Who let the Dogs out?​

As soon as the bolt flew, Vera did too. Boot met gravel with a disgustingly wet ‘crunch’ as the Sister tore away from her cover with a grimace. She had been given as much time to recover as the Imperium could afford, but civil war, apparently, waited for no one, and she’d been sent back onto the field with a leg that, while perfectly usable, wasted no effort in grumbling annoyingly about its injured state. The dramatic bastard. Thankfully, the near constant adrenaline high kept her from focusing on the aching too much, as proven by a well-aimed kick at a distracted warphound in her path. The jab sent the canine spinning away with an alarmed yelp, but another set of snarling jaws was more than ready to take its place.

The beast’s eyes glowed with a savage fury as it landed before of Vera with a bark, the scent of blood in the air momentarily overcoming its repulsion towards Vera’s gift. It landed close. Too close. Directly in front of her, in fact. It barely had the time to tense in preparation for a pounce before Vera barreled into its path, combat knife at the ready. In one fluid motion, the sister jammed her left elbow into the beast’s gaping maw, and with her right hand opened its throat. The cadaver slumped to the ground and was sent rolling away with another kick as a considerably filthiest Vera dove behind the nearest cover she could reach. There would be the briefest of nods intended for the Space Marine occupying that same space before the retrieved bolt was reloaded in a well-practiced dance of her hands, and Vera reappeared from behind her shelter to hopefully rectify her bad shot.

To her credit, the shock of seeing the husks of her Sisters standing there only stopped the woman for a fraction of a second as the bolt flew loose again, the path guided by a steely, but weary resolve.

Sister Krista. Sister Ymir. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

They got too close.

Vera gritted her teeth as she dropped back down, just a moment before the same flame that no doubt had taken her sisters reached out and reached for her. Her fingers would move deftly as the Fire scorched the very air around her, almost if by their own accord, and another bolt was primed, aimed, and shot at the hellhound in a matter of seconds. Time had come for vengeance as well as victory.

May the ichor she shed bring them peace.

OOC: all out attack on Kaharank

Guardians Against Death​

Plagued winds carried miasma back into the trench of purity created by Sanguinius' passing. Armor flaked away like scraps of dead flesh, and beneath it skin itched and muscles felt heavier with every passing minute. Sanguinary Guard fought fiercely, axe hewing through an enemy outlier lurking outside the personal skirmish between Squad Petroski and Squad Orghast. Blade blurred and so did form as jump pack boosted Alphonso off the walls and straight at the Festering Father. Plague Drones buzzed towards one of the Primarch's personal guard and found no terror in heart or stern faced mask. Twisting through a field of swiping limbs the Blood Angel suffered several scratches and shallow gashes, wounds giving off a sickly smoke as disease burned up every inch of grazed flesh.

Bolts pursued Sanguinary Guard as well, Vilhelm's shoulder-mount tracking the tunnel of clarity he was drilling through the clouds and providing covering fire. Grotesque overgrown insects were twitchy enough that his las-cannon shots could not find their purchase, but faster of his weapons had no problem blowing off several sharp limbs from the Plague Drone assaulting the Sanguinary Guard. Son of the Angel closed with Festering Father, wheezing creature almost toad like in its appearance from the fecund flattened flesh melded with its steed's back gazed at the warrior and puffed up its plague sacks. Encarmine Blade took a wing from the Drone, daemonic beast pulling back before rider expelled a yellow haze all about himself. Monster and warrior vanished in the cloud of spores that now started raining down on the rest of the wall.

Below, and no where near far enough from the fight as anyone wished, Marcus and Kremnar squared up against a Plague Marine. Kremnar's scythe whipped towards the curious Death Guard's torso, an easier target for one of only middling experience in melee. Energy blade reaped a pound of flesh from the traitor's thigh and the beast chuckled raising blade for another slash. Marcus careened forth, blade leading his charge like a lance of old and spearing into the legionary's midriff. Prepared slash crossed his brow, corroding metal above it and spilling whatever ichor lined the decrepit weapon onto his face where it could begin eating down to the bone. Apothecary had to blind himself to protect his eyes, momentarily exposed he could only wonder at what suddenly grabbed him. Orghast and the open mouth in his sagging stomach chuckled with all the warmth of a fresh carcass.

