The von Handel Venture Company traveled deeper into Mordheim their first day. They followed the senses of Gerhart's elven companion, Tanthalia. Despite being a Lorien elf, she had an uncanny sense for moving around the city. The first location she led Leopold to was the shattered remains of an old wizard's mansion. Leopold's eyes narrowed as he imagined some of the potential valuables locked inside the ruined building, but then he saw what gave Tanthalia pause. Light flashed within the building and the illuminated forms of a band of other wood elves shown through the windows. Upon closer inspection, he saw only a single warrior standing sentry in the entrance to the mansion.
"This is the time for our men to prove themselves." Leopold laid out a plan for the crew members to assault the lone wood elf by surprise and then lead off the elves while the traders.
Tanthalia stepped forward, "I will lead you to treasures and guide you through the city, but I will not draw my bow against my kinsmen." Leopold considered this and decided that it was understandable. He knocked a bolt into his crossbow when he noted the shifting wind. Something foul was in the air, or rather, something more foul than the usual stench that seemed to waft everywhere in this cursed city. His men launched crossbow bolts, with little effect, as his henchmen ran towards the old wizard manse. Alerted by the stench, however, the wood elves were on alert and spotted their position in a ruined house. They loosed arrows back, with far greater accuracy, and struck one of the crew in the leg, sending him toppling to the ground, unconscious.
The first of the crew reached the lone wood elf sentry, who stood ready with a shield and spear that appeared to have a sword-like blade on each end. He deftly wielded it against the crude fighter, but the man's lack of fighting style proved unpredictable for the shielded elf. As he knocked the man to the ground, the elves loosed another volley of arrows into the Venture Company, striking another henchman. Leopold grimaced as an arrow struck him in the side and Braam cried out as one lodged itself into his thigh.
It was then that an unearthly howl pierced the air and the source of the foul stench appeared. A horrifying undead creature, in the shape of what once was a beautiful woman, and her pack of hell hounds, emerged from the mists, seemingly intent on storming the wizard mansion. Recognizing that discretion is the better part of valor, Leopold gave the order for his men to retreat. They had recovered enough Wyrdstone to turn some bit of a profit, and they had no intentions of fighting a fresh, if that word can even be applied, warband.
They did at least find a merchant's cart that looked like it had been knocked over in a fight and it did have a few gold crowns amongst the wreckage.
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