Gorkamorka Da Uver Book (1997) + Digganob (1998) Warp/ Mutie Lore

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The Eternal Darkness on the edge of the north-eastern fringe of the Imperium lies a small binary star known to humans as XCV-103, around which orbits a small and totally dead planet. Hundreds of years ago, the Imperium named this world Angelis and sent ships to explore it and investigate the alien ruins that lay under its barren surface. Nothing was ever heard from that expedition again. Though the Imperium’s Astropaths probed far into the void, their efforts came to nothing. Soon the search was ended. Further attempts to reach the planet were abandoned in the face of warp storms impenetrable to the ships of the Emperor. There is no monument to the men who travelled so far across the galaxy and whose fate remains a mystery to this day. They passed beyond the knowledge of mankind, and the only record of their expedition is a brief entry in the files of the Adeptus
— a file whose final entry is stamped ‘All Contact Lost
— Present Status Unknown.’

THE DAY THE HULK CAME DOWN
The warp rift that sucked the space hulk towards the planet was as sudden as it was unexpected. All communications between the human Imperium and its forward exploration team on the world were severed instantly. At the same time, vast gravometric forces tore at the fabric of the warp, drawing the passing hulk to its destruction on the planet below.

The space hulk plunged through the thin air at hypersonic speed. Ancient reactors broke apart, fuel cells ruptured, spilling their corroded contents and causing a radioactive cloud to spread in the hulk’s wake. Its outer layers burned fiercely but due to the paucity of the planet’s atmosphere and acute angle of descent, most of the hulk survived intact to strike the surface. The gigantic ship struck the equatorial desert and scoured a gash in the planet extending nearly a thousand miles to the north west. Its progress drove the underlying rocks into high ridges like a monstrous furrow.

Still travelling at tremendous speed, the space hulk scattered thousands of tons of wreckage in its path. Parts of the craft broke away from the main body leaving a trail of torn and twisted metal. The shock wave created at the prow of the hulk threw millions of tons of desert into the air, and the explosive power of the impact was enough to shatter nearby rocks into powder. A pall of radiation and dust was cast over the world that would not settle for ten whole years.

WARP SPACE
As-speculated by early scientists, the universe is in fact a mixture of different dimensions “interacting with each other. The material world as we know it is one of these dimensions, and warp space (or the warp) is another. The warp does not conform to the laws of physics and nature as we know them, but is filled with swirling energy. Like real space, the warp is inhabited. God-like, eldritch entities reside in warp space, hungering after, and thriving on the ‘thoughts and emotions of the material universe. Space craft can navigate vast distances across the galaxy by dropping into the alternate world of warp space, where time has no meaning and distance is merely a concept rather than a reality. A journey that may take centuries in real space can be completed in a matter of weeks in warp space.

The warp is a realm of eddies, currents and tides. Ships in warp space do not navigate as such, but merely move from one stream of energy ‘to another, cruising the flow of the immaterium to*their jump point into real space. Just as a river or ocean may have swirling eddies, deeper, slower portions, and raging maelstroms, so too does the warp. Storms sweep through sections of it, throwing craft for light years around spinning out of control, destroying those caught in its merciless energies. Occasionally the link between warp » space and the material realm is weakened and energy from the warp will burst through and create a vortex of power, transforming stars and planets into places where insanity and reality collide, spawning worlds with skies of fire and stars which bleed into the void. There are several such warp/real space interfaces throughout the galaxy, the largest of them being the Eye of Terror and the Maelstrom. Ships fortunate enough to survive a warp tempest may be flung into the real universe, thousands of light years from their original course, destined to risk another jump into warp space or to wander the stars for eternity.

SPACE HULKS



Space hulks (or just ‘ulks to the Orks) are a by product: of warp travel. A space hulk is not a single spaceship, but a conglomeration of vessels compacted together by massive collisions within the warp and the material universe. They are immense, twisted piles of half-wrecked craft, creating a maze of galleries and corridors many miles in length. Some space hulks are all that remain of a flotilla caught in a sudden warpstorm, the vessels of the fleet crushed into a single mass by the power of the immaterial tempest. Others have accumulated over centuries, even millennia, slowly growing in size as derelict ships and crewed vessels crash into the expanding mass of wreckage. Through the course of its existence, a space hulk may drift through the warp for decades or centuries, until some chance flicker of the warp deposits it into the real galaxy.

Orks use space hulks to transport them across the gulfs between stars. The Ork Meks construct immense traktor beam generators, each the size of a small town. They use these to trap a passing ‘ulk in space, then transport themselves aboard with crude ‘telly portas’. The Meks then - create an energy bubble in one part of the ‘ulk, which the Orks can inhabit. The rest of the Boyz are ‘ported on board and the traktor beams are then reversed to give the ‘ulk a boost into space. From their small enclave, the Orks expand outwards, constructing more energy shields and creating physical barriers against the outside vacuum. Once a firm grip has been established, the Meks may build huge engines to allow the Orks to steer the ‘ulk in a basic fashion, but much of the time it is left to the Ork gods Gork and Mork to guide them to a suitable destination.

MUTIE RAIDERS
Mutie raiders attack from the most deadly and inhospitable areas around Mektown. They lurk:in the rad zones and amongst the great wrecks but they also range far across the deserts, living a nomadic existence. The raiders hate Orks with an unbridled passion and are constantly on the look out for opportunities to kill them and destroy their forts.


Attacks by Mutie raiders are swift and merciless, and they often use ravines and other features to” get close to the Orks and take them unawares. The raiders will burst forth with ululating yells and screams, to ride down their surprised foes ina wave of hideously twisted warriors and steeds. Orks try to hunt down bands of raiders whenever they appear but the raiders are crafty in all the ways of the desert and seem to appear and then disappear with the sudden ferocity of a desert storm.


The Muties themselves are hideously deformed creatures that are normally swathed in ragged robes and hoods to protect themselves from the burning heat of the suns. They ride upon weird, warped beasts with tough, scaly hides. and fanged jaws. Raiders use weapons that are quite different from the brutal, noisy shootas of the Orks — long fusils and jezails which fire bolts of burning light.

MEKTOWN TODAY
“Mektown! Dere's no uvver place like it on da planet! Come to fink of it, there IS no uvver place on the planet. Mektown is IT! It's the oldest, biggest, most excitin’ an’ definitely the only settlement in the whole world. That is unless you count the Digga holes and the Pyramids, which is pushin’ it, plus wherever the Grots, Snots an’ Muties hide. They all live under rocks and that’s hardly what you an’ me would call civilised, now is it?

It ain't hard to find Mektown 'cos of all the glorious lights, loud noises an’ gruesome smells that spill out across the desert for miles around. Most likely it’s not Mektown you'll find first but the Skid. The Skid isa dead straight valley, steep sided, with Mektown at the fat end. Find the Skid, which is hundreds of miles long, ride along it and you'll come to Mektown sure as teef is teef. The Skid is quite a place too. It's the best spot to find quality wreckage. Most is half buried in the ground, but some lies just outside the Skid, hidden among the rocks. There's plenty of wreckage waiting for them as wants it.

