The Pilgrimage - Rough (WFRP2)

8/8/2019 The Pilgrimage - Rough (WFRP2)

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The PilgrimageA SCENARIO FOR WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY, SECOND EDITION

Writing, Graphics & Layout: David GraffamIllustration: J.R. Head Story Assistance: Danny A. TorresRough Draft - September 20052005 David Graffam, J.R. Head & Danny A. Torres

IntroductionThis manuscript is intended for gamemasters only. If youre going to be playing a character in thisadventure, stop reading now. Youll only ruin the fun if you know whats in store.

The Pilgrimage takes place on a lonely trail through the Drakwald, the vast forest that is the heart of theMiddenland. The exact location is never specified, allowing you to run the scenario along any roadway in theEmpire by making a few adjustments. The setup is simple enough: the player characters come across a smallparty of religious pilgrims who have taken a vow of non-violence, leaving them defenceless against thehazards of the road. If the adventurers are out of work, looking for a few crowns, a noble cause or someexcitement, theyll find them all by signing on as the pilgrims guards long enough to complete their missionto reach their deitys shrine.

This scenario is inspired by horror classics such as Alien, The Thing and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Use it to

generate some cheap thrills with your group. The less the players know, and the longer they go withoutlearning all the details, the scarier itll be.

The player characters will come face to face with horrors of Chaos and some of the ways it infiltrates thegood people of the Empire. Two tough fight scenes form bookends to the story, so your PCs should be in topform if you expect them to survive. The encounters are written for a group of three adventurers startingtheir second careers, to give you a rough gauge of the challenges they pose. If youre running the game for astronger or weaker party, adjust the number of enemy combatants. The pilgrims eventually become the PCsenemies, so consider adjusting their numbers to suit your group as well.

Disclaimer: This document is completely unofficial and in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Limited. Warhammer FantasyRoleplay, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay logo, WFRP, Chaos, the Chaos device, the Chaos logo, Citadel, Citadel Device,Darkblade, 'Eavy Metal, Forge World, Games Workshop, Games Workshop logo, Golden Demon, Great Unclean One, GW, theHammer of Sigmar logo, Horned Rat logo, Keeper of Secrets, Khemri, Khorne, the Khorne logo, Lord of Change, Nurgle, theNurgle logo, Skaven, the Skaven symbol device, Slaanesh, the Slaanesh logo, Tomb Kings, Tzeentch, the Tzeentch logo,Warhammer, Warhammer World logo, White Dwarf, the White Dwarf logo, and all associated marks, names, races, race insignia,characters, vehicles, locations, units, artefacts, illustrations and images from the Warhammer world are either , TM and/or Copyright Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2005, variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. Used withoutpermission. No challenge to their status intended. All Rights Reserved to their respective owners.


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Adventure SummaryBackground A Curse on Plattendorf: This is the unhappy tale of a small village in the Middenland, in whicha trinket found by a child begins a dreadful turn of events. The villagers only thought they had avoided thescourge of Archaons armies in the Storm of Chaos.

Episode One Job Offer: The adventurers meet a small band of religious pilgrims, worshippers of a little-known regional saint named Schnalle, on their way from Plattendorf to a shrine deep in the Drakwald. Withthem is their hired Dwarf cart-driver, Ragni Rognisson. They appeal to the adventurers sense of piety inorder to get them to sign on as armed escorts. If thats not enough, they offer gold. The pilgrims are just

what they seem to be, but Chaos will eventually turn them against the adventurers.

Episode Two Broken Bridge: The party enters the deep forest on a remote path. The signs of Chaos are alltoo clear, remnants of the recent war. After some time, the group arrives at a broken bridge, and mustattempt to negotiate an aging, poorly-made river ford.

Episode Three Nurglish Warband: A warband of mutants attacks the travellers as they attempt to cross theriver ford. One of the mutants is the host to a foul hive of worm-like parasites. When he is struck down, oneof these Worms of Nurgle finds its way to a pilgrim and burrows into his skin, unseen by the rest of theparty. The mutant warband is defeated, but as the pilgrims continue on their journey, the worm is a silentstowaway, plotting the demise of them all.

Episode Four Act of Vengeance: The party camps for the night. Unable to forgive the priest for the death ofthe young boy in Plattendorf, one of the pilgrims murders him and sneaks away into the forest. The PCs andpilgrims discover Gregors body, and know that his killer is still somewhere out in the Drakwald. The partysbonds of companionship begin to unravel. The adventurers are forced to decide if they should continue tothe shrine or turn back.

Episode Five Whats In the Box?: Along the way to wherever the PCs have decided to go, Ragni loses histemper and finds out whats in the box theyve been carrying around for the priest. Inside is a little money,a huge book, a bittersweet letter, and an unholy pendant that is the key to the troubles. They also find thepriests murderer with a broken leg. As the adventurers grapple with some very tough decisions, the pilgriminfected with the Worm of Nurgle can hardly contain himself.

Aftermath: Some possible outcomes and ideas for follow-up adventures are presented here. Following thissection are adventure resources, including stats for NPCs and other supporting information used throughoutthe scenario.

Background A Curse on PlattendorfThe tiny Middenland village known as Plattendorf is tucked away in verdant hills, consisting of little morethan a few farms and a cold spring. The villages name comes from its original settlers who believed the hillsto be rich in iron ore. Their mines dug out nothing but granite, and eventually the Plattendorfers resignedthemselves to subsistence farming. Thanks to its remote location, the armies of the Storm of Chaos neverdiscovered it.


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But all was not right in Plattendorf in the year 2522. Alexei Foller, the son of a Plattendorf farmer, beganto suffer from insanity. Within days he was completely deranged, plagued by dementia and fits of rage. Histemper was so violent that he was thought to be possessed by dark spirits and devils. Around the same time,two farmers were found slain in their fields, but no witnesses would come forth. The people of Plattendorfbelieved that a curse had taken hold.

The only clergy for miles around were the Bearers of Schnalle, who admittedly had no experience conductinginvestigations or exorcisms. (See the description of the Bearers of Schnalle in the resources section.) But the

locals insisted that something be done. Priest Gregor Hulzhoffer stepped to the task full of hope that hewould find the truth, but his investigations into the murders were fruitless. He turned to the matter of thechild that had gone out of control.

Truly Alexei seemed possessed. His violent outbursts, filthy language and refusal to do as told convincedGregor that he had become a host to wicked daemons. He fretted over what to do, as daily the pressure tocure the boy grew. Some families had been shattered by the curse on their village and few would venture outof their homes. The fields went untilled, and one distraught woman was found hanging in her home. Was ityet another murder, made to look like a suicide?

Gregor prayed and fasted, and did not sleep for a week. The murders went unsolved, and the childscondition worsened. The cure eluded him. However, Gregor did find a clue to Alexeis troubles, in the formof a tiny artefact among the boys belongings: a pendant bearing the mark of Nurgle. Where the boy foundit or why he had kept it remained a mystery. In the face of powers he could not hope to control, exhaustedand suffering from a cold, the priest finally slept.

In a fever dream, he saw the afflicted boy walking unharmed through a cleansing fire. Schnalle was standingnext to him. Believing the dream to be a literal sign perhaps because he was not thinking clearly in thethroes of his fever Gregor leapt from his bed and raced to test his vision. Loudly proclaiming that thedaemons would be driven away by a great flame, he bound Alexei to a stake in the heart of the village, andset it alight. By the time he realized his vision had been nothing more than a dream, Alexei was so badly

burned that he would not survive the night. Daemons or no daemons, the childs screams would foreverhaunt all who heard them.

