Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Scenario: The Ritual Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Scenario: The Ritual

The Ritual
A Hideous Plot in Which Murder is
just the Start

Written by Phillip Wells

Updated for WFRP 2nd edition by Michael Congreve

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Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Scenario: The Ritual Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Scenario: The Ritual

Credits
Written by Phillip Wells
Illustrations by Russ Nicholson and Jes Goodwin
Updated by Michael Congreve

Copyright © Games Workshop Limited 2006. Games Workshop, the Games Workshop logo, Black Industries
and their respective logos, Warhammer and all associated marks, logos, places, names, creatures, races and
race insignia / devices / logos / symbols, locations, weapons, units, characters, products, illustrations and
images from Warhammer are either ®, TM and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2006, variably registered in
the UK and other countries around the world. All Rights Reserved.

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 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Scenario: The Ritual Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Scenario: The Ritual

Skretth’s Dark Lore (Warp) Spells Introduction

This adventure is suitable for inexperienced or
Armour of Darkness beginning player characters. It is set in Delberz,
Casting Number: 10 but could be used in any urban setting. It pits
Casting Time: Half action the PCs against Skaven and their human allies.
Ingredients: Bit of blackened leather (+2)
In this adventure, the PCs witness a cultist,
Effect: 1 AP to every location and +20 bonus to Concealment Skill Tests. Peter Tavelli, chasing and seemingly trying to
kill a young man, who begs for their help.
Death Frenzy Pursuing Tavelli leads the PCs to a dangerous
Casting Number: 18 underground complex where a band of Skaven,
Casting Time: Full action led by Skretth – an unusually dangerous
specimen – have joined forces with a group of
Ingredients: 2 drops blood from rabid animal (+2)
human cultists. Can the PCs prevent the terrible
Effect: Ally within 18 yards gain Black Hunger. ritual these groups are planning, and save
themselves into the bargain?
Flensing Ruin
Casting Number: 25 This is an adventure in which the PCs are put
Casting Time: Full action against significant combat opposition, and at
the very least the PCs should include at least
Ingredients: Piece of elf, dwarf or human skin (+3)
two (and preferably three) characters that can
Effect: Target within 10 yards takes S5 hit for a number of rounds equal to caster’s Magic Level. look after themselves with some confidence in a
mêlée.
Skitterleap
Casting Number: 8 This adventure was originally printed in White Dwarf # 99, and was later re-printed in the
Casting Time: Half action Games Workshop publication ‘The Restless Dead’, and the Hogshead Publishing
supplement ‘Apocrypha 2: Chart of Darkness’.
Ingredients: Hind leg of rat (+1)
Effect: You or ally within 18 yards teleport to location in line of sight.

Vermintide
Background
Casting Number: 14 Grey Seer Skretth is insane: a renegade Skaven with an impossible goal. He controls a
Casting Time: Full action small group of loyal but misguided Clan Skyre warriors. Recently, he and his patrol
Ingredients: A wheel of good cheese (+2)
exited the Under-Empire (the web of tunnels that riddle the Empire) into the sewers
beneath Delberz. The original map showed no such exit, Skretth looks upon it as fate.
Effect: All creatures within template centred on caster take Damage 1 hit, except caster. On following round
swarm moves 12 yards in direction of caster’s choice, then control is lost.
Skretth is somewhat paranoid and delusional, and therefore chose not to make contact
with the Skaven of Under-Delberz, instead choosing to remain in isolation to perform his
“research”.
Warp Lightning
Casting Number: 11 On a previous mission in Sylvania, Skretth had the extended opportunity to study the
Casting Time: Half action works and practices of a skilled Necromancer. The things he witnessed were too much
Ingredients: A slender copper rod (+2) even for the Skaven’s warped mind, and he began to seek solace in the drug Mandrake.
Constantly hallucinating from the effects of the drug, the young Skaven became
Effect: Magic Missile, 48 yards and Damage 5. Caster takes Damage 1 hit for every 1 on the Casting Roll.
fascinated by experiments he could not hope to understand. He reasoned that for bodies
to be re-animated, there would have to be Warpstone present, as he believed the
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substance sparked life into all things. If it was there then surely it could be extracted? If
he could find out a way to extract it, he would be able to return to Skavenblight, and the
accolades he felt were his due. Skretth’s Petty Magic (Warp) Spells
The Delberz sewer network has provided him with an opportunity to collect specimens Favour
and practise rituals for his flawed quest. Human cultists in the town, members of the Casting Number: 5
Horned Rat worshipping cult named “The Poison Claw”, have been made aware of the
Casting Time: Half action
groups arrival and are aiding Skretth in his unofficial mission.
Ingredients: Bit of human flesh (+1)
The adventure leads the characters into the sewers beneath the city. There they will Effect: +5% bonus to your next test, or steal Favour of the Horned Rat from any Skaven within 16 yards.
discover that a band of Skaven have recently taken up residence down there, and, with
the aid of their human servants, are carrying out bizarre rituals and sacrifices to their Ghostly Flame
deity, the Horned Rat. The characters must try to eradicate (or at least drive out) the Casting Number: 6
Skaven, whilst attempting to save a wealthy citizen from their clutches in the process.
Casting Time: Half action
As the Skaven presence is significant, the characters will need to have their wits about
them. Repeatedly choosing to fight will lead to a swift and bloody demise… Ingredients: Pinch of Warpstone powder (+1)
Effect: Light equivalent to torch burns for 1 hour. May be thrown as a magic missile with Damage 1.

