The Beggar Who Would Be King
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Author: Dave Matalon
Homepage: http://
System: War Hammer
Type: Scenario
Category: Fantasy
Requirements:

Statement of Permission of Use of This Material
This material is for private use only. It has been copyrighted, and may not be used for monetary or physical profit of any manner. Any persons wishing to publish this material or make it available for any commercial format should contact Dave Maxx at fireheart@erols.com. Thank you, and enjoy the adventure.

Synopsis
This is the tale of Zelig Shlepperski, the builder of a mighty merchant company which once threatened the merchant cartels of Nuln, but who was reduced to a poor homeless (and now deranged) beggar due to a hateful conspiracy against him.

There were nine members of the conspiracy, each a high ranking member of Imperial Society, each who contributed, knowingly or not, to the poor Kislevian immigrant’s demise.

Unbeknownst to all, seven years later, is that the long forgotten Kislevian is out for revenge and he has the means to achieve it. This is in no small part due to the influence of a Skaven Gray Seer named Hissmass Blackmuzzle who, as one might imagine, has his own dark agenda.

As a series of grisly murders begin, a reward is offer to find the culprit, and the smell of gold is an easy lure for a group of foolhardy adventurers….

The Little Peasant That Could
Zelig Shlepperski was a success story unlike the kind the Empire had ever seen. He arrived as a young man in the Empire having grown up in the tiny village of Minski near Erengrad. Always a bright lad, Zelig had educated himself and always studied hard. His parents, hard working peasants, had dreams of their son becoming an initiate of Shallya, but Zelig had other ideas. He knew where the true benefits of education could be reaped, in business.

Despite the protests of his father who said that education was useless on a farm, and his mother who feared for his safety, Zelig set out on his journey to Altdorf at the age of 18. His great plan was to make his fortune and send for the rest of his family. It was his dream that they would never have to break their backs working in the fields again.

Zelig hit his first obstacle in the form of the Dean of Admissions at U of A, Herman Sthuffennase. The Dean (Who decided Zelig was not the sort of student the university prided itself on) rejected him based on his commoner’s background, and Zelig realized quickly he would receive much of the same at any of the major institutions. He strengthened his resolve and set about concocting a false identity (Through an extensive use of false names and forged letters), which would one year later enable him to enroll at the Duchess Magritta’s University of Nuln as young Heinz Vanderpoop, a merchant’s son from Marienberg.

Zelig’s lack of proper etiquette, and extremely studious behavior made few friends for him in school. Even his professors liked him little. He always knew the answer, his curious mind was ever probing for deeper questions and deeper answers. Zelig worked feverishly at night, cleaning latrines along Glitter Landing’s Street of 100 Lanterns (Named due to the enormous amount of lights which hang outside the dockside street’s innumerable taverns), to pay his tuition. He was luckily able to borrow from his Aunt Anna’s small savings, and it was she who provided him with room and board during those tough years, and who naturally admired, loved, and supported her nephew’s endeavors. After all no one in the Shlepperski family had ever dreamed one of their children would go to a famous University.

After graduating 15th in his class (The first fourteen spots reserved of course for the students from the most powerful noble families), with honors and awards, Zelig revealed his true identity much to the horror of the university’s faculty, students, and constituents. They immediately took actions to revok his diploma, but not before the damage was done and the rumors were racing around town. There was talk by some of having him arrested, but at that time he had become suddenly very popular with the bemused general populace, and so the ruling class had to, for the moment, suffer the insult in silence. Some would never forget it!

Based on his reputation for the man who stuck it to the nobles, Zelig convinced some local shoppe owners that he could make them money if they invested in his ideas. The locals liked the hard working bright young lad, and gave what they could. The rest almost became history…

Zelig’s business acumen allowed him to begin with a small shop and a handful of carts, and end with a Merchant Company so strong that it inspired envy and hate in his many competitors.

Zelig was known for his fierce competitive nature, for his zealousness in his pursuit of a sale, for his sharp eye for new trends in the market, and for his “bargains”. Shlepper’s Shipping and Mercantile Company would beat any competitors price, no matter the goods, not matter the destination. (Zelig dropped the “ski” off his name to make it sound more Empirian) His workers were fiercely loyal because like him they all came from poverty. Zelig was an icon to them, a symbol that together they could challenge the world. Some at that time even boasted as much in local inns, and as the rumors spread so did the unrest amongs the members of the Merchant’s guild inner circle.

THE CONSPIRATORS

What follows are descriptions of the men behind the Conspiracy, their nature, and their motivations.
The Exact nature of the Conspiracy itself can be read in the section after.


Magister Handelmann Baron Johann Von Grauenhart

Major Atts: JEALOUS, COMPETITIVE

The Company
Owner of The Grauenhart Mercantile Company - A diversified trading company based in Nuln with major routes to Averheim, Altdorf, and Parravon.

The Man
Having inherited his business from his family, the Magister is a very Jealous man. He secretly feels unworthy of his position and is hateful of anyone who appears to be smarter or more capable than he. Most Merchants are careful to flatter the Magister endlessly thus appeasing his terrible ego, but Zelig Shlepperski had no time for such silly politicking he had a business to run, and thus caught the ire of the Grauenhart.

He was the master behind the conspiracy. He plotted, organized, and initiated it.

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	50	44	4	4	12	47	2	37	60	53	45	32	47

Skills: Merchant, Student, Noble Basic and Noble Level 2 Skills (see the WD article).
Also: Bribery, Authority, and Hatch Nasty Plot.


Guild Treasurer - Sir Arnolf Grosspunim -

Major Atts: GREEDY

The Company
Owner of TransEmpire Foodstuffs. A Nuln based company which imports exotic foodstuffs from Marienburg and distributes them throughout the empire. They also have significant dealings in the Averheim Cow market.

The Man
Being a money grubbing, lying, greedy, stereotypical wealth land owner, Grosspunim was all too glad to cut Shlepperski out of his share of the pie. In Grosspunim's opinion there's never enough to go around!

Grauenhart needed him to access the guild finances necessary to run the operation.

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
2	26	12	3	4	15	24	1	25	47	47	32	25	23

Skills: Merchant, Student, Noble Level 1. Super Numerate, Embezzle, Hoard Money.


Master At Arms - Herr Mathias Shautichfeller -

Major Atts: BITTER, HATEFUL

The Company
Owner of Shautichfeller Enterprises a trading company which boasts the largest river boat fleet in Nuln five Merchant Galleys in Marienberg and a family Warship. Mathias is chairman of the company but his brothers both own equal shares of the company. Therefore all business matters must be decided in council, meetings which inevitably ends in a childish brawl. Shautichfeller enterprises deals mainly in timber and ore.

The Man
Mathias is the eldest son in one of the Empire's first merchant families. He is in a constant feud with his two brothers for control of the Shautichfeller interests and as such his company does not do as well as it might. Failing profits, a mentally incompetent father, and terrible sibling rivalry have left him a bitter and angry man. Mathias is more than willing to see anyone happier than he, made miserable. It took little to turn him on the upstart Shlepperski.

As master of Arms Mathias is in charge of all dealings with town authorities. He represents the law of the guild. As such he is well connected with the watch and knows who to speak to with get what job done. Grauenhart needed his influence to make sure the right people were looking the wrong way when the conspiracy's operatives began to take action.

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
5	55	37	5	5	12	50	3	37	52	49	56	48	37

Skills: Merchant, Noble Level 1, Imperial Captain. (Merc Sgt.)
Also: Frenzied Attack, Scale Sheer Surface, Bribery, Intimidate, Holler Like A Madman.


Master of Ceremony Herr Simon Misermeister -

Major Atts: COVETOUS

The Company
Owner of Owl Eye Traders. This enormous company has its hand in just about everything. And Misermeister runs it with an iron fist. His eyes are everywhere, and he has spies who watch his spies. No one is above suspicion, no one can be trusted. Owl eye employees tend to be the dregs of society due to their awful treatment and low pay. Owl Eye owns, buildings, farms, warehouses, boats, a carriage line, and even a vineyard in Tilea.

The Man
Simon is the product of his parents. Being strict followers of Myrmidia, they ran a Spartan home. Where other children were lavished with gifts and fineries, Simon, despite his families vast wealth, wore the same gray suit almost every day of his young life. Once he was of age, his father handed over the reins of the business and departed with Simon's mother on a pilgrimage to Tilea to visit the great shrine of the goddess. They disappeared mysteriously and never returned. Which suited Simon well, for he despised them both. Despite all he has now, Simon is constantly afraid someday they might return to take it away. Therefore he spends all his time amassing more and more possessions, and envying anyone who has what he can not. He is a ruthless business man and is much feared by his fellow merchants. It took Grauenhart barely a breath to convince Simon that Shlepperski had to go.

Grauenhart needed Simon’s tricky knowledge of how to undo his competitors without them knowing it, and his contacts with the underworld.

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	38	25	4	4	12	46	1	36	48	62	43	47	36

Skills: Merchant, Student, Soldier (thanks to his father's training),
Also: Bribery, Secret signs Thieves, Hatch Really Nasty Plot


The Dandy - Count Theodore Dinklepetzle -

Major Atts: LECHEROUS - VAIN

The Company
Part Owner of Dinklepetzle Brothers Merchant Company. A small company which deals in rare antiques, fine wines and liqueurs, exotic clothing, and other luxury goods. Dinklepetzle Brothers while not a very powerful company has earned the love of the nobility for the very important and necessary service it provides.

The Man
Theo has always been a lady's man. Even before he was of age, the court's dames and damsels all had their lascivious eyes on the charming young man. And since his introduction to court he has more than lived up to expectation. Much to the anger of his uncle, who currently runs the company, Theo has little time and even less sense for business. He lets others run his affairs, and rather chooses to busy himself with more diverse and stimulating pursuits. Theodore had little against Shlepperski other than the usual repugnance for his peasant heritage, but when Grauenhart explained that he had heard several ladies secretly confess their "admiration" for the pathetic Kislevite Theo joined the cause immediately.

At the suggestion of Simon Misermeister, Grauenhart brought in the young count as a little insurance.
It was Simon's idea that they had to strip Shlepperski of any support. To do this they needed to spread gossip and rumors, and where better than in the Imperial court. Rumors which started high up dripped quickly down to almost all places in the city. Using Count Theodore's undeniable charm and influence with the palace gossips and rumor mongers they spread the seeds of dissent. There was not a lady in court who would doubt the word of the debonair count, and not a husband who wouldn't listen to his wife.

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	40	45	3	3	7	56	1	60	35	28	30	25	56

Skills: Noble Basic, Student, Lighting reflexes
Also: Charm Human, Blather, Excellent Stamina


Captain Brutus Aufulaut of the Black Hood Watch -

Major Atts: VICIOUS, IMMORAL

The Man
The Blackhood district is easily the most dangerous in all of Nuln and the worst duty to pull. The worst of the worst are sent to the Blackhood station, where the Captain and his vicious bunch decide whether the poor rookie will last through the week or get fed to the neighborhood.

In Blackhood you learn quickly to look the other way, which can be difficult when in every direction something illegal is going on. Not surprisingly some of these "loyal" city servants are known to be involved in rather dubious activities.

Captain Aufulaut has been on the force for twenty years. He started at the bottom and worked his way up. After a time, being the opportunistic vicious bully that he is, Aufulaut volunteered to take command of the Blackhood district station. Through intimidation, murder and his own form of racketeering, he earned his place in the district’s hierarchy. Now all crime lords pay some sort of tribute to his station, and some even employ his men when they want to harass their competitors. Brutus has no allegiance to the city’s scum and sells his services to highest bidder.

