OOC: XP awards. 100xp for the session and another 50xp each for completing their short term ambitions, so 150xp each, holf of that for the henchmen. They all need new short-term ambitions:
Cintoria - Check with The Temple of Morr in Bogenhafen for communications
Hatto - Investigate the inheritance in Bogenhafen
Kanna - Add a rotating mechanism to the Blunderbuss
Thargrad - Read Hortensia Puddlefoot’s book "Common Herbal and General Concordance of Regional Herb Names" and learn Lore (Herbs)
The party gathered over dinner in a private room at 'The Raven and Portal'. As usual the food was excellent, Ongrud - Rebeka's Dwarf cook - always presented good food. Enjoying it and the accompanying ale immensely, they left talking until after they had finished.
"We discharged my debt," said Thargrad and was congratulated by the two humans.
"I reported to Abbess Hildrun," said Cintoria, and gave ten shillings to each of the others - their share of the reward paid by the Revered Sister. "Next check-in with the Order will be in Bogenhafen."
"I had a long conversation with my Master - well former Master," said Hatto, "but I can't share it yet - when we are more ... alone." The others were obviously surprised, but accepted it without comment.
"So then," began Cintoria, "what shall we be about tomorrow?"
"We talked about this on the way back," said Thargrad. "I want to go to the bookshops in the Schlafstadt district of Schulergegend to get a copy of Puddlefoot's book on herbs."
"There are some artificers in that district that I would like to visit," added Kanna, "I want some parts for a project."
"I have nothing to do," added Hatto, "So I'll join you?" and both Dwarfs nodded to Hatto's question.
"As will I," said Cintoria. Their plan made, they returned to the bar and spent a quiet evening playing cards for pfennigs, drinking ale and enjoying each other's company.
* * * *
The next morning they assembled for breakfast once more. After the meal was done, they climbed aboard the coach that Rebeka's man had summoned for them, this time Haali jumped in, joining Bax who was already in Thargrad's lap. The huge brute of a dog lay in the space between the benches cramping everyone's legs, which he blissfully ignored.
The coached reached Schulergegend and they all got out when it trundled into the Schlafstadt district. They went in and out of the many bookshops in the district making selected purchases as they went. Thargrad was able to find a copy of Puddlefoot's Herb book and Kanna found the parts she was looking for, although they were expensive.
OOC: The group does not know that they are being followed by the pair of men that approached them in the Konigplatz - they all failed Perception tests to detect them
Their items bought, the party left the Schulergegend and headed to the Street of a Hundred Taverns for lunch. As they were walking down the Street good-naturedly bickering about where to eat there was a cry from behind them.
"Cintoria! Is that you?!" the voice bellowed.
Turning around, Cintoria scanned the people nearby and spotted a friendly face; "Josef! Josef Quartjin!" she called out. Josef was a man she'd known as long as she could remember. As a child she had played on Josef's barge with his dogs when her father visited him.
"My friend," the rotund man said as he waddled toward them rapidly, "What is it? Two Years? It is good to see you!" he said embracing Cintoria.
"Closer to three," she said hugging him back.
"Come with me! We must have a drink to celebrate," he insisted.
"Good idea," Cintoria replied. "where shall we go?"
"The only place I ever go when I'm in this anthill! 'The Boatman Inn' down at the bottom of the Street," and he pointed down the Street towards the docks at its southern end.
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Cintoria said. "Let me introduce you to my friends ..." and she did so. As she finished they had almost reached a skinny street preacher in rags clutching tight to a scroll, screaming prophecy at bypassers who uniformly ignored him.
As the group reached the preacher, he flung out his left hand pointing at Hatto, his eyes rolled up into his head and he shouted out:
"I see Darkness Gathering as the Last House of Joy Falls - beware, for Shadows Over Bogenhafen stir! Then Beloved Morr, resplendent in Vestments of Green, stands astride Sigmar’s Great River. Yea, I see Death on the Reik and I despair! For then the Stained Hand guides the Once Mighty Lord, and this Power Behind the Throne curses us all. Lo, the Horned Rat then claims the Broken King atop his Throne of Lies, and the White Walls Fall, leaving our Empire in Ruins! Tremble in fear, ye mighty, for the End Times have come."
The preacher collapsed, shook uncontrollably and passes out. The party had been shocked by the diatribe, but with the deliverer's collapse, they returned to their senses and Thargrad rushed to the fallen man's side. Hatto trailed the others, more disturbed than he cared to admit - even to himself.
Thargrad knelt beside the fallen man and rolled him onto his back. Not expecting to be touched, the man's eyes flew open.
"'Ere, wot you playin' at?" he asked indignantly.
"I thought you needed help," replied Thargrad gruffly, standing up, obviously aggrieved by the man's response.
"Oh, sorry guv! I thort you was gonna rob me," he said standing himself.
