Travels amongst the Border Princes II (WFRP 2e) IC

[Haval]

Gabriele looks to Severin, 'Maybe it's something, maybe it's not, but it seems worth checking.'

[rax]

"The only reason for Laurette to take the crown would be to show the Duke that Alyssa was holding back some of the spoils from the temple, but how would she even know about the crown?" Severin answers Gabriele.

"The crown worries me because of what someone told me on our latest trip. She seemed to know a great deal about Magos Valens and the Red Temple. She asked what became of the crown - said that in the wrong hands, it could be very dangerous. And now you're saying the Torendil's been acting all strange since you came back from the Temple. I...I'm worried that maybe something happened to him in the Temple, and maybe that something is why the crown's missing. When was the last time you saw him?" he says to Alyssa.

[dojango]

"He left the castle about a week ago, I think? I wasn't really paying attention. That's what Lena said. But whether he left the city... I don't know. I used to get weird dreams when I slept with the crown next to me. They were..." she shivered. "I wish I still had it. So I could see the other place again. It was beautiful in it's own way, you know? Before it was ruined. Valens was a creator..." she sits down on the torn-apart mattress and starts shaking. "I just want to dream again. My home. I lost it all when I was so young... to see something beautiful again..." she starts crying.

[rax]

"The other place? You mean the temple?" Severin asks Alyssa. "Maybe Valens was a creator of beautiful things once, but we all saw what he was doing at the end," he adds.

"Alyssa, listen to me, this is important. Did Torendil know that you kept the crown? Or did you ever mention your dreams to him?"

[Haval]

Gabriele will sit on the bed next to Alyssa and give her hug. 'At least your still alive. I think you just have to rebuild as much as you can.'

[dojango]

"No, I don't think so. I don't remember talking to him about it. I didn't... nobody cares about my dreams. I'm the only one that does... Sorry you had to see that," she says, wiping her eyes. "Yes. Rebuild. Don't tell Laurens about this. Or anyone. I need to... I don't know. I need to secure my place here."

[rax]

"Well now, that's not true at all! Over the past few weeks I've suddenly found myself a great believer in them. When you feel up to it, I'd very much like to hear more details of the dreams you've been having, and your plans for the future as well, if you want to share them," Severin says.

[Haval]

To Alyssa, 'I'm saying nothing. It's not like anyone would believe me anyway.'

[dojango]

You spend some time helping Alyssa put the room back together and she tells you a somewhat disjointed story about her past. She says that she had been a noblewoman in a minor family, but that her family home had been taken over by vampires and she had fled into the streets where she had to resort to theft to survive. What she wanted was her childhood back... but failing that, to be a noblewoman again. She tells you that she is trying to convince Sir Laurens to ask his father to put him in control of a fief. That she has plans about how to develop it... she takes down a book and hands it to Gabriele. She also tells you about her dreams. Some of them are anxiety dreams about losing her home, about the trials she's faced over the years, about her recent struggles. But she also has dreams about the Red Temple. About how it was built, on the blood of a hundred sacrificed victims. About the final days of being trapped in its dying halls. She seems to realize something. "I'm glad it's gone." And then a few minutes later, "I need to find it again."

By the time the room is relatively cleaned up, it's pitch black outside.

Spoiler

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Roll perception to search for clues while you're cleaning, and maybe Common lore: Empire at a -10 penalty if you want to recall any info about her story.

[Haval]

Gabriele will glance at the book before handing it to Severin, 'You know how to read that? Mum tried to teach me the basics but it didn't take.'

On the Red Temple, 'I feel worse about going down there if it was like that. Maybe their ghosts are still mad about it.'

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Perception vs. Int 38
(1d100)[4]

Common Lore Empire vs. Int 38 (-10)
(1d100)[33]

[rax]

"Umm, no. A messenger needs a good memory, not reading skills," Severin admits.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Perception test (1d100)[7] vs. Int 44

[dojango]

As Alyssa talks, Severin and Gabriele try to recall life back in the Empire. Gabriele's rural upbringing did not expose her to gossip about the high and mighty around the empire, but Severin's job as a messenger had him in the thick of it. He recalls the scandal from about 5 or 6 years ago, a long tale of gambling debts, extremely poor investments and, ultimately, some rather extensive embezzlement by the Baron Rosenstern. Severin remembers that there was a great deal of work for the messenger's guild; delivering summonses, demands for payment, affidavits, and (rumor has it) that a small box containing a pistol and a single shot had been delivered to the Baron's manse before it was foreclosed upon. Just business as usual in the Empire, of course. But that's all in the past.

