The Enemy Within starts in classic (cliched?) fashion, with a group of adventurers approaching a coaching inn, looking to find transportation to the capital of The Empire, Altdorf. There are six pre-generated characters: a Halfling herbalist, an Elven minstrel, and a human thief, boatman, labourer and wizard's apprentice - a fairly typical set of starting adventurers for WFRP, although this group is perhaps on the low-powered side even for it. The adventure can take pretty much any set of beginner characters, although the adventure depends upon them not having horses, so any PC who would ordinarily get a horse or boat should be assumed to have sold/lost them. At least one of the characters will ideally be a human male (the subject of the eponymous mistaken identity)
The adventure is pretty linear, with most optional stuff being in areas which don't matter. This doesn't have to matter if the group is getting into the spirit of things. There is a good mixture of role-playing, intrigue and combat, although most (not all) of the latter is potentially avoidable. There are two main threas to the adventure: the trip to Altdorf, and later to Bogenhafen; and the pursuit of the PCs for reasons which will be pretty opaque to them. The PCs do get exposed to some of the manifestations of Chaos within the setting and sets the tone of fantasy with horror elements, although this is not the fundamental challenge of the adventure. The threat level isn't particularly high given reasonably careful play, although the nature of the WFRP combat system means that it is always a bit risky getting into fights. The whole thing shouldn't take too long to get through.
The adventure is tied in with the basic background material on The Empire for the entire Enemy Within campaign. It isn't exhaustive (or exhausting), but there is plenty of useful extra bits and pieces on dress, herbs, cults (official and proscribed), politics, law, geography, the military and so on. Full career information is given for the Cult of Sigmar, the patron deity of The Empire, which PCs can follow if they wish. There are quite a few useful generic NPCs too, most (not all) of which are based on the standard careers given in the rulebook, but are generally given a boost in a relevant stat or two.
The inn provides a few characters to pick up the gossip from and have a card game with, and potentially get into a fight. The next day, the characters get patronized by the upper classes and endure an uncomfortable coach ride. This section may well also involve some combat. There is a role-playing and re-supply section in The Empire's capital, which may also involve a fairly challenging fight. The remainder of the adventure consists of the party being secretly hunted and the resolution to that.
EXAMPLE PLAYTHOUGH - SPOILERS APLENTY!!!!
(n.b. I was using a set of four characters that had previously been through the Oldenhaller Contract (previously reviewed).
The PCs end up in a coaching inn, looking for transport to Altdorf to join an expedition to the East. After a brief chat with the landlord and some of the patrons, they end up in a card game with a professional gambler. The gambler begins cheating and is caught. An argument follows and a fight breaks out, the gambler shooting Aesgalial in the arm and then running upstairs. He jumps out of a window trying to reach the stables, but Diehl and Ragna are waiting for him. Diehl whacks him and cuts off his arm. Unfortunately the Physician's Student in the bar is strangely reluctant to help! The gambler quickly bleeds out...
After some explanation and some coins change hands, things are put to rights and the next day, the party sets off in the coach. Various annoying things happen, partly due to arrogant nobles, partly due to weather, partly due to coach-driving mishaps. The party then comes across the scene of an attack. A mutant is feasting on a corpse, and then rushes the coach. Aesgalial kills him in short order. The mutant turns out to be an old acquaintance of Leni. With the coach horses having bolted and the sound of screaming up ahead, the party goes to investigate. They find an overturned coach, and a group of mutants eating the bodies. A missile combat follows, in which Aesgalial, Leni and one of the coachman hit various mutants, and the two not incapacitated run off. There is a short chase, but the mutants escape easily. The horses are rounded up and then the party investigate the scene properly. One of the dead passengers is almost the spitting image of Leni and is bearing an inheritance letter, which indicates that if the bearer presents themselves to a certain law firm in Bogenhafen, they will receive a sizeable bequest...
The party reaches Altdorf without further major incident. They do a little shopping for supplies and find that the expedition to the East has already left. They are then approached by some very strange characters, who make signs to them, but refuse to talk to them...however, they then meet an old acquaintance of Diehl's, a boatman named Josef, who takes them drinking. Some rowdy nobles come along and start causing trouble, which is then exacerbated by a thug called Max. Max and Aesgalial end up in a quite tough fight,* at the end of which Aegalial ends up (accidentally) killing Max. The party are treated as heroes for seeing off the nobles and Max for the rest of the night...
