Set up, Framed and on the Run
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The Enemy Within Revisited Cast:
Gustav the Minstrel (Davy White) Falco the Ratcatcher (Michael Morgan) Aldor Irelgen the Barber Surgeon (Lee Hattery) Jean Raynard D Accquitaine the Bretonnian Knight (Vin Rampal) With memories of our recent beating fresh in our minds, it was clear that if we had any hopes of stopping the forthcoming ritual we’d need reinforcements. When it comes to the gift of the gab there is little doubt that Aldor and Gustav could talk their way out of a glue spillage from within a locked suitcase in a room with no doors. However it was proven that they can’t always talk their way out of a good hiding. With that in mind Aldor was reminded that a client of his, a Bretonnian Knight was in town (having tourneyed at the Schaffenfest’s Jousts) and would perhaps be able to lend some much needed muscle to their party. But first things first. A message from Franz Baumann telling us he wanted a word was too intriguing not to investigate. He’d previously resisted our pleas for assistance. But was now offering us a safe house to facilitate our kidnap attempts. As well as providing us with some names. What could have caused this change of heart? Perhaps the bounty that Heinrich had been willing to pay for Franz’s demise? Who knew exactly. But the main thing is he’d agreed to help and strange though it might seem this Thieves Guild Boss appeared to be the most trustworthy individual we’d met in our dealings so far. A testament to the level of corruption weighing down the Bloated Town of Bogenhafen. So then, now for tracking down this errant knight. Having been hanging around Aldor’s barber shop waiting impatiently for his daily grooming service we found him quenching his thirst and drowning his ‘bad hair day sorrows’ in a nearby inn. A handsome devil and obvious hit with the ladies he certainly had a high opinion of himself and an exceedingly low opinion of Falco. Assuming Falco’s lowly class status meant he’d immediately undertake his squire duties. We humored him (and told Falco to play along) in the knowledge that we needed his fighting skills. It was also deemed probably best to leave out certain of the less noble details of our plan. Namely that we planned to kidnap a high ranking member of Bogenhafen. Before we could finish our meals though a pageboy arrived with a message bearing the Steinhager seal. It was from Franz Steinhager asking us to meet him at his home on the Adel ring as a matter of the utmost urgency. Without further ado we set off there, pausing only to tell the guards who barred our entry to the Adel ring our reasons for entering. Aldor’s doctoring skills proved useful here. It appears the doctor has a face that truly does open many doors. Once at the house we were welcomed inside by the same pageboy and ushered into Franz Steinhager’s office. To our horror Steinhager was lay dead behind his desk in a fresh pool of his own blood. A message scrawled in blood read ‘WHOUSE’ (and then trailed off inconclusively to read either number 13 or 17). There was just time to take all this in when the shout of ‘murder, murder’ went up as the pageboy signalled the alarm and alerted the many watch guarding the ring. No sooner did he do so than the very same ‘pageboy’ materialized in the room. “YOU KNOW YOU REALLY SHOULD HAVE KEPT YOUR NOSES OUT OF BUSINESS THAT DOESN’T CONCERN YOU”…boomed the pageboy who clearly wasn’t a pageboy and with that he vanished again with the sound of his hollow laughter filling the room. With no time to lose, the majority of our party decided it was best not to stick around to be arrested and so headed out of the room looking for an alternative exit. The barber surgeon failing to recognize the urgency of the situation attempted to first dispose of and then burn the body. But eventually after a failied attempt at arson he too reluctantly fled after his comrades. Finding a rear facing window that overlooked a large garden and high walled fence we made good our exit from the house. As we reached the imposing wall an escape looked bleak. Thankfully our quick thinking Bretonnian knight had bough an end table from the house and we propped it against the wall. With Gustav and I holding the table we urged the rat catcher over first. He hurled his dog over then attempted to clamber up with all the coordination of a ballet dancing elephant. As he landed at our feet in a heap we wondered whether we should attempt to toss him over like his dog. Dusting himself off he tried again to reach his grubby mitts to grab the ledge and stood there on tiptoes teetering on the flimsy table held by Gustav and the Knight. Like a comedy troupe of incompetent tumblers we struggled to scramble over the wall with the voices of the guards raising the alarm and getting ever closer. This was not proving to be the best of days..
