{
	"label": "Journals (Old World Bundle I)",
	"entries": {
		"The Cluster-Eye Tribe": {
			"name": "The Cluster-Eye Tribe",
			"pages": {
				"The Cluster Eye Tribe": {
					"name": "The Cluster Eye Tribe",
					"text": "<blockquote><p>Deep in the Drakwald forest, beyond remote and wary forester’s villages, past the roving herds of Beastmen, and the trails of nameless creatures lies the Black Pit, secret and sacred lair of Night Goblins. Around them lies the territory of the Cluster-Eye Tribe, a confederation of Forest Goblin warbands who deal with the Black Pit for precious iron weaponry. Those few who know of this corner of the Drakwald avoid it at all costs, for Cluster-Eye warbands rove its perimeter to find captives, leading them off into the night to pay their debts to the Black Pit.</p><p>The Cluster-Eye Tribe of Forest Goblins haunt the Drakwald. While many Goblin tribes are subject to control by their larger Orcish cousins, the Cluster-Eye Tribe remains fiercely independent, thanks in no small part to warbands like that of Vish Venombarb. </p></blockquote><h3>How To Use This <span style=\"text-decoration:line-through\"><s>Book</s></span> Module</h3><p>The Cluster-Eye Tribe is the first in a series of digital releases describing various tribes, warbands, and groups of roving troublemakers. Along with full profiles for various personalities from the warband, each release also provides templates for war-chiefs, shamans, elite warriors, and raw recruits that can be used to advance any of the basic creature templates found in the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Rulebook. </p><p>The Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Rulebook states that creatures in @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.3ZynTGhFpgwv6l1n]{Bestiary} are typical starter examples. GMs are encouraged to tinker in order to give creatures more complexity and provide greater challenges. This module is part of a series describing adversaries in more detail, and to produce a set of templates to apply to Orcs, Goblins, Fimir, Ogres, Beastmen, and Skaven to better represent roles commonly found in their warbands.</p><p>The templates below should look familiar to WFRP GMs. To apply these templates, simply add the indicated number of Advances to the base creature’s Characteristics and add any Skill Advances, Talents, and Trappings. Some templates also include Options to further customise the creature. For example, if you would like to create a veteran Orc warrior, apply the Elite template to the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.actors.E7BiDqsB55BrOQut]{Orc} profile. Wounds may also be affected by the templates, so recalculate those after adjusting the creature’s S, T, and WP.</p><blockquote class=\"foundry-note\"><p><em>These templates will be provided as Traits configured to modify the Actor accordingly. </em></p></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/spider-riders.webp\" /></div>"
				},
				"Creature Advancement Templates": {
					"name": "Creature Advancement Templates",
					"text": "<blockquote class=\"foundry-note\"><p>Drag and drop a template onto an Actor to apply the template's effects.</p></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/forest-ritual.webp\" width=\"307\" height=\"192\" /></div><p>@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.Item.DtKddgZ8fFOs61ma]{Soldier}</p><p>@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.Item.gOIknHUPKCERv4wN]{Skirmisher}</p><p>@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.Item.weNJMSUdXbY8wxk3]{Elite}</p><p>@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.Item.iheQsEiLY97xm96e]{Chief}</p><p>@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.Item.8Jw83oqR9BBT4kmF]{Warlord}</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Spell Lists</em></h3><p><em>Ogres, Skaven, and Greenskins their shamans only use Petty Magic and Arcane spells. Fimir Shamans also select spells from either the Lore of Daemonology or Lore of Witchcraft spell lists, and may select spells from one of the following spell lists: Lore of Fire or Lore of Shadows. Beastmen Shamans also select spells from one of the following spell lists: Lore of Beasts, Lore of Death, or Lore of Shadows.</em></p><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Shamans And Armour</span></h3><p><span style=\"font-style:normal\">For the most part, Shamans have the same problems with armour that most Wizards do. When using the templates to create a Shaman, remove the Armour Trait, if any, from the basic creature.</span></p><p><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Certain Skaven spellcasters, such as Warlock-Engineers, may be able to wear armour and cast spells, so consider them as an exception if using these templates.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style=\"font-style:normal\">@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.Item.zgB0c23pCNdNyMbd]{Shaman}</span></p><p><span style=\"font-style:normal\">@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.Item.QoCVre5sDCtonO05]{Shaman Lord}</span></p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Mounts</span></h3><p><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Most warbands raid from a lair or rove about on foot. Orc or Goblin warbands may include sizable cavalry contingents, or even be wholly mounted. As an option, any Goblin may take Ride (Spider) +20 or Ride (Wolf) +20, and any Orc may take Ride (Boar) +20 as additional Skills.</span></p></blockquote><h3>Terrors Of The Drakwald</h3><p>The Cluster-Eye are a tribe of Forest Goblins who haunt the Drakwald. Most Forest Goblin warbands are rather pitiful, usually the wretched vassals of the nearest Orc tribe or existing as part of a confederation of similar tribes subjugated under a strong warlord. The Cluster-Eyes are an independent tribe who have resisted domination by outsiders. This is due to three main factors.</p><p>The Drakwald is vast. Whilst Human settlements exist at its edges, Beastmen herds migrate through it, and the Elven realm of Laurelorn borders it to the north, the territory is still mostly untamed woodland, the perfect environment for Forest Goblins.</p><p>The Night Goblin lair of the Black Pit exists within the Drakwald, and it has formed a mutually beneficial relationship with the Cluster-Eye. The Night Goblins are capable of crude metalwork thanks to techniques they learned from captive Dwarfs. They trade weapons, armour, and madcap mushrooms with the Cluster-Eye, who offer edible spider flesh and sacrificial captives in return. Most Forest Goblins make do with wood, stone, or bone when crafting weaponry. Iron blades give the Cluster-Eye a significant edge.</p><p>The @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.actors.Actor.q6depTfHlUpw9d7W]{Drakwald Mancatcher} is a variety of Giant Spider that thrives within Cluster-Eye territory. Whilst the spider has a fierce and aggressive temperament, juveniles can be trained to accept a rider. The Cluster-Eye have many contingents of spider-riding scouts which also adds significantly to their strength and tactical versatility.</p><p>The tribe now dominate a swathe of forest stretching from Carroburg in the south to the Shadensumpf near the Nordland border. Their western borders are irregularly patrolled, but Cluster-Eye scouts have been recently spotted near villages within the eastern marches of the Wasteland. Gritl Eight-Legs, Warlord of the Cluster-Eye, is a mysterious figure whose base of operations is rumoured to be in the shadow of the Black Pit, ringed by the lairs of several enormous bloated spiders. He has tasked Vish Venombarb with managing patrols along the northern border of their territory.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Spider Venom Arrows</em></h3><p><em>The Goblins of the Drakwald, especially the Forest Goblins who make alliance with the many terrible Spiders of that place, quickly learn to put their allies venom to work. Most arrows are dipped in Spider Venom, which quickly weakens most targets, or even renders most targets unconcious.</em></p><p><em>Targets wounded by these arrows dipped in Spider Venom must make a <strong>Challenging (+0) Endurance</strong> Test. If they fail, they are inflicted with 1 @Condition[Poisoned] condition. Spider venom is tailored not to kill victims but to render them unconcious. Targets reduced to 0 wounds while suffering a Poisoned condition from these arrows become Unconcious, but are not at risk of death from any remaining Poisoned conditions as wuold normally be the case. </em></p></blockquote>"
				},
				"Olde Weirde’s Incunabulum": {
					"name": "Olde Weirde’s Incunabulum",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/frederich-weirde.webp\" width=\"294\" height=\"294\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-altdorf.actors.33eYX6i51iyw1gL5]{Frederich ‘Old’ Weirde}</p></div><section class=\"hook no-image\"><p>We were journeying on the Carroburg–Middenheim road when I noticed a number of grotesque totems, leering out at us from the treeline. They were designs crudely carved into tree trunks, shrouded in thick cobweb. They depicted grimacing Orc faces and spider daemons with dozens of multi-faceted eyes. I pointed them out to Professor Pfaff, travelling alongside me. His mind may be narrow but his eyes are keen and his knowledge of the habits of the creatures of the world is second to none. Sure enough, he informed me after a brief glance that the Cluster-Eye tribe of Forest Goblins claim the southern expanse of the Drakwald Forest as their own and these are their territorial markers.</p><p>We had not long passed them when Professor Marius von Gronighof gave a keening wail. A small spider, no larger than a pea, had bitten him on the back of the hand. Immediately a great welt bulged there, red and bleeding. I have never heard a member of the faculty give voice to such colourful invective before. ‘By the stinking urine of Horros the great White Wolf!’ He swore. ‘By the sour scant milk of blessed Verena!’ Pfaff, a devout man, warned him not to invite further injuries through his blasphemy, but von Groninghof just turned his anger on our fellow professor. ‘May daemons ceaseless prod your groin! May your fiery farts be bottled and uncorked on unholy Hexensnacht!’</p><p>Sovrissniz, the Dwarf gunner that the Four Seasons line employed to guard us on our journey, also cursed, but she was polite enough to do so in Khazalid — something about wazzocks and kruts. She stamped on the spider as it scuttled along the floor of the coach, and picked up the remains between thumb and forefinger. It was a rich purple with white markings on its abdomen in the shape of a skull. Kaia attended to the stricken Marius, who was whining and gnashing his teeth in agony. The Eonir washed the bite with wine. ‘The Purple Skullback does not have a deadly bite, but its venom can lead to fever dreams and fits,’ she said. ‘Let us know if you start to suffer from blurred vision.’ </p><p>It seemed that whilst von Gronighof was hurt he was not in danger. He continued to complain of constant and intolerable agony. ‘Now you know how it feels to sit through one of your lectures on the innovations of the Rakhashian dynasty,’ said Pfaff. When we reached the Horn and Antler, Kaia directed von Gronighof straight to bed. When the Elf joined us later in the public bar, she expressed a need for caution when dealing with him.</p><p>‘He will probably be hale again in the morning, but those spiders are dangerous. A substance in their venom can induce visions and even facilitate second sight.’</p><p>The claim reminded me of a fascinating work by the Nordland scholar Stefan Ellendan (The Murderous Culture and Religious Practices of the Accursed Eaves-Dwelling Greenskins, Salzenmund University Press 2499 IC). He had conducted extensive interviews with survivors of Forest Goblin raids, including a Drakwald woodcutter who had been captured by raiding Goblins but escaped to tell the tale. Knowing that Kaia was from the Laurelorn Forest, I was keen to see if she would corroborate the scholar’s findings, and we began swapping tales of the Forest Goblins.</p><p>Professor Pfaff, who I feel always prefers to shore up Sigmarite dogma rather than engage in a thorough academic discourse, reminded us that at the first Battle of Black Fire Pass, the Greenskin menace was purged from the Empire, but that Forest Goblin tribes still lurk deep within the Empire’s borders and withstand efforts to eradicate them. Forest Goblins are not physically different from other Goblins, being scrawny, stunted, greenskinned creatures with warty, waxy hides. They do distinguish themselves through dress and decoration. </p><p>Forest Goblins ornament themselves with feathers, sticking the quills through their skin. Members of a particular tribe use distinctive war paint, feather combinations, and tribal glyphs on shields to distinguish them from their rivals. For example, according to Ellendan, the Creeping Death tribe of the Great Forest are known to decorate their shields with red images of spiders, whilst the Gloomfangs of Hochland prefer bright red and yellow Fishrook feather headdresses. The Cluster-Eye of the Drakwald are famed for inserting halms of greasy black crow feathers into their scalps and applying chevrons of black and white war paint over their bodies.</p><p>Spiders are an integral part of Forest Goblin culture. Ellendan supposed that the Greenskins had to come to an accommodation with the spiders of the Empire’s woods in order to survive. In the centuries since, Forest Goblins have become so skilled at exploiting or appeasing various breeds of spider that they are now mutually dependent. Kaia didn’t set much store by this, and warned me not to underestimate the ability the little Greenskins had for exploiting the beasts of the forest. She said that the Goblins of the Cluster-Eye tribe were known to eat spiders for food, milk them for venom, use their exoskeletons as armour, keep them as pets, and worship them as gods. </p><p>They even put spiders to use as assets for trade and industry, of a sort. Metal ore is scarce in the forests, so Forest Goblins trade captives, fungus and spiders for ores from their neighbours, the Night Goblins of the Black Pit. They also make their own weapons, armour, and ornaments from bones, teeth, and pieces of spider chitin, but the iron weapons supplied by the Night Goblins give the Cluster-Eye an edge over their rivals, such as the Bloodfeather Forest Goblins, who control the area north of the Cluster-Eye.</p><p>Kaia said that the shamans of Forest Goblin tribes were responsible for their close relationship with spiders. The Elf claimed they encourage whole broods of Purple Skullbacks to live in their robes and on their bodies. The spiders live in convenient crevices, such as behind the shaman’s ears and in between their toes. When a shaman opens his mouth, dozens of tiny spiders skitter between his teeth and up his nose. The shamans are constantly bitten by the spiders, so that their flesh becomes saturated with venom, numbing it completely. Being so saturated with venom, the shamans inhabit a dream-like world where they commune with great and terrible spider gods. Many of these shamans die from the toxins, and those who survive are driven mad by the experience, lost in a detached reality. They are imbued with powerful magical insights though, for the spider venom that addles their psyche also stimulates their talent for sorcery.</p><p>The Forest Goblins, inspired by the ravings of their shamans, revere a hideous arachnid god they call the Feaster from Beyond. Whilst the Forest Goblins have not forgotten the other monstrous gods of the Greenskin pantheon, in the black thickets of the forest this terrible spider-god rules supreme. Under instruction from their addled shamans, the Forest Goblins dance the spider dance, shrieking their horrible ululating battle cries, as they sacrifice captives to the insatiable eight-legged god.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/maps/cluster-eye.webp\" /></div><p>These rites imbue a gifted shaman with the belief they are touched by the spider god’s blessings. Kaia told me that Elven scouts have reported seeing Cluster-Eye shamans approaching brooding Giant Spiders with gifts of meat and totemic icons, and they are rewarded with clutches of hand-sized spiderlings. There are many species of Giant Spider in the Empire’s forests, including Tilean Greybacks and the Scarlet Deathheads of the Great Forest. The more boreal Drakwald Mancatchers are favoured mounts of the Bloodfeathers and the Cluster-Eye. They typically grow to be as large as a horse, and are feared for their venomous bites and strong, sharp mandibles that can piece steel plate armour. Forest Goblins hand-rear them and, when fully grown, they accept these Goblins as riders. </p><p>Forest Goblin Spider Riders are masters of stalking their prey, guiding their mounts over the treetops, exploiting the spiders’ ability to move more quickly than other mounts in dense terrain. They creep silently from the eaves to launch ambushes. The inhabitants of settlements that lie within a few days’ march of the Cluster-Eye territory have learned to fear their death-bringing scouts, who can use their eight-legged steeds to easily breach the walls and palisades.</p><p>I mentioned to Kaia that Ellendan’s work posited that the largest spiders were titanic and bloated creatures the size of a house, a report I found hard to believe, but Kaia agreed with the old scholar. ‘A gifted shaman can appease these Kings of Spiders, and they even encourage their tribe to set up camp outside their noisome dens for protection. The monsters can cocoon whole Beastmen herds, and even Giants or Cygors in their webs. They are so venomous even their webs dissolve flesh. A few hours inside the sticky mass can reduce a person to a soft lump of putrefied flesh.’</p><p>Kaia explained these great spiders were cunning, known to encircle entire hamlets in strands of web thicker than ropes before falling on the populace in a gluttonous frenzy, and that bands of Forest Goblins, having bribed the largest spiders with blood-rich offerings, have even been known to use them as beasts of war. The spiders allow the Goblins to ride upon their backs as if they were brood, and are fierce in the defence of nearby Forest Goblin settlements if they come under attack. The leaders of the Cluster-Eye tribe are rumoured to inhabit a stretch of forest dotted with caves and glades, where these huge spiders, as large as a dragon, are known to make their lairs. Were the tribe to muster all the force at its command, maybe a dozen of these titanic beasts could be roused.</p><p>I fear that Sovrissniz found this conversation distinctly distasteful and, upon hearing us attribute a degree of industry and mercantile behaviour to Forest Goblins, grew irate, muttered darkly about Elves being ‘soft in their heads about Grobi’, and went to bed without finishing her ale. </p></section>"
				},
				"Disposition of Vish's Warband": {
					"name": "Disposition of Vish's Warband",
					"text": "<section class=\"hook no-image\">\n<h2 class=\"no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center\">Disposition of Vish's Warband</h2>\n<p>This list represents the warband at full strength as they set out on a patrol. By the time the warband has completed a patrol, attrition and harsh disciplinary measures will have accounted for nearly half the Goblins, and the remainder will likely be wounded. </p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>2 forward scouts roving about half a mile ahead of the main force (spider-mounted Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Left flank ambush party consisting of an outrider (spider-mounted Skirmisher), 5 spears (Soldiers with spears), and 5 archers (Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Right flank ambush party consisting of an outrider (spider-mounted Skirmisher), 5 spears (Soldiers with spears), and 5 archers (Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Mobile command consisting of Vish (spider-mounted Chief), Bograt (spider-mounted Shaman), Nurd (spider-mounted Elite) and 2 spider riders (mounted Soldiers with spears). </p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\">Uniform</h3>\n<p>The Cluster-Eye Forest Goblins tend to daub their faces with black and white war paint, the more intricate the design the more important the Goblin. They stick feathers into their scalps, tending to prefer black crow feathers or the striped feathers of birds of prey.</p>\n<h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\">Shield Design</h3>\n<p>A multitude of red eyes shining from the darkness.</p>\n<h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\">Battlecry</h3>\n<p>None, though calls resembling birdsong are used to pass signals and information.</p>\n<h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\">Tactics</h3>\n<p>If they encounter any threats the forward scouts hide and appraise the strength of the opposition. If the fight is not in the warband’s favour, they slink back and advise Vish to halt whilst they find a safer route. If they think they can win, one of the Goblins sneaks back whilst the other keeps an eye on the opposition. Vish prefers to set an ambush by moving his force up close and splitting them into two groups, hidden to either side of a trail or clearing. The watching scout then reveals himself, shoots at the opposition, and beats a retreat to the path or clearing. If the opposition pursue the scout, the ambush is sprung.</p>\n<p>Vish desires to take live captives if possible, so unless the opposition are outnumbered at least two to one, the forward scouts opt to evade them rather than engage. <strong>At Ease</strong>: When not preparing for a raid or moving in march formation, Vish’s warband tends to spread itself out over a wide area of forest, communicating via calls and shouts to maintain their cohesion. In this state, a party of adventurers is unlikely to run into all of Vish’s warband at once, unless they have been particularly foolish or unfortunate. They are more likely to encounter just one of the above parties while venturing into Cluster-Eye territory. However, the noise of combat and urgent cries for reinforcements are bound to draw the rest of the warband. Even if the Characters can successfully defeat one element of Vish’s warband, they would do well not to linger too long over their victory.</p>\n</section>\n<div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-evenly;flex-wrap:wrap\">\n<div style=\"display:flex;flex-direction:column;justify-content:space-evenly;align-items:center\"><img style=\"border:none\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/vish-venombarb.webp\" width=\"200\" />\n<p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.sQ6LiTL1MYaKgDB8]{Vish Venombarb – Forest Goblin Chief}</p>\n</div>\n<div style=\"display:flex;flex-direction:column;justify-content:space-evenly;align-items:center\"><img style=\"border:none\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/bograt-the-blasted.webp\" width=\"236\" height=\"327\" />\n<p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.Docjm7fJkyXOPMOm]{Bograt the Blasted – Forest Goblin Shaman}</p>\n</div>\n<div style=\"display:flex;flex-direction:column;justify-content:space-evenly;align-items:center\"><img style=\"border:none\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/blackhearted-nurd.webp\" width=\"279\" height=\"328\" />\n<p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.FsuiAjvYkmT0hOoI]{Blackhearted Nurd – Forest Goblin}</p>\n</div>\n<div style=\"display:flex;flex-direction:column;justify-content:space-evenly;align-items:center\"><img style=\"border:none\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/bugshot.webp\" width=\"266\" height=\"314\" />\n<p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.3Ee7pP7uVHb6iIuR]{Bugshot – Forest Goblin Skirmisher}</p>\n</div>\n</div>\n<section class=\"hook\">\n<h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\">Careful What You Vish For</h3>\n<h4 style=\"text-align:center\">A Map To Black Pit</h4>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Suttri Snorrisdottir of @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.De6yFCVO4shYbAUx]{Karak Azgaraz} seeks to bring vengeance to the Night Goblins of the Black Pit. She suspects them of having access to the Undrin Ankor, the massive network of subterranean passages that link up the Dwarf holds and fortresses. Her clansfolk were journeying through when they were ambushed by Night Goblins and many of them were led off as captives.Suttri plans to lead a raid to the Black Pit to rescue her kin, but she doesn’t know how to get to the Night Goblin stronghold. She has heard that a band of Forest Goblins work in alliance with the Black Pit Night Goblins, so she is offering a reward to anyone who can capture one of the Forest Goblin scouts to find out the location of her captive clanmates.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p> </p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align:center\">The Spite Stealers</h4>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>The Elves of the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.Qz6noKBmpHuoVvlU]{Laurelorn} are becoming worried, as Spites have begun to disappear from the southern borders of the forest. These tiny forest spirits are physically feeble, yet they are magically potent, and usually more than capable of looking after themselves. If threatened, they possess the ability to manifest as Dryads and Treekin, and make dangerous opponents.The Characters may be asked to look into the disappearance of the Spites, as the Elves fear witchcraft and would rather the Humans investigate the villages that lie deep within the Drakwald. Although they do not say as much to outsiders, the Elves do not want to risk a diplomatic incident should blood need to be shed.Recently, Vish has been given a strange gift from Gritl Eight-Legs: a set of black iron traps mounted on the end of long poles of ash. These devices are perfect for capturing and containing Spites. The tiny spirits seem powerless to resist the predations of the Forest Goblins. Night Goblin Shamans from the Black Pit have enchanted the black iron traps with wards that the Spites cannot break through, and that rob them of their spellcasting abilities. The captive spirits are carried back to the Black Pit, and it is not clear what purpose the Night Goblins put them to.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p> </p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align:center\">Racing Mancatchers</h4>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>The mounted scouts of Vish’s warband have taken to racing one another to stave off boredom when the warband is encamped. The spider-mounted Goblins climb to the top of a tree and locate a landmark a few miles away, such as a tower or hilltop. They then careen off at top speed; the first one to reach the landmark takes full and obnoxious advantage of their bragging rights until the next race.The Characters may get mixed up in this race as they wander along a lonely stretch of forest road. A mounted Goblin crashes through the undergrowth beside them and comes to a stunned halt. The Characters have a short time to decide what to do before more Goblin scouts arrive, or before the lead Goblin decides to abandon the race and hurry back to tell the rest of the warband that some easy pickings are to be had nearby.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-core/art/spot/spot-skulls.webp\" width=\"200\" height=\"214\" /></div>\n</section>\n<h2>Encounters With Vish's Warband</h2>\n<p>The entire Cluster-Eye Tribe may be too much for an inexperienced band of Characters to deal with. Equally, experienced Characters might find a handful of Goblins little more than a distraction. Below you will find three different circumstances in which a portion of Vish’s warband might be encountered. You should choose the most appropriate one for your group, or feel free to tailor these encounters futher if a greater, or lesser, challenge is called for.</p>\n<h3>Breakaway Group</h3>\n<h4>Easy Encounter</h4>\n<p>Goblins are poorly disciplined and insubordinate. It is not unusual for a portion of Vish’s warband to decide to strike out on their own, especially if Vish is having a hard time finding and securing captives on his patrol.</p>\n<p>A breakaway faction is likely to have one of two agendas. </p>\n<p>The first is that they are looking to escape from a disaster that has befallen the main warband or that they feel is likely to. Perhaps they suspected that Elf scouts were trailing the warband, or that rival Forest Goblins from the Bloodfeathers tribe were going to launch an attack. Perhaps they tried to alert the warband’s leaders of such a threat only to face violent reprimands from Nurd. If the breakaway faction sincerely believe that Vish’s warband will soon be wiped out, they will be making their way back to the Black Pit. If they turn out to be right, they are welcomed back into the tribe. If not, they are deemed deserters and either executed or sold as chattel to the Black Pit Night Goblins.</p>\n<p>Alternatively, a particularly megalomaniacal Goblin might convince some companions he would make a better leader than Vish. This ambitious Goblin may have even slain Vish, Nurd, or Bograt before leading his followers into the Drakwald. Such a breakaway sect is almost certainly doomed. The Cluster-Eye will want revenge on them, and there is no reason a rival tribe would take in seditious rogues.</p>\n<p>A breakaway group is likely led by a Forest Goblin Soldier mounted on a Drakwald Mancatcher, with 3 Soldiers on foot, 2 Skirmishers on foot, and a Skirmisher mounted on a Drakwald Mancatcher as his followers. They are desperate but may carry out hit-and-run attacks on the party to secure a captive for food or trade, but scurry back into the woods if they meet stiff resistance.</p>\n<p>An encounter with the breakaway group should not be too challenging: they are weak in number and unimaginative in their tactics. However, a larger group of Forest Goblins may well be on their trail, hungrily anticipating the chance to enact revenge and willing to destroy anything that gets in their way.</p>\n<p>A breakaway group consists of:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>One forward scout roving about half a mile ahead of the main force (spider-mounted Skirmisher).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Three spears (Soldiers with spears) and two archers (Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>One spider rider (mounted Soldier with spear). </p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/encounters-with-vish.webp\" width=\"242\" height=\"337\" /></div>\n<h3>Beaten and Bedraggled</h3>\n<h4>Medium Encounter</h4>\n<p>Vish’s warband does not always perform well. At times, a Human village or Beastman herd musters a highly effective defence. If this occurs earlier on the patrol, it can result in bad morale, leading to desertions, which inevitably leads to vicious discipline by Vish and Nurd to keep the remaining Goblins in line.</p>\n<p>In this state, the warband have half the numbers it has at full strength and the remaining Goblin Soldiers and Skirmishers have half their Wounds remaining. Vish, Nurd, and Bograt have all of their Wounds.</p>\n<p>The warband compensates for its reduced state by being extra vigilant; the remaining scouts patrol with restless zeal, lest Nurd start knocking heads together. However, the warband’s morale is so bad that if scouts are attacked with overwhelming force, they are as likely to flee for their lives without alerting the rest of the warband.</p>\n<p>The warband likely bears captives — even an unsuccessful patrol results in a few prisoners. The prisoners are mostly Humans or Ungors. There are only likely to be four or five such wretches, and they are likely to be in even worse condition than they would if the warband had performed well. On very rare occasions, the warband may be in possession of more captives despite their own dilapidated condition. If they have twenty or more captives, they may even leave piles of them in the woods as they ferry them stage by stage back to the Black Pit.</p>\n<p>A beaten and bedraggled group consists of:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Two forward scouts roving about half a mile ahead of the main force (spider-mounted Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Left flank ambush party consisting of three spears (Soldiers with spears) and three archers (Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Right flank ambush party of three spears (Soldiers with spears) and three archers (Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Mobile command consisting of Vish (spider-mounted Chief ), Bograt (spider-mounted Shaman), Nurd (spider-mounted Elite), and a spider rider (mounted Soldier with spear). </p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>3 Human captives, 2 Ungor Captives.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Each rank-and-file Goblin has 6 Wounds and suffers from a @Condition[Fatigued] Condition.</p>\n<h3>Glorious Return</h3>\n<h4>Hard Encounter</h4>\n<p>In this scenario, Vish has succeeded in taking many captives and is making his way back to Black Pit. The Forest Goblins have performed admirably and are at their full strength. However, they have a couple of key weaknesses the Characters can exploit.</p>\n<p>Having conducted a successful raid, the Goblins are feeling cocksure and are getting careless. Vish and Nurd demand the Goblins remain vigilant but, when their backs are turned, their resentful underlings gossip to one another, complaining that they ought to be praised and provided with rewards and distractions due to their victories, not told to watch the camp and conduct tedious patrols. Scouts are posted whenever the patrol comes to a halt, but they often fall asleep or wander off in search of a distraction. Characters eavesdropping on the Goblins get a sense that there is dissension in the ranks and may spot minor scuffles between the rank and file. The Characters could employ simple ruses to either get the Goblins fighting one another (such as stealing one Goblin’s possessions and hiding them in another Goblin’s kit) or distracting patrolling scouts (they chase after any intriguing noise or unusual sight).</p>\n<p>The other weakness is that the captives carried by the Forest Goblins are still alive, albeit groggy from venom and wrapped up in spider silk. There are twenty prisoners in total, and were they to be released they would no doubt fight hard to secure their freedom and have revenge on the Cluster-Eye.</p>\n<p>Releasing these prisoners could be a good way for a party to bolster their numbers and face the warband head on, however complications may arise from the fact that prisoners likely suffer from fatigue, poison, or disease as a result of their ordeal. Whilst many prisoners are Human victims who may well help the party, others might be Beastmen, who would be as belligerent to their rescuers as their captors. A good raid might net the Goblins 12 Human prisoners, six Ungor prisoners, and two Gor prisoners. The Gors are easily distinguished even when wrapped in web, but telling Humans from Ungors might not be so straightforward.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Two forward scouts roving about half a mile ahead of the main force (spider-mounted Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Left flank ambush party consisting of an outrider (spider-mounted Skirmisher), five spears (Soldiers with spears), and five archers (Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Right flank ambush party consisting of an outrider (spider-mounted Skirmisher), five spears (Soldiers with spears), and five archers (Skirmishers).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Mobile command consisting of Vish (spider-mounted Chief ), Bograt (spider-mounted Shaman), Nurd (spider-mounted Elite), and two spider riders (mounted Soldiers with spears). </p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p>Twelve Human captives, six Ungor captives, and two Gor captives.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>"
				}
			}
		},
		"Feast of Blood": {
			"name": "Feast of Blood",
			"pages": {
				"Hagedorn, Tobias and the White Hart": {
					"name": "Hagedorn, Tobias and the White Hart",
					"text": "<p>Hagedorn’s Priest, @UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias}, has had a dream he interpreted as a vision from Taal. He saw a White Hart trapped in the folds of a great web; a thousand black eyes glinted in the surrounding dark. Something is trapped, something important to Taal. Whatever it is, it must be saved. Tobias is too old to brave the terrors of the wood, but perhaps others could accompany @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther}, his initiate and successor. </p><p>@UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias} sees the arrival of the Characters as a literal godsend, and his friendly welcome is a prelude to telling them of his vision and asking them to rescue the White Hart. Tobias first attempts to persuade them with the notion of a spiritually noble quest. If the Characters remain reluctant, he tries spiritual bribery (<em>‘Taal would be most pleased and generous to those who aid those dear to Him’</em>). If this fails, he resorts to spiritual blackmail. Dire warnings of Taal’s anger may be ignored, but after leaving Hagedorn, unhelpful Characters encounter the most atrocious rain and wind, seemingly following them wherever they go, uprooted trees falling across their path – the conditions lessen and relent when they decide to head back to Hagedorn. If the Characters refuse to be coerced, let them go, but if they ever need aid from Taal or his followers, they encounter distrust and unhelpfulness until they perform a penance of some sort.</p><p>If the Characters accept the task, however reluctantly, @UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias} claps them on the back and tells them legends of Spider Wood (see <strong>Welcome to Spider Wood</strong>). Tobias seems oblivious to the fears these tales might raise, believing the Characters’ agreement spiritually binds them to the task, and backing out rouses Taal’s anger.</p><h2>Esther</h2><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/esther.webp\" width=\"267\" height=\"304\" /></div><p>@UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias} introduces the Characters to his initiate, @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther}, a pleasant, ordinary young woman with dark eyes, fair hair and complexion. She is friendly, interested in the Characters, but a little quiet, following Tobias’s lead. She is strong and fit, unsurprising in a vocational follower of the god of the wilds.</p><p>She is keen to venture into the woods, but for her own reasons. Unknown to anyone, @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} has been changing. Some nights she senses the tremors of every secret footstep and restless sleeper in the hamlet. Spiky white hairs are growing on her legs and arms, pale enough that no one has noticed yet. Once, her mouth stretched wide and pincer-like fangs grew out before receding. Esther is not worried: she believes Taal is blessing her, bringing her closer to nature. She is not stupid: she knows the word Mutant, that she is slowly changing forever, and cannot stay in Hagedorn. </p><p>But she won’t run like a coward. Now Taal has sent @UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias} a dream; @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} is certain she is the White Hart, and the clinging folds of the web are Hagedorn and its folk. She believes the Characters can unwittingly save her. She hopes to vanish quietly in the woods and be assumed dead, eaten by spiders, but remembered fondly by @UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias} and the villagers for her bravery and devotion to Taal.</p><p>Of course, the true meaning of @UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias’s} dream remains to be seen.</p><p>This introduction brings the Characters to both @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz’s} and the Giant Spiders’ attention. Lorenz’s agents in the wood (the creepy @UUID[Actor.CYwumgnl844Kxthq]{Scarecrows}) inform him of the Characters’ exploration of the wood and he uses them to kidnap @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther}. Lorenz uses the promise of her freedom, and maybe a modest reward, to persuade the Characters to help him. Meanwhile, the spiders recognise Esther for what she is, and the @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron} has had a vision of his own…</p><h3>Time in Hagedornt</h3><p>The Characters can head into Spider Holt straightaway, but may wait a while to prepare, and talk to the locals. Hagedorn is a small village: a handful of thatched cottages, a small shrine-cum-temple topped with huge antlers where @UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias} and @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} live (with curtained-off quarters), two communal sheds for animals and crops, and a blacksmith’s forge. The buildings are surrounded by an angled wall of outward-facing sharpened stakes – an untested defence against the spiders of the wood. Beyond this are communal fields, worked by the villagers. Folk are friendly and curious, but easily intimidated.</p><p>Besides @UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias} and @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} , the Characters should meet @UUID[Actor.xHi0KazaYiHQ5P07]{Hugo}, Hagedorn’s blacksmith and carpenter. Hugo would be the hamlet’s leader if not for his deep respect for Tobias. Hugo is strong and brave, but won’t follow the Characters and Esther into Spider Holt; everyone recognises Hugo’s duty is to Hagedorn and its people. However, Hugo gladly assists Characters if they try building spider traps later in the adventure. </p><h3>Into the Woods</h3><p>Spider Holt is dark and shadowy, full of tangled branches and sticky cobwebs that soon adorn the Characters’ clothes and tickle their faces. Despite what they’ve been told, the cobwebs don’t become thicker the deeper they travel, but they are everywhere. There is enough light to see by day, but a torch or lantern is sometimes needed. During their explorations, the Characters find small clearings open to the sun where it feels safe to stop and rest. Spider Holt is not completely devoid of animal life, but there is less birdsong inside the wood than in the fields outside. Small, harmless spiders are everywhere; Characters suffering from @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.Ib2YQYChktDFN93y]{arachnophobia} may have a difficult time.</p><p>Let the Characters spend some time searching Spider Holt for a White Hart, even though there’s no such creatures to find. Instead, there are several encounters to keep the Characters occupied. If the Characters return to Hagedorn each night, that’s fine. A few days in the woods provides a credible amount of time for Lorenz to notice the Characters and make plans to use them, and for the spiders to notice @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther}.</p><p>During this time, Esther is periodically distracted, but cheerful. She happily handles the small spiders scuttling around with no fear at all. Although she intends to mysteriously vanish, she won’t do so immediately. Of course, she is kidnapped by Lorenz’s servants soon enough, but whether this happens just after she sneaks off or during a more dramatic confrontation between the Characters and @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz’s} servants depends on circumstances (see @UUID[.SO34yiB863pdSDtJ]{Lorenz Makes His Move}).</p><p>Some possible events and encounters in Spider Holt to keep the Characters interested are described below. These can occur before or after the Characters undertake the mission for @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz}.</p><h3>Fire</h3><p>Sooner or later, Characters will use fire to clear cobwebs or intimidate and attack spiders. It is inevitable. However, emphasise dryness in Spider Holt. Cobwebs burn easily, but in places where they are very thick (where the Characters are most likely to use fire), old branches and moss go up in flames too. (Smoke from burning branches and moss will make the Characters’ eyes water, so allow more time for them to navigate the wood with blurred vision.) You don’t have to stop the Characters using fire or burn down the forest, just make them feel it’s a risk. Also, fire causes the viscous fluids in a spider’s abdomen to boil and explode with a significant pop. It won’t work with big ones, but if the Characters are faced with hundreds of little spiders and apply a flaming torch, the result-ing pops as their carapaces explode are startling. The smell is nauseating and the scent of burning will linger for a long time. Remember to cover the Characters’ faces with harmless but sticky spider shrapnel.</p><h3>Itsy Bitsy Spiders</h3><p>There are lots of small spiders crawling about, so make use of them. Minor events: </p><ul><li><p>spiders drop from branches and crawl over the Characters, creeping through gaps in their armour; <strong>Challenging Cool (+0%) </strong>Test to resist stripping armour and clothes</p></li><li><p>sleeping Characters wake to find a fist-sized spider with a lot of eyes sitting on their chest looking at them; it’s big but runs instead of biting</p></li><li><p>random Character is bitten by some nasty-looking little green spiders; very itchy but not venomous (–1SL to Tests requiring concentration for [[/r 1d10]] hours, but <em>not </em>during combat)</p></li><li><p>a bird is trapped in a dense web. If the Characters help it, scores of harmless spiders boil out of a hole in the tree, and begin wrapping the bird. Further attempts to rescue the bird results in the spiders scuttling about in a scary fashion; a successful <strong>Hard (–20%) Cool</strong> Test is needed to save the bird. </p></li><li><p>Characters acting aggressively towards smaller spiders have a [[/r 1d2 # Bitten ]]{50%} chance of being bitten, with a [[/r 1d100 # Venomous]]{50%} chance of bites being venomous. Treat venom effects as random Conditions: @Condition[Bleeding]; @Condition[Blinded]{Blinded 5}; @Condition[Broken]; @Condition[Fatigued]; @Condition[Poisoned] (Easy or Average Venom); @Condition[Prone] (<strong>Average (+20%) Toughness </strong>Test every minute to recover and stand up); @Condition[Stunned]; @Condition[Unconscious] (<strong>Average (+20%) Toughness </strong>Test every minute to remove condition).</p></li></ul><h3>Tangled</h3><p>Run this before @UUID[.SO34yiB863pdSDtJ]{Lorenz Makes His Move}. Characters find what appears to be several corpses tangled in webs. Closer inspection reveals they are scarecrows with pumpkin heads. Only if a deeper examination is made (clothes removed, stuffing pulled, inevitable small spiders) do the Characters discover a dried-out heart nailed to the crosspiece of the body, and that limbs and fingers are properly jointed and tied together with sinew. Both Players and Character likely recognise these are magical constructs, although if they imagine they’re the work of a murderous folk artist let them think that. A successful <strong>Average (+20) Lore (Magick) </strong>Test or <strong>Challenging (+0) Intelligence</strong> Test suggests that dislodging the nailed heart would disrupt the magic animating them (see @UUID[Actor.CYwumgnl844Kxthq]{Lorenz’s Scarecrow Men} for more). If you wish, one entrapped Scarecrow is partially active and attempts to grapple any Character inspecting it. It seeks to @Condition[Entangled]{Entangle} only.</p><h3>A Forest Pool</h3><p>The Characters find a clearing. In the centre is a pool of water with a thorny, berrying bush beside it. On the ground, covering the entire clearing, is an opaque layer of white, non-sticky cobweb; hidden underneath are several empty holes about 2-ft deep and 1–2-ft wide. This place is a trap for larger animals, and Players can probably tell it’s a set-up. However, it demonstrates the spiders’ intelligence. If the Characters risk going to the tree and pool, they can avoid the pit holes by poking the web as they go; if they don’t take simple precautions feel free to let someone fall in; a failed <strong>Challenging (+0) Agility </strong>Test is good for a single Wound and a sore ankle. There are a few @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.actors.VPVnyae6VHeD9cEP]{Giant Spiders} secretly watching. This is an opportunity for a combat encounter; there are as many spiders as Characters (Size (Small) Trait), but they retreat after one of their number are killed.</p><h3>Temptation</h3><p>This looks like a trap, but it’s not. Within a tangle of dead branches and dusty cobwebs, the Characters see an old leather satchel stuck on a branch. A crumpled and vaguely corpse-like form covered with old web lies beneath. Characters with Skills like Outdoor Survival, Track, or Set Trap should be allowed a <strong>Difficult (–10) </strong>Test to recognise this as a long-unused spider nest. If none of them realise this, Esther can point it out. Hopefully the Characters are tempted to go for the satchel, the contents of which are left in your hands. However, no matter how carefully they try to take the satchel, its removal dislodges the old shed skin of a Halfling-sized Giant Spider, which falls from above right on top of them. Try to scare them by treating it like a combat; let them make a few attacks. Then, once they realise, scare them again by pointing out just how bloody big these things are.</p>"
				},
				"Feast of Blood": {
					"name": "Feast of Blood",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/feast-scene.webp\" /></div><h2>Welcome To Spider Holt</h2><p>In the east of Stirland lies the cursed land of Sylvania, a region of mountainous crags and dark forests. Many of its evil woods are widely known: Hunger Wood, Tangle Wood, Ghoul Wood, names hinting at horrors lurking within. There are more obscure woods, not found on maps but familiar to locals. The Bloated Copse and Toadstool Thicket are but two of xx obscure woods, known by Slyvanian folk to never venture into unless your life depended on it. Spider Holt is another.</p><p>Spider Holt lies on the Sylvanian side of the Ostermark-Stirland border. The inhabitants of the hamlet of Hagedorn on the Ostermark side know that Sylvania’s forests conceal more than one variety of fanged, blood-sucking predator. No one knows how many long-legged terrors lurk within Spider Holt, but everyone knows that after pushing a few hundred yards through the tangled branches you see the first of the threads and webs, almost luminous, spreading from branch to branch, covering the ground, becoming ever thicker. Only the brave stray across the border to collect wood, and even they only skirt the edges.</p><p>Folk say Spider Holt is feared even by vampires, whose blood-filled corpses are a temptation for any spider. That a rumoured Spider Baron lives in the heart of the wood, a monster who was once a man or vampire, whose arms and legs were sliced in twain lengthways by the Blood God as a blessing or a curse. That there is a deep pit, white with webs, from which all the spiders of the world crawl. That if you bring the spiders a suitable offering, they may let you go with your life and a gift only spiders can give.</p><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/stag.webp\" width=\"296\" height=\"402\" /></div><h4>Lorenz of Red Moss Tower</h4><p>Spiders are not alone in the wood. One vampire is brave enough to live within it, albeit at the edge on the other side from Hagedorn. @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} of Red Moss Tower is a Necrarch, one of uglier forms of vampire-kind. His existence in their land is tolerated by the von Carsteins as his talents have proven useful to them. Furthermore, once a decade Lorenz throws a damn good party! All manner of night-stalkers are invited.</p><p>It is time for this decade’s ball, and Lorenz has his servants busily preparing. However, Lorenz wants something grotesque as his special course, a challenge even to his guests’ jaded appetites. He wonders, who among the invited shall be first to dare to taste the blood of a live Giant Spider?</p><p>@UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} prefers not to risk his living servants in obtaining a spider. Instead, he has sent his Scarecrows, but they are blunt instruments and have been unsuccessful. When Lorenz becomes aware of the Characters roaming Spider Holt, he decides to blackmail them into doing the job. If the adventurers succeed in securing him a plump, live Giant Spider, Lorenz ensures they stay for the party.</p><h3>The Spider Baron</h3><p>The @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron} is real. A disturbing Human-Spider Mutant, he leads a community of Giant Spiders and Human-Spider Mutants deep within the woods. Like most spiders, he and his followers prefer to remain out of sight. They have more reason to be scared of people than people have to be scared of them.</p><p>On discovering Lorenz’s scheme, the Spider Baron has other ideas. He has long been aware of @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz}, but is unaware he is a Vampire, believing him only to be a powerful Wizard. By placing one of their own kind in the heart of Lorenz’s home may let the spiders play a game of their own. Perhaps the Characters can help the spiders when they know the plan; perhaps the spiders won’t tell them the plan, and they’ll face yet another horror in the woods.</p><div class=\"journal-image float-left\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/taal-shrine.webp\" width=\"324\" height=\"265\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image float-left\"><h3>Getting the Characters Involved</h3><p>As the GM, you must get the Characters into a situation where @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} can persuade or force them to brave the depths of Spider Holt and capture a live Giant Spider. You may have ideas of your own, but here it is assumed the Characters have reason to travel to, or at least through, the village of Hagedorn on the Ostermark side of the Ostermark-Stirland border. However, the setting can be relocated if necessary.</p></div>"
				},
				"Lorenz Makes His Move": {
					"name": "Lorenz Makes His Move",
					"text": "<p>Esther’s kidnapping takes place when she is separated from the Characters: trailing behind examining a plant, when taking a turn at watch, or answering a call of nature. Remember Esther is planning to run away, so is seeking such opportunities herself. If the Characters become engrossed in a problem or argument, a silent kidnapping could take place: allow the Characters an <strong>Average (+20) Perception</strong> Test to notice she is missing, or just wait until someone mentions her by name. After some panic and frantic searching, Lorenz’s Scarecrows appear, and Lorenz speaks through them as described below.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/rat-skull-stuff.webp\" width=\"248\" height=\"220\" /></div><p>For a more dramatic kidnapping, @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} uses two teams of @UUID[Actor.CYwumgnl844Kxthq]{Scarecrows}. A smaller group of three grabs Esther and vanishes through the trees; while a team of eight gets between them and the Characters, preventing them from following. If necessary, they attempt to draw as many Characters away from Esther as possible, giving them noises or glimpses to investigate.</p><p>The eight @UUID[Actor.CYwumgnl844Kxthq]{Scarecrows} don’t attack the Characters, but attempt to stall them. If attacked, they fight defensively. @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} speaks magically through the Scarecrows, probably giving the Characters cause to hesitate. </p><blockquote><p>‘Stay your hands, my friends! The lady will not be harmed. I have taken her as mere leverage. You see, I need your assistance.</p><p>‘I throw a memorable party every now and again, at my home in the forest, and my guests expect something mysterious to stir their interest. This year, I’ve decided on a Geheimnisnacht theme, and I want a live Giant Spider as my surprise of the evening! Just think of the sensation it will cause.</p><p>‘My Scarecrows are obedient, but cannot improvise and have been outwitted by these cunning spiders. I need your skill and wit to obtain the prize! So, the deal is this: catch me a Giant Spider! Alive; that’s essential. With a body that would fill a wheelbarrow. Bring it to this spot within one week and my minions will lead you to my home.</p><p>‘And you never know, besides the return of the lady, there may be a reward or two!’</p></blockquote><p>The Characters may have questions:</p><p><strong>Who are you?</strong></p><p><em>‘I am Lorenz of Red Moss Tower.’ </em></p><p><strong>What are you?</strong></p><p><em>‘I am a wizard of some modest skill. I would have hoped that much is clear.’</em></p><p><strong>Are you a Vampire?</strong></p><p><em>‘Ha! I dabble in necromancy and I live in Sylvania, but I am no von Carstein bloodsucker. I live here on their sufferance, as I am sometimes of use to them.’</em></p><p><strong>You dabble in necromancy?</strong></p><p><em>‘ Yes, though I prefer the Jade Winds. Sticks and dried flowers are dead things, too, and can be animated like bones and dead flesh.’</em></p><p><strong>Where have you taken Esther? What are you doing with her?</strong></p><p><em>‘To my home, Red Moss Tower. She will be safe and unharmed, an honoured guest, even if you fail.’</em></p><p><strong>Have you seen a White Hart in the woods?</strong></p><p><em>‘A white heart? Oh, you mean a deer. No, I have not. Is that what you seek? Interesting.’</em></p><p><strong>How do we catch a Giant Spider?</strong></p><p><em>‘A large jar and a sheet of parchment? Great Sigmar! I’m blackmailing you to avoid having to think about this myself. Now hop to it!’</em></p>"
				},
				"Guests of the Feast": {
					"name": "Guests of the Feast",
					"text": "<p>Feast of Blood is an unusual adventure, as befits the events that surround Gheimisnacht. As such you may wish to avoid dragging your usual WFRP Characters through the mud, blood, corruption, and compromising decisions that must be taken to get through the adventure. On the following pages you will find four pregenerated NPCs with the sort of suitably flexible morality that will allow them to navigate events more easily. </p><ul><li><p>@UUID[Actor.tYLPNDvxwWMalMqz]{Vasya Ghorshkov} is a Pitfighter from @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.S1ONBYW4uxw9POV8.JournalEntryPage.560B5HOv7H4S976Z]{Ostland}</p></li><li><p>@UUID[Actor.Aumumhf8GAb8MIAM]{Kistiane Brockdorf} is a Wizard of the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-wom.journals.Q9sQhbDN8NUHXYdA.JournalEntryPage.ncaIbmNtJrNfVfZh]{Jade Order}</p></li><li><p>@UUID[Actor.7qNrInZCG2N91iaO]{Ursula Fangen} is an Outlaw posing as a Hunter</p></li><li><p>@UUID[Actor.7WxPVgDrRObU6Kyy]{Benni Bottomdown} is a Halfling Pedlar.</p></li></ul>"
				},
				"The Great Spider Hunt": {
					"name": "The Great Spider Hunt",