Course, there's all sorts of nasties live in the Skid, specially at the thin end where there's a big, long chunk of old wreck. We calls this Skid Row and this is where a lot of bad Grots hangs out as well as a few nasty types that is best avoided if you know wot's good for you. Still, I've had many a bash in the Skid an’ carried me off some top tucker tek, as you can see by the size of me janglies. Ah it’s a good life an’ no mistake — Gork be praised.”

 

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THE SKID
The Skid extends off to the south east of Mektown, a broad valley bounded with jutting walls of melted and shattered stone. Travelling along the Skid takes many days on a buggy and is next to impossible on foot. If the heat, thirst and sandstorms don’t kill you, the whip scorpions, Muties and renegades will. At a number of points fractures in the rock walls or huge sand dunes make it possible to drive up out of the Skid and into the desert surrounding it. Forts and small settlements are dotted liberally around, all along the Skid. Many of these are old and abandoned but quite a few are occupied by mobs of Orks. The mobs hunt for useful scrap along the Skid, though all the choicest pieces near Mektown have been snatched long ago. Nonetheless the Skid is still littered with all sorts of junk. Rusting frames of ancient spacecraft jut out of the ground, huge metal plates and pipes are fused into boulders or patches of vitrified sand, cables and wiring snake amongst the rocks and detritus.

The high rock walls of the Skid make its edges relatively cool and shady in many places. This is where great stands of fungus can be found growing, and the ubiquitous squigs eke out an existence feeding on the fungus and each other. Gretchin runaways looking for fame and fortune away from the Orks, end up lurking in the fungus groves until they either get recaptured by Slaverz or work up the guts to make the rest of the journey down to Skid Row.

THE LANDS BEYOND
Few 'Orks have travelled into the deep desert and returned to tell the tale. Mutie raiders, rival Orks and rebel Grots are but the least of the dangers for a prospective explorer. First of all it is easy’ to simply get lost and wander the wastes until thirst and heat kill you. In the depths of the desert there are deep seams of fine dust where buggies or bikes sink under in an instant. Apparently solid .: plains of rock can fracture and drop travellers to their deaths in subterranean caverns. Towering - windstorms can whip up without warning to bury warriors and their machines or suck them.up to be torn apart in their spinning vortices. Nonetheless some try and a few return, although none of them have found anywhere worth going back to.

Days away to the west through the desert there is fa great sea which is supposedly not water but boiling mud clear to the horizon. To the south hot lakes and geysers bubble up from the cracked ground. Between the boiling sea and the lakes is a low range of volcanoes which gout sulphur and ash into the skies in an unending torrent.

To the north and east lie great rocky plains and salt flats, terminating in the howling hills where the winds never die. In the south east, the mother of storms can be seen even from Mektown, a huge rotating column of wind and dust a hundred miles. across or more. All the truly giant windstorms are born here and when their twisting columns dance across the desert, the Orks have to clamp everything down tight and be ready to dig themselves out when it's all over.

DA FORTZ
Once a Nob has recruited enough Orks to form a mob and scraped the teef together to afford vehicles to carry them, they can set out into the desert. A big crowd of Meks, Boyz, traders, inquisitive Gretchin, Diggas and anybody else around at the time will gather to see the mob off —a few shouting advice, others yelling abuse or threats, some offering to do work or join them if they get lucky. Once out into the Skid the mob will start looking for a place to hole up and start building their fort. Searching for a place to claim can be a dangerous business and often requires the mob to travel many days from Mektown. Other mobs will fight the newcomers at every opportunity, rebel Grots will trail the mob looking for an opportunity to steal their stuff and sandstorms and Mutie raiders always threaten to sweep out of the desert.

Undaunted the mob will keep on looking for a rich vein of scrap where they can establish their stronghold. There are hundreds of such veins where the wreckage of the hulk has been buried in the sands by centuries of storms or forced far below the surface by the violence of the impact. At times sections of whole ships are uncovered, their twisting corridors leading beneath the sands to a fortune in unplundered tek. Most veins are simply compacted masses, an unidentifiable agglomeration of metal smashed together.

First the mob will construct crude huts from debris found on the surface. This is the most perilous time in a mob’s career, and many unlucky Orks have found themselves caught out in the wilderness with no shelter as night closes in. Some mobs have disappeared to the monstrous denizens that lurk in the night, while others have had horrifying encounters that have left them more than slightly unhinged. However, if all goes to plan the Orks will start to dig beneath the surface for more scrap. Some of this they will trade with the Meks, while large metal plates and other useful bits will be built into a simple wall.

As the mob digs and finds more scrap, it will add to its defences and trade its scrap for more useful bits in Mektown. In quite a short time the mob’s fort will be visible from quite a distance, its rusted and pitted walls of buckled plates and twisted girders rising from the dunes. Extra spikes, a mechanised gate, wind and gas powered generators and all sorts of other gubbins are added on as the Orks prosper. Although the Orks may roam far and wide in their search for more scrap, it is their mine which will provide a steady source of income and their fort that acts as a base of operations. Here the mob’s captives are put to work by the Slaverz, the Spannerz fix up the mob’s buggies and bikes and the Orks generally relax after a hard day’s diggin’ and fightin’. Most importantly the fort offers some protection against sand storms, enemies, the scorching heat of the twin suns and the haunted nights of the desert.

SERIOUS INJURIES TABLE

66 SURVIVES AGAINST THE ODDS
The warrior regains consciousness alone in the desert, given up for dead by his companions and overlooked by his enemies. Despite his injuries he makes his way back home, fighting off muties, whip scorpions and other horrors, overcoming the endless dangers of the desert (and the nightmare stalkers of the night). He recovers fully and his remarkable survival earns him an additional D6 Experience points.

 

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DIGGANOB

“Ere, yoo listenin’, ya worfless Yoof? Good, just yoo listen ta old Nazzgit.

Out dere, past da edges of Mektown is da Skid. Yeah, | knows ya knows dat, but if yoo innerupt me again I’m gonna clobba ya! Right, dere’s da Skid. At da end of da Skid is Skid Row, where dere's dis 'uge tangle of scrap, almost as big.as Mektown. All da weirdos ‘ang out dere and dere’s dis bunch of Grotz ‘angin’ about moanin’ about tags. Da Gretchin Revolutionary Committee dey call ’emselves. Dey cause no end of trouble, grabbin’ our scrap and attackin’ our Boyz, but dey’s not da worst.

Outside da Skid is da Big Uz, an’ a few forts. Da Big Uz is no place for Orks really, very ’ot, very dry and deadly. Up dat way, over dere, is da Pyramids, Da Pyramids is ded old, even before dere was Orks dere was Pyramids. Da Pyramids is ded nasty, so don't ever go near “em, yoo ‘ear. Never!

Gorkamorka knows ’ow, but da Diggas live under da Pyramids. Da Diggas is weirdos too, but. dat’s cos dey're Diggas. Dey got lotsa ded good tekky stuff wot dey give to da Meks, and dey get gunz and buggies from da Meks. Dey’s stoopid cos dey wanna be Orks, but dey’re Diggas so ‘ow could dey ever be Orks? But dat ain’t da worst, not by a long way.

