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

[Haval]

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?

More to see if he's recovered then anything else. Sword practice can be with anyone whose willing to indulge her.

[rax]

OOC: Severin will stay at The Singing Pike, for sure. If Destiny wants to discuss her plan to arm the slaves further, he's open to that. He'll also let her know that Le Houet is trying to convince the Duke to take Inselberg in order to get her view on whether her plan could or should be used to support such an attempt.

Checking the base of the tower for tracks is obviously something we want to do as well.

I'll probably be picking up Specialist Weapon Group (Crossbow) to complete the Scout career, so Severin is going to find out if he can buy or commission a crossbow pistol somewhere in town. Feels like a waste to have the talent and no weapon that makes use of it.

As for us leaving in three days, I don't recall where we're supposed to be off to? Didn't Le Houet tell us to come see her again in four days (Aubentag)?

[dojango]

Le Houet wants you to accompany the Duke on his expedition. Don't remember if I said that directly. She paid you for 8 weeks in advance with that letter of credit. As far as a crossbow pistol is concerned, roll gossip at -10% I suppose to see if you can find one.

Destiny is more than happy to talk with you about her plans and introduce you around the halfling side of town if you are interested.

Morillo hasn't fully recovered and isn't able to spar but he'll watch you go through sword exercises and critique your technique.

[Haval]

Checking the base of the tower for tracks is obviously something we want to do as well.

Assuming it's not something with wings.

Rolling Follow Trail assuming no one has any problems with Gabriele looking around

vs. Int 38
(1d100)[42]

[rax]

Severin will give Follow Trail a try as well: (1d100)[67] vs. Int 44

[dojango]

You return to the castle and try to look around outside Alyssa's room. The castle courtyard is, as always, buzzing with activity. Carters are loading up wagons, soldiers are being marched around while servants carry laundry and food back and forth between outbuildings. You do not spot anything out of the ordinary as far as tracks are concerned. When Severin comments about 'something with wings' the two of you can see that the castle wall is about thirty feet from where Alyssa's room is. The wind picks up and it seems colder. Eventually you are forced to concede that whatever happened did not leave any more traces to detect.

[rax]

"I don't like this one bit," Severin admits to Gabriele. "Torendil acting all obsessed with the Temple, Alyssa dreaming of it and wanting to be rid of the crown but also wanting it back. What if the Magos managed to do something like the Green Witch - become a ghost or spirit, and now he's messing with their minds?"

[Haval]

Gabriele grimaces, 'If that's true what the hell can we do about it? It's not like I can hit a ghost with my sword. Should we tell Le Houet? The Elf might have been helpful if he hadn't run off but I don't expect there's many other wizards around down here. Maybe if you dream about the Green Witch again you should ask her about this.'

[dojango]

Severin had asked Destiny where a crossbow pistol might be found, and after a funny look, she had suggested a small pawnshop down at the foot of the castle. They had an assortment of junk and poor-quality weapons, but no crossbow pistol. The owner suggested another place, which Severin had been unable to find, and then after speaking to some of the merchants by the docks (including Lorenzo) and rummaging through several store-rooms, Severin was forced to abandon his search by the arrival of supper-time. A cold, light rain began to fall as it grew dark.

Meanwhile, Gabriele had sought out Morillo, and found him supervising two small boys fighting with sticks. When Gabriele asked to spar with him, he grimaced and said that his wounds were still bothering him; it would be poor practice to fight with someone so impaired. He would be happy to watch her go through the seven forms and stances of the sword and offer her critiques if she so chose, however.

[rax]

"Well, we could always ask around town if anyone's seen Torendil recently. Just because the guards had nothing to say, doesn't mean he hasn't been seen around town. Maybe I can get Destiny to spread the word we're looking for him as well. She's got connections in the community we don't," Severin suggests.

"As for what to do about whatever's going on, we can work that out when we've figured out...what's going on. I'm just worried that the crown is heading back to the Temple and maybe that's the wrong place for it to be. And sure, if the Green Witch decides to invade my head again, I'll ask her."

