Spires of Altdorf-Act II

After the three of you agree to stay with the Sigmarites, you follow Kelwyn as he speaks. We will be eating soon, would you care to join the meal? We have some time to dine over good conversation and fresh food. Don't let the trappings of Altdorf fool you. The classes of rich and poor are separated but we still we join in common brotherhood to face the threat of evil. Walking through the halls and as you pass through several corridors, you remark at the eloquent depiction of illustrious paintings and works of metal art formed into sculptures standing on small wooden tables. The varnish of the wood was a dark cherry stained oak color that contrasted the reddish-orange colors of the walls. Finally arriving at the dinning room, this room was private for a select few. In attendance was Kelwyn, a mysterious lady who appeared to be of rich decent and Charles the Grand Theologian. As the server attending the diner pull your seats. You are not given time to clean or wash up from your days travel. Still however you remark at the feast brought out in a steaming fashion shortly after you arrive. Succulent meat which falls off the bone is placed on your plate and a serving of peasant bread with apple butter and a heavy gravy complement the shanks of meat and bread. The mysterious lady does not introduce herself but talks with Charles in detail. Kelwyn looks to you and says, please eat up. Food of this nature is scarce in the city.

Thorvald is happy to take Kelwyn up on his offer. He tries to remember how to eat politely, after all, this is a meal with the grand Theologian.

Kelwyn speaks up and addresses Throvald. "Surely we must not focus on the depravity of Church always. Please tell us a story. Fiction or fact.", at the mention of this the two other attendees stop their conversation and look upon you as if they wait for you to entertain them. Nulgir takes a gulp of wine and sets down the goblet and says, "Not fer me liking. I'd take a smooth ale any oer the day."

OOC: Please Muggie, entertain s with a story either fact or fiction regarding the world of warhammer, if you have the time. If so please roll a performance storyteller roll with a +10 modifier to the roll.

"Ah, 'tis a story you'd be wantin' then? Hehehe, I'd be tempted ta tell ya how we got Nulgir there free of a lynch mob, or how we proved that a Norscan head is harder than an Ogre's blow. But I think I'd rather draw a discreet veil o'er them things. So instead, I'll tell you o' the ale that never was."
He took a small sip of his wine, to follow the meat he'd already put away.
"It was a simple enough thing at first. I'd been asked to go and pick up a keg o' Zhufbar Ale for the guy that ran the inn I was staying at, back at that time. Didn't sound like a problem so I said yes and went to pick it up. Now, what he'd neglected ta tell me was that there was only one keg of ale, and two innkeepers both wantin' it. Now, when I got therte, there was the halfling what was sellin' it talkin' to this big guy. And I mean big. A good hand taller than me, and at least a hand wider too. An just as I got there, the halfling was talkin' like this was his last keg o' Zhufbar ale, and there was another customer wantin' it too.
Sounded like a good time ta introduce meself, so I did, and mentioned that I'd been sent to pick up a keg o' Zhufbar ale. Well this big guy, name o' Knorr, he turns around and he was dam..., ah, darn near chewin' his moustache. Easterner for sure, but he looked solid. Now, he looked me up and down an' said somethin' along the lines of 'go away pipsqueak'. I'll not repeat the exact lines, not in polite company."
Thorvald nods to the th'lady and the Theologian, and takes another sip.
"Well, as you can guess, me an' Knorr we starts circlin' each other, and next thing you know we's poundin' on each other, and when that didn't have much effect, we started tryin' ta throw each other. We stopped for a breather, I pulled off me shirt an' so did he, and there we was, topless, facin' off. Now he managed ta rush me, and had to move fast or he woulda slammed me ta th' ground. By now there was a crowd o' people watching, an' from what i heard they was drinkin' and placin' bets on who was gonna win. I was faster, he was stronger. I managed to get a good one on 'im when I used his breeches as leverage, and picked him up and slammed him down. Thought I'd won then, with him lyin' on his back after hittin' with a sound like a giant hammering, aye, an' the dam.. uh, darn ground shook too. Next thing ya know, he's up again, and goes and tries the same thing ta me. And did it too, more's the pity. Next thing I knew I was shakin' me head, and opened me eyes just in time to see him comin' down in a big splash kinda move. Don't mind tellin' ya, I wouldn't want to be a pool o' water if that guy was gonna try and make a big splash! Rolled aside just in time, and he darn near ruptures himself hittin' the wood floor. We was both a bit winded after that one, an' it was about that time we both realized that we was surrounded by a crowd. I nodded ta him, he nodded ta me, and we looked around. Musta been a good twenny people or so there, all of 'em with mugs or drinkin' horns in their hands. Well, we looked at each other, an' decided that we weren't there as unpaid ennertainment, like, so we decided ta split the keg."
He takes another sip of wine, and the goblet is empty.
"That's when we realize that the halfling ain't there no more. So we goes ta the keg, an' realize that the runty li'l bug... um, the little runt has gone and sold all the Zhufbar ale ta the crowd what's been watchin' us, so there's none left for Knorr or me. An' worse, he'd gone and taken bets on which one of us would win the fight, then decamped while they was all watching us, taking the coin with him."
"An' that's the story o' the ale that never was."

