The PC's begin as prisoners of the Baron Hugo Klein. They are held in his keep, four days S of Middenheim and one day S of Untergard (where Through the Drakwald takes place). Grimminhagen is between Untergard and Middenheim. 1.) Secret Cell You awaken in the near total darkness of what looks like a jail cell of some type. A small bronze brazier with dimly lit coals sits in a corner of the room, two nastylooking pokers resting in it and a dented lid on the floor next to it. The most curious feature of the room is that there is no obvious means of egress. There are no doors, no windows – nothing. In fact, the only other contents in the moldy-smelling room are the other unfortunate souls chained to the wall, just like you. From the looks of it, this was their final resting place. The PC’s remember very little. Just that they were each individually taken into custody by Baron Hugo Klein – a fat, pasty-faced, over-privileged noble – for a variety of imagined offenses fitting of their careers. He told them that he would turn them over to the Witch-Hunter Pursuivant as heretics of the highest order once he was done “playing” with them, of course. Heresy is rampant in an area so close to where the Chaos War was fought and it must be rooted out. The PC’s are not injured and are in luck that the Duke’s keep was attacked while they were in his secret “playroom”. The PC’s must succeed at an Average (+0%) Strength or Agility test (can try both) to either pull the manacles and chains from the wall or wriggle free. PC’s who escape can aid those that do not. If no PC escapes, they can try again the following day. The only way out is the secret door in the north wall, but it is Hard (-20%) to find with a Search check as long as the brazier is uncovered. If the PC’s cover the brazier, they will see some faint light coming from beneath the wall where the secret door is located. This makes finding and opening the secret door an Easy (+30%) Search check. If the PC’s are unable to open the door, there is enough of a space beneath the door to see the dead jailor, keys on a leather thong (to the manacles and door) still clutched in his hand. If the PC’s find this key, give them an Easy (+30%) Perception check to find a keyhole on the pitted wall. The pokers can be used as Improvised Weapons (SB-4 damage). If used within 15 minutes, they do an additional 1 Wound (ignores armor) of damage due to fire. 2.) Jailor Emerging through the secret door, the first thing you see in the dying light of another brazier is a dead body lying face down of what was once a man and is now little more than a torso with trailing ribbons of meat. A jailor’s mask lies
near the stricken face soaking in a pool of the man’s congealing blood. There are three doors leading out of this place and the northern and eastern doors are both open, bloody prints leading toward each. Surprisingly, a small table sits upright and undamaged in the northwest corner, its surface covered by wax candle stubs. This is likely the first time the PC's have seen a horrible sight like this. Each of them must make an Average (+0%) Willpower test or gain 1 Insanity Point. The jailor’s pigskin jerkin, aside from a couple of gouges and scratches is serviceable as a Leather Jerkin (1 AP – Body). Attached to the tattered remains of his belt is a pitted metal belt buckle with the Nuln city crest. Underneath the body is a Short Sword (Hand Weapon) with a pair of eagles facing each other on the pommel. The door to the west is narrower than the other two and leads to a small storeroom with undamaged shelves with a few of the deceased jailor’s supplies. On the shelves are a Good Quality Soldier’s Bow with a flask of wood oils, 8 arrows in a quiver and 3 extra bowstrings, 3 wax candles, a slightly stale peach pie wrapped in wax paper, a worn Poor Quality Leather Skullcap (1 AP – Head), a wooden tankard, a dinged but serviceable metal Spear, and a deer-hide pouch containing 11s and 42p. A Routine (+10%) Follow Trail test reveals that the prints appear to be hoofed in nature. One degree of success yields that the tracks were made recently. Two degrees of success yields that they were made by a biped. There are 7 usable wax candles that can be salvaged from the table, each with about an hour of light remaining. 