Eh, now he's doing a ritual for power, yeah, but he initially got sucked into Warp because he bargained to be protected from the conspiracy. Well, its my conjecture, but if he wanted power, his patron would have likely made him into some sort of a Chaos abomination on the spot, but if he asked for protection, then sucking him into the Chaos realms to "protect" him sounds like an asshole ironic twist either Slaanesh or Tzeench or their daemons would definitely go for.
edit: so, wait. Is he… one of the Everchosen candidates then? Fuck.
Since it seems that things have gone 'loud' so to speak, I wonder if Alric is now also informed of this situation? He might end up being drawn away from the family that he's guarding, in the hopes of gaining greater glory by vanquishing Alberich in the open, which could be disastrous if the target is there, whether it be him or one of his charges.
I think we should go with the Hunter Lord. Considering how thoroughly the Longshanks are hunting him, someone will catch Alberich - and with Mathilde's mastery of the Shadowsteed we shall be able to catch up in time.
Yes, that. The Hunter Lord will be at the center of the information network, if Alberich is spotted the info will immediately be sent to him. As the HL will presumably be in a permanent position, thé info will come faster to us than if a messenger has to be sent to our position after that.
My first thought on reading about the smell was either Nurgle or Slaanesh. Nurgle because... y'know, Nurgle (and the cultist being mutated or enchanted to like it), and Slaanesh because perfumes and the like.
Outside of that, Alric definitely knows that he's not the only one on the hunt now. Bringing in the Longshanks wasn't exactly subtle, after all, so the question on that end is how will he respond? Stick to his original plan, or try something more proactive?
Yes, that. The Hunter Lord will be at the center of the information network, if Alberich is spotted the info will immediately be sent to him. As the HL will presumably be in a permanent position, thé info will come faster to us than if a messenger has to be sent to our position after that.
And we are quite fast. I imagine Mathilde would have to roll to get there in time but that is better than sticking in one place where either we find him or we do not.
Yeah, standing at the heart of the information network with the Hunter Lord seems like a safe bet—even if Alberich wipes out an entire patrol, the gap in the information flow that would create would help pin down his location. Couple that with Mathilde's extreme mobility, she can personally check out each incident as it arises and get back if it's a false lead.
The problem with that is if he completely slips the noose, there will be no backup to catch him—except for Alric, if he decides to go for his original target.
I think we should go with the Hunter Lord. Considering how thoroughly the Longshanks are hunting him, someone will catch Alberich - and with Mathilde's mastery of the Shadowsteed we shall be able to catch up in time.
Asarnil warned us that Slaaneshi are always faster than one would expect. Staying with the Hunter Lord seems like a good way to arrive late. If we want to intercept him then I'd argue for the Tunnel Brigade.
If he doesn't go via the tunnel, it's even worse than the HL. Not only will the information has to reach us before chasing him, but we would have to exit the tunnels before being able to chase at full speed. With HL, we can just chain-cast teleportation and skywalk to bypass walls and buildings before using fog poney.
I really like the image of Alberich thinking he has slipped the net and gotten to the ritual site only to find a grey magister lord there waiting for him. I will probably vote for staying with the Hunter Lord anyway, but I can see the appeal other options.
The tunnel is the only exit towards the spa, if I understood it correctly. As callous as it sounds, I'm okay with the hunting lodge getting attacked, because Alric getting the kill is our worst case scenario whereas the lodge would give us more time to search.
Hah, a request from a Grey Lady Magister was enough to get a top witch hunter to clear his schedule, and to kick off a province wide hunt overnight. She's come a long way from getting doors slammed in her face.
[ ] With the Longshanks
I think the teleport spell and the shadow horse make this workable.
So the choice is between Tzeench and Slaanesh. I feel like we can safely disregard the daemons of lesser Chaos Gods, since Alberich strikes me as a somewhat grandiose and self-important guy, so he would naturally find the deepest hole to jump int
Very strange idea that Chaos Undivided is automatically inferior than serving a specific Chaos god. Many followers of it sure would argue otherwise.
