As late summer turned to autumn, an unexpected fellowship came together along the Old Imperial roads: Qavitrae, an elven quartermaster whose centuries of service showed in her careful poise; Thindruk Steelbone, a dwarven viscount burdened by whispered ties to the name “Kazzrik Lakkarsson”; Wanda Hahnemann, a seasoned bailiff unwilling to let lawlessness stand; Nora Abendroth, an ex-Blitzball champion hungry for adventure beyond the arena; and Felrick Flappan, a gnome bounty hunter quick to laugh—and quicker to notch an arrow.

A Broken Coach and Early Entanglements

Their journey south was fraught from the outset. When a coach axle cracked on a forest road, they trudged on foot to a coaching inn—only to contend with unscrupulous drivers overcharging for passage. A tense negotiation flared, ending in the party’s favor. That same night, they defended a noblewoman—Lady Isolde von Strüldorf—from her own brother’s attempt to force an unwanted marriage, driving him off with little more than tough words and swift blows.

Already, murmurings of Chaos lingered in the air: small hamlets rumored to be burned by witch hunters for cult activity, beasts prowling the highways. Then came the stray mention of “Kazzrik Lakkarsson,” a dwarven name oddly connected to Thindruk Steelbone. Someone—possibly a bounty hunter—was after him, armed with a letter offering bounties on “Lakkarsson” for reasons unknown. Though Thindruk kept silent, the group sensed the weight of a hidden identity.

Arrival in Altdorf: New Dangers

Reaching the imperial capital should have offered relief, but news came that the Crown Prince they sought had departed. Instead, Altdorf brought fresh perils. A tenacious bounty hunter named Adolphus Kuftsos stalked Thindruk, nearly taking him unawares in the city’s winding streets. In a frantic chase, Felrick loosed an arrow that crippled Kuftsos’s horse, forcing the man to flee on foot. Looting the saddlebags, the party uncovered more cryptic documents hinting at Thindruk’s secret heritage—and a mention of a “Magister Impedimenti,” linking him to some veiled plot.

Unwilling to face further ambush in Altdorf, they turned to Nora’s uncle, Josef, a river trader who welcomed them aboard his barge, the Berebeli. Under Josef’s watchful eye, they sailed from Altdorf with more questions than answers—chief among them who still hunted “Kazzrik Lakkarsson,” and why.

A Brief Respite in Weissbruck

The Berebeli’s route followed canals and rivers, leading the party to the bustling merchant town of Weissbruck. Word of chaos cults, odd murders, and the Emperor’s apparent distraction spread through dockside taverns, only deepening the group’s unease. A near run-in with local roadwardens underscored the tension lingering around Thindruk. Yet they avoided trouble long enough to continue their voyage—and to learn that a famous festival, the Schaffenfest, was in full swing downriver in Bögenhafen.

Bögenhafen’s Festive Façade

Upon arrival, the Schaffenfest appeared bright and lively—tourneys, colorful stalls, and carnival sideshows. But a lurking dread revealed itself when a three-legged goblin escaped Dr. Malthusius’s Zoocopia. Tracking the creature took them into Bögenhafen’s sewers, where they glimpsed an unsettling shrine, dark symbols, and signs of Ordo Septenarius, a shadowy circle of wealthy merchants. Rumors circulated that the city’s most influential families dabbled in sinister rites.

Matters worsened: the honorable Magistrate Heinz Richter fell prey to a lethal “purple brain fever,” ensuring no proper investigation could be launched. A terrified city counselor, Friedrich Magirius, offered half-confessions about the Ordo’s secret gatherings—only to be stabbed by an assassin before he could divulge anything definitive. Meanwhile, a strange figure named Gideon haunted the city’s upper circles: polite in public, yet radiating eerie power and mocking the party’s every advance.

The Ordo Septenarius Unmasked

Clues led to the Steinhager merchant offices, where covert basements housed more cult traces. By cornering a discontent Steinhager relative, the party learned of a coming midnight ritual at Warehouse 13. In desperation, they armed themselves with flammable liquors and bribes, drove out the warehouse laborers, and rigged the space with nets and hidden vantage points.

