It is early afternoon on a Sunday, May 5, 1650. Four of you are resting yourselves on the porch of a town gasthaus, The Pig, at the corner where a narrow lane meets with the town square. You’re waiting for your friend Kazimir to arrive. Not long ago, you watched the usual scattering of most of the citizenry from the town cathedral’s doors from your usual place across the square…whereupon the gasthaus threw open its doors for business. A number of stalls and tables were quickly erected by teams of young boys in the employ of their merchant masters, a goodly number of them against the side wall of the church, where you can the usual piles of vegetables and sacks. Various less blessed members of the town are picking them over, haggling with the sellers and stuffing their bought wares into sacks to be hauled off to the various common quarters of the town.
The bartender, Helmunt, fills your drinks at no charge. Upon an agreement, the four of you have been given the privilege of drinking free in exchange for your endorsement, your willingness to put an end to any trouble and the simple fact that you represent the higher end of Helmunt’s clients. He has hopes that your presence on his front stoop might expose the quality of his kitchen to a few of the better members of the town.
You’re bored. This has been the routine for nearly two months now. You four, Tiberius, Josef, Delfig and Anshelm, met on a cold morning in mid-spring (for the region), finding yourselves all stranger, fairly compatible with one another and equally of the opinion that many of the vicissitudes of life are unappreciated by most. At the moment, however, you could stand a few more changes than there have been.
But it is a fine day; May Day celebrations were four days ago. The Bishop of Friesing, the nominal lord of the town, along with Dachau’s burghermeister, gave a fine festival--and since, all of you have been fairly restless. The discussions around the table have suggested a number of reasons for this…that you can’t stay in this dull town forever. That it is these ridiculous Catholics with their fascinations with guilt and sin. That a small taste of the outside world has whet your appetites. But what to do now is left to your minds to conceive. So far, there has been little luck there.
Delfig Kôlhupfer, the Bard/Thief: Has anyone visited The Pig that would have given us reason to think they might have something interesting to talk about? Was anything said or done at the May festival that would have be interesting to follow up?Is there anything interesting in terms of other ‘strangers’ being in town?I’ll most likely be idly strumming my lyre and humming, seeing if anyone is interested in a song (and parting with a few coins in appreciation.)DM: No, no and no.Anshelm Helbelinc, the Thief: I spit and gesture at the marketgoers. “Like little rats, out and back to their holes.”I reach for my snuff box. Is there anything unusual going on among the merchants and common folk? Any unusual people? Even if it’s not unusual, does anyone look like they’re casing the crowd for an easy mark?DM: No, no and no. Gentlemen, this is not a ‘story’ campaign. There’s no rule, no plan, no set-up. Nothing will be handed to you on a plate. You will have to make a decision about what you, as a group, want to ‘do,’ and then set about doing it.I know you’re not used to that. But sadly, there are no ‘unusual’ people. You might see the church’s head deacon poking about the chicken cages at one of the stalls.Josef Mieszko, the Cleric: I’ll ask Helmunt the next time he comes to the table if he knows of any legends or rumors of the town or vicinity where profit might be gained by adventurers such as ourselves.Tiberius, the Fighter/Mage: “Gentlemen …” I take a slow swig of my drink. “We’re all bored. No disrespect to our fine patron for the free beer, of course.” I salute the owner. “But, why don’t we hire ourselves out to one of those merchants and see if we can’t see some real action?”Anshelm: “Eh, why shouldn’t we? It’s better than chasing errant rats back to their hiding holes. Should we wait for friend Kazimir?” I continue scanning the market crowd while speaking. “Not sure I like the look of any of ‘em, though...”[OOC: This doesn’t mean that Anshelm’s against it; he just doesn’t like people in general]Delfig: I nod to myself as I remember a request. I dig into my pouch, fishing out four silver pieces and tossing them to Josef. “I know I’ll see that again ... especially when we get off our collective asses and start seeing what we can see.”Josef: “Thanks, Delfig.”Delfig: “Lets wander about and see what is happening.”With that, I will stand and start walking about the marketplace, strumming my lyre. If any seem interested, I’ll greet them and play a bit if they seem interested. I make sure to approach the various merchants, nodding and smiling, calling out a friendly greeting. If any seem inclined to talk, then I’ll start a conversation with them, inquiring about any local news or if they have any sort of interesting work to discuss.Anshelm: “Well, I guess Delfig’s made our decision for us. A pretty song, at least.” I follow the bard into the crowd.DM: People show a vague interest in Delfig; but of course, they’ve seen him before, doing exactly this most every day; and frankly, there are better bards in the town.Delfig: If there’s nothing of interest around the market and everyone seems boring, I’ll go back and join Josef and Tiberius and suggest that perhaps we go for a walk away from town along one of the roads. Maybe it’s time for a road trip to Ingolstadt.
Josef: I’ll go to the grocer and purchase some rations, and then return to the gasthaus.Tiberius: I get up as well, and search among the merchants who have the more expensive wares, asking if they need any guards for their caravans.DM: Helmunt the bartender, having overhead Tiberius’s suggestion, will stop Josef and Tiberius just before they go.Helmunt (npc bartender): “Are you bonded to the merchant’s guild? Would it be possible for me to post a small notice in favor of my establishment?”Tiberius: “An excellent idea, my good man.”Josef: We’re not bonded, no. But perhaps we should go to the Guildhall then to sell our services instead of frightening the fishmongers and fruit vendors!DM: Helmunt is confused by Tiberius’s answer. He looks askance at Josef.Helmunt (slowly): “Would you be hired if you were not bonded?”Josef: My guess, Tiberius, is that we’d be on our own with the Merchant’s Guild. There must be a guildhall somewhere. I’d not be opposed to hiring on to a march to Nuremburg, either.Tiberius (not answering Helmunt): I ask Helmunt the location of the guild hall and start there.Josef: “Tiberius, wait! I’m not certain that such a place exists. Thinking about it, it seems that perhaps we’d have a better time talking to one or a few of the shopkeepers who provided us our gear of late. It seems it would be one of these men, who actually deal in goods brought into town, that might be inclined to bond us.”Tiberius: “Okay, let’s do that.”DM: You need not ask. The merchant’s guild hall is the large three-story building across the principal square from the cathedral.Josef: Perhaps the apothecary is in need of some materials - I used to engage in similar activities in my youth. Or we could go hunting, and sell pelts to the furrier. Oh heck. “Let’s you and I, as learned men Tiberius, inquire at the Merchant’s Guild.”Tiberius: “Then, we’re agreed.” Setting down my cup, I walk over to the guild hall with Josef.
The details of the characters’ actions are interrupted as the players have a discussion about merchants and their interests, learning something about the trade in Dachau.
