14th Experience Point Earned.

Hans the Apprentice Wizard (sometime Apothecary), Findulas the Waywatcher (once Hunter), Anselm the Mystic (briefly Messenger, once Ratcatcher)

Krieger's player absent.

As sending to Stromdorf for militia was debated, related developments occurred. Anselm suddenly decided he was not a Messenger (a day slogging through mud on my own to get to Stromdorf with message - boring) but a Mystic (courtesy of new options in Signs of Faith package, perhaps his talent revealed by close proximity to magical stones and the prevalence of Azyr magic in region, Azyr being the magic of foretelling future etc. – that is a GM suggestion, if the Player had suggested something this creative/reincorporating existing game content etc. a fortune die into party pool).

Krieger, whose idea it was really, is the one who goes instead (meta-game, since his player absent - we still await learning what “full advantage” of Marien’s interest meant but whatever it did her older brother Kleb is looking hostile, maybe it’s getting a little warm in here for Krieger).

Herr Ackerland lends a horse to Krieger (not the best riding horse), still it will take him most of a day to get to Stromdorf, he’ll spend a night there, and it will be most of a day back bearing whatever news he has after asking for assistance (assuming that takes a couple of hours or so). If militia does come it would not be faster than this and might be a day or two slower.

So on Sommerzeit 20, after the previous night’s rest, Krieger sets off, the heroes finish breakfast (Hans cursing that he still can’t shake that severity 3 critical wound causing him stress). Midmorning the local farmhands volunteering to fight goblins should start showing up. They can likely hang around for 3 days or so before wanting/needing to head back to their farms. Waiting for them, the heroes decide to scout into the hills and see if they can “whittle down” goblins (they debate tactics a bit, Findulas the elf advocating a no-rush war of attrition and the shorter lived human Hans wanting something faster). The storm worsens a bit (hitting 5th marker on card 3) but they withstand the harsh weather’s effects (all Players passed their checks for the mid-point event on this card).

It being day and Findulas scouting ahead, they manage to surprise a goblin patrol, and luckier still in a wooded area (triggering Findulas wood elf benefits). A “storm of arrows” wounds 3 of the 6 and a short fight ensues. The wounded 3 goblins retreat (and make good an escape) the other three are defeated after a brief melee but Findulas takes a nasty goblin arrow to his left arm (mangled limb critical, challenge die on his bow attacks now – fortunately for him and others, Hans manages to keep this critical “suppressed” using Splints and Bandages – the goblins have shortbows and make basic ranged attacks with them). The heroes escape the “goblin alarm” in the hills and return to the Ackerland farmstead.

I do love the fact that in Warhammer a fight Players know their PC’s can win (against a handful of goblins) is still one that can hurt (a critical wound). Any decision to fight is a risk. Findulas did 7 damage to each of 3 goblins with his shot (after their soak) and disbritued his extra 3 damage in 2 and 1 so they were at 7, 8, 9 wounds. None dropped at which point the players all placed bets that "they have 10 wounds each, don't they?" Which is true of course.

With the volunteers having arrived, the heroes conceive a ‘clever plan’ to go up into hills and find a defensible spot for the volunteers to hold off goblins while the heroes lure them in and harry them. There is some debate about wisdom of this plan but they proceed.

As it turns out Gobspite the Goblin has his own cunning plan, having decided rather than sitting up in the umie farm they’ve already sacked and getting raided, the goblins should march on the next umie farm – moving up to the edge of hills and waiting for any more umie raiders, otherwise waiting for night to fall.

Findulas makes a check to see “whose clever plan was better” and goblin cunning wins out. By the time the heroes arrive at edge of hills (not far from Ackerland farm) the goblins are already there, in hiding and waiting. The heroes manage to fall back without harm (Findulas spotting the goblins and their squig beasts) but now realize that the goblins are sure to storm the farm When Night Falls .

I showed players the large text chapter heading When Night Falls noting we were keeping within the intended theme of the chapter even though events had departed from the authors' script - also to build a bit of suspense.

The Ackerland farm is fairly sturdy and walled, lookout tower, so they are in as good a situation as they could hope. (I use a blown up print out of the typical Reikland fortified farm from an earlier edition product, one of the GM aid books in pdf form on rpgnow).

They recall seeing holes in the Baumer farmstead walls that looked like something large bashed through them (like the Kool-Aid Man in commercials, “hey kids”) but aren’t sure what that was. The Isolated Farmstead location card is in play, fortunately for Heroes two are rural and benefit, none are urban (not good to be an urban character in an isolated farmstead beset by goblins at night). Herr Ackerland moves his prize bull inside the farmhouse for protection.

The goblin attack comes once true darkness has fallen (the farmstead is using lamp oil to keep fires burning for light). Slackfungus bombs and arrows fly as the goblins chant, “Bulge, Bulge, Bulge”. It seems the goblins have a troll. Findulas can just make out (courtesy of the distinctive shape/silhouette) the goblin shaman on his “palanquin” well in the rear of his forces (beyond extreme range). Defensive preparations of vinegar and cloth face masks help protect against slackfungus (the rain tamps it down quickly too).

The attack is resolved as 2 rounds PC melee/ Big Dice Roll for Farm Defence /repeat…, monsters the PC’s kill or have kept busy attacking PC’s for the 2 rounds don’t add into the dice pool for the “big roll” in which good dice represent defenders such as volunteers, Herr Ackerland and his blunderbuss and bad dice attackers (overall weighted against the defenders, the troll is 2 challenge dice for example if not kept busy).

