The Karl Franz Appreciation Society and other tales

In a festering culvert of the loud and busy city of Altdorf a small skaven darted along in the shadows, unseen by the humans above.

"Bah! These human people peoples, there are far too many for mine like-like…"

This particular skaven had renamed himself Karl after his idol…

Many skaven are odd… they have odd ways, odd speech, odd manners, and of course odd inclinations.

For Karl the skaven, he had become obsessed with the Emperor Karl Franz and ever since he first saw the young emperor as a prince, before his coronation, the little skaven had loved him.

He'd developed a series of small tunnels into the walls of the sewers, catacombs, and various cellars and dungeons throughout the city of Altdorf.

Through the use of these tunnels he was able to view the Emperor whenever he made a public address, whenever he set out to make a public appearance, and whenever he left the city for matters of state or when he sought respite from the wearying demands of his nation.

A fellow skaven living in the city's sewers spotted Karl and immediately set to teasing him.

"See-saw your pretty King-prince?"

"Shush-shush! S-shut your mouth!" he spat in response.

Scurrying past the fellow skaven Karl had to keep on; he didn't want to miss the emperor's speech.

Karl had overheard that morning in the market that the emperor was about to deliver an address, overjoyed at the prospect of seeing his idol the little skaven set to immediately run to the culvert within the imperial courtyard.

From there he was guaranteed a sight and spot to watch and hear the emperor's voice.

'What may be-be the matter today?' he wondered.

He paused to recollect the day and the time of year, 'Not a war declaration surely? Hmm, may be-is a plague in the north? OH! I know royal heir-child!'

He leapt with an increased spring in his step, "Yes! The little prince-princess is sure to be birth-born!"

Karl had learned the tongue of the empire and kept a meticulous record of the Emperor, his relations, and the children of the imperial house.

He was a 'royal watcher' through and through and in his small den, hidden in a foundation stone under the imperial palace, he kept mementos and crude drawings he'd made of key events or things he'd seen.

Coming towards the culvert he sat himself down and began brushing his snout nervously.

"D-did I miss-miss it?"

He heard the cheering and throngs of people in the courtyard and he felt his little rodent heart skip a beat.

"No! I… I miss-miss not-saw it…" his eyes nervously searched the scene through the bars of the culvert's cover and he began to pout.

But then, like the smell of fresh food, he became relieved.

Trumpets began a loud and soaring call.

He clapped his paws together and got as close to the culvert's entrance as he dared.

"The imperial noise-reveille, He's come-walking!"

Squinting Karl looked across the courtyard until finally at the railing of the imperial balcony he saw the armoured and feathered personage of the emperor of all the Reik.

His heart beat with joy and he giggled as he clapped along with the mass of people watching.

Rubbing his whiskers he watched unblinkingly as the emperor waved and motioned to another figure beside him, the Empress-consort stepped forwards and in her arms held a bundle.

Karl the skaven's jaw lowered and he nodded excitedly.

"It is true-real! It's a little prince-princess!"

The Emperor leaned forwards and together he and his wife held up for the adoration of the crowd a small babe.

The crowd loudly applauded and cheered.

Karl the skaven added his meek little voice to the jubilation and clapped loudly in his tunnel.

Aroused by the noise a small skaven began crawling towards Karl.

"What's the noise-noise about?"

Karl didn't look away but he answered innocently; 'Man-emperor Karl and his empress-wife gave life-birth to a little prince-princess!"

The skaven sat beside Karl and tried looking out past the people.

"What's this-this crowd for?"

Karl rolled his eyes and coughed, "To celebrate the life-birth, duh!"

"Oh…"

"Is that the man-emperor?"

The skaven pointed and Karl nodded, "Yes-yes, that's him."

Karl the skaven felt happy and joyful at the sight of the small babe bundled in the bright white cloth.

Waving to his people the emperor briefly shouted down his thanks, and the imperial couple waved before turning and leaving the balcony.

Karl shook his head and lowly whispered, "Wow…"

His fellow skaven seemed confused.

"What now-now, do we try to eat the man-baby?"

Karl looked at his fellow skaven and reached for the nearest object.

Taking hold of a broken length of piping he smacked the dimwitted skaven across the top of his head.

"Gods below!" he shook his head, "You are dumb-stupid!"

Reeling from the knock to his skull the skaven moaned in pain and rubbed his furry head.

Throwing the pipe down the tunnel Karl began scurrying along while announcing, "Come-follow me!"

That evening, in a small juncture between two large sewer pipes Karl the skaven assembled several of his fellow skaven, including the one he battered with a pipe, and began speaking.

"Welcome-come to the, first, general-all meeting of: the Karl Franz man-emperor appreciation society!"

Some of the dimmer skaven clapped immediately while the others cocked their heads in confusion.

Behind Karl the skaven was a large banner made of torn cloth with a crudely drawn man's face smiling on it.

"Who's Karl Franz? We thought-think you was Karl?"

Karl the skaven nodded, "I am-is. But my name comes from the man-emperor!"

The skaven collectively 'oohed' in understanding.

"Now-now to open this meeting I will tell-speak of the great man-emperor!"

The skaven sat and curled themselves low as they watched and listened to Karl talk.

He'd never really shared his passion before, but by the end of his speech the few skaven in attendance began hounding him with all sorts of questions.

Within a very short amount of time Karl the skaven's club had grown to fifteen members.

Meeting regularly they began talking of the Emperor and of the royal family. Sharing drawings they had made of various scenes and events that they knew of or had heard the emperor being present at:

They drew pictures of his coronation, his wedding day… battle scenes. Whenever the skaven got hold of a coin with his face on it they immediately fought each other for a closer glimpse at his portraiture.

In the city above, busy with the sounds of daily life, the emperor and his family went on completely unaware that beneath their own palace, a small cult of appreciation had started, amongst the most unlikely of creatures…