As the sun began to dip towards the horizon, casting long shadows across the well-trodden Altdorf-Middenheim road, the unlikely band of adventurers found themselves in a race against the fading light. Qavitrae, the seasoned wood elf; Thundruk Steelbone, the dwarf with a viscount’s lineage; Felrick Flappan, the gnome bounty hunter; Wanda Hahnemann, the steadfast bailiff; and Nora Abendroth, the Blitzball star turned adventurer, had set out from their Middenlander village of Delberz with a singular purpose - to answer the summons of the Prince of Ostland in Altdorf.

However, fate had other plans. Their coach, operated by the Four Seasons company, had broken down, forcing the group to proceed on foot. As they nervously discussed the dangers that lurked in the shadows of the forest - beastmen, orcs, goblins, dire wolves, bandits, and monsters - Nora’s keen eyes spotted a stag ahead, a sign that, for the moment, no predators threatened their path.

Relief washed over the party as they came upon a coaching inn, a beacon of respite in the darkening landscape. The older man who greeted them at the gate, upon learning of their coach’s misfortune, directed them to the bar to seek out Gustav for a room and a hot meal.

Inside, the bar room buzzed with life. Two men, one heavyset and the other thin, manned the bar. In the middle of the room, two patrons laughed boisterously as one regaled the other with a tale. A young noble lady, accompanied by her mousy teenage companion and a formidable bodyguard, enjoyed a light repast of cheese and grapes in the corner. By the fire, a young man sat engrossed in a book, oblivious to the chatter around him. And at the bar, a handsome foreigner entertained the bartenders with idle card tricks.

Thindruk, ever the generous soul, offered to buy a round for his companions. But before he could reach for his coin, the heavyset bartender welcomed them with a free round of ales and inquired about their journey. Upon learning of their plight and their need for swift passage to Altdorf, he pointed out two other patrons, Gunnar and Holt, coachmen set to depart in the morning.

As Thindruk went to negotiate passage, Felrick’s keen eyes noticed the Bretonnian man, Felipe Descartes, take particular interest when the crown prince was mentioned. Qavitrae, intrigued, struck up a conversation with Felipe, bonding over their shared experiences in Bretonnia and the horrors of the Chaos Wars.

Meanwhile, Wanda approached the young man reading by the fire, Ernst Heidelmann, only to be brushed off as he claimed the need to study for his upcoming medical exams in Altdorf. Undeterred, Nora joined Thindruk in his negotiations with the coachmen, their lively banter filling the room.

The coachmen, perhaps sensing an opportunity to line their pockets, quoted a steep price for passage. Thindruk, a skilled haggler, managed to talk them down, but the price remained high. Nora, realizing their game, proposed a plan to provide the coachmen with watered-down “small beers” in exchange for a discount, but Wanda had a different idea.

With a menacing tale of a dishonest coachman abandoned in the treacherous Drakwald Forest, Wanda’s intimidation proved successful. Holtz and Gunnar, sufficiently cowed, agreed to a more reasonable fare.

As the night wore on, Qavitrae and Felrick engaged the inn’s patrons in a game of Scarlet Empress, the stakes rising with each round. Thindruk, drawn into the game, found himself on the losing end of Felipe’s uncanny luck, the Bretonnian’s pockets jingling with his winnings.

Later that night, after most had retired to bed, Qavitrae’s elven senses alerted her to trouble brewing outside. Voices, one a wealthy Reiklander, spoke of a “dear sister” inside the inn. Thindruk, peering out into the night with his darkvision, spotted a group of armed men, their leader giving orders to find and capture the woman without harm.

Realizing the lady in question was none other than Lady Strudeldorf, the party sprang into action. Donning their gear and taking up defensive positions, they prepared to confront the would-be kidnappers.

Qavitrae’s attempt to quietly alert the Lady was met with a response from her bodyguard, Marie. Lady Strudeldorf, now aware of the situation, offered the party a handsome reward for aiding in her escape.

As the armed men, led by the Lady’s brother Lukas, began their search, Wanda’s cracking whip drew their attention. Her intimidating presence and sharp tongue gave Lukas pause, the man agreeing to talk instead of resorting to violence.

But the conversation quickly turned heated as Isolde, the Lady, emerged to confront her brother. She had no desire to marry the man he had chosen for her, dreaming instead of finding love in Altdorf. Lukas, dismissive of her romantic notions, insisted she return home to fulfill her duty.

As the siblings argued, Gustav the innkeeper appeared, blunderbuss in hand, observing the scene with a wary eye. Qavitrae, from the shadows, explained the situation, while Thindruk attempted to bargain with Lukas, suggesting he find his sister a more suitable match.

