Keep in mind we've played about 20 sessions of our main game The Dark Squad between the sessions here (and some other stuff), we don't get to play WFRP very often, but you are right- I tend to get as much as I can out of the various books. I like a lot going on, just for info I was a university lecturer for 20 or so years, and my specialist subject- narrative structures (for game design, professional writing, film/documentary etc.). So I tend to lean hard on story/plot. Also, I DMed this one (and some of the next- I think) when it first came out back in the day.
Also my players don't help.
We played last night and the buggers spent the best part of forty minutes attempting to climb Sigmar's Slippery Lance, one of the games at the Scouting 4 Sigmar fair, part of the Schaffenfest.
You'll see.
I'm just about to download the various images the players snapped from last night's session and uploaded to Discord, there are 37 images in total- 21 of them show Sigmar's Slippery Lance, and the various players failing to climb it.
The continuing adventures of the usual bunch of miscreants this time playing Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 4th edition, and The Enemy Within Campaign, of course.
SESSION #11 Scouting 4 Sigmar at the Schaffenfest.
The PCs Fergus McClean, Dwarf Scout (Guide) played by Bear.
Looks Like: Rough and ready-for-anything Dawi- a bit unkempt; constantly muttering and grumbling at Seamus his imaginary dog. Sounds Like: Northern 'I wur down t'mine', although taciturn, and always grumpy.
Fergus is a short embittered (divorced) Dawi from the mining village of Schwartzstein in the foothills of the Grey Mountains. That is until he discovered his best friend Seamus with his wife Cherrie. Fergus left his village and his old life behind and set off in search of adventure, eventually taking up Scouting as a living. He has business in Altdorf and is at present journeying with three Manlings he has come to trust who are also on their way to the capital.
Frederich Hass, Human Witch Hunter (Interrogator) played by Jim.
Looks Like: Thick-set, tall with a resting angry face, never too far away from a snarl, otherwise well turned out. Sounds Like: Whispering menace, accusatory- probing, but charming when he wants to be. Accent is brooding (intelligent) cod-Russian (like a clever but menacing Daktari). Note he sees the hand of the Ruinous Powers behind every untoward event.
Frederich and his brother Olek watched their parents burned alive, prior to this a normal childhood was in progress. The Cult of Sigmar (with the help of the state) who burned Ma & Pa Hass then took the newly orphaned pair in and raised them to be model citizens. The orphans are Sigmarite through-and-through, Frederich the crusader, he likes the power that it brings; Olek the instrument (or else Prophet) of Sigmar. They're not zealots, not warped and broken inside, no... not at all.
Lothar Jurgen Muller, Human Witch Hunter (Interrogator) played by Kev.
Looks Like: Neat, tidy, clean-cut, perhaps even a little dashing- the boy next door, but doable- and always with a smile on his face, and often in his eyes. Lothar carries his own embroidered place mat with matching knife and fork. Manners and civility are so important. Sounds Like: Civil, polite, formal, caring- and entirely without menace. He's a Paladin doing Witch Hunter, which may yet prove amusing.
Lothar is a baker's son from Ubersreik that just happened to become a Witch Hunter, he didn't just drift into it, he has a plan (perhaps). Lothar however came to Witch Hunting with the thought that he could perhaps be of help- to the Empire, to his family, to the poor wretches that have fallen into corruption, and possibly to help himself (a little) along the way. He is resolutely nice in a world full of fetid stink and terror.
Olek Hass, Human Artisan- Blacksmith (Apprentice) played by George.
Looks Like: Seven (plus) feet tall, and not too skinny with it- lithe and muscled, he's a giant- with wild eyes. Sounds Like: A camp Nazi constantly unfolding, expounding, and explaining the mystery of ongoing events, and seeing the presence of Sigmar everywhere.
Olek and his brother Frederich watched their parents burned alive, prior to this a normal childhood was in progress. The Cult of Sigmar (with the help of the state) who burned Ma & Pa Hass then took the newly orphaned pair in and raised them to be model citizens. The orphans are Sigmarite through-and-through, Frederich the crusader, he likes the power that it brings; Olek the instrument (or else Prophet) of Sigmar. They're not zealots, not warped and broken inside, no... not at all.
Apologies ahead of time for another lengthy instalment.
The sun continues to shine on our heroes in this one, in truth we got a lot less done than I expected, but that was down to the players- they had turned into a bunch of giggling loons by the end.
WFRP is a great game.
Also we lost the first forty or so minutes of the session to discussions various, about XP-a lot of discussion, about Talents, about Fergus' Blunderbus- he so wants to figure out how to make it go Kaboom! And a bunch of other stuff that we got stuck on in the last session.
The players also fixed their short term ambitions, we got to this because... Olek has just achieved his short term ambition, to be dedicated into the Cult of Sigmar as a Priest. Olek, played by George, has- once again, been reading the rules. The rest of us (me included) forgot all about ambitions and the like.
So, late start.
The to do list has been fixed (note, oldest issue first- not in priority order).
The bones of Johann Baumann, found on the road to Ubersreik, now carried by Oleg, need to be interred within the precincts of Morr.
The Purple Hand cultists, why did they want to speak to Kastor/Lothar, what's going on here? Are they protecting the Magical Pickleman (Magister Impedimentae)
SCHAFFENFEST! Tax free SHEEP!
Get a job or make some money.
Find somewhere to stay.
Here we go some more.
MITTERFRUHL (Spring Equinox), 2512.
Bogenhafen.
The good weather (for the time of year) and the adventurer's good luck continues at... the Schaffenfest!
SCENE 1. Schaffenfed
The adventurers continue their perambulations around the Schaffenfest, although... stomachs are rumbling, and so-
Ye Olde Food Court and Itsy- a small in-tent Maker's Market, for small things. Comestibles and a little light shopping, what's not to like.
Three of the four PCs head to the Steak Shack, Fergus searches out a pie-and-peas vendor; he's northern (in accent), remember.
Then a nose around the sellers market- craft what-not, a lot of 'vintage' clothing- Freddy buys a new hat, and the opportunity for the players to spend a few pennies to get repairs done, or else to personalise some of their attire.
And... a chance to do a little gossiping, but- no-one rolls well, and it's apparently too early for the spending of fortune points.
We soon move on.
Out of the market, and...
SCENE 2. Scouting 4 Sigmar.
Ahead, a field- it's perimeter measured by lively and animated townsfolk- parents and family of the 100 or so children of varying ages who are competing in the various events on the go within the compass of the crowd.
A brightly painted, and enormous, sign- a massive sheet of some sort, staked taught, makes (almost) clear what's going on here-
Scouting 4 Sigmar, in all of it's/His glory.
The adventurers take in the spectacle, but then a voice- over and above the noise of the cheering parents and relatives, a voice like gravel that somehow travels to the ear.
"Frederich Hass! I am not believing mine eyes!"
"Lothar Jurgen Muller!”
“My two best students!"
"Ha! What a day!"
"But what's this you two should be in the Grey Mountains by now, with the Crown Prince Hergard von Tasseninck at your side!"
"Why are you here? Report Interrogator Hass. Report Interrogator Muller."
That's right.
That's Fabergus Heinzdork, Witch Hunter extraordinaire, and tutor to Fred and Lothar.
And so they do report- about mistaken identities, about ghosts on the road, and much more about tattooed cultists. Heinzdork is not impressed, and most particularly by the fact that Lothar is dressed like some sort of labourer.
The truth comes out-
“I've decided to forego the life of a Witch Hunter for a more relaxing and rewarding enterprise, I'm a boatman now!” Lothar doesn't even try to hide his glee.
Heinzdork, and a mirroring Freddy, are aghast, distraught, and then finally, and inevitably, very angry.
"Muller, you disappoint me, and yet... I always suspected that you were, how shall I put this and remain polite."
"Hmmm."
"You lacked discipline, backbone- a spine in fact. You..."
"Are too soft, and with that moustache- such a marvelous moustache, I fear Herr Muller your moustache is too good for you."
Make as much as you can of the moustache- Moooooooooooooo-Stash!
"Be off now, take your moustache and depart, I am done with you- I need to speak with Witch Hunter Hass, state business."
And with that Lothar does indeed depart.
Heinzdork receives a more comprehensive report from Freddy, this after first showing off his latest creation- Scouting 4 Sigmar, which he put together with a little help from Ludo Edel, the new High Priest of Sigmar here in Bogenhafen.
Oh, and if you are thinking that the Scouting 4 Sigmar games/fair probably looks like an Old Worlde version of the Hitler Youth, well... you'd be absolutely spot on.
Heinzdork concludes the conversation-
"I am disappointed that you are not at the side of the Crown Prince, he is a great man, I believe his mission into the Grey Mountains would have been the making of you Frederich."
"I am certain that the Crown Prince will make his fortune on this mission, he will return dripping with gold and glory, destroying the greenskins and the beastman hordes. Taking back the treasure the corrupt ones stole from our glorious Empire!"
"As for me I have other business, I must away from Bogenhafen on the morrow, there's corruption afoot, the stench of the pyre draws me back to the road."
"But I will look out for you Frederich Hass, I will sing your praises if there are any to be sung, you may write to me as and when. Tell me of your exploits, and the like, and so I may share your biography with the members of our illustrious order."
"I will be a friend to you Frederich Hass, perhaps- if you display the talents necessary, a mentor, we shall see."
"And there is this for you.”
Heinzdork palms Freddy a golden crown.
“A share of the spoils from today's venture, even Witch Hunters need to turn a profit, we must eat, and have beds to sleep in- No!"
"Now, for old time's sake- show me what you've got, earn that coin- win as many events as you can, and... [whispering] make sure that popinjay Lothar Muller does not win any!"
And so... and inevitably, it's competition time.
Keep in mind in all of the above/below events the adventurers competition comprises a rag-tag bunch of ill-fed, undernourished, waifs and strays aged between 10 and 15.
Freddy, in the first event, and still in all of his armour- runs through the crowd of kids, knocking them out of his way as he goes.
Later he will try to make amends for this by telling some of the snivelling brats a terrifying story about the corrupt humans and/or salivating monsters that will visit them in the night if they fail to worship Sigmar properly.
But let's get to that.
The first event?
Run 4 Your Life.
Just an extended (+20) athletics test (SL+Mv), with some barging (attempted) by Freddy.
Oh, but Brother Arbuthnott has dressed as a corrupt zombie clown in order to scare the little ones faster down the track to Sigmar's finishing line.
Ready! Steady! Go!
Note, Fergus sits this one out, although regrets his choice almost immediately. Fergus, as it turns out, has much the best athletics score.
Crazy-legs Olek rolls '02' and is off like a hare, a very tall hare mind, that's six levels of success.
Freddy attempts to barge into Lothar but instead trips and stumbles and only just keeps on his feet. Lothar passes Olek, who is still so enthused/surprised that he's in the lead that he somehow manages to trip himself up, the big man collapses in a heap just before the finish line.
Which allows Lothar to cruise home for the victory.
Heinzdork is furious, his gravel voice again somehow finding its way to the adventurer's ears over the noise of the crowd.
“FREDDY!”
Over the noise of the crowd, I'm repeating myself for a reason, the crowd are not happy now- what's with the grown-ups ruining their children's fun.
The adventurers however are now pro's at this sort of thing, Lothar hands over the shiny schilling he just won to the first of the young 'uns to pass the line, and then showers praise upon the champion, hoisting the youngster aloft.
Olek does some sort Sigmar-related crazy-legged breakdancing, or else he replays a variety of versions of his end-of-race collapse, again to the gathering delight of the crowd. Everyone likes a fool.
While Freddy's conciliatory scary story goes down less well, see above.
In short, and after a bunch more charm (and other) checks the crowd are on their way to being won over, although Freddy is still not popular, and Fergus hasn't been introduced yet.
So, time for that to happen... here's Fergus!
Hammer to Fall!
The second event, here it is.
