|WFRP 2ed.| The roots of evil-Scenario 1

[Mirku]

Time: 2528, 20th Erntzeit(Harvest Month). It’s a Konistag(King day).

This harvest month has been full of rain, which has made travel for you and your companions very troublesome. In the evening, during one of these rainstorms, you reach the gate of the farming village of Fleischholz. As you approach the gate you see two watchmen wearing heavy raincoats. Through their hoods you see one of them is a young lad with blond hair and green eyes and the other probably his father with thinning blond hair and the same green eyes. The father speaks: “Halt travelers, what business do you have in Fleischolz?”

[-Sentinel-]

That's a pretty good question, thought Stefan. I, too, wonder what I'm doing here, besides freezing my bones.

He had been following vague whispers of a necromancer in this part of the Empire, but that's not the kind of thing you tell a watchman. And truth to be told, Stefan was not even sure this necromancer was anywhere near Fleischholz, if he even existed at all. He decided to wait for his companions to answer in his stead: no one trusted the word of a Strigany, anyway, especially in the countryside.

[Guardsman]

The Bretonnian Rat Catcher looked to his fellows as well while his little rascal Guilles yipped at his master in the freezing rain. He wasn't too keen on why in all the Empire they came here so he said the obvious.

"Well I guess we're here sir 'cause we're looking to make some coin? Ain't that right lads?" He said while being slightly cheery and a tad bit confused, not like he's been many places in the Empire.

Carloman picked up the little dog Guilles and attempted to keep the little guy out of the rain since the little bastard was getting drenched.

[Gunther]

The Dwarf, Tordek, looked over the two boys before flashing a wide, toothy grin. Across his back, a large halberd- made in the usual fine standard of the Dwarven people- had been strapped to his backside with loose leather. An iron flask hung from his hip, the basic leather attire on his body meant for a minimum modicum of decency.

"Aye'm here to fight." He said, looking over both father and son. "An' I ain't got no qualm with you two. Any monsters been sighted in the area? Beastmen? Goblins? Any of their ilk?"

[Mirku]

"What we're fighting can't be touched with cold steel, dwarf," The father spoke with a grim face. "But by Taal's teeth, I cannot speak of it."

The son steps for and addresses all of you, "We'll let you in now, I highly suggest you go to the versunkene Korn and book a room there, it's the only inn in town and you might find news of work there. Just follow the main road north to the festenplatz, the Korn is to your right."

The pair unlocks the gate and opens it, you hastily walk in and see a large road leading north. The father- and son duo bid you good luck and close the gate, leaving only the sound of the rain.

[Gunther]

Tordek cocked an eyebrow at the father, before seeing the gate open. As he waddled inside, his hand dipping towards his flask, he grumbled to himself.

"Ain't nothin' steel can't fix. Neither Gor nor gutter-runner is immune to it, an' I'm mighty doubtin' that anythin' plaguing these parts won't die to a good chunk of metal betwixt the eyes."

Looking towards the road, he wondered as to why they would wall off a section seemingly so far away from the actual town. It made no sense to use so much timber for seemingly so little purpose. Then again, Tordek considered wooden walls questionable at best- what use was an easily flammable material? Stone was true, and it would take magic of a high order to ever even think of burning stone, let alone reinforced stone.

He smacked the Human peasant, the Rat Catcher, was it? Yes, he smacked him upon the arm, nodding towards the road ahead.

"Are ye familiar with these lands, manling?" He inquired, looking up the road.

[Guardsman]

Carloman looked at the Dwarf for a moment in the cold rain with a **** eyebrow, amazed that the dwarf was that clueless of where he was from even with the very thick accent. He looked to the road the Dwarf peered at and then back at the Dwarf once more in the silence of the rain.

"You...do know I'm bloody Bretonnian don't you..? I don't know a lick of nothing about where we are, let alone why we came here other than to make a damned profit. You're listening to a damned Dragon if you think I know anything about the empire so ask the Bounty Hunter. Lad seems to know a thing or two." He said while pointing to his fellow Stefan.

Carloman decided to walk inside the town while using his rat pole as a walking stick. His dog Guilles seemed cold enough as is so the inn would be an excellent place for his little pooch to dry off and walk about.

[Gunther]

"Talkin' to a dragon?" Tordek asked, looking at the human as though he were touched in the head. He probably was touched in the head, especially if he were carrying around such a tiny dog instead of a purebred attack hound or some other mighty beast.

"Bah...ye ain't a dragon, manling. An' I sure as hells don't know what a gut-rottin' Breton is. That a Karak you Empire folk hail from?"

[Guardsman]

Carloman looked down at the Dwarf while carrying his pooch and shook his head at the "dragon" comment. He decided it was time to educate a dwarf...a peasant educating someone? Isn't that a first? Seemed like a first.

"Of course I know I'm not a damned dragon, it's a saying for calling someone crazy. Where I'm from it's a local saying we go using every day. Bretonnia is the lands where I'm from, ruled by bloody nobles. Don't know what a Karak is, sounds like a damned disease. But when I start saying things that sound weird it's 'cause that is common where I am bloody from."

