Blackhearts: Valnir's Bane

[UserClone]

It's approximately 2 AM. Normally, most of the people in this room wouldn't be awake at this hour. Of course, normally most of them wouldn't be in this room, either. The cell is rather spacious, or rather would be, but for the sheer number of men crammed into it. Among the eight present are an enormously muscular man whose balding pate contrasts strongly with the full beard and ponytail he sports, a rather pompous-looking fellow clad in the fine, if rather dirty, robes of a noble or knight, and a very young-looking lad, perhaps only of sixteen summers or so. Additionally, there are a couple of ordinary-looking pikemen, clearly taken from the fields to work at a different sort of reaping. In the far corner, a halfling sulks, his head hanging low. A Dwarf, markedly a slayer by his strange mohawk hairdo and tattoos, sings a hearty song, apparently unable to grasp the situation. There is an elf who sits quietly to one side, observing the others, wary of all of them. And finally, a man with ash blond ear-length hair and cold, steel-gray eyes cracks his knuckles as if challenging any who wish to fight him to do so. As his fists curl around one another, a couple of missing digits are visible on his hands.

So where, then, are these men of dubious honor? As has been said, it's 2 AM. Looking out the barred window, one can see a couple of torches lighting the work of a man outdoors. It is the hangman, who is setting up the gallows. There is room only for four men to be hung at once, so evidently, four of you must watch the others die before you. The hangman seems to be setting one rope extremely low, perhaps to accommodate a Dwarf or Halfling neck. The window is a bit above eye level, but the bottom of the window is barely a couple of inches above the level of the ground outside. The one door to the cell is very thick and made of sturdy oak, with a single barred window at about eye level, and a smaller sliding door through which food can be slipped. You've all been here for three days or less, but that's three days too many. From outside the window, you can hear the hangman's gallows creak as a stiff, chill wind blows across the courtyard.

[littlebottom]

the dwarf hears the creak of the gallows and wonders momentarily what it is. but soon decides that as he cant see out the window anyway, what did it matter? "bit windy in 'ere, aint it?" he says in reikspeil and continues twiddling his thumbs singing in khazalid smiling to himself as he remembers his home in the mountines.

he lets his mind wonder for a bit, hmm its nice company in here. but why are we still here its been days hasnt it? but still slightly too lost in his thoughts to think too deeply into the matter.

[Xsesiv]

The halfling punches the wall and makes as if he is going to stand and announce something but seems to think better of it, then he stands up and shouts out.

"Alright! I don't give a damn what any of you did, but I know I don't deserve to be in here! So I'm getting out first chance I get. Who's with me?"

[littlebottom]

the dwarf says "what, where you going? can i come?" in a somewhat bewildered voice. the dwarf then moves towards the door and tries to open it. "huh, hey its locked! who did tha'?" and tries his best to squeeze out of the small slideing part of the door who locked the damn door? not lettin' us all out. you would of thought they wanted us to stay in there

[UserClone]

"Oh, pipe down won't you, little one?" grumbles one of the pikemen. "Yeah, we're all innocent men, here. Me an' Hals here was jes' doin' our duty when t' enemy happened to skewer our cowardly runnin' captain." They exchange a look, and then share an inward grin. "What's yer name, lil' fella? Like he said, I'm Hals, and he's Pavel."

"Friend, I can assure you that you won't fit more than a few of those stubby fingers through that slot," offers the large gentleman to the confused Dwarf.

[drum-n-bass]

Jorg sits off in his corner mumbling to himself in Kislevian. He then bursts out Hahahahahahahaha*evil laugh*...............I actually killed a man on purpose............Wait....two men. But I was drunk and they said something about me, or my mother being a whore. So I off'd their heads. He then gets up to show his physical power and to stretch out his legs. Going over to the door he checks out to see how strong the oak is.

[littlebottom]

maybe 'is right, maybe i can't fit outa tha door? the dwarf stands up, then lets gravity take his legs from under him and lands flat on his backside and folds his arms, "thats no fun, got nufink to do now." then he watches the human wander over to the door. "hey! your doin' somefink, can i 'elp? the dwarf hops to his feet amd mimics the man looking at the door, "you thinkin' what i'm thinkin'?" the dwarf turns back to the door and begins to headbutt it, rather hard and rythmically. till eaither the door gives in or his head bleeds. to the dwarf, they had about equal chances of happening.

