Zelda - She looks really impressive firing her bow..but misses!

OK, Deidrich, Zelda, Alfred, Hanna - It is all your turns again. There are beastmen hanging on the sides of the carriage and chasing after the Roadwarden's horse. You have almost arrived at the walls of the manor and the coachman and Herr Heinrich have called ahead for the guards to open the gate. The guards appear to be moving very slowly in response!

Alright, take your turns.

Diedrich attempts to strike the one that just hit him with his sword.

Melee Strike

Rolled: 3 Characteristic, 1 Fortune, 1 Challenge Result: None

((I'll hit something some day.))

Ok, here's where I'm a bit uncertain how the blessings work. So, I now have 0 favour and want to use a blessing. If I'm understanding the rules correctly, I role for the blessing even though I don't have enough favour. Then next turn I can use the curry favour action to build up favour and attempt to get enough for the blessing. Is this how it works, or do I roll Curry Favour immediately after the blessing to gather favour?

Hanna gives a small silent prayer, "Shallya, please protect my defenders."

I'm using Minor Ward on Alfred.

If I'm reading this correctly, I need to add 1 challenge die since I'm engaged with the enemy and 1 misfortune die since it's listed in the top left corner?

Nothing on the card for 1 boon

You can do it in either order, but the spell doesn't go off until you have enough favor. I recommend curry favor FIRST in case you change your mind on which action you want to do.

So, you don't even roll for the Blessing until after you've obtained enough Favour for it to go off. We'll ignore the roll you just had.

ALL OF YOU: Make a (1d) Discipline check or suffer 1 stress in the heat of the action.

Hanna: a small, angry Ungor has climbed into the window. Make a (1d) Athletics check to boot it back out!

Deidrich: That manure-smeared chop from the Ungor to your side really burns. Make a (1d) Resilience check or take a disease with the "wound" trait.

Zelda the Envoy and Alfred the Roadwarden manages to shout at the guards to get the doors to the manor walls open far enough to for the carriage to get through. How well did they do and how long did it take? Zelda and Alfred BOTH make a Leadership (1d) Check (with 1 bonus white circumstance die).

Finally, the wagon exits the large clearing in the
forest and leaves the beastmen behind.

The Grunewald estate is dominated by a collection of buildings protected
by a twelve foot high, ivy-covered stone wall.
Parts of the wall have collapsed and are reinforced
with crude barricades. A guard in a mail shirt and
pot-helmet and wielding a crossbow patrols the
top of the wall. The wall is surrounded by a wide,
overgrown ditch. A small gatehouse with a crumbling,
turreted tower, built of dark stone, protects
the entrance. Another guard, similarly armed and
armoured, stands alert on the turret of the tower.

The remaining Ungor and Gor hangers-on jump off as the carriage

enters the manor grounds and the gates close behind.

The guards strain to get the gate blocks up and seem dazed

by the whole event.

The coachman falls from his post with a handaxe stuck in his flank.

Herr Vern Hendrick is inside the coach moaning and delirious with fever.

You have arrived and are just outside the stables.

We are NOW in STORY MODE.

What would you like to do?

* Make a first aid check on the Coachman (2d)

* Talk to anyone in the stables - (1d) charm check

* Help the guards on the gatehouse repel any beastmen - (1d) Leadership check.

* Check on Vern Hendrick - (2d) First Aid or Medicine check

* do something else?

The Grunewald manor grounds are walled 10'

EYE FOR AN EYE NPC LIST (FOR PLAYERS)
NAME – LOCATION - OCCUPATION

• Lord Rickard Aschaffenberg -Master Bedroom- Lord of the Manor
• Gregor Piersson -Wanders -Steward == LIGHTLY WOUNDED
• Vern Hendrick -Master Bedroom -Manservant - [CRITICALLY INJURED, UNCONSCIOUS]
• Gertie Hochen -Wanders -Servant -[sick]
• Gunnar Wetzel -Wanders -Servant
• Hanna Dralst -Wanders -Servant
• Josef Vacmark -Wanders -Servant
• Todd Heistlenburger -Wanders -Servant -[sick] -- LIGHTLY WOUNDED

