ArdFionn Lightfoot – a female Elven Outrider from
the
Galadaeg Shadowhelm – a male Elven Hunter from the
Gustav Brundle – a male human Tradesman (brewer) from the
Middenland
It's
hard to find a city or village in the Middlelands
that Gustav hasn't visited. He is obsessed. Obsessed with
traveling the lands in search of the best ingredients for his ale. The soon to be legendary "Brundle
Brew".
His
obsession began about 10 years ago. Gustav and his younger brother Thomas
worked up the courage to hop the fence at Old Man Covington's farm and sneak
off with a keg of his ale.
Surprisingly
he isn't a drunk. He loves ale. More than most things.
Yet it's not the inebriation he seeks, but the taste of a well crafted brew.
Over the past years he has spent his free time learning about brewing and using
his knowledge in herbs to assist in that endeavor. He loves making ale and he
loves sampling the ales of the villages and cities he frequents. His dream is
to brew the perfect pint.
In his
travels to seek out the knowledge he needs and the ingredients he'll use he has
spent many an hour in the dark pubs of the Middlelands.
There he savors sips of the regions ales. Making notes in his journal as the
hours fly by. In these hours he's learned an important thing about ale. The
best side dish to good ale is a good story. He loves listening to tipsy travelers
tell tales of their voyages. With each pint they get more and more exaggerated.
He'll join in the revelry usually, egging them on until the story has become so
outlandish that few are able to stop from laughing at its absurdity. A tall
tale and a pint of the Empire's finest. Food for the
Gods!
Konrad Feldstatler – a male human Squire from the
LogazNir of Rangenhof – a male Dwarven Pit Fighter
from the
Talabecland
Paths of the Damned
Ashes of Middenheim
Passing through the gates into what seems like the first
real town he has come across in a century, LogazNir
takes a few moments to really get a feel for the city. He looks to the number
of guards and troops he can spot, the relative integrity of the shops and
homes, and general demeanor of those civilians who happen to be out and about.
Galadaeg will ask the nearest city guardsman for directions to
the
ArdFionn looks about for the nearest inn/tavern and begins making
her way silently there. Trying to avoid any unnecessary
conversation with the townsfolk.
"Ahhhhh Middenheim! City of the White Wolf! Archaon's
forces didn't take her. But they did deliver some damage by the looks of
it."
Gustav says. To nobody in particular. He looks to have lost the tension
that’s been gripping him as the group made their way here.
You can still see hook-handed abominations hanging in their dozens from the Ulricberg. The four causeways of the city still stand, but are pitted and cracked from the siege. The gates and walls show signs of the heavy fighting and powerful magics that accompanied the battle. Many of the city’s towers appear to be seriously damaged.
You, along with the refugees are given temporary lodgings in the crowded Southgate-Ostwald district. A number of empty warehouses there have been turned into makeshift refugee camps. Volunteers from the city, supervised by priestesses of Shallya, tend to the sick and wounded and give other aid where they may. You are welcome here for as long as you must, but the city’s resources are already strained, and those who can afford to rent lodgings elsewhere are encouraged to do so.
This area,
while not as heavily damaged as some, shows signs of damage, especially closer
to the
Galadaeg is given directions to the
"I suppose we should return the artifact to the
temple eh?" Gustav suggests.
"Aye, lets be done wi't
the mission involvin' that lot. Brought not but
trouble, they did. I'm going to look for a room elsewere,
to depressin' round these part.
Not to mention I don't trust that lot one bit, arboring
a witch as they did."
ArdFionn
skulks ahead toward the temple, saying nothing else as she walks.
Galadaeg, distinctly uneasy at being in a place so unlike his
beloved forest, begins to make his way to the temple also.
You
pass between the
You come to
the edge of the Ulricsmund. Here the houses seem spacious and
comfortable, although some near the temple seem damaged.. You can see the
Turning
right, you can now see the silver-white flame of legend that burns in the
courtyard of the
You skirt
along the edge of the
Finally,
you reach the
You pass an
inn called The Scholar’s and turn right, viewing the Konigsgarten
on your left. It appears to be closed
off, but you can see that much of it was turned into croplands during the
siege. You finally arrive at the
Several priests busy themselves about the temple.
Rats
in the Walls
The
"Well,
who's gonna do the talking? Hopefully we can get a
handsome reward?" Gustav suggests.
"
"Works for me." ArdFionn says with a shrug as she steps back and to the
side a bit closer to door, obviously a bit uncomfortable in the
Galadaeg looks around for the highest ranking priest in sight and
begins walking towards him.
Gustav sticks next to Konrad
Konrad looks at the package being passed to him.
"But I'm not a
knight," he whispers.
Regardless, he takes the
package and cradles it under his arm. Trying to stand up straight, the young
man looks a little worse for wear. His armor is bloody and muddy, splattered
from frequent fights and long hikes. Konrad's face is
drawn, pale, and exhausted-looking. He leads Gorgon toward the
Upon discovering your business at the temple, a young priest directs you to Father Morten. He explains that Father Morten is a scholarly priest who also teaches at Middenheim’s Collegium Theologica. He will know about the icon for certain.
Father Morten is a shortish man in his early forties, with thinning grey-brown hair and a cheerful manner. His eyes widen slightly when you show him the icon. Once again you gaze on the object. About four inches square, it is painted on wood, its colors darkened by the passing of many centuries. Its ornate gold and iron frame obscures much of the picture, but the area in the center is clear, showing a figure of a might warrior in the dress of an ancient tribe, his hand resting on the haft of a great warhammer.
“Amazing!”
he says. “This is the oldest icon of Sigmar I’ve ever seen!
Just look at the gold-work around the edges – that’s Dwarfen. I’m sure of it. And the style of the costume – this is old
enough to have been drawn from life!
