”Either magic, or just well made. Either way, let me try.” Valghaz said as he took his pick and swung it at the door.
dice=Str 51]1d100
** spoiler omitted **
With a mighty bash, Valghaz treats the door just like a stubborn boulder, unfortunately it seems as if the door is made to be just as strong as his pick as his swing rebounds from the door with a huge clang leaving not even a scratch on the door’s surface.
Strength not useful, Valghaz tries politeness and knocks gently on the door. It makes no logical sense but he finds that a soft knock actually opens the door a crack. Then using the most gentle push ever performed by a dwarf he is able to very slowly push the door open.
Etelka's clothes are scattered across the floor, mixed with Gutbag's extensive collection of finger bones. Stuck on a bedpost is a severed Dwarven head. Hanging on the wall is a picture of a lovely human woman that Gutbag is talking to as the door silently opens.
Gutbag presents a comical sight. He wears a red ball gown of Etelka's that is at least two feet too long for him, and it drags on the ground and constantly threatens to trip him. His head is adorned with a glittering tiara. Seeing the door swing open, he says in a high falsetto, ”take care of these intruders, apprentice.” Gutbag then answers himself in a deeper voice, ”yes, mistress,” at which point he turns to you all and begins to chant something that sounds like gibberish.
With a shrug of his shoulders, Gutbag draws his sword and readies his shield.
Landolf and Krizta go first, then Gutbag, then Valghaz and Adelaida.
Landolf watched as first Krizta and then Valghaz struck the doors to no success. He'd seen Valghaz knock down a wall before, but these doors held firm. Nonetheless, a gentle push yielded access.
He hardly waited for the goblin's antics to cease before dashing forward with his rapier.
The blade slid across the festooned goblin's armor in a jarring blow. Hopefully that would leave room for his companions to do better.
Landolf watched as first Krizta and then Valghaz struck the doors to no success. He'd seen Valghaz knock down a wall before, but these doors held firm. Nonetheless, a gentle push yielded access.
He hardly waited for the goblin's antics to cease before dashing forward with his rapier.
[dice=Melee (Fencing) 53 +10 charge]1d100
The blade slid across the festooned goblin's armor in a jarring blow. Hopefully that would leave room for his companions to do better.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
It’s Melee Basic for defense. I didn’t actually check the rules but assuming that you aren’t able to use a shield with Dodge defense.
Krizta moves up beside Landolf, and lashes out at the shared target.
She fails to land a hit against the unexpectedly slippery tiara-wearing goblin, however.
Landolf watched as first Krizta and then Valghaz struck the doors to no success. He'd seen Valghaz knock down a wall before, but these doors held firm. Nonetheless, a gentle push yielded access.
He hardly waited for the goblin's antics to cease before dashing forward with his rapier.
[dice=Melee (Fencing) 53 +10 charge]1d100
The blade slid across the festooned goblin's armor in a jarring blow. Hopefully that would leave room for his companions to do better.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Gutbag hastily interposes his shield trying to stop Landolf’s quick attack. Gutbag manages to move the point offline preventing a nasty wound but still is nicked by the nobleman’s fast attack.
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Krizta moves up beside Landolf, and lashes out at the shared target.
[dice=Attack Roll (Flail: 50)]1d100
[dice=Defense Roll (Dodge: 38)]1d100
She fails to land a hit against the unexpectedly slippery tiara-wearing goblin, however.
Even though Gutbag was distracted by Landolf’s attack, Krizta was unable to take advantage of the opening as light from the goblin’s tiara unexpectedly dazzled her vision as she moved to attack.
With a cry of anger, Gutbag swings as hard as he can at Landolf but the well experienced fighter is able to use his weapon to easily block Gutbag’s attack. ”STOP MAKING ME LOOK BAD IN FRONT OF THE MISTRESS!” Gutbag yells at Landolf.
”Come-on you two,” Gutbag says as he makes a rude gesture in the direction of Adelaida and Valghaz.
