[dice=Initiative]29+1d10
Adela reached for her axe, but she was slower than the demon, and apparently her companions. This was why nobody should trust magic, she thought to herself, as she locked eyes with the possessed magister.
[dice=Prayer on her turn to make her axe magical]1d100-67
The words were already on her lips. This was the demonic, and thus the best Defense was faith. And the best defense was always a good offense. She knew just the prayer to bring Ulric’s eyes down upon her axe...
Ulric is pleased to answer Adela's prayer.
As the demon is slammed backward Jarvey admires it flailing arc with a hard grin.
Big lad hits hard. Remember to let 'im win at dice...
The halfling draws his 4-Barrelled Repeater Pistol drawn and in one fluid motion -levels and fires at the fell creature!
: d100-20
: 1d100
Jarvey takes advantage of the demon being engaged by the other party members to calmly aim and shoot at the oblivious monster. The lead ball will surely destroy it...if it hits
Whatever protection the arrogant demon had relied on has been completely negated by the barrage of successful attacks the party has made. Jarvey's lead ball blows apart the demon's left leg which in turn causes the demon to literally explode drenching everyone in steaming disgusting demon gore.
The demon has been banished but you all have seen something that should not have been possible. Even seasoned veterans can have their view of the world as a logical place upended when confronted by something like a demon. It is up to each of you to fight off the tendrils of Chaos that are trying to burrow their way into your brain.
Adela lowered her axe with a frown on her face. Not only had she done nothing, but she was also drenched in gore. And that just wasn’t fun if you didn’t do it yourself. Even worse, the Empire had lost a servant. Doom and gloom all around, it seemed. She spoke a prayer for the dead man’s soul.
Ubaldo staggers back from the demon, dropping his sword and frantically attempting to wipe the demon ichor from his face.
Dirk shrugged off the horrible demon's appearance. He didn't understand how this monster could have come out of a crystal ball and kill the wizards, but there were a lot of things he didn't understand. It was dead now, anyway.
Wiping some gore off his face, Dirk turned to survey the rest of the room.
"Seems we'll need to go down to the sewers. The fancy crystal ball doesn't work."
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As the demon explodes in dramatic fashion Jarvey's smug expression falters momentarily at the horror of the situation...
... however his pride (and the potential prize of 10% holding in Imperial Expressways) forces him to compose himself.
Tapping the smoking barrel of his pistol, Jarvey grins;
"Black Magick meet Black Powder!"
Hanna rolls and comes up on one knee, preparing to send another eldritch bolt of light at the minion of Chaos, but the Halfling's shot sends the Daemon back to oblivion!
Rising, twitching her robes to fling off some clinging gobs of Daemon-flesh, she comments drily to Jarvey "Nice shot."
Then she winces, as she feels the effects of proximity to a denizen of the Other side pinched and prodded at her mind.
Then , regaining her composure , she strides over to where the bodies of the other two Professors lay, "Such a loss..." then looking over to Ostwald, "Now I can see why you brought us here...We now know something of what we are to face in the Sewers, tell us more about our opponents here on the surface."
Adela chuckled. ”Not wasting any time, are you?” She said with a smile. The blood wasn’t even cold yet and the Wizard was pressing on with the mission. This really was the right group for the job.
Hanna turns to Adela, and returns the smile, gesturing to the gore , "Give what just transpired, we may already be out of time..." .
She then turns back to Ostwald, her gaze expectant...
Ubaldo composes himself, fishes out a cloth from a pocket, and begins the task of getting the worst of the gore off of himself.
"Answers...would be appreciated, Herr Ostwald."
Jarvey holsters his pistol with a proud nod at Hanna's praise, then wanders over to the corpse of the demon.
Maybe I should be pushin' for 15%. Between me an' the big lad we got things covered.
He stoops, seemingly scrutinising the body... before finally recovering a ichor-free ragged piece of Professor Traub's robe, before proceeding to clean off his own coat and countenance.
Should any disdainful looks shift his way, the Kutsche Meister merely shrugs and mutters;
"Fir feck's sake. Ain't is if the old goat's got use for it no more..."
At Hanna's grim portent, the halfling perks up;
"Out o' time? Maybe Prof. Out o' bullets? Not yet... We got bullets an' my eye then the journey ain't done yet says I."
"We have been betrayed, that is the only explanation. The palace is too strongly warded for any demonic intrusion to succeed and the Blue Tower has additional wards. What just happened could not have happened without those wards being subverted" Ostwald explains a dismayed expression on his face. "The palace is not a safe location for you anymore. I must get you out of here immediately without being captured. That has to be done first. Now, follow me," Ostwald says as he flees from the Blue Room and begins to run down the stairs.
