Landolf stares blankly at Adelaida as she delivers her apology, then thinks for a moment before he responds.
"Did...you really just apologize by calling me a liar and a cheat?" A big smile crosses his face before he begins to laugh. "That's so good! You remind me of my brother back home, Reingard."
He continues laughing for a time before struggling to bring his mirth under control again. "Thank you Aedlaida. After this last week, I needed that. Apology accepted. For what it's worth, you showing up here was all the reassurance I needed. That goes for all of you. I don't know what cruel fate brought us together like this, but you all seem fine folk to me."
As the talk turns back to what to do about the current situation, Landolf stares at his mug thoughtfully. "The situation isn't as complicated as you make it out to be in some ways, Valghaz, and in some ways it is worse. The problem is that what we're seeing is the system not working. Or, rather, that it's been replaced. The Watch have gone downhill so far that the Sergeant's behavior is probably normal. Even Captain Pfeffer said so: she's working with the worst dregs of Altdorf."
"I wondered initially, but it seems clear enough that Sergeant Klumpenklug is leaving Captain Pfeffer out of the loop. Otherwise he wouldn't have dodged the issue of reporting our behavior at the fire to her. Quite possibly she doesn't know what he has been up to. Going to her is a pretty straightforward bet."
He grimaces as he continues. "The problem is that things go south for us if we're wrong about her. If we gamble of Pfeffer and she turns out to be just as corrupt as Rudi, she won't take kindly to us exposing her side business. And even if we're right, it's not entirely clear what she can do about it from a larger perspective: she can probably get rid of Klumpenklug, but she can't replace the entire Watch. Still, it might be our best bet."
Then Landolf turns his eyes back to the rest of the Red Moon Inn. "All of this is giving me other ideas, though. What if we kept working for Klumpenklug, but stopped listening to his orders? What would he do about...all of this?" Landolf gestures to the rest of the tavern.
"Trying to win the people over would be a big gamble too. We've already been framed once in the last week: nothing would keep it from happening again. It's a path we could consider, though."
"The last thing that comes to mind is that we could try turning to Osanna for help. I think it's pretty clear that we can trust her, and she seems to have the ear of the Karstadt family. It's hard to know what she could do about all of this, but maybe she could come up with solutions that I can't see right now."
He sits back in his chair and looks at the rest of the group. "That's what I've got. If none of that works, we probably just work for Klumpenklug. I don't think any of us are ready to do that, though. We're here after all. So...what do we want to Gamble on?"
Landolf stares blankly at Adelaida as she delivers her apology, then thinks for a moment before he responds.
"Did...you really just apologize by calling me a liar and a cheat?" A big smile crosses his face before he begins to laugh. "That's so good! You remind me of my brother back home, Reingard."
He continues laughing for a time before struggling to bring his mirth under control again. "Thank you Aedlaida. After this last week, I needed that. Apology accepted. For what it's worth, you showing up here was all the reassurance I needed. That goes for all of you. I don't know what cruel fate brought us together like this, but you all seem fine folk to me."
As the talk turns back to what to do about the current situation, Landolf stares at his mug thoughtfully. "The situation isn't as complicated as you make it out to be in some ways, Valghaz, and in some ways it is worse. The problem is that what we're seeing is the system not working. Or, rather, that it's been replaced. The Watch have gone downhill so far that the Sergeant's behavior is probably normal. Even Captain Pfeffer said so: she's working with the worst dregs of Altdorf."
"I wondered initially, but it seems clear enough that Sergeant Klumpenklug is leaving Captain Pfeffer out of the loop. Otherwise he wouldn't have dodged the issue of reporting our behavior at the fire to her. Quite possibly she doesn't know what he has been up to. Going to her is a pretty straightforward bet."
He grimaces as he continues. "The problem is that things go south for us if we're wrong about her. If we gamble of Pfeffer and she turns out to be just as corrupt as Rudi, she won't take kindly to us exposing her side business. And even if we're right, it's not entirely clear what she can do about it from a larger perspective: she can probably get rid of Klumpenklug, but she can't replace the entire Watch. Still, it might be our best bet."