Out in da Big Uz are 'orrible fings, wiv tentacles and lotsa eyes. We calls ’em Muties and dey’s got dese weird weapons dat throw balls of light at yer. Don’t look like dat, yer stoopid zogger, dese balls of light can smash a buggy or blow up a fort gate in one go! Dese Muties ride around on scaly fings and charge about killin’ Boyz and nickin’ our scrap. Gorkamorka knows what dey wanna do wiv it, but they must ‘ave as much as us by now. And dat’s just da big fings, don’t forget yer whip scorpions, leg-biterz, sand-gulpers, quiksand, crumble rock, giant wurms, big bugz, brainsuckas and spikers, to name but a few of da perils of da desert. Allin all, I'm ‘appy to be in Mektown...”

DIGGAMOBS
North-west of Mektown, several days journey across scorching open desert, lie the Pyramids. To reach them is a hazardous journey in itself - a mob must endure the blazing sun, storms, quicksand, dust-covered crevasses and the horrors of the chilling night. Only the most foolhardy attempt the journey and only the luckiest and most determined return. So what could drive a mob into the wilderness against such desperate odds? The answer is simple: teef and glory, for the Pyramids and the land around them hold unimaginable wealth. Of course, to get this wealth you must trade with the inhabitants of the Pyramids — the Diggas!

ORIGINS
The oldest tales of the Diggas, those that survived the anarchy of the Pre-Digga Wars, tell of an ancient race who explored the depths of worlds, The Diggas’ forefathers, it is claimed, lived before the coming of the Orks. They were said to be magnificent beings, even more advanced than Orks, who rode about in huge trukks that flew through the sky and could jump across the distant stars. Then the Big Blast happened and the world was thrown into a terrible darkness. Digga historians, of which there are few and who are mostly considered insane by their fellow Diggas, have studied the tales of the Diggas and Orks and have forwarded the following history. The coming of the Orks’ hulk and the Big Blast are linked together in some way.

Whether it was the crash of the space hulk that caused the Big Blast, or the Big Blast that caused the space hulk to hurtle out of the warp it is impossible to say. Whatever the catalyst, at the same time that the space hulk was ripped from the warp, the ancestors of the Diggas were caught in the Big Blast.

DIGGA SOCIETY
The Diggas are still divided into their tribes and are led by the Wreckers. In return for Ork weapons and vehicles, the Diggas sell scrap to the Orks. Emulating them to the full, the Diggas roam the desert (which they call the Upside, as opposed to the tunnels which are the Downside) searching for the loot of the hulk which they take to Mektown. They fight other Diggamobs and the Orks for the right to dig, fend off Mutie raiders and persecute Gretchin Revolutionaries just like their greenskinned neighbours. They also immerse themselves in Ork kultur as much as they are allowed.

Not only do the Diggas take on the Ork lifestyle, they also attempt to look like Orks. The greenskins’ massive bodies, savage claws and mighty fanged jaws are a fearsome sight and the Diggas wear specially rigged clothing and decorated helmets to look as Orky as possible. The more esteemed a Digga is, the larger his costume will get until the Digganobz and Wreckers themselves have enormous harnesses beneath their clothing giving them hulking shoulders and_ barrel chests, helmets painted with fearsome Ork faces, brightly coloured topknots and scalplocks and many tattoos declaring their prowess and allegiance. Diggas utilise every aspect of Ork teknologee, but it is often modified to suit their own needs. Diggas cannot stand the blazing suns of Gorkamorka as well as the Orks can, and their vehicles are often rigged with awnings and shades to protect them against the heat on long journeys, The Diggas decorate their vehicles with the skulls of their enemies, and the strange alien bones they find in the tunnels during the search for buried tek. They tie pieces of useless tek to their buggies, wear necklaces of glittering crystals and generally try to be as impressive as the Orks looked on that very first day of contact. It is a process that continues and each passing generation of Diggas tries to act even more Orky and look even harder than the one before.

 

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DIGGAS AND OTHER MOBS

Diggas have a unique place amongst the varied society of Gorkamorka. They will happily trade and fight with the Orks, and battle against the Muties and Rebel Grots. To represent this the following special rules apply to a Diggamob.

DIGGAS AND CAPTIVES
Diggas do not have any Slavers. If the Diggas capture an enemy Digga or Ork, they can exchange and ransom them back as normal. However, if no agreement is reached the captive will be taken back to the tunnels and turned over to Da Wrecker. They strip the captive of their equipment as normal and then will lead them back to their home. In this case the enemy has one chance to recapture their comrade before they are lost in the depths below the Pyramids, as explained in the Scenarios section later. Any captives sold to Da Wrecker earn the Diggamob 2D6 teef, which you can add directly to your hoard along with the captive’s weapons and equipment. Like Ork mobs, Diggas will execute any Muties they capture or take Rebel Grots to Mektown (see the relevant sections later), on the grounds that it will bring them more favour with the Orks. Captured vehicles are treated in the same way. The Diggas will do their best to nurse the crippled buggy or trukk to the tunnels and then smash it to bitz for spare parts to sell to the Meks and to decorate their underground chambers with. A captured vehicle is treated just like a captive warrior for the purposes of rescuing it.



REBEL GROTS AND OTHER MOBS

Rebel Grots don’t get on with anybody. They don’t like the Orks for the injustices they inflict upon Grots, they hate the Diggas for creeping to the Orks, and the Muties attack and fight with everybody.

REBEL GROTS AS CAPTIVES
Rebel Grots will never pay a ransom for a captured Rebel Grot, though they don’t mind exchanging them for captured members of their own. Rebel Grots who are captured by Orks or Diggas and not exchanged are treated just like any other captives (put to work in the mine or taken to the Pyramids) unless they have over 100 experience points. Rebel Grots with over 100 experience points or Rebel Grots taken captive by Muties may be rescued as detailed in the Oddmobs Scenarios section.

 

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MUTIE RAIDERS

Although they are the masters of Mektown and dominate most of the area around the Skid, the vast majority of the world of Gorkamorka lies beyond the Orks’ control. There are a few forts scattered into the edges of the Big Uz and no doubt other settlements, grown from spores blown long distances, may exist in the Howling Hills and the volcanic regions to the west. All in all though, the vast expanse of desert is the real badlands of Gorkamorka. It is from these wilderness regions that the Orks’ most bitter enemies ride forth bringing war and destruction. These barren wastes are the domains of the Mutie raiders.

BIRTH OF THE MUTIES
The records of the Muties go back a long, long time, many centuries into the past. Like the Diggas, the Muties trace their ancestry to an old race who had mastered the skies and the stars. As the Diggas’ forefathers dug deep into the ground, the Muties’ ancestors scoured the surface of the world and rode in a huge ship far up in the sky. The Muties’ ancestors were not like the Muties at all, but were fair of form, with smooth limbs, happy in their uniformity. Then came the day when the world was wracked with torment, and the primogenitors of the Muties were flung from their lofty realm. The Muties know what happened to their forebears and it is the main source of their hatred for the Orks. When the Ork hulk was ripped from space and plummeted to the planet’s surface, it also brought down the home of the Muties from its place amongst the stars. As the Ork hulk smashed a gouge of destruction through the rocks that now form the Skid, the abode of the Muties ancestors crashed down in the deep desert. Much of it was shattered by the impact but a large portion remained intact, and its inhabitants survived. Stunned they emerged from the wreckage of their home to look upon the world around them and found a dusty wilderness of blazing hot days and freezing cold nights. In their struggle for survival they set about restoring their realm in the face of the savage desert winds and dust storms.

