[WFRP] The Bloody Crown X

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo's face grew grimmer and grimmer as Sieghard recounted the past week. "Shadow magic... that's illusions, right? If he can do that, maybe nothing we can do will work, he can just make himself look like someone else."

"It's still probably worth trying the trap. We've got to try something. The reward will help but he's too smart for that." And the people of Savonne may not be tremendously helpful with that much money at stake. "It's good to have figured out what he's doing and how he's doing it though."

"Shame that-" Ludo paused, and thought a little more carefully about how to phrase "Shame you pissed dragos off so we have to deal with him too." "It's a shame things are being stolen too. Are they our guards or someone else? Do we trust them?"

"Adelbert should be able to point us at some of the tunnels though."

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"Schreiber thinks there's magic involved. I'm not convinced, " Sieghard said. "And it's all our own men on watch. Thorns and halberdiers. I've got enough faith in them to believe they wouldn't be the ones stealing from the stores and that anyone trying to get in from the streets would be seen. Now give me a hand looking."

[RossN]

Adelbert

It was a disappointing few days. Adelbert had not truly expected to stumble across the culprit in the act but he had hoped for something more.

He expressed his thoughts largely to Hieronymous:

'Yes, I'll have a word with the dwarf. From what he's described there is definite evidence of Nehekharan pictogram-writing in the city which points to necromancy and almost certainly the involvement of Klammenberg. As I told Brother Liebrecht and Mother Raqiyah I still believe we are dealing with that repulsive magic. I admit if it were not for Urgrim's descriptions of the sacrifices in the pyramid I might almost have supposed we were dealing with a cult of Khaine.'

He rubbed his throbbing temples and sighed. 'Father Hieronymous is there any way you can persuade the clergy of Taal of Rhya back into the city? I think we need the servants of life here to combat this miasma of death.'

[LCP]

Sieghard

"Do we know when they disappeared?" Sieghard asked. "When did you last see the missing barrels?

"Yesterday," said Burhan. "They were here yesterday."

Adelbert

'Father Hieronymous is there any way you can persuade the clergy of Taal of Rhya back into the city? I think we need the servants of life here to combat this miasma of death.'

Hieronymus looked uncertain. "Father Balios is a travelling priest. As, I believe, is Mother Gaertner's replacement, Jocasta. We could write to them, but Ranald alone knows how long it would be before they received our letter." He shrugged. "I suppose we can but try."

---

24th Vorgeheim

Sieghard's search was thorough, but turned up no loose floorboards or hidden trapdoors. The warehouse seemed very much an ordinary warehouse - a little old and shoddily built, some of its timbers in dire need of replacement, but devoid of any secrets or surprises. At least, as far as Sieghard and his searchers could see.

[Thragka]

Urgrim scratched his beard. "Don't see enough stone in the edifice to expect Dwarf-work," he opined. "I could ask up the hold if any of the old tunnels run under the docks?"

Nonetheless, he paced to the centre of the warehouse floor. He turned, slowly, on the spot, a couple of complete revolutions. All animals left trails or signs of passage in complex environments. Granted, he really only knew how to see clues of the careless fauna of the bush, but how much smarter or more graceful than a deer or a boar could umgi thieves be?

Spoiler: OOC

Show

I might have missed the window, and/or not using a helpful skill for this situation, but I'll roll Perception to see if anything in the warehouse looks like it's recently been disturbed. Rolls vs. Int 54 + 20, though perhaps with penalty owing to the unfamiliarity with what he's attempting.

Spoiler: Rolls spoilered in case you want to think of penalties

Show

Perception 74 - (1d100)[9]
Fortune Point - (1d100)[59]

[LCP]

There were plenty of scuff marks and dirt on the wooden floor. Men had been coming and going for the last four days with goods from the Downs, and the marks of their boots were everywhere. Some looked more recent than the others, but how to tell which ones belonged to the thieves?

[RossN]

Adelbert

Hieronymus looked uncertain. "Father Balios is a travelling priest. As, I believe, is Mother Gaertner's replacement, Jocasta. We could write to them, but Ranald alone knows how long it would be before they received our letter." He shrugged. "I suppose we can but try."

'Thank you.' Adelbert looked grim. 'I'm convinced there must be something in the old faith of the Nehekharans that could help us, if only I could match up the gods to the ones they knew. There is just so little we know.'

