Entry 1: The 18th Day of the 10th Month of the First Year of the Third Millennium     We entered the province of Mordheim on the 17th day in the midst of a howling gale. Winds were strong and rain was stronger, though neither lifted the gloom or darkness that hung in the air. We came upon the first town of this province in the mid-afternoon, though the storm made it as night.     We quickly ascertained that there were other bands about. To our left flank were other Marienburg men - we could tell by their attire and by they way they carried themselves. We could also tell, partly by the lack of such things, that our right flank was held by Reiklanders. Across from us we saw - or perhaps more sensed initially - shadowy presences that looked like large rodents. I believed my eyes to be playing tricks on me, for even large opossums and raccoons do not come in such sizes.     Throughout the town there were spots that one could both sense and see, though the sight could only be described as that of a glowing darkness. In front of us was a temple, now ruined, and several freestanding pillars. To the right of us - in the center of the town - was a dry, dreary fountain. I was taken aback by the contrast between the brightness it must have provided to those who looked upon it before the fire fall and the effect it had now on a man’s soul.     We traded messages with the other Marienburg band and decided to delineate the sectors of the town to avoid conflict between us. They would stay to the left of the temple, and we would not encroach upon them. As bands began to advance into the city, we struck out towards the glowing points of darkness. Our marksmen, unable to shoot effectively in the howling gale, served as scouts and ran to the fore to investigate.     We quickly learned that the glowing points of darkness were shards of wyrdstone, and our marksmen collected the stone from the pillars and the temple rather quickly. As we turned our attention to the fountain, however, we spied two of the shadowy shapes more closely. One was hunched over and about human-size with rat-like qualities. We might have mistaken it for one of the Reiklanders were it not for the second figure. It was easily half again as big as a large human and most clearly rat-like. A more fearsome figure I have not seen in all my years. We held our distance from the fountain, and my men set up a defensive line and traded shots with other figures that rained missiles on us from buildings beyond the temple.     While this was happening, I simply observed. I was both horrified and intrigued by this race of creatures that should not be. As I watched, the hunched figure by the fountain retrieved the shard of wyrdstone. It did this not greedily, but with what I could best describe as a sense of reverence. I noticed it was clothed all in green, a color of life that seemed hideously out of place at the time. It appeared to utter a prayer, or perhaps some sort of incantation, then it turned and ran away at quite a pace, carrying the stone and followed by the second figure. Curious behavior, and I am most interested in learning more about these creatures.     At that point I gave the order for my men to fall back outside of these creatures’ bow range, though we noticed one of our own was wounded and unconscious. We dragged the body with us to the edge of the town, and I attended to him while our band searched for plunder. We found 3 shards of wyrdstone to add to the 2 more prominent pieces we had collected. By then it was nightfall and we made camp a safe distance outside the town.     Fortunately, our wounded marksman was not badly hurt at all. With a few days rest and continued attention to the wound, he should be functioning normally again. I noticed that our marksmen seemed to be physically stronger, and I wondered whether this was simply something acquired through the experience of the battle and the journey here or whether the holding of the wyrdstone contributed to that. I decided it would be wise to be wary of this wyrdstone and hold it as short a time as possible. I’d heard stories of mutations, and if they could start out in seemingly beneficial manifestations then I could be witnessing early stages of them now in my men, and I don’t relish seeing where they might lead. I wonder, though - could the grotesque, rat-like figures I saw in the town once have been human?     I set out to the nearest trading post - one we had noticed only a couple hours before reaching the town - to see what this wyrdstone was worth. We were able to get 90gc for our five shards, along with a supply of provisions for my band. Foraging in this forsaken land as we had planned no longer presented itself as a viable course of action. I also purchased light armor, a shield, and a helmet for myself and bows for my center guard, adding the remaining gold to what I had saved in the initial equipping of the band. My treasury now stood at 35gc.     In the aftermath of the event, I realized that the hidden knowledge of this region must truly be vast. Greater will be the opportunities to uncover secrets and learn the inner workings of the world here than anywhere else. Fortunately, the monetary rewards seem to be real, for while the seeking of knowledge is my true motivation, it is gold and glory that motivates my men.     While at the shop, I was able to engage in conversation with the keeper and some number of other passersby. I discerned that the rat-like creatures were called 'skaven', of origins unknown, but of a most nasty disposition towards humans and quite capable in battle. I also discerned that these 'skaven' were rumored to have some ability in the dark arts of magick, though none could tell me if the green garb of the one I had seen by the fountain indicated membership in such a caste within their society. I also met many who shared my uneasiness about these shards of stone and who advised me to avoid them. These conversations piqued my interest about the rat-like creatures and their abilities. I will have to find an opportunity to examine them more closely. Turn the page. Back to the previous page. Close the journal.