Chapter 1
Strange Stranger
It was a dark, stormy night. The cold strng wind was blowing over a small town, which was lost among the woods of Breatonnia, long old trees trees bent and swayed and flashes of big lightinings cut through the dark sky.
But despite the bad weather outside, there was warm and cozy in a small hut at the fringe of the , big old rat with mysterious yellow glowing eyes and unusual fot ratman blue fur, was working with herbs in his room .
For eight years he lived in his hut on the edge of the woods, curing people's various illnesses, selling them potions, healing ointments and herbal infusions, and sometimes predict someone's destiny, reading the cards,or by the mirror, tealeaves and "cause" spirits of the dead ("spirit" is usually played his servant, Freddie, who was a great voice actor)
Selling potions was the only Pew's way to earn money, but the memory of old wise rat could remember other times, when he was a young, brave sailor. And in that evening he was sorting herbs and singing a cheerful pirate's song when someone knocked on the door.
-Who has come in such bad weather? -grumbled the blue rat,-Freddie!Freddie!
Freddie, small grey rat was sleeping in box with with hay and sawdust on the attic. When he heard his master's calling, he sluggishly opened his eyes ,stretched and sat up in his bed. Then he quickly went down the stairs to the lower room.
-Go and see who's arrived!-ordered the old little rat came to the door ,climbed onto the tabouret and looked through the creature what he saw outside, so frightened Freddie that he ran into the back room and hid in the chest.
Pew raised his eyebrows in surprise.
-What's wrong?-he asked his servant.
-There is...there is A BEAST!-faltered in fright Freddie from the chest.
-Beast? What a tommyrot! -chuckled the blu rat,-There 's no beasts in this lands! The townspeople might make fun of you, Freddie.
-Myyy lord..I have been serving faithfully. for you for fifteen years..-whimpered the little rat,-But please, listen to me:Do NOT OPEN THE DOOR! If you do this, the monster outside will come in and eat you and me..
A knock on the door was repeated, now it it sounds very loud, like someone wanted to knock the door.
-Such an insolence!-said Pew angrily,taking hs wooden staff,-I'll show that bullies What is what!
He widely opened the door and saw a real beast:a brawny, high rat-orge with three hands imploringly looked at old pirate, and sadly unconscious ratman was lying on the threshold, near Pew's ratman was dressed in dirty rags, had got very light silver-gray fur, pale skin and horns on his head and held an unusual stuff in his stranger had two wounds:first-a gash on the one side on his body, and second , small wound on his stuff was broken by some very powerful spell and his helmet was cracked too.
" Intresting...I had never seen a horned ratman before..-thought Pew.-Who is he?" Then,he gently touched the ratman's neck, trying to found his irregular, weak pulse.
-Although he had wounded,he is still alive,-said the blue rat to rat ogre,-Should I try to save his poor life , or end his sufferings,finish him and feed my pretty birds?
Pew looked at three big vultures which was sitting on the spruce branches near the vultures was children of Pew's magic and guarded rat's home from thieves and foes.
The rat-ogre sadly howled again.
-Well-well, -decided Pew,-I'll do one good thing in my sinful life and save your you better go away and hide in the depths of the forest: if townspeople see you near the town , they will kill you as a dangerous takes me 8-10 days to heal this ratman.
When rat ogre was hiding in the woods, Pew called his servant:
-Freddie!I managed to get rid of a monster! So, get out of chest and help me:we have to work for a bit this me to drag this horned ratman to hut and put him on the table!Then, bring me my surgical instruments, as well as medicines and bandages!And don't forget to boil the water!
-Yes, master!-answered the little rat.
Having laid the patient on the table, Pew took a pair of scissors and began to
cut off the decayed clothing.
-Look, my lord! He has got a mechanic hand!-said Freddie.
-Yes, this a clever piece of looks like a real hand, but it is made from steel!-answered Pew,-It is a pity that my bosun had'nt got the same arm.
Then, Freddie pulled the rag and the ill ratman moaned softly.
-Careful!-said Pew,-He is close to death, he is between dead and life..Ahaa, I had found the reason of his sufferings..Give me scalpel, please...
Before sunrise, the all wounds of ill horned ratman were treated, sewed up and bandaged , and tired Pew and his servant wiped the sweat from their forehead.