Competitors just need to stand the hammer up, hammer head up that is, so that it is balanced on the flattened base of the shaft.
To do this a competitor can take one, two or three strength or athletics checks- the number declared before they begin. However many checks they chose to make they must incur a -40 penalty (in total) to these. So- one test at-40, two tests at -20 each (or -10 & -30), three tests at etc.
Fergus is up.
And completes the task in style, although he chooses to take three turns to achieve the feat, and he rolls '01' on his first check. He has to then spend both of his fortune points to get the thing done, but he's not for giving up.
Yes, that was both of this session's fortune points spent standing a big hammer up.
Fergus does commitment, it's no wonder he's still so angry about his wife shacking up with his best mate (see Fergus' backstory).
Fergus also does celebration, it's at this point- while delivering his victory speech (before anyone else has had a go) that Fergus comes up with his 'special' dawi chant. Which is this-
“Hole! Hole! Hole!”
Dawi live in holes, according to Fergus, but how we got to this- that's a windy one. Fergus however is still trying to get the people of Bogenhafen to like him, and his kind.
Then... everyone else fails to even get one success.
Fergus is, as it turns out, the champion.
Heinzdork is distraught, his voice comes again- to Freddy.
“Really Freddy, a Dwarf? You were beaten by a Dwarf?”
It's also worth noting that all of the adventurers took time after their various failed attempts to lift the hammer to do some sort of comedy re-enactment for the gathered audience, absolving themselves in the process of their failures, and entertaining- Olek and Lothar are, as usual, the hits of the show.
Frederich, who is injured (-10 on all tests involving his left arm) makes a meal of his pulled muscle, even applying bandages and a sling before his attempt at the hammer, he elicits a little sympathy.
He really is trying.
And by this point the players are into it.
Which naturally brings us to...
Sigmar's Slippery Lance.
Now then, to begin with, no lie. It is a lance (reinforced) that the competitors are climbing, and it is very greasy- pig-fat, and lots of it.
This one is an extended climb test, all medium sized competitors jump onto the lance two yards up, and then must climb (-20) to the top. It's seven yards to the top. Any negative results and the competitor slips down the lance the same number of yards.
Now the confession.
We played over ten turns at this one, any more and it would be fatigue time- for three of them, not Fergus, he kept trying for another two turns- he kept trying until the bitter end.
Over thirty minutes spent trying to climb a very greasy pole.
I'll save you the worry- no one gets even close, Fergus is the best at it, and he stays on the pole for the longest by far, Freddy leaps up the pole- slides down pole, repeat. Lothar pretty much the same, only Olek gets close to Fergus' efforts, and then only once.
“Heeeeeey Oop!” Which Fergus shouts repeatedly as he slither-climbs.
Olek attempts to push Fergus up to the top of the pole, result- the initiate priest of Sigmar slithers back down the pole and then falls off.
Thirty minutes of this, and I'm fairly certain that one of the muppets even spent a fortune point out of frustration.
Job done.
We move on, but not before another show from the adventurers for their audience, who at this point are completely onside, the programme of events has changed- the kids will have their go after the It's a Knockout! Show is over.
If you can remember that far back.
On to the final event.
Fling! Fling! Fling! The Hammer of Sigmar! See how far the bastard flies...
Sigmar is ripped! Ranged (Thrown) +20, result = SL + Strength Bonus = roll that many exploding d4s on Fantasy Grounds and that's how many feet the hammer flies.
I like a bit of random.
Note, it costs pennies to enter all of these events, and so the PCs are paying for their humiliation, but not much- it's proving to be a bargain.
And so on we go.
Fergus' first throw (7d4 exploding dice) is thirty feet.
And that's the winner, it's not until the last throw, from Olek- (6d4 exploding dice) for twenty-seven feet that anyone else even gets close.
More remarkably, earlier in the piece, Lothar manages to throw the hammer nineteen feet with only two exploding d4s.
The crowd go wild, as Fergus gets them going again-
“HOLE! HOLE! HOLE!”
And moments later one of the great and good at the event, it seems Witch Hunter Heinzdork has already departed, comes over to award Fergus with his medal. The dwarf, remember, won two of the four events.
Here it is-
“I'm reet chuffed! HOLE! HOLE!” etc.
But then all is a fluster, an older priest suddenly runs into the midst of the adventurer's, grabs Olek by the arm and... takes off at a sprint.
SCENE 3. Sigmar's Big Game Player.
The priest in need of Olek is Father Erdo, Ludo Edel (High Priest of Sigmar here in Bogenhaffen) told Olek earlier to be at the Schaffenfest this afternoon- for a special mission, and so here it is...
"Quickly!"
"We must depart- there is no time!"
"We are already deep into the second half!"
"Quickly! Olek, we need you. Sigmar needs you!"
Olek sprawls and flounders trying to keep pace with Erdo, who is dodging his way through the crowd.
Frederich is soon in hot pursuit of his brother, Lothar- munching on a pretzel- dawdles after, Fergus is too content right where he is-
“HOLE! HOLE!”
And the crowd, most of them, are still along for the ride.
Brother Erdo has much to say to Olek en route to wherever it is that they are going...
"We are playing catenaccio, you understand yes- 4-2-4, with flexible wing-backs that overlap but also drop back for cover- yes!"
"But... my mind- you must not worry about that, the time... the time is almost gone. The Middenman will soon blow his whistle, and then we will have little or no cause to be over-the-moon!"
"No, Olek- that is not for you. For you it is just- 'ow you say, Back of the Net! Yes!"
"Ludo tells me you are big game player, yes!"
"We need you Olek- we are in the group of death and while it is a game of two halves, we have had our oranges, we are in squeaky bum- time, yes!"
Olek is trying desperately to make sense of the things that Erdo is saying, and just to say in the real world George has about as much to do with football as I have- i.e. nothing.
Middenball! The pair arrive at the muddy pitch side just in the nick of time. Oh, and that's The Pithouse Wanderers, from the wrong-side of the river, the Sigmar team's opposition for this game.
Erdo continues with his litany.
"Sigmar is blessing us, there is but a minute to pass before the fat lady will begin her choral spectacular!"
"Blessed be, and we have a corner!"
Erdo turns to a nearby priest of Sigmar, and shouts-
“Tell the Middenman we have a substitue! Quickly now.”
And then back to Olek.
"Here are your final instructions Olek-"
At which point the kindly DM says a little something about all of the The Pithouse Wanderers players, basically making some nonsense up about each of them-
“If Tipton Wobbly looks like he's going left he'll be going right; Gonk Haversack, if he gets close enough, will grab you by the balls- stay away from him. Ninepins is the goalkeeper, but watch out for Tenpins his brother, he will throw stones at you from behind the goal...”
That kind of thing, and lots of it, all the way through the side, until-
"Can you remember all of that?"
And then when Olek affirms.
“Then repeat it back to me...”
But not even I remember, and so we go on to-
"TOTAL MIDDENBALL! YES!"
"If not- ow you say, just Bang it in the Back of the Net!"
Erdo has, of course, an indeterminate Estalian-cum-Tilean accent.
He is a Priest of Sigmar, but also a convert to the not-so-beautiful-game. Middenball!
And then... well, the ball comes over as Olek makes his way into the box, and... it's all on one roll of the dice.
Hammer of Sigmar!
Olek rises above the crowd, Gonk Haversack grabbing just too late, and slams his big bald head into the Middenball!
SWOOSH!
The net strains and then ripples.
GOAL!
The Middenman blows his whistle- and that's time.
Game over.
George, playing Olek, is genuinely delighted- he's also a little bit drunk (George, not Olek) so that helps. There is screaming, swearing and shouting.
The crowd stream onto the pitch in celebration.
The priests of Sigmar on the touchline, including brother Erdo, are jumping for joy.
Note, you can also see the match report in the image above, along with a special offer for an 'action shot reproduction-portrait' of the exact moment the Sigmar Supermensch Olek Hass puts the ball firmly into the back of the net, this courtesy of the on the spot artist Stock Foto.
If you are really observant you can also see the final score there too.
The Pithouse Wanderers 9 Hammer of Sigmar 1.
At which point both Olek (and George) are somewhat deflated.
But brother Erdo isn't, far from it-
"Never mind nine to one Olek, we had twenty five to one on that we would not score!"
"Sigmar blesses us..."
"See you at the High Temple!"
"Hey, Olek!"
Brother Erdo does a very odd knees-up-Mother-Brown dance to the following tune-
"Sigma till I die, Sigma till I die, I know I am- I'm sure I am- I'm Sigma till I die... Woo Hoo!"
And then runs off.
Olek is... giddy.
Oh, and just to say- earlier on in the piece brother Erdo lets Olek know- the Middenball thing is all Ludo Edel's idea, the new High Priest of Sigmar it seems is a go-getter, even muscling in on Shallya territory in the poorer districts of the town, like the Pit.
But, there's more... not much more, but a bit.
SCENE 4. Smackdown Bogenhafen!
Inevitably...
The Old World Wrassling Federation (OWWF) is proud to present-
SMACKDOWN BOGENHAFEN!
A middle aged man dressed in a suit of many-colours, and possessing a cor-blimey accent, strides around the ring- haranguing the crowd.
‘Step right this way and make yourself two crowns!”
“That's right, two whole crowns for no more than a few minutes’ mild exertion!”
“All you need do is last four minutes in the ring with my champion!”
“Two crowns if you last four minutes (12 turns).”
“Five crowns if you defeat the champion within that time!”
“You, there!”
The hairy man in the ring doing the barking, points directly and unmistakably at Lothar.
“You look fit-as-a-fiddle and fast on your feet!”
Freddy stares daggers at Lothar.
“Do you think you could stay out of trouble for four minutes?”
“It’s not that long, you know!”
Lothar considers the offer, playing to the crowd- and the barker.
“And you!”
“Yes, you!”
The man in the ring is quite definitely pointing at Freddy.
The Witch Hunter combines sneering and preening, as a lot of Witch Hunter's do much of the time.
“Why don't you show your friends just how strong you are?”
Freddy flexes for the crowd, and then clutches the spot on his left arm- the pulled muscle.
He grimaces.
“Just a three-shilling entrance fee and he’s all yours!”
‘Come along, friends, who’ll take him on?”
“Just a three-shilling investment, and you could have it back many times over in just four minutes!”
“Why, if I were a moneylender, I’d get locked up for charging interest like that!”
And here we all are-
And that's the competition, the champion, Crusher Braugen, he's a big man but he's definitely blowing hard.
And now Lothar and Freddy are in deep discussion, they both- they think, could survive a while with Crusher, or at least they're both keen to find out if they can.
They're both therefore a little taken aback when...
“'Ere I am! Dawi champeen!”
Fergus, when he makes himself known, is already striped down to his budgie-smugglers, and soon after lathered in grease, actually pig fat, he took a bag full of this from the Scouting 4 Sigmar games, as a souvenir, and also to snack on.
With some help from his friends, and a few of the nearest audience members, and then also the compare- Fergus is slipped, slid and slopped into the ring.
Note, the pig-grease is on Fergus' back, stomach and legs, but not on his face, hands or feet (mostly).
Crusher gets a -10 to his Melee Brawling Grapple attempts.
The bell rings, and...
Well, we get four turns done of the action, the first of them sees Fergus swinging wildly and Crusher dodging- easily, the pair then trade advantage over the next two turns. Fergus attempts to rebound off a rope and head-down cannonball Crusher, but he misses the spot and instead rebounds into the big man's hands- and then zip-slithers right out of them again.
It goes back and forth.
Three turns in and it all goes wrong for Fergus- Crusher grabs the dawi, hooks his arms under and then over Fergus' arms, and then flips him up and over his head- the crucifix, or so I'm told by our resident wrestler Jim (playing Freddy).
That's Entangled five, and Fergus is going nowhere, or so it would seem.
