enough to cause it to beat again leapt about, surely Command knew he was worthy, and this would quickly earn him the attentions of Sylvanas.
"I'll try to keep everything simple. Look about you, everyone here is a member of the newly formed Sunset Expedition..." Gin raised his hand interrupting the Undead Knight.
"What?" The question was barely not growled out.
"Does that include the Peons on the wall behind us." The Orc asked with a cheeky grin and earning a laugh from most of those assembled.
"No. Erhrm. We thirty have been selected to serve as the Horde's elite vanguard in this world, establishing contact and providing military aid to our on world allies. Everyone here is the best, and the Horde will expect usbto provide the best possible outcome with each mission. Normally I would be encouraged to provide time for us to all learn to work together and for us all to intigrate as a team." Launchalot smiled out at the assembly.
With a big step back the Undead loudly proclaimed. "But command thinks too highly of us I guess. We already have been given a mission. I'm still preparing mounts for anyone who doesn't have one ready, but we're going to serve as a reserve for a aggressive patrol's rear guard. Trollish Headhunters will serve as the main rear guard which if they need to the Wolf Raiders will fall back to. One Hundred Raiders will be relying on us and sixty Headhunters to hold as their point of retreat if need be. Depending on the situation we will either be assisting with battlefield cleanup, falling back to the fortress, or Death forbid settling the mistake of misinterpreting another peaceful first encounter for something a little more hostile."
Following the Forsaken Knight's explanation a cheer of varying enthusiasm went over the members of the group. Even while he had been speaking Zannae had assessed the group and hoped they could hold up as a group as well as each individual looked like they could on their own. Many of the members looked like they could put up quite the fight on their own, even the priests looked to have had a lot of front line experience with even the Elf Priests having scars and plenty of muscle as far as the Blood Knight could see under their robes and armor.
And then everything became a wash of activity, quickly all thrity members found themselves on mounts, though many of them seemed rather uncomfortable or out of place on theirs where Launchalot looked like he could fight all day from atop his mount. Ahead of them sixty Trolls rode on raptors and ahead of them one hundred Wolf Raiders with fully armored wolves rushing ahead.
On mounts the ride to intercept whatever was coming only took a couple hours. However the terrain meant that the scouting force couldn't catch sight of the oncoming force until they had closed much closer.
However eventually news was sent back down the line. Immediately the headhunters all dismounted, their leader telling Launchalot that they were entrusting their mounts to the Sunset Expedition. With a reassurance from the Forsaken the Trolls left their mounts and the company began to dismount themselves. just visible now was what had been coming. What looked to be a force what were locally described as Greenskins with Orks leading the march.
Launchalot began to speak to the other members of the company as they worked on securing the various mounts. "The Wolf Raiders will go forward and confront these Greenskins. If we can't deter them from fighting, the Wolf Raiders should be able to disrupt their ranks and the Headhunters will start reaping casualties against any Greenskins who attempt to pursue the Wolf Raiders. Once they thin the ranks they'll fall back here, to the foothills, and we'll stage a retreat to Crimson Post. Once there we'll stage another field skirmish in the valley just before the fortress before retreating back inside. From there we should have more than enough firepower to deal with a force like the Greenskins based off the reports we recieved from our Liason with the Alliance's Pioneers." Launchalot explained to his comrades as the Trolls eventually stopped running after the Wolves taking up their own fighting positions.
Instead of pressing forward or any of the behaviors crudely ascribed to them by the likely racist humans of some western Empire the Ork army stopped, each member holding, roughly, to their ranks. The Raiders rode forward and though Launchalot was not yet aware a battle had already begun.
Ghozul looked out past his army, his vision limited by his position towards the rear. A much smaller force than he had hoped to come had sallied forth from the Ork fortress. But there certainly was value in this group, fully armored wolves carrying Orks, if he could capture and breed these wolves certainly they would be prized trading stock or rewards for loyal Hobgoblin allies and slaves. "Send word to the flanking forces, begin, but capture me those wolves, alive." The Overlord growled to a pair of Goblin runner slaves who immediately took off at a sprint.
Ghozul returned his focus on the front line where now one of the Armores Wolf Rider Orks was riding back and forth in front of the main battle lime shouting out challenges in Cathayan oddly enough. A clever Ork, but still as dumb as their race ever was apparently. The Hobgoblin Warchief rode forward from the mass of greenskin slaves under Ghozul shouting various curses and insults. However this Ork didn't seem to respond and instead sat and watched silently.