You’ve brought us a very great treasure indeed, and on behalf of the
Father Morten instructs one of the temples’ initiate priests to give each of you 25 gold crowns as a token of tanks for bringing the icon. In addition, you are each given a silver hammer pendant, as worn by the priests of the temple and Sigmar’s more devout followers.
Is there anything you’d like to purchase or do in the city?
Galadaeg is going to see if he can find an Elven
Bow in the city.
Trade has been off lately. Galdaeg does not find and Elfbow.
LogazNir would like to seek out an inn with warm beds, some ale,
and good fare.
Gustav travels with Loganzir.
Indeed anxious to sample the cities ale. He begins scribbling in his journal...
"Hey Galeadag,
why do you need a bow? You haven't any arrows!" Gustav bursts out laughing
as they head off in different directions.
ArdFionn goes with the others to a tavern, and has a tankard of
ale, while listening to the comings and goings of the place and watching the
people as they move about.
Konrad heads to the tavern, as well. His mood seems to have
improved visibly.
You
all meet at the nearest tavern, The Scholar’s, just down the street from the
Before you can order your drinks, a couple of Middenheim city watchmen enter.
Assisting
the Watch
“Welcome to Middenheim,” says the taller of the two, in an attempt at friendlieness that is only partially successful. “The Watch Commander would like to talk to you about the Beastmen you encountered. If you would come with us, please?”
ArdFionn who had only just sat down in a chair sends a half glare
half look of pure exasperation at the watchmen. "Aye, lets be done wit' t'is so we can actually get us a drink. Let us just get our
rooms for the night first."
ArdFionn
rises from the chair with a sigh and walks over to Hugo and
The tall one smiles, sort of. “The Commander would prefer your presence sooner than later.” He glares at the owners and they quickly busy themselves with other tasks.
"Will this day never end? I suppose we should just
get this over with, lead on officers." says Galadaeg
as he wearily hauls himself out of his chair.
"Bah! Yer commin' in here just to be askin' us to come along peacefully? Are ye sure ye
want to take us in without even roughin' us up a bit?
By the looks o' ye, you be needin'
the exercise more than meself. Hmph!
I'm already gettin' bored o' this town. Too quiet-like. Not like the last one- mutants an' battles a'fore noontime!" LogazNir
says, clearly annoyed that the watch has interupted
him before he has eaten. However, he rises to follow the humans without
reaching for his weapons.
"Clearly, LogazNir, these
two city guards have been sent to fetch us. But if we were simply requested to
have an audience with the Captain of the Guard, an ordinary courier would have
sufficed. So why do you think we are being taken this time? Perhaps
to suggest that we are beastmen or something more
sinister. What would you say?" says the elf with a twinkle in his
eye.
Gustav too goes to reserve a room. Though he guages the reaction of the watch to Ardfionn
before doing so.
LogazNir stares up at the guard. "At least yer words are willin' to put a lit'le fight in things! 'Haps
after we meet this captain I could show ye how to be commandin'
a dwarf's attention proper-like."
The taller one growls, “Business before pleasure, I’m afraid.”
You are escorted
back to the
An
Interview with the Commander
“Thank you for coming,” he says, surveying you all with an appraising eye. “My name is Ulrich Schutzmann. I’m the Commander of the City Watch, and in the Graf’s absence, I’m in charge of the city’s security. Now, I hear that you encountered some Beastmen on your way here. I’d like to know where they were, and get an idea of their numbers.”
"We were fortunate enough to not encounter any beastmen. The herd we avoided was headed for the
“Then any information you can impart at all would be greatly appreciated.”
"The herd was estimated to be over 200 strong at
last count, but if their ranks have swelled by now, we don't know. It had been
our intention to come here hoping to raise a force to combat this menace."
Konrad steps forward to speak.
"Commander, my name is Konrad Feldstatler. We
encountered no beastmen in our journey, as we were
retreating from them. We did run into many odd things in our journey, though.
We'd be happy to tell you about the dangers we've faced."
Commander Schutzmann says to Galadaeg, “Please understand, we have barely enough forces to protect Middenheim. The rest are already pursuing he forces of Chaos.”
To Konrad: “The beastmen you avoided must be the group I heard about. Odd things? Please, I am very interested.”
Gustav
scribbles in his journal as the conversation progresses.
"Odd?
I'll be givin' ye odd! A
damned dark hag in our for a travelin'
companion, some crazy old bat we risked ourselves to be protectin'
an' she repays us by summonin' wolves an' daemons. I shoulda cut her in two."
Murder
Most Foul
The Commander’s eyes go wide, but before he can reply, there is a knock at the door. A clerk comes in and hands Commander Schutzmann a note. He reads it with a frown and then turns to you.
“Earlier today you took an object
to the
The young
squire looks back at the commander.
"Yes, you have the right
of it. A priest we were traveling with fell prey to a pit-trap not too far
outside of the city. He entrusted us with the object you speak of. How do you
know this?"
“According to this note,” he continues, “Father Morten was found dead less than an hour ago, with signs of foul play. The object is missing, and it appears that you were the last people to see him alive. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you for your weapons and keep you here until our investigation is completed.”
"Are
we to be arrested then? on such scanty evidence?"
“Well, friend Elf, you may not be familiar with our customs, but I am not arresting you, yet. And scanty evidence? Surely you know you are guilty until proven otherwise. But before you get nervous, I wish only to get to the bottom of this. There is a clear link twixt you and the deceased, you are new to the city, and there is this mysterious object. I would hope you would willingly cooperate, but I will have your cooperation, regardless.”
Pleading
Innocence
"As
for what we know, you now know all of it."
