OK, so:

The Dagger of Khepri: Klaus
The Life-Work of Dieter Helsnicht: Klaus
The journal of Father Siegfried (different pages): Klaus
The Covenant between Frederik von Launkdorf and Lord Zedirchai: Nicolja
The incantation: Word of the Last Breath: Klaus

Dearest daughter,

I know hardly where to begin, but let me state the basic truth first: we, as your parents, love you and cherish you. Yet what a letter you wrote us! Your mother has been outside herself of fear and anguish for the past days, and I myself took the step of asking the eldest of our house for advice. Even she could not calm your mother, so she promised to take it up at the grand council of families this midsummer.

You know we supported you when you choose to follow Kurnuous, although we still think it is a faith more suitable for our cousins living in the woods of the Empire and Bretonnia. We also supported you when you wanted to trek the roads, again like some of our cousins children. But to dive recklessly in a danger even greater than joining an archery regiment to fight Archaon? Your soul is at risk, blood of mine, and I can hardly sleep for the worry.

Please return to us as soon as you receive this letter, although the humans taking this mail have no idea when it will reach you - even though the price was handsome.

Love forever,
  Your caring parents

Cryptic ghost poem:

Beware you who walks the road,
Sith the death waits all alone.
Darkness accompanies the curse,
Glowing eyes bears light's reverse.
Your home will be the silent earth.

The death sits on it in vain,
It's driven by a new life's wait.
Embraced by the mass of souls,
Drives, binds and they just calls,
Massacres just aids, wheels rolls

Received by the group on the road to Folburg by a group of ghosts

Okay, time for me to update Klaus' items: 'The Life-Work of Dieter Helsnicht', has been burned. He has also aquired another page for the journal of brother Siegfried, as well as two copies of said page.

Thorolf's opinions about the other characters:

Klaus: A skilled warrior and a chosen of gods. Honest and fair. This man might be a good example to follow.

Nicolja: Shaman of the north. Quick tempered and powerful. Self-confident and hard, just as one should be to survive. Seems to be ready to forget racial feuds and especially because of that she is respected.

Ivan: Bitter and unforgiving man from the north. Experienced warrior, trustworthy ally. Hates Thorolf because of his origins. Nothing much that could be done to it. Better to stay away from him if possible.

Manfred: Thorolf does not know much about him. Holds the right end of a weapon and manages to use it. Clearly a person determined to survive.

Wanda: Powerful witch and shaman. Has both the wisdom and power. To be respected and listened carefully.

Cosmina: First person to treat Thorolf as a man, not as a barbarian. They are a couple for know, as long as the arrangement benefits both of them.

Tyre: Wise healer and chosen of the gods. Honor and respect him, because he has what you are still seeking.

Linolil: One of the ancient ones. Inspires awe and admiration, holder of the ancient wisdom. More than a mere human, a proof that there is still something good left in this world.

Maximillian: Not much is known about him yet. Future will tell if he has what it takes.


Thorolf's battle prayer:

"Katsokaa esi-isät lastanne!
Todistakaa tekojani ja rohkeuttani ja kunniaani
jotta voisitte minut oikeudenmukaisesti tuomita
kun saavun salienne portille.
Minä olen Thorolf Ragnarssen!

"Ancestor's, look at your children!
Witness my deeds and my courage and my honor
so that you could judge me justly
when I arrive to the gate of your Halls.
I am Thorolf Ragnarssen!"

Thorolf's prayer when drinking:

"Ensimmäiset pisarat niille, jotka tulivat ensimmäisinä.
Viimeiset pisarat niille jotka ovat tulleet viimeisinä.
Esi-isät, teidän ansoistanne olen tässä."

"First drops to those who came first.
Last drops to those who came last.
Ancestors, thanks to you I am here."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:14, Mon 10 Aug 2009.

At the GMs request, I will include the specifics of the letters Klaus wrote in this thread. This one isto the first temple of Morr that Bertolf(or whatever messenger is sent) reached, besides the one in Folburg obviously. Because the afterlife is bad without the help of Morr:

Watcher of Ravens, I apologize for interfering with any business or previous arrangements you may have, but I must share information of the greatest importance. The town of Magurele, a couple of days west of Folburg, has been wiped out due to a ghoul infestation. We are not aware what caused the outbreak at the moment, but regardless of the cause, the entire population -which I estimate to have been at least a hundred- is either dead or infected to the point that they can no longer be called humans.

Strigany coachmen have been leading travellers into the village to serve as food at the behest of a vampire, which we fortunately have managed to slay, I must add that we confirmed that it truly was a vampire thoroughly. We slew it just outside the temple of Sigmar and intend to burn the remains, I can only pray that it is enough to truly end the creature, my knowledge in how to send the undead into the next world is sadly inadequate.

We do not know if anyone, or anything, was behind these events and due to our many wounded we have neither the time nor the ability to investigate thoroughly, for this I apologize. I urge you to inform the Knights of the Raven, or indeed anyone who can help, of these events, as we have no way of knowing whether there are more Strigany or vampires about, or what the surviving ghouls are going to do.

The primary reason I sent this letter is that there are corpses without number in Magurele, and no one to help them pass into Morr's Garden, I intend to inform Father Schnell from your temple in Folburg of these events, but to venture here alone would be suicidal, so I fear there is little he can do by himself. The ghouls have fled the town, but there's no telling if they'll come back or head somewhere else entirely, regardless I felt that it was my duty as a Novitiate, nay as a loyal citizen of the Empire, to inform you of this so you may act as you deem appropriate and save many souls from imprisonment in this world, or worse being devoured by the dark gods.

May the gods have mercy on us all in these dark times
Novitiate Klaus Schultz of the Order of the Silver Hammer, 14. Wellentag, Kaldezeit, 2522, Magurele.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:00, Fri 31 July 2009.

