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THE BLACK GUARD

... more sinister still had been the pair of silent, armour-clad warriors who stood guard over the priests and the plague pit. Plate mail crafted from obsidian encased the powerful knights, over which they wore a hooded tabard not unlike the robes of the priests. Black Guard, Templars of Morr, god of death. They were warriors who did not concern themselves with the living, only with the sanctity of the dead. The mere presence of such fearsome knights would keep even the most distraught mother from rescuing the body of her child from the plague pit, and the deadly reputation of their fighting skills would keep any opportunistic grave robbers from plying their trade ... C.L.Werner, Witch Finder Although formally called The High And Chivalric Order of Deserved Rest, the Chamber Militant of the Morr Temple is better known publicly as The Raven Knights (after the raven icons incorporated into their shields, surcoats and other parts of their armour) or most commonly simply as The Black Guard after their obsidian-black armour and terrifying demeanour. As the chamber militant of the cult of Morr, it is the duty of the Black Guard to take the righteous anger of Morr to those who transgress against his domain, as well as protecting their fellow clerical brethren and the final resting places of the dead. The Orders primary concern and purpose is to violently fight practitioners of Necromancy and the Undead who have escaped Morrs Realm and Judgement. To this purpose the Black Guards travel widely in the Old World to do battle with the Scourge of Necromancy in whatever form it takes. The Templars are fielded both as a conventional fighting force, as well as doing deep-cover and infiltration work in smaller units to get to the secret Death Cults that sometimes spring up to protect powerful Necromancers and Vampires. Sometimes Templars will be working in close collaboration with local authorities to get extra man-power for operations, but just as often Templars will work clandestinely and only care that they hold Divine Authority no matter what secular leader might hold power over the region in which they operate.

GUARDS OF THE DEAD

All Black Guard Templars dresses in black armour with heavy black monk-like habits worn over it. Onto this monastic surcoat may sometimes be found an embroidered raven, symbol of Morr. Iconic ravens are often worked into shoulder guards and kneecaps of the armour, as well as being repeated on the shields of the Templars. All armour is forged in the forges of the Orders fortress monastery, under the blessing and watchful eyes of clerics, and is considered holy armour by the cult. Quite often veteran officers will have elaborate ornamentation added to their armour, a special honour bestowed upon those who have served Morr long and faithfully. The Black Guard is an almost hermit-like order, the majority of its brothers (as individual Templars are known) filling their lives with the sombre worship of Morr, only sallying forth when the priesthood uncovers some abominable desecration of Morr's domain. Some lead something approaching more conventional lives as their assignments force them to interact with the outside world and all of its myriad of people. But like all dedicated servants of Morr, the Black Guard concerns itself with those who transgress against the will of their god and the domain they safeguard is that of the dead. As such, the Black Guard is more concerned with the dead than the living - a village being burned to the ground by Beastmen probably would not earn their attention, but the violation of that same village's graveyard by a necromancer certainly would. The living and all their problems are the domain of other Gods and their servants, but once someone pass beyond Morrs Gates, they become enter into the care of his faithful servants. Thus Necromancers, Vampire and all manners of the Undead are the Orders primary concern, but those robbing graves or opening tombs of old, are also well within their sphere of interest. The Black Guards are persons of a menacing and unsettling presence, clearly trailing the domain of their Lord behind them, and most common folk dread them for this very reason. They know that they need not fear the Templars unless they transgress against Morr, but the Black Guard are simply too close for comfort to the Realm of Death.