But Thindruk’s words, unintentionally insulting due to the vast age difference between dwarves and humans, only served to enrage Lukas further. With a shout to his men, the young lord ordered them to seize his sister, consequences be damned.

Chaos erupted as the thugs lunged forward, engaging the party in combat. Wanda and Nora held their own against the attackers, while Felrick, whistling from the window to draw the lookout’s attention, dispatched him with a well-placed arrow through the eye.

Walking to the rest of the group and calmly describing how he had killed their commrade, Felrick intimidated the remaining foes, causing them to falter in their resolve. Nora, seizing the opportunity, charged through their line, knocking Lukas prone and sending his sword skittering across the floor.

Wanda, ever the diplomat, retrieved the fallen blade and suggested they talk instead of fight. Qavitrae and Thindruk subdued the remaining thugs, while Gustav, seeing the trespassers defeated, urged Lukas to take his leave.

With a glare and a promise to call on Isolde in Altdorf, Lukas departed with his men, their fallen comrade’s body slung over a horse.

As the party settled in for the night, they agreed to serve as Isolde’s bodyguards on the journey to Altdorf, the Lady especially impressed by Nora’s Blitzball prowess. Felrick, lamenting the lack of witness to his archery skills, retired to his bed, the promise of reward and the perils of the road ahead weighing on his mind.

The Enemy Within had only just begun, but already, this band of unlikely heroes had proven their mettle. What challenges awaited them in Altdorf and beyond remained to be seen, but one thing was certain - they would face them together, forged by the bonds of their unexpected camaraderie.

