A Table for Seven
Magdalena is called in for dinner. Von Reiter having just read the broadsheet the dwarves brought and seeing it say that the Baron's body will be laid out in state decides to head to the temple of Sigmar to actually make this so, feeling he can as the PCs are here to hold the fort. He tells the servants to make up beds for them and leaves.
Farfordda retires to the stables to do the Tarot. Is the strigany woman who read Norgrim's future in league with Mariposa? A strong hand with a Joker tells him no.
The dwarves eat with the guards in the courtyard - they are the same men-at-arms that were with Von Reiter at Oberholzbek so Amos take the opportunity to ask them about Axel Muller. Oh yeah that kid - built like a bull - Von Reiter drafted him into the town watch - he did them proud at the battle with Ulkin Blackheart, be a waste having the boy rot in a jail when the town needs every loyal soldier it can get. Norgrim asks him to tell Axel that his mother is having his father's funeral then moving to Gladbeich to live with her recently widowed sister. Then they head to the Bad Pfennig.
Magdalena enters the dining room dressed in her yellow dress and carrying a Blazing Suns sheild as a gift for Ada. She is introduced to Frau Allman the town magistrate (and effectively the mayor), Duke Immelcheid and Wolf-born Erich Heinlein the priest of Ulric. They ask Magdalena about her adventure rescuing Ada, she tells them the truth leaving out her initial captivity and stressing that the abduction was carried out by bandits disguised as Sigmarite pilgrims.
The monocle wearing wizard Karwel Eyrich after having inspected the Baron's corpse descends the stairs to join them, then some half an hour late Baron Heinrich Todbringer makes his entrance.
Ada and Gilbert are presented to the Baron and Magdalena gives her sheild to Ada saying that it is a symbol of the protection afforded her from Myrmidia and the Order of the Blazing Suns.
Once the childfren leave Heinrich shows them the broadsheet - what is this! - Baron Holzbek is to be laid out in the temple of Sigmar. The Ulrican priest is furious, Elena says this is not her doing, she does not know how this can have come to pass, it will be dealt with.
The starters arrive and afterwards Heinrich addresses them - strife abounds, the empire creaks on the brink of civil war - old alliances must be maintained, the Barony of Holzbek must not become part of Hochland. Elena stresses that Ada must be taken somewhere safe - she would raise her in the castle at Sohk. All press on Magistrate Allman that regardless of the will's outcome the alliance with Middenheim should take precedence and Ada be raised in Middenland.
Heinrich says he must travel back to Middenheim tomorrow after the reading of the will. His eyes and ears in Middenheim have grown silent and he is worried, but he will do all that he can to support Lady Eisenhal's cause.
Magdalena also talks with Karwel - he recognises her from the coach to Middenheim when they were travelling to the carnival - did they find their friend? He did not realise that she was with the elf Farfordda, she says they should talk and he agrees to afterwards. He tells Heinrich that he was investigating a Nordland Separatist plot - he was invited to the Conclave by Count Jurgen Karzburdger to try keep his feckless son out of trouble, he visited Dunfurter on route and as a result traveled here with Lady Eisenhal's entourage. This evening was his opportunity to meet Heinrich. Magdalena mentions that she unhorsed Kepler at the Jousting, bravo says the Artur Duke of Immelscheid, he missed that day at the jousting but had heard a female knight had beaten Kepler.
Half way into the main course they are interrupted by the commander of the watch who tells the magistrate there has been a murder in the town...
Amos, Norgrim and Thindra run into Valeria Roth in The Bad Pfennig. Norgrim goes off to drink and drunkenly loses a wager at darts while Amos chats with Valeria. She has sold all of her ale and looking to buy up some Taalwater and heading for Altdorf - her associate here is telling her The Pit is the place to go. Amos asks her who were the people she sold the ale too back at Magnus Rest - were they friends of Gauis? She looks askanse at her companion and says yes - she claims not to know where they were going or who they were though.
Farfordda finally leaves the stables and heads for The Bad Pfennig keeping an eye out for Strigany. As luck would have it he spots young Kazia, she makes a beeline to him - will he buy a plague charm - he answers her in Strigany, paying her and asking can she read fortunes - she says no but her sister can and so leads him to The Bad Pfennig.
They arrive and spot the dwarves, just as a murmer runs around the tavern - a body has been found a few streets away, there's been a murder...
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