Stratholme's Shadow of Doubt (1)

Roderick wore a set of Scarlet Crusade armor that did not quite fit and traveled on foot across the polluted land. When he passed Northrend Watchtower, he left his Crusader warhorse there to keep it from becoming food for the Undead.

The once-dense forest outside Stratholme had also been contaminated and turned into Plaguewood. Necrotic dead branches curled inward, while every leaf had long since fallen away. Ghouls and Abominations could occasionally be seen wandering through the woods. Roderick carefully avoided these enemies and slowly advanced along the foothills.

This operation did not suit his old style of charging in and fighting head-on. Instead, it was more akin to the true combat methods of the Sons of the Raven.

More adept at operating behind enemy lines and exploiting enemy weaknesses for sudden strikes, the Raven Guard were practically the Space Marine version of special forces, as well as an oddity within the Chapter.

This time, Roderick did not intend to kill a single monster in Stratholme. If he alerted the enemy, he and Abbendis would be put in a far more passive position.

Back then, he had stood in the cathedral of this city and loudly repeated his oath. Joining the Silver Hand had once been one of the most glorious moments in Roderick's memories.

Years later, he had returned to this city destroyed jointly by Arthas and the Scourge. Even through the thick city walls, he could hear the hoarse cries of Ghouls.

Dathrohan controlled the northwestern corner of the city. The walls were riddled with breaches left by siege engines long ago. No living thing was visible, and Roderick had no idea how Dathrohan's Scarlet soldiers defended the place.

Roderick lay quietly atop a raised mound far from the city wall. A pool of thick green liquid had