*** Spoiler Alert – if you intend playing the WFRP Starter there may be spoilers below ***
4th Ulriczeit 2511 (Aubentag) – Late Evening – Sisters’ Bakery and the Red Moon Inn
The party find themselves in the Sisters’ Bakery, a Halfling-owned and run bakery. Nom and Om Tumbleberry, cousins to Aloysius Thorncobble III, are the owners and bakers. The bakery is in quite a state, the shelves in the front area have been smashed to the floor, a small amount of produce trampled among the debris. The sisters report that the oven has been damaged as well. They tried to get the Watch to come and investigate the vandalism, which occurred in the middle of the night, but the Watch showed no interest. The sisters had just started to tidy up when Aloysius and the party arrived. They had no plan on how to repair the oven, but hoped that Aloysius could help.
The party investigate, initially with Gunnar looking into the oven damage, which is in quite a dull area to the back of the shop/bakery; and Salundra/Ferdinand in the front, partially keeping the Halflings out of the way. Gunnar sees that the damage is heavy, but probably repairable. In the front, Ferdinand spots a coloured fabric with prominent blue and red patches. The players quickly determine that this is related to the Altdorfer troops in the city, who the sisters say have become good customers to the bakery. Based on the damage, Aloysius believes he (with help from his barge’s crew) can get the oven up and running for that night’s bake. The party commit to look into the vandalism and promise to return in the morning.
That night they decided to try an old haunt of theirs, The Red Moon Inn, for accommodation and food. Franz Lohner was pleased to see them and happily offered a discount rate on a shared room (business is a little slow!). There were an odd looking group in the bar, a mix of soldiers in Altdorf livery and some folks in Ubersreik City Watch uniforms. Between observation, chatting with Franz and Gunnar inviting himself to drink with them, the party learned that all of these were from Altdorf and the Ubersreik Watch has been almost entirely replaced with Altdorf soldiers. There are five regiments in and around the city under the command of General Jendrik von Dabernick. These are not quality troops, but they seem to have been sent to Ubersreik to displace Graf Sigismund von Jungfreud… those soldiers/watchmen won’t soon forget the night they drank with a Slayer!
5th Ulriczeit 2511 (Marktag) – Morning – Agitation and a Brawl
The following morning, after a terrible (and cold!) fish stew breakfast, the party made their way back through the city towards the Sisters’ Bakery. When passing through Marktplatz they hear an Agitator decrying the presence of the Altdorfers and alleging the complicity of the Burgomeister in their presence in the city. As it was still very early, the only other people in the Markplatz were those setting up stalls. This didn’t dampen the Agitator’s enthusiasm.
This seemed off to the party and they began to approach the Agitator, who was standing upon the well known Sprichstumpf. However, a large bearded man stepped to block their path. They tried to intimidate him, but he was stoic and unmoving. Deciding there was no reason to make a scene they proceeded to the bakery.
Nom handed them fresh hot pies when they arrived; Aloysius had obviously told her about the assistance they had provided to him on the journey to the city. The Tumbleberry sisters were going to bring their hot goods from the newly repaired oven to the market to sell, since the front area of their shop wasn’t repaired yet. The party decided to canvass the locality to determine if anyone had seen anything. Several were forthcoming and a picture emerged… a late night break-in with two men, one of whom was quite large and bearded(!), sounds of destruction, a reluctance to intervene (Ubersreik can be a dangerous place). The large man had been carrying an ornate hammer and wore an odd hat. The players quickly connected this information to the Agitator and his muscle in the Marktplatz. They returned to confront them.
The market was getting busy with early morning patrons buying produce and wares. They found the large man and when faced with a direct accusation (and a much more intimidating posture from the party) he soon cracked, admitting everything. Though he knew little of the motive. He was, after all, just the muscle! The Agitator, who the large man identified as Anton, had gathered a small audience. When he saw his bodyguard being interrogated, he riled those around him to confront the party. No sooner had he left the Sprichstumpf than Gunnar started to move against them. The visage was too much for Anton’s follower and they dispersed. Anton appeared initially unbowed, but soon succumbed to fear (or a sense of self preservation) and ran. Gunnar gave chase, but failed to catch the speedy Anton who outpaced him easily. Salundra decided to assist, but stumbled badly, colliding with a stall. The party returned to the bodyguard, named Guntram, and let him go with a very stern warning, reckoning they may catch Anton again.
With the market in full swing (and very few folks having registered the failed chase) the party decided to do a small bit of shopping: writing equipment and a grey cloak (a present for Ferdinand, mostly to make him a little less conspicuous) for Salundra; and a deck of cards (Magic!) and some bandages for Ferdinand. Gunnar was on the look out for a chicken when all hell broke loose. The market erupted into a brawl, the source of which wasn’t clear, though a patrol of the Watch had entered the platz a little earlier. Salundra and Gunnar sensed the tumult before fists started flying, but Ferdinand’s first notion that something was wrong came when a fist narrowly missed his face…
… and that’s where we left things: the party are in the middle of a large scuffle, with screams, shouting and cries everywhere, glass and pies cover the ground, and general confusion all around.
Until next time,
Owen