[LeSwordfish]

There were plenty of scuff marks and dirt on the wooden floor. Men had been coming and going for the last four days with goods from the Downs, and the marks of their boots were everywhere. Some looked more recent than the others, but how to tell which ones belonged to the thieves?

Ludo tried to establish which, if any, of the scuffs lead anywhere other than the door.

[LCP]

Adelbert, previously

"One might offer the observation, that if the gods of Nehekhara had been able to protect their people, those people would still be here," said Hieronymus. He put a counselling hand on Adelbert's shoulder. "All knowledge is sacred, of course, brother Schreiber - but I would put my faith in Verena before these forgotten gods."

---

24th Vorgeheim

Ludo could see no spots where the marks on the floor seemed to enter or exit by any opening bar the doors.

[RossN]

Adelbert

Albert nodded gloomily and left Hieronymous to continue what was increasingly feeling like a hopeless pursuit of research and patrolling.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard was strongly tempted to order the floorboards torn up, but realized how mad that would sound and resisted the urge.

"I'll have to set guards inside as well," he muttered. They may not have found anything, but that didn't mean nothing was there. With no other explanation for the disappearing food, Sieghard wasn't prepared to rule out the possibility. He turned to Ludo "We know where Dragos and his cronies are hiding. How would you feel about poking around and peeking in a few windows? You might see or hear something."

[Thragka]

"I'll come back to you this evening," Urgrim interjected. "Or you know where to find me - I'm still sleeping at the barracks," he added for Ludo's benefit. "Now, I want to see Schreiber. I'll let him know what I learned. And he was banging on about getting another priest to sign up for a trip back to the Waste. Want to head that off at the pass."

Bidding Sieghard and Ludo good day, he took his leave, making for Adelbert's new lodgings. If the Verenan wasn't to be found there, Urgrim rerouted to the Temple.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

I'm not sure where Adelbert is the morning of the 24th, but I thought these would be good guesses.

[RossN]

Adelbert

Albert was at the temple, busy with various minor functionary duties. Though surprised to see Ungrim he seemed pleased: 'I'll introduce you to Hieronymous, the senior priest of Verena, though you probably have an audience with the other senior clergy.' He smiled ruefully: 'Prepare to be quizzed to within a inch of your life about your experiences.'

[LCP]

Hieronymus was at his home in the Old Town, as usual. He greeted Urgrim enthusiastically, and did his best to offer some refreshment, although his pantry seemed largely empty. "There's a woman who comes on Backertag," he offered by way of apology, "but she had to miss this week."

Pouring out some small beer for the three of them, he shooed them in the direction of his most comfortable chairs. From its perch in the corner of the room, a pale barn owl regarded Urgrim with baleful black eyes.

"So," said Hieronymus, lowering himself stiffly into his seat, "brother Schreiber says you have been to the Red Pyramid. I'm sure I speak for us both when I say I'd be fascinated to hear what you found."

---

That evening, Ludo slipped back down to the docks to scout out Dragos' base of operations. Morrslieb flitted from roof to roof, guiding him to the house. When he reached it, he recognised it at once: it was the same large but creaky-looking building where Jasper Greenapple had conducted his business before the siege. It looked like it hadn't suffered too badly in the wars since then. Looking up at the lit window of Greenapple's old study, it seemed like only yesterday that they had been standing inside bargaining for Klammenberg's dragon tooth. They could probably have saved a lot of time if they'd known then what they knew now.

Making a stealthy circuit of the house, Ludo could see no signs of the stolen barrels, though from the lights in the windows there were clearly a good few people awake inside. Two burly-looking fellows with equally burly-looking dogs were standing watch, preventing Ludo from getting too close. Finding a spot to hide himself, he settled in to watch the comings and goings from the front door.

Six people came and went from the house before the lights finally began to go out, some time around midnight. Ludo didn't recognise any of them, but made a note of their faces all the same. Debtors, henchmen, business associates - one way or another, all these people had to be connected to No-Nose's little kingdom.

Waiting until the nearest of the patrolling dogs had circled out of sight, Ludo headed quietly back to the castle barracks.

[-Sentinel-]

Elsa did not accompany Sieghard and Ludo on their investigation of the warehouse. Although willing to lend Morrslieb to the task, she considered the supply theft situation rather trivial and suspected that Sieghard had a share of responsibility in the breakdown of the talks with this Noseless fellow.