Claw Mark Mark of the Horned Rat

Casting Number: 3
The following encounter should occur as Casting Time: Half action
the PCs are walking back from a late night
Ingredients: A rotten tooth (+1)
drink one evening at their local tavern.
They should, however, have a good deal of Effect: Target within 16 yards passes WP test or gains blemish lasting 1D10 hours for –5% Fel.
their equipment with them, as they will
have no time to go and pick up anything Rat Thrall
left in their lodgings. Casting Number: 3
Casting Time: Half action
As they are strolling through a particularly
Ingredients: Bit of mouldy cheese (+1)
dark and quiet street, a door suddenly
bursts open from one of the expensive Effect: Summon communicating and obedient rat for 1D10 hours.
houses lining the road. A young man,
dressed only in his night-clothes, rushes Vector
out yelling, “Help me, someone, please!” Casting Number: 4
Casting Time: Half action
As he catches sight of the characters, he Ingredients: Wad of Dung (+1)
turns and races towards them. A large Effect: Target within 16 yards must take T test or be at –20% to Resist Disease for 24 hours.
bruise covers one side of his face. As he
races over, gasping for air, a dark shape
Wrack
appears, silhouetted in the doorway of the
house. The man gasps out one last Casting Number: 5
sentence, “They’ve got my father… Don’t Casting Time: Half action
let them take him… Hurry…” before an Ingredients: Tear from a human child (+1)
audible twang comes from the doorway, Effect: Target within 12 yards suffers pain and –5% to WS, BS, Ag for 1D10 rounds.
followed by a much closer thud.

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Zombies The unfortunate young man collapses into the arms of one of the characters (perhaps
one who is drawing or who has already drawn a missile weapon of his own), choking
and coughing up blood. A crossbow bolt is buried in his back. He is dead.
WS BS S T AG INT WP FEL A W SB TB M MG IP

25 0 35 35 10 - - - 1 12 3 3 4 0 0
GM’s Notes
Talents: Frightening, Mindless, Shambling, Undead. The crossbow quarrel landed in the back of Ernest Dralst, son of Klauss Dralst, a
wealthy townsman. Both lived in the rather plush house from which Ernest just emerged.
Trappings: Unarmed. Ernest was asleep in his upstairs bedroom when he was awakened by someone moving
Special Rules: about below. After waking his father, the two of them went to investigate, but were leapt
upon by three intruders in the kitchen. Klauss was swiftly overpowered. Ernest,
Mindless: Zombies are animated corpses with no mind or spirit of their own. They have however, being younger and fitter, managed to break free and run out on to the street.
no Intelligence, Willpower, or Fellowship, and never take or fail Tests based on these
Characteristics.
Peter Tavelli, a Poison Claw cultist, raced after Ernest in an effort to prevent him from
Shambling: Zombies are relentless but slow. They cannot take the run action. alerting anyone, after having first ordered his companions to take Klauss back to Skretth
by way of an old, forgotten, stone passageway which travels right up into the house
through a flagstone in the cellar. Meanwhile, Tavelli has succeeded in shooting Ernest,
but not before ho managed to reach the PCs.

As soon as Tavelli fired his bolt, he retreats back inside the building and watches the
adventurers’ reaction through the hall window. If they pursue him, he will lead them into
a trap in the house before trying to get back into the cellar and into the secret passage.
If he is caught or cornered, he will seize a capsule of Black Lotus Venom from around
his neck and bite in to it. These capsules are carried by all members of the Poison Claw,
and contain the equivalent of four very strong doses of the drug (Toughness Tests for
each dose are Challenging (-10%), for a total –20%).

Such a capsule may not necessarily kill, though the GM is encouraged to ensure that
this does not happen too often. The use of these capsules is accepted by all members
Skretth’s Lesser Magic Spells of the cult, and even if the poison does not work, a successful Hard (-20%) Torture
Test will be necessary in order to extract any information from them, such is their loyalty
Aethyric Armour to Skretth.
Casting Number: 5
The adventurers will probably chase Tavelli into the house in an attempt to apprehend
Casting Time: Half action
him. The characters should remember the dying mans last words, expressing the need
Ingredients: Link of chainmail (+1) for speed.
Effect: Gain AP equal to Caster’s Magic Level for 6 rounds.
Should particularly cowardly adventurers refuse to enter the house at once, the
Silence adventure can still be brought back on line. The Skaven will be very interested in
Casting Number: 10 capturing the party, since they are the only (living) people who know what happened to
Klauss. They may be grabbed during the night and thrown into the cells in the sewers
Casting Time: Half action
(see Into The Sewers, below) to await sacrifice. The PCs will then have to escape –
Ingredients: A gag (+1) Klauss will already have been sacrificed by then, so they won’t have to worry about
Effect: Target within 24 yards must pass WP test or be silent for rounds equal to caster’s Magic level. rescuing him anymore.

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Upstairs Downstairs Poison Claw Cultists

If he sees that he is being followed, Tavelli will race up the stairs in the hall, making WS BS S T AG INT WP FEL A W SB TB M MG IP
sure the PCs see him. If they pursue him up the stairs, he will manoeuvre a decorative
wine barrel which stands on the landing to the top of the stairs and send it crashing 34 34 31 32 35 28 37 30 1 12 3 3 4 0 0
down towards his pursuers. Anyone standing on the stairs, or at the foot (presumably to
aim a bow or crossbow), must pass an Agility Test or be hit. The test is Challenging (- Skills: Common Knowledge (Empire), Consume Alcohol, Dodge Blow, Gamble,
10%) for those on the stairs, Routine (+10%) for those at the foot. Gossip, Intimidate, Secret Language (Thieves’ Tongue), Speak Language (Reikspiel).
Anyone hit by the barrel will take a Damage 3 hit, and be knocked down. For those Talents: Coolheaded, Disarm, Quick Draw, Strike to Stun, Very Resilient, Wrestling.
stranding on the stairs, this will incur falling damage as the GM judges fit (another Trappings: Club, Knuckle-dusters, Leather Jerkin.
Damage 3 hit for a 3 yard fall is probably most appropriate.From there, Tavelli will rush
back down the stairs, leaping the banister half way down (a 3-yard jump). Assuming he
lands correctly, he will rush back to the cellar and enter the sewers through the secret
passage. Should any character have avoided the barrel and be able to go in pursuit of Tigrati ’Head’ Parvisch - The Jailer
him, he will turn and fire his repeater crossbow. Should any character get too close for
comfort, he will just make a straight run for it, abandoning any attempt to kill the WS BS S T AG INT WP FEL A W SB TB M MG IP
characters. Tavelli will choose to use the Black Lotus capsule in preference to being
captured. 53 35 37 38 44 57 37 50 1 16 3 3 4 0 0