As his fever cooled and he regained his senses, Gregor knew his followers were dismayed at his failure andwere prepared to abandon him. The other villagers, too few and too frightened of the priest to oust himdirectly, made secret plans to murder him. Needing no powers of foresight to see this eventuality, Gregorrealized he was past the point of no return. If he was a fraud, he decided he would take as much as he could

with him as he went into exile.

He devised a dramatic way to regain his followers trust, knowing that their faith had been shaken. Hegathered his flock and explained that hed had another vision. Everything that had happened in

Plattendorf, he said, had been Schnalles will, calling his worshippers to his shrine deep in the Drakwald.Upon arrival, he promised, the faithful would see that Schnalle had a plan for them. But they would have toleave their homes, perhaps forever, to find out what it was.

Gregors parishioners had become guilty by association and come under pressure from the rest of the villageto leave with their leader. Caught between their love of home and loyalty to Priest Hulzhoffer, all but oneof them chose to join him in exile. The initiate that chose to stay behind was stoned to death by thevillagers. The message was clear: the Bearers of Schnalle would never be welcome back in Plattendorf. Gregorpacked his valuables into a wooden chest and locked it securely.


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A few miles outside of the village, the wandering pilgrims met Ragni Rognisson in his makeshift cart. He,having nothing better to do and seeing the chest they were carrying, decided it would be worth his while totake some of the burden off their backs. Interpreting Ragnis generosity as a blessing from Schnalle, Gregorthen and there made his people swear an oath of pacifism, another test of their faith. Though some of themspoke the words reluctantly, they all complied.

Alarmed by their foolishness, considering the dangerous lands they were passing through, Ragni has kept aneye out for mercenaries or anyone else willing to carry a sword in their defence. By his estimation theresenough gold in the Schnallitesmoney chest for a Dwarf to retire on, and thats exactly what he intends toachieve. He just needs the right opportunity to get away unseen.

Episode One Job OfferStarting the adventure should be straightforward. If the PCs are travelling along any pathway in the vastDrakwald, they will find themselves catching up to a small band of pilgrims. If the PCs are standing aroundlooking for work in town, the pilgrims will be passing through, perhaps stocking up on travel supplies,

ringing their bells and chimes so loudly that the PCs cant help but notice them.

The six pilgrims rattle and clang as they go, followed by their lumbering cart and cart-driver. At the head ofthe procession is the eldest and apparent leader: a stout man with a bushy black beard. He is GregorHulzhoffer, Priest of the cult known as the Bearers of Schnalle. He clutches a tome in one hand, taking longstrides. Behind him stumble half a dozen wailing initiates. Their blue-grey robes are worn and falling topieces, and they seem to possess little else.

Behind these unwashed pilgrims plods a single aging horse pulling a cart held together with wire. Driving thecart is a dour faced Dwarf in plain clothes, a cap pulled low over his road weary eyes. Hes certainly not amember of the clergy, judging from the looks of him. The Dwarf spots the adventurers right away. With an

air of command he points directly at them, and calls out in a gruff voice asking if theyd like to earn a fewmarks.

If the PCs are interested in hearing the offer, the cart driver will call them over for a closer view. Hellintroduce himself as Ragni Rognisson, a beer merchant by trade. In the wake of the Storm of Chaos kegs ofbrew have become exceedingly scarce, as he explains:

Its a terrible lot, forced as I am to turn my cart into the lowest form of transport for a ragged gang of smelly,brainless stargazers. But Ill let you in on a secret. They may not look wealthy in those rags, but this cart s loaded over

with tents and blankets to try to fool you into thinking they dont have a chest full of gold hidden underneath. They say

their journey is blessed, and nothing will harm them on their pilgrimage. They believe it so much they took a vow ofpacifism, the fools did.

So you see, were a fat ripe target for thieves, and were heading out on a road not oft travelled. Ive already talked itover with the pilgrims here, and theyre willing to give you each three crowns for signing on, and another ten when wereach some shrine whats out there. Shouldnt take you too far out of your way, and nobodyd pick on a convoy that bigand well-protected. Easy money, dont you think?

Haggling for fair wages may be all that stands between your PCs and acceptance of the job. Ragni knowsthat the pilgrims will trust their gods to protect them, a trust he doesnt share. As such, hes getting


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desperate and is willing to throw in a few gold crowns of his own in order to hire the adventurers. Let one ofthe PCs make an Opposed Haggle skill test with Ragni. This test will be Easy (+20) for the adventurer, butChallenging (-10) for Ragni. If the PC succeeds, the Dwarf can be negotiated into paying as much as 5 gc peradventurer now, and another 15gc each when they reach the shrine. If the offer still seems too low, you may

want to prod the PCs by mentioning the lack of work around town, and how everyones wondering wheretheyll find their next job. It could be a long time before another opportunity like this comes around.

If the PCs are in transit when they meet the pilgrims, they should be heading in the same direction. Itshould seem like easy money to simply share the road for a couple of days. Safety in numbers and some extracoins ought to be too good to pass up.

While Ragni talks with the adventurers and gives them their advance payment, the pilgrims preach theirbeliefs to anyone who will listen. Any time the pilgrims are around and awake, a Very Easy (+30) Gossip skilltest will give the adventurers all of the following information: these pilgrims are Bearers of Schnalle, a sub-cult of Ulric. (Any PCs with a devotion to Ulric should feel compelled to help these pilgrims, as their chiefdeity is the same.) Theyre undertaking a pilgrimage to the shrine of Huld Schnallmann, fallen champion ofthe Middenland, dead these thirteen long centuries, their chosen deity. This small but devout group of

worshippers has survived many miles with the gods blessings, but the road ahead is notorious and to go

ahead without armed escort is suicide.

None of the pilgrims can say with certainty how long it will take to reach the shrine, as of course there maybe unforeseen delays. Gregor makes a rough estimate of three days from this point, recalling his first journeythere as a young man. The shrine itself is not well known and its location is out of the way, but theadventurers may be allowed a Routine (+10) Navigation or Challenging (-10) Common Knowledge (theEmpire) skill test for a more exacting estimate. Characters familiar with the Drakwald and Middenlandshould get a +10 bonus for this test. Whatever the distance you decide on, it should require at least two daysfor the party to reach the shrine on foot.

The journey begins as soon as the PCs agree to join and gather their trappings. To make the most of the

scenario, the adventurers should begin discover the relationships between the pilgrims. As the first leg of thetrip wont give them much to do other than walk and talk, a couple of Easy (+20) Gossip tests should be

used when chatting with any of the pilgrims or Ragni, with extra degrees of success giving more information.

Gregor Hulzhoffer: The Priest of Schnalle, around 40 years old, with an overgrown beard. Hes a bear of man,who seems to have forgotten his own muscles over years of academic research. His devotion to Schnalle iscomplete, and he never stops preaching. Gossip: 1. We travel to the shrine of Schnalle, for he has summoned us indreams and portents. 2. The Bearers of Schnalle have complete faith in their lord; nothing shall harm us as long as our

faith in him is true. 3. We intend to pray at the shrine to lift the curses that lay upon our village, to end the murders andpossessions that have plagued our people.