Brutus is despised and reviled by most of the cities captains, but somewhat admired by the men for his bravado and courage. Either way he is a permanent fixture for now, since there is no one who wants to take over his post.

Brutus, who was brought on board by Shautichfeller, used his extensive connections with various Sergeants from his days on the watch out the city watch to make sure no one did anything when Shlepperski cried for help.

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	58	37	5	5	14	48	3	36	50	40	60	34	28

Skills: Watch Captain Skills, footpad skills.
Also: Street fighting, Dirty fighting (See Below) Intimidate, Browbeat Locals.

Ernie The Hedgehog - Local Street Gang Chief

Major Atts: MERCENARY, HEARTLESS

The Man
Ernie is the leader of a gang from the Dark End district, (Nuln’s other most sinister part of town) called the Defilers. The gang was formed by the soulless man when he was just a young street urchin, and they have all grown up together to become vicious heartless thugs who live off the misery of others.

Ernie was brought in by Misermeister to organize the attacks on Shlepperski’s caravans and the burning of his properties. It was Ernie who was responsible for the terrible and mercilessly thorough job of reducing Shlepperski’s physical assets to ash.

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	54	47	5	6	12	49	3	34	50	36	56	37	30

Skills: Outlaw, Outlaw Chief, Footpad, Racketeer
Also: Torture, Knife Throwing, Arson, Rape and Pillage


Chancellor Steinfaust

Major Atts: OPPORTUNISTIC, POWER HUNGRY

The Man
Chancellor Johann Steinfaust was all too glad to see the upstart Shlepperski taken down a notch or three.
He had nothing but contempt and hatred for the man, for he had never forgotten the insult Zelig had made against the integrity of Nuln and her University. Furthermore the money he would be paid for his services would be able to put towards most excellent use for other schemes and plans he had wanted to finance. Johann could see little reason not to support the conspiracy and he even managed to convince himself it was for the good of the Duchess.

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
3	34	28	4	4	13	46	1	53	61	60	54	48	33

Skills: Noble Level 1, Student, Scholar, Initiate of Verena, Priest of Verena Lvl 1
Also: Bribery, Forgery, Puppeteer

The Strange New Skills
Yes, some of those skills are only in there for character effect, but you can use them, if you like, to give the NPC a +10 here or there when doing what he does best. The Dirty Fighting skill is covered at the end of the adventure

Trappings
As you see fit. These men have access to just about anything they want, within reason.
Most of the nobles will wear between 500-2000 GC worth of Jewelry on their persons at all times. They will carry fencing blades, staffs or amulets of office, family rings. And perhaps some protective magic item (e.g.: Amulet of protection against normal arrows.) Where necessary the text will indicate if they are particularly armed and/or armored.

Brutus and Ernie should be armed and armored with appropriate non-magical items.

THE CONSPIRACY
It was the Magister Handelmann, Baron Herman Von Grauenhart who called the first emergency council to deal with the “situation”, as he so termed it.
He gathered around him in his chambers of office some of the Guild’s most affluent members and stated plainly that Shlepperski had to go. According to Graunehart, not only was Zelig bad for business but he fueled foolish ideas in the poor. Dangerous ideas which threatened the very stability of the Empire. Imagine if all the poor thought they could be rich. Who would work the fields? Who would be the servants? Who would do all the work?! By the meeting close all agreed with Grauenhart, for one reason or another, that something had to be done, and so the first steps to seal Shlepperski’s doom were taken.

A plan was concocted to create a “curse” which would destroy the powerful Shlepper’s Shipping and Mercantile Company and the man who built it.
However to take apart such a large organization would take great resources, and funding, and would be difficult to pull off without some Imperial Influence.

Grauenhart knew just what he had to do, a matter of national security, he thought, must be brought to the attention of the Duchess. In private meeting with Chancellor Steinfaust, the Duchess’ personal advisor, he arranged to receive a letter of Marque which would enable him to utilize the influence of the “Crown” to achieve his ends. In return for this favor Steinfaust was rewarded a suitably large amount of money from the guild.

Grauenhart and the others, having no desire to pay the Chancellor from their own pockets, arranged to pilfer the sum from the guild treasuries, as part of the plan this was to be later blamed on it’s most unpopular member, Herr Zelig Shlepperski .

Steinfaust forged the document, and arranged to get access to the royal seal of the Duchess. In those days Leos was abroad and Emmanuelle (Who was in her early teens) was preoccupied with her other “courtly duties”.

The curtain was about to drop on the unsuspecting Kislevian.

In the weeks that followed Shlepper’s shipments were routinely robbed and lost. Most just outside the city, on well patrolled routes, yet never it seemed was a watchman or road warden in sight. Zelig’s shops and warehouses mysteriously caught fire, but despite his demands with the watch, there were no investigations into the matter.

As goods and patrons dropped away, so did many of the workers. A few loyal volunteers stayed and worked for a share of profits instead. Shlepperski, who could not imagine the breadth if the conspiracy he was up against, fought back against by renting riverboat cargo space and warehouses from powerful Merchants who took pity on him, and from joining their caravans.

The conspirators countered by upping the steaks in the form of threats and violence against Shlepperski’s workers. One daring attack accidentally resulted in the death of three men, two of whom worked for another affluent Merchant (And nobleman), Lord Thomas Von Kampfergarde. When Lord Thomas started yelling , the watch did started listening and the strikes had to stop lest the plot be uncovered.

By then however the damage had been done, and Shlepperski’s empire was almost entirely broken. The idea of the curse was so bad that many had begun to believe that it was contagious, citing the incident with Lord Thomas as clear evidence. No one would do business with Zelig for fear of ruining themselves in the process. Lord Thomas, who was a fair nobleman and who liked Zelig, advised him to leave Nuln and start again somewhere new. He told the young merchant that he had heard rumors in court, names of certain people who were aligned against the Shlepperski empire. Zelig could not believe it, and would not give up on what he had fought so hard to create. Little did he know, the worst was yet to come.

At the end of the month the Guild met in a general conference to discuss an important matter. Members were informed by letter that attendance was mandatory at the penalty of expulsion. When all had gathered in the great hall around the large priceless mahogany tables, under the austere eyes of the Guild’s first founders, the conspirators struck their final blow. They claimed that moneys had been found missing from the treasury and that they had evidence to indicate that Zelig was the thief.

No one questioned their authority. They were, of course, of the best blood of the realm. It was not difficult to believe the accusation either considering Zelig’s recent “financial problems”. Zelig was at last the awful lying thief they all wished him to be. Guilty or not, it was fitting justice in all of their eyes for the man who had made fools of them all years ago.

As the inner council stood over him, barely able to conceal their smirks of satisfaction, they expelled him from the guild, stripped him of any remaining possessions he had, and had him arrested.

Zelig spent three years in prison where, due to horrible conditions and maltreatment, he slowly went mad. During the food riots in the winter that ensued, he escaped with several others when by chance a stray cannon ball smashed through the wall of his cell.

Four more years passed. Zelig became a roaming deranged beggar with only vague memories of who he once was. Left only with vague faces twisting in his mind, voices echoing with the names he had heard once from a friend, Zelig wandered around streets living off scraps, mumbling old slogans from his days of greatness.

And this is just about where our story finds him, but not quite. Zelig has changed, thanks to a new friend he’s made. He has a new purpose, new powers, and a new plan to get even with the bad men who locked him up, who hated him, who wanted to hurt him, men who wanted him dead.

THE PLOT THICKENS EVEN MORE
Today, Zelig Shlepperski, now a common beggar of Nuln, has made a new friend. Felix the talking Rat. The rat came to him one evening as he rummaged through the bins down on Glitter Landing and offered him the opportunity of a life time, to become the king of the beggars. The rat gave Zelig a magical charm which glowed all yellow and warm and told him all he had to do was wear the charm and listen to Felix and he would soon become king. The deranged Zelig eagerly accepted his new mantle and his new advisor. As a beggar he was a hunted man, as a king who could take his revenge on his enemies!

Felix is actually Hisskers BlackMuzzle, Gray Seer of the Skaven. Not unlike Zelig, his puppet, Hisskers has fallen out of favor with the inner council due to his growing power in Skavenblight, and as a result he has been sent on an apparent suicide mission. He has been appointed to orchestrate demise of the city of Nuln.

Unfortunately he has only a unit of a dozen clan Eshin Gutter runners, and four units of 20 Clan Rats (Which he managed to acquire only through the extensive cashing in of old debts and favors) at his disposal to accomplish this monumental task. He has made camp deep inside an old Dwarf Ruin below the sewers which was apparently a prison from the times of the ancient wars, but he is all too painfully aware of the fact that he has little chance taking the city with his pathetically small strike force.

Hisskers also knows that sooner or later a specialist from Clan Eshin will be sent in the traditional manner to “punish him for failing to perform the duties assigned to him by the council”. In Skavenblight he had become too powerful and well protected for them to kill him, but here in the middle of nowhere, it would be much easier, where there are no prying eyes or places to hide.

Hisskers has left his troops to settle in, and has set about hatching what plot he could to actually achieve the impossible. The magic charm is part of his plan.
If he succeeds it the Council will have no choice but to reward him for his deeds, at least that’s all he has to go on right now.

The Charm
The Charm is made of Warpstone (naturally) It makes the wearer obey the commands of the Gray Seer unless the he/she resists actively (WP test -20).
The Charm has also had a side effect, as Warpstone tends to, in that it brings about Chaos attributes from prolonged exposure.

Through Zelig, Hisskers plans to prey on the brooding, angry side of Nuln’s down and out. He is planting the seeds of rebellion, a rebellion which in its contagion he hopes will send the city into chaos.

ENTER THE ADVENTURERS
If you want to use your own PC’s for this that’s fine. However if you’re just starting a new campaign you might consider using the Pre-Gens.

Why Pre-Gens?
In my experience, players often create stylized versions of themselves, furthermore they tend to play very similar characteristics again and again from game to game. Pre-Gens are exciting in my opinion, because they force the player to explore new avenues, new styles, and new limitations.

Furthermore I have given each Pre-Gen one two or more distinguishing “negative” characteristics. The reason being is that players rarely have trouble being heroic, brave, good, powerful, etc. However, truly interesting role-play arises out of a playing the flaws of the character.

E.g. Wolf Trolldrengi - An emaciated tomb robber with a whining cowardly nature. Wolf can always be counted on to hide when there’s danger about. Wolf will delay and hem and haw with indecision until the last minute when he’ll throw himself wildly, pell-mell into the fray. Wolf indecisiveness and general aversion to conflict routinely presents absurd situations, as does his volatile and unpredictable temper.

Gunther Von Doozle - An overly pious woodsman who constantly moralizes and preaches to his party members. There is nothing more entertaining than watching his friends trying to find ways to convince Gunther to do something he deems morally inappropriate. Which is almost everything!

Flaws spring up at the most inconvenient times to provide, excitement, comedy and great drama in your adventures.

Background For The Pre-Gens

(See the Actual Characters Stats at the end of the adventure)

Caliburn (The Resentful Halfbreed)
You have never quite been appreciated by those in your home. Be patient they said, things come in time they said. It’s your HUMAN blood they said. There’s just no teaching you they said. Well that was enough YOU said.

You “escaped” from Marienberg with what little you could get your hands on , that dreamy old mage won’t notice his wand is gone for another century. And by then you’ll be a wizard in your own right. You set off for the Empire to find your place in the world. You decided Altdorf's populace was a little too human, and Middenheim's elven community would be no better than what you had just left behind. As far as you were concerned that left only one option, Nuln.