Not only was grit and sand brought across the desert by these gales but also noxious clouds of gases, that were billowing from the wrecked hulk many miles away. Radiation leaked into the planet’s atmosphere, spreading like a deathly pall across the desert. Slowly, but increasingly with each passing generation, the Muties’ ancestors began to change. Wracked by the virulent mix of radiation and toxic chemicals in the air, the forefathers of the Muties found their bodies warping. Many died, unable to withstand the horrific environment they were born into. Only the strongest survived, but they were hideously altered. Their deformities varied: some had distorted skeletons, extra limbs and eyes, others found their muscle structure mutating or their skin formed into a hard, stone-like layer. As the strong prevailed future generations became more twisted, and soon the fair faces and clean limbs of the ancestors were but a distant memory. When they first saw themselves as Muties nobody can tell, but it was a realisation that brought them much anger and bitterness. What they had lost would scar Mutie society forever.

ETERVIGILA
Throughout the years of mutation, the Muties laboured to restore their dwelling to some semblance of its former power. Using their technical skills they mended the rent plates, re-wired broken circuits and repaired much of the damage caused by the descent through the air and impact on the surface. The name of the dwelling was forgotten but one generation, upon inspecting a new area of their realm, came across its title. Amongst the scorch marks and blast holes dim letter forms could be made out: ER... WIGILA..., and their base was renamed with its ancient title. Etervigila has regained much of its former glory. The work of centuries has restored much of its power supply and other systems. Most importantly, the Muties gained access to its huge storage banks of information. Although it is a constant battle to keep the generators working, to maintain the energy conduits and to repair the all too frequent blackouts and short-circuits, the Muties have managed to learn much about Etervigila and other wonders of technology. Through generations of Keepers, this ancient knowledge has been passed on.

New data has been carefully recorded and when possible entered on to the databanks. Old litanies and rites of lore are passed on to the Keepers’ apprentices, along with the collections of Scrolls of Wisdom. Through this process of learning, the old ways are kept alive, the secrets of the Muties’ forebears remain and their memory is not lost.

 

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THE WAR OF KNOWLEDGE AND RETRIBUTION
Ever since their first contact with the Orks, the Muties have hated the greenskins. Listening to the tales of the hulk’s crash, it became clear to the Muties that the Orks were responsible for sending Etervigila crashing down to the planet. Not only had they brought the Muties’ ancestors so low, it was the hulk that had corrupted and mutated them down through the centuries turning them into the hideous creatures they are now. This was a crime of unimaginable horror, an act so vile that there could never be peace as long as one Ork remained to stain the world with their presence. As well as the righteous fight against the Orks, the Muties continue the ancient quest of their ancestors - the search for knowledge. The Muties roam the desert looking for any remnants of their forebears’ technology - old assayers, campsites, bunkers and redoubts and any other evidence of their passing. The Keepers record this information and pass it on to their apprentices before handing it on to the Cognoscenti — those who are responsible for running and updating the files inside Etervigila’s massive memory banks. This also brings the Muties into conflict with the Orks, as they clash over buried scrap and arcane technology.

THE COGNOSCENTI AND THE QUEST
The rulers of Etervigila are known as the Cognoscenti. It is they who maintain Etervigila’s vast database and assimilate information gathered by the raiders. The Cognoscenti also choose the Keepers’ apprentices and hear the solemn vows when one of their followers takes on the mantle of Seeker. Only the most courageous and strongest of the Muties become Seekers, and it is a position which brings both honour * and peril. The Seekers who chant their vows before an assembly of the Cognoscenti are charged with continuing the Quest. It is the Seekers who must encroach upon the Orks’ territories, seeking out the antique equipment of the past. It is the Seekers who scour the desert in search of other Muties, for there are bands of scattered brethren who have never heard of Etervigila, who are descended from the same forefathers but were separated from them at the time Etervigila was brought down. It is the Seekers who continue the War of Retribution against the Orks, forever punishing the greenskins for their part in the destruction of the Muties’ ancestors and the debasement of their society. Only the bravest attempt the Quest, and only the strongest-willed and most resourceful survive to tell of it. Those who gain enough renown from the Quest will one day be elevated to the hallowed rank of the true Cognoscenti. They will be initiated into the most secret and ancient rites of the Muties’ forefathers and they in turn will rule Etervigila.

MAGOD
Part of Mutie society is their worship of the distant deity, Magod. The lexicons of the ancients tell of this mighty being who rules the stars. They explain how everything comes to pass with its will. The Orks have despoiled Magod’s domain and they must be crushed. At the very pinnacle of Etervigila lies the Temple of Magod. It is a wondrous hall, filled with many technical P| marvels that even the greatest of the Cognoscenti cannot decipher. [tis claimed that from the Temple it is possible to communicate directly with Magod, but none yet have been found worthy. The Astrath Prophecy, made by the Great Magos Gorvaz, tells of a time when there will be one among the Muties who has the “Enlightened Mind of Magod’s chosen”. This individual will be able to use the Temple of Magod to ask for aid against the Orks. Magod will come with his vast armies and raze the Orks, Diggas and other foul creatures from the face of the world. At the moment of their triumph the Muties will be restored to their former bodies, cleansed of the Orks’ vileness and once again they will ascend into the stars and rejoice in the embrace of Magod. The Muties strive for that great day and their patience is endless.

 

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MUTIE BEASTS
One of the aspects of Mutie belief is the reasons why Magod turned from their ancestors and allowed the Orks to cast them from the heavens. It is believed by the Muties that their ancestors, for all their glorious wisdom and unsurpassable knowledge, had diverted from the path ordained by Magod. In their quest for mastery over machines the ancients had lost sight of their own organic origins. By denying their own existence and shunning all but the machine they offended Magod. Eager not to repeat the mistakes of their forebears, the Muties have restricted their attentions to Etervigila alone. Unlike the unholy Orks they do not seek to construct crude vehicles to carry them around, but rather employ the natural resources they have to hand. The most common of these resources are Mutie beasts. These come in all sorts of breeds and species. Some are immense monstrosities chained to huge turn cranks, which plod in endless circles all day powering generators to provide Etervigila with power. Then there are the small winged messengers who flutter around Etervigila and to the watch posts in the desert, capsules with messages and orders attached to their legs. The Mutie raiders themselves ride Mutie beasts specially selected by the expert Domestilai trainers for their speed and endurance. A Mutie mounted on such a steed can search far and wide across the desert, even in the noon sun, without pause or need for rest. Mutie beasts are also bred for food and to provide clothing for the Muties, and they form an essential part of modern Mutie culture. A Mutie who does not care for the beasts which support him has a debt upon his honour.