Manfred Bergmann: A dull-witted man of around 25 years. He is tall and lanky, with a beard a Dwarf wouldenvy if it werent so filthy. He has loose lips, but speaks a little too loudly. Gossip: 1. I dont think they ought tohave told us we couldnt never go back. 2. They hate us back home, so were going to live at the shrine. 3. When Hulzhoffburned that boy, he didnt know it would kill him. He was just trying to get that daemon out of him.

Wilhelm Dresch: A wiry, shaven-headed, 18 years old. Wilhelm believes himself to be Gregors prodigy, alwaysseeking his favour. The Priest has grown tired of his fawning, and gives him the toughest jobs, such asdigging the latrine for their camp or finding firewood. Gossip: 1. Schnalle has blessed me! I see as the Priest does.


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Our purpose is true. 2. Hulzhoffer had a dream that sent on this journey. I had the same dream! 3. I saw Schnalle in mydream as clear as day. I tell you we are all blessed, and our mission cannot fail!

Kastor Foller: Around 20 years old with a ruff of unwashed hair. Hes desperately homesick, making himquiet and distracted. Gregor shields him as much as possible, as hes the one responsible for all of theirtroubles and knowing that Kastors fragile state could unsettle the entire group. It was Kastors youngerbrother who Gregor exorcised with fatal results, and hes grieving for his ruined family and uncertain

future. Hes not as approachable as the others, so the PCs will need to make an Average (+0) Gossip test to

get much out of him. Gossip: 1. I miss my family. I want to go home. 2. Hulzhoffer didnt mean to kill Alexei; it wasthe daemon that possessed him that did it. Now well never be able to go home. Theyll never let us go back. They blame us

for the curses on the town the murders, the possession. 3. Even my own family thinks Ive done wrong. They dontunderstand how I can support my Priest, after he killed my brother. I know that he id it in faith, and meant no harm tohim. But I miss Alexei, and my family.

Hanna Haupf: 25 years old with red hair and freckles. More than any of the other pilgrims, she has a calmand rational demeanour. She is Gregors illegitimate daughter, though he doesnt know it. Hannas motherkept her child a secret to prevent a scandal. Hanna has joined the Bearers of Schnalle to be close to her

father, now that her mother has died. She believes in her order, but has started to lose confidence in herfather and their mission. Gossip: 1. The Bearers of Schnalle are the only family I have. 2. But Schnalle cannot see allthings, all the time, for he was just a man. 3. Our vow of pacifism has burdened us, but I mean no offence to you. Wecould have defended ourselves. I dont understand Hulzhoffers decisions sometimes.

Joachim Melcher: A skinny young man barely 17 years old, with an angry face. He believes in Schnalle evenmore than Gregor does, and sometimes speaks badly of the Priest in hushed tones. Gossip: 1. Only Schnalle can

protect us. 2. Hulzhoffer may be a good man, but he has gone mad from his visions. I hate that he has made us take a vowof pacifism. I want to fight! 3. I believe in Schnalle, but I believe that once we reach the shrine our prayers will surely beanswered.

Ulrike Neumeier: A stocky woman around 25 years old. She has a wide-eyed fervour for Schnalle, and parrotsanything Gregor says. Gossip: 1. Glory to Schnalle! Hail him who shall deliver us! Hulzhoffer, I believe in thee! 2.Priest Hulzhoffers visions are always right, I declare. 3. He ripped a daemon from the soul of that little boy. Though itkilled him, his soul be free again.

The PCs should be able to assemble a clearer picture through these exchanges. The pilgrims come from avillage that has suffered from unexplained murders and spirit possessions. Gregor, who sometimes has visions,took it upon himself to perform an exorcism, killing a possessed child. The Bearers of Schnalle were forcedout of their village. Theyre not just travelling to the shrine to pay their respects theyve got no other

place to go.

Ragni Rognisson: In his pitch to get the PCs to sign on as guards, the Dwarf cart-driver has already revealed asmuch as he knows about the pilgrims. Hes not interested in talking about them, but will gladly makehimself and his usual vocation the objects of discussion. Gossip: 1. Theres hardly a beer, ale, cider, lager or meadbrewed between Altorf and Middenheim that I havent sold, but its been dry for months. 2. The Storm of Chaos ruinedharvests, and Imperial soldiers helped themselves to any alcohol they could find on their campaigns . 3. Seems theres moremutants than soldiers in these forests now. Ive been keeping a mace in the cart, in case of trouble. Havent had to use it

for years, but a Dwarf never forgets how.


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Ragni is above all concerned with the wooden chest the pilgrims have loaded onto his cart. From its weight(250 Encumbrance) he assumes that its full of gold or religious amulets made of precious metals. Its asturdy wooden box (175 Enc on its own) with a heavy lock. It takes two hands to carry the chest. Gregorthrew away the key before leaving Plattendorf, so that the lock can only be opened by breaking it using ahammer or some such, requiring a Hard (-20) Strength test or an Average (+0) Pick Locks skill test.

Gregor and Ragni guard the chest diligently, so there should be few opportunities for the PCs to get theirhands on it during the early parts of the scenario, much less try to break it open. As the adventure unfolds,there may come a time when it will become important to see whats inside.

Episode Two Broken BridgeAs happy as they are to stand around and profess the virtues of the sainted Herr Schnalle, the pilgrims areeager to get to their destination, and the day is no longer young. The exact geography ahead of them neednot be described in any detail, as they can expect to pass through endless forested hills and might as well get

used to it. The Drakwald is dreary and overgrown. Whatever survives in its wilderness must be hardy andrelentless.

The stain of Chaos is evidenced by piles of bones, shattered weapons and torn banners that are sometimesfound along the path as it winds through the forest. Some of the victims appear to be Imperial soldiers, andothers are clearly the twisted shapes of Archaons minions. These foul pyres mark the miles as the pilgrimschant their blessings and ring their chimes, echoing out into the forbidding wilds, answered only by the callsof ravens and wolves.

Anyone who takes the time to dig through one of these battle-mounds looking for valuables should make aChallenging (-10) Search skill test. Any character that has ever been a Bone-Picker may make this as a

Routine (+10) Search skill test. Though there is nothing of real value in the reeking piles of charred woodand mould, a successful search could turn up an unbroken sword or hammer, a serviceable shield or piece ofarmour.

If you feel the adventurers are well-equipped to begin with, the only noteworthy discovery could be a half-burned banner displaying the symbols of a Chaos army. A Routine (+10) Common Knowledge (the Empire)or Very Easy (+30) Academic Knowledge (Daemonology) test will determine that it is the heraldry used bythe followers of Nurgle, the Plague God of Chaos. Regardless of whats found in the mounds, searchingthem is filthy work. The pilgrims have no interest in weapons or wealth and may resent the adventurer whoholds up their progress while looting.

For this leg of the journey, let the forest itself antagonize the adventurers. Visibility is poor since littlesunlight penetrates to the ground, creating an eternal twilight gloom. Strange noises and barely-seenmovements will taunt them, only to be revealed as a scrounging elk or fox. Calling for a couple of Willpoweror Perception rolls from the PCs, and not announcing the results, would be appropriate to build somesuspense at this point. To add some bite to this part of the adventure, you can easily develop an encounter

with a foraging bear, pack of hungry wolves or even a Goblin skirmishing band, using the stats from theWFRP rulebook.