"Clear
we ain't to be the last seein'
him alive if'n he's been killed! An'
over what? A scrawny piece o' wood. Ain't worth my time fer killin' over wood," the dwarf steams, his haggard face
burning. "If'n we're not bein'
arrested, what do ye expect us to do?"
Konrad takes off his
sword belt and lays it on the table.
"If this is what you
need, so be it. If we wanted to keep the relic, however, why would we have
delivered it in the first place? We've worked hard, all of us, to aid the
Empire in this time of need. If you need to get to the bottom of this mess to clear
our name, you should let us help. For one thing, you have few men as it is to
deal with this. Another thing, we have everything to gain from solving
this."
Konrad
looks at the commander.
"But whatever you think
is wisest, I will follow.
As LogazNir speaks, the Commanders hand drops to his sword hilt. He relaxes slightly on hearing the words of Konrad, however.
“Well spoke, Konrad Feldstatler. I do not believe you were involved in the crime, and I accept your offer of assistance.”
Commander Schutzmann sits at his desk and writes something on a parchment and affixes it with a seal. He holds it out to you. “Here is a warrant to investigate the crime.” Gustav reads it for you.
CITY WATCH OF MIDDENHEIM
TO ALL BURGHERS AND OTHERS OF THE CITY OF
In the case of the murder
of Father Morten, priest, at the
They are to be regarded as having the Authority of the City Watch, and accordingly to be shown Every Courtesy and rendered Every Assistance in the performance of their task. Given by my hand this 28th day of Pflugzeit, in the 2522nd Year of Empire.
Ulrich Schutzmann
Ulrich, Schutzmann, Watch Commander
-
ALL
HAIL THE WHITE WOLF –
Gustav
puts his sword on the table.
"We are to investigate a murder with no arms?"
“I’m afraid we are at cross-purposes here. Your eloquent friend has convinced me of your innocence, else I would not have offered you a warrant. I apologize if I wasn’t clear. Take back your weapon, sir.”
"Oh..."
Gustav replied.
"I see. Thank you."
Galadaeg, hand
on his sword hilt which never left his side, draws himself up to his full
height and gives the captain a slight bow.
ArdFionn who has been silent in the corner the entire time, takes
back her weapons without a word only a look of exasperation and annoyance in
her eyes. Looking at the document she turns and goes back to the corner where
she had been standing and rolls her eyes when her back is to the captain.
LogazNir, who had yet to yeild
any of his numerous weapons mere smiles smugly to himself.
Gustav to Konrad.
"So does this mean we can
go back to the tavern?"
He smiles...
Konrad smiles back
weakly as he rebuckles his swordbelt.
"Well, we could...but I
say we investigate the murder right away. I think the commander would
appreciate our...um...full attention in this matter since he was kind enough to
not imprison us. And I'm Father Morten deserves our
full attention, as well."
Konrad
salutes Commander Schutzmann.
"We'll be off, then.
We'll report back when we have some information."
The commander returns Galadaeg’s bow. To Konrad he replies, “That would be very much appreciated. Have a care in your actions. The world is a darker place these days.”
The Scene of the Crime
Assuming you return to the
Father Morten’s room is small but comfortably furnished. The walls are lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and he sits slumped over his desk under a window. Parchment pages are scattered over the desk and the floor around it, all of them apparently blank.
Inspecting the body reveals a small dart in the back of Father Morten’s neck.
The window also stands open.
Gustav
(careful not to disturb anything) goes over to the window. How high off the
ground is it? Was it forced open? Any marks? Any other
windows that view this one across the way?
Galadaeg is
going to examine the room for traces of another person. "If anyone can
read, it might be a good idea to check the books in the room to see if there is
anything unusual about that."
LogazNir will
give the room a quick search of the scattered papers, placing them in a pale.
Should any of them contain any writing, the dwarf will
place it in a second pile.
Gustav,
seeing he has a valuable skill, hurries over to help with the reading.
The window overlooks an alley. It’s some 30 feet up. It does not look forced open. Gustav sees no marks. There are no other windows visible from this one.
Galadaeg sees no signs of anyone else.
There is no writing on any of the parchment sheets.
The books seem typical for a scholarly man of faith. Nothing on the shelves seems extraordinary.
Galadaeg is
going to begin moving beds and desks and such to check the nooks/crannies of
the room.
Galadaeg finds nothing unusual hidden in the room.
Galadaeg is
going to inspect the arrow, and roll the body over to see if it fell on
something.
Galadaeg removes the small dart, but finds nothing under the body.
"Anyone
be recognizin' that lit'le arrow?" the dwarf asks.
Nobody does.
"Not
much for detectives are we? Gustav says.
"Does the priests room have a lock on the door? We can find out if its normally locked. That may tell us who has access."
"I'm
fer thinkin' the man was
shot through the window. Seems too small to be killin' a man, even an old one, so maybe they were usin' poisons."
LogazNir
picks up the dart between ruddy fingers and holds it up to his face and stares
determinedly at it.
"I'll be damned if this ain't the only clue we got!"
"Perhaps
an ale or 2 will help us think it through?" Gustav
suggested.
ArdFionn looks
out the window, looking for rooftops or any other structure that would have a
clear shot in through the window.
"If it was poison, we
should be brin' that there dart to someone in the
know about such t'ings. It might be givin' us an idea where to look next. The Capt'n of the guard might be able to give us some ideas as
too who to talk to. We should find out too if there was anyone the priest be quarrelin' with over the last
few weeks. An' anyone that might be wantin'
a priceless relic o' the church, and who else knew 'e 'ad it, since we only
give it to 'im a short while ago."
ArdFionn sees only the cobblestones in the alley below. But as she is at the window, she notices three small scratches on the windowsill.
Konrad listens and
thinks on the matter.
"Could someone on the
trail decided to betray us? But this dart; poison and such.
Seems a bit...exotic, right?"