Tavelli is a tall (6’3”), angular man, with a hooked nose, small beady eyes, and black Skills: Command, Common Knowledge (Empire), Consume Alcohol, Dodge Blow,
hair. He is wearing a black, wide-brimmed hat that covers most of the face, and a dark Gossip, Intimidate, Perception, Search, Sleight of Hand, Speak Language (Reikspiel).
blue neckerchief as a mask. His midnight blue cloak is fastened by a clasp identical to
the one lying in the kitchen. His grey trousers are neatly tucked into a pair of leather Talents: Lightening Reflexes, Resistance to Disease, Resistance to Poison, Specialist
boots. He is also wearing a pale blue tunic and black gloves. The other humans serving Weapon Group (Entangling), Very Resilient.
Skretth dress similarly when involved in night missions, but are indistinguishable from Trappings: Club, Ring of heavy keys.
any other upright citizen when going about their business during the daylight hours.

The Wounded Ghoul

The House WS BS S T AG INT WP FEL A W SB TB M MG IP

Only brief descriptions of the rooms are given as it is unlikely the characters will 32 0 37 45 34 18 31 5 2 0 3 4 4 0 6
be spending much time here. Should the party choose to hang around and spend
time looting the place, it might be prudent to have a Watch patrol come to
Skills: Concealment, Perception, Outdoor Survival, Scale Sheer Surfaces, Search,
investigate – after all this is a well off district, and there is in all likelihood still the
Silent Move, Shadowing, Speak Language (Reikspiel).
body in the street outside. All the rooms can be illuminated by lanterns hanging
from the ceiling rafters, but at present, only the ones in rooms 1, 7, 11, and 12 Talents: Fearless, Frightening, Natural Weapons, Night Vision, Rover.
are currently burning. Special Rules:
Poisonous Attack: A target who suffers at least 1 Wound from the Ghouls claws must
1 – Hallway pass a Challenging (-10%) Toughness Test or suffer an additional 2 Wounds.
The hallway is opulently furnished with hunting trophies and tapestries which Insanities: Beast Within.
hang from the walls. A plush blue carpet covers the floor. An elaborate staircase
in the south-western corner spirals upwards to a balcony that overlooks the hall.
There are three tapestries here, each worth 25 crowns. The hunting trophies are
not especially valuable.
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Clan Skryre Clanrats 2 – Dining Room

This room is currently a total mess. Two bodies are sprawled across the floor. The
WS BS S T AG INT WP FEL A W SB TB M MG IP table is upturned and shattered glass lies everywhere. What must have once been
an expensive wooden cabinet has been smashed in along the front; the drawers and
35 30 31 36 40 28 26 18 1 10 3 3 5 0 0
their contents have been scattered across the room. The two bodies are those of the
servants who tried to oppose Tavelli when he was pursuing Ernest. The ensuing fight
Skills: Common Knowledge (Skaven) +10%, Concealment, Outdoor Survival, succeeded in completely devastating the whole room, leaving nothing of value
Perception, Scale Sheer Surfaces +10%, Silent Move +10%, Swim, Speak Language unbroken.
(Queekish).
Talents: Night Vision, Tunnel Rat, Specialist Weapon Group (Sling). 3 – Lounge

Trappings: Leather Jack, Skullcap, Handweapon, Dagger or Sling and Ammunition. This is where Klauss used to entertain his guests while they relaxed after a meal.
The room hasn’t suffered the same fate as the Dining Room. Several luxurious
armchairs, a large decorative fireplace and an elaborate sideboard provide grand
furnishing. Four paintings hang on the walls, each worth 40 crowns, but again,
Black Skaven Guards
looting should be discouraged.
WS BS S T AG INT WP FEL A W SB TB M MG IP 4 – Kitchen
48 30 46 46 33 20 36 18 1 14 4 4 5 0 5 This large room has a flight of stone stairs leading down into the cellar. Two clubs
rest in a puddle of blood, evident to anyone entering the room. Any character
Skills: Common Knowledge (Skaven), Dodge Blow, Intimidate, Perception, Swim, making a successful Search test will find an ornamental clasp decorated with the
Speak Language (Queekish). symbol of the Horned Rat – three crossed bones forming the shape of an inverted
triangle. All the items were dropped during the scuffle between Klauss, Ernest, and
Talents: Coolheaded, Hardy, Night Vision, Specialist Weapon Group (Sling), Street the cultists, and the clasp may reveal just what the characters are really up against.
Fighting, Strike Mighty Blow, Sturdy, Very Resilient. A successful Academic Knowledge: Theology test will reveal the nature of the
Trappings: Leather Jack, Skullcap, Sword coated in Black Lotus Venom, Shield. symbol, and its connection to the Skaven. But bear in mind that many characters
may believe that the Skaven are nothing more than a fairytale.
Peter Tavelli - Poison Claw Cultist 5 – Corridor

WS BS S T AG INT WP FEL A W SB TB M MG IP
This connects the hall to the kitchen. As it is part of the house which guests would
not normally see, it is merely stone-flagged, showing none of the splendour seen
32 36 32 34 41 32 32 35 1 13 3 3 4 0 2 elsewhere in the house.