[drum-n-bass]

Oh,Hohohohoho. Ye are a lil' funny man. The Kislev says laughing.

[littlebottom]

"oh aye? lil eh? that i might be but i dont go round callin' you tallie do i now? ... tallie!" the dwarf continues banging his head on the door, and starts singing, pauseing momentarily as his head hits the door each time

[Xsesiv]

"My name, you arrogant Sorehead, is Ludo Baldurich and I plan to get out of here. As I said, I care not what you did, though now I know you are cold-blooded murderers, I will rest. I amputated a nobles arm, because the damage to it was causing him to bleed out, and he would otherwise have died. If I can be hanged for doing my job, I am leaving the Empire as soon as I can. If you two want to die, that's fine by me."

The halfling then moves over to the men trying to open the door. He runs at it with his full weight and launches a double-footed kick at it, which has no chance of succeeding, but he is so desperate he does not care much. He looks quite demented as he bounces off the door and lands on the floor painfully.

[littlebottom]

the dwarf sidesteps out the way at the last second "what ya go an' do that for?"

[UserClone]

"Oy! You lot! Back away from the door! Now!" calls one of your guards, which is strange, because in your limited experience, none of the night guards tend to say a word to the prisoners, let alone open the door, from which you now hear the scraping of the key turning slowly. Listening in the ensuing hush, you can also hear the shuffle of several pairs of boots, and the clicking of more than one firearm being cocked. "Back away, I said, unless ye' want to meet yer' maker early!"

[Xsesiv]

Consumed by impotent rage, the Halfling will back away from the wall as far as possible and deliver a wry aside to the Dwarf. "Hey, these guys look like a bunch of wussies! I bet you could take them on your own!"

[littlebottom]

the dwarf smiles at the halfling "ah now we be seein' eye to eye!" the dwarf jumps to the side of the door and presses agiants the wall as he is so small he is harder to notice next to the door. he was looking forward to this.

as soon as the door opens the dwarf will grab the closest mans arms and pin them to his side by means of a bear hug. holding him in the door way so the other guards cant shut the door and also a human shield so the others cant shoot (just say any rolls you want for that or do them yourself as you open the door)

[Draxonicar]

suddenly the elf speaks up CALM DOWN! he shoutsSome of us are trying to enjoy our last moments. Do you fools rwally think you can take on fully armed guards? this should be interesting the elf tries to get a better vantage point of the fight
If anyone gets hurt, and if we can possibly shut the door again, ill strip some of their clothing off to make makeshift bandages with my heal skill

[Xsesiv]

The Halfling is simply trying to cause as much confusion as possible to use the Dwarf as a weapon against the guards and hopefully escape in the process; he is not doing any fighting.


If anyone gets hurt, and if we can possibly shut the door again, ill strip some of their clothing off to make makeshift bandages with my heal skill
I'm more qualified to do that, I have the Heal Skill and the Surgery talent.

[UserClone]

The key, as it turns out, was the key opening the sliding door. "Right then, one at a time, you know the drill." His intention, of course, is for each of you to put your wrists through the sliding door to be manacled before he opens the door. The large fellow wanders over to the door and offers his hands, which are then shackled together, and he returns to his seat. "No, no, big boy, stand at attention! Back there, against the far wall where I can see you! The rest of you, hurry up! I want ter' get back to bed."

[Xsesiv]

Manacles are human sized? Or are me and the Dwarf safe for now?

If the manacles are the right size for him Ludo will accept after a mild struggle, and if he sees no alternative.

[UserClone]

As Ludo struggles, the guard who's got hold of one of his hands bends a finger back. As Ludo, who knows all too well how easy it is to break a finger, cries out in pain, there is a shout of, "NO!" and a slapping sound. "Fool! If you break his hands, he is useless to me!" This is not a voice any of you recognize. As the slapping occurs, the man lets go of Ludo's finger, and immediately shouts, "Go on, let's have those hands back!"

[Draxonicar]

The elf easily complies,m but with a grim look on his face

[littlebottom]

the dwarf stays hidden around the corner, although getting bored, hoping that after everyone else has been shackled they must resort to opening the door to get to him

[Xsesiv]

Ludo will back into the room. "Shove a carrot up yourself, Sorehead! If you think I'm sticking my hand back in there, where you're probably waiting with a hammer, you're more stupid than you look - which is saying something." He will go behind the Dwarf, for protection more than anything else.

