[WFRP] The Bloody Crown IV

[RossN]

Non Elsa

Spoiler

Show

Adelbert was *almost* relieved to be marched out. If nothing else he wasn't being treated any differently than the others. He had plans to get on with and needed to see how things stood in Mirino.

"As soon as Elsa gets out I'm going home. Will I meet you at the inn later?"

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

I'm assuming we are still in the fort just outside the war room. If weve been marched out to the actual street Adelbert will head straight off to Krucke's.

[-Sentinel-]

Elsabeth Holt

Spoiler

Show

Sensing her employer's impatience, Elsa cut to the chase. "The Lost Library was last seen just south of the Hidden Vale," she said quickly, "on Geheimnisnacht. It was gone the next morning, like it had never been there."

[LCP]

Elsa

Spoiler

Show

Sforza and his lieutenant exchanged what seemed to Elsa a significant glance. <Evatt's territory,> said Carraciolo.

<And do you think it will appear again?> asked Sforza.

[-Sentinel-]

Elsabeth Holt

Spoiler

Show

"I'd say the same place, same night, is our best bet if we want to find it again, Captain," said Elsa with a shrug. "My experience with vanishing libraries is rather limited."

[Northern Lad]

All Bar Elsa

Spoiler: NO ELSA

Show

Elsa was clearly the one who should be making the report, still, Viggo's pride twinged slightly as the Capitano seemed to be wholly unimpressed by his and the others contribution to this little caper. Ungrateful bloody Lords and Ladies! They know how to sodding stick together!

Gritting his teeth and holding his tongue he allowed himself to be herded outside with the others. He raised an eyebrow at Adelbert's suggestion. "I suppose so yes? I for one am waiting right here though." He pointed down at his feet to punctuate his point. "There's been no talk of pay yet for a starter or what's to be done next?"

He leant against a nearby wall as nonchalantly as he could possibly muster. "I'm waiting here for Elsa. What about you Sieghard?"

[RossN]

Without Elsa

Spoiler

Show

Adelbert looked at Viggo in surprise. He'd said he was waiting for Elsa to come out, mainly because he was not at all certain he'd be allowed leave beforehand. He did shrug at the mention of pay however; Sforza obviously wasn't going to pay him so the the question was irrelevant.

With a sigh he found a safe place to sit and after opening his book started reading to himself.

[LeSwordfish]

Or Else

Spoiler

Show

Ludo nodded. "I think there's nothing we can do until we find out what's happened in there."

He settled himself with his back against the wall. The sense of adventure that had pervaded since leaving a month ago had left him, and he felt that, more than anything else, he was tired, in a way far more than the fatigue of the road.

[TheSummoner]

Commoners

Spoiler

Show

Had he not been so shocked at being removed from the room, Sieghard might have resisted. For a moment, he just stood silently with his fists clenched. It wasn't until Viggo spoke directly to him that he even remembered the others were still there.

"I'm waiting here for Elsa. What about you Sieghard?"

"Why should we wait?"" Sieghard snapped back "It's clear that the great and powerful Captain doesn't have time for lowlifes like us. Not like we spent the last sodding month chasing some worthless book through swamps and greenskin country for him or anything like that. There's not a single thing the witch could tell him that we don't already know. She wouldn't even know where to find the bloody thing if it wasn't for us."

[LCP]

Elsa

Spoiler

Show

Sforza gave a considered nod. <But you think it will return.>

He looked across to Carraciolo, then down at his hand. <Well, we'll just have to make sure we're ready when it does, yes?> He flashed a brief grin, which Carraciolo returned - Elsa was reminded of a pair of sharks.

<You've done well,> said Sforza, putting a hand on Elsa's shoulder. <We'll see about this book when the time comes. For now, you should see to your studies. I'm going to be needing those skills of yours soon.> He clapped his hands. <Now,> he said, <I have some business with those friends of yours.>

~

Standing outside, the others heard a knock, and muffled instructions in Tilean. The door was hauled open, and the four of them ushered in again.

"You have my thanks for seeing Signora Hildebrand safe on her journey," said the Captain, dropping back into his accented Reikspiel. "I will instruct Abdul to make good any reward she thinks is appropriate for your service." From the way some of the Iron Company guards were looking at them, it was clear they couldn't conceive of it being more than a few pfennigs. "Signor Schreiber, I believe Abdul also has something for you."

