S5E2 tHR- Does Anyone Believe in Skaven?

From the Beginning:  https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2021/06/s0e1-introductions.html

PCs: Agnes (Duane), Katja (Geoff), Venegrall (Tony), Rega (Bill), Gary (Matt), Ymath (absent)

“Heroes of Middenheim, members of ‘KITUM’: Kommission for Inquiries into Threats Unknown to Middenheim.

Beneath the City: Rega was reluctant but finally complied with Agnes’ call to release Gotthard from his manacles so she could tend his wounds: missing fingers bitten off, festering bite marks turning gangrene. He wandered in and out of consciousness, “You seem familiar.” Gary and the others tried to question him yet knew the Skaven would soon return. “How did you get down here? What did the rats want with you? Where is the diary?” Anxious for a dying confession they would not get. Venegrall channeled as he felt tension rising, “I hear rats scurrying. They return in numbers. Let’s go!” Katja gathered papers strewn at Gotthard’s feet while Ymath lifted the unconscious man, and Rega tossed a bomb down a side tunnel…”BOOM!” One tunnel collapsed but too many to deal with as they tried to retreat.

Skaven clung to ceiling holes as they poked their heads and gun barrels out aiming at Gary the closest, “Bang, Pow!” His shield up to block their projectiles. All expecting the warpstone green shot explosion from the barrels. Caught off-guard when electricity crackled across the cavalier’s metal armor. “YEEOCH!” Agnes twanged an arrow, Katja a bolt as Skaven boiled forth from the tunnels, one nipping at the ogres’ heel. He kicked it away and kept running. And that’s when sparks arched from Venegrall’s fingertips pointed at the skaven mass. A fireball explosion momentarily hid them from sight till the fire receded, revealing most skaven desperately trying to pat out fires across their leather armor. Enough delay for Agnes’ Orphans to get some separation in their retreat.

Rega Beat Blade [eliminate foes’ advantages] across his shield as he yelled dwarven cusses to slow their advance. But they were too numerous and he too slow. More arrows, bolt, and Gary’s Griffonfoot blast dropped a few rats but it was hard to tell considering the swarm pouring forth. Rega lit another bomb fuse and tossed it. [fail] But one skaven batted it away… into the rear tunnel which collapsed from the explosion, stopping further reinforcements.

Agnes had to yell at the ogre, “Go, go! We’ll catch up. Get Gotthard to safety… and DON’T eat him!” Rega was hit in the helmet (*) as he disengaged to join Agnes blocking the narrow passage to allow the others to escape. But the humans did not desert their allies. They fired around them and the wizard cast another fireball into the verminous horde. Soon they escaped unhindered. It did take longer to exit as they could not find the shaft down from ‘Heaven’s Lament’. Fortune they crossed paths with a sewer maintenance team who showed them the way out.

[* in 7 days the wound will fester for another 1d10 days]

Shallya Temple: They exited into sunrise. It had been a long night underground. They took Gotthard to the Shallya Temple for care and recovery. Maggots to eat away the gangrene, nurses to tend bandages. Gotthard recovered well enough to claim his status as a nobleman worthy of such care. At least now him well enough to answer their questions, “The rats said they had the stone but kept asking about great-great-uncle Dagmar’s calculations. No clue what stone they were talking about. My sister has my great-great-uncle Dagmar’s journals. I left because I got bored with all her experimenting on the villagers. She’s dead?! My mother and father too?” Instead of remorse, Gotthard beamed with knowledge, “Then the castle and the lands are all mine. I’ll reward you as soon as I can get those serfs under control. Here's an ‘IOU’, good as coin.” About the missing tax coffer, “I was against the taxes. I never saw any collections. To be honest, I was just in it for the fun. Who else can say they romped with the Graf’s queen? Partied every night? Oh, the life I had but sadly it has come to an end.”

Agnes’ Orphans spilled all about Gotthard to the Graf. But he not concerned about the blank ledgers found in Gotthard’s house, “I’ve already appointed another Kommissioner.”

