Its been days, long hours on the roads.
Sun, rain, clouds all passing by, with all of you in various stages of anguish, pain and fatigue. The hamlet of damnation, of Juno's tireless grip on it and it's cursed end to Bianca, the druidess and maiden of the woods, Karl who left behind family and friends, most notably those whom hired you, sister and the guard captain both seeking his return, only to likely be faced with a horrid story, a grim tale of loss, fear and demise.

Life in the realms of the empire was at it's core. Hard.
Brutally hard.
Words could not entail it better.

In the distance, you noticed an outline, gates - walls, tall and impressive, with guards on top. The signature gates into the city of Altdorf were unmistaken to anyone who had set foot here.

At the gates you were, briefly, questioned and led in, mentioning the call as per the watch captain - it seems he had left open words with them to let you in if mentioned.

The streets inside remained bustling and every nook and cranny had a sight to behold.
Wandering rascals, thugs, citizens - merchant stalls high and low and storefronts littered throughout.
Coming in southwards, the place of initial interest, the watch headquarters, lay north of your, through two bridges and some of the most busy streets the city held.
Along part of the Reik, that in standard fashion reeked of waste and what else could hide beneath.

You had arrived. Alive, for some more than others, and with scars on your mind.
Juno had fled, the mutants dead, the civilians from Faltdorf either cursed to return and or freed to rebuild. Witch Hunters would, inevitably find the place, and turn it to cinders unless something was rectified.

The city was overwhelming - going from silence and fresh air for weeks, to being confined in organized chaos and a constant noise - it was at best tolerable, although for some, it allowed for them to truly grow and find cause. Ranald blessed everyone differently and the way used made all the difference.

Before you lay many choices.
Would the route, through busy streets to the Captain Hartesel be the first call? You knew 40 gold crowns awaited you which could be helpful for next steps.
Would departing to find Karl's sister, Frau Helena Magnussen, be of relevance?
Perhaps the wounds, and dire need of resourceful aid would be of key to some.
Whatever choices you made, you had for once, and for a moment - air to choose actions that refer to you and no one else and to gather ones bearings. What would happen next? No one knew....


OOC:
Vague, but with lots of things to do, XP to spend, healing to be done, see this as a brief interlude to handle whatever is likely needed post one long trip before new matters could rear it's ugly head.

The journey back to Altdorf had been a long, lonely, and difficult road, especially for the two wounded women. Indeed, despite being a fearless, tenacious warrior, Marie had only awoken from her wounds in the past day. Despite that, she was already sitting high and proud on Josette, despite the look of exhaustion on her face. For her part, the Bretonnian Charger was in a much better mood now that her rider was ambulatory, and the fine steed actually looked a bit more confident in the aftermath of their last battle, if such a thing was possible for a horse. Marie might enjoy the company of these Imperials, and Albioni lover, but she was still of Bretonnia. She had buffed and polished her plate armor as best she could, and tried to wring as much blood and mud from her surcoat, but that would take a professional launderer to revive.

Still, despite the lingering wounds, the filth from the road, and the horror of their recent battles, things could have gone so much worse. The young noblewoman had prayed hard to the Lady of the Lake for their deliverance, even if they had only been delivered to the shit-filled streets of the Imperial capitol.

"Should we not seek out Captain Hartesel before all other business?" she asked weakly after they had passed through the guards and their questioning.

She was a woman of duty and honor, so it was unsurprising that she would suggest the completion of their agreement before all else.

OOC Mechanics
Wounds: 1/15
FP    : 4/4

Etain spent most of their travel time fretting over Marie, fussing about her state, how she felt and trying to make sure she got enough rest and didn't over exert herself. One night after Marie had fallen asleep, Etain took her surcoat and went to a nearby creek and tries to wash it a bit better than the Knight had done and tried polishing her armour but it ended up being too noisy.

From the cart as they walked into the city she helped guide the cart aside and out of the way and said "Agreed, we should meet the Captain but I think after that we need to find lodgings and perhaps a doctor for you and Milly. I would also like to find a forge I can work at and some materials."

STATS
W: 9/15
F: 3/3

"Aye, best to nip that particular business before anything else can get away from us. I'll have to see if my own master has made his way back home or is still visiting. Can probably find a nice enough forge for you though long as the greybeards aren't feeling too territorial." Cecla offered with a rueful grin at the thought of clan and the heat of a forge. Not that the men of the Empire knew how to build them proper but they were getting an idea as the years stretched on in her opinion.

She set her own measured pace with the journey back but did what she could to keep their camps in order and help with the wounded. She'd come off light and easy when it came to the brawls they had found themselves in and there was a thought to reviewing her own choice in equipment with one of the more martially minded of her kinfolk.


W: 9/15
FP: 2/3

"That would be appreciated, finding a forge space is generally hard enough for most, even more difficult for with those who these Imperials view as lesser" she tells the Dwarf before looking at the lengths of wood on the cart "It would be good to strike steel while we recuperate for a while.

A few days trip isn't that long but with the wounded in tow travelling back was a miserable slog.
Jareik kept expecting the forest beast men to chase and harass them during their retreat but no incident happened thankfully.

"Ah nice to be back at civilization." he said cheerfully as they arrived, oblivious to any of sights and smells that might offend some of his companions. After all as far as he was concerned, there was no place greater or grander then Altdorf.

"Sooner we give in our report, sooner we get paid and sooner witch hunters can be dispatched." he said agreeing with the others about visiting the captain first.

Hearing Etain bringing up the necessity to look for accomodations prompted him to make a suggestion:
"Can  always put in a good word at the merc's guild if ya want. They take a cut of the jobs but otherwise cover lodgings and basic supplies, can't ask for a fairer deal. Heck, they see so many foreigners coming and going all the time you lot probably wouldn't even be the oddest pair they've accepted."


Stats:
W: 2/16
F: 4/4

This message was last edited by the player at 23:06, Tue 27 Sept 2022.

Milly on her end didn't enjoy the journey back in the slightest, although the closer they got to their destination the more bearable it became. All in all, by the time they arrived to Altdorf, she still looked like the picture of misery. "I couldn't agree more, we were hired to report back too and that's what we ought to do. Besides, there is much more to do with a fuller pouch and no shortage of dues eager to make it light again." And on that she wasn't joking, the Orders were seldom known to suffer members skipping their payments.

"Should we then? It is only right that all of us go and I am as good as certain that the Captain will have no qualms about entitling you two with a share otherwise belonging to those who didn't make it." She reassured the dwarf and the knight.

---

Health: 1/12
Fortune: 2/2
This message was last edited by the player at 19:02, Wed 28 Sept 2022.

***Post meeting the captain and fining shelter***

With Cecla's help Etain finds a forge that is willing to accept her and allow her to work for a few days while the party heals up. She buys the metals she'll need start her work, the wood she will need she uses the fallen limbs of the Oak tree from the grove, carefully working the wood while the metals heat and allowing it to rest as she beats the metal, folding it in on itself and removing impurities with each strike and honing the shape to her desired work. Sometimes the metal moved with her and other times it did not, snapping as it overheat in one spot or refusing to form the way she wanted.

A small walk through the city, over the current of the Reik twice, and the maintained yet worn bridges you eye the large structure that the watch headquarter is, near the government of Altdorf itself.

You see patrols, guards and soldiers preparing and watchmen running shifts, and a large door stand open behind you.
A few nod at you, making no effort to halt you but quickly check you out, as you enter.

Within you are halted at the desk - and at your request, a clerk is summoned.
Asking for the paperwork originally made to align on the task at hand, but also to verify that the captain could be disturbed, he nods.
"This way please. He is busy with his sister, but this relates so I will lead you on. Stay close."

Walking into the large compound you are lead down and right, to a large guarded office.
The door is opened and upon entering you see the watch commander, look up. In the seat before him, his sister, Karl's wife.
They both look at you all and sigh in relief.
"You return. Alive. And I hope with some assurance and information on what happened? Sit, stand, but do share what you saw and know."

It probably wasn't much of a surprise that a dwarf might know how to find a good forge with space for a strong hand in Altdorf when one put much thought to it. It was probably more of one that she'd joke about the stereotype as she did it but her own plans in the city hinged around access to a forge and a bit of privacy with fire, coal, metal, and tools to be about her own craft. That would have to wait though until after their meeting with the guard captain but it sat heavy on her mind as they were led through and into the office.

The greeting of relief was met with a rueful grin on Cecla's part as they didn't much in the way of good news about any of it given how deep the rot had set into that place but there was a glimmer of hope when it came to the business of the glade and tree. Burdened with gear as she was though, she opted to stand and spare the furniture the test.

"Not a lot of good news on the matter. The blunt of it is we managed to face the heart of whatever damned thinking took root there but she got away to be a problem for ironing out later. After that, ever soul still standing fled to the winds. Also crossed paths with more than a few beastmen... Tried to put the lot of us to the torch." Cecla offered as a framing for the others to pipe up given she'd only caught the climatic tail end of things.

"Looking uglier every time I see you Konrad." said Jareik with a cheeky laugh as he stopped to exchange pleasantries with one of the guards he knew sporting an eyepatch and a scar running along his face.

When the cleck prompted for them, Jareik already had the papers in hand, he knew the drill since as a merc he was practically a regular at the watch quarters.

Once in the office, he arranged his thoughts whilst the dwarf broke the ice, before taking over from her.

"We discovered that the villagers had been led asway by a heathen witch of considerable power who corrupted their faith, to what means other then the sick twisted pleasure of a heretic, I know not. Not only did this witch have the ability to sway people's minds and get into their heads but we saw firsthand one of her servants turned into a monster.
Through this heathen corruption the villagers became subtly enthralled to her and hostile to outsiders aswell as those of their number who were resisting the witch's influence, burning them alive in barbaric rituals.
I regret to report this was the ultimate fate of Karl, just another victim of Sigmar knows how many, we found a lot of burned bodies."

As he said that he slided Karl's ring on the table and let that sink before continuing.

"We eventually confronted the witch but she escaped before we could finish her off. The villagers have also vanished, so there is one powerful heretic at large with a small flock, no idea where they went or what they could be up to now but there is no question she is a dangerous one. The village itself will need to be cleansed for sure and we did encounter beastmen the likes of which i had never seen before so who knows what manner of beasts still infest those woods."

He decided that bringing Rhya's direct help was best left unmentioned for now, and he wasn't sure if that part of the story would be believed anyways.

Helenas tears appeared and ran down her face before Jareik finished his words, at the mere sight of the ring. Whimpering at first before breaking down fully, the commander turned around, walked to her and embraced her.
It took a good moment for her to gather any bearing, and she asked, calmly to rest in an adjacent room.
She was lead there by the commanders assistant.

He sat down, on the edge of the table and sighed heavily.
"Thank you for this - the cause and impact hit hard. I will request the town to be investigated by the right authorities."
He extended a hand.
"Contracts please - I have to pay you for your perilous and dangerous work. You need it I am sure."
He eyed the rest.
"You are with them, but hold no contract, yet I offer reward regardless, fitting the return fee akin to the rest here. The empire honors and respects those who aid it."
You are all rewarded with 40 gold crowns in separate pouches.

He turned and rose.
"So a chaos sorcerers or similar is on the run....that is concerning. I will have a bounty placed on her, and watches kept on her, but the empire is large and for someone crafty, easy enough to hide within. We will do what we can  but keep a watchful eye out."


He found some documents and handed them off.
A guard appeared.
"Excuse me, commander, your sister is muttering in a strange tongue and is unwell...she claims horrid dreams filled her her as she touched the ring...."
The commanders face turned odd and his eyes went to you briefly.
"My apologies. I shall return. This is most strange."

You hear cries and guards trying to hold what appears to be a woman in turmoil, not of sadness but as if possessed and tormented.
You hear faint words among the screaming, resonating throughout.
"Deep below; three for one; Mad dog Pass...he watches!"
She is put to rest in a bed, guards placed at a door and kept under watch as the commander returns.
He shrugs and appears lost in thought.
"I...don't know what to make of that. She claims the ring you gave her caused her pain. Visions of whirling dervishes of dirt, sand and heat, of voices beckoning...very strange....I wonder if the grief has broken her, Karl was a great man and loved by many, including myself. I am sorry. The coins are yours and for now, you are free to leave. I hope she will recover soon, after some rest and aid. Thank you, and please, explore the city and find your way. You have proven yourself worthy of praise and respect."

It is as if he tries to say more, but his thoughts, many in his head overwhelm him for now.
Konrad leads you out and at Jareik in particular he voices..
"Never seen him nor Helena be out of sorts like that...concerning. Anyways...meet you later for an ale?"

You are lead out, richer and more established. For now, midday, with the sun out high, and a  sweet, yet strong scent in the air, underlining how rich in texture and complexity it was.

Alot rummaged through your head. What happened, and what purpose did the ring offer.
Please roll a hard -20% perception check

Etain stands around outside with the rest, and experience and thought to mind. Barely anyone got to talk - nor advise much, due to the hectic events inside.
Konrads advise to the group was one of concern, and intent to meet up with them later on.
Jareik knew of the Hangman’s Tavern, a middle of the range bar, used by many of those who took up arms, watch and fought for the empire, and found close to the Three Toll Bridge not afar from the Headquarter. Meeting at end of daylight seemed sensible.

Etain notices a stringy man, ruffled hair and a scar from his forehead, across his nose, to his mouth in the far distance, eyeing them, only to vanish shortly after, into the shadow.
The distance to him makes it hard to catch up if not impossible, yet she is sure of one thing - his eyes were on them and for reason. That look was unmistakable.

His clothing is working class, and he could be anyone, belonging to any order or guild or just be a random stranger, yet his look unsettled her. A curious glare in his eye and a scar few would get out of the blue.

It is late midday. Coin is heavy in your pouches and with the commander handling what is frankly a concerning event, you are able to make next steps with this in mind.

-- I assume with your intents to stable animals, heal up, buy, create, forge, restock, that the rest of the day is spent on this. Unless anyone disagree, I will go forward to the hangman's inn, where anyone on top of Jareik whom I assume come, can join along or choose not to --

Arriving as the lamplighters appear, with the long metal staffs, with a bend lock to hold the lit flame, you notice few outside, baring watch groups - with the markets closed down, the sound also drains out like the Reik itself.
The inn, used by pirates, lawyers and high rising citizens has in the last few years seen a change in who vacate it, as this level of society have sought to private clubs and establishments.
It is a two storage building, build into the sides near the bridge, with overhang and guardsmen outside. A small leads into the main serving hall, and bar, with plenty of spaced seating and two stairs to the rooms offered upstairs.

As Jareik(and perhaps others) peak in, you notice a secluded table, near a window, at the far end, private and thus impossible to sneak up on unnoticed.
Konrad waves as he takes a deep sip from his ale. He looks troubled.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:02, Mon 17 Oct 2022.

After finding stabling and an inn to stay in with the others and getting a suitable forge space set up she follows Jareik and the others to the bar, ordering a pair of ale for herself and Marie as the make to the spot with the watchman.

It was a lead to more trouble after everything but Cecla wasn't sure where that path would lead but she wasn't about to leave the rest of her new peers to their fates to chase after her studies if there was something else that could be done to tie this up so life could go one. Much as curiosity and dutiful obligation wanted her to plumb the depths of the mysteries of the runes. So it was she made herself available, though not armoured, for a visit to this inn. It's scenery and set up hardly something she'd call inviting given dwarfen sensibilities.

Still, the etiquette was much the same as anywhere else she imagined as she fell into step with Jareik and notes the troubled man in the corner booth inviting him to join them. She'd let the wiser folk to this place take the lead though and that much was conveyed with a glance to Jareik.


For the previously requested Perception check:
15:53, Today: Cecla Crownshield rolled 30 -- a simple failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 28.  Perception - 20.

"Assuming that she didn't take some of the villagers with her, it's a safe bet she would find a new flock soon enough with her bewitching sorcery. Hope the witch hunters will have better luck then we did."

It was a shame for Karl but he was dead before the group ever arrived so there was nothing more they could have done.

"Our pleasure, just a shame we couldn't reach a happier outcome but least we know what went down." he said as he took his share of the money.

When the commotion happened it sounded like something truly unholy was happening but it abated quickly enough thankfully.
"Hope it ain't contagious, I touched the ring too and didn't get any visions. Still considering some of the weird things we saw down there, maybe there's something to it, we did after all recover the ring from a site full of people burned alive by heretics in some foul ceremony."
Would be just their rotten luck to find out they bought back a cursed object.

With that they left the watch hq 40 gold richer.
"Eh considering the story i told them it would put anyone on edge. Tell you all about it over a drink, meet you at the Hangman after your shift." he said to Konrad on his way out.

01:40, Today: Jareik Schneider rolled 53 -- 3 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 19.  perception -20.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:52, Fri 14 Oct 2022.

"And after a succesful job, comes the drinks, ha! First round's on me." proclaimed Jareik as he led the group to the bar and placed their orders.

Looking around for patrons he knew, Jareik left the group to exchange pleasantries with acquaintances before coming back and taking a sip of his drink.
"Got some lads about to start a card game, 2 silvers to get in on the action." 

That's when he finally spotted Konrad waving at them.
"But that can wait until after we drank a bit, let's stop by my mate first."

Whether the group followed or stayed at the bar, Jareik went to grab a seat opposite Konrad.
"Why the long face mate? I just came back from a village of heretics and monsters yet you look more down then I do."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:32, Mon 17 Oct 2022.

Konrad eyed Jareik, brief smile and then sighed.
"Things are a tad hectic...you saw the events of Helena and well the Capt' wasn't pleased at all - worried and understandably so. But it stressed him out. We kept watch of her, call the Sisters of Shallaya even. Took the bloody ring off. Not much helped. Or well, after watching her for some time it did....but the Captain asked to find you again, as he wanted you to find out more about it. He also asked if anyone among you had any means to see the unseen, and decipher runes, magic the sorts..you know Jareik? He needs you this morning, kinda under the radar thing. Find me at the gates, and I will let you in via the side entrance, west bound, the one you know but we rarely speak off.  Use it to take high profile folk in and out, good as bad."

He took a huge sip of his drink.
"Sorry...I have no right to ship all that on you. You have been through hell and back, and now I am giving you more troubles for it. For your troubles I was allowed to offer you some gold and means for further work if of interest...hell, would remove my headache as well."

He eyed around.
"Curiously so, there is rumors also, purely rumors, of foreign envoys from said area...the borderlands, which we learned from the cartographers guilds is near the area she called out....mad dog pass. The pass itself is a key route between that and other foreign areas..but no clue why she of all would say it out. Helena has barely left Altdorf her whole life. A short trip to Middenheim according to the Capt' and little else...Well they are here now it seems...strange at least - Anyways, you in?"

The inn is lively, lots of folk inside, with more coming in. All sorts, from humble men and women, to a quite tall man, brown hair and strong dark eyes, who sit roughly in the middle of it all.

Konrad turns.
"I have to hang up this when time permits. Need folk to engage with said envoys. They come, seeking assistance with a cause and assignment few can handle they claim. Seems they have been through many places before this, and sent many groups, with limited effects. If you hear or need coin, these people are a good bet. One is a ruler of an area it seems..I dont know...might be something or not..."

Konrad sighs, sits back and is obviously tired and worn.

Marie joined the gathering, for once bereft of her plate armor and colorful surcoat. Having been so long on the road and in such rough company, the noblewoman had taken to wearing protective gear at almost all times, so it was rather shocking to see her in normal clothing. For she wore a simple white tunic, with tan breeches and simple but rugged knee-high boots covering them. If it wasn't for Lumière D'Argent sheathed at her side, her unusual pursuit of being a knight might not have been apparent in any fashion. As it was, with her hair up in a simple bun, some might mistake her for a androgynous looking academy youth, until they looked closer and noticed her more feminine features, which she took no pains to hide. And despite her injuries and slow recovery, all of you know that she was more than willing to settle matters with those that assaulted her with accusations of cross-dressing.

"Merci mon amour," Marie said to Etain with a smile, sitting with her and taking the ale that she had gotten for her.

She listened to Konrad intently, but did not say much at the moment. Perhaps her injuries were draining her initiative, or she was simply tired, but she couldn't think of anything constructive to add at the moment. Knowing the group, they would more than likely look into the matter. So she might as well enjoy as much downtime with Etain as possible in the short term.

The quite tall man that was sitting in the middle of room got up and approached the colorful group that was seated near the window at the far end of the Inn.

"Bonsoir and please accept my apologies for stumbling in on your affairs, but I could not withstand the sound of Bretonnian being spoken. It has been quite some time that I heard someone talking it." Gille spoke when nearing, both hands open towards them, both as a informal gesture and to ensure that he did not have a weapon at hand.

"But I'm unpolite, my name is Gille." He then made a little bow towards Marie and addressed her personally. "Mademoiselle, I take you are from Bretonnia as well? Or like we say in Bretonnia: Oruvaq zr ng gur bgure raq bs gur Vaa ner gjb zra qerffrq va qnex teborf jvgu n fpne ehaavat npebff gurve snpr. Gurl unir orra sbyybjvat lbh gb gur jngpu ubhfr rneyvre guvf qnl naq ner abj gelvat gb rnirfqebc ba lbhe pbairefngvba."
Gille offered a polite smile to the others. "Yes I know, we Brettons tend to use too much words."




As language groups are not setup I inserted a private line to Marie. Unless the group already agreed to put everything in the open, then I'll edit this message.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:26, Tue 18 Oct 2022.

"Bloody hell, sounds to me like we should be melting that damned ring."
 Jareik shook his head and took a sip. He could understand the captain wanting to do anything he could to help his sister but it all sounded like a wild goose chase and he was no smith or mage.

"Ain't gonna lie, seems to me like a shot in the dark and i'd say this is outside my field of expertise but as it happens..." He pointed towards the exotic group around him. "might actually know the right people for the job."

Granted they would have to actually agree first. Or most of them anyways. "So what say you lot? Up for another job? Miss Milly we would need you for sure , and if either of you smiths are in then I'd say we are sorted."

Failing that, other opportunities presented themselves.
"I'm liking the sound of those special jobs." An assignment few could handle equalled higher coin.

A tall man came up to their table, after his introduction Jareik looked at Marie then at the man and tipped his hat whilst offering a polite "Well hope you're enjoying your evening mate."

Figuring that the breton was just trying to flirt with his country woman, he wondered if he should say anything? Bah, Marie's a big girl and she already has a bodyguard.

It was a lot to take in with a single sitting but it wasn't anything too far outside of what she had been taught and learned at the old longbeard's feet. Not here or back home, for that matter. Still, her expression was a particularly grim kind of thoughtful as the questions started to burn like well stoked coals about this ring and everything surrounding it. It had already lingered from everything she gathered in a damned dark place for more than was healthy for anything or anybody. As seemed habit, more than anything, the Dwarfess toyed with the thick braid of copper hair that she seemed rather proud of before the newcommer, babbling in Breton, who seemed to be playing a dangerous game barging in and making overtures alongside Jareik's own pointed question managed to draw her out of her thoughts.

"I'm not one for letting mischief have it's way if you're asking for how I feel about lending a further hand. You may want to thank your ancestors though as while I ain't the master of all such things... I know a thing or three about runes. You wouldn't happen to have a rubbing or anything of what you're looking to untangle?" Cecla concluded with a note in her tone that suggested she found something deeply amusing despite the gravity of the moment and it managed to set a sparkle to her eyes... and cut through the typical dour nature of the mountain folk.

As for the Breton, the Dwarf offered a bob of her head in greeting. The gesture downright cheerful in it's way. "Long as the words mean something, no such thing." Cecla added by way of acceptance of anyone being a little too wordy here and there. Ancestors knew she'd gotten off on a tangent when it came to one topic or another.

Like Marie, Etain had changed, leaving her dirty clothes in a bag, waiting to be washed, she has her kilt, scandalously short by Empire standards but of a traditional length for her people, a thick shirt on top and she places the coat on the back of the chair. Upon giving the mug of ale she says "Sláinte" before kissing her on the forehead and taking her seat.

Listening to the job off she nodded and said "We could definitely do this while we recuperate, and the extra pay can't hurt. Spend some time forging and getting our equipment in order"

As the man talks she takes the opportunity to look past the newcomer and at the men in question Etain tries to see if one of them was the person she saw following them earlier before looking at the new arrival and Marie "I had a suspicion that we were being followed once we left the watch house but I wanted to make sure before I brought it up." If she sees Marie shift to move or get up she will put a hand on her leg and slightly shake her head.

Gille noticed Etain looking pass him to the two shadowy figures and raised an eyebrow. He mentality noted that the red haired woman could understand Bretonnian as well.

20:42, Today: Gille Milroy rolled 46 -- 1 degree of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 58.  easy perception.

When the tall man approached their table, Marie had readied herself for either a drunken comment, or a chastisement from a conservative soul who did not approve of her manner of dress, or company. So she was pleasantly surprised when not only was in none of those things, but it was clear that this person was a fellow countrymen. And while Etain spoke the Breton tongue beautifully, her accent was not of Bretonnia, so it was nice to hear it after being so long from her homeland.

But then his words caught up with her exhausted and injured brain. And it was a good thing that Etain's restraining and reassuring hand held her back. For even in her current condition, her first instinct was to draw steel and call out the two men that Gille had indicated. She didn't know exactly why the fiery-haired woman had stopped her, but the noblewoman trusted the woman's instincts. Instead, she simply addressed Gille in her native tongue in order to not raise suspicion.

[Language unknown: "Foiost mopa lo tioiv selami Eiisitad Ekriie. Ee pehat. Ri iosa es Toecnd Ofachaic, stryinhatprontiman u Torealno Earwheateate, Loanlo ie Menrederaous. Ngtrio, M i nepa pe ti, iopo ertr for k ome iouateith waivmi leasth larantany, to trte firela firi ekstr u ad hatnti'eauredles?"] the Bretonnian noblewoman asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Gille looked surprised at Marie's introduction, it took some seconds to digest that revelation and to make up his mind if he should answer in Breton or in Reikspiel. He chose the latter as there was nothing to be said that would alarm the other men.