-So, we worked hard, we worked well-said the blue rat, looking at his patient who in bandages was looking like a mummy from distant tombs of Nehekhara,-Let's have a rest today.
They put the sick ratman to bed,carefully covered him with a blanket and then, Pew and his servant went asleep.
The next day Pew wake up early, then he approached to bed where his patient was sleeping, touch ratman's cold wet nose and then, the healer touch his hand and found pulse.
-It's all right. He will convalesce.-smiled the sorcerer, then he turned to Freddie:-Make breakfast for us, my dear.
When little rat went to kitchen to cook breakfast, Pew draged to room the ratman's traveling bag. He was a true rat and can't help himself to rummage in stranger's travelling bag.
He found many intresting things in it: a little bag of wooden runes, a little pouch with gold and money from all over the world, two scrolls of spells(Pew can't decrypted them because he did'nt know the language the spells was written.), three little bells, sword with runes on it blade(Pew decided to leave the sword himself as payment.), dead cat("Freddie!Throw this filth now!
Gods, I thought: what is stinks?"),a necklace of bones , a skull, mysterious green gem (Pew did'nt know what sort this gem of, but he wondered what is gem was glowing in the dark), violin (" Is he a musican? -May be") and a scarpbook or a diary-thick notebook, tied with twine with a sign of Horned Rat on the black last excited Pew.
-It must be his travel diary...Freddie! Come here!-called the blue rat his servant. When little rat came to the room, the sorcerer asked him: -Can you read the horned ratman's notes? My weak eyes don't let me read this small hand.
-Sorry, master...These notes are cleverly encrypted from prying eyes!I can't read it too!-answered Freddie.
-What a pity!-said Pew,-Well, we have to wait , when our patient will wake up and ask him questions.
-Ou!Our breakfast! It is burning!-recollected Freddie and came back in Kitchen, Pew continued to look through the ratman's addition to the notes, book contained clippings (" Scaven invasion in Nuln:will the city fall?, " who kidnapped Ulrika Magdova?'", "The mysterious murder of the head of the Secret Police") , scary drawings(a lot of pictures with head of horned rat and other),mystical pentagrams and formulas, maps and plans (" The plan of 's sewerage"," The Lost Temple of Serpent . Plan."), dry leaves of some tropical plants, sheet music, and other information.
There was a portrait of beautiful young girl with curly light hair and big eyes on the one page of ratman's dark diary.
-Look -said returned Freddie,-She looks like girl who had disappeared 3 years ago!
-May be it is her portrait.." Rosie..For..e..me"-answered Pew,the large part of phase was smeared by ink.,-What is bind their fates-horned ratman and Rosie?
Suddenly, the slepping ratman started restlessly toss and turn in bed , mumbling: "War..warp..stone!Give it to me..quickly!Oh, give-give me a warpstone..."
The sorcerer anxiously approached to skaven's bed, touched his nose, then put his ear on patient's chest and listened his heartbeat.
"Warpstone...warpstone!"-groaned the horned skaven.
" Calm down, poor soul"-said Pew , he put a big onion instead of green gem in ratman's hand.
when the ill skaven had calmed down, Pew said to his servant:-I am going to visit my friend Tuomas in the library. Take care of our guest, he wake up , feed him.
-Yes, master.-answered little rat.
Tuomas,the librarian, was an respectable old dwarf in the town and Pew's best Pew had healed his wife from some fatal disease, the dwarf and blue rat became liked to visit the sorcerer on Satudays and Tuesdays and to drink tea or play checkers, talking about old days.
The dwarf has got a big family, and Tim,his younger grandson, was Pew's and geology were Tuomas's favorite science and collecting intresting gems and woderful stones was his hobby.
When Pew came in the library, the old dwarf was reading a book.
-Hi, old chap!-said Pew affably,-How are you? How is your wife? How is Tiny Tim?
-Hello, Pew.I and my wife are fine , thank you.-answered Tuomas,-The day before yesterday I made for Timmy a wooden sword, so he was runnig around the house all day and fighting against "goblins" and "orcs"!
Pew laughed.
-Well, my dear friend. Have you got any free time?-asked the sorcerer.
-For you I always find a free minute. I am all attention-answered the dwarf.
-Yesterday I walked in forest , collecting herbs and found a very suspicious gem..It looks like emerald, but lighter and glowing in is it?
