Absolutely right...why is everyone else so tight-lipped? Ah, I know, it's because of the moon, eh?
Lord Rikkard mumbles and walks over to one of the large windows to eye the greyish sky.
Franz looks at the moon with superstitious fear. "It's a bad sign indeed when the moon of the Ruinious Powers hovers over us. It will cause much trouble and hearten the forces of evil. Our postion here is still very delicate, Marieke looks as though she will fall at the first cut, she's quite beaten up. For my part I'm as exhausted as my supply of shot. Mi' Lord, is there any shot and power left in the manor? I haven't found any missing cultists, so I guess we are alright there at least."
Has Franz accounted for all the cultists?
As long as we don't know for sure, none of us should prowl the mansion alone. Don't give the chaos through carelesness what we all defended so well.
Rikkard swallows the piece bread he has now chewed on for two minutes and says
Vern told me that the surviving staff members who were in league with Piersson and the cultists fled the mansion when the battle began...there was a crack in the eastern wall...luckily the beastmen didn't know that...Now what are your plans? Retunr to Ubersreik, I guess?
"The job we were brought here for is now complete and that will be the course of action for this dwarf and that. There is more reckoning to to be done."
Agreed, though we might want to get rested before we leave. Some of the beastfolk that escaped might be drawn to small groups of travellers.
"We'll make sure they know who felled their champion, Rnagnir. Heads of Gor and Minotaur tend to deter the better lot of their cowardly type and will get us a couple of coin to boot."
Rangnirs bellowing laughter breaks through the, despite the victory, still somber mood.
That is a good remainder of how much I have still to learn, Fernis, conqueror of the Tyrheaded monster!
"In time, beardling, in time. Such is the gift bestowed upon our kind by Grungi that we need not rush about in an attempt to learn all at once and nothing in the same breath."
Gnawing on a hunk of bread in a desultory fashion, Marieke wearily tries to follow the conversation, her head briefly raising when mention of some of the cultists escaping "They should burn! We should hie after them!" rising from the chair, then overcome with the exhaustion of the victor, settles back down. "Perhaps later... " she says with a resigned look.
Startled by Rangnir's laughter, she shares a small smile with her companions "Yes, learning is only what I have just begun. There is much to the killing of beasts and cultists that I do know yet know."
Franz looks resigned as well to the escaped cultists, knowing that will come back to haunt them later. He tries to make a list of those that escaped. To Mareike, "Lass, we are all too exhausted to chase them now, their names will be given to the Templars, and they wll not rest until the those lost to evil are found and purified in fire." Franz sounds very happy at the thought of burning cultists. "We all need rest though with that evil light in the sky it will be hard to get any."
To the dawi, "Thank you for all you'e done. I fear that I'll be racing around, the gods have not see fit to grant the gift of time to us humans, so we will always be in a hurry." Franz will take a watch with the other soldiers in rotation. But when he rest he'll make sure that it where none of the light of the chaos moon will touch him, he'd like no nightmares.
"Running from the womb, hahahahahah."
The day passes without any major happenings and you get at least a protion of the much needed relaxation you were thirsting for.
In the evening, Rikkard, when everyone is assembled round the large dinner table, lays out the plan for the next days
In Sigmar's name, travelling through the Reikswald in the shadow of Morrslieb is giving me the shivers, but we can't stay here at the manor forever. I say we return to Ubersreik tomorrow - what do you think?
Marieke, looking much less pale than earlier, enters the hall and sits. The blood and gore from the battle earlier is gone, replaced with soot from the burning of the altar room in the cellar. However, a few pointers from her dawi "brothers" has allowed her to clean up her armour and weapons considerably.
Still looking tired, she nonetheless appears satisfied with the work done this day.
"Lord Rikkard" she says awkwardly, still not quite sure of the proper honorifics and language she should be using "The sooner we bring Franz's list of cultists to the authorities the sooner they'll burn!". Reaching for a hunk of bread, she continues "Our work here is done, isn't it?"
Considering what I found in what little time I spent in the libraray and considering that repulsive librarian, I would like to look through the library one more time to make sure no such dubious books remain stacked here, waiting for a new cult to form. But I shall be able to do so tonight. so leaving tomorrow is fine with me.
A thorough search of the library indeed revealed two books that look rather peculiar to you. One is titled "Change - a dogma", the writing on the cover never seems to remain where it was the second before and the letters are floating around and change positions permanently. However, you are somehow still able to read the title...which doesn't make sense, but it still works...this thing is doing your head in...