					"text": "<p>So how <em>do </em>you catch a Giant Spider alive? That’s up to the Characters and they have a week. Whatever plans they come up with (cage traps, knock-out gas, magic, pit-traps, big nets, chasing with flaming torches, hunting dogs, the power of prayer) let them implement them. If the plans are good, give them a fair chance to succeed. If they’re terrible, give them a fair chance to surprise everyone. There’s potentially a lot of fun here, but let the Players take the lead. Hagedorn’s inhabitants enthusiastically offer suggestions and help in construction of traps and cages. However, some <strong>Hard (–20) Charm</strong> or <strong>Leadership </strong>Tests are required before any are willingly venture too deeply into Spider Holt, perhaps to position a trap. A similar <strong>Very Hard (–30) </strong>Test is needed to persuade any to stay and help. <strong>Intimidation </strong>results in fear and resentment.</p><p>At some point, the Characters experience either success (spectacular or lucky) or a dramatic failure (embarrassing or frustrating). Or, it might only be a day or two to go until @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz’s} deadline and the Characters have nothing to show for it. Now the other power in Spider Holt makes himself known: the @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron}.</p><h3>The Spider Baron’s Emissary</h3><p>By now, the Characters are probably used to the presence of hand-sized and smaller spiders everywhere, so they may not notice a gradual increase in the number of glittering black eyes all around or the intensified sound of scuttling, creeping and crawling. They might be returning to Hagedorn after another failure or heading to @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz’s} meeting point with their prize, but allow them a <strong>Difficult (–10) Perception</strong> Test to notice (<strong>Challenging (–0)</strong> if anyone specifically mentions being extra wary).</p><p>If Characters spot the build-up and are on their guard, the @UUID[Actor.rhsdZU4290OpswMl]{Spider Baron’s Emissary} approaches them alone, carrying a white cloth of peace (although they are discreetly surrounded). If they don’t spot the build-up, they are suddenly and obviously surrounded by a great many spiders, some just the size @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} was after. This likely gives all but a Troll Slayer pause for thought. The Emissary again carries the white cloth, but if the Characters fight, so be it. The spiders fight defensively and seek to Entangle the Characters with webs. Give the Characters a fair fight, but unless the Characters are cunning, brutal or lucky, sheer numbers win the day. After this, they can be carried directly to a meeting with the @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron} himself.</p><p>If the Characters restrain themselves or surrender, the @UUID[Actor.rhsdZU4290OpswMl]{Emissary} steps forward: a tall, lean man wearing black armour (<strong>Average (+20) Perception</strong> Test to notice it’s made of spider carapace and silk), carrying a spear. He has very dark, very round eyes, but seems Human. He raises a hand so as to halt or silence the Characters. He speaks:</p><p><em>‘ You are servants of the White Queen?’</em></p><p>This should lead to some questions and answers.</p><p><strong>Who is the White Queen?</strong></p><p><em>‘The woman you escorted in the woods. Our eyes in the trees say you failed to protect her from the Branchmen. Why do you hunt us? We did not take her.’</em></p><p><strong>Why do you want Esther? The White Queen?</strong></p><p><em>‘She is to be our Queen. The Baron has foreseen it in a vision. We seek only to bring her safely to him.’</em></p><p><strong>We have a problem. Can you help?</strong></p><p><em>‘If we can save the Queen we will help. You must speak to the Baron.’</em></p><h3>At the Court of The Spider Baron</h3><p>Travelling willingly or trussed up in silk and carried by spiders, the Characters are taken to meet the Spider Baron. If any Character asks to ride a Giant Spider, several narrow-waisted spiders have no objection. For those with the Ride Skill, it’s a wild ride; those without it must make a <strong>Challenging (+0) Agility</strong> Test to stay on. If they fall, they are uninjured, but the Emissary suggests being tied back on with silk. If Characters decline, the spiders move more slowly. The slow pace creates a disjointed rocking movement, which makes the rider feel like they are at sea. The movement combined with the spiders’ horrendous cloak of earthy, sticky-sweet odor is bound to make the rider feel queasy. </p><p>The Characters are taken deeper into the wood than they’ve before. They see more evidence of larger spiders and their lairs: ominous web-tunnels, nests of sticks and webs, wrapped prey with protruding tails, claws or wings, and large woolly bundles (<strong>Easy (+10) Intelligence</strong> Test to identify as egg-sacs). They are observed by spiders of many sizes, one as large as a cart. The Emissary advises them, <em>‘Don’t be frightened. Most of them are more scared of you than you are of them.’</em></p><p>Eventually, the forest opens into a large, rocky clearing, one end rising steeply into a cliff-like outcropping reaching above the trees. In the cliff face are many dark holes at different heights. They appear carved and some of the lower ones even have ladders leading down from them. At ground level, the cliff face is dominated by one huge web tunnel, thick with grey webs, leading into darkness. If the Characters were captured for their journey here, they are now unbound.</p><p>Answer any questions the Players have regarding their surroundings, but if they start asking more questions about the Baron or what’s going to happen, the Emissary responds simply:</p><blockquote><p>‘Be patient. Be still.’</p></blockquote><p>Slowly, the inhabitants emerge from the smaller caves. Most are Giant Spiders, though a handful are Humans. However, many of the Spiders and all of the Humans are Mutants. Among the Spiders, Characters see oddly human eyes, not glassy black ones. One has a set of palps ending in human hands. Another grows long plaits of auburn hair. Ears on legs. Oversized human teeth instead of fangs. Among the Human Mutants, Characters see extra limbs, spiky-haired torsos, bulging black eyes, clicking mouthparts, or patterned skin. As they climb from their caves, they gather silently either side of the largest cave entrance and observe the Characters. Other spiders appear from the woods around them. The earthy, sickly-sweet smell intensifies making the air feel oppressive.</p><blockquote><p>‘Be patient. Be Still.’</p></blockquote><p>There is deathly silence and stillness. If the Characters are not already intently watching the large cave, their attention is drawn to it. Something is moving in the darkness. They see a hint of legs. Long, hairy legs probing the webs of the dark tunnel. A sparkle as black eyes catch the light. A monstrous Giant Spider crouches in its den. It pauses. Have each Character make a <strong>Difficult (–10%) Perception</strong> Test: successful observers realise there is more here than is immediately obvious; give them time to share this information with their less observant fellows.</p><p>And then it appears. And stands upright, perhaps 7-ft tall.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/spider-baron.webp\" width=\"279\" height=\"300\" /></div><p>The @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron} is a Mutant, though whether mutated man or mutated spider is uncertain. From belly down he is human, even wearing trousers and boots (a little outdated and ill fitting, but an impressive eye-catching colour all the same). Upwards, his belly and chest transform into a body at once both human and spider. There are two long limbs on either side. On the left both are fully spider, on the right the upper is spider-like and the lower is human, though covered with spiky hair, and carrying a long sword. The upper chest and shoulders carry a monstrous spider’s head, with five large black eyes around the crown and a pair of horrendously large mandibles. </p><p>After a moment’s stillness, this monstrosity strides quickly towards the Characters and the Emissary, but stops halfway between them and his cave. At any time from his emergence up to this point, it’s reasonable to inflict the Spider Baron’s Terror Trait and have Characters make Cool Tests. Any Character who gains one or more @Condition[Broken] Conditions and flees can be contained by the surrounding spiders until other Characters come to their aid. This may lead to conflict, but hopefully things quickly calm.</p><p>The Spider Baron and his Mutant followers combine the traits of Humans and Giant Spider.</p><h3>A Civilised Conversation</h3><p>Though the Mutants with Human mouths can speak (like the @UUID[Actor.rhsdZU4290OpswMl]{Emissary}), they and the Spiders communicate through gesture and vibration. Regardless of what happens after the @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron’s} emergence, a conversation between him and the Characters takes place in the clearing. However, as the Baron has no human mouth, the Emissary translates for the Characters. Somehow, the Baron understands the Characters. The Baron gestures with his limbs, clicks his mandibles and taps or stamps his feet (sometimes with a jaunty rhythm). He has a simple question:</p><blockquote><p>‘Where is she? Where is my Queen?’</p></blockquote><p>The course of this conversation depends on how open the Characters are with the Baron. The Baron himself is open and honest, but his focus is solely on gaining his Queen. He is not interested in answering questions about himself or his people until a rescue plan is in place.</p><p>If the Characters haven’t already explained, he wants to know what they and his Queen were doing in his woods in the first place. If they tell him about @UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias’s} vision of the White Hart trapped in webs, the Baron shares his own vision: that of a giant white-furred spider caught in a wooden cage. Should a Character ask what the cage looked like, the Baron draws with his sword in the dirt something reminiscent of one of the buildings in Hagedorn, crucially topped-off with what looks like a pair of antlers. If they don’t recall it themselves, allow the Characters a <strong>Challenging (+0) Intelligence</strong> Test to remember the antlers on Hagedorn’s shrine-cum-temple to Taal.</p><p>If the Characters fail to make the connection, allow them a <strong>Challenging (+0) Intelligence</strong> Test: the two visions suggest that Esther is both the White Hart and the White Queen.</p><h3>Plans within Plans</h3><p>The Spiders know of @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz}, but are unaware of his vampiric nature, believing him a powerful wizard. He lives in a red-walled tower on the opposite edge of the wood from Hagedorn, within a strange garden that blooms all year round with a variety of magnificent red fragrant flowers. There are several buildings, and he seems to have Human servants as well as many Scarecrows.</p><p>The @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron} and (hopefully) the Characters agree that @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} must be saved. A full-scale assault might be suggested; after all, there are a lot of spiders. However, they won’t do anything to risk the Queen’s life. The Baron is adamant on this point.</p><p>Giving @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} what he wants may be the safest approach, and the Spiders are in the position to give it to him. Hopefully, this would get the Characters inside the tower, close to Esther and conclude in a daring escape.  </p><p>Aim to let the players realise this for themselves, before the Baron suggests it.</p><p>The @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Baron} has a cunning twist to this plan. Whether or not he shares this with the Characters depends greatly on their behaviour towards him and his subjects. He understands that Humans fear and kill spiders. That’s part of the natural order and he won’t hold it against them too much. So, there’s a 95% chance that he’ll share the plan with them. This is reduced if they:</p><ul><li><p>fought and had to be captured by the Emissary and his Spiders (–10%)</p></li><li><p>have been rude to him – barons deserve respect (–5 to –10% depending on the insult, for each rude Character)</p></li><li><p>insulted Esther (–20%)</p></li><li><p>attacked the Spiders/Emissary/Baron within their own territory (–30/40/50% respectively)</p></li></ul><p>@UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{The Baron’s} plan is simple. The Giant Spider he provides is a Trojan Horse. The gravid female is filled to bursting with thousands of small mutant spiders with unusually large fangs and appetites to match.</p><p>Whether the @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron} shares this detail with the Characters or not, the rest of the plan is simple enough. The Characters can carry the trussed-up spider to meet with Lorenz’s Scarecrows. The Emissary and other Spiders follow discreetly and hide around the border of @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz’s} territory for a week.</p><h3>In Lorenz’s Garden</h3><p>With a trussed spider, the Characters head to the appointed place to meet Lorenz’s Scarecrows. A Scarecrow silently beckons them to follow and leads a twisty route to Lorenz’s home. As they get closer, they observe two things: the cobwebs thin-out and there is an increasing number of Yew trees. A <strong>Very Hard (–30) Perception</strong> Test is needed to see any hint of the Emissary and Spiders accompanying them.</p><p>Lorenz’s home lies within an extremely large clearing. However, this clearing is a beautiful garden, with well maintained green lawns, clean stone paths and yew hedging, rose gardens, flower beds and even vegetable plots. A stream flows in one side and out the other, with a picturesque wooden bridge arching over it. The smell of rich scented roses and fresh herbs is delectable and almost soporific — a sharp contrast to the odor in the depths of Spider Holt. Scarecrows patrol the boundaries, although there are seemingly ordinary people tending the vegetables and flower-beds. They look up briefly from their beans and carrots when the Characters pass, wave, then get back to work. </p><p>Even in winter, the garden is colourful: there are winter-flowering plants, yellow conifers and berrying shrubs. After days of grey lichen and web-shrouded gloom, this is a magical place. Literally in fact: Characters with Second Sight automatically see the garden is vibrant with Ghyran, the Jade Wind. This gives a +20 modifier to Casting and Channelling Tests related to the Lore of Life. However, allow players with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} a <strong>Hard (–20) Perception</strong> Test. Success reveals a subtle undercurrent of <em>Dhar</em>, Dark Magic.</p><p>Spending time in the garden reveals this subtle undercurrent more physically:</p><ul><li><p>bushes rustle without evidence of animals or birds, grasses sway without breeze</p></li><li><p>out of the corner of the eye, flowers turn to look at passing Characters</p></li><li><p>walking down a clear path, a Character trips over a root or branch that suddenly juts out</p></li><li><p>a tendril grasps a Character, seemingly grabbing a wrist/belt/scabbard</p></li><li><p>a Character is scratched by a rose or thorny bush, even though they weren’t that close.</p></li></ul><p>These events are unsettling, but harmless. If @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} is asked, he observes, ‘<em>Yes, some of the plants are a bit suspicious of strangers. I’ll have a word.’</em></p><p>Towards one edge of the garden is a yellow-coloured stone tower patchy with a red-tinged moss. Windows suggest four levels, topped-off with a red-tiled conical roof. Annexing the tower is a moss-free rectangular building of the same stone with a similarly tiled roof. With arched windows, it looks like some kind of hall. Both structures are ornamented with hanging baskets and window boxes. It is surrounded by a wide, gravelled area. If Players with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} direct it upon the tower, a successful <strong>Hard (–20) Perception</strong> Test suggests the presence of <em>Dhar </em>underneath both the tower and the hall.</p><p>Scattered around the garden are smaller, single-level buildings that if explored turn out to be: a wood shed for gardening equipment, a stone building with a cool cellar for storing fruit and vegetables, a dormitory with a kitchen for a dozen or more Human servants and a workshop for carpentry, blacksmithing and masonry.</p><p>On the other side of the clearing from where the Characters enter, initially hidden by the tower, is an opening in the edge of the clearing. From it, a road wide enough for a carriage, leads out of the woods into Sylvania. This is the route most of Lorenz’s party guests use on arriving for the party.</p><h3>Meeting Lorenz</h3><p>Their @UUID[Actor.CYwumgnl844Kxthq]{Scarecrow} escort leads the Characters with their spider through the garden towards the tower. Before they reach it, double doors fly open in the attached hall and a tall figure in flowing dark-green robes emerges and heads quickly towards them, arms raised wide in friendly greeting. As he nears them, anyone with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.6w30u0VPsAicrqb5]{Magical Sense} can, if they ask, make an <strong>Average (+20) Intuition</strong> Test. Success shows him to be a powerful wizard. An Astounding success (+6) reveals his Channelling Specialisation is both <em>Dhar </em>and <em>Ghyran</em>. If anyone asks to use their Second Sight while looking at him, allow a <strong>Difficult (–10) Perception</strong> Test. Success reveals a breeze of Ghyran swirling around him (they are seeing the magic of the perfumes (mainly a classic rose scent, in case you are wondering) he uses to disguise his true Necarch features. Something else they might notice (<strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test) is that Lorenz’s sleeves only come down to his elbows and there is soil on his forearms and dirt under his nails: this man is an avid gardener.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/lorenz.webp\" width=\"268\" height=\"263\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz}</p></div><blockquote><p>‘Welcome to my home and garden! You’ve been successful, I see! Wonderful! You’ll be wanting to see Esther, of course. Here, let my servants take the spider and I’ll take you up to her.’</p></blockquote><p>At this point Lorenz claps his hands and three people and a couple of Scarecrows come from the hall and relieve the Characters of the spider, taking it to the hall. The people smile and acknowledge the Characters in a normal, friendly way, but say nothing beyond a quick ‘hello’ or ‘she’s a beauty!’</p><blockquote><div><p>‘Don’t worry, they’ll keep it safe. Incredible beastie! You’ll have to tell me how you caught it.’</p></div></blockquote><p>Lorenz chats on and on as he leads them to the tower doorway.</p><blockquote><p>‘Do avoid touching the moss. It has a habit of eating people.’</p></blockquote>"
				},
				"Into the Tower": {
					"name": "Into the Tower",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/feast-scene.webp\" /></div><p>The Tower has four floors plus a hidden crypt. Within the walls, from top floor to crypt, are two hidden escape routes, accessible from all levels, concealed in different ways. Both escape routes are narrow, with metal rungs in the walls. At the bottom of each is a door accessing the crypt, and a tunnel providing an escape route. The tunnels eventually join together, leading up through a hollow yew tree on the Sylvanian side of Spider Holt. </p><p>The tower’s main entrance is an arched double door to the first floor. There are two shuttered windows in all levels save the fourth, which has six. All levels have at least two tall candelabras, besides the fourth, which has a chandelier. However, none of them use candles; instead, brightly luminescent cacti grow in the holders. There are live plants or fresh flowers on all levels save the crypt.</p><p><strong>Crypt</strong>: Only accessible via the tower’s two escape routes. A stone-floored room with walls covered in murals of plants and flowers. A large stone basin big enough for a grown Human stands at the centre of the crypt. It is filled with soil and there is no lid. Any Character who might be able to recognise different soil types (for example, Scholar with relevant Lore Skill like Geology, Hedge Witch, Herbalist, Grave Robber, Villager, anyone with Lore (Herbs) or Trade (Herbalist)) should be allowed an appropriate Skill or <strong>Perception </strong>Test (GM decides the difficulty as seems appropriate to the Skill). Marginal Success is sufficient to indicate the soil is not local. An Impressive Success suggests the soil has the characteristics of that found in southern Middenland or northern Reikland. Anyone who has handled the soil in the tubs on the first floor can also make a <strong>Perception </strong>Test, but can only recognise the soils are different. Access to the escape routes are stone doors, activated by pressing a blue cornflower in the murals (<strong>Difficult Perception Test (–10) </strong>or <strong>Challenging (+0) Lore (Herbs)/Trade (Herbalist) </strong>Test to spot there are only two images of cornflowers in all the murals, on opposite sides of the crypt). This cornflower motif for doors to the escape routes is used on the upper levels; the same Test can be used to spot them on other floors, but need not be repeated after a successful Test (unless the Players fail to understand the pattern).</p><p><strong>First Floor</strong>: A gardener’s workshop, with trestle tables, trowels and forks, pots, tubs of soil, pots and jars of seeds and bulbs. Doors to the escape routes are hidden behind wooden shelves that swing out after pressing small carvings of cornflowers. Stairs lead up to the second floor.</p><p><strong>Second Floor</strong>: This is a pleasant sitting room with several armchairs and a sofa. Carpets depicting flowers with their names in Classical cover the floor. Again, cornflowers locate the entrances to the escape routes, although a successful <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test is needed to find the trigger mechanism to open them.</p><p><strong>Third Floor</strong>: Lorenz’s library. Walls of shelves with old books, mainly botany books, scrolls, and botanical paintings. A large table with chairs is piled with more books on herbalism. On opposite walls are two paintings, each 7-ft high, 3-ft wide. One depicts Sigmar with a cornflower wreath; the other is probably Rhya (@UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} or @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} can confirm if asked) with a cornflower in her hair. Pulling back the paintings (requiring a good tug) reveals the escape routes. A stair leads to the fourth floor.</p><p><strong>Fourth Floor</strong>: A room with six windows, full of plants in pots on the floor and flowers in vases on sideboards, a veritable jungle. There are benches under the windows and comfortable chairs. A simple bed has been set-up for Esther, although this is removed on the day of the party. Two vases of cornflowers indicate access to the escape routes in the wood-panelled walls. As with the Second Floor a successful <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test is needed to find the trigger mechanism to open them. There is no attic, only beams and arches supporting the conical roof</p><section class=\"hook no-image\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">The Hall</h3><p>The Hall is a large open room, with numerous windows, and large arched doorways on each long side. It is attached to the tower, but separate; there is no connecting door. In one corner at the far end, steps lead down to a locked door (@UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} has the key), beyond which is a large vaulted chamber. This is Lorenz’s magical workshop and laboratory, where he brews his plant-based potions and constructs his Scarecrow Men. It does not give access to the tower’s crypt.</p><p>On the day of the party, that end of the room is curtained off and used as a cloakroom and a place to keep more food, wine, and party paraphernalia..</p></section><h3>Friends Reunited</h3><p>Lorenz leads the Characters up to the second floor where they find Esther reading. She is delighted to see them. Turning to go back downstairs, Lorenz says:</p><blockquote><p>‘I shall leave you to it. Being a proper villain, obviously I won’t be allowing you to leave. Not yet, anyway. I’m having a party and frankly I could do with a few extra hands on the day. I can make it worth your while. We’ll speak again, but meanwhile feel free to plot your escape!’</p></blockquote><p>The ensuing conversation depends greatly on what has gone before and how much the Characters want to tell @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther}. Let the Players take the lead and go from there. If they don’t take the initiative, you can use Esther.</p><p>Esther has been treated well. The @UUID[Actor.CYwumgnl844Kxthq]{Scarecrows} didn’t hurt her and nor did Lorenz or any of his servants. She has been free to wander the tower, the hall and the garden, although the borders of the clearing are protected by the Scarecrows. She only seems to be watched when she’s outside.</p><p>She has spent her time in the gardens, walking or helping the servants (who seem happy, well-treated and devoted to Lorenz) or reading in the library (so many interesting books on botany and herbalism).</p><p>If the Characters tell @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} about the @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron}, in particular his vision and belief she is his White Queen, she has to decide if she trusts them enough to reveal the changes she’s going through. If they’ve shown fanatical anti-mutant tendencies, she’ll feign shock and fear, and plan to escape later.</p><p>Like @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther}, the Characters are free to explore and talk to the servants and Lorenz. How close they are to the party depends on how quickly the Characters acquired a Giant Spider. Here it’s assumed there is one night and a day before the night of the party. They can sleep in the tower, the servants providing pillows and blankets, if necessary.</p><h3>The Day of the Party</h3><p>The day of the party is a busy one for the servants, as well as the Characters if they choose to become involved, with fetching, carrying, cooking, setting up tables and arranging flowers. Lorenz is about giving orders and advice. He is enjoying himself and only rarely shows annoyance with his servants or mishaps. Everything is set-up by early evening, with the first quests expected from 7:00 p.m. onwards.</p><p>Characters who are expecting Vampires (especially if they’ve discovered the tower crypt) may be reassured by the deliciously normal buffet that Lorenz has laid on. They may be more concerned by the occasional dish of honeyed-rat-on-stick, moth-wing crisps or crystal bowl of eyeballs.<em> ‘All part of my Geheimnisnacht theme,’</em> explains Lorenz. <em>‘Speaking of which… time to put my game face on…</em>’</p><p>@UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} reaches into a pocket and brings out a vial of red liquid. He opens it and a foul smell comes forth, from which he even recoils.</p><blockquote><p>‘ You’ll like this, though perhaps not a lot. Down the hatch!’</p></blockquote><p>@UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} swallows the liquid and undergoes a painful-looking transformation. In fact, the hideous grimacing and twisting of limbs and fingers is all show: this Potion of Reality simply undoes the Potion of Beauty disguising his hideous Necrarchtic features.</p><blockquote><p>‘How do I look? Bad enough to put the wind up even the Carsteins, I bet!’</p></blockquote><p>If the Characters ask, there’s no harm if Lorenz has some potions that genuinely cause illusory transformations: Vampires, Ghouls, Beastmen. These are probably temporary, but might require the anti-potion, which could lead to later problems!</p><h3>Dance of the Vampires</h3><p>Guests appear from 7:00 p.m.onwards, a few who are sun-shy appearing after 9:00, if it is summertime. It is suggested you create some of your own, but a few are described briefly below. Most arrive in expensive black coaches, although a few on foot or horseback.</p><p>Some come with a small entourage of staff, blood-slaves or hangers-on, so there are people to mingle with. Most of them are friendly, well-mannered, and have come to enjoy themselves. Only a few are hostile, unpleasant or snobbish. One or two are physically monstrous. </p><p>@UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} and the Characters can find plenty to occupy their time. They could serve as waiters and cloak-room attendants. Someone with suitable @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.sYbgpSnRqSZWgwFP]{Etiquette} could formally announce each guest’s arrival. Entertainers might join the musicians providing polite music to dance to, or demonstrate other skills to amuse guests. However, they are not staff and Lorenz is happy for them to mingle as curiosities for his guests, some of whom might be interested in their adventurous lives. There are tables to play cards or games such as those described in <em><strong>Rough Days &amp; Hard Nights</strong></em>. Outside, there are coach-drivers gathered to drink and play games of their own, and folk taking amorous strolls in the garden. Some <strong>Sample Guests</strong> are briefly described, a possible event associated with each. Lorenz’s only instruction is to not mention the Giant Spider: it’s a surprise!</p><p>Overall, though, this is a party, and people just want to just have fun. Make it into whatever you and your Players want and make sure everyone has something to do, perhaps breaking the evening up into segments with specific events. Just try to avoid a bloodbath.</p><h3>The Other Guests</h3><p><strong>Sigurd Ugenhauer - The Hog</strong>: A massive hoglike Ghoul with a voracious appetite. Lorenz comments, ‘<em>Probably a mutant before he became a Ghoul, but who can tell?’ </em>Event: Someone gets into a tug-of-war with the Hog over a bowl of something tasty. Find an amicable solution to avoid a fight.</p><p><strong>Rosanna Breuhl - The Hag</strong>: A forest Witch with teeth like tombstones, creepily friendly to your face, all spite behind your back. <em>‘Human, surprisingly. Nasty. Watch that one.’ </em>Event: While the Characters are watching another event, the Hag lures a servant to the garden to suck them dry. The Characters must spot them and come to the rescue (apply @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.NcLVAmFCMddUGUl3]{Witch} Career to standard @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.actors.T5qAtpoKtB8iwTBd]{Vampire} profile, even though she’s Human). </p><p><strong>Friedrich von Carstein - The Fop</strong>: A von Carstein vampire, but distantly related to Sylvania’s rulers of old. Intelligent, but vain.<em> ‘Can’t use mirrors, so needs flattery.’</em> Event: The Fop is depressed and follows one Character around, lamenting existence until they have been reassured three times (Character’s Charm versus Fop’s Cool 65%, five minutes between Tests). The Fop is grateful.</p><p><strong>Bertoldt Lamprecht - The Professor</strong>: Bespectacled gent, an expert in something a Character is interested in. <em>‘Brighter than most, but somewhat dogmatic.’</em> Event: a Character gets drawn into an argument between the Professor and another guest on a subject the Character has a relevant Skill in (Professor has the same Skill, but 5% higher than the Character). If the Character wins the argument, they gain the Professor’s respect.</p><p><strong>Lilli von Cartstein - The Warrior</strong>: A mature woman, wearing a sword. ‘<em>Would have made good a Blood Dragon. Unlucky her, she’s a von Carstein!’ </em>Event: The Warrior challenges any Warrior Character to a non-lethal duel (Melee (Basic) 75%). First to three strikes wins, but only a single point of Damage is done for each. She is both a gracious winner and loser.</p><p><strong>Joost - The Sneak</strong>: An unnaturally thin creature dressed in dark-blue robes, face hidden in a hood. <em>‘Marvellous thief. Watch the silver.’</em> Event: The Sneak attempts to break into Lorenz’s workshop under the hall (Stealth 75%, Pick Lock 65%).</p><p><strong>Hanna Shygulla - The Gambler</strong>: A beautiful woman with a deck of cards.<em> ‘Careful. She plays for blood.’</em> Event: The Gambler invites one or more Characters to play cards (Gamble 65%, Sleight of Hand 55%). She only cheats if the Characters do.</p><h3>A Dish Fit for a Freak</h3><p>This should take place after midnight, but earlier if the party starts to flag or Players run out of things to do. Early on, find out where the Characters are positioned and keep track of them. Esther stays close to them.</p><p>Lorenz rings a bell to draw attention and invites his guests (and the Characters) to follow him, leading a procession out of the hall and up the tower to the fourth floor. Furniture has been cleared and a large table placed centrally, upon which something is covered with a crimson satin sheet. Lorenz stands beside it, smiling, and announces loudly:</p><blockquote><p>‘Ladies, Gentlemen, Creatures of the Night! I present to you this night’s… <em>Feast of Blood!</em>’</p></blockquote><p>Lorenz whips the sheet from the table to reveal the Giant Spider. It is on its back, legs spread wide and pinned down with large fencing staples. It is very still, but anyone looking closely senses it’s still alive. When Lorenz gently taps it with his trowel, it reacts suddenly, legs twitching, abdomen waggling. A few guests step back with a breathless gasp before overcoming their surprise.</p><blockquote><p>‘Now, who among you dares be the first to taste our fellow monster’s succulent juices?’</p></blockquote><p>Assuming none of the Characters feel the urge, the first to step forward is the Pig (see Sample Guests). Wriggling his fat fingers with ropes of drool dangling from his chin, the Pig comes close, sniffing the spider looking for a place to bite. With his trowel, Lorenz taps the point between abdomen and thorax:</p><blockquote><p>‘I suggest a soft spot. Here: the pedicel.’</p></blockquote><p>@UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} moves aside, allowing the Pig to take his bite and guests to observe. If the Characters have discovered both secret passages, they automatically notice Lorenz moving closer to one of them, but still observing the proceedings. If they only discovered one secret passage, then Lorenz is moving to the opposite side of the room.</p><p>If you want to build tension, have the Pig dither and drool until someone shouts, <em>‘Oh, just get on with it, Pig!</em>’ at which point he bends and sinks his vile fangs into the spider. </p><p>How you handle what happens next depends on your Players. If they are content to let you narrate the scene, describe how he sucks… and sucks… someone calls, <em>‘Save some for us!’</em>… and he sucks… then becomes stock still… before suddenly jerking upright… slowly turning to everyone assembled… his mouth opening… and thousands and thousands of Scarlet Spiders boil out…</p><p>For Players less inclined to be observers, when the Pig bites, the Giant Spider’s carapace breaks open with an abrupt crack! and the swarm of spiders erupts all over him.</p><p>In both scenarios, the impossibly large swarm spreads terrifyingly quickly towards the shocked crowd. Before anyone can move very far, the Spiders are on their bodies and in their clothing… and biting. And now, the screaming starts.</p><p>Hopefully, the Characters have kept their distance and won’t be the swarm’s immediate target. The question is, do they want to escape with @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} as fast as possible, or take a few monsters out before they go? Do they want to go after @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz}? If they haven’t discovered the escape routes and don’t spot Lorenz using one, they have to fight through a crowd of panicked monsters to flee down the stairs. </p><p>If the Characters have put themselves too close to the swarm, they may have to fight before escaping. If they decide to go after @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} and they are not already near him, ask one Player to roll some dice, with a 50-50 chance that part of the swarm gets in their way.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} is no fool and always wary, positioning himself for escape in case something unusual happens. He heads for an escape route as soon as the swarm erupts. If he is distant from the Characters, he catches their eye, winking at them (<strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test to notice). The Characters may have decided to stick to Lorenz like glue, in which case he grabs one of their arms and says, ‘<em>Quick! Follow me!’ </em>leading them to the nearest escape route, but always seeking to outpace them.</p><p>This escape scene can play out in many ways. Help the Players take the lead. Ideally, Lorenz should escape, but if the Characters end up fighting him, so be it. The Characters may have made friends with some of the guests and want to help them. If the Characters have planned a good escape, let them escape, though perhaps with an unexpected but manageable challenge (an attack by a pain-maddened but weakening Vampire, a partial collapse in the tunnels, a handful of spiders). They might flee down the stairs and into the garden, evading or fighting @UUID[Actor.CYwumgnl844Kxthq]{Scarecrows}. Someone is bound to think about stealing a carriage.</p><h3>Epilogue – Esther And The Spider baron</h3><p>If the Characters bring @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther} to the Emissary, they are asked if they wish to accompany her to the Baron. If they decline, the @UUID[Actor.rhsdZU4290OpswMl]{Emissary} notes, <em>‘We are in your debt.’</em> If they meet with the @UUID[Actor.43rivcaSiYMAEM1V]{Spider Baron}, he expresses his gratitude with two light-but-strong spider-silk ropes. Esther bids them a thankful farewell, but asks them to use their judgement in telling Tobias and the villagers what has happened.</p><h3>Epilogue – Hagedorn</h3><p>The folk of Hagedorn are shocked and fascinated by the Characters’ adventures, whatever they chose to tell them. They are saddened by @UUID[Actor.m91xjdJwrfHwdvqn]{Esther’s} loss, especially @UUID[Actor.mNbxGLTugTEqCRvq]{Tobias}. The Characters should realise (<strong>Average (+20) Intelligence</strong> Test) the villagers fear the woods too much to mount a crusade against the mutants, so they can feel free to tell them the truth about Esther. However, if a witch-hunter or fanatical priest learns of it all, well, that’s another adventure.</p><h3>Epilogue – Lorenz</h3><p>Shortly after the climactic events at Red Moss Tower, the Vampire @UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} reveals his survival to the Characters, albeit through a ragged one-armed @UUID[Actor.CYwumgnl844Kxthq]{Scarecrow}.</p><blockquote><p>(Laughing) ‘Stay your hands, my friends! I’ve no quarrel with you at all. You and your long-legged friends gave me more fun and excitement than I’ve had in a century! Oh, watching those tiresome fools and bores as they ran around like True Death was upon them! (Laughing again) I’ll be giggling about it for decades.</p><p>‘I’m going to travel for a while. If you want it, Red Moss Tower is yours. Tend the garden if you can. I may come back for it one day, but I doubt you’ll be around. Or maybe I’ll be back sooner. Who knows! Fare thee well, my cunning friends! Bloodless kisses to you all!’</p></blockquote><p>@UUID[Actor.pGcgDHnuCd7iMJVe]{Lorenz} stays to chat if the Characters engage him, but not too long. If they attack the Scarecrow, there’s a final laugh and the construct drops to the ground, just a bundle of old sticks and a pumpkin that rolls away before coming to rest. Grinning.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/giant-spider.webp\" width=\"561\" height=\"717\" /></div>"
				}
			}
		},
		"Patrons of the Old World": {
			"name": "Patrons of the Old World",
			"pages": {
				"Angela Hedamme - Hedgewise": {
					"name": "Angela Hedamme - Hedgewise",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/angela-hedamme.webp\" width=\"209\" height=\"345\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.1sqPAmETW0Iwfjuc]{Angela Hedamme}</p></div><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Self-Preservation.</p><p><strong>Short-Term Ambition</strong>: Find dispensable agents to act as her puppets.</p><p><strong>Long-Term Ambition</strong>: To place @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-rnhd.actors.CcqiAghkzgp9u1In]{Emmanuelle von Leibwitz} on the Imperial Throne.</p><p>Those who encounter her these days find it hard to put an age to the old leathery woman who was once known as Frau Hedamme, the Imperial midwife. The last time she was seen in her official position was while delivering the newborn @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-rnhd.actors.CcqiAghkzgp9u1In]{Emmanuelle von Liebwitz}, then heir to the throne of Wissenland. Thereafter, Hedamme disappeared without a trace. Rumours ran rife. It was speculated that she had run away and joined the Grand Carnival, or that an elaborate kidnapping had been conducted and demands for ransom would soon appear. Some claimed she had been quietly executed for sedition, while more imaginative sorts mused that she had been whisked away to teach the secrets of Imperial midwifery to the elves. Eventually, most accepted that she would never return, and Hedamme was officially proclaimed dead. Nobles struggled to outdo each other in heaping praise on the departed, and the Empire’s most respected midwife was mourned in a vast, overly flashy display of patriotism throughout the southern Empire’s cities and towns.</p><p>Angela Hedamme had been, for generations, the southern Empire’s truest confidante. Travelling between Nuln, Altdorf, and Averheim, she acted as the doktor and midwife to the royal families and the most powerful people in the Provinces. The nobles trusted her with all manner of issues, upsets, and grudges. She was an unflappable and  calming presence, as she guided new life into the world, ensuring the safe delivery and continuation of noble blood. Not one for politics, but certainly concerned with the wellbeing of her charges and the Empire at large, Angela used her access to whisper calming words:<em> ‘Maybe he doesn’t understand the insult she has caused. Invite her around for some of that Cathayan tea, and I’m sure with a short discussion you can solve this matter.’</em> More lives were saved by her crackly voice than the Imperial State Troops for decades.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Following The Bait</em></h3><p><em>If the Characters have played through <strong>Ubersreik Adventures: Bait and Witch</strong>, and they made a contact of @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-ua1.actors.sDo8xTHz9U3zop80]{Alexander Grün}, he can direct them to his former teacher — Frau Hedamme. Additionally, Angela Hedamme features in the adventure hook <strong>The Ties that Bind</strong> in <strong>Adventure Afoot in the Reikland</strong>, so Characters may hear of her through rumours when travelling around Grissenwald.</em></p></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-core/art/spot/spot-book.webp\" width=\"217\" height=\"264\" /></div><p>And then Angela disappeared. Search parties scoured the region, searching every hill and hamlet. Investigators at a loss even hired psychics, who most believed were charlatans, but even they came to a dead end and omitted defeat.  Some conspiracy theorists believed it was all a ruse, and that no one could seek to look for her… Except those she wanted to find her trail.</p><p>During her long decades as a physician and midwife, Hedamme hid a great secret: that she was one of the Hedgewise — keepers of the old knowledge from before the Empire — and that she was gifted with prophecy and arcane insight. She often used her talents to foretell the futures of the babies she delivered, and thus better guide them. One child, she would predict would become a warmonger, so she counselled them closely with patience. Another, she would predict would rise with a temper, so she would counsel restraint. And then she delivered Karl-Franz Holswig Schliestein — and she saw the End Times.</p><p>Her prophecy set in motion a search for something, anything, to save the Empire and the Old World at large. It inspired her to consider the unthinkable: to bring death to one of the infants she had so carefully brought into the world. The boy was growing strong, it was said, but still she secretly, shamefully prayed that some disease would take him, or some accident befall the lad.</p><p>Perhaps it was her desperation that drove her to find another prophecy that foresaw a solution to the End Times, or perhaps it was true vision. Regardless, it was when delivering the heir to the throne of Wissenland that Hedamme foresaw a path for the Empire that would subvert the end of all things. She held in her arms the infant @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-rnhd.actors.CcqiAghkzgp9u1In]{Emmanuelle von Liebwitz}, and knew that were she to take the throne, all would be well — for another generation at least.</p><p>Now, hiding in the shadows, and orchestrating her plots through unknowable means, the ageing Hedgewise is looking for agents who can move about in the open… and she has all manner of skills at her disposal to entice folk to her. Her grasp of old magics and modern healing leave her well placed to save the life of a wounded Character, the debt for which would be paid in services rendered rather than base gold. She also maintains some influence on the Empire’s authorities, mostly in the form of a wealth of blackmail material, and is more than willing to use it to pardon convicts, press-gang unwitting citizens, or otherwise strongarm or manipulate others into serving her ends.</p><h3>The High Circle of Grissenwald</h3><p>Deep in the bowels of Grissenwald stand a ring of monoliths — menhirs of dark black stone laced with veins of amethyst, jade, gold, and every colour of the Winds of Magic. The stones stand little more than 6-ft high, and the ring is less than 20-yd across, but it commands a feeling of wonder and awe from those who look upon it.</p><p>For countless generations, the High Circle of Grissenwald has been a meeting place between the ancient Belthani tribe of humans and the creatures of the forest — a moot of sorts — where ritualised combats, diplomacy, rites, and even feasts were shared. Though the Belthani are long gone, and the Beastmen’s supremacy in the shadow of the forest is paramount, some few of the Hedgefolk still maintain the old pacts, though fewer still are the Beastmen who honour them in kind.</p><p>Once such observance is the bond between @UUID[Actor.1sqPAmETW0Iwfjuc]{Angela Hedamme} and Pt-Rakh’ha Hornrend, Brayshaman of the Bloodbark Warherd. It is a rare occurrence that one is in attendance at the High Circle, and the other is not. And despite their undying enmity, they have orchestrated a tenuous agreement that has prevented all-out carnage from razing Reikland and Wissenland, and the Warherd between.</p><p>Beyond the Circle is a ramshackle warren of old campsites, many almost completely reclaimed by the wilds, but still peeking through the forest growth. Everywhere, signs of Beastmen can be seen — broken human-skin drums, animal skulls, trees daubed with obscure markings — though there is a level of reverence to the waste.</p><p>@UUID[JournalEntry.cUF8jry7qNszfz3j.JournalEntryPage.An587aUBrVt1WsFA]{Endeavour: Hedge School}</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-core/art/spot/spot-beastman-skull.webp\" width=\"228\" height=\"286\" /></div><section class=\"hook\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">Angela's Agenda</h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">The Foundling</h4><p>Angela wakes from a nightmare where she sees a small figure crawling alone in the woods, who turns into a wolf that devours the Chaos Moon. She instructs the Characters to head to the Drakwald and scout a series of pathways, looking for ‘An innocent abomination.’ The Characters must interpret this riddle, and return withthe once-human creature hey find they find there— likely a juveline Beastman, Mutant or worse.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Dishonourable Conduct </h4><p>Frau Hedamme has mustered a moot of Hedgefolk and Beastmen to decide the fate of an Imperial village recently founded in the Beastmen’s territory. Angela calls for honour among the gathered, but instructs the Characters to manufacture portents and signs favouring her pronouncement — that the village should remain where it is — despite this breaking the covenant of the Great Circle. If they are discovered, blood will most certainly flow. The Characters may find an unexpected ally among the Beastmen — Pt-Rakh’ha Hornrend. Pt-Rakh’ha has foreseen that the next baby born in the village will grow up to become a powerful Beastman leader who will gather the tribes to ravage the entire Reikland.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Bubble, Bubble</h4><p>Hedamme has received word of a disturbance in the waters of the Reik, not far south of Altdorf, and believes it may hint at an answer to an ancient riddle of hers. She requires the Characters to find a fishing boat, row out to the middle of the waters, and wait. Luckily, she was right: the disturbance is linked to her prophesied return of the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.actors.kt9ob9BdK6zLDWxn]{Fimir} in force. Unluckily, the return seems to begin in earnest when the Characters arrive…</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Would You Be A Deer? </h4><p>Shamans of the Amber Order have been hunting Angela for decades now, as she is a rogue wizard of not inconsiderable power, and many of the forest creatures pay her a degree of respect the wizards find unnerving. Recently, they have been closing in by masquerading as simple forest animals, strolling the woods for weeks or even months for a single spore. Angela is growing paranoid, and curses the Characters for failing to mention that they were followed to her camp by a stag. Will the Characters understand her urgency when they are suddenly attacked by a deer who turns into a savage magician?</p></section><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Prestige Adventure</em></h3><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Hickory, Oak, Pine And Weed</em></h3><p>Angela is dying. In truth, she has been for generationsâ€¦ But now, it is inescapable. Her job is not yet complete however, and she needs a few ingredients to finish one last ritual to set everything on the right course. She instructs the Characters to gather rare herbs and artefacts, as well as the binding magic of Shyish, Ghur, and Ghyran wizards, and bring them all to the High Circle on the night of the Witching Moon.</p><p>But Angela has not finished her tricks, and in truth, seeks to reincarnate her spirit into one of the Characters. If she trusts the Character enough, she may even be up front about thisâ€¦ But how will the host react to this desire?</p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Aftermath</em></h3><p><em>The ingredients needed to facilitate the body swap are intentionally left up to you to decide, so all manner of fall out could follow their acquisition. But the outcome with the greatest impact on the party is if one of the Characters replaces Angela Hedamme. Will they become an NPC, played by you as the GM? Or will they gain incredible power, and continue pursuing her quest to place @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-rnhd.actors.CcqiAghkzgp9u1In]{Emmanuelle von Liebwitz} upon the Imperial Throne?</em></p><p><em>Angela’s plans to place @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-rnhd.actors.CcqiAghkzgp9u1In]{Emmanuelle von Liebwitz} on the Imperial Throne are intricate, and may make for an interesting campaign. Broadly, she is aware that great forces are at play in the Empire, and that the machinations of a cult known as the Purple Hand are key to the future of the Empire. Should the cult succeed in their plans to somehow influence the Empire, she is certain they will bring about the End Times all the sooner. However, Angela hopes that by subverting the Purple Hand’s plans she can use their influence to set Emmanuelle on the throne, and thus nullify whatever abominable plans the cult has in mind. </em></p><p><em>Angela will attempt to convince the surviving Characters to support her plan. As they have served her well, she feels that they might continue to do so. If not, she is happy to let them on their way as payment for services rendered — though if they cross paths again she may not be so lenient.</em></p><p><em>If the Characters put a stop to Angela’s plan to steal one of their bodies and deny her a host, she will quickly die. With her dying breath, she will utter the last words of the spell that was meant to reincarnate her spirit  in her intended victim  (see the ritual above in <strong>Hickory, Oak, Pine and Weed</strong>). As the ritual was unfinished she will gain no power over their body, but for the following year she will appear to the Character at the most inopportune moments to badger them to continue with her plan — despite her death.</em></p></blockquote>"
				},
				"Farforian Whiteshore - Sapherian Ambassador": {
