Abenteuer in Übersreik präsentiert fünf zum Teil bereits veröffentlichte Szenarien sowie völlig neues Abenteuermaterial in und um die @JournalEntry[SzdNU0H8fNJfdecf]{Grafschaft Übersreik} im Reikland. Du kannst zwar jedes dieser Abenteuer für sich leiten, aber wir haben jedem dieser Abenteuer Notizen beigefügt, wie man sie miteinander verknüpfen kann, sowie neue Abenteueraufhänger und neue Details, um die Handlung weiter auszubauen.
\nDiese Zusätze sind allesamt optional, und auch wenn du sie zum Ausbau der ursprünglich veröffentlichten Abenteuer verwenden kannst, können sie dir auch als Inspiration dienen, um deine eigenen Abenteuer zu entwickeln.
\n\n\nFoundry Note: Da diese Abenteuer starke Verbindugen in Übersreik haben, sind die Journaleinträge oft verlinkt und referenziert im Starter Set Module sowie in Rough Nights & Hard Days.
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Die Abenteuer in diesem Buch sind dazu gedacht, einzeln gespielt zu werden, können aber auch Teil einer größeren, kontinuierlichen Kampagne sein, entweder unter Verwendung dieses Buches allein oder durch Verknüpfung mit weiteren Abenteuern aus Rough Nights & Hard Days, oder in Verbindung mit dem Starter Set und dem darin enthaltenen Abenteuerbuch.
\nLetztendlich soll Ein Haufen SChuldiger die Charaktere in Der Innere Feind einführen und sollte entweder den letzten Teil der Abenteuer in Übersreik-Kampagne darstellen oder der Kampagnenstil sollte so gewählt werden, dass es in die Handlung von Der Innere Feind überleitet. Im Folgenden werden drei mögliche Wege beschrieben, um alle smiteinander zu verbinden.
\nFast jedes Abenteuer hat einen alternativen Aufhänger, der mit einer \"besorgten Gruppe von Kaufleuten\" in der Stadt zu tun hat. Vielleicht ist diese Koalition der Beginn einer rivalisierenden @JournalEntry[DhjKJ1ZxfKILk6oI]{Zunft der Kaufleute} oder eines aufstrebenden politischen Blocks, der danach trachtet, Übersreik zu einer Freistadt zu machen. Eine ganze Kampagne, in der die Charaktere entweder als Spielfiguren eines Aufstandes des Bürgertums oder als Mitglieder und schließlich als Anführer ihrer Sache agieren, könnte um diesen Aufstieg zur politischen Macht herum aufgebaut werden.
\nSollte Übersreik tatsächlich zu einer Freistadt werden, könnte dies dramatische Folgen für die späteren Phasen von Der Innere Feind und die zunehmende Instabilität des Imperiums haben. Dies gilt umso mehr, wenn die Charaktere bekannte Agenten oder Nutznießer einer solchen Rebellion sind.
\nMehrere Abenteuer haben entweder ausdrücklich mit monströsen Kräften in und um die Grafschaft herum zu tun oder sind leicht mit ihnen in Verbindung zu bringen. Der Basilisk in Wenn Blicke töten könnten, der Grinderlak in Die Wahnsinnigen von Gotheim und der Vampir in Gemetzel in Speichelfeld könnten allesamt Teile eines größeren Problems sein. Vielleicht erweckt ein ruchloser Kult in der gesamten Grafschaft alte Übel? Alternativ könnte jedes dieser Ungeheuer eine Komponente in einem finsteren Ritual mit unbekanntem Zweck darstellen, und ein Tropfen Blut von jedem dieser Monster wird jenen, die über das nötige Wissen verfügen, schreckliche Macht verleihen.
\nMan kann die anderen Abenteuer leicht abwandeln, um diese Themen miteinzubeziehen: Der Heckenhexer @Actor[sDo8xTHz9U3zop80]{Alexander Grün} aus @JournalEntry[rB448Mht3smOOoL3]{Hexenköder} könnte über entscheidendes Wissen verfügen; Elisa Höchst aus Ein Haufen Schuldiger könnte versuchen, das @JournalEntry[PhqZQfdxDL5XeCyq]{Brückenahus} zu kaufen, um Zugang zu einem geheimen Altar in seinem Keller zu erhalten; und vielleicht war die einzige Person, die dieser dunklen Verschwörung bisher im Wege stand, in Wirklichkeit der Korporal Tylo Bärmarder aus Herz aus Glas! Und wer weiß, wie diese zwielichtige Verschwörung den Ränken ihrer wahren Strippenzieher in die Hände spielt: der Violetten Hand!
\n@Actor[emW6Xa9Bx75AEXp9]{Die Kabale} ist eine offensichtliche Wurzel der Verschwörung in Übersreik, arbeitet aber weit subtiler als die meisten anderen Organisationen. Insofern wirkt sich die etwas unzusammenhängende Natur der hier vorgestellten Abenteuer zu deinen Gunsten aus! Verwende Hexenköder oder Herz aus Glas als Tapetenwechsel zwischen den von der Kabale bestimmten Abenteuern, um den Anschein zu erwecken, die Situation habe weniger mit ihren ruchlosen Plänen zu tun. Dieser Kampagnenaufhänger kann auch gut funktionieren, wenn er mit Raue Nächte & Harte Tage oder Der Innere Feind verknüpft wird, wobei die Kabale als Strippenzieher der verschiedenen Kulte, die in diesen beiden Kampagnen zu finden sind, eingesetzt wird
\n\n
\n" }, { "id": "kFImyzFkyaNdgf5M", "name": "If Looks Could Kill", "description": "Die seriöseste Vereinigung von Übersreik
\nAuch wenn ihr Name unglücklich gewählt ist, ist die Seriöseste Vereinigung von Übersreik – oder einfach „Die Vereinigung“ – eines der am schlechtesten gehüteten Geheimnisse der Stadt. Oberflächlich betrachtet handelt es sich dabei um eine Art chreckgespenst, das in Handelsabkommen von Leuten erwähnt wird, die nicht die leiseste Ahnung haben, wer ihr angehört, die aber den Anschein politischer Einigkeit für ihre eigenen Zwecke nutzen wollen. Unter der Oberfläche ist die Gruppe jedoch eine Schattenorganisation, die sich für die politische Befreiung Übersreiks und die Gründung einer Freistadt einsetzt.
\nDie Vereinigung ist eine inoffizielle Gruppe von „besorgten Kaufleuten“, Politikern, Lobbyisten und Eliten, die alle ein persönliches Interesse an der raschen Umwandlung Übersreiks in eine Statutarstadt haben, befreit aus den Fängen der Aristokratie. Unter der Leitung von Herrn Franz Stricholz, einem ehemaligen Verbündeten und Diener der Linie derer von Jungfreud, und bestehend aus nur einer Handvoll mächtiger Mitglieder, arbeitet die Vereinigung seit Monaten unermüdlich daran, diesen Wandel herbeizuführen.
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Ubersreik Adventures: If Looks Could Kill is designed with beginner characters in mind, but can be played by experienced groups, though some of the encounters may need to be modified if you wish to provide a challenge. The scenario starts near the settlement of Grausee and concludes in Ubersreik. Alternatively, it could be sited along any river in the Empire with minimal modification as long as there is a sizeable town nearby.
\nThe Characters are employed by @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Rutger Reuter}, a charismatic merchant, to guard his building supplies and help out at his work camp. Whilst travelling, their barge is attacked and sinks, forcing the passengers to travel the rest of the way by foot.
\nUpon arriving at the work camp, the Characters meet @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim Nadrinsson} — a disgruntled Dwarf foreman with an axe to grind — and @Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Johanna Stiegler} — Reuter’s partner in business. Each hates the other, but are keeping up appearances for the sake of the worksite, where a gang of Strigany labourers are hired to build a mill alongside the Grausee.
\nThe following morning, the Characters are instructed to dig up an ogham — a standing stone — which none of the Strigany dare approach. After leaving the stone circle, the Characters return to find Reuter murdered. Monstrous tracks lead from Reuter’s body into the water, towards the ill-omened Ortschlamm — a stinking, sucking swamp.
\nStiegler offers the Characters a generous bounty for the head of the monster who killed Reuter, though this is simply a distraction to get rid of them. In truth, Stiegler hired a gang of thugs to murder Reuter and make it look like the fabled ‘Beast of Ortschlamm’. Once within the swamp, the Characters discover the thugs who murdered Reuter being hunted by a very real monster! If they manage to survive and return to the camp, they discover that Thulgrim has stolen the paychest, leaving Stiegler ruined.
\nIt is up to the Characters to decide if Stiegler should be turned in to the authorities for murder, and whether to chase down Thulgrim, whose reasons for the theft are more complicated than it first appears.
\nThe Characters begin their adventure on board a rickety river barge headed down the Verfelfluss, which runs northwards from the village of Grausee. They have just agreed to work for @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Rutger Reuter}, a merchant from Ubersreik who has hired the barge to ship building supplies downriver.
" }, { "id": "iC3CxRIIjEhc0XuI", "name": "Teil 1: The Stricken Boat", "description": "The Characters are taken on board the Trandafir and have a chance to meet their new employer and rub elbows with the crew. They also meet Vadoma — the mystic — and learn about the Grausee’s curse, right before the barge is struck by a giant Stirpike, and forced to run aground.
\nRead or paraphrase the following to the players:
\nYou are aboard the Trandafir, a river barge hired by your employer, a merchant named Rutger Reuter. The vessel is in poor shape; faded paint peels from its age-worn timber. Its deck is stacked with teetering piles of wooden crates, barrels and building supplies.
\nThe crew are Strigany — wandering folk of the Old World known for their dark superstitions. They seem capable as they busy across the barge, their hooped earrings clinking in their long, dark hair as they chatter amiably, speaking Reikspiel with a heavy nasal twang. To the stern is a large cabin, its interior concealed behind a number of hanging drapes. To the prow sits an elderly woman, swathed in a black, woollen shawl. She rocks herself to and fro upon a three-legged stool and mutters to herself.
\nBefore the Characters have a chance to really take everything in, a young man throws back the curtains concealing his cabin, and introduces himself with a flourish. This is @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Rutger Reuter}. Though he may be a little unsteady on the deck, his hand is held out in greeting and his smile is wide and genuine. His blond hair hangs in a shaggy pageboy cut, and he has friendly, hazel eyes. He’s slender, handsome, and wears practical but well-tailored clothing. He’s keen to know his new employees, and will try his best to impress. Use the following as an example of what he may say:
\n‘Good day to you! I’m Rutger Reuter — just call me Rutger. Delighted to have you aboard. At our campsite, we have much work to do. There are certain things I would rather well-muscled and disciplined folk such as yourselves oversee. I’m not expecting any trouble, but if you could keep your eyes open and help muck in should anything come up then I’ll make sure you are well rewarded for any work you do. Now, tell me a bit about yourselves…’
\nTo begin, Reuter brings the characters into the scenario and can be used to encourage group interaction. Later he supplies important plot points as the Characters head towards the campsite. The next day, he becomes an important plot point himself as nightmares become reality…
\nReuter will be enthusiastic about anything the Characters offer about themselves and their background. He fosters an air of genuine interest. He appears keen to see they do well, both financially and in life. If they mention any skills or achievements he is quick to seize on them and assure the Characters that he could be a source of future opportunity in Ubersreik: ‘Rat Catching? Why my family have an interest in several granaries and there’s always a bounty on vermin! We must keep in touch!’ or ‘An Apprentice Wizard? I’ve ideas about turning magic into profit! We should discuss this later!’ and similar. Tailor this to individual Characters as suits, but don’t push it too hard.
\nReuter is cagey about his current operations. If talk turns to questions he will be brief: ‘Oh, just some building work, and protecting the supplies as we travel there. Nothing too onerous.’ If pressed further, he will make excuses. After all, he has a lot of paperwork to complete if he wants everything finished before he reaches the worksite.
\n\n\nReuter and His Partners
\nReuter is one of three notable characters involved in a planned construction of a new textile mill. Those with relevant backgrounds may know a little about some of the parties involved. Information should be made available to them if they ask about it and can pass an Easy (+40) Lore (Ubersreik) or Challenging (+0) Lore (the Empire) Test, or if they encourage the other characters on the barge to discuss the subject.
\nThe nearby city of Ubersreik is in a period of crisis. The noble House Jungfreud, which used to exercise a withering degree of control over the region, has recently undergone a fall from grace. Currently the city is under governance by the forces of the Emperor himself. The reason for this state of affairs is uncertain, and a matter of much discussion by all classes. The Jungfreuds never welcomed the increasing power of merchants, and some rumours suggest this has contributed to their current woes. A Character who passes an Easy (+40) Lore (History) Test will know the Jungfreuds were infamous for levying punitive tariffs on goods that entered Ubersreik. They often blocked plans by entrepreneurial types to pursue projects in their territory.
\nFew know this, but a Character who passes a Hard (−20) Lore (History) Test will know the Jungfreuds long opposed developing land near Grausee as they believe the area to be cursed.
\nRutger is a member of the Reuter family who have had mercantile concerns in the area for generations. The Reuters have a long history of business dealings in the western Reikland. They are famously supportive of the Jungfreud family. Despite this, the Reuters stand to benefit from any freedoms merchants might enjoy as a result of the Jungfreuds’ diminishing influence. Recently the Reuters have teamed up with another family of merchants, the Stieglers. Rumour suggests they are hardworking and eager to make a name for themselves, but not above ruthless business practices and reckless corner-cutting in their dealings.
\nFinally, Rutger may mention his foreman, @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim Nadrinsson}, if asked about the constructions he plans. This is not a name the Characters will have heard before, no matter how learned or curious they might be.
\n
Once Reuter has exchanged pleasantries with the Characters he heads back into his cabin. He is keen to ensure the Characters are loyal and do their job as best they can, so will end with something like: ‘Make yourselves useful during the journey and I’ll notice. There’s always rewards in store for those who stick with us. We’ve big things planned for the area. You could earn yourselves some serious coin if you prove your worth.’
\nWhen left alone, Characters who show an interest in the boat and have relevant Skills can take a Challenging (+0) Lore (Riverways) or Average (+20) Sail Test. Those who pass get the distinct impression this is a shoddy operation, that the boat has been loaded in such a way as to cause unnecessary degrees of instability, and that the cargo is not well secured. This can be resolved with a further Challenging (+0) Lore (Riverways) or Average (+20) Sail Test, or automatically if one of the Characters is a Stevedore.
\nThe barge master is a Strigany by the name of @Actor[yZjkmfCXZjaYGEDG]{Reiko}. When Rutger retreats to his cabin, Reiko will introduce himself and ask if the Characters are willing to lend a hand on the barge. Though initially suspicious of the Characters, he will quickly warm to the group if they prove to be friendly or agree to help keep his barge in order.
\nReiko knows very little about @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Rutger} or his business partners, but he does know the Grausee is a haunted lake with a foul reputation. He would never have taken the job if he wasn’t desperate for extra coin. ‘Well, me wife died last year and I’ve felt the pinch since then. Reuter seems good folk, and me and my girls need a good break. So, best not think about my grandmother’s talk of beasts in the marshes, eh? Press on, build their mill or whatnot, and trust in our ancestors.’ If quizzed about beasts in the marshes, Master Reiko will shrug. He doesn’t come from these parts, but @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Mother Vadoma} passed through the area decades ago and isn’t happy to be back.
\nDuring this scenario, Reiko is mostly used as a mouthpiece for the Strigany as a whole. When the Strigany have concerns, it is Reiko that steps forward to voice them; when the PCs wish to approach the Stigany for information, Reiko can supply the answers. During the course of the scenario, he will become dispirited after his barge sinks, and this will turn to anger and desperation when he discovers Reuter has been murdered.
\nThe @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{elderly Strigany woman} seated at the prow of the boat does not interact with anyone at first. Instead she bows her head and quietly appeals to her ancestors to see the boat safely to their berthing. She’s convinced disaster is approaching. Reiko warns the Characters not to talk to her. If she is approached, other Strigany will say things such as, ‘you should leave Mother Vadoma be,’ or, ‘just let her pray will you — and hope that in your dotage people leave you to your comforts.’
\nHowever, this soon changes. As the boat turns a bend in the river, @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma} bursts into life. She lets loose a delighted shriek as her eyes open wide and dart wildly about, although they appear blind due to cataracts. She then whoops, her gold teeth flashing in the sunlight, and claws at the air with her withered hands. As she settles, she finally speaks, her voice like paper.
\n‘Oh, praise them! Venerations to the ancestors, for they have delivered us from this twisted bend of river and the Beast of the Ortschlamm! All praise! And yet, no less diligent, for we stray towards other, greater perils…’
\nThe rest of crew shrug at the old woman’s raving before returning to their work. They’ve seen this many times before. Mother Vadoma has so many visions, and so few matter to their daily lives, that they no longer pay much attention to her.
\nHowever, the Characters may wish to ask her questions. She will be happy to talk, but she makes little sense. Yes, yes, come join me in thanking the beneficent ancestors for letting us avoid the Beast,’ or, ‘No, best stay out the waters: they’re all cursed, and the Beast lives down there!’ or, ‘Oh, the marshes, those marshes, cursed and haunted by the terrible Beast!’ Everything she mutters ties back to @Actor[enTVKkRneSPum3FY]{The Beast of the Ortschlamm}.
\nVadoma should be used to ramp up the spookiness of the scenario with her visions and foretellings of doom, and to establish the Beast of the Ortschlamm myths in preparation for later events. If she survives the Stirpike attack, she can be used to supply information to the PCs concerning the stone circle or local legends as you feel appropriate.
\nNot long after Vadoma finishes her rant, disaster strikes the Trandafir. Read or paraphrase the following to the players:
\nWith an almighty crash the barge bucks and shudders as it strikes unseen rocks. Crates and barrels fly free from the straps that fix them in place and the crew struggle to keep their footing as the Trandafir pitches and yaws in the current. The old woman cries out as she is flung forwards into the foaming waters of the Verfelfluss.
\nCharacters must pass a Challenging (+0) Athletics Test in order to remain on their feet. Those who fail are thrown to the floor and need to pass a Toughness Test or take a @Condition[Stunned] Condition. If a player fails the Athletics Test by −2 SL or more they are instead thrown overboard and land in the river.
\nUnfortunately for all, @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma’s} thrashing in the water attracts a massive fish — a @Actor[uh6p3jclCNX8C7RD]{Stirpike} — which will take 5 Rounds to reach and then swallow the old woman unless it is somehow prevented. As a consequence of its @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.traits.AGcJl5rHjkyIQBPP]{Bestial} Trait, it will attempt to flee if it suffers 13 or more Wounds, or if it is (somehow) attacked with fire. The Stirpike cannot use its bite attack whilst eating the old woman, so is reduced to defending itself with its tail attack until it has finished its meal.
\n\n\nFalling In The Water
\nThe Verfelfluss is cold and fast flowing. Fortunately for the Characters (if not the boat) it is shallow at this point. In order to avoid being swept away and drowned all a Character has to do is find their feet and wade.
\nThe waters are chilly, fed by glacial streams running from the Grey Mountain. Anyone who plunges into the water, whether deliberately or as a result of an accident, may be shocked by the cold. To see if this occurs make an Average (+20) Endurance Test. Those who fail gain a @Condition[Stunned] Condition, as the freezing water shocks the air out of their lungs. Note: a Character can spend a Resolve point to ignore the Condition and thus the effects of the cold-water shock.
\nCharacters can swim with an Average (+20) Swim Test, or alternatively can find their feet at the bottom of river. This requires them to pass an Easy (+40) Athletics Test if they are of Average size (Dwarfs, Elves, and Humans), or an Average (+20) Athletics Test if they are of Small size (Halflings).
\nCharacters who fail such tests, or who are @Condition[Stunned], are swept downriver and begin to @JournalEntry[mcI8YO5ZKJ9LO5MV]{drown} until they can recover their footing, possibly after first removing any Stunned Conditions.
\nCausing too much damage or inconvenience to Characters at this early point in the adventure can complicate the game to a frustrating degree. The GM should encourage expenditure of Fortune and Resolve points in order to prevent drowning. If a Fate point must be spent, the unfortunate Character involved manages to reach a nearby bank before collapsing in exhaustion for the rest of the encounter.
\n
By the time the Characters have dealt (or failed to deal) with the @Actor[uh6p3jclCNX8C7RD]{Stirpike}, @Actor[yZjkmfCXZjaYGEDG]{Reiko} and the crew of the Trandafir have stabilised the stricken vessel and started to salvage what they can from the sinking barge. Two Strigany have been badly hurt — one woman named Chella nurses a broken forearm, whilst a shorter man called Ronamo pants and grimaces as he clutches bruised ribs. The healthier crew struggle to salvage barrels and crates from the craft, piling them up in a heap on the nearby bank.
\nIf @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma} survives, she will rain praises on the Characters, and claim they are ready to face the Beast. Reiko and the Strigany will treat the Characters well after this point. They will be happy to share any gossip and what they have (to a reasonable extent) with them without requiring a Test.
\nThe Characters can help in various ways if they show the initiative, either by tending to the wounded or offering to help unload cargo. Once any Tests resulting from Character actions are resolved, Reuter will call over to them. He stands on the bank, watching @Actor[yZjkmfCXZjaYGEDG]{Reiko} direct two crewman recover a heavy wooden chest from the interior of his cabin. Despite the disaster, he strives to look upbeat and enthused.
\n‘By Sigmar’s grace! That could have been a lot worse, eh? Now, I know this looks bad, but I don’t think this is as serious a setback as you might think. We will just head back to camp and fetch Thulgrim. He’ll know how best to patch the old girl up.’
\nHe gestures at the boat, which seemingly takes his words as a cue to catastrophically break apart with a wrenching crash, only to drift downstream, a litter of poorly painted jetsam.
\n‘Ah! Well… never mind it. Ranald gives with one hand and takes with the other. I’m sure good fortune is right around the next bend! You know… I am sorry to have to stretch the bounds of our contract, but it looks like instead of my barge carrying you, you’ll have to help us carry our goods back to camp! But for folks like you, people with a bit of gumption, I’m sure that’s no trouble. It’s only a short trip and with everything else you’ve done for me today maybe there’ll be a gold coin in it for you?’
\nCharacters may ask to be paid some reward right away, but @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter} gives them a sheepish grin and gestures at the chest, which is bound by a pair of heavy padlocks.
\n‘I would be only too happy to pay up now, but as you can see there are two locks and I only have one key. The other key is held by my partner, Fraulein Johanna Stiegler, back at camp. So, ah… you really will have to come with me if you want to be paid.’
\nReuter will not countenance any damage to the chest, or picking of the padlocks, no matter how persuasive the Characters are.
" }, { "id": "dNF0U1KRl95X5re9", "name": "Teil 2: The Misty Road", "description": "The Characters leave the sunken barge behind and head to the campsite in Grausee. The journey only takes an hour, but the rise of a thick fog and generally oppressive atmosphere makes it seem much longer. To keep spirits up, @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter} encourages gossip among the travellers. @Actor[yZjkmfCXZjaYGEDG]{Reiko} will join in if @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma} is still alive. His spirits will be low given the loss of his barge — but it was on its last legs, and Reuter claims he will recompense him for a percentage of its worth. If Vadoma is dead, Reiko will quietly pray to his ancestors to watch over his grandmother for at least 15 minutes, then join in with any conversation. He is internally distraught that she has passed through Morr’s Portal, but doesn’t want to bring down the spirits of his crew. As for Vadoma, if she is still alive, she will use the time to pray to her ancestors for safe passage. Read or paraphrase the following to the players:
\nAs you trudge down the road towards Grausee, the shadows lengthen and an evening chill sets in. The Strigany labour to heft all the materials they have salvaged from the wreck, grumbling and casting resentful looks in the direction of Reuter as they do so.
\nFor his part Reuter maintains a sunny disposition, though there are moments when he drops his guard and looks pensive and drained. Every so often he loudly declares that the journey is nearly at an end, but these pronouncements seem to have little to do with your actual progress.
\nReuter, tired as he is, is still a gregarious fellow. He is eager to talk, attempting to engage the Characters in conversation, often asking them overly familiar or personal questions. He is willing to answer questions about himself, but is given to exaggerations and lies. Some typical responses to likely questions are given below, with the truth behind the words also provided. The GM ought to invent similar opinions if Reuter is asked different questions.
\nWho are the Reuters/Stieglers? What is your relationship to the Jungfreuds?
\nReuter shares the information given in @JournalEntry[iC3CxRIIjEhc0XuI]{Reuter and His Partners}, though he will be careful not to say anything that might be considered negative. As far as he is concerned the Jungfreuds are paragons of nobility and the two merchant families are staunch supporters of one another.
\nHe is concerned about the crisis in Ubersreik, but thinks things will come to a good end. The Emperor and the Jungfreuds will work things out; they are gentlemen after all!
\nTell us more about your partner on the site.
\n‘Oh, Johanna is a wonderful woman, and a consummate professional. I really don’t know what I would do without her. Her skills in planning and management are second to none. She really is an asset. A local to these parts; born and raised in Grausee, you see. She was the one who suggested the site where we’re building the water mill.’
\n@Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler} is by no means a bad businesswoman, but she has lost control of the situation. Reueter and Stiegler have grown to loathe one another. What began as a personality clash has been exacerbated by Stiegler’s growing realisation that Reuter is incompetent, dishonest, and reckless. The disturbing dreams that afflict those in the area have added to the tension. Things have reached such an impasse that she has conspired with some local thugs to do away with Reuter. The story of her background is true enough.
\nTell us more about the work you need doing.
\n‘Well, I trust Master Reiko and his Strigany crew implicitly. I believe we’ve been good to them, so I’d hope they’d trust me in turn, but… well… you’ve seen how superstitious they are, and over nothing as well — but they refuse to do some certain jobs around camp. So, there’s a few odd jobs here and there — digging up stones, staking out areas of the marsh — you know how it is.’
\nWhilst @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter} does honestly have some work he needs doing — such as digging up the oghams that the Strigany refuse to approach — he is more concerned about hiring people he can trust who are in his employ, rather than shared between him and Stiegler. He’s becoming paranoid — with good reason — and wants someone to watch his back.
\nThe old woman seems to believe everything is cursed, especially the Grausee. Why is that?
\n‘Oh, our Strigany friends are certainly hard workers, but they’re frightfully superstitious. According to them, the Grausee is home to some Beast or somesuch. Can’t say I’ve noticed anything out of the ordinary during my time there. My partner, who comes from here, has never mentioned it, but what do I know?’
\nThe Strigany are not far wrong about this. A standing stone near the building site carries a lingering curse that, amongst other things, affects the mood of those nearby and afflicts them with disturbing dreams. Reuter is suffering from this himself, though he is in denial.
\nAdditionally, all of @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma’s} various fears are rooted in fact — the local swamp, the Ortschlamm, is home to a terrible beast. Though @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter} doesn’t believe any of this.
\nYour boat didn’t seem very well organised? Who runs the actual building work?
\n‘I have contracted the services of that marvellous Dwarf engineer, Thulgrim Nadrisson. He is the foreman on the site and manages all the practical work. He’s really quite marvellous. He’s from Karak Azgaraz; a consummate professional. He doesn’t stand for sloppy work and he only buys the best. The boat? A sore loss, but in business these things happen. Any mishaps occur despite his professional oversight rather than because of it.’
\nReuter did hire @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim}, but he is not what he claims. In truth, the Dwarf is masquerading as an engineer to answer a grudge he bears against the merchants. Thulgrim aims to run the Reuter-Stiegler operation into the ground, ruin their families’ reputations, and take as much money as he possibly can. He covers his shortcomings by hiring amateurs and telling Reuter that Stiegler is to blame, or vice versa, whenever he is called to account.
\nUnlike Reuter, @Actor[yZjkmfCXZjaYGEDG]{Reiko} and the Strigany become tight-lipped and surly as the journey progresses and the mists rise. Vadoma, if she survived her ordeal, becomes particularly withdrawn.
\nIn order to engage anyone in conversation, a Character will have to ask polite and pertinent questions and then pass a Hard (−20) Gossip Test. If this Test is failed, the Strigany at hand will yawn and say: ‘ Look, I’ve been finding it hard to sleep and I’m too tired for small talk.’ If the Characters saved @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma’s} life, they need not roll this Test, but the Strigany still maintain that they are tired before politely responding to the Characters’ questions.
\nIf the Test is passed, the Strigany will cautiously give clipped answers to questions. They hold the following opinions and are careful not to say anything that might cause controversy or offend their employers. If the Characters are well-regarded by @Actor[yZjkmfCXZjaYGEDG]{Reiko}, he will offer some of the following without the need for a Test.
\n\n
Any conversation with @Actor[yZjkmfCXZjaYGEDG]{Reiko} and the other Strigany is frequently interrupted by strange foreboding sounds coming from the banks of fog to either side. The Strigany talk in hushed voices to stay quiet, expecting to be attacked at any moment.
" }, { "id": "CKx6tX0LFxlPXOyw", "name": "Teil 3: Arrival at the Camp", "description": "After an hour or more of walking through the fog, the Characters arrive at the campsite. It is built upon a small isthmus between the Verfelfluss and the Grausee not far from a small stone circle. Here, they will meet Stiegler and Thulgrim, and discover that all is not well with their business partnership.
\nWhen describing the camp, take time to play up how eerie and foreboding the location is — this is not a place anyone would normally choose to spend the night, unless they had to.
\nAhead, the source of the Verfelfluss can be seen, a great grey lake stretching out further than the eye can see. The camp sits on the edge of a promontory resting between a sweeping bay of the lake and the banks of the river. It is a sizable spit of land, perhaps 30 acres in all, dotted with stands of shrubs and rocky outcropping.
\nStill, it’s obvious why it will make a good site for a mill, as a building can easily be constructed close to the banks of the fast flowing river.
\nPiles of timber and brick stand ready, and the small but busy camp of tents and wagons is erected around them. Many of the wagons are typical of those used by the Strigany: they’ve all seen better decades, and are semi-cylindrical in shape with tiled roofs.
\nThere are three other dwellings in the camp. One is a large tent draped in the blue and yellow heraldry of Ubersreik and the silver and blue of the Jungfreuds. It is erected far to the left. The second is a great wooden wagon, opulent and stately. It is parked opposite the tent on the right of the camp. Between them is a small tent beside which is an elevated wooden platform. The squat figure of a Dwarf can be seen standing upon the platform, puffing on a pipe.
\nBeyond the camp is a wilder area, with drifts of mist clinging to the sodden earth, and dotted with large black standing stones. As the Characters’ eyes dance over the stones, a chill shudders up their spines.
\nAny Character who passes a Difficult (−10) Perception Test or an Easy (+40) Lore (Engineering) Test will get the impression the construction site is slapdash. The site is disorganised: scaffolding has been left in a precarious half-built state; initial excavations are too close to the river’s edge and have become waterlogged. The workers’ tools look cheap and building materials lie in haphazard piles of rope, wood, and brick.
\nIf @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma} is still alive, she is taken by @Actor[yZjkmfCXZjaYGEDG]{Reiko} to one of the Strigany tents and put up for bed rest. She will be bed-ridden for the rest of the adventure, but is happy to talk to the Characters should they come to her for advice.
\nAs @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter} nears the camp his attitude of upbeat confidence vanishes and his smile slips. He quickly directs the Characters towards his foreman, @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim}. ‘Thulgrim, I say there, Thulgrim!’ Thulgrim is a mature Dwarf with long black hair and a wide, bristly beard. He wears filthy overalls and puffs on a large brown pipe. His face darkens when he makes eye contact with Reuter.
\nHe clambers down from his perch to waddle over. Taking the pipe from between his teeth, he burps a gout of thick and tarry smoke directly in Reuter’s face. ‘Back so soon, Manling?’ Reuter will cough. ‘Well, yes… ah… y’see… well, we had a bit of a… mishap… on the river. These kind people proved very useful in the event… I was hoping we could sort them out with a little compensation. Further, I have hired them to do some of the tasks around camp. You know the ones. The matters the Strigany are… well… reluctant to do.’ He fishes about inside his jerkin and removes a large brass key on a chain from around his neck. ‘Perhaps you could take the chest to Stiegler’s caravan and sort out some silver for them?’
\nIf the Characters complain that @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter} promised them a gold crown each, he holds up his hands and looks pained. He explains that, naturally with the two locks placed upon the paychest, @Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler} will need to be consulted first. Further, with the recent loss of the barge, Stiegler is unlikely to be forthcoming with funds… But he insists that he will wear her down in the end, and the Characters will get paid their due, before insisting that he is tired and needs to get some rest.
\nReuter really is exhausted. He feels rather despondent by this point. He fields any further queries put his way in a cursory fashion before heading to his bed. @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} beckons the Characters to follow him with the chest as he makes his way towards Stiegler’s wagon.
\n@Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} is not a talkative Dwarf. He is sour and distracted, suffering from insomnia, and harbouring a burning grudge. He typically answers questions pithily, responding in monosyllables if possible. If asked anything open ended he says, ‘that requires thought; I’ll get back to you on that,’ rather than being drawn into conversation. If a Character should suggest to him that the work being done on the site is substandard, he will struggle to keep his temper.
\n‘The techniques I would employ had I a good Dwarf work throng would be solid as the Grey Mountains themselves, but things can only go so well with the dearth of talent and funding at my disposal. You think you can get better results from a gang of shiftless Manlings and two clueless squabbling idiots then, I tell you what, be my guest.’
\nAs the Characters walk towards Stiegler’s wagon she concludes a meeting with her associate, Hans Strahnig. He leaves before the Characters get there, but a Character who passes a Hard (−20) Perception Test will get a good look at the man exiting the wagon and strolling off into the camp. Hans Strahnig is a rough-looking fellow with a scarred face and lank black hair. He wears patched peasant garb in various shades of green and brown. For more on Hans and his relationship to Stiegler, see @Actor[gnDQygAX2pEdjp7h]{Hans Strahnig}
\n@Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} climbs the steps to the door of the great wagon and knocks briskly. Faint sounds, shuffling and sighing, echo from within. Then steps, the sound of hard heels clacking on floorboards, before the door is prized open.
\n@Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler} is a tall woman, dressed in finely tailored trousers and jerkin. Her hair hangs in lightly oiled, golden curls. Her mouth is a disapproving slash of red paint. Her glaring eyes are vibrant blue, bloodshot and rimmed with rubbed, red flesh. She does not talk so much as hiss through her clenched teeth. ‘ I… was… hoping… to get… some sleep. Whatever it is you want, can it not wait until morning?’
\nThulgrim is completely unfazed by her discomfort. ‘ Boat came a cropper. These folks helped with salvage. Reuter wants them compensated. Well compensated if possible.’
\n@Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler} rolls her eyes with a theatrical sigh. ‘As if my esteemed partner hadn’t already demonstrated his incompetence and profligacy! Dwarf, I already have a site rammed full of so-called assets that stubbornly fail to sweat for me! Bring that chest inside and set it on the floor, but I’ll not authorise the spending of a single brass penny until I see some progress!’
\n@Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler} is a fierce and determined woman who is sincere in her reluctance to spend more money. However, she is also worn out by her nightmares and stress levels. So, if the Characters argue with her about deserving some money, she will eventually pay just to be rid of them. However, securing money from Stiegler requires the Characters argue for it and pass a Difficult (−10) Haggle Test. If successful, she will pay them each @Credit[10ss]{10 shillings} plus @Credit[2ss]{2 shillings} per SL, up to a maximum of @Credit[1gc]{1GC}.
\nBefore the Characters depart, @Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler} will soften somewhat. She is in need of competent people to help at the site. ‘Perhaps we started on the wrong foot here. If so, I ask for your forbearance. I’m not usually like this. Things have been… stressful recently. Let’s all try to get a decent night’s rest and in the morning we can work out a mutually agreeable arrangement, hmm? I assure you, whatever Reuter has promised you, I will double — and unlike him, my promises are always kept.’
\nThe Characters are now left to find their own accommodations as the sun properly sets. @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} makes his excuses and heads for his bed. Around the camp the Strigany workers are turning in for the night. The Characters would be advised to do the same unless they want to start earning @Condition[Fatigued] Conditions.
\nThe Characters have three obvious sleeping options:
\nHaving to perform multiple Tests, or sleeping without a suitable shelter, will have the Characters awake the next morning with a @Condition[Fatigued] Condition.
\nThat night, nightmares disturb everyone’s sleep, though not all remember them. Each Character must make a Challenging (+0) Cool Test. Those who fail gain a @Condition[Fatigued] Condition and remember the following nightmare:
\n\n\nHandout 3: The Nightmare
\nYou awake with a sudden jolt, your heart hammering against your ribs. Your memories of the nightmare begin peeling away as soon as you awaken, but you remember a straw bed, fire consuming a hut, great claws grasping and binding you with twine. You recall the reflection of the Chaos Moon on the waters of the Grausee being consumed by a great and angry eye. Your back was pressed down on a stone slab. Then you remember nothing, save an intense anguish, a sense of having lost everything, forlorn, forever.
\n
\n
\n" }, { "id": "y1o01ANLUIA6kUDn", "name": "Teil 4: The Site and the Stones", "description": "Going to Grausee
\nThe players may wish to travel to the village of Grausee to obtain extra help or advice during the adventure. This sort of behaviour can wrong-foot novice GMs because on one hand it is eminently sensible, but on the other it spoils the fun if competent NPCs are contracted to do the Characters’ work for them.
\nGrausee is an agricultural community of some 500 souls, most of whom are employed working the fields. A number of locals also participate in fishing the nearby Grausee lake that teems with carp. Hunters and foragers ply their trade here, combing the woods to the east for edible plants and fungi, as well as shooting game birds, rabbit, and deer. Turf-cutting also supports the local economy, as bricks of dried peat are shipped from Grausee to Ubersreik and nearby villages. Like many rural communities in the Reikland, the homes in which most of the local people live are dispersed around the area, consisting of walled farmsteads fortified against Goblin raids and other threats. However, a collection of some twenty homes are nestled on the bank of the lake, and a small temple dedicated to Sigmar caters to the spiritual needs of the locals.
\nIf the Characters go to Grausee in order to fetch help they will find the place is far too busy with its own concerns. People there can confirm that Stiegler is a local, but they share the Strigany belief that the area of the building site is cursed. They want nothing to do with it. The locals will also recognise the description of Hans Strahnig if provided, and suggest that he is a violent ne’er-do-well who the Characters ought to avoid.
\n
The Characters awaken to the building sites normal flow — Strigany workers bending their backs to muck out water-logged land, lashing scaffolds together haphazardly, and continuing the unskilled construction of the water mill. Thick fog covers the ground and fingers up through the trees, making everything damp and uncomfortable.
\n@Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} pays the Characters a visit, gives them a thin gruel of crushed barley and assigns them their task for the day: digging up and hauling away the great standing stones that litter the isthmus. During their work, the Characters may discover more clues about the local area — the ‘curse’ that @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma} talks about — and may even have the opportunity to find treasure for themselves. Thulgrim says the work comes from Stiegler, but he’s sure they’re the same tasks as Reuter would have asked of them anyway.
\n‘As you may have guessed from last night, the pair in charge of this place don’t see eye to eye; they still can’t decide what to pay you for the salvage work you did yesterday. Bloody disgrace if you ask me, as it sounds like all the funds would be sat on the bottom of the river were it not for you. Anyway, one thing they certainly will pay you for is honest work, agreed to with an honest handshake. Stiegler told me to tell you to dig up the old ogham stones that are littered around the place. They’re a right nuisance, and the Strigany refuse to go anywhere near them — they say it’s taboo or some nonsense. A superstitious lot they are! If you could dig around the base of the stones and topple them, I reckon they won’t mind hauling them away. Get it done and there’s a shilling each in it for you a stone, and seven stones in total. And it’s me promising you that money — so you will get it, regardless of what Reuter may or may not owe you.’
\nThulgrim won’t be haggled with and there is nothing else for the Characters to do. If they simply refuse to excavate the stones, he huffs, sends word to Grausee and hires some labourers from the village to do the work instead.
\nIf the Characters wish to talk with @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter} or @Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler}, they discover Reuter is not in his tent and is nowhere to be found, whilst Stiegler is exhausted and is sleeping in. If disturbed, she tells them she will speak later in the afternoon.
\n\n\nSubverting Expectations
\nNormally, in adventures of this type, unearthing an old circle of stones is obviously an extraordinarily foolish thing to do. In this scenario, it is the exact opposite. If the Characters unearth the ancient oghams, nothing but good will result. However, toppling the standing stones will horrify many veterans of WFRP as they will expect to unleash some ancient horror.
\n
The oghams are part of a wider megalithic complex that stretches across the meadow. There are six smaller stones arranged in an irregular circle around the main stone. The smaller stones are lumps of black @JournalEntry[o2mz58EtayxnAJNY]{Grey Mountain} granite. Each is about four feet in height and covered in a thick growth of green shaggy lichen. If the lichen is scraped off the stones, abstract designs of swirling knotwork are revealed near their bases.
\nThe centre stone is nearly nine-feet tall, shaped as a vaguely hexagonal column from dark-brown basalt. Not so much as a patina of algae grows on its surface, and no scuttling red mites make their home here. Of the centre ogham’s six sides one is wider than the others, and in the past it had been heavily decorated. A swirling pattern of interlacing lines runs around the edge of this facing, horizontal lines divide the interior design into many rows. Whatever was depicted in between these lines is impossible to tell for the rock has been chiselled away. Certainly some ancient hand worked hard to obliterate all trace of what was once carved on the rock. Mist hangs heavily over the ground around the stone, punctuated by vegetation growing in abundance, but does not touch it. The earth around the largest stone is a loose mound.
\nIf the Characters dig down around the stone they will discover that carvings towards the base of the stone have not been chipped away. As they scrape more earth away from the base of the stone, decorations are revealed. It seems that once the stone bore extensive inscriptions that chronicled a history of strange creatures, but that in the ages since the stone was carved some effort has gone into destroying any evidence of their existence or activities.
\nThe creatures are brutish to look upon. Savage and gigantic with bodies shaped like barrels. They have triangular heads within which are set large singular eyes. The creatures are shown living in crude towers built around the edge of a large lake. One of the creatures is much larger than the rest, and seems to feature prominently in the carvings. Judging from the creature’s pendulous breasts she is female. Whilst the other creatures are bald, her own hair hangs in long tatty braids.
