Summary

EMPIRE IN RUINS

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/06/s6e14-eir-conclusion.html

S6E14 EIR- Conclusion: No-one in their right mind thought the ceremony would go off without a hitch! But we didn’t suspect… you’ll have to read it to believe it!! 

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/06/s6e13-eir-grave-matters-indeed.html

S6E13 EIR- Grave matters Indeed: Not only do they take on the daemonic Hellcannon and its horde of Chaos Dwarfs and Zombies, they also deal with the GraveLord and a Necrofex Colossus! Once they have helped break the siege of Middenheim, they climb aboard the airship and fly to Altdorf to heal Emperor Franz with the restore Ghal Maraz hammer of Sigmar. Surprise and query that Gideon sent a squad of soldiers to aid their interruption by cultists. What plot does Gideon have in store for the coming ceremony where Crown Prince Wolfgang will publicly hand over Ghal Maraz to Emperor Franz?!

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/05/s6e12-eir-restoring-ghal-maraz.html

S6E12 EIR- Restoring Ghal Maraz: Gideon played with them sailing towards Altdorf, throwing beastmen cannoneers and aquatic marines at their boat while he opened a portal on their deck bringing forth a Gor and Drider to test their resolve. Yet somehow Agnes’ Orphans lived to see Altdorf where the green veil of Morslieb played upon the sanity of its people. They rode hard to Middenheim for the restoring powers of the Temple of Ulric’s fire. Yet even then, Chaos boiled over the land in an army ready to lay siege to the city while Skaven erupted from their underground lairs to attack within the city. 

Agnes’ Orphans dared to fend off skaven minigun ratlingers, a Grey Seer, and two rat-Ogres that dared to breach the walls of the sanctuary in an effort to stop Agnes. Thou they stood their ground and won the hour, a horrific “BOOM” and screams from the east gate disproved every Middenheim’s belief the walls could withstand any assault. A chaos Hellcannon proved them wrong! While Prince Henryk survived his gut wound from a rat-Ogre, Middenheim was about to suffer an even greater gut punch if not disembowelment.

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/05/s6e11-eir-exit-stage-left-i-said-left.html

S6E11 EIR- Exit, Stage Left: It's a fast retreat through the hidden valley as the magical disruption is gone once Sigmar's hammer (Ghal Maraz) is removed from its pedestal. The waterfall now flows downward, the cave collapses in their retreat, the goblins and their squigs attack, yet they make it to Nuln where they are attacked by flying mutants. Back on the barge sailing north to Kemperbad where they pick up the Wanderer (the traveling zombie), only to see an evil boat FLYing towards them!

GM’s Version: After escaping the gorge with the hammer, the goblins ambushed them and Agnes lost 2 resilience points fighting a colossal squig. They are racing towards Middenheim to renew the hammer. The wizard Venegral sees tears in reality above major cities as the realm of chaos is piercing the veil and merging with the world.

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/05/s6e10-eir-winds-of-dhar.html

S6E10 EIR- Winds of Dhar: As they travel deeper into the gorge, they encounter time-warped scenes such as the tents that look recent yet hold items hundreds of years old. The waterfall that flows upwards is just as confounding. They follow the Winds-of-Dhar from cavern to cavern as they confront obstacles: the molten gold pond and its demonic Kanku bird, buffeting hurricane force winds and swarms of poisonous snakes, a river teaming with zombies that try to sink their skull-craft. Even a labyrinth home of minotaur. And should I mention Pink and Blue Horrors?! Yet in the end, as foretold by the goblin shaman, they find Ghal Maraz. Agnes the champion who extracts it from its pedestal. Now onward back to Middenheim and the fires of the Temple of Ulric to restore some of its lost magical properties.

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/04/s6e9-eir-paintings-on-wall.html

S6E9 EIR- Paintings on the Wall: They journeyed thru the Black Fire Pass, past watch-towers, and a Sigmar Temple. The winds of Dhar lingered around 8 bandits slain against the rocks. “Supernatural. No animal I know of could have done this.” They turned east at the 3-Mothers statues and found the mine entrance they sought. Chaos magic to explain the 2 dead men locked in their death struggle (one choking the other who plunged a dagger into his assailant). They dug out the rockfall to gain access to a hidden valley gorge beyond. They inched along the narrow footpath cut along the sheer cliffs. Camp interrupted by ‘Night Goblins’ and flying ‘Doom Divers’.