MUTIE TECHNOLOGY
The wisdom of the ancients has been maintained to a very high standard by the Keepers and Cognoscenti. By teaching their apprentices such prayers as the Rites of Construction, the Litanies of Energy and the Paradigms of Maintenance, the Keepers ensure that such knowledge is never lost. As well as this oral record, there are the databanks of Etervigila which grow with every day, amassing secrets that have been lost for centuries. The Keepers themselves also record the data they find on the Scrolls of Wisdom. The oldest scrolls date back to the founding of Etervigila and have been mechanically written onto transparent pages. Others are like slabs with glowing displays that flow with text. Most these days are hand-written upon simple paper or parchment and it is the duty of every Keeper’s apprentice to ensure that he has a copy of his master’s Scrolls of Wisdom before he can become a full Keeper.

The Muties’ technology far surpasses anything the Orks can construct. The ancient ways enable them to construct weapons of immense potential, utilising the power of light, heat and plasma in a way that the Ork Meks will never fully comprehend. The Mutie raiders are provided with these by the Cognoscenti when they embark upon the Quest and the Keeper will maintain and ensure that they are fully operational when needed. As well as guns and hand-to-hand weapons, the Muties construct other devices to aid their fight with the Orks and their quest for the knowledge of the ancients. With each passing year the coming of Magod gets closer and the Muties’ knowledge expands. One day, Magod will return and then the Muties will be free.

 

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CREATING A MUTIE RAIDING PARTY

A Mutie raiding party always consists of at least 3 warriors (Muties are all mounted and so don’t have any vehicles). To start your Mutie raiding party refer to the Muties On The Loose list at the end of this section. The list explains how much it costs to hire and equip your Mutie raiding party. To begin with you have a total of 100 teef to spend hiring your Mutie raiding party. There are four types of Mutie which can be hired: a Seeker, a Keeper, Unks and Snagas. In addition all Muties ride Mutie beasts.

THE SEEKER
Your Mutie raiding party must be led by a Seeker. This model represents the player himself as a true seeker of knowledge and salvation. A Mutie raiding party can only have one Seeker at a time.

THE KEEPER
Your Mutie raiding party must have a Keeper. The raiding party’s Keeper evaluates the debris they find and maintains the Muties’ weapons. A Mutie raiding party can only have one Keeper.

UNKS AND SNAGAS
To a Mutie there are no distinctions, but the Orks have different names for different Muties. Unks are Muties whose deformities have made them bulkier and more muscled. They are slower than a normal man, but their strength is considerable. Snagas are more human in appearance, and their life in the desert has made them lightning-fast and deadly.

MUTIE BEASTS
All Muties ride on Mutie beasts. Mutie beasts vary considerably in size and appearance, but the most common are horse-sized and possess powerful, whip like muscles to speed them across the desert.

MUTIE RAIDING PARTY ROSTERS
You'll need a mob roster sheet to write down details of your Mutie raiding party. You'll find blank roster sheets in the Gorkamorka box. We suggest you photocopy or copy as many sheets as you need, so that you can keep a neat and accurate record of your Mutie raiding party as it changes from game to game. It's a good idea to work out your Mutie raiding party on a piece of scrap paper first, as you will inevitably have to adjust warriors and weaponry in order to get close to the permitted 100 teef. If you have any teef left over after you have hired your raiding party, then any surfeits is retained and noted down in the box marked “Teef Hoard’. ye When you have chosen your raiding party take a mob roster sheet and write down the details of each warrior in the spaces provided. The rosters provide a record of your Mutie raiding party and it is useful to keep both beside you as you play. During a battle you may wish to make notes on a sheet, to record incidental details such as exploding weapons, flesh wounds, experience earned and such like. You will need to give your Mutie raiding party a name, and also name all your warriors. We leave it to you to invent suitable names, and you'll find many examples of Mutie names and titles elsewhere.

 

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MUTIES ON THE LOOSE

SEEKER
The Seeker has gathered his raiding party together to aid him in the ancient holy quest for knowledge and retribution. Through his search for hidden technology and battles against the Orks, the Seeker hopes to gain power and influence which will one day see him rise to the ranks of the venerable Cognoscenti.

KEEPER
The raiding party’s Keeper is responsible for maintaining their powerful weapons and recording any data they gather. Raised from birth as an apprentice, the Keeper is a guardian of the traditions and technological secrets of the Muties and is held in almost as much regard as the Seeker.

UNKS
Unks are very bulky and strong, able to smash even Orks into a pulp. Unfortunately, they tend to be slow witted and their reactions are not very good.

SNAGAS
Snagas are fast, very fast. Their unnaturally improved reflexes make them fearsome opponents in any situation; deadly shots with their rifles and awesome warriors at close quarters.

WEAPONS
Each Mutie mobster you recruit can be armed with one or more of the weapons listed below. Some models are restricted in what kinds of weapons they can be armed with, only Seekers and Keepers can use Holy Weapons, for example. An individual warrior can only carry up to two gunz (Holy Weapons and Mutie gunz). A warrior can also carry any number of hand-to-hand weapons and grenades. All weapons carried must be shown on the model itself and for the purposes of hand-to-hand combat it’s assumed that a model is armed with the weapons it is holding unless the owning player declares otherwise at the start of combat.

HOLY WEAPONS
Some weapons are so ancient and sacred, that only the most worthy may use them. These weapons have been carefully maintained since the founding of Etervigila. All Holy Weapons count as gunz and require both hands to use them.

MUTIE WEAPONS
The gunz and weapons of the Muties are highly advanced when compared to the crude shootas and kannons made by the Meks. Their rifles spew bolts of energy that can punch through armour from a distance, while their close combat weapons are often covered ina shimmering force field or whirl with razor-sharp blades.

GRENADES
Grenades are similar to Ork stikkbombz. Their different design allows them to be thrown more accurately, but they cannot be used in close combat.

MUTIE ARMOUR
Mutie armour is constructed to ancient designs, far superior to most Ork armour. Unfortunately this means that it is considerably more difficult to manufacture and maintain.

 

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PICKING UP AND CARRYING SCRAP COUNTERS
One disadvantage of riding a Mutie beast is that it is hard to dig a lump of scrap out of the ground from its back. Muties who pick up scrap must therefore dismount, dig up the scrap and then remount. For this reason, a mounted Mutie may only pick up a Scrap counter if he ends his movement in contact with it. However, Mutie beasts are bred for their strength and can carry burdens much heavier than a Mutie or an Ork. A mounted Mutie carrying a Scrap counter does not have to halve its movement like a foot model. A mounted Mutie may still usually only carry one scrap counter at a time.

FIGHTING WITH VEHICLE CREWS
Muties never, ever dismount in battle, and so cannot usually board vehicles. A Mutie may attack models on a vehicle just like a boarder (charging into the side or rear, testing against Initiative or taking a Strength 3 hit, fighting against one opponent at a time and so on). However, the Mutie does not actually board. A Mutie fighting a vehicle’s driver or crew does not throw warriors off (though remember that a model on a vehicle which goes down will fall off), A Mutie defeated by a model on board a vehicle is moved out of contact in addition to any wounds inflicted.

MUTIES AND FORTS
Muties cannot attempt to climb a fort wall. When Muties attack a fort they either ride around it a, shooting all the defenders Foe, or they use their powerful a weapons to blow a hole in the gate and then storm in.

