Entry 12: The 24th Day of the 2nd Month of the Second Year of the Third Millennium     The very night after writing my last journal entry - over a week past now - we had another encounter. We had been searching an area with the Pride of Marienburg, with whom we were in negotiations to sell our Cathayan silks, for they were among the few who would be vain enough to pay for such things in this city. We had been making good progress in our talks and had also found 3 shards of wyrdstone when we sensed the combined Reiklanders who had set upon us at the Wizard's manse a few days past.     I quickly took up position on the second story of a house, along with Lenoloc and the Life Guard, while the remainder of my band advanced behind cover. The Reiklanders opened up on us, missing. We returned fire, removing two from their number. One of the Reikland bands promptly fled.     The other band seemed a bit shocked by this desertion and began behaving irrationally. Two of their marksmen advanced into the open, while two more revealed their positions. My allies removed some of them from the fight, and Jean took out one last one before that band also fled. This was a quick fight with no ill effects for us - just the kind I like best.     It soon became obvious why the Reiklanders had been guarding this area, for I found 5 shards of wyrdstone in searching, plus one more on one of their bodies. I also found some scribbled notes about a pool of great mystery, rumored to heal and to have other mystical powers. We sold 8 shards for 110gc, leaving us with 2 shards of stone in our treasury. After providing a tribute of 20gc to Lenoloc, we sold the Cathayan silks to the other Marienburgers for 30gc, and found a suspicious gravesite which yielded 40gc when dug up, leaving us 217gc.     While canvassing the local shops, Jean came across a stable holding a fine warhorse. While I have doubts about the ability to keep a great beast in this city, I could not deny Jean this prize. We spent 80gc on the warhorse, leaving us 137gc. However, Jean seemed to immediately pick up skill in riding this beast, so the investment may prove worthwhile. Lenoloc also showed a speeding up of his swordplay in our training exercises.     A few days later we set out to find this pool, of which the scribbled notes made mention. When we found it, we approached cautiously, and it is well that we did. We had positioned Louis, Serge, Henri, and the dogs on the left flank, with Lenoloc and one of our marksmen nearby. The rest of us were to the right of the pool, advancing slowly. We saw a band in the distance that could only be witch hunters, with their torches held high. They had undoubtedly heard of our digging up a gravesite and were come to exact their petty revenge.     While the witch hunters were still far away, however, a group of skaven charged our left flank out of nowhere! They immediately dropped both our wardogs in the surprise, and they engaged Serge as well. Louis and Henri quickly engaged them, while Lenoloc charged in as well. Lenoloc quickly fell to what appeared to be their leader - an excellent fighter wielding weeping blades. Gaston came back to help and was charged by their leader and quickly felled.     Then, fortunately, the battle turned to our favor. Henri took out a black skaven wielding fighting claws who had sustained many wounds before going down. Serge took out two more skaven, and they soon fled.     In the meantime, a Center Guardsman had fired on the dogs of the witch hunters who were drawing ever closer. A single shot ricocheted into all three of their dogs, affecting two of them! Jean fought bravely, taking out an Ogre and two flagellants before being taken down himself by a wardog. The Center Guard felled a flagellant before losing one of their number, to which they responded by taking out another flagellant. Finally, the witch hunters also broke and ran, leaving the pool to us alone.     With the heavy blows we had taken in this battle, we decided to regroup and recover before searching further. We found that both dogs, the Center Guardsman, Jean, and Gaston were all right we were much relieved. However, Gaston had a serious wound on his right hand - much as Jean had suffered earlier - but this wound would not stop bleeding. Desperate, we brought him to the pool and had him bathe the wound therein. The rumors must have been somewhat true, for the wound stopped bleeding, though the scars remained and the hand is difficult to now use.     Once Gaston was feeling a bit better, we let him have the honor of searching the pool, for he had now grown attached to it after seeing what it did for his hand. It was at this time that I noticed Lenoloc was gone. After some searching we could find no trace of him, but we did find a wanderer who gave us a note from Lenoloc. The note said that his service to us was done for now, though we may see him again in the future. The note bore an address - and it was here in Mordheim! As I began to figure where this address was, intent on seeking him out again, I heard a commotion by the pool.     