[WFRP] The Hour After Midnight

[Exeson]

'I'll go investigate the houses and murders' Ithelus says. 'after all locks can be picked shut as well as open. Any word on what those tubers we found in the cart were?'

[LCP]

"We have the cart in the yard here," said Marius, frowning a little at Ithelus' mention of picking locks. "I would suggest taking them to Doctor Rasen. I can have one of my men do it if you wish, but they are over-stretched as it is."

[Exeson]

'I can do that this afternoon, sir' He frowns, 'One of you big kill-y kind of people,' he motions to Raffy, Lothar and Seth, 'Want to come with me to search the murders? in case of hounds.'

Ithelus smiles to the captain, 'I'm betting these murders are very mundane sir, just come clever man who can pick locks, or who got his hands on a key. I've had to investigate scenes like this before.' Ithelus of course leaves out the part where he was the one picking the locks of a house closed again and stalking off with heavy pockets.

[BloodyAngel]

Illiiya Jaelrae

Illiiya listened calmly, she seemed tired, having slept fitfully that night, all but alone. She hated being alone, but she felt too guilty stealing all of Ithelus' time from him to say otherwise. The sounds of the rats were far kinder to her frayed nerves than the other things she swore she had heard in the darkness beneath the old man's home.

As they spoke of bodies and plots, she listened only in part, mostly just glad to be around her companions again. Her attention was drawn when sorcery was mentioned... and at the idea of two bodies found with no visible means to have killed them.

No... no no no... She muttered to herself, before her voice finally rose loud enough to draw a sudden shocked silence from the others, The daemons do not just watch anymore. They are coming here! They can step in from nothing and kill, and fade away again. The mutants are just the result of their passing. They are getting stronger! I... I.... I...

She looked as if she might collapse to the ground at any moment, her voice shaking as she tried hard to fight off hysterics and fear in equal measure.

It can't happen again! It hurts too much! She pleaded to no one in the room, clutching her head, If you tear any more of me away, there will be nothing left! Please make it stop! Make it go away!

[LCP]

At Ithelus’ words, the Captain seemed to twig.
“Ah – yes. An excellent idea. If you can prove it.” A thought seemed to strike him. “Be careful around the Hounds, though. You may not be able to get in to see the bodies without using the authority of the Guard – but if Halbermann asks him, the Lector could get us ordered to leave the investigation entirely in their hands. I don’t want that.” He gave a wry smile. “It’d mean I’d have to pay you in secret.”

At Illiiya’s reaction, he looked surprised, and a little uncomfortable.

“Is... something the matter with your friend?”

[goblinpaladin]

Lothar scratched at his beard and shook his head. "Uh. She's well, I'm sure." His voice dropped into a hiss, and he gestured. "Ith. Help her out." Somewhat louder he added, "Just has odd moments, that's all. We should, uh, move on to the apothecary, aye, Cap'n-- Captain?"

[LCP]

"Whenever you're ready, Mr Fischer," said Marius, making to stand.

OOC: Just waiting to find out what everyone's doing, then I'll move whoever's going to see Pilserier to his cell.

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk

When Ithelus asks for a "kill-y" type, Raffy shakes his bruised and bloodied head. "I think I'll be using my mind on this one. Besides, I haven't seen this Pilserier yet. Let's take a look."

[Exeson]

Ithelus hugs Illiiya tight, 'It's ok, they were most likely lying, don't worry. They can't get you here.'

Ithelus leads her outside, 'If any of you want to join me I'll be waiting outside here 'till she has calmed down.'

[LCP]

“This way, then,” said the Captain, rising from his seat. Fishing a ring of keys out of a desk drawer, he opened the door, heading down a short flight of steps into a dark stone corridor...

Visiting Pilserier

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The Guard House’s cells were not exactly impressive – a couple of narrow stone chambers leading off a narrow stone corridor, partially sunk below the level of the ground. The guard on duty as gaoler saluted Marius, and opened the door to the cell.

Inside, Pilserier sat, his head bowed. On hearing the party enter, the little man looked up – he seemed almost as if he had shrunk, the colour and confidence having left his bent frame.

“You people again,” he said, quietly. “Begging your pardon, captain,” he added, noticing Marius...

[goblinpaladin]

Pilserier's Cell

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Rubbing the side of his head, Lothar stepped forward. "We've a few questions for you, doctor, if you've a moment."

[LCP]

Pilserier's Cell

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The man gave a curt, nervous laugh.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not yet, at any rate."