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...or the Barber Surgeon takes a beating
Photo Credit: ©Emrun@DeviantArt URL http://emrun.deviantart.com/art/In-the-back-alleys-of-Altdorf-155993665
The Enemy Within Revisited Cast:
Gustav the Minstrel/Dilettante (Davy White) Aldor Irelgen the Barber Surgeon (Lee Hattery) After a night spent observing the Teugen manor (while pretending to be observing Grubs) under the watchful gaze of the baleful moon that is Mannslieb our party began to feel somewhat drawn and unclean. I can literally feel the taint of corruption creeping beneath my flesh as Mannslieb’s gaze seemed to look beneath my skin. The Barber Surgeon seems more adept at sleuthing than he is at surgery if the gaping holes in Falco’s mouth and the godawful smell from his mouth are anything to go by. Anyway with Falco out of commission in a gutter somewhere (or perhaps off getting a second opinion on the molars Aldor so brutally and expensively extracted) and the air decidedly fresher in his absence, it’s a party made up of two that again attempt to find the answers to the corruption bubbling beneath Bogenhafen. So after a fitful and chaos haunted sleep in which the chaos moons glib mocking grin loomed large, Aldor and Gustav breakfasted and began to form a plan to go and have words with the youngest Steinhager, Heinrich. But before they could depart who should walk into their inn but the elder Steinhager, Franz? Looking drawn and troubled in contrast to the first time he’d met the party at the Golden Trout Club, he asked if there was somewhere private to talk. Leading him up to the parties room he would not rest until he’d bolted the door and checked out of the windows to be sure you were alone. He confessed how he’d been under orders by Teugen in their initial meeting to throw the adventurer’s off the trail but had since learned that the forthcoming ritual would now involve a human sacrifice and at that news he suddenly decided that this was too much for him and he wanted out. But fearing that Teugen has the authorities under his control he has no option but to seek assistance from the only people in town likely to believe his story. He also shows a rather interesting letter between himself and Etelka Herzen who you distinctly recall as being the woman that The Elves told you eloped with their elf friend and your ex party member Athos. Frightened to dally longer and afraid to be seen in public with the adventurers he makes quick his exit and promises to get word to the party later, once he knows the new location in which the ritual will take place. As the plot thickens and with half the party off doing god only knows what Aldor and Gustav set off in a hurry to go and have words with young Heinrich Steinhager. On the way they become increasingly aware of being followed. The decision is made to head down a couple of alleyways to shake off any would-be pursuers. In hindsight, this proves to be not the wisest decision when they’re set upon by a couple of thugs who are clearly spoiling for trouble. Aldor seems determined that attack is the best form of defense as he immediately reaches for his whip with the intention of whipping these young ruffians into shape. Or at the very least ‘cracking one off’ and make a run for it in the confusion this wholly unexpected turn of events causes. A few blows are thrown and a few blows are received mostly to Aldor’s person. If only he was as quick in battle as he is quick-tongued he’d be a formidable opponent indeed. But as more thugs arrive from behind to surround our party and Gustav is roughly manhandled from behind (and not in the good way that he might have paid Shequanda several shillings for :-P), it is clear that this battle is unlikely to go well. As Gustav struggles with a couple of his assailants and a third clubs him across the head he begins to loudly recite what he believes may well be his final swansong when Aldor yells ‘Help! Rape!’ at the top of his lungs. Bracing himself for the seemingly inevitable penetration that must follow Gustav is suddenly surprised to feel his attackers loosen their grip. And the somewhat confused voice of the cognitively challenged brute, says. “Rape? I didn’t sign up to no rape!” There are further murmurs of agreement as the consensus seems to be that as handsome as these chaps are the attackers have little interest in seeking out those particular rewards of the flesh. At least not from anyone sporting a handlebar mustache. But moments later another voice is heard and at the sight of the watch