In general Chaos Undivided can grant any mutation particular gods can grant, so on basis of mutations alone it can't be ruled out. Still, in 2e Tome of Corruption Slaanesh table contains two first mutations - arm is Overgrown Body Part and white eye could be Hypnotic Gaze:
One of your eyes turns completely white. As a full action, you can level your gaze on any living creature within 8 yards (4 squares). The target of your gaze must succeed on a Will Power
Test, or he can't take any actions so long as you maintain your gaze. Each round after the first, the victim of your hypnotic gaze can attempt a new Will Power Test to shake the effects of your gaze. Once you've affected a target with Hypnotic Gaze, that target cannot again be affected by this ability for the remainder of the combat.
Or it could be just cosmetic change, can never be sure with Chaos.
Third one I can't find in those tables, but perhaps it indeed counts as a reward of Slaanesh Soporific Musk (I think FB has same name as 40k), not generic Chaos mutation, which in turn actually can rule out Chaos Undivided, assuming identification is correct.
@Boney, if she's with the HL roughly how quickly does Mathilde think she'd be able to respond to Al getting detected by the tunnel wardens or the hunters?
I was like half joking, and now I'm quarter joking at most. If Alberich really does serve Slaanesh I hope that the fact that Mathilde completely ignored all temptations on this mission (the manor loot, obviously, but also the chance to squeeze Mira for more favours) will work in our favour.
The Holy Order of the Templars of Sigmar have their headquarters in the Great Temple of Sigmar in Altdorf, not to be confused with the Great Cathedral of Sigmar.
Ah yes, one of the more frustrating pieces of lore that comes from the fact that these things come from many different books from different time periods. I assume the primary source you acquired the lore on Templars of Sigmar and their organisation and building structure is from the Witch Hunter's Handbook, which is the only source I know that goes deep into the nitty gritty details without being a straight up novel. Still, I suppose there is a level of sense in the names being so similar. The Witch Hunters and Cult of Sigmar are separate but interconnected organisations that want to put up a front of cooperation but are in acuality vying for prominence and side eyeing each other.
Hell, the Cult of Sigmar has its own internal security division for rooting out heretics that they call the Order of the Cleansing Flame, and they would rather deal with their own problems than contact the Witch Hunters for help. Can't have your rivals exploit your weakness.
It is a large and imposing structure more resembling a castle than a traditional temple, and quite a number of those that are taken into it are never seen to emerge again. But while its labyrinthine network of subterrannean gaol cells and crypts are the most infamous part of the structure, the above-ground portions of the Temple house the more prosaic elements of the Order, including the accumulated paperwork of every report made by the Templars since Magnus the Pious ordered their centralization and partial secularization. Somewhere in all of that is the unredacted report on the events in the Eastern Wing of Eagle Castle, and somewhere in that you hope to find a key detail that may lead to Alberich being found.
Magnus' fingerprints are all over the modern organisations of the Empire. He's had a lot of great ideas, but I'm not sure how much of the current state of the Empire meets his vision. Good enough I suppose.
You have to imagine that the Great Temple does not receive many unexpected visitors, and fewer still from the Colleges of Magic. But despite the tension and distrust between Templars and Wizards, the two were bound by Magnus to be allies in their defence of the Empire. Article 14 of the Articles Of Imperial Magic requires Wizards to render necessary aid to the Templars who are faced with malignancy beyond their capabilities, and Article 15 establishes that the primary concern and purpose of the Colleges is for Magisters to seek out and counter that which is beyond the means of the Templars. Despite this, when the novice Witch Hunter who is the day's doorkeeper responds to your knock and finds a Lady Magister in the signature hat of his Order, he seems quite lost for how to react. "I am Lady Magister Mathilde Weber of the Grey Order, and I would like to see someone in authority here on matters relating to my Article 15 obligations," you say to him.
He stares at you for some time before answering. "I beg your indulgence whilst I fetch someone for you," he finally says, and the door swings shut once more. You wait patiently as he presumably finds his Master to ask what to do, who would then seek out his Captain, who would seek out a Chamberlain, and possibly further still. When he finally emerges once more, it is with the comforted air of someone who has sent a problem up the chain of command and had it replaced with a simple instruction. "If you would be so kind as to follow me, the Councilor is available to see you now."
Must be pretty overwhelming for the guy. I'm assuming he went to the guy above him, which would be a Witch Hunter Captain, who then went to the guy above him the Chamberlain, and the buck stopped at the Supreme Council, consisting of the 12 Knights of the Inner Circle, the Councillors. They are the second highest point in the hierarchy below the Lord Protector, who counts as a Grandmaster. The structure is actually a lot like a Knightly Order I suspect.