DRIVING OFF MUTIES
As happy as a Mutie is to charge into the gunz of the enemy without a thought for their own life, they may still be forced back through weight of fire. Partly this is down to the Mutie’s steed retreating from enemy fire but also the Mutie himself may well back off and consider another route of attack.

MUTIE WEAPONS
Muties use their own unique weapons, manufactured using ancient technology in the heart of Etervigila with techniques that have been passed on since the settlement’s founding. Mutie weapons are highly advanced in comparison to Ork weapons, and utilise energy in a way that the Mekboyz have yet to fully understand. Only Muties may use Mutie weapons, they are beyond the understanding of Orks, Grots and Diggas. Any Mutie weapons which are captured (because the Mutie has been captured, for example) can be sold for their full price, rather than at half price as normal.

 

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MUTIE GUNZ
The following weapons are all classed as gunz and so must be used with two hands.

ARBALAST
The Arbalast is linked to a special generator backpack with a bundle of cables. This additional power gives its bolts of dazzling energy a prodigious punch,

CALIVER
The Caliver fires a constant beam of energy which can be used to concentrate on a single target or slice through several opponents close together.

ARQUEBA
The Arqueba is very powerful, but fairly short-ranged. However, this is a minor concern to a mounted Mutie who can speedily ride into range and loose off a shot of blazing energy before withdrawing to make another hit and run elsewhere.

FUSIL
The fusil fires a ball of energy which explodes violently when it impacts with the target, causing horrendous damage to everything nearby.
Special Rules
Blast. The energy projectile of a fusil explodes over a wide area on impact and may affect several of the enemy and cause horrendous damage to a vehicle.

JEZAIL
The jezail is an immensely powerful weapon, but suffers from overheating and is prone to jamming or even exploding when used too frequently. It works by storing up a charge of plasma energy, which it can then release in a single huge burst or syphon off smaller amounts to fire a salvo of energy bolts.
Special Rules
Two fire modes, The jezail can be fired in two ways, announce which you are using before rolling to hit. A jezail can be fired on autofire or overload, each of which is dealt with slightly differently. Whichever fire mode is used, the jezail must recharge for one turn after firing, during which it cannot be used. However, the recharge is automatic (unlike reloading a six-shoota, for example) and does not prevent the Mutie from firing another weapon or fighting as normal. Autofire.
On autofire, the jezail spews forth a volley of smaller plasma bolts, which can be trained onto one target or directed at a group of foes.
Special:
One Sustained Fire dice, One turn recharge.
Overload.
On overload, the jezail uses all its prodigious energy in one immense blast. The jezail uses the Autofire rules as normal. Whenever you take an Ammo test for a jezail on overload (whether you rolled a six to hit, or a Jam on the Sustained Fire dice), the following rule applies. If you roll a 1 for the Ammo test then the jezail automatically explodes — do not take another Ammo test as described in Da Clevver Stuff section of Da Roolz. An exploding, jezail inflicts a Strength 6 hit on the Mutie carrying it and cannot be used for the rest of the battle (but will be repaired free of charge by the time the Muties fight again).

Special: One Sustained Fire dice. May explode. One turn recharge.

 

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MUTIE HANO-TO-HAND WEAPONS

GLAIVE
A glaive takes many forms, sometimes a sword, often an axe. The linking feature is the chain of whirling blades which chew through flesh and bone and cause terrible damage, even from a glancing hit.
Special Rules
Horrendous damage.
You may roll one extra dice to determine the injury if you reduce an opponent to 0 Wounds with a glaive. You always roll one extra dice, regardless of the number of wounds inflicted.

DEMILUNE
A demilune is a long-hafted weapon with two powered blades, one at each end of the haft pointing in each direction. A skilled warrior can cut down a swathe of foes with swinging attacks.
Special Rules
Two hands,
A demilune requires two hands to use in close combat.
Secondary attackers.
Second and subsequent attackers get no extra dice or bonus to their combat score when fighting a warrior armed with a demilune.

FALCHION
The falchion has an extremely long blade, both edges honed to a monomolecular edge and covered in a power field. It can slice through armour and living tissue with a single stroke and its size allows the wielder to fend off the blows of the enemy,
Special Rules
Blocking
A Falchion. A falchion can be used to make a block, just like a shield. If your opponent is armed with a shield, then neither fighter may block.

 

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MUTIE ARMOUR

CUIRASS
The cuirass is a solid breastplate which can deflect shots and absorb close combat blows. Its unique shape deflects hits away from the wearer, harmlessly dissipating their energy.

HABERGEON
A habergeon is the most extensive form of armour worn by Muties. It consists of a breastplate linked to arm and leg greaves and often has additional armour plates over the joints. Its bulk is offset by using the lightest materials to hand so that it does not encumber the wearer.

MUTIE GRENADES
Muties use grenades instead of stikkbombz. Grenades are round rather than club-like, and the Muties have perfected a particular over-arm style of throwing them which enables the thrower to lob a grenade with considerable accuracy. Grenades follow all of the rules for stikkbombz, with the following exceptions.

 

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MUTIE EXPERIENCE

RIDING SKILLS
1D6
Result
1 . do this. during normal movement or Master Rider. The Mutie and his ‘steed act with a single mind, dodging enemy vehicles and leaping onto the foe with fluid grace.

2 Expert aim. The Mutie is highly adept at firing whilst on the move and can pick off targets even from the back of a galloping Mutie beast. The Mutie does not suffer the normal -1 to hit when shooting whilst galloping.

3 Sweeping blow. Fighting from the back | of a Mutie beast gives a warrior a distinct advantage, which this Mutie exploits to a the full. When the mounted Mutie fights it against.

4 Pounce. The Mutie has developed a unique style of attacking vehicles. Bunching its muscles, his Mutie steed leaps high in the air and lands slap-bang, in the middle of the enemy, clawing and biting. The Mutie may board an enemy vehicle just like a foot model! Evade. The Mutie’s an expert at ducking behind his mount’s thick hide to avoid being shot.

6 Hit and Run. This Mutie is adept at charging into combat, striking the enemy and then riding on before their foe can fight back.

SKILLS NOTES
With the following exceptions, Muties benefit from skills exactly as written. The exceptions are:
Well ‘Ard (Ferocity skill),
Gotcha! (Ferocity skill),
‘Ow Much?! (Cunnin’ skill),
Bommer (Dakka skill),
Tinkerer (Qdd skill)
and Back Seat Driver (Odd skill).

Well ‘Ard. The Mutie’s many scars and mutations are a fearsome sight, even for an Ork. A Mutie with this skill causes fear as described in Da Roolz. If a Mutie that causes fear for any reason (such as a set of impressive scars) gets this skill then they cause ferror — the Mutie is such a horrific sight even the boldest warriors flee from him.
Gotcha! Re-roll this skill.
‘Ow Much?! Re-roll this skill. Bommer. This applies to grenades rather than stikkbombz, otherwise the skill applies as normal.
Tinkerer. Re-roll this skill.
Back Seat Driver. Re-roll this skill.

 

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GOING TO ETERVIGLIA

Muties do not trade in the same way as other mobs. The scraps of technology and data they can find in the desert are taken back to Etervigila and handed over to the Cognoscenti. In return the Cognoscenti will reward the Mutie raiders with better weapons and equipment. The form of this reward varies, from new weapons and equipment to upgrades for existing weapons.