Seconds later however and the dawi somehow manages to get himself free, and then to crawl his way down Crusher's back, right-way-around, and back on to his feet, a boot (comedy rather than hurt) for Crusher's backside.
Neither fighter has inflicted a single point of damage on the other.
And here's the great bit, the other adventurers have figured out how to get Advantage-from Charming the crowd by starting up chants (Lothar), or by singing and proclaiming in support of Sigmar, and Fergus (Olek), or by using his Intuition to figure out Crusher's weaknesses, and then hollering the info to Fergus (Freddy).
The players have also figured that they can use Leadership to transfer the Advantage they have to Fergus, and what's more they're doing it- it's working. Just to say this got worked out in the very first round- albeit it just started with Lothar trying to get the crowd behind Fergus, and then after George divined that Leadership could be used to transfer Advantage.
Great work.
Soon after “HOLE! HOLE!” is, well- not quite ringing out, but there are pockets of “HOLE!” chanters.
It seems to be working.
Crusher is on zero advantage atm, Fergus- I think- has got a whole stack, I think he's maxed out on five.
So, he's in it. Although after the game I read up on a few of Crusher's talents and it seems I've been underselling the big man, he's going to be even tougher next session, now that I know what I'm doing.
But that's as far as we got tonight.
The sun is still shining.
Although, in truth, the last bells heard measured five o' clock, there's not much more to be had of the Schaffenfest.
Not much left of the sun.
There's just the rest of the fight to play out, and then a quick dash to the Zoocopeia for what is bound to be- the final show of the day.
Next time... it's getting dark.
The final XP table for this session is below, oh and you are down to half rations for the Session XP now, all the way to session 20, if it lasts that long.
Stuck on a rules question in WFRP, can anyone here help me out pretty please.
For Talents in the book (page 132) it says-
If you can take a Talent multiple times, it may have a special rule for what this means written into its description. Further, it may have an associated Skill marked under ‘Tests’ (see Talent Format): if so, for each time you have the Talent, you gain +1 SL on any successful use of a Skill tied to the Talent.
And furthermore in the Talent Format (same page) it says-
Tests: If the talent is tied to one or more tests your character can make, the affected tests are listed here. talents tied to a test come with an extra rule: For each time you have taken the talent, you gain +1 sl on any successful use of the skill tied to the talent.
And I'm asking about Crusher Braugen here.
He has Reversal (1). Which says-
Reversal
Max: Weapon Skill Bonus
Tests: Melee when defending
You are used to desperate combats, able to turn even the direst circumstances to your Advantage. If you win an Opposed Melee Test, instead of gaining +1 Advantage, you may take all your opponent’s Current Advantage. If you do this, you do not cause any Damage, even if it is your Turn in the Round.
So, questions-
1) Can Crusher only use Reversal when he is defending in Melee, i.e. not when he is attacking. If so why the last sentence in the power, because surely on his turn Crusher will be attacking, and from the text above it appears Crusher can use the Talent on his turn.
2) Does Crusher gain an extra +1 sl if he successfully makes a melee test in defence- because as stated above- "For each time you have taken the talent, you gain +1 sl on any successful use of the skill tied to the talent." I think so.
But here's the thing-
The second Talent I'm confused about, particularly in conjunction with the first.
Crusher has Dirty Fighting (2). Which says-
Dirty Fighting
Max: Weapon Skill Bonus
Tests: Melee (Brawling)
You have been taught all the dirty tricks of unarmed combat. You may choose to cause an extra +1 Damage for each level in Dirty Fighting with any successful Melee (Brawling) hit.
Which conjures the following questions-
3) If Crusher makes a successful Melee (Brawling) test by +3 sl, he then automatically adds another +2 sl to make +5 sl. The extra two coming from having the Talent Dirty Fighting (2), as above. Crusher then compares his 5 sl with his opponent to see who has won. That's right isn't it?
4) And so continuing on with the example above, Crusher beats his opponent by +3 sl, which is added to the damage- weapon +5 (his fists) = 8 damage plus 2 more for Dirty Fighting (2) = 10 damage (-Toughness & armour). Is that right? Because it seems like Dirty Fighting just got counted twice.
Also-
5) If Crusher is defending with Melee (Brawling) as per Reversal (but not attempting to use Reversal)- and he makes a successful check does he get an extra +1 sl for having Reversal (1) plus another +2 sl for having Dirty Fighting (2). Because if he does then Crusher is never going to use any other weapon than his fists ever again.
I'm probs missing something very simple, but... I'm missing it atm.
Not the expert on Warhammer, but here are my 2c:
1) Reversal can be used ONLY in defense, the line about stealing Advantage is contingent on the first part, it applies only to defensive result. And the damage part is for those situations when you could do damage in defense. You don't do it, you just remove advantage.
2) Same as before, Reversal is used when DEFENDING and it grants +1 SL per level, but not when he's attacking with brawling
3) Dirty fighting is offensive and it grants extra damage. This is NOT extra SL, it is just damage once the Brawling attack is resolved. So, you get +3 SL not +5 because specific beats general - this is specific description on what happens if you have talent multiple times. (this part depends if WFRP has the same rule about rules as D&D - as I said, not an expert)
4) Damage calculation would be +X (fists) +strength bonus +2 from dirty fighting +SL (BUT THIS IS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPPONENTS NOT THE TOTAL SL OF THE ATTACKER)
5) You cannot combine Dirty fighting (melee attack) and Reversal (Melee defense) they are used in different context
The continuing adventures of the usual bunch of miscreants this time playing Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 4th edition, and The Enemy Within Campaign, of course.
SESSION #12 The Laughenfest at the Schaffenfest- One Greasy Dawi!*
*Soon to be none.
The PCs Fergus McClean, Dwarf Scout (Guide) played by Bear.
Looks Like: Rough and ready-for-anything Dawi- a bit unkempt; constantly muttering and grumbling at Seamus his imaginary dog. Sounds Like: Northern 'I wur down t'mine', although taciturn, and always grumpy.
Fergus is a short embittered (divorced) Dawi from the mining village of Schwartzstein in the foothills of the Grey Mountains. That is until he discovered his best friend Seamus with his wife Cherrie. Fergus left his village and his old life behind and set off in search of adventure, eventually taking up Scouting as a living. He has business in Altdorf and is at present journeying with three Manlings he has come to trust who are also on their way to the capital.
Frederich Hass, Human Witch Hunter (Interrogator) played by Jim.
Looks Like: Thick-set, tall with a resting angry face, never too far away from a snarl, otherwise well turned out. Sounds Like: Whispering menace, accusatory- probing, but charming when he wants to be. Accent is brooding (intelligent) cod-Russian (like a clever but menacing Daktari). Note he sees the hand of the Ruinous Powers behind every untoward event.
Frederich and his brother Olek watched their parents burned alive, prior to this a normal childhood was in progress. The Cult of Sigmar (with the help of the state) who burned Ma & Pa Hass then took the newly orphaned pair in and raised them to be model citizens. The orphans are Sigmarite through-and-through, Frederich the crusader, he likes the power that it brings; Olek the instrument (or else Prophet) of Sigmar. They're not zealots, not warped and broken inside, no... not at all.
Lothar Jurgen Muller, Human Witch Hunter (Interrogator) played by Kev.
Looks Like: Neat, tidy, clean-cut, perhaps even a little dashing- the boy next door, but doable- and always with a smile on his face, and often in his eyes. Lothar carries his own embroidered place mat with matching knife and fork. Manners and civility are so important. Sounds Like: Civil, polite, formal, caring- and entirely without menace. He's a Paladin doing Witch Hunter, which may yet prove amusing.
Lothar is a baker's son from Ubersreik that just happened to become a Witch Hunter, he didn't just drift into it, he has a plan (perhaps). Lothar however came to Witch Hunting with the thought that he could perhaps be of help- to the Empire, to his family, to the poor wretches that have fallen into corruption, and possibly to help himself (a little) along the way. He is resolutely nice in a world full of fetid stink and terror.
Olek Hass, Human Artisan- Blacksmith (Apprentice) played by George.
Looks Like: Seven (plus) feet tall, and not too skinny with it- lithe and muscled, he's a giant- with wild eyes. Sounds Like: A camp Nazi constantly unfolding, expounding, and explaining the mystery of ongoing events, and seeing the presence of Sigmar everywhere.
Olek and his brother Frederich watched their parents burned alive, prior to this a normal childhood was in progress. The Cult of Sigmar (with the help of the state) who burned Ma & Pa Hass then took the newly orphaned pair in and raised them to be model citizens. The orphans are Sigmarite through-and-through, Frederich the crusader, he likes the power that it brings; Olek the instrument (or else Prophet) of Sigmar. They're not zealots, not warped and broken inside, no... not at all.
We spent another forty or so minutes at the start of this one refreshing our memories and going through a bunch of rules- very specifically Talents, this off the back of the rules check above this write-up.
The PCs had other questions too that needed answering so, another late start- that's not me complaining you understand, it's just the reality of trying to fix the rules in our/my heads.
The to do list has been fixed (note, oldest issue first- not in priority order).
The bones of Johann Baumann, found on the road to Ubersreik, now carried by Oleg, need to be interred within the precincts of Morr.
The Purple Hand cultists, why did they want to speak to Kastor/Lothar, what's going on here? Are they protecting the Magical Pickleman (Magister Impedimentae)?
SCHAFFENFEST! Tax free SHEEP!
Get a job or make some money.
Find somewhere to stay.
Here we go some more.
MITTERFRUHL (Spring Equinox), 2512.
Bogenhafen.
The fight goes on, remember- the titanic clash of Fergus “HOooooooooOOOOLE!” McCleeeeeeannnnNNNN versus CRUUUUU-SHERRRRR Braugen! (Best WWF-style announcer voice for the card please).
SCENE 1. The Laughenfest at the Schaffenfest.
Strap in- it's a very good/bad one. You'll see.
So, we're four turns in (to a 12 turn bout), and neither fighter has managed to land a punch yet, although in truth it's only Fergus that has been trying. Crusher got a good hold of the greasy (Fergus is lathered in pig fat atm) dawi but, somehow he managed to wriggle free.
And right now Fergus is maxed out (5 advantage) and Crusher has none. Keep in mind the other three PCs in the crowd have been using their skills to get the crowd chanting- “HOLE! HOLE!” in support of Fergus, or else they've been proselytising- Sigmar & Fergus, or they've been trying to Intuit Crusher's weak spots. They've all been busy, and using Leadership to transfer any points of advantage gained to Fergus- in the form of support or else as the Burner Frederich is- coaching the pugnacious dawi from the side-lines.
It's all in- everyone is working for the win.
So, here's the countdown.
Turn 5.
Fergus goes full cannonball on Crusher and with five advantage, and... Crusher avoids the hurtling dwarf easily and delivers a sturdy elbow in the kidneys- sturdy enough to momentarily lift the dawi off his feet. A staggering Fergus retreats to the ropes with only three wounds left (from full) and now sans all advantage.
To make clear Crusher uses Reversal- steals all Fergus' advantage and then hits him real hard.
The cheerleaders in the crowd do their thing- Fergus gets a little more advantage from his friends, but he's not in a great place.
Turn 6.
It gets worse.
Although...
Fergus, blowing hard and holding his side, retreats to a corner and... sets Seamus his imaginary dog on Crusher.
And yes, that's exactly what he does- he cannot be persuaded otherwise- people try, believe me.
Alas the imaginary Seamus proves ineffective against Crusher, although Fergus' Animal Handling (or whatever it's called) is fairly good- but the imaginary hound has no effect, who would have thought it.
Crusher, slightly bewildered by Fergus' seemingly random shouting-
Northern voice please- “Sick 'im, Seamus!”, and, “Go for his balls! Sick balls!”
Anyway, Crusher goes in for a massive straight-arm gut shot, and... Ooooh, that's titanic! Something like seventeen damage (-T) and keep in mind Fergus has just three wounds left.