I also missed this on first read through and couldn't help but chuckle when I noticed it. Leave it to Mathilde to not care that she's wearing a Witch Hunter hat on her head into their headquarters. A particularly insecure individual might interpret that as a jab/taunt targeted towards them.
You are taken through bare stone corridors while you try not to look too on the lookout for any sign that your path is heading towards downward staircases, and eventually led to an unmarked office.
The room is not made for meetings, consisting of a desk against one wall and many overstuffed bookshelves, but a second chair has been dragged in from somewhere. The man inside wears a black robe trimmed with yellow instead of the armour Witch Hunters favour while seeking their prey, and his face is dominated by a mass of twisted scar tissue peeking out from beneath a skull plate, an eye patch, and a prosthetic nose, telling of some past injury that must have almost claimed his life.
The inevitable consequence to being a mundane human hunting down the worst the world has to offer with minimal magic assistance. Priests don't even come close to the abilities of Jade Wizards, and I doubt he was willing to see a Jade Wizard when the wounds were fresh, or if they were even salvagable.
As a side note, I enjoy how many additional details that Boney provides to flesh out a character in a relatively minimalist way. The room is unmarked, not madde for meetings, stuffed with books, Philipp is not wearing armor and his scars and prosthetics are described in great detail so we get a good look at who he is with a small word count. Militaristic, disciplined man, not used to diplomacy or contact with other people in an extended manner, injured and out of duty and compensating for it with constant reading and analysis so he can make up for what he might see as deficiencies. Likely forcibly retired due to injuries instead of a desire to retire. Minimalist, spartan decoration.
It is customary among military men that eye patches bear the heraldry of their regiment, and instead of that of the Templars his bears a skull over two crossed cannons. You don't recognize it, but you'd guess a Nuln regiment. "Lady Magister," he says in a rasping voice. "I am Sir Philipp Freytag, Knight of the Inner Circle. I take it this is related to the Alberich business?"
I tracked down this guy's Regiment. Grundel's Defenders (with the umlaut on the U). Kudos to Boney for spending the time thinking of this guy's backstory and characterisation so deeply and drawing from canonical sources like Uniforms and Heraldry even though only the most obsessive of lore buffs or researchers (like me) would find out.
Either this is one huge coincidence, or Boney took from fan made content. Which I think is neat. Anyone who spends enough time to make a 200+ page adventure module deserves to be recognised and commended for their hard work.
"It is," you say as you take a seat across from him. "You are familiar with it?"
"As anyone can be who was not there. I reviewed the investigation after both the Elector Countess and your agent started asking after it, and redacted the reports that you ended up receiving."
"That is the topic that brings me here today. I need some of the information that was left out of the copies of the report I read."
His one eye narrows in suspicion. "The Templars are dedicated to expunging rituals like that from the world. We will not betray the purpose of this Order by spreading it further, particularly to one who has the skills to succeed where Alberich failed."
Though he hasn't outright insulted you, he's come very close doing so. "I don't care to know how the ritual is performed. Keep to yourself the runes and incantations and the precise vocation and marital status of the sacrifices. What I need to know is what mark the ritual would have left upon he that performed it."
I'm assuming some background roll went awry on the diplomatic department here, because both this and the next few lines indicate a significant degree from Mathilde, likely from being offended at the implications here. To be fair to Philippe, she didn't provide the context of why she wanted the ritual, so it was a natural assumption for a mundane human who survived decades working on a field where paranoia is the natural mindset to make that she wanted it for dubious means.
She really should have led with the fact that Alberich was back, or at least implied it. I don't know why she didn't expect his reaction to jump to that.
The look of suspicion vanishes from the Templar's face, replaced with a look of calculation. "Alberich has returned," he realizes.
"At minimum he has been returned for years, and now I find myself bound by Article 15 to act against one who has demonstrated himself beyond the means of Sigmar's Templars to counter. Will you stand in the way of me doing so?"
Quite the hostile response from Mathilde considering the man was rightfully suspicious of her intentions without knowing why she wanted the information. At least the Templar seems reasonable and instantly shifted into a calculating phase. He's probably used to entering that mindset, considering it's what he's most likely doing day in and day out.
