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Long Drong's Slayer Pirates

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"As soon as their jolly boat touched the sand they roared ashore, charging straight into the waiting Goblins. It was a short fight. Within moments the greenskins were fleeing for their lives and the pirates were rewarding themselves with a swift tot of rum."

—Von Mirrenburg, from his book My Time with the Dwarfs.[1a]

Long Drong's Slayer Pirates[2a] also written as Long Drong Slayer's Pirates, are an infamous band of mercenary Dwarf Sea Slayers that travel the seven seas aboard the Fair Fregar. They specialise in recovering lost mercenary pay chests -- for the right price.[1a][4a]

History

"Fifteen Dwarfs and a dead Dwarf's chest,
Yo, ho, ho and a flagon of ale.
Each one a goner means more for the rest!
Yo, ho, ho and a barrel of ale."

—Dwarf Pirate sea shanty and the Slayer Pirates' battle-cry[1a]
Dwarf LongDrong2

Long Drong with his parrot Bitsy.

Long Drong, who as his name suggests was a rather tall Dwarf and claimed a dubious line of descent from Drong the Hard, a legendary Dwarf Ancestor known from many sagas, began his career as a Dwarf seafarer in the seaport of Barak Varr. He worked his way up from cabin Dwarf to captain of the Dwarf trading ship The Barrel of Ale which brought fine Dwarf brews by the sea route to faraway colonies. "Slow and steady" was Long Drong's maxim, and he gained a reputation as a safe pair of hands. That was until one terrible voyage around the coast of the pirate isle of Sartosa off the southern coast of Tilea. A storm blew up, the worst storm seen for a hundred years, and the ship foundered on the treacherous rocks. Although the crew were washed up on the shore, the entire cargo of rare Dwarf ales was lost.[1a][4a]

This disaster was something no Dwarf could bear, and no self-respecting Dwarf captain would wish to survive. Long Drong knew his career as a Dwarf trader was over. He resolved to become a Slayer on the seven seas and to seek a heroic end worthy of a saga. His crew, who were just as shamed by the loss of the cargo as their captain, followed his example and swore upon their ancestors to lead a life as roving Sea Slayers until a worthy death ended their shame and redeemed them in legend.[1a][4a]

Having thus sworn, Long Drong, now known as "Long Drong Slayer," trekked inland to his destiny, which was to become the most notorious pirate ever to lurk on Sartosa. His first act was to storm the stronghold of the dreaded pirate Capitano Sisicco and capture his fortress, Sissico's parrot (which he named Bitsy due to its habit of saying "bits o' gold"), Sissico's ship, and enough plundered booty to turn it into something a Dwarf could be proud to sail.

The ship is now a testament to Dwarf engineering and also doubles as a battering ram. With the latter, Long Drong hired Dwarf craftsmen to rebuild the flimsy vessel, not sparing the iron. He also hired Dwarf smiths to forge cannons on the vessel, which Long Drong named The Fair Fregar after a famous Dwarf maiden of Barak Varr, rumoured to be extremely beautiful. A figurehead representing her was carved by the crew. Unfortunately, neither Long Drong nor any of his crew had ever seen a real-life Dwarf maiden, so they had to rely on their imagination and hearsay. The result, parts of which were shod in brass, made an awesome ram on the prow of the ship.[1a][4a]

Slayer Pirate from Age of Rekoning MMORPG

A Slayer Pirate from Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.

The prisoners, now chained in Long Drong's dungeons, were freed in return for telling him all they knew about buried treasure and handing over any maps they had. Long Drong learned that the key to success was often the possession of a pay chest full of gold in which to hire a mercenary army and to hold it together under your command.[1a][4a]

Many such pay chests had been lost in battles and there were mercenary generals willing to pay handsomely for their return, even double the value of anything inside the chest, or a great fortune for the empty chest alone. This was because recovery of a lost pay chest is a matter of pride among mercenary generals, who regard such chests in the same way as other peoples do their army standards.[1a][4a]

So Long Drong let it be known that, being a seafaring Dwarf, he could seek out and rescue a lost pay chest wherever it may be in the Known World and return it to its rightful owner. All he asked was to keep any treasure that he might find in it, plus a reward in gold equal to as much as the chest would hold! By the standards of mercenary generals this was but a small price to pay for the restoration of honour and respect, and soon offers to hire his services came flowing in by swift messengers.[1a][4a]

Thus the Fair Fregar voyaged to many distant lands; Araby, Lustria, Albion and many uncharted islands, and brought back various pay chests which may or may not have been genuine. In doing so Long Drong raided the treasure hoards of many notorious pirates and corsairs and made countless enemies determined to get their revenge on him. A price was soon placed on his head, and a carnival of rogues and n'er-do-wells sought to accomplish his doom. What more could a seafaring Slayer ask for! His only friends turned out to be those mercenary generals whose honour he had restored, and these soon began to hire Long Drong and his pirate crew to fight as a regiment in their armies from Tilea to the Empire.[1a]

The Slayer Pirates have gained repute as skilled warriors, joining the ranks of many mercenary companies. They are experts at capturing the pay chests used to pay rival mercenary armies, breaking the line of elite soldiers guarding them with a frenzied barrage of pistol shots and insults. For this they are well-compensated, Long Drong having lost none of his business savvy. In truth, though, their mercenary work is just to keep them in rum and blackpowder. Their true focus, the thing which will send The Fair Fregar charging off to all corners of the world, is fighting sea monsters.[4a]

