Session 5: Drachenfels

After the fight, Lothar insists to bury the dead, or at least the bodies of the victims. He sends Gottwin to stop Mungo and Castian and return with them.
He and Wigand grab a few shovels and head into the field, where they start digging graves. He asks Ludwig to bring the bodies and part out.
Once Castian has said a few words, they head back down the road, not arriving at arriving at the next coaching in until well after nightfall.

The Winter Wolf

Kelnore Tower

This is also a border post for the Barony of Nordland, maintained as a nominal guard for the Baron’s territory. Here the toll house is extended by a single story barracks, and a Kelnore tower. All fly the colours of Nordland. The village of Skjaldberg lies adjacent to the post, hoping for its protection from border raids.
By the roadside is a gibbet that contains the recent remains of a prisoner. There is a notice board next to it that contains a crudely written notice “Ostland spy, slain by Order of the Baron” and a Statement of Forest Law.
The exciseman on duty confirmed firstly that they have not arrived from Seuchenshof. The hospice specialises in the treatment of Black Plague, and the locals are wary of its reputation. He then asked them whether they can read, and have read the Baron’s notice.

Nordland Heraldic Symbol

The militia also be quite happily advised them of the sub-human nature of Ostlanders, and of their occasional illegal border raids. The militia wear patches and armbands, coloured blue and yellow, picturing the Nordland ship. They appear to be a fairly uncouth mob. However, they have been reinforced by ten of the Baron’s Jægers, elite forest scouts. They captured the dead man in the gibbet in a border raid in reprisal for an Ostland attack.
The militia who are stationed here have occasionally patrolled to the south, but without success. Hearing the story of how the group defeated the ghouls made the militia relax a bit more, resulting in a few free drinks. They told them that on the 17th Nachexen, a group (of supposed Ostlanders) launched an attack on one of the farms that serves the post. They killed and captured a number of pigs, and one of the farm girls. Fortunately, a group of Jægere was already on route for the same purpose, and on the 24th Nachexen launched a raid of their own, catching a lone shepherd and a number of sheep. They are not too sure if this is adequate compensation, but the post is preparing itself for further trouble in retaliation by the Ostlanders.
The innkeeper acknowledged that the Professor passed through here, staying the night of the 13th Nachexen, and that Elfrieda stayed the previous night with one other person, a rough looking male.

Welcome to Ostland!
The state of the roads improved between the border and Ferlangen, where their first stop was at The Royal Wolf inn. This is also a border post for the Grand Principality of Ostland, maintained as a nominal guard for the territory. An earthen rampart and ditch surround the inn, toll house and a barracks and Kelnore tower. The barracks is a relatively new building, and contains some basic defensive features such as firing slits, a tower and a flat roof with raised wall. It abuts the Kelnore tower. The troops on duty here are also a detachment of Ostpreussiches. These are a militia of the lesser nobility and middle classes, eager for plunder in the service of the state.
The innkeeper informed them that the Professor passed through here, staying the night of the 14th Nachexen. and Elfrieda arrived here last night, and left early in the morning.
The group discussed some of the things that had happened over the last few days, Wigand warning Gottwin that he must be cursed now that a "Necromancer" (the masked man in the Forest Inn) shot him with a "magical bolt".
This attracted the attention from another patron,  a woman, dressed in a long leather coat, wearing the typical Witch hunters wide brimmed hat. The place went quiet when she asked for more information. She introduced herself as Christina Asper, Fraternal Order of Witch-hunters. She has been instructed to assist Hoffman Janitzer.
The militia was be quite happy to describe the despicable nature of Nordlanders and their illegal raiding to an audience.
Rumors picked up here included the following:

• Nordland is close to civil strife over the Laurelorn Forest.
• Middenland is apparently mobilising its troops to invade, and the Baron is too soft to act.
• Nordland is about to invade the Laurelorn Forest in order to pre-empt an attack by Middenland.
• Seuchenshof is a front for the Nordland military to devise some evil to kill us all. It would not surprise me to learn if they were not in league with darker powers.

Gottwin also mentioned there was a bit of political strife going on at the moment, between Grand Prince Hals Von Tasseninck, Elector of Ostland, and Valmir Von Raukov, who, according to some, would be better suited for the position. All of this is in the wake of the Von Tasseninck's claiming the Electorate after the Von Koenigswald family "was disgraced". To this, Herr Lothar took offence and told them the story of Oswald von Konigswald and Drachenfels.

After telling them the story, he reveiled he was a friend of Oswald, and had been present both at the battle, as well as at the play, and had witnessed how Oswald had sacrificed himself to save the Emperor.