• Dr. Stefan Sieger -Hospice -Physician
• Sister Sonja -Hospice -Zealot ----[ Blind]
• Korden Kurgansson -Hospice Blacksmith ====[Completely insane]
• Bertoldt Granhof -Hospice -Gardener -- LIGHTLY WOUNDED
• Astrid Slazinger -Hospice -Guard -[sick] - [CRITICALLY INJURED, UNCONSCIOUS]
• Helmut Zondervan -Hospice -Guard -[sick] - [CRITICALLY INJURED, UNCONSCIOUS]

• Otto Geizhals -Library -Librarian
• Karla Wagner -Kitchen -Chef

• Albrecht Krug -Stables -Coachman
• Hans Kurtz -Stables -Coachman -[sick] - - [CRITICALLY INJURED, SMASHED KNEE]
• Franz Lange -Stables -Groom -[sick]
• Olver Gand -Kennels -Hunter Cpt.

• Anders Blucher -Walls -Guard captain
• Sven Bleuler -Guardroom -Guard === LIGHTLY WOUNDED
• Ernest Bohne -Watchtower -Guard
• Manfred Klammerer -Guardroom -Guard === LIGHTLY WOUNDED
• Pieter Koch -Guardroom -Guard

Major Locations:

• Manor house Ground Floor: Great Hall, Basement & Wine Cellar, The Sitting Room, Hospice, Library, Kitchen, Study, Gallery,
• Upstairs Manor (1st floor): Staff Dormitories, Aschaffenberg's Master Bedroom
• The Wall and Gatehouse
• Kennels
• Stables & Coach House
• Garden & Garden Shed
• The Shrine to Sigmar
• Pond
• Manor grounds
• The Forge

..

Alfred helps the guards: leadership check comes up. 2 successes with a delay.

Zelda administers first aid to Hendricks whilst calling for help from the stable: First aid check : 2 challenge, 2 conservative, 1 characteristic, 1 trained: Result: 2 successes and 1 bane followed by Charm check: no successes

Discipline Roll

Rolled: 4 Characteristic, 1 Expertise, 1 Challenge Result: 1 Success, 2 Boons

Diedritch manages to calm down at the very least.

Disease Resistence

Rolled: 3 Characteristic, 1 Challenge Result: 1 Success, 1 Boon

He does manage to not get sick either.

Out of sheer curiosity, Diedrich checks out the library to see if he can find anything interesting.

((Given fellowship 2...I feel he'd be bad at conversation...))

Alfred helps the guards: leadership check comes up. 2 successes with a delay.

Zelda administers first aid to Hendricks whilst calling for help from the stable: First aid check : 2 challenge, 2 conservative, 1 characteristic, 1 trained: Result: 2 successes and 1 bane followed by Charm check: no successes

Zelda re-ties a bandage: Hendricks goes unconscious, but his breathing seems better. You think you should probably not move him too vigrously. You could drive the coach to the manor, or try to get him into the Stables for protection if the Ungor continue their assault. Nobody comes from the stables, but you know people are in there.

The coachman (Mr. Thomas) appears to be dead.

Alfred climbs up the ladder to the walls and slaps a guard in the back. DEFEND THE WALLS! MAKE HASTE! Point THIS thing at THOSE creatures." The guard sluggishly responds and can barely pull back the crossbow. Just then an ungor pops his head over the walls. Alfred pushes a pistol right into the thing's snout...

Finally the crossbow launches at a gor, wounding it. It sounds a horn and the beastmen withdraw..for now.

Discipline Roll: Rolled: 4 Characteristic, 1 Expertise, 1 Challenge Result: 1 Success, 2 Boons. Diedritch manages to calm down at the very least.

Disease Resistence: Rolled: 3 Characteristic, 1 Challenge Result: 1 Success, 1 Boon. He does manage to not get sick either.

Out of sheer curiosity, Diedrich checks out the library to see if he can find anything interesting.

((Given fellowship 2...I feel he'd be bad at conversation...))