SL7 v SL0 for 7. SL (7) + Str (5) + Strike Mighty Blow (1) + Weapon (5) + Resolute (1) - TB Armor (9) = 10 wounds
Coming in like a wrecking ball, Valghaz charged into the fray. His pick had tasted blood before and the Templar was certain that it would do the same now. Much to his surprise when it hit home the impact reverberated up his arms as if though he had struck solid stone!
[dice=Attack! +10 charge +20 outnumber for 100]1d100
SL7 v SL0 for 7. SL (7) + Str (5) + Strike Mighty Blow (1) + Weapon (5) + Resolute (1) - TB Armor (9) = 10 woundsComing in like a wrecking ball, Valghaz charged into the fray. His pick had tasted blood before and the Templar was certain that it would do the same now. Much to his surprise when it hit home the impact reverberated up his arms as if though he had struck solid stone!
Gutbag staggers from the force of the dwarf’s blow. He looks completely distraught that Valghaz has ripped his ball gown and small green goblin tears roll down his cheeks. ”Oh no, not my wizard robes…”
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Adelaida strikes too, hoping to end the fight quickly
Maybe don't wear a dress on the battlefield?
dice=Attack+40 (102)]1d100
Adelaida strikes too, hoping to end the fight quickly
Maybe don't wear a dress on the battlefield?
”It’s Not A DRESS!” Gutbag screams as he staggers backwards from yet another telling blow.
He suddenly pulls a vial from his outfit and dashes it on the floor where it explodes in a haze of white powder hiding Gutbag from view for a moment…”Now you’ll be sorry! HaHaHaHa…Ha…uh…” Gutbag falls silent as he realizes that his powder has done nothing but cover everything in flour. ”I’ll get that Dumpling for this…”
Moving around Gutbag to surround the confounding creature, Landolf lashed out with his rapier again, scoring a deeper cut this time.
[dice=Melee (Fencing) 53 +40 gang up +20 advantage]1d100
Moving around Gutbag to surround the confounding creature, Landolf lashed out with his rapier again, scoring a deeper cut this time.
Surrounded, outnumbered and overwhelmed by relentless foes, Gutbag makes a final gurgling gasping sound as he slumps to one knee and then falls face down on the floor. His tiara rolls across the floor. The woman’s face in the portrait somehow looks disapproving.
Around Gutbag’s neck there is a key tied to a leather cord. He’s wearing goblin sized pieces of mail armor under his ball gown. Specifically he wears a metal helm, a sleeved mail shirt, and mailed chausses. Next to his body lies his sword and the shield. The shield is covered with disturbing runes that have been painted over the original design.
A locked wooden chest is beside one of the walls.
Landolf looks hesitantly at the picture before drawing his rapier across the image, slashing the woman in half. There was no telling what a witch like Etelka could do. Vandalizing her painting was unlikely to change much, but he didn't need her glaring down at him.
That done, he flipped the shield so the runes were hidden and retrieved the key from around the dead goblin's neck and tried it in the chest.
Krizta gathers up the stuff, except the shield. It looks too strange, and she has recently become afraid of strange things.
”It’s just paint.” Valghaz said, looking down at the dead goblin. ”Can’t imagine magic being trapped in something to flimsy.” He walked over to the shield, raised his pick and growled ”Umgak!” as he brought the weapon down upon it.
Landolf looks hesitantly at the picture before drawing his rapier across the image, slashing the woman in half. There was no telling what a witch like Etelka could do. Vandalizing her painting was unlikely to change much, but he didn't need her glaring down at him.
That done, he flipped the shield so the runes were hidden and retrieved the key from around the dead goblin's neck and tried it in the chest.
Inside the chest are 28 Gold Crowns, 85 Shillings, 105 Brass Pennies and Etelka's silverware — 12 silver plates, 12 knife, fork & spoon sets, and one salt and pepper set. Loose among the coins are 18 silver rings, 37 earrings, and an assortment of half-empty perfume.
”It’s just paint.” Valghaz said, looking down at the dead goblin. ”Can’t imagine magic being trapped in something to flimsy.” He walked over to the shield, raised his pick and growled ”Umgak!” as he brought the weapon down upon it.