Josef employs them as hands for a trip up river: he too is going to Bogenhafen. Before they go, they are followed by the strange characters from the day previously...who are then murdered! The party decides to hasten away... During the trip, it becomes apparent that they are being tracked by someone, and subsequent investigations in some of the inns in Weissbruck reveal it is a Bounty Hunter called Adolphus. The party fails to track him down, but then prepares an ambush for him instead: they return to the boat but don't board it, instead finding discrete positions to enable them to watch for anyone getting too close to it...sure enough, a party of three thugs with pots of burning oil tries to attack. Caught by surprise by the party's missile fire, the thugs drop the pots - one of the thugs is hit and runs off; Diehl, Leni and Ragna attack the remaining two thugs, whilst Aesgalial attacks Adolphus. Ragna is lightly wounded by one of the thugs, but the two thugs are quite seriously hurt and run off bleeding; Aesgalial and Adolphus fight but fail to cause each other any damage, Diehl comes up and hits Adolphus in the leg, then Aesgalial stabs him in the heart, killing him. The party then leaves for Bogenhafen the next morning...
*I think the keys to a good initial combat build in WFRP are high scores in Weapon Skill, Initiative and Toughness, taking as many advances in Attacks as possible as early as possible, with Dodge Blow and Strike Mighty Blow the most useful skills (Strike to Injure is useful too).
The Characters:
Name:
Aesgalial
Race: Elf Sex: Male Career Class: Warrior Age: 35
Height: 6’2” Weight: 140lbs Hair: Corn Eyes: Grey-blue
Description:
Average
Build, Charismatic Eyes Current Career: Outlaw Career Path: Career
Exits: Gamekeeper, Highwayman, Outlaw Chief, Rustler, Targeteer
Birthplace:
The
Mirror Moors Siblings: Brother (15), Sister (57) Parents: Father
(136), Mother (120) Family: - Social
Level: -1
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Profiles
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M
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WS
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BS
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S
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T
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W
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I
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A
|
Dex
|
Ld
|
Int
|
Cl
|
WP
|
Fel
|
|
Starter
|
5
|
48
|
46*
|
3
|
5*
|
5
|
74*
|
1
|
37
|
46
|
58
|
49
|
38
|
55*
|
|
Advance
|
|
+10
|
+10
|
|
|
+2
|
+10
|
+1
|
|
|
|
+10
|
|
|
|
Current
|
|
58
|
|
|
|
|
84
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2
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|
|
|
|
|
|
Weapons:
Sword,
Bow and arrows
Armour:
Helmet,
Shield, Leather Jack
Skills:
Animal
Care, Concealment Rural, Disarm, Dodge Blow, Excellent Vision, Lightning
Reflexes, Marksmanship, Musicianship, Ride – Horse, Scale Sheer Surface, Secret
Language – Thief, Set Trap, Silent Move Rural, Spot Trap, Strike Mighty Blow,
Strike to Stun, Very Resilient
Spells:
Fate
Points: 1
Power
Level:
Magic
Points:
Other
Equipment: Practical Clothes, Hooded Cloak, Boots, Sling
Bag: Pewter Tankard & Cutlery, Tinderbox, Blanket; water flask; lantern, 77GC
Name:
Diehl
Schwarzwald Race: Human Sex: Male Career Class: Woodsman Age:
18 Height: 5’11” Weight: 210lbs Hair: Dark Brown
Eyes: Dark Brown
Description:
Heavy
Build, Overweight, Barrel-Chested Current Career: Woodsman Career
Path: Career Exits: Druid, Outlaw, Scout
Birthplace:
Auerswald
Siblings: Sister (21) Parents: Father (40) Family: - Social
Level: 0
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Profiles
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M
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WS
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BS
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S
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T
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W
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I
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A
|
Dex
|
Ld
|
Int
|
Cl
|
WP
|
Fel
|