Intestinal tubing possessed of ordinary strength began dragging Marcus by his waist. Sergeant stood by with power fist poised to deliver what could very well be a killing blow. A man once known as Illiadicus takes note and discharges his bolt pistol into most immediate foe, creating a screen of exploding flesh and splashing bodily fluids allowing him to make a break for it. Bolts chase his every step but the reforged penitent could not care less, diving towards Marcus and spearing the filthy lasso in place so Apothecary can slash himself free. Idomeneus presses forward and towards Orghast.

"Eager pup aren't you? I can taste the green on you, I can see it in your very being. So perfectly ripe for an early demise." Power fist smashed into the Iron Warrior, sending him skidding further along the wall and vanishing into the green mist; now tinged with glittering yellow where the spores have reached the fortifications at last. Creeping fingers of mold sprout from the slain on both sides and worst wounds on the living, turning into rubbery cages fitted with bars of living material that seek to encapsulate and restrain the loyal guardians of Terra.

Dyzek sees the stuff crawling out of a nearby corpse, more akin to tentacles rather than hands that latch onto his boots and begin growing up his legs without restraint. He slashes at it, trying to prevent his capture; only to succeed in biting his own armor with deadly blades. Dyzek brings them up to slash at the son of Mortarion, Plague Guard blocks it with his bolter and discards the ruined weapon for his knife. Stabbing straight at the Sergeant's throat, blade tip narrowly misses as Dyzek activates his jump pack to escape. Moment he lands the binding mold anchors back to the earth, having previously hung there like roots from an unearthed tree.

Last of the Plague Guard ascends a spiral staircase towards the Iron Master, priming a krak grenade in hand the traitor gives it a lob. Servo-arm cranes over Vilhelm's head and catches the projectile, Techmarine perfectly capable of keeping an eye on the foe that attacked him earlier even if his attentions were on far worse things at the moment. Mechanical limb twists and flings the grenade into the air where it detonates harmlessly.

Iron Warriors:
Vilhelm: 23 (85+) Marcus: 14 (85+) Dyzek: 18 (85+) Kremnar: 18 (85+) Idomeneus: 11 (85+) Sanguinary Guard Alphonso: 18
Conditions: Dyzek: Flamers: 3 shots left. Like the Wind 2/4 - Re-Roll. The Pestilent Cloud will cause equipment to deteriorate and damage the Iron Warriors for 1 damage each turn. Dyzek and Idomeneus are bound next turn, cutting their actions down to half and reducing melee rolls by 3.

Death Guard:
Sergeant Orghast: 20 Plague Marines: 13/14/14/15 Festering Father: 13 Plague Drones: 12/16
Conditions: The Pestilent Cloud provides Orghast and his Plague Marines with a free defensive roll against ranged attacks. Pestilent Cloud is being produced by the Festering Father. Due to the Festering Father's ponderousness he has no actions, instead he will expel a single gas effect to harm or bolster as desired. Festering Father Effect: Binding Spores

The Hunt​

Karanak lunges to the other side of the wall, stones and bands of reinforcing metal cast into the air around the massive daemon's paws. While Iron Warriors turn to address the shift Flesh Hound flicks all three heads up and exposed throats glow. Thousands of years later the maxim of, 'Shoot the glowing bits' still applied. Condemnor pushes a single bolt through central heads coif of spines and webbing, hounds barks and preemptively spews a shower of bale flame into the air. Sizzling embers the size of bolter shells pepper the area to deadly effect; several Auxilia die as the life is punched out of them by the explosive wisps. Flame continues to drool from Karanak's middle head, ready to boil forth and drench the defenders. Kahrnak spins his heavy form around and begins pouring on the pain with twin autocannons. Blood splashes from ruptured flesh beneath scale armor, already disrupted once Karanak belches flame straight beneath himself burning a shallow crater and failing to harm anyone further. Other two heads have been left unmolested and necks snap down and living furnaces are cast open.

