Warlock! The Enemy Within (Traitor's Edition)

[mikeawmids1]

The Enemy Within (Warlock!)
Session 3, 18/01/2024 (part 5)

On his way back to the boarding house, Kalvin is approached by a pair of shady individuals. Once they have his attention, the two men make a surreptitious hand gesture, placing their index finger over their heart and drawing it down across their chest. Not quite sure how to respond, Kalvin mirrors the strange gesture. Seemingly satisfied, one of the two men says;

"You missed your rendezvous, Magister Impedimentae. What is the status of your mission? Where is the money?"

Kalvin tells them the inheritance was a set-up, and there was a Blight Hunter waiting to ambush him at the solicitor's office. The two men seem unconvinced. Kalvin changes tack and arranges to meet up later and hand over the money, which will hopefully give him enough time to work out what the heck is going on.

TBC

Next session scheduled for 25/01/2024

 

[mikeawmids1]

The Enemy Within (Warlock!)
Session 4, 25/01/2024

The PCs return to the Merchant Guildhall. While they plot the best way to reach Magirius, Adeline spots Crusher Braugen lead a group of burly looking dudes out of the building. The goon squad splits up into smaller groups and head off in different directions.

Adeline and Kalvin shadow one group to Magirius' house.

Stammig confronts Crusher Braugen. The former prizefighter is looking for Kalvin, and suspects Stammig knows where the fugitive jongleur is hiding. Fritz sees his friend being manhandled into an alley and runs to alert the Watch. Unfortunately, he is waving around a loaded blunderbuss and the guards arrest him for possession of a martial weapon. Stammig manages to escape from Braugen and his men, grabbing a sheaf of parchment from the prizefighter's belt before disappearing into the backstreets. The parchment depicts crude charcoal sketches of both Kalvin and Gustaf.

The PCs bail Fritz out of gaol, and try to warn Captain Goertrin that something dodgy is going down at the Merchant's Guildhall. The Captain insists that the party leave the investigation to the professionals and sends them on their way.

The PCs disregard Goertrin's recommendation and return to the Guildhall. Kalvin purchases make-up and a false nose to disguise his identity, then he and Stammig go inside. They request a meeting with Magirius, which is declined. Instead, they ask to see a random merchant with an office on the same floor as their quarry. They schmooze their way through the meeting, then hide in a broom cupboard and wait for everyone to go home.

When it becomes apparent Kalvin isn't coming back, Adeline and Fritz attend the rendezvous with the suspected cultists without him. The two men spook when they learn Magister Lieberung has bailed, but Adeline and Fritz are able to grab one man and drag him back to the inn for interrogation.

Meanwhile, Kalvin and Stammig emerge from their hidey-hole and break into Magirius' office. The noise of splintering wood attracts the night watchman. While Stammig fights the guard, Kalvin hoovers up some much needed clues; a handwritten note stating the members of the Ordo Septinarius will gather tonight at the home of Councilman Johannes Teugen, and a diary detailing Magirius' initiation into the cult. Stammig is incapacitated and taken into Watch custody! Kalvin flees into the night.

The remaining PCs question the captured cultist. He is not talking. "Hail Zentis!" he shrieks, before biting through - and swallowing his own tongue! Fritz is in the process of throwing the body out the window when the Watch arrive to round up the rest of Stammig's known accomplices. There's an akward moment as the two groups just stare at one another in stunned silence - and then all hell breaks loose.

TBC

Next session scheduled for 01/02/2024

 

[mikeawmids1]

The Enemy Within (Warlock!)
Session 5, 01/02/2024

It is very early in the morning, and the remaining PCs are hiding out aboard the Berebeli, the barge owned by Adeline's cousin Josef. Stammig languishes in a jail cell, while Kalvin is afflicted by a sudden onset of Hisplayerwasn'therethisweek-itis. To make up the numbers, the party is joined by Basso Quartjin, another of Adeline's interchangeable cousins.

The PCs decide to confront Friedrich Magirius in his townhouse. After the break-in at the Merchant's Guild, Captain Goertrin has stationed guards around the estate. Adeline and Basso lead the guards a merry chase, while Fritz and Gustaf scale the wall. With Kalvin absent, they avoid Lady Isolde and make a beeline for her uncle.

They burst into Magirius' study and present the evidence taken from his office. Magirius confesses he was initiated into the Ordo Septinarius by Councilman Johannes Teugen, but he had no idea that he was joining a cult! He thought it was a secret club for cool merchants! Now that Teugen is planning a human sacrifice, he wants out!