					"name": "Farforian Whiteshore - Sapherian Ambassador",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/farforian-whiteshore.webp\" width=\"132\" height=\"345\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.ur7Pv8q4FIh6LTh1]{Farforian Whiteshore}</p></div><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Retain the position of ambassador while delegating its tedious duties to others.</p><p><strong>Short-Term Ambition</strong>: Transcend my strict highborn upbringing to discover true pleasure.</p><p><strong>Long-Term Ambition</strong>: Unlock the secrets of magic that were denied to me by the Loremasters.</p><p>The Sapherian Embassy in Altdorf represents the distant High Elf kingdoms. One of Ulthuan’s ambassadors to the Empire is an eloquent, slightly built highborn Elf named Farforian Whiteshore. Farforian was groomed for the post at an early age, after being sent to the Tower of Hoeth in Saphery for education. The Order of Loremasters had deemed — without further explanation — that the young Elf ’s temperament was unsuitable for magical apprenticeship. Instead, Farforian’s father was told that his son showed promise as an envoy.</p><p>Loremaster Teclis’s new student was assigned to chaperone visiting dignitaries, so that he would be exposed to foreign languages and cultures. Farforian accepted the assignments without complaint. To ease Farforian’s disappointment, Teclis personally tutored him on the esoteric principles of leyline stewardship. In the months leading up to the Great War Against Chaos, Farforian accompanied Teclis to Altdorf, where he met Emperor Magnus the Pious. After the war, when Teclis helped Magnus to establish the Colleges of Magic, Farforian was appointed ambassador at the new Altdorf embassy.</p><p>More than 200 years later, Farforian remains in Altdorf as the only original member of the Ulthuan delegation. Whereas High Elf ambassadors who weary of living amongst Humans typically request discharges on the grounds of deteriorating mental health, Farforian’s pride and sense of duty have compelled him to stay. However, he is becoming increasingly aloof and complacent. Farforian contracts independent High Elves to carry important letters that he ought to deliver in person. He is pointedly welcoming to any High Elf that undertakes these tasks for him, even if his manner towards their non-Elf companions varies from dismissive to outright hostile.</p><p>Farforian’s fine frame and proud features are reinforced by his powerful, deep voice. The stoic ambassador provides mission instructions in formal Eltharin. When required to converse in foreign languages, Farforian speaks concisely with sophisticated vocabulary and near-perfect pronunciation. The ambassador wears his blond hair loose and immaculately groomed, and dresses in embroidered robes of fine Elven fabrics.</p><h3>Sapherian Embassy</h3><p>The @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-altdorf.journals.EmhvOkkzAir6pzCB.JournalEntryPage.vI5JjfDoKBO3LTl5]{Sapherian Embassy} can be found in Altdorf ’s University District on the north bank of the Reik. Its alabaster walls and white marble tower are unmistakable. Elf visitors are admitted directly to an ambassador, as are nobles and wizards of the lesser folk. High Elf Characters seeking employment are shown to Ambassador Whiteshore’s immaculate second-storey office. All but Elves must schedule appointments through a scribe, who reschedules several times before an ambassador is finally available to meet them.</p><p>Ambassador Whiteshore’s primary duty is relaying messages from Ulthuan to various High Elf agents that serve Loremaster Teclis, Phoenix King Finubar, and Archmage Anurion the Green of Saphery. Although High Elves are uncommon in smaller towns, most of the Empire’s cities are host to at least a handful of Asur residents. Some of these Elves are undercover agents maintaining the magical leyline network or monitoring Human wizards. Farforian has lost patience for diplomacy with Humans, so he delegates matters of Imperial politics to junior ambassadors.</p><p>Anurion the Green of Saphery is a reclusive gardener who never leaves Ulthuan. However, the embassy also represents Phoenix King Finubar, whose seat of power is in Lothern. King Finubar provides the embassy with a small contingent of well-drilled Sea Guards who are equally proficient with spear and bow. The Sea Guard are feared and respected in equal measure, and nominally they serve to deter attacks on the sleek Elven catamarans that come and go from the docks. However, a score always remain on land to provide security for the embassy.</p><p>Farforian rides with a personal bodyguard on those rare occasions when he delivers messages personally; usually he prefers to hire couriers. When he’s not working at the embassy, Farforian is either at his townhouse two blocks away, or at the Elf-owned New World Dinery on Asurstrasse. Characters might uncover Farforian’s dark side if they search his office and townhouse, or shadow him in the streets. See @UUID[.D9cSEtZ2CWP3D6iS#bloody-bargains]{Bloody Bargains} for details.</p><h3>Outsourcing</h3><p>It is commonly known among most Elves in the Reikland that Farforian makes use of High Elf couriers quite frequently — more than is proper for such presumably sensitive work. Any High Elf Character who inquires after this work will quickly be offered some of the deliveries below in quick succession. </p><p>Successful deliveries will lead to couriers being offered a ‘special mission’ that the Ambassador claims is of great importance to Ulthuan. During mission briefings, Farforian largely ignores the messenger’s non-Elven colleagues, though he may occasionally ask the messenger about them in an entirely condescending manner.</p><h3>Captain Ophelion and Sea Guard</h3><p>The embassy’s @UUID[Actor.lIDXu5QuQCM8jeVb]{Lothern Sea Guard} contingent numbers 120 warriors under command of @UUID[Actor.mOjef6NXbKq0frI3]{Captain Ophelion} and three sergeants. Two detachments of 50 marines serve aboard diplomatic vessels, leaving 20 for bodyguard duty at the embassy — Ulthuan’s ambassadors are prime targets for Dark Elf assassins. Captain Ophelion is personal bodyguard to Ambassador Whiteshore when he travels abroad. The captain distrusts Humans and believes that occasionally and discretely sacrificing them to Khaine is both necessary and a welcome diversion. However, Ophelion would be shocked to discover the full scope of Farforian’s corruption.</p><h3>Bloody Bargains</h3><p>This adventure is a surprise twist on Farforian’s ‘special missions’, and is designed by Farforian both to remove non-Elf Characters who have learned too much of him, and to indulge his terrible and secret desires. Elven pride can lead to corruption, and Farforian has secretly dedicated his body and soul to Slaanesh. In private and at the Slaaneshi rites he frequents, Farforian wears a dried mask fashioned from Human skin. As Farforian sees it this is a debasement of his refined Elven features, and he draws a terrible pleasure from the act — pleasure he dedicates wholeheartedly to Slaanesh. When wearing the mask he hears strange whispers and speaks with a different voice — signs, he is certain, of Slaanesh’s favour.</p><h4>A Votive Offering</h4><p>Farforian briefs the Characters on one final assignment, taking them deep into the wild woods of the Empire. Before they leave, he beckons aside any High Elf Characters and pointedly inquires once more on exactly how much their ‘servants’ — meaning any non-Elf Characters — know about Ulthuan’s affairs. Their response does not matter to him.</p><p>When the party eventually arrives wounded and tired at its destination, the Characters are surprised to find Farforian awaiting them with his bodyguard @UUID[Actor.mOjef6NXbKq0frI3]{Captain Ophelion}. Farforian explains to High Elves that Khaine requires a blood sacrifice to consecrate this sacred site, and that the delivery was a ruse meant to avoid any ‘rival religious elements’ from learning of it. Whichever non-Elf Farforian has taken the strongest dislike to is named as Khaine’s chosen sacrifice. Farforian looks to the High Elf Characters with a smile and gestures toward a wide flat stone behind him.</p><p>Although Khaine is an evil god in Human eyes, the Asur believe darkness is necessary to balance light. Farforian expects High Elven Characters to explain this principle to Khaine’s Chosen. Though their consent is not required, the ambassador honestly believes that any true High Elf will be able to convince a member of a ‘lesser’ species of the honour inherent in becoming such a sacrifice. </p><p>A conflict will likely ensue, during which Farforian implores High Elves to take his side. If the Characters are aware or suspect Farforian of chaotic corruption, they may be able to convince Captain Ophelion of this, though he will only listen to another High Elf. This will likely take a <strong>Difficult (-10) Charm</strong> Test opposed by the Captain’s <strong>Average (+20) Cool</strong> Test. Ophelion does not want to believe that past victims were in fact sacrificed to Slaanesh. Farforian flees if any High Elves turn against him.</p><p>@UUID[JournalEntry.cUF8jry7qNszfz3j.JournalEntryPage.E1ZwPJl6lWnclIVY]{Endeavour: Only the Best}</p><section class=\"hook\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title\">Whiteshore's Work</h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Deliveries</h4><p>Ambassador Whiteshore pays High Elves quadruple the going rate for couriers (15 shillings a week, or 1/10 per day), and offers half that rate for ‘lesser’ folk if for some reason he is forced to deal with them. Messengers are given a waterproof scroll case containing a sealed letter. You may choose where the destination is for each of the deliveries below, tailoring these to fit in with the group’s other activities, or you may use these as a springboard for further adventures.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Dwarf Diplomacy</h4><p>Loremaster Teclis wants permission from a Dwarf king to repair an ancient stone circle near his hold. After reading the letter, the Dwarf king bluntly tells the messenger that no Elven sorcery will be tolerated in his domain. If a Dwarf Character accompanies the messenger and makes a convincing case, the king might change his mind. Otherwise, the messenger is sent back to Altdorf with an insulting reply for Teclis, and in the coming years the weakening waystones draw ill fortune to the region.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Naggaroth Intrigue</h4><p>The Order of Loremasters is aware that a Dark Elf assassin has been dispatched to kill one of their agents involved in the surveillance of the Empire’s wizards, Illissia Waysworn. The Order does not wish to expose their agent by informing Human authorities, and so has urged Ambassador Whiteshore to deliver a warning to Illissia. However, the messengers arrive too late. The Sapherian agent has already been captured, and is now bound and gagged for interrogation in her own kitchen. The Dark Elf assassin answers her door posing as the letter’s intended recipient and is very curious to learn all she can from the Characters.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Gift Of Flowers</h4><p>Archmage Anurion the Green needs a pot of flowers delivered to one of his agents in the Empire. The Characters are given strict instructions for handling and watering, and indeed the flowers seem to wilt and shrivel somewhat if these instructions are deviated from in the slightest way. Those with Second Sight can tell that the flower is imbued heavily with the Jade Wind. Upon receiving the flowers the Sapherian agent immediately dumps the pot and recovers a gem from the spilled soil, cheerfully informing the Characters that trapped inside the gem is a Pink Horror of Tzeentch. The daemon is to be used by the Temple of Sigmar in the training of witch hunters, and it has overheard everything the Characters said on their journey.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Royal Summons</h4><p>Whiteshore dispatches the Characters to deliver a letter from Phoenix King Finubar recalling one of his agents, Ellator Gulnamer. The High Elf advisor wishes to return home but his Human noble patron, a minor but influential baron, insists on retaining Gulnamer’s services. The messengers find themselves drawn into the dispute on behalf of the embassy, as King Finubar’s letter names ‘the one bearing this missive’ as being empowered to mediate any dispute. </p><p>Negotiations become heated when Gulnamer casually mentions the many scandalous behaviours his patron has engaged in, while the noble responds by accusing Gulnamer of espionage. Both of these accusations are true. If Gulnamer escapes, he accompanies the Characters back to Altdorf.</p></section><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>High Elven Moral Authority</em></h3><p><em>High Elves are a proud elder Species and one of the first creations of the Old Ones. In that age, before the Old Ones fled the coming of Chaos, the High Elf empire spanned every continent of the world that their masters had created. However, successive wars against Chaos Daemons, Dark Elves, and Dwarfs forced the Phoenix Kings to cede most of their overseas colonies. High Elves now control only a handful of scattered outposts beyond Ulthuan’s shores.</em></p><p><em>When Human tribes settled amongst the ruins of Ulthuan’s former colonies, they were regarded as a lesser Species by High Elves. Human civilization was primitive by comparison, and the Humans’ shorter lifespans limited vocational mastery. Although Human civilisation has progressed rapidly over the later millennia, the Species’ anatomy and culture are still considered inferior. High Elves do not believe Human minds capable of understanding principles of global stewardship or wielding truly powerful magic.</em></p><p><em>As the High Elves fight stoically in defence of a crumbling empire, some of their leaders have conceded that ascent of human civilisation is inevitable — as typified by the enduring power and influence of nations such as The Empire, Brettonia, and Imperial Cathay.  Other Elves refuse to acknowledge that the Asur’s fate is dependent upon such brutish allies — seeing them as little more than a useful, temporary bulwark they against Chaos incursions.</em></p><p><em>Partnerships between Humans and Elves are seldom equal, because the High Elves’ penchant for excellence confers implicit moral superiority. The public facade presented by Ambassador Whiteshore is unusual only in so far as High Elven diplomats are usually better mannered when educating Humans about the innate limitations of their kind.</em></p><p> </p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Prestige Adventures</em></h3><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>More Than We Bargained For</em></h3><p>These quests involve journeying to remote locations for arcane or esoteric purposes. The ambassador entrusts these special missions to those who have completed at least two of the deliveries from @UUID[.D9cSEtZ2CWP3D6iS#whiteshores-work]{Whiteshore's Work}. Unusually for Whiteshore, he recommends to any High Elf that they bring at least a few of the ‘lesser’ species along with them for these assignments. If asked why, he quite openly suggests that they be thrown into any dangerous situations that might arise. He explains that this is both to protect the High Elf Character and to dispose of any non-Elves who’ve learned a little too much about Ulthuan’s sensitive foreign affairs. It is also to test the loyalty of any Elves Whiteshore wishes to work more closely with, though he will not explain this.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>Leyline Maintenance</em></h4><p>A disruption in the Empire’s leyline network is causing dark magic to gather in the forest around an ancient waystone. Beastmen are already migrating to the scent of wild Chaos. High Elf Characters are given a map to the site, along with a diagram of arcane Elven runes. Characters must locate the waystone and inspect it for signs of desecration, then document their findings and report back to Whiteshore. The Embassy will dispatch a High Elf mage to perform a simple restoration ritual on the runes. A Character with the Language (Magic) skill can be shown how to do this, but of course the Embassy will insist that only a High Elf mage could possibly be trusted to do so. The runes were accidentally desecrated by a local human Hedgewise who has been attempting to decipher them. The Characters can convince the Hedgewise to leave well enough alone, especially if they point out the increased Beastman activity. However, if they inform Whiteshore of her activities they will be tasked with killing the curious wisewoman. If they refuse, an assassin will be sent in their stead.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>Exotic Plant Gathering</em></h4><p>Anurion the Green requires a plant that only grows in a remote region of the Old World — Songmoss from the Middle Mountains, Glowkelp from Estalian seacaves, or the last gnawed sprigs of Frostroot from the Ogre Kingdoms. Characters are provided with a detailed drawing of the plant, and a clay pot for transporting the specimen back to Altdorf in its native soil. Anurion intends to magically replicate the plant before it becomes extinct. In ages past, the plant’s extracts were consumed to improve mental and physical health, but nobody except Anurion is aware of the plant’s medicinal potential. The Characters will have to contend with giant insects and hostile flora in the untamed wilderness. The plant possesses such potent healing powers that even handling it will swiftly heal the wounds they suffer at the hands of these threats. Without Anurion’s care the plant will quickly perish, but if the Characters hand it over it is certain to never be seen in the Old World again.</p><h3 style=\"font-style:normal;text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Aftermath</h3><p>In Altdorf, Farforian belongs to the sordid Cult of the Exquisite Corpse. He joined the inner circle wearing a mask of human skin, in a twisted persona of his own creation he calls Mamil the Maleficer. Cultists do not realise the mysterious figure is an Elf, let alone an ambassador. Exposing Farforian as a Chaos cultist earns the Characters an audience with Teclis, who happens to be visiting Altdorf. Teclis rewards the heroes, asks them to debrief him, and possibly offers the vacant embassy position to a capable (and discreet) High Elf.</p><p>If the Characters allow the sacrifice to go ahead then Farforian rewards the High Elf Characters with a permanent position on his staff and other Characters with a promise that they may be similarly honoured in the very near future. The positions he offers have few duties, but serve as a way to keep the Characters in the ambassador’s orbit while he attempts to entice them to join him in worshipping Slaanesh. Such an outcome would be disastrous for Human-High Elf relations, and almost certainly lead to the impolitic purging of the embassy by witch hunters and all the political fallout that would ensue from such an act.</p></blockquote>"
				},
				"Patrons of the Old World": {
					"name": "Patrons of the Old World",
					"text": "<p>The Old World is awash with stories of heroism and larger-than-life figures of daring and renown. From the legendary Sigmar Heldenhammer and his companions, to the romantic tales of Geneviève Dieudonné and Detlef Sierck, every man, woman, and child in the Empire can recall the names of countless paragons of legend. But the truth of these people is often far murkier than the tales would have you believe.</p><p><strong>Patrons of the Old World</strong> presents eight powerful NPCs for GMs to introduce into their campaigns, as mentors, sources of information and adventure, and perhaps even antagonists if the Characters make a mess of things. Each NPC comes with a full background, statistics to use in play, a unique location where they can be found, and a host of adventure hooks to lead the Characters to them, and for them to lead the Characters towards.</p><p>In addition to the adventure hooks, each patron comes with a short stub that can be expanded into a full, multi-session adventure, once the Characters have proven their worth. Completing these Prestige Adventures grants the Characters access to greater resources, knowledge, and allies — a whole campaign could be constructed around them, if you wish.</p><h3>How Shall I Use This?</h3><p>There are a number of ways to use this book: as a selection of NPCs to interact with your Characters, as sometime patrons and givers of adventure hooks, as informants for the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.0EF53KOVgme173EO]{Consult an Expert} Endeavour, or as seeds for entire campaigns. GMs may wish to utilise the rules for @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.sLomXnc8R8518cWN.JournalEntryPage.oRi9uwMS1O9Ol6Hx#henchmen]{Favours} as rewards for accomplishing the various tasks the patrons have for the Characters.</p><h3>Endeavours</h3><p>Each of these Characters has a special Endeavour that Characters may take advantage of during the Between Adventures phase of a game. In some cases you must earn the NPC’s trust before this option is available, while in others it is enough simply to know how to find the NPC.</p><h3>Ubers… Where?</h3><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-core/art/spot/spot-candle.webp\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /></div><p>Each patron presented here comes with a signature location where they live and work from, and where your Characters are most likely to interact with them. Whilst these locations are presented in the context of the Old World — in Altdorf, or Nuln, or what have you — they can easily be transplanted to any area of the Old World you need.</p><p>Alternatively, you may wish to leave these patrons exactly where they are described, giving your Characters reasons to travel the world to find the NPCs they need to complete their own goals. Journeying to find masters, mentors, and patrons like this is a common trope throughout many epic stories, and it fits very well into Warhammer campaigns.</p>"
				},
				"Wilhelm von Vaulk - Professor of Magic, History, and Warfare": {
					"name": "Wilhelm von Vaulk - Professor of Magic, History, and Warfare",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/wilhelm-von-vaulk.webp\" width=\"210\" height=\"319\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.5NJmW5K25aYsEv1B]{Wilhelm von Vaulk}</p></div><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: The Greater Good.</p><p><strong>Short-Term Ambition</strong>: Find a cohort of capable allies by rigorously testing them.</p><p><strong>Long-Term Ambition</strong>: Reverse the ritual that turned him into a Null.</p><p>Wilhelm’s upbringing was rather uneventful. In fact, it was so curiously uneventful, that it was only in the wake of a passing Shadowmancer, that the truth was revealed: the young Wilhelm was a prodigy of Ulgu, and his life was anything but ordinary, though shrouded always in illusion. The young noble boy was taken to Altdorf, and inducted into the care of the Grey Order, where he rose meteorically. His keen wit, affable personality, and compassion for the folk of all stations, made him firm friends with everyone. Further, his impressive skill with magic brought him to the attention of the Grey Order’s Battle Wizards.</p><p>By his mid 30s, Wilhelm was a full-fledged Battle Wizard.  He was routinely attached to Reikland State Troop divisions, to aid on the battlefield as well as an advisor to the Marshalls. Often, he shined in unseen ways — uncovering plots beneath the veneer of a conflict. Where others might see an unprovoked attack from the Bretonnians, Wilhelm knew it was Skaven manipulation. Where folk would wonder at the sudden ferocity of a season of Beastmen raids, Wilhelm would uncover the workings of an insidious cult.</p><p>However, not always was Wilhelm’s wit, charm, and propensity to be appreciated. Under the command of a particularly stubborn-minded officer on campaign in the Border Princes a decade ago, Von Vaulk identified an ambush site watched over by a cabal of Greenskin Shamans. Wilhelm warned his detachment, but the orders to march through the embattled pass were given, regardless. In the ensuing massacre, Wilhelm was forced to do battle against the Greenskins’ combined might and their terrible Waaaagh! magics. Though his talents won through, the sheer devastation of the magic they unleashed left him twisted and broken, and resulted in the spark of magic being burned from his soul.</p><p>Now, years later, jaded, defeated, and increasingly frustrated with his students’ arrogance, Wilhelm teaches in the school of magic at the University of Altdorf. He teaches the theoretical understanding of magic, as well as military tactics and history, to classrooms full of young, bored students. But Wilhelm’s mind hasn’t been left idle, and his enquiring eyes are still busy identifying threats to the Empire. He just needs someone else to wield the sword.</p><p>Wilhelm is balding, and wrinkled well beyond his years. What little hair he has left is far outmatched by his massive scraggly beard. He wears worn, loose shirts and trousers over his once-youthful frame that has turned to fat in his current state. As a result of his encounter with wild Orcish magic he is paralysed from the waist down. He requires the use of a wheelchair to move around, which has left him with brawny arms, and legs that are wasting away.</p><h3>The Fifth Angle</h3><p><em>The Fifth Angle</em> is a seedy drinking hole, tucked into a back alley between a pawnbroker and a broker of ‘indecent portraiture,’ a handful of streets away from the University of Altdorf. The front is nondescript, looking no different from any of the slightly-dilapidated buildings in the area, except for the clock face daubed on the door in a fine grey paint (though whoever painted it has done a poor job, for the hour hand faces to the floor and the number ‘V’ instead of ‘VI’).</p><p>Beyond the shabby exterior is a small taproom of a half-dozen tables, a well-appointed, if ale-stained bar with a fine selection of Bretonnian wines, Albionese whiskeys, and Kislevite vodkas, and a hearth that is seldom lit against the cold. The tables are usually taken by the same small handful of regulars — mostly university students of the landlord, Wilhelm von Vaulk — who spend more time arguing points of discussion from their classes than drinking. The bar is worked by a pretty young woman named Kaitlin Grau, who the regulars call ‘Mein Gräulein’.</p><p>Beyond the taproom is a halfway leading to two private drinking booths, a kitchen, and a staircase going up and down one floor each. The basement contains a privy and a cellar, with little else of value, and the upper floor contains two bedrooms, one for Wilhelm and the other for Kaitlin, who also acts as Wilhelm’s carer, when necessary.</p><p>@UUID[JournalEntry.cUF8jry7qNszfz3j.JournalEntryPage.vxFH6rghVNLgz0iF]{Endeavour: The Null Hypothesis}</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>A Well-Connected Lohner</em></h3><p><em>@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-starter-set.actors.k7qn4SFIygpbL5GS]{Franz Lohner} is a well-connected figure in Ubersreik, and at the centre of a number of plots already detailed in @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-starter-set.journals.TSyoR9nSk7cehypG.JournalEntryPage.ddQoNatt6T4Fd2ZY]{The Starter Set}. Any of the adventure hooks provided across those books will work well for what Franz needs, or alternately, any other issue in the city of Ubersreik could suffice with a little tweaking. Lohner presents a good opportunity for a lower-level patron, in addition to @UUID[Actor.5NJmW5K25aYsEv1B]{Wilhelm von Vaulk}, for GMs who want to create a whole campaign surrounding these patrons.</em></p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>The Cabal</em></h3><p><em>The Cabal are an insidious cult, working inside the Colleges of Magic, attempting to go beyond the strictures laid down by Teclis at their founding. Though most of the Cabalites were forced to flee when their leader, Egrimm van Horstmann, was discovered, some sleeper agents remain as a terrible thorn in the side of the Empire. More on the Cabal and their machinations can be found in @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-ua1.journals.AonLHi09EgfzdXpF]{Ubersreik Adventures: Heart of Glass}.</em></p></blockquote><section class=\"hook\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">Wilhelm's Wants </h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">A Franz In Need</h4><p>An old contact of Wilhelm’s is in trouble, and has requested help. @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-starter-set.actors.k7qn4SFIygpbL5GS]{Franz Lohner}, proprietor of @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-starter-set.journals.TSyoR9nSk7cehypG.JournalEntryPage.ddQoNatt6T4Fd2ZY]{The Red Moon} Inn in @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.ozE2DMCMK64eE5pD.JournalEntryPage.icaZcokQLawViHCq]{Ubersreik}, wasn’t particularly forthcoming with the details, but is adamant that Wilhelm sends assistance immediately. Von Vaulk trusts Lohner, and trusts that if he’s being vague and urgent in his letters, that something is seriously wrong… But what’s more, Wilhelm believes Franz may have a lead on his quarry in the Border Princes.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Better Off Read</h4><p>Book burnings aren’t too common in @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.ozE2DMCMK64eE5pD.JournalEntryPage.V6tkgQ9A2skppjyl]{Altdorf}, but they do occur, usually at the hands of zealous witch hunters, or fiery-tempered Sigmarites. Priests at the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-altdorf.journals.EmhvOkkzAir6pzCB.JournalEntryPage.KqKtDY3LmZnH9qmn]{Temple-Library of Verena} frown on the acts, hating the destruction of knowledge — even if profane — that the firebrands bring. But some, including Wilhelm, go a step further… Von Vaulk gets word through his back channels that a copy of The Loathsome Ratmen and All Their Vile Kin by Wilhelm Leiber has been discovered, its owner burned, and the tome soon to follow. Von Vaulk wants it swapped with another common book — right under the noses of the witch hunters.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">An Antiques Old Show</h4><p>After warming to the Characters somewhat, Wilhelm makes a strange request: he asks them all to accompany him to a travelling antiques fair just outside the walls of Altdorf. He asks the Characters to carry his many purchases, help him push his chair across the uneven ground, and stand in for him during the many auctions. He also uses the opportunity to have the Characters cause distractions, and purloin some of the rarer items themselves… and when ancient things are woken from ancient treasures, the Characters will be forced to lend their fighting prowess, as well.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">And Then They Came For Me</h4><p>Wilhelm recounts how, many years ago, he was threatened by a small band of fellow Journeyman Wizards that, if he didn’t join them in reaching his ‘full potential’, they would strip him of the ‘privilege of magick’. At the time, he thought little of it, but in the years since, and the unpleasantness with the Cabalites, Wilhelm believes his current affliction is tied in some way to that terrible cancer at the heart of the Colleges of Magic. Most of those who once threatened him fled when the strife began… but one remains — a Wizard Lord of the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-wom.journals.kLTWtoz5d7Yt2zAJ.JournalEntryPage.dihqDvIvwBXxpeEk]{Gold Order}, Ephemeretta Ruse — and Wilhelm would like a word with her.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Fork On The Left, Fungus On The Right</h4><p>Kaiserplates, one of the finest eateries in all of @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.ozE2DMCMK64eE5pD.JournalEntryPage.V6tkgQ9A2skppjyl]{Altdorf}, and modelled to look like the grand Kaiserplatz, is playing host to a rather important birthday celebration: Verspasian Kant, Magister Patriarch of the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-wom.journals.4hwftTG3PqNnmUfK.JournalEntryPage.0MtSLv765P1xRJIn]{Order of Light}. Wilhelm, an old friend of the Patriarch, has an invitation, and has decided to bring the Characters along as his aides… or so he tells the door staff. In truth, the Characters are there to investigate a lead Von Vaulk has uncovered. Someone has smuggled Snotlings into the city, and is using Kaiserplates to hold them. Wilhelm wants to know why and how, but most importantly, if they have anything to do with his time in the Border Princes.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/misc/spot-skull.webp\" width=\"214\" height=\"237\" /></div></section><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Prestige Adventure</em></h3><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>One Grudge Settles Another</em></h3><p>Through contacts and friends, Wilhelm has located the shaman who he believes holds the secret to returning his magical spark: Knasher Broken-Tooth, an Orc fanatic in the service of Gorfang Rotgut, Warlord of the Black Crag. Wilhelm knows an assault, even an infiltration, of the Black Crag will be impossible without allies. He has used his cunning to convince King Kazador Thunderhorn, the disgraced ruler of Karak Azul — the hold now known as the Black Crag — to send an expedition, with the Characters and himself attached. But Wilhelm knows, once inside, they are to abandon their Dwarf allies and hunt down the shaman, all whilst navigating Wilhelm’s wheelchair through the despoiled Dwarfhold.</p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Aftermath</em></h3><p><em>Successfully restoring Wilhelm’s magical abilities will grant the Characters an incredibly powerful Grey Wizard Lord ally, but will also result in some political issues, for technically Wilhelm had his license revoked when he became a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.K9Dupwm2Yq4NyQRD]{Null}. This could lead to additional adventures and political turmoil for the Characters, as they are now affiliated with a rogue magic user. Additionally, Wilhelm’s broken oath to King Kazador could land the Characters in the middle of a very dangerous situation.</em></p><p><em>If the Characters also help King Kazador, and aid him in liberating Karak Azul, it would dramatically change the political situation in the Border Princes. The Characters would likely be named ‘Dwarf Friends’, and find themselves with a very wealthy and powerful patron.</em></p></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/town.webp\" /></div>"
				},
				"Nayadaryn 'Bonemonger' Frostweald - Blackmarketeer": {
					"name": "Nayadaryn 'Bonemonger' Frostweald - Blackmarketeer",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/nayadaryn-frostweald.webp\" width=\"253\" height=\"358\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.d9FUheCGnXy2Mx8o]{Nayadaryn ‘Bonemonger’ Frostweald}</p></div><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Revenge.</p><p><strong>Short-Term Ambition</strong>: Reclaim more Eonir artefacts.</p><p><strong>Long-Term Ambition</strong>: The return of Elthin Arvan — the Old World — to Elven hands.</p><p>Nayadaryn was born the scion of a noble line in a tiny community of Eonir on the edge of the Laurelorn Forest, who had for millennia guarded ancient Elven artefacts of unknown purpose. However, a forest fire early in Nayadaryn’s life forced them to flee her homeland, and devastated her family, leading to their eventual ‘adoption’ as an oddity into the von Brachen family of Middenland. Here, Nayadaryn was treated poorly, and longed for escape, often hiding in the castle walls or skulking on rooftops. </p><p>It was many years later, when attempting to hide from their foster father, Heinrich von Brachen, that Nayadaryn stumbled upon a secret treasury filled with the artefacts from her homeland. After interrogating von Brachen, they discovered that he was responsible for the forest fire. Nayadaryn stole back the treasures and burned the castle to the ground, with what remained of the von Brachen family within. This began a crime spree that lasted almost a century. Nayadaryn relentlessly searched for stolen Elven artefacts across the Old World, and mercilessly reclaimed them for their kinfolk. However, Nayadaryn’s spree came to an end when they discovered two key truths: the trade in Elven artefacts is far more widespread and insidious than they initially expected, and it is far safer to hire expendable outsiders to steal the artefacts.</p><p>Nayadaryn worked tirelessly to build a black market empire with themself at its centre, issuing bounties on stolen treasures wherever they cropped up. Nayadaryn’s libraries have grown extensively over the years, and are invaluable in tracking down any mention of the missing artefacts. The agents in their network are ruthless, and all know the terrible price for going back on a deal with Nayadaryn. The treasury of recovered bone-white Elven wonders is marvellous to behold.</p><p>Due to Nayadaryn’s ruthlessness, and the bone-white nature of most Elven wonders, their Human contemporaries dubbed them the ‘Bonemonger’, a title they wear proudly. Anyone who questions their lineage is sharply reminded that the Frostweald family belonged to the original Cityborn (Toriour) kindred from Kor Immarmor in the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.Qz6noKBmpHuoVvlU]{Laurelorn}. </p><p>Nayadaryn is a tall, well-muscled Wood Elf with auburn skin. They wear their hair long, secured with a ceremonial @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.Qz6noKBmpHuoVvlU.JournalEntryPage.dXGX0h4SIehcklix]{Eonir} diadem and careful weaves. They often go bare-armed when meeting with clients, employees, and purveyors, to show off a criss-crossing web of ritual scars that overlap the burn marks from their childhood. </p><p>When fully robed they wear fashionable clothes made by the finest @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.Qz6noKBmpHuoVvlU.JournalEntryPage.dXGX0h4SIehcklix]{Eonir} tailors, and Nayadaryn’s home is decorated with the opulence befitting a crime lord of their station and renown. However, this garishness is often looked down on by other Eonir, who sometimes whisper behind their back how living with Humans has twisted Nayadaryn’s view of the world. Whether right or wrong, they cannot deny the single-minded ferocity with which the Bonemonger pursues their goals.</p><h3>The Vale of Memories</h3><p>Deep within the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.Qz6noKBmpHuoVvlU]{Laurelorn} — a forest known for its hidden glades and shadowed gullies — is a vale trapped in an almost impenetrable gloom, as if twilight was unending. Here, paths bend back on one another, and time flows curiously, as it is often said that one might turn around a bend, only to see oneself in the distance making a similar turn. Nayadaryn has learned how to navigate the Vale of Memories and use its magic to communicate with their many operatives from afar.</p><p>Spread throughout many folkloric tales — and some say, the origin of the Bretonnian concept of déjà vu — the Vale of Memories was once a mass grave for Elves who fell nearing the end of the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.Qz6noKBmpHuoVvlU.JournalEntryPage.GiqyZQQdCAg8phdk#war-of-the-beard]{War of the Beard}. The Elves, on the retreat, placed a spell over the countless fallen soldiers, that their bodies would not rot, nor their minds wander into death, until the Elves came back to reclaim them and bring them home to Ulthuan. However, in the eons since, the earth has covered over the deathless Elves, and trees have grown through and over them. Now, the whole place is haunted with the dreams of the fallen on the edge of death.</p><p>The Vale of Memories is an oft-sought-out place for knowledge of the past, for those left underneath the earth dream of things they remembered in life: old Elven cities, ancient deals with early humans, and terrible atrocities during the Sundering and the War of Vengeance. For those who are willing to risk their sanity, the Vale of Memories offers much, though one soon finds their dreams are not only their own. </p><p>Within the Vale are few buildings, and only a single community, dedicated to Ladrielle, Lileath, and Morai-heg. These Eonir, the Cairnfolk, attempt to carve statues of the dreams given to them by the slumbering soldiers, hoping to piece together a true and complete timeline of the Old World before the War of the Beard. However, they are, almost to a one, irrevocably mad. Among their number, and under their hospitality, Nayadaryn Bonemonger often meditates. Among the Cairns, the Bonemonger has found the ability to visit the dreams of their operatives, to communicate across long distances, and to give guidance and orders in the field.</p><p>For more on the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.Qz6noKBmpHuoVvlU]{Laurelorn}, see <strong>Archives of the Empire: Volume I.</strong></p><section class=\"hook\"><h3 class=\"no-toc\">Nayadaryn's Needs</h3><h4 class=\"no-toc\">Trinkets &amp; Baubles</h4><p>The Bonemonger has tracked down an exporter of Eonir artefacts, based out of Salzenmund in Nordland. Whilst well within their reach, Nayadaryn wants to test the mettle of the Characters, about whom she has heard favourable or at least dramatic tidings. They are to put an end to this illegal trade, and make sure no one else in Salzenmund ever takes up that mantle.</p><h4 class=\"no-toc\">The Hero Of Kronven</h4><p>Elasil Brichtorn was a Wood Elf Waywatcher who pursued a Beastmen herd all the way to the Nordlander village of Kronven. Heedless of the panicked humans who were in the process of being slaughtered, Elasil slew two dozen beastmen before a Gor axe fellled her. The Nordlanders slew the remaining beastmen and buried Elasil beneath a great Oak at the centre of the village, honouring their ‘saviour’ as best they knew how. Unfortunately Elasil was buried with an Ulthuan Songstone, and the Bonemonger wants it back. Can the Characters explain why they must disturb the rest of the village’s hero?</p><h4 class=\"no-toc\">Hey, Auntie</h4><p>Nayadaryn has a message to send to an estranged relative — their aunt, Ramorarha Bloomheart, an ambassador in Middenheim to the Elector Count. She believes Bloomheart is complicit in the illegal trade of Elven goods for increased political favour among the Todbringer court, and wishes the Characters to remind her that Eonir treasures belong in Eonir hands. Bloomheart is well connected, and well loved at court — getting to her will be difficult. But the message must be delivered, and the Bonemonger will pay well for anyone who can do so without Elven blood being shed.</p><h4 class=\"no-toc\">The Writing On The Wall</h4><p>Nayadaryn gets word of a beautifully decorated castle in Parravon, Bretonnia, which has reportedly been painted by an Asrai prisoner — the young artist, Gawenoth Fastwind. Though not Eonir, the Bonemonger cannot let this slight go, and tasks the Characters with infiltrating the castle, freeing the Elven artist, and destroying the symbols of enslavement that the Bretonnians forced from her hands. Happy to be rescued, Gawenoth begs the Characters not to destroy the work. If they fail to do so, the Bonemonger will not be pleased.</p></section><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Prestige Adventure</em></h3><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>The Chamber Unbreachable</em></h3><p>Deep beneath the College of Light in Altdorf is a chamber only ever whispered of, and known to a mere handful. The Chamber Unbreachable is guarded by magical wards of untold power, and physical defences that rival the Emperor’s Palace. It is, in essence, the most secure place in the Old World, and as such is used to house the most terrifying arcane objects — many placed there by the Loremaster Teclis himself. The Bonemonger has tracked an ancient heirloom from before the Sundering of their people, which is kept under guard there. Nadaryn needs the Characters to do the impossible: liberate it. </p><p>The Characters’ Altdorf contact is an Eonir spy named Melindar Greyweave, who has monitored the Colleges of Magic since they were founded. Melindar has learned to cast spells in the most dangerous way possible — by observing humans haplessly doing so for two centuries. This has come at the cost of her sanity. Nayadaryn knows that something is wrong with Melindar, and they find the spy’s ramblings unsettling. Nevertheless, Melindar is the only Eonir who’s observed the arcane gestures required to bypass the Hierophants’ magical wards. The Characters can find Melindar clothed in rags, scavenging for food in an elm park near the Elf Quarter.</p><p>There are endless wards, guards, entrapped abominations and unutterable curses guarding the Chamber Unbreachable, and no attempt to breach it should be made carelessly. Characters will have to gather as much information as they possibly can, and perhaps even infiltrate the ranks of the College’s staff well in advance of the actual heist.</p><h3 style=\"font-style:normal;text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Aftermath</h3><p style=\"font-style:normal\">The nature of the artefact is intentionally left vague, and could spell all manner of doom or social change in the Old World. Perhaps it is a relic of such ancient antiquity that it was forged in a time when the dragons were young, before the coming of Chaos. Perhaps it is linked to the spirit of Be’lakor, the first Daemon Prince! Or perhaps it is a mere trinket, that holds some personal value to Nayadaryn. Some suggestions can be found in ‘What’s in the box?’.</p><p style=\"font-style:normal\">Whatever the artefact is, if word gets out that there is a way into the Chamber Unbreachable, all manner of Chaos cultists will be looking for the Characters, and they will have earned themselves the undying ire of the Colleges of Magic. </p><p style=\"font-style:normal\">The Characters might be tempted to fence their stolen prize to a higher bidder on Altdorf ’s black market — this will doubtless draw more attention and potential danger than the Bonemonger’s wrath alone.</p></blockquote><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Elven Treasures</em></h3><p><em>Many items of Eonir construction have magic woven into their very natures. The following two Item Qualities can be added to any suitable Trapping to create a magical Eonir Equivalent. </em></p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>Spiderborn (40 to 80)</em></h4><p><em>The Eonir weave spells and the fell intelligences of spiders into some of their most potent weapons, enabling them to shackle their opponents with spreading webs. Attacks with a Spiderborn Weapon count as having the Web (Rating) Creature Trait, and count as Magical, meaning they can harm creatures only susceptible to magical attacks. </em></p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>Warded (7+ to 9+)</em></h4><p><em>The Eonir are ever focused on defence and avoiding harm, and have developed countless warding spells and charms to weave into armour. Whilst wearing this Armour, the wearer counts as having the Ward (Rating) Creature Trait.</em></p></blockquote><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Relics Better Left Lost</em></h3><p><em>Before the Sundering and the sinking of a huge portion of Ulthuan into the sea, the Elven grasp of magic was arguably at its zenith. Ever after, the taint of Chaos would lie upon the world, and all magic would be coloured by it — not to mention the Elven civilisation itself being much diminished by these events. </em></p><p><em>A few options for what might be in the vault are below. The existence of these items is rumoured at best — whispered dreams half-witnessed by Nayadaryn. But if they are real, the repercussions for the Old World, and your campaign, might be vast.</em></p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>A Plain Brass Ring</em></h4><p><em>Long ago, Herkarti forged eight rings for the god Khaine, each imbued with a single Wind of Magic. Lost and thrown into the mortal world due to one more in an endless series of conflicts between the gods, only a single ring is known to be found among the High Elves. However, at least one of the other rings was found by Teclis, and for reasons known only to him this burnished brass ring was secreted away beneath the Light College. </em></p><p><em>The ring would doubtless grant great power to any capable of weilding it, though such beings are few and far between. A powerful Elf Wizard or Slaan would certainly be able to make use of the item. Most would simply be rent apart in an instant by the raw power contained in the ring — though so spectacular and explosive a death might provide some utility to a canny Elf like Nayadaryn.</em></p><p><em>Of course, Khaine himself longs deeply for the return of these rings, and the terrible Lord of Murder and his devotees would no doubt visit all sorts of horrors upon any mortal who would dare use the ring openly. Perhaps the Bonemonger cares little for the item itself, but intends to use it to gain Khaine’s attention and perhaps even his favour. Quite what a boon from the Lord of Murder would look like is anyone’s guess…</em></p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>A Nameless Tablet</em></h4><p><em>An item of such ancient and obscure provenance that Teclis himself could not place it, this polished stone tablet was nevertheless possessed of such obvious potency that it was judged too dangerous to bring to Ulthuan and hidden away in Altdorf. This might prove to be a terrible error, for the stone is a singular entity that resonates with all other waystones, and from which they can be controlled. Its uses are endless — it could be used to drive Chaos from much of the world, or selectively and temporarily turn certain troublesome regions into a microcosm of the Chaos Wastes themselves. </em></p><p><em>Finally, if it were put to its ultimate use, it could rid the world of the influence of the Ruinous Powers for generations, but in doing so the great vortex at Ulthuan would momentarily expand and swallow the entire continent. The Bonemonger seeks the tablet both to protect Ulthuan from any potential use of it, and to wipe humans from the Old World and return it to their people and the woodlands of old.</em></p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>A Simple Map</em></h4><p><em>Long ago, a sage travelled from Altdorf aboard a prototype Dwarf flying machine, journeying far across the world in search of wonder. They did not return for fifty years, and most thought them lost if they remembered that the sage had ever left at all. Still, the sage did return, wizened and old, speaking a language that sounded both primal and yet somehow refined. </em></p><p><em>She carried a map to a point so distant from Altdorf that most decided she had simply spent the last few decades in Tilea drinking away the expedition funding. In fact the map purports to show the location of the last living Sky-Titan, their mountain home having sailed almost out of the world in flight from the Ogres and the influence of the Great Maw. Most thought her mad, but when she died some few months later in the midst of summer, it rained saltwater in Altdorf for three days and nights. Just to be safe, the map was locked away and all but forgotten. Nayadaryn has heard of it, however, and though it is not an Elven artefact, the Bonemonger would dearly love to discuss the ancient days of their people with a Sky-Titan, and perhaps learn the secret of how to move whole land masses through the sky…</em></p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-core/art/spot/spot-animal-skull.webp\" width=\"235\" height=\"274\" /></div></blockquote>"
				},
				"Diel Ulricsson - Blessed of Sigmar": {
					"name": "Diel Ulricsson - Blessed of Sigmar",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/diel-ulricsson.webp\" width=\"310\" height=\"340\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.ECx8VDWUeRcAhH2G]{Diel Ulricsson}</p></div><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Vengeance.</p><p><strong>Short-Term Ambition</strong>: To inspire others to fanaticism.</p><p><strong>Long-Term Ambition</strong>: To burn the beastmen out of the Drakwald.</p><p>Ulricsson’s story is a rather common one, throughout much of the Empire, though with a particularly uncommon note to it: specifically that Ulricsson is the real deal — Blessed of Sigmar. Few know the truth of his beginnings, for Ulricsson cares not to tell it, and it’s rather dull anyway, so those few who do know tend to embellish it.</p><p>Ulricsson grew up an unimpressive young man in an unimportant hamlet deep in the Drakwald in Middenheim. His village, inaccessible for much of the year due to snow or storm or Beastman raiding season, was often forgotten and seldom taxed or remarked upon. The Coaching Houses sent them no coaches, and if a Graf claimed their ownership, they did so on no records kept in Middenheim. Not even the Cults took notice, despite the rather archaic and unorthodox teachings about Sigmar that prevailed there.</p><p>That is until the young Diel stumbled out of the forest, coated head-to-foot in Beastmen blood, with eyes like golden embers. Witch hunters, theologians, and other ecclesiastical scholars attempted to interrogate the young man to discern what had happened. But they only learned that beastmen attacked his village, burned through the population, but were stopped when holy fire leapt from his fingertips. Few were more surprised by this than Diel himself, but opinions formed quickly. Most cult officials wished to see him hanged as a false saint, whilst others took his strange babblings as word from Sigmar’s lips. Schism was threatened, and the authorities saw no choice but to stop the ‘heresies’ in their tracks… But somehow, Ulricsson escaped.</p><p>Since, Ulricsson has been seen countless times, wandering the Drakwald, drifting in and out of communities. Sometimes, he appears with a question or two — usually about the manner of venerating Sigmar in a particular community. Other times, he shows up just to save a community from a Beastmen attack. Yet more times, he comes with fire, and a righteous fury, that forces dishonest folk to reveal their sins…</p><p>Whatever the truth of Ulricsson’s rampage, it is a certainty that he carries the fire of Sigmar Himself, and that is either truly inspiring, or deeply worrying, for other members of the faithful.</p><h3>The Wyrm and the Bucket</h3><p>The Wyrm and the Bucket is, by any outward glance, a dull looking  tavern in an easily ignorable region of the Empire — sandwiched along a tributary of the Delb in the Draken Hills. The clientele, what little there is, is nothing but poor pig farmers and charcoal burners. Its menu consists of watered down beer that tastes of swamp, and poorly roasted turnips… However, there are two things that make the tavern interesting.</p><p>The first is the gigantic dragon’s skeleton that makes up much of the walls and eaves. Fished from the nearby Delb by Hannah Schluss over a hundred years ago — apparently.  Frau Schluss was proprietor, Herman Schluss’s very drunk and very terrifying great, great grandmother  The colossal bones became a permanent attraction of the village Kralle. </p><p>Folk came to stare at its mouldering majesty, and they would often bring drinks and food with them. Frau Schluss had the enterprising  idea to drape a tarpaulin over the skeleton, and charge a small fee to come inside, and from there, serving her own drinks and cooking turnips was a logical next step.</p><p>The second point of interest is that the tavern has recently become the haunt of the Blessed @UUID[Actor.ECx8VDWUeRcAhH2G]{Diel Ulricsson}, and his growing band of fanatics. These flagellants have taken over much of the second storey, and the cellar underneath the tavern, where they hold meetings. Diel has forbidden the drinking of alcohol, but not all the flagellants are as strict in their vows, so drunken fighting breaks out from time to time, despite the watered down beer.</p><p>@UUID[JournalEntry.cUF8jry7qNszfz3j.JournalEntryPage.mA9Fbv6SesGjRZdh]{Endeavour: Bear Witness}</p><section class=\"hook\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">Diel's Deals </h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">No Firebrands, Here!</h4><p>The chapels of Carroburg have been targeted by arsonists, and the authorities are desperate to find the culprit. However, members of the town’s religious cults are calling for restraint, and attempting to pacify the populace, and quell any investigations. Ulricsson, smelling a cover up, asks the Characters to investigate. If they uncover the cause — a band of zealots from a rival cult — will the Characters be able to prevent all out religious war? And what if that’s exactly what Ulricsson wants?</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Graven Granite Idols</h4><p>A series of strange stone idols have come to Ulricsson’s attention, after a number of rural temples and shrines are looted by Beastmen. The idols bear the markings of Artho the Unmoving, an ancient traditional Middenland deity, but also show signs of Beastmen tampering. Some of the interferences are new, but others seem very old indeed. Ulricsson asks the Characters to travel to Middenheim to speak to a scholar on antiquated religious practices… only for them to discover the scholar has been murdered.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Come Down To Kammendun Town</h4><p>The villagers of Kammendun have captured Diel Ulricsson, and are holding him for the Witch Hunters who are en route to put him to the torch. The Blessed was in town rooting out a dark cult who were sacrificing young men to the swamp under the guise of appeasing ‘Dark Helgis’, another regional ancient deity. The Characters must free Ulricsson before the Witch Hunter arrives, as he will surely be put to the pyre! But when they arrive, they find that Ulriccson himself appears quite content to wait...</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Throw The Man Away</h4><p>A recent series of missing persons in the village of Frickheim, deep in the Drakwald, catches Ulricsson’s attention, as they bear similarities to ancient heretical traditions of the area. Upon investigation, the Characters turn up ‘bog mummies’ of the victims that look millennia old, despite the people having been seen alive mere months before. Has someone taken up ancient embalming practices, or are the victims the reincarnated spirits of the long dead mummies? What if one of the bog mummies happens to look just like one of the Characters...</p><p>@UUID[Actor.6SYOY8C4cOSakk1t]{Bog Mummy}</p></section><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Prestige Adventure</span></h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Out With The Old</span></h4><p>The Blessed Diel Ulricsson has pieced together an uncomfortable truth: Drakwald's cults are infested with heretics, worshipping the Chaos Gods underneath the guise of ancient traditions. Whilst it is well-known that Chaos works through such methods, the extent of this conspiracy reaches up to some of the most powerful individuals across the Reikland and Middenland, and such a revelation — if not proven, unequivocally, to be true — would be disastrous. Indeed, Ulricsson believes the only way to reveal this information and not be immediately struck down, is to convince a figure like Ar-Ulric himself of its veracity... Supposing one could find the wandering hermit. And supposing he himself doesn't cut the Characters down, first.</p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Aftermath</em></h3><p><em>Exactly who is implicated in this heresy is left up to you to decide, but this adventure hook could easily be tied into the events of <strong>The Enemy Within</strong>, especially after the events involving Ar-Ulric in Power Behind the Throne. As such, this revelation could divide the Empire into civil war, or cause a fracturing of many of the Old World’s primary cults.</em></p><p><em>If the Characters are instrumental in exposing the corrupted figures in prominent cults, they may be hailed as heroes in some quarters, while others will assume that the Characters conspired to frame innocent clergy who opposed ‘The Blessed Diel Ulricsson.’ These faithful will track the Characters to the ends of the Old World for what they have done, perhaps wielding genuine Miracles and Blessings of their gods against these perceived heretics.</em></p><p><em>For his part, Ulricsson will continue his somewhat humble preachings, apparently insensate to the state of the more organised cults that he has thrown into rancor. He is of the opinion that humility is the antidote to corruption and, while this might preserve the purity of his and his followers faith, it does leave him with little influence despite his obvious divine favour. He will continue to rely on the Characters for help, ultimately preparing them to stand by his side when The End Times come to the Old World. If, In those times, unwavering faith is of use, Diel Ulricsson will not be found wanting.</em></p></blockquote>"
				},
				"Scealleah 'Shelley' Thorncobble - Skaven-Hunter": {
					"name": "Scealleah 'Shelley' Thorncobble - Skaven-Hunter",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/scealleah-thorncobble.webp\" width=\"221\" height=\"312\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.HSDNd1JC55jh1vGw]{Scealleah 'Schelley' Thorncobble}</p></div><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Truth.</p><p><strong>Short-Term Ambition</strong>: Establish a convenient cover for gathering a group of like-minded Skaven believers.</p><p><strong>Long-Term Ambition</strong>: Expose the Skaven threat and those who have covered it up.</p><p>Shelley was raised, prim and proper, in the heart of Nuln. Hailing from the well-to-do Thorncobble clan, it was predestined that she would rub elbows with the upper echelons of Nulner society, so when she showed an aptitude for medicine and anatomy she was taken in quickly as an apprentice to the court physicians. She studied hard, and became well loved for her bedside manner and her tireless efforts. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she would spend her few hours of free time tending to the common folk of the city as well, which made her popular in noble circles as a charitable young lady.</p><p>In 2504 IC, when the plague hit the streets of the Jewel of the Empire, and rats flooded out of the sewers, Shelley found herself paralysed by fear, hiding under the floorboards as her patients were butchered in their hospital beds. The scratching and squeaking of the vile Ratmen invaded her dreams, and have had their grip on her since. But in the following weeks and months, as the cover-up began and Shelley saw how the situation was explained away by those in power, she resolved to get to the bottom of it all. Putting aside her terrible fear, and her illustrious career, she dove into the oldest libraries, the darkest sewers, and the very worst of Nuln’s underbelly to discover the truth.</p><p>A decade later, Shelley Thorncobble stands as one of the finest minds regarding the Skaven, though she keeps her pursuits quiet, and works instead through a network of friends and confidants. But she is desperate for the last pieces of her puzzle, and once she has them she will turn the Old World upside down with her overwhelming evidence.</p><p>Shelley has a soft, somewhat narrow face for a Halfling, with rolling black-brown curls and dark blue eyes. She mostly wears dark dresses and other courtly garb, when studying or leading her ‘normal’ life, though changes into practical (though still fashionable) dark clothes to go spelunking through sewers. She has a soft, calm, collected voice, though is prone to moments of excitability when allowed to talk about her passion projects. She is never seen early in the morning, and is well known as a late riser. The truth of this is that she is plagued by terrible waking nightmares, but she conceals her affliction with a parade of midnight trysts with various unmarried folk from Nuln’s upper class.</p><h3>112 Bäckerin Strasse, Nuln</h3><p>112 Bäckerin Strasse — often called ‘Eleven-and-Two’ by Shelley’s informants and confidants — situated along the rise of Altestadt, is a well-known and widely publicised landmark of the Jewel of the Empire, Nuln. The pfennig gazettes are wont to call it ‘The Swinging Door of Nuln’s Bachelor Class’, though almost everyone else agrees that Shelley, charitable and beloved as she is, can do precisely what she wants when not tending to the sick and dying among the upper and lower classes. The building itself is a rather thin and tall townhouse, built of dark brick, and jutting every which-way with chimneys and balconies to best keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer.</p><p>Within, long corridors filled with broadsheet clippings of accolades (and not a few scandals, which delight Shelley no end) seem well at odds with the fine furniture, everywhere trimmed in sable and lace. Though much is made for Halflings, more is built to accommodate folk of all sizes. Shelley’s Ogre majordomo — Martin Sisson, who lives in the back — is more than willing to swiftly swap out the furniture in any room for the guests present. Additional rooms can be found on the first floor where Shelley often takes patients, supplied with beds and a small, clean, operating room.</p><p>The upper floors are given over to parlours filled with Shelley’s many hobbies, libraries filled with textbooks and specimens, and comfortable places to lay down and listen to music or to dance. The top floor is reserved for her bedroom, which is sumptuously decorated, and dominated with a bed large enough to fit Shelley, or her various paramours, several times over.</p><p>But the true treasure of 112 Bäckerin Strasse is the basement, accessible only via a concealed passage hidden behind a bookcase on the third floor. The basement contains Shelley’s true pursuits: a secret library filled with Skaven lore, and her growing envelope of evidence against the vile Ratmen. Holding cells, meeting rooms, and other allowances have been made to coordinate her investigations and network of informants. Passages lead from the hidden den, by curious Dwarf-built devices, to the sewers and other secret ways under the city.</p><p>@UUID[JournalEntry.cUF8jry7qNszfz3j.JournalEntryPage.BGukUForbSKMO0Il]{Endeavour: A Study in Skaven}</p><section class=\"hook\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">Shelley's Shortlist</h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Blacker Lotus</h4><p>Though ostensibly a poison, @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.qfd01sggD9xbCuJY]{Black Lotus} can be taken in very small doses, mixed with other substances, to create a dream-like experience in those who imbibe it. A new concoction known as Skitter has hit the streets of Nuln. @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.r9zcArtZ5DddJguQ]{Skitter} is cheap and ubiquitous, and though purported to consist of assorted herbs, it is actually a mix of Black Lotus, Warpstone, and a mix of other unhealthy materials. Those who consume it frequently have a habit of mutating, which is of grave concern to Shelley.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">The Seekrat Admirer</h4><p>Shelley is no stranger to receiving anonymous love letters and the affections of secret admirers — in fact, she often uses such correspondence with her spy network. But when a series of letters begin coming in detailing her movements at odd times and in odd places — mentioning her taking midnight walks through graveyards and calling on scholars and other strange figures in the early hours — she becomes concerned. The Characters must track the source of these letters, and learn who has been watching the mistress of 112 Bäckerin Strasse.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Down For The Count</h4><p>Many of Shelley’s noble friends from before the Ratmen attacked in ‘04 went missing in the chaos — officially explained as killed and their bodies never identified. But Shelley has another theory: they were dragged away by the attackers for whatever diabolical reasons they might have. One such friend, Count Dante Maquet, has returned, however. He claims to have gone on a very long holiday, back to his family abodes in Bretonnia and Estalia, but he is different somehow… brooding, distracted, and paranoid. Shelley wants to know the truth.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Stitched Up</h4><p>Often Shelley spends part of her time aiding the Mourners’ Guild in their vivisections and undertaking, in an effort to learn more about anatomy. The strangest thing has come across their tables, of late, however: bodies that appear to have already undergone autopsy, and then… healed? Surgeries no one could survive appear to have been successful and developed scar tissue. The Morrites are keeping quiet, but Shelley is desperate to get to the bottom of this mystery. Master Moulder Raspshank is keen to see that she does not.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Blathering Heights</h4><p>One of Shelley’s kinfolk, who lives in a neighbouring hamlet in a manor known as Blathering Heights, is found dead, and the Thorncobble Clan is called in for a reading of the will. Shelley, fearing foul play, brings the Characters along as her aides, and has them keep watch over the proceedings. Ratmen, jealous cousins, and the ghost of her murdered relative are the least of the Characters' problems whilst staying in the manor house. </p></section><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Prestige Adventure</em></h3><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>The Ratmen In Red</em></h3><p>Shelley has the information she needs, and knows the names of those involved in the cover-up. It’s time to strike… and for Shelley, that means a ball! The anniversary of the ‘Fire of 2504’, the convenient cover for the Skaven attack on Nuln, is fast approaching, and Shelley has decided to host a fundraiser for the ongoing reconstruction efforts in the poorer quarters. The ball — a masquerade — will focus on ‘the efforts of the brave Nulners who kept the city safe’, with folk dressing up as community firefighters and members of the Watch. But Shelley plans to have the Characters infiltrate the party dressed as Skaven, cause a scene, and then unveil her evidence. Little does she know the vile Ratmen have uncovered her plan, and have sent their own agents in disguise to the festivities as well!</p><h3 style=\"font-style:normal;text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Aftermath</h3><p><em>The guests at the ball are left intentionally vague, but could include figures as lofty as Elector-Countess @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-rnhd.actors.CcqiAghkzgp9u1In]{Emmanuelle von Leibwitz}, which could lead to all manner of problems for the Characters, depending on how things proceed. This adventure has the potential to upset the very social fabric of Nuln, one of the largest cities in the Empire, for both good or ill. Either way, it will grant the Characters some very powerful enemies if things don’t go according to plan (or perhaps even more so if they do).</em></p><p><em>There are forces in the Empire that are just as motivated to suppress knowledge of the Skaven as are the vermin themselves. Even if Shelley succeeds, belief in the Skaven will likely not spread far, and the players might find themselves enemies of the very people they wished to help. However, if the Characters do manage to help Shelley present her evidence to the great and the good of Nuln then at the very least the upper echelons of the nobility will begin to pay more heed to the idea of a species of intelligent rat things beneath their very feet.</em></p><p><em>The Characters may become Skaven ‘experts’ by dint of their association with Shelly, and find themselves called to all corners of the Empire to investigate possible Skaven infiltration. This might even culminate in a trip south to Tilea to investigate the rumours of a great city known only as Skavenblight, or perhaps even more perilously to the far north beyond Kislev, to the terrible Clan Moulder stronghold of Hell Pit.</em></p><p><em>If they do manage to vex the Skaven and tell the worthies of Nuln of them, they will find themselves the targets of endless assassination attempts from the creatures themselves. Gutter Runners, skilled Skaven assassins, will stalk Shelley and all who worked with her. There are few places in the Old World that may be called safe by those whom the Gutter Runners wish dead. The Characters may have to fake their own deaths, strike a decisive blow against their pursuers that proves them to be more trouble than they are worth, or even strike a deal with the loathsome creatures themselves.</em></p></blockquote>"