Wall paintings recorded Sigmar’s battle with the Orc leader Bloodfang. Another painting recorded Agnes’ Orphans changing membership, as if someone monitored their journey. Their passage blocked by a gap created by dynamiting. Progress required their dealing with goblins who sought human aid to their leadership problems. The shaman Cruzzik asked, “If you kill him…” Counter-offered by the seer Moongobba, “if you kill him…” Agnes reasoned to send Mansplatta on his desired assault on dwarves that satisfied the shaman who showed them the pass around the dynamited gap. They continued in descent to the valley floor river and soon heard the waterfall rumored to be when Sigmar passed.

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/04/s6e8-eir-horse-whisperer.html

S6E8 EIR- Horse Whisperer: Audience with countess Emmanuelle Von Liebwitz in Nuln, where local Purplehand members curse Gary as the Liebrung traitor. “You betrayed us!” As they secure passage thru the countess’ lands, she tells of her General Marius Lietdorf in Averheim, “Brilliant tactician but seeks counsel from his horse Daisy.” She also mentions a new mine being excavated in the Black Fire Pass by the Three-Mother’s Consortium, led by Horatio Schaffenfried. The noble in Boganhaffen who had summoned the demon!

Traveling east along the Aver River, they quell an assault on northern villagers, then come upon Marius blockading the river. Which gives Venegral chance to be Daisy’s horse-whisperer to pass along the emperor’s decree for the opposing forces to withdraw. Onward into the Black Fire Pass where they briefly encounter Gideon. Starving mining survivors tell of goblins with mechanical wings. Dwarves tell their version of Sigmar’s presence in the mountains: how he went underground with his hammer. Warning that only the purest can wield the hammer IF it is still in this world.

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/04/s6e7-eir-painted-traveler.html

S6e7 EIR- The Painted Traveler: After wading thru the horde of beastmen, they herd the survivors aboard the barge as they sail south to Kemperbad where they deposit the refugees and replenish supplies. And repair armor (sacrificed to critical hits). They learn “Lord Leitdorf is organizing forces to strike the border town of Strassen. Some kind of grievance.” At Castle Wittgenstwin, they find the Purple Traveler as told in the book Gary carried (Tales of the Dead is about a zombie from the south passing advice). The wood golem (with metal mask) recounts the history of Sigmar’s hammer lost eons ago. If the hammer is still around, it would have lost some of its magical properties by now. Gary suggests, “Wouldn’t the Fires of Ulric replenish the hammer?”

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/03/s6e6-eir-boatful-of-bull.html

S6E6 EIR- A Boatful of Bull: South in pursuit of the real Ghal Maraz, per leads fed by Quintus Fassbinder. A boat stop just short of Kemperbad proves to be a city (Diesdorff) about to be sieged by beastmen arriving by barges.

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/03/s6e5-eir-bride-wore-red.html

S6E5 EIR- The Bride Wore Red: Agnes stood at the altar as bridesmaid next to Crown Prince Wolfgang as Graf Boris Todbringer escorted his daughter Katarina down the aisle with Gary in ceremonial armor carrying a banner of Ulric. A formal wedding turned chaos as Malthe Barthelm (son of a Nordland general leading the loyalists against the rebellious) stepped forward to shout, “Death to the Todbringers and oppressors of Nordland!” followed by the echo of his pistol as Katarina slumped dead beside her father, now bathed in her splattered blood. At the same time, winds of Dhar sprang from a side door where Law Lord Karl Von Wasmeir entered to channel a portal from which Fiery Horrors emerged. And that my dear to Crown Prince Wolfgang is your first lesson of Chaos!

A fractured alliance of the realms of the empire tried to reason at the evening conclave. Emperor Karl Franz brough his grand Warhammer, Ghal Maraz, while Graf Boris Todbringer escorted wore his fabled sword, Runefang, at his side. Till the Graf heard enough of the squabbling and discontent before he raised his sword to strike at the emperor wielding his Warhammer. Sparks and blinding light subsided to reveal Ghal Maraz shattered in pieces. Just like the emperor: a fake. Yet seen by Ar-Ulric as proof, “The splintering of the hammer proof Sigmar was not a god.” The empire in ruin!