3.)Cells This cramped, narrow hallway smells of old urine and excrement mixed with a fresher animal smell. The six cell doors have all been smashed in and blood is smeared all over the walls and floor. If there were once any inhabitants here, they very likely met with a grisly end. These cells are similar to the one the PC’s were in, but smaller. Closer inspection of the doors and a Challenging (-10%) Perception test reveals claw marks dug into the doors. 4.)Four-Way Intersection Water drips down occasionally from the ceiling above as you reach this four-way intersection. You immediately become aware of a deep growling noise ahead of you as well as an acrid odor of sulfur coming from the western branch of the hallway . [MAKE A PERCEPTION TEST FOR THE DOG. IF IT SUCCEEDS, READ THE
FOLLOWING] A mean-looking Wardog stands in front of you, snarling with its long teeth bared. [IF THE DOG FAILS ITS PERCEPTION TEST, READ THE FOLLOWING] Ahead, you can see what looks like a large dog rooting around in a sack. It does not seem to have taken notice of you. This Wardog (WFRP p233) has wandered down here from the surrounding wilderness. It is hungry and looking for food. The PC’s can try making a Challenging (-10%) Charm Animal test to befriend the dog. If they use the pie from the Jailor’s room, the test becomes Easy (+20%). If the test is successful, the dog becomes the PC’s loyal companion. 5.)The Cave-In This hallway abruptly ends in a cave-in. The rock, walls, and floor are all severely scorched and this is definitely the source of the sulfurous smell. Judging from the size and quantity of the rock in this collapse, there will be no going this way. A Hard (-20%) Search test yields what looks like a hand. An Average (+0%) Strength test and 30 man-minutes yield the singed and crushed body of a guard. Among the guard’s belongings are the crushed remains of a flask or vial and some purple liquid soaked into his pants, a black cape, a mildew-smelling pouch with 8s, and a Good Quality Steel Greataxe (Great Weapon) with engravings of lightning and wolves as well as two blood-flecked blessing ribbons (Lucky Charms) that are wax-sealed to the head by a priest of Ulric. Neither Lucky Charm has been used. An appropriate Routine (+10%) Trade or Academic Knowledge test reveals that the singeing was from black powder. Two degrees of success reveals that the intensity of the burns was caused by a vast quantity. 6.)Kitchen Stores This room is a complete disaster. Water drips in through cracks in the ceiling in many places. Broken crates line the walls on both sides, what remains of their contents strewn about. A few lumpy, torn sacks lay piled in the middle of the floor. Some long metal hooks protrude from the west wall about six feet off the floor. A comforting smell of food seems to be desperately struggling against the pervasive animal smell. The bloody tracks seem to continue through the door to the north, which is slightly ajar and appears ready to fall off of it’s hinges. A Routine (+10%) Search test reveals the following salvageable supplies amidst the detritus:
a a 4 7 1 2 a a a
tin of rancid lard (50 enc) sack with dark flour (10 enc) strips of dried pork (1 enc. each) medium-sized turnips (5 enc. each) sealed jar of strawberry jam (15 enc) pewter goblets (worth 15s each, weighing 5 enc. each) butcher knife (can be used as a Dagger – SB-3) meat cleaver (can be used as a Hand Weapon – Axe – SB) large copper platter (worth between 3-4gc and weighing 50 enc.)
