Savage Warhammer S02E01
Having finished the first season, in The Oldenhaller Contract, I’m preparing, to include updates to my homebrew rules, solo tools and conversions, according to lessons learned and new things I want to try. I’ll be also detailing downtime for the characters, and set the scene for the upcoming adventures.
For Setting Rules I will be using the following, and updating the homebrew rules.
- Hard Choices: As is
- Dynamic Backlash: Replaced by Savage Warhammer Magic rules
Dynamic Melee Combat: Not to be used at all.- Grittier Damage: Revised for extra deadliness.
- Henchmen and Right Hands: According to Beasts and Barbarians
Fate Bennies: Not to be used, since Grittier damage is much more dangerous.
Grittier Damage Revised
I spent way too much time here, because I didn’t like how Gritty Damage worked. I want something that is relevant to the weapon used, the injury level, and the location. So after, converting the entire WFRP1e Advanced Critical Effects, I scratched it off, and took what I learned, inspired from other sources as well, and came up with the following:
1 Wound: Minor Injury, Effects are Temporary, last until the character makes a successful Vigor Roll to recover. This is a free action at the start of their action round.
2 Wounds: Major Injury, Effects are Treatable, last until the injury is healed.
3 Wounds: Severe Injury, Effects are Permanent, last forever unless cured by unnatural means.
4 Wounds+: Grevious Injury. Instant death.
Altered Injury Table
as per SWADE Raw, but in addition/modified
- Arm: Any item held is dropped.
- Leg: Must make a successful Agility roll or fall prone.
- Torso: Wound Penalty applies until healed.
- Head: Stunned.
- 1-2 Hideous Scar: Your hero now has the Ugly (Minor) Hindrance, or Major if already Ugly.
- 3 Deafened: An ear is damaged. Gain the Hard of Hearing (Minor) Hindrance or Major if already Deafened.
Additional Injury Effects Injury by Weapon Type
- Sharp Hand Weapons: Major Injuries cause Bleeding, Severe Injuries cause Impale
- Blunt Hand Weapons: Major Injuries cause Breaking, Severe Injuries cause Bleeding
- Teeth and Claws: Major Injuries cause Bleeding, Severe Injuries cause Breaking
- Arrows and Bolts: Major Injuries cause Impale, Severe Injuries cause Bleeding
- Firearms: Major Injuries cause Impale, Severe Injuries cause Bleeding
- Falling and Crushing (TBD)
- Fire and Energy (TBD)
- Bleeding: make a Vigor roll each round or suffer an additional Wound. A raise stabilizes the injury and bleeding stops.
- Breaking: Treatable effects healed Naturally, become Permanent if there was a Failure in the Vigor roll.
- Impale: The weapon is lodged into the enemy, and requires a Strength roll to remove. If removed without a successful Healing treatment roll, then suffer an additional Wound and Bleeding.
The three effects are not equally balanced gamewise, but I can’t think of something to offset the balance at the moment.
I was also pondering the following options:
- Not use the Savage Worlds Wound Track at all – instead, characters perish according to the Critical Effects
- Use Savage Worlds Wound Track, in addition to Critical Effects, but no Wound Penalties
- Use Savage Worlds Wound Track, in addition to Critical Effects and Wound Penalties
I decided to go with the second option, as I feel like it’s the best of both worlds. It will cause Extras to stop fighting at the first Wound, but it won’t combine Critical Effects and Wound Penalties into an impossible Death Spiral. I gave an exception to this by adding the Wound Penalty to any Torso (Guts) hits.
This might give some different results, as some Critical Effects which relate to Wounds don’t have any lingering impact, but the Wound Track still will offset them if it goes down.
Shaken condition still applies normally.
I will be using the WFRP1e critical tables to help me with narrative descriptions if needed.
Solo Engines
The Oldenhaller Contract doesn’t connect directly to the other Prewritten Adventure Modules, so I kind of have to see what my party will do next. I do want them to play in prewritten modules, but I don’t want to use narrative freedom and place them there directly. I want the game to have a story to tell me, and have my protagonists partake in it.
Unfortunately I can’t think of any reason to have my party leave Nuln at the moment. They just arrived here in search of adventure; of course if the adventure takes them elsewhere that’s another discussion. The solo engines I’ve been meaning to try a long time now, are the ones by Jeansen Vaars, GUM, PUM and SUM.
Before putting them to the test, I want to see what happened with my protagonists in the meantime. For Downtimes, I will try to use BOLD Waylays.
Abenzio: (fledgling power play overcome by faction intervention)
this sounds straightforward and connected to the previous adventure
With one gang eliminated, and another headless, there’s a power vacuum in the criminal underworld of Nuln. A new gang is in play, and while in an alleyway alone, Abenzio’s Tilean heritage makes him a target, mistaken for a Valantina gangster. Before having the chance to put his steel to the test, the Nuln City Watch has appeared and the thugs become scarce.
