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  1. - Top - End - #151
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo & Adelbert

    "Really?" demanded Odo. "The wellbeing of a pack of sellswords, that's why you've turned your back on your own family? They're not even from around here!" Now he seemed to feel he was on more familiar ground. "You could be somebody, Ludo. Sermena needs you to be somebody, I need you to be somebody. But instead you'd rather go off... fighting dragons, or whatever it is you think you're doing." He paused for a moment or two, fuming. "If you want me to give my blessing to this venture of yours, I won't do it. I mean listen to yourself! 'The best person to be dealing with this'? You don't believe that, you're still just trying to prove the same damn fool point you have been since you were a boy." He shook his finger at Ludo. "Don't you think I don't see what you're doing, Ludo Stubbs, because I do."
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    WFRP 2E - Tales of Perilous Adventure
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    Ill Met By Morrslieb

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  2. - Top - End - #152
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    "They... they are my family now. Soldiers say everyone's their brother but... that's how I feel. That's really what it's like. And I'm the only person that can look after them properly. I'm not the only person who can look after Sermena, give it a few years and Petra will be mayor. I don't... I don't care about making something of myself any more. I just want to help."

    "And I don't need your blessing. Of course I want you to be proud of me, but... well, there's lots of things I want that I won't get, and I just have to live with it, don't I?"

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    I think a Charm test is relevant here, but it's sort of a strange one: Ludo isn't conciously trying to sell his father on anything, but I want to see if his sincerity will come through. (1d100)[74] vs 82
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  3. - Top - End - #153
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo & Adelbert

    Odo looked baffled, and frustrated that he was feeling baffled, and angry that he was feeling frustrated. He squeezed his hands into fists, but he couldn't seem to think of anything to say.

    Petra broke the silence by stepping forward and wrapping Ludo in a tight hug. "Come home safe, Ludo," she said into his shoulder. "That's all we're asking."

    She stepped back, leaving an open space between Odo and his son. Compressing his lips into a tight line, Odo seemed to think for a while about whether to follow suit. In the end he settled for a hand on Ludo's shoulder.

    "We'll talk more when you get back," was all he could bring himself to say. "You will come back. That's an order from your father."
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    Dark Heresy 1E - Wake of the Byzantium
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    WFRP 2E - The Bloody Crown
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  4. - Top - End - #154
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo almost burst out laughing and clapped his own hand on his fathers. This was clearly as far as physical affection got. "Of course. Direct order from my father."

    He cleared his throat awkwardly and stepped back. "I should go. Looks like they're ready... I'm holding everyone up."

    "I have a favour to ask. If Valdez tells you to leave the town, or... to stay inside, or anything like that, you need to help people do what he says. You've seen how serious this is, and everyone else round here respects you. If you take his instructions seriously, so will everyone else."

    "Look after each other."


    And with that, he turned to leave.

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    Ludo's not going to push the issue of his favour, and will leave even if it's refused.
    I think that's everything?
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  5. - Top - End - #155
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo & Adelbert

    Back by the Rooster, the others were waiting. Adelbert, Moltke, Jenssen, three thorns, two halflings and four mules, each of them laden down with water for the journey. Last year, Ludo would have thought it seemed like a lot of effort to catch one man. Now it hardly seemed enough.

    "Wish I could come with you," said Nobby, "but Gill says he needs me back behind the bar. Lot of soldiers to keep fed, and Molly's been burning the stew."

    "I'll accompany you as far as our pickets," said Valdes, mounting a horse of his own. "Remember, if you can't find him in four days, you're to turn back. I won't have it said I sent men to die of thirst."

    "Glad to hear you say that, sir," said Jens, tightening the harness on one of the mules. He didn't look quite so keen on the expedition as Moltke, who had been wearing an expression of grim determination all morning. "Very glad indeed."


    Wellentag, 22nd Brauzeit

    Ludo & Adelbert

    The desert road snaked out through the hills that ringed Last Water, past the mines and out onto the arid slopes that faced north towards the Waste. Ludo remembered playing here in the wild country as a child, swordfighting with sticks and catching the glossy black beetles that lived among the hardy shrubs. Now those same bushes poked out of drifts of dust, the pale sands lapping at the lower slopes like a rising tide. It was easy to imagine that tide sweeping up over the crater rim, swallowing Sermena and the green meadows of Last Water under a lifeless sea of sand.