Right now, you're all at the stables gathering your wits for a moment. Deidrich heads to the manor and leaves his companions behind. [GM is making that internal 'heh heh heh' sound right now]

Albrecht & Hans make no effort to help with the horses or the carriage. Albrecht and Hans appear to be hiding in the hay.

Franz Lange is the young groom and is here at all times tending to the horses. He is neither competent nor hard-working. He doesn't come out until the beastman sounds his horn.

GM NOTE: [im' not making any description of their appearance to save space. They're dirty stable people ]

The sTables & CoaCh house

The timber-built stables and adjoining coach house are in shoddy

condition. Two of the six stalls are occupied by healthy looking

horses (the steeds for Lord Aschaffenberg’s coach), but the unoccupied

stalls require mucking out before any other horses can be

stabled there. The tools and horse tack hanging on the walls are

worn and ragged.

A foul odour permeates the area, and clouds of blowflies buzz

ceaselessly. Occupying the coach house is a stately coach bearing

the von Bruner coat of arms (a wild boar on a blue shield). In

sharp contrast to its surroundings, the coach is well maintained

and clean. A ladder leads up from the stables into a hayloft, and a

window here gives a commanding view of the grounds.

Zelda and Hanna are at the Coach/Stables.

Alfred is on the wall helping give the remaining beastmen the "what for!"

Deidrich steps past the body of the coachman and leaves for the house...

Deidrich: As you are walking up to the manor, you notice that there are people about the grounds (servants and whatnot) who are still staring at the front gate with anxious looks. As you pass by the house, you can see into a window. Make an Observation (1d) check. If successful, make a (3d) Resilience check.

Alfred: It seems that the wall guardsmen (Earnest and Mannfried) are back in action, although they seem just downright exhausted from defending and manfried has bandaged wounds from a prior conflict. You feel confident that they can continue without you.

Zelda and Hanna: How would you like to move Hendrick to the house?

Anything else you'd like to do before heading to the manor house?

jh

Observation

Rolled: 5 Characteristic, 1 Challenge Result: 3 Successes, 1 Bane

Resilience

Rolled: 3 Characteristic, 3 Challenge Result: 3 Challenges, 1 Boon

((Well, that didn't fail as hard as I THOUGHT, I would fail...though I have a feeling I know exactly what that resilience check is for.))

Discipline Roll

Observation Rolled: 5 Characteristic, 1 Challenge Result: 3 Successes, 1 Bane

Resilience Rolled: 3 Characteristic, 3 Challenge Result: 3 Challenges, 1 Boon -

((Well, that didn't fail as hard as I THOUGHT, I would fail...though I have a feeling I know exactly what that resilience check is for.))

Deidrich: You are admiring the quality of the house and glancing in the windows on the way into the house. Several of them have people looking outside toward the gatehouse commotion and your arrival.. You do a double take in one of the windows..a strange painting..you move to the next window..the exact same painting. You're still a little dizzy from that episode you had back at the inn and get a little light-headed. You rest your head against the window pane just for a second's rest. You spit on the ground as a bit of nausea overtakes you. You look up back into the window.suddenly..a very pained and contorted face appears in the window, gets covered with blood and the mouth opens impossibly fa...WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?!?

Make a Discipline (3d) check for Terror. If you fail, take 3 Corruption and 1 temporary insanity with the Chaos trait. If you go over your corruption threshold...look up the rules on that one.

Then, as suddenly, as it appeared it is gone. You realize that a maid has come in and waived to you in the window. She has a pleasant smile...

[GMs note: I'm going overboard with this effect..normally you would be a little lighter on your own players, but I always like for a player to see the painting, go fricking nuts, and then have the painting either move itself (it is living afterall) or have a staff member 'pull it down for cleaning and misplace it'. It creates an obsession..and then I let them find a room of paintings...]

Discipline Roll Rolled: 4 Characteristic, 1 Challenge Result: 4 Successes

(Do I still need to make that Athletics roll?)

"I think it would be best if we move Hendrick inside." Looks Albrecht and Hans, "You two, help us bring Hendrick to the doctor."