"Ha, Lady Arceneaux, that would make you the knight I saw at the watch house, what a surprise. The lady hails from Carcassonne, I myself was a Shepperd there before I decided to try and sell my service in this land." Gille ended his introduction before answering the question Marie had asked.

"What was I doing at the watch house you ask? I arrived today as an escort for a trade caravan from Null and was looking at the mercenary guild for another job. Nothing much to find there, if I might add, nothing with honor that is. And then I noticed a Knight of the Lady which I must say, triggered my curiosity. And as such I noticed other things as well. So for my motivations, one should always try to do the right thin. And as I am seeking coin, an eccentric group of adventures seems more likely to be able to offer it than the mercenary guild."

The two men behind, as Gille quickly discover - eye around and are alert. Suddenly one gentle nudges the other, and with a mutual nod, rises calmly, to exit the door without fuss. They make little ruckus or even spare you a look for the time being. Just focused on the door.
As Gille eye them, he notices, just above their hand a small mark, about the size of a small coin.
A small, partial circle - like a moon, with a line through it. They both have it.
They leave coin on the table and head out, the drinks however only half empty.

"It seems our friends will find out it is time to leave." Gille stated.

"Say, does a mark the size of a penny that looks like a moon with a strike through it means something to you? Both men have it." he added, looking back to the table and then to the men heading for the door.

"Smashing." Jareik nodded at the affirmations received.
Well Konrad, looks like we might be able to give a hand. The gates then, we'll meet you there."

The man he previously dismissed as trying his luck with Marie spoke to the table as a whole. Hearing him mentioning Marie being the one knight he saw previously at some previous occurence only cemented that impression.

"Hmm? Ah afraid, not mate" he said with a shrug and reasoning this was some sort of setup where he will mime looking for some moon mark only to find it on one of the women's bosoms and make some salacious joke.
Neither Etain or Marie seemed to be reacting negatively so he can only assume whatever the brettonian was doing, it was working.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:07, Wed 26 Oct 2022.

Etain shakes her head when the new Bretonnian asks about the tattoos and says "Not that I know of, but Imperial customs often elude me."

"Kept mostly to Clan and the Colleges here... So can't say it's stuck in memory if I had." Cecla offered after a moment of ruminating over the thought, fingers drumming against her chin as if to try and pry or shake something lose. Being followed wasn't a new turn of the gear but at least this time it was something, hopefully, a little recognizable. Easier to put steel and fire to it if you knew what it was and how it made about the work of a fight, after all.

At Gille's explanation of how and why he had followed them, Marie had to admit that one of her first instincts was to question whether the man had gotten proper permission from his lord to leave his service and lands, but she had to push that down for the urgency of the moment.

"You may have come to the right place for coin and adventure, Monsieur," she replied to the former shepherd.

"And these potential thieves and spies now break for the cover of night as all cowards do, please tell me why we did not accost them and demand answers right this very moment?" the noblewoman asked, looking around the table with a cocked eyebrow.

As she looked, the Knight of the Realm racked her brain for knowledge of the symbol that her countryman had noticed. She had traveled far, and seen many things in her time.

OOC Mechanics
16:29, Today: Marie Arceneaux rolled 23 -- 2 degrees of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 49. Common Knowledge - The Empire.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:34, Sun 30 Oct 2022.

Marie racks her mind and a few things spring up from her travels.
Morrslieb - the green moon, and partner to Mannslieb, is the two moons orbiting the world and the empire itself. Believers are many, both those in the rows of Morrs but also Skaven, Beastmen and deprave chaos cults who idolize the moons symbolic nature.
One place and thought comes to mind - and that points to a whole new concern.
The mark of slaanesh - A round sphere, with a long rod on it ending in a moon. Behind it, another moon, and through the back moon the front rod passes.
You saw but a glimmer of their hand, but focusing on the rod and backmoon alone, could well, signal a breaker cult whom are clever enough to twist their mark to be less than ideal - and this logic has been seen more than once..Marie can count several encounters in her past where she, has met cults whom were born out of other cults, but shared the same ideoligy.
Its a wild guess but makes dreaful sense held against her experience.

While musing Konrad got up and nodded at Jareik, and the rest. Commenting to Gilles also, he stated calmly.
"I will be waiting there. Come at any time, and you sir seem capable and a perfect fit for this also. Bring your fervor and will and we will find much use for all. I must go, good night to you all until we meet again.."
He drank up, gathered his things and ventured unceremoniously out the door.

"Eh, did I miss something?" said Jareik with a head turn and a raised eyebrow, although he had tried his best to ignore what he assumed was a private conversation, he caught the last bit of marie's words and gathered that maybe the tall man wasn't just doing smooth talk to get into someone's pants. Konrad seemed to second that impression by suggesting the man tag along with them.

"Allright, have a good one." said Jareik raising his tankard in goodbye. Well that's a shame, and here he had been looking forward to some fun tonight but seems there was no rest for the wicked, if they were on a job the next day he couldn't exactly spend the rest of the night getting hammered. He would have to console himself with the weight of a heavier purse instead.

"So what's all this about spies and thieves and moon shaped marks then?" he asked, focusing back on Marie and the unknown man.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:01, Mon 31 Oct 2022.

There was much happening at once and yet nothing at all as Marie suggested. Gille had not expected to be drafted into this group by Konrad, but the job offered seemed promising and well payed.

He nodded in acknowledgement at Konrad when the man got up and out of the tavern. Gille then addressed Jareik: "My apologies Herr, there were just two men leaving that I've found spying on you today and eavesdropping on your conversation this evening. They both had that strange marking I just described."

Gilles waited to see if there was something new to be added to the conversation by someone, for he needed to secure lodging for the night, be it in this place or another.

Jareik's brow furrowed. "That right? Curious, we just came back from a little trip outside Altdorf so no idea what makes us so damned fascinating. Well other then being a colorful bunch I guess but this is Altdorf, all sorts pass here all the time."

Perhaps the mistake was in assuming the entire group was being spied upon when more likely it's a particular individual that is being stalked.
"Don't suppose anyone has any enemies or feuds from home the rest of us should know about?"
Of course there was also the possibility it was linked to their recent assignment...? Nah it couldn't be, that witch would have to be insane to try her shenanigans in Altdorf of all places.

Likely the explanation was much more mundane and he was over thinking it.

"Well regardless, we'll keep an eye out but it's probably just a group of local pickpockets, we did just get paid after all so maybe they were gauging how easy of a mark we were."

Anyone trying to make off with his purse will have one less arm that's for sure.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:14, Wed 02 Nov 2022.

"Those men that followed us, and just made their escape...I think...I think they had tattoos reminiscent of some recent...eccentric local religions that we have recently become acquainted with. If that is the case, perhaps we should try to chase these rats to their nest?" Marie finally said after wracking her brain, and using euphemistic language so as not to start a panic among the goodly drunkards around them.

"Here in Altdorf? Sigmar give me strength." rued Jareik as Marie articulated his least favorite theory, taking a big gulp from his tankard to gain a measure of said strength.


"Well can't hurt to try at least, let's see if they were stupid enough to loiter around." he finished his tankard in one gulp and headed for the door as briskly as he could short of running people over.
"Scuse me, scuse me, passing through, sorry mate, scuse me, scuse me..."

Once outside he looked left and right in a vain attempt to catch any hint of a moon shaped tattoo.

Etain gave Marie a sour look when she suggests going after them and says  then as Jareik gets up and starts moving she sighs and looks back to Marie

Jareik can only sigh. Altdorf is in itself, and know to many, a glorified Rat nest.
Heavy streets, lots of crannies and roads between a plethora of housings, sewers spreading wide, and heavy degree of population around the clock.
The men are gone, at least out of sight - but could be far, close or anything in between.
Going after them right now would be a fruitless exercise right now. It's dark and no trails to be had. If they are an enemy, they have the upper hand for now.

Konrad gave a lead and the previous task sorted allowing for the group to pick up any tasks or rather rest and join Konrad in the morning.
The inn is calming down, few leaving - and in an hours time serving will halt. The upper floor has sufficient rooms for the lot of you.

Gilles looked at Marie after Etain remark and noticed what had slipped his eye the first time in the dim lights of the inn, Marie was battered and bruised. There must have been quite some fight and the fact that this group was sitting here, Gille wondered how those that had been on the other end of the knights steel had fare.

When Jareik rose and headed to the door he answered Etain, in Breton as well, reacting automaticcaly on his mother tongue and not to offend the others.
'[Language unknown: Netic mi comdi.]'.
But Gille did not notice the rest their reaction as he headed to the door as well.

Outside, his hand firmly gripped around the haft of his axe, but the weapon not out in the open. He looked around, peering into the dark streets that still were full of activity.
"No use in getting killed tonight." Gilles remarked, he hint of unease in his voice. He preferred the woods above the city, but one could find not that much coin in the latter.

Gille glanced over his shoulder to the door. Although he wished to go inside, he would not leave Jareik alone and would follow him should the man start a search.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:09, Wed 02 Nov 2022.

[Language unknown: "Na tin, o O niacis pa vereenlin yinwilich fi poca ndek, E ssweal tapend an ndedertic fo dayce oureauati wible essvirwas a ill e is omeardenclatnte i venas riaist ckoson. Ughevesom, re sa mireplce t reaic, for il Estan ineardwilout ad ereas, lo atte urehasman iohaos i?"] she replied, smiling at the red-haired woman.

Placing a hand on the pommel of her Birth Sword, Marie followed the others to the exterior. As she feared, they had waited to long, and now their one known connection to these men was gone. Vanished into the hungry night of the grand city.

When they returned to the interior of the inn, Marie inquired as to whether they had baths on premises, and if she gave them a coin, would they summon a barber specializing in women's hair? The fact that they might also help with injuries was left unsaid.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:26, Wed 02 Nov 2022.

Jareik's eyes were sharper in the dark then most but it was a fruitless search.
"Ah bollocks. Well even if I did feel like chasing dodgy folk into back alleys, seems they didn't stick around." he said with a shrug and returned inside back to their table, ordering one last drink for himself on the way.

"No point worrying about it for now and we got a job to do tomorrow. So Gilles was it? I'm Jareik. Konrad vouches for you so that's good enough for me, but hope you at least know how to swing a sword, IF miss Marie was right about who those people were, chances are you will have to. "
This message was last edited by the player at 17:47, Wed 02 Nov 2022.

The dwarf was quiet for her part as she listened and watch. The city was far too dense with folk for her to feel much need to chase after two. If they had designs on them, odds were good they'd happen somewhere other than in the midst of an inn anyway. It wouldn't stop her from sleeping with an axe or knife close at hand but that was just being prudent. Once Jareik rejoins them and makes his comment, she can't help but take a swig of her own ale and offer a laugh.

"No time like the present I'd say to learn. He doesn't have the look of a lineman though." the Dwarf added with a gesture towards Gille as if to accentuate that he was a tall and slender sort. Not quite an elf but somewhere in the neighborhood. "As to the job... Konrad never did answer my question but hopefully whatever runes he's talking of are the sort made by a dawi's hand and not the ugly scratches from elsewhere. That's a bad sort of work if it's the case."

Etain gave another sour face and said  to herself before following Marie and the others, one hand on her axe and the other on the handle of her knife. Once outside she glanced around to the thinning streets and not seeing the men they were after and waits for the others before she quits the street and heads back in and follows Marie as she asks about a bath and follows up the question by asking if there is one large enough for two and if it can be extra hot.

Milly for one had been a very busy bee, various stops around the city had kept her busy for the better part of the day. Securing a visit with a capable physician, paying her dues to the colleges and a bit of looking around for certain items meant that the streets had gone rather dark by the time she was done.

After all that walking and chores, a familiar face was a sight for sore eyes for Milly and her still weary body. Having a lock on, it was simple enough to meet the rest so conveniently gathered together. "But if it isn't Herr Jareik and friends! Just as I expected after seeing undeniable evidence that it was them." She greeted them with a bit of her usual bombastic demeanor back in her bones. "I trust your day has been as fruitful as mine. There is no shortage of things to do in this city, provided one has enough coin of course. After out last journey together I was even excited at the chance of paying my dues today, not that it has been that long but felt the urge to get reacquainted with some of my colleagues there." Not like she expected any of them to understand much of the workings and parallel society her kind represented, but her or others not knowing much about a topic had never stopped her when it came to striking a conversation.

"And who is this new person in your small circle? Some Hochlander war buddy of yours?" She inquired gesturing to Gille.

"Sorry about that, guess the man had a lot on his mind. Then again not like most of us in the empire would be able to tell the difference, didn't even know others then dwarves carved runes. Seems we'll find out when we get there." he said to Cecla before catching the arrival of Milly, seemed she had decided to join them after all.

"Ha ha, the prodigal mage returns, good to see you're somewhat back to your usual self." greeted Jareik with a hearty laugh and raising his tankard at Milly's theatrics and motioning her to join them at the table.

"Well we were about to celebrate a bit but remember that business with the watch captain and his sister? Yeah, my mate Konrad was here to us know the cap' wants us on a job related to that. Long story short, his sister's been acting all possessed and he blames the ring, wants us to do some digging on it as well as research some runes. Was kinda hoping you'd be up for giving us a hand with this so what say you? We'll be paid for our troubles of course."

After bringing up the mage to speed, introductions were in order.

"Actually we just met and he's one of Ms Marie's country men. Ms Milly, meet Gilles. Gilles, meet Ms Milly. Don't worry, she hardly ever turns people into toads."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:16, Fri 04 Nov 2022.

I'm in dire need of a room and some rest. Gille thought when heading back into the warm embrace of the taverns interior. Little did he know that rest would have to wait a bit longer.

A lot of thing unfolded in a lot less time that he had expected and there would be much to thing upon before sleep would settle in. Lady Arceneaux her status of a knight errant would have raised a lot of eyebrows in Breton, but here suggestive relation with the short skirted lady Seanait would have been the talk of the evening in all layers of society. Or maybe not, he had not been among the 'cultured' class for a long time.

'Ah, I'm not a lineman but more like ah, euh, common ce dire, a ranger?' Gille answered both the dwarf and the soldier with a question of his own.
'But I can hold my ground if so needed.' he continued, tapping his axe. 'Although I must admit I rather have my bow at hand to ensure that I doesn't come that close.'

The sudden new arrival brought some more to think about. Apparently the group was in the company of a wizard as well. Something even more strange was that she was not threaten with fear and social distance. It would seem that there was a lot to get used to.
When Jareik introduced him to Milly he smiled politely. "Mademoiselle Milly, a pleasure to meet you. As Jareik already stated, I'm from Bretonnia and I offered my bow to your service."

The dwarf tilted her head towards Jareik in acknowledgement of the point with a thoughtful sort of look to her expression as she worried at her lip for a moment. If it was something done by a runesmith, there were a lot of questions to be had but she'd be able to make out whose hand was behind it with a bit of time and consultation.

"Runework's a pretty deliberate craft so either way if it comes down to that... It's malice or an unsteady hand. Something for later anyway but working on a plan, either way." the Dwarf replied as the young and bombastic wizard joined them, finally. She raised her own flagon in acknowledgement and let Jareik catch her up to speed before sparing a glance to Gille as he described himself as a ranger. That earned something of a laugh and a grin from the dwarf woman. Her voice carrying in the way of the Dawi for how it seemed to share a little too much with the stone they all seemed to come from.

"If that's what your calling yourself, I expect you to be a creative sort."

Her own experience with rangers from among the Mountain folk were madmen saboteurs, trappers, and all around brutal in how they approached problems. At least if their boasting was anything to go about... Either way, it was a very atypical mix she'd embroiled herself with and wasn't regretting it yet. Inspiration came from odd places, after all, and so far they'd led her to one interesting find when it came to that Oak's bark.

"Milly Minhelm, esteemed member of the Bright Order. I command the red wind of Aqshy and hardly ever turn people into toads. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She introduced herself to Gille. "Another foreigner then. I suppose it isn't too surprising in this cosmopolitan city of ours. But I am not hiring any men, If anyone here is hiring that would be Herr Jareik or one of his soldiering friends." Mimi glanced over the rest. "Not present at this table."

She didn't comment yet on the jobs but she found the story about the ring rather concerning. Had the thing been cursed beforehand? But then who could had known that they would find and retrieve it beforehand? And the deed taking place after the fact presented a whole similar set of problems, not to mention the possibility that the item wasn't cursed at all. Madness came quickly to those grieving, strangers things were heard of daily on these streets. Only one way to know for sure... Taking the job or not, Milly made a point of remembering to pay a convenient visit and find out the truth, it was never good for someone in her 'guild' to leave loose ends pertaining cursed items.

Jareik stroked his beard thoughtfully, coming from a region full of hunters he could respect good bowsmanship but when it came to hunting bigger sport then wild animals he had strong opinions on the topic.

"A bow is all well and good... But you really should try a handgun now that you're in the Empire. Admittedly can't quite keep up the same rate of fire but gunpowder weapons can punch right through the toughest of plate."

Then again from what he had heard, brettonians were reticent to use any sort of the fancy new technology employed in the empire or by the dwarfs, why that is, he had no bloody idea.

Otherwise the mage didn't give an answer one way or another so he continued.
"If you are interested, the plan is to meet up tomorrow morning at Sigismund's gate. Go over there, look over the runes, should be easy money. Investigating the ring might be more a pain but I did tell my mate not to expect miracles on that front."

He should probably also let the mage know about their not to secret admirers although one would have to be a true fool to mess with a pyromancer, even one of diminutive stature like Milly.

"Oh and...Argh, I don't want to sound like a worry wart but but apparently we have had people watching and following us. Didn't get a good look at them myself but they sport moon shaped tattoos. Could be related to our recent antics, or could just be an organised gang of cutpurses, either way best keep your eyes open."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Mon 07 Nov 2022.

Gilles frowned when Jareik suggested the use of gunpowder weapons.

"Well yes, I shall hear of these handguns you speak about. A bit to noise and a foul smell if you will ask me. And they give away you position at once." Gille answered. "I prefer my longbow if you don't mind."

He then addressed the table more in general. "If you all want to excuse me, I need some sleep. I shall meet you all tomorrow at Monsieur Konrad, non?"

"Fair enough." said Jareik with a shrug, he couldn't deny gunpowder made a lot of noise but then he ain't usually worried about discretion.

"Sigismund's gate, it's the big one south from the Cathedral of Sigmar. We'll see you there then." he corrected and raised his tankard in goodbye.

Cecla raised her own flagon to the latest seeming addition to the crew with that same smile. There was no need to ask a dwarf about their opinion on gunpowder, after all, and it remained to be seen if the man could live up to the title of ranger as a dwarf might understand it. There was definitely no notion of honour but no small propensity for creative mayhem.

"Ancestor's watch over you. Probably ought to get to my own rest and hobbies sooner than later. Have to practice to keep the craft sharp." the Dwarf concluded but for now seemed to be inclined to take her rest after everything that had already come to pass. The quiet trappings of something akin to civilization was certainly a pleasure in it's own after their adventure.

As the morning whisk in over the city of Altdorf, all is calm.
At least, for a while. For Altdorf never truly sleeps, it may rest but never stops nor halt.
When dark comes other interests act and when the sun is out, they vanish again to be replaced by bustling trade, noise and wry for power, activity or simple survival.

As you wake, and reflect on your past days - whatever they held in terms of baths, visits, shopping, grooming, or simply revisiting and recovering, you stand today, outside - having eaten a hearty breakfast and with a warm morning sun above you. The group, with many stories already, and a new inspiring bowman joining in, the day lay before you.
The location Konrad spoke off, was not far away - 10 minutes on foot, albeit leading through two market squares, many rows of houses, shops and taverns and over a few bridges, allows for many sights, sounds and smells to be taken in.
You had enough time to prepare, don whatever needed to be donned, polish and refine and breathe with ease - whenever you saw fit, he would be ready.

As you walk through the streets, you notice posters of help wanted for menial jobs, wanted posters for bounties on scoundrels, plays at the various taverns and social clubs and everything edible and not at display. Altdorf was indeed a metropolis of opportunity.

Near a heavily built stone house, not afar from the watch headquarter you noticed Konrad, patrolling calmly and discussing with a fellow guard, outside the doorway in.
On the side, behind them, you saw a curious sight. Or rather in Altdorf few thing sticks out, but this man did.
His skin was dark, olive colored almost, almost oil-like in texture and with refined features. His clothing light in color, white, sandcolored even and his eyes narrow and stern.
He wears a light plate on his chest and a decorated sword at his side, and eyes you with curiosity.

Konrad turned as you approached.
"Ah you made it! Excellent. It's really strange all this, but I am not the one to speak more on this - the envoy is inside and has only told me sparsely what he wanted. That is his associate by the way behind us - and that is they seek experienced, strong and capable men and women to assist them, be willing to travel and work hard, but also be rewarded many fold for this...It sounds dangerous but also like a chance for those willing...IF you are those - by all means, go inside. I will wait here."
He moved aside and pointed at the doorway which was opened slightly, exposing a well lit room with a large table surrounded by chairs, and drinks, two men akin to the one outside, and a delicately and pricely dressed mid-aged man with short, but kept hair and strong eyes and jaw. Before him lay a book and at his side, a large chest.

As they made their way to the rendez vous, Jareik casually glanced at the wanted posters, you never knew when a bag of gold on legs might stray into you.

"Mornin'" he greeted once they reached Konrad.
The weirdly colored man certainly grabbed his attention, he had never seen someone like that before, the sword also didn't seem like any make he was familiar with.
Seeing the man was looking at them back he pulled on his hat as a greeting before whispering to Konrad.
"Didn't realize we would be dealing with foreigners, will try not to cause a diplomatic incident then." he whispered.
It had already taken him time to adjust to Etain, such was her likeness to the savage northeners. But this man were stranger still, he could only assume he came from some far off exotic land but which one in particular he could not say.
Ah well, first time for everything.

Once let inside, they faced what he presumed to be a paymaster of sorts judging by the book and the chest, flanked by two more of who he assumed to be bodyguards.
"Greetings sir', I hear you are in need of our services?" he said casually as he took a seat.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:13, Sun 13 Nov 2022.

Gille was new to all but himself. New to the Empire, new to this group and new to the job. He had little to none clue what to do or whom to speak to, so he decided to follow Jareik and let the scene unfold.

The dark man was a strange sight indeed. If Gille felt himself as a stranger in a strange land, how must the dark foreigner feel, he wondered.

When Marie arrived with her fellow companions at the agreed upon time and place, she practically looked a different person. Gone was the haggard woman with bags under her eyes, a wince in every step, and the stink of the road upon her. Gone were the peasants garb, and gone was the sheer exhaustion on her face. This morning she stood tall and proud, seemingly loosing ten years of age overnight. He hair was shining, trimmed, and held up in a loose bun. Her skin was clear of the dirt from the road, and she smelled of fresh soap.

Her frame was once again encased in her familiar armor. Only now, the plates shone with a mirror shine, and every dent had been hammered out. Every hint of rust from the chainmail had been scoured off in the cleaning barrel, and looked brand new. The surcoat that bore the colors of her House now fell about her person without the numerous mud and blood stains, to say nothing of less savory fluids. The quartered white and blue, to honor the colors of both her mother and father's Houses, the surcoat could be seen from quite a distance, which was the point. Her besagues bore the family crest atop the surcoat, showing a shield quartered and in the same House color scheme, and as with most noble families from Bretonnia, their heraldry was in some way similar to their Duke. As Duke Huebald of Carcassonne had a raised golden sword flanked by two golden fleur de lis, the heraldry of House Arceneaux was a raised silver sword, with a hilt worked into the shape of a fleur de lis. This heraldry was echoed on the heater shield that hung from her guige.

And as always, Lumière D'Argent sat in the place of honor on her sword-belt.

Josette had been similarly pampered, as her coat was shining and recently brushed. The Bretonnian Charger bore new horseshoes, and her caparison had also been freshly laundered, and now bore the same noble colors and heraldry as her rider.

"Bonjour!" she said to everyone by way of greeting in a bright voice.

It seemed her mood had greatly improved since all of them, save Etain, had last seen her. When they entered the building, Marie made a show of giving their potential employers a polite bow.

"Hail and well met," she said diplomatically, switching to Reikspiel for the greeting.

The Dwarf had thumbs hooked into her belt and a finger gently across her coin purse as she moved through the streets of Altdorf. Light fingers had been something she had learned well enough about on her first days in the city and it only took one mistake to set the awareness of it in her head. Still, she let her eyes drift from one poster or another as she ambled towards the agreed meeting point the single mindedness of a proper dwarf on a mission. The crowd parting or her making it part with a bellow or a shove with shoulder and strong army to make space and room for herself.

"Fine morning for a bit of work." Cecla offered with a raise of one hand in greeting to the rest of their group as she fell in with them around Konrad and the man with him.

If she were going to be honest, she had more of an interest in the light plate and sword at his hip than the colour of his skin. Long as she didn't get the impression such was the taint of some rot in the soul, it was the least fascinating part of a man. Beyond a smith's work though... There was the story behind it. Dwarf folk were well travelled in their way but it wasn't often they got too far from the holds of their ancestry that they passed out of reach of the Empire or their kin.

Either way, she left the talking to Jareik for the moment. Best way about it, anyway, as didn't get the message muddled by too many folks talking at once.

As everyone else left the tavern, Marie and Etain got their bath and room, taking advantage of the barber she gets her hair trimmed ever so slightly to get rid of the split ends. Her own clothes had likewise been cleaned, her armour's cuts repaired and a new pair of leather leggings under her long kilt. Her hair she spends a long time tying into a complicated braid down the back, the left side is all folding back into back braid while she left the right long and flowing.

Before they leave the Inn she takes out a bolt of cloth with a heavy metallic object inside and places it on the bed and tells Marie to come over. Once she's there she opens unwraps the item and lying in the sheet is a beautifully wrought warpick, whose head is shaped like a crows head, a fleur-de-lis upon its forehead and blue and white leather wrap around its haft. "I made this for you yesterday" she says looking at her face to see the response to the weapon


Besides the is another axe, not as well made but still exception that she places on her other hip in an axe loop on her hip, the knotwork is exquisite making the shape of a wolf on one side and a crow on the other.