INCOME
To represent the amount of tek the Muties have uncovered, they use an income method similar to other mobs. However, rather than actual currency, the amount of teef a Mutie raiding party has represents how much influence thay have gained with the Cognoscenti and how well supported their efforts are. We have used ‘teef’ as this isa term already familiar to Gorkamorka players, but you may like to think of it as ‘renown’, ‘fame’, ‘favours’ or some other name.

THE ETERNAL SEARCH
Whenever Muties set out on a raid, they will also locate caches of hidden tek. Much of this lies deep in the Big Uz, out of reach of the Orks and Diggas. Every Unk and Snaga generates 2D6 teef worth of income after every battle as they scour the desert before returning to Etervigila. Warriors who went out of action are recovering from their wounds and may not scavenge for scrap. Keepers and Seekers do not search for scrap.

TRADING SCRAP
Like Ork Meks, the Cognoscenti are forever grateful to those who bring them pieces of arcane technology for them to study and use in the rebuilding of Etervigila.

‘ARDBOYZ BONUS
As well as the search for ancient technology, the Muties are also engaged in a vengance war against the Orks and Diggas. The Cognoscenti will heavily reward a Mutie raiding party who strikes a large blow for the war effort by defeating a powerful enemy mob.

 

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BUYING WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT

Binox.
Binox take many shapes but their basic function remains the same - to enable the user to see long distances. A raiding party equipped with several binox can keep track of each other more easily and come to each other's aid in times of need.

Grip-net.
As Muties don’t have vehicles to transport the spoils of battle, they make use of grip-nets. These are studded with special suspensors to make anything inside exceptionally light to carry. The Muties fill their grip-nets with scrap so that they can carry otherwise impossible burdens back to Etervigila.

Stranglehook.
The stranglehook is made from hightensile wire with a noose at the end, or even a mechanised grapple hook which clutches its target. The Muties use stranglehooks to pull enemies off their vehicles and to drag foes off fort walls and other places inaccessible to them while mounted.



Pharmacopaeia.
The pharmacopaeia is a strange device which is triggered once the wearer's blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate drop below a certain level. When activated it pumps revitalising elixirs and stimulants into the warrior.

Surveyor.
The surveyor scans the local area at various wavelengths and is used to detect lifeforms which are close by.

Obliviator.
The obliviator is an explosive charge which is designed to direct all of its energy in one area, punching through the thickest armour. However, an obliviator takes time to set up and so cannot be used in the furious hack and slash of close combat. The cost of the obliviator is for one use only, you do not have a supply of obliviators as you do with grenades and stikkbombz. An oblivator can be placed on a fort gate or a vehicle with no crew. The Mutie must charge into contact with the target in their movement phase and cannot shoot in the same turn,

Strobor.
The strobor unleashes a dazzling display of light in a flickering pattern designed to blind and disorientate the victim.

Reload.
Muties carry plenty of energy cells for their weapons, especially on a particularly long trek across the Big Uz.

 

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WEAPONS UPGRADES
As well as buying new weapons and equipment, a Mutie raiding party can take its weapons to the artisans of the Cognoscenti and ask for them to be enhanced in some fashion. Once the weapon has been handed over the matter is up to the artisan involved, but since any improvement is welcome, the raiders don’t usually mind what is done to their weapons as long as they come back in one piece.

 

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MUTIES AND OTHER MOBS
Muties only interact with other mobs on the battlefield. They loathe the Orks with a hatred that is only surpassed by their abhorrence of the Diggas. They have no concern with the politics of Ork life, and so Rebel Grots are seen as just more greenskins.

MUTIES AND CAPTIVES
Muties will kill any enemy they take captive, there is no forgiveness, only the War of Retribution, Mobs who have had a warrior captured by Muties have one chance to recapture their fellow mobster as detailed in the Oddmobs in Campaigns section. The value of any weapons and equipment can be added to the Mutie raider’s teef hoard but they will not use non-Mutie equipment. This represents the Cognoscenti’s greater esteem for the raiding party's valour in battle. Captured vehicles will be dragged back to the Muties’ camp before being disassembled for any tek they contain. The vehicle can be rescued and is treated like a captive warrior. If the opposing mob fails to recapture its vehicle the Muties will strip it for useful parts as detailed in the vehicle's ‘Captured’ description.


MUTIES AS CAPTIVES
In the same way that Muties will never allow a captive to live once captured, any Ork, Rebel Grot or Digga who finds themselves with a captured Mutie is liable to put the knife in at the very first opportunity — Muties are too dangerous to carry about, they never work in the mines no matter how much you whip them, and the Docs get sick just thinking about cutting one up. The Muties have a last gasp chance to recapture their fellow fighter as detailed in the Scenarios section — if they fail, that’s one more heinous affront to the righteous forces of Magod. Nobody other than the Muties can use Mutie weaponry and equipment, but you may add the value of any captured equipment to your teef hoard (the price paid by the Meks for such valuable samples of tek).

 

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Penologist Adrastus wiped grit from the viewfinder of his binox and then raised them to his good eye. Using the focus runes along the edge of the studded casing, the Mutie Seeker extended the vision range to its furthest point and scanned across the dunes below. His mount snorted as the wind changed direction and he turned his gaze to the east, upwind, A trail of dust could be seen a few miles away, possibly two or three vehicles to Adrastus’ experienced eye. Slipping the binox into their case hanging from the sash around his waist, he galloped back down from the cliff edge to rejoin his raiding party.

As the Seeker approached, Honoured Uzalus looked up from his study of a tattered map. He waved a beckoning hand and Adrastus drew his steed alongside that of the Keeper's. After exchanging respectful nods, the two began to discuss their plan. It was Adrastus who spoke first.

“We have movement, four kays east. They are not moving very fast, we have time enough to prepare a suitable welcome.”

Uzalus smiled, the long single fang protruding from his top lip digging a groove into his chin with the expression.

“That is perfect. Split the brethren here and here,” the Keeper indicated two narrow defiles on the map. “We can come in front and behind them. We must ride now if we are to reach the canyon before the enemy arrive.”

“As ever, Uzalus, your plans have a simple genius which makes them ideal. | will lead Pexalus and Nimrodan to the northern fissure, you take Erebun with you to the south. When you hear the hunting cry, ride from your hiding place and attack without warning.” The Seeker clapped a clawed, crabbed hand to Uzalus’ shoulder and gripped tightly.

“Your jezail shall reap a healthy harvest of blood today, my friend. With luck they will be firebringers and their heads will adorn the skull piles of Etervigila. If they are the worthless traitors of the Pyramids we will leave their bones to blanch in the sun outside their accursed, stinking tunnels as a warning not to come out again!”

With that Adrastus wheeled his mount away and called for Pexalus and Nimrodan to join him. After briefly explaining the plan to his two followers he saluted Uzalus by raising his falchion above his head, which was returned with a waved hand of farewell. The trio headed off to the east, their mutated mounts kicking up only a small swirl of sand in their wake.