Elhali: (apparent straying/lost overcome by avoidance)
Elhali comes upon a scene of a young teen asking for directions to get her home. She begs for passersby to help her. Her streetwise nature tells her that there could be an ambush in the works. Despite her instincts proving her wrong with Grolsh van Eyke, she hasn’t change her manners. One can take the villager out of the village, but not the village out of the villager. She avoids the stray altogether, and heads back to The Reaver’s Return.
Greta: (forbidden hamlet overcome by counteraction)
is this about her past? forbidden hamlet being her homeplace? what is the counteraction?
Greta is in Reiksplatz when she stumbles upon one of her husband’s cousins, Fritz, a merchant who travels a lot. The man recognizes her, and makes some remarks about how interested her husband will be to know of her whereabouts. Greta is taken aback at first, but then she notices that Fritz is accompanied by a woman of ill repute. She threatens him with sharing his interesting news with his family should he make any revelations. Taken aback from Greta’s newly founded boldness, Fritz mumbles something about him never wanting to cause any ruckus, and disappears quickly into the crowd.
Wolmar: (foreign tavern overcome by favored ability)
he wants to enter a new tavern but he can’t, they won’t let him in, but he talks his way in?
Wolmar wants to learn about any ongoing news and rumours, and heads for the nearest tavern, “The Bull”. As he does so, he is stopped by the doorman, telling him that this establishment is not for men of his status. Wolmar, empowered by his recent adventures, displays the hilt of his short sword, replying that there’s always more than meets the eye, he wants no trouble, but he can handle himself. The doorman is convinced that he misjudged Wolmar, and allows him in.
There are more tools for Downtimes, some including SWADE‘s own interludes. I really like BOLD waylays, as they provide enough traction to even create threads and adventure hooks. From the above examples I have, a new gang, a man from Greta’s past, Elhali being conflicted about her own convictions of trust, and Wolmar being in a position to find new adventuring opportunities.
With the characters having earned a good amount of money, I want to equip them better.
Wolmar will purchase a leather jack and a cap for 15 gc.
Abenzio will purchase a pair of plate bracers for 60 gc.
Greta will purchase heavy robes and trade tools (lab supplies) for 60 gc.
Elhali will purchase heavy leather leggings and a bow for 20 gc.
Note: I went down the rabbit hole of Old World prices, and it's a chaos, changed a lot between editions. It seems like the 1st edition WFRP had the gold crown as standard similar to D&D gold piece, and each version thereafter subsequently mitigated that to more realistic prices. So, I will use the Wealth System from SWADE. They each have a d6 in Wealth normally. The recent reward raised it to Wealth d8 for the upcoming month or so. This should save me the bookkeeping trouble for a while.
I’m considering also that Greta spent some time preparing two Stun and two Healing potions (10 PP total). On purpose I will be making the Alchemy roll when the potion is used, as the meta knowledge of the success of the potion shouldn’t come in place before then.
The Ritual
The adventure I will be tackling is The Ritual.
I went ahead and wrote down all the Plot Nodes.
…and started the adventure.
Claw Mark
Q: Is the scene Modified?
A: Yes
Modified Proposal: Add anger or indignation.
Paraphrasing from the adventure module:
The heroes are walking back from a late night drink at The Bull.
As they are strolling through a particularly dark and quiet street, a door suddenly bursts open from one of the expensive houses lining the road. A young man, dressed only in his night-clothes, rushes out yelling, “Help! Help us you degenerate lowlifes!”
As he catches sight of the characters, he turns and races towards them. A large bruise covers one side of his face. As he races over, gasping for air, a dark shape appears, silhouetted in the doorway of the house. The man gasps out one last sentence, “They’ve got my father… He’s worth way more than you… Get him back and you’ll be rewarded…” before an audible twang comes from the doorway, followed by a much closer thud.
The unfortunate young man collapses into the arms of one of the adventurers, choking and coughing up blood. A crossbow bolt is buried in his back. He is dead.
I modified the young man to have bourgeois indignant behavior, as that’s the best interpretation I could think of considering the prompt of PUM.
Q: Are the characters well equipped?
A: Yes. Anything short of adventuring gear. They have one handed weapons, armor and shields.
I decide for the party that they will run towards the house.
The House
Hallway
Q: Is the scene Modified?
A: Yes
Modified Proposal: Add stress or worry: The PCs hear Klauss’s screams as they enter, while Tavelli goes upstairs as described. If a PC makes a difficult Notice roll, they can discern the direction of the scream.
Wolmar: Notice: Difficult: (4,2)-2: Failure
Elhali: Notice: Alertness, Difficult (5,3)+2-2: Success
Greta: Notice: Difficult: (13,1)-2: Raise
Abenzio: Notice: Difficult: (1,5)-2: Failure
The group splits, Abenzio and Wolmar head upstairs towards the thief, while Elhali and Greta head downstairs towards the scream.
Running inside the wealthy townhouse from the open door, they enter a hallway, opulently furnished with hunting trophies and tapestries which hang from the walls. A plush blue carpet covers the floor. An elaborate staircase in the south-western corner spirals upwards to a balcony that overlooks the hall. A lantern illuminates the hallway and another the balcony.
