przygoda - A Night at the Opera.pdf - przygody - Berni1977

A Classic Operatic Investigation Scenario for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

A N IGHT AT THE O PERA

T HE C LASSIC N ULN BASED O PERA I NVESTIGATION UPDATED FOR S ECOND E DITION WFRP

Night at the Opera is a Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

adventure that revolves around the arrival and

performances of a Miragliano opera company in the city

of Nuln. For one reason or another, the characters find

themselves drawn to investigate when Adolphus von

Drakkesborg, the Impresario who arranged the tour, is

murdered during a performance.

Otenno

(An opera in four acts)

Dramatis Persona

Otenno, a Dwarf Admiral in the Miragliano navy:

Theobaldo Occoria (Bass)

The adventure comprises equal parts of cunning

detective work, the whirl of high society in the company of

the flamboyant people of Miragliano, rousing sword fights

and all the other trappings of overblown melodrama.

Although it is located in the Opera Imperialis (Imperial

Opera House) in Nuln, it can be relocated to almost any

city in the Empire; the travelling company of the opera is

itself the ‘ setting ’. More than anything, the adventure is

supposed to be flexible. As a result, several opportunities

are provided for the characters to become involved with

the company. Likewise, the plot is free form enough to

accommodate a wide variety of styles of play with equal

ease.

The adventure centres around a three-night performance

of the opera Otenno at the Imperial Opera House in Nuln.

It is a pair of murder mysteries – both carried out on

stage, and both carefully scripted. However, while one

appears real, it is not really a murder at all. Moreover, as

the characters attempt to unravel the mystery, they may

find themselves starting to side with the conspirators.

Adolphus von Drakkesborg, the impresario responsible

for arranging the Reikland leg of the tour, is a man in

love. In love with opera, in love with life and (most

importantly), in love with Ginevra Maria Pantaleoni, the

Prima Donna of the company.

Inago, his Ensign:

Paulo Corventi (Baritone)

Casino, Otenno’s Lieutenant:

Sebastino Rimini (Tenor)

Ludovicus, the Miragliano ambassador:

Giuseppe Foccacia (Bass)

Desdemonda, Otenno’s wife:

Ginevra Maria Pantaleoni (Soprano)

Roderingo, a gentleman in love with Desdemonda:

Jose Marconi (Tenor)

A Herald:

Victor Dupont (Bass)

Emilia, Inago’s wife and Desdemonda’s companion:

Julianna Terveli (Mezzo-soprano)

Unfortunately, Adolphus is married – and not to just

anyone. His wife, Francesca, is a daughter of the

Schimmelheim family, one of the most ruthless of the old

Nuln merchant houses. Any attempt to leave her would

disgrace them, and they would be forced to take drastic

measures.

Written by Piers Brown

With additional material by Anthony Ragan and Art by Gavin Lonercan

Updated for WFRP 2nd Edition by Alexander J Bateman

With additional input from Nathan Dowdell and Jason Lemster

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A Classic Operatic Investigation Scenario for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

Adolphus thus plans to be dramatically ‘ murdered ’ in the

middle of the final performance Nuln. The corpse will, in

fact, be a body procured from grave robbers. While

everyone fusses around it, Adolphus can quietly

disappear. As the company then travels onwards, he will

follow them incognito until they leave the Empire for

Bretonnia, after the final performance in Altdorf.

T HE P LOT ( OF THE O PERA )

Otenno is centred around a minor occurrence in

Tilean history and set in a time when Sartosa, the city

of pirates, was an outpost of the city of Miragliano.

Compared against the facts, the story is vastly

overblown. As history tells it, Otenno, a Dwarf brought

up in the city of Miragliano, became one of

Miragliano’s greatest admirals. He defeated a huge

fleet from Araby in a pitched sea battle. Afterwards,

as a reward, he was given the governance of

Sartosa. However, within a month of taking the post,

he, his wife and several of his lieutenants were dead

by the hand of his ensign Inago. Legend says that

Inago was a Chaos cultist, and that this was the first

time that evil came to Sartosa.

Unfortunately, he did not carefully think out the

consequences of his plan in advance. First, he has

neglected to inform Ginevra Pantaleoni of the plan.