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As Uzalus waited in the shade of an immense boulder, his thoughts turned to his Seeker, Adrastus. Although young, the Mutie leader had a cool head and thought things through. His bravery was undoubted, as was his burning hatred of the firebringers. However, his unrelenting passion for destroying the greenskinned scum was tempered by a faith and dedication to the Quest which other Seekers sometimes lacked. Where other hotheads would charge in regardless of the consequences, Adrastus would plan his attack, and evaluate the gains when compared to the risks. If Magod had willed things differently, Uzalus considered, Adrastus would have made a fine Keeper. As it was, Adrastus’ Quest was going well, and Uzalus could see that the Cognoscenti would be invigorated by his presence if he achieved that honoured goal.

Thinking of apprentices, Uzalus considered his own neophyte, Gennis. The boy was progressing well, his grasp of the Fundaments of Energy had amazed even Uzalus, who had seen many gifted pupils in the Chambers of Erudition. His practical work was as sound as his theory, Uzalus thought, and he picked a frag grenade from the pouch at his waist. Examining the construction, he was pleased with the apprentice’s work, it was competent, clean and methodical. Perhaps he would become a great Artificer in time, unless he proved even better at theoretical problems. Placing the grenade back in his beast-pelt sabretache Uzalus reached a decision. If he returned from this fight, Magod willing, he would show Gennis his Scroll of Wisdom depicting the Assembly of MkII Laser Projection Rifle and teach him the Dogma of Transference. Yes, that would be appropriate at this stage in the proselyte’s education. Satisfied education. Satisfied that things were proceeding according to his wishes, the Keeper turned his attention to the approaching cloud of dust and the roar of crude engines.

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Adrastus sat astride his scaly mount with his revered fusil held easily in one hand, its stock resting in his right stirrup. A few cubits to his left, Pexalus checked the energy cells hanging on the bandoleer over his shoulder. Glancing to his right, Adrastus saw Nimrodan balancing the haft of his demilune on the palm of one hand, checking the balance of the weapon just like he had checked it before each of the twelve other battles since he had agreed to accompany his brother Pexalus on the Quest.

The Seeker resisted the urge to scratch at his face, the left side of which was a massive swirl of scarred tissue. The pain was growing and he could feel the insidious tendrils of the scab stretching deep into his head and pushing outwards, Who could tell what strange whim of Magod had left him with the mark? He certainly couldn't and the Cognoscenti had not known either. All Adrastus knew was that it had started as a small mark above his left eye and now it engulfed almost two thirds of his face. His right hand had begun atrophying recently too, but the exercises Prophylate Dolcha had taught him still gave the Seeker full use of the limb. How many years would it be until he was blind in both eyes, the pain growing to such a degree that he would beg for release. Others tried to persuade him that the growth was slowing, but the Seeker knew the truth — it would be fatal.

It was why he had sworn himself to the Quest. He would rather die fighting against the accursed Orks and recreant humans of the Pyramids than to be slowly eaten up by the legacy of his forefathers. It was that knowledge that stayed his hand when others would have vented their fury without thought — the knowledge that he must make every moment of his life have meaning, either in the Quest for Enlightenment or the War of Retribution.

A gentle cough from Nimrodan attracted his attention and he looked up from where he’d been staring at his diseased hand. He then noticed the smell of smoke on the wind, very close and nauseating in its impurity. Hefting his fusil to his shoulder, he kicked his heels into his steed’s side and the three Muties galloped from the shadowy defile.

The Orks were taken completely by surprise. There were three vehicles — two four-wheeled contraptions and a smaller two-wheeled monstrosity. Adrastus gestured to Nimrodan and Pexalus to concentrate on the lead buggy while he veered to the right, aiming his fusil at the fast approaching Warbike. The fusil hummed quietly as he pulled the trigger and after a heartbeat the muzzle spewed forth a ball of energy with a roar. A ravening cluster of power impacted into the engine of the bike with a loud detonation. The Ork rider was flung into the air, his arms flailing stupidly, before he landed back first into the sand.

As he charged his mount towards the dismounted Ork, Adrastus gave his hunting cry —a wordless ululation that echoed around the ravine to amplify into a noise which had brought terror and death to his enemy for the last year of his life. As decided earlier, Adrastus saw Uzalus and Erebun charging from behind. Uzalus’ jezail fired a storm of plasma bolts at the rear trukk, sending two of the foul crew flying off and shattering a wheel. Adrastus ignored the rest of the fight as he drew his falchion from its sheath across his back and levelled it at the Ork who had now regained his feet.

With a twitch of his thighs, Adrastus sent his mount skittering to one side so that the Ork’s wild swing with its club was sent in the wrong direction. With a single swing, the Seeker backhanded the gleaming blade of the falchion into the Ork’s lower back, sending it tumbling into the dust with a cry of pain. There was no time to check to see if the foe was truly dead.

Adrastus sheathed the falchion again and spurred his mount on, levelling his fusil at the trukk which was careening wildly about the valley, its damaged wheel sending splinters of metal off the rocky desert floor. Adrastus laughed — tonight the victory fire would be bright indeed and another skull or two would be piled before his tent!

 

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DA TRAP
Sometimes a mob sends one of its members to Mektown to spread rumours about piles of scrap in the desert. The scrap is being used as bait so the mob can ambush another mob and give ‘em a good hidin’. Muties and Rebel Grots know the Orks and Diggas will come after a rich source of scrap eventually and will lie in wait until they do.

CONVOY
Although some of the scrap a mob finds is useful in itself, most of it is only valuable to the Meks. After a few days diggin’ in the mine, a mob has to carry its scrap to Mektown to sell. This can be very risky as other, more lazy, mobs prefer to wait around until an enemy mob heads off and then jumps them to steal their scrap. Mutie raiders are particularly fond of this tactic, charging over the dunes to wreak havoc and grab what they can before disappearing into the Big Uz.

GOTCHA!
Occasionally a mob, during its search for scrap, will stumble upon the camp of a rival mob, Mutie raiding party or Rebel Grots mob. Seeing their enemies, they launch an all-out attack before their foes can defend themselves.

DA KRUSHER
There are many mysteries and legends argued and fought over in Mektown and the forts dotting the Skid and the desert. When will Gorkamorka do its thing? What protects the Diggas below their Pyramids? Did Grotslag ‘Eadbiter really choke to death on a Mutie? Who is Da Krusher? The last of these has been asked more often over recent times, as the enigmatic figure of Da Krusher has appeared in more battles. Nobody can remember who Da Krusher originally was, before ‘Da Accident’. Who can say why the Meks felt honour-bound to do all they could to save his life after ‘Da Accident’. Come to that, what the Gork was ‘Da Accident’? Whatever the answers, Da Krusher has passed into folklore — an avenging figure who appears out of the wastes to do battle, before disappearing again once his strange duty has been fulfilled. Nothing much shows of Da Krusher’s original body. Generations of Meks (who call it Da Six ‘Undred Teef Ork in reference to the value of the hundreds of bioniks it has had fitted) have patched up his original replacements and upgrades, adding new nails and squirting oil into the right bits, so that all that shows is a small piece of brain tissue. Whatever its reasons for fighting, Da Krusher is a valuable ally — when he turns up and is in full working order!