Skills: Common Knowledge (Empire), Concealment, Consume Alcohol, Dodge Blow, 6 – Storeroom
Evaluate, Gossip, Intimidate, Perception, Pick Lock, Scale Sheer Surfaces, Search, This is where all the food and other domestic requirements of the house are kept,
Secret Language (Thieves’ Tongue), Secret Signs (Thief), Silent Move, Sleight of Hand, under lock and key. However, when Klauss and Ernest went to investigate the
Speak Language (Reikspiel). sounds, they armed themselves with clubs kept here (now to be found in the
Talents: Alley Cat, Disarm, Excellent Vision, Specialist Weapon Group (Crossbow), kitchen), and Klauss forgot to lock the door in his hurry. Thus, the door is slightly
Strike to Stun. ajar, the keys still in the lock.
Trappings: Club, Repeater Crossbow with 9 Bolts, Mask.
Inside are several sacks of grain, stacked neatly against one wall along with many
other items of food – whatever seems appropriate. Also kept in the room is what
amounts to a small armoury – a wooden crate marked “DANGER! EXPLOSIVES”
sits innocently in the corner (it contains four bombs). In addition, there are two
lanterns here, three spare flasks of oil, and a tinderbox. The bombs could prove very
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useful to the party in the later part of the adventure, should they choose to take them Skretth - Insane Grey Seer
now.
WS BS S T AG INT WP FEL A W SB TB M MG IP
7 – Balcony
33 25 26 38 40 44 39 14 1 16 2 3 4 2 2
The stairs from the hallway spiral upwards onto this balcony which overlooks the
hall below. The floor here is also covered in the blue carpet, but there are no
adornments, save for a large, decorative wine barrel, situated in a small alcove at Skills: Academic Knowledge (Magic) +10%, Academic Knowledge (Necromancy),
the top of the stairs. Academic Knowledge (Theology), Channelling +10%, Command, Common Knowledge
(Empire), Common Knowledge (Skaven) +10%, Intimidate, Magical Sense +10%,
8 – Guest Chamber Perception +10%, Prepare Poison, Read/Write, Search, Speak Arcane Language
Visitors to the house are normally accommodated here. A large four-poster bed set (Daemonic), Speak Arcane Language (Magick), Speak Language (Queekish) +10%,
against one wall, a set of teak drawers, and a large wardrobe provide the main Speak Language (Reikspiel).
furnishings. There is nothing of real value here, however. Talents: Aethyric Attunement, Cool Headed, Dark Lore (Warp), Dark Magic, Fast
Hands, Lesser Magic (Aethyric Armour, Silence), Meditation, Night Vision, Petty Magic
9 – Servants Quarters (Warp), Public Speaking, Savvy.
Trappings: Grey Robes, Quarterstaff, 10 Warp Tokens, 4 Doses of Mandrake Snuff,
This large room contains four beds, only two of which have been occupied recently (by Magic Item (see sidebar).
the servants lying dead in the dining room). The room is not as well furnished as the Insanities: Venomous Thoughts (-10% Fel), Mandrake Man (-10% S, T, AG, INT, FEL,
rest of the house, but still represents very good servants’ accommodation. -15% WP, may only take half actions). Note that these modifications have already been
applied to Skretth’s profile.
10 – Corridor Notes: See the last few pages of this booklet for a summary of Skretth’s spells.
This corridor separates Klauss and Ernest’s bedrooms off from the rest of the house,
providing them with more privacy. As with the hall and balcony, the floor is covered with
blue carpet. Two paintings hang on the walls, worth approximately 70 crowns each.
The Bone Claw
11 – Master Bedroom
In the original version of this adventure, Skretth possessed a Magic Ring which allowed the
This is the largest bedroom in the house, and is where Klaus usually sleeps. An ornate wearer to automatically cast, once per day with no chance of failure, the Necromantic Spell
rosewood cabinet is set against the wall opposite the four poster bed, together with an ‘Raise the Dead’. If you wish to use it here is an alternative item, created using the Skaven
equally ornate set of drawers and a spacious wardrobe. The drawers are all filled with Technomancy rules found in Children of the Horned Rat:
personal belongings and clothes, but a successful Search Test of the Wardrobe will
turn up a false bottom, concealing a secret compartment which contains 200 crowns, Fashioned for Skretth at his fevered insistence by a Clan Skyre Warlock Engineer who once
67 shillings, and 300 pence. was part of this group (Skretth’s paranoia ensuring that he felt in necessary to “silence” the
other Skaven who knew too much of his research), this device, powered by Warpstone (further
proof to Skretth of the accuracy of his theory) allows the Grey Seer to manipulate the dead in
12 – Ernest’s Bedroom the similar manner to that of a true Necromancer. It takes the form of a clawed gauntlet and
This isn’t quite as luxurious as the master bedroom. It is relatively sparsely furnished bracer fashioned from human bone, held together with copper wiring, which covers the entire
with a single bed, a wardrobe and chest of drawers. right hand and forearm.

Category: Warp
13 – The Cellar
Encumbrance: 25
This stone flagged room is filled with barrels and casks containing a wide variety of fine Function: Allows the wearer to cast the Necromantic spell ‘Raise the Dead’ (WFRP rulebook
wines and ales. A flight of stairs leads up into the kitchen in one corner, whilst in pg 162). The Bone Claw has an inherent Magic Characteristic of 2, which although insufficient
another corner, concealed beneath one of the flagstones, is the entrance to an old, long to cast the spell on its own, is added to the wearers Magic Characteristic when attempting to
forgotten tunnel. This tunnel leads into the sewer system, and is the way Tavelli and cast the spell. In Skretth’s case this allows him to use up to 5 Casting Dice (including the extra
dice for the Dark Magic Talent). Using the Bone Claw counts as a free action.
company gained entrance to the house. Neither Klauss nor Ernest knew of the
Malfunction Percentage: 13% (see Children of the Horned Rat pg 88 for effect).
existence of the passage. The flagstone has not yet been replaced over the hole, as Use Cost: 6 Warp Tokens per casting (item currently is loaded with 12 Warp Tokens).