[drum-n-bass]

Jorg will hide back in his corner hoping no one will notice him and make make-shift manacles for himself so he can easily escape.

[UserClone]

Er, and where will this fella be getting the materials for said arts&crafts project?

"Fine. You can doctor well enough minus a big toe, then. Or you can just put yer damn mitts through so we can get on wit' this, ya dolt!"

[drum-n-bass]

From his clothes and maybe from a spoon or two he stole from meals.

[Xsesiv]

"Esmerelda give me strength!" The halfling sticks his hands back through the hole, ready to withdraw them if he feels any sudden movement. "They won't fit," he says with a slight sense of hope.

[UserClone]

Ludo feels a pair of manacles snugly click into place over his wrists.

Very well, make a very difficult (-30% to your skill level) Craft(smithing) check, due to the small amount of time, the fact that you'll have to do it quietly, and the fact that you are trying to make something that looks reasonably like manacles out of spoons.

The rest of the men each walk up in turn, though the Kislevite seems hesitant. "Come on, we don't have all bleedin' night 'ere," exclaims the ever-more irritated guard.


"Should be one more, the Dwarf. Where are you?"

[littlebottom]

this is my chance thinks dimzad as he waits for them to get annoyed and open the door

[drum-n-bass]

What be ye talkin' bout? I already have me cuffs on, ye never took de blasted things off when you put me in here. Jorg says trying to attach the spoons with cloth to his hands.


I'm not sure what I am rolling against, but I will roll anyway
[roll0]

[UserClone]

"What're ye on about? Show me."
Jorg:
There is an extremely slim chance that he will fail to notice this.

"And dammit, Dwarf, I ain't stupid! You waste any more o' my time you're gonna miss yer' las' chance t'die in battle by dying of- OOF!" The man is cuffed again, presumably by the same unfamiliar shadowy figure. The guard mumbles something that sounds vaguely apologetic, probably to the figure, and follows up with, "Well, just get over 'ere, anyhow, or eat lead fer' an early last supper!"

[drum-n-bass]

Aight. I'm coming over to ye know. Just hold on to yer petticoats. Jorg says with a bit of a laugh at the end. He then shoves his hands through the slot for the man to see.

[Draxonicar]

as they cuff the elf, he headbutts th guard and slams the door on his hand, then opens it up again to grab the guard and drag him into the cell, then slamming the door shouting "This is our chance!

by the way, I beilieve it was the guard who had the key, so i think we have a handy hostage situation. although, i think ive just screwed us all.

[drum-n-bass]

I don't think you are able to do that. The door has a slot which food goes through, and I'm guessing we stick our hands through it and they cuff 'em.

[littlebottom]

nice try unfortunately i think that he only had the little sliding door open, just big enough to fit your hands through so i dont think that you could headbutt him through it :smallsmile:

but, but i wanna fight dimzad looks a little dejected that they still refuse to open the door. and keeps watching at the hatch quietly... then decides its not worth the fuss, he could fight them with his hands behind his back, having manacles on shouldnt cause much trouble.

after everyone else has put their hands through he slowly and carfully offers the one hand at first, then when it isnt stomped on he slowly offers the other one, "yer no fun, ya know that dont you?" he says to the guard, then after the possibility of the fight disapears, he returns to his state of ignorance for a while.

[Draxonicar]

disregard my earlier post, the elf fully complies with the guards, while doing so, he chats up the guards
can i make a gossip check to learn some stuff about this shindig ok i got a fel stat, its 33, what should i roll?

[UserClone]

Go ahead and roll gossip (once you actually have a Fellowship stat).
The guard grabs hold of the manacles and gives them a tug to check that they are secured, and, noticing the deception as a spoon comes loose, grabs both of Jorn's hands, gripping them tightly, while another guard affixes an actual set of manacles. "So that's where them spoons been disappearing to!"