A 5 space tracker measures progress, goblin token on 1st, at 3rd space the walls are breached and hand to hand fighting starts (also defenders lose a green die they had in pool representing their defensive wall), at 5th space it’s “goblins inside the wire” – they’re everywhere, non-combatants and the wounded are slaughtered etc. Every big roll that the troll is alive the goblin tracker advances 1 automatically.

I stole this general approach to resolving a battle from another thread here on boards about Eye for an Eye. Cut outs visually represented this to assist players visualizing each side.

The heroes focus attacks on the troll. If not engaging, each hero is subject to one chance to be hit by a goblin arrow (which is suffering a misfortune die due to bad weather effects on medium missile fire) – this represents the general hail of arrows. The first 2 rounds they do damage to troll but leave him standing, the goblin fire & fungus then knocks out one “squad” of defenders (degree wounded/dead to be determined later – if things go badly answer clear). Heroes now engage troll to distract him and manage to him (having focused all attacks for 3 rounds on him)!

However, troll vomit and goblin arrows start to mount up injuries and one of the goblins’ 2 squigs bounces forward to attack Anselm who was down facing troll (with Senor Bitey) and chompity chomps him pretty good, he doesn’t fall but narrowly avoids a critical as Senor Bitey distracts attacker. Lantern oil is used to burn the troll so it won’t regenerate.

The heroes have managed to knock a few dice out of attacker’s pool, as the 2nd “big roll” is made. If the attackers were held off here, the loss of troll might make them give up. But, the roll goes badly for defenders, another squad of defenders is knocked out (only 1 remains now) and worse yet though the goblins get no automatic advance (lost troll), the roll turns up 2 banes and that advances their token to the “walls breach” marker. (Dice interpreted as:) While defenders were focused on troll, a goblin force breached the walls on another flank of the farm – it’s now hand to hand fighting with goblins as the defenders fall back to their inner line.

We break with 2 rounds of PC actions to come before next “big roll”, the goblins are “inside the walls” and hand-to-hand going on, Findulas and Anselm have both taken heavy wounds (one more decent hit by anything and either would be down), Hans is also wounded. It is recalled that Granny Ackerland is skilled in first aid. Findulas and Anselm have both used their “relics” from Father Grabbe to counter 1 incoming wound (Findulas’ disintegrated, so overall he got 2 uses from it before it was gone) and Findulas has benefited from Hans' Splints and Bandages already today.

This marks a "Rally Step" to be taken starting the next session (when they will have their session-start influx of fortune die and human favoured by fate dice to help them as well).

Meanwhile, in Stromdorf, Krieger’s sleep in the Thunderwater Inn is shattered by screams coming from Guy’s room (where Guy sleeps with the stones….)

I'm on the edge of my seat!!!

Very exciting! I can't wait to read what happens next. Great idea on managing the battle too. Do you have a link to the Eye for an Eye battle mechanics you're referring to?

This should take you to the Eye for an Eye thread with the battle mechanics suggested, and it's totally the original poster's idea, once that is in your took-kit it's just a matter of deciding what is the good and bad dice and events on progress tracker etc. Overall I think this another great idea of how the WFRP dice and progress tracker can be used for different sorts of things.

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=165&efcid=3&efidt=269009

15th Experience Point Earned

Hans the Apprentice Wizard (sometime Apothecary), Findulas the Waywatcher (once Hunter), Anselm the Mystic (briefly Messenger, once Ratcatcher) and Krieger the Scout (sometime Soldier)

Flashing back to earlier that day, the 20th of Sommerzeit, Krieger rode to Stromdorf and arrived late in day. The secretary at town hall, Kaspar Meyer, recognized the hero and sent for Captain Kessler who met with Krieger to hear the request for militia.

- Failed Charm roll, even with challenge die removed from pool for reasonableness and fortune die for past deeds.

Kessler doubts the goblins would trouble the low land farms, can’t spare men from work here in Stromdorf, would rather go goblin hunting when bad weather is passed and sun is out, and most of all “it’s only goblins, that’s why we hire heroes!”.

[a comet or couple of boons here and Kessler would have given Krieger Acitus – since party didn’t go rooting about in Baumer farmstead it would have come in this way, though too late – I was disappointed Krieger wasn’t coming south with militia and goblin-killing sword to find it was too late]

Krieger goes to the Thunderwater for a night’s rest. He sees a somewhat haggard looking Guy (stressed, not sleeping well, dreams of bouncing balls of teeth and arrows in the night). He does tell Guy how they rescued Flea, the little girl hiding in well at Baumer farmstead, and this heartens Guy (reduces some stress). Schulmann asks if rest of stones found yet and Krieger says no. Bedtime comes and during the night Guy starts screaming.

Krieger goes into his room and finds Guy in the throes of a nightmare, he shakes him whereupon Guy sits up and clutches at him, at the contact Krieger has a shared glimpse of the terrible vision troubling Guy (Terror 3 check, picture shown, a Vision Card received). After quieting down, they return to try to get some rest.

- For the vision, I showed Player the chapter heading picture of blue energy and rising figure, boat, water and area. I didn’t describe it, just saying, “You see this.” Vision Card is a homemade card with ‘Vision’ on one side and “Describe how your vision forewarned you for one expertise dice during an encounter to which it is relevant”

Note Krieger has gained himself a point of corruption, using my “roll challenge die to take an experience point for a for missed session – take a random critical or corruption point on chaos star”, hmmm, where could that have come from – what corrupting influence has he been near (glance down table at wizard’s player).