He breathed in for a moment and he let out a long sigh while moving along to the inn. He was keeping Guilles from the rain because the dog was beginning to smell already.

[-Sentinel-]

"I've never been here before," commented Stefan, just loud enough to be heard over the sound of the rain. "Strange country. I've seen stranger ones, of course..."

He allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts, but the only things he was able to think about were a fireplace, a hot meal and a bed.


We should open an OOC thread to keep our character sheets handy.

[Mirku]

[OOC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8619185#post8619185)]

(I'll assume you three enter the inn)

“As you enter the inn you feel the warmth from the fireplace crawl onto your skin. The inn is mostly empty except for a trio of farmers drinking ale quietly at a table in the corner, a shady looking Halfling playing with some dice whilst smoking a pipe and a dwarven innkeeper whose ancient grey eyes are fixed upon your group as you enter the inn.”

[Gunther]

Tordek met the gaze of the innkeeper, the fellow dwarf's wizened features indicating someone with great experience. Experience that Tordek was reminded of quite vigorously. He felt a great measure of respect for those that found work outside of the Karak, and his own profession- albeit eventually fatal- would benefit from a kindred spirit to aid him on his way to a great doom.

"Hail." He spoke in Khazalid, "A beer for myself, and whatever piss-water these two will drink." He gestured to his comrades, "I hear there is trouble about as well. Is there anything I can do to help? Or anything you can offer?"

[-Sentinel-]

"A glass of water for me," murmured Stefan. "And a hot meal. Whatever you have, as long as it's filling."

[Guardsman]

Carloman walked to a stool and took off his cloak and wrapped it around his wet pooch. Poor guy was wet and cold as is so he needed some warmth. The Bretonnian peasant looked to the Dwarf and gave the man a good smile.

"I'll be taking some ale, a meal for myself, and a meal for Guiles here. Little warriors been hungry for awhile now. Also don't want to be a mite biting at your hide but we're looking to stop the troubles here..for coin o'course."

[Mirku]

The inn keeper looks at Tordek and replies in khazelid, "It's been a long time since I've heard my ancestors tongue," He places a steel tankard on the bar and fills it with beer. "First one's on the house, may you be cured of your shame soon."

The dwarf follows up by serving two plates of a thick stew to Carloman and Stefan before throwing a pig's leg at Guiles. He then pours in two pints of ale. "I don't serve water here stranger, but this human ale tastes pretty much the same to me." He then takes an abacus and starts counting. "That'll be twelve brass for the dark-haired one and seventeen brass for the rat-catcher," the dwarf says slowly, making sure he hasn't counted wrong.

"As for what's going on, I suggest you speak to those three," he says as he point to the table where the three peasants sit. "I mostly keep to myself in this town so I don't know the details, but word is there's plague going around, combine that with harsh rain and our town won't be having much of a harvest this year.. or so I've heard."

[-Sentinel-]

Without a word, Stefan slid a shilling on the counter, took his tankard of ale and walked over to the other table, hoping to be accepted into the three peasants' conversation.

Gossip test (31): [roll0]

[Gunther]

Tordek nodded, "And may Grimnir smile on my death." He replied, before turning to the humans, tankard in hand. Rather than the sort of Elven subtlety one might expect when entering a conversation, hoping for the participants to welcome you into it like some sort of stray yak that walks a little lopsided, he sipped on the beer. It was fair enough, especially since a Dwarf was the one to ensure it remained well into its prime in such a despondent area.

"I hear there's a spot of trouble goin' round these parts, manlings?" He inquired, his voice rumbling as he spoke. The beer was good, and a nice beer always served to raise Tordek's spirits.

[Guardsman]

Carloman paid the dwarf his fee and walked not far from Guilles covered in his cloak and gnawing on a pigs leg. The Bretonnian rat catcher had a bowl and spoon in hand since he would rather stand and eat while listening to the peasants on what all the hubub is about. He spoke to the peasants with spoon in hand and slightly still eating the stew. I guess it was best if he spoke like a regular old peasant than acting like an upstanding citizen since people took more kindly to those types.

"Now I've been hearin' that you lot has some troubles eh'? Me and the lads 'ere can solve 'em for the right price and there ain't seem to be anyone else offerin' to help."

[Mirku]

(I rolled gossip for the ones that didn't do it themselves, I rolled quiet well.)

You three sit at the table with the peasants and they introduce themselves as Pieter, Fred and Hans. You begin talking to them for information.

They tell you that the town has trouble with the harvest because of the heavy rain and a plague of ‘Neighlish Rot’ and that the mayor will pay good money for people willing to go down the sewers and kill all the rats there since the town rat catcher is sick himself and no one in town dares to go down there.

Haug von Suttner has come here a week after the plague started and has been selling cheap medicine and has been treating the peasants for free. He’s their savior really and a devote to Shallya.

The towns’s mostly empty, some peasants are sick and stay at home while the ones who are healthy work their asses off harvesting the fields.

