# The adventures of the 27th - Chapter 1



## Ragnar_Burmane (Dec 15, 2006)

Chapter 1 below. I'll write chapter 2 soon...... 

Chapter 1 

Dort Pietersen stood shivering in the rain, wondering when he would next see home. The boys had just chosen their trades and he could still picture the proud look on Jegg’s face as he collected his carving tools. Dort had been out of work for 3 months due to the closure of the farm and could not face the prospect of telling Jegg he would have to pick a trade that didn’t require boarding fees or tool payments. Jegg had worked too hard to get the opportunity for Dort to consider letting him down. That was why Dort found himself as he did now, soaked through and standing the graveyard shift over the 27th’s hastily erected defences. He had accepted ‘The Franz’ silver penny and was now sworn to defend the lands governed by the legendary Kurt Hellborg, Grand Master of the Knights of the Reiksguard. Dort had never actually met either Kurt Hellborg or Karl Franz for that matter. He had accepted the penny offered him by Jan Chaos Bane a Priest sworn to follow Sigmar’s example. Admittedly Dort had not expected his word to carry any real meaning. After all, there had been no sound made by the village bell for forty years. Dort now understood that the reason for that was primarily the 27th’s relentless vigil over any hostile incursion into the fatherland. Now he stood fully aware that if he closed his eyes for even a moment it could mean his death and that of every one of his comrades. 

The regiment had been pursued for six days now by the forces led by the towering figure whose silhouetted form Dort had seen two nights previously. Dort’s first taste of combat had been two weeks earlier when his scouting party had been ambushed by a swarm of disease ridden tiny creatures ripping clothes, armour and flesh with their tiny teeth and claws. The new recruits laughed at first as the tiny creatures came howling from the underbrush. It did not take long however before they understood Brig, their squad sergeant’s grim expression upon seeing the tide of tiny creatures approach. Six of Dort’s squad had been lost in the first moments of the frenzied battle and the remaining four made up of Dort, Brig, Scales and Yardley had fled to the denser woods. 

Following a frantic pursuit through the densely packed forest Dort found himself staggering back through the camp gate with only Brig and Yardley behind. Nothing had been seen or heard of Scales and Brig had died two days later but only after keeping the entire camp awake screaming through the night as his colour changed to a sickly green and his skin erupted in countless boils. Finally, when the shameful mutterings had turned to casting Brig into the woods and to the god’s fate, Jan Chaos Bane had performed the final rites over a still and silent Brig. The whole regiment had been subdued since that day. Every man was quietly dealing with his own conscience over whatever he had considered doing to ‘help’ Brig along his way. The forest had been silent for four days and a sense that perhaps whatever was in the woods had moved on crossed many a hopeful mind. It was then on the sixth day in camp that the drums had burst through the mist followed by unearthly howls and eerie singing that called each man to abandon his post and find whatever was being offered by the eerie yet beautiful voices. Only Jan Chaos Banes constant fiery words kept the camp perimeter under guard. 

Startled from his private thoughts Dort rubbed his eyes sure he had seen something move in the extreme edge of the torch light perimeter surrounding the camp. With little experience of guarding the camp in a ‘hot’ situation Dort wasn’t sure if waking the camp was the right thing to do. Would his comrades curse his name or add it to their private prayers? After a moment’s hesitation he withdrew the horn strapped to his side and following a lengthy indrawn breath Dort blew loud and long. The sound seeming to carry on forever in the dull dawn light he turned and heard the curses being muttered from a hundred bedrolls. He had his answer. As he turned back to his vigil he saw to his horror that his alarm had not been without reason. Rank upon rank of Sigmar knows what was beginning to appear at the tree line several hundred yards away. It was then that Dort realised dawn was truly upon them. An hour he had longed all night for was not going to carry the promise of rest as he’d hoped. With an expression much like Brig’s had looked in what seemed like an eternity ago Dort checked his sword was loose in his scabbard. He bent dazedly to gather his shield and muttered a silent prayer to Sigmar that he would stand another graveyard shift like the one just passed. As he straightened he saw an image he would not forget in this life. Head and shoulders above the tree canopy stood a creature from nightmare. All horns, claws and a pair of terrible burning eyes that pierced every soul on guard the creature stood quietly. Dort felt without shame his breeches become soaked. As he turned to run a glowing gauntleted hand lay on his shoulder from behind. 

In the gentlest voice Dort had heard him utter Jan Chaos Bane said “Stand lad for Sigmar is with us this day and his light shall guide our swords. Let his almighty power guide you for you are a proud member of the 27th and we do not show our backs to the enemy.” With steel in his heart Dort turned back to face the hoards. His grey eye’s watched dispassionately as the hoards raced towards the camp. 

Chapter 2​


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