As Gabriele and Severin help Alyssa put the room together they also pay attention to the room. First of all, there is no lock on the door, just a small latch on the inside. So anyone could have entered at any time. Secondly, the room is on the third floor of one of the wings of the manor. There is a small window, about a foot square, that lets in light and air. When Gabriele goes to close it, she notices that something is fluttering from the shutter, snagged on splinter. It looks like a patch of snakeskin.

[Haval]

Gabriele will unsnag the patch of snakeskin to show the others. 'Look at that. Anyone seen many snakes in the middle of town? Seems like bad luck to have had one in your room.'

[rax]

"Can a snake even climb? Never mind us being three floors up..." Severin queries.

[Haval]

'In trees sometimes.' Gabriele will stick her head out of the window to check the state of the castle walls. Did it seem feasible that a snake had managed to get up here?

[dojango]

You all have seen plenty of snakes out in the scrublands and fields, but they are a lot more rare in the city. Sometimes you'll see them sunning themselves on a wall, but not often. When you examine the wall outside, it is made of mortared stone. While it's not perfectly flush and even, climbing it would be a difficult feat for something possessed of arms and fingers, much less something without limbs.

[Haval]

'Ok maybe not a snake.' Gabriele climbs down from the window. 'So something that has skin like a snake that flys? I don't think I want that anywhere near me.'

[rax]

"Well, this is quite the mystery. If not a snake, then what?" Severin thinks out loud. "I seems too coincidental for this theft to have occurred while you were dreaming of the Temple and Torendil has become, as you say, obsessed with it. I fear there must be a connection between the two. Perhaps there were other Sigmar-cursed mutants hiding somewhere? Perhaps one of them made the climb up here and stole the crown?"

[Haval]

'We could ask around. There are guards aren't there? Maybe somebody saw something.'

[rax]

"I suppose, but how do we do that without drawing attention to the fact that Alyssa's been robbed? I don't think it would help her standing with the Duke - or our own for that matter - if he learns that the only thing that was taken was a crown recovered from the Temple. I'm pretty sure he'd take a grim view of it not being turned in as part of the spoils. Even more so if we have to let him know it might be dangerous..." Severin mused.

[Haval]

'Maybe I find out where the guards go to drink. If someone has seen something weird there's a good chance they'll want to talk about it without me needing to ask.' Gabriele replies. 'Or there's always the chance that it's still around somewhere and it'll show up anyway.'

[rax]

"Aye, that sounds like a plan," Severin answered Gabriele's suggestion to speak to the off duty guards. "We could take a look around the base of the tower as well. If this is some sort of mutant, perhaps there's some tracks to be found below Alyssa's window."

[dojango]

As you finish up in Alyssa's room, a servant knocks on the door. She politely but firmly offers to escort you to the castle gates. Alyssa merely gives you a nod and waves goodbye, either she doesn't have the influence to override the servant or she is unwilling to do so. Soon you find yourselves at the gates of the castle. An autumn chill lies in the air and the streets below are quiet.

Spoiler

Show

You don't really have the standing to wander around the Duke's home late at night so you'll have to try and return in the morning. A gossip roll to get info from the off-duty guards would work tonight and you can try a follow trail roll in the morning if needed.

[rax]

Gossip test (1d100)[70] vs. 52 (Fel 42, Gossip +10)

FP re-roll if needed (1d100)[64]

Spoiler

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I'd honestly forgotten that this was happening after dinner.

[dojango]

You head down to a small drinking hole by the castle gates where a guards like to hang out and drink and dice away their pay. They are not in the best of moods and your queries are stonewalled by the guards. Apparently they are also being ordered to follow the Duke and they are not terribly happy about that. But nobody seems to have any insight into unusual activity at the castle, or the movements of any suspicious elves.

[rax]

OOC: "...ordered to follow the duke"? Seems perfectly normal for a Duke to order his soldiers about. What are they unhappy about?

[dojango]

OOC: "...ordered to follow the duke"? Seems perfectly normal for a Duke to order his soldiers about. What are they unhappy about?

These guards are garrison guards. They aren't happy about having to leave the comforts of the city to go march around for who knows how long.

[Haval]

ooc - Actually having to fight is dangerous

[rax]

OOC: I hadn't realized the Duke was going to use all available forces for his campaign.

I guess this moves us to the following morning?

[dojango]

Yes, the next morning rises, gray and drizzly. I assume you are staying at The Singing Pike? You are supposed to leave in three days. Gabriele wanted to go talk to Morillo and train with him. Is there anything else you would like to do in town especially?