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...