She spent a major part of her day visiting the inns of the city and telling the bartenders and other workers that she was looking for an apprentice. She described to them some of the signs of an arcanely gifted person, such as bad dreams on Hexensnacht, strange and elusive visions, a sixth sense for trouble, an uncanny ability with animals (or on the contrary, a tendency to upset animals), a history of knowing things they had no logical way of knowing, many childhood memories involving inexplicable events happening under heavy stress, and a sense of unease in a certain neighborhood of the city. Should a genuinely gifted person find their way to her, she added, she would ask them where they learned about her search and would make sure to reward the middleman. She offered a few coins up front as a gesture of goodwill.

In addition to the inns, she also spread the word to the Shallyan hospital, reasoning that the nuns working there must see their fair share of weird injuries or evasive explanations that might point at spells gone wrong. She did not promise a financial reward, as she knew it might insult the pious ladies, but stressed the fact that magic users without training were threats to themselves and others. She made sure to leave a donation of a few gold crowns before walking out.


OOC

Spoiler

Show

I'm spending 8 gc on various people.

Gossip 39 to spread the word about looking for an apprentive: (d100)[13]
Fortune: (d100)[10]

Apologies for the lack of activity lately. I don't really have an excuse. I'll try to get back into the game. I think the theory about Klammenberg preparing victims for the monster has merit, as does the vampire theory. But I don't know how many real-life myths about vampires are true in the Warhammer world. I suppose that's what Academic Knowledge (Necromancy) is for, but Elsa doesn't have it. How did Adelbert acquire that skill, again?

Elsa is not getting involved in the food theft investigation unless asked to do a specific thing.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"If you're seeing Schreiber, would you mind asking him to look into any records of the old sewers under the city?" Sieghard asked. "We've already looked at the books Father Hieronymous has, but maybe there's something in one of Adelbert's books."

---

Once Ludo and Urgrim had gone about their own business, Sieghard headed up to the castle to find Elsa. "I'm letting the ships set sail tomorrow," he told her. "I still expect trouble, but I don't think I can delay them any longer. Would we be able to keep Morrslieb with the shipment until it reaches Putbad?"

Spoiler

Show

I'm going to change up the planned caravan guards a bit. We'll stick two different groups split so the second leaves as the first is on their way back. Nat will go with the first, Ingwald the second. Each group will be 6 volunteers and 6 thorns, including two who can serve as scouts. Each group will also have one of the two riding horses to help scout the road ahead. This won't stretch his men so thin that it affects the warehouse guards yet, but it will once both groups are on the road so I'll either have to deal with Dragos before then or re-allocate men when the time comes.

Speaking of warehouse guards, Sieghard will also have Ingwald, two additional crossbowmen, and three of Roth's halberdiers posted inside. Sieghard doesn't want any more food disappearing and will share his suspicions about a hidden way into the warehouse. If someone who isn't supposed to be inside the warehouse is found skulking about, the men aren't to go blindly charging into the unknown (in case of a sewer passage or something of the like), but Sieghard wants them captured if possible and wants to know how they're getting in otherwise. Sieghard will also offer a lighter punishment in return for coming forward and giving information on what happened to the food if one of his own men is involved, and promise a flogging if they don't and are caught.

[Thragka]

Urgrim and Adelbert

Urgrim took an appreciative sip of the beer Hieronymous offered, holding it in his mouth for a peaceful moment before swallowing it down. It was flat, but it was better than umgi ale. To Urgrim, the local brews to be found in human taverns tasted only marginally better than soap.

He tried to ignore the owl, although he found it a little difficult not to notice its menacing gaze.

"Well," he said, collecting his thoughts and deciding where to begin.

"I am a ranger, and I've been in service to Clan Dwimmulson for near on a year now. A couple of months back, at the start of Sommerzeit, the clan's Elder tasked myself and six Dwimmulson rangers to visit the Red Pyramid and check that it had remained sealed. Unfortunately, we discovered that it had not.

"I've told Schr- eh, Brother Schreiber all this before, but I'll repeat all the details I know, and hope he'll forgive me. We may have learned a thing or two since then, as well, that's news to him too.

"Master Stubbs had prevailed upon Skorgrund to look into some of the Dwimmulsons' oldest records, more than three and a half thousand years old. I'll guess you already know some of that history. Nahorek, whom the dwarves of eld called Varag Kol, Black Hound, came north to the Reaches seeking his master's enemies, and the walking dead came with him. The dawi and humans together struck him down, to the west of the Giant's Teeth, near what was once a human city. The humans built a tomb to hold his spirit, so the Dwimmulsons sealed it with runes to aid their priest's blessings.

