[WFRP] The Bloody Crown OOC XV

[LCP]

Dramatis Personae

The Party

Sieghard	Elsabeth Holt	Ludovic Stubbs	Jarla Schreiber	Bardhyl
TheSummoner	-Sentinel-	LeSwordfish	RossN	rax

Spoiler: Followers

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The Thorns		A company of foresters and farmers from the Thornwood and the Hidden Vale that signed up as crossbowmen with Sieghard in the aftermath of Magog Ironclaw's invasion. The Thorns have distinguished themselves in several battles and are making a name for themselves among the mercenaries of the Reaches, led by Sieghard’s most trusted lieutenants - Hanna, Ingwald and Gustaf.
Tatiana		A goatherd from the Karst born with the gift for magic, Tatiana (or 'Tattie' to her friends) helped guide refugees from Pieter's Pass to safety in the Downlands. She was rescued from the Broken Moon goblins by Elsa and the party, after which Elsa took her on as her apprentice. Left to her own devices in Savonne, she was coerced by the daemon Tshula-Udiyya into trying to dig up the book of Nagash, which led to her and Elsa’s trial for diabolism. Subsequently, she lost her eye to an undead wolf when tracking Mother Mala through the Raven Hills with Elsa.
Olga		Elsa’s hireling bodyguard. Small but tough, Olga comes from the streets of Savonne, and seems to know a thing or two about surviving in the city that was once known as ‘Wolf Pit’.
Ida		Jarla’s maidservant. Young and well-mannered, she was recommended by Mouna, the long-serving steward of the castle of Savonne.

Powers & Principalities

Spoiler: The Court of Prince Muzio Sforza

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Il Principe Muzio Sforza		Tilean mercenary captain, and Lord of Last Water. Campaigned in Araby before coming to the Broken Reaches. Has crushed his enemies and united the Reaches under a single banner.
La Principessa Irene Sforza ("la Bella")		Sforza's wife. Her beauty is renowned throughout the Reaches. Ambitious and often dissatisfied with life in the Border Princes, she frequently takes out her frustrations on those she perceives as socially inferior. Irene Sforza is flawless.
Daniele Barbaro		Priest of Myrmidia, and Sforza's only religious adviser. Has a liking for Arabyan coffee, a flexible attitude to the truth, and only a passing acquaintance with religious faith. Nicknamed the "old goat" by Viggo.
Lord Treasurer Abdul Al-Makir		Treasurer, tax collector and paymaster of Sforza's forces. Joined the Captain during his Arabyan campaigns, and has a retinue of Arabyan mercenaries. Has a reputation as the man who can get you anything... for a price.
Giovanni Carraciolo, Lord-Lieutenant of the North		Commander of Sforza's Tilean pikemen, the Iron Company.
Esteban de Valdes, Lord-Lieutenant of the South		Commander of Sforza's Estalian swordsmen, the Brotherhood of Magritta.
Makeda (deceased)		Commander of Sforza's Southlander mercenaries, the ahosi of Danxome. Killed by Duke Alvarr at the Third Battle of Arrow Heap.
Balthus Bianco (deceased)		Renowned physician, and personal doctor to Irene Sforza. Quietly disposed of after he was implicated in Irene's attempt to assassinate Ludo.
Gorg (deceased)		The leader of a troop of Ogre Maneaters in service to Sforza. He seemed to have struck up a friendship with Ludo's brother-in-law Rudi. Was shot down by Alvarr's archers at the Third Battle of Arrow Heap, along with three-quarters of his troop.
Viktor (deceased)		Commander of a free company of swordsmen formed in the aftermath of Sforza's victory over the orcs at Manann's Keep. Brave but inexperienced, Viktor died of wounds sustained at the Second Battle of Arrow Heap.

Rank and File

• Paulo & Marko: Doctor Bianco's apprentices.
• Salih: page to Abdul Al-Makir.