Zooming camera lens out and panning southward to the Ackerland farm, zooming in again, we find the rest of our heroes in their rally step during the goblin assault on the farm.

Aided by Granny Ackerland’s first aid and Hans’, some wounds are hastily patched up and the fight continues. The heroes manage to succeed with one space left before “massacre” (the goblins got one more advance).

Gobspite brain-bustered Findulas screeching hatred of elfses and in the end it was Findulas’ trick shot that took him down (as he was up on the roof blasting away, Findulas shot him without direct line of sight using action). When their leader plummeted from roof into the mud, the goblins fled.

Note – most of the goblins survived but they are without their troll or the mighty Gobpsite now (farmers never took any out, only the ones PC’s killed were killed).

Heroes recover Gobspite’s palanquin and “brain rock”, the last pieces of the mapstone. Ackerlands are happy, most of the wounded farmhands will make full recovery – the heroes’ standing is good with the local farmers.

A night’s rest leaves the heroes still with wounds, Findulas still his one critical that needs constant suppression lest his archery suffer, Hans now with two criticals.

On the 21st, Hans inspects the stones and confirms they are part of the mapstone and magical in same way, further (3d magical sight check) determining effects of the brain rock if worn (alas he is not celestial/Azyr user) and now that he has studied all parts of mapstone even though they are not together he realizes it is similar in some ways to a scroll, for the purpose of blocking the influx from the font or nexus (Hans’ words) the stone shows where the Stormwater lies.

The heroes decline Herr Ackerland’s offer of a cow as reward, and Findulas explains to Flea (who wants to come with him and have adventures) that she needs to get a little older first, she should stay with the Ackerlands who have offered to take her in. Herr Ackerland loans wagon to transport the stone to Stromdorf. They take opportunity to ask the assembled farmers if any of them know anything about Florian Wechsler but none do.

The heroes head north and meet Krieger coming south to return to them. He relates no militia coming and they relate their victory. They decide to take a slight detour and get a look firsthand at the Stormwater. Coming up on the raging area of river, Krieger is struck that (minus certain “dynamic elements”) the landscape is the same as in vision he shared with Guy!

Hans decides to use Magical Sight to see what is up and whoaaa, “it’s a core breach captain, we’ve lost antimatter containment”, he sees raw Azyr wind leaking over from the Aethyr, and being an apprentice wizard he unfortunately has an inkling of just how horrendously bad this is – never mind distorted weather, this will mean corruption and mutations.

Seeing the terrifying sight with magesight and added knowledge of what it means is a Terror 4 check (one worse than Krieger’s check in vision). Hans fails badly and suffers oodles of stress and fatigue, his sanity shaken he finds himself with some “Unnatural Cravings” with 2 counters.

Really if already strained it would be 8 counters! But this is a special “insanity” situation, not having been strained before check he wouldn’t suffer insanity under normal rules – this situation is like a monster attack dealing specific consequences such as corruption or insanity – a waystone failure unfolding is that bad in my view.

The heroes return to Stromdorf and again see Captain Kessler. He’s happy to hear they settled the goblins and pays them as promised for dealing with rustlers and the reward for remaining parts of mapstone. Hans tells him about the threat from the Stormwater. It’s a good thing the area round there is sparsely settled, still Kessler is unhappily thinking he will have to send for some Witch Hunters (as Sigmar’s inquisitors are known).

Kesslers still not persuaded as to the heroes’ scheme but game to support their effort, he agrees to have Kaspar arrange transport for the stone pieces to Tempest Knap tomorrow. Kaspar asks if the heroes want any guards and they accept offer. The lot will assemble in town square early tomorrow morning.

Schulmann knows they recovered rest of mapstone (they weren’t sneaking when they came into town) and wants to see it. Heroes are distrustful of him, though they tell him of their plan to take it all to Tempest Knap etc. He is shocked at the squib’s foolishness (Foghorn Leghorn voice), “Boy, ah say, boy, do you have any idea how dangerous that is, why that’s elven magic boy, squirrelly elven magic, it’ll fry your brain it will.”

Hans is undeterred (though does think Schulmann looks tasty cf Unnatural Cravings. When the heroes (Krieger) indicate they don’t want Schulmann around as they do this, his response is that he plans to be well away from them if they go through with it, it’s their own funeral.

There are trips to Doctor Schneider and Findulas and Hans go to the Stewpot for some nourishing pie to help them get a good night’s rest (Doctor + Pie = 26 silver shillings, most of the reward just received for those who did that, only Hans I think). Krieger and Anselm stay at the Thunderwater for dinner.

- at this point Findulas and Hans make their Resilience checks against poisoning (drugging really) and both fail, Hans quite spectacularly – the Fatigue doesn’t hit immediately but sets in quickly. Something in the pie at the Stewpot....(schlaff).

After dinner Hans heads straight to bed, he’s dead tired, and Findulas is a little groggy. The heroes are sharing room and set guards in case something is up – very fortuitous.

Hans actually has over twice Toughness Fatigue due to drugging so he’s “out like a light”, Findulas is “fatigued” but just “drugged” (two black on physical, one purple on Observation).