"We were doomed from the start, which we'd have known had we the sight to see as much. Our leader, Thrunrik," Urgrim making the sign of Valaya with his hands as he named the dead, "made us for a village to the west of the Teeth, to rest and water. But we were in the Wastes as soon as we left the Teeth. Turnpike Hollow was dead, covered in the sands from the west. Even their dead had abandoned it," he muttered. "The graves of the humans had been profaned.

"P'rhaps if we'd had sense, we'd have called it off there and then." Urgrim shook his head. "Nay, forgive me. We had a job to do, and we saw it done." He sighed. "There wasn't much water left in the village well, but we took what we could, and continued west. The desert itself rejected us - sand storms stalled us for two full days. And after what happened after, well, I don't think they were a coincidence. They were fighting us." He cleared his throat - a little embarrassed? "By the time we found the Pyramid, we were already risking thirst.

"The Red Pyramid ... it was red alright. Looked like limestone, but a queer colour. I've seen nothing like that stone round these parts, and I know this land fair well. The gate was still sealed, for all the good that was. But one of the walls had been breached, high up. There was - 'warpedstone,' I think Master Stubbs called it? We call it shadow stone. A large boulder of it, half swallowed by sand. Master Stubbs - when I told him - he reckoned it was the remains of the comet from last year, and I think he could well be right. But it's an uncanny business if it hit the Pyramid and broke a hole through the wall a full year before Klammenberg visited.

"We climbed the side of the Pyramid and entered through the breach. Inside were many human corpses, many months dead, who'd run afoul of booby traps. Thrunrik recognised them as Turnpike Hollow folk. They were all broken up, really badly.

"Those of us that went in found an antechamber and then a burial chamber. The forechamber was full of riches. It looked like a whole chest of them was already missing. A couple of the lads -"

Urgrim's voice faltered for a minute. He found himself looking away from the humans, and instead into the owl's deep eyes. He continued, a little quieter.

"Skargan and Vardin filled their packs with the gold. The wazzocks." He shivered, and made the sign of Valaya again. "Anyway. There was a door through to the burial chamber proper, which had been trapped again. More smashed-up human remains. We went past them, into the tomb.

"There was a great big shaft upwards in the ceiling, with no end that we could see, just darkness. The walls were carved with these pictures - animals, plants, humans, the ancient language of the humans who had built the Red Pyramid, or so I'm told. There was a woman's body strung up from the ceiling, and a sarcophagus in the centre of the chamber." Urgrim was still looking into the corner of the room, in the direction of the owl, but possibly not seeing the bird at all.

"The stone lid was a man in a jackal mask. There was a chalk circle around the sarcophagus, more of these markings. Nothing left inside. The woman hanging up - her throat had been cut, cleanly, though for all that she didn't look as bad as the other smashed-up corpses. But there wasn't a drop of blood to be seen, despite that she'd been hung up to bleed out.

"That's all we got to see before everything went to hell. Lokri had touched the shadow stone, before we went in, and suddenly he was - his body - it wasn't Lokri any more. He killed Vardin before we killed him. And when our blood spilled - the room just felt worse. We took off.

"I'd rather not dwell on the details of our escape. Suffice it to say that between sandstorms, madness and thirst, only myself and one of the Dwimmulson rangers made it back out of the waste. The other's are in Valaya's hands now."

The dwarf seemed to come back to the present. He took a slow breath, and focused on Hieronymous. "I've no knowledge or real understanding of what I saw. But my guess is the obvious one: that that was Varag Kol's tomb, and that this poor woman was a sacrifice of some sort, and now the Black Hound is not lying in his tomb any more. Actually -" here Urgrim shifted to face towards Adelbert as well "- the more I think on it, the more the murder scenes here in Savonne seem to imitate that tomb. There's never any blood on the victims, despite their throats being all messed up. And Klammenberg always leaves these picture-language notes outside their homes, like he's guiding someone, or something, to find them at night. He makes them eat red meat, and leave their windows open at night. I've said as much to the Commander and Master Stubbs. I know it sounds damn crazy, but ..."

He looked between the two priests, and shrugged. Admitting his uncertainty seemed to relax him a bit. "If it's possible - if it's really possible - that the Jackal Priest is back from the dead, then I think he's, it's here. And Klammenberg is helping it to ... feed."

Urgrim shivered, and downed the rest of his glass of flat beer in one gulp. "I couldn't trouble you for any more?"