The pleasantries dispensed with, Sforza had once more fixed Adelbert with his viper-like stare.

"You will be relieved to hear it, I'm sure - one of Giovanni's patrols has found your missing gold." The Tilean watched Adelbert's face, impassively scrutinising the minutest change of expression. "Giovanni, tell him where they found it."

"Goblin scavengers, my captain," said Carraciolo, keeping a stiff military bearing as he spoke. "My men came across them in the high hills. They were fighting over the coins." He paused. "They appeared to have been digging."

"No doubt to conceal their ill-gotten gains," said the Captain, not sounding as if he believed a word of what he was saying. "Signor Schreiber, I pride myself on being a man who knows when he has made a mistake. I am willing to give you your liberty, and half the gold we recovered - if you will first apologise to Giovanni and myself, for the insult of mistaking goblins for Iron Company men."

A pregnant silence reigned.

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert looked astonished and for a moment seemed uncertain what to say. After a long moment he drew himself up with dignity and said: "I... understand Herr Captain but I cannot change what I have said before."

[-Sentinel-]

Elsabeth Holt

Elsa rubbed her forehead wearily.

Sigmar's sake, Adelbert. Do yourself a favor and swallow your stupid pride.

[LCP]

Carraciolo's eyes widened. Sforza's expression didn't change.

"What you said before," he said, in an extremely level tone of voice. "That you were set upon and robbed by men from the Iron Company. By my men." He paused. "Are you calling me a liar, Signor Schreiber?"

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard's anger disappeared as soon as he heard Sforza's demand. He watched Adelbert with smirk on his face. Part of him knew he should feel bad for the situation his friend was in, but his amusement outweighed any empathy he may have had.

When Adelbert spoke, he put the palm of his hand against his face and shook his head. He wondered how a man as bookish as Adelbert could be such a fool. Humbling himself a bit would a small price for Adelbert to pay to put what he had said in the past, but the scribe was too stubborn to do it.

"Perhaps Herr Schreiber's eyes are failing him" Sieghard ventured. "I've heard that often happens to men who spend too much time with books."

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert turned pale but continued. "I said before that men set upon me. I do not know how it subsequently ended up in goblin hands." He paused. "I am not calling you a liar Herr Captain but I cannot accept this gold."

[LCP]

"It is no longer being offered to you," bit back Sforza, his temper now beginning to outwardly rise. "You slander my company, even when they retrieve your own lost gold."

He looked over to Elsa, his face dark. "Do you have anything to say for this worm?"

[-Sentinel-]

Elsabeth Holt


"Do you have anything to say for this worm?"

Elsa's embarrassment on behalf of Adelbert shifted to cold fury at the bloody fool. "No, Captain," she answered, her voice tightly controlled, "I do not."

She would not let her association with Adelbert undermine her standing. At least, not for the sake of his pride.

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Beads of sweat stood out on Adelbert's forehead. He was unable to stop a short, inarticulate strangled gasp at Elsa's words but he managed to stop himself going further by biting the inside of his cheek. He stared woodenly ahead, already lost.

[Northern Lad]

Viggo Hirtzel

Shaking his head in wonder at Adelbert's stupidity, Viggo bowed to Sforza politely before nervously interjecting. "Capitano, those loyal to Verena rarely speak false." He wrang his hands, clearly uncomfortable about speaking up in the scribes defence. If he's so keen on getting his head lopped off you should just let him! "Like Sieghard said, maybe Herr Schreiber made a mistake. He was badly injured from our scrap with the undead and exhausted from our escape. It would be easy to get confused in that situation, especially if he never got a good look at his attackers?"

Viggo turned to Adelbert. "It is possible you made a mistake Adelbert, you have to admit that much at least?" His eyebrows danced as he tried to convince his friend to take the bait. "Can you say for sure that your mind wasn't playing tricks on you, I know I could hardly walk or see straight myself by the time we got back?"

OOC

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Charm Test: (if reqd on either Sforza or Adelbert!)

FEL 43 - (1d100)[47]
Re-Roll - (1d100)[4]

[LeSwordfish]

"Perhaps the goblins took it from the Iron Company men?" Ludo asked. "Or from where they hid it? Herr Schreiber has no reason to lie, Capitano."

OOC

Spoiler

Show

If this is sufficently close to what Viggo is saying, call it an assist.

