The Enemy Within Prologue: Rotten hangover... (Session 6)...
On the 20th of February 2026, I ran the Sixth session of my home Enemy Within Campaign.
Noon, 2nd of Nachexen, 2512
It isn't until noon that our vagabonds manage to gather, break their fast, and start on their day. Kleinsen and Uhl, are gripped by a profound hangover holding up Drechsler, who despite having drunk just a much is in fine form.
With some vital in them, the vagabonds head first to the green bottle, where, the night before Erik Kleinsen has left the butcher Albrechte in the care of the publican. However, by the time they arrive, the vagabonds discover that the butcher has gone to work, apparently no worse the ware for his indulgence. So, they swing around and head for Albrechte's shop. Upon arrival, they speak with Albrechte, and with his permission return to shed behind the shop, to investigate more thoroughly.
Upon looking around the place, and seeing the hatch Connie reasons out that if Stark is to blame for the abduction, as they are beginning to believe, that his size might be responsible for his inability to leave the way he came in, hence explaining the fact that the back door of the shed had been unbolted and left open.
Meanwhile, taking a closer look at the meat grinder, Erik gets a whiff of the most profound and unpleasant rot. The group fetch Albrechte, and show him the state of the grinder, and he immediately starts the process of preparing the boil it clean; and then starts to gather up all the sausages in the shop and burn them. The vagabonds leave, with the smell of rot and burning pork fat on the wind.
Their destination is set, they head for the other shops, and proceed to check to see if their is similar corruption afoot, and they are edified to discover that their is no smell of corruption emanating from the other stores equipment or meat.
With that task done, they head quickly for the shop of Herr Stark, only to find it apparently closed up. Erik and Diethart enquire at the Haberdasher next door about Herr Stark, only to learn that he left suddenly the night before, directly after Diethart's visit. The Haberdasher doesn't know where Stark went, but says he does not believe that Stark will be gone long in large part, because he has heard Stark's child moving about and singing in the apartment.
While her companion talk to Haberdasher, Connie takes a somewhat more direct approach. making her way around the back of Starks shop, and sneakily trying to gain entry. A tense moment occurs when a patrol of state soldiers walk right past the end of the alley, and Connie thinking she is caught for sure, she begs to anything that will listen to let her not be seen, and something answers that call.
The troops pass without noticing the young thief, and Connie is able to enter the butcher's shop through the back door. She listens, hearing nothing, and then heads upstairs. There she finds a modest, single room appartment, with a stove, a writing desk, a bed and a child's cot. Connie checks the stove, and finds it cold, then makes her way to the desk. There she finds papers, but leaves then in place, not being able to read them, and not wanting stark to be aware of her visit. She then goes down on hands and knees to look under the bed, only to find nothing. Lastly, she gets up, and looks within the cot, there seeing a lump covered by blankets.
Pulling them aside, she see a gently snoring lump of rotten meat, with horns and comically small limbs. She steals herself and starts to back away...only for the nurgling to abandon it's pretence of sleep saying "Your not supposed to be here" in a high pitched voice.
Connie turns and flees, and despite her fleet step, hear the pattering of tiny feet following her the whole way to the back door, which she throws herself though, shutting the imp inside.
Finding the other two vagabonds, connie breathlessly imparts what she has seen, and the group retreat. There is some discussion of possible paths forwards. Questions of the safety of disclosing these events to the authorities are pondered, and the vagabonds settle on returning to Herr Fleischer, to seek the aid of the butcher's guild. Their reasoning being that this is primarily a matter of food adulteration, and that the guild will have every reason to want to cover up the spiritual dimension, while also working to eradicate the problem.
At Herr Fleischer's they are granted entry, and given audience with Herr Fleischer. However, another man is present. Fleischer introduces the other man as Councellor Albrecht Oldenhaller. The characters spin a yarn on poisoned meet, and Fleischer agrees that he will speak with guild to authorise the Vagabonds to inspect the shop. Meanwhile, Oldenhaller promises some of his men to help the vagabonds in raiding the place.
So it is, that Connie, Diethart and Erik find themselves riding back to Starks shop, in a carriage with Herr Stecknadel and Herr Tulpe, two of Oldenhallers men, and a couple of other thugs.
A better evening than last week. The players made real progress, very quickly, and next week we should have the discovery of Hanna, and the destruction of the nurgling, and if all goes as well as this week, a confrontation with Herr Stark too. The funniest moment of the session came when my partner had to ask me to end my description of the nurgling, and take a moment to get their rising gorge under control.
The characters earned 100xp.
It is astounding value and the funds go a great cause.
It is astounding value and the funds go a great cause.
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