As the party marches on into the afternoon, the sounds of rushing water reach their ears. Ahead lays abridge over a fast-flowing, rocky creek. The bridge is smashed to rubble, another souvenir from the Storm of


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Von Krumeln: Once a sergeant in Karl Franzs army, Ernst von Krumeln has abandoned all love for theEmpire. He has embraced the dark power Nurgle in his heart, and in return has been warped into a grotesquefigure. Hes covered in oozing sores that run with green and yellow pus and make him stink to heaven. Hiscoat of mail glistens with a putrid sludge, the metal rings chafing against the open boils and pustules of hisdecaying flesh. Yet he thrills at any chance to spoil flesh for Nurgle, thinking nothing of his owndiscomfort. The other former soldiers hes gathered around him are no less craven.

Bloody Lizbet: The only female in the party, and by far the most aggressiveand bloodthirsty. Her emaciated form is greenish and sickly, with sinewy armsand a black-toothed scowl on her face. She wears a moth-eaten patchwork

gown, its bright colours and playful patterns scarcely visible under grime andfilth. Nurgle has blessed her with a scaly spiked tail that she wields as a

weapon. Attacks with her tail inflict SB Damage, and have the Pummellingquality. Her only trappings are a crossbow and several bolts.

Gutswag: Arguably the second in command of the small war party, Gutswag iswrapped in rough black fabric spotted with colourful mosses, lichens andmoulds. The fingers of his right hand have been fused together and

flattened, then sharpened to a keen edge. This bony axe-shaped appendage isthe only weapon Gutswag needs when charging into a fight: a true hand

weapon. In combat, treat it exactly like a hand weapon except that it maynot be disarmed or damaged if using the optional weapon breakage rules from the Old World Armoury. Thismutation prevents Gutswag from using two-handed weapons, but he has no trappings to speak of.

Hakfoot: This mutant possesses the cloven feet associated with Beastmen, and his horribly misshapen faceappears to be in the process of elongating into that of a goat. Patches of bristly red fur poke through theholes of his tattered blue-and-white checked garb, the remnants of an Imperial soldiers uniform. The shirtand trousers are ripped, blood-stained and crawling with lice. Skulls and severed hands hang on his belt as

battle trophies. His bestial legs allow him to move faster than the other mutants. His Movement is 5. Hesequipped with a crossbow, several bolts, and a battered sword.

Hogzy: This wretched creature has a single huge insect-eye in the centre of its forehead. Where two normaleyes would be, Hogzy instead has a pair of pits that drool pink liquid and attract flies. His mind seems tohave shrivelled, as he can comprehend only the simplest of commands. His Ballistic Skill and Intelligence arehalf that of the other mutants and his mind is so weak that he doesnt even understand the operation of acrossbow. As such he fights using a heavy club and only makes All-Out Attacks. He has no other trappings.

Though these mutants will fight as a coordinated unit, each is loyal ultimately to the Lord of Decay. Noneof them would hesitate to betray their fellows in order to elevate themselves in Nurgles ranks. Von

Krumeln will fight to the death, but the others will reconsider if they see three or more of their kind fall.As soon as the surviving mutants detect their inevitable defeat in battle, they will attempt to flee andscatter into the forest.

The raid begins with a volley of crossbow fire from the mutants Bloody Lizbet and Hakfoot, firing frombehind a line of shrubs across the river from where the PCs begin to cross. Their shots are made at a distanceof around 25 yards, which is Long Range (-20 Ballistic Skill) for their crossbows. You may allow theadventurers a Very Hard (-30) Perception skill test to spot the archers as they stand and take aim. Asuccessful roll will mean that the character has detected one or more of the mutants preparing to fire theircrossbows; this PC may take act during the first round of combat. All others are surprised.


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As the mutants open fire with their crossbows, Von Krumeln, Gutswag and Hogzy will spring from theirhiding spot. Theyll move directly toward the adventurers and engage them in hand-to-hand combat. It willtake a couple of rounds for them to reach the adventurers, especially if they have to walk across the ford.Theyre smart enough not to risk a spill by charging or running across the ford, except for Hogzy, whos nottoo bright. The mutants will usually attack the toughest-looking opponent they can reach, going after thebiggest challenges first.

The mutants approach may give the adventurers enough time to prepare a defence, return fire with anymissile weapons they may have, or even make a charge of their own. The pilgrims will try to take coverbehind Ragnis cart, while the Dwarf does his best to control the horse. The pilgrims are absolutelycommitted to non-violence, leaving all of the fighting to the PCs. If Ragni hasnt been thrown into the riverand the PCs are faring badly against the mutants, hell step in with an old mace.

Bloody Lizbet and Hakfoot will keep firing crossbows from their position until they risk hitting their ownor run out of ammunition. They should have only a handful of crossbow bolts each: roll 1d10 to determinethe quantity, if you like. When using their crossbows is no longer viable, these two ambushers will take upmelee weapons instead and enter the fray.

Von Krumeln fights hardest of all and to the death. Its important that the PCs kill Von Krumeln in thisbattle, since it will trigger one of villains of the scenario. As he falls, a foul hive of worm-like parasites,content to linger within the mutants body as long as he was alive, burrow out of their hosts body in anauseating mass, seeking out new, warm homes. These are Nurglish worms, disgusting and dangerous agentsof Chaos. (Complete details for these monsters can be found in the resources section.)

These worms feed on living tissue, dividing and multiplying over months or even years until the host iscompletely riddled with them. As if on cue, the worms will evacuate the body, chewing their way out theirlast meals for a while perhaps. Once exposed, they are vulnerable as they blindly crawl toward the nearestsource of meat. Rows of tiny legs allow them to move quickly, however, and their sheer numbers will make it

impossible to kill them all.

Its likely that Von Krumeln will be on the river ford or otherwise in the water when he is slain, releasingthe Nurglish Worms. If so, characters downstream of him may be most likely to become infested with the

worms. If using miniatures, place the fireball template on Von Krumeln, placing the wide end of the conedirectly downriver from him. Any characters within the cone have a 60% chance of being infested. The PCsare protected by Fate, making them immune to infestation, but you shouldnt let them know this.

While most of the worms are swept down the river with the current, some of them will manage to cling tothe ford. Inevitably, one or more of these worms will locate a pilgrims sandal or the hem of a robe.

However you decide to handle this gory scene, at least one unlucky pilgrim will become a host for one ofNurgles Worms. Unfortunately for Joachim Melcher, the worm finds him through the water and crawls uphis clothes unseen and unfelt. Suddenly it drills into his flesh, causing him to shout once but attracting noattention in the commotion of battle. After a moment of panic, Joachim regains his composure, convincedhes just been nibbled by a fish. If Joachim is dead by this point, simply choose another pilgrim to be the

worms victim.


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The battle continues until the mutants are killed or routed. But even as the Nurgle warband is defeated,their most insidious agent of Chaos remains with the pilgrims. Ever hungry for flesh and power, it waits andprepares to form a warband of its own from them.

Episode Four Act of VengeanceAfter the battle, Gregor is grim-faced and undeterred. His first order is to fish anyone out of the water and

get them across the river. This may include the cart, horse and Ragni if things have gone especially afoul.The pilgrims waste no time in trying to treat wounded characters. Gregor possesses the Heal skill, as doKastor Foller and Hanna Haupf.