The other one has no title at all, it is just black, made of very smooth leather. The pages are all blank, but also black.
-------
Lord Rikkard looks over to Mareike and he seems a bit irritated that the girl comes up with something like a plan
Hah...uh...yes, but it is not you who decides that we leave...umm...while I don't know your plans, I could need the help of such a capable band of men and women in the near future...this time it's rather about politics, so you don't have to worry about meeting more beastmen, heh.
Never more than a hammer's length from his younger ward, Fernis steps forward with a burlap sack he found in the kitchen. "Drop 'em in here, beardling. Nothing good ever came of them types of works."
Hmm - still I wonder if there is any way to see what this strange black paged book is...
Rangnir considers for a moment, then he puts both tomes into the sack with just a hint of a sigh...
Looking over Rangnir's shoulder as he places to book in the sack, Mareike says "Well, considering the probable subject, a book as black as night may reveal its purpose in the dark...?"
While the others have retreated to the library Lord Rikkard tells Vern to bring another bottle of red Stirland wine, turns to Franz and asks
Herr Flechter, you have been very silent this evening...please, explain your brooding.
Franz frowns, "The implications of this cult and it's use of the beastmen is troubling, I feel there is a larger plot about but I have only a feeling not anything I can point to support this." Franz sighs, [b]"Maybe it's just the moon. Yes we need to get to the city soonest and hope that forces can be found to deal with these issues."[b]
Let me take a look at the book once before we settle to sleep and possibly once when the light of that cursed moon shines through the window...just so we know what kind of vile tome we are dealing with here...
You're right...and once we have forgotten about these terrible beastmen, mwe can turn our attention to more important things... Lord Rikkard muses while looking at the dark red wine in his glass.
------
When Rangnir moves over to the window and the sickly greenish light caresses the book's surface, indeed something happens.
Silvery spiky letters appear on the front which read Van Raaken's Codex de Monstrositae
Hmmm. Van Raaken's Codex de Monstrositae
Rangnir memorizes the title and makes a mental note to ask the humans if they ever heard of a book like that.
Brow furrowed and mouth moving silently, Mareike reads the works that appear on the dark book. Looking puzzled she turns to Rangnir, "What's a codex?"
Basically a more archaic word for book, but sometimes it is used for a reference book or an encyclopedic - that meaning extensive work on a certain topic.
Franz pulling a bit out of melencholy, turns to Lord Rikkard and says, "As to leaving, with our few numbers it seems we all would have to go, the remaining beastmen would likely fire this place, leaving the area without any support at all. But if no one will be comeing in strength, soon, we have no choice. Or we could send a swift rider to get help, but with the the moon of Ruin above, would anyone come to your support here?" Franz looks to Lord Rikkard.
Most probably not. Rikkard says and shakes his head No, we leave tomorrow by the light of dawn and with faith in Sigmar I have no doubt that we will either overcome any beastmen or don't face any at all, heh.
Two hours after dawn you all sit on the rumbling wagon again...the manor now already lies a good distance behind you and the Reikswald doesn't look as depressing as you had feared.
No signs of beastmen and only the leering green moon above indicates that something is wrong in the Reikland.
Vern seems to be in a good mood too since he whistles a cherrful tune and from time to time tries a lame joke...-what did one fish say to the other? If you keep your mouth closed you will not get caught!
"You might heed your own advice,Vern.",Fernis says in a flat voice which breaks into a laugh.
Vern is about to answer, when he realizes that a discussion isn't worth a bloody nose and just shrugs...
Three hours further down the road, you reach the small village of Geissenbach again. Actually you are more relieved than you had expected to leave the Reikswald and even Lord Rikkard smiles again...despite the ongoing rain...
Vern stops the cart and turns around to Mareike
I'm quite hungry, what about you, girl?
Sodden and tired, Mareike had sat in the wagon, occasionally pestering Fernis or Rangnir about the finer points in armor and weapon maintenance. Though it was knowledge she desperately wanted, the talk also served as distraction from the terrible shadows her mind conjured all around in the forest.
As the wagon left the shelter of the trees, a deep exhalation was released by the girl. Soon though, the movement of the tall grasses beside the trail drew her attention. Try as she might, her eyes would dart at movements in her peripheral vision, occasionally she would even start at the sudden flight of birds from some roadside bushes.
