Session 01 Wrap Up

[!info] Canon State Backfilled wrap-up, constructed from session_1_play_notes.md on 21 April 2026 to complete the historical record. Not written at the time of play.

1. What Happened — Narrative Recap

The party arrived at the Linienwall customs gate on the morning of August 3rd. Ahead of them in the line, a well-dressed French widow named Madame Geneviève Delacroix was being publicly humiliated by customs officials who had unpacked her belongings on the roadside, suspecting her of espionage over her dead husband’s French military medals. Adrien stepped out to assist in French. Colonel Moreau identified himself as a French war hero, which promptly escalated the situation. Both coaches were pulled from the line and searched. Inspector Novak’s men found an extensive arsenal of firearms. Thomas intervened as an English officer, vouching for the entire party and preventing a search of the ladies. The weapons were confiscated for forty-eight hours, registration cards were issued, and they were allowed through.

Vienna hit like a wall of sound. Church bells from a dozen directions, conversations in four languages, a military band playing a waltz that scandalised every British ear in the party. They found a coffee house, counted their money (discovering that the group’s primary letter of credit had been left on Gus’s body at Emmerich’s vineyard), and chose Palais_Kinsky for its prestige, privacy, and proper address for receiving calling cards. Eighty gulden a week for two palatial suites. As they were shown upstairs, a forgettable man in his forties watched them from the coffee room over an untouched cup of coffee, then left.

The following morning, after a Viennese breakfast lavish enough to make London weep, the party went to the Polizeidirektion to retrieve their weapons. Herr Finkler, a clerk of exquisite bureaucratic sadism, processed their request with agonising slowness until his superior Inspector Grunburg materialised, accepted two hundred gulden and pastries for the “policeman’s widows fund,” and had the crate delivered within the hour.

From there, to the Naturhistorisches_Institut and Dr. Ernst Falkner. He locked the door, drew the curtains, and told them everything. Professor Herzfeld, respected music theorist, had reopened a sealed anatomical theatre beneath the University two years ago for “acoustic research.” Musicians had been vanishing from Vienna for three years, always talented, always foreign, always without local family. Falkner’s own daughter Margaret, a nineteen-year-old soprano, had disappeared over a year ago after auditioning for Herzfeld’s “special project.” He showed them the locket with her portrait. He named Adler as the recruiter, Trauttmansdorff as the financial backer, Baron von Kaunitz as the society shield. He mentioned that Fräulein Lindqvist, the Swedish soprano, had been scouted by Herzfeld. He begged them to find Margaret, alive or dead. He gave them letters of access to the University identifying them as visiting scholars. He mentioned a former Herzfeld assistant expelled for drunkenness who might serve as an ally.

That evening, the party gathered in the Palais Kinsky bar. Mrs Agnes Hartley introduced her husband Josiah, daughters Caroline and Lydia, and showed particular interest in Adrien’s title. Freddy Cavendish offered to secure masquerade invitations through Pemberton. Lady_Ashworth invited the party to her private box at the Burgtheater for Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Charlotte and Georgiana opted to stay behind.

2. PC Carry-Forward

Adrien de Montferrand (Anna)

• First to assist Delacroix at the customs gate. Secured funds via letter of credit (3,000 gulden). Met the Hartleys in the bar; Mrs Hartley visibly interested in his title.

Charlotte Thorne (Juel — later retired Session 7)

• Secured 3,500 gulden. Declined the opera invitation, remained at Palais Kinsky with Georgiana.

Emma Wentworth (Missy)

• Secured 4,000 gulden. Connected with Lady Ashworth, accepted the opera box invitation.

Georgiana Wentworth (Beth)

• Secured 4,000 gulden. Stayed behind from the opera with Charlotte. Academically inclined, noted the University access letters.

Varrio Harrowmont (Phil)

• Made lodging inquiries in German. Active in strategy discussions. Carrying no personal letter of credit (relied on group funds).

Thomas Wyndham (Keeper NPC)

• Vouched for the party at customs, preventing a search of the ladies. Secured the largest sum (6,000 gulden) as a British officer. Accepted the opera invitation.

Colonel Moreau (Keeper NPC — later departed)

• Identified himself as a French war hero at customs, escalating the situation. Exchanged French francs at a ruinous rate (100 gulden).

3. What Carries Forward

• Falkner’s intelligence is the party’s sole source on Herzfeld, Adler, the Engine, the vanished musicians, and Margaret. No redundant clue paths yet exist.
• The watcher in the coffee room confirms Geheimpolizei surveillance of the Palais Kinsky from day one.
• Madame Delacroix carries a letter of introduction to Countess von Thun. The party noted this as a social access route.
• Freddy Cavendish is working on masquerade invitations via Pemberton.
• Mrs Hartley is actively seeking an introduction to Professor Herzfeld for her daughters. This is an ongoing danger thread.
• Falkner’s scholar letters grant University access but have not yet been used.
• The expelled assistant (later identified as Dr. Brenner) is a lead the party intends to follow.

4. World State

• In-game time: Evening, 4 August 1814.
• Alert Level: 0 (Unaware). The Brotherhood does not know investigators are in Vienna.
• Primary location: Palais_Kinsky, Am Hof square. Two suites secured.
• Weapons: Retrieved and registered. Full arsenal available.
• Finances: Adequate. Combined party funds approximately 20,600 gulden.
• Geheimpolizei awareness: Routine. Foreigners registered. Coffee-room watcher observed.

5. Sources

• session_1_play_notes.md — machine transcript + GM summary
• Played 5 February 2026
• Vienna_Session_1_Prep — original session prep document