The second one is to be delivered to the highest ranking priest of the next Sigmarite temple that the messenger reaches:

Your Grace, myself and a number of select indivuduals are investigating the disappearance of brother Siegfried Nachermann in Sylvania. He was investating rumours that were troubling, but not entirely trustworthy. Since he stopped sending letters back, we were sent to find him. We have followed in the steps of his investigation, following a trails of notes he's left behind, and seen things that are worrying indeed.

We found the good brother in Folburg, but he is comatose as though enchanted, though we are at the moment unaware of what caused it. We have as of yet found no way to cure him and the townsfolk refused to let us take him back, for fear of being 'cursed' if he leaves without being cured first, I have no way of knowing if this is their true reason for keeping him there or not. He is currently in the care of the Troch family.

The first place that he seemed to have really tried to investigate thoroughly was the old cemetery near Folburg(a small village south-east of Leicheberg), that was inhabited by a wraith that displayed the ability to use necromancy, as it raised the dead in it's attempt to slay us.

We managed to find an old tower of the Launkdorf family east of the cemetary, and by luring a banshee from there we somehow managed to break the spell that kept them in this world. The identities of the wraith and the banshee are believed to have been Kurt von Steinzmert and Bella von Launkdorf.

The true cause for concern is what we found in the tower however, there were the corpses of Witch Hunters from the time of Gottlieb the Stern and also a chunk of warpstone, there was no doubt that the tower had been used for witchcraft and there was also a document sealing a pact between the Launkdorf family and a person named 'Zedirchai'.

Upon our return to Folburg we observed that there had been a murder, not in itself odd but after the captured murderer died during the night and after closer examination appeared to have been sustained by dark magic somehow, since his stomach had been removed surgically(supposedly this happened before the murder, as it would be very hard to remove a man's stomach while he's a well-guarded prisoner).

There was also a corpse that was drained of blood and bore bitemarks on his neck, when we found the deceased in his home, a cloud of bats surged out. We believe the creature, 'Zedirchai' to have been responsible, from what we've managed to find out, he's the vampire that aided the Launkdorf family since the year of 2002.

We moved on to the next site brother Siegfried had been investigating: Magurele, another town a couple of days west of Folburg. The town had been wiped out by a ghoul infestation. We are not aware what caused the outbreak at the moment, but regardless of the cause, the entire population -which I estimate to have been at least a hundred- is either dead or infected to the point that they can no longer be called humans.

Strigany coachmen have been leading travellers into the village to serve as food at the behest of a vampire, which we fortunately have managed to slay, I must add that we confirmed that it truly was a vampire thoroughly. We slew it just outside the temple of Sigmar and intend to burn the remains, I can only pray that it is enough to truly end the creature, my knowledge in how to send the undead into the next world is sadly inadequate.

We do not know if anyone, or anything, was behind these events and due to our many wounded we have neither the time nor the ability to investigate thoroughly, for this I apologize. However, we did discover another part of brother Siegfried's journal, which I will include a copy of with this note. As you can see whatever he learned here was deeply worrying, especially since he was in such a haste to send for the templars of Sigmar. Sadly, his notes doesn't include the location of the necromancer's tower but he seemed sure that it was in the vicinity of Folburg.

When you receive this letter, myself and my companions will since long have gone to search for the exact location of the tower by ourselves but hopefully it will not be too late. I humbly suggest that you inform the Ancient Initiatic and Holy Order of the Templars of Sigmar of the situation as soon as possible, to stop the necromancer and to deal with whatever heretics have managed to worm their way into the college from wence this ritual came, though we still don't know which college it was hopefully it will be possible to find out where this 'Mortis Cadaverious' came from before he became a Black magister.

Your Humble Servant
Novitiate Klaus Schultz of the Order of the Silver Hammer. 14. Wellentag, Kaldezeit, 2522, Magurele.

Copies of all the notes from Siegfried's journal are included in this letter.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:06, Fri 31 July 2009.

And here's the final letter, addressed to Father Ludwig. All of the letters are written entirely in classical.

Your Grace, I was sent by His Excellency, Father Albrecht of the temple of Sigmar, Hierarch Deputy of Wolfenburg to investigate Brother Siegfried Nachermann's disappearance. As I'm aware that you have also sent a group for the same purpose, I thought it fitting to give you a report of our progress so far.

We have followed brother Siegfried's path through Sylvania, and at last traced him to Folburg, where we joined forces with the group you employed. We found brother Siegfried in Folburg, but he is entirely comatose, any and all attempts to communicate with him have been fruitless. We have no idea what has happened to him and haven't yet found anything that suggest how it would be possible to cure him. The villagers have refused to let us take him back until he is cured, claiming that it would curse the village.

Fortunately, he left a trail of notes from his journal over the course of his investigation so we have been trying to retrace his steps to find out what happened to him and what he found out before he was put into this state. He also had a strange dagger in his possession, judging from his journal he seemed to think it was important, though there is no mention of how he obtained it.

The first place that he seemed to have really tried to investigate thoroughly was the old cemetery near Folburg(a small village south-east of Leicheberg), that was inhabited by a wraith that displayed the ability to use necromancy, as it raised the dead in it's attempt to slay us.

We managed to find an old tower of the Launkdorf family east of the cemetary, and by luring a banshee from there we somehow managed to break the spell that kept them in this world. The identities of the wraith and the banshee are believed to have been Kurt von Steinzmert and Bella von Launkdorf.

The true cause for concern is what we found in the tower however, there were the corpses of Witch Hunters from the time of Gottlieb the Stern and also a chunk of warpstone, there was no doubt that the tower had been used for witchcraft and there was also a document sealing a pact between the Launkdorf family and a person named 'Zedirchai'.

