The continuing adventures of Anselm the Seer (Mystic/Ratcathcer), Findulas the Marksman (Waywatcher), Hans the Wizard (Apothecary) and Krieger the Initiate (Soldier).

Leaving Horror of Hulgegal (Worse than the Disease) http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=165&efcid=3&efidt=489079

and returning to Ubersreik for a homebrew adventure blending elements of the Sigmar's Heirs book adventure with my campaign's events, being the "pie wars" of the Stoutheart Pie Shoppes and the Greenthistle Pie Carts.

32nd experience point earned

All players on deck

On Nachgeheim 25, the heroes prepared to return to Ubersreik. Krieger spoke to Heidi Cranmer about making sure the Temple of Sigmar was looked after and purchased a covered wagon cheaply (fire sale rates on various items with ¼ of town dead) to transport Lady Agnetha back to Ubersreik in, the heroes having 3 horses they got from bandits so two could be hitched up to wagon. Maximilian (a wiser but also one legged and one eyed man) is coming back with them.

The last two nights rest saw Anselm and Findulas recover from their diseases (noting which for future fortune die on avoiding same disease), and Findulas finally recovered from his worst lingering aches (Fade to Black Crit 4 that had been with him a while). He suffers another mild (grim ague) disease from his wounds (2 chaos stars rolled on recovery check) but recovers from that promptly.

They headed to Ubersreik; Findulas finding the insane chattering of Lady Agnetha a bit stressful to listen to. Just past noon were past Messingen when they found the trail blocked by a fallen tree, and on the other side a horseless Strigany wagon. The same grandmother and son who they had met during Shallyan’s ambush, leaving Ubersreik after delivering the Shallyan survivors there, had come up to this fallen tree and then been robbed of their horses by three bandits – Brettonians by their speech – not more than 30 minutes past.

Anslem and Hans stay with Lady Agnetha and the Strigany while Findulas and Krieger head off into woods trailing the bandits. They find them pretty easily, a small camp of 4 with a wolfhound, the horses and a wooden cage in which there are two Halflings. The Strigany's two draft horses are there.

The two heroes (who both have longbows, with the best the bandits have being shortbow) let loose a volley of arrows that makes short work of the bandits (this was a simple check, not detailed combat, only question was any chaos stars meaning wounds or fatigue results etc.).

The halflings cheer their rescuers – they are cousins Matchwicke and Candlewick Greenthistle, proprietors of the Greenthistle Pie Cart Company. Their rescue is most timely for their family is supposed to pay a ransom for them this very night. The heroes are so successful dealing with bandits they get two prisoners.

Returning to the trail (which is cleared using the draft horses), Findulas and Krieger both receive the Strigany Grandmother’s blessing for their aid (mini card of Stirgany Blessing, trade in for an expertise die representing really good luck at some point).

Chatting with the two Halflings (fast-talking, finishing each other’s sentences and speaking in unison at times, often speaking to each other like a certain two cartoon chipmunks tough not quite so English) certain things come out:

They were kidnapped on Nachgeheim 22. The ransom is supposed to be paid tonight (25th) – they overheard conversations (their captors not realizing Candlewicke parlays un petite peu le Breton) saying they would not be taken to the exchange and the bandits holding them were waiting news from the exchange the next day.

The cousins are worried they don’t know who is behind their kidnapping and if it is entirely a commercial venture or more personal - making it dangerous for them to reveal themselves. They want to be smuggled back into city to keep their release a secret for time being. The halfings know their original kidnappers spoke Reikspiel without accent, the Bretonnians seem to be “cut outs”.

The heroes are all over this – Anselm in particular is pleased to assist the pie cart makers. He was outraged at that ordinance the town council passed banning pie carts during the upcoming Pie Week (Nachgeheim has 32 days, Pie Week is the 1st to 8th of next month). The Greenthistles agree the ordinance was outrageous. In fact, they are suspicious their kidnapping is connected to the pie business.

[Matchwicke] We are but simple bakers and it is difficult to believe anyone would wish us harm. [Candlewicke] Though it cannot be denied the Stoutheart clan has taken extraordinary measures to stop us selling pie during Pie Week. [Matchwicke] And we were well on our way to overturning this ridiculous ordinance when we were kidnapped. [Candlewicke] But cuz, it is hard to believe the Stouthearts would sink so low as kidnapping and extortion! [Matchwicke] True, cuz, true. Let us hope it is only some scoundrel’s avaricious plot to purloin wealth from innocent Halflings.

