Next day is Festdag, the last day of the Shaffenfest. The adventurers go to the temple of Sigmar, to hear Father Voltsbach sermons. The mass begins normally but halfway trough the priest has another fit and starts shouting about the world burning, the end times coming close and the apocalypse that will start right here in Bogenhafen. Then he points his shaky finger at Ottfried (and his companions) proclaiming him to be the only one who can prevent the end, at this time Ottfried's pendant begins to glow and the sun breaks trough the clouds bathing him in holy light. Otfried proclaims to the congregation his intention of stopping all evil and chaos and the mass ends. When the heroes depart they hear the attendants mutter praise for the lovely sermons and special effects.
The heroes are also approached by a large gang of thugs that warn them to keep their noses out of other men's buisiness.
When discussing the next course of action the adventurers are approached by Friederich Magirius who is nervous and agitated, he explains the following:
"When Teugen came to us from Nuln, he told us that, with our help, his sorcery could influence the entire economy of The Empire. Bogenhafen would become great - greater even than Marienburg - and we would all become rich beyond our wildest dreams. That is why the Ordo Septenarius was established, and the lower ranks are no more than a smokescreen. Everything was going according to Teugen's plans until you discovered the temple under the Steinhager offices. I was instructed to reassure you - to make you go away, so that preparations could carry on.
Magirius then gives them adventurers the letter, which had accompanied the scroll acquired by Teugen on the day of their arrival in Bogenhafen.
The letter reads:
Black Peaks,
Grissenwald,
Nr. Nuln
My dear Friend,
Here is the scroll you require for the ritual you mentioned in you last letter. Do not forget that the Temple for such an undertaking must be properly sanctified with fresh blood.
As ever, I am filled with awe at the heights (Or do I mean depths) to which you learning now reaches. It seems like only yesterday that we two dilletantes begged tutelage of the High Master, and now you stand on the threshold of the abyss itself. If you manage to find the time amid your researches, do write with details of how the ritual progressed; perhaps one day, I too might follow in your illustrious foot-steps.
Your Friend, Etelka Herzen
Magirius leaves, promising to contact the adventurers as soon as he
finds out the new location of the ritual.
"From the town hall office of councillor Magirius.
I must see you urgently, please come to my house on the Adel ring as soon as you are able.
Magirius"
When they arrive at the house of Magirius the door is opened by the same messenger boy (which is curiously fast but this fact eludes the heroes). When they enter his study, the find it in dissaray and behind his desk they find Magirius with his throat freshly cut lying in a rapidly expanding pool of blood.
Magirius managed to write something on his desk using his finger and blood: WH1 and then either a 7 or a 3.
When they make this shocking discovery, they hear the little bastard who opened the door shout: "Help! Murder! Guards!"
With Magirius' house one the Abel Ring, the city guard is fast in their response. The heroes have obviously fallen into a trap, explaining things to the city watch will have no consequence. Also because most of the city officials are one way or another puppeteered by the Ordo Septenarius. The heroes escape and a mad dash trough the streets ensues, followed by angry guards. When they finally get rid of them they see an exact duplicate copy of Gotrak, brandishing a torch, running up to them and then disappearing. The duplicate is followed by an angry mob brandishing pitch forks and the like. On the horizon, billowing smoke can be seen. Once more the adventurers must escape and this time they go for the sewers, from which they make their way to the docks.
By this time it is night and the full green Morrlieb moon hangs over the town. The face in the moon's features are very pronounced. Tonight it is very low over the town, not far above the height of the tallest building. It looks as if the moon is just out of reach. As the night progresses, the face's eyes open and move. Its eyes move to stare at the heroes. Occasionally it licks its lips with a giant tongue and stares expectantly down at the town.
The heroes have since deduced that WH probably stands for Warehouse, they first check up on number 13 and see that it is guarded by a bunch of hired thugs. Whereas number 17 is not.
Since they are well on time before the start of the meeting, the heroes decide they will take over the guise of the guards. The attack is short but brutal and the heroes are just in time to take their places before the cultists arrive. When they do, the adventurers bide their time. The ringleader Johannes Tuegen and Gideon, the daemon child that framed then earlier are ringleaders in a ritual where 6 other hooded cultists participate. They have a bound and gagged thief with them to sacrifice but before this happens, the heroes spring their ambush. After a savage, bloody conflict, they are victorious.
With the ritual disrupted, a cloud of thick, foul smelling black smoke emerges from the pentacle in the centre of the warehouse.
Teugen screams and begs for more time, but a disembodied voice sounds -more in people's minds than in the air - it is beautiful, but cold, and radiates evil.
"Your soul is mine," it says, "It always was; but you were more useful to me when you believed that you could save it." Teugen is engulfed by the smoke and disappears with a shattering scream.
"Gideon," it says then, "Where is my portal? You have failed me. You have not built the gateway that you promised. Return to me, Gideon." Gideon also vanishes, howling and writhing in unspeakable agony.
The voice also addresses the heroes, promising them his revenge for thwarting the plans of Tzeentch, the changer of ways.
The heroes call the watch and after explaining what happened and presenting them with enough evidence to support this are cleared from any charges. The remaining cultists are handed over to the watch and imprisoned.
Thus ended the adventure Shadows over Bogenhafen.