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Conclusion Tavelli has not yet rejoined his companions. When (or if) he manages to do so, he will
pull the flagstone back into place behind him, time permitting, making a loud grating
sound. A Routine (+10%) Search Test is necessary to find this hole if it has been
If the PCs are careful and sensible, you should make sure they reach Klauss before the closed, assuming the searcher has a reason to suspect such a tunnel must exist (such
ceremony takes place. This gives them a reasonable opportunity to get out safely. as by hearing the sound of it being closed).
Remember that Skretth is an incoherent maniac who could be far more powerful were it
not for his Mandrake addiction. If the party rush in blindly into every combat they
encounter, they deserve to find the going very tough.
Into the Sewers
Award the following experience points after the completion of the adventure:
Beneath the hole, a rusty, iron-runged ladder leads down a narrow shaft for 10 yards or
so, finally emerging in a rough-hewn stone corridor. The course of the adventure from
20 – Each for chasing/overcoming Tavelli this point depends very much on what has happened to Tavelli. If he has successfully
20 – Each for conducting a comprehensive search of the house managed to escape down the shaft he will return to Skretth immediately and report what
has happened. However, he will only mention the PC’s if they are pursuing him. Thus,
30 – Each for dealing with the cultists the Skaven will be ready for the characters and will step up the guard around the
60 – Each for dealing with the Skaven, one way or another sacrificial chamber, so that when the time for the ritual sacrifice comes (at midnight), it
will be much harder for the characters to stop it from going ahead, as if it isn’t going to
20 – Each for killing Skretth be difficult enough as it is.
20 – Each if the Zombies had to be overcome
If Tavelli was killed by the PCs (or if
30 – Each if Klauss is rescued he killed himself), then he will not be
10-30 – Each for good roleplaying missed for some time, as the Skaven
have more important things to worry
about with the impending sacrifice.
If the adventure is successfully completed, the characters should be encouraged not to Skretth’s experiments have not been
get side-tracked by another expedition into the tunnels – particularly if they used the going well. He really has no idea how
bombs as all those explosions are bound to have resulted in considerable structural to achieve his goal and is
damage. increasingly worried that his followers
will soon lose patience. Apart from
Escaping Skaven need not be a problem. If they retreat into the tunnels, they won’t anything else he is constantly under
bother the characters again (Skretth is effectively finished anyway). The Poison Claw the influence of Mandrake root, and
Cultists, should any escape, are likely to disband or flee the town. They were only a rational thought (if such can ever be
small outfit and have no contacts to help them re-organise in Delberz. At best, they will truly grasped by Skaven) is far
seek to join similar groups elsewhere in the Empire. beyond him.

Klauss will also repay his rescuers with 80 crowns per PC (may result in an The guard around the sacrificial
embarrassing situation if the party earlier looted his house). The characters could chamber will not be stepped up, and
increase this to 100 crowns each with a successful Haggle Test, but this would be consequently the characters’ task will
pretty shameful. be made a little easier. Any attempt
to impersonate Tavelli (by wearing
his clothes) will probably be
successful (on a successful Disguise
Test), but remember that there are
several areas of the complex where
humans are not permitted, and trying
to gain access to these areas will

