Of Priests and Witches

A breeze cut though the tree tops, blowing loose leaves across the noticeable path to the river.

The party made haste north, behind them a large party of tomb robbers possibly gave chase or continued digging in the forgotten basements of the long abandoned elven settlement. But the tomb robbers were not at the forefront of their thoughts.

Beneath the ground of this elven settlement, a magical prison held Chaos manifest: warpstone. The party was led to prison by a servant of the Ruinous Powers. "Gold and adventure await!" was the promise. Hart Van Roftmann's only true goal was to have the party, enthralled by dark magic, transport the stone to his masters.

The elven prison held the pitch, perfect stone orb on an ornate pedestal at the center of a wide, round, domed room. The walls of the stone's prison were covered in a mysterious, elvish glyph. To be in the presence of warpstone was dangerous enough, to touch it was mind-ripping and, worse still, could render the body deformed.

Hart's death by the mentally strongest of the party released those enthralled. Hart's map, mail and gold were recovered and the party's trail covered.

***

Ravendil Shadowstar, the elf, and Martin Aulenbach, the Sigmar initiate, hastened the party to the river, following the trail of the tomb robbers. If the robbers were part of Hart's plan, he made no mention of them before he died. They were likely just a coincidence, but if the trail told the party, particularly Ravendil, anything, it was that the tomb robbers came from the river. Heavily laden at times were the tale-tale signs.

At the river bank, a large barge was tied to a fallen tree, providing anchor and cover from passing boats on the Reik. They quickly boarded the barge, found their "sea legs" and begin pushing the barge up river to Altdorf, at least three days for experienced boatmen. A quick inspection of a few remaining crates on the barge found shovels, picks and good, hard bread. The heavy, oil cloth tarps would make shelter on the deck in a pinch.

The party caught sight of a large sail boat ahead. Richly appointed, it was taking a leisurely pace towards Altdorf at only half sail. The 200 tonne Marinburger galleon flew the brightly colored banners of the Cult of Sigmar. Behind it, taut from the current and sail, a heavy rope split the ship's wake, disappearing beneath the surface.


The party debated their next action as it was apparent they would over take the galleon within the hour. Martin argued they had surely been spotted by the ship's watch and any evasive action might be seen as a threat worthy of investigation. And if the galleon was indeed transport for the Cult of Sigmar, they should negotiate passage to Altdorf aboard the ship. And if fate have it, the priests aboard, if any, could take charge of the map and grim news of the elven warpstone prison.

Agreed, they hailed the ship as they neared its starboard side. Martin's hail and primer of news of Ruinous Powers at work in the Empire was enough to secure boarding. The party was welcomed aboard by a formidable priest of Sigmar that introduced himself as Gustav, Chief of the Guard to the High Priest, whose vessel they had just boarded. Across the deck, beneath the shade of a richly appointed leanto, a heavy man in rich cloth enjoyed wine, cheese and meat, holding audience with other priests of Sigmar.

Gustav took leave of the party to tell the High Priest news of Chaos. They were immediately given audience and ask to tell more. Learning of the warpstone, the High Priest offered that the party join himself and his entourage for supper on deck. The party was shown, below the middeck, musty, yet clean, guest quarters amidships.

Dinner would hold introductions where first impressions might be the razor's edge of life or death.

Update

Dinner was held top side on a low table surrounded by heavy pillows emblazoned with embroidered medallions of the Order of the Torch. The High Priest took a leisurely seat on a low couch at the center of the table. Servants poured fine wine, clean water and set rich foods and fresh fruit. A praise of Sigmar signaled the start of dinner and small talk was made. The High Priest asked more of the adventures of the Martin and his friends and was interrupted by a man at the far end of the table. Grimly visaged and serious in tone, he steered the conversation asking for details of the adventure, the "prison," more about Hart. He expected cooperation and got it, at the risk of heresy. When learning of a map held by Hart he asked for it. It was handed over. Agathe spoke of meeting Hart and learning his full name from contacts in Bögenhafen. The forceful man immediately dismissed himself and went to quarters unknown.

The depressed tone of the dinner found the rest of the party excusing themselves. First the brothers, then Agathe and Ravendil. Martin was asked to stay and talk more about his adventures. When these stories tired, Martin excused himself below decks to the party's quarters.

Ravendil and Agathe remained topside on the stern deck overlooking the river and the rope that remained taut, bisecting the wake.

Below deck, Martin found some off-watch crew uncomfortably avoiding the guest's quarters partition of heavy cloth. A thud, grunt and whimper greeted Martin. Parting the curtain, Martin found the grim man from dinner delivering a forearm throw to Mein's throat, pinning Mein to the berth wall. Berthold lay on the floor, bloodied and unconscious. The man released Mein, who collapsed to the floor on his knees, coughing. He had few words for the initiate of Sigmar, but words of caution that the Ruinous Powers held sway where lest expected and were to be rooted out by any means necessary, and followers of Chaos would get know no quarter. The man dismissed himself, seemingly satisfied that the brother's had no useful information for him. Martin tended to the brothers, questioning the purpose of the man and the methods.

Topside MartinRavendil spoke briefly to Agathe about the Hart before they were joined by the grim man from dinner. He carried himself differently, as if he had recently exerted himself in some way. The man wasted no time with small talk with the elf and woman. He told them that the wages of Chaos were death and explained by example. He called over two nearby, and reluctant, deckhands. They were instructed to pull the rope out of the water. With each haul the angle of the rope increased until it was perpendicular with the water and the stern of the boat. In the dim torch lit night, it was hard to immediately see what weighted the end of the rope. Braided into to the rope were nets, stones, and six waterlogged bodies. Flesh pulled away from bone, legs or arms had by been cleaved, pulled away by the currents, or made food for unknown fish or reptiles. At least one could be recognized by all as a beastman by its cloven feet and horned skull, more grotesque from the currents and water. Agathe lost her dinner at the sight and Ravendil swallowed his bile. The man smiled at the reactions.