Left head trains gaze upon Talus and so does a cyclone of fire. Spiraling ropes of hellfire scorch the Contemptor's plating, vengeful veteran interred within scornfully carries forward through it. Walker storms closer and is on the verge of clapping the jaws shut when Karanak's eyes flash and spray of flame tightens up into a condensed beam of blood red fire that hammers into Talus' form and rapidly eats through torso and spears out through the other side. Dreadnought collapses, legs giving out and both hands smashing back against the massive Goliath turret housing.

Left head has asserted dominance, now right shall focus on carnage heaped upon all. Breath fans out to consume the Iron Warriors and their attached Sister: Herchel and his squad clash together in one mob, squad mates locking shields and forming a wall against the flame. Storm shields turn black as the inferno consumes the Terminators, Herchel left at the heart feeling like a submariner plunged into a volcano. Seth, Nathiel, and Gloran are plunged into the burning sea without any extra protection. Agony goes from a distant drug banished dream to an immediate reality upon them once more as armor crisps and their very souls are snared by the inferno.

Karanak's earlier leap had placed both Vera and Kahrnak uncomfortable close to the creature. Daemon's breath catches comparatively lighter armored woman in an instant. Guarded against the soul searing nature of the assault by nature of her own existence, she is anything but immune to the physical ramifications. A heavy hand drags her free of the flames, the nearby warrior with the Reaper gun pulls her into the cover of his own bulky Cataphracti armor and they ride out the storm. Karanak's heads recoil and staunchly set stance loosens as the Hound of Vengeance looks upon the aftermath. Several coals are already charging it.

Warsong and Gorehowl are the first in. Soul Smith's impenetrable spirit kept him marching, even as nerves real and imagined howled with pain. Nathiel, eternally a trooper and champion among them, lends his hammer to the fray mere moments later. First scales, then flesh, and finally monster's blood sprays across both warriors as their weapons tear and flatten against a foreleg; they must bring it down to level if they wish to hack off its heads after all. Right head snaps closed around Seth, threatening to crush him. A storm breaks out between Karanak's teeth, Nathiel's hammer the thunder and shock of suffering in beast's gums the lightning.

Herchel's squad splits apart and their Sergeant stands ready. Cyclone unit spits two specially decorated war heads with hazard marks. Each one is brimming with the hungering fire power of Phosphex. Daemon snorts at the pair of fireflies flying towards it, ignoring them as harmless. Missiles erupt across the left leg and consume it in one of the most dangerous materials that the legions can deploy on a personal level; Karanak smashes burning limb against the ground and tries to quench the flame with powdered stone and ash. Refusing to be smothered the flames will stick with Karanak until he leaves for the Warp once more. Hound wastes only a few seconds on the matter before bestial spirit overrides pain and it turns its attention on those responsible once more.

Iron Warriors:
Herchel: 25 Squad Herchel: 50 Kahrnak: 24 Vera:15 Nathiel:21 Seth:22 Chief Apothecary Gloran:22 Talus: 6
Conditions: Sanguinius presence inspires all defenders boosting their strength and resilience. Kahrnak and Vera passed the initiative rolls to shoot Karanak before he could use Inferno Breath and caused extra damage as well as crippling the attack strength for the central head. Talus is stunned 1

Huntsmaster and his Pack:
Karanak the Hound of Vengeance: 119
Conditions: Inferno Breath CD 5/5 Karanak is permanently Burning for 3 damage a turn. Clawing attacks are now inflict bonus fire damage.

Sufficed to say, Marcus had gone through a rollercoaster of emotions at the moment - frustration as he saw the Death Guard take wounds that would have killed any other foe twice. Mild shock at the disconcerting affair occuring from the decomposition that required him to cover his eyes. Panic at being pulled by something he had no idea of. Irritation at being pulled by such a monster, before relief at seeing the aid that he'd gotten - only to fall into disappointment at seeing his ally backhanded out of sight.

Oh, bother.