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arouse suspicion. The cultists know where they can and can’t go. From this point on, Invariably in doesn’t, and the body is dragged away into a corner. The six most recent
the action is dependent on where the PCs go. Don’t forget that they are racing against victims lie here.
the clock so keep a careful record of elapsed game time.
If the adventurers arrive at the chamber before the ritual has begun (at midnight),
The rock corridor in which the characters are standing is pitch black. The characters will Klauss will be bound to the block by a piece of rope tied around his wrists at one end,
need to provide some means of illumination to progress farther (such as any of the and to the ring at the other. He will be dressed only in the white robe from room 10, and
many lanterns in the house, though be aware of how much oil the party have, as just too exhausted to cry for help. He will be unguarded.
taking a single lantern with no spare oil will no doubt result in the party becoming
stranded in the sewers in the dark). The corridor is quite low (about 6’ high), so tall If the PCs have to interrupt the ritual to save Klauss, the odds will be against them.
members of the party will have to duck to avoid hitting their heads against the ceiling. There may be up to a dozen Skaven in the cavern (including the two Black Skaven
The floor is covered with a shallow layer of mud (any character running or charging will guards), more than enough to overpower the characters. If the party have to deal with
have to make a successful Agility Test or fall over), and footprints clearly mark the six zombies as well (raised using Skretth’s magic item), they face certain defeat.
path taken by the cultists. The PCs won’t need the Follow Trails skill to follow these
prints, however, a successful test will reveal that the tracks indicate two abductors, and Unless… Remember the bombs? Exactly how the PC’s use these devices is for them to
the two continuous roughly parallel tracks indicate someone was dragged through here. figure out. They could end up killing everyone and everything in the cavern, including
themselves. At the very least, sensible characters should be able to use the explosive
The corridor and branching passages are rather frightening, as the PCs will be able to devices to aid their retreat if they find themselves outclassed.
hear strange, far off noises, and grunts echoing in them. The walls glisten with moisture
– a greenish slime being evident in some places – and the air is distinctly cool. GMs
should try to convey an atmosphere of foreboding here. Should the party decide to
ignore the adventure, instead taking one of the side passageways, they will soon get
Captured High Explosives!
lost, as each leads gradually downwards into a terrifying, twisting maze which works it The full rules for bombs can be found in the
If the PCs are captured at any point by the
way for miles in every direction. No further details of the side branches are given – Old World Armoury, but are presented here
Poison Claw cultists or Skaven, they will be
should players really wish to investigate them, you should create the details yourself. for completeness.
stripped of their possessions (which will be
The further into the tunnels they get, the more dangerous they become: all manner of Bombs can either be placed or thrown. It
placed in the westernmost cell of area 6)
pitfalls and wandering mutated creatures could await the unwary… The party could takes a full action to light and throw a bomb.
and tossed into different cells until Skretth
wander endlessly, slowly dying of starvation, lack of water, and their wounds. Since it If placed, they require no attack roll, if
is ready to use them as ingredients in his
was this way that Skretth found his way into the sewers under Delberz, there is an thrown the Specialist Weapon Group:
latest experiments.
entrance into the Underway here, and GM’s possessing Children of the Horned Rat Explosives Talent is required, or the
may want to intersperse some flora and fauna from the book into this area, or even throwers Ballistic Skill is halved. A bombs
Characters will be allowed to shout to one fuse can be cut to various lengths (ten
have characters find their way (possibly in shackles) to the warrens of Under-Delberz.
another from their cells; the players may second increments to a maximum of a
use this opportunity to discuss wild and minute). When a bomb detonates, it inflicts a
The tracks eventually lead to a dead end: a wall of moist, smooth stonework. A
unlikely escape plans. However, as the Damage 6 hit to all creatures and buildings
character with Secret Signs: Thief will notice a marked stone on a successful Routine in a 10 yard radius (large template). If an
jailer is exceptionally dim-witted, all they
(+10%) Perception Test, though characters without the skill will notice the stone on a attempt to throw a bomb misses, roll 1d10
have to do is think up a remotely
successful Search Test. Pushing this stone causes the wall to swing outwards, and consult the diagram below. On a 1, the
convincing story, succeeding at a Very
providing an entrance to the sewers. The door may be closed by pushing the stone as it bomb is a dud. On a 10, the bomb misfires
Easy (+30%) Charm Test, and Tigrati will
protrudes from the other side (the stone merely repositions the counterweight that and explodes in the wielders hand. On a 2-9,
simply open the doors and let them out roll another 1d10, with the result being the
opens the door mechanism).
(smiling, grunting, and salivating in the number of yards away from the target, in the
process). direction indicated by the first roll, that the
bomb lands. If the Ballistic Skill Test fails
Dark, Damp and Deadly Locations After getting him to unlock the door, a swift by greater than 30%, there is no need to roll
grab for the key and a well placed kick for a miss location; the wielder drops the
The sewers, like the corridor leading in to them, are in pitch darkness. The part of the could leave him in the cell and the bomb at his own feet (though if the fuse is
sewers the party are exploring are roughly 10 feet wide, including narrow stone character outside with the keys. long, he may have enough time to pick it up
and try again) .
walkways, 2 ½ feet wide to each side of the effluent channel, which is 5 feet deep, and

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Hey, Maybe the Rat was on to Something! half filled with slow flowing muck. See the GM’s Toolkit for more ideas on exploring
sewers.
Skretth’s ritual grimoire is a rough collection of his fevered writings, both on his idea for the
perfect ritual, and the delusional ranting of a madman. The book is only good for kindling,
The walkways are only wide enough to permit movement in single file, and, as they are
though a character who can read Queekish (unlikely admittedly, unless you are running a
campaign based around the Skaven), it gives a rare and disturbing insight into the mind of a also wet and slippery, anyone attempting to run or charge must make an Agility Test
truly insane specimen of an alien species. Someone reading this book must pass a Willpower each round or slip and fall in. The effluent, not surprisingly, emits a terrible stench, and
Test or gain an Insanity Point. anyone falling in will have their Fellowship characteristic halved until they have an
opportunity to clean up. Due to the shallow depth of the effluent, there is no risk of
However, a GM who owns Realms of Sorcery might want to develop the possibility that Skretth drowning, even for a Dwarf or Halfling, unless the character is unconscious (due to an
was actually onto something. Although his idea that he could refine Warpstone from a dying unfortunate Critical Hit); in this case rules for drowning can be found in the WFRP
person was clearly wrong, a living person does have some traces of the Winds of Magic within Companion. Characters wishing to leap the effluent may try to do so, but the width of
them. Hence, Skretth’s notes could form a starting point for a Wizard who wishes to create a the walkway is insufficient for a running leap, making this a more difficult prospect for
ritual to create Power Crystals. Skretth has already begun the process of designing the ritual, most characters. It is easily possible to wade across the channel, though with much the
but has so far been unsuccessful – due in part to the skewed result that he seeks, and in part to same effect as if the character had fallen in. Anyone doing so must pass a Routine
some of the unrealistic parameters (in particular the Consequences and Casting Time). It is up (+10%) Agility Test or slip and fall over each round. Anyone unfortunate enough to fall
to the GM how much work and modification needs to be done by a PC wizard to make the in the effluent channel and perhaps take a sip of the soup, must pass a Challenging (-
following ritual viable:
10%) Toughness Test or contract the Bloody Flux.

