TEXT: That Way Madness Lies!
  1
  A Short Adventure for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
  By Sebastian Hickey
  That Way Madness Lies! is a short adventure
  designed for characters in their first or second
  careers.  The starting location of the adventure is
  intentionally 
  vague 
  and 
  the 
  rudiments
  straightforward:  One of the characters should be
  moderately wounded from battle and keen for
  treatment.
  – GM SUMMARY –
  The story opens as the characters rush to the
  ramshackle town of Klimgart in search of medical
  attention.  An austere physician warns the
  afflicted character that his wounds are grave.
  They’ve been fouled by a dreadful malady; one
  that will doom him before the week is out.
  There’s not much he can do, he whispers, but
  slow the effects.
  He directs the characters to Wolingwut House, an
  isolated and well reputed hospital just over a
  day’s ride to the East.  On the short journey they
  have an odd encounter and arrive past dark at
  the eager hamlet of Wolingdorf.
  Under the guardsman’s arch, at the entrance to
  the village palisade, the characters receive a
  friendly welcome and are directed to a Dwarven
  inn not far up the street.
  Amid the revelry of a town betrothal, the owner
  of the tavern introduces the players to Mrs.
  Avery, wife to one of the ‘sanatorium’ staff.
  Spurred by nostalgia, she asks the players to
  courier a worthless keep-sake to her husband in
  the fortress, a memento of their once happy
  marriage.
  Enquiries for the medicine they seek lead them to
  Wolingwut House.  It is a grim and oppressive
  place.  During the hunt for the medicine, the
  players have the opportunity to uncover an eerie
  volte-face.
  The doctors at the sanatorium are no longer in
  charge.
  The 
  patients, 
  suffering 
  years 
  of 
  terrible
  experimentation, 
  revolted 
  against 
  their
  tormenters several weeks before.  Although they
  imprisoned their masters after the bloody coup,
  the surviving patients pretend a medical guise to
  keep a watchful eye over their captives.  And so
  they should.
  Long ago, Wolingwut House became devout to
  the dark god Tzeentch.  Its cruel walls have
  housed the Order of the Worm for generations.
  Within the asylum the dreadful doctors lurk and
  wait and pray to their infernal master.
  The patients fear retribution and bite their
  fingernails in the shadows of doorways, waiting
  for the characters to act.  Will the players
  misunderstand the patients’ revolution and
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  2
  release the servants of Chaos?  Or will they
  uncover the deeper truth?
  Which way madness lies?
  BACKGROUND
  Wolingwut House is situated at the crest of a hill
  deep within The Wolingwut – a dense canopy
  that takes its name from the unsettling howl of
  the local gale.  People suppose it was intended
  as a hospital for the Church of Shallya.  However,
  it was later completed by a patron of the
  sciences some one hundred years after.  Now it
  serves as a sanatorium for the dangerously
  insane.
  During war times the infirmary was packed and a
  reputation soon spread for its mercy and
  efficiency.  Its remote location, intimate privacy
  and defensible position exposed it to the desires
  of a sinister cult, known among some as the
  Order of the Worm.  Terrible experiments were
  executed under false pretence.
  Things changed last year with the arrival of a
  new patient, the indomitable Antonius Reik, ex-
  witch hunter from the Order of the White
  Hammer.  Witness to all the horrors of the Dark
  Gods he interred himself voluntarily to treat his
  waning condition, a terrible rage he had before
  then reserved only for the minions of chaos.  His
  mysterious disappearance had provoked scandal
  among the church and still now the clergy
  wonder at his whereabouts.
  Reik suffered intensely in Wolingwut House.  The
  doctors invented new and crueller ways to satisfy
  their depraved urges.  However, it was to be Reik
  who won the final victory.  He had observed
  these kinds of folk countless times before and he
  knew their motives well.  Noticing the wilting
  loyalty of Dr. Falkenheim, an incompetent
  conjurer fallen in the ranks of the order, he
  whispered of regrets and promises broken.
  Slowly the worm turned and Falkenheim took his
  side.  Last month it came to a head.
  The patients were freed and a bloody coup
  ensued.  The surviving members of the staff
  were locked inside the tower while the dead were
  piled in the kitchen stores.  The patients toasted
  their freedom but the revelry was to be short.
  The Order of the Worm, locked deep inside the
  sanatorium, began an unholy ritual.  Under the
  shade of The Wolingwut scattered herds of
  Beastmen gathered, drawn to the fortress like a
  beacon, thirsting for the presence of their
  imprisoned masters.  Every evening since the
  victory at Wolingwut House, the patients have
  suffered siege from the Beastmen.  Reik and
  Falkenheim believe they can break the link by
  exorcising their old doctor and razing the
  sanatorium.
  – STARTING THE ADVENTURE –
  The action for this adventure begins in the town
  of Klimgart, a village of thatched cottages and
  stout mills tucked in the meander of a fast
  flowing river.  To provide versatility, this village
  can be situated anywhere in the Empire, so there
  is little in the way of provincial positioning.
  One of the characters, still wounded from battle,
  has developed flu like symptoms along with
  troubling purple marks on his palms and wrists.
  Characters with Heal, on a successful Very Hard
  (-30%) Intelligence Test can diagnose the
  ailment as Bloodpox (See Diagnosis).
  If this is the first adventure you are running with
  your PCs you will need to get them into a fight.
  Perhaps the players are travelling to Middenheim
  from Altdorf, looking to find opportunity in the
  aftermath of the Storm of Chaos.  You might
  have them ambushed on the road by a pair of
  hungry Beastmen.  Whatever way the wounds
  develop, make sure to concentrate on the blade
  that does it.  You could remark on the distinct
  smell, its clotted, oily finish or the strands and
  pieces of fleshy things that dangle from it.  Be
  explicit with the filth.
  – A DREADFUL MALADY –
  The PCs should arrive at Klimgart around midday
  to find the town bustling with activity.  A rider
  bearing Middenlander livery pounds out of the
  gate in a terrific rush, leaving a mist of dust for
  several minutes.  If the PCs dilly-dally at all, they
  will be approached by ordinary citizens, some of
  them carrying baskets of bread or knitted goods,
  all asking the same questions; ‘Any news from
  the City of the White Wolf?’, ‘Heard ‘out from
  Middenheim?’, ‘Is it true the siege has fallen?’.
  Everyone wants to know if and when things will
  get back to normal.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  3
  DIAGNOSIS
  If the PCs ask for a medical attention they will be
  directed to Dr. Hirtzel, the town physician.  The
  doctor’s cottage sits in the centre of the town, up
  a shallow cobbled rise.  The smooth white walls
  and neatly arranged flower beds are fenced with
  a waist high black railing.  You may read aloud or
  paraphrase the following:
  As you lift your hand to knock on the door, a
  grey looking man with a grey looking smile
  swings it open briskly.  “Don’t stand there all day,
  come in!” he orders, pointing inside.  Some
  moments later you are standing in a cluttered
  surgery, the ground covered in fresh straw.
  Dr. Hirtzel will demand 3 gc for his attention
  although he will accept 2 gc with a successful
  Hard (-20%) Haggle Test.  With repetitious
  questions, vapid conversation and a room full of
  sighs, Dr. Hirtzel completes his examination.
  “The doctor scratches behind his ear and looks
  up.  I’m afraid your wounds are terribly grave.
  You have been fouled with a dreadful malady,
  one that will doom you before the week is out.
  There’s not much I can do but slow the effects.”
  He coughs, scratches his ear again and looks at
  the floor.  “Will there be anything else?”
  The wounded PC may heal 1d10 wounds at this
  point.  Also, the character will probably want
  some clarification from the doctor.  An Easy
  (+20%)
  Intimidate Test or perhaps a
  Routine (+10%) Charm Test should do the
  trick.  If successful, you may read aloud the
  following:
  “It is the Bloodpox, you see, a rare affliction and
  devilish to cure.  You should feel fine for a few
  days, though heavy strain is likely to accelerate
  the onset.  After that you will notice some itching
  along with the emergence of hard, red blisters
  the size of eyeballs around the wrists and throat.
  After a day at most, these will spread over most
  of the body followed by bloody expectoration.
  With respect, I shall not illuminate any further.
  It is an odious subject.”
  Turning to you all with a concerned expression,
  “I recommend that you take your friend to
  Wolingwut House, an isolated and well reputed
  hospital just under a day’s ride to the East.  They
  may have stores of the Eastern ingredients.
  Take a Four Seasons coach this afternoon.  More
  than this I cannot give.  Good day.”
  Dr. Hirtzel has a queue of patients at the front
  door so he is anxious to return to his duties.
  ON THE COACH
  The wounded character should be anxious to
  save his energy and take the coach.  However,
  some PCs may not have the money or inclination
  to pay for passage.  If this is the case, allow the
  journey to be taken mounted or on foot, but
  force the sick character to make a Hard (-20%)
  Toughness Test (or Challenging (-10%) if
  he is carried) three times during the journey,
  losing 1W for each failure from aggravation to
  his wounds.  In this case, briefly describe the
  tiring, wet journey and skip to Wolingdorf
  below.
  FOUR SEASONS COACHES
  A straggly old coachman, Lars Hipfler, does the
  Wolingwut route.  Appraising the PCs’ weapons
  and armour, he will smile appreciatively.  It’s rare
  he gets such handy folks on a trip.  His price is
  7gc for the whole carriage but he’ll reduce it to 5
  gc with a successful Haggle Test.
  On a successful Easy (+20%) Perception
  Test the PCs may notice that his black coach is
  moderately marred from battle.  “Some fierce
  hail in these parts,” Lars will reply to resulting
  BLOODPOX
  Description: As described by Dr. Hirtzel, the
  ailment is contracted from a dirty wound,
  though it is exceptionally rare in the Old
  World.  The victim suffers flu like symptoms
  which pass quickly as purple lesions form on
  the palms and wrists.  Several days later, hard
  red 
  blisters 
  emerge 
  over 
  the 
  body
  accompanied with progressively more volatile
  coughing.  There will be some bleeding from
  the nose and throat followed by painful
  convulsions and death.
  Duration: 1 Week
  Effects:  On the first day, the afflicted loses -
  10% to all characteristics from flu like
  symptoms.  These pass with a night’s rest.
  After a further 1+TB days the victim will
  notice 
  the 
  pocks 
  and 
  must 
  make 
  a
  Toughness Test every 2 hours to avoid
  coughing.  After four failed attempts, the
  character will cough up blood and lose 10%
  from every statistic each hour for 1d10-TB
  hours.  If Toughness reaches 0, the character
  dies.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  4
  enquiries and if he feels like he’s losing his
  customers he’ll drop the passage to 5 gc (if he
  hasn’t already done so).  Once on board the
  coach:
  Thunder rumbles, the winds change and it’s not
  long before a rainstorm hits.  Drawing the blinds,
  you shield out most of the downpour, though
  driblets still seep through the roof.  The coach
  bounces gently onward for some hours before
  silently coming to a halt.
  DRIVER IN DISTRESS
  Lars has spotted a friend of his in distress.  He
  jumps from the coach and splashes over to
  another carriage which teeters on a ditch.  PCs
  may overhear the two greet each other and clasp
  hands.  Lars and his friend Hemel will try to turn
  the coach back into the road.  Any help from the
  PCs will be warmly appreciated, Hemel remarking
  with a wink “you’re lucky to have such a handy
  crew!”  Three or four able bodied men will be
  able to complete the job in a couple of minutes.
