Jacob Mangrave
Jacob Mangrave grew up in the tiny hamlet of ________. His family was simple people who worked the land, growing food that they sold at market in ______. However, despite his occupation, Jacob’s father, Andre’ai was actually quite intelligent and a homegrown philosopher. He taught Jacob and his four older siblings to respect logic, truth, and above all to hold true to their beliefs. They had daily discussions and debates on history, science, politics, and religion. They were poor, but rich in their intellectual development and the love within their family.
He first encountered an imperial soldier at the tender age of 6. “Hello little boy, I am Private Jolm Tielm. When you grow up do you want to serve your divine emperor as I do?” the soldier said with a merry twinkle in his eye. Naturally, his reply was “The emperor is no more divine than you or I, that’s what my father taught me!” That twinkle turned from merry to dark. You can imagine what happened next. His family was to be made an example of before the entire town. With pride, all were true to their beliefs with death staring them in the eyes. All but one. Jacob wept and apologized to his father, who forgave him and told him to be live on and never forget the lessons he had been taught. But as Andre’ai’s head rolled to a stop, his accusing eyes shone directly at Jacob. Despite his father’s kind words Jacob saw the unforgiving hate there as Andre’ai’s lifeless lips mouthed “TRAITOR!” He also knew that of his family, only he was spared, because only he would swear to the emperor. Only he could swallow his pride and transform it into hate. Hate and rage towards Private Jolm Tielm.
Life was hard for the son of heretics, despite his loyal words. No relatives or neighbors took him in for fear that he would bring a headless fate to them as well. He carried on, fueled by simmering hatred, longing for revenge, and trying to forget his guilt. He left his hometown for _____, where he lived in the gutters, surviving off the refuse of others – living or dead. Four years later, the same Ranger-General army passed through _____. Jacob’s rage and lust for revenge rekindled. He stalked the troops and after several days, spotted Jolm Tielm and his twinkling eyes again. Jacob became his shadow. After a night of drunken revelry, Jolm made the mistake of turning left when he should have turned right. His fellow soldiers found him still warm in that dark alley with a knife in his back, but there was no twinkle in his empty eyesockets. They never found his murderer.
Jacob enjoyed the ornaments on his plain necklace – filled, dried and preserved they still held their twinkle, if somewhat vacantly. But somehow, revenge left Jacob empty; he felt as though he had missed the mark. When the Ranger-General’s army moved on, Jacob followed, determined to learn their ways and find the true target for his rage. Over the years, he came to realize that Jolm was a fool, like a dog doing as trained. The real target for Jacob’s revenge was the Sergeant who trained Jolm. And the one who gave that Sergeant his orders…. even the Ranger-General. And under who’s authority did the Ranger-General rule…Emperor Sigmar himself was ultimately to blame for the slaughter of the Mangrave family. He continued to follow the army, stalking them as prey. He was a patient and cautious hunter. An unsolved murder one month, missing taxes the next, an accidental fire in the night. He knew that his knife would likely never find Sigmar’s throat. Nevertheless, a thousand ants picking away can devour a warhorse. Jacob was content to be one of those ants, and by careful observation, to learn where best to place his little bites.
