Session 9: For the Love of Shallya

Hilde Muntz

Wigand had received a note from Hilde Muntz, the Shallyan Initiate, saying:"if you want to better your lot, I can introduce you to people. If you're interested, return this message to me next time i am on the ward". Warily he followed up on it, meeting her in an empty ward. She told him, she could introduce him to the group she was part of (The Black Cloak Lurkers Below), which aims to overthrow the nobility, and replace them with a meritocratic  government. Hilde hates the ignorance and callousness of the nobility, and would like to see them gone, but is by no means violent herself. Wigand distanced himself, claiming that what she wants can't be done in a peaceful way.

The next morning everyone meets up to see Herr Lothar, who is still propped up in bed. They explain what they have found so far and continue their research. He tells Wigand to look into the Doktor von Bora announcement he overheard, telling him the name rings a bell, but he can't remember why.

On the way Schraeder's house they witness some thugs stabbing someone in an alley. Rather than getting involved, they continue on their way, finding the house and search it properly.

The authorities have failed to find any next of kin. The house was rented from agents Blau and Stradanus. Searching the house elicits little. There is a single large bloodstain on the hall carpet, and drag marks up the stairs into the gutted room. The fire gutted one room (the main bedroom), but did little other damage. A drawing of a howling wolf can be found drawn in blood upon the guest bedroom wall. There is a small study/library, but the books have all been cleared and were burnt in the fire. There is a small household shrine, but that was also placed in the fire.

A visit to the watch at the East gate strikes gold. Careful greasing of some palms result in the news that the Professor and Schraeder did leave the city through this gate on 31st Nachexen. Noone has seen Elfrieda however.

Doktor Von Bora

Gotwin and Wigand met up with Doktor Hubertus von Bora, a travelling scholar is in need of a secretary and bodyguards to help him continue his work studying the local spirit beliefs and myths of the people of Ostland. He has hired a crier and made inquiries at the local temple to Sigmar for likely candidates. Doktor Hubertus von Bora is a professor at the University of Altdorf on sabbatical to conduct research into the various aspects of spirit worship within Ostland and the borders of
Kislev. He needs a bit of extra power, as with the surge of attacks by the Cult of the Howling One, the roads are a lot less safe than they should be. Details are left to contact each other the next few days.

They return with this information to Lothar. The other things that Ludwig and Castian had found, is that in the stack of paper they got from the Watch, there seems to be little that ties the papers together. They are a curious and incoherent mix of a general nature whose sole purpose appears to be repeating the Professor’s name.
Ludwig stays behind and offers his apologies to Lothar in regards to the whole Lieberung debacle. Lother tells him he doesn't blame him for trying to seize an opportunity, but that this whole thing poses a serious treat. Clearly this Lieberung character has been involved in some dark and unsavoury business, if people, or even organisations are using men such as Kuftsos to hunt him down, men who'd shoot first and asking questions a lot later. And Ludwig is the spitting image of their target...

On the way out of the temple they run into a shocking scene, Three men have one of the Shallyan laymen, Jurgen Futz, pinned to the wall, two of them are stabbing their daggers into his body repeatedly. They drop his body as they notice Gotwin, Castian and Wigand and tell them to stay out of this, as it doesn't concern them.

Gotwin and Castian are quick to disable one of the attackers, while Wigand kills the second one. The third turns around and flees the scene. The young orphan girl who helps at the temple, Marla Hengist, arrives at the scene, screams and faints upon seeing the scene of carnage in the pristine white corridors, and so alerts Sister Isolde, Nina and Hilde Muntz. Wigand and Gotwin drag the semi conscious attacker outside into the portico, while Castian helps the Sister clean the blood of the Shallyan floors, a thing unheard of.

Outside they try to interrogate the culprit, who remains cocky, telling them they better let him go before the watch comes, that he has no fear of the watch, as they owe them anyway, and similar things. In the end they can squeeze some info out of him. He is part of a group of thieves, the Steel Fist (which marries up with the brand of a crude fist they found on the two bodies). The attack had nothing to do with the Shallyan priesthood, but revenge on another group, the Black Lurkers Below, who had stolen from the Steel Fist and had been given enough warnings that were ignored.
Unsure to let this guy get away, Wigand and Gotwin decided not to let this happen, and knocked him out to discuss what to do. Gotwin ended the man's life with a quick stab, and was immediately plagued by regret of this.
The watch arrived, and overpowered Gotwin and Wigand quickly, but released them as soon as Sister Isolde had explained what happened.

