Session 4: A Ghoulish Practise

Round noon, on the 25th of Nachexen, the group, including Hoffman Janitzer, set off once again, leaving Beeckerhoven behind them, as they hear the following information proclaimed by the Town criers:

•  Official notices concerning Imperial proclamations will be posted shortly.
• The Baron has deferred any decision upon the proposed reminting of Nordland coinage.
• Quit rent is available at rates negotiated by the Barony Council in consultation with civic authorities.
• The sale of government buildings within the town has been concluded satisfactorily. Details are available from the Council Offices.
• Licences for trade in timber are available for purchase from the Merchants’ Guild under a warrant awarded by the Baron on 6th Nachexen.
• The Town Council has agreed to hire a further six road wardens to operate under the warrant of the town. Applicants should apply at the Council Offices.
• Citizens are reminded that abetting a highwayman in his crimes carries the same penalty as carrying out robbery upon the highway.

Leaving this late meant that they had to travel after nightfall, which is not the safest thing to do. Traveling by lantern light, they heard a faint braying sound in the surrounding woods, slowly moving closer towards them. They hurried along, and made it to the Hunter's Lodge before being attacked.

The Hunters Lodge

The coaching in  is named from visitors to the shrine. Opposite the inn, set slightly back from the road is a wayside shrine. The shrine is dedicated to Haleth, goddess of hunting (and an aspect of Rhya). This is noteworthy as it is the only formal construction honouring Haleth, and it is also a steady (if small) source of income for the inn from residing pilgrims. There is no cleric in residence,
indeed no known cleric at all, but Klaus maintains the shrine as best he can. As far as anyone knows, the offerings have never been collected, and there is likely a small fortune. In fact, most offerings are non-monetary, and there is a definite stench from the offerings left over the centuries in the pits.

Klaus has heard a rumour that the Church of Sigmar is applying to obtain all minor shrines to faded deities, such as this one, and empty their offering pits for maintenance and overhead expenses.
A person matching the description of the Professor passed through here, staying the night of the 9th Nachexen. He was travelling with a companion. A troop of the Baron’s soldiers stayed here on the night of the 18th Nachexen. They also saw Elfrieda's carriage, as they paid the toll here, but continued on – despite the warnings of the staff.

The locals fill them in on the latest gossip:

• The garrison troops were withdrawn last year at the demand of the Baron, and replaced.
• Two different groups within the Watch are feuding over something, and there was even a running fight last week. The garrison troops had to be called out, but the two Watch groups then turned on the Imperialists and gave them a damned good hiding.
• The Merchants’ Guild is discussing new trade opportunities with Middenheim.
• Road wardens have been successful at clearing up attacks from forest creatures up north.
• The Baron is finally going to do something with those pointyeared pansies and occupy the Laurelorn.
• The Baron is supposed to be negotiating increased trade with the Laurelorn under the guidance of his brother.
• The Prime Estates have agreed upon the Emperor’s poll tax that is to be paid by each region. The Baron is livid because ours has been set well above our actual population

Jannitzer mentions he is supposed to meet someone at the Royal Wolf. Two persons are seconded to him in the search for Stadovski, and he will meet them along the way. At this stage, Castian is spending the evening in front of the open fire, huddled in cloak, sweating and shivering as a fever breaks out.

Round noon the next day, the party finds a turned-over coach by the side of the road. The crest confirms it to be Elfrieda's coach, but no trace of her. A bloody trail lead of into the woods, and faint braying sounds can be heard, but the source of them flees off, deeper into the woods. Two bodies, or rather remains thereof  are found, one of a woman, one of a male which the group recognizes as Urs Huber.


All Shadows Fled

They are able to reach the next coaching inn in time, the "All Shadows Fled" establishment, owned by the outgoing Wilhelm Teggetthof, who seems very happy to see travelers. a bit wary and distrustful, they notice him whispering something to the barmaid, who gathers her cloak and disappears into the night. Wigand follows her, and watches her enter one of the neighboring farmsteads.After a few moments, she appears agsain, and makes her way back to the inn, followed a few minutes later by a man, leading a woman wearing a halter.

The sight of this leads to some confusion, as the man proclaims that he is there to 'sell his wife'. apparently, the group is witnessing an old custom that dates back to the days before Sigmar where a man can sell his wife to another in order to be rid of her. “Civilised” Old Worlders frown upon the practice, of course, but it is an easy avenue for a poor woman from an unhappy marriage. In this case, Josef is a drunkard, and whilst not actually violent towards Karyssa, she has become attached to Wilhelm. In his turn, Wilhelm wishes to help Karyssa out of her unhappy situation and offers her status as the wife of an inn owner.
Some of the other workers feign interest, and Wilhelm will offer 2 Silver. The bid will be accepted,
and the divorce completed. Wilhelm approaches Lothar, asking him to witness the event, and the group is offered free drinks and food. Wilhelm confirms that Elfrieda and three companions paid the toll here but continued on – after buying saddles.

