Something Smelly in Middenheim
It is
17th Nachexen, the first day of spring, in the year 2512, as our
heroes arrive in the city of Middenheim. After going through the usual check at the Westtor, they made their way to Westtor-Sudgarten district, where
Lothar is supposed to meet his old friend
Max Webber.
After setting up in their room, they all relax in the nicely furnished bar area of the Laughing Jackal. Soon they notice something is in the air. Specifically, there is the stench of excrement.
....
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| Sergeant Udo Hintzer |
At this point a Watch patrol will charge onto the scene followed by a second and a group of hastily arming militiamen, and help them to fight the abomination, as well as evacuate the trapped city surveyor who was inspecting the grate, and whose companion ran off to get the help. He is particularly thankful, as he is taken away for treatment. Once the general congratulations have died down, one of the group will begin barking orders concerning clearing away the carcass, and moving on the gawks. He then introduces himself as Serjeant Udo Hintzer and offers to buy the heroes a drink. Being offered a free drink by a member of the watch should be too much to turn down.
After he has bought them each a drink, he engaged them in small talk and produced a small bone wand, inscribed with a number of words.
Those able to read made out the words Citizen Reward Baton for Service to the City State, the Graf and the Citizenry. He explained that should they hand it in to the Komission for Commerce, Trade and Taxation, upon which they will be rewarded.
As the conversation died down, the heroes noticed that the barkeep begins to close the shutters on the shop, and that there appears to be some noise coming from outside. Udo looked out and turned to the heroes “If you would do another favour for the city this morn, please keep an eye on this”, and rushed off. Outside they noticed standing on a couple of boxes and lecturing a small crowd, a very earnest young man, dressed in worn but respectable clothing. By his side was an attractive
girl, who clearly bore a family resemblance, dressed as a cleric of Shallya.
She was obviously uneasy, and occasionally pulled at the youth’s leg. He, however, ignored her tugging, and continued with his speech. He was extremely earnest in what he was saying, waving his arms around to add effect, and banging his fist into his palm to underline a point. Despite some minor heckling and chuckles from the crowd, his audience appeared to be indulgently amused by this terribly serious young man.
As the heroes approached, they started to be able to hear what he was saying.
“...structural oppression by the merchant classes who have created monopolistic practices to exclude real economic competition … the guilds who claim to represent the professions and the workers simply continue this cartel and forbid work and training to the masses … institutionalised by the Graf and his lackeys, the nobles, smug in their landed estates … Sigmar was not a noble or a Graf or a guildsman, Ulric our noble patron talks about survival in the harshness of winter – not in the repression of free trade … Sigmar …”
At that moment, they heard loud metalshod boots in the street behind them, and a booming voice.
"Hold. Who dares profane the name of Sigmar? Klaus Grebel, you are under arrest in the name of the Inquisition. Take him.”
It was
moments between the inquisitor’s arrival and the arguments in the crowd that
had led to a small brawl that Klaus was shackled by 3 armored guards. The boy was dragged aside as another guard attempted to arrest the young woman who was
tugging his leg earlier on. Gotwin and Cas both attempted to prevent the
arrest of the young girl. It was during this talk with the Inquisitor that
Udo and his men arrived to disperse the crowd, The Inquisitor pulled the captain aside and
got into a rather heated exchange with him over the situation.
It was during this time our heroes convinced the young woman that her best bet
was to stay with them in the tavern for a few minutes, at least until the
guards and inquisitors had left the scene, and promised they’d escort her
themselves. They learnt the young girl’s name was Elke,
and she was the sister of Klaus, the young man who was arrested.
The young girl took them back to the Temple of Shallya, where they were greeted by
two sisters who were outside, who immediately rushed to Elke’s side, taking the
crying woman inside. It is there that the heroes met Isolde Begegnen, the High
Priestess of Shallya. She invited them in and allowed them to wait in her
office while she checked on the young initiate.
When she returned, she and the group discussed the fate of Klaus and they were
asked to help wherever they could. They called on Sergeant Udo who in a short
period of time came down to the temple sitting with Freiherr Lothar and our heroes discussing Klaus’ fate. They were informed that he would be put to trial, and
face the punishment for heresy, which in this case inevitably meant death. It
was after Udo left that the party ran suggestions past one another and under
the advice of Ser Lothar decided that the best bet was to help Klaus, though
standing up to the inquisitors could prove dangerous. Cas decided it was his
duty as a follower of Sigmar to do the right thing, and put his foot forward
to be a witness to the event. The group left the temple and traveled back to the
Tavern where each member prepared themselves for the day ahead.
A Day at the Court
Walking through the city the next day they passed the main area where the shops
were filled with foods and other delicacies. They made their way to the
courthouse, and checked Cas in. Ludwig had written an anonymous testimony, that
he had handed over once the others had moved ahead. They sat down in the courtroom and waited for
the trial to start.
In the Trial the inquisitors made their allegations and the party’s initiate
stood and defended the boy as a witness. After both testimonies’ were put
forward the jury deliberated, and found him not guilty on the grounds of
heresy. Klaus was however handed over to the temple of Shallya where he would
work and make up for his misdeeds. Relieved, the party got up to leave and, on their
way out, Cas was stopped by the Inquisitor who had read out his testimony. He
threatened Cas’ future within the Church of Sigmar. Standing up to them left a target on their backs.In the back of the courtroom were three seated Sigmarite priests, who had followed the case. As Cas left, the most senior of them, offered him a nod as he left.