Having noticed that Hilde had disappeared as soon as she had witnessed the blood in the corridors, and the statement of the Steel Fist member about the Lurkers, Gotwin and Ludwig searched the temple, only to find her on her knees in front of the altar of Shallya. Talking to her firmly made her admit that the Lurkers had indeed hit one of the Steel Fist gambling operations, stealing a substantial amount of money to fund the Lurkers' printing of pamphlets. She begged to ask Christina to come and help her, to escape from the city, as the Steel Fist was targeting every person affiliated to the Lurkers. When Gotwin and Ludwig seemed reluctant, she offered to get them in touch with a man she overheard them talking about: Gerd Breytenbach, Schraeder (supposedly dead) servant, who was in hiding at the Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Children.

The group notified Christina, who didn't reply to anything they said about Hilde, but just nodded and closed the door. Then, they packed all their belongings and moved to another inn, across the bridge, and nearby the Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Children.

A visit their resulted in a meeting with Gerd, who told them that the house was attacked whilst he was away with the Black Cloak Lurkers Below. He does know that Professor Stradovski arrived to see his master, and that they left together the following day. The message concerning Schraeder’s father was a fake.
He does not know where they were going, but he heard them mention the manor at Levudaldorf, and knows that his master had visited there on guild business on a number of occasions.
He had worked for him for 8 years. He disliked his master, who was a cruel man in private, and he suspects that he was doing vile things to the maid Louisa as she had been acting peculiarly over the last few months.
The only social activities that Schraeder was known to engage in was worship at the Sigmarite cathedral, the occasional visit to the Temple of All Gods.

Rumours:

• The Talabeclanders are preparing to invade. There have already been a number of border raids. There will be a mobilisation soon to deal with this and the trouble caused by Nordlander and Kislevite raiders. Better keep your head down. 
• There is nothing to be afraid of. There are whole loads of private wars between nobles that have nothing to do with Ostland. As long as they leave Wolfenburg alone, they can continue to kill each other over a few pigs.
• A doctor was killed by another doctor, who then burnt his house down.
• Some local thugs are having some sort of turf war.
• A group of bandits have invented some Ulrican mumbo-jumbo of a wolf spirit, and are using it as cover for their brigandage. 
• Valmir von Raukov is dealing with some shady mercenary group calling themselves the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Kislev. He is clearly up to no good.
• Grand Master Aldred Treitszaur of the Order of the Purging Hammer in Grenzburg is a fearsome warrior and friend of the Grand Prince. He should replace Valmir von Raukov.
• The Ostland chapter of witch-hunters has expelled Magnus Greel, the Butcher of Brizban, and a dozen of its members for criminal behaviour. Apparently they tried to destroy an entire village owned by the Templars (Sigmar) of the Purging Hammer.

... and then Gotwin saved everyone...

Doktor Hubertus Von Bora

Doktor Hubertus von Bora is a travelling scholar is in need of a secretary and bodyguards to help him continue his work studying the local spirit beliefs and myths of the people of Ostland. He has hired a crier and made inquiries at the local temple to Sigmar for likely candidates. Doktor Hubertus von Bora is a professor at the University of Altdorf on sabbatical to conduct research into the various aspects of spirit worship within Ostland and the borders of Kislev. He needs a bit of extra power, as with the surge of attacks by the Cult of the Howling One, the roads are a lot less safe than they should be. Details are left to contact each other the next few days.

Hilde Muntz

Hilde is a complete antithesis to her two colleagues, and is much more vociferous in her objections to the state of The Empire.
She has secretly joined the so-called Black Cloak Lurkers Below, and offers them the use of the cult facilities. This is an anarchist group, vowed to overthrow the nobility, and replace them with a meritocratic  government.
Hilde hates the ignorance and callousness of the nobility, and would like to see them gone, but is by no means violent herself and will quickly seek to distance herself from the Lurkers once their violence becomes evident. She is naïve about the nature of revolution.
She tried to recruit Wigand, who politely declined.
There is some history between her and Christina Asper, who she asked for help when the Black Lurker Below scheme threatened to fail.
(Session 8 and 9)

Kuftsos' Papers

Letter to Kuftsos

Kastor Lieberung

Session 8: Bolts in the Dark

As the group is making its way around the base of the Middle Mountains, the track becomes very bad. No coaching inns along the way to rest, they are forces to take refuge in wayside shrines and shelters.