Upon our return to Folburg we observed that there had been a murder, not in itself odd but after the captured murderer died during the night and after closer examination appeared to have been sustained by dark magic somehow, since his stomach had been removed surgically(supposedly this happened before the murder, as it would be very hard to remove a man's stomach while he's a well-guarded prisoner).

There was also a corpse that was drained of blood and bore bitemarks on his neck, when we found the deceased in his home, a cloud of bats surged out. We believe the creature, 'Zedirchai' to have been responsible, from what we've managed to find out, he's the vampire that aided the Launkdorf family since the year of 2002.

We moved on to the next site brother Siegfried had been investigating: Magurele, another town a couple of days west of Folburg. The town had been wiped out by a ghoul infestation. We are not aware what caused the outbreak at the moment, but regardless of the cause, the entire population -which I estimate to have been at least a hundred- is either dead or infected to the point that they can no longer be called humans.

Strigany coachmen have been leading travellers into the village to serve as food at the behest of a vampire, which we fortunately have managed to slay, I must add that we confirmed that it truly was a vampire thoroughly. We slew it just outside the temple of Sigmar and intend to burn the remains, I can only pray that it is enough to truly end the creature, my knowledge in how to send the undead into the next world is sadly inadequate.

We do not know if anyone, or anything, was behind these events and due to our many wounded we have neither the time nor the ability to investigate thoroughly, for this I apologize. However, we did discover another part of brother Siegfried's journal, which I will include a copy of with this note. As you can see whatever he learned here was deeply worrying, especially since he was in such a haste to send for the templars of Sigmar. Sadly, his notes doesn't include the location of the necromancer's tower but he seemed sure that it was in the vicinity of Folburg.

Your Humble Servant
Novitiate Klaus Schultz of the Order of the Silver Hammer. 14. Wellentag, Kaldezeit, 2522, Magurele.

This letter also includes a copy of every page of Siegfried's journal, as well as a description of the effects of the incantation and a recounting of Father Gerhardt's vision.

THE STORY SO FAR

As everyone gathers around her, Linolil takes a deep breath, then slowly starts to play on her drums. Slow ballad-like rhythm flies up from the taut leather, like sounds of horse heels in the distance.

"It's all started weeks ago my friends... " starts Linolil on a very low, slow voice.

"Exactly three weeks ago, in Krugenheim a busy city up to the north... there was sunshine then, yes my friends, then was sunshine yet... Or as they say... Wanda Weltschmerz mage of the Wizard Colleges, Ivan Yelkanov, Kossar, warrior of the North, Manfred Hochstatter a vagabond running from Nuln, Tyre Slag child of the nature, Axel the soldier halfling and Roland le Carcassone a brave knight from the far Brettonia... Also few others I heard of, but they has disappeared along the dust of the road... Father Ludwig, priest of Sigmar asked these brave protagonists to look after such a disturbing case..." the drums slow suddenly. Linolil continues on low voice.

"A very disturbing case... the disappearance of father Siegfried Nachermann. The father left Krugenheim, to investigate eery rumors of dead, massacred villages, cracked gates of toll houses along roads, disappeared merchant caravans, strange sightings on the nightly road. The other members of the church did not care of these gossips, but... Siegfried did... He sent letters back to the temple often, but these suddenly stopped." the drums starts to mime the heels again.

"So the heroes hit the road and river to travel to the south to Sylvania. Some of their nights wasn't undisturbed as they saw strange sights and heared strange sounds from the nightly road also but finally they reached Siegfriedhof, where I met them. We continued our way down to south towards the stinking belly of Sylvania by the marshes filled with insects. Finally we arrived to Königstein where Siegfried sent his last letter from. We searched through the town, from basements to attics. Found strange folks so concerned by garlic, found tales of a bloody Brettonian vampire, but finally Robert the fashionable barber gave us the lead... Siegfried left Königstein towards a small settlement of Folburg..." the drums follows a monotonic rhythm.

"The trip through the Haunted Hills was misty, long, frightening and deadly... At a silent and dark night the winds whispered to our ears and the dead rose from their graves... we could only watch as the horde of ghosts approached us and told us their wisdom..." the sound of the drums suddenly stops as Linolil recalls the words of the ghosts while staring into the nothingness... then she starts to chant them with eery voice.

"Beware you who walk the road,
Sith the death waits all alone.
Darkness accompanies the curse,
Glowing eyes bear light's reverse.
Your home will be the silent earth.

The death sits on it in vain,
It's driven by a new life's wait.
Embraced by the mass of souls,
Drive, bind and they just call,
Massacres just aid, wheels roll"

Slowly Linolil starts to play on the drum once again after a long silence.
"Then we just conitnued our way towards Folburg but at the dark road we found something... the wagons Siegfried travelled with... Only ruins remained, dead bodies all around, men and horses but only traces of Siegfried remained... tracks of dragging, notes... but while we examined the tracks, the wind brought wolf howl... The pack of daemonic wolves attacked us... their fur and flesh clinged from their skulls and bones, blue flames was dancing in their eyesockets... The fight was hard and deadly, the wolves teared poor Axel apart, but Nicolja came from Folburg to help us, to lead us with her vibrating ethernal light. We triumphed over them and gave the last honours to Axel." she waits for a bit in silence, then continued...

"Then we already arrived to Folburg, the silent little village beyond the beyond... with strange, mistrustful folks. But we needed to help them only a little to make their mouths open. We got to know the folks... Gawin the bumptious hunter surrounded all the time by the gushy girls, but also the one who saved father Siegfried and took to the village after the wolf attack on his caravan, the Troch family: Drachilda the tough widow, her boys the little Ulli, the mopes Heinz, the bustling, helpful Dieter and her daughter Rosalind thief of men's heart..." says Linolil with a slight grimace on her face. "Roland the knight of Carcassone showed off his romantic side... We also heard a song from Gawin a tale about Kurt and Bella" she recalls the song.

