S1E2: Ubersreik adventures/Slaughter in Spittlefield

3 gold each was all the dwarf Thulgrim could offer, after emptying the stolen pay-chest to pay family debt. Then again, that WAS more than they were offered when they accepted the barge work. Enough coin for Gary to buy better armor. More than enough offerings for sister Agnes to earn praise from Mother Katerine at the Shallya convent. Enough for Henryk to buy a bow…after borrowing another gold coin from the halfling merchant Regia, “A minor debt. I might have a job for you and your gang I hear you run around with.” As for the elf, Mallorhan failed to find local banking that trusted long-ears. Thus, he could only hope no-one watched him stash his coin high up in a tree.

Henryk (Bill) noble Guard/Sentry…the Gambler

Brandiwyn (Tony) Riverman with trained feral cat

Mallorhan (Brian) wood-elf Messenger

Gary (Matt) Guard/Sentry

Sister Agnes (Duane) noble Nun, worshiper of Shallya

Katja (Geoff) noble Entertainer/Singer

Events/Endeavors/Down time:“Did Regia say WHEN he might need us?” Over the next 3 weeks, all plied their trade, earning income. Gary and Henryk returned to guard duty. Gary sought combat-training now that he was encumbered in heavier armor. Henryk trained with his new bow. Welt-marks on his forearm evidence he needed an instructor. Sister Agnes walked the streets seeking donations and offerings. What coins she collected was ‘taxed’ by a pick-pocketer. “Shallya probably guided his hand to help feed his family.”

When they gathered to compare potential job offers, they learned Katja’s sister had died. “Family doesn’t know how. I asked around, but most folk seemed more interested in the rumor the Mayor of Grunberg was hanged for speaking ‘witch-words’.” Brandiwyn offered his opinion, “Did she die at night? I heard rumors everyone is afraid to travel at night.” Mallorhan scoffed, “Duh! Unless you too can see at night, who DOESN”T fear traveling at night?!”

Agnes tried to brighten the mood and changed topic, “I learned my friend Rolf’s rash is better. Mother Katerine says we have collected enough donations to hire a carriage to take Rolf and the other sick to a healer in Aldorf. Rolf says not soon enough as he can’t afford to lose any more teeth.” Brandiwyn questioned, “I thought you said he was getting better?! Anyway, my friend Josef (Quarterjin) says he completed a deal for a new boat. Hopes to establish trade sailing the Reik. He says if we meet him at the docks in a month, he might have work for us. But for now, he invites us to join him at the Overturned Tankard Tavern for drinks to celebrate. Best meat pies in town.”

“He’s buying” always seals the deal. Smoke poured out of the tavern doors as they entered. Tavern smoke makes for a good deodorant in between monthly baths. All were thankful the tavern clamor drowned out the stage singer. Gary winked at Katja, “THAT will be an easy act to follow.” Henryk cheered the idea as it meant a pleasant distractor as he threw dice. And that’s when he noticed the halfling, “Regia, what are you doing here?!” “Why, I own the place. And I see you brought a sister of Shallya.” Gary spoke up, “And a real singer.” But Katja delayed, “Let me get my free drinks first from Josef.”

They grabbed a corner table and lined up drinks and plates of pie. Gary decided to ask Regia, “Henryk mentioned you offering a job. What’s in it for us?” The halfling smiled, “Businessman I see. Well, Henryk’s on my books for a gold. I’ll offer each a gold too. Job? Well, I’ve got a few tenants in my other property who need ‘reminders’ about their rent due.” And that’s when the ogre bouncer approached. Regia continued with a smirk, “One last chance for them to pay before Ox here comes to collect their body and soul for our meat pies.” Ox spoke, “You need me now boss?” Agnes pushed her plate away, not knowing if the halfling was joking or not.

It wasn’t long before the tavern erupted in loud cheers and hooting as Katja took the stage. Lively songs, stage dancing, and swishing beer spilled on the crowd by her. And Henryk found a dice game to join. And Brandi talked with Josef, “Sure you don’t need company getting your boat? A crew of guards to protect your new property?” Josef showed off his pistols, “Loaded with nails. These will discourage any pirates. I just want to get the boat back in time for the Schaffenfest. Big business potentials running supplies for that.”

Brandi interrupted the conversation to make rounds holding out his hat, “Tips for the lovely lady.” All the while, Mallorhan sat in the corner sipping his beer, listening to gossip. “This year’s feast is to be the best.” “Ya hear about the Jungfreud? Hung from the city walls; emperor’s decree.” “All road-wardens are corrupt.”