Suddenly , usually genial dwarf frowned.
-Well, if you had found this gem,-whispered Tuomas,-The best thing you should do with it is to throw it away! To use these gems in magic and alchemy is forbidden by Brettonia and Imperia laws.
-Why forbidden? Is it a dangerous gem?
- It's a cursed gem!-answered Tuomas,-I 'll better show it to you in book...
Then, the dwarf went away and disappeared among the large bookcases with books. After a minute he had returned with a an big, old folio.
-Here it is! "Minerals and Gems of Old World"-read Tuomas the title of the book, then opened it in the middle,-" Warpstone ( the stone of distortion, ratman's stone, cursed emerald)-is a poisoned, green stone which is glowing in the often used by skavens and other Chaos creatures in their dark rites. It is not recommended to use these gems in magic and alchemy for humans and dwarves becouse the gem's poison can change their bodies and mind in such an unexpected way.." Pew, my best friend you should follow my advice and take the warpstone off your hands, or you'll get in trouble.
-Thank you, Thuomas, for information.I will follow your advice.-answered Pew,-Will you come to my house this Saturday and play checkers?
-Of course, I will!-answered dwarf,-I can't let the blue rat to be the best player in checkers in this town! I must, must have revanche!
And the friends parted. Noone of them did'nt descryed the red eyes in the ventilation was sitting a big evil heard the dialog and when Pew went out, she smiled and whispered: " A-ha, a wants it, yes-yes!"
Meantime, at the Pew's hat , the grey skaven sighed, yawned and opened his pink eyes.
-Where I am?-asked he the little rat.
-In the house of great magician and healer, past master of sorcery Pew the Wise!- proudly answered Freddie.
-How did I get here?-asked the horned ratman.
-My master said that the beast had brought you were seriously injured and we treated your wounds..
"My Boneripper is so clever rat ogre,-thought the skaven,-How can I reward my bodyguard for such a selfless service?"
The little rat run away and came back with a plate of oatmeal.
-Please, eat, sir! The oatmeal is very tasty-Freddie tried very hard to cook it!-said the little rat,picking up a spoonful of porridge, trying to feed the skaven.
-I don't want your food, slave.-refused the horned ratman,-Where is my warpstone?
He tryed to find his stone in his bed, but only had found an onion and got very was trying to catch the little rat, but Freddie slinged his hook and hid in a big chest in the farthest corner of the chest was the safest place in house for Freddie-he often hide here from his master's wrath.
But in that time the chest betrayed little rat:suddenly, the skaven's mechanic hand lengthened, open the chest and get Freddie out of chest.
Clenching the rat in his fist, the skaven said:
-Tell me, where is warpstone,or I'll bite off your head!
But Freddie was so frightened that he can't say a world.
-What's the buzz, and no fight there?-said appeared Pew. The angry ratman was ready to perform his threat when the sorcerer came in the room.
-Here is your stone.-said Pew,-And do not be in rage, mister!
-Give it to me!-shouted the skaven, greedly grabbing his treasure from Pew's hand,-And never, never, take my things or you'll regret your deed!
Then, held the green gem in his hand, the skaven whishpered the , the warpstone flashed by mysterios green light..and nothing else happened.
"Curse!-thought the horned ratman,-I've lost all my power! But this blue rat with scary yellow eyes is a very mighty is probably stronger than me and maybe, even, Grey Seer Skritaar, The Herald Of Council Of 13 can't win the duel with him..I had to intimidate them..Oh, Boneripper, where are you now?.."
-Your spell does'nt impressed me too much-said blue rat wanted to be friendly with sick skaven, altrough he did'not like his patient't behavior.,-So , let me introduce myself..I am Pew The Magican, and who are you?
- I am the blessed Child of Horned One!I am the Hand of Horned Rat, the Voice of He Who Gnaws! Oh, you,the unworthy to kiss my tail, bow to me, Great Grey Seer Thanquol!-said the vain skaven.
-Horned Rat? Don't know her.-said Pew.
-Oh,you are unholy know-nothing!The Horned Rat is Grand-Grand-Grandmother of all skavens and ratmen.-explained Thanquol.-She promised to her beloved children...
-Enough!-said Pew,-You are so ridiculous, Grey Seer!Now shut up and return to your bed.