In Nuln there you imagined you could make your way into the Wizards College and continue your magical studies, or at the very least get a job and pursue your arcane interests on your own. If nothing else you were excited to visit the great temple of Verena and its legendary library.

However things have not gone as planned and you have found yourself working for hours on end in a scriptorium in the Brimstone District, translating and transferring until your wrists ache. You live on the edge of the Black Hood District in a hovel full of the worst of the worst and everyday you slowly walk miserably past the wizard's college where, without a patron or recommendation, you were unable to gain admittance. You spend your free time sulking and brooding, spending what little money you have in the Cabaret's along the Scholar's Mount, or wandering in and out of bars along Glitter Landing hoping to stumble upon some new opportunity which will change your luck.

Oskar Edelveiss (The Unconfident Hero)
You never liked the big city. So many people rushing around in a hurry to get nowhere. So little room to move, so little room to breath. You find yourself constantly jostled by passersby and you know somewhere in the pit of your stomach that all the footpads are watching your purse, waiting to catch you alone in an alley. You worry that your horse is safe back in Pussmarker's run down stables where you left him, and that you'll manage to find gainful employment soon.

You still can't believe that Herr Braunfidditch laid you off just because you lost one lousy message. Sure it meant his wife caught him with his mistress, but that wasn't your fault. What were you supposed to do, let those bandits kill you? You had to take a small detour! How were you to know that hour would cost you your job! Oh Shallya protect you, now you're back to square one. You're not getting any younger, and without a patron's letter it won't be easy. Well perhaps a quiet dinner and a mug of ale this evening will calm your nerves and bring a brighter tomorrow.

Skully Pimpernell (The Smart Alec Thrillseeker)
You been working in the Siren's Song too long old boy. Too long.
Been over a year now as far as you can reckon, and you can reckon better than the average Johann. Same old story every night. The guys come in. The guys get drunk. The guys brawl. The guys fall down. You drag the guys back out.

You know, the way you know (7x7-56+132)/5=25, that there's got to be more to life than this tiresome routine. But when you look at it, you can't complain really. These days, with work being as hard as it is, and there being so many beggars on the street, you're pretty happy to have a roof over your head, food in your belly, and little extra besides. Hey that’s not a bad life, better than most of these Johann’s who break their back lifting barrels and crates, or ripping their hands hauling rope and tying knots. Work is a four letter word to you friend. Especially that kind!

But still there's got to be something more you think. Slogging grog can't be all that Skully Pimpernell was supposed to do in his time, can it? All that talent and that’s it? Impossible. There’s got to be an easier way, you’ll just have to be patient. So you spend your nights working, talking here, listening there. You pay off the moron Gregor to do all the tough stuff and you just kick back, and watch the crowds, looking for anyone out of the ordinary to come through the door. Waiting for opportunity to at last come a calling.

Therese Couer De Feu (The Tough-As-Nails Survivor)
Nuln. You made it to Nuln. You did what you ad to to get ere and you're not proud of most of who you are and where you've been. But zat's going to change now. Zis is ze city of new life for you, and place to start over again. If only you knew ow! You find yourself drifting towards familiar looking aunts. Ze bars of Glitter Landing remind you of your old ang abouts in Parravon.
Your hungry and tired, but you refuse to take up your old profession, even if you ave to starve to deas you will at least die wiss your dignity and your pride. Of course per-aps you could win yourself over a small soup and a flagon of wine with only a little smile and some charm. You ‘ate it, you know, but you refuse to give up. Not after all you ave gone trough to get ere. You've noticed ze bartender at ze Siren's Song as ad is eye on you, and maybe e'd be willing to do you un petit favor. Maybe.

Urp The Eternal (The Proverbial Barbarian)
You are big. You are strong. You like to drink, a lot. You like the Siren's Song. You like it when the little men fight because you get to bash them with your fists. Then they make funny noises and fall down. And that makes you laugh. But you are bored. And you are lonely. There is a pretty girl at the Siren's Song who you wish would talk to you. You pray to Ulruk the wild lord of the winter and wolves (WHO SMASHES DOWN HIS FOES IN A BERSERKER FURY), that tonight is the night she will!

Wimbly Wanderpockets (The Curious Troublemaker)
Your a long way from home. A long way in a big town. A long way in a big town where everyone towers over you. You had heard stories by the firesides chatties and out on the picnicker greens. Elders shaking their heads exchanging tall tales about the tall folks and their tall towered cities. Stories that made hutch babies bury their head’s in Mum’s bumblies, and bramble boys jump up all excitedly to wrastle. Stories of the danger and darkness which lived just beyond the hamlet’s hedges.

But here you are. And there you can go no longer. So you munched more than others, so you borrowed without begging. Hardly a suitable reason to send you away. Darn Protectors of the Pantry, with their ever snooping noses. Who decided 7 warnings was the limit?!

Homeless, villageless, expelled and expunged. You turned your paddytracks Northerly West and headed to the Cauldron, as the weevolk would say. The bigfoot city where all roads lead, Nuln. No where to go, you headed there. The place they all talked of but no one wanted to be. You headed to this place to see what it was that made em all mumble, shake their heads and get all whisperwoo. Straight into danger, you had no fear, your inquisitive nature drawing you along. You hitched a ride, unknown to the driver, on a farmer’s cart and passed through the gates into adventure.

In the Cauldron things move fast, and that suits you fine. You’re a fast mover yourself and there's so much to see. You see so much that you like to look at, so much to smell, such much to touch. The only thing is your so short, and that’s a big problem, it’s no small affair that demands a great deal of attention. No doubt, about a fella your size, you need friends, companions, dupes, and big ones to boot. The kind that can bail you out of the trouble you’ll inevitably find yourself in. Hey you can't help it if your a naturally curious fellow? You like trinkydinks, and fancypants, baubleballs, and contaptramacallits. You just like to give things the old eyeover, get a good gander so you can see what they do...and maybe, just maybe, you take them too.

Udo Gartenmann (The Naïve Country Lad)
Boy this sure is a big city. Gosh golly there are so many nifty things for you to see, ya! By Sigmar’s comet are you ever happy you drew the long straw with your cousins when you were all choosing who should go in to sell the harvest in the city’s maginificent Market District. And by Taal’s great antlers there sure a lot of pretty sparkling lights along Glitter Landing. Ya! And oh by Emmanuel’s Lovely Lockes they sure do sell good ale there too. And by Moorslieb’s smile you sure do love all the excitement and fun. And zounds, by golly you…



ABOUT EVENTS
This adventure is run in a particular style which may be different from what most GM’s are used to.

The style involves the use of events. These events mark major occurances within the plot, (Whether they be at a specific time or in a specific place) and
will open up new possibilites for the players. In the beginning the players will be able to do little other than follow the events as they occur, but as they start to piece things together they will go off the beaten trail and explore avenues of their own. Since one cannot cover all the wonderful and imaginative ideas that a player will dream up it will be up to you the GM to ad lib, improvise, and keep things on track.

My Little Bit Of Advice (Take it or leave it)
In over 15 years of running games I have never seen a party of players EVER do exactly what they were supposed to in an adventure. I’ve seen players steadfastly head down dead end alleys even after I put up the big flashing sign reading “FRESH RED HERRINGS SERVED HERE!”

It is an inevitable reality that players will dream up their own plots, and some may be better than yours! I must confess on more than one occasion I liked the plot my players had dreamed up more than the module, and so I junked the book and improvised off of them. We all had great fun, and they felt tremendous satisfaction to have figured it all out so well.

I do not mean to say let your players run the show, but be flexible. Let them explore. Give them NPC’s to talk to when they check something out. If they’re drastically off course, a good NPC can “accidentally” steer them the right way.

Let the players try out their ideas. There’s nothing more discouraging I’ve found, when a player goes through great lengths to roleplay an encounter and the GM turns to him or her and says “This guy doesn’t know anything”. It’s a game, play the game. If the player doesn’t get the hint after a while…then hit ‘em over the head!

My reasoning has another side as well. If you always tell them when they’re going wrong, they’ll never do things without your okay. There will be no surprises. How many GMs have I seen turn and say “there are no traps” with out even pretending to roll some dice. Gosh, I guess that means when he/she does roll some dice than there IS a trap.

Some of you already know this stuff, some of you may not. But as long as I’m writing an adventure I thought I’d slip in two cents of my own. Okay, maybe
it was a nickel!


THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

Event 1:
A Demanding Beggar

“It is a gorgeous Backertag spring day in the greatest city in the Empire, Nuln.
The greatest city, that’s what they say, just ask anyone, except that Blacksmith guy over there, and those two watchmen, they look kind of cranky, and you should probably skip the sinister looking fellow skulking around that alley. Well, as long as you think it’s the greatest city! That’s what matters.”

In this event, the PC’s/PC are strolling along doing whatever errands they have to do for the day when they are accosted by a most odorous, onerous, and perhaps somewhat ominous, beggar.

The beggar is kind at first, then insistent. This pestering builds gradually to belligerence and eventually to outright hostility.

Whatever the outcome of the encounter (If the players go violent, GM’s may have to remind the players that there is a law against attacking innocents in the city , especially when you have a sword and he has a chicken leg) the beggar eventually storms off angrily hurling a myriad of fashionable verbal abuses at the PC’s and shouting “I’ll take this to the king!”

Event 2:
The Siren’s Song
After a longish day of doing whatever your players do with themselves as they get used to their characters and the city, a night of drinking, gambling, and drinking is in order. For one reason or another the PC’s all find themselves at The Siren’s Song that same evening.

The Siren’s Song is a seedy little inn with a bar and five tables in the main room and one other in the snug, as well as half a dozen bedrooms on the second floor. The proprietor Abel Fussbucket is a cantankerous old man, who spends most of his time muttering about what no good lousy scum his patrons are. The only other employees are Scully Pimpernell the barman (See the Pre-Gens) and Harrold the moron.

Most of the initial time in the Siren’s Song should be spent having fun with various NPC’s, getting to know one another and general good old fashioned role-play.

Some possible activities a GM could flesh out.

· Gambling - Ante Up! Roll your Dice! Play a Game of Cards! However you like it! Of course there’s always a gambler in every crowd. Fun!
· Brawl - As long as no one draws a knife, the occasionally tussle is expected. This can always lead to A: Gambling. Very Fun!
· Arm Wrestle with a Trollslayer - Yoinks! This is fun?!
· A pocket to be picked - Funny that looks just like my purse. Hmmm and that looks like my gold...Wait a minute!
· A lovely Bard Sings. Male; Female; Male dressed as a Female; Dwarf dressed as a female; Hey whatever turns you on! This is Nuln! The Bard could be heckled, freckled, or bespectacled. A potential love interest, or maybe just an annoying pest.

During this time players should role-play with one another get acquainted and find some common ground, if they don’t already have it that is, which will help them trust one another in the adventure to come.

Event 3:
The Murder of Dinklepetzle
As the nights festivities wind down and only the stale stench of old tobacco, regurgitated ale, and sailor’s sweat hangs in the air, there is, all of a sudden
…a scream in the night!

As the players poke their heads out of the inn and look down the street, they will see people starting to gather around. The scream is coming from one of the houses on down on the Rot Licht Platz.

The women are all out on the street from Inga’s House of Merrymaking, They’re yelling. “He’s dead! But it’s just Awful! Awful!” The ladies of Inga’s House are terribly upset and continue carry on, but none will do more than repeat themselves over and over.

The PC’s should have some amount of curiosity, and since the watch isn’t about, they might decide to take a peak inside. If they don’t (Curiosity should kill more than the cat, the no good layabouts!) maybe have one of the prostitutes beg one of them to go inside and get their poor hysterical friend out of there. In the name of Sigmar it’s the least they could do!

