przygoda - The Emperor's Cup.pdf - przygody - Berni1977

THE EMPEROR’S CUP

By A.R. Fawcett

Requirements

Ideally suited to Human characters of any career or alignment, elven PCs will have to cover

their ears (a reason explained below). The PCs can be inexperienced with no magic items, it

doesn’t really matter. Rogue characters, especially Thieves, would be very useful as would

Illusionist magic. The ‘Warhammer City’ supplement would also be very, very useful.

Plot Summary

No - this is not about a magical, mythical cup of the underworld, or about an enchanted

chalice hidden somewhere in an old dwarf mine, this is about a growing craze - Snotball

Football, or Snotball. The Emperor’s Cup is the largest Snotball tournament ever to be held in

the Old World. It is unique in that Snotball national teams are gathered together to contest the

tournament in the home of Snotball, in the Old World at least, in the city of Middenheim.

The PCs are hired by the City Watch to get rid of possible troublemakers eager to disrupt the

tournament in some way. Alternatively the PCs could actually be members of the Watch

(ideally). One thing goes to another as the PCs go undercover and infiltrate an anarchist

group, headed by a one ‘Scarface’. The PCs have to complete an initiation to become full

members of the group. Once done they have to stick to the group, learn its movements,

discover where fights between rival fans are to be organised, learn whether the group intends

to disrupt the tournament with bombs and incendiaries. Basically it is up to the PCs to stop

Scarface from disrupting the tournament, thus creating rifts between nations, especially

Kislev; the great ally of the Empire.

GM’s Information

Snotball is an old sport played in the Old World and, of course, in the Albion Isles. It is there

that the game was invented. The rules are simple involving two teams of eleven individuals

clad in brightly coloured leather jerkins. The objective of the game is to attack the opposing

team’s goal, comprising of a net at each end of the pitch. The ball itself used to be a live

Snotling but now, due to animal activists, it comprises of leather and a bit of air so that it can

be easily passed around the pitch from person to person - although the majority of teams hoof

the ball around aimlessly towards the opposing team’s goal. Deliberate handling of the ball is

not allowed, if it does happen then the player could be sent off the pitch or a free kick given to

the other side. Unnecessary physical contact between players is strictly prohibited. It is not

uncommon for a game to be completely called off by the referee with both teams involved in

punch-ups; with the added risk of a war amongst the spectators. Hooliganism after a game, or

even during it, is the downside of Snotball. Sometimes a group of hooligans attend Snotball

matches simply for a fight and it is difficult for the Watch to crack down on these dogs.

It is a craze in Middenheim especially, so much so that the Grand Carnival of Middenheim

includes a knock-out competition with the final held in the Bernabau stadium. There is much

money to be made in the game with a full Bernabau housing anything from between 5000 to

6000 people - a lot of money. Some merchants and nobles try their uppermost to bribe the

referees of matches to fix the game and, in doing so, making a lot of crowns in the process.

All too often wizards use their magical abilities to ‘influence’ a game such as ‘moving’ a ball

closer towards the chosen goal. All match-fixing is an offence and the punishment varies from

city to city, it also depends on the stature of the game. If the cup final, in the Grand Carnival

of Middenheim, was fixed then the offenders would be harshly dealt with.

Snotball is only ever played in the cities, and large towns, of the Old World. It is an amateur

game which means the players never get paid but sometimes an attractive incentive is given to

each player to give them more impetus when participating in a big match. An amateur league

was created many years ago in Middenheim and was the first in the Old World (the Albion

Isles having their own years before them). There are ten teams in the league which play each

other twice to determine the champions. The games are played once every two weeks, or

longer depending on whether some of the teams outside of the City have been attacked by

Beastmen. The teams are made up of, largely, amateurs and people from the surrounding

villages of the City with Salzenmund, Bergsburg and Wolfenburg having their own teams.

The teams currently playing in the Middenheim league are: Salzenmund Soldiers, Bergsburg

Teamsters, Wolfenburg Wolves, Beeckerhoven Rangers, Southgate Slammers, Eastenders,

Ulricsmund SC, Freiburg Wizards, Wolfrunner Coaches and Middenheim Villages XI.

Snotball is not particularly popular in Bretonnia but is growing in popularity in Estalia, Tilea

and Kislev. The Albion Isles are just as fanatical about Snotball as Middenheimers. On the

odd occasion, sailors from Albion merchant ships get together to form a Snotball team to take

on those from the port that they are harboured at. Usually these sailors of Albion would win

any game, but sometimes they are beaten. When an Albion team is beaten all hell breaks loose

and riots aren’t uncommon - in some cases the town Watch come off worse!