On the third night, they take shelter in a cave, leaving Mungo outside with the cart. During Castian's watch, he notices that the halfling has lit a fire. The driver gives him a wave and Castian considers all to be safe. Shortly afterwards, two large bundles of straw are hurdled into the cave entrance, waking everyone up. The cave starts to fill up with smoke quickly. A voice outside yells for them to hand over Castor Lieberung. Ludwig gets on his feet and makes his way out, but gets shot at immediately. The bolts go wide and he runs down, followed by Gotwin and Lothar. Castian moves to the left, hoping to flank their attackers, a glancing bolt cuts his robe as he engages with a lone flanking attacker.
In the meantime Christina tries to stomp the flames out, but not succeeding in that, decides to help Wigand out.
Gotwin is involved in a hard fight, having picked the leader of the bunch of attackers (Who Ludwig has identified as the man he saw outside the window after the two shady characters were killed by crossbow bolts in Ferlangen). Victorious Castian decides to flank them in return. Lothar gets shot at point blank by a crossbow and struggles to fight off his opponent, who shanks him a few times with a dagger. In the end he overcomes the brigand, cleaving him in half, but is severely wounded.
Ludwig is able to overcome his opponent, and joins Gotwin. The leader, seeing Ludwig, ignores Gotwin and attacks the young man with a vengeance. Having the advantage over the gang leader, the two are able to overcome him, Ludwig severing an artery in the man's leg which causes him to bleed out in a matter of seconds.
Castian was moving in to join the combat, quickly realizing that there will be a victory celebration as he is shocked to see Herr Lothar, and the likely fatal wound in his chest. After searching the contents of the leader's pockets and finding some papers, it is decided that they will remain here, and carefully make their way onweards in the morning, while Gotwin will ride on through the night, to get help in the Shallyan temple of Wolfenburg.
Lothar has a few harsh words with Ludwig in regards to the whole mistaken identity situation, explaining that this is a serious situation, clearly a group of well-meaning Imperials are chasing this Lieberung, and they have the money and contacts to send well-trained hunters after him...

Gotwin makes it to Wolfenburg and hurries back, joined by the Priestess of Shallya, Isolde Ulricht. They find the rest of the part in the Coaching Inn Sigmar's Hammer, one day from the city.
The priestess stabilizes Lothar and the next day they continue to Wolfenburg, where Lothar, Wigand and Ludwig are taken to the temple of Shallya for further care.

The approach to the city shows a marked improvement in the standard of the roads, and a number of large, decent farmsteads.

The land around seems intensively farmed, with both arable and cattle. Locals in the fields will be politely wary, but not unfriendly. A mile from the city is a way station with smithing and stabling facilities and a barracks for road wardens. The staff here is friendly, and offer temporary  accommodations to visitors arriving too late to enter the city. The road towards the city is lined with stone burial markers, as is the usual custom in Ostland. However, the PCs will notice that within the intensive farmland are small copses maintained as burial places, and each holding many markers dating back centuries.

Wolfenburg is an impressive city, surrounded by a thick wall and dominated by a large church standing on a rise to the east. To those in military careers, the walls have a practicality to them; most towers are circular, the wall is buttressed and skirted and angular sections break the uniformity of the wall. To a general observer, the walls might appear squat, but they are thick and will withstand the most powerful siege guns for some time. Indeed, sections of the wall are clearly extended to hold defensive guns.

There are two primary gates into the city, one each located in the north and south walls. A third gate, set in the east wall, is only opened to facilitate market days when farmers arrive from the east to sell their goods. Walking through the gateway, they will note that an herb festoons the entrance. Wigand identifies it as wolfsbane.
The gate to the north is the widest of the city, particularly built for land traffic. Inside, the north section of the city contains warehouses for unloading. However, this is some distance from the docks, and walled as a separate section of the city. Large carts need to be unloaded and their goods placed onto smaller carts that can travel on the narrow roads within the city. This is done by a city licensee and carried out by members of the Stevedore’s Guild.
On entering the city, the group is beset by number of hawkers and urchins. In particular, most taverns and inns pay hawkers to drum up customers, and they will vie with an assortment of street pedlars and beggars for the newcomers’ attention.
Set against the wall is another small booth, advertising official guides. This is a further monopoly sold by the city and for 1GC per day, one can hire a local urchin to show them around. Whilst expensive, the service is a good one and is operated by the Cult of Shallya. They use the income for good works, and ensure that the guides are fed, clothed and educated.

