The Holzbeks
As the party approach the castle they see Toddbringer and Holzbek penants fluttering from the towers. Amos and Norgrim try make camp a couple of miles back the way while Farfordda and Magdalena ride up to scout out the castle. A failed roll results in them moving on a mile and trying again, having a camp set up with Ada by 4pm, by which point it is raining intermittently.
Mags and Farfordda arrive and say they come with information for the Baron - they get a Friendly Reaction Roll and are bid enter and wait in the grand hall for Steward Meyer. Farfordda asks the guard (Kant) how long Meyer has worked for the Baron and gets told probably as long as the castle has stood. In the grand hall they meet young Gilbert Eisenhal and his Bretonnian tutor (this time with unfriendly/disinterested roll). The castle seems fairly empty.
When Meyer arrives he tells them the Baron is away at war with the Blackweb Goblins to the south - Magdalena says what they have to say is private, can they go somewhere quieter? he is skeptical until Farfordda buts in to emphasize the import and so he takes them up the Geschloss Tower.
Magdalena asks if the names Hals and Greta mean anything to him - he looks worried, he says what of them - they show him the Holzbek Amulet Ada gave them and tell their story. He admits it was he who had Ada sent for. Farfordda asks him why? He tells them its all political and says he'll pay for her to be brought here and for their silence. Farfordda says he's not interested in money, he wants to know why?
This he explains is a border region, the Baron plans to announce Ada as his heir at a Conclave and betroth her to another family - Middenheim has been a flaky ally of late and so they must take measures to secure themselves. The girl was raised in secret on a farm to keep her safe.
What news of Middenheim Magdalena asks, he says that the Graf after having emerged from his malaise has inflamed the strife between the cults of Ulric and Sigmar and that his heir was apparently killed by sigmarites along with his physician on the road south.
They ask about the boy in the hall - that is the Baron's nephew and he is here with his mother, the Baron's sister, who does not know about Ada, and in all likelihood expects her son to be named heir...
They say can they bring the girl here and guard her till the Baron returns, he says yes - he can have this tower prepared for them. They must take the castle Huntsman with them and he can lead them in after dark. On the way out of the castle they see 2 of Lady Eisenhal's guard, one of whom spots the Elf.
Ulman the huntsman travels with them back to camp - he has been instructed not to ask any questions. Amos tries to befriend him to pick his brains about the mountains but fails. Magdalena spends some time talking with Ada, trying to calm her and tells her that they are taking her somewhere safe.
Farfordda goes off further into the woods to consult the Tarot. Did the girl's aunt (Lady Eisenhal) organize the attack - with a low hand he gets the answer no. He can also feel that there were a troop of Orc tracking them who have since lost their trail... Once he returns to the camp he tries befriending Ulman with better luck than Amos - a luck roll determines that the huntsman mostly has knowledge of the area close to the castle, he tells them there are hunters who spend long stretches in the mountains - like Jerolyne the Whistler who occasionally shows at the castle to sell game. No one knows the mountains better than she.
They arrive back under cover of dark and are ushered into the tower once more which now looks more hospitable. Meyer takes Farfordda aside - news has come that the Baron is seriously injured - having inflicted a defeat on the goblins they chased them deeper into the forest - yesterday they engaged them again but a beastman horde entered the fray and the Baron was seriously gored. His forces have retreated back towards Holzbek. It would be too dangerous to take Ada on the road to Holzbek, and now also dangerous to keep her here - so he wants them to take her to Oberholzbek and leave her with the Reeve there.
Farfordda is skeptical but speaks with the gang and they agree to do it. They will leave at first light - he will give them a letter for the Reeve, 5GC each, with the promise of 10 more (between them) when they get there. They also manage to exchange their 2 draft horses for small ponies for the dwarves, get leather for the girl, an open helm for Magdalena, a crossbow for Amos and 3 doses of healing herbs.
Steward Meyer speaks with Ada, telling her they are taking her somewhere for her own safety and that she will return to the castle when her father gets here - he rolls fairly well, so she doesn't immediately protest. They lock the tower door and begin 2 hour guard shifts...
No comments:
Post a Comment