S4E9 PBtT- How to Serve Ratmen- Raw!

PCs: Agnes (Duane), Katja (Geoff), Brandywyn (Tony), Rega (Bill), Ymath (Brian)

As Agnes waits for the drugged drink to affect Gotthard, she continues idle chat, “Court rumor has you ‘visited’ the Graf’s wife Anika quite often.” Gotthard not embarrassed, “We were friends. She was a remarkable woman; lived her life to the fullest as did the Graf. It is a shame the sisters of Shallya couldn’t heal her.” Others surprised the man truly feels remorse. Agnes continues by asking about the Chancellor. Gotthard now surprised, “Yes, he likes to party. ‘Renald’s Delight?! Even if he does, take care spreading such rumors.” Gotthard suddenly displays a surprised look on his face, “Gotta go!” Agnes dejected at his departure, “That’s not what the drug was supposed to do.”

7pm Opera/8pm Elven Lights: Surprising trio of Brandi, Katja, and Ymath attending the Opera: a love-struggle classic of a northman with a dowery involved. But unlike Nuln, this opera has no box seating. Which allows Ymath to settle front row. “Down up front, you big…” The rest of the words swallowed when Ymath turns to find the protestor. [Charm-92] Ktaja tries to approach the princess but is blocked by Hilde the chaperone who recognizes the lower-class, “The princess is occupied." Katja’s efforts to boost her stature “I’m a bit of a singer myself” are rejected with a sneer. In the background, Brandi asks Natasha, “Does the princess even break from Hilde? Perhaps if Hilde were drugged…” Natasha now intrigued, “She THINKS she’s better than everyone just because who her daddy is.” About the only thing they hear of mild interest is gossip: “I wonder what the detachment of Sigmarites wanted with the Ar-Ulric 10 days ago?” “What was the Graf thinking when he commissioned the dwarves to build the chain of Watch-Towers along the river?”

Meanwhile, Agnes and Rega are frisked once more as they enter the Royal Gardens to take in the ‘Elven Lightsingers’. Agnes approaches Dr Luigi, “I hear you’ve performed miracles with the Graf’s son. The city could also use your help. Any healing tips you care to offer?” Luigi is intrigued by the female, even if she is in Shallya vestments, “The boy has lived his life in misery. I but relax his troubled mind. Distractions rolling a coin over my fingers to hypnotize him and suggest calming words. I come from Tilea; sent for by the Graf I assume from my reputation. I do find the north more… interesting. I’ll stay as long as the pay allows. But these foolish northerners… haven’t had to deal with rats. Ah, I see you know what I mean. But we best not speak of such… else we might wake with our throats cut. The Graf? Poor man under a lot of stress and then to find his wife dead. That man needs a comfort woman.”

Rega approaches the Law Lord Joachim about rumors another Law Lord Ehrlich stepping down. “The man a fanatical alarmist; sees evil in every corner. Except for the obvious under his nose: such as the wizards bewitching the court, and the dwarves demanding status even thou they just low-class workers. It is we 3 Law Lords, the greatest minds in the city, who help steer the Graf as to what’s right for the city. And the man needs guidance considering his troubled mind over the death of his ‘wandering’ wife.” Joachim can’t see the sneer under the dwarf’s beard as Rega turns to Emmanuelle beside the Law Lord, “Surely there are more who advise the Graf than just these three. Have you no influence when you hold his third leg?” Guards drag the dwarf out of the garden and throw him into the streets as Joachim soothes the slandered lady, “Dwarves! Proves I was right supporting taxes against them.” Any chances Agnes has to chat with Emmanuelle, gone. The only gossip worth repeating: “Ar-Ulric not himself. He hasn’t been speaking out against the Sigmar Heresy. Too lenient with the Sons-of-Ulric. Puts his support behind the Graf.”

