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Thread: [WFRP] The Hour After Midnight

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    Titan in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: [WFRP] The Hour After Midnight

    The Tongs - Back Room

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    Klaus returned with a small iron key – leading their way towards the back of the common hall, he opened a small, unremarkable door, holding it open for the others as they filed through, and closing it behind them.

    Inside, the low-ceilinged private room was dominated by a long, rectangular table that, on inspection, turned out to be several of the smaller tables from the inn wedged together. A small fireplace stood in the centre of one wall, one of the assembled company swiftly setting about lighting it – as a half-hearted fire began to crackle behind the grate, the various people took their seats, still chatting away.

    Klaus coughed loudly. When the various discussions around the table failed to quieten at all, he stood up, rapping the solid oak with his knuckles.
    “Ladies and gentlemen, I call the seventy-eighth meeting of the Society of Free Men to order.”
    Slowly, the talking stopped. Across the table, Raffy could see Maria smiling to herself.
    “Thank you. We have two guests with us today – Rafale and Illiiya. I believe Mr Rafale may share some of our aims. To begin the meeting, Pieter – what news on the collection for the Fields?”
    Another member of the assembly rose to his feet, Klaus sitting down.
    “The news isn’t good, I’m afraid,” said the young man who was now the centre of attention. “Everywhere we go, the story’s the same – the people don’t have the money to spare. Either they’re struggling to feed their own children, or Halbermann’s creaming the top off what they earn.”
    “What about the Manor district? Halbermann would never dare try and squeeze the nobility.”
    “They don’t care, for the most part. Fluchtling still does his bit, and there are a few of them who follow suit, but the Baron doesn’t have time for the refugees when he’s got his father-in-law and the Lector to deal with.”
    “Even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t help us,” Maria interjected. “Von Brucker hasn’t got an ounce of compassion in him. You only look at how he treats poor Marius.”

    Pieter nodded in acknowledgement. “Lady Samtzunge" - he indicated Maria - "continues to contribute. Yesterday we had enough to take three carts of bread and oatmeal out to the Fields, but at this rate it’ll take us at least a week to get that together again. And in the meantime, the weather’s closing in. The people on the Fields need clothes and real shelter, before the winter really starts to bite.”
    “Perhaps if we write to the Baron...” began one of the others. Karl snorted. “He won’t lift a finger.”
    “What if I wrote every day? You said he’s too hassled too help. Maybe if we made ourselves a nuisance, he’d do something to shut us up.”
    “You’re free to try,” said Karl.
    “In the meantime, we must all continue to give what we can,” said Klaus, gravely. “It is easy to forget, living as comfortably as we do, how precarious the situation on the Fields is. I’m sure Pieter will be coming round with his box at the end of the meeting,” he said, nodding for the man in question to sit down.

    “On to better news - I am happy to announce that Magda Gebenluft has secured the services of the brothers Bechtermünze’s printing press.” The young man beamed. “With a very reasonable investment from our Society, she can have printed a thousand copies of her pamphlet within the week.”
    An excited murmur ran around the table. “How much?” called out a voice.
    “The brothers will let us use their press for free. We just need to supply the ink and paper. I estimate it will cost us no more than fifty marks, at the most.” Klaus looked around at the assembled people. “I assume everyone has read the pamphlet?”
    “I have,” said Maria, leaning forwards into the discussion. “Are you sure about this, Klaus? It could bring the Hounds down on us.”
    “It breaks no law!”
    “It practically accuses Lector von Kemperbad of embezzlement and impiety, Klaus. I know for a fact the Lector has no love for me, and that would extend to the rest of you if he knew who you were. Halbermann and his men are unlikely to worry about the niceties of the law once they hear what it has to say.”
    Another young man butted in.
    “Halbermann’s a sycophant and a bully. We have the advantage – he’ll never treat us or the brothers Bechtermünze like he treats the peasants.”
    “And Magda?” asked Maria, softly.
    “She’s publishing under a false name,” said Klaus, triumphantly. “Martin Marprälat.”
    “I’ve read it,” said another man. “I’m with Lady Samtzunge. If we antagonise the Lector directly, we’re putting the Society in danger. We know what he’s capable of. If he thinks we’re endangering his hold on the populace...”
    A dark murmur ran around the table. Klaus frowned.
    “Is this it, then? Are we going to back out of doing anything at all?” He glared around the table, his voice ringing with a steely certainty. “It’s time for us to decide. Are we willing to stand behind our ideas, to pay the price to see them through – or is this just a game, for rich youths to play pretend? We can leave von Kemperbad his ‘hold’, leave the people to suffer and starve – or we can seize the chance to strike a blow for liberty.” He breathed in sharply, composing himself. “This is the time for real change. The people grow suspicious of Halbermann’s men, when they have been searching so long without success. We will not see this chance again.
    A silence fell. Looking around the table, Maria nodded. Klaus nodded back.
    "We put this to the vote, then. All in favour?"

    Most of the people present raised their hands into the air...
    Last edited by LCP; 2010-02-09 at 08:32 AM.