Path to Glory; Road to Destruction

Path to Glory; Road to Destruction (Taken from Spike! Magazine)

Rattagat Bruxt sits in a worn leather arm chair.  His crimson fur and crab like claw show the signs of a long career and a hard life.  He vacantly stares out the window almost ignoring the fact that there is anyone else in the room.  Constant twitching and sniffing indicates a current struggle.  His gaze now finds me.  Piercing green eyes meet mine. 

“Let’s get this over with-with.”

Bruxt was born in 2447, third in a litter of 9.  He spent his formative years Suxdunt, a small mill town just south of Chirat.  “His fur was always on the red side…” Rozlyn Huttle, childhood friend.  “… the other kids picked-picked on him, called him names, Firefur, Gin-gin, soulless.  He’d get furious.  Rage-rage would come over him.  He’d explode.”  Bruxt’s fire sparked countless fights, most ending in maiming.  He didn’t (and still doesn’t) have that off-switch.

That tough early life raised an aggressive boy and the introduction to the game of Blood Bowl gave Bruxt an outlet for his rage.  In 2460, he played his first match for a local team, the South Side Slashers.  Rattagat showed huge promise.  His mix of speed, power, and hate made him quickly become the team leader in casualties and knock-outs caused.  It was during his years with the Slashers that Bruxt acquired a taste for a certain green rock.

In 2471, Rattagat was invited to join a nearby professional team, the Warpfire Wanderers, by team owner Rittzo Norvejik.  “I was told about this red kid who was-was tearing up the Southside.  He’d played 10 years for this club team and racked up hundreds of casualties.  He even had a couple touchdowns.  I heard those *&%^s over at the Skavenblight Scramblers were looking-looking to pick him up.  I wasn’t about to let that #@!^ happen.  Ya know-know?  So I made him an offer first.”

Bruxt became the Wanderers highest paid player.  Norvejik threw all kinds of gold at him.  The new found wealth went right to Bruxt’s head.  The thrill of Blood Bowl didn’t do it for him anymore.  And with all this extra cash, what was Bruxt to do?  He did what many rats would have done, he found other outlets for his wealth.  He had dabbled in warpstone during his time on the south side but it had proven very expensive, almost unabtainable.   But now, flush with cash, he could afford much more.  One hit a day became two, then three, then four.  By 2475 he was up to an astounding 10,000 gold crown a day habit.  The Rock had begun to change him.  His once orange fur, the cause of endless teasing, started to darken and take on a crimson hue.  His hand began to take on the form of an over-sized claw, his once dull eyes took on a brilliant green glow. 

He was never a kind soul but now he craved blood, not just of his opponents on the pitch, but in all areas of life.  When we talked to coach Reek Nosebiter for this piece he wouldn’t look us in the face.  When asked about the lacerations and fresh bruises on his body he simply stated that he had run into a doorknob and fell down some stairs.  “I’m so-so clumsy.”  He said.  He began noticeably trembling when Rattagat entered the locker room.  “We’re done-done’” Nosebitter stammered.

I hadn’t even asked my first question of Bruxt:

Me:        “You’ve got something on your face there.”

Bruxt:    (explodes) “*#^$ YOU!”