Skitti's Screaming Bell

[skittifink]

I might actually finish this tonight ....

The start ...

The engineer rifled through his schematics. Surely he had it here somewhere... Ah! Yes! There! He unfurled the frayed hide and pats it almost lovingly. So long had he wanted to rebuild it.
A grand loss it was when the bell was torn asunder many wars ago. He remembered with a chitter under his breath and a gleam in his eye how the thunderous gong rung out. The hoards that covered their ears in vain and how it was music to the troops. The distortion of air and sound waves thundering out in a sceam born of iron and sacred warpstone.
Morgiirs clawed hand balled into a fist till his claws nearly drew blood. Until that damned anvil... that damned lump of iron. Oh, the vengeance that burned in his belly.
Stepping out of his little workshop he raised a call to the slaves. "Tunnel to the remains and bring me back what you can!"
Nervous whisker twitched "But, great engeneer ... that is enemy land.."
Morgirr flashed his incisors, yellow and sharp. A look that said it all. The rats scattered to carry out their orders.

It took a long time but they brought back what they could. Morgiir stood by the scatted remains of the bells structure. The gleam in his eye twinkling under the scant light.
"What do you think Morgiir?" a guttural, cracked voice from behind him.
"The bell is in tact general. Yes, yes.. this will not take long at all."

 

[skittifink]

The slaves worked their paws to callouses and callouses to raw flesh still the whip found its mark and they dared not stop. It was insane. To raise a bell in scant days though Morgiirs fever began to affect them. To inspire them.
Every rivet drilled out and replaced, each timber that was reset; it began to shape up faster than even the general, Montgomery, had ever seen. By the third night of work the carriage was complete and the sides were being raised.
Morgiir and Lasher scant slept or ate while overseeing the construction. The slaves worked to exhaustion until finally it came to raise the sides.
Lasher shooed the small rodent off the rigging. The sacred bell not even complete but it called to them... already it called.
Red rimmed eyes turned on an exhausted slave. Morgiir pulled him off the task and wrapped his hands in cloth. For a moment the rat seemed thankful, comforted.
"Go to the beastmasters. Fetch an ogre. We raise the bell tonight." Morgiir took from his pouch a small pebble, glowing green and pulsing with vile chaotic fury. "Eat!Then go."

 

[skittifink]

The ogre lumbers into view from the smog of the underground vents. Each heavy step shuddering the soil around. Its steaming fetid breath announcing its arrival further.
The slaves cower, claw to fall behind each other but Lasher wont have it. A whip-crack rings out "Get to the ropes filth! We will not fail now! We are too close!"
Morgiir stand silent, nodding approval at the slavemaster.
Lasher excanged some word with the beastmaster before being handed the reins to the ratogre. "Steady the ropes. You! Beast! Heave! Lift!" his deep growl rings out, drowning out even the ratogres growls and heavy breathing.
Claws hands lift the giant bell. Cast of metal and infused with precious warpsonte a hissing sear is heard and the ogre howls in pain as his hands sear at the touch still Lasher does not relent. "Lift! Lift it beast!"
The bell rises high above the heads of gathered skaven, all but hold their breaths watching in anticipation.
Ropes strain, hands already chafed by work now bleed freely but still they dare not release the ropes. The gargantuan muscle of the ogre taught and quivering with effort as the bell is heaved to its snug fitting home.
"There! There! Place it!" Morgiirs shrill chitter rings out finally. A final heavy clunk echoes through the cavern and the bell nestles home.

The bell again stand proud, complete. A symbol of war, of sanctity and sacrilege both. A weapon born of the earths metal and corrupted by warpstone. Now ... now we may truly prepare for war.

 

[Subedai]

You have done well, yes yes. Great idea, had me smiling throughout.

 

[skittifink]

The most entertaining way I've ever painted a war engine ... ^_^
I recommend it

 

[Wheeling Turn]

Votetd best entertainment ever.....hahaha this is great.......keep showing more more humanthing.....

 

[The Fat Git]

If it's not bad enough me getting motivated to paint something, you go along and set up a story about getting it constructed as well. Brilliant!

 

[Asslessman]

I really thought the general would stab his architect right after praising him for doing such a great job (hence becoming a menace).

 

[skittifink]

Morgiir still has a cannon to build ...
The poor rat hasn't slept in 4 weeks now ...

 

[skittifink]

OMG BEST IDEA EVER!!!

Skaven aerial troops ... Blimps!
Rats need blimps!

 

[twisted moon]

too right.

 

[skittifink]

LOL - that is awesome .... does one have an accordion? Or is that just my mind doing strange things?

 

[Wheeling Turn]

Simply put.......great great......some baloon warpbomberthingy......filled with warpdustgas..gas....great manthing,yes yes. The great Horned Rat will be pleased....

 

[twisted moon]

... does one have an accordion?

no, i think that's the fold in his tunic your seeing. the two on the right are ver'bombers from black tree design, with black powder bombs and a knife for the one in fornt; front left is a heartbreaker figure not yet re-released by ral partha europe with pistol, sheathed sword and knife; whilst back left is a classic citadel poisoned wind globadier.