The camaraderie between the pilgrims begins to erode. The initiates are feeling bitter toward each other andangry at their predicament. If any of the mutants from the Nurglish warband have survived the battle, thepossibility of another attack should weigh heavily on the travellers minds. Though none of them say so,most of them are beginning to blame Gregor for dragging them into danger.

Gregor stays on task. There are still a couple of hours of daylight, so as soon as the party is bandaged up andready to travel again, Gregor insists that they march until sundown. With the bloody images of battle freshin their minds, the party may press on for a few more miles before darkness forces them to camp for thenight.

The cart contains firewood and four crudely-constructed two-person tents for the pilgrims. Ragni sleeps in abedroll next to the cart, near the fire. The adventurers are expected to provide their own food and bedding,but the pilgrims will share what they have. A sack of barley, a few misshapen vegetables and a sprig ofseasoning herbs is the extent of their food supply.

Once the tents are set up and a campfire made, the Ulrike Neumeier prepares a large pot of gritty,

flavourless, lumpy gruel. Any PC who watches Ulrike closely during the meal preparation will see that shedumps a handful of earth directly into the pot, stirring it into the mix. The pilgrims devour the stuff withfew complaints; its no better or worse than what theyre used to. The adventurers may see the wisdom inmaking their own meals, especially if one of them can cook.

The pilgrims are almost silent during supper, and spend the rest of the evening praying quietly. Around 9:00PM they sombrely climb into their tents, and are soon asleep.

The adventurers, in their role as guards, are expected to have someone standing watch throughout the night.If the PCs take turns, with one of them staying awake while the others sleep, staying awake while on watchrequires a Very Easy (+30) Willpower test. Feel free to adjust this modifier for the worse if a PC on watch

has had a rough time of things during the day, such as exerting a great deal during the river fording orbattle, or if their watch is more than a couple of hours at a stretch.

Keep a note of which PCs are supposed to be on watch during the night, as several events should occuraccording to schedule. If a PC falls asleep while theyre supposed to be keeping a lookout, they could someimportant happenings. Use the following approximate timetable throughout the night:

11:00 PM: Gregor leaves his tent to check on the cart and the money chest. Ragni, curled in his bedroll nextto the cart, wakes and watches him closely as he pokes around in the cart. Gregor will explain, Schnalle


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watches everything, but I dont sleep well unless I know everythings secure.After a minute, he seems to besatisfied with the state of things in the cart, and returns to his tent.

Midnight: A pack of wolves, maybe a mile to the south, howls for ten minutes before fading away. Most ofthe pilgrims will be awakened by this, and they will whisper to one another in their tents until the wolvescries trail off.

1:30 AM: Hanna leaves her tent to use the latrine. She returns in five minutes.3:00 AM: Kastor silently murders Gregor in his sleep, driving a knife into his throat and smothering him

with a blanket. It is an act of vengeance against the Priest, motivated purely by grief. Gregor unwittinglykilled Kastors younger brother Alexei while attempting to exorcise him. Unable to forgive him, Kastor haslaid awake all night with a heart full of despair and rage. He finally snaps. Kastors greatest fear now is thatthe gods will never forgive him, and that hell be lynched if hes discovered. Kastor weeps quietly for thenext hour, coming to grips with what hes done and contemplating his next move.

3:15 AM: Joachim leaves his tent to use the latrine. He returns in ten minutes.4:00 AM: Kastor tries to sneak out of his tent unnoticed. Without the Silent Move skill, he must make anOpposed Test of Silent Move (for Kastor, using half his Agility rating) vs. Perception skill (player characteron watch). If he goes unseen, hell sneak off through the forest and probably never be seen again. If hesheard or spotted while trying to sneak, hell try to bluff with the usual excuse: Latrine.He appears nervousand hurried, as one might expect of a man in need of relief. Extra degrees of success on the PCs Perceptionskill test may allow them to notice that Kastors hands are in his pockets however, its a chilly night, andhes wiped them clean enough to pass a cursory examination under torchlight.

If any of this leads the PC to suspicion or a discussion, Kastor will whisper urgently: Bad gruel. I really needto go!

Pushing past the guard, Kastor will make his way toward the latrine. When he reaches it, he

ll takeone glance back toward camp to be sure he isnt being followed. If hes in the clear, hell suddenly breakinto a sprint, plunging into the forest. Unless one of the PCs has followed him very closely, Kastor should beable to vanish into the night easily. Tracking him requires a Hard (-20) Follow Trail skill test, or an Average(-10) one if the tracker has Night Vision. His path goes deeper into the forest than any character shouldfeel comfortable with at night. If any adventurer continues to pursue Kastor and stands a fair chance ofcatching him, put a Beastman or two in their path to ensure Kastors escape.

The only indication that something is amiss may come when the character on watch realizes the pilgrimhasnt returned from the latrine after a half hour. What happens next could depend on many factors, butthere are no other disturbances for the rest of the night. If the PC decides to check Kastors tent, they will

find Gregors body. This will lead to the events in Episode Five.

6:30 AM: It begins to rain (or snow, if appropriate for the season). Chill winds blow in from the north,moaning through the branches of the trees. The dawn is hidden behind thick clouds and sheets of rain,adding to the misery of this morning. These are the tendrils of Nurgle, if you like, winding ever tighteraround the adventurers. Foul weather is merely another element you can use to create the proper atmosphereand suspense. Everything will be soaked in short order.

Its possible that no one will witness Kastor leaving his tent, or that no one will think to check his tent untilmorning. If the pilgrims are still sleeping when the rain begins to fall, theyll slowly drag themselves from


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their tents and break camp. As they pack up, one tent stands untouched, conspicuously unattended. Someonewill then find the terrible scene inside. If it isnt obvious, a head count will reveal that Kastor is missing.

This episode begins with the discovery of Priest Hulzhoffers body. The remaining pilgrims will be shockedand horrified by the killing. The wound to Gregors neck is obvious, and his missing tent-mate is evidenceenough of how the murder occurred and whos to blame.

Hanna, who seems to be taking the news very well, will even offer to explain Kastor

s motivation if the PC

sask. She believes rightly that Kastor sought vengeance for his younger brother who died while under thepriests care. Though saddened by her fathers death, she wont reveal the nature of her relationship toGregor. She also seems confident that Kastor is no longer a threat, but has no idea what his plans may be atthis point.

Most of the pilgrims should express their fears that Kastor is waiting for them out in the forest, or that hemay be venturing ahead to the shrine. We could be walking right into an ambush.Some of them even believethat he has been somehow corrupted by their encounter with the mutant warband and is in league withthem. What if those werent wolves we heard howling last night? They could have been Beastmen!

If none of the PCs has thought about it yet, Joachim will offer a more sinister explanation, speaking in asomewhat paranoid, rapid-fire fashion: What about those worms that came out of that mutant? He was crawlingwith them. Who knows what those things can do? Maybe one of them got into Kastor, and made him kill Hulzhoffer?

What if Kastors not the only one affected?Of course, this is Joachims way of spreading distrust among thegroup, sowing the seeds for greater treachery later on.

