Where our heroes, on the trail of Doctor Rousseaux, venture into a crudely constructed passage beneath his residence. ON THE TRAIL The fire in the doctor's basement cast light into the tunnel in which the group moved. Dronk took the lead, his keen dwarvish eyesight and comfort while underground reassuring the others. Cyrus kept his pistols at the ready, while Hugo kept his war-maul, Vilkas, at his side. Edmee, the priestess of Manaan had her flail out ready to smite any unseen attacker, and cast a prayer of light on her shield, illuminating the passage for the rest of the group. Lucien Blackheart stalked forward, uncomfortable in the tight quarters. Meanwhile, the enigmatic newcomer, Magnus, silently walked, with Cyrus watching him closely. They trudged through the tunnels, Dronk several paces ahead. The stonework looked old and simple; parts of the walls were mere exposed earth. For what seemed like hours, they followed the tunnel until abruptly they reached a crossroads. Here, Edmee and Dronk could see multiple sets of footprints, mostly those of barefooted humans, but also a single heavy booted track, which could still be seen freshly imprinted on top of the other trails. Thinking this meant the Doctor had passed this way, they continued following the booted trail. The tunnels soon opened up into a series of larger caverns, natural ones which had been dug into, and smaller, man-made chambers. In some of them they could glimpse holes torn into the walls. Here and there were bits of ruined timbers and half smashed wooden containers that on closer inspection proved to be coffins. Bones were scattered about, some with teeth marks on them, showing they had been gnawed on. Cyrus muttered something about Sigmar's vengeance, and Edmee scowled. Lucien wondered aloud what kinds of creatures inhabited this foul place. It appeared as though they were under a Garden of Morr, a place of the dead, and that the caskets of the dead had been pulled down from beneath, their contents consumed. The air was musty in the caverns, and as they moved they paused occasionally, hearing noises echoing in the close quarters; scratching, scrabbling noises, like things moving furtively in the dark. THE EATERS OF THE DEAD Dronk rushed forward down a tunnel, chasing a shadow, but saw nothing. He turned to rejoin the group, and thats when the creatures struck. Half a dozen emaciated creatures that once had been human, their skin drawn tautly back across their frames, their teeth rotting, their eyes sunken. Hugo hefted Vilkas, silhouetted by the light cast from Edmee's shield, and Dronk's rapier flashed from his belt. "Ghouls!" cursed Cyrus, as his pistols began to belch lead and flame. Lucien leapt forward, his longsword at the ready, while Magnus began muttering something in an arcane tongue. Edmee closed her eyes, praying to Manaan. The ghouls rushed from the tunnels surrounding the party coming from multiple directions. Cyrus's bullets cut down one, then another. Lucien cleaved one nearly in two, while Dronk stabbed at the ghouls which attempted to press him against a tunnel wall, quickly rolling between them and slashing out with his three-bladed dagger. At his side, Dronk felt the presence of the strange dagger he had found in the Barren Hills and had to fight off the temptation to draw it. Hugo roared a war-cry, Vilkas coming down in a arc of steel to bash another ghouls brains onto the earth. The ghouls scratched at Lucien and Dronk with filthy, steel-hard claws. Though they attempted to avoid the attacks, the sheer number meant both were lightly scratched, and both felt their muscles begin to knot and tighten against their will; with a struggle they fought off the paralyzing effect and redoubled their attacks against the eaters of the dead. With a roar, a crackling bonfire sprung into being, immolating one of the ghouls, controlled by Magnus, the spellcaster, who chuckled as another ghoul ran through the flames to attack Lucien, already beset my several of the things. Edmee completed her prayer and a number of ghostly blue figures appeared, circling her slowly. Each was clad in armor, as warriors, and carrying long spectral tridents. As the pack of ghouls rushed forward, they were met by these terrible foes, who stabbed the ghouls and rended them with their ghostly weapons. As Edmee moved forward, her guardians set apon more of the ghouls, while Cyrus shouted as his pistols punctuated the battle with thunder, sending the torn and broken pieces of the ghouls he shot to the ground where they lay smoking. Hugo smashed another ghouls brains, and Dronk impaled the last on his rapier. It was over, nearly as quickly as it began. The ghouls all lay dead, but no sign of the Doctor. The party quickly took stock but none were seriously injured. They continued moving through the ill-omened caverns, passing more ruined coffins and the remains of devoured corpses, before spying a wall of good stone work, with a large hole hewn in the side. Within, they could see the hole led to the interior of some structure - a basement or cellar perhaps. A RUINED SANCTUARY The party moved into the stone rooms through the hole. They passed several iron-set wooden doors, with scratches on them, before emerging into a central chamber with a cathedral-like ceiling into which frescos had been lain - and a massive rent, though which daylight could be seen, a tear in the stone roof that must have been cut by a terrible force. In the center of the room was a large statue of Sigmar, holding a heavy scale in one hand and a hammer in the other. Several doors were cut into the walls of the temple. Cyrus made the sign of Sigmar, and found a book of the Story of Sigmar before the statue, as well as a small scroll that sat beside it. Dronk checked for traps, while Magnus looked on. Edmee found signs of footprints, leading out of the room. Lucien and Hugo cleaned their weapons of the ghouls unclean gore. Wasting little time, they moved outwards, following the trail Edmee had found. The trail led into another large room, that had once contained many jugs, vases and other furniture but which now all lay broken on the floor, covered by dust. The trail lead outwards, through a pair of double doors which led into the forest. They realized they were