As the PC’s step through the door the smell of blood will assail their senses, superseding even the raunchy aromas of the brothel. Inga’s is little more than a two story house turned into a place of business. The front parlor, where guests are received initially, is suitably furnished with well worn and overworked couches, and the candles which light the place are appropriately shaded with red hoods giving the whole place an eerie, rather than erotic, feel considering the current situation.

The scream continues to issue down from the chambers above where business is done, and as the PC’s come up the stairs they will see the door slightly ajar. Here the the woman’s screams are deafening and their incessant nature is unnerving to even the most stalwart of heroes. When the PC’s pluck up their courgae and take a peek inside they will be met with a most horrid sight.

A youngish and beautiful man (Dinklepetzle, see above) is on the bed his arms out spread. He has been made to look like a mockery of a woman. His head is shaved, and in its place a filthy gray mop has been placed. Tomatoes have been smeared on his cheeks to look like an affected rouge, and worst of all he is covered in blood because his manhood has been severed off! The poor young prostitute, Anna, (She can’t be more than 16), crouches in a corner shuddering half hysterical, half mad.

Gibbering and shaking it’s all Anna can do to keep her wits about her.
After some calming and talking to, she can relate that after the candles blew out all she could feel were the rough hands grabbing her, and all she could hear were the muffled anguished screams of Dinklepetzle. Her attackers smelled foul, like the bins behind a fishmonger’s stall, and they cackled wildly, repeating again and again, “Well cut em in half, We’ll cut em in half”. Then she was knocked unconscious and when she awoke and saw what they had done she began to scream.

There is little evidence in the room except for a trail of blood which goes
out the window, there a makeshift rope of torn dresses and sheets is the only remains of the route the assailants used to make their entrance and escape.

If the PC’s look around outside the brothel, they will find tracks that disappear into the darkness of the night. A PC with Follow Trail will find that the tracks head off into the Darkend district, and unless they are armed with a cannon, PC’s should be warned about casually entering this part of town.

Persistent pursuers will find the tracks weave and wander around but lead to little more than alleys with beggars laying about.

At the scene of the crime, the Watch arrives after a time and clears everyone out.

Event 4:
The Murder of Misermeister
The next day the PC”s have barely had time to awaken when the booming voice of a town crier catches their ear. All up and down the streets he races calling aloud for all to hear,

“Herr Simon Misermeister has been found murdered in front of his offices!”

This may or may not interest your PC’s. Perhaps to them another dead man is no big deal. But one of them should catch a passing tradesman remark to a friend (Or perhaps a Bounty Hunter) that there will surely be a reward since he was such wealthy and powerful Merchant.

PC’s who investigate the scene will find an area around the office being cordoned off by Watchmen. In the middle of the small circle they are forming, in front of the office door, is a pile of junk and possessions. A lone extended bony hand bearing the family’s signet ring identifies the body buried underneath all the stuff to be that of Herr Simon Misermeister.

The watchmen are awaiting the chief inspector, Kluwitz, to examine the body and PC’s will be hard pressed to get a closer look. And, even if they do manage to get past the watchman to examine the body, they will discover little more to help them. PC’s who investigated the Dinklepetzle crime scene and who ask the GM, should be told that the tracks on the ground here are the same.

These two events should be sufficient to trigger some sort of investigations by the PC’s, out of curiosity, good will, or hopes of some reward. If it doesn’t the next event surely will!

Misermeister’s Merry Men
Through good role-play and some asking around about Misermeister, PC’s will eventually learn that Simon Misermeister was rumored to have dealings with a vicious group of gangsters call The Defilers who work out of the Dark End district. More digging will get the name of their leader, Ernie The Hedgehog

Meeting with the Defilers will not be easy, and it will take some considerable leg work and smooth talking to find out where they hangout, a pub called The Hangman’s Shadow.

However make sure Event 5 & 6 occur before you set up this meeting.

EVENT 5:
Enter The Proverbial….Reward!
The Merchant’s Guild issues a statement through Nuln’s Gazette the Daily Spieler, or the Temple Sponsored tabloid, Verena’s Words To The Wise.

The reward is announced 1000 GC. Sponsored by the Merchant’s Guild. For more information, people are told to inquire with Captain Aufulaut of the Blackhood Watch.

EVENT 6:
An Aufulaut of Trouble
As they make their way over to see the Captain the PC’s will notice a crowd gathering. Pushing their way to the front they find at the entrance to the Blackhood District, tied to the Statue of Ignatius The Humble (A selfless priest of Shallya who gave his own life to save the souls of the people of the city from a demon horde), the body of Captain Brutus Aufulaut. His large slumping form has been rend by vicious clawed dogs (giant rats?). There are presently no Watchmen around as yet, and the assembled crowd seems more stunned then dismayed. Many mumble “Good riddance” and “Couldnt’ve happened to nicer guy”, etc. As air grows increasingly hostile, the crowd begins to take on the feel of a lynch mob after the deed is done. One or two might throw a cabbage or tomato at him yelling “Morr speed you to your grave Captain!” “Yeah, don’t you go sticking around here haunting us no more the way you did when you was alive.”

The PC’s should have some time to react and examine his body before the watch arrives, but they should be wary of flying tomatoes!

PC’s will discover a wad of dung had been shoved down his throat so that even if he tried to scream for help no one would hear him. Locked in his dead hands is a torn bit of soiled looking cloth. Following the trail made by the “dogs” leads the PC’s to the sewers. PC’s will also become aware of the slight smell of Kerosene on the rags which bind him to the statue.

Event 7:
The Hedge Hog Bristles.
PC’s will catch up with Ernie that night at the Hangman’s Shadow, a pub in a shadowy corner of Darkend. The journey to the pub should be somewhat perilous, but not debilitating, as the PC’s negotiate their way through the maze like filthy and pitch black streets of the district. Darkend is notorious for its slumping houses which seem to fall forward over the streets, blotting out the night sky.

If the players are smart and stick together, they should get by okay. If they’re dumb and split up, hit ‘em with a band of footpads (Maybe only a pair if you’re feeling kind).

When the players arrive, Ernie and his troupe are holding court in their usual hangout, along with a number of other bad element types and roustabouts, who are all doing a bit of good reveling and carousing (As opposed to bad reveling and carousing).

It should take some delicate role-play to get a sit down with Ernie. If they think Ernie’s the culprit, this will be a bad place to threaten him. Any such implication will only tickle him pink.

“Dead! Well by Ranald’s tricky thumbs, it was not by my hand!. Though I sure know there were many times that I dreamed about wringing his little neck with my two hands, I never would. That’d probably be as smart as a babe biting his own mother’s teet if you know what I mean. After all, Misermeister kept me well paid, the poor fool.”

Ernie knows better than to confess to the actual jobs he’s pulled on Misermeister’s behalf. He has no plan on making anyone eligible to be a witness against him, nor should the PC’s wish him to. Such folks usually end being found by some farmer, floating along the banks of the river Reik.

During the course of their talks Ernie will certainly wax poetic about his great love of fires. He fancies himself a “fire fighter”. He fights fire with fire. PC’s should get a sense of his sick dementia, and his code of immorality.

If they express concern for his safety, and state that they think he could be next in line, Ernie will laugh so hard he’ll nearly choke. And his men will chime in a great chorus of mirth along with him.

“They’d better have nerves of steel if they’re going to try to take on
The Defilers. We’re one big family ya see. You mess with one,
you mess with us all.”

They are a tough bunch.

Event 7A:
Roasted Pig!
Eventually as the night goes on (But before the Pc’s leave. Worse comes to wrose have some of The Defilers engage them in “friendly” drinking, cards, darts, etc) Ernie will get up and head out of the pub followed by his twelve gang members.

“Well I’m off lads, I’m afraid the night is getting old
and I’m a little burned out.”

He smiles evilly as he says this, and steps through the door.

Suddenly, someone on the roof dumps a liquid all over him and there is the strong smell of Kerosene in the air. Before he can even scream another person in the shadows tosses a burning rag and Ernie is ablaze!

He runs out of the inn into the night screaming wildly as the flames devour his fragile flesh. Even if the PC’s or his gang members are able to put the fire out, Ernie will die of shock soon after. All that remains behind is the burned rag which was soaked in Kerosene.

Event 8:
A Plea For Help
PC’s return to the Siren’s Song and learn from Abel (Between savage verbal assaults and general complaints at being made into a secretary) that a message had been left for them by some rich scum’s lackey.

Dear good Sirs,

I have learned through the grape vine that you have been inquiring about the awful murders that have troubled our city over the last few days.
I believe that I have valuable information regarding these deaths, but
I must meet with you in person to discuss the matter. Come to the Purple Haze Cafe out on Blue Point tonight at 10. Make sure you're not followed!

Herr Arnulf Grosspunim

Event 8A:
Scuze Me While I Kiss This Guy
The Purple Haze Cafe it is a cabaret bar which specializes in farsical adventure drama of a somewhat illicit nature, and a wide variety of intoxicants. Entry to the cabaret is 5 GC a person, and requires at sort of dress code. First players must be wearing suitable clothing (A doublet or surcoat as well as a shirt, breeches, and shoes or riding boots), and second they must be somewhat clean, or at least heavily perfumed. Jorge the doorman, a monkey in a gorilla suit (or is it a gorilla in a monkey suit), has little patience or intelligence for dealing with wise-aleks.

Jorge
WS 47 S: 5 T: 4 I: 38 A: 2 W: 10 Dex: 30 Ld: 24 Int: 20 WP: 35 Fel: 7
(Though his Appearance is about 25)

Skills: SMB, STS, Dodge, Street Fighting, Sp. Weap - Fist,
Dirty fighting (See below)

Trappings: Knuckle Dusters, Small Club, Sap.

Jorge will always Strike to Stun unless a weapon is drawn against him.
He will only use Dirty Fighting if outnumbered.

Upon entering the Cabaret Players will find themselves in a dim smoky room lit by sconces with blue lenses. The powerful scent of Jasmine incense assails their noses, and fills their lungs.

A pleasant and obsequious Arabian, who introduces himself as Nassim, scrapes low and ushers them to a table.

There are a number of dark booths around the edges of the room, some with their silky blue curtains drawn closed for extra privacy, as well as a dozen tables which loosely form a circle around a small stage of wood draped with purple velvet.

The clientele ranges from wealthy students of the Scholar's Mount district, strange wizards from the Brimstone district, decadent nobles from the Palast District just across the Empress Bridge, and an assortment Merchants, Military Officers, and Wealthy Foreigners all who have come to escape the incredible boredom, tedium, or routine of their daily lives.

On the stage two men (one dressed as a woman) reenact a love scene from some familiar old play, where each has fallen in love with another person, and is now plotting the others death even as they speak their sweet nothings. The sinister situation is fraught with comedy however, as they try ineptly to poison, stab, strangle, and mangle one another without ever revealing their true intentions.

Two buxom, scantily clad, barmaids serve the cabarets patrons, while the wandering Arabian keeps a close eye on everyone's table and makes sure no glasses remain empty for too long.

For security there are four massive bodyguards in wine colored tunics who keep watch from the corners of the room.

The drinks tend to be 200% more expensive than as listed in the rules, and customers can choose from a list of twenty different ales from all over the Empire, including Bugman's famous Dwarven Ale (5Gc A flagon).
The Purple Haze Café offers a selection of fruity liqueurs from Bretonia, strong grappas from the Plebian Isles, stiff kvas from Kislev, exquisite wines from Tilea, and more.

