Saturday 25 August 2018

Necromunda Terrain Tile 7 - Smugglers' Wharf


"Chewer says you're looking for passage out of Rockridge?"
"Yes indeed,if it's a fast ship"
"Fast ship? You've never heard of the Hail Mary?"
"No, should I have?"
"It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 Cycles, I've outrun Imperial patrols and Sumpkroks, not the local pets those Goliaths are fond of, mind you. I'm talking the big 20 footers. She's fast enough for you old man. What's the cargo?"
"Only passengers. Myself, the boy and two Servitors.....and no questions asked."
"What is it, some kind of local trouble?"
"Let's just say we'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements."
"Well that's the real trick, isn't it? It's gonna cost you extra. Ten thousand, all in advance."
"We'll pay you two thousand now, plus fifteen when we clear Rockridge."
"Seventeen? Okay, you guys got yourself a ship. We'll be ready when you are, Smugglers' Wharf."
"Smugglers' Wharf."





Like all of Rockridge's territories, Stranglevine Creek was formed from the aftermath of the Great Cataclysm. When the Krakatoa heat sink went critical, the walls holding back the Sump Sea were breached and toxic effluent flooded much of Rockridge. Over the Millennia the aftershocks and hive-quakes subsided; the Hive settled once more and the 'waters' receded to leave a labyrinth of half submerged passageways leading all the way to the Sump Sea.


Early prospectors were quick to make use of these 'waterways'. Docks were soon established to ferry recovered Archeotech to more accessible parts of the Underhive and bring in more prospectors. For a time the canals thrived and small settlements littered the canalways as a result.


As the discovery of more Archeotech slowed, so did the use of the canals and it wasn't long before the passageways became blocked with debris and choked with Stranglevine.


Over time the choked canals closed, the docks fell into disrepair as scavengers stripped them for scrap and the settlements were abandoned. The canals passed into history and the native flora and fauna claimed them for their own to form the Sump Swamps.

























Not all of the settlements were abandoned however, Stranglevine Creek has thrived despite the closure of the canals.

On its outskirts lies Smugglers's Wharf, a place where Skiffs still explore the swamps for Archeotech or offer passage to other settlements.

It is said that some know of a route to the Sump Sea and still trade with the captains that sail them.

The close proximity of several Trading Posts with their exotic wares certainly gives some credence to this......

......and Smugglers' Wharf is a bustling and integral part of Rockridge.

Until next time......may Our Lady grant you her number 😉

20 comments:

  1. So good! Love the ramshackle ruins rising out the swamp.

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    1. Thank you and thank you for taking the time to comment.

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  2. That is so atmospheric! All the little details realy bring it to life. Your realy raseing the game with each tile! great work.

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    1. Cheers Rob.
      It's starting to come together now so hopefully we can get some work done on our gangs soon :-)

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  3. Lord Adiatun Varunn27 August 2018 at 02:13

    Interesting realization ... especially the rudder system of the boat (these smugglers seem to mess with Xenos technology?) :-)
    All my congratulations, as usual.

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    1. Down in the Underhive lie many artefacts and machineries of dubious origin. Wild eyed prospectors and explorators often stumble into settlements muttering about unearthly structures or unnatural beings. The locals dismiss these wild stories as the ramblings of lunatics brought on by fungus addiction or inhaling too much swamp gas but the stories persist and there is no denying that some Archeotech appears to be of non Imperial design.... ;-)

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  4. Awesome work. The table just looks like so much fun to play on.

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    1. Cheers mate.
      We're having a lot of fun games on it.....which will be documented once more tiles are finished ;-)

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  5. This looks fantastic! Atmospheric, self-contained (but still easy to link up with your other components), and it seems to have a built in story of its own. I love the half-sunk container.

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  6. Cheers chap. I'm trying to incorporate as many story hooks as possible into each tile without overdoing it.

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  7. As ever another wonderful tile full of chatachar. I am no way swayed by the Star Wars intro. Honest.

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    1. Star Wars you say?....nah, never heard of it ;-)
      Cheers buddy.

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    2. You might be more familiar with it in the original form, as the Tattúínárdǿla saga: https://tattuinardoelasaga.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/tattuinardoela-saga-if-star-wars-were-an-icelandic-saga/

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    3. Ah...that old tale.
      More of Treky fan myself ;-)

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  8. Looks great! Be good to play a bit of Kill Team on that too.

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  9. Cheers Chris.
    I thought you had given up on the hobby mate? Good to see you're still around MOT ;-)

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    1. Life just got in the way for a few years mate :) I've got back into doing some painting / scenery building over the past few months and played a bit of kill team. Got an itch to take it a bit further soon :)

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    2. Being able to take a break and return any time the mood suits is one of the good things about the hobby.
      I've pretty much given up on 8th edition (but never say never!) and have ventured deep into the Underhive for plenty of Necromunda shenanigans. Most of the Cold Steel Mercs are still enjoying 8th edition tournament play, so if you plunge back in to the competitive scene, you're sure to bump into some of us ;-)

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