The Cruelwater Chronicles (Part VIII) - Tsunami of Blood

Kaius Torq, Magos Dominus of the lost Explorator Fleet KT-632.V and declared Heretek, stood motionless on the filth-encrusted gantry overlooking Cruelwater. With his external systems powered down, Kaius was virtually invisible amongst the shadows, even the Empyreasphere had acquiesced to his need for stealth and dimmed to a barely noticeable level, not that he could have seen it anyway with his occular implants shut down to avoid giving away his position. The Puppet Master had no need for his hard-wired eyes thanks to the data-nodes scattered throughout Cruelwater connecting him to all of his creations simultaneously.
It was through these eyes that he now watched his prey take up defensive positions. The Escher and Goliaths had banded together in the hope of holding back the endless waves he would send against them. Beneath his emotionless mask, Kaius allowed himself a smile, the waves he would unleash upon them would drown them, drown them in a Tsunami of blood....

The Cruelwater Chronicles (Part VII)- Swimming against the tide

"Enough!" Yelled Dexter over the din.
The Goliaths fell silent at their champion's command and slowly lowered their weapons. The Voodoo Dolls continued to train their Las-weapons on them, the ominous hum of their Hotshot Packs adding to the tension of the sudden silence. With no leader or champion the Escher gangers stole quick glances towards Sully for their cue.
"If we cannot work together, then not only will we all die in this stinking Sumphole, but we abandon any chance of our fallen escaping the Puppet Master's encroaching forces." Continued Dexter.
"He's right" said Sully, holstering her Autopistol. "...Which is not something you expect from a Goliath! Continue with the IED's"
The hum of the Las-Packs was replaced with laughter, with the tension broken both gangs returned to the task at hand....

The Cruelwater Chronicles (Part VI) - The Tide Turns

Moisture glistened on the scorpion's black carapace as it struggled to break free from the sump spider's web. Sully watched as the scorpion used its pincers to snip at the sticky strands holding it fast, its movement sending tremors along the gossamer threads to its owner. With each brief struggle the sump spider moved closer to its prey, stopping every time the Scorpion's frantic movements ceased. Closer and closer the sump spider moved, the scorpion's exertions masking its approach. The scorpion's movements ceased, its energy apparently spent. The spider crouched, its albino eyes scrutinising its prey, legs like coiled springs, waiting for the kill. In a sudden burst of activity the spider leapt upon its prey, its fangs struggling to puncture the scorpion's hard chitin plate. The scorpion's tail immediately lashed out sinking its venom tipped barb into its assailant. The gossamer threads gave way and both plummeted towards the sump below, locked together in their violent embrace. As they plunged into the sump, jaws snapped closed and dragged them both into the murky depths below.
Sully looked across at Brigitte, "An ill-omen." she whispered to her leader.
Brigitte shook her head, "Move out" she signalled....

The Cruelwater Chronicles (Part V) - Sink or Swim

Janitor grimaced from the pain that racked his body as he attempted to sit up and look around the derelict manufactorum that they'd taken refuge in. Several of the Clean-Up Crew were carrying injuries and his champion Dexter was still unconscious from the pounding they had taken in the Puppet Master's Lair.
Janitor blamed himself, overconfidence had gotten the better of him. His pain was briefly overshadowed by rage at his own stupidity in thinking he had seen all that this cursed Puppet Master had to offer.
He closed his eyes and thought about what went wrong in their first foray into the Lair....

The 'Hunters' were something he hadn't encountered before and the Shock Staves they carried had inflicted two wounds before he had even engaged the abomination......

....It was only the timely intervention of his champion Sinister that had seen him survive.
From that ominous start, things had rapidly fallen apart for the Clean-Up Crew. The Puppet Master had inflicted several Flesh wounds with his Rad-Cannon and the Voodoo Dolls' had quickly taken advantage of their reduced toughness, systematically taking them out of action. The Hive Spirits had cursed them that day as the final Goliath fell, not to the Servo-Stalker, but to a swarm of rats.

It had been a grim day for the Goliaths and with three of them in recovery, Janitor had been forced to invest all of the gang's credits into another body.
Janitor's dark mood lifted as he thought about his latest recruit.
"Let's see what the Puppet Master's minions make of 'Dozer." He said as the gang moved out for a second assault on the Lair.......

The Cruelwater Chronicles (Part IV) - Still Water Runs Deep

Janitor watched as the Clean-Up Crew readied their weapons for the ordeal to come. Sinister sporadically revved his chainsword, his jaw clenching each time he activated the weapon. Janitor's other champion, Dexter, checked his grenade launcher for the fifth time. The rest of the Crew went through various rituals to distract themselves from the tension they felt for the coming fight.

"Listen up lads." Bellowed Janitor. "We've already seen what this Puppet Master has.....a bunch of re-purposed Servitors and some lobotomised locals....if that's all he's got, he's already as good as dead."

He looked each member of his gang in the eye as he spoke.

"Now let's do what we do best and clean up this place!"

The Cruelwater Chronicles (Part III) - Deep Water

The monitor flickered as the Servo-Skull rose above the settlement to give him a commanding view of the area. Acknowledgement codes flashed briefly across the screen from his Servo-Stalkers as they came into view but otherwise they stood motionless, like long forgotten grotesques guarding an ancient and crumbling mausoleum...which, if everything went according to plan, is exactly what Clearwater would be for the Clean-Up Crew and the Voodoo Dolls.

The Cruelwater Chronicles (Part II) - Troubled Waters

Built around the sluice gates and locks of the sump swamp, Cruelwater had never been a large settlement but its position on one of Rockridge's trade routes ensured it had always been a vibrant and bustling place. The numerous drinking and narco dens vying for prominence welcomed all with enough creds to make use of them.
That welcome seemed in short supply as Janitor and the rest of the Clean-Up Crew moved through the place. The neon lights that once bathed the settlement with bright lurid colours were gone, replaced by skeletal filaments that haunted the darkness they now inhabited. Furtive eyes peered out of the gloom watching the gang's every move, quickly retreating into the shadows when a Goliath made to approach them. A pall of fear hung heavy over Cruelwater, suffocating what little life remained.
The Goliaths didn't know who or what had brought about this malaise......but they were determined to find out....

The Cruelwater Chronicles (Part I) - Something Fishy in Cruelwater.

Greetings Sinners!
Quite a few people have messaged me asking about the rules I've come up with for my Underhive Gribblies. So I thought I'd share them with all the Mundaphiles out there.