  Any players involved in the work will overhear
  exclamations from inside.  Once it’s done, the
  door will pop open and a dishevelled man in
  white robes will lean out, fixing a PC with a stare:
  “You there, you hear that?  They say it’s the
  Wolingwut.  Pah!  That’s the horns of the devil-
  folk!  They come at night and eat your babies!
  Eat your babies!  Eat you…” his wild screams are
  cut off as a figure in the coach puts a hand on
  his shoulder.  “Please excuse my cousin.  He’s
  had some difficult times.  Driver, move along!”
  ENDING THE JOURNEY
  PCs making a successful Routine (+10%)
  Common Knowledge (Empire) Test will have
  heard of The Wolingwut: an eerie wood that
  takes its name from the screeching of the local
  gales.
  The carriage continues to trundle along past
  dark.  Ahead, you begin to see a hamlet tucked
  in at the foot of a wooded hill.  At its crest a
  thunderstorm rages.  Lightning picks out a sheer
  fortress, looming over the cascading forest like a
  merciless sentinel.  The coach rolls up to a
  wooden palisade and Lars calls out “Wolingdorf
  village.  All disembark for Wolingdorf village.”
  – WOLINGDORF –
  Two guards are shooting the breeze under the
  guardsman’s arch at the entrance to the
  palisade.  One stooped, the other limping, these
  two were of no use to the military so they were
  stationed here during the Storm of Chaos.  They
  are doubled over in laughter.
  As you walk up to the palisade the younger of
  the two guards hails you “Welcome to Wolingdorf
  travellers...” the older fellow interrupts “Excuse
  me strangers!  I have a joke.  Tee hee.  Why
  didn’t Archaon drink whiskey?  …Because it made
  him mean!”  The old fellow wheezes with
  laughter and the younger man sighs.  “Sorry
  about that, Geoff is trying to lighten the mood.
  We just had a Stirlander through here, mad as a
  spoon, dour as could be, asked old Grunlock the
  Dwarf for his ale to be warmed!  Poor old
  Grunlock.  Didn’t know what to make of it.”
  Nat Steiner, the young guard, will direct the PCs
  to ‘Golgundson’s Inn’ telling them to steer clear
  of ‘The Empire’, “Dirty and overpriced.”  If the
  PCs enquire about the hospital he will clear his
  throat and tell them nervously that “they would
  soon as burn their beds as open the fortress after
  dark.”
  GOLGUNDSON’S INN
  Golgundson’s Inn isn’t easy to find.  It’s a one
  storey building with no windows or identification,
  tucked down a side alley.  However, PCs will hear
  the noise of revelry after a short search.
  Furthermore, anyone looking lost in Wolingdorf
  will attract a drunken watchman on his way to
  the tavern.
  Within, there is a sing-along underway.  The door
  opens to a whooping crowd and the smell of
  hops.  An old couple dance in the corner,
  surrounded by cheering merry makers.  As the
  PCs enter and squeeze to the bar, the crowd
  ahead seems to jostle and part, making way for
  the 
  very 
  short 
  and 
  very 
  wide 
  Grunlock
  Golgundson, proprietor of the inn (See Cast for
  description).  With a winning smile and a
  courteous bow, he leads the PCs to the corner by
  the fire and tugs back a worn curtain to expose a
  comfy booth.  Ales are set down by a plump but
  pretty serving girl and Grunlock, twisting his
  braid, asks “You don’t mind ‘em cool do ye?”  He
  smiles cheerily if they do not.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  5
  For each degree of success on a Gossip Test
  Grunlock will reveal one of the following:
  •
  Archie the tailor announced his betrothal the
  night before, so there’s a big hullabaloo.
  •
  The spot on which Grunlock’s inn is sited is
  the only stone spot in the village (He will
  announce with immense pride)
  •
  Wolingwut House hasn’t had any visitors for
  some time.
  Grunlock will offer a private room and board for
  10 s.  It includes a meal of rabbit and apple pie,
  served with baked carrots and turnip mash.  A
  successful Challenging (-10%) Haggle Test
  will reduce the price to 8 s but he’ll charge
  another 2 s in the morning for breakfast to make
  up the difference (when it is otherwise normally
  included).
  Grunlock will ask where the PCs are bound.
  Mention of Wolingwut House attracts a few
  stares and whispers but Grunlock is delighted.
  “Mrs. Avery will be thrilled.  I’ll get your fodder
  and see if I can find her.”
  MRS. AVERY
  Mrs. Avery will then approach the players (See
  Cast for description).  She politely enquires
  about the PCs’ background but rapidly steers the
  conversation to love and romance.  Pointing out
  the cause for the night’s celebration she admits
  to nostalgia for her severed marriage:
  “I see Archie so happy now, though it did take
  him some time to admit his weakness for the
  girl…  It reminds me, you see, of my own youth.
  Perhaps this is dull for you.  Forgive me.  Let me
  explain why I wanted to speak with you.  I used
  to work at the Sanatorium with my husband.  I
  never really liked it there.  I don’t know.
  Something creepy about the place.  Anyhow,
  Adam became wedded to his work, I came back
  to the village and we haven’t spoken in years.
  Would you mind awfully bringing him a worthless
  keep-sake?  I will bring it here in the morning.
  Perhaps he will think of me and join me here…
  Perhaps not.  Is it rude of me to ask?”
  If the PCs are looking for some kind of
  remuneration, secretly have the most guileless
  character roll a Willpower Test.  Mrs. Avery is a
  very charming woman and most people trust her
  easily.  A failure of the test indicates that the
  character wishes to help her free of charge.
  Otherwise, Mrs. Avery mentions that she will
  have a word with Grunlock and cover the night’s
  board as payment for the favour.  Mrs Avery is
  happy to banter with the PCs until they become
  too boisterous with alcohol.
  Food is brought from a stone cellar below and
  really tastes rather good.  The night goes on and
  the players should be encouraged to interact with
  the locals, whether in dance, song or in drinking
  games.  Any wounded character who takes part
  in the action will regain 3W the next morning,
  dreaming of dice and wine (Ranald sends a
  gentle blessing to those who support his rascally
  legacy).
  LAST ORDERS
  Grunlock will sound his bell and ask the patrons
  to leave just before midnight.  If the players have
  showed respect and have offered to help Mrs.
  Avery, Grunlock will lead the players into the
  ‘Hearth Suite’, a low, stone, private chamber
  under the inn with a fire, two beds, a few
  sleeping rolls and a washbasin.  An enormous
  painting of Grunlock looms over the place; The
  Dwarf sits in a high chair wearing the finest
  Imperial frills with a hunting dog at his feet.
  Grunlock grins proudly and bids the PCs good
  night.
  An
  Evaluate Test indicates the painting,
  although exquisitely rendered, to be worthless.
  Neither Dwarf nor Man could purchase such a
  thing.
  UNDER THE CANOPY
  If the PCs have agreed to help her, Mrs. Avery
  arrives at 9am, just after breakfast.  ‘Just ask for
  Adam Avery,” she suggests.  She places a brass
  memento on the table – a trinket enclosing a
  crude drawing of a young couple – and thanks
  the PCs kindly for their help.
  The trudge up the muddy hillside is clumsy and
  uncomfortable; last night’s rainstorm has turned
  the earth into slick chutes and watery trenches.
  Above, Wolingwut House leans out over the
  forest, charcoal grey and sheer.
  Under the darkness of the thick canopy, the PCs
  begin to hear a terrible screeching.  The PCs
  should make Willpower Tests.  To each player
  who fails the test, read aloud the following:
  The Wolingwut hisses with the wind, but beyond
  it you begin to make out the call of a horn.  Soon
  other horns answer from the South and West.
  And is that the noise of hooves approaching?
  What if that madman was right?  There must be
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  6
  devil-folk in these woods.  And us stuck with no
  light, like wounded bait?  We must hurry!
  These characters will want to run the remainder
  of the trek.  Those who have not failed their
  Willpower roll should be allowed a Challenging
  (-10%) Perception Test to see whether they
  spot strange arrowheads embedded in the trunks
  of trees.  A Magic Sense Test reveals these
  were crafted by abnormal means.
  – THE SANATORIUM –
  The main fortress of Wolingwut House sits tall
  and heavy on a sheer plateau.  To the fore of the
  main gate as though tacked on to the main
  fortress later by inferior craftsmen, fragile and
  rundown walls surround a derelict courtyard,
  dishevelled and crumbling.
  There is rusted bell hanging by a leaning brown
  gate, battered and since mended with pieces of
  fine rope.  When the PCs arrive at the gate
  ravens caw from the battlements and swoop into
  the air.  Ringing the bell has no effect.  The gate
  can be pushed aside easily.
  The courtyard is flanked by a stable and a
  coaching house.  The windows and doors are all
  boarded up, rusted tools are scattered and
  broken, the roofs are patchy and sagging, and
  the ground is covered with straw.  Anyone with a
  rural background will notice that the straw is
  fresh.  Further inspection (a Easy (+20%)
  Search Test) identifies blood stains on most of
  the straw.
  Opposite the gate, in the main wall, stone steps
  lead to a heavy looking portcullis blocking access
  to an equally heavy looking wooden door.  The
  battlements are topped with spiked dripstones
  and leering grotesques, dripping with old rain.
  AN AWKWARD
  WELCOME
  At a knock, a small portal on the main door
  rattles and opens slowly.  A wiry and toothy old
  man dressed in a dirty white gown grimaces
  through the opening, eyes rolling.  “Can’t come
  in!” he sputters before slamming it shut.  The
  PCs will have to persuade the guard of their
  urgency.  Allow an
  Opposed Charm vs.
  Willpower Test (Use Guido Konig’s 32 WP) with
  appropriate bonuses for clever roleplaying.
  Assuming the players convince the guard, he will
  mutter “I’ll see the master,” before scampering
  off, leaving the portal ajar.
  In the centre of the courtyard ahead there is a
  beautiful if under maintained water feature
  topped with a magnificent statue of the merciful
  Shallya, weeping into the pools below.  Cracks
  and dips in the old cobblestone floor have
  collected last night’s rain into silvery, still pools,
  reflecting the stormy clouds above.
  If the PCs made a good impression, have Guido
  return within 15 minutes.  Otherwise it could take
  an hour before he arrives.  In the meantime,
  another scrawny man beyond the portcullis
  wanders past, smoking a delicate pipe.  He sings
  a tuneless ditty loudly.  It goes something like
  “blooh blah, upside down on the blooh-blah, tee
  hee hee, blooh blah”.  If you’re up to it, try to
  sing this out in the maddest way you can.  You’ll
  really want to show the players the types of
  characters they’re going to meet inside...
  If the players try to hail him he will turn his back
  to them and sing a little louder.  At this point, if
  the PCs speak at all, you might like to write notes
  as to what they say.  See the sidebar Smoking
  Mad for more information.
  While waiting at the entrance, players should
  make a Perception Test to see if they notice
  strange chalk carvings at the base of the
  entrance.  A Challenging (-10%) Academic
  Knowledge (Magic) Test recognises that it is
  some kind of a ward.
  FIRST IMPRESSION
  Guido will return grinning pleasantly, ask the PCs
  to pass weapons through the portcullis and
  demand that the PCs take off their helmets
  (Antonius Reik has asked Guido to make sure
  they’re not mutants).  He’ll put the weapons in a
  sack, run off and return in five minutes.  “Mr.
  Reik will see you now.”
  He leads you past the statue of Shallya, under a
  tall arch and into the inner bailey.  On the left,
  there is a ramshackle cottage half buried in hewn
  timber and you can hear musical whistling inside.