Second, if somebody is murdered, there will be a search

for the culprits, which may not only turn Adolphus up, but

also which will expose secrets that certain members of

the company are hiding.

The baritone Paulo Corventi, for example, is fleeing from

an illegal duel in Tilea. Jurgis Hemmelheim, the stage

manager, was once tried for necromancy and fears

exposure of this more than anything. Jurgis’ brothers-in-

law, meanwhile, are intent on retrieving the money he

borrowed to fund the tour. They will send bounty hunters,

if necessary, to get it back.

As an opera, the story becomes much more: a story

of love and tragic jealousy. Inago is a loathsome

snake who personifies Chaos and its destructive

impulses. Early in the opera, Inago has a solo piece

one of the most terrifying in the Opera – in which he

sets forth his beliefs and those of Chaos as a whole.

As the plot progresses, Inago persuades Otenno that

his Wife, Desdemonda, is engaged in an affair with

Casino, one of his Lieutenants. Simultaneously, he

manipulates Casino, and Roderingo, another aide,

into animosity and eventually into open conflict – all

the while reinforcing the illusion. Eventually, stirred to

a jealous fury by Inago, Otenno smothers

Desdemonda in bed, ignoring her protests of

innocence. It is only then that Inago’s treachery is

revealed, compelling Otenno to commit suicide in

despair at his ruined love.

G ETTING I NVOLVED

A list of suggestions to introduce the characters to the

opera follows. It is important to lead into the adventure

without forcing the characters or making the whole

episode appear contrived.

M EETING ON THE R OAD

The characters are travelling toward Nuln when they

come across the opera company in the midst of a

problem. Depending on how bloodthirsty your players

are, this can be anything from a full-fledged bandit attack

to something as mundane as a broken in axle. Either

way, the characters will have a chance to put themselves

in the good books of the company. Rather than letting the

characters part from the opera company, keep them

together for a while. A large storm and a small inn work

nicely. Once safely inside, they are trapped for the rest of

the day, the night, and maybe longer with the vociferous

members of the opera. This sort of crowded mayhem is a

perfect setting in which to acquaint the characters with

the highly-strung nature of Tileans in general – and these

Tileans in particular.

For one reason or another (gratitude for yet another

rescue comes to mind) they invite the characters to a

party hosted by the Countess Emmanuelle von Liebewitz.

If the characters complain that they do not have the

correct clothes, the pair raids the opera company’s trove

of costumes. The effect of the drinks and whatever

transpires at the party leads to a close acquaintance with

other members of the opera. This scenario works well

with the one presented above. (‘ Look! Our friends... hic!

Mebbe they wanna come to the party? ’)

I N THE C ITY

If the characters do not travel, have them meet the Paulo

Corventi and Theobaldo Occoria at an inn in Nuln. Drunk

on the success of the first performance (and a variety of

beverages) Paulo and Theobaldo are making a display of

themselves.

L EST A ULD A CQUAINTANCE B E F ORGOT

The characters know someone in the opera company

who invites them to see the Nuln performance, then asks

for help. Set this up ahead of time by introducing this

character into an earlier adventure.

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A Classic Operatic Investigation Scenario for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

T AILORING THE A DVENTURE

Tailoring the adventure to your group is important; while it

is good to give players a change from time to time, each

group has its own style. Some players prefer violence,

others interaction and role-playing, and so on.

This adventure is mainly a character-based mystery. It is

quite possible – even easy – to get through it without a

fight. On the other hand, you can pick up the pace if

necessary.

To do this, cut back on the investigative elements of the

adventure and beef up the action. For example, the

investigating guard captain may leap to wild conclusions

about the player characters’ role in the murder, thus

precipitating wild clashes with the watch and perhaps

even a midnight escape from the city by river. (That

should get the blood pumping.)

The adventure is suited for characters who are on their

second or third Basic Career, or who are part ways into

their first Advanced Career. However, there is little in the

adventure that actually needs tests.

T HE C OMPANIA

The Compania della Opera Miragliano is a travelling

operatic company: a designation that most settled

operatic companies would consider a pejorative. In fact, if

an opera singer has any talent, he or she should be able

to find a stable position at one of a city’s opera house.