When night fell, robed merchants assembled around a bound victim, chanting incantations. At their head stood Johann Teugen, orchestrating a foul ceremony. Gideon prowled the shadows, smirking with otherworldly menace. The party launched their ambush with bottle bombs, arrows, and a surprise assault from above. Fires spread. Cult members panicked, incantations faltered. A demon materialized, attacking Wanda, while Gideon unleashed dark sorcery. But Felrick’s keen arrow struck true: Gideon collapsed in a blaze of violet flame, his monstrous form vanishing in a burst of arcane energy. At the same time, the demon facing Wanda lost its anchor to the mortal realm and flickered out.

Flight and Aftermath

With the warehouse ablaze and city guards converging, the group slipped away, saving the intended sacrifice but leaving several conspirators dead or scattered. Rushing to Magistrate Richter’s residence, they delivered a vital antidote that saved his life. Horror-struck, Richter vowed to hush up the city’s brush with Chaos—an open scandal could ruin Bögenhafen’s standing forever.

To thank them, he aided their escape. Granting them a small boat under discreet paperwork, Richter urged them to disappear. At first light, they rowed out, rejoining Josef near Weissbruck. Safely out of Bögenhafen, they shared a weary reunion, recounting how they extinguished a chaos cult but now carried a new weight: the Empire felt all the more dangerous, and Thindruk’s “Kazzrik Lakkarsson” secret still lay unresolved.

Where Their Paths Lead Next

Despite crippling the Ordo Septenarius, the city’s nobles remained shaken—and some foes yet lived to bear grudges. Kuftsos might still stalk Thindruk from the shadows. Chaos, it seemed, was never truly vanquished—merely stalled. Armed with a boat, fleeting wealth, and hard-won bonds of friendship, the party stood ready to navigate whatever perils the rivers and roads would bring. Their name spread from Altdorf’s taverns to Bögenhafen’s burnt warehouses, whispered in awe or fear. Season’s end found them at the edge of new horizons, uncertain but determined, bracing for the next chapter in their unfolding fate.

Chapter 1 Outline

I. BAND OF MISFITS: FORMATION & EARLY TROUBLES

  1. Origins and Road Travel

    • Party Members:
      • Qavitrae (elven quartermaster), Thindruk Steelbone (dwarven viscount, secretly Kazzrik Lakkarsson), Wanda Hahnemann (human bailiff), Nora Abendroth (human ex-Blitzballer), Felrick Flappan (gnome bounty hunter).
    • Broken Coach & Coach Inn
      • Leaving Delberz to answer a royal summons, they experience a coach breakdown on the Altdorf–Middenheim road.
      • At an inn, they fend off roguish coachmen overcharging them and intervene when a noblewoman’s brother attempts a forced marriage.
      • This small victory cements the group’s resolve—and their tendency to clash with opportunists.

  2. Rumblings of Chaos & Regional News

    • On the road, they hear ominous gossip: entire villages burned for alleged cult activity (Tewesville Furrier, Groomburg), sightings of beastmen, and a dreaded plague in Blutruk.
    • The party grows uneasy about the Empire’s lawlessness and budget cuts to road wardens, foreshadowing bigger threats ahead.

  3. Hints of Thindruk’s Double Identity

    • Strange incidents:
      • Thindruk receives cryptic letters tying him to “Kazzrik Lakkarsson,” who apparently inherits a title and wealth.
      • A dead dwarf near the road eerily resembles Thindruk and carries an affidavit pointing to Ubersreik and a large fortune.
      • Thindruk hides these facts, fearing a trap—and a bounty hunter, Adolphus Kuftsos, starts dogging the dwarf’s trail.

II. CITY OF ALTDORF: INTRIGUE & A GNOME’S ARROW

  1. Arrival in Altdorf

    • The Crown Prince (of Ostland) they hoped to meet has already departed. They seek new transport or leads on where to go next.
    • Altdorf’s bustling streets reveal a swirl of rumors: Emperor’s griffin out of control, possible wizardly upheavals, and the capital brimming with adventurers.