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THE THREE ORDOS

The Black Guard is divided into three Ordos as an organisation, and members are typically directly recruited to these Ordos for their specific skill-set. Ordo Cura
Cura :: (classical) meaning administration

The smallest of the three, Ordo Cura is charged with the logistical operations of the Black Guard, maintaining stocks and equipment, keeping track of Templars, handling communication with other cults and secular authorities and generally handling all the bureaucratic aspects of a Chamber Militant. Ordo Silenti
Silenti :: (classical) meaning simply the dead

The Ordo Custodia count amongst its members some of the most dedicated and stalwart defenders of Morrs Realm and men have to be cut from a special cloth to serve in the Watch Eternal on the Sylvanian border. Only veterans are chosen for the task of gate keeping Sylvania, and for this reason no Custodia are below the rank of Sergeant-Deacon. The countless centuries of Vampire domination has permeated the land itself with their dread energies and the dead does not sleep easy in Sylvania. Indeed, some Scholar-Sorcerers report that the Black Winds of Magick blow stronger over Sylvania than any other place in the Old World, twisting the minds and bodies of the unwary. Ghouls and Zombies sometimes seem to outnumber the living inhabitants of Sylvania, and the Ordo Templars undertake routine cleansing missions to cull their numbers.

Ordo Silenti is the largest of the Ordos in terms of number and holds the main fighting force of the Black Guard. Fighting Necromancers, Vampires and the Undead wherever they may turn up, this Ordo is ready to take the battle to the arch-enemy very fast. A company of Black Guards are stationed in most larger cities and regions to undertake general intelligence gathering as well as covert operations. A company constitutes some 30-80 Templars. The Ordo also maintains a number of safe-houses all over the Empire, which are used as way stations for covert operations. The main force of Ordo Silenti is stationed at the Black Guard fortress monastery Grabtrost, where the majority of new recruits are also trained. Ordo Custodia
Custodia :: (classical) meaning guardianship

ORDO ORGANISATION
As a Templar Order, the Black Guard has very much an almost military structure, as well as a very clear chain of command, which is of course essential when dealing with such operations as does the Black Guard. Exalted Grandmaster The Exalted Grandmaster is the martial head of the Black Guard, and as such is responsible for carrying out the policies and actions dictated by the ruling body of the Black Guard. Training, organisation, recruitment, planning and actual operations and combat all falls within his jurisdiction. All three Ordo leaders answer directly to him and carry out his orders. Ordo Cura Cura Primaris Head of the Ordo Cura and overseer of all logistical and bureaucratic matters of the Black Guard. Cura Scriptor Senioris (scribe) Senior Scriptors who oversee different areas and have a number of scribes as underlings. Cura Scriptor (scribe) Foot soldiers of the Ordo, the Scriptors are tasked with all the manual labour involved in the Ordos work.

Also known as The Silent Watchmen the members of Ordo Custodia are the caretakers of the Sylvanian threat. After the Vampire Wars was finally ended in 2145, the Morr cult decided that those dread occurrences must never be repeated. A permanent presence was established in Sylvania, and to this day small scattered garrisons hold their lonely vigil along the old Sylvanian border always keeping an eye on the cursed land and any signs that the Vampire Counts have returned. The Templars of this order undertake no clandestine operations; their mandate is to be a clear and oppressive presence in Sylvania, reminding all wrongdoers that Morr does not take kindly to those who are abominations and insults upon his divinity.

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Ordo Custodia Ordo Grandmaster Head of the Ordo and as such commanding officer for all aspects of the Ordos operations. Commands large scale regiment operations directly. Ordo Grand Chaplain Overseer of the spiritual fitness of the Ordo and commanding officer of all Sergeant-Chaplains. Kaptain-Justicar Senior Ordo officers who are usually only found on the battlefield for larger operations of company size or larger, or sometimes assigned to Ordo bases in particular volatile areas. Lieutenant-Confessor Battlefield officers who are often both assigned as leaders of Ordo bases, as well as planning operation details and leading the Black Guard into combat. Sergeant-Chaplain As well as holding commanding rank, the Sergeant-Chaplains are also Clerics and see to the spiritual health and strength of faith of the group they serve with. They are charged with purging those who become corrupted during the fight with the Arch Enemy. Very often Sergeant-Chaplains come from a Priest background and can function as battlefield priests as well. Sergeant-Deacon Veteran Sergeant-Deacons are often found as base leaders and as coordinators of operations in an area if a LieutenantConfessor is not available. All Sergeant-Deacons are frontline officers and lead their men into battle. Ordo Silenti Ordo Grandmaster As with Ordo Custodia Ordo Grand Chaplain As with Ordo Custodia Kaptain-Justicar As with Ordo Custodia Lieutenant-Confessor As with Ordo Custodia Sergeant-Chaplain As with Ordo Custodia

