Posted on by Magnus Seter

Waking up at The Burning Table

As I awoke to screaming and the smell of fire I hastily donned my britches and my overcoat and ran downstairs. I was certain that the inn I was stying in was being overrun by mutants and beastmen, and I was intent on making my way out of the building and find refuge with the City Watch before being slaughtered for my sins! As I burst down the stairs I found myself in the middle of a colossal drunken brawl. One of the … clients … had tried to lift the purse of a gigantic Kislevite warrior passed out at the bar. The man from the east had woken up in the middle of the process and the ensuing chaos had shaken me from my sleep. It was still night, and I retreated to my room. After a while the din died down, and quiet once again settled over the inn. Finally I fell asleep again. I was staying at The Burning Table in the Friedwang Bezirk, an inn along the main street not far from the North Gate. It was supposedly a clean and reasonable place to stay, and at least the innkeeper Matthias Tafel was a friendly fellow. But his clientèle was not. When I arrived I spotted a filthy group of thugs or adventurers and overheard them talking about a wizard and some magical item they needed to find, but I soon moved along when they noticed my presence. There were a few sell swords, ruffians and harlots there as well. My money could only pay for one night at the inn but I was too tired to look for other accommodations so I stayed.

Adolphus Altdorfer
Angestag, Nachexen 3, 2522 IC

North Gate Surroundings

The Burning Table inn appeared on page 48 in Spires of Altdorf (SoA), the second installment of Paths of the Damned (PotD). I was disappointed that SoA didn’t include a more detailed map of Altdorf and also that it didn’t place the locations or gave clear information as to where they are to be found. Although I haven’t used the PotD I have gone through SoA and tried to place all the locations somewhere on my campaign map. I placed The Burning Table close to the North Gate which seemed a logical choice given the fact that the characters were coming from Middenheim.

Magnus

Posted on by Magnus Seter

Visions in my head

I dreamt the other night. I dreamt of towering spires, of gleaming stars and showers of comets. I dreamt of marching feet and children’s laughter and a thunderclap so loud it tore the sky apart. I dreamt of treachery and death, of heroism and defeat, of blood and bile. And then I woke up to the screams, and that was not a dream.

Adolphus Altdorfer
Konigstag, Nachexen 2, 2522 IC

What has the poor Altdorfer gotten himself into? Probably nothing he won’t survive, cause I’ve still got some mileage to get out of him in this blog. Anyway, I speculate that his dreams were visions of the newly hinted at adventure campaign for WFRP, or adventure path as the D&D crowd calls those things. A set of connected adventures which reach a splendid climax in the last chapter, raining doom and fire on the hapless characters. Or something like that. I like the ideas of campaign presented that way, my favourite being Masks of Nyarlathotep and The Enemy Within. There’s just one catch; I never get to finish the damn things.

Anyways, Kate Flack has hinted about a new campaign at the BI forums, and from what little we know about it, I think it sounds intriguing. It’s a one book deal and ties in with Tome of Salvation, Realms of the Ice Queen and Night’s Dark Masters. Supposedly Marienburg will be featured in the book, and the new stuff will be compatible with the old stuff. I like the fact that it’s one book, I can’t be arsed to wait for stuff any longer than I have too (I’m looking at you WH40k), and the larger format probably means that the book will be in colour and 256 pages thick (or something like that).

More interesting though is the revelation that the writing team are actively using the forms of communication offered by the Internet to keep the ideas and writing coordinated. Just like I was hoping for in my previous post about the future for 2007. Also of interest is the stated goal of consistency with earlier published material and a comment stating that the new WFB campaign, Nemesis Crown, will not have a huge impact on the WFRP timeline.

Oh, and the inspiration for the campaign; the Children’s Crusade.

Looks good so far.

Magnus

Posted on by Magnus Seter

The North Gate

I scribble these words hastily before my stump of candle burns out. I have found a place to stay for a couple of days and I’ll write more on that tomorrow. I’m disappointed to say that my arrival at the gates of the Imperial capital was less than grand. One of the wheels of our coach shattered some miles outside the city, and we hade to trudge through mud and ice cold puddles of slush, as we watched the sun hang lower and lower in the sky. At six it was almost dark and I imagined I could hear the rustle of leaves and the snapping of branches as beastmen and mutants prepared to slaughter us all. But my prayers to Verena was answered and we happened upon a small contingent of mercenaries heading for Altdorf looking for employment in the wake of the Storm of Chaos. Among ourselves we collected enough gold to hire the sellswords as protectors for the rest of the journey. I am grateful for this even though my funds were sorely depleted as a result. It was late when we finally spied the imposing walls of the city, and the multitude of tents erected just outside the walls, their canvas weighted down with ice cold water from the sleet and the winter rains we have suffered during the last of the year. The tents belonged to refugees from the Storm of Chaos, too poor or too dishevelled to gain admittance to the city within. They came from all over the Empire, and many had grevious wounds or racking coughs. I stayed as far from them as I could, but the road was lined with beggars, harlots, thieves and ruffians. I’m sure they would have made short order of me had we not been in the company of the mercenaries. Still we were dirty and tired after the trip and was rudely pushed to the end of a long line of peasants and commoners waiting to be admitted. No amount of protests from me or my travelling companions impressed the guards at the gate. After waiting for over an hour we were brought before a bored and unkempt guard captain who casually glanced at our papers and docked us each four gold crowns before he let us in. I’m sure the gate tax is set a one crown per leg, but I was in no condition to offer any opposition to his larcenous ways. And finally, I was in Altdorf.

Adolphus Altdorfer

Bezahltag, Nachexen 1, 2522 IC