  2. Bounty Hunter Kuftsos & Lakkarsson Pursuit

    • Adolphus Kuftsos nearly ambushes Thindruk, who he believes is “Magister Impedimenti.”
    • The party chases Kuftsos through alleys. Felrick shoots Kuftsos’s horse, forcing him to flee on foot. They loot the saddlebags, discovering letters indicating Thindruk’s name is on a dangerous bounty list.
    • Kuftsos vanishes into the city, leaving the party on edge about future attacks.

  3. Meeting Nora’s Uncle Josef & The Berebeli

    • Tired of city hazards, the group embraces Josef’s offer to work on his river barge.
    • They ride the barge along the Reik, hoping to see Altdorf in their rearview—and escape suspicion from watch patrols or leftover Kuftsos allies.

III. PASSAGE TO WEISSBRUCK & GROWING TENSIONS

  1. Down the Reik & Canal Locks

    • Aboard The Berebeli, they handle minor crew tasks for pay and forging camaraderie. Tales from fellow river captains speak of banditry, wizards, and the Schaffenfest fair in Bögenhafen.
    • Thindruk grows secretive: each mention of “Kazzrik Lakkarsson” unsettles him. The group wonders if more bounty hunters lurk.

  2. Stop in Weissbruck

    • Weissbruck is a merchant boomtown, with expanding docks and watchful roadwardens.
    • Locals recount rumored chaos cults or bizarre murders, though no proof emerges. The party stays wary.
    • A near run-in with watch patrols: the party deflects deeper questions about Thindruk’s identity, avoiding any major confrontation.

  3. Continuing Onward

    • With Altdorf behind them, Kuftsos unaccounted for, and “Lakkarsson” still unresolved, the group stays focused on answering the Prince’s summons—leading them next to Bögenhafen.

IV. BÖGENHAFEN & THE SCHAUFFENFEST: FROM GOBLIN TO GUILDS

  1. Arriving at the Schaffenfest Fair

    • The group docks with Josef near festival grounds. Lively crowds celebrate: livestock markets, traveling shows, tournaments.
    • A bizarre three-legged goblin escapes from Dr. Malthusius’s sideshow. The party chases it through chaotic streets, then into the city sewers, where they glimpse hints of an occult shrine.

  2. Sewer Revelations & Ordo Septenarius

    • Venturing deeper in the sewers, they find rotting remains, strange symbols, and evidence of “Ordo Septenarius” scrawled on walls.
    • Disturbed, they realize local merchants might practice forbidden rituals. They also note possible tangential references to “Purple Hand” or “Chaos Taint,” though not fully certain.

  3. Local Power Players

    • They learn of merchant houses—Teugen, Steinhager, etc.—who wield influence. Furtive remarks link them to hush-hush gatherings.
    • Meanwhile, Magistrate Heinz Richter, an upstanding official, is soon struck by “purple brain fever,” leaving a moral vacuum just as the city needs leadership.

  4. Confrontation with Dr. Malthusius’s Goblin

    • They fulfill a bounty to recapture (or confirm the fate of) the three-legged goblin, unveiling more clues about oddities beneath Bögenhafen.
    • Tensions rise between them and unscrupulous guards, city officials, and cultist stooges who suspect the party knows too much.

V. ASSASSINS, SECRETS, AND BUILDING AN ALLIANCE

  1. Mansion Visits & The Lethal “Gideon”

    • Investigations point to Johann Teugen as head of a dark merchant society. Another figure, Gideon, surfaces—a handsome foreigner exuding eerie power.
    • During a stealthy infiltration of wealthy homes (like the Teugen mansion), Gideon corners them with menacing hints, then allows them to leave for unknown reasons.

  2. Steinhager Offices & Heinrich’s Betrayal

    • Searching clandestine basements under the Steinhager family building, the party finds hidden ritual spaces. They corner Heinrich Steinhager, who offers gold to remove his more dangerous kin.
    • Letters reference a major ritual soon: the “Ordo Septenarius” is preparing something dire in a certain warehouse. The party seizes documents confirming a midnight gathering.

  3. Counselor Magirius’s Partial Confession

    • A frightened city counselor, Friedrich Magirius, contacts them. He half-reveals the Ordo’s deeper layers but is stabbed by a disguised servant before finishing.
    • The assassin bleeds pinkish fluid, cackles, and vanishes in a puff of sorcerous energy—deepening the group’s fear of demonic infiltration.
    • Framed for Magirius’s murder, the party flees into the night, furthering their outlaw status.