    There wasn’t much to go on to show them which way Klammenberg had gone, but at Sam’s suggestion they tried to follow the route of the old north road. Though half-buried under the shifting sands, it offered firmer ground beneath their feet and a few recognisable landmarks to follow. If they were lucky, perhaps Klammenberg would have thought the same way.

    The character of the Waste had changed since Ludo and Adelbert had last come this way. When they had journeyed down with Baldred, the desert had seemed desolate but peaceful. Now it was anything but; the dust-laden wind whipped across their path, their legs aching from trudging through the drifts of sand it pushed before it. It was not as hot as the Waste could be in high summer, but the nights were bitterly cold, making them huddle close to one another for warmth. In the whisper of the wind around their campfires, Ludo thought he could hear voices - the voices of men and women he knew they had lost at Nath. He did his best to shut them out.

    On the twenty-first, they found the remains of a campfire that Sam said was recent, already disappearing under layers of wind-blownsand. On the twenty-second, they found another, sheltered in the lee of a weathered rock. Shielding her eyes against the wind, Meradell peered out to the west.

    “If they were heading for the pillars, they ought to have turned off here,” she said. “This is where we’d see them from most often, when we saw them at all.” She looked to Sam. “Can you tell which way they went?”

    Sam shrugged. “I’m not a wizard,” she said. She gestured vaguely out at the shifting dunes. “Leave a print in this, it’s gone in an hour.”

    Meradell looked to Ludo. “You really think he went out there?” she asked. “Most tall folk on this road, if I heard they’d gone out into the high desert, I wouldn’t be betting on them coming back.”
    Spoiler: My Games
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    WFRP 2E - Tales of Perilous Adventure
    The Hour After Midnight
    The Lord of Lost Heart
    Ill Met By Morrslieb

    Dark Heresy 1E - Wake of the Byzantium
    Episodes: I, II, III, IV, V

    WFRP 2E - The Bloody Crown
    Threads: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X

  6. - Top - End - #156
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    "Can you tell how old those camps were?" Ludo asked. "He's not... he's been through the desert before but I don't know how well he could survive out here. I think he's from the empire, they don't have deserts there, do they?"
    Last edited by LeSwordfish; 2020-08-13 at 04:29 AM.
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  7. - Top - End - #157
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo & Adelbert

    "Not that I heard of," said Meradell. "But he's got four retired Iron Company with him, right? Don't know how experienced they are with the Waste, but old soldiers ought to know their way around surviving in the great outdoors."

    "The campfires are cold," said Sam. "More than a day, less than a week? Can't really say better than that."
    Last edited by LCP; 2020-08-13 at 04:34 AM.
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    WFRP 2E - Tales of Perilous Adventure
    The Hour After Midnight
    The Lord of Lost Heart
    Ill Met By Morrslieb

    Dark Heresy 1E - Wake of the Byzantium
    Episodes: I, II, III, IV, V

    WFRP 2E - The Bloody Crown
    Threads: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X

  8. - Top - End - #158
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    "That's more recent than I was expecting, at least." Ludo said thoughtfully. "I thought he left town nearly two weeks ago..."

    "Alright, here's a plan. Let's camp here tonight: tomorrow morning, Sam, Moltke, Jens, Rilke and two of your squad carry on along the road. If you find any evidence he kept going that way, turn back round. I'm not planning on playing silly buggers with Valdez's instructions, so if you haven't found anything by the end of the day, turn round and come back to here. The rest of us are going to stay here, search this area, and keep an eye out for the pillars: maybe move closer if we see them. We'll leave a note here if we go anywhere - you can read, right, Moltke? What I'm hoping is that we can at least figure out whether he turned off here or headed north, and keep an eye out for him if he starts coming back."
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo & Adelbert

    "Might be he's already been and gone," said Jenssen. "We got any proof he left these comin' rather than goin'?"

    No-one had any better plan than Ludo's. They passed another cold desert night huddled in the lee of the rock, making a small fire of their own from what was left of what they assumed was Klammenberg's. Moltke pulled her travelling cloak tight around her, gazing into the flickering flames. Jens sat by the edge of the light, sharpening his axe. The regular rhythm of the whetstone offered a quiet counterpoint to the erratic moaning of the wind.


