The Old World. A dark and grim place filled with peril and driven by war. From the teeming cities of the Empire to the Elf haunted forests to the lofty crags of the Worlds' Edge mountains where Dwarfs battle with Goblins and their vile kin, a shadow hangs over the world, cast by the dark corrupting hand of Chaos. The Old World's greatest nation, the Empire, seeks to hold back this dark tide.
The Storm of ChaosAll of you grew up listening to the stories of the Great War Against Chaos. The tale of Magnus the Pious and his victory over the armies of Chaos is well known. While there have been wars and threats in the 200 years since, there has been nothing on that scale. Until now. This year the Chaos Lord Archaon invaded the Empire with five mighty armies. They swept down from the Chaos Wastes, ranks filled with mutant warriors, nightmarish monsters, and power-mad sorcerers. Flagellants and other prophets of doom declare these the End Times. And as these armies pillaged and burned their way through the northern provinces of the Empire, it was easy to believe.
You've heard endless stories over the past few months. They say that Sigmar once again walked the earth. They say an army of wolves attacked the Kislevian city of Erengrad. They say the dead rose from their graves to defend the Empire. They say a mighty victory was won at Middenheim. They say a plague has choked the streets of Talabheim with bloated corpses.
You can only believe what is in front of your eyes. You are in the town of Untergard in the Drakwald Forest. A nine-day battle took place here, as Beastmen tried to force their way across the town's great bridge. They rebuffed by the price was high. The two is in ruins and its remaining citizens struggle to survive. The Imperial army has long since moved on from Untergard, leaving behind few besides the dead. You've heard tell of more battles up north but the war seems over. Or so you hope.
You have been in Untergard for several days, as rainstorms of utmost savagery lashed the Drakwald. You find two things when you awaken: the rainstorm has broken and there is a commotion in the nearby Ackerplatz.
Ragnar looks up groggily from his bed as weak sunlight filters through the window of the watch station he has occupied ever since his broken company of the Imperial Army was left here to become the 'Watch' of Untergard, here in the Drakwald forest.
Fine place for a dwarf to be, in this Elf-lovun' forest, he thinks to himself. Let the Elfs and their Beastmen lovers have it all
He gets up, smooths his Watch uniform as best he can, gets his axe, and leaves, wondering what the commotion could be over at the Ackerplatz.
Among the Imperial Army Dvar Korgan, another Dwarf, was once a hunter of bear and big game. Those days ended when the war came to his favorite hunting ground. His traps captured more than bear, the mutated agents of chaos, wargs, and other beasties, but he never saw them as he was fleeing for his life south. That's where he met the army, that was when he was conscripted into it, and that's when he turned and marched back north. His service brought him to Untergard and the battles there. When the Army left, Dvar was left behind, several units were so descimated from the battle that the survivors where cobbled together into the 'Watch of Untergard' among them was Dvar.
He wakes from a long night of tossing and turning, and rolls out of his cot rubbing his eyes. "Ach! What in the Black Mountains is the racket all about?!" He pulls on his boots, one stubby foot at a time. He smacks his lips together, and yawns, "At least the rain stopped, that's something." He comments to himself before grabbing up his things, and marching outside. He glances across the street to see Ragnar, another Dwarf and strides over to him. "What the hell is all that commotion?"
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
"Ahh, Dvar, how's the mornin' havin' ye? Sounds t'me like there be work for us this morn over at th' Ackerplatz. Not sure what th' commotion be all about, though."
The dwarf that stands before Dvar is rather tall for a dwarf, standing five feet. He has ash blonde hair, grey flinty eyes, and has a nicely trimmed beard. The right index finger of the hand that clutches his axe is missing a nail, but otherwise he appears to be a fit and strong member of the Watch.
As he speaks to Dvar, he moves towards the Ackerplatz, chatting with his fellow dwarf, whom he has gotten to know over the last nine days in the typical dwarf fashion, over mugs of weak human spirits at the local tavern after their duty shifts were over.
Dvar is only 4'9" tall, and so stands shorter than Ragnar, but he doesn't seem any less small for being near the taller dwarf. He has black hair, rather ruffled and unkempt after a night of tossing and turning. His leather jerkin is stained with some blood, not his, and in one hand he holds a leather skull cap, in the other his bow. An axe hangs from his belt, and his pack is over his back. "Ach! Well let's go an take ours'lvs a looksee at what all the racket'tis." His accent matches that of Ragnar. Pointing down the road he starts to trundle off to see what is going on at Akerplatz.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
Dvar and Ragnar leave their bunkhouse they have been sharing and head to the Ackerplatz. They head down the road and spot a large scene unfolding in the morning light.
Most of the seventy five survivors of Untergard have already gathered in the decrepit town square, and are muttering restlessly to one another. Many still nurse battle wounds, while others are clearly too old or young to have taken place in the fighting. All are rugged and pale, while some are clearly sickened by the lack of food since the battle concluded.
"Kings have no friends, only subjects and enemies."
"Ack! It must bea the whole dern towns turned out." Dvar looks around to see what the people might be doing, other than loitering in the best place to marshal troops at should that need to be done. He motions for Ragnar to walk with him toward the head of the crowd, if they are facing one direction, or paying attention to someone or something in particular, that's where Dvar goes.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
Both of the dwarves ask around and attempt to figure out what is happening this morning. The basic thing they find out is Captain Schiller, the dwarves 'boss', has an important announcement to make. There are some that say that Count Boris Todbringer of Middenheim has sent a caravan of food and supplies to help the town in their time of need. This seems to be the truth, at least as the dwarves can tell.
While waiting, they also hear some rumors, one particular one is about the town healer, 'Granny Moescher'. The Captain has asked her many times to move inside the walls of the town, but she still refuses, keeping the war's orphans with her in her old home.
Gossip:
Ragnar: 22 + 30% = 52% vs. 16%, Success
Dvar: 26/2 = 13 + 30% = 43% vs. 14%, Success
Ragnar's Degree of Success: +4
Dvar's Degree of Success: +2
Lumbering toward the front Dvar asks around about what is happening before moving toward the front. As one of the soliders of the 'Watch' he pushes his way through at points to get up closer. "Ragnar, if we got ourselves some more food, we best be gettin ta it befer its gone." He attempts to get up to find the Captain and perhaps Granny.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