Arriving in the village calmed her nerves some. However, they were frayed enough that Vern's question was unwelcome
"Of course I'm hungry! Why don't you get in that inn and make sure there's food enough for all of us?" she says sharply, her eyes blazing.
That is a good Idea. Filling our stomachs away from these dire woods and all that.
"Dwarf indeed, hahahahaha",Fernis chuckles.
Vern nearly falls off the coach box as Mareike tells him what to do...
Yeah...I was just asking, no reason to...
Vern, you heard what the girl said, go and tell the innkeeper that Lord Rikkard Aschaffenberg has arrived.
Lord Rikkard mutters from the back. Slowly the tall man rises and hops off the cart. Turning to Franz he adds
Very soon Geissenbach and all the villages surrounding Ubersreik will be ours...I mean mine and our family's, heh.
Fernis raises an eyebrow, but says nothing of Rikkard's slip.
Franz nods as Lord Rikkard makes his decision and they leave for the supposed safety of the city. He is cold but doesn't complain along the way. He snapped out of it when they reach an Inn and the altercation takes place. He sighs, "We are all tired, please let the small stuff go. I'll see to the horses." As Vern makes whatever arraignments needed, Franz leads the horses to the stable and will see to their care, either with a stableboy's aid or without if none is found. Before that Lord Rikkard mutters something strange.
Franz thinks, Lords of these lands, I thought them free chartered. What is my cousin up to?
Franz says to Lord Rikkard quietly, "Mi'Lord, that sounds of politics best kept behind closed doors; when we reach your estate, we can discuss anything you wish of me, in private."
"The business of manlings..."
Mareike looks askance at Rikkard after his slip, mind racing over it possible meanings.Biting her lip, she thinks 'Ours' he said, as if he and others were taking the land over...By Sigmar, does a cultist remain in our midst?
Sitting, damp and cold in the rain, she watches as the Lord and Franz exchange some words. With a sigh, she let's go of her paranoid musings...for now.
Ah, yes yes, Franz...spies and cultists everywhere, heh... Lord Rikkard gives Franz an encouraging pat on the back and while the young noble leads the horses away, Rikkard returns to the others.
Vern has surely ordered some nice local specialties for us, so, get in and all the food and drinks are on me.
The tavern looks exactly like the last time you have been here - actually you wonder if they cleaned anything at all...
Vern has already taken a seat at a large round table and beckons you over.
A gracious offer that we will gladly honor with our acceptance, Lord Rikkard.
Though Fernis sits at the table he does not partake of food or drink. If questioned he mentions the dwarven hardtack he has consumed along the way and its very sustaining nature.
Marieke grabs her gear from the wagon and trudges into the inn. Blinking her eyes as she enters the smokey dim main room, she spies Vern by a table talking to the innkeeper.
Wiping the rain from her brow, she makes her way to the table and sits with relief in the space closest to the fire.
Vern smiles as everyone is assmbled and lifts his tankard
A company of heroes, I... but falls silent immediately as he notices Rikkard's countenance
Vern, you did nothing during the fight...don't fool yourself, peasants just miss the guts necessary to become heroes...only rarely one of your parentage becomes a great hero...Mareike here might be such an example. Meister Stoutanvil, tell me - how is it among dwarves - the relations between the various castes...for sure you have castes or something similar?
Rikkard asks with a jovial grin.
"That there is, manling, that there is. But in dwarven society every dawi is like the foundation block in a mighty wall. Even those at the top could not stand without those at the bottom and age is something we cherish. Only the oathbreaker is cast aside. When he does find himself in such an unfortunate state, the redeeming search for death in battle with a mighty foe as a cultist of Grimniris his only hope." Fernis finishes his speech with a slight look of disdain.
Ah yes, the venerability of age...I heard that this was a common concept among you dwarfs...well, sadly it isn't common among humans anymore...which is quite sad, but protects us from the confusion that sometimes befalls the minds of our elders, heh. Nevermind, here comes our...stew? Oh well...
Rikkard seems rather disappointed by the hot meat stew but grabs one of the sppons and begins to eat...
After a while of silent munching, Vern says
Lord Rikkard, have you already informed our fellow travellers of the things to come in Ubersreik?
No, not yet...but let me ask you a question - has anyone of you any experience in the work of a sewer guard?
Mareike digs in, famished from the exertions of the previous day. Looking up at the mention of sewers, she says "Sewer guard? What do you mean?"