Trade streets
Wolfenburg is the centre of the Ostland pewter trade, and its main street Zinnwaren Straße reflects that in name. However, the city has no particular commercial specialism, and thus no dedicated streets to any particular activity. Most shops consist of a ground floor workshop (where manufacture is carried out), a second floor storage (and possibly display) area, and third floor living apartments. More luxurious shops consist of larger living areas, individual rooms for apprentices and greater distance between the workshop and other areas. All shops are identifiable by universal signs indicating their business.
Residential housing fills in behind the larger thoroughfares, and acts as home to many of the journeymen and poorer masters.
First thing every morning a guild crier announces various orders and work details from the steps of the Guildenhaus. This building houses the offices for those guilds in the city that cannot afford their own individual premises. Inside is a bustling warren of corridors and people. 

Public criers are crying the various bye-laws and the following official news items:

• The foul bandits, known as the Cult of the Howling One continues to attack merchants travelling north. A reward of 50GCs is offered for their destruction, or of 5/- per head of the bandits.
• Citizens are reminded that gambling is a crime against both the Emperor and Sigmar. The self-titled Public Lottery is illegal. Anyone caught playing is subject to a 5GCs fine. Anyone caught selling tickets is subject to imprisonment. Citizens should instead consider investing in the Grand Prince’s Kriegsanleihe scheme, offering fee-free protection of savings and an annual 1% return. Details and applications are available from the Citadel.
• Citizens are warned that the madman Barthel Bugenhagen has escaped his cell. He is not thought to be dangerous, but citizens should be on their guard and report any sighting to their nearest Watch station. 
• Rumours of a new bridge development are untrue and unpatriotic. Citizens are assured that their Prince will consider the merits of any scheme only in the interests of the city. 
• Doktor Hubertus von Bora has need for a secretary and guards. Applicants should apply to the house of Magdalena Amman in the Estates district.

Caravan Yard
A caravan yard is also located within the city, but generally acts as stabling and accommodation for normal visitors. The yard was originally developed as a staging post for supplying Magnus the Pious’ crusade, and shows the lack of maintenance since. However, occasional caravans still set out to and from Kislev and the western Empire, and some prefer to avoid the Wolfen. There are three yards, one each for horses, mules and fantastic creatures. The latter has not been used in a long time, even in its alternative role as an overspill facility.

Town Square
The town square is dominated by a statue diorama containing ‘Magnus the Pious’ and ‘Sigmar the Great’ overseeing the ‘Holy Sigmarite Empire’. Here can be found any number of criers, but the official town criers perform at first light.
 
Temple District
The following temples are located within Wolfenburg: Mórr, Myrmidia, Sigmar, Shallya and Verena. There are small shrines to Taal and Ulric. Within this district, and in addition to the City Watch, might be found a patrol of the Officium Arbitrorum. They are the police force of the Cult of Sigmar, and part of the Order of the Torch. Whilst it is purely an internal organisation, normally without authority beyond the cult or laws where the cult holds authority, the city have granted them joint authority over this district and the other temples. In theory, therefore, the Officium Arbitrorum may enter any other temple in pursuit of a fugitive.

• Shallyan Temple
  The chief cleric is Gammer Isolde Ulricht, a priestess. She is a caring middle-aged woman, who has the look of the care-worn and an occasional descent into cynical despair.
  Isolde is helped by two Initiates, each approaching advancement: Hermann Roeging, who has the bearing of a nobleman, and a young girl, Hilde Muntz. Hilde has accompanied Isolde to the inn to care for Lothar, and some of the group notices her talking to Cheristina, in a way thayt indicated they know each other. When they noticed being observed, they quickly stopped talking.
  The cult operates the Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Children.
• Sigmar's Temple, known as The Cathedral
  An impressive piece of massive architecture standing on a hill overlooking the rest of the city.
  Inside Castian was impressed, perhaps even overwhelmed with the abundance of fine sculptures, paintings and tapestries. The central altar stood out, as it featured a massive Imp overlooking altar. According to very old legend, a chaos lord sent his imps out to play, and the wind blew one down from the Chaos Wastes to Wolfenburg.
  
  
  At first, it was so awe-struck by the splendour of the Sigmarite Cathedral, that it was terrified. However, it saw a priest entering the church, and swooped down to steal his prayer book, and tear it into pieces. It then proceeded to fly around the church doing damage. “Come down and stop that at once”, demanded the Arch Lector (who happened to be visiting). “No,” shrieked the vile imp, “you will have to stop me if you can”. At which, the beloved of Sigmar turned the imp to stone as it sat over the altar, and where it can be seen to this day. Close inspection revealed the imp to be a carved figure, half human and half beast. It appears to be feathered and have bovine legs. The work is exquisite, and of ordinary (if very fine) stone. A small cemetery is attached to the church, but most of the deceased who select burial are interred by the cult of Mórr.
  Castian met some of the priest and informed them of his intention to enter the priesthood.

