Fyodor nodded in agreement. "Tell Captain. We scout." he replies.

edgar made sure the relic was stored safely in one of his pouches and gathered his stuff getting nibbles geared up and ready to move out a dark and sad cloud seemed to hang over they usually happy little man

"I agree - we'll go ahead.  You never know with goblins where they may be hiding or if they have set more traps.  We'll need to keep an eye on the ground below us, as well as looking ahead," agreed Lukas.  He wasn't entirely comfortable getting to far ahead of the townsfolk - more in case another calamity befell them and they needed to help.  Still, putting the miles in and ensuring the way ahead was clear to get them to Middenheim would benefit everyone.

"Let's go. Maybe we can find some gobbos hiding in the forest and teach them a lesson!" Harkrin agreed with the others and patted his axe.

Jocelin follows behind the men, her steps less lively than usual.

---

OOC:

Sorry... there's not much more I was looking to do in this scene; I should have made an "agreed, let's go" post earlier.

When the road is clear and the bodies taken care of, the caravan is at last able to move on. By the evening the caravan makes it to Immelscheld, another small town that was sacked during the Storm of Chaos. Captain Schiller has the caravan make camp outside the ruins and sets guards as usual. Everyone seems relieved the caravan did not meet the fate of the travellers from Delberz.

None of you have been through Immelscheld though Captain Schiller informs you that it is the last town before Middenheim herself. In fact earlier in the day Pieter is willing to swear he caught sight of the distant Ulricsberg itself in a gap in the treeline. So far yet so near.

Immelscheld is little more than a burnt out ruin but it was clearly once a significant village or small town and as the Untergarders settle down for the evening the more keen eyed of you notice frightened, obviously human faces looking at you from behind tumbled walls and through the empty widows of gutted houses.

"There are survivors in there," Captain Schiller muses, stroking his iron grey mustache. The old soldier smiles ruefully. "Civilians unless I'm very wrong. In their place I'd be scared of a column of strangers too but they'll be much safer with us. Besides there might still be supplies there. I want volunteers for a party to enter the town, persuade any survivors to come with us to Middenheim and see if they have any food or water."

"I don't mind taking a look Captain," volunteered Lukas.  "They're going to be terrified, but I'm surprised they've stayed here.  Surely word of what happened to our home and what happened on the road had reached them?"

They were just people after all, and people could be stubborn where 'home' was concerned.  Lukas just hoped they were peaceful and not consumed by madness or some other affliction he had heard tale of.  He remembered his father telling him stories of places like this growing up, places where the residents of a village where damned and consumed human flesh or sacrificed visitors to foul gods.  Lukas shook his head, they were on the road to Middenheim.  The people may be frightened but surely they didn't mean harm.

He looked to the rest of the group, hoping they would come in case things went wrong, but also thinking how scary they must look - nothing screamed mercenary than heavily armed outsiders.

"Does anyone want to come with me?  Let's remember they are frightened and they are unlikely to have anything to share.  We ask them to come and share, we shouldn't just take what little they have."

There was a nagging feeling in Lukas' head.  Why hadn't the Graf sent his soldiers out to these villages to protect them and bring them into the city - they were so close.  The idea that these people had just been left out here troubled him.

Edgar picked his gear up again and patted nibbles " I doubt you lot would get very far without me at your side so I will accompany you into the town to gather up the stray lambs ....as out gentle priest would say"

The large Kislevite warrior had a puzzled look on his face. Leaning in to Pieter he asked "Captain speak too fast. What he say?"

Jocelin put her hand on Fyodor's shoulder and said quietly, "The Captain wants us to reassure the townsfolk we're not here to hurt them, and see if we can help each other."

"Lead the way, fellas. I have a feeling that your charms will be more useful here than my axe. But one never knows..." Harkrin said and looked around trying, for once, not to look scary and threatening. It was not exactly working for a scarred ex-convict, but at least his intentions were good.

"And they would be right to be scared", mumbled Pieter, mostly to himself as the Captain spoke, his memories turning inward of the months prior, before he had come south and west. Nonetheless, he nodded as Lukas volunteered, knowing the townsman's heart was in the right place, and took a step forward himself.

When the Kislevite's thick accent mumurred beside him, he turned to answer, amused by how close the quiet wizardling had managed to get without being heard. He smiled, and confirmed her response, "Scout the ruins. Better the survivors with us, than prey for beasts and greenskins"

Fyodor hadnt heard the wind witch sneak up on him and was startled when she touched him. It didnt take long for him to regain his composure though and with a smile on his face, he thanked her for the explanation.


He then raised his gun into the air and volunteered."I help."

Immelscheld is a blacked husk of a place. There aren't any current fires - it has been raining recently and their a sludge filled puddles everywhere - but it is clear the whole village had been set on fire at some point in the recent past.

As you walk into the central platz a door opens in a large, partially collapsed building and a trio walk out carrying halberds. They wear Middenland state troopers colours but all three are wounded and bandaged. The leader, or at least the man you presume is the leader steps forward a little ahead of his companions.

"I am Corporal Schlitt," he says, looking you up and down and keeping a tight grip of his weapon, even though his left hand is wrapped in a bloody bandage. The man has dark hair and a week's worth of beard. "In the name of Count Boris Todbringer state yer business in Immelscheld."

You are aware that other people are observing you from windows and doorways. Maybe a dozen and a half frightened looking civilians of various ages.

