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Twilight in the
Duchy Verdorben
Dro and Thor decide they like this idea. Or rather, they pretend
that they need a moment to consider it, but in truth if you say
“gritty, dark fantasy” to either Thor or Dro they’re already
playing that game in their grimdark souls. I know this about
them, so I tailor my pitch appropriately.
“We’re going to need more than that,” says Thor. “Can there
be a demon? I crave demon.”
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Trouble In Hochen
moment. “The setting is a fantasy empire of Eastern European flavor—
Czech, Hungarian, German and Polish. The village is part of the
holdings of a lord who serves a powerful marcher duke. The village lies
in the snowy foothills of some jagged mountains that provide a bulwark
against ravening hordes of monsters. It’s pretty basic stuff.”
“Ah, in that case,” Thor offers, “I’ll play an idealistic young priest,
freshly returned from his education at the distant capital.”
Thor says, “Do you have any names in mind? They’ll inspire us in
character burning.”
“The village is called Hochen. It’s part of the demesne of a lesser member
of the duke’s household, Stravit. Hochen itself is managed directly by
Wójt Marten Rayla. How’s that?”
“Yes. If you want, you can fill in names for your relationships, too. I’ll
incorporate them in the setting.”
Burn, Baby
In your typical Burning Wheel game, the next step is to burn your
characters based on this situation and setting: How will you save this
plagued village in the foothills of a forlorn duchy?
But for this example, you’re going to use our preburned sample
characters. Review the template and briefly discuss the characters. Talk
about why you’re here on this mission.
Relationship Workshop
The character templates are incomplete. To successfully begin your
game, you must flesh them out. Each player must name and describe
the relationship indicated by his template. Discuss how the relationships
are tied to the situation. Are they in the town? Or did they compel you
to undertake this quest?
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Do this in turn, one player after another. A savvy player will interconnect
his relationship with that of another player.
Demonstration Relationships
Since this is a demo game, the GM should also tell the players that
Marten, the wójt, and Angar, the blacksmith, are available as possible
relationship characters.
Belief Workshop
To write Beliefs, the players must have an idea of what’s going on. They
need to know the situation and the opening action.
Go around the table and have each player read aloud his prewritten
Belief. After that, each player writes two Beliefs for his character: one
about the situation and one about his relationship.
Situational Belief
Your situational Belief can answer any of the following questions: How
will you interact with the town? Are you here to save them, extort
them or damn them? How will you accomplish your mission? Will
you confront this demon? Confront the wójt? Confront the townsfolk?
How will you interact with the other characters? Will you compete,
aid, support or hinder them? These are all options for Beliefs.
Relationship Belief
How is your relationship involved in the situation? Is it a matter of
duty, honor, obligation or love, or perhaps something darker like pride,
extortion or revenge? This Belief defines the dynamic between the
player and the NPC. This Belief is very powerful since the relationship
also stands to define a significant portion of the setting. The GM will
challenge this Belief, and thus the relationship will be tested.
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Not every Belief or relationship will come into play in this short scenario.
Trouble In Hochen
Therefore, the GM should encourage the players to write simple, direct
goals. Loftier and more open-ended Beliefs are tough to address in a
single session of play. However, if you’re planning to play for more
than one session, more remote relationships and longer-term Beliefs are
appropriate.
Knight
Gunter Kiczold is a bog-standard four-lifepath
knight. He’s a tank, but his skill exponents are low.
The player can write his Beliefs about proving himself to his father,
earning fame or wealth on this mission or even protecting his
companions.
Wizard
Brin is a haughty personality. She’s a simple three-
lifepath wizard, and plenty powerful. Though she
doesn’t have any killing spells, the combination of
Phantasmagoria, Spirit Servant, Binding and Call
of Iron make her versatile and potent in the hands
of a creative player.
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Brin’s relationship is fairly well locked in. Her uncle makes an excellent
potential villain for the scenario. It’s up to the GM if he’s the one who’s
actually behind this madness or if he just holds dark secrets that may
aid her.
Encourage her player to write her Beliefs about creating a reputation for
herself, overawing the villagers (and her companions) and discovering
her uncle’s evil works.
Priest
Theoden is a powerful yet delicate character. His
faith is mighty, and his will strong, but he lacks any
material protection whatsoever. If protected and
aided, he’s a valuable asset.
Encourage the player to write his Beliefs about doing a service for his
cousin. He can write a zealous Belief about purging Hochen of evil.
Alternately, he can write a nurturing Belief about healing this place or
protecting his companions with the shield of his faith.
Hunter
Daniel is a local. He has a personal stake in this
game.
Dwarf
Fureard is a good sort, deep down. He’s a treasure-
hungry adventurer, certainly, but he’s not so greedy
as to commit evil acts.
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Trouble In Hochen
treasure or other fortunes from this scenario. This Belief is a chance for
Fureard to be played as a cutthroat adventurer—seeking to extort the
village for his help against the demon. But a Belief like this also sets up
an excellent opportunity for a Moldbreaker moment. Fureard can play
the hard-ass, but ultimately relent and act out of compassion rather
than greed.
Since he’s far from home, encourage his player to write a Belief that
binds him to another character in the group. Good Beliefs in this case let
him ride on the coattails of the knight or wizard. Or lead him to protect
Daniel or Theoden.
Elf
Cerebirn is yet another young Elf on the run from
his homeland. He’s not an exile, and committed no
crime aside from shirking his duties due to ennui.
Cerebirn’s Beliefs must be forceful. He’s far from home and can easily
just toddle off on another walkabout. It’s best if both of his Beliefs are
tied to another character in the group. For example: He’s going to help
Brin purge the evil magic from this place; and he’s going to help Fureard
find his treasure.
GMing Hochen
The Ugly Truth About Hochen
This scenario takes place in the village of Hochen and the surrounding
woodland area. Hochen is in trouble—famine, destitution and all that.
The villagers have turned to a pagan goddess—Tawaret—for succor. But
now there’s a demon stalking the village. It’s a chicken/egg problem. Did
the god send the demon or was the demon there before they bent knee
to this abomination? It’s up to the players to find out!
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What will you add to this scenario? How will you change it to suit your
needs? What additional characters will you introduce? The best practice
is to read the scenario and try to play it straight, but as unexpected turns
arise, wing it. Just be sure to thrust obstacles in front of the players that
solidly challenge their Beliefs.
Order of Events
In order to run this adventure, you must familiarize yourself with the
characters, their Beliefs and the actions described in this section. You
must internalize these elements. There is no set order of events to the
action in this adventure, except that the group begins meeting Marten
Rayla on the bridge. You present the initial action—Marten’s greeting—
and play off the players’ reactions.