We roll the Crit, and... a fractured hip, that's nasty. And so...
We stop to consult the books- and after much reading Bear playing Fergus decides he doesn't want to spend a Fate Point, he wants to spend a Resilience Point and make it so he won the last test by one SL, and so it comes to pass.
Which of course means...
...Ohhhh, a titanic blow, or else it would have been- at the last moment the greasy dawi dances away from Crusher's massive flailing fist.
Crusher loses all of his Advantage, and Fergus gets another point.
He's still on just three wounds though.
The cheerleading squad in the crowd get into action some more, and what's remarkable here is in the first session of this game I remember there were rounds and/or turns that went by without many folk, if any, actually managing to make a successful skill test- for anything. The cheerleading squad, and they're mostly testing on late-30's and early-40's are making their rolls pretty much all of the time. A few Fortune Points get spent here and there but... they're really up for this- up for helping Fergus.
It's a real team effort- all for one and one for all.
My point being- Fergus gets another point of advantage from his friends, he's nearly back up to full again- he's on four atm.
Also at this point, after lots of success, a good third of the crowd here are chanting-
“CRUSHER'S IN THE HOLE!”
The latest incarnation of the dawi supporters' chant.
Turn 7.
Fergus figures it out.
“You'll not get me lad, yer a big' un- I'll gi' ya that! But you're not catching me!”
Fergus goes full defensive- no attack but for his defensive check he's +20 plus any advantage he's still got.
Crusher swipes wildly- and he's nowhere near.
At the end of the turn Fergus is dodging, scampering, ducking- diving, and generally just keeping out of the way.
Crusher's stuck on zero advantage and after the cheerleaders continue to do their thing this turn Fergus is back to being maxed out.
Turn 8.
Same as above.
Fergus full defensive, and now testing on 118- Crusher's fore-arm smash testing on 67.
Fergus rolls low, I roll high- I don't even make the test.
Crusher can't use his Reversal because Fergus isn't attacking him.
WTF is going on here?
Has Fergus beat the game.
As Bear, playing Fergus, said at the time- “I am optimalised.”
Turn 9.
Same again.
Crusher misses by a mile this time- Fergus winning the defensive test by something +14 SL. He rolled '01' and I rolled something like '94'.
Basically Fergus is skipping aside, prancing like a pony, or else just waltzing around a flailing, grasping Crusher.
And now Crusher is losing it- big time.
He stands in the center of the ring performing the Three Stooges (I don't remember which one) self-face slap routine, with accompanying WHOOPING.
Oh, and after encouragement from Fergus the crowd are singing-
“There's only one greasy dawi! Only one greasy dawi!”
At this point the Ringmaster, Klaus Schattinger, who is also Crusher's manager (of course) is almost in the ring too- screaming at Crusher to-
“Put zer damn dwarf down!”
Oh, and the cheerleaders have also figured it out- it's at this point that they totally abandon their cheerleading duties and do two things.
Lothar, and then Olek, get bets on- Lothar even manages to find a crazy guy (great roll) that will give him 6-1 on Fergus not making it to the end of the fight.
This while Frederich goes and has 'a quiet word' with Klaus Schattinger, Crusher's worried manager, Frederich advises Klaus to also get his money on Fergus very quickly, because this is going to go all the way to the very end- the dawi will not be beaten. He also advises Schattinger to ring the bell early, if he wants to keep Crusher from exploding.
Then Frederich rolls something like- '02', it's a contested roll, but Schattinger's dice are bust. He's considering Freddy's chat, and at the same time getting some of associates to put a few bets on Fergus to go all the way- it can't hurt to spread the pain a little.
Frederich continues this kind of chatter next turn- and keep in mind Jim, who plays Frederich is an ex-wrestler who sometimes works in wrestling promotion, so- he sounds like the real deal, because he is.
Next turn Frederich's dice fail him, or else- not fail, they roll double his last score, they roll- '04', it's the same check he's making- Schattinger is finally convinced he's going to get more money on Fergus, and will very likely ring the bell early to save Crusher, because...
Turn 10.
Same again. Fergus avoids Crusher's now frantic maniac attempts.
The big man is bouncing from rope to rope to build up enough momentum to get a charge attack- the DM is grasping, to give himself one point of advantage.
I've also ruled that the pig fat on Fergus has effectively gone away, been rubbed or sweated off, no more -10 on my rolls.
It doesn't help. Fergus wins by about +6 SL.
He's skipping around Crusher who is bonkers furious.
Frederich even finds enough time to get a bet on of his own- not at as good odds, of course- but now they're all in for the dawi to take it all the way, and keep in mind that Frederich (and now Olek and Lothar) know that the bell is coming early- at the end of the next turn.
All Fergus needs to do is survive one more turn.
Lols.
Strap in.
Turn 11.
Fergus attacks Crusher, after taunting him a little more with his fairy steps, the dawi turns and goes full lunge.
All out! All in! All for...
Nothing, Fergus rolls a '96' and with no Fortune Points left, and Crusher gets in his Reversal- he steals all of the dawi's advantage- all five points, turns the dwarf around, so that he's now facing his friends, and with two hands clasped like an axe- he leans up and back- hands clasped high over his head- and brings the Tomahawk (so, I'm told) down on Fergus.
For something ridiculous like twenty points of damage (-T).
Fergus collapses... Concertinas would be a better description.
The bell rings- early.
And the crowd go...
Well, there is quite a lot of swearing, and keep in mind some of (most of?) the players are now down to maybe a schilling and a few brass pennies in their pockets.
A lot of swearing.
Oh, and Fergus is eventually dragged out of the ring on a sort of Butcher's barrow, and delivered to his friends, he seems to be mainly slipping in and out of consciousness.
Here's the contender-
“Sooo, close... Come on now lads, just 'elp me up.” Fergus cheerily recommends, his fellow adventurers have some not-so-warm greetings for their boon dawi companion-
“Why did you...” Olek and Lothar begin.
“You jeffing little jeffer. Jeff you! Jeff you Fergus, you Jeffing Jeff!” Frederich is much less calm.
That sort of thing. It goes on for a little while longer.
I'll be honest, at some points there were tears in my eyes.
Not happy.
Oh, and Bear, playing Fergus, refused to spend a Fate Point and so he took the Crit.
Major Muscle Strain- Back, I think- from memory- he's 26 days at -20 on every test that will involve him using his back (and connected limbs), so... that's everything physical. Then 26 days more at -10, as above.
So, as stated at the time (helpfully) by the DM- 'he's sub-optimalised'.
More remarkably after the repercussions have died down Frederich and Lothar get the bandages out and for the first time in this game manage to make a Heal Test, and with plenty of success levels, and so ten or so minutes later and Fergus is back on his feet again. His back hurts- a lot, but he'll put up with it- he's a stoic.
There, and now everyone's happy.
SCENE 2. A Quiet Drink.
Let's cut to the chase on this one, everyone mooches into a beer tent- en route to the Zoocopeia, ostensibly to try to find any new rumours- and in particular the PCs are looking for work, now that they are all mostly broke.
Although I think Fergus still has a few schillings- he didn't bet on himself though, smart fellow.
The gang pick up a few new rumours-
“The hamlet of Stust was overrun by mutants and beastmen from the forests. All that remains are piles of skulls and broken bones.” Told to Olek by a pedlar, Renate Hausier, she's just arrived at the Schaffenfest,
And-
“The sewers of Bögenhafen are no longer patrolled! What's the town council doing? Things live down there now!” Overheard by Lothar, the speaker- the Boatman is certain, was a member of the Bogenhafen Watch- just having a quick pint to wet his whistle.
None of the adventurers do any drinking, although a few of them spend a few pennies buying ales for others- in an effort to find some more rumours, or else employment.
Oh, but Fergus tries a different appraoch- the dawi gets up on the bar, or else a nearby table, drinks heartily and starts singing “There's only one greasy dawi! One greasy dawi?”
More remarkably he rolls another sub-10 score, and soon after he has an audience and several more beers close to hand. Soon after Fergus is smashed (-30 on all tests = Fatigued 3).
There's no time for discussion about the merits of the above.
Let's keep going.
SCENE 3. Zoocopeia.
And here we all are, sitting comfortably-
Oh, and Dr Malthusius has had to borrow a bigger tent, the interest in his show is phenomenal, everyone at the Schaffenfest has heard about the 'ferocious mutant Goblin that bit its keeper's hand off and almost escaped, if it wasn't for a band of toothsome heroes...' etc. etc.
Dr. M has been busy spreading the rumour, or else someone has, or maybe it's down to Lothar and his sign.
Anyway, the place is packed.
The show begins... but I'm not going to do all of that, and so here's the stars of the extravaganza-
Clockwise- the Ghastly Three-Legged Goblkin of Grisenwald, the Dastardly One-Eyed Dog of Diesdorf (aka Binky), the Horrendously Hairy Horror of Hochland (aka Mr. Timpkins), Grunni- stage hand, the Immeasurable Maw of the Middle Mountains (a Squig), and the good Dr.
It's a great show, the Hairy Horror kicks a ball around, pulls funny faces and eats a banana sideways, the crowd love it.
Binky may be Dastardly but she also melts people's hearts- Ahhhh!
The Squig is a bit terrifying, particularly when it tries to bite/eat Grunni who has to beat it back with a stick.
Then... the goblin who, well... snaps the leash he's on- again- how does he do that- and then runs off, snaking under the canvas and clean out of the tent.
The audience- who are primed for just such an event- that's what they're here to see, go crazy-bonkers, it's a semi-riot.
The PCs, of course, rise above this kind of thing and leap into action.
Well, sort of- and keep in mind they are the pros at this now, some of 'em.
Frederich is first to the canvas under which the goblin slithered and escaped, alas the Witch Hunter is crossbow loaded and in hand, and soon after- stuck under the aforementioned canvas. As it turns out he's much bigger, and less lithe than a goblin- particularly while toting the crossbow.
Lothar makes it to the same spot, or at least a few paces to one side of Freddy- slashes hard with his dagger at the tarp and is through almost all in one move.
Fergus tries to follow him- falls down, gets up- runs hard- and boing- gets the wrong bit of tarp and rebounds back into the ring.
Olek? Olek stands up and starts talking- about being calm, about everything being under control and about the fact that the goblin is now outside of the tent and so being inside of the tent is probably the best and safest place to be. Oh, and a lot more stuff about Sigmar. He's very good, and after a Fortune Point he rolls very low.
By the time the rozzers (Bogenhafen Watch) turn up a fair sized section of the crowd are still inside the tent singing verses of “Onward Sigmar's soldiers...” He's very good is Olek.
Meantime, outside of the tent/Zoocopeia- and it's getting dark out now, Lothar spots the goblin about thirty or so feet away working its way along the town walls, and then... it's gone.
Moments later he and Freddy have made it to the town wall- and just the spot, there's a rusted grate, most likely a drain or over-flow pipe into the sewer, the hole is just big enough to admit a desperate mutant goblin, and... after investigation- there's green blood on the grate. The goblin is in the sewers.
Frederich is remarkably prescient-
“I think this is a job for... US!” he declares, in his growling voice. Soon after Olek and Fergus make their way to the grate in the wall, to see what's going on.
They're accompanied by Dr. M. and the fellows from the Bogenhafen Watch.
“You again! What the bloody hell is going on here?" Sgt. Dicky Trubshaw is less than eager to discover.
As it turns out- there's a goblin escaped into the sewers, there's a little bit of a debate about how many legs the goblin had- some say two- some say three- Lothar swears that it was moving so fast he couldn't count.
Fergus insists that it had three legs.
Helpfully Fred pulls Fergus away and then equally helpfully explains things to Sgt. Dicky Trubshaw.