Those with lesser talent are forced to take to the road –

and must hope to precede their reputation.

Normally a travelling company, already forced to endure

the dangers and indignities of the road, is further

humiliated by being forced to play in towns and cities too

poor or too small to merit a company of their own. They

become a mere provincial company – just about the

deepest of humiliations. Fortunately, there is a difference

between any company of the Empire and a true Tilean

opera company. After all, Tilea is the true home of opera.

All things considered, the Compania isn’t that bad, and

the singers are rather talented. Of course, there are

reasons why they ended up in this company – reasons

that have little to do with talent.

On the surface, the company is happily dysfunctional.

The artists and director seem happy to vent their petty

grudges and foibles on one another. Practices are

missed, sheet music torn to shreds, and slurs about each

other’s ancestry fly furiously.

This is normal behaviour for a Tilean opera company.

Given a few days and the earnest and frustrated

diplomatic rounds of the director, a strained reconciliation

will take place. Another few days and everything will be

fine... until the next crisis. Underneath it all though, there

are real tensions, particularly among the principals of the

company.

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A Classic Operatic Investigation Scenario for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

R EHEARSALS

There are only two days between the arrival of the

company in Nuln and the first night’s performance. A

substantially longer rehearsal period had been planned,

but delays en-route has cut rehearsal time back to the

barest minimum. As a result, the rehearsal is full-fledged

chaos. Any sort of vague support on the characters’ part

is more than welcomed. Even if they do not volunteer

their help, if they hang around they will be dragooned into

running errands. These can comprise anything from

picking up the new wigs from the wig makers or costume

from the tailor, to tracking down Jose, Sebastino and

Giuseppe, who were last seen heading off to get drunk.

To those with a hangover or those unused to awakening

at such an hour, it is torture. However, for anyone else

(except for those who hate Opera) there is little better to

be had outside a great opera hall. Or at least, that is what

Theobaldo tells those who complain. If they do not listen

to reason, he simply drowns them out.

S ETTING THE S CENE

If the characters are hanging around the theatre in

between performances, they are sure to see Jurgis

Hemmelheim and the stagehands busy with the set. Even

to the unpractised eye, it appears somewhat skeletal. All

the hands say that it always looks better at night, with the

lights and atmosphere. If the characters are in the theatre

late in the night, they find Jurgis down on his knees on

the boards, working with chalks and candles, sketching

out the Shadow Lore ‘ Illusion ’ spell he will use. If

confronted, he admits to using magic, but will not speak

except in the most general terms about where he learned

it or what he can do, unless he truly trusts the characters.

Mostly though, the characters will be used as go-

betweens. Under the tension of the shortened setup time,

tempers begin to flare. Halfway through the first day, an

argument breaks out. An angered Paulo Corventi informs

Ginevra Pantaleoni that ‘ a pregnant pig could probably

sing better and would certainly look better in that

dress ’.

Her subsequent fainting is followed by another argument

in which Theobaldo Occoria accuses Paulo of

deliberately trying to sabotage the opera. Corventi denies

anything of the sort, but Theobaldo is past placation. A

fight breaks out as half the cast tries to hold Theobaldo

off a calm Corventi, while Maestro Ludovicus looks on as

if the end of the world has arrived. To top it off, Adolphus,

previously comforting Ginevra, walks over and slugs

Paulo in the face.

S TRANGERS IN THE N IGHT

One evening before the final performance, the characters

observe someone in hushed conversation with a pair of

darkly cloaked figures near the opera house. Moments

later, the group separates. The pair of cloaked figures

disappears into the night and the other person walks back

towards the opera house. As this figure comes into the

light, his face can be seen, grim and determined: it is

Adolphus. He disappears through a side door, locking it

behind himself. If questioned later, Adolphus claims that

the characters must have mistaken him for someone

else. No matter how hard they push him, he refuses to

talk, continually insisting on his innocence. Attempts to

follow the mysterious figures will likely prove equally

fruitless. They are the grave robbers from whom

Adolphus intends to buy a corpse. More can be found on

them in the section The Grave Robbers.