The slightest of sighs under his helm, Marcus rushed forward to Idomeneus' side, his Narthecium being raised to give him an injection as well as the 'Dark Angel' himself, both Blackshields equally displeased with what was going on.

And unfortunately, Marcus saw that fat bastard was still alive, and was spewing fumes like a really angry, rotting apple.



OOC: healing Idomeneus & self

Kremnar Eranite frowned as his power scythe only managed to take out ineffective chunks of the monstrosity that used to be astartes in front of him. Thankfully, he felt their brother apothecary using his pauldron to leap over and continue the assault before the enemy could retaliate. Had his training been so poor that the sternguard couldn't even get a clean hit on someone this close? Casting the doubt from his mind, he took a quick step back to keep the plague marine within optimal striking distance, and while he knew that much was happening around him, focused on this one opponent. That was the only way to deal with this fight, indeed this war in general. So Kremnar drew back on the power scythe once more, slicing forward in order cut the Death Guard in half.


OOC: Balanced attack on plague marine 1, defense on self.

@matt23

"Good work Little Brother, but it seems this thing is a proper piece of work. We need to remind it that iron is impervious to simple flames," Seth told Nathiel as his brother, like pretty much every time when they fought against common enemy, guarded his back. He lost track how many times his comrade saved him and he knew that the earlier intervention won't be the last one.

"I'll try to get its attention while you deliver the killing blow, just like the old times," he said and once again went after the giant daemon hound, pain he felt after being almost cooked alive nothing compared to what he was about to do to this creature. Both of his Excoriators at the ready, Seth went in. Warsong swung first, since the monster was quite big and Seth wanted to try and loop off one of its heads, he couldn't really reach its jaw but he could go after the throat, so he did just that.

However his attack would hopefully at least get the creatures attention, the Soul Smith simultaneously activated the item he received from his fellow Temperers after they gave all gave him the title. An old relic from the Great Crusade carried by some unknown Iron Warrior commander, now dubbed Rosarius flared to life. It was basically a shield generator like you would see on Imperial Titans only this one was its miniature version. Placed in a small symbol of the Aquilla, it hanged around Seth neck ever since they sat foot on the Hol Terra. He however never used it before but now was as good as time as any.

As the thing hopefully engulfed the Soul Smith in a halo of light, Seth would wait for Karanak to spot him and perhaps lower its head to try to take another bite at his black form. Once making itself open for retaliation, Gorehowl would whirl at it and try to damage the head itself, either rip through its eyes to perhaps blind it (if that thing was even possible) or simply carve enough red meat from it to turn the hound into a crying puppy.

OOC All out attack with Warsong and Gorehowl against Karanak's right head, activating Rosarius

@DeranVendar

The air was thick with the flakes of dead skin and other sickening bits of rotted flesh and bacterium, to the point where had Dyzek organic eyes, he might have been clouded in his vision. However, even with his augmentics, he had trouble believing what he'd see before him, the once proud and noble forms of astartes debased into something so foul. Though he'd held little opinion on the Sons of Mortarion before, and even grew to despise their rugged endurance in the battle over Istvaan V, Dyzek had thought those who stood before them to be of a resolute brotherhood. The Lord of Barbarus had a notorious hatred for Psykers and the workings of The Warp, so how this fell disease had befallen his men, the Iron Warrior could only theorize. Regardless, as he touched down to the ground, he'd realize that now the legendary fortitude of this legion would only be further enhanced by their deadened senses and nerves. Furthermore, the very ground they walked upon would be infected by their nefarious presence, as displayed by the gripping rotted roots at his feet.

"Hold fast brothers, this foe while great in stamina, are weak in tenacity. We shall see how this outbreak deals when faced with cauterization by divine fire!"

Raising up a claw, Dyzek would outstretch his hand, the pilot light of his flamer activating with a glow. In a single instant, a gout of blaze would be sent forth, the roar of the pyre heralding it's heated passage. The particles in the air, the dead flesh at his feet, the coiling tendrils that coated the earth around him, all would be engulfed in fire, as the Blackshield strode forth, letting it burn the foes before him entirely.
​

OOC: All-Out Attack with Flamer, focus on Plague Marine

By the Emperor’s good graces, what was it with Chaos and fire?