Lukas knew as soon as the soldiers exit the building that their little advance party was possibly not the best placed to speak to the Count's men.  He looked over his shoulder half expecting Captain Schiller to be with them to speak on their behalf, but of course he had sent them for just that task.

Lukas wasn't a natural speaker or negotiator at the best of times and the pressure of the situation got to him.  He felt a lump in this throat and his voice frailer than perhaps he intended it to be.

"Corporal Schllit..." he began, "We are.... envoys...I think, um...we are refugees from the battle of Untergard.  The battle was won, but a greater force is behind us.  We are headed for the shelter of the walls of Middenheim."

Lukas looked around and saw the scared faces.  Either a great calamity had fallen the town or...no, Lukas couldn't countenance that, the soldiers were protecting the people.

"Our people are outside Immelscheld, they are weary and footsore, but when we saw signs of life from your town we have come to offer aid and assistance.  We'd like to offer for you to join us on our travel, there may be greater safety in numbers."

Lukas decided not to mention if they had any spare supplies, that would be determined if the villagers wished to come.

"We mean you no harm, but I can tell a calamity has befallen you.  Have you too faced the terror of greenskins, mutants and beastmen?   We may be able to help your wounded."

Lukas wasn't perhaps imaginative enough to think of what other possible horrors may have occurred here...

(OOC: Do the villagers look more scared of us or the soldiers emerging from the building?)

Pieter let Luka take the lead, his innocence a veil if these men were deserters or bandits, outlaws like he ... was. He studied them from beneath an carefully cultivated expression of laziness, trying to determine which they were

edgar looked round while the others talked and spotting some children looking out of a window he rummaged in his pouch and pulled out a dozen or so twigs.....he winked and smiled then put the end of one in his mouth and started chewing, within seconds he could taste the tang of liquorice on his tongue.

he usually used the sticks to flavour meals but he remembered as a child chewing them for hours which other than enjoyable staved off hunger pains.

he walked over to the window and offered one to each of the children, within seconds they were smiling at the taste.

he nodded at the adults with them then moved back to the others

Corporal Schlitt looks a little happier at this news, though he still keeps hold of his halberd. "Mutants and Beastmen scum," he said, then spat at the mention of the Chaos-kin. "We killed 'em but they destroyed the town and killed most of us."

There is obvious pride but also exhaustion behind his words. "Don't knows about leaving 'ome... the Captain and Sergeant gave their lives for Immelscheld, and so many others..."

Edgar's kindliness is rewarded with surprised, happy grins for the faces of two little boys and girls as they started wolfing down the liquorice.

"Corporal, we know something of this.  Our battle at Untergard was won, but all was lost.  The town is a shell now, and many of us did not wish to leave our home.  But, a far greater force than we faced is headed towards us, and the Empire's forces are elsewhere.  I understand that love of home, but if you don't come there will be nothing but ash and bone here soon," implored Lukas.

(OOC: Thought I would throw in a Fel roll.  Don't know why because I have never succeeded with one ever in WFRP lol.

14:58, Today: Lukas Kohl rolled 31 -- a simple failure using the Warhammer Test system with a target number of 24.  Against Fel of 24.

"Safety in numbers. We go Midheim. Come." the large Kislevite chimed in and pointed to the villagers hiding in the ruins.

Jocelin stepped forward to the Corporal slowly, holding her hands out in a conciliatory way. "Oh, Corporal, all of you have done glorious deeds for Immelscheld, and for the Empire: steadfast resolve against the enemy, following the examples of your Captain and Sergeant. But Sigmar tasked them and many others to give up their lives so that you and the volk may live. Come with us, Corporal; lead your people, and live."

---

OOC:
10:05, Today: Jocelin Herzog rolled 18 using 1d100.  Fel — Target <35.

Schlitt hesitates, but it is clear Jocelin's eloquent words have got through to him. "We'll... we'll need an hour or so to pack up and get everyone moving."

Even as he finishes speaking there is a shuffling sound as the surviving civilians of Immelschald timidly leave their hiding places and enter the platz. They look much like the survivors of Untergard, though fewer in number, perhaps a score of adults, mostly women and a half a dozen children.

Everyone is looking at you with expressions ranging from fear to awe with the Dwarf Harkrin and the obviously foreign Fyodor drawing most of the attention.

Lukas breathed a sigh of relief when the villagers agreed to follow.  He smiled faintly at Jocelin, partly in awe, assuming that her Reikland accent and wizardly robes had some commanding influence over the Corporal (deep down he also knew that people used to giving orders never listened to villagers like him anyway).

"I'll help get your people ready, and you can say your goodbyes."

It may have been a battered shell of a village but it was home to these people, and few would want to live willingly otherwise they would be on the road already.  Lukas offered to help people gather their things and any provisions, being mindful that they didn't appear to be looting the village quickly.

(OOC: Are there any other interesting villagers?  Perhaps those who may have a martial background or any healers or artisans?)

Harkrin stayed at the back of the group, letting the humans do the talking. His talk would be as simple as the Kislevite's, so he kept his mouth closed and watched, not without sympathy, as the villagers awaited for the result of their conversation with their leader.

Surely they would be safer travelling with them, but that only meant more people to protect and more trouble ahead.

At least Middenheim was not that far away.

Edgar moved over to Jocelin and took her hand gently " my lady I have been mistaken where you are concerned your words spoke volumes today and I am glad you were able to turn the discussion if we make it to the city you will have single handedly saved a town from disappearing into history." He let go and gave her a bow before rushing off to round up the children and keep them out of the way of the adults while they packed and made ready to leave