Meanwhile, the festival has started. The streets of Middenheim are filled with visitors, merchants, buskers and all kinds of entertainment one can imagine. In the dwarven district, a display of merry engineering feats, such as a roller-coaster captures their attention. Fritz, their young guide proves invaluable navigating the maze like streets of the city.
The fair is a lively, boisterous, place. Coloured streamers in blue and white decorate the stalls and stands of the villagers and farmers who have come to trade and sell their wares. A group of children throws vegetables at a grubby man in the stocks, his punishment for whatever crime he has committed, while a guard stands by, keeping an eye on him and the other two in stocks. Two fools dance and leap about, entertaining the people who walk by. All around people are haggling over prices, inspecting the quality of items, and seeing what there is for sale.
Challenges to the Champion
The Wizards Guild
Mandred asks an audience with the high wizard and, as a member of the guild, is directed to the deputy instead. Lady Janna Eberhauer is a beautiful young fire mage. Who is more than happy to receive him. Mandred discusses his findings with her, about Bogenhafen, Castle Wittgenstein, The Cult of the Purple Hand, the taxes and the Skaven threat in the undercity.
He learns that the Wizard guild is in staunch opposition to the taxes but without proof, there is little to nothing they can do. High Wizard Albrecht Helseher is already doing everything in his power to repeal the taxes.
As for the rat problem, she directs him to the temple of Verena. Mandred also shows the sacrificial dagger he found in the House of the Crossed Keys. After setting up the proper wards she investigates it and finds out that it is a Named Chaos artifact called an Anathema. Originally the sword of a chaos champion, an evil rite was done to split the sword into three shards, each of them more powerful than the original, combined they could be used to summon a powerful daemon.
The Klaus Gurtelrose Problem
Kjarl suspects the recent rise in chaos mutants and beastmen in the Wynd area of the forests has something to do with it.
Depite the fact that Mandred knows chaos and necromancy are two different kinds of magic, he agrees to help the mage.
More so because the ring that Lothar gave him is magical and on the inside is engraved the name of the supposed necromancer.
The Elven Gymnasts
They spot Rallane Lafarel, the court minstrel and some of the Ladies in Waiting: Emmanuelle Schlagen and Petra Liebkosen. Janna Eberhauer is also present.
Using their wits & charm they speak to the minstrel. He clearly is not happy, despite what the dwarfs believe, with the taxes. the biggest reason for his unhappiness is precisely the dwarf attitude towards him. The ladies in waiting have no interest in the taxes, or any part of law and politics, they find the subject boring.
Petra is highly extrovert, and while being a gossip is very careful about what she says to whom. She is an extremely attractive woman who makes the most of herself with fine (but never flashy) clothes and likes extravagant (but not cloying) perfumes.
Emmanuelle is bright, sharp, a survivor. Once an actress, she became a Lady-at-Court through the influence of a past lover. She is very beautiful, graceful in gestures, and expressive. The crew picked up rumours that she is the Graf's Paramour, but they are unable to confirm this.
Rats in the Walls
They gather in a secret room and have to sign documents of secrecy. They are introduced to some of the other skaven hunters. Bardrin, the dwarven fighter informs them of Skaven fighting tactics:
“The Skaven are smarter than they look. Don’t mistake them for being stupid—nor for cowards, neither. The reason they run is because the surface isn’t their home ground. They only fight when they've got the advantage: underground, in the dark, and with far superior numbers. In fact, if the Skaven attack, you know you're in trouble, because it means they think you don’t stand a chance. It’s much better to track them down and attack them by surprise. And they ain't too hard to track. Once they get underground, they don't expect anyone to follow them, least not in the cities. They smell like a plague pit too, so just follow your nose."