Walking beside Marie and Josette she nods to the others, does a quick greeting to them and nods to the leader of the other party and moves to the side.

"La Dame du Lac..." Marie breathed when she saw the masterful weapon.

Gently removing the weapon from the cloth the noblewoman ran her gloved hands over the war pick, hefting the weapon to feel its weight and point of balance. It was magnificent. Tears started to form in Marie's eyes, ruining the refreshed look she'd been sporting.

[Language unknown: "K, ckolol ul be setev, el ng waenonal! And estat os forromsta o whe butho, ousardicarut, tha oreanyhas! E a p asomil, A io foarre om ousais...I rutinther be!"] she managed to choke out.

"Does...does it have a name?" the Bretonnian asked, looking up into her lovers face, recognizing a masterpiece when she saw one.

[Language unknown: "Ou ilwh ecul, ss m usioiv pl com maetnepl O trtata com thi" ] she says leaning in and kissing Marie then rests her head on her armoured shoulder and responds to the question of its name and says "I haven't picked one yet, but I was thinking of maybe stailc an fhithigh, it means Raven's Strike. As you know the Raven was my mother's family sigil, as well it is also seen as one of the messengers of our goddesses Mórrígan, a goddess of war, fate and victory."

The man nodded and presented but a hand for you, urging you to sit at the table before him.
Upon doing so, those who did, the door was closed by a servant of similar origin as the rest.
The man had strong, stern eyes and while of some age, shone through in authority and presence.
He was obvious to anyone, trained and experienced and knew well of his worth and means.
He eyed about as the door closed with a heavy thud.
"So, you are those who I was advised about and I am not left disappointed.
Let me introduce myself, I am Behrin Actovia, envoy of the honorable Lord Levrellian, high prince of the borderlands, hailing from Zenres, situated between the Badlands to the south, the world edge mountains to the east and the northern reaches past the skull river.
A harrowing land, yet controlled and kept peaceful through his leadership.
Why are we here? Easily stated, but better seen. The land is under attack, and most of our forces is thus ill disposed for anything but maintaining order and keeping the threat away. As it stands, more is needed, forces that are beyond politics, stigmas and causes but rather pragmatically can take whatever may come their way and harness and defeat it - strong in mind and force if needed, capable of adapting and doing what must be done to to set things right and to solve what needs to be solved, without hesitation."

Some deep dark wine is poured from a bottle depicting writing none of you have seen before.
"So what do I need for you and why here? Firstly, Altdorf is renowned for having everything or means to find what you need - as I was here on official business anyways, I asked if mercenaries, sellswords, whatever name was acceptable were to be found here and even more so...had reputation and proof of ability. Finding a fool to swing a sword is easy. Finding someone who can use every tool they have, every wit and come back with a solution...that is a more tricky proposition. I heard of you, the cult, the aid of the poor womans man and how you came back, stronger than before and with intent to not back down. Proper heroes...and more than fitting for what I seek."

A shrine was placed on the desk, or rather it was an adorned chest, large.
So heavy two men placed it with a thud.
"In here, is what I offer.
75 gold now, 75 when you succeed initially. 150 gold for the first round of tasks. Hence room for more.
But...what is the task you might wonder. Truth be told, it is a series of many things.
Initially you need to head south, to the town of Zevres and meet with the The lord and his advisor. Here you will learn more. Things are...difficult as we speak. The area controlled by the Lord Prince is just north at Zevres to the skull river and stopping south of the town of Mirstadt. It is a dangerous and long trip. Get there and be advised and you have well earned your pay. I suggest, the sea road to Nuln and from there down through Wissenland to the Peak Pass in Karak Kadrin. A good solid thousand miles at sea. If all goes well, thats 13 to 15 days by river with refilling and handling port authorities along the way. If you agree, I can have that arranged for department of a large vessel today or early morning.
The offer might seem like much - but given the length of the trip, the requirement for utmost effort and professionalism and the willingness to adapt and work at whatever goals are placed make it a fair price...and as any of you know the lands are not the friendliest around in terms of surroundings. Before I continue...do advise if any of you have changed your mind and if so, are welcome to leave. But do so, now! Those who remain, will be provided with a few key bits of additional information."

The servant goes to the door, holds the handle and eye around.
Assuming no one leaves, he continues.

"Excellent. Let's make plans. Know this - while the ship you are on is likely offering some protection, it is hostile and risky lands you fare through. So be alert. Even when doing restocking. Secondly, once you arrive getting to Zevres is going through hostile territory and thus present even more to be alert about. The City of Karak Kadrin is well equipped to offer you assistance but at a price and with some effort. Once you arrive, use the official decrees within this chest. Do so, and you will be wealthy and well off for the time being."

Marie kissed the top of Étaín's head and gave her a tight hug with her armored arms. Not only out of gratitude, but because the kindness and generosity of this fair smith still surprised her every day. And she was truly happy.

"Hm...stailc an fhithigh...I will treasure it. Thank you again mon amour..." she whispered softly.


"Bonjour. My name is Marie Arceneaux, granddaughter of Rodolphe Arceneaux, Baron of Martialis. It is my very good honor to meet you," the young woman said formally to Envoy Actovia.

"Is there a specific threat at hand to Lord Levrellian's lands? Or is this simply a matter of raising a peace-keeping force of mercenaries? Because while I have no issue riding into danger to strike down some vile foe, I do not plan on making the Borderlands my home for the foreseeable future," the noblewoman said seriously.

Etain accepted the hug and kiss readily but held it as long as she could before looking out the window and says "we should get going I guess the others will be on their way"

---------

"Beannachtaí agus maidin mhaith" Etain says to all of those present inside the room "I am Etain Seanait of Albion, and I must concur with Marie is this a more short term threat or a long term policing?"

Jareik scratched his beard thoughtfully as he listened, a small smile creeping on his face as the man described the long route they would take.
He had never travelled so far before, let alone to dwarven territory, and with so much gold to sweeten the deal, he was definitely interested.

It was also pleasing to see the watch captain had been recommending them to other employers, a bigger reputation meant bigger contracts and therefore bigger payment, as this encounter was proving.

But the lure of travel and profits aside, Marie raised a good point.

"Aye seems to me you could hire an entire mercenary company if you wanted to, heck I could recommend a few good ones if you're looking. But what sort of threat are we talking about that you'd need a smaller team of...shall we say, specialists?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:34, Sat 19 Nov 2022.

Cecla had settled herself as she wasn't about to break word and bond with the folk she'd happened onto and through so much thus far with... but she did have her own responsibilities and duties to consider. This left aside ambitions but if her master had let her do it once, he'd probably not be too opposed to another wide roving trip as long as she returned again with a prize or three worth the effort to fill out the store room. That said, every minute not at the forge or at his side felt like a minute slipping away that could used to finally getting it all... just so and forging her first rune.

"Have to wonder what kind of mess has been brewing if the Slayers' keep isn't willing to throw more than a few of their own at it on principle. Dangerous trip is one way of presenting it, I'll give you that. "

It was a pointed comment and one that was in agreement with Jareik. They wanted flexibility and ingenuity, that was something they had given the odd collection of folks and talents that had pulled together. The question was what sort of staying power they wanted? She didn't fancy the idea of figuring her way from apprentice to journeyman and maybe one day something more out in the midst of no where far from kin and kind... Let alone in campaign distance of a more than a few festering grudges.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:53, Sun 20 Nov 2022.

Gille took a seat, placing limb of his unbraced longbow against the table. He waited in silence while the  door closed with a heavy thud. As the envoy Behrin started talking he listened. There was a keen interest in the whine being poured, even more as the thing he had drunk last night came nowhere near even the lesser amongst the wines of his homeland.

And as he had hoped yesterday, this was a job that offered more then the stupid errants listed at the mercenary guild here in Altdorf. The amount of gold that was proposed was more then he would have ever earned, should he never had decided to leave Bretonnia. The envoy made no effort in hiding the obvious: the risk was equal or more to the coin offered.

Gille had made up his mind, he would take the offer. He had no intent to go back to his homeland, neither in near nor far future. But then Marie popped the question on the duration of this job, a question that was more or less backed up by Etain and Jareik.

Gille only hoped that the rest would not bail out and that the offer from Behrin was over even before he could accept.

The man nodded at Marie.
"The dangers of the lands lie in many shapes. many wry for the power of the lord prince and civil unrest is an issue. This means that any mercenary hired close by will expose alignment to one of the three wrying for power. You however are unknown and would easily be able to pass around without being seen as allies or enemies, but mere passers by. The question of others make perfect sense - the key is that subterfuge is needed in the political climate we face.
As for other threats? Orcs, creatures of the deep, trolls, the Skaven or ratmen as you know them...yes..they lurk and the dwarves serve equally in distaste for these. That aside we have your common robbers, thugs and lowlives you may come across."

At Cecla and Jareik he merely nodded.
"As I said. The coin is to represent just that; we need ghosts basically, men and women whom are not linked obviously to anything to investigate, to wander the lands and aid the lord prince, but without getting caught up in the looming civil war brewing. It is not that we can not spare men, it is that they are on guard and assigned as we speak to keep the borders and land safe. I will let the lord of the land advise further when you arrive, but know that two other factions wry for power - and with their own forces. On top of the dark creatures looming in the hills and woods nearby."

He turned and eyed you all.
"I understand the concern - and I understand if you bow out. I can only fill the gaps I am aligned on towards you. If not, I am sorry to have wasted your time."

The man remained calm and sipped his wine.

Jareik noticed, just briefly, that Konrad eyed him, and winked. Just briefly, as to say - "A moment when time permits.."..

Jareik raised a hand, he wasn't about to let such a large amount of money walk away that easily. Seems he would have to convince some of the others that the trip would be worth it and that it wasn't a suicide mission first.

"Hey now let's not get hasty, I for one am certainly interested in the job, but we might need some time to get our affairs in order as well as get everyone onboard. Alas we don't quite speak with one voice as you can see, but give us some time to align and we'll give you an answer very soon. Hopefully this is acceptable?"

Catching Konrad's gesture, he nodded, seemed they would indeed have business in Altdorf to take care of before considering a grand venture like this.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:45, Tue 22 Nov 2022.

"Indeed, there is a lot of information to be digested here" Etain says before looking to Marie

"If you could give us a few days to settle our affairs and return with a response would that be acceptable?" she asks the man.

Cecla had to bite back a laugh at the statement that they needed ghosts with no clear connection to one thing or another. She wasn't a full-fledged runesmith but the markings of the clan on her armour was something that'd be traced back in the long memories of her people at the Keep. Still, most men wouldn't recognize it and so there was a point in the man's favour. That just left the point the others were making and Konrad's request for their attention too.

At least on that, she was in alignment and simply gestured with a shrug of shoulder to both Jareik and Etain. There was a lot to take in and a few things that needed to be settled before she could embark with a clear conscience.

The man nodded at Jareik.

"The offer stands - for now - but we will leave with the coin and offer eventually. Keep it in mind for what it is worth, but naturally you may have questions...at a later time. If so, they will come to you and they will be answered. We will be found here if needed or if not, someone can get to us easily."

The chest was closed, for now, with a calm nod.
He turned to Etain.
"A few days? That is agreeable and acceptable - all I ask is that you make a clear choice and do so within a few days at most. I have time, but not an eternity."

Gille looked a bit surprised when he listened to the conversation between Etain and Marie. But it was not his affairs and he knew better then to mingle with the business of nobility. But these were interesting times he concluded.

With the closing of the coin loaded chest Gille cursed inside as he felt like this job was slipping though his fingers like sand. For a brief moment he thought to say something. But then again, going alone was not an option either.

It would only be a couple of days before this group had finished their business here in Altdorf, that much he could wait. There was a soft sigh before he straightened his back and asked Jaraik: "Bon et maintenant? It seems that I'm currently unemployed for a couple days more."

"Fair enough. You'll hear from us soon then." nodded Jareik with a final stroke of his beard.

Thankfully it seemed brettonian bowman was one of those he wouldn't have to convince judging by his evident disappointment. Best to keep it that way he thought as he got up.

"For now there is something else we need to take care off. Remember that business with the ring you might have heard us talking about last night? Smaller job and smaller pay, but something to do whilst we talk it out over accepting this new job."

With that he made his way to Konrad.

"Until then, sir." Cecla offered with a nod of head as she pushed up from her seat to follow after Jareik with the steady manners and pace of a well heeled dwarf. Now was the matter that had her particular attention and curiosity; the ring and it's associated curse as well as possible runes. It was dangerous territory but that had defined a lot of her decision making in the past. So she had precious little fear when it came to this... especially as it sounded to be just a matter of decoding and unravelling whatever curse was there. Dangerous, certainly, but there was an advantage of where they were and who she knew.

"I thank you for the offer and we will return to you as soon as we are able" she says before slightly nudging Marie, angling her head towards the door and heads outside to Jareik and Konrad.

Konrad appeared to be pacing or rather trying to remain calm but failing to do so, as his legs could not stay still.
As the first one of you appeared, he sighed and nodded.
"I will not ask...but where are we with all this? Do you have time? Shall we walk?"
He seemed eager to be out of sight of the envoys from the south.

Some paces away, calm, he nodded and checked over his shoulders, before suddenly walking into an alleyway.
He knocked on the first door visible - a curious pattern - one quick knock. Then two slow. Then three fast.
The door opened, and a young man in an apron, properly a leatherworker simply eyed him and waved him and you inside.
You went inside the craftsmans workshop and was led to a cellar deeper in, leading down to a well lit and private cellar, with a closeable door.

As the last came in, Konrad closed the door.
In a piece of cloth he had---a familiar sight. The ring from Karl.

He pushed it forward and nodded.
"Something is off. There is more to this ring and everything going on, but I have no proof. It is strange and I will not carry it for long, as it will surely be discovered to be missing soon. If either of you can check what it is made off, what the runes inside it mean,  well anything, that would be great. I am concerned and worried...
And oh...regardless, I can offer some coin. We are a small force - not including the captain, but concerned senior officers, who have pooled resources. Take it and find out the truth here."

OOC:
The purse holds enough to grant you 9 gold coins each.
The ring appear metallic and finely made.
What it is made off, magic, runes etc, needs to be investigated and rolled for. If anyone wants to do so, go ahead by all means.

Milly stared down at the ring the moment it was in view, back then she had given it no importance beyond it being proof of their findings. Just how it came to be cursed and if s, why would anyone leave it at some mass grave, was beyond her understanding. Granted it was likely the job of those grim witch hunters, but at least she could check if there was some foul sorcery involved in the matter.

---

14:39, Today: Milly Minhelm rolled 6 -- 5 degrees of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 63.  Magical Sernse TN 63.

Though not skilled in metalcraft or runecraft, Marie had traveled far, and seen many things. Perhaps she could discern the place of its origin, or even see a makers mark of some kind. But try as she might, the noblewoman could not place it.

OOC Mechanics
11:52, Today: Marie Arceneaux rolled 59 -- 1 degree of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 49. Common Knowledge - The Empire.

For her part, Cecla was finding nothing about the ring that grabbed her or shook something loose in her mind. A fact that was infinitely frustrating to whatever pride she had in the expertise she had priorly thought she might have on the matter. Not that there was anything wrong with having much to learn but... well... It was a kindness of the Ancestor's to also feel useful from time to time.


I feel this is hilariously statistically abnormal and hate the dice roller for it.

18:17, Today: Cecla Crownshield rolled 88 -- 4 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 48.  Perception.

18:17, Today: Cecla Crownshield rolled 71 -- 2 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 47.  FP reroll (Runecraft).

18:16, Today: Cecla Crownshield rolled 94 -- 4 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 47.  Runecraft (WP).

As Milly eyes the nature of the ring, going deep within, her vision is a twirl of color.
Red, white, blue, green, mashed into one, as an explosion of color, twirling in equal rates before you. You feel all of nature, of all the elements surging out, color, warm and strong.
This is not conventional magic - not magic following the empires known winds, the colors taught to all students but more so.

It becomes obvious to Milly that the magic is from beyond the Empire, at least the known one, and of a nature that is not related to Dhar and the foul magicks of Chaos even. It has a different more natural nature of origin. Rooted in the elements, of the essence and spirits of nature, this is yet unknown to you, but perhaps could be advised by someone more knowledgeable.

Cecla can not determine the nature of the runes - they are not dwarven, elven or anything similar - nor chaotic in nature. They are foreign. Simply put. First glance for her, and the shape and lines used to mark it is new to her.

Marie ponders into the color of the ring, the material used and while she has seen similar, she is guessing. The origin is likely, due to the clean nature of the golden coloration.
Some southern nobles wear rings akin to this, but that is a broad term and can barely be exact science. But its a start.

Gille had followed the others to Konrad. He had little else to do and he did not want to miss out on the envoy's deal and as such, sticking around seemed to be the safer option.

Gille took a quick glance at the ring, but little did he knew about jewelry, runes or magic. He could maybe determine if it was related to Bretonia.

But to him, the ring kept all its secrets.


10:53, Today: Gille Milroy rolled 85 -- 3 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 48.  CM. Knowledge Bretonia.
10:52, Today: Gille Milroy rolled 70 -- 2 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 48.  Perception.

Thinking back, it was fortunate Jareik wore gauntlets, had he handled the ring barehanded could he have become as delirious as the captain's sister?

"Smart to keep it in a cloth, yeah I wouldn't touch it if I was you. Hopefully one of us here might be able to help." he said shrugging, he looked carefully at the ring just in case there some detail he might have missed previously but he expected either the mage or one of the smiths do be more of help here.

16:48, Yesterday: Jareik Schneider rolled 21 -- 1 degree of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 39.  perception.
00:29, Today: Jareik Schneider rolled 55 -- 1 degree of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 39.  ck: empire.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:29, Thu 08 Dec 2022.

"And you say she suffered from these things ever since she got it back?" Milly inquired while frowning at the ring. "I have never seen anything like this, but I can tell you this much, it's more than apparent powers are not of the sinister nature that so often lurks and work's it's poison in the shadows of our Empire. I could bring it for consultation with some of my more expert peers but for that I would need your permission and to know if you would like to keep it or not."

Etain takes a look at the ring, using her knife to gently move the ring around seeing if anything in her travels might provide some light on the ring.

Etain Seanait rolled 26 -- 3 degrees of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 64.  evaluate .
Etain Seanait rolled 27 -- 1 degree of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 44.  CK: Albion.
Etain Seanait rolled 28 -- 1 degree of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 44.  CK: Empire.

Etain makes the metal, the fine quality of the gold and inlaid markings to be old - the wear states so, and from a region prominent for gold harvest.
A few places come to mind, mostly southern regions, the border princes but also even further south...Some of the best gold come from the mountains of the dwarves but even older veins reign near the edge of the fabled land of Araby.
The value is immense - not apparent but to a craftsman or collector it would be many hundreds if not thousands worth, given the runic encarvings, and delicate markings.

It was obvious the ring was foreign, magical, rune enhanced and had a story going back many many many years. But what was within was hard to say - or rather which stories it had to tell.

Konrad looked puzzled.
"Miss Minhelm was it?- we should make haste then and be careful. I am unsure who might be on to this given everything, can you advise where we can seek it out?"

Konrad was uneasy and careful to not let the ring stay out of sight and unguarded.

"The same." She answered almost beaming on the spot. "Why in the colleges of course. Now the question is..." Milly rubbed her chin pondering the options. "Both the Celestial and Light orders could prove insightful. Though when it comes to cursed items I would more readily lean towards visiting the later, getting there is far more troublesome and a lengthy endeavor. Would you mind the delay?"

"I don't know for sure but this may have been forged in the south, perhaps Araby or the borderlands and the quality is exquisite, to the right collector I would say you could buy an estate with it, and not an inconsiderably sized one." she tells the others after examining the ring.

Jareik did his best impression of looking serious and pensive because he had nothing to add to this.

He was glad though that the mage was suggesting giving the ring away to one of the Colleges, this really did seem like a matter for mages or priests.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:05, Tue 13 Dec 2022.

Konrad merely nodded.
"I fear the eyes upon us, and that we are at risk - but let us make haste regardless. Lead the way, but the ring to me appear cursed so far, so let us not risk anything further."
He rose, grabbed his belongings and nodded as in intent to go.
"I can recall the fastest way I reckon but in Altdorf no way is free of anything. Let us keep our eyes open!"
With firm eyes he offered all to come along but halted.
"I assume we can not enter all of us, which is fine. But until then, lets remain gathered."

For her part, Cecla couldn't fault the direction the Wizard was pulling the lot of them in and so simply offered a nod and a further comment. "Worse comes to worse, can see if my master and clan haven't finished their business in Altdorf for another opinion on the runework."

With little else to add, the dwarf shifted to the side to let others lead the way.

Gille wondered if he was also included in the 'all' that Konrad mentioned. The men himself seemed nervous about the ring and now there were going to a college of some sort. The only other piece of the puzzle Gille had was Milly. The small woman with the oddly colored eyes, lady Minhelm, was some kind of magic user. Gille had heard rumors about them back in Bretonia, but for now, they were overaerated. But then again, still waters run deep he added as a mental note.

With little else to do, Gille joined the group at the back, keeping his eyes and ears open and his hand on his axe. If the Konrad was nervous, then there was probably some good reason to.

"Lead the way Mimi" Etain says to the wizard while make for the exit eying Marie then Gille [Language unknown: "Reahi we Oreartichwasday"] she tells them both as she looks to where they are going, stopping realising she doesn't really know the whole area well and whatever magics the colleges have could be used to disguise them.

The curious bunch, whom in any other place would stand out, but remarkably fit in perfectly in the empires largest metropolis set ways.
Milly had learned, as many initiated, to go towards the left bank of the Reik River, an area that just a century ago was the home of many rising merchant families.
She would have to walk and then, as per the rhyme taught: turn at ninety degrees to all six cardinal directions: up, down, left, right, front, and back, at the appropriate point in the road.
Easier said than done. Failing or not believing would cause confusion or being lost for ages, people reportingly turning mad trying to do so.

At the mark nearby, a small run down house rumored to be a Sigmar Safehouse, placed for obvious reasons, they stood - and Konrad nodded.
"If we are near, I will urge few or just you to do so. Make haste, we do not know who is watching. If any. I might be paranoid however...just feel eyes in the back of my neck still.."

Those outside, can roll perception +0%

As Milly takes a breath(and anyone else trying if she says how - if so, you can try and do the order and roll WP -20%).
The interior of the Order of Light is decorated in white, pale gold, and silver, with countless huge, polished mirrors.
Lanterns, candles, braziers, and other sources of light (all strangely smokeless and devoid of soot), are everywhere, and the pale surfaces of the Colleges internal décor reflect
the brightness. There are no windows, but the corridors are as brightly lit as an area in direct sunshine on a summer’s day—and the temperature remains constant, neither too warm
nor too cool. The perpetual incantations of the Colleges choirs of Apprentices can be heard everywhere, and even people devoid of any magical sensitivities can feel the power vibrating
in the air.
The rooms of individual Magisters within the College are brightly lit and contain many books. Beyond that, there is a wide range of decoration. Hierophants have a diverse sense of
beauty. Thus, their tastes can vary widely, though they tend towards simplicity and minimalism. Rooms are decorated in styles from across the Imperial Provinces, as well as Tilea, Estalia, Bretonnia, Norsca, Araby, and even more distant lands. The common factor of every room is that they are very well lit, spotlessly clean, orderly, and all furniture and décor is made from very light, if not white, materials.
It seems inspired by the architecture of the ancient Nehekharan city-state of Khemri.

A young man, in immaculate white ropes appear and nods.
"How can we assist?"

Milly raised an eyebrow to the foreigner, her exotic ways would never make sense to the wizard. Taking a moment before she led the way, Mimi turned to the whole group and told them sternly. "Do not get separated, touch anything without permission and most importantly, I expect you all to be on your best behavior, that includes no lies, no whispers among yourselves or speaking in tongues foreign to this land with each other. I don't know how you handle yourselves anywhere else but visitors to the colleges, particularly the one I am taking you to, would be well advise to abide by those simple norms." After which and not even entertaining the thought that anyone would had the gall to protest her instructions, she left the strange way to the Light college.

In the same fashion she didn't heed Konrad's worries, even if they were well founded, whoever was spying on them would be a fool to follow them there.

---

"We come without previous arrangement or seeking anyone in particular. I am Milly Minhelm, wizard of the the bright order. My companions and I come seeking the expert advice of your order on an item we believe to be cursed, I myself have never seen anything like it." Milly introduced them to the young man without much of the flair she often used in such occasions. "Are there any senior members of the order present that would entertain hearing us and more importantly, have a look at the item in question? I dread to petition this unexpectedly but on this mater, time is a scarce commodity for us."

As they enter the strange building Etain moves beside Marie and slowly moves her right hand to Marie's left and gently squeezes it, the art of wizards even to one as 'exotic' as her is slightly off putting. She takes a brief breath before following Milly inside.

Etain Seanait rolled 6 -- 3 degrees of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 44.  perception.

Jareik raised an eyebrow and was damn puzzled about why Milly led them to the river bank and then stopped and walked randomly.
But the reason became apparent soon enough and he stroked his beard to make sure it wasn't going wild because of the magic in the air so thick it felt like it would make hair stand on edge.

"As you say Miss Milly, will keep my hands to myself." he said whilst tugging his hat. His eyes however certainly did dart around, he had never seen such splendor and opulence, hell he doubted even the Imperial Palace was this clean and well kept.

17:05, Today: Jareik Schneider rolled 49 -- 1 degree of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 39.  perception.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:20, Sat 17 Dec 2022.

"Guild visitor rules, Understood." Cecla replied with a cocked grin as she cast an eye over where they had been led and sniffed at the air. There was a still a quiet bristling annoyance that she hadn't been able to place a damned thing about the ring but that seemed to only serve to sharpen her awareness for the moment... but that whole route of self starting was a trap she'd seen play out before and still play out a handful of decades as men might reckon such things later. With not much more to it, the apprentice took a small breath and followed after the wizard.

