Summary 09

Advising the baroness, you also received 90GCs for the bandits' heads plus two horses from her as the payment you requested. Christina and Hilde both accepted positions with her. You learnt that the baroness obtained a heavy indemnity to allow Serbanescu to remain alive, including his house and the one that he rented to Gunther Zischer. You took this opportunity to visit the house, and discovered a painted over picture of 'that' representation of Shallya. Before leaving Kukonois, you learnt a few new rumours:

Rensen has the plague. The military, in conjunction with the Cult of Ulric, have blockaded the village to prevent its spread.

A Citizens' Militia patrol found a sack full of skulls lying against a wall, but no one knows why they were there.

The village of Pliska has the Blue Pox and travel to the environs is forbidden, on punishment of death.

Pliska was forcibly closed down by the governor three years ago, and its people removed. No one is allowed near it anymore, and the area is guarded by some of the governor's household guard.

 

The governor knew about Trabzon and the Order of Sword brethren, but had little to add to what you knew. You did not ask him about the Focsani Gap. Enquiring about Ösel within the town from your lead, you learnt that it is a town on the mouth of a swamp that forms a delta for tributary waters for the River Urskoy. It is a home for pirates who raid the river traffic and flee into the secret ways within the swamp. Ösel itself is split into two parts, an older part being on an island within the swamp. Its leader Boyar Yury Vasladovitch is an enemy of the governor, and barely tolerated by the tsar. He deals with all types of merchants, slavers, and even the local uncivilised tribesmen around there. The latter are a group of uncouth savages who live to the north of the delta within a range of hills and gullies preying on travellers stupid enough to go eastwards from here. If the Ösilians don't get you, the savages will.

 

In payment for a warrant [plus cash rewards], you also agreed to take on some work for the Governor, with reference to illegal slavery and kidnapping. The trail seemed to lead into the territory of his neighbour, Boyar Yury Vasladovitch. He needed independents to uncover if the boyar was involved. One group of bandits had been slain, and you saw their equipment - a simple wool tunic, booted sandals, sling, leather whip, leather cap, shield in the shape of an '8' and bronze sword. You took two shields. Lothar thought the bronze work was good and rather old. The bandits were believed to be Tribesmen. In addition he asked you to look in on his investigators in Rensen, and asked you to deliver a sealed communication to Irina Ulianov at the Imperial River Navy inn in Ösilia. She will be there each evening, wearing a coat bearing the arms of the Brotherhood of the Bear, in which she was once an auxiliary. The PCs should greet her with the words "Illumination come over us all" and receive the reply "Vengeance follow swiftly". Fees were agreed for all this.

 

You passed through Uscat (where you learnt that the professor's men had been asking about Cetatae Alba) to Rensen. Some very good (and quick) detective work discovered that the problem lay in pollution from the Siauliai Mine. At both villages, stories of kidnappings and strange figures in the woods were told. Many blamed the Behinder, elves and the spirits that had been deserted. Trying to make up for lost time you pushed past a travel shrine to make Ösel. Unfortunately, Nikolai fell from his horse, which broke a leg. Arriving at the town, which flew the flag of a gold stag rampant upon a blue background, you handed over your weapons at the gate as required. Unfortunately, you lost all your weapons as the guards stole them. Note to Paul; remove all your weapons except one sidearm plus knife. Lothar took this personally and promised retaliation, which as a dwarf he is now honour bound to carry through….

 

You made contact with the Governor's agent, Zhanna Shkurat. You also found that elections for the portreeves were being held and that due to the arrogance and incompetence of the sitting candidate, a reform opponent actually stood a chance of winning. As you crossed to Ösilia, which you had learnt the professor had done, someone offering you a job approached you. You agreed to meet the client for more information. It turned out to be a cleric of Mórr, who was supporting the Reform candidate. Needless to say, the session ended in a cliffhanger as the candidate was found dead in her room. This is the position we find, with the following cast of characters, all her close friends:

 

 

When you arrived, small talk was made and drinks served. Nefedov offered everyone a drink of mead that he has brought from his own distillery. Nikita politely declined stating that she disliked mead and Chuvelyov also declined but was bullied into drinking. Everyone was reasonably impressed, including Chuvelyov. Nefedov seemed to be doing a good job as wine steward, but Ivan Polyakova was clearly non-plussed. He retired to the kitchen. Nikita seemed in a bad mood, and told Chuvelyov to stop following her around like a lapdog. Everyone went to their room in order to prepare for lunch, whilst you were given a tour of the premises by the cleric. Outside he remembered that the meat was still in the oven, and left you talking to the militia guards outside the house. As you returned to the house, you heard a thunk of axe on wood and then a male scream. Running up the stairs, you found Viktor Tabakov, axe in hand, with Mikhael Egorova in the doorway to the latter's room and Nikita dead on the floor.

 

It is early afternoon on the 14th Pflugzheit. The professor arrived in Ösel on the evening of the 27th Jahrdrung, and you have yet to find when/how he left.

 

Experience

Nikolai 60

Lothar 40

Jakob 30

Brian 30