The Hobgoblin Still attempted to antagonize the Orc but it still sat uncomprehending.
Frustrated Ghozul leaned to another diminutive runner. "Hurry up, they can NOT catch scent of the trap before it has closed on them." The Overlord ordered, castung his gaze over the uneven terrain at the sides of the battlefield catching occasional glimpses of the metal armor of his warriors.
The Hobgoblin kept up his insults and talk until the Ork turned its head to shout to one of the others in a tounge that Ghozul had never heard before. As that Ork was speaking the Hobgoblin chieften whipped out his bow and snapped a quick arrow off which slipped past the Orks armor burying itself into the Ork's chest. After a silent tense moment the Ork roared in outrage and then with a cry of "Lok'Tar Ogar!" the Ork and its fellow Wolf Riders charged.
With the battle now begun, Ghozul simply smiled pulling out his flask for a drink of ale before settling back to observe the battle unfolding.
The Orc leader of the Wolf Raiders, Zigmum Deadlaugh looked at the arrow in his chest before shouting in rage and then crying the famed Orc warcry. Soon all one hundred Orcs under him responded with "Lok'Tar Ogar!" and with a enraged spuring the Orc, his wolf, and ninty-nine other riders all charged into the Greenskin lines. Swords as big as the Orc's weilding them were savagely brought down cleaving into the Orks of this world and the goblins around them as wolf claws and fangs tore into flesh and tore bone.
The Horde's Raiders tore into Greenskin lines, but the local Orks and Goblins tore back with equal enthusiasm, some even attacking their comrades just for a chance to fight the Azeroth champions before them. If not for potions and a few Raiders knowing shamanistic healing techniques the pure savagry of the celebrating and joyful local Greenskins would have surely killed a number of the Raiders.
Instead the Raiders were able to strike deep into the densely packed Orks and certainly earning their honors. Zigmum lead this battle with great pride knowing that most the Raiders here were veterans of many conflicts. With the Troll Headhunters now advancing to add their spears and Javalins to the battle Zigmum Deadlaugh considered attempting to break this Ork army entirely well before it could come into sight of Crimson Post.
Then the first rain of arrows fell onto the Raiders. A rain of arrows of all kinds, cruel misshapen barbs tore into exposed Raider skin, and Greenskins unfortunate enough to be too close to the fighting. Other arrows carried small jars instead of arrow heads, the Jars unleashing a toxic fume, poisonous insects or a few were linked together on odd nets. The greatest toll of these arrows was on the Greenskins own ranks, but many Raiders found themselves snared, weakened, or even killed by these weapons.
In response the Orc leader pulled back from the fighting to observe. These arrows were being fired from behind the Ork ranks by Goblins who stood taller than even a Dwarf, looking lanky and extremely cruel.
"War Leader, the sides!" A cry went to the Raider leader who snapped his view to the two flanks. He hadn't expected a ambush from the Local Greenskins, the reports stating that they dramatically preferred more direct conflicts. But now heavily armored warriors, no Dwarves, were marching in long lines to either side of the battle with the lanky Goblins ridding behind them on their own wolves looking to seal the gap in the rear.
"Retreat, break their encirclement, we can not allow them to reach Crimson Post so unblooded!" The Orc Leader proclaimed. Orc Raiders were known for being able to dart into and out of battle wearing down foes, they could not become bogged down, even as these Greenskins surged with a new wave of eager bloodlust if they remained they would certainly be all destroyed.
Swiftly Zigmum was signaling to the Headhunters to retreat. But the Headhunters were slow to obey, many still throwing spears trying to buy time for the Raiders only for the Wolf riders to then engage them, a mixture of the same cruel arrows and Hobgoblin riders with Bolas, barbed ropes, and nets clashed with the headhunters as a dense block of Dwarves closed from either side.
Cursing the sudden turn Zigmum Deadlaugh decided to lead by example his small unit charging the thin ranks of Dwarves, some of his leading Raiders plowing into the dwarves to be met by armor, hammer and shields, and a few leaping over where crossbow bolts and a Blunderbuss met their leaping. As a group the Raider war leader and his closest allies leapt the Dwarven line, only to be looking headlong into a small pintle mounted cannon with a grinning Dwarf behind the gun.
"Boom." It smirked, and after a blast of smoke Zigmum couldn't see the dwarf any more as his head and upper body had been shredded by canister shot from the cannon, which also killed the riders next to Zigmum and his own noble mount.