Then Landolf turns his eyes back to the rest of the Red Moon Inn....
Ruprecht takes his well earned copper, and also the gold , equally well earned, he thinks.
He observes the interaction between Landolf and Adelaida with interest, but makes no comment, merely following the others
on the way to the Red Moon Inn.
Entering the Inn, Ruprecht has the grace to be embarrassed by the patron's greeting of the 'heroes', knowing his contribution wasn't
nearly so grand.
He sits with the others, listening intently as each introduces themselves and talks about their experiences with the Sergeant.
When his turn he clears his throat, and begins, "As before, Ruprecht Scheinfelder, at your service. Ah...service, that is what my family
has been about for many, many years. Whether it is a a nobles ear, or at the counting tables of a banker, or giving advise to economic interests....
we've served the Empire, guiding those decision makers , hopefully in ways that improved the Empire. "
He pauses, taking a sip of his drinks, regarding Landolf, "Ah, the Gersun's...an interesting Family! Came upon hard-times, indeed. But, Lady Livina, she's
done much to improve their current circumstances. But , not to your gain, I think. Like us , struck out to find your own destiny out in the Empire, eh?"
"But, the matter at hand, is our dear, callow, corrupt Sergeant! While his spot check was thoroughly disreputable, and his refusal to help at the fire, entirely
reprehensible, the matter with the Dockers....understandable. I cannot lie, my education , while broad and intensive, also included some practical
lessons in the way the Empire conducts it's business. Guild's such as the Dockers are nigh unassailable. Should we as members of the Watch intrude...our
lives will be forfeit! An unpleasant reality, but one nonetheless. If I can profit some from that reality....so be it!"
"That does not mean I do not join in your interest in 'cleaning' up the Watch, especially our good Sergeant! But we should be wary, if the Captain is
involved, we may as he said 'end up downriver'. The people....their good will is fickle, unfortunately...it wouldn't take much for them to turn
on their new 'heroes'. Osanna is an avenue worth pursuing, and through her the Karstadt's...having the good graces of a notable family can mean the difference between life and death."
”I don’t like any of us. Not the obvious corruption. Not how fookin’ smugglers are untouchable. Especially not someone like the sergeant robbing his own people and leaving them to burn. Seems to me that staying low ‘ain’t gonna change shyt. So I’ll go to the captain. I can go alone, so any ire is mine. She should expect me to have some honor. Grungni’s blessed pick, it would stain me clan’s honor to stay silent on this. That, and the sergeant would likely enlist the help of his gold coins if he wanted to off me. That would give some heads up, aye?”
By the time you finish hashing everything out, it’s late in the night. The streets of Ubersreik are quiet as you make your way back to the barracks. Once you see a group of men looking you over from the shadows but they quickly fade back realizing the five of you are well armed and relatively sober.
At the entrance to the barracks, one of the guards said that he had a message from the Sergeant. ”He said to tell the new squibs, that’d be you, you have double patrol tomorrow, day and night patrol on the docks. He and the Captain have some sort of business at the castle so I’m supposed to tell you go without him and try not to get killed and he’ll see you the next day. Sergeant said don’t forget to tell the squibs to collect the fines.”
Awakening the next day, instead of the sunrise you’re greeted by a cold, steady rain that quickly soaks through you cloaks and chills you to the bone. It’s obviously going to be a long miserable double shift.
Back and forth you walk the length of the docks as the day drags slowly on. Even though it’s the middle of the afternoon, you light your lantern as the visibility is horrible. As you reach about the halfway point of another circuit a small boy dressed in tattered rags and shivering from the cold stops you.
”You the Watch ain’t you? You s’posed to help us, right, even though everybody says you don’t? Well, I needs help, my Da is missing and I’ve looked all around and can’t find him and I need you to find him cause me and Ma ain’t got nobody else.”