For those who wish to enjoy the seclusion of a booth another menu, this one of rare and wondrous deliriants, is available. Nassim hand delivers such requests personally and with each order he soberly and pleasantly warns the buyer that his/her drug of choice may also have some unpleasant side effects. These deliriants are very powerful and very expensive.

Whoever owns the The Purple Haze Cafe is unknown to the general populace, everyone assumes it is the kindly and pleasant Nassim. Rather everyone is satisfied to think that, since it is not always prudent to think too hard these days. Purple Haze is in fact the creation of Lord Nester Krautpleazer, which is the reason it has managed to remain open despite the many improprieties that take place within her walls. Krautpleazer has his hands deep in the Blue Point Watch Station's pockets, and is better known for his ownership of the Unterbrau and Grosslager Breweries. Krautpleazer also has interests in several of the larger and better taverns on Glitter Landing as well as Himmelstadt Shippers, a Merchant company which imports and exports Beers all over the Old World.

The PC’s may spend some time here waiting for Arnulf, interacting with the patrons of the cafe and sampling it's delights. After a while however, it will become apparent that Grosspunim is not showing up, and so when they have had their fill, the PC's may decide to leave.

Event 8B:
The Glutton’s Punishment
As the PC’s walk out into the cool night air, they will see a rather corpulent, well dressed man step down awkwardly from an ornate carriage into the pale moonlight. He smiles as he spots the PC's, and waves as he wobbles briskly towards them.

"I'm sorry I am late my friends,” he calls “but I had to make sure I wasn't followed, you see if they knew I was coming to speak to you, well let's just say I feel safer already now that you're here....."

Suddenly an arrow flies from a rooftop across the street piercing Grosspunim’s hefty form straight through the heart. He gasps and lurches forward, crumpling to the ground.

As the PC's react and begin to run about trying to catch the bowman, Grosspunim will hold the closest one to him and whisper with a wry smile.

"It's, the Kislevian, it's his revenge after all these years. Serves us right."

Which Kislevian they may ask..

"Zelig" Is all he says, and then he's gone.

Event 9:
Night Flight
The Bowman is none other than Herr Shautichfeller who, acting on orders of Grauenhart, has been keeping an eye on Grosspunim for fear he would break his vow to keep the conspiracy a secret. Grosspunim had come to Grauenhart, a sweaty and nervous wreck, only hours before he sent the letter. He had exclaimed that they had to do something or they would all be next! Grauenhart managed to calm and reassure the terrified Arnulf, but he strongly suspected that the man was going to crack. He was right.

Event 9A:
Night Fight
Shautichfeller, despite his age is in excellent shape, and is a more than able fighter. He is dressed in black and should be hard to spot (-10 to I tests even with Night Vision). However should the PC’s managed to give chase and catch him he will fight savagely to the death. Consumed by his own fury Shautichfeller will have little awareness of his own condition, even if the fight is going badly.

If the PC’s kill him, there could be serious repercussions if someone were to find out. It should be apparent to them when they search him, by his signet ring, underclothing, and other trappings, that he is a man of some import.

If he is slain here, PC’s will here a mumbled rumor somewhere about the incident the next day. Or perhaps a town crier will holler something to let them know who they were tangling with in the dark. However, better to let him escape so that he can be discovered by the PC’s as the next grisly victim! (Heheheh.) See below.

Event 10
The Remains of The Fray
During the chase (Providing the PC's don't catch Shautichfeller) the culprit's cloak catches on a the corner of a trough or a loose nail and a piece of it tears away. The cloth is black and soft with an intricate gold thread pattern along the edge, those with evaluate or knowledge of such material, or any tailor, could tell the PC's it is of the highest quality. A cloak of that nature would probably cost over 100 GC. Whoever the owner was he is he's a wealthy man.

Those who live in the world of high Empirian fashion (Or envious rumor-mongering, celebrity worshipping types) will recognize the stitching as that of Dorian Delorian, tailor to the nobility. He might know who owned the cloak. A Noble, Burglar, or PC who consorts with the upper strata of society in Nuln, might also know this information (Int Test). If you like, perhaps a PC with his/her ear to the pavestone (Like Skully. See the Pre-Gens) has heard some talk about the hottest new tailor in town,

Event 11:
The Tell-Tale Tailor
Dorian Delorian is half Bretonian, half Tilean, and all style. Dorian owns
L'Espirit Couture a famous shop on the North Bank of the River Aver just blocks away from the Magritta Platz and the Palace. His schedule is always full and fittings are by appointment only. He lives in the spacious apartment above the shop with his dog Kalvin, and his manservant, Klein. Klein doubles as a doorman during the day hours and having served in the watch for ten years, has some ability with the club he keeps on him, and the sword he keeps upstairs in his room. Dorian also has a gorgeous assistant named Marie who he claims is his cousin (And who actually is) but who according to his jealous gossiping customers is much, much, more.

It will be early in the morning by the time the events of the last evening have transpired. The city will be barely awakening and it is possible (If they act quickly) for the group to subtly make their way across the Empress Bridge, over to his shop. The guards on the bridge are still half snoozing from the night shift, and so providing the PC's are calm and collected (And not armed to the teeth!) they should be able to get them by without any hassles.

Finding the shop should be relatively easy, any passing lackey from the area knows where it is. Sneaking/breaking in is a whole other matter. This should take some ingenuity on the part of the PC's. This part of town being as high end as it is, and so close to the Palace, is crawling with Watch Patrols. And once inside, the PC's will have to deal with Kalvin and Klein.

One ideal approach would be to stealth inside, interrogate Dorian at dagger point, and stealth out. The tailor of the town has no delusions about his own bravery, or lack of it. He is interested in one thing, his own skin. He is doing very well in his life right now and he would like to remain alive long enough to enjoy it. Dorian will tell the PC's that the cloak they are asking about was made for Herr Shautichfeller. It was one of his earlier jobs when he still accepted jobs from the Merchant Class. He does not know where Shautichfeller lives but he knows the name of his company...

SUDDENLY!
A bell in a far tower sounds in the distance ringing out five times.

Players may ask what time it is (+10 Exp. bonus for the lucky devil who does!) or if you like they can make Int+10 (+10 For Orientation) tests to figure this is strange since the actual time is 7 AM.

The Bell-tower is in the Empress Magritta Library which is part of the University of Nuln (In the Scholar's Mount district).

If the PC’s don’t do anything about it, have someone remark, maybe Dorian, that in all his years in the city that bell tower has never been off!

Event 12:
For Whom The Bell Tolls
The GM should fill the PC’s with some urgency to get to the bell tower. They have after all been investigating this very strange series of occurrences and this is as strange as any of them. Therefore it should bear looking into.

After racing across the Seven Battle Bridge up to the Scholar’s Mount, the PC's will reach the Empress Magritta Library on the University’s Grounds. The doors to the enormous cathedral like building and its tall bell tower stand ominously open. It is all but pitch black within.

Inside the PC’s will first discover the body of the old venerable guardsman. Though at first he appears to be dead he is actually only unconscious, a big lump on the back of his head marks the source of his trouble. Also among the book racks, two scribes can be found in similar condition. After a short search the PC's will be able to locate the stairs to the bell tower.

At the top of the tower, yet another gruesome sight awaits them. Climbing through the trapdoor from the floor below, the PC's will discover the body of the man who murdered Grosspunim the night before. They will recognize him immediately by the black outfit and cloak. He is propped up in a seated position inside the bell, his arms and legs twitch involuntarily, and blood streams down his shoulders. If examined they will find the man is still alive!

When he is pulled from underneath the bell they will find an older, stern-faced man (see Description of Shautichfeller) his ear drums have exploded from being under the bell when it was rung and he has suffered terrible brain damage which has left him utterly mindless. Drool drips down his quivering lips and dumb eyes focus dully out at the nothingness in front of his face.

If brought around, the Scribes or the guard can offer little help. The last thing any of them heard was the quiet scurrying of little feet. All concur that the moment before they were attacked they smelled an awful stench, something like three day old fish, or rotting vegetables. They felt many rough hands grabbed them, there were several assailants. And though they couldn't see them, they could hear them mumbling and laughing over and over, "We'll cut em in half, We'll cut em in half."

They all thought they were a goner, in fact they're very surprised and thankful that they're still alive.

If for some reason the PC's don't go check out the tower (Maybe you should buy them coach tickets to the Badlands since they need Orc tracks to follow clues!), they'll have to hear about it from some street gossiping, or perhaps a town crier.

Event 13:
Imperial Entanglements
By schnook or by crook, word gets around town, even one as big as Nuln, and soon any one who's interested will know about the band of adventurers who have been poking their nose where it don't belong.

Around the time the PC's stumble back to their lodgings to catch up on some much needed sleep (PC's who go without sleep must make Wp tests every exhaustion period (T x hours or suffer a -10 and -1 to all stats from fatigue).
A second test of this nature is made for each additional exhaustion period. Eventually a PC who goes without sleep will pass out.), they will have an unexpected surprise.

No sooner have they settled in to their rooms, when a Group of Palast District Watchmen will come a calling. These watchman are called the Ubergart, or the SteelBoot Watch by the locals due to the fact that they fasten shiny steel tips to their hard black leather boots to increase their impact when kicking a beggar in the gut or a loiterer in the backside.

There are six watchmen and a tall stern looking sergeant, spiffily dressed in custom tailored outfits, with colorful tabards displaying their city's colors. They wear bright, decorative plumes in their hats, their faces are either well shaven or wearing well trimmed beards. Their buckles, buttons, and boots all shine like the glory of the sun itself, reflecting like a mirror whatever surface they face. Their weapons are well oiled and their scabbards are decorated with the "E" of Emanuelle.

The Sergeant introduces himself as Oskar Altekamper, and announces his rank and station in the city's Watch. As if the PC's couldn't tell! He states...

"Let it be known to all gathered here and now that I have been
instructed by the powers that be to inform you that your interference
in the investigation of recent official Watch affairs is unnecessary
and unwanted. And that if you persist in your current course of
action you will be incarcerated for meddling with the workings
of the Imperial justice system. Already you have defiled at least
three crime scenes, and you are preventing skilled investigators
from solving the case and putting an end to the trouble. You are
to forget the lure of the reward posted by the Merchant's Guild,
and move on to other endeavors. That is all. Have a very pleasant
day".

While the PC's mumble and grumble about why Watchman who say "have pleasant day" really sound like they're saying "go rot in the warp", it might occur to them that there is something amiss about this last encounter (If not give an Int test, but alas let's hope they think of it themselves). These watchmen were the creme de la creme, out of the Palast District, not boys from the local station who would have a much easier time coming to give such a warning. No these guys had to come off whatever statue or fountain guarding duty they had , dirty their little bootsies marching into the scummy Glitter Landing and deliver this very important information. Somebody doesn't want the PC’s involved, somebody big.

What Do We Do Now?
At varying points during the adventure the PC's may start to ask around to gather more information. THE INVESTIGATION section below details how to handle the various people they may meet and the type of information they might know. It is good to look this over a few times before handling these encounters.

Event X1
The Head of The Hydra
Eventually the clues, names, etc., will lead the players to encounter the Merchant's Guild illustrious Magister, Herr Grauenhart. If this encounter happens relatively early on, that is before the players have figured out the whole story, it will be at the Guild House during working hours.

After waiting for some time a Bodyguard will show the PC's in to the Grauenhart’s luxurious office. The Magister sits behind a massive Averheim Oak desk, which dominates the room, and indicates some hand carved chairs from Estalia with cushions of the finest Cathay silk, for the PC's to sit on.
While the PC’s gape in awe a Grauenhart nods, and a servile manservant offers the PC’s fine, top quality, Bretonian Brandy served silver goblets engraved with Dwarven clan patterns dating back over four hundred years.