Condensing the Soul An unpleasant and unsettling atmosphere pervades the sewer systems, and all
Type: Arcane characters without a previous career which would inure them to such an environment
Arcane Language: Daemonic (such as Rat Catcher or Sewer Jack), make Willpower Tests (except those related to
Magic: 2
casting or resisting Magic) at a Very Hard (-30%) modifier. Sound carries further than
normal here; making all listening based Perception Tests Routine (+10%).
XP: 200
Ingredients: A human sacrifice, a ceremonial dagger, a granite altar, black and white The major encounter areas in the sewers and the branching passageways are detailed
ceremonial robes for the caster and sacrifice respectively. below. As the whole area below the cellar has been taken over by the Skaven and their
Conditions: At least six participants chanting in unison with the caster. The ritual must be begun servants, there is a 10% chance per minute of the characters encountering someone or
on the last stroke of midnight. something. Roll 1d10 and consult the table below:
Consequences: None.
Casting Number: 14
1-4 A lone cultist on a routine errand for the Skaven. Use Tavelli’s profile if a fight
develops, but remember that raising the alarm will be the cultist’s main priority.
Casting Time: One minute.
5-6 A patrol of between two and four cultists armed with swords. Use the standard
Description: The sacrifices life essence is condensed, creating a new Power Crystal (GMs cultist profile. Unlike a lone cultist, these are more likely to initiate a fight, only
choice over which type is most appropriate – Jade or Amethyst are the most obvious choices,
thinking of raising the alarm when the fight turns against them.
although the ritual could be modified to use an animal sacrifice which could result in an Amber
crystal). 7- 8 A single Skaven, going about his business. Use the Clanrat profile. Although
determined to keep the presence of his kind in the sewers secret, Skaven are
tunnel. This is where the Skaven assemble to attend the ritual. A torch in a wall bracket cowardly animals, and his first instinct will be to flee and hide.
provide illumination – the light cast is sufficient for Skaven eyes, but characters without
night vision or a light source of their own will only be able to see dimly. 9 - 10 A small band of two (or more at your discretion) Clanrats returning from a
routine reconnaissance patrol elsewhere in the sewers. These will want to keep
When everyone is in place (all the Skaven attend rituals), Skretth stands at the head of the presence of Skaven in the sewers secret, and attack in earnest, though will
the block and leads the group in a chant: a noise so loud it can be heard as far away as flee for their lives when faced with determined opposition.
area 3. This lasts for about a minute, increasing in volume and speed until the Skaven
are worked up into a frenzy. Victims are killed at this point, then the Skaven fall silent, During combat, if a Critical Hit is scored, the victim will need to pass an Agility Test or
waiting for something (they are not sure what) to happen. fall down (falling into the sewer channel if fighting on a walkway).

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1 – Entrance to the Sewers his worshippers. The pit is a natural narrow Mandrake Snuff
The secret door leads into the sewers proper. The walls are made of dull grey stone shaft about 3ft in diameter which
and glisten with moisture (although this time there is no slime). From here, it requires a disappears downward out of sight, and is Unlike the usual drug imbibed by most
successful Follow Trails Test to follow the route taken by the cultists to the second effectively bottomless. addicts, Skretth’s Mandrake snuff is a little
secret door. Even if this is not successful, the characters will realise on a successful different. He has blended the powdered root
with an equal amount of powdered
Intelligence Test that although it is possible to leap or wade the effluent channel, for 9 – Skretth’s Chamber
Warpstone. This special mix not only
two men dragging an unconscious person it would prove practically impossible, Two burly, black furred Skaven stand satiates his craving for Mandrake (he has to
certainly so without leaving some sort of trail on the opposite side. Thus, their quarry guard at the entrance. Unless the PCs take the same dosage as any other addict),
must have kept to this side of the channel. To the left, the channel could go on for arrive during the ritual (where the victim but also has the same effect as Warpstone
some way, maybe even forking once or twice. However, due to other effluent channels will be Klauss Dralst), Skretth will be here. powder. Any non-Skaven trying this powder
crossing the path, or build-ups of detritus that would have given away anyone passing The contents of the room are scattered all suffers the full effects as a dose of
through, it should be obvious that the abductors did not pass this way. Mandrake, but must also pass a
across the floor. Skretth’s mental state has Challenging (-10%) Toughness Test or
deteriorated through his addiction to suffer from a Mutation. Handling the snuff is
Mandrake and the failure of his less dangerous than handling normal
experiments. He spends more and more Warpstone Powder, a character doing so
time here isolated from the rest of the having to pass a Very Easy (+30%)
group in “think-think time”. The only Toughness Test or suffer a Mutation. A
contents of the room are some foodstuffs, spellcaster consuming the snuff, in addition
a shield, half a dozen unrefined Mandrake to the effects listed above, receives a +3 to
his Casting Roll for any spell cast
roots, and a small jar containing a dozen
immediately (the snuff counts as an extra
doses of his Mandrake snuff. In addition, component), however, the risk of Tzeentch’s
Skretth’s ritual grimoire can be found here, Curse increases, doubles counting as
unless he is conducting the ritual, in which triples, and triples counting as quadruples.
case he will have it on him.
2 – The Ghoul
10 – Robing Chamber
The party will see a humanoid body slumped face down over the walkway, one arm
dangling over the edge. When they first see the figure, the fact that it is dressed in rags Skretth uses this room to prepare himself for the rituals. Two robes hang from pegs
and lies unmoving will be evident. The figure is, in fact, a Ghoul, which was attracted driven into the stone walls. One is black with red lining. This is the robe which Skretth
here by the smell of dead human flesh. It began to explore the area, but came across a uses when he performs his futile Warpstone extraction ritual. The other is white, torn,
Skaven patrol which attacked it immediately. The Skaven easily overpowered the and bloodstained. Victims are dressed in this just prior to the ceremony. A sacrificial
miserable creature, and left it for dead. However, it is still barely alive, and is currently dagger is stored on a natural shelf on the stone wall (unless the ceremony is under
on the verge of regaining consciousness. way).

