[WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

[LCP]

Elsa

Elsa was marched back over the bridge, to the building that had been Werner Oberth’s workshop before the fateful wreck of the Manann’s Blessing. There, the soldiers tied her hands with a length of rope and pushed her down into the stone-walled cellar, slamming the trapdoor behind her. However she yelled and beat her body against it, no reply came from beyond the hatch.

After a short while, it opened again, and another figure came tumbling through - Tatiana. She looked as wild and dishevelled as the day Elsa had met her, gagged and bound with dried tear-tracks down her cheeks. Elsa only got a brief glimpse of her face before the trapdoor slammed shut again, plunging them into darkness.

---

Sieghard (& Urgrim?)

It didn’t take long for Sforza and the army to take over Manann’s Keep. As Sussman scrambled around trying to billet the soldiers, Sieghard found himself wandering through the suddenly-bustling streets, feeling strangely adrift. For the first time in too long, he wasn’t in charge; for the first time since Nath, he didn’t feel in control.

As the Iron Company banners unfurled over the fort, he wandered back through the wooden gates. The Prince, his officers and courtiers had gathered in Evatt’s old audience chamber, where Sforza’s halfling cook had laid out a platter of cold meats. Seeing Sieghard appear in the doorway, Sforza beckoned him in, motioning for one of the servants to pour him a drink.

“I’m sorry for that piece of theatre by the bridge,” said the Prince - as he did so, Irene materialised by his side, the silently frowning Doctor Bianco close behind her. Besides them, Sieghard counted Barbaro, Al-Makir and Falkenwald in the room. There was no sign of Caracciolo. “I would have sent you warning, but we didn’t want to risk her finding out before we arrived.” Putting a piece of cured ham into his mouth, he spoke as he chewed. “Come, sit down.”

“Muzio read me your report,” said Irene, in honeyed tones of sympathy. “What that idiot from the north led you into - it must make it so much worse, knowing she was playing you false.”

“This is the matter of the wizard?” asked Falkenwald.

“It is,” said Irene. “Jurgen, will you excuse us a few minutes? Commander Sieghard deserves to know what happened.”

Falkenwald bowed and retired from the conversation.

“It was that apprentice of hers,” said Irene, returning her attention to Sieghard. “The goat girl. She must have been hoping we would send more troops south with the knights - perhaps she lost her patience with waiting. She tried to dig it up, Sieghard.” She looked at him as if expecting understanding to dawn. “That awful book of hers. The girl went out with a spade in the middle of the night, and tried to dig it up.”

“She had something with her,” said Bianco, his tone sombre and deathly serious. “A... creature of magic. It killed three men, and injured the High Priest when he was called upon to drive it out.” He paused. “We believe she has killed one of the Princess’ handmaidens as well.”

“I would not have believed it myself,” said Barbaro, holding a very full cup of wine. “But… I saw the body.” He looked like he wished he hadn’t - his hand shook a little as he remembered. “Thank Myrmidia that it was slain.”

“The dwarf you sent, he said something ‘escaped’ from those ruins,” said Sforza. “Something that came to the city. Do you think she could have sent it?”