The Black Hills

Criminal Activity

The Fellowship learns more about the Cult of Tzeench

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Sigmarzeit 5-6, 2514 Day 23-24

• Rain • Strong Starboard Wind   Renate buys provision and the Iron Maiden sets sail, for Kemperbad to find the Barren Hills.   Arrive evening of Sigmarzeit 6.   While in Kemperbad this evening, a purple hand Cultist approaches Uhler, “for a word’.   ‘What’s your game, Kastor? Why haven’t you been in touch? I do hope you haven’t forgotten that you’re supposed to be delivering a little windfall to the Inner Circle! You can’t fool us, you know. Once a member, always a member! You haven’t heard the last of this!’’   Nobody can think of an appropriate response because they don’t know if they want to reveal they are NOT assiociated with the cult yet. Uhler fails at a bluff though.  

Sigmarzeit 7, 2514 Day 25

  While the party is investigating around town, an informant approaches Uhler. Thaelindra Stark has been investigating Etelka and knows approximately where the Barren Hills are located. This is a relief as they could find no information or guides.   Ottilia, Elsa, and Renate sold off the valuables from Etelka’s tower.   They spend the night in Kemperbad.   Sigmarzeit 8-12, 2514 Day 26-30   Sailing up the violent waters of the Stir.   Day 29 theres a mishap where people got hurt.   Day 30 they find a horse floating in the river. They notice packs on it and fish it near. In the pack: They find a map similar to the one in the Signal tower without the superimposed markings. It was in a case with the Red Crown Seal. An Observatory is clearly labelled.   They arrive in Unterbaum about noon on Day 30. They hear a waterfall and see there is a lock system to get them through it. They meet a woman named Astrit who seems very honest, and offers to bring them to the village. Though the party is in a rush they feel like they might be able to find a guide here. Astrit brings them to Vorster the village elder, and Corrobreth the Druid. After several minutes of conversation Ottilia tells them they are searching for the Barren Hills. Their hosts try to dissuade them and relays the tale of the meteor. Nobody is dissuaded but Corrobreth insists on coming as a guide. The party heartily agrees. They pay for the Lock at 5 GC and leave the Barge at the lockside in as they take the Villager row boats up the river.  

Sigmarzeit 13-16, 2514 Day 31-34

  Travel in canoes. Midday 16th reach a point where they must go on foot. They reach the crater sight by 4 pm. Carrobreth suggests they camp, and the party agrees. As night falls Moorsleib appears full, as Midnight approaches the Crater glows Blue. They are awoken by Ghost named Brunhilde at Midnight begging them to find her bones. They had 4 hours of sleep.  

Sigmarzeit 17, 2514 Day 35

  At Midnight they follow the Ghost to a cave. On the journey the ghost relays the story of how Dagmar found the meteorite and murdered the expedition including her. She leads them into the cave past some odd human shaped trees, and they find her disturbed grave, She points out where the other members are buried. She begs them to reclaim the meteorite as it is a source of great evil, and to rebury her companions. Skaven attack and the party got through it with Elsa and Wolfgang suffering major injuries. Some dialogue happened with Skaven but the leader charged Uhler. Ottilia Spends an hour healing everyone then prays to Shallya to heal Wolfgang and Elsa’s wounds. Both have their bones set properly but Wolfgang did it with the help of Fortune. The Ghost shows them where the skeletons of the expedition were and they are undead behind a cave in. The party spends two hours diffing them out.   2 am: Once the skeletons sense them they try to dig out. The party waits and dispatches them one at a time, destroying them. They go inside the cave. Brunhilde points out a backpack that was Dagmar’s. In it they find another KEY! Like in the observatory. They have all the keys necessary now. They go back and give Brunhilde the ghost a proper burial. Ottilia does a ritual to sanctify the gravesite in Shallya’s name. They go back to the campsite and rest until morning.   Carrobreth found a cold campsite and estimates who ever had the campsite left 11 days ago. They have a huge head start.  

Sigmarzeit 18-20, 2514 Day 36-39

  Travel back to Lock Inn. Renate bought 10 extra days provisions. Take the Lock up and travel straight to the observatory.   Sigmarzeit 21-24, 2514 Day 40-43 Kemperbad  

Sigmmarzeit 25-27, 2514 Day 44-46

27th Reach the Signal Tower. The cultists made it a day ahead.   Werner has Renate dock the boat far down shore. They sneak up to the tree line but Etelka sees them. Gabrielle Casts a bolt at her gut and gives her a major bleeding wound. Uhler brought her down with an arrow to the Jaw.   The thugs got off some crossbow bolts scraping Werner in the shoulder. Carolus, Shouted all of them down. They attacked others but Carolus demanded they dropped their weapons. The one that didn’t got a Bolt from Gabrielle and fell unconscious. Ernst Surrendered. The thugs dropped their weapons and Crossbows. Carolus ordered the Thugs away, while Ottilia untied and tended to the Dwarves.   Gabrielle Channeled a spell of fortune and then identified the Rod. It is safe for her to use. Ernst Revealed that the meteor was never at the crater. They do not know where it is, but suspect this observatory has something to do with it. Gabrielle approached the Secret Door and it opened. They went back to the star and placed the keys. This revealed a lower floor which was a hidden library.   There they found many books on esoteric lore. They also found Dagmar’s Journal: The final Passage of this journal reveals the meteorite was brought to Castle Witgenstein generations ago.   Elsa Questions Ernst about the Purple Hand and the Red Crown. He is very scared of Carolus and he offers information about those cults of Tzeentch.