The Ghoul will not come to unless one of the characters tries to turn it over or 11 – End of the Tunnel
otherwise inspect it, in which case it will attack until the party kills it or moves out of its The tunnel ends at this point, dropping away to the sewer some 7 yards below. A rope
range. Due to previous Critical Hits inflicted by the Skaven patrol, it cannot walk, and bridge spans the chasm, ending in another tunnel mouth which leads away into the
any attacks it makes count as Challenging (-10%). Even if the party kill it, it serves one darkness. A rough staircase has been carved into the rock on the southern side of the
useful purpose, to indicate that the abductors did not come this far (as it would have gap, to allow the Skaven access to the sewer system by their own route (they prefer to
been impossible to drag an unconscious human past even a wounded Ghoul such as avoid contact with the humans whenever they can).
this one).

3 – Entrance to the Skaven Den 12 – The Sacrificial Chamber

Here a secret door opens into a rock corridor branching off to the right. Anyone This huge natural cavern is dominated by a carving of the Horned Rat on the northern
following the trail of the abductors will see the trail disappearing into the wall here. wall. At the north end of the cavern is a bloodstained granite block with an iron ring set
Otherwise a successful Search Test is required to find the secret door. There is no into it The south end is bare, except for two pillars supporting the entrance to the

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6 – Corridor and Cells need to be too harsh here, if the characters do not find it and continue past, have a
patrol of Skaven (as above) exit through the secret door as they are about to pass it by
This dismal corridor is accessible from the guardroom by a sturdy oak door. There are
again after dealing with the Ghoul.
nine cells, each has a small barred window in it. It will require a Challenging (-10%)
Strength Test to break down the door, or a successful Pick Locks Test to pick the The corridor beyond is inclined upwards at a steep angle (evident to anyone entering
lock on the doors. Of course, the jailer has the keys to all these cells. it), levelling out as it reaches area 4. Half way along, just before the bend in the
passage, is a trip wire. Any character approaching it will spot it on a successful
Perception Test. If it has gone undetected, each character passing by it must pass an
Only seven of these cells are used as such though. The western-most cell will store any Agility Test or unwittingly trigger it. If the trip wire is triggered, two things happen.
equipment taken from captured characters, and is always locked. The eastern-most cell Firstly, a bell rings in area 4, alerting the guards there to the presence of intruders.
is the jailer’s ‘den’, the current incumbent being Tigrati Parvisch. He is 5’10” tall, and Secondly, a small glass globe drops to the floor, releasing a yellowish gas which floods
wears a layer of stinking sweat and dirt. He is dressed in a filthy white vest, and equally a 2 yard area (centred on the unfortunate who triggered the trap), spreading an
disgusting black trousers. He always carries the ring of keys to the cells on his belt in additional 2 yards in all directions each round for 1d10/2 rounds. Anyone caught in the
the fashion of all good jailers, making them difficult to get hold of. Fortunately, he is gas must pass a Hard (-20%) Toughness Test or fall unconscious for 1d10 minutes.
immensely stupid and easy to trick. Tigrati’s room is crudely furnished with a makeshift
table and chair, on which stands a bottle of cheap Estalian wine. The cells are rat- After the gas has dispersed (as many rounds as it took to fully spread out), the guards
infested holes with damp straw on the floor and not even a bed. The only light in them from area 4 will take any unconscious characters and throw them in the cells in area 6.
comes from a single lantern hanging in the corridor. If any characters are unaffected by the gas, the guards will seek to Strike to Stun with
their clubs. They do not want to kill the characters because of Skretth’s instructions to
7 – Junction acquire sacrificial victims. If the PCs end up being subdued, refer to Captured! below.
The north running passageway from the
guard room splits into two at this point. 4 – Cultist’s Common Room and Guard Chamber
Standing at the junction, in the positions This roughly hewn cavern serves as the common room and guard chamber for the
indicated on the map, are two brown cultist servants of the Skaven. There are a couple of tables and some chairs in the
furred Skaven sentries. Humans are only north-eastern area of the room, two sets of bone dice, and a pack of cards lying on the
allowed past them if they have been sent tables. Illumination is provided by four torches mounted on the walls. If Tavelli managed
for by Skretth, so again, the PCs will to escape, this is where he will be (unless the party are hot on his trail, in which case he
either have to bluff or fight their way past. will not have had the time to complete his report to Skretth, and will therefore be in area
These Skaven believe that no pathetic 9). At any time there are between two and eight off duty guards in the room.
human would dare attempt to see Skretth
uninvited, so they are not too difficult to The guards’ actions are dependant on whether the party triggers the trap wire or not in
bluff, requiring only a successful Charm area 3. If they don’t, the guards will be sitting at the table having a game of cards, and
Test. Fighting here, however, will alert the PCs are going to either have to think up a convincing story and try to bluff their way
Skretth if he is in his chamber. through (the guards are naturally suspicious, making the Charm Test Challenging (-
10%)) or they will have to fight.
8 – Shrine
These guards knew Tavelli: if once of the PCs has donned the cultists outfit, they will
Skretth turned this rough-hewn cave into
immediately recognise that character as an imposter. The noise of the fighting will alert
a shrine for the worship of the Horned
the Skaven sentries in area 7, who will attempt to ambush and capture any intruders
Rat. It consists of an altar flanked by two
into their area.
crudely sculpted 8’ statues of the Horned
Rat. His symbol – three bones forming an
5 – Armoury and Store Room
inverted triangle – has been chiselled into
the rock wall opposite the altar. The roof This small cave serves as a makeshift armoury for the guards in area 4. It contains five
is supported by four stone columns, and swords, six daggers, three hand axes, two flasks of oil, two tinderboxes, and eleven
there is a small pit in front of the altar torches. The weapons are all arranged in wooden weapon racks set against the walls,
where offerings to the deity are thrown by and the torches, oil, and tinderboxes are stacked neatly in another corner.

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