The work of her lot was an unnatural fit of things as far as she was concerned but then she had the benefit of a dwarven upbringing and then an introduction to the Engineering guilds of her own people. So who was she to throw that particular rock? Still, magic like this felt unpleasant on the skin compared to the sort of steady and even handed works of her master and his peers. Either way, she kept her peace and kept her thumbs neatly looked into her belt and away from anything that might cause a fuss as she watched the young man and let Milly get through her appeals to fellow magicians.


12:51, Today: Cecla Crownshield rolled 5 -- 4 degrees of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 48.  Perception.

This message was last edited by the player at 17:58, Sat 17 Dec 2022.

Gille stood there, dizzy by the sheer amount of people that seemed to move like ants through the cracks of a dried river bed. They were somewhere to find some college and he had no intend to meet a bunch of wizards before he knew more about them.

'I'll stay outside.' he said, eying the surroundings afters Konrads warning, but Altdorf was nothing like the outdoors he was used to. '[Language unknown: Koreenstr, wil str adplti as ndsiarei en]' he spoke in Breton, although the tone made it clear that he was most likely swearing.

Gille Milroy rolled 65 -- 1 degree of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 48.  Perception.

Inside the compound:

The young man nodded.
"This way. Senior Hector has an office here, he can assist, have a seat".
The marbled desk, kept bookcases and clean surfaces where a feast on the eyes, and screamed of order.
It took a few minutes before a tall man, with tanned skin and light clothing appeared.
"Yes? You cam about an object to be checked? Please present it and let us see how we can assist."
The man spoke in a refined tone without prejudice and with clean and articulated words.

Should you present this, he eyes it closely and looks curious.
"This ring is foreign. Runic, and magical, but not what we are used to see here. Have you heard of elementalistic magic, that honed of the djinns, and nature spirits of the region of Araby? This magic is not empirical nor legal in the empire, but the ring appears not to be cursed, rather harbouring the spirit of something strong bound within. Should it get loose, then it would be a risk, but my guess...I repeat guess, is that the rune is to bind it within. The magic comes from the spirit within not by being attuned. I do not know where you got this, but it has come a long way, and gone under many mages and lawmakers nose. What is your intent with this? I am not keen to just let it out of sight without proper cause if I am honest."


Outside the compound:
Those outside get a curious feeling at first.
You are not alone. One never is in Altdorf really, even here, but it is obvious to you, that eyes are on you, many eyes, and that you are being sized up.
You notice, briefly, two men at first, with hoods, in the distance. Their faces hidden, they do not look unfamiliar as to those you saw earlier, expecting to be foul cultists or similar.
They are out of sight mostly, and running them down might be futile, but it serves to warn that you of interest and hunted, but not for what...yet.

Milly gently nodded along his explanation, guess or not it made more sense than anything she had come up with. "Truth be told I am not even sure about what will we do about it. I presumed it to be cursed because it is seemingly the cause of some visions and madness on a person that put it on. We found it on the corpse of a scholar who met his untimely demise at the hands of some foul cultists. By all means, there and then the ring had no right to be displaying such properties and in fact it didn't, it was only later when we returned it to one of his relatives that it began to display these traits. Given the nature of the late owner's killers I thought I would have better luck here than in my own order." For a moment the wizard contemplated the secrecy asked of them before but foreign politics, mundane jobs and other worldly things paled in comparison with matters of the arcane in Milly's mind.

"The ring doesn't belong to me, you would have to ask Konrad about taking possession of it. Otherwise as far as I know our intentions would be to bring it before the Dwarves, as their mastery of runes knows no equal. That failing however, I believe we have a journey taking us closer to the lands that birthed whatever this thing is, so could always bring it there and seek answers at it's source." In her heart of hearts, Milly hoped that what had they had learned here and what the Dwarves may provide would suffice in solving whatever foreign sorcery was contained in the ring. Hopefully without freeing whatever dreaded spirit dwelt within it, whatever it was, its wicked nature was patent by what effects it had on the latest wearer.

The man took a deep breath and rose.
"What I know of runes, which is some but not all - is that it is a binding rune. As long as it is there, the ring will have it's powers - but also not be able to broken out - as the rune would have to be dimmed or destroyed, or even temporarily suppressed. That is a concern naturally, but ring now, as I see it - the ring should not be worn, but is also not a risk - again, if you can uncover it's further origins that would allow it to be broken or even disenchanted and to release whatever is within properly and safely.
I will not ask for it, it is yours. I do not believe it is cursed either, and while the dwarves could check it - I doubt you will learn more. Nay, it's place of origin, and the tongue it is fashioned in speaks that you must go elsewhere to learn more."

He rises and nods, as a young servant arrives and waves him off.
"Excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. Did you get the answers you sought?"

"And more, thank you for your time Hector." Unless anyone else had the urge to make any questions, Milly led the way back outside to gather with the others and share the newly gained insights.

Jareik tugged on his hat as a farewell before following Milly back outside.

Surprised it the least you could say about Gilles reaction when all the sudden the others were among those we have been outside of whatever the others have been to.

Gille composed himself and spoke swiftly "We are being followed." There was a brief pause as if he needed to understand himself. "That is, outside, not were you have been." he added a bit confused.

"It seems that the two who had left the inn in a hurry last night have gathered some friends with a mutual interest."

"Aye but not exactly surprised by it. Made some real good friends before we got back to town." Cecla replied quietly as she kept her thumbs hooked in her belt and did no more than people watch for the moment and stubbornly kept her surprise to a minimum as the others that had headed in were suddenly in their midst once more. Still, stubborn as she was a little start was still perceptible if only for the metallic jangle of this or that on her person and the way her hand had strayed for just a moment towards the axe tucked into it's loop. Instead, it eventually strayed towards her braid toy with it out of nervous habit.

Marie, who had remained outside of the College for two reasons: one, to keep her fellow countryman company, and in her nation, those of magic were controlled by the Prophetesses of the Lady, which made this whole interaction feel strange indeed.

"Are you up to giving these ruffians a thrashing for stalking innocent people, or would you feel better with our entire number at our back, Monsieur Milroy?" the noblewoman asked the archer, cocking her eyebrow.

"Although I must admit I have being followed, I fear they have the upper hand for now. We don't know their numbers and I for sure do not know this city Mademoiselle." Gille answered while eying the crowd around them.

"And I must add, that while I am capable for defending myself, I am not a good fighter as yourself probably. I prefer my fou at the other end of an arrow, from a good safe distance." he added with half a smile.

Still feeling the last beating she got in her bones, Milly wasn't too keen on gratuitously getting into some confrontation herself. "Lets just go to your people's guild Cecla, we got what answers we could here. If those miscreants want a thrashing let them come get it, but we shouldn't be too hasty to be picking up unnecessary fights."

"Aye, best not to be taking the act of justice into our own hands until they tip a bit more of theirs. Otherwise, run the risk of crossing the Guard Captains and that's a bad look for anyone wanting to keep doing business in the city." the Dwarf Apprentice offered a nod of her head towards Milly on her lack of desire to get into another fight so soon after the lot of them nearly dying, even with the rest and recuperations they'd had to date. There was a certain perk up in her demeanor though at the mention of visiting her guild.

"They would have been staying with the College of Engineers, brushing up on some past agreements and a few old projects. Ought to still be there and gives me a chance to pass off a few things I'd found on our ways about, anyway." Cecla added with a nod of her head off in the direction of the more... public institutions of Altdorf. A glance spared to the rest of their party as to if they were willing to move on from their tails or were eager to play hunting hound and needed a bit more persuasion towards the better part of valour in the form of discretion.

[Language unknown: "Ardticsan E utroos m she todi i lar ai uredaywer nceoveder art ichtheder p fota riroel E ch u llno to wist bleil"] she says to the knight, a dark look of equal parts anger and concern playing across her face before she looks to the others "Lets go to the engineers and if they start something we can finish it." she tells the others.

Jareik blinked when they shifted back to Altdorf proper. First they were here, now they were there... Well at least now he could say had he been inside one of the Colleges, that was bound to be worth a good drunken tale or two.

"Aw for Sigmar's sake, well last time I tried chasing after them they got shy so guess it's on them to make the first move." he said with a shrug whilst casually eyeing the people around but nothing stood out to him.
"Allright to the Colleges then."

The trip is not long, yet feels so. The city of Altdorf is vast, but the walk is effectively short. You spy little on the way, that stands out.

The fabled and wealthy is in all regards legendary despite seeing many rebuilds since being established, due to mishaps, fires and the likes.
It stands tall, with heavy set stones, majestic ports and is a sprawling complex of firing ranges, bunkers for testing explosives, well-equipped laboratories and large open areas where failed experiments have levelled the surrounding buildings.
Indeed a great many of the buildings around the structure are new and the Fire Watch of Altdorf maintain a constant vigil over the Engineers for fear they may burn the entire city to the ground.
The College is staffed by worried looking porters, harried and sootstained runners, but also offers more pristine conditions further in.
Cecla, having visited on occasion leads them east bound inside the complex towards a large, very official looking office, with a large carved sign outside.
Written in Reikspiel it merely states:

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
University and studyhall - officials.

---

Inside, at an almost immediate desk, she notices the portier whom eyes her with curiousity.
"Yes, state your business. The officials are...occupied."
He frowns, and whisks some hair away from his face, suiting his dismissive tone.

Etain stood near back a bit to allow Cecla to take the fore and present their mission to the secretary of the building and looked around the room. She was so rarely in such formal places and having heard of some of the rumours that happened there and was wondering when some explosion would happen and if it would consume this room.

"My business is with Master Crownshield and Master Ducke. Unless you mean to tell me my own clan is too busy to see me on a matter well in his house of expertise? Cecla Crownshield, for the sake of ritual." Cecla replied as she made her way to the desk with a note of dwarfen dourness in her voice in response to the dismissive notes in the manling's voice. Each step had that same weight of a rolling boulder that threatened to carry right on past until she let herself slow to a halt and fix the man with a glance. She didn't expect doors to fling open at her presence but a bit of care and thought didn't cost most anything but, well, sometimes a man was left lacking in gifts and others just had to put up with it.

Not that she was one to buy into the endless cycle of grudges... She'd seen where that got brighter minds than her but like any of her mountain folk she still had a memory and mind to payback the worst of it lest her Ancestors' think the worse of her for it. So with that in mind, she kept her thumbs hooked neatly into the circle of her belt and shifted her stance to wait out the man's response.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:49, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

Eying her, a glimpse of regret appeared on his face, as scrolling through a book before him.
"Ahem, ah yes - here it is. Outwards, to the right and three houses down. You should have no issue finding them. My uhmm..Paaaardons."
His tone raspy and long, and somewhat hard to place, he averted eye contact at all cost awaiting her departure.

Just outside, a small patch led further in and indeed - past a large complex, you found a smaller one, which would be the proposed location.
Cecla notices a familiar face passing inside - Ducke, heading into a side room, suggesting now is the time to grab his attention if doable. The door is open, and you see several members of the various orders recognizing you and thus by all means also allowing the others to pass without notice and concern, by proxy if one would.

Barely inside, Ducke stops by chance, and turns.
"Cecla? Ah, Crownshield himself asked for you - well met. You return so soon?"

Gille had followed the group with a constant feeling of restlessness as he could not shake the feeling of being followed or watched. At least within the walls of the College.

As they passed through the facility and glimpsed the firing ranges or the destruction left by previous experiments, Jareik for fun tried to guess the guns being tested.

Most of the time he could hardly tell but in some cases like a massive series of bullet holes in a barely standing shooting range or the deep tracks left in an open field he could safely guess someone had been testing a hellblaster volley gun or that this particular field had recently seen a steam tank.

The Dwarf offered a curt nod to the door man in way of acceptance of the apology before making her way past. The sounds of the College never failed to remind her, in a less sophisticated way, of home and what the guilds got up to in the depths. The evidence of artillery and more advanced works of the engineer's craft beyond along side the smell of spent gunpowder all seeming to have an impact on her positive impact on her mood as she grinned down range at the targets in her search for her master and his professor friend. A nod or wave given here or there to the faces she recognized as they crossed the field, workshops, and other buildings of the college.

As the Ancestors' would have it, they stumbled across each other as much as anything else as Master Ducke greeted them. A proper smile crossing the dwarf's face as she drew close though didn't cross the line of propriety given where they were.

"Happened upon some capable hands 'long the way. So while the matter isn't settled wholly, we're back to wait and see. Somewhat brings us to the point of the matter as was wondering if there was a few moments to borrow my master's expertise to get to the bottom of something before I'm to the road again."

Ducke nodded.
"Certainly - this way."
You are led inside a highly decorate office with drapings, heraldy, books and scrolls everywhere - and some chairs around an equally crowded table.

You wait, for some time, in the chaotic scene, before Cecla hears a familar voice.
Crownshield himself. Stout, proud and strong, he opens the door with a smile, exclaiming with joy.
"Cecla! Been too long, Ducke advised you are here briefly and need urgent aid? What's wrong?"

Cecla bowed to her master as he entered the conversation but couldn't hide the smile at seeing kin and family after a time away. The expression didn't last long as the Dwarf put her mind to the business at hand and set to the task of explaining the purpose of the visit. She hated not knowing, if she was honest, but it was also something she had to accept given her own thus far failed attempts to commit a rune to solid form. Time, practice, and everything else she had always been chided on.

"I was hoping to get your learned eye to go over a bit of rune work we happened across. The wizards at the College said it was a binding rune of one sort or another but weren't able to give us much more than don't wear it and it won't be a risk. Given what it did to the woman who wore it, I didn't want to leave something to be a problem for later if I could help it..."

The scholar, and master extended a hand carefully, and nodded.
"Let's have a look then. I assume you are in haste so let us have a look."

With careful eyes, concerned looks and discerning gestures, he took his time before nodded, and walking to a nearby bookshelf, rummaging through the pages.
"I thought so. Strange ring. Much more so in this part of the empire. The ring holds a spirit, a socalled Djinn, bound via the forces of elemental magic, common in Araby and its  immediate areas. The runes are not typical nor seen often, as to bind a spirit like so, willing or unwilling more likely and to force it's powers to be handled and granted to those wielding it, well it is no small task. The crafter is cunning and capable.
My concern is that the power of the djinn within is large, and while most who know of it and what it can - are strong willed and prepared for what it can, and have taken strides to ensure they are ready to wield it and it's powers...anyone unprepared are open to persuasion and forceful pushing, to aid the Djinn in releasing itself from it's binds within. Which means that breaking the rune will cause havoc and magic that could well be a huge task to contain and to defeat if the Djinn is particular vengeful. For now I see no risk, if not worn. The bind will hold, and so will the rune. It is major and unique, and crafted specifically for the task at hand. But do NOT wear it. It will try to tangle and sway your mind and will to do it's bidding, in exchange for power, which it will grant, but again at a huge price."

He gives the ring back to Cecla.
"Whom made it, is unknown to me. But it is unique and based south, in the borderlands, Araby or in those regions, and if you seek to learn more, that is where you must go and seek out the dwarves there - perhaps their libraries and scholars know more."

"Sorry to interrupt, but an acquaintance of ours already wore the ring and got afflicted with visions, is that something to worry about?" asked Jareik.
He had no real idea what a djinn was but it sounded an awful lot like a daemon to him so he wanted to make sure there was no chance of the captain's sister turning inside out into some monstrosity.

The master nodded as he listened.
"Simply put - if she still wears the ring...yes. But given it is here, no, the powers will fade and the link broken. It has to be worn to link up to whoever wields it. So no risk, if not worn and not broken so to speak which is somewhat of a large task."
He placed the ring in the cloth and bent his head.
"Any further concerns? Otherwise I must make haste to other business"

Etain looks to marie and says [Language unknown: "T wasoneure she an undingrat osnot ss larruttic estdinred a e as Venblehisthowas rat ore intntewer meur icseac, mielwi ee estol hi ckpe fi es siho a tean."]

Jareik nodded and stroked his beard thoughtfully, overall the answer was as good as he could expect: whatever happened to the captain's sister would dissipate on its own and they were under no immediate risk by carrying the ring around with them even if it contained some wicked spirit.

"One last question... If we wanted to destroy this ring, how do we go about it? Preferably without having to tangle with whatever's inside?"

[Language unknown: "Ntsi eeceul o k cket niwhngit is comou wail ur and anyortday. Peur ta naonil adnc linrattic pepack tasiee ous Wilnceichorteve ioro. A e ioasel naacee, m k but ore pa on la m hiac hafo ofer derughear p m illherect, P usanof onswitthe earai us p, behi notineenc ho setol reswitshebut onen rutto potr,"] Marie whispered back to Etain.

Cecla for her part kept silent as the questions erupted, amusingly enough, from the Imperial Mercenary rather than the resident wizards, knights, or fellow smiths. The gambit of the most pressing questions on the table, she simply glanced back to her master and awaited his input. There wasn't much more to it in the moment other than knowing the means of being about it but she suspected the answer wasn't here for how to destroy it but rather south ward.

The master nodded and eyed him.
"The main issue is the living entity within. You have to release it or dismiss it safely - I would imagine it requires someone with capable insight into elemental magick to do so. The rune would have to broken also in that ritual, but from what I see, a trained and capable soul here could do so. It is mainly containing or controlling the likely angered spirit that is the headache."

Gille rubbed his chin. The only thing that made sense was the discussion between Etain and Marie, all the rest was well above his head. The deamon, spirit or whatever else they had called it in the ring worried him. He had to make sure that that thing did not came close to him...

"Good to know that is an option then, in case we do not fancy carrying the ring with us all the way to borderlands or araby itself."

With that his curiosity has satiated as to what their options were in dealing with this ring, any query more technical then that would have to come from one of the others.

Looking back to Marie she says

The dwarf offered a nod toward Jareik's point and spares a glance toward the Lady Knight and her companion. There'd been a fair deal in carrying in in their own tongue and she had to wonder as to the reason and direction of that aside. It wasn't something with dwelling on in all likelihood though as she returned her full attention to Master Crownshield and the professor.

"Well, with the gift of knowledge in hand, think we ought to get back to our work and leave you to yours, Master Crownshield. Thank you an' best to let you know now that I'll at the road again. The shapes still eluding me and inspiration is likely as not to be out there as in a workshop here."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:06, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

Jareik tugged on his had in farewell.

____________________________________________________________

"I reckon the Cap' will be happy with what we got to report, might just save everyone a whole lot of hassle. Though say...anyone know much about djinns? Your master called it a spirit but that don't mean much to me, if worst comes to the worst how big and nasty we talking about?" he asked once back outside.

"Rule One of just about anything is if ya need to ask, we ought not to try and pick a fight with the thing." Cecla offered with a grim twist of humour to her voice as she put one foot in front of the other through the University yard before setting to the task of actually addressing the question. She knew as well as any that she wouldn't have been happy with that answer and Jareik likely didn't have much of an idea of what went into the forging of a rune, let alone the whole sale designing of one. That was something she had a monoply on for the lot of good it had done the past half dozen attempts to get the shape of it sorted and right.

"That being said... Fact of the matter is it was enough o' a problem for someone to take the weeks, months, and maybe even years to set about forging a rune just to hold the thing in that ring. If you're of a mind to be letting it loose, we may need to pay a visit to Zhufbar. Just so we can get a proper cannon or nine to aim at the thing from a safe distance." the Dwarf concluded with a nervous tug at the thick bread of copper hair tossed over her shoulder as she fought the urge to worry about what other mischief such a thing could get up to. After all, you didn't always bind a being like that for running amok through the country side for all to see... Sometimes, they were just subtle bastards about their business and that made problems of other folks as a symptom.

"Yes, lets tell the captain his sister should be safe, maybe see if they know where her husband found this thing. We can decided what to do after that" She says to the others

So likely his humble mundane weapons would not be enough, it was a shame they hadn't realise the nature of the ring back when they were at the village,  he wagered that sword of the forest would likely have made short work of the Djinn. Oh well.

"Hah, I like the way you think." he answered Cecla with a toothy grin. The thought of some hellish creature released from its prison to boast about the suffering it would inflict upon the world only to be instantly silenced by a battery of dwarf artillery pieces was a very pleasing one.

"Allright then." he nodded to Etain.

As you make your way back you can as before not help but feel watched.
A continual feeling that has been with you since you entered town and lingered ever since, even proven at least twice so far. The city itself has ears, eyes and even souls whom in morality are jaded, and lacking what common folk would deem as ethics.

Midway as you head back, you catch wind of a curious smell, off to the right of you, into a small, and utterly dark alleyway. A large piece of cloth lay on the ground, with something beneath, but you can only just make it out - and you would have to head into the dark alleyway to get any glimpse of it.

Further down the road you notice the watch headquarter - with the small housing still being used by the southern envoy and his curious guards with their exotic looks and weaponry. Two guards remain as you see the gates before you. A small glimpse show the captain inside, walk past with papers in hand, into his office.

Milly only spared a glance at the alleyway, if they had to stop for every stinking and/or out of place thing in the city, it would take them a whole year to go from one edge to the other. "Come on, we have important news to deliver." She preemptively hurried the others. Their findings had gone far better than anticipated, particularly with Cecla's people. The problem would solve itself, and doing anything about the ring was entirely optional. Moreover, IF they wanted them to undo the item, their next job on the list would lead them in the right direction. For once, things seemed to be going their way.

Gille was nervously looking back and forth and to the side, staring in every alley.
The hairs on the back of his neck had been standing up the whole time...

"We are being followed and watched he." he said.

When crossing an alley between stores and housing he pointed to the right. "They are in there." he stated on a guts feeling. Although he did not know who 'They' would be.

When crossing the curious smell, Gille tried to sniff what it could be. In inhaled deeply, immediately regretting it for along came the foul smell of the city as well.
Gille Milroy rolled 22 -- 2 degrees of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 48.  Determine smell.

Gilles knew the smell. Given his background and keen senses, the smell of fresh or rather somewhat fresh blood, starting to turn stale and dry out, was clear. A taste of iron spread in his mouth as he did, and the small humming sound of flies left little doubt what was beneath the cloth, at least for him. Curiously the pathway was close to where he felt a presence beforehand....did this creature, man or animal meet something grim solely by being a wrong place at the wrong time...hard to say and for him, he knew to be sure, he would have to check it closer, into the dark he did not trust at all.

Gille addressed Jareik as it seemed he was to one most familiar to the Cities of Men in the Empire. "Mein Herr, there is a dead body in that alley. I can smell the stench of dead coming from it through the foul odor of the city."

He realized that it was a strange remark for a stranger in this land. But he could not just ignore it "Should we report it to the guards?" he continued, shifting his gaze from Jareik to the thing underneath the cloth. "I believe he might have stumbled on the persons that have been watching us."

If Jareik seemed on edge during their walk back, he didn't seem to show it and looked quite relaxed. In truth his eyes wandered from person to person they would cross, having the same eerie feeling as others that they were being hunted.

He nodded at Milly, completely overlooking the smell from the alleyway as a typical example of altdorf's less sanitary features.
But something seemed to have caught the brettonian archer's attention that he would otherwise have completely ignored.

"You..sure?" he asked a bit dubiously, perhaps the lad's nerves were playing tricks?

The man seemed certain enough and even elaborated that someone had died just in an inviting dark alley, making Jareik wonder just how good the man's nose really was. Not a gift he envied when in Altdorf that much was for certain.

"Aye we should report it... Although would need to confirm it by sight first, and if you say our "friends" are there too... Heh well, guess this might be time to ask some questions. Or we might be walking into a load of trouble, one of the two."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:48, Wed 15 Feb 2023.

Cecla had already set her mind on the next milestone of their adventure, so in the bustle of the crowd... a befouled bit of tarp in an alley... In a river port town at that, was necessarily something that might have caught her attention. Especially when by contrast to some of the scents she had been raised to be wary of weren't exactly present. Still, she wasn't about to disregard someone in their company claiming it was blood for a moment. Old habit, as a result, had a hand dropping to the axe at her hip as she spared a glance from Gilles to Jareik from a ways below their eye level.

"Much as I'd like to, can't quite let whatever business they're about lay unaddressed. Good grounds for a grudge to leave anything improper unchecked and not noted down in the book." the Dwarf offered eventually after another glance down the alley way. Felt like walking into an ambush after a fashion and one instinct or another said they may not like what they saw peaking under the cloth. Beyond the usual bloody viscera of violent work that they'd all gotten acquainted with.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:51, Sat 18 Feb 2023.

Etain grabs the head of her axe as she waits with the others "It could be a trap to waylay us here for an ambush. Perhaps Marie could ride for on Josette and get to the guards a little faster?" she says partly because it wa true and partly because she knew how injured her lover is.

Jareik could sense there wasn't much enthusiasm to go looking for a fight and he couldn't blame them.

"Allright, as much as I'd like to have a word or two with those lot, maybe it's smarter not to go looking for trouble in dodgy alleys. Ideally I'd still want to confirm there's a dead body before reporting it in lest we end up looking a tad foolish but.." he trailed off as he eyed Gilles and assessed whether to put his blind trust in the breton's apparent sharp nose.
He supposed if nothing else this was a good test of sorts, if it does end up being something silly like a dead rat being fought over by 2 hungry vagabonds then he will know to be wary in the future.
"..I supposed getting laughed at hurts but doesn't kill. Allright then let's find us some guards and do this right and proper'. No need for Marie to rush ahead, if our friends are there they will be long gone I imagine regardless."

"A fair enough plan as long as you think the lads have the means and measure to make sure nothing comes of this." the Dwarf offered as she eased her hand away from the axe at her hip and up to toy with the thick braid of her hair as she glance down the alley. She could only hope this was the right course to be setting but offered a curt nod towards Jareik and a gesture of her free hand to lead on.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:04, Fri 24 Feb 2023.

Gille nodded in agreement. "Fair enough, Monsieur".
As long as they were in the city, far and beyond his comfort zone, he would have to trust Jareik's judgement.

"Let's head to the nearest barbican gate then, either we bump into a patrol on the way or we tell the boys at the gate."