Launchalot watched as the battle began. The Trolls all surged forward as the battlecry of the Orcs echoed past the Sunset Expedition. Even as the Trolls rushed forward and even from where he was Launchalot could see the Greenskin line buckling a glint caught his eye. Quickly Sir Bloodfeeder turned his head toward the source of the light only to freeze for a moment in horror fulled realization. Hundreds of dwarves were emerging over mounds of earth and from bushes on either side of the battle and even odd Goblins on wolves were now rushing from the enemy flanks to join the closing wall of Dwarves, and the Headhunters still hadn't realized it yet!
"Zannae gather your men and guard the mounts, Gin gather yours and follow me! We need to keep the enemy from closing their trap, let's get our brothers out of there!" The Undead Knight ordered surging forward not even checking to ensure if his orders were being obeyed. He just had to trust that they were, because there was no time.
He rode into the fray already wolf riders were among the head hunters, some being dragged off with ropes wrapped around various parts, others dueling sword weilding Greenskins, and all around arrows of cruel design were falling. The toxins and poisons would be useless against Launchalot, but certainly they would be weakening the Trolls. So the Knight rode past his first foe, decapitating the cruel beast as it cackled over a pinned Troll.
"Come animals, come face me once more and die. All Green beasts who have ever dueled me lay dead!" Launchalot challenged while pulling off a Hobgoblin head, in response five arrows, two filled with toxins, two containing poisonous insects, and the last with a barbed tip all impacted the Undead across his chest.
The Undead Knight scowled and rushed his mount towards another Wolf Rider but as he lifted his mace to strike a bola struck the weapon the impact and weigth throwing him off balance, and in that instant the target he had been charging threw a rope to another wolf ride and both raced past Launchalot's steed the rope catching his mounts legs causing it to stumble to the ground. Dismounted Launchalot rose to his feet, surrounded by the chaos of battle and several Hobgoblins all with bows trained on him.
"...We need to keep the enemy from closing their trap, let's get our brothers out of there!" Gin snapped his attention to Launchalot but before he could respond the ancestors damned Knight had already taken off with his mount at a full gallop.
"Damn that idiot! Anyone under me, follow me now, if you don't I'll put a bullet in yer ass!" Gin shouted drawing his gun to his hands and eventually sprinting after the Undead.
As he ran Gin watched the Knight ride into the clash between the Troll Headhunters and the Wolf riders. Those Trolls not trying to fend off Hobgoblin riders with their spears were desperately throwing their spears at riders and wolves. However the loose formation of the Headhunters was entirely vulnerable to these wolves who darted in and out with their riders as they pleased. Meanwhile arrows of all kinds fell on whatever Trolls were not being engaged by the Wolf riders, and any troll still standing after a volley of arrows then found themselves assaulted by rope weilding Wolf Riders.
And in the center of this chaos now sat Launchalot, the Knight surrounded by wolf riders with bows and dead or wounded Trolls. Still running Gin sighted his gun and fired, his shot missed the wolf rider, bit penetrated the wolf's skull dropping the mount beneath the grinning rider. Immediately those closest to the Rider turned back loosing their arrows at the Orc Hunter who had to dodge the arrows of the Hobgoblins.
As he dodged Gin saw three pairs of hooves run past as two of the Tauren Totem Warriors and a Hammer weilding Paladin all charged past him with roars as they closed with the enemy. "Here mon." A Trollish voice said as a hand reached down to help Gin. Besides the shaman, a Orcish priest was blessing the charging warriors while a elven priest stood ready. Then overhead the Demon hunter swooped in their glaives ready, and even as the Hobgoblins reared up to escape the charge two undead assassins appeared behind them stalling the Wolves just as frost and green fire began to consume their few numbers and one of their members suddenly became a sheep which the wolf it was atop immediately began to tear into. Looking to his side Gin saw two of the mages, a warlock and a bow weilding undead all stood nearby.
"Alright let's save our leader and hold this line for as long as we need to." Gin stated preparing his rifle. Immediately the soldiers around Gin cheered and set to the battle, however the over zealous nature of the Tauren, the Assassins and the Demon hunter meant Gin and the rest were standing exposed as wolves rushed about.
As the Mag'har Orc fought he was stuck distracting himself both trying to gun down any wolves trying to charge the Sunset team's position but also shouting for the fighters to come back and form a defensive perimeter.
After firing three shots one of which killed a Hobgoblin and another wounding one, Gin and one of the priests were forcesd to fend off a pair of Wolf Riders in melee before finally the Demon Hunter and Paladin returned to the group taking up stances to defend the ranged element. This earned a sigh from Gin but the battle wasn't yet over.