Session Notes
  • The group discusses COVID and the importance of resting and avoiding exertion, both physical and mental, while sick to reduce the risk of long COVID. Less activity is recommended to recover faster.
  • The GM introduces the campaign, The Enemy Within, originally published for 1st edition Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, later updated for 2nd and 4th editions. However, the group is using the Zweihänder RPG system.
  • The GM is using a mix of 1st and 2nd edition Warhammer lore for the setting, which is common for any RPG campaign.
  • Qavitrae the elf is nearly as old as the Empire itself (2500 years old in the year 2512). She fought in the Chaos Wars 200-300 years ago and received a prominent Lichtenberg figure scar from a Chaos Sorcerer’s lightning blast, which she survived and slew the sorcerer.
  • Qavitrae likely hails from the wood elf enclave of Athel Loren in Bretonnia, visited the Empire before the Chaos Wars, fought alongside the Empire in that conflict, and has worked with the Imperial military since.
  • The GM narrates the opening, introducing the unlikely band of heroes - Thundruk, Nora, Wanda, Qavitrae, and Felrick - who hail from the Middenlander village of Delberz. They travel the Altdorf-Middenheim road south towards Altdorf to answer the summons of the Prince of Ostland.
  • Middenland is the traditional heartland of the Empire, while the Reikland they are entering is seen as more urbane and focused on the Cult of Sigmar. Qavitrae disdains gods, while the others give lip service.
  • The journey has taken longer than expected. Their coach broke down, so the group decided to proceed on foot to another coaching inn to find transport to Altdorf. They are wary of the dangers of the road.
  • Each character has heard various rumors and news to share about threats in the region, including beastmen, orcs, goblins, dire wolves, bandits, and monsters. Funding to maintain the roads and pay road wardens has been diverted to the armies.
  • As they nervously discuss the dangers while hurrying through the forest, Nora spots a stag ahead, taking it as a good sign that no predators are currently threatening the area. She points it out to the others to calm their fears.
  • The party decides not to hunt the stag they spotted, as it would likely anger the local lord whose land they are traveling through. As long as they stick to the roads, they should be on imperial land.
  • As the day grows late, the party becomes concerned about reaching their destination before dark. However, they come upon a coaching inn - a common sight along major travel routes in the Empire, located about a half-day’s travel apart.
  • An older man, likely in his 50s, greets them at the gate and asks if they arrived by coach. Thindruk steps forward and explains their coach lost a wheel, so they had to walk the rest of the way. The man directs them to the bar to see Gustav about a room and food.
  • The party enters the bar room, which contains a decent crowd:
    • Two men are behind the bar - one heavyset, the other thinner. The thinner man is setting up beers.
    • Two men are laughing loudly in the middle of the room, one telling a story.
    • In the corner, three women (a young noble lady, her mousy 15-year-old companion, and a formidable bodyguard) sit at a table with cheese and grapes.
    • A young man sits alone in the room’s only padded chair by the fire, engrossed in reading a book.
    • A handsome foreign man chats with the bartenders. He idly does card tricks with a deck of cards as he talks.
  • The clientele are all human, which is common in the Empire. The party stands out, being a mix of less common races like elves, dwarves, and a gnome.
  • Thindruk offers to buy the group ale. Ale is cheap at 3 brass pennies per cup, while beer by the stein is 7 brass pennies. A hot meal costs 1 silver shilling for aristocrats, 8 brass pennies for burghers, or 4 brass pennies for lowborn.
  • Before Thindruk can pay, the heavyset bartender welcomes them and offers a round of ales on the house. He asks which coaching company they traveled with.
  • They explain they were with the Four Seasons company until their coach broke down. Nora adds that their feet are killing them from the long walk and they’re hoping to find another ride soon.
  • The bartender points out two other patrons, Gunnar and Holt, who are coachmen leaving in the morning. He believes everyone currently in the bar is waiting for that coach.
  • The inn itself is rustic but well-kept - clean, warm from a nice fire, and not the worst place the party has stayed so far. However, they don’t want to keep the crown prince waiting, so Thindruk goes to arrange passage with the coachmen.
  • When Thindruk mentions not keeping the crown prince waiting, the perceptive Felrick notices the foreign man, likely Bretonnian based on his appearance and accent, take notice of this comment.
  • The Bretonnian man, Felipe Descartes, glances at Qavitrae when she mentions the crown prince, then turns back to his wine. Qavitrae sits next to him and they chat, with Felipe mentioning he left Bretonnia 8 years ago after a small war. Qavitrae toasts to Felipe’s health and Bretonnia.
  • Felipe has a deck of cards, so Qavitrae suggests playing Scarlet Empress to pass the time. They need more players, so Qavitrae looks to her companions and the aristocrat lady in the corner.
  • Qavitrae gestures to Lady von Strudeldorf, asking if she wants to join the card game. The young girl with Lady von Strudeldorf comes over and says the lady does not play cards. Qavitrae invites the girl to play instead, pointing out it’s a rare chance to play with an elf and gnome.
  • Wanda approaches a young man reading a book alone. She leans over to see what he’s reading - a book of medicine with a skeleton illustration. The man, Ernst Heidelmann, snaps the book shut and says he’s studying to be a doctor. Wanda introduces herself enthusiastically but Ernst brushes her off, saying he needs to study for exams in Altdorf.
  • Nora brings ale over to where Thindruk is talking to the lively coachmen. She barges in, hands out drinks, and says Thindruk is paying. The coachmen drain their mugs and thank Thindruk.