They were still 2 days away from the announced Dieter and Kirsten wedding. Everyone invited… except Ymath. “We hope he understands but we are just simple commoners now and cannot afford him to eat us out of house and home at the celebration.”  

Agnes and Rega used some time to research at the library the papers found at Gotthrad’s feet in the rat tunnels. “That triangular symbol represents an orbit of the green moon Morrslieb.” Meanwhile, the others used the time to question the Health Kommission as to why kill cats when they control the rat population. “You sound just like those ‘Mad-Catters’. Well yes, almost every year we have an itching-pox outbreak. No, we’ve never blamed the cats in the past. Yes, it only lasts a few weeks. But then, consider… it repeats every year! If we eliminate the cats THIS time, then maybe, just maybe, we finally put an end to it. Just like Dr. Lindworm said.”

College: Agnes and Rega rejoined the others at the College of Scientology. Rega went alone to the college library to research the papers furthers. The others sought out the professor, “We understand some…specimen were brought in days ago by city guards per the Graf’s orders. We’d like to see the professor in charge.” The clerk looked down her nose thru her thick glasses, “Dr. Lindworm is not in right now. Professor Eunice Hasche is actually the one lecturing on the subject later today. But if you ask me, as Dr. L says, she’s ‘off her rocker’. Nonsense, blasphemous, could cause problems for the school if allowed to go thru with her public demonstration. But she has tenure.” Agnes and the wizard read the lecture ad to the others, “She calls the specimen a species ‘Rattus Homunculus’. At least she didn’t say the ‘Sk’ word. Perhaps we should seek her out.” As they walked, Venegrall explained, “Homunculus. No, not a size description as in huge. As in crafted. Didn’t you guys once say you saw a creature sewn together?”

Rega found that the triangular skaven symbol was but one of 3 known Morrslieb orbits. Thus, an edge of unpredictability. As he studied the 3 vertex of the symbol, he knew the one over the ‘Barren Hills’ they’d determined months ago. The other circled vertex lay near Ostland and the Middle Mountains. Whether Baron Henrich was sent on a political mission. And the mountains where the dwarves planned to travel to reclaim their underground city. The 3^rd vertex, un-circled, lay west of Middenheim, in Nordland. Where the ‘Sons-Of-Ulric’ proclaim hammers not allowed.

Professor Eunice Hasche : Meanwhile, the clerk led the others to the professor’s office. The door stenciled ‘Professor of Cryptozoology; Eunice Hasche.” They found her hunched over books on her desk. She already on the defensive, expecting more harassment, till Venegrall laid out a rope made of skaven-tails (Brandi’s collection). “I thought these might interest you. Found down south in the ‘Barren Hills’. We could have brought more found under your city, except there were too many to allow us time to collect. Let’s just say we take great interest in your work. Finally, someone to reveal the truth!”

Eunice excitedly jumped up at the good news to inspect the rope and to led them to her specimen. “These are my assistants, Karl and Gaius, who helped put the large rats into those barrels. We are preserving them in rum. Yes, they were delivered by guards on order from Marshall Schutzsmann. How do you know of them?” But first, she allowed her assistants to leave… lunch at a nearby bar. Only when them out of hearing-range did she actually use the word “Skaven. Proof that Manfred did not slay them all. There is rumor and theory they have tunnels throughout the earth. But first, I have to present my evidence to wake people to the truth: Emperor Mandred Skavenslayer did NOT slay all of the skaven. They still exist and fester and await time to emerge to once again catch mankind asleep.”

The wizard saw the problem, “Without this evidence, what hope have you to convince the world? Even your Dr. Lindworm is a skeptic. These men and women beside me have seen cultists within the city who support the Horned Rat king. It would be easy for the cultists to break in and remove your barrels. Then what? Perhaps you’d at least let us take one barrel to hide in our estate. Less eggs-in-one-basket as they say.” Eunice just happy someone believed her! “Sure.”