(Should I make a charm roll to persuade them?)

Yes, please make that Athletics roll. If you fail, you'll be suffering from a bite wound to your leg and possibly more if a chaos star is rolled. Hendricks may be worse for the wear if you fail as well. It is clear that the Beastmen carry some sort of contagion. The work of the Plague God to be sure!

Yes, make roll to persuade them. The stable people are incredibly lazy or scared. The difficulty is (1d + 1 black) against your Leadership or Charm. One of them, Albrecht, eyes you oddly and then winks at you and looks you up and down. He stares at you constantly while you direct him.

At the same time, please make a (2d) intuition check about the conditions in the stable.

ALL: Remember you can use fortune points before you roll. [GMs note: in my game, I allow people to use them before or after because I enjoy watching them burn them individually in frustration > ]

..

Athletics

Excellent!

HANNA

Athletics check: Ok, you booted the ungor in the face, causing him to slop mucus across the doorframe and your boot.

You recruit the stablehands to help you out. Hans has a smashed knee and you don't realize it until you encourage him to stand up out of the hay. You hear a terrible crepitus and snapping sound and he falls to the ground in agony. "Why? Why priestess must your kind torment us?" You bind his knee with some bird-dropping paste and apologize. You are confused by his comment but he refuses to talk further and just gives you hurt looks.

Franz and Albrecht grab a very small cart and you load Hendricks on there.

Something doesn't seem right about the stables. Both Hans and Franz were extremely tired as if they had not slept..but considering the stories that Hendricks talked about with everyone helping to defend the manor, you're not surprised. You're thinking that perhaps they have an unclean water supply..perhaps again, from the disease carried by the Beastmen. It could be something else as well.

Albrecht gives you the creeps. He keeps bumping into you with his hip as he walks and occasionally throws you off balance. He keeps staring at you and your womanly parts and you can hear his breath. It isn't tired like Franz's. Its like he's panting or hissing, you cannot tell You keep your distance from him and tend to Hendricks' head as the cart is rolled towards the manor.

[GMs behind the scenes note: the chaos star is giving her false suggestions..diseased water supply.

Creepy people always make things unsettling both in and out of character.]

Alfred and Zelda hook the lead for the horses to the stables and take one last look at the gatehouse. The dogs bark at Zelda as she passes by. You can see long bones in the kennels and the smell of fresh meat comes from the Kennel house. Gand, steps out in a Butcher's apron with a cleaver. He throws a large, bloody chunk of flesh to the dogs. They wimper and refuse to eat it. He goes over and yells at them, causing their tails to go down and they drag parts of the flesh to a corner where they munch quietly. One dog continues to bark at the Envoy.

Gand gives you both a nod and goes back into the Kennel house. You hear flies buzzing and smell the smoke of burned flesh from a pile nearby. The skulls and horns of beastmen are evident.

Mr. Thomas still lies dead next to the coach.

You can see Hanna has help with moving Hendricks to the house.

Would you like to speak with Gand or head to the manor or check out something else?

ALL:

The manor house stands two storeys high, its broad, crenellated
roof giving it a practical, military appearance. It has seen better
days: ivy creeps up the stone walls, its windows are filthy with
grime, and the brick chimneystack on the roof is crumbling.
The building is surrounded by a large garden, which is comprised
of overgrown flowerbeds and a lawn of long grass, a pond, and a
small orchard. Several wooden buildings are enclosed by the outer
wall: a dilapidated coach-house and stables, a block of kennels
that echo with loud barking, and a forge hidden away in a corner
of the perimeter wall. A ramshackle shrine stands at one end of
the garden.

The GreaT hall
This huge room is dominated by a great oak dining table surrounded
by large wooden chairs. Ostentatious silver candlesticks
are arranged on the table. Along the wall, logs crackle gently in an
impressively large fireplace. A grand flight of stairs sweeps up to
the first floor of the manor. Around the walls, the stuffed heads of
bears, wolves, deer, and boar are mounted on oak panels. Some of
the trophies are of more exotic prey: a leering, ugly, green head with
a crooked nose is decorated with pheasant feathers and labelled
Chieftain of the Reikwald Goblins. Further down the wall is what
first looks like a large goat’s head, but which on closer inspection
bears cruel, sharp fangs.