Once they encountered a patrol or failing that, saw guards at the gate he stepped forward and explained the situation.

"'Scuse me lads, we got a dead body to report in one of the back alleys. Didn't stop to check any more then that."
He really hoped Gille's nose was accurate or he was going to look mighty foolish.

Two dourfaced men stand near the gate, one leaning against it, the other eyeing calmly out into the distances as if partially asleep. The gate itself, was not particular busy nor visited at the moment so a second of surprise sprung as Jareik approach and addressed them.
Rising up he nodded and startled reacted as he finished.
"A what! Where! Müller, remain here, I will go check this out."
The man ran off in the direction and approached the corpse.
He returned shortly, as the location was not far away.
He rose up and stood, just aside them, and pointed at Etain.
"Is this a joke!?...did you touch the body!!?"
He looked upset.

The man continued.
"I am not joking here. I ought to bring you in for staging this - do speak! Why is the woman, who met her demise back there, dressed and suited like you?!", he said pointing to Etain.
The guard, Müller with the bushy beard approach. He stood, tall, and eyed the all to determine if there were trying to pull a fast one or merely had walked by. However the statement of the initial guard was hard to dismiss. A body, dead - but baring a striking resemblance to Etain.
How if so? Why? many questions rose from this.
Müller eyed the other guard and whistled out, sending a young recruit their way.
Whispering to him, he ran off.
"We will get this cleaned up regardless, but speak if you know anything - this minute."
Both men remained, insisting on not letting them go peacefully without answers.

Jareik shrugged at their first question, figuring perhaps the murder was particularly grisly to shake a guard who likely has seen his fair share of bodies dumped in alleys.

"If it's a joke the humor is lost on me. We didn't touch the body nor stop to poke and prod it but immediately came here."

He frowned as the man went on before raising his eyebrow when Etain was pointed at. Well, it figured his exotic choice in companions would come back to bite him in the arse sooner or later.

"Eh? What you mean dressed like a norse? Beats me mate, didn't even know it was a woman or anything since as I said we didn't stop to gawk."

He really didn't feel like spending a night in a cell if he could help it.

"Listen, mind if we check the body for ourselves real quick before you take her away? If you say she looks like our Albion girl here, then I dunno, maybe she's an acquaintance? Otherwise I got nothing other then pointing out if this is a scheme of ours then it's a bloody stupid one."

Likely a long shot but based on his extremely limited knowledge of albion, namely that it was some tiny mist covered island with a flourishing empire colony that is the only reason most would ever have heard about it, it didn't seem that unlikely to him that Etain's kind were a bunch of bog dwelling savages who lived in small enough communities that they all knew and inbred with each other.

Not that he would ever tell her that to her face of course without copious amounts of alcohol.

As the guard comes rushing forward in his accusatory tone and pointing at her she takes a second to stand in front of Marie (Or josette if she's mounted) and stands to her full impressive height. When he said that the woman looked alike her, her face went to shocked horror and what colour her pale features had drained and without thinking she rushed forward [Language unknown: "M asers ven und ai?"] she asks in her own tongue to herself as she makes to rush the body.

The guards did not like the candor nor found the joke amusing.
Looking at Jareik, the guard - Müller, nodded and pointed.
"This way. You know where. But I am keeping an eye on you."

They walk, calmly, the needed steps back to the cover. With the end of his hand weapon, he removed the cover.
Beneath, a woman lay. Or the remains anyways. Her eyes missing, her hair colored crudely with paint to  be very red. Her face poked, to make indents that in the right light could appear like freckles, and her skin lightened with chalk to be light in color. Her clothing appeared to be crudely put together to mirror the skins, furs, and colors Etain wore the last time she visited Altdorf.
Her stomach is carved open and her entrails spilled out. On her side, a crudely carved moon with a line through is seen on the side of her ribs...the same symbol you saw last.
Her hands and legs show marks, burn marks, as if being bound and tortured for some time previous to this. Her placement strongly implies she being placed rather than killed here.

The guard eyed Jareik and the group.
"This is grizzly...and points at you whether you wish it or not...what do you know?!"
Etain notices that one of the fingers are also missing, but also her key feature - the eyes - have been carefully removed, as the scaring in the eyes is minimal and shows a high degree of skill.

You see in the distance, more apprentice guards appear near the gate and the single guard stands waiting...eyeing you and trying to determine what to do with you.
"Perhaps you can then agree, that we have to take you to the watch Headquarter, and doing so without trouble, yeah?`"
His tone was calm, obviously preferring to have you follow along without a brawl or similar- The man had likely had his share anyways, judging by his scarred face and arms.

The conversation was not going how it ought to of which was digging st that particularly special set of nerves any dwarf worth their weight in stone had to not suffer a fool gladly. A fact only exasperated by the sickening condition of the corpse that had been left under the tarp as apparently a trap for them. Which then begged the question as to if these mankind's we're on the take of whatever cult or society they had earned the attention and apparently ite ire.

"I think we're all well and fine to make a statement but mind the tone an' accusations. We had no hand in this an' are only fresh back into Altdorf while this looks like older work than that. I've got kin that can attest to that." Cecla offered with a grim, resolute tone that spoke to her ancestry as her character. Being, indirectly, accused of murder was a bristling point that she was eager to address. She wasn't about to demand satisfaction though or make an entry in her own books of slights to be repaid if words could settle the matter with out a wits more effort or bloodshed.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:44, Tue 28 Feb 2023.

"That symbol" Gille stated to the guard, pointing at the carving of the moon with a line through, "I've seen it yesterday evening on the hands of two men eavesdropping on... "
There was a very short pause as Gille looked for the correct words "...us in the tavern." Although there was no 'us' yesterday, he had no intend on explaining the guards how he introduced himself not even a day ago.

Etain stops as the sheet is removed and it became clear that the body was a bad imitation of her own form, she let a sigh of relief that it wasn't one of the few of her kindred that made it to the Empire from the slaving raids. When she really sees the mutilation done to the poor girl she thinks poorly on her previous sigh and turns to Jareik "Perhaps we should contact your captain friend, that is his name, Hartsteel, Hartesel ?"

"Morr's teeth..." muttered Jareik under his breath as he saw the gruesome damage done to the woman, he instinctively removed his hat out of respect, placed it under his arm and crouched near the body to get a better look, as distasteful as it was.

Forcing himself to look at the disembowlment he couldn't tell if it was because she had been fighting someone and lost or if this was done to her as part of some sadistic torture so he moved on, that's when the burn marks of ropes caught his eye and a moment of clarity hit him.

"Ah, ok I think I can establish our innocence. Look here, this poor lass has been bound for quite some time and the wounds ain't fresh either. We have witnesses that can attest to our whereabouts throughout the day, it can't have been us for the simple reason that we haven't had the free time to do...this."

At Gille's suggestion he follwed the pointing to the moon carving. So that's what it looks like. At least now he will know what to look out for.

Looking up at Etain he nodded.

"HartSteel's correct. Yeah other then vouching for us he can attest we only recently came back to Altdorf. Between that and the aforementioned witnesses I'd say we have a decent alibi."

Looking back at the body and finally gazing at the face he had to do a double take between Etain and the dead girl, either all albioners look alike or something weird was going on. No bloody wonder these lads thought we were messing with them.

He stood up and put his hat back on.
"Allright take us in, I reckon we can sort out this misunderstanding quick and easy."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:48, Wed 08 Mar 2023.

The guard merely nodded. He had heard alot day and night and took it lightly.
"Follow then. Let's go orderly and calmly and this will, if you are correct, handled shortly and without incident."
You were calmly escorted a short way to the watch headquarter which was not far away.
Inside, you were asked to sit, calmly and without much hassle.
Reporting back, the guard who talked to you briefly, ventured further in while you remained near two other guards that had joined along the way.

Calmly he returned.
"You spoke of a name - do repeat it again for me. I will find him to clear up if you do speak the truth that you so insistently keep clinging too."

As it was shared, the word Harsteel, his right eye wink, just briefly and he turned.
A moment later he returned.
"Follow."

You were taken by the guards, slowly towards a small office to the side, where a man with a bushy beard and strong steely eyes sat and addressed paperwork. He looked up.
"...Wait...you? What is this? I heard troubles in your wake, but given our history I can not help but wonder what lay beyond that immediate tale. Sit, speak."
With a nod, the guard went outside and closed the door.

Jareik complied with no further fuss, confident that their story will check out once the guards could assert the truth of their claims. Didn't hurt to have connections either.

"Captain Hartsteel." he replied non chalantly when asked to give a name.

As they waited he frowned and asked Etain tactlessly:
"Say euh...don't suppose you have a twin sister or something? I mean...she looked exactly like you."
Either a twin sister, his inbred theory being more correct then he thought, or there was some sort of accursed magic at work were his guess.

Once they were presented to Harsteel he relaxed and took a seat.

"Well sir, we got some good news and bad news to report in."

He presented the ring, assured by now wearing gauntlets or any form of hand covering was enough to not get bad dreams from it.

"Good news is we asked around about the ring and turns out it contains a djinn which is very much stuck there and at risk of escaping. Still working on the specifics of how to get rid of it or if we even want to now that we know the trick behind it: the djinn itself is powerless except for it being able to haunt the sleep of those who wear it. The effect is temporary though, so if she hasn't already stopped, your sister should be allright soon."

With their initial task out of the way, now came the unpleasantness.

"And now for the bad news. Ever since we returned to Altdorf us lot have been stalked by an as yet undetermined group with a moon tatoo. Didn't think much of it at first but then it seems they only went and...ain't sure killed is the right word to describe the handiwork but murdered a lass. And here is where it gets weird, lass in question is a spitting image of Miss Etain over here." he said pointing a thumb at Etain.

"The murderers did a real nasty number on our dead lass before finishing her off, and left that same moon mark as a bloody carving which is why we are suspect it's the same group.
Now whether this is connected to the recent business we were in I know not but seems a mighty coincidence. When we reported in this murder the guards took us in as suspects and here we are now."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:59, Wed 08 Mar 2023.

The dwarf, true to her word, was not a bother to bring in and when they arrived at the station and were put before Captain Hartsteel, she let Jareik do the talking as she seemed all too happy to. In her case, if it came to introductions, she'd wait to be asked for the time being and otherwise see what the next step was. As she was certain now that the Guard would have a bastard of a time looking into the matter and would need a hand or nine of the sort that had the damned luck to stumble into such things. Which was to say, explicitly, them.

It was only a shame it meant another delay on possibly pursuing the matter southward along side the mystery of the ring as the binding runes had her more than a fair share curious as to the length and efforts of it. Binding something like this was new to her but it wasn't outside of the imagination of what a rune could do... Her mind still was more to works of arms, armour, and mechanism but a spirit of fire bound into a boiler? That was a slick thing to think of for powering one contraption or another.

Gille was starting to wonder if hanging around this group had been a good idea. He connected in search for coin. At first it seemed that the Lady had smiled on him with a job offer venturing into the lands south, further away from Bretonia and getting well paid. But then there was this ring they needed some information on which was an annoying delay at first, but now had turned into a murder case with them being the suspects.

The only thing he could do now was tag along and see how things would unfold before him, for good or for bad. At least Jareik seemed confident enough to let Gille relax a bit.

Etain stood in the corner while Jareik told the Captain what happened, all too aware that the dead woman was made to look a rough simulacrum of her which put her in a bad light, as well as her being a foreigner and as woman compounding their distrust of her and she allowed him defuse the situation.

Harsteel was attentive and short in terms of words. He was a man forged by war and his past as a soldier and watchman, and would spend little time of filling if he could avoid it.
Nodding he replied initially.
"She is - better that is. Her head cleared some time after but the feeling of uneasiness remains. The visions she had were vivid and as she said, felt so real her skin felt cold and tainted."
He listened on and eyed Etain and took the story in.
"Worry not on that charge. Cults are not a strange thing here, brigands and gangs neither - however them targeting you comes based on what? Thats my question. Why you? Or her rather. A hole to be filled out for sure and one that could aid us in moving further as even with what you said, I have little if anything to offer you. The moon mark is not one I know off, but if anyone is able to draw it for me on this, I will ask for eyes on the ground to check further into this. It may not lead to anything of course."

He turned, and eyed out the window for a moment.
"So the ring...Djinn? That sounds southern, Araby even. I recall being in the Borderlands once as a young man, it was a hellscape and worse south of that. Constant conflict and praying for lands and dwarfs eager to talk to absolutely no one aside the brethren if you are not paying up front. It would make sense to have it checked down there, but whom, is beyond me - and I dont trust our visitor enough to ask him. That said, he is not staying forever either so not an ideal person to ask either....your call. I do not want the ring near myself or her, so what you do next, is on you. Keep or destroy it."

He rose.
"You are free. No worry here. But - you face a threat obviously and that should be of concern. Keep your eyes open and if I can do anything further, do let me know."

Jareik nodded and pocketed back the ring before rising as well.

"Fair enough for the ring, we'll handle it so you won't have to worry about that again.
And aye, we'll let you know if something else related to these cultists or whoever they are comes up, after the stunt they pulled here I fear this ain't last we hear of them."

With that he made his way out, midly relieved they had managed to sort out the misunderstanding quickly.

Once back outside he adressed the group:

"Well that was a whole lot of wasted time. Still trying to put 2 and 2 together though, why the blazes did that woman look the way she did? Pah, guess nothing else we can do for now but honestly, this whole affair is starting to feel a bit personal.
Spying and stalking us is one thing but they just keep escalating and I don't know about you lot but I can't think of a whole lot of people we peeved off besides that witch from the village. Figured she'd fled to some other village in the boonies but what if she came here instead? Otherwise can't think of a proper reason to single us out like this. Though admittedly I don't recall seeing any moon shapes back in the village so maybe I'm jumping the handgun a little."

Remembering that Gilles likely has no idea what he was on about, he added:

"Euh...long story mate, let's just say we might have made a few powerful enemies."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:35, Mon 13 Mar 2023.

Gille took the liberty to draw the symbol. He had seen it twice, both as a clear tattoo and as a crude carving in the flesh of that woman they had stumbled upon.

He was not sure if this group had been the best choice after all, being that they were more then certain the center of attention of a cult of some sort.
Yet leaving now might prove to be even more dangerous for whoever they were up against, would have registered that he was with this group.
Power by numbers seemed to be the safest choice.

Outside he could barely make any sense of what Jareik recapitulated but it had happened in the pass and Gille was not that kind of person to either stare back or forward as one mostly lived now.
But the summery of Jareik of the whole ordeal made him grunt a bit, especially the 'few powerful enemies'...

"More like one less my accounting o' our tallied grudges is a tad off." Cecla offered by means of reassurance though her tone implied that she knew full well it was hardly something that put a mind at ease. It also made the point, though, that she wouldn't hold any misgivings against the latest addition to her number. That all being said, she turned her mind back to the puzzle and matter at hand. After all, they had two paths ahead of them. One was they took the present offer of work else where and see how far this cult might follow them or stick to familiar terrain and hunt such shadows here and now.

"I suppose the biggest question here is if we make our way back and accept the offer that's on the table or if we start chasin' shadows here and settle this cancer before it slips out o' hand." the Dwarf concluded with a thoughtful tug at the thick braid of her air and eyed the crowds around the guard house. She knew there wouldn't be any answers coming from there but for one reason or another it soothed the brain and let thoughts form a little more easily from the bedrock of mind, experience, and education.

"With no solid lead, I wouldn't spare a second chasing shadows in this place. Mayhaps these shadows that worry you so much are just that, possibly another group of miscreants with no relation to that twisted witch." Firmly tapping the ground with her staff, Milly gave her conclusion on the matter. "Be it as it may, I doubt it is a wise use of our time to look further into things at this time, that's a task best left to the local constabulary. If you are so keep on taking things personally, maybe consider that they could be after that ring. Accursed beings inside aside, it's might can not be denied, nor it's value."

"Trouble yourselves no longer with the moon stalkers, there is a very substantial and tangible reward for our services on the table. I suggest we take it and use the opportunity to hopefully put an end to that ring business." Theatrically looking to the side and throwing her cape around with her hand, she reassured. "If you insist on seeking them out, you will have a better chance at it with a full pouch once we are back. Alternatively, I have some things to take care of before going anywhere and won't leave sooner than tomorrow or the day after, you can spend that time chasing them if that sets your mind at ease."

"Easier to say we ignore this when the victim hasn't been dressed and painted to look like you" she says to the wizard as they are gathered outside the watch station. "We have the opportunity to leave here yes, and make coin while we do but if we leave they can follow us and I don't like the idea of someone sneaking up on us while we sleep and slitting out throats."

"Ahh, but one could slip once throat as easy in the city as in the wild I would say. But if they are used to the city, we might have the advantage on them in the wild, no?" Gille said as a reassurance.
Although once the words has left his mouth he doubted that they were reassuring at all.

He did not know much of these peoples backgrounds, but at least he would be more at ease once outside these walls.

Cecla had to offer a grunt of agreement and a nod towards Gille's assessment. Truth was there wasn't better odds in the city, just better luck that someone'd look into it if it happened here. Question was if they had better odds outside of the city of catching a would be murderer before they had the knife at their throat... which as far as the math worked out between the churning stones of her own mind, the odds favored outside of Altdorf.

"Fair point there, they've made it clear that they've got a grudge against you for one reason o' another. Lot o' noise in the city though and lot harder to keep up a watch here than out in the wilds. All that said, bit away from the shock... Does the symbol mean much o' anything to you? I don't have much o' head for the iconography o' things past the runes and clans." the Dwarf asked with a thoughtful frown as she toyed with the braid and shifted from foot to foot. There wasn't much grace to the motion but it had that stoic and solid impression of momentum that most of her sturdy kinfolk had... and made it clear she had a bit of an itch to be in motion rather than standing about.

"As I stated, feel free to go chase shadows in alleyways, chances are you are going to find yourself like that poor lass and not necessary at the hand of those you seek. I rather be earning some coin, and if they decide to chase after us on the road, so much the better, saves us the trouble of going looking for them." Milly glanced at the others, not looking particularly worried. "Is there anything else we had to do today? Other than hopefully talk with our future employers again."

"Morr's teeth, didn't even consider they might be after the ring. Pah, guess that just means we should be looking to destroy it first chance we get, it's nothing but trouble."

This certainly was extra motivation to proceed with the job taking them abroad, a motion that seemed supported by the brettonian archer and the mage albeit for differing reasons.

"Problem with fighting away from civilization is it's a lot harder to find someone to mend wounds, it's ah, something we've also had recent experiences with. Not to mention there are worst things lurking in the forests here then men, but I see your point, straight up fight in the open beats getting jumped on when having a drink."

The dawi and Etain seemed inclined to confront their stalkers head on, Etain especially for understandable reasons, must be an awry feeling to see yourself dead.
When Cecla asked if the moon markings were familiar to anyone Jareik could only shoulder shrug.

Otherwise the wizard made a persuasive argument, chasing ghosts for no tangible reward was on paper a poor endeavour and perhaps there was merit in letting the local watch do their work first and check back once they have returned.

"No I think we cleared our tab for now so we can just go ahead and accept the job if we want. Allright as a compromise since we will get a few days before needing to leave anyways, how about we spend that time trying to see what we turn up with those moon creeps? In the likely event we don't find anything and if they don't follow us abroad then we deal with them when we get back."

"I..." she starts to say before she steels herself "I can agree to that, we are still injured to various degrees" she rubs one of the various bruises on her arm and looks to Marie and her more grievously wounded form. "For right now, what should we do?"

"Probably ought to let the men know we accept then pack up and provision? I got the impression they were eager to have us underway as soon as we were up to it." the Dwarf offered with another glance from one face to another. She had some bits and pieces to add to her kit after the less than stellar showing of dwarven mettle when it came to the conclusion of their misadventure in that village. Armour and body had held, so it was just getting a bit more of an edge to the rest of her equipment. Which, as it always did, meant a visit to a few folk she could trust and see what hard earned coin might earn in terms of hard labour on her behalf. She'd have rather made such things herself but her mind was focused on oddities and the skills to put a proper edge to blessed steel was just out of grasp.

"For what it's worth think of it as strategic retreat rather then flight, we'll get back to it, when we are in proper fighting shape." said Jareik trying his best to be somewhat reasurring but it seemed undeeded as Etain's concern for Marie overruled the desire for vengeance, for now.
Good thing they didn't make a simulacrum of Cecla lest dwarven honor have demanded immediate retribution.

"Indeed, well then let's go over and accept their offer before we split up for various reasons, although I'd suggest those of who ain't a wizard to come stay with me at the mercenary's guild, the sort of patrons that frequent it tend to keep troublemakers at bay.

With the offer in the air, it was time to go accept their employment offer to take them to far away lands.

--At the temporary office of the envoy--
As you venture inside past the guards, whom while eyeing you, recall your face and presence enough to wave you in, you are led into the carpeted and warm room. A spicy smell of tea, and plates of fresh bread and fruit stands on a table. The envoy looks up and exposes a broad smile.
"You...returned. I am most pleased, no reason to hide that."
His tone and dialect hinting he refers to Reikspiel when needed rather than as a first choice.
He nods, points and the chest with the coin is placed again before you.
"If you agree, this is yours. If not, do not return, as I will leave in the morning for a city with more potential. Further, the route I advised remains.
From Flottenliegeplatz - Altdorf to Nuln, restock, head via Wissenland to the Peak Pass in Karak Kadrin, and a wagon from there. I have found a quick ship, with an experienced crew, strong guards, entertainment and a cook on board. Look for "Fließbolzen" and captain Mehrhamm. The papers will be ready shortly. I will have a man ready near the Reiksport early morning.
Spend the rest of the day, what remains, sorting your business and tend to your matters at hand if such could interwene. You will not see Altdorf for a long time, given all. Make the most of it. Adventure awaits!"
He claps his hands, joyfully and extends a palm to anyone to seal the deal.
The chest remains and the guards nod at you all.
You are offered to drink the wine, eat and sit if needs be to ensure you are onboard.

Once done so, midday, you let outside, with options to do what you need, 75 gold coins heavier each, and with options to get patched up, restock, get entertainment or what else fills your cup.

(Horses are stabled beneath deck along with extra belongings and will for sake of game be safe and without risk - just to take the question ahead of time!)

If you need to purchase anything, make a note of it yourself and deduct average cost, no need to play it out, unless very curious or hard to get -> If so; go to PM's.



-- Next Morning, South Altdorf; Reiksport --
The morning is heavy, damp and warm, but also causing quite a light fog to procure on the town itself, in particular south of town, near the water.
The area is curious, as you come closer, with a massive town on it's own, filled with shanties and simple storefronts, servicing ships going in and out. Alot of men and women offer aid or are employed already by the city itself - and even early day the area is buzzing with energy. The water is covered in light damp fog making viewing far out hard, but still some light comes through.
You notice, as you enter through a large gate, a southern, dark skinned man, standing with a curved sword, a backpack and eyeing around with attention and a stern grimace. Seeing you, he waves you closer, next to a large vessel, larger than most vessels, with an obvious larger storage room at the bottom, a living area in the middle and top floor for entertainment, dining and a large deck for recreational use. It is a high end ship fit for upper class citizen and is quite the cost and fare, well beyond even middleclass citizen. Who ever payed for this, do not lack coin nor power to sway you onboard.
You notice near the entrance to the ship, done on two levels, for storage and people respectively, a swarm of servants and guards are present. You count ten guards or similar at least. One thing you do not know is who else is onboard, but the ship itself is large enough to warrant privacy regardless.

Waved over, the guard speaks...barely. Handing each of you a small holder with papers in, he points and speaks in broken Reikspiel advising you to get on, and that the ships personal will take care of you. All is handled until Karak Kadrin. Just get on when you can.

He speaks little more, but remains until you are situated.
You learn quickly, that each of you get a room, with a bed, chest with key, lockable door, chair, small table, pen, paper, ink and two bottles of wine. All of these also have a small window allowing you to open and get fresh air or view the water front and side.
There will be meals three times a day, entertainment at night and ability to roam and explore during the daytime. There is a set curfew after sundown for safety reasons.

Gille never had experience such a bright day even with the morning fog covering everything like a blanket. He wondered if it had something to do with the wine last night. It had tasted wonderful and not only by the lack of any the last couple of weeks. His head felt like one was beating it with a small hammer over and over again.

When he saw the ship, he whistled between his teeth, it was above and beyond the boat of his family...

The way Etain solved most problems was by beating a hammer, so once she followed Jareik to the Mercenary's guild to find a bed she went to a forge and started gathering supplies, and preparing her piece. Laminating thin linden and poplar planks and allowing it to cure then heading over to the forge and hammers out boss of steel with short spikes before beginning on the tines supporting its spine and a steel cladding for around the rim.

Once all the pieces are ready she begins assembly of the items, the boss into the frame, leather wrap then the steel trim before painting the design across the front, blue and black with paired black ravens and wolves on the blue and a gold Pegasus and Fleur-de-lis. Once completed she takes the item, bids good bye to the other smiths then heads to the market to gather the last few items needed before they prepare to depart.

"Aye we accept your invitation. A lot of unknown factors but we can't argue with the weight of your gold." Answered Jareik to the envoy with his hat removed.
"We'll see you on board then, looking forward to hearing what this job entails. Good day'."

They had been given less time for preparations then he'd have liked so it seems rather then helping Etain with her investigation they all spent time doing hasty last minute preparations.
In his case never having had to travel so far beyond the Empire's borders, he stocked up on travelling necessities. After hearing Etain mentioning it one point he supplemented the group's water supplies, it was sure nice having their own cart and wagon to carry cumbersome equipment like that.
At this rate with their growing baggage train they were a few recruits away from starting a full mercenary company complete with camp followers.


Since they had been told they would be given a quick ship so Jareik had assumed a vessel small and sleek. So it was quite a surprise that the mammoth of a ship was one of the largest in the bay and decked with enough recreational amenities to suit the snobbiest of nobles.
If the Imperial Navy had ships like this he would have become a sailor for sure.