  The chimney is smoking but the scent of the
  burning wood is mingled with the odour of
  animals.  Indeed, on the right is a fenced pen
  where chickens squawk noisily.  A goat stands
  patiently on the top of a thatched roofed cottage,
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  7
  staring at you and chewing on the straw.
  The rounded plateau leads down to a kind of
  altar overlooking a great rolling vista of The
  Wolingwut.  Further to the right, in a rounded
  nook, there sits an impressive two tier shrine to
  Sigmar.  The guard points to the left to an
  enormous charcoal grey tower peppered with
  dark, narrow vents.  He asks you to wait at the
  entrance, pops in and then calls for you to enter.
  Guido stands in front of a long red curtain and
  directs the PCs down the corridor.  They are lead
  into 
  a 
  bright 
  study 
  with 
  huge 
  windows
  overlooking the forest.  It is choc-a-bloc with
  books and medical paraphernalia.  Antonius Reik
  is waiting for the PCs (see Cast for a full
  description).  He is a big man dressed in layers of
  white robes with a gold heart embroidered on
  the left breast (Common Knowledge (Empire)
  Test to recognise the Shallya emblem).  His
  white hair is closely shaved, he sports rough grey
  stubble and his eyes pierce like blue ice.  Scars
  are etched over his neck and face.  He introduces
  himself as Antonius Reik.
  Those with a military background will notice
  the contrasting juxtaposition of scars and the
  Shallya robes.  Furthermore, those with Heal can
  make a Perception Test to discover that some
  of these scars are less than a few weeks old.  A
  Challenging (-10%) Common Knowledge
  (Empire) Test will reveal that his name sounds
  familiar.  Antonius Reik was a feared witch
  hunter that went missing last year after a long
  crusade in the Northern provinces.
  Reik smiles “Guido tells me you have an injured
  man.  Our doctor will treat you.  Take them to
  the infirmary and show them to the guests’
  lodgings.”  With that he waves his finger
  imperiously and Guido follows orders.  Any PC
  who would like to stay to ask Antonius Reik some
  questions must make an Opposed Willpower
  vs. Intimidate Test (See Cast for Reik’s stats)
  or bottle up.  In any case, Reik professes to be
  too busy with the patients’ care to help the PCs
  for now.
  Guido leads the players outside, hands them a
  key and indicates how to find the infirmary.  He’ll
  be as helpful as he can but he will not leave his
  spot by the door and any questions regarding Mr.
  Avery will provoke a rehearsed response (which
  he mouths in a much more eloquent manner
  than he’d normally use): “I’m afraid I don’t know
  who you are talking about.  You must be
  mistaken.”
  SMOKING MAD
  The character in the courtyard is Wolfram
  (See Cast), though he it will be tough work
  extracting his name.  For the past decade of
  his life, aware that he’s possibly as mad as a
  spoon, he has tried his utmost not to say
  anything at all, lest he give away the game.
  He has trusted and spoken only the words of
  others, convinced this is a clever loop around
  the problem.
  When he speaks with the PCs, you can help
  portray his madness by having him speak in
  staccato cliché.  Or by using phrases they
  have spoken in his presence.  Here is an
  example of Wolfram’s usual exclamations.
  You can use the space below to make notes if
  the PCs talk amongst themselves.
  “By Sigmar’s Hammer!  You’ve got to learn
  them good, otherwise it’s off to the circus!”
  “Hail there stranger! Have you seen my boy?”
  “Duty is heavier than a mountain.  Dwarves
  know that by blood.”
  “If you don’t talk we’ll take your tongue.”
  “We don’t want them hungry now, do we?”
  If it wasn’t for me you’d be speared by a
  Beastman!”
  Notes:
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  8
  – WOLINGWUT HOUSE –
  The following introduces the various locations
  within Wolingwut House.  The objective here is
  to raise in the players’ minds a simple dichotomy:
  Something’s not right but there’s a genuine
  niceness about the people involved.  To help
  evoke that dichotomy, in each relevant location
  or character you will see a sub heading entitled:
  “Something’s Not Right”.  Here you will have the
  opportunity to demonstrate something odd for
  the players to digest.
  It will be very tempting to portray the lunatic
  staff in a sinister manner.  Try to resist and let
  the location do that for you.  If at all possible,
  demonstrate kind and sharing characteristics in
  all of the NPCs that the PCs encounter, with the
  following specific exceptions: Antonius Reik, Dr.
  Falkenheim 
  and 
  Jander 
  Reichert. 
   
  These
  characters have specific motives that sometimes
  involve the PCs so their attitudes may excite
  suspicion.
  It may be useful to consult the Cast and Events
  sections while reading this material.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  9
  A. EAST WING
  Description
  The claustrophobic courtyard is surrounded by
  the walls of four connected buildings.  Gothic
  recesses house shuttered windows, pointed
  chimneys jut from the roofs, smoking lazily,
  toothy grotesques grin from the gutters, half
  covered in moss, and washing lines criss-cross
  the courtyard like a mad spider web, forcing one
  to at once both duck below and climb the
  strands.
  Something’s Not Right
  Once 
  the 
  PCs 
  become 
  know 
  to 
  Irmine,
  subsequent visits to the East Wing will find her
  lugging clean laundry to the rest of the ‘staff’ to
  keep up good appearances.  She will seem
  flustered if she’s caught in the act.
  A.1. LAUNDRY HOUSE &
  GARDEN
  Description
  A narrow and lightless affair, floor-to-ceiling with
  mixed up laundry.  This is the dwelling of Ranulf
  Muller and Irmine (See Cast).
  Something’s Not Right
  A Routine (+10%) Perception Test will turn
  up blood on lots of the laundry.  Furthermore,
  when speaking with Ranulf and his ‘wife’ a player
  making a successful Perception Test will notice
  that she wears no wedding band.  Lastly, due to
  a forlorn sickness in his mind, Ranulf is overly
  flattering to his unresponsive, scowling missus,
  despite her grotesque visage.  He keeps calling
  her the “pearl of Wolingwut” and so on, always
  answered by a dirty glance or a shove in the ribs.
  A.2. STAFF QUARTERS
  Description
  It is a dark and shuttered off place littered with
  books and piles of tobacco ash.  A cloud of
  smoke hangs there, tranquil in the musty air.
  Wolfram can normally be found here, excited
  about something or other (See Cast).
  Something’s Not Right
  If any kind of light source is brought inside, PCs
  will notice that all of the wall mounted paintings
  have been burnt or otherwise marred so that
  their original subject remains a mystery.
  A.3. GUEST HOUSE
  Description
  Fairly well kept if you were to compare it to the
  rest of the sanatorium, there’s still enough dust
  here to excite a sneeze.  Also, there seem to be
  too many spiders.  Every time a PC picks
  anything up or uses the furnishings, he will
  disturb a couple of spiders which flee nervously
  to another dark place.
  Something’s Not Right
  There is guestbook in the hallway downstairs.
  Anyone who reads it should be given Handout
  1.  The guestbook was used by visiting cultists to
  leave cryptic and unsettling messages to one
  another in the lead up to a grand ritual which
  never came to fruition (thanks to the intervention
  of Antonius Reik and Dr. Falkenheim).
  A.4. INFIRMARY
  Description
  One of the more well used areas in the complex,
  Dr. Falkenheim has maintained his quarters as
  they were before the coup.  The office is orderly
  enough, though cascading with old books.  It is
  the normal whereabouts of Dr. Falkenheim and
  Jander Reichert, though they will both vacate the
  building during the preparation of the Bloodpox
  remedy and during the preparation for the
  surgery (See Cast and Events).
  The first time the PCs arrive, Dr. Falkenheim will
  call them in after a knock on the waiting room
  door (which is clearly identified on a wooden
  plate), thinking them to be one of the staff.  You
  may want to read the following aloud:
  He is a wiry man with lank black hair, spectacles
  and dirty grey robes covered with ink at the
  sleeves.  A blond boy near manhood sits at a
  small desk behind him, dressed in equally filthy
  robes.  “I can’t locate the solution here but I
  have…” the doctor cuts his sentence short when
  he notices it is you and snaps his book closed.
  “Can I help you?”
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  10
  Dr. Falkenheim is a busy man but he is
  determined to do right.  As soon as he hears of
  the Bloodpox he stands and begins to usher the
  sick PC into the infirmary, making sure that the
  rest of the PCs leave his office...  During this
  bustle, the boy pipes up “Dr. Falkenheim, have
  you forgot a…” to which he violently responds
  “SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP BOY!!”, spittle flying
  from his lips.  He will cough, noticing the
  reactions of the PCs and mutter “They have no
  discipline at that age.  A man must have
  discipline!
  If you are up to it, it is useful to represent the
  sheer violence of the doctor in that moment.
  Depending on your surroundings of course,
  shouting may not be appropriate!
  The infirmary is warm – a fire blazes in an
  enormous hearth – and lit cosily with a dozen
  lanterns.  Two of the beds are occupied by wide
  eyed men, shivering and twitching in their own
  internal nightmares.  The doctor examines his
  new patient quickly, diagnoses the ailment and
  asks the PC to leave, promising a cure within a
  few hours.  He believes he has all that he needs
  in the laboratory.
  Something’s Not Right
  If the PCs return when Dr. Falkenheim is busy
  elsewhere they will find damning evidence in the
  office.  Jander has laid out the most appropriate
  files and books to inspire suspicion.  In fact,
  those with a clerical background (Scribe etc.)
  or those with Sixth Sense can attempt a secret
  Hard (-20%) Intelligence Test to recognise
  the unusual arrangement of these documents…
  The two pieces of evidence are the Liber
  Advoc�ndi the patient records (Handout 2).  As
  you may notice, some of the staff members that
  the PCs have met are listed in the patient
  records.
  The infirmary is home to two warriors, both of
  whom have become catatonic with fear.  A
  search of their belongings turns up military
  uniforms from the Reikland army.
  B. WEST WING
  Description
  Neglected weeds rule the garden, spilling out
  from an archway at the back of the yard,
  tumbling over proud statues and clambering up
  the face of the laboratory to lace across the
  boarded windows.  On the left, a curved bay of
  windows overhangs a dark arcade.  Steam
  billows and blusters from the shadows there and
  the air is crowded with the smells of cooking
  fennel and sodden earth.  In the centre of the
  grounds there is an ornate well, carved in relief
  with delicate ivy.  Among the tall grass and
  brush, it seems to have grown from the stone.
  Something’s Not Right
  A character with Magical Sense will notice a
  strong Amethyst glow, the magical wind of
  death, emanating from the kitchen at the end of
  the arcade.
  B.1. KITCHEN
  Description
  The door to the kitchen is sealed with fresh
  timber and fresh nails.  Immediately in front and
  under the dark arcade, a strong smelling stew
  bubbles in a large iron cooking pot.  Until the
  preparation of the surgery, the resident cook
  Ortolf Fleischer stands here, leaning glumly on
  his quarterstaff (See Events and Cast).
  To enter the kitchen, the players will need to
  break 
  down the planks 
  barring 
  entrance.