[RossN]

Adelbert

Adelbert listened, his expression grave. Little of it was actually new to him of course but to hear it all spelled out like that was still deeply troubling. He glanced down into his own beer for a moment, as if hoping to find a happier future in its depths.

'Thank you Urgrim, that can't have been an easy experience to relive. While I have not seen them myself picture-language sounds akin to the marks I found at Kheneb-Ptra-Urush.'

The priest set down his drink and flexed his hands together in a mostly unconscious tic. 'I agree that Klammenburg probably did awaken this Varag Kol being and that is what we are faced with now. If he is indeed an undead monstrosity we shall have do more research on how such beings can be fought, though it some ways it makes it easier knowing the killer may be corporeal. There is however one other matter...'

He hesitated, glancing uncertainly at Urgrim, wondering if this was a matter for the Temple alone. 'When the Norscans attempted to steal the book I experienced a vision of a place not unlike the Gates of Morr. There I encountered a jackal faced spirit I believed to be Nahorek... but now, I am not so sure. I think it might have been someone else.'

[Thragka]

Urgrim and Adelbert

Urgrim shrugged again. "We've no idea what this being is capable of," he said softly. "But," he resumed with more energy, "as I said to the others, knowing what we now do, we'd be able to set a trap for either of them - Nahorek, or Klammenberg. I said to the Commander I think Klammenberg might be the easier of the two. At least he's mortal." He waved a hand in Adelbert's direction. "Your lot has had run-ins with him before, haven't ye? Do ye have an idea what he's capable of?"

[LCP]

"Stealing books," said Hieronymus, bitterly.

He had listened intently to Urgrim's account, and just as Adelbert had predicted, looked as if he had a list of questions as long as his arm.

"A fascinating story, master Jotunnsson. You say the clan elders have records going back to that time? I would dearly like to see those records. And the pyramid too, you say it still had writing on the walls? Just think of it, Schreiber, three and a half thousand years." With some effort, he contained himself. "Of course... I am very sorry for to hear happened to your companions. Very sorry."

"We should be careful not to leap too hastily to conclusions," he continued, slipping back into the dry, academic tone with which he was most comfortable. "Master Jotunnsson says the tomb was recently broken open. Ergo, we should make a division between the common belief in Nahorek, which has persisted in these parts since records began, and the influence of this creature. If it is a creature." He shot Adelbert a brief warning look. "I'm sure our colleagues in the cult of Morr would agree that conflating the two would put us on very tricky theological ground."

"Of course, if master Jotunnsson is right, that the inhabitant of the pyramid has risen from the dead to feed on the blood of the living... there is a name for such a creature." A tinge of excitement crept back into his voice. "Vampire. Perhaps that is a hypothesis we can put to the test."

[Thragka]

Urgrim and Adelbert

Urgrim frowned. Hieronymous's rather casual interest in the venerable dwarf records and the inscriptions on the walls of the Red Pyramid did not convince the dwarf that this priest had any more realistic a perspective than the previous. What god is it these two honour, again? He recalled that one of the umgi gods was a thief and a gambler.

The mention of the word vampire made Urgrim chasten himself for judging too harshly, too quickly. Clearly this elder human was - well, if not wise at least knowledgeable. And that was to be respected.

"And how might you be thinking of putting it to the test? As I said, I'm not inclined to bait the creature out. If we're right, well ... I wouldn't be sure we could handle it."

[RossN]

Adelbert

Adelbert looked decidedly unimpressed with both the notion that the vampire (if such it was) had sent the vision and that the theological ground should be left undisturbed but for the moment.

'I have studied a little of the history of necromancy, perhaps I can unearth something and I can only assume the Cult of More has... certain skills in use against the undead.'

[LCP]

"A great deal has been written about the aristocracy of the night," said Hieronymus, rising and walking over to the nearest of his bookcases. "Not all of it accurate, to be sure, but still - a great deal has been written. Creatures of great power, certainly, but also limitations not shared by mortal men. Sunlight, running water, rowan wood and the like." He ran a withered finger along the spines of the books, seeking in vain. "Von Liebenstein claimed that you could know a vampire by their lack of a reflection, while DuPois believed they would recoil from a clove of garlic... mm, though some would say he was unduly influenced by his stipend from the Grocer's Guild of Couronne. As Schreiber says, perhaps the Morrites might have more detailed knowledge. But the point is, if we were to observe any such methods to deter our killer... well, perhaps then we might be more sure of its identity."