“Do not listen to him officer Trubshaw”, Fred hisses, “he is a dawi, he is drunk, and he is a fool!” The last part of the orevious sentence is delivered with some vehemance, and directly into Fergus' fat grinning drunken face. The Witch Hunter then offers his services- “We can take care of this for you, for Bogenhafen, Sgt Trubshaw?”
As I said before, remarkably prescient.
Although I'd let the adventurers know much earlier that they would be going adventuring at the end of this session. So, that they wouldn't mess up their PCs too much prior to the coming good stuff. So, that worked well.
But the good Sgt isn't convinced, or else he doesn't have the authority-
"A goblin, in the sewer- nah! That's not for me, way above my pay grade. You lot- all of yer, are coming with us."
"Resist and it'll be in chains, walk nicely and we can whistle, I'll even let one of you buy me a pie on the way. You can get one for yerself, if you like."
"We'll go and have a nice chat with the magistrate, get this all sorted out."
And so, after a little bit of huffing, they do.
SCENE 4. All Rise!
Now here's the thing- just outside the large tent that is the Schaffenfest Festival Court is... a very dirty and inebriated dawi in the stocks.
Well, it takes one to know one.
The dwarf in the stocks just happens to be a fellow called Gottri Gurnasson, who is the subject of Fergus' quest. He's been looking for this dawi since the off.
Fergus, of course, is also drunk- he does however manage to extract a little bit of information from the guards hereby, it seems Gottri is a shambling drunken wreck, and it'll cost two schillings to get him out of the stocks. This is the second occasion he's been in the stocks today. He really is a mess.
“Two schilling, two schilling, two schilling- DRINK! Two schilling, two schilling, two schilling- DRINK! Two schilling, two schilling, two schilling- DRINK!” Is how Gottri puts it (Father Jack-style).
Fergus will pay the fine when he's done inside, because... they're up, before the beak-
“All rise! The honourable judge Heinz Richter presiding...”
"Swear them in!" Magistrate Richter harrumphs, all business.
"Do you swear by all the Gods and Laws of the Empire, and on the life of the Emperor Karl Franz, to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth. May all the Gods bless glorious Reikland.”
"Sgt Trubshaw report"
And so he does-
“We were just there for the end of it your Lordship, I'll let these people tell it all, save to say- a goblin seems to have escaped into the Bogenhaffen sewers. That's the long and the tall of it your Lordship."
"Do any of the witnesses wish to add to the good Sgt's report, or can we skip to the conclusion here." Richter is keen to get a move on.
But, everyone has something to say, and so four speeches later- all of which add nothing to the cause, except to make clear that the foursome before the judge are all keen to take the job.
Although... one of the speeches is, well slurred- a bit insulting, certainly fractious- and again Frederich has to drag Fergus aside- and shut him up.
But now Dr. M. has something to add-
"I would like to offer a reward of five gold crowns for the safe return of the Goblin, as a concerned member of the citizenship, I feel it is important that I play my part in securing this menace!”
"These fine folk were foremost at the last incident, and have proven themselves previously, the goblin slipped it's leash earlier in the day, they caught it then."
Magistrate Richter takes over-
“I see where you are going with this...”
“Since you have caught it previously, it should not be too onerous a task. Would you take this job, on behalf of the town of Bogenhaffen we would match the agreed amount- another five gold crowns- making ten in total, for the return or removal of the goblin in the sewers here.”
"Do we have a contract sirs?"
Lots of nodding, and grinning.
Magistrate Richter continues-
"Draw it up Andrea"
"Sgt Trubshaw, Bogenhafen will also pay for a room for the night for these brave folk, get them situated at the Journey's End, tell Odelina they're under contract. One room for the lot of them- one night only, and no extras. Got that!"
The good Sgt nods his ascent.
"Oh, and Sgt- get them a ladder, and a light of some sort, once they've left their gear at the Journey's End I want them off and hunting for that thing in the sewer, lickety-spit."
A few minutes later and the contract is done.
Richter continues-
"Sign here, and while you are doing so listen to me."
"Catch that goblin sirs, alive- if you can, certainly to satisfy the good Dr. there, although he seems to have a problem with keeping a-hold of this slippery beast. What ho! What say you to that sir?"
Dr. M. is saying nothing.
"Not much? That's what." Richter grins at the discomforted showman, and then continues-
"But my five gold crowns, that's the gold crowns belonging to the good tax paying citizens of Bogenhafen, they want this odd little goblin out of their sewers. Supply proof that you have done this, to claim my half of the reward."
"Understood."
The PCs nod enthusiastically- one or two of them still grinning. Ten gold crowns!
"Then notorised!” [STAMP]
"Well done, may the gods speed you on your journey." Richter adds while Sgt Trubshaw leads the adventurers out.
"Next!"
But here's the thing- see Gottri in the stocks in the image above, well... he's gone.
Fergus is... unhappy just about covers it.
Eventually the drunken dwarf, with a little help from his... I was going to say friends, let's call them colleagues, atm. Anyway, it seems someone else has paid Gottri's two schilling fine.
Who it was that rescued the scabby drunken dawi is alas a mystery, as the halberdier helpfully states-
“Dunno who paid it, I din't see 'em.”
Fergus spends a little time running drunkenly around a bit, generally barging into folk and... well, he's drunk just about covers it.
We finally get to here.
SCENE 5. Journeys End.
That's Odelina, she's happy to meet the adventurers, and soon after they're very briefly settled into a two bunk-bed room. Several of the PCs have decided to leave some of their stuff here, because, well... they're heading into the sewers and that might not go entirely to plan. We'll see.
They also, all of 'em, order (and pay for) hot baths on their return. This because Odelina has already let them know that if they're stinking like the sewers when they return they're not staying here.
Sgt Trubshaw, has a pint and a fag while all of this is going on, and then the rest of his patrol turn up with a ladder, a lantern, two torches and half-a-dozen candles.
“That's everything you'll need!” Dicky states, finishes his beer, and then leads the PCs off to the sewers.
But that's for next time.
The final XP table for this session is below, oh and you are down to half rations for the Session XP now, all the way to session 20, if it lasts that long.
PC
Crusher
Rumours
Zoocopeia
Gottri
Court
Session XP
Total
Fred
3
0
2
0
3
22
30
Fergus
3
0
1
5
2
18
29
Olek
2
1
3
0
3
20
29
Lothar
2
1
3
0
3
20
29
What to say about Fergus- he's broken, he's drunk and he wont be winning any popularity contests atm. The rest is a mystery that only Bear truly comprehends, although... in the fight I guess he thought he had one chance to make his mark on Crusher and so he went for it, and as Bear said at the time in the Beer tent, he has a Consume Alcohol of 50+, he thought he was semi-safe. Failed all three and got his backside kicked in the ring, so- it sucks to be Fergus atm, I can't imagine his trip into the sewer is going to be all plain sailing, let's find out together shall we.
The continuing adventures of the usual bunch of miscreants this time playing Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 4th edition, and The Enemy Within Campaign, of course.
SESSION #13 Two Dead Dad's in the Sewer.
The PCs Fergus McClean, Dwarf Scout (Guide) played by Bear.
Looks Like: Rough and ready-for-anything Dawi- a bit unkempt; constantly muttering and grumbling at Seamus his imaginary dog. Sounds Like: Northern 'I wur down t'mine', although taciturn, and always grumpy.
Frederich Hass, Human Witch Hunter (Interrogator) played by Jim.
Looks Like: Thick-set, tall with a resting angry face, never too far away from a snarl, otherwise well turned out. Sounds Like: Whispering menace, accusatory- probing, but charming when he wants to be. Accent is brooding (intelligent) cod-Russian (like a clever but menacing Daktari). Note he sees the hand of the Ruinous Powers behind every untoward event.
Lothar Jurgen Muller, Human Witch Hunter (Interrogator) played by Kev.
Looks Like: Neat, tidy, clean-cut, perhaps even a little dashing- the boy next door, but doable- and always with a smile on his face, and often in his eyes. Lothar carries his own embroidered place mat with matching knife and fork. Manners and civility are so important. Sounds Like: Civil, polite, formal, caring- and entirely without menace. He's a Paladin doing Witch Hunter, which may yet prove amusing.
Olek Hass, Human Artisan- Blacksmith (Apprentice) played by George.
Looks Like: Seven (plus) feet tall, and not too skinny with it- lithe and muscled, he's a giant- with wild eyes. Sounds Like: A camp Nazi constantly unfolding, expounding, and explaining the mystery of ongoing events, and seeing the presence of Sigmar everywhere.
Straight in and on with it this session.
The to do list, updated.
The bones of Johann Baumann, found on the road to Ubersreik, now carried by Oleg, need to be interred within the precincts of Morr.
The Purple Hand cultists, why did they want to speak to Kastor/Lothar, what's going on here? Are they protecting the Magical Pickleman (Magister Impedimentae)?
SCHAFFENFEST! Tax free SHEEP!
Find the mutant Goblin in the sewers and then get paid.
Here we go some more.
MITTERFRUHL (Spring Equinox), 2512. Bogenhafen.
The adventurers, after a little more chatter amongst themselves- mainly after last session's shenanigans, head into the sewers.
SCENE 1. The Door.
It's a twenty foot fall from the road to the bottom of the sewer, that's seven yards- although the liquid filth below will cushion some of that, reducing it to a four yard accelerated descent- that's 1d10+12 (-T) damage. Once this has been explained to the PCs by the kindly DM there follows a lot of... no, after you.
It's gone eight thirty by the time the Bogenhafen Watch, with the adventurers in tow, make it to the nearest manhole cover.
Lothar, with a rope tied around his waist- held taught up top by all of his colleagues, descends into the filth- hooking the ladder in place easily.
He's down-
It's dark in here. Lothar gets a torch passed down.
Soon after all of the adventurers make it to the spot.
We spend ten or so minutes discussing the variety of hazards that can occur during wet playtime in the sewers- falling in, the filth and its deleterious effect on Fellowship, the infection of wounds, the myriad diseases, and the general atmos of the place. In short, it stinks bad, sound travels well- but pinpointing direction is a difficulty, and... the place is a death trap.
Note, Olek fails his endurance check moments later, and then fails again after a Fortune Point and soon after is not feeling so good. The big man has Nausea, any swift movement and he's likely to spew.
Great start.
We also take a moment to look over the leaping rules- not good. Later we will put these to the test.
Then... someone that isn't the adventurers has a coughing fit, although there's a difference of opinion as to which direction the sound is coming from, however the implication is clear- there's someone else down here with them, and whoever they are they're close by.
Fergus' Orientation talent helps, that and the brief chat they had with Sgt. Dicky Trubshaw before the descent. It's eastwards towards the city wall and the grate through which the three-legged mutant Goblin entered the sewers. The plan is to find this location and then Track the creature from there.
Fergus is a Scout remember, with the Tracking skill.
He's also -30 on everything because he's still drunk, so... there's that.
But eventually the gang get underway, the walkways either side of the main sewer channel are only three or so feet wide and are slick with... well, they're slick- let's not say any more about what they are slick with.
Then there's a a sudden flash of light ahead, although as soon as it appears it's gone again.
Fergus is convinced that both the coughing sound and the light came from the minor sewer to the south here.
Although no-one is keen to find out who or indeed what is going on down there.
It's also worth noting that Bear, playing Fergus, is rolling great so far.
More remarkably this continues almost throughout this session, he's -30 on everything, and so checking for lots of thing on something approaching '20' (or below), he succeeds at these rolls more often than not. So often in fact that Lothar, later on, turns to Fred to say-
“I say Freddy, Fergus is really pulling out all of the stops!”
A little later even Fred has to agree, best whispered threatening voice-
“It seems he does his best work when he is well-oiled.”
The grate is swiftly found, and moments later Fergus easily picks up the trail- although the way is actually easy to find (+60, that helps).
Wouldn't you know it- the Goblin entered the sewer through the grate (just to the east of the map) and headed along the opposite side of the sewer here, and then... went into the smaller channel. Home to the cougher, and the albeit brief illumination.