During Findulas’ watch, five cloaked figures enter the heroes’ room through a secret panel. Sleeping characters have to add two challenge dice to initiative roll, Findulas failed his Observation check (drugging effects) so adds one challenge die to his, as a fight starts (Hans remains unconscious). The cloaked figures are armed with daggers and the fight is fierce in close quarters, as they call Glory to Tzeentch! There are tense moments and some more wounds but no more serious harms (criticals) are dealt as the heroes fend them off and kill them.

Heroes rush across hall to check on stones but they are still there with Guy. The storm rages outside and downstairs late night revellers are singing a Sigmarite drinking song (tomorrow is market day so the town is full at moment). Krieger’s “unskilled” First Aid realizes that both Hans and Findulas are drugged by something, Hans still unconscious.

Heroes are now faced with getting some “middle of night” (well more like 11:30 pm) medical care as they can tell Hans is not “resting well” (so fatigued, he will have lots of bad dice on his Resilience check this night) and Findulas is still effectively “drugged” (bad dice in pool).

- There is an “end of Encounter” recovery of Fatigue and Stress by conscious PC’s.

Then (not done yet):

- the Advancing of the Storm Tracker marks the crashing of lightning against the inn – Schulmann’s apparatus channels it to ground as intended – but the thunderous claps cause 2 Stress to every (conscious) PC.

Unbeknownst to our heroes:

The Cult of Tzeentch has been manipulating this situation to unleash the chaos of the nexus and spread mutation. Hieronymous Kopfchen is its leader here, Kaspar Mayar is a member as is Klaus Brenner, plus miscellaneous fodder. Keila Cobbepot is just a murderous halfing. Kopfchen tricked Schulmann (who’s more dope and dupe than villain) into creating the “storm” by giving him Hindmith’s Ritual knowing it would botch.

When the cult (via Kaspar’s placement in town hall) realizes the heroes plan to try to seal nexus with the mapstone, well they can’t risk that even if the heroes are not assured success, thus they (Klaus) instructed Keila to drug any that ate there that night. Ironically, Klaus didn’t arrange drugging of others at Thunderwater as (a) Keila doesn’t share her schlaff resource; (b) it’s too busy and rest of family/staff are not cultists, lastly © he “doesn’t mess in his own backyard” that way. Kaspar summoned the “mooks” to carry out assassination attempt (stat wise, it was a chaos marauder and a “gang” of 4 broken wheel cult members).

The “secret panel” is actually a way for those having “assignations” to book adjoining rooms and see each other on Q.T. as opposed to the whole inn being a “cultist lair”. It’s really the brewery part of family operation that cult has ontrol of not the main inn.

16th Experience Point Earned

Hans the Apprentice Wizard (sometime Apothecary), Findulas the Waywatcher (once Hunter), Anselm the Mystic (briefly Messenger, once Ratcatcher)

Krieger the Scout (sometime Soldier)/Huw absent.

- Note, Hans recovered from the temporary insanity (unnatural cravings) suffered last session but player notes he may well "keep the trait" to roleplay (this means it's not a card insanity that accumulates to destroy your PC, but a roleplay thing, may earn fortune points to party pool etc.)

The assassins were determined to have come from the next room, where they had apparently slain the occupant and left their "cover cloaks". The innkeeper Sebastien is summoned and is shocked, calls for the watch. Meanwhile Anselm in examining bodies finds the leader of group had a strange tattoo - (folklore) recognized as the Mark of Tzeentch - a ruinous power!

The watch arrived, Serjeant Balthus in charge. He was also shocked for he recognizes most of attackers - they are townsfolk, all of varying trades etc. He's disturbed at news of the tattoo and mutters about summoning Lector Gottshaulk.

As the watch handles bodies, the heroes look to treatment for drugged Findulas and Hans (still unconcious). Since Dr. Schneider was one of the two places they consumed something (Stewpot the other), they avoided him and sought out Hildrette Krass - being the source of healing most likely to answer door in middle of night.

The old woman indeed welcomed them into her small but tidy home. Anselm paid her a shilling (well over her requested fee) and she employed purgatives and other means to help Findulas and Hans overcome their drugging and recover overnight, including some quasi-healing potion from whatever she is stewing in that cauldron. Hans has a rough night (had 10 fatigue and 7 stress from his various encounters last session), Anselm holds his head over a bucket much of it (he's changed into a shift Hildrette has for expectant mothers to save his clothes). All in all, vaguely reminiscent of initiation into the college of wizards (subtistituting an old woman for an old man).

The next morning they are at the town hall to meet with cart, guards (it's Krantz and Olaf, formerly unemployed since Wechsler vanished), some workers to manhandle stones and cart driver. Kessler and secretary Kaspar Meyer are there. Before they can get stones and set off, Schulmann appears much to their chagrin, saying,

I was going to let the apprentice meet the fate his over-weaning ambition warrants but upon reflection, I cannot allow the good people of Stromdorf to suffer the risk the harm a botched ritual could unleash upon the region. I am familiar with the ritual he plans too use and can state categorically it will not work as intended. hmmm, he says that last bit very convincingly

It is understandable a mere apprentice does not fully understand such challenges, only once he began it would they become clear, and then it would be too late to stop without disaster. He would be lucky to escape with his life and mind intact, and could well worsen the Azyr misalignment causing this aggravated weather. ain't it the truth.

I beseech you to delay this venture until I can study the assembled stones more fully to ascertain the best means of proceeding.

The heroes and Schulmann make a competitive check to see who is more convincing to Captain Kessler each with own advantages (he trusts them more on their record, Schulmann is a big-hatted real wizard not an apprentice etc.) Town council members Gerber and Flugel show up and weigh in saying council should debate issue, Findulas argues against bureaucratic delays, Hans scares everyone with talk of some rift in the Aethyr causing mutation etc.

