"Favour trading with the Light Order for the Waystone Project," you explain. "They've got the largest libraries, good relations with the Witch Hunters, and they were Teclis' favourites. Plus I have reason to believe they've inherited some relevant information from their pre-Teclisean roots. So I went all in to bring in Lord Magister Egrimm van Horstmann and Lady Magister Elrisse." All completely true, but you're leaving out that you could fulfill the letter of your agreement now and the spirit of it with a bit of light surveillance, leading him towards the conclusion that you promised more than simply information.
[Does Regimand help? Roll: 78-10(busy)-20(college politics)+100(wants to spend time with Mathilde)=148.]
Regimand exhales. "I don't like that you're swimming in these waters, but that's because part of me still sees my Apprentice of twenty years ago, not the Lady Magister in front of me. I trust you to know what you're doing." He drums his fingers on the table as he thinks. "Bek can wait. I'll tap my local contacts and see what I can find out. Usual rendezvous rotation?" You nod. "See you tomorrow."
---
Regimand has tailored today's disguise to Alys, and today she is meeting with a plain-looking and middle-aged clerk with ink-stained fingers and an unfortunate taste in hats. "Found them," he says as soon as
Cloak Activity forms around the two of you. "The current head of the family and the members in his favour are holed up with Alric in Bad Dankerode, on the external southeastern flank of the Taalbaston."
You rack your memory. "The spa town? They're holed up in a spa?"
"Not as stupid an idea as it first seems. The waters are believed to come from the same source as Crater Lake, and would therefore be sacred to Taal. A spa full of holy water would be a good spot for a confrontation with Chaos. And it being on the outside of the Taalbaston means it has the usual fortifications that the settlements inside lack, and means it'd see less interference from local authorities."
"I suppose he doesn't want to share any of the credit. What about the rest of the family?"
"A hunting lodge in the Crater Marsh, near Sumpfrand. Again, holy water, and presumably a fair few weapons. Clear sightlines, difficult to sneak up on. Not the stupidest of plans, I suppose."
"Not holed up in the Unfähiger manor?"
"They call it Krieglitz Manor, they try to distance themselves from the Unfähiger name these days. And no, that's where all the previous murders happened. They might be hoping that whatever is doing it is stuck there. If it was a Spectre that might work, but I doubt it'd help much."
"So the Manor's just sitting empty?"
"Sealed tight, nobody wants to be murder number six. Thinking about breaking in and inspecting the murder sites?"
"Might be worth doing." Part of you was thinking about breaking in for less salubrious reasons. The Unfähigers bled the Empire white during the reign of Dieter IV, and part of you is tempted to put some of that wealth towards more worthy causes. To banish temptation for the moment, you look back at your notes. "Are you seeing a pattern in who the murderer is targeting?"
"Apart from all being members of the family, nothing I can see. Might be random, might be opportunistic."
"I don't see anything either. So I'd guess Alric isn't protecting the most likely next victim, simply the most influential one."
"Seems that way." He grins at you. "Now, Apprentice," he says in his teaching voice. "If you were the one investigating this, what would you do?"
That's the question, isn't it?
There are eight weeks until the next murder. You are currently planning what to do for the next three weeks. Each of the below actions will take one week, so you have three actions. Voting will be in plan format.
Your implied objective: Limit or prevent Alric getting credit for saving the Unfähigers.
Your actual objective: Ensure this matter is resolved without revealing the Empress is not a Haupt-Anderssen.
[ ] Bring in the Empress
She will bring with her a lot of influence, a lot of skill, a lot of attention, and a lot of questions. But she has quite the vested interest in seeing this wrapped up quietly.
[ ] Bring in Lord Magister Egrimm
[ ] Bring in Lady Magister Elrisse
[ ] Bring in Egrimm and Elrisse
What better way to counter a Light Wizard than with one or two of your own? But they do know what you actually promised to Mira, and things could get awkward if they mention it to Regimand.
[ ] Renegotiate with Mira
If you're going to have to interfere with Alric anyway, you might as well see what Mira is willing to offer for you to do so, and clear the way to bring in your own Light Wizards.
[ ] Bring in someone else: specify who
You have all sorts of allies, contacts, and favours that you might call upon.
[ ] Approach Alric directly
Working with him means splitting the credit, which would partly fulfil your implied objective and let you be on hand to perform your actual objective. But while refusing your assistance would put him in an uncomfortable position should he fail, it does mean he'd know you're involved, and he may work against you.
[ ] Interrogate the spa Unfahigers
Break in, interrogate, Mindhole, leave. Risky and difficult under Alric's nose, but they'd have the most information.
[ ] Approach the hunting lodge Unfahigers
They've been left to dry by Alric and the head of the family. If you offer help, they're all but certain to take it.
[ ] Interrogate the hunting lodge Unfahigers
Break in, interrogate, Mindhole, leave. They have no protection against the likes of you, and may know something useful.
[ ] Investigate Krieglitz Manor
Investigate the sites of the five brutal murders of members of the Unfähiger dynasty.
[ ] Plunder Krieglitz Manor
It's unstaffed and unguarded, protected only by locked doors, boarded windows, and a sinister reputation. Who knows what riches the Unfähigers squirreled away during their time in power?
[ ] Research: Alberich's life
For all the time you spent cleaning up the mess he made, you never learned much about Alberich as a person. Find out what sort of ruler he was, and that might give you insight into whatever he is now.
[ ] Research: Alberich's fate
Abelhelm would have had what happened to the last Haupt-Anderssen looked into. Someone has that report. Maybe Roswita, maybe the Witch Hunters, maybe the Cult of Sigmar. Find it.
[ ] Research: Alberich's form
Alberich would not have been unchanged from a trip to and return from the Chaos realm. Research what changes may have occurred to him that may help you locate him.
[ ] Research: Chaotic Vengeance
This would be far from the first time someone's sold themselves to the Dark Gods for vengeance, and the Dark Gods tend to act in patterns. Research earlier examples of the same phenomenon.
[ ] Research: Murder Rituals
Eight quiet murders in one family in forty years. Eight brutal murders in one family in forty months. This smacks of some sort of ritual. Go digging through every resource you can find for what this might be about, and what might happen if it goes uninterrupted.
[ ] Research: Underworld Turbulence
'A fair bit of activity from that lot lately' is not really actionable. See if anyone knows exactly what's got the Chaos cults of the Empire in a tizzy lately.
[ ] Other: write in
- There will be a four hour moratorium. Voting will be in plan format.
- The sections are separated only for legibility, you can take any combination of actions from any section.
- If timing is particularly important, specify the order of what is done first/second/third in the plan. Otherwise I'll put it in what I judge to be the most advantageous order.
- If the sixth murder occurs on schedule, there will be three weeks until the seventh, then four until the time Alberich disappeared.