The shot had been true this time, that much had been clear, but before she could appreciate her contribution, that same head she’d struck (or maybe another one. It was a rather confusing moment) whipped around to lock the woman in a murderous glare. Perhaps the foul warpbeast would have petrified another, a less gifted individual with its sheer aura of rage and brutality, but thankfully a Null Maiden had been granted their Father’s protection against such psychic attacks.

No, she was simply not fast enough to get out of the way as her world was engulfed in a vicious inferno.

Funny that.

Sister Vera Gemini had never before imagined what life would be in a chestnut’s shoes, but she was certainly treated to a very realistic interpretation of such a concept by the beast. She was being cooked. Rudely, no less. As her helpful Astartes friend gallantly provided the woman with some welcomed cover, he might’ve felt a light, but consistent thudding against the plate of his armor as Vera’s fist smashed into it over, and over, and over again in a feeble attempt at keeping the pain at bay. Thankfully, the severity of the burn seemed to be lighter than the one she’d received just weeks ago, a flesh burn at best, but the discomfort of being trapped in a scalding suit of armor was hardly pleasant.

As the two steadily made their way out of the fire’s path, Vera’s options would be rather limited by her position. As a result, the woman would instead focus her attention on keeping the other warpbeasts that stalked the two at bay rather than risking another shot at Karanak.

OOC: Full defense on self/Kahrnak

"Lets! Keep up on heat on em boy, Lets keep try to shut there throats up before another round of flames come, Our sisters could use something to help cool down there situation, AIM FOR the throats of this beast!" Herchel said now taking aim at the beasts Neck and left head, "Be ready for this bastards bad BREATH AND WATCH FOR ITS LEGS!" Herchel said to his squad as he began letting out hot death from his volkite intending to shear through the hounds flesh as he stood with his brothers in formation keeping at his brothers side.

OOC ALL out attack, Volkite Culvan for the throat of the beast hopefully to shut down its flame producing ability.

@Colapse

"Let the fire crash against the Iron Veil so that others may bare witness to the strength and determination that we have been forged in, brother," Nathiel spoke to Seth as he watched his brother push forward for another attack. The plan Seth laid out was quite simple, and they had used in a thousand times against a thousand different enemies. However, this abomination that had found its way onto Terra was far different from the others Seth and Nathiel had faced before. This fact was secondary though, as neither Seth or Nathiel would back away from a fight. This was merely a new challenge and enemy with three new trophies to hang from the Standard poles that extended up over Nathiel's head.

Let Seth push out first to enact his plan, Nathiel began a slight flanking maneuver once more. Letting Seth and his two deadly weapons draw the daemon's attention, Nathiel would as quickly as a Terminator could, make his move. Hopefully, when the creature lowered its head to attack Seth, Nathiel would use a cross swing to daze the daemon quickly followed by an overhead swing of his thunder hammer to crack its skull.

OOC: All Out Attack to Right head with Thunder Hammer.

Rot​

Marcus comes upon Idomeneus struggling against the bindings of fungus. Legs are cocooned in the stuff and an arm is being drug down towards his side by vine like growths. Apothecary shears through them with blade and begins administering aid.

"Look fast brother!" Reforged claps a hand on Marcus' pauldron and pushes him aside as a closed power fist hammers down upon them. Weapon smashes between the pair, sending both warriors skidding aside and powdered stone into the air. Marcus' left pauldron is smashed and Idomeneus' right arm refuses to move. Slapping bolt pistol to his waist the younger warrior tosses power spear into left hand. Orghast is upon him in an instant, one eye cast open wider than the other with a frenzied look.

"I tire of entertaining you whelp. Go now, to Grandfather." Fingers crash into Iron Warrior's chest plate and sink deep. Wrenching down Death Guard peels away ceramite and flesh exposing fused rib cage. Stunned by the pain overloading his neurons and hindered by remaining bonds formed by the Father's spores he is left wide open for the follow up. In the thick smog of chemicals and otherworldly toxins Seventh Squad is only able to see the fuzzy outline of Orghast punching through their brother's torso. Rune flashes red across multiple HUDs, then winks out.

