Grave Warden

*"Morr hisself couldn’t slip past me to disturb these graves. Not on my watch."*

## Basic

(NDM) In the Old World, the grave warden’s responsibilities are heavy. He not only has to bury the dead six feet deep in the cold, hard ground but also guard against those who would disturb their rest, be they rats, bone pickers, grave robbers, or worse. In small towns and rural areas, a grave warden cannot rely on the town militia or Morr’s Black Guard to keep away the restless dead and hungry Ghouls. Meanwhile, few value his company, for he carries the stench of death and sodden mud wherever he goes. It is a lonely life, but many grave wardens come to prefer the company of the dead to that of the living.

### Secondary Profile

**Skills:** Academic Knowledge (Theology), Common Knowledge (the Empire), Dodge Blow, Drive, Evaluate, Perception, Outdoor Survival, Search

**Talents:** Resistance to Disease, Stout-Hearted or Very Strong

**Trappings:** Shovel, Stench, Wheelbarrow

### **Career Exits**

Grave Robber, Initiate (Morr only), Militiaman, Temple Guardian, Vampire Hunter, Watchman

**Note:** With your GM’s permission, you may substitute grave warden for grave robber when rolling your Starting Career.

## Little Know Facts

They say that no one truly knows the secrets of the grave like a grave warden. Sometimes referred to as Morr’s Gardeners, these dour men and women are the few living souls who spend any amount of time within the rusted gates and crumbling walls of the Empire’s graveyards. Usually solitarily souls, some grave wardens fall into the practise of only talking to the dead and find it difficult to hold normal conversations.

Often, when asked questions, a warden will stare blankly at the person, not because he is slow-witted or deaf, but because it takes him a moment to remember that other people can actually talk. This is far from the hardest part of interacting with a warden, however, as they tend to only want to talk about death and see the trials and troubles of life as pale by comparison to Morr’s ever looming shadow. It is little wonder that few people bother more than a simple nod before heading on their way.

The dead within the Old World do not rest easy, and there is a great fear among relatives of the freshly deceased that they will have to endure the return of their loved ones. For this reason, on the first night that a body is put in the ground, a grave warden is often asked to perform Morr’s vigil. For a small fee, the warden will spend the night with the newly dead, talking to them, comforting them and, most importantly, making sure they don’t get back up.

## Notable Figures

One of the most well-known grave wardens in the Empire is Old Grouse, who tends the great Altdorf cemetery. An ancient and wizened man, Grouse is so old that few alive can remember a time when he was not the senior grave warden in Altdorf.

Silent and cold-eyed, Grouse directs a veritable army of lesser wardens, so large is the cemetery, though he never speaks to any of them, using instead gestures, glares and swats of his great gnarled hands to get things done. Old Grouse has a grim welcome for those who dare trespass into his domain.

He firmly believes that anyone entering Morr’s Garden uninvited must surely be courting an audience with the god of death himself. To that end, Grouse always keeps a few fresh graves ready for unexpected company. There is also a persistent rumour that over the decades Grouse has hidden a great treasure in grave goods somewhere in the cemetery, known as Morr’s bounty. However, the rumour also claims that those who come to seek the bounty inevitably end up having their possessions added to it.