    Aubentag, 23rd Brauzeit

    Ludo & Adelbert

    Morning broke bright and hazy over the Waste. The wind had died down a little during the night, and the rising sun quickly banished the cold. Gathering their effects and shouldering waterskins, Moltke and the others set off north along the road, looking for any more signs that Klammenberg had been this way.

    Left behind, Ludo, Adelbert and Meradell combed the surrounding sands for evidence, but there was precious little to find. Scrambling up the rock, Ludo peered out over the dunes. From up here he could see for miles - but he saw no sign of his quarry.

    The sun was still fierce; by midday, the sands had been soaking up its heat long enough that the horizon seemed to shimmer and ripple. Squinting out to the west, Ludo thought he could see tall shapes rising out of the heat haze, dark pillars above a silver lake - but the image was inconstant, wavering in and out of view like smoke from a chimney...


    Sieghard & Elsa

    By the time Sforza's messenger rode into Manann's Keep on the twenty-third, the ditch protecting the south side of the town was complete. It had taken some work to convince Lottie Cinderhill and the other refugees to work alongside the soldiers who had burned their homes (or so they said), but fortunately that was Steffan Sussman's specialty - and in the end, the promise of pay and hot meals conquered all. Now a deep trench spanned the bend of Evatt's moat, the earth that had been excavated from it piled up into a chest-high rampart behind.

    Whether it would be necessary was another question. The lookouts Sieghard had posted had reported no movement from the Dead Hills, though dark clouds still hung over the hilltops in the direction of Nath. The flood of people pre-emptively leaving the town had slowed to a trickle, and some had even begun to return - though Elsa suspected her attempts to reassure the populace had done more harm than good. The proprietor of the Star of Marienburg had even asked her to stop trying to make conversation at the bar, as she was "scaring the customers".

    Her heart wasn't in it to begin with. Whether waking or sleeping, her thoughts kept straying back to Nath - to Mala's ultimatum, to the red eyes of Nakht-Horeb shining behind his onyx mask, to the remains of Morrslieb in his wicker cage. In her dreams, she felt her old familiar's phantom weight on her shoulder - but when she looked round, all she saw was the awful puppet that had been made of his corpse.

    The messenger was a welcome distraction. He rode into town early in the morning, bearing typically terse orders from the Prince. Sussman, Sieghard and Elsa read them together in the hall of Evatt's fort.

    Hold your position as best you can. Protect our people and property in the south, but do not offer battle. The army musters at Savonne to reinforce.

    "I can't stay long," said the messenger. "I have more orders I need to bring west, to Lord Valdes. Can you give me a fresh horse?"

    "Oh of course, of course, right away," said Sussman. "Did, ah - did the Prince say how long he was going to be? With these reinforcements?"

    The man shrugged. "He'd already called the Iron Company back before your last message arrived. If I had to guess, I'd say he'd be here soon. But don't ask me."
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    WFRP 2E - Tales of Perilous Adventure
    The Hour After Midnight
    The Lord of Lost Heart
    Ill Met By Morrslieb

    Dark Heresy 1E - Wake of the Byzantium
    Episodes: I, II, III, IV, V

    WFRP 2E - The Bloody Crown
    Threads: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X

  10. - Top - End - #160
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Quote Originally Posted by LCP View Post
    The flood of people pre-emptively leaving the town had slowed to a trickle, and some had even begun to return - though Elsa suspected her attempts to reassure the populace had done more harm than good. The proprietor of the Star of Marienburg had even asked her to stop trying to make conversation at the bar, as she was "scaring the customers".
    It's probably Khalida having that effect, thought Elsa. Yes. Must be it. People don't like snakes.

    With Sieghard still acting standoffish and her other friends absent, she felt awfully lonely in Manann's Keep, and could only hope Tatiana would be here soon. Every day, she had to resist the urge to inform Lottie that her adopted daughter was (hopefully) on the way; she did not want to disappoint her if the girl did not come after all. The wait would make the surprise all the sweeter for both Lottie and Tattie.

    Her dreams of Morrslieb's desecrated body only made her more sullen than she already was. She was determined to make Nahorek pay for it, but bitterly regretted that the vampire did not have anyone dear to him who she could take away from him and taunt him with. The best she could hope to do was frustrate his plans by killing his disposable minions. Being a monster with no feelings for anyone certainly had its advantages...