At the last second some compulsion stays Valghaz’s hand so that he strikes the floor instead of the shield.
Valghaz looked at the shield, trying to decipher what just happened. At length he decided that there must have been a reason why he didn’t destroy it. Maybe beneath the paint it was of dawi-make? Perhaps it was a sign from Grungni? Or perhaps it was protected by dark powers. Either way, he had to know. Taking off his cloak he wrapped the shield up so that he didn’t touch it with his bare hands and then put it in his pack.
”Gonna clean this off when we get back. Either turn it in for destruction or find that it be for use after we get the graffiti off.”
Landolf is impressed by the haul of goods Etelka left behind but gets distracted by Valghaz's odd failure to destroy the shield. "Everything around here is cursed it seems," he mutters as he turns his attention back to the goods in the chest. "Good idea to be careful."
Taking some of his own advice, he seeks to tip the chest over & empty its contents onto the floor instead of reaching into the pile.
”Aye. Gold, gems, dead grobi, a slaughtered urk, and Mayhaps this shield. It’s been a good day. Just too bad that the witch hasn’t been found yet. Let’s finishing clearing the place out.”
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Look at that chest.. THere's some hidden compartiment. The most important stuff must be inside.
When Landolf dumps everything out on the floor, Krizta starts gathering it up. While she is gathering the silver rings, she picks out two that she likes and that fit her, and puts them on.
Valghaz looked at the shield, trying to decipher what just happened. At length he decided that there must have been a reason why he didn’t destroy it. Maybe beneath the paint it was of dawi-make? Perhaps it was a sign from Grungni? Or perhaps it was protected by dark powers. Either way, he had to know. Taking off his cloak he wrapped the shield up so that he didn’t touch it with his bare hands and then put it in his pack.
”Gonna clean this off when we get back. Either turn it in for destruction or find that it be for use after we get the graffiti off.”
Even though Valghaz does not grasp the shield as its meant to be held, it is striking how perfectly balanced the shield feels.
The only other room of note upstairs is the laboratory. The door to this room lies blackened in the corridor. The interior of the room is in ruins: broken shards of glass cover the floor, and the tables and work benches are broken and charred. Marks on the floor show where other tables stood. A thorough search of the the laboratory turns up the widely scattered remains of a goblin who appears to have done something to cause an explosion. Unfortunately nothing of value survived the explosion.
Shall we go back to the mine, Brother? Your kin might appreciate our assistance.
Krizta nods at Adelaia's suggestion, brushing herself off and getting ready to go in.
Heading back to Grissenwald you see a surprising sight…the militia of the town are heading towards the mines accompanied by the dwarves. Gorim Greathammer greets Valghaz cordially and explains that the dwarf you all had saved (Durak Dimholt) brought proof that goblins were behind the attacks on the farmers. The goblin arrows were enough proof for the townspeople. Now the men and dwarves are going to get their revenge against the goblins.
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Despite the numerous arrow wounds, Valghaz was happy. The grobi were all either dead or were soon to be dead. The Greathammer clan were set to recover their lost mine from the foul urks and had their name restored. And their own personal quest could continue. He was certain that the ancestor gods were pleased. Given his own grievous wounds, it made sense to sit the rest of the battle out. Moreso, it was a chance for the men and dwarves to reforge their bonds through a common enemy. It was best to leave them to it.
You arrive back in town early in the evening and are joyously welcomed by the townsfolk, quite different than how you were initially treated. You can eat and drink to your content without it costing a thing. Dumpling is even more popular as she tells and retells her stories throughout the night. Before she toddles off to bed, she carefully writes down the correct spelling of each of your names for her book she’s going to write.
Landolf woke in a cold sweat, his heart racing. He sat upright in a panic, but ... he was in the inn. Not surrounded by those terrible clocks. He checked and his ears weren't bleeding. It was a dream...a figment created from the terrible events of the day. By degrees, he allowed himself to relax.
He laid back in bed and wiped away some of the sweat, feeling foolish. He'd let plebian nonsense get to him...