[-Sentinel-]

"Perhaps the goblins took it from the Iron Company men?" Ludo asked.

Elsa winced. <"Not helping, Ludo,"> she snapped at the halfling in Classical. <"We know the Captain's men have nothing to do with this.">

She did fervently hope Adelbert would grab the rope Viggo was throwing him; if he did not, then let him drown.

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo wanted to snap something back about having lost track of all the ways they were lying to the Capitano, but he might speak classical, and Ludo had forgotten the correct way to say "Well, excuuuuse me".

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert hesitated, looking to his friends (which did not at the moment include Elsa) pride and anger wrestling with self preservation. "I did not get a good look at who robbed me... I suppose it is possible I was mistaken... and made an assumption."

[LCP]

"An assumption that is insulting to me as it is to the men under my command," snapped Sforza. Viggo's plea seemed to have cooled the Captain's temper, but he was still evidently not in the mood for making allowances. He snapped an unfamiliar Tilean word to his guards, who stepped forwards and seized Adelbert by the arms, forcefully dragging him away.

As the door slammed shut behind them, Sforza waved a hand at Elsa. "You are dismissed," he said. "Go read your book, and take these others with you. I will deal with Signor Schreiber in the morning."

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert didn't say anything or look at anyone as he was dragged away. He just looked pale and glassy eyed.

[-Sentinel-]

Elsabeth Holt


Elsa pursed her lips, not expecting Adelbert to be taken away by the guards like a common criminal, but made no comment on it. She did not even spare Adelbert a glance; whether it was out of resentment or guilt, or a mix of both, was unclear even to herself. Mumbling an awkward goodbye, she bowed to Sforza almost apologetically and turned to leave the room. She resolved to keep her mind busy for the rest of the day, or she would go to bed still simmering with anger or wallowing in self-doubt.


OOC

Spoiler

Show

Unless the other PCs wish to discuss the unpleasantness after we leave Sforza's presence, Elsa plans to retire to her room with the book and write down some notes.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard's watched silently as Adelbert was taken away. He would've liked to be able to help the scribe, but there was little he could do when Adelbert continued to shoot himself in the foot.

Spoiler: No Scribes

Show

Sieghard stopped as they were leaving.

"Captain," he said, wishing that Adelbert hadn't already soured Sforza's mood. "I don't know what you have heard from the north, but with Jarl Rorik marching on Savonne, it's possible that Morr's Seat may never be as vulnerable as it is now."

[LeSwordfish]

I don't think anyone at the start was expecting Adelbert to be the one most often hauled away by police

Spoiler

Show

"But..." Ludo sputtered "but we've got to do something!" He turned to Elsa "You can't just let them take him away like this! Talk to them, or - or - what are they going to do?"

[-Sentinel-]

Not Adelbert

Spoiler

Show

Elsa threw Ludo a hard look and addressed him in Classical, deciding this conversation was not for Sforza's ears: <"The fool was given a chance and spat on it. He only has his own stubbornness to blame. Don't worry, I won't let him rot in a cell, but a night in the dark with his own thoughts would serve him well.">

[LCP]

Schreibless

Spoiler

Show

"Captain," he said, wishing that Adelbert hadn't already soured Sforza's mood. "I don't know what you have heard from the north, but with Jarl Rorik marching on Savonne, it's possible that Morr's Seat may never be as vulnerable as it is now."

"Morr's Seat is a worthless backwater," snapped Sforza, clearly not appreciating suggestions of strategy from the gallery. "And Rorik's men are undisciplined savages. If I wished to take it from him I would have taken it years ago."

As Elsa and Ludo began to converse in the doorway, Sforza scowled at his wizard. <Have your conversation somewhere else,> he said to Elsa in Tilean. <The scribe has wasted enough of my time already.> He looked down at Ludo, his expression just as stern. "You will find out in the morning."

[-Sentinel-]

Law-Abiding Citizens of Last Water

Spoiler

Show

<"Ah... my apologies, Captain.">

Elsa motioned the others to follow her out of the room. Sforza was in a bad enough mood already.

---

Outside

"Let's go have a drink and a meal," said Elsa wearily as they emerged. "Then I'll return to my studies."

She wanted at least a few Mirinite commoners to notice that the court wizard was back in town before she locked herself up in her room with her new book. No need for a bath or a dress—her dusty travel clothes suited her desired image just fine.