Items of value can have be determined with a Routine (+10 %) Evaluate test. A Hard (-20%) Follow Trail test reveals that the imprints in the floor were probably made by parties that were jumping up and down repeatedly. A Hard (20%) Perception test reveals a faint outline in the ceiling. The difficulty of this test is reduced to Routine (+10%) if the PC’s are actively looking at the ceiling. 7.)Chapel Catacombs The door to this chamber is locked, but can be picked with an Average (+0%) Pick Lock test. The door can also be forced with a Hard (-20%) Strength test. The door bears a clean, bright, wolf's head symbol of Ulric and has no signs of damage. Opening the door to this chamber, you see that it is dimly lit by a large potted lamp set on the floor near the south wall. A pair of hooded lanterns hang from long chains suspended from the ceiling on either side of a rickety, circular, wood staircase leading up. The stairs appear to come to an abrupt end at the ceiling about five yards high. The floor is dirt like the rest of this place, but it has been neatly swept and well-kept. A few shelves line the walls interspersed with statues of the god Ulric. The shelves are sparsely populated with a few scrolls and other papers. A spindly-legged table, near the stairs, is completely covered by a large sheaf of parchments bound together with leather cord. The sheaf of parchments is illuminated with a couple of wonderful illustrations of Ulric standing among packs of wolves engaged in furious battles against obvious forces of Chaos. The bundle is written in Classical and has a value of only 15 gc as it is heavily stained in places (which can be determined with a Challenging (-10%) Evaluate test). Anyone who can read Classical or makes an appropriate Routine (+10%) Knowledge check can determine that the writing appears to be a standard religious material of no added significance. Among the parchments on the shelves, an Average Perception (+0%) test discovers two pieces of note. One bears various names of churches and chapels in the County of Middenland written in Reikspiel. One in particular, has been annotated in red ink – The Den of the Father outside Schoppendorf. The notes
read, “Sermons have reportedly strayed from the typical teachings. Also, tribute has not been collected since last summer. We must be sure to reign them back in or the Arch Lectors will be displeased.” The other is a letter written to Father Demelhofer from Baron Hugo Klein. It reads, “If you are displeased with our latest acquisition then you are more than welcome to leave and find somewhere else to preach.” This is in reference to the cannon that Klein had placed in the tower that was destroyed in error by panicked and poorly-trained soldiers once the keep was attacked. The stairs creak and groan badly if mounted and terminate in a trapdoor set in the ceiling. Due to the rubble in the chapel above, the trapdoor can only be opened with a Very Hard (-30%) Strength test. Each test requires so much force that there is a 10% chance per round of the stairs giving way and whoever is making the attempt falls through to the floor taking a Damage 4 hit (reduced by Toughness, but not armor). 8.)The Evil Stops The bloody tracks come to an abrupt halt at this point. The Beastmen proceeded no further due to the holy nature of the catacombs at the end of the hall. 9.)Trap Fine dust and pebbles cover the ground here as you proceed down this hallway, which appears to go on for quite a distance. PC's reaching this point can make an Average (+0%) Perception test or an Easy (+20%) appropriate Knowledge or Trade test to see that the ceiling is highly unstable. If they succeed, they realize that the ceiling is ready to cave in at any moment. If they fail, let them proceed. Read the following in either case: This tunnel leads for as far as you can see. Just when you start to think that this my be some type of access tunnel to the surface, you hear a deafening crash from above and the ceiling starts to cave in! The ceiling of this hallway is particularly unstable. The ceiling caves in as one of the chapel's spires crashes into the ground above. If the PC's have failed to realize the danger, allow them a Challenging (-10%) Agility test to avoid the crashing rocks. If they fail this, they suffer a Damage 5 hit (reduced by Toughness and Armor). 10.)
Reserve Stores
Reaching this chamber, the first thing you realize is that the air isn't quite so fetid. The next is faint cool breeze blowing down at you from the stairs to your
left. The room itself is packed with large stone blocks, wood, and assorted tools hanging on the walls. The stairs lead up to the ruined storehouse. In addition to the many stone blocks lining the edges of the room, there are the following: 2 3-yard lengths of chain 7 pitons with rope loop an iron wedge a rotary grindstone with stand a hand drill an ice pick 2 mallets a carpenter's saw a spade a set of lock picks a large stack of 59 torches Some of these items could be used as an Improvised Weapon in a pinch. The rotary grindstone could be used to to improve a bladed weapon's quality by one step with a successful appropriate Average (+0%) Trade test. This improvement lasts for only 10 attacks and then the weapon drops back down to its original quality. 11.)