They departed for the bar to find the assistants. Verify they hadn’t been spreading any rumor of such evidence. Over offer of beers, the college grads admitted, “Are you crazy? US reveal such heresy or defy our instructor?! She’d kick us out of school and then what? I once tried to argue the specimen could just be a form of beastmen but quickly hushed. No, we just want to help her so she’ll sign our graduation slips. We haven’t heard any threats against her other than Dr. Lindworm being her most vocal critic. He teaches classes in Epidemiology; also tenured over a decade.”

Dr. Lindworm : They rushed back to the campus to find the doctor to confirm him not a cultist threat. Thin man with unruly mustache and glasses that hung on a bulbous nose. Him the proponent of the cat as itching-pox carrier. “I’m trying to do good for the city while my associate is just trying to bring disgrace to the college. What’s so hard to believe cats as carriers? Do they not cause you to sneeze, eyes itch? What more proof do you need?!” [the man and probably the world not knowing of allergies at this time] Venegrall heard enough blather and cast cantrips of ghostly cat meowing nearby just so he could watch Dr Lindworm jump in panic. Then the sound changed to the skittering of rats. Agnes used the antics to persuade Lindworm, “I actually have a cream to cure the itching. I’ll treat you with it if you’ll write a decree to the Health office to stop catching cats and let the rat-catchers get back to their original job of catching rats.”

As Ymath hefted the barrel thru the streets, all had to remind him, “DON’T DRINK the RUM!! Nor eat what is fermenting inside.” They then returned to the estate of Felix & Blanca Rosam to collect their reward for returning Gotthard. At least they got something for their troubles… Blanca off their backs and no more incessant whining of what they had done with Gottie. Agnes upset them not let inside; the butler handed them the reward. Agnes oh so wanted to enter to set fire to the place of sin and debauchery.

Schmiedehammer Wedding: It was a busy day for Dieter and Kirsten. Commoners hosting a wedding attended by the Graf himself. And his son Stefan with his doctor Luigi, princess Katarina and her chaperone Hilde, the Knight Eternal, Chancellor Sparsam, and Ulrich too. Gossip flowed with the wine: “Lean times ahead; I hear there is an outbreak of rats in the granaries to the southeast.” “Did you hear the Sons-Of-Ulric broke a backsmith’s leg for his refusal to lay down his hammer?” “Why is crown prince Wolfgang hiring troops down south? There is no war.” “I heard he plans the soldiers as his dowery. Can you believe… the husband, not the bride owing a dowery?!”

Agnes approached the chancellor, “So, how goes your drug rehab?” Sparsam admitted it a tough road, “Thankfully your temple offered care and treatment. But I’m glad to see you. Schultzmann told me about your… committee. He needs you to come by his office tomorrow, say 10am. I’ll be there too as I have something that might interest you and your committee. I’ve a clerk who found something suspicious.”

In the background, Brandi escorted Natasha as they stopped to talk with the bride. “I understand your sisters are ready to return to Altdorf. If I may be of service to escort the Jung sisters. I too must return to Altdorf and really Kemperbad where my/our barge operation is centered. Crack the whip and collect our profits.”

Next Day: Rega perked up at sight of another dwarf in Schultzmann’s office. “This is Modi Zargul, of the Engineer Guild. I’ll let him explain.” The dwarf straightened a stack of books behind him, “It seems a thief tried to lift some of our tomes of hard-earned lore regarding gunpowder. Fortunately, we caught her before she escaped. Found fingerprints on pages that dealt with cannons. We turned her over to the Cult of Morr to be thrown over the wall like trash. We suspect her in cahoots with Wasmeier’s organization. Well, no, we didn’t interrogate her. The guards killed her. Tomes in dwarven script; no man could read nor understand. Whatever they wanted with them…”

Gary was distracted by a rat smell. He edged closer to the books where he found rat droppings. Schultzmann apologized, “Sorry, ever since my cat disappeared days ago, I’ve had a rat problem.” Gary knelt to look closer, “Weird how they are grey and oily. Not like rat turds I’ve seen.” Rega inspected, pressing turds between his fingers and sniffing, “Oily like a lubricant. But a cheap oil at that. Do you have any machinery nearby? No? This is puzzling.” In the meantime, Agnes suggested Schultzmann “assign guards at Professor Hasche’s office to protect her specimen you had delivered.”

