Topic: Shadows over Bogenhafen RPG (out of character thread)

[Finlay]

who is there for julian to talk to?

commander of the watch, knight eternal, and the general?

I think julian will make a comment about the dwarves, but then talk more with those three

[Fandir Nightshade]

Not yet....Klaus has written her a love letter she might come to Middenheim for some chitter chatter.

should be somewhere around page 100....so much fun to reread all the old posts.

Fritz and Werner coming for the rescue! Hooooooo!

[commandant]

The cockroaches scuttle away from the torchlight, allowing the party to reach the stairs without having to stand on any. Climbing the stairs leads them to another room covered with the insects. This room contains a well-stocked bookcase, two arm chairs, a small table, and three portraits.

The books are on art, architecture, and plants. The portraits, which are labeled, are of the current family members, though all look to have been painted some years ago. One, labeled 'Ingrid von Wittgenstein,' shows a formidable-looking woman in hunting gear, mounted on a magnificent horse. A second shows three children, aged between eight and twelve. A smirking, mean-looking girl is clearly Margritte. Beside her are her brothers, Gotthard and Kurt. Gotthard is grinning nastily. Kurt has a vacant expression, and is wearing a peculiarly bulky jacket that seems designed to disguise his arms.

The last one is labelled 'Baron Ludwig von Wittgenstein.' The baron is posed holding a stack of books, with a harpsichord behind him. Like Kurt he has an unusually bulky jacket. His eyes look large and too far apart, while the skin on his face looks smooth and shiny. Even though the artist has gone to some lengths to flatter him, the baron clearly looks mutated.


The stairs continue to the top floor. The singing is coming from up there.

There you go

[rufus sparkfire]

who is there for julian to talk to?

commander of the watch, knight eternal, and the general?

I think julian will make a comment about the dwarves, but then talk more with those three

Yes, two of the three Midden Marshals (the general and the watch commander), the knight eternal, the elf huntmaster who hates you, and one of the ladies of the court. Oh, and Dieter is there also, but he's keen to go for a beer with you so you can talk to him later.




Thanks commandant.

So you have seen Gotthard before. That's good to know. Ah, only as a child though!


In just over 100 pages we did Shadows over Bogenhafen and Death on the Reik! Epic space-filling since then.

[commandant]

Mind you it was a long time ago and only very briefly [and we may not have been taking that much notice].   Therefore one might get a "I know I've seen you somewhere before' feeling when we meet Gotthard.

[Finlay]

what significance do the midden marshals have?

Do they influence the law making?

need tyo speak to this dude!
"Gotthard Brant, Convenor of the Komission for Commerce, Trade and Taxation, Chairman of the Merchants' Guild. Lives close to the Komission, on Schmutzige Strasse (address known by party). Never seems to be at work or at home. [party have seen his portrait]"

[rufus sparkfire]

Mind you it was a long time ago and only very briefly [and we may not have been taking that much notice].   Therefore one might get a "I know I've seen you somewhere before' feeling when we meet Gotthard.

Yes, I'll allow an Int test or something if he's around. Maybe someone will recognise him, but maybe not.

what significance do the midden marshals have?

Do they influence the law making?

Ah, I don't think you learned much about them so far. They are the city's military leaders, and so presumably have some influence with the Graf. They aren't directly involved in making the law though (the watch commander enforces it, of course, but doesn't make the rules).

They are important people, and it can't hurt to have them on your side.

need to speak to this dude!
"Gotthard Brant,

I can't think why. 

[Finlay]

is the knight eternal more strictly ceremonial/honorary? (forgotten the word I'm looking for)




Well tempted to make a demagogical speech to get the common people on our side. then heinrich after archery and admund after minotaurs, start a proper city wide insurrection! If no one pays the tax, they can't really enforce it.
But I wont.

[rufus sparkfire]

Yes, the Knight Eternal is a ceremonial post.

Well tempted to make a demagogical speech to get the common people on our side. then heinrich after archery and admund after minotaurs, start a proper city wide insurrection! If no one pays the tax, they can't really enforce it.

Poll Tax riots!

Could do.

[commandant]

They could kill you though.

A riot might not be good but I am sure the Grafs soldiers and the Order of the White Wolf could put it down and then you would be very dead.