[Matchwicke] Through appealing to civic sensibility and goodwill, we have convinced two councillors who supported the ordinance to reconsider and request a special council meeting to debate it – where we hoped it would be repealed. [Candlewicke] We obtained this commitment on the 19th, on the 21st the two councillors got a special session scheduled to debate the ordinance for the 24th (yesterday) and on the 22nd they were kidnapped.

[Matchwicke] Not only have we missed the special meeting, having to pay the ransom would leave them unable to be “suitably persuasive” with the council members.

Hans wonders if the two are indeed “but simple bakers” etc., but his Insight does not alert him to any concerns.

[NOTE this is the sort of check I’m starting to wonder if GM should make in secret – however, if people do a good job of firewalling information knowing can in fact be fun “I know I failed but my character doesn’t and I will cheerfully trust these good souls”. Historically, the table has preferred “if PC doesn’t know, Player doesn’t know” style though].

Anselm, due to his previous rat-catcher career in sewers and smuggling activities, does know of “ways in and out of town” and volunteers to guide the two Halflings, meeting up with rest of heroes later at the Bridge House Inn. He is very successful in this effort (so much so no trace of sewer is left on the Halflings).

[NOTE this was an example of Player content authorship, entirely logical so absolutely fine]

They are grateful, wondering now if that is not the Senor Bitey and they have not met with the heroes of the tales of Senor Bitey, supporters of Lord Aschaffenberg. Anselm modestly admits this is so and the Halflings allow they think highly of Lord Aschaffenberg and perhaps if Anselm were to bring his friends to Mother Lout’s (a back-alley bar in wharf district) tonight at 8:00 (after they have checked out lay of land to speak) there will an opportunity for the heroes to earn reward and advance Lord A’s interests (after all Lord A’s interests align with showing any mischief by town council, as that undermines Frei Stadt movement).

Anselm manages to cadge a free pie from them before heading off. [rather less in value than the reward they were prepared to offer, the Halflings like these heroes, "will work for pie"].

The other three heroes proceed to Lord Aschaffenberg’s mansion and deliver Maximilian and Agnetha and report. Lord Aschaffenberg was going to have Ludmilla sit in but Krieger cautions that perhaps he should hear things first and decide how to break news to Ludmilla about her sister.

The sorry tale of Shallyans’ persecuted, disease, madness, wicked Doktors taking advantage of a widow driven mad with grief over her son’s death, and Nurgle cultist and daemons seeking the souls of the diseased is told. Lord Aschaffenberg is sobered by all this, approves of the heroes’ actions and asks to be told straight out if Agnetha has any culpability or it can be laid to her madness. He’s clear he doesn’t want her to be to blame but wants to be told the truth and will deal with it – Krieger says it’s all her madness being exploited, that her extreme actions came late and the Doktor was to blame. Lord Aschaffenberg is relieved, though still saddened, and speaks of trying to talk to Lord Heismann, or perhaps having his wife try, to ensure that Agnetha is properly cared for.

In terms of Hugeldal being leaderless (except for the temporarily appointed bounty hunter Manchdor), Lord Aschaffenberg says he will write a report to Graf von Jungfreud and present it to the Graf tomorrow. The Graf will have to install someone to replace Matthias and Agnetha and otherwise restore order in town. The heroes are asked to return tomorrow morning to review the report to ensure it’s accurate.

Questioning the two ruffians (Yonec and Pierre) the heroes learn: A man hired us, no names, in a seedy bar in the docks. He was middle-aged, dark hair and beard like a dwarf, scarred left hand and paid how you say “sit the baby” the Halflings for a few days, with a promise of more when the job was done. We just wanted some coin to move on further into the Empire – being wanted men in Bretonnia.

They turn the ruffians over to the watch, who are at first a bit mystified why the fuss (If a Bretonnian robs a Strigany out in the woods, is that even a crime) but when the heroes explain the Bretonnians had felled a tree across a road blocking it to all traffic and it could have been anyone they robbed the watchmen allow it’s serious and lock them up.

The heroes have a brief (1 action) Interlude in afternoon. Each also learns a random rumour (drawing them from a deck I've prepared of adventure/personal/campaign background flavour ones).