Anshelm: How often do merchant caravans enter or leave Dachau? Is anyone selling any sort of luxury item, something that might attract the attention of highwaymen, etcetera?Josef: I wonder. The roads here seem safe - I wonder how much need there would be for such protection as we might provide. Still, money is money - and I have precious little.DM: The principle trade route reaches from Italy through Innsbruck in the south, to Northern Germany through Nuremberg, north of Dachau. Beer, precision tools and metals tend to move south; fabrics, spices, incense and perfumes tend to come north. Everything attracts the attention of highwaymen. The roads are not that safe.Delfig: Are there any merchants that are from out of town or bearing unusual wares? Do we hear any particular discussions of interest about goings on in other towns, or anything with regards to local happenings? If there are, I’ll keep an ear out and see what I can hear.DM: There are not a great many merchants, and very few caravans. Peddlers and merchants with one or two wagons tend to dribble into the city steadily.Posting yourself to the north or south of town would allow you the opportunity to meet one directly. Of course, merchants often conceal valuable goods under ordinary goods, such as hay, sacks of grain, uncut timber and so on.Tiberius: What do we have to do to get bonded to the merchant’s guild? Can Helmunt get us an introduction to someone over there?DM: Helmunt thought he might get an introduction from you, thinking you were a part of the guild. To get bonded, you must have a merchant of the guild vouch for you.Josef: Everyone is so fascinated by the merchants. The lure of all this money. But yes, Ingolstadt seems like an interesting place, and I’m fit for some short travel. These towns are one and the same to me ... I’d like to get out among the trees and steams again.Delfig: [OOC: Perhaps we should inquire to the merchants guild and see about becoming ‘bonded’ since such things have escaped any of our attention. While you and Josef do that, perhaps Anshelm and I can move to the northern road and see what we can see. We’ll meet here in a couple of hours if we don’t hear from you]Is there more than one guild of merchants? Do any larger merchants have homes established here that we would know about? Where could we find notices of news or other things going on, aside from rumor and listening at the drinking holes?[OOC: I am trying to think like a bored medieval bard in Dachau]DM: There’s only one merchant’s guild in Dachau, but every trading town has a guild. There are several large homes maintained by merchants. The Burghermeister, Martin Folkes, is a merchant, and the royal family, Wittelsbach, has considerable interest (and family members) in the guild.Most of the rumors that one might hear would be who was sleeping with whom or questions that the taxes are likely, or not likely to increase.
Arriving back at The Pig, Delfig and Anshelm make up their minds to try something different.
Delfig: “Anshelm, let’s go to the northern road and keep our eyes open. At the very least, we can see who is on the road as we make our way north, should we choose to.”Anshelm: I grumble a bit, as is my wont, but nod assent to Delfig, ready to accompany my friend to the northern road. Before setting off, however, I call back over my shoulder: “Helmunt, can you tell our friend Kazimir that we’re out and about, friend?”
The pair step into the Market Hall, to find a great space, some sixty feet long and thirty feet wide. There are many stalls set up, selling salt, beer, snuff, wine, carved wooden toys, parchment, glassware and brass instruments, all the luxury goods made in Dachau. A twin line of pillars, surmounted by great arches holding up the twenty-foot ceiling, stand between the tables and frames supporting various goods which are hung on display. Straw has been scattered over the floor, as here and there goats, pigs and chickens roam freely between the tables along with both the patrons and artisans. These are not the merchants of the guild; the main floor is opened each Sunday for those craftsmen and peddlers who work in shops in the hills surrounding the town, who must have a protected place to sell their valuables.
At each end of the hall are a flight of stairs, without railings, which follow the end walls up into the ceiling. At the bottom of each rest three guards, while one stands ostensibly at attention.
On the pillar nearest to the door where you enter is a notice board. On it is nailed a piece of parchment which reads, “The town Brux herewith announces that a price guarantee will be granted for beef at 3,231 gold pieces per ton. This guarantee is valid for a delivery that arrives no later than the first day of June”
At each end of the hall are a flight of stairs, without railings, which follow the end walls up into the ceiling. At the bottom of each rest three guards, while one stands ostensibly at attention.
On the pillar nearest to the door where you enter is a notice board. On it is nailed a piece of parchment which reads, “The town Brux herewith announces that a price guarantee will be granted for beef at 3,231 gold pieces per ton. This guarantee is valid for a delivery that arrives no later than the first day of June”
Above that is a second notice, which reads, “The town of Dachau seeks a company of soldiers who will perform duties in the defense of those good families that dwell within. There is need for no less than thirty men, well-equipped, led by a learned gentleman of quality standing. The weekly pay shall be 347 gold pieces”
And above that, a third notice, which reads, “The Lord Mayor’s election is to take place on the 24 May 1650. The following citizens have been nominated to date: The competent Lord Mayor Martin Folkes. The competent Councillor Erich Kinski. The competent Patrician Eduard Johannsen. The experience Patrician Eberhardt Hornung”
At the very bottom of these notices is a small wooden carved sign which reads, “Especially recommended today in the guild hall, Chicken pate with a good plum puree.”
We now address ourselves to what happens once Tiberius has climbed the stairs of the Market Hall, bringing him to the second floor.
So ends the events surrounding the Market Hall. We turn now to Delfig and Anshelm as they venture to the North Gate of Dachau.
And above that, a third notice, which reads, “The Lord Mayor’s election is to take place on the 24 May 1650. The following citizens have been nominated to date: The competent Lord Mayor Martin Folkes. The competent Councillor Erich Kinski. The competent Patrician Eduard Johannsen. The experience Patrician Eberhardt Hornung”
At the very bottom of these notices is a small wooden carved sign which reads, “Especially recommended today in the guild hall, Chicken pate with a good plum puree.”
Tiberius: I try to walk nonchalantly past the guards and up the stairs.DM: The one standing guard nods pleasantly at you as you pass.Josef: I’ll hang back and try to engage the guards in conversation … assuming they’re amiable.As the two separate, we will remain with Josef as Tiberius he climbs the stairs, leaving what happens to Tiberius for afterward.
Josef (to the guard): “I hope to ask a question. My patron is seeking to hire guards for a journey he and I must make to Ingolstadt. Would you know of any armsmen, such as yourselves, that might be available?”1st Guard (npc): “Not us, sir.”2nd Guard (npc) (bitterly): “Ingolstadt! That whore’s town? I wouldn’t go there if –”3rd Guard (npc) (growling): “I’m from Ingolstadt.”2nd Guard: “Ah, from! And why is that?”3rd Guard: “You know why.”2nd Guard: “I just want to hear you say it.”Josef: “Sirs, I’ve not meant to sow discord among you. I know nothing of Ingolstadt - What business my patron has in that town is no business of mine. I’ve only been sent to hire guardsmen for the way. Surely the long war has left the countryside a dangerous place ... do you know if any of the merchants here today are from that town? Perhaps they would know also a good guardsman that would accept more than adequate commensuration?”4th Guard (npc) (to Josef): “Ignore them, they’ll prattle on like that all day. I don’t doubt there’s one of the high gentlemen from Ingolstadt, but that’s none of my affair.”DM: The 4th guard looks sideways at Josef’s thin cotton shirt and wool breeches, noticing that the cleric is wearing no proper jacket.4th Guard: “You don’t look like anyone able to hire people that I’ve ever known.”Josef: “Indeed. No you’re a perceptive guard. I am of an order that undertakes a vow of poverty, and attend to the spiritual betterment of my patron.” I lean I from the waist. “This is why he trusts me with a large potion of his resources.” I say to the 3rd Guard, “Do you have family there, or letters you would send back? I would be happy to help you, as I will be going there already ...”DM: The 3rd Guard reacts as though you’ve just stabbed him through the heart. His face stiffens; his eyes gather a far away look as he stifles tears. Clearly he has been deeply wounded. The 2nd Guard turns on Josef.2nd Guard: “Now you’ve done it! You had to mention his family, didn’t you?”1st Guard (to Josef): “Perhaps you should just move along.”Josef: I bob my head in mute apology and shuffle out of the hall. I will get some bread from the gasthaus and wander aimlessly in the streets, hands tucked behind my back for an hour. Two rings of church bells? A little over an hour? Anyway ... I’ve got my eye out for nothing in particular and would rather be preoccupied and alone for a while.DM: A copper for the bread, please.
