L’attaque de la grange rouge
General Summary
Rayaar et Karl, décontenancés de se retrouver avec la garde de Liza , décident de laisser la petite fille au voisin pour pouvoir poursuivre leurs investigations pour retrouver Elvyra.
Première destination : l’Auberge du Joyeux Drille, au nord de la ville, près de l’entrée du Canal de Weissbruck. Elvyra avait demandé à la petite fille de se tenir à l’écart de ce lieu la veille, conseil suffisamment étrange pour attirer l’attention du duo.
Sur le chemin, Karl est la victime d’un incident étrange. Alors que l’herboriste marche tranquillement dans une des rues, un passant tente de lui serrer la main droite. L’herboriste retire prestement sa main, mais constate malgré tout que ses doigts sont maintenant couverts d’une substance violette qu’il ne parvient pas à nettoyer. Tentant de comprendre ce qu’il vient de se passer, Karl se rend au canal tout près pour tenter de laver et faire disparaitre cette couleur… sans succès. Sa main n’étant pas douloureuse et ne montrant pas d’autres particularité, Karl la met dans sa poche pour éviter d’être remarqué, et le duo reprend son chemin vers l’Auberge du Joyeux Drille.
Le lieu n’est pas forcement de bonne réputation, mais les deux voyageurs en ont vu d’autres. Le lieu est certes plus bruyant, plus enfumé, mais il ressemble à de nombreux bouges du vieux monde.
Après s’être installé à une table, ils commencent à observer la clientèle du lieu. Karl s’arrête soudain sur un individu assis, seul, dans le fond de la salle. Il a déjà vu ce visage, dans cette même ville, il y a moins d’un mois : Lors de l’attaque du Bérébéli, Adolfus Kuftsos. était accompagné de deux autres hommes, l’un d’entre eux était parvenu à s’échapper en se jetant dans la Bögen, pour éviter de connaitre le même sort que ses deux comparses… C’est cet homme que Karl vient de reconnaitre.
Karl informe Rayaar et ils décident donc d’avoir une discussion sérieuse lui. Dès que le pauvre homme lève les yeux sur eux et les reconnait, il devient livide et commence à trembler comme une feuille.
« Je… Je… peux tout vous expliquer ! J’ai été manipulé. Je ne vous voulais pas de mal… »
Et de commencer à expliquer, qu’il n’est qu’une personne simple, qui a répondu à une offre d’emploi d’Adolfus Kustos pour arrêter un membre éminent de La Main Pourpre, secte exerçant des activités illégales. Mais l’homme n’en sait pas beaucoup plus sur cette organisation, tout au plus, le nom de la cible du contrat « Kastor Lieberung »…. Qui se tient maintenant devant lui… ou du moins le croit il.
« Maitre Lieberung, je ne savais pas ce que je faisais. J’ai été faible. Je pensais que cet argent me permettrait de me faciliter la vie, mais si vous saviez combien je regrette aujourd’hui ! Laissez-moi rentrer chez moi, je vous promet que je ne parlerai pas ! Je vais quitter la ville avec ma femme et vous n’entendrez plus parler de moi ! »
Karl, ravi de cette aubaine, va profiter de l’occasion pour l’envoyer se renseigner dans le bar.
« Ecoute, je suis disposé à te pardonner cet écart, mais il faut que tu m’aides. Je cherche une grange rouge. Ça te parle ? Donne-moi cette information et je réfléchirai à ton pardon ».
Le nouveau serviteur, ravi d’avoir un espoir de rédemption, lui parle alors d’une vieille batisse qui ressemble à cette description, « de l’autre coté du canal, au nord, au milieu des champs ».
Le duo d’aventuriers décide donc de se rendre sur les lieux. Non sans avoir demandé au néo-chasseur de primes repenti de les attendre à l’auberge jusqu’à leur retour.
Après une quinzaine de minutes de marche dans la campagne environnant Weissbruck , ils arrivent en vue d’une grange dont la peinture écaillée est effectivement rouge. Approchant discrètement, Karl et Rayaar remarquent un homme somnolant à l’extérieur, près de la porte du bâtiment. Après une rapide discussion, le duo décide d’avoir une approche un peu plus « fine » que d’habitude : Karl s’empare d’une pierre et assomme l’endormi, Rayaar le tire alors par les pieds pour pouvoir l’interroger un peu plus loin de la grange. Sans risque d’alerter qui que ce soit à l’intérieur.