    23rd Brauzeit

    Elsa breathed out in relief when Sforza's orders did not include anything about her returning to Manann's Keep at once. She would hate to lose an opportunity to reunite Tattie and Lottie, if only for a day or two.
    Last edited by -Sentinel-; 2020-08-13 at 02:27 PM.
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    Running:
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheSummoner View Post
    Oh wow. I will never again underestimate [our characters'] ability to turn friendly conversation into a possible life or death situation.
    Quote Originally Posted by LeSwordfish View Post
    Ludo has a crowbar, if that helps.

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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo & Adelbert

    Adelbert squinted at the wavering images in the distance until his eyes hurt. Somehow when he'd read about the desert he'd always assumed it would be clean and clear, completely unlike Grenzstadt where the mist rolled in from the mountains blanketing the city streets at times. The mirages and heat hazes seemed positively taunting towards him.

    'They could be minutes away - or weeks. We'll never know until we set out,' he said to Ludo. 'Let's wait until the sun is descending at least; I'd sooner trust my senses in dusk than midday.'

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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Sieghard

    Work was nearing completion on the trench when Sieghard approached Lottie Cinderhill. He didn't expect her attitude towards him to be any better than it had been in Ravenskird, but there was a question nagging at him. He had to at least try to get an answer.

    "Can't say I expected to see you here," he said, "If you don't mind my asking, what was it that convinced you to stop following the madman?"

    Spoiler
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    Probably a long shot, but let's try this. Untrained charm vs 27 and a reroll.

    (1d100)[67]
    (1d100)[40]

  13. - Top - End - #163
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo shook his head. "I don't want to waste time, or to go there in the dark."

    He turned to Meredell. "About how far away are they, would you say? Could we get there by nightfall?"
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo & Adelbert, 23rd Brauzeit

    Meradell gave an uneasy shrug. "I've never tried to get out there," she said. "It looks close enough... but the desert plays tricks with distance."


    Sieghard & Elsa, 23rd Brauzeit

    "I do mind, actually" said Cinderhill, not looking up from her work. "I'm being paid to dig, not talk to thugs."
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    WFRP 2E - Tales of Perilous Adventure
    The Hour After Midnight
    The Lord of Lost Heart
    Ill Met By Morrslieb

    Dark Heresy 1E - Wake of the Byzantium
    Episodes: I, II, III, IV, V

    WFRP 2E - The Bloody Crown
    Threads: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X

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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Sieghard

    Sieghard shrugged. That was about the response he had expected.

    "Whatever your reason, you're better off," he said, turning away. "That man will bring nothing but death. Gods help those who stayed with him."

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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Quote Originally Posted by LCP View Post
    Urgrim, 19th BrauzeitTattie seemed a little flustered by Urgrim’s sudden appearance. “Oh, they’re – they’re doing fine,” she said. “The Magister wants me… now? It’s just, I was making good progress with the lady Sforza’s horse, and, um, things.” She hesitated. “Are we supposed to go when the army goes?”
    "Aye, she doesn't want you travelling alone, at any rate." Urgrim dithered on the spot for a moment. "Sorry to spring this on you like that. I know it can't feel like the most predictable life you've got yourself into, right now. Doesn't feel much like one for me either, truth be told. You, eh," he started, and then seemed unsure how to continue. "It's not the sort of thing you always get a lot of choice over." He'd thought Elsa was young, saddled with responsibilities her innocence didn't deserve, but in comparison to Tatianna he could now see Elsa was at least an adult human. This young woman in front of him was obviously a child. He had no idea how to talk to her about the circumstances they were in. "Well. You need any help, you let me know – I'll be in the city for a few days at least."

    Down in the North Market, Urgrim couldn’t find many people who were willing to help him track the widow’s son – in fact, he could hardly find anyone who’d give him the time of day if he wasn’t putting money in their pocket. The grocers and the grain merchants were all putting up their prices, and unruly crowds of people gathered around each wagon and stall as they squabbled to buy up the last of the harvest. Even the street vendors were having to raise their prices to make ends meet – or else seek cheaper ingredients. You could say what you liked about humans, but you couldn’t say they weren’t enterprising - Urgrim saw a man with a tray selling what he was pretty sure were rats on wooden skewers.