We now address ourselves to what happens once Tiberius has climbed the stairs of the Market Hall, bringing him to the second floor.
Tiberius: What does the second floor look like?DM: The second floor has been prepared for a banquet. There are six tables, each with fourteen settings, tablecloths, pewter candlesticks, porcelain plates, copper cutlery and ceramic cups. Dinner has not yet been served, but about a dozen gentlemen and an equal number ladies are standing in the open area between the table and the left wall, gossiping. Before you can move any further forward, a shorter, well-fed man standing next to a tall, small-topped table holding only a book places a gentle hand on your shoulder. He has been looking at your fairly acceptable but road-dusted attire. Now he addresses you.Concierge (npc and a stranger as far as the player knows): “Kind sir, you come from which city?”Tiberius: Looking the shorter man in the eye, I answer with a smile and a friendly tone. “I’ve recently travelled through from Munich, though I have stayed in this fair town for several weeks. My name is Tiberius. What is your name?”Concierge: “This is the Guild’s Hall Dinner. I am the concierge of the dinner.”Tiberius: “What is this banquet for?”Concierge: “It is restricted to members of the Dachau merchant’s guild and to visiting guild members who visit here from other towns. Are you a merchant, sir?”Tiberius: I give a furtive glance around the room to see if anyone is watching. Then, I move my hands in marked, fixed patterns, saying arcane words, aimed at the concierge. I cast Charm Person, targeting the concierge.DM: The rules say that your spell will take one round to throw. A round lasts 12 seconds. You are standing face to face with the concierge. You manage to get about five words out of your mouth when the concierge will simply reach out, give you a hard push, and destroy your concentration. When your concentration is broken while casting a spell, the spell is lost.Tiberius, you are in deep trouble. Please roll a 6-sided die.Tiberius: I rolled a 5.DM: You have the initiative. The concierge seems only interested in falling back, which he’ll be able to do unless you desire to attack or do something else. Your action?Tiberius: I raise my hands, showing that they are empty. “Please, forgive my rudeness. If you will calm down, I will show you my papers.”DM: It may be too late to talk your way out. It’s very likely the concierge has no idea what spell you were going to cast. His heart is undoubtedly pounding in his chest as he imagines your intent was to destroy everyone in the building.Concierge: “GUARDS!”DM: You now instantly have the attention of every person in the room. Will you go gently?”Tiberius: Remembering the guards at at the foot of the stairs, I fear that I am trapped and imagine that running at this moment would present an even blacker picture. I stay where I am, keeping my hands visible and away from my weapons, hoping for the best, but fearing the worst.DM: Assuming you don’t resist, they will fit you with manacles, putting your hands behind your back, then lead you to the town’s courthouse.
So ends the events surrounding the Market Hall. We turn now to Delfig and Anshelm as they venture to the North Gate of Dachau.
Upon stepping from the town gates, Anshelm and Delfig see a quite beautiful vista, that of the countryside north of Dachau. The road winds upwards, into a low string of hills before disappearing, just beyond, into the valley of the Danube. To your right, you can see the narrow valley of the Amper, the small stream that flows through Dachau, which flows down to the valley of the Isar River. Not far away, to the left, you see a grove of apple trees, interplanted with hawthorn and cranberry bushes. Upon the nearby pastureland that follows the road, a small herd of cattle, perhaps seventy, are tended by townsfolk. These bring their animals out of the town in the morning and let them feed, before returning them at dusk.
Some hundred yards away you see a stone blockhouse, twenty feet high and much larger than an ordinary house. There appear to be no windows, nor shutters, only empty cavities where both ought to be. As you approach, you can see a scaffold that has been attached to the front of the structure, from which hangs a man and a woman. You would guess that both have been hanging there for two, perhaps three days. You can see now that the building has been burned out, for charcoal scars, nearly the same color as the stone, score the hard granite above the windows and the entranceway.
There is naught upon the road but a farmer and his wagon. The wagon is but a quarter full of hay. This steadily approaches you and the town, from a hundreds of yards distant. A single stile fence runs along the right side of the road for a hundred feet past the town’s gate, and on it you see three young boys, not yet ten, sitting. For a moment, you remember what it was like to be a boy.