It was some time before he drifted back to sleep uneasily.
When Krizta wakes up, she goes to find the others.
I had a dream about a ruined castle and a broken tower, and then Altdorf, but something was very wrong there. There was also a clock, so I think the omen is that something bad is going to happen, and we need to hurry.
After hearing of Krizta's dream, Landolf looks at the group. "If we need to hurry, we also need to rest. Let's get any sleep we can. We won't have beds this good for weeks to come. I'll see what we can do about shipping in the morning. If anyone has errands left in town, let's try to finish up quickly. There's still a chance for us to catch Etelka before she escapes to Talabecland."
In the morning, Landolf and Yvonne try to find a good price for their brandy.
He also tried to find a good price on coal.
When Krizta wakes up, she goes to find the others.
I had a dream about a ruined castle and a broken tower, and then Altdorf, but something was very wrong there. There was also a clock, so I think the omen is that something bad is going to happen, and we need to hurry.
Even awake you can hear the faint sound of ticking coming from somewhere and nowhere at the same time.
You’re able to find a couple of taverns that are willing to work together to buy your entire brandy shipment at a price of 3 Crowns and 6 Shillings per encumbrance point.
The coal merchants are unwilling to budge on the price of 8 Crowns per 10 Encumbrance points of coal.
Once again, dark dreams soil Adelaida's night.
When she awakes, she spend some time in prayer to Sigmar, trying to find again solace in her mind and soul.
She spends time with landolf, hoping the open air and the mundane task of haggling with the merchants will ease her mind of the nightmares.
Sl-2
SL+1
Then she looks for a bow and arrows, as she knows that not all fights are close combat. She doesn't forget to give some money at the local church of Sigmar
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Landolf, Adelaida & Yvonne are having a difficult time arguing for a better price on brandy when one member of the cooperative lets slip that the dwarves drank them all dry. The group leverages that new information into a better bargaining position and completes the sale of brandy. Sometimes Ranald decides to lend a helping hand!
Valghaz enjoyed his time as a small town hero, indulging in food and drink. It was a novel feeling, not having to count every copper. A celebration that was truly worth being perforated with arrows! Unfortunately, his sleep was the opposite, for he was plagued by nightmares.
Nursing a hangover, Valghaz slowly nodded his head. "Aye. Had a similar dream. Me own home was overrun by the Thaggoraki filth. Surely a sign from the Gods. Hope I can get me wounds healed before we have to face these blighters."
Once again, dark dreams soil Adelaida's night.
When she awakes, she spend some time in prayer to Sigmar, trying to find again solace in her mind and soul.
She spends time with landolf, hoping the open air and the mundane task of haggling with the merchants will ease her mind of the nightmares.
[dice=Haggle Brandy, Help Landolf(45)]1d100 Sl-2
[dice=Haggle Coal, Help Landolf(45)]1d100 SL+1
Then she looks for a bow and arrows, as she knows that not all fights are close combat. She doesn't forget to give some money at the local church of Sigmar
Valghaz enjoyed his time as a small town hero, indulging in food and drink. It was a novel feeling, not having to count every copper. A celebration that was truly worth being perforated with arrows! Unfortunately, his sleep was the opposite, for he was plagued by nightmares.
Nursing a hangover, Valghaz slowly nodded his head. "Aye. Had a similar dream. Me own home was overrun by the Thaggoraki filth. Surely a sign from the Gods. Hope I can get me wounds healed before we have to face these blighters."
[dice=Heal 37 the next day]1d100
A night’s sleep seems to be just what Valghaz needed.
Whilst the others shopped and traded, Valghaz worked diligently cleaning the foul Greenskin’s marks off the shield. Once cleaned, Valghaz is stunned by what he’s found. He has recovered a shield made of Gromril, the legendary Silverstone metal. There are the remnants of dwarven runes carved into the face of the shield but the have been desecrated by the Greenskins to the point that the runes are illegible. It’ll take a Runesmith to repair the runes and reconsecrate the shield. In a sense, the shield is almost priceless in value but in reality it is literally priceless in that it can’t be sold and obviously belongs to one of the great clans. Returning it to its rightful home would bring great honor to Valghaz (and the rest of the group). But now it’s a huge obligation as the shield must be kept safe.