"How long's the boat ride again? Best sail it slow I say, waters be dangerous this time of year. More then usual I mean." He commented half in jest, having heard his share of tales of sailors fighting off sea monsters.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:46, Sat 08 Apr 2023.

There wasn't much more to it than ensuring the road ahead was a little (read a lot) more comfortable than she was accustomed to in such adventures far afield of the holds or civilization as man and dawi knew it. The vessel though was a bit of a sight if she was to be honest but she'd still heard tale of greater things in the direction they were headed. Dwarfs didn't often take to sea, after all, but the one's that did were aboard things powered by fire and coal and clad in enough iron and steel to gird a legion of the Empire's finest.

Still, it was nice to have a good ship to while the journey aboard and the promise of three squares and, hopefully, ale to the standard of the Crownshield Clan. As with her original departure, she'd made sure to let Master Crownshield know her intents and destination along with another promise to, ancestors willing, return with another sample of one sort or another to hopefully keep her moving forward on the path ahead. Her last few attempts at shaping and imbuing her armour with the right set of runes had been... less successful than she had hoped but no one outside of the truly deranged had ever said the runesmith's craft was easy by any meaningful measure.

"Eager to be in the lap of mobile luxury for a smidge longer than their coin planned? Or just curious if you can come out the other side with a fishing story fit for the Ancestors?" the Dwarf teased back as she fussed with a newly acquired shield, seemingly satisfied with the cut and form of the vessel that awaited them.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:04, Sat 08 Apr 2023.

With their contract acquired, Milly went about her business, making hasty preparations for the journey ahead and marrying those newly acquired chores to her previous schedule. One last visit to the physician and using the first stretch of the journey to rest, would have to do in restoring her bruised body.

By the next day, Milly boarded the ship with a trunk in tow. Gods willing, they would not be found wanting during their journey, although she doubted they would want for anything during their stay on the ship. Their accommodations were far better than she could have ever hoped for, Mimi had to tacitly agree with the sentiment Cecla alleged to Jareik. "Can't say I would blame him, this feels dangerous, one could get used to this type of thing."

Etain arrives, guiding the cart from the ground. The cart is loaded, a large chest, a cask and a smattering of other equipment aboard the flat deck. As she sees the ship she lets out a long low whistle "Sure is nicer then the ship I crossed the Middle Sea and the Sea of Claws in" as she draws the cart closer she looks for the loadmaster to see about the cart being loaded aboard and the horses stowed.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Purchases:
G: 98   S: 69    P: 24

90g - Studded Armour, Full
 4g - Shield material
 4g - Girdle
 5g - Chest, Large*
 1g - Cask, 25l*

15s - Breeches
12s - Kilt
30s - Kettle

15p - Scarf

G: -6   S: 12    P: 9

Sale: Assumed prices if allowed
123g - Leather Jerkin
10g - Leather Leggings

Total: G: 7   S: 12    P: 9

Gear                           Clothes
Backpack                       Breeches (2)
Blanket                        Boots, High
Purse                          Coat
Tent (2 Person)                Gloves
Trade Tools                    Kilt (2)
Whetstone                      Socks
Wooden Tankard                 Girdle
Wooden Cutlery                 Scarf
Chest, Large
Cask, 25l
Kettle

---

This message was last edited by the player at 15:24, Mon 17 Apr 2023.

As you are calmly shown aboard the ship you are led to your rooms, which in sheer luxury are private, and have view of the water. They are some ways away from deck, but also not farthest away as that would be the suites, one of them you quickly learn is occupied by your new employer and his entourage.
You see several people get on - many merchants, their guards, but easily discerned from those working the ship as their attire is red and white in colors. Delicate yet sturdy for the seas ahead.

As you are placed on the ship a calm man appears with a bushy beard, the first mate, and advised that a bell will ring for dinner and shows where the dining hall is. A long table, draped pieces of art, depicting nature, water and keeping to that theme in general. There is just that table, with two smaller tables to the side, forming a T shape, but seating all together basically.

The seas are calm, and you can manage to get settled, check out your room and get situated, before going to top deck.
A juggler and an entertainer with a small string instrument is entertaining, and serving a calm mood to those nearby. Kegs are lifted up, and a refreshment, be it ale, wine or mead is possible.


Two men stand near the railing behind you laughing and talking in a language foreign to you both, build strongly and with scars on their arms.
Opposite them, a burly merchant talks to an alluring woman and her servant, her long hair kept in a knot under a large brimmed hat, making the exact color hard to discern. The servant, stout and heavily built, with a mustache and strong eyebrows. They both wear colors in the distinction of red and black, the men greener colors overall.
The most curious man, one keeping to himself in a tall, strong man wearing robes in blue-green and turquoise, with a fish pendant around his neck.
You notice others walking about, and estimate at least forty if not more men and women onboard.

For now, you are advised dinner is in a few hours, and that the first stop is in 5 days for provisions. Ideal time to compose and plan for the trip ahead.

Gille felt quite of place in such a luxury environment. When he was still only a couple of years old, his father had been visited by rich merchant and their likes, but never had Gille ever had such an asset to his disposal, even if it was for just a short period of time. He had travelled light and as such, there was little to be stowed away behind lock and key. Dropping his slingbag into the chest he wondered what he was to do with his longbow. It was not practical on the ship, unless he had to shoot off board. He unstrung it, hiding the bowstave under his bed and putting the string with his other belongings in the chest. Once finished, he made way to the upper deck.

Gille eyed the crowd and, while waiting on the others to arrive, acquired himself, as any Breton would have done in his own opinion, some wine and he settled near the musician. Although on a private vessel, he got that aching feeling that it was inadvisable to let once guard down. As soon as one of the others showed up on the upper deck, the bowman moved over and started to speak softly "I got this feeling we are not alone on this ship." After a short moment he realized that he stated the obvious and continued to explain further. "I got the feeling we are being watched, as in Altdorf. Better lock your doors at night and do not our guard down."

Jareik whistled when he saw his room and nodded silently when the first mate explained the schedule to them, being very eager to explore this sample of the good life.
Not expecting any trouble on this ship with its many guards, he removed his armor and weapons and fell on a bed soft as bosoms, lying there for a good 15 minutes before getting ready for dinner.

He arrived to the table in a doublet and of course his trademark hat.
"Wine any good?" he asked as he joined Gilles, not waiting for an answer before going to fetch one himself.
"You don't say?" he retorted with bemusement at the bowman's opening statement before frowning. "Sure it ain't paranoia talking? They clearly don't let just anyone onboard and I have a hard time picturing back alley murderers buying their way in. Probably just some of the other fancy pants guests looking at us funny."

Here they were in the bask of luxury, couldn't they just enjoy it for a bit?

Heading aboard when the crewman starts showing room assignments she asks that she and Marie be given a joint room if possible, assuming the ship had them while holding unto her chest to keep it in her room, the dogs at her heels.

Once settled, leaving most of her equipment in the room save her new axe at her hip and shield on her back and makes her way to the deck with the others, gets a bowl of water for the hounds, a wine for Marie and a mead for herself "I'm sure its no Bretonnian merlot" she says before tasting the mead, it was a little too sweat and thick but not too bad for what was likely a rarer drink, and in a quieter tone she says "As a passenger no, but as a crew member? Probably easier to get on"

A few servants walk around, taking empty wine glasses and food plates, and the juggler is exchanged with a setup of balls, and pins, in a simplistic game of rolling and knocking down pins, and laughs a plenty.
A single guard stand at the very front eyeing the distance.

An hour passes, and Altdorf is now many hours behind you, heading out. Just before dinner, the guard rises tall and points, calling over another guard.
Eyeing around, they point back..first at no one it seems, but their eyes fixate on one person.
Jareik. Curious, Jareik can now see what the  guards pointed at.
From a tree, in a nooked rope, a hung man is seen.
Bound to his head, crudely, is a large brimmed hat, with three obviously painted feathers from a hen, tar painted goatee and moustache and a long dusterlike clothing piece, which hauntingly remains Jareik of someone...and an event before they left.
A curious smell spreads in the air, strong, slightly stomach churning. But it vanishes quickly...
The men beckon at Jareik, one advancing at him.
"You! Come! Is this a ploy? A joke?!"
Obviously angered and wondering if this is a sick joke, the men are riled up, as those in Altdorf, to why there is a hung figure with his likelyhood at the eastern coast..and why here?
Before he has a chance to answer, and with everyone on board watching this way something else happens.

Suddenly, a large boom is heard on the side of the ship and splintered wood projects into the air. Fire. A huge ball of it projects through the air followed by another, and Milly - trained in the ways, notices the shaping of the winds and how they can form quickly.
Noticing a shadow move, you only manage to see two things. A young woman with piercing red hair and a young man with a scar across his eye, obviously the caster. They vanish quickly.

Panick ensues and the ship is chaotic for a brief moment as the guards funnel guests inside the dining hall with some calmness, while the servants and shiphands, find buckets on rope and sparse wood and commence to ensuring the ship can hold until you reach a port in a few days. The damage is high up on the tall ship, so there is no obvious risk, but more curiously - as Milly is aware, they could aimed better and with ease, yet did not. It was a choice to aim high.

Inside the halls, the captain appears and with hands extended asks all to sit, and finds wine and food.
"The waterways are mostly safe, but even these days, some scoundrels appear. We are well prepared and safe, and will not slow down nor face further risk. We are on top of everything, and I urge you to remain calm, eat, relax and let the trusted ship and its crew handle any mishaps."

A sense of uneasiness spreads in the air. Who attacked the ship? Was the hanging, mutilated and costumed man hanging a decoy and why...why did he appear like Jareik? Many things hun in the air, but the ship for now would not halt, as the old saying goes: A ship in movement is safer than one staying still.

The meal was a feast, obviously fitting those of higher regard in society - several cuts of meat, vegetables and all you can drink - so something for everyone. The talks spread, and the recent attack is a hot subject, if only replaced by the Jareik incident, and then onto other matters just as quickly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:15, Fri 21 Apr 2023.

As the crew rush to get buckets Etain quickly moves to assist, hauling up a bucket by the string "Jariek, Gille, I think whoever attacked may have used this as a diversion to get aboard, steal something or maybe to get someone else."

Milly went to the side of the ship and stared at the mess with a frown. She didn't care much for the puppet, people like Jareik came in boxes of two dozen in that area. Magicians hurling spells at ships was another matter entirely. There would be letters to send at their next destination, a rogue wizard or actual witch was not a matter that could just be ignored, if nothing else for the good of the colleges. The question was, did this have any relation to their stalker issue? Was related to them at all? Perhaps to their employer?

While gathered along the other guests, Milly confided with her peers. "I can only hope that was the last of it, whoever that was, there was magic involved, I don't believe we have a timely answer to that. For better or worse, we are at their mercy, unless the ship can leave them behind on the ground." That said, her mouth was quickly occupied with more pleasant things on the table. These may well be one of the last chances they get to have such a feast in a long while, Milly was no stranger to privation and being content with little, but she was in equal measure able to enjoy the good things in life.

Jareik made a face as he drank his wine. It's not that he thought Etain's suggestion was entirely implausible, but he reckoned the Albioner was just on edge still after having a mutilated corpse of herself show up and likely to see daggers in every shadow.

"Pah, you lot worry too much. Look around you, we have a small army of servants and guards whose job is to keep us safe and happy. Our Employer also wants us in tip top shape for whatever grisly business he has in store for us. I tell you, we have never been as safe in the admittedly short time I've known you lot as we are now."
he said with a dramatic wave of his arm before taking another sip.
"Besides not like we can go around pointing fingers at servants for odd looks, so other then keeping a dagger under our pillow not a lot we can do."


And with that he considered the matter closed and focused on the antics of the juggler instead, cheering and raising a glass at a particular dextrous showing. If the others wanted to work for free and worry about such things he won't stop them but he wasn't going to let it drag him down either.

And so he was looking forward to dinner when he was accosted.
"Eh what? Sorry I'm not sure what you on about." The way the guard accused him and the wording was giving him a sense of Deja Vu, either that or the wine was kicking in.
Following the guards he squinted at the figure, why in the Blazing Suns were they showing him a hanged man for? Wait...Is that supposed to be him? Like with Etain back in Altdorf? No, it had to be a coincidence, after all he was far from the only man in the Empire to have those depicted features.

He was about to argue as such and protest his innocence vigorously when suddenly, explosion.
Not willing to go running off to investigate lest that make the guards jump to even more conclusions he let himself get herded along with the other guests.

"What in the Dark Moon's name is going on? Shallyah's mercy, I might have to retract my statement about being safe onboard in light of recent events."

When Etain ran past him bucket in hand he pinched the bridge of his nose in quiet frustration, he would really hate it if she was right.

When the Captain came to calm things down he was initially making a gesture of "you see?" to the others as if it proved that this was all normal, the captain and the crew had it under control, they even said so!

But the mage put an end to that delusion and if there is one thing he knew about mages is that when they talk magic, you best take it seriously.

The meal was delicious but he couldn't really enjoy it, mulling over recent events and keeping in mind the wizard's warning that right now their throats could be cut at any moment, metaphorically speaking.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:13, Sun 23 Apr 2023.

As it always seemed to be with this lot, it was everything, everywhere and all at once. One minute was feast, plenty, comfort and much needed recouperation and the next was once more into disaster as the hanged 'likeness' of Jareik was spotted along the coast line. Followed not so long after by a blasted explosion that was, perhaps, large but hardly the biggest one she'd ever heard or witnessed... A dubious perk of associations with the engineer guilds of her distant mountain home, if she was to be any judge on the matter. A thought she didn't really have much chance to dwell on as the guards once more leapt at the chance to blame one of their number through some baffling twisted, tortured logic. Because, naturally, a corpse done up to look like one of them was obviously one of them having a laugh about an extinguished life.

OF course, this all left aside that any damage to a hull like this was a problem. One exasperated by the declaration that magic was most certainly involved. Another something that she couldn't help or work against beyond the knowledge she held.

"Odds are good on that less they want to run themselves or a horse dead keeping pace. Suppose we'll be back to full alert for the rest o' this leg of the trip." the Dwarf offered grimly as she let herself be guided away and to the dining halls of the vessel by the guards. The grim regret of this not being a dwarfish iron clad sitting astride her mind as she forced herself through the meal if only to maintain her strength. There was good odds they'd need it and a mind clear by anything but a unsatisfying wine.

For once Gille had hoped that his gut feeling would have been wrong, that the only events on the trip would have been the entertainment. Although he never would have expected a mockery of Jareik and some wizardry tearing through the hull of the ship. He had seen bandits before at the river banks of Bretonia, but never was their foul magic involved.

"Et alors, what now" he spoke softly during diner. Plentyfull and of a great quality, but it wasn't that satisfying after all that had happened. "You all seem to have made some powerful enemies. Do you think it is the ring they are after?"

The evening passes without much more.
At the table you notice many around you counting 50 or so faces, including your employer. It speaks of the volume of people on board, allowing you all to both get lost in the crowd, but also mingle if desire is for that.
Music is played and wine and mead flows plentiful to combat the events that happened.

The questioning of Jareik for now, has halted or been forgotten - as while the initial reaction was strong from the guards, one could argue both for and against it being a copy of him, and that it was at best vague. However with the sudden roar of fire shot as a projectile with high precision was...concerning.

You find good rest, and the days pass.
You wake up early sundawn, with a distant voice yelling that land is ahead, signaling the first half. People on, people off.
Your first halt, NULN in Wissenland.

Like any other city in the Old World, Nuln is crowded and dirty. It has debris-choked alleys, winding and seemingly random streets, and dilapidated buildings, all set against the splendour of the wealthy. The plumes of smoke and falling ash from the foundries only exacerbate the wanton filth. Nuln is a riot of architectural styles, from the fortress-like palace on the hill to the ramshackle row houses that fill the Neuestadt. Its very appearance reveals the near constant reconstruction of the city through its long history. But one thing unites, and that’s the soot covering just about everything north of the city. A glaze of ash stains the shingles of the roofs and smokes the windows.

Straddling the great River Reik, Nuln marks the last point at which the mighty river can be crossed. Spanning the waters is the Great Bridge of Nuln, a testament to Nuln’s skill at engineering and artistry. An enormous sprawling city, it is second only to Altdorf in terms of size, and nearly matches the capital with its splendour. How it differs is everything constructed here was built with the defence in mind.

Along the north there is but a short run of wharfs as the land rises further along the city. Few goods are unloaded here, and most traffic on this side of the river comes from passenger ships such as the Emperor Wilhelm. Here, the docks are nice and maintained, welcoming travellers to the great city. Carriages are always on hand to transport newcomers to the Altestadt or other parts of the city, moving them swiftly past the run-down Shantytown. On the southern shore, the docks are far less endearing. Stinking of rotting food, fish, and waste, all cargo ships dock here, where workers swiftly unload the goods to load into warehouses lining the waterfront. At night tough guards patrol the warehouse to drive off burglars. A few seedy taverns illuminate the alleys leading into the Faulestadt. The River itself is nearly a league wide at the western edge of the city, though it swiftly narrows as it moves through Nuln. The Reik is also deep, allowing even seafaring vessels to travel it, so cargo ships from Altdorf, Bögenhafen, and even as far away as Marienburg occasionally come to port here. The waters are anything but clean, polluted by the soot from the forges of the Industrielplatz.

You are advised shortly, that within the hour you will arrive in Nuln; North side, and will leave roughly half a day later. Allowing for traversing the city and restocking if needed or simply stretch legs and perhaps visit a local tavern or trinket store.

"Damn straight, and here I was enjoying not having to sleep with a dagger at my side for a change." agreed Jareik to the Dawi's statement.

At Gile's words Jareik looked up startled as if he just realized something.

"Oh gods, that blasted ring! It's a possibility I guess and it doesn't help that I left it in my room so it ain't exactly hard to take... Hopefully they didn't know where it was which is why they pulled out the fireworks display.
Then again I suppose that also proves they don't need a foreign spirit if doing a bit of destruction is all they wanted to do."

He took a sip, mulled over something then carried on.

"Aye we did make some enemies all right. I suppose it's only fair you know about it if that has anything to do with our current predicament. Long story short, before you met us we were doing a job investigating the disappearance of a scholar in a hamlet deep in the Reikwalk forest.
I'll spare you the details and every little oddity we witnessed over there other then we saw both holy and unholy things, the gist of it is the village was under the thrall of some witch who had been twisting the locals faith, and well... Let's just say in the end she escaped us after sending her pet abomination who had hours prior been a normal man just like you and I, along with some of the enthralled villagers to keep us busy."

Recalling these events just made him want to keep drinking, another sip.


"So not only did the witch escape us, but the rest of the villagers bloody up and vanished too. And that's the last we heard of it, personally I assumed she either went to try her luck at some other out of the way village, or fled the Empire all together, what with the witch hunters on her arse."

__________________________________________________________________________________

The next few days Jareik would be back to his usual attire now that he was expecting trouble and if anyone gave him funny looks he would tell them to shove it. He made the mistake of relaxing his guard and wasn't going to repeat that.
He also made sure the ring was with him at all times, if the cultists really were after it then it was fortunate they were ignorant of the fact it had been unnattended in Jareik's room and he wasn't going to give them another easy opportunity.

But despite the increase in caution, he still enjoyed the ship's recreational activities as they were offered, along with the food and drink.

During one evening as they had gathered for another scheduled dinner he made idle conversation about the upcoming stop.

"Would be nice to stretch our legs for a bit. Any of you lot been to Nuln before? From what I hear the industry there makes Altdorf look like Wurtbad."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:41, Fri 05 May 2023.

Etain ate sparingly, worried that if someone had infiltrated the ship that the food or drink could be spiked. Her plate had some bread, some seared venison and vegetables with a low alcohol mead to wash it down. Having come straight from helping the crew put out the fire and shoring up the damage she smelled faintly of smoke and a little of sweat "I almost always keep a dagger at hand and an axe" she tells Jareik as she pops a piece of meat into her mouth and continues to speak while chewing "I don't like being trapped on here knowing that whoever is after us knows we are here, and where we are going."


__________________________________________________________________________________________

As she awoke she quickly scanned the room to ensure no unwanted visitors had made their way in before relaxing her grip on the axe and stretching and fully removing the blanket from herself to get dressed. Putting on her full studded armour, with a long kilt over her legs, her dagger is sheathed, as is the axe, her shield she decides to place across her back.

Walking undo the deck she stands next to Jareik, half her hair blowing freely in the wind with the left side tightly plaited towards the back to keep it free from her eyes should she have to use the shield. "I've not been but the air smells of sulphur and the clouds are thicker then home, only a darkened colour of an old bruise. We could go ashore but not straying too far as the ship will leave with our equipment aboard."

Gille listened to the story unfolded by Jareik and frowned. When he left Bretonia he would had never guested that he would somehow got mixed up with this colorful group of individuals.
A group of individuals that got them somehow the attention of a witch or a cult, or even both, and carrying a relic that contained some powerful demon from the lands of Araby.
It foreshadowed to become interesting times indeed.

Although luxury was plentiful and free, it could not bring joy and peace of mind for the bowman.
There were powerful foes at play and he preferred to meet them from a good safe distance.
Unfortunately, a long bow was not the type of weapon to bring to bear easily on a ship.
Out of precaution or just following a hunch, Gille had already acquired himself a set of throwing daggers in Altdorf.
Figuring he might as well spend the time on the ship wisely in mastering the skills, he soon found out that self-tutoring might be a bite more then he could shew and that his room was perhaps not the best place to practice.
Even in this foreign country, the Lady of the Lake smiled upon him and he found mastery on board of the ship in the form of the hired entertainers.
Offering some additional coin aside from their pay for this trip, Gille found one of them to teach him the basics and somewhat more.
In the five days from Altdorf to Null he made some progress and the second part of the trip would provide ample of time to learn more.

---

Joining the others on deck, Gille had his longbow with him, making him feel whole again.
"Anybody knows their way around the city here?"
Gille had nothing to look for in Null, only to stretch his legs and have a look around.

The dwarf, for her part, was content to listen to the retelling as so far the mercenary had a knack for recollection if nothing else. Plus, recalling the whole sordid affair had the potential raise there her proverbial dander and have her contemplating the whole of the grudges forged and found in that hamlet. That all said, she still offered a nod towards Etain about feeling trapped on the vessel when the cult had made it clear they had access to some manner of finger waggling and a dangerous means of using it.

---

"Can't say that I do but wishing we had a bit more time. Folk here are famous for their gunsmithing and artillery making. Maybe not up to the standards o' my folk but can always learn something from promising aspirants." Cecla said with something like a dour sort of lament for the schedule the ship and it's crew held them to. She stroked gently at the thick braid of hair again and for any who bothered to note, once more was armed and armored since anything less seemed to be inviting mishap and altercations lately. Of particular note, though, was an exquisitely crafted hand axe at her hip alongside. A new acquisition and, technically, gift to herself from one of her bearded kin folk if the hallmarks of dwarven design and embellishments was any give away.

"Either way, short run on solid land wouldn't be exactly disagreeable to me or my ancestors."

"Then it's settled, we gonna play the tourists for a change and forget about the possibility of someone starting a Festag festival onboard the ship. Don't worry, we won't stay so long the ship will leave without us, just a little walk around and I dunno, maybe see if there's someplace that sells a decent handgun, mine has been showing its age." he said cheerfully, not sensing any opposition to the idea.

"Speaking of new kit, don't think I ain't noticed that looker of an axe Miss Cecla, looking forward to seeing if she chops off a greenskin's head as well as she looks." 
Considering their destination, encountering orcs and gobbos was very much a possibility, and honestly he would rather face them then deal with whichever shadowy figures were following them.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:25, Wed 17 May 2023.

Having written the thing before their arrival, Milly was quick and filled with purpose when they finally made it to the city. "I have business with my Order to see to, but rest assured, I should be well in time before the ship departs. If I don't, you are free to presume something happened." And with that said, the wizard was on the move. Her order had to be informed back at Altdorf of what had transpired during the voyage so that the pertinent gears could be set in motion. Renegades and witches had a rough living, their antics and very existence not suffered for long once they became known to the right people, such as Mimi herself. Moreover, it was best to nip such things in the bud without getting the witch hunters involved, the colleges had their own means to track and eradicate such people, far more discreetly as in was in their interest, not one bit less ruthless and brutal however.

"Great loud things those ...handguns..." she says to the others "But I am intrigued by them despite that, perhaps I could learn to forge those too for the day I settle down and start my own forge." with the kit she brought with her for a 'calm' visit to a new Imperial city.

"Commissioned a cousin o' mine before we left Altdorf. Once I've got my first runes under my belt I'll be looking to add my mark to her. Till then, no Crownshield Smith's gone wrong when it comes to a cutting edge or the armour to stop it." the Dwarf offered with a bit of familial pride and an easy, bright smile at odds with the usual four thoughts and looks that had defined the trip. The wizard's own plans earned a sobering nod, she had some letters to pen and send back to her master about all this if only to keep him appraised. The talk of forging gun metal one day from Etain drew a glance from the copper haired dwarfess.

"Got some aspiration to that myself. The engineers back home made a point of noting how finicky it could be. Everything has to be just right else the pressure'll open it up like a flower." Cecla said though kept the other aspirations to wed such weapons with runecraft to herself. That was a long ways down the road it felt but she'd get there eventually.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:58, Mon 22 May 2023.

"It is indeed a fine weapon, different to my style of forging but every smith is different in their preferences." She says looking at the weapon on the loop.

When Cecla mentions the very real possibilty of a catastophic misfiring causing a gun to explode she looks shocked and asks "Why would anyone use such a weapon if it can explode killing or maiming you?"

Jareik winced, he could remember a few incidents where a misfire cost the forces he was in dearly, even leading to an outright rout in one instance where a temperamental hellblaster volley gun misfired and exploded, leaving the flank it was supposed to be covering completely exposed. Still he was a proponent of firearms and believed in their merits.

"Firepower, that's why. There's a reason why the Empire favors handgunners over archers in their armies. Ain't disrespecting a good archer but not every man can shoot the eye of a troll when it's charging at you. Gunpowder weapons mess up the biggest and most armored of enemies no matter where the bullet lands and lemme tell you, back in the Great War the enemy had no shortage of warriors clad in armor thick enough to laugh at arrows raining down at them. But a volley of bullets would put an end to their laughing."