Ghozul looked on with approval. The wolf riders were all captured or dead, and with the feats of strenght they displayed they would certainly make for good slaves once broken, and he hoped there were female wolves among those captured because their mounts would make for a fine new stock to breed and trade. Though the exchange certainly hadn't come without cost as many of the Slaves had died capturing this prey and now nost of their immediate value had been lost, now it was all future investment value, but depending on whatever was happening at the other end of the encirclement maybe he could win back some of his immediate profits.
Through the dust, smoke and press of slaves and laborers the Overlord could see faint hints of the furthest point of the battle where he at one moment swore he saw no less than three Minotaur's all in prime condition. He didn't need to lecture the Hobgoblins on the value of such prizes but surely if any of them escaped he'd have a excuse to express his contempt for their entire species against them and exact a violent toll for the failure. Still he had his own work to do as servants came baring note papers and an array abaci to use.
The first of these new Orks was dragged before Ghozul, the Overlord eager to strip it and begin measuring its value...instead Ghozul was shocked into absolute shock. The Greenskin's skin was only the faintest of green, far more like yellowed grass than the standard Green and even the hobgoblins around it, violently stripping it, showed a absolute disgust looking at the creature. It had small ineffectual tusks, smooth features, and entirely feminine breasts. "What is this?!" The Overlord demanded as the screaming creature struggled still fighting the Hobgoblins on top of it straining their ropes and muscles to keep it contained.
Ghozul discarded his records and rushed to the next. having it stripped immediately. This one looked far more like a Ork, but it had Brown skin and looked almost like a Kurgan with how firm and straight it's posture was, but it's face still was like a mix of human and Ork. Ghozul went to the next a pinkish male, the next a brown female, two more yellowish green males after that. "What are these things?" The Overlord roared, wanting explanation.
After a minute of rage the Eternal returned to his position behind the Overlord, forcing Ghozul cut his tantrum short or risk his neck unnecessarily. Ghozul fumed for seconds longer. "Wait these aren't Orks, but they're similar and they have females, which means we can control the breeding. And even if these things are useless as anything more than muscle we still have the wolves and whatever is on the other side of the battlefield."
"We need to leave!" Launchalot ordered, his mace clashing with another Hobgoblin. But this only earned a glare from the champion leading the Headhunters.
"You want ta leave our friends?" The Troll asked with outrage in his voice as a steady rhythm of chanting and shields being beat with weapons mounted.
"If we don't leave all our friends in the fort are going to miss us for being dead, and they need to be warned!"Launchalot countered.
The Troll leader growled as another of his kin had their weapon parried by a shield before grasping hands dragged him into the steadily approaching wall of Dwarven warriors.
"Hunters! Flee!" Almost immediately the Trolls began to break away only stopping to spear at a wolf rider, or throw a javelin at a pursuer they might not outrun.
As the Trolls and Sunset Expedition began their route Launchalot kept the outskirts intercepting wolf riders and saving anyone he could as the mad dash to where Zannae and the others were preparing the mounts began.
Gin also routinely stop to shoot at a pursuer, however for all their ability Launchalot was forced to watch as ropes and bolas caught trolls, the Demon hunter took crossbow bolts to the back and dropped onto his head surely killing him, and both of the totem warriors was caught by ropes and swarmed over by greedy looking Hobgoblins. The Warlock tripped and moments later had a wolf tearing into him, and arrows peirced the Elven priest one straight into his heart before a Hobgoblin picked up the dying priest looting the man before he was dead.
And then the first Trolls reached their mounts the very first immediately took off from Crimson post, the next to brough back mounts for others in less than three minutes everything of the Horde Scouting force was riding back to Crimson Post, dead, or laid abandoned to the enemy. And after several minture of riding the retreating force started to coverge getting close enough to shout to one another as they rode.
"How many of us are left?" Launchalot demanded as both the Headhunter Champion and Zannae got close enough to hear.
Zannae shouted to respond. "I counted thirty-eight Headhunters, and we lost five from what I could count...I don't think any of the Raiders escaped."
The number sunk in, on his first official command Launchalot was part of a failure that cost the Horde one hundred and twenty seven killed or captured. All he had been able to do was at the cost of his own men was debatably help the Headhunters escape.
The Headhunter Champion then shouted to those around him. "We bled them and got bled in turn, now we have a measure of what we're up against. For now we need to get to Crimson Post."