A tall man with a wide-brimmed hat and a midnight blue cloak runs up the stairs as the adventurers enter. The scream of a man is heard echoing in the house, which the alert elf, and the big eared alchemist discern coming from the ground floor. Greta grabs the lantern, and follows Elhali who runs towards the scream, while Wolmar yelling “Stop!” to the stranger follows Abenzio who roars in the indiscernible pit fighter speech.
Round 1
Wolmar: Agility: (1,1): Critical Failure: He falls down the stairs and receives: 2+1=3 damage. He’s unharmed, but prone.
Abenzio: Agility: (4,1)+1: Success
Abenzio runs up the stairs and attacks the man with his fists, hoping to render him unconscious (Nonlethal damage): Fighting: (1,7): Hit: Right Leg: Damage: 24!: His leg is smashed, and he falls unconscious.
Huh next time I should attempt grappling instead.
Q: Was the scream heard from the direction of the Dining Room? (Likely)
A: Yes
Elhali and Greta run to the Dining room.
Wolmar heads up the spiral staircase to get to the cloaked figure, who in turn pushes down a decorative wine barrel, tumbling down the stairs. Wolmar’s momentum puts him directly in the course of the barrel, and he’s hit, falling to the base of the stairwell, prone, but unhurt.
Abenzio deftly avoids the barrel and charges up, his fist, armed with knuckledusters, connecting to the stranger’s right hip. The mass of the arm combined with Abe’s brawling technique send shivers up his foe’s spine. A cracking sound is heard, and if Abe hadn’t held back, the leg would be dangling in two pieces. The pain is excruciating, and the man drops down, unconscious due to shock.
Elhali and Greta run to the next room from where they heard the faint scream.
The Dining Room
Q: Is the scene Modified?
A: Yes
Modified Proposal: Add anger or indignation.
There is already a level of destruction here that cannot be increased or added to. I’ll just keep the scene as is.
Reading into PUM’s modified proposals, seems like they work best with Scenes rather than locations. Whereas MUNE’s TWENE seems like a better fit for going room by room in a dungeon and seeing if everything is as expected.
TWENE: Remove Simple Element There are no bodies, but a blood trail is evident. Perhaps the attackers took the corpses for whatever ritual they have in mind.
Elhali and Greta enter the dining room which is currently a total mess. Two big blood pools are smothered across the floor, with a blood trail leading to another room. The table is upturned and shattered glass lies everywhere. What must have once been an expensive wooden cabinet has been smashed in along the front; the drawers and their contents have been scattered across the room.
Back to the entrance hall.
Q: Is there anything to tie up Tavelli?
A: It depends (on skill)
I can’t find any skill on my party roster that would help, or any edge, so this means that the answer is No.
“Come on! Let’s go!” Greta shouts to the men, and Abenzio and Wolmar exchange looks.
“He’s out, we have to find the rich dude while he’s still alive.” Abenzio tells Wolmar, referring to their unconscious foe. Wolmar nods. “I was hoping to tie him up, but there’s no time.”
They run after their companions.
The Kitchen
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes
The party enters the kitchen, following the blood trail. This large room has a flight of stone stairs leading down into the cellar. Two clubs rest in a puddle of blood, evident to anyone entering the room.
Q: Do the heroes search the room? (Unlikely)
A: No
They quickly go down the stairs into the cellar.
The Cellar
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes
The adventurers go down the cellar. This stone flagged room is filled with barrels and casks containing a wide variety of fine wines and ales. A flight of stairs leads up into the kitchen in one corner, whilst in another corner, a flagstone has been removed, revealing the entrance to a tunnel. This tunnel leads into the sewer system, the blood trail goes this way, and the adventurers rush in quickly.
Into the Sewers
Q: Is the scene modified?
A: Yes
Modified proposal: Bring someone unhelpful/inconvenient
Rats! Swarms of rats scurrying all around. Considering the party’s last encounter with rats, they won’t like this at all.
Also I need to give a chance to my party to bring more light with them.
Q: Do they consider bringing more light into the dark tunnel?
A: Weak yes, they bring another lantern as spare.
The rock corridor in which the adventurers are standing is pitch black. Illuminated only by the dim light of one of the lanternts. The corridor is quite low (about 6’ high), so Abenzio has to duck to avoid hitting his head against the ceiling. He’s not so happy of this.
The floor is covered with a shallow layer of mud, and footprints clearly mark the path taken by the assailers.
The rats will make it difficult to discern the tracks at -2 penalty.
Wolmar: (3,4)-2: Failure.
Wolmar can’t tell how many the abductors were, or the abductees.
Rats scurry all the way around, and although the footprints are clear, Wolmar cannot tell to how many people they belong.
The corridor and branching passages are rather frightening, as the adventurers hear strange, far off noises, and grunts echoing in them. The walls glisten with moisture – a greenish slime being evident in some places – and the air is distinctly cool. There’s an atmosphere of foreboding here.
Q: Does anyone from the party propose to branch off the passages? (Unlikely)
A: No, definitely not
The tracks eventually lead to a dead end: a wall of moist, smooth stonework.
Elhali: Notice: (9,5): Raise
Elhali notices a marked stone on the smooth wall. She pushes it without second thought, and this causes the wall to swing outwards, providing an entrance to the sewers.
