[WFRP] The Bloody Crown

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert had never been so grateful to hear any words as he was to hear "we're going to the tavern." The scribe let out a long held breath he hadn't realised he had been holding. Turning to Flitch he gave a respectful nod of his head. "Herr Flitch... no doubt we will meet again"

As the scribe limped after Jager he paused and looked over at Elsa and muttered "Stultissima!" quietly, but probably still loud enough for her to hear.

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Latin Classical for "You total idiot!"

Shaking his head he limped on, gesturing for Brand to join the group.

[-Sentinel-]

Elsabeth's gaze did not waver from Jager's eyes. She answered nothing, but took a mental note of the alleged wizard, "down in the south". One of the Gold Order alchemists, if the thing about transmutation was true. But what kind of wizard, except a warlock or renegade like herself, would settle in the 'Princes?

She watched the Duke's men go. The educated-sounding Averlander leaned towards her as he passed. "Stultissima," he whispered. Elsa's only answer was an amused smirk and a nod of concession. This man did not seem quite as bad as the others; he was giving her an honest warning, not a threat.

Unwilling to head to the only place of interest in this sh!thole at the exact same time as Jager and his thugs, she lingered behind at the site of the execution. She would go a bit later, when she could sneak in more or less unnoticed.

"Hmm, so, burial or pyre, d'you think?" she awkwardly asked the nearest villagers, jerking her chin at the bodies of Gant and the bandits. "I can help either way. A fire's cleaner, though, and they say ashes make good fertilizer."

She winced at her own words. Sorry your friends/family members are dead, but look at the bright side, you can now grow vegetables in their ashes!

[LCP]

With Jager already halfway to the tavern, the villagers turned their heads at Elsa's suggestion. She found herself in the centre of a circle of silent, hostile stares. Many of them had not heard the word 'wizard' associated with her until now, but they all knew her as an outsider. She was not one of them. She would never be one of them. And it was clear that they would be damned before they let a mage handle their dead.

"Come on," said a man who wasn't Flitch, deliberately ignoring Elsa as he spoke to his fellow villagers. "Let's cover him up at least."

[Sodalite]

Wolfgang

With his pondering over possible distractions cut short by Jager's command, Wolfgang followed silently. It wouldn't show the people here anything, if that even mattered, but escaping from anywhere besides the center of a mob should be easier.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

At the mention of a tavern, Sieghard couldn't help but grin. Something about almost being torn into by a mob of villagers too stupid to abandon their loyalty to a dead traitor had a way of making him thirsty. And if they got their drinks before word of what happened spread, the tavern owner might not even spit in the drinks.

He turned to Wolfgang.

"Comeon, butcher. Stick with the group and we'll try to keep them from lynching you. Might want to let someone else try your drink first though. I wouldn't put poisoning past them after what you did."

[-Sentinel-]

Elsa was bewildered by the looks the villagers gave her. She was used to Altdorf, where wizards were much more respected. "...I'm on your side," she protested weakly, all of her self-importance suddenly gone.

With a resigned sigh, she counted a full minute before heading towards the tavern. A few more drinks might numb her lingering hangover, reasoned Elsa, ever the short-term thinker.

[Sodalite]

Wolfgang

Wolfgang tried his best not to glower at Sieghard, responding "I'm not even going to start trying to tell you what what I did did to me." How could he, to man who had likely killed many times more than twice the number of people he has, and who also has so much more strength him? Not to mention, half of the times he'd seen Wolfgang decapitate someone, it hid been a single swing, which would make convincing him of the truth much harder.

How could he, when he could hardly explain why he'd gone ahead and done it, even to himself?

"I won't bother drinking, anyway. It'll only make it worse."

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"Made you pass out in pool of his blood from the look of things."

He said with a smirk.

[LCP]

The Wych Elm was a long, low building, like the houses of the villagers. Ungainly wings had been added to the main hall to give the tavern more space, but it was still a small affair compared to any of the great coaching inns that were a common sight along the roads and rivers of the Empire.

Inside, the floor was covered with thin sweepings of musty-smelling rushes. The thatched roof was held up by a network of interlocking beams, stained and sooty from long association with the tavern's hearth. The smell of woodsmoke did something to mask the tavern's less pleasant odours, and Adelbert noticed that many of the cross-beams seemed to have intricate little carvings. Their details were difficult to make out from this distance – one would need a closer examination to see what lay under the grime.