Sergeant-Deacon As with Ordo Custodia Corporal-Lector As this rank, the Black Guard is allowed to participate in covert infiltration operations as well as being given command of the supporting Black Guard personnel (pike men, swordsmen, etc) in larger battles. Lancer-Acolyte Foot soldiers of the Black Guard, the Lancer-Acolytes form the basis of the Black Guard combat groups. Squire-Initiate First rank of Black Guards, Squire-Initiates acts as squires for senior officers to learn the organisational hierarchy of the Guard, as well as handling menial chores and being drilled in the combat and undergoing general Ordo indoctrination.

BLACK GUARD UNITS

The Black Guard operates with five unit types for its operations, and what type is fielded depends on the threat being posed. Squad: 4-12 Black Guard The smallest operating unit is the Squad which is always lead by a Sergeant-Deacon. This unit type is usually assigned as overseers for smaller areas or sent in as a scouting party since it can travel light and remain fairly anonymous. Detachment: 2+ Squads The Detachment is comprised of 2 or more Squads and is usually lead by a Lieutenant-Confessor. The Detachment is the backbone of any larger operations and is usually dispatched to assess situations as well as undertake any direct actions that need to be addressed. The Detachment also includes at least three Squads of pike men, archers or swordsmen as support personnel. Company: 3+ Detachments The Company is fielded for large operations as well as being the standard unit stationed at large city bases (such as Altdorf and Nuln). Companies are usually commanded by Kaptain-Justicars. The company includes at least six Squads of support personnel, as well as having engineers and sappers assigned.

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Battalion: 2+ Companies The Battalion is usually the largest size unit fielded by the Black Guard and comprises of two or more Companies. Battalions are usually commanded by a senior Kaptain-Justicar or even by the Ordo Grandmaster. This size of unit is only used for very large operations where a known enemy of Morr threatens not only the sanctity of the dead, but also poses a very real threat of conquering an entire area and claiming it for the Undead. In addition to the Black Guard, a Battalion will have twelve or more Squads of support personnel, as well as a number of engineers, sappers, war machine operators and Ordo Cura members assigned. Regiment: 3+ Battalions A Regiment is the largest size unit fielded by the Black Guard, and one hasnt been deployed in action since the Vampire Wars ended in 2145. A Regiment comprises of three or more Battalions, and is lead by the Exalted Grandmaster himself. In addition to the Black Guard, a Regiment will have 36 or more Squads of support personnel, as well as a number of war machines, Ordo Cura members, higher ranking priests of Morr, engineers, sappers, scouts and other necessary persons. In effect, a Regiment will be the entire Black Guard marching to war.

FORTRESS GRABTROST
The headquarter of the Black Guard Order is the forbidding monastery fortress known as Grabtrost. Situated in the Grey Mountains some 100 miles north the city of Dunkelburg. Carved from the very face of the great mountains, the fortress is a forbidding and brooding as the templar order itself, and is a marvel of construction and engineering. The massive doors leading into the fortress are accessible only to the outside world using a long and relatively narrow bridge which is almost 400 yards long, and rises some 100 yards from its beginning on the surface and to the point where it meets the natural plateau chosen for the main entrance. Numerous arrow slits and embrasures overlook the plateau and the bridge, and any attackers would be showered with missiles long before they could get within striking range. Walls, parapets and towers have been carved from the face of the mountain, and to the casual observer it would appear that someone has somehow managed to push an entire fortress into a vast cave. As befits the Black Guard of Morr, the fortress is dark and sepulchral; leaving no doubt in the minds of the visitors that Morr holds sway there. Vast arching halls and corridors decorated with statues of Morr and past heroes of the Order are illuminated by flickering torches and lamps that still leave vast parts of the rooms in flicking, dark shadows. Visitors have a dismaying feeling that entering any of the deep shadows would lead the unwary directly into the Realm of the Dead. Adding to the sepulchral feel is the fact that all killed Black Guards who have been recovered from the field of battle have been interred within the fortress itself. The corridors and hallways are lined with plates indicating that behind each inscribed slab, a noble templar of Morr has found his last resting place. Massive carved and decorated sarcophagi containing the bones of the Orders greatest heroes are placed in almost every larger room. The skulls of Templars are lovingly stacked in corridors, inscribed with the name and deeds of the dead Templars and containing the Litanies of Burial sealing the remains of dead Templars from any interruptions by the foul energies of Necromancy.