The Templar considers you for some time. "One of Alberich's accomplices was captured alive," he finally says, "and they had the Witchsight to witness the encounter between Alberich and his patron. The full testimony is long and repugnant and riddled with traps for the unwary mind, but it did include the phystical changes Alberich underwent. His right arm swelled to several times its original size, and one of his eyes turned completely white. He also acquired a distinctive smell that the accomplice described positively, though considering the source that description should be taken as suspect."
Looking at the list of mutations, assuming it's Mutations of Slaanesh which would fit, he rolled 52-53 on the D100 to get Overgrown Body Part for his arm:
"One of your body parts becomes huge and overgrown. Roll 1d10 to determine the affected area and (1d10+2)/4 to determine the extent of the change."
and most likely 38-39 for Hypnotic Gaze:
"One of your eyes turns completely white. As a full action, you can level your gaze on any living creature within 8 yards (4 squares). The target of your gaze must succeed on a Will Power Test, or he can't take any actions so long as you maintain your gaze. Each round after the first, the victim of your hypnotic gaze can attempt a new Will Power Test to shake the effects of your gaze. Once you've affected a target with Hypnotic Gaze, that target cannot again be affected by this ability for the remainder of the combat."
And then he rolled 87-91 on Gifts of Chaos after rolling 72-91 on Rewards of Chaos to get Musk:
"You exude a musky perfume that is sensual and attractive to all creatures. Any living creature within 8 yards (4 squares) must succeed on a Will Power Test or move adjacent to you. If the victim's allies attempt to restrain him, the victim gains a +20% bonus to all Grappling Tests. Once next to you, he does nothing but stand very still, awaiting his pleasure or pain as you decide. You can affect only one creature at a time, starting with the one closest to you. Each round after the first, the victim may attempt a Challenging (–10%) Will Power Test to break your hold. Each time you gain this Gift, the range of your musk extends by an additional 2 yards (1 square)."
Hypnotic Gaze and Musk is a dangerous combination.
Thin smile, saying good day instead of actually responding to his statement, and her inner musing that the Longshanks would be more subtle. Yeah she's mad. I think she tanked at least one Diplomacy or Composure roll offscreen.
During Alberich's time as an Elector Count, he sat for a portrait that would have been displayed somewhere in Eagle Castle had he lost the position under less murky circumstances. But having spent time in Eagle Castle, you know for a fact that nothing ever gets thrown away there, just moved into an attic or cellar and forgotten about. Sure enough, Eagle Castle's staff were eventually able to uncover it. But a single picture is no good for a city-wide manhunt, and so you escort it back to Altdorf and into the University. Technically a Grey Wizard has no authority to make demands of the faculty of the University of Altdorf, but when all you demand is the time of some of their students of the Division of Arts, the bemused faculty apparently see no reason to resist. When you return to Talabheim several days later, it is with woodcuts of the more accurate depictions, both of how he appeared in the portrait and how he might appear if he had experienced the flow of time since then.
I think this is perhaps the second time she commisioned these guys? The first being the portrait of Duckling Club. I find it funny to imagine artists bragging about having provided an art piece to a Magister Lord. Not just any Magister Lord, but one of the Grey College.
The Templars of Taal known as Longshanks famously swear an oath to never spend more than a week in one place, but the necessity of bureaucracy means that those who rise to leadership amongst them are inducted into the Order of the Antler, the main order of Taal's priesthood, so they can remain in one place to oversee a specific area of Taal's domain.
I was a bit confused a few times by the Order of the Antler because I couldn't remember them at all from 2E, then after digging a little, I found that they're a 4E thing. I don't believe Taal was ever stated to have an official priesthood, which was a bit odd because 2E had Hierophants overseeing Provincial Taalite Cults, so they should have an order. A benefit of 4E is that it fleshes out certain sections of canon that 2E overlooked or failed to mention.
Their headquarters are within Talabheim's Temple of Taal, the only temple to Taal that is a building instead of a grove or stone circle. It is an odd place, as the wooden walls grow branches here and grass does the job of carpet. Here you seek the Hunter Lord of the Longshanks, and you seem to have little trouble doing so as none of the resident priesthood seem at all put off to see a Wizard among them. You do, however, have to wait for him to finish living up to his title and return from the Sacred Forest, and politely listen to him recounting exactly how large the stag that eluded him allegedly was.