The landlord was a small man with a bulbous, angry nose and a fast-receding mop of fine, ratty hair. He wore shabby clothes and a floppy felt cap, and was engaged in what sounded like detailed negotiations with Karl the carter. At least that meant he hadn't been present at the execution, although it couldn't be long until someone filled him in.

“Hallo there,” said Jager, his voice filling the confined space as he entered the tavern. The two men broke off their haggling. “Good to see the keeper of the house already up and about. What's your name?”

“Lagnier,” volunteered the tavern-keeper, suspiciously.

“Lagnier,” repeated Jager. “Breton name? Good name.” Advancing to stand alongside Lagnier, he clapped one leather-gloved hand to the smaller man's shoulder. “Well, Mister Lagnier, my friends and I are fairly famished. How about some grub?”

“Ain't serving no grub yet,” grumbled Lagnier, in a voice that sounded about as Bretonnian as an Altdorf chimneysweep. “Too early.”

Trying to pick up his dealings with Karl where he had left off, he found himself turned back round to face Jager by a firm, insistent pressure on his shoulder.

“Let's try that again, Mister Lagnier,” said Jager. “My name's Eugen Jager. I've come from the duke's court in Alvarran, I've ridden through the night to get to your charming little village, and if it hadn't run off I'd be hungry enough to eat my horse. These men,” he said, waving at the others, “are with me.”

He slapped the tavern-keeper on the shoulder heartily enough to make him stagger. “So, it'll be a meal for us, please. Proper food, not what you keep for folk like that red wench outside. Ale too, and plenty of it. We,” he said, pointing, “will be sitting over there.”

Turning away, he nodded to Karl. “Morning, carter.” Without another word he rejoined the others, taking the largest table that still had a back to a wall.

“Sit,” he said. Pulling off his gloves, he threw them down on his chair, taking a seat himself. “Reckon it's time we settled up.”

Producing his money-pouch from his belt, he counted out a crown for Brand, a crown for Sieghard, and three crowns for Adelbert. “That's for getting us out of a sticky situation, back there,” he said, with an appreciative nod. “And you,” he said, glaring at Wolfgang but keeping his voice low, “you should be glad that all you're getting is nothing.”

“Gods' blood, man, I saw you take a man's head off with one blow! What do you think you were playing at?” Jager's voice was a venomous hiss, the man resisting the urge to shout. “It's fear that keeps these people in line. Fear and blood. And there's you, fainting away like some delicate bloody flower.”

Face set in a scowl, Jager straightened up. He said nothing for a few seconds as Lagnier came scurrying over, bringing the first of the things he had asked for – ale, bread and hard cheese. It seemed if they wanted anything cooked they would have to wait a while.

“These peasants think they can set terms with the duke now,” continued Jager, once the man had left. “I can't let 'em hold the work hostage whenever the fancy takes them. Now, if you want to go your own way after this, I won't stop you.” He took a deep draught from the leather stein Lagnier had brought him, and made a face at the taste. “But I need someone to take a message to the garrison at Hartmut's Fall, tell the commander there that I need soldiers here to back me up. If you're up for it, there'll be more gold in it for you. Maybe even for Swooning Sally here.”

The front door of the Wych Elm creaked, and Elsa entered. Jager stopped talking, looking straight at her with a confrontational air. He said nothing, only staring.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard gladly takes the coin and pockets it. After a mouthfull of bread and a swig of the ale, he speaks up.

"Tried to warn you the three of them wouldn't be much good if it came to bloodletting. Never woulda thought butcher here would faint at it, but that swing of his was naught but luck."

He takes another drink and tries the cheese. It's far from the best he's had, but he's not about to complain. He's had far worse afterall. He lowers his voice a bit as Elsa enters.

"Hartmut's fall ain't far from here... Under a day's travel if you make good time, right? Hows the road from here to there?"

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert gave Wolfgang a sympathetic. Horrific as it had been to watch Gand's death it must have been a hundred times worse to administer it. "At least join us in having some bread my friend."

The scribe gratefully pocketed his own gold and had started on his food and drink, only to look up in surprise when Elsa entered. He hesitated a moment, then turned to Jager. "Perhaps I could talk some sense into my fellow countrywoman? She doesn't look like she's here to pick a fight."

[C.J.Geringer]

Brand, before going to the tavern. goes to elsa, who by vitue of saying what she means lain and clearly actually makes him more comfortable than Jager.

"You are not from around here, so I will give a world of advice, If you don´t mind.

Your best chances are being discrete or being useful. You don´t have much luck with the former, so you should try the other.

