Session # 3

Session # 3 2008-05-09


This session starts as the group returns to Marienburg after their adventures in the Cursed March.

Upon returning to the temple of Sigmar in the Ostmuur Ward they waste no time in finding a bath house, here they sink down in hot water, rince the grit from themselves and get their clothes washed, much needed. They talk trough what they have to go on, which isn't much, just a name: Jurgen Baer, taken from the Journal of the Stromfels-Priest, it also mentioned that the man frequented a place called the Jolly Boatmen.

As it's early morning they set out at once for the Doodkanal, on the way there Walter turns in a chain shirt from one of the mutants to a smithy for a overhaul. The smith tells him he'd be better of getting a new one, but Walter incists and the smith agrees to do the job, Walter can pick it up later. Emanuel also stocks up on some lamp oil, you never know when you'll have to burn something in the name of Sigmar! After some walking the enter the Doodkanal Ward and search for The Jolly Boatmen, when they find it they discover that this gambling den is closed until evening, talking it trough they decide to go an look over the abandoned smithy where Karl supposedly killed one of the two mutants thet were trying to make way with him. Here they find nothing of apparent interest to the investigation, they talk some with the sourly man who has bought the place after the smith joined the Crusade. They gather that he's a wizard from Altdorf here at some business with the Academy in Marienburg, but not much more.

A bit at a loss of what to do until the evening their interest get's directed to the sewers, more specificaly the sewers around the orphanage. Upon Walter's suggestion they pay a visit to a "guard station" of the sewer jacks. Meeting one that has the "fire watch" during the day they ask him about the sewers around the orphanage, he tells them he's pretty sure there are no passages to or from the orphanage, true Marienburg is sinking, but such places usually can afford to board up any such openings to the sewers. They players are not totaly convinced and asks if any sewer jack can lead them there, the man says this can be arranged, if they return in four hours when there are more people there.

While waiting they decide to purchase some raggier clothes, to fit in better in the Dood, and to save their better clothes from the ravages of the sewers. Emanuel finds it hard to trust the wizard they spoke to erlier and wants to check on him, so they make way to the University of Navigation and Collegue of Sea Magicks. Here they find a reception where they ask to look up the wizard, the clerk confirms that the man is who he says and does what he said here at the collegue. Emanuel is dissapointed as he get's short of a witch-burning, but they trudge back to the temple where they are staying and changing to their rags they wait for the sewer jacks to switch shifts.

A few hours later they are standing at an entry point of the sewers, having payed a sewer jack to guide them. It is now that Emanuel and Torrendil realize it will be a kind of acrobatic climb down to the pipe that stick out over the kanals. They figure it's better not to brave it since the kanal water is dangerous to fall into. So while Leticia and Walter manage to climb down and in, the elf and bounty hunter station themself on the nearby alehouse where they erlier staked out the orphanage, hoping to catch the silent initiate that they assume gave them the note about Maida Widman.

Down in the sewers our two adventurers seemingly don't accomplish much else but ruining their footwear. The find that any sewers leading under the orphanage have been sealed shut. The only thing out of the mundane they find, are some smugglers marks on walls nearby. They give up and follow their guide out. As the try the climb up from the duct, Walter almost slips and falls but manage to grab the rope [Fortune Points, can't live without 'em].

After purchasing and changing some new boots they all return to the temple, as the stakeout gave them nothing, nor did the trek into the sewers. Here they wait until the evening and head out to The Jolly Boatmen. Entering the place they make some quick inquires as to the name of Baer, to no result. But action suddenly sparks as Letica moves up behind a winning gambler and puts a hand on his shoulder, to talk, the man reacts by taking a incredibly swift stab at her with a dagger, she moves away in time and everybody stands up, tention in the air. The proprietor tries to diffuse the sitiuation by talking Emanuel into taking his group and leave, disgruntled they agree and they are ushered outside. As they are ready to walk away another man exists the Boatmen and walks up to them, he is clearly bruised and hurt, but asks for their time, saying he knows something about Baer.

He takes them to a nearby alehouse where they sit down in a dark corner; he presents himself as Hugo Buisman and offers them information on Baer, in exchange for them to visit a ruffian called Dobbe and make sure Hugo never "sees" him again. This Dobbe is appearently the reason Hugo has gotten beaten up. The party get's a bit devided at what to do here, Torrendil is sceptical to blatant murder to say the least, while Emanuel, as a bounty hunter, says that this Dobbe probably deserves it anyway. Walter checks the Good Book and comes to the conclusion that it wouldn't strictly brake any of Sigmars proverbs or sayings. Torrendil overruled, they head for the boarding house where Dobbe stays.