    “I’ll tell you what I told that ‘igh-and-mighty doctor feller,” said the fifth stall-holder Urgrim asked. “I’ve not seen no-one who wasn’t here to buy a pie, and if you don’t want one, I don’t want to see you either. Sixpence, genuine meats. Buy one or stop ‘oldin’ up the line.”
    "Go on then, give us one" Urgrim said, handing over sixpence. He'd probably eaten worse. Even if it was rat, the crust at least provided plausible deniability. "What doctor fellow? Not one of the priests?"
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    Urgrim, 19th Brauzeit

    "Well. You need any help, you let me know – I'll be in the city for a few days at least."
    "Right," said Tatiana, not looking the least bit reassured. "Uh... thanks."

    "Go on then, give us one" Urgrim said, handing over sixpence. He'd probably eaten worse. Even if it was rat, the crust at least provided plausible deniability. "What doctor fellow? Not one of the priests?"
    The pie-seller took Urgrim's money, and handed over a piece of grey pastry. Nibbling cautiously on the corner, Urgrim found the filling was mostly gristle.

    "Some high panjandrum from the castle. Bald feller, shiny head, told me he was her majesty's physician. As if I care. Was asking damn fool questions about some serving girl, just like you are 'bout this boy. Now be on your way, there's folk behind you waiting."
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    WFRP 2E - Tales of Perilous Adventure
    The Hour After Midnight
    The Lord of Lost Heart
    Ill Met By Morrslieb

    Dark Heresy 1E - Wake of the Byzantium
    Episodes: I, II, III, IV, V

    WFRP 2E - The Bloody Crown
    Threads: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X

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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Urgrim, 19th Brauzeit

    At a loss for the trail of the widow's son, Urgrim left the square and headed for the shed where the horse corpse had been interned. At least a guard there might know a little more.

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    Whatever Bianco's up to sounds like potential for hilarity, but Urgrim's uninterested in such umgi affairs. As mentioned, he'll go back to the shed to ask if any of the guards were witnesses to the scene with the horse and the lad – and whether a priest's come yet.
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    Urgrim, 19th Brauzeit

    Finding his way back to the shed, Urgrim found two of Norten's men on guard - though neither were the man he had spoken to before. They were reluctant at first to let him in, until a pair of black-robed figures emerged from inside - Cezar and one of the young Morrite initiates, who looked like he'd seen more than he wished to see.
    ,
    "Your commander is right," said Cezar to one of the soldiers on guard. "Burn the carcass and bury the ashes outside the walls. There's nothing more we can do here." He looked round as he noticed Urgrim. "Herr... Jotunnsson, isn't it? Good to see you."
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    The Lord of Lost Heart
    Ill Met By Morrslieb

    Dark Heresy 1E - Wake of the Byzantium
    Episodes: I, II, III, IV, V

    WFRP 2E - The Bloody Crown
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    Urgrim, 19th Brauzeit

    "Father ... Cezar, isn't it?" Urgrim managed. "Unpleasant business," he said, nodding towards the interior. "Part of me still hopes to find the poor lad who brought the beast into the city, but there's not much trace of him. You think it's, ehm, as we feared?"

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    Don't need to drag this on too long, as I think Urgrim's tracking efforts have failed for today. I'm happy to move things back to the Dwimmulhold for the clan meeting after this.
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    Urgrim, 19th Brauzeit

    "I only know what I have been told, and what we have seen with our own eyes," said Cezar. "But I am certain the touch of Chaos is on that poor animal." He shook his head. "I'll talk to Father Hieronymus as soon as possible. We need to find this boy."

    ~

    It was late in the day by the time Elmendrin had assembled all of the elders of Clan Dwimmulson for her council. Besides herself and Skorgrund, Urgrim recognised the merchant Zamalind. Then there was Hegrom, the master stonemason; Moradin, the master gemcutter, and Grunlok, the foreman of the mines. Between them they represented all the great and the good of the clan.

    “Jotunnsson,” said Skorgrund. He had several books with him, stacked up on the table above the height of his own head, and the look in his eye of a greybeard looking for something to grumble about. “You took your time.”

    “Welcome, friend Jotunnsson,” said Elmendrin. “Please, have a seat.”