Entrance to the sewers
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes
The sewers, like the corridor leading in to them, are in pitch darkness. They are roughly 10 feet wide, including narrow stone walkways, 2 ½ feet wide to each side of the effluent channel, which is 5 feet deep, and half filled with slow flowing muck.
The walkways are only wide enough to permit movement in single file, and, as they are also wet and slippery.
The effluent, not surprisingly, emits a terrible stench.
An unpleasant and unsettling atmosphere pervades the sewer systems, and all characters without a previous career which would inure them to such an environment (such as Rat Catcher or Sewer Jack), make Spirit Rolls (except those related to casting or resisting Magic) at a Difficult (-2) modifier.
The walls are made of dull grey stone and glisten with moisture (although this time there is no slime).
Wolmar: Survival (Tracking): (9,3): Raise
Encounter roll: 62: No Encounter
As the party enters the sewers, they see the clear footprint trail disappear.
“Now what?” Elhali shrugs.
“Allow me,” Wolmar steps forward, and can see the vague trail of blood drops, and mud footprints in the walkways. “Follow me” he points out and leads the way.
Entrance to the Skaven Den
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes, and.
As the trail ends to another wall, the adventurers now are alert. Searching the wall, they find the secret door, and open it. It leads to a corridor, which is inclined upwards at a steep angle.
Let’s see if Wolmar notices the trip wire.
Wolmar: Notice (1,2): Failure.
Let’s see if he trips it.
Wolmar: Agility (2,2): Failure
Q: Can they hear the bell ringing?
A: Yes, for now
Elhali: Notice: (2,10)+2: Raisex2
A bell rings in the distance, and a small glass globe drops to the floor, releasing a yellowish gas which floods the area.
Wolmar: Vigor: (1,3)-2: Failure: He falls unconscious for 7 minutes.
Wolmar drops unconscious under the influence of the gas.
“Get him!” Elhali tells Abenzio. “We, tripped an alarm.”
She walks backs to step away from the gas.
The poison gas will expand for 5 rounds.
Abenzio enters the gas to try to grab Wolmar.
Abenzio: Vigor: (3,11)-2: Raise: He holds his breath and won’t have to roll in the next round.
Wolmar plus gear is at ~196 lbs. Abenzio has 59 lbs of gear, and can carry a maximum of 320 lbs, so he picks Wolmar up, and starts walking at the minimum pace of 2 yards. The gas will keep expanding each round so he’ll be in the radius constantly until it dissipates, and will have to make all the Vigor rolls…
2nd Round: Abenzio holds his breath
3rd Round: Abenzio: Vigor: (2,4)-2: Failure: Benny: (1,4)-2: Failure: Benny: (1,6)-2: Success
4th Round: Abenzio: Vigor: (5,2)-2: Failure: Benny: (6,2)-2: Success
5th Round: Abenzio: Vigor: (2,8)-2: Success!
The poison dissipates
Random Encounter: 57: No Random Encounter
Abenzio takes a deep breath and enters the yellowish gas cloud. He kneels down, grabs the knocked out herdsman, and puts him over his shoulders, steps up at once, and with slow steps he starts walking back to where Elhali and Greta have run.
The poisonous gas cloud spreads as he walks away, and he barely makes it out in time, before he manages to take a deep breath, and the gas cloud dissipates.
Mere moments pass, as Abenzio places Wolmar gently down, and Greta checks his health, when the torchlight and footsteps of men approaching, warns them of the imminent danger.
Abenzio arms his flail and shield and with Elhali by his side, they turn to face the 7 newcomers, coming from round the corner.
Round 1
Abenzio drew a Joker! Thankfully, he earned back one benny, as spent all while staying awake in the gas cloud.
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (3,1)+2/5: Hit: Torso: Damage: 6/6: Shaken
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,2): Failure
Cultist: Spirit: 1: Failure: Remains shaken
Cultist: Attacks Abenzio: Fighting: 3/: Miss
Elhali attacks Cultist: Fighting: (3,1)/5: Miss
The rest of the cultists gang up behind.
Round 2
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,4)/5: Miss
Cultist: Spirit: 5: No longer Shaken: vs Abenzio: Fighting: 4/8: Miss
Elhali vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,5)/5: Hit: 12: Head: Damage: 6/5: Shaken: The cultist ducks as her sword whistles past at head-height, cutting a piece of the cloak’s hood.
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,1): Failure
Cultist vs Elhali: 2/4: Miss
Round 3
Q: Do the cultists change tactics?
A: No, but, they press on
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,2)/5: Miss
Cultist vs Elhali: 1/4: Miss
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,2): Failure
Cultist vs Abenzio: 4/8: Miss
Elhali vs Cultist: Fighting: (2,2)/5: Miss
Round 4
Cultist vs Abenzio: 5/8: Miss
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,4)/5: Miss
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,4): Success!
Cultist vs Elhali: 3/4: Miss
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,2): Failure
Cultist vs Abenzio: 4/8: Miss
Greta tries to wake up Wolmar: Healing: (3,4): Success!