Unskilled Tests
You’ll note that many of the tests in this scenario call for skills the
characters do not have. This is deliberate. This is how you run Burning
Wheel. It doesn’t matter if the characters have the skill. Certain obstacles
call for certain abilities. If the characters don’t have those abilities, the
players can choose to test using Beginner’s Luck (Burning Wheel, page
40) or to try to find another way around.
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Trouble In Hochen
GM should lift the penalties. Remember that these penalties will apply
to friend and foe alike.
The ground is covered with ice and snow. Before any martial conflict,
the GM may declare that the footing is very bad due to the snow and
impose a +1 Ob to all positioning tests. Any positioning or Speed test
failed by more than two successes results in the character slipping and
falling prone. Use this for grim, gritty comedy.
Marten’s Greeting
Wójt Rayla greets the adventurers at the covered bridge over the
Felsbach. Despite the obvious devastation of his village, the wójt assures
the investigating group that all is fine now and their services aren’t
needed. When the characters meet Marten, it’s late in the afternoon.
Not to be inhospitable, Marten invites the group into his home to talk.
Play Marten as if he is hiding something (he is) and tell the group that
he is hiding something. Just don’t tell them what he’s hiding. Let them
make some tests—Ob 4 Intimidation, Persuasion or Falsehood—or
engage in a Duel of Wits to get it out of him.
Beliefs— It is my duty to shepherd Hochen through these dark times. Our god has
abandoned us; we must do whatever we can to survive. Tawaret will bring life and
prosperity to Hochen.
Instincts— Always listen for village gossip. When I don’t know for certain, obfuscate.
When trapped, act rashly and without thought.
Traits— Verdorben [Char], Pragmatic [Char], Fixed Smile [Char], Gossip [Char],
Cramped Right Hand [Char], Mind for Small Details [Char], Flatterer [Char], Guilty
Conscience [Char]
Circles— 1D reputation as Wójt of Hochen. 1D affiliation with villagers of Hochen.
Skills— Rule of Law B2, Persuasion B4, Falsehood B5, Village-wise B5, Bureaucracy
B2, Read B2, Write B2, Cooking B2, Mending B2, Accounting B3, Soothing Platitudes
B5, Guest-wise B3, Animal Husbandry B2, Riding B2, Horse-wise B3, Road-wise B2
Gear— Clothes, shoes, riding horse (and accoutrement)
Weapons— Bare Fist: I B2, M B3, S B4. VA –, Add 2, 3, Shortest
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As a whole, the cultists believe Marten was wrong to bring the characters
(“the interlopers and interferers”) to Hochen. They are deeply unhappy
with his leadership. They feel that these outsiders will upset their new
goddess, Tawaret. They fear she will withhold aid to the villagers. They
decide they need to pray to her more strongly and perhaps even offer
her a sacrifice! One of their number, Angar Smith, has taken a nominal
leadership position in the cult. He is the most outspoken about Marten’s
incompetence.
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Trouble In Hochen
Cultists
Wi Pe Ag Sp Po Fo Hea Ref MW Ste Hes Res Cir Str
B3 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B10 B4 7 B1 B1 7
Su: B3 Li: B5 Mi: B7 Se: B8 Tr: B9 Mo: B10
PTGS
Beliefs— I don’t trust outsiders. Tudom, our god, has abandoned us, we must do whatever
we can to survive these dark times. My family and my livelihood are the most important
things in my life. Tawaret will bring life and prosperity to Hochen.
Instincts— When questioned by outsiders, clam up. Always give a suspicious glare
to foreigners. When my neighbor needs a hand, pitch in.
Traits— Verdorben [Char], Calloused [Char], Prominent Scar [Char], Starved [Char],
Hardened [Char], Zealot [Dt], Rabble-Rouser [Char]
Skills— Ditch Digging B4, Mending B3, Sewing B3, Drudgery-wise B4, Cult Doctrine
B2, Inconspicuous B3, Falsehood B2, Persuasion B2, Brawling B3
Gear— Clothes, shoes, farm implement or knife, appropriate tools
Weapons— Bare Fist: I B2, M B4, S B6. VA –, Add 2, WS 3, Shortest
Farm Implement: I B3, M B6, S B9. VA –, Add 2, WS 2, Longer
Skinning Knife: I B3, M B5, S B7. VA –, Add 1, WS X, Shortest
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In Fight!, the cultists will make judicious use of their numbers (about
two dozen ready and willing to fight) and the Charge and Lock actions.
They will start cautiously with Avoid and Block actions. On the second
volley, have two cultists Charge/Close one character and try to bring
him down. They help one another. On the third volley, they’ll use
Lock, again helping one another. If they can pin a character down,
draw knives (two actions) and start cutting. After a few cuts, give the
character a chance to surrender and then drag him back deeper into the
longhouse. Vicious little cultists!
The cultists believe they are between the devil and the deep blue sea.
They’ve angered their goddess and she has showered them with disfavor.
They must win her favor back (with ever more drastic actions). But their
pagan cult has been discovered, and they’ll surely be tried and burned
for this crime by the religious authorities. So this fight is all or nothing
for the cultists.
If the cultists are defeated, they will sink to their knees and beg for
mercy. See the Interrogating the Cultists heading in this section.
If the player characters break and run from the fight, Hochen will
divide into armed camps: those siding with the cultists and those siding
with the characters. The cultists will participate in hostage exchanges.
See the Captured by Cultists heading in this section.
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Trouble In Hochen
Perception (unskilled Observation). Sleeping characters suffer a +1 Ob
disadvantage because they’re asleep. Do not allow the group to help one
another for this test. It doesn’t make sense in the fiction to have sleeping
characters actively helping one another.
If the whole group fails, the cultists politely wake them. Skinning
knives are pressed to the characters’ throats. The characters are asked
to come along quietly. It’s likely that the players will want to resist and
force their way to freedom. Make a versus Power test in this case. Each
cultist has 1D of help from a companion. If successful, the character
breaks free unharmed. If unsuccessful, the character does not escape
and furthermore he suffers a Light wound. There is no time to cast
spells or utter prayers in this situation.
If one of the characters is successful but the others are not, he’s
overlooked as the rest are taken hostage. It’s his chance to rescue them!
If half of the group fail the test but half pass, a hostage situation arises.
The successful characters are on their feet and ready, but not before
their companions are grabbed and held.
Try to use versus tests to resolve any altercations at this point in the
scenario. Do not go to Range and Cover or Fight! yet.
Captured by Cultists
If the entire group is captured, they are tied down in an icy field. The
cultists build a bonfire, produce the grotesque idol of Tawaret and begin
to pray. They pray to Tawaret for abatement of their miseries—the
player characters are offered as sacrifice to her demons. The characters
may attempt to loose their bonds with an unskilled Ob 2 Escape Artist
test (Beginner’s Luck Ob 4 Agility) or an Ob 5 Power test. Theoden
can use a Minor Miracle to loosen his bonds and those of his allies.