Heroes fail to overcome the town council etc., there will be a special session this afternoon to decide what to do. The rest of the morning heroes ask around after the dead attackers with middling rolls, it takes them till the time of the council meeting to learn of a back-ally dive one frequented that they might check out.

At council same arguments are made but Findulas rebuts Schulmann's talk of how dangerous it is to try elven magic when he reveals he has been contacted by spirit of elf at Tempest Knap which somehow has conveyed the knowledge needed. This flabbergasts everyone (them elves, you can never tell, creepy it is).

Schulmann changes his views when he finds out there is an "elf" to work the elf magic and supports the heroes' plan, offers to help. This is the best chance for success. The council is futher flummoxed, ah, erhm, well then be it resolved you lot go off and do what you are now agreeing you should do, ahem.

Reminder my Schulmann is an ambitious dupe not the villain.

There is talk of leaving now. It's half day with cart so that would mean travelling at night in this weather and heroes don't want to risk it. They decide they will turn in early and start out about 2:00 am (secretly, only Kessler and secretary know, they will keep guards and workers handy but not tell them departure time). They hope to then get to Tempest Knap around dawn and also avoid trouble.

At 2:00 am they get up (abbreviated rest, -2 to all recoveries) and assemble, but where is Herr Schulmann? No sign of him, knock on door, "Herr Schulmann?" Going in, ooooh nooo, he's dead on floor with blood coming from mouth, eyes and ears - some sort of poison it is determined. Hans searches him and finds a note he wrote himself about a "nexus" ( the card ), an apparent translation of some elven text. Hans grabs Schulmann's other papers to take with him and read in cart to see if he can learn more ( this will be a black die on the Education check to find things in short time, due to poor circumstance ).

Heroes do not investigate where Schulmann was between seeing them in afternoon and now, do not learn he went to visit Professor Kopfchen and have tea now with a little extra something. After all Schulmann has served his purpose, he was tricked into trying Hindmith's ritual on the stones and setting the nexus out of equilibrium, he's arrogant nature and ambition made him the target of suspiscions rather than old scholars who study the regions history, but now he's going to try to help re-set the waystone - no Herr Schulmann, the good Professor thinks it's time for you to leave the stage.

Heroes set off as Hans reads, figuring out Schulmann's ambition to gain power while helping area by figuring out how to safely harness and channel all that Azyr wind. His role in the botched ritual that set off the "weather bomb" in the region is set out, as well as his annoyance at the Hysh apprentice.

Findulas is scouting ahead and where the trail comes close to the Stormwater manages to spot figures in the darkness.

Cultists there to keep anyone from disturbing the Professor as he destroys the weakened waystone, bwah hah hah

Melee ensues with cultists, a cult mutant who vomits disease-carrying filth ( Findulas resists - I just picked a mutation at random, that was a fun one ) and Klaus Brenner! On the 2nd round, the "workers" that Kaspar Meyer arranged turn out to be another set of cultist henchmen as they kill the drover and turn on heroes.

Heroes manage to put down their attackers but it takes some time (fighting in dark, lots of black dice, no one lights a lantern etc.) and Hans gets delay-result counters applied to his Channel ability limiting his spellcasting due to power gain slowing down (this was the first time I used Delay to add tokens to an ability, adding it to the Channel ability - on principle that it's been used, goes down with zero counters, but is eligible for delay effect, so at end of turn loses a counter) .

The heroes see northern-light type displays over the Stormwater and realize something is up. After a rally step, they race to the water's edge and make out Professor Kopfchen in a boat blasting energy into the water. From notes and study of stones etc. they know enough now to realize he's trying to destroy the weakened seal on the Aethyr rift and "open it wide".

The heroes decline the chance to use a nearby boat to reach him and try to take him down with ranged fire (bad weather and environmental dice and energies flowing around him making that hard). We are at Storm Card 4, value 6, and Step 9 on the 12 steps to "rift opened" when they finally fire a shot (mostly Findulas, though Hans manages some magic darts) that spins him out of boat and into the surging water - he barely has chance to curse them, This is nothing compared to the storm that is coming!

The weather continues ill, as the heroes make their way to Tempest Knap. As the sun comes up, they perform the ritual (Findulas leads, channeling the elven spirit, Hans helps because he heard enough of the spirit's strange implanting whispering to participate).

Perhaps it was for this that the Seer in Athel Loren sent Findulas north.

In effect, Findulas makes Education 6 blue dice and 3 Expertise dice (the spirit's ability) vs 5 Challenge Dice, Hans adds fortune die for assistance and can use a talent with Education for another, other fortune points are spent etc.

Alas, the challenge die are cursed - rather than chaos stars that would merely have represented corruption points, at least three roll double failures. Findulas and Hans cannot carry out the ritual successfully but failure is not an option in the mind of the elven spirit and their failed roll means it takes over and succeeds but at the cost of great injury and stess to them but they manage to avoid critical injury etc.

Had sequence of cultist attacks/ritual etc. been different that might matter more.

The storm begins to quiet almost immediately and by the time the heroes return to town though the sky is still overcast, clearly "the storm is past."

The heroes are indeed Heroes in eyes of Stromdorf (well at least in eyes of everyone not a cultist). A week's worth of feting will be available.

I found the "ignomy snatched from jaws of victory" approach of core module too straining.