Next Castian and Gotwin visited the Physicians' Guild. Jaie Schraeder was Secretary for the guild, and had been for 10 years. Danel Koberger, the current Under-Secretary, is an elderly man, and tells them that Jaie has passed away. Also, his house burnt down.  His body was found by a local farmer near The Forest Inn on the evening of the 3rd Jahrdrung (this is an inn near Wolgenburg, not the Forest Inn where the group fought the Ghouls.) He recalls that Schraeder was appointed on the suggestion of the then guildmaster, Professor Melancthon, as both arrived from Altdorf around the same time. Professor Melancthon retired to Altdorf some 5 years ago. It was rather sudden at the time, but he had been offered some sort of promotion at the University.

No one at the guild knew Schraeder socially as he was simply a (good) clerk and secretary.

A visit to the Watch and meeting with Captain Crais brings some more information: 

• Two bodies were found in the fire. Both were badly burnt beyond recognition, but one was male and one female. They are assumed to be Gerd Breytenbach, the servant, and Louisa May, the maid. The fire was localised to one room.
• The Cult of the Howling One are suspected in the murder of Herr Schraeder, and might be linked in with the professor and other murders. 

General Rumours

• The Grand Prince needs to keep an eye on Valmir von Raukov. He was only made Grand Prince behind the other’s back, and there will be trouble yet.
• Valmir von Raukov is too honourable to bring the province to civil war over the Electorship.
• Valmir von Raukov is too honourable to bring the province to civil war over the Electorship, and too clever to think he could win that way. Still, don’t be too surprised if something happens to the von Tasseninck family.
• Valmir von Raukov will never be Elector. I am fed up of those Kislevites thinking they rule this province. We are Imperial, with good Imperialist people. They are simply a group of immigrants who need to remember their place.
• Valmir von Raukov is dealing with some shady mercenary group calling themselves the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Kislev. He is clearly up to no good.
• Crown Prince Hergard von Tasseninck has been sent off to Altdorf for safety. The Grand Prince is no fool as to his family’s safety.
• Crown Prince Hergard von Tasseninck has been sent out by his father to obtain some military experience and a reputation as a soldier in order to improve his popularity. 
• Crown Prince Hergard von Tasseninck has deserted his family to become an adventurer. The Grand Prince is livid. 
• Merchants will not use the road to Ferlangen anymore, because it is too dangerous.
• The Tsar has led his army in a victorious campaign against the rebellious city of Erengrad, and brought it to heel.

Session 7: Herr Johann Jager

The next morning, the group decided to split up. Lothar sent Wigand out to see if he could get some information in the more 'common' areas of town, while the rest went to pay a visit to Klaus von Kolditz. Visiting him at home yielded little result, so they went to see him in his warehouse and office. After bribing one of the staff, they were able to see him shortly. Having been shown the letter found in Beeckerhoven, he denies any knowledge of it. After  asks him to write down the address of a good local tailor and notices a close resemblance in the handwriting. They leave the shop and return to discuss this discovery with herr Lothar.

In the meantime, Wigand has spend some time at the Watch station, inquiring about the Cult of the Howling One, where he discovers the following:

• The raids only became a serious threat last year. Before then only a few minor attacks had been made. 
• In the last year, both the ferocity and the number increased. In general, those who fight are killed, and those who run off are allowed to live – but not always. The attackers are described as men, generally dressed poorly with dogs and/or wolves. 
• The following merchants are known to have had shipments attacked: 
• Hanzi Brunfels
• Abrikosov Fugger
• Wim Harshein
• Karl Kreitz
• Anton Kristov
• Kolomon Tauler
• Norbert Tucher. 
• Three peddlars are missing, presumed dead – Galena Kinsfelt, Grete Lang and Lucia Sundler – and one – Martin Hut – was found dead. No merchandise lost has been discovered or recovered.
• Most of the stolen goods were basics meant for local farmers.
• Militia units have been sent into the forest and found nothing.
• Fake merchant convoys have been dispatched, but left alone.
• Merchants employing more escorts have been left alone, but this is commercially unfeasible for low value goods.

From there, he spends some coin at the pubs around the caravanserai, finally meeting up with Gerrit Trautsun, who seems to be one of the locals running things that are better left in the shadows.