NON-TEMPLAR PERSONEL
Although the Black Guard is primarily thought of as a Templar Order, it has a large number of non-templar personnel that are as essential a part of the organization as the Templars themselves. At Fortress Grabtrost the Order maintains a standing fighting force of Templars, pike men, swordsmen, archers, sappers, and engineers who can be deployed anywhere within the Empire with great speed. In addition a large number of clerics, workers, cooks, armourers and similar skilled personnel are employed to handle the non-fighting aspects of the Black Guards operations. The Templars are considered the Black Guard proper and holds command over the other fighting forces supporting them in battle.

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The Templars live simple lives of prayer and preparation for the battle against the enemies of Morr. Each templar has a simple cell containing a bed, usually a small personal shrine and room for clothing and equipment. Higher ranking Templars have larger cells and often these are in direct connection with their offices. The solemn echoes of prayer can be heard all over the fortress, emanating from the cells of the brethren, the temples to Morr spread over the length and breath of the place as well as from the roving number of acolytes who prowl the fortress chanting prayers and carrying the holy censers and their distinctive smell with them. The fortress is a city unto itself and apart from temples, dining halls, training rooms and stables for the steeds used by the Templars, also contains forges, vast kitchens, food cellars and of course living quarters for all the non-templar and non-cleric personnel which staffs the fortress.

Black Guard should act, filter through reports submitted by Templars in the field and govern the organisation as a whole. Quite often the Cardinals will request the presence of senior members of the Black Guard to corroborate reports and add to present further intelligence when the Cardinals feel they need further intelligence before making a vital decision. The Ordo Cura has the majority of its personnel stationed at the Fortress, and under the watchful eye of the Cura Primaris, the leader of the Ordo, they carry out the logistical work involved in running a large fighting force spread over the most of the Empire. About 60 members of Ordo Cura are stationed at the fortress at any given time, with an additional 30 being stationed at various places in the Empire. Some 700 Templars make their home at Fortress Grabtrost, with some 300 more being stationed at various bases or on covert operations in the Empire. The Templars have little contact with the other inhabitants of the fortress as they dedicate themselves to the service of Morr and fill their days with prayer and martial exercises, very much like warrior-monks. In addition to the Ordo Silenti and Ordo Cura members, some 1500 military support personnel are stationed in the fortress as well, made up of archers, swordsmen, pike men and pistoliers. Although devout Morr followers, the support personnel lead more common lives but are no less dedicated on the field of battle than the Black Guards themselves. Black Guard support personnel are dressed in a sombre black uniform, sporting a single yellow line on the right breast and heraldry sporting the Raven of Morr. Finally, a large number of workers take care of all sorts of menial tasks in the fortress such as general maintenance, cooking, washing, metal working and so forth.

