What the Knights Mortain won’t tell you

The Knights of Mortain ride out to do battle with the undead

"DOOMED, WE'RE ALL DOOMED!" the wild eyed thin haired priest of Mortain screamed at the top of his voice to a small crowd of fanatics and hecklers, "THE UNDEAD ROAM ONCE AGAIN, WE MUST DESTROY THEM! RISE UP CITIZENS, RISE! WHAT DOES YOUR LORD DO ABOUT THIS? NOTHING! RISE UP!".

Ordinarily, this crazy old man would have little effect on the population of this market town in this backwater province of the Sinian Empire, observed Leibach, this time however it was different, unrest was in the air. After the previous weeks theft of all the bodies in the local graveyard and the disappearance of old man Engel, (who was suspected of necromancy by the townsfolk), all that had changed. Now the mad preacher was taken seriously, donations to the temple of Mortain were up, knights were being trained and fanatics with no fear of death were being recruited and 'managed'. This normally busy, grubby agricultural town with its cautious unwelcoming population was rapidly becoming a hotbed of religious fanaticism and an armed uprising.

Leibach was used to people waiting for him, not the other way around and he hated his peasant farmer disguise. You were supposed to eat a pig, not smell like one. He was about to leave when he finally spotted his contact, a shifty looking halfling who beckoned him into the tradesman's entrance of a local tavern. He made his way into an upper room which looked over the square. It was a private room for his audience with the Duke and Lord of this town, a well dressed merchant type who was busy staring out the window, flanked by his half-ogre bodyguard. He was taller than Leibach, but then again most people were and that didn't bother him anymore.

"How can I serve his excellency this time?" grovelled the lord as he turned around knowing full well that Leibach had the power to recommend that he be removed from office and his lands taken from him.

"The Emperor is taking a keen interest in the events that are unfolding here", he stated, getting straight to the point, "religious fanatics, graveyard thefts, disappearances. Are you in control?"

"His majesty can be assured that everything is under control, I am aware of all that goes on in my town and soon his majesty can be assured of success here" whimpered the Lord of Ludamil.

There was a pause in the conversation as Leibach considered his next move. While he was thinking the sounds of a fight in the square started, and he could hear soldiers moving to quell a possible riot. He reached down abruptly into his tunic with his right hand.  The Lord tensed, expecting a weapon but instead was greeted with a large envelope, officially sealed from the royal court and handed it over. The envelope contained orders and a wax sealed credit slip redeemable for gold comets against the imperial treasury.

"Fortunately, the Emperor favours you for now, and you do seem capable of directing this rabble", he said, gesturing towards the window. "Have you taken steps to ensure none of this can be connected to the royal court?"

"Yes, of course!" he replied, "the men hired to remove the corpses from the graveyard were tragically ambushed by bandits, and old man Engels body will never be found. You can be assured that the Emperor will have his army under the banner of Mortain."

"And the people know nothing of the real threats? In Rasni? and further North in Nygorach?"

"Your excellency can be assured that only a few know of this and as for those of the army, the church of Mortain keeps its secrets well"

Leibach was satisfied and began to walk away slowly over the creaking floorboards and towards the wooden staircase that led out of this room. "Good, I will report what I have seen here today, but be assured, this is not the last of my visits, and failure is not an option for you, you have already had your second chance..."