The place the PCs were trying to avoid.
A little way along the minor sewer, through which the adventurers are now having to wade (although it's only maybe 18 inches deep here) is... a door.
Then, well lots of things happen in quick time.
Lothar hears a loud 'Spladoosh!' back from the way they just came from- he hangs back to investigate, odd thing- the flow of the effluent is to the west, and then suddenly- it's not, the tide turns to head east.
Lothar is a bit put out by this.
“I say fellers, I think there's something coming- something in the sewer- in the filth, coming this way.”
Fred and Olek wade back to Lothar to have a look.
Fergus meantime, after a bad roll or two, manages to fall backwards into the sewage, this after he tries to kick the door open- it seems to be stuck.
Fred & Olek are convinced- there's a biggish (possibly) something submerged in the effluent and it's definitely moving this way.
Someone shouts- “Quick!”
Which causes a few folk to have a memory.
Mystic Meg, the fortuneteller at the Schaffenfest said- “The key to the door is low to the floor, low to the floor by the door. Look behind the brick. Quick! Behind the brick! Quick!”
And sure enough-
There's the door- jerry-built, it shouldn't be here. Lothar discovers that there's something etched on the indicated lower-right brick, he quickly eases the stone out- in the hollow space beyond his torch reveals a key.
Then, back with Freddy & Olek and something big and very blobby rears up but briefly out of the river of filth and... the quartet (as the DM planned) make a quick exit of the sewer. Lothar gets the door open, there's a semi-lit cellar beyond the portal. The boatman 'Hallooo's' any inhabitants, apologising for their trespass but... then the rest of the gang bundle themselves, and him, into the cellar and slam the door shut swiftly behind them.
This after the Giant Amoeba heads into the minor sewer passage and starts flopping and gurgling its way towards them.
“Come in why don't ya!” A voice snaps from the far end of the newly revealed cellar chamber.
But the adventurers are pros at this, I've told you this before, and all four- even Fergus, take it in turns to offer an explanation for their incursion- vis they're looking for a well-endowed (three-legged) mutant goblin at the behest of the Bogenhafen authorities. Better still, and it's a difficult check, three out of the four of them are very convincing, even Fergus gets close to a success.
“We call 'im Blobbert!” The voice adds, and then- “Come in! Take a seat why don't ya!”
And so they do- heading over to the far end of the cellar and into the light, already sat at the large table there are three men.
Franz, cleaning his nails with a blade; and sat either side of him two slabs of muscle and meat in dark leathers- Rein and Rein, the pair have the look of gentle psychopaths (or else Hale & Pace- 'da Management').
The adventurers introduce themselves, and take seats- as requested, everyone is on absolutely their very best behaviour. Even Freddy is delightful.
Franz, of course, has plenty to say- a lecture in fact, about his favourite door- the door through which the PCs just entered, and the need for it's existence to be kept a secret.
The PCs interrupt to let Franz know how good they are at keeping secrets, with accompanying checks, and even though it's an easier check, it's still remarkable that they generate four more success. Even Fergus '“What door, I nivver seez any door?”, an old-time classic, is accompanied by a roll of '04' (automatic success), and he was testing on something like a '-1' with his penalties.
Franz is convinced. There's a little more chat about Blobbert, Franz recommends the use of torches- the Giant Amoeba doesn't like open flames, he even finds a few extras for the gang to have- no cost.
And in the mix of the chatter he lets slip, just one time, his full name- it's Franz Baumann.
But Olek, clever lad, catches it. No one else, just Olek.
The big man therefore tells his story, although the intro doesn't go well.
“Franz Baumann! I have a bag with the bones of your dead father back in my room at Inn.”
The opening gambit, as it turns out, requires more information- Franz let's Olek know with menaces.
Olek delivers the line and Franz Baumann kicks back his chair and is on his feet and with his dagger thrust close to the giant man's face.
Rein and Rein are likewise weapons ready, and as confused by the line as their boss.
“I have only just met you Olek Hass, it would be a shame for our friendship to be cut short!”
“Speak slowly- make sense of your previous statement, start at the beginning- tell me what you think you know.”
The rest of the adventurers are tense too, but... not even Freddy is up for the fight, they're figuring out how WFRP works, when to throw down- and when not too.
Olek, with help from his friends, tells everything that he knows- the ghost on the road to Altdorf- throat cut, the finding of the man's bones, the drawing of a bowman in the dirt. Bowman = Baumann, then the visitors book at the Coach & Horses- Johann Baumann.
Then, the words of Mystic Meg (Welsh accent) at the Schaffenfest, and in particular-
“Can I ask you love”, she aims her words at the retreating back of Olek, who turns- “who's the dead feller with a cut-throat that's following you around?”
“Something about a door, and a key... and a... brick, was it? Makes no sense at all to me.”
“He says you know who he is.”
“I think there's something behind that there door of his. I think you ought to find it an' open it.”
“It's your density, flowerpot.”
Olek has a remarkable memory, or else he just reads the words from the write up here, which serves the same purpose- a memory of what went before.
Franz broods for a while- eventually calls for a drink, Fergus joins him-it's a very fine Bretonnian wine that's on offer (over one crown a bottle). The dawi has to spend his last Fortune Point of the evening (he only has two) in order to not become Stinking Drunk and have to roll on the special table.
Here's Franz's issue-
“My father is... was, a very bad man- a very bad man to my mother. He left this place, and her- and me, and... he took with him the only thing we had at the time of any worth- a necklace, my mother's inheritance, an item she cherished dearly. He stole it to pay for one of his schemes, no doubt, and then he left us in Bogenhafen and in debt.”
“His treachery killed my mother, he broke her heart.”
Olek, of course, has an idea. He's full of them.
“The fortune teller, Mystic Meg, she says she can see your father, perhaps she can talk to his spirit- she could ask him what he did with this necklace... this heirloom? Yes? I could find out for you?”
He's a clever lad.
And so it comes to pass, or else Olek will try, and if he has any success he will return- not to this door but to the door of the Crossed Pikes, the Inn upstairs.
The PCs have made a friend in Bogenhafen, maybe.
Olek, a little later, had this to say-
“I hope we can help Herr Baumann, apart from the threats of violence et al he's by far the nicest person we've met so far in Bogenhafen.”
SCENE 2. It's Dark in Here.
Back into the sewer. As it turns out the minor sewer pipe here is a dead end, the Goblin must have gone down it both ways, the grate at the end of the channel is intact, impassable even to the Goblin.
Fergus soon picks up the trail again, here we are-
The darkness ahead is... somehow different. It seems to be moving. That's odd.
The moving darkness turns out to be a massive swarm of bats, a wall of squeaks, bites, and leathery flapping wings.
Olek mutters his first Prayer to Sigmar (he only acquired the talent at the start of the session) so successful is he the blessing extends even to his brother.
Retreat would involve running (and possibly falling in) and so Fergus leads the way- he hunkers down behind his shield, pressed tight to the wall, with his other hand swatting his burning torch before him- the rest of the gang swiftly follow suit.
The swarm is soon upon them- it takes a good thirty seconds to pass over them- so great are the numbers of bats down here, but- everyone emerges from the flying morass unscathed.
“Bluddy bats!” The dawi grumbles and kicks a few of the burnt ones that didn't make it past into the flow of the sewer to drift away.
It's at this point that most of the rest of the team start to acknowledge that Fergus is pretty much back in their good-books. He's earning his keep, at last.
We go on.
But not for long because suddenly the tracks are at an end- Fergus has to double back to check, and sure enough- the Goblin, he's certain, must have jumped (or waded) across to the other side of the channel.
Bugger!
We return to the leaping rules.
Moments later-
Fergus goes in face first, this after Frederich clears the gap in style- Olek attempts to employ Fergus (with his consent) as a stepping stone.
Spladoosh!
Olek goes in- which causes him to begin projectile vomiting everywhere- he's still not got used to the smell of the sewer. Olek is Stunned, but only one turn at a time, and he's mostly yacking up on Fergus who is helpfully trying to get the big man out.
This is Fergus' second immersion in the sewer, he's much less bothered, a little later he will offer the following to his co-workers.
“Jus gi'e us a second lads, I got-ta wring out me beard- it's full o' Olek's yack an' ev'ry wun else's poo.”
Olek voms some more.
Just to say because they spent half-an-hour in the cellar with Franz and the Rein's I allowed Fergus to make another check to get rid of some of his drunkeness- he failed, likewise I let Olek check to get over his Nausea, no dice.
Lothar, with help from his friends gets safely across.
Fergus finds the blood trail again.
We go on.
SCENE 3. Rats!
But not for long.
An equally massive swarm of rodents comes surging out of the tunnels ahead, and again the adventurers have to settle in to let them pass, there is more use of shields and torches to see the scampering mass off.
But again, they all emerge from the experience unscathed.
But a little further on still...
The rodent depicted is enormous, well... for a rat- it must be three feet tall to the shoulder and weigh something close to 100lbs.
Oddly the rodent is sitting above the flow of the sewage, on... an island in the filth, an island that floats in the flow- drifting slowly to the west.
Fergus, once again, takes charge.
Skipping forward a little to shout and holler- he makes a whole lot of noise, while flailing around with his torch. The rodent however is less than impressed by the approaching angry Dawi.
“Ger outta it ya ratty bugger!”
Olek says his second Prayer to Sigmar, and another success- he and Fergus are a little more emboldened.
Fergus skips forward some more and thunks the big rodent on the head with his burning torch.
Fergus was testing on a '19', he rolled a '15' and the Rat's Dodge was way over.
The singed, squeaking menace plunges into the flow and swims off as quick as it can go.
But hang on- the giant rat, it now seems, was standing on... a body, face down in the liquid filth- drifting with the flow down to the river.
Olek and Fred using their weapons manage to coral the dead body and then work it to the side of the channel, and from there lever it out of the filth.
It's a dwarf- with only one arm.
Note, when the adventurers spot this they collectively stop what they are doing in order to try to remember if they have met any one-armed dwarfs on their travels thus far.
None that they can remember.
Then they turn the body over and discover that it is Gottri, the dawi from the stocks outside the Schaffenefest Festival Court.
Fergus' friend, or else the fellow that he has been looking for.
It's an emotional moment, Fergus is quickly to the body.
“It can't be! He wa'... I jus' saw... I 'ad to... I mean...”
Fergus, still emotional- “Oh bloody 'eck!” leans in and begins whispering to Gottri (or else what's left of him), the other adventurers have no idea what's going on here- the Hass brothers think Fergus is offering up a prayer.
Which leads us to the tenderest moment of this session.
Frederich steps forward and places his hand near Fergus' shoulder- keep in mind Fergus is at this point absolutely slathered in naughty word and filth.
The Burner offers the following, in his most conciliatory tone-
“I am sorry for your loss Fergus, he was your father- yes?”
Last session, when we first met Gottri (albeit briefly) I described him as the filthiest, drunkest and most obnoxious and belligerent dawi in all of the Old World.
Fergus is not at all offended- there but for the grace of the God's etc.
He does however offer the following-
“I wur supposed ta g'ie 'im a message. Bugger!”
Just to say Bear- this isn't done yet, there's further to go on this road... ask me about it in the next session.
Also, remember Mystic Meg said to Fergus-
“I see your filthy, bloody body- face down, DEAD AS DEAD; in the putrid and turgid river.”
So, she was a bit off, but close enough.
Gottri's arm has been torn off, his chest cavity has also (like Adolphus') been ripped open- its contents are, again- as with the bounty hunter, missing- organs et al gone. Empty.
“The same as the Bounty Hunter!” Fred growls.
Then they work out that the body- moving with the flow, would have come from one of the two passages to the east. One of which they have just fully traversed.
A little later Fergus confirms, there are no more Goblin tracks to the east either. The mutant creature must have crossed the flow again here.
Which leads us to the above image, this time Lothar leaps the gap with ease and... all three of his colleagues fall in.