Anshelm: “Hey, kiddies, are there no good works you could be performing on the Lord’s Day?” I call to them with a smirk and a friendly wave.DM: One kid thumbs his nose at you and another shouts.Kid (npc): “Nyah, you!”DM: They jump off the stile and go off across the field.Anshelm: Reaching for my snuff box, I point out the blockhouse and its former occupants to Delfig. “Is that what they call an omen?”Were the people that lived in the blockhouse victims of plague or some such? Would we know about this?DM: You know nothing about the blockhouse. You’ll have to ask somebody. As you see the farmer coming along, he pauses in front of the blockhouse. He stares up forlornly before continuing towards the North Gate.Delfig: I sigh and put away the copper coin I had been about to toss to the kids in exchange for information. I’ll go up to the farmer and inquire about his travels, and what he knows of the figures and the blockhouse.DM: He replies that he’s come from his farm at the foot of the hill below the far hill. At your question about the blockhouse, he looks back, scowls, and spits. He points at the inn.Farmer (npc): “Ya. Those town father swine. You see that? That Inn’s been there since the year 1112. Those hanging there are the innkeeper and his wife. His father and his father’s father for twenty-four generations have tended that, and the town’s murdered them. They say the Inn’s a danger to the town. They say that marauders might use the Inn to attack the town. They say that, ya. It’s not that that threatens them. No, they want that we should pass through the town gates and pay our silver to drink there. They warned Jan, and Jan warned them. And now Jan’s hanging there. It’s not right. Come on, mule.”DM: He snaps the lead on his mule and continues on.Delfig: [OOC: Jaw hangs open. Cool]I raise an eyebrow and motion to Anshelm. “I wonder what ‘Jan’ warned them out. I’m going to have a peek around. Keep an eye out.” I will wait for awhile until the coast is clear, then take a look over the blockhouse to see if it was thoroughly looted, or if anything looks interesting. I’ll go as far as to look for basements or such, if it appears safe. If it’s not possible, then I’ll look about the grounds for anything left or other possible entrances that would lead to root cellars or such.Anshelm: “Welcoming lot they are here. Not so sure we’d want to get into a fight with the town fathers on their behalf, but what do you think, Delfig? Maybe they had other secrets...?” I take up a place on the fence where the boys were to keep an eye out for anyone approaching. “I’ll whistle if I see anyone, Delfig.”Have we heard any murmurs of discontent in our months patronizing the Pig?DM: It occurs to Anshelm that some people had been saying something about putting the country people in their place, but that seemed like nothing more than the usual sort of talk.Looking around, the coast is quite clear. The building is burned out. Clearly, no attempts were made to put out the fire. The floor has vanished, though the stone piles which once supported the floor supports in the basement are still there. The burnt odor is strong, and there is a considerable pile of ashes. You can see from the doorway that the ceiling has also disappeared, and the building is open to the sky. Taking a quick hop down to the floor of the cellar, you find amid the ashes naught but twisted nails, broken glass, a few large charcoaled pieces that might have been rafters. You may look about further, but I’ll assume that at some point you climb out and wipe yourself clean with a handful of grass.Delfig: If it needs to be clearly stated, I’ll look for secret doors or hidden areas, if I can find such things in the debris. Assuming that’s for naught, then yes, I’ll jump out and clean myself off.Anshelm: “No valuables among the rubble down there, eh? Not even a nice plate? I wonder if Jan has family in the area?” I spit, then jumps down from my perch on the fence. Approaching the ruin and taking care to stay as far away from the corpses as possible, I call to Delfig. “I’m not sure how fruitful this exercise will be, friend bard. P’raps our friends are having more luck at the Market Hall?”DM: [OOC: Players may safely assume that anything such as secret doors, valuable items, oddly concealed objects, including the future rifling of bodies, is assumed to be your first interest. In cases where such things may not be easy to find, a roll will be made...but none was made here, as clearly everything has been destroyed]Delfig: I crawl from the wreckage, covered in soot and dirt. I wipe myself off as best I can, noting that I’ll have to do a quick run to the bucket to wash my clothes. I looks at Anshelm and shake my head. “Not a single thing left. Either this was a very bad fire or this place was long looted. Strange we didn’t hear about it, considering it was only 3 days ago. Perhaps we might keep our wits about us. If the lords and fathers need to point to someone about this, strangers might be the first ones looked at.”I take a quick walk around the boundary of the area with the woods, to see if anything was thrown into the trees or if anyone is watching us from the trees. Assuming nothing happens, I’ll agree with Anshelm to go back to town. If I see something, such as a person or item, I’ll investigate it.Anshelm: I accompany Delfig in his investigation.DM: You see no one watching or showing any interest, except perhaps a few of the cattle-herders, who might wonder what you’re looking for. The apple orchard is well-tended, even the bushes being clipped to make wide open pathways. In this season the branches are full of white flowers. You see nothing that you describe, but then you realize that this would never be used as a dumping site. You would need to push into the trees to investigate further.Delfig: I will indeed push into the trees to investigate further.[OOC: Famous last words from the two gents who are out and about in their normal clothes, with a lyre as a club…]Anshelm: I join in the search, keeping Delfig in sight.[OOC: who knew I was such a follower]DM: As the pair of you wander between the trees, the sweet odor of the flowers becomes intoxicating. Nothing to worry about, however. The ground begins to rise as you wander, as the orchard clothes the lower slopes of the nearest hill. A further twenty yards and you sense the far edge of the trees, with a grouping of buildings just beyond.Anshelm: I make my way to the edge of the treeline, doing my best to stay concealed from anyone watching from the buildings. I’m looking for any movement or sign of people.Delfig: I shrug my shoulders. “It’s probably just the farmer’s house and storage for this orchard, I’d wager.” But I’ll look all the same, carefully, not wanting to get surprised from behind.DM: You find a small collection of eight cotter’s shacks, cotters being landless people’s allowed to occupy the lord’s land in exchange for their perpetual labor. This being Sunday, none are at work in the fields, but are instead commanded to not work at any activity.Despite your efforts to remain hidden, your darker appearance against the white boughs is noticed rather quickly. Several men, who had been lounging and waiting for the sun to fall, rise now, grasping the nearest club like object to hand and stand staring at you distrustfully.Anshelm: “Ah, friend Delfig, perhaps we should join our compatriots back at The Pig? I suddenly have a thirst.” I begin backing out the way he came.Delfig: I sigh and hold up both hands to show peaceful intent, while smiling. I stage whisper to Anshelm, “If you run, you’re liable to bring them down upon you. Perhaps they can shed light on the burnt Inn.” I take a slow step forward and continue to show non-aggression.[OOC: If they come at me like an ugly riot, I’m hightailing it outta there. Otherwise, I’d like to chat with them]Anshelm: I chuckle. “I trust you’re good with a rowdy crowd, or at least handy with your instrument,” I whisper back. I fall in behind Delfig.Delfig: [OOC: *chuckles* Sotto voice: “I hope I don’t die finding out...”]DM: They seem to have no inclination to riot. All told, there are five men, and behind them two women. One of the women is holding a rusty knife about ten inches long (she’s not bad looking, by the way), the other some kind of hoe. The men are holding, from left to right, a cherry tree branch, a grain flail, a hand scythe, a wooden stool and an eighteen-inch piece of stone that might have been used for sharpening. The runt of the group, being five-foot-three, the one with the scythe, steps forward.Cotter (npc): “What do you want, stranger?”Anshelm: “This is your chance to shine, Delfig.”Delfig: I smile as broadly and winningly as I can. “Good friends, we are just out for a Sunday stroll to take in the lovely country. We mean you no harm and in fact, as I am a musician, I would be happy to play for you, should you be so kind.” I keep my hands outstretched. I’ll get my lyre out and settle down for a bit of music and dance.[OOC: I’m also waiting to see if they’re going to remove my head from my neck]DM: They seem to relax. The runt speaks again.Cotter: “Well, let’s see you play.”Delfig: Smiling at the women equally, I settle back and begin to play a popular dancing tune that I’m comfortable with. I’ll do so for awhile, to calm them down and see them entertained. Assuming that goes well, I’ll chat with them about the goings on in the town. I don’t ask what they’re doing here and I don’t ask about the blockhouse ... yet.Anshelm: Visibly relieved, I lean against a tree, clapping along with the tune.DM: The moment is suitably pacified. Listening to music and playing music is one of the permitted activities on the Sabbath, and you are gratefully appreciated, once they understand you have no malicious intentions. They will become increasingly agreeable as you play, and will invite you to share in their afternoon meal.Delfig: [OOC: Oh man, never thought about what is legal on Sabbath. *gulp*]I’ll continue to play and graciously accept their offer to share a meal.Anshelm: Anshelm, for once, holds his tongue.