Brin can cast Spirit Servant and command it to untie her. The Spirit
Servant doesn’t need to test to untie her. However, to prevent themselves
from being noticed while casting, Brin and Theoden need to pass an
unskilled Inconspicuous (Beginner’s Luck Will) versus the Cultists’ B4
Perception (not Observation so these successes aren’t doubled).
If the characters escape, the bear bursts onto the scene as they make
their break.
If they fail to escape, I’d keep them tied down as the bear comes. Have
them watch helplessly as the cultists are mauled and devoured by the
bear. When the butcher’s work is done, the bear shambles over and
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sniffs at them, dripping ichor. He leaves them to their fate and staggers
off into the night. By morning light, dazed and frozen, the characters
manage to work free of their bonds. They all must pass an Ob 4 Forte
test. The margin of failure is an obstacle penalty to all physical actions
until the character gets food and rest.
If only some of the characters are captured, the cultists will attempt to
use the characters as hostages and bargain for clemency. Use the Duel
of Wits to negotiate a settlement.
If successfully interrogated, the cultist will reveal that he and his people
are devout Tudomians, but they also pay homage to the fertility goddess,
Tawaret. The fields have been fallow for years, and desperate measures
had to be taken. The idols of the goddess depict a plump woman with
voluptuous curves, eight breasts and the head of a hippopotamus. No
one knows where they originally came from. The cultist will reveal a
hidden altar to the goddess in the root cellar of his home.
The bear itself is enraged and aggressive. It will charge and maul
anyone who takes a remotely aggressive posture against it. This includes
launching missiles at it or charging it. It is also a cunning creature. If it
can’t move into close range with its raw Speed, it will withdraw and use
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its Stealthy skill. It will even flee into the night and return at another
Trouble In Hochen
time and place to exact revenge.
Skills— Savage Mauling B5, Intimidation B6, Hunting B4, Foraging B6, Stealthy B4,
Tracking B3
Traits— Massive Stature [Dt], Tough [Dt], Omnivore [Char], Sweet-Tooth [Char], Keen
Smell [Dt], Fanged [Dt], Loner [Char], Infected by the Black Oil [Dt], Devastator [Dt]
Weapons— Head butt: I B4, M B8, S B12. VA 1, Add 2, WS 2, Short.
Claws: I B5, M B9, S B13. VA 2, Add 2, WS 2, Short.
Powerful Bite: I B5, M B10, S B15, VA 3, Add 2, WS 2, Short
The bear’s den is a remote, shallow cave. It has been painted with
arcane symbols and curses. An Ob 3 Symbology test identifies the
symbols as necromantic in origin. They are supplications to the dark
powers begging for favor and certainly weren’t painted on the walls by
the bear! It’s up to you, game master, to decide who marked this cave.
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If you’d like to legitimately set up the ambush, test the bear’s B4 Stealthy
against the player’s unskilled Observation. If the bear wins, it can attack
from ambush at any time. Attacking from ambush forces a Steel test as
described above.
These rules are likely to get characters killed, so only use them if you
think your players up to the challenge. If you’re new to Burning Wheel
or just aren’t feeling particularly mean, don’t ambush the characters and
don’t call for Steel tests when the bear makes its entrance.
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claws or Lock it with his jaws. It’s fun to watch the look of horror on the
Trouble In Hochen
other players’ faces as the bear is dragging around one of their number
in its mouth, while swatting at the rest of them with its massive paws.
The bear will also cleverly defend itself with Avoids, Blocks and
Counterstrikes. Enraged though it may be, it is a smart bastard.
The bear doesn’t have armor or Ironskin. It’ll bleed if it’s cut. So it
should attempt to retreat if it’s injured by more than 1D. If the bear is
cornered and unable to retreat, it will go into Aggressive Stance and try
to take down a few of its attackers.
Also, note the bear possesses the Devastator trait (Monster Burner, page
322). If his attacks cause armor damage or breaches, they count twice
for this effect—two points of armor lost, two breaches made.
Exploring Hochen
and the Surrounds
The action of this adventure takes place primarily in the village, but may
move off into the wilds if the players track the bear.
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that these marks were left by a bear. Successes over the obstacle spent
on working patiently can be used to note dark stains that look like dried
blood in the marks.
The Villagers
About half of the villagers of Hochen are not cultists. However, note
their Beliefs and Instincts. They will not get involved in these dark deeds
unless forced.
They will not speak unless persuaded. They will not help unless both
bribed and reassured. They will not aid in a fight unless rallied—Ob 4
Oratory to win them over, followed by an Ob 4 Command to lead them
into battle.
Villagers
Wi Pe Ag Sp Po Fo Hea Ref MW Ste Hes Res Cir Str
B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B10 B4 6 B1 B2 7
Su: B3 Li: B5 Mi: B7 Se: B8 Tr: B9 Mo: B10
PTGS
Beliefs— My family and my livelihood are the most important things in my life. My
neighbors are up to strange things, but it’s none of my business what they do.
Instincts— When questioned by outsiders, clam up. Always give a suspicious glare to
foreigners. When my neighbor needs a hand, pitch in.
Traits— Verdorben [Char], Calloused [Char], Prominent Scar [Char], Starved [Char],
Hardened [Char]
Skills— Choose appropriate skills from the following selection: Ditch Digging B3, Mending
B3, Sewing B3, Cobbler B3, Blacksmith B3, Butchery B3, Drudgery-wise B4
Gear— Clothes, shoes, appropriate tools
Weapons— Bare Fist: I B2, M B4, S B6. VA –, Add 2, WS 3, Shortest.
Farm Implement: I B3, M B6, S B9. VA –, Add 2, WS 2, Long.
Skinning Knife: I B3, M B5, S B7. VA –, Add 1, WS X, Shortest.
Village of Hochen-wise
Here are the suggested obstacles for Village of Hochen-wise: Ob 1,
Hochen produces wheat, barley and goats. Ob 2, Hochen is a village in
Lord Hochen’s demesne. The Lord of Hochen is a Stravit. Ob 3, Hochen
is so small there is no practicing priest or judge in the village. Itinerants
come seasonally. Ob 4, the village is in a terrible state of disrepair
beyond the destruction caused by the demon.
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Trouble In Hochen
Tudom and Tawaret
Most devout and faithful peoples of this duchy, Verdorben, pay homage
to a just and holy god, Tudom. He keeps evil at bay, locked behind the
heavenly vault. (Though the vault is cracked, due to a cosmic betrayal,
and from this crack come demons and all the evil that men do.)
Tawaret is an obscure, ancient fertility goddess from the far south. Her
statues were introduced into this village by the infamous necromancer
Götrung. He used to pass through these lands disguised as a simple
peddler, spreading his seeds of corruption.