LIFE IN FORTRESS GRABTROST

Fortress Grabtrost have been the headquarters of the Black Guard since 1056 where the first parts of the fortress were ready for habitation since when the size of the fortress have been expanded several times. All larger operations undertaken by the Black Guard are planned here, and the priests who holds command over the Order proper, also lives here. Although the Exalted Grandmaster of the Black Guard handles all combat decisions as well as all martial aspects of the Black Guard, the policies and actions are dictated by a ruling body made up entirely of high ranking priests. These priests are known as The Black Cardinals of Morr and answers only to the Grand Patriarch of the faith. The ruling body of the Black Guard is made up of six senior and high ranking Morr priests who have been chosen for the task by the Grand Patriarch himself. The Black Cardinals are the faceless servants of Morrs will always clad in heavy black robes with cowls obscuring their faces their actual names and identities are known only to the Grand Patriarch. The Cardinals convene in The Chamber of the Gate deep within Fortress Grabtrost, here to decide when and where the

HISTORY OF FORTRESS GRABTROST

The construction of the fortress was undertaken in 1007 IC by Dwarven Engineers after a secret pact was struck between High King Elmador of Karaz-A-Karak and the cult of Morr. A Chaos Creature that was prowling the lower reaches of the Dwarven stronghold and reaping the long-dead

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souls of the Dwarf Ancestors for its own nefarious purposes, and setting them upon their descendants as raving Wights. Few things are more abhorrent to a Dwarf than the thought of their hallowed Ancestors being forced to come back to a shadow-life and fight for the Arch Enemy. The High King recognized the special abilities the cult of Morr had in the area of handling the area between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead, and allowed them access to parts of the Dwarven society that no outsider had ever seen. After a lengthy, bloody and ultimately successful campaign in the dark beneath the world, the High King presented the cult of Morr with a group of engineers to assist them in building their fortress. In addition, a special set of gold rings were made, one to be worn by the High King and one to be worn by the Patriarch of Morr to remember for all times the special bond that now existed between the Dwarfs and the cult of Morr. The group of Dwarven engineers arrived at the site of the future fortress in 1009, and little did they know, that their stay would be prolonged a great many years. In 1011 the Black Plague struck, and as the Dwarfs closed off their strongholds to the outside world, this left the engineering crew with nowhere to go. The cult of Morr offered the Dwarfs the option of staying in the fortress and carving out their own community within the new home of the Black Guard. The Dwarfs accepted, leading to a much more complex structure of the fortress as the Dwarfs lend their considerable knowledge of working stone and constructing strongholds to the efforts of the Human work crews and engineers. During the course of years, the Dwarfs carved out their own community within Fortress Grabtrost, even adding their knowledge of herding fish in underground pools and growing mushrooms and special wheat inside a mountain to the fortress much to the gratitude of the humans living there. Although many of the Dwarfs chose to return home when the strongholds were reopened almost a hundred years later, a considerable amount of Dwarfs chose to remain behind, having forged bonds of friendship with the Humans living in the fortress some Dwarfs had even been born within the fortress monastery. The High King chose to acknowledge the Dwarfs remaining in Grabtrost as bondsmen and living proof of the alliance between Dwarfs and the cult of Morr, and to this day a community of around 30 Dwarfs still make their home within the fortress of the Black

Guard, lending their expertise to repairing and changing the fortress and being highly valued members of the fortress population for their engineering and metal working skills. The fortress was ready for habitation by autumn 1056, and have since then been improved and expanded upon by the combined efforts of Morrites and Dwarfs.

STRICTURES AND DUTIES

The members of the Black Guard follow the same strictures as their cleric brethren, although some of the strictures do not apply as the Templars for practical reason, but the Templars follow two strictures above all others: Oppose Necromancers and the Undead whenever and wherever they encounter them. Never disturb a place of burial that has been properly dedicated to Morr. The Black Guard is ever vigilant in its pursuit of the Necromancer, the Vampire and all those who would commit crimes against the eternal peace of Morrs Realm. The Templars are stationed over most of the Empire, either in permanent bases as is seen with the larger cities or the members of Ordo Custodia, they are dispatched to investigate rumours of Necromancy or sent to purge the Undead when confirmed reports of their activities exist. No mercy is shown to those who have defiled the Realm of the Dead, and for this reason the Black Guard often find it difficult to cooperate with nonMorr followers. The Black Arts used by Necromancers and Vampires are often subtle in their use, sometimes corrupting the very hearts and souls of the living and tricking them into working for and protecting these servants of the Old Night. How can ordinary people understand that those who have been under the spell of a Necromancer have forever a black smear on their souls a crack that other malign forces are able to exploit? How can they understand that the seemingly innocent infant born of a woman in thrall to a Vampire is already in shackles to the Old Night, and will never be free?