Iron Company:

• Sergeant Domenico: the officer in charge of the skeleton garrison at Manann’s Keep. Had the command when Hakon Blood-Song made his attempt to steal the Book of Nagash.
• Sergeant Giuliano: the officer in charge of the troop sent to occupy Morr’s Seat, where he developed a nasty cough. Adelbert's nemesis, makes fun of him in front of the ladies.
• Luca: Adelbert's nemesis, makes fun of him in front of the sentries.
• Beppe (deceased): Elsa's one-night stand.
• Orfeo [deceased] and Cesar: accompanied the party into Kheneb-Ptra-Urush
• Bartolomeo: one of Giuliano’s troop; the instigator of much of their bad behaviour towards the Vrani locals.
• Mauro: a one-legged veteran of the company who has been entrusted with keeping the gaol in the castle of Savonne.

Brotherhood of Magritta:

• Felipe, Miguel & Valentin

Danxome Ahosi

• Oseye & Etunu

The Sermena Gamecocks

• Hartwick Thistlewood: commanding officer.

The Maneaters

• Kulug: leader of the surviving ogres after Gorg's death.

Spoiler: The Court of Duke Edouard Alvarr

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Duke Edouard Alvarr (deceased)		A stern man of military bearing, Duke Alvarr forged his domain from territory that was previously claimed by multiple feuding warlords. Originally hailing from Bretonnia, he travelled for some time with a mercenary company known as the Storm Swords. He forged a coalition of the northern lords and seized the Downlands from Prince Belehir, but was eventually defeated and slain by the forces of Muzio Sforza after being cornered in his capital of Alvarran.
Janos Forkbeard		A native of Alvarran and a survivor of the previous regime(s), Janos Forkbeard was Alvarr's chancellor and chief administrator. After Alvarr's fall, he has been imprisoned by Sforza.
Henri Ducos		Duke Alvarr's Master of Horse. Ducos is a taciturn man with a face only a mother could love. Shot Elsa at the Third Battle of Arrow Heap; escaped with the Duke after his defeat there. Missing in action since the fall of Alvarran.
Eugen Jager		A lieutenant of Duke Alvarr, nicknamed "Alvarr's Bulldog" by the people of Alvarran. Jager is known for his stubborn loyalty and his harsh discipline. Was taken prisoner during Sforza's lightning attack on Savonne, but returned in exchange for Count Groz's imprisoned soldiers. Missing in action since the fall of Alvarran.

Spoiler: The Hall of Jarl Rorik Wolf-Risen

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Jarl Rorik Wolf-Risen (deceased)		Ruler of Morr's Seat. A great bear of a man with a close-knit retinue of Norscan retainers, he has a reputation as a fearsome warrior. During the siege of Savonne he fought Prince Belehir on the battlements and was grievously wounded, forcing him to sit out the remainder of the siege. Killed by Astoria at the Third Battle of Arrow Heap
Hakon Blood-Song (deceased)		Rorik's second-in-command, first encountered by Adelbert in Ravenskird. A bloodthirsty man of action, he has little patience for diplomacy or subterfuge. Most likely the leader of the unprovoked attack on Painford. Driven off by Sieghard and Ludo at the Third Battle of Arrow Heap. Embittered after Rorik's defeat at Arrow Heap, he made a pact with Johannes Klammenberg to steal the Book of Nagash from Manann's Keep, and was killed during the raid.
Wadim		Wise man of the Raven Hills, and local adviser to Jarl Rorik. Following the events of Hexensnacht, he travelled back to the Raven Hills in search of the source of his and others' visions, and has not been heard from since.
Kelda Wave-Born (deceased)		Encountered by the party leading a small warband of hill-folk in the south of the Raven Hills. One of Rorik's Norscan retinue; seen by Adelbert to change shape into an enormous wolf. Responsible for the death of Viggo's lover Kirsten during the attack on Painford. Killed by Elsa at the Battle of the Burning Hill
Arne Golden-Hair		One of Rorik's Norscan retinue, encountered by Adelbert in Ravenskird. Was present at Jarl Rorik's death; escaped with the rest of the Raven Hills raiders. Ludo took his shield. Later returned with Hakon's raiders to Manann's Keep, but survived the attack and was allowed to escape with Sanne Raven-Cry.
Asgeir Far-Strider (deceased)		One of Rorik's Norscan retinue, encountered by Adelbert in Ravenskird. Grievously wounded at the Third Battle of Arrow Heap, he survived to return with Hakon in the raid on Manann's Keep, only to be killed by his own followers at the bridge.
Sanne Raven-Cry		One of Rorik's Norscan retinue, encountered by Adelbert in Ravenskird. Seems to be the member of Rorik's Norscan retinue with the closest ties to Wadim. Survived the Third Battle of Arrow Heap, helped Adelbert escape with news of Hakon and Klammenberg's agreement, and betrayed Hakon during the raid on Manann's Keep. Caught by Sforza’s soldiers leading a band of bandits in the Raven Hills and imprisoned in Savonne.
Ulfgeir Ice-Eye (deceased)		One of Rorik's Norscan retinue. Injuries sustained at the Battle of the Burning Hill kept him from participating in the Third Battle of Arrow Heap. He attacked Manann's Keep with Hakon's raiders and was killed along with Hakon.
Halli Sharp-Tongue (deceased)		One of Rorik's Norscan retinue, burned alive by Elsa at the Battle of the Burning Hill.