It was a long joyous night of drinking. Katja (Consume 000) and Henryk wasted. Katja tried to go crowd-surfing. Not realizing her audience had their hands full of mugs. Thus, her morning “splitting headache” could be attributed to drinking or the fall. Thankfully, Regia had put them up for the night in the common room. Katja descended the stairs dry-mouthed. Agnes offered her ‘the hair of the dog.’ The elf just shook his head.

The Job: Regia spoke, “Sister Agnes. I already spoke to your Mother Katerine. She agreed to lend your service against ‘the Fly Lord’ (chaos god Nurgle). I’ve a case of disease in one of my tenant houses. Doctor Alexandra Giliani is already there trying to treat it; she suspected ‘blood-rot’ but can’t find the source. I need your group to go in, find the source. And get my tenants caught up on their rent. Else be pie filler. But you need to hurry as the city magistrate is threatening to quarantine the block. I’ll take you there.”

They stood before the 5-story rickety building and watched as two workers were outlining the block with chalk. Regia prodded, “Hurry in. Tell my doorman, ogre Gino, ‘Regia sent you’.” The simpleton ogre opened the door after they supplied the password. He then nailed the door shut after they entered. “Boss order.” The sound of someone wheezing caused Katja to cover her mouth and nose with a cloth. The others followed suit as they approached the source of the wheezing. Soon to find Doctor Giliani herself lying on a bed. Agnes knelt beside her in prayer but was only able to slow the wheezing.

In a frail voice Giliani offered, “The elf on the top floor is worse.” Henryk lit a torch to burn the air of its foul stench as Katja searched under the bed. Where she found a bag of poultice and the impression of a missing book. Brandi wondered, “Could that have been her journal full of notes to help identify the source?” And that’s when they heard scratching noise inside the walls. Gary smashed a hole to peer inside, where he found a small-sized ladder. “When did rats start using ladders?!” Brandi instructed his cat, “Fetch.” Henryk wondered the cat’s reaction if it encountered dog-sized rats.

From the wall opening, they all heard the banging sound from high above then a gruff voice called out, “Pointy ear…get outa here!” Katja turned to Mallor, “Someone’s not fond of you.” They climbed the rickety stairs that opened unto a common room. No movement nor reply to their callout, “Anyone here?” They continued climbing to the 2^nd floor where they found half the floor collapsed in ruins. A cheaply painted sign ‘Passerine Orphanage’ hung over a door on the other half of the floor. With torch in hand, Henryk approached and loudly knocked, “Whoever’s in there, open…” He stopped mid-sentence when a huge woman (STR60) opened the door to tower before him.

Agnes stepped forward, “We’ve come to lend aid in cleansing the building of whatever disease lurks the halls.” Bertha brightened at the words, “Thank the gods for coming to the aid of the orphans. You worship Shallya? Then thank her. It started weeks ago. Argus on the 1^st floor was the first to die. It’s been spreading.” Katja interrupted, “We found doctor Geliani sick in her bed. Her notebook is missing; do any of your kids know about it?” Katja’s social skills were lacking (rolled 83, spent Fortune to reroll). Bertha dickered, “Tell ya what. The dwarves above have medicine the doctor passed out. I’ve used all ours. Get some more from the dwarves and I’ll find the book for you.”

They climbed to the 3^rd floor where they found another ‘Passerine Orphanage’ sign. A kid answered their knock, “I’m not supposed to talk to strangers. Who are you? Agnes? Well since you are no longer a stranger…Trinity is always climbing the ladder in the wall. He probably took the book you seek. Don’t know where he is now. Me climb after him? None of us kids climb in there. There are rats!” And that’s when Brandi’s cat exited the wall hole with a rat in its mouth.

The 4^th floor was just as trashy as the others. And falling apart too. But someone had added metal bands to their door. A dwarf answered their knock as he opened a small peephole in the door, “Whata ya want?” Henryk pointed to Mallor, “Are you the one yelling about an elf?” The dwarf sneered, “That ain’t Eluharath who took me broda Srelum. Just today. No, I didn’t see him take him, but where else would me broda be?! That elf and doctor been up to no good.” He held up a blunderbuss, “That elf comes a knocking on my door and old Bessy here will do the talking.” Gary perked up at the sight of the weapon, “How much is yer broda worth to ya? Worth Bessy?” The dwarf pondered long and hard before answering, “Ya get me broda back and Bessy will come work for ya. Alive mind ya. Tell him Sreluc sent ya.”