“We met your friends, diggin’ about in that cellar,” said Lothar. “Tell us about them.”
“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” the apothecary said, sullenly.
“Come off it, Mr Pilserier. My friends here saw you talking to Puderbrand. Let’s start with him, shall we? What was he visiting you for?”

Pilserier paused, glancing briefly at Seth before answering Lothar.

“He had something wrong with his hand. He wanted me to amputate it.” He paused again, running his tongue over his dry lips. “I said no.”
“He was offering to pay, then? D’you know where he was getting his money?”
“No.”
“Who are you working for? Tell us about who’s paying you.”
“I don’t work for anyone,” he said, his tone carefully flat. “I’m an honest trader. This is all... all just a big mistake.”
Lothar nodded.
“I dare say you make quite a profit, with that wagon of yours. A clever idea. What villages d’you pass through, when you’re out of town?”

Pilserier looked at him, as if trying to sense a trap. Slowly, he replied:
“I go up through Mittelmund... then Schwarzmarkt, Hopfelstadt, Steinbruck, and back here. What of it?”

OOC: Steinbruck is the quarrying village from which your caravan set out in Chapter I.

[goblinpaladin]

Pilserier's Cell

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Lothar stared, expression even, at the man in the cell. "Hmm." The soldier leaned across to Marius, whispering in his ear. "Captain, that last was the village our wagon left from."

[Another_Poet]

Raffy

"Lot of beast men up that way," says Raffy quietly. He had been leaning against the stone wall with his head bowed slightly. But suddenly he looks up at Pilserier with a stare of cold wrath in his eyes. He walks slowly up to the man, reaches between the bars of the cell and grabs him by the shirt. Holding him tight with one hand, he uses the other hand to pull back his bandages.

He waits as Pilserier's eyes take in the gruesome claw-marks encircling his throat, the scabbed punctures from the serrations highlighted with an array of purple, scarlet and black bruises that have spread to cover his neck.

"Wish you would've done that amputation for him, Doc," says Raffy. He speaks in a ghastly rasp as the swelling puts pressure on his voicebox.

[LCP]

Pilserier's Cell

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Marius nodded slowly at Lothar's words, his eyes still fixed on Pilserier.

"It's against the law!" squealed Pilserier. "I didn't want to be done for sheltering mutants!"

He writhed in the man's grip. Marius didn't seem too concerned by Raffy's tactics, watching the proceedings with a detached gaze.

"Lemme go!"

[goblinpaladin]

Pilserier's Cell

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Lothar winced at the high-pitched squeals, raising a hand. "Quieter, please. Maybe you should try answering our questions again, Pilserier."

[LCP]

Pilserier's Cell

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"I told you," whined the apothecary. "I told you what I know! What more d'you want me to say? I'm sorry, alright! I know I should've come forward, but he said he'd kill me if I told anyone!"

[goblinpaladin]

Pilserier's Cell

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"I don't think you understand, doctor. He already talked to us- we just want your side of things.

[LCP]

Pilserier's Cell

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Lothar's words seemed to grab the apothecary's attention more forcefully than before.

"I've told you the truth," he repeated, rather more weakly. "What did he say?" He hesitated. "Whatever he said, it's lies."

[goblinpaladin]

Pilserier's Cell

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Lothar gestured to Raffy. "Why don't you tell the lad your side before he loses his temper?"

[LCP]

Pilserier's Cell

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"You can't prove anything," gabbled Pilserier. "You think you can do this to me? I'm not some peasant you can push about," he sneered, looking at the Captain. "I've got connections. This place won't hold me long."

He looked back at Raffy, a nervous energy in the expression on his sweaty face.

"Let go of me."

[Another_Poet]

Raffy keeps a hold on Pilserier's shirt the whole time the man is protesting. When he asks to be let go, Raffy instead pulls him in closer so that his face is pressed painfully against the bars. Then he drags the man up along the bars until they are at eye-to-eye level.

"Who is the Court?" he rasps.

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I picture Raffy's voice being like Rorschacht from Watchmen right now.

[LCP]

Pilserier's Cell

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Pilserier made a whickering noise - the nervous chuckle of a frightened man.

"The courts are where I'll be seeing you, mister, if you don't put me down," he said. "You hear that, Captain? I can afford a litigant, I can. You'll be hearing from me when I'm out of here, don't you fear!"

[amgodtic]

Seth winces slightly at the rough treatment, but says nothing. While the interrogation is going on, he pulls Marius aside and speaks in hushed tones. "So...what's going to happen to our friend here? Worst case scenario, best case scenario? Would he hang, with the evidence and witness testimony? Or might he get off scott-free, if he keeps this up?"