Spoiler: The Court of Count Eberhard Groz

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Count Eberhard Groz (deceased)		A mercenary from the Empire, and one of the youngest warlords in the Reaches. Killed by Jarl Rorik at the Mitterfruhl feast in Savonne.
Countess Leona Groz		Eberhard's young bride, taken from among the daughters of the guildmasters of Putbad. Was taken into Duke Alvarr's custody following her husband's death at the hands of the Jarl; subsequently 'rescued' by Captain Sforza during his first attack on Savonne. She has given birth to a son, and named it Eberhard after its father.
Sergeant Ehrman (deceased)		A world-weary old soldier, and one of Groz's trusted deputies. Like many of the Count's men he was suspicious of Rorik and his Norscans. The survivors of the Mitterfrulh massacre confirmed he was killed by Rorik's men.
Pieter Hagendorf		Another of Groz's comrades-in-arms. Hagendorf is a lot younger than Ehrman and has more of an eye for the ladies. Presumed dead or missing in the aftermath of the Mitterfruhl massacre.

Spoiler: The Inner Circle of Grand Commander Evatt

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Grand Commander Matthau Evatt (deceased)		Matthau and a small retinue of his fellow Knights Mariner seized power in the Thornwood some years ago, carving out a small kingdom around the town they renamed Manann's Keep. He was intent on bringing the word of Manann to the landlocked Reaches, and his eccentricities caused many of his subjects to doubt his leadership. Evatt's reign came to an end during the invasion of Magog Ironclaw. Piloting a steam-powered landship named Manann's Blessing into the orc army, Evatt was lost - presumed dead - when the steam ship's boiler exploded.
Ruprecht		The most senior of Evatt's remaining knights. Survived the battle for Manann's Keep; left for Marienburg to carry news of the Grand Commander's death back to his order.
Bernhard (deceased)		One of Evatt's remaining knights. Advocated for pre-emptive action against the orcs of the Iron Claw Hills before the greenskin invasion; was eventually granted command of a raiding party to try to find and kill the orcs' leader. Bernhard and his force were ambushed and massacred in a dry valley near Caerfort.
Barthold (deceased)		One of Evatt's knights. Mortally wounded defending the mill during the battle of Manann's Keep.
Einhardt		One of Evatt's knights. Encountered by Adelbert in the temple of Manann during the party's first visit to Manann's Keep. Was present during the battle for the town, and seems to blame Captain Sforza for his master's downfall; has since disappeared
Fritz & Luther (deceased)		The two youngest of Evatt's knights. From their age they can't have been more than squires when he first came south. Both were lost, presumed dead, during the ambush on Bernhard's raiding party.
Werner Oberth (deceased)		A close adviser of the Grand Commander, and the designer of the land ship Manann's Blessing. Lost, presumed dead, in the wreck of the Blessing.

