COMMENTS:
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Mightiest of all sea-going vessels are the Black Arks of Naggaroth. These are the ancient homes of the Dark Elf magicians populated by their depraved distant descendants. They are enormous craft: sinister floating fortresses, covered in eldritch carvings which hurt the eyes when gazed upon. Down the years they have been sculpted by their owners until they resemble great ships. They are regarded by the Elves as being the furthest outposts of Naggaroth and they range the seas performing inscrutable errands in the service of their Daemon God. In battle, Arks are terrible. As they sail inexorably closer to their foes the water around them seethe with a horde of monsters which swarm around the enemy ships.
The Arks are surrounded by shifting mist and shimmering spells of illusion. As an enemy ship approaches the crew is bewildered by magic. The men see phantoms emerge from the fog, they hear insane laughter and awful screams which break into unwholesome groans of pleasure. The monstrous presence which is the Black Ark looms above their ship, tower upon tower, spire upon spire of living rock, unaturally afloat on the surface of the sea.
It takes a very brave crew to proceed further. If they do they are greeted by raking Reaper ballista fire from emplacements in the stone. The Reapers fire six-foot rune encrusted black-iron heads that cleave through the air towards them. Should the enemy manage to set foot on the Ark, the must proceed through a maze of traps and magic to the very heart of darkness, for the Arks are much bigger than they appear. Like icebergs, much of their bulk is below the surface. In the rock below are dark dismal caverns, lit by eerie green witchlights, wherein monsters dwell.
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These spire-topped chariots are pulled by Helldrakes - monsters bred by Dark Elf Sorcerers, and that combine the ferocity of a wolverine with the might of a dragon, with jaws capable if biting through the thickest steel.
The Helldrakes are harnessed to the Doomreaver's towers. These are crewed by a small number of specially trained beast-handlers that have raised their Helldrakes from birth, and are the only that can control these ferocious beasts. They guide the Helldrakes with magical lances that send explosive bursts of agony ripping through the creatures if they disobey.
Helldrakes are so fierce that they will attack anything that is not of their own pack. All the Doomreavers in a squadron are pulled by Helldrakes raised from the same clutch of eggs, but even they will sometimes attack each other in the fervour of battle.
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From deep within the Black Arks issue forth the Death Fortresses - huge, spired castles mounted atop the backs of immense Sea Dragon's.
Sea Dragon's are the largest of the Dark Elves' sea going monsters. Once, long ago they were true dragons, ridden by the ancestors of the Dark Elves, but down the centuries they have become infused with the magics that permeate the Arks. They have mutated, becoming something less than true dragons and yet more.
The Sea Dragons have grown so gigantic that they have lost the power of flight and have to spend their lives afloat to support their own weight. Even so, the remain capable of ripping asunder the biggest ships of other races' fleets.
The towers and spires of the Death Fortresses on their scaly bristle with deadly Reaper ballistas which pour fire on their foe as the Sea Dragon approaches, ready to destroy with its mighty jaws and gigantic tail.
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