When everyone is settled and all the appropriate introductions have been made Grauenhart will give a brief interview answering any questions the PC’s might have politely and calmly as long as they behave themselves. At no point does he betray the well practiced courteous and benevolent air he has perfected through years of practice in the toughest known arena in the world, the Imperial Court.

Intimidation will not get far with this man, and he will not even bother to threaten them with what he could do if they step out of line. He'll just do it.
For instance if the PC's threaten his life, he will pull on a tether cord and tell his manservant to fetch the watch, after which he will have the offending PC arrested. PC's foolish enough to attack or even Sigmar forbid wound Grauenhart (We can't let him get killed yet he's our villain!) will be hung (Fate points shouldn't help the offending PC escape death, unless his friends are there to attempt a rescue).

Later on, when the PC's have put it all together, and they realize who was behind it all they will probably try to track down and confront Grauenhart. Things will have taken a different turn by then and you may proceed to the event below.

Event 12:
The Noble, Noble.
Lord Thomas Von Kampfergarde will be unavailable initially to the PC's inquiry, but he will eventually contact the PC's to hear what they know.

When they arrive at his Villa they will find themselves once again gaping at the life of luxury so few ever dare to imagine in their lifetime. Lord Thomas has an enormous home (even by Nuln’s standards) with statues, fountains, fantastic paintings, sculptures, servants, the works!

PC’s will be led into an enormous sitting room with a fireplace as large as a beggar’s hovel, and kindly asked not to sit on anything. They will be left alone only a short while (Watch those nimble fingers!) when the doors will open again and a servant will announce the arrival of his master.

Lord Thomas does not invite the PC’s to sit either, those he does sit himself. He will be direct that he is looking for information and is curious to learn what they know. He confesses that he suspects something, but he isn't quite sure what exactly is going on.

Lord Thomas will not take kindly to rude PC's or improper attempt at interrogation, and will quickly have the PC's removed from his large townhouse by sure handed man servants.

If PC's are appropriately obsequious and respectful, Lord Thomas will share a few of his own notions regarding the recent killings. He believes they are part of an organized plot, though the watch seems to want to state otherwise. He knows that the man in charge of the investigation, Kluwitz, is among the worst in the city. Despite the outcries of many merchants he was appointed by Chancellor Steinfaust to handle the situation. Such is the unfortunate side effect of political favoritism. (Lord Thomas does NOT suspect Steinfaust's involvement. If asked he will say he does not know the Chancellor personally except that he has a reputation for thoroughness, and that he tends to remain apart from the "society" of court. As is best in Thomas' opinion).

If the PC's share what they know about Zelig and the murders, Lord Thomas will say "unofficially" that he had always suspected there was some kind of organized conspiracy against Zelig and the Shlepper's Company, but he never had any evidence. He is unlikely to believe that Zelig is the mastermind behind all these murders, since he knew the nature of the man, and more so because he thinks he is dead.

He will speak of Zelig with respect and a certain amount of admiration. He claims he did what he could to help the poor man, but the gods seemed against him. In this he does not mean the "curse" as much as the forces aligned against him. As far as the "curse' is concerned Lord Thomas will simply state...

"In every fairy tale I ever heard in which there was a curse upon a
man's head, there was another person, a villain usually, who put it
there. Many claimed the gods cursed Zelig, but I've always fancied
myself a good judge of character, and I couldn't see what that kind
man could have done to have warranted such an awful fate. Unless
he was fooling us all, I just don't see when he would have had the
time! He worked more hours than any man I have ever known."

Lord Thomas would be very interested in anything the PC's find out. And while, because of his own position as a noble and a merchant, he can not openly come out as their patron or supporter, he tells them he will help where he can. Certainly if they are able to gather any evidence he will use it to clear Zelig's name, or bring any wrong doers to justice. He knows that Zelig lived with his Aunt Anna and knows where she lives (Note: No other PC should know of Aunt Anna’s existence or address, Zelig was a very private man).

As far as payment, Lord Thomas will be deeply offended if asked for money. He is under the impression that the PC's are acting out of a sense of loyalty to Zelig, the way his workers did when the business was falling apart. As with so many who have money, it is hard for him to understand the need when one doesn't have it. Lord Thomas is impressed by the "nobility" of the peasant, it captures a certain romantic side of him. Either way he may grudgingly hand them 50 GC for their endeavors, but he will be obviously disappointed and will leave the PC's to be seen out by his manservant without much of a farewell.


PEOPLE TO TALK TO

Aunty Anna
Aunty Anna can be found in a dilapidated three room house on the edge of the Hope’s Home district just across the way from the still unfinished Pan Empirian Games Arena (Which most suspect is nothing more than a tax write off for the nobility). She lives alone and earns food and a little money as a seamstress.

Aunty Anna is more than happy to speak with friendly faces who wish to uncover the troubles which plagued for once brilliant but now lost nephew, and she will eagerly invite friendly PC’s inside her humble home for a spot of tea.

She knows little of the details about how it all fell apart, but she remembers Zelig's pride and determination not to fall. She will name, Lord Thomas, as a fair man who Zelig had turned to despite the fact that it tore at his self-esteem to depend on another. She will also describe the terrible crime which the guild accused him of and which they were all stunned to learn about. She knows little of what happened after his "trial", except that he was locked away in Al Katrazh keep, and she was never permitted to see him again. Anna hasn’t had the heart to contact his parents who still think he is flourishing and awaiting his invitation to join him.


Anna hasn’t seen Zelig since his arrest. Used to wander the streets looking for him. In case the players don’t question her about Zelig’s old habits Anna will reveal…

Player’s Aid (Use if PC’s aren’t asking the right questions)
1. She used to always dine with him at the Fish N Fowl down on Blue Point.
2. His assistant was Mr. Knaidlech.
3. His old business slogan was “We slash prices!” “We cut em in half!”

The Fish N Fowl
The Fish and Fowl (A fresh seafood tavern which caters to the middle class, especially city officials and workers who walk up from the Grosstadt District) is a blue painted wooden building, with one main dining room which gets loud when its full, and an out door deck with tables which lets diner’s watch the river boats and the city go by.

The owner Oskar Mackrel will tell PC’s that he used to see Zelig all the time. He had been reduced to a mumbling beggar. He used give Zelig scraps of food when he was begging around his trash bins, because he felt badly for the broken man, who had once been such a good customer. Shlepperski stopped coming around a few months ago.

The Nutty Confessor
Stephan Knaidlech is Zelig’s old assistant, he’s also a bit of a quack. Stephen can be found working long hours at GreatWood’s Shipping, a small Timber Merchant company based along the piers of Northport District.

The balding, mustached, man has a way of slurring his words and digressing on endless tangents, but he is also a genius when it comes to numbers.

After some funny but difficult Q&A he will tell the PC’s that he thinks he saw Zelig recently, or a man that looked like him, just two months ago. He was wandering the streets near glitter landing talking to himself. He had a small pet rat (It was gray if anyone asks) on his shoulder. If they’re stuck…

Player’s Aid:
1. Stephan suggests that they question folk down on Glitter landing?
Perhaps the ladies of the evening know something, they’re around the
streets all the time.

Asking around down on Glitter Landing the PC’s run into…

Sara Wurstoff - Prostitute
Sara is a prostitute well past per prime but still full of gusto! She will be disappointed at first if PC’s are not interested in her. She knows she’s not the flower she once was, and so she will constantly flirt, and ask the PC’s to reassure her that they do think she’s still beautiful.

With some good role-playing Sara will reveal to the PC’s that a few weeks ago she saw a pack of beggars wandering around with murder in their eyes. And one of them had a giant rat on a leash. In case the players don’t think of it…

Players Aid:
1. Sarah says they should ask the sewer jacks they might know more.

After asking around the sewerjacks, they are approached by…

Rolph Hafwitz the Rat Catcher
The short wiry Watchman stinks a block before he reaches the PC’s. His skin might be fair if one could see it underneath all the grime.

He says, in his high sing-song voice, that he saw a beggar who fits Zelig’s description feeding butcher’s scraps to three giant rats, one night about a week back, while he was patrolling in the sewers . None of the fellas felt like going home without all their arms or legs so they let him go about his business. He seemed harmless enough. Ah heh. It was under the Hope’s Home district on the edge of town.

Event X2:
The Missing Link
By now the PC’s should have come to the realization (or at the very least the suspicion) that the man who is most likely behind the murders is Zelig the Kislevian who was once a prosperous business man but whom a terrible conspiracy tore apart and ultimately broke. Perhaps they have figured out that somehow this man is working in conjunction with the beggars to bring about these murders. However they lack any evidence of either Zelig’s existence or Grauenhart’s conspiracy, and they will need to find one or the other to proceed onwards. Even with the type of information provided by the Rolph, finding him in the notoriously vast maze of sewers beneath the city is a more than daunting task.

They need proof! Their only real lead is Steinfaust and Grauenhart. Steinfaust is behind a walled in Palace with lots of knights and guards. Grauenhart is not. Hmmm tough choice.

Event 13:
We Meet At Last, Again.
When the PC’s have their second encounter with Grauenhart it’s on their terms. Sort of. The Magister’s Home is surrounded by no less than two dozen Henchmen, all armed with clubs, axes, swords and maces. Some have helmets or the occasional shield. It looks to all but the least astute observer that Grauenhart has raided the docks for some quick muscle.

A fight is hardly necessary, but if the PC’s want one they’ll get it. Those daring enough to try to request an audience may be somewhat surprised to have it accepted. (Alternatively, if you’re feeling like sparing everyone a little bloodshed you can have Grauenhart leave word with his chief tough that he’s expecting the PC’s as visitors. So when they walk up ready for a fight the guys simply tell them to go right in.)

Inside Grauenhart is stirred but not shaken. PC’s are shown into a luxuriously decorated sitting room with large Bretonian glass doors which look out over an extensive garden. A roaring fire burns in the hearth warming the room against the night’s chill air. Grauenhart awaits the PC’s dressed in an expensive satin lounging robe and is drinking strong wine (The finest in his collection) from a large golden gem encrusted goblet (Value 400 GC). It is apparent, from the row of empty bottles, that he’s been drinking for a while.

He welcomes the PC’s like old friends, or bitter enemies, either way the same in his book. And he invites them to sit down and join him in his celebration of life. He speaks candidly of Zelig and is utter hate for the man and what he stood for, also claims that he is not the least bit afraid of the likes of Lord Thomas. He doesn’t care, he tells them, he knows what he did for his city and would do it again if he had the chance. He even shows the PC’s the letter prepared by Steinfaust, holding up ion an almost flaunting fashion, and then proceeds to burn it in the hearth. At this poin the PC’s may try to leap stop him, but even as they react there are SUDDENLY loud shouts and screams are from outside.

Event 13A:
Attack Of Beggars!
Even as the PC’s rush to the windows, Grauenhart gravely sits down staring off into the distance. He knows his time has come. He mumbles aloud as he awaits his fate.

“My only fear is that the Palace will be next. After all it’s the
Countess’ name that was on the letter.”

Outside there are more screams as men go down and the PC’s can see over 100 beggars rushing the house from all sides with torches, sticks, and other improvised weapons. As they draw closer their chant can be heard getting louder and louder!

“We slash em! We cut em half!”

Grauenhart turns to the PC’s and smiles weakly…

“And he knows about it you see. He knows about the whole thing. Because after that day when they locked him up, I went to him…alone, and I told him! I told him everything! …It drove him quite…mad.”

CRASH! A torch flies through the window and the woven white curtains are on fire in seconds. More crashes and the beggars are climbing through breaks in the Bretonian Glass doors, their savage cries now ringing throughout the house.