The Pewter Merchant.

At this coaching in they met the assistant Coroner, Felix Antonescu and the innkeeper, Anton Petz. A man had been murdered a few days ago, and since the murderers had fled and the man was unknown to anyone at the establishment and very well dressed, Felix ruled there could be no Presentment of Plebianry and fined the innkeeper for 50GC. 

Anton pleaded for the group to help, and Castian went to have a look at the body, noticing a few oddities. 

• The person was clearly used to hard labour, was dirty and had lice. His hands are callused.
• His clothing fits poorly. Either he has lost weight or bought it second-hand – the latter being unlikely for a noble.
• His underwear was that of a peasant. 

Presenting these facts to the assistant coroner caused him to revoke his earlier judgment. Anton thanked the group by offering them free food and accomodation, and gladly filled them in on the latest news. He also indicated that Elfrieda had left there that very morning and that the Professor passed through here, staying the night of the 15th Nachexen.

Rumors:

• Valmir von Raukov still smells like a Kislevite to me. Better we get Grand Prince von Tasseninck. He is a good Imperialist, a Sigmarite and he has a proper name.
• There seems to have been an increase in illicit drug trafficking over the last year. 
• Nordland has reached an agreement with the elves of the Laurelorn Forest to invade Middenland. The Grand Prince won’t allow fellow Sigmarites to be destroyed by a bunch of heathens and sub-humans.
• Word has spread from Nordland that Drachenfels has risen, and is roaming the province, looking for something. 
• A heretic is scheduled to burn in public.
• The Ostland chapter of witch-hunters has apparently expelled a dozen of its members for criminal behaviour. Shallya alone knows what they must have done.

The Hemp Merchant

Not much was to be learened at this stop. The Professor passed through here, staying the night of the 16th Nachexen, and Elfrieda and one other person arrived here the evening of the 31st Nachexen, and stayed the night. 

The inn is quite busy with military and engineering types. There are a number of Landsturm staying at the inn throughout this period, although the individuals will vary. 

All citizens are obliged to serve a short period of time in the Imperialist armed forces annually. They are rarely called up, because if they do serve then they are excused payment of Imperial taxes. This makes such troops, the Landsturm, very expensive for the emperor, and service in the unit reasonably popular for the same reason. These soldiers explain that they are working with the Imperialist Engineer Pioneer Corps carrying out surveys and upgrading the road.

Rumors:

• Nordland is launching border raids against us again; why doesn’t this new Grand Prince stand up for us and send in the army? A few good battles would soon deal with those Norscan scum.
• Some poor trinket scavenger who was dealing outside the Merchants’ Guild is to be burned as a heretic for dealing in tomb robbing.

Fist of Amber

Pedlar

Franz Sterneck, the owner, informed them that the Professor stayed here on the 17th Nachexen.

Elfrieda had left this morning

The inn serves as a base for the Peddlars’ Guild. Peddlars tend to serve rural communities, and using this inn as a secretariat for local members saves duties charged at the towns and lessens the influence of the Merchants’ Guild. This early in the season, the inn is empty. The first peddlars have been and gone; deliveries are due in about 10 days. The Guild has taken over the farmstead attached to the inn. This close to Ferlangen the need for a farm is less, and the peddlars’ custom more than makes up for any minor increase in the cost of provisioning the inn.

Basically, the barn, stables and tack-room have been converted into storage facilities, and an additional building added to the side of the barn. There is a permanent staff of the Eisenstein family responsible for maintaining the building and who also do some farming.

Peddlars generally break down bulk for small communities. 

They asked the group if they could help out and deliver a letter toKarl Helpmann in Ferlangen, and will offer 5/- for its delivery.

Later that night they were asked by Achaz and Gysela Bebel, who are currently awaiting the chance to travel to Ferlangen, if they could follow the group on foot, as it is much safer to travel with an  escort such as Herr Lothar's. 

Rumors:

• Prince von Raukov is the true Elector. The title was stolen by that puppet of the Grand Theogonist, but he will get it back even if it means civil war.
• The von Raukov family is too noble for its own good. They will put the unity of The Empire before the needs of Ostland, and leave us with the von Tasseninck family who cannot stand up for the province.
• The Tsar has called upon the services of the Sacred Quorum of the Moon’s Pain (a sect of the Cult of Mórr, known colloquially as the Black Monks) in his war against chaos. Their new leader, Pavel Rutkin, is a good tactician who should help the beleaguered country. They have always been a secretive bunch, but their help will surely be appreciated.