  • The coachmen share rumors of dark times - a village called Tewesville Furrier burned by witch hunters for demon worship and cannibalism, the mayor of Groomburg burned for feeding his demonic cat blood, and a plague causing red splotches in the village of Blutruk.
  • Thindruk asks about passage on their coach. They’re headed to Kutenholtz in the morning, the last major town before Altdorf. The price is steep - 8 shillings to ride inside, 4 to ride on top.
  • Thindruk haggles the price down to 6 shillings inside, 3 on top, still expensive. Nora tries to play on their sympathy, mentioning their long walk after their previous coach broke a wheel.
  • Nora assists Thindruk’s bargaining but the coachmen don’t budge on price. Nora realizes they’re just trying to pad their pockets to fund their drinking before turning over earnings to their employer.
  • The group discusses tactics for dealing with the coachmen who are overcharging for passage. Two main ideas are proposed:
    1. Wanda tells a threatening story to intimidate the coachmen into charging a fair price. She has a +10 bonus to Intimidation and can inflict extra mental stress on a success.
    2. Making a deal with the bartender to provide the coachmen with watered-down “small beers” in exchange for a discount on the fare. The group would pay for the beers, which would be cheaper than the inflated fare.
  • There are potential downsides to each approach. Intimidation could backfire and get the group kicked off the coach. Providing beer could lead to the coachmen being too drunk to drive safely the next day.
  • Wanda decides to go with the intimidation tactic. She approaches the coachmen, Holtz and Gunnar, and tells them a menacing story about a dishonest coachman who was abandoned in the dangerous Drakwald Forest as punishment by his employers.
  • Wanda makes an Intimidation check at a Routine difficulty. She has a talent called “Pay the Piper” that allows her to reroll a failed check. The intimidation is successful.
  • Holtz and Gunnar are suitably cowed. They lower their prices to 10 pence to ride on the roof and 2 shillings to ride inside. Wanda collects the money from the group.
  • Meanwhile, Qavitrae and Felrick rope some inn staff, including a woman named Eba, into playing a card game called Scarlet Empress.
  • The GM explains the mechanics - each hand, players roll Gambling and Awareness. They can optionally roll Skulduggery to cheat, but risk being caught if another player’s Observation beats their Skulduggery.
  • Felrick plans to use his “Incredible Enumeration” talent to count cards, which is hard to detect. He doesn’t have Skulduggery so won’t attempt other cheating. The first round of the game begins.
  • Felipe suggests raising the ante for the card game to four pence per round. The group agrees.
  • In the first round, Qavitrae wins a shilling with a very good awareness roll. During the round, she recounts a story from pre-Chaos War Bretonnia, having spent time among humans. She mentions meeting a Grail Knight and discusses how terrible the forces of Chaos were compared to the stories.
  • In the next round, Felipe wagers an extra eight pennies. Felrick mutters about how the gnomish version of the game has simpler ace rules. Qavitrae wins again, earning one shilling and eight pennies.
  • Qavitrae reveals she spent 150 years handling logistics and accounting for the Empire’s munitions and supplies. She’s enjoying the conversation but suggests making the game more interesting.
  • Felipe proposes raising the ante to two shillings, but the table doesn’t have that much. Qavitrae offers to spot him, and calls Thindruk over to join.
  • Felrick and Nora decide to spectate. Felrick gets a critical success on skullduggery and swaps out some bad cards despite eyes on him. He wins with four of a kind, saying Ranald has smiled on him. The others lose two shillings each.
  • Felipe is cleaned out. Thindruk intimidates Felrick, implying he’ll enjoy collecting the bounty on him, then walks away. Wanda hands Thindruk a beer.
  • Felipe shuffles and pockets his cards, thanking them for a most entertaining game. He buys another round for the group to show his appreciation.
  • As the night goes on, the group gets a little drunk. Gunnar and Holtz try to lead the room in song.
  • Gustav the innkeep approaches Thindruk, who has spread word of being a Viscount. He asks where the party would like to stay - private rooms are 10 shillings, beds in the common room are 15 pence.
  • Thindruk pays for a private room that can fit the whole party if they don’t mind being cozy. Qavitrae, Felrick and Thindruk take the room while Nora and Wanda opt for the common room.
  • The private room comes with a modest dinner of roast veggies, bread and gravy. The rooms are comfortable with heat from the chimneys.
  • Felipe carouses with the group until late. Gustav eventually asks them to head to bed or take the noise to the stable so other guests can sleep. Holtz and Gunnar decide to sleep in their coach.
  • In the night, Qavitrae wakes up, instinctively alert. She hears voices outside, a man with a wealthy Reiklander accent saying “My dear sister is inside.”
  • Thindruk overhears a group of men outside the inn, with one noble-sounding man giving orders not to harm “her” but to find her and prevent her from fleeing.
  • Using his darkvision, Thindruk peers out the window and sees 5 men, 4 facing 1 who seems to be in charge. They appear to be armed.
  • Thindruk wakes up the rest of the party (Qavitrae, Felrick, Wanda, Nora) and informs them that Lady Shrewaldorf’s brother is here to kidnap her. They discuss whether to help her, deciding she may reward them if they sneak her out.
  • The party quickly dons their armor and gear. Thindruk notices one man has stayed outside, watching the windows.
  • Felrick tries knocking quietly on Lady Shrewaldorf’s door, but gets no answer. He knocks more loudly, alerting those inside and out.
  • Lady Shrewaldorf’s bodyguard opens the door, hand on her weapon. The Lady, in a nightgown, tells her bodyguard Marie they will pay the party to get them out of here and avoid her brother. Her mousy servant Jenna hands Felrick 2 gold crowns.