"Your beauty attracts the vile night,
While the good attends what is right!
The whispers of his loving heart,
Ohh Bella, Poor poor Bellaaaa...

An old contract should be broken now,
Escape with him, keep your head low!
The hell now greets you with a bow,
Woow wow Bella, poor poor Bella...

His love confession was no lie,
However the flames rises high!
Innocent witch now you must die,
Oooh Bellaaa, Poor poor Bella...

Gottlieb just makes all it straight,
Kurt watch your love die on a stake,
Then just pay for what you did make,
Ohh poor Kurt, Poor poor poor Kurt..."

then she continues with the folks of Folburg.

"The huge, wordless smith Kurt Nachen, the coffin maker with a black humour Gunter Jutz, the wise leader Heimar Kolhotz the village elder, Edmund Lartzberg leader of the militia, Fernand Raimann priest of Taal and the all time reserved Father Schnell... At the first night Nicolja met with a man Gustav Kugelbach in the inn, a rogue wizard of the Shadow College. Wanda knows him, she was after the man before she would participate in this quest. The man cast a spell on Nicolja then took all of her money. After the folks already trust us, we found out that the Troch family took care of Father Siegfried Nachermann... Rosalind took us to the cottage where they held him... There he was, laying on the bed like a piece of wood, with opened eyes but senseless to the word... We found his journal in which only one page remained describing the start of his investigation, about the Old Cemetery where he first left after arrived to Folburg..."

The drums starts to make a frightening slow rhythm again.
"We went to the Old Cemetery inside the Ghoul Woods... it was abandoned and beautiful, only one men took care of the graves there... mad old Franz and his dog Lothar. He said father Siegfried was there and left a few notes at Franz's cottage but he hid them, one of them inside a grave one of them inside a crypt. He also told us about his friend Kurt von Steintzmert who arrived to the cemetery centuries ago at the time of the great cleansing, with his love Bella von Launkdorf chased by witch hunters. We did not catch the strangeness of the story then, but later we found out Franz to be centuries old... He said the witch hunters killed Kurt and Bella but then the Great Shadow arrived to massacred everyone and cursed the body of Kurt. He also said that the Great Shadow left his dagger at the cemetery and Franz took it. Finally he gave it to Siegfried who identified it as the Dagger of Khepri and ancient nehekharan relic. We found that at Siegfried's belongings, right now it is at Wanda's possession. Ivan dig the grave where he put one of the journal pages... then was the first sign of the living dead... but we did not worry too much... now I know that we should leave then..."

"We went down to Kurt's crypt to the other pages of the journal, but then Kurt awoke... the frightening wraith what remained of the once noble boy haunted the cemetery and prisoned Wanda in his crypt with only a small vent to speak with her... the wraith also controlled the dead of the cemetery, sending waves of terrifying bone warriors to us... Wanda took unbelievable pains in that catacomb and cheated death a few times until we could recover Siegfried's journal to find out that some of the gravestones held the riddle to find a way to Bella's tower where the monster prisoned the girl's soul... the only way to free Wanda and escape from the cemetery was to unite their souls once again. With the help of Nicolja's wisdom we unlocked the epitaph anagramms but Kurt closed the gate and made thorny rose vines to cover all the walls. Ulbaz the dwarven runesmith of the Mountains, Thorolf the great warrior of the far noth and Klaus the initiate of the curch of Sigmar awoke in that small chapel that was in the cemetery... they also investigated the case of Siegfried and drifted to the Cemetery... The chapel held the way out but Kurt did not let all of us to escape, only Nicolja, Tyre, Klaus and I... It was madness... pain and death. While Wanda fought for her life against the traps of the tomb of Kurt and with the guardian of the Crypt, Ivan, Thorolf, Ulbaz and Manfred fought for their life against the legion of skeletons... death took Roland in that very cemetery...on that dark, faithless night..." she waits for a minute in silence again.

"We found the tower of Bella. There was the contract between Zedirchai and the von Launkdorf family. They made a contract with the Great Shadow, with Zedirchai centuries ago, to give their firstborn dauther to him from every generation in exchange for protection over the family... Bella would be one of these dauthers but love was stronger Kurt freed her and they ran off... but the evil was more stronger... We also found the bodies of the witch hunters of Gorrlieb the Stern. The tower was filled with traps and blasphemous things but finally we could find our way to the top of it and there we found Bella..." Linolil takes a deep and painful breath.

"...or what remained of her. She became a mad banshee, who almost made the blood to froze in our veins. At last we could only trap her in my... body... But the suicidal instinct of the girl did not stop..." Linolil shows her lower arm, which is filled with deep scars in the shape of roses and rose vines... "They dragged us back to the cemetery where at last the souls reunited and all the skeletons collapsed... the crypt opened up and Wanda escaped... but we still had to defeat the Guardian of the Crypt..."he conntinues with a slightly relieved rhtythm.

"That was the sad story of the Old Cemetery... The journal of the priest told us about a town called Magurele where a priest initiate came from to talk with Siegfried, of a terrible vision, the priest in the Magurele temple saw. According to the journal, the initiate died of poisoning... later we found out why... Wanda also found a scroll with a divine ritual of the Word of the Last Breath also Wanda found a grimoire."

"We returned to Folburg, but on our way back in the woods we met with a strange creature... It looked like created of blue and red flames... it only warned us: "Surtha Lenk knows..." then flew away... After we returned to Folburg, Cosmina joined us by the request of Gawin to be our local guide. We found out that terrible things happened in the village in our abscence. A man has been killed in the main square. Tied to a pole upside down and has his tongue cut out. The accused was stinky Bruno the dunger, who was seen to stand in front of the deceased with a bloody knife. They took him to prison. Bruno later was dead in the jail but Father Schnell the priest of Morr told us, that he was dead for many days... it seems dark powers was in work behind all... In the house of Bruno we found the place where he has been killed, tied to his chair and stomach removed. With blood someone painted a riddle on his table that led us to the hose of the other victim's mother... where a lair hid in the basement and a tome... a dark tome as later we learned. Another riddle has been found in the lair also saying that the ritual has been delivered and the rewards will not linger behind for someone's apprentice... At the first night in Folburg a crying voice came from the Old Cemetery... crying and frightening, crying after Bella..."