				},
				"Bryannah ‘der Briekäse’ Rosendorn - Anarchist River Elder": {
					"name": "Bryannah ‘der Briekäse’ Rosendorn - Anarchist River Elder",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/bryannah-rosendorn.webp\" width=\"285\" height=\"375\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.6LMyItpdIzDnQemp]{Bryannah ‘der Briekäse’ Rosendorn}</p></div><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Justice.</p><p><strong>Short-Term Ambition</strong>: To find agents who can plant themselves in the court of Grand Duchess Elise IX Krieglitz-Unterlic.</p><p><strong>Long-Term Ambition</strong>: To dissolve the aristocracy of the Old World.</p><p>The great rivers of the Talabec are known for many things — traders to and from Talabheim, monsters languishing in the slower moving waters compared to the Reik, and a rather active Strigany population who sell their wares up and down the waterways. But, the river’s best kept open secret is, most definitely, Bryannah Rosendorn, known affectionately as ‘der Briekäse’ (though none know why). </p><p><em>Ostensibly </em>an elder of the waterways, Rosendorn is actually in her late 20s, but commands far greater respect due to her wealth of knowledge and gift for prophecy. Additionally, Rosendorn is seen as a rare sort of fortuneteller: not only does she forecast doom, she actively works to unpick it, and visit it upon those she deems unjust. </p><p>This <em>can-do</em> attitude, and literal understanding of justice, has made her the enemy of every authority figure she has come across, and the beloved hero of countless villages and towns. Rare is it to find a village along the Talabec who won’t sing her praises, whilst also claiming to have never met her, no sir, never in my life…</p><p>Rosendorn’s past is, as she would put it, rather unimportant and uninteresting. She grew up in Talabheim, under the care of her half-Strigany grandmother, where she gained a modest education. She then spent some time rearing cattle in Averland, fighting followers of Gunndred, singing opera songs on a gondola in Miragliano, and worked for a time as a nurse in the Great Hospice of Shallya, before returning to the Talabec. As she says, ‘nothing out of the ordinary’.</p><p>However, once she returned, even she must admit, things began to change. What Rosendorn originally mistook for childhood fantasies of ‘<em>whispering waters</em>’ revealed themselves to be, in truth, a honed gift for prophecy. It appeared that, whenever she slept upon the waters of the Talabec, her dreams would carry her to all corners of the Old World — past, present, and future — and she would have visions of great injustices, and the heroes who would right them (with a degree of nudging from her capable hands, of course). In short order, she had purchased a small boat, <em>Sibyl</em>, set her oars into the river, and began a life of rowing up and down the Talabec, interspersed with an not insignificant amount of seditious crime. Now, she is a favoured contact for anarchists, revolutionaries, and other ne’er-do-wells-who-mean-well who wish to have their fortunes told and their ‘goods’ transported.</p><p>Der Briekäse stands just shy of 5’5”, with long auburn-brown hair, tanned skin, and eyes which cannot decide if they’re russet-brown, seafoam blue, or as green as the Great Forest. She wears practical clothing — either simple dresses in autumnal colours, or a loose linen shirt and trousers. She is often heard humming around a bend (a little off key) before she is seen. Those who meet her describe her as self-effacing, frank, kind, but also argumentative, opinionated, and not in the least bit crude and lusty… though her charm is never forgotten.</p><h3>The River Talabec</h3><p>The River Talabec is sacred to Taal, who gives it its name. The river is a huge stretch of water in the Old World, rivalled only in size by the River Reik. It’s banks are shrouded, almost everywhere, by looming pine forests that cast a dark shadow over its almost crystal clear waters. The river stretches from the Reik at Altdorf, passes Talabheim, and goes all the way to Bechafen on the Kislev border, where it splits into the Upper and Lower Talabec. Though the banks of the river are considered to be monster-infested, and the water itself is known to be home to all manner of dangerous creatures, the river is considered sacred. All throughout its history, wonderous claims have been made of the river’s waters, including rejuvenative powers, gifting prophecy, and washing away the stigmata of Chaos. The truth of these benefits is left up to the arguments of individual theologians.</p><p>Rosendorn can be found anywhere along the course of the Talabec, or its countless tributaries, though it is said that one cannot find her unless she wishes to be found, given her gift for foresight. Therefore, it’s less important to know where she is, and more useful to know where she likes to be. Rosendorn favours small villages and communities, specifically those under the thumbs of oppressive aristocrats, who can use her gifts to better themselves. Sadly, this describes almost every village along the Talabec’s banks, and Rosendorn is ever busy, travelling back and forth.</p><p>@UUID[JournalEntry.cUF8jry7qNszfz3j.JournalEntryPage.8MC3cC9cSuEsJqJy]{Endeavour: No Use For Visionaries}</p><section class=\"hook\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">Rosendorn's Requirements </h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Free Thinker's Fraud</h4><p>Rosendorn has a package she needs delivered to Talabheim. She wants no questions to be asked, and no one to open it. She needs it delivered to a specific address, at a specific time, after being shaken in a specific way. She says she will know if any of these steps haven’t been taken. In truth, this is a test of hers — she wants free-thinking agents, not foolish patsies — and will respect the Characters more if they break her rules, rather than follow them blindly.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">‘Death Shall Come On Lover’s Lips’</h4><p>Rosendorn has discovered the Dooming of a particularly nasty noble in the court of the Grand Duchess — Milo von Breitblatt — and needs the Characters to get close to him. Von Breitblatt, despite being a terrible philanderer, is said to be deathly afraid of commitment, which given Rosendorn’s revelation, is understandable. As such, she requires one of the Characters to seduce von Breitblatt, get him drunk, and get him to agree to marriage. Once that is done, Rosendorn intends to extort and blackmail the young rake.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">The Rook’s Gambit</h4><p>Though Rosendorn has a deep respect for the performing arts, and carnival types, she is well aware of the access that they have to the upper classes, and the propensity for their numbers to hide agents of Chaos. To that end, she has devised a simple plan to kill two birds with one stone: have the Characters track down @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-eis.actors.ZCz8gnEBrIrMw2B3]{Wolfgang Hollseher’s} @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-eis.journals.hB1BlDxTLm6Ns2HO]{Pandemonium Carnival}, and replace his fortune telling cards with a deck laced with poison. It’s a victimless crime, from a certain perspective…</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Blackpowder &amp; Bloodlines   </h4><p>Rosendorn has foreseen a terrible series of events, that all stem from a drunken ship captain currently residing on the floor of a dusty tavern, The Rusty Musket, in Talabheim. According to her prophecy, in a matter of years Captain Jakob Köch will win himself a ship, Ms Fortune, crew it with drunkards and worse, and accidently sail it to the misty isle of Albion, upsetting a terribly delicate and vital magical lattice around the island. This cannot be allowed to occur, and Köch must be stopped at all costs. The problem is, agents of half a dozen Chaos cults also know this prophecy, and have been acting in the shadows for years to protect Köch. He will be incredibly difficult to get to, but his future must be averted.</p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">The Pandemonium Carnival</h3><p>@UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-eis.actors.ZCz8gnEBrIrMw2B3]{Wolfgang Hollseher’s} @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-eis.journals.hB1BlDxTLm6Ns2HO]{Pandemonium Carnival} is a famous troupe of performers and ‘oddities’ that parades around the Empire. The Carnival has attracted the attention of nearly everyone who has heard its name or seen one of its shows for one simple reason: it houses Beastmen and mutants on full display. For some, the Carnival is a chance to see and study these ancestral enemies of humanity up close. For others, it is a chance to gawk at what would otherwise be terrifying beasts from the woods. For Rosendorn, the carnival is pure evil. Despite being ‘enemies of civilisation’, to her, not even the Beastmen deserve captivity and slavery, such as this.</p></section><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Prestige Adventure</em></h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>A Needle In A Pine Forest</em></h4><p>It is said that Grand Duchess Elise IX, being the Luddataal — the Chosen of Taal — is immune to all poisons whilst she sits upon her wooden throne. Whether this is true or not, Bryannah Rosendorn has foreseen the Grand Duchess dying from poison, seated in that very same throne room… And she sees the hand of the Characters delivering it to her, through an enchanted pine needle, under her seat.</p><p>Rosendorn, however, knows not the poison, nor the steps which lead to the Characters carrying out the deed. All she knows is it must be done, and quickly, lest Talabheim take the wrong side in the coming darkness she predicts. The Characters must scour the Great Forest for leads if they are to complete this vital task.</p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Aftermath</em></h3><p><em>If the Characters successfully find the poison and administer it to the Grand Duchess, it would lead to massive upheaval of the political situation in Talabheim, and the wider Empire. Furthermore, the Luddataal dying from poison on the Throne of Taal would be a terrible blow to the Cult of @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.NcH9OhleJFfaUdon.JournalEntryPage.GqvN0qGNFSBPi9Dr]{Taal} &amp; @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.NcH9OhleJFfaUdon.JournalEntryPage.dY6NZyY5pujNM5h8]{Rhya}, resulting in far-reaching changes, and potentially even religious schisms that could rival the turmoil detailed in The Enemy Within!</em></p><p><em>For her part, Rosendorn will see this turmoil as a price worth paying to eventually reforge the power structures of the Empire. The Characters may not see things the same way however, especially once blood begins to flow. How the Characters resolve this tension is up to them. If they remain faithful to the vision espoused by Rosendorn, she will continue to involve them in plots to overthrow various nobles throughout the Empire. Some of these are obviously devious and cruel individuals, but many are not, and you should continue to test the Character’s faith in Rosendorn and their willingness to wash their hands in blood for an end goal that remains beyond sight to any but the seer herself.</em></p><p><em>Alternatively, you might find that your Characters turn on Rosendorn, unable to accept the cost of what they have done and wishing to stop their patron from spilling more blood with her schemes. In this case, Rosendorn will of course have seen their betral coming. Indeed, she may be counting on it. The Characters will arrive at Rosendorn’s boat only to find her gone and a short note reading ‘Sorry it had to end this way. For what it’s worth, it has all been for the best.’ When they finish searching  the boat, they will discover that The Dogfaces, Talabheim’s watch, have surrounded the pier. Rosendorn provided them with the Character description and ample other evidence that they are responsible for the poisoning — an easy feat, given that of course, they were. How this ends will depend on the Characters wits, and in all likelihood their skill with a blade.</em></p><p><em>Ultimately, whether the Characters assist or oppose her, you must decide the providence and accuracy of Rosendorn’s visions and what the outcome of her actions will be. Perhaps her plan to overthrow the nobility will lead to a better Empire, but one less able to withstand the depredations of Chaos which are sure to fall upon it in the coming years. Perhaps the nobility will not be overthrown, but will learn a new respect for the common folk that seem more able to strike at them than they had thought. Or perhaps Rosendorn’s visions come from the Ruinous Powers themselves, and will do little but spread chaos and, ultimately, Chaos throughout the Empire.</em></p></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/riverwoman.webp\" /></div>"
				},
				"Guttra Morbinssniz - Mademoiselle-Dilettante": {
					"name": "Guttra Morbinssniz - Mademoiselle-Dilettante",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/guttra-morbinssniz.webp\" width=\"237\" height=\"341\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.b8OxMsTrTMfnmlPj]{Guttra Morbinssniz}</p></div><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Freedom.</p><p><strong>Short-Term Ambition</strong>: Locate allies unaligned to van de Kuypers who can mix in my social circles.</p><p><strong>Long-Term Ambition</strong>: Uncover enough leverage on Director Jaan van de Kuypers to maintain my autonomy. </p><p>Orphaned in her early teens, Guttra found herself raised by her second cousin,  an ignobly rich Marienburger businessman by the name of Tarkat Luger. The tragedy of her parent's death aside, her new circumstances proved to be something of a double-edged sword. For Guttra, it meant luxury and safety, but also deep limitation. She was forced to dress as her conservative cousin demanded, eat and speak when he said so, and to follow at a very respectable distance and keep out of sight. This bred in Guttra a burning desire to dance and sing and act out without inhibitions.</p><p>Which, naturally, found her disowned. But the filthy streets of Suiddock are kind to those who live loudly. Guttra soon found herself a favourite amongst the drinking holes and cramped playhouses of the district: her unique style and force of personality drawing crowds who would choose even to forgo drinking to better watch her perform. She took a particular shine to playing dashing rapscallions, wearing a combination of men’s and women’s fashion, and pretend-fighting with swords (though her attention to her craft meant she learned the true craft of it, as well). Not long after, noble rakes caught wind of her bawdy, carefree, salacious shows, and joined her growing throng that spilled out into the streets of the district. Those nobles, in turn, brought her great patronage, and within a few years Guttra found herself singing and dancing in the Aardbol Theatre in Goudberg.</p><p>Like many successful artists, Guttra gathered around her countless suitors, and not an inconsiderable amount of scandal. She is gregarious in her affections, rarely discreet, and frequently heedless of institutions such as marriage, temple law, or courtly norms. However, her scandalous lifestyle came to a crescendo when the spouse of one such tryst challenged her to a duel, confident that Guttra could know only stage-fencing. He underestimated the young thespian, and died for his folly during what should have been a duel to first blood. </p><p>This particular act put Guttra into a rather unfortunate position: technically such accidental deaths during a duel are lawful, but the blow that struck her victim dead looked all too deliberate to those who witnessed the affair — and Guttra had made sure that there was a sizeable audience. This violated the spirit of the duel, if not the letter of the law, and drew the ire and attention of both Marienburg’s legal apparatus and the dead man’s vengeful family. </p><p>As she had been disowned she couldn’t necessarily rely on her cousin’s benevolence, and Guttra refused to be beholden to him in any case. She could have fled, but found another offer: Guttra was hired as the personal @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.wczCPcuHT4VQDLpL.JournalEntryPage.3r4A1DOiF3laRWvq]{Judicial Champion} of Director Jaan van de Kuypers, purportedly the richest man in the Old World, who saw her as the perfect accompaniment to his prestige — not to mention a deft hand with a blade.</p><p>But as with every investment Director van de Kuypers makes, it came with a catch: Guttra would continue her various lives — socialite, entertainer, heartthrob, duellist, champion — whilst acting as a source of information on all those she interacted with. In short order, Director van de Kuypers found a spy who everyone in Marienburg was desperate to talk to, and with whom they are almost always vulnerable, in some measure, to spilling secrets. But Guttra’s rebellious spirit has still not wavered, and she’s gathering her own secrets on her employer to protect herself from her usefulness running out, a fate she sees just off the horizon. Never again will she be left out in the cold.</p><p>Guttra is short, has a mischievous, heart-shaped face, and wears her dark hair in curls that spill from beneath a practical but fashionable hat — the hat becomes fashionable by dint of Guttra wearing it. She wears a mixture of high-end men’s and women’s fashion, with trousers that are comfortable to duel in, and carries her weapons everywhere she goes.</p><h3>The Rode Rogue</h3><p>The Doomed City of Prague in northern Kislev is known for many things: mutation, hauntings, the Great Siege during the time of Magnus the Pious. More recently, the name has conjured an image of romantic beauty of freedom in the face of overbearing tyranny and evil, of easy love and pleasure before an inevitable end. Of course, the folk of Prague know little about this image, and would agree with it even less, because it is known in few other places than the relative safety and extravagant glamour of the Rode Rogue of Marienburg!</p><p>The Rode Rogue is the pre-eminent playhouse of Marienburg, and the leading style maker in the emerging Praguian counterculture. The playhouse is situated in Guilderveld, on the site of an old water-wheel-powered flour mill and converted grain silo. The outside appears fashionably dilapidated, and the owner, ‘Sir’ Harolt Leermann, is careful to pay the local window-washers and chimney-sweeps to scuff the place up on their way past. The inside, however, is glamorous beyond compare, though in a particularly tacky way so as to not upset the rich clientele, whilst dazzling the poor customers who attend as well.</p><p>The inside of the old silo has been outfitted with twelve ringed balconies that overhang more and more as they ascend, giving each the illusion of hanging freely over the dance floor below. Each landing is accessed by a staircase painted in a different gaudy fashion, showing various historical figures — Emperors, Directors, and Kings — bowing to the common folk who parade the flags of Freedom, Love, Joy, and many other virtues up the stairs. Additionally, each landing holds strange delights, such as a Cathayan smoking lounge, a display of Indish erotic artworks, what is claimed to be an Arabyan magic carpet collection, and many other such curios.</p><p>Each landing features private rooms, many of which can only be accessed via inputting secret sequences into bookcases or pipe organs, or saying the correct, ever-changing passcode to the bouncers. Most regulars know these tricks, and will bring along their friends. However, even these are for show, and most doors will open for the wealthy and well-to-do no matter what they do, as they are operated in truth by Leermann’s Dwarf engineer-on-staff Bazlo Kaaz from the boiler room below, next to the artists’ changing rooms and costuming department. The very top floor is Leermann’s private offices and apartment, where few are permitted.</p><p>The Rode Rogue features acts every night, from singers and dancers, to operatic performances and amateur poetry readings, up to full plays and cabaret ensembles. The star of the Rogue is, however, Mademoiselle Morbinssniz, who headlines<em> ‘whenever her Muse strikes her’</em> (or, in truth, whenever van de Kuypers allows her to leave his side).</p><section class=\"hook\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">Guttra's Goals</h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">The Hills Are Alive</h4><p>Whilst sneaking a peek at the Director’s accounts, Guttra notices a rather strange discrepancy: the Director furiously hunts down any bandits that harass his convoys, whether by land or sea, often spending small fortunes just to send a message. However, a series of ‘lost in transit’ caravans through the hill-lands of the Cursed Marches show no signs of follow-up from the Director. What’s more, the cargo is listed as ‘Meat (Non-Perishable)’. She instructs the Characters to investigate, little knowing the hills outside Marienburg come alive at night with the undead — many of them tattooed with markings proclaiming them to be van de Kuyper’s ‘property’.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Wolves On Waldenstrasse</h4><p>Director van de Kuyper hosts a meeting of the Big Ten at his estates to show off Guttra and ‘negotiate some matters financial’. In truth, the event is intended for the Director to use Guttra to gain the confidence of the other Directors to mine them for blackmail material, but Guttra has plans to subvert such an opportunity. She smuggles the Characters in as wait staff and estate guards, with the intention of getting blackmail material on her employer, whilst he believes himself to be quite secure in his own home.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">The Storm</h4><p>In a very rare turn of events, Director Jaan van de Kuypers chooses to leave his compound and visit, in his own words, ‘A curious man on a curious island not far from Rijker’s’, and instructs Guttra to attend him. Believing this to be a perfect opportunity to observe the Director’s behaviour for blackmail material, Guttra smuggles the Characters on board the ship they are taking, only for the vessel and crew to run foul of a terrible storm as it nears the island. Now, trapped on the shore, with the Director mysteriously missing, the Characters will have to contend with the mysterious little island that exists on no maps… and seems to be the abode of a terrible sorcerer.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Granny, Would You Please?</h4><p>Granny Hetta, a well-beloved, well-known face in Suiddock, has gone missing, and Lea-Jan Cobbius, Master of the Honourable Guild of Stevedores and Teamsters, is furious. The stevedores have been tearing up the district looking for the old woman, as they are genuinely concerned with her wellbeing. Guttra needs her for another reason — she has learned that ‘Granny’ Hetta is in fact van de Kuypers’s actual grandmother, and suspects she has information that could help dethrone the Director once and for all. Unfortunately, the thugs about town are making any effort to find her much more difficult, and they may well decide the Characters mean the beloved woman harm.</p></section><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Prestige Adventure</em></h3><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Escape From Rijker’S Isle</em></h3><p>Guttra Morbinssniz’s lack of subtlety has finally been her undoing: she knows Director Jaan van de Kuypers got his position through some foul deed — perhaps even a daemon summoning — and blamed it on his older brother. Unfortunately she was less than discreet in learning of this, and the Director is on to her at last. However she also knows where Bertold, Jaan’s older brother, has been hidden. There is no escape for Guttra: Jaan will track her across the Old World and beyond to silence her tongue. The only solution is to break Bertold out of the most secure prison in the Old World — Rijker’s Isle, in Marienburg’s harbour — and get him before a Blessed of Verena where he can confess under binding oath.</p><p>The Characters will need to sneak into the prison, perhaps by being brought in as new hires, and find their way to the Warden’s office, and the prison manifest, to locate the hidden brother. Getting out again, however, is another matter entirely… </p><h3 style=\"font-style:normal;text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Aftermath</h3><p><em>If Bertold can be rescued, and Jaan van de Kuypers dethroned, it would significantly upset the political situation in Marienburg. Jaan is the effective head of the Directorate, and his fall may well usher in a period of political upheaval. While there are many reasons for Marienburgers to wish to remain outside the Empire, Imperial agents are ever watchful for opportunity and an attempt to seize the city from its ‘Daemon summoning rulership’ could well succeed. If the Characters are good citizens of the Empire they may well assist and be rewarded for it — with titles and acclaim, if not with money.</em></p><p><em>However, Guttra — and the suddenly obscenely wealthy Bertold — would be forever in the Characters’ debt. Helping to cement Marienburg’s ongoing independence by carefully ensconcing Bertold in the seat of power formerly occupied by his brother would bring stability to the city. For this service to Marienburg, the Characters would undoubtedly be rewarded well in the manner favoured by Marienburgers — which is to say with a payment of thousands of gold crowns each, or holdings in the city and beyond to a similar value.</em></p></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/judicial-champion.webp\" width=\"407\" height=\"360\" /></div>"
				}
			}
		},
		"Hirelings of the Old World": {
			"name": "Hirelings of the Old World",
			"pages": {
				"Liriwen Amberbloom - Wood Elf Spy": {
					"name": "Liriwen Amberbloom - Wood Elf Spy",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/liriwen-amberbloom.webp\" width=\"145\" height=\"267\" /></div><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.E9l2hpRP5Y3oK14O]{Liriwen Amberbloom}</p><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Self-indulgence</p><p><strong>Short-Term Ambition</strong>: Show his superiors his worth.</p><p><strong>Long-Term Ambition</strong>: Build his own criminal empire. </p><div class=\"journal-image float-right flip\"><img style=\"margin-left:-15px\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/ubersreik.webp\" width=\"211\" height=\"479\" /></div><p>Among Ubersreik’s criminal underbelly, Liriwen Amberbloom stands out like a flower sprouting from a midden. Dressed in the latest Altdorf fashions, his coat a riot of autumn colours; people are often surprised that this flamboyant figure is becoming one of the underworld’s most highly regarded spies. But, as he often says, when dealing in secrets, people need to find you before they can whisper in your ear. </p><p>A few years ago, Liriwen left his home in the Laurelorn Forest to report on the influence held by Ubersreik’s Dwarf population. The Elf wasn’t there long before he found himself behind bars, a pair of watchmen taking an immediate dislike to him, not helped by a few choice comments he made regarding their mothers. This may have been the best thing that could have happened to him. </p><p>While languishing in the squalid gaol, Liriwen was forced to converse with criminals. Far from the ignorant brutes he took them for, he was astonished to find a hitherto untapped source of information, one with roots curling through every layer of Ubersreik’s society. </p><p>When he got out, Liriwen began to ingratiate himself into Ubersreik’s criminal ranks. His skill at slipping through his arboreal realm unnoticed translated well to the city, and he learned their arts of breaking and entering. Soon, they came to accept Liriwen as one of their own and he, to his horror and fascination, found that he rather enjoyed his rowdy, vibrant life among them, so different from the austere home he left behind. </p><p>News travels fast, and people began to seek Liriwen out. Some were simply curious, while others wished to turn the spy to their own aims, wheedling for any hints about the secretive Eonir. Liriwen learned to lean into their curiosity, developing an extravagant persona and spreading tales of his daring break-ins, some of them even true. </p><p>More and more sought him out, providing information and hiring his services, allowing him to fund his revelries and growing appreciation for Ranald’s Delight. </p><p>He found his persona as ‘the Elf in the Red Coat’ a useful ruse. Not only does it draw in business, but it also means he can go unnoticed with a simple clothing change. This has allowed him to infiltrate many city organisations, feeding a steady stream of news back to his superiors in the Laurelorn. </p><p>However, while he has tailored the image he presents in his reports, news of his extravagant ways is beginning to reach those who first sent him. Some are starting to worry their spy has gone native. Liriwen walks a tightrope, needing to prove himself to his superiors without risking the comfortable life he has built. He has no intention of betraying his people. But destiny does not mean for him to moulder away like autumn leaves.  </p><section class=\"hook\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">Liriwen’S List</h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Watch My Back</h4><p>One of Liriwen’s clients got into a spot of bother with the Watch. Normally, Liriwen would be happy to let the person hang, but he was carrying something he can’t let fall into the hands of either the Watch or The Baron. He needs some people to cause a distraction while he sneaks in to get the evidence, and the Characters look like just the sort to enjoy kicking the hornets’ nest. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Trees Felled At Ground Level</h4><p>A Dwarf entrepreneur set up a logging company and is looking for investors, saying she found a hitherto unexploited source of particularly fine lumber. Now, the Old World is full of forests, with no shortage of fools looking to rectify that, but there is something about the Dwarf’s enthusiasm for this venture that has sparked Liriwen’s suspicions. He needs to find out more but is struggling to get closer thanks to her security efforts and strongly held prejudice against Elves. Perhaps the Characters might have better luck.   </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Sigmarite Slander</h4><p>The Baron tasked Liriwen with taking care of a local Witch Hunter who has been sniffing around the Ubersreik Bridge, disrupting her business. However, neither she nor Liriwen are willing to attract the ire of the Sigmarites, so death is out of the question. If something scandalous came to light, that might just prove enough of a distraction, so long as nothing leads back to The Baron or her associates. Shame the Witch Hunter’s reputation is pure as the driven snow. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Sleeping With The Fishes</h4><p>A steamship from Barak Varr has arrived, carrying a delegation bearing gifts to the city’s rulers. While the alliance between Humans and Dwarfs has been useful in holding back Chaos, the Eonir are keen to see they don’t get too friendly. Liriwen came up with a plan to plant some incriminating material aboard their boat, for which he needs the Characters’ assistance. Upon boarding, however, they are greeted by the copper tang of blood, and an impossibly lifelike Dwarf statue laid out on a cot. </p></section><h3>In the Baron’s Employ</h3><p>While Liriwen offers his services to all, he is most often found in the employ of @UUID[Actor.QRwasUALpkuwthhS]{The Baron}, the ruthless head of the thieves, smugglers, and cutthroats based under the grand @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-starter-set.journals.TSyoR9nSk7cehypG.JournalEntryPage.yY5DUbAdKg2MhDva]{Ubersreik bridge}. What started as mere curiosity on her part has become a fruitful working relationship. He acts as her eyes and ears, keeping her informed on who is planning what in her city, while she in turn keeps him safe by sheer force of reputation.</p><p>Liriwen finds @UUID[Actor.QRwasUALpkuwthhS]{The Baron} a useful patron. Her network extends to places beyond his reach, most notably the Dwarf quarter, @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-starter-set.journals.TSyoR9nSk7cehypG.JournalEntryPage.A4x3cKwa1h875OlK]{Dawihafen}. This is something he is keen to cultivate, and he works hard to ensure he always remains in The Baron’s good graces. She is also the surest source of @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.jTFOrokjEHbi12rT]{Ranald’s Delight} in the city, a substance whose addictive qualities Liriwen is only now beginning to fully grasp. </p><p>He believes he has a good handle on things, for the time being, but hopes @UUID[Actor.QRwasUALpkuwthhS]{The Baron} does not realise just how potent a weapon this sword she holds above him has become.  </p><p>While @UUID[Actor.QRwasUALpkuwthhS]{The Baron} does find Liriwen useful, she cannot deny her personal distaste. The Elf ’s flamboyant nature, coupled with his frequent arrogant comments and unwanted advice on how she should run her enterprises have nearly led to him taking a trip down the Teufel on multiple occasions. One day, perhaps, he will push things too far, and if he ever does anything to threaten all she has built, then the Elf might find the ‘rash and rowdy’ nature of Humans far less endearing than he once thought.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>For Hire: I Spy With My Elf Eye</em></h3><p><em>Liriwen is prejudiced against watchmen and won’t work with them, unless they prove themselves valuable first. </em></p><p><em>Liriwen can be hired to either help with the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.7OPLj3XFgJvpj24D]{Study a Mark} or @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.Ujg3N2RiGC4RNSvH]{The Latest News} Endeavours, or carry them out on the Characters’ behalf. Having him assist changes them from a <strong>Challenging (+0) </strong>to an <strong>Average (+20) Test</strong> but requires the employing Character to accompany him. </em></p><p><em>If Liriwen fumbles a Test while in the Characters’ employ, he is spotted with them either by rival criminals or fellow agents from the Laurelorn. They are more likely to act on this the more often they see Liriwen with the Characters. </em></p><p><em>Liriwen costs @Pay[3ss]{3/–} for a Quick Job, @Pay[9ss]{9/–} Daily, and @Pay[3gc]{3 GC} Weekly. Alternatively, he may accept information useful to him, or @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.jTFOrokjEHbi12rT]{Ranald’s Delight} in payment. </em></p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>People Of Ubersreik</em></h3><p><em>Both @UUID[Actor.QRwasUALpkuwthhS]{The Baron} and the Harataki clan feature in A Guide to Ubersreik, found in the <strong>WFRP Starter Set</strong>. Should you wish to expand the Characters’ interactions with them, you can find more information in that supplement.</em></p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em> The Harataki Clan</em></h3><p><em>Led by Queen Vilda, the Harataki are a well-respected Dwarf clan that made their home in Ubersreik’s @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-starter-set.journals.TSyoR9nSk7cehypG.JournalEntryPage.A4x3cKwa1h875OlK]{Dawihafen} after losing their ancestral hold, Karak Branar. They are desperate for any opportunity to reclaim what has been lost and are touchy about their fallen status. Queen Vilda is not one to let an insult pass. </em></p></blockquote><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Prestige Adventures</em></h3><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>They’ll Rune The Day</em></h3><p>Liriwen is being called back to the Laurelorn. It appears his superiors grew impatient with his wild living and believe it best to keep a closer eye on him. Liriwen has no intention of returning to those quiet, watchful forests. He has concocted a plan, one sure to prove he is more useful where he is. It would appear the Dwarf Harataki clan has intentions upon Laurelorn territory, something only Liriwen’s quick word could put a stop to. </p><p>Of course, this isn’t the case yet, but Dwarfs are so easily led, providing you let them think it’s their idea. Liriwen let slip the location of a stockpile of Dwarf runic artefacts in the Laurelorn, captured during the War of the Beard. Such a treasure could well reverse the exiled Harataki’s fortunes. Liriwen just needs the Characters to get the news to them and make sure the Dwarfs reach the forest’s outskirts, without their growing suspicion. He will take care of the rest. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>Aftermath</em></h4><p><em>The veracity of the ancient Dwarf artefacts is left deliberately vague. Either Liriwen has leaked a very real stockpile held by the Elves, or he is hoodwinking both Elf and Dwarf. </em></p><p><em>Either way, this endeavour has the potential to affect the fortunes of both him and this respected Dwarf clan, in turn upending the entrenched power dynamics of Ubersreik’s @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-starter-set.journals.TSyoR9nSk7cehypG.JournalEntryPage.A4x3cKwa1h875OlK]{Dawihafen}.</em></p><p><em>Should Liriwen succeed, the prestige he gains in the Laurelorn, and among the Ubersreik underworld as word of his great game gets out, could allow him to become a major player in his own right. No longer dependent upon the @UUID[Actor.QRwasUALpkuwthhS]{Baron} or any other such patrons, he becomes the head of his own spy network, and rise from the position of Hireling to become a powerful patron for the Characters. This in turn grants them greater access to both Ubersreik’s criminals and the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-archives1.journals.Qz6noKBmpHuoVvlU]{Laurelorn Forest}. </em></p><p><em>Meanwhile, the Harataki do not forget this betrayal. The Characters find themselves unwelcome in the company of Dwarfs, while the shame of being manipulated by an Elf leads Queen Vilda to renounce her rank and take the Slayer’s Oath, creating a power vacuum in @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-starter-set.journals.TSyoR9nSk7cehypG.JournalEntryPage.A4x3cKwa1h875OlK]{Dawihafen}. </em></p><p><em>Failure, on the other hand, sees Liriwen returned to the Laurelorn in shame, and his superiors taking an interest in his associates, who know too much of their methods at this point. Their agents, spread throughout the Old World, keep a close eye upon the Characters, judging whether they are a tool to be used, or a threat to be eliminated.  </em></p></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/bridge.webp\" /></div>"
				},
				"Hirelings of the Old World": {
					"name": "Hirelings of the Old World",
					"text": "<p>The Old World is a place shaped by legends. In taverns and homes, huddled by the hearth, people tell tales of mighty heroes whose deeds echo through the ages. Yet the world is not made of such people. Behind every great warrior or wizard there stands countless underlings getting the actual work done. From the insalubrious Streng, companion to Witch Hunter Matthias Thulman, to faithful Chlod, manservant of Bretonnia, these figures may be hidden, but without them who would carry the hero’s bags?</p><p><strong>Hirelings of the Old World</strong> presents four NPCs for GMs to bring into their games, ready to help the Characters in their adventures, or serve their enemies should they get a better offer. These expand upon the rules for @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.sLomXnc8R8518cWN.JournalEntryPage.oRi9uwMS1O9Ol6Hx]{Hirelings} and can help GMs show that they are not simple trappings, but people with their own stories, desires, and perhaps even obstacles for the players to overcome. </p><p>Each NPC comes with a full background, statistics for use in play, and an employer they’re currently serving. They also feature specific requirements needed to hire them, as well as Adventure Hooks to help build their relationship with the Characters. These culminate in a Prestige Adventure, potentially serving as the basis for a whole campaign.</p><h3>How Shall I Use This?</h3><p>There are many ways to use this PDF. It can provide NPCs to interact with the Characters; Hirelings to assist with their adventures or grant them access to various Endeavours; potential antagonists to add complications to an existing story; or seeds for campaigns in their own right. GMs may wish to use the rules for @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.MystHpnI1Ki0v4dl]{Favours} both as a reward for completing an NPC’s tasks and as incentive to take them on. </p><h4>Endeavours for Hire</h4><p>Each NPC can help with, or even carry out, specific Endeavours on the Characters’ behalf, for a price. Their services can be engaged both during the Between Adventures phase, or while the Characters are otherwise occupied with an adventure. The party can take care of business while, for example, Liriwen Amberbloom gathers information on a mark for them. As Hirelings make their living by their talents, you will always be able to hire them for this purpose, unless they are otherwise engaged, but gaining their trust may reduce the costs required. Some NPCs do not value coin as highly as others, preferring to trade goods or services in kind. </p><h4>Employee of the Month</h4><p>Hirelings go where the job is, and aren’t generally found at a fixed abode. Instead, they might turn up in the service of specific employers and can therefore be encountered wherever the story needs them. Each NPC has an entry detailing an employer for whom they might work. Alternatively, they could be in the service of an existing NPC within your campaign, perhaps even a longstanding antagonist looking for more information about the Hireling’s former associates or serving as a spy in the Characters’ ranks. They could also turn up working for the NPCs from Patrons of the Old World I and II, allowing a GM to bring a new spin to an adventure as their different aims come into competition, the Characters stuck in the middle.</p>"
				},
				"Henrietta 'Corny' Cornflower - Halfling Attendant": {
					"name": "Henrietta 'Corny' Cornflower - Halfling Attendant",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/henrietta-cornflower.webp\" width=\"250\" height=\"361\" /></div><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.b92nqs2a5homPGk9]{Henrietta Cornflower}</p><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Ambition</p><p><strong>Short-term Ambition</strong>: Raise her status.</p><p><strong>Long-term Ambition</strong>: Take her place in the Imperial Court.</p><p>A pretty maidservant in service to one of the Empire’s most respected merchant families, Henrietta Cornflower has her keen eyes set upon the Imperial Court’s heady heights. Her life started humbly enough, working in the fields with the rest of her family, attending the regular parties and feasts that characterise Mootish society and, in general, feeling bored out of her mind. This changed the day a procession of Imperial nobles marched through her village.</p><p>The grand coaches, followed by their supply wagons, were unlike anything Henrietta had ever seen before. While her fathers grumbled about disruption to their harvest, she snuck out to watch as they went by. </p><p>To her delight, some nobles stopped to take in the scenery. She marvelled at their colourful clothes, their refined grace, the wonderful food (that mysteriously went missing from their baggage). Nor could she fail to notice the sneer when they spotted her behind the hedgerow. </p><p>Since then, Henrietta has harboured a burning desire to take her rightful place in that world. Against her fathers’ wishes, but with their loving support, she managed to get a place as a kitchen maid for a minor noble. From there, nothing could stop Henrietta’s rise to the middle. She learned that gossip was a currency in her new below-stairs world. Even better, it was currency you could spin from thin air, if you had the right creative flare. She deployed this without mercy, and before long exchanged scrubbing dishes for serving at the table.   </p><p>Many years have passed since she first left the Moot, and now Henrietta is personal maidservant to Mistress Ella von Leyen, the matriarch of the wealthy and influential von Leyen trade empire. Here, her ascension has ground to a halt. While at first delighted with the position, Henrietta feels Mistress von Leyen does not approach her noble station with proper decorum. She takes a hands-on approach to running her trade network, dragging Henrietta all over the Empire, rarely attending balls or galas or any of the other events that, to Henrietta’s mind, are the mark of true nobility. She also insists on calling her by her fathers’ pet name, ‘Corny,’ something that privately infuriates the young Halfling. </p><p>A recent escape has presented itself to Henrietta in the Reform Society. This social club of young nobles blackballed her mistress after an invitation to discuss trade over drinks resulted in the breaking of a chamber pot over a duke’s head. Yet, in that brief time, the establishment’s owner took an apparent shine to Henrietta, offering her occasional employment whenever she is not needed by her mistress. It is an association Henrietta leapt upon, seeing in the club’s clientele a path to the social acceptance she has always craved.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/items/knife-pan.webp\" width=\"314\" height=\"166\" /></div><section class=\"hook\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\">Corny's Commands</h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Quarant-What Now?</h4><p>Henrietta’s mistress ordered her to fetch some important goods that just arrived at the docks. Henrietta would not be seen dead in such rough company, and so wonders if the Characters might assist in this little matter. They needn’t worry about the ship being quarantined for disease; she is sure it is just something the harbourmaster is saying to keep the riff raff away. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Just A Spoonful</h4><p>Henrietta’s stores of her mistress’s medicine are starting to grow thin. A courier should have arrived with the latest batch, but while his boat has docked, the courier was not on it. Nor can anyone on board remember seeing him leave. The last thing anyone recalls, he was standing on the dock when they stopped to take on supplies, looking out at the river with an odd, dreamlike expression in his eyes. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Keep A Good Man Down</h4><p>Henrietta has a friend who needs discreet assistance — she is sure the Characters would be more than capable of removing a dead body from a local dinner party with all due discretion. Now, how do they feel about one that refuses to stay dead? Quietly, mind! She wouldn’t want to disrupt the guests, who are having such a lovely get-together. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Family Matters</h4><p>Henrietta’s fathers are in town. Oh gods, what if anyone were to find them and discover she is not actually from Mootish gentry? She cannot risk the humiliation. Could the Characters keep them busy and safe for the day? Maybe take them around the market, show them a few taverns, but keep an eye out. You never know who might jump on an opening like this. And for goodness’ sake, stop them from asking everyone if they know where their ‘dear little Corny’ is!</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">You Shall Go To The Ball</h4><p>A duke extended an invitation to Henrietta’s mistress, but to her horror the old baggage turned him down! Henrietta simply must attend, there are some people there from a local social club who said they would be quite interested in talking to her. If she were to adjust her mistress’s invitation, and the Characters posed as her entourage, she is sure they would be able to present themselves as true nobility. </p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/items/wine.webp\" width=\"219\" height=\"208\" /></div></section><h3>Ella von Leyen</h3><p>Loud, brash, and garrulous, Ella von Leyen is an imposing figure. As a young woman, Ella took great pride in personally commanding her family’s ships, captaining trade expeditions as far as the Dwarf hold Karak Kadrin. </p><p>Now in her mid-seventies, Ella may no longer be the one fending off river pirates, but she still makes sure to stay involved in her business. Under her stewardship, the von Leyens have become the main providers of Kadrin Steel in the Empire, prized by Nuln’s Dwarf engineer’s and the various Greatsword companies for their armour. She is rarely found in her family’s Altdorf home, saying she can’t stand any of that gossipy court nonsense, much to the consternation of her long-suffering Halfling maidservant. </p><p>However, age may at last be catching up to her. Those who meet the old woman describe a shadow, her flesh withering away and once-powerful voice cracking at the edges. Her worsening health forces her to rely upon Henrietta, who is more than happy to conduct business on her account.</p><p>Only Henrietta, and perhaps one or two people at the Reform Society, know that this is a weakness of the Halfling’s creation. With a few surreptitious drops of something in the old woman’s tea, Henrietta ensures that her public humiliation is kept to a minimum. She has no intention of killing the woman, but she is sure no one could possibly miss the company of the frightful, old battle axe.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>The Grey Lady Reform Society</em></h3><p><em>The Grey Lady Reform Society is a social club for Imperial gentility. Anyone with important connections in the Vobergland, provided they are vouched for by two members, can come to drink, dine, and discuss the need for change as the noble families stave off the merchants’ and wizards’ growing influence. </em></p><p><em>The club is owned by Rupert Lehman, a slight, balding man of impeccable manners. He is rarely seen outside of his various clubs, watching over its clientele and selecting from among them those to invite into the exclusive ‘Back Rooms’.</em></p><p><em>Few realise this shadow of a man is a scion of the infamous von Carstein vampiric bloodline, working to prepare the way for his masters’ coming. He recently fixed his eyes upon the von Leyens and their trade connections with the Dwarfs. An interruption here could prove costly indeed for the Empire’s armies, and while his first attempt to draw them in did not go as he had hoped, Henrietta represents a new path to pursue. </em></p><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em> For Hire: Life Below Stairs</em></h3><p><em>Henrietta will not deign to work for someone of Brass Status. She will, however, employ their services, making her a potential Patron for low-Status parties.</em></p><p><em>Henrietta can be hired for etiquette training, assisting in the Reputation Endeavour. Doing so reduces the cost of the Endeavour to half the Character’s maximum Earning income and changes the Career Skill Test from <strong>Challenging (+0) </strong>to <strong>Easy (+10)</strong>. Scoring an Astounding Failure, however, makes Henrietta try to distance herself from the Character.</em></p><p><em>She can also accompany Characters, helping maintain a ruse of wealth or granting them access to places beyond their usual station, thanks to her connections with other servants. </em></p><p><em>Henrietta costs @Pay[3ss]{3/–} for a Quick Job, @Pay[9ss]{9/–} Daily, and @Pay[3gc4ss]{3 GC 4/–} Weekly. </em></p><p><em>A Character of Gold Status can take Henrietta as a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.sLomXnc8R8518cWN.JournalEntryPage.oRi9uwMS1O9Ol6Hx#henchmen]{Henchman}, giving permanent access to her assistance while costing half the Character’s Earning income to maintain her employment. </em></p></blockquote><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Prestige Adventure</em></h3><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Beyond Reproach</em></h3><p>Rupert Lehman, organiser of the Reform Society, came to Henrietta with a proposition. The merchant families are eroding the power and respectability of the nobility, but he sees in Henrietta someone in whom the old standards might be upheld. He has come up with a plan to grant her control of the von Leyen trade empire. All she needs is to get her mistress’s signature on some specific paperwork, which Henrietta knows is kept secured at her lawyers’ offices in Altdorf, and then arrange for her subsequent passing. No possible suspicion can fall on Henrietta for this to work, so she must ask the Characters for their assistance.</p><p>However, Ella von Leyen has cottoned on to Corny’s little games. She has been pretending to be an invalid, while carrying out her own investigations into the Reform Society’s darker side. The Characters could be useful allies in uncovering the truth. </p><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Henrietta’S Medicine</em></h3><p><em>Distilled from @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.JbSjlgUdzsl5ok95]{Heartkill}, this poison is diluted to provide only 2 @Condition[Poisoned]{poison condition}. Normally, it would be far too expensive for a servant to afford.</em></p><h4 class=\"no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center\"><em>Aftermath</em></h4><p><em>Should the Characters succeed in elevating Henrietta, she sees they are richly rewarded — for the time being. They gain access to the Von Leyen shipping network, with free passage wherever they choose, and the offer to act as Henrietta’s representatives to Karak Kadrin. Of course, the Characters are loose ends in Henrietta’s schemes and need to be disposed of. It would be such a tragedy if their ship were to sink one day.</em></p><p><em>Rupert Lehman considers Henrietta’s agents a potential future asset. Perhaps they might like to take their place in the Reform Society and mix with the Empire’s upper classes. Should they prove themselves worthy, one day they may be invited into the coveted Back Rooms, where Lehman introduces his chosen to the new order that is to come. </em></p><p><em>If the Characters assist Ella von Leyen in uncovering the Reform Society’s vampiric nature, Imperial nobility is plunged into upheaval. Anyone connected to the Society comes under the scrutiny of the Witch Hunters and the Black Guards of Morr, leaving many bastions of Imperial power at their political rivals’ mercy. The Characters are caught in a shadow war between nobles, religious cults, and vampires, and need to choose their side carefully.</em></p></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/rivers.webp\" /></div>"
				},
				"Luhrguhr \"Lantern\" Angryfist - Ogre Mercenary": {