\nOne scene depicts some sort of war party, raiding a village of small, round huts and carrying loot and prisoners away with them. To the far right of this image the bloated female is shown brandishing the heads of slain prisoners over the waters of the lake. Above the waters, an indistinct impression of a monstrous horned head can be discerned.
\nThe next row of images depict further raids and profane rites. A great beast — nearly four times the size of the other creatures — accompanies them, resembling a great lizard with four pairs of legs. Jagged, carved patterns like bolts of lightning emanate from its eyes, striking down hapless hut dwellers.
\nThe final row of images depict the death and burial of the bloated female. The one-eyed creatures are gathered about her body, clawing the sky with their outstretched arms. She is then interred in the ground beside a great lake. A tall obelisk is erected to mark the place.
\nOf course the obelisk depicted in the carvings is the very one the Characters are currently digging up. Characters may wish to interpret the scene, gaining additional details if they pass, or misleading information on a failure.
\nA Character who passes a Hard (−20) Lore (History) Test is able to glean the following information from the scenes depicted on the stone.
\n\n\nHandout 4: History of the Stones
\nThe stones date back a few centuries before the time of Sigmar, when the primitive Human tribesmen of the area contended with Beastmen and Greenskins for dominance. At that time, the Grausee lake was the home of a large clan of Fimir, who buried their Matriarch at this spot. This Matriarch had apparently been daughterless, so her death would have meant the dissolution of the clan. She had clearly been an accomplished witch. Her ability to traffic with Daemons of Chaos had seen her war party reinforced with Chaotic creatures, such as the fierce Basilisk depicted on the stone.
\n
A Character who passes a Challenging (+0) Art (Sculpture) or Trade (Masonry) Test is able to discern the following about the stone.
\n\n\nHandout 5: The Carvings on the Stones
\nThe stones were initially carved many hundreds - perhaps thousands - of years ago, and have weathered much since. However, the defacement of the central stone is much more recent - perhaps the last two or three hundred years, as the tool-marks are still clearly visible. The stone itself would have taken great effort to drag all this way from the Grey Mountains. The intricate reliefs on the buried portion would have taken great skill with the crude tools its carvers likely had to hand.
\n
A Character with any degree of magical ability who passes an Average (+20) Intuition Test is able to discern the following about the stone.
\n\n\nHandout 6: Witchsight and the Stones
\nIn the long distant past some highly malefic curses must have been placed on the stones. A little of that dark energy still clings on. This energy appears as an indistinct smudge of dhar - the corrupt black Wind of Magic. This energy seems to be acting as a tether into the earth, holding on to some long-forgotten spell or curse, which might explain the eerie feeling people have about this place.
\n
\n
| SL | \nResult | \nConsequences | \n
| +6 or more | \nAstounding Success | \nThe Characters quickly locate and uncover the grave of the Fimir Matriarch. Her sarcophagus has flooded with stagnant water from the Grausee. All that remain are hanks of ancient cloth, hair, and a few bones. However, there are six golden torcs in the grave as well. The torcs are poorly made. The quality of the metal isn’t high, but they could be sold to a goldsmith in a town such as Ubersreik for 2 GC each, though Haggling could increase this amount. They can alternatively be sold for 3–15 GC each to a collector. However, transporting the torcs and finding a buyer — and ensuring the torcs are not stolen in the process — is an adventure in and of itself. | \n
| +4 to +5 | \nImpressive Success | \nAs an Astounding Success, but the Characters attract attention as they dig, and rumour gets around the camp that they have found something valuable. There is a pickpocket among the workers, who will attempt to steal from a random Character before the end of the adventure. When this happens exactly is left up to the GM. The pickpocket makes an Opposed Sleight of Hand/Perception Test with her Skill of 56. If the pickpocket succeeds, she makes off with up to two torcs (if the Character is carrying them) or half of the Character’s money (if they aren’t). | \n
| +2 to +3 | \nSuccess | \nAs an Astounding Success , but the job takes some time to complete and Thulgrim joins the Characters to find out how they are getting along, just as they uncover the treasure. Unless they use some sort of sleight of hand (or magical equivalent) to hide their new find, he will point out that any gold found on the site belongs to the Reuter-Stiegler concern. But he will offer them a finder’s fee of 7 silver shillings per torc. He can be haggled up to 10 silver shillings. | \n
| +0 to +1 | \nMarginal Success | \nAs an Astounding Success , but the Characters take a very long time to find anything, by which time the whole site is aware of their activity. By the time they locate any treasure Stiegler is watching them like a hawk. She immediately takes possession of any interesting finds. If the Characters make an argument that they ought to receive some sort of reward and pass a Hard (−20) Charm Test she will begrudgingly offer them a finder’s fee of 4 silver shillings each. | \n
| -1 to -1 | \nMarginal Failure | \nThe Characters find nothing. However, before they leave the dig Thulgrim arrives at the site and spots the treasure himself. If the Characters make a case that he wouldn’t have found the treasure without their help and pass a Hard (−20) Charm Test he will offer them a finder’s fee of 2 silver shillings each. | \n
\n
There is nothing particularly dangerous or special required in order to take the stones down, it’s just a matter of hard labour. It’s difficult work, so Characters must pass a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test after taking down more oghams than their Toughness Bonus, or they gain a @Condition[Fatigued] Condition.
\nIf the Characters merely remove the outer ring of stones, they can do so without further incident. Removing the centre ogham breaths an unconscious sigh of relief through the camp, as its dark energies dissipate.
\nIf the Characters continue with their excavations in the hope of finding a buried body beneath the main stone, they may uncover further items of interest. In order to find the grave site a Character must pass either a Challenging (+0) Intuition Test or an Easy (+40) Lore (Engineering) Test. This Test can only be taken once per PC, or multiple Characters may provide @JournalEntry[7twc3jS1XKVS8KI4]{Assistance}. Use the above table to determine what is found.
\nMore serious forms of failure mean that the Characters simply find nothing.
\nIf the Characters restrict themselves to taking down the stones they finish their work by noon. If they excavate the grave they finish by mid-afternoon, or potentially later depending upon the success of their excavations. Should they approach Thulgrim about their pay, he says he’ll sort it in the evening when he resolves everyone’s daily wage.
\nTaking the central stone down will disrupt the dark energies permeating the site, and the dhar clinging to the obelisk quickly dissipates, leaving it a mundane stone. Any Character who previously noticed these energies will sense them fading away as the stone is taken down. Soon, the eerie feeling across the camp is gone, a general sense of relief sweeps through the camp. From this point onwards, the nightmares suffered by folk in the vicinity of Grausee come to an end.
\n\n\nThe Black Stones of Grausee
\nThe Black Stones have stood for almost three thousand years. Beyond looking frightfully ominous and marking the burial site of a long-dead Fimir witch, the central stone causes the following, as long as it stands.
\n\n
\n- All sentient creatures within 2 miles of the stones suffer nightmares of murder, death, and loss.
\n- Mist rises for 2–3 miles about the stone on even the brightest summer day.
\n- The Beast of the Ortschlamm, the stone’s guardian — though it has long ago forgotten its purpose — cannot die (see @Actor[enTVKkRneSPum3FY]{The Beast of the Ortschlamm}[The Eternal Beast}).
\n
\n
" }, { "id": "OYOcUq4Y2L0TL42x", "name": "Teil 5: The Death of Rutger Reuter", "description": "
As the Strigany put down their tools for the day, the Characters may wish to rest and eat. The Strigany in the camp are impressed with the Characters, if they excavated any stones, and are happy to offer them bowls of peppery meat stew. The mood will feel noticeably lighter if the main ogham was removed, though no one save @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma} makes the connection between the two. She will only mention it if she is approached as she will remain in her tent. Further, should all stones be removed, the mist lessens considerably.
\nAfter eating, the Strigany will build a blazing fire and take to song and dance, if the stones are down, and Reiko will ask the Characters to join them. Later, as the light of day begins to fade, @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} will approach, saying he needs @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter} to open the chest of funds in order to pay them, but that he cannot find the man.
\nThe Characters may investigate by heading to Reuter’s tent. If the stones are down, it is simple matter for them to notice a trail of flattened grass leading from the tent to the riverbank nearby, revealed by the retreating mists. Impressions of large three-toed feet, each one nearly a yard in length, can be seen pressed into the mud around this trail. If the mists have not receded, it takes Challenging (+0) Perception Test to spot these details in the evening haze.
\nIf the Characters are not proactive in locating Reuter, Strigany workers discover the trail at Thulgrim’s command, follow it, and then raise the alarm, which will likely summon everyone.
\nBy the riverbank is a stand of bulrush, the dense, tall stalks waving in the breeze. The body of Rutger Reuter lies there. His corpse is a shocking sight. He is dressed in a white, linen smock drenched through with blood. His right arm is missing. The torn flesh at his shoulder speaks of many sharp and savage incisions. His face, for all the violence wrought upon him, is strangely serene, eyes closed, mouth slightly agape. Large, three-toed footprints can be seen stamped into the mud around the banks. Trails of mist still cling to his cold body, coiling around his arm and legs like wispy tentacles.
\nA small crowd of Strigany will quickly gather close by, muttering to one another in tones of rising panic. Reiko gives full voice to their concerns. ‘It is true that this place is cursed! The great beast of the Ortschlamm is here!’ He will gesture to the swamps that lie on the far side of the river. ‘It has come for blood just as Madam Vadoma said it would! The time to leave has come.’ At his words, the other Strigany make signs against evil. Some murmur their assent and head for their wagons.
\nIf the Characters investigate Reuter’s body they find that the key to the chest is still around his neck. A Character who wishes to take a closer look at his wounds and passes a Hard (−20) Perception or an Easy (+40) Heal Test will notice that Reuter’s left hand bears no defensive wounds, and that other than his missing arm his body has not been crushed, bruised, or bitten.
\nWhen both @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} and @Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler} arrive at the scene, they will argue over who should take ownership of Reuter’s key. Read or paraphrase the following to the players, modifying it to the events as appropriate.
\nStiegler regards the body of Reuter with undisguised contempt. ‘So now the dotard gets himself killed! I suppose I’m going to have to explain this to his parents, as if he hadn’t already caused me enough problems!’‘
\nThulgrim grumbles. ‘Show a little bloody respect for the dead, damn you.’
\n'Respect? What we need here is justice!’ Stiegler fishes a heavy purse from her belt. 'Ten gold crowns to the brave souls who bring me the head of the monster responsible for this!’ She waves the purse in the air. ‘Ten gold crowns!’ She then steps towards the body. ‘I’ll reimburse myself from the funds, where’s that key?’
\n‘Actually, I think I’d better hold on to the key,’ Thulgrim snaps. ‘This is a joint operation, after all. I doubt the Reuters would be happy with their investment solely in the hands of an outsider. I know how it would make me feel if I saw someone else with my money.’ Thulgrim gives Stiegler a knowing, hateful look, though she appears not to notice or care.
\n‘And what authority, what claim, do you have over the matter, Dwarf ? None! Until the Reuters send someone to replace their dear departed Rutger, I’m the only one in charge here!’
\nIf the Characters have any opinions about who should get the key they can sway the argument either way. If not Thulgrim defers to Stiegler, though continues to rumble curses under his breath. None of the workers are the least bit interested in tracking down the monster, so the Characters are encouraged to chase it down by both Thulgrim and Stiegler. ‘That’s what Reuter brought you on for, after all!’ The Characters are provided with a small rowing boat to see them over to the western bank of the Verfelfluss.
" }, { "id": "VRGHyTZaxJFYEHP6", "name": "Teil 6: The Ortschlamm", "description": "The Characters travel across the lake to the Ortschlamm to discover the true culprit behind @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter’s} death. They may be surprised by what they find: bandits hired by @Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler}. However, the fears of @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma} are once more vindicated when the very monster the bandits were impersonating attempts to devour everyone it sees.
\n\n\nThe Ortschlamm
\nTo the west of the Grausee is a stretch of wooded swampland known as the Ortschlamm. The marsh is dark and eerie, a place where the wilds are said to be befouled by some lingering curse. An unhealthy brown miasma blankets everything even on sunny days and a noisome smell lingers above the stagnant water. The outskirts of the Ortschlamm are tended by turfcutters and creel fishers from Grausee, but foragers only enter the swamp when in desperate need of eels and crayfish. It is a place of slim pickings, tragic losses, and half-seen shapes moving in the distance.
\n
The trail is shockingly, almost comically easy to discern on the other side of the river. A number of three-toed prints can be seen on the riverbank. Allow Characters to perform a Challenging (+0) Track Test to determine that there is something unnatural about the tracks. If they achieved 3+ SL, they learn that the tracks appear deliberate — both heavier and lighter than a normal walking creature would leave, suggesting trickery.
\nThe prints wend their way through honeycombed workings of turfcutters, their spades having dug deep channels through the heathery levels of the land that overflow with a clinging brown mist. The ground is treacherous underfoot — it’s rarely visible through the miasma that hides soft, black, sucking mud. Soon the Characters will find themselves skipping between small islands rising above the fog — solid ground with crusts where the sun has baked the peat hard, or mounds where straggly lengths of tough brown bog grass grow.
\nAs they progress, the path becomes more overgrown. The unfenced country plays host to stands of tall pale birch, bedecked with stiff, thin branches that whip to and fro as the Characters pass, and that crowd above, blocking what little light remains of the day.
\nSlowly, the land begins to rise, and walking uphill through the boggy landscape is tough going. The Characters should make a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test or suffer a @Condition[Fatigued] Condition. The Characters may wish to rest here for a few moments to catch their breaths and remove this Condition, but before they can, read or paraphrase the following to the players.
\nAs you are making your way through a particularly dense grove of sickly birch trees there are sudden shouts of alarm close by. Through the gathering mists you can see the indistinct shapes of three figures running in your direction, fleeing from a much larger looming shape.
\nAhead, the trees thin out around the banks of a large and muddy tarn. There are three foragers by the mountain lakeside, pulling themselves through the mud in a blind panic, dropping their packs and staffs as they attempt to flee the foul monstrosity that stalks them.
\nThe @Actor[enTVKkRneSPum3FY]{creature} is massive, nearly 20 feet in length — towering head and shoulders above the foragers. It moves itself forward on eight filthy legs and gapes open its cavernous mouth. The creature is clearly ancient and ailing, its palsied movements unsteady and arrhythmic. Many of its teeth are broken or missing and its pale-green skin hangs in great sagging folds around its scaly withered frame. It squints and snuffles as it moves through the mists, its beady eyes clouded with thick cataracts. Still it is a fearsome sight, for while the beast may be well past its prime a blow from its shaking claws will still rip a person in two.
\nThis is the only NPC in the scenario with several Traits to remember, so make sure you take time to read, then reread, what each does. This ensures that when the Beast arrives, your play won’t be interrupted as you stop to reference the Traits and their effects.
\nThe three men are inhabitants of the Grausee area. They were hired by @Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Johanna Stiegler} to kill @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Rutger Reuter} and leave a trail of false prints leading to the tarn here. They have discovered to their dismay that the rumours of a strange beast inhabiting the swamps, tales they have been told as children, have a strong basis in fact. The men all have a similar look: lank dark hair and thick growths of stubble. They wear modest peasant garb in various shades of green, grey and brown. Of particular note are their boots, which are wrapped in swathes of sodden fur.
\nThe Ortschlamm Basilisk will fight fiercely, but as per its @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.traits.AGcJl5rHjkyIQBPP]{Bestial} Trait, it may flee if attacked with fire or if it is reduced to 22 Wounds or fewer. It is old and relatively feeble. It has lost much of its eyesight and so its petrifying glare is much less potent than that of a normal Basilisk. Still it is more than a match for the brigands and will likely give the Characters a hard fight. Whilst the brigands are attempting to flee, they will rally if the Characters launch an attack on the Basilisk. They will assist the Characters in slaying the creature, but if any of them are reduced to 3 Wounds or fewer they will attempt to escape back to Grausee.
\nThe Basilisk can be slaughtered, captured, or driven off. If it is killed, some of its body parts could be harvested and sold to academics and wizards, or used to make poisons.
\n\n\nThe Eternal Beast
\nIf the Basilisk is killed and the central ogham stone still stands back at the campsite, the dead Basilisk will slowly regenerate, its wounds reknitting slowly, painfully, as the old magic of the long-dead Fimir rejuvenates the stone’s protector. Eventually, after several weeks, it will rise again in the Ortschlamm swamp as it has done many times before. If the Characters have taken away parts of its body, these grisly pieces will awaken within a week, and will wetly roll free, seeking other parts of the Basilisk with which to combine, leaving trails of blood and black dhar where they have dragged themselves back towards the Ortschlamm! This will cause particular issue for any who may have foolishly eaten the Basilisk’s meat. What starts as a vague pulling in the direction of the Ortschlamm is soon followed by stabbing pains and terrible eruptions.
\n
Given its poor condition, many institutions such as menageries and colleges would not be very interested in this specimen, though the Characters could still expect about 10 GCs for the live Basilisk, and 4 GCs for its corpse, should they be able to find a buyer. If the Characters sell the skin and bones to a museum or college they could make as much as 3 GCs, and then a further 2 GCs by selling the internal organs to an apothecary, such as @JournalEntry[lzzTL5wTo3gk6krG]{Cordelia's Apothecary}. There is even a market for the beast’s flesh, with Ogres who will buy the lot for a handful of silver, and a handful of epicureans willing to pay good coin for Basilisk steaks. Indeed, locally, Johann Zustrass, the head chef in the @JournalEntry[uIwIdCpTmagQWWyW]{Wings of the Pegasus} restaurant, will pay 10 silver shillings per steak, and there are at least 150 prime cuts in the beast! However, Zustrass’s interest in exotic meats is not well known, and he wouldn’t be willing to buy more than 20 of the steaks, so this is no easy sale.
\nIf selling the corpse is on their mind, Characters will have to work out how to transport it to their potential buyers, probably in Ubersreik. They would also need to keep it out of sight from the authorities, who would have some difficult-to-answer questions about why they have such a tainted creature in tow.
\nAnd, of course, if the central ogham still stands, all those bits of Basilisk will start to move after just a week, so the Characters don’t have a lot of time to sell their gruesome stock.
\nA Character who passes a Hard (−20) Trade (Poisoner) Test could harvest toxic chemicals from the bile ducts, aqueous humours, and venom glands of the Basilisk’s corpse and combine them to create a concoction imbued with the baleful qualities of the monster. The quantity of poison produced by a successful Test is 2 doses plus 1 for each additional SL. Failure by more than −2 SL results in the Poisoner suffering the poison themselves.
\nBasilisk’s Baleful Bile: This poison is created from combining fluids from the eyes and poison sacks of a freshly slain Basilisk. It is a foul tasting poison, and anyone ingesting food or drink laced with Basilisk’s Baleful Bile will be called to take an Easy (+40) Perception Test. Success indicates they detect the taint of something wrong before suffering the bile’s effects, but gain the Stunned Condition for one Round whilst they vomit it up. If ingested, the concoction inflicts 2 Poisoned Conditions, resisted with a Difficult (−10) Endurance Test. If the target fails to resist the Poisoned Conditions, they are permanently turned to stone. Basilisk’s Baleful Bile is worth 10 GC per dose and has the Exotic Availability.
\nOnce the Basilisk is slain or subdued, any surviving brigands respond with heartfelt gratitude and are willing to help the Characters return to the lake, though they refuse to cross to the building site.
\nShould they be asked about their presence in the swamp a spokesman for the group (Hans, if alive) gives a speech along the following lines.
\n‘By Taal’s Beard, that was a close one! I doubt we’d have survived were it not for you. We came out of Grausee just this morning, looking to trap some eels in the ‘schlamm. I was told tales of a great beast within the swamp from when I was on my Nanna’s knee, but never once thought there’d be so much as a shred of truth to them. Shallya’s blessings be upon you for your help!’
\nBut some things about the brigands just don’t add up — observant Characters may notice.
\nTracks: The tracks the Characters have been following from the scene of Reuter’s killing have been three-toed. The Basilisk itself has four toes with long, sharp nails. This clue will be obvious to any Character who shows any interest in comparing the Basilisk’s feet, or the tracks it has left around the tarn, to the tracks they have been following from the camp.
\nDiscarded Belongings: When they were first attacked by the Basilisk the brigands dropped some of their gear — two large packs and three wooden staffs. In the aftermath of the attack one of the brigands will go and collect the packs, but will try to pretend the staffs aren’t there. Should the Characters investigate the staffs, they will see they have strange arrangements of string and segments of wood tied to their ends. If the brigands are asked about these, they will say the staffs are designed to snare eels and frogs, though this is an obvious lie that will be caught by a successful Easy (+40) Intuition Test. However, the staffs perfectly match the large three-toed tracks they have been following. If the Characters insist on searching the packs they will discover a large serrated butcher’s knife, stained red with Reuter’s blood. The brigands will claim it was last used to butcher some eels they ate for their lunch.
\nBrigand’s Trappings: The brigands’ feet are swaddled in sodden fur wrappings. A Character who makes an Average (+20) Perception or Easy (+40) Track Test will notice this footwear seems encumbering, but does not leave distinct footprints. If asked about this footwear the brigands will claim it keeps them warm in the swamp. In total, the fishing equipment carried by the brigands amounts to three small creels and three small nets, hardly the degree of equipment someone would expect a professional eel-fisher to carry with them.
\nThe Characters may well assume the Basilisk was responsible for Reuter’s death, and the men merely unfortunate eel-fishers. If the Characters show no interest in investigating further or treating the brigands with suspicion, then the men will be happy to part ways. They head back to the village of Grausee to continue with their lives. The Characters have missed the chance to uncover the truth, but it doesn’t carry further consequences.
\nHowever, if they accuse the men of having murdered Reuter, the brigands will react violently. If they outnumber the party they attack and fight with all remaining reserves of strength. If not, they attempt to escape back to Grausee and have to be chased down (see @JournalEntry[03r3y37RFKAFM82c]{Pursuit}).
\nThe brigands are not particularly brave or fearsome. If they are bested by the Characters they will come clean, provided their lives are spared.
\nRead or paraphrase the following to the players if this occurs:
\n‘Peace! Peace, as Sigmar is our holy sovereign will you lay off!’ The men throw their weapons to the ground and raise their hands. ‘It’s true, it’s true, we killed that lying city boy, we did. Smothered him in his sleep, so he didn’t suffer. But it wasn’t our plan you see? We were just following orders, that’s all. It weren’t nothing personal.
\n‘He was ruining everything for Johanna, spoiling everything, a proper little saboteur. We had to do it for her sake, see? She’d worked so long and hard to get that commission. He would have ruined it all for her if we didn’t stop him. He hired that incompetent Dwarf and those work-shy foreigners. By Mitterfruhl he had spent funds meant to last a year. All along he swore to her that he knew her business better than she did. We all agreed… he had to be got rid of.’
\nThe brigands will accompany the Characters back to the campsite, and into custody, so long as they’re spared, but will later attempt to escape once out of their hands.
" }, { "id": "wGFhOUF9s3m3ffwp", "name": "Teil 7: Back at the Camp", "description": "The Characters soon return to the camp to seek payment from Stiegler, or perhaps to accuse her of orchestrating Reuter’s murder.
\nHowever, whist the Characters were trawling about in the swamp, things at the camp have come to a head. Not only has @Actor[yZjkmfCXZjaYGEDG]{Reiko} and many of the Strigany workers packed up and left, but @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} has slipped away, taking the chest of funds with him!
\nFurther, if the central stone was toppled, @Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler}, now relieved of the constant stress she was under as a result of the curse upon the stone, has come to her senses. Realising her coin has been taken, and feeling increasingly guilty over her decision to order Reuter’s death, she is reaching a point of nervous collapse.
\nThe journey back through the Ortschlamm is arduous but uneventful. By the time the Characters return to the camp evening has fallen. The skies are a deep dark blue as twilight gathers around them. In the distance, they can spot many caravans and carts on the move.
\nIt seems like the camp is being deserted and a slow train of Strigany wagons makes its way northwards along the road to Ubersreik. A few forlorn Strigany wagons remain, but their owners are clearly in the business of packing their belongings and preparing to move on. The ground is dotted with scorched pits were once the Strigany kept their cook fires.
\nThulgrim is nowhere to be seen. Only two dwellings remain in the same state as they did earlier in the day. One is the impressive tent that once belonged to Rutger Reuter, and the other is the opulent wagon of his partner in business, @Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Johanna Stiegler}.
\nThe few remaining Strigany are busy preparing to leave, and are not in the best of moods. It is difficult to get them to talk, but if a Character is polite and patient with them and passes a Difficult (−10) Gossip Test they will reveal the following information.
\nAlternately, if the Characters made friends with @Actor[BAjyEDsEpR1I6LWS]{Vadoma}, she has a young lad waiting behind for the Characters to return who freely tells them this information, as well as giving Vadoma’s kindest regards. The lad tells the Characters they may invoke Vadoma’s name should they ever meet Strigany again, and that — if they are honest folk and know of her — they will be treated well.
\nAdditionally, any outstanding debts Thulgrim had with the Characters directly — for example, over the matter of the standing stones — he has left as payment near where they were sleeping. He has left no note, but the source of the money is unmistakable.
\n@Actor[u5YaIA4ANwEtsDQn]{Stiegler} is distraught. She stays in her wagon, trying to figure out what to do next.
\nIf the Characters come to collect their reward from her by presenting her with the head of the Basilisk she will honour their earlier arrangement and give them their @Credit[10gc SPLIT]{ten gold crowns}, weeping as she does so. If they do not accuse her of any crime she begins to relax. She tells them that @Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} has stolen the chest of money and that she plans to head back to Ubersreik, contact her family, and try to find new funding for the project while they track down the thieving Dwarf. She is happy to offer the Characters a lift to Ubersreik. She suggests that if they help her recover her stolen goods she would reward them with 10% of whatever they recover.
\nIf the Characters accuse her of arranging Reuter’s murder, she breaks down entirely and provides them with a tearful confession: she knew about the monster and used it as a cover to kill @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Reuter}. Further, she assumed the monster would kill the brigands and the Characters, thus covering up her crime. She simply does not possess the reserves of willpower needed to argue the point, but she does beg them not to turn her over to any authorities. She gives the same sort of excuses offered by the brigands, that Reuter was ruining everything as a result of his incompetence and dishonesty. She states that she is no killer and acted out of character as a result of the pressure she was under and the terrible dreams she was suffering.
\nIf the Characters do show Stiegler clemency she will be truly grateful, and will be an important contact amongst Ubersreik’s mercantile families, as well as offering the same opportunities to travel to Ubersreik and track down Thulgrim.
\nIf Stiegler is taken to the local authorities, they will investigate her crimes, quickly determine her guilt, and execute her as a murderer.
" }, { "id": "L8MNAo5qiQsIdFE6", "name": "Aftermath (If Looks Could Kill)", "description": "The Characters have several potential avenues to pursue, most of which point towards Ubersreik, either via a Strigany cart, Stiegler’s caravan, or a travelling coach from Grausee. They can make their way to the fortress-town and onto their next adventures. The WFRP Starter Set has many ideas for potential next steps, including several adventures and story ideas for every location included.
\nThe Characters may wish to track down Thulgrim and extract their payment from the stolen chest, exact their revenge upon him, or merely discover more about his reasons for running off with someone else’s money and his very un-Dwarf-like behaviour.
\nUnfortunately, Thulgrim is not easy to find. He has slipped away in a Strigany wagon and lies low until it arrives in Ubersreik. Once there, he makes his way to @JournalEntry[wN8KWr7U4ZxGIDok]{Dawihafen}, the city’s Dwarf quarter, where he recuperates and resupplies before heading off into @JournalEntry[o2mz58EtayxnAJNY]{The Grey Mountains} with his ill-gotten gains.
\nIn order to catch him the Characters will have to complete the following tasks.
\nIf the Characters do manage to chase Thulgrim down the Dwarf relents and surrenders, willing to accept his fate.
\n@Actor[pMOHkwemFP6CmILf]{Thulgrim} was once an honourable Dwarf, one of the last descendants of Clan Thagga, a noble clan from Karak Azgaraz. Facing penury, his family entered into business dealings with two merchants from Ubersreik: Reuter and Stiegler. But, they did not deal in good faith, and Stiegler cynically exploited vagaries in Ubersreik’s legal codes to defraud the Thaggas of their remaining gold, thus robbing Thulgrim’s children of their entire inheritance.
\nThulgrim’s eldest son was so ashamed at having lost everything on behalf of his family that he took the Slayer Oath. Thulgrim’s remaining two children called on ancient favours for survival.
\nWhen he found out what had happened, Thulgrim was livid. He desired immediate vengeance for what Reuter and Stiegler had done to him and his family, so when he heard they were embarking upon a new venture using his money to build a watermill, he posed as a lowly engineer and offered his services. From the outset, he intended to take back every penny stolen from him, regardless of what Human law may say was legal.
\nHowever, whilst he bore the merchants a grudge, he never intended for Rutger to die, and that has taken much of the fight out of him. Thulgrim knows he has not acted honourably and he regrets much of what has happened. He does not wish to fight the Characters and will hand the chest over to its lawful owners if they demand it. But, he has already spent most of the money settling debts owed to Dwarfs in Ubersreik, so there are only 15 gold crowns remaining in the chest. Further, Thulgrim firmly believes the money belongs to his family, not to the faithless merchants. He will argue blind that he is in the right, even if he used dishonourable means to reclaim his funds. So, he will attempt to appeal to the Characters to see good sense and to let him go.
\nWhether he is allowed to keep the chest or not, the weight of shame for his dishonourable actions compels Thulgrim to swear the Slayer Oath as soon as his family receives what remains of his money, assuming he is allowed to keep it. If the Characters give up their claim on the paychest, they will earn Thulgrim’s gratitude, and he will swear to come to their aid if they ever need it — assuming he isn’t already dead.
\nThe following experience points should be awarded at the end of each session:
\nIf Looks Could Kill begins in media res with the Characters already contracted to work for @Actor[bzK1Y37Fz1rOXxPl]{Rutger Reuter} aboard the Trandafir. This situation works well for episodic campaigns, or campaigns that are just starting out, but if you wish to include the adventure in an ongoing game, one of the following alternate starts could serve well:
\nThe cast of NPCs in If Looks Could Kill are integral to the plot, but with a few changes they can be tied deeper into the ongoing strife elsewhere in Ubersreik, and in the other adventures throughout this book. Consider some of the following changes.
\nAbenteuer in Übersreik: Die Wahnsinnigen von Gotheim ist ein kurzes Szenario, das entweder als Einzelabenteuer gespielt werden kann oder wenn die Charaktere von einem Ort zum anderen reisen. Das Abenteuer setzt voraus, dass die Charaktere zu Fuß auf der Straße zwischen Übersreik und Auerswald unterwegs sind. Es kann jedoch problemlos an einen beliebigen anderen Ort im Imperium verlegt werden.
\nDer Großteil des Abenteuers beschäftigt sich mit der Erkundung und Untersuchung eines zerstörten Dorfes. Wenn die Charaktere schnell handeln, können sie weitere Katastrophen verhindern und das für das Gemetzel verantwortliche Monster töten.
\nDas Dorf Gotheim liegt in Trümmern. Ein tobender @Actor[cUhwMy0lhavwE9qb]{Grinderlak} hat seine Bewohner getötet, ihre Behausungen zerstört und die Handvoll Überlebende in den Wahnsinn getrieben. Die verbliebenen Menschen verstehen die Ursache ihrer Leiden nicht ganz, sind sich jedoch bewusst, dass etwas nicht stimmt.
\nDie Charaktere erreichen Gotheim nach dieser schrecklichen Katastrophe. Nach einem Angriff durch aggressive Überlebende stellen die Charaktere fest, dass die verbliebenen Dorfbewohner mehreren Gefahren ausgesetzt sind. Die Charaktere können die Ursache des Grauens bestimmen, indem sie alle sinnigen Informationen zusammenfügen, die sie entdecken. Sie können dann weitere Katastrophen abwenden, indem sie die Dorfbewohner von ihren irren Absichten abhalten und mit ihnen zusammenarbeiten, um den Grinderlak aufzuspüren und ihm vielleicht sogar ein für alle Mal den Garaus zu machen.
\nUm dieses Szenario zu spielen, sollten die Charaktere gerade entlang der Straße von Übersreik nach Auerswald reisen. Die Charaktere sollten relativ früh am Tag in Gotheim eintreffen und genug Zeit haben, das Dorf zu untersuchen und noch vor Sonnenuntergang zu klären, was passiert ist.
\nVor dem Spielen wird empfohlen, sich das Szenario mindestens einmal durchzulesen. Wenn du das Gefühl hast, über alles Bescheid zu wissen, was passiert, kannst du beginnen.
" }, { "id": "NA18NYGi53gyoBdH", "name": "Teil 1: Gotheim", "description": "Gotheim ist eine kleine Bauerngemeinde, die sich auf Ziegenhaltung und den Anbau von Weizen spezialisiert hat. Das Dorf fungiert auch als Knoten für nahegelegene Bauernhöfe und hilft diesen, ihre Ernte zu verarbeiten und an weiter entfernte Märkte weiterzuverkaufen.
\nDank seiner Lage an einer wichtigen Handelsroute vermittelt Gotheim das Gefühl einer Stadt und bietet eine Reihe von Dienstleistungen, die in kleineren Dörfern normalerweise nicht zu finden sind. Die einheimischen Bauern bezeichnen Gotheim scherzhaft als „die Stadt“, aber mit seiner Handvoll an Gebäuden ist es eigentlich alles andere als das.
\n@Actor[qvnxJC5LLldW9qcn]{Wilhelm Kreigrisch} ist der Dorfälteste, aber jeder kennt ihn als den „Bürgermeister“. Gotheim verfügt über eine gut ausgestattete Schmiede, einen eigenen Barbier, eine Arztpraxis, eine große Herberge und einen Sigmartempel, der gleichzeitig als Schulhaus dient. Im Norden des Dorfes hält ein grober Steindamm das aufgestaute Wasser eines Waldstroms zurück und versorgt das Dorf mit Trinkwasser und seine Mühlen mit Wasserkraft.
\nAber die Fassade urbaner Raffinesse ist brüchig, denn ländliche Traditionen und Lebensstile beherrschen den Ort weiterhin. Während der Wintermonate ist das Dorf ein ruhender, stiller Ort. Ein kleiner Steinkreis in der Nähe ist dem Alten Glauben gewidmet. An jedem Neuwuchs pilgern die Dorfbewohner dorthin, um an einer Art volkstümlicher Fruchtbarkeitsriten teilzunehmen, die bei besuchenden Stadtbewohnern Misstrauen, Verachtung und Verlegenheit hervorrufen.
\nGotheim wird von einer hohen Holzpalisade und einem großen Torhaus zwischen zwei Trockenmauern geschützt. Normalerweise sind die Tore mit Bogenschützen bemannt, die auf dem Gelände patrouillieren und von den Türmen aus nach Gefahren Ausschau halten. Als die Charaktere eintreffen, ist dies allerdings nicht der Fall.
\nIm Norden des Dorfes gibt es zwei große Scheunen. Eine davon wurde von dem Grinderlak zerstört. Die andere beherbergt eine Herde aus 12 Ziegen.
\nBevor die Charaktere Gotheim erreichen, werden sie von einer Horde tobender Dorfbewohner angegriffen, die durch die Nähe des Grinderlaks in mörderische Raserei versetzt wurden. Sie sind überzeugt, dass alles, was sich ihrem Dorf nähert, eine neue Bedrohung darstellt, die beseitigt werden muss.
\nBevor der Angriff beginnt, können die Charaktere den rasenden Mob hören. Die Dörfler bahnen sich ihren Weg durch die Bäume westlich der Straße und schreien Drohungen, während sie sich nähern. Der Mob bricht in 3 Runden aus den Bäumen hervor, nachdem sie zum ersten Mal zu hören waren. Es gibt so viele Leute in der Horde, wie es Charaktere gibt, plus einen zusätzlichen.
\nDie irren Dorfbewohner greifen mit Werkzeugen und Stöcken an, die sie zuvor erbeutet haben. Sie achten nicht auf ihre eigene Sicherheit und sind entschlossen, jede wahrgenommene Bedrohung des Dorfes zu töten oder bei dem Versuch zu sterben. Sie ignorieren alle Unterredungsversuche und schreien trotzig, während sie angreifen. „Wir sehen euch, Dämonen!“ oder „Wir werden nicht auf eure Lügen hören! Morr wird euch holen!“ oder „Noch mehr Gezücht der Finsternis! Rasch, bringt sie zur Strecke!“
\nDie Charaktere müssen wahrscheinlich kämpfen, um sich zu verteidigen, aber wenn sie einen durchführbaren Plan schmieden können, um die Dörfler festzusetzen oder in die Irre zu führen, ist es recht leicht, sie zu täuschen. Die Dorfbewohner konzentrieren sich nur darauf, der nächsten Bedrohung entgegenzutreten und sie anzugreifen, egal, wie tollkühn das ist. Sie sind katastrophal verrückt. Es wird viele Monate dauern, bis selbst die bestmögliche Rehabilitationsmaßnahme, die eine Einrichtung der Shallya bietet, auch nur hoffen kann, sie zu heilen.
\nSobald sie sich mit dem rasenden Mob befasst haben, können die Charaktere die Überreste des zerstörten Dorfes Gotheim betreten.
\nDie Tatsache, dass das Dorf Gegenstand eines mächtigen Angriffs war, ist offensichtlich. Die Tore sind zerschmettert. Der Turm rechts vom Torhaus ist eine Ruine, und die Palisade ist an vier Stellen durchbrochen. Im Dorf herrschen Chaos und Gemetzel. Hütten wurden auseinandergerissen und liegen in Trümmern. Einige Schwelen drohen, in Flammen auszubrechen, andere brennen bereits.
\nDie Leichen der Getöteten liegen verstreut in den Trümmern. Die meisten Leichen tragen Spuren, als seien sie von einem großen Tier zerrissen worden. Einige wurden jedoch mit Waffen in Stücke gehackt – Opfer ihrer rasenden Nachbarn.
\nInmitten der Verwüstung gibt es viele Spuren, aber die gewaltigen vierzehigen Abdrücke, die die Vorderbeine des Grinderlaks hinterlassen haben, sind zwischen den viel kleineren Fußabdrücken der Dorfbewohner leicht zu erkennen.
\nDer Grinderlak griff einige Stunden vor Tagesanbruch an, als die meisten Dorfbewohner noch schliefen. Er begann seinen rasenden Angriff, indem er um das Torhaus flog, die verwirrten Wachen tötete und den Turm zerstörte. Dann landete er am Brunnen im Zentrum des Dorfes. Von dort aus tobte er wahllos umher, bevor er eine Gruppe unglücklicher Dorfbewohner in der Nähe des Sigmartempels in die Enge trieb. Dort wurden ihm von Gotheims entschlossener Priesterin einige tiefe Wunden zugefügt, die jedoch zunächst nur den Ärger des riesigen Tieres schürten. Der Grinderlak riss der Priesterin den Kopf von den Schultern, aber zu diesem Zeitpunkt war er bereits in einem erbärmlichen Zustand und blutete aus vielen schmerzhaften Wunden. Das Tier erhob sich in die Luft und flog zu einem nahegelegenen Ruheplatz – einer dunklen Höhle, die von den Dorfbewohnern als Kühlhaus genutzt wird.
\nWenn die Charaktere während ihrer Zeit im Dorf vorausschauend handeln, können sie verhindern, dass einige Dorfbewohner sich selbst oder ihre Nachbarn verletzen. Wenn sie jedoch Zeit verschwenden, kommt es in Gotheim zu weiteren Katastrophen.
\nUnd dann ist da natürlich noch der Grinderlak. Er hat sich in eine kühle Höhle im Osten zurückgezogen, um sich zu erholen, und gewinnt durch seine regenerativen Fähigkeiten stetig an Kraft. Zu Beginn des Abenteuers ist der Grinderlak auf 15 Lebenspunkte reduziert und leidet unter einem gebrochenen Kiefer (2 Erschöpft-Zustände), einem zerstörten Auge (3 Geblendet-, 2 Blutend- und 1 Erschöpft-Zustand), einer gebrochenen Nase (2 Blutend-Zustände) und angebrochenen Rippen (Abzug von -10 auf Gewandtheits-Würfe). Mit verstreichender Spielzeit erholt sich der Grinderlak.
\n\n\nFoundry Note:Der Grinderlak fängt im schlechtesten Zustand an. Passe die kreatur an, während die Zeit verstreicht, um seine Heilung zu berücksichtigen.
\n
| Verstrichene Spielzeit | \nEreignisse im Dorf | \nLP des Grinderlaks | \n
| 15 Minuten | \n\n | 18 | \n
| 30 Minuten | \nWilhelm, der Bürgermeister, stirbt bei einem gefährlichen Kunststück. | \n25. Der Grinderlak heilt seinen gebrochenen Kiefer (-2 Erschöpft) | \n
| 45 Minuten | \n\n | 31. | \n
| 1 Std. | \nIn der Schmiede bricht ein Feuer aus und die Männer dort kommen alle im Brand um. | \n39. Der Grinderlak heilt seine angebrochenen Rippen (Entferne den Gebrochene Rippen-Gegenstand) | \n
| 1 Std. 15 Minuten | \n\n | 44 | \n
| 1 Std. 30 Minuten | \nMartha, die Barbierin, führt die verbliebenen Dorfkinder in den Wald, und sie alle werden nie wieder gesehen. Wenn die Schmiede gerettet wurde, vollendet Hugo seine Rüstung. | \n49. Der Grinderlak heilt seine gebrochene Nase (-2 Blutend) | \n
| 1 Std. 45 Minuten | \nDen Dorfbewohnern am See gelingt es, den Deich zu durchbrechen. Die Flut zerstört einen Großteil der Überreste im Dorf. | \n60. Der Grinderlak heilt sein zerstörtes Auge (-3 Geblendet, -2 Blutend, -1 Erschöpft) | \n
| 2 Std.s | \n\n | 68 | \n
\n
In den folgenden Begegnungen treffen die Charaktere auf eine Reihe von Dorfbewohnern, die ein absurdes Verhalten an den Tag legen. Diejenigen, die dem Grinderlak direkt gegenüberstanden, verloren auf katastrophale Weise ihren Verstand. Allerdings erlitten auch die Dorfbewohner, die sich vor der Kreatur versteckten oder sie nur von Weitem sahen, geistige Störungen, wenn auch in geringerem Maße, und mit ein wenig Ausdauer und Geduld ist es möglich, sie wieder zur Raison zu bringen. Es gibt verschiedene Ansätze, den Dorfbewohnern wieder Vernunft beizubringen.