"The other day the miller's assisstant was reported to be missing. He wasn't missing, he was dead... laying in the grain storage with deep bites on his neck and a swarm of bats escaping when Thorolf, Cosmina and Klaus found him. The tome from the basement held a ritual which allowed one to speak with a spirit of the recently deceased... so Nicolja and Wanda tried... they called the spirit but the toll was great... as I understand the tome held dark secrets... the spirit talked but it feed on the life force of Nicolja and Wanda... Nicolja was weak for days, parts of Wanda's hair turned into white... But the spirit talked... he told about the name of his murderer... Zedirchai..."

"We also met with Grondbar Krag Stonefist, the dwarf engineer having a business with Ulbaz. The two was about to deliver a great load of goods of indefinite nature to north, to Middenheim. Two strigany coachmen came to the village at one morning, they said they can take us to Magurele, the town Siegfried wrote about in his journal. A portentous, arrogant noble, Rufus Stiegerman and his bodyguard Bertolf arrived with the coach travelling up to north, to Talabheim. The dwarves took the goods on the top of the coach, tied it down with strong ropes and we set off towards Magurele..."

"The travel was one day long but the sun shined at last on us once again... On the trip we saw only one disturbing thing... a black, strange coach on a cliffside... At last, only about an hour before sunset we arrived to Magurele, but the town was abandoned at first sight. The coachmen betrayed us... Odric aimed his gun to us demanding to get out... then we saw... saw the grotesque shapes in the alleys in between the streets... the bestial wild eyes, the claws... the folks of Magurele. They all turned to canibalistic, deformed creatures... ghouls. Later we found out that the two strigany coachmen Dirk and Odric was the servants of the Vampire Lord of Magurele who controlled all the ghouls. The coachmen delivered meat to the town for the ghouls, for the vampire... but this was their last business trip. The coachmen was too hasty and arrived to Magurele before sunset, before the Vampire could come out from his lair and control his servants. The ghouls teared apart Odric, his gun hit the ground and went off..." Linolil suddenly starts to play very fast on the drums.

"The stallions of the coach got frightened of the sound and started to drag the coach with full force on the main street of Magurele... that was a wild chase my friends ghouls of a whole town chased us while Dirk could barely control the stallions... the monsters found their way in the coach, on the roof, everyone... and on the top of it, we did not know what was the cargo we carried... That was a deadly, fast, furious chase... but finally we found the only safety place in the city, the temple of Sigmar... The arrival wasn't soft and comfortable... The coach turned to it's side since the ghouls wounded the stallions to death... Ivan broke his shoulder and we could barely get out of it while the ghouls neared around us, even Stiegerman, Ulbaz and Grondbar escaped... That was a long fight a very long fight while we kept the doors of the temple, took care of Dirk and argued with Stiegerman... that was a long and frustrating evening... until the sun set down and the beast arrived... Then the ghouls sieged the temple once again with doubled efforts, the Vampire took Cosmina from the tower and raised her to the sky by black leather wings... At last the ghouls stormed in and the beast also found it's way inside through the mosaic window... That was a perilous, deadly battle. The beast almost killed me, Manfred but at last Tyre put a stake into it's chest what only made it and the ghouls to retreat... It has teared Stiegerman into two and Ulbaz also died in that battle against the ghouls... " she makes a very long intermission. Then she starts to play softly on the drums again.

"But they did not left us on our own... The monster only retreated to gather strength, to massacre us before we deliver word of his lair... so he waited along with his ghouls from the dark corners from the shadows... but the solution there layed on the temple yard... Grondbar he dwarf engineer voluntereed the information about their so precious cargo... Two thousand pounds of premium quality blackpowder from Karaz-A-Karak so they did what they must... Ivan, Klaus, Bertolf and Grondbar they sneaked at the coach to deliver the barrels and carts inside but then they found the monster on the top of the coach ready to jump and kill. That brave dwarf Grondbar sacrificed his life for us to live to tell the tale..." Linolil wait once again in silence.

"The explosion was huge, maybe even the gods themselves saw it and only the fate saved Ivan, Klaus and Bertolf of certain death... but that wasn't even enough for the vampire, but the hammer of Ulbaz vielded by Klaus made an end of it's life... It was perhaps the greates battle for all of us but at the priest's chamber in the temple Klaus could find out our lead. When Siegfried arrived to the Magurele temple the priest shared his concern with Siegfried about a coach that rolls on the endless, abandoned roads of the Empire, what is called the Black Coach and it is not a legend but a real threath anymore. However I do not know nothing of this Black Coach. Also from another missing page of Siegfried's journal we learned that a Heretic stole a dangerous ritual from Altdorf which is certainly is in connection with this hellish creature. The priest believed that a dangerous necromancer called Mortis Cadaveria is behind all of this, but he could only send for the Templars of Sigmar is he would be sure of it. The father knew the exact location of the tower of the necromancer and told it to Siegfried, but we do not know it yet... we only know that it is not far from Folburg... Siegfried went there next... Klaus sent Bertolf the bodyguard of the deceased priest to west with letters to the Witch Hunters and to the temple of Sigmar. We left Magurele to return to the village and on the way back we met with Maximilian and the Strigany Merchant and a Fortune Teller Woman complaining about a missing son... then the next day came Zedirchai..." Linolil ends the story... she seems very exhausted.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:23, Mon 10 Aug 2009.