In The Tavern
Talther nods.
"It's good to hear some more disgust at his actions. We do have a few other options. We could trick Klum into exposing himself or work out his enemies in and out of the watch and make common cause with them. But honestly, I would second approaching Osanna first for advice. If she can not help then Valghaz, your honour would be our best choice."
**************
On Patrol
Talther listens to the boy, trying to spot deceit.
He then responds:
"Aye, we are the watch. Who are you and who is your Dad? What does he do and what does he look like?"
'Indeed, boy....do tell us all you can...
In The Tavern
Talther nods.
"It's good to hear some more disgust at his actions. We do have a few other options. We could trick Klum into exposing himself or work out his enemies in and out of the watch and make common cause with them. But honestly, I would second approaching Osanna first for advice. If she can not help then Valghaz, your honour would be our best choice."
**************
On Patrol
Talther listens to the boy, trying to spot deceit.
[Dice=Intuition 36]1d100
He then responds:
"Aye, we are the watch. Who are you and who is your Dad? What does he do and what does he look like?"
Talther gets the feeling that the boy is either lying or telling the truth.
”I am Eugen Pechvogel and my Da’s name is Reikert, Reikert Pechvogel. His name is the same as mine except I am Eugen and he’s not, he’s Reikert. What does he do? He takes care of me, cause he’s my Da. Maybe you ought to ask Ma.”
[dice=Initiative (Intuition) 35 + 20]1d100
Landolf gets a strong feeling that little Eugen is telling the truth as he knows it and is honestly scared and worried.
[dice=intuition:30=20]1d100
'Indeed, boy....do tell us all you can...
Ruprecht has no idea of little Eugen’s honesty.
”Da left our shack, because he had to, you know, to make ‘night soil’ one night and never came back. Do you think he’s okay? We live over there,” Eugen points under the bridge to Dunkelfeucht. ”Can you come and talk to Ma? She said to not bother asking cause the Watch never comes Under the Brdge but you gotta find my Da.” Eugen starts to sob noisily.
Landolf squats down to the child's level. "I won't tell you not to cry. I'm sure you are scared. Take us to your mother, though, son. We'll do what we can to help."
Valghaz nodded, glad that the others were taking the lead in talking to the brat.
As a reminder, here’s what the Sergeant has told you about Dunkelfeucht.
”Dunkelfeucht is the worst of worst attracting the worst and now those rat *astards are arming themselves so it’ll take an army to get rid of the vermin. Only fools and deaders go under the bridge now. Them gangs will cut you up and sell you for scrap meat. They’ve even been building jetties under there and loading and unloading their frickin barges in broad daylight. The worst part is now them gangs are united under one foul rat naming himself ‘The Baron.’ Story is that he’s got upwards of 50 or 100 men working for him, everyone a stone cold killer. Some kind of criminal genius they say, Remember squibs, you go under the bridge ain’t nobody coming to get you out...out you’ll go though...Down The River.”
Little Eugen grabs Landolf by the hand and starts tugging him towards the Dunkelfeucht. ”We live in there,” Eugen says as he points towards the very center of Dunkelfeucht. ”We lives under the bridge.
Landolf turned to the rest of the group and touched the sword at his belt. Even if they were just looking for a young boy's father, this could get messy.
Adelaida stays as calm as possible, knowing that a fight will likely come their way. She keeps her eyes and ears open, ready for an attack
Talther looks at the sprawl beneath the bridge, recalls the sergeant's words, then turns to the others and nods.
"Eugen, we will do what we can to help. Take us to your Ma."
*********
With a deep breath, Ruprecht straightens his soaked cloak, adjusts his swordbelt and makes ready to enter the shanty town...
Talther looks at the sprawl beneath the bridge, recalls the sergeant's words, then turns to the others and nods.
"Eugen, we will do what we can to help. Take us to your Ma."