coming to investigate the commotion, the assailants scarper. How’s that for alternative battle tactics? As the watch return having chased off our would-be attackers you’re relieved to find that it’s the very same two guards that you met while masquerading as ‘biologists’ investigating worm grubs in the Adel Ring. You have never been so happy to see the watch. So the party escapes with wits and virtue (relatively intact) and presses on to see Heinrich Steinhager. Drawing a blank at his home the gardener tells you that he’s at work so you head to the Steinhager offices. Once there you meet the younger Steinhager who seems most interested in stories of his elder brother’s transgressions. With every damning accusation, his eyes light up and it’s clear there’s no brotherly love in the Steinhager family. At one point, he even suggests that he will reward the adventurers handsomely if Franz Steinhager were to meet some unfortunate end at the hands of the PCs. While loath to actually kill anyone the party do discuss a plan that involves bringing down Steinhager with Heinrich’s help and in passing it’s noted that ‘were Franz to somehow accidentally meet his end then that would be lamentable but perhaps unavoidable’. And so the meeting draws to a close with a somewhat dubious plan formed with a character of questionable nature and morals to bring down a group of powerful but morally bankrupt high ranking members of Bogenhafen’s elite. And how far could this Heinrich Steinhager truly be trusted? As Gustav weighed up this question his thoughts turned to estimating the weight of said Heinrich. He was a portly gentleman and our bearded Dilettante doubted whether anyone but his recently departed Ogre friend Smof could either trust or throw this chap very far at all. by GM Noely ...and that's just the people of Bogenhafen
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The Enemy Within Revisited Cast:
Gustav the Minstrel/Dilettante (Davy White) Aldor Irelgen the Barber Surgeon (Lee Hattery) Sifting and feasting on and through the mud and shit the Bogenwyrm survives and breeds lustily, oblivious to the circling crypt crows that wait to gorge as neighbouring worms heedlessly carry on. As it would happen, these worms would have much in common with the local citizens of that burg. It was a miserable night, looking back on things. We really had no business being out there, under that moon and against those men. That we weren’t cut and left for dead in the sewers like all those others is remarkable. Perhaps our position was so nonthreatening or their machinations were so far along that they figured they could not be stopped. Or more like, the gods would have something grander or more grisly intended for us. _From Fat Men Die in Their Sleep. The Early years of Gustav Menthalbaum._ Aldor and I found ourselves alone at the noisy tavern left to tackle the meeting called at Herr Teugens mansion. Aldor, as you may recall, was our new docktor acquaintance and one of the few locals that seemed at all concerned with the some of the recent peculiar events going on in Bogenhafen. Falco had disappeared again, insisting on watching the sewers for any strange movements into or out of Teugan's. The fey folke we'd met the night before had not arrived at our predetermined time and place. I would later learn that all elves are deeply sensitive to lay lines and the sewers of men can confuse the energies of said magicks. Feeling the urgency of the hour the Docktor and I set about on the best way to monitor the suspicious organization without calling unwanted attention or danger to our own persons. Once satisfied with our plan, we headed to the Adel Ring with our journals and several bottles of wine in hand. I'll never forget that baleful moon, leering massively. I tell you now, I could feel it's poison seep into my very soul. Despite the wine and my nervousness my mouth was dry and I was incapable of any perspiration at all. Once at the Ring, we used the surgeons good name to not seem out of place and then situated ourselves in a place with a view of Teugen's manor. When pressed by the diligent Nights Watch we explained that we were involved in some specialized research on the Bogen Wyrm (please see footnote) best conducted under the full moon of Morrsleib. A bottle of wine and a silver for their continued vigilance saw them on their way. As we watched the gate we saw the Inner Circle members of the Ordo Septenarius began to arrive. We made notes in our journals of each of the attendees as to be able to describe them to