The best conversation in the game so far (according to me):

Ivan:
"Da, tomorrow" Ivan says, feeling much better thanks to the healing. He keeps the bandages on, just incase however.
"Roland, I can have horse? Man with...uh, small tree need horse" Ivan asks, turning to Roland but struggling for the right words.

Roland:
Roland's eyebrows rise as he considers Ivan's request, "Small tree need horse?" Roland shakes his head, then raises his hands in defeat to Ivan, "I cannot unpuzzle your speech friend. I will make a deal with you...I will get Bella and you can show me what you mean."

The knight is feeling superiorly better after his encounter with the priest of Taal, and he hurries to the stable to retrieve Bella.

                            Perhaps father you should read this alone

Dear Father and Mother,

Humans often warned me as I travelled on foot, but I have been shown that coaches have their own particular danger: one is utterly dependent on the drivers! I was happy that I took the knight's horse under my care and have been diligently practising riding it. We went to Magurele, most of us in said coach, as papers we found pointed us there. That turned out to be necessary, but also a bit dangerous: the two coachmen were in league with Chaos and the village was populated by ghouls - sixty or likely more. We took shelter in a temple of Sigmar, and managed to hold of the horde which was led by a bestial vampire.

Through the sacrifice of a dwarf we managed to survive with only three dead - a cowardly human noble, and both dwarves. The vampire destroyed and the ghouls scattered to the four winds some of us burned down the village - I would have objected, but my back gave me a bit of trouble. The master vampire is still haunting us, though, and there also seems to be a necromancer involved. I finally have some real stories to tell.

Your loving daughter,
  Linolil.

For note:

The Dagger of Khepri --> Thorolf

Gustav learned the shadow lore  /  but Elven Art did not sate
He craved for dominion more  /  his hunger could not wait

From shade to gloom did he step  /  the dread Four told him how
His greed caught in a web  /  Power traded for a vow

Touched by Chaos he left the fold  /  to serve his masters' plan
An ancient artefact they need hold  / to break an ancient ban

  And the darkness called  /  in Sylvania's thrice cursed wald.

That evil was again afoot  /  Sigmar's own was first to heed
Yet lone against the darkness stood  / to stop the hated deed

His warning still was descried  /  and some heeded his call
Their vigilance was not denied  /  their hunt they would not stall

Call Stag, Ice, and Fury  /  call Light, Bow, and Mail
All would be his jury  /  all closed on Gustav's trail

  And the darkness called  /  in Sylvania's thrice cursed wald.

On a cart of death he rode,  /  the restless dead at his feet
In front four zombies strode  /  acting like the foulest steed

High upon it stood a bell,  /  it rang to summon more
Its sound was loud and fell  / the dead woke by the score

Witch fire burned in cauldron twin  /  shielding against dart or light
His power grew, their sight grew dim  /  they fought against the rising tide

  And the darkness called  /  in Sylvania's thrice cursed wald.

In horror village people saw  /  their homes and hearths defiled
The chaos cart, zombie claw  /  spared women nor a child

The watch, they stood their ground  /  receiving the undead hell
Yet overwhelmed by necro's bound  /  one by one they fell

Folburg's Lion came to aid,  /  this hunter rough and crude
His boasts true he made,  /  unbeaten there he stood.

  And the darkness called  /  in Sylvania's thrice cursed wald.

For Taal and Love one fought  /  for Ice and Love another
As Noble and Sigmar taught  /  together like a brother

Yet evil can redeem itself  /  a norseman pure of heart
Assisted by a friendly elf  /  broke bell and fire apart

Then Gustav fled by shade  /  yet Light he tried to kill
A hammer strike, and he paid  /  return he never will

  And the darkness sprawled  /  in Sylvania's twice cursed wald

Dear Heironymus,

My quest to find the rogue shadow-mage Gustav has finished.  The journey you have sent me on has been littered with the bodies of good people and thankfully one evil man.  For Gustav had turned away from the enlightenment of the colleges and to the dark arts.  He had delved into necromancy.  Myself and the brave souls I now travel with have seen and stopped many of his undead creations.  You will be pleased to hear that we have made this traitor pay for his deeds, he was laid to rest by a priest named Klaus Schultz.   I pity this man for he is clearly ignorant, I believe he fears me and my abilities and such does not trust me.
Unfortunately I am not ready to return to complete my training as I fear that Gustav was in leagues with a Vampire.  I will not return until this beast has been dealt with.  Although I will not be training in the college I feel my power growing and with the aid of a spell book I found I should be able to master some of the basics of our order very soon.
Please let my parents know that I am well and I will see them again soon.
Your Student

Wanda.

To the Grand Master of the Templars,

I write this letter to update the order on my progress of my search. Father Siegfried has been located in the small village of Marguele and so has the group of adventurers looking for him. Unfortunately Father Siegfried has been affected by a curse or some sort of black magic, as he lies totally paralyzed and unable to communicate. The group of adventurers have been searching for an explanation of this but so far not been able to identify the exact cause. There are theories that a vampire lord and a necromancer could be behind this and that Father Siegfried had gotten to close. I have decided to join the group in their search for a cure and to destroy this vile undead being.

I shall update your lordship when I know more.

M v.B.a.R

To my fellow Halflings at the Quinsberry Lodge,


Not being the sort of woman to keep bad news all to myself I am saddened to say that our dear friend Axel Stoutheart is no longer amongst us. He died fighting against undead forces within Sylvania and is fondly remembered by his comrades, those that remain that is. I hear this information second hand from an elven woman named Linolil Annamar, she seemed trustworthy so I will accept her retelling of events as I have no reason to suspect foul play. As for myself, now that I've integrated myself with the party, we shall soon be heading off in search for a vampire, or necromancer, I forget. However, the night before and I do not exaggerate, we were overwhelmed by a horde of the undead controlled by a foul necromancer who's name I shall not repeat. We managed to destroy him with minimal loss of life to the village and to the party as well. However we fear that there is something more at play in this little village, should I survive our next encounter with the dreaded dead, I shall inform you as to how that faire panned out.