Also most people are not likely to care about the new taxes, not being dwarfs, wizards or priests

[rufus sparkfire]

And strangely enough, the book does not cover this possibility! 

It would be interesting though.


Also, I'm going to update the info thread with all the new important people.

[Finlay]

Thats why I said "I'm well tempted" not "Im going to do it"

They could kill you though.

A riot might not be good but I am sure the Grafs soldiers and the Order of the White Wolf could put it down and then you would be very dead.

Also most people are not likely to care about the new taxes, not being dwarfs, wizards or priests

But the idea would be to get some of the graf’s soldiers on side, and make the whole population not pay the tax.
If graf boris wants to slaughter the entire city, then he’s a fool.
Julian would think that the population would be able to see the injustice of the situation, with a little encouragement.

[commandant]

While trying to get the graf's soldiers on your side is good I think that it would be dangerous and profitless.   Soldiers tend to be very difficult to persuade to change side, even more so in times when honour and pride were more important.

Also Graf Boris would not need to slaughter much of the city.   The taxes don't effect that many people really.   France have introduced a 70 or 80 per cent tax and [while effected people have reacted] most people don't seem to care that much.

It would be very very very difficult during the carnival to convince the entire population of Middenhiem that they should over throw their ruler over a minor matter which doesn't effect them or convince the soldiers that they should commit treason over the same.

[rufus sparkfire]

Well, I'm looking forward to Julian's speech, whatever the content!

[Finlay]

Julian doesn't think it a minor matter.
In fact he cannot see how humans would allow such mistreatment of dwarves, crucial not only to the empire in general but middenheim specifically.

[rufus sparkfire]

It's definitely not a minor matter.

[commandant]

Are there really that many dwarfs in Middenhiem?   As a percentage of the population?   As a percentage of the wealth?   The tax on wizards and priests is a fairly major matter I would think but unless there are a vast amount more dwarfs than I imagine the tax on dwarfs is a minor matter.

[rufus sparkfire]

There are far more dwarfs than there are wizards or priests. Middenheim has the largest dwarf population in the Empire.

It's important. Trust me, I have the book that says so. 

[Finlay]

And its not just about dwarf population now, anyway.

Dwarves built the city. And tend to have long memories…. Dwarves would be really cross about it, and expect support from humans, surely!
why would a tax on priests be major? If you are only looking in terms of wealth, and population and not any other reasons.
 how many priests would there be in middenheim? a couple hundred. Wizards probably the same!



I still havent posted, and now I'm going to the pub!
bad finlay. will post later

[rufus sparkfire]

I'm sure it's obvious by now that the taxes have been carefully targeted to hit important groups in Middenheim's society, but avoid the majority (the ordinary humans) and the most powerful (merchants and nobles).

It massively disrupts and weakens the city without triggering a Poll Tax scale outrage or a palace coup.

But who is behind it?

Duh duh duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!

[Karl Voss of Averland]

It seems to me that there is some kind of power behind the throne or something. Just a hunch.

Howdy from Istanbul! Finlay, no sign of Jabba yet.

Edit- Hell of a fight Julian! Well done! give a good speech!

[Fandir Nightshade]

Will update tomorrow busy day. 

shall I tell her that we are witch hunters or only that we are rather certain that there is someone working to weaken the city by annoying the dwarves and wizards.

[rufus sparkfire]

Hope you're having a good time, Karl!

You'll have to fight the minotaur after Julian's example.

shall I tell her that we are witch hunters

Not a good line to use on a wizard. Also, you don't have any authority here!

[Karl Voss of Averland]

Hope you're having a good time, Karl!

You'll have to fight the minotaur after Julian's example.

I am! Little cloudy and rainy, but still nice. I can see the Hagia Sofia from my hotel window. Only 5 minute walk! Totally about to nerd out.

I want to fight the Minotaur, but I'm a little hesitant. I only have T3, and wont have any armor. If I take two hits of 3 wounds, my head falls off! I guess it depends how good minotaurs are at hitting me with their horns or whatever.

[rufus sparkfire]

I wish I was there! Amazing!


You'll be fine vs minos.

Well, I say that... but maybe not.