  Characters with a background in the carpentry
  trade and the appropriate tools can gain entrance
  noiselessly in a matter of minutes.  Alternatively
  the PCs are going to have to make a lot of noise
  in bashing it down.  Unless the preparations for
  THE LIBER ADVOCANDI
  This forbidden text documents the summoning
  and control of Dæmonic creatures.  It is written
  in Classical though it will require a successful
  Challenging (-10%) Intelligence Test by a
  character with the Read/Write and Speak
  Language (Classical) skills, along with 48 study
  hours before the full knowledge it holds can be
  gleaned and used.  At the end of this period,
  the 
  character 
  must 
  make 
  a 
  second
  Intelligence Test.  A failure indicates that the
  concepts are too difficult to grasp and the book
  must be studied for another 48 study hours
  before the test can be repeated.  A success for
  the 
  character 
  results 
  in 
  a 
  disturbing
  understanding of the realities of magic.  Make a
  Willpower Test or gain 1 insanity point.
  However, the character may thereafter obtain
  the Academic Knowledge (Magic) skill for
  100xp, regardless of his current career.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  11
  the surgery are in their final stages, Dr.
  Falkenheim will hear the racket from his lab and
  come to investigate.  He will do his utmost to
  prevent entry, announcing a terrible plague
  within and calling to his peers for aid if things get
  physical.
  If the PCs do get inside they will be buckled by a
  terrible stench.  It is dark and cluttered.  A heavy
  curtain separates the atrium from a larger inner
  area.  Beyond the curtain lie the bodies of the
  fallen from the coup, doctors and patients
  included.  Witnesses to the terrible scene must
  make a successful Willpower Test or gain 1
  Insanity Point.
  They will have sufficient time to gag before they
  hear a low rumbling growl of something dreadful
  within.  The kitchen has become the feeding
  ground for the once pleasant Scrappy, a mutated
  terrier 5 feet long, bearing 7 eyes and a long
  rat’s tail.  Scrappy will not attack unless the PCs
  try to get beyond the curtain and will back down
  as soon as the PCs leave the kitchen.
  Scrappy, Mutant Dog
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  41 
  0 
  42 
  48 
  50 
  25 
  58 
  0
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  18 
  4 
  4 
  6 
  0 
  0 
  0
  Skills: Follow Trail, Perception +20%, Swim
  Talents: Keen Senses, Natural Weapons, Strike
  Mighty Blow
  Special Rules:
  Filthy Poison:  If Scrappy
  wounds his target, the character must make a
  Toughness Test or lose an additional 2W
  from poison the following round.
  Armour:  None
  Armour Points:  Head 0, Arms 0, Body 0, Legs
  0
  Weapons:  Bite
  Something’s Not Right
  A successful Perception Test reveals an empty
  dog collar connected to one of the stone pillars of
  the arcade by a long chain.  Mention of this to
  Ortolf will induce silent tears and a little
  trembling.  Furthermore, if any character tries to
  enter the kitchen while Ortolf is around, he will
  stand in their way and tell them “there’s a
  terrible rat infestation.  Nobody’s allowed inside.”
  B.2. MESS HALL
  Description
  It is a grand hall.  Great columns reach up to a
  vaulted ceiling decorated with rich religious
  frescoes.  A winding stone staircase leads to the
  balcony level at both ends of the hall.  A grand
  piano poses on the far stage and two polished
  mahogany dinner tables stretch down the room’s
  length, skirted with high-backed, cushioned
  chairs.  White drapes hang above the tables,
  suspended with invisible string, and stir gently in
  the draught.
  Something’s Not Right
  See Chicken Soup for suspicious events later in
  the day.
  B.3. HERB GARDEN & SHED
  Description
  Once a pretty, placid and gentle place it has not
  enjoyed the tending of a groundskeeper for
  decades.  To enter, PCs must hack away the
  brush and even then it would take hours to clear
  passage.
  Something’s Not Right
  If the PCs use the lab to enter the garden they
  will alert the attentions of an imprisoned mutant
  far below the surface.  Using long tentacles that
  wriggle through ancient venting, he has fed on
  birds and other nesting animals for years.  A
  random PC must make an Agility Test or be
  grabbed by a pair of slimy limbs.  Each round the
  character must make a Toughness Test or
  suffer 1W as he is pulled through the thorny
  undergrowth.  An Opposed Strength Test vs.
  35% will free the character.  Alternatively a
  blow causing 3 or more Wounds (against TB 3)
  will spur release.
  B.4. LABORATORY
  Description
  A hot, clinical smell drifts from the rusty door.
  Shelves and tabletops are filled with vials of
  bubbling liquids, curly tubes and distillation rigs.
  Richly coloured plants threaten to burst out of
  delicate glass cases, supported by large cages
  filled with squealing rats.  The air is damp and
  hot, the ceiling drips with condensation.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  12
  Something’s Not Right
  If Dr. Falkenheim has not started to prepare for
  the surgery, he will be here trying to work on the
  cure for the Bloodpox.  He is anxious because
  there is an ingredient he must retrieve from the
  sanatorium tower, a place he cares not to enter.
  PCs can notice blood on his sleeve with a
  successful Perception Test, something he will
  blame on “his carelessness” if asked.  Truthfully
  he suffered the wound in the garden wrestling
  with the tentacle mutant (See Herb Garden &
  Shed above).
  C. BAILEY
  Description
  See First Impression for a detailed description.
  Something’s Not Right
  See specific locations below.
  C.1. ANIMAL PEN
  Description
  The goat still stands on the roof of the low
  cottage, chewing the thatch and staring at the
  PCs the way goats do.  Meanwhile the chickens
  are excessively feisty, jumping and flapping their
  wings.  Within the animal pen cottage, salted
  meat dangles in the darkness.
  Something’s Not Right
  Any PC approaching the pen will attract the
  attention of the feral chickens within.  These
  chickens have suffered some malignance from
  the experiments of their old masters and now
  squawk for blood.  The chickens rush over in a
  great pack, throwing themselves at the fence,
  shrill and excited.  If the PCs enter the pen they
  will be attacked and must make an Agility Test
  each round or suffer D-3 hit (Minimum 1W).  If
  the players want to kill the chickens, use the
  following stats:
  Feral Chickens (12)
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  - 
  - 
  10 
  10 
  35 
  - 
  - 
  -
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  - 
  4 
  1 
  1 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  -
  Special Rules: While the chickens outnumber
  their target 4:1, the character must make an
  Agility Test each round or suffer a D-3 hit
  (Minimum 1W).  Below this ratio, the chickens
  do not have enough numbers to hurt their
  target.
  C.2. GROUNDS STORES
  Description
  It is filled to bursting with an assortment of junk,
  equal reverence given to the useless and the
  antique: One shelf contains a rusted spade, a
  lacquered urn, a bronze bird cage and a selection
  of tattered socks.  Odd tapestries and curtains
  poke up in rolls at the back, buried under barrels
  of lamp oil.
  The value of the goods here, if sold to the right
  buyers, could (at your discretion) fetch between
  50-500 gc.  If you intend to run Ashes of
  Middenheim from the Paths of the Damned
  campaign and you are looking for a way to get
  the players on the hook, you could place the relic
  of Sigmar that features in the beginning of the
  first adventure within these stores.
  Something’s Not Right
  There is nothing out of the ordinary.
  C.3. SHRINE
  Description
  The two tiered shrine to Sigmar is built in the
  classical design with domed roofs and a shallow
  arcade supported by fat columns.  The exterior
  and interior are both embossed with scenes of
  battle depicting Dwarf and Man in coalition
  against the Greenskin horde under the shade of
  Blackfire Pass.  There is a cool interior, twinkling
  with candlelight.
  Something’s Not Right
  When the PCs approach the shrine, Albrecht
  Drakwolf (See Cast) will emerge, grinning wildly
  shouting “Praise to Sigmar!  We have visitors!”
  He wears egg yolk coloured robes (An Academic
  Knowledge (Theology) Test will reveal that
  these date back more than 50 years), his hair is
  badly hewn and a small sheaf of papers is bound
  to his forehead by a leather thong.  He comes
  running out bearing a parasol over his head and
  dirty white gloves on his hands so that none of
  his skin is exposed to the sun.  As soon as he
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  13
  leaves the steps of the shrine he trips to the
  floor, scattering the parasol across the yard.
  Albrecht is terrified of sunlight and this trip
  provokes a fit of panic.  He will crawl over to his
  parasol, sobbing.  Enter Jander Reichert.  The
  boy set a trip wire at the steps hoping to achieve
  this result.  He will run across the yard to fetch
  the parasol for the ‘priest’, consoling him gently.
  This is a good opportunity to sow the seeds of
  doubt in the PCs’ minds.  Having performed this
  ‘kindness’ he will throw a scared look toward the
  infirmary, make staggered excuses and run
  away.
  A PC entering the shrine who is experienced with
  traps and trap making should be allowed a secret
  Perception Test to see if he notices the broken
  tripwire.
  C.4. BALCONY
  Description
  Shallow steps rise to a semi-circular dais upon
  which slim rods support a canvas roof.  Below, in
  the shade, a rough stone chair faces the open
  end of a horseshoe shaped altar.
  The second time the PCs enter the bailey, Gizmar
  Thorvald (See Cast) will be binding canvas wind
  buffers to the back and sides of the altar rods.
  Something’s Not Right
  Gizmar, a battle worn and practical fellow, knows
  from the cut of the PCs’ jibs that they’re not a
  threat and hasn’t much time for politicking.  Any
  questions the PCs ask of the place, he’ll answer
  with the weakest attempt at guile, often mincing
  his words.  From Gizmar, the PCs can learn that
  Mr. Adam Avery was killed and “good riddance”,
  but he will not say how or why.  He will also
  reveal, gesturing to the whole sanatorium, “all
  these doctors.  Weak men with puny hearts.”
  After the preparation for the surgery has begun,
  an investigation of the altar will reveal dried
  blood and strange chalk markings.  A successful
  Academic Knowledge (Magic) Test will
  recognise the mark as a kind of rare symbol for
  invocation.
  C.5. PHYSICIAN’S OFFICE
  Description
  Guido and Antonius Reik will not allow entry into
  the sanatorium tower, even to visit the
  physician’s office, for any reason.  This is where
  Reik stores both the staff’s and the
  PCs�
  weapons.
  Something’s Not Right
  If somehow the PCs gain entrance, the will find
  nothing of great importance within except for the
  PCs� weapons.  Antonius Reik has been careful
  to destroy any damning evidence within his
  chambers.
  – EVENTS –
  The following lists the activities of the day and will serve as a useful guide as to where the staff will be
  while the PCs are investigating.  If the PCs ever encounter Jander on his own as a result of his spying,
  see Jander�s Betrayal to resolve the encounter.  Note also that The Pocks event will be a useful
  spur to get the players focused if they start to drift.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  14
  Approx
  Time
  Activity
  Movement
  Notes
  9am 
  PCs leave Wolingdorf
  11am 
  PCs arrive at Wolingwut
  House
  12pm 
  Jander begins to follow PCs Jander is no longer at the
  infirmary
  Perception Test
  during passage
  through the inner
  courtyard to notice
  someone following
  the party.
  12.30pm
  Prepare for the surgery 
  Antonius, Ortolf and Gizmar enter
  the sanatorium tower to retrieve
  their old doctor for use in the
  banishment ritual
  1pm 
  The Pocks
  The afflicted PC
  begins to notice the
  red pox on his wrists
  and throat
  1.30pm 
  Dr. Falkenheim’s
  preparation
  Dr. Falkenheim leaves the
  laboratory to prepare the altar for
  the surgery
  Gizmar and Ortolf
  emerge from the
  sanatorium tower and
  evict and PCs from
  the Bailey until the
  ‘surgery area is
  prepared’.