    As Urgrim seated himself, she turned back to the others. “The question before us is this,” she said. “The blood-drinker has made his stronghold in the southern hills, and has defeated the first force the humans sent against him. Now their prince is mustering his army in full, and means to march south to defeat the Black Hound himself. Does Clan Dwimmulson march alongside him, or do we seek another way?”

    Pulling the first book down off the top of his stack, Skorgrund heaved it open. It was an old volume, and dust swirled up as he turned the pages. Clearing his throat at length, the loremaster spoke.

    “Young Jotunnsson here’s… friends among the Prince’s army claim to have found a rune weapon in the ruins of Zaraz Irkul. I have looked for it in the annals; if it is as he describes, then I believe it is the weapon called Zonbrynaz, forged by our ancestors for the manling king who fought alongside them against Varag Kol. It was struck with a rune of vengeance against the vampire, and blessed by the humans’ priests with the sun’s hatred for his kind.” He turned another page, and jabbed a stubby finger at the runes there. “When Varag Kol fell, in the great battle upon the western plain, it was Zonbrynaz that struck him down. The record states that without our ancestors’ craft, the battle might well have swung the other way.”

    The assembled Dwimmulsons nodded their heads approvingly.

    “We must make certain that the weapon discovered by Jotunnsson’s associates is genuine,” said Elmendrin. “For that reason, I am asking Skorgrund to travel south and meet with this ‘Sieghard’ who holds it - but Sforza’s army won’t wait for us.” She looked to Urgrim. “The weapon was found in Zaraz Irkul. Jotunnsson’s associates believe there may be more to find there that will help us against the Hound… including, they say, an uzkular that could speak.”

    A murmur of disquiet ran around the council.

    “After Varag Kol’s defeat, his treasures were divided among the manling cities of the river,” said Skorgrund, still reading from his book. “To Zhufund, his crown; to Zaraz Irkul, his book; and to far Yar Urbaz, his staff. It seems Zonbrynaz found its way to Zaraz Irkul too… and we know that both it and the book are no longer there. Beyond the testimony of this uzkular“ - he spat on the floor - “I don’t know what there is of value to take from this manling tomb. Or what better weapon we could hope for than the blade our ancestors made.”

    “Elder Skorgrund is right,” said Grunlok. “Why would we trust the word of a dead thing? The dead serve the enemy.” He shook his head. “We should march south with the Prince. Put this deathless dog down once and for all.”

    “March with what throng?” said Moradin. “We lost many of our best fighters in the first siege. More of our best rangers in the expedition to the Waste. Sforza may be our ally for now, but what happens when this is over, if he sees that we are weak?” Grunlok and Skorgrund glared at him, but he stood his ground, throwing up his hands. “It’s the truth! The Rock still bears the scars where the humans who followed the elf tried to break into our mines. It could happen again.”

    “He has a point,” said Hegrom, stroking his beard. “The Prince’s army is strong. We would achieve little adding our force to it. But knowledge can win wars. If this uzkular knows something about the enemy that we don’t, we should question it. We can judge for ourselves whether to believe its answers.”

    “Is there any reason we can’t do both?” asked Zamalind. “Digging up old human ruins doesn’t sound like it needs an army.”

    “I believe the ruins are still defended,” said Elmendrin. She looked to Urgrim. “How many dwarfs would you require?”
    Last edited by LCP; 2020-08-16 at 07:46 AM.
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo looked to Adelbert. "I don't know about you, but this is a fight I don't want to pick. I say we stay here on lookout."
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    Urgrim, 19th Brauzeit

    "If you have any luck," Urgrim said to Cezar, "I'd be grateful if you'd leave word for me at the Duke. I'm not sure how long I'll be staying in the city, but the while I am, I'm still keen to look for the lad."

    ~

    Urgrim thought carefully before answering Elmendrin's question. "Only a very small number. The question of reaching the uzkular, and deciding whether to believe its words, is moot without first scouting the ruins to understand their layout, and get a sense o'the numbers of the restless dead. From what the umgi and the grombolg Stubbs have told me, they more or less were wandering around by chance. There's no sense sending scores to try the same thing and just hoping for luck. It may be there's no number of dawi that could safely fight off the uzkular to get to the one that talks, or the walls with the histories of the old war. I'd go in with a handful, around half a dozen, maybe, – certainly twice that would be too much – moving light and fast, and see if we could find safe routes through to where we want to get. If we decide there aren't, there's be no need to give it any more thought."
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    Urgrim, 19th Brauzeit

    "Hard to see how we couldn't afford to spare half a dozen," said Zamalind.