I seen your type many times, you came here and don´t like what you see. You feel we are "barbarians". But this is a hard place, the kind of thing you saw just now is what keeps the whole village alive. your intentions are good, but the last thing these people want is to draw attention to themselves.

Also, you could use a guide."

[LCP]

"Hartmut's fall ain't far from here... Under a day's travel if you make good time, right? Hows the road from here to there?"

"Not much of a road," said Jager. "But aye, you can make it in a day, if you don't slack. Once you enter the Black Karst, though, it's best to be on your guard."

"Perhaps I could talk some sense into my fellow countrywoman? She doesn't look like she's here to pick a fight."

"Looks exactly what she's here for to me," said Jager, in a low voice. He kept his eyes on Elsa, and seemed reluctant to say more when she could overhear. "You do as you please."

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"Rough territory? Can't say this is the lot is my first choice to have at my back for something like that. Still... Might be worth it..."

Sieghard says, swishing the ale around slowly in his stein and pretending to think about it more than he actually is.

"... If the price is right."

[-Sentinel-]

Before going to the tavern

Elsa was just starting to walk away from the site of the execution when one of Jager's men accosted her. She stiffened a bit and, by reflex, started to draw the wind of Aqshy to her. The Red Wind swirled madly around here right now, strengthened by the recent violence and the villagers' anger.

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"You are not from around here, so I will give a world of advice, If you don´t mind.

Your best chances are being discrete or being useful. You don´t have much luck with the former, so you should try the other.

I seen your type many times, you came here and don´t like what you see. You feel we are "barbarians". But this is a hard place, the kind of thing you saw just now is what keeps the whole village alive. your intentions are good, but the last thing these people want is to draw attention to themselves.

Also, you could use a guide."

Elsa gave him a flat look. "Don't patronize me, mister. I may be one of those fancy city folks who know how to read and stuff, but I do know how the real world works. Either you change that world for the better, or it changes you for the worse. I choose the first option and I accept the consequences." She paused, and grudgingly conceded: "I could use some guidance. I lost my map while fording a river and haven't found one since. But why one of the Duke's men would offer me help is beyond me."

---

1

At the tavern

Elsa carefully ignored the men at the table, but was quietly satisfied to hear a brief pause in their conversation. She walked over to a table on the other side of the room and sat with her back to the wall so that no one could sneak up behind her. The innkeeper was nowhere in sight. Probably in the kitchen. The drink would have to wait.

With nothing else to do, she did what she had not done half as often as she should have during his years at the College; she opened her copy of Delbrück's Practical Pyromancer, Third Edition, and began to read. Not for the first time, she wondered why she had even bothered to pack the heavy tome in her luggage before leaving Altdorf.

For a book about 'practical pyromancy', it sure contained a lot of tedious theory.

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert glanced over at the wizardress but decided to do nothing for the moment. Giving her temper there was a good chance she's make his breeches catch fire as soon as he got within ten feet of her table.

Instead he enjoyed his ale and food. He'd had better - much better - before but he wolfed it down hungrily. The scribe had been through a great deal in the last couple of days and hadn't realised how much he needed just to sit down, eat and drink. Of course as the son of a civilised family he was careful to clean up after himself, oblivious to the looks any of the others might have given him as he dabbed at his lips with his hankerchief.

"I'm not sure I'm in condition to ride so far Herr Jager," Adelbert said and smiled wryly. "I'll stay here were it is safe with only scores of angry villagers to worry about. I would like to see Alvarran... though, perhaps the Duke would have a job for a man of letters?"

He didn't say it but the scribe was also thinking on the oath he had taken to present the villagers case to the Duke. No need to remind Jager about that little promise...

[Sodalite]

Wolfgang

Wolfgang did bother to take a few bites of bread, if only to sate some hunger. There could have been a live roach for all he was paying attention to what he was eating.

Hm...Should he leave? He hadn't expected any sympathy from the scribe, so maybe the outlook of staying with group was brighter than he first guessed. He would certainly have to avoid any similar situations as before, but he was certain that Jager would offer the position of headman to him a second time, and he could always hand back out of the fray if they were caught by bandits again.

[LCP]

"Rough territory? Can't say this is the lot is my first choice to have at my back for something like that. Still... Might be worth it..."

Sieghard says, swishing the ale around slowly in his stein and pretending to think about it more than he actually is.

"... If the price is right."