At that moment, a gaunt, faceless, bat-like horror crashes in through the window! Fritz activates his Nightstone, plunging the house into inky darkness! Fritz and Gustaf extract Magirius, just as the Watchmen return to investigate the sound of breaking glass. The PCs fight alongside the guards to slay the winged daemon.

Captain Goertrin arrives on the scene. After hearing Magirius' confession, he is inclined to believe the PCs have been telling him the truth all along. He agrees to raid the warehouse where Teugen and the remaining members of the Ordo Septinarius are planning to conduct their ritual. He agrees to let the PCs go in first, and signal his men when the cultists have assembled.

The ritual will be conducted after nightfall, in a large warehouse owned by Franz Steinhager (another cultist). Gustaf jumps onto the roof from an adjacent building, while Fritz, Adeline & Basso behind some crates behind the warehouse.

The cultists begin to arrive as the sun sets over Biskerstaf. Crusher Braugen and a dozen burly dock workers set up a perimeter around the warehouse. Gustaf sees them bringing in an unconcious woman to be sacrificed.

Councilman Teugen, recognisable by his golden chain of office, begins the ritual. Gustaf signals Captain Goertrin to raid the warehouse. The Watch mobilize and clash with Braugen's thugs. The sounds of combat alarms the cultists, who abandon the ritual and flee through the back door - where the rest of the PCs are waiting for them! The majority of the cultists are apprehended, but Teugen runs back into the warehouse.

Goertrin and the PCs corner Teugen and demand his surrender. The desperate Councilman invokes his daemonic patron and transforms into an awful spider-like monstrosity! Basso is impaled on one of the abomination's eight spear-like leg, and Captain Goertrin loses an arm. Adeline picks up the Captain's halberd and hacks the Teugen-thing apart!

After treating the Captain's wounds, Goertrin recommends the PCs leave town. Teugen may have been a deranged cultist, but he was also a prominent official, and his involvement will have to be hushed up to avoid widespread panic. Kalvin bids farewell to a tearful Isolde, and Magirius thanks the party for saving him from the cult. The party return to the Berebeli and cast off onto the River Vessen, which will carry them to the capital city of Fesselburg and whatever misadventures await them there.

TBC

Next session scheduled for 08/02/2024

 

[mikeawmids1]

The Enemy Within (Warlock!)
Session 6, 08/02/2024

Having departed Biskerstaf, the Berebeli cruises up the River Vessen and docks at the town of Weissbruck, where Cousin Josef hopes to unload some cargo.

Gustaf spots a woman on the docks, haggling for passage to the capital. He recognises her from a bounty poster as Cecilie Bentzen (the lover of Jizt, a jilted noble). The sailors get a bit handsy and Kalvin steps in to defend the wanted woman, shoving one of the boisterous bargemen into the river. Gustaf levels his crossbow at the others and they soon back down. Fritz pulls Cecilie aside and realises she is quite heavily pregnant.

Cecilie thanks the PCs for saving her.

"You're welcome." Kalvin says.

"You're nicked." Gustaf says simultaneously.

Cecilie proclaims her innocence, pleading Lord Urin of Wallbach murdered her father and is forcing her to marry his horrible son Jizt, so he can fold the village of Wurzen and the great Wurzenwood into his own lands. Her lowborn lover Peter (and the father of her unborn child) was killed breaking her out of Lord Urin's castle. Gustaf is unswayed by her sob story, but the rest of the group persuade him not to hand Cecilie in just yet, as she promises to reward them if they bring Lord Urin to justice.

The next morning, the PCs board a coach to Wallbach - or at least, they planned to. Gustaf recognises a pair of rival bounty hunters Else & Ennge Hollen watching the road. Gustaf tries sending the sisters on a wild goose chase, but they're not fooled by his BS. Instead, Adeline purchases a rickety cart and a tired old nag to pull it, and they bundle Cecilie into the back. Rather than follow the road to Wallbach, the party cut through the centre of the wild Wurzenwood.

It is hard work hauling the cart and its nobleborn occupant through the forest. Gustaf spots an enormous boar drinking from a stream and shoots it with his crossbow. The boar flees, and Gustaf gives chase. When he catches up, the boar begs Gustaf not to kill him, claiming to be Lord Urin's tax collector, transformed into a pig by the magic of a malicious old hag! Sure, he might have been trying to swindle her at the time, but you still can't go around turning people into swine! The boar - who says his name is Henrich - offers to give Gustaf the gold he skimmed from Lord Urin's coffers if he gets the witch to lift the curse. Gustaf agrees and introduces Henrich to the rest of the party.