Weapon Reserve
The door to this room is not locked, but it is blocked with rubble and requires a successful Challenging (-10%) Strength test to push open. If opened, read the following: Rubble lays strewn about this room, which, judging by the weapon racks you can see jutting out from beneath the debris, was once some kind of weapon storage area. The edges of the chamber are the clearest, but it appears as if the ceiling collapsed in the center of this place. Water trickles down from various openings above and you can see what appears to be daylight peeking through. If someone were willing to climb the central rubble pile, a way out might be found. First, the PC's must make a Challenging (-10%) Perception test. If they succeed, they hear voices. If they achieve 1 degree of success, they can determine that the voices aren't human. If they achieve 2 degrees of success, they hear the following exchange (in Reikspeil, by Goblins and an Orc): “I knew there was nuffin' 'ere, boss. Dem beasties neva leave nuffin' behind.” (Goblin #1) “Oi! Jess keep lookin' till I sez da word, overwise I'll spit ya an' roast ya meself.” (Orc)
“Yummo. I bet 'ee'd taste right scrumptious, 'e would.” (Goblin #2) and some other Goblins muttering in agreement. “Rot in 'ell, you blighter!” (Goblin #1) “You rot in 'ell!” (Goblin #2) some scuffling. A couple of heavy-handed slaps, followed by, “Bof of yez shut yer gobz an' jess keep lookin'!” (Orc) Secondly, the PC's can make a Routine (+10%) Perception test. If someone passes, they find all of their starting equipment in a sack (if it hasn't been found earlier) underneath a pile of small rubble. Each PC can also make a Challenging (-10%) Perception test to find one of the following at random. Re-roll duplicates: 1 – Best Quality Dwarf-made mace (hand weapon) with geometric engravings 2 – leather case with 4 daggers 3 – a Poor Quality Plate Helmet with an Ox design 4 – a pair of red leather arm-length gloves (AP: 1, Arms only, can have other armor layered) 5 – an ages-old broadsword (Hand Weapon) with a tarnished copper hand-guard and pommel and worn leather scabbard. 6 – a Good Quality Longbow engraved with a sun and star motif. 7 – a Good Quality Sword with a red leather grip and matching scabbard. The sword had a prayer ribbon on it (Lucky Charm). 8 – a rainproofed leather cloak 9 – a very thick brown woolen vest (AP: 1, Body, can NOT have other armor layered) with a wide-buttoned collar 10 – a foul-smelling pouch with 14s and 84p 12.)
Noble Housing Cellar
Approaching any of these doors, the PC's can see that these once were heavily secured, but were burst open from the other side. This chamber is relatively empty, with the exception of a couple of beaten old trunks that have been broken open in the middle of the floor. The animal smell is strongest here and you can see droppings in more than one place. A large stone stair leads upwards and you can feel a cool draft coming down it. You can hear a drip somewhere, but this place appears relatively dry. The PC's find nothing of value here unless one of them makes a successful Challenging (-10%) Search test. If they succeed, they find a secret compartment below the stair. In it, they find: − A latched hardwood case containing an apothecary's kit with glass phials, tins with small amounts of rare earth and hard-to-find herbs, tiny bottles of essential
oils, pestle and mortar. These can be used to make 5 doses of medicine that heals an additional 1d10 Wounds when a Heal test is made. A Challenging (10%) Heal test and 1 hour is required for each dose, which must be consumed with 6 hours. If any Heal test is failed in conjunction with either the making or consuming of this medicine, then the dose is wasted. If the Heal test when administering this medicine is failed by 3 or more degrees, then it causes 1d10/2 Wounds. - a very worn wooden case containing a gilted amulet with a design of fornication of alternating men, beasts, and women. This amulet is worth 40gc to the right person, except that the “right person” is a cultist of Slaanesh. A successful Challenging (-10%) Knowledge – Daemonology test reveals this fact. Simply possessing this could get someone burned as a heretic. Whoever takes this is opening themselves up to the taint of Slaanesh. - a