Asked who would be able to get people out of the town without being seen, he is told (after paying a handsome fee of course) that there are a few local traders who are able to help with this:

• Hanzi Brunfels
• Abrikosov Fugger
• Wim Harsherin
• Klaus von Kolditz
• Anton Kristov
• Marretta Schongauer
• Norbert Tucher. 

Inquiries with regard to the bandit attacks can elicit some speculations. Those in the know are convinced that there is a mole in the Merchants’ Guild and/or some merchants are involved. Only the smaller companies have been hit so far, and that implies complicity or pay off.

He decides to head back to the others to share this information, but is stopped at the Four Seasons by a trio of men, all dressed in heavy travelling gear. One tells him his 'boss' wants to see Wigand. Ill at easy, he follows them, seeing no real alternative, as two of them are holding weapons at the ready.

They take him to one of the buildings for travelers near the caravanserai. All window shutters are closed, and two more men wearing similar clothing are guarding the door. Entering the building, he finds himself in a semi-dark room, lit by a few candles and a low fire, revealing a large table and a few high backed chairs. He is pointed to take a seat opposite a giant of a man, an angelic face as you only see on sculptures in the larger cathedrals. He smiles and invites Wigand to have a drink and something to eat. 

Soon he cuts to the chase and starts asking questions. Questions about Gotwin. About Necromantic practices, about necromancers shooting cursed fingerbones at the young noble. About Drachenfels. The interrogation takes a nastier turn when a rope is thrown across the chair, and pulled tout, tying him to the spot. Two men secure his hands in place and a door is opened, revealing one of the locals Wigand paid off the previous night to spread some gossip about Gotwin the Thrice-Cursed and Drachenfels. The man has been tortured severely and seems hardly alive, missing most teeth and an eye, and is covered in burns.

Frustrated about the lack of process with Wigand, the witchhunter Herr Johann Jager calls for pliers and thumbscrews and sets to work...

The others return to the Four Seasons Coaching in, only to see Lothar and Christina Asper leave as they arrive, they catch up with them, trying to explain what they have discovered, but Lothat has no ear for it, muttering something about Wigand.
After a short stroll they arrive at the building guarded by the witchhunters and are denied entry, until Christina has a few words with the men outside. Reluctantly they allow everyone entry, and follow them in.

Herr Johann Jager

In the main area the group discovers Wigand, bloody and battered, missing a few teeth, his hands a bloody mess, and his bare torso covered in burns. Johann Jager looks up, and invites Lothat to sit down, looking at Gotwin with a pleased smile.
Castian takes the whole situation in, and starts yelling at Jager, who, revealing a Sigmnarite holy symbol, barks at the initiate to hold his tongue lest he wants to be ex-communicated from the Order. Castian refuses to back down, ranting about the injustice of this, and stomps out, seething.
Lothar tries to settle the issue, trying to explain it is clearly a misunderstanding, but seems very ill at ease. Johann Jager demands for Gotwin to be inspected for marks of witchcraft and necromancy, as the rumours stated. His surgeon inspects Gotwin, stating to find no marks.
Jager claims this doesnt prove anything, and that further test will need to be done, at which stage Chrtina (who is clearly outranked by Jager) steps up and says that it may be time for Jager to join his master, Magnus Greel, as Greel seems to have outstayed his welcome in Ostland after "the incident".
Jager snarls at that, looks at Lothar and Gotwin, and orders his men to pack up, releasing Wigand.

Castian tries to patch up Wigand, to no avail, and all retire to the coaching inn to rest.
The next day it is decided to organize a meeting with Klaus von Kolditz. The letter from Beeckerhoven, the almost identical writing Klaus had given them with the ytailor's address, and the information Wigand revealed about people-smugglers all point to the fact that this is the man they are after.

Klaus von Kolditz

Lunch is organized in the best restaurant in town, where Lothar waits for him. Once Klaus arrives, the others join them in the private room and lock the door. Pressure is applied, and though Klaus initially denies any knowledge about Elfrieda or the Professor, he soon cracks, realizing this group might be more trouble than his loyalty is worth. He reveals he had Elfrieda smuggled out of the town the previous day, and that he organized transport for the professor to meet Jaie Schraeder at the Physician's Guild in Wolfenburg, and that he had left on the 24th of Nachexen.
Enjoying the rich merchants discomfort, the group demands the money he received from Elfrieda and the Professor, as well as a means to leave the town unseen, as to throw the Templar, who are still behind the group, of their tracks. Von Kolditz agrees, and double the coin in exchange for their silence, in order to keep his reputation for discretion intact.