[Haval]

"Well, we could always ask around town if anyone's seen Torendil recently. Just because the guards had nothing to say, doesn't mean he hasn't been seen around town. Maybe I can get Destiny to spread the word we're looking for him as well. She's got connections in the community we don't," Severin suggests.

"As for what to do about whatever's going on, we can work that out when we've figured out...what's going on. I'm just worried that the crown is heading back to the Temple and maybe that's the wrong place for it to be. And sure, if the Green Witch decides to invade my head again, I'll ask her."

'Might as well see if she can help. And it's not like an Elf and a wizard would be that good at hiding.' Gabriele will consider why the crown would want to be somewhere. 'If it's bad for the crown to be back in the Temple because something weird and unholy is going on I take it it might be the sort of thing we're going to hear about. One way or the other.'

Meanwhile, Gabriele had sought out Morillo, and found him supervising two small boys fighting with sticks. When Gabriele asked to spar with him, he grimaced and said that his wounds were still bothering him; it would be poor practice to fight with someone so impaired. He would be happy to watch her go through the seven forms and stances of the sword and offer her critiques if she so chose, however.

'Don't need to be good as you, I just need to be good enough to not get killed. Glad to see you're healing Morillo.'

[dojango]

You ask Destiny for any news about "an elf", and you describe Torendil as best you can. She shrugs and says she'll ask around. Later the next day, she drags in a few misfit looking halflings who tell you sullenly that they had tracked an elf to the city gates a few days ago, hoping he was an easy mark, but he was moving fast and had got away from them.

[rax]

"If Torendil was in a hurry to leave, I'm inclined to think he's also got the crown," Severin suggests to Gabriele after bringing her the news. "The timeline's a little hazy, but Torendil left the castle about a week ago, Alyssa said she hadn't been to her room for a couple of days, and now he's been seen leaving a few days ago. I guess none of that matters if we're going to follow Le Houet and the Duke on campaign, though."

[Haval]

'Maybe thats fine. If we go back in there maybe we could see if we could borrow half a dozen soldiers to go in there with us. You think we could convince Le Houet to have someone keep an eye on Torendil in case he comes back?'

[rax]

"We tell Le Houet and we're going to have to give her something in order to believe us. I'm not sure which I like less - telling her a dead witch has been speaking to me or that Alyssa kept a possibly dangerous artefact in her bed and now we think it's taken over the only known wizard west of the Inselberg..." Severin grumbles, clearly uncomfortable with the entire situation.

[Haval]

'I don't want to drop Alyssa in it if we can help it. Maybe we just say we think the Elf might be losing his mind. If he's going out to the Temple by himself I'd say that's evidence enough.' Gabriele shrugged. 'If he's got a good reason to be out there he shouldn't mind answering some questions.'

[rax]

"Hmmm, yes, that might work," Severin agreed. "Maybe we can even prevail upon her to have some people go out and look for him? You know, just in case he's at the Temple and up to no good."

[Haval]

'Long as we let them know what to expect from that place. Maybe they should send a priest. There must be a Morrite around here somewhere.'

[dojango]

Le Houet listens to your story about the elf wizard's strange behavior and she shakes her head. "Elves. Wizards." Judging from her tone, it is hard to tell which she has more distaste for. "We try to leave them alone and they mostly leave us alone. But if you are worried enough about this to bring it to my attention, I will send someone to keep an eye on him. Meanwhile. When you're on campaign with the Duke, all I need from you is to help scout out the area around the town. He doesn't expect you to do any fighting. Just keep your eyes and ears open and if you see anything you think he needs to know, be sure to let him know."

You return to the Singing Pike for dinner where Destiny meets you. She says, "Have you had a chance to think about helping the poor halflings down at Inselberg? I've taken up a collection and scrounged up some weapons. If you can smuggle them into the work camp down there, if they are desperate and brave enough, they may be able to secure their freedom. With a little help, of course."

[rax]

"Well, umm, it looks like we're going down there anyway. Seems the Duke's decided to take Inselberg for himself and we've been invited to tag along and do some scouting..." Severin replies with an embarrassed look.