    "Even one Dwimmulson sent into unnecessary danger is too many," said Elmendrin. "But Jotunnsson's plan seems sound. We should arm ourselves with as much information as possible." She looked around the council. "We can ask for volunteers from among the clan. The rest of our warriors, we muster to march south with the Prince."

    "Does he need our help?" asked Moradin. "If Dwimmulson lives are so precious, why not let the humans do the fighting?"

    "This isn't some war of border princelings," growled Skorgrund. "This is the Black Hound he marches against. This is death." He tightened his gnarled hands into fists. "If the manling prince falls, we fall with him. We cannot afford to stand apart."

    "It's agreed, then," said Elmendrin, in tones that brooked no argument. "Skorgrund, I want you to write a message to the Prince, telling him we are resolved to march. Jotunnsson, we'll have your volunteers by this time tomorrow." She paused. "I can't promise how many, but I hope they will be enough."


    Ludo & Adelbert

    Moltke and the others were back before nightfall, empty-handed. "No sign of him north of here," said Sam, slumping down into the cover of the rock and helping herself to a big swig of water. "Not that we could find."

    The wind was getting up again, and the shimmering pillars on the western horizon had vanished into the haze. With dusk stealing across the desert, Moltke wiped the dust from her face and looked out across the sands.

    "This is still the Reaches?" she said. "I've never seen anywhere so... dead."
    Last edited by LCP; 2020-08-19 at 03:44 AM.
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    Urgrim, 19th Brauzeit

    "Any Dwimmulson who chooses to come with me is a boon I'll not take for granted," Urgrim said. I know well the danger, and the chance it might be for nothing. Any volunteer should know that too. If it'd help, I'll stay in the hold tomorrow, so any who are considering it can ask of me what they will."

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    If the council thinks Urgrim should be available for potential volunteers, or if there's any other way he can help with mustering the throng, then he will stay in the Dwimmulhold for the next 24 hours (if that is how the Old World subdivides its days!). Otherwise, he'll go back down to the low town early on the 20th for another attempt at tracking the widow's son.
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    Adelbert & Ludo

    'It is still the Reaches,' Adelbert confirmed. 'Awful place though. Our one advantage - and I'm not sure how true it still is is that Klammenburg is still a mortal man and vulnerable to the same things as the rest of us. Unless he was so afraid he was being immediately followed he's probably taking the easiest paths.'

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    Urgrim, 19th Brauzeit

    “Grunlok, you can take charge of the muster,” said Elmendrin. “Set aside those who are willing to join Jotunnsson’s mission. Then they can speak to him together.”

    The foreman nodded. “Come to the minehead by sundown tomorrow,” he said to Urgrim. “I’ll have your volunteers.”

    OOC:
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    You’ve got most of the 20th to yourself - how do you want to go about your further missing-person-chasing?



    Ludo & Adelbert, 23rd Brauzeit

    “As far as there is an easy way, that’s north,” said Meradell. She looked to Sam. “But you say you saw no sign of him.”

    The younger halfling shook her head. “Not that he couldn’t have gone that way,” she said. “But no signs I could see.”

    Jenssen, red-faced and sweating, lowered himself down to take a seat on the sand. He held out a hand to take the water-skin from Samella. “I’ve seen Hunger Wood and Hel Fenn, but this place is something else.” Taking a deep drink, he wiped the drips from the corner of his mouth. “I didn’t see nothing neither. I think it's either follow our guts, or turn back."
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    "You're certain you didn't see him?" Ludo asked, pulling another one of the posters and holding it up in what was by now a familiar ritual. "This doesn't jog your memory?"
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    Ludo & Adelbert, 23rd Brauzeit

    Jenssen looked at the poster, then furrowed his brows at Ludo, as if concerned the halfling was suffering from heatstroke. "Didn't see another living soul, mate," he said. "Looked for more campfires and such, but couldn't see nothing."
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Bloody Crown XII

    Ludo sighed. "Seems likely he went to the pillars, then. Might even have gone and been on his way back. And Valdez gave us four days, and that time's up. So... let's stay here overnight, and then head back. Anyone object to that too much?"
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