And so we leave Anshelm and Delfig for awhile, as they ready themselves for their evening’s meal. Let us return to Tiberius, who has been waiting for the consequences of his actions at The Dachau Courthouse. Josef has returned to The Pig gasthaus by this time, where he meets his friend Kazimir, a Player who has come a little late to the campaign.
There is very little going on in the market square as the afternoon progresses into the evening. Many of the produce stalls are closed, while goods are loaded up in wagons in front of the market hall. The sun will set at a quarter of eight, so not so many hours from now.
Josef and Kazimir have had little luck to discover the whereabouts or situation regarding Tiberius—only to discover, quite suddenly, that someone has aroused the judge into his chambers so that the prisoner can be presented at court at five bells. They have time to arrive and gather in the events.
Tiberius, as it happens, is only an alias. Tiberius’s true name is Adalbert Volkmann, a name that is known to many citizens in Dachau. Tiberius, or Adalbert, has had a fairly comfortable stay in one of the jail cells; as a mage, his hands have remained cuffed, but he has been fed, given water, a stuffed straw mattress to lie on. Upon being put into his cell, Tiberius hears the jailer make a remark.
With Josef’s last question answered, and the party in town returning to their rooms at the gasthaus before the sun goes down, we may find Anshelm and Delfig again, settling down to dinner with the cotters.
Anshelm and Delfig find the food simple, but abundant, with an excellent flavor, consisting predominantly of old potatoes, turnip greens, young birds eggs, dove, roasted dormice and fresh milk. This being the spring season, and the store of food from the previous autumn having been spent, there are no grains, nor the bread made of it, nor vegetables, nor fruits.
The smallish man, the head of the community, is named Emmanuel; he introduces you to the other men, whose names you’ve forgotten, and to the two women who were present earlier, Frieda and the pretty one, Suzanne. Suzanne is married to Emmanuel, and Frieda to one of the other men. These are the only members of the small hamlet, and you learn that four of the houses seen earlier are unoccupied.
And so Anshelm and Delfig take their leave. The evening sees our five companions make their way back, to join that Sunday Night at The Pig gasthaus. First, Josef, Kazimir and Tiberius; then not long after, Anshelm and Delfig. They find that the tavern is full of guests … as it is nearly every Sunday night. As always, their beds have been faithfully kept by Helmunt. By the time the party grows comfortable on their first ale at their usual table, the market stalls and goods are completely gone from the square; all that was being sold in the Merchant’s Hall is packed up and carried away until the following Sunday.
But the town is not quiet. A scaffold and stage have been set upon on the front steps of the cathedral, facing the square. A small crowd has gathered to watch some of the preparations - a crowd that grows steadily larger, and includes both the poor and wealthy citizenry. While the party discusses the matters of the day (and they shall find the time to do that for themselves, while all that is described below will occur after, during or before their tale telling), a performance is staged.
It is a ‘mystery play.’ Promoted, in this particular case, by the brewer’s guild of Dachau. The thrust of the drama is quite simple, and follows the tale of the good Samaritan. Only in this tale, a man is beaten for his goods by Turkish bandits on the road leading from Dachau to Augsburg. He begs for help from a Frenchman, who ignores him. Then he begs for the aid of an Italian, who likewise ignores him.
Finally, the man is found by a German, who immediately puts the poor fellow on his horse and takes him to his house, where he cares for him. And the robbed victim is discovered to be tremendously wealthy. He gives everything he owns to the German before parting from this world and finding salvation.
When the play ends, it is quite dark and the square is lit by torches alone. These are extinguished as the audience departs, until the only active place at all near the square is Helmunt’s humble abode. Soon, within an hour or so, Helmunt will close the tavern in accordance with the law, and all its residents will find their way to their beds in the common room upstairs.
Jailer (npc): “Get comfortable. They’ll likely forget about you.”DM: A cleric-monk appears about an hour later, speaks very little to Tiberius. He takes the time to cast a few spells, none of which Tiberius could be familiar with, before taking his leave.At the quarter chime before the fifth hour, the jailer reappears with two guards.Jailer: “You must be one of the lucky ones. Got some friends in court, have you?”DM: Tiberius is taken into the court room, a small affair barely twenty feet by fifteen, with an imposing, raised desk and a wrought iron pillar affixed to the stone floor, to which Tiberius’s manacles are attached. There are four guards, the judge, a well-attired gentleman and both Josef and Kazimir in the room. The latter two were admitted only a few minutes before Tiberius was brought in. The gentleman stranger, Josef and Kazimir sit on a narrow, rude bench along one wall. Tiberius can’t help feeling the gentleman beside his friends is oddly familiar.The room becomes silent.Judge (npc): “This is the prisoner from the Merchant Guild Hall?”DM: Any attempt by Tiberius to speak will be quickly dealt with—Tiberius, being a bright fellow and having watched prisoners in the dock, wisely keeps his mouth shut.Court Officer (npc): “Yes, your Honor.”Judge: “And who speaks for this man?”DM: The gentleman stranger beside rises, somewhat confidently.Gentleman (npc): “I do.”Judge: “You may proceed.”Gentleman: “Your honor. I was present at the dinner in the Merchant’s Hall when this man’s honor was astoundingly and insultingly impugned by the action of the Hall’s concierge. The very idea that this man could stand in a public place and prepare to throw a spell in such a manner is utterly ridiculous and fully fantastical. This man is a well-known figure in the business world in Graz, in Syria, and is in the employ of the Baron von Furstenfeld, an upstanding gentleman and one of the Electoral College of the Empire, your honor. His faithfulness to the crown, to the well-being of his fellow man and to God is indisputable. I demand that compensation be made for this unforgivable attack!”DM: Tiberius is staring closely at the man - and then realizes from where he knows him. Some five years ago, when Tiberius was a stable boy, actually in the employ of the aforementioned Furstenfeld, he met this stranger, named Johann Mizer. Mizer bought seven horses from the Baron. Tiberius remembers himself taking part in delivering the horses. He remembers, too, that one of the horses was half-blind, something the Baron chose not to mention.Judge (clearing his throat): “I have spoken to the concierge. He feels he cannot be mistaken.”Johann Mizer (the gentleman): “He must be. Can we be sure the concierge has a perfect knowledge of magic?”Judge (apparently convinced): “Adelbert Volkmann. You have been examined by Father Durer, and have been found not to be a serious threat to the town of Dachau, or any of the citizens therein. A writ has been found on your person, also, providing you with free passage through the Duchy of Bavaria. For these reasons it is decided that you shall not be given over to the Inquisition for further examination. This court believes that you could not have intended to throw a spell. Normally, you would be fined ten gold pieces and expelled from the town gates, but I will take under advisement the word of a celebrated and respected member of our community and suspend this sentence. You are free to go.”DM: [OOC: Tiberius received the writ as part of the background of his character]Josef (to Kazimir): “A strange meeting, no doubt. Let’s see that it is not portentous. I’ll never see the inside of such a place as this again.” I will otherwise stand by quietly.Tiberius: I walk over to Johann Mizer with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Though, feeling relief upon the judge’s verdict, I