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Epilogue: A costly lesson

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This was a bad idea, Sigrid thought to herself, not for the first time, as she crept slowly down the dusty old tunnel, taking care to stay inside the dimmed-down light of Karl’s lantern. They shouldn’t be here, just the three of them, without having told anyone what they were doing. An unsanctioned mission like this could land them in all sorts of trouble, if their suspicions turned out to be unfounded. And maybe especially if they turned out to be correct. But Julian was sure this was the fast track to glory, and promotion. And he could be ever so persuasive. Mostly he just assumed that people did as he said, and that often worked. Probably a perk of having noble blood. Still, Sigrid swore silently and gripped her pistol tight as she continued down the hallway. “This is finally it!” Julian had exclaimed, slamming his beer-tankard down on the table the trio were gathered around. “A chance to prove ourselves as true witch hunters at last. Maybe to redeem the honor of the guild!” he crie...
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Burning it all down

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 Sneaking past the amateur guardsman with Sweet Sunnivas help is easy but as a result she is left behind. All alone in “her room”. Most unfortunate. I really don’t like it when she paints herself into corners like this. She is more than capable but Ilike it when I can keep an eye out.  I could just incinerate that fool of a guard. No trace but ash and no one the wiser if they come looking. A neat pile swept under the carpet. Sure the building might go with him but who cares? Anybody working for the dowager cannot really be good can they? Pure of heart? I feel my insides slowly turning and as flames drip from my fingertips when my thoughts are rudely interrupted. Johanna presses on and ushers everybody into the Gosser family crypts. Dark and ghastly, faint smell of mold and death seeping in all around. Slowly we sneak inwards and downwards into the bowels of the crypt. The whole place has apparently been refurbished from Niske to Gosser. Could’ve done a better job though. More ...
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Threats from within

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In the wake of the battle, Hargendorf is slowly cleared of rubble, bodies are burned or buried and the wounded are tended to.  We leave the drudgery to others, and after a quick breakfast head towards Niske's tent to discuss our next move. It seems clear to us that we need to move ahead without the army. There is no way for us to arrive in time for Salzenburg if we wait for them. But - what are we to do? There is no way for us to join the battle and help defend the city, given our status as Nordland's most wanted. Toppling the elector-count and the dowager queen just before a decisive battle seems like folly as well.  Upon my urging, we will simply sneak inside the walls of Salzenmund and gather more info before deciding upon a course of action. We should not act on outdated information - there is no way for us to divine what to do from Hargendorf. However, we should be prepared to do what is necessary to save the city and Nordland itself, up to and including asking Middenheim...
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Chaos vs Order

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We look across the massive carnage but we can conclude we have actually managed to save the South Gate. It shouldn't have been possible but we did it. No matter what happens in the rest of my life I know that everything up to this point has been worth it. We've done something that will go down in history or at least something that's worthy of going down in history no matter who actually writes the history afterwards. The Eastern gate has been breached, but it is still standing. Fydaal the Chainmaker is there, and her raiders. We will get around to her as well, I have no doubt of that. Looking out across the field, I can see we have managed to destroy a Hellcannon and a construct. The other construct is shambling about, not quite done yet, but it will be. We are still in this fight, everybody is, tired, worn, but no longer terrified, just frightened and grimly determined. Men in that state are no joke. They won't scare, they’ll just do, no matter what the doing. Ulric is...
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Furor belli

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From the journal of Johanna Schwarz, Witch Hunter general, Norland 17. Nachgeheim, 2500 War is hell. Still, there is an oddly calming and clear quality to the situation we are in in Hargendorf. For so long now, we have been grappling in the shadows, unsure at every turn whether people were friends or foes. Not so now: This is a clearcut conflict. The forces of chaos are here, on our doorstep, and rising to greet them are the meager defenses we have been able to muster. Light versus dark. A war of survival. No quarter will be given, nor sought. We either scour these shores of the barbarian horde come to lay waste to the land, or end up dead or worse. Our delaying tactics thankfully worked, so the city's defense now included Niskes army. Yet as dawn arose to the sight of the Norscan hordes amassing outside the city, it was clear we were in a precarious strategic position. The enemy outnumbered us at least two to one. Moreover, they are far stronger in one-on-one combat. Thirdly, they...
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