Chapter 43 - The Convergence on Rotz

General Summary

After waking in Nit's summoned hut, her companions - Dietmar of Hauswald, Erich and Johann, Carrot, and Eliyahu proceed toward Rotz, in pursuit of Death's army. When they arrive in the hills overlooking the city from the south, they find the hordes standing silently outside the gates. Eliyahu sends forth his raven Abdo to search for their missing companions before they make a move. As they wait, he writes a new formula into his special magical book.     

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Back in the woods just north of the @Düst mountains, Dmitrei Wolken pores over his chessboard, while his companion Ingrid  sits under a tree a ways away, pining for what she had lost. Suddenly, a black-clad figure steps out from behind a tree, and approaches the board. Dmitrei immediately places his hand on his sword hilt, but the man, intense and pale of face, indicates that he is here only to play. He sits on a folding chair, and begins to advance his pieces. In just a few moves, he has managed to rectify the automaton's position, and to capture control of the center of the board. When he begins to speak, he indicates that mate is coming in four moves. As Ingrid approaches the players, she becomes concerned by the stranger's presence, and to utter threats, but Dmitrei asks her to calm herself, as this stranger probably cannot be killed. The hooded one asks what it is the two of them want, given the inevitability of their end, and Dmitrei indicates that he will continue to fight for what's right and to protect the innocent no matter the cost, or the outcome, which in any event he believes can always be changed. The stranger, amused, asks Dmitrei who is innocent, and who he is protecting. Finally, with the game nearly over, the stranger rises, and saying that they shall soon meet again to conclude their game, walks away, and disappears behind trees. That, Dmitrei tells his friend, was probably the Sensenmann himself. 
The two of them proceed in silence toward Wunschau, which is where they recall their companions heading. They arrive at the outskirts of Putzdorff, which lies on the way to the city, after night falls, and, fearing what the village may present them with, decide to wait outside till morning. After rousing themselves from slumber, As they approach, they are spotted by Abdo as they approach Putzdorff. The hawk then flies toward the village. The two enter, and find it devastated by the army of the dead. But they also discover Franz , who is having a filling breakfast out of food left behind by victims. He offers to share, and after they relate of their meeting earlier in the day, he indicates that he spoke to the supposed Sensenmann as well, though seemingly, later than they did. The descriptions match, and Franz offers that he was able to convince the hooded man to spare Wunschau for the time being. They then follow Abdo past Wunschau, and toward Rotz, which they reach toward evening. The bird is able to find its master, and the group is reunited.
Dietmar and the others are particularly interested to hear the results of the conversations with "the demon". Ingrid fears that she has somehow been negatively affected by his presence. Franz says that he convinced Death to pass over Wunschau, though he is not clear about why that worked. Perhaps Death is willing to wait to strike it, as he always wins at the end. But the end, the thing to do is to try to make their way toward Rotz, to help its inhabitants the best way they can. Franz undertakes to lead them there, but as darkness falls, they stumble into a trap...

Character(s) interacted with

• The Sensenmann (?)

Report Date

17 Aug 2021

Secondary Location

Putzdorff