begin to feel that old fear from meeting anyone even remotely connected to my old life in Austria. “It seems I am indebted to you, sir, for your help. If I may be frank, to what do I owe this honor?”Johann (laughing): “You sold me a blind horse! Well, the Baron did. I think that’s the last time I did anything very foolish. Have you had a decent meal? Do you have somewhere to stay?”Tiberius: I laugh uneasily at Johann’s small joke. “My jailors treated me remarkably well. Food, water, a place to think. All well and good, considering.” Tiberius informs Johann of his accommodations at The Pig. “If I might ask, what brings you to Dachau? Besides helping an old acquaintance out of an unfortunate scrape?”DM: Tiberius’s lodging at The Pig is in a common room on the second floor, that serves the five members of the party.Johann: “I live here, my friend! I am a member of the very guild that has so wronged you.”Tiberius: “How fortuitous! I had been hoping to speak with a member at the Guild Hall, before, well, the incident.”Josef (presumably after introducing himself): “Tiberius, Herr Mizer … let’s go back to The Pig’s porch and sit. Our companions may have already returned, and might be seeking us.”Johann: “About what, friend?”Tiberius: I glance at my friends, Josef and Kazamir, and say to Johann, “Perhaps, we could speak elsewhere, at a more convenient time and location?”Josef (to Kazimir): “We can retire to The Pig. Let’s leave these gentlemen to their conversation.Kazimir Kropt, the Assassin: I grunt and say, “Let’s take our leave of this place.”DM: Johann suggests he should be the one to take his leave. He leaves by giving Tiberius instructions that he, Johann, can be found at the Guild, which is a separate place from the Market Hall where Tiberius was arrested. Johann adds that Tiberius should not hesitate to show the writ in his possession when appearing there, so that his purpose will not be misunderstood. Johann goes.Tiberius: I turn to Kazamir and Josef. “Well, that was exciting. Let’s go find our comrades.”Josef: We are walking back to The Pig. While I think of it, am I aware of any members of my church in the town of Dachau?DM: (OOC: Josef is a cleric of ancient pagan Slavic mythology, a religion which is banned throughout Germany and most of Europe. He has reason to fear the Inquisition)It is true that there are no worshippers of your religion around you, but you must also remember that the path you’ve chosen is a religion much less organized and exacting than the Catholic church.You are of too low a level to begin a church; but if you were to sincerely seek into the hinterland beyond the immediate town, you would quickly find shrines and small holy places which are more ancient than these cross-worshippers.Even in the town there is evidence everywhere of your religion: the dragons carved into the church door; the tree depicted in a carving on the Pig’s door; the words in songs which your friend Delfig sings. Your religion breathes and throbs in every rock and stone, in the growing of the crops and the foods the populace eats. It is only that it has been concealed and the true meanings lost.As a cleric of your religion, you are given more than the privilege of representing your pantheon, you are asked to further their power upon the earth in the manner which seems best to you, their ordained policy maker.
Anshelm and Delfig find the food simple, but abundant, with an excellent flavor, consisting predominantly of old potatoes, turnip greens, young birds eggs, dove, roasted dormice and fresh milk. This being the spring season, and the store of food from the previous autumn having been spent, there are no grains, nor the bread made of it, nor vegetables, nor fruits.
The smallish man, the head of the community, is named Emmanuel; he introduces you to the other men, whose names you’ve forgotten, and to the two women who were present earlier, Frieda and the pretty one, Suzanne. Suzanne is married to Emmanuel, and Frieda to one of the other men. These are the only members of the small hamlet, and you learn that four of the houses seen earlier are unoccupied.
Delfig: I gladly and thankfully accept the fare that we’re given, and eat it with obvious gusto and relish. I will introduce myself by first name as well.Anshelm: I eat what is given.Delfig: During the meal, I’ll mention the town and I’ll refer to the blockhouse as “the obvious statement the town fathers have made on the road outside town” and see what they say. I’ll be neutral in the conversation, I’m looking to see if there’s something obvious going on that we’re just extremely unaware about (referring back to the farmer’s comments about the fathers and the commoners).DM: Emmanuel gets quite angry when you mention the blockhouse.Emmanuel (bitterly): “Obvious? The town knows nothing about it. They’ve been told Jan and his wife were sympathizers who gave comfort to Protestants during the war. They were innkeepers! They gave comfort to whomever knocked on the door!”DM: Suzanne tries to soothe Emmanuel but he won’t have it.Emmanuel: “It’s the war that’s done this. I’m naught but a cotter, and I’ve naught to do but tend the Lord’s sheep and find what food I can, but I can say there’s an evil loose on the land. It’s these men taking pay for doing nothing. My father could remember when the men who owned and worked the land would rise in war to defend it—but those days are gone, and but in one generation. Now it’s the soldier, always the soldier, fighters with no master but the paymaster, who defend not the town but the purse of the town. Hired to fight the Protestants and now kept in hire to fight innocent innkeepers and their wives!”Delfig: I listen quietly to Emmanuel’s speech.DM: The cotter stands up, needing more room to continue to rant.Emmanuel: “And who holds the purse? The merchants, that’s who! None of them landowners, none of them with a stake in this town nor any town, who gather their things with them whenever they wish to steal from us before moving on to steal from someone else. It’s they who dictate to the army, its they who pay the soldiers and feed the soldiers. If you go into the town, and you look in the town hall, do you know what you’ll find? There’s a notice there asking for more soldiers! For what I ask you? For the good of the peace? Not at all! For the good of destroying the peace, that’s what, to make more monsters to hulk out from the town and pillage the gentle folk here! God, I beg you, put an end to it! Deliver us from these money-loving sinners!”DM: Emmanuel sits again, quite worn out, while Suzanne wets a cloth in the corner water barrel and wipes his forehead with it.Anshelm: “You speak boldly, friend Emmanuel. I’m not so sure we can put an end to what you describe on our own. We might at best cause them annoyance, like flies on horses’ hides. But even a small service might give you some satisfaction ...what other depredations are the soldiery responsible for?”Are there legal penalties if one is caught speaking in the manner Emmanuel has?DM: If someone with power heard him, he might disappear. But who is going to hear him here?Delfig: I’ll strum up a quick note on my lyre and nod. “Indeed, it is often the common folk who are left to bear the burdens and depredations of those who hold the purse. Certainly the wars of late have left most of the common man grasping for what little was left by the mercenaries. Tell me, were all the town leaders of Dachau united in this, or is there unrest between the landowners and the merchants? And may I ask, whose lands we are currently sitting on?”DM: You receive the answer that certainly the town fathers were unanimously united in this, as they all expected to increase their wealth. Those who were first opposed were won over with benefices and grants of land, and have become the loudest proponents. You are on the land of the Baron Egbert Wittelsbach von Asper, a name you recognize as part of the Royal Family controlling much of the territory around Dachau.Anshelm: Do we know much about the Baron von Asper beyond his name?DM: You know virtually nothing about the Baron, as you are not from this town. Delfig will know from being from Munich that the Wittelsbach family have long been a powerful royal dynasty ruling multiple territories and lands throughout the Holy Roman Empire ... including