Frederich with a '98' and no more Fortune Points to spend.
We've only half-an-hour of the session left now however, time to get a move on.
SCENE 4. The Other Door.
The bloody mutant Goblin trail is taken back up again- and a little along the latest tunnel is... another door.
This door is a much better build, sturdy- but with a six inch by six inch barred viewing portal, alas the view within is hampered by the fact that's no light in the chamber beyond the door. It looks to be a large empty chamber, initially- somebody's cellar or basement, although, Olek finally spots (after a slew of bad rolls) that the barred viewing portal is slick with green Goblin blood.
The blood is mostly on the other side of the bars here, therefore the Goblin went in here.
The door is locked or else barred, but the PCs at this point are determined- Fergus gets his axe out, Lothar smashes with his mace, while Frederich uses his sword as a lever. It's a noisy to-do, but... it gets the job done.
All of the PCs repeat just the one word- it begins with 'F' and I can't write it here.
The room is a cellar, there's a pool of blood on the other side of the door, and a stark white bone- a pelvis, but not just any old pelvic bone- this one is for a small but well-endowed creature, or else a three-legged mutant Goblin.
In the center of the chamber is a circle and seven-pointed star pattern, the circle is a very skillfully manufactured piece of brass- very good work, Olek confirms this a few moments later, he spent a lot of years as a blacksmith's apprentice remember.
In the center of the strange inlaid symbol is etched a goat or else ram's skull, although the pattern is obscured by another pool of green mutant Goblin blood.
There's a closed and sturdy-looking cabinet over the far side of the chamber.
Eventually, and I do very much mean eventually, the PCs work up the courage to enter the chamber.
Olek helpfully captioning events-
“The work of the Dark Powers brother, not those imagined my friend- this is all very real!”
Freddy keeps his own council but nods along.
Although it's Fergus that heads all the way in, over on the far side of the chamber is something small and white on the floor- it turns out to be a handkerchief, silk no less, and with the initials- 'FS' in one corner.
It's at this point, as the folk are taking it all in that Lothar notices a wisp of smoke that suddenly appears in the center of the strange symbol.
Seconds later, and accompanied with gouts of coruscating smoke- purple and pink mostly, but effervescent, and in another place and time perhaps jolly and festive.
The Daemon appears.
But that's for next time.
The final XP table for this session is below, oh and you are down to half rations for the Session XP now, all the way to session 20, if it lasts that long.
PC
Franz &
Friends
Falling
in
Rats & Bats etc.
Dead Gottri
Goblin Pelvis
Session XP
Total
Fred
5
3
3
3
3
20
37
Fergus
5
3
4
4
3
20
39
Olek
6
3
3
3
3
20
38
Lothar
5
0
3
3
3
20
34
Oh, and you'll notice a column is missing from the above XP table- it's rumours, you need to keep checking for these, there are lots still to be found here, and they're worth one XP each. So, ask about- Gossiping will only add to the story.
The continuing adventures of the usual bunch of miscreants this time playing Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 4th edition, and The Enemy Within Campaign, of course.
SESSION #14 Who Can You Trust?
The PCs
Fergus McClean, Dwarf Scout (Guide) played by Bear.
Looks Like: Rough and ready-for-anything Dawi- a bit unkempt; constantly muttering and grumbling at Seamus his imaginary dog. Sounds Like: Northern 'I wur down t'mine', although taciturn, and always grumpy.
Frederich Hass, Human Witch Hunter (Interrogator) played by Jim.
Looks Like: Thick-set, tall with a resting angry face, never too far away from a snarl, otherwise well turned out. Sounds Like: Whispering menace, accusatory- probing, but charming when he wants to be. Accent is brooding (intelligent) cod-Russian (like a clever but menacing Daktari). Note he sees the hand of the Ruinous Powers behind every untoward event.
Lothar Jurgen Muller, Human Witch Hunter (Interrogator) played by Kev.
Looks Like: Neat, tidy, clean-cut, perhaps even a little dashing- the boy next door, but doable- and always with a smile on his face, and often in his eyes. Lothar carries his own embroidered place mat with matching knife and fork. Manners and civility are so important. Sounds Like: Civil, polite, formal, caring- and entirely without menace. He's a Paladin doing Witch Hunter, which may yet prove amusing.
Olek Hass, Human Artisan- Blacksmith (Apprentice) played by George.
Looks Like: Seven (plus) feet tall, and not too skinny with it- lithe and muscled, he's a giant- with wild eyes. Sounds Like: A camp Nazi constantly unfolding, expounding, and explaining the mystery of ongoing events, and seeing the presence of Sigmar everywhere.
Straight in and on with it this session.
The to do list, updated.
The bones of Johann Baumann, found on the road to Ubersreik, now carried by Olek, need to be interred within the precincts of Morr, or else given over to his family.
The Purple Hand cultists, why did they want to speak to Kastor/Lothar, what's going on here? Are they protecting the Magical Pickleman (Magister Impedimentae)?
SCHAFFENFEST! Tax free SHEEP!
Find the mutant Goblin in the sewers and then get paid, or else get dragged into a tangled web (see below).
Here we go some more.
MITTERFRUHL (Spring Equinox), 2512.
Bogenhafen.
Here's the Daemon-
Through the sewers on a wild-goose chase after the bleeding mutant three-legged goblin and all the way to a secret hidden temple, of the Ordo Septenarius- whoever they may be.
SCENE 1. Three (and Fergus) Against One.
Just to say in advance, the Daemon looked severely underpowered and so I bumped up all of its stats by 20, and added a chunk more in the way of wounds so that it wouldn't go away too soon. I also gave it a bit of Intimidate and a few other Skills and/or Talents.
Here goes it...
So, coruscating purple and pink smoke spews from the center of the magic circle, or at least that's what Olek's calling it- he's yammering up a storm atm. Sigmar is getting name-checked every 3 to 5 seconds. Back to the Daemon- lights flashing, coloured mist rolling the Daemon zips through time and space to be here- tonight.
A six foot lithely muscled humanoid be-sporting some strange amalgam of an insect and a bull for it's fiendish head- too many eyes and lashing tongues. It generates and then dissipates arms and hooked tentacles from its body, it writhes in ecstasy- churns the air with its horror-tango.
The shocked adventurers gawp long enough to be engulfed by the Daemon's wave of fear.
They stand sentry comprehending, only dully the sound that follows.
The Daemon gargles in its filthy tongue, the angular and discordant sound a trial to each and every listener, and yet...
Somehow, in the fug of the adventurer's mind's, sense is shaped-
“You must leave here! You must leave NOW! My Master says it! I told the three-legged creature the same thing- but it just dithered as you do now, and so I ATE IT!”
“You must leave this place! LEAVE NOW!”
Then I roll a '100' on my Intimidate check.
So, no-one is buying that. It's a contested check of course but no-one, not even Fergus has any problems getting more than my score (-4 SL & auto fail).
Then, in the first moments- with all the PCs gabbling at once, all the fear just washes away.
All four PCs make their Cool checks, three of them with style- although a Fortune Point also has to be spent. Only Fergus has one Fear left on him.
And so, and in very short order the following takes place.
Lother takes a step back, grabs out his bow and sinks an arrow into the writhing purple gargling maniac.
It strikes the creature in its chest, and because the shot is from point blank the Daemon attempts to dodge the missile, and rolls- '98'. Lothar rolls something in the teens.
The arrow hurts- a lot- it's phasing Daemonic form seemingly manifesting just in time to take the full force of the skewering missile.
The Daemon screams some more.
Olek prays, and for the third time (out of three) he is heard by Holy Sigmar, the Blessing of Battle is upon his brother- Frederich.
“For SIGMAR Frederich! FOR SIGMAR!”
Frederich Hass does not disappoint, he steps into the magic circle- sword and shield in hand, a blessing upon his lips.
“I will send you back to the pits of HELL! You will rue the day you tangled with Frederich Hass! BY SIGMAR!
And then he strikes.
It's a miss- 90-something.
Fortune Point?
Yep.
80-something.
I'm not having that!
Do you want to beseech the infernal powers? The DM croons.
THINKS
THINKS HARD
NO!
I want to spend a Resolve Point- I just rolled an '11', called shot.
And then we check to see if the Daemon was out or in phase (whether its going to take the hit) and, it takes the hit.
The Daemon's defensive roll- '100', my second one of the night.
The Daemon however is also Painless, which means it ignores most everything that comes with a Crit roll, but it takes the Conditions.
Bugger!
The Daemon is now Stunned 3.
Bugger!
Back to the film.
Frederich rolls and scampers, his shield and blade fending away limbs ending both with hands and with tentacle-talons- he dashes within the Daemon's reach and... skewers the fiend, ramming his blade clean through the foul creature's body.
The Daemon hisses, yet alive, and pushes the Witch Hunter, and his blade, free of it.
Note, the Daemon in the book would be down to one Wound left atm.
Frederich eyes the Daemon, who twists and turns on the spot, involuntarily clutching at the rent torn in its torso.
Frederich goes to speak, to issue another Sigmar-specific taunt, but then has to duck.
A rock sails way past the Daemon- closer to Olek's face than anyone else in the room, and from the far side of the chamber we here the battle cry of the drunken dawi.
“Shitting 'eck, ave yer seen it? Ave yer? Seen it? Ave yer? Ave yer seen it? Shitting 'eck, I think I've follered thru. Shitting 'eck! Do summats Burner. Do summats! Shitting 'eck!”
The Daemon staggers some more, attempts to throw off the fog that is at present engulfing its brain- it succeeds in clearing its thoughts, but only a little.
The Daemon is now Stunned 1.
The DM therefore cheats- Stunned means the Daemon can still move (half move) and defend itself- it just can't take an Action. Well, it's got a Free Action, an attack with its Horns (if it charges) so (and ignoring the last bit in brackets) the Daemon attempts to smash it's Horns into Frederich.
A kind of Stretch-Armstrong version of a headbutt, that's what I'm imagining.
Frederich however is up to the test, the (groggy) Daemon is easily kept at bay.
“Just like old times, eh Freddy”
Lothar drops his bow, draws his sword and steps into the magic circle*, seconds later and the Daemon has another stripe to add to it's collection, this time Lothar rolls '04' and the Daemon (Stunned & now two versus one) rolls something in the 70s.
*The magic circle thing- Olek (played by George) often does my work for me, so when Olek first saw the magic circle he said (or something similar)- “Do not step within, foul sorcery infects this place...” Then, whatever he says becomes canon, at least until someone proves him wrong. No-one, until Freddy did, was therefore keen to step into the magic circle. Job done. Thanks Olek/George.
My version of the Daemon had 28 Wounds to begin with, it has just three left.
Frederich steps forward, does another little speech- he's reading them from the web, Prayers to Sigmar et al.
Then cuts the Daemon's head off, or else cuts it down, and as quickly as it arrived- it's gone, only a sticky slightly herby smell in the air, and the waft of low level odd-coloured mist.
That was very underwhelming- at least from my side of the screen.
The Players- oh, they went doolally for a bit, Frederich gave a speech, Olek said a prayer or two and the dawi just repeated the phrase 'shitting 'eck' at odd intervals.
The adventurers, soon after, bust the place up looking for other clues (or else a reward) as to what's going on in here. They make notes, Olek has paper and charcoal, and they bag everything in their 'evidence' bag (a ratty old sack marked '4enziks').
Fergus gets his breath back, the Daemon experience was enough to make him throw off some of his Drunkeness, he's down to just Fatigue 1. Just in time to go home... but not before he smashes the doors off the big sturdy wooden (and locked) cupboard over the far side of the chamber.
Within are just three things- a bloody sacrificial dagger, on a silver tray, and a scroll containing very odd-looking squiggles and symbols. Olek believes it is a scroll of dark magic.
The evidence bag also contains the mutant three-legged goblin's picked clean pelvic bone, and a silk handkerchief bearing the monogram FS.