Down the winding stairs you flee, the danger of your situation being clear. At the base of the stairs you find the door that had been locked behind you open and Ostwald outside kneeling next to the bodies of the two Life Guard sentries. It appears that both had been felled by cross-bow bolts. Their bodies have been eviscerated and their intestine used to make unholy symbols around their bodies and the open door. In addition to the smell of death, their is a strong musk odor as if some animal had marked its territory.
"Quickly, quickly, there is no time to waste. You have to make your way to the top of the palace wall there," Ostwald says as he points to the section of wall closest to the Blue Tower. He grabs a loop of rope from both of the dead guards and hands it to you, "climb down the rope and you'll be by a fountain square. Clean yourselves there best that you can. It may not be safe to stay where you planned. Best to move somewhere else...ah, The Blind Pig in Shantytown. Mention my name to Big Heinz, he's the owner and he owes me a few favors so if he give you guff about a room remind him of that. I will either come to you tomorrow or send my nephew with a meeting location. Trust no one else. I will cause a diversion to give you a chance to get to the wall and over unseen. Good luck and pray we all can meet tomorrow."
Dirk took the rope from Oswald. This man is very bad at answering questions.
"I have no better plans. Things are pretty dire if we can't even trust the gate guards though."
Adela looked around knowingly, apprehension on her face. She knew what they were facing. The antithesis of her faith. Cowardly violence personified. The Skaven. ”We will never defeat these vermin by fighting as they. Come the morning, we must strike at them and do so directly. The shadows belong to them. But for the night, yes, we must stay together. This is not the time to sleep alone.”
"Verena judge you fairly, Herr Ostwald. Good luck."
********
"Frau von Sunderburg, I concur on remaining together. The situation is dire indeed and we should not waste time and risk dividing our strength. Let us go, the rope awaits."
A 3 is an automatic success so your group is spotted on the way to wall.
"Halt and be identified," a voice yells from the darkness behind you. Just as the guard finishes, a loud scream for help is heard coming from the direction of the Blue Tower. Ostwald is causing his diversion.
"Strange things are about tonight, soldier," Dirk says as he glares at the man. He hoped that the gore covering him wasn't very visible in the darkness. He wanted the guard to go away, but being remembered as a bloody hulk in the night would complicate matters later on. "Maybe you should go see what that sound was. Somewhere else."
At the guard's challenge and simultaneous loud scream Jarvey attempts to bolt for the shadows;
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Hoping he's not noticed, the halfling hunkers down in the shadows;
"What the fekk are we doing? Exploding wizards an' hiding from guards..."
”Stand aside now, and forget that you saw us. As a priestess captain of the Cult of Ulric, you are impeding church business.”
She looked him straight in the eyes as she said this. Her ice blue eyes boring into his with all of the force of someone who was used to giving orders. The fact that she wore the livery of her position, and that her axe still radiated the power of her god, gave credence to her claim.
Ubaldo stands with every right to be there, as a magistrate of Nuln and an invited guest.
He stares right at the man and utters:
"Go. Now."
The thoroughly intimidated sentry snaps random salutes in every direction and then turns and runs, in a hurry to get somewhere, even if he's not sure where that would be.
The distraction, shadows and confused sentry creates the opening the party needs to get to the wall. Slipping as silently as you can manage up the ramp to the top of the wall, you find a carenelation that you can loop the rope around. You've still got a 60 feet drop to navigate to reach the street safely.
Reaching the street one way or another, you scrub off the gore best you can in the fountain and head down the hill to Shantytown. Luckily Ubaldo knows the city well and is able to lead you by back ways to Shantytown.
Where the Universität is the pride of the Neuestadt, the Shantytown is its shame. A collection of shabby houses, filthy streets, and profane odours, the Shantytown is the haven of thief and murderer, men and women of low morals (if they had them, they’d own property), and the diseased and malformed. Most decent Nulners avoid this part of town, seeing the people there as nothing more than rabble.
Most homes here are tenement buildings and bars, with little in between. There’s no industry to speak of; those who work do so across the river in the Faulestadt. Sewers do run under this part of town, but the sewer lines are farther apart, being manmade additions constructed well after the Dwarfs picked up and moved on, and so rubbish takes longer to find its way to the Reik. The entrances to sewers are not well protected either, and many a vagabond hunkers down in the foul smelling entrances for shelter against the harsh winter winds.
Easily one of the roughest taverns in Nuln, the Blind Pig sits squarely in the centre of the Shantytown, on the corner of Blind Alley. Behind this dive, the alley wends into the heart of the Maze. It’s sinister reputation is only enhanced by its appearance. A sagging building, inside is just as gloomy as it is outside. Lanterns hanging from hooks on the ceiling shed a meagre light, illuminating the booths lining the walls and the scattering of tables.