  2pm 
  Surgery introduction 
  All staff move to the balcony to
  hear Reik’s speech
  PCs are visited by
  Jander
  2.15pm 
  Surgery
  2.30pm 
  Chicken Soup
  All staff move to the Mess Hall
  except for Dr. Falkenheim who
  continues his work on remedy
  inside his lab.
  3.pm 
  The Black Portal
  Dusk 
  Siege
  – JANDER’S BETRAYAL –
  Jander Albrecht (See Cast) is trying to persuade
  the PCs that to release the staff from the
  sanatorium tower would be a boon for the world.
  He has already tried to encourage to that
  conclusion by exposing the patient records and
  the Liber Advoc�ndi.  Furthermore, he may have
  already tried to demonstrate his innocence by
  provoking the rage of Dr. Falkenheim and by
  rescuing Albrecht Drauwolf’s parasol.
  Now Jander hopes to use the PCs’ suspicion to
  his own advantage.  If he meets the PCs on his
  own, he will whisper hurriedly the dreadful plot
  about him:
  The boy looks anxious, his eyes darting.  He
  seems to tremble, beckoning you over.  “Sirs,” he
  whispers, “p-p-please help us…”  He points to the
  tower “They came from in there.  At night.  They
  killed most of us.  They put the bod.. They put
  them in the kitchen.  The r-rest of the staff are
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  15
  locked in th-the tower still…  They do
  experiments on them...  P-please...  You must...”
  his eyes dart over your shoulder, “I must go...”
  he gasps and runs into the shadows.
  Even if he cannot speak directly with the PCs he
  will send them a note during the surgery (see
  Surgery below).
  SURGERY
  If the PCs are not in the Bailey when the surgery
  speech begins, Jander will be sent to request
  their presence.  He will use this opportunity to try
  to beguile the adventures (See
  Jander�s
  Betrayal above) and to give them Handout 3,
  saying “I was going to give this to you later,”
  before scampering off.
  The bailey has wooden stools set in rows before
  the balcony.  If Jander has not already given the
  PCs the note, he will use this moment to pass it
  to them as they sit.  You might like to read aloud
  the following:
  All of the staff whisper to each other, though
  there is little excitement in the air.  Occasionally
  the pipe-smoking fellow cries out “We salute you!
  Apples and grapes! Four a shilling!”, hopping in a
  circle and drawing deep on his tobacco embers.
  The door to the tower opens quietly.  A large
  man with thick silver hair is carried down to the
  balcony chair.  Guido straps him down by the
  arms and head with leather binding.  Once
  complete he stands aside.  The man in the chair
  shudders occasionally and mouths a silent word
  over and over, lost inside his mind.
  PCs with Lip Reading understand the word to
  be “Forwards”.
  Antonius Reik marches down the steps in his
  white robes and stands squarely in front of his
  audience, hands behind his back.  You notice his
  clothes, in fact the robes of all in attendance, are
  fresh since this morning.  He draws a deep
  breath, “Here, at Wolingwut, we pride ourselves
  on fairness, courage and piety.  Is that not so?
  Under the authority of the Imperial Court we
  have been charged to heal the un-healable, to
  remedy the doomed.  I, Antonius Reik,” he grins
  warmly, “will demonstrate the healing power of
  science and once and for all end this… patient’s
  torment.”  He unrolls a leather cloth on the altar.
  Steel gleams eagerly from within.
  At this point the PCs may interject.  It is likely
  that they will not ant anyone ‘healed’ until they
  are sure of the situation.  If the PCs do mount a
  case for the patient’s preservation, read or
  paraphrase the following:
  At your interjection, some of the others murmur
  they’re agreement.  There is a pause.  “What’s if
  it don’t work?” someone calls out.  “No need for
  it, I say!” shouts another.  Soon the whole lot of
  them are standing up, fists raised. “We’re never
  as bad as them, never!”  Antonius raises his
  hands for quiet.  “Very well.  No need to raise
  such alarm,” he sighs, eyes cast down, “but I
  hope that you can bear the consequence.”  With
  a pause he strides away, meeting Dr. Falkenheim
  at the steps.  Guido begins to un-strap the man
  in the chair, shouting “Lunch in the Mess Hall
  folks!  Lunch is in the Mess Hall!”.
  Should the PCs allow the surgery to take place, it
  is up to you to evoke the horror of the
  proceedings as appropriate to your style of
  GMing.  In any case, Reik administers the
  surgery in the style of the Church, using, among
  other things, a chisel and a hammer.  Anyone
  watching the operation should roll a Willpower
  Test or gain 1 Insanity Point.  Afterwards, Reik
  and Dr. Falkenheim talk to one another.  Anyone
  within earshot (making a successful Perception
  Test or those with Lip Reading) will uncover
  the following conversation before things get too
  busy:
  “It didn’t work,” Dr. Falkenheim hisses.
  Reik looks dumfounded.  “It didn’t work?  Of
  course it didn’t work.  I smashed his skull open!”
  Dr. Falkenheim stares at him patiently. “No,
  Antonius…  It didn’t work.”  Reik pales and
  marches to the sanatorium tower.
  CHICKEN SOUP
  Soon after the operation, whether or not it went
  ahead, everyone except for Dr. Falkenheim
  arrives at the mess hall.  Ortolf is serving up his
  chicken and fennel soup, grinning happily.
  Unless any of the PCs announce their intentions
  not to drink the soup, tell them that it tastes
  better than it smells.  If the PCs object to eating
  the stew at this juncture, make a note which PC
  is eating and which is not.
  One random PC will have the misfortune of
  sitting beside Wolfram.  He will talk total
  nonsense, to the amusement of the rest of them
  and you should use the Smoking Mad sidebar
  (See An Awkward Welcome) for the types of
  things he’s likely to say.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  16
  The atmosphere should be jovial.  Either
  everyone is delighted on the moral objection they
  took to the surgery or, if went ahead, they are
  relieved thinking the Beastmen attacks will stop.
  Ranulf Muller will sit at the piano and start to
  play a raunchy Reiklander ditty called ‘An inch
  above her knee’.  A
  Routine (+10%)
  Common Knowledge (Empire) Test tells
  whether the characters know the song.  Feet
  start tapping; people smile at one another and a
  half hearted sing-along begins.  If any of the
  players join the sing-along, the lunatics of
  Wolingwut House will whoop and dance on the
  tables.
  Moments later, Antonius Reik drops unconscious.
  One by one, they fall to the floor until Ranulf
  finally collapses, his head bouncing off the piano
  with a clang.  There is silence.
  Any of the PCs who drank the soup must make a
  Challenging (-10%)
  Toughness Test or
  collapse asleep.  They can be roused but all tests
  should be made as though Very Hard (-30%).
  THE BLACK PORTAL
  Jander is waiting by the portal, which sits behind
  the red curtain just inside the sanatorium tower.
  When the PCs arrive he will be smiling eagerly.
  His plan is near fruition.
  “Many weeks ago the patients escaped and there
  was a lot of fighting.  Dr. Falkenheim was behind
  it all.  I think he is a worshipper of the Dark
  Gods.  They will all wake up in a little while so
  we don’t have very much time!”
  The door is locked (Hard (-20%) Pick Lock
  Test) and heavy (Very Hard (-30%) Strength
  Test).  Resourceful players will either check the
  Physician’s Office or Antonius Reik’s sleeping
  body to find a key.  As the PCs engage
  themselves in opening this terrible door, describe
  the following, if appropriate.
  •
  The door is covered with strange and
  unsettling runes
  •
  If the opening of the door creates any kind of
  ruckus, Dr. Falkenheim will emerge from his
  laboratory to see what’s going on.  Sighting
  Jander at the portal, he will become filled with
  rage:
  Dr. Falkenheim staggers into the bailey and cries
  out, lashing every word with hatred.  “Stop!
  Traitor!  How could you, filth?”  He sways,
  groggily, “Whatever he said, it is a lie!  I am Dr.
  Falkenheim!”  The boy steps behind you, “P-p-
  please, they will be waking soon.  They will
  throw me in there with the others.”
  Dr. Falkenheim will lose his balance and topple to
  the ground.  Every minute or so he will beg the
  PCs to stop, calling the boy a liar and a traitor.
  From here, the PCs have several options.  If they
  open the black door, see Can of Worms below.
  If not, Jander will get ever more anxious.  The
  farther they lean away from his request, the
  more erratic and pronounced his behaviour, until
  he begins to hiss and snarl with rage.  Sooner or
  later the PCs will know something’s amiss.  In
  this case, see Call to Arms in the following
  section.
  The PCs might like to take their time with this
  decision, or involve the other staff in some
  manner.  Nearly any delay will aggravate the
  boy.  However, there is also the harrowing
  possibility that the PCs will want to cut the
  throats of the staff while they sleep, so duped by
  Jander’s guile.  In fact, this is the only condition
  apart from the opening of the portal that will
  prevent Jander from revealing his nature.  The
  PCs will have an easy time of the executions.
  However, when the plot is finally revealed, the
  PCs will probably have to flee Wolingwut House
  before the Siege.  Furthermore, each PC involved
  in the slaughter should make a Willpower Test
  or gain 1d10/2 Insanity Points.
  CAN OF WORMS
  The doorway clicks open.  There is a magnificent
  BOOM as though the sky was struck like a bell.
  From The Wolingwut there is an answering call.
  A dreadful din, metallic and carnal.  At once, the
  forest shudders as thousands of birds take
  hurried flight, darkening the sky.  You stagger
  noiselessly, numb.  The boy grins at you, licking
  his teeth and with a screech he rushes up the
  side of the sanatorium tower, like some devilish
  crab.
  A figure, grey and bruised, shambles from the
  darkness within.  Coils of tentacles sprout and
  writhe from his back.  You recognise him from
  the altar chair, only now he wears a wide and
  terrible grin.
  PCs witnessing these events should make a
  Routine (+10%) Willpower Test or gain 1
  Insanity Point.  The players have 10 rounds to
  close the portal again or the rest of the ‘staff’ will
  be released.
  Following this encounter, see
  Rouse The
  Troops below.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  17
  Dr. Breitenbach, Chaos Cultist
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  50 
  40 
  45 
  50 
  35 
  50 
  50 
  15
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  15 
  4 
  4 
  4 
  0 
  15 
  0
  Skills: Dodge Blow
  Talents: Natural Weapons, Strike Mighty Blow,
  Frightening
  Special Rules: Flurry:  The tentacles sprouting
  from Dr. Breitenbach’s spine are tipped with
  sharp talons.  These strike out to a 2 yard
  radius.  Anyone coming within that range
  must make a successful Agility Test each
  round or take a S0 hit.
  Armour:  None
  Armour Points:  Head 0, Arms 0, Body 0, Legs
  0
  Weapons:  Claws
  – THE SIEGE –
  CALL TO ARMS
  Jander, unable to release his masters, becomes
  furious.  He was close enough to smell the glory,
  but finally it has been torn from him.  His blood
  boils with rage.  After the PCs start to sense
  something 
  wrong 
  with 
  Jander, 
  read 
  or
  paraphrase the following:
  The boy backs into a crouch and shrugs low to
  the ground, eyes locked to yours.  There is
  something 
  unnerving 
  about 
  his 
  scuttling
  movement.  So quietly that you can barely hear
  him above the wind he hisses, “Gutless…
  Hesitant donkeys that must be lead!” he scurries
  back further, his legs moving impossibly,  “You
  know no glory and you never shall!  And you
  stare upon me, disgusted?  Judging?  Without
  any shame?  Pah!”  His body seems to bend
  vulgarly and there is grind and a crack, like the
  rough breaking of bones, “Now, The Wolingwut
  will rise up against the oppressor!  Tonight you
  will face the might of my God!  Tonight we will
  march upon you, braying our piety to the
  heavens!  And Wolingwut will be Changed.  And
  you… you will kneel before the Changer of the
  Ways!”  With a screech he rushes up the side of
  the sanatorium tower, like some devilish crab
  and the air is filled with noise.  From The
  Wolingwut there is an answering call.  A dreadful
  din, metallic and carnal.  At once, the forest
  shudders as thousands of birds take hurried
  flight, darkening the sky.