"It
seems unlikely that anyone here would know of the relic's arrival. Remember
that Untergard was not always such a wasted town.
Anyone who was good at hiding and skilled with a weapon would likely have
survived the war. They could have easily stayed in the town looking for a time
to steal the relic from Father Dietrich, we simply
beat him/them to it. Alternatively, the event of a priest meeting such a
strange group of unannounced adventurers such as ourselves would doubtless
attract attention; his joy over the return of such a valuable relic would make
him eager to show off such a treasure to another priest. The opportunity to
make a little extra income to supplement a priest's salary could prove too
great a temptation even for the most devout."
Gustav
perks up at the idea just proposed.
"Indeed, that's it. It’s
the best explanation. What about the Captain? Schiller?"
"Unless
we be thinkin' the Captain
has little tiny claws to make scratches upon wood, I'd be doubtin'
it was 'im. These scratch marks look too small to be
made by a grappling hook, not to mention, what purpose would using a poisoned
dart serve if you be havin' to make the racket of
using such crude entry methods."
ArdFionn
uses her fingers to measure the size of the scratch marks, in comparison to
human fingers.
They seem to be comparable in size to a human, if a somewhat small one.
"Welp, I'm needin' to get me some sleep, a drink an' a meal, in some order. If'n theres no more to be seein' in here may-haps we should get a rest an' start
afresh in the morn'."
Despite the renewed excitement
(And the threat posed to himself and his companions) the dwarf looks tired and
drained, ready for a ten hour nap.
Konrad shakes his head
in frustration.
"I'd love a tankard right
now, but I feel like there must be more clues to find. Unfortunately, it's not
my expertise. No one saw anything and our killer used a poison dart. That's all
we've gathered, right? Maybe the assassin used the window. So,
maybe someone outside saw something. We should go talk to people in the
street. See if they can offer us more information."
Konrad
shrugs to his companions, knowing his idea is not great but not having a better
one.
Gustav
goes to the window and looks down.
is
there a street below?
How high up is it?
Any signs of
vagrants living in the street? Possible witnesses...
The window is some 30 feet up and looks down on a cobblestoned alley with several puddles of water. No persons can be seen.
"Any
people who may have witnessed the assassin climbing into the window may have
fled in terror of being seen and exterminated as a witness. Let us not forget
our latest adventure either, the marks could have been made my some mad
sorcerer who transformed into some flying creature perched on the sill long
enough to push the shutters open then fly into the room, transform back into
it's original shape, kill the Priest, then fly away. There is little enough we
can do if we are too weak from hunger and exhaustion to bring justice to this
temple; I vote we at least get some food. If a vagrant did see the killer, he
may have fled only as far as the nearest tavern to forget the nightmare, we can begin the search there."
"Smart words from a smart man." Gustav says.
The very nearest cafes are closed, as they only sell breakfast and lunch. Inquiries on the street lead you to The Red Moon, a cabaret, bar and supper club. The décor is luxurious. Red velvet drapes are fringed with gold thread, the floors are spread with soft rugs and the skins of exotic animals, and red candles cast an intimate light over everything. Two huge bouncers guard the door, one with a large, brightly polished brass hook where his right hand should be. The owner, Eva Dietrich, makes you comfortable and insures that everything you want is brought to you. While the supper is very satisfying, any inquiries you make here, or in the area, turn up no further clues, and you are each 20 brass pennies poorer.
Reporting Back
With no other leads or clues you return to Commander Schutzmann. Upon hearing your report, he looks surprised, and leads you into a dark storage room in the bowels of the Watch Headquarters, speaking briefly with a clerk who is apparently in charge of the area. The clerk glances in a ledger, and then disappears into the maze of shelving that fills most of the room. After a few minutes he comes back with three small packages wrapped in scraps of cloth. He lays them out on his desk, opening each one to reveal a blowgun dart identical to the one that killed Father Morten. The commander tells you the three darts are each from an unsolved murder that took place within the last few days. He and his staff have been unable to find any other connection between the three murders. He asks you who else was aware of the icon’s existence and if you saw any tracks at the crime scene.
"Father
Dietrich gave the icon to me, I was alone when he did
so. After that, only my friends knew that I possessed it. However, the Father
had been in the town for some time before we arrived, who else knew about the
relic I do not know. When we reached Middenheim, we
came straight to the
"What
about the demon that the witch set loose?"
"The
deamon summoned by the witch would have only attacked
members of the Graf's family. But I doubt that the daemon would have a need for
such darts."
The Commander scratches his chin. “No obvious suspects then.” He points at a map of the city on a wall.
“Here are the locations of the previous three blowgun killings,” he says, pointing out three pins stuck into the map. “One was a watchman, outside the Collegium Theologica. The second was a doorkeeper at the Dwarfen Engineer’s Guild, and the third was an individual – so far unidentified – found in the Old Quarter. There seemed to be nothing to tie them together apart from the manner of their deaths. Investigate the sites of the other three killings and report back to me if you discover anything. You may take rest in the barracks this evening…we have the space. I would hope you continue your investigation at earliest light on the morrow.”
"Aye,
why not, after all free room and board is good room and board. We'll keep lookin' into t'is for ye. Got nothin'
better to do and all."
ArdFionn
doesn't move from her shadowy corner as she says this but from her tone she
sounds like she enjoys a good murder mystery and man hunt.
"Our thanks sir." Gustav says.
"What are our plans for
the rest of the evening then?"
"Food,
drink an' bed, I'm fer thinkin'.
As fer the morn, why not try out that collegium theo-what's-it? Seems to me that 'tis the most
related." LogazNir says, his eyes
squinting from within their maze or scars and wrinkles.
The night passes uneventfully.