Taal is primarily venerated in Talabheim as a God of the River Talabec (and sometimes Rivers in general as an extension of the wilds theme). That's why Talabheim Taalites tend to be less strict about the aspects of Taal that disdain civilisation and not doing everything yourself. Subsistence doesn't really fit with Talabheim's image as one of the Empire's premiere money makers.
Also, I think it's a neat touch that the Longshanks present here are comfortable with Wizards, probably because they have quite a bit of contact with Jades and Ambers in their local duties from the Esoterica branch of the Royal Academy of Talabheim. Some of the Wizards even help tend to the gardens and forests and groves surrounding Talabheim and Talabecland. Grey Wizards are probably new, but they're used to this stuff.
I went looking for this guy and couldn't find him in canon, but I found a possible relative in the canon timeline in Terror in Talabheim Page 26 as a Pawn Shop vendor:
"Ewald Beyer, the owner of One Man's Treasure, is a one-man operation. He is an older, stodgy, balding fellow with white hair and perpetually bloodshot, bespectacled eyes. Ewald is well versed with his stock, from the smallest hatpin to the largest wardrobe. It is his preference that people ask him for specific items, as he has little patience for window-shoppers (or "Fensterkaufers," as he calls them) or folks who come into his shop with the intention of just browsing.
Though One Man's Treasure puts forth a legitimate front—indeed, business is good and the stock on display does on occasion move— Ewald is actually one of the premier fences in the Geltwold. After hours, his edgy demeanour is replaced by a spiderlike patience most people do not expect. His clients, whom he sees by appointment only, must be referred to him by trusted customers unless he has previously worked with them in the past. His prices for stolen goods are fair, for the most part, but he prefers to refrain from dealing in magic of any sort."
By the end of the day, every Longshank present within the city has been given dispensation from the Wandering Vow, a copy of the portraits, and the authority to rally the Horned Hunters and the Knights of the Stag, with the former forming an invisible cordon around the city of Talabheim and the latter scouring the much smaller town of Talagaad.
I find it a pretty neat worldbuilding tidbit in a sentence that the Longshanks can get dispensations from their vow. I don't remember anything like that in canon, but it's perfectly understandable. They need to do their job, and sometimes their job conflicts with their vows so they need to find a compromise.
In terms of the other groups mentioned here, the Horned Hunters are a bit unhinged, kind of like Flagellants except instead of whipping themselves, they uh, don't wear clothes:
"The Horned Hunters are the zealots of the cult. They eschew the trappings of civilisation in almost all its forms and strive to live in harmony with nature. They shun settlements larger than individual family farms or tiny hamlets, and most even forgo the wearing of clothing. The Horned Hunters are ferocious in combat, focusing their attentions on anyone that violates the sanctity of the wilderness—up to and including simple travellers that get lost in Taal's sacred forest. Most of the cultists of Taal and Rhya look up to, and fear, the Horned Hunters, seeing them as a bit more "touched" by the Gods than most, and closer to the simple huntergatherer lifestyle that mankind is supposed to have originated from." P.65 Tome of Salvation
Aside from the Horned Hunters, the Knights Stag are a local Taalite Knightly Order from Terror in Talabheim. This is from Page 9:
"Proud and regal, the Knights of the Stag are a relatively new order. Shunning the open guerrilla-style of warfare best known by most Talabeclanders, the Knights of the Stag pride themselves on fighting in dense, highly disciplined units. Some accuse them of being more concerned with parade drills rather than fighting ability, though they have proven themselves time and time again when they take to the field of battle. The Knights Stag are highly disdainful of the other Knightly Orders and consider themselves the true sons of Talabheim."
The next day, the Taalbaston Guard have added another requirement for passage through the crater wall on top of proof of citizenship or letter of passage: not looking like either of two pictures and subjecting themselves to examination of their right arm. And the average height of the city of Talabheim goes up a fraction of an inch as every auxiliary of the Tunnel Brigade finds themselves called up to watch every other way through the crater wall. And the day after that is Festag, and from the great Temple of Verena to the tiny shrine to Manann, there is a single unifying theme in every sermon: have you seen this man? Have you seen a person with a monstrously oversized right arm?
