Call me Dolan. Some years ago, never mind how long precisely, having little or no money on my purse, and nothing of particular to interest me uphive, I thought I would join the Redemption and see the hive world. Long and fraught with peril were my travels with the blessed Klovis, but nothing could prepare me for the horrors we would witness in the lightless deeps of the sump sea...
After a string of victories in Sump City, the crusade was enlisted by a local spider hunter company to sail the scum sea in search for spider eyes, priceless jewels valued by the nobles of the spire
Gangs from all over the town joined the venture, and loath to leave such riches in the hands of sinners and deviants, the Redeemer joined the hunt with a small crew
I was elated to be chosen as one of his picked paladins for the fight against such abominations, and after some days of sailing we spotted the first swarm, attacking the beasts from all directions
Spider after spider fell to our harpoons and guns
Klovis himself battling one hand to hand with the sword of judgement
It seemed that the hunt would be easy, but then from the noisome depths of the sump a horrifying creature emerged in answer to the cries of pain from her brood. it was without doubt the biggest spider I had ever seen, white as death, with fangs dripping venom and encrusted with the harpoons of the ill fated crews it had destroyed on its long and unnatural life
Recognising it as the monster that had sunk the legendary captain Vangoltha and his ship the Hydra, Klovis steered clear, putting some distance between us and the beast
Who lost no time in devouring the crew from one of the boats
The third boat of our party moved to attack, launching a harpoon against the beast while a mutant opened fire with an overcharged plasma gun
As we sailed past the dreadful scene, the crusaders opened fire on the monster, but our bullets just rebounded from her armoured side
leaving the last goliath for dead, the monster noted our presence and scuttled over the scummy waters towards our boat. Foul was the stench of the beast, and despite our valiant efforts we couldn't help brother Kiodrus from being swept overboard and cast into the sump
Without a moment to lose, deacon Malakev steered us clear from its vicious grip, and our boat sped away as I set the beast on fire with my blessed flamer while more harpoons smashed into its mutant bulk
Reeling from our onslaught, the spider turned to the last goliath, who disappeared between her jaws
Klovis saw in our plight an opportunity however, and he had us sail behind the mutant's barge, who paid for the sin of existing by fire and sword, leaving them as easy pikings for the hulking behemoth
Who despite all was kept at bay by a four armed monstrosity in the prow of the barge
But thanks to the Emperor the beast had been fatally weakened, and with a last spray of my flamethrower I sent her screaming down into the deeps, hopefully never to emerge to terrorize the good folk of Sump City again...