*********
Little Eugen leads the way into the maze that is the Dunkelfeucht. Faces peer out at you from shanties that appear ready to collapse. A group of about a dozen dirtyurchins dart between shacks chasing another one. You hope it’s nothing more than a game of tag. The smell, the stench really of cooking fires heated by who knows what mixes with the aroma of a mass of unwashed bodies, open middens and decay. Even after patrolling the docks, it’s a shock that there could be such a miserable place in one of the Empire’s proudest cities.
All of the shanties look alike to you but after winding through the maze for almost 15 minutes Eugen proudly pulls you to the entrance of his family’s home. ”Ma! Ma! I’m back and I brought help. I told ya the Watch would come.” A haggard scarecrow thin woman with lank grey hair comes out to meet you and sweeps Eugen up in a hug. ”Eugen what’s I’d tell ya about running off? Do you want the Baron to take you?”. As you study her emaciated frame, you realize with a shock that she’s no more than your age, maybe even younger (except of course for Valghaz).
”You really be the Watch? But the Watch don’t help people like us, never have, never will. I almost can’t believe it. Well, if you be some trick from the Baron ain’t nothing I can do about it.”
Landolf found the journey through Dunkelfeucht disquieting. Compared to others of his station and birth, he had grown up in crushing poverty. Even then he had understood that his family had been well off and fortunate. The conditions on the Docks had been worse than he assumed, but it had been an eye-opening experience, not shocking. But this place...
Even if I grant that people exist like this, how do they live like this? How do they stay alive? They make the poor farmers near the estate look fortunate. He wasn't going to find answers now.
"We are the Watch, madam, and we are here to help. The five of us are new here and maybe we just don't know better, but that doesn't matter now. Eugen told us that his father is missing and asked us to look for him. Is there anything more you can tell us?" Landolf said.
A small crowd gathers around to watch, the, uh Watch. They are equally as dirty, smelly and malnourished but seem fascinated that the Watch has actually come under the bridge. This is likely the most entertaining event they've seen in many months.
Eugen's Ma introduces herself as Maglyn. She tells essentially the same story as Eugen. Her husband went out to relieve himself 2 nights before and then never came back. "Reikhart's a good man. He hardly ever hits either of us. He would never, ever just leave us. He loves us and takes care of us and now he's gone and I don't know what to do." Maglyn's brave facade crumbles and she begins sobbing too as she holds onto Eugen.
Noticed the crowd, Valghaz decided to do some detective work. Not that he was particularly good at it. But he figured that it was his job and thus there was no choice in the matter. He learned that Reikert Pechvogel is one of many missing, and that more than a dozen other folk have disappeared along the Docks, not just from Dunkelfeucht...that and the husband was apparently not as good a man as his spouse led them to believe.
After speaking with many of the locals, Landolf comes back to the group. "From what these people are saying, the disappearances extend to dockworkers, merchants and former Watch members. If so, it's strange that we haven't heard more of this before now. Maybe if the Sarge wasn't so useless..."
”Mayhaps he knows. He did threaten us with going down the river, aye? I think he might be a lead.”
I heard the same rumors..people shouldn't disappear like that. In the wilderness maybe, but in a town, someone had to see or hear something, even if they are too scared to tell
Talther does his best to chat with the locals and work the crowd but frankly, the smell is *that* bad.
He returns to the others, frustrated.
"I have not managed to get a single clear account that is of any use."
Hearing the rumours the others have gathered, he blinks.
"Whomever has seized these people does not care for status or retribution. They are either the lowest of the low...or the opposite. Perhaps we have more to say to the captain - or Ms. Osanna when we do meet her. How about we search this area a little longer first so we have something more to say to them?"
Landolf confers with Talther and the rest of the Watch members present."Some of us should take Eugen to the last place he saw his father, as well as where he thought his father was going. Maybe we can still find some clues."
"If anyone wants to join me, I'll see what else I can learn from the locals. I shouldn't be long: let's not get separated in this place."
Landolf approaches the under-bridgers again. "We're going to do what we can to find Reikhart, but others are missing as well. The case must be larger than this one family. Who can I talk to in Dunkelfeucht that would be able to tell us more about what has been going on in the area?"