Elhali vs Cultist: Fighting: (6,5)/5: Hit: Right Leg: Damage: 6/5: A glancing blow to the calf.
Round 5
Q: Do the cultists change tactics?
A: It depends (on skill): so, no
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (1,4)/5: Miss
Wolmar, wakes up and switches places with Elhali: vs Cultist: (3,2)/5: Miss
Cultist vs Abenzio: 8/8: Hit: Torso: Damage: 8/11: Unharmed
Cultist: Spirit: 2/4: Failure: Remains Shaken
Round 6
Cultist vs Abenzio: 7/8: Miss
Cultist: Spirit: 2/4: Failure: Remains Shaken
Abenzio vs Cultist: Fighting: (11,4)/5: Raise: Right Arm: Damage: 10/6: 1 Wound (Minor): The blow smashes into the back of the cultist’s hand. Cultist suffers the One Arm Hindrance until recovery, drops his club and is Incapacitated.
Wolmar vs Cultist: (8,4)/5: Hit: Left Arm: Damage: 9/6: Shaken -> 1 Wound: The blow opens a small cut on the cultist’s forearm. Cultist is hit again and incapacitated.
Round 7
Q: Do the cultists change tactics?
A: Apparently, Not
Cultist steps forward and attacks Wolmar: 10/5: Hit: Left Leg: 6/5: Shaken
Wolmar: Spirit: (4,1): Success: No longer shaken: Fighting vs Cultist: (4,1)/5: Miss
Cultist steps forward and attacks Abenzio: 5/8: Miss
Abenzio vs Cultist: (6,2)/5: Hit: Right Leg: 3/5: Unharmed
Round 8
Cultist attacks Wolmar: 5/5: Hit: Left Leg: 11/5: Soak: (3,3): Fail: Reroll: (11,1): Raise: Soaked all damage (spent 2 bennies)
Abenzio vs Cultist: (3,2)/5: Miss
Cultist vs Abenzio: 4/8: Miss
Wolmar vs Cultist: (10,2)/5: Raise: Torso: Damage: 7/6: Shaken: The blow makes a shallow cut in the cultists’s groin.
Round 9
Cultist vs Abenzio: 1/8: Miss
Abenzio vs Cultist: (9,1)/5: Raise: Left Leg: Damage: 15/5: 2 Wounds (Major): The blow breaks the cultist’s femur. Cultist suffers the Slow Hindrance, falls incapacitated and prone and is Bleeding.
Cultist: Spirit: 2/4: Failure: Remains Shaken
Cultist moves and attacks Abenzio: 3/8: Miss
Wolmar vs Cultist: (5,3)/5: Hit: Right Leg: Damage: 8/5: Shaken -> Wound: Cultist is hit again and incapacitated. The blow causes a flesh wound to the cultist’s calf.
Cultist moves and attacks Wolmar: 3/5: Miss
Round 10
Q: Do the cultists change tactics? (Likely)
A: Yes, for now: they will attempt to flee
Abenzio vs Cultist: (9,4)+2/5: Raise: Left Leg: Damage: 17/5: 3 Wounds (Severe): The blow smashes the cultist’s knee. Cultist suffers the Slow Hindrance, falls incapacitated and prone and has a Broken and Bleeding leg.
Wolmar vs Cultist: (15,3)/5: Raise: Left Arm: Damage: 7/5: Shaken: The blow skins the cultist’s knuckles.
Cultist turns and runs to raise the alarm
Cultist: Spirit: 2/4: Failure: Remains Shaken
Round 11
Elhali runs past Abe and Wolmar to go after the cultist: there’s some distance
Wolmar runs past and draws his hand axe and throws it to the cultist: (11,1)-2/4: Raise: Torso: Damage: 11/6: 1 Wound (Minor): Incapacitated: The blow cuts the cultist deeply across the ribs
Greta moves to attack the shaken Cultist: (6,2)/5: Hit: Right Leg: Damage: 5/5: Shaken -> 1 Wound: Cultist is incapacitated
The heroes are victorious.
Abenzio and Elhali hold the corridor against the gang of cultists who try to charge at them.
They hold valiantly, their lines unwavering, fighting one-on-one the cultists. Greta tries to wake Wolmar up, first with some slaps, then lifting his feet off the ground, but it doesn’t seem to work. Then she remembers, and brings some salts right under Wolmar’s nose, who opens his eyes as if he was kicked to the unmentionables. The rush is imminent, and drawing his sword, he takes the place of the elf, who starts to feel pressured by the wave of enemies.
Abenzio, now smiles with Wolmar by his side, reminiscing the last time the two of them fought side by side, the two men start making short work of their foes.
One by one, the fanatics are brought down, and just when their fanaticism seems to betray them, a cultist from the far end turns tail and runs. Wolmar runs after him, abandoning his shaken foe. He can’t catch up with the coward, but aims his hand axe and throws it. The axe finds his foe in the back, and with a thud he’s down.
Within a minute of fierce combat, seven foes have been vanquished, and the adventurers managed to stop them from raising the alarm. Catching their breath, they now have to decide what to do next.