In truth, though her rituals are bizarre and require great sacrifice,
Tawaret is no demoness. She brings fertility to those who properly pay
her homage. But here, in this frozen waste, worshipped by benighted
fools, she is as powerless as the night is cold.
However, I recommend you use our sequel scenario, Dinner for One,
which begins on page 24.
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This revelation is best delivered after the players have burned the
heretics at the stake and torched their houses for good measure.
Oil Amok
It’s also possible that your group succumbs to the black oil. If that’s
the case, I encourage you to use the Black Oil and Black Rod rules
contained in this chapter as the basis for your own fantasy apocalypse
campaign. Our published scenarios are going in another direction—
assuming more cautious players—so you’re on your own here. If you end
up running this way, let us know about it on our forums.
If a character comes into contact with the oil, he risks infection. See the
new trait, Infected by the Black Oil, for details.
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To resist the effects of the oil and prevent infection, the character must
Trouble In Hochen
pass an Ob 5 Forte test. If the character washes in clean water soon
after contact, grant two advantage dice. If the character is injured when
he comes into contact with the oil, add +1 Ob for Superficial or Light
wounds, +2 Ob for Midi or greater wounds.
If the Forte test is failed by one, the character enters a slow stage of
infection. For the first day, he shows no outward sign. On the second
day, his pallor becomes ashen. He loses sensitivity in his nerves and
emotions—the world seems remote to him, a thing to be watched with
disdain. On the third day, he becomes violently ill and cold to the touch.
If he is not saved by the third day, he becomes infected and gains the
Infected by the Black Oil trait.
If the Forte test is failed by more than one, the character enters a fast
stage of infection. He grows steadily more pale. When he sleeps and
awakes the next morning, he is sick and ashen. If he is not saved that
day, he is infected and earns the Infected by the Black Oil trait.
Only two things can save a character who is in the early stages of the
infection: a Minor Miracle or an Ob 4 Bloodletting test. The Faith test
miraculously restores the character, as is appropriate. A successful
Bloodletting test leaves the character drained and weak, but cleansed.
A failed Bloodletting test does not stop the infection, and furthermore,
the erstwhile bloodletter must pass an Ob 5 Forte test lest he be infected
by the oil!
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Death Art or Alchemy* can be used to discern the oil’s properties, but
not stop its effects. This is a standard independent test, not an open
test. The player must set his obstacle before rolling the dice and he only
gets the information for that obstacle result. What’s more, his test rides
unless conditions change. Obstacles for investigating the oil: Ob 1, It is
not naturally occurring; it is a necromantic substance. Ob 2, It seems
to have a mind of its own; it can be washed off the skin, but it keeps its
cohesion in water. Ob 3, The oil itself infects through open wounds or
orifices; if burned, it turns to an evil toxin. Ob 4, It only takes about
two or three days before the victim is fully corrupted. Ob 5, It cannot
be destroyed, only changed.
*Nota Bene: Both of these skills are of the sorcerous type. Therefore,
they cannot be tested using Beginner’s Luck until the character has
received instruction from another skilled character.
Black Rod
A black rod is a special device constructed from a distillation of the black
oil. This is done through enchanted alchemical processes under guidance
of a death artist. A rod allows its bearer to command infected creatures
in his presence. The creatures may be given simple commands as per
the Death Art rules. The bearer of the rod may command a number of
creatures equal to his Will exponent. If the creatures leave his presence,
they will continue to execute the last command issued to them. Once the
command is completed, they revert to their own native impulses.
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The black rod also confers +1D to Forte and Health. It will slowly
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dissolve in water, reverting to essential oil. If burned, it has the same
properties as the black oil described previously. You also gain the
character trait Cold to the Touch, as the rod taps into your soul to fuel
its evil magics.
Black rods are bound to their makers. To use one you did not create
yourself, you must bond with it. To bond with it, you must make a Will
test versus the Will of its previous owner. If successful, you gain mastery
over the device. If the test is failed, you become infected with the oil
and under the sway of the rod. You gain mystical knowledge of the rod’s
owner’s location and must immediately return the rod to him.
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Dinner for One
Dinner for One is a Burning Wheel scenario in which characters
meet and have dinner with the enigmatic Lord Stravit. It is
the continuation of Trouble in Hochen. At its heart, it is a
very simple scenario. It begins shortly after the conclusion of
Trouble in Hochen.
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This revelation is best delivered after the players have burned the
Starting Fresh
If you’re starting with Dinner for One, you need to set up a bit of a
preamble. You need to find out just what happened during Trouble in
Hochen—even though the players didn’t actually play through it.
Tell them the short version: They were sent to the town to deal with a
demonic infestation; it turned out the demon was a zombie bear; the
townsfolk were cultists worshipping a foreign goddess to grant them
succor from the demon.
Let the players decide how it turned out. Ask them if they killed the
demon-zombie-bear or if they just drove it off. Did they persecute the
cultists? Did they burn the village?
Relationship Workshop
Relationships take a back-seat in this one. Encourage players to build
relationships that are leaning on them for success in this venture: a
father at court, a mother in the village, a cousin looking for a deal.
Ask them to define what interest their relationship has in Hochen or
the seigneur. There aren’t too many NPCs or opportunities to bring
them into the action, so it’s better if they have expectations rather than
a presence.
Using Templates
This scenario is intended to be played with the characters provided.
If you must burn your own characters, I recommend three-lifepath
humans with noble, sorcerous, religious, mercenary or cultist ties.
Belief Workshop
In order for this scenario to run properly, you must lay out the situation
and the players must write Beliefs about it.
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Situational Belief
Write a Belief about Stravit—impressing him, defending yourself in
his eyes, learning more about him, earning a reward from him or even
a recommendation at court.
Relationship or PC Belief
Write a Belief about fulfilling an obligation to one of your relationships
who has an interest in Hochen or Stravit. Or write a Beliefs about
protecting, hindering, impressing or avenging yourself upon one of
the other player characters.
Not every Belief or relationship will come into play in this short scenario.
Therefore, the GM should encourage the players to write simple, direct
goals. Loftier and more open-ended Beliefs are tough to address in a
single session of play. However, if you’re planning to play for more
than one session, more remote relationships and longer-term Beliefs are
appropriate.
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Knight
Wizard
Encourage her player to write her Beliefs about
creating a reputation for herself, overawing her
companions and discovering her uncle’s evil works.
Her uncle is definitely interested in young Brin. It’s
not everyday that an evil necromancer has a
powerful sorceress for a niece.
Priest
Encourage the player to write his Beliefs about
doing a service for his cousin and ingratiating
himself to Stravit. Alternately, he can write a
nurturing Belief about healing this place or
protecting his companions.
