Episode 26: Chasing Shadows, Part 1 Report

General Summary

The Enemy Within: Enemy in Shadows Episode 26 - “Chasing Shadows, Part 1” 3/24/22 Post-Game Notes   Day 83 - Angestag 1 Brauzeit, 2512 IC   Picks up late in the evening after the Crew has returned to The Journey’s End.

• Sir Pierre watches the Crew bathe (!) in the alleyway behind the inn. He points out the horribly full moon of Morrslieb, casting its sickly green light over the city.

Back inside the taproom, Sir Pierre catches up with the Crew

• Sorry about your fruitless foray into the sewers, boys. Not long after you went below-ground, we heard how the goblin was found dead in a warehouse along the Ostendamm.
• Wait, what?

Pierre suffered an injured ear while accompanying some second-rate adventurers on a mission to the Tower of the Vane. There’s more trouble brewing in Ubersreik and in the Empire.

• Sibylle Hagerdorn, of the Tower, may be associated with a sinister Cabal of wizards. They think this Cabal may have been involved with the murder of Adolphus and the pursuit of the Deck of Many Things.
• Have you heard of a cult calling themselves “The Red Crown”? Crew recalls the cultists from the Old Bogenauer had that tattoo; the traveling case belonging to the “medical student” from The Coach and Horses also had that symbol in the hidden compartment.
• Gustav Weil informed Christophe that he had passed along a lead on a third card to the Crew. Pierre had initially been tasked with meeting the Crew and accompanying them home, but it’s now understood that they’ll be heading to Altdorf in a week or so.

Pierre offers to take the Piper card back to Christophe. After he gets Godabert to show off his bare thigh, however, they all decide that the card is probably better off in the Crew’s possession rather than with Pierre who is traveling solo.   Crew relays some of their adventures over the last few months, and agrees that tomorrow should involve getting some answers – and payment – from Magistrate Hans Richter at the Festival Court.   Sir Pierre will be in town for another day or so. Plans to enjoy the Grand Melee at the jousting lists tomorrow. For future communication, message to and from Christophe should make use of the enchanted moon-developed foolscap. He gives the Crew three sheafs and explains their use.   Day 84 - Festag 2 Brauzeit, 2512 IC   Before heading out for the day, Crew gains a little gossip from Odelina, the proprietor.

• Yes, the three-legged goblin was apparently found crushed to death under some crates in a warehouse along the docks.
• The Emperor is crazy, if you ask me. That no-mutant edict is just the tip of iceberg. He’s turned his back on the Colleges of Magic too, I heard! That’s why he’s commissioned the Imperial Engineers School to build all those messenger towers.
• Last day of Schaffenfest means great deals on sheep.

Crew heads into the stalls: first stop, leatherworker.

• Crew finds Domenico Bernabe, self-proclaimed finest leatherworker in the Vorbergland (“Fabio Finnucci? Second-best leatherworker!”)
• Kris leaves his leather jack to be repaired
• Beau commissions some custom leather bracers with wolf embroidery

Crew runs into Alexander Grun, the hedgewitch that they saved from the over-zealous witch-hunter in Ubersreik.

• Alexander is anxious to know from Brother Godabert how his preparation of mirkride worked.
• Alexander notices that Brother Beau seems to be uncharacteristically quiet (but still characteristically grumpy). He offers to provide a healing spell of the hedge. Follow me to visit the greatest apothecary in the Reikland… maybe the Empire!

Crew meets Elvyra Kleinestun, the apothecary that Gilda had hoped to visit when they were passing through Weissbruck. Unfortunately she had a “Gone to Schaffenfest” sign on her workshop door.

• Alexander procures some colstfoot, woad, and moonwort from Elvyra and begins enchanting a poultice for Beau’s face.
• Godabert demonstrates a little affinity for the miracles of the earth, and agrees to catch up with Elvyra in Weissbruck in the near future.
• Kris buys two preparations of “Elvyra’s Eye Opener,” an alfunas-based herbal tonic that heightens senses. Mix herbs with a bit of high-proof alcohol to denature the compounds and then imbibe.
• Alexander casts “bonesetter” on Beau’s jaw, reducing the healing time from 40 days to 16.

Crew heads back to the Festival Court to check in with the Magistrate.