inside the ruined temple of Sigmar they had passed when coming into Eslohe, on the north side of the bridge from town, just visible above the tree tops from the inn of the Shooting Star. They decided to rest briefly, binding their wounds. They attempted to question Magnus, who replied curtly, with short answers, leaving them frustrated. As they did so, Dronk stole away from the party and went back through the main temple chamber, opening another door and heading down a hallway, where he found a door with an engraving that said in Old Reikspiel "Here lyes the body of Siegfried von Kesselring, loyal servante of Sigmar. An honoured Templar and man of courage. May his soul find everlasting peace." Dronk considered opening the door, but then thought better of it and rejoined his companions, leaving the other door in the temple unopened. AN UNEXPECTED ALLY The group then headed out, into the evening light - the sun was setting and the woods encroaching on the ruins of the temple cast strange shadows as the party silently walked back towards Eslohe across the little wooden bridge. Had the Doctor eluded them, or had he been slain by the ghouls? When they reached the town they passed the Shooting Star Inn, and a hooded figure approached the group. She introduced herself as Hilda Eyesnick, and said she had heard of their exploits at Castle Eslohe, that they had slain "a dozen or more of the black-mailed devils" as she put it, with admiration in her voice. She said she had been sent by one Sigrid, who led a group of rebels and outlaws not far from the village, to bring the party to see her, and hoped they would accept the invitation. After some discussion, the party agreed and they headed back into the forest, with Hilda leading the way. As they walked, the sun began to set, and Hilda frequently gestured for the group to stop. Cyrus marched a few steps behind Magnus, one hand always on his pistol, not trusting the mysterious Magister. Hugo and Lucien spoke of their travels quietly, with Edmee listening as Lucien told him of the Blackhearts and what had befallen the family. Dronk scouted ahead, directly behind Hilda. THE OUTLAW CAMP After nearly an hour of walking, they reached a small camp set in the deep woods. In the center stood a single stone carved with the signs of Taal. A number of bedraggled looking hooded figures carrying simple weapons and bows walked about the camp. They eyed the newcomers closely, not hiding their curiosity, and the party could hear them whisper amongst themselves. Hilda explained this was the band of rebels she had spoken about, and took them to the largest of the tents, and ushered them in. They were met by a powerfully built young woman wearing light mail, with a steely glint in her blue eyes. The woman stood before a table on which lay several maps. Several outlaws stood in the corners of the tent. The woman smiled and greeted the party, introducing herself as Sigrid, the leader of the rebels. She told them she had once been a cleric of Taal, god of the Wilds, whose magic still protected the grove they were in. She had turned from his service once her parents were killed, and taken up the sword, leading like-minded villagers against the tyranny of the Von Eslohe family. "What has happened to Eslohe?" asked Edmee. Sigrid replied that a decade ago, a black storm had struck, an unnatural storm. The crops had withered and sickened, and the cattle died. Ever since then, famine and disease and mutation had afflicted the villagers and those living in the outlying areas. She said she believed the Von Eslohes were responsible and practiced vile sorceries. She told them of Lady Magritte, one of the nobles, who would come and take people from the village, and of the Doctor, who provided the few remaining desperates in the town with the rotgut that consumed their minds. PLAN OF ATTACK Sigrid said she had heard of their prowess and praised them for their attack on the castle. She hoped they would now come with the forces of the Empire to smite the wicked Von Eslohe family and save the village. "We need your help. While we do what we can to alleviate the suffering of the villagers, we cannot take Castle Eslohe ourselves, as we number only a few dozen. A head-on attack would be suicide. But if you could find a way in, then open the gates for our forces, I think we could do it." Cyrus told her he planned to burn down the village to purge the corruption which had consumed the villagers, which caused her attitude to change, her eyes narrowing as she addressed the group. "Is this our reward then? After so long, to have our very saviors be our final ruin?" Edmee shot a furious glance at Cyrus and tried to reassure the warrior that they would do what they could, while Hugo and Dronk suggested the survivors could move elsewhere. Sigrid seemed desperate to have the groups aid, but said she would have no part in the destruction of the village. She told the party of caves at the foot of the cliffs beneath Castle Eslohe, into which she had sent several scouts, none of which had returned. "I believe these caves lead up into the Castle, as we have observed cowled figures entering and leaving deep in the night." The party agreed to check the caves, asking that Sigrid lead her outlaw band out to the woods in front of the outer bailey of the castle, and that they would signal when to attack. Night had settled in while the party spoke to Sigrid, and they were shown to crude tents, and brought thin mead and roasted chunks of rabbit. They party ate then turned in for the night, safe in the knowledge that around the camp was ringed layers of sentries in the trees and traps for the unwary on the ground. They all dreamed unsettling dreams, of a glass-like ocean with not a wave to be seen, and high above, the cursed moon Morrsleib throwing down a sickly green light, on its surface a daemonic cherub face, smiling obscenely down at them. Lucien however, couldnt sleep. He fingered the ring in his pocket that had been taken from his slain brother. Into his mind a familiar voice spoke..
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The WizardIn time, you will come to know the tragic extent of my failings... Past Journals
September 2017
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