The PCs should naturally begin to suspect everyone of being infected by the mutants worms. If theadventurers check themselves and the pilgrims for physical signs such as entry wounds, theyll have a numberof nicks and scrapes to look over. Each of the pilgrims bears at least a few small wounds from the normal

wear and tear of living and travelling outdoors. Ulrike will be particularly uncomfortable with an inspection,

as shes embarrassed about her figure and would rather not be ogled or ridiculed by the males in the group.

Although she has nothing to hide, she will refuse to let anyone look her over except Hanna, leaving theothers to trust Hannas appraisal. Joachims worm-hole has closed up neatly, leaving a small slit that easilypasses for a minor self-inflicted cut. The inspection should end with growing suspicions of Ulrike andHanna, but no clear answers or evidence.

If the PCs come up with a test to try to determine if anyone is infested with the Worms of Nurgle, theresults should be inconclusive. Better still, they should be misleading. Since everyone will be subjected to thetest, it should not involve life-or-death choices or preordained results. In fact the only way to reveal theinfested character is to kill them, but its not quite time for that yet.

Episode Five Whats In the Box?In spite of the murder and the mistrust, Hanna will attempt to take charge of the Schnallites. Leading byexample, she grabs anything she can use as a weapon or asks one of the PCs for one of their spares. She makesit clear that the vow of pacifism she took for Gregor has expired with him. The other pilgrims see the

wisdom in this and do likewise.


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Resolved to completing their mission, Hanna will be the first to suggest that the party pack up theirbelongings and trudge on through the rain. She begins to walk down the forest path in the direction of theshrine. Wilhelm steps in line behind her, devout as ever. They stop when they realize theyre not beingfollowed.

Manfred and Ulrike resist, too fearful of the road ahead without Gregor, their guide and mentor. Theyreonly too aware that Gregor was only member of their party who had ever been to the shrine before. Manfredand Ulrike seem intent on going back to Plattendorf. If the adventure began in a town or village other thanPlattendorf, thats where Manfred and Ulrike will want to go. Ragni will definitely want to do this, since hefigures his chances of getting into that wooden chest will be better with urban distractions. Manfredexplains in his simple way, wiping snot from his nose: Dont care if they kill us. Just want to go home.Theycould mean any or all of the dangers theyre facing: the people of Plattendorf, the mutants, Kastor, and

whoever might be infested with a Worm of Nurgle.

Joachim and Ragni are neutral, as either path presents opportunities as well as unknown dangers. Theyreboth going along for the ride at this point, waiting for the right opportunity to execute their schemes. Thatleaves the adventurers to decide the direction the group will travel in. For obvious reasons, no one is willingto split from the party. Whatever the PCs decide, thats where theyll go. This shouldnt be a problem,

since all of the important encounters for this scenario may be set along either course.

If the PCs choose to continue on toward the shrine, Manfred and Ulrike will concede rather than go backwith only themselves. Likewise, Hanna and Wilhelm will protest and complain to no end about the othersabandonment of faith if they head back the way they came, but theyll stay with the group.

Turning around means traversing the river ford again, but mercifully this time theres no ambush. The rivermay be even more treacherous with the heavy downpour. To play up the severity of the weather, you mightapply an additional -10 to the test difficulty of all river-fording tasks.

No matter which direction they travel, by noon the dirt path will turn into a muddy track. Ragni

s cart willget hopelessly stuck when his horse panics before stepping into a puddle. Both wheels on the cart break inthick mud, and the entire thing falls to pieces. The group will have to share the burden of tents, blanketsand other items that spill out of the cart.

Furious at his misfortune, Ragni takes the mace from his belt and begins bashing the lock on Gregorswooden chest, which is now lying in the mud. Anyone who questions him will get at least an earful in return.Grungni take you all, Ive had enough of this groaning! The old priest told me my payment was in this box. I ve takenthings as far as Im going to take them, so Im damn well gonna collect my due.

Ragni will be extremely disappointed. Inside the chest are the following items:

A metal trinket bearing the symbol of Nurgle, wrapped in burlap: The small pendant, hardly bigger than a goldcrown, consists of three silver hoops in a triangular arrangement. If the PCs searched the mounds of debris inEpisode Two, they may recognize this symbol from a burned banner as being that of Nurgle. Two of thehoops contain ruby-coloured glass insets, but the third gem is missing. The silver is tarnished and bears apatina of scratches. It has the look of something thats been lying in the mud for years. A small metal loopon one end of the trinket is broken, as it had certainly once been hanging as a pendant on a chain.

Its origin is left to you, but we like the idea that it is made in part of warpstone refined in the bowels of aGreat Unclean One. As Archaons armies invaded the Empire during the Storm of Chaos, they moved so


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quickly that Plattendorf was missed, but only just. One warband passed within miles of the village withoutdetecting it, hidden away as it is in the hills. As they rode past, the pendant slipped from a Nurglish

warriors neck, left for young Alexei to discover in the soil quite innocently a few months later.

It may be that Gregor found this amulet among Alexeis belongings and recognized its dark symbol. The boycould have found it while wandering the hills near his home village. If so, Gregor had just enough strengthof will to resist its effects, unlike poor Alexei did not. Gregor couldnt decide how to destroy it. He

couldn

t simply leave it somewhere where others might find it and be corrupted. He might have felt theonly way to lift the curse on Plattendorf and destroy the artefact was to bring it to the shrine. Or maybe ithad already begin to take a hold on him, and thats why he couldnt part with it?

If the cursed pendant ever ends up in the PCs hands, they should be smart enough to get rid of it rightaway. But like Gregor they should understand that throwing it away can be just as dangerous as carrying itaround. For each week that a character carries it on their person or has been spending a great deal of time

within a couple of yards of it, make an Easy (+10) Willpower test. On a failure, the character receives 1Insanity Point.

A leather purse: Contains 33 pennies, 20 shillings, and 17 gold crowns. This was the treasury for the tinySchnallite temple in Plattendorf and Gregors life savings.

A tome of Schnallite scripture: This huge illuminated book is bound in leather and festooned with dozens ofcolourful ribbons marking Gregors best-loved passages. The title is Vox Schnalle. The text is written entirelyin the Classical tongue. It would easily fetch 200gc from a book collector, and twice as much to an Ulricanlibrarian. However, as long as any of the pilgrims of Schnalle are alive, they will assert their ownership overit. This book alone has an Encumbrance value of 75.

A folded piece of aged and yellowed paper): This letter is folded and stuck in the middle of the Schnallitescripture book, so that even if the chest is immersed in water (see Episodes Two and Three) theres a good

chance that this letter will survive, insulated by the scripture book. The letter is written in a shaky hand,informing G (presumably Gregor) that he is now a father to a precious daughter.The letter is brief andmentions nothing specific, other than a promise to conceal her so that your work may continue. It is signedsimply E.This letter is Gregors most valued possession.

Ragni takes the purse. If the PCs feel entitled to any of the money, Ragni will restate the conditions of thecontract: payment in full upon reaching the shrine. As he sees it, the pilgrims are responsible for coming up

with the rest of the adventurers promised payment, not him. Ragni simply negotiated the contract, whichwas between Gregor, the pilgrims and the adventurers. He sulks for the rest of the scenario, but itches for achance to use his mace on anything that deserves it.

Sometime during the afternoon, with the rain showing no sign of letting up, the party should find KastorFoller lying at the side of the path. His left ankle is broken and swollen, and hes in tremendous pain. Hetripped in his haste, and now finds himself at the mercy of those hes wronged. He begs to be forgiven, andit should be hard not to feel some sympathy for him.