\nEinige können beruhigt, eingeschüchtert oder von ihrem Verhalten abgebracht werden, während andere unter einem negativen Einfluss stehen, der möglicherweise beseitigt werden kann. Hinweise, wie man einen NSC wieder zur Vernunft bringen kann, sind in den jeweiligen Beschreibungen zu finden.
\nWenn die Charaktere zu einem Handgemenge mit den Dorfbewohnern gezwungen werden, haben die Gotheimer Standardprofile (siehe Wahnsinnige Dorfbewohner auf Seite 34) mit Ausnahme von @Actor[0IVKR2KScQN21tKD]{Hugo} dem Schmied und @Actor[gwnZFv2bUUyE7nMm]{Gerd} dem Metzger, die beide KG 40, ST 40 sowie WI 40 und 15 Lebenspunkte besitzen.
\nHartnäckige Charaktere können möglicherweise mit denen interagieren, die den verstörenden Grinderlak selbst gesehen haben. So viel Klarheit sie bei diesen möglicherweise auch wiederherstellen können, die am schlimmsten Betroffenen bleiben permanent gestört und werden sich niemals vollständig von dem mentalen Trauma erholen. Die meisten Augenzeugen eines Grinderlaks sind mit allgegenwärtiger Angst geschlagen und zwischen verzweifelter Selbsterhaltung oder Bekämpfung von Selbstmordimpulsen hin- und hergerissen, aber vielen geht es noch viel schlimmer.
" }, { "id": "F7rDW40aD5vBuHUd", "name": "Teil 2: Ankunft in Gotheim", "description": "Wenn die Charaktere das Dorf betreten, umschreibe oder lies Folgendes vor:
\nDurch die zerschmetterten Tore hindurch blickt ihr auf eine schockierende Szenerie der Verwüstung. Das Dorf wurde Schauplatz eines plötzlichen und gewalttätigen Angriffs. Viele der kleinen Hütten, die hier standen, wurden auseinandergerissen und sind nun kaum mehr als Haufen aus Holz und Schilf. Aus einigen dieser Stapel schlagen Flammen. Die Palisade, die das Dorf umgibt, wurde stellenweise eingerissen, die schweren Pfähle abgeknickt wie Streichhölzer. Die Leichen liegen verstreut wie Weizenspreu nach der Ernte, und schwere Abdrücke riesiger Füße mit vier Zehen verlaufen in einem gewundenen Pfad durch das Gemetzel. Zu eurer Linken steht noch eine große unbeschädigte Herberge. Aus ihrem Innern ertönen rufende Stimmen. Zu eurer Rechten steigt Rauch aus dem Inneren einer kleinen Dorfschmiede auf, und die hohe Messingkuppel eines Sigmartempels beherrscht stolz die Silhouette des Dorfes vor euch.
\nDie meisten Gebäude in Gotheim sind ärmliche Bauernhäuser, die nur aus einem oder zwei Räumen bestehen. Die Hütten haben solide Wände, die in unterschiedlichen Anteilen aus Trockenmauern, Holzbrettern und Lehmfachwerk gebaut wurden. Sie sind mit steil abfallenden Dächern aus dickem Schilfrohr gedeckt. Viele dieser Behausungen wurden vom Grinderlak auseinandergerissen. Darüber hinaus haben einige der zerstörten Hütten Feuer gefangen. Die brennenden Hütten könnten den Charakteren Sorgen bereiten und tragen sicherlich zur höllischen Atmosphäre der Szenerie bei, aber wenn sich niemand um sie kümmert, werden sie irgendwann in sich zusammenstürzen.
\nNeben einem der intakten Häuser nördlich des Dorfes steht noch eine große Kupferdestille. Dies ist die Residenz von @Actor[EHUQQ7T9MyHn8Q9g]{Emil}, dem Brauer des Dorfes. Er hat den Angriff überlebt und befindet sich in der Schmiede.
\n\n
@JournalEntry[zcvrzl2POChtPq84]{The Red Queen Coaching Inn}
\n@JournalEntry[mQloFKtz9L5mvoFs]{The Forge}
\n@JournalEntry[9nA7r8QIn790e6N0]{The Barbershop and Surgery}
\n@JournalEntry[jCuDdD6Q373wTSnh]{The Temple of Sigmar}
\n@JournalEntry[Yet84oELiLUBALUY]{The Brook, The Lake, and the Levee}
\n\n
Während die Schauplätze im Dorf einem relativ logischen Pfad folgen und wahrscheinlich wie beschrieben aufgesucht werden, kann es auch sein, dass einige Spieler manchmal unerwartete Wege gehen.
\nIm Folgenden findest du Ratschläge zu den wahrscheinlichsten Problemen, die auftreten können, sollten sich deine Charaktere dazu entschließen, das Abenteuer auf andere Weise anzugehen.
\n@Actor[gwnZFv2bUUyE7nMm]{Gerd}, der Metzger, und @Actor[TxZJrlJCbEwBKH1f]{Maria}, die Bäckerin, weisen den Weg zum Steinkreis, wo die Charaktere Spuren zum Unterschlupf des Grinderlaks finden können. Wenn die Charaktere direkt in Richtung See gehen, besteht die Gefahr, dass der Grinderlak angetroffen wird, bevor die Charaktere mit anderen Personen interagieren können.
\nDies muss kein Problem sein. Der Kampf gegen den Grinderlak in geschwächtem Zustand ist eine Belohnung für proaktive Spieler. Du solltest also darauf achten, sie nicht dafür zu bestrafen, wenn sie schnelle Fortschritte machen.
\nWenn sich die Charaktere jedoch entschließen, zum See zu gehen, bevor sie den Rest von Gotheim untersucht haben, ist es möglicherweise besser, Gerd vergessen zu lassen, wo er den Grinderlak hat landen sehen. Er erwähnt jedoch, dass er von einem anderen Dorfbewohner weiß, der es gesehen hat. Die Gruppe kann dann losziehen, um einen anderen NSC deiner Wahl zu finden, der ihnen den Hinweis auf den Steinkreis und den Grinderlak gibt.
\nWenn die Charaktere eine unpassende oder vom Pech verfolgte Ermittlung durchführen, könnten sie beschließen, Gotheim zu verlassen, ohne dem Grinderlak zu begegnen. In einer solchen Situation gibt es verschiedene Möglichkeiten, die du ergreifen kannst.
\nDer Kopf der Priesterin
\nDer fehlende Kopf der Priesterin kann von jedem Charakter gefunden werden, der nach zusätzlichen Hinweisen sucht, was in Gotheim passiert ist. Er fiel in einiger Entfernung vom Dorftempel innerhalb der östlichen Palisade zu Boden. Charaktere können davon ableiten, dass der Grinderlak in östliche Richtung geflogen ist..
\nBrüllende Bestie
\nIn den letzten Augenblicken seiner Regeneration stößt der Grinderlak ein gewaltiges, kicherndes Gebrüll der Erleichterung aus. Der Laut hallt von der allgemeinen Richtung der Höhle östlich des Dorfes her. Die Bestie hat ihren Standort verraten. Sie ist allerdings auch vollständig geheilt
\nMarthas Kreuzzug
\nWenn die Charaktere den Tempel bis zum Ende ihrer Zeit im Dorf nicht aufsuchen, kann @Actor[1RanaClS0zCYhcHY]{Martha} sie zum Grinderlak führen. In diesem Fall macht sie sich nicht auf den Weg nach Norden, sondern führt die ahnungslosen Kinder direkt zum Kühlhaus.
\nDie Charaktere können sehr wohl, vielleicht sogar berechtigterweise, entscheiden, dass es ein wenig zu viel für sie sein könnte, sich einem riesigen Grinderlak zu stellen. In diesem Fall können sie das Dorf verlassen, um Hilfe zu suchen. Sich die Hilfe einer nahegelegenen Stadt, wie etwa Übersreik, zu sichern, kann bereits für sich weitere Abenteuer einleiten. Die Straßen des Imperiums sind schließlich gefährlich, und den Dörfern und Städten geht es kaum besser.
\nWenn du es der Gruppe jedoch leicht machen möchtest, kannst du den Spielern sagen, dass es in der Gegend einige Staatstruppen oder freie Söldnerkompanien gibt, die Gerüchten von wandernden Monstern nachgehen könnten. Vorausgesetzt, dass die Charaktere ihre Kommandeure überzeugen, können sie gemeinsam nach Gotheim zurückkehren, um den Grinderlak zu erschlagen.
\nNatürlich führen solche Aktionen unweigerlich zur Zerstörung des Dorfes. Der wiederhergestellte Grinderlak macht kurzen Prozess mit den Überlebenden seines ersten Angriffs, oder die wahnsinnigen Dorfbewohner stürzen sich selbst ins Verderben. Wenn sich die Charaktere also dazu entschließen, Hilfe zu suchen und an der Spitze einer Militäreinheit nach Gotheim zurückzukehren, sollte der Preis für ihre Vorsicht die völlige Zerstörung Gotheims sein.
\n| Stachelrüstung | \nEin Charakter kann Hugos Stachelrüstung tragen, wodurch sich der Grinderlak mit Zungenangriffen selbst verletzt. | \n
| Falle | \nSchwere oder brennende Gegenstände könnten von den Ästen der Bäume in der Nähe auf den Grinderlak fallen gelassenwerden, vorausgesetzt er wurde vorher in Position gelockt. | \n
| Köder | \nDer Grinderlak ist kein sonderlich einfallsreiches Tier und würde sich wahrscheinlich Menschen oder Ziegen nähern, ohne Rücksicht auf Fallen oder weniger offensichtliche Ziele. | \n
| Drogen | \nDer Barbiersalon und der Medizinschrank der Praxis könnten genutzt werden, um den Grinderlak zu töten. Martha könnte dabei helfen, wenn niemand sonst die relevanten Berufsfertigkeiten kennt. | \n
Die Rote Königin ist eine große zweistöckige Poststation mit Herberge neben einem Stall. Es ist ein beeindruckendes Fachwerkhaus, das mit humoristischen Fresken verziert ist, die betrunkene Fabelwesen darstellen. Das Schild des Gasthauses zeigt eine phantasievolle Darstellung von Imperatorin Beatrice mit Hammer und Zepter
\nEs erhebt sich neben einem breiten Hof, der mit unregelmäßigen Steinplatten gepflastert ist. In der Mitte des Hofes steht ein großer runder Brunnen. Das Erdgeschoss wird von einem geräumigen Schankraum, einer kleinen Küche und engen Schlafkammern für das Personal eingenommen. Im Obergeschoss befinden sich fünf bescheidene Doppelzimmer und ein Gemeinschaftsraum mit einem Dutzend Strohmatratzen auf dem Boden. Die Theke ist mit reichlich billigem Bier und Wein sowie ein paar Krügen mit @Actor[EHUQQ7T9MyHn8Q9g]{Emils} übelriechendem Schnaps ausgestattet.
\nAls die Charaktere das Gasthaus betreten, werden sie sofort auf rufende Stimmen aus dem Obergeschoss aufmerksam. Ein älterer Mann schreit: „Nimm deine Hände von mir! Lass mich los! Es ist der einzige Ausweg! Der einzige Ausweg!“ Eine Frau fleht: „Nein, Wilhelm! Bitte! Tu es nicht!“ Wenn die Charaktere der Sache nachgehen, finden sie @Actor[qvnxJC5LLldW9qcn]{Wilhelm} und @Actor[9057FYwh2Ou8q6qL]{Klara} in einem Korridor im Obergeschoss neben einem offenen Fenster mit Blick auf das schräge Dach des darunterliegenden Stalls. Wilhelm steht auf einem Barhocker und will sich aus dem Fenster stürzen, aber Klara hält ihn zurück und umklammert seinen Arm.
\nIf Wilhelm the burgomeister is prevented from jumping from the window, Klara slumps to the shattered floor, confused. If engaged in conversation, she speaks slowly, her eyes blinking repeatedly as she rubs at her suddenly throbbing temples.
\nShe does not recall much of the attack, but she knows she was terrified. If asked, she will claim it was dark when she heard a great crash outside. She went to the window to see what it was and saw a large winged creature of some kind land by the well before it lumbered about the village, screaming horrifically. Then everything became confused. She remembers nothing more.
\nWenn Wilhelm, der Bürgermeister, nicht daran gehindert wird, aus dem Fenster zu springen, sinkt Klara verwirrt zu Boden. Wenn sie angesprochen wird, wird Klara von einer Trauer überwältigt, die so tief geht, dass sie zusammenbricht, um Atem ringt und unkontrolliert schluchzt. Wenn sie für längere Zeit sich selbst überlassen bleibt, tut sie es Wilhelm gleich und stürzt sich aus dem obersten Stockwerk des Gasthauses, während Tränen über ihr entsetztes Gesicht fließen.
\nDie Charaktere können es Wilhelm ausreden, wenn sie höflich und geduldig mit ihm umgehen, aber dies erfordert einen erfolgreichen schwierigen (–10) Charisma-Wurf.
\nSollte es ihnen gelingen, bricht Wilhelm entsetzt zusammen, bestürzt über das, was er beinahe getan hätte. Er beginnt, heftig zu zittern und weigert sich zunächst, mit irgendjemandem zu sprechen. Der Tremor vergeht nach etwa einem Tag, aber seine Hände und Augen zucken weiterhin unablässig, was sich zu richtigen Spasmen steigert, wann immer Morrslieb, der Chaosmond, voll am Himmel steht, und er entwickelt ein beträchtliches Stottern.
\nEs überrascht nicht, dass Wilhelm für einige Zeit sehr fahrig ist. Spricht man ihn an, schaut er sich über die Schulter nach Dingen um, die nicht da sind, und er kann nicht aufhören, zu zittern. Wenn man versucht mehr aus ihm herauszubekommen, erinnert er sich kaum an den Angriff, abgesehen von einem lauten Krachen von außerhalb seiner Hütte und einem überwältigenden Gefühl des Schreckens.
" }, { "id": "mQloFKtz9L5mvoFs", "name": "The Forge (Mad Men)", "description": "The forge is to the right of the town gates. The forge is made to the same general plan as the cottages, but is larger and squatter. To the side of the building, the wide bulge of the furnace tapers upward to a tall flue. The forge roof is tiled in slate. A pile of chopped logs is stacked at the building’s rear. Sounds of hammering and raised voices echo from within.
\nFour surviving villagers are inside. They were asleep when the village was attacked, and only saw the terrifying monster from a distance in the gloom of the night. They are somewhat lucid and aware of their situation. However, they are crazed enough to think that they are able to take the monster on if only they could decide what it was that attacked them and how best to kill it.
\nHugo is the nominal leader of the group — it is his forge after all. He is a huge, muscular, belligerent man from far-off Altdorf, and working the anvil has cursed him with painful joints. Hugo is verbose and amuses himself by setting the world to rights when others have nothing to say.
\nHugo briefly caught a glance of the beast before he panicked and hid from it. He believes the creature that attacked the village was a massive toad that lives in the lake to the north of the village. He thinks it attacks people with a long sticky tongue. His plan is to produce a spiky suit of armour in the hope the beast will injure itself as it attacks. He is busy strapping and riveting a variety of sharp objects to an ancient suit of armour.
\nPotentially this is a good plan, as the Grinderlak does use its tongue to attack people.
\nHowever, Hugo has become heedless of the normal safety measures he takes in his forge. He constantly adds fuel to an already raging fire even though he isn’t making use of the furnace. He barks at his companions to fetch more wood and to pump the bellows.
\nHugo only responds to flattery concerning his obvious capability.
\nIf a Character points out the potential usefulness of his skills and passes a Very Hard (−30) Charm Test, Hugo will quickly realise the danger posed by his flaming furnace, and will immediately set about controlling the fire, calling to others for help.
\nEmil is middle-aged, fat, short, gruff, heavily bearded, and possessed of a nose that looks like a bulbous ripe strawberry. Emil is not much of a brewer, but he has assembled a still near his shack from which he irregularly produces batches of cloudy, rough schnapps. Like @Actor[0IVKR2KScQN21tKD]{Hugo}, Emil only caught a brief glimpse of the monster before he panicked and hid. Emil argues with Hugo that the monster was a not a toad because it definitely had horns. He also points out that during the attack the monster left Emil’s still untouched, so he thinks it must find schnapps poisonous. He says Hugo should coat his armour in schnapps so that the monster poisons itself when it uses its tongue. This is a silly idea in and of itself. Schnapps will have no particular effect. But there are substances in the village that could be employed in a similar way (see the Barbershop and Surgery below). As Hugo is largely ignoring Emil’s advice, he sits in a corner of the smithy sulking.
\nThe only way to make Emil respond is to bully him into place.
\nIf a Character tells him to pull himself together and passes a Difficult (−10) Intimidate Test, he quickly becomes lucid. But, moments later, he will begin to moan about his aching head. Then moan about the devastation. Then moan about anything the Characters encounter from that point onwards. He won’t leave the Characters’ side for fear the beast should return again.
\nKai is an energetic young man in his 20s, tall, dark, handsome, and eager to please. He is simple and holds few strong opinions. Kai’s inclination is to back up whatever @Actor[0IVKR2KScQN21tKD]{Hugo} says. He desperately gathers wood from the pile outside and feeds it into the furnace.
\nKai was asleep when the Grinderlak attacked Gotheim, and all he saw of it was a shape rising into the air near the village’s Temple of Sigmar. Perhaps as a consequence of his limited intellect, or maybe because he was never in the vicinity of the creature, Kai appears to be largely unaffected.
\nHe looks sceptical at the notion that the monster is a great toad. If a Character should seek his opinion on the matter he says, ‘I suppose it does look like a toad, sir, in many ways, but I’m sure it had wings. Toads don’t usually have wings do they?’
\nKai follows any common sense advice the Characters should offer.
\nHe remembers precious little about the morning attack beyond the beating wings.
\nBruno is a cheerful man with a gung-ho attitude. When young, he spent some time with a mercenary company and he has had more experience of the wider world than most. He is handsome with close cropped fair hair.
\nBruno suffers from involuntary tics and occasionally blurts out motivational phrases and snatches of songs. This is a nervous condition he had prior to the attack, though it has become worse since.
\nBruno’s memory of the beast is confused. He recalls peering through the dark and seeing a gaping wound on its flank knit together and heal before his eyes. As a result, he is now convinced it was a Troll.
\nBruno came to the forge because he knows about the vulnerability Trolls have to fire. He thinks that if @Actor[0IVKR2KScQN21tKD]{Hugo} would help him they could work together to heat up the anvil to an extreme temperature and drop it on a troll. Hugo rightly considers the logistics of such an operation to be impractical, so has dismissed the idea.
\nSo, Bruno simply helps with the fire as he blurts encouragement to any close by and sings nonsense songs. He says things like ‘This is the life, lads!’, ‘We’re on fire here!’, or ‘The end’s in sight!’ no matter how pertinent such expressions are to the situation. The lyrics to Sigmar’s Silver Hammer are also stuck in his head. ‘Whap! Crack! Sigmar’s Silver Hammer came down atop his skull. Slap! Rap! Sigmar’s Silver Hammer his brains did annul!’
\nFor all Bruno’s plan is clearly ill-conceived, its inspiration is not without some merit as Grinderlaks do regenerate and fire does impair this ability.
\nAny friendly face is likely to win Bruno’s trust.
\nIf a Character passes an Easy (+40) Charm Test whilst trying to win him over, Bruno falls in behind, and won’t stop offering supportive remarks between singing his nonsense rhymes.
\nIn order to prevent the situation in the forge deteriorating, the Characters have to talk sense into at least two of the men present. If this is achieved, the forge will not burn down.
\nProvided he is given enough support, @Actor[0IVKR2KScQN21tKD]{Hugo} will complete the job of attaching a number of spikes to the suit of armour at the 1 hour 30 minute mark. Hugo plans to wear the suit himself, but he could be convinced to make a gift of it to any PC who impresses him as a warrior. A Human or Elf around six feet in height could feasibly wear the armour, but it’s the wrong size for anyone else.
\nThe spiky armour counts as full plate armour (or heavy armour, if using the Quick Armour optional rules). Every time the Grinderlak successfully uses its Tongue Attack against a Character in the armour, it suffers a Weapon+9 hit using its own SL to hit to determine Damage. Further, any Character wearing the armous ignores any @Condition[Entangled] Conditions the Grinderlak inflicts with its tongue.
\nHowever, the suit is hastily constructed, brittle, and difficult to maintain. If the armour ever suffers Damage, enough of the spikes break off to render them ineffective. Given that the armour is rather ancient, ugly, and now reminiscent of the spiked suits of armour worn by some servants of Chaos, a Character who wears it outside the context of monster slaying is likely to become an object of ridicule, fear, or a witch hunt. Further, @Actor[0IVKR2KScQN21tKD]{Hugo} will want it back.
\n" }, { "id": "9nA7r8QIn790e6N0", "name": "The Barbershop and Surgery (Mad Men)", "description": "
@Actor[1RanaClS0zCYhcHY]{Martha Scheren}’s barbershop and surgery can be found near the centre of the devastated village. It is a large cottage constructed from strong timbers. To its side is a small lean-to structure, just large enough to accommodate two chairs and a small desk. A red and white sign depicting a pulled molar hangs above the door to this small room and creaks in the wind.
\nWhen she was working, Martha would meet villagers here in order to treat their ailments or cut their hair. There is a small cabinet in the room containing tools for surgery, dentistry, and hair cutting, and a shelf packed with bottles and jars.
\nThe following drugs and medicines can be found in the surgery.
\nDrugs and Medicine
\nHerbs
\nMartha is not in the building. She is taking care of a number of village children in the temple.
\nCharacters can raid Martha’s medicine cabinet.
\nIn order to be sure what the drugs and medicine do, they will have to pass Easy (+40) Lore (Medicine) Tests; otherwise, they will have to guess.
\nTo know what the herbs are, and what uses they may have, Characters must pass an Easy (+40) Lore (Herbs) or Average (+20) Lore (Plants) Test.
\nThe Moonflower must be burned within a short distance of the Grinderlak’s nose in order to have any chance of an effect.
\nMandrake Root and Nightshade could conceivably be made into pastes that could be smeared over a Character’s clothing or armour, though this will take an Average (+20) Trade (Poisoner) Test.
\nIf the Grinderlak uses a tongue attack against such a Character, it ingests a dose of the drug.
" }, { "id": "jCuDdD6Q373wTSnh", "name": "The Temple of Sigmar (Mad Men)", "description": "Gotheim's sizeable Temple of Sigmar is a looming, stone building topped with an impressive brass dome — now a distinct, green verdigris, which can be spotted from several miles away on a sunny day. Stained-glass windows along the sides depict eight different scenes from the life of Sigmar. They are crudely made, but colourful, and draw pilgrims and sightseers from miles around.
\nA determined struggle clearly took place outside the temple. Broken bodies are scattered between enormous footprints, and weapons lie abandoned to all sides. The village priestess’s headless corpse lies near the centre, her hand still gripping tight to a warhammer. Her head, and one of her boots, is nowhere to be seen. Puddles of stinking, deep-purple fluid, viscous and acrid, pool between the corpses and in the over-sized footprints. The same purple fluid coats the abandoned weapons and is splashed on the temple’s external walls. Half a body hangs from the temple roof, its face a mask of frozen terror.
\nThe purple fluid is Grinderlak blood. An appropriate Lore Test - Such as Lore (Poisoner) or Lore (Monsters) - determines the foul stuff has value in the creation of certain poisons. A vial has a base selling price of 10 shillings to apothecaries interested in such. However, the blood is a particularly noxious and somewhat tainted substance. Prolonged contact with Grinderlak blood (a minute or more) counts as a @Corruption[minor]{Minor Exposure to Corruption} unless careful precautions are taken.
\nAs the Characters draw close, they can hear the laughter of children echoing from within the cold darkness of the temple.
\nStanding in contrast to most of the village, the temple’s interior is untouched. A walkway stretching the length of the nave is decorated with a shimmering mosaic depicting Sigmar’s Hammer. At the far end of the temple lies a raised dais upon which stands a grey oak lectern. Behind that there is a large, empty throne, left vacant for the prophesied return of the God-King to hold back the End Times.
\nThree children are playing inside. Their noisy game involves racing at top speed in a circle round and round the dais, arms waving as they go. Despite the seeming aimlessness of their passage, they are clearly enjoying themselves and laughing excitedly.
\n@Actor[1RanaClS0zCYhcHY]{Martha Scheren} stands behind the lectern, scribbling notes in the margins of an illustrated history of the early emperors.
\nPerle is a girl of seven with long dark hair in plaits and a face like a gibbous moon. Schneck is a snot-nosed boy of five with a scruffy thatch of red hair. Kal is a boy of twelve with pale anaemic skin and lank blond locks. The three children are full of mischief and completely uncaring of the carnage outside.
\nThe children did not witness the Grinderlak attack, but they are happy to pretend otherwise if the Characters talk to them. They have various wild ideas about the nature of the beast, and compete with one another to tell the most interesting story.
\nThe boys are in agreement that the monster was a gigantic fire-breathing Turtle. Perle disagrees and claims that it was a flying mutant Beaver. If they are asked about the attack they excitedly regale the Characters with lurid and gruesome details of their own invention.
\n‘Oh, stranger, it was awesome! The turtle came and snapped up Frau Kenner and bit her into 17 bits! Then it breathed fire over nasty Fritz Bauer, and burned him all up. Ooh, he deserved it so he did. He was always braying at us for running through his fields of wheat. That’s not very naughty is it?’
\nIf not asked questions, they continue to play, occasionally casting snarky taunts in the Characters’ direction.
\nIf Martha is removed as a bad influence, the children will listen quickly to reason.
\nUntil this happens, the children play, scream, and throw insults.
\nMartha is an elderly lady with a kindly face and long tresses of grey hair. Originally from Carroburg, she has travelled widely practising medicine throughout the Reikland before settling in Gotheim. She carries a bow and a quiver full of arrows.
\nMartha is profoundly disturbed having witnessed the Grinderlak attack. She has become enraged and inspired to contemplate a suicidal attempt to slay the creature. Martha’s plan is to use the children as bait to draw the Grinderlak from its lair, which she believes to be a craggy hill deep in the woods to the north of the village. If the book is wrestled from her, the pages will reveal that it is full of scrawled prayers interspersed with diagrams showing small figures running about in circles, a large monster appearing, and then a stick figure jumping up and killing it with a last-minute arrow.
\nOf course Martha’s plan is insane, but coaxing the Grinderlak with bait might well work, and there are some tasty goats in the barn to the north. Unfortunately, Martha is very attached to her plan. If the Characters attempt to Charm her she will pretend to listen to reason, and go along with anything suggested until her opportunity to throw the children at the beast presents itself.
\nMartha can only be influenced with threats, and even that is difficult.
\nA successful Very Hard (−30) Intimidate Test so frightens her from her suicidal plans that she instead curls into a ball of catatonic terror. From then onwards, and for the rest of her life, she runs in fear whenever the intimidating Character draws close.
\n\n" }, { "id": "Yet84oELiLUBALUY", "name": "The Brook, The Lake, and the Levee (Mad Men)", "description": "POSSIBLE RED HERRING
\nIt may be that the characters decide to investigate the hill in the woods after talking to Martha. This would be a lengthy journey with no point. However, the path Martha plans to take runs by the lake to the north. If the Characters take this route, they encounter Gerd Fleisher the butcher and Maria Bäcker the baker, who can put them on the right track.
\n
A small, fast-flowing brook called the Mühlbach lies to the east of Gotheim. Two old flour mills are situated next to the stream, their large waterwheels turning constantly in the current.
\nThe source of the brook is a large lake that lies on higher ground further to the north. The lake is banked up with a pile of stone and earth which directs the flow of the brook and protects the village from flooding.
\n@Actor[gwnZFv2bUUyE7nMm]{Gerd Fleisher} and @Actor[TxZJrlJCbEwBKH1f]{Maria Bäcker} have made their way to the levee and are attempting to tear it down with picks and shovels. They have convinced themselves that the water will pour from the lake and flood the stone circle to the south. Should they succeed, they will instead flood the village.
\n\n\nTHE Grinderlak
\nAn excerpt, by Karl Hlodwig, 1855 IC
\n\n
Beware the Grinderlak, my king!
\nThe tongue that flies, the wings that beat!
\nBeware fell claws, its toady cling
\nTo forests dark with limbs so fleet!
\n\n
Lo, Sigmar gripped Hammer gold;
\nAnd to the Reikwald foe he sought —
\nBy Morr’s garden, ’gainst stone so old,
\nGod-King drifted o’er all he’d wrought.
\n\n
And, as Bless’d man weigh’d up fate,
\nThe Grinderlak, tusk’d maw of snag,
\nDid roll and lop in broken gait,
\nIts moans a strain of wicked scrag!
\n\n
Lo, Sigmar swung Warhammer true,
\nYet, one, and two, and three, he missed!
\nMind aghast as misdoubt broke to
\nA soul so strong, yet now a-twist!
\n
Gerd is a large heavy-set man with a broken nose and a truculent attitude. He is missing most of his left ear and is a little deaf, though is far too proud to admit it. Assuming no one mentions his partial deafness, he is friendly and somewhat sensitive. However, he is a terror to those who rouse his ire, and never backs down.
\nIf he is asked why he wants to cause a flood, Gerd tearfully admits that he shamefully fled when the monster attacked the village. As he hid, he thinks he saw the attacking creature stalk through the darkness before taking off from the Temple of Sigmar. He thinks it flew out the village and then landed again at the stone circle.
\nSo, he reasons, he has to flood the circle, and quickly, before the monster flees! He is adamant the monster is still in the circle, and cannot be persuaded otherwise, even should he be led to it.
\nUnfortunately, Gerd is too far gone to ever see reason again.
\nThe Characters must physically prevent him from carrying out his plan. No matter what should happen in the future, Gerd does everything in his power to return to the dam and tear it down. Should he suffer repeated failures, he learns to be patient and cunning.
\nMaria is a short elderly lady with a shock of curly red hair turning silver. Her easy smile reveals jostling snaggle teeth. She and @Actor[gwnZFv2bUUyE7nMm]{Gerd} are old friends, and she is supportive of his plans, believing everything Gerd says without question. Maria did not witness the Grinderlak herself, but she is an elderly and easily confused person at the best of times, and the close proximity of the Grinderlak has driven her close to the edge.
\nThe only way to get through to Maria and make her see sense is to remove Gerd from her earshot.
\nIf this is not done, she will do everything in her power to tear down the dam. Without any other outside interference, this need to follow Gerd will dissipate in a week. Reuniting Maria with her nephew and colleague, Bruno from the forge, will also help to calm her down.
\nIf the levee is destroyed, water floods straight down the hillside and into Gotheim, causing all manner of additional disaster, ruining acres of wheat crop, drowning goats, and destroying many of the dwellings still intact.
\nShould this occur, anyone still alive in the village will drown if they can’t reach higher ground.
\nAfter meeting Gerd and Maria, the Characters have all the information they need to find the Grinderlak. The monster did land there, then slunk off to lick its wounds in the nearby cave. It lies there still, growing hungrier by the minute.
" }, { "id": "f8TGaVQq10DFekGl", "name": "Teil 3: Zum Versteck des Grinderlaks", "description": "Ein Stück östlich von Gotheim befindet sich ein kleiner Kreis aus kurzen roten Ogham-Steinen. Dieser Ort ist dem Alten Glauben heilig, und hier werden jedes Frühjahr Fruchtbarkeitsriten abgehalten.
\nDer Grinderlak landete hier, nachdem er aus dem Dorf geflohen war. Seine schweren, schlurfenden Spuren führen über einen schmalen, schlammigen Waldweg zwischen die Bäume. Spritzer des abscheulichen violetten Blutes der Kreatur finden sich hier überall.
\nDas Kühlhaus ist eine Höhle im Wald unweit des Kreises aus roten Ogham-Steinen. Im Winter sammeln die Dorfbewohner Eis von der Oberfläche des Sees und stapeln es tief im hinteren Teil der Höhle. In den wärmeren Monaten bringen sie Milch, Käse und Fleisch hierher, um es kühl zu halten.
\nDer verwundete Grinderlak kroch in die kühle Höhle, um sich auszuruhen und zu regenerieren. Die Spuren des Tieres führen direkt in die breite Höhlenöffnung. Jeder, der sich der Höhle nähert, kann die seltsamen, blubbernden Laute der Kreatur hören, während sie sich ausruht. Sie wird jeden angreifen, der die Höhle betritt oder der in der Nähe der Höhlenmündung laute Geräusche verursacht. Lies den Spielern Folgendes vor oder umschreibe es, wenn der Grinderlak erscheint.
\nDas schreckliche Monster wird euch enthüllt. Es ist eine abscheuliche Bestie, deren Aussehen an einen gedrungenen und weichlichen Drachen erinnert. Die bläulich-grüne Haut hängt in schlaffen Falten herab, und ein Paar schmuddelige, zu kurz geratene Flügel flattern auf dem Rücken, der von Stacheln und dunklen Haaren bedeckt ist. Es robbt auf einer Reihe von Gliedmaßen vorwärts, von denen vier an seinem hinteren Teil fast verkümmert wirken, wie die eines gewaltigen, aber verdorrten Insekts. Die beiden Vorderbeine sind kräftig, muskulös und enden in greifenden Klauen. Seinen riesigen, schuppigen Kopf zieren gekrümmte Hörner, beißende, spitze Zähne und hervorstehende Amphibienaugen.
\nDas Monstrum brüllt und stürzt auf euch zu.
\n@Actor[cUhwMy0lhavwE9qb]{The Monster}
\nDer Grinderlak vereint die abstoßendsten Aspekte von Kröte, Drache und Insekt und ist eine der schrecklichsten Kreaturen des Chaos, die die wilden Orte der Alten Welt heimsuchen. Er ist nicht nur ein fürchterlicher Gegner, sondern diejenigen in seiner Nähe werden auch von einem ansteckenden Irrsinn betroffen, der leicht den Verstand brechen kann.
" }, { "id": "RmCmJku5EPIIJYgC", "name": "Aftermath (Mad Men)", "description": "After the horrors of the Grinderlak attack, the survival of the village of Gotheim is in the balance. In order for the village to have any chance of recovery the Characters must ensure the following factors are achieved.
\nIf these criteria are not met, then the village is doomed to fall to ruin. The few wretched survivors will struggle to find lives elsewhere and the site of Gotheim becomes known as a cursed, forsaken place.
\nIf these criteria are met then there is still hope for the village. Over the coming hours and days more survivors of the Grinderlak’s attack emerge from their hiding places. They work together to restore what they can of their shattered community. None will be left unchanged, and whilst they can provide no reward, they certainly regard the Characters as heroic saviours.
\nAs well as the normal XP you offer for good roleplaying and having fun, you should apportion XP at the end of each session using the following guidelines:
\nThe Mad Men of Gotheim makes for a convenient, deadly adventure, that can be situated in the middle of any other travel, or between other adventures, in your campaign. However, if you would like to tie it more closely to what else is going on in the Old World, try out some of these alternate starts.
\n\n\nCONSPIRACY!
\nThis adventure hook ties in nicely to @JournalEntry[kFImyzFkyaNdgf5M]{If Looks Could Kill} and could hint at a larger problem. Ancient, Chaos-bred monsters of the Reikland, awakening across the @JournalEntry[SzdNU0H8fNJfdecf]{Duchy of Ubersreik} to destroy the business interests of mere merchants? Sounds like a coincidence, and in the Old World, coincidence almost always means conspiracy!
\n
The Grinderlak is a terrifying opponent for any group, no matter how skilled, which goes above and beyond the potency of the Basilisk in @JournalEntry[kFImyzFkyaNdgf5M]{If Looks Could Kill}. Whilst much of the advice given in @JournalEntry[f8TGaVQq10DFekGl]{Part 3} is applicable to this fight, some additional notes have been provided to make the scene more dramatic.
\nThese four Creature Traits enable the Grinderlak to move around quickly, separating the Characters from each other before bleeding away into the tree cover again to ambush later. This means that, whilst the final encounter could be a single bloody fight, it might end up being more effective to draw out the encounter, heightening the madness of the adventure with hit-and-run tactics.
\n\n
The cast of NPCs in The Mad Men of Gotheim is integral to the plot, but with a few changes they can be tied deeper into the ongoing strife elsewhere in Ubersreik, and in the other adventures throughout this book. Consider some of the following changes.
\nThis adventure takes a closer look at the insidious nature of Chaos — how good people can be corrupted by otherwise noble goals and intentions. It takes place in the @JournalEntry[SzdNU0H8fNJfdecf]{Duchy of Ubersreik} in 2512 IC, but could be moved to any suitably large town throughout the Empire with minimal reworking. This adventure is suitable for parties who have a little experience under their belts.
\nThe Characters are approached to solve the murder of Corporal @Actor[jXKDSrWjfW61Nfpa]{Tylo Vielfrass}, an Altdorfer soldier working in Ubersreik’s Watch, who died under mysterious circumstances. Investigations lead the Characters to befriending, and unwittingly joining, a Chaos cult, only to later learn the truth as they uncover new leads.
\nWith a Witch Hunter and their former cultist friends on their trail, the Characters track down the real culprit: a rogue wizard beholden to the insidious apostate cult known as the Cabal. This cultist, Cantor @Actor[emW6Xa9Bx75AEXp9]{Carolus Entschlafen}, has imprisoned his old friend, Wizard Lord @Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Sibylle Hagerdorn}, in the @JournalEntry[Fr9C6ybzrjBUTcyr]{Tower of Vane}, where he has built a magical device that seems to have misfired, killing Vielfrass. As the Characters pursue Entschlafen, it becomes clear Hagerdorn is possibly in league with her former friend and makes her escape, leaving our heroes returning to Ubersreik with few answers and many more questions.
\nBefore playing this adventure, read it through from start to finish at least once. It may also prove useful to read through A Guide to Ubersreik in the WFRP Starter Set, as it provides additional information about the town where much of the action takes place. Once you feel comfortable with the material, you’re ready to begin.
" }, { "id": "2KCeArSXQYK8VkdB", "name": "Handout 1: The Ramblings of Corporal Vielfrass", "description": "The writing, whilst unmistakably the same hand as the rest of the scrolls, is cramped at the end of each line and sloppy, as if written in a rush. It reads:
\n‘Heske Glazer. She knows something. She’s always following me, always watching me. Maybe she knows the truth. Our truth. I’m moving against her. I must. I fear she’ll expose us. I know you’ve commanded me to keep our actions focused solely on recruitment and subversion, but Glazer will doom us all if left alive. Perhaps I can convince Orban to do it. I’ll make up some lie. It doesn’t even have to be elaborate, for the pathetic love-sick sap will do anything I say. He and all the other fools still have no clue as to our true purpose. I’m going to kill her before she kills me.’
" }, { "id": "cMO2sUhScWN7VV2q", "name": "Handout 2: Thoughts On High Magic", "description": "'I find it impossible to comprehend my own ignorance of a mere year ago, trapped as I was by the confines of imposed mediocrity. Truly, my discussions with the Supreme Patriarch have been profound.
\nThe Supreme Patriarch said these words, one night over dinner, and I memorised them to put pen to paper upon returning to my cell. I can claim no ownership over this wisdom, but count myself lucky to share in it now.
\n‘Often I find neophytes to the Colleges of Magic are seduced by the nature of qhaysh — the ‘High Magic’ of the Elves — for they believe that a combination of the eight Winds of Magic must surely be more powerful than mastery of a ‘mere’ one. To such students I assign a week of orchestral music, at some of the finest establishments throughout Altdorf. Many of my fellow professors have called me mad for such ‘luxurious punishment’, but I am indeed clear-sighted.
\nI explain to my students that each Wind of Magic is an instrument in an orchestra. Chamon, the lilting, twanging sounds of the bandora. Aqshy, the intrusive, yet elegant Rauschpfeife. Hysh, the indomitable, regal, organ. Even ghur, the primitive, primal, and necessary tabor! Individually, these instruments are beautiful in their own ways, moving, impactful, potent, powerful. One cannot be said to be objectively paramount over another.
\nAnd yet, when the orchestra plays together, it has the potential to stun a crowd, to sway an audience, to move a nation. The orchestra is a symphony of mastery, a melody of instruments working in harmony. But, in the orchestra, a lack of skill on any one part can sully the performance of the others; the most moving viol can be tarnished by an ill-played curtal. However, a master of the lute, playing in solitary, pulling their chords, may yet affect an audience to an astounding degree, though the level of mastery must be far greater.
\nJust so are the Winds of Magic. The High Mage may weave together many Winds in harmony, and affect greater change, but at far greater risk, and reliant on far greater strictures. But the Hierophant, once they know their craft, can be free from the cares of the other Winds, and focus on perfection in hysh.
\nAll this is to describe magick without expressing the true dangers — the lure of qhaysh for the Human, is potentially the road to dhar. Dhar — Dark Magic — is to play every instrument at once, in an utter cacophony of discordance. Indeed, this ’performance’ will be loud. It will be impactful. It will be nigh unforgettable! But it will be hollow, pointless, senseless, and abhorrent. It is power without art. It is noise without reason. It is the antithesis of the Empire.
\nAfter such a lecture, I find most students nodding as if they’ve received some simple wisdom, that their pursuit of their lone Wind is indeed the way it should be. Those few who shake their heads, are the ones I pay attention to: they've heard the secret lie to my words, and are determined to become the orchestra, to draw nine hands across eight strings, and to break the shackles that Teclis laid upon us. Those few are my true pupils, and the rest are the antithesis of life itself.’
\n- Cantor Carolus Entschlafen
" }, { "id": "hsMzyIjWQak1vMub", "name": "Teil 1: A Tale Of Two Towers", "description": "The Characters investigate the ‘murder’ of Corporal Vielfrass, though they suffer dead end after dead end, red herring after red herring. When all seems lost, they’re approached by some new friends, who supply them the leads they need, but also get them into a whole lot of trouble. The Characters end up accidentally joining a Slaaneshi cult, and must fight their way out of the hands of a Witch Hunter, but not before getting a true lead towards the corporal’s killer.