  At your discretion, you may ask witnessing PCs to
  make a Routine (+10%) Willpower Test or
  gain 1 Insanity Point.
  ROUSE THE TROOPS
  Wolingwut House is to be besieged at dusk.  The
  players have the opportunity to mount defences
  and they’ll probably look to Antonius Reik for
  support.  Unfortunately, Reik and his crew will be
  doped for another hour before they can
  understand the scenario.  The PCs can use this
  time to plan a defence or flee the fortress.
  Denizens of the Tower
  If the PCs opened the portal and did not manage
  to shut it again, the denizens of Wolingwut
  House will creep out of the darkness.  Although
  the staff and cultists within amount to but a
  dozen, there are older and more powerful
  monstrosities there in enough numbers that any
  confrontation would lead to the PCs’ quick
  demise.  To encourage their survival, you should
  describe to the PCs the great torrent of creatures
  that emerge and allow Intelligence Tests to
  evaluate the sheer futility of battle.  The PCs
  should escape from the fortress with creatures
  snapping at their heels.  Once in The Wolingwut,
  however, the creatures give up the chase and
  return to the sanatorium.
   Wakey Wakey
  Assuming that Antonius Reik and his staff are still
  alive, they can be roused an hour after the PCs
  resolve the confrontation at the black portal.
  Allow the PCs to explain the situation and ask
  questions.  Reik will respond as follows:
  Antonius Reik blinks slowly, eyes reddened, “I
  can’t tell if it was years or months you know,
  since I was outside Wolingwut.  Sad, eh?  When
  they locked me in their dungeons I knew that I
  had been put here to test my faith.  He is a hard
  God, so He taught me a harsh lesson.  Time
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  18
  passed.  As I say, I can’t tell you how long.  But
  then I saw in Dr. Falkenheim a glimmer of doubt.
  With Sigmar as my guide, I lead him back to the
  light and so it was possible for us to escape.
  Each night since, we have been under siege.
  Today, using some hocus pocus, we hoped to
  break the sieges.  That was the motive for the
  surgery this afternoon.  Of course, it was never
  going to work.  Pah!” he wobbles slightly, “Have
  you a drink?  Some water?”
  “We could not flee the fortress, not until we
  knew the forest was safe.  And we could not
  advise the village either, for who would believe a
  troupe of madmen?  We had to make pretence.
  And we were afraid the others would return.  The
  other witches.  In fact,” he smiles, “I thought you
  were those witches at first!  Believe that!  In any
  case, Sigmar was with you and we have survived
  a terrible betrayal.  Dr. Falkenheim was so keen
  to redeem that boy.”  He stands and breathes
  deeply.  “The Warherd will come in strong and
  aggressive.  There’ll be at least two points of
  entry and they’ve got Flayerkin with them.
  Myself, Gizmar, Ortolf, Guido… an excellent
  archer by the way, and Gernig… sorry you’d
  know him as Irmine,” he grins, “have all seen
  battle.  I’m not much of a tactician so I’ll leave
  that to you.  Do with us what you will and by
  Sigmar’s Hammer let us take the fight to them!”
  Irmine will throw off her robes to reveal a tough,
  hunch backed warrior.  This is Gernig, who
  suffered Ranulf’s casting as his long dead wife.
  As soon as Gernig reveals himself he will march
  over to Ranulf and point at his chest, “you call
  me the pearl of ‘ought one more time and I’ll
  bash in your head...  Got it?”
  SIEGE MECHANICS
  It is not advisable to run the siege on a round by
  round basis because of the numbers involved.
  The best thing to do is either ask the players for
  their intentions and describe the resulting events
  as you think appropriate, or to create a method
  for resolving the conflict, concentrating mainly of
  the activities of the PCS.  I’ve included a system
  below.
  Rules
  The siege consists of rounds, each round made
  up of 3 phases:
  Phase 1 – Determine attacking and defensive
  strength
  Phase 2 – Resolve NPC wounds/Death
  Phase 3 – Allow the PCs to interact in the
  environment for 3 combat rounds
  Phase 1
  Determine Attack strength:  The Enemy has
  set routes, according to the Siege Map, of
  how they will try to make entry.  If there are
  Allies defending this point of entry, the Attack
  Strength for the encounter is equal to the
  Attack Strength on this route.  E.g. The Attack
  Strength of the Enemy on the East Wing is 8.
  Determine Defence Strength:  Total the
  Defence Strength of the non-wounded NPCs
  defending a particular zone on an attack
  route.  See the Troops Chart for Defence
  Strengths.  You may only count a troop’s
  Defence Strength once per round (See
  Reinforcements below).  E.g. If Antonius
  Reik and Gizmar were defending the Laundry
  Garden, their Defence Strength would equal 6
  (3 for Reik and 3 for Gizmar).
  Zones: See the Siege Map for a division of
  zones.  Each zone has a defence score.  If an
  encounter is resolved in this zone, the allies
  receive a bonus to their defence to this
  amount.  E.g.  If Reik and Gizmar were
  defending the Laundry Garden (a +3 zone),
  their Defence Strength would be increased by
  3.
  Traps: If the PCs lay a trap for the enemy along
  their attack route, increase the Defence
  Strength of the allies by 1-3 depending on the
  lethality.  E.g. 1 for a spear trap, 2 for a
  spiked pit trap or 3 for a gunpowder trap.
  Flanking:  If the Enemy manage to proceed
  through 
  their 
  route 
  of 
  attack 
  without
  confrontation and end up flanking a group of
  defenders, add +3 to the Attack Strength.
  E.g.  If there were no defenders in the East
  Wing, the Enemy would be able to flank any
  defenders in the inner courtyard zone, thus
  increasing their Attack Strength +3 for that
  confrontation.
  Troops
  Chart
  Name
  Defence
  Strength
  Name
  Defence
  Strength
  Guido Konig
  2
  Gernig
  Schaffer
  2
  Wolfram
  0
  Ortolf
  Fleischer
  2
  Antonius
  Reik
  3
  Gizmar
  Thorvald
  3
  Dr.
  Falkenheim
  1
  Albrecht
  Drauwold
  1
  Ranulf Muller
  2
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  19
  Phase 2
  There will be a maximum of 3 confrontations to
  resolve in this phase, as the Enemy will be
  assaulting from only 3 directions.  Compare the
  Attack Strength to the Defence Strength.
  Defence > Attack: If the Defence is higher, the
  defenders suffer no casualties and rout the
  enemy on that attack route.  That attack route is
  now considered closed.
  Attack > 2x Defence:  If the Attack is greater
  than double the Defence score, the defenders
  are killed.  The full Attack Strength of the Enemy
  continues their route.
  Attack > Defence:  If the Attack is higher, the
  defenders are forced to retreat unless they are
  reinforced.  As soon as this situation occurs,
  flag it to the PCs.
  Reinforcements:  The PCs, in an Attack >
  Defence situation, can send any number of
  troops to help as long as they have not yet been
  included in the Defence Strength for any zone
  this round.  They are no longer considered to be
  in the zone they were taken from.  If the
  reinforced strength is still not enough to beat the
  Enemy, the defenders Retreat.  Otherwise they
  hold their ground:  The Attack Strength of the
  Enemy on this route is equal to the difference
  between the Attack Strength and Defence
  Strength.
  Retreat:  The weakest defender (or a random
  defender if there is a tie) is wounded and can no
  longer be considered in the Defence Strength of
  any zone.  The defenders are forced backwards
  one zone.  The Attack Strength of the Enemy on
  this route is equal to the difference between the
  Attack Strength and Defence Strength.
  Phase 3
  The players have three combat rounds to act.  If
  they are in a zone that is victorious, you may
  describe the glory as you desire.  If they are in a
  zone that is defeated, the PCs should be allowed
  to make 1 WS/BS Test per round.  Each
  success reduces the Attack Strength of the
  Enemy there by 1 (and kills a Beastman in a
  gruesome manner).  If the defenders are still
  defeated, they retreat as normal.  However, each
  of the PCs should also suffer 1d10-3 Wounds
  modified by armour only.  At the end of the 3
  phases, the PCs can regroup their troops for the
  next round.
  Once the combined Attack Strength of the Enemy
  falls below the unmodified combined Defence
  Strength of the defenders (ignore the PCs), the
  Beastmen will flee.
  If the PCs are forced to retreat into the Bailey,
  have the party face one Beastman (for statistics
  see p.228 of the Core Rulebook) for each PC and
  resolve the conflict as normal, describing the
  frenzy of battle all around them.
  FLEE!
  If the PCs look like they’re doomed, Antonius
  Reik will call a retreat to the West Wing if it is
  possible.  In the kitchen there is a vent that leads
  down a chute to the plateau.  Here the survivors
  can flee Wolingwut House and escape through
  the forest.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  20
  – AFTERMATH –
  There are various outcomes to this adventure.
  Wolingwut House may or may not be overrun
  with Chaos.  Antonius Reik and his staff may or
  not have survived.  The most likely solution is
  that the PCs will have been able to rout the
  siege.  In this case, you may read aloud or
  paraphrase the following:
  You rest, panting and dizzy for some time before
  your minds settle.  The Beastmen have retreated
  to lick their wounds.  It is a day of victory.  But
  the sense of loss and futility still shrouds this
  place and it is not long before Antonius Reik
  approaches.  “You must leave this place tonight.
  We do not want your names marred alongside
  ours.  It is our intention to raze Wolingwut House
  to the ground.”  [To the character with Bloodpox]
  He throws a phial of yellow liquid into your lap,
  “About time, eh?”  Helping you up, he sets about
  arranging for your departure.
  He will clasp hands and wish the PCs well.  If the
  PCs want anything from the Grounds Stores, he
  will give it (PCs can carry as much gc of
  miscellaneous junk as you think appropriate to
  your campaign).  The survivors wave them down
  the hill.  When the PCs get back on the road to
  Klimgart or wherever else:
  On the horizon, a thick cloud of smoke roils
  skywards.  A wind picks up, gusting through the
  trees with shrieks and howls.  Your cloaks flap
  nosily and your knuckles numb.  Suddenly, with a
  great puff of fire in the sky, the winds die and
  there is a silence in The Wolingwut.
