[WFRP4 Session Reports] It's Not Going Well Anywhere

Characters: Boneshard, Norscan Berserker (Marauder career); Regis d'Pubiens, Bretonnian Spy

After escaping Agravaine's Castle, the wounded adventurers make their way back to the camp of the besieging army of Ermengard to find it's all falling apart in true bleak fashion. The Plague has broken out openly among many of the troops, the adventurers' patron, Lord Chrodegar has lost his son to it and he was wounded in the assault meant as a distraction, and Lord Ermengard, Agravaine's rival, is dying in his tent for it. Chrodegar is disgusted that the adventurers were not able to slay Agravaine when they sacrificed many good men at the gates, and gruffly tells them to basically fuck off. After having their wounds bandaged, they leave.

A rough approximation of Lord Chrodegar's situation.

Boneshard and Regis then see Lady Griselda gathering her belongings to leave camp with the slumbering Duke Armand. Having not foiled Agravaine, the Duke still slumbers in a magical coma induced by the priestess Damsel Helvis to preserve him from the plague or poison that would otherwise kill him. The adventurers tell Griselda of the Skaven inside the keep, and she recalls to them that there is a book on the foul ratmen in the University of Bordeleaux. She also invites them back to her Castle Sangraine, should they wish. The cause of Ermengard is doomed. The adventurers bid her adieu, planning to investigate Bordeleaux for the book rather than refuge with her.

The adventurers return to their tent, seeking supplies, but are confronted by a helmed knight and three men at arms about to carry off their chest. Boneshard is enraged, and though wounded badly from the castle, he seeks to stop them. He is knocked unconscious in the fight, and Regis lets them pass. All the adventurers' gold, aside from a few in their pockets is lost.

Fortunately, they still have horses and set off for Bordelaux after Boneshard is roused by a doctor treatment. On the road, they meet penitents who offer them some minor succor, and recognize that Boneshard also bears the plague. They later reach Bordeleaux, bribe the ferry guard who are nominally keeping a quarantine of the city.

Seeking their old contact Doctor Pycellus, they learn there is a book on the ratmen stored in a locked chamber of forbidden lore in a university tower. Negotiating with the Provost, they are allowed to access it. Regis spends a few days studying the book, The Prophecy of Guillaime the Mad, or the Revelations of the Great Horned One, learning much of the ways of the ratmen but hearing strange voices in his head, picking up on previously unknown odors, and generally going a bit mad himself (4 corruption points, mechanically). Meanwhile, Boneshard sweated through a Ratte Fever but emerged alive and somewhat healthy.

The Prophecy revealed that, from signs all the ratcatchers in town are missing and encountering a ratman assassin behind their inn as well, a great convergence of Morrslieb, the Blood Moon, signaled that the ratmen would be attacking the city itself in a fortnight! The sign of the Great Horned One embossed in reddened flesh on Duke Armand's chest, seen by the adventurers when they saw him struck down in Ermengard's camp, revealed that the ratmen had obtained an ancient Nehekaran idol, the Idol of Flies, which empowered their plagues and the swelling of the numbers. What Lord Agravaine's role was in all this was unclear, but he must have had some hand!

The adventurers then sought audience with the Duke of Bordeleaux, Alberich. He reluctantly granted an audience, as Boneshard and Regis showed signet rings as agents of Duke Armand. Learning of the prophecized attack, the Duke was convinced to render aid. To find the Idol, the elvish ambassador, Menilthir scryed for them its location. The Duke called upon a picked band of knights, and Menilthir offered two of his honor guard, to accompany the adventurers into the old elvish-wrought sewers to seek the Idol. They set off into the dark...