Spoiler: The Elf and his Advisers

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Prince Belehir		An elvish mercenary who drifted into the service of the mad Duke Wulf, Belehir took matters into his own hands and slew his master during the period of anarchy known as the Beheading of the Wolf. Though a reluctant ruler, he held Savonne for several years, repulsing the first attempt of the Reaches' human princes to take the city from him and enduring a months-long siege before succumbing to the second. Alvarr threw him in his own dungeons; he was later freed by Elsa and Astoria d'Evangelisti, and vanished into the wilds.
Roland de Bohun (deceased)		Leader of the Red Company, Belehir's old mercenary regiment. During the siege of Savonne, de Bohun led a mutiny against his master when the outer wall fell, and delivered the citadel to Alvarr and his allies. Was killed during Sieghard's surprise attack on the Red Company camp before the Second Battle of Arrow Heap.
Guildmaster Gisela		The head of the Guild of Jewellers and Mineworkers. Gisela was very preoccupied with the question of how to regain entrance to the Dwimmulhold since the dwarfs of Clan Dwimmulson sealed its gates, and the activities of tunnelers in her pay may have been responsible for opening up the forgotten passage of the dwarven underway that allowed the besiegers access to the city. After the fall of Savonne she was deposed as guildmaster; her fate is unknown.

Spoiler: Clan Dwimmulson

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Rinn Elmendrin		The leader of the Dwimmulson dwarfs. Led the Dwimmulsons into self-imposed exile in Putbad to gather support among the human lords of the Reaches to oust Belehir from Savonne. Since the fall of the elf, she has stayed above the infighting of the umgi.
Skorgrund		A cantankerous elder of the Dwimmulson dwarfs. Keeper of the Clan Dwimmulson Book of Grudges (subtitle: May They All Be Boiled In Oil).

• Grunlok: foreman of the Dwimmulhold's mine and chief of the Clan Dwimmulson muster.
• Moradin: the clan's master gemcutter.
• Hegrom: the clan's master mason.
• Zamalind and Zarri: a wealthy merchant and her bodyguard.
• Thrunrik, Lokri, Berki, Baragil, Skargan and Vardin (all deceased bar Berki): rangers who scouted the Red Pyramid.
• Grunda: a runebearer who often travels between the Reaches and Barak Varr.
• Skargil, Lunn, Rollik, Throndin, Uthgar and Moragina (deceased): volunteers for Urgrim's expedition to Kheneb-Ptra-Urush.

Here Be Monsters

Spoiler: Children of the Jackal

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Nakht-Horeb of Lahmia, aka Nahorek the Jackal, aka Varag Kol (deceased)		An ancient vampire and servant of Nagash, raised from beneath the Red Pyramid on Hexensnacht of 2523 IC. Nakht-Horeb claimed to have been a priest of Djaf in ancient Lahmia, and to have been given the Blood Kiss by W'soran himself. He invaded the Reaches millennia ago, and is still dimly remembered in local folklore and legend. Caught in an ambush outside Nath, he was struck with the spear of Kheneb-Ptra-Urush, and is presumed destroyed.
Johannes Klammenberg (deceased)		A man of letters from the town of Maylhof, in Stirland. Klammenberg spent a year travelling the Reaches by coach collecting strange esoterica, and crossed paths with the party several times. They since learned he was a necromancer, who resurrected Nakht-Horeb and acted as his agent. Klammenberg was taken captive by Ludo in Last Water, and killed when Gunda and the Falcons ambushed him on the road to Manann's Keep.
Udolf (deceased)		Klammenberg's mute bodyguard and coachman. On his 'death', he was revealed to be a walking corpse, taken from the gallows and stuffed with sawdust and preservatives to halt the process of decay.
Besnik (deceased)		A Rivermouth boy who was given to Johannes Klammenberg as a servant when he visited the village. Besnik infiltrated the Cult of Morr in Savonne as an initiate, and invited Nakht-Horeb into the temple. Was burned alive by Elsa while trying to escape with the Book of Nagash.
'Mother' Mala		Wise woman of the village of Rivermouth. Mala was instrumental in concealing the cannibalistic 'old folk' of the village, and in the devastating ambush that killed a great number of the Thorns when Sieghard pressed his investigation. She and her followers sheltered Nahorek when he fled into the Bracken Mere, and followed him into Nath, appearing to worship him as a god. Now the only survivor of Rivermouth, she has most recently been seen on the edge of the Raven Hills, still claiming to follow the Jackal and denying that he has been destroyed.