Gaston had found 6 shards of wyrdstone in the pool, and my band had found 4 more shards in the surrounding area! We regrouped, the rest of the band happier for the wyrdstone find than sad for the loss of Lenoloc, though I found my feelings quite reversed. We sold 8 shards for 110gc, leaving us with 4 shards of stone and 247gc.     That night, I noticed while reflecting that my own spearwork had become quicker and that Serge seemed more skilled with his sword. I also noticed that Gaston seemed to be getting much better at loading his pistols and was exhibiting signs of increased initiative. I rested fitfully that night, dreaming of the Inn in which we had wintered with Lenoloc and absorbed his teachings on this place.     The next morning I awoke resolute on visiting this address. I did so with Jean at my side and the rest of the band lagging behind us. When we arrived at the address our knock was indeed answered by an elf - but it was not Lenoloc. This elf introduced himself as Gillinin, and he said Lenoloc had passed by there with the message for us that he, Gillinin, may be more suited to our style of fighting and exploration.     I did not know how to take this, though in our last several battles we had indeed seemed to stray from the noble causes that drew us back to this city in winter to the plundering of old shops and villas. Perhaps this was the message. Gillinin seemed rougher around the edges - a bit more like a mercenary, if you can call an elf such things. He told us that for 40gc up front and 20gc after each battle, he would join us. While still longing for the wisdom of Lenoloc, we took him up on his offer.     We headed quickly back to the pool, though we ran into our arrogant friends - the "pride" of Marienburg - as we drew close. They had apparently heard of this pool and sought to claim it as their own. They were willing to let us accompany them and share in any rewards - if we proved our worth in battle. I'm sure they thought their offer to be quite generous. As steering clear of them would have taken extra time and effort, we simply tolerated the lads and moved forward without separating ourselves from them.     As we drew near, we could sense other bands. We swung to the right and met a pack of skaven. We could also see Sisters of Sigmar across the way approaching the pool . While no witch hunters, they're just as misguided! Gillinin quickly dispatched one of these as Serge, Louis, Henri, and the dogs charged them. The skaven took out a dog, but Serge countered quickly.     The sisters and the skaven had surrounded the pool, though apparently not fighting each other. How strange! I am constantly amazed at these rats and the allies they seem to make! Our marksmen, however, had advanced to flanking positions and let loose with their blunderbusses. These massive blasts removed a couple sisters and a few more skaven. Jean followed up with a pistol shot that took out a sister, and both bands ended up routing.     We were starting to regroup when another group of skaven emerged. They had been hiding in a pit across the way and now came charging forward towards the pool. The other Marienburgers had finally advanced on the other side of the pool to near where the fighting was happening, and I believe they may have actually knocked out a rat. Meanwhile, Pierre, Louis, and a member of the Life Guard took skaven out of action as they ventured to our side of the pool. Following this beating the remaining skaven routed.     Our friends - the other Marienburgers - had apparently had a dueling pistol blow up in their faces, so we sold them a spare of ours, plus a dose of crimson shade for their share of what lay in the pool and 10gc. A good deal for us as we already knew what lay within.     Our search did not disappoint, as Gaston - who had so successfully searched the pool the last time that we dared not use anyone else - found another 6 shards of wyrdstone in the pool. The rest of our band found 6 more shards of stone, and I found a shattered building containing 3 shards of wyrdstone guarded by a mangy dog. I called Henri to help, and the two of us coaxed the dog out of its home. Henri now has the dog eating out of his hand, and it appears the cur will become the newest member of our warband.     We sold 8 of our shards for 110gc, paid Gillinin, bought heavy armor and a shield, and then found and purchased a suit of Gromril Armor. A finer suit and a stronger material I have never seen. As Serge found the suit, and it seemed to fit him well, we let him be the wearer. This left us with 11 shards of stone and 92gc. I am hesitant to carry this much wyrdstone on ourselves, but we appear to have no choice, as the local merchants will only buy so much of the stuff at once.     In observing my men recently, I have noticed that once again Serge has been copying Louis and is now jumping up more quickly when knocked down. Henri seems to be even more numerous in his sword thrusting, and both Jean and Louis seem to be withstanding punishment better. In addition, Gaston has learned from Jean how to effectively ride that warhorse of ours. Turn the page. Back to the previous page. Close the journal.