Once everyone is standing, manacled, against the back wall of the cell, the heavy bolt slides open with a dull *clunk*, and the door groans loudly open as well, revealing two men armed with blunderbusses (aimed at the prisoners), another four with heavy crossbows (also aimed), a man in what looks like a blacksmith's apron and gloves who carries a bucket, and another two who bear weapons, but haven't got them drawn.
"Lock it," says one of the men whose weapons are not drawn. It is clear that this man is a noble of some kind by his dress, a very fancy, very well kept set of armor with a velvet cloak.
The door slams shut behind them. "Well?" he asks the other man, whose battle dress makes it clear that he is a hardened veteran who has seen action, possibly even recently. Looking over each of the men in the cell, he whispers something to the nobleman. "You are each given the choice today," he states for the prisoners to hear, "to undertake a special mission for the Baron, in exchange for an official pardon for your crimes, or you may hang on the morrow as has already been planned. The choice is yours."

[Xsesiv]

"And would this "special mission" entail getting ourselves killed as soon as possible and saving the hangman a rope? And why do we need to be manacled to do it?"

[littlebottom]

dimzads face drops "wot? we were ganna be hanged, fer wot?!"

"ill do this thingie for ya den... is it killin sumtink?"

[UserClone]

At this, the nobleman speaks up. "Don't be stupid. A hangman can re-use a rope. In any case, you are manacled because you are dangerous criminals. Do you accept or do you not?"

BTW, anyone who wishes to roll an Academic Knowledge (Genealogy/Heraldry) check to identify the nobleman may do so at Routine difficulty (+10%). If you don't have it, but you do have common knowledge (the empire), you may roll that at Hard difficulty (-20%).

[drum-n-bass]

Hahaha*evil laugh*........It must be something in which lives don't matter, which is why he came to us. It could be sailing to the new world to fight lizardmen in order to get a tapestry or sometin' silly like it. Jorg says trying to rub his semi-sore hands. But anyway I accept. Way better then getting hung (*under breath*or trying to escape the noose) for killin' some stupid chaps, who don't know their place in life.

[littlebottom]

"that mean there gonna be fightin?" dimzad picks up at the mention of "killin'"

[drum-n-bass]

NO! Ye dwa'f. ARE YE DEAF! I jus' said dat I WAS GOING TO GET DA NOOSE FOR KILLIN' SOME CHAPS. Pfh. Jorg says trying to annunciate the words slow and clearly so the dwarf can process what he is saying.


I don't mean to offend you, I just wanted to have some fun with that:smallwink:.

[littlebottom]

dimzad repeats some of the sentence slowly and out loud "no... dwarf... yeah thats me..., i, no wait, you get noose... for killin'... chaps..." dimzad sums all this up and after a couple of seconds goes "aha! you gonna be hung for killin' peeps! wait what aboot me? i killed that guy in da street, am i gonna be hung? what? huh?... my head hurts..."

i thought i could have some fun too then:smallwink:

[drum-n-bass]

Oh hohohohohohoh*laughs*. Ye be a funny chap. Jus' follow me and ye won' get hung and ye'll get to kill more people without threat of da noose and ye'll get freed from this noose........Wait.....Follow me and you will not get hung in the morning. he says trying to annunciate clearly while trying not to laugh.

[littlebottom]

"follow you?.... al'ight den!" dimzad walks directly behind the human "well where we gooin then?"

[UserClone]

"You'll find out when each has decided his fate," the Baron declares. The large fellow hesitates only a moment before agreeing. The two pikemen give each other a sidelong glance before simultaneously declaring, "We're in." The slight young lad seems nervous and eventually nods, stammering, "I-I'll do it."

[drum-n-bass]

Well right now, we be goin' no vere. But we should be leavin' soon I should tink. Jorg says delighted by the fact the dwarf is going to follow him.

[littlebottom]

dimzad suddenly realises there are other people in the room, and most of which have been watching him. "ye lookin' at me like some sorta fish... the size of a single halfling palm when ya just passed a sign sayin' "all fish beyon' this point is the size o' ye 'ed!" ... corse, fish the size o' ye 'ed would be bigger or smaller dependin' on how big headed ye bein'. but i had this fish once, and now im not one for fish, an' this one was bigger than me auntie an' 'er sisters put togeather, now thats alot, she 'ad 'bout 6 sisters ya see? but anyway this fish was lovely an' it reminds me o' a song me auntie used ta sing about cookin' the words were rubbish but tha song was a goodun." dimzad again lost in his own world begins signing the song in khazalid and correcting himself at mistakes as he went as he hadnt sung the song in years... by now he was completely unaware of everyone else around him again

[Xsesiv]

"What the hell, I'll do it. Possible death on a mission is better than certain death by hanging. Count me in."