others. Of note, each of the members brought a package, some boxed, other wrapped in brown paper. We waited there for a couple of hours and satisfied that we were not going to see anything more we made for the Crossed Pikes, and Franz Baumann. You see, or plan from the beginning of the night had been to collect and present Franz and his organization a wealth of incriminating evidence as a bargaining chip. For this information, we were asking for the abduction of one of the Inner Council. I can see your horror but I'll defend our actions to the grave. You didn't see the thing in the sewers that they had bound. You weren't there, when the warp boiled forth and took Piersson at Grunwald Lodge. We needed to hear and have it confessed that something most vile was happening at the highest levels of Bogenhafen's council. We fully expected Bauman to seize this opportunity to lay some of the merchants low and step into one of the vacancies left in one of the shipping or freight lines. Bewilderingly, he advised us against such a plan and stated no good would come of it. I fear in our desperation we mistook his simple greed as ambition. Our hopes laid low, we began to despair when he recommend we question the younger Steinhager.... Footnote: Though at the time this was a complete fabrication, I did develop a fascination for the Bogen Wyrm and later became one of the foremost experts in the entire Empire on this most incredible creature. by Prof Gustav Menthalbaum the Minstrel/Dilettante (aka Davy White) ...or Two Elves Walk into a Bar.
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The Enemy Within Revisited Cast:
Gustav the Minstrel (Davy White) [Falco the Ratcatcher (Michael Morgan) Aldor Irelgen the Barber Surgeon (Lee Hattery) Enlith the Elven Mystic (Mandy) Aeghan the Elven Waywatcher (Fred) He says it is them with the little dog in the distance. I say we will await any innkeeper's word. He says our coin falls like water through my fingers, with all these bribes I've placed throughout town. I say if all humans are as greed-touched as they seem, they can drown on what we have in our coin pouches. It does not matter how we find him, only that Athos is found. He keeps a goshawk's gaze on the group entering a building none-too-far from our watching point, and I turn my gaze inward to where what is, was, and could be flitters just out of view. Metaphorically anchoring myself to the now, I open up myself to what is often unseen by tossing a handful of etched stones at my feet. Their answers remain unchanged, just as cryptic as the last dozen times I've attempted a Seeing; Kin. Watcher. Shame. Shadows. Kin; a thieving raven who flew too far from the nest with something which was not his. Sometimes the stones hide their meanings behind symbolism and riddles, but this one is all too easy to read -- Athos. It is my duty and bane to find him and reclaim what was taken from our kind, before a hallowed treasure becomes a nightmare unleashed upon an unsuspecting people. Kind; another with a meaning that comes easily to me. With the predatory presence of a hunter and talons made of flint and steel, it can only mean Aeghan. Waywatcher. Stalker. Protector. Executioner. I know there is an arrow in his quiver meant only for me, yet I need his skills and abilities to help me find Athos. I am a sparrow toying with a hungry goshawk, and know it is only a matter of time before his talons pierce my flesh. Shame; this one mocks me time and time again. Is this a past-telling stone, speaking of what has already been born by my family with Athos' betrayal? Or does it speak of what is coming? Is it my own shame and failure mocking me-- or warning me? I wanted Athos to fail in his task, for I knew myself to be a better guardian. Is his folly only to be a harbinger of my own pride wrought downfall? If- no, when -he is found, will I be a better guardian? Shadows; an absence of warmth, light, and order. I can sense it nearby, but cannot orientate myself on any one direction. It. He. They. There is a difference to the silence, like a dampening, leading me to believe something has changed. Perhaps it is all the confusion brought on by human feet stomping and clomping over the area's natural energy. Mayhaps it is the abundance of buildings, each one comprised of dead wood and stone, blocking out my innate ability to find what we are seeking. I sense when Aeghan shifts his weight, and know we are about to move from the rooftop we've been perched upon. After gathering up my stones, I follow him off the roof and through