White flame erupts from Dyzek's talons and consumes the Plague Marine standing before him. Mutant in service to Mortarion had made a mistake assuming him vulnerable thanks to the bindings and now wrapped himself in purifying fire rather than the succulent filth smothering their section of the wall. Desperate to escape warrior breaches the stream and swings wildly. First swipe only manages to part some of the damp cords wrapped around the Sergeant, second tears an already open wound in his armor wider and splits open old wounds that burn with newfound infection.

Above the trio of Plague Drones withdraw higher into the sky as if to escape, perhaps Sanguinius returns for them? Never so fortunate are the Forty-Fourth: instead their traitorous kin unleash the fire and fury of a basilisk battery upon them. Earthshaker rounds hammer against both face and brow of palace walls destroying Astartes and auxilia belonging to both sides. Entrenched as they are on the wall the Seventh and their brothers in arms ride out the assault with little more than dirtied armor and shaken bones. Death Guard are not quite so lucky, several blasted from their feet and others around slain outright. Orghast and his Maggot Kin are battered, but still plenty intact enough to fight.

Vilhelm's bolter snaps to and fires upon the lone mutant assailing him. A hand is blown off the Death Guard and takes with it a pistol. Other hand readies blight spewer but a shell meant for the Goliath whistles down and mulches both Plague Marine and the stairs leading up to Vilhelm's current position. A coupling unit for several power cables snaps and Iron Master is forced to withdraw from the fighting briefly to keep the lines from separating and risking dislodging something further down the line.

Up high Alphonso continues the pursuit of the daemonic cavalry. Drones use maggot mouthed tubes poking out of their obese lower bodies to shower Blood Angel with digesting bile. Golden form smokes and armor corrodes allowing fluids to seep onto flesh, yet Sanguinary Guard continues on with his mission. Pistol pecks at the fly beast and its rider, blowing off fistfuls of flesh with every hit. Axe weaves through the air and carves upward, splitting beast from abdomen to thorax. Festering Father lets out a strangled cry and dives down toward the fight, Drones moving in to block the Blood Angel's pursuit. Fat maggot like bodies begin raining down upon Iron Warriors and Death Guard, splattering on the ground or clinging onto cold armor and burrowing towards warm flesh.

Kremnar notes the presence of one such parasites currently worming through a gap in his thigh. Needle like teeth and several proboscis pierce his flesh and wiggling body starts to gorge itself upon his blood. Power scythe flicks to and fro, Krem too busy addressing a much more immediate threat to his life. Blade spins out and pierces his foe's extending arm, intercepting a stab and redirecting his foe off towards walls edge. A golden opportunity for a kick. Sternguard snaps foot around and boots traitor in the small of his back, sending Plague Marine sprawling and leaving him clinging to a merlon.

Iron Warriors:
Vilhelm: 22 (85+) Marcus: 12 (85+) Dyzek: 14 (85+) Kremnar: 17 (85+) Sanguinary Guard Alphonso: 10
Conditions: Dyzek: Flamers: 2 shots left. Like the Wind 3/4 - Re-Roll. The Pestilent Cloud will cause equipment to deteriorate and damage the Iron Warriors for 1 damage each turn. Leechlings clinging to the Seventh will cause enemies that strike the afflicted to regain D3 health next turn.

Death Guard:
Sergeant Orghast: 17 Plague Marines: 8/7/12 Festering Father: 8 Plague Drones: 12/16
Conditions: The Pestilent Cloud provides Orghast and his Plague Marines with a free defensive roll against ranged attacks. Pestilent Cloud is being produced by the Festering Father. Festering Father Effect: Leechlings Death Guard 1 is Stunned 1.

Bad Dog​

Hunting horn cried out again over the battlements. Hunt Master shoulders Sanguinius aside, Primarch rolling with the charge and turning spin into another stab that lances into daemon's back like a hunting spear sticking a boar. Axe comes around as Bloodthirster shrugs off the blow and attempts to behead the Angel. Winged helmet sinks beneath the blow and Sanguinius swoops over the warring men and daemons below, warlord of Khorne hot on his heels.

