12/04/1631 – 12/08/1631:

• Sid escapes through and window and joins Gaspard and Wilhelm in the boat. They paddle down the river and deliver the gaseous Archbishop to the waiting ship at the docks. Alarm bells are ringing throughout the city. Guards and Schwarzritter and swarming the streets. Magnus wanders through the city, starting a fire as a distraction, and eventually makes his way to the docks. Relying on their invisibility, the others escape from Fortress Marienburg just as the gates are being closed. As they make their way to the docks, riots engulf the city.

• On the ship, they attempt to secure the Archbishop as he transforms back to his regular form. While they succeed, he is able to knock Sid on the head. Ouch!

• Hours later, they arrive at Feste Klump, an old, abandoned river fortress, and designated hand-off location. They hike up a series of switchbacks and enter the dark keep. Sid and Gaspard stay back in case things go awry.

• In the courtyard, Theodor Franzwein, accompanied by a group of hard-looking men, welcomes them. He is impressed with their success. They hand over the Archbishop (after relieving him of his jewelry and bishop’s staff). The bishop is led into the keep’s main building. The party hears a woman laughing and a muffled male voice, then the door shuts. Theodor hands over several large strong boxes with the promised 50k gold and asks the Wolfguard to leave.

• They carry the heavy boxes to a secluded part of the nearby forest. Sid hikes to the closest village and buys two wagons and 8 horses and they begin transporting their loot to the Wetterstrasse. Sid peels off and makes a detour to Nordhausen to hire more mercenaries to protect their wagon train (6 men-at-arms, 1 torchbearer).

• They reunite East of Nordhausen and travel toward Bruckstadt. On the way, they encounter a messenger, spreading the word of the Archbishop’s abduction. The diocese is offering a reward of 20k gp for the Archbishop’s return. They also meet a woodcutter and halfling beekeeper.

• Several days of journeying later, they make it back to Castle Aarhorst, 50k richer!

• Treasure claimed: 50k go, jewelry (1800gp), The Ring of Iron Loyalty, The Staff of St. Bartholomäus /Healer’s Staff.