The Blind Pig is a place to lose yourself. The watch doesn’t come here, and each person’s business is his own. Therefore suspicious looking people come here to be among their own kind. Thieves, bravos, and thugs all frequent the bar, but so do students from the University, and no few foreigners come here, too. On any given night, one can find Estalian dancing girls, Kislevian mercenaries, decadent nobles, and even a few Arabyans, all rubbing shoulders as
they toss back the bitter ale.
Big Heinz, an old soldier, owns the place. He doesn’t mind the roughness of his clientele—he just hires bigger bouncers. Even still, when push comes to shove, Big Heinz can hold his own—he did his time in the military and he still has the grit to win just about any fight.
Dirk slides easily down the rope, managing to scrape just a bit more gore off his gloves on the way down.
At the Blind Pig, Dirk makes his way directly for the man he figures must be Big Heinz. Obviously, he looks for a big man...one that looks to be in charge of things. Walking up to him, Dirk points a thumb back to the people he came in with. "Ostwald said you could get us a room."
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Jarvey follows the big man down the rope, his light frame gathering momentum as he reaches street level.
Once at the Blind Pig he happily follows in Dirk's wake as the rough and ready crowd wisely part for the intimating yokel.
Ubaldo shimmies down the rope with much grace.
He is equally graceful about not commenting on the appalling surroundings in the Shantytown.
In the Blind Pig, he does a cursory glance over the patrons, seeking those who look especially attentive.
Adela followed suit, but given her armor it wasn’t easy going. Still, she made it, even if it lacked grace.
Once in the blind pig, she followed after Dirk, content on him taking the lead. She assumed that the clientele wouldn’t give her any trouble. Her white wolf cloak usually ensured that. But one could never know in a place like this. She scanned the room for any threats.
All the while meeting the gaze of anyone looking at her, more than willing to stare anyone down.
[dice=Athletics 65+40]1d100
Dirk slides easily down the rope, managing to scrape just a bit more gore off his gloves on the way down.
At the Blind Pig, Dirk makes his way directly for the man he figures must be Big Heinz. Obviously, he looks for a big man...one that looks to be in charge of things. Walking up to him, Dirk points a thumb back to the people he came in with. "Ostwald said you could get us a room."
"Ostwald? Aye, I can give you a place to stay. How many of you is it and what name do you go by? It'll be 5 brass pennies per night, food not included. How long ye' be staying?"
Adela's presence next to Dirk has caused an island of emptiness to form around you as her glower makes any patron think twice about getting too close.
Hanna lets the others deal with the unfortunate guard, her own mind occupied with what happened up in the tower, and what Ostwald said after...those that ruled here , must be in league with those below in the sewers...
With economical and agile movements, Hanna scales the wall easily and accompanies the others to the 'interesting' Blind Pig.
She smiles slightly at Adela's aggressive manner, glad it perhaps takes away any notice of her own status...
Ubaldo aims not to speak any more than he has to in this place.
The air is befouled and the clientele onerous - and with ears.
You spend a couple of uncomfortable days in the Blind Pig waiting for an update from Ostwald. It is a bit disconcerting that not even a whisper of a rumor has reached Shantytown about the events at the Blue Tower. Is it possible that three high wizards could just disappear? And then of course, there was the killing of the two Life Guard sentries outside the tower.
Early in the evening of the third day of your unwelcome respite, a grubby beggar boy enters the tavern and dodges the bouncer who normally keeps the worst of the riffraff out and he comes straight to the table that the five of you occupy. "Spare a brass penny, good ladies and gentlemen for the poor and desperate? My pitiful uncle starves." With his back to the rest of the patrons and the bouncer, the poor beggar boy gives you all a cocky grin and a wink that's familiar even as he begs desperately for alms. As one of you give the boy a penny, he slips a piece of paper into your hand. "Bless you your worshipers for helping out a poor family," Ostwald's nephew says as he again dodges the bouncer and slips back out of the door.
"Damn it Otto, what am I paying you for!?" Big Heinz yells at the bouncer from the bar. "Keep out the beggars!"
meet outside dock street entrance maze at 2 am dont be followed the message on the slip of paper reads.
Ubaldo does his best to hide a grimace at thinking about the Maze.
"I am not generally one for skulking about. Do any of you have advice on how we may best effect this meeting without being followed?"
”The rats are beyond us in that. And I will not skulk.” Adela said haughtily. ”Ulric watches the brave and I will not shame him as such. Let us follow and see where this goes.”
