Laura and I played mission 4 of our ongoing Warhammer Fantasy campaign over the weekend. I decided to run a more RPG like mission this time, as the last one (Ambush at Schlüsselschloss) was very much standard WHFB regimental combat.
Captain Forlania's Wood Elf army is camped near the Teufel and is about a day's ride from Ubersreik - Forlania is tasked with meeting a Witch Hunter there, in hopes of recruiting him.
However, during the night a scout came to her with worrying information. The Weave is being disrupted in the nearby woods, and something is corrupting the wildlife in the area. This scout has determined that an abandoned house by the river seems to be the central point of the corruption.
Forlania and the scout set off to investigate straight away. Captain Reinhardt, friend of Forlania and erstwhile leader of the Catalan Company, insisted on accompanying her: "You never know when you might need a strong swordsman by your side. No offence to yer scout there.".
The House by the River
The adventurers arrive at the edge of the wood.
The wood is strangely quiet, save for the cold wind howling through the night.
"Captain, the house is just South of here, next to the river."
The river shimmers silver from the moonlight.
The house shows no signs of life.
The scout points out some other points of interest in the area.
"Some old human ruin is in the woods nearby. It looks like goblins have set up a camp in it." says the scout.
"Ruins of the Unberogen tribe, they'll be." Reinhardt nods, then adds "There's usually buried treasure around them."
"There's an ancient Waystone on the hill. We should investigate it if we have time. We might be able to speak to the Council of Ages through it."
The heroes discuss their options and decide where to go.
Reinhardt heads straight to the Unberogen ruins, with Forlania and the scout moving to cover him from within the forest.
Strange noises can be heard coming from the ruins.
As the adventurers approach, they spot a small group of goblins squabbling over something!
"Gimme the fing!" snarls one of them, one hand outstretched and the other clutching a large staff.
"Wot are dey arguin' about?"
"Dunno. Some good eatin' around 'ere though. Ground's propa squishy, gets the worms right out."
"You squashed a juicy one you stupid git!"
"Dis cutta is mine, boss! I found its myself!"
Suddenly, an arrow whistles through the woods and impales the shaman! He's wounded, but not dead.
Reinhardt presses forward, shield raised.
"We's under attack! Drop those worms, let's go!"
"Humies in the wood! Git 'em!"
"Come here you bleeding greenskins, have a taste of Imperial steel!"
Reinhardt engages the goblins. He shield-bashes one in the throat, crushing its windpipe and leaving it choking on the floor.
The shaman starts casting a devious spell whilst Reinhardt thrusts his blade through the second goblin's stomach.
Forlania approaches a tree and begins chanting, speaking to the Weave and imploring assistance from the forest.
A dryad forms out of the bark and shambles forth.
The shaman's spell fizzles and it stamps its feet angrily. Meanwhile Reinhardt heroically sprints up the steps and engages the greenskin leader in a duel.
One of the goblins sneaks its way through the wood and faces off with the Wood Elf scout.
The dryad has more important prey to deal with, and stalks off deeper into the wood.
The goblins are eventually slain, and a coffer of Unberogen gold is recovered. Also, a magical sword with glowing orange runes is found. This appears to be what the goblins were squabbling over. Forlania gifts it to Reinhardt, and he's very chuffed with the acquisition.
With the goblins dealt with. Forlania approaches the Waystone, and finds a High Elf mage studying it. The mage, Larien Starglaive, is wary of strangers in these evil woods. He challenges Forlania to impress him with her knowledge of history - his reasoning is that only those who care about history should be allowed to approach such ancient wonders.
Forlania passes the test, and Larien is so impressed that he offers to join her coterie, so long as he is given interesting curios to study.
Forlania uses the Waystone to speak to the Council of Ages, and through their wisdom she learns more of her magical Bow of Loren, unlocking more of its potential.
The house beckons.
The adventurers approach the house.
Forlania enters and finds a wraith within, it's tearing through the cupboard, searching madly for something.
The wraith had turned on her malevolently, and she slew it with a shot from her bow. However, as soon as she had done so, the living dead began to rise from the earth around the house!
The skeletons quickly grab garden tools and rusty weapons and attack the party.
Reinhardt bravely charges a skeleton, and the dryad begins slashing another apart.
Larien utters words to the heavens, and a burst of fork lightning strikes one of the skeletons, fusing its bones into a charred heap!
The skeletons were eventually defeated, but the wraith appeared again, moments later! Forlania managed to slay it again, but suspected that it would continue to form again unless something was done.
The party searched the house and found body parts scattered around. A dismembered head beneath the bed sheets, an arm inside the cupboard, a leg inside the outhouse... the parts all combined to form a complete corpse. Reinhardt suggested the body be buried, in the Reikland manner.
"Morr will not 'ave him like that, parts of 'im in the reprieve an' all." Reinhardt stated. "He'll need to be laid to rest, proper like. Naw not like that. I'll show you how."
With Reinhardt performing the final rites over the corpse, the wraith finally departed, ready to meet Morr and leave this world in peace.
With the wraith exorcised, the woodland felt more alive already. Some night insects could be heard, and the dryad formed back into it's tree, satisifed that the woodland was safe from foul magicks once more.