Aubentag, the
29th of Pflugzeit, Year I.C. 2522
Further Investigations
The Watchman
The next day finds you inquiring at
the Collegium Theologica,
located just around the corner from the
Konrad, upon hearing
this information, turns to his companions.
"I would assume this
guard happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Perhaps, like Father
Morton's murder, the assailant had to climb from the window above and he had to
kill this man to avoid detection. If he stole something, we should discover
what it was. Maybe it hasn't even gone missing yet. We need to check the stacks
in the library and find out which book is missing, if any. Tedious work, but
perhaps the clue we need to unravel this."
Gustav's
eyes open wide as Konrad explains his evaluation of
the scene.
At the end of Konrad's suggestion he simply nods.
Nothing has been stolen or is even out of place at The College.
"What
kind of books are stored where the guard was killed?
Perhaps the killer only needed to look up a piece of information."
The Collegium
Theologica was founded in 1762 to train students for
the priesthood of Ulric, and to promote the study and
dissemination of the cult’s religious writings.
Since then, its scope has broadened into just about every field of study
and it ranks as one of the foremost centers of learning in the
If someone needed to look something up, this would be the place to do it – but it would be impossible to trace that fact without a witness.
"Why
don't we check wi't the mans
family, maybe they be knowin' more or at least be lettin' us look over the body for any clues."
"We
certainly could gain more clues there instead of here."
Konrad tugs at his mail
around his shoulders, trying unsuccessfully to alleviate the weight resting on
his shoulders.
"I feel that may be a
dead-end. I imagine the guard was killed for being a guard instead for anything
personal. But I could be wrong. of course. After we
speak to this dead man's family, I suggest we move on to another victim."
You are given the address of the family and, after showing your warrant and stating your authority, are given access to the body, as he has not yet been buried. You discover a small puncture wound in the back of his neck, but no further signs of violence. No other clues are yielded by the body or discussions with the family.
The Doorkeeper
The next discovered death was the Doorkeeper at the Dwarfen Engineer’s Guild, but LogazNir can tell you that Dwarfen custom is to bury the dead quickly, and that it would be an outrageous breach of etiquette to even ask a Dwarf to see an interred body.
"Aye,
so t'at will be a dead end. Who was the next one on
the list?"
"Was
the dead dwarf guarding the main gates or perhaps guarding a particular area
housing some workshop where a special project of some kind was being worked on. It might give us a clue as to why this murder at least
happened."
The only information you have is that the slain Dwarf was the Doorkeeper at the Dwarfen Engineer’s Guild. Inquiries there are met with a stony stare at the door. Even LogazNir gets the reaction of, “Yer not an Engineer and yer no a member o’ the guild!” The door slams shut. A quick peek at the doorkeeper’s post just inside the building yields no details or clues.
A Missing Person
The third victim was unidentified , and you discover that unidentified bodies are turned over to the Shrine of Morr, in accordance with the laws of the city.
Inquiries at the Shrine uncovers a strange story. The priests at the shrine were preparing to perform a Nameless Funeral – an abbreviated burial rite, followed by burial in a common grave – when a group of men came and demanded to see the body. They would not give their own names, but identified the deceased as Gerhard Kroen and said that he was a devout follower of Sigmar. The leader of the group was a tall man with dark hair, pale blue eyes, and a scar down the left-hand side of his nose. He paid in gold for a full funeral, which the group attended, leaving when it was finished.
You are taken to the grave. It is clearly fresh, and over it stands a headstone inscribed with the name of the deceased and the symbol of a crossed sword and hammer in front of a twin-tailed comet, flanked by the letters “O” and “F”. ArdFionn recognizes the symbol as that of The Ordo Fidelis; a secret society of witch hunters operating within the Cult of Sigmar. Officialy the do not exist; in reality they are a barely-controlled organization of zealots and sadists, devoted ti hunting down and destroying all traces of Chaos within the borders of The Emnpire. You are told that under no circumstances can the body be exhumed, as their Cult of Morr forbids it.
"Perhaps
we should be looking at who would gain the most by acquiring the relic? This
started when the relic was taken. Who would want it bad enough to kill?"
"Right, so we 'ave a
Priest of Sigmar, a secret sect worshipper of Sigmar, a relic of Sigmar, the
guard, and the dwarf. So far three of
the five things be connected through one common point.
I think we be needin' to find out more about the guard and the dwarf. And a wee
bit more on The Ordo Fidelis.
Time to start diggin' boys.
Looks like it's your time to shine Gustav, since I be thinkin'
t'is means we be needin' to do a fair bit o' readin'."
Gustav
perks up a bit.
"Oh yes. Happy to oblige. Where do we go from here?"
"I
suggest we start by going to the Colleguim Theologica and look up that relic. If we know something
about it, perhaps we can figure out who would want it enough to murder for
it."
"An'
we might as well be havin' a look fer
them Fidelis folks too. Maybe them dusty tomes be holdin' a word or two bout that," LogazNir
pipes in.
On
the way back to the Colligium Theologica,
the dwarf mulls over the case aloud. "'Less they be killin'
their own, them Fidelises seem to be lookin' fer or be fightin' the same thing as us. Wonder if the priest an'
others were members o' this cult as well.. We might
well be havin' another look over at the priests
chamber an' ask about the order..."
"If
they are as fanatical as they seem, then 2 elves, 2 humans and a dwarf might
arouse suspicions. Perhaps Konrad and Gustav should
seek them out while ArdFionn, you, and I should go
check out any leads we find from the Grand Library" says Galadaeg to the dwarf.
"Why
would they kill their own?" Gustav says obviously confused....
"Why are we doing this
again? To clear our names? What did we
do?"
You find nothing in The College that helps you. There are many mentions of icons, but only insofar as they pertain to the history of the Cult and it’s worship. There is no mention of an Ordo Fidelis at all.
