I'm curious as to how, who and when fellow GMs picked who was the black cowl. Did you decide before you started or did you wait? Did you change your mind during the adventure? Why?

I've started running though TEW and we are 5 sessions into the campaign, still investigating the dock disapearances. But I have not picked yet.

I held choice lightly and picked a couple of sessions in, influenced by having read Beasts in Velvet and thus being familiar with one NPC's background, and wanting one which Players had more connection to, did not suspect, something that would make the most impact when revealed.

By the way, is there any mention as to when TEW starts? I mean there are weekdays listed during the first part, but no month, date or even time of year.

I'm curious as to how, who and when fellow GMs picked who was the black cowl. Did you decide before you started or did you wait? Did you change your mind during the adventure? Why?

I've started running though TEW and we are 5 sessions into the campaign, still investigating the dock disapearances. But I have not picked yet.

I'm starting to prepare to have a go at TEW. I was wondering the same thing.

By the way, is there any mention as to when TEW starts? I mean there are weekdays listed during the first part, but no month, date or even time of year.

As I am preparing to run TEW, I'm currently looking into that too (mostly trying to establish the year, with respect to our previous games since we'll play TEW after a few other adventures).

It says at the biginning of the adventure, that the Luminary went to Averheim in 2517. And also that we are two years after the Third Battle of Black Fire Pass. I've found references on the net saying that the battle took place in 2519 (one ref says 2520). That's awfully close to the Chaos Storm and the death of Karl Franz (according to the timeline of the second edition).

I think that the exact time of year is not very important, we just need to pick a date where there's plenty of rain (and not snow).

There are year references at one point to something 10 years ago, so that makes it 2522.

See also the map at back of the book, it's also for 2522.

Mad Marius died 2520 (per Sigmar's Heirs and Enemy Within page 21) and the timeline overall says that was 2 year ago (see page 20) so 2522.

I have a timeline using that and then inserting other events mentioned as happening in past using 2522 as the "baseline" among the materials I distribute to those who ask.

I understand it's around Autumn? ish? The Horde arrives and is defeated before the Winter of 2522, anyway, as far as I remember. (This is also common sense in terms of military tactics. WInter was generally considered a no-go campaign season.)

Also, when did Karl Franz die in second ed?

Karl Franz did not die in 2nd edition, he did die in 1st during its "enemy within" campaign.

Mad Marius died 2520 (per Sigmar's Heirs and Enemy Within page 21) and the timeline overall says that was 2 year ago (see page 20) so 2522.

You're right, I missed that p21 reference, 2522 is the definitive date (and 2520, not 2519, for the battle of Black Fire Pass).

Karl Franz did not die in 2nd edition, he did die in 1st during its "enemy within" campaign.

True.

I was mislead by having played the original Enemy Within (v1) that my GM ported to v3 (that was before the new Enemy Within came out).

Any thought anyone about the original post question (about the choice of Black Cowl) ?

I'd like to start the adventure with a choice made, but keeping my options open as long as possible to possibly adjust to the players actions.

- Luminary Mauer motivations do not appeal much to me, I find it difficult to believe that he could hide for so long his vengeance.

- The Graf motivations are the more plausible, but maybe a bit too obvious.

- The third candidate is the one I'm more likely to choose.

Any advice ?

Clothilde Von Alptraum! You know you wanna do it!

To me, a good option is a conspiracy of the three. It requires a little more work, but... i find the result tastier.

Of course, as you know it, I did not play this adventure, so it is an adviced based only on reading.

To me, a good option is a conspiracy of the three. It requires a little more work, but... i find the result tastier.

Interesting idea. Like an Agatha Christie murder mystery (Murder on the Orient Express). I'll keep that in mind.

It would allow for interesting scenes where the PC get the date/time of several sightings of the Black Cowl, that they could correlate with some suspect visible elsewhere (or not) at the same time, to finaly find that each has an alibi at least once - nice confusion.

Also, it could be the cooperation of only two out of three.

To me, a good option is a conspiracy of the three. It requires a little more work, but... i find the result tastier.

Of course, as you know it, I did not play this adventure, so it is an adviced based only on reading.

Oh daaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn. Never thought of that one...

A conspiracy is good as it provides ready-made "back ups" and also "red herrings that aren't" (e.g., for one event A has alibi, for another B has alibi).

I had all three lieutenants be part of the corruption (willingly or not - one not, one mislead by mad love, another for revenge and really capable of being the big bad if necessary), and then went with another choice for B.C.

German speaking players can be fun too, Herr Grosz's name meaning "Mr. Big". Hmmm, who is the villain.. (another pawn in my game but fun to let them think about it).

Actually "Grosz" is not German, it would have to be written as Grosch (sch is German for sh) or Gross (and gross means 'big' indeed). 'Grosz' written as it is, is a Polish word which means the smallest Polish coin (like 'cent' or 'penny'). But it also confuses Polish players - does it mean he is paid by someone? Why the heck has he Polish name? Is he important etc etc

I stand corrected (or my German speaking player does, though I think it's a matter of how it sounds since he heard me say name).