[Draxonicar]

I will join you as well. By the way, who ARE you, and would you mind disclosing the contents of this mission to me.

[UserClone]

"Very well. First you will submit to my...insurance policy. Of course, you can still back out." At this, the blacksmith-type fellow, who had up until now been blowing upon the contents of his large urn with a bellows, lifts the hot iron out of the fire. "Who'll be first, then?" he asks, and though it is clear his intention, he doesn't seem to enjoy it or despise it, rather nonchalantly regarding the idea of branding men.

With a tear in his eye, the young lad steps forward, timidly offering his right hand. the man snatches it and holds the brand to it for a couple of seconds, long enough to sear the lad's flesh. "Now you go n' see yer doctor, there, laddie, n' bring 'im this." The man hands the lad a doctor's bag. Nodding to Ludo, he states matter-of-factly, "Naturally, you'll be last."

[Draxonicar]

the elf goes next, hardly grimacing at the pain of the brand.

[Xsesiv]

Ludo snatches up the tools of his trade, and then complains: "Why do I go last? I want to get it over with. Of course, it won't fit my palm, shall I..." He rolls up his sleeve and offers his arm instead.

Academic Knowledge (Genaelogy/Heraldry) to identify nobleman Int 46 +10 Routine modifier. [roll0]

OK, so who is he?

Margin of success 4, that's pretty good, any extra info for that?

[UserClone]

"Of course it isn't too small. And you'll go last so that you can tend the burns of the others."
The brand is actually on the BACK of the hand, not the palm. See PM for the identity of the Baron.
The large man looks afraid, and when he tries to back out at the last moment, two of the guards kick at his legs until he is kneeling. As the hot iron kisses his flesh, the sizzle brings along with it an unpleasantly pleasant smell of cooking meat. As the torturer pulls the brand away, it has cooled too far, and sticks to the man's hand. Yanking on it, he tears the stuck flesh away with it, leacing a deep, burned gash. Screaming for a moment, the man passes out.

[Xsesiv]

"And who will tend my burns?"


Ludo kneels and tries to tend the two men's hands, checking the damage and depth of the burns;


Heal tests Int 46 +10% from Surgery talent-difficulty 56.

[roll0]
[roll1]


He bandages both hands with strips of the men's clothing dabbled in water (I'm assuming there's some water for the prisoners).

[littlebottom]

"what this ye be doin' now?" the dward looks forward to get a better look at he fire, "why you gone 'n' put that in there for?"

[drum-n-bass]

Hm. Looks like it'll be brandin' or death. Put it on me ass you bastard. Jorg says mooning the baron.

[Draxonicar]

Thats HARDLY necessary, if not quite vulgar. the elf rolls his eyes at the man, examining his own burn

can i see what its shape is? is a symbol for anything?

[UserClone]

"He can stay," the Baron decides, pointing at Jorn. The spiteful torturer brands Jorn's behind anyway, then kicks the brand on his backside, making him trip over his pants and sprawl on the ground.

"If he tries to struggle, kill him," shrugs the testy noble.

Anyone who has seen the brand on himself or someone else recognizes the shape as Sigmar's Hammer, the very symbol of the Empire. Anyone who wants to know more of its significance may attempt an Easy (+20%) Common Knowledge (The Empire) test.

[littlebottom]

ive gone over to that guy to get branded, but not "willingly" just do it while his looking at the fire

[UserClone]

I actually thought of doing it that way, but the point of this was that you had to be willing to do the job in order to get your pardon. But okay, I'll bite.
As Dimzad leans over the crucible to look at the hot coals, he reaches in to grab one, and the torturer, mistaking this for the Dwarf offering his hand, grabs his wrist and brands him.

[littlebottom]

i said i was willing to do the job, some time ago, but he wouldnt naturally give a guy his hand to be poked with a red hot stick lol

"aaahhh ahhhh ahhhhhhhhh my 'and my 'and, its on fire!" dimzad starts waveing his arm about franticly, whilest manacled to the other arm which was being dragged around by the branded hand, his eyes begin to well up in pain but manages to hold back the tears, "thats ma bloody good 'and that was! no wait their both my good 'ands... but that was my better 'and!"

