Chapter 1: The Enemy in Shadows

The gentleman eyes the dwarf with apparent interest, looking quite pleased to see his eye catch his own! He speaks in a heavy Bretonnian accent.

"Ah! Monsieur Dwarf! I see you are wanting perhap a game of card? I long to find a fellow ‘oo will play Scarlett Empress with me! Perhap we make a wager? I play for nothing less zan two shilling I am afraid!"

A pint of beer for each of your fellow travelers will cost you 12 Pennies

The innkeeper appeared unmoved by the attempts at charming him, still suspicious of this witchy woman, eyeing her suspiciously.

Eh… no, no… fraid not, Miss… I uh… Herpin and I got the situation in hand! If you talk to those two coachmen there, it might be that they might could work out a room to get you out of here, I mean… to Altdorf… quick as could be!

The innkeeper strikes his beard.

"Seeing as you’re soaked and strapped, you’re welcome to sleep in the common room for the night! That’s normally 10 pennies, but I’m not ‘eartless seeing your circumstances. There might be work on the notice board, I ain't changed it in a while. Those coachmen over there, if you’ve a mind to make it all the way to Altdorf, they might could do yeh, I ain’t certain they got any room left, but perhaps yeh could broker a bargain with you!

Unable to read, the Slayer knows wanted posters when he sees them. The notice board has only two notices that haven’t been ripped down, either by adventurer’s who’ve taken them for themselves, or by outlaws themselves pretending to take the bounty. An unimpressive notice hangs low which simply has a large "HELP" heading it, followed by a hen scratched note that anyone capable of reading would have a difficult time understanding, let alone an illiterate. A far more impressive notice, however, the Slayer may not be able to read, but quite obviously announced "WANTED: BOLD ADVENTURERS!" Even illiterate, the Slayer can smell an opportunity for gold and adventure. Perhaps the priest of the witch can read?

Wanted: Bold Adventurers!

His Excellency, Hergard von Tassen Tassenick of the Principality of Ostland, hereby gives notice that services of a party of skilled adventurers is required urgently! Employment is to begin as soon as possible, for an indefinite period.

Would-be applicants are forewarned that they shall be required to undertake a most perilous mission into unexplored regions of the Grey Mountains. The matter is of utmost delicacy and absolute discretion is required.

Remuneration is negotiable, depending where n experience, but a minimum of 8 gold crowns per day, per person is guaranteed, in addition to a generous bonus on completion of the mission. No laggards, cowards, or dwarfs need apply.

Signed

Personal scribe to Crown Prince Hegrard

The notice appears old, perhaps a month or so… Agnes will recall that she heard that Hergard’s son had recently been killed while on sone mission for his father… could this be…?

The other notice, scrawled in a hen scratch so difficult to read, it may as well be smeared ink, reads:

HELP: Pore Foke in neede ov strawng mene or ladees wut cood stoppe a moste fowl bandit nawrth of Oltdorf. Luk for a sine post wut reeds Clampden and ask for Widow Clamp. That mawnster stolled my granddotter’s pig bank e did! Reeword to be diskussed.

The Bretonnian raises his head to the boatman next…

"Ah, Monsieur! Perhap you desire to play a game of Scarlett Empress, ehh? Surely a Reiklander like you is willing to show me, a lowly Bretonnian lesprit militaire zat made ze Reikland ze envy of ze world, eh? Come! You and your dwarf friend as well, let us perhaps wager 2 shilling each? We also talk, like gentlemen, eh?

"Ah, Monsieur, Scarlett Empress is simple! Or, if you prefer, perhap we play Al-Azahr, ehhh? Dice are a simpler game, I am thinking, ehhh? Sit with me! Convince your dwarf friend to play me, and perhap you win enough coin to see yourself safely to ze city of your… Zigmahr? A friendly game, a 2 shiplong wager, and we all ‘appy, we all leave friends, ehhh?"

OOC GM: So gentlemen and lady, you have two coachmen set soon to rush to Altdorf in the morning who are rather drunk and dining, the Innkeeper, the Batman, a student, a noblewoman and her servant and bodyguard, and a Bretonnian card player. Knowing the coachmen are likely your quickest way to get to Altdorf, but you’ll likely have to pay, the card player might lose some money to you, and that there are bandits nearby, what do we want to do?