It’s curious now to see what the status of the extra who were incapacitated during the fight is.
5 of them have survived the combat.
Q: Is there any rope available?
A: It depends (on skill), so no
My characters are adventurers in a gritty grim world, but they’re not murderers. They take their defeated oppponents weapons, and tell them to leave. Abenzio will also try to intimidate them about what will happen should they return. He also wants to find out where did they take the rich man.
I’ll give a +4 bonus as the adventurers are victorious.
Abenzio: Intimidate: (3,2)+4 vs Cultist Spirit: (3,1,7,8,5)
The enemies flee, but there’s a chance that a couple of them might return later. Due to the layout they can’t get past the heroes to raise the alarm, but they might attack them should the heroes fail and try to flee the sewers.
As to the interrogation, to be fair, I’ll randomly have the party choose one of the surviving cultists.
It will be the: 1st of the surviving cultists, who failed their Spirit vs Intimidation roll (3).
Rolling on PUM’s Interaction Oracle.
Q: Do they know where they took the merchant?
A: Yes, of course.
Rolling on SUM’s Truth or Dare.
it sounds like…
there is no reason for them to be lying; fully honest
So, I’ll go with the knowledge we have right now from the prewritten module, but there’s always the off chance that the later scene (if the PCs make it to there) will be modified
The cultist tells them that they got the merchant further inside to prepare for the ritual, but he remains adamant that the adventurers will never make it there in time.
Q: Does he reveal information about the holding cells?
A: Yes, but be careful.
Yes, he tells them that right now the cells are empty, apart from the jailer.
Taking a closer look at their defeated enemies, it seems that two of them will not breathe again the stale air of the sewers, but a handful are still alive, beaten, bruised, but alive.
Abenzio grabs one by the throat and gestures for the rest to flee, without weapons, from the exit of the sewers.
“You’ll either join your living friends, or your dead friends.” He tells the man he holds. “It all depends on what you’ll tell me. Do you understand?”
The man nods, scared.
“The rich merchant. Where did you take him?” Abenzio asks.
“To, to the main corridor, as you head forward, keep left. You can’t miss it. He’s headed for the sacrifice. Don’t waste any time going to the cells. Through the heavy doors. They’re all empty.” He gasps.
Abenzio looks closely. Grunts, and throws him back, releasing his grip, and letting him flee.
Cultist’s Common Room and Guard Chamber
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: No, and: TWENE: Decrease Major Element: Illumination is normally provided by four tourches. But there is only one torch as the cultists took the rest when attacking the party.
There are a couple of tables and some chairs in the north-eastern area of the room, two sets of bone dice, and a pack of cards lying on the tables. Illumination is provided by a single torch mounted on the wall.
The party takes the torch.
It makes sense for the party to look around, so what they see is a deep corridor heading north, a small corridor to a room to the east, and a sturdy oak door to the south.
Wolmar will go to the east, Elhali will attempt to listen to any noise from the door, while Abenzio will stand guard for anyone coming from the north.
Elhali: Notice: (7,2)+2: Raise.
Q: Is there any sound coming from the room (Unlikely)
A: No, definitely not.
Armoury and Store Room
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes, but.
This small cave serves as a makeshift armoury. It contains five swords, six daggers, three hand axes, two flasks of oil, two tinderboxes, and eleven torches. The weapons are all arranged in wooden weapon racks set against the walls, and the torches, oil, and tinderboxes are stacked neatly in another corner.
Wolmar tells Greta to come give a hand. They take the flasks of oil, tinderboxes and torches.
Corridor and Cells
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes.
Elhali opens the door and sees a dismal corridor with nine cells, each, with a small barred window in them.
Considering the information gathered previously from interrogating the cultists, the party won’t investigate the cells further, and instead will move North.
“I can’t hear or see anything else, here.” Elhali reports, as Wolmar and Greta bring supplies. “I guess the man was telling the truth. Perhaps we should hurry.”
The rest of the adventuring party agrees, and carefully, they tread onwards.
Junction
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes
The north running passageway from the guard room splits into two at this point. Standing at the junction, in the positions indicated on the map, are two brown furred Skaven sentries.
Since it’s the first time my adventurers meet Skaven, they must roll for insanity.
Abenzio: Spirit: (1,4): Success
Elhali: Spirit: (1,4): Success
Greta: Spirit: (10,3): Raise
Wolmar: Spirit: (4,4)+2: Success
For a brief moment, the adventurers are startled as they see what seem to be creatures that are a mix of men and rats. Ratmen standing on two legs, wearing clothes and wielding weapons. Greta recalls having read an excerpt in the past about Skaven, but she thought it was a fairytale, until now.
They all get a good grip of themselves, and remain in composure when one of the ratmen turns to them and in broken old world speech asks them what do they want.
Elhali mouths “Follow my lead” to her companions, and steps forward.
“We are to return the prisoner to his cell. Interrogation.” She tries to be as convincing as possible.
Elhali: Persuasion: (9,9): Raise
The ratmen look at each other. “Skretth didn’t tell us anything.”
