WFRP: Help wanted (21)

"My Anton is missing! He hasn't been home for a week, and his mother is sick and needs his care. He went to work for The Fish at the dockside but now he's gone! Please, anyone, can anyone help!"

 - A distraught young woman pleading for help in the Drecksack Bezirk.

 

Will the player characters respond to the call for help? Anna Shipulin and Anton Trotter is supposed to be married as soon as Anton earns enough money for them to move from Drecksack to Sindelfingen district. But now he is gone! Anton has a penchant for get rich quick schemes, but he invariably fails and ends up with nothing but dreams of a better life for him, his fiance and his crippled mother. But how will the players react? There's not much money in a mission like this ... unless Anton's disappearance is a part of a much greater enigma!

Go here to download the complete iAltdorf map!

WFRP: Johann Reizing

WFRP: Help wanted (20)

"Are you discrete? A writer or an artist? Have books, need someone capable of copying. No knowledge of languages required, but previous experience with ink and feather critical. Interested parties should ask for Herr Schmitt at the the Black Velvet tavern. Generous compensation."

- Something for those of the academic persuasion. Posted at the University Library.

Yeah, well, this one should make even the most trusting character feel unease. But the compensation is supposed to be generous, and a student of the humanities need to eat. Or drink, as it may well be. The text could be heretical, an insidious Slaanesh tome forbidden to read, or it could be a description of how to find the long lost tomb of a fallen hero, or tracts that are copied and passed out to incite riots.

Taking a cue for sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the job could also be a cover for something else, such as a way to guarantee the character's absence from home while chaos cultists use his abode for nefarious plotting. And also, "Herr Schmitt"? Any character taking a job from a mysterious "Herr Schmitt" needs to keep eyes and ears open for ill doings!

Go here to download the complete iAltdorf map!




/Magnus

WFRP: Charts and Tables (2)

A new table to roll for whenever you need a random city watch encounter! I will go from rolling a d10 to a d6, partly to make it easier for me to write the tables, but also to make the odds of running into the same Watchman in different situations higher. Therefore, some Watchmen in the Universität Bezirk have been transferred from the Niederhafen Bezirk, which means I will be updating that random table later.

Yeah, it's also because I'm lazy. So sue me!

City Watch in Universität Bezirk

If the characters call for the City Watch in the Universität Bezirk, roll a d6 and consult the following table.

1. Altdorf's shortest Watchman, Kleine Hermann, saunters up to the characters, nonchalantly chewing tobacco and gobbing at their feet. Half competent, but needs convincing to engage.

2. Gerke and Otto come running. Curt and effective Watchmen, they are loathe to take any action without first calling in reinforcements (roll another d6, reroll any result of 2).

3. First nothing happens. Then after some time, Uto, Urban and Viktor show up. They are three enthusiastic young Watchmen without any experience or useful skills. They are eager to help, but are more likely to make any situation worse with their efforts.

4. Gottwin, Horst and Holger marches up to the characters. They are dressed in perfect uniforms, their helmets are polished to a shine and they carry out their duties with military precision. If they have any fault it's the fact that they don't really listen to what people are telling them, unless the person in question is a higher ranked individual (professional or social rank).

5. Joshua and Maria turns up, filled with energy and anxiety. They are students at the University and work as Watchmen in their spare time to raise money for the education. Inexperienced but very, very smart. Probably too smart, since they tend to overthink even the smallest crime. Their wild theories are often entertaining, but seldom correct. 

Magnus

WFRP: Help wanted (19)

"Have lost heirloom in River Reik. Dropped from Reiksbrücke. Will pay 100 Gold Crowns for retrieval. Contact Jürgen Vasser at the Hangman's Tavern."

- A difficult job indeed. Notice posted at several inns along the river Reik.

This little job could open up for splendid opportunities for the players to show their ingenuity. Will they try to find a submersible boat? Or invent a diving bell? Or simply dive from a boat? And what is it that's been lost? It might indeed be Herr Vasser's heirloom, but more probably something he has stolen. Maybe from a mage?

So decide what's been lost, toss this note out to the players and things will roll along nicely from there. Don't forget that the Niederhafen Pike should play a part in this adventure!

/Magnus

WFRP: Scenic views of Altdorf

On this page I have gathered all black and white pictures that I have keyed to places in Altdorf. If you are strapped for inspiration when describing the city to your players, just pop into this page and describe what you see in one or more of the pictures.

The North Gate.

View of the Königstrasse, seen from the North Gate.

The University.

Inside the Temple of Sigmar.

Die Volksoper.

Otto Stierne's Observatory.