Lucky Charm in the form of a talisman with the symbol of Ulric - a plain flask containing 30 shots of gunpowder - a petite leaden box with a hinged lid inscribed with the image of a warhammer, strung from a chain necklace. It contains a few fibers from the burial shroud of Weiker the Repentant, a noted Sigmarite saint. This item can be determined for what it is with a Challenging (-10%) Academic Knowledge (Theology) test. This item counts as a Religious Relic that adds +5% to Charm and Gossip tests when interacting with members of the Sigmarite cult. - a small ivory box lined with black velvet worth 30gc Item values can be determined with a successful Average (+0%) Evaluate Item test. Going up the stairs leads outside where the PC's will see where they are and the extent of the damage to the keep. PC's can make a Hard (-20%) Navigation test to determine exactly where they are. The keep itself is essentially ruined. The artillery tower in the SW corner was were Baron Klein's beloved cannon met its end as his soldiers panicked in the midst of the Beastmen attack. They detonated all the black powder they had atop the tower which set off a chain reaction in the rest of the tower which was packed with barrels of it. The buildings on the western half of the keep were mostly demolished by the black powder explosions. Those on the eastern half were burned to the ground by the Beastmen before they left. Read the following: Stepping out into the air for the first time, you are greeted with a horrible scene. The relatively clear sky above belies an area of complete devastation. The entire western end of the keep is a pile of charred rubble and the rest of the place is in almost equally bad shape. The buildings in the eastern end appear to have been set to the torch and you can see that their interiors have precious little left intact. The ground has been churned into a muddy quagmire broken in places by piles of detritus and the occasional limb or rotting corpse. Fortunately the smell of
burnt wood and char has covered up any other more unpleasant aromas. You see humanoid shapes moving about near the maingate to the east and the detail that strikes you the most is the fact that their skin is green. Near the Maingate is an Orc and 5 Goblins. They are distracted enough between the Goblins arguing with each other and the Orc admonishing them, that the PC's will have a round of surprise regardless of the noise they make as the river is quite loud. The Goblins are armed with rusty (Poor Quality) shortswords and shortbows and the Orc has a Choppa and a Dagger. The Orc has 20gc in a pouch and the Goblins have 3,4,2,20,and 1p respectively (total of 30p). There is very little in the way of salvageable supplies here. PC's can make a Hard (-20%) Search test in each building to turn up the following: 1 – an oak pipe with a carving of a mermaid. An appropriate Challenging (10%) Knowledge or Trade test reveals that it bears a mild narcotic smell. Another successful test reveals that the smell is Mad Cap Mushrooms. 2 – a Best Quality Dagger with a carving of an eagle in the handle and a black leather sheath with six embossed stars 3 – a crushed corpse wearing an ermine-trimmed overcoat with multiple tears worth 15gc for the ermine which is in relatively decent shape 4 – a moldy pouch containing charred parchment 5 – the bones of what was once a great warhorse 6 – a crude (Poor Quality) War Club (Hand Weapon) with spikes driven through the end 7 – an iron lock box with a sturdy iron lock containing 84gc, 235s, and 72p 8 - A powder horn engraved with a motif of intertwining leaves and holding 20 shots of slightly damp (Poor Quality), and therefore questionable, gunpowder, along with an oiled leather pouch with 20 lead bullets 9 – a pair of Thick Wool Leggings (AP- 1, Legs, can NOT have other armor layered) lined with fur 10 – nothing 11 – a phlem-crusted rag 12 – 15 gc and 37s hidden in a sundered wine barrel 13 – a small brass key 14 - a gilt badge emblazoned with the official mark of the Merchant's Guild of Nuln, strung on a leather cord worth 10gc for the metal, but 25gc for a more unsavory buyer 15 – some corpses wearing blood-drenched robes 16 – a Throwing Hammer 17 – nothing 18 – a small sack with a dozen hard biscuits 19 – nothing
