Entry 10: The 1st Day of the 2nd Month of the Second Year of the Third Millennium     We have returned to Mordheim while Winter still hangs in the air...     After leaving Mordheim over a month ago, we traveled for several days towards our home province before finding a comfortable inn called "La Verdant Flamme", in which we made rest for a few nights. During this time we befriended the innkeeper, who needed many chores and repairs done. These things we did for him, for he seemed a good fellow and he spoke allegiance to the Lady Magritte. In return for our labors he offered us continued lodging and meals, and so we stayed for several weeks there.     While in this place I talked at length with Lenoloc and learned much about my family that I had not known. I also learned much of Mordheim that I had not known. Lenoloc taught us much about the skaven and their brutal ways towards humans. He also described worse horrors than we had yet encountered. What interested us most, though, was his candid speech about the prisoners of Mordheim. The few sets of human prisoners we had found were apparently not a rare thing. Lenoloc claimed that there were large numbers of prisoners held by the skaven, the undead, and even by other humans with unscrupulous intent.     Our band began to discuss this topic of prisoners a great deal, and the more we discussed it the more we grew angry. Many of our band were now former prisoners, and as the thought of humans being held captive by the unnatural denizens of the ruined city gripped us, we began to develop a deep sense of mission and purpose. We felt called to return to the city and use the knowledge Lenoloc had given us - along with his seemingly formidable skills in seeking things out to search for and free whatever prisoners we could find.     And so, after more than a month, we bid farewell to La Verdant Flamme and its most hospitable keeper, and we made our way back towards Mordheim. We had waited until the weather was mild, but we were under no illusions that it would stay that way. In a few days journey we had made it back to the city, and we began searching quadrants with which we were already somewhat familiar.     After one such search - a productive one in which we had found 3 shards of wyrdstone - we found ourselves approached by green-tunicked skaven. We knew this band, and while they seemed the most well-tempered of the skaven we had met, they were still rats. We chose the path of discretion and hid in a central set of buildings. The skaven snuck upon us and tried to sneak a few men to our right flank.     We sent Jean, Gaston, Henri, and the dogs to the right to intercept the few skaven that had run there. Suddenly in our center, the few scouts who had advanced from their positions were hit by a powerful blast of magick. I had forgotten how powerful these green tunicked ones were in the command over dark forces! This blast felled one of the center guardsmen and seemed to stun Gaston. We retaliated with a firm crossbow bolt to the caster, who's shadowy figure we saw behind a window.     Then we saw through a doorway the great rat-beast that had so much plagued us in the past. Jean & Gaston let loose a pair of double-volleys from their pistols, though they wounded the beast not - and Gaston had a pistol blow up in his face. I, however, was able to loose a crossbow bolt that hit the beast squarely in the chest and lodged itself deeply. The beast, however, kept his feet and moved around the corner. To his right we saw the spellcaster, cloaked in an aura of furious dark magicks, charge Lenoloc, who fell stunned to the ground. Jean then charged the rat-ogre, knocking it to the ground, and as it rose to attack again, the spellcaster - once again shrouded in dark magicks that appeared almost angry - hesitated for a moment and then lunged at Jean instead of dispatching the elf. Jean got his spear positioned just in time, and impaled the dark, ratlike form - inflicting what was most certainly a mortal wound.     This dark sorcerer must have been the heart of the magicks behind the green-tunicked skaven, for as soon as he fell they fled in terror, routing before us as if they were no longer capable of battle. As we regrouped, we learned that Louis had slain a rat, while Serge had taken a sling shot to the chest on the second story of a building and fallen off and stunned himself (again) - though he was OK.     We checked on the body of the dark sorcerer to convince ourselves as well as we could that he was dead, and even the elf believed him so. We also found a shard of wyrdstone on his body, which we kept - as a parting gift, if you will. Unfortunately, the Center Guardsman who was hit by the same skaven's blast of magick was also quite dead. We brought him with us to give him proper burial and left the skaven to be buried or eaten by his own kind.     After seeing to the burial of our man, we searched more and found an additional 5 shards of wyrdstone. More importantly, we found a cache of human prisoners still alive and set them free. Among that group we found one of great skill with sword who would join us and take the place of the Center Guardsman who had laid down his life for their freedom.     The next day we sold 8 shards of stone (leaving 2) for 120gc. After giving Lenoloc his share of 20gc, equipping the new guardsman (40gc), buying shield & helmet for the Life Guard - 30gc - and helmets for the Pendulum's Arm - 20gc, finding and buying another war dog for 33gc, and finding and buying another dueling pistol for 30gc, we were left with 34gc in our treasury.     Just a few days later we found ourselves in an almost identical situation. We had finished searching an area and had found 3 shards of stone when we sensed another band's presence across from an old ruined temple. We moved forward quickly to investigate and found a small band of Marienburgers. While we prepared to hail them, they opened fire on us!     We quickly began a more deliberate advance, returning fire as we went. Gaston, to my right, fell to a crossbow shot. However, Louis - to the left of the temple, was able to fell one man with his bow and another with his sword, after which this small band ran from the field.     Fortunately, Gaston recovered with no real injuries. However, I was left bewildered over the attack by my fellow countrymen. They must have been new to this city, for I could imagine greed overtaking a man who thought he was on a treasure hunt. I could not, however, imagine greed overcoming a band of men who had witnessed the horrors of this city and who had realized that they were mostly going to fight to survive!     After they had routed, we searched the area they had come from, finding 5 more shards of stone. More importantly, we also found another cache of prisoners to free. This time there was among them an experienced marksman who had the heart to join us.     We sold the 8 shards we had found that day for 110gc. After paying the elf, we bought equipment for the prisoner, and I found and purchased a blunderbuss for him as well, which allowed him to train effectively with the Pendulum's Arm. We also acquired a rope & hook for Louis and Serge. These things cost us 103gc. Gaston also found a halfling cookbook for 36gc. It seemed quite expensive for a set of recipes, but Lenoloc urged us strongly to buy it, saying our appetites - and thereby both our mental and physical health - would benefit greatly from its presence. This left us with only 15gc in our treasury, but also better equipped than we had been before.     I am heartened by our success in finding and freeing prisoners, we will have to continue this pursuit in the coming weeks. It does my heart well to believe we are doing something of value in this city so otherwise bereft of compassion. Turn the page. Back to the previous page. Close the journal.