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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9589521" data-attributes="member: 16069">LETTERS FROM THE OLD WORLD.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 PCsFergus 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.<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The bones of Johann Baumann, found on the road to Ubersreik, now carried by Oleg, need to be interred within the precincts of Morr.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">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)?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">SCHAFFENFEST! Tax free SHEEP!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Find the mutant Goblin in the sewers and then get paid.</li> </ol>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.[ATTACH=full]396798[/ATTACH]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-[ATTACH=full]396799[/ATTACH]It's dark in here. Lothar gets a torch passed down.Soon after all of the adventurers make it to the spot.[ATTACH=full]396800[/ATTACH]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.[ATTACH=full]396801[/ATTACH]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.[ATTACH=full]396802[/ATTACH]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).[ATTACH=full]396803[/ATTACH]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-  [ATTACH=full]396804[/ATTACH]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.[ATTACH=full]396805[/ATTACH]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.[ATTACH=full]396806[/ATTACH]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-[ATTACH=full]396807[/ATTACH]The darkness ahead is... somehow different. It seems to be moving. That's odd.[ATTACH=full]396808[/ATTACH]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-[ATTACH=full]396809[/ATTACH]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.[ATTACH=full]396810[/ATTACH]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...[ATTACH=full]396811[/ATTACH]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.[ATTACH=full]396812[/ATTACH]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.[ATTACH=full]396813[/ATTACH]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.[ATTACH=full]396814[/ATTACH]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.[ATTACH=full]396815[/ATTACH]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.      <table style='width: 100%'><tr><td style='width: 45px'>PC</td><td style='width: 58px'>Franz & Friends </td><td style='width: 60px'>Falling in </td><td style='width: 81px'>Rats & Bats etc. </td><td style='width: 80px'>Dead Gottri </td><td style='width: 80px'>Goblin Pelvis </td><td style='width: 108px'>Session XP </td><td style='width: 55px'>Total </td></tr><tr><td style='width: 45px'>Fred</td><td style='width: 58px'>5 </td><td style='width: 60px'>3 </td><td style='width: 81px'>3 </td><td style='width: 80px'>3 </td><td style='width: 80px'>3 </td><td style='width: 108px'>20 </td><td style='width: 55px'>37 </td></tr><tr><td style='width: 45px'>Fergus</td><td style='width: 58px'>5 </td><td style='width: 60px'>3 </td><td style='width: 81px'>4 </td><td style='width: 80px'>4 </td><td style='width: 80px'>3 </td><td style='width: 108px'>20 </td><td style='width: 55px'>39 </td></tr><tr><td style='width: 45px'>Olek</td><td style='width: 58px'>6 </td><td style='width: 60px'>3 </td><td style='width: 81px'>3 </td><td style='width: 80px'>3 </td><td style='width: 80px'>3 </td><td style='width: 108px'>20 </td><td style='width: 55px'>38 </td></tr><tr><td style='width: 45px'>Lothar</td><td style='width: 58px'>5 </td><td style='width: 60px'>0 </td><td style='width: 81px'>3 </td><td style='width: 80px'>3 </td><td style='width: 80px'>3 </td><td style='width: 108px'>20 </td><td style='width: 55px'>34 </td></tr></table>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.Stay safe and well.Cheers goonalan et al.</blockquote>

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