[LCP]

Pilserier's Cell

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Marius made a wry expression.

“On the basis of what you found... I don’t know. It would be your word against his, and we don’t have anything solid to accuse him of if he sticks to this story.”

He shrugged.

“On the other hand... he’s not going to be in our charge for much longer, by the sounds of things. It doesn’t matter if he is innocent, if the Lector convinces my father to allow him to be tried in a religious court, his life is in von Kemperbad’s hands.” The Captain frowned. “That’s if the Hounds don’t beat the truth out of him first.”

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk

The little man's laughter is cut short as Raffy reaches in with his other hand and yanks the man's ear, twisting his head to one side and forcing his ear up against the bars. Raffy puts his mouth right up to the man's ear and speaks in a harsh, too-loud tone.

"Listen you little sh*t," he says. "I'm the nice one here. In about one hour there's a man from the Church who'll be here to see you. I'm sure you know how they ask their questions. Don't you?" he rattles the man's head against the bars a little and continues to speak directly into his ear.

"You can talk to us right now. Tell us what you know. When this man arrives, we can tell him the information you've given us. You can get your litigant and make your case. In a civil court, eh?"

He pauses. "Or you can keep lying. We'll have no choice but to hand you over. And when we do, there will be nothing left of you to put in the stand. They'll read your recantation right before they boil you alive."

Leaning away from the man's ear again, he calls to Lothar. "I hear they put 'em in the vat toes-first, so they don't die too quick. That right, Lothar?"

((assuming Lothar affirms.))

He twists the man's ear to pull him even harder against the bars, then nearly nuzzles his neck like a lover. With his youthful stubble scraping Pilserier's cheek he growls, "So tell us a story, turtledove."

[LCP]

Pilserier's Cell

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“That’s enough,” said Marius, a slight tone of warning in his voice. “Put him down.”

“You said... the Church?” said Pilserier – his bravado had ebbed away, the cold groundswell of fear rising up in its place. “D’you mean Sergeant Halbermann? He wouldn’t do that, the Sergeant... he’s a reasonable man...”

The apothecary no longer sounded as if he believed his own words.

“Listen, maybe... maybe I could... remember something more. But you’ve got to promise to let me go. Trouble like this, it could ruin me.” He gave another nervous laugh. “Times is hard – I’m an honest trader, I’ve got my business to think of...”

[Another_Poet]

Raffy the Sparrowhawk

At the Captain's words, Raffy abruptly drops the chemist. In response to Pilserier:

"You come clean, and we can keep you under lay law. That means a barrister and a jury. Frankly with all the people you've healed you've got good chances that way. And we can impound your wagon but not harm it." He pauses. "It's only if we don't produce results that the Church can take you away from us. But if they do... I wouldn't want to be in your shoes."

He spits on the floor, hoping Marius won't call him on his bluff.

[LCP]

Pilserier's Cell

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The apothecary seemed to think long and hard about what he was going to say - it was some time before he opened his mouth again.

"Listen... I'm just a travelling, apothecary, what do I know, right?" He gave another nervous laugh. "But sometimes you overhear things, if you catch my drift. I mean it's got nothing to do with me. I wouldn't have anything to do with those kind of people. I mean you only had to look at him..."

Sensing his words were not falling on the friendliest of ears, he changed tack.

"There's things happening in this town. Things what go all the way up... and all the way down. And that Cathedral's at the centre of it all. I've heard people talking in the square, keeping me up at night... seen customers who've got secrets. You pick things up. Like Puderbrand did." He paused for effect. "When he came to me, I asked him where he got the shiners to pay for things, all of a sudden - after the old Temple went up, his old mates, whoever they were, probably long gone by now, they turned him out into the gutter, not a penny to his name. He said just before his old landlord had turfed him out, he'd found a bag of gold crowns lying on his bed, in his old lodgings down in the Helstrum's Ward. Said no-one had seen a living soul go in or out of his room - so it was a sign from Them, that They wanted him to continue Their work." He fearfully gestured northwards. "He was crazy. He said he'd kill me if I told another soul, but that's not a problem now, is it?" Another nervous laugh died into awkward silence.

"Anyway, it looks to me like someone clever enough not to want to get mixed up with a meathead like him knew what he'd do if he got his hands on the money. I mean, he'd done it once before, right?"

He trailed off, looking round at his captors.

"That's worth something, isn't it?" he said, an edge of desperation in his voice. "I mean, if you can find out how that money got there... there's your man."

[Another_Poet]

Raffy looks to the others to respond to Pilserier's sniveling plea.