Back at the
Back in Father Morten’s room, ArdFionn takes another look at the scratches. In this light she feels the marks are consistent with rodent-like claws, but much bigger than a rat would make. Galdaeg comes to the same conclusion.
ArdFionn also notices that one of the parchment sheets that was initially found scattered on the floor has faint impressions on it. Observation alone does not yield what the impressions are, however.
As the scratches are examined again, and the results
found. Gustav stops cold.
"You dont
think....... Skaven?"
"Under a big city like this? Quite possibly. Perhaps we
should check with the local rat catchers and find out if there has been unusual levels of Skaven
activity recently. Chaos mutants could also produce marks like this if they had
the right mutation."
"Chaos? I dunno. I don't know much of the ways of Chaos, but I dunno if a chaos mutant would have the finesse to pull
something like this off...."
"Well,
lets get to the askin', and we need to find out what
be on that paper as well. So lets bring it wi't us and see if we can figure it out with some better
light and more examination."
Konrad listens to his
companions as they update each other on the new information.
"Regarding
the paper. Could we rub it with some soot or charcoal to reveal the image. Occasionally, we'd have scholars come by my town to
examine some of the older engravings on the buldings.
The wealthier ones would press some kind of paper and rub it to capture the
words and such. Could that work?"
Well done, Konrad! Obtaining charcoal is easy enough and you gently rub it over the paper, revealing words. The text reads:
“The frame appears to be later than the original painting, both by its style and by the patina of the metal. Probably added later – perhaps by Dwarfen artisans, or imitating the Dwarfen style. It covers a large area of the original painting – only fixed with slender pins – should be easily removed.
Condition of the painting under the frame is good. Colours are better preserved, with fine detail. Suggest cleaning the rest of the painting and exhibiting the whole image separately from the frame.
The painting style seems consistent with Dwarfen work of the age of Sigmar. Could this be drawn from life? If so, it is a find of enormous significance.
Th……” Here the writing trails off into a blot.
Inquiries made of rat catchers and street folk turn up no further information of value.
"I
think it is time we paid a visit to the holy relic black market, if such a
thing can be found. We could also investigate the legitimate peddlers of holy
relics to see if anybody has been trying to sell them a relic."
No further information is found through those avenues.
Konrad reads over the
letter again.
"Maybe we can contact
some dwarven artisans in the city. See if they
crafted a frame for a relic recently? It's a stretch, but we should investigate
every avenue. Also, we should look for any sewer openings and subterranean
entrances near the initial murder. If it was skaven
or mutants, they can't go far out in the open."
You spend several hours trying to find sources and locations in the city, all leading nowhere. You get the growing sense that you might need Commander Schutzmann for additional resources.
Assuming you do so, and mention the rodent-like scratch on the sill, Commander Schutzmann gives a start.
“You’ve heard legends of the vile Ratmen no doubt? I’m afraid the stories are all too real and these foul creatures have been a plague in Middenheim for centuries. Some say the Skaven, as they are known, are just another kind of Beastman but I’ve fought both and they have little in common but a bestial appearance. The Skaven are smaller, quicker, and more devious. Beastmen are really just brutes.
We had a lot of trouble with the Skaven during the siege. Much of the Undercity was sealed off to keep them out, but there haven’t been any reliable sightings since the Chaos army left. If there are Ratmen still down there, able to come up into the city and kill as they please, this is a serious matter.”
Based on some leads and lack of others, the commander directs you to the clerk. Your warrant gives you access to the official report on Kroen’s death. There is not much to learn except the location where the body was discovered and the fact that an unloaded crossbow was found beside the deceased.
Watch officials are grateful when you tell them Kroen’s name, as this information had not yet reached them from the Shrine of Morr.
The scene of Kroen’s death is a nondescript back alley in the Old Quarter. Galadaeg and Gustav both notice traces of blood several yards away from where the body was found. ArdFionn is able to follow the trail alongside an open sewer to the edge of the city walls. Here, the effluent flows through a stout metal grate with a six-inch mesh. The trail seems to go through the grate, but there is no obvious way to open it. Galadaeg notices that part of the grate has been broken or sawed through, creating an opening just large enough to admit a human-sized creature. The bars have been replaced with great care and filth smeared over the breaks to disguise them. If you wish to follow the trail, you must enter the city’s sewer system.
Is the
hole large enough to admit a dwarf, though?
It is.
"Looks
like we be goin' slummin' boys. Hope your not afraid to get a we bit dirty."
"'Tis the dirty that ought
to be worryin' 'bout me!"
"It
will be better to go now before the trail gets any colder."
Entering the Sewers
Middenheims’ sewers are about 5 feet wide with a 2-foot-wide walkway on one side, for a total width of 7 feet. The roof is arched, about 5 feet high over the walkway and 8 feet high over the center of the channel (not counting the 3-foot depth of the channel itself.
Confined Spaces
Because of the low headroom, Konrad will suffer a -20% penalty to attack rolls and some non-combat actions (especially those based on agility.) ArdFionn, Galadaeg and Gustav will suffer a 10% penalty. LogazNir will suffer no penalty.
It is also quite dark.
(For
the obvious reasons, I think it would be wise to have LogazNir
at or near the front, unless there are objections)
"Any o' you got a lantern?
Might be wantin' to be able
to see better down here in order to be followin' the
rat-man."
"Wonderful.
Not the way I wanted to be touring the great city of
Once they are down.
"I'll keep track of where
we go in my notebook here. So we don’t get lost. I'd keep that lantern as low
as you can. We don’t want to be seen a mile off down here. Oh, and one more
thing.... If we do find any Skaven
down here. What do we do? Run?"
Konrad looks down the
narrow sewer with disgust.
"Besides the wretched
stench, this situation is a tactical nightmare. Dark with no room to fight
effectively, we're entering into unfamiliar territory where our enemy has every
advantage."
