A late spring chill lingered in the evening air, clinging to the streets of Weissbruck with a stubbornness that matched the folk who dwelled there. Inside the Happy Man Inn, warmth and laughter throbbed against the timbers, wine and ale flowing with raucous abandon. Within that bustle of light and spirits, the companions shared a rare moment of respite, cups brimming and stories on their tongues. Yet, no peace lasted long in these days of uncertainty. It began with a ragged peddler—harmless at a glance—sidling up to their table with a tinkling bell. His fingers twitched too close to a coin pouch, and he chattered about a sale none of them had requested. A sudden hush quivered through the inn as Thindruk, wary of deception, swung a clenched fist, sending the peddler stumbling back. The bell struck the ground, a hollow chime echoing in the stunned silence. Although no further harm befell the man, a troubling sense of dread took the place of the rowdy cheer.

They tried to return to their drinks, but the uneasy edges of that encounter persisted, even as the inn’s energy roared back to life. Few hours later, having sobered in the waning lamplight, they discovered a slip of paper left behind—a final warning, vile and succinct. Disquiet spread among them like slow poison, fueling suspicions of looming trouble. But neither the note’s brevity nor the peddler’s motives offered any clarity. A sinister edge tugged at their thoughts through the night.

Morning brought greater worries when Josef, as faithful a friend as any might hope to have, approached with anxiety etched into his features. He spoke of Elvira, an herbalist of some renown in Weissbruck, whose cottage had been found in disarray. Josef’s voice faltered at the thought that misfortune might have claimed her. Struck by his genuine distress, the group followed, drawn to help a friend and repay kindness with action. The walk through Weissbruck’s cramped byways led them to the outskirts, where Elvira’s quaint, painted cottage sat in an unsettling hush. One broken windowpane glinted in the daylight, a mocking wound on a home once known for welcoming scents of flowers and dried herbs.

Within, overturned shelves and shattered jars told a grim story. Strange footprints stained the parlor floor. Several containers were gone—taken with haste. Amid the dust and shards, they unearthed a small scrap of parchment with a threat scrawled upon it, demanding that certain “goods” be brought to a red barn by sundown. The words spoke of intimidation and desperation. In every corner of the house were signs of struggle and ransacking. Torn bedding fluttered like wounded birds upstairs, as if the intruders had hunted for something elusive, leaving destruction in their wake. Even more unsettling were the smaller garments strewn about, hinting at a second occupant—a child’s room, neat before the raid and violently upended since.

But the greatest shock of all lingered below. Hidden in the cellar, behind a clever trap where a wooden step had been pried loose, a frightened child cowered beneath a ragged pile of cloth. The little one trembled with terror and defiance, the eyes of someone who had heard violence she could neither understand nor stop. Gentle words coaxed her from her makeshift hiding place, and through fearful gasps she confirmed that strangers had burst through the cottage door, shouting at Elvira—threatening her. The child had obeyed an urgent command to stay hidden, listening to the chaos until all fell silent.

Apprehension seized the companions’ hearts as they took in the gravity of the child’s tale. These intruders, whoever they were, seemed formidable enough to overrun Elvira in mere moments. The mention of a red barn and the echo of final warnings lingered like a foul taste in the mouth. Questions rose faster than answers: What did these attackers want so desperately from a modest herbalist? Where had they taken her? And would they return for the only witness who remained? Faced with a mystery whose threads tightened around Elvira’s fate and perhaps their own, the companions steeled themselves. They had uncovered enough horrors of late to know that some evils must be pursued before they festered into nightmares beyond imagining. Outside, the sun leaned westward, the day’s light beginning its reluctant retreat. The time for swift action had come, and none among them could afford to wait.

Session Notes

  • Initial Recap Setup

    • The session opens with brief discussion about visual elements and a camera before Luke begins a formal recap of events.
    • Luke narrates that the dire shadows over Bögenhafen have cleared and the Ordo Septenarius is defeated. He mentions that Sigmar smiles upon the party for their hidden deeds.
    • The leadership of Bögenhafen, once tainted by ruinous powers, has been purged of chaos influence.
    • The party faces lingering questions: bounty hunters following them, the name “Kazrik Lakhurson” (allegedly a Magister Impedimente of a “Purple Hand”), and mention of a warlock named Etelka Herzen near the Black Peaks.
    • The group now owns the riverboat named the Dandiefraulein, complete with a hold full of cargo, and they must decide their next move.

  • Framing the Recap: How It All Began

    • Luke sets a scene where someone interviews the group about their adventures, prompting Qavitrae to explain the origins.
    • Qavitrae recalls that all began as a bet with Thindruk Steelbone in the village of Delberz—she wagered that Thindruk could not assemble an adventuring party worthy of a prince’s tasks.
    • Thindruk recruited a bounty hunter (Felrick), a blitzball player (Nora), and a bailiff (Wanda). Together, they traveled seeking the prince’s expedition in Altdorf.