11pm: They arrive for their meeting with Natissa who sits in the smoke-filled den puffing on a hookah. She still hasn’t heard court gossip about a missing noble child. And still looks for the green-eyed women: Frau Kennar and Elise Kaltbultig. “You might want to confront the guards who are letting your green-eyed woman into the palace to supply Chancellor Sparsam with his ‘Ranald’s Delight’.” Agnes reveals Gotthard Wallenstein from a collapsed family castle to the south. Natiisa nonplussed, “Von Wittgenstein? A southern noble. Warpstone meteor? No wonder his father mutated to a cockroach. Nor surprised the Rats came to claim the stone. That’s what they worship. Yes, I’m aware of skaven… as long as we speak in private. A Temple to Slaneesh in his castle? I see Gotthard’s hedonistic ways haven’t changed. Maybe grown.”

Brandi changes the subject to Emmanuelle to which Natissa reveals, “She’s playing a dangerous game… as lover to both the Graf and the Ar-Ulric. She has lived all her life in the city. I heard she hung around with a cultist group known as the Jade Sceptor. Baron Henrich tried to stamp out their kind, till he was called away to the south.” Agnes reveals the jade necklace she ‘lifted’ from Gottard’s neck when she ‘spilled’ those glasses of wine. It is now Rega who remembers Gustof Reikhandler: the lawyer being pursued by Priests-of-Morr (Order Ultima- a hedonistic society), tattooed with a jade scepter. And the attack by flying skulls marked in charcoal with the phrase ‘In Constant Jade’. “Do you suppose…” Agnes ponders, “Was Anika also a member?” Natissa laughs, "You'd make a good accomplice for me. Yes, Anika was a member along with a few other nobles. Such as Felix Von Rosam."

Natissa continues, “You say barrels of ‘Estalian Mosca’? That can be found in the Tilean dens of ill-repute. Releases inhibitions… yes, something Slanessh followers would use.” Rega asks about the Law Lords to which she answers, “They are appointed by the Graf. Joachim has always been a straight shooter; always been vocal in support of the taxes. Erhlich was not, yet he hasn’t been seen for close to a month. Yes, his disappearance DOES coincide with the tax levy. He’s a bachelor who only has a 10-year-old niece, Reya.” It is now Rega connecting the dots, “Erhlich missing and unable to report his niece missing. I wonder if we search his house, if we’d find a similar doll?”

They reveal news of Dr. Luigi, for which Natissa confesses, “It was I who recommended him. You say he hypnotizes the boy and Dieter also hypnotized? On purpose? Why would the doctor be in support of the taxes? You’d need a hypnotist to break such spell. I do know Dieter likes to drink at the Show Boat tavern. Perhaps you could confront him there with another hypnotist.” Agnes smiles in understanding, “Some one is blackmailing the Ar-Ulric (about Emmanuelle) who took a vow of celibacy.”

Midnight: As they walk the streets back to the Templar’s Arm tavern, they first hear a window break, then see shadows running towards them. Two gutter-snipes running in fear, one dropped with a bolt to his back from a bowman within the building they escaped. Torchlight inside reveals the bowman’s ears stitched in a flap. It’s Karl escaping, “Johan’s captors!” As they rush forward, Katja twangs her own bolt that pierces the attacker’s bicep. Another bowman appears and hits Karl in his arm. Ymath moves forward to shield Agnes over the boy tending his wound as the others rush the building. The bowmen, obviously needing to reload, slam the door, out of sight.

Karl gasps to Agnes, “Beastmen! They came up from the floor… Rats!” Ymath passes his allies as he slams into the door, splintering the frame. Empty inside, stairs to his left up to a balcony overhand and more rooms. He moves to the door straight ahead and finds squatter bedding and 3 more dead gutter-snipe. Brandi next in and up the stairs, searching the rooms. Rega/ Katja/ Agnes step inside in time to see a side-door open and crossbow leveled at Ymath, “Lookout!” Miss. Ymath turns and charges… his swing hits the frame as the attacker retreats. Rega and Agnes check the door to the right in case another bowman tries to catch the ogre in crossfire. Empty. Katja assists Ymath, taking his kill. Not a rat… only a human wanna-be rat.