• They run into Roberta, talking with her old friend Andrea Much, who is clerking for Magistrate Richter. Roberta agrees to give Hung Karlson one more chance to buy her a drink tonight.
• Hans Richter finishes presiding over a case involving some drunken farmers and then retires to his makeshift chambers to talk with the Crew.
• Sorry that I have no compensation for you. The Town Council declared the case closed after the goblin was found crushed under crates in a Steinhager warehouse on the Ostendamm. Warehouse #4, to be precise. My hands are tied, but you could always take it up with the Council to see about payment for your services.
• Well if that’s true… how do you explain THIS? (Dramatic production of the three-socketed pelvis.)
• Crew relates the tale of following the goblin’s tracks into the hidden temple, but replaces demon appearance with fabricated group of cultists, with whom they battled (hence Beau’s injury). Richter has never heard of an “Ordo Septenarius,” but is intrigued, and promises to check in at Town Hall this afternoon when he’s done at the court. Godabert successfully triangulates the above-ground block of the Kaufman Strasse which would be over the hidden temple.
• Crew turns up the charm and gets Richter to confide in them a little more. Richter explains how Bogenhafen operates, and how the Merchant’s Guild controls 8 of the 15 seats on the Town Council. The most sway comes from the four leading families, which includes the Steinhagers and the Teugens. While he appreciates the commerce and wealth that has been driven into the City, particularly in the last two years after Johannes Teugen returned from Nuln to take over the family business from his deceased brother, he questions where all the wealth is being concentrated.
• Monogrammed handkerchief with the letters F.S., you say? Well those do happen to be the initials of the head of the Steinhager family, Franz.
• One last thing – Crew discovered the dead body of that drunken dwarf in the sewers, with his heart ripped out. Hans notes that Gottri, the dwarf in question, wound up back in the stocks yesterday after being released by the Crew… only to wind up there again an hour later. He was freed and led into town by a servant wearing the livery of… one of the big merchant families… but can’t remember which one. Check back with him tomorrow at the Town Courts; he’ll look into the temple business and perhaps will have remembered who was last seen with Gottri.

Crew goes to see Doktor Malthusius. That guy owes them some coin.

• The Zoocoepia is shutting down early. Malthusius spots the Crew and heads over to greet them. His luster of enthusiasm has worn away and he looks old and tired.
• I’m sure you lot did all you could. Shame the Council disposed of the body. I could have had it stuffed and mounted. I loved that weird little goblin.
• Well if that’s true… how do you explain THIS? (Another dramatic production of the three-socketed pelvis.)
• The Crew relates the same story told to Richter. Then Godabert offers the pelvis in exchange for the promised money.
• 
  Malthusius explains that he had trouble garnering attendance after the incident yesterday (one of the reasons he’s shutting down early). But they’re welcome to half of the day’s receipts.
• A grateful Malthusius gives the Crew 81 shillings, and some information. The Doktor’s dwarf menial Gunni saw the poor bastard Gottri being led away by a servant wearing flowery cross livery.

Crew heads into town to inquire at Town Hall about their promised money. On the way, they stop along the block of Kaufmann Strasse that likely has a basement temple. The options are:

• A mixed-use building with a cobbler and barber on the ground floor; apartments above.
• Legal offices of Barrister Goswin and the mercantile interests of the Hallt Meadery.
• The offices of the Steinhager family.
• A townhome, family name undisclosed.
• An inn, the Sheep & Shandy.

Deciding that, what the hell, we’re here… the Crew pays a visit to the Steinhager office. They are greeted in the courtyard by a junior clerk who doesn’t know what to make of Kris’s convoluted story. This clerk, in turn, calls over a more officious looking clerk, Matthias Wertz.   Interlude:     Matthias straightens up, and brushes off the tails of his satin vest. “Welcome to the offices of Steinhager Mercantile. Did you say you had an appointment?”

Rewards Granted

XP:

• 45 for fun banter, and for not hitting anyone

• Godabert: 45
• Beau: 45
• Karl: 45
• Kris: 45

  Loot:

• Enchanted foolscap, three sheafs
• 81/- from Doctor Malthusius for their efforts (and the three-socketed pelvis)
• Dried alfunas-based preparation good for two doses of Elvyra’s Eye Opener

Character(s) interacted with

Locations scouted and new NPC’s engaged:   Apothecary (stall in Schaffenfest; workshop in Weissbruck)

• Elvyra Kleinestun

Leatherworker (stall in Schaffenfest; shop in town)

• Domenico Bernabe

Festival Court

• Andrea Much, Magistrate Richter’s clerk

Steinhager Offices

• Matthias Wertz, head clerk