Tuesday, March 23, 2004

WFRP Update 6

As the deliberations continued the heroes manages to catch a bit of conversation floating in from another table. Someone had found poor watchman, Anton, floating in the river. Many people assumed that he had gotten drunk and fallen into the river. But the heroes as sure that he was alive, although wounded, when they left him. It seems a strange thing to happen and suspicions start to rise. The heroes retire to the boat and a fitful night of sleeping.

As morning dawns, the heroes decide to look into the possibility of selling the skull, although Max feels strange about leaving the boat and decides to stand watch while the others do some investigation. Max takes up his position and the other head off to meet Rudolpho's informant at the Crossed Pikes inn. With practiced ease Rudolpho manages to extract much information from his informant. The informant is hesitant about purchasing the skull, but does inform Rudolpho that the watchman was indeed drowned last night. As well, the order of seven is a mercantile organization and has it's head quarters in the center of town, although it's existence is a poorly kept secret. There is also a number of hints dropped that the crazy prophet, Ulthar the unhinged used to have some dealings with the order. He was close friends with a member, before the member died and was succeeded by his younger brother, Toyboy. Armed with more information and burdened with more questions the heroes return to the boat. They find Max beside himself with nervousness. He claims that they are being watched by many people, although no one else manages to catch sight of the supposed watchers. They claim Max has spent too much time in the sun and retire below decks to listen to what information Rudolpho has learned.

Thinking that Ulthar has some sort of information, they set off in search of him. They quickly learn that he lives across the river, in the downtrodden part of town known as the pit. On their way to the ferry, the heroes notice a gathering in the town square. Ulthar is preaching about the descending chaos. Strangely, his ramblings are very similar to the fortunes that the heroes had heard just days earlier. Upon seeing the heroes, he screams that they are the bringers of chaos and runs towards the river. The heroes allow him to escape and make their way to the ferry at their own pace. As they arrive, they hear that they have just missed the ferry. They also hear that Ulthar made a fantastic leap onto the leaving ferry, thus managing to avoid the heroes. After some time, the ferry returns and the heroes are transported into the pit. Once arriving, Magdelaine begins to frighten the local children and it is only Rudolphos smooth talking and an offering of food from Max that gets them to guide the heroes to the dwelling of Ulthar. After following a convoluted path through streets that are only barely recognizable as such and dwellings that threaten to fall with every passing breeze, they arrive at a tarp covered opening. As the children leave, Magdelaine calls out repeatedly for Ulthar. Eventually Max grows tired of waiting and pulls aside the tarp. Before them is Ulthar, although his throat is missing and much of his blood has been relocated to the outside of his body. Ignoring the horror, Max slips inside and begins a quit search of the hovel.The only thing of value or interest that is found is a pendant that bears the sign of Toyboy's house; a 4 petaled rose. Whether it is a clue or a trinket from a past time, no one knows. Feeling as though they are being watched from all angles, the heroes make their way back to the ferry and eventually the boat.
One the boat they let lose with their suspicions. Someone is eliminating all witnesses to the goblin incident and anyone that the heroes want to talk to. Max twitches and starts at every sound, imagining eyes all around us. It must be a desperate time, since, for once, the heroes follow Magdelaine's lead. She believes that the best course of action is to simply go to the merchant guild and ask them about the order of seven. Seeing no other option, the heroes follow her lead. With a simple innocence, Magdelaine leads the heroes to the merchant guild and asks for information about the order of seven. Within a few moments, the group is talking to Frederic Magirus, who claims to be a member of the order.

Frederic seems concerned about talking to the group about the order in such an open setting and ushers them off to the Golden Pike inn. Frederic points out that such matters should be discussed on a full stomach behind closed doors. He orders a meal for the heroes, the likes of which they have never seen. Exotic foods, drinks and spices from far off lands. The drinks flow freely and the food is plentiful. After the meal if finished, everyone retires to a secluded meeting room and Fredric explains all that he knows about the order of seven. He claims that the order is simply a group of merchants who have masked their organization in a number of quasi-religious ceremonies that give the impression of secrecy. In truth, the merchants wish to keep their motives quiet and hidden from their competitors and use the ceremony and various levels of advancement as a means of slowly teaching the members what the organization is all about.

Following Magdelaine lead of telling the truth, Rudolpho tries explaining everything that happened lately, although it comes out as a bad lie. It is only when the heroes show Frederic the skull that he seems to get genuinely scared and really starts to believe that someone is out to do harm to the order. Recognizing that this organization has far too much money, they offer their services in whatever manner they can help. They are still not sure whether they are joining the forces of good or evil, but their guts tell them that the order is the one being exploited and put into danger.

When all information has finally been exchanged and everything explained to everyones satisfaction, the group parts with Frederic. Satisied that they have done the proper thing and hearing a never ending stream of accusations from Magdelaine about the benefits of always being honest, they make their way back to the boat.

They had barely made it halfway home when a group of people emerge from the shadows. The leader hisses that they have been investigating things that have no interest to them and that their best interests would be served if they left town immediately.

Surrounded in the night...what fate will befall the heroes?

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home