					"name": "Luhrguhr \"Lantern\" Angryfist - Ogre Mercenary",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/luhrguhr-angryfist.webp\" width=\"339\" height=\"417\" /></div><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.025DtNuCanyq2hLj]{Luhrguhr Angryfist}</p><p><strong>Motivation</strong>: Revenge</p><p><strong>Short-term Ambition</strong>: Survive the agents of the Stirland aristocracy.</p><p><strong>Long-term Ambition</strong>: Devour the horn-crowned Beastman’s gut.</p><p>While travelling the trading outposts, fishing villages, and smugglers dens littering the Old World’s rivers, you might spy an Ogre sporting an impressive collection of Stirland military medals. It would be unwise to stare too long though, for while he is an affable soul, this Ogre carries a spark of paranoia always waiting to flare into violence.</p><p>Born into the Angryfist tribe high in the mountains, Lantern grew up hearing stories about the Empire from the tribe’s (often terrified) Human Firemaster. These tales sparked the young Ogre’s wanderlust and he set out in search of these lands filled with plunder for any who’ll fight for it. </p><p>Lantern took employment in the Stirland military, who found feeding the brute a meagre fee when compared to having someone who could both guard their cannons and carry them off the battlefield afterwards. It was here he was given the nickname ‘Lantern,’ ostensibly for his prominent jawline, though the uncharitable say it’s because he’s not that bright. It also marked the beginning of an unlikely friendship, as Lantern came to the attention of the army’s young commander.</p><p>This general, a distant relation of Graf Alberich Haupt-Anderson, was still fresh from his home’s sheltered confines. Now, with a chance to prove himself, he found himself stymied by overbearing advisers who thought they knew better just because they had led armies before. </p><p>After seeing Lantern drive off an Ungor ambush by hurling cannonballs at them, he thought he spied a solution to his problem. He promoted the Ogre to his personal bodyguard and was amazed at how eagerly his subordinates accepted orders if it meant getting away from Lantern’s glare. Lantern, for his part, revelled in the fine food and prestige his new position brought, and the two became inseparable.</p><p>It was not to last. As the army marched one day, a Beastman warherd erupted from the treeline. Lantern waded into the rampaging Gors, his great war club rising and falling in bloody arcs. They fell back from him and Lantern gave chase. It wasn’t until the Gors melted into the forest’s shadows that he turned to find his friend lying dead on the ground. </p><p>He caught only a glimpse of his killer: a colossal Beastman, marked by a crown of horns sprouting from his skull.</p><p>Saddened by his friend’s passing, Lantern ate his body as a gesture of respect, gifting him to the Great Maw. The soldiers standing nearby did not quite see this in the same light. </p><p>Cast out, Lantern began chasing the horn-crowned Beastman throughout the Old World, eager to take his revenge. His search was complicated by the general’s family placing a bounty on Lantern’s head, seeking retribution for the desecration of their scion’s corpse. Lantern realised that, sooner or later, there would be too many bounty hunters to fight. He resolved to keep his head down, and took a job in a smuggling crew, hiding amidst the Empire’s many waterways (while never taking his medals off — he has his pride). Now, he travels aboard The Gull Maraz, keeping a suspicious eye out for anyone seeking Stirland coin, and always searching for the horn-crowned Beastman.</p><section class=\"hook\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\">Lantern's Menu</h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Gaolhouse Rock</h4><p>Captain Frisal’s prized dockhand has gone missing and they need that blasted Ogre to get The Gull Maraz loaded up before rainwaters hit. In desperation, they’re willing to offer free passage to anyone who can find Lantern. However, Lantern is sleeping off a hangover in chains. A local Watch patrol found him passed out next to a barrel of ale, surrounded by bloody pieces. Now they’re waiting for word from higher up on what to do and praying to Sigmar the Ogre doesn’t wake up first. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">A Midnight Snack</h4><p>The crew left Lantern to protect the boat while they went ashore to get some proper drinking done. Unfortunately, Lantern got rather hungry during the night, and one of the items they were smuggling smelled so very tasty… Now, he’s in danger of losing his place on the crew if the captain finds out. He needs the Characters to find a replacement. He’s not sure what it was, but it tasted great. Asked who it was intended for he says ‘I dunno slim, but far as I can work it out it was some bony wizardy type.’ Bony in this case may mean an Amethyst Wizard, Necromancer, or someone who is slender compared to an Ogre.</p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">You Do The Talkin’</h4><p>Beastmen raided a nearby village, so Lantern is planning to pay the place a visit. However, he has learned from experience that folks after a Beastman attack aren’t too keen about an Ogre turning up, so he needs the Characters to come do the talking. Arriving at the village, the Characters are greeted by burnt out houses, destitute peasants, mutated trees, and a tavern that appears mysteriously untouched. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Stirring Up Stirland</h4><p>While docked for a few days, Lantern spotted a procession of people dressed in Stirland livery. One of them even talked to Captain Frisal, though he doesn’t know what about. What are they doing there, eh? They must be following him. They’re always following him. Well, Lantern will take care of them first. He just needs the Characters to keep his crew distracted, while he goes to that big, old mansion he saw them heading to. </p></section><div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/ogres.webp\" /></div><h3>Captain Frisal and <em>The Gull Maraz</em></h3><p>Captain Frisal and the crew of <em>The Gull Maraz</em> make their living shipping grain up and down the Teufel. At least, that’s what it says on the paperwork. Frisal is a smuggler, however, and is willing to stuff their hold’s hidden compartments with anything that might fetch a price. Luxuries, heretical texts, Elven artefacts; all these and more have slipped past the river warden’s watchful gaze.</p><p>The captain was more than happy to bring Lantern onboard. The Ogre doesn’t speak much about his past, but that’s not unusual among the river’s less salubrious folk, and a little reticence is a small price for a stevedore who no dock inspector wants to get too close to. </p><p>At first, the crew found Lantern’s easy humour and complete inability to bluff at cards endearing. That was until they got into a bar fight and witnessed him strip a man’s arm to the bone. Now, most keep their distance, whispering dark rumours about the Ogre’s appetites. </p><p>Even Frisal is starting to have doubts. Every now and then, people with Stirland accents and an anxious air turn up asking questions, and they never seem to be able to dock for long without Lantern getting into some sort of trouble. They tried asking him about his past once. The way his lip peeled back to reveal sharp, shark-like teeth made them re-think this approach. For the time being, the Ogre is an asset, but if word of the bounty on his head ever reached the captain… well, then it might be time to consider just how valuable he may truly be. </p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/items/ogre-club.webp\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" /></div><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>The Gull Maraz</em></h3><p><em>The Gull Maraz appears to be a regular river barge. However, Captain Frisal has spent a great deal ensuring it can outrun any patrol boat, should they get too nosey. It keeps a crew of eight, including Lantern and Frisal. </em></p><p><em>You can find expanded rules for boats in Death on the Reik Companion. </em>The Gull Maraz<em> counts as a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-dotr.actors.6o2DfWDmpdgu5mUX]{Typical Barge} improved with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-dotr.items.mqdPFau0fgu2aUrB]{Hull Smoothing}, a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-dotr.items.1D3EAxQ6SKld08Xm]{Stripped Superstructure}, and a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-dotr.items.6oqnyS4OYQv2DdPM]{Racing Rig}.</em></p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>For Hire: Muscle In</em></h3><p><em>Lantern can be hired by anyone, unless they are wearing Stirland livery in which case he tries to avoid them. He may accompany characters on adventures, carry an extra 15 Encumbrance points, or smash anything that needs smashing. </em></p><p><em>Characters can also send Lantern out to Intimidate someone, or deliver a package, but if he is unaccompanied there is always the risk the Ogre might take things too far. If Lantern fails a <strong>Challenging (+0) Willpower</strong> Test, he decides that carnivorous violence is the best way forward. Lantern costs @Pay[6ss]{6/–} for a Quick Job, @Pay[1gc]{1 GC} Daily, and @Pay[6gc]{6 GC} Weekly. He will accept his wages in coin or in the equivalent cost in meat.</em></p><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/ogre.webp\" width=\"253\" height=\"482\" /></div><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Prestige Adventure</em></h3><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>A Gut Feeling</em></h3><p>The horn-crowned Beastman has been sighted. While drinking in a local tavern, Lantern overheard a group of pedlars huddled around the fire, exchanging whispered stories about Beastmen in the forests nearby. More and more of the mutated things are gathering, they say, led by a brutal champion blessed by the Blood God. The monster from Lantern’s past. </p><p>After demanding the location from the terrified travellers, Lantern sets off in pursuit. He plans to tear the creature’s gut out and devour it in front of its followers, a well-deserved humiliation for all it has put him through. However, while Lantern may not be the brightest, he learns from his mistakes. He needs the Characters to deal with the thing’s underlings and get him the one-on-one fight he craves. </p><p>But it’s not just one warherd they face. Following stories into the forest brings the Characters to a fallen stone circle. They find the horned champion standing ready to face their rival, a Tzeentchian mutant who views their coming as a useful tool in this contest. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>Aftermath</em></h4><p><em>Should the Characters and Lantern succeed in defeating the horn-crowned Beastman, its warherd scatters, bringing an end to their raids. Producing evidence of the Beastman’s fall earns Lantern his favoured place in the Empire’s armies once more, with commissions offered to the Characters should they agree to hunt down the last of the warherd. </em></p><p><em>Lantern does not forget the Characters’ assistance in a hurry, offering to become a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.sLomXnc8R8518cWN.JournalEntryPage.oRi9uwMS1O9Ol6Hx#henchmen]{Henchman} for the party.</em></p><p><em>However, if the Characters do not stop Lantern from eating the Beastman’s gut, he starts to suffer from strange dreams. Crimson dreams. Dreams filled with carnage and bloody vengeance. The Stirland soldiers who cast him aside, the nobles who placed the bounty on his head, the smugglers who cheated and mistrusted him all those years — he sees them all falling to his club. Should this go on too long, the Old World may find itself facing a new champion of the Blood God.</em></p><p><em>If the horn-crowned Beastman is not defeated, they continue to build their warherd until at last they have amassed enough power to besiege the human cities. The Characters may be able to use what they have learned about his rivalry with the Tzeentchian mutants to their advantage, but Lantern continues his pursuit.</em></p></blockquote>"
				},
				"Angela the Red - Human Hunter": {
					"name": "Angela the Red - Human Hunter",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/angela-the-red.webp\" width=\"301\" height=\"301\" /></div><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.IT145qbYgmoXv9PI]{Angela the Red}</p><p><strong>Motive</strong>: Loyalty</p><p><strong>Short-term Ambition</strong>: Protect the Taalhoffer lands.</p><p><strong>Long-term Ambition</strong>: End the unholy hunt.</p><p>A quiet woman of short, powerful stature, Angela the Red is an intense person to be around, but few question her skill with horse, hound, and hawk. She serves as the Master of the Hunt for Lord Hans Taalhoffer and gained her nickname from the way she comes to life when the hunt begins. Her dour demeanour is taken over by fierce joy and, some whisper, her eyes begin to flash a brilliant crimson.</p><div class=\"journal-image float-right flip\"><img style=\"margin-left:-50px;margin-top:-80px\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/hunter.webp\" width=\"344\" height=\"489\" /></div><p>Angela has always had a way with animals. As a young girl working in the Lord Taalhoffer’s stables, she gained favour for how quickly the horses came to trust her. People marvelled to find wild birds of prey settling in branches near her, or spied Angela holding a skittish wolf ’s gaze. </p><p>Such a reputation can be dangerous. It is only by Lord Taalhoffer’s swift intervention that Angela escaped a Witch Hunter’s tender mercies.</p><p>Angela believes herself blessed by Taal, gifted with words to make any creature listen. Even so, she worries about the sheer thrill she finds hunting, the way it makes her blood sing and the triumph when she catches her mark. She watches herself constantly for any sign the Witch Hunter’s suspicions could be true, and her gifts mark her as one of the damned. This constant vigil has taken a toll on Angela, leaving her restrained and cold to her fellows. </p><p>Angela does have one close friend. @UUID[Actor.feNDJmCHyJUZLuWD]{Helena Taalhoffer}, her lord’s daughter and heir, takes the same, fierce joy in the hunt Angela does. Angela delighted in teaching Helena all about tracking, horse riding, and the ways to make hawk and hound respond to your command, finding in her an eager pupil. However, in recent days she has noticed an unsettling change come over Helena. </p><p>Helena is taking less satisfaction in the pursuit of a clean hunt, revelling instead in slaughter. More than once, Angela has had to take the killing blow, putting a poor creature out of its misery after Helena’s careful aim left it bleeding its last from a dozen painful wounds. Worse still are the rumours. In the taverns, peasants tell stories about midnight hunts, of wild screams, and raucous laughter in the night. Of people never making it home.</p><p>Now, Angela spends her evenings away from Taalhoffer Keep as much as possible. She drinks alone, listening for gossip and wrestling with her conscience. She owes the Taalhoffers much and is loath to bring suspicion to their door. But she knows that this cannot last. And always, lurking at the edges of her mind, there is the fear that she too might one day give in to the voices urging her to the hunt. </p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/skull-hat.webp\" width=\"178\" height=\"234\" /></div><section class=\"hook\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\">Angela's Appeals</h3><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">In Sheep's Clothing</h4><p>There are reports of a creature attacking local livestock, making away with their skins and leaving the bloody carcasses behind. Some blame wolves, others say it’s Orcs, while in the taverns people mutter of things darker still. Whatever it is, Angela has been tasked with hunting it down, and she needs the Characters to act as beaters to drive the creature out of the undergrowth and towards her. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Fall Far From The Tree</h4><p>The trees in Lord Taalhoffer’s orchards are showing signs of disease. A rotten stench hangs thick in the air and their bark peels away in bloody tatters. Despite this, the fruit is perfect, rich, red and inviting. Angela heard that a roving band of Wood Elves are camped nearby. Perhaps they might know how to cure these trees, before someone gives into temptation and takes a bite for themselves. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Who Hunts The Hunter?</h4><p>A travelling Witch Hunter has gone missing, their gear found lying at the side of a road in the woods nearby. Angela must prove this couldn’t be the work of Humans, or else more of the stern killers are sure to turn up. The witch hunter was last seen sleeping in the stables of a nearby tavern, a place with an ill reputation as a favoured drinking den for local highwaymen. But surely even they would think twice before risking Sigmar’s wrath. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Call Of The Wild</h4><p>Lord Taalhoffer’s prized hound escaped, savaging one of its handlers in the process. Angela always found it a rather placid creature but noticed a change after Helena ordered it be given new food. She needs to get to the bottom of this, before any other hounds go feral. Meanwhile, stories come in from the surrounding hamlets of a giant, wolf-like monster, with glowing, emerald eyes. </p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\">Old War Stories</h4><p>The Taalhoffer’s dungeons are occupied for the first time in Angela’s memory. An old vagrant came through town, begging for coins and talking about how she once served in the military alongside Lord Taalhoffer. Apparently, she has a few tales she is sure everyone would love to hear. Lord Taalhoffer disagreed. What could be so dangerous about a vagrant’s rambling anecdotes? Angela wants to hear these stories but can’t risk being found breaking into the Taalhoffer dungeons herself.</p></section><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/items/spear.webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"96\" /></div><h3>The Taalhoffers</h3><h4>Lord Hans Taalhoffer</h4><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/stag.webp\" width=\"246\" height=\"333\" /></div><p>Lord Hans Taalhoffer was a great warrior, once. In his youth, he gained renown serving alongside the former Emperor, earning the right to stand amidst his Reiksguard. Now, those days are long behind him. While on the battlefield, he found himself overcome by bloodlust. He emerged from the red mist a scared and broken man, surrounded by slaughtered enemies, and praise from allies who had not been close enough to see his frenzy.</p><p>These days, Hans is devoted to the service of Taal, his family’s patron. The only time he leaves his keep is to establish some new shrine or altar to the god of the wilds. The rest of the time, he stays in his study, working on a manuscript detailing the finer points of fencing etiquette. </p><p>As a young man, Hans was something of a philanderer. The result was Angela. The appearance of an illegitimate first child caused his wife a great deal of pain. While he cares for the girl, Hans has ensured that no one, save his daughter Helena, know of Angela’s true lineage. </p><h4>Helena Taalhoffer</h4><p>Helena Taalhoffer is her father’s youth returned. While she sees no need to go searching for glory in battle, she is skilled with both bow and boar spear, showing that same vibrant life that characterised the Lord Taalhoffer’s younger days. </p><p>As a girl, she heard a voice whispering to her from the woods. It encouraged her to hunt, telling her the best places to find prey. At first, she believed it to be Taal, and gave herself over to the voice’s urgings. Now, she is not sure who it is. Nor does she care. The Whisperer has opened her mind to the hunt’s true joys and her blood sings with each kill she delivers to its altar, hidden in an overgrown grove where the light never quite reaches. </p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em> The Whisperer In The Woods</em></h3><p><em>This entity is left deliberately vague. Perhaps they are an imprisoned Daemon of Chaos, or the spirit of Morghur, the eternal avatar of corruption. They could even be a god from the time before the Empire, such as Ahalt the Drinker, eager to reclaim the land that was theirs.</em> </p></blockquote><p>She started to bring others into her hunting troupe, fellow young nobles looking for their chance to prove themselves to the Whisperer. Together, they have taken to pursuing a far more challenging prey: Humans. After all, the forests are dangerous, and no one will question the disappearance of a few peasants. </p><p>Helena hopes, one day, to bring Angela into the fold. She sees the chains of fear the hunter wraps around herself and knows that she too hears the whispers. She must be cautious. Angela is devoted to Taal, and to her father. But a hunter learns patience. </p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>For Hire: Walk In My Footsteps</em></h3><p><em>Angela can be hired by any Character to train them in @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.rt2rGSwFDCDHPh0A]{Tracking} or @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.oSbEE6eXH1S3LfUU]{Ride (Horse)}. Alternatively, the Characters can hire her as a local scout and tracker to aid them during an adventure, but only in forests and countryside. She is not comfortable in cities, preferring to stay away from crowds, but if circumstances force her, all Track Tests she makes in such places will be <strong>Difficult (−10)</strong>.</em></p><p><em>Angela does not care for coin, and can only be hired on a favour-for-a-favour basis. However, she does accept payment as per the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.0T8zisBH3D082Ztw]{Training} rules for the purpose of this Endeavour. </em></p></blockquote><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Prestige Adventure</em></h3><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Red In Tooth And Claw</em></h3><p>Three savaged Human corpses were left scattered upon an altar to Taal. Locals are whispering about monsters, but Angela knows it is far worse, and she can no longer turn a blind eye. She needs the Characters’ help to set a trap for these hunters, and to do that they need to find out when and where they will next play their little games. If they are careful, they could make the trap look like an accident and avoid further shame falling on the Taalhoffers. </p><p>Helena Taalhoffer, however, has her own plans. Angela is to be the next mark for their hunt. If she can drive her and the Characters to her patron’s altar, she is sure they will join her bloody entourage. All they must do is make a choice: offer a sacrifice or become the sacrifice.<em> </em></p><h4 style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"no-toc\"><em>Aftermath</em></h4><p><em>Should anyone be killed near the altar, their blood weakens whatever bindings hold the entity. Its presence starts drawing vicious predators to the woods, which could mean more mercenary work in the short term. Sooner or later though, the monsters become too many.</em></p><p><em>Anyone who chooses to make the sacrifice will automatically gain the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.MdrqSnA014jBggAV]{Unholy Rage} mental corruption. Their sleep becomes haunted by strange dreams, showing other altars scattered throughout the Old World.</em></p><p><em>Helping @UUID[Actor.IT145qbYgmoXv9PI]{Angela} stop @UUID[Actor.feNDJmCHyJUZLuWD]{Helena} places her in the Characters’ debt. She offers them her services whenever needed, potentially accompanying the party as a Henchman. However, the loss of his daughter sends Lord Taalhoffer into despair. His ordered life slips away, giving into the bloodlust. The first sign is his work on fencing etiquette changing to a heretical text. Influenced by the Whisperer, Taalhoffer spreads knowledge of the altars throughout the Empire’s aristocracy. After a while, he will begin the hunts again, forcing Angela to call on the Characters for assistance. Together, perhaps they can find a way to end this evil. </em></p></blockquote>"
				}
			}
		},
		"Something Knocking": {
			"name": "Something Knocking",
			"pages": {
				"Something Knocking": {
					"name": "Something Knocking",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/ghosts-by-barge.webp\" /></div><h4>Adventure Summary</h4><p>Over the last seven years a stretch of river has been subject to mysterious pirate attacks. Boats are found drifting, stripped of cargo and crew, only signs of violence remaining. Despite patrols and several investigations, local riverwardens have failed to discover the cause. In fact, a large party of wardens has vanished recently, the deck of their drifting vessel found awash with blood.</p><p>A cult of river pirates led by @UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links}, a devout follower of Khaine, are behind these attacks. Links possesses the enchanted skull of the infamous pirate captain, Bloody Klaas. The skull’s dark magic renders their island home and ship magically obscured, keeping them safe from discovery. All the murderous death in the area has caused concentrations of Shyish and Dhar to gather and stagnate, leaving many souls unable to move on. These linger in the area as Undead creatures. The same magic casts a pall of concealing darkness about the pirates’ hideaway, and prevents the Undead from exacting their own vengeance. </p><p>One night, the Characters hear a knocking on the hull of their boat. They must identify the Undead source of the noise and find a way to communicate with the vengeful entities. With a line of communication established and mutual trust in place, the Characters are asked to find the pirates’ island and bring them to justice. The Undead offer to help, but first the Characters must get to the heart of the pirate’s settlement and destroy the cursed skull, leaving them trapped and surrounded by murderous pirates. Can they stave off the pirates long enough for their Undead allies to reach them before it is too late?</p><p>Getting Started</p><p>This scenario benefits from foreshadowing. Rumours and passing encounters taking place during earlier adventures help establish the mysterious disappearances and offer ideas on how to interact with the Undead. Ideas to help the GM are described in <strong>Foreshadowing</strong>.</p><p>Entry points into the scenario are varied, although you should choose a stretch of river that is fairly well-travelled yet relatively remote from larger settlements. The Characters could be familiar with the region and its reputation (from previous adventures or foreshadowing), but equally it could be quite new to them. It’s probably best if they are boat owners themselves, as persuading others to pursue the adventure might be challenging (though fun for some groups). They might be professional riverwardens or have been hired to investigate the problem by local authorities. It’s even conceivable the Characters are river pirates themselves, though ones who operate through cunning and honest thievery, or want to secure a hideaway for themselves.</p><h4>Foreshadowing </h4><p>There are two kinds of foreshadowing: rumours and events. If <strong>Something Knocking</strong> is used as a side-adventure within a larger campaign, such as <strong>Death on the Reik</strong>, there is ample opportunity to slip them in here and there earlier in the campaign. Save some for this scenario in case the Characters go seeking clues or folk wisdom after first hearing the knocking. Alternatively, if you are playing the scenario as a one-off, one of the events can be used to introduce the adventure.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/items/cargo.webp\" width=\"194\" height=\"260\" /></div>"
				},
				"Part Two: Onto the Island": {
					"name": "Part Two: Onto the Island",
					"text": "<p>The island lair of the river pirates is an oval plateau some 600 yards in length in line with the river by 400 yards. Its rocky sides make it easy to tie on to, but rise steeply, two yards and higher in places. The rock is slick with weed and water, requiring a <strong>Difficult (–10) Climb</strong> Test to avoid slipping and falling in the water (see @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.NS3YGlJQxwTggjRX.JournalEntryPage.bdfiyhEYtKs7irqc#leaping-and-falling]{Leaping and Falling}). Once ashore, the ground is extremely uneven, with mossy hollows and grassy hummocks where the Characters (or pirates) can hide. There are large areas covered with brambles and rank weeds, with scattered thickets, branches twisted and dripping with moss. It is night when the Characters visit the island, and even with their Deadsight, shadows are deep and dark. It is a creepy place, stained with blood and suffering. There is the taste of rust in the damp air.</p><p>If the Characters take the time to sail around the island, they eventually discover the pirates’ boat, the Spectral Kaye, secured fore and aft by sturdy ropes to metal staples in the rock. Adjacent are a series of stepped rocks. While slippery, they offer a safer path onto the island.</p><h4>The <em>Spectral Kaye</em></h4><p>The pirate’s ship is equivalent to a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-dotr.actors.3VsyPdeVxnTzUQPk]{Patrol Boat}. It is an ordinary example of its type, the only notable features being the bloodstained gunwales. Inside the captain’s cabin there is a small wooden chest. It is not locked, and inside, wrapped in red velvet, is the jawbone from the skull of Bloody Klaas. If the jawbone is destroyed, @UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links} immediately wakes up. He is aware something is wrong, but not exactly what. He quickly dresses and goes to the chapel of Khaine, where he sits and contemplates the skull for the rest of the night. Sooner or later, the Characters will disturb Links’ meditations, but how it plays out depends on how the Characters go about their explorations.</p><h4>Encounters and Hazards on the Island</h4><p>The pirates are confident in their security and do not post watches or patrol the island. This allows Characters considerable freedom of movement — only bad luck or shocking incompetence should alert the pirates to their presence. Bad luck and other hazards may come in the form of:</p><ul><li><p>An insomniac pirate taking a stroll or perhaps encountered answering a call of nature over the edge of the island. A <strong>Challenging (+0) Stealth </strong>Test is required to avoid attracting her attention.</p></li><li><p>A wild goose that lets rip with a loud honking if disturbed by a Character who fails an <strong>Easy (+40) Stealth Test</strong> whilst passing by her nest. This wakes a pirate, who decides to go shut the annoying bird up.</p></li><li><p>A Character stumbles into a rocky hollow (pass a <strong>Challenging (+0) Agility</strong> Test to avoid falling and suffering [[/r 1d10 + 1 # Damage]] point of Damage)</p></li><li><p>A Character catches an exposed area of skin on some nasty brambles (pass a <strong>Challenging (+0) Willpower</strong> Test to avoid crying out; pirates get a collective <strong>Perception (Hearing)</strong> Test, difficulty based on how close the Characters are).</p></li><li><p>There is a population of wild goats on the island, and the Characters suffer an encounter with a territorial ram. Goats’ screams can sound horribly human; while the pirates are used to them, a protracted fight or a screaming retreating animal might provoke the interest of a pirate or three.</p></li></ul><p>Pick two of these when the Characters are first exploring the island, saving the others for environmental complications in any chase sequences later in the adventure.</p><h3>The Pirate Settlement</h3><p>Meinard Links and his pirates have been here for several years and have built themselves a surprisingly comfortable home. Various buildings have been constructed, mostly from the broken-up boats they have attacked. Although the pirates steal most of what they need, @UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links} encourages self-sufficiency to limit the need for excursions to civilisation, so there are also vegetable plots, two stores, and a goat pen. The chapel of Khaine is at the heart of the settlement.</p><h4>Pirate Cabins</h4><p>Loosely scattered around the chapel of Khaine are small huts and cabins the pirates have built for themselves over the years. Some live alone, others as couples or smaller groups. Most have stoves and other furnishings looted from boats they’ve attacked. The pirates don’t live in luxury, but certainly in more comfort than they deserve. Most of the cabins have vegetable patches alongside them and some have a still for making vegetable spirits. Doors tend to be unlocked, although some have simple bars on the inside.</p><p>If the Characters start investigating the cabins, they could reveal their presence. <strong>Hard (–20) </strong>or even <strong>Very Hard (–30) Stealth</strong> Tests are needed to enter any cabin without disturbing the inhabitants. Similarly, even if they manage to silence them before they cry out, attempts to search cabins for loot require a <strong>Challenging (+0) Stealth</strong> Test to avoid making a sound. However, other pirates are not likely to take an interest unless they hear multiple failures.</p><p>Any money or valuables in the cabins is for the GM to decide. However, in @UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links’} cabin there are three items of interest: a jewelled Dagger worth 3 GCs, a collection of high-quality butcher’s knives, and Links’ heavy leather diary, a detailed collection of atrocities.</p><h4>The Lock-Up</h4><p>The pirates keep a lock-up — a windowless log cabin — for sacrificial captives. The door is secured with a hefty wooden bar, which is easily removed from the outside. The lock-up is not guarded. </p><p>It has three occupants, two women and a man, dirty and bloodied, their clothes as worn and ragged as they are. They are weak and need assistance. If they become aware of the Characters, they immediately cry out for help and, if not immediately reassured, attract the attention of a pirate 3 Rounds later. Depending on the season, it is cold or stuffy inside. If the Characters end up inside the lock-up, they require a cunning plan to escape.</p><h4>Stores</h4><p>There are two sturdy sheds where stolen goods are kept. One is for food and the other for items useful to the pirates such as tools and clothing, alongside saleable goods. Each is guarded by a quartermaster, who bars themselves in and sleeps inside. When a quartermaster leaves, they padlock the doors.</p><h4>The Goat Pen</h4><p>A dozen goats are kept in a high-fenced pen, with a ram kept adjacent but separate. The pirates use them for milk and meat. They take an interest if Characters come close, suddenly rearing up, resting their hooves on the pen bars, and bleating at them. Some Characters might be startled (an <strong>Easy (+40) Cool</strong> Test to suppress a surprised cry).</p><h4>Graveyard</h4><p>The rotting remains of wooden fencing surrounds an area beyond the chapel’s exit: a Garden of Morr. It was a simple affair, with a few wooden and fewer stone markers now lost within a tangle of grass and bramble. Anyone making a rather prickly search of the Garden finds a single standard black rose tree, struggling in the tall weeds.</p><p>The Garden is old and untended. As followers of Khaine, the pirates tend to avoid it if they can. They make do with pitching their own dead into the river.</p><h4>The Chapel</h4><p>At the heart of the island lies the stone chapel. Formerly of Morr, it is now dedicated to Khaine. Even from some distance away, anyone with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} can see <em>Shyish </em>and <em>Dhar </em>gathered churning around it, carrying a sense of sweaty terror. The building is kept in fair condition despite its spiritual corruption; the stone is crumbling and the few Morrite carvings defaced, but the wood-tiled roof keeps the rain out. Roughly 10 yards long by 6 yards wide, it has a doorway at either end (an entrance symbolising entry into the world, an exit symbolising death). Both doorways have been desecrated with the addition of wooden doors, which are barred on the inside during sacrifices. Its windows, placed just above Human head-height, are boarded up, although there are gaps which can be peered through. The inside is simple: an open space with a central altar. The once-plain walls are now blood-stained and hung with rusty old daggers and swords. Grimy skulls dug up from the graveyard are scattered about. At night, it is dimly illuminated by four very large black candles in brass candleholders at each corner of the altar. The candlelight just about stretches to the walls, around which are chairs and stools used by the pirates during worship.</p><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/morr.webp\" width=\"224\" height=\"226\" /></div><p>The altar is the dominant feature within the chapel. It is a solid rough-carved block of dark grey stone, large enough to bear a sizable coffin. The image of a raven carved on its surface has been defaced and crudely replaced with scratched and painted symbols of Khaine (mostly daggers, but also skulls and horned heads).</p><p>On top of the altar, nestled upon a crumpled heap of crushed red velvet, is the Skull of Bloody Klaas. When the Characters first come close, under the flickering light of the candles it appears horribly like the skull is perspiring, but it is only condensation (although if anyone dares wipe the moisture with their finger and taste it, perhaps it <em>is </em>a little salty…). The mandible is missing; if the Characters haven’t already found it, the jawbone is on The <em>Spectral Kaye</em> (see above).</p><p>Those granted Deadsight can sense the ‘Darkness’ the Ghosts spoke of, coiled like a snake around the skull. Anyone with the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} Talent sees a shockingly intense concentration of Dhar within the skull with no need of a Test. It is difficult for someone with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} to look at it for too long.</p><p>Upon entering the chapel for the first time, the Characters should make an <strong>Average (+20) Cool</strong> Test or receive the <em><strong>Rattled </strong></em>Condition.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title\"><em>Rattled Condition</em></h3><p><em>This is a new Condition intended to be used in circumstances where Characters have faced a disturbing phenomenon, but not one that is so clearly threatening so as to leave them Broken.</em></p><p><em>A Character gains this Condition when they fail a Cool Test in an ominous environment or worrying circumstance.A Character might also become Rattled after being intimidated. A Character who is Rattled gains +10  to Perception Tests as they pay additional attention to every creaking floorboard and looming shadow, but all other Tests are at a –10 penalty as they find it hard to concentrate. This Condition does not stack: you are either Rattled or you’re not. The Condition is removed if the Character gains a @Condition[Broken] Condition, or once the disturbing phenomena passes. If the disturbing presence lingers for a long time, the Character can take an <strong>Average (+20) Cool </strong>Test to remove the Condition every half hour.</em></p><p><em>Any Skill, spell, or other effect that can remove Broken Conditions also removes the Rattled Condition.</em></p><blockquote class=\"foundry-note\"><p><em>The <strong>Rattled</strong> Active Effect can be accessed in the <strong>System Effects</strong> dropdown in the <strong>Effects </strong>tab.</em></p></blockquote></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/meinard-links.webp\" width=\"301\" height=\"301\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><p>@UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links}</p></div><h4 style=\"text-align:left\">Encountering Meinard Links</h4><p>GMs might want the Characters to formally meet the main villain of the scenario, @UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links}, rather than just encounter him during a final battle scene. It is suggested in <em>The Spectral</em> <em>Kaye</em> that Links is woken if the mandible of Bloody Klaas is destroyed, after which he goes to the chapel of Khaine and meditates on the skull. This is an obvious opportunity for a meeting, and GMs could place Links in the chapel regardless of what happens with the mandible. Unless the Characters are exceptionally careful in their approach and entry to the chapel, Links can raise the alarm even if he cannot get out and evade the Characters. This leads to a situation similar to destroying the skull in the chapel and the ensuing scream. The difference is the presence of Links. </p><p>@UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Links} is a bargaining chip, and he can order his pirates to hold back. Links is egotistical, happy to tell the Characters about himself and everything he’s achieved, and tries to tease out information about the Characters. He’s also quick with a knife (even if disarmed, Daggers and Swords are all over the walls), though he won’t risk it unless he can either easily take a Character hostage or the skull is threatened. Links is completely unaware of the Undead, but if the Characters make him aware, he is very disturbed by the news, although he tries to hide it.</p><h4>Destroying the Skull</h4><p>It should be clear to the Characters that it is the skull protecting the pirates and preventing the Undead coming onto the island, and that it must be destroyed. It’s worth noting the mandible on <em>The Spectral Kaye </em>does not have to be destroyed as well (although the Characters might worry about it.) They may wonder how destruction is best accomplished. In practical terms, it doesn’t matter: smashed, covered in oil and burned, attacked with damaging spells, they’ll all work. It could be carried and thrown off the edge of the island. Ultimately, it is down to the decision of the Characters. The longer they take to decide, however, the greater the chance the pirates become aware of their presence.</p><p>If the skull is physically destroyed, whether inside or outside the island’s boundaries, it emits a soul-shattering shriek that lasts a full minute and alerts the pirates. The scream might be muffled if the skull is wrapped up, say inside the heap of crushed velvet it rests on, before it is damaged. Carrying the skull off the island and throwing it in the water beyond the island’s blood-anointed edges is the only way to avoid the scream, but the time it takes to carry it to the edge only increases the chance the pirates become aware of the Characters or that the skull is missing. It also leaves the skull intact, and it may be recovered or found by a new owner. </p><p>If the skull is destroyed inside the chapel or near the pirates’ cabins, its scream immediately wakes the pirates, even ones sleeping off a night of drinking. If the Characters have completely wrapped the skull in the velvet, there’s a chance they’ve muffled it (the pirates get a <strong>Very Easy (+60) Perception</strong> Test). If it’s destroyed elsewhere, the chance of the pirates hearing the scream decreases with distance from the pirate cabins. If the Characters make it to their own vessel, the pirates require a successful <strong>Very Hard (–30) Perception</strong> Test to hear, and if they muffle the skull, the pirates won’t hear it at all. </p><h4>Escaping from the Pirates</h4><p>If the @UUID[Actor.A0P5zYadLpyrDBPy]{pirates} are alerted while the Characters are on the island, they give chase and try to capture them. If the Characters are still inside the chapel, they have the chance to run while the pirates are still waking up. Alternatively, they can bar the doors and barricade themselves inside (the blades on the walls and the chairs can be used to wedge the doors or hamper the pirates’ access through them; just remember there are two doors). In this situation, the Characters are hopelessly outnumbered, but there’s a chance they can hold the pirates off long enough for the Undead to arrive and even the odds. This could entail a battle on two fronts as pirates assail both doorways. The Characters could also play for time by engaging the pirates and their leader in negotiation. The pirates are happy to talk, as they believe they hold all the cards, being entirely unaware of the very angry Undead heading their way if the skull is destroyed.</p><p>Alternatively, the Characters may decide to run for it, leading to a running battle as they race to get off the island. The pirates are initially tired and confused, so the Characters need not be immediately overwhelmed. If the Characters are already elsewhere on the island when they destroy the skull, they have a head start on the pirates, who are unsure exactly where the Characters are. The scream will have given them some idea, but an order to spread out is given by Meinard Links, thinning the pirate outs. However, if a group of pirates catch up with the Characters, their cries of battle draw in more and the Characters become increasingly hard pressed.</p><p>The Characters might decide to split up or a stealthy Character could trick the pirates into following them and then attempt to hide. The Characters might all try to hunker down in a group of trees or behind a rocky outcrop. It’s important to allow the players to come up with ideas to escape or play for time and let them try. Emphasise that time is of the essence, though. If the Players get stuck in lengthy discussions, have a small group of pirates spot the Characters to spur them into action.</p><p>Another option is surrender. This sounds risky, but the pirates are cultists of Khaine and prefer to kill in cold blood, rather than the heat of battle. If they can take the Characters prisoner, they will, stripping them of weapons and possessions before roughly throwing them into the lock-up. If the Characters have destroyed the skull, this is not a bad situation as the Undead are on their way. If they have not destroyed the skull, then they’ll have to escape. The pirates take time to search the island in case there are other intruders, but eventually return to make some sacrifices to their bloody-handed god. The Characters’ time is short. (If you have previously introduced @UUID[Actor.AmiBXPX3ROpR2HKX]{Yevgeni Dostal} and he wasn’t already with the Characters, he could come to their aid, having used his own shamanic means to discover the hidden island. Or, the Characters are not the only people the Undead have successfully persuaded to help them.)</p><h4>@UUID[Actor.A0P5zYadLpyrDBPy]{The Pirates}</h4><h4>In Pursuit!</h4><p>There are at least two opportunities for chases to happen: when the pirates hear the skull scream and if @UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links} flees during the final battle. The following starting distances are suggestions based on the pirates being asleep in their cabins at the start of a pursuit. See @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.NS3YGlJQxwTggjRX.JournalEntryPage.bdfiyhEYtKs7irqc#pursuit]{Pursuit} for more on running chases.</p><p><strong>In the chapel</strong>: 2 (Characters are loosely surrounded by the pirates’ cabins, so negative SLs may represent having to evade sleepy pirates as they emerge; or swap the Athletics Test for a Strength Test to shove the pirates aside).</p><p><strong>Outskirts of pirate settlement</strong>: 4 (negative SLs may represent environmental complications, such as those in Encounters and Hazards on the Island (see above); or the hazard increases the difficulty of the test).</p><p><strong>Out of sight of the settlement</strong>: 8 (pirates must succeed in a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception (Hearing)</strong> Test to work out which direction the scream came from, otherwise they spread out to search).</p><p>@UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links’} head-start depends on whether or not the Characters have kept an eye out for him. If they have, then the starting distance is only 2, otherwise it is 4.</p><h4>A Ghastly Cavalry</h4><p>Hopefully, the Undead arrive to take their revenge before the Characters are overwhelmed. First to arrive are the Ghosts, howling through the mist. Klara and Shade come individually, the rest together as a Swarm. Assuming the subsequent action happens around the settlement, this takes about 8 Turns. The water-bloated River Zombies and weed-clad Skeletons follow, silently shambling from the shadows of the trees, bringing unfinished business and great anger. They arrive about 12 Turns after the skull is destroyed, with more arriving over the next 6 Turns (due to the oval shape of the island). The Undead arrive sooner if the action happens closer to the island’s edge.</p><p>How the Characters experience this and how soon depends on where they are at the time: they could be barricaded in the chapel and fighting or playing for time, stripped of their possessions and crammed into the lock-up, somewhere on the island, on their boat or even the <em>Spectral Kaye</em>. If they successfully made it off the island with the skull without the pirates knowing, the Characters can join the Undead in their final act of revenge or they may decide they have no wish to witness the slaughter. </p><p>If they stay involved, let the Characters fight their own skirmishes, occasionally aiding individual Undead and vice versa, but assume the pirates are eventually overwhelmed. Remember the chaos of battle: screaming, the moon-lit darkness, feasting corpses, and the chill of an angry Ghost streaking past. You can break combat up by having some pirates surrender or lock themselves into their cabins.  Another group, led by Meinard Links, can make a break for the <em>Spectral Kaye</em>. Giving each Character a chance to spot this (<strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test) and give chase provides a more interesting challenge for the players than just mopping up the Undead ’s leftovers.</p><h4>Good-byes</h4><p>With the skull destroyed and the pirates slain, the Undead are free to depart, no longer bound to the river. The remaining @UUID[Actor.Wp2FqsAY9RcG4zm9]{River Zombies} and @UUID[Actor.HtGnrDxGBEcuS8bP]{Skeletons} trudge to the island’s edge, stumble into the river, and gradually vanish beneath the surface. As they go, some turn their heads to the Characters, giving a single jerky nod.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.5cKUmjlof9ziR8Oq]{The Ghost Swarm} performs a brightly multi-coloured circuit around the Characters. It flies up into the night sky, then down and through the entrance of the chapel of Morr, emerging from the exit, breaking apart and rapidly fading to the darkness.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.KNBspDhP0piNgb0j]{Klara} and @UUID[Actor.n37B1CtmzV7sXsmp]{Shade} remain to speak to the Characters.</p><p><strong>Klara</strong>: <em>‘I will not stay long. I offer you my thanks. And for all of us. Now I must go and see if I can find my betrothed. I think his name was… well, I will find out. If you ever visit my home, place a flower for me.’</em></p><p>With that, Klara drifts off slowly towards the river, gradually fading to a spark of turquoise light that suddenly blinks out.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.n37B1CtmzV7sXsmp]{Shade} grins, perhaps. It’s hard to tell.</p><p><strong>Shade</strong>:<em> ‘Not too bad for a night’s work! I’m feeling much better about everything now. Not so tied down, either. You know, I might just stick around for a bit. Have some fun. Had enough of this river, though. Time to see the sights! Never know, I might bump into you all again sometimes!’</em></p><p>And with that, @UUID[Actor.n37B1CtmzV7sXsmp]{Shade} zig-zags off into the distance and vanishes.</p><p>The Characters are alone on a dark island at night, surrounded by corpses.</p><h4>A New Day</h4><p>What next? Well, the Characters find themselves in the middle of an island with the makings of a functional village. It’s somewhat tainted by a history of murder, but aside from that it’s just waiting for new residents. Perhaps the Characters wish to become landlords. Or maybe they just loot the stores, or even return some stolen items to their rightful owners.</p><p>The cult of Morr is likely to come looking for the Characters, whether they stay on the island or not. By rumour, instinct, or divine guidance, senior priests become aware something significant has happened. The cult wants to cleanse and reconsecrate the chapel and debrief the Characters. It can always find uses for people like them.</p><p>Maybe some of the pirates escaped the island: the Undead’s vengeance need not have been total. If one of them was @UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links}, there is definitely trouble ahead.</p><h4>Awarding Experience</h4><p><strong>Rewards</strong></p><p>As well as the normal XP you offer for good roleplay and having fun, you should apportion XP at the end of each session using the following guidelines:</p><p>@Exp[5, Figured out a way to ask questions of the spirits before the board the boat.]{5 XP for any Character who figures out a way to ask questions of the spirits before the board the boat.}</p><p>@Exp[5, Allowed the spirits to come aboard.]{5 XP for allowing the spirits to come aboard.}</p><p>@Exp[10, Allowed themselves to be touched by the dead and gain Deadsight.]{10 XP for any Character who allows themselves to be touched by the dead and gain Deadsight.}</p><p>@Exp[15, Found the Island]{15 XP for finding the Island}</p><p>@Exp[10, Boarded the Spectral Kaye]{10 XP for boarding the Spectral Kaye}</p><p>@Exp[5,Found the Skull of Blood Klaus]{5 XP for finding the Skull of Blood Klaus}</p><p>@Exp[10, Destroyed the skull]{10 XP for destroying the skull}</p><p>@Exp[15, Defeated Meinard Links]{15 XP for defeating Meinard Links}</p><div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/shrine-to-khaine.webp\" /></div>"
				},
				"Events": {
					"name": "Events",
					"text": "<h3>Event: The Abandoned Patrol Boat</h3><p>The Characters discover a drifting boat, clearly a riverwarden vessel. There are no signs of life aboard, but gobbets of congealed blood are spattered about on the deck. A log book reveals the vessel’s home port (a coat of arms on the cover helps the illiterate), which ought to be a destination large enough to support its own river patrol (if you are playing <strong>Death on the Reik</strong>, @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-altdorf.journals.cDOlXEpTvnuaOJ0P.JournalEntryPage.B8CGtaYy6XAo1WPK]{Altdorf ’s Reik River Patrol Terminal} is the most likely home port). The log contains details of an ongoing investigation into the disappearances of river craft on this stretch of water. </p><p>The book is stained with blood and water, and most of the entries are illegible, but a recent one reads: <em>‘Knocking was heard again last night. We spoke with a travelling trader today who claimed that she and her family often hear it, too. She insisted that the noises were made by the spirits of the drowned. She said that there might be ways to talk to these spirits using Morrite rituals or contraptions, but hasn’t the skill to do so herself. I pray to Morr that he take these unquiet dead before I ever have to speak with them!’ </em></p><p>Towing the boat back to its home port yields the Characters a finder’s fee of @Credit[5gc mode=split]{5 gold crowns}. This makes a good scenario entry point: whether immediately or at a future date, a senior riverwarden asks the Characters to discreetly investigate the stretch of river where other boats have been found drifting, sharing with them details from the logbook if they cannot read.</p><h3>Event: The Travelling Shaman</h3><p>An unusual battle cry alerts the Characters to a conflict along the river. They spy a tall, lean man in a rowboat fighting for his life against some aquatic beast, such as a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.actors.FmEDHnfAe2iIugpt]{Bog Octopus}. Assuming they come to his aid and drive the beast off, they become the friends of a boatman named @UUID[Actor.AmiBXPX3ROpR2HKX]{Yevgeni Dostal}. He hails from the far-off marches of Kislev. Yevgeni has the habit of referring to folk from the Empire as <em>chegan</em>. A Character who passes a <strong>Hard (–20) Language (Kislevite)</strong> Test understands that Steppe Nomads use this term to describe ‘worthless people’ they take offence, he laughs and treats them to a hearty slap on the back. Despite this habit, Yevgeni is friendly and appreciative of the Characters for providing him with assistance. If asked why he is so far from home, he explains his tribe’s shaman Dafa told him he had things to do in this far land. As well as being a mighty warrior, he tells them, he was also an apprentice shaman and can commune with the spirits. </p><p>This encounter can be run before this scenario, with @UUID[Actor.AmiBXPX3ROpR2HKX]{Yevgeni} going his own way afterwards. The Characters can track him down later. Alternatively, it can take place early in this scenario. </p><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/yevgeni-dostal.webp\" width=\"226\" height=\"228\" /></div></div><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.AmiBXPX3ROpR2HKX]{Yevgeni Dostal}</p></div><div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/ghosts-by-barge.webp\" /></div>"
				},
				"Tales from the River Bank - Rumours": {
					"name": "Tales from the River Bank - Rumours",
					"text": "<p>Riverfolk love ghost stories as much as anyone, and many are willing to share their own experiences if prompted. Most are superstitious and believe in ghosts, but some prefer mundane explanations for any experience. Talking about the knocking or the supernatural in general leads to ghostly tales, some suggesting ways to communicate with the dead, the etiquette of interaction, and the risks and possible benefits of doing so. </p><p>If the Characters are part of a larger campaign, it would be good to have them hear some of these rumours during the sessions leading up to this adventure. These rumours could be interspersed with ones from your main campaign, and picked up whenever the Characters stop at a town, riverside inn, or meet fellow travellers on the Reik.</p><p>If you are playing the adventure as a standalone, this information could be imparted by people encountered as part of the events. It is particularly important to prime the party with knowledge that the ghosts of the river can be communicated with.</p><ul><li><p><em>‘It’s a bad river for disappearances. We find the boats drifting or caught up, but nobody on board — just blood and robbed holds. Sometimes even stoves and furniture are gone. A wedding boat full of nobles vanished last year — a whole minor house just gone! Strigany, too, and probably more than we know about, since they’re none-too fond of us. You find the occasional mutilated body we can link to a particular boat, but mostly people just disappear. Been going on six, maybe seven years and no sign of the culprits. You’d think it was ghosts!’</em> (Told by a riverwarden)</p></li><li><p><em>‘Used to be an island in the river where they buried the dead, so they say. Kept bodies safe from wolves, see? Don’t know if it was upstream or downstream. Vanished, see? River fog swallowed it up one night, and it ain’t never been seen since. Proper spooky! When did this happen? Only a half dozen or so years ago. You ask around, you can find people who tied up there.’ </em>(Told by an old herbalist)</p></li><li><p><em>Yes, I remember an island in the river. I tied up there one misty day and had a look round. Rough ground, little chapel of Morr in the middle, and old gravestones. Don’t think it was still in use. Thing is, I’ve been up and down that stretch and it’s just not there now. Maybe I’m muddled in my old age. Maybe it was a phantom. Maybe I’m thinking of another river.</em> (Told by a bargeswain from Marienburg)</p></li><li><p><em>‘You don’t want to tie up at the bend by the willows on that stretch of the river. Not at night, no-ways. Something not right in the water. You hear things there. What sort of things? Not rightly sure. Never tied up there myself. Not at night, no-ways.’</em> (Told by a young fisher)</p></li><li><p><em>Knocking on your hull? It’s driftwood. Or sleeping Reik turtles. Don’t you mind any o’that ghosts nonsense. No such thing. I saw a walking corpse one, though. Should never have married him in the first place!’</em> (Told by a scorned boatwright)</p></li><li><p><em>‘Have you heard it, too? The knocking on your hull below the water? It’s drowned children, you know? Trying to find their mothers. Poor little mites. Light a candle for them.’</em> (Told by a young, cowled hedge witch)</p></li><li><p><em>‘You ever see glowing lights in the water, not on it, deep down in it, you steer clear, right? Ghosts they are, river ghosts. Get too close and they’ll pull you down with them!’</em> (Told by an orphan)</p></li><li><p><em>Ghosts are one thing. It’s the bodies you got to watch for! Bloated and hungry! Clambering over the gunwales with leeches all over their pale skin. Eels for tongues! </em>(Muttered by a washed up drunk)</p></li><li><p><em>‘Lots of ghosts in the river. Drownings, accidents, murders. Then there’s the Janni Verdtfang and the Naiads. Won’t come aboard though, not unless you invite them. Just stay out of the water. Wouldn’t even trust rowboats. That’s where they’ll get you.’ </em>(Told by a Halfling cook)</p></li><li><p><em>‘One knock for “yes”, two knocks for “no”. Three knocks for “”don’t know”. You can use a flame in a closed lamp, too, just watch for flickers. One flicker for “yes”…</em> (Told by a fortune teller, for a few pennies)</p></li><li><p><em>‘Oh, ghosts can get aboard, even if you don’t invite them. Can’t get you though, you’ll just hear slow footsteps and creaking boards. Sometimes you’ll see wet footprints on the decks. You have to invite them aboard if you want to talk to them, so they say.’ </em>(Told by an unlicensed ‘physician’)</p></li><li><p><em>‘You invite them aboard, they’re guests and have to behave. There are rules, see? Mind you, there’s a lot of argument over what the rules actually are…’ </em>(Told by a Strigany trader)</p></li></ul><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-core/art/spot/spot-candle.webp\" width=\"260\" height=\"300\" /></div>"
				},
				"Part One: Something Knocking": {
					"name": "Part One: Something Knocking",