Konrad
looks back, then shrugs with a sigh.
"No other choice, though,
is there?"
The squire draws his blade and
proceeds into the sewer.
"Come
on boys, it could be worse. Least we got us a walkway, if'n
we didn't someone'd be carrin'
Logaz 'ere so 'e wouldn't drown."
"The
sooner we go down, the sooner we can be back. I have no deep wish to explore
caverns of filth either, but we must do what we must."
The Smell
The stench down here is almost unbearable (everyone will suffer a -20% penalty to intelligence and Will Power tests). The only light sources you have between you are the two torches in Gustav’s pack.
"We
probably should have gotten a map of the sewers before we came down here."
"I
have a torch, anyone have anything to help mark out way should we get lost?"
Gustav says rummaging through his pack...
"Oh yeah, my
notebook!"
"Lets press our only advantage. Surprise.
I 'ighly doubt they be thinkin'
anyone's goin' to be crazy 'nough
to follow t'em down 'ere."
Galadaeg
loosens his sword in it's sheathe and make sure his arrows are straight in
their quiver. Taking a deep breath and one last look at the clear blue sky he
steps down into the hole.
"They've
never angered dwarfes a'fore,
then. Lets be teachin' 'em a thing or two 'bout proper city manners."
LogazNir
hefts his axe and prepares to launch ahead.
Gustav
starts drawing out a crude map as they prepare to move out.
"Who is carrying the
torch?"
"I
will carry one of the torches, I can shield the light with my shield so it
won't give us away so much."
Tracking the Skaven
The Undercity
1. Guard Tunnel
It does not take long before you come across what must be a Skaven. It is some sort of Rat-man, with a wiry build and a stooped posture. It wears a leather jack and skullcap, and is armed with a sword and dagger. It holds a horn in its left hand. LogazNir easily spots the creature some 30 feet away, after you come around a bend. Of course it spots you as well.
Galadaeg (shield and torch in hand), ArdFionn and Gustav (pen and notebook in hand) may act first. Keep in mind the narrow confines and the fact that a large dwarf is in the front of the group.
Gustav
stuffs his notebook into his trousers and pulls his weapon.
WHo
is immediately behind the dwarf? Is there room to get around? Only the one ledge right? Not another on the opposite side?
There is only the one walkway. The only way around is to slosh through the central channel, which you estimate at about 3 feet deep.
"Take
'im down before 'e blows that 'orn, or will 'ave the lot of them down on us."
Is there anyway for ArdFionn to get past Logaznir,
and to the skaven to attack with her sword or net?
Through the central channel, which you estimate at about 3 feet deep.
Galadaeg is
going to hand the torch and his shield to Gustav, while he readies his bow. If
he can (this turn) he will also load, aim, and fire a shot.
The order would be LogazNir, then Galadaeg, then Gustav. The others can be behind as they wish.
Before Gustav draws his weapon, Galadaeg holds out his torch and shield. Does Gustav take them?
Seeing
he has no ranged weapon & no ledge on the other side, Gustav takes the
shield and torch, after shoving the notebook in his drawers.
LogazNir is
more than a little surprised to encounter the creature so close to the sewer
entrance and takes a moment to gather his wits.
Galadaeg waits until Gustav can take the torch and shield and then takes his bow from off his shoulder and with lightning-like speed puts an arrow into the Skaven’s left leg, (39 to hit, 6 rolled for damage), heavily wounding the creature.
The Skaven puts its horn to its mouth and lets blow with a shrill note, moving quickly forward to close the distance between itself and LogazNir.
LogazNir and Konrad may go.
Konrad, cursing the
cramped conditions, tries to get past the companions in his way. Not seeing this a real option, he looks to the back of the group,
looking for Skaven reinforcements coming from that
direction.
LogazNir swings
with great strength his two-handed axe to intercept the hairy beast.
Logaznir actually cuts entirely through the body of the Skaven (08 to hit, 9 rolled for damage), spraying himself and the floor with blood.
"Well
that wasn't so bad now was it?"
Gustav tries to recover the
horn.
Before Gustav can move forward, two more Skaven come running forward from out of the darkness.
I had Konrad and ArdFionn delaying as there was no immediate threat on their initiative.
Gustav (holding a shield and torch), Galadaeg (holding his bow) and LogazNir (holding his axe) may go.
Gustav
lets the other two by and remains holding the torch and shield.
LogazNir, if
permitted, will hold until Galadaeg gets a shot off, then will rush forward to engage the creatures.
Both creatures have already closed with LogazNir and because of the cramped conditions and relative sizes, Galadaeg has no shot. I have Galadaeg delaying.
LogazNir’s axe smashes into one of the creature’s heads (20 rolled) heavily wounding it (8 rolled for damage).
I have Konrad delaying.
From up ahead in the darkness a dart whizzes just past LogazNir’s ear as it hits the tunnel wall harmlessly. The angle would indicate a widening in the tunnel ahead.
I have ArdFionn holding.
Both Skaven make all out attacks against LogazNir, one missing, but the other slashing the dwarf’s head for 7 points of damage after reducing by toughness. They seem to have no difficulty fighting side-by-side on the narrow walkway.
Another Skaven arrives behind them, chittering angrily and brandishing its sword.
Gustav and Galadaeg may go.
Is it
possible to get past Loganzir? Too
narrow?
You cannot pass while in combat unless you want to go through the channel. The broad dwarf swinging an axe just takes up too much room on the narrow walkway.
It
would be possible to move through or fight from the water/sludge/unspeakables beside the platform.
Galadaeg, since
he has no shot, is going to draw his sword (and attempt to get his shield
back), wade into the muck next to LogazNir and attack
some rats.