From Page 7 of Terror in Talabheim for the Taalbaston Guard:
"The Taalbaston Guard is responsible for the defence of the Crater Wall and, most importantly, the fortress protecting the Wizard's Way. They consider themselves superior to all the other military units, including the rest of the army, with the possible exception of the Taal's Chosen. Taalbaston guardsmen take their jobs very seriously but are known to accept bribes from the right people. They boast a heavy emphasis on artillery and crossbowmen to protect the gate—the fortress atop the Wizard's Way has nearly a hundred cannon, ballistae, and catapults that can be brought to bear on the enemy. The turrets of the High Watch are also lined with vats of boiling oil, lye, and other caustic substances."
Page 7-8 also describe the Tunnel Brigade, also known as the Terriers:
"Within the ranks of the Taalbaston Guard is a special unit that roams the numerous tunnels and warrens within the walls of the crater itself—known as the Ratholds. Though officially known as the Taalbaston Tunnel Brigade, most (including themselves) call these guardsmen "the Terriers" for their mission is to "find and kill the rats in the walls." The Terriers patrol the best-known tunnels and are constantly on the search for new ones. It's not illegal to be, or even live, inside the wall, but numerous illegal acts occur within them. Their biggest concern is finding tunnels leading outside of the Taalbaston, where people can slip in and out of the city without being seen (and more importantly, not pay their entry taxes).
Terriers are selected from the shortest of the Taalbaston Guard— the source of innumerable taunts and jokes by the rest of the troops—but they are fierce and capable fighters. Few are noted of having much in the way of a sense of humour. Dwarves and Halflings are far more common in the Terriers than in the other branches of Talabheim's military."
At that point, all pretence of moving quietly is discarded. The Longshanks, reinforced by Taal's Chosen and the Kin of Taal, begin to kick in a great deal of doors that usually go unkicked by the City Watch, and very pointedly ignore the various petty crimes discovered thereby. The message penetrates through the underlayers of society: firstly that this isn't about them, so they've no reason to obstruct the search, and secondly that it's being taken very seriously indeed, so if anyone is sheltering the person in question they should probably rethink their choices.
"Taal's Chosen are an exclusive group of elite woodsmen that patrol the interior of the Taalbaston, particularly the Taalgrunhaar. They are vigilant in protecting pilgrims from the predations of bandits and hunt down the rare Mutant or dangerous beast that finds its way inside the interior of the crater. On rare occasions, they span outside the Taalbaston and patrol the Old Dwarf Road to the south.
In war, Taal's Chosen serve as scouts and commandos for the main army, though a detachment is left behind to ensure the safety of the sacred woods. They are masters of hit-and-run tactics, trap setting, and tracking. The members of Taal's Chosen disdain any sort of uniform but wear a stag hide draped over their shoulders to indicate their status."
Page 64 of Tome of Salvation for Kin of Taal:
"The first, and easily the largest contingent, is the Kin of Taal. Comprised mostly of men, this sect embodies the aspects of masculinity at its basest level. Priests of this sect are charged with protecting the "Men's Secrets" and mysteries of the wilds. They help communities initiate their young men into adulthood in a rite called the Quickening (see page 63), as well as teaching them how to hunt, fish, and generally survive in the wilderness. The Kin of Taal spend a great deal of their time building and sitting in sweat lodges, consuming alcohol, and using hallucinogenic substances to induce powerful altered states of mind. They lead men into the deep forest, where they dance, drink, and drum for days or weeks on end, or host wild hunting parties where the game is cooked and eaten in honour of Taal, along with gallons of powerful moonshine."
Though no faithful comes forward with a report on Alberich and he is not found behind any of the kicked-in doors, you find yourself not entirely dissatisfied. Alberich is somewhere within Talabheim, and as deep and well-hidden as his hidey-hole apparently is, the night is rapidly approaching where he needs to either emerge and slay an Unfähiger or see a ritual years in the making begin to fall apart at the seams. And to get to any Unfähiger he needs to travel through streets filled with people who know his face, and then through either the Tunnel Brigade on their home turf, or through the Horned Hunters of Taal through theirs. And you'll be waiting for him to do so.
