The party reflects on how their travels have affected them. Artur embraces his assumed ego and sets about presenting himself as a Scion of Baronet Lieberung. They seek out the inheritance before immersing into the Schaffenfest crowds. Fritz bests the Wrestling Champion of the festival. They capture a runaway goblin from Doctor Malthusius’ Zoocopeia. When it flees again into the city sewers, they strike an arrangement to recover it.
Rise
- After a good night’s rest, the group are well recovered and refreshed for presentation at the lawyer’s office.
- Artur embraces his assumed identity and sets about presenting himself as Kastor Lieberung, a Scion of Baronet Lieberung, passing off Siggy as his Squire and Fritz as his Bodyguard.
- Siggy is increasingly world-wise and Gregarious, having spent a few weeks travelling outside of the region of Delberz.
- Fritz feels like he’s ruined his relationship with Josef, but trusts his intuition that there is a path to redeeming it.
Bearing Witness
- Artur speaks to Ulta for directions to Garten Weg. It’s north of the city in an unlikely rundown part of town for a legal firm dealing with noble estates.
- Board at the Wolf’s Tail is secured for the night, and the party head off to Messrs Lock, Stock and Barl.
- They arrive at an unassuming door on a seedy looking street, and head in. A young clerk is writing in a ledger at a reception desk. Artur presents himself as Kastor Lieberung.
- The clerk takes his bloodied letter and affidavit and heads into the building.
- The window shutters slam shut and bolts draw on doors to the front and back.
Bounty I
- A voice – recognised by Siggy as the Man with Crossbow – shouts in from the back:
- ‘Kastor Lieberung! Otherwise known as the magister impedimentae of the cult of the Purple Hand! In the name of the Emperor, I arrest you and your companions for conspiring with Chaos, murder, theft, and other crimes hereinafter to be enumerated! Lay down your weapons and surrender!’
- A silence follows, broken by an attempt by Artur to negotiate, that is met by screams and sickening rending sounds.
- After a few seconds, silence falls again.
- The party draws their weapons and looks for a way out.
- Heading to the back, Fritz charges down the rear door.
- The heavily mutilated body of the Bounty Hunter lies in a bloody twisted mess in the alley. There are no signs of anyone else around.
- Checking the body:
- Artur pockets a letter tucked into the Bounty Hunter’s boot.
- Fritz pockets a purse of coin that feels heavy enough to cover costs so far.
- The party bundle the body back into the premises, shutting it firmly behind, before hurrying away to the crowds of the Schaffenfest.
Dustfella
- Passing through the East Gate, the party sees the rumoured heads of the drover and her mutant nine-eyed mare hanging proudly.
- They ignore various traders, entertainers, purveyors of medicines and fortune tellers before reaching the livestock market, which livens up as the midday sun rises.
- Pressing on, Fritz is drawn into a contest with Crusher Braugen, the Schaffenfest’s wrestling champion.
- He whips up the crowd to his advantage, taking Crusher aback with the showmanship and precision of his attack.
- After a few rounds, in a flustered charge, Crusher hurtles past Fritz and outside the ring, forfeiting the match.
- The ringmaster – displeased with his champion’s performance, tries to short-change Fritz of his winnings, but is quickly corrected, handing over 4 Crowns for the afternoon’s entertainment.
Runaway
- As the group are leaving the wrestling ring to explore the fair further, there is a ripple in the crowds as people part way.
- A three-legged Goblin dodges past festival goers and runs straight into Fritz and Siggy, who grapple him to a stop.
- A gaudily dressed showman rushes towards them followed by a gruff looking dwarf, who brusquely shackles the Goblin before the Watch arrives.
- The showman introduces himself as Dr Malthusius and expresses his gratitude to the party for recovering an exhibit of his Zoocopeia, pressing a shilling into their hands and drawing them round to enjoy his upcoming show for free.
- They follow him towards a series of caravans and a cordoned off area nearer the town walls and await the start of the show.
- After a short delay, a parade of extraordinary creatures is presented.
- As the dwarf – Grunni – leads out ‘the Ghastly Three-Legged Goblin of the Grissenwald!’ it bites him, yanking free of his chains, and runs towards the town walls behind.
Bounty II
- Malthusius and the dwarf chase after the goblin, encouraging the party and others in the crowd to help them in pursuit.
- They follow the goblin through the bustle in just enough time to see it squeeze through a rusty sewer grate by the town wall.
- Seemingly thwarted, Malthusius instructs Grunni to secure his other exhibits, and looks around to see the party and a patrol of Watchmen appearing behind.
- As the Watch approaches, Malthusius quickly urges the party to pursue and retrieve the goblin, offering a reward for its safe return – “in the interests of public safety.”
- Siggy quietly suggests to the Doctor that the goblin is actually a mutant, and that a bounty of more than 5GC may be in order.
- Just as the Watch appears to be about to ask some awkward questions, Siggy turns to the law enforcers to persuade them to let the party just handle the recovery.
- Inadequately staffed as they are in the Schaffenfest, and with no special desire to stalk the underbelly of Bogenhafen, the patrol happily agree to let them deal with it.
- They warn Malthusius that if the matter is not well resolved, then Magister Richter – the Festival Judge – will likely withdraw his license.
Lower
- With no time to waste, the patrol accompanies the party into town to the nearest manhole.
- They are lowered into the sewer with a lantern and a ladder.
- It is dark and it stinks.