One of many minor bridges around the Eastender Bridge. These smaller bridges often lead
to equally small islands located in the Reik.

Reiksport Bezirk, as viewed when entering Altdorf from the north.

WFRP: The Reiksport Bezirk

A view over the Reiksport Bezirk, as seen 

entering from the north.

The Reiksport Bezirk, which lies just outside the northeast walls of Altdorf, is the newest part of the city. It has grown from being a humble gathering of sheds and jetties, to become one of the capitals most important defenses against invaders, smugglers and Marien-burgers. The district has benefited greatly from the military prescence of the Imperial Navy, and the fact that the Emperor raised funds to extend the walls of the city to encompass most of Reiksport.

It is a rough and tumble area, and one has to keep a sharp eye out for thugs and cutthroats. The district is made up mostly of docks, warehouses, barracks and living quarters for the navy and those civilians who make their living off servicing the large merchant and army vessels that moor there.

Adolphus Altdorfer

Konistag, Sigmarzeit 2

Go here to download the complete iAltdorf map!

/Magnus

WFRP: The times they are a changing

The world is ever changing. There is no solace in the belief in the uncorruptibility of the laws that govern our bleak existence. Now that I have finally been allowed free from the clutches of the Witchhunters, I sit down to review my notes. And it is all very baffling. I find references to events I now know nothing about. It is as if the history of our Old World is being rewritten in front of my very eyes.

The laws of nature, the nature of magic, it seems as if they have all been changed.

Was it all a dream? Did a storm of chaos rage across the lands, or was it just a breeze of malcontent blown out of all proportions? Maybe it is as they say, that the invasion was merely a ruse, a conspiracy to strengthen the Emperor's grip of the provinces. But what does it matter? It now seems but a dream, an image of the past that keeps changing depending on the whims of the powers that be and the state of my sobriety.

Shall I cling to the past or embrace the present? No doubt I will be branded a heretic whichever path I choose to tread. This decision weighs heavily on my mind, as heavy as the snow that engulfs our fair city of Altdorf. Everything is white, and maybe this is the time of year when the capital is at its most beautiful. The filth and the muck, the dirt och the dreck, all is covered in soft and cruel snow.

Soon the year will be at an end, and everything will start anew. What will I do then?

Adolphus Altdorfer
Festag, Ulriczeit 27, 2521 IC

Don't Pay the Ferryman

The people of Altdorf enjoy telling ghost stories, both as entertainment and as sincere warnings of the horrors of the unknown. The Niederhafen Pike is one such legend, and this is often accompanied by the fable known as Don't pay the ferryman. The source of this ballad is unknown, but it is easy to imagine that it has some truth to it, given the amount of ferries that cross the Reik. There are bound to be incidents, even if they are more mundane than the legend makes out.

The popular and skilled lute player and folk singer Christoph Von Kleinestadt has followed up on his success at the taverns and bars in the docklands, and has written another catchy tune, inspired by the old legend of the sinister ferryman.

It was late at night on the Volkerweg
Speeding like a man on the run
A lifetime spent preparing for the journey 

He is closer now and the search is on
Reading from a map in the mind
Yes there's the ragged bridge
And there's the boat on the river 

And when the rain came down
He heard a wild dog howl
There were voices in the night - "Don't do it!"
Voices out of sight - "Don't do it!
Too many men have failed before
Whatever you do

Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side 

In the rolling mist then he gets on board
Now there'll be no turning back
Beware that hooded old man at the rudder 

And then the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared
And people calling out his name
And dancing bones that jabbered and a-moaned
On the water 

And then the ferryman said
"There is trouble ahead.
So you must pay me now" - "Don't do it!"
"You must pay me now" - "Don't do it!"
And still that voice came from beyond
Whatever you do 

Don't pay the ferryman
Don't even fix a price
Don't pay the ferryman
Until he gets you to the other side
Don't pay - the ferryman!

Adolphus Altdorfer
Wellentag, Sommerzeit 20, 2521 IC

Here's the video of the song performed live! It's kind of a silly song, but I love it. Too bad I couldn't find the original video, with De Burgh dressed as a vampire!

/Magnus

WFRP: Xinjiapor

On the docks of Altdorf, a visitor will hear many strange songs sung by the sailors scrubbing the decks of ships and boats. Listening to these whimsical tales takes you on a journey over the world, and hints of exotic and dangerous locales. No wonder the docks are filled with young boys and girls listening with fascination to verses painting a grim picture of a world they might hope to see themselves, if nowhere else than in their dreams.