Sparsam interrupted their train of thought, “Glad you could come. You had asked about the taxes. Well, one of my chief accountants quit days ago. Retired. And that’s when another, younger, clerk happened to pull out the books to ready for the man’s replacement when she found discrepancies. She suspects fraud, and after looking over the books myself, I have to agree.” Venegrall apologized, “Can we take this up later? We need to hustle off to the walls to search a woman before she catapulted.” They arranged to meet at the counting house.

Shrine of Morr: Morr cultists saluted them with the sign of ‘Morr’s Shroud’: their hand began at the top of their face and was pulled down with open palm as the symbolic gesture when a corpse’s eyes are shut for the last time. “Have you come to pay respect for the passing of a loved one?” Agnes offered, “We understand you have a woman about to be catapulted over the wall. The one from the dwarf College of Engineering. Yes, her. We need to inspect her first.” They were led past covered bodies of itching pox victims about to be torched. The woman in question was being prepared in a separate room. No ‘purplehand’ tattoos, nor scars/branding of evil cults, but there was a pouch around her neck with one incisor tooth. One of her own. But her ears not clipped and stitched. Was she an acolyte wanna-be Rat-King cultist? More clues without reason. Did she have an accomplice who got away? Did they somehow copy the lore books?

Counting House: Knight Panthers had them remove all weapons before they allowed into the castle vault where Sparsam greeted them. “I think I have a lead on the missing tax money. My senior clerk Erich Kalzbad retired 2 days ago. Showed a letter from a mercantile business in Marionburg that offered him employment. Anyway, my assistant Katrine found discrepancies in the books.” A young, mousy clerk pushed glasses up her nose as she offered up a huge ledger. “Credits and Debits don’t match. Quite excessive amounts too. If you look closely, see, 1 gold weekly per man payment to a non-existent regiment. Here’s another case of fraud… payment for plague masks to a store in Gelbman whose owner is Piotr Paval Englebrecht.”

They hustled off to Kalzbad’s address hoping the accountant left clues behind in his rush to leave town. The teenage son the only one at home, “Father and mother both gone, days ago. Good riddance. Nobles in good standing yet they didn’t flaunt their position, no parties. Noses to the grindstone.” Rega made an excuse to search the house, “You father contacted us to pick up things he left behind.” The kids unconcerned, “Just be gone in 2 hours as that’s when the others are coming by to help me celebrate my freedom from parental tyranny.”

A family portrait at the top of the stairs… at least they now knew who to look for. The upstairs office still held the lingering smell of tobacco. But Venegrall also smelt brimstone, “Dark magic was used.” They poured over the desk and bookshelf till they found a coded message the wizard deciphered, “Declaration of Change. Seekers of truth will seek in vain. The architect of fate holds out 1 hand but he opens 9 eyes to gaze upon this ruined empire.” Agnes also found a receipt in the false bottom of the desk drawer, “Made out to Stifel Emporium for 3 gold and 14 silver. Could it be a death mask?” Rega puzzled, “9 eyes? Odd number. 9 separate entities or are there devil monsters with multiple eyes?”

As they returned to the front door, Rega asked the boy, “Did your parents travel by carriage?” His definite weird answer, “Actually, a group of men arrived with one of those chairs on poles, sedan chairs? The men carried himm away from the house and down the street, mother left a few days earlier. The men all had red-shield badges on their jackets.” Gary seemed to remember, “The Red Shield Company. Former soldiers, mercenaries. They hang out at the Sword and Flail tavern.”

Next Session: https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2022/07/s5e3-thr-anyone-else-hear-that.html