Hunter
Encourage his player to write earnest Beliefs about
aiding the knight, the priest or the wizard.
Encourage emotional Beliefs about the sad state of
the village. And, of course, Beliefs about saving his
mother are never amiss.
Dwarf
Fureard’s player should be encouraged to write
Beliefs about winning treasure or other fortunes from
this scenario. This Belief is a chance for Fureard to
be played as a cutthroat adventurer—seeking to
extort the lord for saving his village. But a Belief like
this also sets up an excellent opportunity for a
Moldbreaker moment. Fureard can play the hard-ass,
but ultimately relent and act out of compassion rather than greed.
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Since he’s far from home, encourage his player to write a Belief that
binds him to another character in the group. Good Beliefs in this case let
him ride on the coattails of the knight or wizard. Or lead him to protect
Daniel or Theoden.
Elf
Cerebirn’s Beliefs must be forceful. He’s far from
home and can easily just toddle off on another
walkabout. It’s best if both of his Beliefs are tied to
another character in the group. For example: He’s
going to help Brin purge the evil magic from this
place; and he’s going to help Fureard find his
treasure.
Continuing Artha
If you’re continuing from Trouble in Hochen, use the artha totals from
the completion of that scenario.
The atmosphere for this scenario should start as odd, move to weird
and then shift into bleak and bloody. I’ll talk about that more in a bit.
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Order of Events
Tomasz ferries the group back to the house and begins preparing dinner
himself. It’s an odd scene. There are no other servants about except these
two. The boy serves the soup. (See Serve the Servants)
Stravit arrives at dinner. He thanks the young heroes for their efforts
in Hochen, though he’s not pleased if the village was damaged or the
people harmed. (See Dinner for One)
Stravit complains that he’s had recent troubles with similar creatures.
After the dinner, he invites the characters down into the cellar to
investigate. He promptly locks them in with his black-oil-infected
servants. (See Invitation to Mayhem)
Should the characters escape, they will likely wish to confront Stravit.
He will not hide from them. He’ll meet them, sword in hand, at the
top of the grand stairs. He’ll give a big ol’ villainous monologue before
challenging one of the nobles to a duel. (See Duel on the Stairs)
Tomasz’s Greeting
Tomasz arrives in Hochen just as the dust is settling from the bear and
the cult. He is driving a large sleigh pulled by a team of four draft
horses. Łukasz sits tucked under a blanket in the front seat.
He intones, “Greetings heroes! Word of your deeds has reached the ears
of my master, the lord of this domain. He wishes to express his gratitude
to you. Please come with me to the manor.”
There’s no choice or action here. The characters board the sleigh and
Tomasz drives them through the forest to the manor. Describe the quiet
forest, the sound of the horses’ hooves, the cut of the sleigh on the ice
and snow.
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The characters arrive at the manor and Tomasz informs them that
dinner will be served shortly. He and Łukasz hustle off into the kitchen.
He can be heard giving the boy orders.
If questioned about the lady’s illness, Tomasz asserts that “She is very
ill, but milord is an excellent doctor.”
Stravit joins them once dinner is served. Note to the players that he
wears a strong perfume—as per his Instinct.
If they inquire about the black oil, he’ll act surprised and concerned.
“Hm. What you say sounds familiar. I think we might have encountered
something similar here.” He’ll use this a pretext to lure the characters
into the cellar.
If questioned about his wife, he’ll intone that she is gravely ill as he
rattles off an incomprehensible diagnosis. If questioned about the state
of his affairs, he’ll sigh heavily and offer something similar to, “It’s so
hard to find good help these days.”
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Stravit will absolutely accept a Duel of Wits about the village, a reward
Invitation to Mayhem
Stravit bids the characters to investigate the cellar. He tells them as little
as possible. If he must, he’ll admit that he’s trapped another “creature”
down there—similar to the bear.
The wine cellar contains wine racks and an old, broken wine press. It is
also piled and littered with the contents of the storage room. Old linens,
sacks of stuff, barrels, chests of odds and ends.
Stravit waits until they’re stuck in before he makes his retreat. You only
need to make a test if someone has a hand on Stravit for the duration of
the mayhem. You really don’t want to roll any dice here. Stravit’s stats
are crap, but you can use his Dexterity of the Cat call-on to have him
leap nimbly up the narrow stairs.
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If the players insist on gathering arms before they enter the basement,
don’t make a fuss. They’re allowed to play smart. But if they forget,
it’ll make for an interesting fight!
If the characters lose the single test, well, thing are bad. Perhaps a
miracle can save them before they’re devoured. Let It Ride prevents
them from simply retesting. They must find another way to defeat the
creatures or escape.
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Note that if Stravit closed the door to the basement, “escape” means
the top of the stairs. The corpses will crawl up the stairs to feast on the
cowering characters. So they’ve only managed to buy themselves some
time to deal with the inevitable. Failure indicates they must confront
the dead, either using the series test method, a fight or some other
desperate gambit. See the Escaping heading in this section for details
on getting through the door.
Characters who brought down their opponent may come to the rescue
of others who did not. Characters who fled may not. Characters who
are holding down a corpse may help if they let their quarry go. This
means to the two corpses help each other against the one rescuing
character. The rescue will save a character from being vomited on, but
it still leaves a free corpse to deal with.
You can keep making tests like this until all of the corpses are
incapacitated or until all of the characters have fled, are dead or
infected.
Fight!
This situation makes a great fight: The walking dead burst forth from
a creepy room in a basement; the light swings wildly; the door slams
shut behind. Trapped, you must fight your way out!
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Only use the Fight! option if you have time—it’ll probably take 40-60
During the scuffle, if you have more corpses than characters, have the
corpses help one another against a single target. It makes the melee
simpler.
The first step in this fight is to make Steel tests for surprise all around.
Then roll for initial positioning individually. Characters who failed
their Steel test can only test for positioning if they Run Screaming.
They cannot use weapon length advantages. Otherwise, the corpses
don’t have weapons or high Reflexes, so the characters will probably
win the positioning.
Lastly, if desperate for time or respite, the characters can open the
root cellar (2 actions) and rush in (successful Withdraw positioning)
and barricade themselves in (Power vs Power). This ends the combat.
The players must formulate a plan from here—perhaps a spell or
clever stratagem.
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Tomasz will defend his master from being rushed. But Stravit will push
him aside at the soonest opportunity and challenge the noblest among
them to a duel of honor—for the honor of his wife and his reputation.
It is a duel to the death. Should the players accept, they must nominate
one of their own to face Stravit in single combat. I recommend using a
Fight! to resolve this. Stravit is unarmored. Tomasz will point this out
and attempt to pull off his opponent’s armor. Facing him unarmored is
the honorable thing to do—but it’s the player’s choice.