The PC’s will have to fight their way free. They may try to save Grauenhart, but this should be extremely difficult (And is not recommended) The beggars are everywhere and it should take all their efforts to escape harm’s way. The beggars primary target is Grauenhart, so anyone defending him will also become the object of their wrath.

By the third round after the torch, the whole salon is burning and there are a dozen beggars in the room. From that point forward six more will converge on the room each round for the next ten rounds. If your PC’s can beat all these beggars than they are too powerful for this adventure! If they are stubborn, give the beggars another +10 for charging from the side, or +20 from the rear.

If the players wisely decide to flee, it should take each one of them 10-M rounds
to clear the houses area. Each round an I or WS test should be made (Whichever is highest) or the PC suffers 1 point of damage (No T. No Armor) due to fighting his or her way through the mob. Be sure to describe their desperate escape in detail and play up the sheer chaos of the whole experience.

Once outside, the PC’s will see Grauenhart’s is entirely ablaze, the Watch is hastily heading their way, and the beggars are scattering off into the night.

Unless they want to get nailed by a bunch of SteelBoots (Bad, very bad.) the PC’s should make themselves scarce.

Finding Zelig
The players should realize that if they don’t act Zelig will move on the Palace and eventually the whole city. They have to find him! However this time it shouldn’t be too hard to do. Since there are tons of beggars running away, they need only to follow or track one of them back to their master.

Event 14:
The Beggar King
After following the beggar of his trail down into the sewers and through a maze of twists turns, even a second level of more ancient tunnels, the PC’s will begin to hear the booming voice of a madman giving a speech. His accent is distinctly Kislevian.

Turning a corner and peering through a whole in the wall the PC’s see a throng of at least a thousand beggars gathered in what must have been a meeting hall in part of an old Dwarven hold (Those old Dwarven holds are always popping up everywhere aren’t they?). The beggars stand enthralled by their great king, many of them with weapons or lit torches in their hands.

Across the room amid a pile of debris, atop a makeshift throne of garbage, is a man who more or less fits the description of the person they have been looking for, Zelig Shlepperski (See his new description below). The major difference is that this man is dressed in rags and wears a crown made out of a cooking pot. In his right hand is a large animal’s thigh bone, which he brandishes like a club, and around his neck a strange stone charm glows an eerie green. A gray rat sits perched on his shoulder chittering excitedly as he speaks, and at his feet tethered on leashes of black chain are three giant ferocious looking rats.

“My loyal subjects, your brothers have returned from their last duty
to their king and they bring word that they have succeeded! The
Master of the deceit is dead”

The Throng Cheers

“We have but one more great soul to liberate from its shackle of
corruption and dishonesty so that we may all ascend to the surface and live as we once longed to in a world that is just and good and
where all men are treated as equal. The soul of the evil city that eats
its own children!!”

The throng hollers and roars.

“It will take all our hearts, and all our strength to do this last great
task for the enemy is mighty, and it lurks within us all. But we must
succeed. We must purify the sin of our land and we must purge our
homes of the evil which has taken from us all, that which we had
worked so hard to earn. We must purify with fire!”

“We’ll slash em! We’ll cut em half!” The throng chants aloud as one.

Now is the time for the PC’s to act. Even if they don’t to. PC’s should realize that if they challenge Shlepperski the other beggars might not be sure what to do. They are still beggars after all and if his leadership is threatened this way they may become unsure. Then again they may not, but there’s little else they can do right now! (If you like have a few of the beggars put up some token resistance but these should be more of a nuisance than a challenge to the PC’s).

It should take a few rounds for the PC’s to get to Zelig, so this should give Hisskers enough time to cast his spells and scurry away to observe from a safe vantage point.

The Battle

Zelig Shlepperski, King of the Beggars.

Zelig is indeed the portrait of a broken man. He stands in rags at about 5' 7". He is thin, gaunt, and wild eyed. His teeth are yellowed and his hair is a mangy graying black mop. He might have once been a decent looking if not somewhat attractive man, but he is much changed, and despite his apparent madness one cannot help but detect the incredible intelligence behind his manic gaze.

On his chest is an eerily glowing amulet, on his head a number of utensils fastened to a small cooking pot form a makeshift crown, and in his hand he wields his scepter of office, a yellowish decayed looking pig thigh bone which doubles as a club. A large grayish rat sits chittering on his shoulder.

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	47	34	4	4	15*	47	1	37	60	23(67)	45	32	25

Skills: Dodge Blow, Public Speaking, Begging, Silent Move Rural, Concealment Rural, Super numerate, Street fighting,
Also: Strong Clear Voice, Bargain, Rant and Rave, Stir up Riff Raff,
Spec Weapon: Thigh Bone

Trappings: Warp Charm (See above), Old torn and filthy "Shlepper's" Tabbard, Mangled and Cracked spectacles, Big Thigh bone of a pig (+1D)
Crown - 0/5 AP on head(Same idea as leather only a little tougher)

Chaos Atts: Skin of a Frog - 1/2 Dam from non-edged weapons.
Vitality of the Warp - +7 Wnds*

Psychology: Zelig is so far gone, he ignores the affects of any Criticals.

Hissmass Spells that have been cast on Zelig for the Speech

Aura of Domination
-20 to all WP tests made to resist the will of the wizard (or in this case Zelig)

Hissmass spells that are cast during the fight

Rnd 1: The Scurrying Rat (5 Mp): One extra free dodge per combat round
Rnd 2: Viciousness of the Vermin (4 Mp): +1A per round.
Rnd 3: The Rat Ogre's Rage (2Mp): +3 Strength on next hit.
>Hissmass spells and stats are not listed in detail for two reasons.

1. The spells should go off to make the final fight more exciting. (all the Players will hear is intense awful chittering from the small rat)

2. Hissmass should not be engaged in combat! He should be too hard a target to hit -40WS with Zelig moving around.

IF for some twisted masochistic reason you decide to have them fight Hissmass, it's their funeral. He's a gray seer for Sigmar's sake with plenty of nasty abilities up his sleeve. For instance you could have him change form to a rat ogre with S6 and T6 and tear them a new....

But if you read on you'll see why this is a really bad idea.

Hissmass' Actions
Hissmass will begin to cast spells the minute he sees the threat of the party members. Between the spells he's cast for the speech, and the magic he needs to hold his current form (20 Mps), he only has 11 pts left (His staff and MP baubles cannot be carried in his rat form). He has just enough to throw up the last 3 spells for the fight.

As soon as the action begins (or if someone starts casting a spell he will scurry out of sight. MAKE SURE HISSMASS GETS AWAY! He's a villain who will return again in later adventures.

Players should only have a vague idea of the forces at play, or perhaps none at all. In a later adventure when there is once again evidence of Skaven involvement they may remember back to the strange clues they found here, and begin to piece the puzzle together. This will eventually lead to a hunt and battle with the Gray Seer. But not now, they're no where even close to being ready to tangle with him. Let them all grow to be great foes first!

Zelig's Giant Rats
A gift from the gray seer. These rats were borrowed from a Clan Moulder keeper who owed Hissmass a favor. He has given them to Zelig as a gift, and to help protect him from other beggars, Watchmen, and pesky do-gooders like the adventurers.

Gnasher, Slasher, and Shmutzen

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
5	30	0	3	3	9	50	1	3	5	7	30	30	7

Spec Rules: Subject to Rabid Frenzy (Use frenzy rules)
Infected Wounds - Rabies will ensue.
Attacks with bite.
Can Leap at opponent 1st round for +1D.


The Aftermath
Once Zelig is beaten the PC’s will be faced with a couple of thousand confused beggars. Though there should be a moment of “Uh oh”. Then it will quickly become apparent that without their king the poor pathetic beggars are disheartened, and the fall away like the leaves in autumn. They begin to wander off sadly into the night, their small spirits defeated, their tiny hopes crushed. All they had wanted was to feel like they had a say in this world, all they wanted was a little justice.

Alas, as our heroes know, our world is not always fair, but it’s the only one we have, and its always worth saving.

The End…..
…For now….



THE INVESTIGATION

Talking around Town
GM will have to judge who will say what to who. Role-play is very important here. Is the merchant going to gossip to strangers or spread vicious rumors for no reason? What are the players asking? Finding out who runs the guild is not difficult, finding out the seedier side of a merchant’s dealing is. It should take a desperate thief to reveal something about Misermeister’s dealings with Ernie and the underworld. It should take a bitter watchmen properly cajoled by a fellow soldier perhaps to reveal that Aufulaut while a good leader was a crooked copper. Reveal little bits about the NPC’s using their backgrounds, and their Major Attributes to paint the whole picture. But only where earned!

The Victims
They have the names of all the dead. Dinklepetzle, Misermeister, Grosspunim, and Shautichfeller all share wealthy backgrounds, if investigated further PC's will learn something about each man and the fact that they were all members of the Merchant's Guild.

The Hedgehog and Aufulaut are the two enigmas, but after learning about the natures and reputations of these two men, it shouldn't be difficult to see how they might be involved with the other group, especially if there were some nefarious activity afoot.

The question is who is killing them....

The Kislevian
The PC's know that Grosspunim mentioned a Kislevian named Zelig. On it's own it's probably not much to go on, but asking around the right people (Merchants, and laborers) someone might recall the incident several years ago with the Shlepper's company.

Armed with this name, through skillful role-play and thorough investigation the PC's should be able to learn a lot more. From the university's professor's they might learn about Zelig's trickery and the denial of the diploma. Old workers of his could tell of how he formed his company and it's meteoric rise to greatness. Merchants might grudgingly acknowledge his incredible business acumen, and shrewdness. Some might applaud his skillful marketing tactics. Others might speak of him in disgust as an upstart and pretender. (Ironic coming form a Merchant who himself is a wannabe noble). All will somehow comment "yes but that was until the curse" or "and he would have kept going except for the curse". And then many will fall silent.

Taking It To The Streets
With the full name of Zelig Shlepperski the PC's can scour the streets, going to the Great Markt Districts, or the North Port, where several workers might have things to say. With some prodding or encouragement, some may speak proudly of the man and the company for which they once worked, and will detail the terrible events that brought about its demise. Not any one will know the whole story but enough pieces should be gathered that the PC's can assemble it themselves. One person might even know the address of his aunt with whom he stayed in the days before he was arrested.

Justice For All? (Checking for legal records)
The temple of Verena, the Merchant's Guild, and the Society of the Servants of Solkan (A fancy name for the Lawyers and Arbiters guild) all maintain records of criminal trials within the city, and persistent, sneaky, nosy, and/or pushy PC's should be able to somehow get a look at some account of Zelig's less than just day in court.

From these records they should be able to learn the names of Zelig's accusers at the Guild, and who were the officers of the Merchant's Guild who testified against him at that time.

The records should also show that he was given a life sentence and stripped of his properties. The only recorded protest was by the nobleman Lord Thomas Kampfergarde.

Steinfaust
The Chancellor stays within the Palace and will be unavailable throughout the adventure for questioning of commentary. He is after all busy helping to run the city. He is the one who sicked the Ubergart on the PC's.

The Head of The Investigation, Chief Inspector Kluwitz
This man still believes the world is an isosceles Triangle. If the sign says left he thinks of five reason to go right. He is the only person whose own "great genius" inevitably leads him to overlook the obvious. No absurd theory is too ridiculous to seriously consider, and no impossibility is too far fetched. He is the perfect product of nepotism gone wrong. He is the lover of the sister of a wealthy Baron who is currently one of Emanuelle's selected favorites. Schooled at the University of Nuln, where he studied "Romantic Adventure" (A special degree made up by his professors, who would have flunked the daydreaming young fob if not for his incredibly powerful and influential relatives). Kluwitz thinks being an inspector means wearing fancy outfits, strolling around like a trumped up peacock with a special patrol of watchmen in tow, and solving the occasional street spat between an overwrought husband and wife. All in all he is despised by his fellow watchmen (None of whom are nobleman), laughed at by the people, and good for little more than a carnival's sideshow attraction.

