Carroburg Campaign 01: Morning of 29th Jahrdrung.
The Way of the Wolf is a social and community group run by Brother Aelfric, as a minor group within the Cult of Ulric. He is a “Norscan” trainee, quite intelligent, but without any pretensions of advancement. A little bookish, he is very popular. The PCs are members of this group.

Other Members that PCs know tolerably well.
Ursula Schmidts is the sister to PC Hans, 21, and very attractive. She is fancied by another PC - Hans Pflaum. Flirtatious, rumour suggests that she is fucking Urgel von Snobbislakt. Certainly, she has obtained a couple of (tawdry) trinkets in the last 6 months.

Urgel is the second son of Ritter Heidi von Snobbislakt (of Anseldorf). He is a squire to Freiherr Ulla von Eisen (his mother’s overlord, (Dunkelbild, Carroburg).

Sharaz Jek is an apprentice glassworker, employed in von Pilkinton company. Big and a little slow.

Hans Michon is an apprentice glassmaker with Govain. He is first generation, speaking Reikspiel as the native he is. He and Jek are good friends.

Wilhelm Kroner is an apprentice woodworker under Hans Styrnel. His uncle is a templar in Middenheim and so the family professes a quite extreme mono-Ulricanism.

Freya Kubel is of very dubious background, reputed to be a beggar. Very poor, she is always well turned out and very respectful to Brother Petrarch. She is rather aloof, though gained a lot of respect for allegedly flattening Hans Michon.

In the Beginning...
For the ceremonial opening of the new council, which is a big political thing for the Cult, the Society has a wagon. Traditionally, it is festooned with foliage collected from Uttenhofe on ‘payment’ with a gift of a carving from the city. Those selected will collect the statue, travel there and spend a night. They will attend a ceremony giving offering to Taal, collect the foliage and return to the city. This is all ceremonial - related to an early priest who came from Utenhoffe.

So, guess who gets chosen? Urgel is particularly unimpressed, and shouts off at this disgrace. Certainly something did seem a little fishy... A travel permit, dated and with description, was provided. A handcart for the foliage was awaiting at the gates. Your employers are paid 2 days wages by the Cult (technically they waive it as it is for the festival). Again, they seemed to know previously. You will report to the agent Karl Berek of Ritter Sascha Urovna in Utenhoffe. The circuit priest will carry out the ceremony.

The statute has to be collected from a poorer area of the city, from a craftsmen of middling reputation, Wolf Kresser. The statue is of a bipedal stag-man, and is linked to the Old Faith and Taal, and the humanisation of nature, in some way that no one had the skills to comprehend!

Utenhoffe is 15 miles, and the expected timetable is as follows:

You are also aware of the festival timetable.

FESTIVAL OVERVIEW
31st JAHRDRUNG (new moon): Procession and ceremonial opening of the new city council. Election results announced that pm!

32nd JAHRDRUNG: Carrolus’ fair, heretics burning, tournament.

33rd JAHRDRUNG: Guilds-day with morning procession.

MITTERFRUHL: Holy Day to Ulric, Manaan and Taal.

Passing through the busy streets, some of you are tempted by the street vendors (failing a WP test to resist their delights). Ypu pass some street meeting that appears to be about to descend into violence, between guild and non-guild workers. Unfortunately, you are not as careful in avoiding a fairly obvious trap, as you rush off to help a girl in distress. You manage to flee the gang laying the trap, though suffer some injuries. You successfully collect the statue, and leave the city.

In the Countryside
Carroburg is surrounded by small hamlets, cottage industries run by the guilds. You translate a notice, proclaiming the festival, for some workers. You pass through these along the road, though it does not warrant such a description. Pushing the cart along is very hard work.

You see industrial cottages, water mills, leatherworking, woodworking - tableware, and fishing. Near Gruuthuuse you help a fisherman with something in his net; a body. OUR FIRST CL TEST! Badly eaten, it has a patch on his tunic that is recognised as Brodtman Shipping.

You pass through Mischer, a village of around 60 people, above subsistence. Guild presence is evident in carvings on the houses. They seem to dislike outsiders. Near here you are accosted by a gypsy boat heading for festival. It’s a good job they saw you, as they are able to sell you some "lucky heather". Shockingly, there is an elf minstrel, Tallacheriel, on board.

Other peddlars/ traders pass you, heading east towards Carroburg.