a former member, Louis IV, being himself an emperor. You cannot know how the Baron von Asper is related to the greater family, or if he is in the line descended from Louis the Emperor. I could tell you more, but you would need to speak to a sage or one of your more educated companions (mage, cleric) might have read something about it during their educations.The present Duke and Elector of Bavaria would be Maximilian I, the Great ...who is a Wittelsbach. He is 77 years old.Anshelm: I ask if any others have expressed discontent. If so, who and how many? And is any one of the town fathers particularly notorious for committing these injustices?Delfig: I nod at Anshelm’s question and wait for an answer, strumming idly on my lyre.DM: Several of the men express their particular dislike for both Martin Folkes, the Lord Mayor, and Erich Kinski. “Two sides of the same coin,” goes the sentiment.Anshelm: “I assume our friend Jan was a victim of the Lord Mayor’s marauding mercenaries. What else is he responsible for? This Erich Kinski: who is he?”DM: Emmanuel will tell Anshelm that Kinski owns the taxation privileges on boats descending the Isar River from Munich to Passau, at Friesing, Landshut and Landau ...where all the fees are exorbitant except to his associates in Munich and Dachau.Emmanuel: “He’s turned the river into a private waterway.”DM: The Lord Mayor’s interests run along a similar angle. Martin Folkes owns the town brewery.Anshelm: “They seem to be scoundrels, the lot of them, though with friends in high places. Privilege rarely goes to those who are truly deserving, I always say,” I say, picking at my nose. “Tell me, where do the Lord Mayor and this Kinski live?”DM: Emmanuel and the others have no certain idea. Only one of them, Suzanne, have ever been in the town. Suzanne was once there as a little girl. They haven’t the money, you understand, to pay the silver piece needed to enter the town gate, and all of them are bound by debt to their Manor Lord.Delfig: “You mentioned that the loudest landowners seem to have been bought out in a generation. Do the soldiers still respect the landowners, or have the merchants started becoming more bold in their depredations, even at the expense of your Lord?”DM: Both the nobles and the merchants have become the same people, or so close in each other’s pockets as to make no difference; this you would glean from Emmanuel’s words, though it may be somewhat unclear to Emmanuel and his peers.Delfig: After hearing these answers, I note the time. If it is getting late, I want to return to the town to meet up with our friends and see if our companion Kazimir has arrived.DM: The sun will set in an hour.Delfig: If it is late enough, I’ll stand and bow. “You’ve been most kind in your hospitality and your words.” I’ll take a few coppers, seven I think, from my pouch and say “I too have very little, as my travels have left me hungry, but as you have shared with me, allow me to express my gratitude - and perhaps your assistance, should our paths ever cross again.”DM: They will refuse your coins, since to be in possession of them might mean a week in the stocks.Suzanne (npc): “But if you would be kind enough, master Bard, to come and play another Sunday, we would be most grateful.”
And so Anshelm and Delfig take their leave. The evening sees our five companions make their way back, to join that Sunday Night at The Pig gasthaus. First, Josef, Kazimir and Tiberius; then not long after, Anshelm and Delfig. They find that the tavern is full of guests … as it is nearly every Sunday night. As always, their beds have been faithfully kept by Helmunt. By the time the party grows comfortable on their first ale at their usual table, the market stalls and goods are completely gone from the square; all that was being sold in the Merchant’s Hall is packed up and carried away until the following Sunday.
But the town is not quiet. A scaffold and stage have been set upon on the front steps of the cathedral, facing the square. A small crowd has gathered to watch some of the preparations - a crowd that grows steadily larger, and includes both the poor and wealthy citizenry. While the party discusses the matters of the day (and they shall find the time to do that for themselves, while all that is described below will occur after, during or before their tale telling), a performance is staged.
It is a ‘mystery play.’ Promoted, in this particular case, by the brewer’s guild of Dachau. The thrust of the drama is quite simple, and follows the tale of the good Samaritan. Only in this tale, a man is beaten for his goods by Turkish bandits on the road leading from Dachau to Augsburg. He begs for help from a Frenchman, who ignores him. Then he begs for the aid of an Italian, who likewise ignores him.
Finally, the man is found by a German, who immediately puts the poor fellow on his horse and takes him to his house, where he cares for him. And the robbed victim is discovered to be tremendously wealthy. He gives everything he owns to the German before parting from this world and finding salvation.
When the play ends, it is quite dark and the square is lit by torches alone. These are extinguished as the audience departs, until the only active place at all near the square is Helmunt’s humble abode. Soon, within an hour or so, Helmunt will close the tavern in accordance with the law, and all its residents will find their way to their beds in the common room upstairs.
Anshelm: Re-filling from my ever-present snuffbox, I say, “Well, it appears that our friend Tiberius has had the best and the worst fortune of the day. He does seem to have found the most promising avenue leading from this place. What do we all think?”I keep an ear out for any murmurs of discontent among Helmunt’s patrons, or if anyone mentions the Jan the inn keep.Josef: “An interesting day, gentlemen. Delfig and Anshelm … what did you find out on the north side?Delfig: I will sketch a rough outline of what happened to us at the North Gate. We found a burnt-out Inn that had formerly belonged to several generations of the same family. Apparently the innkeeper fell afoul of the town’s leaders (who seem to be merchants or well connected to merchants) who had the family hung and the inn burned. It is empty of anything of value.The commoners of this area are extremely unhappy with the events of this murder, as well as the general greed of the merchants of the area. They are squeezing the commoners for every pfennig they can get. The landowners are either being bribed or are involved in greater politics.Tiberius: Regarding the plight of the common folk, I shrug my shoulders. “It’s a sad story, but there’s not anything we can do, is there?”Delfig: I look at Tiberius carefully. “And one should not discount commoners as the herd can trample someone quite dead in the stampede.”Anshelm: I nod in agreement with Tiberius. “Much as the cotters’ plight tugs at the heart, I’m not sure it’s wise to raise the ire of one related to the Duke of Bavaria.Tiberius: I go on to tell a relatively unembellished account of what happened that day, including his arrest, subsequent acquittal, and his meeting of an old acquaintance, Johann Mizer, a prominent merchant in Dachau.Josef: “I believe it would be good for us to discuss some goals, for the short term - to figure out what we are interested in doing. I also think that some discretion is necessary to maintain until we’ve some privacy ... the powers of this town seem wary and watchful. I would like to know what you like to do, and will tell you the same about myself, though my goal is perhaps too long-term to be implemented immediately. Anyone else have any particular goals, ideas or interests?”Delfig: I’ll listen to any ideas that the others might have before speaking.Kazimir: “All I know is that I’m for getting some coin in our pockets, lads.”Tiberius: “I think our best bet is to hire ourselves out Mizer and try to make some gold in the process. How exactly this will be accomplished will become more clear once I speak to Mizer and discovers any employment opportunities the merchant might have.”Anshelm: “Your option also seems most likely to put a bit of jingle in our pockets.”Josef: “I’m not disinclined to such service for the nonce, Tiberius - and would be grateful to keep occupied, provided that his requirements do not demand that I act against my faith. Is this Mizer a religious man?”