Rolf borrowed the 30 GC for the book from Konrad, and after being aksed by a street kid if he had seen a missing pet rat, handed it over to Francine, who gave him a rat pie (causing all sorts of suspicion as to where she had got the rat... the butchers shop, but that is now closed as the butcher has gone off with the Crusade...) to give to Old Man Eisen, who had forgotten who the PC's were but ate it anyway. He eventually - when shown the piece of cloth with the heraldic crest on it - told them where he had found it... on the bit of fence where they had already seen the purple fibres.
Konrad by this point had lost his patience with the others: wondering why they did all this finding the pie to get the book nonsense to find out a piece of information that was bloody obvious! He was threatening to lock himself in the stocks if the others didn't grow a brain...
Next thing they did was talk to Frau Gertrudt again, who was demanding to know if there was any progress, and if they had questioned the Town Bailiff yet, because she was sure he had something to do with it as he was wandering about the night poor Greta was abducted. He hung around in the Wet Whistle a lot.
Talking to the Bailiff was not easy - he refused to speak to strangers, but Francine gave them a tip: Challenge him to a card game, loser having to take a drink - when he is drunk he talks non-stop! This done, he told the PC's that his Reeve (deputy) Walter Schmee was on duty the night the chicken went missing, and was seen near Frau Gertrudt's property around the time of the fowl abduction...
Shmee was a horrible snob, and told them a story that he had seen Lennhardt Von Spier - oldest Son of the Von Speer Family who basically own the Town - "Fowl in hand, perambulating in the opposite direction of Frau Gertrudt's abode" - the only problem was, the PC's could tell he was lying - but even under threat of violence Schmee stick to his story. They tried to go to see the Von Spiers, but the guards would not let them pass - and the Scribe kept suggesting that they go back to Schmee and punch his lights out, which they eventually did. Following an actual physical assault, Schmee told them the truth - he had seen Casper Schmidt close to the scene of the crime on the night in question - but they wouldn't get him to talk, on account of him having hanged himself three nights ago...
A trip to speak Schmidts house to investigate brought forth a big clue - Casper had been planning to leave Pfiefeldorf to follow the Crusade after having converted when he had seen the Child speak when they had passed through the town - but had instead hanged himself.
But, the crossbeam where he had been found hanging (by his wife) was splintered at the top, but the splinters were pointing upwards. This could only mean that the rope had been pulled up with a body attached - so it could only be murder! Scmidt's wife told them that the last person to see Casper on the day he dies was Lucas Von Spier - youngest Son of the Von Spier household, and when he arrived Casper had told her to leve them alone and to go out for the day. When she returned hours later, Casper was hanging from the crossbeam...
The PC's asked to search the house, and after a very careful search they found the following documents...
It did: Vampires...
Next step was to return to the Town Steward and demand an audience with the Von Spiers to find out what Lucas knows about vampires and why he killed Casper...
Off they went to the Von Spier Mansion, with permission this time, where Lucas did not bother to lie. He and Casper had found a half dead vampire among a bunch of dead ones, and Lucas got the idea of bringin it home and feeding it up on whatever animals they could find, and using the missing animals in an attempt to frame Lucas's older brother Lennhardt as a member of a blood cult - well, that or feeding him to the vampire. Lucas is angry that Lennhardt is going to inherit the whole family fortune as the oldest Son, especially as Lennhardt is such an evil git - he has Old Man Eisssen whipped for accidentally tripping up and knocking into him...
Anyhow - Lucas was forced to kill Casper when Casper decided he was leaving to join the Crusade of the Child - what if he decided to confess about the vampire plot? Lucas currently has Lennhardt tied up and drugged (hence the receipt for the sleeping draught) and locked in the family mausoleum with the vamp... but he's feeling slightly guilty about that.
The PC's, now armed with silver daggers, and Lucas went to the Von Spier Mausoleum.
Sure enough, they found the Chicken (dead) and Lennhardt (dead) - and had to fight a load of zombies as well as the Vampire, who announced he was no ordinary Vampire but a Blood Dragon - but just as it was looking as if the whole party would be wiped out, (Konrad down a Fate Point, Lucas killed, Rolf down a Fate Point...) eight big hairy vampires turned up - (the Elf recognising them as Strigoi Clan vampires - probably from his Defense Against The Dark Arts lessons or something) and grabbed the Blood Dragon and flew off into the night with him without a word.
The PC's were given full pardons and went on their way towards Altdorf.
A day and a half's march from Pfiefeldorf brought them to a Coaching Inn - The Reaper's Bounty - but it was completely abandoned - no food or anything left, just pamphlets about the Crusade of the Child, and an old tobacco pipe (in very fine condition) which the Elf stole.
The did come across an injured Wood Elf named Lorianoc whose entire Kithband had been ambushed by Beastmen and killed - he had crawled here but had found the place empty and he had been resting here.
A coach turned up containing a Sigmarite Priest named Father Johann Seibolt, and his entourage consisting of six horses, two body guards named Klaus and Ernst, and a young initiate named Nils. At first, Father Johann confuses the PC's for waiters and tries rudely ordering the about - the Elf actually brought in his case - before he understood that the inn was empty. Luckily, Father Johann had some light snacks in his case...
They went to bed, but not before barricading the gate as it was clear the surrounding woods were full of Beastmen.
Around midnight, the PC's heard noises from downstairs - a bunch of mutants had broken in, and were whispering to each other to be quiet and look for food. The PC's and bodyguards challenged them but did not fight them - they lived in a secret room which could be accessed halfway down the well in the courtyard, and only came into the Inn to scavenge for food.
Just then the Beastmen attacked.
It was a hard fight, the Beastmen were numerous and using grappling hooks as well as battering down the gates, and all of Johannes horses were killed as the stables were unguarded, broken up when the beastmen set the bar alight and the Mutants, the PC's and Johannes group finally managed to escape down the well as the Beastmen had left the burning Bounty and were regrouping outside. Finally, a band of Wood Elves arrived and managed to drive the Beastmen off - this battle could be heard from the secret room.
There were ten Kithband Warrior Elves plus their Captain, Coriael. He warns them that there are plenty more Beastmen around.
The session ended with Konrad asking that the lives of the mutants in the well be spared, which the Elves reluctantly agreed to for now - and the Elves saying they were headed to Altdorf and the PC's and Father Johannes retinue could travel with them. Johannes also asked the PC's to please accompany him.
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