From Camella Catkins,
Barber-Surgeon Extraordinaire.

Favourite distractions of the party:

- Learning to speak Reikspeil
- Dreaming *evil grin*
- Having wild time with something bigger and more hairy
- Poetizing terse jokes about a certain bit... er... witch
- Guessing amongst themselves that "Who the hell is this new guy?"
- Running away from something dead and fearful
- Stitching wounds...and more wounds and... er even more!
- Taking care of a horse, from those who wants to eat it!
- Being damn lucky and having the hottest NPC chick xD
- Creeping out of a cold cript with no wounds or fate points
- Needing to go shit!
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:36, Fri 19 Feb 2010.

Hilarious! :D

Allowed to complete with new ones :)

Thorolf (L)

Part of an elven poem:

They searched only pleasure, they craved only delight,
dreamed of endless revelry, unable to stand and fight.
Ware the lure of Slaanesh, for it gives art without sweat,
pleasure without effort, ambrosia but no bread.

This thread is still opened for any madness you see fit to scribble down :) There were some interesting posts about relations with other characters, it would be fun to see them again, considering everything, happened since that.

Dear great aunt Elriel,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am currently travelling in the eastern reaches of the Empire, near a little village of Folburg. I humbly have to admit that I did not quite understood your remarks about the Art, nor how a non-active user can still experience them in full. At this moment we are on the second of four quests to resolve an issue around a thing called the Black Coach, a odd thing that collects souls to regrow a slain vampyre inside.

Two creatures of power are involved, a Vampyre master called Zerdichai, and a necromancer called Mortis Cadaverius. I am still not sure if these two entities work together or at cross purposes. They might be doing both, such are the paths of power. I heard of a third power, a Warlock of great importance, but I have no further intelligence, but for the fact that its existence was enough that elves from Athel Loren supported Cadaverius in combat. Still that creature won, but how Cadaverius escaped its wrath I do not know. Perhaps again this was a case of plans within plans.

For myself I have had a few interesting experiences, although some weight heavy on my soul. I hope I can find proper help before its to late, but I fear the paths I must follow will make too many twists and turns to allow for that. It is the ever burning question: how much will you pay for the safety of others?

My first experience with the ever changing winds of Magic was when I was possessed by a human ghost. A Bella von Launkdorf. She needed my body to that others could take her from a tower where her soul had been imprisoned. She left me when she finally met her lost love. Sometimes I can still feel her yearning, but to save two souls is a pretty good deal for some - I know - unreasonable fear of doors.

My second experience was when I acquired a frontlet from some merchants. It connects me to somebody, although I still doubt who or what. Officially it is a mage from Ulthuan, but I have the weirdest of dreams, and they do not feel like how I remember our ancestral home. Still it helped me in combat against the darkness and the others of the group are plagued with dreams too. So, for now, I keep wearing it.

My third experience was when my soul was exchanged with that of a dryad. Such killer instinct, such understanding of the forest, such inability to look beyond. I learned much, one of which was that I was happy I was me. Still the memory of being capable of flight is something I will never forget.

Please tell my parents I am well, but I fear that any messages to them will only aggravate them further.

Your obedient niece,
   Linolil.