C’est Karl qui se charge de l’interrogatoire. Lorsque l’homme revient à lui, il s’écrit, avec un accent campagnard très maladroit et forcé : « Sortez de chez moi ! Ce sont mes terres !». Irrité par le bruit, Karl lui donne un coup de poing qui a comme résultat de renvoyer le criard dans les bras de morphée.
Une nouvelle concertation de Karl et Rayaar aura une funeste conséquence. Convaincus qu’ils ne tireront plus rien de l’homme, Karl lui tranche la gorge sans qu’il reprenne conscience. Les deux aventuriers sont définitivement convaincus qu’il s’agit de la bonne grange !
Vient alors le temps de la réflexion sur les prochaines étapes : Comment pénétrer discrètement à l’intérieur ? Les discussions vont bon train mais sont interrompues par l’ouverture de la porte de la grange. Un homme se tient sur le pas de la porte et appelle son compagnon disparu « Rudolf ? Rudolf ? Tu es parti pisser quelque part ? »
Sans réponse, l’homme retourne à l’intérieur et referme la porte derrière lui.
Karl et Rayaar décident de ramener le corps de Rudolf près de l’entrés, pour attirer cet individu et l’attaquer. Mais alors qu’ils transportent la dépouille, ils trébuchent et s’écroulent contre la paroi de la grange dans un grand bruit. La porte s’ouvre rapidement sur l’ami de Rudolf :
« Que faites-vous là ? Mais … vous l’avez tué ! Pourquoi ? »
Le combat s’engage immédiatement sur le pas de la porte, Karl au corps à corps et Rayaar quelques pas derrière avec sa lance. Le combat ne durera pas, à deux contre un, le pauvre homme n’a que peu de chance et termine sa vie ici.
Quelques secondes plus tard une femme se joint au combat depuis l’interieur de la grange… mais subira le même sort.
Une fois le calme revenu, une rapide recherche dans le batiment permet de trouver Elvyra, ligotée et bâillonnée, à l’étage. L’apothicaire se montre très heureuse de sa libération, même si les raisons de son enlèvement ne sont pas vraiment claires. Elvyra explique que ses ravisseurs travaillaient pour quelqu’un à Altdorf qui voulait la forcer à faire quelque chose qu’elle ne voulait absolument pas faire. Sans plus de précisions…
De retour à Weissbruck, Elvyra retrouve Liza et remercie encore Karl et Rayaar pour lui avoir sans doute sauver la vie.
Un peu déçus du manque d’explications, les aventuriers retournent Au Joyeux Drille pour passer la nuit. Ils en profitent pour écouter les rumeurs de la ville.
Il est fait mention de l’édit de l’Empereur sur les mutants et le moins qu’on puisse dire est qu’il n’est pas très populaire.
« Tout le monde sait pour les mutants ! Ce sont des créatures … (en chuchotant) du chaos ! Et chacun sait qu’ils sont une véritable menace ! »
D’autres clients font état de groupes de gens qui ont commencé à arriver à Altdorf par le nord. Ils disent avoir été persécutés dans le Middenland en raison de leur foi envers Sigmar. Les tensions entre les adeptes d’Ulric et de Sigmar semblent se multiplier dans le nord !
Enfin, certains se plaignent que les patrouilleurs fluviaux et les collecteurs d’impôts sont de plus en plus corrompus, ils prélèvent des taxes inexistantes et volent tout ce qui leur fait envie. Des pétitions ont été envoyées à l’Empereur, mais il n’a encore rien fait !
Karl en profite pour obtenir une dernière fois quelques informations sur la mystérieuse Main Pourpre du chasseur de primes repenti.
« Maitre Lieberung. Je n’en sais pas beaucoup plus. C’est Adolfus qui nous avait embauché. Il devait avoir des ordres, mais je ne sais pas de qui. Je vous promets, je ne dirai rien à personne, ni sur vous, ni sur votre secte ».
Karl le libère et loi demande de quitter les lieux.
Après cette journée bien remplie, les deux aventuriers rejoignent leur chambre.
Le lendemain matin, ils rendent une dernière visite à Elvyra. Karl ayant refusé de profiter de ses enseignements, l’apothicaire lui offre un recueil de recette d’herboristerie.
Avant de quitter Weissbrucke, Karl achète également une paire de gants pour cacher sa main, toujours tachée de violet.
