The Enemy Within Prologue: Blood on the Snow (Session 13)

 On the 4th of May 2026, I ran the 13th sessions of my home Enemy Within Campaign. 

An hour before noon, 8th of Nachexen, 2512, Kemperbad

Diethard, makes a visit to Blutwahler’s a well respected trader in fine brandy, squeasing into the store front barely wider than he is, and speaks with the man behind the counter. There is some discussion of price, and Diethard finally settles on a budget of a crown. He pays to have the dusty bottle sent to his opponent, Udos Aschaffurt.

Connie and Erik, wait nearby.  Thanks to a short lull in the blizzard, they are able to note that very few building have smoke coming from their chimneys. 

Noon, 8th of Nachexen, 2512, Kemperbad

The vagabond convene at the Court House to join the Gravin. They listen as the case is argued by the Gravin's new lawyer(a very out of his depth lawyer). Eventually the Gravin is forced to request trial by combat.

An hour past noon, 8th of Nachexen, 2512, Kemperbad

Diethard finds himself on the judicial martial field, surrounded by roiling snow, barely able to see his opponent. An officer of the court calls the two combatants together and has they swear before Verena fight with honour. And then the battle is on. Diethard finds himself on the sharp end of his opponents  charge, but is able to step aside and twist and take the advantage. He then steps in and swings at his opponents chest, only to find his blow parried. Back and forth the blows flow, until diethard is puts his sword cleanly into his opponents thigh. Udos cries out in pain, despite his best effort, and the afficient comes to check, and calls the battle in the gravin's favour.

3pm, 8th of Nachexen, 2512, Kemperbad

A purse of the gravin's coin in hand, Deithard and the other vagabonds warm themselves at the hammer inn. Discussing what else they might do with the remainder of their day in Kemperbad. Connie uses the time to listen to gossip on the topic of Ubersreik. She learns that some nobles are apparently up in arms over the vote in the Volkshalle, with many nobles not being present for the vote. She also learns that her father has escaped the city.

Erik suggests going to see his friend Rudolf Spektor, a pamphleteer, and the group agree, marching over to the Grossemarket despite the storm. It takes a bit of time, but they eventually find the small garette appartment where Rudolf makes his home. It takes a bit of time and effort to rouse him, and when they do, he is clearly in a bad way. Spektor appears mentally and physically exhausted, having barely slepts in weeks, thanks to his neighbour, Herr Zann, who lives across the street. 

According to Spektor, the eccentric instrument maker plays long into the each night, a music that makes Spektor feel like he is loosing his mind. Zann's bedroom window is but a few feet from Spektors, and when Spektor has looked into his neighbours window whilke he is playing, he says that Zann is staring back, grinning, as though the torment is intentional. 

The Vagabonds decide to visit Herr Zann, and ask him if he can keep the noise down. 

So they make their way across the street, and finding the door open, enter the shop. The bell rings, and a voice calls from upstairs. Then Herr Zann descends, carrying with him a violin, The characters question him about his playing, which he refutes doing at night, before asking them to leave, which they do.

However, on the way out Erik catches glimpse of one of the work benches, and the human femur, which is in the middle of being cut to produce the pegs of a violin.

Outside they quickly discuss what to do, which is very quickly disturbed by the soul-wrenching sound of a very strange violin.  This wraps up the discussion with a general consensus of "Why is sigmar's name does this shit keep happening to us?" and a decision to put an end to the strange instrument maker. 

The vagabonds sneak back in, with connie silencing the bell, and up the stairs. Zann's chambers are covered in unpleasant symbols painted in white wash and what might be dried blood. Several horrifying looking instruments hang from the walls, and at the end of the room, before the window, Zann stands playing, looking out through the window. Erik swings his boat hook into the back of Herr Zann's head, knocking the frail old man out in a single blow. Then Erik stamps on the violin of human bone that the old man had been playing, destroying it. 

Out of the remains of the instrument, a horrifying creature rises, striking at the boatman, and the vagabonds struggle to suppress their fear, as they are confronted with a daemon. The ensuing battle lasts only a few moments, and leave the daemon banished and Erik badly injured. 

Checking on Herr Zann, they find he is dead, as though his vital essence has been dragged away. 

The vagabonds retreat to Herr Spektors appartment, and tell him the problem is solved, but, that under no circumstances should he go over to the shop. Then, they make haste to get back to their beds in th hammer inn.

Morning, 9th of Nachexen, 2512, Kemperbad

Seeing the storm passed, the Vagabonds go to check in with Josef. As they do so, they see the Broadalbin has pulled into dock. They are so busys worrying about this, that it isn't until the lift hits the ground with a thump, that they realised that Etelka Herzen is waiting to use the lift. They alight, hoping that the women they recognise as having been on the Broadalbin, will not recognise them, and to their credit manage to keep their cool.

They sneak back to the barge and speak to Josef, who tells them he'll be leaving the first chance he gets, but they have time to do some shopping. A few hours later, they return, with connie having purchased a new Dagger (practical 1) and Diethard having spend his bonus on a leather leggings, chest plate and open helm.

As they leave, they see the crates being unloaded from the Broadalbin, and handed over to a group of  men who appear to be clerks.

Afternoon, 9th of Nachexen, 2512,  The Reik, North of Kemperbad

The lookouts on the Berebeli spot a series of  stake driven into the river bed, just below the waterline, with moments to spare. With that warning, Josef swings the tiler hard, and steers out the way. On shore, wreckers start to gather to try and get onto the ship, and Josef calls for the crew to call out when they see hazards, and tries to steers between the hazards. While he his mostly successful, the berebeli takes a nasty blow from another stake, before he gets the barge clear. 

Evening, 10th of Nachexen, 2512,  The edge of the Reiker Marshes

The vagabonds go ashore, there they meet with Yela Holtsgutter, the oldest huffer on the river, and they eat supper with her and the other huffers and listen to old tales from the river.

Another good session where a fair amount happened. My players where flagging a bit by the end, so the fight I had planned for the Broadalbin's crew would attack the berebeli will need to happen later. Everyone earned 100xp for the session and a further 10xp for the victory in the trial, and 10xp for the resolution The Music of Herr Zann. 

I had planned on running a day as the trial in full, but so close on the heel of Rough Night and with recognition that my players struggled a little with three feathers, I decided to just steal the idea of the duel.

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