The Emperor’s Cup

The Emperor’s Cup was heartily supported by the Emperor himself who saw it as a great

opportunity to bring wealth to the Empire. The Old World is a dangerous place so only

wealthy, or industrious, people will be able to travel to Middenheim - the forests being full of

bandits and Beastmen. With so many nobles, and wealthy people, to come to Middenheim,

the Gravin of Middenheim, Katarina Todbringer, ordered that the forests surrounding the city

should be cleansed of danger. This was a huge operation involving the armies of Altdorf and

Middenheim working in tandem to rid the forests of goblinoids and Beastmen. Many of the

visitors will be arriving via Marienburg and then Altdorf so the main Altdorf-Middenheim

road had to be made imperiously safe, being such a hotbed for highwaymen and bandits.

The Emperor’s Cup itself is to be contested by eight teams each in two leagues of four. The

top two from each league then contest the semi-finals and then the final. The final is to be

held in the Bernabau stadium at the Great Park. It was Stefan Korell’s idea to organise the

tournament wholly for countries in an attempt to bring Old World nations closer together and

also to increase the coffers of the Imperial treasury. Imperial heralds and envoys were sent out

to the nations of the Old World inviting them to participate in the tournament. The nations to

accept are the Albion Isles, Bretonnia, Estalia, the Loren Forest, Kislev, Mortensholm and

Tilea. Mortensholm is a fortress-city situated in the Border Princes which it represents. The

Loren Forest brought up a surprise by standing in for Norsca, who were originally to

participate but pulled out at the last minute. The human nations of the Old World have always

been eager to forge new relations with the Wood Elves and now they are attending the

tournament - excellent.

The Brothers Militant

The Brothers Militant is an extreme group that doesn’t believe in an integrated Old World and

certainly don’t believe in all these foreigners entering their city. They have taken it upon

themselves to disrupt the Emperor’s Cup by any means necessary e.g. the use of bombs and

incendiaries, inciting riots and, perhaps, the odd assassination of an important visiting noble.

The members of the Brothers Militant are all required to shave their heads and wear a tattoo

somewhere on their body to show their loyalty, usually the tattoo will be out of sight. This

extreme group claim to worship Sigmar and that all of their works are dedicated to him. Their

so-called works have included fire-bombing the Temple of Grungni and the Komission for

Elven, Dwarven and Halfling Interests. They do not believe that Middenheim, or the Empire

for that matter, should share their wealth with any other races. They frequently congregate at

Snotball matches usually to whip up the crowds to incite a riot, sometimes they organise

fights after, or during, a game.

THE RAID

Enter the Adventurers

The scenario starts in the Square of Marshals in the city of Middenheim. Watch Captain

Bruno Keisler stands to address those in the Square; that include Watchmen and assembled

volunteers. There are 200 ‘volunteer guardsmen’ in the City (including their Watch Sergeants)

with another 100 on standby just in case. The PCs will fall under the latter due to the need for

extra manpower to ensure the tournament’s success. The professional Watch consist of 75

elites headed by four Watch Captains.

"I cannot stress enough the importance of this operation. It is up to you to ensure the safety of

all those visiting our great City. There are those dregs of society who, for whatever reason, like

to spread widespread chaos, fear and confusion. That is why we have brought in the extra

manpower; to curb the threat before it happens. This will mean many forays into the slums

and lower-class areas of Middenheim, that being the Altquartier, Southgate-Ostwald districts

and so on (there are silent murmurs of discontent from the assembled guardsmen). They say

that to walk into those places and walk out again alive is a great achievement. Nonsense! You

shall change that saying. If any of you manage to arrest truly despicable scum then you will

be rewarded. If you have any questions your Watch Sergeant will be happy to answer them.

Good luck!"

The Adventurers’ Duties

The PCs’ Watch Sergeant is Karl Wernerson. He is below average height and has a growing

paunch. His hair is quite clearly balding and seemingly lodged between his small eyes is a

wide nose that looks like it has been smashed, full on, by a spade. It looks like he hasn’t

washed for years and he shaves rarely with one of his top front teeth missing in his mouth.

