S5E12 tHR- Odd Smell in Altmarkt

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

PCs: Agnes (Duane), Venegral (Tony), Mor (Bill), Gary (Matt)

[Mor still dealing with a sewer head wound, and most recent: Ratte Fever (rabies) from the filthy Rat-Ogre claws.]

ReCap: They recovered the Helm of Mandred, a theft orchestrated by skaven-wanna-be cultist students. But in the process, came upon a skaven map proclaiming the Brass Keep the site of a ‘Crystal of Immortality’. All of the stolen books suggest the skaven plan to assault the Keep to wrestle control from the Nurgle occupiers.

Odd Smell: Schutzmann coordinated their coming meeting with the Graf, “Wear your finest. But in the meantime, I need you to follow-up on a report of an odd smell in the Altmarkt. The Ratters’ Guild gave the all-clear, but with your suspicions of their efforts, I want a 2^nd opinion.”

They arrived at the Guild where they found a new secretary but the same halfling proprietor (Jacko Warble) in the back who welcomed them. “You must be talking about Lachmann’s Victuals in Altmarkt. Our ratter and his terrier were sent to investigate. I’ll send for him.” Thal Bohnee arrived and repeated his report, “Rodent smell, stronger in the basement. Found a hairline crack in the basement wall separating a residence next door. But my dog ‘First’ and I didn’t find droppings or other signs. I put traps out and just returned from checking them. Empty. I’m thinking maybe some of his crates saturated with rat piss. I signed off the notice but suggested the owner replace the crates.”

Lachmann’s Victuals: They arrived in time to overhear an overweight customer exiting with complaints of spoiled meat. The proprietor (Johann Lachmann) insisted, “I was cleared by the Ratter’s Guild. Here’s the papers!” Venegral acted as another customer, “I was about to order food for a gathering, but…” Johann offered, “I just got fresh lobster I can offer for your Wizard Guild meeting. Come in, let me show you.” The rodent smell obvious… the owner obviously too accustomed to the smell. The group descended to the cellar where the smell stronger. They found the crack in the wall. Johann explained, “Leo Kramer lives next door although I haven’t seen him for almost a year. He rents outs but the tenants don’t stick around long. Last occupied a month ago.”

Venegral offered to clear his image, “What say you… 10 gold if we can find and rid you of the smell.” The neighboring 2-story townhouse was deserted. Venegral rolled his fingers and the door magically unlocked. He sniffed the air but did not sense ‘Winds of Dhar’. Inside: almost an inch of dust undisturbed. No footprint traffic. They followed the rodent smell coming from the kitchen where they found an archway recently bricked up. Agnes hovered around a dinnerware hutch where the smell strongest, and squeaking sounds just audible under dusty plates. They moved the hutch and found a metal grate in the floor. Venegral almost puked at the smell.

Waving a lantern over the grate, they spied countless ratmen below, their dark-furred mass gnawing on each other in the throes of ‘Death-Hunger’. One heard the humans above speak of pouring oil and lighting it. “Man-thing, let me out and I’ll make it worthwhile.” His squeaky words cut short as Venegral cast ‘blast’ into the close quarters along with magical darts to silence the masses. Meanwhile, Agnes was too interested in the bricked archway. She swung her Warhammer to break through. And found an emaciated body with fingernails scrapped to the bone and a face frozen in a permanent scream. “I think I found the missing owner, Leo Kramer. At least a year dead.” Their search upstairs showed evidence students had resided. “I wonder if they more of the wanna-be cultists without incisor teeth?”

They smelled smoke and rushed downstairs to the kitchen only to find the mass of dead ratmen burning. “Great, so much for more skaven evidence to bring to Schutzmann and the Graf. And now the stench of burnt rat fur added to the rodent smell.” Venegral cast ‘rain’ to put out the fire, “I can also smell an accelerant. Someone snuck in to burn the evidence.” They sent Johann to bring Thal and Schutzmann. Thal first to arrive, “I’ve seen big rats before. You’ve heard the clerics of Ulric… you don’t disparage the history of Mandred eliminating all skaven.” Schutzmann arrived to add, “Sounds like gutter-runners hired to cover it up.”