"Aye, we need to know who to talk to.", adds Talther.
Landolf confers with Talther and the rest of the Watch members present."Some of us should take Eugen to the last place he saw his father, as well as where he thought his father was going. Maybe we can still find some clues."
"If anyone wants to join me, I'll see what else I can learn from the locals. I shouldn't be long: let's not get separated in this place."
Landolf approaches the under-bridgers again. "We're going to do what we can to find Reikhart, but others are missing as well. The case must be larger than this one family. Who can I talk to in Dunkelfeucht that would be able to tell us more about what has been going on in the area?"
** spoiler omitted **
The shantytown dwellers look at you and each and back at you clearly perplexed by your request for information. An old gaffer finally clears his throat and says "well sir watchman, it's like this, us that's under the bridge learn to mind our own business and if we'se be forgettin then the baron will send some of his boys around to remind us about manners. So, I'm guessing you could ask the Baron but the thing is, you don't find the Baron, the Baron finds you and if he finds you then off you go down the river."
Eugen is happy to show you the spot that he and has dad use to pee of the bridge. It's a little, rickety dock.
abandoned rowing boat tied to the rickety pier. Part of the boat is torn asunder, as if something with great strength pulled at it.
stone and wood are fused together, as if something had melted them…
"Fair enough. Thank you for your time and what specifics you could furnish us with."
A little later, Talther looks about the dock.
Talther rubs his beard with a note of drama.
He walks a little, and points to a boat.
"This boat has been rent, as if yanked by a man - or beast - of great strength."
He walks a little farther.
"I see a trail!"
A little farther...onto another dock nearby.
"Claw marks, gouges even, in the wood. Stone and wood fused as if melted. Signs of a desperate fight. This is going to get interesting!"
Landolf follows Talther, hoping to help examine the area.
"Interesting is one word you could use for it. Ominous. Foreboding." Landolf says as he draws his sword.
Landolf follows Talther, hoping to help examine the area.
"Interesting is one word you could use for it. Ominous. Foreboding." Landolf says as he draws his sword.
You all gather around and examine what Talther found. Maybe you can figure out what could have done that kind of damage to the dock...
Ruprecht is appalled by the conditions under the bridge...and the smell!! He suddenly wished he had one of mother's perfumed handkerchiefs ...
As the story of the disappearing townsfolk emerged, his outrage grew, something of this magnitude happening under the nose of the Watch...until he remembered the good Sergeant and realized that it wasn't too surprising.
He followed as Talther found clue after clue, his dismay growing into alarm as more evidence of something bestial emerged..
He scratches his chin...puzzled...
Talther suddenly perks up.
"It's a troll. A big, nasty river troll."
"How does a troll do that? asks Landolf, clearly unnerved as he points to the melded stone and wood.
He begins looking around to see if there are signs of where the river troll has gotten off to.
[Dice=Lore Local 18]1d100
[Dice=Lore Reikland 26]1d100
Talther suddenly perks up.
"It's a troll. A big, nasty river troll."
Trolls are voracious creatures, mostly motivated by food and eating than anything else, and appropriately, their digestive systems can cope with almost anything, including, as rumoured, rock and metal. Trolls are infamous for several abilities. Their digestive juices are among the most corrosive acids known in the Old World and they use their vomit as a weapon, and disembowelling a Troll can often result in the death of the attacker himself as the acid sprays out. Secondly, Trolls possess an uncanny ability of quickly regenerating even the most grievous wounds, perhaps as a coping mechanism against their own extremely digestive juices. In due time almost all wounds will be healed, their only known weakness, fire.
”This is fookin’ bad. Troll vomit can melt an ironbreaker in full gromril plate right quick. And their claws can rend mail as if though it were leather. The captain needs to know about this.”
Ruprecht bent over the melted metal, examining it with interest, jumps up with a start, "Troll?!?!" and promptly falls on his ass in the mud.