That done, the now very smug adventurers retreat out of the sewers.
Oh, but not before they collectively decide- this in their words- to return the secret temple to the state it was when they first entered here.
At which point I remind the adventurers that they attacked the door with axe, mace and sword and eventually smashed it clean in two; Fergus did something similar to the wooden cupboard within, and for a while Olek was trying to prize up the giant copper ring embedded in the floor.
So, yeah- it looks just like you found it.
All that's left of the sewer interlude here is to find out if Lothar can make it all the way back to the surface without falling in, everyone has been in for a dip except him.
And... with the spending of a Fortune Point (FP) he makes it, and on the last roll by just one point- he rolled his last Athletics check on the dot, after the FP.
The adventurers return to the Journeys End, deposit the ladder, get baths (paid for earlier), pay to have their clothes cleaned, have a last pint and then head on up the stairs to Bedfordshire.
Very content.
Very very content some of them.
“Olek did you see me when I stepped forward and I said to the Daemon...”
“Yes, Frederich, a thousand times, yes. I was there remember, brother. I was there.”
“I say you two chaps, would you mind keeping it down- just trying to catch a little bit of shut eye here, and what with...”
SNORT-FEWWWWWW! SNORT-FEWWWWWW! FAAAAAAAAART! SNORT-FEWWWW! SNORT-SNORT!
Aubentag, 1st Pflugzeit, 2512. Bogenhafen.
SCENE 2. Paying the Price.
The morning after.
The adventurers find their way to the breakfast table in the bar of the Journeys End, and... Frederich is so happy he's whistling a pleasant little tune, at one point he almost breaks into a smile, he is- as he reminds his colleagues, numerous times-
“I am leading my very best life.”
But what goes up, must come down- or else what goes in, must come out.
Jenkins delivers a note to the adventurer's breakfast table, although there's only Fred, Olek and Lothar enjoying the repast. The note is less a note and more a bill for their stay in the Journeys End, a bill for ten schillings.
Fred, and soon after Lothar too, are a little put out- their stay at the inn was being paid for- part of the package, and they've taken care of their part of the contract, they have the mutant goblin's pelvis as proof of this, and quite a story to tell, and so it comes as a shock when Odelina tells them-
“Contracts void, that Goblin you were after in the sewers, well- they got him, the little bugger was killed, squashed flat, in one of the warehouses down on the Ostendamm.”
There follows a short amount of apoplexy, but Odelina is insistent- 10 schillings or else she calls the Watch, and just to make clear- it was the Watch that told her about the dead Goblin when they came and got their ladder back early this morning.
The three adventurers are outraged (for a bit) Olek even takes to waving the Goblin's pelvis around for a while.
But then the screaming starts.
The screaming comes courtesy Pansy, a maid at the inn, the cause of her strife, well- I'll let Pansy explain.
“Odelina! ODELINA! Come quickly mistress, there's a dirty dawi shitting in the back passage!”
Let's take a step back.
On exiting the sewers I, of course, got the PCs to make some checks- for wound infection and for diseases, and guess who- forgive the turn of phrase- came up trumps?
Fergus has got the Galloping Trots, and has just failed to escape the inn in time (four turns) in order to safely evacuate his bowels, and so- Pansy discovers a frantic Fergus rattling the back door of the establishment trying and failing to unlatch the latch and then, while staring at the poor women, pulling down his trews and 'letting go' in the aforementioned back passage.
Not a pleasant sight.
Then, well... things take a turn for the worse.
Eventually Lothar, Olek and Fred pay the bill- and a little extra besides, what with Fergus' liquid filth on the rug and up the walls, they then collect their stuff and leave the inn. In truth a chunk of the bill was paid by Fergus- whose gear was still in the room. The dawi meantime has to hide in an outbuilding while his comrades finish their repast, gather his- and their- things and then leave the establishment.
At which time they also catch up with a very pale-faced Fergus.
“I don't feel right, everything in wanna come out!”
The PCs however have bigger fish to fry.
They're much less content it seems.
After a brief chat amongst themselves- next stop is to see Dr. Malthusias, proprietor of the Zoocopeia, to see what he has heard- after all, he's out a Goblin.
SCENE 3. They Can't Keep Away From The Schaffenfest.
Although the faire is far from in full swing yet, the Temple of Sigmar has only just sounded nine bells. Dr. M is however soon located- there were pictures in game but no-one took a snap.
After Olek shows the mutant goblin's pelvis to Dr. M the whole group retire to his caravan for brandy and pipes, and a chat about what happens next.
The PCs learn from Dr. M that having heard that the goblin had been killed in a warehouse he went along to the Town Hall and put in a request to have the body of the creature given back- it's his property after all, his thinking being he would get the dead thing stuffed- a static exhibit. But the Town Hall, very quickly, denied his request- the mutant Goblin's body was so badly damaged as to be beyond pale. All of his other questions were either dismissed or else ignored.
And now the PCs are showing him the pelvic bone of said mutant Goblin, and telling tales about Daemon summoning in secret temples in the sewer. Dr. M is out of his depth, or else- well, as far as he's concerned he's going to be keeping his head down, because- as he puts it-
“So the Town Hall are covering it up, and it looks like the Watch are involved too...”
Dr. M, while trying to convince the PCs to get involved and find out more, is however not going to be sticking his neck out, if the PCs have questions that he can answer then he's happy to chat.
He will however also be accompanying the adventurers to their next port of call, which is- the Festival Court here at the Schaffenfest, the PCs want to have a chat with Judge Richter there.
Note, the PCs are also trying to figure out atm how much of their story they are going to be telling, and how they need to spin their tale.
This after Dr. M's last line-
“Who do you trust in Bogenhaffen?”
Which resulted in a very small list- the first three names the PCs offered included Dr. M (who isn't from Bogenhafen), Josef from the barge (also not from Bogenhafen) and I can't remember the third name- but he or she was also, as it turns out, not from Bogenhafen.
In fourth place came Franz Baumann, which isn't a bad shout.
SCENE 4. Beak! Beak! Beak!
Just to say, other than the Malaise, Flux (Moderate) and Nausea then Fergus is doing okay atm, although that is of course relative. He's -10 on most things social, and -30 on anything physical because his back is out (plus Malaise) but that's a pretty normal state of affairs. For Fergus.
It would be fair to say that Bear is not enjoying Fergus atm. Cruel people would say- you made your bed now lie in it.
And so...
You made your bed now lie in it, or else change something. Like try not to destroy your own PC every chance you have. Change- you can just say it and it's done- Fergus has seen the light (or whatever it is that he's seen). It is that simple.
Back to court, and Judge Richter, although the gang have to hang around a while to get seen, but not too long.
Richter remembers the crew, of course he does, and goes out of his way to offer his commiserations, repeating the story the PCs heard from Odelina but adding a little more detail. The mutant goblin was killed at Warehouse #4 on the Ostendamm, apparently a crate fell on the creature and crushed it, the building he relates is owned by the Steinhager merchant family.
“Is that Franz Steinhager?” Olek asks, in point of fact- guessing.
“It is, he's a big man in the town of Bogenhafen, a very wealthy merchant.” Judge Richter let's them know.
And then...
And then...
The dam breaks.
The PCs had a plan for this- what they would say, what they wouldn't say etc.
Initially (for about thirty seconds) they stick to their plan and then... it all comes out, including the evidence bag and all of its contents- mutant goblin pelvis, monogrammed handkerchief (FS = Franz Steinhager), Daemon summoning magical scroll (possibly), sacrificial dagger, etc.
Judge Richter is... more than a little perplexed, he tries to make some of the things the PCs say go away but, when they remember (eventually) to make some checks they're all good- the PCs are therefore very convincing.
Two things come of this.
Judge Richter agrees to ask around at the Town Hall- he has a meeting there at midday today, he will be back at the Festival Court later on, he therefore schedules another meeting with the PCs at three bells here, to report on what he has discovered, if anything.
Note, Frederich warns Richter to be careful who he tells this information to, because-
“The forces of darkness have power here. Here in Bogenhafen.”
Richter thanks the kindly (and yet sinister) Witch Hunter but is clearly amused at the thought.
If after the PCs second meeting with the Judge there is still some doubt or else concern, then Richter will order Sgt Dicky Trubshaw and his men to accompany the PCs back into the sewer and to the 'secret temple' they found, at least then the city authorities can see the situation for themselves.
The PCs are happy with the outcome of their meeting, but they've still got plenty to do, and we're fast running out of time in this session.
SCENE 5. Pap! Pap! Pap!
The PCs rush to the tent of Mystic Meg, they have a friend in Bogenhafen- they've remembered, at last, or else they think that Franz Baumann could possibly be a good source of information, and so getting on his good side would be no bad thing.
There are no more pictures it seems, and so let's just dive into the meat of it, Mystic Meg invites the PCs in, silver passes hands, and soon after we're off.
The culmination of the reading is as follows- when asked directly about the location of the necklace/family heirloom that Johann Baumann absconded with Mystic Meg screams the following in Frederich's face-
Followed an awkward amount of seconds later with the screeched-
“BLACKIE KNOWS!”
The last two words screamed at volume 11 if you please.
But she's not finished yet, free of charge and with no questions asked, she also shares the following, sing-song Welsh accent-
“I see seven, and two. One of the two will destroy the others, and many more besides.”
And lastly- she gets a bit excited towards the end of this one too-
“The great killed the small, and the highest serve the lowest. You are in great danger! THE EYE IS UPON YOU ALL!”
So, that's nice. Money well spent.
But here's the thing- “Pap! Pap! What now? Wha's the ol' bat on about?” Fergus is confused, and so Olek, and then the others wrack their memory- and then think to look at the write up here.
The following extract from their first session-
The PCs order drinks- two pints of Fondleburger's Famous (Lothar & Olek), a pint of 'Eavy Erpin Stout (Fergus) and a bottle of Blau Gottenschwester for Frederich, he couldn't afford the Chateau Pap-Neuf-Pap-Pap-Neuf-Pap-Neuf-Pap-Pap-Pap! But at six schillings a bottle few can.
Copy and paste ends.
Gustav, the fat landlord of the Coach & Horses tried to sell Freddy a bottle of the most expensive wine he had, a dusty bottle of the aforementioned Chateau.
And Blackie?
Blackie is Gustav's parroting pet Crow, who was also interviewed (yes, really) by the suspicious Frederich Hass, who moments earlier had just located the name of Johann Baumann in the inn's register. The adventurer's encountered Johann's ghost just up the road from the inn of course.
In short the crow took it.
Which Frederich duly deduces.
If I could afford a cut scene right know it'd go like this.
Looking down on the smokey bar of the Coach & Horses, Gustav and Earpin pulling pints for smiling chattering coach travelers.
The camera pans up to the full frontal face- beak and beady-eyes of Blackie. The Crow has a bald-spot down one side of its face and neck, courtesy of Phillipe Descartes shot to the heavens.
Kaw!
The bird hops, rafter to rafter, across the length of the inn and into a darkened corner, where a web of slats, and laths, and beams meet. There in the shadow is a nest, a copious construction made from all manner of sticks, twigs and oddities, and within we spy, through Blackie's beady-eye- a strew of things that shine, prized above all the fat chain-linked silver necklace sporting four clean cut rose emeralds, each one as big as an (apprentice) dawi blacksmith's thumb.
But there we leave our story for a little while.
The final XP table for this session is below, oh and you are down to half rations for the Session XP now, all the way to session 20, if it lasts that long.
PC
Daemon
Journeys
End
Dr. M & Judge Richter
Mystic Meg
Rumours
Session XP
Total
Fred
12
3
3
3
0
20
41
Fergus
8
1
3
3
0
20
35
Olek
9
3
3
3
0
20
38
Lothar
9
3
3
3
1
20
39
Keep Gossiping, there are still more Rumors to be had.