Brandi reports from above as he peers out a window, “No runners. They must still be inside.” Ymath strips the bowman, about to eat him, when Katja intercedes, “Give us chance to search him.” A leather bag tied round his neck includes 2 incisor teeth while his underarm tattooed with a yellow skaven triangle. As he waits, Ymath sees markings on the interior door, “What that say?” Katja cannot read. Rega appears, “Says ‘danger explosives.” Inside, a storeroom with lanterns, flasks of oil, and open crate with straw and 2 bombs remaining. Others obviously removed. From upstairs, Brandi calls Karl who was about to slip away, “All secure. Come tell us what happened.” Karl soon explains their hideout attacked by 4 men and one ratman, “Came out of a trapdoor in the kitchen. We thought it just the fruit cellar.” Brandi and Katja hand Karl silver taken from the dead, “Keep up the good work. We still need reports on the green-eyed woman.”

They have to drag Ymath away from the kitchen stove, trying to cook his Katja’s kill. They climb down into the cellar where they easily find a secret door. That opens into a 6ft tall tunnel clawed out with a dirt/mud floor. Their lanterns reveal tracks beside 2-lines… boot-prints of someone being drug away. 3-way branch with Rega tracking straight ahead till another 3-way branch. Tracks right lead to a brick wall. Katja finds the flagstone that opens unto the sewers below the city. Brandi retreats to the kitchen to retrieve a bench plank they use for Brandi and Agnes to cross to the opposite side of the sewer and its ledge.

Katja directs them left. Rega in the lead, stops when the prints disappear. He easily sees the outline of another door. But moaning ahead delays their entry and pursuit. They come upon a ghoul hacked and tortured… someone’s sadistic torment. Agnes puts it to death. They cautiously enter the secret door that opens to another tunnel. Torchlight just disappears around a corner. “Quiet. Let’s sneak up.” Katja suddenly grabs Rega’s shoulder, stopping him in his tracks and whispers, “Trip wire.” They call Brandi forward to disable. Voices ahead, around the corner.

Rega sneaks forward to see cultists (in rat-catcher outfits) throwing dice. Crude drawings of stick-figures in colorful garb on the wall that look like Gary and Brandi in ship-captain hats. Rega uses a bomb with a longer fuse, lights it out of sight then stealths forward with it behind his back before throwing it into the circle of cultist ratmen. “Boom!” They capture the lone survivor despite the ringing in their ears, despite having covered their ears.

Before they can revive their prisoner for questioning, 4 skaven approach from a distant tunnel with crossbows and blades. Rega throws another bomb (unlit) to intimidate. 2 skaven retreat while the other 2 engage Ymath. Thankfully they did not hear Agnes chastise the dwarf, “You fool, providing them a bomb?!” Katja sinks a bolt into one skaven’s brain while the ogre pummels the other into tunnel dust. Rega retrieves his bomb just as the 2 frightened skaven return. He draws his griffonfoot pistol and aims but Brandi steps in his way. Rega yields and lets the captain waylay the rat. Rega switches to his axe and throws. The lone skaven retreats to the dwarf’s screams, “Come back with my axe!” Katja obliges by dropping the rat with a bolt in its back.

Finally, peace. They gather the cultist bodies and realize all with sewn ears, skaven tattoo, and missing incisor teeth. Yet, in the distance, where the skaven came from, they hear faint sounds of chanting and screams of pain. Agnes wakes their prisoner with fire to his fingers. He refuses to speak till he sees Ymath calmly gather the parts of his blasted cult members and begin to eat. “We are making warpstone for the great Horned Rat. We will be the chosen ones when the rats arise. The screams you hear are the lifeforce offerings that fuel our warpstone creation. The drawings? The men who bring the crate we are to deliver to Skretth.”

The door behind them proves to be a holding cell. Empty and blood-splattered. The cultist laughs at their questioning. “Noble child? Oh, there are more sacrifices that fuel our offerings.” The cultist’s arrogance replaced with is own screams as Ymath tastes his fingers.

Next Session:  https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2022/06/s4e10-pbtt-family-passwords.html