"We haven't said anything about your plan, but it occurs to me that it might make taking the town a lot easier if the Duke's men could get in through the mines, and that would be a lot easier if friendly forces were holding it for him..."

[Haval]

"We haven't said anything about your plan, but it occurs to me that it might make taking the town a lot easier if the Duke's men could get in through the mines, and that would be a lot easier if friendly forces were holding it for him..."

'So we see if the Duke has any thin soldiers? What are the chances he's got other halfling's working for him.'

[rax]

"The mines seemed plenty big to me when we were down there. All we need is to secure the camp and his men should be able to make it up through the dwarven mansions," Severin suggests.

[dojango]

Destiny says, "Oh Severin. I know from experience how tempting it is to meddle in politics... but I don't want these poor halflings to fight and get hurt just so the Duke has more lands. If you can help them run away so they can go back to their families and farms it would be best."

[Haval]

'I suppose we could ask then.' On the Halflings, 'I don't think anyone whose stuck down there will be im much condition to fight anyone.'

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Realised I was thinking of the hole on the surface of the mesa which wouldn't be much help to us

[rax]

"We can give it a shot, Miss Destiny, but I fear that the slaves aren't going anywhere without some fighting, and Gabriele and me can't do it all by ourselves," Severin admits.

"Perhaps if we can get the Duke to attack from the outside while the slaves break out from the inside? Could end up working out for both parties," he thinks out loud.

[Haval]

'Attack at dawn or something like that.' Gabriele nods. 'Course, if there's an army showing up at the bottom of the mesa they might be a little too distracted to guard their prisoners properly.'

[dojango]

The rest of the evening you spend hashing out your plans for travel. Destiny provides a small two-wheeled cart to hitch to your horse to carry two boxes of weapons and your supplies. The next morning there is a cold drizzle as you over to the city gates where a small crowd has gathered to watch the Duke and his soldiers march out of the city. While they are heading out, Carbey comes over and slaps Severin on the back with his good hand while his assistants look over your cart. "Civilian contractors march in the back" he tells you. "When ya get to Fort Besoin report in ta Sergeant Barnaby Hochmann, he's my assistant down there. Tell him I said ta make sure ya get the good rations, stuff that ain't too full of weevils, eh?"

With that, you follow the column of soldiers down the muddy track. The rain continues to get worse throughout the day and the carts and wagons and men and horses find themselves struggling through mud. When you do finally camp about a mile away from the soldier's camp everyone is too exhausted to do much other than fall asleep where they stand, trying vainly to find a spot that is a little more dry and less muddy then every other spot in the camp. After a poor night's sleep, you are awoken by the sound of reville from the soldier's camp. The rain continues to fall, soaking everyone through and through.

Spoiler

Show

Make a survival test and a toughness test please

.

[Haval]

In the face of the bad weather Gabriele will travel with her hood all the way up. Normally she would try to find cover in weather like this till it passed. 'Bloody hell, if soldiering is like this it's a wonder anyone ever sticks around long enough to get to a battle.'

[rax]

"It's my understanding that a lot of 'em don't," Severin answers with a wicked grin. "Either they catch some horrid disease and die in camp, or they sneak off when things get too bad."

[dojango]

The next morning you wake up, cold and weary. Breakfast is cold food, Gabriele and Severin have it slightly better since Destiny had provided you with better supplies, but it does not warm you up. The next few days pass like this, slowly lurching forward towards the fort. After a few days you meet up with the contingent from the fort and the supply train grows even larger. You spot the sergeant that you had lost at cards to, Barnaby, who takes charge of the supply train, at that point. Soon you leave the open plains of the valley and into the Stralwald forest. Up until then, the road had been crude and potholed but then it gets worse. At the head of the supply train you find yourself having to pick your way around fallen branches and narrow paths; although your small cart is mostly able to get through the larger wagons start having considerable difficulty. Eventually it comes to a head in a large clearing. It had probably been a farm once; there is a small ruin in the open field. Severin and Gabriele are able to pick their way across the field but as you finish crossing you notice that the heavy wagons have stopped and there is a lot of cursing and yelling...