• Is your sister still working, well you know? -- Yeah, but keep your distance I don’t want to think about you and her. – No, no it’s not that, you tell her to keep clear of the Merchant’s Quarter after dark. Two street girls have gone missing there in the past three weeks. [this ties to the adventure the heroes are just getting into and some other things going on]
• Witch Hunter Bach burned several for witchcraft in Stromdorf. ~ Yes, there was a witch named Hildrette Krass I heard was feeding her cat familiar milk with human blood in it. Witnesses at her trial testified to hearing her tell the cat to “Drink your bloody milk”. ~ They say the cat got away and Bach looks twice now at every marmalade tabby he sees. [built from a rumour/joke in 1st edition warhammer, a reminder of the standard of evidence in some trials in Old World]
• Graf von Saponatheim is meeting Burgomeister Maler. Just a matter of who cheats who first. ~ Nah, I wager they rub shoulders in the Trickster’s Temple and them ones don’t cheat each other. ~ Maler favours Haendryk not Ranald ~ Oh, we’re not having that argument again are we, Haendryk is just Ranald’s face for merchants.

Krieger checks that the Shallyans they met on road (now at Shallyan hospice in Ubersreik) are okay. Father Braum is there, having not told of their misfortune as the heroes asked. He is relieved situation has resolved but horrified at Nurglist conspiracy – unsurprised though that it was this ruinous power behind it all. The Shallyans start making plans to head back to Hugeldal and help rebuild immediately. Krieger offers aid if ever needed, and Father Braum again expresses his gratitude to the heroes.

Hans does some first aid on Findulas.

Anselm uses his haggling skill to try to get a better price for the three horses they are selling off and succeeds in getting 1 gold crown each (1/2 retail) rather than the baseline 50 shillings each (1/4 retail) they would have gotten otherwise.

Findulas has an encounter (triggered by free rumour - he randomly drew the one inserted only for his draw that's specific to him!) as he spots the same man he saw slipping something into Lord von Aschaffenberg’s drink at the masquerade ball coming out of a tavern. He shadows the man (despite a couple of misfortune dice to shadow in city, since, well, “you’re freakin elf!” – a little noticeable). The man turns into an ally in seedy area where he meets with two bad-looking characters, one man as ugly as an ork and the other a near giant with remarkably well-groomed long hair.

Findulas does not manage to hear whatever they are saying to each other, as they talk the two men show the first the contents of a small two-wheel cart, he nods, he leaves alley with cart as they leave in another direction. The poisoner takes cart to the ritzy Emperor’s Rest Hostel and speaks with doorman, then heads off. The doorman has servants take contents in (looks like Bretonnian Brandy). Findulas trails the poisoner to his apparent dwelling (poor apartment in boarding house) and then rejoins his friends telling them of what he saw.

[This event has been lingering waiting to be triggered, the poisoner worked for Graf von Saponatheim per Edge of Night and proof would help shift balance of power, also the two smugglers he met are NPC's Anselm's player created as part of his back story, villains he's avoiding]

The heroes decide to pass that information on to Lord Aschaffenberg, who allows how that is a fellow he would like to ask a few questions. It is left that the heroes will take care of this for him. They also relate they are getting involved in “pie business”.

Lord Aschaffenberg hasn’t been paying much attention to the matter, seems the sort of thing even if he was lord of city he would let the town council sort out as a rule – though now that you mention it Holy Father Heinrich Gutenberg of Temple of Verena was talking about it, saying the ordinance was based on claims about public health that he found unconvincing (as an observer on council). Part of a trend in the council he finds a bit worrying – may be weakening his support for it. Lord Aschaffenberg, "The man likes the Freistadt idea but I believe he’s seeing the practice isn’t quite as tidy as the theory." (Gutenberg is not an Aschaffenberg supporter at present but showing up some corruption in council (as long as it’s not primarily among Aschaffenberg supporters) would help Lord A’s cause.) Aschaffenberg is a sausage man himself.

Lord Aschaffenberg explains his view of "one noble ruler easier to keep honest than a passle of councillors".

The heroes go to “Mother Lout’s” to meet Greenthistles, a shack almost under the Dwarf Bridge , backing onto river. It’s a deserted dive where they order but don’t drink whatever that is passing for beer, the barman steps out to mind door as the two Greenthistles appear.

A plan develops to go through with ransom delivery in order to try to find out who is behind it. Jana and Thena, the wives to Matchwicke and Candlewicke, are to deliver the ransom of 10 gold crowns (wow remarks a player in terms of value placed on two humble pie cart operators though no one checks Folklore etc. to see if that is outlandish or not) at midnight. The wives are game to play along in any plan, according to their husbands.