[OOC: For that matter, is anyone in the party?]Kazimir: [OOC: I am cheerfully non-religious]Tiberius: [OOC: Regarding faith, I wear a silver cross on a chain]Delfig: [OOC: I am decidedly quiet about my religious beliefs, although the group has seen me ‘go along’ with anything that would be considered good manners or prudent practice to not stand out]Anshelm: [OOC: I am fairly sincere in his belief, though I’m not one to be particularly impressed by the ritual and ceremony of the Church, which I consider a bit ridiculous. I attend services as expected, but only because it’s expected. My faith is more personal in nature, and not something I overtly refer to in the normal course of a day]Tiberius: “Mizer hasn’t actually offered anything. We have to put our best face forward and hope he has a job for someone with our certain ... skillset.”Josef: “I think that our skill-set, as you say Tiberius, is an important conversational topic. It seems to me that this group may be well-suited to walk some dark paths … should Herr Mizer’s business include such tangents.”Delfig: “Our need for income does seem to prevail most on my mind, but I am mindful that if-” And I whisper this next, “… something of a revolt is brewing, it would not hurt us to have friends in many places.” In a normal voice, “It can’t hurt us to listen to this merchant, yet I also find it interesting that this friend of yours just happened to be here.”Josef: I am thinking about larger plans, and say to the party, “Eventually, I would like to return to my home, where my family is persecuted, where my people are being enslaved by the cross and coin. It would be a long journey to the north-east, through Bohemia. I am not equipped for such travel now, I’m afraid. I’ve been too long in the seminary and among these towns. I’ve gotten soft.”I’m reckoning that a walk to Glatz [where Josef is from] might take something on the order of a month. Is this assumption wildly inaccurate?DM: With periods of rest and unexpected delays, and none of you having mounts, yes, I would estimate the journey would take about a month.Delfig: What are the types of things a bard would do if he’s going to cast a spell? Let’s say for instance I wished to cast perception - would it be more about playing a specific tune and singing in a certain way? I’d like to know just in case I need to use such spells and I don’t want to ... erm... cause any attention to myself.DM: You may assume that any spell you throw will involve playing your instrument and sing-songing the words to the spell. Just so you know that there can’t be any error in detecting the difference between a spell you might cast and an ordinary song, the instrument will begin to gently glow (it won’t be bright enough to cast light). A surreptious spell-casting might be managed by means of a small instrument, such as a Jew’s Harp or a piccolo. Since perception is good at 140 feet, you could easily cross the street and move a healthy distance away before casting with your back to the target, then turning to discharge the spell.Delfig: Assuming that the party is done discussing the events, I’ll wander into the common room of the gasthaus and see what discussions I might hear. I’ll listen, but not too obviously close.Anshelm: I’ll continue to keep an ear out for any mentions of Jan the inn keep or anything that might be interpreted as a murmur of discontent against the town fathers. Much as I’d like to ply his thieving abilities in a scene filled with marks, I have no wish to risk tangling with the guard.Tiberius: I get up and socialize.
As each of the player characters wanders off to investigate whatever they might find, Josef retires to his bed, while Kazimir sits a moment to observe a group of coachmen he happens to see.
Kazimir: I look sideways at them, trying to see if I recognize them as assassins. I also ponder over any news I’ve heard lately about assassins in the district.DM: You’ve heard nothing of, or from, the assassin’s guild in Innsbruck since your departure. You feel sure that an accomplished assassin would leave little news for anyone to hear; if there was a tale about a recent murder, you would think it was over an act of jealousy or some other personal vendetta.
And while Kazimir considers this, Delfig finds himself uncovering a snippet of conversation spoken between two wealthy gentlemen, each sitting upon high cushioned stools.
1st Merchant (npc): “Then we should make a move to acquire the building … when?”2nd Merchant (npc): “In two months. The sotted masses have accepted the tale of smuggling. They will just as soon accept the employment of the building for the defense of the town …”DM: But Delfig hears nothing more, as a wave of laughter passes through the crowd around him as a juggler performs a difficult feat.Delfig: I’m going to keep my eye on them, if possible, and move to where I could cast perception without being noticed. I’m waiting for them to engage in what appears to be deep discussion again. If that happens, I’ll cast the spell (assuming I’m not going to be noticed) and attempt to listen in. If not, then I’ll simply keep an eye on them and anyone else that might be interesting.DM: Not long after you hear their brief conversation, they split up, to speak with other gentlemen and ladies. Their demeanor seems quite pleasant and non-businesslike, so you couldn’t be sure what the spell might reveal.Delfig: You mentioned a juggler - was he part of the brewer’s guild performance or someone just busking for coins?DM: He was a part of the performance. As you approach, you recognize a patch on his clothing.Delfig: Then I’m not going to mess with him. Instead, I’ll strum up a a few tunes that would be pleasing to the crowd, and perhaps earn me some tip money.DM: I’ll give you 3 coppers and a silver piece for the tune playing.Delfig: I gratefully pocket the coins and move over to my companions before they need to move to the common area.
Anshelm, meanwhile, will overhear another conversation … between two coachmen, as it happens, who are standing well back from the crowd, tending a carriage waiting nearby.
1st Coachman (npc): “How many?”2nd Coachman (npc): “Four last month. And one again last night.”1st Coachman: “And they were found -”2nd Coachman: “- with their throat’s cut. Yes. Inside the grounds. A stable-boy heard it happening, and although the gates were sealed directly there was no sign, no killer. They say there was blood everywhere, but no one in the house so much as had it on their shoe. Except the boy, I suppose.”1st Coachman: “That’s awful.”DM: At that moment, they both become aware of Anshelm’s presence, and stifle their conversation.Anshelm: I nod politely at the coachmen and move off through the crowd and back inside. Signalling Helmunt, I ask the worthy patron if he has heard anything about sinister goings-on around town (without actually mentioning the murders the coachmen were discussing).DM: Helmunt knows nothing about it. He turns suddenly to dress down his brother-in-law, Hans Schultz, for failing to order more ale.Anshelm: Do I get the sense that Helmunt is covering for something with his bluster?DM: Most likely not.Anshelm: After considering the matter, I drift back out into the crowd. I attempt to join in on any small talk I hear, trying to introduce the topic of recent unpleasantness in as natural a manner as I can (Jan the inn keep, the murder I overheard the coachmen discussing).DM: The crowd is remarkably unaware. Those who might know about what interests you would resist giving their opinion, or turn away rudely, because of your being a stranger. The rest simply know nothing. What would uneducated townspeople care what might happen to a few country people? As regards the murder, it was clearly something reserved among a certain, inaccessible class of people.
And so goes the evening. Those still in the gasthaus eventually gather together once more before turning in for the night, to share what they have gleaned from their wanderings. At the end, Anshelm has one final word about their experience.
Anshelm: “I would say the town fathers are no better than the curs that call them master. I agree; we should trust no one, and enter into any agreement with wide-open eyes.”
Continued in Part 2 ...