Another little Favour
Outside the courtroom, they met
Isolde Begegnen again, who thanked them profoundly for helping Klaus. After a bit of hesitating, she asked for their assistance in another matter:
The noble mother, and important lay member of the cult, of
a student at the Collegium is in desperate need of help.
One of the professors was arrested under charges of sedition and heresy. He is accused of suggesting that there is little to support the existence of the gods, despite their power purportedly revealing itself through the spells of their clerics. Having studied the similarities in many spells, he suggested that one might philosophise that clerics are simply deluded wizards with even more deluded worshippers.
Since he is technically under the jurisdiction of the University Court, he was allowed to collect his defence materials from the University and be tried there subject to his submission of a Bond. The system of bonding is allowed where a person under trial is kept under arrest for a period of time, such that they need to arrange for bail in order to undertake business interests or arrange their defence. Whilst monetary deposits might be considered, and is becoming acceptable, the older system of bonding is still prevalent, especially for nobles with few monetary resources but a strong code of honour.
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| Shallyan High Priestess Isolde Begegnen |
Under this system of bonding, one person may replace another in prison while the accused goes about some business, promising to return before the date of adjudication. If the defendant fails to return the penalty falls upon the person held in bond/hostage. A student of the said Professor, who was in awe of “the great man”, agreed to act as his bond. Since he was from a good family, and the Professor was known to be “a good man”, the bond was accepted. Of course, the defendant has disappeared and thus the student is facing trial.
This whole situation has caused total confusion, and much legal debate, as all parties seek to use the case to enforce their own authority within this area.
Traditionally, University Courts have come under the auspices of the Law Department, which are authorised under the Charter for Imperial University Authority to try cases occurring within a university. The University Vice Chancellors Committee in turn granted the University of Altdorf central authority in a codicil to prevent later attempts by the Electors to withdraw this right. Like most universities, the departments of the Collegium tend to forge links with religious institutions as fellow scholars and as political allies. The Law Department is heavily involved with the Temple of Verena in addition to the college’s more general tendency to Ulric. However, the University of Altdorf’s Law Department has strong links to the cult of Solkan, and it is proposing to try the case as is its right under the codicil.
Notwithstanding the objections of other parties to the University Courts, it has also been claimed that the Collegium is not a university and therefore within civil jurisdiction. The Guild of Legalists in particular are keen to pursue this point, and are generally supported by the Middenheim authorities, particularly as an alternative has been proposed by Werner Stolz, the High Capitular of Sigmar.
The Sigmarites claim that since heresy against Sigmar is involved, then it is clearly a case for the religious courts. However, they are also proposing that heresy against Sigmar is a crime against the Emperor as a descendent of the god, a notion that horrifies the priesthood of Ulric who would lose
much of their power should this case ever be successful.
Both the Cults of Sigmar and Ulric have employed Court Knights and their entourage. In addition, the Cult of Verena has determined to simply send one of its Guardians, since it is more interested in the cause of truth and justice, than internal politics.
Isolde asks Lothar to be the representative of the bonded prisoner and the cult of Shallya. They too will be awarded a warrant to seek the fugitive. She directed them to the Worshipful Guild of Legalists
The Worshipful Guild of Legalists.
Here wigand was issued a warrant for the arrest of the wanted man, and authorisation for Lothat and his retinue by name, description and profession. It is valid in all Imperial provinces, upon all vassals of the Emperor, and upon the four churches witnessing the document. It demands all these to render
“complete assistance” in all matters pertaining to this case.
They also were able to give the following information:
- a description of the wanted man: about 50, dark hair, brown eyes, average height, own teeth.
- On the morning of the 20th Nachexen, arrange for their first two weeks pay to be paid, and provide them with two payment authorisation notes, one for the Graf’s representative in Beeckerhoven and one for the Temple of Verena in Wolfenburg. Each is for two weeks pay, for the described persons, and will only be paid to those individuals. Pay is 8 Shillings per day. However, if the scroll is lost, so is the payment.
- Wigand was provides with a receipt scroll for each of them. At each location they are forced to pay a toll, they should obtain a seal in wax attached to the scroll as proof of payment. The scroll can be traded in at either of the two payment points, or at the Worshipful Guild of Legalists. If the scroll is lost, so is the payment. Either of the other two locations will provide them with another on redeeming this one. Since the Graf’s representative and the local coroner witness the warrant, they will be exempt from all Middenheim and Imperial duties. However, they are not exempt from town tolls or non-Imperial road tariffs.
With regard to the case, the scribe offered the following:
- He can arrange a visit to the prisoner
- He provided Wigand with the name of the accuser, Professor Humpis, and his address at the Collegium Theologica
- He advised the PCs that Professor Stradovski was seen on a Wolf Runner coach on his way to Beeckerhoven by a witness, one Caspar Anckenreuter, resident at the Minter’s, Amboss Platz, Beeckerhoven. The witness statement is available. It simply states that the coach was full, that the Professor was in a hurry, and that Herr Anckenreuter gave up his seat for the Professor as he was known to the man through his employers. The driver, Fritz Dreilbern, also remembers the professor leaving the coach at Beeckerhoven. His statement is also available.
- He can arrange entry to the Professor’s house and surgery. The authorities broke into his house on the 14th Nachexen, because of his apparent disappearance. They then padlocked the door, and placed a watchman on guard. An elite watch serjeant will be sent with the key together with the heroes to the house in Ulricsmund.
- The scribe provided the address of the Professor’s maid, Fya Veter, who was unceremoniously ejected from her live-in quarters on the 14th Nachexen. She is given as at The Pit Fight in the Altquartier.