From the locals they gather the following:

• The garrison troops were withdrawn last year for budget reasons, and replaced with a hospital unit.
• Stay away from Seuchenshof, which is a hospice that specialises in the treatment of Black Plague. ‘Patients’ are frequently escaping to spread the pox.
• The Baron is going to kick some Sigmarite butt this year, and is moving troops up to the Ostland border. They are always attacking our farms and stealing our property. They are nothing but bandits.
• There have been two attacks upon Four Seasons Coaches staff within the town. Wolf Runner is trying to drive them out.
• The Professor stayed here night of 10th Nachexen, with a companion, male.
• Baron’s troops stayed on the night of the 19th Nachexen

Temple to Liadriel

The next night, the group arrived at a way temple, parts of which seem to have been turned into an inn. The proprietor, Heinrich Freiherr, a jovial man who is drying his hands on his apron, explains

how the temple is a part of the complex agreements reached between a number of human emperors and their nominal subjects the wood elves of the Laurelorn Forest. Technically, it is a shrine to Liadriel, the elf god of song and wine and a border post between humans and the elves. Whilst elves are welcome here, the temple essentially operates like a normal coaching inn. 

The inn has a second claim to fame in that it is located at the junction of the main Erengrad road with the route chosen by the Northern Mercantile Company to lead to the proposed gateway to riches that was Neue Emskrank.  All that remains is an overgrown track straggling northward, and a faded sign attached to a rusting metal post. There are the remains of a small village here as well as the location of the junction towards the gateway to the northern coast was expected to be able to maintain a service village here. 

The Professor stayed here night of 11th Nachexen, with a companion, male. 

Elfrieda didn't stay here, but one of the locals saw a group of horsemen avoiding the toll gate and riding off 

The following rumours are heard:

• Ostland is in civil war. The new Grand Prince is deeply unpopular, and will be overthrown.
• An elite group of Imperialist Reiter wardens are being equipped to patrol the roads. They are to be armoured in body plate and carry pistols.

The Forest Inn

In the late afternoon of the 28th, they find the remains of what looks to be a small village, ruined in a long forgotten time. A bit further up, they see the coaching inn, which is already fully locked as they arrive.

The Forest Inn

Outside , they are met at the toll booth by Torben Pieknich, who yells out to open the gates after collecting the tolls.

Inside, a few stable-hands lead the horses and cart in, but seem to be quiet and unhelpful. Inside the inn, the group is met by Van Moll, a pale and sweaty, with a big wart under left eye, and a serving girl, Condradine.

They confirm that the Professor passed through here, staying the night of the 12th Nachexen. He was travelling alone, though he did state that he had been attacked on the road by a creature from the forest and a companion had been slain. They claimed not to have seen Elfrieda, which caused some confusion, and peering over the maps, the group agreed there was a good chance she may have turned north, and made her way to Neue Emskrank.

The food here is particularly foul, as the innkeeper is awaiting new supplies. He apologizes and offer separate rooms for everyone. Wigand, who has seen the dismal state of the dirty rooms, decided not to accept it and keep with the normal arrangements, one room for Lothar, a second one for the rest of them. Jannitzer and Mungo gladly accept.

None of the farmers who live on the accompanying farmstead will join the inn for news; they are too busy on the farm, according to Van.

Over the course of the evening, the group notices that Conandrine is spending quite a bit of time with Jannitzer, and follows him out during one of his visits the the outhouse. Upon his return he claims that the food didnt agree with him.

The next morning, Gottwin finds Van in a bit of a state. Apparently, Jannitzer had left early in the morning, taking Conandrine with him, and stolen Gottwin's horse. All of this caused quite a stir and the group hastily prepared to leave and chase the thief. They thought about things however and came to the conclusion some stuff just didn't add up. Jannitzer hated horses, and wasn't able to ride them. Wigand got physical with Van, slapping him around a bit to see if the man was lying, but he stuck to his story. Lothar appeared out of the kitchen, with a worried look and told the others it looked like noone was there: no cook, no stablehands, no Torben.

Ghouls

Van said that was because they were all helping out in the fields. They sent him off to fetch Torben. As soon as he left, they all prepared their weapons and followed him to a nearby dilapidated farmhouse. From the overgrown field, they observed them, arguing and pointing towards the inn.

As the group showed himself and told the duo to stay where they were, Wigand heard the whinnying of a horse, and the two locals dashed off, towards the other side of the building. Gottwin and Ludwig gave chase, the former being seriously wounded in the shoulder by a crossbow bolt, fired from a window.

On the other side of the building a fight erupted with Van, Tornben, the cook and stable-hands, who all looked pale and sweaty, and attacked with claw like dirty hands.

As the fighting continued, they were joined by more sickly looking individuals, while a masked and hooded man dashed out of the building, sprinting into the woods. He was followed by two foul creatures, their bodies are slack and crouched, their faces distorted and leering, and their teeth are pointed and over-large.

Relatively quickly the group was able to overcome their enemies, Gottwin eager to prove his ability, but flanked by Ludwig and Wigand, who, although clearly less well trained than the squire, we proving to be opponents to be reckoned with. Lothar observed the situation, and stepped in where it was clear the villains, who outnumbered the group, threatened to overwhelm individuals.

Once the scum was dispatched, Gottwin checked his horse, and they ventured inside. There they found a charnelhouse. The rooms were full of bones, some of them used to make furniture, as well as skins, some halfrotten, others flayed properly. In a backroom, they found the naked body of Jannitzer, hanging from a beam on a meathook. On a large wooden block, they found more hacked up bodies. One of the faces they recognized as Lugg, the stableboy in Beeckerhoven, the other as Hugo, one of the Minter's apprentices... Sickened to the core, they quickly gathered whatever they thought could be informative, and made their way out, back to the inn, where Mungo and Castian where waiting with the cart. No trace of Conandrine was to be found.