Stravit will not accept a Duel of Wits at this point. He declares that
theses “so-called heroes” have impugned his honor and ravaged his
lands. They must be punished.
Night Work
If the characters are not trapped in the cellar with Stravit’s experiments,
they are invited to overnight at the manor. This brings up a lot of
potential for mischief. Tomasz opens up the old guest bed rooms for
them. The lady Brin gets a room to herself—the one closest to Stravit.
The men are bunked in the other two rooms.
Tomasz stays on overnight watch. He’ll hide in the shadows of the foyer,
under the balcony, listening for sounds of feet sneaking about. To escape
his notice, the characters must beat his Observation. Make a versus
test. Tomasz gets a +1D advantage for undertaking the test carefully—
waiting under the stairs. He’ll use his Stealthy and Quiet trait to catch
any mischief-makers unawares.
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The door to Stravit’s suite is locked. It can be quietly picked (Ob 2).
But Stravit is awake within, looking after his wife. Stravit can test B3
Observation against the player’s riding Stealthy successes that he used
to fool Tomasz.
Rather than attack, the walking corpses attempt to vomit on the faces
of their unsuspecting victims. Make an Ob 1 Agility test for each
vomiting corpse. Success indicates the victim must pass an Ob 5 Forte
test as described under the Black Oil section of the Trouble in Hochen
chapter.
Otherwise, run this as a mad fight throughout the manor. Let the
characters run from room to room with positioning. Stravit, Tomasz
and the boy are conspicuously absent from the melee.
Tomasz and his son, Łukasz, take care of all of the household duties:
the cooking, the laundry, cleaning, chopping firewood, drawing water
and tending the grounds. It’s too much work for the two of them. The
house is falling into disrepair. Everyday tasks are left undone, piling up.
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When running the manor, simply stress that Tomasz takes care of
Guest Rooms
Each guest room contains a large bed with a comfortable mattress, a
wardrobe, a mirror, rugs and a fireplace.
Stravit’s Quarters
Stravit’s quarters consist of three rooms: the bath, the study and the
bedroom. The scent of Stravit’s perfume emanates from the rooms. All
of the rooms are locked. Stravit holds the keys. None but he are allowed
to enter.
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The bath has been converted into his laboratory. It is full of arcane
equipment—the death art workshop. The bath basin itself is full of
black oil.
The study contains his notes and designs for the black rod and for his
experiments to modify the black oil.
The bedroom has been sealed against light and air. It’s a dark, fetid
place. Stravit’s wife’s corpse lies in state on the bed. A basin of black oil
rests next to her head. It’s unclear whether or not she’s been fed the oil
(Ob 2 Death Art, Ob 3 Anatomy). It’s also unclear how long she’s been
dead (Ob 2 Anatomy).
Stravit’s Papers
Stravit’s papers contain ciphered information about the oil, how to
modify to create an immortality elixir and how to create a black rod.
To read them, they must be deciphered. They can be deciphered
with an Ob 2 Death Art test, an Ob 3 Cryptography test or an Ob 5
Research test. Symbology (Ob 6) can be used to learn the general
meaning of the notes but not the exact contents.
The information about the oil is basic, detailing its properties. The
information about the elixir is completely incorrect. The instructions
create a poison, not a path to immortality. Rather than granting
eternal life or even unlife, the oil kills its victim though it does preserve
his corpse.
The instructions for the black rod count as one of the tools required
to make the item. The missing ingredient is the oil itself. The recipe
requires gallons of the stuff. With both the notes and the oil, a
character has the tools necessary for an Ob 4 Death Art test. Success
creates a black rod as described in the Trouble in Hochen chapter.
Sitting Room
Stravit’s sitting room contains comfortable chairs, tapestries, rugs and
an extensive collection of liqueurs in crystal decanters and colored-glass
bottles. His wife’s loom and apothecary are both arranged beneath the
southern windows as well.
Library
Stravit keeps a small library of medical and anatomical texts. His wife
keeps a collection of romances written in the native tongue. One of the
books is anatomical treatise written by Stravit himself, dedicated to his
patron the duchess.
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Dining Room
Kitchen
The elaborate kitchen contains two sinks, two stoves, an oven and
marble counter tops. The stairs lead down to the cellar.
Gallery
Stravit maintains a small gallery of sculptures. Pieces are primarily busts
of his family, but he also has religious and artistic pieces as well. There is
a portrait of the duchess, Stravit’s patron, hanging here as well.
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Music Conservatory
Stravit isn’t much of a musician, but his wife and her servants frequently
came to the conservatory to play. There’s a dulcimer, psaltery and a
handful of flutes and recorders in the room. There’s also a selection of
contemporary music.
Den
The den is small and cozy. Stravit often retires to the den, rather than
the study, because it is more private than the library or sitting room and
it’s warmer in the winter.
Garden
The garden is no place to wander during winter. It’s cold, windswept
and dead.
Attic
You are in a dark attic. Moonlight filters in from a small window. You
hear the rustling of leathery wings in the rafters. There is an old trunk
here. Just kidding. The attic is full of generations of familial debris,
from Stravit and his parents and their parents: clothing, medals, awards,
banners, ceremonial weapons, etc. It’s noble junk.
Family Secret-wise
Brin’s Family Secret-wise is perfect for sussing out information about
Stravit. Here are some recommended obstacles:
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Oil Amok
It’s also possible that your group succumbs to the black oil. If that’s
the case, I encourage you to use the Black Oil and Black Rod rules
contained in Trouble in Hochen (pages 20-22) as the basis for
your own fantasy apocalypse campaign.
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Tomasz
Tomasz is a loyal servant. He was elevated by Stravit from his base
existence in the village. Because of this, Tomasz is unfailingly loyal to his
master—even in the face of his master’s madness and collapse.
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Łukasz
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Lord Stravit
Lifepaths—Born Noble, Page, Student, Lead to Noble Court, Squire, Courtier, Court
Doctor, Lead to Outcast, Cultist, Lead to Death Cult, Death Cultist
Beliefs— I am lord still and I must punish those who trespass on my land.
I am vulnerable; I must avert the suspicions of these adventurers.
The Black Oil is the key to life eternal; I will learn its secrets at any cost.
Zealot: I must have more life! I will sacrifice anything to live forever.
Instincts— If Tudom’s name is invoked, make the sign to avert evil.
If asked about the deaths of my wife or children, give a show of tears and sorrow.
Always perfume myself after leaving the Death Room.