A single white feather rolls down past Seth and Nathiel as the battle brothers set into the bloody work of slaying a living nightmare that has already thrown around combatants larger and deadlier than themselves. Fearless as ever Nathiel cracks thunder hammer into a head as it extends to snap at him. Standard reduced to little more than a burnt pole of metal with Karanak's bale fire crackling at its tip the champion looks as a literal torch bearer against the bloody coming of night fall attempting to consume Terra and her guardians. Next swing booms back at him upon impact, head initially just knocked off course now snaps to the side with blood staining the thick saliva drooling between its jaws. Right head cranes over the central one and shoves it down, lunging forward to take a chunk out of Nathiel. Both shield and an arm vanish into the monster's gullet, armor having done little to protect him.

Seth wheels into the fray with both Gorehowl and Warsong whirling towards exposed necks. Soul Smith rakes all three heads as a measure of vengeance for his long time comrade's arm. A claw coated in phosphex fire sweeps forward for both of the warriors, Chaplain roaring in defiance as white hot nails rake over the golden barrier created by his Rosarius. Powering forward against the massive pressure of the strike he closes both axes into either side of right most head's throat and screams with his toothed weapons, driving them deep and ripping them back. A torrent of blood erupts from daemon's jugular and burning paw slaps Chaplain away with its back swing. Thrashing head from side to side hound's head is distracted while other two take over and drive body forward into a bullish charge.

Kahrnak and Vera hurl themselves out of the way. Terminator strafes beast's flank with his gun and sends scales flying off on heated winds. Both he and Sister are stained by the generous sprinkler of gore that is one of Karanak's throats, daemon no longer seeming to care about the rapid blood loss halts itself and rounds on Herchel and his squad. Shields up and weapons out the freshly minted Sergeant watches once again just why Warsmith Odiaus had kept these men as his personal guard for so long. Power spears thrust into fiend's hide and shields lock to absorb another vicious slashing from burning claws. Gloran himself weighs into the fray at last too, power fist clenched and rocketing into a hind leg. A tail ribbed with bone spines whips into the Chief Apothecary, yet he stands his ground and swings again.

Center head stretches over wall of Terminators and towards their Sergeant. Two spears rise up to puncture the underside of Karanak's jaw, however aim is off and they merely catch against bone. Recoiling the stricken maw opens and snatches up one of the Iron Warriors, clapping shut and consuming the head, left shoulder, arm, and much of Brother Teracles torso. Mangled remains are spat back into the squad. Enraged Herchel unleashes his burning rage upon the creature with culverin and sends spears of sizzling red heat straight into open mouth. Daemon belches up black smoke and cooked flesh before roaring back at him.

Multiple hounds begin loping to the Alpha's side. Daemons leaping along the wall and over other fighters to join a truly challenging hunt. Vera intercepts one such creature, hawk dropping onto the back of its head and hooking talons into an eye. Daemon veers off course and after its own torn eye lids, teeth gnashing up at cyber companion. Sister of Silence pops it in the throat with several bolts and considers the job done. More still close in until Brumdar arrives, former Captain of the Eighth and aptly pissed off Dreadnought extraordinaire captures one in the bend of his arm and snaps it in half before using attached hand to grab another and discharge the heavy bolters built into his palm against its stomach at point blank. Remaining hounds immediately encircle and distract themselves dealing with the walker.

Iron Warriors:
Herchel: 25 Squad Herchel: 45 Kahrnak: 24 Vera:15 Nathiel:15 Seth:22 (45+) Chief Apothecary Gloran:22 Talus: 6
Conditions: Sanguinius presence inspires all defenders boosting their strength and resilience. Seth: Rosarius 2/2. Nathiel has lost his left arm and storm shield.

Huntsmaster and his Pack:
Karanak the Hound of Vengeance: 85
Conditions: Inferno Breath CD 4/5 Karanak is permanently Burning for 3 damage a turn. Clawing attacks now inflict bonus fire damage.