The cousins offer the heroes 20 shillings each for their efforts, and gold karl bonus (for the group) if they identify who is behind it to be brought to justice [Mathwicke] If they can be brought to justice. [Candlewicke] Alas not everyone can. [Mathwicke] True cuz, true, it’s a grim world, I wonder sometimes why we left the Moot. [Candlewicke] To bring pie to the Empire cuz, for the pie. [Mathwicke] Of course, for pie, we will carry on for the pie.

The plan is for Krieger to accompany the wives “as a guard” and the others to hang back keeping an eye out. The wharf district and back alley locations are good for brass tier characters but very dark at night. Anselm (with Senor Bitey) and Findulas try to stealthily scope out the area of the ransom meet to see if there are kidnappers already present or other mischief up before the meet.

Unfortunately, the two manage only to themselves be spotted (fail stealth role + chaos star) and subjected to an anonymous attack in the form of a runaway team of horses barrelling at them with a wagon, in the narrow confines of an alley (Coordination – dodge speciality- vs 3D to avoid unspecified damage). Both manage to avoid harm, and look to see who is the author of this threat – in a competitive Observation check with the “authors” looking to see if the snoops are still active.

The PC’s don’t do so well, leading to an encounter starting at close range with two dwarfs.

A fight breaks out, as dwarf remarks if they knew they would face an elf they would have taken job for free. The dwarfs manage to close with Findulas (who attracts all their attention) and bring him down, one having been wounded making use of Grudge and Morgrim’s Wrath to good effect.

We break as the other heroes arrive on scene.

We resume after a fewf weeks' break (scheduling difficulties).

Completing Act 1 ~ Dwarfs in the Dark

The heroes overcome the two dwarfs. Hans summons lightning from the sky to illuminate the area and end darkness penalties for humans (well okay, a miscast causes him to be singed and thunderstruck as he casts a beacon spell, but we won't tell the uninformed it wasn't all supposed to work like that), and his burning gaze incinerates a wounded dwarf (two sigmar's comets!) - leading Krieger to be able to intimidate the remaining one into surrendering.

It turns out the dwarfs believed they were security for a meet with smugglers who had stolen goods to be recovered, and were guarding against pre-meet mischief. Krieger convinces the survivor, Gurri, that he and his dead comrade were deceived by their employer. Gurri is shamed by this (chaos star on the otherwise successful roll) and rather than becoming a useful ally decides he must return to his hold and expatiate his shame, perhaps take the slayer oath.

He does relate where their "employer" was waiting for them, the description matching the bearded man with scarred hand who employed the Bretonnians, the name being Heinz.

As Hans says, the heroes decide to catch up to Heinz* (Act 2 - Snacking on Heinz). Findulas sneaks up on the spot to see if the target is there and sees several figures gathered round a prone figure - his must make a Fear check when he realizes it is a pack of ghouls feasting. He returns and gets his comrades. Others make their Fear checks on arriving (no one fails, despite if being 2D as there are more ghouls than them, a pack of 4 henchmen and one regular).

*Ketcup with Heinz in case it's not clear - it was a night of that sort of thing, nothing as funny as cannibalism.

The Ghoul Fight is short and heroes avoid serious harm. Examining the remains of the ghoul's prey they believe it is "Heinz", a man with middle class clothes under a cloak. Hans examines him with medical skills and realizes he was killed by having this throat cut with a sharp weapon - something not matching the ghouls' claws (and they had no weapons). The man never drew his sword, meaning he was set upon and slain this way before having a chance to react and the ghouls set to work afterwards - all in a short time.

Hans also smells sausage - Findulas suggests perhaps it was his last meal (his intestines being out and about) and that examining body could determine this - such suggested impropriety with respect to a body increases party tension (to max, 2 stress for all and reset).

Hans does remark he's hungry now, could use a bit to eat. The player had the "Unnatural Cravings" insanity briefly and on recovering decided his character still suffers it a bit.

The ghouls are wet and easily tracked back to the nearby river. That they would have come upon the slain man so quickly seems unbelievable to the heroes.

Having gathered what they can from this grisly scene (which they do report to the watch later), the heroes meet again with the Matchwicke wives to relate the "rendezvous" being off and why. They identify Heinz as Humfried Zeisholzer, sausage maker - deciding instantly that their misfortunes (Pie Week "Sanitation" ordinance against pie carts, kidnapping) as all the sausage-men at work. "Bloody Sausage!"