					"text": "<p>The scenario begins at night. The Characters have tied up their vessel on the banks of a lonely stretch of river, the nearest fishing village half a day away. They may be aware of the area’s reputation, but the alternative is travelling in the dark (if they choose to keep sailing, they will still soon hear the knocking).</p><p>At a time when at least some Characters are asleep, have everyone make a <strong>Perception (Hearing)</strong> Test. For those below deck, the Test is <strong>Easy (+40)</strong> if they are awake or <strong>Average (+20)</strong> if they are asleep. For anyone on deck, perhaps keeping watch, the Test is <strong>Difficult (–10)</strong>, unless they’ve fallen asleep, in which case it is <strong>Hard (–20)</strong>. If everyone fails, allow another Test an hour later. Those who succeed hear a distinct tapping or knocking on the hull. Those on deck hear it echoing up from below. Its pattern changes from regular and continuous to random and without pattern. One Character (pick at random) might swear they think it sometimes sounds like a tune they can’t remember the name of. </p><p>If the Characters do not perceive the knocking, or ignore it, you have a couple of options.</p><p>Firstly, if you are running the scenario as part of a larger campaign, the Characters can simply go on their way, but the knocking occurs again whenever they pass this stretch of river. It is louder and more desperate each time, making Perception Tests made to hear it increasingly easy.</p><p>Alternatively, if and Characters continue to ignore the knocking and you wish to force the issue, it becomes so insistent that a board in the hull is loosened and the boat springs a leak. Detailed rules for damaging vessels are given in the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-dotr.journals.WR8ZAD6yw9lYgzeY.JournalEntryPage.8RsPoCyE5UELCb1s]{Death on the Reik Companion}, but here is a summary of the main points: </p><ul><li><p>The leaking vessel sinks in a number of minutes equal to its Toughness (so 45 minutes for a typical barge).</p></li><li><p>Characters can busy themselves bailing out water, which doubles the time it takes the boat to sink.</p></li><li><p>Every 20 minutes, the Characters can make a <strong>Trade (Boatbuilding)</strong> or <strong>Trade (Carpentry) </strong>Test to fix the leak. Seeing as the Undead have only caused a small hole, the difficulty is <strong>Easy (+40)</strong>.</p></li><li><p>This action is intended to inconvenience the Characters rather than deprive them of their barge. There are many bays and mudbanks along this stretch of river, so if the barge does succumb to the leak, it would be better to beach it rather than have it go under.</p></li></ul><p>From time to time the knocking changes where it is coming from. The Characters first hear it one side, then on the other, sometimes from the fore of the vessel, sometimes the aft. </p><p>Sometimes it comes from the very bottom of the hull. If the boat is still travelling, the knocking follows them. What is clear in all cases is that whatever is knocking is doing so from below the waterline.</p><p>Those with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} notice a slight, wispy presence of Shyish in the atmosphere close to the walls of the hull. If they go up on deck to look overboard, they see its darkly swirling presence in the water close to the hull. Looking out over the river, they see points of Shyish very loosely scattered in the water some distance from the boat, but surrounding them, like violet stars.</p><p>What exactly happens next depends on the Characters. If they actively engage with the knocking, you can proceed to <strong>Conversations with the Undead</strong>. If they ignore it, don’t know what to do, or otherwise fail in any attempt at communication, the knocking eventually stops (it stops at sunrise, even if the Characters are still trying to communicate). The knocking happens again the following night at the same time, and the night after that. If you are faced with these interludes, give the Characters the opportunity to encounter NPCs who they can talk to about their experiences (see @UUID[JournalEntry.a3Q492Z7bqV3Byuv.JournalEntryPage.ab421KpDJCtBjAfO#foreshadowing]{Foreshadowing}). If the Characters are reluctant to talk, let the NPCs do the talking — the Characters are not the only people to have heard the knocking.</p><h4>Conversations with the Undead</h4><p>Probably the most likely thing the Characters do is knock back. If they do, whatever is knocking responds to their tapping, mimicking it. It may be fun to do this in real life. However, this is unlikely to result in proper conversation.</p><p>The next thing Characters might try is talking to the knocking. They quickly discover whatever is outside the hull can hear them. From here it’s a simple step to <em>one-knock-for-yes-two-knocks-for-no</em>. If the Characters have heard one of the rumours described in @UUID[.ab421KpDJCtBjAfO]{Foreshadowing}, they may decide to try using a lamp flame in a similar way. What information this yields depends on the questions, as it is limited to yes or no answers — <em>‘Who are you?’ </em>cannot be answered this way.</p><p>Any Character who has been part of the cult of Morr as a Nun, Priest, or Warrior Priest, or any Character who passes an <strong>Easy (+40) Lore (Religion) </strong>or <strong>Challenging (+0) Lore (Empire) </strong>Test has heard of a ritual known as a Morr Dial. The Dial consists of an array of letters, numbers, and the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’ inscribed in a circle on a flat surface, with an upturned drinking vessel placed in the centre. For many, this is considered necromancy, however, Morr Dials are one of several methods used by the cult of Morr to communicate with restless spirits and are not strictly illegal. The Characters can create a large one up on deck or a smaller one on a floor or table below. As they start to use it, the temperature drops and the Characters can see their breath. Frost forms on metal surfaces. This happens regardless of the season.</p><p>Whatever methods the Characters try, communication comes to an end at sunrise and can only resume again the following midnight.</p><h4>Questions and Answers</h4><p>Here are some questions Characters are likely to ask and the answers they get. Questions without yes-or-no answers are met with silence (or no flicker of a flame). The response in brackets indicates the letters a Morr Dial spells out, if the Characters use one.</p><p><strong>1. Who are you?</strong></p><p>Silence. (We are the dead.)</p><p><strong>2. Are you Ghosts?</strong></p><p>Yes. (Some of us.)</p><p><strong>3. What do you want?</strong></p><p>Silence. (May we come aboard?)</p><p><strong>4. Are you responsible for the disappearances?</strong></p><p>No. (We are the disappeared.)</p><p><strong>5. Will you harm us?</strong></p><p>No. (No. We give you our word.)</p><h4>Permission to Come Aboard</h4><p>The immediate aim of the Undead is to get permission to come aboard. They want to talk clearly, face-to-face, and establish trust. They won’t force their way aboard — that would be an act of piracy, something they are victims of.</p><p>If the Characters use a Morr Dial, the Undead eventually ask directly to be allowed aboard. If the Characters run out of questions, the Undead ask again. If the Characters repeatedly ignore or refuse the request, or if they fail to get beyond yes-and-no questioning, the Undead have to become more direct and manifest. However, they do this beyond the boundaries of the boat (after all, Ghosts don’t need a surface to stand on).</p><p>Whether on the vessel’s decks or off its gunwales over the water, two @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.actors.GgSxlomoV220kd3G]{Ghosts} manifest themselves, growing out of swirls of mist. The first is a young woman in a beautiful flowing dress, glowing a deep aquamarine tinged with silver; she looks like a bride. Drops of aquamarine light drip from the edges of her dress. Her silvery hair is loose and gently waving all around her as though underwater. The second is an altogether different creature, swirling thick and oily, blackly brown against the night, manlike in cloak and hood, with the occasional rainbow flash of oil on water. </p><p>Characters who succeed on an <strong>Average (+20) Intuition</strong> Test sense that the first Ghost radiates sadness and honesty. The latter, a slightly sinister playfulness (somehow directed at the Characters) and active malevolence (somehow not aimed at them). Both radiate cold and, for those with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight}, a pall of Shyish. </p><p>The bride identifies herself first, naming herself @UUID[Actor.KNBspDhP0piNgb0j]{Klara von Holgau}. With an oily chuckle, the @UUID[Actor.n37B1CtmzV7sXsmp]{other entity} says,<em> ‘Call me Shade. Sounds appropriate!’</em></p><p><em>‘We are murdered and we are not alone.’  </em></p><p>At this point, in ones and twos, another dozen ghostly beings flare into light around the boat, but at a distance intended to avoid intimidation. Colours, shapes, and details vary, but the Ghosts had strong personalities in life, so there’s always something notable about them. Some wear the colourful shawls of Strigany traders, others the buff uniforms of the Reik River Patrol.</p><p>At this point, the Characters should make a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test. Those who succeed immediately notice things bobbing in the dark water. They appear to be heavy, bloated bodies or thin skeletonised ones, others halfway between. They shine under the ghostly light. Then (if the Characters had previously given permission to come aboard), either side of the two Ghosts, bony talons clasp the sides of the vessel and haul their weed-dripping bones aboard. They shake like dogs, rattling inside their rotten clothes, then reach toward the gunwales and rap their bony knuckles, <em>knock… knock… knock</em>.</p><p>Now, at any point from the Ghosts’ arrival onwards, frightened, paranoid, or naturally aggressive Characters may attack. Some Characters may harbour a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.aE3pyW20Orvdjzj0]{Hatred} towards the Undead and must make a <strong>Challenging (+0) Cool</strong> Test to resist the urge. This is fine — the Undead simply retreat, withdrawing to a safe distance. The @UUID[Actor.Wp2FqsAY9RcG4zm9]{River Zombies} are slower (though still Move 4), but do not engage if attacked. If the Zombies are destroyed, the remaining Undead do not hold a grudge. They understand what they are, but they have unfinished business and need help. They wait patiently for the Characters to compose themselves and reconsider their actions. However, if the Characters are having none of it, sunrise sees them depart, and they do not come knocking again. </p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>So, They Didn’T Bite</em></h3><p><em>If the Characters want nothing to do with the Undead, this is not the end of the adventure. The easiest way to proceed is to wait a while and have the pirates attack them. The crew of the @UUID[JournalEntry.a3Q492Z7bqV3Byuv.JournalEntryPage.81BB5ljJj1QxHlGB#the-spectral-kaye]{Spectral Kaye} is large enough (a score or so of vicious, experienced cutthroats) to take them alive. Then, it’s off to the hidden island as future sacrifices to Khaine, and hopefully a daring escape. </em></p><p><em>More subtle approaches are possible. They could be hired by the Imperial River Service to investigate the disappearances — the promise of coin is a powerful incentive. They might meet a priest of Morr who is investigating rumours of local Undead or has found records of the chapel on the island, but just can’t seem to find it. Alternatively, make it personal: when some friends or allies of the Characters go missing, perhaps it’s time for them to go cap-in-ha nd to the Ghosts…</em></p></blockquote><h4>Further Conversations with the Undead</h4><p>If the Characters are ready to listen, Klara von Holgau and Shade explain what’s going on. You could read-out the following or use it as a guide for a conversation between the Characters and Ghosts. Encourage the latter, as it’s player led, allowing them to take the adventure forward.</p><p><strong>Klara</strong>: <em>‘We are all victims of murder. Most were folk who lived on the water, fisherfolk, traders, and Strigany. Some travelled to visit friends and relatives. Even riverwardens investigating our disappearance. A few were kidnapped from towns and villages to be killed. Rich and poor alike. All of us now lie in the mud of the river, hiding from the light.’</em></p><p><strong>Shade</strong>: <em>‘She talks as though we were all undeserving of our fate. Some of those merchants were cheats and swindlers. And I never met a riverwarden who couldn’t be bribed.’</em></p><p><strong>Klara</strong>: <em>‘Those who killed us are worse than mere thieves. They are murderers and sadists. Even those of us who surrendered were taken prisoner to be murdered later, sacrificed to… something. Don’t ask us what, though. Dark God or Daemon, we do not know, it is hidden to us. We only remember knives and skulls.’</em></p><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-core/art/spot/spot-skulls.webp\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /></div><p><em>‘The pirates dwell on an island existing only for them and the Dead, hidden from the living by Dark Magic. However, while we can see the island, the Darkness holding us here prevents us crossing its boundaries. A similar Darkness hides their ship from the Living and prevents us boarding.’</em></p><p><strong>Shade</strong>:<em> ‘If we could, we would have dealt with our killers ourselves. Oh, yes, we would have taken our revenge with great glee! Even her gentle ladyship here would have smiled!’</em></p><p><strong>Klara</strong>: <em>‘There is something evil in the Darkness at the heart of the island. We are certain that if it is destroyed, we can cross the island’s edge. Then we can demonstrate to our killers the kind of mercy they showed us.’</em></p><p><strong>Shade</strong>:<em> ‘She means we’ll tear their hearts from their chests and devour them. Mmmm. Tasty! Don’t be so shocked. The so-called justice of the Living is oft as blindly cruel but less oft so clearly deserved.’</em></p><p><strong>Klara</strong>:<em> ‘We need your help. We cannot cross onto the island, but can help you see it as we do. We believe the Living who can see it can step upon its shores, just as our murderers do. We beseech you: travel to the heart of the Darkness and destroy what is within. Or carry it beyond the island’s boundaries; perhaps that will be enough. With its destruction, we are free to come to your aid… and take our vengeance.’</em></p><p><strong>Shade</strong>:<em> ‘To help you see, we need only touch your eyes. It should not hurt, but your lids must be open. Then, as the sun passes below the horizon, you can see what is hidden from the Living.’</em></p><p>If the Characters ask for more personal information about @UUID[Actor.KNBspDhP0piNgb0j]{Klara} and @UUID[Actor.n37B1CtmzV7sXsmp]{Shade}, refer to their descriptions. Klara is quite open, while Shade pretends to be evasive in order to fit its sinister image (though in truth, Shade is not so sure of its own history).</p><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/tokens/klara-holgaur.webp\" width=\"185\" height=\"185\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/tokens/shade.webp\" width=\"191\" height=\"191\" /></div></div><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.KNBspDhP0piNgb0j]{Klara von Holgaur}</p><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.n37B1CtmzV7sXsmp]{Shade}</p></div><h4>Deadsight</h4><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-core/art/spot/spot-gibbet.webp\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /></div><p>To see the hidden island, the Characters must be touched by the dead. Specifically, one of the Ghosts must place an ethereal fingertip on the bare eyeballs of at least one Character. It is not a painful process, but it is an unnerving experience and requires a <strong>Challenging (+0) Cool</strong> Test to keep the eyelids open. Anyone who fails can try again after a few minutes, but a second failure means the Character is disturbed and suffers from the @UUID[JournalEntry.a3Q492Z7bqV3Byuv.JournalEntryPage.81BB5ljJj1QxHlGB#rattled-condition]{Rattled} Condition. If they fail again, they’ll never find the courage. As long as just one Character has Deadsight, this is not a problem. If none succeed, the Ghosts suggest finding a braver person to ally with (@UUID[Actor.AmiBXPX3ROpR2HKX]{Yevgeni Dostal}, for example, who automatically succeeds on the Test).</p><p>For the purposes of this scenario, with the coming of dusk, Deadsight allows the Characters to see the hidden island, enabling them to cross its boundary. It’s a kind of @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight}, limited to Shyish and Dhar. The additional ability to see in the dark is a possibility, although this spoils the atmosphere and risk of exploring a mysterious shadowy island in the dead of night.</p><p>Any Character without Deadsight cannot see the island. However, like the victims of the pirates, they can be physically hauled across the boundary by those who can. This requires only a tight grip, but provides an additional complication if clambering up the slippery rocky sides. Once on the island, they can see as well as anyone else on a dark night.</p><p>The power of Deadsight vanishes with the final passing of the Undead (even if @UUID[Actor.n37B1CtmzV7sXsmp]{Shade} decides to linger on a while…).</p><p>Characters with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} may be able to perceive the island too, though the more specific Deadsight is clearer. Any relevant Tests made with @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} alone should be more difficult by two steps.</p><h4>To the Island</h4><p>Once they have a guide to the island, the Characters still have to travel to it. When dawn comes, the Undead depart and the Characters must find it for themselves or at least its general area, as their Deadsight won’t help until dusk falls. The Characters likely have a rough idea where the island is from the Ghosts (even if it’s only upstream or downstream; details often elude the Undead), but may have picked up helpful rumours of a vanished island during earlier investigations. Alternatively, the Characters could spend the next day asking questions and chasing down rumours to help them find the right area (perhaps a <strong>Hard (–20) Gossip </strong>Test to meet an old fisherman who provides an actual landmark on an adjacent riverbank,<em> ‘I recall a rocky outcropping with a wind-bent old tree on top’</em>). They may also want to do some preparation for their coming adventure, so provide a convenient village or chance meeting with a river trader so they can do some shopping.</p><p>If you want to add some other events to the journey, here are some ideas:</p><ul><li><p><strong>The pirates have struck again!</strong> The Characters find a small vessel floating in the river. Nobody is aboard, just signs of robbery and bloodshed. You could link this to the three captives in the pirates’ @UUID[JournalEntry.a3Q492Z7bqV3Byuv.JournalEntryPage.81BB5ljJj1QxHlGB#the-lock-up]{lock-up}.</p></li><li><p><strong>It’s a body! </strong>The body of a young man lies floating face down in the water. If turned over, there is a single, exceptionally clean stab wound to the heart. It looks like the body’s been in the water for a few days, and his face and chest wound have been nibbled by fish. </p></li><li><p><strong>What was that? </strong>The Characters’ vessel is suddenly subjected to a sudden buffeting in the water. Looking to see what has caused it, they spot the wake of another vessel racing away from them… but there’s no vessel! The invisible source of the wake very swiftly heads away, leaving the Characters with just the muffled sounds of raucous laughter. They have just had a close encounter with the pirates and the @UUID[JournalEntry.a3Q492Z7bqV3Byuv.JournalEntryPage.81BB5ljJj1QxHlGB#the-spectral-kaye]{Spectral Kaye}.</p></li></ul><p>Once in the general area of the hidden island, and once darkness has fallen, Characters with Deadsight can see the island. What catches their eye is not so much the island, but the darkly glowing fog of Dhar coiling threateningly around it, shot through with violet streaks and flashes of Shyish. Now they can see it and know it’s there, the magic that has shifted it out of reality no longer affects them. It is time to cross the boundary.</p><h4>The Skull of Bloody Klaas </h4><p>Thirty years ago, Klaas Vissier, or Bloody Klaas as he was known, was a murderous pirate terrorising the Reikland’s rivers. His cruel piracy was finally curtailed in a river battle that saw Klaas taken alive while his vicious crew were slaughtered to a man. Klaas was found guilty after a swift trial and hung from his battered ship’s mast. Klaas’s body was left hanging overnight. In the morning, it was found on the deck, but without its head! This tale is still told on the river and in the port where it happened, with much gruesome speculation.</p><p>As a notorious killer, Klaas and his trial attracted the attention of a devotee of Khaine, the God of Murder. Under cover of darkness, the priest cut Klaas’s body down and removed the head. After boiling off the flesh and scraping out the brains, prayer, ceremony and Khaine’s divine will turned the murderous pirate’s skull into a darkly enchanted object. </p><p>The skull has the power to conceal a murderer’s hideout — a location with clear boundaries (the walls of a room or building, or as in this scenario the edges of a small island) that have been drizzled with the blood of a murder victim, by the murderer. The detached mandible has similar though weaker properties. The magic renders the location invisible and allows no sound to emerge from it. It does this by subtly shifting the location out of reality and filling in the gap with natural surroundings so nobody can accidentally wander into it, which is why no boats have crashed into an invisible island in the middle of the river.</p><p>In the thirty years since Bloody Klaas’s hanging, the skull has passed through a succession of bloody hands. The current owner, @UUID[Actor.OxiNGh0L8C5mbLcE]{Meinard Links}, has demonstrated considerable ambition, successfully murdering enough people to a gorily consecrate the edges of the island his pirates use as their base. His crew, all having contributed to the ritual and regularly reinforcing it, enjoy its blessing, too.</p><p>The skull currently sits on the altar of a defiled chapel of Morr on the island. However, its mandible is detached and is inside a chest on the <em>Spectral Kaye</em>. As long as the rest of the skull is intact, the jawbone provides similar benefits to the bloodily consecrated boat. The difference is that it doesn’t shift the boat out of reality the way the skull does the island — it is possible to bump into the boat and hear voices from on board, although they sound muffled and distant. If the skull is destroyed, the jawbone’s magic is greatly weakened (the skull is not affected if the jawbone is destroyed). </p><p>The jawbone alone makes the bearer invisible, but not silent (breathing, sneezing and so can be heard by Characters who pass a <strong>Very Hard (–30) Perception (Hearing)</strong> Test). Also, to grant invisibility, the jawbone must be anointed with 1 Wound equivalent of blood, taken from the victim of a murder. Its power of invisibility comes into effect only between the next dusk and dawn. Come dawn, it must be anointed again to be of use. Additionally, it is a cursed item and if not anointed at least once a month, the owner becomes subject to the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.0VpT5yubw4UL7j6f]{Animosity (Everyone)} Psychology. The only way to break this curse is for the owner to destroy the jawbone.</p>"
				}
			}
		},
		"Hell Rides to Hallt": {
			"name": "Hell Rides to Hallt",
			"pages": {
				"Part 5: Hexensnacht": {
					"name": "Part 5: Hexensnacht",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/chaos-spawn.webp\" width=\"248\" height=\"300\" /></div><p>Night falls across the land, and only Morrslieb rises above the mountains and forests, casting a chill light, causing the winds of magic to blow strong and the dead to stir. It’s as if the viridian light could snuff out the town’s candles, and lamps. The doors to homes are shut fast, and locals wrap themselves tightly in bed, fearful of what evil stalks the land. The snow falls and the layer of whiteness is stained by the tainted light of the green moon.</p><h3>The Grand Plan</h3><p>On this auspicious night, the first of a new year, the cult will attempt to perform its ritual. They believe it will bring fertility to the land, but in fact a terrible @UUID[Actor.afDl84wg5WYU37Vf]{Chaos Spawn} will emerge from their summoning, bringing death rather than life to the land. By ‘killing’ Hauptfehlt, the horseman, the cultists set their cause back significantly. Now, fewer in number and all the more desperate, the misguided, merciless cultists of the Council of Vicissitude gather to bring forth horror into the world.</p><p>As many cultists as survived the day’s events meet at the windmill, there to perform their ritual, drinking of the unholy alchemical potion they have brewed. They are eager to channel the magical energies needed to complete the ritual. For this act, they have acquired a new sacrifice — the final one required to complete their work.</p><h3>Springing a Trap</h3><p>If the Characters have determined that the windmill is the location of the cult activities, the Characters have a chance to plan an ambush. Alternatively, the Characters may have suspicions regarding some of the cult members, and notice them all simultaneously slipping away that evening. Following a cultist to the windmill requires a contested <strong>Stealth Test</strong>, but with the benefit of darkness <strong>Stealth (+10)</strong>.</p><p>If the Characters do not have a clue about the ritual or the cult, late at night they hear the horseman’s hooves as he gallops past the town, and rides to strike down the last of the cult. A pumpkin spewing yellow luminous smoke leaves a trail in the horseman’s wake . Gismondo comes upon the cobbler, Linde Schenk, late to the ritual. He cries out as he is slain and the town’s alarms are sounded, alerting the cultists in the windmill, but also allowing the Characters to catch a glimpse of the Gismondo, riding toward the windmill.</p><h3>The Windmill</h3><p>Arriving at the windmill after the cultists reveals a familiar scene — a body, that of Linde Schenk, decapitated, with his right hand removed. The windmill stands at the top of the hill, silhouetted against the moon Morrslieb, and from within comes a flickering lantern light.</p><p>Characters arriving early can sneak into the windmill, and witness the ritual taking place or disrupt it before it can begin. The cultists, if allowed, will imbibe their potions as the Reeve leads the ritual, standing at the centre of the circle of runes carved into the stone floor, the foul incantations clearly twisting reality. If it has not already occurred, the dying cobbler’s screams in the background draws the falconer, Diomira Kiefer, away from the chamber, exiting the windmill to confront whomever they find.</p><p>Overhead, as the ritual reaches its climax, the stars and moons wheel until all is dark, and only Morrslieb hangs full and large in the sky, coating the land with an inky-green light. Unaware of what potions they have been drinking, the cultists collapse screaming in pain, their bodies turning into writhing matter which crawls and undulates, coalescing together to form a being of writhing tentacles, chattering teeth, and a multitude of blinking eyes — a spawn of chaos. This is the final showdown, and if the Characters are lucky they might have Gismondo on their side to fight this beast.</p><p>If the Characters arrive late, a fight between the horseman and the cult will be taking place, as Gismondo wrestles a cultist, before witnessing all the cultists drop to the ground in pain, as the transformation in the chaos spawn begins. If the Characters arrive too late, they find that the Chaos Spawn has already formed, and the horseman is dying from injuries made by the creature. He crys out to Ute to forgive him for failing her, but will be coherent enough to point the Characters in the direction of the creature.</p><p>If at this point the Characters have figured out that the horseman is, in fact, not the enemy but an ally, upon arrival at the windmill they can aid him in gaining access to the windmill, potentially even preventing the ritual from being completed.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>That Looks Kind Of Dangerous</em></h3><p><em>What if the Characters fail to challenge the cultists at the windmill? This is entirely predictable, of course. The horseman, outmatched and ultimately only a man, is slain, and his body added to the ritual’s human fuel. This results in a Chaos Spawn forming, all the crops for a hundred miles failing, and the town of Hallt being briefly exposed to the raw stuff of Chaos itself. Everyone within a mile of the town gains 3 Corruption Points, and for the remainder of the night is spent fending off Daemons, Undead, and any other foul abomination you wish to throw at the party.</em></p></blockquote><h3>Conclusion: Fate is Like a River</h3><p>If the players slay the beast, or prevent it’s final summoning, the corpse of the spawn sizzles and boils away. Morrslieb drops below the horizon and the sun rises. The night of foul witchcraft is over. However, it is clear that the cult has been polluting food and drink with the flux inducing chemicals of Tzeentch. But to what end? Why have no other mass mutations occurred in the Reikwald? Or is it more a matter of when?</p><p>With the cult revealed, the Characters may be hailed as heroes, and if the horseman lives, he thanks them and rides off to finally retire far from those who would harm him — that is, if the Characters are fine with letting a mutant go unmolested. If they do allow him to leave, he turns to them one last time before he goes, saying:</p><blockquote><p>‘Of stranger folk I’ve not heard tell, you who wish this monster well. Glad I am I killed you not, though gladder still her killers rot. Ute would not approve of what we’ve done, but she is dead and I am gone. I can ask no more of thee, nor have I gold, as you can see. Take good care upon the road, and recall to Hallt a Horseman rode.’</p></blockquote><p>If they request his axe, he tosses it their way, and says, before departing:</p><blockquote><p>‘I took it up and vengeance found, but leave that axe upon the ground. Friedwart is dead, and Ute too, but you, poor soul, have life in you. That axe has supped enough I fear — you would do well to leave it here.’</p></blockquote><p>If, however, they fail or flee, the Chaos Spawn storms into the town, and those it ensnares are also turned into more churning flesh to add to its own. (See <strong>That Looks Kind of Dangerous</strong> above for more.) If you wish, perhaps the Spawn absorbs enough people to allow a true daemon to finally take form within this horrific shell of corpulent flesh, providing an antagonist for the Characters to face later in their adventures.</p><h3>XP Rewards for Using Your Head:</h3><p>As well as the usual rewards for good roleplaying, players should recieve the below rewards.</p><p>@Exp[25, Had a spooky time ]{25 points for having a spooky time }</p><p>@Exp[25, Stopped the Cult before the Chaos Spawn makes an appearance]{25 points for stopping the Cult before the Chaos Spawn makes an appearance}</p><p>@Exp[25, Actively participated in capturing the horseman before he kills again]{25 points for actively participating in capturing the horseman before he kills again}</p><p>@Exp[15, Actively participated in capturing the horseman without causing any harm to him or anyone else ]{15 points for actively participating in capturing the horseman without causing any harm to him or anyone else }</p><p>@Exp[10, Took direct action to stop the Reeve]{10 points for taking direct action to stop the Reeve}</p><p>@Exp[10, Restored peace and calm in Hallt]{10 points for restoring peace and calm in Hallt}</p><p>@Exp[5, Took Hel, the horseman’s warhorse, should the horseman die]{5 points for taking Hel, the horseman’s warhorse, should the horseman die}</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/misc/happy-rat.webp\" width=\"191\" height=\"204\" /></div>"
				},
				"Hell Rides to Hallt": {
					"name": "Hell Rides to Hallt",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/hell-ride-to-hallt.webp\" /></div><blockquote><p>Only the damned and damnable fools ride out on Hexensnacht, as the turning of the year wakes the very dead, calling them up from unmarked graves and unhallowed resting places. The priests of Morr alone are safe, their lonely vigil a solitary ward against the restless dead. So which are you — fool, damned soul, or lonesome priest — to set about so close to Hexensnacht, with rumour and more of a headless rider claiming grim trophies across the land?</p></blockquote><p><strong>Hell Rides to Hallt </strong>is a short scenario that can be played either as a stand-alone adventure or as the Characters travel throughout the Empire. The adventure begins either with the Characters arriving at the town of Hallt, at the behest of Litigant Goswin Samter, or with the Characters out late on the road to Hallt when they witness Goswin set upon by a headless horseman.</p><p>The scenario sees the Characters exploring and investigating the town of Hallt and its residents, on a quest to discover the dark secrets surrounding the headless horseman — the notorious ‘Dullahan’ — and the reason for his deadly attacks. Depending upon how the Characters act, they can prevent further deaths and learn the reason why the horseman is out for bloody vengeance. Remember to keep calm at all times and try not to lose your head, but should the party fail, feel free to let them lose theirs. It is Hexensnacht, after all....</p><h3>Adventure Summary</h3><p>On the ominous eve of Hexenstag, a long campaign of terror by a headless horseman approaches its bloody conclusion. While there are many legends of such horrors roaming the Empire, all carrying out terrifying campaigns of revenge and murder, the ‘Headless Horseman of Hallt’ has his own agenda. In fact, this  horseman is no ghost or daemon, but a strange mutant who, at least until recently, possessed two heads — one on top of his neck, and other on his stomach.</p><p>The @UUID[Actor.pDiCMkvXcPae8rsU]{horseman} was once Friedwart Hauptfehlt, a blacksmith from Hallt. Despite a hidden mutation that left Hauptfehlt with a second ‘head’ on his stomach, the man was as innocent as most citizens of the Empire. A relative newcomer to the town, he was a convenient scapegoat on which to pin the murder of Ute Bott, a local priest, by a cult centered in Hallt. Decapitated of his less unusual head some months back, Hauptfehlt was presumed dead. So when his body disappeared, it only served as further evidence that the blacksmith must have been in league with some daemon or worse. The cult — the ostentatiously named Council of Vicissitude — who framed him remain in Hallt, the horseman’s decapitated head just one of several grim trophies that adorn the cult’s warren.</p><p>As the dark of Hexensnacht draws near, the Characters are on their way to the town of Hallt, and are attacked by the horseman. As a result, they are drawn into the conspiracy and lies that riddle the town of Hallt and the tale of the ‘Headless Horseman’. Can they stop the horseman’s bloody rampage? Or indeed, should they?</p><h3>Getting Started</h3><p>To play this scenario your Characters should be travelling to the town of Hallt. If you are running a one-off adventure, the Characters can simply begin in a carriage, or riding alongside, with the Litigant Goswin Samter who has business in Hallt. Depending on your Characters' backgrounds, they may be colleagues, employees, or friends of Samter. If not, they may simply be fellow travellers sharing a carriage, or otherwise on the road to Hallt as Samter’s carriage passes by. Either way, they should be present for the Horseman’s attack on Samter, and given reason to seek shelter in Hallt.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Hexensnacht </em></h3><p><em>The festival of Hexensnacht and its twin, Geheimnisnacht, are the only nights of the year when both Mannslieb and Morrslieb are certain to be full in the sky — on all other nights, Morrslieb does as it pleases, waxing and waning to unknowable whims. Hexensnacht occurs in the depths of winter, and marks the turning of the old year into the new. It is followed by Hexenstag, the first day of the new year. </em></p><p><em>Most citizens of the Empire would not dare to leave their homes after dark on Hexensnacht, save for Morr’s dedicated priests, who keep a watchful vigil on the disquieted dead who stir on such nights.</em></p></blockquote><h2>Hell Rides to Hallt</h2><p>With an unnatural horseman roving the wilds, the Characters are forced to seek shelter in Hallt, an isolated town at the foot of the Grey Mountains. While the town’s high walls may provide some comfort, the horseman is on a mission, which he plans to  carry out in the town this very night.</p><h3>Hallt</h3><p>Hallt sits at the bottom of the basin of the Grey Mountains, where two of the River Schilder’s tributaries meet. It is mostly a farming town, producing crops of hops, corn and pumpkins, and known locally for the wool produced from its sheep herds. Many of the local farms bring their goods to Hallt for market before going to the larger town of Eilhart. Hallt is also the last town before travellers venture up into the mountains. The inns are welcoming to travellers, known to provide good fare, mainly consisting of pumpkin, and warm woollen blankets — for a price. Hallt sits on two tributaries that flow down to the Reik; this steady flow of water enables the turning of the mills that grind grain for the well-hopped beer that Hallt is well known for. Hallt is thus a prosperous if isolated town.</p><p>Reeve @UUID[Actor.i2b3ju0IwAsChPjH]{Elva Fellgiebel} oversees the town. Her late husband, Karsten, held the role of Reeve for twenty-six years, but upon his death his young wife took on the position. In passing she is often referred to as ‘her ladyship’ by the townsfolk, partially in jest, but also as an honest mark of respect. Elva makes a living from land ownership and brewing. She rents several morgen of good land to the local farmers. She owns the largest brewery in the town, which also brings in considerable income.</p><p>As one rides into the verdant valley heading towards Hallt, a tall and venerable windmill dominates the landscape. Large old standing stones are dotted around the valley and in the town itself — enduring monuments to the faith that permeated the lands before the ascension of Sigmar. These ancient stones are inscribed with runes marking Hallt as once being a place of importance to the old tribes that predated the Empire, though quite a few have become damaged — either ravaged by time or quarried by heedless locals for building materials.</p><p>The bustling town is surrounded by imposing stone walls. Within their confines the town plays host to a number of inns, a Sigmarite temple, a town hall and a covered market. Hallt also boasts a number of large grain warehouses with adjacent breweries, from which the heady smell of beer wafts, each bearing the distinctive bitter smell of the brewers’ favoured hops.</p><p>Even in these winter months, when many towns would be quiet with trade at a near standstill, Hallt is still a hive of activity. This is the time of year when the grains that have been harvested are turned into the fine beers and ales that Hallt is known for, and as the year comes to an end the first barrels are consumed, used in hot spiced beverages. A bonfire is lit and offerings are made to Sigmar, Taal, and perhaps other powers, to ward off evil spirits, and to welcome the coming of longer days and spring.</p><p>As a town devoted to brewing, there is also a history of herbalism and alchemy in Hallt, with locally distilled elixirs and medicinal salves despatched to all corners of the Empire.</p><h3>Background</h3><p>A year ago, a blacksmith who had moved Hallt just a few seasons before was executed for a crime he did not commit. Friedwart Hauptfehlt was beheaded for murdering the local priestess of Sigmar, Ute Bott. Apparently, the murder was a crime of passion, thought to be a product of a secret passion Hauptfehlt held for the Ruinous Powers and their servants.</p><p>This conviction was all a cover. Ute had been in the process of uncovering the presence of a hidden cult within the town. Once they uncovered his investigations, the cult had Ute killed and Friedwart framed and ultimately executed for the murder. The cult, for its part, was entirely unaware that Friedwart was a mutant, and would have been shocked to discover that a single beheading would not be enough to kill the man.</p><p>As a result of Friedwart’s mutation, a second head was located in his torso, one which could be hidden under a fold of skin. This other head has an entirely different personality, which calls itself Gismondo. While Friedwart died, @UUID[Actor.pDiCMkvXcPae8rsU]{Gismondo} lives on. This second head fondly remembers a simpler time when Friedwart, its ‘top head’, took care of most of the business of living, and seeks vengeance both for the harm done against itself and for the murder of Ute. The very night of the execution, Gismondo rose from the grave. Not dead, nor undead, but seeking revenge.</p><p>Skilled in metal-working, @UUID[Actor.pDiCMkvXcPae8rsU]{Gismondo} fashioned gruesome armour and weapons, acquiring the knowledge from observing Friedwart, who had been a skilled farrier prior to working as a blacksmith. In the months since his strange second birth, Gismondo has adopted several guises to gather both resources and information. He operated as both a highwayman and, somewhat ironically, as an executioner, as this allows him to wear a hood hiding a fake head.</p><p>Finally, @UUID[Actor.pDiCMkvXcPae8rsU]{Gismondo} has gathered the information he needed to take his revenge, adopting the guise of ‘The Dullahan’, a headless horseman, the old myth lending its presence to new and terrifying legend Gismondo has begun to forge.</p><div class=\"journal-image float-right flip\"><img style=\"margin:-20px\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/misc/hell-rides-shrine.webp\" width=\"228\" height=\"369\" /></div><h3>The Council of Vicissitude</h3><p>The cult operating in Hallt is known privately as the ‘Council of Vicissitude’. They are ostensibly a fertility cult, certain that their investigations of ancient rituals will bless all of Hallt and its surrounds with endless bounty. In a time-tested manner for groups which must work in secret, they disguise their actions by acting as a council of regional business owners. The council’s membership is drawn from both Hallt and the few scattered villages that surround it, with likely candidates initiated into the cult’s horrific rites each Hexensnacht. Their main ritual space is in the basement of the old windmill outside of town. It’s an ideal location as recent improvements in the town’s watermills have rendered the old windmill more or less defunct, which means there’s little chance of the ‘council’ being disturbed. Happily for cult, though not for Hallt, the windmill was created from stone hewn from the ancient ogham stones that surround Hallt. This perversion of the Old Faith of those who raised the stones has resulted in terrible energies gathering there.</p><p>There is a second, deeper hidden basement, where the cult maintains a store of alchemical potions, and the collected heads of their sacrifices, through which they commune and venerate ancient spirits.The cult has through visions been directed to synthesise various alchemical potions and draughts that are used to taint wine and beer throughout the Empire. For what purpose they do not know, but the ‘fertility’ spirits that inhabit the windmill promise them much in return; that their farms will never run fallow, that they will enjoy endless good health, and that winter will turn away from Hallt, ushering in an endless spring. The growth of out-of-season crops in the depths of winter in the cultists’ farms highlights the strength of the windmill’s spirits — proof enough for the cult’s burgeoning membership.</p><p>In truth, there are no ancient spirits,  at least none that would dare call the windmill home. The ‘spirits’ are servants of Tzeentch, the cult yet another guise worn by the Changer of Ways. Though they do not know it, the cultists serve this ruinous power in all their actions. Of course, this duplicity pleases Tzeentch greatly.</p><h4>The Remaining Cultists</h4><p>The surviving core of the cult is made up of the Reeve of Hallt, @UUID[Actor.i2b3ju0IwAsChPjH]{Elva Fellgiebel}; the mason, @UUID[Actor.FGoqiXl6X2ew0wCG]{Ewald Auffarth}; the falconer, Diomira Kiefer, and the executioner, @UUID[Actor.PURRafXIO8Ru4Rbn]{Anselm Buchberger}. They are all locals to Hallt, though some travel the region as called for by their profession. Other local members are detailed below, but all were recently killed by the horseman. A few cult members not local to Hallt arrived recently. Schneck, Backmaye, and Harbutt journeyed to the Hallt in search of safety as the horseman’s campaign of revenge escalated. Of these, the horseman has already killed one, and is sharpening his axe for the others.</p><p>For the last few months the horseman has plagued the cult, with minor members slain as ‘The Dullahan’ haunted the roads around Hallt. The first few deaths were those who initially accused Friedwart. As Gismondo murdered them, dragging from each various concessions and accusations, he came to realise that he is hunting a select few, all of whom bear a small tattoo, the ‘Eye of the Heteroclite’, on the little finger of their right hand. As a result, the horseman has gained a reputation for removing his victims’ right hands.  Gismondo is not sure of the tattoo’s meaning, but has begun removing his victim’s hands so he can study the tattoos at his leisure — these arcane markings change constantly, possibly due to some magic.</p><p>So far the town elders have refrained from calling in official bounty hunters or soldiers from Altdorf or larger towns, blaming the deaths on roving bandits, unlikely accidents, or copy-cat killers. The reality is that the cult is fearful of drawing attention that could uncover them or their work, in particular because a vital ritual is planned for Hexennacht, the following day. </p><p>The ritual promises to secure the cult’s ultimate goal of bringing endless bounty to Hallt, and make the horseman irrelevant. This is partially correct — the ritual will summon a terrible @UUID[Actor.afDl84wg5WYU37Vf]{Chaos Spawn}, which is certain to devour the horseman, the cult members, the town of Hallt, and some sizable proportion of the surrounding area, all in service to one of the Lord of Change’s unknowable goals.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>The Remaining Cultists</em></h3><table style=\"width:100%;height:204px\" border=\"1\"><tbody><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em><strong>Member</strong></em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em><strong>Occuptation</strong></em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em><strong>Cult Position</strong></em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em><strong>Status</strong></em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>@UUID[Actor.i2b3ju0IwAsChPjH]{Elva Fellgiebel}</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Reeve of Hallt</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Head Priestess</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Alive</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>@UUID[Actor.FGoqiXl6X2ew0wCG]{Ewald Auffarth}</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Mason</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Keeper of the Way</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Alive</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>@UUID[Actor.5AUWk2Q2fwW7i3PH]{Diomira Kiefer}</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Falconer</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Unwavering Eye</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Alive</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>@UUID[Actor.PURRafXIO8Ru4Rbn]{Anselm Buchberger}</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Executioner</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Gatherer of Gourds</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Alive</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>@UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin Samter}</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Litigant</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Stitcher of Lies</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Alive</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Gerwin Schuhbeck</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Fishmonger</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Interrogator</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Dead, killed last week</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Hunfried Mauss</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Farmer</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Lensholder</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Dead, killed a few weeks ago</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Ehrentraud Neuner</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Farmer</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Participant</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Dead, killed a few weeks ago</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Linde Schenk</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Participant</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Participant</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Alive, recently came to Hallt</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Markolf Bachmaye</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Brewer</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Participant</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Alive, recently came to Hallt</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:31.1881%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Aimar Harbutt</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:13.8614%\"><em>Mason</em></td><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.7134%\"><em>Participant</em></td><td style=\"width:38.2371%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><p><em>Dead, killed yesterday near Hallt</em></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p></blockquote>"
				},
				"Part 2: Rest Your Head, Weary Traveller": {
					"name": "Part 2: Rest Your Head, Weary Traveller",
					"text": "<p>With @UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin} likely dead, the night only growing colder, and a murderous horseman about, the Characters would be wise to seek shelter in Hallt. Should they do otherwise, see the rules for @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.NS3YGlJQxwTggjRX.JournalEntryPage.WCivInLZrqEtZzF4#exposure]{Exposure} and the stats for @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.actors.umddAQkmxVYG0AzO]{Direwolves} — it is almost Hexensnacht, after all.</p><p>Once the Characters arrive in the town of Hallt, running, screaming, or however the Players feel their Characters would react to the Horseman’s attack, the town Watch  greets them at the town gates. They are suspicious, having heard screams and thundering hooves in the distance, but readily believe the Characters’ story — it has become a common occurrence as of late. If the Characters have brought @UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin’s} body with them, some of the Watch are horrified at the sight of the decapitated corpse and its severed right hand.</p><p>Looking over the body, the leader of the Watch, Bertille Lindemann, makes it known that this is the fourth murder in the last month, and one of a series that have taken place over the last year, all committed by the Dullahan, a horseman who terrorises the roads about Hallt. This is, of course, hardly news to the Characters. As they are talking, they hear the church bell in the background chime the closing of the gates. Its ringing seems somehow off and odd to the Characters, as if out of sequence. If questioned, the Watch will say that the bell has been like that for as long as they can remember.</p><h3>Bertille Lindemann</h3><p>Bertille is a heavy-set woman carrying a stout club, with her dark-brown hair tied back under a woolskin cap. She wears the livery of a Reiklander, having once served in the state army. Her face bears the scars of battle, and on her neck is a tattoo of a hammer, a common practice for some soldiers particularly devoted to Sigmar. She is not the most eloquent person, or the most subtle, but she is not rude. On a good day makes time for the local children and often can be found sat telling them tall stories about Orcs, Goblins, and the heroism of Sigmar and Ulric. She has never faced the horseman, but she has seen it riding in the distance. She is also suspicious of some in the town. She wonders why these murders are happening, and believes there is a lot going on right under nose. She is new to Hallt, having only been stationed in the town two years ago after the last head of the Watch was murdered. Bertille distrusts the town’s executioner, @UUID[Actor.PURRafXIO8Ru4Rbn]{Anselm Buchberger}, and suspects he harbours darker desires. </p><p>Bertille, along with another half dozen of the Watch, leads the Characters into the town, closing the heavy wooden gates behind them. The town itself is typical of the region, with stone and wooden construction, tiled roofs, and a small temple to Sigmar at its heart. </p><p>If questioned, Bertille explains what she knows of the horseman, all the while making the protective sign of Sigmar’s Hammer. She explains that The Dullahan, as the horseman is known locally, has terrorised these lands for some time. She has heard tales of it attacking all around, from Eilhart to Mellerfelden. She is unsure if it is a creature of flesh, undead, or a spirit of some sort. She curses the Characters as fools for braving the night, though she shows sympathy if they were coming to Hallt to offer aid.</p><p>When they are finished questioning her, or if they choose not to do so, Bertille turns to the Watch men and says,</p><blockquote><p>‘Take the body of the Goswin to the temple of Sigmar. I will take our guests somewhere warmer.’ Turning to regard the Characters, she continues, ‘ You look as if you are in need of something to warm you up. Hallt is home to some fine digestifs, as well as headless axemen!’</p></blockquote><h3>The Calm Toad</h3><p>The local inn is The Calm Toad, with a sign hanging outside of a toad snoring at a table with a tankard of ale in hand. Inside, the inn is warm and inviting, with a few tables, a roaring fire, and antlers and stuffed animal heads hanging on the walls. A collection of townsfolk are inside, nursing warm ales and mulled wines. A few cheers erupt from one corner of the main room, where some of the patrons are playing a game of quoits, with each player aiming to throw a small ring of wood over a wooden dowel. The expansive landlady, Gerwine Brotzmann, is ladling mulled beer into tankards, drawing from a steaming pot that rests over a stove. She is all smiles as the Characters enter, with Bertille making some space for them at a table near the fire before bringing them all a hot drink, asking if they want some food. Should the Characters accept, they may remove any @Condition[Fatigued] conditions they gained on their journey.</p><p>Whilst warming themselves by the fire, the Characters have the opportunity to take in the inn’s smoky and congenial atmosphere and to observe the varied patrons relaxing after a day’s work in the mills and breweries. The Characters may talk to the patrons if they wish, learning more about the recent events in the town, and a variety of rumours regarding the Dullahan. The townsfolk are wary of the newcomers, but few will be able to resist hearing of the attack, if the Characters make it known they witnessed the Horseman first hand. An <strong>Average (+20) Gossip</strong> Test, or an offering of a drink, will be all it takes to get a patron talking.</p><p>Many of the townsfolk quickly make the sign of the hammer and mutter prayers to Sigmar before talking nervously about the Dullahan themselves. The rumours are wild and far fetched, though most have an element of truth to them. The Characters have to try and work out fact from fiction and the truth from superstition. While the Characters are conversing with the locals a <strong>Difficult (–20) Perception</strong> Test allows them to notice that the town’s clock chimes out of sequence. </p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Rumours At The Calm Toad</em></h3><p><em>Some of the rumours and stories the Characters are able to discover whilst talking to the townsfolk are detailed below. You may choose randomly from these, or tell whichever seems most appropriate. Feel free to create your own terrifying tall-tales as well!</em></p><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/misc/beer.webp\" width=\"140\" height=\"200\" /></div><ul><li><p><em>The horseman is undead and has been brought to life by the evil magics that seep into the land from the castle of Drachenfels. The Enchanter ’imself could be in that armour!</em></p></li><li><p><em>The Dullahan be the ghost of a dead executioner, murdered in Eilhart for the crime of killing a noble-born woman. Now he’s looking for her, killing anyone he thinks might be in love with her too!</em></p></li><li><p><em>The horseman is said to be unable to cross running water, and can only be harmed by the wood from a willow tree cut down on the night of a full moon. Probably he’s extra vulnerable tonight, with both moons so full. Not that you’ll catch me out an’ about.</em></p></li><li><p><em>Many of the victims have their right hand chopped off, though no one rightly knows why. Some say ’e’s making a collection of ’em and joining ’em up, palm to wrist, to make a whip to scourge honest folk!</em></p></li><li><p><em>Killed a dozen folk, he ’as. There were them two farmers, a fishmonger and a mason. What’s more is, many of the victims were friends. I reckon the horseman’s got an axe to grind, so to speak!</em></p></li><li><p><em>All have been decapitated, but only some have had their right hand removed. What’s the meaning there, then? (In truth, the cult has killed some people too - victims for its coming sacrifice!)</em></p></li><li><p><em>The horseman brings with him terrible famines and poor harvests, everyone knows that! A pity, as harvests near Hallt have been excellent for years now. All the same, he’s probably that’s what caused ‘’alf the grain in two to rot last week.</em></p></li><li><p><em>Dankwater Brewery is angry over a spoilt batch of grain. Could be it was mould, but they’re blaming the folks at Grey Mounts River Ale for it. Could be it was them too, they’re rivals going back years, on account of who gets what grain from what farm. It’ll come to blows yet!</em></p></li><li><p><em>You see they only have bread and cheese tonight? On account of the price of food — that spoilt grain has everyone hoarding what they have. The hungry gap will be wide this year for the first time in a long while....</em></p></li><li><p><em>The horseman can’t come into the town, on account of the walls, and them stone circles too. The Old Faith is strong in these parts, and keeps Daemons at bay! They used some of them old stones to make all sorts around here — the walls, the old mill, and more than that too!</em></p></li><li><p><em>Ah, things haven’t been the same since old Ute died last year. Best Priestess of Sigmar we ever ’ad — attendance at temple has never been so high since! That new fella’s drunk half the time anyway, if Sigmar will forgive me for saying so.</em></p></li><li><p><em>That fella over there, Markolf Bachmaye, he’s a good laugh — in town trading for ale, and drinking the town dry as he goes! Bad luck he ’as though. I saw him talking to them two farmers afore they were killed — won’t be buying any of their grain now! Come to think of it, he was trading with that mason what the horseman did for too... Some people have stinking luck!</em></p></li><li><p><em>There is one other traveller staying at the inn that night, a brewer, Markolf Bachmaye. He is complaining loudly about the quality of the inn’s ale, and is outraged that they won’t buy his mead instead, ‘far better quality than this vile brown water.’</em></p></li></ul></blockquote><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img style=\"display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/markolf-bachmaye.webp\" width=\"237\" height=\"272\" /></div><h4 style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Markolf Bachmaye}</h4><p>Characters asking after @UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Bachmaye} will find him in a back corner of The Calm Toad, drinking, singing, and behaving raucously. Even if they are not looking for the man, he may make himself known by loudly demanding more beer, ‘with a damn sight less water in it this time!’ He is happy to complain about life in general to anyone who is willing to listen, but ends each complaint with a laugh all the same, as though one could hardly expect much more from life than misery in any case. He has the ruddy-red complexion of someone who enjoys their drink, a portly physique, and gaudy, expensive-looking (if tatty) clothing. His hair is dirty brown in need of a cut, and his beard is wild and greying, also in need of a cut.</p><p>He wears a badge marking him out as a member of a regional Brewers’ Guild. Whilst talking with @UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Bachmaye}, he goes on at length about the region’s different ales and beers, where is best for what and why. He can compare the virtues of lagers, ales, stouts, pilsners, porters, and more all night to any who will listen. Bachmaye has recently begun brewing mead, and secretly hopes that the cult will bring him an endless supply of honey to use for this purpose. Thus far his hives have been active all year round, but the honey comes in odd flavours and colours. It is only by brewing it into alcohol that it is palatable at all, but this mead sells well.</p><p>Bachmaye knows of the horseman and may relay some of the rumours above, though he is more interested in talking of brewing than childish rumours of things that go bump in the night. Whilst talking to @UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Bachmaye}, there is a chance that a Character notices the gaudy ring on the little finger of his right hand. This ring covers his cult tattoo — a <strong>Difficult (–10) Perception</strong> Test is required to notice this. If questioned about the killings specifically, Bachmaye reveals he knew some of those killed through his work with the town council, but he knows of no connection between the victims. A<strong> Difficult (–10) Perception</strong> Test, opposed by his Cool, reveals that Markolf is not telling the truth — he knows almost every victim through the Council of Vicissitude, of which he is an enthusiastic member.</p><p>Whilst the Characters are chatting with the locals, the Reeve, @UUID[Actor.i2b3ju0IwAsChPjH]{Elva Fellgiebel} enters the inn, or otherwise locates the Characters wherever they may be, and makes herself known to them. She thanks them for recovering @UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin’s} body (if they did), and ask about the horseman. She appears concerned (as indeed she is), but offers no theories on the horseman, except to say that there is a lot of wild talk regarding him, which she has no intention of adding to. She offers them a night’s rest at the inn as a small thanks for their efforts with @UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin}, if they recovered his body. Whilst at the inn, Elva also talks with @UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Markolf}, and another local woman, @UUID[Actor.5AUWk2Q2fwW7i3PH]{Diomira Kiefer} (another cultist), who has been playing quoits.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/elva-fellgiebel.webp\" width=\"188\" height=\"309\" /></div><h4 style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.i2b3ju0IwAsChPjH]{Elva Fellgiebel}</h4>"