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Easier by far to close ranks, and take the sword, the stake and the torch to those who would defile the will of Morr. During time of war or disease, it falls to the Black Guard to stand watch over the plague pits and the priests intoning the Rites of Burial over the deceased. In such desperate times the family of dead citizens might attempt to rescue their loved ones from the mass grave and in their distress commit a transgression against Morr. The fearsome reputation of the Black Guard is usually enough to keep grieving family members at bay, but in the event of citizens ignoring the warnings of the priests and the Black Guards, their own bodies will soon join their loved ones in the pits. Such is the hard duties lain upon the shoulders of Morrs Templars and such is their conviction of their faith, that they will carry that burden and take the sword to their fellow man should he transgress upon the Mercy of Morr in a moment of insane grief. Of course, other less savoury characters might attempt to take advantage of the plague pits, and the Black Guard stand ready to cut down grave robbers and Necromancers at a moments notice.

PERSONS OF NOTE
Below a few characters who have managed to distinguish themselves, even amongst so dedicated a body of men as the Black Guard. Bronislaw Zapeion : Exalted Grandmaster The current Black Guard Exalted Grandmaster, Bronislaw originally hails from the frozen wastelands of Kislev, where he fought the Forces of Chaos in the Kozahk border armies for many years. A hard-edged man, Bronislaw had little faith besides that he put in his sword-arm and his steed that is, until he was embroiled in an encounter with a Necromancer on the southern borders of Kislev. There he met the Black Guard and was impressed by their devotion and their skills. So impressed in fact, that he chose to accompany the Templars back to Fortress Grabtrost to apply for initiation into the ranks of the Black Guard. Once he saw the grace of Morr, Bronislaw became a devout Morrite and dedicated his life and his soul to the god of death, and his Black Guard. Already a veteran warrior in the battle against the Dark Powers, Bronislaw excelled on the battlefield and was instrumental in a number of very important victories for the Black Guard. Picking up more literary skills as well as showing to have a knack for diplomacy and organisation, Bronislaw rose through the ranks of the Black Guard with almost stellar speed. After a 5-year deployment to the Ordo Custodia, he returned to the folds of the Ordo Silenti in 2490 IC to lead the hunt for the Necrarch Kamenwati who had taken up residence in the ancient sewers of Nuln and was threatening to release a Sorcerous Plague unto the populace of that great city that would turn the living into shambling Undead under the Necrarchs command. After a torturous battle in the secret catacombs beneath Nuln, the threat was averted and Kamenwati finally sent to the Judgement of Morr. The cool tactical overview and dedicated effort lead by Bronislaw prompted the Black Cardinals to finally elevate him to the position of Exalted Grandmaster, replacing Wolfram Weiterhart who had long desired to retire. Bronislaw remains a warrior and dedicated servant of Morr even to this day.

HOLY DAYS
Like their clerical brethren, the Black Guard observes the two holy nights of the cult. The cult has two holy nights, when the worlds two moons are full. The first is Hexensnacht, the eve of the new year. The second is Geheimnisnacht, a few weeks before the beginning of autumn. These nights are considered inauspicious by most, for the moons cast an eerie light, the dead are said to stir, and ill luck befalls those who venture out of their homes. On these nights, the priests of Morr hold solemn rites, for the gateways between the realms of the dead and the living and the sleeping and the waking are believed to stand widely open, aiding communion with the deceased and prophesy. The Black Guard attend these rites as guardsmen of the Realm of Dead, ready to intervene should any unholy forces attempt to commit sacrilege against the Will of Morr on these solemn occasions.