Linking up with Matchwicke and Candlewick the two concur with their wives (they didn't get this far in business being fools) but want the night to digest this news. They find the sausage-theory very plausible, for every three pies they don't sell the Stouthearts will only sell one more as most of their customers can't afford such, the other two will buy sausage.

The heroes decide to take care of one last bit of business.

Act 3 - Apprehending Ludwig - the poisoner from the Masquerade Ball. The heroes go to the boarding house where Findulas had followed the man who he recognized from the ball, the one who tried to slip something into Lord Aschaffenberg's drink. The heroes enter the boarding house (after midnight), waking Schneider the "super" as agents of Lord Aschaffenberg and after giving a description of the man they seek are told that this is Ludwig and directed to his room.

Krieger athletically breaks down door (3 successes) bursting through despite some crude efforts to protect against forced entry and surprising the man sleeping on bed. He and Hans wrestle their target down (Hans getting a bite in) and tie him up (4 net successes).

A quick search of room finds nothing but some throwing knives - not even money. A more thorough search is skipped in the interest of avoiding any friends of Ludwig appearing and he is escorted to the Aschaffenberg mansion (his attempts to make a deal or something being ignored).

This is the sort of thing Aschaffenberg is happy to be woken up to hear - he is interested in a chat with this fellow. Ludwig is taken away (his last audible words being, "He bit me!") to be held "in the coach house". Vern will question him.

The heroes relate the mischief of ghouls and such. Lord Aschaffenberg wants them to continue looking into this matter, lot of fuss over pie and sausage. Ghouls can be used to tidy up situations by more powerful things. Lord Aschaffenberg has made some inquiries in afternoon.

The ordinance passed mostly on strength of the head of butcher's guild coming out against safety of pie meat - Hermann Schlachter – though not on the council his testimony was held in high esteem.

Another special session of town council has been scheduled now to re-debate the ordinance, for the 30th. Lord Aschaffenberg is feeling he should weigh in, and would appreciate the heroes input in ensuring he doesn't mistep (wouldn't do to back anyone employing ghouls you know).

The major sausage men in town are Humfried Zeisholzer (now deceased), Baldric Fleisher, Steffen Matheus and Ernst Gruyden (the latter is not a big producer, having his speciality shop the Hofling Blutig, known and beloved of Hans).

The heroes sleep (one misfortune die on overnight resilience due to being up late), Findulas recovers from one of his two critical wounds and others are largely restored.

Hans wakes early the next day, the 26th, and goes to the Hofling Blutig for some blood sausage - finally filling those cravings from the night before. There he meets, as he hoped, another regular patron, the butcher guild master Schlachter. (Hans' player has a list of regular patrons of the blood sausage-serving establishment, Schlachter being on it).

Schlachter does view pie cart pie as inferior, questionable meat (the halflings make no bones about the fact they provide the good labourers of Ubersreik with affordable pie, sized to hold in one hand as they go about their labours). He says that Zeisholzer was particularly against the pie business, and himself agrees that Pie Week is a halfing trick to market pie. Hans insightfully notes that Schlachter doesn't like Zeisholzer (really doesn't like him).

When Hans reports to his comrades he doesn't relate that particular detail. (We're playing that players can know things PC's don't as long as they firewall, so no Hans doesn't relate that he met someone connected with affair who really disliked the murdered man - as another player noted - if they manage to keep the firewall up it's good roleplaying and will be rewarded)

The heroes now face another day.

Good stuff!

32 advances eh? How powerful do they seem?

jh

They're a pretty competent bunch - for example in the first post two characters made a 3 challenge die Coordination check to avoid the runaway cart, apprehending Ludwig was an Athletics check by Krieger with fortune die from Hans' help opposed against Ludwig's Agility (which is really good) making it a 3 challenge die/1 misfortune die check to wrestle him down - again made very well (4 successes!)

On the flip side, they take harm regularly. There are no ironbreaker tanks, Findulas the elf with Rapid Shot etc. is the most routinely deadly but he's frail in other ways, Anselm the Ratcatcathcer is actually the hardest to damage (he has a whack of defensive actions, all the defensive tricks he can get from his dog etc.) but he still gets his share of injury.

I'm honestly not sure if this is typical (they narrowly avoided being massacred in the Horror at Hugeldal scenario just before this), but I sort of like that combination (increasingly effective but still at risk).

34th Experience Point earned.

All heroes on deck.

Investigation continues.