How this scene plays out may not depend entirely on the adventurers and their dispositions toward Kastor.The other pilgrims are unanimous in their sentiments: he should be put to death for his crime. Ragni willeven act as executioner if offered a few shillings. Hes no longer pretending to be anything but anopportunist, a quality that may endear him to the adventurers after all.


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Simply leaving him to fend for himself could be considered a death sentence. Ragnis cart horse, no longerpulling the cart, can be used to carry Kastor if the party decides to spare him or arrest him for a trial.Whatever the outcome of this encounter, it should give the PCs a false sense of security to have reducedtheir known threats by one.

The rest of the day passes without incident. The rain will slow them down so much that theyll be lucky tohave covered more than five miles before nightfall. Drearily, the party will try to assemble a camp of wettents and soaked firewood with only marginal success. The PCs might set up night-watches again. Let themthink things are going to be quiet all night. Then, at about 4:30 AM, Joachim begins to make a sputteringsound. Sharing his tent is Wilhelm, who wakes to find Joachim vomiting on him. Or, something that lookslike Joachim used to.

Wilhelm bursts from the tent, frightened and confused. Joachim emerges next, covered in his own bile, witha decidedly mad look in his bloodshot eyes. Thousands of sores have opened up all over his skin, and he hasthe strangest grin on his face. He charges at the nearest character, fighting to the death. He wants to bekilled or rather, the worms within him have convinced him that his death is the best thing he can do tospread Nurgles influence. If the PCs are sharp, they may have figured out that killing an infested character

doesnt stop the worms, but releases them instead. If the adventurers refuse to fight Joachim, Ragni will.

The other pilgrims should be awake and out of their tents by the time the killing blow is landed. And whenJoachim dies, the PCs should know what to expect. It will be a revisit of the gruesome sight of the worms inJoachims body dozens of them by now slithering out through his skin, chewing their way out of theirhost. The worms will feel right at home in the mud, where they scatter, seeking out the other pilgrims to benew hosts.

As before, the PCs should be immune to infestation, but you might want to give them a scare or two whilethe worms swarm over Hanna, Manfred, Wilhelm, Ulrike and Ragni. Use the pilgrims screams of terror andcries of Oh gods they all over me!and Get them off! to impress upon your players the horrors of the Worms

of Nurgle. The worms themselves are relatively harmless. Their long-lasting effects are what the PCs shouldfear. Each pilgrim that becomes a host to the worms becomes a threat, and theyre not going to wait the wayJoachim did.

As soon as Ragni or any of the other characters becomes infested, they will immediately attack the nearestPC. The most frightening aspect to this battle should be the worms, so frequently mention how they slideand wriggle beneath the PCs feet, and up the trunks of trees, clinging to branches overhead. The pilgrimsshould be relatively easy to strike down, and Ragni is not much tougher. To maintain a tense and excitingfeel to this battle, any time the PCs have a moment to catch their breath, send a worm after them. You may

want to choose a PC at random and describe how one of the worms has crawled onto his clothes. A Very Easy(+30) Agility test should be enough to knock the foul parasite off before it gets a chance to dig in.

One tactic that could prove successful against the worms is to use open flame, such as a torch, to keep themat bay. The worms will recoil from fire, but are too well-protected in their carapaces to be damaged byanything but direct contact with a flame. The heavy rainfall should make untreated torches or other firesdifficult to keep lit, however.

Continue with this frightful encounter until all of the infested characters are killed or the PCs manage toescape them in some way. You should rely on your own sense of pacing and your players reactions to thisfinal battle. Ideally, this fight should end with the adventurers defeating the worm-infested pilgrims and


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dismissed by all but the most fanatical of followers, as it is generally believed that he perished in the samebattle in 1220 in which his name is registered.

The church of Ulric tolerates the Bearers of Schnalle as a sub-cult, for it was one of their own priests whomade the connection between the local legend and the ancient text. As well as bits of information forming amosaic of his life, there have come about hundreds of artefacts attributed to him. Enough evidence becameavailable that by 2150 I.C. Schnalle was sainted and a shrine built to honour him. But the priests of thepowerful church of Ulric saw to it that the shrine would be remote. The long journey through a dark corner

of the Drakwald ensured that pilgrims would travel there only occasionally to deposit relics and worship,thus keeping the cult from ever becoming a threat to its parent. Their scheme has so far been successful, asthose who call themselves devout to Schnalle number fewer than 100 in all the Empire.

Without an accessible centre of worship, the cult of Schnalle has remained small and scattered. Modest localshrines and temples have been constructed in the handful of villages that recognize Schnalle. There is noconsensus on ways to venerate him, and each group provides its own tenets and scriptures most oftenadapted from those used in the worship of Ulric.

This faith makes a sharp distinction between the mortal man Huld Schnallmann and his immortal saintedform Schnalle. Its priests often speak of the two as separate entities, but never forget that one begat theother. The cult seems primarily interested in furthering their true portrait of Schnallmann, one thatcements his status as a man-become-deity. The Bearers of Schnalle ease their daily struggles and draw hopefor their trouble-filled lives with the knowledge that such transcendence is possible. Despite the numeroussmall relics attributed to Schnallmann, perhaps the greatest prize claimed by the Bearers of Schnalle is theofficial endorsement of the church of Ulric. Without the churchs sanction, these cultists would certainlybe just another obscure heretical order.

Prominent Figures: This cult has no knights and only a handful of dedicated priests, each claiming to knowthe truth though their canons often contradict each other. They are a peaceful lot by and large, inspiredmore by the moral strength and craftsmanship of their hero than his martial prowess. Schnalle is worshipped

today much in the way that he has been for centuries: in the small communities that remember his name anddeeds, in daily prayers and small offerings, by small congregations with their unique retellings of the legend.

Symbol and Holy Days: The cults device is a rather unimaginative blending of the initials H.S.representing the saint and U his patron god. Like the legends themselves, holy days vary from one group ofSchnallites to the next. There are even two neighbouring villages in the northern Middenland that celebrateon the same day, 26 Nachexen: one village commemorates his birth with great feasting, the other his death,

with fasting. Typically Schnalle is worshipped alongside Ulrics holy days.

Church Skills and Talents: Initiates of Schnalle gain the Stout-Hearted talent in addition to their startingnormal career skills. Priests of Schnalle can, at their option, learn the following skills and talents as part of

their careers: Fearless, Trade (Miner) and Trade (Smith).

Initiates face a number of tests of will. Its common to lead a blindfolded fledgling into the woods at night,point them in the direction of home, and leave them to navigate through the night in complete darkness.Standing on the roofs of tall buildings is another way in which initiates are taught to overcome their fears.This training is just as likely to mould strong minds as it is to shatter them. For this reason, Ulrican priestskeep a close eye on the Bearers of Schnalle, lest they raise a madman from their ranks to tarnish thechurchs name or start a controversy.


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Worms of NurgleLooking quite similar to the giant varieties of centipedes, these chitinous many-legged worms are uncleanoffspring of Nurgle. They are thought to be spawned in the cesspools of the far north and are common aslice on many of Nurgles favourite daemons. The Worms of Nurgle are parasites, feeding off of the fleshand fluids of other creatures. It takes just a single worm to start an entire colony.