While there are regular Stags, Warhammer also has a magical Monstrous Beast known as the "Great Stag" which could not be mistaken for a regular Stag. They are implied to be large and incredibly powerful, and they are undeniably magical creatures that count as Forest Spirits, appearing as a portent of momentous events. They are a sacred creature and holy to Athel Loren, but they can certainly be found elsewhere. I don't think he was talking about a Great Stag, but it would be funny if a Great Stag did show up to him to signify that Talabheim is due for a "momentous event" soon.
This post has a lot more quoting than I would have liked, but there was just too much to paraphrase. I'll rest now.
It's the British English spelling of "jail"—same pronunciation. It's considered to be rather old-fashioned and archaic, so most people just use the american spelling instead (if they are even aware of the original spelling at all, that is), but you still see it pop up from time to time.
How's this for a write in, @Boney
[] With the Hunter Lord, Advising You're not going to tell the Hunter Lord how to hunt or lay traps, but maybe you can contribute on applying some more subtle measures to ensure Alberich is caught.
Also, I'm surprised we don't know for sure who the patron is, of the Four, since the Templar got testimony on it. I guess the question wasn't about that and it could reveal more details about the ritual?
Something, something, suggest that if they can spare the men, that Bad Dankerode and The Hunting Cabin have forces observing in ambush/ready to respond? With at least one blessed priest, if they can be spared? The ritual is really constrained in time, so it would only be for a few days.
Mat is probably better at the head games then I am. We already know that Alric is at the main target, so I'd probably detach Reginald to give witchsight to the secondary ambush force, and trust Alric to raise hell on the main location if the ritual hits. Leave Mat in the middle to act as a fast response force. She's a Lady Magister and this is a big town. Using her tools, her allies is a better use of her time than acting in person here. It's not what she prefers doing, but it is how it is.
It's the British English spelling of "jail"—same pronunciation. It's considered to be rather old-fashioned and archaic, so most people just use the american spelling instead (if they are even aware of the original spelling at all, that is), but you still see it pop up from time to time.
It's the British English spelling of "jail"—same pronunciation. It's considered to be rather old-fashioned and archaic, so most people just use the american spelling instead (if they are even aware of the original spelling at all, that is), but you still see it pop up from time to time.
The source Boney is extracting from is pretty old, so it might have used the spelling like that intentionally. Especially since it was written from the perspective of a Witch Hunter.
Also, skimming the Witch Hunter's Notebook, Philippe was likely much more armed than I expected. Apparently Witch Hunters wear cloaks with lead balls sown into them so they can swiflty unclip and snap them at someone as a makeshift weapon when they want to look unarmed. They have a clay Tobacco pipe that isn't just for smoking, it also has a secret compartment that the Templar can trigger so instead of smoking the Witch Hunter blows a needle laced with Wissenland Bell Flower poison that distracts someone with deafening agonising noise.
They have a spring-heeled boot knife laced with poison extracted from Morr's Flowers (he has a bunch of poisonous flowers in His Gardens). This poison isn't fast acting. It's very slow and works over the course of weeks but causes an agonising death that looks like natural illness. The knife is so small that it barely feels like an insect sting.
They also have a "gravity bow", which is a small crossbow that they secret under their sleeves attached to their vambrace, so that if they pull back with their hands vigorously it unfolds a portable crossbow that automatically loads a bolt for a quick shot. They also have three different snuffboxes. One that contains regular tobacco snuff. One that contains what looks like snuff but is actually poisonous hemlock. And one that has powedered Death Angel mushrooms from the World's Edge Mountains, sending the sniffer into a frenzied rage.
These guys are absolutely loaded, and I didn't even cover the blocked muzzle gun where you can depress a secret trigger so when you hand over your gun to someone or if the gun is stolen, you block the muzzle with the trigger so that when the person shoots with it the gun backfires.
I guess if you're a mundane human, the response is to become James Bond.
[X] With the Tunnel Brigade
[X] With the Hunter Lord
The point about Mathilde's ability to quickly respond to any alert by way of Shadowsteed along with Smoke and Mirrors is convincing, so Hunter Lord seems solid. I do still think the tunnels are almost certainly the way he plans to go though. So either choice looks good to me.
I mean, the opening paragraph is literally "So, I didn't realize that von Liebenstein had gone a bit crazy when I commissioned this, so we're working on a 2nd edition that tones some things down a bit".