Traits— Cold to the Touch [Char from Black Rod], Pragmatic [Char], Your Lordship
[Char noble rank], Mark of Privilege [Dt noble affiliation], Rapier Wit [Dt +2D
Rebuttal], Incomprehensible Diagnosis [C-O for Falsehood], Zealot [Dt fourth
Belief], Suicidal [Dt persona point for Mortal Wound], Louis Wu [Dt—laugh when
hesitating], Dexterity of the Cat [C-O for Speed and balance]
Skills—Anatomy B4, Apothecary B4, Astrology B4, Bloodletting B5, Brawling B2,
Conspicuous B2, Court Gossip-Wise B4, Cult Doctrine B3, Death Art B3,
Death-wise B3, Doctrine B3, Etiquette B4, Falsehood B4, Inconspicuous B2,
Noble-wise B3, Observation B3, Oratory B3, Persuasion B5, Read B4, Riding B2,
Rule of Law B3, Secret Cult Worship-wise B4, Seduction B3, Surgery B5, Sword B5,
Write B4
Affiliations—1D Duke’s Court, 1D Order of the Celestial Vault
Reputations—1D Former (but Beloved) Court Doctor
Relationships—Tomasz Forester (Significant)
Gear—Surgery Tools, Finery, Arms, Death Art Tools, Horse, Black Rod
Property—The Manor Stravit
Weapons—Bare Fisted I:B2 M:B4 S:B6, Add 2, VA –, WS 3, Shortest
Arming Sword I:B3 M:B6 S:B9, Add 2, VA –, WS 3, Long May Great Strike
Dagger I:B3 M:B5 S:B7, Add 1, VA –, WS X, Shortest
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Your Day in Court
Your Day in Court is the third scenario in our series. It follows
directly on the heels of Dinner for One. It’s a bit of a twist—
rather than revered as heroes for their actions, the characters
are arrested and put on trial for murder.
Use the same characters you used in Dinner for One. If you
lost a character, I recommend you sit out this session. Join up
with the group after this session. It’ll make much more sense.
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Starting Fresh
Preamble
When starting with Your Day in Court, you have to provide a
preamble. Recount to the players how they saved Hochen but
burned out the cultists. Then they met the lord of the lands, Stravit.
He attempted to kill them with black magic. They were forced—in
the name of all that is good and holy—to kill him lest they be killed
themselves. The duke’s bailiff—the man who dispatched them on this
mission—arrived on the scene to find blood on their hands. Having no
other recourse, he arrested them for murdering nobility.
Relationship Workshop
If you’re starting with Your Day in Court, you’ll need to build
relationships for the scenario. Take relationships at court. The father,
uncle and abbot are all straightforward. Daniel’s brother must be
lurking about court somewhere. The Dwarf and Elf should both place
their relationships at the duke’s court—as advisors, craftsmen or even
visiting dignitaries.
Using Templates
This scenario is intended to be played with the characters provided. If
you must burn your own characters, I recommend 3 LP humans with
noble, sorcerous, religious, mercenary or cultist ties.
Belief Workshop
In order for this scenario to run properly, you must lay out the situation
and the players must write Beliefs about it.
Situational Belief
Write a Belief about the upcoming trial—about the justification for
your actions, your innocence, about the nature of good and evil, about
exposing the truth about Stravit or the difficult position of being in the
service of the bailiff on such a delicate mission.
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Relationship or PC Belief
Write a Belief about fulfilling an obligation to one of your relationships.
Or write a Belief about protecting, hindering, impressing or avenging
yourself upon one of the other player characters.
In order to prompt them, ask the players why their relationship character
is interested in Stravit or Hochen. Be sure to read out each Belief as the
players create them. Encourage players to take inspiration from one
another.
Not every Belief or relationship will come into play in this short scenario.
Therefore, the GM should encourage the players to write simple, direct
goals. Loftier and more open-ended Beliefs are tough to address in a
single session of play. However, if you’re planning to play for more
than one session, more remote relationships and longer-term Beliefs are
appropriate.
If you played Dinner for One, please continue using your characters
from that session. Don’t switch. If you lost a character to the oil, the
dead or the duel, do not add a new character. Wait until the next session
to bring new characters in.
Knight
Encourage the player to place the knight’s father at
court—as an officer, courtier or even just an old
knight himself. Doing so provides a good motivation
for the character in this adventure. See the Father
heading under the Dance Circles section.
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Wizard
It’s also possible for Brin to bring her uncle into this
scenario. It’s dangerous but he could be the only
help she gets. See the Uncle heading of the Dance
Circles section.
Priest
Theoden’s abbot cousin is an important character in
this scenario. He’s influential at court. See the
Abbot heading of the Dance Circles section.
Hunter
Daniel has a brother who ran from home and
abandoned his mother. Place the brother at court.
He could be a soldier, a servant, a priest, a
craftsman or even an impostor. He could have ties
to the uncle—perhaps he worked for him. He could
be part of the abbot’s priory. There are many
options for this character. And he is key. He’s going
to be Daniel’s entree into court. Leaning on his brother will give Daniel
motiviation.
Daniel is best suited for a strong, proactive player. Encourage his player
to write fierce Beliefs about getting justice for the beleaguered people
of Hochen.
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Dwarf
Fureard’s player should be encouraged to write
Beliefs about winning treasure or other fortunes from
the court. Fureard should be utterly indignant about
being accused of a crime after risking life and limb
on some fool’s errand.
Elf
Cerebirn has a cousin. They have a contentious
relationship. Ask the player why they hate each
other. Cerebirn’s cousin is at court. Why is he there?
Is he waiting for Cerebirn or is he there for some
other purpose?
Continuing Artha
If you’re continuing from Dinner for One, use the artha totals from the
completion of that scenario.
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Büttel, officer of the court, was at the scene. Though he did not witness
A Precarious Court
Court is a dangerous place. Favor comes and goes. Stars rise and fall. Be
sure to place all of the denizens of court in compromising positions—
especially the father, the abbot, the uncle, the cousin and the brother.
For example, what should happen to Gunter’s father if the young knight
is convicted? What will Gunter’s father do about that?
Order of Events
Büttel arrives at the Manor Stravit just as Stravit is falling to the floor—
or when the last walking corpse is dispatched. It’s important that he not
actually witness any of the events. He should only see the aftermath.
He rushed to the manor as soon as he got wind of what happened in
Hochen. But he arrived too late.
He escorts the group back to the castle, Lowen Hohle (see Welcome
Back). The next day they are put on trial (see the Trial).
Welcome Back
Upon his arrival, Büttel very gently arrests the group. Maybe he doesn’t
even say “arrest.” He simply escorts the group back to the castle under
his stern eye. This is all done as preamble. There are no rolls made.
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Büttel leads the characters back to the castle and deposits them in a
Büttel summons servants to start a fire and take care of the characters
immediate needs. He then explains, “Whatever you think, you’ve
committed a crime. Stravit, a noble and peer of the realm, has been
murdered—ostensibly by you.”