He rested his arms on the railings as he pondered old memories.

"And then there's the logistics of it all. Back in the Ostland Army we had a good regiment of Huntsmen, fine lads all of them who could shoot the wings from a fly with no problem. But replacing them was...hard. Ostland had a good source of men who knew how to use a bow but attrition ate them up faster then we could replace them, it takes many years to become a good archer let alone one that can kill a troll but you can take a bunch of green boys and drill them for a month and you'd get a capable handgunner. Another month tested in  battle and they could fire and reload almost as fast as a vet. Gunpowder weapons have their drawbacks but the enginners don't call them the weapons of the future for nothing."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:37, Mon 22 May 2023.

"Aye, that's the be all and end all of it. Anything short of a gromril plate'll might as well not even be there against even a half decent shot with a well made handgun." Cecla added in to reinforce the already well illustrated point. There was no denying a fair number of the skills she was working on so fervently in her own down time wouldn't matter all that much into the hazy future of her own comparatively long life... but if she could twist the runes to imbue a little something into this or that to either shield against or augment the properties of a gun... It was win and something to be proud of for both herself and any descendants she might manage by that point.

A slow walk past various maritime establishments as you wander away from the docks for the time being leads you into the heart of the city, nearing the university and more so the Imperial Gunnery School
The school is not only Nuln’s most famous attraction, but it’s also the most breathtaking example of Nuln’s innovative architectural skills.
A huge sprawling building with towers kissing the clouds, leering gargoyles, and gigantic flying buttresses, the Imperial Gunnery School draws visitors who just wish to see it, to say nothing of the nobles who send their sons to study here.
Created for the purpose of training artillery crews and pistoliers, the finest soldiers receive their training in these celebrated halls.
The School itself dominates the centre of the Universität, dwarfing the College of Engineering and the lesser institutions crowded in its shadows.
A large part of the school’s grounds are given over to shooting ranges, and throughout the days the crack of gunfire echoes throughout the city.
Cannon are test-fired from Aver Island or beyond the city walls. In addition to the ranges, the school also has several large lecture halls, dormitories, and smaller classrooms.
The soundscape is something else around here is something else and lends one to wonder if Nulners are partially deaf from birth.

You were advised before leaving that the watch in Nuln, the men and women whom roam the streets act on very little and will arrest and punish first, and then ask questions.
No risks are taken and little passes their eyes above ground or below where the infamous sewer jacks stand guard. Given the presence of the area you are in, and how keen the creatures below, the ratmen being famous for such, lurk ever and is a constant threat as they seek the advances made by the schools of Nuln.

You come by temples of Verena and Myrmidia and even Sigmar not far apart and a finer establishment serving as boarding and inn for the locals, of some repute, scholars and those of knowledge and it is one of the few locations sporting their own security outside its doors.

Jareik finds, adjacent to the grounds, a larger distributer of arms and remedies for the local soldiers and watchment, and realizes that he has to charm or persuade the grumpy and hardened man inside to be able to peruse and shop if he so desire.

Etain nods at the relative lack of training needed to replace gunners as opposed to archers, while she was never skilled with the bow, she saw several of her kin who mastered the bow and it did indeed take may years and lots of training to maintain their skills.

As they move through the alleys and thoroughfares of Nuln she stops when the others stop, looking at the wears offered by the people but looking at the skill more then the opportunity to purchase. Most of the weapons are beyond her current skills, the black powder weapons have intrigued her but she has always focused on close quarters weapons, swords, axes, spears and shields, multiple of which she possessed herself as well as Marie.

Once they debarked, Jareik asked some of the sailors who were hanging around not doing anything currently for directions, and it was suggested he would find what he was looking for around the Imperial Gunnery School, the latter of which was so big it made the Imperial Palace look like a cottage.

"Don't you be tardy now Ms Milly." he said, tipping his hat to her in a quick goodbye as she left to do her wizard business.

If the Gunnery School looked big from afar, it became outright monstrous the closer they got, not to mention the ever increasing sound of gunfire and explosions.

"Blimey, folks weren't kidding where they say Nuln is the gunpowder capital." he said with a low whistle.

They did pass other noteworthy sights of course, but the school's sheer size commanded attention like no other.

"I hear the Elector countess of Nuln is a scary one too. Rides a black dragon that can apparently breath black smog, fitting." he commented as he got close enough to make out some of the gargoyles.

"Ah, this seems like a place that could sort me out." he declared triumphantly at seeing the distributer.

"Evening'. I'm looking to acquire a new handgun, and where else better then Nuln right?" he said as he came in and looked around at the various pieces on display before unsheathing and presenting his own gun to show he wasn't a novice with such weapons. "Mine's showing its age. Ain't shooting as straight as she used to."

"In my homeland, a valorous knight is one who fights bravely, skillfully, and honorably. Bravery requires the knight to stand firm in the face of foes who are superior, even unto death. By our Code of Chivalry, when a knight fights honorably, that means hand-to-hand. Martial skill, strength, and faith will win the day. Missile weapons are considered cowardly, and gunpowder weapons even more so. For even the most unskilled peasant, or lazy oaf can slay a foe with a clever contraption that does all the work. The very idea of a warrior, training from the time of childhood, mastering sword and lance, resplendent in the finest armor his family can afford, riding across the battlefield to meet his foe on a grand Charger, only to meet an instant end by the simple depression of a lever? Non, une telle chose n'est pas juste," Marie mused out loud as they welled together.

Her tone wasn't judgemental or accusatory, merely informative. For the rules also stated that ladies could not be knights, and everyone could see how well she followed that social convention.

"Although, I must admit, the sheer power and industry of that college is...impressive," she grudgingly admitted.

The dwarf could only really agree with Jareik's assessment even if she as still of the mind it was a pale shadow of any dwarfen feat of industry but then... It was hard to impress a daughter of Zhufbar with feats of engineering when her kinfolk were responsible for things like the gyrocopter... and less successfully airships. That earned a grim chuckle from Cecla that she seemed disinclined to comment further upon as she glanced towards the Lady Knight and her talk on such matters as firearms.

"I'll grant you that the skills, will, and wit to stand and fight as an iron breaker or a knight does is something worthy of respect but while the gun simplifies the killing... There's a certain, let's say, arithmetic to getting it right for the individual and for massed formations. Plus, it always seemed a waste to pit such dwarf and menfolk against every last beastie that'll crawl up out of the depths to make a mess of some lesser folks' lives." the Dwarf offered with a note that accepted the fact that there was more than a few evils besides to go along with the weapon and that they were likely both set in their ways and views on the matter... Maybe her a little more by virtue of age.

Once they arrived at the armoury, however, her attention was clearly to the works that were stock piled there with a critical eye. She still had some change to her but it wasn't the sort that would net her the kind of piece she sought after... and it'd probably be once more through her kinfolk. After all, dwarfen gunsmiths had been at it for ages before the secrets were given over to the manfolk of Sigmar... but she'd grant them the courtesy that they were an ingenious bunch of bastards.

Nuln was crowded such as Altdorf and loud. The air had a foul taste to it and the sour smell of sulfur tingled Gille's nose constantly. He would be tagging along with the others. He noticed Etain was also following without purpose. At least he was not alone. He smirked at that thought for one had more chance to shake hands with the Lady's of the lake than to be alone in this city.

He listened to the conversation of bow versus musket. He remembered the tales of his father how upset the chivalry had been when the crossbow came across the grey mountains. A peasant weapon that could shoot an knight from his horse. And now the gunpowder weapons thundered across the battle fields. Times were changing, that was a fact. When his strength would diminish due to age and he could no longer draw the bow, perhaps then he should acquire a pistol.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:01, Mon 05 June 2023.

The gruff and sturdy man near the counter nodded at Jareiks request.
He had merchandise and lots of it, albeit the price was nothing to scuff at. Properly even higher than he would want.
Nodding he place two finely crafted weapons, a smaller pistol and a longer firearm, delicately nurtured and with new handles, polished barrels and obviously tested to ensure good use.
Eyeing Jareik he calmly stated in a slightly crooked dialect.
"This what ye need? Pistol is 225 gold crowns, the firearm 325 - quite the sum. Got repeaters too...if your pockets are very deep."

Behind the group and near Jareik a hefty flow of people moved by. Forward and back, the flow of commerce and activity was vivid.
Gille felt a curious cold sense, and wanted to get away from it, like having touched something frigid or warm. As he ducked his head, he heard a whooosh, and eyeing up, also visible to the rest, shy of Jareik, a small dagger hit the wall left of the shop and fell to the ground.
On the hilt, a small note was bound to it...
The symbol on the signet itself was alarming...and familiar. The crescent symbol from Altdorf with the line through it...

It came from the group but spotting anyone in it was impossible...and worse yet - who knew they were here and how? Where did the information come from and pass down to, and where they being followed?
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:26, Thu 01 June 2023.

Gille felt shivers down his back, a sensation he knew to thrust and unfortunately had experencienced quite a lot the resent days. He wanted to turn around but in a single heartbeat he felt a certaint urgency. With no option to go any where due to the crowd he moved in the only direction still possible, down.

Their was a thud and a dagger tumbled to the ground, the metal sound ringing softly as its rocking motion on the could cobblestones came to an end.

"Putain de bordel de merde de saloperie de connard." Gille cursed, picking up dagger and the attached note.

He rose to his feat and looked around, only the see a constant flow op people pushing, mingling and shoving around in the business of trade and work.

He inspected the note for a moment, trying to see if there were any markings on it before offering it to the group "Someone can read this, oui?" he asked.

Jareik grinned at the display of these fine weapons, oh how he would love to get himself a piece of kit like this.
The price however turned the grin upside down as he balked at the price.

"Shallyah's mercy, folks 'round here must have deep pockets." he seethed, he didn't know what he expected other then the vain hope in nuln weaponry would be cheaper but had clearly been a fool's hope.

"Ah sigmar damn it, sorry I don't quite have that much. Well, guess now I know where to go once I have a bit more gold under my belt, i'll be back one day for one of these beauties mark my words."

Jareik sighed sadly as if he was saying goodbye to a lover and tugged his hat in goodbye. As he turned he heard something land on the wall nearby and next thing he knew, Gille was on it in a flash and in full alert mode.

"Eh, what's going on now? Can't a man have his heart broken in peace anymore?"

He had a bad feeling seeing the symbol on the knife Gille had in hand and took the note to give it a read: "Let's give it a look, if the gods are good then it's Myrmidia herself offering to shower me in gold."
Somehow he doubted he would be that fortunate.

The note was short, and written in a curious red, dried hued color, if it was in fact that.
Shortly, it wrote.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

Many eyes on you.
The travel ahead happens with the Moonhavens Gaze upon you.
Two have been called, more is to come.
Once Nuln is behind you, watch your back. Every face is an enemy.
Every voice seeking to poison you.
The land to the south is far away...and you will not be alone.
Blood will be spilled....with great pleasure.
....

---

The letter is unsigned.
The only symbol is a moon with a line through.
The crowd remains thick and any chance to eye the assailant is wasted and pointless.
You stand somewhat in the midst of Nuln, with some hours to go, and no answers. Only the promise of more to happen, and that who ever is after you knows your next stop.

The dwarf had her suspicions as to the contents of the note but it was always better to wait on the confirmation of them than to leap sight unseen. Enough prospective engineers had lost themselves to that particular lack of judgement, after all. That and no one delivered a friendly message by the medium of throne weapons. Didn't need many years under your belt to learn that truth of the world.

"Good news, I'm guessing?" Cecla offered with a sarcastic tumblr clear and present in her voice.

Etain half raised her axe when she heard the knife hit the ground and turned around to look for the source and lost any chance at seeing them in the crowd and lowers the axe as Gille picked the note up and gave it to Jareik to read. Listening to the note she shakes her head "Good to know we do need to keep our eyes open"

Jareik read it out loud and then offered it to anyone who wanted to read it for themselves in case they doubted this reading skills.

"Well unless I'm horribly mistaken and this is in fact very bad poetry written by a shy buxom admirer, or several..." he answered the dawi with a shrug, the moon symbol made that hypothesis very unlikely however.

"..then I guess we haven't shaken off our friends from Altdorf. Two have been called... Don't suppose they mean the imitations? Pah, guess that would mean that figure on the banks really was supposed to be me."

Called to what though?

"Blood to be spilled, with great pleasure. I'd say that almost sounds personal. Aye we'll keep our eyes open allright as that's all we can do, just wished they would stop dancing around and step into the open for a change."

As he said that he vainly tried to make out anyone suspicious in the crowd, as futile as it was.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:19, Wed 07 June 2023.

The crowd dispersed.
It took a good while and seemed almost comical that a flow of folk travelled by just when it fit you the least.
The shopkeep kept an eye out and nodded calmly while polishing his merchandize while the damp outside seemed far away.

Gille get a cold sensation down his back...again. All to much to his liking, but eye far beyond, as if the sensation is a smell drawing his attention like a dog to meat.
Slightly behind a tavern, next to two barrels of drainage water, a woman sits and breathes heavily. She is partially covered and have blood on her clothing.

The placement is curious and makes no sense, and alot of sense.
Again, the placement of the barrels and the wall behind it from an adjacent houses, means you have to be next to the barrels and woman to see anything further, and it is easily missed while walking.

A thunderous roar is heard inside the college; the cannons of rumor and reprise are being tested, experimented on and developed to make Nuln a city of formidable prowess and wealth.

Shivers ran down Gilles spine when he smelled blood once more. This journey would be one without much rest. Frowning he eyed and around, taking deep breaths to determine the source of the smell.

"Troubles once more mes copains." he spoke softly to the group. "I fear there is once more a victim of the cult."

A took a while but he finally spotted someone hidden behind two barrels, a situation much alike that one in Altdorf only this time it appeared that the victim was still alive, although barely.

"We do not have much time to get back to the ship" she says to Gille "Cela pourrait être une embuscade ou au moins nous retarder de partir afin que le navire parte sans nous. Pire encore, la montre ne nous connaît pas et cela pourrait causer des problèmes."

Jareik didn't notice the woman or the alley, more distracted by the distant sounds of gunpowder weaponry, ah what a show it must be to see. Makes him wonder what Nuln is like during Festag.

"Eh what's that? A victim...?" he asked confused, the archer did seem to have a nose like a bloodhound for these sort of things so he treated it with the appropriate amount of seriousness.

"Well let's take a quick look I guess..." he said with a hand on his sword hilt as he followed Gille into uncovering whatever secrets lay in the alley.
"Just a quick recce, and unless I'm mistaken we got a live one here...Lots of blood though... Ah dang it, someone call a guard." Considering the last time they were in this situation they ended up being held, maybe Etain's worry was being vindicated. He tried to get a good look at the woman's face.

"Even if this is a distraction, we cannot in good conscience leave a young woman injured or dying on the streets if we can help it. Should it come to it, I will ride ahead of the group to delay the ship's departure. Ne t'inquiète pas mon amour," Marie replied to Etain.

Still, she kept an armored hand on the hilt of her blade, ready for any potential ambush.

Etain has a moment where it looks like she will be defiant before giving in and unlimbering her shield and axe "Fine, but I hope Jareik has a friend in the watch here" she says moving into the ally, shield to the fore and axe held tightly but down at her side.

"Not opposed to helping folks who need it but if we get the stink of a trap. Back to the ship, aye?" the Dwarfess says as she unclasps the axe at her belt and keeps it low, her other hand drawing out the slim length of the dagger. Her shield left behind as it sent the wrong impressions heading into a city fully kitted for war and mayhem. At least when one is getting off the boat for a bit of sight seeing and shopping.

"Well keep your hand on your swords or your feet to the harbor. Innocent people are getting cut open because of us. So if I can help save one life, I will." Gille stated his intend to the group before approaching the bleeding woman, hand on his axe.

"Who did this to you?" he asked while kneeling down next to the victim to have a closer look although he had little to none knowledge of treating wounds.

Gille Milroy rolled 73 -- 2 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 48.  Inspect victim.
ooc - Well yes, she might be hurt apparently.

The woman is, surprisingly to Gille and Jareik..alive. Barely.
She is breathing faintly, gasping, and her auburn hair, bloody red and missing partly.
It is obvious that what had happened to her had happened just a short while ago.
Two fingers missing, some of her hair cut, her eyes attempted gouged from her skull, but failed doing so, and her side partially cut around her heart, but failing to get deep. However the cut was with intent for this region alone.
Her wounds substantial she could still succumb to the injuries affected upon her.
In her hand, she clenches a small necklace, somewhat covered in blood, the inside of her hand scrapped and wounded.
She gasps heavily and sink down, struggling to breathe for the last time before succumbing to a sleep like state.
In the back the rest notice two guards passing by, eyeing about calmly.

"Shallyah's mercy...She's actually alive!" said Jareik, the astonishment clear in his voice.

The woman was a right mess, he glanced down at other parts of her body and noticed the other gruesome wounds, if it hadn't been for the recent spate of dead mutilated bodies he would have guessed she had been tortured by some sick bastards, barely any different then beastmen.

That could change at any time though, with the state she was in he half expected her eyes to fall out of their sockets and her body split into various pieces at the merest touch.

"Sigmar damn it all... Marie you might want to ride ahead to the ship after all since no, I don't know anyone in nuln that can help if we get tossed in a cell again." he said as he got up.

Spying the guards he positioned himself at the alley's entrance and frantically waved with his hat at them to grab their attention.
"OI! OVER HERE! SOME WOMAN'S HURT REAL BAD!" he shouted.

Etain had to stop herself from dropping her weapons upon seeing the ravaged woman and her mutilated form. Instead she took up a guard position a few feet away so someone could take proper care of her and she could move if they were ambushed. "Morrigan's wrath on whoever is doing this"

The woman, whom appeared targeted for something...be it valuables or more concerning by the isolated attacks...parts of her, gasped.

The guards ran over, with weapons raised.
Nodding at the those gathered, one checked her out, and the other one, calmly waves them away and eyed them a last time.
"We have this. Clear the streets, this is an assignment for the watch!"
One remained while the other ran for aid, but you felt clearly that they sought to move you away from the scene, not for once, assuming you had any part in it. The absence of blood on you was to your advantage here.
The eerily feeling that the knife, note, and the woman attempted killed had a link roamed..but perhaps there was more to it.

The ship lay ahead, and somewhere in Nuln or departing the city, was one or more souls, with blood on their hands.

The Dwarf had no better luck of making heads or tails of the woman, let alone anything she might be holding. Her mind, as felt proper, was preoccupied with the approach of the guards and if they were to find themselves with a problem again. Fortunately, that didn't seem the case beyond the usual problems they all seemed to draw to themselves... but with the arrival of the guards she was sure to stow her weapons to not given them any reason to accuse them of brigandry or other madness.

"Best to be on our way before anything else comes of this." the Dwarf added in echo of the guards though reluctant to leave if only to ensure there wasn't something else at play.


OOC: Dice are back to hating me lol.

18:30, Today: Cecla Crownshield rolled 85 -- 3 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 48.  Perception (Int).

Etain lowers her weapons but doesn't return them to their spots as the watch come to take control of the situation. Once they tell them to leave she backs out of the alley until she's a few feet from the entrance a she turns around and moves to follow Cecla, still shaken but what she saw and how this could have been one of them "Yes, lets go back, I'm suddenly even less enamoured with this city."



Etain Seanait rolled 97 -- 5 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 44.  perception. NOPE

"You certainly never see anything like this in Bretonnian lands, that is for sure..." Marie grumbled, agreeing with Etain's general sentiment about the city.

Unconsciously, she took the fiery-haired woman's hand as they walked, seeking some small comfort from the brutality that they had witnessed.

OOC Mechanics
14:42, Today: Marie Arceneaux rolled 89 -- 7 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 19. Perception.

"Right you are, best of luck dealing with...this." Jareik tugged on his hat and followed the others in their hasty retreat lest some misfortune fell upon them too.

Jareik grunted in response to the others, he couldn't exactly refute this put a dampener on the day.
"The empire's got it's problems but the quota of creepy sick butchery has been rather high lately, not even sure if it has anything to do with the weirdness that's been following us around or if it's just an unfortunate coincidence."

It was a shame their first visit at Nuln ended on a sour note like this but for now, it was time to go back to the ship. Hopefully Miss Millie had a less eventful time doing her own errands.

Gille would have liked to have a look at the necklace, but the guards arriving made him decide otherwise. Backing of he gazed in the distance as to make out something, only for a few heartbeats before returning back to the scene.

Letting Jareik handle the matters of the Empire he joined the others when the returned towards the ship.

"Coincidence or not, we were being watches from the distance. There was a hooded man staring at us. Unfortunate from to far to make out any details." Gille relayed to the group.

Jareik groaned. "Always spying on us, yet never close enough to be within sword swinging distance. Pah, wish we could setup a little trap of our own for a change... Hum maybe not a bad idea, would have to sleep on it."

Perhaps it was impotent frustration at waiting for an unseen enemy to strike, but they had enough free time to have the luxury of hatching such schemes.

At the ship, having carved through the busy and fragrant streets of Nuln, you notice a bulky man with a large book, and four guards outside, loading and unloading various cargo and guests.
It seems Nuln appears to be the last proper onboarding station before the trek ahead to southern lands. Nine to ten days at sea - daunting but doable for the larger vessel given decent weather.

The man eyes you, asks for the paperwork signed earlier by the prince's envoy and invites you aboard.
You realize that half the passenger list, the visible one as you board at least, has changed.
Merchants, entertainers, two rugged dwarfs, in full mail armor and a single adorned in fine garments, a singular elven woman eyeing into a book, and many workers and souls seeking employment or opportunity elsewhere.

You wait around for a bit, notice yelling and sounds below, and with a thud, the landing bridge and anchor is pulled in, and the ship sets off.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As the day passes and Nuln vanishes behind you are left yet again to your own thoughts and ideals - the trek is long, and even just mingling becomes a needful time saver.
The food is still as good as always, but the spare time and high rate of service leaves you all the time to study, learn or even just relax and reaarange your thoughts.

On Day four, halfways or so, dark clouds form and you are warned, by a large booming voice to retreat indoors and stay alert as heavy rain and winds will hit the ship shortly.
The ship is sturdy, strong and remain in the water with ease, but the swaying and heavy rain drown out much of any other noise.
You finally all, go to sleep for the night, trying to get any rest possible.
(Please roll a perception check -10%) all of you!

A dwarf typically wasn't a light sleeper and while she had a preference for good and honest stone beneath her feet as opposed to the shifting, perfidious nonsense that was water... She was still from the famed city of engineers and had to deal with the stuff. Unhappily. That little twist of fate was just enough to make sleep hard to come by, in either case, and kept Cecla mostly alert in her chambers as she tried to busy and exhaust her mind enough to fall asleep with what she had at hand.




18:54, Today: Cecla Crownshield rolled 27 -- 1 degree of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 38.  Perception - 10.

This message was last edited by the player at 20:08, Fri 28 July 2023.

Marie was a woman born to the saddle. And while this meant that she would rather travel by land, with Josette beneath her, no matter the long miles that she had to travel, the sea did not rob her of her stomach contents like some. She simply didn't care for it. Especially when the weather became rough. But despite this, the young noblewoman managed to drift off to sleep, with Lumière D'Argent in one hand, and her other entwined with Etain's.

OOC Mechanics
19:15, Today: Marie Arceneaux rolled 55 -- 4 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 9. Perception -10.

Milly for once had some peace of mind and sound sleep, with the Colleges informed about the rogue wizard, it wouldn't be long before the matter was taken care of by the adequate authorities. The institution she was part of was just as eager and ruthless, if not more, than the witch hunters when it came to eradicating witches, particularly those who could claim to have set foot in the institution.

---

09:44, Today: Milly Minhelm rolled 64 -- 2 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 38.  Perception.

Jareik slept soundly as the loud snoring could attest, having feasted well on the food provided and not being one bit concerned about the weather.
After all, they were on a large and imposing ship, and were sailing inland rather then out on the open seas, so whatever worries one might have had about sea monsters were considerably lessened here.

10:33, Today: Jareik Schneider rolled 92 -- 6 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 29.  Perception.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:03, Fri 28 July 2023.

Etain spends her free time trying to practice on an emptier section of the deck, shieldwork, axe and spear, doing her best to not be in peoples way. When stuck indoors she spends her time looking over her tools, inspecting her gear and providing what minor repairs she can when needed, offering to repair any pieces the crew may have thats within her ability to repair with the equipment she has.

Etain Seanait rolled 77 -- 34 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 4434.  perception.

Gille could not shake the feeling of being watched. He had trusted his instincts in the past, but now it seemed that they were constantly on edge.

When boarding the ship he was a bit nervous, for he hoped his new tutors did not signed off in Null. But the Lady had smiled on him and he found himself the next days in company of the colorful group of adventures he had joined in Altdorf as well with the group of artists that were teaching him the finer arts of throwing weapons.

When the call for storm weather ranged out, Gille headed below decks. Although the sea became rough, he could easily slip into a deep sleep, one of the benefits of growing up upon the inland waters of Bretonia...

Gille Milroy rolled 96 -- 5 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 38.  Perception -10.

Cecla awoke, during the rainful evening, with a pouring of rain pounding against the hull, and the wind rocking the large vessel gently but with force still.
A sound. A sound that was off. As if an adjacent door had been opened.

The lot of you had room aside one another, three on each side, and on a silent day anyone could make the sound out. Not during this weather however. Cecla somehow noticed a soft metallic sound and a door being opened. Yet, why? It was just across from her, which would imply it was Milly's room. Yet, for all Cecla knew, she was asleep.

OOC: Everyone is sleeping, baring Cecla who awoke. Assume actions on your behalf if you so wish, or advise if you do nothing, and I shall update.

Etain sleeps fitfully constantly tossing and turning, knowing that something was going to go wrong.