Karl has seen much in his 20 years in the Watch but has certainly lost the ‘edge’ that he used

to possess when he was younger. His wife, and five children, left him ten years ago because

of his obsession with his work and, as a result, he has turned to drinking. If that wasn’t bad

enough he, all too often, fails to hand in his reports on time, much to the annoyance of the

Watch Captains. This is now Karl’s last chance to keep his job, to ensure that the great

tournament goes ahead. If he could catch a few vicious hooligans his job would be safe, it’s

either demotion or dismissal - he wants neither, he would rather resign than become an

‘ordinary’ Watchman.

Soon their is great activity in the Square of Marshals as each group is given their orders by

their Watch Sergeants. Karl gives his orders, his accent is reminiscent of a scouser’s "All

right! This is what the gaffer up top wants us to do. Are you listening? All right! We are to

raid Ecke strasse, with reinforcements on standby......if they are needed. We have one of the

prizes here for Ecke strasse is in the Ostwald district a bastard of a place if ever there was one!

(Karl waits for the news to sink in then continues) We won’t, obviously, be raiding the entire

strasse ‘cause it’s a bit big for use six that’s why reinforcements will be near at hand, but, like

I say, we won’t be needing them! Let’s go!"

ECKE STRASSE

The Ostwald district is a law unto itself and the City Watch rarely enter it unless there is a

purpose. The Watch have been raiding and patrolling many of Middenheim’s more dangerous

districts for weeks, now the finishing touches are being made, i.e. finding the ‘real’ thugs and

troublemakers. Despite the heightened Watch presence throughout the city, the more seedier

districts still remain extremely dangerous places to go. But Karl wants his credibility back and

won’t listen to any talk of ‘reinforcements’!

Sergeant Wernerson is very knowledgeable of Middenheim when walking down the winding

allies and streets towards the Ostwald. Anyone who has heard of the district will be feeling

rather sick as they get closer and closer to it. Sergeant Wernerson has no such hang-ups and

even whistles along the way!

It is approaching 7 o’clock in the morning when the PCs enter Ecke strasse, probably the

safest time of day to be in the street seeing as ninety per cent of its people will be in bed.

Nevertheless there are a few people about that look decidedly shifty and unpleasant. Beggars,

and other degenerates, lie in doorways either sleeping or drinking the day away. Some of

them are kicked by the annoyed owners of the buildings.

Street Life

The PCs are also aware of staring eyes following them from the rundown buildings. One man,

sitting on a doorstep, spits in the path of the PCs’ patrol giving a satisfying ‘plop’ as it

splashes in a small puddle, of which there are many. The man responsible has shoulder-

length, lank, greasy hair and a stubbled face. He appears to be in his early thirties, and looks

as though he’s up to no good as he continues to stare at the PCs.

Sergeant Wernerson orders the patrol to stop. He walks over to the man (Dieter) sitting in the

doorway of a really rundown house. It has two floors, the ground floor appears to have two

windows, one boarded up and the other with a pair of shattered shutters. The first floor is no

better. The man on the doorstep, to everyone’s amazement, spits on one of Wernerson’s shiny

leather boots who then looks down at the globule of phlegm on his boot "Lick it off you

worthless piece of crap!" The man just continues to stare at Wernerson and smiles; who then

slowly gets his club out and quickly raps the man around the head with such ferocious force

that teeth fly loose together with spots of blood.

"Welcome to the Ostwald district!" smiles Wernerson, as he puts his club back in its holding.

THIS IS A RAID!

The PCs continue to follow their Watch Sergeant until he stops outside a shoddy looking

house. The ground floor of the building has a living room which also incorporates a pretty

untidy kitchen. The front door opens to a dusty hallway where a flight of stairs go up to the

first floor. Additionally, the hallway connects to a back room with one of two back doors

there also (the second being in the kitchen).

The upstairs comprises of two bedrooms with the door to the balcony on the landing. Brief

descriptions of each location are detailed below. Should any escape they will be almost

impossible to pursue for the Ostwald is full of winding allies complete with plenty of cut-

throats and footpads. You must ensure that at least one of the number below survives for

questioning. The idea of all of the raids is that anyone encountered should not be killed, given

a good beating with a club, but not killed.

1. LIVING ROOM & KITCHEN

The living room would be fairly spacious if it weren’t for all sorts of bric-a-brac on the floor,

clothes and boots etc. There’s also all the usual furnishings including a couple of large comfy

looking chairs. Immediately adjacent to the living room is a very untidy kitchen with pots and

pans just dumped into a stainless steel basin.

When the PCs burst in two men (Helmut and Klaus) will be sitting on the comfy chairs

smoking and playing an early morning game of cards whilst they also eat breakfast. These

two will be completely surprised with the raid and will only fight if they can.

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