The next morning they leave, Wigand, Castian and Ludwig in a merchant convoy to a nearby village, Gotwin and Lothat on horseback with Mungo driving the car.

Rumours heard before leaving Ferlangen:

• Apparently, the Emperor tried to persuade the Electors to agree to the payment of his poll tax as an actual population tax, rather than the current central agreement based upon population and trade estimates. The Grand Prince and the other electors refused to have Imperial census takers and tax collectors roaming their lands. The speaker bemoans that “we get screwed either way.” In particular the current Wall Tax (levied to upgrade the town defences) is blamed for crippling business.
• There has been a revolution in Erengrad. It now calls itself the Free City of Erengrad and has elected a group of Communalists to govern its people. This has started a civil war in Kislev, and the Tsar is dead.

Town criers messages overheard at the caravanseray:

• A reward of 5/- is offered upon the head of all outlaws, and of 10/- upon the head of any member of the renegades referred to as the Cult of the Howling One.
• A heretic will be burned in the public square on the 10th Jahrdrung.
• There is no group calling itself the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Kislev operating within Ostland. Citizens should remain calm and be assured that no such force exists.
• Private criers are mostly employed with offers of employment as caravan guards. The recent robberies have reduced the supply of volunteers and raised the wage to about 9/- per day.

The trip south is initially via a plank road to the Dangling Mutant coaching inn and then to the Hanging Highwayman, located at the foot of the Middle Mountains, where  one of the serving maids remembers the professor arriving on the evening of the 25th Nachexen because he made a remark about the talisman to Shallya she wears around her neck. He offered to show her a real Shallyan miracle, which she took to be a chat up line and refused.

From here around the mountain is essentially a dirt track, with some levelling and surfacing. However, it is very hard travel. The distance is approximately 55 miles around from the base of the mountain to the Sigmar’s Hammer and will take four days, without any coaching inns on this part of the road...

Johann Jager

Although his massive size and angelical looks would make people think of him as the paragon of virtue and chivalry, this man is the archetypical bigoted witchhunter,
Wigand was tortured by him in order to reveal more information on the ghouls at the Forest inn, the presence of a necromancer and the re-appearance of Drachenfels (rumours Wigand had launched in order to scare Gotwin).
Christina Asper was able to stop him from also interrogating Gotwin, and release Wigand, after mentioning that Magnus Greel, apparently Jager's superior, had had to leave Ostland after a certain "incident" and suggested he should rejoin his master.
Castian and Jager had an altercation when the initiate questioned the justice in the hunter's practices, which resulted in the Witchhunter's threats of having the young priest excommunicated lest he held his tongue.

Klaus von Kolditz

Powerful Merchant from Ferlangen, who facilitated the unseen departure of Elfrieda Teuschel as well as Professor Udo Stradovski from the city.
Ironically, he also organized for some member of the group to depart unseen.
Also seems to have a few fingers in less savoury pies, as rumours were uncovered of the man's involvement in smuggling/trafficking of humans.

A discussion on social standing within the Empire.

Without this being a slap on any of the layer’s wrists, I want to open up this discussion and see what everyone thinks.

The party was created, on my part, with the aim to have a number of different layers within the party, so that any research and investigation on every social step on the ladder could be investigated by one of you.

Castian:
Religious. Almost a social level in itself, onto which he can and will rise and the story goes on and he achieves higher levels within the priesthood.

Gotwin:
a member of the lower nobility. Is able to converse with any of the people of higher standing you encounter, be it nobility or mercantile, without being fobbed off by a higher class or ‘overwhelming’ a lower class by their status (for example, if he would talk to a beggar, that would have little effect, as the guy would probably be scared senseless)

Wigand:
lower class, invisible to the upper classes, but probably the only one in the group who can go and talk to some dubious elements of society or kitchen staff in a nobleman’s household, without sticking out too much.

Ludwig:
middle class, and with his quick tongue probably the one who will have least trouble to get info out of the hangers-on, the young student and artist crowd, etc.

As without, also within:
status is present everywhere, so also within the group. To give an example, if Gotwin would treat and talk to Wigand as an equal, to the outsider that would: a. lower Gotwin’s status, and b. raise Wigand’s status, resulting in commoners not seeing Wigand as one of them, and upper class not respecting Gotwin’s class, as he clearly likes to slum.