Büttel is a bit frustrated and disappointed, “I sent you out there to take
care of things, not make matters worse. Stravit was a favorite of the
duchess. So now I have to perform my duties—to the very letter of the
law. I will hear your case and pronounce judgement before the whole
court tomorrow.”
“You have your liberty now. Collect your wits and attend to yourselves.
Use your time wisely. I’ll send for you in the morning.”
Dance Circles
After Büttel reads the group the riot act, he leaves them alone. It is up
to the players to martial their resources to prepare for their court date.
They can make wise tests to establish information about Stravit, Hochen
or anything else they think will help them.
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Courtly Activities
If you’re in need of inspiration for how to run an evening at court,
consider the following. The duchess could throw a fête—a dance to
which all are invited; Baroness Turmfalke, visiting court, could host a
dinner; perhaps the characters could earn an invitation; in addition to
large parties, a night at the castle is host to gaming—card play—and
smaller recitals and performances—poetry and oratory.
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Outside of social events, the castle Löwen Hohle is sprawling and thus
The Father
Gunter’s father is a minor player at court. He could be a worn out
courtier, a landless knight or a minor officer like a herald or falconer.
It’s likely that Gunter’s dad will want the best for him, but neither will
he want his son to make enemies. He’ll advise his son to humbly accept
whatever judgement the bailiff proposes.
The Uncle
Brin’s uncle is a dangerous resource. He’s a mad, evil necromancer! But
he could be called forth to offer expert testimony regarding Stravit’s
predilections and practices.
If the group should lose the trial, Brin’s uncle can be a huge liability. No
one, but no one, likes this guy. He can seriously damage the reputation
of anyone associated with him.
The Abbot
Theoden’s abbot is in a difficult position. If he wanted to, he could pull
Theoden right out of the fire. Secular law cannot prosecute a church
official. However, this makes the abbot look very bad at court. It makes
him look like he sent an assassin to murder the duchess’ favorite.
It also doesn’t help that the abbot could make a claim to Stravit’s lands
under some ancient deeds and titles he possesses. Thus if he lets Theoden
off the hook, he puts himself in the spotlight—for very little gain.
So unfortunately, the abbot is going to let Theoden twist in the wind for
a bit. In fact, the abbot will go so far as to suggest that if Theoden truly
wants the abbot’s help, he should repudiate his companions. Denounce
them and the abbot can openly help him.
The Herzogin
The Duchess Verdorben—her proper title is “herzogin”—can’t be seen
to devote too much attention to this small, sordid matter, but make
no mistake, she’s watching the proceedings with interest. Stravit
was a favorite of hers before he retired. But that’s a notable detail—
he’s retired—and he hasn’t been at court for more than two years.
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She thinks it’s best that this affair be ended quickly, before too many
questions are asked. She will privately urge Büttel to settle the manner
as quickly and effectively as he is able. And it is certainly best if these
striplings are punished and silenced.
The Trial
The trial is a rather low-key affair, at least initially. Büttel summons the
characters to the audience chamber. There is a throne on a dais here,
but Büttel sets up a simple wooden bench and desk beneath the throne,
on the level with the rest of the court.
There are a few dozen courtiers present. The duchess and the abbot are
present, but hidden in private galleries overlooking the court. They’ll
only make their presence known if absolutely vital.
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If the trial goes badly, the characters can be sentenced exile. If it goes
Denouncing Stravit
It is ill advised to denounce Stravit at court. Exposing him as a death-
loving necromancer is terribly bad form. It speaks ill of the dead and of
the duchess’ former favorite. It doesn’t matter that it’s the truth, no one
at court will hear such nonsense.
If players persist in pursuing this line, you can call for versus Etiquette
tests. Members of the court have Etiquette B4. The character suffers
a +1 Ob penalty. If they win the test, they can speak of this matter in
delicate terms. If they fail, they earn a +1 Ob to all social skill and circles
tests for the rest of their time in court—they are social pariahs.
If they win and insist on denouncing Stravit in harsh terms, the duchess
will speak out against them. She grants the bailiff +2D help from
Conspicuous to all of his tests during the Duel of Wits. Her help comes
in the form of a dropped handkerchief and a disapproving glance.
Court Gossip-wise
Court Gossip-wise is by far the most appropriate wise for this scenario.
None of the characters start with it, but now would be an excellent time
to open it up. Here are some recommended obstacles:
Ob 1: The court is excited to see a good show. While the duke is away,
the duchess will play.
Ob 3: To speak ill of Stravit will anger the herzogin. The court dearly
hopes the young heroes are so foolish. They would love to see the
young duchess angered, so long as the herzogin doesn’t turn her wrath
upon them.
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Ob 5: Stravit left court before the duke formally exiled him. In truth,
there was no great love between the two men.
Propriety at Court
The characters are expected to behave in a polite and reserved manner.
Failing to do so will earn censure. This is represented in two ways.
Members of the court will not help those who are openly rude. And
should the behavior be particularly untoward, they’ll actively work
against the characters—helping Büttel or their enemies. Young knights
will fall over themselves to challenge to a duel anyone who impugns the
young duchess’ honor.
Etiquette
Players can make Ob 3 Etiquette tests to have their characters act in the
correct manner at court. Passing this test indicates that the character
has a bit more leeway in his manners and what topics are available
for discussion. If he keeps his tone in a good humor, he can discuss
forbidden topics—so long as he doesn’t probe too deeply.
Proper Dress
If a character is not dressed in courtly attire—either vestments or
finery—he suffers a +1 Ob to all Etiquette and Circles tests.
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There are many trails to follow, many loose ends. The black oil is chief
among them! But this is where you take over. You’ve played three
sessions with these characters. Hopefully, you’ve built up momentum
and there are deeds that the players wish to undertake. Ask them! Let
them write Beliefs about where they want to go and what they want to
accomplish. Pick up and play from there.
And, after tangling with the court, it is only appropriate that the
characters earn a reputation. Conduct a reputation vote. Each character
is eligible for a new 1D reputation based on the outcome of these events.
Oil Amok
It’s also possible that your group succumbs to the black oil. If that’s
the case, I encourage you to use the Black Oil and Black Rod rules
contained in Trouble in Hochen (pages 20-22) as the basis for
your own fantasy apocalypse campaign.
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Büttel grew up a soldier in a minor noble house. His family was too poor
to even have him knighted. He imagined he’d live a short life as the
squire to some gloryhound knight. But five years ago, he was serving
under Lord Cizi during the Orc raids on Kleist. During the fighting,
Büttel saw a knight’s horse stumble and fall in the face of onrushing
goblin wolves. Unthinking, Büttel raced to his side and helped the man
fight his way out. This man was the duke’s treasurer, Lord Zlaty. Büttel’s
action won him a noble title—lord—and an appointment as Verdorben’s
bailff (but no land or fief).
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