Moonclan

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Moonclan
Draconium Gloomspite 01.jpeg
Moonclan rising in Draconium.
Grand alliance Destruction
Associated factions Gloomspite Gitz
Main grouping Lurklairs
Major characters Snazzgar Stinkmullett
Skragrott
Core resources Loonstone
Races Grot
Mounts Squig
Creatures Squig
Spell lores Lore of the Moonclans
Scenery Bad Moon Loonshrine
Warbands Zarbag's Gitz

Moonclan are a type of deranged Grots that dwell in the subterranean regions of the Mortal Realms and pray to Gorkamorka and the Bad Moon. They brew poisons from fungus and breed wild Squigs, drive them into battle gaining endless amusement from these strange creatures going wild, bouncing and eating anything they can get their maws on. They wear filthy rags and invade the kingdoms and keeps of both Chaos and Order, making giant bonfires to dance around in the moonlight before returning to their caves at dawn. They hide from the hateful light of the day holding it in spite and contempt.[1][2a]

History

When the Grot tribes scattered during the Age of Myth the ancestors of the Moonclan Grots settled in the most shadowy, twilit and danksome locations they can and began worshipping the Bad Moon. With the arrival of the Age of Chaos Moonclan Grots joined their allies in resisting the invaders with the most prominent being the Fungoid Cave-Shaman known as Zigsnak who started a massive Waaagh!, leading his horde of grots, orruks and ogors in a trail of destruction. This caught the attention of Korghos Khul who led the Goretide against the Waaagh! and after eight days and nights claimed Zigsnak’s head and brutally crushed his Waaagh!. The tale spreads from one Moonclan skrap to the next and many seek the safety of the deep’n’dark. [2b]

Moonclan Grots began tunneling downwards creating large cities with tunnel networks created by Segmapedes. As a result of tunneling they occasional broke into Fyreslayer magmaholds and Skaven burrows which resulted subterranean wars which either resulted in the destruction of luklairs or the expansion of Moonclan territories. They also made contact with Troggoths and Spiderfang Grots who lived in similar environments. Some contacts were violent but often they found a common cause. Moonclans traded fungi and potions for the Spiderfang's hallucinogenic or poisonous substances milked from arachnid beasts. Soon truces and barter economies turned into alliances when they realized that by fighting together they could drive off the monsters and armed foes that sought to oust them from their territories. This led to the creation of the first hordes of the Gloomspite Gitz.[2a][2b]

Society

Moonclan Grots hate light and daylight burns their skin and hurts their eyes, in fact the bogeyman of Moonclan lore known as Glareface Frazzlegit is depicted as a cruel star or searing ball of sentient light. Thus they are troglodytic and build their settlements known as lurklairs in tunnels which are illuminated using bioluminescent fungi and elongated glo-squigs. Lurklairs consist of interlinked cave systems in which water drips and pools and stalagmites and stalactites form. Smaller caves guard posts are known as slinkholes. The larger caves are filled with fungal dwellings, ramshackle squig paddocks and huts made from pilfered junk where leaders such as local shamans, Loonboss reside. Adjoining caverns are used as underground mushroom nurseries, loot stores and prisons in which slaves are kept. The largest lurklairs can stretch for miles underground and accommodate millions of grots as well as often including conquered Fyreslayer magmaholds, duardin karaks or skaven burrows.[2c]

Religion

Grots of the Moonclans worship the Bad Moon both as their God as well as an aspect of Gorkamorka. They also have other religious figures like Glareface Frazzlegit, a bogeyman that represents the stars and suns that stands against everything the Moonclan feel is natural, and Boingob, a Squig Godbeast whose life was ended after it tried to devour Hysh and whose skull in Ghyran is a a holy site to them.[2a][2b][4]

Warfare

Moonclan Grots gather into mobs known as Skulkmobs, often to cause trouble and to shank some unfortunate victims. When several Skulkmobs are brought under the control of an intimidating leader and turned into a capable raiding force it is known as a Skrap. A Skrap typically represent the full strength of a Moonclan lurklair, but larger settlements may be able to churn several such hordes.[2d]

A Moonclan skrap combines massed numbers, wily tactics and fungus-fuelled madness to achieve victory. Skraps include a mixture of bow-armed Shoota skulkmobs and blade-wielding Stabba skulkmobs reinforced by various packs of squig-herding or squig-riding loons. Sneaky Snufflers scurry ahead of the Skraps to seek out choice fungi and scout out directions from which to ambush the foe. Flanks are protected by marauding packs of Cave Squigs which are herded to devour enemies who ‘try anyfing clevver’. Squig Hoppers and Boingrot Bounders target weak spots in the enemy lines while whirling bands of Fanatics plough through enemy ranks in showers of spores and gore. They are led into battle by whichever Moonclan Grot has managed to connive, coerce and murder their way to the top alongside his lieutenants who are still trying to achieve that goal. Skraps are commonly led by Loonbosses who are advised by a gaggle of shamans but sometimes a local shaman may lead a Skraps influencing the grots through their superstitious fear of his sorcerous powers. In such instances the Loonboss act as the shaman’s champion, war leader and chief bully boy if the skrap has a Loonboss.[2d]

Sometimes the wildest Moonclan Grots form nomadic bands known simply as Loons who try to leap over the Bad Moon or even fasten their fangs into it against Mooncast traditions. They are often cast out from their settlements form stampeding Squigalanches to chase after the Bad Moon on various squigs and throwing in their lot with whichever Gloomspite horde seems most likely to get the Bad Moon’s attention.[2d]

Sources


Moonclan
Units Fungoid Cave-Shaman - Gobbapalooza (Boggleye - Brewgit - Scaremonger - Shroomancer - Spiker) - Grot Fanatic (Loonsmasha Fanatic - Sporesplatta Fanatic) - Loonboss - Madcap Shaman - Rabble-Rowza - Shoota - Sneaky Snuffler - Squigboss - Squig Hopper (Boingrot Bounder) - Squig (Colossal Squig - Giant Cave Squig - Mangler Squig - Squig Gobba - Squig Herd) - Stabba
Characters Kizik - Naglig - Snazzgar Stinkmullett - Skragrott - Yaggle - Zarbag
Lurklairs Badsnatchers - Claggit's Smotherers - Jaws of Mork - Scurrowstabberz
Artwork - Miniatures
Grand Alliances and factions
OrderChaosDestructionDeath
Gloomspite Gitz (Aleguzzler GargantsGitmobMoonclanSpiderfangTroggoths) • Ogor Mawtribes (Beastclaw RaidersFirebelliesGutbustersManeaters) • Orruk Warclans (BonesplitterzGreenskinzIronjawzKruleboyz) • Sons of BehematFimirachMonsters of Destruction