  • The party takes up defensive positions - Felrick and Wanda intimidatingly by the door, Nora in the shadows with her bow, and Thindruk putting on his knuckle dusters and hiding with the Lady’s group.
  • A group of armed commoners led by the Lady’s well-dressed brother Lukas approach, opening doors looking for her. Wanda cracks her whip to get their attention.
  • Lukas demands they stand aside, but Wanda intimidates him, saying she won’t kill him as the Lady requested but she can still break him. She suggests he talk to his sister instead of resorting to kidnapping.
  • Cowed, Lukas sheathes his sword and agrees talking is preferable. He asks them to bring out his sister, saying she’s late for her wedding.
  • The Lady and her servants emerge, rushing to leave. She calls her brother a horrible man.
  • Qavitrae suggests to Isolde that she has two choices: have a conversation with her brother Lukas or resort to violence. Isolde shakes her head no and heads around the corner.
  • From behind Nora and Wanda, Isolde tells Lukas she does not want to marry the man he has chosen for her. Lukas says it doesn’t matter and that she needs to return home to fulfill her duty.
  • Isolde argues she wants to find love in Altdorf, dreaming of marrying a brilliant and handsome young Baron. Lukas dismisses this, saying she’s been reading too many silly romance novels and that is not why one marries.
  • As the siblings argue, Gustav the innkeeper comes out into the hall in his nightgown and cap, holding a large blunderbuss at his side. He stands in his doorway observing the two nobles arguing.
  • Qavitrae, standing in the shadows near Gustav’s door, explains the situation to him - the brother wants to kidnap Isolde, while she wants to marry for love.
  • Thindruk steps up and tries to bargain with Lukas, saying surely he can find his beautiful young sister a more suitable match than a man she despises. He appeals to Lukas’ sense of family duty.
  • Thindruk critically fails his Bargain roll. In trying to talk them down, he ends up insulting the young lord due to the vast age difference between dwarves and humans.
  • Furious, Lukas yells at his goons to get his sister, not caring what they do to the rest. The thugs lunge forward and combat begins.
  • Initiative is rolled. One thug attacks Wanda, who parries the blow with her whip. Another goes for Nora, who dodges. The bodyguard tries to punch Nora with brass knuckles but is blocked.
  • Outside, the lookout hears the commotion. He looks up at the windows, trying to decide if he should investigate or stay at his post as ordered.
  • On Felrick’s turn, he whistles to get the lookout’s attention, then shoots him dead with an arrow as he looks up, using his special ability.
  • Felrick uses Litany of Hatred to intimidate the remaining enemies, yelling to them that the outside man is dead and asking how many are left. He walks out into the hall with his bow.
  • It’s explained that in this setting, a bow and arrow is a serious weapon of warfare, not just a sporting instrument.
  • The party has intimidated the thugs, causing them to make a morale check. The thugs are not very invested in the fight and start to back off.
  • Strudldorf tries to rally the thugs, pressing his dueling blade against one of their backs and demanding they get his sister or face the consequences. The thugs only have gnarled sticks and are in a tough position.
  • On Nora’s turn, she makes an athletics check to charge through the line of thugs and reach Lukas Strudldorf. She easily busts through their poor defensive line, knocking them all down.
  • Nora barrels into Lukas, making him roll coordination to resist. He fails and is knocked prone, his sword knocked from his hand but still nearby.
  • Nora hesitates to punch the prone noble, realizing the consequences could be severe like execution. She pulls back at the last second.
  • Wanda walks over and picks up Lukas’s dropped dueling blade. It’s a finely made thin-bladed sword. She apologizes for her friend’s defensiveness and suggests they talk instead of fighting.
  • Qavitrae moves up and tries to subdue one of the prone thugs with her dirk, getting an extra fury die. The thug can still defend while prone.
  • Thindruk uses inspiring words to give Nora, Wanda and Felrick bonuses to damage and peril thresholds.
  • Thindruk grabs one of the downed thugs and tries to put him in a chokehold, making an opposed athletics check. Thindruk wins and starts choking the thug out, dealing peril damage.
  • Gustav sees the trespassers have been defeated and tells Lukas it’s time for him to leave. Lukas glares at Nora angrily but agrees, saying he’ll call on her in Altdorf.
  • Wanda returns Lukas’s sword and he skillfully sheathes it before leaving with his thugs. They find the thug Felrick killed outside and throw his body over a horse before riding off.
  • Nora agrees to accompany Strudldorf’s sister to Altdorf as a bodyguard in case Lukas tries anything else. The sister is impressed by Nora’s blitzball skills.
  • The party returns to bed, Felrick lamenting that no one saw his amazing bowshot. They will continue on in the morning.
  • The GM discusses the reward system in the campaign, noting that there are bonus objectives and that solving problems cleverly is worth extra reward points.
  • The GM explains how damage works in the game. Damage is rolled against the character and compared to their damage threshold, which has multiple levels (6, 12, 18, 24). If the damage exceeds the first number, the character takes one level of damage, and so on. If the damage exceeds the last number (24), the character dies.
  • The players discuss how a character was previously one-shot by an enemy due to high damage rolls.
  • Fate points are mentioned as a way to prevent instant death from high damage. Using a fate point doesn’t cancel the damage, but reduces its severity so the character doesn’t die.
  • An anecdote is shared about a previous game session where Ryan’s character was badly injured by a troll, with their body crushed and broken. The character used a fate point to survive, and was then tended to by the town’s “mother lady,” whom the character subsequently seduced during the recovery period.