[llamabeast]

High Priest Heinrich sat at his desk, reading the monthly Inquisition Reports from scouts all over the lands neighbouring Ulm. In the days before the Civil War this office would have been luxuriously decorated, filled with portraits with gilded frames and hung with velvet curtains. Now the room was all but empty. The Aufklarung had brought the understanding that material goods were merely a distraction from piety. Never again would lust for gold distract the priests of Ulm from spreading the enlightenment of Archaeon.

Heinrich paused as he read a report from a young scout by the name of Hans, who was travelling through the kingdom of Skavenblight. Relations between Ulm and the men of Skavenblight had always been cordial, and Heinrich had not expected any trouble. But the report made for strange reading.

--

On his second day in the lands of Skavenblight, Hans had come across a swarm of giant rats, each as big as a large dog, feasting on the carcasses of sheep in broad daylight. Startled both at the bizarre sight and the fact that the vermin were not being stopped by the local farmers, Hans nonetheless stayed undercover and moved on, mapping the lands he travelled through.

On the fourth day he saw in the distance across another swarm of rats - this time moving intently to the north. They did not appear to get distracted by the livestock around them. In fact... they even appeared to be moving in formation. As the swarm came closer and he was able to see them more clearly, Hans choked back a gasp of horror. The swarm was led by some kind of horrific being - it walked upright like a man, but otherwise had the appearance of a rat - what kind of abomination was this?

As soon as the swarm had passed out of sight, Hans knew he must act. The men of Skavenblight must be warned that such monsters moved amongst them! Without delay he made his way to the nearest town, and asked that he be allowed to speak to the mayor. The men of the town regarded him with disbelief, but dutifully led him up to the town hall. Hans was kept waiting outside the main hall for some time, but finally the doors swung open. Hans gasped. Assembled before him was not as he expected a mayor and his loyal retinue. Instead, on a throne sat another rat-thing, dressed in white robes encrusted with filth, and all about him stood more of the rat-men, dressed in armour and carrying weapons like men. As the door opened they turned to look at him, hissing evilly, their eyes glowing red in the dim room and saliva dripping from their maws.

Hans screamed, and ran for his life. Back out through the corridors of the town hall, through the streets and out into the safety of the forest, he never slowed for a minute. Luckily for him the human guards made no effort to stop him - it seemed they had no love for the rat-things themselves. Once in the forest Hans had sat recovering his breath for no more than a minute or so before he brought out his parchment and quill - Ulm must be warned! Having finished his account he brought out the magical scroll contained he had been given by the White Priests, and placed the parchment within. There was a flash and a puff of smoke, and the parchment was gone - his message was safe with Ulm now.

--

Heinrich sat back in his chair, shocked. There was no choice, it seemed. All this time they had been dealing with Skavenblight, they had simply assumed the kingdom was one of men, like those of Ulm, Man and Bandar Log. But it seemed it was ruled by blasphemies of the highest order - Skavenblight was an empire of RATS!

The Neugeboren Guard would be summoned from their barracks. The steeds of the Black Templars would be readied. The enchanted armours of the Anchorites would be awakened, and the Black Priests would urge the Penitents into new frenzies. New Ulm would march to war!

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Digress: In case you hadn't guessed, that's a declaration of war - my troops are invading this month. Sorry. Let the battles begin.