|
Starter
|
3
|
34
|
37
|
6*
|
6*
|
6
|
32
|
1
|
35
|
26
|
34
|
24
|
27
|
32
|
|
Advance
|
|
+10
|
+10
|
+1
|
|
+2
|
+10
|
|
|
|
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+10
|
|
|
|
Current
|
|
44
|
47
|
7
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|
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|
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|
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Weapons:
Sword,
Two-Handed Axe
Armour:
Leather
Jack
Skills:
Concealment
Rural, Follow Trail, Identify Plants, Orientation, Prepare Poisons (Herbal),
Secret Language – Ranger, Set Trap, Silent Move Rural, Specialist Weapon –
Two-Handed, Spot Trap, Secret Signs – Woodsman’s, Very Resilient, Very Strong
Spells:
Fate
Points: 4
Power
Level:
Magic
Points:
Other
Equipment: Travel Clothes, Hat, Hooded Cloak, Boots,
Backpack: 2 blankets, cutlery, tinderbox, cooking pot; water flask, 69GC
Name:
Leni
Race: Human Sex: Female Career Class: Rogue Age: 16
Height: 5’1” Weight: 106lbs Hair: Black Eyes: Hazel
Description:
Puny
build, underweight, attractive face Current Career: Pedlar Career
Path: Career Exits: Bodyguard, Fence, Outlaw, Trader, Trapper
Birthplace:
Schwarzmarkt
Siblings: Male (9), Sister (9), Sister (11) Parents: Both dead Family: - Social Level: 0
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Profiles
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M
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WS
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BS
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S
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T
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W
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I
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A
|
Dex
|
Ld
|
Int
|
Cl
|
WP
|
Fel
|
|
Starter
|
7*
|
25
|
36
|
2
|
3*
|
6
|
58*
|
1
|
33
|
24
|
35
|
28
|
29
|
47*
|
|
Advance
|
|
+10
|
+10
|
|
|
+2
|
+10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
+10
|
|
Current
|
|
|
46
|
|
|
|
68
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57
|
Weapons:
Knife,
Sword, Crossbow and bolts
Armour:
Leather
Jack
Skills:
Animal
Care, Blather, Dodge Blow, Drive Cart, Evaluate, Flee!, Fleet Footed, Haggle,
Herb Lore, Lightning Reflexes, Secret Signs – Pedlar, Specialist Weapon – Fist
Weapons, Astronomy
Spells:
Fate
Points: 3
Power
Level:
Magic
Points:
Other
Equipment:Travel Clothes, Sturdy Clothes, Boots, Shoes,
Lantern, Pack: Tinderbox, 4 blankets, Lantern,
Pack: Tinderbox, 4 blankets, 10yds Rope,67GC
Name:
Ragna
Sindrisdottir Race: Dwarf Sex: Female Career Class: Academic
Age: 29 Height: 5’1” Weight: 120lbs Hair: Ash-blond
Eyes: Pale-grey
Description:
Very
tall, average build Current Career: Engineer Career Path: Career
Exits: Alchemists’ Apprentice, Artillerist, Artisan, Gunner, Sapper, Tunnel
Fighter
Birthplace:
Karal-Azgal
Siblings: Sister (23), Brother (27) Parents: both dead Family:
- Social Level: +1
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Profiles
|
M
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WS
|
BS
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S
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T
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W
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I
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A
|
Dex
|
Ld
|
Int
|
Cl
|
WP
|
Fel
|
|
Starter
|
4
|
46
|
13
|
3
|
5
|
7
|
17
|
1
|
27
|
68*
|
37
|
53
|
59
|
23
|
|
Advance
|
|
+10
|
+10
|
|
|
+2
|
|
|
+10
|
|
+10
|
|
|
|
|
Current
|
|
56
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
37
|
|
47
|
|
|
|
Weapons:
Knife,
Axe
Armour:
Leather
Jack
Skills:
Carpentry,
Cryptography, Drive Cart, Engineering, Metallurgy, Mining +20, Read/Write,
Secret Signs – Engineers’ Guild, Set Trap, Smithing, Spot Traps, Super Numerate
Spells:
Fate
Points: 2
Power
Level:
Magic
Points:
Other
Equipment: Practical Clothes, Hooded Cloak, Boots, Sling
Bag: Nice clothes, soft shoes, Pewter Tankard & Cutlery, Tinderbox,
Blanket; water flaskTool
Bag, Hammers, Nails, Cold Chisels, Pick, Saw, Iron Spikes, Tongs, Pliers, Heavy
Wire – 10 yds, 84GC
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