 Same goes the other way around, if Wigand would give Gotwin a mouthful or ridicule him.

Again, be very careful how you treat others. It was getting into shallow waters on Friday when Ludwig almost put a crossbow bolt into a high-ranking merchant’s hand, just because he didn’t come forward quickly enough with the information he wanted to hear. Think about repercussions. This man, and this information has been made available to you, is a ranking personality in this town, with a finger in many pies. Where do you go from there? Kill him? What kind of reaction can you expect from that? Let him live and walk away? Is he really going to say “oh dear, I shouldn’t have kept out on that dilettante” or will he put things in motion to get even and then some?
Every action has a reaction, and regardless of who you are this world is a lot bigger than the party, regardless of who is in it.

See situation such as this as a dance, figure out what the next step is and which are the possible faux-pas, and how they can and will affect you. Unless you’re dealing with a mutant or an orc, violence is probably not the first, second or even third option to consider…

I have put Lothar in here as some kind of moral compass and the go-to person when in doubt. He is not at all there to solve each and every thing, but the guy to kind of ‘put you on your way’. He will, as you probably realize, not be there for the whole ride.

Calendar

Details where stopovers are held, as well as certain events

Nachexen 2515

9th:
Prof. S: The Hunters Lodge

10th:
Prof. S: All Shadows Fled

11th:
Prof. S: Temple to Liandriel

12th:
Prof. S: The Forest Inn

13th:
Prof. S: The Winter Wolf

14th:

Prof. S: The Royal Wolf

15th:
Prof. S: The Pewter Merchant

16th:
Prof. S: The Hemp Merchant

17th:
PC's arrive in Middenheim
Prof. S: Fist of Amber

18th:
Court Case Klaus Grebel

19th:
Investigation in Middenheim

20th
Hunt begins! Night spent in Arensburg

21st:
Arensburg

22nd:
Fox and Crown

23rd:
Ulric's Vision

24th:
Beeckerhoven
Prof. S: is smuggled out of Ferlangen by Klaus von Kolditz

25th:
Hunter's Lodge
Prof. S: The Hanging Highwayman

26th:
All Shadows Fled

27th:
Temple to Liandriel

28th:
Forest Inn / Ghoul attack

29th:
The Winter Wolf
Elfrieda: The Royal Wolf

30th:
The Royal Wolf
Elfrieda: The Pewter Merchant

31st:
The Pewter Merchant
Elfrieda: The Hemp Merchant
Prof. S and Jaie Schaeder: The Forest Inn

32nd:
The Hemp Merchant
Elfrieda: Fist of Amber
Prof. S and Jaie Schaeder: Arrive at Levudaldorf Manor

Jahrdrung 2512

1st:
Fist of Amber
Jaie Schaeder: Leaves Levudaldorf Manor, heading back to Wolfenburg

2nd:
Ferlangen
Fire Jaie Schaeder's house, 2 bodies found
Prof. S: Leaves Manor at Levudaldrof in the morning, stays at The Welcome Rest at night

3rd:
Ferlangen
Body Jaie Schaeder found in the evening near Forest Inn (near Felde). according to witness, body must have been there since the previous day.

4th:
Dangling Mutant coaching in
Prof. S: arrives in Grenzburg

5th:
Hanging Highwayman

6th:
wayside shrine
Prof. S leaves Grenzburg

7th:
shelter
Prof. S stays at the Borderline Inn

8th:
Wayside shrine (cave)/ attack by Adolphus Kuftsos

9th:
Sigmar's Hammer
Prof. S leaves the Borderline Inn

10th:
Wolfenburg

11th:
Wolfenburg
Prof. S spends the night at the Vorster farm, accompanied by 3 Kislevites

12th:
Wolfenburg

13th:
The Forest Inn
Prof. S spends the night at the Dragoon Village, accompanied by 3 Kislevites

14th:
Levudaldorf Manor
Prof. S spends the night at Ersatzheim farm, accompanied by 3 Kislevites (1 being female)

15th:
Levudaldorf Manor
Prof. S spends the night at the Rheiden, accompanied by 3 Kislevites

16th:
The Welcome Rest, attack by Beastmen

17th:
Temple of the Sigmarite Sisters

18th:
Grenzburg

20th:
Shrine

21st:
Vorster Farm

22nd:
Shrine

23rd:
Dragoon Village

24th:
Ersatzheim

25th:
Rheiden

26th:
Antonescu's mansion: fight

27th:
Antonescu's mansion: recovery

28th:
Antonescu's mansion: recovery