Inquiries are made among sausage makers - with Observation noting they all seem to be gearing up for increased production during Pie Week - a strange circumstance. Judicious use of Intimidation (Hans' Air of Authority) and showing Lord Aschaffenberg's colours when forcing their way past unccoperative front office staff etc., leads the heroes to learn other sausage makers say Zeisholzer (deceased) what the extremist who decided to the "ban pie carts" plan "too far" when the halflings bribed enough councillors to get a meeting scheduled to overturn the ordinance (according to the sausage makers).

They track down a sausage maker in the plot (Baldric Fleisher) who their tactics find is enjoying an afternoon at the House of Dryads. The human heroes understand quickly what sort of the place this is, though Findulas is a bit puzzled (having a less romantic view of dryads as Wood Elf [and as a Player who has read the earlier edition Wood Elf Army Book])

Going to the House of Dryads to interview Fleisher they interrupt an attempt to murder him. Bursting into a scene of mayhem they find Fleisher with his throat cut (critically wouneded and bleeding out), a screaming girl in his room, the house matron Rosamunde having arrived and pulling a knife from her bodice - while over the collapsed man stands Butcher's Guildmaster Hermann Schlachter - hoding a sharp blade and licking blood from it with relish.

Hans must make a 2D Fear check (not "fear" really, "Shock" but same mechanic etc.) to see his "breakfast club" friend this way - Schlachter calls to him how delicious it is. (Hans and Hermann both enjoyed their blood sausage together just this very morning, Hans having his cravings from time to time).

A fight in cramped quarters breaks out, Schlachter being a maniacal fighter (2 challenge die base defence foe, Mark of Khorne and a few appropriate actions). Smoke also begins filling the upper floor of the house (where the heroesa are) - a fire having been set in it [burning Building card]. Resilience checks start being made to avoid fatigue.

Hans suppresses Fleisher's critical and saves his life. Schlachter is slain but his body left behind in the inferno, Fleisher is pulled out from the fire. In the street girls and customers are milling about and neighbours forming bucket brigade. The house is thoroughly aflame and reports indicate the fire started in several places.

Hans and Anselm both try to use magical sight - there is something there but figuring out what it was from the "traces left behind it" is a 4D check. Hans manages to succeed and realizes the magic involved is not pure College magic rather it is the dark, collapsed magic used by necromancers and witches etc. (a more direct examination of some of it at work would be needed to get a more precise read). It's pretty clear Schlachter did not set the fires, someone/thing else must have...

Fleisher is questioned and reveals that Zeiszholer had something on Schlachter, suggestions he had taken to killing more than animals and was linked to disappearances of several women (vanishings being a rumour heroes had heard). Schlachter was apparently eliminating those who knew his secret.

The heroes connect this with ghouls and start thinking a necromancer is at work.

As the watch arrives, the heroes report their suspicions and warn the watch that evil is still afoot.

The heroes speak to a serjeant who upon hearing part of the heroes' report insists they come to the watch station and give a report to Captain Pfeffer. She is impressed with the heroes' continued actions protecting Ubersreik and offers to work with them cooperatively. Gives Hans access to watch records (posted in his background thread).

In other developments,

The "poisoner from Ball" (Ludwig) was most useful to Lord von Aschaffenberg. He gives each hero a 10 shilling each bonus as it turns out that Lord Rickard turns the information gained from Ludwig into leverage forcing Graf Siegfried von Saponatheim to leave town (weakening the Frei Stadt movement).

On the 30th of month, town council meets and the sanitation ordinance is repealed in the wake of revelations of a conspiracy among sausage makers who were blackmailing Herr Schalchter, "the mad butcher of Ubersreik". So no hero ever drew the rumour, "Oh, Schlachter the Butcher looks a merry enough soul, but I ask you – can anyone spend his life amid all that blood and killing without, something – you know – going odd? Sometimes you see it, in the back of his eyes. Gives me the shudders." [essentially line in the Edge of Night overview of town, partial inspiration of events]. Lord Aschaffenberg makes hay supporting the repeal and the episode does not reflect well on the town council.

The halfling pie factions are somewhat shamed that they were manipulated by sausage men (which is to say the Stouthearts are set back) leading to "unity in pie" and an end to tussles between the factions. Pie Week proceeds, better than ever - parade (at which Lord Aschaffenberg appears*), King (winner of the pie eating contest), Queen (winner of the best amateur pie contest) etc.