[RossN]

Adelbert

Adelbert stroked his goatee. 'Perhaps I could ask Lady Sforza to set an example by donning a pair of garlic cloves as earrings.'

'I apologise if I am being flippant but while knowledge of their weaknesses is certainly welcome it is only of so much use if we can't find them. Still... the fact that sunlight may be a difficulty to a vampire could help narrow down the search and it would certainly fit with the attacks taking place at night.'

Adelbert smiled ruefully. 'It may be Ptra is with us after all. I suspect both of you know Savonne better than I do but if you were part of the, er 'aristocracy of the night' and had to hide during the day what places would seem safe?'

[-Sentinel-]

Once Ludo and Urgrim had gone about their own business, Sieghard headed up to the castle to find Elsa. "I'm letting the ships set sail tomorrow," he told her. "I still expect trouble, but I don't think I can delay them any longer. Would we be able to keep Morrslieb with the shipment until it reaches Putbad?"

"Of course," said Elsa, looking up from her book. "What are you fearing? Light theft by the guards, or an ambush?"

She was willing to let Morrslieb follow as an observer to report on any wrongdoing, but would be reluctant to let him take part in any fighting. The raven had already had a brush with death before, and protecting supplies was no good reason to risk such an asset.

[LCP]

Adelbert & Urgrim

Hieronymus shrugged. "Indoors?" he said. "Somewhere with plenty of shade, where people don't ask too many questions or pry into the affairs of their neighbours. The Warren or the Old Town would be a good fit."

[Thragka]

"I only know the Dwimmulhold, not the town," Urgrim said, shaking his head. "And I'm certain Varag Kol is not there. But to 'deter' it means we need to attract it first,", he added, looking rather pointedly in Hieronymous's direction. "Are you volunteering to be bait? Otherwise we're still talking about getting our hands on smoke and shadows."

The dwarf turned to Adelbert, and spoke a bit less gruffly. "The Commander wants you to look into the city's sewers, by the way. He thinks thieves are stealing from warehouses on the docks using unseen passages. Strikes me now, it's somewhere Varag Kol could lair too, if we have the right of it".

[LCP]

Adelbert & Urgrim

"I only know the Dwimmulhold, not the town," Urgrim said, shaking his head. "And I'm certain Varag Kol is not there. But to 'deter' it means we need to attract it first,", he added, looking rather pointedly in Hieronymous's direction. "Are you volunteering to be bait? Otherwise we're still talking about getting our hands on smoke and shadows."

Hieronymus gave a contemplative nod. "Attract, or, ah, corral. The killer has struck twice so far; I think we are all three assuming they will strike again. If we were to proceed systematically with daemonsroot, holy water and the like, shutting off streets and districts, perhaps we could observe whether they could cross those lines." He waved a hand vaguely. "Of course, it would be a rather large undertaking... the practicalities I leave to more practically-minded men."

Seeming to have little interest in veering too far from theoretical matters, Hieronymus continued to quiz his gues for a little while on what he had seen out in the desert - details which seemed to Adelbert trifling, but which the elder priest avidly noted down. When Urgrim indicated he had other places to be, Hieronymus said his goodbyes with excessive politeness, urging him to return any time.

"Do give my regards, and the regards of the Temple, to the Dwimmulsons," he said as Urgrim left. "I think we both have a great deal to gain from cooperating on this matter."

[RossN]

Adelbert

Adelbert did not look sympathetic about Sieghard's supply woes. 'Sforza's army stole a lot of food from Savonne. If the locals are now paying that debt back with fitting coin more power to them. In any case it would be a suicidally brave thief to share a sewer with a vampire.'

With the audience clearly coming to an end he stood up. 'I'll speak with Liebrecht about organising our anti-vampiric measures.' He offered his hand to Urgrim as they left.

'Good hunting my friend. I'll be either at my house or at the Temple should you need me.'

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"Of course," said Elsa, looking up from her book. "What are you fearing? Light theft by the guards, or an ambush?"

"An ambush. River pirates or wreckers in the Karst. The man claims to control the docks and have say over what ships can sail. It may be empty gloating, but I'd rather not take chances over just how much influence he has."

"We should send word to the Captain today as well," Sieghard continued. "Let him know that the shipment is on its way and see if he can spare men to help escort it the last leg of the journey. There's just not enough trained men in the city to keep order and stop food from getting to Alvarran through the pass and make sure there's no trouble once the caravan is in unfriendly territory."