Camella Catkins
Leo doesn’t really know how to treat the halfing woman. So far he had rarely dealt with the short folk, so he can only go by the biased rumours about them. She seems to fit in at least one of those criteria: she knows how to cook. Since she also seems to be the most capable healer in the group, Leo so far contents himself with just not antagonizing her.
Cosmina Petrescu
The young lass is dauntingly pretty and Leo has come to learn that seduction of any kind might endanger his very soul. He has seen it too many times already, people who had failed Him because they had given in to temptation, not only of the flesh, but of knowledge and power, too. So he takes care around her, constantly reminding himself to see the character, not the outer façade.
Cosmina seems capable to handle herself, she has obviously seen her share of the world and is no fool. Leo is a bit startled that she seems to be fascinated by Morr, since this lively girl does not fit with the sombre priests of the Dreamer. He’s also quite concerned about the enmity between her and Nicolja, but so far he has not really discerned who is the culprit for that antagonism.
Ivan Yelkanov
Seemingly a capable warrior, but far too hot-headed for his taste. The language barrier is also quite distracting, Leo hates not to understand anything, because simply interpreting Ivan’s attitude only from his mien, stance and so on doesn’t give away much, except his aggression towards seemingly anything but the Ice Witch. Leo expects Ivan to be killed pretty soon, since he thinks the warrior can’t keep his cool in a crucial moment.
Klaus Schultz
As a devout follower of Sigmar, Leo’s natural inclination is to obey the priest. Even without considering the Faith though, Leo has a healthy respect for the priest ever since he stove in the renegade wizard’s head. He held some grudges because Schultz denied him his bounty, but ever since his encounter with Zedirchai, this whole issue has become moot. Leo is quite envious of the priest’s equipment, a full plate armour is way beyond Leo’s meagre funds. Still, walking in full plate into a marsh seems to be a bit foolish.
Klaus seems have the respect of the whole group, even the grudging respect of the Kislevites. However, its is clear that he is not the chosen leader, in fact no one seems to be, which is fine for Leo.
Linolil Annamar
Leo knows elves even from his childhood on Albion, Ulthuan elves that is. Linolil seems somewhat more like the elves one encounters within the Empire, meaning more linked to nature. Leo appreciates Linolil’s efforts to keep the group together, in fact, she seems to be the only one  - apart from Camella – who gets well along with everyone else. Perhaps this is only due to her profession. Linoli had been the first who had granted him something akin to friendship, though a somewhat weird friendship, more like an older sister. Leo returns this friendship full-heartedly.
Maximilian
Leo appreciates the noble’s wits, even though he himself sometimes has troubles to get to the base of the noble’s jokes or humour in general. Maximilian seems to be carefree, most nobles are, foot loose and fancy free, as if life only held fun. Maximilian has given Leo some lessons in reading which Leo appreciates highly. Leo suspects that as long as the noble can get some fun out of this adventure he will remain true to the group, but if he ever gets bored, he might just leave on a whim.
Nicolja Bokosky
Another beautiful woman, eerily so, though, with those gems embedded in her face. It’s a cold, almost serene beauty… if not for her temper. The Ice Witch did not even contemplate not voicing her thoughts or opinions. Leo guesses that has to do with the status Ice Witches have in the Kislevite culture. Therefore, she expects to be obeyed or at least listened to. However, in this group respect is gained by deeds, not by mere attitude or status alone. Leo had clashed with the Ice Witch from the very beginning, it had almost come to blows. Only later Leo had realized that he would have had to fight two, since Ivan was always by her side. Only lately, has their relationship become better. Nicolja had actually shared some more of her, especially in regard to her quest. Leo still has deep reservations about the true nature of this Anastasia, but he thinks he finally found a better way to treat the Ice Witch. Just like Ivan though he does not really think he will see the two again, since they set off all by their own.
Thorolf Ragnarssen
The third of the three fighters of the group, Thorolf seems to be better at keeping his cool, which seems strange given the warrior’s heritage. Leo himself does not fight with rage and anger, so he does not know what to make of Thorolf. He is sure that the mighty berserk warrior could easily cleave him in two, but not keeping in control seems just too strange. Thorolf certainly has a relationship with Cosmina, though so far Leo does not know the nature of that relationship, Thorolf certainly seems to be highly protective of the young girl. It makes Leo wary that Ivan and Thorolf are always at each other’s throats and he expects that it will indeed come to blows between the two. Therefore he is quite glad that Ivan left for now, allowing the two warriors to cool down a bit.
Tyre Slag
Tyre reminds Leo of the Albion druids, even though there are tremendous differences, too. As Leo has travelled the wilds of the Empire he can certainly appreciate the Taal faith, but even so he finds it hard to believe in this nature-based faith. Leo hasn’t really talked much with the priest, so there is not much to say.
Wanda Weltschmerz
Leo has hunted renegade mages for so long, he has grown a suspicion deep inside him for anything magical that is not based on faith and religion. While he had often been employed by the Colleges of Magic in Altdorf, he had never been able to shake that distrust. Leo keeps a wary eye on the wizard.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:36, Mon 22 Nov 2010.

The dark road

Part 1. Wheels in motion

In Sylvania, Stirland dark,
dark awoke ban of men,
dark master's return was night,
dark coach rolled again.

pause

Father Sigfried heard a tale
a tale of death in night,
a tale of darkness gathering,
a tale of Empire in plight.

Fearlessly Siegfried searched,
searched where evil reared,
searched to stop the doom,
searched... and disappeared.

pause

Yet Sigmar's sight was alert,
alert on servant's lot,
alert he did some heroes true,
alert, to purge the rot.

Roland le Carcassone, a knight,
a knight, fearless and true,
a knight, who'd never retreat,
a knight, who'd die or do.

Wanda, student of the sky,
the sky and heaven's sign,
the sky to banish shadows,
the sky eternal sublime.

Ivan, fighter of the north,
north his bride lay dead,
north he left to find his fate,
north he still would wed.

Tyre, of man woods and plain,
plainly clothed was he,
plain his words when he spoke,
plain, yet Taal's might be.

Last amongst this group a girl,
a girl of Ulthuan's kin,
a girl that wrote this poem,
a girl that they called Lin.

pause

To Königstein the Stir led,
led to town in fear
let eastern shadow abide,
let the horror not come near

shift in rhythm

Keeping the trail near:
Bald Swine, garlic and beer,
Red Duke, dhar and queer,
Robbart the barber, so dear.

original rhythm

Towards the ghoul wood east,
east to haunted hills,
east to were souls were lost,
east to horrid tales.

Sir Roland rode to fore,
for Lady, no retreat,
for victory was assured,
for he'd a noble steed.

Wanda felt the dark wind close,
close on lonely group,
close by walked Nature's Tyre,
close to guard his troup.

Warrior Ivan strode alone,
alone remembering past,
a lone elven maid with a bow,
alone did Lin step last.

Black Run River ferry pass,
pass Leichberg town,
pass into haunted hills,
pass cairn topped down.

The evening mist grew fast,
fast like unseen hosts
fast held they were by dread
fast warned the waiting ghosts

shift in pace

Beware you who walks the road,
sith the death waits all alone.
Darkness shadows the curse,
glowing eyes bear light's reverse
Your home will be silent earth.

The death sits on it in vain,
It's driven by a new life's wait.
Embraced by the mass of souls,
Drives, binds and they just calls,
Slaughter just aids, wheels rolls.

pause, return to rhythm

A ruined caravan remained,
remain on moonlit way,
remains killed by teeth,
remained, forever to stay.

Twelve undead wolves attacked,
attacked with leaping paws,
attacked the hated living,
attacked with snarling jaws.

Roland spurred forward,
forward lance piercing bone,
forward raced his steed,
forward hooves pounded home.

Wanda threw starlight pure,
pure light blasted,
pure of heart Tyre stood,
pure while's life lasted.

Ivan wrath was burning cold,
cold as ice his blade,
cold called for cold return,
cold as ice-sworn maid.

A white clad shape appeared,
appeared with ice cold light,
appeared with blade in hand,
appeared and joined the fight.

Two 'gainst one to fight with,
with arrow, Art, and steel,
with skill and fellow aid,
with these brought them to heel

Silence fell upon hills dark,
dark as nothing stirred,
dark yet they so far away,
dark wing beats surely heard.