After this hearty conversation it has become quiet late, the halfling that was smoking a pipe has gone up the staircase to presumably his room. The Innkeeper calls for you to settle for a room or a bed in the common room, reminding you there are no other room available in town and sleeping outside with this weather is insane.

[-Sentinel-]

"I think I've heard of neiglish rot," said Stefan gloomily. "Nasty. But why chase rats? Why not just drop arsenic into the sewers? That's what they do in many towns, and it's very efficient."

He was not too eager to go down into a stinking pit to kill disease-ridden rats. And truth to be told, the lives of strangers mattered little to him.

[Mirku]

"Arsenic? Wuts dat, some kind of poison?" Pieter asks after hearing Stefan's comment. "I'm afraid I've never heard of towns that uses this 'arsenic' but if it works feel free to propose it to the mayor," Fred says.

The dwarf innkeeper speaks up again, "I'm closing soon strangers, so if you're planning to stay the night, settle it now so I can get some damn shut-eye."

[Guardsman]

Carloman gives a frown to his companion Stefan for the idea of Arsenic since it begins to rule out the chance for coin. He slurps down the rest of his stew and takes his mug of ale from the bar in hand. With a slurp he waggles his finger the peasants way.

"Well if yer' needing some help with rats my man I got the know how to be killin' rats. If the pays good I'll be sure to be killing these rats lest there be somethin' you ain't telling me..'cause I'm not walking into no Mousillon curse. Just tell the Mayor some lads are on the way to be seeing him in the morning 'cause I got to get some shut eye."

Carloman decided to take another slurp of beer, get his cloak and his dog and go off to the commons for some good ol' shut eye.

[Gunther]

Tordek simply frowned at the prospect of hunting rats of all things. Surely, this whole village wouldn't be afflicted by the plague if it was just rodents- a plague that, apparently, had ailed their very own rat catcher? (Who, by definition, was someone meant to prevent the plague from ever becoming an issue)

He nodded to the bartender, "This is fine beer, and I wish you well in your business. I'll take a spot near the fireplace for the night."

Placing four silver down, well beyond the worth of such a spot, he finished off his tankard before placing it back down on the countertop. A Mayor, eh? He'd pay the manling a visit.

"I'll be back later." He said in Reikspiel, before departing through the doorway. He'd have to hunt down this Mayor- no doubt situated in the most extravagant and ridiculously oversized household. Manlings were strange that way- always taking more than what they needed in life.

[-Sentinel-]

"How much are your rooms?" asked Stefan, untying the string of his purse.

Usually he would rather sleep outside: he had an aversion to comfort. But tonight, in that kind of rain, he'd probably drown in his sleep if he did.

[Mirku]

@ Sentinel: "A shilling will do fine," the innkeeper replies. He takes your money as offered and gives you a key to your room. "It's on your right as you go up the stairs, you can't miss it."

@Gunther: As you stand outside you begin to realize that not only do you don't know your way here, the rain is limiting your vision and it's freezing. And since it has become quiet late the mayor probably isn't receiving random visitors. And if the inn is closing how will you be able to sleep in your overpaid spot?

@Guardsman: The peasants tell you that if you go the mayor's office north-west of the Festenplatz you will be able to speak to him yourself. The commons aren't the classiest place to sleep but you fall asleep as soon as you close your eyes, exhausted by the journey.

[-Sentinel-]

After downing his stew, Stefan climbed the stairs to his room and let himself collapse on the bed without taking the time to undress.

[Gunther]

Rain and frost rendering visibility nil, Tordek decided- instead- to take his place by the fireside. It'd help him contemplate better what questions to ask, and what to look for. The night was still young, and though Tordek had little intent on going after rodents, he was certain that this plague had a cause much more complex than "The rat catcher caught it first".

[Mirku]

Time: 2528, 21th Erntzeit(Harvest Month). It’s an Angestag (Start week).

As morning breaks you are awakened by the sound of a rooster screaming it's lungs out at the sight of the sun. The inn is opened once more and the innkeeper has begun cleaning the bar. You hear in the distant the sound of labor, people lifting and dropping good, merchants perhaps?

[-Sentinel-]

Stefan woke up in a much better mood: he did not mind the rain all that much, but he still preferred a sunny day. A rare smile playing on his lips, the young Strigany left his bedroom and went down the stairs to take a walk in the village before breakfast.


If he meets anyone, Stefan will try to learn the latest news and rumors, especially about the disease.

Gossip (31): [roll0]

[Mirku]

Merchants have arrived and have set shop at the festenplatz though they don't draw much customers due to the plague. You learn that Haug von Suttner has visited the sick peasant homes again last night to treat them but now he's missing and the mayor is frantic, with the plague spreading and their only doctor gone the crops and peasants are sure to perish.

[-Sentinel-]

Stefan entered Tordek's room without knocking to wake him up.

"Hey. Wanted to meet the mayor, didn't you? I'm coming with you. There's trouble today, and I believe he'll need our help."