The Greenthisles are pleased, the heroes earn their 20 shillings each (in case not already note that) and the 1 gold karl total (which is 25 shillings each more) bonus for finding out who is behind it all (sausage men).

The heroes may not be given plaques on the walls of Stoutheart Pie Shoppes, but the cart-pushers of the Greenthistle Pie Company are their friends.

* The parade and King and Queen of Pie Week are all elements players brought up in jest and I said each time, "of course there is", "now there is" etc. - Lord Aschaffenberg appearing at the Parade was a reference to local events in Toronto where the Gay Pride Week parade just happened and the Mayor did not attend for first time in years. For some reason the players saw a great deal of connection with Pie Week.

The heroes now have an interlude that lasts through the end of Pie Week and couple of more days. They have a first of month meeting with Lord Aschaffenberg where they get another month's stipend from him and are asked to carry out a Mission of Mercy for him (after pie week), escording his mad sister-in-law Agnetha von Bruner to the Shallyan hospice for the insane at Frederheim.

excellent. do you feel your home brew was easier to run than a the retail adventures you've been playing to date?

Thanks, as to your question, hard to say.

It's not completely home brew, more a "home made stew of odds and sods" from different sources. Rather much like sausage and pie in the Empire.

The two halfings and how they are met (rescued from ruffians) are from Ill Met in Bogenhafen, the adventure in Sigmar's Heirs - that woven together with re-encountering Strigany from Worse than the Disease (Horror of Hulgedal). The idea of a murderous Schlachter is inspired by the suggestive text in Edge of Night. These are then mixed together with the interest Anselm's player has been displaying in pie ever since I gave Keila Cobblepot's (of Gathering Storm) excellent pie served in a restful surroundings a "stress/healing bonus" effect, driven on by the setting's own contribution of Pie Week and the fact we were coming up on that in calendar, and the "cravings" Hans' player has been roleplaying that lead him to enjoy blood sausage (being made from the buckets of blood also mentioned in the suggestive Schlacther text) [the unknown agent setting fires and sending ghouls to 'clean up' after Schlachter ties back to the blood sausage....yet to be revealed].

I then cooked up a sausage-maker conspiracy to stave off their usual losses during Pie Week (asking myself the literal question "so who doesn't like pie" to see who would be behind the kidnapping), with a town council directive that would also play a bit into the local politics post Masquerade Ball, shuffling various roles etc. in a "relationship map" way a few times to get it right (Schlachter going mad, being blackmailed into supporting ordinance, then deciding to turn on his persecutors and silence them - this and the "tidy up after" crew being an "engine" to keep action moving - whenever it lags have a mad murderer or ghouls pop up etc.).

That all said, it's easier in that I "know all the bits and pieces", how they fit together, how heroes' actions will interact with/change what's going on. I can improvise to what heroes are doing better (so much so it may seem like a railroad though it's just a "personally tailored tour" really).

However, I don't have the feeling of depth (e.g., I'm using Edge of Night background and map for Ubersreik not having to invent it all), neat new ideas (no special adventure tracker cards this time), new location cards (I did pull out ones not used before like Burning Building) etc. etc. that the big adventures bring. So I like bridging the two - reincorporating loose ends, NPC's, effects etc. from official adventures and mixing with things in the campaign.

The "interlude" after this adventure.

The heroes have an Interlude from Nachgeheim 27, the day after they confront Herr Schlachter, the mad butcher of Ubersreik, at the House of Dryads, until Erntezeit 10, the day they leave by coach with Lady Agnetha on their Mission of Mercy (next adventure).

In this time Krieger passes the first month (as of Erntezeit 4) since gaining his insanity and attempts the first recovery check (needing to accumulate 2 to recover), he fails.

As Interlude Actions:

Krieger shops and tries to locate healing draughts but fails to find more than the one he is assured due to his starting possessions*, he pays the 20 shillings for it. * Houserule - if someone began as weatlhy with a healing draught and doesn't have any, I always let them find one to buy. Otherwise over time others get money but they don't get the abilities etc. others got with their starting points.

Findulas offers 5 shillings to the Shallyan Hospice and undertakes some long term rest seeking to recover from his pulled muscle critical. With the benefit of -1 severity, he quickly does recover. (Party is now critical-free, disease-free and with only one insanity - obviously I am falling down on my job as as a Warhammer GM).