  EXPERIENCE POINT AWARDS
  Accepting Mrs. Avery’s request
  5xp
  Persuading entry to Wolingwut House
  10xp
  Defeating Scrappy
  10xp
  Each NPC questioned in Wolingwut House
  5xp
  Finding the Guestbook
  5xp
  Finding the Liber Advocandi and Patient
  Records
  10xp
  Stopping the surgery
  10xp
  Sealing the black portal
  20xp
  Defeating Beastmen at the siege
  30xp
  – CAST –
  Grunlock Golgundson
  Careers: Pit Fighter, Burgher
  Race: Dwarf
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  52 
  37 
  32 
  47 
  29 
  38 
  39 
  33
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  15 
  3 
  4 
  3 
  0 
  4 
  0
  Skills: Common Knowledge (Dwarfs), Common
  Knowledge (the Empire), Dodge Blow, Drive,
  Evaluate, 
  Gossip, 
  Haggle, 
  Intimidate,
  Perception, Search, Speak Language (Breton),
  Speak Language (Khazalid), Speak Language
  (Reikspiel) +20%, Trade (Stoneworker)
  Talents: Dealmaker, Dwarfcraft, Grudge-born
  Fury, Night Vision, Quick Draw, Resistance to
  Magic, 
  Specialist 
  Weapon 
  Group 
  (Flail),
  Specialist Weapon Group (Parrying), Specialist
  Weapon Group (Gunpowder),  Specialist
  Weapon Group (Two-handed), Stout-hearted,
  Strike Mighty Blow, Strong-minded, Sturdy,
  Suave, Wrestling
  Description: His greying beard is always plaited
  in ceremonial knots, from the delicate ‘Wisdom’
  braids on his moustache to the substantial ‘Duty’
  braids that swing over his belly to the floor.  He
  dresses in the finest navy frills from Reikland and
  his wide lace collars and long, tapered cuffs look
  somewhat out of place.  He welcomes his guests
  with a courtly bow and a hearty carnival trill,
  both of which he decorates with a thoroughly
  good natured smile.
  Character: Rescued from a goblin den by a
  band of explorers many years before, Grunlock
  owes his life and pride to the ‘Men of the
  Empire’.  He became fascinated by the hasty
  industry of Humans, rooted himself in their
  culture and has since devoted himself to the
  procurement of their oddities and mannerisms.
  In sincerity, he’s not completely fond of
  everything he finds but believes it his duty to
  celebrate the good and the bad in honour of his
  debt to the Empire.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  21
  His hands-on, brazen ways, his tough stories and
  his gentle heart have earned him a heavy purse
  of respect from the people of Wolingdorf.
  Although there’s no legal mayor in the town,
  whenever 
  there’s 
  a 
  problem it’s 
  normally
  Grunlock who sorts it out.
  Grunlock will try to help the players but he will
  not venture to Wolingwut House.  He’s known
  there’s been something amiss up there for some
  time and has promised himself not to meddle in
  their affairs.  Furthermore, he’s got a wedding to
  manage and puts that before almost any other
  task.
  Mrs. Elise Avery
  Careers: Burgher
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  28 
  25 
  28 
  31 
  32 
  45 
  30 
  44
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  11 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  0 
  0 
  0
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (History), Charm
  +20%, Common Knowledge (the Empire),
  Evaluate, 
  Gossip 
  +10%, 
  Haggle, 
  Heal,
  Perception, Read/Write, Search, Language
  (Kislevian, Reikspiel +10%)
  Talents: Acute Hearing, Dealmaker, Savvy,
  Suave
  Description: A well presented, clean and
  elegant lady, Mrs. Avery sports a complex
  network of buns and plaits, dressing them with
  beads and intricacies from Reiklander fashion.
  Character: Though past her prime, she is
  roguishly flirtatious in a well-to-do fashion and
  loves to talk history with those of good
  education.  She sets about every task knowing
  already the outcome, adept at hinting promises
  to bargain for her desires.
  Guido Konig
  Careers: Mercenary
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  35 
  45 
  33 
  33 
  30 
  25 
  35 
  25
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  11 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  0 
  7 
  0
  Skills: Common Knowledge (the Empire, Tilea),
  Dodge Blow, Drive, Gossip, Perception, Secret
  Language (Battle Tongue), Speak Language
  (Reikspiel, Tilean)
  Talents: Coolheaded, Disarm, Marksman, Rapid
  Reload, Sharpshooter
  Weapons: Bow, Sword
  Description: A wiry and toothy old man with
  dirty grey robes.  He mutters frequently, wipes
  his nose on the back of his hand and speaks with
  a thick peasant accent.
  Character: An ex-mercenary fighting for the
  border princes in Tilea, his mind was rattled from
  war.  He lost the capacity to speak for many
  years until the cultists at Wolingwut House used
  their tools on him.
  PCs: He likes the PCs, even though he rarely
  shows it.  If the PCs talk to him or make any kind
  of friendly banter though, he will often find
  himself 
  laughing 
  along, 
  though he never
  contributes.
  Where is Mr. Avery?  He will respond “I’m
  afraid I don’t know who you are talking about.
  You must be mistaken.”
  Antonius Reik
  Careers: Initiate, Witch Hunter
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  65 
  63 
  46 
  45 
  42 
  40 
  65 
  49
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  2 
  16 
  4 
  4 
  4 
  0 
  8 
  0
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (History), Academic
  Knowledge (Magic), Academic Knowledge
  (Necromancy), 
  Academic 
  Knowledge
  (Theology) +10%, Charm +10%, Command,
  Common Knowledge (the Empire) +10%,
  Heal, Gossip, Intimidate +10%, Perception
  +10%, Read/Write, Ride, Search, Silent Move,
  Speak Language (Classical, Reikspiel +10%)
  Talents: Lightning Parry, Lightning Reflexes,
  Menacing, Public Speaking, Sixth Sense,
  Specialist 
  Weapon 
  Group 
  (Crossbow,
  Entangling, Throwing), Stout Hearted, Strike
  Mighty Blow
  Weapons: Crossbow, Warhammer
  Description: He is a big man dressed in layers
  of white robes with a gold heart embroidered on
  the left breast (Common Knowledge (Empire)
  Test to recognise the Shallya emblem).  His
  white hair is closely shaved, he sports rough grey
  stubble and his eyes pierce like blue ice.  Scars
  are etched over his neck and face.
  Character: He was once a witch hunter from
  the Order of the White Hammer.  Witness to all
  the horrors of the Dark Gods he interred himself
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  22
  voluntarily to treat his waning condition, a
  terrible rage he had before then reserved only for
  the 
  minions 
  of 
  chaos. 
   
  His 
  mysterious
  disappearance had provoked scandal among the
  church and still now the clergy wonder at his
  whereabouts.
  Reik suffered intensely in Wolingwut House.  The
  doctors invented new and crueller ways to satisfy
  their depraved urges.  However, it was to be Reik
  who won the final victory.  He had observed
  these kinds of folk countless times before and he
  knew their motives well.  Noticing the wilting
  loyalty of Dr. Falkenheim, an incompetent
  conjurer fallen in the ranks of the order, he
  whispered of regrets and promises broken.
  Slowly the worm turned and Falkenheim took his
  side.
  PCs: Reik does not trust the PCs to keep their
  meddling hands out of his business.  He is used
  to being obeyed and will be quick to anger if he
  suffers insolence.  Anyone trying to stand up to
  him must make an Opposed Willpower vs.
  Intimidate Test.
  Where is Mr. Avery?  He will respond “I’m
  afraid I don’t know who you are talking about.
  You must be mistaken.”
  Dr. Edmund Falkenheim
  Careers: Physician
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  23 
  35 
  36 
  33 
  46 
  65 
  51 
  35
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  15 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  1 
  4 
  0
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Magic, Science),
  Command, Dodge Blow, Gossip, Heal +20%,
  Intimidate +10%, Magic Sense, Perception
  +20%, Prepare Poison, Read/Write, Search,
  Speak Language (Classical, Dark Tongue,
  Reikspiel), Torture, Trade (Apothecary)
  Talents: Resistant to Disease, Resistance to
  Poison, Menacing, Surgery
  Weapons: Dagger
  Description: He is a wiry man with lank black
  hair, spectacles and dirty grey robes covered
  with ink at the sleeves.  He speaks through
  clamped teeth, spitting his words past a
  permanent grin.
  Character: The Order of the Worm recruited Dr.
  Falkenheim in his childhood, the third son among
  three, disillusioned and bitter.  Climbing the
  ranks, he earned a reputation for cruelty.  Finally
  granted a position of leadership he fumbled his
  opportunity, exposing the cult in the North of the
  Empire.  Immediately his power was stripped
  from him and he was sent to Wolingwut House,
  shamefaced and forgotten.
  For years he served under Dr. Breitenbach at
  Wolingwut House and though he performed well,
  he was forever the fool of the sanatorium,
  neglected, 
  despised 
  and mocked. 
   
  When
  Antonius Reik arrived, illuminating his past
  mistakes 
  and 
  teasing 
  his 
  impotence, 
  Dr.
  Falkenheim was roused to oppose the cult.  Reik
  introduced Dr. Falkenheim to Jander Reichert,
  hoping he would see himself in the boy.  The
  next week there was a revolution.
  PCs:  Dr. Falkenheim understands that his soul is
  doomed.  Though his history is steeped in blood,
  he desires redemption.  In that vein, although his
  cruelty and rage claw at him like an addiction, he
  fights the urge.  He will do his best to create the
  cure for the Bloodpox.  And his best is obsessive.
  He will even risk his flesh to help.  It is his only
  chance for salvation.
  Where is Mr. Avery?  Dr. Falkenheim knows
  that Avery was killed in the coup.  It was Gizmar
  who struck the lethal blow.  Dr. Falkenheim
  despised Avery as he did the rest of the old staff,
  but feels some remorse for his living wife.  He
  will tell the PCs: “I do not remember that name.
  Hmm.  Are you sure it was Avery?  Sorry, I can’t
  place the name.”
  Jander Reichert
  Careers: Noble
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  16 
  27 
  21 
  20 
  37 
  32 
  30 
  35
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  8 
  2 
  2 
  4(8)
  0 
  4 
  0
  Skills: Common Knowledge (the Empire), Charm
  +10%, Gossip, Read/Write, Ride, Speak
  Language (Dark Tongue, Reikspiel +10%)
  Talents: Etiquette, Public Speaking, Suave
  Special: Jander is a mutant, though it does not
  show.  All of his joints can pivot like the
  shoulder joint so that he can hunker down
  and move like a crab.  While transformed so,
  he is capable of moving incredibly quickly,
  even up vertical surfaces (The second
  movement rate given above).
  Description: He is a tawny haired adolescent of
  ungainly proportions dressed in dirty grey robes.
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  23
  Like a lot of men his age, he is cursed with acne,
  an awkward beard and a child’s tone.  He speaks
  with the utmost clarity, plucking at each word
  like a harp string.  His heritage is obvious.
  Character: Jander Albrecht, once just the
  bastard child of lecherous nobility, has been
  turned to Chaos by the promise of power.  He
  has been anxious to release his old masters since
  their incarceration but Dr’ Falkenheim’s ward
  against Chaos at the entrance to the sanatorium
  tower has prevented this so far.  In the PCs he
  sees an opportunity.  If he can dupe them into
  believing that the staff were taken captive by a
  mutinous and evil gang of lunatics, then maybe
  they will open the portal for him.
  PCs: He feigns anxiety and charity in their
  presence.
  Where is Mr. Avery? If his master is with him,
  he will look frightened and will not reply.
  However, if he is alone he will tell the PCs, after
  explaining his version of events: “Mr. Avery was
  killed at the hands of the dark cult, after they
  escaped the sanatorium.  I cannot bear to think
  of his wife in Wolingdorf.”
  Ranulf Muller
  Careers: Entertainer
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  33 
  38 
  32 
  31 
  42 
  27 
  32 
  38
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  13 
  3 
  3 
  4 
  0 
  5 
  0
  Skills: Animal Care, Charm, Consume Alcohol
  +10%, Common Knowledge (the Empire)
  +10%, 
  Gossip, 
  Perception, 
  Performer
  (Musician, 
  Singer), 
  Speak 
  Language
  (Reikspiel), Sleight of Hand
  Talents: Mimic, Wrestling
  Weapons: Knuckleduster, Club
  Description: A feisty man with a thick peasant
  accent, Ranulf is always shifting or bouncing,
  even when he stands still.  His nose is well
  broken, a scar runs over his right ear and there’s
  only a scattering of teeth left in his mouth.  He
  sports a long pony tail which he’s bound with
  reddened leather.