It wasn't promising that something or someone was lurking about this late into the evening. Especially with the absence of the usual temptations to be out and about at this hour. Let alone to the little wizard's room. Her axe once more at hand, through trapped in its leathers should this all be an misunderstanding, the dwarfess cracked her door and made her way towards her compatriot's room with what subtlety she could manage. She wasn't any ranger in disposition or skill, however but had the sense to pass close along the wall and give a thump on one of her companion's doors as she did.

Marie continued to sleep, despite the motion of the ocean and the wrath of Manann ripping the sky apart outside. Still, she clutched her sheathed sword tightly, and tried to let pleasant dreams stand guard against the misery of a miserable night.

Jareik started to turn around as he slept, whether it be indigestion from overeating or the storm, he was now having a nightmare of a battle long past, the sound of cannons and gunfire punctuated by the roars of angry daemons and bloodthristy northmen.

In his dream, the rain kept pouring and made the battlefield muddy, and the hail was so strong he could scarcely see in front of him except when a flash of lightning briefly illuminated the horrors ahead. The sergeant motioned an advance and as one the regiment lowered their halberds and marched forth as the drummer escalated his beat.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:08, Thu 10 Aug 2023.

In reply to Cecla Crownshield (msg # 246):

The door to Millys room stood, ever so softly open, just barely, as whatever opened it, did so to avoid making noise.
Through the smallest of openings you noticed a large figure, tall, lanky, draped in loose dark brown pants, a hooded shirt and long sleeves with gloves on. In the hands of the figure, you noticed a large blade, and a small bag at the hip. Looming over Milly, the hand was raised as she slept. Blade in hand, aiming for her neck.

Cecla: You have noticed all this and can act.
Milly: Perception -20% please.

Milly slept soundly, nothing bad ever happened to people in ships while they slept.

---

14:32, Today: Milly Minhelm rolled 63 -- 3 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 28.  Perception.

Gille was engulfed in a deep sleep and as such, the thump on his door went unnoticed by the Breton.

ooc - as nobody else did, I assumed the door that was knock upon was Gilles.
Gille Milroy rolled 60 -- 3 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 28.  Perception -20% for sleeping.

There wasn't anything for it but action and sorting out the details after the fact. Or so, at least, was the conclusion that Cecla arrived at given what she had taken in. There wasn't any hint now of the quiet, careful approach as she charged into the room and at the unknown man with every ounce of speed she could muster out of her sturdy frame. The momentum was key, after all, to knocking his aim askew and hopefully pushing him away from the sleeping girl long enough for the noise to rouse her. Her axe at the ready with each thundering step.

That said, she'd have learned nothing from experience if she didn't have a contingency. Murder was foul work and worthy of a note in the book, after all... and if she wasn't enough a knight, a mercenary, hunter and a north woman were probably enough to make a man's life short and miserable enough or the approval of the ancestors. Plus, a dwarven battle cry in the middle of the damned night at full volume was a thing all it's own.

OOC: Charging the man and letting rip a loud and proper dwarven war cry. At that fullest of volumes.

The figure bounced back, startled and surprised, dropping the blade dripping in a curious liquid.
Surprised, he grasped for a different blade, but the sheer sound woke everyone, including Milly, who awoke startled and puzzled.
The man tried to weave around to get out the door, noticing the window was barely enough for him to pass through.
The man, as Cecla notices from height and build, had a lock of auburn hair sticking out.

OOC:
You can perform a charge attack vs the man Cecla.

Not only rudely awakened but doing so only to find two figures struggling in her room, sprang to her feet on the bed. Were it not for the stature of the one closest to the door, she would have labelled both of them thieves. "INTERLOPER!" She roared in indignation. "And a stupid one at that, thinking of stealing from a wizard!" She cackled with glee, extending her arm to the side as a fiery sword materialized in her hand.

---

11:24, Today: Milly Minhelm rolled 6 -- 5 degrees of success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 63.  Channeling.
11:33, Today: Milly Minhelm rolled 14 using 2d10+2 with rolls of 6,6.  Flaming Sword of Rhuin (14).
11:35, Today: Milly Minhelm rolled 54 using 1d100 with rolls of 54.  Tzeench curse.
Spooked animals in 10 yards

The dwarf closed in quickly on the would be assassin but circumstances conspired to see the blade of that exquisitely crafted axe not connect with flesh. Granted, she also somewhat wanted the man alive and able to talk but landing that first blow whilst in the midst of surprise and panic could have been decisive.


OOC: Back to flubbing in the die roller again lol.

07:58, Today: Cecla Crownshield rolled 72 -- 1 degree of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 62.  Charge (+10) + Best (+5) + WS (47).

With Cecla's scream, Etain flies out of bed, axe in hand and moves into the corridor, the dogs are barking as she does this, startled by the commotion, seeing the would be assassin or thief  she rushes to grapple them and bring them down.

Etain Seanait rolled 41 -- a simple failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 37.  grapple attack, +10 if charging distance.
If allowed she would get the dogs to try and help grab him.

With a sharp start, Marie woke from her dreams at the call of interloper from Milly, and the war bellow of Cecla. Kicking off her thin blanket, the noblewoman shot to her feet and drew the cool steel of her Birth Sword in one practiced motion.

"BEWARE! WE ARE BESET!" she cried as she opened her cabin and rushed the hall.

"Yield or be slain!" the Knight of the Realm shouted over the din of barking dogs, combat, and magic.

OOC Mechanics
20:23, Today: Marie Arceneaux rolled 22 -- a simple success using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 23. Intimidate.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:24, Thu 17 Aug 2023.

Overwhelmed the man too the blade, placing it at his throat. A little blood appeared, his face covered but obviously aware that he was cornered and trapped. With Etain towering up, his deep green eyes expressed both fear and disdain. He was not going to yield, but also not going to fight a battle that was beyond winnable.
He remained silent, his eyes darting about, trying to walk away, backwards into the narrow and crowded room, awaiting any response.
The blade tight and close to his throat, in case of any sudden movement, like a startled animal.

"Wretch! Kill yourself or don't, but don't just stand there, coward." Milly pointed her flaming sword brightly illuminating her room at the man. "Stupid as it was, you won't hang for trying to steal from a wizard. Now, drop that thing and come quietly or finish what you started before I do it for you."

Jareik came bursting from his door with a dirk in hand.

"What in Manaan's wrath is going on here?"

After a few seconds of blinked confusion the question answered itself as an angry small wizard with a flaming sword seemed to have the situation very much in hand.

Being one of the last to get out of his room, Gille stood in the hallway, half dressed and axe at hand wondering what was goin on and why there was apparently a large open flame in the room of Milly. He could not make out any details as most of the room and doorway was filled with members of the group.

Having failed to grab the man at first, standing there in just a long shirt she side eyes Marie
This message was last edited by the player at 01:28, Tue 22 Aug 2023.

In a heavily accented voice, not one familiar, perhaps Tilean or Kislevian, spoke softly yet with a harsh tone to the pronunciation.
"Fools. It changes nothing. The Moon will rise and take you down for your parts in all this. What I do now doesn't matter - I am here to slow you down and stop you from your goal. They know. The Scarlet Mistress and her Kin of the moon sees you, and will be waiting when you arrive.."

He threw the blade, and kneeled down to surrender.
His head low, a necklace appeared...yet again with the same moon with a line through you had seen multiple time. His allegiance known.
His face become more apparent and showed burn marks, and scars, but ones he wore with pride.

"Do what you must."
He showed no sign of remorse nor fear.

The crueler part of her wanted to sear the man, lucky for him, she had no particular grudge against him, just endless contempt, for now. "Restrain this imbecile, he would have been wise to hold his tongue. Now that he has run it, he has my undivided attention and would be well advised to remain talkative." The Wizard looked over to the doorway. "Someone go get the captain." Milly hopped off her bed and kicked the weapons away from their would be prisoner. "You poor fool, there is enough journey left to make you regret not being a thief."

It figured the would be murderer would be one of this cult, the notion arising that sooner or later they were liable to run across a familiar face if they kept at it as they were. A second question forming not long after that thought to wonder, silently, at just how deep the grudge was running to warrant any and all of this clumsy, foolish nonsense. Either way, the current task was clear enough as the dwarf stuck the handle of her exquisite axe into the belt at her waist and trudged forwards to bind the man with a bit of improvisation from his own attire... and being sure to pat him down for any other weapons or surprises that might have been squirreled away.

You only got lucky once, after all, and everything after that was the fruits of foresight and opportunity.

"Figuring for the racket I made, you'd have an night watch a running in a vessel like this. Best go in pairs if there's any more depth to this scheme." the Dwarf added as an addendum to Milly's own instructions. Paranoia, lately, seemed like the virtue of a health mind and she had to admit old instincts were starting to seem might attractive about taking this whole thing rather personally.

"I'll go get the captain." Gille proposed. The room was still crowded enough and he had figured out more or less what had happened.

He was already a few passes away when he hear Cecla's wise remark on going in pairs. He stalled, looked back if anyone would join before darting off again, half dressed and axe at hand to find some of the crew.

While the others said their piece, Marie continued to hold the would-be-assailant at sword point. It would fall to others to bind him. But for now, if he even twitched in a manner that displeased her, she would run him through, and have the gods sort it out later.

Well that was easy, guess they don't make fanatical cultists like they used to.

It sured helped having a wizard around, he had no doubt the cultist was so pliant because of her fiery ways more then he was scared of any of them.

He casually went over to the dropped blade and after looking it over for anomalies, pocketed it unless stopped, wouldn't do for the would be assassin to decide he wanted another try.

"I'll tag along, a midnight stroll is just the thing after getting woken up by this jester." he grumbled and followed Gille, heeding the dawi's warning to go in pairs.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:30, Fri 25 Aug 2023.

Etain stood over the now-bound man, axe held loosely in her hand and looks to Marie  and once she gets an affirmative she heads in and before she starts getting her cloths she searches the room for any hidden assailants in case the first assassin was a distraction for others.

After searching and she sure she's alone she takes off the night shirt and stands there and exhales a pent up breath before taking out her bag and looks inside for proper cloths, breeches, boots, tunic, kilt, and girdle before moving to her newly acquired armour overtop, strapping the pieces in place then strapping her weapons, dagger across her lap, axe looped at her side and shield across the back. and re-emerges into the corridor.

Etain Seanait rolled 69 -- 4 degrees of failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 22.  search. Nice but :(

The walk upstairs was calm with the culprit secure below.
If they were more, they did a great job blending in or remaining calm.

The captain, and second hand were upstairs, contemplating and discussing matters and the route ahead. Outside a guard stood way and halted you.
"This is off limits. Please do not bother the captain at this hour unless urgent. State your business or return to your rooms please."
The second hand came to the door, noticing something happen.
"What is this? Is something wrong? I notice your face from the assault earlier." He looked and spoke to Jareik at the end.


Below the scarred thief, cultmember or whatever one would call him remained calm. Unsettlingly calm to everything said. As if he either knew he was safe despite it all or arrogant beyond his years. Without reaction, stern faced and also in a meditative state.
Attentive however, and calculating his moves always.

"I'm afraid our spate of bad luck continues." said Jareik with a resigned shrug, that they were recognised for being consistently involved in incidents means if nothing else their reports will be taken seriously.
"There was an attempt on the life of one of our comrades as we slept, thankfully the assassin picked the worst target: our mage, who woke up in time and subdued the attacker. The mage is having a few words with him but i'd imagine you lot would have questions of your own, especially if he is with the same lot that has been causing trouble on the ship."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:55, Wed 30 Aug 2023.

The captain sighed, and the second hand nodded calmly.
"I will bring a few guards and take him to our safeholding cell for the duration of the trip. The person will be brought to justice once we port. Anything else you need of him or? Otherwise I urge we make haste."

Just a short while later, the second hand with two guards stood at the doorway into the room filled with people.
"Quite a crowd. Please, return to your cabins, sleep and we shall handle it from here. We have a cell for him, opposite end, that will allow the rest of the trip to go smoothly and without more concern. Follow me."

Shackling the man, the two strong guards dragged the man with them, and the second hand steersman remained a short while.
"We are profusely sorry for this event. It is not in the wish nor intent of the ship to be regarded in any way unsafe. For the remainder of the trip, use anything onboard free of charge and do not be afraid to ask. We will assure you the rest of the trip will be eventless."

8 days pass, from Nuln to Wissenland and the Peak Pass in Karak Kadrin - end of the trip.

With the man in holding, calm as ever throughout the trip, speaking no more, and his piercing eyes remaining calm, the trip went uneventful. Farmland, woods, open reaches and water ways with sparse traffic, albeit more chaotic and rushed near the larger ports in Wissenland and further down, you enjoyed the sun, wind and rain that shifted throughout the hours and days.
You spent time, relaxing, learning and associating yourself with those above and below ship.

You learn of the dwarven port from various source.
Karak Kadrin, which means "Hold of the Mountain Pass" in Khazalid, also known as Slayers Keep, is a Dwarf stronghold which guards a region of mountainous passes known simply as Peak Pass, an important trading route which runs through the Worlds Edge Mountains from the distant east to the Old World.
A mighty and well-known kingdom, Karak Kadrin benefits from its position, having become both a wealthy trading center and the largest, most populous and most powerful Dwarf kingdom in the Pass.
While not as spectacular as Karak-a-Karak, the lower portion of Karak Kadrin is still impressive. The grandeur of the stonework reaches its height in the King's audience chambers and the Great Hall, where the hold's populace meets in assembly twice a year.
A tremendous fortress and impenetrable still, with a part king, part dwarf of the oath of the Slayers it is not a place to make yourself noticed poorly.

You were advised to align and find a caravan further. While easy enough and with the writ in hand, you are still in dangerous lands, in the southern parts of the empire, in an area rumored and feared for its tenacious nature and turmoil and constant danger beyond the walls.
So finding someone to take you further, will in itself be difficult.
The walls, deep, heavy and strong, made from heavy stone makes you feel a semblance of safety and advised, of an area of the city referred to as the "human quarter", allows for you to find likeminded souls, and where many merchants and hired hands travelling the high passes take refuge before moving on.

After the attempt on Milly's life the rest of the voyage proved remarkably tranquil, making Jareik wonder if all their trouble didn't in fact come from that one man. Or if he had friends, they seemed to have gone back into hiding. either way he ended up making the most of the last few days and when the time finally came to disembark, the buckles on his armor had to be set looser then usual.

He checked he still had the cursed ring on him and satisfied none of his personal effects were missing or being left onboard, walked down the ramp.
Having never been to a dwarven hold before, Karak Kadrin was certainly something to behold.
"With walls like this makes one wonder how the dwarven kingdoms fell to begin with." he said with a low whistle as he admired the defenses he could see, and this was just the external ones, he had no doubt the dwarven hold became even more fortified once you started reaching underground where the dwarves were in their element.

"Right so let's go find ourselves a caravan to tag along with then, to the human quarter! We could also pick up any supplies you lot feel are needed whilst we there too."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Sun 10 Sept 2023.

Etain spent her time on deck, training with her weapons, axe one day, spear another, once she tried the crossbow but the movement of the vessel and the crew made her nearly skewer someone. Quickly apologising and taking the weapon away and to train with another. When not training she eats with the others, slowly and hopefully subtly taking pieces of preserved meats, cheeses, and a couple loaves of fresh bread and fruits and storing them in her bag for the trip ahead.

Upon arriving at the port town outside Karak Hadrin, which mostly seemed to be sized approprately for humans, the mighty fortress beyond seemed much more dwarven in style and design, massive stone buildings and Gromril fastenings.

As the others descend the gang-ramp she makes her way to a quartermaster and asks as to the timeframe for their horses and cart to be unloaded from the hold of the ship so they could get underway and thanking them for the care of their animals for the journey. Once she got an answer she would head over to the others if there was a bit of a wait and says "Once we get horses and cart out of the hold we can head towards the quarter and look for a caravan and the supplies we'll need for the journey. I managed to gather some food, perhaps a few days for us all but we will need to get fresh water and more food."

Gille spend his time wisely between paranoia, eating with his companions and training with the entertainers on board. He had witnessed Etain attempt of firing the crossbow on deck and was glad that he had stowed his bow in his quarters.

Their journey was heralded with the ever growing World Edge Mountains that each day stood higher and higher until it towered across the horizon. The mighty fortress of Karak Kadrin struck him with awe, only to be replaced with a feeling of entombment once inside. And there was one more thing he needed to get used to: the number of dwarfs. Back in Brettonia, he could count the number of times he encounter the dwarfs on one hand. In the Empire, they were more common, for one was even accompanying him. But now, there were many of them and for what he had puzzled together from conversations, this was the stronghold of the equivalent of Dwarven berserkers. Better to blend into the shadows and not to step on someone's toes in here.

As such was happily to agree with any idea of the group and he would help were he figured he would be the most useful.

Cecla, for her part, spent her time equally among companions and in her own company pouring over notes, designs, and other sundry trappings of her own studies. She had, once, been an apprentice to the engineers of her people before she had set her eyes on... more esoteric ambitions. The memory of the trials still lingering in the back of her mind even now but such was the past and she was, as ever, moving towards the future with all the stubborn momentum of a boulder rolling down hill.

It was as they came upon Karak Kadrin that she felt the familiar stirrings of home and an almost... ancestral sense of comfort and security at the sight of the walls. A smile stealing it's way across her sharp (for a dwarf) features. It was an expression that faded into grim resolve at Jareik's question.

"You can do a lot to hold back the tide but eventually, it finds a crack. The lot of my kin learned that the hard way." the Runesmith's Apprentice said with a quality to her voice that had a complex mix of pride, mourning, and the sparks of an old and wrathful fire to it. It wasn't that she had been there by any stretch but the Dwarf clans, as a people, had a long and bitter memory as their culture. "Not much easier when the very foundations you've built everything on up and betrayed us. Least that's what the old legends say." she added grimly, unhappily reminded of her own duties to come once she was a runesmith in her own right.

She tugged idly at her braid then as she followed after, sparing a glance over her shoulder towards Etain.

"Aye, best to stock up and add a few extra days to our rationing beyond what we think just to be sure. Don't think this'll be a trip without some kind o' turnaround."

Milly spent the rest of her time aboard the ship in absolute leisure, apparently not unsettled in the least by finding that armed thug by her bed. Ever since they left Nuln any hint of worried thoughts about the various incidents and attacks around them that may have existed prior, was simply gone now, if it was ever there.

As others took the task of arranging their cart sorted, Milly approached Cecla. "Not to doubt the already exceedingly useful advice of your people before, but it just occurred to me. Wouldn't a famed and mighty hold such as this house masters of skill and experience beyond those at Altdorf?"

The city is a town to behold. Rustic, yet majestic and strong in its expression.
Karak Kadrin was founded atop a site rich in iron and coal – the two life-giving materials for dwarfen industry. Thus it was that Karak Kadrin was founded at a strategically vital geographic location, and atop strategically valuable resources, thus setting it up a crucial role in the future.

Karak Kadrin from its nascence took on a rather militaristic nature. It’s citizens did not invest much of their energy in carving beautiful halls or honing in their tradecraft on making jewelry. Instead they focused on a practical approach with the recent Chaos incursion very much on their mind.
Karak Kadrin was a city built as a fortress, and its citizens were stonemasons, miners, and weapon-smiths by trade, but warriors at the core. It is said that every dwarf spent their day divided into three equally portioned shifts – their trade, their military training, and their rest.
One of the greatest feats the dwarfs of Karak Kadrin took part in, one which gained their stonemasons great fame, was the construction of Ungdrin Ankor, or the Underway, from Karak Kadrin to Karak Ungor and Zhufbar. While the dwarfs of Karak Ungor were busy tunneling down, the dwarfs of Karak Kadrin were tunneling north.

The human quarter, adept for travellers and the likes, is due north on the eastern side of town, past guildhalls, and temples.
It its gut you find a larger inn, and not afar, a caravaneer and tradeoffice.
It is for the time being a suitable location to rest or determine next steps. If anyone has followed you here, they would be foolish to try anything here, with all the chain clad dwarves roaming the streets constantly, and with even a tradesman being able to carve one in half without needing an excuse.

"I'll be honest. Most places I travel, I take pride in my armor. Most mercenaries and bandits only sport filthy leather jacks or rusted chain. Nothing like the fine castle-forged steel of Bretonnia. But here...here I feel a but under-dressed..." she admitted with a mixture of amusement and appreciation, as she beheld the fine Dwarf-craft of the weapons and armor of the soldiers that they traveled by.

While certainly large enough for riding, Marie dismounted and lead Josette through the streets. She didn't want the powerful and proud charger to accidentally knock into something.

"I say we acquire lodgings before doing any shopping. A good night of sleep without a roiling sea and assassin's at our throats is essential before starting off on a long journey..." the noblewoman suggested with a casual shrug.

The dwarf met that question with a long and weighty glance before finally offering a response to Milly's question. The girl had no malice behind the thought, after all, but seeing insult was something that came naturally to a dwarf on matters they took pride in. She made sure to give that instinct a second thump of the metaphorical cudgel even as she spoke.

"It's worth a thought but whether they'll pay one to us is the real question. The average dwarf makes for a busy folk, the art makes them even more so." Cecla concluded with a gentle tug at the thick braid of her copper hair and a further thoughtful frown. She wasn't sure how much more they were going to learn anyway about the ring. The Lady Knight's comment seemed to draw her out with a grin.

"We'll have to keep you away from any of the greybeards among the Iron Breakers then. You'll go green with envy... but right you are on the matter of rest."

"Once we get a few pounds of quality steel, 6 months to work it and I get a few more hours of training I'll make you a suit that will make your King Jealous" Etain says slyly to Marie "And trust me, I'd be happier if you were less dressed"

Her dogs had jumped into the cart as she carefully leads the cart through the street, the barrel and chest on the back of it along with the rest of the party's more cumbersome gear. "Agreed we need secure lodgings, while I trust a dwarven hold is safer, perhaps our Dwarven friend could find find out which inns within the city would be best? I could ask but I feel they would be offended by my accent on Khazalid they may send me to a spoil heap."

Jareik similarly felt under equipped compared to some of the dwarfs they passed by.
"What I wouldn't give to wear a suit of dwarf forged plate again..." he commented with a hint of envy. By comparison his mail armor might as well be paper.

"Ironbreakers... Don't they all wear gromril plate? I hear not even cannonballs can punch through those." The envy shifted to outright admiration.
Considering his previous extolling on the virtues of gunpowder and their ability to make a mockery of armor, he should have remembered to point out Gromril is the exception to that rule.
In retrospect the world was fortunate the secrets of gromril were known only to the dwarfs.

"Could be worth asking around for the ring. After getting our lodgings of course."
Though he imagined the dawi were used enough to deal with the odd blundering human, Etain's caution was wise.
"Probably for the best to let Miss Cecla ask any questions that need answering, I imagine many a dwarf innkeeper would take offense at the suggestion their establishment is not the safest or finest in the hold." He meant it in jest but it could well be true from some of the stories he heard.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:31, Thu 14 Sept 2023.

"That they do. Pair it with the work of an experienced master of my clan and you have something that'll likely laugh even at the hands of time... but that's a ways off for me like Etain's own ambitions." Cecla said with a thoughtful, wistful note to her voice as she brushed a hand over the finely worked mail she wore. The notion of lodgings was definitely a far more immediate concern as she paused for a moment as she glanced over the street signs and the flow of the traffic around them.

"Gets in the way of things sometimes but it's always been a point to remember our friends and make a special place in memory for our enemies, too." the Dwarf added on the note of her people's rather famous propensity for score keeping. There was a note of humor to lighten it but that was a tall task with the counter balance of the grave reality of it. "But on to better topics... Like where to find good ale. I remember Osgras mentioning a place he was fond off before joining the Crownshield Clan. Shouldn't be too far if I've the right of the layout."

The roads are well kept, and sturdy made, and very clear in terms of pathing.
Straight ahead on the right you see a caravan master, various shops and merchants on both sides on the left of a crossroad and right along various offices and buildings of ordinance and safekeeping leads you to a heavy set, two story stone building, with well made wooden shudders and a dourfaced dwarf beneath a sign depicting a lump of ore encased in fire.
This is the place - and the bodyguard outside or rather watchman is not part of the tavern itself, mainly he just patrols here.

The smell from within is of ale, metal, wood and warm meat.
You notice the bar on the right, with the entire backwall being covered in barrels and spirits in bottles, with decorations on the walls - weaponry, banners, pictures, trinkets and the sorts, suggesting a well traveled owner.

You can for the time being easily find a seat, as there are plenty of available tables.
A young, stout but rather appealing female dwarf nods and waits for you to be seated before approaching to take orders and to talk about high and low.

Etain ties up the cart and horses to the tie-off outside the Tavern, checks the locks on the chest and ensures the loose items are tied down. "Lets get a meal" she says to the others walking up to the door and holds it open for any who haven't already gone in.

Heading in she takes a seat at a table near the front to keep an eye on the cart while they dine, once the waiter approaches and takes their order she asks "I'll have a scotch ale, and a bowl of stew if you have any warm, if not what else do you have here?"

The Dwarf, for her part, settled herself at the table with all but her share of rations in tow. It wasn't that she didn't trust the measures of her kinfolk here but it was clear enough they had made themselves a canny enemy and anything less than the utmost precaution felt a little unwise to her ways of thinking. That was something of a curse of her aspirations as much as anything else though. Learning to forge the runes was an act of singular dedication and made one a little... protective of what they might know in matters of technique or application. Even as an apprentice.

Either way, she was hard pressed not to find a little potential joy in the cuisine of another clan if not her own. If nothing else, the beer would be a bracing, welcome change to the offerings of the Empire.

"Wouldn't happen to have any bottles from the Wyrzhulf guild of Zhufbar? Past that darkest you've got from the locals, goat stew, and some bread." the Dwarf asked with a thought. There were a few itches to scratch but she wasn't about to try testing her luck on troll stew with out getting to know the prospective practitioner of Kulgur first. At the same time, her mind was grinding away as to where and how she might get a hold of any of the other runesmith clans and guilds... That wasn't to discount the halls of records and their attendant guilds of scribes, lore keepers, grudge bearers, and any other profession that demanded a keen memory.