[drum-n-bass]

Ah, I was jus' kiddin'. I'm jus' kinda tense and nervous being locked up in a closed cell with a bunch of people I dinnae know. Anyway, I'm sorry for being so vulgar I regret my actions. Now go ahead and do it on my hand. I hope you can find the strength to forgive me, as I am a worthy fighter and combatant. Also I used to be a nobles son, but, alas, my father and mother were called traitors and killed. So I'm not to fond of nobles anymore. Jorg says while rubbing his behind.


Not to call you out or anything, but it seems like everyone mistypes my name:smallannoyed:.

[UserClone]

"I do not care who you once were, ony what you can do for me now. Learn to respect your betters, and perhaps you will survive to enjoy your freedom." Snatching the hot iron from the torturer, Lord Valdenheim then brands Jorg You know, if you hadn't pointed that out, I don't think I ever would have noticed.:smallwink: himself. "In fact, I will even be so kind as to tell you all who you are dealing with, now that you cannot go anywhere worth mentioning without finding yourselves on the wrong end of a blunderbuss."

[UserClone]

"Sergeant, If you would be so kind..."
The other man nods. Shoving a foot into the ribs of the prostrate man, who wakes up groggily, he states, "Ulf Urquart, my lord. Engineer. Charged with the murder of a fellow sapper. Killed him with a maul."
They move to the pikemen. Pointing in turn to the shorter of the two, then the thinner, he says, "Hals Kiir and Pavel Voss. Pikemen. Murdered their captain while in battle."
"We didn't, though," Interrupts Hals.
"Silence, Scum!" shouts the sergeant, and backhands him with a gloved hand.
"That's all right, sergeant," says the Baron, and he turns, pointing to the pretty youth. "And who is this?"
"Franz Schoentag. Archer. Killed his tentmate, claims self-defense." The Baron and his compatriot, a captain of some sort, simply grunted and moved on.
Pointing to the Dwarf, the sergeant says, "Dimzad Thekerson. Killing Viscount Olin Marburg in a duel."
"A Capital Offense?"
"The viscount had only fifteen summers."
"Ah."
Next is the elf. "Draxonicar Shi'dorah. Attempted murder by poisoning. Most unbecoming of an apothecary, I daresay."
As the Kislevite is getting his burn(s) treated, the sergeant walks over with the Baron. "Finally, Jorg Handers and Ludo Baldurich. These two are the bottom of the barrel. Handers here thought it would be a good idea to go and do some impromptu executions in a bar, while little Baldurich is to hang for the mutilation of an Altdorf noble. Your own cousin, in fact. I'm sure you know the story."
"Quite. And frankly, it's mere circumstance that puts him here, but alas...my hands are tied for the moment, at least until my ungrateful fool cousin forgets about him...speaking of hands, let's get yours branded, shall we Baldurich?" The Baron leads him over to the torturer, who brands his hand. Strangely enough, it is the Baron himself who heals Ludo's hand, and does very nearly as good a job as Ludo himself had done on the others. "As for myself, I am Baron Albrecht Valdenheim, though you of course, may refer to me as 'my lord.'"

[Xsesiv]

Ludo tightens his jaw as he is branded, but makes as little a response as possible, which is hard as the brand is larger for him than for the humans, then figures sucking-up is the best way to deal with nobbles.

"So, my noble lord Valdenheim, what shall we do to serve you? I apologise for injuring your relative."

He looks at the rapidly-developing scar on his hand and wonders whether or not he has enough expertise to perform a curettage of scar-tissue.

[drum-n-bass]

Jorg laughs about him executing people in the tavern. He then leans against a wall and chews at his fingernails waiting for anything else to happen.

[littlebottom]

dimzad walks up next to jorg and leans against the wall also, mimicing him biting his nail, he keeps looking up to see if he was doing it right

[Draxonicar]

The elf mutters to himself Attempted murder my arse. It's not my fault I thought he said concentrated alchohol when he wanted an anti alcohol hangover draught....Oooh, this would never happen in Ulthuan...Mainly because their not stupid enough to get drunk..

/inner monologue

[Draxonicar]

shameless bump