“Skretth?” Elhali responds quickly. “He’s the one that sent for us. Do you want me to explain to him that you’re the reason we’re delayed? See the big guy behind me? he’s the one that will knock the information out of the prisoner’s mouth”.
Q: Do the Skaven allow all of them through? (Likely)
A: Yes, and hurry up
She plays her hand just right. She usually isn’t much of a talker, but for once, she isn’t met with the prejudice of humans against her heritage, and has some newfound confidence.
The ratmen step aside. “Go. Just so you know. Skretth doesn’t want the ritual delayed. It will be your stinky hide then.” says the guard and laughs, his incisors revealed as the flaps of his mouth move.
End of the Tunnel
Q: Is the room as expected?
A: Yes, but.
The tunnel ends at this point, dropping away to the sewer some 7 yards below. A rope bridge spans the chasm, ending in another tunnel mouth which leads away into the darkness. A rough staircase has been carved into the rock on the southern side of the gap.
Encounter roll: 98: No encounter
The Sacrificial Chamber
Q: Is the room as expected? (Unlikely)
A: No, and. TWENE: Wild Negative.
I’ll use the Random prompt from Prepless PUM.
Lay out a skill challenge: Have to resist or withstand.
So it seems that Skretth has been successful at creating warpstone from his victims (yes, I know the module states otherwise, and that it’s not possible, but the Oracle has decided), and is using the warpstone as catalyst to extract more.
Exposing themselves to warpstone is dangerous, and perhaps Klauss (the prisoner) has mutated already.
This huge natural cavern is dominated by a carving of the Horned Rat on the northern wall. At the north end of the cavern is a bloodstained granite block with an iron ring set into it The south end is bare, except for two pillars supporting the entrance to the tunnel. A torch in a wall bracket provide dim illumination.
A prisoner is bound to the block by a piece of rope tied around his wrists at one end, and to the ring at the other. He is dressed only in a white, torn, bloodstained robe and seems too exhausted to cry for help. He is unguarded.
Above him, set in the stone, is a blackish crystal emanating a greenish glow.
Q: Has Klauss mutated already? (Likely)
A: It depends (on skill)
I’ll give him a Vigor roll to resist: 1: Failure
Mutation: 96: Odd number of eyes: 2: three eyes.
Seeing a mutation causes Fear. Let’s see how the party reacts.
Abenzio: Spirit: (4,4): Success
Elhali: Spirit: (1,5): Success
Greta: Spirit: (9,3): Raise
Wolmar: Spirit: (6,4)+2: Raise
Let’s see if Greta knows anything about the warpstone.
Greta: Science: (2,3): Failure
Q: Does any character want to get the warpstone?
A: Weak yes, only one of them, and the other’s won’t help
It’s going to be: Greta
Greta wants to remove the warpstone out of its slot: Strength: (6,10): Raise
She successfully removes the warpstone.
Q: Does anyone try to stop her?
A: Yes, for now.
Abenzio will attempt to stop her.
As the adventurers close in, they notice…the vague outline of a third, shut eye on the prisoner’s forehead. They look at each other disgusted, but proceed.
Wolmar and Elhali cut the ropes that hold the prisoner, while Greta grabs the crystal out of it’s slot.
As she does so, Abenzio grabs her forearm. “If the ratmen see it missing, they’ll come for us. We’re deep in their den as it is…”
Q: Does Greta abandon the warpstone? (Likely)
A: Yes
She puts the crystal back, and they rush back, Wolmar and Elhali supporting the prisoner.
Greta however has to roll to resist the Chaos: Vigor: (1,2): Failure: Benny: (4,3): Success
Escaping
Q: Do the adventurers escape the tunnels without problem?
A: Yes, but
by the time they have returned to the house the cultist who attacked the house is already gone.
Noone seems to bother them as they make their way back to the surface. The ratmen believed their bluff, and the cultists were dispersed by their fight.
When they reach the house however, the man they had incapacitated is no longer there. They would like to have a nice conversation with him.
Klauss’ House
Q: Is the scene as expected?
A: Yes
I’ll use Let’s Talk for the final scene of the adventure.
Wolmar will do the talking.
The man they saved, washes himself in the basin, and asks for a moment to collect himself. He returns some time later, dressed in clean clothes.
“Thank you, brave fellows. For saving my life.” He tells them. “My name is Klauss Dralst.”
The topic is saving him from the skaven.
Wolmar: Notice: (1,4): Success: He can see the Mood is: Self-absorbed
Wolmar’s hand has Aggressive, Worried and Friendly
He will use Friendly
The NPC’s reaction is: Positive and he is Helpful
“We’re here now. They won’t trouble you again.” Wolmar says, patting the man on the shoulder.
“Thank you!” He answers. “80 Gold Crowns to each of you, should be a proper reward. Yes?” He brings out a pouch. “Ernest…my son…he starts looking around.”
I will not attempt to haggle for a better price.
“Your son?” Wolmar asks. “He’s the one that warned us to come after you. Unfortunately he didn’t make it.
“You should block the entrance to your house from the sewers.” Elhali points out.
“And..take a look at this.” Greta gestures at her forehead to make him understand, and he quickly turns the other way.