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Valdemar Holzhammer : Ordo Silenti Ordo Silenti Grandmaster Valdemar has served with the Ordo Silenti for almost 40 years, and although he is now an old man, he is still in full vigour, although rarely seen on the field of battle these days. Valdemar rose through the ranks of his chosen Ordo as he proved himself a competent battlefield leader and strategist, as well as a tremendously gifted organizer. A wily veteran and skilled in the art of diplomacy, Valdemar is often used as a liaison to secular rulers and authorities when the Black Guard needs official sanction of its operations as well as local help. Vesper Kronauer : Ordo Silenti Veteran Sergeant-Deacon of the Black Fist Company. Vesper has served the Black Guard for the better part of 40 years, and shows no signs of being ready for retirement. A former Sorcerer turned Templar; Vesper is a man of resources who have fought hard and long in the service of Morr. Most noticeable action took place in 2502 when he faced the Necromancer Lord Kwornius in the Marshes of Dread in eastern Sylvania. Separating from the main forces of Black Guards and Stirland military, Vesper lead his men on a surgical strike behind the lines of the Undead hordes. Wading through the foul Necromancers Grave Guard and Elite Wraith Guard, Vesper and his men struck down Kwornius and interred him within his decaying body using the Nameless Funeral Rite. Once the controlling mind had been crushed, the main Undead body of the army collapsed. Vesper was cited for courage above and beyond the duty, and praised for his clear thinking. The Elector Count of Stirland presented Vesper with an honorary Knighthood of the Stirland province. Ernst Ditmarr : Ordo Silenti Kaptain-Justicar of Raven Company. Ernst Ditmarr earned a reputation as commander of a particularly successful band of mercenary swordsmen called the 'Crimson Company'. Fearsome warriors, many of them veterans of the Reikland's military

forces, the Crimson Company found no want for employment in the strife-ridden city states of Tilea. Two decades of battle up and down the Tilean peninsula in the service of the decadent merchant princes of that land earned the Crimson Company their name and their reputation, indeed, during his assault on Miragliano, General Mandalari of Remas counted the Crimson Company amongst the most valuable of the elite mercenary regiments he intended to employ as shock troops once the city walls had been breached. It was in the course of serving with the Reman army that the Crimson Company lost its original captain and Ernst Ditmarr assumed command of the regiment. Seeking to put some distance between the Crimson Company and the treacherous rulers of Tilea after Prince Gambini of Remas refused to pay any of the mercenaries that took part in the abortive attack on Borgio the Besieger of Miragliano, Ditmarr took the regiment into the Border Princes where they quickly found employment protecting the imperilled realms from marauding tribes of Orcs and Goblins. But the wealth of the Border Princes was not as substantial as that of Tilea and the Crimson Company was soon on the move once more, this time returning to the lands of the Empire, being engaged by the Elector Count of Averland to help defend Black Fire Pass from an ever increasing number of Orc incursions. Shortly after entering the service of the Count of Averland, the Crimson Company found itself given what amounted to a death sentence - order to hold the mouth of the pass along with a few regiments of poorly trained peasant conscripts against an Orc army led by the infamous Gorfang Rotgut. The plan was for the mercenaries to delay the Orcs long enough for the Count to gather enough troops from across his realm to repulse the Orc horde from his lands. Outnumbered nearly fifty to one, the Crimson Company determined to give the Count as much time as they could - resigning themselves to death, they commended their souls to Morr and hoped only to make such an end for themselves as would be remembered in song and story. The pass was narrow, and the Crimson Company deployed their meagre forces at a natural bottleneck where the Orcs would be unable to bring their numbers to bear. The tactic worked, such as it was, allowing only a half dozen of Gorfang's warriors to attack at a time. However, the orcs were tireless warriors, never relenting in their assault, attacking by day and night in an unending wave of savage ferocity and fury. Though the mercenaries claimed a terrible toll on