"So what was all that then?" asked Cintoria, trying to head off a squabble.
"Well, that's me schtick, innit?" he replied, "It's wot I spout for the tourists - 'Once Mighty Lords? White Walls Falling?' No idea, mate. I just say whatever pops into me head. If you liked it, fancy buying me a pint?"
"Why here?" asked Hatto intently. "Surely you'd do better near the Grand Cathedral?"
"Well ... I dunno really. I woke up an' 'ad a feelin' I shuld come 'ere, so I swapped with blind Sim for the day," he said. "Look, I gotta go now," and he started to edge away.
"Yes, you can go," replied Hatto, looking very thoughtful and the man disappeared into the crowd on the Street.
No-one had anything else to say, so they re-joined Josef, who hadn't moved since the trirade began, and they continued on toward 'The Boatman Inn', Hatto deeply puzzled by recent events ... Was it coincedence? Was it related to his dead doppelganger? Did it mean anything at all? He did not, and could not, know, but still his mind worried at it ...
* * * *
The food and ale were both excellent - it was easy to see why Josef came to this inn every time he could - and now it was finished they sat companionably around their table enjoying their ales. Haali, having finished his bowl, was lapping greedily at Bax's until Cintoria kicked him in admonishment. Haali turned to look disapprovingly at Cintoria and Bax darted to her bowl and lapped the ale up.
"Another bowl of ale please," called Cintoria to the serving man, and she could swear that Haali smiled at her.
"So what are your plans Cintoria?" asked Josef. "Sorry!" he said before Cintoria could reply, "That was rude! Let metell you why I ask - I'm heading for the Schaffenfest at Bogenhafen and I need an extra hand. I thought you might help me out - it seemed a Bogenauer-sent opportunity when I saw you. If you can, I'll carry your friends for free and if we leave in the morning, we'll get there in plenty of time. What do you say?"
Cintoria paused in thought, but could see no downside to the offer. "Sounds good to me, we were intending to go to the Schaffenfest anyway. What's the pay?"
"As it's you, a pair of shillings a day," replied Josef, which was double the normal pay.
"Well, if you're sure?" asked Cintoria and when Josef nodded she said "Then we have an arrangement," and reached out to shake Josef's hand.
"Right then, shall we go down to the dock so you can see where The Berebeli is berthed?" Josef asked.
"Let's go," said Cintoria starting to rise, but then Haali's ale arrived and they waited until he'd lapped the bowl empty - it really didn't take him long at all.
* * * *
They had been to the docks to see where The Berebeli was and then got a coach to take them back to their inn.
"I'm going to the Temple to pray," said Cintoria after getting out of the coach outside 'The Raven and Portal'. "I'll be back for dinner."
"I'm going down to the riverside," began Kanna, "I want to fire that Blunderbuss I picked up to see what it's like."
"I need to think," Hatto aneounced, "So I'll be in our room for a bit ..." he trailed off.
"Well, in that case, I guess I'll start my book in the bar," Thargrad concluded the exchange.
* * * *
The next morning, after an early breakfast, the party bade farewell to Rebeka, boarded the coach she had arranged for them, and headed for the wharf where The Berebeli was berthed.
It was early enough that the streets were relatively quiet, so it did not take them long to reach the wharf. Once more they had all been cramped by Haali being in the coach, so were glad to get out.
OOC: the party is once more being observed, so more perception tests; this time Hatto succeeds.
As they milled about retrieving their packs from the coach's roof, Hatto saw two men standing in the porched doorway of a warehouse across the wharf. As he surreptiously looked again, he recognised them as the men who'd approached him in the Konigplatz. Despite his attempt at discretion, they obviously saw him looking, as one began scratching his left ear with the little finger of his right hand as he had in the Konigplatz.
Ignoring the men, the party began filing up the gangplank onto The Berebeli. Obviously taking this badly, they left the shelter of the porch and began hurrying toward the barge.
As the first man reached the end of the gangplank, he suddenly span around, a crossbow bolt sprouting from his back. The other gaped in shock, then turned to see where the bolt had come from, before a second bolt flew into his neck and he too fell to the ground. The party and Josef, who'd been waiting for them, were watching the men from the deck and saw them both fall. Quickly scanning the area, Hatto saw a flash of mail, a big hat and a crossbow disappear round the corner of a warehouse on the far side of the dock. Thinking fast, Hatto called out, "Grab the bodies, we need information!"As one, the party raced back down the gangplank and two to each body grabbed them and brought them aboard The Berebeli. Josef grabbed the gangplank and pulled it aboard. Looking around, it seemed that somehow, nobody had seen what had happened.
As the others stuffed the bodies close to the gunwhales so they could not be seen, Cintoria snd Josef cast off. The barge began to drift away from the wharf as Josef's crew raised the sail.End of this post.