The lady and the Grand Theologin do not seem to follow your story. In fact while it was a story to be written in the tomes of history as this tale will pass it seems at the moment the mysterious lady is quite put off from the whole ordeal. In fact she remarks with, " Why I never! In all my years..." Charles the Grand Theologin exclaims, worried that the lady is upset. Something awry during the dinner conversation makes for an interesting silence after the story was finished. Still you wonder why the heck the woman was here in the first place. It seemed that Charles was trying real hard to impress the lady and hung on every wish and agreed with every idea that the mysterious lady had. Still it didn't take long for your intuition to kick in or maybe it was just your suspicion that alerted you to the woman present. If it wasn't for a believable notion that people of different genders could dine together it wouldn't have been an issue but the fact that her insult made you critique her at every given time, the way she kept starring at the three of you or the way she kept muttering in the Theologins ear wasn't without notice. At first it may have been a simple notion of flirting, their facial expressions were stern and somber as if going through the motion of entertaining you just simply to do so. Yes, something odd about this woman was present and maybe needed investigated. As you finish your delectable meal, Kelwyn is heard talking to Rudiger as Nulgir greedily stuffs his face full of the breads and swishes it down with the aged wine.

Unknown to the other guests at the table, being as short as he was with piles of food in front of him that didn't help, Falco stayed hidden as he ate. Listening to the story he couldn't help but drift a bit, thinking about the events of the past week and how close he came to meeting his doom. Nearing the end of the meal he decided to stand on his chair, finally revealing himself to the others that traveled with Nulgir, a person he was with, and speaks up,

"First off, thank you for seeing me Your Grandness and it's good to see you again Nulgir. I see you have new traveling friends, I am Falco Silverwind, a man of knowledge and the world."

He bows slightly to the other two with Nulgir then continues in an alluring voice that a halfling would have,

"Perhaps that the meal is over I may tell a bit of a story. This one blends past with present and myth with reality, and a temple. We all know of the past, the war that devastated, and also of a marauder for the forces of chaos named Kazron Gorespite. It's well known that the forces of chaos were defeated, though not without a cost and a semblance of peace came about. What isn't common knowledge is the fate of this on, where he ended up and his final fate.

He had himself a temple, a temple that was raided by three people who fought their way through the traps and fighting the Bloodcursed that guarded it, and made their way to the trophy room. This temple was ornate and dedicated to a great evil and in the heart of it was a tomb with a room that held many trophies of his kills and conquests."

Falco sets the banner and helmet that was found earlier on the table with two thuds,

"And in the tomb there is a sarcophagus that I can only postulate holds the body of that evil being, though for certain I cannot say as Nulgir, myself, and the other who was with us were unable to open it."

Taking a moment to drink a bit of water to add to the effect of his story he then continues,

"Oh, I forgot to mention that two of three who went into the temple were Nulgir and myself. And I might have also not spoken of it's location near Middenheim either..."

The lady seems intolerant of the four of you and decides to leave the dinner party. Charles and Kelwyn both look to one another and nod in agreement. Picking up their fruited wine, they toast all of you, Rudiger, Thorvald, Nulgir and Falco. "A toast is in order, for you, heroes of the nine, without you, word of the war of churches would never have reached our ears. Please go from here knowing that I will send a garrison of church Templars to protect the invested holds of Sigmar in Middenheim. At first I was reluctant to help but know that something is wrong in your beloved city. I send them at my request and will use hospitality before harm. Please be assured that they travel on the morning and will reach Middenheim by night. You may stay here till word is sent back regarding news of the trial and any further action on behalf of Ulric."

"We thank you for your kindness and willingness to act," Falco takes a drink and continues, "But might I ask as to who our former guest, the lady who departed, is?"

"Ugh...no need to concern yourself with her. Let's just say she is a firm follower of Sigmar. If you really would like to know, she is a vastly prosperous noble woman who tithes monies to the church. She is of no interest to you dear Falco."

"Well then, if there are quarters we can settle in for the night then that would be most appreciated."

Falco hops down from his chair and awaits escort to a room.