Return to Oberholzbek
The decision is taken to head for Oberholzbek. They set off shortly after searching the brigands bodies, and critically after Norgrim imbibes their precious Panacea Universalis, which mends his fractured ribs and torn muscles, ensuring they no longer have to move at a snails pace. Belts are tightened though as other than a single apple found on the fallen they have no food.
They trek south east, reaching the edge of the Sturmtaal shortly after sun rise. Another hour sees them on the banks of the Kleiflusch where they find a spot to camp and take some rest. After noon, following a fruitless attempt at fishing they push on.
Propelled by hunger they cross the ford and manage to reach Oberholzbek by sunset - greeted at the newly constructed, almost finished wall by Holzbek liveried guards. There are ten of them, stationed since four days ago, they along with a posse of dwarves answering Norgrim's call to The Coppershiners made short work of what the locals had started.
Magdalena and Farfordda stay with the Mulderbrooks at their farmhouse - they are pleased to see the return of these heroes - especially as their two, ominously riderless ponies turned up here yesterday.
The dwarves go straight to the Pit Prop - the village pub is heaving with dwarves, soldiers and locals and they receive an appropriately raucous welcome. The dwarves got here three days ago, and are happy with the prospects at the mine. Bardin Ironplough their burly leader explains he was sick of Middenheim anyway, they might have the right idea about mutants there but humans selling each other out turns his stomach. The gang tell tales of their exploits, everyone is eager to hear about the Two Fingers and the tale about the giant rat in the mine.
In the tamer setting of the Mulderbrook's homely hearth Farfordda answers the Gaffer's questions about the Two Fingers in a more guarded fashion - warning him of traps and ghosts and how the towers were built before the War of Vengeance. They learned that there is a great chaos gate beneath Karak Skygg, and it is this which lead to the dwarves abandoning Karaz Ghumzul, their kingdom of the Middle Mountains.
They show him the scrawled map they found on Jakan's body - he suspects the location marked on it may be the dwarf temple he found in his youth. They conjecture that this is where the bandits who kidnapped Ada are camped, and why Jakan reacted so strongly to Amos mentioning that they were seeking an old dwarf temple in the mountains. Just as well we've built our wall says Johan, your wall's not likely to stop the horrors of the skaven says Farfordda, and lays on with menace connecting all the recent horrors, the skaven, the abomination in the mine, the abduction of Unterfraus and this recently learned of gate to hell beneath the mountains. Maybe mad auld Wullie wasn't so mad after all. Johan Mulderbrook will no doubt have a troubled sleep that night.
They spend the following day recovering in the village, planning to head on to Castle Dunfurter on the morning of the 15th, with a view to striking into the mountains towards Karak Skygg the day after