One such song is called Xinjiapor, which might or might not be the name of a real harbour close to Cathay. There are many other things mentioned in this song that are mysterious, and I hope to delve deeper into many of the things mentioned here to decipher their meaning.

We sail tonight for Xinjiapor
We're all as mad as hatters here
I've fallen for a tawny whore
Took off to the land of blood
Drank with all the Cathay men
Walked the sewers of L'Anguille
I danced along a colored wind
Dangled from a rope of sand
You must say goodbye to me

We sail tonight for Xinjiapor
Don't fall asleep while you're ashore
Cross your heart and hope to die
When you hear the children cry.
Let marrow bone and cleaver choose
While making feet for children's shoes
Through the alley
Back from Hell
When you hear that steeple bell
You must say goodbye to me.

Wipe him down with kerosene
Till his arms are hard and mean,
From now on boy this iron boat's your home
So heave away boys.

We sail tonight for Xinjiapor
Take your blankets from the floor
Wash your mouth out by the door
The whole town is made of iron ore
Every witness turns to steam
They all become Tilean dreams
Fill your pockets up with earth
Get yourself a guilder's worth
Away boys, away, boys, heave away

The captain is a one-armed dwarf
He's throwing dice along the wharf
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is King
So take this ring

We sail tonight for Xinjiapor
We're all as mad as hatters here
I've fallen for a tawny whore
Took off to the land of blood
Drank with all the Cathay men
Walked the sewers of L'Anguille
I danced along a colored wind
Dangled from a rope of sand
You must say goodbye to me

Adolphus Altdorfer
Konistag, Nachgeheim 17, 2524 IC

This song is originally called Singapore, and is sung by Tom Waits on his album Rain Dogs. Do get it, it's wonderfully atmospherical. The music of Tom Waits is very WFRP in feel to me, sometimes silly, whimsical and dark as pitch.

I regret that I didn't manage to find a WFRP equvivalent of "hell", so I left that in there. Any suggestions are welcome! It should rhyme with "bell".

/Magnus

WFRP: Help wanted (18)

"My neighbour is a vampire! Will pay handsomely for someone to dispose of him before he sucks my blood! Priests of Morr won't do anything, so you are my only hope! Also, premium paid to those who can remove the rats in the walls."

- Curious note stuck on the Dead Tree at the North Gate.

One of my traits as a Game Master is that I set up situations that never are what they seem to be. Unfortunately, my players have become very skilled in figuring this out, so half the time they are still way ahead of me figuring out who to burn and who to suck up to.

The help wanted ad above could very well concern a real vampire. It could also be a clue into something else entirely, a drug ring, a lone blunderbuss man planning to assassinate the Emperor, or just someone who's afraid of sunlight.

/Magnus

WFRP: Gossip (18)

"Feh, the weather is foul. We haven't had a summer this cold since ... since ever! It's that Storm of Chaos, that's what it is! It's blowing foul winds from the north, filled with ice and death! I swear I saw ice floating down the Reik this morning!"

- Owner of a vegetable stall at the Marktplatz by the Mourner's Bridge, trying to keep warm in the cold drizzle of the coldest summer in 50 years

Go here to download the complete iAltdorf map!


/Magnus

WFRP: The Altdorf Truth 815

WFRP: The Party Dungeon

In my running campaign, the PCs are trying to build reputation in Altdorf society. So far this has met with mixed success, but they are adamant in their pursuits of the finer life of the rich and powerful. And they've got some enemies they need to humilate, which always proves a potent motivator for any player at my table.

Anyways, they are supposed to go to a party. I want to kick up the "acting" aspect a bit, but also keep the "gaming" aspect to make sure that the party is influenced by whatever good or bad skill rolls the players make.

Cribbing an idea from Dynasties & Demagogues, the brilliant d20 supplement covering political intrigue, I drew up the following conceptual map of the party. The idea is for the PCs to navigate each square as if it was a dungeon room, with skill rolls, social interaction ... and combat, if things turn nasty. Which there is a good chance of, judging from my players and their agendas.

So, what skill checks goes on in the different squares ... or rooms, if you so will?

/Magnus

WFRP: The Altdorf Truth 814

WFRP: Alfred Nunz

WFRP: The Altdorf Truth 813

WFRP: Gossip (17)

"The Emperor has decided to ban the written word! His Witchhunters are poised to strike against all printing houses and bookstores in Altdorf, to stop them from copying and selling blasphemous texts!"

- The owner of the bookstore Die Motte, confiding in a customer from the University

Go here to download the complete iAltdorf map!


/Magnus

WFRP: Hermann Blokk

WFRP: Eloise Kimmer