Il est alors temps pour l’ERH de quitter la ville et de s’engager dans l’étroit canal vers Altdorf.
Le reste du voyage vers la capitale est tranquille, seulement troublé par un contrôle de routine des patrouilleurs fluviaux.
Le lendemain soir, la barge arrive en vue de la capitale de l’Empire...
A suivre dans Marchandages à Altdorf
Rayaar and Karl, disconcerted to find themselves in charge of Liza , decide to leave the little girl with the neighbour so that they can continue their search for Elvyra. Their first destination: the Auberge du Joyeux Drille, to the north of the town, near the entrance to the Weissbruck Canal. Elvyra](person:fbf85de4-c961-4fe9-8d09-8fc54a632bd0) had asked the little girl to stay away from this place the day before, a piece of advice strange enough to attract the duo's attention. On the way, Karl is the victim of a strange incident. As the herbalist walks quietly down one of the streets, a passer-by tries to shake his right hand. The herbalist promptly withdrew his hand, but noticed that his fingers were now covered in a purple substance that he was unable to clean off. Trying to work out what had just happened, Karl went to the nearby canal to try and wash off the colour... without success. As his hand was not sore and showed no other particularity, Karl put it in his pocket to avoid being noticed, and the duo set off again towards the Auberge du Joyeux Drille. The reputation of the place is not necessarily good, but the two travellers have seen others. The place is certainly noisier and smokier, but it resembles many of the pubs of the old world. After settling down at a table, they begin to observe the clientele. Karl suddenly noticed someone sitting alone at the back of the room. He had seen this face before, in this very town, less than a month ago: during the attack on the Berebeli, Adolfus Kuftsos. was accompanied by two other men, one of whom had managed to escape by jumping into the Bögen, to avoid suffering the same fate as his two companions... It is this man that Karl has just recognised. Karl informs Rayaar and they decide to have a serious talk. As soon as the poor man looks up and recognises them, he turns livid and starts shaking like a leaf. "I... I... can explain everything! I've been manipulated. I didn't mean you any harm..." And he starts to explain that he's just a simple person, who answered a job offer from Adolfus Kustos to arrest a prominent member of The Purple Hand, a sect engaged in illegal activities. But the man doesn't know much more about this organisation, at most the name of the target of the contract "Kastor Lieberung".... Who now stands before him... or so he thinks. "Master Lieberung, I didn't know what I was doing. I was weak. I thought the money would make my life easier, but if you only knew how much I regret it now! Let me go home, I promise I won't talk! I'll leave town with my wife and you'll never hear from me again! Karl, delighted at this opportunity, is going to take advantage of it to send him off to enquire in the bar. "Listen, I'm prepared to forgive you this mistake, but you've got to help me. I'm looking for a red barn. Does that mean anything to you? Give me that information and I'll think about forgiving you". The new servant, delighted to have some hope of redemption, tells him about an old building that sounds like this description, "on the other side of the canal, to the north, in the middle of the fields". The adventurous duo decided to visit the site. Not without asking the neo-repentant bounty hunter to wait for them at the inn until they returned. After a fifteen-minute walk through the surrounding countryside Weissbruck , they come across a barn with peeling red paint. Approaching discreetly, Karl and Rayaar notice a man dozing outside, near the door of the building. After a quick chat, the pair decide to take a slightly more "subtle" approach than usual: Karl grabs a stone and knocks the sleeping man unconscious, while Rayaar pulls him by his feet to question him a little further away from the barn. There was no risk of alerting anyone inside. Karl is in charge of the interrogation. When the man comes to, he writes to himself in a very clumsy, forced country accent: "Get out of my house! This is my land!". Irritated by the noise, Karl punches the man, sending him back into the arms of Morpheus. Karl and Rayaar confer again, with disastrous consequences. Convinced that they could get nothing more out of the man, Karl slit his throat before he regained consciousness. The two adventurers are definitively convinced that this is the right barn! Now it's time to think about the next steps: How to get inside discreetly? The discussions are going well, but are interrupted by the opening of the barn door. A man stands in the doorway and calls out to his missing companion: "Rudolf? Rudolf? Have you gone somewhere to pee?" With no reply, the man goes back inside and closes the door behind him. Karl and Rayaar decide to bring Rudolf's body close to the entrance, to attract the man and attack him. But as they carry the body, they stumble and fall against the wall of the barn with a loud crash. The door swiftly opens on Rudolf's