				},
				"Part 4: A Head For Figures": {
					"name": "Part 4: A Head For Figures",
					"text": "<p>The morning brings a gloomy atmosphere to Hallt. With the horseman having been seen inside the town walls, the sense that nowhere is safe pervades the townsfolk. Breakfast is barely pal-atable, and there are hushed voices speaking about the killings. If the Characters are having a meal at the inn, they are served oats and honey, which is overly sweet. During the meal, a single honey bee climbs out of the small pot of honey left on the table. It flies about for a moment before dropping dead. </p>\n<p>For the townsfolk, however, life must go on. The gates of the town are opened, farmers and woodsmen arrive with their goods. A herd of sheep bustles into the town centre, and is guided to their pens. Several of the sheep are in lamb, very much out of season, but the farmer says this has been happening in recent years.</p>\n<p>The locals are agitated, their long faces and furrowed brows highlight their unease, for this is the day of Hexxenstag, and the new year is not off to an auspicious start. Those townsfolk not preoccupied with their regular work instead set about gathering foliage from the woodsmen, using it to weave wreaths that are believed to ward off evil spirits when hung on the doors of their homes. Characters can make a <strong>Challenging (+0) Lore (Theology)</strong> Test to recognise the wreaths as being related to the old fertility cults that predate the Empire.</p>\n<p>Through the town the local priest of Sigmar, Father Lothar, leads a procession carrying the recent dead into the temple. Hymns are sung and incense is wafted in a ritual designed to ease the passage of the dead into the next life, while the local gravedigger walks beside, measuring up the body (or bodies), ready for their coffins. Though such duties would normally fall to a priest of Morr, Hallt relies on travelling Moorite priests to see to the dead, so the fallen will be interred until such a figure passes this way.</p>\n<p>The Characters are free to explore and investigate the town during the day. There are many people to speak with, though not all will be forthcoming as the Characters have now been potentially present at two of the horseman’s appearances, and perhaps as many deaths, and so are starting to be considered bad luck. Investigations will typically require a <strong>Difficult (–10) Gossip</strong> Test, with members of the cult coming off particularly cold towards any probing questions. This coldness can be noticed with a secret Hard<strong> (–20) Intuition</strong> Test.</p>\n<h3>The Temple of Sigmar, and the Graveyard</h3>\n<p>Within the Temple resides Father Lothar Schmitt, though he also wanders the market offering blessings. He is sombre but happy to converse with the Characters. If asked about Ute, he explains how she was killed. He’ll share the official story at least, that of Hauptfehlt killing her in a moment of passion. Father Schmitt goes on to talk of the blacksmith’s execution. Further questioning leads him to reveal that the body and head went missing after the swift execution.</p>\n<p>Investigating the Temple and its grounds reveals Ute’s grave — if the Characters have yet to hear of her, they still notice that her grave, alone in the graveyard, has been kept carefully tended and bears fresh flowers. An <strong>Average (+20) Perception</strong> Test reveals freshly dug earth behind the headstone. In the dirt there are numerous bones, and at least one fresh finger. Blood and torn flesh still cling to some of the bones. A close inspection reveals a tattoo on any fingers fresh enough to sport flesh. </p>\n<p>It shows an eye with a spiral amber iris — the eye that marks members of the cult. The tattoo on the freshest of these fingers seems to warp and move as the Character’s watch, before it disappears beneath the fingernail, almost as though it was aware that it was being watched.</p>\n<p>Within the temple, there is a small shrine to Magnus the Pious. Any Character passing a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test notices a small panel in the shrine that appears to be a door — any Character who specifically mentions checking the Shrine notices this automatically. A small indentation in the panel’s face accepts Ute’s pendant as a key. If the Characters are lacking this it can be forced open with an <strong>Average (+20) Strength</strong> Test — there will be no disguising the sound of cracking stone if they choose to do so. Inside is a notebook from Ute that describes her investigations of the cult within Hallt. </p>\n<p>It explains that time seems to move differently for a small number of people, including the Reeve. They also say she has found the cult’s sanctum, though fails to mention where.</p>\n<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/handout-letter.webp\" width=\"465\" height=\"597\" /></div>\n<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/handout-notes.webp\" width=\"626\" height=\"563\" /></div>\n<h3>The Market Square </h3>\n<p>At the market square, rumours abound about the previous night’s events and of the spoiled corn. Some say the grain rotted, while others claim it sprouted, but all are in agreement that it has definitely gone bad. </p>\n<p>Most feel that something is wrong in Hallt, and some are calling for another bounty hunter to be sent for. If the Characters ask what happened to the first bounty hunter, they learn that one came all the way from Altdorf a few weeks back, but had apparently been killed by the horseman and buried in the Temple graveyard.</p>\n<p>If the Characters are stout of heart, they can exhume the body, and find that he has both his head and hands, but that the body has rotted oddly, with much of his right side completely preserved, while maggots writhe in his left. This is an effect of the magic used to do away with the man — he drew too close to uncovering the cult, and the Reeve killed him personally. If you wish, the Bounty Hunter’s corpse might provide an enjoyable jump scare as his preserved right hand suddenly jerks up, clutching one of the Characters by the throat. However, there is little else to learn from the body. The Temple of Sigmar and the Graveyard are described above, should the Characters choose to visit there.</p>\n<p>Listening to the farmers gossiping, the Characters learn about the home of Hunfried Mauss, a farmer who was murdered months earlier. While his family has moved away since his death, last night lantern light was seen coming from the farmstead. (See <strong>Hunfried Mauss’s Farmstead </strong>below).</p>\n<p>If the Characters are struggling at this point, feel free to throw some additional rumours their way, directing them towards Ute, Hauptfehlt, or the cult. If you wish, a peddler might be selling Ute’s pendant, recovered from where the horseman dropped it last night. Most people are illiterate, and so no one has read Ute’s name on the pendant just yet, as they would surely return it to the Temple if they knew it was hers.</p>\n<p>All of the townsfolk, if they become comfortable with the Characters, may make mention of the excellent harvests, especially in recent years. Most put this down to the general character of the locals, their faith in Sigmar or Taal, or simply good luck. If pressed, a few note that certain farms — mainly those on land owned by the Reeve — are particularly productive, enjoying long growing seasons and prodigious harvests.</p>\n<h3>Hunfried Mauss’s Farmstead</h3>\n<p>If the Characters choose to venture out to the farmstead, be sure to describe the odd feeling of not quite leaving the town behind them. While they are now out in the wilds and farms, they still feel the sensation of cobbled streets or wood panelled floors beneath them, as though they have not left Hallt at all. If the Characters expect it to still be early morning, make it late afternoon instead. If they ask how long it takes them to reach the Farmstead, be sure that it takes at least twice as long to return. If they choose to put the town behind them, they can walk for most of the day in any direction, only to find themselves arriving back at roughly the same time they set out.</p>\n<p>Hunfried’s farmstead itself is typical of the region, a small two-bedroom cottage nestled in the shelter of a small hill, with fields of barley, hops, and of course, pumpkin about it. The fields have not been properly tended for some time, though neighbours have made an effort to see to those overwintering crops that they might themselves harvest — after all, the Mauss family are unlikely to miss it now. Characters with any kind of Lore (Herbs) or similar skills will notice the remains of some crops which, though now frost damaged and wilting, were clearly growing entirely out of season up to just a few days ago.</p>\n<p>The interior of the farmstead is sparsely decorated, though various fetishes to local fertility gods abound — many feature a humanoid figure bedecked with plucked feathers which appears to move about the room whenever the characters turn away. It is harmless, however. </p>\n<p>Inside the farmstead, under a loose floorboard that is spotted with a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test, is a polished piece of amber coloured glass, clearly shaped to create a convex lens. This enchanted decryption device belongs to the cult, and was hidden with Hunfried — a ‘gift’ of the 'spirits' that haunt the windmill. It reveals the secrets of Markolf ’s notebook if its blurred pages are viewed through the lens. The text reveals dark incantations, diagrams, and the nuances for mixing alchemical potions, as well as the fact that they are all designed to help bring a servant of ‘The Master of Fortune’ into being.</p>\n<p>The only other feature of note is a series of four tapestries, clearly the most valuable thing in the room. They depict the four seasons, with figures variously planting, harvesting and consuming assorted crops, depending on the season. If viewed through the amber lens the figures are engaged in quite different activities. Some are piling earth on other people, their half-buried arms taking the place of growing crops. One group of shepherds, which appeared to be herding pigs, are changing shape, becoming pig-like animals themselves. On the tapestry of winter, a group of figures huddled around a fire instead appear to be venerating a great, burning figure, a pyre into which the watching figures eagerly throw themselves.</p>\n<p>As they are searching the farmstead, the Characters eventually hear the door slam shut behind them, and the smell of smoke starts to permeate the room. The front door has been barred, leaving only two small windows by which to exit — one to the front, the other to the side of the house. Outside the side window, hidden from view, is Anselm Buchberger, the executioner. He has been sent to recover the lens, and has taken it upon himself to deal with the meddlesome Characters.</p>\n<p>If an Average sized Character attempts to squeeze through the side window, have them make an <strong>Average (+20) Athletics</strong> Test. Small Characters pass this Test automatically. Failure indicates that the Character becomes momentarily stuck. @UUID[Actor.PURRafXIO8Ru4Rbn]{Anselm} attacks the first Character through the window — if they are stuck, they count as having the @Condition[Prone] condition, granting @UUID[Actor.PURRafXIO8Ru4Rbn]{Anslem} +20 on his strike. He uses this to make a Called Shot on his unfortunate victim's head.</p>\n<p>It is a fight to the death, but if the Characters appear to struggle, the horseman may make an appearance and come to their aid — especially if someone has spent a Fate Point to avoid death during the scene.</p>\n<p>If the Characters did not uncover @UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Markolf's} journal the previous night, @Actor[PURRafXIO8Ru4Rbn]{Anselm} is carrying it.</p>\n<h3>The Cult</h3>\n<p>The Characters may have uncovered some evidence of a Cult at work in the town, but are unlikely to know quite how far it goes. Any accusations against the Reeve are met with ridicule, though the town is paranoid enough that accusations against other members may prove fruitful if evidence is provided or a mob is sufficiently riled up. Allow dedicated agitators some leeway here, but any mob raised will quickly get out of hand unless carefully managed — fear of the horseman is at a fever pitch, and panicking townsfolk may well decide to burn every stable in the area.</p>\n<p>You may allow the Characters to proceed with these investigations, but most cult members are respected townsfolk, and unless the Characters themselves take drastic action, the cult is unlikely to be undone during the course of the day.</p>\n<h3>The Windmill</h3>\n<p>If the Characters head to the windmill due to uncovering the cults’ notes, or simply because it has been looming over events for several scenes now, they notice as they approach that it appears to be turning in the wrong direction, against the pitch of its sails. It is an old rickety stone structure, the heavy wooden doors and windows chained and locked shut. The stone it is made of was hewn from local standing stones, and anyone who has seen one of these stones up close recognises this, as some of the engravings can still be seen on certain blocks. On close inspection, the chains and locks are clearly new, with the door in good repair compared to the rest of the building. Picking the locks requires +3 SL on an extended <strong>Hard (–20) Lockpicking</strong> Test. It is possible to brute force their way through with a good strong kick — a <strong>Challenging (+0) Strength</strong> or <strong>Melee (Brawl)</strong> Test does the trick.</p>\n<p>The windmill is a mess of mouldering sacks of corn, dominated by the mechanical workings of the mill, and its large grinding stones. A <strong>Hard (–20) Perception</strong> Test reveals a mechanism that opens a hidden trap door in the floor. It leads down to the sanctum used by the cult. The chamber is dominated by a circle of runes around the centre, and there are all manner of potions scattered around the room. There is a workbench upon which are a number of pieces of glassware used for alchemy. More grisly is the collection of severed heads, including that of Friedwart, the horseman. All have had their mouths sewn shut. The energies from the leylines under the sanctum cause these decaying heads to stir, their eyes flutter, mouths beginning to murmur incomprehensibly through the stitches. If the Characters think to cut the stitches in the mouths, the heads become understandable, intoning the story of their death. Four are well preserved enough to be understood.</p>\n<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/items/axe.webp\" width=\"303\" height=\"184\" /></div>\n<blockquote class=\"sidebar\">\n<h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Talking Heads</em></h3>\n<table style=\"width:100%\" border=\"1\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center;width:27.5425%\">\n<p><strong><em>Head, Oldest To Newest</em></strong></p>\n</td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center;width:72.4575%\"><strong><em>What It Says</em></strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width:27.5425%\"><em>Female, blonde</em></td>\n<td style=\"width:72.4575%\"><em>Cut me down, they did, as I travelled here from Ubersreik! A new start! They talk though, they talk of fertility and growth. What for me but death? What for poor Griselda?</em></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width:27.5425%\"><em>Male, dark haired, no nose</em></td>\n<td style=\"width:72.4575%\"><em>‘Drunk! I was hardly drunk, just tipsy. Seemed so nice, that Markolf. Talk of beer. I love a drink, do you have one? My lips are so parched, I can’t remember the last time I...</em></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width:27.5425%\"><em>Male, no ears</em></td>\n<td style=\"width:72.4575%\"><em>G...Great growth is coming, great change. The land will be remade, and all of Hallt shall tremble! I am the fuel, the fertiliser. I...</em></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width:27.5425%\"><em>Male (Friedwart)</em></td>\n<td style=\"width:72.4575%\">\n<p><em>For Ute! For Ute I died, and for Ute he’ll kill! The whispering voice I hear at night, my secret brother. My arm is yours, brother, cleave who I could not.</em></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><em>Should the players cut all of the stitches, the heads will begin to speak in unison:</em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center\">‘Witches watch, witches wait, green moon rises, the tricksters’ fate. Flesh will burn, heads will roll, green moon rises, death to all. Horseman rides, horseman kills, jade moon rises, burn this mill!’</p>\n</blockquote>"
				},
				"Part 1: Highway to Hallt": {
					"name": "Part 1: Highway to Hallt",
					"text": "<p>The New Year, Hexensnacht, is approaching, the Reikland’s highways and byways are covered in snow, and in the distance the sun sets behind the snow-capped Grey Mountains. A cold wind blows and the looming trees of the Reikwald forest grow tall and thick on both sides of the muddy road. Owls hoot and wolves howl, their calls penetrating the woodland’s darkness. A troupe of weary travellers coming from Bögenhafen in the south on a wagon are journeying to the town of Hallt. The group are accompanied by their friend and compatriot, the Litigant @UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin Samter}. Goswin has been called to return to his hometown to aid the townsfolk. A series of murders have taken place, and Goswin has brought along his friends to help solve the mystery.</p><p>That is true, for the most part. @UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin} is a member of the cult and has been called to assist in this year’s ritual. While he has been assured by his fellows that talk of the horseman is overblown, Goswin is taking no chances, and has hired the Character’s to protect him.As the wagon rumbles along, Goswin explains that this time of year is always rife with attacks from highwaymen, bandits, and the fae creatures that venture out from the dark depths of the Reikwald. In particular, he tells of the tale of the Dullahan, the headless horseman who was said to haunt the town in ages past.</p><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"margin-bottom:-20px\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/goswin-samter.webp\" width=\"248\" height=\"355\" /></div></div><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin Samter}</p></div><blockquote><p>‘The Dullahan is a creature of darkness, a headless horseman, one who was cursed at death who now rides bringing death to all who see it. It is a fatal omen, and only those of a noble heart, or the truly innocent, can survive such an encounter.’</p></blockquote><p>Gowsin coughs and curses the bitter night before resuming his dark tale.</p><blockquote><p>‘However, this is all just simple rural superstition. Folk speak of killing the Dullahan with heartwood stakes from willow trees cut during a full moon, or with a silver blade. They say that if the missing head is found, the Dullahan can be made to leave and return from whence it came. I can tell you, there is no truth to these tales. No doubt the legend is a cover for some brigand or other preying on fair Hallt!’</p></blockquote><p>If you are running a one-off adventure, now would be a good time for the Players to introduce their Characters. Ask each Player how their Character has dressed to deal with the cold, how well they cope with it, and what their impression is of the murders and the tale of the Dullahan.</p><p>As the sun sets, the cold, clear night sky is illuminated by the evening’s first stars and the two moons, Mannslieb and Morrslieb; the former a waning crescent as if a lidded eye, the latter a smaller green skull-like orb, casting its dark energies across the lands. All around the nocturnal animals have gone quiet, and from the crest of the hill the lights of Hallt are visible. The small walled town — marked out by the pinpricks of lantern light and rising smoke from chimneys — looks inviting in the bitter night.</p><h3>The Rider Attacks</h3><p>From the oily darkness, galloping hooves rumble and clatter as branches snap and bushes rustle. From the night approaches the headless horseman, clad in black armour atop a snorting warhorse. The horseman holds aloft a large curved axe, unmistakably that of an executioner. As he rides past the carriage, he brutally cleaves the head from one of the steeds pulling the wagon. Slamming into the horse’s corpse, the carriage topples over, and those within are sent flailing. Each Character should make an <strong>Average (+20) Athletics</strong> Test or suffer 1 wound, unmodified by Toughness Bonus or armour. The unfortunate coachman and any Characters on the exterior of the coach are hurled into the night, slamming into the frozen earth. Treat this as a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.NS3YGlJQxwTggjRX.JournalEntryPage.bdfiyhEYtKs7irqc#falling]{fall of 3 yards} for the Characters — the Coachman is killed instantly. From the bloody stump of the slain horse’s neck a tide of warm blood flows, staining the white snow and sending wisps of steam into the night air. The overwhelming stench of blood mixed with fear is alarming.</p><p>Enquire how the Characters react to the situation. Do they draw weapons? Do they seek shelter behind the wagon? Do they run down the road to the town? Or do they run and hide in the woods? No matter their reaction, give each Player the chance to respond.</p><p>Before the Characters can recover, however, a terrified @UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin} bolts away from the Carriage and towards the woods screaming <em>‘He has come for me!’</em>, stumbling over tree roots and bushes. The @UUID[Actor.pDiCMkvXcPae8rsU]{horseman} turns his steed about, and it rears up before charging back down the road after Goswin.</p><p>If any of the troupe try to stop the @UUID[Actor.pDiCMkvXcPae8rsU]{horseman} they are charged at by his horse and knocked out of the way. Make it clear to the Players that fighting the horseman head-on could be very dangerous. Remember that when acting aggressively, the horse by merit of its size causes @Fear[1] in Average sized opponents. The Characters should have a chance to dodge out of the way, and those who are struck by the warhorse hurt, but refrain from allocating critical hits — the horseman is adept at controlling his steed, and only seeks to kill those responsible for his execution.</p><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/tokens/gismondo.webp\" width=\"176\" height=\"176\" /></div><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/tokens/hel.webp\" width=\"174\" height=\"174\" /></div></div><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.pDiCMkvXcPae8rsU]{Gismondo - The Headless Horseman}</p><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.6i69oQPSFvdPr7rp]{Hel – The Headless Horseman’s Steed}</p></div><p>Characters who stand in the horseman’s way are briefly met by the ‘gaze’ of unseeing eyes — despite his clothing and armour, @UUID[Actor.pDiCMkvXcPae8rsU]{Gismondo} has never had trouble ‘seeing’ everything around him. He will look towards their right hand (Characters notice this with a <strong>Difficult (–10) Perception</strong> Test). As they do not bear the cult’s tattoo the horseman leaves them be. With a rasping voice, the horseman mutters,<em> ‘No curse’d eye marked out in ink, you are no friend of theirs, I think’</em>. If they are wearing gloves, he asks them to remove them. If they do not comply, or otherwise persist, he attempts to ride them down or fling an incendiary bomb at them, hoping the flames will distract them while he pursues his true quarry.</p><p>However, if pressed, the horseman will attack anyone who does not back down. He seeks to avoid being surrounded, but is a dangerous fighter. If a challenger backs down or retreats, he does give chase.</p><p>The horseman pursues @UUID[Actor.isquKGroycYeQzJh]{Goswin} above all others, charging him down, and with a single swift blow, decapitates the man. Dismounting, the horseman also chops off Goswin’s right hand, and takes his head and hand as trophies. If a Character is nearby, they hear the horseman rhyme, as he cuts the hand off,<em> ‘An eye on the hand, two eyes in the head, revenge for Ute, as I said’.</em></p><div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/hell-ride-to-hallt.webp\" /></div>"
				},
				"Part 3: Heads Will Roll": {
					"name": "Part 3: Heads Will Roll",
					"text": "<p>As night draws in, the Characters will have to find rest somewhere in the town. The Calm Toad is the most likely place, though if they refuse to sleep there for any reason there are poorly guarded warehouses. If the Characters seek to avoid sleep, remember that it is very cold outside, and they will begin to accumulate @Condition[Fatigued] Conditions, and risk exposure if they fail to settle down.</p><h3>Keep Your Head About You</h3><p>As snow falls outside and the patrons of the inn have retired to bed, the Characters finally find some rest. Rough linen and straw provide some comfort, if they have chosen to sleep at the inn, while bellies full of food and ale allows them to sleep soundly. The only sound is that of the howling wind, and the clatter of shutters not secured tightly enough. Here and there, libations and prayers against the ills of Hexensnacht are carried on the wind. However, the night is not a calm affair, and before long a rhythmic tapping can be heard — the sound of heavy feet trodding across the slate roof of the Calm Toad.</p><p>Characters awaken on an <strong>Average (+20) Perception</strong> Test if they are sleeping in the inn. Ask the Characters how they respond, and how they feel about being awakened at night by the noises.</p><p>If the Characters didn’t wake up, or did not sleep at the inn, they are awakened as they hear screams and the sound of a door being flung open. A <strong>Difficult (–10) Perception</strong> Test allows a Character to notice that the lone candle that was left burning is not as it should be. Rather than having shrunk over the hours it has in fact grown. There is little time to investigate this oddity, however, as the sound of screams, and slamming doors intensifies. Investigating the commotion requires the Characters to take candles or lamps as the inn will be dark — though there is enough light for those with the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.x0WMGwuQzReXcQrs]{Night Vision} Talent to see by. </p><p>What little light the candles throw reveals the brewer, @UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Markolf}, dressed in little more than a shirt and trousers, running down the corridor towards the stairs, his face ashen with terror, screaming for help. Behind him stands the @UUID[Actor.pDiCMkvXcPae8rsU]{horseman}, his black armour glowing orange in the flickering candlelight cast through an open door. The horseman marches forward, brandishing his axe, intent on Markolf ’s head. Each purposeful step seems to shake the very ground beneath him, and his armour clanks ominously with every stride <em>‘Ale and rum, just watch him run. Wine and liquor? Blood is thicker.’</em></p><p>@UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Markolf}, for his part, flees out of the inn and into the freezing night as quickly as possible. If the Characters chose to sleep away from the inn, then they are awakened by the horseman pursuing Markolf through the streets instead.</p><h3>Fight or Flight</h3><p>The players have two options here; fight or hide. Fighting the horsemen likely reveals that he does indeed bleed, if they are able to wound him. He is intent on his quarry, not the Characters, and pushs past or around them where possible. Fighting with the horseman leads to him dropping a pendant — a twin-tailed comet that is typically worn by a member of the Cult of Sigmar. Any Character making an <strong>Average (+20) Perception</strong> Test notices that something was dropped, though not exactly what unless they retrieve it. The name of the priestess, Ute Bott, is inscribed on the back of the pendant. If the Characters cause too much trouble for the horseman, he throws his incendiary pumpkin bombs at them, and rely on terror and luck to make his escape. He may jump out or in a window, or scurry up a prepared rope onto a nearby roof, which he quickly cuts once he reaches the top. He continues his pursuit of @UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Markolf} as soon as he has lost the Characters.</p><p>It is possible that while facing the horseman the players might wish to question him. If asked why he hunts and kills, or who he hunts and kills, the horseman in his guttural voice responds in a strange rhyme.</p><blockquote><p>‘Just those curs who bear the eye, they took her life, and now must die. Her prayers unheeded, Ute rots. Though Sigmar failed her — I will not.’</p></blockquote><p>If asked who he is, the horseman responds with the following:</p><blockquote><p>‘I had a head for the blade, they a blade for my head. I took up that axe, and keep it fed.’</p></blockquote><h3>Off With His Head!</h3><p>Should the Characters be unable to prevent the horseman from reaching Markolf, or if they choose to hide, they witness the following scene; Markolf, half frozen from the biting wind, is barely visible in the gloom and drifting snow. He cries out for help, hoping the town Watch  will come to his aid. <em>‘He’s here! He’s here! The Horseman has come for me!’ </em></p><p>The horseman runs in @UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Markolf ’s} direction, throwing his axe so that it slices through the air and shears off Markolf ’s head with unearthly precision. Markolf ’s body drops to the ground, spraying gouts of blood from the stump of his neck. With Markolf dead, the horseman approachs his body and removes the right hand, plucking a ring from that severed appendage. He calls for his horse, and gallops off, the beast leaping clear over the town walls and carrying the horseman away into the deep dark night.</p><p>Investigating the body of Markolf reveals that the ring from the little finger of his right hand was removed and dropped on the ground, and that inside his shirt is a notebook. The book is out of focus and blurry no matter how it is observed, but there are clearly diagrams, maps, and writing contained within it. Understanding the book is impossible without the @UUID[JournalEntry.agdT9W0K6LgKs1XP.JournalEntryPage.kDQhbCrv6CkWymIu#hunfried-mausss-farmstead]{amber lens}. If a Character has the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.items.6w30u0VPsAicrqb5]{Sense Magic} talent, they may make a <strong>Challenging (+0) Lore (Alchemy or Magick) </strong>Test. A success indicates that the notebook is enchanted with the Jade Wind in some fashion. However, Characters getting +2 or more SL will note that under this enchantment strong hints of Dhar can be detected — a hint at that the touch of Tzeentch is upon the book. </p><p>The Characters then encounter the town Watch, responding to the fracas with just enough speed to arrive after the horseman has departed. They recover Markolf ’s body, and ask them questions regarding the attack. The Reeve will also arrive, watching and listening most attentatively.</p><h3>That’s Some Neck</h3><p>If the Characters are able to drive off the horseman and save Markolf, they may find him less grateful than they expect. The attack leaves him paranoid, bordering on terror. He can be calmed with a <strong>Challenging (+0) Charm</strong> Test, but otherwise stands muttering to himself and shivering until the Reeve arrives. Characters who make a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test notice that Markolf continually checks his pocket — this is to ensure that he hasn’t lost his notebook.</p><p>Once he sees @UUID[Actor.i2b3ju0IwAsChPjH]{Elva Fellgiebel}, @UUID[Actor.gHiY0o1aLyYvdPnh]{Markolf} immediately approachs her and begin angrily demanding why she has been ignoring his warnings.<em> ‘Surely you see now, Elva, that it is as we feared? We are found out and hunted! Does he know about the…’ </em>The Reeve will not let him continue beyond this point, quickly having the Watch usher him away out of supposed concern for his well being. If they think quickly, a Character making an <strong>Average (+20) Sleight of Hand</strong> Test can recover the notebook from a distracted Markolf while ‘helping’ the guards.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><em>Goswin The Headless</em></h3><p><em>What if the Characters managed to save Goswin Samter? In this case, they witness Goswin chat briefly with Markolf at the bar earlier in the evening — it is clear they both know each other — before the Litigant retires for the night, alone, to a sturdily locked room upstairs in the inn. The horseman comes for Goswin first, entering through a foolishly unlocked window and murdering him silently in the dead of the night. The horseman then throws Goswin’s decapitated corpse into Markolf’s room, which the brewer mistakes for the horseman, sending him fleeing into the hallway, as above. When Markolf flees the inn to escape his supposed attacker, the horseman sets upon him in the streets instead.</em></p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Purple Stain, Purple Stain</span></h3><p><span style=\"font-style:normal\">If you wish, Markolf’s body may be marked not once, but twice. While the horseman may have taken his hand, Markolf bears another tattoo, drawn in purple ink under his left armpit — a purple handprint. Unbeknownst even to his fellow conspirators, Markolf is a member of a far larger cult: The Purple Hand. If you are running this scenario as part of The Enemy Within campaign, the Characters may have already become aware of this cult, and Markolf’s affiliation with them can serve to reinforce the presence of The Purple Hand at all levels of society. If you intend to run The Enemy Within in the future, this mark will foreshadow some of the events to come.</span></p><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/misc/purple-hand-stamp.webp\" width=\"111\" height=\"105\" /></div><p><span style=\"font-style:normal\">To what end has Markolf infiltrated the Cult of Vicissitude? Perhaps to guide the cultists towards a true understanding of their master, Tzeentch, but the ploys and machinations of the Changer of Ways are many and far beyond the grasp of most mortals.</span></p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\"><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Something Rotten In Hallt</span></h3><p><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Walking around town as the Characters visit locations like the Temple or breweries, or browse the market and stores, they may notice peculiar occurrences. Some of these have been hinted at already; the odd behaviour of the candle set beside their beds, and the strange sounds of bells and clock chimes. Pepper in additional oddities as they go about their day — a tree in the graveyard bearing leaves and fruit one minute, but looking lifeless the next, a large dog walking backwards down the street, pumpkins imploding when they walk by a large pumpkin patch at the edge of the town. There are moments of déjá vu, as the same black cat crosses their path. Streets seem to loop in odd ways, and the Characters may find themselves arriving at the same crossroads again and again.</span></p><p><span style=\"font-style:normal\">Scatter these surreal occurrences around at random, and feel free to add your own strange quirks. The locals seem oblivious to these weird events, though most are aware that things have not been the same since Ute was killed. Some may be suspicious that many of the victims seem to be from the Reeve's unofficial ‘council’. Build up a sense of fear and impending dread now that the horseman has finally attacked within the town walls.</span></p></blockquote>"
				}
			}
		},
		"The Spirit of Mondstille": {
			"name": "The Spirit of Mondstille",
			"pages": {
				"The Spirit of Mondstille": {
					"name": "The Spirit of Mondstille",
					"text": "<div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/spirit-of-mondstille.webp\" /></div><p>This adventure takes place over the Mondstille period in an isolated guesthouse in the old mining village of Kupfertal, high up in the Grey Mountains, above Hugeldal, in the Reikland. With a little work it can be moved to any remote location, but being cut-off by the weather, and the festivities of Mondstille, are an intrinsic part of the scenario.</p><h3>Mondstille</h3><p>Mondstille is the winter solstice, the sun’s nadir, and the darkest day of the Imperial calendar. But it is a day of joyous celebration. The festivities around Mondstille symbolise the death of the old year, but also look forward to the year ahead. It is a time of remembrance and hope. It is a time of feasting in defiance of the scarcity of winter, and of confidence in the coming spring. The feast symbolises respect for and defiance of the inexorable power of nature. Though the vitality of spring is still a long way off, the season is turning.</p><p>Mondstille is an important time for many of the Empire’s cults. It has always been fundamental to the faithful of Ulric, the god of winter. On the mountain slopes his snow-white wolves can be seen picking their way across the frigid landscape, proclaiming his power. In the cities of the Empire his priests light great bonfires in his honour.</p><p>Taalites, too, revel in the wild savagery of winter as much as those devoted to his partner Rhya delight in the anticipation of new life. Mondstille is the day when Taal and Rhya meet, and their festivities reflect this.</p><p>Verenans often take a more philosophical view of the solstice, seeing it as a symbolic divider between the past and the future, known and the unknown. Verena’s scholarly followers obsess around a theoretical (or figurative) moment when the world actually stops dead, before continuing upon its course once more.</p><p>As with all of the Empire’s ancient traditions , Sigmarites have found a way to make it traditional to their cult too. Practically any Mondstille parable or tradition can be appended with the words, ‘and Sigmar may have done that, too.’</p><p>Many of these traditions, they say, have even more ancient roots, their secrets hidden but deeply grounded among the elusive mysteries of the Old Faith. But all of the Empire’s major cults at least acknowledge the importance of this moment. In spite of the winter’s harshness, or perhaps because of it, the celebrations are often seen as collaborative between the cults and unifying. Everyone must weather the season together if they are to survive. In the words of an esteemed bard, ‘if we winter this out, we can celebrate the gods anywhere.’ The folk of the Empire are expected to extend one another a degree of forbearance during this time, adopting a spirit of fellowship and support in the face of the harsh elements. </p><h4>The Taal-log</h4><p>It is traditional to keep a Taal-log burning in the hearth for the entire week of Mondstille. This is said to ward off monsters and evil spirits. It is certainly considered bad luck to let a Taal-log go out. During this adventure, Rutger Lurchen constantly fusses over the fireplace, making sure there is a good flame going, day and night.</p><h4>Mondstille Blessing</h4><p>On Mondstille Eve it is a tradition throughout the Old World, and even beyond, that it is time to take stock of the year just gone, and to think about the year to come. Some prefer to give thanks for what has gone before, but in many places it is the tradition to name the bad things of the previous year in order to make sure that does not happen going forward. It is also a time for listing what one hopes will occur in the year ahead. For some families, this is simply a few words shared in front of the Taal-log; others go into long, tedious, self-interested, litanies.</p><h4>Gift Giving</h4><p>This seems to be a relatively new tradition, which is getting increasingly popular. It’s especially fashionable in Altdorf, but many say it originated in Marienburg. Some insist it is a Wastelander plot to take the money of the gullible and frivolous.</p><p>In the Reikland countryside, this usually takes the form of giving simple and useful gifts to family, and sometimes close friends. Among the chattering classes of Altdorf, much is made of the appositeness and value of gifts, and the nobility have practically weaponised the custom.</p><h4>Mondstille Feast</h4><p>The most important part of Mondstille celebrations is the feast. This is always a huge meal made and eaten in defiance of the scarcity of the season. It is traditional to stuff oneself silly, and then go back for seconds, or even thirds, depending on sartorial accommodation.</p><h4>Charades</h4><p>If there is any time to kill during the adventure then the family, or just the sisters, will propose a traditionally festive game of Mondstille charades. One of the drawbacks of Mondstille charades is that there is very little popular media in the Old World and a very low literacy rate. This means that most games of charades go: <em>‘Four words. Is it ‘The Life of Sigmar,’ again?’ ‘ Yes, you go next.’ ‘Four words…’</em></p>"
				},
				"Part Two: Haunting": {
					"name": "Part Two: Haunting",
					"text": "<p>This scenario is intended to be creepy and chilling, leaving the Characters troubled or frightened. They should not feel they are able to hack their way out of trouble (even if they might be able to) and they should feel threatened by the unknown (even if they really aren’t). You should make an effort to lend an air of mystery and unease to proceedings as is traditional in a ghost story.</p><p>The hauntings are @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef ’s} (largely poor) efforts to bring @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} to the Characters’ attention. These should be treated as suggestions, and as the game goes along and the Characters act and react then different opportunities may present themselves, which Josef can exploit to haunt the house in different ways in order to convey his message. And of course, not all the hauntings described below need to be used.</p><h3>First Haunting: Poltergeist Activity</h3><p>@UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef Flook} is not the most experienced ghost, and needs to practice a bit. What he does want to do is attract the Characters’ attention, even though he hasn’t thought it through and worked out what to do once he gets their attention.</p><p>So, he is just going to move stuff around when they are not looking. It’s the best he can do at the moment. While settling into their room and getting ready for the meal a Character might be using an object, something as simple as a comb, say. They could put it down, and a few moments later go to pick it up again. If the Character fails a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test then the whole incident passes them by.</p><p>If the Character passes the test then they will notice something. This might just be a vague feeling that something isn’t quite right, but the more SL achieved, the more convinced the Character is that something happened and the more accurate they are at identifying what happened.</p><p>This should be just a minor incident that the Character can simply forget about or put down to inattentiveness. Because it is played out explicitly in a roleplaying game, it could be seen to have significance. And, of course, in the context of the adventure, it does have significance. But you can play it down and brush over the incident, as the Characters are called to dinner. And the Characters, having no real means of investigating further at this stage, should probably play it down, too.</p><h3>Second Haunting: The Picture At Dinner</h3><p>Dinner is beef stew, as is tradition on Mondstille Eve. This is said by Sigmarites to represent the cow Sigmar killed for a Mondstille feast, once. Taalites say that it was a tradition long before that, and ask why was Sigmar even after a bit of beef, if the tradition did not already exist. Ulricans say the tradition started when his holy Wolves killed a sacred cow to get them through the first winter. There are a few rustic Jade wizards and mystics from Albion who suggest a cow was involved in the creation of the world. Many a family row over Mondstille has been started over which faction really ‘owns’ the beef stew tradition.</p><p>In any case, there is very little beef in the stew. As it is the dead of winter and this is not cattle country, Matilda has beefed it up with rabbit. The Lurchens will largely leave the Characters to themselves after dinner, but Gerke and Gele will come in on the pretext of looking for something or doing chores, because they are curious about the Characters, and want to get a closer look at the exotic guests.</p><p>If the Characters are not too fierce, the children might even get up the courage to ask them a few questions about their adventures. Before long their mother spots them and she tells them not to bother the guests, and so the girls run off giggling. But the children have decided which of the Characters is now their new friend. They proceed to follow the selected Character about as much as they can for the rest of the adventure, asking them to come and play.</p><p>A bit later, when the Characters are alone, the portrait above the fire, the one of the two girls, suddenly falls to the floor. It should surprise the Characters. There was no breeze or other movement; the picture just seemed to fall off the wall for no reason at all.</p><p>Matilda comes in and looks at the picture, perplexed, then hangs it back up on the nail, with an apology, and says, ‘<em>kids!’</em> and shrugs. And then she asks if anyone would like more drinks. If anyone asks about the picture, shesays it’s her and her sister, but avoids being drawn into conversation about it.</p><blockquote class=\"sidebar\"><h3 class=\"sidebar-title no-toc\" style=\"text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase\"><em>Charades</em></h3><p><em>The girls are fond of charades and aware of a fair few plays, songs and books beyond </em>The Life of Sigmar<em> (though it still comes up a fair few times). If Characters are coaxed into joining them for a game or two during the course of the adventure you should pass out some of the following suggestions to participating players to act out. Another player will have to guess the answer in the allotted time or the named family member beats them to it.</em></p><table style=\"width:100%;height:221px\" border=\"1\"><tbody><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em><strong>Name</strong></em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em><strong>Type</strong></em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em><strong>Time</strong></em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em><strong>Winner</strong></em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>The Reik is Wide</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Song</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>2 minutes</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Gerke</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>The Life of Sigmar</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Book</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>1 minute</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Gele</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>Hexenachtabend</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Play</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>3 minutes</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Gerke</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>The Karak Norn Book of Grudges</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Book</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>2 minutes</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Gele</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>The Life of Sigmar</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Book</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>1 minute</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Rutger</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>SIgmar's Silver Hammer</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Song</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>2 minutes</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Matilda</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>The Lonesome Prisoner of Karak Norn</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Play</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>2 minutes</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Rutger</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>Drakwald's Lament</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Song</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>2 minutes</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Gerke</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>Drachenfels</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Play</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>90 seconds</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Matilda</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>The Life of Sigmar</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Book</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>30 seconds</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Matilda</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>Strange Flower</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Play</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>3 minutes</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Rutger</em></td></tr><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"width:49.4234%;height:17px\"><em>Tomas Wanderer</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Song</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>90 seconds</em></td><td style=\"width:16.4745%;height:17px;text-align:center\"><em>Gele</em></td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote><h4>Mondstille Blessing</h4><p>As is the tradition, before the family go off to bed, they say their Mondstille blessings. The idea is to state what you wish to leave behind and to state what you wish to see in the coming spring. The Characters should be encouraged to come up with blessings of their own.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} will begin, he is not particularly eloquent, but makes an effort. <em>‘In the name of Taal, Ulric, and Rhya (many Reiklanders insert Sigmar here), we wish to see an end to a poor year and hope for a better one. May the snows melt soon and the spring come quickly’.</em></p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/items/dagger.webp\" width=\"338\" height=\"112\" /></div><p>@UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} goes on a bit, mentioning all the traditional woes of Grey Mountain life, and hoping for a mild year when their goats thrive and the miners strike rich seams. She cannot resist a hope that their recent trials are put behind them, and that those who are ill might recover, but she does not dare be any more specific than that.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.Nvn1Up72h3yzpzWg]{Gerke} and @UUID[Actor.wp11m5F2tonZGlqP]{Gele} will say theirs together, in a remarkably synchronised manner, ‘…we wish to not see anyone else dying and hope to see grandfather and auntie again.’</p><p>If the Characters have any questions about the family’s blessings, then they will answer them concisely, but reasonably. If they ask about auntie they are told she has gone to Ubersreik.</p><h3>Third Haunting: Bump in the Night</h3><p>The Lurchens go to bed quite early, but if the Characters want to stay up late drinking then that is fine. Except, if they make too much noise then either @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} or @UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} come down to ask them to be quieter as their daughters are sleeping. They ask the Characters to ensure the fire is kept burning. They add more fuel to it before going back upstairs. </p><p>When they do go to bed, @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} has the notion that he might be able to lead one of the Characters towards Anthea in the cellar. He realises that as he is invisible he needs an object for the Character to follow: something big and white that could not be missed, something like a large white sheet.</p><p>So @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} takes a clean white sheet from the laundry pile in the attic, unfolds it, and brings it to one (or more) of the Character’s rooms. He wakes them by knocking over a vase or a candlestick, or whatever is handy, and then shakes the sheet at them for a while. Then he leaves their room. Josef ’s idea is to drop the sheet on the trapdoor in the kitchen. If a Character is awake, they perceive Josef ’s actions as they occur. Sleeping Characters may be roused by Josef ’s activities on a <strong>Hard (–20) Perception</strong> Test.</p><p>If this does not work, and it is hardly likely to, Josef eventually gives up. However the Character deals with the sheet, Josef goes back to his room, leaving the sheet behind him. He comes down a bit later and begins to write ‘Anthea!’ on the lounge wall (see below).</p><h3>Puceheart in the Night</h3><p>@UUID[Actor.TyhivzTuE9wohv3y]{Puceheart} makes the decision to enter the house by climbing down the chimney. This might not normally be a bad idea, but because this is Mondstille, there is a large Taal-log kept burning in the fireplace throughout the season. He manages to make entry, but as he does so, he burns himself slightly on the Taal-log, shrieks and curses in pain, and then kicks the log out of the fireplace and onto the slate hearth. This makes a decent amount of noise and sleeping Characters will be disturbed by the noise on a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test. He then leaves the mess behind and goes into the kitchen to find some food.</p><p>When the Characters enter the lounge, they see the Taal-log lying on the slate hearth, looking like it could go out at any moment, and they know by now that that is considered very bad luck. They are aware of an intruder, and a successful <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test will have them realise the intruder is in the kitchen. They might be torn between the need to investigate and the need to ensure that the Taal-log does not go out. The log is heavy and blazing, and will have to be handled carefully (if Characters attempting to manoeuvre the log fail an <strong>Easy (+20) Athletics</strong> Test they suffer from an @Condition[Ablaze] Condition).</p><p>@UUID[Actor.TyhivzTuE9wohv3y]{Puceheart} should make the odd unexplained noise from the kitchen, as the character approaches. Unless the character is being very loud, Puceheart does not have the wherewithal to listen out or get a warning as he is too busy stuffing his face.</p><p>Goblins do not embody the spirit of Mondstille, but though he is spiteful and malicious, Puceheart is cold and starving and in no mood to fight. Surprised by the character, he just seeks to flee.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.TyhivzTuE9wohv3y]{Puceheart} is weak and scrawny by Goblin standards, and so needs to be cunning and manipulative to survive. He is adept at appearing non-threatening when he needs to. If he is caught, he grovels and begs to be released. If the Characters do let him go, pushing his luck, he then begs for a bit more food.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.TyhivzTuE9wohv3y]{Puceheart} belongs to the ‘Scarlet Moon’ clan of Night Goblins. These are distinguished by their bright-red hooded cloaks. Puceheart has lost some weight over the winter, and so secures his capacious cloak around his waist with a broad black belt. On his recent scavenging, he was lucky enough to come across a dead sheep, and so has stitched the sheepskin into his sleeves and around his hood to help keep him warm. </p><div class=\"journal-image\"><img class=\"fit\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/spirit-of-mondstille.webp\" /></div><h4>Fourth Haunting: Ant</h4><p>Shortly before @UUID[Actor.TyhivzTuE9wohv3y]{Puceheart’s} appearance, @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} was busy working on a new haunting. Unfortunately the Puceheart incident has disturbed his efforts. He was going to write ‘Anthea!’ on the wall of the lounge in charcoal from the fire. But he only got as far as ‘Ant’' When he saw Puceheart he got frightened and abandoned his efforts. Whoever goes down to check on the noise has a chance of seeing this, in the light of the nearby burning Taal-log, if they pass a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test. If not, whoever’s up first in the morning will see it.</p><p>It’s pretty obvious to anyone with any Folklore that Puceheart could not or would not have written it. And if he’s still around, he will confirm that, simply by his general show of ignorance, if nothing else.</p><h3>Mondstille Day</h3><p>The Characters should wake up on the shortest day of the year not having had too much sleep over the eventful night. They can be awarded a @Condition[Fatigued] Condition if they really did not get enough kip to function at their best.</p><p>The Lurchens are shook up over the break-in and the ‘Ant’ as well. They will deny knowing what Ant could mean. The parents should have a very good idea but the children have not worked it out. Anyway, they are a stoical family and get on with life as normal. Matilda serves breakfast and Rutger gets on with running the house, but a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test reveals that they are shaken by the previous night’s events.</p><p>The family have given each other their Mondstille gifts already, Rutger got three pairs of socks, knitted by his wife and children, of varying quality. Matilda got a new wooden spoon for her kitchen, and the girls got identical pink dresses with blue ribbons.</p><p>The sisters have decided to give their favourite character a Mondstille gift, too. They will proudly present them with a small, neatly wrapped parcel. Inside is a crude, whittled doll wearing a rag dress. It is barely recognisable as a doll, but the girls made it and they did their best. They will be upset if the recipient does not appear entirely pleased with their thoughtful gift. It should be up to you to encourage the character to think that this gift might be much more sinister than it actually is.