  Character:  Once a travelling entertainer, he
  lost his wife to a Greenskin raid and at the same
  time lost his mind.  Believing every girl his darling
  Irmine, he escaped a lot of trouble, eventually
  happening upon Wolingdorf.  The Order of the
  Worm thought him perfect for their experiments
  and had him captured.
  After the rebellion, Ranulf cast Grenig as his lost
  wife, calling him the ‘Pearl of Wolingdorf’ and so
  on.  He realises that this cannot be, but yet he
  can’t help himself.  Ranulf is partial to a drink,
  finding that it helps him to put everything in
  perspective.  Players can make a Perception
  Test to notice a permanent ‘merriness’ in his
  manner.
  PCs: To the PCs Ranulf will seem a happy sort.
  He will secretly offer them a share of his brandy
  when Irmine isn’t looking.  There’s nothing he
  enjoys more than a naughty tipple.
  What happened to Mr. Avery?  To this
  question he will look blank for a moment,
  remembering the horror of the coup.  Then he
  will respond with a flat expression “I’m afraid I
  don’t know who you are talking about.  You must
  be mistaken.”
  ‘Irmine’, aka Gernig Schaffer
  Careers: Seaman
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  33 
  32 
  40 
  35 
  29 
  25 
  30 
  28
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  11 
  4 
  3 
  4 
  0 
  2 
  0
  Skills: Common Knowledge(the Empire, the
  Wasteland), Consume Alcohol, Dodge Blow,
  Gossip, Perception, Row, Sail, Scale Sheer
  Surface, Speak Language (Breton, Reikspiel),
  Swim
  Talents: Street Fighting, Seasoned Traveller,
  Strike Mighty Blow, Warrior Born, Very
  Resilient
  Weapons: Cutlass, Bow
  Description: As Irmine, she is hunchbacked and
  hooded with a large build and a hairy lip.  She
  seems to be mute, responding only with gestures
  and rarely more than a scowl.
  Underneath the robe, however, Gernig is a bear
  of a man with a sailor’s swagger.  His long hair is
  loose and knotted.  Scars run down his chest and
  back.
  Character: Gernig was born on a grand Trireme
  off the coast of Marienburg to a Captain’s wife.
  He knew little of land until he was captured by
  Brettonian pirates.  He escaped after a month
  but his lonely passage through the Grey
  Mountains turned his mind.  He developed an
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  24
  obsession with cleanliness and was found near
  Bogenhafen scrubbing his fingernails from his
  fingers.  The Order of the Worm snapped him up
  and shifted him to Wolingwut House.  He abhors
  filth and will often pick dirt off the clothes of
  others, if his permitted.
  PCs:  He will not speak to the PCs at all in his
  guise as Irmine.  However, the PCs, on a
  successful Perception Test will notice that he is
  not wearing a wedding ring.  Furthermore, if they
  are dirty, they may be subject to his grooming as
  he picks the dirt from the hems of their clothes.
  What happened to Mr. Avery?  Irmine will not
  answer the question.
  Wolfram
  Careers: Peasant
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  25 
  25 
  28 
  37 
  31 
  29 
  37 
  33
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  11 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  0 
  11 
  0
  Skills: 
  Charm, 
  Common 
  Knowledge 
  (the
  Empire), Concealment, Drive, Gossip, Outdoor
  Survival, Row, Speak Language (Reikspiel),
  Swim
  Talents: Acute Hearing, Flee!, Hardy, Resistance
  to Disease
  Weapons: None
  Description: A scrawny man with enormous
  tufts of hair jetting out to the sides, he is always
  smoking on a delicate pipe and pottering around
  distractedly in oversized robes.
  Character: Born ‘touched’, Wolfram has no
  recollection of his family or childhood.  He was
  thrown into Wolingwut after he caused some
  ruckus in Klimgart trying to burn down an apple
  tree.
  PCs: For more information about how to play
  Wolfram, see the sidebar Smoking Mad earlier in
  the adventure.  Furthermore, if the PCs decide to
  visit him in his smoky quarters, he will be
  delighted.  He will fetch tea and maintain the
  semblance of normality for many minutes.
  Eventually, of course, he will call out “Not
  enough cheese for tea, though!  Never enough
  cheese!  What’s that?  Hmm?”
  What happened to Mr. Avery?  Without
  hesitation he will respond “died for the cause..
  bwahaha.. for the cause, get it? Bwahaaaha!”
  After this moment of clarity he reverts to his
  normal routine.  The PCs will not be able to glean
  anything else on the matter.
  Ortolf Fleischer
  Careers: Outlaw
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  39 
  32 
  45 
  46 
  35 
  30 
  28 
  25
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  2 
  14 
  4 
  3 
  4 
  0 
  1 
  0
  Skills: Animal Care, Common Knowledge (the
  Empire), Concealment, Drive, Dodge Blow,
  Gossip, Perception, Scale Sheer Surface, Set
  Trap, 
  Silent 
  Move, 
  Speak 
  Language
  (Reikspiel), Trade (Cook)
  Talents: Hardy, Lightning Reflexes, Rover,
  Sharpshooter, Strike Mighty Blow
  Weapons: Quarterstaff
  Description: Hunching over his quarterstaff, he
  seems a giant of a man.  He has a leering bald
  stripe across the top of his head flanked by frizzy
  brown hair.  Variegated stains of blood and sauce
  slop down the front of his sackcloth robes.
  Character: After killing two bailiffs in his youth
  his life was tough.  He fled to the woods and
  survived there for years, slowly losing hope for
  the world.  He became glum, depressed,
  maudlin.  His leader sold him to the Order of the
  Worm to get him out of the camp.  He has
  stayed within Wolingwut House ever since.
  PCs: He is a glum fellow, full of simple problems.
  You have the opportunity with Ortolf to
  demonstrate the normal, everyday character of
  the staff at the sanatorium.  He will moan that
  the thyme doesn’t grow well with the other
  plants bullying away the light, that he hasn’t
  seen an entertainer in years as no one happy
  ever comes there, that he gets a crick in his neck
  from having to lean underneath the arcade and
  that his mother was right saying he’d be too tall
  if he kept eating all the Drubroot.  The PCs
  should trust Ortulf.
  What happened to Mr. Avery?  Ortolf will
  whisper that he’s sorry “but I’m not supposed to
  talk about that.  It’d be a bad omen.”  A
  successful Opposed Charm vs. Willpower roll
  will force Ortolf to reveal “Well, okay.. tell you
  what, ask Gizmar.  He doesn’t believe in bad
  omens.”
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  25
  Gizmar Thorvald
  Careers: Kislevite Kossar
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  42 
  43 
  40 
  46 
  31 
  26 
  41 
  28
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  14 
  4 
  4 
  4 
  0 
  3 
  0
  Skills: Common Knowledge (Kislev), Consume
  Alcohol, 
  Dodge 
  Blow, 
  Gamble, 
  Outdoor
  Survival, Perception, Search, Speak Language
  (Kislevian, the Empire)
  Talents: 
  Specialist 
  Weapon 
  Group 
  (Two-
  handed), Strike to Injure, Very Strong
  Weapons: Great Axe
  Description: Built like a gorilla he is long faced
  with wild hair and has a giant axe strapped to his
  back.  He speaks with a heavy Kislevian slant,
  regularly blundering through his grammar.
  Character: Tired of ceaseless combat, Gizmar
  left Kislev to find peace in the Empire.  Ironically
  he ended up serving with a Dwarven legion in
  the Black Mountains.  Surviving a massacre by
  hiding under the corpses of his allies, he
  emerged drenched with dishonour.  Lost in his
  mind he was found near Klimgart and brought to
  Wolingwut House.  He woke up from his
  thoughts inside the dungeons of the sanatorium
  and believed he had arrived in hell.  Gizmar,
  believing that he is now in the afterlife, is not
  afraid of death and has no time for politicking.
  PCs:  He regards the PCs as messengers from
  the mortal world.  When speaking to them, he
  will refer to them as ‘blessed mortals.’  He will
  also ask how things fare ‘in the land of men’.
  What happened to Mr. Avery?  Any questions
  the PCs ask of the place, he’ll answer with the
  weakest attempt at guile, often mincing his
  words.  He believes that Reik is his redeemer and
  so tries miserably to follow his orders.  From
  Gizmar, the PCs can learn that Mr. Adam Avery
  was killed and “good riddance”, but he will not
  say how or why.  He will also reveal, gesturing to
  the whole sanatorium, “all these doctors.  Weak
  devils with puny hearts.”
  Albrecht Drauwolf
  Careers: Bone Picker
  Race: Human
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  31 
  29 
  36 
  40 
  33 
  27 
  36 
  35
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1 
  12 
  3 
  4 
  4 
  0 
  7 
  0
  Skills: Animal Care, Charm, Drive, Common
  Knowledge (the Empire) +10%, Evaluate,
  Haggle, Perception, Search
  Talents: Resistant to Disease
  Description: He wears egg yolk coloured robes
  (An Academic Knowledge (Theology) Test
  will reveal that these date back more than 50
  years), his hair is badly hewn and a small sheaf
  of papers is bound to his forehead by a leather
  thong.  He always bears a parasol over his head
  and dirty white gloves on his hands so that none
  of his skin is exposed to the sun.
  Character: Albrecht was born mad.  His
  madness has evolved and matured, of course,
  but there was always something there.  A
  Wolingdorf man, his destiny was clear.  After the
  escape from the sanatorium tower, he feels
  touched by Sigmar.  A more devout follower you
  will not find in the Empire.
  Albrecht is terrified of sunlight.  If exposed to
  direct sunlight he can only crawl slowly – fulfilling
  his own anxieties – and he will panic and sob
  until he is returned to the shade.
  PCs: He regards the arrival of the PCs as a
  blessing and will praise Sigmar after nearly every
  sentence, eyes full of passion.
  What happened to Mr. Avery?  He will
  respond “I’m afraid I don’t know who you are
  talking about.  You must be mistaken.”
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  26
  – HANDOUTS –
  HANDOUT 1 – GUESTBOOK
  ENTRY
  DATE
  Rudolf, we must get together.
  B
  8 months ago
  Beatrice, can you get your fellow to leave that frame with Heinz?
  R
  6 ½ months ago
  Consider it done.  You missed a fabulous party.
  B
  6 months ago
  Heinz has made some changes.  I shall be back next week.  Stay if you can.
  R
  4 months ago
  It is nearly complete.  We will see one another at the time of exaltation.
  B
  3 ½ months ago
  Heinz provided fabulous entertainment.  Hail to the Changer!
  K. S.
  3 months ago
  There is a gathering at the full moon.  Look for Morrslieb in the sky.
  L. R.
  2 months ago
  THE MOOT BEGINS. TOMORROW THERE WILL BE A NEW DAWN FOR ALL OF THE DEVOUT.
  H. B.
  9 WEEKS AGO
  HANDOUT 2 – PATIENT RECORDS
  
  That Way Madness Lies!
  27
  HANDOUT 3 - JANDER’S NOTE
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Warhammer/Fantasy Roleplay/4e (C7)/Cato Contribution/Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay/2nd Edition/Homebrew & Fan Material/Grognard/Adventures/The Way Madness Lies.pdf