Sebastien Brenner disclaims any knowledge of his son Klaus' misdeeds but a cloud hangs over him that forces him to resign from the town council.

The investigation will be wrapped up with rolls next session to see:

- do the heroes/authorities with their aid figure out Keila Cobblepot drugged them, just as she did Florian Wechsler (his ring still in her hidy place Anselm found when poking around earlier) as she was in cahoots with Klaus Brenner, or does she manage to get out of town first?

- do the heroes/authorities with their aid figure out that the "leak" behind attacks on them and placing the traitorous workers was secretary Kaspar Meyer, in time to see him arrested before he can get out of town?

- do the heroes/authorities with their aid root out cultists generally well enough that a witch hunter doesn't have too much to do in town and it is spared excessively zealous inquiry OR do they fail to do so, leading to a time of trouble in Stromdorf for anyone who smells of Chaos to a witch hunter (hmmm, little old women with their bubbling pots of herbs....)

Other matters:

- Father Grabbe recovers during this week and is up and about, and whatever "keep it quiet" machinations Herrs Gerber and Flugel had go out the window. He rails publicly against Burgomeister Adler, outing him on the appropriation of the necklace for his lover, Madriga Brenner (wife of Klaus), and belittles any role Adler had in foiling cultists etc. Adler's troubles far from over.

- Lector Gottshaulk sends to Altdorf for a Witch Hunter, with the grudging approval of Burgomeister Adler (not that he needs it), the issue of possible mutation due to the 'nexus' and the question of a cult in the town demands investigation.

The heroes can suggest what they wish to the town about what to do with the "mapstone". During the ritual it was fused back into a single big chunk of stone. Findulas can tell it's "still functional" to help repair damage to the nexus-seal "waystone" in old elven parlance. Of course the elven spirit is gone so it's back to a virtually impossible check for a non-elf to try. Findulas and Hans had a vague impression at the end of their ritual experience of an elven spirit's satisfaction, " that should hold it another thousand years. "

The town council, with Adler's support, vote the heroes 1 gold crown each as a reward. The heroes gain a permanent fortune die to social checks in Stromdorf (well, permanent until something happens of course).

Adler pens a letter of commendation of the heroes to Graf von Jungfreud and send it in same package with letter offering his resignation, hoping though that his position will be better with the end of storm and better prospects for the region. Adler notes the Graf has it in his capacity to be more generous than the town council.

This will likely take the heroes back upriver to Ubersreik where they can go shopping in a larger market and have some time.

I plan to say this amounts to being able to make 3 shopping rolls with two fortune dice on each (e.g., if you're trying to find a healing draught, 20 shillings), and no need to roll for Common, Plentiful or Abundant grade items with this time available.

I wish I was playing in your game! It's been really fun reading your reports.

A couple of questions about your last session:

1. Did you basically just bail the players out at the end?

"Alas, the challenge die are cursed - rather than chaos stars that would merely have represented corruption points, at least three roll double failures. Findulas and Hans cannot carry out the ritual successfully but failure is not an option in the mind of the elven spirit and their failed roll means it takes over and succeeds but at the cost of great injury and stess to them but they manage to avoid critical injury etc."

Does the scenario tell you to make the spirit intervene and rescue the players? Or is that something you did yourself? Don't you feel that it undermines the drama of the game to fail the important rolls and then ignore the dice and have something come and save them?

I don't mean that to sound critical: it's one of the core problems any GM has to deal with in a RPG.

2. All of the wrapping up and other matters: can you explain a bit more about what you've done / will do with these? Do you mean that you're not going to roleplay this stuff? Just roll dice to see what happens? Are you trying to get through with it quickly deliberately? I'm really interested to find out what happens with this 'post adventure' downtime stuff, how your players will like dealing with this. I think this kind of 'downtime' plot fast-forwarding can be a really good technique, but I'm interested to see how successful you find it.

Thanks again for posting summaries of your play. It's been really inspirational to read right through from the beginning.

Thanks for kind words.

For #1.

I structured it as a "you can't fail" test with pass being "you pass, good for you" and fail being "the spirit uses you to do it, painful for you". That was my approach to a situation where I didn't want "waystone crumbles" to really be "on the table". I'm fine for that to be an outcome at some point but feel it's something for more advanced characters to face/for when world is spiralling down faster.

Re elven spirit, for better or worese that was all me - the core scenario gives the mapstone no role as a "waystone repair tool" and the elven spirit no role of that sort either (not intervening, not as spirit of the elf who was to work the ritual). I felt that by warhammer canon a destroyed waystone was way worse than the scenario set out and worked back towards this.

One thing I would have done differently is that instead of "you fail, it works but there is in effect an attack on you by spirit", I would have made it more like the test for schlaf poisoning - just one roll, you make the roll for it to work, there is a base amount of fatigue and stress you will take, every surplus success/boon/comet helps reduce it; every deficient success/reamining bane/chaos star adds to it.

For #2

I have not done this yet (this week's session had to be cancelled).

My plan is to allow each player to pick one of the issues, say they pick Keila then they narrate what they do that catches Keila (maybe they're smart and figure it out before she runs, maybe they're athletic and chase her down - be your own scriptwriter and script your 'catching Keila' scene and then we roll - if you've ever played In a Wicked Age much like how it works), and so on for other objectives. There are 3 tasks, with a lurking hazhard that will show up(Marien Ackerland and her father and older brother looking for Krieger - the PC's may still end up run out of town just for different reasons than the published adventure says). So each of 3 players can pick one issue to roll on or can ignore one and improve chances of success in one of the 3. There are 4 players but only 3 manage to make it (if all 4 make it that night, that's fine, some help somewhere).

