Summary 05

You arrived safely at the Temple of the Sigmarite Sisters to find the place in an uproar. Oskar decided to try and pick a fight with a group of Templars of the Purging Hammer and accompanying Grenzgrenadiers who insisted the dwarfs in the party emptied their packs. This proved a fortunate distraction, so that Brian could be passed the Khaine book. Their use of gunpowder as a defence against chaos amused you all. Settling in at the way temple, you learnt that a sister had been brutally killed and a message left. "An innocent will die each day until you return my book". Some of you felt suitably responsible [gaining an insanity point]. This hardened your resolve, though, to destroy the book. Which you did, believing that the Khaine priest would stop following you.

Travelling in the rain the following day, you arrived at Grenzburg, a fortified border monastery, whose primary purpose is to act as the clear statement of The Empire's border with Kislev. You learnt that Grenz is a local name for this border region of The Empire, and for the troops raised from it. The town is surprisingly prosperous, which is largely due to the high fertility of the recently claimed forest and the careful rotation of farmed land. Grenzburg is primarily the home for the Order of the Purging Hammer.

Outside the town six tents had been placed and you accosted their flagellant owners for the tautology of their chant: "There is no country as Kislev. Kislev does not exist." Oskar decided to pick a fight again. The town had a single gate set in its south wall, extended by a pair of flanking towers. Over the gate itself is carved the title For the Emperor and the Holy Empire of Sigmar. Wolfsbane hung down from the ceiling. The guards were very particular about inspecting permits to travel. You arrived to hear the criers calling that maps of the town are illegal. You quickly learnt that Grenzburg was paranoid about spies. You also learnt that Lehrkompanie Kazgar of the Cult of Sigmar is recruiting and that there are many bandit groups on the wanted list in the area - Hive Brotherhood, Children of the Kraken or Cult of the Kraken [and their Patriarch, Janos Armistadt], the Cult of the Howling One and Gunther Spengler. Lothar began to rub his hands with anticipation at the rewards that would flow your way. A private crier announces that Bjorn Irongrim is hiring mercenaries under licence from Ulfar Stonehammer, the dwarf king of Karak-Ungor for campaigning in the Worlds Edge Mountains.

Entering the town, you picked up a number of rumours:

• A group of dignitaries from the Church of Sigmar returned after some months in the area last year. They brought with them some cult Polizei-Freiwilligen and labourers and headed off towards the east with provisions for a couple of months. No one knew what they were up to.

• The current Grand Master Aldred Treitszaur is generally seen as a great leader. His only weakness is having a woman as his second-in-command.

• Hunjadi Knapster has been arrested for copying and selling maps of the town and other regions. Everyone knew he was up to something, sneaking around, offering advice freely to visitors and always looking happy. Clear sign of a chaotic.

• Imperial poll tax collectors were forcibly ejected from Talabheim after the Plenipotentiary for Taxation and Population was thrown through a window at the Peerhaus. This could mean war.

• Knud Finklestone, one of the portreeves, said that the statue in the town square ought to be replaced. He did not think that anyone knew who Magnus was these days, and the militaristic Magnus has no relevance to the modern Empire.

• A Kislevan noble, Ekaterina Bushinov, has apparently declared herself Tsarina and promised to bring the various regions together under central control. Erengrad has declared itself an independent city (although no one is sure on whose side this puts them), the Wheatland Colonies have all broken away and Dolgan raiders are prowling the country. The tavern sages are in agreement that all that is needed now is an invasion by the Hobgoblin Hegemony.

• If you ask me (said one inn patron whom you had not asked), we need a von Koenigswald as Grand Prince. There are far too many non-Sigmarites being allowed to wander around Ostland.

The only two areas of note you found were the monastery in the inner bailey and the Town Square, holding a keep, court and temple. There were statues at the north and south ends. The southerly statue depicts Magnus the Pious looking southwards, with the words Das Reik carved upon its base. The northern statue clearly represents Sigmar in his traditional guise as a muscular, bearded giant with long hair and carrying a warhammer. He points northward. This statue has been painted, although the paint is now peeling away. Upon the plinth is inscribed Das Alte Reik.

It did not prove very difficult to discover that Professor Stradovski arrived in town on the evening of the 4^th Jahrdrung and left on the 6^th Jahrdrung. He bought a large amount of supplies, which was noticed by a number of people within the town. It is also known that he visited the Watch, and left with two members apparently as guards. The non-religious Watch within Grenzburg is called the Stadtguardia. They have few responsibilities since it is a military outpost. Their commander is Sergei Druckenmiller. You discovered that Druckenmiller agreed to hire two of his men to transport the Professor safely to the Border Line. From there, he arranged for his family to negotiate with a group of Kislevans to escort him to a destination within Kislev. The two men who travelled as bodyguards returned some time ago, and you questioned them. Their names were Leko and Vasya Manzel. They added that they visited a local farm and talked to a pair of farmers there. It was known locally as Jobbággy Farm. The two men were left at the periphery of the farm. The professor met up with some Kislevans on the evening of the 9^th Jahrdrung and discussed travel plans with them. Whilst they did not hear a destination, they did hear of what they took to be two destinations. These were the Focšani Gap and Trabzon.

Leaving Grenzburg, you travelled towards the Border Line, which you were aware was being rebuilt after a local skirmish against the local Druckenmiller gang by The Independent Company of Sappers and Miners into a border fort. Unfortunately they were under siege in the inn by vengeful Druckenmillers who have joined with Kislevan bandits - and you walked into the conflict. In the ensuing combat, Lothar lost his horse and equipment and Lucas was killed. However, you were successful in killing a number of bandits and retreated in good order to Grenzburg. There the militia was raised and a small force set out to destroy the invaders. In reality they drifted away in the face of this formal assault, and there was minimal combat. You saw none.

Asking the mercenaries at the inn, they informed you that the professor arrived on the 7^th Jahrdrung with two bodyguards. They stayed for two days, and left on the morning of the 10^th Jahrdrung. On the afternoon of the 8^th Jahrdrung, the three left for about five hours and returned. The bodyguards returned to Grenzburg, the other towards Kislev. The group largely kept to themselves, but did talk to three travellers from Kislev on the evening of the 9^th Jahrdrung. The professor left with the three Kislevans, heading along the 'road' into Kislev.

You have elected to follow the Professor into Kislev, despite technically having carried out your duty. For such bravery in the face of certain danger, the younger race PCs amongst you were rewarded by the gods [humans and halflings gain one Fate Point]. Trying to persuade your colleagues to continue was a different matter.

You persuaded Hilde, and thus Christina - though Jakob is receiving menacing looks for his good work - and von Bora to join you. The latter has a permit and speaks the dialect. You are welcome to try again on the others, but all seem adamant against [you have tried Fel tests]. You also need to consider equipment etc. However, even the Templars are impressed with your dedication, and you can probably call in some favours re equipment or other.

To do at the start of next session: write up equipment list and confirm party.

Jakob 65

Brian 60

Lothar 60

Oskar 55