[WFRP 2e] Renegade Princeps 61

My PC
Vaervenshyael - Female Elf Assassin

My companions
Tankred "Silver Bear" Tenneckermann - Human Artisan/Mercenary/Champion

Wilhelm Hechland - Human Pistoleer/Engineer/???

Doctor Johann Wilhelm Woeller - Human Physician
Bianca - Large pink riverboat the prince had used to come to this town

(Previous Notes) 

Vaervenshyael shook off the meditative sleep and rekindled her fireplace. There was a chill in the morning air.  Wilhelm and Johann must be at the river with that human medicine woman, she thought. The activity of the caravan could be heard out the window: draft horses, carts, and crying babies. That last one was new. Vaervenshyael looked out her window.

Teamsters, having secured the caravan for its return trip were frustratingly dealing with, to varied success, their sponsored families and individuals that were indeed leaving Padua. A quick count suggested at least a third of the town. These were the ones that would be judged weak in months to come...or the smart ones if things turn sour.

Vaervenshyael looked toward the west and saw a chill fog rolling across the plains, against the westerly breeze that normally carried the taste of sulfur. She thought again of Wilhelm and Johann. And then there was black smoke at the cliff edge.

The smell of burning wood was more recalled than observed. She held her breath, considering a shout of "Fire!" and hesitated. The shout may instill panic in caravan's newest members, and frustrate even more the Teamsters and the caravan owner on their attempts to exit.

The smoke was certainly worth investigation.

***

On the river bank, Johann and Wilhelm turned to the north and saw smoke rising from the boat houses near the Bianca. Johann considered what he saw through the Hedge under the influence of the acrid incense he inhaled at Cosetta's insistence. He looked at Wilhelm for a moment, seeing bloodshot, glassy eyes—an odd reaction to the incense that made himself more keenly aware of everything. Or maybe something in the smoke was already bothering Wilhelm.

Whatever was afoot, it seemed the grand epic that the Princeps, Max, Tegort and Udrin were part of was being closed by burning any ties to Padua.

Maybe there was still time to make sure that that pink barge was not sunk...

***

Vaervenshyael ran full sprint onto the deck of the Bianca, even as she ordered others to untie the moorings. The current pulled the boat south at an ever-increasing rate. At first she thought maybe Tankred could pilot it with some directions, but when she saw the options ahead, she knew he had to take the helm herself.

With equal parts desperation and second hand experience, Vaervenshyael turned the ship's wheel hard and floated the craft into a perfect, if overly rapid, dock into one of Padua's southern piers. The momentum caused Wilhelm to careen over the side of the ship, roll off the pier, and splash into the river...with most of the town watching.

The party tied the ship up to the new dock and disembarked to continue conversation about their latest predicament. Everyone's individual stories seemed to agree: The prince and his friends had cleared out the manor and left town, apparently for good, with Udrin the elf mage. The boat belonged to the prince, and the town seemed to be without a prince.

A quick conversation decided that Tankred would take over princely duties if the previous regime had, in fact, defected. They paid Azmir a visit to see if he had any more information about his most recent employers.

"The princep left with the stones. I fear I may have been used."