This quest allows you to gain a reward by offering a ‘Pledge’ to one of the warlords of the Plains. Either Bor Goadfist of the Bogswallow Marauders or Veinir the Drowned Emperor of Pearlgrave. You do not need to have settled in the Plains in order to ‘Pledge’ to either of these warlords. Please indicate which Warlord you are supporting in the comment below.
These ‘Pledges’ will be tracked and come with the expectation that you will support the warlord when called upon. There are no mechanical consequences for not fulfilling your pledge to a warlord. However, you will be labeled as an Oathbreaker narratively.
The Office of Bor Goadfist
On a platform hanging above the waters of the bog, Bor Goadfist assembles potential investors. They come from all the realms in hopes of striking a deal with the hobgrot warlord. He allows them to watch as his guards bring out a chained orruk. Bor always thought it was useful to keep his deals out in the open. That way everyone can see the price of failure
“So, cans you explains to me why you comes empty handed? This is the fourth months in a row wheres you don’t have any Amber-Bones for me.”
The orruk stares down the diminutive hobgrot.
“Dat’s just it ya runt. I ain’t empty-handed. My boyz ‘ave brought loads o’ beasts for yous. Just none o’ dem have dem amber bones. But our deal wit da other boss never said we had to bring any o’ dem things.”
Bor reaches down to his belt and pulls out a small rod of aelven design. With a flick of his wrist, he ignites the Starlight Sabre and cleaves the head off of the orruk. He points the blade at the spectators surrounding him.
“This is a lessons for yous. I aint Throm. That git got ‘imself killed trying to be a hero. I aint heres to be no hero. I’m heres to make a profit. If yous want to be richer than yous ever imagined, then I suggest you fulfill your ends of the bargains. Otherwise, yous can join this git over heres.”
He kicks the orruks head off the platform to emphasize his point. When he hears the sound of it plopping into the water, he returns to his seat.
“Nows, who’s next?”
A Lesson from the Drowned Emperor
From beneath the bog rises a grand amphitheater. Carried upon the backs of long dead namarti, the Drowned Emperor greets his guests. Those assembled before him do so in a search of power and knowledge and Veinir is happy to indulge their hunger. He offers them great artifacts in return for their loyalty support. They need not know that these gifts come from the bodies pulled beneath the surface of the bogs.
“I am thankful that you have answered my summons. There are many in the Steppe that are vying for your favor and support. Let me be clear, I have not called you here because I need your power. The forces of Pearlgrave will live on eternally regardless of what happens here. Instead, I have called upon you because you all need me.”
“The Great Awakening is coming and you would be right to be afraid of the destructive force behind it. However, what the other warlords do not know is that this is not just the beasts of Ghur rising up. There is a darker power behind this. I can feel the winds of Shyish blowing across the Steppe. As a master of necromancy, I have the power to help you survive the coming troubles. All I ask is that you help me remove these distracting warlords. Then the true work can begin.”
The tale in full: https://thegreatweave.com/any-port-in-a-storm/
After a productive business meeting with the wholly inedible Bor Goadfist in which Captain Okbryn pledges support to gain access to the warlord as a buyer for the realmstone produced by the duardins’ new mine, the Hidden Reserve is ambushed by skaven in the swamps. Riding atop swamp-boats made of gunhauler and gyrocoptor parts, these skaven of Clan Riktyre nearly down the frigate with a well-placed warpstorm but are thwarted by the (illogical and apocryphal) intervention of the duardin gods. (Most likely the skaven’s bad luck.)
Post-battle investigations reveal the gunhaulers used in the skaven constructs were once part of an escort wing for the mysteriously abandoned Brynzongor, a development which must now be reported back to expedition leaders in Nassollotyl.
As the skaven had conducted a near-perfect ambush, nobody is yet willing to rule out the possible involvement of Bor Goadfist in this attack.
We’ll be taking a boatifact for this quest: Coalbeard’s Collapsible Compartment.
Pledge to Bor Goadfist (Game played: AOS, PtG 1250p vs Bonesplitterz, Loss)
After being chased from the Fangwoods by a savage mob of naked greenskins, Anastasia de’Vries was determined to find another potential partner in war in the Swallowing Bogs. The path to the Hobgrot Village was cumbersome and exhausting, especially on horseback. They often had to retrack and take another route before the Swallowing Bogs could do to them what their name suggested. She could also feel her vampires getting uneasy in the presence of the blood oozing from the barks of the trees. She wasn’t immune to it herself, the sweet, copper scent made her sight swim and she had to make a real effort not to succumb. Valak wasn’t holding up so well. Their group had stop several times and Anastasia had to coerce the Vengorian into resuming their journey and not to rip out bloody branches to feast on every few minutes.
After a while, the soil hardened slightly and travel got easier. But Anastasia also noticed they were being watched. Swift movements in the corner of her eyes meant they were close.
„General Bor Goadfist, Ruler of the Swallowing Bogs, I am here on your invitation to discuss a potential partnership!“ Anastasia announced. There was commotion in the underbrush before they were suddenly surrounded in the open by a hundred yellow pairs of eyes. Anastasia heard Valak’s suppressed hiss behind her and she turned her head and shook “no” to him. This was getting tiresom, she thought.
One of the shortlegged Hobgrots waiving a crude spear in the direction of the village spoke up „Come come, da boss bin waitin for ya!“
As Anastasia and her retinue followed the swamplings, she once again contemplated her plans. These were savage creatures of the simplest kind. They only cared about riches and squabbled among themselves. It should be easy to play their game for while and when the right moment came, she would seize the opportunity and flip the board.
At the dank edges of the sunken Court swim the shapes of kin from afar. The Fleetmaster’s allied Dhom-Hain are recognised with hostile hisses and clammy hands upon bone pale hilts, for the murder in cold blood of the envoy sent to them is not forgotten. But before blood can be spilt or drained, their leader throws back her algid cowl, arising revealed as the Tidecaster Dreibdh, a being whose power gives momentary pause.
“Knuckleswift knows he chose ill at first, great Emperor of Pearlgrave. The Goadfist offers brute threats, not proper appreciation. Accept our pledge, bringing with it the sworn alliance of Har Kuron and Dhom-Hain. Then we shall lead you to the lurking place of our late employer, and your reign shall suffer no rival.
“Now, I believe there was some talk of artefacts to bestow…?”
Glydia Maggotreek of the Green Order aligns herself with the Drowned Emperor. She appreciates the brilliant re-using of souls by the Pearlgrave; this brilliant use of recycling, not only of the flesh, but of the soul as well, is something that she can get behind and support whilst our goals align.