I still see this as "roleplaying" and fun/logical narration of actions can still get a fortune die on roll or point a fortune point in party pool.

I don't want to really create a full encounter for any of these issues or spend time on it, for example create a chase scene with tracker for running down Keila. I could, but with the "big question" answered and the "main threats" taken down, it's anti-climatic. The players know my proclivities - if they let any of these villains get away at some future point something will come up such as they will be in an inn and get drugged some evening not realizing who it is working in the kitchen and getting her revenge....

Rob

Ah, I see. Just to follow up a bit:

#1. I like your idea of the can't fail roll (even if you didn't think of it in time). I think that's a much better way to handle a roll that can't fail than over-riding a bad (and perhaps unexpected) roll. What would you have done if you hadn't had an elf in the party? I'm not sure how much of your story was your own development of the scenario, and how much is straight out of the box, but it sure seemed handy to you to have had an elf in the group.

#2. "I don't want to really create a full encounter for any of these issues or spend time on it, for example create a chase scene with tracker for running down Keila. I could, but with the "big question" answered and the "main threats" taken down, it's anti-climatic."

I think that's a good call. I like the way you're handling it. It reminds me a lot of the way some things were handled in the live action RP vampire games I used to be a part of. It can work really well.

What are your plans once it's all done? Are you moving on to another adventure with the same characters? If so, a published one, or a home-made one?

#1 yes it was handy to have elf, I gave him background first starting out as Wood Elf that "the Seer of Athel Loren has foreseen dangers in the north, storms come that threaten the world of men and of elf, you shall go forth". This flowed through to the mapstone and elf at Tempest Knap then.

Without an elf in group, the possessing spirit "elfiness" would have allowed it to try ritual still but it would have been harder to connect with it originally.

#2, plans now: back to Ubersreik, on way stay again at Three Feathers (a not-rough night) but meet some NPC's that bridge stories and foreshadow Edge of Night , same in Ubersreik with rest and shopping, including some encounters (short, rotating which PC stars again) mostly buidling towards Edge of Night then Eye for an Eye then Edge of Night . Along there may throw in foreshadowing of next thing etc.

I've been used published, whether earlier editions converted (rough night) or current, spending effort on tailoring to taste etc. I used to design all adventures in D&D4e and burned out a bit.

Sounds fun. I can't remember now if you've addressed this, but is there a reason you're doing the published scenarios out of order? And have you thought about what adaptations you'll need to make to get them to fit?

In terms of order, I found Eye for an Eye too complex for my first time out, always loved Rough Night and was excited by variety in Gathering Storm. Conclusion to GS next.

Findulas, Anselm and Hans played, Krieger's player absent.

On Sommerzeit 23, heroes return to Stromdorf with the now-refused-together mapstone on cart.

They give the mapstone to the keeping of Lector Gottshaulk. Until and unless he receives different counsel from the hierarchy in Altdorf , it will be placed in the crypt of the Temple of Sigmar (buried under stones making it hard to get to).

In coming days, Gubo Ackerland appears and seems to have an interest in Krieger settling down and marrying his daughter (“full advantage”). He, Marien and brother Kleb appear in town and Krieger is occupied thereafter avoiding them (cue Benny Hill music of Krieger ducking behind carts, hiding behind potted plants as father, brother and buxom blonde daughter hunt around town).

Findulas tries to find out who drugged him and Hans, the suspects being Doctor Schneider and Keila Cobblepot. He manages to stealthily observe the latter packing up drugs and loot to try to make a get away and she is arrested. Her role drugging Florian Wechsler for Klaus Brenner comes out during her trial. She is burned for participating in cult (dies protesting she was not a cultist). The heroes recover Wechsler’s merchant guild ring. [Player chose a Stealth roll to resolve situation, vs Average Challenge 2D]

Hans takes too long assembling his iron-tight case that Secretary Kaspar Meyer placed the traitorous workers and is part of cult. Despite this being sooo obvious (white die on roll), Meyer managed to get out of town (with as much of the town treasury as he could carry, puts a crimp in any bonus reward to the heroes). Hans does manage to recover from his critical wound, with the aid of Hildrette Krass the little old woman. [Player chose an Education roll to resolve situation, vs Average Challenge 2D with a fortune die, and after making much of how it was so obvious etc. fails with Chaos Star]

Father Grabbe recovers and is publicly railing against Burgomeister Adler, outing him on the appropriation of the necklace for his lover, Madriga Brenner (wife of Klaus), and belittles any role Adler had in foiling cultists etc.

Lector Gottshaulk sends to Altdorf for a Witch Hunter, with the grudging approval of Burgomeister Adler (not that he needs it), the issue of possible mutation due to the 'nexus' and the question of a cult in the town demands investigation. People in town will be a bit apprehensive about this as everyone fears witch hunters for their zeal and tendency to see chaos behind every personal foible etc.

Anselm tries to infiltrate/lure out whatever remaining cultists there are with his Guile but fails. When a witch hunter comes to town he will have enough to do that he “gets rolling” and Stromdorf will be in for a rough time – (it was nice to know you Hildrette). [Player chose a Guile roll to resolve situation, vs Average Challenge 2D, failed]

The town council, with Adler's support, votes heroes 1 gold crown each as a reward. The heroes gain a permanent fortune die to social checks in Stromdorf (well, permanent until something happens of course).