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/03/s6e4-eir-united-in-their-fracture.html

S6E4 EIR- United in Fracture: the Emperor's nephew, Crown Prince Wolfgang Holswig-Abenhauer, proved to be a worthy groom for the coming marriage to princess Katarina of Middenheim. Suspicious fell upon his 9 tutors who omitted lessons on the threat to the empire from Chaos, such as Tzeentch (associated with 9 eyes) and the prophecy of its cultists followers who want to bring forth the Champion-in-Shadows who in turn will bring about the End-of-Time. His tutor Kathe Ruttman linked as one of those cultists as revealed by another tutor Wolfie Jessner worried some of the other tutors linked to Chaos. Within tutor Gustav Klaus’s room, they found the smashed golden mirror counter-part to the magic mirror (used to converse with those skaven) discovered in Karak Skygg.

On the ride to Altdorf, they captured a halfling follower bearing a letter from Solland (one of the southernmost provinces no longer under empire rule) that implied spying and treasonous acts. Solland uniforms to be delivered to a Fione Thresher of Pfieldorf (old capital of Solland). [Did they plan a delegation to attend the coming wedding? Or more nefarious intent?]

A parade devised as an opportunity to show unity quickly fell into opposition as representatives of Middenheim and Altdorf prayed separately to their own gods (Sigmar and Ulric respectively). Fortune the elf overheard (lip read)  Emmanuelle Von Liebwitz (elector count from Nuln) accuse the present emperor as an imposter. As confirmed by the impostor’s confession to his High Lord Ambassador Graf Holzkrug, doubting he could continue to fool people. Confirmation of all those rumors of the real emperor sick and in hiding per Graf Holzkrug’s comment, “He's getting worse.”

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-oldenhaller-contract.html

S6E3b- The Oldenhaller Contract: The Nurgle gem that started it all in Nuln. Pre-Gen characters since Duane vacationing in Hawaii.

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/01/s6e3-eir-nine-eyes.html

S6E3 EIR- Nine Eyes have Seen the Glory of the Coming: A week in Altdorf to train (endeavors), they ride to Castle Reikguard to meet the crown prince Wolfgang. A VERY cloistered student getting daily training from select tutors. The prince no mutant. In fact, the prince VERY open-minded on political and social views: A worthy match for princess Katarina as he too seeks marriage for the unity of the empire.

But a casual slip-of-the-tongue reference about his tutors, “His 9 tutors have opened his eyes.” Nine the number associated with Tzeentch, tutors grouped in 3: the number associated with Nurgle (the 3^rd Chaos god). Venegral’s discovery the library has no books about Chaos, “Shouldn’t you know your enemy?” A search of a tutor’s book collection reveals a fiery beast of Chaos. Knowledge being withheld from the prince, being trained with blinders on!

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/01/s6e2-eir-we-all-must-make-sacrifices.html

S6E2 EIR- We All Must Make Sacrifices: The southbound caravan consisted of (Katarina, baron Heinrich, their father the Graf, his captain of the Knight Panthers-Veiran Thurgenheim, Ar-Ulric, and a dozen Knight Panthers, along with the heroes. They break up a toll bridge harassment by Ulricians on their way to the Shining Rock Shrine. Where they meet the Grand Theoginist and Altdorfian diplomats. And also find Elvyra (reformed Thieves’ guild poisoner… is she reformed?) who is now personal pharmacist to the Grand Theogonist.

But the Sons-of-Ulric attack, trying to break up the show of unity between the religions. After wounds healed, the baron tasks the heroes with journeying to Castle Reikguard to announce Katarina’s acceptance of marriage. But also for them to evaluate the crown prince… measure his intent and worthiness.

https://rigglewwh.blogspot.com/2023/01/s6e1-eir-you-call-yourselves-diplomats.html

S6E1 EIR- You call yourselves Diplomats: Nordland marauders pillaging the lands to the east are the Graf's immediate concern. But the Altdorf contingent of unlikely diplomats doesn't make things easier. Nor does Ar-Ulric Valgeir's lack of control of the Sons-of-Ulric who take great pleasure at driving out all worshipers of "the false god Sigmar." Does the Grand Theogonous really expect a show of unity between Ulricians and Sigmarites at the Shining Rock to really happen? Or the marriage proposal of the Emperor's son (prince) to Katarina likely to smooth the waters of discontent? Has Katarina listened to the rumors of the prince a mutant with wings and tail? Who is behind all these discording rumors that surely fracture any chance of unity within the realm?! Gideon?