You are quickly introduced to Lord Aschaffenberg and he orders

a few servants to fetch luggage from the carriage. His Lordship

is a bear of a man, sporting a bushy, dark brown beard and wearing

gold chains over his ermine robes with fashionably slashed sleeves.

He directs that Hendricks be taken to the Hospice.

Hanna, do you want to go with Franz and Albrecht to take Hendricks to the

Hospice? If yes, make a (1d) observation check and a (2d) Medicine check.

“Ah! Finally my luggage arrives! A spot of excitement
there outside the gates, what what! Anyone
hurt? No? Then will you stout fellows help shift the
blessed things?! Good, good! A house isn’t a home
without one’s belongings! This way, gentlemen.
Grab yourselves a box and follow me to the great hall!”

The GreaT hall

This huge room is dominated by a great oak dining table surrounded
by large wooden chairs. Ostentatious silver candlesticks
are arranged on the table. Along the wall, logs crackle gently in an
impressively large fireplace. A grand flight of stairs sweeps up to
the first floor of the manor. Around the walls, the stuffed heads of
bears, wolves, deer, and boar are mounted on oak panels. Some of
the trophies are of more exotic prey: a leering, ugly, green head with
a crooked nose is decorated with pheasant feathers and labelled
Chieftain of the Reikwald Goblins. Further down the wall is what
first looks like a large goat’s head, but which on closer inspection
bears cruel, sharp fangs.

a seCreT mission
Once all twelve chests are within his chamber, Aschaffenberg
closes the door and speaks to the PCs in a hushed and serious tone,
while Hendrick stands guard on the landing outside.
“I assume Hendrick has filled you in with all the
details. By Ranald’s crossed fingers, I know there’s
something rather strange going on, but I’m not sure
if it’s serious enough to bother the proper authorities
with yet. Don’t want to go upsetting the applecart
over nothing, what?”

Lord Aschaffenberg pauses to see if anyone laughs at his joke. If no
one has anything to add, he will continue.

“Right! Well, what I would like you to do is pretend
I have given you the rest of the day off. If you mention
that you’ve been lugging those crates all the way
from my estate in Ubersreik, you should win folk’s
sympathy. You will also use the excuse that you are

here to check on my business affairs or the archetecture (make up your own story).

Of course, what you’ll really be doing is
trying to uncover some clue as to what’s so damned
odd about this place.

The lodge is primarily run by Vern Hendrick or Gregor Peirsson.

Meet me in the great hall for
dinner this evening and we’ll discuss matters further
after the meal. Which reminds me; what would you
like for dinner? Our chef is preparing goose or venison
tonight. I recommend the venison! ”

[GMs note: as you want your players to start taking eating

for granted, for plot sake, you should have them eat at the

inn, eat on the road, and also ask them what they want to

eat when they arrive. I'm not going to do that here though.]

[Play note: FOR THOSE OF YOU CATCHING UP AT ANY TIME:

Always make your previous checks and continue the story in separate paragraphs

jh

..

Wanting to insure that Hendricks gets the proper care he needs, Hanna follows along to the hospice, leaving the others to unload the crates.

Observation

@ Hanna:

Observation: You travel up to the Hospice. While going through the hallways, you make a mental note of those so far that you've seen are sick (you estimate probably in relation to the Beastmen or water supply). I have updated those who are sick (as of current) in post #56.

Your medicine check reveals who is wounded (as of post 56 being updated).

Also, here's what's going on in the hospice:

The hospice
This room used to be the guest chamber, but since the beastmen
attacks it has been used to house members of the staff who require
treatment. The larger furniture has been shifted up against the
walls to make room for the makeshift cots set up on the floor. A
large window on the south wall lightens the room and overlooks
the garden and the forest beyond the defences.

occupants of the hospice
The wounded are being treated here by Doctor Stefan Sieger, assisted
by Sister Sonja. Many of those who were wounded have been
treated and have returned to their posts. The dwarf smith Korden
Kurgansson, the guards Helmut Zondervan and Astrid Slazinger,
and the gardener Bertoldt Granhof are still
here. Astrid and Helmut are heavily injured and bandaged, and also
unconscoius.