Jarvey nods in resigned agreement;
"I'm with the big lass on this. Know the world an' their mother thinks us halflings are prime sneaks, but I'm the proud exception. Hard to be stealthy atop a coach whilst poppin' a blunderbuss..."
The diminutive coach-master pats his stomach with a dry cough;
"Besides. While we're 'ere per-haps a flagon an' slice o' pie is in order? Whet the whistle and quiet the gut-growls eh? "
"Master Glintloque, sustenance is a fine idea. We have a wait, after all."
After a cheap but filling meal, you head out to keep your rendezvous.
2:00 AM Dock Street & Maze
Ostwald waits in the shadows until you all turn up. He is dressed all in black and a hood covers his head. He looks about to see if you were followed. Seeing no one he quietly sidles up.
"Events spin out of control. The secret police have moved against the sewer jacks that had survived and killed some and captured the rest claiming that they sewer jacks were members of a Chaos cult. It's a ridiculous accusation by the secret police who seem to have slipped their leash and now run rampant.
Ostwald looks around again nervously. "Your timeline must be accelerated and you'll have to go in without my support. This will be the last time I can take a risk and sneak away from the palace. I will be lobbying Her Serenity to leash the secret police again."
Ostwald turns to go. "Find out what is happening underneath Nuln and put a stop to it. The sewer locations in the Maze are unguarded so use those for your forays."
Ubaldo listens with concern then replies:
"Herr Ostwald, thank you for updating us on the situation. Companions, I believe there is no more time to lose. The sewer jacks are beyond us, at least if we are to act in the sewers now. I say we enter the down-below, straight away."
Hanna gives Ostwald a wry smile, "Those that accuse rarely do so out of real concern, rather out of the power they now wield...Her Serenity may do well to bring them under heel, lest her herself come under their scrutiny."
Adjusting her gear, she nods as Ubaldo's suggestion, "If we are to meet our doom beneath the streets, let us meet it forthwith!"
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We sat around for almost a week and then all he says is "go down in the sewers? I'll never understand city folk." Dirk looks plainly unhappy with the situation but doesn't complain out loud.
"Let's get going," he rumbles. "There's nothing to see up here. Nothing we're being paid for, anyway."
"Keep yourself alive, Herr Ostwald. You have promises to see are kept."
A rusted ladder leads down from a sewer entrance in the Maze. You end up crowding together on a narrow, extremely slippery ledge that stretches off to your left and to your right (running without falling off is going to be challenging). The ceiling of the sewer is only 5 feet above the ledge forcing everyone but Jarvey to walk bent forward awkwardly. The smell is almost unbelievably horrid.
The bubbling broth of excrement the sewer jacks call 'the stew' flows from your left to right, away from Palace Hill and towards the river. There is barely enough room for two to walk side by side and fighting two abreast is going to be extremely difficult unless both are wielding small weapons like daggers. The ledge on the side of 'the stew' is about 6 feet away which you know will be a very difficult leap since there is no way to get a running start towards it.
Jarvey wrinkles his nose, pulling his scarf up across his mouth before chiming in his (muffled) thoughts;
"Place stinks worse than an Ogre's armpit..."
Hanna wrinkles her nose and chuckles at Jarvey's observation, "Indeed, makes you respect the Jack's that venture here often..."
She then concentrates for a moment and the top half of her halberd begins to emit a steady, warm glow, reminiscent of sunlight.
Ubaldo leading the way, the party begins it's exploration of the sewers. You notice right away what the troops that had gone into the tunnels reported, that is, there is no signs of any rats. As you move along slowly and carefully, your footsteps echoing, you search for any clues. There's nothing, nothing at all...
Until Dirk hears what sounds like high pitched squeaking words just at the edge of his hearing coming from ahead. You come to a open chamber in the sewer where multiple lines converge, their effluent churning together before flowing away down the passage you've been following. Even over the noise of the waterfalls of excrement, Dirk is able to identify that the sounds are coming from a sewer line that branches to your right.
Even by the standards of Nuln sewers, the righthand passage is horrific. The walls have a crumbled, rotten look to them and 'the stew' in this passage bubbled furiously with tiny whisps of vapor rising when the bubbles burst. The smell is overwhelming. You have to fight off vomiting.
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Ubaldo steels himself against the foul air, even keeping a grimace from his face.
"We follow the squeaking, reek or no reek. Onwards we go."
”Onward. If anything wants to ambush us, they will have to come past me.”
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From beneath his scarf Jarvey grimaces, but holds onto his precious vittles.
"If you spy anything upfront that warrants gettin' a pop o' lead, do let me know."