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Gorfang's troops, their own losses were equally terrible - and Gorfang could afford to loose more troops than his human adversaries. After three days of fighting, only seven men of the Crimson Company remained. Facing certain death, Ernst Ditmarr swore an oath to Morr that if the grim god would delay his entry into the Realm of the Dead, then Ditmarr would give his sword to the service of Morr. Three of the other mercenaries took up their captain's oath, pledging their swords to Morr in return for their lives. Within minutes of their oath, the sound of trumpets announced the arrival of advanced elements of the Count's army. Crafty beyond the measure of most Orc chieftains, Gorfang realised that with the arrival of fresh troops, the pass was denied to him and he ordered his army to withdraw, seeking better pickings among the dwarf settlements in the south. The reinforcements found only four of the Crimson Company still standing, their own dead and those of the orcs heaped around them. Of a regiment of 300, only the four men who had vowed to serve Morr had survived. Ernst Ditmarr entered the Black Guard, rising to the rank of Kaptain-Justicar of the Templars stationed in the city of Wurtbad in Stirland. Here he served with distinction until called upon to investigate reports of a heretic priest in a small way shrine devoted to Morr. He led a squad of his troops to investigate these rumours, discovering the hideous truth behind such tales. The priest of the shrine, a curate named Thyssen Krotzigk, had turned to the worship of the Ruinous Powers and bore the stigma of mutation upon his twisted frame. Ditmarr led his Templars into battle against Krotzigk and his cult, but was horribly wounded by the sorcerer's fell magic. One side of his face withered into a skull-like visage, his shrivelled left arm cut from his body by a chirurgeon, Ditmarr vowed to find the sorcerer, refuting the Temple's view that Krotzigk had crawled away to die from the injuries Ditmarr had inflicted upon him. The Kaptain-Justicar became something of a renegade as he prowled the backwaters of Stirland looking for any sign of his quarry, admonished by his superiors within the Black Guard and the temple. A haunting sight with his sombre raiment, mutilated face and missing arm, Ditmarr passed into fable and legend among the common folk of Stirland, a remorseless hunter who preyed upon the enemies of mankind with cold deliberation and mercilessness. Many speculated upon the purpose behind the Templar's wanderings,

but few were those who knew the true nature of his hunt and where it would ultimately end. Rudolf Ehrhardt : Ordo Silenti Kaptain-Justicar of Raven Company Rudolf Ehrhardt was another of the Crimson Company who took up the oath to serve Morr, entering the Black Guard at the same time as his former commander Ernst Ditmarr. A single-minded, stern figure even before becoming a templar, Ehrhardt devoted himself completely to the strictures of the cult and the rites of the Black Guard. Already a powerful man, Ehrhardt's strength and vitality became prodigious under the ceaseless regime of exercise and training he subjected himself to and he quickly came to the notice of his superiors in the temple. Ehrhardt distinguished himself within the ranks of the Black Guard, serving in Nuln and rising to the rank of Sergeant-Acolyte. By this time, his old comrade Ernst Ditmarr had risen to the rank of Kaptain-Justicar and requested that his old friend be redeployed to Wurtbad to act as his lieutenant. Following Kaptain-Justicar Ditmarr's mutilation and subsequent apostasy, Ehrhardt was promoted to the rank of Kaptain-Justicar, becoming commander of Wurtbad's Black Guard. Kaptain-Justicar Ehrhardt served in this capacity for many years, leading the Black Guard in actions against a coven of the necromancer Tefnakht's followers in the wilderness surrounding the Three Towers and also purging Wurtbad's Old Cemetery of its centuries-old ghoul warrens. He also took part in the hunt for the insidious vampire Sibbechai which took place in Wurtbad during the winter of 2521. Even in his later years, Ehrhardt remained a powerful, imposing man, the very embodiment of the martial traditions and fearsome mantle of the Black Guard.

CREDITS
The author would like to thank C.L.Werner for contributing ideas and thoughts on the matter of the Black Guard, writing up the bios for Ernst Ditmarr and Rudolf Ehrhardt, as well as allowing the use of the starting quote from his book Witch Finder.