friend: "What are you doing here? But ... you killed him! Why?" The fight began immediately on the doorstep, Karl in hand-to-hand combat and Rayaar a few paces behind with his spear. The fight was short-lived, but with two men against one, the poor man had little chance and ended his life here. Seconds later, a woman joins the fight from inside the barn... but suffers the same fate. Once calm has returned, a quick search of the building reveals Elvyra, bound and gagged, upstairs. The apothecary is delighted at her release, although the reasons for her abduction are not entirely clear. Elvyra explains that her captors were working for someone in Altdorf who wanted to force her to do something she absolutely did not want to do. No further details... Back in Weissbruck, Elvyra meets up with Liza and thanks Karl and Rayaar again for saving her life. A little disappointed by the lack of explanations, the adventurers return to Le Joyeux Drille to spend the night. They take the opportunity to listen to the town gossip. Mention is made of the Emperor's edict on mutants, and to say the least, it's not very popular. "Everyone knows about mutants! They're creatures... (whispering) of chaos! And everyone knows they're a real threat!" Other customers report that groups of people have started arriving in Altdorf from the north. They say they have been persecuted in Middenland because of their faith in Sigmar. Tensions between followers of Ulric and Sigmar seem to be increasing in the north! Finally, there are complaints that river patrollers and tax collectors are becoming increasingly corrupt, levying non-existent taxes and stealing whatever they please. Petitions have been sent to the Emperor, but he hasn't done anything yet! Karl takes the opportunity to get one last piece of information on the mysterious Purple Hand of the repentant bounty hunter. "Master Lieberung. I don't know much more than that. It was Adolfus who hired us. He must have had orders, but I don't know from whom. I promise I won't tell anyone about you or your sect. Karl released him and asked him to leave. After a busy day, the two adventurers returned to their rooms. The next morning, they pay Elvyra a final visit. Karl had refused to take advantage of her teachings, so the apothecary offers him a compendium of herbal recipes. Before leaving Weissbrucke, Karl also buys a pair of gloves to hide his hand, which is still stained purple. It is now time for the ERH to leave the town and embark on the narrow canal to Altdorf. The rest of the journey to the capital was uneventful, disturbed only by a routine check by the river patrols. The following evening, the barge arrived in sight of the capital of the Empire... Next in @March
Rayaar and Karl, disconcerted to find themselves in charge of Liza , decide to leave the little girl with the neighbour so that they can continue their search for Elvyra. Their first destination: the Auberge du Joyeux Drille, to the north of the town, near the entrance to the Weissbruck Canal. Elvyra](person:fbf85de4-c961-4fe9-8d09-8fc54a632bd0) had asked the little girl to stay away from this place the day before, a piece of advice strange enough to attract the duo's attention. On the way, Karl is the victim of a strange incident. As the herbalist walks quietly down one of the streets, a passer-by tries to shake his right hand. The herbalist promptly withdrew his hand, but noticed that his fingers were now covered in a purple substance that he was unable to clean off. Trying to work out what had just happened, Karl went to the nearby canal to try and wash off the colour... without success. As his hand was not sore and showed no other particularity, Karl put it in his pocket to avoid being noticed, and the duo set off again towards the Auberge du Joyeux Drille. The reputation of the place is not necessarily good, but the two travellers have seen others. The place is certainly noisier and smokier, but it resembles many of the pubs of the old world. After settling down at a table, they begin to observe the clientele. Karl suddenly noticed someone sitting alone at the back of the room. He had seen this face before, in this very town, less than a month ago: during the attack on the Berebeli, Adolfus Kuftsos. was accompanied by two other men, one of whom had managed to escape by jumping into the Bögen, to avoid suffering the same fate as his two companions... It is this man that Karl has just recognised. Karl informs Rayaar and they decide to have a serious talk. As soon as the poor man looks up and recognises them, he turns livid and starts shaking like a leaf. "I... I... can explain everything! I've been manipulated. I didn't mean you any harm..." And he starts to explain that he's just a simple person, who answered a job offer from Adolfus Kustos to arrest a prominent member of The Purple Hand, a sect engaged in illegal activities. But the man doesn't know much more about this organisation, at most the name of the target of the contract "Kastor Lieberung".... Who now stands before him... or so he thinks. "Master Lieberung, I didn't know what I was doing. I was weak. I thought the money would make my life easier, but if you only knew