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/hearth.webp\" width=\"403\" height=\"301\" /></div><h4>Patrol</h4><p>@UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} decides to check the surrounding area for signs of encroaching Goblins and to make sure that everything is in order in the village. He mentions this with the clear expectation and implication that at least some of the Characters will volunteer to help out, but he does ask for help explicitly.</p><p>Characters accompanying Josef may come across the tracks of a marauding goblin band, heading towards Rutger’s goat paddock, if they pass a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test. There are six Goblins in the band, and if they can be prevented from stealing any goats Rutger is truly grateful.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger’s} patrol takes in the village and the mine entrance then he walks up to the top of the nearest hill to survey as much as he can. He follows the course of a brook down into a small wood, and then continues back up to the village. This takes only around an hour and a half, but even then Rutger calls an early end to the patrol, as he sees the weather closing in, as distant peaks disappear behind dark clouds.</p><p>This break in the weather might give the Characters the idea that they would be able to travel back down to Hugeldal. Rutger warns against this, as he knows the weather patterns up on the mountains well, and he predicts another severe snow storm hitting later in the day. If the Characters do not heed his advice, they should be punished by getting caught in the severest storm, exactly as Rutger warned them.</p><p>If all the Characters went with @UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} on his patrol then these events can wait for them to return; there will be enough time to run them before the Mondstille feast. If some of the party stayed behind then this would be a good opportunity to run a haunting or two with them.</p><h4>Fifth Haunting: The Picture Burning</h4><p>At some stage, someone entering the lounge notices on an <strong>Easy (+10) Perception</strong> Test that only half the picture of Anthea and Matilda (featured in The Second Haunting) is now hanging on the wall. It has been torn in half lengthways. One girl is more or less complete; the other’s image has been torn off. If the character investigates they see the remains in the fire, still burning. It can be saved by acting quickly and passing a <strong>Challenging (+0) Sleight of Hand</strong> Test, but only a few inches of paper remain intact, featuring a pair of feet and little else.</p><p>Matilda will be concerned about this as she loved the picture. If she suspects one of the Characters did it, she demands that they leave and it takes a <strong>Hard (–10) Charm</strong> Test to convince her to change her mind. It’s hard for her to imagine who else might have done it. It could be a tricky situation.</p><p>If the Characters do leave the guesthouse Matilda has a change of heart and begs them to forgive her and stay. Characters passing an <strong>Easy (+10) Intuition</strong> Test get the impression that she is suffering from pangs of guilt.</p><p>If asked about it, she can admit that she was the one whose image was burnt. If asked about the other girl, she will say that it is her sister who has gone to Ubersreik. The Characters notice the hesitation in her voice and that she might not be telling the truth on a <strong>Hard (–10) Intuition</strong> Test.</p><h4>Sixth Haunting: The Clothes</h4><p>@UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef’s} clothes have been tidied away in a chest in the attic with his personal effects. @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} decides that he needs to get his will out of the chest to prove to the Characters that @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} should have the guesthouse. At some point he goes through the chest throwing all the clothes around and making a big mess. He throws his things all over the attic space and down onto the floor below. Because he is invisible it looks extremely strange. If the Characters don’t notice this then the Lurchen children can and they will scream, bringing it to the Characters’ attention. But Josef makes some noise rummaging around and banging the chest about in the attic to give the Characters plenty of chances to come and investigate.</p><p>If asked whose clothes they are, then the Lurchens are happy to tell that they are @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda’s} father’s, and they can tell the story of what became of Josef, killed by goblins. They are not happy to have the Characters rummage through his things, but that is likely to be a consequence. And the Characters could well find @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef’s} last will and testament at the bottom of the chest.</p><p>This should bring up the issue of @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea}. But even so, the Lurchens are loath to talk about her, sticking to their story that she’s away in Ubersreik.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/handout-mondstille.webp\" width=\"374\" height=\"480\" /></div><h4>To the Mine</h4><p>When @UUID[Actor.Nvn1Up72h3yzpzWg]{Gerke} (or @UUID[Actor.wp11m5F2tonZGlqP]{Gele}) sees the Clothes she becomes extremely frightened. She runs out of the house and heads for the dubious safety of the mine. This could be the first time that the Characters have actually seen the sisters separated. The child enters the mine and climbs down the shaft some way, using the rope to help her, before deciding that she is safe. She stays there for a while, and does not even bother to respond to shouts from above.</p><p>If the Characters look for her they can find her footprints in the snow and follow them to the mine by passing a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test, followed by an <strong>Easy (+20) Track</strong> Test. There is nothing particularly dangerous or supernatural about the mine, but you should play up the tension and potential danger, however, as the Characters make their way into the darkness.</p><p>If the Characters do not manage to track @UUID[Actor.Nvn1Up72h3yzpzWg]{Gerke} to the mine, or make no attempt to bring her back, then @UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} leaves and finds her. In any case, when Gerke has calmed down a bit, she returns to the guest house.</p><h4>Seventh Haunting: The Knife</h4><p>It is Mondstille so the traditional Mondstille feast is coming. The family has been looking forward to it for months. While @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} is in the kitchen and preferably while one of the Characters is there, too (hopefully they have had the manners to offer to help), @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} makes a knife fly through the air, which  ands sticking into the cellar door. The knife was never intended to hit anyone, but Characters do not know this. Matilda screams when she sees the knife, and might assume that it was aimed at her.</p><p>Those who pass a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test realise that the knife could not have been thrown by anyone. On an astounding success they see the knife seemingly moved by itself and then fly through the air of its own accord.</p><p>Characters may wonder why the knife is sticking out of the cellar door, and whether this is a message. If the Characters go to open the trapdoor, then @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} tries to prevent them. It is locked in any case and Rutger has the key. The small feeding hatch is not locked, and the Characters can open that.</p><p>If they try to get the key from @UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} then there will be a confrontation. For all the Lurchens know the discovery of @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} means their deaths at the hands of a witch hunter. So they do not give up the key lightly.</p><h4>The Mondstille Feast </h4><p>Despite the strange happenings, the family is determined to plough on and have a normal family Mondstille feast, as best they can.</p><p>The Mondstille feast is an important celebration and a psychological boost over the unremitting winter and defiance against the austerity of the season. It occurs on the evening of Mondstille day, so it will be dark outside, and the interior of the guesthouse lounge only dimly lit by a few lamps and the flaming Taal-log. Before the feast @UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} gives a prayer to Sigmar, Taal and Ulric. The Characters can join in or contribute as they see fit. The spread is excellent: a fat goose, roasted to perfection, accompanied by many scrumptious side dishes, including an array of seasonal vegetables, and savoury and sweet piesIf the Characters have left a bad impression on the family then they are served at a separate table, and given small portions begrudgingly by the Lurchens, but not so small that they could reasonably take offense. They are paying for meals, not a feast. But if they have left a good impression, joined in the Mondstille activities, and been generally helpful, then the Lurchens welcome them to their festivities and treat them like part of the family.</p><p>The Lurchens avoid talking too much about themselves, but they discuss Josefs death if the Characters bring it up. If they bring up @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea}, then the Lurchens try to gloss over that as much as possible. The children find it difficult to avoid looking slightly guilty, and any character passing an <strong>Easy (+10) Perception</strong> Test notices their discomfort.</p><p>If any of the strange happenings are brought up, then the Lurchens show that they are concerned about them. It is hard to give rational explanations for the hauntings, but Rutger attempts to explain them away as freak accidents. @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} and the children are more likely to put it down to restless spirits.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/items/throwing-knife.webp\" width=\"481\" height=\"98\" /></div><h4>Eighth Haunting: Where’s the Wine?</h4><p>If @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} has taken a shine to one of the Characters then he asks them to share a special Mondstille drink with them. It was always a tradition with him to open a fine bottle of wine before the Mondstille feast. For the last ten or so years, Josef ’s favourite tipple was an expensive Eilhart 2497 IC white.</p><p>So, he begins to whisper to his chosen drinking partner, ‘<em>Where’s the wine?</em>’ This will be difficult to discern at first, and just sounds like the wind outside the guesthouse. After a successful <strong>Hard (–10) Perception</strong> Test, though, the words will become intelligible. If this is not answered, then @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} becomes more specific, saying, ‘<em>Eilhart ’97,’</em> over and over again. This is a vintage aficionados are familiar with if they pass an <strong>Easy (+40) Lore (Wine Making)</strong> or <strong>Very Easy (+60) Trade (Vintner) </strong>Test, but might not mean anything to those who do not know their wines.</p><p>If Eilhart ’97 is mentioned to the family, then Matilda looks shocked. She admits that it was her father’s favourite drink, and that he always opened a bottle at this time every Mondstille.</p><p>Because the Eilhart ’97 was not for sale at the guesthouse, the bottles were never moved up into the larder and still remain in a corner of the cellar, next to Anthea’s bed. So, the literal answer to the question, ‘Where’s the wine?’ is, of course, ‘In the cellar.’</p><h4>Ninth Haunting: Making a Meal of it</h4><p>If the mystery has still not been solved, then Josef will not be able to stand the sight of the Lurchens sitting down to feast with the Characters in his guesthouse, with its rightful heir locked in the cellar. In a fit of temper he utterly loses control of his supernatural abilities. Whereas up until now his actions have been considered and hindered by his unfamiliarity with undeath, they now become powerful, wild, and genuinely dangerous.</p><p>About halfway through the feast, the table begins to shake. A preternatural breeze blows through the lounge, extinguishing lamps and candles, plunging the room into near darkness. The table flips, spilling all the food onto the floor. Rutger screams.</p><p>A shadowy apparition appears in the room, outlined against the fireplace. Its only discernible feature are glowing-white eyes. Everyone who witnesses this needs to make a <strong>Hard (–10) Cool</strong> Test or else receive a @Condition[Stunned] Condition.</p><p>The ghost is only barely physical and unable to affect the real world, save through the poltergeist powers it has already used, and its Paralysing Chill ability. It tries to throw cutlery and crockery at Rutger and Matilde and any Characters who seek to protect or comfort them (treat as improvised weapons). Its appearance is accompanied by a high keening noise, which could be the wind blowing through the house, but anyone passing a <strong>Hard (–10) Perception</strong> Test hears the name ‘Anthea.’</p><p>If the Characters try to attack it then they have difficulty. Normal weapons seem to slice straight through the apparition, as if it is not really there. Magical spells and enchanted weapons damage it normally. If the ghost is defeated then it merely disappears, but before that can happen, Rutger becomes so overwhelmed that he decides to give @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} up.</p><p>If the Characters have still not been drawn to the cellar by this stage, then they may never get the hint. You might decide enough is enough, and have Rutger come to that conclusion, too. The family’s nerves have been wearing thin throughout the hauntings. The family’s secret has been weighing heavily on Rutger, and he has realised that the hauntings have been pointing towards Anthea in the cellar. </p><p>In the middle of this final haunting he breaks down and wails, ‘She is in the cellar.’ As soon as this happens, @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} realises he has won and the haunting stops. @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} objects desperately to this betrayal of her sister, but it is too late.</p><p>Of course, the Characters may take things into their own hands and demand the key from Rutger before he can offer it to them. And the adventure is better if the Characters work things out for themselves. Rutger’s capitulation is merely an option.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/misc/spot-skull.webp\" width=\"317\" height=\"350\" /></div>"
				},
				"Part Three: Down to the Cellar": {
					"name": "Part Three: Down to the Cellar",
					"text": "<p>Sooner or later the Characters are going to insist on going down to the cellar. They might force the cellar door open or get the key from @UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} somehow. However it happens, they need to descend some narrow stone steps to get to the rough, flagged floor.</p>\n<p>There are a number of barrels and crates of supplies in the place. @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} has made herself a bed in a corner of the room, sheltered by a couple of crates. She is frightened and does not know what to expect. For all she knows the Characters might be witch hunters, so she hides as best she can behind some barrels.</p>\n<p>You should remember this is a ghost story and the tension is the most important thing. The Characters are investigating something mysterious, and have no idea what might be down here. They should be on edge and apprehensive.</p>\n<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/anthea-lurchen.webp\" width=\"270\" height=\"270\" /></div>\n<div class=\"journal-image centered\" style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea}</div>\n<p>And suddenly they see @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea}, in the full light of whatever illumination they have brought with them. She has transparent skin. The veins in her head and the skeletal outline of her skull can be clearly seen, as well as her semi-transparent eyeballs staring, the bones of her torso, and her neck pulsing with blood. Characters who witness this suddenly should make a <strong>Hard (–10) Cool</strong> Tests or flee to the kitchen.</p>\n<p>@UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} might lash out at the nearest character in fear, perhaps scratching their face. But she is quite weak and not a fighter, but that might startle the Characters enough for them to retaliate. This could end in violence, and the Characters might end up killing Anthea. This might solve their problems in one way, because they will not have the issue of deciding what to do with her.</p>\n<div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-core/art/spot/spot-candle.webp\" width=\"209\" height=\"241\" /></div>\n<h3>What’s it all About?</h3>\n<p>The Characters might wonder what has been going on. @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} might be able to help them with some insights about her father. Effectively she can play the role of explaining things that the Players don’t get. Once @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} has been discovered, then Josef works out for himself what has happened. He forgives Rutger and @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda}, and passes over peacefully unto Morr’s realm.</p>\n<p>When the dust settles, the Characters have to decide what to do next. They might conclude that @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} has to die. They might decide that the Lurchens have to die for harbouring her. They might decide to get a witch hunter in to sort it all out for them.</p>\n<p>If they decide to live and let live, and do nothing about the situation, this could leave them open to accusations of colluding with mutants themselves. Their reactions should be a decent and interesting gauge of their character and their attitude to the world, but it should be for them to decide for themselves.</p>\n<h3>Options</h3>\n<p>Here are a few ideas that can expand or enhance the scenario at the GM’s option.</p>\n<h4>Goblins</h4>\n<p>One of the themes of the adventure is the presence of desperate goblins driven from their homes to scavenge their way through the winter. They have started the chain of events, by killing Josef and brought the Characters into the adventure by killing Köder. Their presence can also be linked to @UUID[Actor.TyhivzTuE9wohv3y]{Puceheart}. Perhaps they are part of his warband, or perhaps they are pursuing him because of some past inter-Goblin conflict.</p>\n<p>If the Characters have already fought the goblins while searching for Ernst Köder then they can easily do without this encounter. If some Characters go out with @UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} on Mondstille day then they could encounter the goblins then. If not, Rutger will arrive home in a rush with news that he has spotted the goblins heading towards Kupfertal.</p>\n<p>This need not be an epic siege of the guesthouse, although GMs can do that if they want, because it will deflect from any interest and tension caused by the ghost. Really the encounter is there just to provide a small skirmish for those who go out and help Rutger patrol. The goblins should number enough to make the encounter challenging, but the Characters should not feel they are up against terrible odds.</p>\n<p>The Goblins are very hungry. This has made them opportunistic and aggressive. They rarely come this far down the mountains and are weak and desperate for some food. If they can grab the horse from the stable or a goat from the barn then the chances are they will gratefully head for the hills. You can make them more numerous and ambitious if you like, of course.</p>\n<p>Perhaps, if the goblins manage to survive the winter, they decide they like it here. They might make their home in a nearby cave or an abandoned mine-works. And come the spring, the locals might need to hire a band of opportunistic adventures to get rid of them. </p>\n<h4>A Burning</h4>\n<p>A few months later the Characters can be passing through Ubersreik when they notice an execution being arranged. Taking a closer look, they will see a pyre being prepared around five wooden stakes. They will see a group being led to their deaths and a raucous crowd baying for righteous vengeance. @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} will be there, shrouded in cloth to hide her horrific mutation, and following her will be @UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} and @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda}.</p>\n<p>If the Characters care to find out, a bit of diligent research or a word with the right official, will allow them to discover that Gerke and Gele were packed off to Philline de Blanc’s school in Teufeltal.</p>\n<h4>Experience Awards</h4>\n<p>Beyond any points you offer for good roleplaying and clever ideas at the end of the session, XP should be awarded for the following:</p>\n<p>@Exp[20,Good roleplaying, in particular entering into the spirit of Mondstille throughout.]{20-50 points for good roleplaying, in particular entering into the spirit of Mondstille throughout.}</p>\n<p>@Exp[30,Discovered Anthea before the feast]{30 points for discovering Anthea before the feast}</p>\n<p>@Exp[25,Located the body of Ernst Köder with the deeds still on him]{25 points for locating the body of Ernst Köder with the deeds still on him}</p>\n<p>@Exp[25,Joined Rutger on patrol and saving his goats]{25 points for joining Rutger on patrol and saving his goats}</p>\n<p>@Exp[15,Discovered Anthea before Rutger admits the truth]{15 points for discovering Anthea before Rutger admits the truth}</p>\n<p>@Exp[15,Outperformed any other player in a game of charades]{15 points for outperforming any other player in a game of charades}</p>\n<p>@Exp[10,Confronted Puceheart]{10 points for confronting Puceheart}</p>\n<p>@Exp[10,Found the ‘ANT’ message]{10 points for finding the ‘ANT’ message}</p>\n<p>@Exp[10,Found Josef ’s will]{10 points for finding Josef ’s will}</p>\n<p>@Exp[10,Got Gerke from the mine]{10 points for getting Gerke from the mine}</p>\n<p>@Exp[10,Had the manners to help prepare the feast]{10 points for having the manners to help prepare the feast}</p>"
				},
				"A Tour of the House": {
					"name": "A Tour of the House",
					"text": "<p>Kupfertal Guesthouse is a large, well-built dwelling of local stone, expanded over the years into a sprawling construction with many roofs and walls of odd angles and shapes. It offers food and drink, of course, but could not really be called a tavern, as it has an air of respectability that keeps most of the miners out. Some of the more respectable locals are let in for a drink, and the Lurchens sell barrels to take away.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.Nvn1Up72h3yzpzWg]{Gerke} and <span style=\"font-family:var(--font-primary)\">@UUID[Actor.wp11m5F2tonZGlqP]{Gele}</span> have decorated the building with fir branches for Mondstille, and there is a Taal log burning in the hearth. The place feels homely and welcoming, as well as warmer and drier than one should expect this far up the mountain.</p><p><strong>1. The dining room and lounge</strong> is the largest room in the building. It’s the centre of the house, and gives direct access to most other areas. The kitchen is just off from here, and double doors lead to the common sleeping area. The stairs lead up to the guest room on the first floor.</p><p>Above the fireplace, hangs a picture. It depicts two young girls in Festag against the backdrop of the local mountains in summer. It was drawn by @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} when his daughters, @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} and @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda}, were eight and ten years old, in charcoal on a rough, cheap paper. It’s not very good technically, but pleasant enough to look at. At first glance it looks like this might be a drawing of @UUID[Actor.Nvn1Up72h3yzpzWg]{Gerke} and @UUID[Actor.wp11m5F2tonZGlqP]{Gele}, but a <strong>Challenging (+0) Perception</strong> Test would reveal it to be much too old for that to be the case.</p><p><strong>2. The kitchen</strong> is @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda’s} domain. It is neat and tidy, and immediately conveys her competency. The stairs here lead up to the family’s section of the upper floor.</p><p>There is a trap door in the floor that leads down to the cellar. The trapdoor is large but it is securely locked with a heavy padlock. A smaller door has been cut into it, just wide enough to get a bowl through, much too small for anyone to squeeze through. The trapdoor is well constructed, and there are signs that it has been recently reinforced with wooden battens. The cellar is Anthea’s new home,and is described later.</p><p><strong>3. The larder</strong> is where all the food and other supplies are stored. Beer and wine has recently been moved up to here from the cellar, so it is chaotic and crowded. An old battered door leads outside but it is rarely used except for delivering supplies.</p><p><strong>4. The common room </strong>is plain and functional. It gives the impression that everything that might get broken has been removed, or has already been broken. The Characters will have to stay here if they are poor; otherwise they’ll be more comfortable in their own private rooms. Even if the Characters have no money at all, the Lurchens will be prepared to take them in and feed them, because they are good people.</p><p><strong>5. The porch</strong> is just a small room between two sets of double-doors. This keeps the weather out, and is also used to store the guests’ overcoats and other outdoor equipment.</p><p><strong>6. The guestrooms</strong> are dotted around the top floor, linked by labyrinthine passages. The passages are narrow, twisting, and dark. Many of the rooms have sloped roofs and little headroom. They are small and cramped, except for ‘the grand bedroom’ which is large and spacious, has the best bed and commanding views, and so might be worth fighting over.</p><p><strong>7. The family’s quarters</strong> are separated from the guest area by a large wooden door. It is not usually locked, but if the Characters give the family any cause for concern, then it will be while they are staying. About a third of the top floor is given over to the Lurchens.</p><p>Anyone searching the place will no doubt notice the bedroom of @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} (a), which has been left largely as it was when she was put in the cellar, apart from a few belongings that have been brought down to her to help make her surroundings more comfortable. And there is Josef ’s room (b) too. His belongings have been packed up and put in a chest in the attic. @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef ’s ghost} likes to stay in his room, and will be there most of the time, mostly unfelt. There could be a chill in the air in his presence, but it’s an old house in the middle of winter, so that might be difficult to notice.</p><p>Above the corridor in the family’s area is a trapdoor that leads to the attic. There is a ladder hanging from the wall nearby to aid access.</p><p><strong>8. Outdoors</strong>, there is a garden, little more than a patch of poor soil growing a variety of herbs and vegetables, with a rickety shed in one corner. In another corner is a relatively fresh grave marked with the simple inscription ‘Josef Flook 2462-2512 IC Departed Unto the Embrace of Morr.’ Beyond that is a fenced field with a sturdy barn in which is housed the family’s small herd of goats, and a smaller area with a stable for the Lurchens’ horse, Spirit.</p><p><strong>The village</strong> is abandoned for the winter. It is little more than a collection of wooden huts. There is a stone shrine to Sigmar with a statue showing Sigmar using his hammer for mining (which is theologically controversial). There is also a smaller shrine to Grungni. Very little of any value is left in the village.</p><p><strong>The mine</strong> is up the hill a bit, but easy enough to find from the guest house. A shaft goes into the hill and soon descends at a steep angle and from which other shafts branch off. There is a single rope there, left behind to allow easier inspection. Needless to say, it is a dangerous and dirty place, and as soon as one leaves the rope behind, very easy to get lost in.</p>"
				},
				"Part One: Arriving in Kupfertal": {
					"name": "Part One: Arriving in Kupfertal",
					"text": "<p>The adventure can always be inserted into any winter’s journey in the wilderness. The Characters are in need of shelter when they come across Kupfertal. The isolated guest house is the only place to stay. The adventure assumes that the Characters arrive in Kupfertal on Mondstille Eve, but in the middle of a campaign this will depend on the Players’ actions. </p><p>Winter travel in the mountains can be treacherous. Any party will always be one heavy snowfall or a poor Navigation Test away from danger, and in need of shelter. If the Characters do not even manage to find Kupfertal in the depths of a winter’s storm, then they can stumble upon it. Alternatively, Rutger Lurchen can always stumble across them and, in the spirit of the season, invite them back to his guesthouse.</p><p>Of course, it is so unpleasant out there that any sensible party will be indoors, huddled around a roaring fire, so the GM might need to encourage them out into the cold. Inserting the adventure into the course of a journey instigated by the party themselves would be ideal, but if the Characters need a prompt to go up into the mountains in the dead of winter then you can tempt them with the search for Ernst Köder (see below).</p><div class=\"journal-image float-right\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/maps/hand-drawn-map.webp\" width=\"237\" height=\"357\" /></div><h4>The Search for Ernst Köder</h4><p>Ernst Köder is a young scribe from Hugeldal. He works for the law company of Beatke Gross. Gross is not a qualified litigant, but she knows what she’s talking about in regards to land rights and mining contracts, which makes her the best qualified person in Hugeldal. Therefore: she is wealthy, respected, and very busy.</p><p>Gross needed a contract and some payment delivered to Luftig Mine up in the mountains. It was not urgent, but Köder, desiring to get out of the office and overconfident of his abilities, volunteered to deliver it. This was eight days ago. The journey should really have only taken four at the most. Gross is starting to worry, but more importantly, requires Köder’s assistance to run her affairs smoothly. Gross is hoping he has holed up in the mine waiting for better weather, but needs a party to go up into the mountains to try to find him. Feeling a great deal of responsibility to one of her employees she is willing to pay the Characters what they need. She will also supply a rough map (see @UUID[JournalEntry.bIfOPbaVISenZJaZ.JournalEntryPage.hxRlSRorbzXA9uQ5]{Handout - Map}). She is concerned for her employee — but not for the Characters — so does not mention the heavy snowstorm that is predicted, by in-the-know locals, to hit the mountains any day now.</p><p>The snow is light on the ground around Hugeldal, but it is bitterly cold. Following the stream up through the hills it is not long before the snow starts to deepen and ice makes footing difficult. As soon as Hugeldal disappears from sight, it becomes deathly quiet and barely an animal is seen or heard on the journey. Recent snowfall has covered any tracks Köder made.</p><p>The search for Köder depends on how well the Characters prepare and act in the harsh environment, and results in them finding his body. The Characters have no reason to think they need to travel further into the mountains and can concentrate on their own survival.</p><p>To effectively follow the map Gross gave them, the Characters must decide how many of them are interested in reading the map. Each of the Characters reading the map should make a <strong>Challenging (+0) Navigation </strong>Test, and the levels of success totalled and kept. Then all the Characters making the journey, should take a <strong>Difficult (–10) Outdoor Survival</strong> Test to see how they cope with the worsening weather. Again the levels of success must be totalled and added to the existing total. </p><table style=\"width:100%;height:187px\" border=\"1\"><tbody><tr style=\"height:17px\"><td style=\"text-align:center;width:16.5733%;height:17px\"><strong>Sl</strong></td><td style=\"width:83.4267%;height:17px\"><strong>Effects</strong></td></tr><tr style=\"height:68px\"><td style=\"width:16.5733%;height:68px;text-align:center\">0 or more</td><td style=\"width:83.4267%;height:68px\"><strong>Success</strong>. The party finds Köder’s body before any Goblins turn up. They do not need to make another Outdoor Survival Test. The contract and money are still on his person. The contract is written in impenetrable legalese and is entirely legitimate. He has a backpack and length of rope on him, and several packs of trail rations.</td></tr><tr style=\"height:34px\"><td style=\"width:16.5733%;height:34px;text-align:center\">-1 to -2</td><td style=\"width:83.4267%;height:34px\"><strong>Progress</strong>. The party finds Köder’s body, spots the goblins and reacts before they arrive. They must make a further <strong>Challenging (+0) Outdoor Survival</strong> Test.</td></tr><tr style=\"height:34px\"><td style=\"width:16.5733%;height:34px;text-align:center\">-3 to -4</td><td style=\"width:83.4267%;height:34px\"><strong>Slow Progress</strong>. The party manages to find Köder’s body, but are ambushed by scavenging Goblins. They must make a <strong>Hard (–20) Outdoor Survival</strong> Test.</td></tr><tr style=\"height:34px\"><td style=\"width:16.5733%;height:34px;text-align:center\">-5 or worse</td><td style=\"width:83.4267%;height:34px\"><strong>Very Slow Progress</strong>. The party finds Köder’s body, but it has been stripped by scavenging Goblins. They must make a <strong>Very Hard (–30) Outdoor Survival</strong> Test.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Their preparedness and experience should affect the test. Dressing in warm clothing, going at a sensible pace, stopping for hot food, knowing the local area or having experience of similar environments should all help them and provide positive modifiers (making the test Challenging or Average, at best). The opposite should bring negative modifiers. Characters who fail the test should pass a <strong>Challenging (+0) Endurance</strong> Test or receive a @Condition[Fatigued] Condition.</p><p>Köder’s body is lying close to the crossroads marked on Gross’s map. If the Characters performed well and passed their Navigation and Outdoor Survival tests, then they can be rewarded by finding Köder’s body quickly. Compare the total levels of success generated by the party during their journey to the table below to determine the consequences of their search.</p><p>If they dither or are particularly unlucky then a scavenging party of goblins will find the Characters at around the same time they find the body. There should only be enough goblins to test the Characters and not wipe them out (a goblin for each party member and two additional Goblins). The Goblins are hungry and in a bad way themselves — they can be driven off if a couple of them are hurt badly, or they get some food. They have the same profiles as @UUID[Actor.TyhivzTuE9wohv3y]{Puceheart}.</p><h4>Survival of the Fittest</h4><p>Soon after Köder’s body is found, before the Characters can get to a more sheltered spot, a sudden storm slams against the mountainside. The snow falls heavily and powerful gusts of wind whip the Characters, moving the snow into unpredictable drifts — reducing visibility down to zero. The Characters have no choice but to head to Kupfertal, unless they wish to take increasingly difficult Outdoor Pursuits tests. If they don’t go of their own volition they run into Rutger Lurchen, who is trying to track down a stray goat. </p><p>@UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} is an experienced mountain man, and used to parties of smugglers and opportunist miners trying their luck up here. He quickly decides that the Characters are in trouble, and offers to help them, it is Mondstille after all. The Characters could be observant enough to realise the trouble they are in and accept his help. If they are not aware and don’t accept his invite, Rutger explains the potential for danger up in the mountains like a schoolteacher.</p><h4>Kupfertal</h4><p>Kupfertal is an old copper mining community, a day’s travel above Hugeldal in the Grey Mountains. In the milder months, and when rich seams are struck, the area teems with activity. Miners work day and night. Blacksmiths fashion tools. Traders supply whatever they can get their hands on. Muleskinners lead endless convoys up and down the mountain. A sprawling tent village appears complementing the few permanent dwellings there.</p><p>When times are not so good, the place can resemble a ghost town, and from Kaldezeit to Nachexen the mountainside is too exposed to host any but the most hardened miners. Now it lies under a thick blanket of snow and there is no mining activity there at all.</p><p>The @UUID[JournalEntry.bIfOPbaVISenZJaZ.JournalEntryPage.qclPPTUYAOH4IOpT]{Kupfertal Guesthouse} is the only building occupied in the village through the winter. The place makes money in the warmer months accommodating merchants, travellers, miners who have struck it lucky, and other traders and workers wanting a respite from the squalid tent village. There is also a passing trade with smugglers who know an obscure route through the mountains to Bretonnia.</p><p>Even though it gets no business over the winter, the place is inhabited by the family who run the guesthouse, the Lurchens. They stay to keep their meagre farmstead ticking over, and in any case, have nowhere else to go.</p><p>The Lurchens are not expecting guests, but when the Characters turn up they will be polite and professional. The Characters are cooked a decent meal and offered beer and wine. Because this is Mondstille Eve, and especially because of the events outlined below, the family are a little apprehensive about their sudden arrival.</p><p>A <strong>Challenging (+0) Intuition</strong> Test should reveal that the family seems distant, and might be hiding something. They would rather the Characters weren’t here, but it will be impossible to put a finger on exactly what is wrong. Throughout their interactions with the family, the Characters experience this nagging feeling that something is not quite right.</p><p>The house is haunted by the ghost of @UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef Flook}. Save for the odd creaky floorboard and slammed door, he hasn’t done much haunting yet. He has not had anyone he wishes to communicate with, until the Characters arrive.</p><h4>The Past</h4><p>@UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef Flook} used to own and run the Kupfertal Guesthouse with his family. Only a couple of months ago he was waylaid by goblins on his way back from Hugeldal. He had been buying supplies for the winter. Missing him, his son-in-law, Rutger Lurchen rode out and found his body, but Goblins had looted the supplies. Rutger brought Josef ’s body back, and the family buried it as best they could, without a formal Morrite ceremony for there was no priest around.</p><p>@UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef} had prepared a will. He had left the guesthouse and everything else to his daughter unwed Anthea. His other daughter Matilda got nothing at all. Matilda is married to Rutger.</p><p>So, imagine his surprise when Josef ’s restless spirit recently awoke and wandered around the guesthouse to find that Rutger and Matilda and their children were running the place (or at least keeping it ticking over until the spring) and that Anthea was nowhere to be seen. Josef ’s ghost was extremely angry, but all it could do was smash a vase and slam a few doors. The Lurchens were slightly unnerved but put it down to freak gusts of wind.</p><p>The truth is that whilst he was away in Hugeldal, his daughter Anthea suddenly developed a Chaos mutation. Her skin became completely transparent. Needless to say, she looks alarming. Matilda and Rutgers did not know what to do, but in the end settled for keeping her in the cellar. They are now guilty of harbouring a mutant, and any principled witch hunter would have them burned. But the couple felt it was the right thing to do.</p><p>They do not want to let @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} out. Her appearance would upset the children. The children also might mention her mutation to their friends in the village. Anthea is comfortable enough and well fed. Matilda sits with her when the children are out playing in the snow. The ghost of Josef has a notion that his youngest daughter is locked in the cellar, but he has not seen her, and does not know why. In his confused undead state, Josef has the idea that the Lurchens are keeping Anthea prisoner, so they can claim the guesthouse for themselves in defiance of his will.</p><p>The reason the guesthouse went to @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} and not to @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} is simple enough, too. About ten years ago the Lurchens tried to found a goat farm on the nearby hillsides. They borrowed money from Josef to do so, with the understanding that that was Matilda’s share of her inheritance. The farm failed after a couple of years due to disease and goblin raids. Josef agreed to pay off Rutger’s creditors, on the condition that the family help run the guest house from then on, terms which @UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger} and @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} were very happy to accept.</p><p>Now, of course, they have no choice but to keep running the guest house as they look after Anthea, so they are acting in everyone’s best interests as far as they can. Unfortunately, Josef hasn’t worked this out, and he is extremely angry about it. He tries to try to tell the Characters what he thinks is going on, and get them to sort it out.</p><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img style=\"margin-top:-30px\" src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/josef-flook.webp\" width=\"212\" height=\"277\" /></div><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef Flook}</p><p>@UUID[Actor.QBQ7cDkni1vBEj5G]{Josef}, in life, was a great fan of the Mondstille celebrations. He used to join in enthusiastically and insist everyone in the family did too. He will be keeping an undead eye on events over Mondstille this year. He will notice which of the Characters are entering into the spirit of the season and which are not.</p><p>Enthusiastic charades, eloquent Mondstille Blessings, thoughtful gift-giving, attention to the Taal-log, and repetitive ‘seasons greetings’ are all traits that Josef will admire and favour.</p><p>You should keep a note of appropriate behaviour and favour those who engage positively with the Mondstille celebrations with the more informative visitations, and those who do not, with the more violent and genuinely dangerous ones.</p><h4>The Lurchens</h4><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/matilda-and-rutger.webp\" width=\"566\" height=\"403\" /></div></div><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.94jaLHkxjh0bkDt6]{Rutger Lurchen}</p><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda Lurchen}</p></div><p>The Lurchens run the remote guest house all the year round, doing their best to make a living from the business. They manage alright, but the winters are long and hard, and they get very little custom. There is no point in them moving away for the worst of the weather as this would only cost them money.</p><p>It is likely that the Characters do not trust the Lurchens. There’s already a strained atmosphere in the guest house, so when things become strange, the Characters may believe the Lurchens have sinister intentions. Do not discourage them from this view, as tension between the Lurchens, the ghost, and the Characters will help drive the drama. Undoubtedly, the Lurchens have a skeleton in the closet and things they do not want the Characters to find out. This should contribute to the air of distrust.</p><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><div class=\"journal-image centered\"><img src=\"modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/actors/gerke-gele.webp\" width=\"183\" height=\"281\" /></div></div><div style=\"display:flex;justify-content:space-around\"><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.Nvn1Up72h3yzpzWg]{Gerke Lurchen}</p><p style=\"text-align:center\">@UUID[Actor.wp11m5F2tonZGlqP]{Gele Lurchen}</p></div><p>@UUID[Actor.Nvn1Up72h3yzpzWg]{Gerke} and @UUID[Actor.wp11m5F2tonZGlqP]{Gele}, the Lurchen daughters, about 10 and 8 years old, are pleasant and well-mannered, if a little shy. They are almost always to be found together, holding hands. They will hang around the Characters, at a slight distance, and watch them. The pair of them, hand in hand, silently observing, can be a bit unnerving. Occasionally they will summon the courage to ask a character if they will, ‘Come and play with us.’</p><p>They should also latch onto one of the Characters in admiration, preferably the least admirable of them. They can then be persistent and annoying as they follow them around getting them to tell stories of the life of an adventurer, and asking them to come and play made-up games, ‘hide the monster’ and ‘chase the ghost’ are their favourites. They should also wander around innocently as you see fit, as what would be the point of a ghost story without innocent children wandering through it unnerving everyone?</p><p>@UUID[Actor.Nvn1Up72h3yzpzWg]{Gerke} and @UUID[Actor.wp11m5F2tonZGlqP]{Gele} know that aunt @UUID[Actor.lddB7CjALaOIVKrp]{Anthea} is down in the cellar, but they think this is because she is a notorious goat rustler and adventurer on the run from the King of Bretonnia (it was the best excuse Matilda could think of at the time). They have also been told not to tell anyone at all about her, for fear the king will track her down.</p><p>The girls should pick on one of the Characters to be in awe of and to follow around a lot. Unfortunately, they manage to choose the character who likes them the least and who is least likely to accommodate them, even perhaps the one who is the most wary of them. This is not out of spite or to deliberately annoy, but merely an innocent coincidence.</p><p>The pair of them have never left the mountainside, and have some fanciful notions of what the world outside the Hugeldal area is like. If they do get more familiar with the Characters, they will be interested to hear tales of adventures from far off fantastical places like Ubersreik. </p><p>@UUID[.qclPPTUYAOH4IOpT]{A Tour of the House}</p><h3>Mondstille Eve</h3><p>When the Characters arrive, the Lurchens are as pleasant as they can, but formal. They were not expecting travellers, and wonder what they are doing here. If they don’t get a decent explanation, they become suspicious and distant.</p><p>If the Characters look like they are up to no good, the Lurchens become wary and even frightened of them. Even if the Characters are charming and plausible, the Lurchens are very aware they are hiding a dangerous secret. They are not used to deceit, so this might make their behaviour seem even more odd.</p><p>Despite this, it is Mondstille Eve, and the family feel obliged to include their guests in the traditional Mondstille festivities they have lined up for the holiday. The Characters are shown to their quarters after agreeing payment, and then invited to dinner in an hour, giving them a chance to settle in, and @UUID[Actor.3J3ND9B8q58PEfpf]{Matilda} to prepare some more food.</p>"
				},
				"Handout - Map": {
					"name": "Handout - Map",
					"src": "modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/maps/hand-drawn-map.webp"
				},
				"Handout - Last Will and Testament of Josef Flook": {
					"name": "Handout - Last Will and Testament of Josef Flook",
					"src": "modules/wfrp4e-owb1/assets/images/handout-mondstille.webp"
				}
			}
		},
		"Endeavours": {
			"name": "Endeavours",
			"pages": {
				"Bear Witness": {
					"name": "Bear Witness",
					"text": "<p>@UUID[JournalEntry.Tn4uDq7QOYqj8ni8.JournalEntryPage.5SZLvqXPA3cShODi]{Diel Ulricsson - Blessed of Sigmar}</p><p>Any who sit at the feet of @UUID[Actor.ECx8VDWUeRcAhH2G]{Ulricsson} can listen to his speeches. Indeed, it is few who are not moved by his words, as he is a natural orator. Regardless of your class, you may take a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.2fjLtw5evY7LnjS0]{Research Lore} Endeavour to study Lore (Theology) or Lore (Sigmar) by following in Ulriccsson’s footsteps, and listening to several of his regular sermons on Sigmar. Literacy is no barrier to understanding the simple, honest faith the man espouses, and even those lacking the appropriate Lore Skill and who cannot read or write may make a <strong>Difficult ( –10) Intelligence</strong> Test.</p><p>If you succeed, you learn an unusual fact about Sigmar’s life, as is usual. However, given Ulricsson’s unusual beliefs, this does not necessarily agree with the truth taught by the Temple of Sigmar proper. The GM should roll a [[/r d10]] — on a result of 1–3, the item of Lore you learn of is considered blasphemy by less free-thinking followers of Sigmar, and relating it to them, regardless of the fact that it may well be true, will result in accusations of heresy.</p><p>In addition to the above, the GM should roll a [[/r d100]] at the end of this Endeavour. If the result is less than or equal to the number of remaining Fate points your Character possesses, then Ulricsson recognises in you some greater part to play in Sigmar’s design for the Empire, and blesses you accordingly. From now on, so long as you obey the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.NcH9OhleJFfaUdon.JournalEntryPage.OclFlDGI5fC9ygoP]{structures of Sigmar}, any hammer you wield counts as Magical.</p>"
				},
				"No Use For Visionaries": {
					"name": "No Use For Visionaries",
					"text": "<p>@UUID[JournalEntry.Tn4uDq7QOYqj8ni8.JournalEntryPage.5w9SwDMvviKO7jYs]{Bryannah ‘der Briekäse’ Rosendorn - Anarchist River Elder}</p><p>@UUID[Actor.6LMyItpdIzDnQemp]{Rosendorn’s} allies will find her to be, at all times, a woman in search of a cause. She is transfixed on overthrowing the aristocracy, she is quick to lend her support to any cause which seems to dovetail with this ultimate goal. If you have earned her trust, you may choose to enlist her aid when taking a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.RHsuOsC5DpoD4bkR]{Foment Dissent} Endeavour during the between adventures phase of a game.</p><p>If you do so, the target should be someone accessible from the Talabec, as Rosendorn is loath to leave the waters which so unerringly guide her. Additionally, the target should be someone, or some institution, which Rosendorn would be willing to throw in her lot against — most nobility match this description, though the final decision is up you.</p><p>Resolve the Endeavour as normal, but Rosendorn’s sage advice reduces the difficulty of any Gossip or Charm tests you are required to make by one step.</p><p>Once the Endeavour has been resolved, make a <strong>Hard (–20) Entertain (Prophecy)</strong> Test for Rosendorn. If the result is a success, she catches a glimpse of your immediate future, and immediately instructs you to acquire some apparently random item — a brass pin, a sock full of rocks, or the feather of a Fishrook. If you do so, that item will inevitably prove useful in the near future, and you may claim a +5 SL bonus to any one Test where the item could conceivably prove useful. </p><p>If Rosendorn fails this Test, there is no further effect. However, if she should Fumble the Test, she is instead struck by a terrible revelation about you which she absolutely refuses to share with you. This unsettling behaviour nags at you constantly, and you suffer  –10 to all Cool Tests during your next adventure.</p>"
				},
				"The Null Hypothesis": {
					"name": "The Null Hypothesis",
					"text": "<p>@UUID[JournalEntry.Tn4uDq7QOYqj8ni8.JournalEntryPage.sRrXQLeg0Esoc2qU]{Wilhelm von Vaulk - Professor of Magic, History, and Warfare}</p>\n<p>Wilhelm’s allies  may wish to make use of his expert learning and tutelage, while he has grown to deteste the blank faces that attend his lectures, the old mage is only too happy to indulge a genuinely interested student.</p>\n<p>During the Between Adventures phase, a Character who has earned Wilhelm’s favour may take the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.0EF53KOVgme173EO]{Consult an Expert} Endeavour and glean the benefit of Wilhelm’s insight into any of the topics in which he is an expert. Resolve this Endeavour as normal.</p>\n<p>However, as long as Wilhelm has the Null trait, spending an extended period of time in his presence poses the risk of acquiring a weaker version of this Trait. At the end Endeavour spent consulting with Wilhelm, Character’s should make an <strong>Easy (+40) Endurance</strong> Test. Success indicates that all is well — failure indicates that some of Wilhelm’s @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-owb1.items.K9Dupwm2Yq4NyQRD]{Null} Trait has rubbed off on your Character. During your next adventure, the first spell to target you fails, and all spells cast within 30 ft of you require 1 additional SL to cast.</p>\n<p>Each time you take an Endeavour consulting with Wilhelm, the difficulty of the roll to avoid acquiring this effect increases by one step (so the second time it becomes an <strong>Average (+20) Endurance</strong> Test, and so on.) If you fail this roll three times, you gain the Null Creature Trait permanently.</p>"
				},
				"Hedge School": {
					"name": "Hedge School",
					"text": "<p>@UUID[JournalEntry.Tn4uDq7QOYqj8ni8.JournalEntryPage.bSHuZ6nU1fu8jtgH]{Angela Hedamme - Hedgewise}</p>\n<p>Angela’s Allies may benefit from spending one of their Endeavours during the Between Adventures phase under her tutelage. While she is occupied with other business, having a student to hand who is willing to fetch water, run errands, and prepare simple treatments is an appealing prospect for the ageing woman.</p>\n<p>If Angela trusts you at least a little, you may spend a @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.0T8zisBH3D082Ztw]{Training} Endeavour learning under her. Angela can instruct you in the following Lore Skills: Anatomy, Folklore, Genealogy, Herbs, Local, Magic, Medicine, or Nobles. She will not charge for this — or at least, no payment in coin will be asked for. </p>\n<p>If you have given Angela reason to trust you more fully, for example, if you have already served her in some way, she may also provide the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.bWcKCn1S1ufDG9bJ]{Unusual Learning} Endeavour, and can instruct you in the Arcane Magic (Hedgecraft) or Petty Magic Talents, and will also be willing to offer Training in Language (Magick) Skill. Again, no payment in mere coin will be asked, but she will expect a favour from you in the near future.</p>\n<p>If your Character spends an Endeavour learning from Angela, you should additionally make roll a [[/r d100]]. If the result is equal to or less than the number of Fate points you have left, then she has seen a vision of your future. Make a <strong>Challenging (+0) Cool </strong>Test. If the result is a failure, you learn a horrific detail of your ultimate role in bringing about the End Times, and you may never train with her again. If it is a success, Angela instead tells you of a singular display of true heroism that you have yet to achieve. In either case, the Gods have marked you, and you gain a Fate point.</p>"
				},
				"Only the Best": {
					"name": "Only the Best",
					"text": "<p>@UUID[JournalEntry.Tn4uDq7QOYqj8ni8.JournalEntryPage.D9cSEtZ2CWP3D6iS]{Farforian Whiteshore - Sapherian Ambassador}</p><p>@UUID[Actor.ur7Pv8q4FIh6LTh1]{Farforian} is many things, and appreciates the acquisition of fine or unusual artefacts. Having been away from Ulthuan for two centuries, he often requests various items from his homeland, or even further afield. These requests are usually fulfilled, both due to his association with the well-regarded Teclis and in recognition of his own long service in dealing with tiresome Human diplomacy.</p><p>If a Character has won Farforian’s favour (and only another High Elf is likely to do so), the ambassador will make the necessary inquiries on their behalf to acquire an unusual or rare item. </p><p>During the Between Adventures phase, a favoured Character may take the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.Z1GbXJsphhaTINRA]{Commission} Endeavour to attempt to acquire an item of up to Exotic rarity. You need not be aware of an appropriate source for this item — regardless of its true provenance, Farforian is bound to know someone who can acquire it. In addition, his connections provide a 20% discount to the item’s normal cost.</p><p>However, Farforian does not shy away from dealing with less savoury sorts, and his various connections through the Slaaneshi cult he revels with in horrific disguise are often called upon to acquire items on his behalf. There is a chance that any such item carries with it both the taint of Chaos, and the possibility of being recognised again by those who acquired it.</p><p>Roll a [[/r d10]]. On a roll of six — this being Slaanesh’s favoured number — the item is perfectly functional, but counts as a minor source of corruption. Additionally, if the Character openly wields, wears, or otherwise displays an item that Farforian has acquired for them, there is a chance that other members of the cult will recognise it. This is up to the GM, but if a likely Slaaneshi cultist is encountered, they are almost certain to presume that the wielder is Farforian — after all, they have no idea what the man looks like beneath his terrible suit.</p><p>The ‘fellow’ cultist will immediately flash the cult’s secret hand signal — a ‘V’ formed from their index and ring finger, and held to their lips — before giving the Character a knowing wink and walking away. What complications this heaps upon the Character’s life is entirely up to the GM.</p>"
				},
				"A Study in Skaven": {
					"name": "A Study in Skaven",
					"text": "<p>@UUID[JournalEntry.Tn4uDq7QOYqj8ni8.JournalEntryPage.UXqnYtEALAUEk39a]{Scealleah 'Shelley' Thorncobble - Skaven-Hunter}</p>\n<p>There is precious little lore to be found in the Old World on the Loathsome Ratmen and their Vile Kin, but by hook or by crook, Shelley has come into possession of a great deal of what does exist. Those she has trusted with the secret of her hidden library may petition to be allowed to undertake research there — though only if they have provided Shelley with ample reason to trust them.</p>\n<p>During the Between Adventures phase, an Academic Character who can read, and who has earned Shelley’s trust, may take the @UUID[Compendium.wfrp4e-core.journals.gLDW6JBuoYuzCoya.JournalEntryPage.2fjLtw5evY7LnjS0]{Research Lore} Endeavour and search through the hidden library for lore regarding the Skaven and their machinations. </p>\n<p>Given the tight focus of the library, it is only really useful in the study of Skaven, but any Lore Test associated with the Endeavour gains a +10 bonus.</p>\n<p>The library is extensive, and contains books even Shelley has yet to open, let alone read in full. On an Impressive Success (+6 SL or more), you come across one such volume. Bound in furred hide and written in a wavering and occasionally indecipherable hand, it is titled <em>Rattus Rex Conspiratus</em>. The author of this tome, purportedly writing in 2322 IC, claims to be a member of a Skaven-aligned human cult known as the Yellow Fang. The book describes a series of interviews between the author and a Skaven named Skittertongue, who claims to be ‘<em>Opposed to the Council of Thirteen</em>’, and proceeds to decry their recent rise in power within Skaven society. The book details much of Skaven life in the words of one of the creatures themselves and, if it is to be believed, deals with their unification after generations of internecine warfare. It is an invaluable resource, and one for which many others might literally kill.</p>\n<p>Studying the book allows you to add Lore (Skaven) to your current and any future Career. The first time you study this book you gain [[/r 1d10]] Advances in Lore (Skaven).</p>"
				}
			}
		}
	}
}