Here they soon find out in which room on the top floor the man lives, Walter sparks up a fiery speach about Sigmar in the commons, as a diversion, while Letica and Emanuel goes upstairs. Torrendil covers the back. Emanuel kicks in the door, violantly one might add, and catch the large man by surprise, he tries to net him but fails and then a melee breaks out, in which Leticia joins in. After a few rounds of combat Dobbe lies dead at their feet, Emanuel takes his Good Craftmanship boots and an ear for evidence and none other is the wiser as they get Walter and move back to the alehouse and Hugo.

Hugo is very happy at the results and spills what he knows, that Baer was last seen dead in the river, killed and robbed by a gang called The Hounds that bases at a gambling place simply called The Den in the Doodkanal. Leaving Hugo to his grim celebrating they make way to The Den and are easily let inside as it's open. Inside they look around at people gambling wondering who to ask, Emanuel moves to a Hound and asks to see his boss in a more sinsiter matter then simple gambling. The gangmember shouts for their leader Pim de Groot, whom steps out from behinds some audience where he has been gambling, well actually the peg legged halfling jumps down from a cusioned chair and asks whats it's all about. Emanuel says it's to do with Baer, this get's him an invitation to Pim's office upstairs and he follows as the other stay downstairs.

In the office, crowned by a huge portrait of the Moot's Elector Count wielding a Runefang [Yeah, it's a scary thought] de Grott confirms they killed Baer for outstanding debts, but they still have his wallet, which he fishes out of a drawer and dangles infront of Emanuel, who promtly offers to buy it. De Groot thinks this is far too boring though and challanges the human to a game of Gertrud & Sigmar over it and a piece of gold. As Pim shuffles the cards Emanuel spots him cheating which he turns to his advantage [+ 10 to his Gambling roll] though he looses the first round, he wins the next and gets the wallet and a sour halfling that excuses him. Inside the wallet, having joined the party outside, they find a scribbled map of parts of the sewers, starting at an old abandoned bakery, they waste no time in heading there.

Inside they find not only a passage down into the sewers, but also a drunkard that confirms, after a bribery of some boose, that a man used to go down and come up, but he hasn't seen him for about a week. Leticia also buys the mans pants [!] as she don't want to ruin her own. The drunkard happily makes way to the nearest alehouse with his new money, and no pants.
Our adventurers head down the sewers following the map, in the darkness, lit only by one lantern, they tie cloth with garlic infront of their noses and mouths, it helps but a little against the ghastly stench [+10 to the Toughness test required].

They find strange triangular markings on some walls, huge rats leering at them, human skelletons and most remarkably so far, a strange green, glowing orb in the water, after some debating, the decide to leave it for later. They come to a room with walls totaly coated with a red moss. They naturaly get wary from this, and Letica, being the most agile heads over the unsturdy wooden ramps with a rope, she makes it quite nicely, across. So does everyone else, except the last person to cross, Emanuel who steps wrongly and suddenly the moss exhumes red spores everywhere that burns his skin, the others pull at the rope which gets him out but sadly, the spores comes with him and poor Walter didn't manage to jump out of the way and the spores burn him aswell. [Here they take a Tougness test which gave Emanuel -10 to Willpower and Intelligence tests, until otherwise said by me.]

They suck it up and just a bit further down a corridor the see a door. Approaching it the water starts to bubble and a pony sized monster with flailing tentacles emerge and attack them. Emanuel is struck by sheer terror at the sight of the beast and runs away, while the others fight the hideous, postule clad beast. Only the next round he gets his act together and joins the fight, Torrendil is the only one who gets struck in this combat, something in the monsters tentacles seem poisonous though as his body aches and he finds moving more difficult [-10 to all tests and -1 movement.] They manage to slay the foul beasts though, with no more casulties our wounds and open the closed door, they get wary as it's sealed from the outside.

Inside they find a room with broken and old furniture and also a man. He's wearing filthy old robes and rocking back and forth busy eating bugs, he doesn't seem to notice the group entering. In his hand is a small peice of paper tightly clutched. Other then this there is only a simple altar of stacked stones. Emanuel lays his blade against the mans shoulder the only reaction is the man starting to mumble about "Three moons" and "Someone who underestimates her opposition." The Bounty Hunter simply takes the note from the man who looks around with sewn shut eyes and says "Baer, Baer!".

As Walter reads through, what's a letter, they find out that a man, who quite obviously worships the Lord of Flies, is following the Crusade to Altdorf! Emanuel get's frustraded with the "mutants" ramblings and kicks him, this kick instantly kills the man, his back breaking like it was dried wheet. Walter takes his hammer and demolishes the altar, inside the find a human skull with three eye sockets which he promptly smashes aswell.

The group heads up through the sewers, having left the strange glowing glass orb behind they carefully take it with them and hand it over to the wizard in the old smithy, who promsies to handle it with due care. After this they return to their temple bodings.


Here ended the third session!