Galadaeg can re-shoulder his bow, and retrieve and fix his shield, but that’s it for this round.
LogazNir may go.
Gustav will delay then.
LogazNir makes
an All out Attack!
Logaznir’s axe pierces the skull of the Skane, instantly killing it (10 to hit, 3 rolled for damage) (LogazNir was also able to dodge the previous attack – sorry, I forgot to apply it) so has taken no damage as of yet).
Konrad, seeing no safe way to advance into the
melee, remains towards the back, looking for an ambush from the rear.
Another dart whistles from out of the darkness, striking LogazNir in the right leg. There is no pain from such a small projectile. However in a split second a warmth spreads through Logaznir’s body and he falls to the ground).
PM sent to LogazNir.
(LogazNir failed his willpower test vs. poison (100 rolled) and fell asleep. He then failed a toughness test (98 rolled) and will dies unless a Fate point is used.)
ArdFionn may act.
(That's
what Fate points are for. Use away!)
ArdFionn is delaying.
One the skaven surges forward over LogazNir’s fallen form and attacks Galadaeg. The beast slashes down with its blade, hitting Galadaeg’s left arm (Galadaeg’s parry roll was 76) doing 3 points of damage.
Gustav and Galadaeg can act.
ArdFionn moves
forward to fill the gap made by the LogazNir and
swings at the nearest skaven.
"Konrad,
drag 'im out of 'ere, see if 'e's
goin' to be alright."
That spot is currently occupied by a Skaven, in combat with Galadaeg. Next is Gustav. You’d have to go in the channel to get past them.
ArdFionn jumps
down in the channel.
"One of you boys is goin' to owe me a nice 'ot bath
for this."
ArdFionn may draw her sword, hop into the channel and wade forward to threaten the skaven, but will not be able to attack this turn.
Gustav
holds action.
(OOC: I am very unclear on
where everyone is. Can we get a visual?)
Of course! Two Skaven stand atop LogazNir’s fallen form, locked in combat with Galadaeg. A third waits behind. Next to them, in the channel, is ArdFionn. Behind Galadaeg stands Gustav, and Konrad is behind him. Gustav could manage to fight sided by side with Galdaeg, but it would be cramped. From somewhere up ahead in the darkness, darts have been fired at the party.
The skaven in back slashes down at ArdFionn but misses completely.
Trying
to make some room to get LogazNir to safety, Galadaeg will perform an all-out attack.
Galadaeg misses (73 rolled).
One of the Skaven returns the favor and makes an all out attack against Galadaeg, but misses.
A throwing dagger hurtles out of the darkness, striking ArdFionn’s body, but doing no damage.
The other Skaven in front makes an all-out attack against Galadaeg but misses.
ArdFionn may act.
Gustav,
still holding the shield, will back up a couple of paces.
Then he'll charge forward with
all his might. Shield held up with one hand, torch in the other.
"On your right!!!!"
he yells as he runs by Galeadag and tries to slam in
to the Skaven, shield first. As he does he tries to
bring the torch down on them.
I couldnt
tell from the posts if Galeadag did indeed get his
shield back. If he did not Gustav does the same thing but charges with his
sword in one hand and torch in the other. Attempting to drive past Galeadag and shove one of the skaven
back.
Galadaeg does have his shield. What you’re describing (if I understand
correctly) is a
maneuver action, but the attempt fails (69 rolled).
(OOC:
So where does that leave Gustav?)
Sword in one hand, torch in the other, next to Galadaeg (on the wall side) facing two Skaven in immediate melee, with no actions left this round.
ArdFionn swings
up at the Skaven closest to her.
ArdFionn can benefit from making an aimed attack, hitting the skaven in the right arm (13 rolled to hit, 8 rolled for damage), heavily wounding the creature.
(OOC: Is
there any way in which Konrad can get into the
melee?)
Konrad would have to join ArdFionn in the sewer channel.
The skaven in the rear makes an all-out attack vs ArdFionn but misses.
Galadaeg may act.
At the eariest opportunity, Konrad will
jump down into the channel and make an all-out-attack on the closest skaven.
Konrad jumps in and wades forth. He can only make a standard attack this round and cuts deeply into the body of the Skaven (17 rolled). Konrad rolls an 8 for damage, and the violence of his blow causes several of the Skaven’s internal organs to rupture. It falls to the ground with blood pouring from its mouth and belly, and slips into the sewer channel.
Galadaeg will
all out attack the wounded Skaven.
With the wounded Skaven dispatch, Galadage shifts his target to the next Skaven in line, and cuts deeply into its head (50 rolled) rolling an 8 for damage and heavily wounding the rat-man.
Another throwing dagger flies out of the darkness but splashes harmlessly into the water near ArdFionn.
Gustav and ArdFionn may act. There are 2 Skaven on the walkway; a heavily wounded one being threatened by Galadaeg and Gustav; and an unharmed one being threatened by ArdFionn and Konrad. There is also an unseen assailant somewhere in the darkness ahead.
"Logaz is going to be sorry he missed all this fun."
Gustav
swings his sword in a defensive fashion and attempts to bring down a Skaven.
(defensive
attack)
Gustav’s attack misses (56 rolled)
(posted for ArdFionn) ArdFionn aims a blow at the Skaven near her and Konrad on the walkway but the beast parries the attack with its dagger.
That same Skaven makes an all out attack against ArdFionn but misses.
Konrad and Galadaeg can act.
If
possible, Galadaeg will try to maneuver the Skaven away from LogazNir's body
and then all out attack it. If not, then just an all out attack.
Konrad will make an
all-out-attack against the ratman in front of him.
Konrad’s target is actually slightly above him on the walkway. The squire’s blow cuts deeply into the Skaven’s left arm (04 rolled, 8 rolled for damage), heavily wounding the creature and