THE HORNED RAT

S5E19 tHR- Who Invited You? Homeward bound aboard Baron Heinrich's airship. Soon attacked by the GraveLord's force of undead griffon/skeletons/and undead flying Triceratops! Later, they spy Nordlander militia marauding across the land, engaged by Karzburdger forces. The baron not willing to lend aid. Later, missile attack from a Hellstorm Launcher, manned by Nordlanders with map detailing the flight of the airship! Who leaked the route?

S5E18 tHR- Bad Moon Arising: They foil the skaven plan to shoot down Morrslieb... with their corkscrew weapon fueled by the missing warpstone meteorite! And in the process, find the captured Deputy High Wizard, Janna Eberhauer, with tongue cut out. And a magic mirror with the brief image of a human collaborator working with the skaven!

S5E17 tHR- Silence of the Bell: They witnessed a sudden skaven assault on the Brass Keep. And silenced the skaven Screaming Bell. But realized there HAD to be more to the skaven effort. Was this just a dry-run to expose Nurgle weaknesses? Or to test their long-range corkscrew lightning weapon? Surely there had to be more to all their underground tunneling. They journeyed to the old dwarven stronghold of Karak Skygg in pursuit of answers.

S5E16 tHR- Not So Ready on the Picket Line: They found the Picket-Line defenses woefully lacking in readiness. And uncovered collusion between the Quartermaster and First Sergeant that explained the missing Karzburdger gunpowder barrels: The Sgt pushed for use of a cheaper supplier and thus 'cooked' books to hide the embezzlement. Which meant the real gunpowder in the hands of skaven per triangulated explosions that sounded around the dwarven realm of Karak Skygg. But that matter of little importance now as the peel of a skaven Screaming Bell transformed picket soldiers into skaven as the start of a true assault as a thousand skaven poured out of tunnels and charged up the hill toward the Keep.

S5E15 tHR- March of the Zombies: They survived an ambush by the skaven assassin and finally dispatched him. And came upon another village where ghouls and zombies climbed out of  the cemetery graves. Raised and driven northeast by the GraveLord!

S5E14 tHR- Careful What You Look For: Mor insisted they search for the mutated Griffon's nest. Where indeed they found evidence of skaven willful killing the hatchlings. But one egg remained which Mor intended to deliver to another griffon nest. Along the way, they found the mining town of Unterfraus deserted. Skaven had overrun the town and driven the survivors underground as slaves to help with tunneling. They found gunpowder barrels with the Karzburdger seal being used by the skaven. All the while triangulating distant explosions. They returned to Middenheim to report, only to be sent out by princess Katarina per charter to investigate the Brass Keep within the Karzburdger zone.

S5E13 tHR- Corrupted Minds and Monsters: An Unterfraus miner died enroute to Middenheim with strange, corkscrew shaped wounds. A late-night visit by princess Katarina pressed them to journey northeast to privately gain support from baron Karzburdger to shore up the borders with Nordlanders who threaten separation from the empire. Enroute, they come upon a waring party of Nordlanders sent to stir up trouble. After dispatching them, they release the lone survivor to report back to his ruler their mistake. Meanwhile, they come upon a town threatened by an enraged beast. They are enlisted to hunt the beast which turned out to be a wounded/mutated Griffon with its own corkscrew wound. They attacked by skaven wielding Warp-Grinder rifles!

S5E12 tHR- Odd Smell in Altmarkt: 

S5E11 tHR- Festering Wounds:

S5E10 tHR- Chasing Bhar Beneath the City: 

S5E9 tHR- Lost Channeling: 

S5E8 tHR- Exit, Stage Left…Right into Trouble!:

S5E7 tHR- Cleansing the Forest of Evil: 

S5E6 tHR- Purple Rain:

S5E5 tHR-Brood Over This:

S5E4 tHR-Questioning the Sewer Jacks’ Loyalty:

S5E3 tHR-Anyone else hear that:

S5E2 tHR-Does Anyone Believe in Skaven:

S5E1 tHR- Where oh Where is Gotthard: