Paths of the Damned, Pt. 1: Through the Drakwald

[Old Fezziwig]

This is the IC thread for my Warhammer FRP 2e PbP.

1. Out of Character
2. Rogues Gallery

Dramatis Personae
Ottokar Kurtzlander, Human Initiate of Sigmar (Lot)
Winifred von Troutheim, Human Noble (Wilphe)
Grimkrag Dronggunson, Dwarf Shieldbreaker (Iron Captain)
Grundi, Dwarf Outlaw (Karl Green)
Falandror Alaltiroas, Elf Rogue (Insight)

Paths of the Damned: Through the Drakwald

All of you grew up listening to stories of the Great War Against Chaos. The tale of Magnus the Pious and his vitory over the armies of Chaos is well known. While there have been wars and threats in the 200 years since, there has been nothing on that scale. Until now. This year, the Chaos Lord Archaon invaded the Empire with five mighty armies. They swept down from the Chaos Wastes, ranks filled with mutant warriors, nightmarish monsters, and power-mad sorcerers. Flagellants and other prophets of doom declared these the End Times. And as these armies pillaged and burned their way through the northern provinces of the Empire, it was easy to believe.

You've heard endless stories ove the past few months. They say that Sigmar once again walked the earth. They say an army of wolves attacked the Kislevian city of Erengrad. They say the dead rose from their graves to defend the Empire. They say a mighty victory was won at Middenheim. They say a plague has choked the streets of Talabheim with bloated corpses.

You can only believe what is in front of your eyes. You are in the town of Untergard in the Drakwald Forest. A nine-day battle took place here, as Beastmen tried to force their way across the town's great bridge. They were rebuffed, but the price was high. The town is in ruins, and its remaining citizens struggle to survive. The Imperial army has long since moved on from Untergard, leaving behind only its dead. You've heard tell of more battles up north, but the war here seems over. Or so you hope.

You have been in Untergard for several days, as rainstorms of the utmost savagery lashed the Drakwald. You find two things when you awaken: the rainstorm has broken, and there is a commotion in the nearby Ackerplatz, the decrepit town square.

Most of the seventy-five survivors of Untergard have already gathered there and are muttering reslessly to one another. Many still nurse battle wounds, while others are clearly too old or young to have taken part in the fighting. All are ragged and pale, and some are clearly pinched by hunger.

 

[Lot]

Ottokar climbs out of his bedroll, yawning and pushing his feet into his boots. Slipping his dirty white robe over his wool shirt, he grabs his warhammer, tankard, and cutlery. Ottokar knows a few friendly people who have helped with his meals, but food's short all over. Pulling back the tent flap, Ottokar walks out into the morning.

Seeing and hearing the commotion amongst the people, the young initiate heads over to Ackerplatz to see what is going on.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

[sblock]Something I should have mentioned, which I didn't, if you'd like to do something that warrants a test, go ahead and roll it. I'll let you know if the roll is necessary or applicable when I post next. Please use Invisible Castle, and link to your results.

Lot: Make a Very Easy Gossip Test (+30%).[/sblock]

 

[Lot]

[sblock=Ottokar Roll]Roll: 3[/sblock]

 

[Wilphe]

Winifred wakes and takes stock. It's fair to say she considers it the nicest ruin that isn't already being claimed by a native resident - rank hath it's priviliges. She looks out from under her horse, which getting used to this, has not stepped on her during the night. Her valet has disappeared for the moment, but after checking she's reasonably certain that he didn't take of her belongings with him. This might mean that he'll be back, or it may mean that he was just too scared to steal from her - if that was indeed the case, then's he's much wiser than she gave him credit.

She hobbles the horse well tying a good knot in the reins, so that even if anyone cuts them then they'll have a hard job riding it away. She looks about to make sure this is not some sort of feigned distraction to get everyone into the centre and then heads towards the crowd. However, rather than enter the mob she finds a vantage point at the edge and looks over to see what the fuss is.

[sblock]If she's making the same gossip test [/sblock]

 

[Iron Captain]

Grimkrag awakens at the sound of some dog barking and he squints his eyes as the sunlight falls through a small hole in the ceiling of the barn where he has been sleeping these last few days. He looks around and sees that some of the others who sleep here, mainly refuges or people who fought in the battle, have already gone to scrounge up some breakfast while a few are still fast asleep. He pushes back his blanket and sits up scratching the back of his head. He looks for his waterskin and drinks the last few drops and then finally pulls on his clothes and boots to get some water, his wooden plate and cutlery under his arm hoping he might also find some food.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Ottokar, Winifred: You both find out with relative ease that Captain Schiller (who had organized the defense of Untergard) will announce that Count Boris Todbringer of Middenheim has sent a caravan of food and supplies to help the town get back on its feet.

Grimkrag: You're able to scare up some hard bread and a spot of watered down wine, but not much else this morning. You do notice that the people in the Ackerplatz seem restless and excited.[sblock]I delayed responding a bit because I thought we might get a few more responses, but then I remembered it's a holiday weekend here in the States. I'll add people in as they appear in the thread. [/sblock]

 

[Lot]

Ottokar cuts through the crowd to see if he can find the good captain and have a word with him. He looks for any familiar faces in the crowd to discuss this information with.

 

[Iron Captain]

Grimkrag stands at the edge of the crowd munching on his bread and sipping from his tankard. He nudges one of the people standing around.

"Say, what's going on?"

After the man tells him what is going on Grimkrag snorts:"Ha! Finally some good grub."

[sblock=OOC] Gossip Roll = 18 [/sblock]

 

[Insight]

Falandror keeps moving, always seeking people with whom to chat or joke, forestalling the doom he assumes is coming. A lanky creature, the elf is cheery enough, given the squalid, murky circumstances of the blown-out Untergard.

He settles in near a group of somewhat wounded, but definitely soured, veterans of the local watch.

"Honestly," he says to no one in particular, "The only reason I even stick around this place is to keep the lot of you entertained." This was only partially true; Falandror had been trying for some time to cobble together a group to leave Untergard, to no avail.

"Anyone up for a game of cards?" he asks, finding a table and some chairs from the burned out husk of a local tavern.

No one seems to be interested, so Falandror sits, waiting for inevitable doom. He sighs.