From Henrich, the PCs learn about a group of brigands camped in a nearby cave. Lord Urin has sent patrols out searching the wood for them. The PCs decide to introduce themselves to the brigands, as they seem to share a common foe. Kalvin and Stammig meet the outlaw leader Kristen Branch, who it turns out is Peter's sister. I guess it is a small world after all! Also, it transpires that Peter is alive, and being held in Lord Urin's dungeon. Kristen recognises Cecilie immediately and agrees for her to stay in the caves while the party scout out Wallbach and find a way to infiltrate Lord Urin's castle.

TBC

Next session scheduled for 15/02/2024

 

[mikeawmids1]

The pre-game bant for episode 21 of Gatewalkers (Glass Cannon Podcast) talks about the pitfalls of mystery roleplaying, which I found particularly pertinent to running/playing The Enemy Within.

 

[mikeawmids1]

The Enemy Within (Warlock!)
Session 7, 15/02/2024

Kalvin remains behind with Cecilie and the brigands, while the rest of the PCs reconnoiter the fortified town of Wallbach. A queue of carts laden with fresh produce is forming outside the gate; today is market day. Visitors are charged one silver piece "for the upkeep of the walls", but the crooked guards pocket the coin. The guards are alarmed by Fritz's scaly rash, but a few more silver pieces convince them his condition isn't catching.

Kristen recommended the PCs approach the landlord of The Gifted Sheep, a man sympathetic to the brigand's cause. Rumours abound that the young Lord Jizzt visits the Polished Helm brothel most evenings, and must know of some secret route in/out of the castle.

The PCs also visit the apothecary (and alleged sorceress) Greta Lutz, to persuade her to lift the curse afflicting Henrich the tax collector. Greta agrees to do so if the party bring her soil from a child's grave, gathered on the stroke of midnight. That sounds unwholesome, but the PCs pencil some light graverobbing into their busy schedule. As the party leave the witch's shop, they bump into Lady Fannie Staynez (wife of Lord Urin, mother of Jizzt), who looks remarkably young and fresh-faced for a woman on the wrong side of sixty. The PCs are ushered out before they can eavesdrop on her conversation with the hag.

Gustaf spots Else & Ennge Hollen riding towards Lord Urin's keep. That cannot bode well.

Stammig visits the blacksmith, but the shop is closed. Lord Urin did not want the owner making swords for the brigands and forced him to move his forge to the castle compound.

Adeline approaches the keep under the pretext of looking for work. She is hired on to work in the kitchens. She meets Irmele Munser, a maid looking for her missing sister. She also encounters Lord Urin (short, barrel-chested man with a booming voice) and Captain of the Guard Curt Rottenburg (huge figure in platemail armour).

Back at the Gifted Sheep, Gustaf is cornered by the Hollen sisters, who demand to know what he is up to. Witnesses in Weissbruck saw him talking to Cecilie, but he hasn't handed the girl over to Lord Urin for the reward. Gustaf plays dumb, but the sisters aren't buying it.

That night, the PCs stake out the Polished Helm, hoping to discover the secret entrance Jizzt uses to sneak out of the castle. Several hours pass and there's no sign of their mark, leading Stammig to hypothesize the secret entrance is inside the brothel. The Hollen sisters shadow Gustaf & Co and note their interest in the whorehouse. 'Maybe that is where they have stashed Cecilie' they surmise, 'Just like the Golden Cat level in the first Dishonored game'.

The guards ring the bell for curfew, but this party have a rebellious streak and shan't have their bedtime dictated by the likes of Lord Urin. Instead, they sneak out to dig up some dead kids. Fritz picks the lock on the graveyard gate while Gustaf stands watch. As the party poke around the moonlit cemetery, they are accosted by a pair of mischievous ghost children. The spirits want to play hide & seek. Adeline and Stammig play along, but Fritz starts filling a bucket with grave dirt. Enraged, the ghost children animate their own diminutive skeletons and chase the PCs out of the graveyard.

On their way back to the tavern, the party botch their stealth rolls and blunder into an ambush by Captain Rottenburg and his men. The armoured giant arrests the PCs for breaking curfew. They are disarmed, shackled and thrown into the dungeon beneath Castle Staynez.

TBC