=== NOW VERN HENDRICK IS ALSO IN THE HOSPICE

======================

Sister Sonja is the blind priestess of Shallya: To talk "piety" make a (1d) Piety check.

Dr. Stefan Sieger is a Physician who is making drawings of the human body, especially the deep structures of the chest and

abdominal cavity. He seems knowledgeable and is very attentive to his patients. So attentive that he asks you to leave.

Make a ( 2d) Intuition chec k to sense if anything is amiss in this room.

Let me know if you want to "meddle" here or quiz any of it's inhabitants 1d charm check.

=================

@ Deidrich: You make your way to the Library....

@ Alfred and Zelda: Let me know what you're up to and Stickerman let me know if you want to swap out a character to test out magic rules or whatnot. Deidrich is a Grey wizard already, but it's no worries if you want to test that one out for your kids.

I'm off to bed (on Mountain Standard Time btw).

Diedrich's face showed visible panic. But, he managed to compose himself.

Discipline(3d)

Rolled: 4 Characteristic, 1 Expertise, 3 Challenge Result: 2 Successes, 2 Banes

Diedrich was only somewhat hungry, so he says, "Thank you...but I'd rather eat light. The goose will be enough..."

This place was weird. What he saw earlier was fairly terrifying, and he...just didn't have the stomach for much

Diedrich: After the lecture from Lord Aschaffenberg, you start with the most logical place for someone of your intelligence - The Library.

OCCupanTs
Otto Geizhals is the librarian. He occupies a comfortable armchair
near a large bay window overlooking the garden, where he leafs
through a large bestiary, idly taking notes and drawing bizarre
crossbreeds of the creatures he finds within the book. Anyone passing
an Average (2d) Observation check sees what he’s doodling
before he slams the book shut and stuffs the notes into his shirt.

The library is a small, shadowy room lined with loaded bookshelves.
Sections of the library are devoted to the subjects of
hunting, history of the Empire, poetry, drama, geography, and
philosophy.

Geizhals is a lazy fellow and lets people browse the library without
interruption.

A search of the place and a good look at the books requires
passing either a Hard (3d) Observation check or an Average (2d)
Education check.

Geizhals answers questions about the manor in a vague, disinterested

manner. Other than that, he is completely absorbed in his
books.

Make a (2d + 2 black dice) Intuition check to see if you sense anything odd about the room.

=====================

Go ahead and make your rolls.

Let me know any questions you want to ask Geizhals the librarian

.

=================

Diedrich simply nodded at the librarian as he entered. He had little desire to speak until he had something useful or productive to say. First though, he had to search through the books.

Education

Rolled: 5 Characteristic, 2 Challenge Result: 3 Challenges, 4 Boons

Diedrich however, found nothing of use. He took another look around the library.

Intuition

Rolled: 5 Characteristic, 2 Challenge, 2 Misfortune Result: 3 Successes, 1 Bane

After a moment of awkwardness, he approaches the librarian, "Got anything of..particular interest in here? A more rare book to pass the time or the like?"

Zelda will visit the library being quite bookish herself. After introducing herself she has a browse along the shelves looking for anything of particular interest or oddness. Education check: Result 1 success and 1 boon : If she does find anything she says:

Charm check ( using her cloak and +2 white die) 2 challenge? 2 conservative, 1 characteristic, 2 fortune,1 trained: Result 2 success : 'I have not seen this particular edition for a long time, a real collectors edition. Tell me, does it belong to your Lord? Is this perhaps not a rather odd book to own to say the least?'

I shall retire Alfred at this point; he can end up in the infirmary for a well earned rest. So yes in his place I would like to run an Apprentice Wizard. I might make him a different order though. Shall post his stats up tomorrow; getting late now and I'm back at work tomorrow after the Christmas break.