a maze of streets and buildings. We are like grosbeaks flying among starlings, our plumes standing out against the dull drab hues of their feathers. Wherever we go, we garner stares and whispers at our backs, making it easy for an innkeeper's runner to find and deliver us a message. Our quarry has settled down at a local watering hole, and we waste no time heading off to find them. Every inn and tavern looks the same to me, with their dim and dark interiors cut off from wind and sky. Each place has its own peculiar odour, but the one we find ourselves in seems to be the most pungent of all. Jostling bodies and jovial patrons makes it difficult to effectively scope out the room, but one thing is immediately obvious -- Athos is not here. The innkeeper stumbles over his tongue, nervous enough to be constantly tugging at his horrific hat, as he informs me that, though lacking an elf, the others he was paid to keep an eye out for were recently seen. We're quickly accosted by a man with gilded lips and honeyed words, who offers a litany of services both common and bizarre. Finding little information on our prey from the “barber” before us, we turn our attention to a gathering at a table. Fate coupled with plenty enough coin has brought us to Athos’ most recent traveling companions; a mongrel band of humans. They are evasive on my kin’s whereabouts, withholding as much as they give up freely. They are a difficult lot to read, so foreign in the way they think and react to my probing questions. I keep reminding myself how humans are like a candle lit from both ends, they burn bright and furiously fast before becoming a fading wisp of smoke These are the first humans to take only a casual interest in the golden reward I have to offer, instead wishing to trade one deed for another. My decision to agree is fueled more by curiosity than necessity. We have tracked Athos’ this far, yet, I wonder what will become of these men who shared my kin’s tainted space for a short while. Will fate treat kindly with them? Or have their nightmares only just begun? With our bargain sealed, the motley group rolls out their task with words, names, and places sounding guttural and harsh on the lips. This is an ugly language they speak, taking away from the details in their plight. We learn of a man, poisoned, and a place below with an altar that was but wasn’t. There was a demon, perhaps one slain by my kin’s hand? That part is unclear. We learn of more men with ugly names, in harsh-sounding places, before hurrying on to a meeting place a short distance away. While we wait in a place smelling far better than the last, I take the time to appraise my companions. There is the Barber, with words flowing as easily as water skims off a duck’s back. He is well known to others about this city, and seems to strut about like a preening blue jay enamoured with his own feathers. I sensed Aeghan’s respect budge marginally when he learned of the Skraven Slayer’s deeds; though I cannot tell how much is truth and how much is fancy. This one has the subtly of a trumpeting elk with the way he lifts his antlers and casts an eye my way. It is amusing and horrifying at the same time. Last, there is Irongut. This one is bluster built over a frame of common sense. Though he ruffles easily, he’s twice as quick to recover than most. He is an unknown seed to me, and so I will watch to see what hue of bloom he will grow into. These humans do not linger long in any one place, as it seems we are always on the move. We spend time in the company of one who stinks of simple greed-- or, it could be the “meal” spread out before us. Venison’s delicacy is too easily ruined, and we eat what should only be used to bait vermin with. Questions, lies, and looks go round and around the table, until our comrades seem satisfied with what is or isn’t said. Our comrades must not trust this newcomer, as we find ourselves following him back to where he was found originally. We mingle about, with the others in our group who are bickering amongst themselves about fault and mistakes.... by Enlith the Elven Mystic (aka Mandy) |
Noely Been a fan of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay since the 80's. The Enemy Within always stood out as a classic and at the time, and arguably since there was nothing like it. And these pages are my homage to it. Welcome!Enter adventurers! Leave your weapon at the door, grab an ale and make yourself at home. And don't forget to subscribe while you're here. Archives
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