Graf’s Court: Long days passed as they waited for their appointment with the Graf. The day finally come as they were led by Hausmaster Brugal to the waiting chamber outside the court. A middle-aged noble already in waiting blustered at their arrival and their less-than-noble attire. Pompous as he waxed his long mustache and dipped his pinky finger into his snuff box as he was finally called forward. Mor edged toward an air vent to listen in on the conversation from the next room. “Count Von Hellstein, your callup of men to the borders is excessive.” But the Count retorted, “My Lord, the borders of the Northlanders and Reikland swarm with soldiers ever since the Boganhafen carnival events.”

Mor acted casual when another noble entered the waiting chamber. Even more pompous in his attitude toward Agnes’ Orphans. “You, servants. Fetch me a drink and pillow for my feet. I, Karburdger, last of my family, am next to be seen by the Lord.” Venegral corrected him, “You are mistaken. We, the Lord’s right hand and Agnes his Champion have his ear next. YOU can wait out here. Get your own damn pillow.” The man stormed off in a huff.

When they were finally called forward, they found the Graf surrounded by a court of: Knight Panthers, his daughter Katarina, the White-Wolf of Ulric, Schutzmann, and the Knight Eternal (who winked at Katja and Agnes as if they courtesans for his pleasure). It was the Graf who toasted, “To the dwarf Rega for his sacrifice to the kingdom. Now tell me, what news do you bring? I understand you returned the Helm.”

Their news of skaven was met with skepticism by the Knight Eternal and disdain from the White-Wolf of Ulric. “How dare you disparage the honor of Mandred!” Venegral offered a handshake with the Knight Eternal (sleep spell) and wound up easing the snoring man into a chair. He asked forgiveness from the Graf “to limit the interruptions.” Tense moments as everyone expected the Panthers to be called to remove the wizard. But the Graf chuckled, “I like to keep him near as a voice of doubt, but he does tend to get too vocal. As you were saying. What are the… rats planning?” (Words chosen to ease the discomfort of his council, the White-Wolf of Ulric.)

Agnes opened her backpack and pulled out maps, cryptic notes, and the skaven map drawn on human flesh. “This last map talks about a ‘Crystal of Immortality’ in the Brass Keep. From the list of stolen books, to include battle plans to assault the keep, and a dwarven book about black powder, we believe the ska… the rats… plan to wrestle control of the Keep from the Nurgle occupiers. They time their assault per the cycle of Morrslieb as computed by one of your esteemed astronomers. With his notes stolen, he is to re-compute the date for us. But it is clear the rats intend to undermine your reign. If not the entire kingdom!”

The Graf listened with interest, “Yes, I’ve heard concern from others about the Brass Keep. The noble who controls the land is outside the doors about to give his report.” The wizard gulped at knowledge that man huffed off, “Uh, my Lord, I think the noble couldn’t wait. Perhaps we could journey to the keep to be additional eyes.” And that is when the Knight Eternal woke, “Yes, send them out of the city! They can take resupplies to the watch.”

With Schutzmann at his ear, the Graf concurred, “A charter is being drafted as to such orders. But while you are out there, check into other news. There was a miner’s body from the town of Unterfraus (south of the keep) delivered to our Temple of Mor. The body strange, green-tinged wounds. Also, Baron Holzbek, in the village of Gladbeich along the path to Unterfraus, requested assistance as his troops are fighting goblins (accompanied by rat-faced mutants) in the mountains.”

It took another day for the charter to be drafted. Time for their old spy contact, Natissa, to learn of their coming travel. “Take me along. I want to go further east to checkup on the Graf’s bastard son, Henryk Tödbringer, at the border. I’ve also heard rumors the Emperor in Alfdorf mandated that mutant decree so his son could come out of hiding in Castle Reikguard. The people of Alfdorf claim it is an Emperor’s double that parades in the streets.” 

Next Session: https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2022/10/s5e13-thr-corrupted-minds-and-monsters.html