-How, how dare you interrupt the blessed Child? I'll curse you for this!-hissed the indignant Grey Seer,-From what clan are you, cad?And why you had got a blue fur?
-I don't belong to any Clan and don't want to serve anyone, the more to you, vain peacock!-answered Pew,-The reason of why I have blue fur is a result of failed experiment with potion.
"That's won't give me to Clan Skryre."-thought Thanquol.
-You are a mighty magican, why you don't join us, skavens on the battlefield?-asked the horned ratman ,-You sells potions to people like a coward and traitor!
-By the way, someone had leaved his army in critical moment of the battle and run away with a rich trophy-said the sorcerer
-How did you learn about this?-surprised Thanquol. He started to worry.
-You were talking a lot in your sleep..And we had read your diary.-explained Pew,-But I don't criticize you. When I was younger, I commanded the ship..I was a ambitious and cunning sea when my flagship began to sink, I was first who ran away with my best cap's helper, Freddie on a boat!
-You were...a sealord?A pirate?-Grey Seer get did'nt like water at all, but he had listened a lot about great searats, which ships are poisoned seas and oceans, and became intrested in adventures of cap Pew.
-Yes, ships was like sharks in the sea: scary and horrid and my pirates was the most brutal and greedy robbers on the sea! How many merchant ships we sent to the bottom!We have a dashing life of drunking, robbery and murder..until..One foggy night "Reverenge Of Horned Rat" , the skaven ship under the black-and-yellow flag attacked us..It was a well-armed warship ..And my flagman could not resist strikes of skavens unusual green cannonshots and had sunk! Now I am too old and have weak eyes.. to be a pirate cap.-told Pew.
-I had heard about "The Reverenge Of Horned Rat"-the best clan Skurvy's ship. But I am represent the interests of other clan, clan Skryre.-said Thanquol,-I would like to hear more about your adventures on the sea, pirate..
-Another time, it's time to take the medicine and change yor bandages...-Pew went to Kitchen and started to cook a herbal potion for his , little rat followed him.
-Belive me, my lord :that horned ratman is crazy and very dangerous!He attacked me! I think, we should to call the police!
- I saw, but that skaven is'nt a liar. Do you remember stories which were told by man (what was his name? Fabe..no, Fott I have forgot!But newer mind) ..He told us about Grey Seers-the very powerful and revered skaven high priests...May be we had found one of them that I don't want to tell the police about him:firstly, he is powerless and very weak now and can't fight back the policmen-it will be a vileness; secondly, the police may arrest us too, as a skaven spies, and then , two ratmen and a one rat would be hanged on the gallows!Thirdly, Thanquol is afraid us too.
-If someone is hanged on gallows-tree, it will be you, nasty conspirators!-heard the blue rat and his servant behind their the turned and saw staggered Thaquol in nightdress, standing in the doorway and listening their talk.
-What did you conceived against me?-hissed the Grey Seer,-I am the beloved child of Horned One! He Who Gnows can't let me get in tro...-then Grey Seer Thanquol coughed,bended and began to touch his wound.
-Well-well, Grey Seer Thanquol-said Pew gently,came close to skaven and touch the stiff gray fur on his back-Calm down...No one will hurt you in this house..Why are you stand up and start walking? You should stay in bed, or your wounds will never heal up!
-Stop touching me, you heretic!-whimpered Thanquol." Boneripper, why are you not with me now? I am captured by a heartless pirate 's teasing on my weakness and would like to use me as lab rat!Oh, Boneripper come to me!"-thought the horned skaven.
-Sorry, but I have to desecrate your sacred body, Thanquol , by touching:your wounds are still need healer's care..-said the blue rat,-Of course, you can go on and try to find another doctor..But no one in town help you..People doesn't like rats and skaven.
Thaquol was silent, had no choice.
-The blessed Child of Horned Rat have to stay here.-said he in final,-I allow you to touch my body and take care on my wounds..But, please, be careful.
-Don't worry, Seer.-said the blue rat. Then, he picked up weak Grey Seer's body and took him to bed .After wound treating, Pew persuaded Thanquol to eat something and Grey Seer smelled the oatmeal,tasted one little spoon and found Freddie's dish very delicious! The horned skaven ate all oatmeal in the pipkin and asked for an additive.