Around this chaos, try to interweave a couple of the

following scenes, either as presented, or in part as

opportunity arises. The idea is to give a few clues as to

what is going to happen and also to sow the seeds of

confusion.

F INANCIAL W ORRIES

In conversation with members of the Company, finances

come up. Apparently, the performers have been getting

good crowds and have been paid well. They are worried,

however, about having enough money for the winter. One

of the company members is afraid that Adolphus has

been doctoring the books and stealing from the company.

Most of the members of the company, however, say that

they trust Adolphus; he has always been honest and

open with them.

P ERFORMANCES

Otenno will play for three nights at the Opera Imperialis –

the greatest opera house in the Empire, founded in 1347

by the Emperor Isoard the Poet. Performances begin at 7

pm, and most nights the house will be full half an hour

before the curtain rises. With the exception of the third

and final evening (and the usual everyday calamities) the

performances run comparatively smoothly. On the first

night, the Countess Emmanuelle von Liebewitz, ruler of

Nuln, attends with most of her court. Afterward, she

invites the entire cast to one of her famous parties. The

second and third nights bring out those who come to the

opera less for its social cachet, and more for the joy of it.

Some enthusiasts will attempt to take in all three nights.

T HEOBALDO AT P RACTICE

Most of the company prefers to sleep in, but not

Theobaldo Occoria. The Dwarf is habitually awake at

dawn, and practicing. For several hundred yards around

the inn where he is quartered, sleepers awaken to the

sound of his resonant tones billowing out over the city.

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A Classic Operatic Investigation Scenario for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

T HE C RITIC

Among those individuals who attend all three nights,

there is one who could not be called an enthusiast: Urval

Ulrikson, priest of Ulric and opera Critic. Urval is from

Norsca, and, in addition to his religious persuasions, he is

an almost stereotypical example of those hard-drinking,

hard-fighting Wolf-Kin – or at least he was in his youth.

Now that he is going on sixty, his massive frame has

dwindled; he no longer spends days drinking, wenching

and fighting in taverns. He is (within the church of Ulric)

famous for the incoherent but emotional sermons with

which he often bombards the congregation. Urval has

become accustomed to civilization as a whole, despite his

youthful excesses. In particular, he has come to love

opera with a passion equalled only by his faith in his god.

In some circles, his opinion as to the merits of a particular

production can make or break it.

Urval is rather set in his ways, stoutly defending Empire

opera as the height of the art and condemning Tilean

productions for their lack of seriousness or deep lyrical

meaning. Most of those acquainted with him are well

aware of his prejudice, and discount his opinions. Furious

at this, he has become more and more meticulous in his

attempts to discredit Tilean productions, even going so far

as to use his magic to observe exactly what is going on

behind the scenes (see the sidebar Clear the Fog of

Battle). The game master can introduce Urval by having

the members of the opera company rave about his

‘ unfair ’ reviews of Otenno. Any member of the cast can

point him out in the audience. On the night of the tragedy,

Urval is watching the stage with this spell and sees

something that may provide the hinge to the whole

mystery. Or maybe not.

P ARTY

The characters are unlikely to be invited to the party after

the first performance. They will, however, have very little

trouble in crashing it so long as they are with members of

the opera company and are dressed appropriately for the

occasion. The party provides the characters with an

opportunity to interact with the principals of the opera. In

addition, the comic possibilities of a bunch of uncouth

adventurers, in disguise at a ball, are endless. It lets them

hobnob with the crème of Nuln society, and gives them a

chance to see Adolphus with his wife.

T HE C OUNTESS

’

Francesca is the very picture of a suspicious, shrewish

wife, worried that her husband betrays her. With her are

two of her brothers, Frederick and Gustav, both rich and

obviously pompous bores of the worst sort. They take

pleasure is consorting with nobility on an equal basis,

even if the aristocrats look down on these obvious

nouveaux riches. Adolphus’ chagrin at this state of affairs

is obvious, but he tries to put on a good face to reassure

his wife. It is possible that, later in the evening, he will slip

off in an attempt to be with Ginevra Pantaleoni. However,

unless someone runs interference, it is equally likely that

he will be caught by his wife.

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przygoda - A Night at the Opera.pdf

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