Anselm inquires (Charm/Gossip) after suspicious doings with the House of Dryads and its fire. He learns (4 successes) that the proprietress, Rosamunde, is expected to rebuild or buy a new establishment to renovate, having secure backers. She never has trouble from authorities, despite priests railing against licentiousness and vice etc. His superior success means he learns the reason for this, that she has "something" on members of various wealthy houses, having a knack for getting them in her debt. Anselm even learns (2 boons lets Player narrate the identify, the player wants it to be a relative of Graf Sigismund von Saponatheim) of a specific customer who is under her sway, that being Sigmund von Saponatheim, the insipid younger brother of Graf Sigismund von Saponatheim. He returns to Bogenhafen with his older brother (after the heroes hand Ludwig over to Aschaffenberg and he gains means to identify who tried to slip something in his drink at ball) though Anselm hears that those in the know doubt this will keep him free of Rosamunde's hooks.

Hans is interested in the deceased ratcatcher Werner. He learned from watch records (which he gained access to courtesy of the heroes impressing watch commander Captain Andrea Pfeffer with their continued efforts in town) that his mother and her travelling companion were seen associating with Werner before they vanished from town and before he disappeared.

Hans asks Anselm about Werner, Werner having been Anselm's mentor as a Ratcathcer (which is to say he bought the boy out of the almshouse to use as labour and Anselm picked up the trade as he worked for the unpleasant Werner). Anselm notes Werner had a private cubby in part of the sewers (deserted now) and a public boarding house room and haunts in that area. Hans goes off to make inquiries in the area - though it being a seedy, poor neighbourhood of shiftless sorts they are not immediatley forthcoming when questioned by the Light College Wizard. Spreading some silver around and making Charm (Gossip), Hans manages only to learn from a friendly word of caution it's not wise to be seen asking around after Werner, he was associated with the two suthoes.

When Hans relates this to Anselm, Anselm allows as he could have told Hans all that, the two suthoes are Vito and Fabio. He thought Hans wanted to know Werner's friends, those are business associates. Hans is exasperated having spent his time and silver (and Interlude Action) to learn things Anselm already knew (+1 Party tension). The description of the two (Vito scarred, ugly as an ork, Fabio tall and handsome with long hair he fusses over) sparks Findulas' memory - those are the two men he saw Ludwig (man from ball, apparently a von Saponatheim agent at least at that point) meet and get a cart from - a cart of what appeared to be Bretonnian Brandy that he took to the ritzy Emperor's Rest Hostel.

Hans calls his friends together to try to locate Vito and Fabio (gearing up for a possible confrontation), this becoming everyone's 2nd Interlude action. They approach the Greenthistles, thinking the ubiquitous pie cart operators may be a good source of information. The two are at the Pie Week "best amateur pie contest" (as professional pie makers they are on judging panel). In a spare moment, Matchwicke and Candlewicke are pleased to see the heroes. They are relucatant to talk about the two suthoes though - 3D challenge to overcome as it seems they "know enough to know not to talk too easily about them". All the heroes manage to get out of the two is a warning that the two are part of the "the Count's organization" and that the heroes want to be very careful.

When the heroes lunch with Lord Aschaffenberg (getting their start of month patronage stipend and also being asked to undertake the "mission of mercy"), they ask about this Count. Lord Rickard is a blank but asks Vern Hendrik, hovering as always in the background, "Vern, do we know anything about this Count?", Vern leans forward and whispers in his Lord's ear for a few moments but Lord Rickard then waves towards the heroes and says Vern should just put it all to them.

Vern explains that Count Nunzio is a Tilean, apparently, with extensive trading interests - focusing mostly in Free Towns such as Bogenhafen, Auerswald, and Kemperbad and across the border into Bretonnia. He, achem, is thought to not always pay all the tariffs due on his goods.

Thus, matching what Anselm has said, Vito and Fabio are involved in smuggling goods and sometimes people it seems.

This concludes the Interlude.

Players are reminded (mostly because we had a player leave since the start up):

Three of the heroes, not Hans, first met when Krieger and Findulas worked as guards on a trade caravan coming from Bretonnia to Ubersreik, under the auspices of Guy the Merchant, a Reiklander whose family is of Bretonnian origin. They connected with Matthias the Watchman (deceased) and Anselm as those two Ubersreik natives were part of the means by which certain goods were removed from the caravan and distributed without paying duty.

In short, all of the original heroes were - knowingly or not - working for a smuggling operation of exactly the sort "the Count" apparently runs, with Guy being the "most highly placed" of those....

Note - Guy is now an NPC, the player having other demands on his time.