The Watch
The Kislevian could be anyone. The dead are fat merchants nobles, a notorious crook and a watch Captain. They believe its the cunning work of a dark elf assassin. Inspector Kluwitz strongly believes they are the killings are in no way connected. He suspects in fact that they may be part of a Chaos Cult of Suiciders.

The Temples
Most of the temples will have little information for the PC’s.

At Verena a case is recorded against Shlepperski. The record details the charges and the sentence (Also see Justice for all?).

At Morr, learn of the dead. Their companies. Their families. Priests will give only the most general of details.

Al Katrazh
The famous prison of Nuln is a converted Dwarven hold called Uruk-Var where many Orcs, not slaughtered in battle were kept captive, for various reasons. These prisoners named it the hold Al Katrazh, or “Pit of Excrement” and the name for some reason stuck.

At the keep PC’s must try to gain an audience with Wardener Blutbad the commander of the Keep. He is a far from easy man to reach and has a reputation for losing pesky visitors in the prison’s many oubliettes.

Providing the PC’s are courteous, tactful, charming, and/or brief, Blutbad will recount what he knows of Zelig’s fate. He will recount the story of the riots and the stray cannon ball but he will say that he had always assumed that the man was dead. If the PC’s learn otherwise he would be very interested to know since he hates the idea of escapee running around free.

“Bad for the prison’s reputation.” He says. “I folks think they can break out, why then soon everyone will be committing crimes!” This is but a sampling of his terribly complex and strange logic.

The Locals
These days there are beggars every where. And they’re bolder and more aggressive it seems than they used to be. They can tell of Shlepperski’s past and how he once had inspired them all. Before he fell under the curse. Know little except that all of a sudden he began to suffer terrible misfortune so bad it rubbed off on others.

The Merchants
All can tell that the murder victims are on the inner council of the guild.
They know of Shlepperski’s great empire, and of his horrid crime.
Tell more of Shlepperski’s curse. Details of what happened to his caravans his warehouses, etc. And there was also an incident with Lord Thomas
They will direct PC’s to the record halls of Verena for more details.

The Guild
Takes extra security measures. Generally unavailable for questions. (See The Head of The Hydra above

The Beggars
Say little. Mumble and rave. About the murders their comments invariably orient around “Got what he deserved. Justice was done. Long live the king!”

The Thieves
Say they’ve got nothing to do with it. Word on the streets is the beggars are organizing no one knows where or why. All our boys who tried to find out, disappeared. (Save this information for late in the adventure)

The University
Students & Scholars can tell of the affront made by Shlepperski to the university

Getting information:
Don’t just give it away. Let the players come up with plans. Role-play the encounters, let them win the trust of the NPC or intimidate them to confession of appropriate. And don’t let them use the same trick twice!


EXPERIENCE
I like a nice slow paced development with lots of emphasis on Role-play not dice rolling. I give an average of 10 Exp. pts per session. This lets PC’s actually remain in careers for at least a few game world months, and increases the realism of character development. Experience friendly GM’s and hungry players may change this rate for their own needs. 1 Fate Point is always rewarded at the adventure’s completion, 2 if the role-play was exceptional!


Dirty Fighting (Optional New Skill)
When push comes to shove, it is not below some folks to kick their opponents in the nuts, throw sand in their face, pull down a coat to pin their arms, gouge their eyes, etc. This is what more honorable warriors, would call dirty fighting.

A PC/NPC skilled in this ability may make a WS test and declare he/she is attempting to use the Dirty Fighting skill, the opponent than gets a reaction test (I+Int)/2 to anticipate the move. If the opponent’s test is failed, the results may vary depending on the maneuver the dirty fighter chose to use...

* Groin: Take +D6 Stun Damage no T (Armor still counts).
* Eyes: Blinded and basically prone for one round
* Arms: make a Dex test or be unable to use arms, and -10 to I.

These are but a few examples and there are many other possibilities, but of course these are up to you and your imagination. If you'd like to let your PC's gain the dirty fighting skill choose an appropriate teacher or career to learn it from. Perhaps a beggar or a bawd. This skill should really be given only to those PC’s who need a little advantage in a fight, not to give a fighter even more tricks. Most real warriors will probably rely on their awesome combat skills to get them through and never resort to such tactics. Alas one must also suppose there are always exceptions.

In any event be warned, the Dirty Fighting skill is better suited for creative and strong role-players, since combat monsters and dice rollers will very likely
abuse it and possibly unbalance your campaign (And give you a headache from hours of arguing why they can’t do this and that etc., etc.).


PREGENERATED CHARACTERS

Wimbly Wanderpockets

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

3

28

38

3

2

6 +2

62 +10

1

36 +20

17

33

30

41

40

Age: 32
Ht: 4’ 1” Skills: Conceal Rural, Flee!, Palm Object, Pick Pocket, Luck
Night vision: 30yds Blather, Lightning Reflexes, Dodge Blow, Scale Sheer Surfaces
Silent Move Rural
Career: Filcher (Rogue)
QUOTES
Dominant Qualities “Oh Wimbly they’d say I need 10 eyes, for your 10 fingers”
NOSEY. CURIOUS. “Cook. Uh nope. Never learned to cook. No, never spent much time with a
sling. Nope don’t do that either. Nope. Say isn’t that Sigmar’s Comet?”




Skully Pimpernell

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

5

26 +10

31

3

3

6 +2

34 +10

1

35

37

35

35

37

43* +10

Age: 25
Ht: 5’ 10” Skills: Acute Hearing, Strike To Stun, Street Fighter, Wit,
Consume Alcohol, Immune To Poison, Storytelling, Disarm,
Career: Barman (Rogue) Super Numerate, Dance, 6th Sense

Dominant Qualities QUOTES
SKEPTICAL “I been all around. Did some time in the Delberz Watch, worked with some RESERVED outriders, have an uncanny sense when there’s someone about. I worked for a LAZY scribe in a moneychangers, ended up doing all the work, I’ve always had a
ATTRACTIVE EYES head for numbers sorta comes natural. A gift from the gods. When I was a kid +5 Fel* I was hired as a dancing partner for a merchant’s daughter. My good looks got me the job, and got me in more trouble than it was worth.. Tried this and that, never really found my nitch. Never was one for a hard days work. Barman work helps keep food in my belly till I figure out my lot in life.”



Udo Gartenmann

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

4

32

32 +10

4 +1

4 +1

7 +2

29

1

26

29

23

40

36 +10

25

Age: 27
Ht: 6’ 2” Skills: Agriculture, Animal Care, Carpentry, Drive Cart, ID Plant
Orientation, Ride, Silent Move Rural
Career: Farmer (Ranger) Trappings: Bow and Arrow

QUOTES
Dominant Qualities “Ya I am working on a farm which I bought with my two cousins from my
CLUMSY, BRASH Uncle, unt I haf my eyes on a little philly from Shvenkshoffen”
“Let me help you move that tree there liddle buddy”



Therese Ceourdefeu

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

4

38

30

3

4

6 +

38 +10

1

27 +10

13

29

38 +10

35

36 +10

Age: 22
Ht: 5’ 8” Skills: Charm, Seduction, Secret Language Thieves, Dodge Blow,
Dance, Street Fighting, Silent Move Urban
Career: Prostitute (Rogue)

QUOTES
“I never ‘ad a mozer or fazer, not zat I could remember. I ‘av taken care of myself my ‘ole life. I’m not proud of what I’ve ‘ad to do to survive, but I’ll be damned if I ever let zem beat me. Ze gods laugh at us mortals, but Therese will av’ ze last laugh.”

Dominant Qualities
FEARLESS DETERMINED RESENTFUL OF GODS




Oskar Edelveiss

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

4

31 +10

31

3

3 +1

7 +2

45 +10

1

32

36

33

29 +10

31 +10

23

Age: 23
Ht: 6’
Skills: Animal Care, Cartography, Follow Trail, Orientation, Ride,
Career: Dispatch Rider Spot Trap, Trick Riding Lightning Reflexes, Charm Animal (Horse) ,
(Ranger) Read/Write (Grade 3), Excellent Vision, Ambidextrous

QUOTES
“I’ve never been much good at conversations, or with the girls, or with talking in general. I guess that’s why I begged the old hermit, Faustmann, to teach me letters so I could read about the world. I also spent almost all my time around horses. I love horses more than anything. Being on the road is lonely but it’s better that way for now.”

Dominant Qualities
SHY. LOW-SELF ESTEEM ABOUT APPEARANCE (Actually not bad looking). LOVES HORSES.




URP the Eternal

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

5

35 +10

31

4 +1

5

6 +2

33

1 +2

35

27

23

37 +10

33

32

Age: 23
Ht: 6’ 3”
Skills: Dodge Blow, Scavenge, SMB, Sw- TH, Ride, Vry Resilient
Acute Hearing, Scale Sheet Surface, Silent Move Rural
Car: Barbarian (Warrior)
QUOTES
“Urp is eternal.” “Urp hungry” “Urp tired” “URP! Scuze Urp.”
Dominant Qualities “Urp give you back your arm if you promise not to tease Urp any more”
CHILDISHLY SIMPLE
TRUSTING




Caliburn

M

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

Dex

Ld

Int

Cl

WP

Fel

5

42

35

2

3

6 +2

50

1

39 +10

33

48

43 +10

41 +10

34

Age: 35 Magic Pts: 7
Height: 5’ 9”
Skills: Sailing, Orientation, Herb Lore, Silent Move Urban,
Car: Wizard Apprentice Cast Petty Magick Spell, Read/Write (Grade 5), Speak Tan-Eltharin (Seaelf)/4,
(Academic) Swim, Astronomy, Boat Building (Small craft),

Spells: Distraction (Mp 1 Wp test or -5 to activity from buzzing in ear, D6 rds)
Knock Down (Mp 2)
Protection From Rain (Mp 1)
Zone of Warmth (Mp 1)
Glowing Light (Mp 1)

Trappings: Talisman Ward Vs Blades (1AP vs blades), Sneezing Dust (1 Shake)
Galbreth’s Wand (Stolen from old Master, afraid to use it) Wp or roll a 1 Crit
on Energy Crit Chart. Give +10 I when casting spells.

QUOTES
“My mother was of the towers of the Stargem city, and before that she lived on the outer rim of the enchanted isle itself. No I never knew my father.”
“The last man who called me half-breed was found three days after, stark raving mad.”
“I have great powers do not trifle with me. My people are the most powerful and ancient race in the world and magic runs strong in our blood, very strong. I thought you should know with whom you were dealing.”

Dominant Qualities
PROUD, RESTLESS, IMPULSIVE, ARROGANT. LEFT HOME BECAUSE HE DIDN’T FIT IN. ALWAYS HIS UNELFLIKE IMPATIENCE, AND HIS UNTEMPERED FEELINGS HUMILATED HIM. HALF-ELF.


Hand Out 1





Dear good Sirs,

I have learned through the grape vine that you have been inquiring about the awful murders that have troubled our city over the last few days.
I believe that I have valuable information regarding these deaths, but
I must meet with you in person to discuss the matter. Come to the Purple Haze Cafe out on Blue Point tonight at 10. Make sure you're not followed!

Herr Arnulf Grosspunim