“Yes… yes, thank you. Please, I would like to be alone now.” Klauss excuses himself, and the party heads out.
Outside
Q: Has the city watch arrived?
A: Yes, for now.
Q: Is it anyone the heroes know?
A: Yes, absolutely
It is the Sergeant who they met when they caught Bertoldo Vasari.
Let’s give him a name: Reiner Schuster
“Sergeant Reiner!” a city watch guard calls to their sergeant, as they are examining Klauss’ son’s body. The sergeant is the man they had encountered a few nights ago. “We have a few witnesses here.” continues the guard, and the sergeant’s attention is drawn to the adventurers.
“Have I not seen you before…?” he wonders loudly. “You’re the ones who caught that thief…Vasari. Yes, I never forget the faces to whom I’ve given rewards from the city coffers.”
He looks to the corpse, and then to the Dralst house from where the heroes emerged. “What do you know of this? And how are you involved in yet another crime?”
Wolmar’s hand has Wildcard, Worried and Rude
Wolmar: Notice: (3,10): Raise
Sergeant Reiner: Mood: Charming
Wolmar will use Worried
Reiner’s reaction: Positive: Questioning
“The young man got to use before spending his final breath. His father was kidnapped by cultists. We went quickly and saved him from their snatch. I’m worried there is great evil brewing, and they are involved.” Wolmar replies.
“Why you?” the Sergeant asks. “And what kind of cultists? Where did you save his father from, and what is his name?”
Wolmar will use Friendly – Wildcard
Reiner’s reaction: Somewhat Positive: Satisfaction
“We just happened to be returning from a drink at The Bull. Just pure luck that his son got to us.” Wolmar replies. “And of course, as you know about rewards, we’re always happy to assist. Ernest, the son mentioned something along those lines before collapsing. There was a tunnel complex below the house. We don’t know what kind of cult it was, and we didn’t sit around to find out. We got Klaus – the old man back to his house, got the reward and we’re out of there. You could ask him what else he knows. That’s his house over there.” Wolmar points to the Dralst house. He avoided pointing anything out about ratmen, as he didn’t want to be called a liar or taken in for further questioning.
“Alright.” the sergeant gestures for a guard to follow him as he heads towards the house. “You’re free to go, but don’t venture too far. We might have further questions.” He tells Wolmar as he leaves.
At long last, the party is free to go to a well deserved rest.
Bookkeeping & Advancement
Wealth die increased by another die temporarily as a Reward to a d10.
I’ll give each Character an Advancement.
Abenzio: New Edge: Improved Nerves of Steel
Elhali: Raise two Skills: Stealth d6, Thievery d4
Greta: Raise two Skills: Healing d6, Spellcasting (Alchemy) d6
Wolmar: New Edge: Hard to Kill
Adventure Summary
The way the adventure evolved it was pretty straightforward. The twists of the oracle on the module did play their part so that things were kept interesting.
For example, the screams and additional blood trail at the beginning which forced the characters to abandon their downed foe, and also not spend any time investigating the townhouse. This had three immediate effects: there was no chance for interrogating Tavelli or disguising as him, they didn’t take the bombs that could be used against Skaven, but on the other hand, they moved quickly, and reached Klaus in time to save him.
The poison trap was interesting, but the fight against the cultists was boring (I’ll get to that later). A really lucky roll from Elhali let them get past the Skaven without trouble, and due to the way this happened, they got the man without facing Skretth or the Skaven. This was a bit undramatic, but, hey it worked.
I loved the twist with the warpstone at the end, which allows for some interesting plot hooks for the future, as Klaus will become a mutant.
The choices of solo tools worked well more or less. I enjoyed the use of PUM’s Oracle, and SUM was great for the interrogation and seeing if the NPC is lying part, something where Let’s Talk doesn’t apply. MUNE fit well also for using TWENE for Room twists in a dungeon.
Though I’m currently thinking if I should add an extra layer of twists with regards to the map layout. Perhaps roll 1d6 and on 1 remove an exit, and on 6 add another one? Not sure yet. Will still keep this in mind.
Finally, I’m back to the use of Savage Worlds. I still face the same issue I had in the previous adventure. The new Gritty Damage hack seems to work better this time however, Savage Worlds is too Pulpy for Warhammer, no matter how Grittier I make it.
Abenzio is more or less impervious to most common mooks, as they need to get really high results in both attack and damage rolls to hurt him. Now that the rest of the party starts getting equipped properly, the risk of injury is too low, and with the use of Bennies it goes to near nil.
The fight against the cultists in the tunnel was especially boring in the first few rounds, where nothing happened, and remained boring later on as well. Too many misses or attacks that didn’t harm anyone at all.
The poison trap could have made sort work of my party, but the Bennies saved them. Bennies saved Greta from a mutation as well (I am not unhappy with this, as player might have not went for the green glowing blackish crystal after all, and let it be).
Of course in a different environment the party might fare differently. Missile and magical attacks could potentially bring Abenzio down, and things could become dire.
I’m left wondering if I should switch systems or give it another shot.
Benjamin J Marra, and 
Solo, Pen, Paper and Dice 
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