Adler pens a letter of commendation of the heroes to Graf von Jungfreud and sends it in same package with letter offering his resignation, though hoping that his position will be better with the end of storm and improved prospects for the region.

Adler also gives each hero a letter with Stromdorf seal on it saying, “[name] rendered vital aid to the town of Stromdorf and showed themselves a worthy foe of Chaos. Burgomeister Phillip Adler, Sommerzeit 25, 2521.”

After about 5 days of enjoying town’s hospitality (or hiding from would-be-father-in-laws), the heroes leave. They decline invitation to stay till end of month and Sonnstill celebrations (and expected arrival of witch hunter).

Returning To Ubersreik

The heroes left on Sommerzeit 28, to travel back to Ubersreik by foot, staying overnight at Three Feathers (Findulas once again failing to convince comrades to camp out). Other guests include a Priest of Morr Shadrach Burke (tall angular man with long nose and dolfeful expression, with an initiate and couple of guards) who is coming from Ubersreik to Stromdorf to assist in the re-consecration of its Garden of Morr . He is unimpressed by the heroes (tales doubtless exaggerated, couple of zombies becomes a horde etc.).

They also meet merchant Klaus von Rotstein (thirtyish burgher in travel-worn clothes) with two drovers and 2 guards. They agree to share road with him next day as he completes his Auerswald to Ubersreik trip.

[This and some things below are foreshadowing Edge of Night though next adventure is Eye for an Eye]

In Ubersreik

Arriving Sommerzeit 29, the heroes are back in Ubersreik, for 3 weeks.

Florian Wechsler’s ring is returned to Alfred Karstat Guildmaster of Merchant’s guild. He rewards the heroes 10 shillings each and can now be considered a “Contact”. Wechsler’s widow, Wertha, gets pension (not a princely sum, enough to keep her off streets).

The heroes find out the fate of the noble sent here for trial after their first stay at Three Feathers: Friedrich von Pfiefraucher. They learn (a) he’s actually Florian von Priefraucher – he was using the name of a cousin of his while “wooing” the maiden (such a scamp); (b) killing a servant over a matter of honour caused him to have to pay a few shillings in damages to the Gravin Maria-Ulrike von Liebewitz of Ambosstein, that’s all. He’s been making social rounds since then, went to Bogenhafen a week ago (for the Sonnstill festival and dancing there, woot woot).

[Edge of Night came out well after we played my adaptation of Rough Night, but it's Florian von P. is so much like the Freiderich von P., who was fun at table in that session, I decided to make it same person]

During rest and shopping, 3 weeks, cost of living is based on standard of living, assuming silver stay at the Bridge Inn and pay (5 silver a night for fine private room, but more modestly if sharing 2 to a room, 5 silver week with two more for meals but not drinks, so each PC will spend 21 silver for 3 weeks).

High Elven Envoy Lorin Silverleaf asks to see Findulas; he accepts and dines at the Old Bauer House she has renovated to her tastes. She wishes to hear more of events in Stromdorf and the mapstone, Tempest Knap etc. He saves 2 silver in meal costs. He makes a Charm (1D) check to see how well he gets on with her and how much information she shares and gets a simple success meaning he is free to call upon her as a source of information etc. (she is a Contact) – he is not lucky enough to get repeated invitations (further lowing living costs or drawing any information from her).

Healing draughts are purchased (rolls made eventually, one is given to Krieger). Anselm manages, after looking very hard, to find and purchase a rapier – a fine weapon to further distance himself from his humble origins.

While Anselm is passing by a gathering of townfolk listenting to an agitator’s words, “People of Ubersreik, if you love your freedom then you must be prepared to defend it. Take up arms against anyone who dares speak in favour of revoking the Freistadt! Freedom from oppression!”, he has to squish along side of street due to press. Sir Bitey seems agitated and smells something, and Anselm gets a bare Observation success to note that a scaffolding in place to make repairs to a building is giving way and will collapse on the crowd, sending load of bricks on the speaker. As mystic, he spends a fortune point to ensure the speaker escapes harm. He thus meets a grateful (Contact) Agitator Kurt Groffnung. Kurt recognizes Sir Bitey as a “ratter” and is positive about him – good work the ratcatchers do, not well-enough recognized.

[if he had rolled better he would have spotted that the bindings on the scaffolding had been chewed through by small teeth - Kurt is an anti-Skaven guy who secretly puts up posters warning of ratmen]

Heroes hear rumours that Lord Aschaffenberg’s love of hunting is leading him to re-open the old Grunewald Lodge near Geissbach, a gift to him from his marriage into the von Bruner family.

Near the end of the their three weeks in town, the Witch Hunter Tobias Bach arrives and starts nosing around, fresh from a thorough set of investigations in Stromdorf.

[What exactly happened there is not spelled out, it will turn out to be whatever is dramatically fun/handy]

The heroes get a invitation to meet a manservant of Lord Aschaffenberg, Vern Hendrik. They do and accept the task of going to the new manor to investigate the staff under cover of transporting some furniture, decorations etc. from the mansion in Ubersreik and that they are additional guards to help deal with the beastmen in area.

They leave Ubersreik on the 4th of Vorgeheim, on their new adventure "Mind Your Manor".

Another great write up. Despite the title of this series of posts, I hope you'll continue to post summaries of play for your group here.

What is the 'Mind your Manor' adventure?