  4. Magistrate Richter’s Poisoning

    • They rush to the gravely ill Magistrate, discovering he was deliberately poisoned to cripple honest law enforcement.
    • Procuring an apothecary’s help, they promise to find a remedy for “purple brain fever.” The fate of Bögenhafen’s only trustworthy authority hangs in the balance.

VI. WAREHOUSE 13: THE FINAL RITUAL & GIDEON’S DOWNFALL

  1. Ambush Preparations

    • Convinced the climactic ritual is at Warehouse 13, they gather black-market flasks, flammable liquor, grappling hooks, and arrange vantage points overhead.
    • They chase out hired stevedores with intimidation and bribes, rigging cargo nets and potential fires to sabotage the ceremony.

  2. Ceremony Night & Demon Emergence

    • At midnight, robed merchants (Ordo Septenarius) arrive with a bound sacrifice. Johann Teugen leads a vile incantation, while Gideon lurks in the shadows.
    • The party springs their trap: bombs ignite crates, crossbow bolts skewer cultists, and the circle is disturbed. Gideon reveals demonic powers, summoning at least one monstrous entity. Pink-blue sorcerous flames swirl.

  3. Chaos of Battle

    • Nora leaps from the rafters dropping flaming bottles, Wanda fights a manifested demon hand-to-hand, Thindruk and Qavitrae pick off cultists with bow or blade, and Felrick hunts Gideon at range.
    • The warehouse catches fire. Cult members flee, or die. One demon implodes under Wanda’s resistance.
    • Gideon tries escaping. Felrick shoots a lethal arrow into him. Gideon’s mortal facade collapses in an explosive discharge of arcane energy, annihilating bystanders.

  4. Surviving & Departing

    • The group frees the captive victim, grabs incriminating items (ritual books, letters), and escapes before guards swarm the burning site.
    • Ousting the Ordo Septenarius ends the immediate threat, but the city is left in chaos.

VII. EPILOGUE: LEAVING BÖGENHAFEN & THE ROAD AHEAD

  1. Healing the Magistrate

    • They deliver the antidote. Magistrate Heinz Richter recovers, horrified to learn how close the city came to a demonic incursion.
    • He hushes the scandal to preserve Bögenhafen’s charter, awarding the party a small riverboat so they can quietly depart.

  2. Return to Weissbruck & Josef’s Aid

    • Fleeing accusations (and new conspiracies), they rendezvous with Uncle Josef in Weissbruck. He is relieved at their survival.
    • Freed from immediate danger, they reflect on the horrors they faced and consider next steps.
    • Thindruk (Kazzrik Lakkarsson) still bears those inheritance documents, uneasy about potential bounty hunters. None but the party know how big that secret might loom.

  3. Loose Threads and Future Paths

    • Though the Ordo Septenarius was crushed, references to deeper Chaos infiltration linger.
    • Altdorf’s intrigues remain partially unresolved; Adolphus Kuftsos could resurface.
    • The party’s new boat offers a chance to roam the Empire’s rivers. Meanwhile, Thindruk’s rumored fortune in Ubersreik—if real—beckons, but so does the risk of more cunning foes.

  4. Chapter 1 Close

    • The heroes sail on, forging a new reputation after stamping out a vile cult.
    • Yet Chaos, hidden powers, and the Lakkarsson puzzle remain. Their first great trial ended in flame and shadow—but many trials await.

Final Note

Throughout Chapter 1, the group overcame:

  • Initial adversity on the road, meeting each other’s fighting spirit.
  • Altdorf’s bounty-hunter cat-and-mouse fiasco, overshadowed by Thindruk’s secret identity.
  • Weissbruck watchful stares and rumors hinting at broader chaos in the Empire.
  • Bögenhafen’s chilling infiltration of cult merchants, culminating in a fiery showdown at Warehouse 13.
  • The rescue (and hush-up) by Magistrate Heinz Richter, then a stealthy exit to the next horizon.

All these arcs define their shared journey—Chapter 1—laying the foundation for new dangers and revelations yet to come.