\n@JournalEntry[f0T3pXwMMqP5zZI2]{A Lady in Waiting}
\n@JournalEntry[b9vKFgER8PLPe7aY]{Initial Investigations}
\n@JournalEntry[rRN5xuqvLVVXd08B]{Dead Ends And New Friends}
\n@JournalEntry[2ZCPZ9bnZFoezjMp]{A Toast And A Tussle}
\n@JournalEntry[5Fg0vQqOPmvyOOQA]{Straight From The Glazer's Mouth}
\nThe Characters begin the adventure inside @JournalEntry[xJe6jaYwXrZM80NA]{Black Rock Castle}, the gothic, sprawling, ancestral home of the Jungfreuds, and now the poorly tended and understaffed base for the Altdorf invaders. The Characters sit inside a small, cramped, out-of-the-way waiting room, having been called there on the order of Lady @Actor[hcAF95tFaOdoZoeF]{Emmanuelle Nacht}. Two footmen guard the door into the room, and another two guard the door into the Lady’s study. A man (Sergeant @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Orban Geldrecht}) with curly black hair, dressed as an Altdorf State Sergeant, steps out of the Lady’s study. He sniffles, and wipes his hand across his eyes, which are puffy and red. When he makes eye contact with the Characters, he puts on a forced, but friendly smile, and leaves the room. A stern woman’s voice calls from the study: ‘Come in, please.’
\nRead or paraphrase the following to the players.
\n\n\nThe Lady’s study is large, richly appointed, and neatly cared for, with large Bretonnian windows facing out over Ubersreik. One window is open and lets in a pleasant morning breeze, which carries the smell of the castle kitchens below. The room is dominated by a huge desk, stacked high with neat piles of paper, with a row of twenty-something fresh quills, and a selection of different-coloured inks and waxes. A number of finely carved chairs sit on the other side of the desk.
\nThe left wall is lined with books, detailing everything from curious myths and legends, to natural philosophies, histories, and biographies. Many of the tomes are written in a strange script like little box-shaped pictures. A well-worn, dog-eared book with a Dwarf Slayer and a Human on the cover (no doubt My Travels with Gotrek, Vol. III), sits on a small side table next to a comfortable looking plush chair. The right wall is covered in small drawers, nooks, niches, and compartments, each filled with a ream of papers, a collection of scrolls, and other documents. A brass wire cage sits in the corner near the window, with a half-dozen pigeons pleasantly cooing inside.
\nAn impressively tall woman — at least six feet — stands in front of the cage, feeding the birds scraps of bread from her breakfast. She wears an elaborate gown that is quite out of place with everything else in the room, with a fine green-velvet cloak drawn over her shoulders against the breeze. She turns to regard you with a steady gaze, her striking beauty and tightly curled black hair seemingly set in stone.
\n‘My name is Lady Emmanuelle Nacht, and it is a pleasure to meet you.’
\n
\n
Before the Characters have a chance to introduce themselves, or if they manage to do so quickly, she intimates that she knows their names, and knows them by their reputations. She seems to glance at, but not read from, a number of documents neatly arranged on her desk as she does so.
\n\n\nComing From Lord of Ubersreik
\nIf the Characters have already played through the adventure @JournalEntry[xCSZEj1vkVtiS2gz]{Lord of Ubersreik} in Rough Nights & Hard Days, Lady @Actor[hcAF95tFaOdoZoeF]{Emmanuelle Nacht} should heavily imply that she was present at the party, and saw how the Characters handled the situation. Allow the Characters to perform a Very Hard (−30) Perception Test to see if they can figure out who Lady Nacht was under her disguise.
\n
‘I want to put your minds at ease — and please, do sit. Can I offer you any refreshments?’ She waves over a footman with a silver tray of toasted bread, jams, cream, and steaming fragrant tea of a curious, sea-green colour.
\nLady Nacht engages in some small talk with the Characters, whilst they get seated, comfortable, and begin to eat the offered spread. Then she continues:
\n‘Good, now that we’re all friends, I have a task for you to perform. Unfortunately, one of the new corporals in the Ubersreik Watch has died under most mysterious circumstances, whilst visiting Magnus’s Tower in the Precinct. Magnus’s Tower, I’m sure you know, is still in the grips of the Ubersreik State Army, many of whom remain loyal to the traitor Sigismund von Jungfreud. However, I am sure, to a one, they are honourable citizens of the Empire, and far from the unfortunates we were forced to behead when the old duke was run from town — terrible business, that. It would be best to avoid any unnecessary bloodshed, which is where you come in.’
\nMake sure, at this point, to take in the ridiculousness of the scene. The Characters are likely dirty, possibly covered in old blood stains, and armed to the teeth, surrounded by comfort and delicately sipping tea. Make sure to explain that this irony is not lost on Lady Nacht in the slightest, though she does appear to be very serious about the 'unnecessary' part of what she said.
\n‘Corporal Tylo Vielfrass is the unfortunate soul. He appears to have died from a projectile of some sort, shot through the window of his temporary apartment inside the Tower. It burned straight through him. The body has since been collected, and you will be able to examine it in the Mortuary House in Morr’s Field outside of town, but I’m afraid the scene of the crime is off limits. In fact, I would instruct you to not mingle with, or question, any of the occupants of Magnus’s Tower, nor the other Altdorf State Troops who make up the new Watch. I want this to be a separate endeavour, unaligned and uninfluenced by underlying loyalties, do you understand?
\n‘Should you complete this task, you will earn the admiration of us all, as well as a bounty of 10 gold crowns. Each. I’ll accept nothing but you getting to the bottom of who’s responsible for Corporal Vielfrass’s death — no half measures or empty suspicions. Do you understand?’
\nIf the Characters are reluctant in pursuing Nacht’s wishes, she has more to say: ‘Should you fail to find his killer, well… I’m sure there is much I have discovered that you’d rather remain private, yes?’ She then incriminates the Characters in any number of illegal activities they are either responsible for or involved with — the life of an adventurer is filled with such instances, and even if they are ‘innocent’, it’s still dangerous information. Nacht uses this information to secure compliance.
\nThe Characters may ask further questions, but Nacht knows little else she’s willing to divulge. When the meeting begins to drag, a footman knocks on the door, and advises that other visitors are waiting. Lady Nacht is polite, but concludes their business quickly before ejecting the Characters from her office, and out of @JournalEntry[xJe6jaYwXrZM80NA]{Black Rock Castle}.
\n\n\nLady Nacht's Spy Network
\nOf course, it would be ridiculous and unfair if Lady Nacht had information on all of the Characters’ misdeeds, so feel free to perform an Easy (+40) Lore (Reikland) Test against a Lore (Reikland) of 75, for each incriminating event you feel Nacht may unearth with her extensive spy network, modified in the following ways.
\n\n
\n- If the act was particularly outrageous, noteworthy, or spectacular, +10.
\n- If the act was done in a public place, or during the day, +10.
\n- If the act involved the Watch to any degree, +40.
\n- If the Characters made an effort to ensure there were no witnesses to the act, −30.
\n- Modify this Test further as you see fit. It may be worthwhile to perform these Tests before play begins, so Lady Nacht’s cache of information is well established
\n
" }, { "id": "b9vKFgER8PLPe7aY", "name": "Initial Investigations", "description": "
The Characters may rightly lament that they have few leads to pursue, but this is intentional. However, they do have two clear avenues to investigate: Corporal Vielfrass’s body and gossiping with the folk of Ubersreik. These avenues can be pursued in any order.
\n\n\nA Man About Town
\nThe Characters may also wish to perform a Hard (−20) Lore (Reikland) or Average (+20) Lore (Altdorf) or (Ubersreik) Test to determine what they already know about Corporal Vielfrass. Grant a Character one piece of information if successful, with a further piece for each +SL achieved.
\n\n
\n- He was an Altdorfer in the State Army who joined the Ubersreik Watch after the recent seizure of the fortress-town.
\n- He had a reputation for being the centre of attention and really enjoying a good party.
\n- He was pursued by many young ladies-in-waiting.
\n- He was loved by other members of the Watch.
\n- He was leading efforts towards peace between the old and new Watch, and was well liked by locals.
\n
@JournalEntry[UY7FuTynMGBgFFCr]{Morr's Field} is a crumbling graveyard that lies to the northwest of Ubersreik’s high walls, far outside the town. Corporal @Actor[jXKDSrWjfW61Nfpa]{Tylo Vielfrass's} body lies there in preparation for burial by the Mourners’ Guild. Father Schadrach Bürke, the high priest of Morr, is expecting the Characters. He accompanies them to examine the corpse.
\nFather Bürke is a short-statured, ill-tempered man, very much at odds with the cold, quiet surroundings of a graveyard. He is decidedly not a people person. Once he has barked a greeting at the Characters in as few words as possible, he takes them into the Temple of Morr, descending down a flight of stone steps into the cold rooms beneath.
\nDescending the steps in the temple is like stepping across the threshold into Morr’s Realm itself, with the uncovered stone walls and floors sapping all warmth from the air. The smell of incense, embalming fluid, and other chemicals fills the space as Father Bürke leads the Characters through numerous spartan chambers filled with endless shelves stocked with scrolls documenting every life to have ended in and around Ubersreik. This follows on to vaulted corridors flanked by carved stone reapers and macabre dancing skeletons, and eventually, once the Characters are chilled to the bone, they arrive at a bare room where a corpse, covered only by a small black cloth across the pelvis, lies upon a black, marble slab.
\n‘He was brought to us by those damned Altdorfers — the new Watch. Some of them are still hanging around, blubbering into handkerchiefs and stuffing their faces with sweet breads over in the Mourners’ Hall.’ Father Bürke snorts and wipes his nose on the sleeve of his filthy black robe. ‘They said there was no blood, the damnedest thing. Perhaps you can make sense of it. I’ve never seen a wound quite like it.’
\nIt’s obvious Vielfrass was an attractive man in life: above average height, athletically built, with loose light brown curls and blue eyes. He would have cut a striking figure… if it weren’t for the blackened apple-sized hole burned straight through his sternum.
\nIf the Characters wish to, they may perform a Difficult (−10) Heal or an Average (+20) Lore (Medicine) Test. On a success, they learn the burn is even throughout the wound, meaning it shot through him instantaneously, and he would have died immediately. Additionally, there are no signs of struggle on him, though his knuckles are bruised from an older fist fight. A Very Hard (−30) Perception Test reveals the faintest signs of bruises on his ribs, though these are also old and almost entirely healed when he died.
\nFather Bürke is impatient to bury the body so he hurries the investigation along as best he can, offering answers to the Characters’ questions in as few words as possible. Truthfully, he doesn’t know much more than what they’ve already heard from him, except that he wasn’t wearing armour when he died, he was brought in by a ‘Sergeant Orban Geldrecht’, and that Geldrecht took all of his belongings after the Father undressed the corpse.
\nAs the Characters are leaving Morr’s Field, they notice several townsfolk being treated to tea and biscuits in the adjoining hall of the Mourners’ Guild. If the Characters enquire, they discover a few charitable burghers from the town who have put on a morning tea to cater to the corporal’s many grieving friends and acquaintances. Attendant members of the guild note the corporal seems to have been very popular. The Mourners’ Guild rarely get as many mourners as this, even for long-standing pillars of Ubersreik’s community. Among the crowd of mourners are several out-of-uniform Altdorf soldiers, including members of @JournalEntry[C0JPeeZuHHHyfhZe]{The Circle of Unmarred Flesh} and a middle-aged artisan named @Actor[TZ4421xw2VOuXX1z]{Heske Glazer}.
\nIf the Characters wish to question the mourners, they may get the information given in Speaking Well of the Dead below, and gain a +10 bonus to any Tests if they are being respectful of the corporal, or sympathetic towards the mourners’ loss. If the grieving cultists are questioned, they appear particularly saddened by the loss, and many become insensible, stating things like ‘He was like a father to me’ despite being older than Vielfrass, or ‘He’s the reason why I’m the man I am today’ despite being higher ranked than the corporal. If Glazer is questioned, she remarks ‘I didn’t know him well, but I knew his type. He was a good man, and Ubersreik is sorely lacking in good men these days.’
\nAsking around Ubersreik about @Actor[jXKDSrWjfW61Nfpa]{Corporal Vielfrass} requires a Difficult (−10) Gossip Test. On a failure, the Characters learn one of the following facts (which is, as far as the speaker knows, true).
\nThe corporal rented a room on the second floor of the @JournalEntry[PhqZQfdxDL5XeCyq]{Bridge House Inn}, though rarely drank there. Gunther Abend refuses to allow admittance into Corporal Vielfrass’s rooms unless the Characters can produce an official licence to do so. If the Characters choose to break into his apartment, see @JournalEntry[rRN5xuqvLVVXd08B]{Breaking & Entering} below.
\nHowever, on a success, the speaker also divulges one of the following pieces of information, though they seem reluctant to speak ill of the dead.
\nFor each SL, grant another piece of information from either list.
\nAfter following these leads, and getting nowhere in particular, the Characters are likely to become frustrated with a lack of evidence or access to potential evidence. When the Characters are near their wits’ end, or at any other moment you feel is most appropriate, move on to @JournalEntry[rRN5xuqvLVVXd08B]{Dead Ends And New Friends}.
" }, { "id": "rRN5xuqvLVVXd08B", "name": "Dead Ends And New Friends", "description": "A small group of off-duty soldiers from the new Watch approach the Characters. The soldiers are dressed in plain clothes and led by Sergeant @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Orban Geldrecht}. If the Characters spoke to any of the Altdorfers in the Mourners’ Hall earlier, they are among the group. The group was clearly standing about waiting for the Characters’ recent business to conclude. In all, it’s six men and women, dressed in lower-middle class practical garb, many with black ribbons of mourning wrapped around their arms, hats, and so on. The Characters recognise Geldrecht as the man they saw leaving Lady Nacht’s office just before she hired them for this investigation. Geldrecht removes his hat, standing at a respectful distance from the Characters, before clearing his throat. He speaks like he’s holding back tears, but composes himself quickly, and puts on a forced, though friendly, smile.
\n‘I’m sorry to bother you, but I had heard you were looking into Tylo… Corporal Vielfrass’s… I heard you were seeking justice for the corporal.’ He seems to be having trouble discussing the unpleasantness, and his eyes well up at the mention of Vielfrass. ‘Pardon me, it’s still so fresh, I’m sure you understand. My name is Orban, or Sergeant Geldrecht if you prefer to keep it professional, and no grudge if you do. We were Tylo… Corporal Vielfrass’s crew and closest friends from the State Army… pardon, we’re in the Watch, now. We were wondering if we could be of help to you. We know folks ‘round here, and can probably open more doors for you. We don’t want to get in the way of the investigation — it’s got to be done proper otherwise the culprit will get away, we understand that better than anyone. But folk’re tight-lipped, especially about the dea… the departed. We don’t want nothin’ in return. Only justice for Tylo.’
\nThe Characters may have issues about working with the Watch given Lady Nacht’s warnings about consorting with anyone involved in the murder investigation. They do their best to assuage the Characters’ fears, even suggesting they wear disguises, or merely ensuring doors are opened for them without getting too involved. The sergeant, earnestly, is willing to stick his own neck out for the Characters in this regard.
\nIf the Characters need extra encouragement to accept help from the sergeant, he gives specific examples of what help he can provide.
\nIf any Character succeeds on an Easy (+40) Intuition Test on @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Sergeant Geldrecht}, they know that the man seems far and away the most sorrowful of the mourning soldiers. Success of +2 SL reveals that Geldrecht seems to feel great regret about something. Success of +6 SL or more reveals the whole truth: Geldrecht was in love with Vielfrass, and the regret is likely to do with the fact that he never told Vielfrass how he felt. However, this is likely for the best, as Vielfrass certainly did not share these feelings, and in fact loved no one but himself.
\nIt is important the Characters accept some level of assistance from Sergeant Geldrecht, even if it’s merely him working behind the scenes, such as organising a meeting with Captain Blucher. If the Characters choose not to take the Sergeant up on his offer, allow their investigation to run cold, and have the sergeant appear at a later time, still willing to provide help.
\n\n\nThe Investigation of Ursula Marbad
\n@Actor[wNq1O1IoZ9CMdKGM]{Ursula Marbad}, a Witch Hunter on the trail of @JournalEntry[C0JPeeZuHHHyfhZe]{The Circle of Unmarred Flesh}, becomes suspicious of the Characters once they begin consorting with Sergeant Geldrecht and the other cultists. She begins to follow them around Ubersreik, watching in the background of every scene where the Characters are with a member of the cult, or acting on their advice.
\nUrsula attempts to remain out of sight using her Stealth (Urban) Skill of 50, opposed by the Characters’ Perception if they believe they’re being followed, or merely keeping an eye on their surroundings. Make a Test for her in every scene, and if she fails, call for the Characters to make an Opposed Test even if they didn’t declare one themselves. Ursula likewise makes a Perception Test (Perception 45) to determine if she has been spotted, only if the Characters attempt to hide the fact they know she’s there. She never attempts to engage the Characters alone, and slips away if she knows she’s been seen.
\n
The Corporal’s Apartment
\nCorporal Vielfrass had an apartment on the second floor of the @JournalEntry[PhqZQfdxDL5XeCyq]{Bridge House Inn}, a large establishment situated right in the middle of town, and high up near the bridge, commanding excellent views around the city. The inn is rarely patronised by locals, due to its high prices, but it a favourite establishment for the middle and upper ranks among the Altdorfers, as it houses its own stables, coach house, post office, bar, dining room, and several private meeting rooms.
\nGunther Abend, the proprietor, refuses to admit anyone into Corporal Vielfrass’s apartment on the second floor unless they are accompanied by Sergeant Geldrecht, or the sergeant has arranged for the Characters to pay a visit.
\n@Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Geldrecht}, if present, refuses to enter the room. Instead, he sobs quietly to himself in the hallway.
\nThe corporal’s apartment is rather simple: a double bed, a small writing desk, a chair in the corner, and a closet full of fashionable clothes.
\nHidden under the bed is a small chest with @Credit[1gc27ss19bp]{1 gold crown, 27 silver shillings, and 19 brass pennies}, as well as a folded piece of parchment that seems to list expenses. The parchment hints that the sum of money was once significantly larger — more money than a corporal in the Altdorf State Army should have just laying around. All of the purchases are signed with initials only, though a Very Hard (−30) Trade (Merchant) or Evaluate Test reveals they appear to be regular payments to rent a large space, as well as regular purchases of weapons, medicines, and laundry services, though the specific sources are impossible to tell.
\nThe closet houses several items of clothing that are torn or speckled with small amounts of blood. Several bloody hand-wraps are hanging up as well, which look to be stained from both sides.
\nThe desk is cluttered with stacks of letters, most of which are unopened, despite being covered in dust and having evidently sat there for some time. Opening these letters reveals they are love notes from at least a dozen women — including some rather notable names including Aver von Kaltenwald, scion to Countess Osterhild; Brunhilde von Hopsberg, niece of the sitting High Lord Admiral; and most scandalous of all, Grafina Elena von Midwald, the High Lord Treasurer of the @JournalEntry[1BTOtQ5fabJYODnr]{Reikland Council} herself ! The love notes all focus on hoping Vielfrass returns to Altdorf eventually, though none of them hint at a real relationship — merely suitors pining for him. A Very Hard (−30) Perception Test reveals that these letters have been opened before, and that significant effort was made to recreate the wax seals on them.
\nThe other opened letters appear to be written in code using only initials and euphemisms. The meaning behind the letters is impossible to determine without knowing the cipher, but the following initials pop up frequently: A, U, and UF. They are, however, dated, and appear to be weekly correspondence dating back to the Altdorf occupation of Ubersreik, up until this week. All of them are signed ‘—M’.
\nIf the Characters question Vielfrass’s mail, Gunther Abend introduces the Characters to Gustav Schtupp, the postmaster. Schtupp explains the corporal was very popular, and received at least one letter a week from Altdorf, and often many more. A Difficult (−10) Intuition Test reveals he knows more than he’s letting on, and a Challenging (+0) Intimidation Test results in him spilling that he had been reading the corporal’s mail, and had managed to decipher a measure of his code. He believes the weekly letters pertained to the moving of money and objects from Altdorf into Ubersreik, and had something to do with a private club initialed ‘UF’. Many of the letters contained questions about the club’s membership numbers, and their current activities, often containing impatient phrases such as ‘have they begun doing this or that’, though Schtupp doesn’t know the nature of the activities.
\nIf the Characters question Sergeant Geldrecht about the letters, he has no idea what they’re referring to. If they ask about the club, they must succeed on a Hard (−20) Charm Test to convince him to tell the truth: the corporal did start a private club, which he operated out of a warehouse not far from the @JournalEntry[PhqZQfdxDL5XeCyq]{Bridge House Inn}. The club is, according to @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Geldrecht}, modeled after ancient Unberogen Warrior Lodges, and is intended to build greater companionship between members of the Altdorf State Army in Ubersreik. It’s called ‘the Circle’, but the whole thing is a big secret as private gatherings are discouraged by their superiors.
\n\n\nBreaking & Entering
\nUnscrupulous Characters may wish to sneak into the corporal’s living quarters. To do so, they need a suitable cover — perhaps purchasing a meal @Pay[1ss6bp]{(1/6)} and renting a room for the night @Pay[14ss]{(14/–)} — so that they aren’t stopped at the door. Alternately, they could scale the side of the building at night time and use Stealth (Urban) to move about unseen.
\nThe corporal’s door is locked securely, requiring a Difficult (−10) Pick Lock Test to open. Alternately, a Character could break down the door with an Average (+20) Athletics Test, though this certainly alerts everyone else in the inn. The Characters will be in very hot water, attracting the attention of Gunther’s four bouncers who are on staff, as well as a number of coach wardens and soldiers who are staying there. Lastly, the Characters may have acquired the corporal’s key from Sergeant Geldrecht, which opens the lock without hassle.
\n
After spending some time with the Characters, Sergeant Geldrecht gathers together a small posse of Altdorf Soldiers, and suggests it’s time to investigate the scene of Vielfrass’s death in Magnus’s Tower. He organises a tour of the room by talking to Captain @Actor[xJGrg8I8NsemrsNR]{Erwin Blucher}.
\nIf the Characters agree, Geldrect and three other members of his posse take the Characters to Magnus’s Tower. When the party approaches the gatehouse, the guards arrayed on top bristle, lifting their crossbows at the ready, but lower them when instructed by an unseen, half-heard voice. A few moments later, Captain @Actor[xJGrg8I8NsemrsNR]{Erwin Blucher} — a short, heavy-set man with a balding pate and wearing a dirty Ubersreik Watch Captain’s uniform — opens the gate to admit them.
\nBlucher welcomes the Characters, saying ‘Pay no attention to the lads. They’re a bit on edge, understand? Everyone has been, ever since young Corporal Vielfrass copped it. But let’s put that to rest, eh? Captain Erwin Blucher’s the name. It’s a shame we have to meet you like this — o’course you’re not the enemy, I’m not even sure there is an enemy here. We all want the same thing, right? Keep Ubersreik safe? Find the corporal’s killer? You won’t find 'em in 'ere, that’s for sure. We loved the man. Always brought in fresh produce when he came to have a chat, which, believe you me, was a welcome change from the salt pike we’ve got packed in the basement! But I digress…’
\nThe captain leads the group on to a mechanical elevator attached to the side of the spire that lifts them into the air towards one of the many entrances. He explains, ‘Watch your step — it’s a bit tricky, and takes some getting used to. These elevators will take us up to the entrances above. Nothin’ on the ground floor, you see. This beauty’s impregnable.’ He laboriously sounds out the last word.
\nFrom the elevator, which faces the south of town, Ubersreik and the land surrounding it can be seen quite clearly. Captain Blucher is happy to answer questions at this time, such as who has been in the room since the death (only himself, who discovered the body, and the Altdorfers who came to pick it up), and anything else about the Tower and its staff (though nothing that could feasibly weaken his position there).
\nInside the Tower, Captain Blucher wends them through a number of corridors and up some stairs, until they come to a large corner chamber many stories above the ground. Blucher continues, ‘This is the corporal’s chamber. He stayed here once a week. We’d have dinner and discuss matters, you see, then he’d spend the night and head off the next morning. Good lad, though he liked to get in his cups after business was done. I didn’t mind, though — it was a good excuse to use up extra rations, if you know what I mean.’ The captain opens the door, and lets the Characters inside.
\nThe room is shaped like a clam shell — rounded along one side, with a tall, thin, leaded window set into the middle of it, with two walls opposite that meet at a point. The window has an apple-sized hole cut into it at about chest height. Directly across from the room’s only window is a large wooden corner cabinet filled with drinking glasses, vases, and, placed prominently, a massive, empty crystal decanter. Along the wall perpendicular to the one the Characters stepped through is a small but fine bed. In the opposing corner are two chairs set around a small round table, arrayed with silverware.
\n‘The corporal had only just arrived in the evening. I came in to find him dead when it was time for dinner. No idea how it happened, as the door was under guard the whole time by a knight of the Reiksguard, who heard nothing amiss, and there’s no other way in.’
\nCaptain Blucher allows the Characters the opportunity to investigate the room. The bed hadn’t been disturbed, and one chair had been moved from the table, though the silverware was untouched. A single glass had been removed from the set next to the decanter, which now lays cracked on the carpet in the middle of the room, which is stained red from the wine it held.
\nInspecting the hole in the window prompts a Difficult (−10) Perception Test. Even failure reveals that the hole was melted through the glass. A success informs the Character that the melting was even, and seems to have occured at a right angle to the glass. Looking out of the window shows @JournalEntry[xJe6jaYwXrZM80NA]{Black Rock Castle} to the right and below the level of the window, the stretch of Ubersreik beyond the base, and further afield, the rise of @JournalEntry[o2mz58EtayxnAJNY]{The Grey Mountains}. Framed, on either side of the melted hole, are two peaks of the mountains.
\nCharacters who inspect the back walls of the room for any sign of where whatever killed Vielfrass exited his body find nothing. Inspecting the cabinet in the corner of the room, however, prompts a Challenging (+0) Perception Test. On a success, it is obvious that the decanter was about half-full of red wine, which appears to have evaporated, leaving behind a red stain. Additionally, the wood panelling around the decanter, in all directions, is burnt slightly.
\nOnce the Characters have investigated the room, they hear sounds of a scuffle going on in the corridor. If they move to investigate, they see a number of the Ubersreiker guards wrestling with the Altdorfers. It appears the Ubersreikers lost patience with the Altdorfers, and the Altdorfers accused the Ubersreikers of murder.
\n@Actor[xJGrg8I8NsemrsNR]{Captain Blucher} shouts at everyone to stop, until one of the Altdorfers punches him in the jaw, and one of the Ubersreiker’s throws something at the Characters. A short Combat scene should play out, with @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Sergeant Geldrecht}, 3 @Actor[wTscAMJssdofI0fG]{Unmarred Flesh Cultists}, and 7 @Actor[KHYDsde77HmsQ5BH]{Jungfreud Loyalists}, which ends before anyone is seriously hurt. Blucher threatens the Altdorfers and the Characters, commanding them to leave. Sergeant Geldrecht agrees sheepishly.
\nAt the base of Magnus’s Tower, Sergeant Geldrecht — nursing several bruises, alongside his crew — thanks the Characters for scrapping in with them. They all seem rather jovial and elated by the fight, and invite the Characters back to their club house to celebrate ‘Showing those blasted Ubersreikers what for!’ If the Characters accept, move to @JournalEntry[2ZCPZ9bnZFoezjMp]{A Toast And A Tussle}. If they’re unsure, several members of the group state they’ll give free drinks to the Characters for having their backs, as well as all manner of friendly jabs and promises. A Very Easy (+60) Intuition Test reveals that all of the Altdorfers do seem to be in much better moods after the brawl, and are genuine with their friendliness towards the Characters.
\nIf the Characters refuse to go back with the Altdorfers, the investigation goes stale as no more leads are kicked up. They may wish to break into the cultists’ headquarters, anyway, in which case events unfold as described in @JournalEntry[2ZCPZ9bnZFoezjMp]{A Toast And A Tussle}, though the Characters are obviously not involved. Furthermore, the invitation is always open to the Characters, now, so they can accept at a later time. Ursula Marbad’s attack in We're Going on a Witch Hunt! won’t occur until they lead her there.
\n\n" }, { "id": "2ZCPZ9bnZFoezjMp", "name": "A Toast And A Tussle", "description": "What Actually Happened
\nWhat actually happened is that a beam of pure hysh — the powerful white Wind of Magic — lanced out from an experimental Luminark of Hysh in the @JournalEntry[Fr9C6ybzrjBUTcyr]{Tower of Vane}, and was attracted to the corruption lying within Corporal Vielfrass: a cultist in service to the Dark Powers. The beam travelled nearly instantaneously from the Tower of Vane, melted through the leaded glass window in Vielfrass’s room, shot through his body, and then hit the crystal decanter. The light instantly boiled the red wine to nothing but a residue, and was refracted by the cut crystals into the rest of the cabinet. The light, diffused considerably, slightly charred the wood before losing its power.
\n
As the sun sets, @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Sergeant Geldrecht} takes the Characters and his group to an otherwise unassuming warehouse in the @JournalEntry[njKtUG0igUIvhpxc]{Artisan's Quarter}, which he unlocks with a key that hangs around his neck, and shows everyone inside. Within is a small makeshift bar, made out of a few barrels with a wide plank laid on top, a number of mismatched tables and chairs, and a large cleared space in the back. In the middle of the large open space is a thick chalk circle, about 8 yards in diameter.
\nGeldrecht tells one of his companions to crack a keg open, and serve some drinks around, making sure to pay special attention to the Characters, for they are the guests of honour. Once the steins are handed around, the laughter and roughhousing of the group falls quiet. Sergeant Geldrecht raises his stein and says, ‘Today we drink to the memory of our leader, Tylo Vielfrass. He was the best man I knew and… and we’ll never have another like him. Every day from here on will be… will be darker with him absent.’ The sergeant’s words catch in his throat, and another soldier puts a hand on his shoulder. Geldrecht coughs, wipes his eyes on his sleeve, and continues: ‘But, in honour of that memory, because Tylo was never one to dwell on sadness, we welcome new friends to our Circle.’
\nGeldrecht looks at the Characters and gives them a chance to speak, hoping for an assent. If the Characters want to join, Geldrecht is overjoyed, and welcomes them. If even just one Character agrees, he is happy, and says he’s sure he’ll sway the others over in time, but that there are no hard feelings: they’re already honorary members in his eyes, given they brawled together earlier. If everyone refuses, Geldrecht is sad, but understanding, saying that they can’t be seen to take sides given their investigation.
\nGeldrecht says, lastly, that with the investigation in mind he’ll gladly show the Characters into the corporal’s private room in the back of the warehouse, but first they need to toast the corporal’s memory properly. ‘Of course, I’d be glad to show you into Tylo’s private room. None of us were allowed in, and frankly, I don’t see why that needs to change now. But perhaps something in there will help bring his killer to justice, and I’m certain he’d want nothing more. Before that, though, we need to give Tylo a proper send off. We have a little tradition here that Tylo taught us himself. He said it was from our ancestors in the ancient Unberogen tribe. Two wrestlers get in a circle together — we got one in the back — and grapple until one is thrown out. We don’t try to hurt each other or anything — it’s about perfect control, see? A true warrior can control their actions, the battlefield, whatever. It’s what Sigmar always wanted with the Empire, right? Tradition says the combatants are the oldest member — I guess that’s me, now, given… A-and the newest member, or a guest if one’s in attendance. I guess that’s you folks, if you’re up for it.’
\nGeldrecht and the other cultists (there are three times as many cultists as there are Characters) will pressure one of the Characters to step into the ring — the least obviously athletically capable, if none volunteer. If everyone refuses, they’ll become offended, and may get violent, saying that the Characters are spitting on the memory of Corporal Vielfrass — especially if they refused to join the Circle. They go so far as to push a Character into the circle to get it started, and draw knives if they’re being truly ‘disrespectful’. If it comes to such violence, move straight to We're Going on a Witch Hunt! after 3 rounds of brawling.
\n\n\nWrestling with Sergeant Geldrecht
\nSergeant Geldrecht removes any armour and other items he is carrying, except his undergarments, and expects similar from his opponent, within reason. The wrestling match should be resolved like normal Combat, but with only the two combatants. Geldrecht only attempts to @JournalEntry[t36Z4DOhYnfX1dr3]{Grapple}, and move his opponent outside the circle, which requires spending Advantage equal to his opponent’s Toughness Bonus + 1. Geldrecht assumes his opponent will do the same, and takes unkindly to Damage being dealt, in the same way as if the Characters refused to wrestle.
\n
After the wrestling match, regardless of who the winner is, Geldrecht claps his hand on his opponent’s shoulder, and says ‘Well done! That was a good fight, regardless of the outcome. It’s the pursuit of perfection that’s important — Tylo taught us that. Now, uh, we’re supposed to say a prayer to our ancestors at this point — Tylo used to do it, so I guess it’s up to me.’ Geldrecht clears his throat, and raises his arms in the air, then booms out, ‘ Ygrak tu amat Shornaal! Amak tu amat Shornaal! Ygrak tu amat Shornaal! Tzarkol taen amat Shornaal!’
\nAll Characters present for the ‘prayer’ suffer the effects of @Corruption[minor]{Minor Corruption} the next time they sleep, while the Character who engaged in the wrestling match suffers @Corruption[moderate]{Moderate Corruption} instead, all of which are resisted with Cool. Take a moment to describe how, with each intonation of the word Shornaal, the Characters feel something akin to recognition, like they know the meaning of the word in their very blood and bone. Before they have a chance to really comment on this, Geldrecht slaps the wrestler on the back, and says, ‘I suppose you’ll be wanting to see the private room now, yeah? Or more drinking first?’
\nWhen the Characters are ready, move to The Inner Sanctum.
\nThe door into Corporal Vielfrass’s private room isn’t locked, and if questioned, @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Geldrecht} says that the other members wouldn’t dare break the corporal’s trust, so there’s no need to lock it. He opens the door, and the Characters are left alone to their investigation.
\nInside is a small vestibule, separated from the rest of the room by a purple curtain, where one could enter the room, close the door, and then pull back the curtain.
\nThe room beyond the curtain is dominated by a massive, disgusting symbol that appears to move when looked at, but is in truth still. The icon is set on a huge 4-foot-diameter wooden frame, which hangs on the wall opposite. Across the frame is stretched layer upon layer of pink flesh, bound together with metal staples and clamps. The folds of the flesh have been arranged to make moaning and screaming faces appear where shadows are cast. Despite hanging in the air, perhaps for some time, the flesh remains raw and wet, though unbloodied.
\nEach Character, on seeing the icon, must succeed on a Hard (−20) Endurance Test, or vomit up the contents of their stomachs. Curiously, Characters that have drunk significant amounts of alcohol already, are instead able to make this Test at +20 — the influence of Slaanesh is already softening their senses.
\nOther than the horrifying icon of @JournalEntry[C0JPeeZuHHHyfhZe]{The Circle of Unmarred Flesh}, the inner sanctum is a small room, decorated with plush cushions, a few empty silver decanters for wine and platters for food, a small reading nook with a pile of scrolls and a writing board, and, lastly, a low table with a statue concealed under a purple velvet drape. The whole room smells of sickly sweet spices and incense, mixed with sweat, though the exact aromas are nearly impossible to place, given their concentration and strangeness. A Very Hard (−30) Perception (Smell) Test reveals that the incense is similar to that burned in northern Kislev and Norsca, but smells somehow fermented.
\nThe scrolls in the reading nook appear to mostly be the private writings and drawings of Corporal Vielfrass: lewd images, crude poetry, and the narcissistic ramblings of an overconfident mind. Two pieces stand out, however. The first is a gold leaf piece of exquisite paper, kept safe between two writing boards. In a flowing, maddeningly perfect, and precise hand is written ‘Prince of Pleasure, She Who Thirsts, They Our Tempter, Loesh the Serpent, Shornaal the Prideful, Darkest Slaanesh’ in six rows.
\nThe other scroll of note is what Vielfrass appears to have been working on recently, as it’s half finished, and still clamped to the writing board. Give the players @JournalEntry[2KCeArSXQYK8VkdB]{Handout 1: The Ramblings of Corporal Vielfrass}. It is vital that the Characters find this note.
\nLifting the veil off the black marble statue and inspecting it closely causes @Corruption[Minor]{Minor Corruption}. The statue is of a humanoid figure: one half male, the other half female, and completely naked. In its hands it holds a whip and a sword. Around its ankles coil snakes. Looking at it for too long makes one’s skin crawl, eyes itch, and forehead sweat as if in a fever.
\nOnce the Characters have inspected the statue and the letters in the reading nook, they hear the sounds of commotion and shouting from the main room. Move to We’re Going on a Witch Hunt!
\n@Actor[wNq1O1IoZ9CMdKGM]{Ursula Marbad} has decided now is her time to strike, having tracked the Characters and the cultists to their headquarters. She leads a rabble of @Actor[OdMQuHm9nFFVs605]{Concerned Citizens} she has convinced to join her, equal to the number of @Actor[wTscAMJssdofI0fG]{Unmarred Flesh Cultists}. They attack the cult, storming in through the front door, putting everyone to the sword. The cultists are unarmed at first, but regain their equipment after the first round of confusion.
\nThe Characters — whether they have ‘joined’ the cult or not — are mistaken for cultists themselves, set upon by the rabble, and targeted by Marbad. It is up to them if they wish to fight or flee, but the only exit is through the front door, where Marbad is standing, shooting into the crowd with her pistol.
\nEvery round of combat, the rabble throw bottles of alcohol — which count as an @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.trappings.vI0oorwbZdlszudf]{Incendiary} per round. Each Concerned Citizen has a single Incendiary.
\nThe rabble are too preoccupied to pursue any fleeing Characters into the streets for more than a round, and Marbad is unwilling to chase them alone into the night. Marbad herself flees if she reaches less than her Toughness Bonus in Wounds, laying low for the next day to recover. Lastly, whether the Characters stayed to fight or not, @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Sergeant Geldrecht} correctly assumes the Characters were responsible for leading the Witch Hunter to their door, and for any deaths caused by the rabble. After a day of licking his wounds, he sets out to hunt the Characters down.
\n\n" }, { "id": "5Fg0vQqOPmvyOOQA", "name": "Straight From The Glazer's Mouth", "description": "He Was A Heretic Ma'am
\nThe Characters may wish to report Corporal Vielfrass’s corruption to @Actor[hcAF95tFaOdoZoeF]{Lady Nacht} at this point, and conclude their investigation early. They will have a very difficult time getting an appointment with her, and have to wait several days, unless they lie about knowing who the killer is. During this time, their enemies — Marbad (if she survived) and the remaining members of the Circle — try to hunt them down as well.
\nIf the Characters tell anyone else about the corruption, including Lady Nacht’s servants in the hopes of getting an earlier appointment, they are contacted shortly after with an invitation to attend to her, and discover that the servant they told the secret to is apparently missing.
\nWhen Lady Nacht eventually does speak to the Characters, she seems appropriately shocked, but swears the Characters to secrecy, and demands they continue their investigation. Lady Nacht goes on to cover up the corruption, having all suspected cultists meet with unexpected ‘accidents’, and carefully brushing any loose ends under the carpet, all to prevent the matter from spoiling the reputation of the Altdorfers in Ubersreik.
\n
The Characters will likely assume @Actor[TZ4421xw2VOuXX1z]{Heske Glazer} is the murderer, or at least see her as the next piece in the puzzle. They find Glazer going about her usual routine of glass blowing at her small workshop in the @JournalEntry[njKtUG0igUIvhpxc]{Artisan's Quarter}, or her stall in the @JournalEntry[5biA6kEkhKxGfe5G]{Marktplatz} on Marktag. Regardless of where she is, she is surrounded by countless glass sculptures, drinking vessels, glass eyes, seeing glasses, and the like.
\nGlazer is eager to make sales, so she is more than willing to chat amiably with the Characters if they approach her; however she immediately goes on the defensive if they accuse her, or start asking leading questions about Corporal Vielfrass. If the Characters do go down this line of questioning, Glazer’s friendly mercantile charm evaporates in an instant as realisation dawns on her face. ‘I had nothing to do with the good corporal’s death, and I can prove it. Ask anyone about the Marktplatz and beyond, and they’ll tell you the truth of it — I was coming back from a delivery up into the Grey Mountains. I’ve been doing them every two weeks, when another of the giant lenses is ready. Besides, I’m half-blind and in my middle years, certainly no match for a young strapping lad like that, eh? However it was he died...’
\nIf the Characters wish to, allow them to perform a Very Easy (+60) Intuition Test to see that Glazer is telling the truth, and that she honestly doesn’t know how Vielfrass was murdered. Additionally, Glazer’s story holds true if the Characters ask other merchants, and her books have records of thirteen such trips into the mountains, spanning half a year’s worth of work.
\nIf the Characters ask why she was spying on Vielfrass, she feigns ignorance at first, and then replies, ‘Look, he was a pretty young man, and there aren’t that many walking around with as ready a smile as his. Sure, I may have stared more than was appropriate, but, Katya as my witness, if he didn’t inspire a bit of staring, if you know what I mean?’
\nWhilst the Characters are talking to Glazer, a young boy runs up to her, and sheepishly returns a magnifying glass he’d stolen. Glazer — giving the Characters a wink, suggesting she knew about the ‘theft’ all along — chides the young boy, but lets him run off. She says, ‘I know I should call the Watch and have Hans flogged, but to be honest, I see a lot of myself in him. His curiosity, mainly. It’s how a farm girl like me became a master glazier, after all… and perhaps young Hans would make a good apprentice. He spends all his free time, when his mother isn’t watching, using my lenses to look at the ants out in the field. I just hope he’s not catching the sun’s light and burning them.’
\nThis comment from Glazer should, if the Characters haven’t pieced things together by now, inspire follow-up questions. Glazer says that a finely ground lens can bend light in such a way as to start fires and even burn skin! If the Characters put two-and-two together, they may ask if a lens could have killed Vielfrass, to which she replies that it’d need to be a truly massive lens, with perhaps a bit of magic thrown in to make it all work. At this point, she realises the truth of it, and directs the Characters to the @JournalEntry[Fr9C6ybzrjBUTcyr]{Tower of Vane} in @JournalEntry[o2mz58EtayxnAJNY]{The Grey Mountains}, where a wizard named @Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Sibylle Hagerdorn} has an observatory. Glazer has been supplying the wizard with lenses for her telescopes for years, but in the last few months, she’s been making truly massive lenses and delivering them personally. She assumed the lenses were for a powerful telescope, but maybe, with the wizard’s magic, they could have caused the burns the Characters describe.
\nIf the Characters don’t put these pieces together, and this becomes a dead end, Glazer comes to this realisation herself several hours later. She then approaches the Characters wherever they are and tells them her theory. She’s since learned — by her own means — how Vielfrass died, wishes to clear her name, and feels guilty about how her glass has been used.
\nThe Characters should, at this point, be making ready to travel to the Tower of Vane. If they are, you can move on to @JournalEntry[YhdJt6TyMCyejQCE]{Part 2: The Vanes Of The Empire}.
\n\n" }, { "id": "YhdJt6TyMCyejQCE", "name": "Teil 2: The Vanes Of The Empire", "description": "A Sight of Glass Eyes
\nThough Glazer wasn’t spying on Vielfrass, she is a spy for someone. But who? That’s up to you to decide! You should feel free to use @Actor[TZ4421xw2VOuXX1z]{Heske Glazer} as a link to other plots in, around, and beyond Ubersreik as you see fit (such as the adventure Making the Rounds in the Starter Set). Perhaps she’s an informant of Lady Nacht’s spy network, or maybe she’s linked to the Grey Order? Chillingly, perhaps she’s an agent of @Actor[emW6Xa9Bx75AEXp9]{The Cabal}, and her leading the Characters towards the Tower of Vane was all part of Carolus Entschlafen’s grand plan!
\n
The Characters journey to the Tower of Vane in search of Corporal Vielfrass’s killer. Along the way, they must struggle against the elements, the monsters of the wilds, and the enemies that they’ve picked up along the way.
\nThere are two main paths from Ubersreik to the @JournalEntry[Fr9C6ybzrjBUTcyr]{Tower of Vane}: a faster, but expensive journey by boat up the Teufel, or a longer, more perilous journey along the Emperor’s roads.
\nHowever, the Characters find that there are no more barges heading up the Teufel for several days. If the Characters question this at all, they discover on a Simple Gossip Test that a group of twenty-something young people in the livery of Altdorf State soldiers rented several barges, and have paid the rest a considerable sum to not take any passengers for the next week.
\nTherefore, if the Characters want to remain on the trail, they are forced to take to the roads. If @Actor[wNq1O1IoZ9CMdKGM]{Marbad} still lives, the Characters discover that the only coach that travels up to Elssen — the nearest settlement to the @JournalEntry[Fr9C6ybzrjBUTcyr]{Tower of Vane} — has been rented by ‘a rather mannish pock-scarred young woman with short hair and a burning look in her eyes.’
\nRegardless of how they get there, the mountains are deathly cold, so the Characters will need warm clothing in addition to rations for the trip. Perhaps a shopping trip to @JournalEntry[Ei3vRmIaH5iTmtUg]{Nordwander and Son's Expeditionary Supplies} would be worthwhile! Characters who travel into @JournalEntry[o2mz58EtayxnAJNY]{The Grey Mountains} without such gear suffer from @JournalEntry[mcI8YO5ZKJ9LO5MV]{Exposure} before long.
\nThe Characters travel from Ubersreik, through several towns and villages of the @JournalEntry[TjMmjhYC0B59rDpx]{Lady’s Vale}, and into @JournalEntry[o2mz58EtayxnAJNY]{The Grey Mountains} towards the @JournalEntry[Fr9C6ybzrjBUTcyr]{Tower of Vane}. This part of the adventure is rather freeform, and should serve as a change of pace from the rest of the investigation.
\nTravelling in the Empire is always a tricky business, because you never want to be caught on the road at night, regardless of how close to civilisation you are. Coaching inns, villages, and other such stops are more than just convenient, they’re life saving. This all gets a bit more complicated when our shorter companions — Dwarfs and Halflings — get involved.
\nIf the Characters wish to hire a coach, they must find a private one, as no official lines service the road into @JournalEntry[o2mz58EtayxnAJNY]{The Grey Mountains}. If they do find such a coach, it will cost @Pay[4bp]{4d} per mile per person (@Pay[13ss4bp]{13/4} for a full fare of 40 miles), and has a reduced Movement of 5 due to the shoddy roads. The coach travels all the way to Elssen, stopping halfway at Traisburg for a night.
\nMake sure to read the rules regarding @JournalEntry[zjcDY0QAa0NWiDBs]{Travel Times}. Note that a party is only as fast as its slowest member, and can travel a number of miles per hour equal to the slowest Movement. Next, consult the following list for the appropriate stops, so the Characters know when to push on, and when to stop.
\nThe whole trip takes anywhere from 8–15 hours on foot. Given the steep climbs into the mountains on winding and poor roads, this likely takes at least 2 days of travel, if not more. For every day of travel, roll [[/r 1d10]] and consult the following table for random events that may occur.
\n| [[/r 1d10]] | \nResult | \n
| 1 | \nQuiet...too Quiet: The Characters feel ill at ease all day, and there are few sounds in the woods, along the road, and so on. Every time the Characters glance over their shoulders, they think they can see someone following them, but no one is ever there when they go to look. | \n
| 2 | \nA Familiar Face: Someone the Characters have previously dealt with in another adventure, or from their past, encounters them on the road. This should cause minor problems for the Characters, but nothing more. Use it more to keep the world living and breathing, tying their current struggles to their lives in general. | \n
| 3 | \nWhispers & Rumours: The Characters encounter a rather knowledgeable young chap heading towards Ubersreik. He’s heard all sorts of news from across the Reikland, and shares it with the Characters over a nice lunch in the shade of some trees. Give the Characters news of one or more adventure hooks from Adventure Afoot in the Reikland, A Guide to Ubersreik, or from another of the Ubersreik Adventures. | \n
| 4 | \nThe Tax Man Cometh: The Characters are stopped by a ‘toll keeper’ who insists that, with the recent conflict, greater taxes must be levied on the use of the Emperor’s roads. Each Character must hand over a shilling to pass, otherwise they’ll be set upon by thugs hiding nearby in the woods. | \n
| 5 | \nThe Gentleman Scavenger: An incredibly polite scavenger (and his guards) passes the Characters, and offers to sell off some of the wares they’ve picked up, which they’re pulling in their cart. The scavenger has one example of each Common weapon, each of which has suffered 1 point of damage, which they sell for 75% of its listed price. | \n
| 6 | \nFour Seasons, All Winter: After three hours of hiking, a terrible storm blows out of the Grey Mountains, and covers the roads in lashing rain and freezing sleet. The Characters must succeed on a Simple Endurance Test per hour they travel in this weather, suffering a @Condition[Fatigued] Condition on a failure. | \n
| 7 | \nBegone With Thee, Thine Huddled Masses!: A small band of ragged folk pass the Characters on their journey. Most seem downtrodden and keep to themselves, but one lashes out at the Characters, ranting and raving about human-sized rats and worse. They claw at any who get to close, and if any Wounds are lost as a result of this, the afflicted need to pass an Average (+20) Endurance Test or come down with a case of @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.diseases.QiHMX5OyXBhWCYoF]{Ratte Fever}. | \n
| 8 | \nThe Wyrdest Thing: Whilst traipsing through an area of undergrowth, one of the Characters accidentally and painfully kicks a concealed lead box. If the Characters manage to open the damned thing, inside they’ll find a small sliver of Warpstone, with absolutely no clues as to where it came from. | \n
| 9 | \nBetween Two Armies: With the crack of a few firearm shots, and shouts from the woods on either side of the road, the Characters find themselves stuck right in the middle of a skirmish! The Altdorfers and Jungfreuds aren’t properly at war yet, but that doesn’t stop a few scuffles from breaking out, does it? The Characters have to be very careful not to be mistaken as scouts for either side, and to get out of no man’s land alive. | \n
| 10 | \nAmbush by Greenskins!: A raiding party of Greenskins ambushes the Characters as they travel through the foothills of the Grey Mountains. The Greenskins show evidence of recent raiding, and their numbers are depleted but no less deadly. There are half as many Orcs as there are Characters, and twice that many Goblins. The Characters may attempt Opposed Perception Tests at +20 to avoid gaining @Condition[Surprised] Conditions. | \n
Whether by foot or coach, the Characters eventually arrive in Elssen. Elssen is a hamlet — in Reikland this means it’s a community so small it lacks a Sigmarite temple — of less than a hundred souls who scrape together a living from net fishing on the banks of the Teufel, and by herding goats for their milk to make cheese in the fertile valley where it sits. The hamlet, like everywhere else in these parts, has seen better days, and recent raids by Greenskins have decimated the population. Most of the citizens walk around with symbols of mourning, and the population has a gloomy disposition.
\nRead or paraphrase the following to the Characters.
\n\n\nCresting the last hill, you come to a meeting point of two tributaries of the Teufel: the Fest, cramped in a valley to the south, and the Taumeln, which tumbles from nearby falls. On the far bank of the confluence rests a tiny hamlet tucked into and around the crags of the climbing foothills. Above and behind the hamlet, about 3 miles away, rises the thin needle point of the Tower of Vane as the mountainside rapidly rises into the sky.
\nAs you begin the journey down to the hamlet, the folk in your sight begin to scramble and arm themselves, only to relax slightly once they get a better look at you.
\n
A young riverwoman — Hedwig Schöner — lives on this side of the river, and transports the Characters across if they trade her anything of Common availability or rarer. She does not accept anything that would require her to be able to read, as she can’t. She won’t accept money, either, and advises that few folks in Elssen will, if they’re expecting to be here for long. Schöner, curiously, can’t be intimidated into granting transport — she is utterly fearless — and expresses in a tired voice: ‘If the Greenskins haven’t chased me off yet, what makes you think you’ll scare me, eh? Cut me down for all I care — Father Morr’ll surely have a nice spot waiting for me, and his wife will be the judge o’ you.’
\nOnce in Elssen, the Characters likely won’t stay for long, and will wish to continue travelling to the Tower of Vane immediately. However, the Characters have been outpaced in getting to Elssen by both @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Geldrecht} and his cultists and @Actor[wNq1O1IoZ9CMdKGM]{Ursula Marbad}, if she still lives. Geldrecht, upon discovering what lay within the Inner Sanctum after Marbad’s unsuccessful raid, put the pieces together, and now believes the Characters at best led a Witch Hunter into their midst, and at worst, are part of a conspiracy that saw his beloved Tylo murdered. Marbad, for her part, still believes the Characters are tainted by their association, if not outright members of the cult. Both are lying in ambush, hidden around Elssen, intending to catch the Characters, and ignorant of each other.
\nWhen the Characters go to leave, Marbad shows herself on the road out of town with a loaded pistol, and demands the Characters surrender. Geldrecht takes this as his cue, and ambushes everyone, leading a crew of nine other @Actor[wTscAMJssdofI0fG]{Unmarred Flesh Cultists}. This ambush convinces Marbad to side with the lesser of two evils — the Characters — at least until the cultists are defeated.
\nGeldrecht flees with the remainder of his cultists if at least half of them are killed or subdued. Marbad pursues Geldrecht, but not without giving a final few words to the Characters, stating she’ll be back for them.
\nIf Marbad isn’t alive anymore, @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Geldrecht} instead appears on the road, and gives a short speech about how he and his friends have been betrayed by the faithless Characters before attacking.
\nAfter the battle, the Characters must travel a final 3 miles to get to the Tower of Vane, at which point, move on to @JournalEntry[Fr9C6ybzrjBUTcyr]{Part 3: In the Shadow of the Tower}. No other encounters occur on the frozen mountain road between Elssen and the Tower unless you deem otherwise.
\n\n" }, { "id": "Fr9C6ybzrjBUTcyr", "name": "Teil 3: In the Shadow of the Tower", "description": "Geldrecht's Fate
\nShould Geldrecht survive the battle with the Characters, he flees back to Ubersreik, and wholly swears his fealty to Slaanesh in his desperation. Geldrecht has been twisted by the ‘betrayal’ of the Characters, and by losing Vielfrass, whom he coveted more than loved.
\nOnce he swears allegiance to Slaanesh, Geldrecht’s fortunes shift quickly. He is promoted in the Watch to Vielfrass’s old post, made the leader of @JournalEntry[C0JPeeZuHHHyfhZe]{The Circle of Unmarred Flesh}, and gains the ear of many influential people around Ubersreik. He begins to collaborate directly with Captain Blucher, and intends on subverting Ubersreik as a Freidstadt. Geldrecht’s influence appears even greater than Vielfrass’s ever was, and it should be hinted that, perhaps, this was Slaanesh’s plan all along.
\nGeldrecht continues to be a thorn in the side of the Characters, and may become a long-term nemesis for the future.
\n
The Characters arrive at the Tower of Vane to find it deserted. After looking around, they discover the device that seems to have misfired, killing the corporal by accident. Furthermore, they discover the tower’s owner, Wizard Lord @Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Sibylle Hagerdorn}, has been imprisoned by a rogue wizard, Cantor @Actor[emW6Xa9Bx75AEXp9]{Carolus Entschlafen}. Enthralled by the Dark Gods, Entschlafen built the weapon at the centre of the mystery. Hagerdorn gives the Characters the tools to defeat Entschlafen, whilst she works to dismantle the device. However, after defeating the wizard, the Characters discover everything isn’t quite how it seemed.
\nThe Characters arrive at the Tower of Vane, after wending their way through the mountains, along the road from Elssen. Read or paraphrase the following to the Players.
\n\n\nDespite being able to see parts of the Tower of Vane rising above the mountains for much of the last day, it is only now that you truly can see its splendour. A great needle the colour of unpolished iron — practically featureless, save for a glittering glass dome at its tip — rises out from a sunken valley filled with a glacier. The tower appears to be, at first, built upon the ice, but it evidently stretches down deep into its cold embrace. By the sway and curve of the surrounding mountains, you can tell that the lake would only see sunlight at the height of noon, regardless of the season. The lake has likely been frozen forever, which beggars the mind to comprehend how it was built…
\n
The Tower of Vane is at least 1,000 feet tall, has many windows cut into its spiralling form, and sports a single door at its base. Clustered around the base, and towards the back of the building, are wooden structures of a much simpler and obviously human make, which are undoubtedly the living quarters, kitchens, and other amenities that support the tower. Peering into the ice, and on a successful Difficult (−10) Perception Test, the Characters can see that the tower extends deep into the ice, perhaps as far down as it goes up.
\nAs the Characters approach closer, read or paraphrase the following.
\n\n\nNothing stirs in this forsaken valley — no birds chirp, no voices sound. Even the wind seems afraid to break the silence. Stepping out on to the glacier, whilst at first a terrifying prospect, becomes not so frightening once you notice small shards of stone and sand frozen into the top to make a coarse walkway across the ice. But as you get closer, you see the stones are not the only surprises lying in the ice...
\nThe base of the tower is littered with a score or more of Greenskin corpses. Some lie burned to a crisp, others with their eyes and scalps torn as if from a flock of ravenous birds. A full third appear to have been crushed underneath a massive boulder which is nowhere to be seen. Whatever caused these deaths was terrible indeed, and relatively recent — the corpses couldn’t be more than a day old, though already they’re becoming one with the frozen landscape.
\nAhead, you can see the great smooth metal-grey doors of the tower are slightly ajar, and you can hear a faint whistle as if wind were blowing from within. The air out here is so maddeningly cold that you can’t help but shiver to think of how freezing it must be within the metal spire. Only as you approach them do you realise the truth — the doors, and the tower itself, are entirely made of lead.
\n
The Tower of Vane is, in truth, an ancient Elven structure, built millennia ago, used to harness the eight Winds of Magic as a giant magical ‘weathervane’. The inside is hollow, all the way up to its highest point, and down to the ground floor, which is covered in the wreckage of massive metal plates, which seem to have fallen to the ground and fused themselves with the stone floor.
\nThe inside walls are lead, though they emit a faint warmth. They are carved, everywhere, with incredibly intricate lines, symbols, shapes, patterns, and all manner of arcane designs, though they have clearly, in many places, been defaced by axes and other damage. Characters may perform a Very Hard (−30) Lore (Magick) or Difficult (−10) Lore (Elves) Test to determine that the engravings are Elf-made. The Lore (Elves) Test becomes Easy if the Character making it is an Elf with any formal magical training. Success by +2 SL reveals that the markings are intended to channel the eight Winds of Magic into the tower and keep them there. Success by +6 SL reveals the source of the magic is synonymous with the ruins known as The Lone Pillar, also in the @JournalEntry[ttWqJb5WqLsKdHCz]{County of Widow's Vale}.
\nThere are seven landings within the tower, not including the ground floor or the roof. Each of the landings and the roof are accessible via a smooth bone-white ramp that curves along the wall. Each of the landings opens out into a balcony that faces the cardinal direction noted in its description. In the centre of the ground floor is a small silver stairwell that goes down into eight cells, with beds, small stoves, and everything one would need for a rather spartan lifestyle in seclusion. However, all bar two have been recently packed away, and appear to be unoccupied.
\nNo life can be seen within the tower, though there is evidence of its recent use — papers left lying in some of the cells, covered in arcane writings indecipherable to anyone without Language (Magick) or Language (Eltharin) and the @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.talents.GogGbYxkVdCmiKqf]{Read/Write} Talent.
\nThe next steps — the climb to the top of the tower — should be an introspective process for the Characters. Make sure to express just how long it takes to climb; the tower is over 1,000 feet tall, and the whole thing is accessed by a meandering circular ramp. Also, make sure to emphasise the mystical elements of each landing, and tie the Characters into them as much as possible, by adding details pertinent to their identities. The Tower of Vane is intended to harmonise with its occupants and enhance their magical powers, but it is very old, poorly tended, and was damaged considerably during the War of Vengeance. Now, it’s a shadow of its former self, and only the azyr component — the roof — works properly. However, it still reacts to its occupants, which now include the Characters!
\nCharacters with the @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.talents.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} Talent see the eight Winds of Magic saturating this place, but sitting in relative stagnation. However, on a successful Challenging (+0) Intuition Test, they note how strangely the Winds move here, and how weird it is that the area hasn’t festered and formed dhar, which is said to coalesce in areas saturated in magic for prolonged periods of time.
\nThe first landing’s base is carved into a confusion of thorns, twining themselves around a central rune line depicting an arrow from a hunter’s bow, oriented to the northwest. Symbols reminiscent of rending claws and twisted brambles are inlaid with once-glorious amber — its colour now dimmed and lifeless.
\nA single altar rests in the centre of the platform, made of the same bone-white stone as the ramp that led to this strange place. Its surface is lined with carved channels that collect around its base, feeding into the amber set into the platform’s top. It sits here, dormant, useless, and led.
\n\n\nAffinity with the Winds of Magic
\nAll mortals reverberate in the Aethyr, and have a certain resonance with the Winds of Magic, even the magically stunted Dwarfs, and the supernaturally resilient Halflings. However, each mortal soul is different, and finds a closer harmony with one Wind over another. This is the secret that Loremaster Teclis based his instruction of Human wizards on, forcing them to channel only their strongest Wind to make it ‘safer’.
\nHuman magic users within the Tower of Vane find a particular calling towards their chosen Lore of Magic, whilst Elven wizards find a resonance with them all. Non-magical Humans and Elves are drawn to one platform over the others, and see visions there that no one else can perceive. Halflings are likewise drawn to a particular platform, but only feel a slight tingling. Dwarfs are immune to the effects of the Tower.
\nGMs should feel free to decide which Wind most calls to a Character, based on their personality. Furthermore, they should feel free to improvise visions on each platform, tying the sights already there to the Characters’ experiences and backstories. For example, a soldier might be drawn to shyish, and see visions of their old comrades dying as they themselves fade into old age, or a noble may be drawn to aqshy and see their petty passions and desires turn to bloody rage as they slaughter their rivals.
\n
The second landing’s base is carved into a sprawling web that peters out in all directions, turning back in on itself in the centre, connected to everything yet standing alone. The incomprehensibly complex network appears to conceal a rune that burns itself into the minds of those who look at it, though it fades as soon as one blinks. A lone arrow points to the south, inlaid with onyx, that leaches light from the room.
\nSeveral recesses and insets into the platform appear to have once held weapons — blades of an incredibly thin make — though they are long gone. Dust now fills their crevices, and the Characters can tell that, no matter how hard they might try, that dust will never be removed.
\nThe third landing’s base is carved into an inward, inevitable spiral, drawing the eye always towards its end at the centre. There, at the end of all things, sits a curling, hooked rune, like a thorn growing from the stem of a rose, pointing to the southwest. The rune kindles slightly as the Characters approach it, light playing inside the amethysts that make up its form. But even this ends, forgotten to time.
\nNothing stands on this platform, though several areas of its surface look like a comfortable place to sit, meditate, and ultimately fade away.
\nThe fourth landing’s base is carved into a wreath of twining leaves, vines, boughs, and water streams, moving in perfect balance around a central rune. Picked out in faded jade are three concentric rings, linked by a line that extends from the innermost ring, past the third, pointing towards the east. A sense of calmness permeates the platform, and in the cracks between the carvings the faintest trace of moss grows.
\nA tree stands in the middle of the innermost ring, though long since petrified. Its roots burrow deep into the stone platform, though they no longer draw anything from within — if they ever did.
\nThe fifth landing’s base is carved into a thousand rings of enveloping flame, all emanating from a central burning rune: a circle made of dark rubies, with a westward jutting arrow trailing away into a curl of flame. An overwhelming sense of rage fills the Characters when they see what has become of this place — not that they’ve ever seen it before — which quickly passes and dies. One can’t help but wonder at the broken dreams and ambitions that the builders of this tower once held.
\nIn the middle of the rune’s ring stands an open brazier. Soot cakes every inch of it, despite it having stood cold seemingly forever. Underneath the soot are ruined things: gold melted to slag, precious stones shattered like stressed glass, and more. Wealth that could have purchased whole duchies of the Empire lies worthless beneath the ashes.
\nThe sixth landing’s base is carved into geometrically perfect rings, at first spaced far apart, and then shrinking in distance in accordance with the Fibonacci sequence. As it thins, the rings become nearly impossible to discern from each other. At the centre of the design rests a golden embossed rune: a circle with an arrow moving from its centre to beyond its edge, pointing to the northeast.
\nAt first glance, everything here is perfect and arranged in a delicate design. On closer inspection, the Characters see small imperfections: scratches, dents, and flaws mar the surface. These imperfections, once seen, are impossible to ignore, until the Characters can’t find a single ring that remains perfect.
\nThe seventh landing’s base is flawless, untouched by any maker’s hand. In its centre — not beveled, embossed, or engraved — is a symbol at once utterly unassuming and impossible to ignore: a wheel, divided into eight segments, with the north-most spoke extending from its edge to become a perfect arrow.
\nAs the Characters cross the platform, they notice their shadows are banished from its surface. Their feet make no sound over the stone as they walk. As the Characters begin to leave, darkness instantly washes over the platform, and the sounds of every footstep they’ve made play at once. The charms upon this place are not gone, but they are failing, and for some reason that fills the Characters with a sense of sadness and fear.
\nAs the Characters climb the ramp towards the ceiling and leave the seventh landing, move on to The Roof: Azyr.
\nRead or paraphrase the following to the players once they arrive on the roof.
\n\n\nThe meandering stone ramp pierces through the ceiling and on to the roof of the Tower of Vane to reveal a crystal dome covering the whole spire. Here and there, the dome is open to the elements, and a terrible driving wind whips you as you emerge. The floor here is carved with swirling cloud-like motifs that meet at a rune like a capital ‘A’ with a circle under its bridge, oriented as if to point to the southeast.
\nUnlike the other landings, this space is clearly in use, covered everywhere with the artifice of Human wizards — great telescopes, sextants, and other devices whose purposes are too arcane to contemplate. Desks are arranged behind great screens to block out the driving wind, upon which are weighted writing boards that contain charts of the clouds, stars, and phases of the twin moons. Uncountable heavy chests are filled to bursting with tightly wound scrolls, their contents unknown. Against one wall is a partially assembled windlass with an enormous counterweight and coil of rope.
\nHowever, one device draws your attention more than any other: a massive silver-wrought frame, adorned with crystal dials, golden suns, and snake statues, that supports eight massive glass lenses of decreasing size. The largest lens is almost as tall as a Halfling, whilst the smallest is still as big as a Dwarf ’s head. However, the device appears to be unfinished, and a massive slate board to its side is covered over with schematics and puzzling equations. Written in a stark hand underneath this are the words ‘WHY DID IT MISFIRE’.
\n
This device is a bastardised recreation of a Luminark of Hysh, a powerful and impossibly complex war machine of the Colleges of Magic, and the cause of Corporal Vielfrass’s death. At this point, it is likely that the Characters will wish to investigate the Luminark closely, so answers have been given for several likely Tests. Feel free to allow additional Tests which grant further insights, if the players come up with inventive questions.
\nChannelling Test
If a magic-user wishes to, allow them to perform a Difficult (−10) Channelling Test on the device. This Test becomes Average (+20) if the Character is using Channelling (Hysh). On a success, the device hums to life momentarily, but the magic-user is keenly aware of the power and peril in its use, as well as the lack of a necessary component to enable it to work properly.
Intuition Test with Second Sight
A Character with the @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.talents.OEjUvJKi0xmBwbS2]{Second Sight} Talent may perform a Challenging (+0) Intuition Test to reveal that the device has been fired several times, and whilst it’s supposed to primarily channel hysh, it has actually channelled several Winds of Magic through it.
Lore (Various) Tests
Characters may wish to puzzle over the device using their more esoteric Lore Skills. Indeed, this is a perfect time to use specialisations such as Engineering, Magick, or Science!
A successful Challenging (+0) Lore (Engineering) Test reveals that the device would have required complex artistry to create, and would likely have required a team of people to set the whole thing up. It is certainly of Human design, as well.
\nA successful Challenging (+0) Lore (Magick) Test notes that this is a Luminark, a terrible weapon used by the College of Light to destroy daemons. Success by +2 SL reveals that these devices are also used in the defence of the Chamber Unbreachable — the legendary vault underneath the College of Light.
\nIf a Perception Test has also been made, and the Characters understand that other symbols of the Winds are inscribed on the device, this Test unveils how profane and heretical such an act is. An Intuition Test also reveals such information.
\nA successful Challenging (+0) Lore (Science) Test, in conjunction with a Navigation Test, shows that whilst the Luminark isn’t pointing directly at Ubersreik, the parabolic equation written on the slate next to the device explains the misfire.
\nNavigation Test
A telescope nearby, oriented slightly off the same angle as the Luminark, points directly at Ubersreik. On a successful Challenging (+0) Navigation Test, a Character can discern that the view from the platform, and down the sight of the Luminark, is almost exactly the same (but inverted) as that out of Corporal Vielfrass’s apartment in Magnus’s Tower. Success with +2 SL notes that the facing of the Luminark is slightly off, which should have resulted in the beam firing harmlessly to the north of the town.
Perception Test
A Character can perform a Challenging (+0) Perception Test, which reveals one fact per SL scored, in order.
There is a fist-sized object missing from the back of the device, attached to the dials.
\nResearch Test
If the Characters spend time looking through the papers and research notes scattered around, allow them to perform a Simple Research Test, which uncovers Handout 2: Thoughts on High Magic — a weathered, old, and well-read piece of paper.
It is entirely possible that none of the Characters can read, which means much of this handout will be incomprehensible to them. Feel free to have @Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Hagerdorn} read the paper to the Characters and explain its contents, if they ask her in the next section. She doesn’t lie about its contents, and briefly explains each point if pressed.
\nCharacters may also wish to perform various Lore (History) or Lore (Magick) Tests to understand the finer points of this letter. Anything pertaining to the Winds of Magic is Average (+10), whilst anything detailing the disgraced Supreme Patriarch, Egrimm van Horstmann, is Very Hard (−30) due to the cover-up performed by the Colleges of Magic. Alternatively, as above, Hagerdorn can explain any of the details.
\nAfter the Characters have had a while to investigate the scene and put a few pieces together, read or paraphrase the following:
\n\n\nThe howling wind cutting into the observatory suddenly stops, and a soft voice can be heard calling from… somewhere. Straining your ears, you hear a muffled woman's voice calmly calling for help.
\n
No Test is necessary to find the source of the noise, as soon the woman begins banging on the inside of her box. The box is large — big enough to fit at least two people laying down inside it — and made of heavy wood and iron. The box is unlocked, but latched shut, meaning it would be impossible to open from the inside.
\nInside the box is Wizard Lord @Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Sibylle Hagerdorn} who explains that she fought with one of her old inferiors from the Colleges of Altdorf, and that he — Cantor Carolus Entschlafen — managed to hit her with a Sleep spell, and locked her within. Hagerdorn, if required, tells her story from within the box, if the Characters don’t immediately let her out. However, she becomes insistent after a few minutes that the Characters are in grave danger of being discovered by Entschlafen, and that without her help or artifice, they are in great peril.
\nCharacters may wish to perform a Very Hard (−30) Intuition Test against Hagerdorn, to discover if she is telling the truth. Success or failure results in the same: Hagerdorn is telling the truth, though she is omitting any incriminating details. Success indicates that the Characters are aware that Hagerdorn is a clever woman, and that she is unreadable given her ability to see into the future. Although, despite this, she does appear to be honest.
\nOnce released from the box, and allowed to move, Hagerdorn gives a brief description of what happened. She says a colleague from the College of Light delivered the Luminark with the intention of developing it further here. She goes on to state that a rogue wizard, Entschlafen, later twisted the device in secret to channel more than just hysh. She confesses that, during a test of the Luminark, it misfired, killing a man in Ubersreik. She expresses that her own scrying allowed her to know of this death, though little else about the man, as if he was obscured.
\nIf the Characters describe Vielfrass, or open up about the investigation of the Cult, Hagerdorn is legitimately intrigued, and puts together the puzzle of why it misfired. If the Characters further question or probe her story, they find the same difficulty as above, given all of the information is true, but not the whole truth.
\nOnce the Characters have had some time to question @Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Hagerdorn}, Cantor @Actor[emW6Xa9Bx75AEXp9]{Carolus Entschlafen} teleports next to the device and shoots a blast of fire at it, causing it to begin to ‘overload’. This is actually a harmless ruse, and is all part of their plan. He then steals one of the lenses from the device, and jumps off the platform into the open air, only to float to the glacier below.
\nThis scene would normally be run as a Combat, except that Entschlafen is able to perform all of this in a single turn, and the Characters will have a @Condition[Surprised] Condition due to the teleportation. As such, Entschlafen will already be floating away by the time the Characters can react!
\nWith Entschlafen’s flight, Hagerdorn screams that she needs to safeguard the Luminark so it doesn’t get damaged, and implores the Characters to pursue Entschlafen. She gifts the party with her amulet — the Nineteenth Palm of Volans — which she explains will ward them from Entschlafen’s diabolical magic. If the Characters are reluctant to go, Hagerdorn expresses keenly that they will die if they stay, for even if she can contain the device, she cannot prevent it from flooding the platform with mutagenic energy that will surely kill anyone but her.
\n\n\nHagerdorn's Truth & Entschlafen's Plan
\n@Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Hagerdorn} isn’t lying about her story, though she’s not telling the whole truth. The following is the true sequence of events that led to this situation.
\n@Actor[emW6Xa9Bx75AEXp9]{Entschlafen}sought out Hagerdorn, given their past mutual relationship, and her skills and resources. At first, Hagerdorn fought with Entschlafen, disgusted by his betrayal of the Colleges of Magic. Entschlafen managed to convince her to trust him, and he spoke his own theory that the End Times are coming, and that only Egrimm van Hortsmann can stop it. He explained Horstmann’s plan (as far as he knows it) as being to ‘destroy the lies that Loremaster Teclis shackled us with, and give the gift of High Magic to Humanity.’ Hagerdorn’s own dreams and visions aligned with this reasoning, and she agreed to help him.
\nIn the months since, they have collaborated in secret to develop the device that Entschlafen brought with him. The device isn’t a true Luminark, but rather one that can channel multiple Winds of Magic to not only pierce the protective barrier around the Chamber Unbreachable, but also to create a new network around the Chaos Wastes. They have since fired the device a few times, though each at great cost. The last attempt misfired, and the beam of hysh bent towards the evil that was Vielfrass in Magnus’s Tower.
\nAfter the misfire, the two knew it was only a matter of time before they were discovered, so they hatched a plan to escape. Hagerdorn knew there was no chance they would escape unless there was a patsy, and she attempted to use herself for that purpose, but Entschlafen fought and imprisoned her to save her life. Whilst she slept, she received a vision that confirmed Entschlafen’s sacrifice was the more likely option to lead to success, so she resolved to allow him to die for the greater cause.
\nAfter Entschlafen appears, and flees with an inconsequential piece of the device, Hagerdorn will recover the hidden control orb and flee with the research into the mountains.
\n
The climb back down the Tower takes several minutes, even at a run, given its immense size. However, once they get to the bottom and emerge from the Tower, the Characters spot @Actor[emW6Xa9Bx75AEXp9]{Entschlafen} off in the distance kneeling in the middle of an 8-foot-diameter circle of blood painted on to the glacier’s surface. The circle is a diversion, to trick the Characters into thinking that they caught Entschlafen before he could finish his plans, but also to delay them from attacking too quickly, so as to grant Hagerdorn her escape.
\nHowever, Entschlafen has been busy preparing spells to aid him in the coming fight. He is currently under the effects of @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.spells.pHITBuvCatCOBhZb]{Aethyric Armour} for 8 more rounds, and @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.spells.4NQUrs2PUNpYxlWs]{Regenerate} for 7 more rounds.
\nIf the Characters attempt to get Entschlafen to talk, he obliges even if it means his spells fizzle out. He is more concerned with keeping the Characters busy, so he prefers to waste time talking rather than fighting for longer than he needs to. He does not mention anything dealing with the Cabal, or Egrimm van Horstmann, but happily discusses his plan to build the device, and his misfortune over it misfiring. He also does not mention his alliance with Hagerdorn, though he is less strongly willed than her, and may let it slip, or may allow the lie to be discovered, with an Opposed Intuition / Willpower Test.
\nOnce Combat begins, and Entschlafen is reduced to 0 Wounds, @Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Hagerdorn} enacts the final part of her escape plan, using @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.spells.3DvCrKaYw2mF42Nr]{Bridge} to escape secretly to the nearby inaccessible cliffs along the mountain range. As the final part of his diversion, Entschlafen begins to summon a @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.spells.208BiJLY0jXxelbd]{Comet of Casandora} centred on himself. If he completes the spell, the Comet impacting with the surface of the glacier causes it to shatter, spreading cracks in the ice from wherever it hit.
\nIf Entschlafen finishes the spell, the Characters must make a speedy retreat to avoid falling in the freezing water, which should be treated as a @JournalEntry[03r3y37RFKAFM82c]{Pursuit}. The Characters are the pursued, and the starting Distance is equal to half the yards between them and the epicentre of the Comet. The cracks always count as if they rolled 3 SL, and each Character tracks their pursuit separately. If the Distance ever becomes 6 or greater, the Character has outrun the cracks, and finds themselves safely on solid ground. If the Distance ever reaches 0, the Character falls into the freezing water, and must succeed on a Hard (−20) Endurance Test or take a @Condition[Stunned] Condition — failure on which results in @JournalEntry[mcI8YO5ZKJ9LO5MV]{Drowning}. The following round, they may pull themselves to safety. Any contact with the freezing water immediately imposes @JournalEntry[mcI8YO5ZKJ9LO5MV]{Exposure} each round until the Character is removed from the water and given warm, dry clothes.
\nEntschlafen does not survive the freezing water, unless a Character specifically saves him, at which point he continues to fight the Characters to the death.
\nEntschlafen, with Hagerdorn’s wisdom, has calculated that the Characters will continue to hunt him and his master if he is left alive, therefore he decided to sacrifice his own life at the hands of the Characters.
\nThe Characters will no doubt wish to return to the Tower of Vane and discuss what has happened with Hagerdorn. However, they discover large parts of the Luminark have been scavenged, all of the research notes taken, and the wizard is nowhere to be found. She was not careful in covering her tracks, using magic (@Compendium[wfrp4e-core.spells.3DvCrKaYw2mF42Nr]{Bridge} and @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.spells.CVam8L1cNsnxZHRR]{Teleport}) to escape, and without similar spells, there is no hope of catching her. Additionally, she has a significant head start, as it will take the Characters a considerable amount of time just to climb the Tower once more; her trail is dead, with no hope of pursuit.
\nAt this point, the Characters know who is responsible for Corporal Vielfrass’s ‘murder’, they know the method by which he was killed, and they know that it had nothing to do with the Altdorf–Ubersreik conflict. Despite not having captured or slain Wizard Lord @Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Sibylle Hagerdorn}, they have completed their contract with Lady @Actor[hcAF95tFaOdoZoeF]{Emmanuelle Nacht} with the death of Entschlafen. Lady Nacht will be disappointed that Hagerdorn escaped, but is understanding, and reports the matter to her superiors, assuring the Characters that the Colleges are far more efficient at dealing with their own.
" }, { "id": "Y0Q2qKyghKdGTykE", "name": "Aftermath: Heart of Glass", "description": "Heart of Glass leaves many loose ends that can be tied into other published adventures, or can be pursued as your own campaigns. Perhaps the Characters want revenge on Wizard Lord @Actor[UcCdrNkDrjGUXbj5]{Sibylle Hagerdorn}, or Lady @Actor[hcAF95tFaOdoZoeF]{Emmanuelle Nacht} took a shine to their performance, and has other work for them. Perhaps Heske Glazer’s true patrons take a greater interest in the Characters, or @Actor[wNq1O1IoZ9CMdKGM]{Ursula Marbad} decides to forgive their crimes and induct them into the service of the Witch Hunters.
\nThe Characters may also wish to travel to Altdorf to follow up on whomever Corporal Vielfrass was corresponding with, as evidently this was only one small piece of a larger cult. Furthermore, the Characters may have acquired blackmail material on three important names in Altdorf: Aver von Kaltenwald, Brunhilde von Hopsberg, and most of all Grafina Elena von Midwald, if they were thorough in their investigations. These three could prove useful in furthering the investigation, or merely wealthy marks to squeeze for crowns.
\nLastly, if the Characters discovered any trace of the Cabal, Entschlafen’s note @JournalEntry[cMO2sUhScWN7VV2q]{Thoughts on High Magic}, or the greater conspiracy that is undergoing, the Colleges of Magic in Altdorf would be very interested to hear of it.
\nWhatever happens next, Hagerdorn and likely Sergeant @Actor[LhI9XQo9pkV9eJ2d]{Orban Geldrecht} are still out there somewhere. Both are just little pieces in the puzzle of a much larger conspiracy that promises to shake the Old World to its foundations, and certainly spoil the best laid plans of the Characters…
\nAs 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:
\nThe beginning of @JournalEntry[1SdCyKWdnMyv5itI]{Heart of Glass} implies that the Characters have already established themselves with a reputation — Lady @Actor[hcAF95tFaOdoZoeF]{Emmanuelle Nacht} already believes them to be capable agents, and trusts them enough with this sensitive matter. Luckily, Lady Nacht’s spy network is vast, so this reputation can be easily explained through whispers getting back to her about any of the Characters’ past deeds. However, if that explanation doesn’t serve, the following alternate starts to the adventure may work well for your campaign.
\nThe final encounter of Heart of Glass may be very easily overcome for some parties, as Carolus isn’t the strongest of combatants. For some, this isn’t a problem, and serves well to accentuate the sacrifice Carolus is making — he never intended to survive. However, some groups may prefer more of a challenge — and some GMs may wish for the @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.spells.208BiJLY0jXxelbd]{Comet of Casandora} to play a role and act as the final climax. Here are two possible solutions.
\nThe NPCs in Heart of Glass are integral to the plot, but with a few changes, they can be tied deeper into the ongoing strife elsewhere in Ubersreik, and in the other adventures throughout this book. Consider some of the following changes.
\nA vile sickness creeps through the rookeries of Ubersreik. When an investigating doktor discovers the infection spreading from one tenement in the Spittlefeld slums, the building is quarantined immediately. Armed members of the Watch are posted on all exits, and crossbows are aimed at every window. No one goes in. No one comes out. For the unfortunate souls trapped within, there is little hope of escape unless they can find the cause of the infection. But that wants out, too. And if it can’t break free? Well, it won’t be the first time there is a Slaughter in Spittlefeld...
\nThis is an adventure that explores the horrors of disease, and how it erodes not only the flesh, but also the minds of friends and neighbours alike. It takes place in Ubersreik, but could be moved to any suitably large city or town of the Empire. This adventure is suitable for four to six Characters in their first or second Career, and should take about 4 hours to complete.
\nThe Characters become trapped inside a tenement building in Ubersreik’s Spittlefeld slum district in the Teubrück Quarter, where a deadly sickness is sweeping through the population. A doktor sent to investigate the malady has been locked inside with the Characters and the remaining residents of the tenement building, but has unfortunately fallen ill. Before she caught the mysterious disease she solved much of the riddle in her notebook, which has since gone missing. The Characters must find the notebook to uncover the truth — that a vampire, rather than a plague, is the culprit — and put an end to the madness.
\nBefore playing Ubersreik Adventures: Slaughter in Spittlefeld, read it through from start to finish at least once. Whilst the adventure takes place within a single building, it may also be useful to read through the Guide to Ubersreik in the WFRP Starter Set as it provides additional information and context about the town, its governance, and its law enforcement. Once you feel comfortable with the material, you’re ready to begin.
\nThe Characters are stuck inside a quarantined tenement building. Also trapped within is the creature causing the ‘plague’ that is sweeping through the surrounding streets. Both the Characters and the creature want to get out.
\nThe Spittlefeld rookery (slums) contains some of the oldest buildings in Ubersreik. Soaring high above the streets, these six-storey-tall stacks of ramshackle apartments, all piled one atop the other, house some of the poorest folk in the fortress-town. The tenement was built in the shadow of the @JournalEntry[xJe6jaYwXrZM80NA]{Black Rock Castle} during the reconstruction of Ubersreik after the Great War Against Chaos over two hundred years ago. It was originally designed as temporary housing for the massive refugee population at the time, including folk from @JournalEntry[o2mz58EtayxnAJNY]{The Grey Mountains}, Bretonnia, and farther afield, but soon became a permanent fixture.
\nToday, the rookery is a melting pot of cultures, forming its own community of tight-knit working-class folk, more akin to a village than a district within a town. However, the crime it breeds ensures Spittlefeld is not liked in Ubersreik, and it is often the brunt of cruel jokes, public scorn, and the frequent attention of the Watch.
\nOver a month ago, a sickness struck Ubersreik’s northern docklands. Citizens woke up faint, feverish, and fatigued, assuming they woke up at all. Enquiring doktors and the Cult of Shallya are stumped by the infection. So far, the best they can do is wait for the afflicted to recover or pass into Morr’s Realm.
\nAfter scores of deaths, the source of the plague appears to have been located: one of the larger tenement buildings in the Spittlefeld rookery. On the advice of Doktor @Actor[aUPlT4HBdnEKjuM1]{Otto Krupp}, Guildmaster of @JournalEntry[FcLBMJfOP0Gl8sXl]{The Physicians' Guild} in Ubersreik, the door to the building has been boarded up and the windows watched by soldiers with crossbows.
\nFurther, sisters from the local Temple of Shallya have marked a cordon sanitaire, a barrier of stakes linked with white cloth to mark a line that cannot be crossed for fear of infection. This puts a total quarantine into effect. Until the sickness has passed, only Shallya’s mercy can protect those living within.
\nUnfortunately for the folk of Spittlefeld, it’s not rats in the walls that are spreading the disease. The culprit is a Vampire — @Actor[us1a9BvX4msRhErG]{Maria Melone} — who, after drinking from a victim who was infected with @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.diseases.M8XyRs9DN12XsFTQ]{Blood Rot}, went on to spread the infection to all her future victims. Whilst Melone, as a Vampire, is immune to the effects of Blood Rot herself, the corrupted blood does make her need to feed far more frequently than normal — several times a day, in fact — otherwise she becomes weakened and frail.
\n\n\nIt's Only Blood Rot
\nThe disease afflicting Spittlefeld is Blood Rot, a blood infection caused by other diseases or infected wounds, and normally non-communicable. In this case, the infection is spread by a Vampire bite, which is effectively injecting infection directly into the bloodstream of the victims. Because of its lack of apparent cause and the frequency and density of those infected, local doktors are confusing the Blood Rot with a regular infectious disease. Use the rules for @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.diseases.M8XyRs9DN12XsFTQ]{Blood Rot}, with the following change.
\nContraction: Receive a bite from @Actor[us1a9BvX4msRhErG]{Maria Melone}, or have your bloodstream exposed to infected blood.
\n
Melone hides in the basement of the quarantined Spittlefeld tenement building. She has been there for the last month and has fed several times a day, causing the apparent plague. Whilst stopping the Vampire does not help those already infected, it does bring the plague to an end.
\nSlaughter in Spittlefeld is specifically designed to fit into any ongoing campaign, or to be played as a oneshot. The following hooks can be used to get the Characters into the adventure.
\nThe Characters awaken to an unwelcome discovery. They are trapped inside a house with a virulent plague, and there is no way out.
\nThe Characters awaken to the sounds of a hammer driving nails into wood. They are on the floor of a dirty apartment building, surrounded by snoring, shabby individuals sleeping amongst piles of filthy rags and dirty boots. In the lobby next door, a deep voice bellows disapproval as a handful of others argue loudly.
\nWith the simplest investigation, it is obvious what is happening. The front door to the building has been boarded shut by members of the town Watch, and the local tenants are scared and confused. One of these tenants is @Actor[cZg2JqchVim3KUEq]{Gino}, an Ogre who barely fits in the damp lobby, and he is shouting through the sealed door. If any of the bickering tenants are approached, it quickly becomes clear the tenement building is behind a holy cordon sanitaire of Shallya. This means the building is in complete quarantine, and no one is allowed in or out on pain of death. Outside, the Watchmen reinforce this: ‘You ain’t getting out unless the Plague what you filthy Spittlefelders is spreading stops! Which probably means you all dying in there!’
\nThe Characters are likely very confused about how they came to arrive in Spittlefeld, and what the plague is. If none of the Characters approach Gino, he will approach them. The Ogre will explain in simple, bellowed sentences what is happening as his tenants bicker and the Watch taunts them from outside. Gino likes to call anyone skinnier than him ‘SLIM’, and everyone is skinnier than Gino. He explains how the Characters arrived at Spittlefeld, though details are scant and possibly contradictory as the Ogre doesn’t really understand them. Use the following as examples of his speech. ‘FOUND YOU, SLIM. NOT EAT YOU. 5 PENCE, NOW!’ ‘YOU ASLEEP ON STREET. TOOK YOU IN. 5 PENCE, SLIM!’ ‘WOT IS ‘APPENING, SLIM? WHY WATCH LOCK MY DOOR? I’M HUNGRY!’ Disturbingly for those not used to Ogres, Gino’s stomach makes the most horrendous rumble, like he’s really, really hungry. While that is almost certainly true — after all, Ogres are almost always hungry — the thunderous belly-rumble is normal for Ogres; indeed, Gino swallows a large quantity of rock and rubble to aid his digestion, and that alone accounts for much of the grind.
\nUnsurprisingly, Gino’s tenants are terrified by what’s happening. Some are shouting their horror at being trapped in the building by the Watch, some are debating what to do about the mysterious plague, and others are looking on with worried expressions at their tenement manager, wondering what will happen when he gets hungry. There are a dozen families in the tenement building as detailed in The Folk of Spittlefeld. Feel free to create additional NPCs from these families to interact with the Characters, all with their own foibles and complaints about the current situation as best fits your campaign.
\nIf you wish to keep it simple, an Easy (+40) Gossip Test reveals the following details about the plague from the worried tenants. Extra Success Levels uncover additional pieces of information. Each of the rumours has an example NPC provided to supply them, but feel free to change this as you see fit. If you prefer, you could roleplay these conversations without Gossip Tests if that works better for your group.
\nIf the Characters wish to talk to the doktor, they can be shown to her bedside by @Actor[cZg2JqchVim3KUEq]{Gino} or any of the other regular tenants. If the Characters show no interest in talking to the doktor, but are adamant that they need to get out of Spittlefeld, Gino will say that the doktor is the only person he knows who can stop the plague, and therefore, get them all out alive.
\n@Actor[L4RurnIhaVTl6s3S]{Doktor Giliani}, a Tilean physician of some skill, lies on a stained cot and is barely conscious. She sweats profusely, turning her bedclothes a translucent grey. Her eyes are glassy, her skin is pallid, and her neck is bruised dark purple, almost black. She’s so weak she doesn’t even cough, just wheezes deep in her chest. She beckons anyone who will get close enough to her, before saying, in heavily accented Reikspiel the words ‘...my diary holds the truth...’ After, her eyes roll back and she falls unconscious and cannot be stirred.
\nIf the Characters ask any of those around her, they must perform an Easy (+40) Charm Test to get the following answers — folks are eager to help, but they don’t want to incriminate their neighbours. On a success, they will say that they saw the doktor writing in her diary at every chance she got, constantly scribbling in it. They claim she had it on her person at all times, except when she slept, when she’d tuck it into her travelling bag which is jammed underneath the bed. At +4 SL, they will go on to say that the bag had been rummaged through by some of the tenants after the doktor fell ill, and the book may have been taken. At +6 SL, they will reveal the culprit: Trinity, one of Annika Passerine’s orphans.
\nAlternatively, the Characters can perform an Average (+20) Perception Test to look around for the diary, finding the travelling bag underneath the bed on a success. At +2 SL, the Characters will be able to tell the bag has been rummaged through. If the Characters confront any of the tenants in the area about this fact directly, the above Charm Test is Very Easy (+60) instead.
\nIf the Characters fail to find out who took the diary through any other means, before they leave, they see two frightened eyes staring at them from one of the vents in the wall. The eyes — belonging to Trinity, the culprit — will immediately dart away, and if the Characters give chase, move to The Chase.
" }, { "id": "rnEUZi32zxByBVKl", "name": "The Folk of Spittlefeld", "description": "There are a dozen families left living in Spittlefeld, though the specifics of how many comprise each are left up to you to decide.
\nPart 2: Locked Inside Together deals with three interconnected problems that stand between the Characters and discovering the source of the plague. Everyone in the tenement building is on edge and scared, which makes them act out against one another.
\nThe Characters will either have discovered that Trinity — one of @Actor[pFcCHVMUhgeOOS3l]{Passerine’s} orphans — has stolen the diary, or they will see Trinity in the walls spying on them. It shouldn’t take the Characters long to decide to either speak to Passerine and attempt to get the diary from her, or to give chase to the child.
\n\n\nThe Orphan, Trinity
\nNo one knows where Trinity came from or what his name was before Passerine found him. Running out of names, his adoptive mother took inspiration from the three dots tattooed onto his back in a triangle. Now, two years later, Trinity can either be found clutching at Passerine’s leg as she does her daily rounds, or crawling through the walls and under the beds of the guests and tenants of Spittlefeld. Trinity is still too young to understand ownership, and Passerine does her best to discourage his sticky fingers, which have a habit of picking up the most curious of collectables.
\nTrinity is two and a half years old and tiny, with ruddy skin and a beaming smile. He doesn’t talk much, but once he gets running, there are few who can catch him.
\n
@Actor[pFcCHVMUhgeOOS3l]{Annika Passerine} runs an orphanage that spans half of the second and third floors of Spittlefeld — the intervening ceiling between the floors having fallen in some time ago. The walls and floors inside the orphanage are peeling and heavily damaged but are otherwise clean, as Passerine works hard to keep her children in good standing.
\nThe orphanage has a kitchen where Passerine and some of the older children cook, a nursery where a half-dozen toddlers and babies sleep, and a dormitory where the older kids live. Passerine herself lives in a corner of the nursery and sleeps on a small cot.
\nAnnika Passerine will not take kindly to anyone asking questions about her kids. If the Characters pass a Challenging (+0) Charm Test and swear not to harm the children in any way, she will admit that one child, Trinity, has a bad habit of stealing things. She’ll state the child is yet to understand why it’s bad to steal, but will ultimately refuse to help them get the diary from him, unless they help her first.
\nPasserine has several sick children under her care at the moment and needs medicine to help them. Luckily, none of the children have fallen ill with the plague sweeping through the building, and they are expected to make a recovery if they can get the medicine they need. However, with the quarantine, no medicine can come in, and @Actor[L4RurnIhaVTl6s3S]{Doktor Giliani} already used all of her supplies. @Actor[wfynzRFKyKBjsfNc]{Sreluc} and @Actor[UWgyGmr61Co3ZgNO]{Srulem}, Dwarf brothers who live on the 4th floor, are the only people left in the building who have medicine. If the Characters can get some of that medicine for her, Passerine will convince Trinity to return the diary.
\n\n\nThe Word of a Dwarf
\nThe word of a Dwarf is a sacred thing, and if given in an oath it is unbreakable. Many folks in the Empire know this about Dwarfs, so they trust them more readily than others if their word is given. Annika Passerine will accept the promise of a Dwarf to not harm the children without the need of a Test. However, if any harm comes to the children because of the Characters — and they or Passerine survive the adventure — she will tell the other Dwarfs of Ubersreik how untrustworthy the Character is, garnering them a −30 to Fellowship when interacting with fellow Dwarfs, unless they take the Slayer’s Oath!
\n
Whether the Characters know who they are chasing or not, they may find themselves trying to catch Trinity when he runs away and hides in the crawl space between the walls. Unless there is a Halfling in the party who can squeeze in after him, this will be incredibly difficult. It will require the Characters to run ahead and take a gamble by blocking off exits.
\nThe chase should be run as a @JournalEntry[03r3y37RFKAFM82c]{Pursuit}. For the purposes of the Pursuit, Trinity has the following Characteristics: Athletics 45, Movement 4. Trinity has a head start of 5 and will continue to move around until his lead exceeds 10, at which point he will leave the crawl space through one of the vents and hide somewhere. Unless the Characters are inside the crawl space, the Pursuit can never fall below 1 Distance.
\nTrinity will only move between the ground floor and the first four floors, refusing to go to the penthouse on the 5th floor or to the basement. There is one entrance to the crawl space on each floor in the main stairwell for floors 1 to 5, and another entrance in the flophouse and basement.
\nA Character can use their turn to move up or down the stairs to block off an entrance, but it takes an entire Round just to get to the entrance. Alternatively, they can jump over the railing on the stairs to travel farther. Refer to @JournalEntry[1gNxlCdPV1C3oZ6Z]{Falling}. Each landing is 4 yards above the one below.
\nBlocking off an exit reduces Trinity’s successive Tests by −1 SL. If the Characters catch Trinity or manage to block off all the exits except the basement, Trinity will begin wailing for @Actor[pFcCHVMUhgeOOS3l]{Annika} and will try to come out. Through tears Trinity will scream that he is scared to go in the basement and will give up the diary. Hearing the child’s cries, Annika rushes to help, demanding to know what’s going on. It takes a Difficult (−10) Charm Test to defuse the situation and prevent Annika from using one of the Characters as a punching bag.
\nSreluc and Srulem live in an apartment on the 4th floor of the tenement building, from where they operate their illicit business. Their apartment is well defended, for @Actor[wfynzRFKyKBjsfNc]{Sreluc} still suspects the day when the Dwarfs of Ubersreik come for him and his brother. The front door is reinforced (Very Hard (−30) Strength Test to break down) and is bolted from the inside (impervious to lock picks).
\nInside, the apartment has three rooms — a bedroom for the two brothers to share, a living room where they take their meals on a rickety table and chairs, and a safe-room where they stash all their stolen goods. Currently in the safe-room is a sack of stolen coinage — [[/r 10d10]] brass pennies, and [[/r 5d10]] silver shillings — as well as 12 and a half pairs of stolen boots, 2 crates of stolen grog, and a box full of stolen medicines and poultices from an apothecary.
\nEarlier in the day the Characters may recall hearing Srulem yelling at the door to the penthouse. However, now @Actor[UWgyGmr61Co3ZgNO]{Srulem} is nowhere to be found. If the Characters knock on the door, they will be confronted by Sreluc and his loaded blunderbuss, who at first accuses the Characters of being agents of the Ubersreik Dwarfs. A Very Easy (+60) Charm Test will calm @Actor[wfynzRFKyKBjsfNc]{Sreluc} down a little, which becomes Challenging (+0) if there is a Dwarf in the group. However, once ‘calm’ Sreluc goes once more into a fury, stating that ‘If it weren’t you who took me brother, then who did? Srulem looks like a capable Dwarf, but he’s my little brother, and any harm done to him will be dealt back triple!’
\n@Actor[wfynzRFKyKBjsfNc]{Sreluc} will be unwilling to listen to or help the Characters until his brother has been found and will rant and rave, kicking down doors until Srulem is located. However, he will give his oath that the medicine will be handed over if the Characters help him find Srulem. Luckily, Srulem isn’t far off. A few minutes of searching the empty rooms on the 4th floor will turn up his unconscious form. @Actor[UWgyGmr61Co3ZgNO]{Srulem} seems to have been in a fight and is now lying in the dust of the abandoned rooms with heavy bruising around his neck. An Easy (+40) Heal Test reveals that the bruising is near identical to the symptoms of the plague, but the other symptoms aren’t present — he has no fever, and he can be awakened without too much effort. Srulem seems weak and dizzy, but not ill.
\nUpon seeing the state of his brother, Sreluc will honour his oath but will fly into a rage and begin battering down the door to Eluharath’s apartment, shouting: ‘I dinnae believe him, but he was right! This damned Elf is a fiend, and make no mistake! You hurt my brother, and I’ll make the War of Vengeance look like a bloody tea party when I get my hands on you, Knife Ears!’
\nOnce the Characters have the doktor’s diary, they will quickly discover it is written in Tilean with very few diagrams. If they ask around the building, everyone will recall famously that @Actor[BnvLmpRdggNO7Uxs]{Eluharath} — in his infrequent but fantastic drunken forays out of his apartment — is often seen reading poetry from his vast collection of books which ‘certainly sounds Tilean — what with all them “ia’s” and “occio’s” and what have you!’ The tenants will also mention that Eluharath’s apartment is on the top floor, if the Characters don’t already know that. This moment is a perfect time to punctuate the scene with Sreluc’s yelling, if he hasn’t already been calmed down.
\n@Actor[BnvLmpRdggNO7Uxs]{Eluharath Wavecrest's} apartment is on the top floor of the tenement building and is a rats’ nest of discarded silken garments, broken china and woven glass, and other faded memories of finery. The front door is secured with a strong lock and is one of the few in the building that has seen any maintenance for the last hundred years or so.
\nThe Elf recluse knows Tilean and is willing to read the diary for the Characters if they bring it to him. However, he is unwilling to help, or even answer the door, if @Actor[wfynzRFKyKBjsfNc]{Sreluc} and @Actor[UWgyGmr61Co3ZgNO]{Srulem} are still harassing him from outside. The Characters will need to find a way to pacify the Dwarfs if they hope to get any answers.
\nOnce inside his apartment, the Characters observe that @Actor[BnvLmpRdggNO7Uxs]{Eluharath} is utterly clueless to the current happenings outside and seems to be in a very sorry state — though not himself ill or bruised. He offers the Characters drinks and other such things, which are far beyond their budgets and palates, but which are all served on chipped expensive crockery. Once he finally settles, he will read the diary, often chuckling to himself about the good doktor’s witticisms and the frailties of Humans.
\nEventually he finds the relevant passage and blanches to an even paler shade of white. He explains that Doktor @Actor[L4RurnIhaVTl6s3S]{Alexandra Giliani} suspected — quite emphatically, and with plenty of reasoned evidence — the presence of a Vampire that uses the crawl space in the walls to move about! Even more so, she believes it must be lairing within the building itself, which results in Eluharath exclaiming it must be in the ‘veritable labyrinth that is the basement!’
\n@Actor[BnvLmpRdggNO7Uxs]{Eluharath} wishes the Characters the best of luck before kicking them out and barring the doors. Those listening closely can hear the Elf drawing weapons and barricading himself inside the penthouse.
" }, { "id": "QslK0kBS7qsNkjTg", "name": "Teil 3: The Only Way Out Is Down", "description": "Part 3: The Only Way Out is Down begins once the Characters know the true cause of the plague — the Vampire, Maria Melone — and travel down into the basement to deal with her.
\nIf the Characters enter the basement during daylight hours, there is a @Roll[1d10]{10%} chance she is currently on the hunt through the building’s crawl space, otherwise she is huddled in a corner behind stacks of old laundry and mattresses. If the Characters enter at night, Melone is not present, and is instead off somewhere feeding, to return come sunrise.
\n\n\n‘Who's With Me?’
\nThe Characters may be uncomfortable about confronting a Vampire by themselves and may ask other tenants to help them deal with the problem. However, each has an excuse — whether valid or not — as to why they can’t.
\n\n
\n- Unfortunately, @Actor[cZg2JqchVim3KUEq]{Gino} is far too large to fit down the stairs and would be less than useless in the cramped basement.
\n- @Actor[pFcCHVMUhgeOOS3l]{Annika Passerine} refuses to leave her children alone, especially if the Characters are foolish enough to tell her there is a Vampire on the loose.
\n- @Actor[wfynzRFKyKBjsfNc]{Sreluc White-eyes} likewise refuses to leave his brother. @Actor[UWgyGmr61Co3ZgNO]{Srulem}, on the other hand, is determined to come with the Characters but can’t even stand without at least two Characters helping him.
\n- @Actor[BnvLmpRdggNO7Uxs]{Eluharath Wavecrest} won’t even bother to respond to their pleas for help — he’s going to protect himself, and that’s it.
\n- The other tenants all nervously mill around the top of the stairs if they are told what is happening and that the Characters are going into the basement. None of them are brave enough to go looking for a Vampire.
\n
| Roll | \nEncounter | \n
| 1-10 | \nBox of Goodies: Someone left this down here, a long time ago. It’s covered in muck, but it’s free, at least. The Characters discover a box containing a @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.trappings.H4nKliXRB93HKH4r]{Hand Mirror}, a @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.trappings.wrFLHWygOlwFG2q3]{Comb}, and two @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.trappings.gxdjLQoQUTYgD6fm]{Healing Draughts} (one of which, determined randomly, is spoiled, and applies the @Condition[Poisoned] Condition when drunk). | \n
| 11-20 | \nFresh Tracks: The Vampire’s been through here recently. The Characters gain a +30 to their next Track Test. | \n
| 21-30 | \nSilver Cutlery: Someone left a rather fine set of silver cutlery down here. It needs a polish, but you’re sure it’s worth at least 3 GC. A Character can use the cutlery to attack Melone — it counts as an Improvised Weapon, but if it damages her, her Regenerate Trait is suspended for the Round. | \n
| 31-40 | \nAn Old Victim: You smell it before you see it, but turning a corner, you discover the body of another unfortunate victim of the Vampire who has been decomposing for a few weeks now. | \n
| 41-50 | \nDust Motes: One of your party kicked up a cloud of dust which is stinging your nostrils! Succeed on a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test or sneeze loudly, alerting Melone to your presence. | \n
| 51-60 | \nLoose Nail: A loose nail from a broken floorboard threatens to tear through the boot of one of the Characters. If the Character fails on a Challenging (+0) Perception Test, they suffer 5 Wounds, modified only by Toughness Bonus. The victim must also check for a @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.diseases.1hQuVFZt9QnnbWzg]{Minor Infection}. | \n
| 61-70 | \nMouldy Mattress: What you thought was a solid wall of the maze was actually a mattress overgrown with black mould. You brushed against it, and the spores are now floating down your throat! Succeed on a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test or gain a @Condition[Poisoned] Condition with a Hard Difficulty. A Character may make an Average (+20) Trade (Herbalist) Test to harvest some of the mould to produce @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.trappings.nRfcszo6wF2sVFDn]{Faxtoryll} — a coagulant that cures @Condition[Bleeding] Conditions — at a later date. | \n
| 71-80 | \nRat Traps: Someone had a grudge against the rats down here in years past. They’ve laid hundreds of rat traps, all still loaded and ready to spring. One false move, and you’ll be tripping them all! Each Character must make a Challenging (+0) Dodge Test to move through unharmed. If any Character fails, some traps spring causing each Character to lose 1 Wound regardless of Toughness or Armour, and forcing all Characters to repeat the Dodge Test. If a Character succeeds by +2 SL, they are free from the traps and don’t take additional Damage or make additional Tests. | \n
| 81-90 | \nRotten Boards: The floorboards are soaked through with old sewage, and rotted down to almost nothing. In this place, they have decomposed to exactly nothing. A Character must perform a Challenging (+0) Dodge Test or fall through the floorboards into the festering mud around the foundations. If the Character is wounded in any way, they immediately contract a @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.diseases.kKccDTGzWzSXCBOb]{Festering Wound}. Additionally, they suffer from a −30 to all Fellowship Tests for the following two weeks as they just can’t wash the stink off them. | \n
| 91-100 | \nIron Rain: A box is bumped, a stack teeters, and a crate of old rusty nails falls, spilling its terrible rain on everyone below. As Loose Nail, but it targets every Character in the group and makes a loud noise, granting +30 to Melone’s Perception Test. | \n
| 101-110 | \nBuried for a Reason: The Characters stumble on a box covered in heavy chains and faded symbols. The chains have corroded over the years, and they come free easily if pulled. If any Characters are foolish enough to open it, within is an artefact of the Dark Gods of Chaos (feel free to give it any terrible powers you deem worthy). Contact with the artefact counts as @Corruption[major]{Corruption (Major)}, and even looking at the thing brings @Corruption[minor]{Corruption (Minor)}. | \n
| 111-120 | \nShock and Horror!: The Characters turn a corner and come face to face with the bedraggled form of Maria Melone, hunting for rats through the maze. She screams in terror and surprise (as might the Characters, most likely), and scrambles up one of the maze walls and flees. The next Track Test made by the Characters is Very Easy (+60), though Melone now knows they’re coming. | \n
| 121-130 | \nIll-Advised Bravery: The Characters hear something rummaging around on top of one of the stacks. If they go to investigate they discover Trinity, who appears to have summoned the courage to face his fears in the maze! They’d better keep him safe, otherwise they’ll have to answer to Passerine and her prize-winning fists. | \n
| 131+ | \n\n Snotlings!: Who would have thought, in a place like this, there’d be a little group of six @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.bestiary.wdnXbjtKK7MtsZzc]{Snotlings} just minding their own business? Not the Characters, that’s for sure! The six creatures launch themselves at the Characters, who suffer from the @Condition[Surprised] Condition unless they succeed on an Average (+20) Perception Test. This fight is so loud that Melone automatically passes her Perception Test, if present. \n | \n
\n
The basement of the tenement building is a foul place where folks stopped going decades ago due to the quagmire below leaking through the floorboards. Now, heaps of old laundry, festering ancient mattresses, crate upon crate of spoiled goods, loose rusty nails, and all manner of awfulness creates an absolute maze for the unwary. To add to these perils, an insane Vampire stalks between the stacks, fascinated and terrified by all the changes inflicted upon her.
\nTo determine where the Vampire is in the maze, the Characters will be required to perform a Very Hard (−30) Track Test. Failure means the Characters continue to stumble through the maze and must roll [[/r 1d100]] on the Maze Encounters Table, adding +10 to the result per −SL. On a success, move to The Vampire’s Lair. After every failed Test, the Test must be repeated, but at a cumulative +10. If the group is working together, they perform only a single Test, gaining additional Tests only if they split up (and therefore, suffering more consequences).
\n\n\nProblems Along The Path
\nIf there is ever a question over which Character suffers the effects of an encounter, either determine the target randomly or use the Character with the lowest score in the associated Skill or Characteristic. Example: Loose Nail would target the Character with the lowest Perception Skill.
\nAdditionally, if Melone is present, she can perform an Easy (+40) Perception Test each Round the Characters spend in the maze. If the Characters are specifically choosing to be stealthy, the Character with the lowest Stealth Skill in the group may make this an Opposed Test. If Melone succeeds on her Perception Test, she will wait until the party is in an inopportune position and will ambush them. However, it takes her as many Rounds as the −SL of the last Track Test (as the Characters are far away from her, and she must reach them herself through the maze, or along the ceiling).
\n
@Actor[us1a9BvX4msRhErG]{Maria Melone’s} lair is hidden against one wall in the twisting labyrinth that is the basement of the Spittlefeld Tenement Building. She has a small, broken, polished mirror (into which she can often be seen staring, wondering where her reflection has gone), and a large stash of candles (though no way to light them, nor need to use them in the dark). She sleeps on a pile of soiled and bloody bed sheets, stolen from some of her victims. In one corner are broken and grime-coated cooking utensils, set up in a mockery of a fine noble kitchen.
\nIf the Characters manage to sneak up on Maria whilst she is in her lair, she is either staring at the mirror or pretending to cook something whilst humming to herself. She acts scared when confronted, but immediately turns feral — like a rabid wolf — when threatened. If the Characters treat her kindly, she will quickly be overcome with hunger and will attack them.
\nMaria will fight to the death once her blood is up and has no sense of self-preservation. She has been driven entirely insane by her experiences and cannot speak in anything but clipped and babbled phrases. She appears to think she’s being disciplined by her employer, whom she keeps calling ‘Lord Bruner’.
" }, { "id": "rg0BwTtnK3qgRamc", "name": "Resolution (Slaughter in Spittlefeld)", "description": "Once the Characters have dealt with Maria Melone, they can get the guards’ attention outside the tenement building by making enough of a fuss about the Vampire. With the doktor’s diary, and the head of the Vampire, the guards will be convinced and the quarantine can be lifted. (The guards are unwilling to come inside and look at the corpse whilst the quarantine is in effect.) Characters who attempt to tell this story to the guards without proper evidence will be at best ignored, and at worst may face a visit from a Witch Hunter in a plague doktor’s uniform…
\nThe following experience points should be awarded at the end of the adventure:
\nOnce freed from Spittlefeld, the Characters have several leads they may wish to follow. @Actor[L4RurnIhaVTl6s3S]{Doktor Giliani} remains close to death, and if she can be cured, she would not only go on to do more good in the Old World but would act as a skilful ally of the Characters. Additionally, the Characters may have questions about how the von Bruners are connected to @Actor[us1a9BvX4msRhErG]{Maria Melone}, so they may seek out answers (which could lead to many far greater and more powerful enemies than a poor vampire thrall in a basement).
" }, { "id": "ubJAhzxjZY4Mon4a", "name": "Shaking Things Up (Slaughter in Spittlefeld)", "description": "Slaughter in Spittlefeld is specifically designed as a simple adventure to start whenever needed, but perhaps you want more ways to tie it directly into the story of your ongoing campaign. The following suggestions may help.
\nThe Characters are hired by Lady @Actor[hcAF95tFaOdoZoeF]{Emmanuelle Nacht} to find someone inside the tenement building and keep them safe — whether an old friend such as Annika Passerine, or a useful ally like Doktor @Actor[L4RurnIhaVTl6s3S]{Alexandra Giliani}. Another possible answer — that Nacht knows @Actor[us1a9BvX4msRhErG]{Maria Melone} is in the basement — is explored on below.
\n0 Doktor Grat, of @JournalEntry[FcLBMJfOP0Gl8sXl]{The Physicians' Guild} of Ubersreik and secretly @JournalEntry[B08TvEPCAIY1KVow]{The Tinean Fellowship}, is fascinated with the strange disease radiating out from the tenement building and hires the Characters to investigate. Alternatively, she instructs the Characters to rent a room there, under the pretext of a clandestine meeting, the night before she knows it is being quarantined (by her signed order) so that she can record the results.
\n0 Another member of @JournalEntry[B08TvEPCAIY1KVow]{The Tinean Fellowship} — Viktor Felken — is worried the strange disease will bring undue attention to his own experiments within the town, and hires the Characters to get to the bottom of it before the place is boarded up.
\nSlaughter in Spittlefeld is, foremost, an adventure about horror. Even with a little humour thrown in there, the themes are horrific, and the final fight is intended to be bloody and tragic. However, for more experienced groups, the final conflict might be a little lacklustre. The following tips can be used to up the ante and make @Actor[us1a9BvX4msRhErG]{Maria Melone} more terrifying.
\nThe NPCs in Slaughter in Spittlefeld is integral to the plot, but with a few changes, they can be tied deeper into the ongoing strife elsewhere in Ubersreik, and in the other adventures throughout this book. Consider some of the following changes.
\nBait and Witch is designed to be completed in one session. It is suitable for new Characters, or for those who have completed one or two short adventures. If playing with more experienced Characters, adding the @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.traits.9NROryHer1uXAKwY]{Elite} Trait to @Actor[tTr4p7mUl4gnEWiF]{Hannah Baumann} (the primary antagonist) will provide a more suitable challenge.
\nThe scenario is set in Ubersreik, and introduces the Characters to @Actor[N3hGHrY2P51BNTYO]{Cordelia Wesselingh}, an apothecary and useful contact in the fortress-town.
\nTwo strangers stalk @Actor[N3hGHrY2P51BNTYO]{Cordelia Wesselingh}. She believes they are witch hunters seeking a friend of hers, @Actor[sDo8xTHz9U3zop80]{Alexander Grün}, a hedge witch visiting from out of town. When the Characters drop by to pick up supplies, she decides to ask for their help.
\nThe two strangers are actually bounty hunters, @Actor[FDHywOp4tT06Q5i9]{Jannik Fanger} and @Actor[Q2jL4bAZvAT3cpbV]{Ingrid Wenig}, and their quarry isn’t the hedge witch. They’re pursuing a rogue witch hunter named @Actor[tTr4p7mUl4gnEWiF]{Hannah Baumann}, who is on a personal crusade against all witches and wizards, whether licensed or not. Recently, Hannah murdered Gottfried Schwoch, an old friend of Cordelia’s who studied at the Jade College of Magic. After killing Gottfried, Hannah found some letters from Cordelia when searching the dead wizard’s study. On learning that Cordelia was a former Jade College apprentice, Hannah chose the apothecary as her next target.
\nThe bounty hunters tracked Hannah to Bögenhafen. She was forced to flee the inn she was staying in, and in her haste left Gottfried’s letters behind. The bounty hunters found them and realised Cordelia was likely to be Hannah’s next target.
\nThe bounty hunters are now using Cordelia as bait, but Cordelia asks the Characters to confront her ‘stalkers’ while she warns her friend Alex Grün. The PCs must then figure out what is really happening in order to save Cordelia and Alex from the real witch hunter.
\nBefore playing this adventure, read it from start to finish at least once. It may also prove useful to read A Guide to Ubersreik in the WFRP Starter Set, which provides additional information about the town where the action takes place. Once you feel comfortable with the material, you’re ready to begin.
\nIf this isn’t the first adventure you plan on running with your group, you could foreshadow it in a previous adventure by having the Characters spot a wanted poster for @Actor[tTr4p7mUl4gnEWiF]{Hannah Baumann}. Alternatively, the Characters could notice it on their way to @JournalEntry[lzzTL5wTo3gk6krG]{Cordelia's Apothecary}.
\nSix grubby children play not far from @JournalEntry[lzzTL5wTo3gk6krG]{Cordelia's Apothecary}. The tallest, Ophelin, has been paid silver by Hannah to watch the shop, and been promised more if she delivers accurate information that the apothecary is on the move.
\nShould the Characters approach the urchins in a threatening manner, the dirty children scatter. If the urchins do not run, Ophelin engages the Characters should they ask questions — the rest of the group laughs and bashes sticks, trying to attract the party’s attention. This is all to cover Wendlin, the youngest of them, who creeps around to the rear in order to pick the pocket of the richest looking Character (Pick Pocket Skill of 40, opposed by the target’s Perception, with the Difficulty set by how much attention the target is paying). As soon as the attempt is complete, successful or not, all the urchins scatter.
\nShould Wendlin be captured, he cries. Then screams. Then starts yelling that he’s being kidnapped. He won’t stop unless he’s freed or intimidated — where he begins to cry again, very loudly.
\n@JournalEntry[lzzTL5wTo3gk6krG]{Cordelia's Apothecary} is small and cramped. The wide, barred windows let in ample light, but the limited space is filled with shelves packed with bottles, boxes, and pouches. The walls are lined with apothecary drawers and a powerful herbal aroma permeates the shop floor. A red curtain partially obscures a doorway behind the counter where @Actor[N3hGHrY2P51BNTYO]{Cordelia} stands, waiting for customers.
\nCordelia spotted the bounty hunters the previous evening, on her way home from the @JournalEntry[ZxgCLVDpDVV08S2k]{Strohmann Markt}. At first, she thought they were footpads, but quickly realised they weren’t out to rob her. She now believes they are after her friend @Actor[sDo8xTHz9U3zop80]{Alex Grün}, a hedge witch. Alex occasionally supplies her with rare herbs or other ingredients. He has had trouble with witch hunters before, but Cordelia believes him to be harmless and good-natured. She also worries that any trouble might alienate her other suppliers.
\nAlex is staying at @JournalEntry[rZMr9Yp8jvipacbH]{Rugger's Boarding House}, one of Ubersreik’s cheapest inns. He is due to visit her store around noon. This leaves her in a bind. If she waits too long, Alex arrives and the ‘witch hunters’ seize him. If she goes to him, she leads them right to him. She’s unwilling to trust anyone else to take a message to him (fearing they’ll betray him to the authorities instead). She was about to reluctantly ask @Actor[7M5OJZbbtV6DKUvG]{Christoph Engel} for help, but new arrivals present her with another option.
\nCordelia opens with a polite welcome as the Characters arrive, but quickly moves to business as she is very concerned for @Actor[sDo8xTHz9U3zop80]{Alex}. If the Characters don’t mention the strangers outside, Cordelia cautiously points them out through her window. She explains that they are following her and have been waiting outside all night. She claims not to know who they are or what they want, but that they are clearly up to no good. She then asks the Characters for a favour — she has to meet with a friend, and wonders if they could create a diversion for her.
\nShe plans to lead the strangers down @JournalEntry[cmm1pnhFj9xLBcSS]{Whistlebone Alley}, and if the Characters could wait there, and perhaps have a word with the strangers about the inappropriateness of stalking law abiding citizens, it would be greatly appreciated. Cordelia stresses that she doesn’t want any trouble, as that would be bad for business. She hopes a little intimidation will scare the ‘witch hunters’ off. She offers to pay the Characters @Credit[5ss EACH]{5 shillings each} — they can meet her at the shop later in the day for payment, assuming they’re not accompanied by witch hunters. A successful Opposed Haggle Test can take this fee to @Credit[6ss]{6 shillings each}.
\nAssuming the Characters agree, Cordelia points out @JournalEntry[cmm1pnhFj9xLBcSS]{Whistlebone Alley} and wraps a shawl about her head. ‘It’s just over there, by the barrels. Follow the alley down and to the right and wait for me there. I’ll follow in 5 minutes.’
" }, { "id": "iq2QiSLGjPBXhW9Y", "name": "Down the Wizard's Way", "description": "The adventure begins with the Characters visiting Cordelia Wesselingh at her store. Having an NPC mention her new-and-improved healing draught might encourage the Characters to drop by of their own volition, or you could simply begin the scenario when the party decides to stock up on medicinal supplies. If you’re running a one-off adventure, you can begin with the Characters already on their way to pay her a visit by reading or paraphrasing the following.
\n\n\nIt’s a warm, sunny morning in Ubersreik. You’ve heard a rumour that an apothecary at the end of the Wizard’s Way has developed a new, more effective healing draught, and you’ve decided to investigate. The Wizard’s Way winds north through the Artisan’s Quarter. Small shops cluster to either side of the cobbled street selling books, herbs, charms and wards, writing implements, and select curios. Above them all looms a crooked tower with a slate roof and no discernible entrance.
\nEventually you arrive at a small platz. A handful of folk cross the dirty square, and a half dozen grubby children are playing a game there that seems to involve beating each other with sticks. One of them stares at you suspiciously for a moment, stick raised, before returning to the game. Behind them, a painted mortar and pestle hangs above one small doorway, advertising the occupant’s wares. This is presumably the shop of Cordelia Wesselingh, said to be the best apothecary in Ubersreik.
\n
Two bounty hunters —@Actor[FDHywOp4tT06Q5i9]{Jannik Fanger} and @Actor[Q2jL4bAZvAT3cpbV]{Ingrid Wenig} — are skulking in an alleyway across the platz watching the party as it arrives. Secretly make an Opposed Average (+20) Perception Test for each Character. If any Characters succeed, read or paraphrase the following text.
\n\n\nAcross the platz from the apothecary you notice a pair of rough-looking types lounging in an alleyway. Both are dressed in travel-stained clothing and have wide-brimmed hats pulled low over their faces. One, a woman, is nonchalantly smoking a pipe whilst very carefully not looking in your direction, while her partner, a tall man with a long beard, stares at you as you make your way to the shop entrance.
\n
Any who approach the bounty hunters notice backpacks lying against a wall just within the alleyway. Both are grumpy, travel-stained, and weary — each has 1 @Condition[Fatigued] Condition. With a successful Average (+20) Intuition Test, any onlookers note the pair’s brusque manner and dishevelled appearance is likely because they are exhausted.
\nIf the Characters try to talk to the bounty hunters, they’ll be told to get lost. If the Characters instead try to intimidate the bounty hunters, the two skulkers pick up their belongings and leave with little complaint. However, they return as soon as the Characters move on, taking up a position not far from their initial hiding place.
\nThe two bounty hunters are watching for @Actor[tTr4p7mUl4gnEWiF]{Hannah Baumann}, but their relatively poor surveillance skills have already cost them. Hannah arrived earlier in the day and immediately spotted them. She bribed an urchin (one of the ones beating each other with sticks in the platz) to watch @JournalEntry[lzzTL5wTo3gk6krG]{Cordelia's Apothecary}, and to tell her if Cordelia leaves.
\n@JournalEntry[lzzTL5wTo3gk6krG]{Cordelia's Apothecary} is small and cramped. The wide, barred windows let in ample light, but the limited space is filled with shelves packed with bottles, boxes, and pouches. The walls are lined with apothecary drawers and a powerful herbal aroma permeates the shop floor. A red curtain partially obscures a doorway behind the counter where @Actor[N3hGHrY2P51BNTYO]{Cordelia} stands, waiting for customers.
\nCordelia spotted the bounty hunters the previous evening, on her way home from the @JournalEntry[ZxgCLVDpDVV08S2k]{Strohmann Markt}. At first, she thought they were footpads, but quickly realised they weren’t out to rob her. She now believes they are after her friend @Actor[sDo8xTHz9U3zop80]{Alex Grün}, a hedge witch. Alex occasionally supplies her with rare herbs or other ingredients. He has had trouble with witch hunters before, but Cordelia believes him to be harmless and good-natured. She also worries that any trouble might alienate her other suppliers.
\nAlex is staying at @JournalEntry[rZMr9Yp8jvipacbH]{Rugger's Boarding House}, one of Ubersreik’s cheapest inns. He is due to visit her store around noon. This leaves her in a bind. If she waits too long, Alex arrives and the ‘witch hunters’ seize him. If she goes to him, she leads them right to him. She’s unwilling to trust anyone else to take a message to him (fearing they’ll betray him to the authorities instead). She was about to reluctantly ask @Actor[7M5OJZbbtV6DKUvG]{Christoph Engel} for help, but new arrivals present her with another option.
\n@Actor[N3hGHrY2P51BNTYO]{Cordelia} opens with a polite welcome as the Characters arrive, but quickly moves to business as she is very concerned for Alex. If the Characters don’t mention the strangers outside, Cordelia cautiously points them out through her window. She explains that they are following her and have been waiting outside all night. She claims not to know who they are or what they want, but that they are clearly up to no good. She then asks the Characters for a favour — she has to meet with a friend, and wonders if they could create a diversion for her.
\nShe plans to lead the strangers down @JournalEntry[cmm1pnhFj9xLBcSS]{Whistlebone Alley}, and if the Characters could wait there, and perhaps have a word with the strangers about the inappropriateness of stalking law abiding citizens, it would be greatly appreciated. Cordelia stresses that she doesn’t want any trouble, as that would be bad for business. She hopes a little intimidation will scare the ‘witch hunters’ off. She offers to pay the Characters @Credit[5ss EACH]{5 shillings each} — they can meet her at the shop later in the day for payment, assuming they’re not accompanied by witch hunters. A successful Opposed Haggle Test can take this fee to @Credit[6ss EACH]{6 shillings each}.
\nAssuming the Characters agree, Cordelia points out Whistlebone Alley and wraps a shawl about her head. ‘It’s just over there, by the barrels. Follow the alley down and to the right and wait for me there. I’ll follow in 5 minutes.’
" }, { "id": "cmm1pnhFj9xLBcSS", "name": "Whistlebone Alley", "description": "@Scene[Tzm4ENjDH1Hrn3dK]{Whistlebone Alley} is a winding lane that twists and turns between two of the shops on the @JournalEntry[iwmwjfpMLZcKfxjI]{Wizard's Way} before opening onto Punzenstrasse. A small square opens in the middle of the alley. Wooden gates lead off to the back passages of the surrounding houses, but they are usually only used by the gong farmers and bone pickers who pass through to collect refuse. The alleyway’s poor lighting, twisting turns, tight confines and foul odour keeps most people away, making it the perfect place for an ambush.
\nAllow the Players to plan the ambush as they wish. Cordelia doesn’t care how they do it, as long as she can continue on her way without being followed. One or two Characters may want to wait outside the alley, to cut off any retreat, or they may decide to all wait in the square.
\nNot long after the party finishes their preparations, Cordelia walks briskly through the alley, glancing at the waiting Characters as she passes. Her pursuers follow, significantly less circumspect than they believe.
\nHow the ambush goes depends on how aggressive the Characters are. @Actor[FDHywOp4tT06Q5i9]{Jannik} and @Actor[Q2jL4bAZvAT3cpbV]{Ingrid} don’t want a fight. Both are exhausted from their stakeout, and as @Cordelia Wesselingh]{Cordelia} isn’t their primary target, they don’t mind letting her go. If they aren’t immediately attacked, Jannik tries to intimidate his way past the Characters. If that doesn’t work, Ingrid tries reason, arguing that the Characters have nothing to gain from fighting them. If asked about their interest in Cordelia, they’ll quickly explain that they are only using her as bait to capture @Actor[tTr4p7mUl4gnEWiF]{Hannah Baumann}. Ingrid shows them Hannah’s arrest warrant as proof.
\nIf the Characters attack the bounty hunters, they defend themselves, calling out their horror at the unprovoked attack. As soon as combat begins, Jannik ditches his heavy backpack. If badly injured (more than half their Wounds), the bounty hunters flee or surrender, according to the situation. Should the bounty hunters flee or be killed, the Characters can search the backpack (or the bodies). The pack contains a rope and grappling hook, a net, a bedroll, a lantern, a pouch with 6 shillings, and some sheets of parchment. The parchments include a copy of Hannah’s wanted poster and Cordelia’s letters to Gottfried Schwoch. Cordelia’s name and address have been circled repeatedly. If the bounty hunters are killed or captured, the Characters can take their remaining possessions without too many problems. Unless the bodies are dealt with, a gong farmer passing through the alley discovers them by the evening, and the Watch are summoned to investigate. If any of the Characters interacted with the bounty hunters out in the open, a bounty is soon posted for their arrest!
\nIf the Characters have talked to the bounty hunters, or searched @Actor[FDHywOp4tT06Q5i9]{Jannik’s} backpack, it is obvious Cordelia is in danger. However, she didn’t provide the PCs with any indication of where she is going, so the Characters, assuming they want to save Cordelia to secure their reward, need to track her down.
\nThe Characters have several options for tracking down the apothecary.
\nIf the bounty hunters survive, they withdraw to the nearest inn and spend the rest of the day arguing about whose fault the ambush was.
\n\n" }, { "id": "iR9IlndEwKqCKwVv", "name": "To Rugger's Boarding House", "description": "Reusing the Alley
\nThe map of Whistlebone Alley can be used to stand in for any back-alley scenes. The following two adventure hooks provide examples of ways to re-use the map.
\n\n
\n- Wilhelm Jardich, a Nordlander physician turned drug-dealer, is selling ‘Spit’, a powerful hallucinogen, and has set up shop in a back alley of Ubersreik. However, the Baron, a rising crime lord in the fortress-town, claims the alley as part of his territory, so sends racketeers to shake Wilhelm down. Wilhelm is scared, but unwilling to be strong-armed, so seeks hired muscle for protection. If the Characters agree to help, conflict is inevitable, but what will they do when the Watch arrives on the scene after the fight with the racketeers begins?
\n- A quite literal back-street surgeon, Jennidder Achtin offers cut-cost surgery and cheap alcohol by the shot from a heavily curtained stall she’s pitched in the Schwarzehalle slum not far from Ubersreik’s docks. Doktor Otto Krupp, the Guildmaster of the Physician’s Guild, has learned of this illegal, non-guild competitor, but the Watch are either too lazy, or too bribed, to do anything about it. So, Krupp is forced to turn to private mercenaries to see Achtin’s operation shut down. Would the Characters prefer cheap surgery or easy money from Krupp in the here and now?
\n\n
Stop Right There!
\nAll this skulduggery is likely to arouse the suspicions of the Watch sooner or later. If the Characters are seen acting suspiciously around Ubersreik, or the Watch catch wind of any violence in the back streets, they may begin looking for the Characters directly. At first, a group of four Watchmen start asking questions, but if the Characters prove to be threatening, or any evidence of a serious crime is uncovered, this may soon turn to a fight, with more Watchmen showing up if word gets out.
\nUse the following profile for any @Actor[UXr8Ao5QyM20fbdr]{Watchmen} the Characters might encounter.
\n
Once the Characters know where Cordelia went, they will have to navigate the bustling streets of the Artisan’s Quarter. The streets are filled with folk going about their business, perhaps taking a quick lunch out the front of @JournalEntry[WM2D6XkQCgEEf7gX]{Satrioli's Sausage Shop}. The Characters pass a group of shirtless men pulling a cart piled high with broken furniture, who stop to knock on each door offering coin for, ‘anything you don’t mind us burnin’. Eventually, the crowded warehouses and dilapidated, sagging buildings give way to the seedy Dock district, and the flea-ridden inn known as @JournalEntry[rZMr9Yp8jvipacbH]{Rugger's Boarding House}.
\nAs the Characters enter the Boarding House, they hear loud shouting and screams from the upper floor. Upstairs, they find @Actor[tTr4p7mUl4gnEWiF]{Hannah} and @Actor[N3hGHrY2P51BNTYO]{Cordelia} fighting in Alex’s room. @Actor[sDo8xTHz9U3zop80]{Alex} is unconscious at their feet, bleeding from his left arm (he has the @Condition[Unconscious] Condition and 1 @Condition[Bleeding] Condition, and is at risk of dying each Round unless his wounds are attended). As they arrive, Hannah strikes Cordelia in the forehead with a rattling blow (inflicting 1 @Condition[Stunned] Condition) and turns to face the Characters.
\n\n\nHannah's Movements
\nWhen Cordelia left her store, Ophelin ran to tell Hannah. Hannah quickly caught up with the bounty hunters, and followed them in turn. She almost lost Cordelia when she went down Whistlebone Alley, but she took another side street and spotted the apothecary again. Realising the bounty hunters had fallen behind, she closed on her target as she approached Rugger’s Boarding House.
\nSlipping into Rugger’s a few minutes behind Cordelia, Hannah found her in animated conversation with Alex. Hannah pretended to enquire about room and board with Anna Rugger, the ageing proprietor, and overheard them talking about witch hunters. Hannah correctly concluded that Alex was a witch, and decided to kill them both. Alex and Cordelia went up to Alex’s room to continue their conversation, and Hannah followed.
\n
@Actor[tTr4p7mUl4gnEWiF]{Hannah] uses the tight confines of the room and hallway to keep the Characters at bay, cursing them for protecting, ‘this pair of witches!’ If she is badly wounded, she tries to escape via the open window at the far end of the room (unless one of the Characters is revealed as a spellcaster — in which case Hannah stays and focuses her attacks on them).
\nAlex’s window looks out over the roof of the Boarding House’s kitchen, which runs along the rear of the building. The dirty yard behind the Boarding House is enclosed by neighbouring buildings and a fence. There is a small stable to the right of the kitchens, and outhouses along the back of the yard. Hannah immediately realises she won’t be able to escape if she descends to the yard. The gate is locked, the fence is too high to climb and if she tries to go through the Boarding House, she will probably be cut off. But she quickly formulates another escape route. She can run across the kitchen roof to the end of the building, leap to the roof of the stable, and then climb the side of the neighbouring building before making her way across the rooftops to safety.
\nRunning along the kitchen rooftop requires a Simple Average (+20) Athletics Test. Anyone failing begins slipping down the sloped roof. A second Simple Average (+20) Athletics Test allows a Character to grab the edge of the roof before going over the side, or take [[/r 1d10 + 9]] Damage (minus Toughness Bonus, but not Armour Points) when they fall the remaining 3 yards.
\nThe jump to the stable roof is 5 feet, so Hannah needs +1 SL on an Average (+20) Athletics Test. If she gets a +0 SL, she clumsily crashes into the edge of the roof, barely clutching on as she spends a Round climbing back up (the same applies for anyone following her!). Failing the roll results in a 4-yard fall ([[/r 1d10 + 12]] Damage).
\nAssuming she makes it, Hannah darts across the stable roof and climbs a neighbouring building, using window ledges and timber framing as handholds. This takes an Average (+20) Climb Test, (see @JournalEntry[Moving During Combat] for rules on Climbing). It is 6 yards to the top.
\nOnce there, Hannah scrambles to the other side of the building and jumps down to the roof of a covered balcony 3 yards below (this takes an Average (+20) Athletics Test to reduce the falling Damage by 1 yard per +1 SL).
\n\n\nEvery Man And His Dog
\nThe scuffle upstairs in the Boarding House is likely to attract the attention of the toughs from the @JournalEntry[Boatmen's Guildhouse]{Boatman’s Guild} who frequent the establishment. These rough-and-tumble men and women are happy to get involved in a fight, but are also easily swayed and very superstitious (as all good folk who live on the Empire’s waterways ought to be). As such, if any Boatmen show up, they could just as easily fight with Hannah as they could fight against her.
\nAdditionally, if the Characters have attracted the attention of the Watch, or someone raises the alarm, Watchmen may file into the scene adding another group who are ready to get stuck into the fight.
\nLastly, the bounty hunters, Wenig and Fanger, may decide to resume their attempts to capture Hannah Baumann, if they happen to still be alive. They may be willing to work with the Characters — if they ended on good terms with them earlier — or not.
\nFeel free to really play up the farce in this scene, especially if it makes the Character’s attempts to catch Hannah more difficult.
\n
Hannah’s next action depends on how closely the party are pursuing her. If they’ve fallen behind, she climbs down the side of the building and escapes. However, if they’re right behind her, she attempts something more ill-advised. In the alley below there is a gong farmer leading a donkey-drawn cart filled with black, putrid excrement. Screaming, ‘Sigmar, guide my fall!’ she jumps down into the cart. Again, this takes an Average (+20) Athletics Test to reduce the falling damage, but it’s still 7 yards to the cart. The soft impact reduces the Damage suffered by 3 (so if she fails the Athletics Test, she suffers [[/r 1d10 + 18]] damage, minus her Toughness Bonus). The shock of the fall will probably knock her unconscious (if not kill her). The gong farmer (who is half blind and deaf ) continues on his way, depositing her (whether unconscious or dead) in Gart Fünke’s @JournalEntry[s9SyuDrYLzzG7TgB]{Hog Pit}.
\nIf Hannah reaches street level and is still able, she runs. For each extra Round it takes the Characters to reach the street, increase the Distance by 2 for using the @JournalEntry[03r3y37RFKAFM82c]{Pursuit} rules.
\nIf someone catches up with Hannah, she turns and fights, but if she is knocked prone or suffers a debilitating critical, she surrenders.
" }, { "id": "iZo2ENRwiMmuyuOY", "name": "Resolution (Bait and Witch)", "description": "Once Hannah is killed, captured, or otherwise driven from the Boarding House, @Actor[N3hGHrY2P51BNTYO]{Cordelia} moves to staunch @Actor[sDo8xTHz9U3zop80]{Alex’s} bleeding. If Alex has died then she is deeply upset, but still grateful to the Characters for saving her life.
\nIf the Characters ask Cordelia why @Actor[tTr4p7mUl4gnEWiF]{Hannah} thought she and Alex were ‘witches,’ she admits that she once studied at the Jade College, but was unable to master the forms necessary to become a wizard. She insists Alex is a simple herbalist, not a witch, just visiting Ubersreik to sell herbs. Searching Alex’s belongings reveals plenty of rare herbs to back up her story. However, a Difficult (−10) Perception Test reveals a hidden pocket inside his robes, containing more unusual items — a bundle of thorny twigs wrapped in red string, a chicken’s skull, and a crude doll made of sticks and bones. If he is turned over to the authorities, Alex will be found guilty of witchcraft and burned at the stake. The Characters receive @Credit[20ss]{20 shillings} as a reward. No harm comes to Cordelia (the Grey Wizard, @Actor[7M5OJZbbtV6DKUvG]{Christoph Engel}, makes sure of it), but the Characters are no longer welcome at her store, and she makes their lives a misery if she ever sees them in Ubersreik again. Perhaps with a spilled potion or two in their drinks…
\nThe following experience points should be awarded at the end of the adventure, plus any standard awards you offer at the end of each session for good roleplaying or clever ideas:
\nAssuming the party doesn’t press the question of witchcraft, Cordelia is very grateful towards the Characters. In addition to paying the agreed fee and giving them a 10% discount on her products, she’ll offer them a free dose of her new healing draught, which she can prepare now she has Alex’s herbs.
\n‘@Item[agzwTlIp0snYsJn1]{Cordelia's Enhanced Restorative Tonic}’ restores twice the imbiber’s Toughness Bonus in Wounds, but requires a Difficult (−10) Endurance Test be passed or a side effect is suffered for a number of minutes equal to the number of Success Levels the roll failed by. Roll 1d10 to determine the Condition used as a side effect: 1-3: Blinded (3), 4-6: Broken (1), 7-9: Stunned (1), 10: Unconscious.
\nCordelia can prepare more Tonic which she sells for @Pay[15ss]{15 shillings} a dose, but will soon run out of ingredients. She might ask a friendly group of adventurers to trek into the Grey Mountains to collect some more…
\nIf the Characters remain on good terms with @Actor[N3hGHrY2P51BNTYO]{Cordelia}, she will prove a useful ally. In addition to providing herbs and draughts, she is a good source of town gossip, and might mention them to someone looking to hire ‘problem solvers’. The party also comes to the attention of Grey Guardian @Actor[7M5OJZbbtV6DKUvG]{Christoph Engel}, a Wizard and close associate of Cordelia. Engel has diverse interests and a unique sense of humour, and might have some more unusual jobs for the party.
\nIf @Actor[sDo8xTHz9U3zop80]{Alexander Grün}[Alex] survives, he could prove an advantageous guide for those looking to range beyond Ubersreik. However, this may lead to encounters with Alex’s more unusual clientele. Alternatively, Cordelia may grow alarmed when Alex asks her for exotic and dangerous ingredients associated with the dark arts, and ask the Characters to find out what he is up to.
\nIf @Actor[tTr4p7mUl4gnEWiF]{Hannah} escapes, she must be hunted down. If she was captured, her trial will have to await the arrival of a magistrate from Altdorf, where she is wanted. But there are those who agree with Hannah’s stance regarding wizards. Perhaps there is a threat to the magistrate’s life, an agitator rouses a mob demanding her release, or someone slips her a key to her cell? The Characters may not have heard the last of Hannah Baumann.
\nThe same goes for @Actor[FDHywOp4tT06Q5i9]{Jannik} and @Actor[Q2jL4bAZvAT3cpbV]{Ingrid}. The upheaval in Ubersreik presents them with ample opportunities for work. They decide to maintain their partnership (for now), and will probably encounter the Characters again, as they have a habit for getting into trouble.
\nDepending on how the Characters comport themselves in the @JournalEntry[rZMr9Yp8jvipacbH]{Boarding House}, Grandma Rugger or the Boatman’s Guild may take interest in them. Rugger is well connected to a number of criminal enterprises throughout the fortress-town, and can be a valuable source of information, work, and introductions. The Boatman’s Guild are likely deep in the criminal underworld, and could serve as useful allies, or terrible enemies, if the Characters cross them.
" }, { "id": "SxlNNlOQXCQ8XD0J", "name": "Shaking Things Up (Bait and Witch)", "description": "@JournalEntry[rB448Mht3smOOoL3]{Bait and Witch} starts off with a very ‘incidental’ meeting, which serves episodic or slapstick campaigns very well, but might feel a little strange in a more serious or intrigue-heavy game. As such, some alternate suggestions for how the adventure could begin are given below.
\n\n
\n\nThe Cabal! I Hate Those Guys!
\nThis adventure hook could be used to bridge the gap between Bait and Witch and @JournalEntry[1SdCyKWdnMyv5itI]{Heart of Glass}, with the Cabal acting as the central antagonists to a larger plot. Perhaps this involves some of the NPC changes detailed below, or merely the changing of allegiances. @Actor[N3hGHrY2P51BNTYO]{Cordelia} and @Actor[7M5OJZbbtV6DKUvG]{Christoph} could both be members of the Cabal, or acting against them.
\n
\n
\n
The following ideas expand on the advice given in @JournalEntry[iR9IlndEwKqCKwVv]{To Rugger's Boarding House} in the box Every Man and His Dog and attempt to add difficulty, drama, and hilarity to the final encounter.
\nThe NPCs in @JournalEntry[rB448Mht3smOOoL3]{Bait and Witch} are integral to the plot, but with a few changes, they can be tied deeper into the ongoing strife elsewhere in Ubersreik, and in the other adventures throughout this book. Consider some of the following changes.
\nThe Guilty Party is an adventure designed to help GMs who have guided their players through a few of the adventures set in and around Ubersreik, but now wish to commence the Enemy Within Campaign, beginning with Enemy in Shadows.
\nThe adventure is intended to be played with characters who have a little experience, and it is assumed that they will have made something of a name for themselves in and around Ubersreik before they begin this adventure.
\nGunther Abend is feted for the service he provides at @JournalEntry[PhqZQfdxDL5XeCyq]{Bridge House}, but is facing setbacks. He is from Altdorf, and has been welcoming to Imperial troops. This hospitality amounts to little more than professional courtesy but local malcontents claim that Gunther has facilitated an invasion.
\nAgainst this backdrop, mishaps have befallen coaches travelling to and from the Bridge House. Broken axles, lamed horses, and banditry are risks any serious coaching operation accounts for. Nevertheless, the inn is gaining a reputation as a dangerous destination.
\nMuch of this is due to the machinations of Elicha Hochs, a representative of @JournalEntry[wVPKOC48Odm7JJMQ]{Four Seasons} coaching house. Her employers wish to purchase Bridge House. They have set Elicha the mission of softening Gunther up. A subtle operator, Elicha is careful to work through catspaws. Most of those acting on her behalf never even meet her. She has been careful to ensure that Four Seasons Coaches also fall afoul of mishaps, though they are far less frequent.
\nHowever, the two rival coaching houses that also make use of facilities at the Bridge House, Imperial Expressways and Cannon Ball Express, suspect foul play. Elicha is feeling the pressure. She has recently been rattled by the loss of an Imperial Expressways coach. Whilst Elicha is not above hiring thugs to beat up coachmen and waylay travellers, the wholesale loss of a coach threatens to attract more attention than she can bear.
\nBut it also presents an interesting opportunity, so she has hatched a plan. She knows whatever happened to the lost coach cannot be traced back to her. Therefore, if one of her rivals were to accuse Four Seasons of sabotaging the Imperial Expressways coach and it was proved to be untrue, it would end up discrediting her accuser instead. This accusation would exonerate Elicha — even of the incidents for which she is actually responsible.
\n@Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas Wagenknecht} was once an investigator for @JournalEntry[mJCVmgr24GVA4b1p]{Cult of Verena}, but left their employment to work for the Cannon Ball Express coaching house. The reason for Andreas’s exit from the Verenan cult is the fact that he engineered a gross miscarriage of justice — engineering the execution of a romantic rival for a crime they did not commit. Elicha Hochs is one of only a few people who know this fact. She has Andreas securely in her pocket as a result.
\nOver time Andreas has become one of Elicha’s primary assets. He continues to masquerade as a Verenan Investigator, so few people know that he actually works for Cannon Ball Express. As a result, his employers are confident in his abilities as an agent, even though he shares information he gathers with Elicha. Whilst Cannon Ball Express would no doubt find his mixed loyalties reason to fire him, Andreas would find that preferable to being exposed by Elicha.
\nNow Elicha has set Andreas a mission. He is to attempt to discredit her, but in such a blundering fashion that it dishonours Cannon Ball Express, and creates more problems for Gunther. Andreas cannot do this on his own, so part of his mission is to recruit a group of adventurous patsies to his (apparent) cause.
\nIn order to prepare for this adventure, the GM will need to consider two things: the characters' situation in Ubersreik, and the beginning of the Enemy Within campaign as described in Enemy in Shadows.
\nThis adventure takes the Characters from Ubersreik to the settlement of Bruckthin, just short of Altdorf. The adventure is intended to place them in a suitable situation from which to commence the Enemy Within campaign, beginning with Enemy in Shadows. As such this adventure has a rather strange conclusion with the Characters at a loss for things to do, out of pocket, and resenting people they have interacted with. This is in the hope that they are eager for the opportunities of adventure and reward offered in the early stages of Enemy in Shadows.
\n\n" }, { "id": "8u77dxlQldjhpBaM", "name": "Teil 1: A Coachman In Need", "description": "Previous Adventures in Ubersreik
\nIt may be that Characters have had a number of adventures in Ubersreik by the time they undertake this adventure, and they may have significant contacts within the city as they commence the scenario.
\nThis can present a couple of problems for the GM to consider.
\nThe first problem may derive from the fact that the PCs have friends in high places. Adventures such as @JournalEntry[xCSZEj1vkVtiS2gz]{Lord of Ubersreik} or @JournalEntry[1SdCyKWdnMyv5itI]{Heart of Glass} provide opportunities for Characters to earn the respect of powerful patrons. This could cause issues for later adventures that follow a rags to riches narrative arc.
\nIn this adventure the Characters become associates of people who have the potential of ruining any good reputations they have built in Ubersreik. The GM could use this fact to make it clear to the characters during this adventure that they have aroused suspicion in the eyes of many Ubersreikers. This would have the advantage of persuading them that they need to find their fortunes elsewhere, and that returning to Ubersreik would not be a good idea.
\nA second problem may be that the GM has employed Elicha Hochs in previous adventures. She is introduced in @JournalEntry[PhqZQfdxDL5XeCyq]{A Guide to Ubersreik} as a possible plot hook. Elicha may even have hired the Characters to help her with her campaign of sabotage. Previous interactions between the characters and Elicha might result in circumstances that complicate this adventure.
\nCharacters have previously worked for Elicha: If the Characters have already worked for Elicha and have a good relationship with her it will be necessary for her to break trust with them before beginning this adventure. The simplest way would be to have Elicha commission the Characters for a dangerous mission, such as to perform a highway robbery, and then refuse to pay them on a dubious pretext. After this, most Characters would jump at the opportunity to seek revenge.
\nCharacters were approached by Elicha but refused to help: If she has tried and failed to commission the Characters in the past, Elicha will be only too delighted to exploit any mistrust the Characters may harbour towards her. By having Andreas hire the Characters to expose her and then ultimately have them fail to do so convincingly, she will undermine their credibility and undermine any testimony they may give regarding her previous wrongdoings as well.
\nElicha has been killed or otherwise compromised: In this case, Four Seasons responds by dispatching Hugo Dumpledimple to Ubersreik. Hugo is a Halfling agent who is even cannier than Elicha. In public Hugo is all guileless charm, keen to make up for his predecessor’s terrible behaviour, but behind the scenes he has plans of his own. One of Hugo’s first moves will be to commission Andreas to hire the Characters in order to level accusations against Hugo that can be easily disproven. Replace any mention of Elicha in the text with Hugo instead.
\n
The introduction to this adventure can occur pretty much anywhere in or around Ubersreik, though it works best if it happens outside @JournalEntry[PhqZQfdxDL5XeCyq]{Bridge House}. As the Characters are approaching (or leaving) the venue they come across thugs violently accosting a coachman. The Characters become embroiled in the struggle which concludes when @Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas} intervenes in his role as a Verenan investigator. He then proceeds to offer the PCs a commission to look into a series of crimes against coaching houses.
\nRead the following text:
\n\n\nUp ahead, a group of rough-looking individuals are pushing and shoving a man around. The group consists of four men who are being encouraged by a petite young woman with blonde hair. They all shout at the man, accusing him of offering aid and comfort to the Altdorfers.
\nThe man cowers from the thugs, who feign outrage, accusing him of trying to attack them before laying into him hard with vicious punches and kicks.
\n
The woman is Lorbeer Weber, a minor member of the von Jungfreud estate, who has taken to agitating on the behalf of the dispossessed aristocrats. Her network of thugs and toadies identify those with connections to the occupying Imperial forces, and subject them to violent mobbing. Lorbeer has been tipped off by an agent of Elicha Hochs. Lorbeer believes this man is a coachman from Altdorf who has ferried men and supplies from the capital to Ubersreik.
\nThis agent is in the midst of the angry mob. At some point in the confrontation call for the characters to make Average (+0) Intuition Tests. Those who pass notice that a member of the group, a shortish man with ginger hair and a large bushy moustache, stands aloof from the other thugs and scrutinises them with a beady eye. This is Rolf Gucker, Elicha’s spy and agent.
\nIf the Characters step in to help the coachman, the thugs will put up a half-hearted defence. If the Characters choose not to help, the thugs will act in such a way as to pull them into the confrontation. ‘Oi, you lot! What you looking at? You an Altdorf lover? Best walk on if you don’t want a broken jaw!’
\nIf Characters persistently refuse to oppose the @Actor[jhkdQwtqz42Z2Ady]{thugs} a couple of them even go so far as to assault the Characters as they leave the scene (nothing that would cause injury, but shoves, kicks to the backside, and so on).
\nAside from Rolf these thuggish Ubersreikers have rather stereotypical Voberglander looks, with lank brown hair, and impressive handlebar moustaches. They all carry hand weapons and wear worn, tough leathers. Once they have lost half of their collective wounds or more they retreat, spitting curses and making threatening promises of revenge. Lorbeer does not fight, though if she is attacked she defends herself (use the same profile; she is tough and mean for all her small size). It is important that both Rolf and Lorbeer survive this encounter.
\nDuring the fight with the thugs another man appears on the scene. He joins in on the Characters’ side. He delivers deft and practised blows to the threatening thugs. This is @Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas}. As he fights he shouts the following at Lorbeer. ‘As for you, little trouble maker, I know who you’re schilling for. You can tell her that I’m on to her, and as Verena is my witness — her operation’s about to come crashing down.’
\nOnce the thugs have been routed, Andreas sees to the coachman who is bruised and shaken, but not badly injured. After checking on the coachman he turns to the Characters, warning them that they may have made enemies. He then offers them an opportunity. If the Characters did nothing to help the coachman or combat the thugs Andreas catches up with them and gives the same speech.
\nRead the following to the players:
\n\n\n‘I hope you folks know what you’ve gotten yourselves into. That young lady has been stirring up a lot of trouble recently. She’s connections in some lofty places, and she’s trying all she can to incite a riot against the Emperor’s forces here. I’m Andreas, by the way. I was wondering who you might be? I haven’t seen you around here before.’
\n
@Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas} will encourage the characters to talk about themselves. On finding out that they have adventuring experience, he becomes effusive.
\n\n\n‘Wow! It sounds like you do all sorts of work. I’m in a similar line myself. Investigations, contract by contract. I could have a use for people such as yourselves, as it happens. It’s all tied in with this incident. Somebody is making a lot of trouble for coaches and coachmen in Ubersreik. It’s my job to find out who, but I could use some help. There would be good coin in it for you.’
\n
@Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas} does not talk about his employers, but if Characters point out that he carries the symbol of Verena he looks abashed and mutters that he, ‘can neither confirm nor deny an association with the temple’. He sheepishly tucks the symbol under his shirt (but is sure to remove it later).
\nHe tells the party to meet him tomorrow at sunset in one of the small private booths in the Crown of Carolus, a small tavern on the south side of the river. Before he and the Characters part ways he says:
\n\n\n‘The job involves travel, so be prepared to leave. If you need to get some things together and make other arrangements you have tomorrow to do it, but you will need to be on the road promptly if you want the work.’
\n
The Characters have until the evening of the following day to prepare for their journey.
\nAt some point during the day, when the characters are in a public place, Herman Kramer accosts them. This hulking belligerent has balding fair hair and a prodigious underbite. He shoves the nearest character roughly: ‘Look who it is, a merry bunch of lackeys for the occupation,’ spits at their feet, and saunters off.
\nHerman is not one of the thugs who fought with the characters the night before, but he moves in similar circles. If the Characters accost him, he fights fiercely (using the same profile as the @Actor[jhkdQwtqz42Z2Ady]{thugs}), only capitulating when he starts to take critical hits.
\nIf he is interrogated Herman is tight-lipped, but if threats of continued punishment are made, and backed up with an Intimidate Test opposed to his Cool of 40, he provides the following information:
\n\n\n‘Look, you gave me a good clattering, let’s call it quits eh, no hard feelings? Perhaps I can set your minds at rest that this was nothing personal. I got given some clank to give you a scare is all. It was a man I hadn’t met before. I don’t know his name. He was shortish and stoutish, with reddish hair and a bushy moustache.'
\n
Herman genuinely knows nothing else. He is a distant affiliate of Lorbeer, but says that she had nothing to do with it. Rolf Gucker is the man in question. If the Characters noticed him earlier the description fits. Herman has never met Andreas.
\nThe Crown of Carolus is a strange little tavern; clean and bijou with white walls and terracotta tiles. It looks like it was lifted from a grassy Averland hillside and plonked with little ceremony among the wharves and jetties of the Ubersreik docks. It’s a place for merchants to relax and cut deals whilst stevedores shift their cargos.
\nWhilst the Crown of Carolus is a little pokey, it serves quality food and drink at reasonable prices, and the staff are friendly and professional.
\n@Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas} arrives shortly before sunset and waits for the characters (patiently if need be). Normally riffraff would be turned away, but Andreas will vouch for characters who don’t look the part. Once the Characters have settled he outlines his mission for them.
\n\n\n‘Now to business. I know this might be hard to believe, but a lot of the trouble that has been affecting life in Ubersreik, particularly in regard to all this hysteria that’s being whipped up about the visiting troops from Altdorf, is actually due to a representative of the Four Seasons Coaches. Elicha Hochs is her name. I don’t suppose you know of her, do you?’
\n
If the characters are aware of Elicha, Andreas encourages any talk about her involvement with causing trouble for Gunther Abend, and coaching in general. Andreas is careful to reassure any Characters who may have helped Elicha in the past that any misbehaviour on their part is forgiven, as long as they provide him with assistance. Once the Characters have had a chance to ask any questions, he continues.
\n\n\n‘Not only has Frau Hochs been making life difficult for Altdorfers but she has masterminded a dreadful crime. A couple of weeks ago a coach belonging to the Imperial Expressways line left Altdorf for Ubersreik, but never made it as far as Blutroch. I have reason to believe Elicha has been sponsoring acts of sabotage along the route in the hope of driving the Bridge House Inn out of business. I have heard that she has been up to all sorts of mischief: sponsoring highwaymen, tipping off thieves to the coaches’ schedules working to lame horses with pits in the road. But whilst I am confident of her guilt I need evidence, and I think it can be found alongside this missing coach.’
\n
@Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas} pauses to see if the Characters have anything important to add or questions to ask. He concludes with the following remarks.
\n\n\n‘There is a Cannon Ball Express coach due to leave the Bridge House in an hour’s time. There’s space on board for all of you. I will be leaving tonight as well, taking a horse to the Crossed Axes in Bruckthin. That was one of the last places we can confirm a sighting of the missing coach. There must be evidence of the coach to be found on the road between Blutroch and Bruckthin. Find it and your reward will be a purse of 20 gold crowns.’
\n
Andreas has nothing more to say, but if the Characters ask certain questions he may be willing to provide more information.
\nYou are with Cannon Ball Express, what do you care if an Imperial Expressways coach goes missing?
\n‘Four Seasons may think they can go at it alone, but there is a degree of fraternity between the older coaching houses. This infighting serves no one.’
\nCome off it, you’re surely bitter business rivals? (Average (+20) Charm Test)
\nFail: ‘I assure you, we’re not. We’re in this together.’
\nPass: ‘Look, in this case the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If I can pin something significant to Elicha we’ll all be much happier.’
\nHow about a little money up front? (Make an opposed Haggle Test against Andreas’s Haggle Skill of 45.)
\nFail: ‘I’ll pay you when you’re finished, but I can’t spare anything more right now.’
\nPass: ‘I have arranged for the coachman to provide you with enough money for the road. He will provide you with a purse for your own spending.’
\n" }, { "id": "FQvsD6bvTrQUjx6S", "name": "Teil 2: Leaving Ubersreik", "description": "
The characters find the Cannon Ball Express coach waiting for them. The coach is driven by @Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan Harmar}. He shows the Characters on to the coach, and provides them with a purse containing @Credit[6ss EACH]{six schillings} in loose change. ‘Andreas arranged these for you for spending on the road.’ This money is provided whether or not the characters haggled for it earlier. Andreas is hoping they will be better disposed towards him if he is generous at this juncture.
\nDuring this adventure Jan tries to be a constructive member of the party, though he takes the Characters' lead in all matters. He prefers to sit back with his blunderbuss rather than engage in any melee. Ultimately he is Andreas’s man, and acts in his best interest. He has been kept deliberately ignorant of the plan, so if the Characters do try to winkle more information from him he all he can tell them is: ‘Andreas has just asked me to drive you from here to the Crossed Axes, stopping within reason if you ask me to — as to what else this is about I know nothing.’
\nSome Characters may express concerns about travelling by night, after all the dangers of the Empire’s roads during the hours of darkness are precisely why fortified coaching inns are found around the country.
\nJan seeks to set their minds at rest by stating: ‘Don’t worry folks, we are not going very far tonight!’ If the Characters question him he elaborates.
\n\n\n‘Andreas wants you out of the city as quickly and as quietly as possible. He thinks you’ve stirred up trouble with some of the locals. Word is going round that you sympathise too strongly with the Altdorf troops. Hey, none of my business whether you do or not. Andreas has arranged it for you to stay in a tent at the Fleshmarket not far from town. We can get there within an hour, and get some rest before continuing on our way early in the morning.’
\n
Once the Characters are settled, @Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan} begins to drive the coach from the @JournalEntry[PhqZQfdxDL5XeCyq]{Bridge House Inn}. However, almost as soon as the coach is moving there is a further interruption. Read the following to the players.
\n\n\n‘A man appears at the door of the Bridge House Inn. He is tall and hale, and dressed in a white apron that covers his hefty gut. He nods towards the coach with a beaming grin as it sets on its way. “A good journey to you!\", he calls out softly.’
\n
Jan ignores this and continues. If the Characters know Gunther Abend, they recognise the friendly proprietor of the @JournalEntry[PhqZQfdxDL5XeCyq]{Bridge House Inn}. If they do not know him, Jan is able to tell them who Gunther is, though the coachman, who was hoping to get away without drawing further attention, does not look particularly pleased as he moves away.
\nJan drives the coach at a stately pace through the Artisan’s Quarter and out of the city gates. Any Characters keeping a lookout as the coach leaves town must make a Hard (-10) Perception Test. Those who pass see a figure in one of the alleyways as they approach the northern gates. If any of the party pass the test with +3 SL they recall that a boy of similar appearance was in the vicinity when they tussled with Lorbeer’s thugs earlier. This is @Actor[ZZacWSlaBBBZoUVW]{Rudi}. He gives the coach a hard stare and spits on the ground as it passes him by. Lorbeer had planned to sabotage the coach at the Bridge House. Rudi will now tell her it has left the city, bound for the @JournalEntry[JUNz55cytero9FJA]{Fleshmarket}.
\nRudi is an associate of Lorbeer Weber. The boy has been posted to tell her of any suspicious traffic leaving the city. If the Characters have previously killed Lorbeer, the remnants of the gang band together with a couple of fresh recruits and follows their trail.
\nThe @JournalEntry[JUNz55cytero9FJA]{Fleshmarket} is a series of buildings and pens used for the provision of livestock. It lies a short way to the north east of the city. Jan pulls the coach up next to a small group of tents. He tells the Characters that they will be staying the rest of the night here. He complains of being very tired and needing to get up early in the morning. Jan heads into one of the tents to sleep as soon as possible.
\nIt is up to the Characters if they want to keep watch. Getting to sleep is not easy, even for tired Characters, as lowing cattle and bleating sheep keep up a constant susurrus of mooing and bleating. Call for a Hard (-10) Perception Test for each Character who does not block out the noise. Those who pass the test are regularly roused by the sounds of the livestock, and receive a Fatigued condition.
\nLorbeer is on the Characters’ trail. At around three o’clock in the morning a group of thugs gathers close to the tents in which the Characters are sleeping and harasses them. She is not interested in wiping the Characters out, but they intend to scare them, damage their property, and incite them into rash actions of their own. The gang consists of Lorbeer, any @Actor[jhkdQwtqz42Z2Ady]{thugs} that survived the first encounter with the Characters, two additional @Actor[jhkdQwtqz42Z2Ady]{thugs}, and @Actor[ZZacWSlaBBBZoUVW]{Rudi}.
\nLorbeer and the thugs set up about 50 yds to the east of the camp, and wait for Rudi to sneak round to the other side of the camp. At his signal they will start to holler and jeer, throwing stones and insults towards the Characters’ position.
\nWhilst the thugs distract the Characters, @Actor[ZZacWSlaBBBZoUVW]{Rudi} sneaks up to the coach and saws partway through the axle. He then retreats to his previous position and gives another signal. On hearing his signal the remaining thugs break off and return to the city.
\nThe thugs’ actions and the chances that Characters have to perceive them are summarised in the following table. The difficulties given in the table assume that the only light available is from the camp fire and few small torches. If Characters do more to illuminate the scene reduce the difficulty level one step.
\nThugs do not initially act towards Characters with lethal force. They just jeer out remarks such as, ‘Go back to the big city’, ‘We don’t want you warmongers round here’, and ‘Up the Jungfreuds!’ as they pelt the tents with stones, mud and lumps of ordure.
\nIf the Characters respond with lethal force, the thugs will be somewhat affronted, even calling out, ‘Lay off, will yer, we’re only giving you a bit of a scare’ before responding with serious violence. As before, the thugs do not fight with particular conviction. An individual thug breaks away from the combat if he or she is reduced to 4 wounds or less.
\nIf Rudi or any of the thugs are captured and questioned they have little to reveal. Lorbeer hires them and they do as she says. Lorbeer does everything she can to escape. If she is questioned, Lorbeer proffers vulgar rationalisations of her actions as those of a patriotic Ubersreiker. She does not have any connection to Elicha, and does not know the woman.
\nIf @Actor[ZZacWSlaBBBZoUVW]{Rudi} succeeds in sawing partway through the axle the coach is left in a dangerous condition.
\nIf the Characters suspect that some damage may have been done to the coach, even if they didn’t spot Rudi, they can inspect the underside of the carriage. Make a group Perception Test, which is either Hard (-10) or Easy (+40) depending on whether they get Jan’s assistance. If the test is passed then saw marks made by Rudi are spotted.
\nJan thinks that the damage is not significant, but could get worse with time. He suggests they drive to the next stage, then there is equipment at Coaching Inns that can be used to repair the axle.
\nIf the damage is not spotted, it becomes the cause of trouble later on.
\nRolf Gucker is notable by his absence from the group attacking the Characters. He has hatched a plan to cause even more trouble for the party by implicating them in a stampede. As such he has snuck into one of the nearby stock pens, and has gathered materials together with which to make a small fire. Unless this fire is quickly extinguished panicked cattle erupt from the pen and cause further disruption.
\nIf Characters spot the fire early on and make prompt efforts to scatter or extinguish it then it is a simple matter to do so. The thugs will not impede them beyond continuing to throw stones and insults.
\nHowever, if the Characters prioritise dealing with the thugs, or @Actor[ZZacWSlaBBBZoUVW]{Rudi}, whilst the fire catches it quickly grows large enough to alarm the cattle held in the yard. During turn 14 the Characters have one last chance to prevent a stampede if they notice the cattle beginning to panic.
\nIf the fire is not dealt with by turn 17 the cattle stampede. Read the following to the players:
\n\n\n‘From one of the nearby stock pens you hear a mighty crash. A wooden gate gives way under the pressure of a dozen or so terrified cattle pressing against it. These cows are clearly enraged, bellowing and stamping as they rush from the enclosure, buffeting aside anything that gets in their way.’
\n
The stampede should be played mainly in order to add to any sense of confusion. The frightened cows are only interested in escaping. However, such is their panic that two randomly selected Characters should be called on to make an Average (+20) Athletics Test. Those who fail are struck by a stampeding cow, treat this as a Weapon +5 hit.
\n| Turn | \nAction | \nCharacter on Watch/Alert | \nCharacter in Tent/otherwise engaged | \n
| 1 | \nThugs creep into position. | \nHard (-20) Perception Test | \nHard (-20) Perception Test | \n
| 5 | \nRudi makes a yowling noise like a tomcat. | \nHard(-20) Perception Test | \nVery Hard (-30) Perception Test | \n
| 6-8 | \nThugs commence hurling rocks and abuse at Characters. | \n\n | \n |
| 9 | \nRudi sneaks towards coach. | \nHard (-20) Perception Test | \nVery Hard (-30) Perception Test | \n
| 10 | \nRudi begins to saw axle. | \n\n | \n |
| 12 | \nRolf Gucker starts a fire within a nearby stock pen. | \nEasy (+40) Perception Test | \nChallenging (+0) Perception | \n
| 14 | \nRudi sneaks away from coach. | \nHard (-20) Perception Test | \nVery Hard (-30) Perception Test | \n
| 15 | \nCattle in the pen with the fire begin lowing and stamping. | \nEasy (+40) Perception Test | \nChallenging (+0) Perception | \n
| 16 | \nRudi makes a yowling noise like a tomcat. | \nHard (-20) Perception Test | \nVery Hard (-30) Perception Test | \n
| 17 | \nUnless the fire is extinguished cattle begin a stampede. Thugs break off and head back to the city. | \n\n | \n |
Any remaining thugs will break off and flee during this confusion. @Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan} urges the Characters to join him in the coach, and leave the area before any further alarm is raised.
\nIf the Characters remain behind to help clear up the mess the workers in the @JournalEntry[JUNz55cytero9FJA]{Fleshmarket} treat their story with suspicion. They do not make moves to detain the Characters, but they are less than gracious about the assistance, giving them a marked cold shoulder, and the general impression that they are not exactly off the hook.
" }, { "id": "W5Lkoo3EnXyT4cLv", "name": "Teil 3: The Ubersreik-Bogenhafen-Altdorf Road", "description": "The journey to @JournalEntry[4WEhiObwXJKErVFi]{Altdorf} consists of approximately 14 stages with nightly stays at coaching inns and villages on the way. Whilst Jan generally makes good headway along the Reikland’s roads, the Characters still run into difficulty from time to time.
\n\n\nOptions
\nA further optional encounter can be used if the GM would like to introduce the party to @Actor[Josef Quartjin], who plays an important role in Enemy in Shadows.
\n
There are optional encounters listed below. These can be used by the GM to add some interesting twists to the journey that have nothing to do with the intrigues between coaching houses. These encounters can be used at whatever point in the journey the GM sees fit.
\nThere are three encounters that must happen at some point in the journey before the Characters reach Blutroch.
\nSome of these encounters present physical challenges to the Characters, but they are mostly intended to give the Characters a creeping sense of paranoia that the people they are working for are up to no good, and that they have made enemies in Ubersreik.
\nEncounters that result in violence should always be followed by a period in which the Characters can recuperate. They are on a long road after all.
\nThe route @Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan} intends to take is shown on the map, with each stage taking no more than ten hours to complete in a coach such as his. The table below gives some brief notes on each inn, and recommends suitable events to be sited there.
\n@JournalEntry[rFwZDOZt8BbBLbz2]{The Coach and Horses}, a location described in the early stages of Enemy in Shadows, is traditionally located to the North of Altdorf. However, it should be moved to the South of Altdorf, a day's travel after Bruckthin, if you intend to continue into The Enemy Within.
\n| Stage | \nInn | \nBrief Description | \nEvent | \n
| 1 | \nHalfway House | \nRecently constructed in the village of Geissbach, the Halfway House is a modern inn sponsored by @JournalEntry[wVPKOC48Odm7JJMQ]{Four Seasons} and local nobility. Somewhat at odds with the otherwise insular rurality of the local farming community. | \n@JournalEntry[NwIeR3FgcfBLWfmk]{An Old Acquaintance} | \n
| 2 | \nFive Oaks | \nFound just south of the small town of Ort. A typical fortified coaching inn of the Reikland. Wooden defences have been erected around portions of the wall recently damaged by Beastmen raids. | \n\n |
| 3 | \nLuitpold Inn | \nAn isolated and fortified coaching inn, complete with a tall stone tower from which a small band of crossbowmen could fire. Such defences were necessary during the depredations of Constant Drachenfels, but now rarely needed. | \n@JournalEntry[EKQsLIDUJMYJorQL]{Army Camp} on the road to this inn | \n
| 4 | \nEncounter's Shadow | \nLocated in the town of Schrabwald. As the towers of @JournalEntry[6nalzmjiZyTv7xtp]{Castle Drachenfels} can be discerned on a clear day, the inn could literally be said to be in the Enchanter’s Shadow. This is a rather forbidding place. The locals are notably preoccupied by fatalistic and cynical philosophies. | \n@JournalEntry[TFLbribWO63BMXPJ]{Drunken Highwayman} on the road from this inn | \n
| 5 | \nSmith's Son | \nA busy fortified coaching inn to the south of Bogenhafen. Preparations are being made for the upcoming Schaffenfest. The inn is large, but not run down. The inn is named after a local legend about how a child wielding Sigmar’s Hammer will one day prove to be humanity’s saviour. | \n@JournalEntry[vgnu7wNmuFOEJOWQ]{A Keg of Bugman's XXXXXX} | \n
| 6 | \n@JournalEntry[8OsnB4C439o0ouJC]{Journey's End} | \nA well-appointed and popular inn in Bögenhafen. See Enemy in Shadows for more details. | \n\n |
| 7 | \nFestival Rest | \nAs the name suggests, this coaching inn is popular with travellers to Bögenhafen’s Schaffenfest. Not only is the inn itself fortified, but there are extensive stockyards protected by high stone walls located in the area. | \n@JournalEntry[FWhjsYwq0YgI0rKi]{Suspicious Looks} | \n
| 8 | \nPitcher and Peryton | \nA coaching inn in the small town of Havelfurt. Decorated with comic friezes depicting a number of monstrous beasts in various states of inebriation. | \n\n |
| 9 | \nSpeared Pike | \nStanding near the bridge of the Blutroch crossing. The inn’s sign depicts a large Stirpike struck through with a harpoon. A popular spot for fishing; delicious pike pie is often on the menu. Small trading barges make it up the river Blut as far as this inn, often collecting cargoes of timber from Reikwald logging sites. | \n@JournalEntry[7TOiryvAbYWNVzuK]{A Trader in Trouble} on the road to this inn | \n
| 10 | \nStanding Stones | \nThis fortified coaching inn is infamous. Once home to a group of Chaos worshippers who were unmasked and slain by Gotrek and Felix, the notorious adventurers. New management claim to wish to change the name and refurbish the place, whilst privately revelling in the horrified fascination the venue evokes. | \n@JournalEntry[MpLDqSroRpfDY9Dy]{Ruined Road} followed by @JournalEntry[1q0JuRMBRLMfycTx]{The Wheels Come Off!} On the road to this inn | \n
| 11 | \nBroken Hart | \nA fortified coaching inn. The sign depicts a Wood Elven maiden riding a large deer. The inn is very well managed, and features a fine menu prepared by their talented chefs. Everything costs 50% more than normal here. | \n@JournalEntry[4n9wmAdAfASxfXWV]{The Crashed Coach} is found before arriving here | \n
| 12 | \nCrossed Axes | \nAn inn in Bruckthin. The Characters’ destination. | \n\n |
" }, { "id": "7tIaGjVL8kU9mVgb", "name": "Teil 4: Reuniting With Andreas", "description": "
The town of Bruckthin is one of the final stages before Altdorf itself. The Crossed Axes is an incredibly old Coaching Inn found close to the town’s western gate. The providence of the name is uncertain, but may have something to do with an ancient alliance between Dwarves and followers of Ulric. Certainly the inn’s sign depicts Blitzbeil laid atop a Dwarven rune axe.
\nA very fine coach, decorated in gilt regalia depicting the heraldry of the Cannon Ball Express coaching company, is parked conspicuously outside the inn.
\n@Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas Wagenknecht} is waiting in the public bar. He is delighted to see the Characters. As soon as they enter he calls over to them.
\n“Ah, good people! It is wonderful to see you once more. Please, take a seat.” He turns to the bar and calls to the innkeeper. “Innkeep, some hot food and fine ale for my friends here.” He rises from his seat. “Please, refresh yourselves, I must ensure Jan is seen to as well. Once I return we will head to my room and discuss the details of your journey.” With a friendly wave he heads out to the stable.
\nIf Characters simply wait to be served, the innkeeper soon brings them a hearty hot dinner, and as many pints of frothy ale as they can drink.
\nAny Characters who go to watch what Andreas does see him exchanging pleasantries with @Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan}. Make a Stealth Test on Andreas’s behalf (his Stealth Skill is 45) opposed to the Watching Character’s Perception. If the Character wins this test, they notice Andreas handing Jan a purse. Jan has been bribed to continue his journey right away. He heads back to the coach, and drives in the direction of Altdorf as soon as the Characters and Andreas begin their meeting.
\nWhen the Characters have finished their meal, Andreas invites them up to his room. Read the following to the Characters as they enter.
\n\n\n‘Andreas leads you into one of the inn’s small conference rooms. There is a table inside surrounded by comfortable-looking chairs. There are people sitting here already, clearly having just enjoyed a meal themselves. Andreas makes some quick introductions. “I have the honour of presenting you to Gershwin Fischgrätenmuster, esteemed fleet master of Cannon Ball Express,” he gestures to a large man with drooping mustachios and sweaty red cheeks, dressed in fine fashion, “and his secretary, Frau Bastel.” He indicates a mousy-looking girl of nineteen, who clutches at her writing equipment and begins to scribble down notes. Andreas then gestures towards you for Gershwin’s benefit. “These fine people are the agents I commissioned to help expose the wrongdoings of Four Seasons.”’
\n
Gershwin leaps to his feet, pumping the Characters’ hands in turn, a little too vigorously. ‘I trust you are fed and watered!’ He bellows. ‘Please, tell us all about your findings!’
\nGershwin loudly interrogates the Characters about their journey in excruciating detail. He seems to be in no hurry to discover the fate of the missing coach, but instead expresses a lot of concern over the thugs in Ubersreik, drunken highwaymen, Dwarven travellers, and so on. He also stops them regularly in order to note down a summary of the information they give him on a sheet of paper. However, it is clear that his initial good humour is quickly replaced by suspicion as he tends to regard the Characters’ behaviour in an exceedingly ungenerous light. ‘So, you are the miscreants who caused the riot in Ubersreik’s Fleshmarkets? Do you have any idea what that ended up costing the city?’
\nThe Characters, who have been travelling all day by this point, must make a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test whilst they undergo this grilling. Should they fail they suffer a @Condition[Fatigued] Condition.
\nIf the Characters talk to @Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas} about a story they heard from Carla Pfeffer he looks grim. ‘That is a long story, and she doesn’t quite have the right of it. I will explain myself, happily, but we need to conclude our business first.’
\nWhen the Characters finally begin to relay information about the lost coach, Andreas grows increasingly frustrated. He listens, but his brows beetle, and a sneer begins to form around his lips. Once it becomes clear that the only explanation for the missing coach is the predation of Goblins, he loses his temper.
\n\n\n‘Andreas pounds at his desk with his fist. “No! No this won’t do! We can lay all sorts of mischief at Elicha Hochs’s feet, but she is no consort of Greenskinned raiders. This is a charge that won’t stick! There must have been some evidence of her involvement in all of this! What is it?”’
\n
If the Characters present no evidence, Andreas broods for a while. If they try to get him to talk, he grimaces and says, ‘I’m thinking here, be quiet for a moment.’ After a while, he rises from his seat and says, ‘For all your lack of success, I suppose you deserve your pay. Wait here while I fetch it.’
\nHowever, Gershwin is having none of it. ‘Pay? These people? Andreas, you promised me they would expose Elicha Hochs. They’ve done nothing of the sort. As far as I see it, they have committed all manner of ineptitude and crime into the bargain. This association threatens the Cannon Ball’s good name! I won’t authorise the spending of a single penny on this benighted enterprise!’
\nGershwin storms out of the room, followed by an apologetic Frau Bastel. They head out of the front door of the inn, climb into the richly decorated coach, and head towards Altdorf.
\n@Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas} seems furiously embarrassed by the whole affair. He apologises profusely to the Characters, promising that if they just wait a while he will sort them out with some compensation. He then goes down to the courtyard where a member of the inn staff has been minding his horse, mounts it and rides as quickly as he can in the direction of Altdorf.
\nShould the Characters attempt to waylay Andreas as he leaves, he calls out to the inn staff, ‘Help! These treacherous dogs have robbed me!’ The inn staff do their best to break up any fight, and allow Andreas to escape. They were told before the meeting that Andreas expected a group of ne'er-do-wells who owed him a great deal of money, but that he was afraid they would kill him sooner than pay up.
\nIf the Characters are clever enough they may try to convince Gershwin that there is indeed evidence linking Elicha to the crashed coach, they may have even fabricated some of their own. If this happens Andreas plays along. He knows well enough that Goblins are to blame, and that the Characters are lying. He thanks them for their good work, then leaves without paying the Characters a single coin, as above.
" }, { "id": "n6S8l4necouCBMNd", "name": "What Now? (The Guilty Party)", "description": "The Characters are a short distance from Altdorf, a city to which two men who have recently crossed them have fled. They have no reason to wish to return to Ubersreik, as many in that city believe them to be supporters of invading troops. They have wasted time and money on a fruitless endeavour.
\nHopefully, they will therefore be very interested in any chance to undertake a rewarding adventure … such as the one offered at the outset of Enemy in Shadows.
\nThe following experience points should be awarded to the Characters:
\n@JournalEntry[AXV32JQQBiDN08aD]{The Guilty Party} begins with a bang — the Characters are thrust into a dangerous situation and then hired afterwards to investigate — but this only works if the Characters are heroic types and willing to muck in for the protection of their fellows. Supposing your Characters are less scrupulous, or you would like a more linked beginning for the adventure, consider the following alternate hooks:
\n\n
The travel phase in the middle of @JournalEntry[AXV32JQQBiDN08aD]{The Guilty Party} offers a chance to expand out the adventure into several sessions of play. Whilst many encounters are given in the adventure, you can work the following three additional short encounters in during stages 2 and 8 of the journey.
\nAlternatively, either stage of the journey would be a perfect time to run @JournalEntry[Night of Blood], if you wish to extend the action by another session.
\nIf the Characters stay at the Five Oaks, they may find their evening punctuated with the sound of hunting horns. At first, the patrons are terrified, thinking that Beastmen have come to attack and fortify the inn accordingly, making sure no one can get in or out. But in short order, the horns are revealed to be from a hunting party out of @JournalEntry[OW2Cor1u8BIALvCA]{Steirlich Manor} nearby. The gates are opened, and then immediately slammed shut behind the visitors: turns out, everyone was right to be afraid, as the von Steriluch hunters are here for the patrons’ heads!
\n@JournalEntry[AXV32JQQBiDN08aD]{The Guilty Party} easily leads into the events of The Enemy Within, if the Characters decide to head towards Altdorf. Some methods of getting the Characters to the Imperial capital are:
\nThe cast of NPCs in @JournalEntry[AXV32JQQBiDN08aD]{The Guilty Party} are integral to the plot, but with a few changes, they can be tied deeper into the ongoing strife elsewhere in Ubersreik, and in the other adventures throughout this book. Consider some of the following changes:
\n@Actor[Josef Quartjin] is an NPC who provides guidance and opportunity to the party in the early stages of Enemy in Shadows. In that adventure it is assumed that Josef is an old friend of one of the characters. However, if it does not make much sense for this to be the case, the GM could use this encounter to establish a friendship between Josef and the party.
\nOn the road to Blutroch the Characters encounter a band of Goblin wolf riders harrying a trader’s cart. Whilst the Goblins do not put up much of a fight the owner of the cart is extremely grateful, for if the Characters had not intervened he would surely have lost his life.
\nAfter the Characters have been on the road for an hour or so read them the following:
\n\n\n‘As you come to a corner in the road you hear a disturbance on the road ahead of you. Whooping and rasping war cries given in a savage tongue, shouts of alarm and agony. As you turn around the bend you see a small band of Goblins mounted on careering wolves. They are circling a wagon that has been driven to the side of the road, whooping and brandishing bows. The occupants of the wagon are a pair of Humans and a Halfling. They have drawn their blades and crouch behind the wooden boards of their cart. Arrows protrude from the sides of wagon, and the shoulder of the Halfling.’
\n
The @Actor[kUubLAAHRQx9SfFJ]{Goblins} are members of the Twisted Maw tribe who have a camp between Blutroch and Bruckthin. . Their aim is not to loot the cart, for they are well fed after earlier raids, but they have grown bored and are looking for some easy pickings to make cruel sport with. There are five Goblins; each armed with a bow and mounted on a @Actor[GbeOpFCRfWAGsi9o]{Giant Wolf}.
\nAs soon as the Characters appear the Goblins begin to retreat from the scene. At first they do not flee, but train arrows on the coach and shoot anyone who makes any hostile moves. As soon as any sort of determined resistance is given to the Goblins their nerve breaks, and they spur their Wolves into a galloping retreat through the eaves of the forest, heading towards the east. Characters may have a couple of rounds within which to attack Goblins with spells or missiles, but unless they are very efficient the Goblins are soon out of sight.
\nIf any Goblins are killed during this encounter then the number of Goblins encountered at the camp later on in this adventure is reduced accordingly.
\nOnce the Goblins have been run off read the following to the Characters:
\n\n\n‘As the Goblins disappear into the woods the passengers on the cart peer at you over the wooden sides. One of them stands up, a heavy-set man with a long wedge-shaped beard and a beaming smile. “Thank Sigmar you appeared!” he bellows in hearty greeting. “We’d be spending the night roasting over some Greenskin’s camp fire were it not for you! I am Josef. Now might I ask you to indulge me for a while whilst I see to my friend, she is hurt.’
\n
@Actor[Josef Quartjin]{Josef} turns to tend to Lottie Shortcrust, the Halfling carter who has been struck by a Goblin arrow. The wound is nasty, but not life-threatening. Josef and his companion Wolmar are able to staunch the bleeding, but if any of the Characters are able to tend Lottie using the Heal Skill, the three of them are grateful.
\nJosef curses his own stupidity, explaining that he has 20 years experience of moving cargo around the Reikland, and has never heard of Goblins being abroad in daylight before. He rashly decided to undertake the journey from Tahme to Blutroch without additional protection. He promises Lottie he will compensate her when they reach their destination. Wolmar also profusely thanks the characters, explaining that his wife has only recently given birth to a daughter. Little Eliza may have been left fatherless if it weren’t for their intervention.
\nThe cart is loaded with timber and bound for the Speared Pike in Blutroch. There the trader’s barge is berthed. Josef explains that he will travel down the Blut to Weissbruck, and then take the canal to Altdorf. His next destination is Bögenhafen, where he is scheduled to deliver a cargo of wine just in time to take in the delights of the upcoming Schaffenfest.
\nAt the Speared Pike Josef ensures Lottie is provided with medical attention, and arranges for a generous gift of fine Vobergland wines to be left for her. He then treats the Characters to all the food they can eat and wine they can drink, swapping tales and jests with them late into the night.
" }, { "id": "NwIeR3FgcfBLWfmk", "name": "An Old Acquaintance (The Guilty Party)", "description": "This encounter occurs at a coaching inn, not far from Ubersreik. The Halfway House in Geissbach, or The Five Oaks near Ort are both good candidates.
\nAfter the Characters have entered the inn and refreshed themselves they see a woman exchanging heated words with @Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan}. She is dressed in worn-green leather travelling gear, and has long tresses of untidy curly fair hair. Her face is youthful looking, with a rather pinched snub nose upon which grows a large dark-brown wen.
\nShe seems to berate Jan about something. Then Jan shakes his head, and they part ways. This is Carla Pfeffer, who works by peddling pots, pans and pins to the villages of the Reikland. Carla was once friends with Randy Shortcrust, a Halfling who suffered a grave miscarriage of justice as the result of @Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas Wagonknecht’s} cruelty.
\nIf Jan is asked about Carla, he says: ‘Oh, it was nothing, she just thought I knew someone she knew, it was a mistake.’ But if the Characters talk to Carla they may learn unpleasant facts about their employer. However, she is a taciturn person, and failed Gossip tests will bring this conversation to a close.
\n‘Are you friends of his? Anyway, it’s nothing, just a case of mistaken identity.’
\nFail: ‘Look, no one, my mistake.’
\nPass: ‘The man I’m thinking of works for a vicious fraud who passes himself off as a follower of Verena.’
\nFail: ‘Ugh, it’s all a bit much. Just leave me alone.’
\nPass: ‘I used to buy wares from a Halfling merchant called Randy Shortcrust. He had a falling out with this man, name of Andreas. over a love triangle. Well, wouldn’t you know it, but within a few short months Randy found himself pulled in front of the courts on charges of grave sedition. No substance to it, but he was declared guilty, and broken on the wheel in the city square. Have you ever seen someone broken on the wheel? With the first thumps of the iron he protested his innocence, but by the end he was just a lump of screaming flesh. His limbs bloody tentacles, shapeless and studded with shards of broken bone. He looked more like a dredged-up sea creature than a Halfling. All of that engineered by your acquaintance for the sake of a petty grudge.’
\nThere isn’t much the characters can do to help Carla. She isn’t out to get revenge so much as to vent. She considers Andreas too dangerous to cross, and won’t be drawn further.
" }, { "id": "EKQsLIDUJMYJorQL", "name": "Army Camp (The Guilty Party)", "description": "This encounter takes place anywhere along the route, but at some distance from a major city. A regiment of state troops from Altdorf are making their way towards Ubersreik, and they have pitched their camp on a swathe of cleared land not far from the road. Spearmen can be seen patrolling the camp, and sharpshooters with handguns keep a watchful eye out.
\nAs the coach passes the camp a sergeant hails them. He is in need of help, and hopes the Characters can provide it. Depending on the Characters’ skills, he may be in need of any of the below.
\nA Healer: This is the most obvious need. The regiment’s own surgeon has been gravely wounded by accidental gunshot, and languishes in his tent. Characters observing the camp may notice a rather chagrined looking soldier with a conspicuously empty pistol holster on a Hard (-10) Perception Test. If there is a healer in the party, they can save his life by passing a Challenging (+0) Heal Test.
\nMagical Investigation: The soldiers are complaining of being under a curse. If the party contains a priest or wizard, they may be able to track down a malefic artefact that one of the soldiers looted from a barrow as they passed near Blutroch.
\nDelivery of a Message: If nothing else at least the coach could deliver a message to the quartermaster in Bögenhafen or Altdorf (depending on which of these two cities the Characters are headed to). The regiment is running low on black powder and trail rations.
\nIf the Characters are helpful the sergeant will reward them with @Credit[6ss SPLIT]{six schillings}, and a promise that one good turn deserves another.
\nHowever, Jan casts something of a shadow over proceedings. As soon as the Characters are on their way he mutters about, ‘And to think folk in Ubersreik already suspect you lot of being too amenable to invaders from the capital.’
" }, { "id": "TFLbribWO63BMXPJ", "name": "Drunken Highwayman (The Guilty Party)", "description": "@Actor[ZE9eH0PYzdW0EM8I]{Max Drensler} is a dissolute highwayman. Until recently he had a good working relationship with a contact in Ubersreik, who would tip him off to easy pickings on the local routes. But the last time they met all Max was told was to step down his operation until further notice.
\nThis has left Max at a loss. After all, if he was the sort to take orders and act professionally — he would not have become a highwayman in the first place.
\nIn the meantime, Max has lowered himself and forgotten all his standards. He has decided to take matters into his own hands to earn money again. Unfortunately for him, his inspiration is mostly due to a strong bottle of gin, and he is in no fit state to rob a coach.
\nAs the coach is travelling through an area of wilderness, at least an hour from the nearest stage, read the following to the players:
\n\n\nAhead of you the forest clears, and the land becomes a rough terrain of scattered shrubs. A man sits stoop-backed upon his horse. He starts into a more alert posture as he sees the coach and spurs the horse into a loping trot, blocking your path ahead.
\nThe man is dressed in fine clothes, but he is inelegantly dishevelled. His ruffled shirt is covered in yellow stains, and his tricorn hat is askew. His drooping black goatee is besmirched with vomit. A domino mask that should presumably be covering his eyes has been pushed up to the rim of his hat.
\nAs you approach, he pulls a pair of large-bore pistols from his jacket and levels it at the coach.
\n‘Wha‘ tisshit now?’ He slurs, and then mumbles incomprehensibly to himself for a moment. ‘Ahyup. Yup! Sschtop yer coacshh! Schtop and deliver up all of your valubulshh and schtufth!\"
\n
@Actor[ZE9eH0PYzdW0EM8I]{Max} has primed his pistols, but has forgotten to load them with shot. He fires at the first Character to make a hostile move (if the Characters do nothing, @Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan} reaches for his blunderbuss after two turns). Roll to hit as normal, but Characters who are ‘hit’ take no damage.
\nOnce Max has fired both his pistols he looks confused, and then attempts to flee. He can be caught if the Characters carry out a successful @JournalEntry[03r3y37RFKAFM82c]{pursuit}. (Max starts at a distance of 4 and is mounted on a horse, however, his Ride skill is massively inhibited due to his drunkenness.)
\nIf Max is captured, he breaks down into self-pitying sobs. He shares his life story to interrogative characters, but he does not know the name of his contacts. He can only tell the Characters that the man from Ubersreik was a ‘shortish fellow with red hair and a bushy moustache.’ This was Rolf Gucker. Max has never heard of Elicha or @Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas}.
" }, { "id": "MpLDqSroRpfDY9Dy", "name": "Ruined Road (The Guilty Party)", "description": "This brief encounter is intended to merely ramp up the tension. A section of the road has become dangerously potholed. This damage was originally caused by Elicha’s agents. Bad weather and heavy passing coaches have now rendered this area extremely treacherous.
\n@Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan} knows about the potholes in the road, and takes action to avoid damaging his coach. Read the following to the Characters:
\n\n\n‘The coach suddenly lurches. Jan is calling for the horses to stop, pulling on the reins. As the coach trundles to a halt, you see him dismount and march towards a series of deep round holes in the road ahead. He glares at them, shaking his head. He then returns to the coach, and pulls a small shovel from the luggage. “Could use a hand with this,” he says to you, “sooner we get this done the sooner we can get on our way.”’
\n
There is a spare shovel in the luggage area. Levelling the road surface requires an extended Average (+20) Strength Test. Once a total of 20 levels of success have been achieved, Jan judges that the surface is safe enough to drive over. Failed tests by Characters here do not add to the complexity of the job, but could result in Fatigue Conditions being applied as the GM sees fit.
\nWhilst the Characters work they may feel the need to keep an eye out for ambushers in the forest. Any such ambushers are long gone, but it would add to the tension to call for Average (+20) Perception Tests. Those who pass notice movements and noises in the depths of the forest (though these are just caused by the wind and small forest creatures).
\nDue to the delay, when the journey is underway once more Jan drives the coach somewhat harder than normal. This could make for the perfect conditions under which the following encounter occurs…
" }, { "id": "FWhjsYwq0YgI0rKi", "name": "Suspicious Looks (The Guilty Party)", "description": "This encounter is intended to be used as a taste of things to come. If the GM wishes to make use of this encounter, and is already familiar with the opening action of Enemy in Shadows it could be an opportunity to set up one of the characters with the impression that they look like someone else. If this is convenient, the GM should choose one of the characters who later goes on to be mistaken for @JournalEntry[EvAGlPfaaNO6UZXk]{Kastor Lieberung} (ideas for how to do this in the case of parties that have no male human characters are given in @JournalEntry[mDzqXbK1IxZgAD0J]{Enemy in Shadows}).
\nThe encounter takes place in the public bar of any Coaching Inn the characters choose to stay at. Some people at the bar seem to recognise one of the Characters and give them hard looks for a while. Call for the party to make Average (+20) Perception Tests, and read the following to the Character who passes with the most SL (or fails with the least).
\n\n\n‘To one side of the bar you see a group of four people sat round one of the tables. They are city folk by the look of them, fashionably though inexpensively dressed. Every so often one of them glances in the direction of the party, scrutinising you with a serious look. As you return their gaze they become suddenly self-conscious, and huddle together whispering and muttering.’
\n
The group are members of the Purple Hand, the largest and most organised of the Empire’s Tzeentchian cults, dedicated to the corruption and overthrow of the nation’s leadership. The cultists believe Kastor Leiberung to be one of their most senior members. They show the Characters the utmost respect, but are confused if further attention is brought to them, after all separate cells normally don’t interact, and communicate through elaborate codes in order to avoid witch hunters’ attention. The cultists maintain they have nothing to do with the Characters, all the while being extremely deferential, and making cryptic remarks like, ‘We’re all in this together after all’ (wink wink), or ‘Here’s to a better day tomorrow’ (raises glass).
\nIf they are met with violence they defend themselves. They use the profile given for @Actor[jhkdQwtqz42Z2Ady]{Thugs} and fight to the death rather than give up any information. Each of their chests is marked with a small tattoo of a purple hand.
\n\n" }, { "id": "4n9wmAdAfASxfXWV", "name": "The Crashed Coach (The Guilty Party)", "description": "Alternative Cults
\nIf you don’t wish to use the Purple Hand these factions could be used in their place.\n@JournalEntry[jzLu0bO417SfdHm0]{The Red Crown}: Rivals of the Purple Hand who prefer to rouse Mutants and Beastmen in the forests rather than carefully subvert the government. If this group is encountered they interact with the Characters like normal thugs, but once the spokesperson says their piece, one of their other members, a bald man with sweaty red cheeks mutters, ‘Bloody splitters, you’ll get it too come the time,’ and spits on the floor at the Characters’ feet. If violence results from this exchange the cultists fight for their lives; two of the four bear mutations under their clothes. One of them has extra leg joints (Ag 35), and another hides an enormous eye beneath a patch (no effect on this scenario).
\n@JournalEntry[Tc9VdqMdLoVocVpr]{The Fractured Eye}: In the case of the Fractured Eye only the spokesman and the bald sweaty red man are members of the cult. Their companions are unaffiliated spies with whom they share information. The cult is a small one only interested in recruiting experts, such as Kastor Lieberung. If this is the case, then the spokesman keeps things calm and civilised. ‘I am sorry we have disturbed you. We recognise you as a man of particular talents. I wondered if you would ever work with us? I cannot say more at this time, but if you find yourself in Ubersreik again drop in to the offices of @JournalEntry[sVLuNL8VFyoGIbiV]{the Boatbuilders’ and Chandlers’ Guild}, and ask for Kurt.’ If the Characters press the matter any further the man looks embarrassed and insists that he must have made a mistake.
\nNone of these groups have any affiliation with Elicha or Andreas, though the GM could do worse than to encourage the Characters’ paranoia about such things if they mention it.
\n
The missing Imperial Expressways coach can be found to the side of the road, about halfway between the towns of Blutroch and Bruckthin. The coach had left the Broken Hart tavern and travelled west for a couple of hours before it was run off the road by Goblins, who proceeded to slay everyone on board.
\nThe Goblins are camped in a heavily wooded section of the forest, near to the narrow and fast flowing Freifrühling river and a small unnamed lake. They have erected a couple of tatty and filthy yurts, and a staked wolf pen. For the last few weeks, the goblins have been living the high life eating their way through the flesh of coach horses and Human passengers.
\nThere are eight @Actor[kUubLAAHRQx9SfFJ]{Goblins} in the raiding party. During the day they typically arrange themselves as shown on the map. Two archers stand within the forest undergrowth to the north of the camp. They keep an eye out for traffic on the road, and are ready to raise the alarm if a threat presents itself.
\n\n\nFoundry Note: Enable the Ranged trait on the @Actor[kUubLAAHRQx9SfFJ]{Twisted Maw Goblin} for the archers
\n
Two more archers guard the camp itself, watching towards the north and west. The two tatty yurts are occupied by the remaining three goblin raiders and their leader: @Actor[1aHdXQFcFsa8gbWd]{Gobrat Yellownail}. The raiding party’s eight wolves are kept locked up in a paddock to the south of the camp. A pile of horse and Human bones, and other refuse, is piled up near the north-west corner of the camp.
\nThe characters have three chances to spot the crash site or signs of the camp before the Goblins are fully alerted to their presence.
\nThe position marked (1) on the road is the place where the Imperial Expressways coach ran off the road. There are a number of grooves on the road, and damaged vegetation where the panicked horses swerved round and then ran into the forest in order to escape the wolves.
\nAny Character who is keeping a look out for the coach will be able to spot the damage, and the upturned coach resting in the undergrowth by passing an Average (+20) Perception Test. If this test is failed, and the coach carries on, make a Perception Test on behalf of the Goblin archer nearest the Characters (Perception 20). If this test is passed, he spots their coach, and keeps an eye on further developments.
\nAt the position marked (2) on the map, the coach is close enough to the Goblin camp that the smoke from the Goblins’ fire may be spotted. Characters should be called upon to make a Difficult (-10) Perception Test, and those who pass notice the rising column of smoke.
\nAt the position marked (3) on the map, the coach passes by the easternmost of the Goblin archers looking out over the road. He can be spotted on a Very Hard (-30) Perception Test. However, as he is spotted, he will also be aware of the coach and the Characters, and raises the alarm if they make any subsequent hostile moves.
\nIf all of these Perception Tests are failed, it’s left to @Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan} to spot the camp. He pulls the coach to a stop as he reaches the bridge over the Freifrühling, just after point (3). He mentions that he thought he saw a figure standing in the undergrowth, and then notices the rising smoke from the campfire. He suggests that it might be best to check out the smoke.
\nHowever, the Goblins have been thoroughly alerted to the Characters by this point. The lookout archers head back to the camp, whooping alarm calls as they go.
\nIf the Characters investigate without alerting the Goblins, they will be able to carry out their search of the crashed coach without incident, and may be able to get the drop on the Greenskin raiders.
\nThe Imperial Expressways coach has been pulled over on to its side. But the structure is in fairly good shape — despite all the obvious wreckage (Imperial Expressways spare no expense in the construction of their carriages).
\nThe Goblins have looted the coach thoroughly, even tearing the velvet curtains and leather upholstery from inside the carriage.
\nLarge paw prints like those of a dog can be plainly seen in the dirt around the coach, and a clear trail leads east towards the camp.
\nIf the Characters follow the paw prints, they soon arrive at the camp. If the Characters take due precautions, they can sneak right up to the edge of the camp by passing a Stealth Test opposed to the Perception of any nearby Goblins (they have Perception 20). If they do not take due precautions, the Goblin guards are not particularly diligent, but they spot the Characters on a Challenging (+0) Perception Test. If the Characters are spotted, the archers raise the alarm.
\nIf the alarm is not raised, the Characters can get the drop on the guards, meaning that any Goblins they initiate combat with will suffer from the @Condition[Surprised] Condition. They are able to spot Goblin archers nestling in the undergrowth on an Average (+20) Perception Test. The Goblins are made aware of the Characters’ presence as soon as a guard is attacked but not killed outright (the Goblin starts screaming and running for help), a loud weapon such as a gun is employed, or a character steps into the camp clearing.
\nAs soon as the @Actor[kUubLAAHRQx9SfFJ]{Goblins} are aware of the Characters they attempt to kill them or drive them away. They raise ululating hollers that sound like no wild animal. The Goblins try to escape if more than half their number are killed or critically injured.
\nOnce the alarm is raised, the Goblins behave depending on how they are armed and where the Characters are. Goblins with bows shoot at characters, but retreat if they come under heavy fire or if it looks as if a Character is preparing to engage them in melee.
\nGoblins without bows race to the wolf paddock, mount up, and then charge headlong in the direction of the last alarm. Whilst they are dismounted they only attack Characters who engage with them, but they are exuberant fighters once they have gotten on their wolves.
\nThe Wolf Paddock
\nThe eight @Actor[GbeOpFCRfWAGsi9o]{wolves} ridden by the Goblins of the Twisted Maw are fearsome beasts, but with little loyalty to their cruel masters. Their primary motivation is to escape.
\nIf a Goblin reaches the paddock, they can control and mount a wolf. If the alarm is raised, any Goblins not engaged with a Character start to run to the paddock, and mount the wolves in an orderly manner, meaning that none escape.
\nIf the Goblins are surprised by assailants, they panic. Those who aren’t directly engaged with Characters, run towards the paddock, and mount their own wolves, but any spare wolves escape in the confusion.
\nIf a Character reaches the paddock before any Goblins, they could free the wolves, in which case the wolves run away into the woods (though they attack any Character that gets in their way).
\nThe tribe of the Twisted Maw used to range @JournalEntry[o2mz58EtayxnAJNY]{The Grey Mountains}, but were driven out by an Orc tribe. This particular group is a splinter of the main tribe who have followed their leader: @Actor[1aHdXQFcFsa8gbWd]{Gobrat}.
\nGoblins of the Twisted Maw are typical of Goblins who haunt the Grey Mountains. They are skinny and small, with oily olive-green skin. Their faces are swathed about in hoods that do little to hide the assortment of warts and carbuncles that flourish around their fang-filled maws, curved noses and red, beady eyes. The Goblins wear an assortment of filthy rawhide, tatty pelts, and carry shields decorated with snarling sets of filthy pointed teeth.
\nThere is little reward to be found within the camp. After the coach was wrecked, Gobrat despatched a pair of his most dependable wolf riders to ride south, and deliver their plunder to Gutbug, who the Characters may later encounter in Death on the Reik.
\nHowever, loose change and small trinkets to a total value of @Credit[6ss SPLIT]{6 shillings} can be found by anyone who roots around in the piles of tatty fur that line the floor of Gobrat’s yurt.
" }, { "id": "1q0JuRMBRLMfycTx", "name": "The Wheels Come Off! (The Guilty Party)", "description": "If @Actor[ZZacWSlaBBBZoUVW]{Rudi} successfully sawed at the axle of the coach, and it has not been fixed, then this encounter must occur at some point during the Characters' journey, before they reach the town of Blutroch.
\nThe encounter occurs about an hour before Jan is due to reach the next staging post. He is pushing the vehicle hard to make it in good time before night falls. Read the following to the Characters.
\n\n\n‘The sun is going down and you have not yet made it to the coaching inn for the night. Jan shakes the reins, desperate to make it before nightfall. You can hear him shaking the reins, bellowing at the horses. “ Yah! Yah! Come on you blighters, MOVE!” He is concerned to reach the next staging point before darkness falls. The coach judders and rocks as it increases in speed, and even padded-leather seating does not make this a comfortable ride. Suddenly there is a loud crack! The back of the coach collapses with a great lurch. You tumble from your seats as the vehicle comes to a great crashing, skidding halt.’
\n
Each Character must pass an Average (+20) Athletics Test or suffer a wound as they are thrown about inside the coach.
\n@Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan} is very upset by the state of the coach, but he does not countenance any suggestion that his driving was at fault. He quickly surmises from the state of the wrecked coach that damage to the axle was to blame. Any character who passes an Easy (+20) Perception Test is able to see that the break occurred at a point that had already been partly sawn through.
\nJan suggests that the coach is salvageable, as the front wheels are intact and the horses could just about drag the coach to the next stage. However, he asks that the Characters dismount and carry all that they can in order to lighten the load.
\nProvided the Characters are all in agreement and pass Hard (-10) Endurance Tests (given the extra gear they are carrying), then they make it to the next staging post without further incident. However, if any Endurance tests are failed the Characters are delayed, night falls, and the party attract the attention of a trio of @Actor[9sil7WU58XBm1YyD]{Ungor Raider}.
\nThe three Ungors are rather a rangy and mangy specimens. They resemble fauns: from the waist down they appear like goats, with cloven hooves and shaggy brown fur. Their chests are naked, and each of their staring ribs can be counted. Their heads bear short, sharp horns, and straggly growths of hair sprout from their chins. Their mouths drool, crammed with the sharp teeth of carnivores, but there’s a glimmer of intelligence to their caprine predatory eyes.
\nThese Ungors are hungry and looking for loot. They would ideally like to be left with one of the horses. They shoot arrows at the Characters in the hope of driving them away from the coach. The Ungors are not very brave, and once any one of them is reduced to 0 wounds, the group attempts to flee back into the forest.
\nFortunately, there is no need for a serious delay. Once the next staging post is finally reached, Jan is able to either fix up the coach, or commandeer a replacement by mentioning that he is on important business for @Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas}.
" }, { "id": "vgnu7wNmuFOEJOWQ", "name": "A Keg of Bugman's XXXXXX (The Guilty Party)", "description": "This encounter takes place at one of the better appointed Coaching Inns that the Characters stop at.
\nAndreas has been riding ahead of the party on horseback, and has arranged a little surprise for them when they reach this inn. A reward for their cooperation so far. The Tavern’s landlord keeps small kegs of Bugman’s XXXXXX best ale in his well-stocked cellar. @Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas} has asked him to keep an eye out for the Characters and treat them to a drink. Read the following to the players after they enter the inn.
\nThis inn is a magnificent and well-tended, with polished oak tables and clean flagstones. The taproom is crowded; a party of Grey Mountain Dwarves sit near to a wealthy woman and her liveried servants, whilst another table plays host to a group of white-robed Shallyan pilgrims. As you enter the taproom, the barman bids hearty welcome. He then laughs as he recognises your coachman. “Jan!” he shouts, “it is good to see you again. So you must be Andreas’s friends? Please follow me!” He beckons you into a partitioned section. “ Your esteemed companion was here the night before last. He asked me to keep a little something for you,” he says with a wink. He hurries off behind the bar and quickly returns, plonking a small cask on the table. “Ta da!” he cries, and turns the keg round with a flourish to reveal that the words BUGMAN’S XXXXXX have been branded into the side.
\nBugman’s best ale is not cheap, and anyone who does not immediately recognise that this purchase is a lavish show of generosity on @Actor[FYN8xjK9ytQgxARt]{Andreas’s} part will learn as much on an Easy (+40) Lore (History) Test. The keg contains enough ale for each Character and @Actor[Tk3JPvRycDpvKLEA]{Jan} to enjoy two @Compendium[wfrp4e-core.trappings.KzJkoB12jpidtngo]{pints} each.
\nHowever, if the Characters are in any way disparaging of the gift they have been given, or Dwarven ale in general, then make appropriate Perception Tests on behalf of the four Dwarf travellers at the nearby table. They respond by throwing back insults of their own, and attempt to escalate the situation into a fight unless they receive grovelling apologies.
\nAlternatively, if the Characters do appreciate the gift, the Dwarfs respond with jealous rage and try to start a fight anyway. ‘Yer a bunch of undeservin’ blighters! I’ll fight yer for it! Winner takes the keg!’
\nThe four Dwarfs have travelled from Karak Norn to Altdorf in the hope of winning a building contract. Their failure to do so has them heading back to their home and clan in shame. They are drowning their sorrows here tonight.
\nThe Dwarfs are wearing dusty travelling gear and muddy work boots. Two of them look like brothers, with long lank dark hair and drooping beards. The third is a rather dissolute and inebriated individual, with oily matted brown hair and terrible personal hygiene. The fourth Dwarf seems to be the leader of the group. He has wiry red hair and sprouting eyebrows in urgent need of pruning. His woolly beard has many white patches.
\nIf a fight does break out the Shallyan pilgrims, who are travelling to the High Temple at Couronne, mutter and tut, but there is a Shallyan Nun amongst them who tends to any injuries a Character might have with a Heal Skill of 55.
\n\n" } ] }Further Foreshadowing
\nIf the GM wishes one of the Dwarfs could be Gottri Gurnisson, who they later encounter held in the stocks during Enemy in Shadows. If this is the case, Gottri could be urging his companions to accompany him to Bögenhafen for the forthcoming festivities. ‘Why not stop off at Bögenhafen and take in the Schaffenfest? It won’t be long now. Aye! The booze there may be tepid manling swill, but it’ll be cheap! Come on, you miserable lot, you’ll feel better for having drowned your sorrows!’
\nThe other Dwarfs are not keen on the idea. They blame the reprobate Gottri for costing them opportunities as a result of his boorish and drunken behaviour. Whatever trouble they make themselves during the evening, come the morning they sneak away from the tavern leaving Gottri hungover and impoverished (but even more determined to attend the festival).
\n