Long drong 2

Long Drong and his parrot Bitsy

Long Drong has not yet met a monster he could not best. The Fair Fregar's flanks bear scoring from battles with a Leviathan, while scraps of scaled Merwyrm hide fly beneath his signature flagon and crossed pistols banner. Such victories are hard won. Drong lost a hand to a Lurkerfish, a leg to a Sea Drake, and an eye to a bet (long story). His doom has eluded him, though he takes satisfaction knowing many of his crew have regained honour in his service, their places taken by others seeking death on the sea.[4a]

Now he is among Sartosa's most well-respected captains, though this may be akin to the respect one gives a barrel of blackpowder. No other sailor would willingly go where Long Drong ventures, chasing down the ocean's most terrifying monsters in his voyage to a worthy death. Those pirate captains of Sartosa who occasionally join Long Drong for drinks describe a darkness creeping over him. Drong still drinks and sings chanties, shouting out stories of his latest victories to roars of approval. But, as the night wears on, a melancholy mood settles upon him. He sits at his table, rubbing the curve of his hook and staring out to sea. Drong knows he cannot keep up this hunt forever. How much longer does he have before he is robbed of a worthy end?[4a]

Long Drong and his Slayer pirates are frequent visitors to Barak Varr to stock up on rum and blackpowder.[8a]

Gotrek and Felix

"‘Don’t look so worried, manling. Remember our time with Long Drong? It’ll be just like that,’ he said, tapping the side of his nose.

'That's what I'm worried about,' Felix said."

—Gotrek Gurnisson to Felix Jaeger[7a]

Before their adventures in the Southlands, the two mercenaries Gotrek and Felix spent a month aboard the ironclad warship of the infamous Slayer-pirate. Drong and Gotrek Gurnisson got along well since they shared the same profession and had known each other from the very first days of Drong's oath or perhaps even before.[7a][8a]

Felix Jaeger experienced the worst seasickness of his life aboard the cramped and foul-smelling vessel, and things did not get any better once Drong and Gotrek bullied him aboard Malakai Makaisson's experimental undersea exploration vessel. The vessel, proving its experimental nature, proceeded to strike the ocean floor, and the group was forced to battle a band of Menfish.[7a]

Storm of Chaos

Warhammer-Template-Spoilers
Attention, Empire Citizens!
This article or this section of the article contains information regarding the Storm of Chaos campaign and its aftermath, which is now considered a non-canon, alternate timeline.


Long Drong and his Slayer Pirates were among the units that comprised the Slayer Army of Karak Kadrin during the alternate timeline of the Storm of Chaos. They remembered their ancestors and came home to defend their fellow Dwarfs from the great assault by Chaos.[12a]

Appearance

"From Grimnir’s Halls I’ll shoot at ye, ye bastard!"

—Long Drong.[4a]

Long Drong Slayer has a hook hand, peg leg, eye patch, long, red, plaited beard, pistols stuffed down his breeches, and a parrot on his shoulder which says "bits o' gold, bits o' gold!" all the time. His crew is a swarthy bunch of Dwarf rogues who are proud to fight under the flagon and crossed pistols flag.[1a]

Slayer Pirates

"Lost pay chest recovery our speciality"

—Motto of the Slayer Pirates.[1a]
Long Drong Slayer Dogs of War 5th Edition illustration

Portrait of Long Drong Slayer

The Slayer Pirates fight in a unit of 10 to 30 warriors, including Long Drong, a standard-bearer and a drummer.[2a]

All the pirates are festooned with pistols, which they shoot off in a hurricane of destruction. They carry so many pistols that they never need to reload.[1a]

When unable to get ale, the Dwarf pirates brew their own drink. This dangerous stuff is a sort of rum mixed with blackpowder and iron filings, and each bottle has a skull and crossbones on it as a warning. The pirates swig so much of this concoction that they are now immune to drunkenness, though it wreaks havoc with their insides.[1a]

Before a battle the Dwarfs will knock back a few bottles each, and the resultant intestinal rumblings and gurglings leave an odious mist hanging around the regiment. Though the pirates claim not to notice the smell, the effect is dire on the enemy (except, obviously, for Undead foes and Daemons and followers of Nurgle!). The great disadvantage to the pirates is that no other troops will stand near them.[1a]

Long Drong's Treasure Map

This map reveals one of the fabled ale stashes of Long Drong Slayer himself. Within are kept several barrels of the finest rum, ale, and other assorted spirits, one of which is a barrel of Bugman's XXXX.[6a]

The Fair Fregar

"You would not believe the battles we fought to get them here."

—Bran Grimlan[10a]
Kazrik Sharkbiter

Kazrik Sharkbiter, a long-time companion of Long Drong.[3]

Once a pirate ship, The Fair Fregar is now a Dwarf vessel equipped with eight medium cannon on the deck, four facing to port and four facing to starboard. There are two swivel guns mounted on the prow facing forwards, and two mounted on the stern facing backwards. The hull is made of metal,[4a] making her more akin to a mighty ironclad.[5a]

The Dwarf-made steam engine on board the Fair Fregar is fairly efficient. The steam engine could be fuelled by burning timber. This is less efficient, but as coal is not always available, sometimes Drong has been known to resort to it.[4a]

Crew

"I bite them first!"

—Kazrik Sharkbiter[3]
  • Bitsy - Drong's parrot, stolen from his rival Sisicco, sadly, no one's entirely clear what happened to the parrot during the End Times, though there's talk of a rum marinade.[11a]
  • Long Drong Slayer - Former captain of the Barrel of Ale, current captain and leader of the Slayer Pirates.[1a]
  • Kazrik Sharkbiter - Former crewman aboard the Barrel of Ale who took the Slayer Oath alongside Long Drong.[3]

Miniatures

Trivia

Long Drong's name is directly inspired by that of Long John Silver, one of the main characters in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. His burning beard, however, is inspired by the practice of the infamous pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard.

Sources

Gallery

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