“A single Skaven, he is a weakling and a coward. Divide and conquer is the watchword here. In ones and twos, they will always fall under your sword, but in many numbers they will come from all sides, sneak around behind in the dark tunnels, even dropping from above, or crawling from below, and attacking without fear or any caring for their own lives. They are like the ocean tide, but like the tide, if you stand firm, then they will break against you. Keep your distance, strike and then fall back, and try to target the larger ones, most special the ones with black or grey fur rather than brown. These are the Skaven generals, and without them, the others will break much quicker. It is not so hard to defeat them, if you keep your heads against such numbers and such furies. Truly, down in the dark, it is fear that is your enemy, not the Skaven.”
“The first thing you notice about them is the smell. Not a stinking reek like Goblins, but a smell on the air, like a horse smells when it's scared. It changes too, when they charge, there's a smokey smell of sweat, and rage. When they run, it's an acidic musk of terror, like an entire regiment has pissed itself. I reckon they use their smell like we use our battle cries, or our tattoos, since I've seen the filthy bastards rub the smell all over their fur before a battle. Since this smell-oil comes out of their ears, and arse, and pizzle, it's no wonder these things are so damn disease ridden."
“When a Skaven gets his claws or teeth into you, he’ll never let go. I've seen Dwarfs come back from battle with severed Skaven heads still attached to their legs, the teeth buried in their bones. Their aim is simple: grab on tight and use their weight to drag you down onto your back so you can’t fight. We Dwarfs don't fall over so easy, but you manlings are in a lot of trouble, especially if more than one leaps at you. Always stand with a friend beside you, so each of you can prise off any that gets through to the other before you fall. Once you’re down, the rest will rush and join the pile-on, and then you’re good as dead.”
Under the mountain
Soon after they enter a corridor, adorned with Skaven symbols, the crew is ambushed by the loathsome ratmen. The enemy tries its swarming techniques to bring down the intruders, using clanrats, assassins, a gatling gunner, poison globadiers and stormvermin. The encounter is brutal and frantic with more and more Skaven coming from all directions. However, even such sheer numbers are unable to withstand the combined onslaught of might and magic that our heroes release upon the foe. The Skaven squirt the musk of fear and retreat into the darkness.
As the conflict is over, the adventurers discover an ancient grave, belonging to one of the ancestors of count Totbringer, and a general of the emperor from the time of Mandred von Zelt, approximately 1000 years old. Mandred the wizard manages to dispel a powerful magical ward and the group loots the grave, finding a bow, some potions and a set of fabulous half plate armour.
After defeating another ambush, the heroes hear the voice of Abel! The poor young fellow lies hog tied in a corner. Apparently he got jumped by unknown assailants, the only thing he knows is that one of his captors said to "keep him alive and give him to them, we might still have use for him".
Unsure of what this means, Abel fears there might be a traitor in the ranks of The Man.
As they make ready to venture deeper, the alarm horn is sounded by the other team. Meaning they have to retreat back to the surface.
Bardin tells them the Skaven numbers have grown exponentially and there is no way the few of them could hope to defeat the ratmen.
The Burglary
While the less subtle heroes set up lookouts, Abel, Mandred & Felix start the burglary by going around the back and breaking into the kitchen. Abel and Mandred will keep watch as the two cat burglars creep upstairs. However, as soon as they do, Mandred detects a disturbance in the Winds of Magic. Using his Witchsight, he determines the source, the pantry, adjacent to the kitchen. While Felix & Knudd desperatley seek the documents, Abel & Mandred see a black, unnatural smoke wafting in underneath the door. Meanwhile, upstairs, Felx finally found the things they need and before leaving the study, spots a half finished letter on the dessk. It is a promise of payment to the Windhund Haulage Company, for the ridiculous sum of 5000 gold, she also thanks them for the delivery of her "special goods". Felix snatches the letter and returns downstairs. His companions there have gotten into a conflict with the -what they assume is- a daemon. Thanks to their quickness and some magic by Mandred, they escape.
When they return a short time later, they see the place is crawling with City Guards and the lady of the house is complaining to them about the theft. They decide to leave it for another time.