The worms pose no threat to Nurgles daemons, who love their parasites and consider them status symbols.In most creatures, however, to be infested by one of these foul worms is to become an agent of Nurgle. Afree-roaming worm, such as might be found around the carcass of a Greater Daemon, can move quicklydespite its small size. It will seek out the nearest living thing, crawl onto a patch of exposed flesh and use itsdrill-like mouth to burrow inside. The pain of this invasion is brief, as the worm makes just a small puncture

wound and secretes a numbing drug from its skin. For many victims, they do not realize theyve beeninfested at all.

Following nerve bundles by taste, the worm will work its way up to the hosts brain. There, it settles in andslowly takes over. While the worms themselves are not intelligent as such, they embody the will of Nurgle

and exert the Fly Lords influence on those they infest.

The worms divide quickly, so that it is only a matter of days before a Human or Elf to teem with them. Thehost develops diseases that wont heal, running sores, palsies, and worse. Many times, they lose control orappear to be insane. More often, however, the creature becomes enraged, fuelled by hatred and despair,seeking to ruin, desecrate and kill.

Where other parasites might kill their hosts to so thoroughly overrun them, the worms suddenly stopreproduction when there is little left but skin, using their own bodies to reinforce the cavities in themuscles, nerves and bones theyve drilled through. If ever the host is slain in battle, the worms vacate thebody with expediency, instantly devouring the remaining portion of their host. They scatter to look for new

hosts, starting the cycle all over.

The worms are only vulnerable when they are roaming out in the open, trying to find a new host. A wormwill survive for only a few hours without sustenance. A dead worm will liquefy over the course of a couple ofdays, turning into a thick, black slime infected with Neighlish Rot.

Skills: PerceptionTalents: Acute Hearing, Flee!, Night VisionSpecial Rules: The worm is a small target (-20% Weapon Skilland Ballistic Skill to hit).

Infest: As a half action, a free-roaming Worm of Nurgle mayattempt to infest a living creature within 1 yard. The wormand the target make an Opposed Weapon Skill test. If the

worm fails, the target may be allowed a free attack to try to stomp on the parasite. If the worm issuccessful, the victim suffers 1 Wound and is infested. An infested character gains 1 Insanity Pointeach day for each worm. Every IP brings the character into Nurgles service. Each day, the host mustmake succeed at a Challenging (-10) Willpower test or become lost to Chaos, a total slave to Nurgle.Armour: NoneWeapons: UnarmedSlaughter Margin: Easy (or Impossible!)

Worms of Nurgle Statistics Main ProfileWS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel44% 0% 10% 21% 73% 12% 50% 0%Secondary Profile

A W SB TB M Mag IP FP1 6 1 2 4 0 0 0


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Schnallites, Initiates of SchnalleManfred Bergmann, Wilhelm Dresch, Kastor Foller, Hanna Haupf, Joachim Melcher & Ulrike NeumeierCareer: InitiateRace: HumanSkills*: Academic Knowledge (History, Theology), Charm,Common Knowledge (the Empire), Gossip, Read/Write, Speak

Language (Classical, Reikspiel +10).*Kastor and Hanna have Heal skill as well.Talents: Coolheaded, Public Speaking, Savvy, Suave, VeryStrong, Warrior BornArmour: NoneWeapons: None, except for Kastor who has a knifeTrappings: Bells & chimes, purse containing 2d10 pennies, religious symbol, robes

Gregor Hulzhoffer, Schnallite PriestCareer: Priest (ex-Initiate)Race: HumanSkills: Academic Knowledge (Astronomy, History +10,Theology), Channelling, Charm +10, Common Knowledge (theEmpire), Gossip, Heal, Perception, Read/Write, Speak ArcaneLanguage (Magick), Speak Language (Classical, Reikspiel +10)Talents: Coolheaded, Lightning Reflexes, Petty Magic(Divine), Public Speaking, Savvy, Suave, Very Strong, WarriorBornArmour: NoneWeapons: NoneTrappings: Religious symbol, robes

Ragni Rognisson, Cart DriverCareer: Vagabond (ex-Entertainer)Race: DwarfSkills: Animal Care, Animal Training, Blather, Charm, CharmAnimal, Common Knowledge (Dwarfs, the Empire), Drive,Evaluate, Gossip, Haggle, Navigation, Outdoor Survival,Perception +10, Performer (Actor, Storyteller), SpeakLanguage (Khazalid, Reikspiel +10), Secret Language (ThievesTongue), Trade (Miner)Talents: Dwarfcraft, Grudge-Born Fury, Night Vision, Orientation, Public Speaking, Resistance to Magic,Seasoned Traveller, Stout-Hearted, Sturdy, Very StrongArmour: Leather jackArmour Points: Head 0, Arms 1, Body 1, Legs 0Weapons: Hand weapon (mace), knifeTrappings: Purse containing 21gc, cart horse and ramshackle cart carrying a bed roll, water skin, rations andfodder for 1 week

Main ProfileWS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel 38% 32% 36% 30% 36% 34% 42% 38%

Secondary ProfileA W SB TB M Mag IP FP1 12 3 3 4 0 0 0

Main ProfileWS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel54% 37% 44% 41% 39% 45% 47% 45%Secondary ProfileA W SB TB M Mag IP FP

1 14 4 4 4 1 4 0

Main ProfileWS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel43% 38% 32% 44% 32% 37% 40% 37%

Secondary ProfileA W SB TB M Mag IP FP1 14 3 4 3 0 1 0


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Nurglish MutantsBloody Lizbet, Gutswag, Hakfoot & HogzyCareer: BruteRace: Human mutantTo reflect the differences between individual mutants, applythe following changes to the standard profile.

Hakfoot: Movement 5.*Hogzy: Ballistic Skill 21%, Intelligence 15%.*Skills: Concealment +10, Dodge Blow, Follow Trail,Navigation, Outdoor Survival +10, Perception +10, PreparePoison, Scale Sheer Surface, Shadowing, Silent Move +10Talents: Flee!Armour: Leather jerkin, mail shirtArmour Points: Head 0, Arms 0, Body 3, Legs 0Weapons: See below.Bloody Lizbet: Crossbow, natural weapon (knobbed tail, SB damage, Pummelling)Gutswag: Natural weapon (bladed hand, SB damage)Hakfoot: Crossbow, hand weapon (sword)Hogzy: Hand weapon (wooden club)Trappings: Ragged clothes, lice

Von Krumeln, Chaos WarriorCareer: BruteRace: Human mutantSkills: Command +10, Common Knowledge (the Empire) +10,Follow Trail, Intimidate +20, Navigation, Outdoor Survival+10, Perception +10, Search +10, Speak Language (Reikspiel)Talents: Frightening, Orientation, Specialist Weapon Group(Flail), Street Fighting, Strike Mighty Blow, Strike to InjureArmour: Full mail armourArmour Points: Head 3, Arms 3, Body 3, Legs 3Weapons: Flail, hand weapon (axe)Trappings: None

Main ProfileWS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel41% 42%* 40% 42% 42% 30%* 40% 32%Secondary ProfileA W SB TB M Mag IP FP

1 14 4 4 4* 0 5 0

Main Profile

WS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel67% 36% 57% 55% 49% 42% 55% 37%Secondary ProfileA W SB TB M Mag IP FP

2 18 5 5 4 0 5 0


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Documents

The Pilgrimage - Rough (WFRP2)