Marienburg’s Nights Watch

Bitter Blood

In Marienburg law is a curious thing. A city of trade where the line between importing and smuggling is easily blurred it takes a level headed law enforcer to make any kind of a difference. One such law maker being an aged Captain named Ruben Van der Jager. After decades of unswerving service in Marienburg’s Night Watch he was elevated to the rank of Captain and given command of his own men of the Watch. He delivered justice with a balanced hand befitting the City in which he kept the peace with the odd blind eye to dubious business practises and what some law makers would perceive as contraband he knew was the life blood of the Marienburg markets. Thus it continued and before long his brothers and sons joined the watch and rose through the ranks some within his own watch and others their own.

Ruben watched with pride as his younger brother Marius was made a fellow Captain of the watch. His pride soon turned to dismay as he realised Marius was not just turning a blind eye to smuggling but actively involved. After stern discussion with his brother Marius retorted that it was no worse than the blind eye Ruben had given and that he may as well receive some coin for the effort.

With a heavy heart Ruben knew he had to report this behaviour to his superiors. When he did he requested that he arrest his brother personally to ensure that no blood was shed unnecessarily. However, when he arrived to arrest his wayward sibling Marius was gone and his Watch with him. 

Ruben could barely contain his fury at his brother’s cowardice and flagrant disregard for the law. Furthermore, the dishonour and shame he had brought upon the Jager family name. He vowed to find Marius wherever he may have fled to. In the end he did not have to look far to find traces of his brother. After asking a couple of coaches if they had been contracted by any of the watch in the last few days he found that the Marienburg Express Coaches had taken his brother and his misguided band to the outskirts of the city of the damned Mordheim. To the dismay of his superiors Ruben took his men including his other siblings to hunt down his brother. Marienburg was now missing more than a quarter of its watch but Mordheim was soon to feel Ruben’s wrath.

The Search

On the outskirts of Mordheim there are many dens of vice where patrons are full of rumours for the right coin. After drifting between a few of these establishments the Marienburgers heard the first whispers of their outlaws. The news told how they were gunned down by Witch Hunters while desperately trying to flee the city. However, it appeared some had survived but who exactly no one was sure.

Ruben led out his Watchmen in the hunt for one of these survivors. In fact it did not take long to find one. A swordsmen who had been fighting for Marius had joined with some Reiklanders although it appeared they were aware of their approach and rushed out to meet Rubens own swordsmen. After a quick fought melee the Watchmen had repelled their attackers and had captured the swordsmen who had worked for Marius. His name was Petr and his news was unpleasant; Marius was dead. 

Before Ruben could recover from the news they were under attack again. Surely Mordheim was Damned. After the Swordsmen brother Aad der Ruw was slain the Watchmen fell back to lick their wounds.

Unfortunately, they would not get the opportunity to recover their losses. In the dead of the night they were assaulted by Dwarf Treasure Hunters eager for the Wyrd Stone they had found while in the city. Again they ran from would be thieves as yet more Swordsmen of the Watch died. To their horror they realised that both times they had ran they had gone deeper into the city and would now have to fight their way out of the city. With his brother dead Ruben saw no reason to lose any more men to the maddening city.