Between Mischer and Burkard, you meet a wounded coachwoman dragging herself towards Mischer to fetch the smith and agree to help. Ritter Fulk von Deiber’s coach has broken on the road. Coachwoman Christa Jungel is very grateful for help, tells you to look her up if they ever need a favour. They live in Mischer, but are staying at Freiherr Ulla von Eisen’s (his overlord) estate in the Palace District for the festivals.

You pass through:
Burkard: Hamlet, 30 people, good fishing. Guilds. A cart plus "mercenaries" are collecting provisions (fish), but you mind your own business.

Dunkelbild: Village - 70 people - timber, forestry - some affluence. Here are some travelling players, the Company of Didier Alençon. 1 cart drawn by oxen. Man/ wife, 2 younger men, 1 girl, 1 halfling. You suggest that they don’t put on their Sigmarian shows.

Before Utenhoffe, there is a "roadblock". You pass through easily, but a mounted guildsman is not being allowed in. "You guilds have no authority here, so you can piss off. Now ‘oppit, before we get angry."

At Utenhoffe
A notice is pinned up about the festival. You note one major difference with the earlier. Here the workers are being given a holiday, unlike the earlier notice where guildworkers had to pay for the pleasure of time off.

Utenhoffe: Large Hamlet (borderline small village), 40 people, saltpetre. Covered piles of manure just outside hamlet, but definite smell - you can tell that they process manure for saltpetre. No guild symbols are in evidence.

The Ulrican circuit priest Brother Petrarch is missing. He was due in 2 days ago, though he doesn’t have a precise timetable. You decide to travel to Schuffer, his last call and find he left there two days previously. He would have checked in on the local assarts on his way to Utenhoffe. It is too late to find them in the dark, so you return.

That evening: Karl Berek is a fair host, and puts you up in barn. At a small gathering they tell tales. You don’t.

The Jester about a god, whose trick is to juggle balls. Showing off, he launches two so high, they don’t fall back - Morrslieb and Mannslieb.
Ulric the Man about how the man that changes into a wolf, but dominates that side, as a means of keeping Taal away. Ulric is civilisation and Mankind to Taal’s nature and wilderness (a poorly told polemic for the Ulrican sect of Fang and Fur).
Destruction of the River Pirates by a woman whose son is a marine, used a Q-Boat to lure in the pirates, destroying or capturing one river vessel (an ex-merchant, that had been first victim) and two small fishing boats.
Carrolus’ smiths and the secret of red steel a story that tells of a secret weapon of the Kruebi smiths with which they armed their Teutognen brothers. A lost secret.

Jan de Voer a "travelling mendicant" and "adviser to Grand Duke Leopold" is heading back west to Marienburg. "I have decided that I need to spend some more time in the libraries there."

Derek Larson get a little tipsy and tries to chat up , without success. Though she does lead him on.

The Next Morning: You find Brother Petrarch, eventually. He was dallying with a local woman, who lives in an assart, and had forgotten the time. He begs you not to "grass him up".

The Ceremony: Is late and hurried, as people called in from the fields, cottages etc, but goes fine. Petrarch offers the statue to Taal in forest, then everyone goes off to defacate as an offering. Derek Larson follows to spy on her! The ceremony is placatory to Taal, and two days later it will be offered to Manaan. This is all linked to Mitterfruhl

Cutting the Foliage: Goes fine, but too slowly for you. The foliage is wolf-foil and wulfen flowers. It is loaded onto your handcart.

The Return
You do your best to hurry back, but it is impossible given the state of the roads. You also intervene in a bailiff eviction of Jurgen Feldt, for arrears. He is an old man, who can’t keep up with piece rate. Another tough is holding a girl, eyeing her too. This is the only daughter, Marlene Feldt. Felix Oster, bailiff, has a warrant and demands to know who you are and why you interfere. tries to give a false name, but fails. You get the impression he’ll remember you. paid the debt, and gave more money. This seems to impress Marlene.

The Gates: makes a heroic effort to run and get them to keep the gates open for you, but they shut them in his face, quite deliberately. Much discussion takes place as to how to get in. For some shillings, a guard promises to get Brother Aelfric.

The Boat: hiring a fishing boat, gets the cart to the Docks, though this still leaves you a gate to get through. Hans decides to call up to the guards, informing them that he has to get into the city tonight because he has special flowers that only open at night and are needed by cults in the city. The rest we know, everyone being ultimately arrested.

We start the next session with you all incarcerated.