"I'll pay ten schillings a head, up front," said Jager. "When you get the message where it's meant to go, you tell them my name, tell them I promised you they'd make it up to three crowns apiece."

OOC:

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If anyone has the Haggle skill and wants to take a crack at this, feel free. Haggle is a Basic skill too, so you can even take a crack at it untrained.

"I'm not sure I'm in condition to ride so far Herr Jager," Adelbert said and smiled wryly. "I'll stay here were it is safe with only scores of angry villagers to worry about. I would like to see Alvarran... though, perhaps the Duke would have a job for a man of letters?"

Jager gave a mirthless chuckle. "You see any horses round here? Who said anything about riding?"

He looked at Adelbert's leg. "Doesn't look too deep to me. A man'd walk it off. Still, I'm not going to force you." He didn't look particularly happy about it, though. "It isn't too far to Alvarran on the north road. The duke's always got work for clever men."

He looked at Adelbert slyly. "'Course, you'd be doubling back to get to the north road. From here, the Karst road isn't much longer." He looked over the scribe's shoulder, making sure Elsa was not near enough to overhear. "If you felt like passing by Hartmut's Fall on your way, you could present yourself to Duke Edouard with my recommendation..."

Over by the bar, Lagnier had fallen back into dickering with Karl. From the sound of things, the tavern-keeper wasn't happy at the prices the carter was asking to carry some goods up into the Raven Hills.

[-Sentinel-]

It did not take long for Elsa's mind to stop registering the notions she was reading about; all she saw was words and words and words, phrased in ways that seemed almost deliberately dry in an attempt to give a semblance of scholarly respectability to the fine, ancient art of setting things and people on fire. The pounding headache certainly did not help her concentration. She got up and headed to the bar, walking slowly and quietly in hopes of catching the exchange between Karl and Lagnier. It had been a while since her last true conversation with anyone, so listening to other people's conversations was the next best thing.

When she arrived close enough that the innkeeper had to acknowledge her, she jingled her purse and forced a smile. "Hey, it's starting to smell pretty good. How much for a bowl of whatever's cooking? And a beer, of course, same as last night."

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"Three crowns is fine by me so long as it's not just me on the road alone. One man makes a tempting target and I'm not sure it'd be worth the risk without a good mount."

He pauses to take another drink.

"Even with a full group, a lot can happen on the road. I'll probably be fine, but if they plan on taking the job, it might not be a bad idea to see about getting the rest of them a bit of protection. Hell, look how much the scribe has been complaining about one little scratch."

He turns to Adelbert for a moment and runs a finger along the scar on his left arm.

"Try nearly losing an limb and then you'll know which wounds are worth complaining about."

He turns back to Jager.

"Can't help but think a village this close to the woods would have a leatherworker."

He waits for Jager's reply before continuing.

"Another thought... Does this garrison have anyone who can heal wounds? Those two..."

He gestures to Adelbert and Brand

"... Could use some patching up and like I said, there's no guarantee we'd make it there with taking a few more cuts and bruises."

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So... Sieghard is more or less trying to haggle Jager into either tossing a few more coins up front to go towards armoring up our less-armored guys or maybe use his authority to try to get us a discount. I don't expect he'd pay for it in full even with an amazing roll, but maybe he can be convinced to help cover the costs a bit.

He's also trying to get Jager to put something in the message about tending to any injuries we have by the time we get there... Free of charge hopefully... Assuming of course there's someone at Hartmut's Fall capable of doing so.

Sieghard doesn't have haggle, so he's got to try it at half skill... I suppose even if he fails, someone with the skill (Brand) might try backing up his suggestion.
(1d100)[76]
(Success on 15 or below)

[LCP]

Jager seemed unmoved.

"I was under the impression that you made a living out of dealing with danger," he said. "You think I'd pay some runner boy three whole crowns just to carry a message? If you can't look after each other, that's your own lookout."

He took another swig from his cup.

"It's a short road, inside our territory. Worst you might have to deal with is robbers or wild animals. Neither of them's likely to attack a large party if they see you're armed."

"Can't help but think a village this close to the woods would have a leatherworker."

Jager frowned and lowered his voice. "And if you go asking these villagers for supplies, they'll get wind of where you're headed. I want you to be quick, and I want you to be quiet. It's one day's march. You don't need more than what you already have."

"Another thought... Does this garrison have anyone who can heal wounds? Those two..."

He gestures to Adelbert and Brand

"... Could use some patching up and like I said, there's no guarantee we'd make it there with taking a few more cuts and bruises."