The stairs ended at the top floor. Agnes knocked at the door. Silence. Brandi called out, “Eluharath?” Shuffling noises preceded the click of the door being unlocked and opened. A tall/thin haughty high-elf stood before them. A dwarf lay on a cot in the center of the room. “I found him collapsed on the floor and brought him in for care.” Brandi spoke up, “Your good doctor is downstairs also ill. Do you know anything about ‘blood-rot’? We can’t find her journal.”

The elf led them to the prone dwarf and pulled bandages off his neck, “This isn’t ‘blood-rot’. See the puncture wounds?!” Gary jumped at the realization, “Vampires!” Eluharath nodded in confirmation, “I suspect it’s the small girl living in the basement. Arrived weeks ago, all dressed in her noble garb. Why she’d stay here…especially in the basement piled high with heaps of trash. A maze down there. Yeah, I’ve seen another kid climbing a ladder inside the walls. Sure, she’s small enough to use the ladder herself. Probably how she’s been carrying out her attacks.”

The elf let them take the dwarf who they carried down to his brother’s room. Where Gary collected his blunderbuss and Agnes gathered medicine for the orphans. Dropping off the meds, they continued to the basement: Gary and ‘Bessy’ in the lead, then Brandi, Mallorhan, Agnes, Katja, and Henryk bringing up the rear with his storm-lantern in hand.

Indeed, the dark foreboding basement was a maze of trash piles. They barely entered the area when a swarm of snotlings attacked. [An appropriate name for the green-skinned little varmints. Slimy as snot.] Strategic use of the piles of trash to restrict the humans (+elf). Mallorhan edged past Gary and swung his Quarterstaff, leaving the others with no avenue to attack. Henryk held his lantern high to illuminate other passages as the others stood ready. Snotlings poured over the elf biting viciously thus forcing him backwards. Which gave Gary an opening to step forward, wielding ‘Bessy’ like a club. Soon the piles grew higher with the carnage of snotlings.

Agnes stepped toward the elf to tend his wounds (chance of infection from those green-skin creatures). Except scuttling noise overhead drew everyone’s attention. Faster than all of them, the red-eyed girl dropped onto the elf: a vicious bite to his right leg [6 wounds]. Just the sight of the foul-looking girl [Corruption check] caused Henryk, Brandi, Agnes, and Mallorhan to pause in fear [2 levels]. The elf failed to parry another attack: another vicious bite this time to his left leg: 11 wounds. Mallorhan collapsed [critical wound].

Brandiwyn found courage [2 resolve to remove his fear] and swung his dagger [using a Fortune to hit]. Maybe the riverman’s action threw off Katja, for she swung her dagger [000], only to hit herself in her face. At least Gary connected with his blade causing 10 wounds. Providing an opening for Henryk to charge in with his lantern held high which he smashed on the vampirina [had to spend 2 Fortune thus taking another Corruption]. The girl shrieked in pain as the flames prevented her regeneration [to everyone’s surprise]. Sister Agnes delivered the fatal wound. And once again the Shallya worshiper knelt to lend aid to the wounded elf, only to be interrupted.

A swarm of rats came around another trash pile. “Look at the flesh hanging off them. They must be undead!” Agnes focused on her task at hand, “Keep them off me!” as she tried to bandage the elf, without success. “KABLUEE!” Flame and smoke boiled out of the blunderbuss. Pellets tore thru the rat-swarm. An arrow from Henryk thinned the swarm more. Brandiwyn finished them off with his blade. Silence except for Agnes praying. The elf finally regained consciousness.

No-one assisted Henryk trying to stomp out the fire from his broken lantern. “Sure, let the place burn down around you!” Instead, Brandi looted the girl’s body. Nothing but burnt patches of finely crafted clothing. Henryk pocketed a piece of her clothing. They searched more, finding her lair. And a small mirror.

EPILOG: Doctor Giliani died from her neck bite. Help arrived too late. Late also for the dwarf Srelum. Sreluc vowed vengeance against the elf Eluharath despite Agnes’ insistence the elf was trying to help. At least Regia was pleased with the outcome as his tenement was saved. “Did you happen to collect any rent?” Agnes reported to Mother Katerine who sent a flock of nuns to cleanse the building.

Next Session: https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2021/06/s1e3-ubersreik-adventuresheart-of-glass.html