When the day was done, Valghaz called the group together. "I don't believe in keeping secrets." Valghaz said. "This shield? It is an heirloom, of one of the major clans. It is damaged, to be sure, and it will take a runesmith some time. But this here is gromril." He said with meaning. "Selling it? It would require going to Marienburg for a fair price, and it would also buy a grudge against the seller and their entire family. It is clear to me that it must be returned. It is...as if though we found lost valuables that belong to Karl Franz. If selling or losing this would cause a blood-grudge, then returning it would meet just as strong a reaction. Likewise, that axe we found? There is a decent chance that it be the same. I would like to ask the group to agree on holding on to these, aye? At least until we can figure out who they belong to." Such was his wide-eyed wonder at the shield, he hadn't even noticed that his arrow wounds have healed.
Your barge makes good time heading downstream with the mighty current and it only takes a couple of days travel to return to Kemperbad.
Kemperbad sits atop a 500-foot cliff overlooking the Reik, just north of its confluence with the River Stir. The Stir originally plunged over a mighty waterfall into the Reik, but the river has cut a narrow gorge into the cliffs. The waterfall has slowly moved upstream to its present location at the confluence of the Stir and Narn. The gorge of the Stir is crossed by a narrow rope bridge, and this makes the town all but inaccessible to southern road traffic.
Fortunately for commerce, a dock has been built on the Reik at the base of the cliffs. This is connected to the town by an ingenious system of lifts. There are baskets and platforms of varying sizes, suspended from huge block and tackle sets on Elven ropes, and all raised and lowered by counterbalances. The system is maintained and operated by Dwarven engineers. Remarkably, there has been only one fatal accident in the last fifty years. Some drunken young nobles tried to race each other to the bottom. The winner was too unwell to claim his prize.
Use of the lifts costs 2d per person on the passenger platforms (holding up to four average-sized individuals), and 2d per ten baskets or sacks of bulk cargo, or 30 encumbrance equivalent.
For the poor, the miserly, and the athletic, 1,111 steps are cut into the cliff in a zig-zag staircase to the town.
A ferry service at the docks provides the safest way to cross the Reik between Nuln and Altdorf. It connects the Great North Road to Grünburg and Altdorf. The ferry costs 2d per passenger, and 4d for a horse. The locals joke that this is a foot tax. The Four Seasons Coaching Line maintains a large coaching inn and staging post at the nearby village of Jungbach.
There is a 6 shilling per day docking fee.
Either via the lift or the 1,111 steps you make your way up the bluff into Kemperbad. There’s excitement in the air and touts are taking bets on a trial by combat scheduled for the next day.
You hear your names being called by a man in the crowd who then struggles against the flow of traffic to reach you. It’s Baldwin Scheck, Count Boorman’s valet. He greets you all fondly but he’s obviously anxious and asks you to visit the Count this evening for dinner. Baldwin doesn’t give any details of why the Count wants to see you being the well trained valet he is.
"If that shield is important to your people Valghaz, we can see to its safety until you can deliver it properly. Do you know who might be able to help you with that? Would any of the clans in Altdorf be able to help, or would we need to look further afield?"
"How should we go about protecting it? If the shield is as valuable as you describe, I doubt we'd be able to see to its safety properly. Our best bet might be to keep it hidden."
*
Landolf suggests talking to the dockworkers and harbormaster. Bribes might be needed, but we haven't noted Etelka for subtelty yet and they might remember her. Landolf is probably too well-dressed to easily get the stevedores to talk.
Landolf's plan is to try inns the nobility might frequent and, when he hears about it, to find out more about the trial by combat. Even if the trial isn't related to Etelka, she might be attracted by the disturbance in some way.
"Good to see you again, Herr Scheck. It would be an honor to spend the evening with Count Boorman. Thank you."