Skeletons in the closet
... continued from last session.
The heroes are shocked to see the corpse of Law Lord Hofflich, who they suspect of being the traitor. But, upon closer inspection they see it is not the law lord at all but Engelbrecht Bleich, the Keeper of the wardrobe. Otfried deduces the murder has happened not 15 minutes ago!
Furthermore, in a secret compartment in the room they discover a large chest. Inside, they find the corpse of Hofflich! The corpse has been preserved in wax sealed cloth but by the state of it, must have been hidden in here for some months!
On top of that, they find some documents hidden with the corpse. Especially the instructions to copy the diagram are interesting, as they suggest that whoever is impersonating Hofflich is not The Big Bad Wolf after all.
The heroes are shocked to see the corpse of Law Lord Hofflich, who they suspect of being the traitor. But, upon closer inspection they see it is not the law lord at all but Engelbrecht Bleich, the Keeper of the wardrobe. Otfried deduces the murder has happened not 15 minutes ago!
Furthermore, in a secret compartment in the room they discover a large chest. Inside, they find the corpse of Hofflich! The corpse has been preserved in wax sealed cloth but by the state of it, must have been hidden in here for some months!
On top of that, they find some documents hidden with the corpse. Especially the instructions to copy the diagram are interesting, as they suggest that whoever is impersonating Hofflich is not The Big Bad Wolf after all.
Graf vs Graf
Law Lord Erlich immediately proposes to summon the court and inform Graf Boris Totbringer. With our heroes in tow, they run to the Graf's chambers. However, what they find there shocks them to the core: Two Grafs are in the process of trying to murder one another!
The two are identical in every way and the adventurers are frozen in indecision. Furthermore, the struggle is happening in a small door opening, blocking the way for aal but two persons. The Grafs bodyguards, Knights Panter, are equally astonished and unable to help.
Luckily, Mandred still has a trick up his sleeve, he casts a spell that reveals everything hidden and, -causing a terrible shock to the soul from all who witness it- , One of the grafs explodes into a hideous form.
A withering black mass of tentacles, oozing dark slime and randomly sprouting fanged mouths and glistening wet, evil eyes. This apparition causes primal fear among some heroes and Knights Panther. One knights drags the furious graf back to safety as he tries valiantly to stab the thing with his letter opener. Felix is overcome by pure terror and flees the scene.
The heroes have problems getting at the creature until Gotrak uses a savage push to get the monster in the room. The horrid shape changer gives them a vicious fight, wounding several and even managing to reflect one of Mandred's spells. In the end, with all the adventurers surrounding it, they finally manage to kill the terrible thing, its corpse transforms into stinking black slime.
The two are identical in every way and the adventurers are frozen in indecision. Furthermore, the struggle is happening in a small door opening, blocking the way for aal but two persons. The Grafs bodyguards, Knights Panter, are equally astonished and unable to help.
Luckily, Mandred still has a trick up his sleeve, he casts a spell that reveals everything hidden and, -causing a terrible shock to the soul from all who witness it- , One of the grafs explodes into a hideous form.
A withering black mass of tentacles, oozing dark slime and randomly sprouting fanged mouths and glistening wet, evil eyes. This apparition causes primal fear among some heroes and Knights Panther. One knights drags the furious graf back to safety as he tries valiantly to stab the thing with his letter opener. Felix is overcome by pure terror and flees the scene.
The heroes have problems getting at the creature until Gotrak uses a savage push to get the monster in the room. The horrid shape changer gives them a vicious fight, wounding several and even managing to reflect one of Mandred's spells. In the end, with all the adventurers surrounding it, they finally manage to kill the terrible thing, its corpse transforms into stinking black slime.
Pursuit of the Bad Wolf
After destroying the shape changer, the heroes go over their evidence with the Graf, who recognises the handwriting they just found as that of Law Lord Wasmeier. The heroes invade his room in the palace, only to find it empty, apart from a bottle that contained some sort of invisibility potion and the remains of burnt documents. Looks like the culprit fled the scene. However, he does have a mansion in the city in the Grafsmund-Nordgarten district, which is quite close to the palace.
The adventurers hurry to Wasmeier's townhouse and force entry.
All windows & doors are barred or shuttered, on the top of the house, the crew sees a pigeon coop, which is slowly burning.
Felix and Lothar head there but are unable to stop the fire, they do manage to recover quite a number of documents. The others head for the stables where they are just in time to see a battle pimped coach hurtle down the streets.
After commandeering horses from a local city watch patrol, the crew goes in pursuit.
The battle wagon is drawn by four horses and heavily armoured and adorned with extruding spikes.
The vehicle darts trough the crowd at breakneck speed, not caring for any innocent passers by.
It would be quickly lost in the crowd, were it not for flying Mandred, hovering over the roofs of Middenheim, showing his companions where to go. Yet despite their efforts, the evil law lord is gaining ground. At one point, the heroes no longer see him, but then they hear a loud explosion at the West gatehouse. when they arrive, they see the Battlewagon rushing down the causeway.
Finally Mandred catches up and unleashes a lightning storm, killing the horses and causing the coach to crash.
Wasmeier casts a spell himself that causes the road to split down the middle. Those that are still on it have to do breakneck acrobatics to avoid plummeting to their death in the dark forest below.
Those that succeed make their way down to the forest floor, those that do not hang on for dear life or return to the city gates.
The heroes that arrive in the forest no longer see any trace of the wayward Law Lord. Untill they remember his invisibility potion. Mandred casts his "reveal all hidden things" spell and they soon find him. After a short skirmish they slay the Cult leader and emerge victorious once again.
Finally peace can return to the city of the White Wolf!
Thus ends Part Four of the Enemy Within Campaign.
Next session: tying up loose ends/ aftermath.
The adventurers hurry to Wasmeier's townhouse and force entry.
All windows & doors are barred or shuttered, on the top of the house, the crew sees a pigeon coop, which is slowly burning.
Felix and Lothar head there but are unable to stop the fire, they do manage to recover quite a number of documents. The others head for the stables where they are just in time to see a battle pimped coach hurtle down the streets.
After commandeering horses from a local city watch patrol, the crew goes in pursuit.
The battle wagon is drawn by four horses and heavily armoured and adorned with extruding spikes.
The vehicle darts trough the crowd at breakneck speed, not caring for any innocent passers by.
It would be quickly lost in the crowd, were it not for flying Mandred, hovering over the roofs of Middenheim, showing his companions where to go. Yet despite their efforts, the evil law lord is gaining ground. At one point, the heroes no longer see him, but then they hear a loud explosion at the West gatehouse. when they arrive, they see the Battlewagon rushing down the causeway.
Finally Mandred catches up and unleashes a lightning storm, killing the horses and causing the coach to crash.
Wasmeier casts a spell himself that causes the road to split down the middle. Those that are still on it have to do breakneck acrobatics to avoid plummeting to their death in the dark forest below.
Those that succeed make their way down to the forest floor, those that do not hang on for dear life or return to the city gates.
The heroes that arrive in the forest no longer see any trace of the wayward Law Lord. Untill they remember his invisibility potion. Mandred casts his "reveal all hidden things" spell and they soon find him. After a short skirmish they slay the Cult leader and emerge victorious once again.
Finally peace can return to the city of the White Wolf!
Thus ends Part Four of the Enemy Within Campaign.
Next session: tying up loose ends/ aftermath.