Wolves barked and growled behind them and maybe three hundred yards away Launchalot could see the first of what must have been a entire force of pursuers.
Ghozul Gazaruth was interrupted from his tallying of the captured slaves, twenty-four new Orks with perhaps a dozen or more left to tally. "Lord the enemy has broken, they flee to the hills."
The Overlord scowled at the messenger Dwarf who brought the message.
His servants truly were so worthless as to not even being able to think for themselves or always acting when they should have asked his permission. "Let slip the Greenskins, have the wolf riders hunt them down, don't let them get back to their fort." That he even needed to order something so obvious was almost insulting.
Ghozul then turned to another dwarf at his side. "Go back and bring up the slave masters, I want the reserve brought forward along with my siege supplies. And warn them that these subjects are stronger than your usual Ork."
It took only a couple minutes for Ghozul to see the effects of his orders, but that was still a couple minutes wasted. Already hooping and hollering the Ork slaves ran forward while goblin slaves and Hobgoblins kept pace. The Wolves already had to good sense to keep on the tails of the fleeing foe and now the main army was marching in a proper and far more battle ready formation. Still the Overlord bemoaned the lost chance to inspect the minotaur captives or these new lanky blue creatures that were being dragged back towards the slavers. Still by rough estimate he had captured maybe fifty or sixty high value slaves and some uncounted wolves that should be worth a decent investment with only the loss of roughly two hundred to two hundred and fifty of his greenskin slaves and less than half a dozen dwarves.
Ghozul risked a cruel smile, surely the Eternal at his back wouldn't misconstrue it for thoughts of betrayal when the hunting and the haul was this good.
"The walls, wez almost there!" One of the Headhunters cried as Gin sighted his gun at a closing wolf rider. Already the Troll Headhunters had lost two more of their number, and one of the Assassins had been felled as the Hobgoblins chasing them would close and fire off volleys of arrows.
Thus the Headhunters most able to throw while riding, Gin and the other Hunters of the Sunset Expedition moved to the rear in a attempt to ward off the Hobgoblins. It wasn't entirely successful but had drastically reduced the ammount of arrows the Goblins had been firing.
Gin fired and the rider dropped off of his wolf as a string of blood trailed from his head. Gin gave himself a slight cheer as the leading wolf fell back and the other Hobgoblins delayed.
Finally Gin and the others passed by one of the Fort's artillery markers, and the gate was left open for them. Less than a minute later the Wolves followed past the marker only for seconds after a heavy shell to land among them exploding into a torrent of fire. That immediately stopped the Hobgoblins who cursed, screamed, and some of their number immediately set to finding the artillery markers and scouting the fortress. But while they had reached the safety of the fort a distrubing warcry of "Waaaaagh" echoed from the distance trailing after the survivors.
Kitala Starshadow watched Launchalot ride up the hill to her tent. As he did so the Undead passed by multiple battlements being prepared as well as the five Devastators, deployed to the second layer, kept aim and occasionally fired at the Wolf Riders attempting the harrass the fortress. Still the Fortress's Nine Hundred remaining defenders needed more time, or for a clearer enemy than these skirmishers.
And before that Kitala needed to know what she was up againat. Eventually Launchalot arrived and at his side U'gho, Champion of the Headhunters, arrived as well. Both warriors dismounted and rushed to their leader.
"Report." Now wasn't the time for pomp or circumstance now was time for decisive decisions and action.
"Dey had a trap laid for us. Da local Greenskins an dem local Dwarves be looking a lot more friendly to eachotha than da paper report claimin." U'gho began.
"A mixed force of Dwarves and Greenskins? What did you see?" The Dark Ranger demanded.
"I could see enough from the rear, at first it looked like a simple battleline of Greenskins, but then these taller lankier Goblinoids came out. As the Raiders and Trolls were distracted by the Greenskins Dwarves formed lines on either side of the battlefield's flanks and Wolf Riders circled around. Almost none of us even noticed, at least not until it was too late for the Raiders." Launchalot provided.
"Dem is slavers, Da tactics and da weapons, dey wanted us alive." U'gho added, earning a deep scowl from Kitala Starshadow.
Inaccurate reports was one thing, but an army of slaver she was entirely unaware of is another factor entirely. Particularly Dwarven slavers because if they were anything like back home these dwarves would be a problem.
"Rejoin the battle lines, we might need to send another force out, see if we can trap them in artillery range if we can. Be ready for the order." The Dark Ranger ordered knowing that the Horde would need to hold with all their strength to survive.