Spoiler: The Accursed Dead

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Meskhenet		A long-dead priestess of the hidden temple of Kheneb-Ptra-Urush. Meskhenet used the Book of Nagash she was sworn to safeguard in a desperate attempt to stave off an attacking greenskin horde, and so condemned herself and the inhabitants of Kheneb-Ptra-Urush to the curse of undeath. Her newly-risen compatriots impaled her undead form on a stake, where she remained until she was discovered the party. She charged them with retrieving the book, saying it was stolen long ago by an unknown thief. Ludo has since returned to the ruins again and escaped with her (still-animated) skull.
Sekhemkare		The garrison commander of Kheneb-Ptra-Urush, Sekhemkare and his soldiers fell defending their home from orcs only to rise again as undead. He pursued the party into the Iron Claw Hills when they tried to plunder the ruins, but lost them in the night.
Nicodemus (doubly deceased)		One of the three founders of the Lost Library. Nicodemus used the Book of Nagash to extend his life well beyond its natural limits, eventually becoming trapped in the sanctum where it was kept as a wraith. Due to his deathless state, he was the only member of the Illuminated Order to survive the ritual that pulled the library into the Realm of Chaos, where he remained until he was destroyed by the party.
Samira (doubly deceased)		An Arabyan sorceress, and founder of the Tower of Silence in the cursed city of Nath. When the sorcerers of Nath turned on each other, Samira used the Book of Nagash to unleash the spell that slew the inhabitants of the city and transformed them into hungering ghosts. She remained as a spectre haunting the tower until the arrival of Nakht-Horeb and his followers, when the Jackal used her as a fulcrum to bind the spirits of the city to his will. After the vampire's defeat, she was destroyed by Elsa.

Spoiler: Agents of Chaos

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Cacophrax		A powerful daemon of Tzeentch, Cacophrax seems to have been at least partially responsible for the ritual that pulled the Lost Library into the Realm of Chaos. Having spent an unknown time trying to break the wards on Nicodemus' sanctum, he recruited the party to help him. The intervention of the Huntsman foiled his plan and allowed the party to escape with the book.
Tshula-Udiyya		A 'djinn' bound to a clay jar by the sorcerers of Nath, and left there after the city's destruction. Tshula was awoken by Adelbert when the party found themselves trapped by Nahorek. In exchange for delivering them to safety, Sieghard and the Thorns freed her by smashing the vessel she was bound to. The escaped daemon made her way to Savonne by possessing a series of hosts, and manipulated Tatiana into attempting to dig up the Book of Nagash. Caught in the attempt by Father Hieronymus and the Iron Company guards, she was thought banished, but in fact possessed Hieronymus himself, lying low and only occasionally exerting her influence. She was confronted and driven out of her new host when the party became suspicious of Hieronymus’ erratic behaviour.
The Beast of Harmugstahl		An aquatic, fire-breathing Chaos Spawn inhabiting the flooded caverns beneath the ruins of Harmugstahl. The beast appears to have once been one of the magi of the Brethren of the Silver Tower, who tried to cast the Library of the Illuminated Order into the Realm of Chaos.
The Huntsman		The Huntsman is a daemon of Khorne who occupied a portion of the Lost Library. A hunter of wizards, he seemed to have lain dormant for some time before the party's breaching of Nicodemus' sanctum woke him.

Spoiler: Green And Mean

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Magog of the Iron Claw (deceased)		An orc warboss who rose out of the Iron Claw Hills, leading an army against the territories of Grand Commander Evatt and causing his ultimate downfall. Magog was killed by Sieghard during the battle for Manann's Keep, in which the intervention of Muzio Sforza and his army prevented the orcs from overrunning the Thornwood and the Lost Vale.
Boss Glimrut		Chief of the Broken Moon Goblins living under the Giant's Teeth. Glimrut's hench-goblins tried to kidnap Tatiana as a sacrifice to Da Big Wun.
Da Big Wun		A wyvern living high in the Giant's Teeth. So far it seems to have been preying largely on stray livestock, and the sacrifices offered to it by the Broken Moon Goblins.