"They might have a barber-surgeon up there," said Jager. "They'll have someone. Depends how much you trust a sawbones." He sat back in his chair. "Me, I wouldn't trust some quack to put his filthy hands on a little cut like that. Strong drink and fresh air, that's what keeps you alive."

~

Over on the other side of the common hall, Karl and Lagnier broke off their conversation again. The tavern-keeper looked over his shoulder at Elsa with an expression of irritation and distrust.

"Hey, it's starting to smell pretty good. How much for a bowl of whatever's cooking? And a beer, of course, same as last night."

"There isn't enough for you," said Lagnier with a surly air. "Go sit back down."

[-Sentinel-]

You're damn lucky you're the only innkeeper in a day's walk in any direction, Elsa was tempted to say. In Altdorf, you'd be out of business in less than a month, treating a paying customer like that.

She slid a schilling on the bar. "Alright, then," she said irritably. "I'll have a loaf of bread, a slice of cheese, a bit of cured sausage, and as much beer as the rest of this coin can buy me."

[LCP]

Picking the coin up between finger and thumb, Lagnier squinted at it like a fence assaying a stolen jewel. Seemingly satisfied, a quick motion of his hand made the coin vanish into his grubby apron.

"You'll 'ave what's 'ere," he said, no more politely than before. "This ain't some posh house where you can pick an' choose. Sit yourself back down an' wait."

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"I do. Them? I just don't want them running at the first sign of danger."

He finishes his ale and takes a bit more bread.

"So is it just the message or is there anything else you'll be needing after it's delivered?"

[-Sentinel-]

Elsa forced another smile. "Thanks. No worries, I don't think the gentlemen over there plan to stay long."

She went back to her table and tried once more to read.

[LCP]

"So is it just the message or is there anything else you'll be needing after it's delivered?"

"Just the message. Tell the commander I need a dozen good men, and a fresh horse." He looked around the dingy tavern. "That should be enough to keep these foresters in line."

[C.J.Geringer]

Befor ethe tavern and I am done:

[QUOTE=-Sentinel-;14597100] But why one of the Duke's men would offer me help is beyond me."[/COLOR]

"Duke´s men? You assume far too much.

What you said about the world is true enough, but you need to understand what you are changing.

It is one thing to know tha you need to burn wood to make charcoal. it is another completely different thing to know, why you should make charcoal instead of just burning the wood as fuel, and a third completelly diferent thing to know HOW to burn the wood into charcoal.


You talk about "the World" as a simple thing. My one talent is staying alive here, how long do you think I would last in one of your fancy colleges or even your city of your empire? "


:Brand shakes his head: he just wanted to help, but didn´t seem to be working. At least he was happy to talk with someone else, things were too tense for too long for a simple charcoal burner turned guide.

"I go"

Brand goes t the tavern, without waiting for a reply, he didn´t wish to arrive late and lose any important information

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

"Well, how can I say no to a recommendation?" Adelbert asked and gave a wry smile as he finished off the last of his ale. "You have yourself a deal Herr Jager."

The scribe glanced over at the wizardress again. Unbelivably stubborn as she was she was also a fellow Imperial in this foreign country and well educated. The fact that she was apparently literate probably made her unique in these lands. After a few more moments of hesitation he got up and strolled over, expression neutral.

"Promise not to incinerate me if I join you Magister Holt? You are the first person I've seen with a book this side of the Vaults."

[-Sentinel-]

Before the tavern

Oh, a philosopher. Elsa rolled her eyes. Where had Jager gotten those men? If it was bullies he wanted, they seemed rather inadequate. She watched the charcoal burner go without a word.

---

1

At the tavern

"Promise not to incinerate me if I join you Magister Holt? You are the first person I've seen with a book this side of the Vaults."

Elsa looked up from her book and gave the man a wry smile. She held this one in slightly less contempt than the others. "Well, mister, this sure beats: 'Oh, a lady of learning! Who taught you your letters, child?' So... no, I won't incinerate you unless you give me a good reason to." She paused. "You got a name?"

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert smiled back, dryly amused. He took a seat across from the wizardress. "Adelbert Schreiber of Averland. I suppose I wouldn't be the first to tell you that you have a knack with people Magister Holt." He glanced down at her book then looked up, eyebrow raised. He paused a moment before speaking quietly:

"Believe it or not Magister Holt but I'm not just a hired thug anymore than you are just mindless troublemaker." The ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he added: "Recent evidence notwithstanding for us both. I am actually here to write a book."