how much I regret it now! Let me go home, I promise I won't talk! I'll leave town with my wife and you'll never hear from me again! Karl, delighted at this opportunity, is going to take advantage of it to send him off to enquire in the bar. "Listen, I'm prepared to forgive you this mistake, but you've got to help me. I'm looking for a red barn. Does that mean anything to you? Give me that information and I'll think about forgiving you". The new servant, delighted to have some hope of redemption, tells him about an old building that sounds like this description, "on the other side of the canal, to the north, in the middle of the fields". The adventurous duo decided to visit the site. Not without asking the neo-repentant bounty hunter to wait for them at the inn until they returned. After a fifteen-minute walk through the surrounding countryside Weissbruck , they come across a barn with peeling red paint. Approaching discreetly, Karl and Rayaar notice a man dozing outside, near the door of the building. After a quick chat, the pair decide to take a slightly more "subtle" approach than usual: Karl grabs a stone and knocks the sleeping man unconscious, while Rayaar pulls him by his feet to question him a little further away from the barn. There was no risk of alerting anyone inside. Karl is in charge of the interrogation. When the man comes to, he writes to himself in a very clumsy, forced country accent: "Get out of my house! This is my land!". Irritated by the noise, Karl punches the man, sending him back into the arms of Morpheus. Karl and Rayaar confer again, with disastrous consequences. Convinced that they could get nothing more out of the man, Karl slit his throat before he regained consciousness. The two adventurers are definitively convinced that this is the right barn! Now it's time to think about the next steps: How to get inside discreetly? The discussions are going well, but are interrupted by the opening of the barn door. A man stands in the doorway and calls out to his missing companion: "Rudolf? Rudolf? Have you gone somewhere to pee?" With no reply, the man goes back inside and closes the door behind him. Karl and Rayaar decide to bring Rudolf's body close to the entrance, to attract the man and attack him. But as they carry the body, they stumble and fall against the wall of the barn with a loud crash. The door swiftly opens on Rudolf's friend: "What are you doing here? But ... you killed him! Why?" The fight began immediately on the doorstep, Karl in hand-to-hand combat and Rayaar a few paces behind with his spear. The fight was short-lived, but with two men against one, the poor man had little chance and ended his life here. Seconds later, a woman joins the fight from inside the barn... but suffers the same fate. Once calm has returned, a quick search of the building reveals Elvyra, bound and gagged, upstairs. The apothecary is delighted at her release, although the reasons for her abduction are not entirely clear. Elvyra explains that her captors were working for someone in Altdorf who wanted to force her to do something she absolutely did not want to do. No further details... Back in Weissbruck, Elvyra meets up with Liza and thanks Karl and Rayaar again for saving her life. A little disappointed by the lack of explanations, the adventurers return to Le Joyeux Drille to spend the night. They take the opportunity to listen to the town gossip. Mention is made of the Emperor's edict on mutants, and to say the least, it's not very popular. "Everyone knows about mutants! They're creatures... (whispering) of chaos! And everyone knows they're a real threat!" Other customers report that groups of people have started arriving in Altdorf from the north. They say they have been persecuted in Middenland because of their faith in Sigmar. Tensions between followers of Ulric and Sigmar seem to be increasing in the north! Finally, there are complaints that river patrollers and tax collectors are becoming increasingly corrupt, levying non-existent taxes and stealing whatever they please. Petitions have been sent to the Emperor, but he hasn't done anything yet! Karl takes the opportunity to get one last piece of information on the mysterious Purple Hand of the repentant bounty hunter. "Master Lieberung. I don't know much more than that. It was Adolfus who hired us. He must have had orders, but I don't know from whom. I promise I won't tell anyone about you or your sect. Karl released him and asked him to leave. After a busy day, the two adventurers returned to their rooms. The next morning, they pay Elvyra a final visit. Karl had refused to take advantage of her teachings, so the apothecary offers him a compendium of herbal recipes. Before leaving Weissbrucke, Karl also buys a pair of gloves to hide his hand, which is still stained purple. It is now time for the ERH to leave the town and embark on the narrow canal to Altdorf. The rest of the journey to the capital was uneventful, disturbed only by a routine check by the river patrols. The following evening, the barge arrived in sight of the capital of the Empire... Next in @March
Report Date
18 Nov 2023
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