  • Early Journey and the Coach Incident

    • They speak of traveling by coach. The coach had an axle issue, forcing the party to spend time at a roadside inn called the Coaching Horses Inn.
    • Notable NPCs there included Gustav Fondleberger (the innkeeper) and Lady Isold von Strudeldorf, who was traveling with her retinue.
    • The group fended off Lady Isold’s hostile brother or relative who tried to accost her, earning a reward for their intervention—though some party members secretly kept more of the payment than others.
    • Later, they encountered mutants who had attacked a different coach. Among the dead was a dwarf carrying suspicious documents addressed to Kazrik Lakhurson, mentioning an inheritance of 20,000 gold crowns from the offices of Lock, Stock, and Barl, in Bögenhafen.
    • Thindruk and Qavitrae read those documents in secret, noting a plan to impersonate this Kazrik Lakhurson for monetary gain.

  • Arriving in Altdorf

    • The party reached Altdorf intending to join the expedition of Prince Hurgard von Tassenink to the Grey Mountains, but the prince had already left.
    • In Altdorf, they discovered suspicious individuals making odd hand signals—these turned out to be members of the so-called “Purple Hand.”
    • A bounty hunter with a crossbow, later identified as Adolphus Kuftos, began pursuing them, apparently targeting Thindruk (mistaking him for Kazrik).
    • They encountered two young noblemen in a tavern who tried to start a fight. Thindruk punched one out with a single blow, and Felrick wounded their hired tough with a precise shot. This earned Thindruk minor fame among the working class for standing up to bullies.
    • Nora and Wanda saw a grand military parade featuring the Emperor, but overheard someone claim the Emperor was too sick to appear in public. They suspected a doppelganger conspiracy at the highest levels, fueling their ideas that shape-shifting or hidden cult activity was afoot.

  • Weißbruck and the Bounty Hunter

    • After Altdorf, the group took Josef Quartjin’s boat down the river to Weißbruck. They discovered Adolphus Kuftos lurking there, watching for them.
    • They tracked him to a warehouse where he planned an ambush. The party preemptively attacked. Felrick shot Kuftos’ horse when Kuftos tried to flee, though the bounty hunter escaped on foot.
    • The group sold the dead horse’s meat to a local butcher for some quick coin.

  • Bögenhafen and the Ordo Septenarius

    • Searching for the offices of Lock, Stock, and Barl, they went to Bögenhafen, found the place in a rundown area, and walked into a trap.
    • A group surrounded the building, accused them of chaos worship, and threatened to burn the place down. Suddenly, unknown violent forces slaughtered the attackers, leaving a scene of blood and body parts. The party fled rather than be implicated.
    • During Bögenhafen’s Schaffenfest, they were tasked with capturing a three-legged goblin that escaped Dr. Malthusius’ freak show. The goblin vanished into the sewers.
    • Exploring the sewers, they uncovered a hidden chaos temple with markings of the Ordo Septenarius. They found foul evidence of a demon and discovered the body of a dwarf torn apart. The group eventually involved Magistrate Heins Richter, proven one of the few honest officials.
    • Investigations revealed that powerful merchant families, including Johannes Teugen, formed the Ordo Septenarius in an attempt to harness chaotic forces. The group defeated Teugen and most cult leaders, though a few survived the final confrontation.
    • Bögenhafen’s leadership, now exposed in chaos dealings, was quietly purged or reformed. Magistrate Richter rewarded the group with the merchant guildmaster’s boat, the Dandiefraulein, urging them to leave discreetly to avoid public panic.

  • Taking to the Rivers

    • The party returned to Weißbruck, reuniting with Josef Quartjin. He coached them on operating their newly acquired boat and establishing themselves as river traders.
    • They discussed where to go next, possibly delivering cargo to Altdorf to begin earning a living. Some members expressed curiosity about investigating potential chaos threats further south (e.g., Nuln or Grissenwald).

  • Evening at the Happy Man Inn (Weißbruck)

    • While drinking with Josef, a peddler approached the table, showcasing a small bell and trying to distract them—perhaps a “ring-and-sting” pickpocket scheme.
    • Thindruk suspected an attempt to steal from him, punched the man, and the would-be thief retreated. Felrick scooped up the abandoned bell.

  • Josef’s Request: Missing Friend in Weißbruck

    • Josef later informed the group that a friend of his, Elvira, an herbalist, seemed to be in trouble. Her home was broken into, and she was missing.
    • The party followed Josef to Elvira’s cottage at the edge of town. They found signs of forced entry: a broken window, scattered herbs, and smashed jars.
    • The interior was ransacked. The group discovered that many jars of what looked like medicinal or herbal substances were missing.
    • Some party members went upstairs, finding two bedrooms: one large (feathers from a torn mattress strewn everywhere) and another smaller room with children’s clothing, indicating two people lived there.
    • Meanwhile, in the cellar, Wanda and Felrick heard subtle sounds. Investigating carefully, Felrick spotted a missing plank in the steep steps—removed as a possible trap.
    • Hidden among a pile of rags, they found a frightened young girl. She had seen men break in, heard screaming, and hid.
    • The girl feared the intruders would return. She had pulled up the plank on the stairs to protect herself.
    • The session ended as the party managed to coax the girl out, and they prepared to learn more about Elvira’s disappearance and who might be behind it.