Coralforged Mariners
Faction: Chaos (Twice-Cursed Duardin)
Designation: Oceanic Raider Warband
Origin: Barak-Khôral (dissolved)
Known Range: Sundrown Coastlines, Vault-Straits, Brine-Hollows
Leader: Zhuraka the Twice-Cursed (confirmed)

The Coralforged Mariners are a Chaos Duardin warband operating along the coastal ruins and drowned infrastructure near the Sundrown Wilds. The group was originally dispatched from Barak-Khôral as a salvage detachment. Their objective was the recovery of submerged forge vaults along the sunken edges of the region. What returned was altered beyond recognition.

Shortly after deployment, the warband entered a shrine complex embedded within reef-locked ruins. No clear records exist of the site’s original purpose, but contact appears to have triggered a cascading curse event. Surviving members exhibit a compound transformation consistent with prolonged exposure to both ambient warp energy and hostile oceanic influences. Coral and brine have displaced portions of internal structure. Armor has fused with organic reef material. Respiratory systems have adapted to high-salinity environments, and internal locomotion in several individuals now depends on suspended fluid rather than intact musculature.

Command remains with Zhuraka the Twice-Cursed, previously listed as expedition lead. Witness reports confirm significant physiological change, including the loss of all visible lower-body mass. His armor remains sealed and fully mobile, housing a pressurized column of seawater. No confirmed instances of verbal communication exist, but movement and operational rhythm suggest maintained authority.

 The Mariners appear only during unstable weather events or along flood-prone corridors. Their movements correlate with shifting leylines and recurring surge patterns, suggesting an internal method of hydromantic navigation. Attacks are brief and localized. Coral growth spreads outward from sites of impact. Infrastructure collapses or buckles over time. Salt residue builds in affected airways and ventilation systems. In at least two recorded instances, personnel who survived exposure developed brine lesions within forty-eight hours. 

No external alliances have been observed. The warband does not establish long-term encampments or territorial claims. However, a single object—referred to in multiple field logs as the Abyssal Anvil—is always present during engagements. It is assumed to be both the source and anchor of the warband’s altered condition. The Anvil is treated with clear ritual significance and is believed to serve as both forge-core and devotional center.

The Coralforged Mariners retain functional use of Duardin engineering and metallurgy. However, their methods now incorporate elements of decay, heat pressure, and biological sporework. Weapon modifications appear improvisational but follow consistent patterns, often combining vented steam systems with corrosive or salt-based payloads. 

No reliable method of interception has been established. Ships associated with the warband travel beneath surface layers or along collapsed vault systems, rendering pursuit ineffective. Attempts to intercept have failed due to environmental instability and rapid withdrawal.

Field Classification: Delta-7 (Hydro-Corruption, Mobile)
Engagement is discouraged outside sealed and reinforced environments.